$20,000 AF15 Comic Book STOLEN at MegaCon 2023! 7 7

[Robot Man]

On 4/29/2023 at 8:50 AM, Dr. Balls said:

I'm guessing that all depends on if you're planning on flipping it

I think sometimes people don't know. Or if they hear something, they take it with a grain of salt. Sometimes people don't register problems until it happens to them firsthand. I mean, I stood up for this guy earlier in the thread, and I probably needed to STFU I'd never even heard of this guy, and will probably never cross paths with him, so my brain may not even remember this 5 years from now.

Oh, everybody locally knows this guy. He has apparently been doing it for years. They just don’t care. Another example of the crumbling morals when it comes to money now days.

[JTLarsen]

On 4/26/2023 at 10:47 AM, Robot Man said:

I don’t know how old you are but I don’t ever remember things being as bad as it is now.

Crime, theft, hate crimes and gun violence are so bad the authorities can’t even catch, process and lock people up fast enough in big cities.

Stealing comic books are the least of our worries and can be minimized in most cases. 

It’s not hard to look up crime rates, which are quite low compared to previous decades. Some big cities are quite safe compared to some rural areas. Facts matter.

[Dr. Balls]

On 4/29/2023 at 9:56 AM, Robot Man said:

Oh, everybody locally knows this guy. He has apparently been doing it for years. They just don’t care. Another example of the crumbling morals when it comes to money now days.

I'll admit as a time-waster during the day, I scroll through Instagram reels just to pass the time. I constantly see videos about European supercars (What Do You Do for a Living? Guy), real estate moguls, and screaming dudes smoking cigars saying: "if you don't make $400,000 a year, you're not a man!" - and I can tell you that crumbling morals isn't the only reason people have a shady outlook on money and the acquirement of it. Society bombards us with this idea that we should be insanely more wealthy than the guy next to us, and if we have to step on his face to get ahead - it's totally fine.

Coupled with crumbling morals, people are being actively encouraged to discard those morals at all times. That's probably why it seems that things are getting worse at a faster pace: we're getting more help than previous generations to speed up the assclownery of the world.

As a side note: I believe that social media advertising "algorithms" are a myth to sell worthless data to pie-eyed marketing executives. I've never been served a single ad for anything I am actively into and paying for. I have no idea why I am seeing these videos in my feed, as I am not interested - nor discuss - anything that would key my interest to those videos beyond simple boredom.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Dr. Balls

[Dr. Balls]

On 4/29/2023 at 10:08 AM, JTLarsen said:

It’s not hard to look up crime rates, which are quite low compared to previous decades. Some big cities are quite safe compared to some rural areas. Facts matter.

It's crazy to have to admit that - but I'd say when a person gives up reading or listening to the news for a month, you feel like your life is pretty even keel. The news is just so patently sensationalistic, it makes you feel as if there is a hatchet-wielding maniac on every street corner.

[Robot Man]

On 4/29/2023 at 9:08 AM, JTLarsen said:

It’s not hard to look up crime rates, which are quite low compared to previous decades. Some big cities are quite safe compared to some rural areas. Facts matter.

I don’t know where you live but in the bigger cities like NY, Chicago, Houston, LA and others it seems way up. You want to post stats, feel free. I just know that in LA, crimes are all over the news. All areas of the city. Not just violent crime but break ins, theft, daily car chases and vandalism are numerous daily occurrences. Now, LA is one of the biggest cities in the US so it stands to reason. And not even considering the 1,000’s of homeless folks that may or not be part of the problem. Law enforcement can’t even keep up. They have no choice but to look the other way for minor offenses. Worst I’ve ever seen having been born here and living here most of my life.

Just consider the amount of comic thefts, store breakins, in our little hobby. Reported here on a somewhat regular basis. 

[Robot Man]

On 4/29/2023 at 9:08 AM, Dr. Balls said:

I'll admit as a time-waster during the day, I scroll through Instagram reels just to pass the time. I constantly see videos about European supercars (What Do You Do for a Living? Guy), real estate moguls, and screaming dudes smoking cigars saying: "if you don't make $400,000 a year, you're not a man!" - and I can tell you that crumbling morals isn't the only reason people have a shady outlook on money and the acquirement of it. Society bombards us with this idea that we should be insanely more wealthy than the guy next to us, and if we have to step on his face to get ahead - it's totally fine.

Coupled with crumbling morals, people are being actively encouraged to discard those morals at all times. That's probably why it seems that things are getting worse at a faster pace: we're getting more help than previous generations to speed up the assclownery of the world.

As a side note: I believe that social media advertising "algorithms" are a myth to sell worthless data to pie-eyed marketing executives. I've never been served a single ad for anything I am actively into and paying for. I have no idea why I am seeing these videos in my feed, as I am not interested - nor discuss - anything that would key my interest to those videos beyond simple boredom.

Other than here and a little IG which I originally signed up for to snoop on my local competitors, I do virtually no online social media.

The internet is one of the most incredible things I have seen in my life. But, it is also a tool of the Devil and his supporters. I use common sense and logic when I use it. 

I long ago realized that many have bigger PPs than I have. I have also learned to use mine and my big head to make me happy and OK with it. 

[TupennyConan]

Greg could never afford my expert booth helper services. 

[Dr. Balls]

On 4/29/2023 at 12:09 PM, Robot Man said:

The internet is one of the most incredible things I have seen in my life. But, it is also a tool of the Devil and his supporters.

I would agree with that. However, when someone says something along the lines of “that’s the Devil’s work” a voice in my head answers back “Man usually doesn’t need the help.”

[Robot Man]

On 4/29/2023 at 9:20 AM, Dr. Balls said:

It's crazy to have to admit that - but I'd say when a person gives up reading or listening to the news for a month, you feel like your life is pretty even keel. The news is just so patently sensationalistic, it makes you feel as if there is a hatchet-wielding maniac on every street corner.

Yeah, I try and tune that part out. But it is useful when it comes to world news, financial news, sports scores, weather and the occasional “uplifting” story. I don’t spend a lot of time on it, but I like to keep informed from sources without a “slant”…

[BlowUpTheMoon]

On 4/29/2023 at 11:29 AM, Robot Man said:

There are apparently people who would buy from Satan if the price is right…

Kewl books.™

[jimjum12]

On 4/29/2023 at 2:15 PM, Robot Man said:

I like to keep informed from sources without a “slant”…

This is becoming increasingly more difficult. It seems the goal is to keep the "hate" stoked from two directions (presumably ... ) to make it easier to manipulate the masses. I'm at the age where I don't like people trying to play me .... but it's still better than total radio silence. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Robot Man]

On 4/29/2023 at 7:22 PM, jimjum12 said:

This is becoming increasingly more difficult. It seems the goal is to keep the "hate" stoked from two directions (presumably ... ) to make it easier to manipulate the masses. I'm at the age where I don't like people trying to play me .... but it's still better than total radio silence. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

A wise man once said:

”You don’t have to be a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows”

Bob Dylan

[ttfitz]

On 4/29/2023 at 1:59 PM, Robot Man said:

I don’t know where you live but in the bigger cities like NY, Chicago, Houston, LA and others it seems way up. You want to post stats, feel free.

I think the key word here is "seems".

According to a chart from LA Almanac (http://www.laalmanac.com/crime/cr01.php), in 2021 there were 58,177 violent crimes and 227,695 property crimes reported in Los Angeles County in 2021. Compare that to 95,908 violent crimes and 488,535 property crimes in 1985 (both around double the 2021 numbers). That's just raw numbers, it becomes worse when you look at crime rates - 585.8 violent and 2,292.7 property per 100,000 residents in 2021 vs  1,181 violent and 6,015.7 property in 1985 (more than double and nearly triple 2021, respectively).

Further, 1985 wasn't even the peak - 1992 had 163,513 violent crimes (1,815.2 per 100,000), and 517,495 property crimes (5,744.8 per 100,000). So there is really no question that crime is down in Los Angeles over the late 80s and early 90s, quite sharply, in fact.

Now, part of the reason for that "seems" that you mention might be that certain violent crimes are up over the past couple years compared to earlier, like homicide and aggravated assault (although rape and robbery are down). And it is conceivable that the place where such crimes take place in Los Angeles has changed, which can change the perception - as well as what gets covered in the news, thus feeding the perception.

[Robot Man]

On 4/30/2023 at 12:07 PM, ttfitz said:

I think the key word here is "seems".

According to a chart from LA Almanac (http://www.laalmanac.com/crime/cr01.php), in 2021 there were 58,177 violent crimes and 227,695 property crimes reported in Los Angeles County in 2021. Compare that to 95,908 violent crimes and 488,535 property crimes in 1985 (both around double the 2021 numbers). That's just raw numbers, it becomes worse when you look at crime rates - 585.8 violent and 2,292.7 property per 100,000 residents in 2021 vs  1,181 violent and 6,015.7 property in 1985 (more than double and nearly triple 2021, respectively).

Further, 1985 wasn't even the peak - 1992 had 163,513 violent crimes (1,815.2 per 100,000), and 517,495 property crimes (5,744.8 per 100,000). So there is really no question that crime is down in Los Angeles over the late 80s and early 90s, quite sharply, in fact.

Now, part of the reason for that "seems" that you mention might be that certain violent crimes are up over the past couple years compared to earlier, like homicide and aggravated assault (although rape and robbery are down). And it is conceivable that the place where such crimes take place in Los Angeles has changed, which can change the perception - as well as what gets covered in the news, thus feeding the perception.

Some how 58,177 violent crimes in 2021 seems like quite a bit and, frankly, doesn’t help me sleep well at night…

[Robot Man]

[Beastfeast]

On 4/30/2023 at 1:50 PM, Robot Man said:

Some how 58,177 violent crimes in 2021 seems like quite a bit and, frankly, doesn’t help me sleep well at night…

But LA county has 9.83 million people.  

[ttfitz]

On 4/30/2023 at 4:50 PM, Robot Man said:

Some how 58,177 violent crimes in 2021 seems like quite a bit and, frankly, doesn’t help me sleep well at night…

No doubt, but the question wasn't whether it was "quite a bit" but whether it was "way up" from other points in time, defined by you as "I don’t ever remember things being as bad as it is now"

[Dr. Balls]

On 4/30/2023 at 2:57 PM, Beastfeast said:

But LA county has 9.83 million people.  

There is reassurance in numbers, even with the media doing it's make-people-crazy-thing.

There's been 1 million people shot (wounded or killed) by guns since 2013, averaged down - that's 100,000 victims per year. It's hard to say how many gun "owners" there are, but there are over 400 million guns in circulation in the United States - so it's quite a few. Your chances are around .025% of being wounded or killed by gun violence in any given year based on that 400 M number. It's pretty ballpark-ey, but the point is that when you factor in the true numbers, it's real easy to see how the media and politics manipulates the populace.

[EastEnd1]

On 4/29/2023 at 12:08 PM, JTLarsen said:

It’s not hard to look up crime rates, which are quite low compared to previous decades. Some big cities are quite safe compared to some rural areas. Facts matter.

Agreed... despite all the media surrounding today's crime rates, the murder rate in New York City is less than one third of what it was in the late 1980s/early 1990s.  NYC has been, and remains, among the safest big cities in the country.

[october]

Crime (generally) isn't up, but 24 hour media saturation by corporations peddling fear/anxiety/hate/polarization certainly is.