Here is the AuctionBytes online-auction news roundup for Thursday, December 23, 2004.

Industry News & Trends

The PayPal website was unavailable on Wednesday from 04:54 PST to 05:54 PST.
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/announce.shtml#2004-12-22055731

"QXL targeted in new bid approach," BBC News, 12/22/04
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4118015.stm

"India's porn police bring their quarry to eBay," By Siddharth Srivastava, Asia Times Online, 12/22/04
http://atimes01.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FL22Df05.html

"Employee's bus pass put on online auction," Shanghai Daily News, 12/22/04
http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/metro/userobject1ai736092.html

"Positive eBay ratings prove useful," by Laura Rohde, Computerworld, 12/21/04
http://www.computerworld.com/developmenttopics/websitemgmt/story/0,10801,98445,00.html

"Holiday season is a real page-turner," By Anthony DeBarros and Mark Hazlin, USA Today, 12/20/04
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2004-12-20-holiday-booksales_x.htm

Weird, Unusual, Celebrity or Charity Auctions

"GoldenPalace.com Buys Authentic Titanic Artifact for $10,000 From Homeless Man," (PR Newswire), Yahoo News, 12/21/04
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041221/nytu092_1.html

"Experts question authenticity of plate homeless man sold on eBay," By Liz Austin (AP), USA Today, 12/22/04
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-12-22-casino-goes-ebaying_x.htm

Scroll down to hear one person's take on the eBay UK promo.
"Sweet tricks for eBay competition," by Benjamin Cohen, Times Online, 12/22/04
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9075-1411367,00.html

"Forgotten items sold on eBay" (AP), Enquirer.com, 12/22/04
http://digbig.com/4chtd

"Babe Ruth card almost sold by cops now on eBay for charity," by Art Peterson, Chicago Sun-Times, 12/22/04
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-baberuth22.html

Fraud, Privacy, Security Issues

"Online con artists peddle luxury cars," By MIKE TIERNEY, Palm Beach Daily News-Cox News Service, 12/22/04
http://digbig.com/4chrt

"Ex-worker admits to stealing rare books from Kenyon library" (AP), The Plain Dealer, 12/19/04
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/110345370429970.xml

"Mary Rose Ebay cannon balls were fakes: Receiver of Wreck seizes 14 balls," Inquirer, 12/21/04
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=20332

"Internet surfers fight lengthy war against phishing: Officials caution on hackers' tactics," By SCOTT VANHORNE, SBSun.com, 12/20/04
http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208~12588~2609687,00.html

Miscellaneous

"The Case for a Blowout Holiday," by Nat Worden, TheStreet.com, 12/22/04
http://digbig.com/4chth

"New Harry Potter Book Is Already No. 1 Seller On Internet," WESH.com, 12/22/04
http://www.wesh.com/entertainment/4016432/detail.html

"California gives up newspaper vs. Web fight," by Paul Festa, Cnet, 12/20/04
http://news.com.com/2100-1030_3-5498645.html

"A Fatal Blow to Shrinkwrap Licensing?" THE GRIPE LINE WEBLOG by Ed Foster, 12/21/04
http://weblog.infoworld.com/foster/2004/12/21.html#a196

"Shopping for rare gifts a click away," By Erika Gonzalez, Rocky Mountain News, 12/21/04
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/entertainment/article/0,1299,DRMN_6_3413416,00.html

(Thanks to F.N., C.T. and others for sending me links to relevant stories. - I.S.)