1) <<<<"How many chips do you have to sell before you become a dealer?
No don't bother answering it." ........>>>

O.K. I won't.

2) <<<<"If the purpose of the portion of the pledge where you pledged not to buy ANY chip from a dealer who sells slabbed chips, is to help prevent the spread of slabbing, by creating a financial disincentive for dealers to sell slabbed chips. Why do you think the that same disincentive should not be applied to "Customers." >>>>

I can't answer for anyone else who took the pledge.... by my purpose is not to "create a financial disincentive for dealers". Those are your words, not mine. If you are going to "take the gloves off", then please accurately describe what I've said. My signing of the pledge is to to send a strong message to ICG, and to other grading/slabbing companies like them, that in my opinion, the slabbing market demand is not here in this relatively new hobby that they think there is. I don't support their product, will not put their product in my collection and will not purchase their product or chips from dealers who offer to sell it. Some of these same dealers I don't purchase chips from now... whether they offer slabs or not. Chip collecting is not like the coin hobby; which is where ICG's experience in slabbing lies.

You state that I (!) have problems reading? Go back and read the anti-slab resolution for yourself one more time. It clearly states "dealer"... not customer. I didn't write the resolution. I merely agree with it. If I sign a pledge not to drive while being drunk, does that prevent me from having one cocktail during a show at my favorite casino?

<<<<"(Now before someone tells me that selling a $3,000 chip for $1,500 is a financial disincentive, note that the reduced price was not caused by the slab, nor do we have any idea whether the seller in this hypothetical has any idea of the actual value of the chip. Nor do we know what he paid for it.)">>>>

Of course Peter. It's all hypothetical... isn't it? You see, one can twist around hypothetical situations in many ways to fit their particular points of view.

<<<<"The bottom line here Archie, is that you are espousing a "form over substance" type approach to the Pledge. If the Pledge is to mean anything, you shouldn't be seeking loopholes." >>>>

Think what you wish, Peter. I don't see a loophole in what I'm espousing at all. In Peter Gaby's hypothetical situation, I offered to purchase a chip that had been removed from a slab and the offensive slab holder was destroyed by the potential customer. Where did that compromise the pledge I took? What do you think my intentions would have been under those hypothetical circumstances; to re-slab the chip after purchasing it and offering it for sale at a later date when no one was looking? Look at it in another way Peter. I took a formerly slabbed chip out of the hobby and the market place by my actions. No different than a dealer purchasing a fake, or counterfeit, and destroying it. I've in effect had a customer destroy a slab (which is objectionable to over 100 folks who have offered to support the pledge) and sold to me the now "raw" chip that used to be inside the slab. Aren't dealing with hypotheticals great? Works for both of us; wouldn't you agree?

Without sounding "disrespectful" Peter, let me turn it around on you ..... hypothetically speaking. Today is Tuesday.... what's the difference whether the customer (Gaby) did that at my bourse table on Sunday .... or took his slabbed chip home and broke the chip out of the slab on Wednesday and offered the raw chip to me for $1500 at my hypothetical table during the Super Bowl weekend show at Palace Station next month?

<<<<"Yesterday (It is Tuesday here now), I emailed Andy Hughes and asked him to put me on the list. It was only after much reflection and thought, mostly revolving around the Pledge not to buy ANY chip from a dealer who sells slabbed chips"So if you want to go about playing silly word games, fine go ahead, but those of us who are serious about stopping the spread of slabbing will not put our own desire to get a great deal ahead of our goal.">>>>

<<<<"You have repeatedly addressed me in a disrespectful tone. I bit my tongue. I asked you politely to stop, you ridiculed that request. Since you obviously feel no need to show me the slightest respect, I no longer will bite my tongue.">>>>

Peter, I usually address most folks in a similar manner that they have addressed me. If there are differences in opinion between two people expressing their viewpoints on this bulletin board, I agree that it can be done in a non-disrespectful way. The problem is (as many of us have learned) the printed word sometimes does not come across in the manner in which it was intended, than it would have if a conversation took place face to face where body language and facial expressions are read into what has been said.

I'm happy to see that you have added your name to Andy's growing list, which is now well over 100 club members, who have taken a position against slabbing. I hope the list gets bigger and bigger. The hobby needs all the support it can muster.

<<<<"Apparently you choose not to give any reflection or thought and jumped on the Pledge. Although in a technical sense you are correct in your distinction between "Dealer" and "Customer" in the pledge, (THANK YOU FOR THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT) had you given any thought to the Pledge you would have recognized that the distinction between "dealer" and "customer" is not often clear and that for the purposes of ending the practice of slabbing chips, such a distinction is pointless.">>>>>

<<<<"NOW WE ARE DONE!">>>>

On that note Peter, I'm happy that we finally agree...... I'll add a <g> to that ending so you don't feel that I've been disrespectful toward you in my candid response. <g>

(BTW: Sometimes I think some people may misinterpret candidness for disrespect. I would much rather people be candid with me rather than telling me what they think I would approvingly like to hear)