I've seen every kind of foolishness on this 
forum, and yet I keep coming back here, because 
there are a lot of people that I enjoy 
corresponding with.  But you know, this just 
takes the proverbial cake.  To see people 
publicly defending Lady Zatara, one of the most 
notorious resellers in the hobby... well, it's 
damn disappointing.  Yes, of course once you win 
a cel it's yours to do with as you wish.  But 
that's the legal end of things, and has nothing 
to do with what is considerate or polite.

Notice I don't use the words "this is just 
wrong" -- right and wrong are very subjective 
concepts.  Zatara's actions, over the many years 
that I have been involved in this hobby, can 
perhaps be more accurately described 
as "demonstrating a flagrant disregard for the 
social conventions of a hobbyist community."

I might also use words such 
as "profiteering", "base deception", and "lack of 
courtesy", but there's no real point in it -- 
words have historically had little effect on 
Zatara's ego-forged armor.  The first phrase, 
though, is the most important one, since despite 
her lack of consideration for the feelings or 
interests of anyone around her, she still 
persists in depicting herself as a member of this 
community.

I'd like a buck for every time she's said she was 
getting out of the hobby.  I'd like a buck for 
every time she's purchased a popular-series cel 
for an inexpensive price and turned around almost 
immediately to resell it at egregious profit.  
I'd like two bucks for every time her self-
centered, and to borrow a phrase, money-grubbing 
actions have caused personal distress to someone 
that I actually respect or like.  And for one 
friend's remembered tears, I'd like a slushy 
snowball with a chunk of ice in the middle, and a 
clear shot at Zatara's back.  I'll even give her 
a head start.

Now, I'm hardly surprised to see Shura-chan 
jumping on Zatara's bandwagon, and of course 
anonymous people will say any damn thing, secure 
in their unassailable fortress of cowardice.  But 
it's a real bummer to see the newer forum crowd 
taken in by her oh-so-innocent act.  Predator and 
prey... and I'm very, very, very tired of 
watching this sort of history repeat itself every 
couple of years.

I believe, in fact, that I'm finally tired enough 
to admit defeat.  When I find myself frustrated 
or annoyed far more often than I do amused or 
enlightened, it's time to move on.  To those who 
frequent other anime forums -- forums which 
require a username and engender a sense of 
friendly community -- I'll see you there.  
Animanga is now merely a convenient place to post 
auction or sale notices, and I will regretfully 
be here only for those necessities.

Because, really, life is too short to deal with 
distasteful people.  ^__^