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How much should he get when he asked for less?; Theoretical question
Topic Started: Dec 18 2008, 06:09 AM (319 Views)
George K
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Finally
I'm reading King Rat, by Clavell, and towards the end of the book, there's an interesting scenario. "The King" is a wheeler/dealer in Changi prison camp in WWII Singapore. He can obtain items, fence something, and make prison more tolerable. He has taken Marlowe under his wing and taught him some of how business works, and how to negotiate a deal.

One of the prisoners approaches Marlowe with the hope that Marlowe can sell, for him, an expensive pen to one of the Japanese guards. "I'd be happy if I could get $65 for it, sir," says the prisoner.

Marlowe approaches the guard later that day, and says that he has a pen for sale. No, it's not a Parker, but it has a gold nib, and it's nice. The guard examines it, and says, "It is not worth much. I cannot offer more than $125."

Marlowe takes the $125 from the guard (after feigning outrage).

So, Marlowe's up by $60. He had agreed to a 10% commission for the deal with the prisoner. So, he "owes" the prisoner $65 minus 10%, or $58.50. Yet, he got $125 for it.

What should he do with the balance?

Keep it? After all, the prisoner only wanted $65 (less commission), and that was the deal.

Fess up and give him the $125 (minus commission again)?
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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JBryan
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I am the grey one
I read that book probably 40 years ago. I think he should keep the money. He made the deal.

How did you like the "Rusa Tikus" scam?
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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JBryan
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I am the grey one
"A cloud reached out and wrestled with the moon for possession of the night".

For some strange reason that line has always stuck with me.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Give the guy 20 bucks extra to feign honesty, and then keep the rest.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
There are intangibles here such as working capital, customer goodwill and reputation. Would he gain greater advantage long term by distributing the money, or by keeping it?
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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George K
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Finally
JBryan
Dec 18 2008, 06:12 AM
How did you like the "Rusa Tikus" scam?
:shrug:

Not there yet. About 3/4 through.

It's really a good book. The depth of characters is amazing, and the depiction of the abject misery of prison life is shocking.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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JBryan
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I am the grey one
I think I read it about three times when I was about 12 years old. It is a great read.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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George K
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Finally
Oh, Marlowe kept the money, FWIW.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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JBryan
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I am the grey one
You bet he did. A real wheeler dealer.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
He should keep the extra money. It may come in handy, later.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Larry had exactly this sort of thing in a real estate deal, iirc.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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brenda
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..............
Quirt, you 'll likely hit 20,000 today.
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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Moonbat
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Pisa-Carp
Fess up and give him the $125 (minus commission again)
Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
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Horace
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HOLY CARP!!!
Tell his friend that he was able to sell it for 80 instead of 65, and keep 10% of the 80 plus the extra 45 he didn't mention. That'll earn the trust of the friend, which can in the future be abused for much larger sums of money. :thumb:
As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good?
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
If he saved up enough money, he could buy his own human.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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OperaTenor
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Pisa-Carp
Mikhailoh
Dec 18 2008, 06:15 AM
There are intangibles here such as working capital, customer goodwill and reputation. Would he gain greater advantage long term by distributing the money, or by keeping it?
I think it's more elementary than that: karma.

Quote:
 
Oh, Marlowe kept the money, FWIW.


I've not read the story. Does anything happen to Marlowe after this?



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JBryan
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I am the grey one
If it did it would not be nice to reveal it until George finishes the book.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
Maybe he gets stabbed with a pen. :unsure:


....mightier than the sword, etc. etc.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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George K
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Finally
JBryan
Dec 18 2008, 08:48 AM
If it did it would not be nice to reveal it until George finishes the book.
Thanks, JB. It's been a great read so far. I've not been reading much fiction lately, and I've found the sheer size of Clavell's work daunting (I keep promising myself to read Shogun one day), but this caught my eye. He certainly has a style to his words, doesn't he?
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Horace
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HOLY CARP!!!
George K
Dec 18 2008, 09:01 AM
JBryan
Dec 18 2008, 08:48 AM
If it did it would not be nice to reveal it until George finishes the book.
Thanks, JB. It's been a great read so far. I've not been reading much fiction lately, and I've found the sheer size of Clavell's work daunting (I keep promising myself to read Shogun one day), but this caught my eye. He certainly has a style to his words, doesn't he?
I loved King Rat, one of my favorite books. It makes you appreciate food!
As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good?
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OperaTenor
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Pisa-Carp
Sorry, for some reason I was under the impression George had finished it.

I'll wait patiently on the sidelines now.....



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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
Great book. Read it in HS.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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DivaDeb
HOLY CARP!!!
SHOGUN! I read that in highschool. Great book.
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