Are You A Binoholic ???? (1 Viewer)

[James Bean]

What, me, a binoholic? Infamy, infamy, you've all got it in for me. Just because I have several dozen binoculars doesn't mean I don't NEED them. They are 'necessaries' (legal definition = 'goods suitable to my condition in life and to my actual requirements, fit and proper for service, and such as the owner would order, being a prudent man', per Sale of Goods Act, 1893). Ah, I hear you say, that's supposed to apply to infants or persons of unsound mind. Well, let me tell you, there's nothing infantile or unsound about me; I'm not being j(ocular) but very objective, well focussed and perfectly collimated, matey. I'll just say this: 'necessitas non habet legem' = 'necessity knows no law'. I rest my case...

 

[Paskman]

Paul,

Unfortunately, it might be none of the above, because what you describe sounds like a typical case of conversion disorder as defined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 4th Edition, Text Revision, also known as the DSM-IV-TR.

While you have downscaled your habit both in monetary terms and in number of bins, you may have merely converted from an alpha roofoholic to a classic porromaniac.

If so, you will soon experience uncontrollable cravings for a Nikon 10x35 EII, earlier 8x, 10, and 7x "E" models, Nikon 8x, 10x, and 12x SEs, Nikon 8-16x40 XL Zooms, then there's the Prostar, the Astoluxes, and from there you will keep collecting Nikon classic porros all the way back to Nippon Kogaku.

If it gets bad enough you may even branch out into collecting old Zeiss ClassiCs, Zeiss Jenas, B & Ls, and hit the skids with old Tasco porros.

You will spend your entire life savings on porros. Yes, I'm talking from experience, this is my story, and now I'm living in a cardboard box under a bridge, left only with my 8x30 EII, because I had to sell or trade all the others for a winter coat, long underwear, refrigerator boxes, and cat food.

Fortunately, your porromania began with the 8x30 EII - the EII was my last purchase - so you may not end up like me, because you will eventually reach a gestalt and suddenly realize that there's no WF birding bin in the world that's better than your 8x30 EII!

FRITZ WAS RIGHT, BE HERE NOW! Keep saying that to yourself.

But if you do fall victim to porromania, don't be too proud to call your old partners, Peter and Mary. You don't want to live in a cardboard box, because it attracts too many mice, and then you will have to beg for money to buy cat food to get rid of them!

Oh S**t what have I done?!! :eek!: Perhaps if I stopped sleeping with the EIIs it would help - my wife is already showing signs of jealousy. I guess that I should have seen the early signs a couple of years ago - I bought some Yosemite porros. I have already tried the SEs, luckily the eye relief was wrong with my glasses. Still porros should be cheaper than Alphamania (?).

Tell me Brock, you don't mind a fellow vagrant being familiar, but which make of cardboard do you recommend for sleeping in? Is German/Austrian cardboard better than the oriental stuff? What about corregated - does it keep the cold out better? Perhaps I could use all the empty binocular boxes. With regard to the mice I already have 2 cats so they will have to come with me. If any other binoholics want to join me I think that I will start a colony :hippy: Now where can I get a cheap pair of 10x35 EIIs........................

Paul

 

[Tero]

Refrigerator size cardboard boxes are best, with piles of crumpled newspaper for insulation.

 

[brocknroller]

Refrigerator size cardboard boxes are best, with piles of crumpled newspaper for insulation.

Tero,

Once they put dielectric p-coatings, 60-layer AR lens coatings, and ED glass on these "mind-boggling resolution" "Premier Series" 9x32 bins, you might finally be cured:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/remington-optics-9x32-premier-series-binoculars.html

Paul,

I hate to be an enabler, but I know what it's like to be jonesing for a 10x35 EII. I'm jonesing for one right now, and I almost bought one last month off Amart, but the seller didn't own cats, and all I had to trade was cat food.

After that, I just had drop a "tab" of Dove dark chocolate from the opened package I traded my 8x30 EII box for to stave off the DTs. The hobo I traded the box to is using it to store his cat food.

Ohnjay Otacay was the "dealer man with the love [bins] in his hand," who got me hooked on porros. I bought two 10x35 EIIs from him. He bought one of them back, because he was jonesing badly for the best sample (not good to be a dealer and a binoholic).

He usually buys about half a dozen samples of each bin. Since he buys in quantity, he sells at low ball prices.

He's a recovering roofoholic now, no high end stuff, strictly nickle and dime bag mid-priced roofs, so maybe he'd be willing to part with one of his EIIs (if he still has any). I've only seen him sell one roof lately on Amart and his name is no longer on the top dealer man list:

https://www.astromart.com/users/topusers.asp?

You also might try the dealer man known on the streets as "Klipy". He's a bi-polar binoholic himself, jumping back and forth between roofohlism and porromania, and when he's really jonesing for a new bin, he sells his old ones at bargain bin prices.

I have to warn you, though. Being a binoholic himself, he is susceptible to changing his mind in the middle of a deal or he might ask you to sell him back the bin a week later.

He otherwise seems like a nice guy, he's just caught up in this form of addictive consumerism like the rest of us.

 

[Sancho]

In order not to end up a friendless and family-less hobo living under a bridge someplace (through excessive optic-spending), I gave up laughing gargle for a few years, in order to fund the purchase of some uber-kit or other. This experiment was not without its merits....you´d be amazed how much even moderate ethyl-alcohol consumption costs per annum. On the other hand, I can´t put my hand on my heart and say that the optics are as much fun as the happy juice. Now that I have enough optics, I can have both!!!

 

[falcondude]

I have to warn you, though. Being a binoholic himself, he is susceptible to changing his mind in the middle of a deal or he might ask you to sell him back the bin a week later.

I feel much better now. Thanks for the group therapy.:-O

 

[Paskman]

Brock - you are meant to dissuade me not encourage me!! by the way I used to be bi-polar but we are both better now.

Tero - thanks for the crumpled newspaper suggestion, all I need now are some black sacks to make it all waterproof.

Sancho - have you tried meths? it is cheaper than ethyl-alcohol.

Oh well back to the birds......................oh dear it has gone dark outside! Night I believe.

Paul

 

[Iceberg slim]

I still have glorious dreams of the German with sleek dark lines and an alluring almost "siren" like red blemish,which has frequently called to me in a very "LOTR" like "you want your precious bins ,don't you"

 

[brocknroller]

QUOTE=Paskman;1622828]Brock - you are meant to dissuade me not encourage me!! by the way I used to be bi-polar but we are both better now.

Tero - thanks for the crumpled newspaper suggestion, all I need now are some black sacks to make it all waterproof.

Sancho - have you tried meths? it is cheaper than ethyl-alcohol.

Oh well back to the birds......................oh dear it has gone dark outside! Night I believe.

Paul[/QUOTE]

Paul,

I apologize about that. It was not I, but my nephew Alexander, a clever but misguided impersonator, who wrote that blasphemous post and the others before this about DSM #s, etc.

Though Klingons are known for their sparse furnishings, I do not live in a cardboard box, though "cabin fever" during the long Pennsylvania winters can sometimes make the house feel as small as one.

However, he was correct about one thing: the Nikon 8x30 EII is arguably the best WF birding porro ever made on this planet.

You should be proud to own the "best" even if it does not brandish a little red dot to give it "more cachet in the field with other birders".

Regarding your "affliction," it is not due to a virus nor is it some type of mental illness.

SF writer Frederick Pohl succinctly summed up the problem in this quote from his satiric novel "The Merchants' War":

"The planet earth is rotten to the core, raped by vicious advertising campaigns, the citizens mere animals and the property of the rapacious advertising agencies."

This is not to say that excellent optics do not exist, but rather that the insatiable appetite for "faster, better, more expensive" consumer goods is driven by the "Mad Men on Madison Ave".

No one today can go anywhere without seeing at least one advertisement. These "ads" are an essential part of every type of media. They are placed in radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, billboards, and now on the Internet.

I will quote from some of the most famous pop philosophers of the 20th century, who have shed light on the problem:

"When i'm drivin' in my car
And that man comes on the radio
He's tellin' me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to fire my imagination
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what i say

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'cause i try and i try and i try and i try
I can't get no, i can't get no

When i'm watchin' my tv
And that man comes on to tell me
How white my shirts can be
But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
The same cigarettes as me
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what i say"

-- m. jagger/k. richards

and then there's....

"Motor Cars, Handle Bars
Bicycles for Two
Broken Hearted Jubilee
Parachutes, Army Boots
Sleeping Bags for Two
Sentimental Jamboree

Buy Buy
Says the Sign in the Shop Window
Why Why
Says the Junk in the Yard

Candlesticks, Building Bricks
Something Old and New
Memories for You and Me

Buy Buy
Says the Sign in the Shop Window
Why Why
Says the Junk in the Yard."

-- sir p. mccartney

Given the fact these three pop philosophers have a combined net worth that is greater than some small countries, I wonder how much "junk" they have in their backyards?

 

[Paskman]

Brock,

Yes I am proud to now own (note the little deliberate anagram there!) the best. Trouble is those adverts are just so suggestive - particularly the latest from that company with a hawk as its logo, no...no.. it will ruin my marriage! I will balme your cousin.

Anyway as you are into philosophers I thought the following might appeal:

Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Only going forward 'cause we can't find reverse.

Lt. Uhura, report.
There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.

Analysis, Mr. Spock.
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it;
it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.


There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.

Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Only going forward, still can't find reverse.

Medical update, Dr. McCoy.
It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.


It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it;
it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.

There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim.

Starship Captain, James T. Kirk:
Ah! We come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill;
we come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, men.

It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.

Well, it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it;
it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.

There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, scrape 'em off, Jim.

Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Only going forward, and things are getting worse!

Engineer, Mr. Scott:
Ye cannot change the laws of physics, laws of physics, laws of physics;
ye cannot cahnge the laws of physics, laws of physics, Jim.

Ah! We come in peace, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill;
we come in peace, shoot to kill; Scotty, beam me up!

It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead, Jim;
it's worse than that, he's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead.

Well, it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it;
it's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain.

There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow;
there's Klingons on the starboard bow, better calm down!

Ye cannot change the script Jim.
Och, #!*& Jimmy.

It's worse than that, it's physics, Jim.

Bridge to engine room, warp factor 9.

Och, if I give it any more she'll blow, Cap'n!

Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Only going forward 'cause we can't find reverse.

Star Trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enterprise under Captain Kirk.
Star Trekkin' across the universe,
Only going forward, still can't find reverse.

Live long and prosper.

Paul

 

[corax]

Hi Simon S,
what a really notable collection, for quality and quantity! You're an authentic binoholic: compliments!
Can you tell me if the badge CHINON is from Taiwan or the Popular Republic of China?
Regards to everybody the binoholics of BF.
Alessandro
(Nikon SE 8x32 & 10x42, Nikon Action EX 16x50, Swaro SCL 7x42, Kahles DF 8x32, Leica Trinovid 8x20BGA - Nikon Fieldscope ED50 20x & 40x, Swaro ATS65HD w. 20-60x & 30Wx).

 

[Simon S]

Hi Simon S,
what a really notable collection, for quality and quantity! You're an authentic binoholic: compliments!
Can you tell me if the badge CHINON is from Taiwan or the Popular Republic of China?
Regards to everybody the binoholics of BF.
Alessandro
(Nikon SE 8x32 & 10x42, Nikon Action EX 16x50, Swaro SCL 7x42, Kahles DF 8x32, Leica Trinovid 8x20BGA - Nikon Fieldscope ED50 20x & 40x, Swaro ATS65HD w. 20-60x & 30Wx).

Hi Corax, Chinon's on my site are all Japanese, not Chinese. The later models are Chinese and very poor optically.

 

[Tero]

Once they put dielectric p-coatings, 60-layer AR lens coatings, and ED glass on these "mind-boggling resolution" "Premier Series" 9x32 bins, you might finally be cured:

LINK..above
fov 252 ft....about the same view as I get out of my refrigerator box
need I say more?

 

[corax]

Thanks for the information, Simon.
Regards,

Alessandro

 

[Sancho]

Hi Corax, Chinon's on my site are all Japanese, not Chinese. The later models are Chinese and very poor optically.

When I got back into birding in a "toe-in-the-water" kind of way aged about 33, I bought, for 169 Irish Pounds which we could ill-afford, a pair of Chinons. Zooms, they were. It was to be the first in a long series of Terrible Optical Mistakes.

 

[KorHaan]

There have to be more ads in the streets; billboards showing sleek roofs in shiny armor, with tempting one-liners like " You need me, you know you do".
I used to buy British bird magazines only because they were full of ads, page after page of roofs, porro's and scopes, I've given that up but in the magazine of our national bird trust there's very little advertising, only birds, yech. And no specs when they finally decide to reveal some intriguing new model, why no specs, that's what we are after.
When I'm doing my shopping I still can't pass an optics store, I have to go in and see what they have.
Last vacation I was caught off-guard when I looked through the window of a little bird shop on Texel. In between bird feeders and nest boxes was a small collection of bins.
Only the window pane between me and the Zeiss Dialyt 8x56 Classic. Can't pay it. Do want it. Go in, try it. No, I won't. Yes, you will. Shop is closed. Remorse felt.
I don't care much for the FL models, not any of them, but the tall Classic I find almost irresistable. I don't need it, yet I want it. Can't afford it, but it's always luring, ever since the day thirty years ago I handled one for my field studies. Not my property, but boy, was I a glad student at the time. I had a Russian porro 7x50 myself then, but the Zeiss was so much better I can still recall the first moment I had a look through it.
Glad they still make them, unlike the 7x42 Classic. I dreamed once I found a pristine 7x42 Dialyt Classic in a hard black leather case, in the grass by the roadside. Honestly I did!
Now that's not normal, is it?

Ronald

 

[edwincjones]

not me-I only have 8 (from 21-150mm)
and I may not need anymore (but I usually find one I need anyway)

edj

 

[Sancho]

I dreamed once I found a pristine 7x42 Dialyt Classic in a hard black leather case, in the grass by the roadside. Honestly I did!
Now that's not normal, is it?

Ronald

:-OLOL! Well Ronald, among the populace at large, it´s probably a bit odd. But here in the safer confines of the BF Bino-thread, it´s perfectly normal. My son, aged 6, has no interest in binoculars, but he has dreams in which he´s scoring winning goals for Liverpool FC - how weird is that? (I mean, he´s never been to Liverpool....)

 

[Paskman]

:-OLOL! Well Ronald, among the populace at large, it´s probably a bit odd. But here in the safer confines of the BF Bino-thread, it´s perfectly normal. My son, aged 6, has no interest in binoculars, but he has dreams in which he´s scoring winning goals for Liverpool FC - how weird is that? (I mean, he´s never been to Liverpool....)

I think Liverpool could do with his "goalscoring" prowess at the moment!!

 

[KorHaan]

:-OLOL! Well Ronald, among the populace at large, it´s probably a bit odd. But here in the safer confines of the BF Bino-thread, it´s perfectly normal. My son, aged 6, has no interest in binoculars, but he has dreams in which he´s scoring winning goals for Liverpool FC - how weird is that? (I mean, he´s never been to Liverpool....)

Hahaha!! That's great, Sancho, nothing wrong with your lad.

Cheers,

Ronald