excelsior1986 I have a bone to pick with you.

[Chespirito]

I have no debts. Does it mean that I can spend money on hookers and blow?

 

Man, you are so backwards.

 

If the hookers and blow are paid for, now you can pay for frivolous things like mortgage and utilities.

[Calamerica]

Mike, you are good folks.

 

 

[Calamerica]

Regardless of what happens in the rest of the thread, just wanted to say that that was extremely nice of you, Mike.

And is not the first time Mike has done something kind and nice for his fellow man.

Mike is, without a doubt, a great and kind person.

[Calamerica]

Plus he made a larger purchase on 4/28

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=5620957&fpart=10

 

I only noticed because a friend mentioned that he had not received payment for some other books that Excelsior had purchased, I was considering buying this book, so I was surprised when I saw who bought it.

 

I know that Mike has done all he can to pay it forward.

 

We have some very generous people on this board...and most of the people who need help, really need it, so I'd hate to have someone who is probably very young, act like he is younger than his real age.

 

I am sure most of us have hit bad spells and wanted to shop, it's a common reaction, I know I've been there myself...but most of us try not to take money from others and do that.

 

I'd suggest that if Excelsior is OK now and doesn't need funds, he does what Mike did and pay Mike's kindness forward...perhaps even with some of the books he just bought.

[Calamerica]

COI on Cash Relief

 

1) Don't lend money out that you actually expect back.

2) Don't give money out with the expectation that people can prioritize, or that they'll prioritize the way you think they should.

3) Donate money with the understanding that most of it probably won't end up where it should.

4) Give because it's the right thing to do, not because it will make things right.

 

Mike, I applaud your noble intent, but some people just suck with money. And there is a direct correlation between sucking with money, and being in financially precarious situations.

 

[thirdgreenham]

Mike, you are good folks.

 

 

 

You are both losers. Mike is singular.

[Gotham Kid]

COI on Cash Relief

 

1) Don't lend money out that you actually expect back.

2) Don't give money out with the expectation that people can prioritize, or that they'll prioritize the way you think they should.

3) Donate money with the understanding that most of it probably won't end up where it should.

4) Give because it's the right thing to do, not because it will make things right.

 

Mike, I applaud your noble intent, but some people just suck with money. And there is a direct correlation between sucking with money, and being in financially precarious situations.

 

 

+1

 

and Mike is definitely good peeps ! (thumbs u

[GACollectibles]

 

Does it include people who supposedly ignore you?

 

 

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=4&Number=5667117&Searchpage=1&Main=257682&Words=rhymes+DiceX&topic=0&Search=true#Post5667117

 

 

(in my best Inigo Montoya voice-)

 

I do not think "*** You are ignoring this user ***" means what you think it means.

 

 

[Bosco685]

It was a nice gesture, that's the main thing. But is what the person did any worse than any number of people here who have sales here to help out with their home, brother, mother, dog etc....only to see them buying books in other sales threads simultaneously?

 

I've seen that once or twice.

[Boba]

Ladies and Gents, I believe our work is done here.

[TupennyConan]

How'd this thread turn out?

 

Where do I collect my winnin's?

[seanfingh]

How'd this thread turn out?

 

Where do I collect my winnin's?

 

Your winnings are out at the booty shack.

[vaillant]

Okay, now I think I’ll give my contribution, since I don’t like so much how this thread went on since its inception.

 

My perspective is somewhat reversed: I got to get acquainted with Austin (excelsior1986) after considering a purchase on Josh’s (Sardo Numspar) thread. I purchased a book slightly before Austin, who did the last purchase on the Blue Ribbon.

I wished to see Austin’s collecting interests, since I am studying the Blue Bibbons right now, and as I browsed his posts, I noticed the "I am officially living the american dream" thread.

As I expressed my closeness to Austin, I began to see he was not only a young folk experiencing some hard times alongside with his family but at the same time a deeply passionate guy which, given his limited amount of money, was pursuing his investigation on different fields of interest and work, both silver age and golden age, and virtually any genre of comics. I also saw he was an “artist” (I think the english term is poor, since it does not qualify enough the various shades of the word, but I’ll stick with it), which in past years had to give up studying or working on what he was skilled about to help with the occasionally unstable financial situation of his family.

 

After my comments Austin wrote me personally to thank me for the words of encouragement, and thus I became (just) a little acquainted with his situation, his hopes, what he held dear, and how the adverse elements taught him to spiritually uplift, by getting to see more and more things in their effective light, and perceive them more correctly in the inner value they can hold for us.

To be honest, I would have been more than glad to send him some money (of course, not the amount Mike/Comicdonna gifted him, but anyway…), but Austin did not disclose more than what was needed of his distressing situation. Instead, he learned to thank for what he has been, and he was currently being, given.

I did not knew (and do not know) if Austin was religious, but surely the simple words, and the confidence with whom he confronted the situation was something of an uplifting example for my own conversion.

Said this, it didn’t surprise me at all to see he purchased a Blue Ribbon uncommon issue; first thing I thought was «look at how it must be difficult to him to manage some collecting of things he care about (or maybe plans to sell afterwards) in a moment of financial difficulty which surely would have overwhelmed me with worry.

 

Said this, there are some points worth to be noted, and I stress these especially to all those which, unscrupolously and indiscretiously personally judged Austin – instantly – on behalf of Mike (his donor’s) simple words, by judging from mere appearances and external facts.

 

1) The concept, which emerged here and there, that comics are just "a hooby" or "a luxury". I hold that this is at least a narrow view of the whole, or at least partially wrong. They may be also luxury goods, but not just that. There’s a phrase by Francis de Sales which more or less says «an action may have a hundred faces. The charitable man looks at it from the most beautiful, the empious one from the most disfigured».

Collecting is more often than not mostly a means; motivations – especially if we are looking at others rather than to ourselves – should never be reduced to such a poor extent.

 

2) A gift is a gift, no matter how you look at it. It’s something given, as is life, and if we are prone to give it, we must be pleased to whatever the person benefitting from it will decide to do with it.

 

3) Comicdonna’s gift (as I think it was intended) has been an act of outstanding generosity, I wouldn’t have been able to do that myself, but – Mike allow me to say this – maybe a little rushed for such an amount of money. Surely Austin would have benefitted the same way, say, from 200USD, or from an occasional 10USD from some acquaintances on the board. Sadly, no one thought about it – apparently – except Mike.

 

I said all this not to diminish what Mike has done, but to underline that it appears to me this thread, which in the end turned for good, seems to have suffered from rush, an astonishing easiness in dispensing not an opinion (which is legitimate), but personal judgement.

 

From my few months of confrontations on these boards I have encountered bad and good things, but also upliflting qualities which seem a specific gift of americans, and both Austin and Mike – with their respective weaknesses – prove they could easily end up wasted by even the tiniest amount of disregard, or lack of true charity.

Let’s not make it happen, please.

 

P.S. I wish to publicly thank all those which greeted me, an italian "intruder" on the boards, almost as a friend, even if we barely got acquainted. Among those, besides excelsior1986, I particularly express my gratitude to VintageComics (Roy), esquirecomics, Define999, queveau, Filter81 (Adam & Danielle), BillC, Rip and sacentaur.

A special "kudos to you" for Sardo Numspar, not just for being the "average nice guy", but for how he backed up Austin here. (thumbs u

[hockey&comicsguy]

It's one thing to judge the person and it's another to judge the act.

 

It was mentioned by some that Austin was a good guy. I don't know him at all but after having him come on here and face the music, he's alright in my book. While it may have been harsh towards the beginning I think more than a couple people stipulated that he may indeed be a great guy but his decision to buy books so soon seemed to be a poor one.

 

Good people make not so great choices all the time. My wife will attest to that on my behalf.

 

Just b/c Austin is a good guy doesn't mean he didn't make what some feel are some bad choices. In the end it's just people's opinions. Austin is free to do whatever he chooses with his own life and finances. The fact that he came on here and tried to clear the air and give a little background info speaks volumes about his character and about how these boards can be very understanding and very forgiving when people are willing to answer the bell.

 

[VintageComics]

I enjoy reading your posts. They seem to be balanced and frank.

 

I would just add (after skimming this thread) that I think most people involved are good people, Mike, Austin and all the other contributors on here.

 

One thing I would have done before making a public thread about it (and I know Mike got this "advice" from me before when he started another thread about an experience with another dealer last year some time) is that I would have gone directly to the person first and asked them about it in private...and then based on the outcome of that conversation I would have made a thread about it.

 

It really is the best way to resolve things in any sort of disagreement.

 

Other than that, I'm glad that Mike made the donation, I'm glad that Austin saw the error of his ways and I'm glad that I had another opportunity to add to my post count.

 

 

 

[gregreece]

I am officially living in Bizarro World

[G.A.tor]

I haven't read the entire thread, so maybe I'm speaking out of turn...

 

Pay your debts before you commit/pay for "luxuries". This is an issue that hits close to home for me. Comic books, home decorations, etc... all fall under "luxuries" to me. If you have outstanding debt in other parts of your life, it is YOUR responsibility to make good on those debts.

 

Get your mess together. Pay your debts. They are YOURS.

 

If you intend to play in this end of the pond, you better have your mess in order.

I have no debts. Does it mean that I can spend money on hookers and blow?

 

If you have no debts, that's exactly what you should be spending your money on. Duh!

Won't that put me into debt?

if mike sends me $500 I will spend it on heroin and hookers

[FormerReader]

Okay, now I think I’ll give my contribution, since I don’t like so much how this thread went on since its inception.

 

My perspective is somewhat reversed: I got to get acquainted with Austin (excelsior1986) after considering a purchase on Josh’s (Sardo Numspar) thread. I purchased a book slightly before Austin, who did the last purchase on the Blue Ribbon.

I wished to see Austin’s collecting interests, since I am studying the Blue Bibbons right now, and as I browsed his posts, I noticed the "I am officially living the american dream" thread.

As I expressed my closeness to Austin, I began to see he was not only a young folk experiencing some hard times alongside with his family but at the same time a deeply passionate guy which, given his limited amount of money, was pursuing his investigation on different fields of interest and work, both silver age and golden age, and virtually any genre of comics. I also saw he was an “artist” (I think the english term is poor, since it does not qualify enough the various shades of the word, but I’ll stick with it), which in past years had to give up studying or working on what he was skilled about to help with the occasionally unstable financial situation of his family.

 

After my comments Austin wrote me personally to thank me for the words of encouragement, and thus I became (just) a little acquainted with his situation, his hopes, what he held dear, and how the adverse elements taught him to spiritually uplift, by getting to see more and more things in their effective light, and perceive them more correctly in the inner value they can hold for us.

To be honest, I would have been more than glad to send him some money (of course, not the amount Mike/Comicdonna gifted him, but anyway…), but Austin did not disclose more than what was needed of his distressing situation. Instead, he learned to thank for what he has been, and he was currently being, given.

I did not knew (and do not know) if Austin was religious, but surely the simple words, and the confidence with whom he confronted the situation was something of an uplifting example for my own conversion.

Said this, it didn’t surprise me at all to see he purchased a Blue Ribbon uncommon issue; first thing I thought was «look at how it must be difficult to him to manage some collecting of things he care about (or maybe plans to sell afterwards) in a moment of financial difficulty which surely would have overwhelmed me with worry.

 

Said this, there are some points worth to be noted, and I stress these especially to all those which, unscrupolously and indiscretiously personally judged Austin – instantly – on behalf of Mike (his donor’s) simple words, by judging from mere appearances and external facts.

 

1) The concept, which emerged here and there, that comics are just "a hooby" or "a luxury". I hold that this is at least a narrow view of the whole, or at least partially wrong. They may be also luxury goods, but not just that. There’s a phrase by Francis de Sales which more or less says «an action may have a hundred faces. The charitable man looks at it from the most beautiful, the empious one from the most disfigured».

Collecting is more often than not mostly a means; motivations – especially if we are looking at others rather than to ourselves – should never be reduced to such a poor extent.

 

2) A gift is a gift, no matter how you look at it. It’s something given, as is life, and if we are prone to give it, we must be pleased to whatever the person benefitting from it will decide to do with it.

 

3) Comicdonna’s gift (as I think it was intended) has been an act of outstanding generosity, I wouldn’t have been able to do that myself, but – Mike allow me to say this – maybe a little rushed for such an amount of money. Surely Austin would have benefitted the same way, say, from 200USD, or from an occasional 10USD from some acquaintances on the board. Sadly, no one thought about it – apparently – except Mike.

 

I said all this not to diminish what Mike has done, but to underline that it appears to me this thread, which in the end turned for good, seems to have suffered from rush, an astonishing easiness in dispensing not an opinion (which is legitimate), but personal judgement.

 

From my few months of confrontations on these boards I have encountered bad and good things, but also upliflting qualities which seem a specific gift of americans, and both Austin and Mike – with their respective weaknesses – prove they could easily end up wasted by even the tiniest amount of disregard, or lack of true charity.

Let’s not make it happen, please.

 

P.S. I wish to publicly thank all those which greeted me, an italian "intruder" on the boards, almost as a friend, even if we barely got acquainted. Among those, besides excelsior1986, I particularly express my gratitude to VintageComics (Roy), esquirecomics, Define999, queveau, Filter81 (Adam & Danielle), BillC, Rip and sacentaur.

A special "kudos to you" for Sardo Numspar, not just for being the "average nice guy", but for how he backed up Austin here. (thumbs u

 

Nicely said.

 

The problem with message boards/the internet is people often rush to judgement and a mob metality often forms rather quickly. We are all guilty of it sometimes as humans.

 

The good thing to take from all of this though is Comicdonna did something very nice for someone he didn't know, which is nice to see nowadays.

[Mutie Fan]

Having personally met and hung out with Austin on a number of occasions I can say from my own first hand experience he is a good guy.

 

He has a genuine love of comics and art and has offered to help me out on numerous occasions with moving, not something most people just volunteer to do.

 

And without divulging too much of his personal life, I know he does quite a bit to help out his family.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[vaillant]

I am officially living in Bizarro World

Welcome.

 

@hockey&comicsguy: Maybe I don’t get it, but it’s not "just people opinions". Simple, immediate opinions can be deceiving, they are not so reliable (especially today).

I was trying to hint to something more here, as you say any criticism is good towards actions, but as far as I’ve seen there’s still nothing to blame excelsior1986 personally. And this has happened, if not explicitly, at least implicitly.

You americans seem often to commit the grave error to think in terms of "good people" vs "bad people" instead of "bad" vs "good", but again – I don’t wont to be excessively cocky… Ugh.

 

I would have gone directly to the person first and asked them about it in private

That’s the most important point. Roy: awesome.