Personally? I'm offended by it! But that might be just me.

What ever happened to Joe?

Hey, if you're offended by it please let me apologize. I'd hate to be responsible for derailing this thread.

Thank-you note sent.

here I am Rob

http://www.internetville.com/stuff/Laj_Smiley_1.gif

That's one big smiley!

I see blocked people.

Far more crimes have been committed in this hobby than anyone will ever be charged with or even investigated for, so not sure that is a meaningful category.

Well, we have to start somewhere, don't we? Let's at least draw a line between those who have not been investigated or convicted and those who have. And the next group we can identify will be those who live in glass houses and throw stones. And then the next group will be those whose opinions are shaped solely by their financial interests. And sometimes the same people can be in all of these groups at once!

[QUOTE=calvindog;794002]Well, we have to start somewhere, don't we? Let's at least draw a line between those who have not been investigated or convicted and those who have. QUOTE]

IMHO it's a meaningless distinction, in this context. A few people happen to have been investigated for whatever reason, but that hardly says anything about the innocence of the uncharged criminals.

A few people have been investigated? Who other than Mastro Auctions? After 2 years one would think a conviction would have been handed down.

Yes, you're right -- which is why you and me keep posting those wonderfully anomalous Goodwin results.

Greg I really don't know if anyone other than Mastro is a target of the grand jury, I am just guessing they at least looked a little more broadly given the number of subpoenas rumored to have been handed out two years ago. In any event, if they aren't looking hard at card doctoring and are only worried about shill bidding, they are only scratching the surface as I have opined before. (Accuses tries and convicts self of beating a dead horse.)

Believe it or not, the government has not convened some sort of commission on baseball card fraud; instead, presumably a regional law enforcement office received information about the possible commission of fraud and began investigating it as they would with any report of a crime. They investigate, a grand jury is presented evidence and either an indictment is issued or not. That's it. There is no baseball card czar who decides what happens next to the hobby. I mean maybe after 2012 there will be few areas in our society which are not yet under the purview of the feds but that has not happened just yet.

And indictments sometimes take time, especially if there are a lot of witnesses involved in an investigation. I've had clients indicted days before the five year statute of limitations was to expire; the arguable delay did not affect the determination of their guilt or innocence.

Not in Obama's first term! Maybe after 2012.

I have it on good information that once Cap and Trade is passed, the baseball card industry will be the next on the list of great ideas to be tackled.

Actually it was part of the health care reform bill and Obama will only have one term.

Not if the GOP decides to get behind Sarah Palin.

Cry, the beloved country.

Will never happen. A quarter of Republicans won't vote for her if she was the nominee. Will never, ever happen.

Got the Pinkertons

From your lips to God's ears.

I picked up the N28 Comiskey. It will be my first 19th century piece.

I never had the fortune to see a game in the old park, but I was able to attend one at U.S. Cellular a few years ago.

I picked the lot of 4 D304 cards, very happy about it, although I paid more than I was hoping to, which means no more cards in a while...

I like applesauce...

I picked up the lot of 217 '33 Goudeys. I've only been collecting cards for a few years and this is my biggest purchase yet. I never intended to put this set together but the idea of having a vintage set that can be held (raw and ungraded) really appealed to me!