# That better be a fucking joke..... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 6, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870 "2001-11-06T21:46:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [November 6, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/1 "2001-11-06T21:46:45Z")
[http://www.topps.com/enduringfreedom.html](http://www.topps.com/enduringfreedom.html) What the fuck? Someome please tell me that I am a dumb moron and just fell for a fucking hoax like the most retarted AOL user. Someone just say: 'Rolf, there is no one out there that made a collectible card game out of the tragedy that killed somone you knew." ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/2 "2001-11-06T21:50:47Z")
Wow, it is for real. Talk about tacky. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/3 "2001-11-06T21:56:57Z")
Of course, while Topps certainly appears to be attempting to cash in on news events (it’s the American Way!), they are not setting up “good guy” and “bad guy” cards or producing cards dwelling on the tragedy, itself. The cards are aimed at the current events of _responding_ to the tragedy, displaying foreign dignitaries pledging support and weapons and military personnel who will be involved with the response. I hardly consider it a “patriotic” response, (although it _]does_ follow the President’s suggestion to go about our business and stimulate the economy), but it is far from the incredibly tacky stuff they _could_ have churned out. I’m pretty sure that most of the weapons cards are simply recycled from the sets they probably produced during Desert Shield/Storm. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/4 "2001-11-06T22:24:16Z")
Eh, it ain’t so bad > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bubba Ray \* > 'Rolf, there is no one out there that made a collectible card **game** out of the tragedy that killed somone you knew." bolding mine. These things seem more akin to baseball cards than a pokemon style card game. They probably _are_ educational. Think about it. A ten year old sees Condoleeza Rice on the news, thinks to himself “who’s she?”, then consults his handy set of Enduring Freedom[sup]TM[/sup] cards. He finds her picture, flips the card over, and reads that she’s the National Security Advisor and a few other facts about her and her position. Think of it as a reference tool for kids. Things like this can help them keep a handle on current events. That’s a good thing. Hell, sometimes I think I could use a set. \*\*[sub]Albaugh? Who’s that? Oh, FEMA, right. ---
**Author:** ![naughtysiggie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c4cdca/32.png) [@naughtysiggie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naughtysiggie)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/5 "2001-11-06T22:34:09Z")
one word…PATHETIC ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/6 "2001-11-06T23:29:04Z")
Topps has done things like this before. Korean War trading cards. Gulf War trading cards. The Life Story of John F. Kennedy trading cards. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/7 "2001-11-06T23:48:16Z")
From the site: > [@](#): > > Kids need to understand that the President (and his team) will keep them safe and that evil-doers will be punished. Our cards deliver the details in a medium with which they are familiar and comfortable. > \ > CONTINUING A LONG TRADITION OF CHRONICLING SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN HISTORY FOR KIDS > \ > Not included are the disturbing images shown repeatedly on national newscasts. Instead, Topps has chosen to focus on America’s strengths -its elected leaders, the security of its military, its worldwide support…and the courage and unity of its people. So to me, this is not a _game_, but as **Beeblebrox** said, it’s more like baseball card/reference set. It seems this is just a way to help kids understand what’s going on, and a way for parents to help their children understand. I don’t really see anything wrong with helping kids get a grasp on current events, especially since they aren’t printing cards depicting the violent images we’ve seen on the news. ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/8 "2001-11-06T23:50:08Z")
AAAAHHHH!! God no! Please make the 40’s go away! Please?? I can’t take any more meaningless smears of pseudo-patriotic crap. And I’m sorry, it offends me that everyone keeps declaring this a war of good against evil, now even to the point of this. Captain Shrub, with the power of sending cruise missiles in to Red Cross buildings, to the rescue! LC ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/9 "2001-11-06T23:51:01Z")
I like the one where it looks like Bush is trying to unscrew Giuliani’s head. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2001, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/10 "2001-11-07T00:00:29Z")
I don’t see why everyone is so worried about losing the propaganda war. Looks like the propaganda continues apace. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/11 "2001-11-07T00:01:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lucki Chaarms \* > \*\*AAAAHHHH!! God no! > > Please make the 40’s go away! Please?? > > I can’t take any more meaningless smears of pseudo-patriotic crap. And I’m sorry, it offends me that everyone keeps declaring this a war of good against evil, now even to the point of this. Captain Shrub, with the power of sending cruise missiles in to Red Cross buildings, to the rescue! > > LC \*\* Do you suppose one thread about anything related to what’s going on might run it’s course without kneejerk bullshit like this? No, I didn’t either. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/12 "2001-11-07T00:58:08Z")
Topps trading cards? Pshaw! What I want to see is Mad Magazine’s take on bin Laden et al. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/13 "2001-11-07T01:04:26Z")
Actually, trading cards have been around for ages. They used to come with cigarettes, and many featured world leaders and such. I’ve seen a bunch on eBay of various royalty that I would love to have. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/14 "2001-11-07T01:09:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bubba Ray \* > \*\*[http://www.topps.com/enduringfreedom.html](http://www.topps.com/enduringfreedom.html) > > What the fuck? > > Someome please tell me that I am a dumb moron and just fell for a fucking hoax like the most retarted AOL user. Someone just say: 'Rolf, there is no one out there that made a collectible card game out of the tragedy that killed somone you knew." \*\* Good grief, Bubba, knee jerk reaction already. Read before you post. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/15 "2001-11-07T02:03:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by black455 \* > \*\*I like the one where it looks like Bush is trying to unscrew Giuliani’s head. \*\* I thought it looked like they’re going to share a deep passionate kiss… … but then YMMV 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 7, 2001, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/16 "2001-11-07T04:14:26Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by mouthbreather \* > Do you suppose one thread about anything related to what’s going on might run it’s course without kneejerk bullshit like this?_\* As obviously opposed to your cogent and measured arguments, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/17 "2001-11-07T04:26:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corvus \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by black455 \* > > \*\*I like the one where it looks like Bush is trying to unscrew Giuliani’s head. \*\* > > I thought it looked like they’re going to share a deep passionate kiss… > \*\* BWAHAHAHA!! Owww, it hurts. Oh, that’s a good one. Or should I say: HAW HAW HAW! (This relates to the Jack Chick thread already in progress look for **Lucki’s Chicka Does Wicca Party[sup]TM[/sup]** due in a pit near you next year!) LC ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-better-be-a-fucking-joke/91870/18 "2001-11-07T17:13:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by matt\_mcl \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by mouthbreather \* > > Do you suppose one thread about anything related to what’s going on might run it’s course without kneejerk bullshit like this?_\* > > As obviously opposed to your cogent and measured arguments, I’m sure. \*\* Yeah, matt, nothing I could come up with could be more reasonable that a nickname, a sarcastic superhero reference, and the idea that we intentionally bomb Red Cross buildings all rolled into one sentence. I look to this sort of thing when I want to learn about convincing and rational discussion, and sadly realize that I’ll never be able to reach that high. Oh well, at least I can dream.