Alleged Screen Used Hero TOS Phaser up for auction (now the aftermath)

[Macnmike]

Exactly. This can still be a useful thread. Just ignore the nonsense. That's what I did when things started going downhill. I'm still more than happy to have civil discourse with people who have differing opinions on this piece. Those who are unable to act civilly--and use this thread to project their own apparent hang-ups onto anyone and everyone else--should simply be ignored.

Frankly, only someone who is legitimately mentally ill or has a vested interest in the outcome of this auction would have a reason to get so emotional about it. There is absolutely no call for attacks, insults, or bitter arguments, here. Spirited debate? Sure. Agreeing to disagree? Absolutely. But not spewing accusations and demanding that people present their Prop Expert ID cards.

Gregatron, I'm the newest of the new to RPF. My interest in this particular thread was peaked by my discovery of the rescission of the Herocomm phaser page. A Facebook Group Member steered me in your direction. I'm only up to Page 22, and the one thing that keeps me going is, amidst all the dross, there is useful information I can take with me. As an old bandmate pointed out after I apologized for a specious posting, "I have a scroll wheel and aren't afraid to use it." Just learning the ropes of your forum, so I hope that this comment is not out-of-place. If it is, you know how to spin the wheel... Best. Mike.

 

[USS Endeav]

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the truthful one.
HC lied. Got caught. Tucked tail. Hoped no one would notice.

 

[Macnmike]

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the truthful one.
HC lied. Got caught. Tucked tail. Hoped no one would notice.

"...and God was watching?" Best. Mike.

 

[AnubisGuard]

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the truthful one.
HC lied. Got caught. Tucked tail. Hoped no one would notice.

The optimistic read on the scenario is they pulled down the phaser page so that they can put a (redesigned?) version of it back up later sans the HA auction information – if they just straight deleted the auction phaser info it would be very obvious they only added in the first place it to appease behind-the-scenes factors. But if they wait a while for the furor to die down then quietly put the page back , maybe it wouldn't look so bad for them. (Think the "New Coke" conspiracy theory, the idea that Coca Cola intentionally made New Coke bomb so they could bring back "Classic" Cole with corn syrup instead of sugar and get away without anyone complaining about the change.)

 

[USS Endeav]

The optimistic read on the scenario is they pulled down the phaser page so that they can put a (redesigned?) version of it back up later sans the HA auction information – if they just straight deleted the auction phaser info it would be very obvious they only added in the first place it to appease behind-the-scenes factors. But if they wait a while for the furor to die down then quietly put the page back , maybe it wouldn't look so bad for them. (Think the "New Coke" conspiracy theory, the idea that Coca Cola intentionally made New Coke bomb so they could bring back "Classic" Cole with corn syrup instead of sugar and get away without anyone complaining about the change.)

It would be nice if that was it but sites usually post a note when this is the case. Something to let site visitors know why a page is missing and what the future plan is. HC is all crickets.

As for Coke, it isn't hard to prove one way or another. Vintage cans will list the ingredients. If Coke made before the whole New/Classic Coke show sugar as the sweetener and Coke Classic as we all know is HFCS, seems pretty straightforward to me. This is why I buy Pepsi 1893 or Coke made in Mexico. I'm not havin' any of that HFCS shi. Of course, I'll also go 'round the Antares Maelstrom and 'round perdition's flames for real maple syrup.

 

[Jintosh]

It would be nice if that was it but sites usually post a note when this is the case. Something to let site visitors know why a page is missing and what the future plan is. HC is all crickets.

The photos on HC could be used to prove that the HA hero was a fake, by being able to easily compare known heroes to the fake hero.
(and thus HA could insist on their removal)

 

[ghostryder]

Yeesh, what a complete clusterf---...

 

[USS Endeav]

The photos on HC could be used to prove that the HA hero was a fake, by being able to easily compare known heroes to the fake hero.
(and thus HA could insist on their removal)

There is no legal defense of fraud. If HA knew that HC pictures would expose the auctioned item as fraudulent and did nothing, or worse, attempted to cover it up by pressuring HC to remove said evidence, there is nothing HA can do to HC, legally speaking, if HC left said pictures up.

This drama just gets more and more entertaining. I can't wait for the other shoe to drop.

 

[AnubisGuard]

As for Coke, it isn't hard to prove one way or another

Oh, it's not true that that was the reason, but it's a popular urban legend.

 

[USS Endeav]

Think the "New Coke" conspiracy theory, the idea that Coca Cola intentionally made New Coke bomb so they could bring back "Classic" Cole with corn syrup instead of sugar and get away without anyone complaining about the change.)

Not to derail the subject but I haven't thought about the whole Coke thing in ages... and since I was bored, I looked to see if I could find pictures of vintage (1970's) Coke cans and the 80's New Coke cans. Sure enough, the 70's recipe used sugar. The New Coke used a sugar fructose/glucose mixture and of course, the "Classic" uses zero sugar instead using HFCS which of course means it isn't the original recipe. Some conspiracies' are true...


Just as this phaser is a fake.

 

[genZOD]

That's a real shame. I wonder, exactly, what sort of legal issues there could possibly be, save the threat of a lawsuit.

They could have couched the information as "This is what we think we know, and we're open to more information". Sticking to the facts is a pretty solid legal defense, though it's no guarantee that you won't be sued anyway.

Frankly, their endorsement of the HA phaser without backing it up was odd, considering the quality of their content, but I was (and still am) willing to have my mind changed. Even if they don't endorse it, at least having the information about the other phasers was quite valuable.

Everyone can be wrong, new facts can come up, and much can be forgiven and understood. I get that they might not want to be associated with something as controversial as the HA phaser, I get that. Maybe there are internal squabbles, or they don't want their identities revealed through a lawsuit, I don't know. The wholesale removal of everything regarding phasers sounds like something else is going on.

This is a huge loss. Ironically, much of the information that contradicted HA’s claims was contained on their site. There probably isn’t another single, easily accessible, resource that’s as complete or a clearly presented as Herocomm’s phaser page was.

Like everyone here, I was puzzled by their oddly worded and basically unexplained endorsement of the HA phaser. It really stood out due to a complete lack of screen matching or any other evidence. The rest of the site always seemed to make an honest effort to support any claims made with evidence.

 

[Moviefreak]

There is no legal defense of fraud. If HA knew that HC pictures would expose the auctioned item as fraudulent and did nothing, or worse, attempted to cover it up by pressuring HC to remove said evidence, there is nothing HA can do to HC, legally speaking, if HC left said pictures up.

This drama just gets more and more entertaining. I can't wait for the other shoe to drop.

After watching that video which shows proof that HA has interest and connections with WAGA in the video game collecting market, I now question if there isn’t a more substantial connection between HC and HA. I wonder if there are HA employees somehow working for, or on the board of directors at HC?

 

[USS Endeav]

I just watched that YouTube video someone linked to in an earlier post about Heritage and Wata Games. Man, that was an eye opener. I'm all the more convinced I was right when I was the first to doubt this phaser ever really had a buyer. It's a sham and I think their only goal is to prop it up now to be resold in a few years for many times what it was "sold" for now. What an utter ******* this guy is, the ****** behind HA and he's been doing it for decades. If I was GJ, I'd be feeling like a little (used and abused) bitch right about now.

 

[Lightning]

Some conspiracies' are true...

The conspiracy isn't that they changed the ingredients, that is not in dispute. The conspiracy is that "new coke" was never intended as a permanent replacement, it existed solely to allow old stock of the original formula to be used up and create a "memory gap" so people couldn't easily compare the original sugar formula to the current high fructose "Classic Coke".

 

[Jintosh]

There is no legal defense of fraud. If HA knew that HC pictures would expose the auctioned item as fraudulent and did nothing, or worse, attempted to cover it up by pressuring HC to remove said evidence, there is nothing HA can do to HC, legally speaking, if HC left said pictures up.

This drama just gets more and more entertaining. I can't wait for the other shoe to drop.

I take it that you've never worked retail. Customers get away with crap all the time, not because they're RIGHT, but because the problems they can create are not worth the trouble. Instead of customers being "ALWAYS RIGHT". The reality is that customers are WRONG by as much as 70% of the time but still create a stink if you don't give in to them. HC could be complying just to avoid the drama.

----edit-----

Also, after reading the other posts, yes, if there is a connection between HA and HC by people, then suddenly coming on board to support the HA Hero could have been insider influence. COULD. No proof yet.

 

[USS Endeav]

The conspiracy isn't that they changed the ingredients, that is not in dispute. The conspiracy is that "new coke" was never intended as a permanent replacement, it existed solely to allow old stock of the original formula to be used up and create a "memory gap" so people couldn't easily compare the original sugar formula to the current high fructose "Classic Coke".

I wouldn't be quick to discount that theory. Look up the historical data for the cost of sugar, be it from cane or beet and compare it to HFCS. Money is an incredible motivator. They are saving a sweet sum by not using real sugar. At the time, they probably figured consumers would balk at the equivalent savings as a price increase while being far more receptive to a (perceived) minor change in what ingredient sweetens it. The fact they call is Coke Classic is a bit of a nod to the conspiracy theory having merit given the word is meant to imply the former (former) recipe is back in play, when it isn't.

I can taste the difference, HFCS is too sweet for my preference and it imparts an almost honey-like note that cane and beet sugar do not. If they wanted that flavor change, great but don't claim it's the classic recipe when that is not truthful.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Wow…the twists and turns this thread has taken.

At the end, it’s all about Coca-Cola…

 

[Lightning]

I wouldn't be quick to discount that theory. Look up the historical data for the cost of sugar, be it from cane or beet and compare it to HFCS. Money is an incredible motivator. They are saving a sweet sum by not using real sugar. At the time, they probably figured consumers would balk at the equivalent savings as a price increase while being far more receptive to a (perceived) minor change in what ingredient sweetens it. The fact they call is Coke Classic is a bit of a nod to the conspiracy theory having merit given the word is meant to imply the former (former) recipe is back in play, when it isn't.

I can taste the difference, HFCS is too sweet for my preference and it imparts an almost honey-like note that cane and beet sugar do not. If they wanted that flavor change, great but don't claim it's the classic recipe when that is not truthful.

I'm totally with you, I buy Mexican Coke in the glass bottle at Costco 24 bottles at a time. It's clearly a different and superior taste.

The facts of the formula change are known, what is unknown is if it was deliberate misdirection by Coke or if they just got super lucky with the way things worked out.

 

[robn1]

Is HA auctioning fake Coke now? And can anyone tell me where I can get Mexican made Dr. Pepper?

 

[JPH]

Buh-loody Pepsi drinkers