Here is today's AuctionBytes online-auction news roundup.

"eBay Spoof Email For ID Verification," posted on the Seller Sourcebook blog, 12/29/06
http://blog.sellersourcebook.com/blog/_archives/2006/12/29/2604576.html

"eBay Offers 5th Year Employees One Month Paid Time Off," posted on the Power Seller King blog, 12/29/06
http://www.powersellerking.com/2006/12/ebay_offers_5th_year_employees.html

"China Alibaba to charge for payments service," Reuters, 12/31/06
http://digbig.com/4qmxx

"The epitome of what it means to be a “Pink”. We'll miss you, Claire@ebay.com…," Posted by Laura on the eBay Chatter blog, 12/29/06
http://www.ebaychatter.com/the_chatter/2006/12/the_epitomeof.html

"The Year in Review: EBay Sinks," (AP), Chron.com, 12/29/06
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4432851.html

"Battle of the Verbs at eBay," By Rick Aristotle Munarriz, The Motley Fool, 12/29/06
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2006/12/29/battle-of-the-verbs-at-ebay.aspx

"Battle of phone, cable companies looms in '07," By Bruce Meyerson, (AP), El Paso Times, 1/1/07
http://www.elpasotimes.com/business/ci_4930963

"In Silicon Valley, the Race Is On to Trump Google," By MIGUEL HELFT, New York Times, 1/1/07
Free registration required.
http://digbig.com/4qnaf

"PayPal "Virtual Debit Card" Beta Seeks to Eliminate ID Theft," By Scott M. Fulton, III, BetaNews, 12/28/06
http://www.betanews.com/article/PayPal_Virtual_Debit_Card_Beta_Seeks_to_Eliminate_ID_Theft/1167345809

"'Twas the Season for Rate-Raising by Parcel Carriers," By Mark Del Franco, MultiChannelMerchant.com, 1/1/07
http://multichannelmerchant.com/opsandfulfillment/shipping/twas_season_not