# anyone think this is real **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 8, 2006, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596 "2006-07-08T03:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/1 "2006-07-08T03:58:23Z")
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**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/2 "2006-07-08T04:23:29Z")
Who the hell knows? If he is that bad off he is eligible for SSA disability, and / or Medicare / Medicaid, and with a shred of thriftiness (sp?) can have a good life, in conjunction with public housing and other public assistance. Begging like he is online is a bit shady. If you want to help the needy, donate to your local church or the Salvation Army, etc. Not some dude you find online, cripes. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/3 "2006-07-08T04:23:35Z")
[Here’s](http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=001940;p=1) a snopes _messageboard discussion_ about the website and the owner. Since this isn’t selling crap from Hong Kong, I’ll let it stand for now. Just to see if our members can add to the info. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/4 "2006-07-08T04:35:23Z")
And now that I’ve looked harder, the OP is the owner of the website. Banned his ass. I’ll leave this visible just to let people know how devious the web can be. Moving this to the Pit. Fucking asshole. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/5 "2006-07-08T04:42:43Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > And now that I’ve looked harder, the OP is the owner of the website. Banned his ass. > > I’ll leave this visible just to let people know how devious the web can be. > > Moving this to the Pit. Fucking asshole. > > **samclem** GQ moderator Good. From reading the link, the first thought that came to my mind was if the guy didn’t spend so much time in bars, he could probably afford to buy his own towels. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/6 "2006-07-08T04:43:11Z")
I am guessing he is hoping people will just send him money instead of towls? I wonder how long before he gets caught in his scam? ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/7 "2006-07-08T05:09:34Z")
Quote from site " I am working on this site so people can donate money for my towels or towels them self to JOHN HOLOHAN P.O BOX 1047 HAYMARKET VIRGINIA 20168" I want to know how I would go about towelling myself to a PO Box number. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/8 "2006-07-08T05:18:12Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > And now that I’ve looked harder, the OP is the owner of the website. Banned his ass. Heh. I’d written up half a page about idiots who beg for money on the Internet (does that even work? I could use some extra spare change) and suddenly it dawned on me – _“I’ll bet this guy’s a spammer pimpin’ his own website.”_ What a shame. If the guy actually begged for TOWELS (not money) and hosted pictures of his “Towel Rack Of Fame”, etc…it could have been something. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/9 "2006-07-08T05:19:09Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > And now that I’ve looked harder, the OP is the owner of the website. Banned his ass. > > I’ll leave this visible just to let people know how devious the web can be. > > Moving this to the Pit. Fucking asshole. > > **samclem** GQ moderator You could at least break the link so he doesn’t get any easily-accessible free hits… ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/10 "2006-07-08T05:23:26Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > You could at least break the link so he doesn’t get any easily-accessible free hits… Done. Anyone who really wants to see the site can follow **samclem** ’s link in post #3 to the Snopes discussion of it. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/11 "2006-07-08T13:05:56Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Done. Anyone who really wants to see the site can follow **samclem** ’s link in post #3 to the Snopes discussion of it. The OP here is also the OP on Snopes. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/12 "2006-07-08T19:26:10Z")
Well, _he_ sure ain’t a hoopy frood. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/13 "2006-07-08T20:02:08Z")
Oh for fuck sake! If this guy is for real he deserves a little slack. Fuck me I feel sorry enough for the guy that I am going to look in to it and if its for real I will sure as shit send the guy a box of towels. Anybody got any insight? Seems a little hartless to ban the guy so quick, I mean if he is legit a little compasion seems to be in order. No? Handicapped people trying to survive aren’t the same as scumbag spammers. Granted I smell something a little fishy and am suspiscious, but on the chance the guy is for real I would prefer to be seen as gulible rather than risk being a hartless prick to somebody in need. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/14 "2006-07-08T20:10:59Z")
You’re sure not living up to your name, **askeptic**. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/15 "2006-07-08T20:19:47Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Anybody got any insight? You aren’t bothered in the least by the fact that the OP was asking whether the site was real when in fact it was his own site? It seems clear that he was attempting to subvert the rule prohibiting advertising. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/16 "2006-07-08T20:22:13Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Oh for fuck sake! If this guy is for real he deserves a little slack. Fuck me I feel sorry enough for the guy that I am going to look in to it and if its for real I will sure as shit send the guy a box of towels. Is there any reason an empty Mountain Dew bottle couldn’t do the same trick? it’s cheap and reusable. Why use towels. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/17 "2006-07-08T20:28:40Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Is there any reason an empty Mountain Dew bottle couldn’t do the same trick? it’s cheap and reusable. Why use towels. People might confuse his Mountain Dew bottle with actual Mountain Dew. Especially if they taste it. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/18 "2006-07-08T20:33:12Z")
I’m thinking “Stadium Buddy.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/19 "2006-07-08T20:36:06Z")
Why couldn’t he just use paper towels? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596/20 "2006-07-08T20:42:54Z")
You’ve got a point. I think he should go after a Bounty endorsement. Talk about making lemonade! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-think-this-is-real/363596.md?page=2)