# eBay and tragedies: a match made in hell **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173 "2003-02-01T22:20:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/1 "2003-02-01T22:20:32Z")
After the initial shock of this morning events, I admit that one of the first thoughts that creeped into my mind was “when is some joker from east Texas going to auction off some Columbia debris on eBay?” I then thought…aww come one Dave… it won’t happen **today**! I was wrong. Giving credit to ebay, they apparently are having a busy day in the cleanup department. From another forum I frequent, someone took a screenshot of some loser’s domain squatting efforts. See [here](http://dealmac.com/forums/read.html?f=1&i=1044033&t=1044033). May I offer a hearty “fuck you” to “ntrepenur” and his/her ilk. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/2 "2003-02-01T22:32:45Z")
It’s a real shame that eBay can delete those auctions … … but can’t also delete the “persons” responsible for them. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/3 "2003-02-01T22:35:37Z")
Ghoulish, opportunistic meatpickles ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/4 "2003-02-01T22:42:52Z")
I just read on another forum that someone is already in custody for trying to sell debris on Ebay, less than 8 hours after!, I hope they put the asshole UNDER the jail!. unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Bubba\_Ray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bubba\_Ray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bubba_Ray)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/5 "2003-02-01T22:43:30Z")
Didnt took long at all… ok I admit its not exactly shuttle parts but I expected to show up something like that on eBay before the day is over. ---
**Author:** ![Blunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Blunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blunt)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/6 "2003-02-01T22:51:02Z")
I am glad that these dumb fucks are trying to sell shuttle debris on eBay because it pretty much guarantees they’ll be caught/arrested. How stupid do you have to be to try to sell stuff like that on the internet’s most popular auction site? I think they’d have a better chance of auctioning off a pound of weed on eBay and getting away with it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/7 "2003-02-01T23:03:33Z")
Local news reported that they fear people descending from all over to hunt for pieces. Let’s not fingerpoint at one locale until we get more information. They also said over 500 calls have already been logged by folks reporting where they’ve found items so hopefully all in all it’s just a very small fraction that trying to capitalize on the tragedy. But should we catch them, **beagledave** , you hit 'em with your left and I’ll hit 'em with my right. It’s simply reprehensable. ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/8 "2003-02-02T00:28:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blunt \* > \*\*I am glad that these dumb fucks are trying to sell shuttle debris on eBay because it pretty much guarantees they’ll be caught/arrested. How stupid do you have to be to try to sell stuff like that on the internet’s most popular auction site? I think they’d have a better chance of auctioning off a pound of weed on eBay and getting away with it. \*\* If they do get arrested, my guess is it will be for fraud. I suspect that these people don’t actually have debris, and they’re just try to make money off other idiots who don’t know the difference. I agree that it’s just as crude and heartless as trying to sell the real thing. But I doubt they actually have debris from the shuttle. ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/9 "2003-02-02T00:38:45Z")
I knew it. I knew some people would do something like this. BTW, the debris was said to be toxic, so if someone did have the debris, they’d be poisoned. ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/10 "2003-02-02T00:43:19Z")
Would this be a bad time to mention that I have pieces of the True Rood, The NAILS, the knucklebones of St. Agnes, and Holy water from Llourdes available on my auctions? Check out our selection of herbal votive candles too! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/11 "2003-02-02T00:56:34Z")
I’d like to actually bid on some of this, demand to pay the seller in person, and kick them until my foot breaks. ---
**Author:** ![SLASH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SLASH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SLASH)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/12 "2003-02-02T03:51:07Z")
I’m not at all surprised. I hope though that the people doing this will get poisoned from all the toxins on the debris. People just can’t let stuff be. ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/13 "2003-02-02T04:32:11Z")
Unfortunately, E-bay can’t do anything about the more subtle ghouls, jumping on the tragedy to make a quick buck. On e-bay, there are 24 pages of Columbia memorabilia. 22 of the pages were posted today. I was going to compare these sick, twisted, soulless shells, masqarading as human beings, to vultures, but that woudn’t be fair to vultures, who, despite their appearance and reputation, actually serve a useful purpose. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/14 "2003-02-02T04:37:30Z")
Fortunately,[EBay quickly pulled the listings and reported the “sellers” to federal authorities](http://apnews.excite.com/article/20030202/D7OU9DD80.html). It also looks like they were probably all hoaxes. That still doesn’t mean the people doing this aren’t jerkwads. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/15 "2003-02-02T04:47:00Z")
While I heartilly agree that selling pieces of the Shuttle on Ebay has to rank as one of the nastiest things I’ve seen for a while, I’m afraid it’s been topped. We’ve got a delightfull local citizen up here, name of Robert (Willie) Pickton. He owns a hog farm in Port Coquitlam, just a short trip from Vancouver. Over the last few years upwards of fifty women have gone missing from the Downtown Eastside and now a fair number of them have shown up on Willie’s farm - mostly as DNA samples. There’s a local blackout on the current court procedings, but I gather the women were pretty mutilated. The point to this story is, a short while ago, some sick puppy was trying to sell pigfarm soil on Ebay. Isn’t it a lovely world? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/16 "2003-02-02T05:44:42Z")
> [@](#): > > The listings were immediately yanked from the site and executives may report the sellers to U.S. government authorities. > > Taking a part of an aircraft involved in an accident is a federal offence, U.S. attorneys in Texas warned, and a conviction could result in up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 (U.S.) fine. > > It’s unclear what kind of debris was listed on eBay but [spokesman Kevin] Pursglove said many of the items were likely pranks. [Globe and Mail](http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20030201/webay01/Front/homeBN/breakingnews) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/17 "2003-02-02T05:45:48Z")
oh, and from the same article: > [@](#): > > EBay recorded a small increase Saturday in the number of listings for Columbia memorabilia, including coins, mission patches and even one listing for the official vertical stabilizers used in earlier voyages. Collectibles related to NASA’s space program are perennially popular, Mr. Pursglove said. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/18 "2003-02-02T06:05:52Z")
People using tragedies to make money make me sick. [http://fff.fathom.org/pages/opalcat/ebay-non-auction.jpg](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/opalcat/ebay-non-auction.jpg) - 178202 bytes – this is just bizarre. Ebay is not a message board. [http://fff.fathom.org/pages/opalcat/ebay-pencil-auction.jpg](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/opalcat/ebay-pencil-auction.jpg) - 209816 bytes – if I were capable of being amused, I’d appreciate the sentiment of this one. [http://fff.fathom.org/pages/opalcat/ebay-columbia.jpg](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/opalcat/ebay-columbia.jpg) - 251285 bytes – trying to capitalize on tragedy. I have also seen two auctions for debris (both removed) and a bunch of other Columbia-related stuff. Patches, toys, pencil sharpeners, photographs… ---
**Author:** ![red\_dragon60](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@red\_dragon60](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/red_dragon60)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/19 "2003-02-02T07:56:45Z")
I have been thinking about it, and I think that I want a mission patch to sew to my backpack. Of course I would be buying it from NASA if possible, but does anyone see offence in this? I want to do it to remember and honor the astronauts and not as some jingo ultrapatriot thing. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173/20 "2003-02-02T08:26:44Z")
No, I don’t think that is offensive. What I think is offensive is that these people scrambled to put their Challenger/Columbia “stuff” up for sale to catch a ride on the hype. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-and-tragedies-a-match-made-in-hell/152173.md?page=2)