Ebay on The Huffington Post

Rabbi Abraham Cooper: EBay Listen Up: Who Do You Stand With: The Victims of Genocide or Those Who Celebrate Its Perpetrators?

2009-12-24T16:50:04Z

I'm currently in Jerusalem celebrating the birth of a grandson where I receive two emails from the headquarters of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, both related to the theft of an icon of evil -- the Arbeit Macht Frei sign from the Auschwitz Death Camp.

The first came from the Midwest:

Hello, my name is Dan I read about the theft of the sign an wanted to see if I could be part of an effort to make a replacement. My father fought against the SS and he was affected by it for his entire adult life until his passing on Dec. 13, 2003. He never had a good nights sleep after being in the Ardens during the "Battle of the BULGE". I am a Roman Catholic and am very saddened by the theft. I have fallen on extremely hard times, but I think I could rally some support to replace the sign in St. Louis if you think the original my not be recovered. Our family business is no longer, but we had an 83 year old steel fabrication plant. I have no treasure, but do have a desire to help. I may be able to recruit some people here to replace it if given the proper dimensions. I Don't know about transportation .etc. I know people in the St. Louis Mo. Jewish community who may want to help. . At your service Dan...

The other email came from an outraged son of Holocaust survivors who sent me an SOS with a link to an online eBay auction. Here's the description posted by a Pennsylvania man using the Nazi "SS panzergrenadier" title:

For sale is a sign in German meaning 'Work for Freedom' that dates back to the 1700s and was used in many Nazi Concentration camps. It was designed specifically from the sign over the main gate at Auschwitz. It measures about 7 feet long and is made from 1/4 round bar steel with 1/8 x 3/4 steel lettering...Gate is not included, just the actual lettering and boarder pictured.

To date there have been 7 bids, up to $142...

And eBay has also included these additional items in the auction: "Concentration Camp" armbands and various SS daggers among other hateful items.

2009 has been an especially painful year for the dwindling Holocaust survivor population and their families. They have watched in horror as Iran, a member state of the United Nations (founded 70 years ago to ensure the eternal demise of Nazism and everything it stood for) make Holocaust denial official state policy. There have been official Holocaust cartoon competitions and media interviews with "academic" experts. Worst of all, they see Iran's soon to be nuclearized, Holocaust-denying President Ahmadinejad, threatening Israel, the Jewish state born out of the ashes of the Holocaust.

Whatever the motivations of the five thieves who stole and sliced up the Auschwitz sign, their actions reflects the growing sense of dread for the survivors, that as their generation leaves the stage of history, their suffering and their loved ones' martyrdom is being debased, manipulated, and desecrated. "It's like they are murdering my family again" is the sigh I have heard from too many survivors.

Which brings us to the Internet. The Simon Wiesenthal Center has been monitoring digital hate for over a decade. There was one hate site in 1995. Today, well over 10,000. The Internet, it turns out is also tailor-made for big lie conspiracy theories from denial of the Holocaust to 9/11 as an American plot. Taking advantage of our First Amendment, many overseas extremist and pro-terrorist groups post on US servers, seeking to wrap their hate around the flag of Freedom of Speech.

But eBay is not about Speech, but about commerce. And if anyone has any lingering doubts of the unparalleled marketing power of the Internet, just look at the Nov 1- Dec 23rd, 2008 figure: $25.5 billion online -- in a bad economic year!

Without a doubt, eBay occupies prime virtual real estate in our digital malls. Out in the real world, malls do not allow the KKK and neo-Nazis to rent space and pedal hate. They can and should do a better job at being good online neighbors--inviting bigots and those seeking to cash in on the suffering of others to take their pushcarts elsewhere. We don't need new laws, debates or lawsuits, but the application of common sense and Menschlichkeit. The Jerusalem Post reports that ..."there are no restrictions regarding facsimile signs from concentration camps listed under "offensive material policy" on eBay, but there are restrictions regarding other Nazi memorabilia including films, toys and most products containing a swastika."

So how about it eBay: This Christmas send a clear message who you stand with: The victims of genocide or those who would like to see Hitler's vision fulfilled.

UPDATE:December 28th...It appears that the auction was canceled on Friday...Looks like someone did the right thing

eBay Users Give $50 Million In 2009

2009-12-21T12:47:07Z

eBay reports that its users gave more than $50 million to nonprofits in 2009. The donations were made through the online auction site's Giving Works program, which contributes small amounts with each purchase.

The $50 million in donations is a record year for eBay's program, which has given over $162 million to various causes since 2003.

Featured nonprofits on eBay Giving Works include the American Cancer Society, Habitat For Humanity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, though hundreds more are available in their directory.

From the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal:

"The eBay community has proven time and again that small actions, when brought to scale, can have a big impact," said eBay Inc. CEO John Donahoe. "It's what makes the eBay marketplace so unique, and what enables our community to do good things for causes they believe in. I want to thank every single buyer and seller who connected through eBay and gave back to their communities through eBay Giving Works."

In 2009, the San Francisco chapter of Goodwill Industries raised more than $44,000 per month through the program by selling donated goods online. The Blind Center of Nevada, a small nonprofit out of Las Vegas, developed a job skills training program that refurbishes electronics and resells them on eBay, with 100 percent of the sales going back to the Center. Since 2006, its eBay Giving Works sales have generated more than $1.2 million.

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Coldplay Launches Career-Spanning eBay Charity Auction

2009-12-18T16:30:48Z

British rock band Coldplay is cleaning house, and for a good cause. The band has decided to auction many of the instruments and memorabilia collected over the past ten years on eBay in an End of Decade Clearout Sale. All proceeds will benefit Kids Company, a London-based charity that helps vulnerable children and young people.

The comprehensive auction catalog of items up for grabs is a whopping 52 pages long, and includes the band's trademark globe, costumes, amps, rare posters, guitars and platinum records. All items will be signed by the band's four members, or accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity.

The auction will take place over four days, with items divided up by album discography, starting with the band's earliest work today, December 18. All of the auctions will last for ten days, concluding on December 31.

Kids Company reaches out to children affected by trauma by providing emotional and educational support in a safe and nurturing environment, and has provided services to 14,000 children in London.

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Craigslist Exec: Meg Whitman Like 'Jekyll-And-Hyde'

2009-12-14T19:31:08Z

The eBay executive who led the online auction site's efforts to gain a minority stake in Craigslist warned that former eBay CEO Meg Whitman had a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality, the CEO of Craigslist said Monday.

Craigslist CEO James Buckmaster testified that two days after a March 2005 Craigslist board meeting, eBay executive Garrett Price expressed frustration at the slow progress of the two companies in trying to agree on an international joint venture.

Jamie Frevele eBay: Woman Auctioning Her Right To Marry On eBay

2009-12-09T12:10:30Z

A straight woman, Jamie Frevele, is auctioning off her right to marry on eBay as a means of protesting the New York state senate's rejection of the gay marriage bill earlier this month.

Frevele posted this description on her eBay listing for "Jamie Frevele's Right To Marry":

New York State has voted down marriage equality.

[...]

I'm an unmarried heterosexual woman, and since I probably won't be using my right to get married, I would like to give it away. I would like to sell it to the highest bidder and donate the proceeds to an organization that supports LGBT rights since the government designed to protect all of us is picking and choosing based on what they think is icky, weird, or unkown to them.

Of course, Frevele can't actually auction off this right -- as she notes, "this is only a symbolic gesture" and she can't give more than a "fancy, wonderful, articulate proclamation handing over my right to get married" -- but Frevele plans to donate the money raises through the eBay auction to a group that mentors LGBT youth, the Point Foundation.

Thirty bids have been placed at the time this was posted, with the top bid at $307. See her eBay post for yourself here.

Read Jamie Frevele's blog post about her eBay auction on HuffPost here.

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Levi Johnston's Playgirl Hockey Gear Available On eBay

2009-12-09T11:31:21Z

If you have anyone on your Christmas list who would appreciate a gift that combines politics, pornography, sporting goods, jock sweat, celebrity and maybe just a soupcon of yet-to-emerge shame, well, you are in luck!

Gawker's Ravi Somaiya reports this morning that the hockey equipment that former Bristol Palin paramour Levi Johnston wore in his Playgirl shoot is being sold at auction on eBay by its owner. Somaiya says that "hockey enthusiast" Josh Koll "has set a reserve of $50 for each item." Currently, no one has placed a bid on any of the items. Not even these.

And that's how the world of contemporary politics and the world of cosplay continued to stagger toward their inevitable collision today.

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eBay, Craigslist Battle For Control In Court

2009-12-07T08:31:19Z

eBay and Craigslist are going head-to-head in court in an effort to settle dueling lawsuits the two companies have filed against one another.

eBay is hoping that the court will find Craigslist guilty of changing its stock structure to dilute eBay's minority stake in the company, which Craigslist counters were part of an effort to shore up Craigslist's "anti-takeover defenses," notes Bloomberg, which has a full report on the lawsuit.

According to the Wall Street Journal, eBay alleges:
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark and Chief Executive Jim Buckmaster diluted eBay's stake in Craigslist through a "self-dealing" and secret scheme to issue more stock. EBay claims the dilution from a 28% stake to a 24% stake caused the company to lose its right to elect a Craigslist board member.

Meanwhile, Craigslist is counter-suing eBay on the grounds that the online auction site exploited its investment in Craigslist in 2004 to steal confidential information from the site, which it later used to create a competing service called "Kijiji" that was first launched overseas, then arrived in the US in 2007.

The Craigslist blog has posted information on the lawsuit, which includes a link to Craigslist's pre-trial brief.

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman is expected to take the stand, along with eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. Craigslist founder Craig Newmark and CEO Jim Buckmaster are scheduled to testify for Craigslist.

The two companies are to meet in court starting Monday, December 7, 2009. According to Craigslist, its suit against eBay is not likely to come before the court until late 2011.

Jamie Frevele: Take My Right to Marry -- Please!

2009-12-02T23:05:45Z

New York's state senate decided to take the coward's route and vote down marriage equality in my home state. I'd always been proud of New York, but I'm truly ashamed that 38 senators -- including the one in my district -- chose to place themselves on the wrong side of history. They could have made a huge step in the direction of progress, tolerance, and compassion. They chose discrimination.

Nothing separates me from my homosexual friends. We are equals. We are the same. We all love, learn, grow, fail, laugh, and cry. We follow all kinds of paths on the same planet. But some people believe that, for some reason, I deserve more rights than my friends. That's bullshit. My friends are not second-class citizens.

If "traditional" marriage doesn't include all the people who have loved and supported me throughout my years, then I don't want to be a part of it. That's why I'm selling my legal right to marry on eBay.

I know this is merely symbolic and I can't actually give my right away. But there's a pretty good chance that I may never exercise my right to get married. If I really want to, I'll just get a civil union or have a commitment ceremony. Because they're just as good, aren't they?

Either that, or I'm just going to get married like 85 times -- because I can -- and then just get divorced -- because I can. How's that for making a mockery of the institution of marriage?

And if any equality opponents are reading this thinking, "I couldn't care less what you do with your personal life" ... Um, yeah -- then why do you care what my friends and so many others do with theirs? So much so that you would deny them equal rights? Really?

But here is the eBay listing. Right now, I plan to donate the entire amount of the highest bid to the Point Foundation, which provides assistance to students who have been marginalized because of their sexual orientation. But since I'm overly ambitious, I'm going to split the proceeds if the amount gets high enough, donating to other LGBT organizations. I would really like that to happen.

eBay: Jamie Frevele's right to marry

Happy Bidding!

eBay Fined In France For Luxury Perfume Sales

2009-11-30T16:21:57Z

PARIS — Online auction site eBay Inc. was fined euro1.7 million ($2.5 million) by a Paris court on Monday for failing to stop the sale of famous perfume brands like Christian Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy and Kenzo – all of which are owned by luxury group LVMH.

The decision follows a ruling last year against eBay for not respecting the system championed by brand owners such as LVMH and Richemont SA, the Swiss maker of Cartier watches, which is called selective distribution.

eBay Mobile Users To Spend Over $500 Million On Goods This Year

2009-11-24T11:23:51Z

Internet commerce juggernaut eBay is unveiling a brand new iPhone application dubbed Deals today, alongside an upgraded version of its shopping app for the iPhone and iPod Touch platform and an enhanced mobile website. And there's a good reason for eBay to bolster its mobile offering: the company says its mobile GMV (value of goods sold) via its iPhone app and mobile website (m.ebay.com) is on track to top half a billion dollars by the end of this year.

Meg Whitman, Former eBay Pres And GOP Gov Candidate Plans Book For January

2009-11-23T18:34:06Z

Sarah Palin knows the power of a best-seller as a timely vehicle to get the press and public talking, and now former eBay CEO Meg Whitman has quietly laid plans to add "author" to her resume, with her book "The Power of Many" set for release in January -- just as the 2010 California governor's race heats up.

Skype Lawsuit Settled: Founders, eBay Resolve Dispute, "All Is Forgiven"

2009-11-06T12:03:22Z

Silicon Valley legend and now VC Marc Andreessen was making the interview rounds this morning, after the settlement between the litigation-addled co-founders of Skype and all the various people they were suing was announced this morning.

He's been tight-lipped until now, due to the morass of lawsuits.

Terry Gardner: Let's List Governor of California On eBay

2009-11-05T09:32:21Z

For months (if not years) we've been reading that the State of California is broke. Each week it seems like more teachers and state employees are furloughed. Two possible solutions occurred to me after reading today's Los Angeles Times:

1. Auction off the Governor's seat on eBay to raise money for California. Shane Goldmacher's article, "Meg Whitman's campaign spending is causing a stir," in the 11/4/09 edition of the Los Angeles Times reported that Gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman has already spent $19 million of her personal fortune on the California Governor's race. "Whitman has publicly floated the notion of a record-shattering $150-million campaign budget," reports Goldmacher.

Instead of giving that money to ad agencies and broadcasters, how about injecting that $150 million into the State of California's piggy bank? The extra dough might help the state immunize more health care workers against the H1N1 flu virus.

2. Lease California for four years to Warren Buffett. He just invested $44 billion in the Burlington Northern railroad. Wouldn't California be worth at least a billion? If Buffet took over, he might make the California economy viable again, beginning with a requirement for a balanced budget.

I'm no legislator, just an ordinary American with a recurring nightmare of our forefathers doing somersaults in their graves over how far America has strayed from its stated purpose of being a government by the people, for the people. Today, it's primarily a rusty bureaucracy whose gears only move after a lobbyist greases them out of gridlock.

I was sorry to see Mayor Gavin Newsom drop out due to lack of funds. I hope Jerry Brown will raise enough money to compete with Meg Whitman if she becomes the Republican nominee.

But if Brown does raise a lot of money, won't it just get thrown away on advertisements? Why shouldn't we lease the Governor's Mansion to Whitman or Buffett for four years via eBay? We survived eight years as a nation under George W. Bush; how bad could either be?

Of course in the Governor's seat auction, California would stipulate that the winning bidder pays his or her own gubernatorial expenses. Although Buffett would likely keep his expenses low -- since he's a guy who turns troubled companies around -- Whitman apparently spends quite lavishly on catering, charter jet and advisor expenses.

Bottom line: California could use $150 million or more. Let the ad agencies write about milk and margarine.

Meg used to run eBay, maybe she can help us write up our auction. Here's what I have so far:

"One of a Kind Collector's Item: Keys to the Sacramento Governor's Mansion and all the trappings of office. The winning BIDDER will serve a four-year term from 2011 to 2015. Possible four year renewal option if winning bidder balances the state budget."

The alleged attempt by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to sell Barack Obama's senate seat could have been a good idea if it would have benefitted the State of Illinois rather than Rod Blagojevich.

The Inside Source: eBay Launches Fashion Magazine

2009-11-05T08:58:33Z

When the beautiful people list their favorite shops, eBay might not be on the tip of their tongues, but eBay hopes to change that.

On Wednesday, eBay is unveiling The Inside Source, an online magazine about fashion trends, written and edited by glossy magazine writers and pitching the trendiest items for sale on eBay.

eBay's Popup Holiday Store Will Open In New York City November 20

2009-11-03T12:12:51Z

eBay will open a temporary "holiday store" in New York City on November 20, according to WWD.

WWD says that shoppers at the popup store "will have access to the entire eBay marketplace via Internet kiosks, handheld tablets and the eBay mobile phone application." eBay has not posted a press release about the shop and it is unclear how services at the physical retail location would differ from those offered online.

The online auctioneer/marketplace will set up shop at 3 West 57th street in a building once occupied by Phillips Auctioneers.

News of the temporary store was published on the same day that eBay launched its holiday advertising campaign. According to the Wall Street Journal The company aims to "boost its standing as a holiday shopping destination" with print, tv and online ad spots using the tagline "Come to think of it, eBay."

All Things D's Kara Swisher writes that the spots serve to remind consumers exactly how much they have forgotten about eBay and wonders if the motto is a good or bad idea.

Fortune 's Stanley Bing: Come To Think of It -- eBay?

2009-11-03T10:32:21Z

Reaction is mixed to the big new eBay advertising campaign, "Come to think of it -- eBay." Of course, reaction to anything is mixed these days. Anybody who does anything worth noting is stuck like a shish kebab by somebody who's got a bone to pick with something or another.

Personally, I think it's kinda good that that eBay is going to gear up a huge ad campaign at all. It's the first in 18 months for them, and signals further improvements for the environment. On the other hand, you want brick-and-mortar stores to do well this holiday season. The more successful eBay is at marketing itself as a place you buy new stuff, the less shopping there may be at the Nordstroms, Wal-Marts and dollar discount stores this Xmas. So there's that.

Then there's the slogan itself. "Come to think of it -- eBay." Personally, I find myself wondering about it a little bit. Sure, it's positive. It says, "Hey, I was trying to think of a place to go shopping. I should have thought of eBay first because you can pretty much find anything you want there." It's not altogether dissimilar to the famous, "Wow! I shoulda had a V-8!" campaign that sold millions of confused drinkers on the weird, salty, vegetable beverage that has always been slightly less than top of mind for thirsty consumers. As a slogan, it's catchy. It makes you think a bit. Maybe too much?

Ah, there's the rub. Does it make you think TOO much? As in, "I guess I haven't thought about eBay because it's pretty much the last place I'd go for holiday shopping," or "Yeah, I'll go on eBay right after I've tried everything else"? The truth is, I don't know. I shop on eBay a lot. I think it's reliable and fun. I've bought cameras, rugs, guitars and other random stuff on it. I go back all the time. So maybe I'm not the right audience for a "come to think of it" strategy. I tend to like slogans that say, "You GOTTA love this!" as opposed to crafty end runs that try to embed themselves in one wrinkle of my gray matter.

I'm a sucker for slogans, of course, as I'm sure are you. Others that have remained with me over the years include:

-- Take a puff -- it's springtime

-- I'd rather fight than switch

-- You can be sure -- if it's Westinghouse

-- I want my MAYPO!

-- Have you driven a Ford lately?

-- I'm a Pepper

-- Let Hertz put YOU in the driver's seat

-- Goodyear: Where the rubber meets the road

-- Campbell's Soup! It's mmm-mmmm good!

-- Beef: It's what's for dinner

-- Alka-Seltzer: No matter what shape your stomach is in

-- Pork: The other white meat

-- Be all that you can be

-- My doctor said Mylanta

We'll see how this new one works out. I'll just stash it in my vast vault of fatuous slogans and jingles and see if it stay in there, like the Buster Brown shoe jingle, or vaporizes like so many others have over the years.

What do you think? Will "Come to think of it -- eBay" drive you like a hot, dry lemming to the ocean of objects on sale at that worthy destination? Come to think of it, time will tell.

EBay Removes Drawings That Glorify Slaying of Abortion Doctor George Tiller

2009-11-03T08:55:37Z

EBay Removes Drawings Glorifying Slaying Of George Tiller

2009-11-02T16:50:13Z

EBay has removed an auction posted by supporters of Scott Roeder, the man charged with the May murder of abortionist George Tiller. The listing featured graphic prison art celebrating the murder, and was an effort to raise money for Roeder's legal defense. The Kansas City Star first reported the auction, and TPM Muckraker captured the series of images: a drawing of Tiller beheaded, and several of the grave stones of aborted babies. As of late Monday morning, links to the auction returned a message saying the listing had been removed...

Police Use eBay To Sell Gangsters' Illegal Loot

2009-10-13T09:56:27Z

British police are using eBay to unload criminals' illegally-obtained "bling."

The online auction of jewelry, electronics, and other loot bought with "dirty money" is the first online police sale of its kind, and has so far attracted dozens of bids, according to the Daily Mail.

The Leicester Police eBay page currently lists about 15 items for sale, including a TAG Heuer watch, Plasma TV, several gold chains, and a Rolex watch.

The Leicester Police eBay homepage prominently features their catchy slogan encouraging whistleblowers to report crime: "Too much bling--give us a ring!"

The Daily Mail notes that electronics have been far more popular than the "bling" (prices below are in British pounds):

Bargain hunters have rushed to snap up cheap electronic goods, including a 47in LCD television for £345 and Xbox and Sony PS2 computer consoles for £46 and £21 respectively.

Other popular items include a digital theatre system for £24.99 and a Nintendo Wii console priced at £50.

But 'bling' - jewellery worn by gangsters, including a number of gold chains and pendants - has attracted far less interest.

Proceeds will go to fund crime-fighting initiatives.

Xbox Signed By Sarah Palin Back On eBay For $1.1 Million (PHOTOS)

2009-10-06T15:36:04Z

*See photos below*

An Xbox 360 signed by Sarah Palin has been re-posted for sale on eBay.

Curious? It's yours just $1.1 million -- and that's with nine days and one hour of bidding still to go. (No word on whether the Xbox actually works)

Here's the description posted by the seller:

The infamous Sarah Palin XBOX 360 was autographed at the governors picnic on July 24, 2009, in Wasilla, Alaska, just two days before her resignation as governor of that state. You can own this 60GB, perfect-condition, one-of-a-kind item before her expected run for president of the United States of America in 2012.

The listing history for the item is pretty complicated, and it seems that the seller has had more than a few troubbles in his efforts to part with this six-figure collectible (including PayPal's inability to process $1 million payments, eBay's definition of what does and does not qualify as a "pinback, bobble, or lunchbox", and numerous de-listings by eBay).

Here's the autographed Xbox:

Is it legit? Compare it to what is (purportedly) an authentic Palin signature:

Chris Kelly: An Open Letter from Meg Whitman About Voting

2009-10-06T05:46:34Z

If you're coming in late:

Meg Whitman, the fourth richest woman in California, thinks she should be governor, presumably because the three richer women are busy. She freely admits that this idea just popped into her head about 18 months ago. Before then she wasn't a member of any party and hadn't even voted very often. That's the kind of delightful English-style eccentric she is. She might as well have decided she was Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Then a funny thing happened to another part of her brain, the area where memories are stored: It became less and less clear if she had voted before 2002 -- she claimed she had -- or if she had ever registered as a Republican in another state -- another claim she'd made and frequently repeated.

No one had seen any evidence to support either assertion. A reporter asked Multipersonality Meg if she could help.

"Go find it," Meg snapped. Charmingly. I have to feed these birds tuppence a bag.

So the Sacramento Bee tried to find it. But they couldn't. In fact, the Sacramento Bee couldn't find a record of Meg Whitman voting anywhere. Or even registering to vote.

This led to Meg Whitman having a very bad press conference. Her advisors, who had already been paid close to two million dollars, gave her some very cheap advice: Say you take full responsibility. If questioned further, repeat.

This didn't go over well.

So, the next day, they gave her a new answer: She didn't vote because:

"I was busy raising kids, running businesses, being married to a neurosurgeon."

The one who did my lobotomy.

This answer ("Between 1974 and 2002 I was in surgery") didn't hold either. So yesterday they came up with something else:

Nothing is knowable.

Here's an open letter from the Whitman Campaign:

Dear Amy:

That would be Amy Chance, political editor of the Sacramento Bee.

Thank you for our conversations in recent days regarding The Sacramento Bee's September 24th story on Meg's voting history. As we discussed, the campaign has been in the process of reconciling its information and Meg's recollections with The Bee's coverage.

Nothing says "moral high ground" like "we're reconciling our recollections."

What did Meg know, and which of her personalities knew it?

So far, we have found a number of disturbing discrepancies that raise serious questions about the quality of The Bee's reporting and the integrity of your newspaper.

The reporting that the candidate didn't dispute last week.

For starters, The Bee reported that while Meg lived in San Francisco from 1981 to 1989, she was not registered to vote and did not vote.

The Bee didn't report that. They said they "found no evidence that she participated in elections" and that neither the candidate nor her campaign would provide any.

The problem we have with this is that Meg clearly remembers voting on multiple occasions, including the 1984 and 1988 presidential elections.

She just never told the Sacramento Bee, or another living soul.

Because voting for Reagan and Bush made her ashamed. Makes sense to me.

How dare the Bee not report what she didn't tell them?

As Meg prepared to enter the race, our campaign requested her voting records from the San Francisco registrar and was told that no records were available from 1981 to 1989. We have a letter from the registrar confirming that fact.

Proving the existence of the post office, and our mailbox.

After your story ran, we went back to the San Francisco registrar and asked them to confirm your assertion that Meg had not registered or voted in San Francisco between 1981 and 1989. They could not. The registrar's office again confirmed in writing that it no longer has records for voters prior to 1992. Records from that period were never transferred and they simply don't have them.

The Bee didn't assert anything. It said there was no record, and Meg wasn't talking.

The registrar's office also doesn't have a record of Meg Whitman's whereabouts on the nights of the Zodiac killings. This proves something, but it's not clear exactly what.

In an attempt to confirm our findings,

There aren't any findings.

We then asked the registrar to provide voting information for several prominent San Franciscans, including Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi.

Because we hate registrars.

(Dianne Feinstein was Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988. Nancy Pelosi has lived in San Francisco since 1969 and was elected to Congress in 1987.)

I'm sure the Sacramento Bee was glad to hear that.

The registrar's office came back in writing with the same result. There are no records in any system of Dianne Feinstein or Nancy Pelosi voting in San Francisco prior to 1992.

Clearly, Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein voted in San Francisco during the 1980s, and so did Meg Whitman.

Take a moment and let that settle in.

The frontrunner for the Republican nomination for Governor of California just proved she votes using the argumentum ad ignorantiam and the transitivity of implication.

Now that's a candidate who values education.

That which cannot be disproved must be believed. The evidence that Meg Whitman voted sometime between her 18th birthday and her 46th is that there's no proof she didn't. (Except her own admission, before she began the process of reconciling her recollections.) The other evidence that Meg Whitman voted is that Nancy Pelosi voted. The evidence that Nancy Pelosi voted is that there's no evidence that she did.

And in a tomb in Hanover, Leibniz's head explodes.

My head hurts too. But here's what I think. I think Meg Whitman misled her campaign advisors. (And why shouldn't she? She's the boss.) I think she told them she voted when she didn't. I think she never registered to vote because when you register to vote you get called for jury duty, and when you get called for jury duty you miss work, and work's where the money is.

I think she didn't think it was going to be a big deal, but it is, because she's handling it so badly.

I think she's a bad liar and the people who work for her are insulting liars.

But then, how can I be sure? I only know what I read in the paper, and perceive with my senses.

Girl Tries To Sell Her "Moaning" Grandma On eBay

2009-10-01T10:10:47Z

When ten year-old Zoe Pemberton put her grandmother up for sale on eBay, she described the granny-goods in explicit -- and brutally honest -- details.

The Daily Mail reports,

"Among the many points listed were 'annoying and moaning a lot', although she [Zoe] admitted 61-year-old Marian Goodall could be 'very cuddly and loves word searches'."

Zoe, who later clarified that the posting had only been a joke, said she put her grandmother on eBay because, "She was annoying me. She was moaning at me. I was on the laptop and suddenly thought I'd put her on eBay," according to the Daily Mail.

eBay took down the posting, which was in violation of its human trafficking regulations, but not before Granny Goodall had received numerous bids. Goodall's son told the Daily Mail.

'Within a day there were £1,000 bids. Then it went £2,000. I couldn't believe it. Then when I last checked it was £20,541. I was amazed but my mum wasn't. She said she was worth millions.'

Zoe had appraised her grandmother at much less: "I didn't know how much we'd get for her, maybe 99p," she said.

Google Wave Invite Pulled From eBay After Bids Skyrocket

2009-09-30T12:15:12Z

The Google Wave invitation posted for sale on eBay has been removed -- but not before it received numerous bids and skyrocketed in price to $5,000.

The Wall Street Journal describes the frenzy that erupted after Hagan Blount, a food blogger, put the invitation up for sale:

Mr. Blount commenced the auction on Tuesday night, and by the time he had woken up at 6 a.m. Wednesday, the day that Google would be releasing Wave invites, his auction had already received 12,000 hits.

As the day wore on, he received about 33 bids for the Google Wave invite, with the winning bid reaching $157. One eBay user tried to set up two accounts and entered a bid for $5,000, which Mr. Blount quickly deleted. Dozens of questions piled up in his eBay account inbox, asking him if the Wave invite was real, and if so, whether it could be purchased on the spot. One man from Sweden offered $700 to buy it outright, and another who identified himself as "a businessman" said he would pony up $27,000 if the invite was authentic.

The Google Wave, which is still in development, is being released for wider testing. 100,000 users (invite only) will get to try the new product, although, although according to CNET more than 1 million people clamored to be in the test group.

Read more about the Google Wave here.

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Meg Whitman Voting Record: Ex-eBay CEO's Voting Record Questioned At GOP Meeting

2009-09-27T01:13:02Z

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman sought to redirect attention from her spotty voting record Saturday as she promoted a platform of fiscal discipline to the party faithful.

Last week, The Sacramento Bee reported that according to voter registration records, the 53-year-old billionaire and former eBay CEO was not a registered voter until 2002. The newspaper reported that no voter registration records for Whitman could be found in any of of the places that they reviewed ("six states and a dozen counties, including towns and counties in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, New Jersey, Rhode Island and California...").

Speaking to the state Republican Party convention near Palm Springs, Whitman outlined a program of severe austerity for state government if she is elected next year.

She promised to slash an additional $15 billion in spending and reduce the state government work force by 40,000, reiterating points she made earlier in the week when she formally announced her candidacy. She provided no details about how she would achieve those goals.

Whitman told GOP delegates that California simply can no longer afford the level of government service it has been providing.

"If elected, I will identify and implement at least $15 billion in permanent spending cuts from the state budget. I'll eliminate redundant and underperforming government agencies and commissions," she said.

Whitman's speech did not touch on questions that have surrounded the campaign for days, after The Sacramento Bee published the results of an investigation into her voting record.

Shortly after Whitman gave the state party $250,000 of her own money for voter-registration efforts, the Bee reported there was no evidence that she had ever registered to vote before 2002 and she had not registered as a Republican until 2007.

On Saturday, Whitman refused to answer repeated questions from reporters about the issue.

"I did not vote. I should've voted. It is inexcusable," she said. "I've said what I'm going to say about it."

One of Whitman's opponents for the GOP nomination, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, has called on her to drop out of the race. He said Whitman's apparent failure to participate in elections for 28 years suggests a lack of engagement in politics and government.

Poizner also faced questions from reporters about previous campaign donations to Democrats, including the presidential campaign of Al Gore. He said his wife is a Democrat and they share a joint checking account.

"The fact is, I've been a Republican since 1981 and I am married to someone who's been a Democrat her whole life. ... We've had some very interesting dinnertime conversations," he said.

Poizner promoted his proposal to cut the personal income, corporate and sales taxes, which he said will generate revenue by allowing existing businesses to grow and attracting new ones.

The other GOP gubernatorial candidate, former congressman Tom Campbell, criticized both of his opponents for failing to provide sufficient details about how they would revive California's economy and cut spending. Campbell released his own budget proposal in May detailing $17.5 billion in cuts.

He also took issue with Poizner's strategy of cutting taxes as a way to boost tax revenue to the state.

"You cut first and then you can lower taxes," he said. "When we cut spending by 17 cents, then we can cut taxes by 17 cents."

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse: Dwell Showhouse's Ecofabulous Design (PHOTOS)

2009-09-25T08:21:22Z

Guest post from Ecofabulous

Ever since Jack Johnson turned "reduce, reuse, recycle" into something you hum on your morning commute, people have been rethinking the notion of trash. At this year's Dwell on Design, the showhouse collaboration between ecofabulous and Reclaimed Space produced a 400 square foot eco-luxe cabin designed using high quality vintage, repurposed and restyled items found on eBay and at local antique and salvage stores. The house sold to T.J Thyne, a star of Bones after an all-star bidding frenzy - a portion of the proceeds benefited Habitat for Humanity LA.

Take a quick tour of the space and then click here for an interview with both ecofabulous founder, Zem Joaquin, and eBay Green Team's Annie Lescroart, as they field some questions from visitors of the showhouse about the innovative project, emerging business and consumer trends surrounding vintage and reclaimed materials and ecofabulous's unique and chic approach to design.

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