Janet Kaiser on mon 24 jun 02
At the risk of sounding bitchy here, BUT this is an INTERNATIONAL list
and discussion, with participants in five continents plus a couple of
sub-continents. There is no such thing as an international law against
so-called "price-fixing", even if it were in any way possible. We are
talking of hundreds, nay thousands of independent potters here, not
multinational corporations where the company executives are all in the
same boys club and can really "fix" prices on a hand-shake. Just look
at what the vitamin manufacturers were up to if you want to see what
price fixing really means and involves. And first you have to be
caught and then proven guilty of colluding in a "closed" market, such
as the recent auction house "scandal" in New York.
Both instances took a lot of time and money to bring to court... Who
on earth is going to invest that in accusing a bunch of potters of
pricing mugs the same, even if that were feasible... It is simplistic
to even imagine such a thing.
Secondly, who is advocating a fixed price nation-wide? No one! All the
discussion has been about a "fair price". Of course $1 (US or
Canadian) for a mug, would be a great amount of money to subsistence
potters in other countries. OK they are probably not subscribers to
Clayart, but it is the principle of pricing we are talking about here.
It is amazing to read people bringing up all sorts of cock-eyed
"legal" reasons for not discussing anything from pricing to slander in
recent threads. What is wrong? Has the "land of the free" suddenly
lost its appetite for honest discussion and debate? Running scared
because there could be a lawyer monitoring a discussion list? Just as
if what is said here would be of any interest to anyone beyond those
who read Clayart. Neither is anything in violation of any laws or
codes, nor does it compromise ethical conduct.
What scaredy cats!? For goodness, sake... Call a spade "a spade" and a
"bloody shovel" if necessary and stop this pussy-footing around.
The Chapel of Art / Capel Celfyddyd
Home of The International Potters' Path
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth LL52 0EA : GB-Wales
Telephone: ++44 (0)1766-523570
URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
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