Contributions: The Complete Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
Ferengi
are a species from StarTrek that was particularly highlighted in Deep Space 9.
Their religion is commerce and their society is determined by profit.
The Ferengi believe that the universe is held together by the Great Material
Continuum, also known as the Great River. They believe that each part of the
universe has too much of one thing, but not enough of another, and it is through
the continual flow of the Great River that wants and needs can be fulfilled, if
one navigates the River with sufficient entrepreneurial skill. By request and
especially for Nicola, here are the complete Ferengi rules of acquisition.
The Complete Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
1. Once you have their money,
never give it back
2. You can't cheat an honest
customer, but it never hurts to try
3. Never spend more for an
acquisition than you have to
4. Sex and profit are the two
things that never last long enough
5. If you can't break a
contract, bend it
6. Never let family stand in
the way of opportunity
7. Always keep you ears open
8. Keep count of your change
9. Instinct plus opportunity
equals profit
10. A dead customer can't buy
as much as a live one
11. Latinum isn't the only
thing that shines
12. Anything worth selling is
worth selling twice
13. Anything worth doing is
worth doing for money
14. Anything stolen is pure
profit
15. Acting stupid is often
smart
16. A deal is a deal ... until
a better one comes along
17. A bargain usually isn't
18. A Ferengi without profit is
no Ferengi at all
19. Don't lie too soon after a
promotion
20. When the customer is
sweating, turn up the heat
21. Never place friend ship
before profit
22. wise men can hear profit in
the wind
23. Never take the last coin,
but be sure to get the rest
24. Never ask when you can take
25. Fear makes a good business
partner
26. The vast Majority of the
rich in this galaxy did not inherit their wealth; they stole it
27. The most beautiful thing
about a tree is what you do with it after you cut it down
28. Morality is always defined
by those in power
29. When someone says
"It's not the money," they're lying
30. Talk is cheap; synthehol
costs money
31. Never make fun of a
Ferengi's mother
32. Be careful what you sell.
It may do exactly what the customer expects
33. It never hurts to suck up
to the boss
34. Too many Ferengi can't
laugh at themselves anymore
35. Peace is good for business
36. War is good for business
37. You can always buy back a
lost reputation
38. Free advertising is cheap
39. Praise is cheap. Heap it
generously on all customers
40. If you see profit on a
journey, take it
41. Money talks, but having a
lots of it gets more attention
42. Only negotiate when you are
certain to profit
43. Caressing an ear is often
more forceful than pointing a weapon
44. Never argue with a loaded
phaser
45. profit has limits. Loss has
none
46. Labor camps are full of
people who trusted the wrong person
47. Never trust a man wearing a
better suit than you own
48. The bigger the smile, the
sharper the knife
49. Old age and greed will
always overcome youth and talent
50. Never bluff a Klingon
51. Never admit a mistake if
there's someone else to blame
52. Only Bugsy could have built
Las Vegas
53. Sell first; ask questions
later
54. Never buy anything you
can't sell
55. Always sell at the highest
possible profit
56. Pursue profit; women come
later
57. Good customers are almost
as rare as Latinum - treasure them
58. Friendship is seldom cheap
59. Fee advice is never cheap
60. Never use Latinum where
your words will do
61. Never buy what can be
stolen
62. The riskier the road, the
greater the profit
63. power without profit is
like a ship without an engine
64. Don't talk shop; talk
shopping
65. Don't talk ship; talk
shipping
66. Anyone serving in a fleet
who is crazy can be relieved, if they ask for it
67. Enough is never enough
68. Compassion is no substitute
for a profit
69. You could afford your ship
without your government - if it weren't for your government
70. Get the money first, then
let the buyers worry about collecting the merchandise
71. Gamble and trade have two
things in common: risk and Latinum
72. Never let the competition
know, what you're thinking
73. Never trust advice from a
dying Ferengi; listen but don't trust
74. A Ferengi without profit is
no Ferengi at all
75. Home is where the heart is,
but the stars are made of Latinum
76. Every once in a while,
declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies
77. Go where no Ferengi has
gone before; where there is no reputation there is profit
78. There is a customer born
every minute
79. Beware of the Vulcan greed
for knowledge
80. If it works, sell it. If it
works well, sell it for more. If it doesn't work, quadruple the price and sell
it as an antique
81. There's nothing more
dangerous than an honest businessman
82. A smart customer is not a
good customer
83. Revenge is profitless
84. She can touch your ears but
never your Latinum
85. Death takes no bribes
86. A wife is a luxury, a
smart accountant a necessity
87. Trust is the biggest
liability of all
88. When the boss comes to
dinner, it never hurts to have the wife wear something
89. Latinum lasts longer than
lust
90. Mine is better than ours
91. He who drinks fast pays
slow
92. Never confuse wisdom with
luck
93. He's a fool who makes his
doctor his heir
94. Beware of small expenses: a
small leak will kill a ship
95. Important, more impotant,
Latinum
96. Faith moves mountains - of
inventory
97. If you would keep a secret
from an enemy, don't tell it to a friend
98. Profit is the better part
of valor
99. Never trust a wise man
100. Everything that has no
owner, needs one
101. Never do something you can
make someone do for you
102. Nature decays, but Latinum
lasts forever
103. Sleep can interfere with
opportunity
104. Money is never made. It is
merely won or lost
105. Wise men don't lie, they
just bend the truth
106. There is no honor in
poverty
107. Win or lose, there's
always Huyperian Beetle Snuff
108. A woman wearing clothes is
like a man without profit
109. Dignity and an empty sack
is worth the sack
110. Only a fool passes up a
business opportunity
111. Treat people in your debt
like family ... exploit them
112. Never sleep with the
boss's wife unless you pay him first
113. Never sleep with the
boss's sister
114. Small print lead to large
risk
115. Greed is eternal
116. There's always a way out
117. If the profit seems too
good to be true, it usually is
118. Never cheat a honest man
offering a decent price
119. Buy, sell, or get out of
the way
120. Even a blind man can
recognize the glow of Latinum
121. Everything is for sale,
even friendship
122. As the customers go, so
goes the wise profiteer
123. A friend is only a friend
until you sell him something. Then he is a customer
124. Friendship is temporary,
profit is forever
125. A lie isn't a lie until
someone else knows the truth
126. A lie isn't a lie, it's
just the truth seen from a different point of view
127. Gratitude can bring on
generosity
128. Ferengi are not
responsible for the stupidity of other races
129. Never trust your customers
130. Never trust a beneficiary
131. If it gets you profit,
sell your own mother
132. The flimsier the produce,
the higher the price
133. Never judge a customer by
the size of his wallet ... sometimes good things come in small
packages
134. There's always a catch
135. The only value of a
collectible is what you can get somebody else to pay for it
136. The sharp knife cuts
quickly. Act without delay!
137. Necessity is the mother of
invention. Profit is the father
138. Law makes everyone equal,
but justice goes to the highest bidder
139. Wives serve; brother
inherit
140. The answer to quick and
easy profit is: buy for less, sell for more
141. Competition and fair play
are mutually exclusive. Fait play and financial loss go hand-in-hand
142. A Ferengi waits to bid
until his opponents have exhausted themselves
143. The family of Fools is
ancient
144. There's nothing wrong with
charity ... as long as it winds up in your pocket
145. Always ask for the costs
first
146. If possible sell neither
the sizzle nor the steak, but the Elphasian wheat germ
147. New customers are like
razor toothed gree worms. They can be succulent, but sometimes they
bite back
148. Opportunity waits for no
one
149. Females and finances don't
mix
150. Make your shop easy to
find
151. Sometimes, what you get
free costs entirely too much
152. Ask not what your profits
can do for you; ask what you can do for your profits
153. You can't free a fish from
water
154. The difference between
manure and Latinum is commerece
155. What's mine is mine, and
what's yours is mine too
156. Even in the worst of times
someone turns a profit
157. You are surrounded by
opportunities; you just have to know where to look
158. Don't pay until you have
the goods
159. The customer is always
right ... until you have their cash
160. Respect is good, Latinum
is better
161. Never kill a customer,
unless you make more profit out of his death than out of his life
162. His money is only your's
when he can't get it back
163. A thirsty customer is good
for profit, a drunk one isn't
164. Never spend your own money
when you can spend someone else's
165. Never allow one's
culture's law to get in the way of a universal goal: profit
166. Never give away for free
what can be sold
167. If a deal is fairly and
lawfully made, then seeking revenge especially unprofitable revenge, is
illegal
168. Beware of relatives
bearing gifts
169. If you're going to have to
endure, make yourself comfortable
170. Never gamble with an
empath
171. Time is Latinum. The early
Ferengi get the Latinum
172. If you can sell it, don't
hsitate to steal it
173. A piece of Latinum in the
hand is worth two in a customer's pocket
174. Share and perish
175. When everything fails -
run
176. Ferengi's don't give
promotional gifts!
177. Know your enemies ... but
do business with them always
178. The world is a stage -
don't forget to demand admission
179. Whenever you think that
things can't get worse, the FCA will be knocking on you door
180. Never offer a confession
when a bribe will do
181. Even dishonesty can't
tarnish the glow of Latinum
182. Whenever you're being
asked if you are god, the right answer is YES
183. Genius without opportunity
is like Latinum in the mine
184. There are three things you
must not talk to aliens: sex, religion and taxes
185. If you want to ruin
yourself there are three known ways: Gambling is the fastest, women are the
sweetest, and banks are the most reliable way
186. There are two things that
will catch up with you for sure: death and taxes
187. If your dancing partner
wants to lead at all costs, let her have her own way and ask another one to dance
188. Never bet on a race you
haven't fixed
189. Borrow on a handshake;
lend in writing
190. Drive your business or it
will drive you
191. Let other keep their
reputation. You keep their money
192. If the flushing isn't
strong enough, use your brain and try the brush
193. Klingon women don't dance
tango
194. It's always good business
to know about new customers before they walk in your door
195. Wounds heal, but debt is
forever
196. Only give money to people
you know you can steal from
197. Never trust your
customers, especially if they are your relatives
198. Employees are the rungs on
your ladder to success - don't hesitate to step on them
199. The secret of one person
is another person's opportunity
200. A madman with Latinum
means profit without return
201. The justification for
profit is profit
202. a) A
friend in need is a customer in the making
b) A friend in need means three times the profit
203. A Ferengi in need, will
never do anything for free
204. When the Grand Nagus
arrives to offer you a business opportunity, it's time to leave town until
he's gone
205. When the customer dies,
the money stops a-comin'
206. Fighting with Klingons is
like gambling with Cardassians - it's good to have a friend around
when you lose
207. Never trust a hardworking
employee
208. Give someone a fish, you
feed him for one day. Teach him how to fish, and you lose a steady
customer
209. Tell them what they want
to hear
210. A wife, who is able to
clean, saves the cleaning lady
211. In business deals, a
disruptor can be almost as important as a calculator
212. If they accept your first
offer, you either asked too little or offered too much
213. Stay neutral in conflicts
so that you can sell supplies to both sides
214. Never begin a business
transaction on an empty stomach
215. Instinct without
opportunity is useless
216. Never take hospitality
from someone worse off than yourself
217. Only pay for it, if you
are confronted with loaded phaser
218. Always know what you're
buying
219. A friend is not a friend
if he asks for a discount
220. Profit is like a bed of
roses - a few thorns are inevitable
221. Beware of any man who
thinks with his lobes
222. Knowledge is Latinum
223. Rich men don't come to
buy; they come to take
224. Never throw anything away:
It may be worht a lot of Latinum some Stardate
225. Pride comes before a loss
226. Don't take your family for
granted, only their Latinum
227. Loyalty can be bought ...
and sold
228. All things come to those
who wait, even Latinum
229. Beware the man who doesn't
make time for oo-mox
230. Manipulation may be a
Ferengi's greatest tool, and liability
231. If you steal it, make sure
it has a warranty
232. Life's no fair (How else
would you turn a profit?)
233. Every dark cloud has a
Latinum lining
234. Never deal with beggars;
it's bad for profits
235. Don't trust anyone who
trusts you
236. You can't buy fate
237. There's a sucker born
every minute. Be sure you're the first to find each one
238. The truth will cost
239. Ambition knows no family
240. The higher you bid, the
more customers you drive away
241. Never underestimate the
inportance of the fist impression
242. More is good, all is
better
243. If you got something nice
to say, then SHOUT
244. If you can't sell it, sit
on it, but never give it away
245. A warranty is valid only
if they can find you
246. He that speaks ill of the
wares will buy them
247. Never question luck
248. Celebrate when you are
paid, not, when you are promised
249. Respect other culture's
beliefs; they'll be more likely to give you money
250. A dead vendor doesn't
demand money
251. Satisfaction is not
guaranteed
252. Let the buyer beware
253. A contract without fine
print is a fool's document
254. Anyone who can't tell a
fake doesn't deserve the real thing
255. A warranty without
loop-holes is a liability
256. Synthehol is the lubricant
of choice for a customer's stuck purse
257. Only fools negotiate with
their own money
258. A Ferengi is only as
important as the amount of Latinum he carries in his pockets
259. A lie is a way to tell the
truth to someone who doesn't know
260. Gambling is like the way
to power: The only way to win is to cheat, but don't get caught in the
process
261. A wealthy man can afford
everything except a conscience
262. No lobes, no profit
263. Never let a female in
clothes cloud your sense of profit
264. It's not the size of your
planet, but it's income, that matters
265. The fear of loss may be
your greatest enemy or your best friend - choose wisely
266. A pair of good ears will
ring dry a hundred tongues
267. Wish not so much to live
Long, as to live well
268. a) When in doubt, lie
b) When in
doubt, buy
c) When in
doubt, demand more money
d) When in
doubt, shoot them, take their money, run and blame someone else
269. Never purchase anything
that has been promised to be valuable or go up in value
270. It's better to have
gambled and lost than to never have gambled at all
271. There's many witty men
whose brains can't line their pockets
272. The way to a Ferengi's
heart is through his wallet
273. Always count their Latinum
before selling anything
274. There is no profit in
love; however, a strong heart is worth a few bars of Latinum on the open
market. Keep it on ice
275. Latinum can't buy
happiness, but you can sure have a blast renting it
276. If at first you don't
succeed, try to acquire again
277. Diamonds may be girl's
best friend, but you can only buy the girl with Latinum
278. It's better to swallow
your pride than to lose your profit
279. Never close a deal too
soon after a female strokes your lobes
280. An empty bag can not stand
upright
281. Blood is thicker than
water, but harder to sell
282. Business is like war; it's
important to recognize the winner
283. Rules are always subject
to change
284. Rules are always subject
to interpretation
285. No good deed ever goes
unpunished
286. When Morn leaves it is all
over
The Complete Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
Note:Ed.: As an immensely feeble attempt at a topical PS tie-in, how about a "material continuum meditation ..?