Phil-
I read the thread from the other site up to the point that I read your first post. It's a long thread, so I did not read any further. For what it is worth, here are my thoughts:
1) That thread was not at all out of control or out of line as seemed to be the implication. I did not perceive a "power mad" bias against officials or read generally "derogatory" things about officials. It seemed to me that most people who posted in that thread said they had no problem with officials, most officials are nice people, etc. A couple indicated that 1% of the officials can be out of line. Only 1%? I think they're being rather generous to us.
2) Your first post over on that thread irritated me, too, but not because it was biased towards officials. I was irritated by your statement that you were revealing referee "secrets" by confessing that officials are distracted from their duties by women with large breasts. I'm not sure that your please-don't-think-of-officials-as-power-mad-think-of-them-as-dopey-adolescent-men (and women, since there are surely women who cannot help but stare at large breasts, not that there's anything wrong with that) does the profession any favors.
3) I disagree with your statement that "out-of-control-egos usually surface long before a ref gets to the varsity level and are weeded out." I submit this site (which we all love and cherish) as Exhibit A in the argument against your position.
4) Like most officials, I have had no problem with photographers. Sure, there are times when we don't have as much space to work as we'd like, but those aren't the photographers fault -- they're facing the limitations, too. I think most officials are good, decent people who are doing the best they can. I think most photographers are good, decent people who are doing the best they can. Sure, there are a few officials, and sure there are a few photographers, who aren't as good or as decent, but you just deal with that as best you can and you move on.
Again, I didn't read the entire thread at the other site, so perhaps I missed a lot.