Alan

100% torch-made with Moretti glass...most likely by a beginner.

Popeye:

Surely a sign that the end of the world is nigh....

"Worm:Win32/Conficker.B is a new piece of malware targeting a vulnerability in Server Service affecting all supporter versions of Windows, including Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1, and Windows XP SP3. Microsoft published details related to the new malicious code designed to exploit the MS08-067 Critical vulnerability reported in 2008, and patched with an out-of-band security update in October. Essentially, the software giant informed that Worm:Win32/Conficker.B was a variant of the Worm:Win32/Conficker malware, which was initially associated with attacks against MS08-067. "

Conficker infects Vista machines as well.

One of the easy diagnostics for this worm is to check your Windows Update status (Start - Windows Update). Look on the right side for whether Windows Update is set for automatic updates. If yes - then you are probably fine (Conficker turns off automatic Windows updates). If not - turn auto updates ON. If you cannot turn them on - you have a high probability of having the Conficker worm and need to fix it asap.

Felicia: I thought I would illustrate some of the variability of oxblood from a single manufacturer - Akro. I have roughly 100 pieces of their oxblood cullet and most is mixed with a dark cherry red, a dark orange, dark green and sometimes black - depending on the marble run they were making when they dumped it. Oxblood without the black detail glass (often feathered in) is fairly flat looking and appears much lighter colored to the eye. In truth though - it is really the same brick red. Here are some variances in oxblood from Akro (by no means exhaustive):

Large air bubbles can be a sign of re-heating. Without seeing it in hand - guessing by photos is just that...so I can't draw any conclusions.

I'll simply note that there are far more air bubbles in the glass than is normally seen.

The rooms and the show were fine this year. The New Philly show is always a popular one and 2009 proved no different. Here are some show pics from 2009: http://marbleconnection.invisionzone.com/i...1&hl=philly

Examples of Akro oxblood:

Very nice work - as always.

"Out of round due to thumbprints of being a favorite marble of the shooter." That may be the strangest line I have ever read in an Ebay marble auction.

Possibly. What is it?

I was unaware that there have been COE issues in the recent runs. How prevalent is this (if anyone knows)? Has any particular run been affected more than another?

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The marbles are what they are. I don't pay extra for stories. The longer a story is that comes with a marble - the harder I look at it.

Its new enough that the word vintage doesn't apply.

Not sure why you mean by "messy". Its torched.

Scott: Plan ahead for the Columbus, OH show. It is worth the time/trip.

I recommend spending time at marbles shows handling marbles and discussing the many variants of a single type with experienced collectors. Learning to ID marbles from photos is the pathway to mis-identification. I am convinced that the reason Ebay is so full of mis-identified marbles is that inexperience people buy a book (or look online) and try to match what they have with the closest looking marble (usually by color alone) that is worth a lot. There is no substitute for handling tens of thousands of marbles and looking at their nuances and variations to get a feel for the fine art of identification.

If there are any that are properly identified - I didn't see them.

The Ebay lot is MK.