# Gah!! WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 21, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364 "2004-09-21T19:20:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/1 "2004-09-21T19:20:15Z")
Okay, I freely admit I’ve been away from the USA for 9 months now and maybe I’m no longer inured to the crass commercialism there but [this clip from the Daily Show that I saw online](http://www.comedycentral.com/mp/play.php?reposid=/multimedia/tds/back/lb_9031.html) just blew me away. Is this for real? Is this stuff actually being hawked? :eek: I’m appalled and disgusted. I really can’t think of words to express how repulsed I am by this. I mean “real shiny silver recovered from the WTC debris” **insert vomiting smiley here** ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/2 "2004-09-21T19:26:12Z")
It’s for real. I saw the coin ad on TV just last night. I agree, it sucks. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/3 "2004-09-21T19:28:15Z")
My advice is don’t visit ground zero then. If you do though, make sure you pick a nice 9/11 NYPD hat! ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/4 "2004-09-21T19:33:36Z")
No, I think I’ll order me a “Government authorized commemorative coin” for $49.95 and have it analyzed. Maybe I’ll get one with a touch of some firefighter’s DNA imbedded. **shudder** :mad: ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/5 "2004-09-21T19:37:43Z")
The funny thing is, I saw the real ad _on Comedy Central_. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/6 "2004-09-21T20:37:57Z")
> [@slumtrimpet](#): > > I’m appalled and disgusted. I really can’t think of words to express how repulsed I am by this. I mean “real shiny silver recovered from the WTC debris” **insert vomiting smiley here** As [I said before](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5264420#post5264420), while there indeed was silver (and gold) stored under the WTC, I doubt those coins have anything to do with what was recovered. ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/7 "2004-09-21T20:45:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I doubt those coins have anything to do with what was recovered. You’re probably right, but the idea that they might is just as repulsive. ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/8 "2004-09-21T20:58:08Z")
You know, I honestly don’t have a problem with Sept. 11th turning into a commemorative celebration. I’ve always said the proper response was _not_ national mourning, but rightous anger, and a celebration of patriotism doesn’t seem out of line to me. However, I also get disgusted at the cheap crap hawked to ‘commemorate’ the day. I get even more disgusted at the thought that there are people out there buy this trash. ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/9 "2004-09-21T21:09:05Z")
**Lucretia** , Commemorative is fine. Remembrance is good too. “Celebration” is a little iffy but I think I understand what you mean. But I sure as shit am not going to send someone a red, white, and blue “Tower of Cookies” to mark the occasion! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/10 "2004-09-21T21:12:36Z")
> [@slumtrimpet](#): > > You’re probably right, but the idea that they might is just as repulsive. As well as the idea that the ad copy is even suggesting that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/11 "2004-09-21T21:21:09Z")
Anyone want to take a guess on how soon we’ll see a “September 11th Appliance Blowout” at Sears? “Celebrate 911 with a brand new dishwasher from Kenmore! No payments for 90 days!!!” ---
**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:** [September 22, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/12 "2004-09-22T00:16:26Z")
> [@slumtrimpet](#): > > **Lucretia** , > Commemorative is fine. Remembrance is good too. “Celebration” is a little iffy but I think I understand what you mean. But I sure as shit am not going to send someone a red, white, and blue “Tower of Cookies” to mark the occasion! Especially since, because it’s food, you have to destroy it to get any use out of it. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/13 "2004-09-22T13:57:21Z")
Wow. Just… wow. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/14 "2004-09-22T15:37:11Z")
Every time I see that ad I can’t help but wonder how much silver was actually “recovered.” Since those coins are “silver clad” I would imagine the amount on each one can be calculated in micrograms, so the idea that “when the silver is used up the run of coins will end” probably means sometime in the early 22nd century. I’m not morally offended by the idea of a commemorative coin, since there have been commemorative objects throughout history, but there is something kind of icky about this offer. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/15 "2004-09-22T15:45:43Z")
> [@photopat](#): > > I’m not morally offended by the idea of a commemorative coin, since there have been commemorative objects throughout history, but there is something kind of icky about this offer. As someone mentioned earlier, it contains dead hero dust in it. \ ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gah-wtf/265364/16 "2004-09-23T00:52:07Z")
Is it genuine government authorized hero dust? With a certificate of authenticity? 'Cuz you don’t want to get burned by that fake hero dust that’s been going around.