A House For One Red Paperclip

Tim_F writes to mention the news that Kyle MacDonald (the guy trying to trade a red paperclip for a house) has succeeded in his quest. His recently traded a KISS Snowglobe in exchange for one afternoon with Alice Cooper. He in turn traded the snowglobe to an enthusiastic snowglobe collector, for a role in a movie. From the article: "Now, the town of Kipling, Sask., located about two hours east of Regina with a population of 1,100, has offered MacDonald a farmhouse in exchange for the role in the movie. MacDonald and his girlfriend will fly to the town next Wednesday. 'We are going to show them the house, give them the keys to the house and give them the key to the town and just have some fun,' said Pat Jackson, mayor of Kipling."

Red paperclip?

Wouldn't he have accomplished his goal quicker if he started with a red stapler? ...or would have have had to burn the house down when he finally got it?

Re:Red paperclip?

Actually, it should have been a green paperclip for the house.

Save the red paperclip for a hotel!

(Yes, I am missing a few Monopoly pieces. Why do you ask?)

So what?

So what?

He has a farmhouse in the town of Kipling, Sask.? So...? Why stop now? If he could trade that for two red paperclips, doubling his original investment, I'd be impressed.

quote from tfa

"This is not the end. This may be the end of this segment of the story, but this story will go on. "

It would be ironic if he died of a paper cut that could have been prevented by a paperclip.

Kyle MacDonald!

Announcer: Kyle MacDonald - come on down! You've been selected to be the latest contestant on...

Audience: Gimmicky Human Interest Story! [Wild Applause]

Announcer: That's right! You've managed to amuse us with your heartwarming tale of despiration. You managed to stumble into a kindly corporate sponsor for your story of using ebay, and gotten that radio station to softball you into a whole lot of pain advertisement! And now, latching onto the story, everyone and their brother are selling the hype to eachother that a paper clip can buy a house!

Audience: Paper clip! Paper clip! [Wild Applause]

Announcer: It's a great day for you, and a wonderful day to sell shiney new hopes in pretty packaging! That's right folks - the system works - you too can become mega-rich if you're just clever enough to get a radio station to give you prizes!

Audience: Rich! Rich! Rich! [Wild Applause]

Re:Kyle MacDonald!

I think you hit the nail on the head. This story belongs with the Million Dollar Home Page and other stupid ideas that people went along with because it was getting a lot of publicity. This story doesn't prove that bartering is still alive. It doesn't prove that you can start with nothing and end up with something. All it proves is that people are willing to jump on just about any bandwagon. I mean come on, some town no one has ever heard of just happens to give the guy a house for a small movie roll? Hooray for bartering.

The world

Now he can try to trade his house for the world!

Almost made it as far as him....

you've heard all the stories about guys in the military during WWII trading whiskey for bullets or other such things, well, my buddy and i came upon a huge spool of single mode fiber optic cable - Like, dining room table sized. Anyhow, our plan was to trade up the spool of fiber to an F-15 that we could share since we were in the Air Force.

we got as far as finding a guy that would take the spool from us after we used all the fiber... oh well.

Best laid plans and all....

Amazing.

This story, more than anything else I've seen, shows the amazing powers of the internet. Simply by connecting so many people in almost-real-time, stuff like this has become a possibility. Admittedly, I'm sure many of the trades only came about via the publicity and novelty of the idea, but before we had the world literally at our fingertips, such ideas wouldn't have been even remotely possible.

I applaud this guy simply for trying something new and having it work out for him nicely.

Re:Amazing.

Most of them were. I see very few of the trades that weren't based on novelty or publicity. Paperclip for a pen- novelty. Pen for doorknob- novelty. THe stove and generator were legit, but the snowmobile was pure publicity. So was the trip to Yahk- although props for being so canny in setting it up. The truck was publicity. The recording contract was novelty. The years rent and the afternoon with Alice Cooper were legit (well, Alice probably liked the publicity but I could buy him doing it for an employee without it- it could happen). The snowglobe was legit but the movie role and house were pure publicity as well.

Basicly he got lucky, got some publicity, and made a few good moves with that publicity to make it happen. Don't expect it to work for you.

Keep going...

I think he should keep on trading up. I'm sure someone somewhere would be willing to trade this house for something better. There seems to be no limit now...

News from the future:
"This just in. We have learned today that Mr. Kyle MacDonald has just acquired the entirety of the United States of America."
"I, for one, welcome our barter-trading overlord."

Hmm...

Houses in Saskatchewan are only worth one paperclip? I'm going down to Office Depot to get a case of red paperclips and then I'm buying the whole province.

Damn Canadian Accents

I've watched both the videos on the site a number of times and I still have to say Canadian accents are impossible to understand. I can only barely pick out the names, the rest might as well be in french for all I could make of it.

It's not the trade, it's the publicity

So yeah, one might have been able to trade up a single red paperclip into a house without publicity, but it would have taken longer and been a much more impressive feat.

Just to make sure everyone knows, this man's (still impressive) accomplishment was fueled not by being able to make smart trades, but by the publicity of the stunt. Clearly, the people trading with him were giving him items of far greater value than what he was providing. The balance of the transaction can be measured in publicity.

Am I...

...the only one who has never heard of any of this before now?

Heh

Considering you can get a 48 acre farm complete with structures and a home for $140,000 out there, [lanerealtycorp.com] I guess a ratty old farm house isn't too much to part with. Although, I doubt they will sign over the land underneath it, and will essentially let him live there rent free, at least until the novelty wears out.

Pet Choices

Saskatchewan is one of those places where you can watch your dog run away for a couple of weeks. This is not so with cats or hamsters (too disorganized and buffalo food respectively). Fish still refuse to live in the province.

Re:Pet Choices

Saskatchewan is one of those places where you can watch your dog run away for a couple of weeks.

I've heard every joke, I've heard every word you said.
You think there's not a lot going on...but look closer, baby, you're so wrong.
And that's why you can stay so long...where there's not a lot going on.

As has been stated...

most of the trades occurred because of the publicity and novelty of the thing.

I'd be much more impressed by the second person to do this, or the fourth.

Well...

I suppose this just reinforces that one man's trash is another man's treasure. You just have to be in the right place (website) at the right time with the right trash.

One red paperclip for a HOUSE?

I don't think you can do that.
One red paperclip costs about 10 cents and a house cost much more... maybe 1000$
It doesn't make sense!

BUT, if you start a Blog, write some insightful post, get some traffic and ads, you might be able to buy a house without giving up your red paperclip.

I hope this post will be moded insightful :)

Off to prison...

[Two guys on the porch of a rickety farmhouse]

Knock Knock Knock. "I don't think he's answering." KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Creak, crack, stomp stomp stomp, squeeeeeeeeek, "Oh, hello guys! What can I do for you?"

Well, Old MacDonald, it's about your farm. We're from the Canadian Revenue Agency and we have a few questions to ask you regarding the taxes you did or did not pay on the transactions you made from paperclip to farm house. Would you please put these handcuffs on so we can converse in a calm environment?"

Its all in the marketing.

eof

Fake news !!!

Well, I dunno, but something says to me that he didn't got his home just yet: http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/2006/07/intere sting.html [blogspot.com]

Or ... if he indeed has successfully traded his paperclip for a house, somebody forgot to inform the guy himself.

Cheers,
Tristan

Finally

Am I the only one happy that this whole thing will finally come to an end so I can stop hearing about the stupid trades that are only happening so people can get publicity?

Taxes????

First off, I don't know how the tax laws are in Canada, but since he was originally unemployed and making no money, I hope he doesn't have to pay income taxes on that house! He would if he was in the States (someone correct me if I am wrong)..... If he does owe taxes, he is on the hook for big $$$! Might want to trade down!

How to get on Slashdot

1. Trade red paperclip until you get house.
2. ???
3. Profit!!

Do you like Kipling?

Personally, I like Kipling.

Re:Do you like Kipling?

I've never Kippled. What's it like?

He won't last

He is moving from Montreal, an urban metropolis with lots of things to do (movies, restaurants, concerts, etc.) to "middle of nowhere" Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan, where God lost his shoe.

obvious question...

nice house.... but did the paperclip run Linux?

Kipling?!!

Not much of a deal, getting a house in Kipling. I've been there as many of my mom's aunts live in or around Kipling. Just a small, quiet farming town in the praries. At least it's better than Eatonia, SK where my grandparents live, where you can buy one of the lots from the town for $1 plus however much taxes are owing.

Well, I guess that's what you get for only wanting to spend a paperclip!

Weird

It's weird... all of a sudden all of those crazy trading circles in the Zelda games are now legitimized to me. Now, if I can just find a Yoshi Doll, I too might be able to finally get that spiffy boomerang one day!

Kipling land value

To give you all an idea of how much land is worth... Current for sale in or around Kipling:

• 320 acres of farmland for $100,000 CAD [lanerealtycorp.com]
• 1200 sq. ft. home in town, for $54,000 CAD [point2.com]

And here's a complete map of Kipling. [google.com]

Now a Major Motion Picture!

Kyle MacDonald: "One Red Paperclip" - NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!

See! the hit comic action adventure drama, starring Will Smith as Kyle MacDonald, Uma Thurman as his long suffering girlfriend, and Lindsay Lohan as the paperclip.

Hear! Will Smith's amusing remarks as he trades pieces of junk for larger, more profitable junk!

Cry! when Will Smith unwittingly trades a van for a piece of paper, almos losing long-time girlfriend Uma Thurman.

Laugh! when it turns out the piece of paper was a recording contract!

Based on a true life story! (Some liberties taken; various items replaced by famous celebrities and the internet replaced by word-of-mouth of the quirky inhabitants of Will Smith's home town in Northern California).

Sample the from riveting novelization:

"CHAPTER 1. It started with this paperclip. Then he trades it in for a pen. Then, like, he trades it in again, but for a doorknob... Then he goes and trades it for a coleman stove. Then he trades the stove for James Woods. 'Hey, buddy.' Says James Woods, 'I'm James Woods.' 'Beleeve dat,' says Will Smith - his catchphrase for the film."

List of trades

Red Paperclip --> Fish Pen
Fish Pen --> Doorknob
Doorknob --> Coleman Stove
Coleman Stove --> Generator
Generator --> "Instant Party" (Beer Keg, Neon Sign, I.O.U. for Keg's worth of Beer)
"Instant Party" --> Skidoo
Skidoo --> Trip to Yahk
Trip to Yahk --> Cube Van (Box Truck)
Cube Van --> Recording Contract
Recording Contract --> Year in Phoenix (Airfare to Phoenix and use of house rent free for one year)
Year in Phoenix --> Afternoon with Alice Cooper
Afternoon with Alice Cooper --> KISS Snowglobe
KISS Snowglobe --> Movie Role
Movie Role --> House

Let the trading begin!

I've been inspired! I'm starting with a paper model of a Piper Cub and trading up to the real thing [turingshop.com]!

But how much did he spend?

If this guy was flying from Montreal to Vancouver to Seattle and so forth, staying in hotels, paying for internet access, and eating food, for a whole year, how much money did he start out with?! I mean, is it not reasonable to assume that if he actually worked he could have easily bought a house on the Canadian countryside withing a year?

It's the closest thing to...

...a real-life Katamari.

Stolen Idea

Thats an idea that a TV show in my country (Argentina) has been implementing for about 2 years now. The show is CQC (Caiga quien caiga). The idea is to help someone who really need anything (maybe a rural hospital or school) and provide them by asking people to trade things until they get what they want. Eventually they ask some famous people to make some efforts trading in their expense, so they can climb up the ladder to the real prize.
Its like some movies... (Nueve Reinas -> Criminals), we make the good thing, you just steal it and make it worse.

Do you know ...

The Straw Millionaire ?

Maybe I'm just a sucker...

But I'm in love with simple ideas that with the use of Internet and geeks all around the world could take of and become reality. Yeah, sort of like the million dollar homepage and now One red paper clip. So what's coming next guys? I know I have one simple idea with one hell out of wild goal and soon I'll tell you all about it, until then, watch the countdown over at http://www.andrehedetoft.com/ [andrehedetoft.com] André Hedetoft Becoming the obvious geek movie director Blogging geek porn over at http://www.andrehedetoft.com/geekporn [andrehedetoft.com]

Re:Slashdot story?

'caus it's a story on the intraweb!!!11oneoneone

H.

Re:Slashdot story?

Because it's an opportunity for people to write Funny +5 comments.

Apparently, on Slashdot, that is reason enough...

Re:Slashdot story?

Because it's quirky, and appeals to geek culture.

Sorry for spamming up your Slashdot, I know all of these stories can be hard to follow all the time.

Re:Tagging WTF

Sorry can't help you. Tagging apparently still isn't available for me yet.

Re:Tagging WTF

Mod Parent Flamebait please!!!!! j/k

Re:pure hype

He traded the KISS Snowglobe for a role in a movie. He then traded the role in the movie for the farmhouse. Nowhere in the article, in his bio, or anywhere else you could have yanked it did it say he was a filmmaker.

Re:Slashdot story?

It clearly encapsulates how utterly powerful the internet as a medium for interaction on a world-wide scale has become over the last few decades. From such humble DARPA beginnings to an entity capable of brokering amazingly complicated details (hundreds of thousands of times a day, for that matter), the internet is THE technological advancement of our lifetime.

How isn't that news for nerds / stuff that matters?

Re:Tagging WTF

as to completely asses the entire gamutof users opinions

I'm still not sure what a bunch of ass has to do with user opinions...

Unearthed moderator guidelines!

Here's the official guidelines for story requirements handed out to all /. staff.

1. Story must have text

I hope they can all remember it. ;P

Because we have paperclips?

And this is appropriate material for a /. story... How exactly?

Step 1: Trade up from paperclip to house
Step 2: Move out of parents' basement

Re:Role in movie??

Well, if you'd bothered to RTFA, you'd discover that a guy who makes movies also is an enthusiastic snowglobe collector. So, the Red Paperclip Guy (whom I shall call Milton, for obvious reasons) traded the snowglobe for a part in a move the guy was making.

Basically, a lot of people helped him on his quest.

Re:How does this work?

Read the article.

Re:Tagging WTF

Besides, I am pretty sure you can't mod a thread you post in on Slashdot. If that is incorrect, I KNOW I will be corrected with the quickness!

Re:Slashdot story?

Hey, are you a prophet? I got my first -1 Troll on that comment.

Redundant?

Redundant?...Mind if I ask how? Last I checked posting was offering an opinion about the article, and in being first...HOW IS IT REDUNDANT?!