To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser salon.com > News May 3, 2000 URL: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/05/03/soundbite Bidding for the boat EBay has a mess on its hands after a rogue auctioneer tries to sell Elián's "genuine" raft. - - - - - - - - - - - - By Daryl Lindsey Elián's "genuine" raft is the latest, greatest tasteless offering to embarrass online flea market free-for-all eBay. The digital auction house for the lowest common denominator pulled the macabre offering of highly dubious authenticity, but only after bids soared as high as $10 million, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle. It took the life of his mother and a handful of others, left young Elián sunburned like fried pigskin and now you can own it yourself. "This raft is still in the Govt. warehouse where I purchased it, but it will be cleared for release on June 1st," the description of the item stated. "This is a genuine piece of American history. The high bidder will become the owner of the most desirable piece of memorabilia from the new millennium." As with so many eBay auctions, placing a bid is easier than proving the item's provenance. But National Committee to Send Elián Home to Cuba coordinator Richard Becker takes a stab at it in the paper: "That sounds about as credible as the Shroud of Turin." salon.com | May 3, 2000   - - - - - - - - - - - - About the writer Daryl Lindsey is associate editor of Salon News.