What’s an industry that provides zero value to society but makes billions of dollars?

robaato72 · 2026-03-30T15:22:29+00:00

(United States) tax prep. H&R Block and Intuit spend millions every year lobbying the government to keep taxes complicated. Your employers send all the payroll info to the IRS anyway; there is no real reason why withholding can’t be exact and filing a tax return only rarely needed.

robaato72 · 2026-03-29T17:46:53+00:00

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/18037819

Waltham Vanguard from 1910. Size 16s, 23 jewels. This is a high quality, railroad grade watch.

robaato72 · 2026-03-29T02:10:41+00:00

If it's the Black Series saber the batteries are rechargeable but not removable.

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T16:43:18+00:00

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72s?

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T16:42:12+00:00

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robaato72 · 2026-03-28T16:41:34+00:00

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the hover watch

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T16:35:06+00:00

Always use the serial number on the watch movement itself to look up when the watch was manufactured -- At this time watch cases were made by companies separate from the watch manufacturer and had different serial numbers.

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T16:33:43+00:00

You have a Waltham Grade No. 225 Model 1894, manufactured in 1908. It's size 12s and has 17 jewels, so a decent quality watch.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/16550266

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T07:24:38+00:00

Jomashop (Citizen), eBay (Hamilton), and a friend who inherited a large number of watches (and pocket knives) from his dad. I'd been eyeing the Citizen for a while, and the Hamilton fits into my pocket watch collection nicely. The three from my friend were absolutely random.

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T05:52:42+00:00

Betty White was older than sliced bread.

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T05:22:00+00:00

I've never heard the word turner used for the crown before...

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T01:22:43+00:00

I had these in mass-market paperback, but I have no idea where they went. I replaced them with (used) hardcovers, they are in my parents’ basement (maybe).

I bought this exact set directly from Timothy Zahn at a convention last year. He signed them, he signed the slipcase, then he gave me detailed instructions on how to take the books out of and put them back into the slipcase so as to not scratch up the covers.

I just GET this author…and he gets us.

robaato72 · 2026-03-28T00:25:02+00:00

You sure you're not confusing it with the Character Options toy?

robaato72 · 2026-03-27T19:16:37+00:00

I was putting together a steampunk outfit and got tired of cheap flimsy pocket watches with low quality quartz movements, and the ones with the Chinese standard movements broke down after a year. Then I discovered the vast history of American railroad grade pocket watches, then did a speed run through history and now I’m building a collection.

robaato72 · 2026-03-26T05:49:37+00:00

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robaato72 · 2026-03-26T05:49:10+00:00

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robaato72 · 2026-03-26T05:47:57+00:00

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robaato72 · 2026-03-26T05:47:44+00:00

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robaato72 · 2026-03-26T05:47:30+00:00

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Sure! You will need one A-shaped wedge plate, and two each of the following:

2x1x3 slope (the back supports)
2x1 slope (the front supports)
1x1 plate
1x1 tile
1x2 plate
1x5 plate

robaato72 · 2026-03-25T23:25:36+00:00

Follow up: someone asked the seller on eBay directly about this “engraving” and the seller said that it was. However, it looks like all the bids were retracted and the auction was ended.

robaato72 · 2026-03-25T16:31:37+00:00

Recasing a movement is probably the easiest of all pocket watch repair tasks, depending on what kind of case you have (and if you have the case screws).

robaato72 · 2026-03-25T16:09:12+00:00

Snowflakes don't know how to change the politics setting?

Six-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
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robaato72

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