Plant a Tree on Earth Day with StumbleUpon's "Thumbs Up for Trees!"

Hello everyone. I'm Katie Sween from StumbleUpon (an eBay company that helps users discover great websites) here to tell you about a cool Earth Day event that starts today and runs through May 2nd. Every day millions of StumbleUpon users discover great websites and give them a "Thumbs-up" so that other users with similar interests can also discover, or "stumble upon" them.

Starting this Earth Day, we want to harness the power of our Community and the "Thumbs-up" to plant trees for the National Forest Foundation. 

Simply visit www.stumbleupon.com/Earthday and use the StumbleUpon toolbar to thumbs-up the page. From now through May 2nd, with every thumbs-up StumbleUpon will plant a tree with help from the National Forest Foundation. Your thumbs-up means more trees for America's National Forests and more awareness for this cause. Join the National Forest Foundation and StumbleUpon this Earth Day and help us plant thousands of trees for the National Forest Foundation. No digging required!

You might also want to join Tiki Barber's Earth Day campaign on eBay, sponsored by StumbleUpon. The retired New York Giants running back legend and media personality is supporting Earth Day through an auction on eBay -- the winner and three friends will get to spend a weekend with one of America's most beloved sports heroes!

In case you're not yet familiar, StumbleUpon helps you discover websites based on your interests, learns what you like, and brings you more. For example, say you are interested in the environment (and something tells me you may be). With StumbleUpon you will discover great websites, photos, blogs and news about the environment. All personalized for you. Clicking the Stumble button will bring you to one new website after another. You can rate the websites as you are Stumbling and we use your ratings to determine which sites are best for you. 

Thank you and happy Earth Day!

"Go Big" with a Hollywood Hair Stylist - I don't mean Bee-hives

Have you ever been at the movie theatre or sitting at home watching television and thought to yourself, "I wonder who styles that actress' hair?"

Or perhaps you've always wanted to have a brand new hair-do styled by one of those posh, Hollywood stylists to the stars? Well, here's your chance to bid on a similar experience.

Hollywood A-list Hair stylist, Ken Paves, seen frequently on T.V. on Oprah, is spearheading the "Ken Paves Big Give Charity Auction." Proceeds raised will benefit the EB Medical Research Foundation.

Check out some of the cool items from celebrities like Brad Pitt & George Clooney, David Beckam, Bette Middler, Courtney Cox, Duran Duran, and many more.

Here's your chance to "give big" by doing good through eBay Giving Works.  

Meet Kristin Davis on eBay!

Another Oxfam-ous celeb sighting on eBay, after last week's Scarlett Johansson listing. This time it's good girl Charlotte from Sex And The City who's doing the good works. Kristin Davis is auctioning off two tickets to the premiere of Sex And The City: The Movie, in which she reprises the role of good girl Charlotte.

It turns out that, in real life too, Kristin's been emulating the persona of the character that made her famous. She's been supporting Oxfam since the 2004 South East Asian tsunami. More recently, she's also devoted her attention to the efforts of women's groups and community-based organizations whose work focuses on the response to the HIV epidemic.

According to the listing description, the winning bidder will receive:

• Two tickets to the world premiere of Sex and the City in New York City on May 27, 2008.
• On camera meet and greet with Kristin Davis at the premiere
• Chauffeured car service to the premiere
• Hair and makeup for one person by Privé
• A pair of Jimmy Choo "Felix" shoes in your size. Size range: 35.5-40.5 (US 5.5-10.5)

In addition, of course, the winning bidder will also receive the satisfaction of knowing that the proceeds from this auction are going to Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice.

Visit Kristin Davis' eBay listing to watch a little video in which she talks about her support for Oxfam.

Meg's Retirement - Onion Style

I had to share this "infographic" - it's from The Onion, which is just about the funniest site out there. It speculates on the REAL reasons Meg is retiring. As my cube-neighbor Griff put it, "This is hilarious - I laughed 'til I stopped."

Check it out here. Now I've got to find my old PayAcquaintance T-shirts.

Meet Scarlett Johansson on eBay!

The Scarlett Johansson adrift in hotel hallways or Tokyo's neon-streaked disorienting streets in Lost in Translation we know. The luminous Scarlett (just like a Vermeer painting) from Girl with a Pearl Earring we know as well. And we know Scarlett as the charming yet steely Annie the Nanny in The Nanny Diaries. But do we know the real Scarlett? There's always been an aura around her (I think) of being far-off and unreachable, in all the roles I've seen her in.

Not any more. In her latest role, Scarlett Johansson is playing herself –- and she’s doing it on eBay! The winner of her charity listing will get to meet Scarlett in person, at the premiere of her upcoming movie He's Just Not That Into You. The winner can take pride in knowing that the proceeds from this auction are going to Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice.

As a fan of Scarlett Johansson, I would have loved to spend a few minutes getting to know her in person. Last time I looked though, the high bid on the auction was up to $19,100 -- an amount way beyond my modest means. Some other lucky winner will have the joy of being chauffeured in style to the premiere, their hair and make-up cleverly crafted by Prive. But if I had enough doubloons in the old war chest, you can be sure that I would have snapped up a date with Scarlett with a quick Buy It Now, so that in years to come it would be said of me, "His BINs were Scarlett, but his blogs were read."

"Git-R-Done" for Juvenile Diabetes Research

Alright everybody, "Git-R-Done"!  That's the famous saying from Larry the Cable Guy. You probably know him as one of three comedians that make up the Blue Collar Comedy team, along with Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Engvall.

You're probably wondering what it is you're supposed to "Git-Done," right?

Well, that would be checking out and perhaps bidding on Larry The Cable Guy's auctions for charity. First, is two VIP tickets to one of his famously sold-out comedy shows, complete with a special meet-and-greet with Mr. Cable Guy himself.  But the BIG prize here is his beloved 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 Sport Truck, which Larry the Cable Guy has personally signed himself. The auctions started on Monday, Feb. 11 and the truck is up to  $20,100 and the VIP tickets to his show are going for $2,250.

Listed using eBay's Giving Works feature, 100% of the proceeds of both auctions go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Look for the blue and gold ribbon  icons used to distinguish any item listed for a non-profit through Charity Giving Works.

So now you know. So, go on, "Git-R-Done" as these two fantastic auctions end tomorrow to help out a very worthy cause.

May I Have the Envelope Please?

Maybe the stars in Hollywood don't have as many red carpet awards shows this year, but the latest promotion from eBay brings the red carpet to you.  On February 4th, eBay launched the "And the Winner Is...YOU!" promotion, which runs through February 29th.  (Yes, it is a leap year!)  There are daily instant winners of eBay Gift Certificates, and each entry also puts you in the running for one of the Grand Prizes which include a VIP trip to 2009 Grammy®  Awards, a VIP trip to the 2008 Indy 500® , or $10,000 to spend on eBay. 

In keeping with the awards show theme, be sure to check out the latest TV commercials, which include Awards Show, Acceptance Speech, and Vocal Exercises. 

And if you're hungry for your fix of celebrities, we have some of those too!  A number of A-listers will be a part of the eBay red carpet experience, with some one-of-a-kind items and experiences up for auction through eBay Giving Works.  The best part is all of the proceeds will benefit non-profit organizations.  Shakira has a number of auctions currently running, and Tom Hanks recently completed some radio auctions which raised over $13,000 for the Freeplay Foundation.  More auctions will be added throughout the month from Larry the Cable Guy, Scarlett, Johansson, Kristin Davis and more. 

I think I hear the crescendo of music telling me my time on this stage is complete.  Be sure to check the Shop Victoriously site throughout the month to enter the instant win game and sweepstakes and to see the latest celebrity auctions.  Here is the Awards Show TV commercial:

Remember to Vote & Join Main Street Members on Super Tuesday

What better day to talk about politics than on this Super Primary Election Day? As you may know, Americans registered to vote in 22 states are headed to the polls today, casting ballots for their respective party’s nomination to be President of the United States. Not only is this a great day to get out and vote (if you live in one of those 22 states), but it is also a perfect time to remind all eBay members about eBay's Main Street Member program.

The Main Street Member program is designed to keep you up to date on important political information and legislation that could directly impact eBay buyers and sellers. eBay's dedicated Government Relations team works fervently on behalf of the eBay Community. However, no amount of lobbying and elbow-rubbing can match the simple fact that elected politicians listen to and respond best to the folks who put them into office - their constituents. 

That's where you come in. You can add your voice to the thousands of eBay members who have joined the Main Street Member program, getting your message out to your elected leaders. It offers opportunities to tell your elected officials how proposed legislation could affect you if it were passed. For example, last year, Main Street members visited state capitals in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas, and met with lawmakers to let them know how legislative regulations in those states would impact their eBay activity.

Other topics like requiring auctioneering licenses, open ticket trade markets, and state sales taxes activated Main Street Members in other states. The eBay Government Relations team requested Main Street Members to take time to write their elected officials and let them know why they favored or opposed specific legislation.

To give you an idea of the impact Main Street Members have, they've successfully promoted legislation to exempt eBay sellers from undue regulations required of traditional auctioneers. Another campaign focused on removing price caps on the resale of tickets, increasing availability and allowing buyers and sellers to trade tickets in a free and open marketplace.

Finally, some Main Street Members have had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to oppose efforts to require eBay sellers to collect and pay taxes to the states (and thousands of local jurisdictions) where their customers are located. (Learn more about the State Stream-Lined Sales Tax)

Combined with some of the issues already mentioned, 2008 brings about new legislative challenges. If you'd like to let your voice be heard in Washington D.C. or in your respective State house, simply go to www.ebaymainstreet.com to become an eBay Main Street Member. As eBay’s Vice President of Government Relations Tod Cohen puts it, “No amount of money or highly skilled lobbyist can compare with the power of a lawmaker’s constituent explaining how a single vote could impact his or her livelihood.”

Oh, by the way, if you haven’t already voted today and you live in one of the 22 states holding primaries, be sure to get out there and cast that ballot! In my opinion, it’s one of the best parts about being a citizen of these United States.

Run Your Own Amazing Race While Looking Like Ron and Chris

I'm not a huge reality show junkie (except for that darn Survivor addiction that I always say I'm  going to shake and then never do), but I consider The Amazing Race to be must-see TV. If you've never tuned in, here's how it works. Teams of two people, each with a relationship that can vary from "Sisters" to "Newly Dating" to "Grandfather/Grandson," are racing around the world, completing tasks to earn clues that tell them where to go next. Each episode covers a leg of the race, and the last team to cross the finish line each show is eliminated. Once they're down to the final 3 teams, it's an all-out mad dash to finish first overall and claim the million dollar grand prize.

I love it because the contestants get to visit (and do activities in) a variety of locales all around the world. In fact, I've even applied for the show - the fact that we didn't even make it to the "rejection form letter" stage tells you all you need to know about how interesting our video was.

Anyway, as I perused the CBS site looking for details about next season, I saw a note that father/daughter team Ronald and Christina, the second-place finishers from the previous race, were auctioning off the shirts they'd worn during the race on eBay (including his famous "Who's Your Daddy" shirt). Theirs was a cool story. He's a self-described workaholic dad that wasn't around much while Christina was growing up, and they hoped the race would bring them closer together. After some rough moments early on, Ronald learrned to put away his critical side and started treating his daughter as an equal. After that, they cruised to the finals, and were just edged out for the big prize at the end.

But the reason why they're auctioning off the shirts is even cooler. During the show they spent two legs in Burkina Faso, one of the poorer nations in the world. There they were struck by the living conditions, and the fact that most children don't have access to even basic education. They decided to do something about it, and are auctioning the shirts off through eBay Giving Works to benefit Sheltering Wings, an orphanage in the town of Yako that provides shelter and care to children who have lost their parents and have no access to primary education. Check out all the details, and the shirts, on the About Me page they put together.

Celebrity Stars Shine for a Good Cause

If you haven't visited the Shop Victoriously site lately, take a look around! The site has been updated and the red carpet rolled out for some great celebrities and their auctions to benefit various non-profits.

Tom Hanks has kicked things off with some unique Lifeline radios up for auction.  Not only has he autographed the radios, but the winner will also receive a personal letter and signed photo from him as well! Lifeline radios can be powered either by solar or by wind-up, and they provide crucial lines of communication in many parts of Africa where electricity is non-existent. These radios provide education, health advice, life skills and news to children, farmers, and the general population. Check out the video (starring, of course, Mr. Hanks) which really demonstrates the power of these radios.

He's listed 10 of these autographed radios through eBay Giving Works, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Freeplay Foundation. The Freeplay Foundation's mission is to provide sustainable access to information and education to the poorest of the poor.

While on the Shop Victoriously site, you might also see another exciting promotion coming in early February for your chance to win cool prizes as we continue to roll out the red carpet. In addition, other unique celebrity auctions will be added soon from Shakira, Counting Crows, Scarlett Johansson, Kristin Davis, Colin Firth, and more! Check the Shop Victoriously site regularly for updates.

A Follow Up... to the 12 Days of Christmas bought on eBay

Greetings. I wanted to follow-up and thank you all for your posts on The Twelve Days of Christmas Purchased on eBay thread. Here are a few things I wanted to mention about some of your posts. 

First, silverhawktd, I'm not sure I want to hear "Hey, I Think I Love Ya" and "Come on Get Happy" that many times. Won't just one record do, please?

Next, shebby44 gets the prize for the DEEEEPEST pockets or a whole lot of loving going on, because their total came to $148,011.60. Which is not bad at all if you have the cash to afford it.  Congrats for having the deepest pockets!

The Historian award goes to desertrose48 for providing some very insightful information about the symbolic meaning behind each of the items to the carol The Twelve Days of Christmas. I really enjoyed reading that, so thank you.

Finally, my favorite post goes to minnymalse for what I think are the best pictures and for finding all "12 Days" for about as inexpensively as I think could possibly be done. Their grand total of about $150.83 just might set a record. Well done to you, minnymalse. 

I also want to thank everyone who took time to post, especially for those who found mine and the other members' efforts funny and entertaining.  I'm not sure, but I think we may have to start an annual competition here on the Chatter Blog for the "12 Days of Christmas purchased on eBay." 

Please let me know your thoughts by posting to the current thread on the Chatter Blog discussion board.

Thanks again to every one and I wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2008!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, eBay Style

With less than one week remaining until Santa Claus jumps into his sleigh to visit the homes of all the good boys and girls, my fellow Chatter Bloggers and I thought it would be fun to see how much it would cost to buy all the items from the Christmas carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" –- on eBay! 

To add to the fun, I got a bit creative on the Twelve Days of Christmas theme and included my own variations from the traditional list. It will be fun to see how creative you Chatter readers can get with your lists (and price totals) of finding the famous items mentioned in the carol. So, if you have your own version of Twelve Days of Christmas on eBay, post it on this thread on the Chatter Blog discussion board!
And now, without the singing, (too bad, because I have a pretty decent voice, if I do say so myself), here's my take on the price of purchasing The Twelve Days of Christmas on eBay.

On the first day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

A Partridge Family CD in a Pear Tree.

Buy It Now price of the CD (not including shipping): $9.99
Buy It Now price of a Callery Flowering Strong Wooded Bradford Pear Tree (not including shipping): $3.95

(Bummer if you live in California or Hawaii – due to agricultural restrictions, you won’t be able to have the tree shipped there!)

Total so far: $13.94

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On the second day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree. 

Price of 2 turtle doves from the Audubon “Holiday Birds” collection: $15.00

Total so far: $28.94

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On the third day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Three French Hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

My search for "French hen" resulted in a ton of listings, but this one was definitely among my favorites.

Price of French chef figurine with three French hens: $49.99

Total so far: $78.93

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On the fourth day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Four Calling Birds Fairy by Mark Roberts, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.   

Total price of this charming Mark Roberts fairy: $75.50

Total so far: $154.43

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On the fifth day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Five Golden Rings. Have you ever wondered why there's such a long pause during this part of the song? Me too! Anyway, we're at five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. 

Price of 5 golden wedding band rings at $84 each = $420.00

Total so far: $574.43

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On the sixth day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Six Geese A-Laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. I figured we could just lay these hunting decoys on their sides to depict laying geese. That works, right?  

Price of 6 Avery Greenhead Gear full body goose decoys: $112.50

Total so far: $686.93

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On the seventh day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Seven Swans A-Swimming Swan Lake CD. So now we're up to seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Price of a new sealed CD of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake: $8.73 

Total so far: $695.66

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On the eighth day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Eight Maids A-Milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree..

Price of 8 Complete portable Milker milking machines with vacuum pumps, at $690.00 each = $5,520.00

Now I realize that the total went up nearly ten-fold by adding these milking machines, but wait until you see how I saved a ton of money on the ninth and tenth days of Christmas! 

Total so far: $6215.66

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On the ninth and tenth days of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Nine Ladies Dancing & 10 Lords A-Leaping, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

1 Pair of tickets for the Dancing With the Stars Tour in Los Angeles (airfare not included), at $119.00 each = $238.00

See what I mean about the money saved by combining the nine dancing ladies with the ten leaping lords?

Total so far: $6453.66

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On the eleventh day of Christmas, My eBay showed to me:

Eleven Pipers Piping, ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.   

Price of 11 bagpipe learning kits at $145 each: $1595

Total so far: $8048.66

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On the twelfth day of Christmas, My eBay showed for me:

Twelve Drummers Drumming, eleven Pipers Piping, ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. .

Price of 12 seven-piece drum sets at $329.99 each = $3959.88

Grand Total: $12008.54

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So, there you have it. My Twelve Days of Christmas on eBay come in at a whopping $12008.54! And that's not including shipping. At just over a thousand bucks for each line in the carol, this is a tiny bit above my budget! But I’m sure all you smart buyers and sellers out there will be able to beat my total easily.

Just remember to post your own Twelve Days of Christmas on eBay versions on the Chatter blog discussion board, and let's see who comes up with the lowest and highest amounts!

Happy Holidays!

The Traveling Lab Coat Journey Continues

Seasons Greetings!

I trust everyone is super busy preparing for and enjoying this holiday season.  If you don’t mind, I’d like to give you an opportunity to take a break from all the holiday hubbub, if you will, and read about the next stop along the journey to what is fast becoming known as the, eBay Live Traveling Lab Coat .  For those of you who are not familiar with the escapades of this illustrious lab coat, I encourage you all to read about the earlier stops in our previous blog post.

In keeping with the “Traveling Lab Coat” tradition, previous auction winner, ebetsy, listed this item with eBay Giving Works and chose the AIDS Services of Dallas as the benefactor of 100% of the proceeds raised under ebetsy’s eBay Live Traveling Lab Coat  auction.  AIDS Services of Dallas is the largest provider of medically supportive housing in Texas for those in need living with HIV/AIDS. 

Be sure to check out ebetsy’s fun and fanciful video of herself while she opened and tried on her stunning lab coat she won on eBay.  Can you believe she managed all that while singing her rendition of Weird Al’s “eBay” song?

This notion of “paying it forward” is special and definitely exciting to watch as the eBay Live Traveling Lab Coat gains momentum with in the Community.  If you want to jump on the momentum you should know the auction ends tomorrow with the current bid amount at $315.00 so if you’re going to bid, hurry up and place that bid now! Good Luck!

7th on Sale Holiday Picks from Constance White, eBay's Style Director

Greetings! You may recall my recent blog post about the 7th on Sale charity event, which was also spotlighted by eBay Giving Works. I decided to visit the 7th on Sale eBay Store to see how the event was progressing. I was quite excited to see some of the final prices that I came across and if they are any indication of success, then 7th on Sale 2007 should have no problem surpassing their goal of doubling the total from the 2005 event. 

Since the movie The Devil Wears Prada is about the Fashion Industry, I thought there might be some common themes between the movie and 7th on Sale. I found this beautiful gown designed by Valentino and worn by actress Anne Hathaway to the 2007 Oscar movie awards. Although this elegant dress with white lace gown with black pleated bow and beaded detailing was valued at $15,500, the lucky winning buyer was able to snag it for $2,205. In addition, the best part is that every dollar of the sale benefits those living with and fighting HIV/AIDS.

Next, while browsing some other 7th on Sale 2007 items, I came across this tomato red, Tracy Reese cocktail dress, worn by Desperate Housewives actress, Eva Longoria. It attracted 64 bids, and after starting at $12 and ultimately sold for $227.50. This dress was also featured on NBC's The Today Show, where Constance White, eBay's Style Director, and one of the country's most respected fashion experts, profiled various celeb items available through 7th on Sale 2007.
 
Constance, who worked on the 7th on Sale Merchandising committee, and therefore has an insider's knowledge into the hottest 7th on Sale items, listed a bunch of holiday shopping picks on her eBay Blog, Fashion is My Life (a must-read for all you fashionistas). So don't fret if you're agonizing about what to give your always-fashion-conscious daughter, your goofy, lovable brother, or your sophisticated mother. Look no further than Constance's Holiday Shopping Made Easy list!
 
Oh! And one last bit of information. The 7th on Sale 2007 online event has been extended through December 10, so you have four more days to find that designer item you've had your eye on – at affordable prices. And you can give yourself a feeling of holiday cheer by knowing that your purchases will help a good cause – helping to fight HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day: Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise - Leadership.

I hope everyone has recovered from their post-Thanksgiving turkey hangover! Now I'd like to discuss with you another important event that takes place annually on December 1st (that's tomorrow if you don't have a calendar handy). That event is World AIDS Day, where the day is set aside as the one day out of the year where everyone on this big planet of ours takes time to support those who are currently living with AIDS, a disease that progresses from infection of HIV, and to honor and remember friends and family that have passed on from AIDS.

World AIDS Day is also a day to focus on fighting HIV and AIDS by raising and donating funds that are used to research medicines and vaccination possibilities. It's a day to learn and help educate others about how HIV is spread and contracted.

Since World AIDS Day began in 1998, each year has been focused on a theme to help generate interest in the cause. This year's theme is "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise - Leadership." I'm very happy and proud to have been a part of a group of eBay, Inc. employees who have stepped up with their own type of leadership to help raise and donate funds to various deserving Bay Area HIV/AIDS related programs and resources.

First, Curtis Thornhill, from eBay's Rent.com and President of the Board of Directors at the Billy DeFrank  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender (LGBT) Community Center here in San Jose, headed up a team of three eBay, Inc. employees who participated in the 2007 AIDS Lifecycle, which is is the official cycling event from San Francisco to Los Angeles benefiting the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. Each participant is required to raise $2,500 from sponsorships to ride in the AIDS Lifecycle event. Curtis was able to raise over $5,000 through his efforts and the matching contribution from the eBay Foundation, which generously agrees to match employee contributions to charitable causes.

Next, yours truly from 2004 - 2006 volunteered to organize and lead a group of eBay employees, along with their friends and family, to walk in the annual AIDS Walk - San Francisco.  (This year I elected to just be a participant.) Walkers are encouraged to raise funds through sponsorships, just like the with the AIDS Lifecycle, and the eBay Foundation again matches all participating eBay employees' contributions. They also kick in a special grant of $2,500 when teams of 4 or more employees participate in the event. All of the money raised for AIDS Walk - San Francisco goes to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which supports 42 different Bay Area HIV/AIDS organizations.

The Texas Town Turns Italian

The sale of Albert, Texas, which I recently wrote about, obviously captured the world's attention. Not only was the auction picked up by papers as far away as China, but it ended up selling to a buyer in Italy!

The unpopulated, 13-acre town went for the winning bid of $3.8 million, giving its owner unfettered access to Albert's icehouse, grocery store, and orchards of pecans and peaches. No word though on whether it'll now be the backdrop for a new wave of "spaghetti westerns" (this was Ninad's joke - I take absolutely no credit/blame for it).

Need Some Extra Space? Buy This Texas Town!

Looking for a bigger place to live? Maybe a place with an extra bedroom, or an attached garage? Or something with its own icehouse, dance hall, and general store? Well, if that last choice is right up your alley, do we have the listing for you.

A gentleman named Bobby Cave has apparently spent hundreds of thousands of dollars restoring and cleaning up the 13-acre town of Albert in central Texas. Now the entire kit and kaboodle is for sale right here on eBay. No one lives there permanently (for now), so imagine all the things you could do...elect yourself Mayor, pretend you're the sole survivor of an earth-spanning disaster, whatever! Personally, I would probably use it as the site of the world's greatest game of Lazer Tag, but that's just me.

Mr. Cave definitely seems to have a sense of humor. He starts his listing description with this great line: "Usually when someone is awarded the keys to a city, it’s an honorary gesture. But the next person to get the keys to the city of Albert, Texas, really gets the keys to the city." He's also been quoted as saying it has "the cleanest public restrooms in Texas."

The town has gotten a ton of media attention as well. How much, you ask? The story even got picked up on the other side of the world, and was covered by the China Post! Bidding ends on November 23rd, so check it out.

Help Change the Course of an Epidemic - 7th on Sale

Greetings!

I'm back with news about an extraordinarily exciting event called  7th on Sale. Started in 1990 by some of the famous and even some not-so-famous people in America's fashion world, 7th on Sale was created to feature designer-donated merchandise at dramatically prices. The funds raised from the sales of all 7th on Sale donated items were made available to community agencies set up to serve those affected with HIV/AIDS in New York City.  That first year they raised a praise-worthy sum of $4.2 million. 

The vision of these designers helped to form a non-profit organization called the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Foundation.  Today, the (CFDA) Foundation, along with Vogue Magazine, and various other important names in the fashion industry, have extended the generosity gathered from the 7th on Sale events. Beneficiaries over the years have included dozens of worthy organizations, including AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA), Alpha Workshops, amfAR, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, God’s Love We Deliver, Greenhope Services for Women, Harlem United Community AIDS Center, HIV Law Project, and the Latino Commission on AIDS, among many, many others. 

Co-Chairs of the 7th on Sale 2007 event, which include top designers like Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacobs, and Ralph Lauren along with model Kate Moss and women's clothing designer Diane Von Furstenberg, kicked off the begining of 7th on Sale 2007 by hosting a fabulous black-tie gala party.  Held on the evening of November 15th at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City, they were joined by many other celebrities and fashion trend setters to help celebrate all their efforts in fighting HIV/AIDS and to help find a cure.

Now, even members of the eBay Community have an opportunity to assist in attaining this year's fund raising goal, which is to double the $1.7 million raised in 2005. By purchasing any of the donated merchandise listed on eBay with eBay Giving Works, which includes cashmere sweaters, shoes, handbags, books and fragrance bottles signed by designers, celebrity-worn red carpet gowns, and much more, you too can help contribute.  Just be sure to type in "7th on Sale" in Search to have an impressive wide array of items returned for you until December 6, 2007, which is when 7th on Sale 2007 draws to a close. 

When asked to comment on this unique event, eBay CEO and President and 7th on Sale 2007 Co-Chair Meg Whitman, answered, "7th on Sale is an important, collaborative fund raising effort among many accomplished members of the fashion industry. We're proud to once again work with the CFDA and Vogue to bring 7th on Sale to the eBay marketplace so that our global audience can support this very important cause."

And by the way, World AIDS Day takes place on Saturday, December 1st.  Why not purchase an item listed for 7th on Sale 2007 as a excellent way to recognize and support those living with HIV/AIDS and to remember those that have already passed on from this disease?  Simply type "7th on Sale" in Search. 

Good luck, happy searching, and thanks for bidding!

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