Comments on: Gold Christmas Tree

By: signsofrain

signsofrain — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:39:00 +0000

What part of “The store didn’t mine that gold, it paid cash money for it that it could have used in about a million better ways” don’t you understand?

How about “This is a symbol of a corrupt and decadent society that prioritizes all the wrong things” – what part of that is so opaque?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with luxury items. I own a few dumb toys myself, but a christmas tree made of gold is spitting in the face of anyone who can’t buy toys for their kids because they’ve gotta eat and pay rent.

By: PickMyChristmasGifts

PickMyChristmasGifts — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 19:30:00 +0000

anyone bought this?

By: anderalert

anderalert — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 02:56:00 +0000

Smash…grab..

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 21:55:00 +0000

What part of “You can’t eat gold” don’t you understand?

By: signsofrain

signsofrain — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 17:48:00 +0000

For whatever reason Antinous doesn’t like the idea that some things we as humans do are incredible misallocations of our resources. Why feed the poor? Why pay more than minimum wage? Why provide decent health benefits? Instead you can buy enough gold to make a ridiculous tree for your window display! Sounds just dandy! Antinous, why do you always defend excess of this type? When you were smacking me around about this issue you were claiming the $25k watch had some sort of artistic merit and that I was therefore wrong to be offended that its price tag, which to me represents decades of hard work, scrimping and saving, was to someone else a toy, a conversation piece! The wastefulness of such toys is shameful when we can’t even feed, clothe, and shelter, much less provide employment opportunities, to everyone in North America. Pointing out that shamefulness should not get you a smack from a BB moderator.

By: travtastic

travtastic — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I would like to throw that into the sun.

By: Ray Perkins

Ray Perkins — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:49:00 +0000

I’m sure they don’t expect a buyer. Just melt it down after Xmas and they’re only out the cost of manufacturing it. Probably pretty cheap advertising for all the notice it generated.

By: Stooge

Stooge — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:20:00 +0000

But nobody has bought it, so your comment lacked any meaning from the get go.

By: wreckrob8

wreckrob8 — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 06:21:00 +0000

The tree or the gold?

By: wreckrob8

wreckrob8 — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 06:19:00 +0000

There is a limit to fungibility – not all commodities can be turned into any one other commodity. Not all money can be turned into food to feed the hungry. Beyond that it is a problem of need and desire.
I’d be more concerned with the conditions of the workers who produced the gold in the first place.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 06:04:00 +0000

Money is fungible within a given monetary system. But gold is not money.

By: Dr. Chronobiologist

Dr. Chronobiologist — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 02:24:00 +0000

Does it look like a spray painted turd up close as well?

By: Dave Jenkins

Dave Jenkins — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 01:43:00 +0000

Money is fungible, true. That’s why it’s the best way to allow people to decide what they want to do with their money. How about you stick to thinking about your money, and I’ll do the same. If someone wants to buy a gaudy gold tree, that’s their decision.

By: margaretpoa

margaretpoa — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:54:00 +0000

Money is fungible. The MONEY that someone would use to buy the thing could be put to better use. I find your suggestion that you missed the meaning of my comment unbelievable.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 21:57:00 +0000

You can’t eat gold. It doesn’t really work to say that that price would feed people.

By: Ipo

Ipo — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 20:59:00 +0000

It’s a great weatherproof lawn ornament. Comes with a no-rust warranty.

By: Ian Wood

Ian Wood — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:58:00 +0000

The price tag?A mere $4.2 million.

Quite a markup. 88 lbs of gold @ a spot price of $1730/oz is a bit over $2.4 million.

I blame Disney licensing.

By: millie fink

millie fink — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:04:00 +0000

Exactly right, margaretpoa.

It’s sick sick sick.

By: Boundegar

Boundegar — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 18:34:00 +0000

I would like to steal it.

By: plyx

plyx — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 18:09:00 +0000

But they never buy ANYTHING!

By: Daniel Tose

Daniel Tose — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:20:00 +0000

It looks like a massive glittery poop

By: Hardley

Hardley — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:17:00 +0000

I’m still trying to work out who has enough money but sufficiently lacks taste to buy such a thing … Donald Trump?

By: chgoliz

chgoliz — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:57:00 +0000

Ugly. Quelle surprise.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:03:00 +0000

And only half the $4.2 million is for the fees for licensing the Disney characters!

By: s2redux

s2redux — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 14:45:00 +0000

The perfect pick-me-up for those dreary winter days when a treasure bath just doesn’t satisfy.

By: vtboinger

vtboinger — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 14:12:00 +0000

I gotta say it: “Meretricious. And a Happy New Year!”

By: margaretpoa

margaretpoa — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:54:00 +0000

Saturnalia excess. Think of how many homeless that price would feed or how many it would treat.