It's not been a month and already .........

[jnbmoore]

The Sept 11 Commemorative Silver Dollar is on the market. http://www.ahs.com/



It's not a month and you too can waste $40 for a coin with a painting on it! So you don't feel guilty they'll send $5 to a 9/11 fund. Yeah right

and what do you do with these coins? How many get thrown in junk drawers never to see the light?

are these mass produced collector's items worth anything???

I guess I shouldn't be upset. It the American Dream in action. Make money in anyway possible that's legal.

I guess I should be happy that they are using "legal tender coin" and not melting down scrap metal from the WTC to make the coins.



What's next?????? WTC thimbles and toaster covers?

bridgette
who shouldn't watch TV with that kind of commercial

[amykhar]

Everybody is out to make a buck on it. Our local K-mart is out of flags. Therefore, they stuck everything they had with a flag image on it (including camping chairs) right near the front door of the stoor.

Our grocery store ran up a bunch of "Proud to be an American" shirts, and has them near their front door. They also had signs on certain snack foods inviting people to buy them for the rescue workers. Now THAT'S slick advertising, no?

A lot of webmasters are setting up sites for family support, or to "raise money" for the cause. Problem is, none of these webmasters has the knowledge or resources to really be doing this. They just want a popular site about something.

Then, there are the decals, bumper stickers, and other what-nots being hawked over the Internet.

Let's not forget all the ads from companies who are coming out showing support - with full color pictures of their products.

If the heros rushing in to save lives showed America at its best, this rampant commercialism is showing America at its worst.

Amy

[wivabef]

Ironically, NPR today featured Scott Simon speaking with an advertising guru (who's name escapes me, right now) discussing how advertising has changed in the last three and a half weeks. First, it started with heart felt sympathy. Then, a mix of heartfelt sympathy with back to business marketing. And now, we enter the era of exploitation.

Already, I have seen a flag company advertising on TV with God Bless America playing in the background. The car companies are suggesting that it is perhaps our patriotic duty to take advantage of zero percent financing. Oh yes, Osama? You may have crippled our financial industry -- but can you buy an Explorer at 0% financing?

The worst, which I mentioned elsewhere, was a water testing company in my area which started their ad with something like "In these times of heightened security concerns, it might be wise to protect your family by getting your well water tested."

Can you believe it?

Well, actually, having been in advertising for so long, I can.

[realtraveller]

The flag vendors which had been selling those car flags for $18. are now hawking them for $7. More supply and less demand, I guess.