Manufactured Gold

[OldGuy]

I love this [embarrassing lack of self control]ing thread.

[Bronty]

I can't stand it. This is some ridiculous shiz..

 

the part about the meals I mean..

[Bullet123]

I am not specifically trying to pick on you. There are probably a dozen or so posters who continue to harp on things. I would just like to know exactly how all the things you rant and rave about have affected your collecting habits. It really is a simple question. I will repeat it for you.

 

What did you collect previously before you were enlightened to all the evil things that go on in the hobby, that you no longer collect because your beyond reproach ethical stance prevents you from doing?

 

So you read through this whole thread....and that's the best you can come up with?

 

Thats funny you still have not answered my question

[tth2]

Remember the Scalia/Cheney hunting trip? Same kind of thing. Nothing may have happened to influence someone's decision one way or the other, but it certainly doesn't do a whole lot for people's confidence.

Anyone who thinks that anybody could get Nino Scalia to change his opinion on anything is seriously deluded.

 

I didn't realize that by accepting an appointment to the Supreme Court the justices are signing up to a life of seclusion, particularly with respect to socializing with their peers. Same goes for CGC graders.

[adamstrange]

Remember the Scalia/Cheney hunting trip? Same kind of thing. Nothing may have happened to influence someone's decision one way or the other, but it certainly doesn't do a whole lot for people's confidence.

Anyone who thinks that anybody could get Nino Scalia to change his opinion on anything is seriously deluded.

 

I didn't realize that by accepting an appointment to the Supreme Court the justices are signing up to a life of seclusion, particularly with respect to socializing with their peers. Same goes for CGC graders.

 

I dunno. Cheney with a gun could be mighty persuasive.

[tth2]

We're the first aren't we?

 

You got it.

Accountants are lower!

 

Who, by the way, even under the stricter standards of Sarbanes-Oxley, can still take their clients out for a meal. So if the guardians of information that's truly worth money can do it, why the hell can't graders in a rinky-dink hobby have dinner with their customers?

[Viscosity-migration]

We're the first aren't we?

 

You got it.

Accountants are lower!

 

Who, by the way, even under the stricter standards of Sarbanes-Oxley, can still take their clients out for a meal. So if the guardians of information that's truly worth money can do it, why the hell can't graders in a rinky-dink hobby have dinner with their customers?

 

With all due respect,..you seem to have little knowledge of the essence of "conflict of interest"

 

AGAIN...this isn't about a crime, an accusation, a claim, or anyone is particular, ect...ect...

 

all that needs be is the PERCEPTION of impropriety...and the "good faith effort" theorum COULD be lost...this is not rocket science fellas.

 

leave your emotion, and personal opinions, at the door...its simply a study/question of practical, and ethical, business protocols at discussion here

 

 

P.S.

 

On another specific note: there ARE ways around Sarbanes & Oxley...trust me

[tth2]

[Ze-man]

 

 

Now THAT I can understand.

 

[Bronty]

 

With all due respect,..you seem to have little knowledge of the essence of "conflict of interest"

 

 

 

all that needs be is the PERCEPTION of impropriety...:

 

There's material conflicts and then there's taking someone out for a meal Now if you're buying $2000 bottles of wine and picking up a $20,000 tab that's a different story but if you're going dutch or buying a nice normal meal its just not a material conflict. I mean christ, what's next, that its a conflict for someone to breathe air that someone else paid for the air conditioning on?

[FFB]

Remember the Scalia/Cheney hunting trip? Same kind of thing. Nothing may have happened to influence someone's decision one way or the other, but it certainly doesn't do a whole lot for people's confidence.

Anyone who thinks that anybody could get Nino Scalia to change his opinion on anything is seriously deluded.

 

I didn't realize that by accepting an appointment to the Supreme Court the justices are signing up to a life of seclusion, particularly with respect to socializing with their peers. Same goes for CGC graders.

 

Guys, no one with half a brain thinks there's anything wrong with forum dinners. Just drop it already before people start to think that there's any real controversy here.

[Red Hook]

I am not specifically trying to pick on you. There are probably a dozen or so posters who continue to harp on things. I would just like to know exactly how all the things you rant and rave about have affected your collecting habits. It really is a simple question. I will repeat it for you.

 

What did you collect previously before you were enlightened to all the evil things that go on in the hobby, that you no longer collect because your beyond reproach ethical stance prevents you from doing?

 

So you read through this whole thread....and that's the best you can come up with?

 

Thats funny you still have not answered my question

 

I didn't answer your question because it is a stupid question that has nothing to do with this thread. This is not about me. It's not about my narrow collecting interests. Or yours.

 

It was also couched in language that I refuse to validate.

 

But continue on your myopic way.

 

You really don't get it, and I don't have the time to even attempt to enlighten you. Do your own homework.

[Red Hook]

 

Guys, no one with half a brain thinks there's anything wrong with forum dinners. Just drop it already before people start to think that there's any real controversy here.

 

 

 

[Scheradon]

 

Guys, no one with half a brain thinks there's anything wrong with forum dinners. Just drop it already before people start to think that there's any real controversy here.

 

 

 

 

[sacentaur]

Thanks, Steve. Appreciate the assist with the "S" book.

 

--Mitch

 

You're welcome - my source on the 'S' book was an elder gentleman who bought it direct from Thailing in 1964.

 

I've also just heard that the 'S' books were acquired via Mark Wilson, so perhaps he can shed more light on the subject.

 

STEVE Got Larson?

[Forbush-Man]

Very interesting thread, MC. Please post some more examples as you find them.

[october]

Remember the Scalia/Cheney hunting trip? Same kind of thing. Nothing may have happened to influence someone's decision one way or the other, but it certainly doesn't do a whole lot for people's confidence.

Anyone who thinks that anybody could get Nino Scalia to change his opinion on anything is seriously deluded.

 

I didn't realize that by accepting an appointment to the Supreme Court the justices are signing up to a life of seclusion, particularly with respect to socializing with their peers. Same goes for CGC graders.

 

Yeah, cause that's really what I said. Nice to see you can respond without using hyperbole.

 

I never mentioned forum dinners either.

 

Obviously this is an emotional topic for some people. I won't post about it again.

[Flaming_Telepath]

I am not specifically trying to pick on you. There are probably a dozen or so posters who continue to harp on things. I would just like to know exactly how all the things you rant and rave about have affected your collecting habits. It really is a simple question. I will repeat it for you.

 

What did you collect previously before you were enlightened to all the evil things that go on in the hobby, that you no longer collect because your beyond reproach ethical stance prevents you from doing?

 

I know precisely what you're trying to say...that unless you're willing to back it up, to physically do something, you shouldn't complain or point out wrong-doing...that you have no right.

 

So unless you actually go down to your local gas station and berate the owner, you've no right to complain about gas prices?

 

However, I'm going to humour you, as I'm one of those who 'continue to harp on things'.

 

This is what I've personally done, how I've changed my habits.

 

1 I will no longer submit anything to CGC, nor will I advise anyone else to do so, nor will I help them do so.

 

2 I will buy raw books in preference to slabbed wherever it's viable. Online is not an option, but at shows? Sure. I was at the one-day New York show in January and bought 29 books. None of them was in plastic, but in hand, I'll rely upon my own judgement.

 

3 I will no longer consider 9.6 or above books, as these, I feel, as the ones that are most likely to have 'reached their full potential'. Oh, and the market volatility that will occur when this sh!te finally filters down to the community in general is quite scary.

 

4 I have a list of dealers who I will not buy from, no matter what they have and how badly I 'need' it. Names on the list included ComicLink/Josh, Heritage, Steve Lauterbach, Matt Nelson, Doug Schmell, SNE and a number of others.

 

Now, is this putting a cramp in my style? Sure. But it's better than getting out entirely. Does it take out all risks? Course not...but it sure as hell diminishes them. Will it help change things? No...not on my own, but if others want to make their own personal decisions as to how they want to change, dependent upon how strongly they feel, and they do so, who knows?

 

But I tell you what it does do...it makes it easier to sleep at night knowing that you're not putting money directly into the hands of scumbags just because I so badly need that funny book.

[Davenport]

One thing that's changed for me is "grade" on a printed label has become virtually meaningless. It might mean an unusual high state of preservation through time, something wonderful and rare. Or it might mean a recent reconditioning process has occured, something that's cheap to do and becoming more common. "Grade" doesn't differentiate between the two so...

 

The first place my eye goes is to the barcode. It's a very weird habit, doesn't do a damn bit of good, but that's where some relevant information might be. So I look to see if there's any "gut feeling", some back-of-the-brain reaction to those digits. Weirdness.

 

I wish they'd put "submitted by..." on every label. That would be some helpful info to collectors, because it would change with any re-submits. An 8.0 submitted by Guy Average that shows back up later as 9.4 submitted by Heritage Galleries might curtail some of this Game nonsense. At least submitted by info would help buyers decide for themselves the likelihood of whether a book has been recently Coined or not. Which is the same reason it will never happen.

[THE_BEYONDER]

Your point about the meaning of ' grade ' is a good one.

 

Looking at the glossary in my copy of OS (#35), I found the definition of 'condition' to be interesting:

 

CONDITION - The state of preservation of a comic book, often inaccurately used interchangeably with Grade