... does not make one a fool. As far as I'm concerned, Mark can eat the damn thing.

I wrote the slabfree pledge on December 22, 2000 ...

http://www.thechipboard.com/cgi-bin/tcbarc04/tcbarc04.pl?read=106268

... based in part on earlier comments by Jim Episale and Gene Trimble. We have succeeded in keeping slabs out of our hobby by adhering to these principles. I see no point in backsliding now.

I will NOT buy any slabbed chip.
I will NOT have any slabbed chip in my collection.
I will NOT buy ANY chip from any dealer who sells slabbed chips.
I will NOT buy ANY chip from any dealer who grades chips for a slabbing service.
I will NOT do business of any kind with any dealer who participates in any way in the slabbing of chips.

----- jim o\-S