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Posted By: Joann

Well it certainly doesn't seem like the missing link is at all about anyone's ability to get to REA's web site - so anything related to not being able to find it, or that someone should be able to bookmark, or whatever seems off-center to me. It's not about being able to get to their site via link from here.

It's about what the board is, and the polictics of it.

I think in a perfect world this would be an open and independent resource to the vintage card collecting world, and as such the link would be included. On that theoretical and idealistic basis, I think it should be.

But it's not just that we aren't linked on the REA site. Leon put it that way probably as an attempt to be as neutral as possible, but it was an understatement to say the least.

Many of us got the email a few weeks ago from REA talking about hobby resources and links. Not only was this board not included, but it was very publicly, pointedly and intentionally not included. I thought it was clear that the email went out of it's way - almost to the point of awkwardness - to exclude this site. I was very surprised there wasn't more comment on that.

Whether there is or isn't a back story or whether you know it or not or whatever, I thought the email alone was an intentional and public slap in the face to this board and to Leon. Although it purported to give some vaguely objective reasons for the omission - conflicted interests, etc - it seemed clear that the intent was to promote the other board at the expense of this one.

So who can blame Leon for taking it down? I don't blame him one bit. I still like to live in ideal-land and think it would be nice to have it still included. But when someone as big and influential as REA goes out of their way to publicly say you suck, basically, even under the guise of complimenting someone else - well, you owe that person no favors.

By the way, I've bought from REA in the past and enjoy their auctions each year. I think they are a fine organization. I was even a bit surprised to see the email used to give what I thought was a very public insult to this board. But that doesn't mean I dislike REA - just that I disagreed with that particular action.

Joann