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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Wesley -- now you've got me: I'm not sure if YOUR post was tongue-in-cheek. Actually, I think Ryan cares a great deal about the hobby. I just don't think he believes Armageddon is upon us. By the way, Ryan, your comic timing is admirable. And I agree with Ted's perspective, I don't think that the hobby is heading off the edge of a cliff, either. However, I do believe that the doctoring that goes on is a big problem but, alas, one that will not be solved unless we can somehow affect the money flow towards the auction houses and the grading companies in some meaningful manner. Remember, these businesses are businesses first and designed to make money, period. While they may have been started by people that care about the hobby they have financial responsibilities to their bottom lines and will behave accordingly to a large degree. Frankly, I don't see any mechanism that has been set forth that can impact these institutions in any meaningful manner. Perhaps it can happen, perhaps not. And Jim, of course I'd donate money towards any such organization - regardless of your stance on abortion. It's not the stance that bothers me, it was just your presentation of it that was offensive.