Prieure de Sion Posted January 1 · Member Share Posted January 1 (edited) I've noticed that we don't have an off-topic thread (or do we) - where everything fits in, possibly even outside of our coins. Or have I overlooked such a thread? In any case, I'll open a thread like this. Maybe one or two people will join in if they have something OT on their mind. The fact is that when it comes to the coin hobby (or perhaps other things) you don't have anyone at hand "who understands you". At least not for some topics. That's when it's good to get your frustration off your chest - or let off steam for a moment - or simply ask an OT question. The Offtopic Talk is now open 😄 Edited January 1 by Prieure de Sion 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted January 1 · Member Author Share Posted January 1 And I'll use the thread right away - but first a Happy New Year 2024 to you all! Please all stay healthy! What I am upset about today is a phenomenon when you are selling something and a prospective buyer wants to start a price negotiation. It's not a problem for me if someone writes to me saying "I really like your goods, is it possible to do something about the price? That's a completely legitimate question - and I have no problem with perhaps negotiating the price. What I don't always understand, however, is when a prospective buyer writes to me with the words: "Hello, I'm interested in your goods - but there are lots of them at better prices! So how much discount can you give me?". I don't understand this! If - according to the interested party - there are a lot of offers (like my goods) and at better prices (so that my price is not realistic) - then why doesn't he just buy one of the apparently many other offers? The truth is - I think - he still likes my offer best (look, condition, quality, features, etc.) - but he wants my goods at the lower price of the not so good goods. But that's just the problem. Item A only costs 500 USD because the quality and features are perhaps slightly worse. And my item B costs 750 USD because it has better features or condition. It is simply worth a little more than the other (poor) goods on the market. But the interested party now wants goods B at the price of goods A. Because if goods A were in the same condition as my goods for 500 USD - then he wouldn't have contacted me in the first place. Just say you like my products best and whether it is possible to get a small discount. But don't say that there are so many of your goods on the market, I'm too expensive and you can get the same thing for less money everywhere else. Then don't write to me - and buy there! But why don't you do that? 😄 First day of the new year and something like that. No - it doesn't really upset me. But it's a phenomenon that I have again and again when I sell something. Do you know that too? 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salomons Cat Posted January 1 · Member Share Posted January 1 Ok, first off topic question. When do you think will be the end of the world? I suspect it might be around 2500 AD. I imagine a scenario where someone like Caligula or a religious fanatic will get his hands on some nuclear bombs, leading to catastrophe. Nuclear bombs were invented only 90 years ago. And not a single day passes without them being mentioned in newspapers as an imminent threat. Please, please! Share some more optimistic views - it‘s not good to start the new year with thoughts about the apocalypse 😄 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted January 1 · Member Author Share Posted January 1 2 minutes ago, Salomons Cat said: Ok, first off topic question. When do you think will be the end of the world? I suspect it might be around 2500 AD. I imagine a scenario where someone like Caligula or a religious fanatic will get his hands on some nuclear bombs, leading to catastrophe. Nuclear bombs were invented only 90 years ago. And not a single day passes without them being mentioned in newspapers as an imminent threat. Please, please! Share some more optimistic views - it‘s not good to start the new year with thoughts about the apocalypse 😄 I will die on April 15, 2044... that was predicted to me, so it won't really affect me anymore. Unless I get reborn as an earthworm or a frog again and again and again. Then things could get tight. If it's about your crazy theory - we probably don't have to wait until 2500. I don't think it's unlikely that a crazy dictator or military man would press the button earlier. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted January 1 · Supporter Share Posted January 1 1 minute ago, Prieure de Sion said: I will die on April 15, 2044... that was predicted to me, so it won't really affect me anymore. Unless I get reborn as an earthworm or a frog again and again and again. Then things could get tight. If it's about your crazy theory - we probably don't have to wait until 2500. I don't think it's unlikely that a crazy dictator or military man would press the button earlier. I just finished reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. An excellent and imaginative take on time travel. Part of the book's point was that any tampering with the temporal timeline inevitably leads to world destruction - much sooner rather than later. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salomons Cat Posted January 1 · Member Share Posted January 1 10 minutes ago, CPK said: I just finished reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. An excellent and imaginative take on time travel. Part of the book's point was that any tampering with the temporal timeline inevitably leads to world destruction - much sooner rather than later. Makes sense... Most kinds of interaction with the time lime (with good intentions) would probably speed up human development. And faster development means self-destruction will happen sooner 🤔 But this was specifically not what I wanted to hear 😂 18 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said: If it's about your crazy theory - we probably don't have to wait until 2500. I don't think it's unlikely that a crazy dictator or military man would press the button earlier. I actually wrote 2100 first, but then I corrected it to sound more optimistic. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted January 1 · Member Author Share Posted January 1 2 minutes ago, Salomons Cat said: I actually wrote 2100 first, but then I corrected it to sound more optimistic. Your hobby is antique coins. I strongly assume that you are interested in history and know your way around it. And what do we see? For over 5000 years, several men or one man have placed themselves at the top above all others and let people fight against other people who have also placed themselves above them and think that the other group must be hated. For thousands of years, groups of people have been told by a "leader" that their only good is to kill other people in the neighboring village or country. And for thousands of years - I don't know why - people have listened to such "leaders". For honor and fatherland. But all these battles have achieved nothing. People have been dying on the battlefield for 5,000 years - and yet there has never been a final battle. So unfortunately I don't share your optimism - in the coming years people will continue to act as cannon fodder while the elite are safe in some hiding place. To this day I still don't understand why people allow themselves to be ordered to kill other people. Oh dear - and it's only January 1st. from the new year - and already such depressing prospects 😄 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryro Posted January 1 · Supporter Share Posted January 1 6 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted January 1 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted January 1 Good idea for a thread. But I do hope everyone stays away from any discussions of current (as opposed to historical) political, cultural, or religious issues. A very Happy New Year to all of you. 2 1 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewomack Posted January 1 · Supporter Share Posted January 1 I woke up today and it's 2024. Who would have guessed? At least I have an irrational preference for even-numbered years. We celebrated last night with some fantastic okonomiyaki and amazing mango crepe cake (yes, it was $10.00 a slice, but worth it). The Japanese restaurant we went to even gave us a small private room complete with elaborate door curtain. A great experience overall. Also, earlier that day I managed to finish reading my 50th book of the year. I read 60 last year, but I'll take 50 given that I work full-time and have some minor semblance of a life (which includes coins, of course). I hope everyone had a great New Year! 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted January 1 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted January 1 2 hours ago, Prieure de Sion said: I don't understand this! If - according to the interested party - there are a lot of offers (like my goods) and at better prices (so that my price is not realistic) - then why doesn't he just buy one of the apparently many other offers? I actually hate this too. I'm currently selling a camera lens for $1300 and a guy messaged me saying "I really need that lens for a shoot today, but it's only worth $1100 so I'm just going to swing by and pick it up." I responded that he didn't need to bother, then he upped his price to $1200, and by then I was already in a bad mood (I would have taken $1250) so I told him to find one of the other lenses he mentioned. There's another lens I'm selling for $5900 (I recently upgraded several of my lenses) and the guy agreed to the price, then we meet and he brings up a listing on Amazon for $3500 and says he'll pay that. I point out that his listing is for an older version of that lens and mine is the newer one. He then tries to BS me by pointing at the label on the lens to "prove" that it's the older one, so my wife uses her camera as a magnifying glass to show he misread it. He then upped his offer to $5000, but I was now royally pissed and told him to leave. 4 1 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deinomenid Posted January 1 · Supporter Share Posted January 1 Re Japan, first time I was there I took the bullet train and they had excellent boxed prepared meals on it. I sprinkled the flavoring packet all over it and started to eat. It was actually the desiccant pack, with the warning all in Japanese (not surprisingly). Not a good taste or texture. Also saw Mick Jagger in a Tokyo bar late at night. He was sitting on his own. I thought I had had too many sakes, until someone the next day told me - to my great relief- that The Rolling Stones were on tour there. How’s that for off topic! 2 2 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted January 1 · Member Share Posted January 1 In 2023 there was one leader who inspired resistance to tyranny/ evil just as Arminius had in 9AD Germany vs Rome. 7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted January 1 · Member Author Share Posted January 1 6 hours ago, kirispupis said: but I was now royally pissed and told him to leave. Best reaction! You do it well! I also had an iPad sale once - we had agreed on a fixed price. On site, he then suddenly started asking what my last price would be. I said - why? We had already agreed on a price. And now on site there is nothing that would justify a price reduction on the iPad - there are no defects that he discovered on site. Why renegotiate the price again now? But he wanted to negotiate again on the spot. That upset me too, I just left him on my doorstep. He then said, ok, he would take it for the previously agreed price. I said NO - I'm not selling any more. I hate that sort of thing. He was then allowed to make the long journey home without his iPad. 49 minutes ago, panzerman said: In 2023 there was one leader who inspired resistance to tyranny/ evil just as Arminius had in 9AD Germany vs Rome. I'm sure you don't mean any harm 🙂 ... but I don't think politics and things like that are a good topic. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmarcovan Posted January 2 · Member Share Posted January 2 What this thread needs is a good cat picture to offset the doom & gloom. This is Lily (orange) and Elvis (B&W). They’re the two “Daddy’s cats”. Most of the other critters gravitate to Ladymarcovan, but these two have adopted me. Are you more of a dog person? Fine, here are Lucy (Australian shepherd) and Grace (dachshund). (We have four dogs and twelve cats.) 12 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmarcovan Posted January 2 · Member Share Posted January 2 9 hours ago, ewomack said: I woke up today and it's 2024. Who would have guessed? At least I have an irrational preference for even-numbered years. We celebrated last night with some fantastic okonomiyaki and amazing mango crepe cake (yes, it was $10.00 a slice, but worth it). The Japanese restaurant we went to even gave us a small private room complete with elaborate door curtain. A great experience overall. Also, earlier that day I managed to finish reading my 50th book of the year. I read 60 last year, but I'll take 50 given that I work full-time and have some minor semblance of a life (which includes coins, of course). I hope everyone had a great New Year! The Internet was made for cat pictures and food pictures! 1 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted January 2 · Member Author Share Posted January 2 16 hours ago, ewomack said: I woke up today and it's 2024. Who would have guessed? At least I have an irrational preference for even-numbered years. We celebrated last night with some fantastic okonomiyaki and amazing mango crepe cake (yes, it was $10.00 a slice, but worth it). The Japanese restaurant we went to even gave us a small private room complete with elaborate door curtain. A great experience overall. Also, earlier that day I managed to finish reading my 50th book of the year. I read 60 last year, but I'll take 50 given that I work full-time and have some minor semblance of a life (which includes coins, of course). I hope everyone had a great New Year! Excuse me - at first glance I thought you had stacked all the slices of raclette cheese left over from New Year's Eve and cut them into pieces of cake 😄 There are people who like slices of cheese. Ok, a mango cake. I'd like that too. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted January 2 · Member Share Posted January 2 17 hours ago, lordmarcovan said: What this thread needs is a good cat picture to offset the doom & gloom. This is Lily (orange) and Elvis (B&W). They’re the two “Daddy’s cats”. Most of the other critters gravitate to Ladymarcovan, but these two have adopted me. Are you more of a dog person? Fine, here are Lucy (Australian shepherd) and Grace (dachshund). (We have four dogs and twelve cats.) Here are mine.....Artemis 2yrs Rottie Logan 14yrs Shi Tzu Loki 17yrs "Boxer" with body of Mastiff/ Bulldog Head/ Deaf/ One Brown/ Blue eye! Probably RRRRR 9 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted January 2 · Member Share Posted January 2 I do lawns/ gardens/ show yours.....my back/ front yards. 11 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted January 2 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted January 2 Here’s my dog Homer, who sadly passed away several years ago. Our neighbor recently complained that he was causing problems in her yard. We tried to explain that the dog is deceased, but she insisted she’s never wrong. Therefore he must be a zombie now. 11 1 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted January 2 · Supporter Share Posted January 2 Here is our cat, Smarty. Always looking for a cool place in the Summer. 8 1 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Anthos Posted January 2 · Member Share Posted January 2 Here's Repo, a flat-coated retriever. He adopted me when he was 10 months old, and he had already been adopted and returned... twice! Hence the name. He just turned 11 at Thanksgiving and he and I go everywhere together. I even have a tshirt that reads "If I Can't Bring My Flat-Coated Retriever I'm Not Going". His favorite things are his ball and children, preferably together. ~ Peter 12 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor jdmKY Posted January 2 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted January 2 Here are my 2 “children” - Cricket and Beanie Cricket was a “double-reject” from the Lexington Humane Society, her first adopter returned her because she was too wild (accurate assessment) Beanie was rescued from a hoarder, he was kept in a crate in a barn for much of his life. He was scared of his own shadow when we got him - he wouldn’t move around the house or yard, he also never barked at anything. The photo above of us walking was the first time we got him to walk on a leash (it took 2 years). Well, now he’s out of his shell, and much like my wife, has decided that he likes wintering in Florida while I stay home, working and coming home to an empty house. 12 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted January 2 · Member Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 11:51 AM, ewomack said: 5 hours ago, kirispupis said: Here’s my dog Homer, who sadly passed away several years ago. On 1/1/2024 at 11:51 AM, ewomack said: I woke up today and it's 2024. Who would have guessed? At least I have an irrational preference for even-numbered years. We celebrated last night with some fantastic okonomiyaki and amazing mango crepe cake (yes, it was $10.00 a slice, but worth it). The Japanese restaurant we went to even gave us a small private room complete with elaborate door curtain. A great experience overall. Also, earlier that day I managed to finish reading my 50th book of the year. I read 60 last year, but I'll take 50 given that I work full-time and have some minor semblance of a life (which includes coins, of course). I hope everyone had a great New Year! That torte looks tasty! We make a mango cheese cake also good. During the Summer I make raspberry/ strawberry tortes/ I can polish off the whole thing in one go! German plum kuchen made with yeast dough is excellent/ make that when I bake my cinnamon buns (make 90) my breakfast for days! I have the Guiness record cinnamon bun consumption/ 1400+ a year/ 14K in past decade. My only addiction is FOOD> I 6 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJBrinkman Posted January 3 · Member Share Posted January 3 On 1/1/2024 at 7:58 AM, Prieure de Sion said: I will die on April 15, 2044... that was predicted to me, so it won't really affect me anymore. Unless I get reborn as an earthworm or a frog again and again and again. Then things could get tight. During an LSD trip in the early 1970s I foresaw my demise in 1999. I think changing my lifestyle (like not taking any more LSD) saved me. Here I am with my lovely wife/best friend and granddaughter. These last 23 years have been great. 8 1 2 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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