Dude, Meg Whitman joined eBay in 1997, turned it into a Titan and left in 2007. You can't blame her for things that happened after she left.
Peace! Yinan Sent from my iPhone On Nov 2, 2012, at 6:23 PM, Michael Farmer <[email protected]> wrote: > Adam, I don't know why you have been having problems for last four years > (they have been my best money making years). Perhaps eBay is your problem. I > have abandoned eBay for the most part, because of rising costs and declining > service and lack of protection for sellers. Sales on eBay collapsed three > years ago and I stopped wasting my time there. Once Meg Whitman took over and > decided that screwing the people who make you money (sellers) as hard as they > could was a the good business decision, I told them very impolitely exactly > what they could go do with themselves every time they called me begging me to > come back and start listing again, You have to adapt to the new economy or > it will crush you. Perhaps flying more than hundred thousand miles a year on > meteorite hunts worldwide helps, if I relied on American falls and finds, I > would be bankrupt by now, and if I hunted like NASA and SETI, I would have > bankrupted a small state as well. > > > Michael Farmer > > Sent from my iPad > > On Nov 2, 2012, at 3:15 PM, "Galactic Stone & Ironworks" > <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi Adam and List, >> >> When I first started collecting and dealing meteorites, someone said >> "If you want to make a million dollars selling meteorites, start with >> two million dollars.". I don't recall who said it, but the point was >> clear - you won't get rich selling meteorites. And they were >> absolutely right. Sure, a few people are probably doing well by >> selling meteorites and the poorest of us might look at those people >> and consider them "rich" - but they are "baby rich" (the term that the >> super-wealthy use to describe the lesser millionaires underneath them >> on the ladder). >> >> I swore off eBay a long time ago as a seller. The fees are ridiculous >> and their buyer-centric policy enforcement is a major PITA. I saw the >> writing on the wall when they stopped letting sellers leave negative >> feedback for buyers. Frankly, I am quite surprised that some of you >> other dealers still sell on eBay - but I am glad you do, because it is >> indeed a buyer's market. >> >> This is for Adam - you said you were already hassled for Gold Basin. >> What does this mean? Can you share your experience here on the List, >> or in private off-list? I have some Gold Basin in my inventory and if >> I am going to be "hassled" over it, I rather just stop offering it >> entirely. I don't make enough money from Gold Basin for it to be >> worth the trouble. >> >> Best regards, >> >> MikeG >> >> -- >> ------------------------------------------------------------- >> Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com >> Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone >> Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone >> Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone >> RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 >> ------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> >> >> On 11/2/12, Adam Hupe <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Hi MikeG and List Members >>> >>> >>> I refuse to get into politics or accounting too deeply here on the List >>> unless it concerns meteorites in some way. My point is that the last four >>> years have been the worst I have ever experienced from a financial >>> standpoint and the low profits from meteorite sales are nearly wiped out due >>> to heavy taxes and eBay/PayPal fees. >>> >>> Most of my friends have lost their homes and the cost of everything else has >>> nearly doubled due to the price of gas and huge tax increases on the middle >>> class. Last year was the first time I had to 1099 friends for mere few >>> hundred dollars because they were trying earn a few bucks to hang onto their >>> homes which they lost anyway. Collectable sales are way down from four >>> years ago because they are not an absolute necessity. >>> >>> The good news is that there are a lot less people smoking cigarettes because >>> they cannot afford them any more. Three of my friends quit a few years >>> ago. Hurray for them! >>> >>> >>> On this point, I will not be restocking U.S. meteorite finds because there >>> is absolutely no margin left and the U.S. government is watching eBay for >>> them. I have already been hassled over Gold Basin. Once they are gone, >>> somebody else can risk supplying the market with them. It seems the U.S. >>> market is going underground as predicted anyway due to mass hype in the >>> media and unnecessary new governmental restrictions. >>> >>> >>> >>> Happy Collecting, it is definitely a buyers market, >>> >>> Adam >>> >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <[email protected]> >>> To: Adam Hupe <[email protected]> >>> Cc: Adam <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Friday, November 2, 2012 2:29 PM >>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation of Tax Payer Funds >>> >>> Hi Adam and List, >>> >>> It's always the poor and middle class that get hit the hardest. The >>> super-rich have excellent accountants and financial advisors, and they >>> take advantage of loopholes and grey areas that the average person is >>> not aware of. >>> >>> Adam, are you taking full advantage of your allowed deductions? For >>> example, if you have an area in your home that dedicated to your >>> business, you can deduct tax burden based on the square footage of the >>> home office. They actually assign a dollar value to each square foot >>> of your office, so take advantage of that. >>> >>> The computer you are reading this on - deductible as a business >>> expense. Also, if you computer is used for internet-based commerce, >>> you can also deduct a portion of your internet provider fees. >>> >>> You can also shelter some of your profits by putting it into a trust >>> for a grandchild or relative. >>> >>> Going to Walmart to buy packing materials? Not only can you write off >>> the materials you buy, you can write off the gas you spent to drive >>> there. >>> >>> Do you conduct business with dealers or collectors via telephone? If >>> so, you can write off the phone bill as a business expense. >>> >>> If you don't already have one, get yourself a really good accountant >>> who knows all of the loopholes and will help you take advantage of >>> them. >>> >>> Or, as a last resort measure, do what the ultra-wealthy do : transfer >>> some of your cash to an offshore or foreign bank. Or, stick a giant >>> wad of cash into a safety deposit box and let it sit there - it won't >>> gather interest, but it will be invisible for tax purposes. >>> >>> People talk about how high the tax rates are for businesses and >>> corporations, but very few of the big companies pay anything close to >>> the tax rate. The General Electric company recently got a REFUND and >>> the last couple of years, their tax burden has been well under 10%. >>> Try finding a company that pays the full tax rate - it's difficult to >>> do, although many mom and pop small businesses have to pay. But >>> generally speaking, the bigger the company, the bigger the money >>> involved, the more they manipulate their finances to dodge their tax >>> burden. Go down the list of Fortune 500 companies, and I would wager >>> that only a small handful of them pay more than a 20% rate. Some of >>> them pay nothing or next to nothing. >>> >>> The little guys have to pay so much, in part, because the big guys >>> aren't paying their share - >>> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-36945095/top-25-corporate-tax-dodgers/ >>> >>> Read that linked article and you'll see what I mean. >>> >>> Back to meteorites - yes, the blimp/airship/whatever is a total waste >>> of money. What is next? Are we going to bring Gary Powers back from >>> the dead and have him fly a U2 over strewnfields? It's downright >>> silly. Sure, you might be able to see a large impact crater from an >>> airship, but it would have to be really BIG and such a feature could >>> be easily spotted on the ground. I'll change my name to Nancyboy >>> Fancypants if a single meteorite is found by using a blimp. >>> >>> I am generally very supportive of NASA and SETI. But this blimp >>> nonsense seems like an attempt to garner media attention and not a >>> method to find meteorites. >>> >>> Best regards and happy huntings, >>> >>> MikeG >>> >>> -- >>> ------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com >>> Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone >>> Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone >>> Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone >>> RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 >>> ------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> On 11/2/12, Adam Hupe <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> Yes, our tax burden is at record levels. 28% collectable capitol gains >>>> plus >>>> >>>> 15% FICA plus multiple fees(taxes) attached to nearly everything >>>> including >>>> the water we drink; What an outrage! Remember this when you bid on >>>> meteorites on >>>> eBay. Since they are collectables like gold, silver and platinum, the >>>> seller is being taxed at the highest possible capital gains tax rate >>>> which is expected to go up depending on who is elected. >>>> >>>> >>>> Who says the middle class isn't being squeezed harder than ever before? >>>> To >>>> see our hard earned money wasted on frivolous pursuits like blimp rides >>>> under the name of science beyond ridiculous. >>>> >>>> Some of my thoughts as unlisted private home and cell phones are ringing >>>> off >>>> the hook incessantly with political robocalls trying to get my vote. >>>> >>>> >>>> Adam >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: Greg Hupé <[email protected]> >>>> To: [email protected] >>>> Cc: >>>> Sent: Friday, November 2, 2012 1:10 PM >>>> Subject: [meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation of Tax Payer Funds >>>> >>>> To All Concerned US Tax Payers... >>>> >>>> I have been troubled by what is a clear misappropriation of US tax payer >>>> funds by NASA/SETI. At a time of this country's financial crisis, this is >>>> no >>>> time to squander our tax dollars!! >>>> >>>> We have all seen and read about 'The Blimp" that was, as stated in the >>>> article link below, "... a NASA-hired airship." Not only are they using a >>>> privately owned "Blimp" for frivolous and far-fetched 'research', but >>>> they >>>> are also giving free joy rides to private citizens as stated from the >>>> article, "Glenn Rivera [a private citizen] was invited by astronomers >>>> [NASA/SETI] to hunt for more meteorite crash-landing sites from a >>>> NASA-hired >>>> airship." >>>> >>>> In recent conversations, I and many of my colleagues and some NASA >>>> scientists (who wish to remain anonymous), have all concluded that >>>> finding >>>> meteorites [of any size] is completely impossible and a waste of tax >>>> payer >>>> dollars! How can one think you can spot a black rock the size of a dime, >>>> a >>>> golf ball or even a basketball from an altitude of 1000 feet? >>>> >>>> The only entity that benefits from these dream hunts is the private >>>> company >>>> who owns "The Blimp". They get paid by NASA for use of "The Blimp" and >>>> they >>>> also benefit from all of the free advertising with their logos and web >>>> addresses emblazoned on the sides of "The Blimp"! >>>> >>>> As far as I am concerned, hunting for meteorites floating in the sky is >>>> full >>>> of hot air! >>>> >>>> Here is the link the the article I reference: >>>> http://novato.patch.com/articles/hunt-goes-on-for-more-meteorites#photo-12000260 >>>> >>>> Best Regards, >>>> Greg >>>> >>>> ==================== >>>> Greg Hupé >>>> The Hupé Collection >>>> [email protected] >>>> www.LunarRock.com >>>> NaturesVault (eBay & Facebook) >>>> http://www.facebook.com/NaturesVault >>>> IMCA 3163 >>>> ==================== >>>> Click here for my current eBay auctions: >>>> http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnaturesvault >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________ >>>> >>>> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com >>>> Meteorite-list mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________ >>>> >>>> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com >>>> Meteorite-list mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >>> >>> ______________________________________________ >>> >>> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com >>> Meteorite-list mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >> ______________________________________________ >> >> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com >> Meteorite-list mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
