Shareholders of Internet price-comparison company Shopping.com Ltd. approved Thursday a proposed $620 million takeover by online auction house eBay Inc.
Shopping.com expects the deal to close around Aug. 30, the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Shopping.com didn't disclose the vote tally at the special shareholder meeting called to consider the eBay deal.
Last month, eBay, of San Jose, Calif., agreed to pay $21 a share for Shopping.com, an Israeli operator of a Web site which allows consumers to compare product prices across the Internet.
Another shopping comparison company, Shopzilla, was acquired by E.W. Scripps Co. last month for $525 million.
Separately, Shopping.com also said in the SEC filing that shareholders approved a $1 million bonus for Chief Executive Lorrie Norrington. The bonus will be paid immediately before the consummation of the merger, Shopping.com said.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
John Lennon Memorabilia
The tunic which inspired the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover will be auctioned today. It is going under the hammer in a sale of John Lennon memorabilia which is expected to fetch €2m. The military band tunic, worn by Lennon in a Life magazine photoshoot in 1966, is predicted to sell for about €42,000. The tunic is said to have influenced the Sgt Pepper album cover – to which Paul McCartney’s band paid homage during a rendition of Sgt Pepper at Live 8.
The Cooper Owen auction, the biggest sale of Lennon memorabilia for 20 years, also includes Lennon’s hand-written manuscript of All You Need Is Love. The manuscript was retrieved from the stage floor directly after the Beatles’ final live TV performance in 1967.
A Yamaha electric piano given to Lennon by Elton John and an oil painting Lennon created while he was a student in Liverpool are also in the sale.
Cooper Owen managing director John Collins said: “Every item speaks for itself in terms of rarity, importance, and cultural significance. “We’re honoured to be passing them on – and the sale itself will celebrate Lennon and his legacy the way it was meant to be celebrated.” The 12 items in the sale, which also include a recording of Lennon and Yoko Ono’s children singing Give Peace a Chance, were collected over a 25-year period.
The sale takes place from 7.30pm at The Hippodrome near London’s Leicester Square.
The Cooper Owen auction, the biggest sale of Lennon memorabilia for 20 years, also includes Lennon’s hand-written manuscript of All You Need Is Love. The manuscript was retrieved from the stage floor directly after the Beatles’ final live TV performance in 1967.
A Yamaha electric piano given to Lennon by Elton John and an oil painting Lennon created while he was a student in Liverpool are also in the sale.
Cooper Owen managing director John Collins said: “Every item speaks for itself in terms of rarity, importance, and cultural significance. “We’re honoured to be passing them on – and the sale itself will celebrate Lennon and his legacy the way it was meant to be celebrated.” The 12 items in the sale, which also include a recording of Lennon and Yoko Ono’s children singing Give Peace a Chance, were collected over a 25-year period.
The sale takes place from 7.30pm at The Hippodrome near London’s Leicester Square.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Bill Ford Joins eBay
Bill C. Ford Jr., the chairman and chief executive of Ford Motor, has been added to online auction behemoth eBay's board, the latter said late Wednesday.
A simple addition, apparently: eBay's not replacing an existing board member, it's merely expanding the board to eleven members. "What he's done at Ford Motor Company would benefit any board. We're really pleased to have him," crowed a spokesman. Neither is there any link between eBay's auto trade and Ford's appointment.
A simple addition, apparently: eBay's not replacing an existing board member, it's merely expanding the board to eleven members. "What he's done at Ford Motor Company would benefit any board. We're really pleased to have him," crowed a spokesman. Neither is there any link between eBay's auto trade and Ford's appointment.
Jennifer Aniston Love Letters
One of Jennifer Aniston's former flings is auctioning off letters, notes, pictures and other memorabilia from the Friends star.
Michael Baroni, a California lawyer who claims he had a summer romance in 1984 with Aniston, is selling keepsakes such as a makeshift birthday card she wrote on a piece of toilet paper and a childhood picture of the pair.
According to Baroni, their summer lovin'- he was 16, she was 15- turned into a longtime friendship until they lost contact in 1991, when Aniston's showbiz career began to soar.
Aniston's representative, Stephen Huvane, didn't immediately return a call today from the Associated Press for comment.
"She was very fun and lively, a loving kind of person," Baroni said during a phone interview Friday. "I think the materials show an innocent look into someone I think is very endearing."
Baroni's auction begins July 29 on eBay with a$100,000 reserve. If the reserve is not met, the package of memorabilia will be withdrawn. Baroni wouldn't comment on why he was auctioning off the items beyond citing "financial reasons."
Michael Baroni, a California lawyer who claims he had a summer romance in 1984 with Aniston, is selling keepsakes such as a makeshift birthday card she wrote on a piece of toilet paper and a childhood picture of the pair.
According to Baroni, their summer lovin'- he was 16, she was 15- turned into a longtime friendship until they lost contact in 1991, when Aniston's showbiz career began to soar.
Aniston's representative, Stephen Huvane, didn't immediately return a call today from the Associated Press for comment.
"She was very fun and lively, a loving kind of person," Baroni said during a phone interview Friday. "I think the materials show an innocent look into someone I think is very endearing."
Baroni's auction begins July 29 on eBay with a$100,000 reserve. If the reserve is not met, the package of memorabilia will be withdrawn. Baroni wouldn't comment on why he was auctioning off the items beyond citing "financial reasons."
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Moshe Dayan's Eye Patch
Several items of great Israeli historical interest have been trading on the online auction site eBay. The original eye patch worn by former defense minister and chief of staff Moshe Dayan has been offered for the sum of $75,000, while a hanukkiyah (multibranched candelabra) belonging to prime minister David Ben-Gurion and made from bullet cartridges is on sale for $12,500.
These particular items are being offered by Pasarel Israeli Art and Treasures of Natanya. Moti Sander, a partner at Pasarel, said that his company specializes in Judaica and jewelry, and that he had received Dayan's eye patch from the minister's personal bodyguard, who said that he had gotten it, together with a Smith & Wesson 38 revolver, minutes after the famed warrior died in 1981.
Though Dayan's pistol appears on the eBay site, this is not for sale as the Web site forbids the trading of any arms. It is, however, for sale through Pasarel.
Ben-Gurion's hannukiyah was made for the prime minister in 1948 by workers of the Ayalon Institute, which manufactured bullets, and there is a personal inscription to the statesman on it. Sander said that he found the item in the Jaffa flea market, and that he had it authenticated by the very man who made it - now a resident in a retirement home in Tel Aviv.
These particular items are being offered by Pasarel Israeli Art and Treasures of Natanya. Moti Sander, a partner at Pasarel, said that his company specializes in Judaica and jewelry, and that he had received Dayan's eye patch from the minister's personal bodyguard, who said that he had gotten it, together with a Smith & Wesson 38 revolver, minutes after the famed warrior died in 1981.
Though Dayan's pistol appears on the eBay site, this is not for sale as the Web site forbids the trading of any arms. It is, however, for sale through Pasarel.
Ben-Gurion's hannukiyah was made for the prime minister in 1948 by workers of the Ayalon Institute, which manufactured bullets, and there is a personal inscription to the statesman on it. Sander said that he found the item in the Jaffa flea market, and that he had it authenticated by the very man who made it - now a resident in a retirement home in Tel Aviv.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Hitler Sketches and Cards
Four sketches by Adolf Hitler and two Christmas cards signed by the Nazi dictator were sold to a single buyer for an undisclosed sum, an auctioneer said on Wednesday, at an auction in Canada that drew protests.
Iegor de Saint Hippolyte, who led the private auction in Montreal Tuesday evening, would not confirm a media report citing witnesses who said the items were sold for C$32,400 ($26,800).
"I can say it's the same person that was able to obtain everything, so the collection will stay together," he told Reuters. He declined to identify the buyer or seller, or their nationalities.
The Canadian Jewish Congress called the sale offensive and deplored the fact that Hitler's four architectural sketches and greeting cards were auctioned alongside works by artists such as Andy Warhol.
De Saint Hippolyte defended his role in the auction, saying his duty is to preserve objects of historical interest. "They are extremely important items for history so there was much interest," he said.
Hitler, German chancellor from 1933 to 1945, unleashed World War II when his armies invaded Poland in 1939. His racial policies led to the Holocaust, the organized massacre of some 6 million European Jews, largely at concentration camps such as Auschwitz.
The four architectural sketches auctioned in Montreal are in charcoal, colored pencil and ink. One includes corrections Hitler is believed to have made to the design for an opera house in Linz, Austria, near where he was born, De Saint Hippolyte said.
The opera house was designed by Hitler's chief architect Albert Speer, who became Germany's wartime armaments minister. Speer was tried at Nuremberg after the war and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The two Christmas cards are dated 1935 and 1938, and bear Hitler's personal seal and signature.
Iegor de Saint Hippolyte, who led the private auction in Montreal Tuesday evening, would not confirm a media report citing witnesses who said the items were sold for C$32,400 ($26,800).
"I can say it's the same person that was able to obtain everything, so the collection will stay together," he told Reuters. He declined to identify the buyer or seller, or their nationalities.
The Canadian Jewish Congress called the sale offensive and deplored the fact that Hitler's four architectural sketches and greeting cards were auctioned alongside works by artists such as Andy Warhol.
De Saint Hippolyte defended his role in the auction, saying his duty is to preserve objects of historical interest. "They are extremely important items for history so there was much interest," he said.
Hitler, German chancellor from 1933 to 1945, unleashed World War II when his armies invaded Poland in 1939. His racial policies led to the Holocaust, the organized massacre of some 6 million European Jews, largely at concentration camps such as Auschwitz.
The four architectural sketches auctioned in Montreal are in charcoal, colored pencil and ink. One includes corrections Hitler is believed to have made to the design for an opera house in Linz, Austria, near where he was born, De Saint Hippolyte said.
The opera house was designed by Hitler's chief architect Albert Speer, who became Germany's wartime armaments minister. Speer was tried at Nuremberg after the war and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The two Christmas cards are dated 1935 and 1938, and bear Hitler's personal seal and signature.
eBay Has Record Quarter
Ebay - the global auction site branded an "electronic pimp" by angry popster Bob Geldof - has notched up record numbers for its second quarter.
For the three months to the end of June eBay reported record consolidated net revenues of $1.09bn - up 40 per cent year on year. At the same time it delivered record operating income of $379m - up 49 per cent on the year before. Net income was $291.6m compared to $190.4m.
In the US, revenues increased 27 pr cent to $423.6m, while takings at eBay's overseas operations grew by 51 per cent to $418.8m.
eBay's online payment service - PayPal - also saw its revenues grow by 51 per cent to $243.9m.
"eBay achieved remarkable results in Q2," said eBay chief exec Meg Whitman. "Excellent momentum in the US and Germany, as well as at PayPal, all helped deliver an impressive jump in revenues and profit."
Last month Bob Geldof, the organiser of the Live 8 gigs earlier this month, kicked off an almighty stink after complaining that tickets for the gig, which were dished out for free, were being sold on eBay.
He called eBay an "electronic pimp" and called on punters to boycott the online auction site. eBay then suffered a PR meltdown, initially resisted calls to pull the auctions before bowing to Bob's bidding.
For the three months to the end of June eBay reported record consolidated net revenues of $1.09bn - up 40 per cent year on year. At the same time it delivered record operating income of $379m - up 49 per cent on the year before. Net income was $291.6m compared to $190.4m.
In the US, revenues increased 27 pr cent to $423.6m, while takings at eBay's overseas operations grew by 51 per cent to $418.8m.
eBay's online payment service - PayPal - also saw its revenues grow by 51 per cent to $243.9m.
"eBay achieved remarkable results in Q2," said eBay chief exec Meg Whitman. "Excellent momentum in the US and Germany, as well as at PayPal, all helped deliver an impressive jump in revenues and profit."
Last month Bob Geldof, the organiser of the Live 8 gigs earlier this month, kicked off an almighty stink after complaining that tickets for the gig, which were dished out for free, were being sold on eBay.
He called eBay an "electronic pimp" and called on punters to boycott the online auction site. eBay then suffered a PR meltdown, initially resisted calls to pull the auctions before bowing to Bob's bidding.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Harry Potter Misprints
Some Harry Potter fans may have found it difficult to decipher the boy wizard's latest adventure.
An unknown number of first edition copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince were released with upside-down covers and sideways type.
"All the copy on the inside is printed upside down and skewed to the top," said Sorya Gaulin of Indigo Books and Music, who snapped up a defective copy of the book that she discovered in a store order.
Misprints aren't uncommon in the publishing world and even though the few defective copies are sure to draw special attention among the wizard-wild public, at least one collector says they won't amount to much more than a conversation piece.
"Books are bound upside down all the time. Dust jackets are misprinted, there's crooked type," said Burlington, Ont., bookseller Len Shoup.
A spokesman for Raincoast Books agreed that it's normal a few copies in a print run would have some faults, adding the company will exchange any defective copies of the book.
One of the flawed books was for sale yesterday on online auction house eBay, drawing bids of almost $60. The book retails for about $41 in Canada.
Since so many million copies have been printed, Shoup suggested the latest Harry holds little interest for collectors.
"In my humble opinion, any copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that came out Friday night at 12:01 isn't going to be worth much more 30 years from now because there are so many copies," he said.
Some 6.9 million first edition copies were sold in the U.S. over the weekend. More than two million were snapped up in the United Kingdom and Amazon's online book websites sold 1.5 million copies through advance orders. A spokesman for Raincoast said yesterday numbers weren't available for Canada.
A first-printing, first-edition of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, might be worth upwards of $30,000 US today, Shoup said.
You can check out one of the auctions over here.
An unknown number of first edition copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince were released with upside-down covers and sideways type.
"All the copy on the inside is printed upside down and skewed to the top," said Sorya Gaulin of Indigo Books and Music, who snapped up a defective copy of the book that she discovered in a store order.
Misprints aren't uncommon in the publishing world and even though the few defective copies are sure to draw special attention among the wizard-wild public, at least one collector says they won't amount to much more than a conversation piece.
"Books are bound upside down all the time. Dust jackets are misprinted, there's crooked type," said Burlington, Ont., bookseller Len Shoup.
A spokesman for Raincoast Books agreed that it's normal a few copies in a print run would have some faults, adding the company will exchange any defective copies of the book.
One of the flawed books was for sale yesterday on online auction house eBay, drawing bids of almost $60. The book retails for about $41 in Canada.
Since so many million copies have been printed, Shoup suggested the latest Harry holds little interest for collectors.
"In my humble opinion, any copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that came out Friday night at 12:01 isn't going to be worth much more 30 years from now because there are so many copies," he said.
Some 6.9 million first edition copies were sold in the U.S. over the weekend. More than two million were snapped up in the United Kingdom and Amazon's online book websites sold 1.5 million copies through advance orders. A spokesman for Raincoast said yesterday numbers weren't available for Canada.
A first-printing, first-edition of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, might be worth upwards of $30,000 US today, Shoup said.
You can check out one of the auctions over here.
eBay Cancels Anything Points
eBay is discontinuing its Anything Points loyalty program on the U.S. eBay site, though the program will remain in effect on eBay Canada. The two-year-old program allowed users to convert loyalty points garnered from participating partners to eBay "Anything Points" and use them to purchase items on eBay or pay their eBay fees. The program was tied to eBay's online payment service PayPal.
eBay said the program will officially end on February 28, 2006 and the transition process would begin immediately. Participants will be able to use any points they have accumulated until August 31, 2006. All points that have not been used by August 31, 2006 will become invalid. eBay advised users of the eBay Anything Points credit card to contact their respective credit card providers.
eBay said the program will officially end on February 28, 2006 and the transition process would begin immediately. Participants will be able to use any points they have accumulated until August 31, 2006. All points that have not been used by August 31, 2006 will become invalid. eBay advised users of the eBay Anything Points credit card to contact their respective credit card providers.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Man Sells Trash On eBay
A Bethany man is being sued by Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon for allegedly sending garbage and even feces to eBay customers who thought they were bidding for new or slightly used clothing.
Nixon filed the fraud suit against Michael Pickens. His wife, Tamera Pickens, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he is disabled with a rare blood disease, is unemployed and has never sold anything over the Internet.
The suit claims Internet ads promised top-quality clothes, including ads from Victoria’s Secret, Banana Republic and other well-known brands. But when customers placed their orders through the online auction site eBay, the suit says, Pickens arranged for the shipments to come from companies that sell industrial rags, unwanted clothing or household items meant for poor countries.
In one case, a customer allegedly received feces.
Nixon said Pickens either ignored or refused requests for refunds.
The lawsuit, filed in Harrison County Circuit Court, seeks a permanent injunction and fines of $1,000 per violation.
Nixon filed the fraud suit against Michael Pickens. His wife, Tamera Pickens, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he is disabled with a rare blood disease, is unemployed and has never sold anything over the Internet.
The suit claims Internet ads promised top-quality clothes, including ads from Victoria’s Secret, Banana Republic and other well-known brands. But when customers placed their orders through the online auction site eBay, the suit says, Pickens arranged for the shipments to come from companies that sell industrial rags, unwanted clothing or household items meant for poor countries.
In one case, a customer allegedly received feces.
Nixon said Pickens either ignored or refused requests for refunds.
The lawsuit, filed in Harrison County Circuit Court, seeks a permanent injunction and fines of $1,000 per violation.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Mike Tyson's Mansion
Mike Tyson's former mansion, about an hour southwest of Cleveland, is up for sale again -- this time on eBay -- for $3.5 million.
The sprawling 35-year-old stone and wood home has 22 rooms and three ponds on 65 wooded acres -- and a lot of gloomy history.
The original owner lost the estate to foreclosure.
Tyson invested in the Ohio solitude but sold out to an Akron infomercial guru, Paul Monea, in 1999, when the IRS came around, the Cleveland Plain Dealer said. Monea lived there until he went to prison two years ago for tax evasion.
The sprawling 35-year-old stone and wood home has 22 rooms and three ponds on 65 wooded acres -- and a lot of gloomy history.
The original owner lost the estate to foreclosure.
Tyson invested in the Ohio solitude but sold out to an Akron infomercial guru, Paul Monea, in 1999, when the IRS came around, the Cleveland Plain Dealer said. Monea lived there until he went to prison two years ago for tax evasion.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Three Headed Ant Dies
The Three Stooges, Newburgh's freakish three-headed ant who gained brief notoriety after landing at the on-line auction site eBay on Monday, has died. Age and gender are unknown. The cause of death was apparently starvation."I tried everything I could think of, but it didn't work," said Christine Macri, who found the bug clinging to a sunflower plant in her backyard Sunday. "I tried feeding him something sweet, but he didn't eat that." Except for its 15 minutes of fame in yesterday's newspaper, much of Stooges' life remains a mystery.
This much is clear to at least one expert: The one-quarter-inch-long bug only had one head of its own. After reviewing photos of the ant, Philip S. Ward, an ant expert at the University of California Davis, said the other two heads appeared to belong to ants that had been decapitated and speared gladiator-style, probably during an ant war. Other than that, it's anyone's guess.
"I felt sorry for it," Macri said of her decision to try and nurse the bug back to health before selling it. "When you think about people (or ants for that matter) who are Siamese twins, you think about how awful it would be to live that way."
The ant's untimely death won't stop the online auction, however. The Orange County artist said she is looking for ways to preserve the ant. "A friend told me to put it in the freezer," she said. "But I don't know. It might get freezer burn. Then, if someone wanted to dissect it or look at it, it might change its make up."
Anyway, check it out over here.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
eBay and SkillJam
eBay is to launch a new service that allows its members to compete in online skill games for cash prizes.
The online auctioneer has partnered with SkillJam, a gaming subsidiary of Fun technologies, to offer its users a selection of multiplayer skill games.
Starting in October, SkillJam will offer a selection of co-branded games on eBay, which will be advertised within relevant areas of eBay’s online marketplace.
For example, a user looking to buy a chess board may see a pop up inviting them to play a game of online chess on eBay’s gaming section.
Users will be required to pay an as yet unspecified fee to play the games online, which give them the opportunity to win prizes.
SkillJam develops and distributes private-label gaming solutions for several clients in the US and abroad, including AOL, MSN's Zone.com and Disney's Go.com. Its most popular games include “Zuma”, “Bejeweled” and “Dynomite”.
The online auctioneer has partnered with SkillJam, a gaming subsidiary of Fun technologies, to offer its users a selection of multiplayer skill games.
Starting in October, SkillJam will offer a selection of co-branded games on eBay, which will be advertised within relevant areas of eBay’s online marketplace.
For example, a user looking to buy a chess board may see a pop up inviting them to play a game of online chess on eBay’s gaming section.
Users will be required to pay an as yet unspecified fee to play the games online, which give them the opportunity to win prizes.
SkillJam develops and distributes private-label gaming solutions for several clients in the US and abroad, including AOL, MSN's Zone.com and Disney's Go.com. Its most popular games include “Zuma”, “Bejeweled” and “Dynomite”.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Alien Abduction
This one is funny enough that I'll just give you the auction description...Have you ever wondered about Alien Abductions? Have you ever wanted to be abducted by an alien? Do you want to go on a fun space ship ride? Do you want to see how how other galaxies are? I have been abducted so many times. The first time I was abducted I was scared. I didn't know what to expect but I became very friendly with the aliens. They are not here to hurt us they are very friendly and nice. I have seen so many things that is so unreal and hard to belive but is true. There are items that I was given that is thousands of years away from even starting to have here on Earth. I am waiting on permission from the higher ups if I can put anything like that on here. If I get the ok you will see it on here. I got the ok to do a UFO advertising. It will be the 1st in this WORLD to do. That will be going up next. I know there are people out there that want to be abducted so I decided to put this up on here. I got permission from them. I would never do this without there permission. Now to be clear on what you will be bidding on AND receiving. You will be bidding on to be abducted 1 time with the possibility of being abducted more times. You will be able to fly in a spaceship and meet the aliens.
Check out the auction here.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
A Stalker's Letter
So what do you do when you get a letter from a psycho stalker? Sell it on eBay, duh.It currently has 8 bids with the high bid being $66.
Not sure what else to say about this one, other than you can check it out over here.
World's Biggest Waste Of Money
A man from New Jersey is auctioning off the "The World's Biggest Waste of Money" on the online auction site eBay. The auction has already received almost 2,000 views has been bid up to $24.50 by a total of 29 bidders. The item remains one of the most watched items on eBay, and is on one of eBay's pages of "most popular" items.Steven Toth, 23, who placed the auction on eBay, says that he knows "people buy some really weird things on eBay that they later say were a big waste of money, so I thought it would be funny to see how far I could take it. I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in an auction for a big a waste of money."
Strange eBay auctions have been getting national attention recently. In one case, a woman auctioned off advertising space on her forehead to the tune of ten thousand dollars. This latest national attention grabbing auction really pushes the limit of what people will buy on eBay.
"People buy everything on eBay, but it will be fun to see how far this goes!" Mr. Toth said.
The auction is available for bids until July 17, and is availible for viewing over here.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Jay Leno Chicken Nugget
Here's another food auction item up for bid. This one is a chicken nugget shaped like Jay Leno.Personally I don't think it looks anything like Jay Leno, but apparently some people do, because it already has attracted 18 bids with the top bid being $300 (5 1/2 days are still left on the auction).
You can check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Original Lightsabers For Auction
The legendary lightsabers brandished by Star Wars characters Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader are up for auction alongside a bevy of memorabilia from the sci-fi saga.The iconic weapons, which go under the hammer on July 29, have been valued at a staggering $140,000 by Los Angeles auction house Profiles in History.
Other items soon to be at the centre of a bidding frenzy include Skywalker's orange X-Wing pilot jumpsuit, which is valued at $80,000, Yoda's mask, and a Stormtrooper "blaster" weapon.
The lightsaber used by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back is likely to fetch $60,000, while the Jedi Knight's weapon is estimated to reach $80,000 in the auction.
But bidders will be disappointed if they expect the sabers to light up as they did on screen--their glowing appearance was all down to special effects.
All 75 items are presently owned by Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz who created a huge prop archive with Star Wars historian Jason Joiner.
UConn Playbook on eBay
Former Huskies walk-on football player Mark Punzelt tried to sell his 2004 playbook on eBay according to a report in the Hartford Advocate.
The playbook was listed on the online auction site June 17 and removed by Punzelt two days after UConn officials contacted him. Two users had already placed bids for $24.99 and $100.01, respectively.
Punzelt told the Advocate in an e-mail that his intentions were not malicious.
"As soon as I realized it was a problem, I took it down and had it returned to the UConn football office," he wrote. "I meant to sell it as a collectable, not to jeopardize UConn football in any way."
And there isn't much reason to question Punzelt on that point. He made no efforts to hide his identity as the seller, given his eBay user name contained his first name, last initial and listed his location as Madison, Conn.
In a similar incident, copies of the Miami Hurricanes playbook were stolen in 2002 and parts posted on the Internet. Head coach Larry Coker downplayed the importance of the information leak.
Now, James Hofher, head coach at the University of Buffalo has done the same. His Bulls face the Huskies in both teams' season opener. In an e-mail to the Advocate, Hofher writes that the playbook in question is outdated and thus of little use to anyone.
"They will have changed some things in their attack because the players have changed quite a bit on offense," Hofher writes.
Furthermore, he thinks the speed and complexity of the game limit even the value of a current playbook.
"To expect a collegian to be able to decipher some command from an opposing QB, at the line of scrimmage, in the three to five seconds that it may occur, and try to have the defensive signal caller alert/adjust a defense accordingly in one to three seconds is pretty remote, if not unrealistic," Hofher writes.
The playbook was listed on the online auction site June 17 and removed by Punzelt two days after UConn officials contacted him. Two users had already placed bids for $24.99 and $100.01, respectively.
Punzelt told the Advocate in an e-mail that his intentions were not malicious.
"As soon as I realized it was a problem, I took it down and had it returned to the UConn football office," he wrote. "I meant to sell it as a collectable, not to jeopardize UConn football in any way."
And there isn't much reason to question Punzelt on that point. He made no efforts to hide his identity as the seller, given his eBay user name contained his first name, last initial and listed his location as Madison, Conn.
In a similar incident, copies of the Miami Hurricanes playbook were stolen in 2002 and parts posted on the Internet. Head coach Larry Coker downplayed the importance of the information leak.
Now, James Hofher, head coach at the University of Buffalo has done the same. His Bulls face the Huskies in both teams' season opener. In an e-mail to the Advocate, Hofher writes that the playbook in question is outdated and thus of little use to anyone.
"They will have changed some things in their attack because the players have changed quite a bit on offense," Hofher writes.
Furthermore, he thinks the speed and complexity of the game limit even the value of a current playbook.
"To expect a collegian to be able to decipher some command from an opposing QB, at the line of scrimmage, in the three to five seconds that it may occur, and try to have the defensive signal caller alert/adjust a defense accordingly in one to three seconds is pretty remote, if not unrealistic," Hofher writes.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
PayPal In China
eBay Inc. will offer its online payment service PayPal in China by the end of this year, the company said Wednesday, continuing its push to grow there.
PayPal spokeswoman Amanda Pires declined to give specific details about the launch.
With growth in the United States and Germany slowing, eBay has looked for other growth opportunities. In the past, Chief Executive Meg Whitman has pointed to several characteristics that make China an appealing market, including that its online population is expected to exceed that of the United States by 2009.
eBay, which is based in San Jose, announced in January that it would increase its investment in China this year.
eBay's Chinese site is called EachNet and offers items in both auction and fixed-price formats.
eBay purchased PayPal in October 2002. PayPal had 22.1 million active accounts as of March 31, the end of eBay's first quarter.
PayPal spokeswoman Amanda Pires declined to give specific details about the launch.
With growth in the United States and Germany slowing, eBay has looked for other growth opportunities. In the past, Chief Executive Meg Whitman has pointed to several characteristics that make China an appealing market, including that its online population is expected to exceed that of the United States by 2009.
eBay, which is based in San Jose, announced in January that it would increase its investment in China this year.
eBay's Chinese site is called EachNet and offers items in both auction and fixed-price formats.
eBay purchased PayPal in October 2002. PayPal had 22.1 million active accounts as of March 31, the end of eBay's first quarter.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Stolen Stamps
Part of Charles Starne’s stamp collection, worth an estimated $350,000 when stolen in 1983 has apparently turned up on eBay. An eagle-eyed collector in Florida recognised some distinctive imperfections among the material whilst browsing the website and reported the matter to the FBI.
No arrests have yet been made but the FBI have seized the stamps and the investigation is ongoing.
No arrests have yet been made but the FBI have seized the stamps and the investigation is ongoing.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Justin Timberlake's Puke
The latest rumour flying around is that Justin Timberpants – he of the snake hips and pencil-thin A-list girlfriend – threw up in his OWN restaurant.
Hotly denied by the star, the gossip-mongers claim he was chowing down at his Chi eatery in LA but couldn’t make it to the bogs in time and chucked up on the floor.
Health and safety would surely have something to say.
America’s Star magazine makes the stomach-churning claims, saying a source said, “he really overdid it, he partied until he puked, right there at the bar”.
But Up-Chucky Timberlake denied it all, and the New York Post was informed by his people: “That's not true. I'm sure he's thrown up in his life before, but not at that restaurant."
In an amusing aside, Star magazine said staff at the restaurant were allegedly discussing how much they would get if they flogged his vom on eBay.
Hotly denied by the star, the gossip-mongers claim he was chowing down at his Chi eatery in LA but couldn’t make it to the bogs in time and chucked up on the floor.
Health and safety would surely have something to say.
America’s Star magazine makes the stomach-churning claims, saying a source said, “he really overdid it, he partied until he puked, right there at the bar”.
But Up-Chucky Timberlake denied it all, and the New York Post was informed by his people: “That's not true. I'm sure he's thrown up in his life before, but not at that restaurant."
In an amusing aside, Star magazine said staff at the restaurant were allegedly discussing how much they would get if they flogged his vom on eBay.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Godfather Script Sets Record
Marlon Brando's annotated film script from the 1972 film The Godfather brought more than $390,000 in an auction of the star's memorabilia that netted a total of $3 million.
The script fetched more than 20 times its estimated auction price. It was the largest amount paid for any single item at the auction, and the highest amount ever paid for a film script, according to Christie's New York.
Godfather mementos were the hottest items under the hammer. A letter from the book's author, Mario Puzo, asking Brando to take the role of Don Corleone brought $170,000 A photograph of Brando and Rita Moreno in the 1968 film The Night of the Following Day - the only piece of movie memorabilia that Brando kept in his home - brought $63,000. A 1961 telegram from Brando to Marilyn Monroe sold for $50,000 "I feel humbled by collectors and fans who have spent so freely to own a piece of my father's heritage and history," Miko Brando, one of the star's children, said in a statement.
Prices included a 20 per cent buyer's premium on sales up to $260,000 and 12 per cent on amounts exceeding $260,000. The collection featured more than 250 items removed from Brando's Los Angeles home, where the famously private actor had lived since 1960. He died of lung failure in July 2004 at age 80.
The previous record for a film script was $320,000 for Clark Gable's copy of Gone With the Wind in 1996.
The script fetched more than 20 times its estimated auction price. It was the largest amount paid for any single item at the auction, and the highest amount ever paid for a film script, according to Christie's New York.
Godfather mementos were the hottest items under the hammer. A letter from the book's author, Mario Puzo, asking Brando to take the role of Don Corleone brought $170,000 A photograph of Brando and Rita Moreno in the 1968 film The Night of the Following Day - the only piece of movie memorabilia that Brando kept in his home - brought $63,000. A 1961 telegram from Brando to Marilyn Monroe sold for $50,000 "I feel humbled by collectors and fans who have spent so freely to own a piece of my father's heritage and history," Miko Brando, one of the star's children, said in a statement.
Prices included a 20 per cent buyer's premium on sales up to $260,000 and 12 per cent on amounts exceeding $260,000. The collection featured more than 250 items removed from Brando's Los Angeles home, where the famously private actor had lived since 1960. He died of lung failure in July 2004 at age 80.
The previous record for a film script was $320,000 for Clark Gable's copy of Gone With the Wind in 1996.
Friday, July 01, 2005
18 Foot Mech For Sale
Super dorks with at least $40,000 to spare can bid on a towering mecha that shoots flames and has red glowing eyes.Carlos Owens Junior of Wasilla has listed his 18-foot handmade hydraulic exoskeleton on eBay.
The minimum bid is $35,000, plus $5,000 to ship the 3,000 pound structure from Alaska.
The 27-year-old apprentice ironworker says he's selling the rust-red machine to fund construction of his next project -- a mobile amphibious mecha that would run on wheels or tracks.
Owens took almost two years and more than $20,000 to construct his prototype mecha in his parents' back yard. Unlike robots, which are operated remotely, mechas are operated by the person riding inside the frame.
I guess there isn't a whole lot to do for kids in Alaska. If you want it, check it out here.
Accidental eBay Seller Porn
Let's say you have a spare 19" monitor laying around. Rather than junking it, you decide to sell it on eBay for a little cash... Except you forget that a monitor has a reflective surface and you are naked.
Hopefully this guy gets lots of money for the monitor and can buy some clothes.
Anyway, if you want a monitor, you can bid on it here.
Hopefully this guy gets lots of money for the monitor and can buy some clothes.
Anyway, if you want a monitor, you can bid on it here.
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