what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>brian p</b><p>Why so many lawyers? Our hobby has steadily gotten more expensive over the past couple of decades, to the point where you have to be on the upper end of the economic scale to regularly pursue the more desirable cards that are discussed on this board. There is still room for lower end collectors like myself--we just have to find a niche within the vintage collecting realm and keep plugging away at it.<br /><br />Brian

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>Ted:<br /><br />The FDA approved the drug based upon the studies that MERCK supplied to it. The FDA could not have known that Merck would cover up important and dangerous facts.<br /><br />This would be like having someone who works at the Driver's License bureau create a PERFECT-LOOKING fake ID for someone who is not 21... and then trying to sue the BAR who served that person based upon the ID being fake... even thought it looked perfectly real and the Bar did everything by the book in carding the person before serving them.<br /><br />Alas, you and I are probably both biased one way or the other on this...<br /><br />so let's just sit back and see where these UNBIASED juries go after hearing all of the evidence.<br /><br />So far, the count is 0-1 against Merck. The current trial is in their own New Jersey backyard with jurors who surely know someone who works for Merck ... so if they go down 0-2 in their own home field... things will get interesting.<br /><br />Here is a link to the "Dodgeball" stuff: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/archivedStory.asp?archive=true&dist=ArchiveSplash& siteid=bizjournal&guid=%7B894447AE%2D61CA%2D479E%2 DAFA1%2D6DE71D128BAA%7D&returnURL=%2Fnews%2Fstory% 2Easp%3Fguid%3D%7B894447AE%2D61CA%2D479E%2DAFA1%2D 6DE71D128BAA%7D%26siteid%3Dbizjournal%26dist%3D%26 archive%3Dtrue%26param%3Darchive%26garden%3D%26min isite%3D" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.marketwatch.com/news/archivedStory.asp?archive=true&dist=ArchiveSplash& siteid=bizjournal&guid=%7B894447AE%2D61CA%2D479E%2 DAFA1%2D6DE71D128BAA%7D&returnURL=%2Fnews%2Fstory% 2Easp%3Fguid%3D%7B894447AE%2D61CA%2D479E%2DAFA1%2D 6DE71D128BAA%7D%26siteid%3Dbizjournal%26dist%3D%26 archive%3Dtrue%26param%3Darchive%26garden%3D%26min isite%3D</a>

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>David Yoken</b><p>MBA student at UMass, and will be finishing my degree next spring. In my previous life, I worked in national political campaigns as an operative, fundraiser, researcher, field director, and all around renaissance man.<br /><br />To pay for my cards, I line the pockets of credit card companies.

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>ockday</b><p>Last 25 years in family business making women's and children's activewear and apparel.

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Ok, we can agree that Merck has an issue that requires litigation. But since we're all so concerned about the poor victims who took their drug, I'm sure all the class action attorneys are lowering their billing rates instead of reaping the 9 figure fees they're sure to get in a settlement. Because, after all, the PI attorneys are partly concerned about public safety issues and not just cash, right?

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>identify7</b><p>PI attorneys have nothing to do with safety. They only get involved after safety has been ignored. No?

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>Al Crisafulli</b><p>I'm a marketing guy, working in the ad agency business. Since I started doing this, I get to laugh every single day, so it must be enjoyable.<br /><br />-Al

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>Nick</b><p>I'm another attorney. I do civil litigation, both plaintiff and defense. <br />

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>ChuckkieB</b><p>I am a client relationship manager for a global news and financial information organization. Much to my wife's dismay, the majority of my disposable income manages to find it's way to purchasing old pieces of cardboard. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14> <br /><br />CB

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>Ted Zanidakis</b><p>What you are telling us is that the FDA is not an<br />independent testing facility. Well, I find this very, <br />very scary. And, the alleged "shennanigans" Merck is<br />accused of; don't you think Pfizer is also guilty of<br />the same "tactics" with respect to Celebrex ? Both of<br />these drugs (Vioxx) are designed for alleviating ar-<br />thritis and are essentially the same compounds.<br /><br />Look, if you want to continue this discussion, let us<br />do it Off-Forum. Lest, I get all "wound up" and begin<br />to offend the 20 some odd lawyers that have responded<br />to this Thread. It's been a terrific Thread and I do<br />not want to be responsible for digressing down some<br />O/T path. <br /><br /><br /><br />edited by leon- thanks a lot Ted....I would prefer that this discussion be taken off line....Hal is easy to get a hold of....just watch some Florida TV during the daytime <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Ted, don't assume that all attorneys support the Med Mal bar - I assure you we don't.

what does everyone do to pay for their habit, er, hobby?
 

Posted By: <b>gary Nuchereno</b><p>I owned a restaurant for 25 years in Buffalo NY. For ten of those years I also had a baseball card store right across the street from my restaurant.The main<br />function of the card store was to buy and I was able to buy some great vintage<br />cards over that period. I am retired from all that and do treat the cards as both a hobby and a business today. I have been told by other dealers over the<br />years that"The problem with you Nuch is that you fall in love with your cards"<br />My response is always the same, "your right about that".