This is the internet, after all. If I tell you "I'm highly credentialed. Just trust me" :-D will that satisfy you?

Eh; it would be medium-strength evidence. Even though I have no way to verify what you say, I don't think that you have any real incentive or motive to deceive me (given that simple trolls are unlikely to amass >2K karma). :P

(I think we've exhausted the usefulness of this subthread, so I probably won't respond to any replies -- tapping out.)