One Red Paperclip turns into a year in Phoenix
April 17, 2006 1:43 PM Subscribe
Stand back he's using "the power of the Internet!"
posted by octothorpe at 2:11 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by octothorpe at 2:11 PM on April 17, 2006
Seriously. Poor bastard. He's just in time for summer, or what I call "The Endless Burning". I speak as a current resident of Phoenix.
posted by loquacious at 2:11 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by loquacious at 2:11 PM on April 17, 2006
You should really get some ointment for that loquacious.
posted by Pollomacho at 2:13 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by Pollomacho at 2:13 PM on April 17, 2006
I could've sworn this was a double, but I guess I've just seen it on a billion other sites over the last few days and it's all become a blur.
posted by TunnelArmr at 2:13 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by TunnelArmr at 2:13 PM on April 17, 2006
Well, according to the article, he's not going to take it. He still wants to own a house.
posted by danb at 2:13 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by danb at 2:13 PM on April 17, 2006
The story on his blog got really confusing, right about the time he went to Yahk. The CNN version makes much more sense.
posted by smackfu at 2:15 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by smackfu at 2:15 PM on April 17, 2006
Mock all you want, but if this guy ends up with what he wants...well, I'm certainly standing by to be impressed.
Heck, we'd all be impressed if his web site was called "turn one red paperclip into a year's free rent"
posted by davejay at 2:15 PM on April 17, 2006
Heck, we'd all be impressed if his web site was called "turn one red paperclip into a year's free rent"
posted by davejay at 2:15 PM on April 17, 2006
Does it make me a bad person that a part of me hopes that upon securing ownership of his home, a mighty gust will scatter and destroy the unsecured sheaf of title and ownership papers, leaving a bereft Kyle MacDonald sobbing and broken, screaming "IF ONLY I HAD A PAPERCLIP!!!" into a black, uncaring sky?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 2:25 PM on April 17, 2006 [2 favorites]
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 2:25 PM on April 17, 2006 [2 favorites]
Argh. As someone who has many clever ideas and the occasional brilliant idea none of which have any money making potential what so-ever. These people who's cleverness runs to actually accruing something material really piss me off.
posted by Grod at 2:54 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by Grod at 2:54 PM on April 17, 2006
loquacious writes "He's just in time for summer, or what I call 'The Endless Burning'."
Hmm, I think you're mistaken - are you talking about "The Warm, Loving Hug" that is summer in Phoenix?
posted by mullacc at 2:58 PM on April 17, 2006
Hmm, I think you're mistaken - are you talking about "The Warm, Loving Hug" that is summer in Phoenix?
posted by mullacc at 2:58 PM on April 17, 2006
Really, as far as money making schemes on the Interweb go, this one is both whimsical and succesful. I especially love the part about him trading the recording contract. It is like many different people are getting things they want because of his quest. I wish him the best of luck and when he achieves his goal, I will feel vicarious joy.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:03 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:03 PM on April 17, 2006
Hmm, I think you're mistaken - are you talking about "The Warm, Loving Hug" that is summer in Phoenix?
You must be a fan of that particular species of sweaty-moist hugs that involve naked, bepimpled, hairy-nippled manboobs in your face.
posted by loquacious at 3:09 PM on April 17, 2006
You must be a fan of that particular species of sweaty-moist hugs that involve naked, bepimpled, hairy-nippled manboobs in your face.
posted by loquacious at 3:09 PM on April 17, 2006
After seeing this, I am so glad I have already got www.supportmydrughabit.com registered. The Internet really can make dreams come true. sniff
posted by Meatbomb at 3:10 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by Meatbomb at 3:10 PM on April 17, 2006
You must be a fan of that particular species of sweaty-moist hugs that involve naked, bepimpled, hairy-nippled manboobs in your face.
mullacc is thirteenkiller?
posted by public at 3:17 PM on April 17, 2006
mullacc is thirteenkiller?
posted by public at 3:17 PM on April 17, 2006
Ack, reading the old thread, I see it's already been discussed.
posted by drezdn at 3:26 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by drezdn at 3:26 PM on April 17, 2006
Looks to me like this is mutating into a kind of arbitrage.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 3:30 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 3:30 PM on April 17, 2006
I've got a half-empty box of Altoids, what will you give me for it?
posted by Kickstart70 at 3:38 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by Kickstart70 at 3:38 PM on April 17, 2006
loquacious writes "You must be a fan of that particular species of sweaty-moist hugs that involve naked, bepimpled, hairy-nippled manboobs in your face."
A fan of delivering such savories, yes. Though I suppose one can always count on a taller manboob-ed man than yourself to come along and ruin one's day.
posted by mullacc at 3:47 PM on April 17, 2006
A fan of delivering such savories, yes. Though I suppose one can always count on a taller manboob-ed man than yourself to come along and ruin one's day.
posted by mullacc at 3:47 PM on April 17, 2006
So, if he gets his house does he have to pay capital gains taxes on the difference in value between it and the paperclip?
posted by obfusciatrist at 4:03 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by obfusciatrist at 4:03 PM on April 17, 2006
We used to play this game in college. Divide into teams, give each team a cotton ball, and see what they can trade for it. We once ended up with a sofa, a stack of cds, plants, rugs, and a slightly unstable car. All that without the help of the internets!
Kudos to red paperclip guy for taking this game to the next level.
posted by equipoise at 4:28 PM on April 17, 2006
Kudos to red paperclip guy for taking this game to the next level.
posted by equipoise at 4:28 PM on April 17, 2006
So, if he gets his house does he have to pay capital gains taxes on the difference in value between it and the paperclip?
No, he has to pay income tax. Income from barter exchange is taxable just like any other:
Bartering occurs when you exchange goods or services without exchanging money. An example of bartering is a plumber doing repair work for a dentist in exchange for dental services. The fair market value of goods and services exchanged must be included in the income of both parties.
P.S. Happy April 15 or soonest business day thereafter!
posted by ChasFile at 4:36 PM on April 17, 2006
No, he has to pay income tax. Income from barter exchange is taxable just like any other:
Bartering occurs when you exchange goods or services without exchanging money. An example of bartering is a plumber doing repair work for a dentist in exchange for dental services. The fair market value of goods and services exchanged must be included in the income of both parties.
P.S. Happy April 15 or soonest business day thereafter!
posted by ChasFile at 4:36 PM on April 17, 2006
Yeah, seems to me like he's going for a book deal in the rapidly growing 'travel comedy' genre.
It goes like this:
1. Have a wacky idea.
2. Travel around a lot meeting colourful characters who help you in your mission. Avoid drawing attention to all the expense you're going to.
3. Eventually achieve your wacky idea, mainly because people like helping people with wacky ideas.
4. Write a book about it. Try to write it in a self-consciously ironic way.
see also: Danny Wallace.
posted by reklaw at 4:44 PM on April 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
It goes like this:
1. Have a wacky idea.
2. Travel around a lot meeting colourful characters who help you in your mission. Avoid drawing attention to all the expense you're going to.
3. Eventually achieve your wacky idea, mainly because people like helping people with wacky ideas.
4. Write a book about it. Try to write it in a self-consciously ironic way.
see also: Danny Wallace.
posted by reklaw at 4:44 PM on April 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
Also see LetMeStayForADay.com, talked about hereand other places, which was a Dutch guy using the power of the Internet to travel around the world staying for free at the homes of those who invited him. I also thought this was a cool idea, until the media got into it and then it became about sponsors giving him cell phones and travel gear and laptops and plane tickets. Kind of took the charm out of it. And now he has a book out.
posted by chococat at 6:26 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by chococat at 6:26 PM on April 17, 2006
RE: Bartering
Does he then have to pay income tax on everything that he's traded up to the house as well? I wonder if he's claimed what he's traded so far. I record deal has to have some significant fair market value.
posted by betaray at 7:25 PM on April 17, 2006
Does he then have to pay income tax on everything that he's traded up to the house as well? I wonder if he's claimed what he's traded so far. I record deal has to have some significant fair market value.
posted by betaray at 7:25 PM on April 17, 2006
2. Travel around a lot meeting colourful characters who help you in your mission. Avoid drawing attention to all the expense you're going to.
That step's pretty damned important. I remember early on, he made a big deal about the trips being 'convenient', or he was going to be in the area anyway for something else. But I bet he's spending quite a bit on this trade thing. Least he's getting a cool story out of it.
Too bad I'm going to have to see previews for the movie before long.
posted by graventy at 7:49 PM on April 17, 2006
That step's pretty damned important. I remember early on, he made a big deal about the trips being 'convenient', or he was going to be in the area anyway for something else. But I bet he's spending quite a bit on this trade thing. Least he's getting a cool story out of it.
Too bad I'm going to have to see previews for the movie before long.
posted by graventy at 7:49 PM on April 17, 2006
Mock all you want, but if this guy ends up with what he wants...well, I'm certainly standing by to be impressed.
Yeah right. This is crap. Notice that the last 2 "big ticket items" were not solid goods at all but promises for things. A promise for a record contract, and a promise for a period of free lodging. I'll believe it when I see both of those have been redeemed for full value. Making a grandiose promise for the sake of your friend's little internet phenomenon is easy. I would give cerebus19 a hard time for falling for it, but hey, kottke did, too.
posted by scarabic at 10:40 PM on April 17, 2006
Yeah right. This is crap. Notice that the last 2 "big ticket items" were not solid goods at all but promises for things. A promise for a record contract, and a promise for a period of free lodging. I'll believe it when I see both of those have been redeemed for full value. Making a grandiose promise for the sake of your friend's little internet phenomenon is easy. I would give cerebus19 a hard time for falling for it, but hey, kottke did, too.
posted by scarabic at 10:40 PM on April 17, 2006
Wow- this is "Alvin's Swap Shop" made real (maybe I was the only one who read it as a kid...)
posted by hincandenza at 10:41 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by hincandenza at 10:41 PM on April 17, 2006
I hate you hincandenza. :-) No, you weren't the only one.
posted by Pigpen at 11:58 PM on April 17, 2006
posted by Pigpen at 11:58 PM on April 17, 2006
Doesn't get more web 2.0 than that.
posted by NewBornHippy at 2:48 AM on April 18, 2006
posted by NewBornHippy at 2:48 AM on April 18, 2006
Man, I was looking for this story a couple of weeks ago to see how he was doing, but couldn't remember what he started with (which made searching almost impossible)! Thanks for the update!
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:49 AM on April 18, 2006
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:49 AM on April 18, 2006
"Fair's fair, Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye can I go home too?"
posted by OmieWise at 6:13 AM on April 18, 2006
posted by OmieWise at 6:13 AM on April 18, 2006
The story on his blog got really confusing, right about the time he went to Yahk.
I've been in Yahk. It's about three houses in size. The main industry in the area is almost undoubtedly marijuana farming. I am not surprised in the least that his narrative might have become somewhat confused during his stay in Yahk.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:03 AM on April 18, 2006
I've been in Yahk. It's about three houses in size. The main industry in the area is almost undoubtedly marijuana farming. I am not surprised in the least that his narrative might have become somewhat confused during his stay in Yahk.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:03 AM on April 18, 2006
"Does he then have to pay income tax on everything that he's traded up to the house as well?"
Well, it would be the difference in fair market values that he would have to report as income, or something like that.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:45 PM on April 18, 2006
Well, it would be the difference in fair market values that he would have to report as income, or something like that.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:45 PM on April 18, 2006
"Fair's fair, Henry. If I nail Hotlips and punch Hawkeye can I go home too?"
OmniWise - Only if you get Radar a date with the hair drier.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 1:32 PM on April 18, 2006
OmniWise - Only if you get Radar a date with the hair drier.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 1:32 PM on April 18, 2006
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posted by hackly_fracture at 2:02 PM on April 17, 2006