Microsoft confirmed it would shut down Skype in May, directing users to its Teams platform and ending a chapter for the once-popular internet calling service.
Microsoft <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/28/tech/skype-microsoft-shutdown/index.html">purchased</a> Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion, marking the company’s largest acquisition at the time, according to CNN.
Launched in 2003, the service once dominated internet calling by offering free global connectivity, but struggled to keep pace with rivals such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, and, most recently, Discord and Zoom.
“Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communications and supporting countless meaningful moments, and we are honored to have been part of the journey,” said president of Microsoft 365 collaborative apps and platforms Jeff Teper in a <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/02/28/the-next-chapter-moving-from-skype-to-microsoft-teams/">statement</a>.
Skype’s ownership changed hands multiple times before Microsoft’s acquisition. In 2005, eBay purchased the voice-over-internet tool for $2.6 billion, but parted ways four years later by selling its majority stake to a separate investment group for $1.9 billion. That transaction set the stage for Microsoft to take over in 2011.
After the purchase, Microsoft integrated Skype with other services such as its Office suite and the now-discontinued Windows Phone platform. Despite that, the platform lagged behind in a landscape increasingly dominated by Apple’s FaceTime and Meta’s WhatsApp as users gravitated toward apps centered on mobile messaging and video calls.
Many organizations turned instead to tools that packaged conferencing, chat, and collaboration in one place. This broader shift contributed to Microsoft’s aggressive focus on Teams, which now offers what the company describes as “seamless file sharing” and expanded functionality that extends beyond basic voice or video calls.

In this photo illustration, the Skype logo is seen displayed

End Of An Era: Microsoft Confirms Skype Shutdown In May

eBay

General

Microsoft

Technology

U.S.

A restaurant booth made famous in the finale of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">The Sopranos</a>” just sold on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ebay">eBay</a> for $82,600.
The series finale of the iconic mob <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">drama</a> starring James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano aired in 2007. In the last scene, Tony sits down in the diner booth with his family and orders onion rings before dropping a quarter in the jukebox, and Journey&#8217;s 1981 hit &#8220;Don&#8217;t Stop Believin'&#8221; starts to play. The camera cuts to customers entering the restaurant, which fans speculate could have been people arriving to kill Tony. Then, the screen fades to black.
The finale was filmed at the real-life eatery Holsten’s in Bloomfield, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-jersey">New Jersey</a>. Ever since the show aired, the booth has been a popular spot for fans. A <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/03/06/sopranos-booth-sale-final-scene/">report</a> from The Washington Post said that, on busy days, customers would wait up to an hour to sit in the booth. 
The spot became even more popular following Gandolfini’s death from an apparent heart attack in June 2013. Holsen&#8217;s co-owner Christopher Carley told the outlet he closed the booth for two weeks as customers came and left flowers, cards, and drawings as a tribute. The restaurant owner said he gave all the items to Gandolfini’s son, Michael.
Carley initially posted his intention to sell the booth on Facebook. 
“The time has come. All good things sometimes need an upgrade. The famous Sopranos booth is getting a much needed face-lift,” a February 28 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HolstensIceCreamParlor/posts/pfbid02QYme94uyLuRnJYGWTtARD5yAD2mn41d3rSPPBPvKRTPv852Se1hsbFiGnFJHDdiql">post</a> from the official Holsten’s account said. “Obviously, we aren&#8217;t going to change the nostalgia of our beloved shoppe&#8230;we aren&#8217;t crazy!  Just polishing up the place!”
“Please understand that we don&#8217;t want to do this. But the integrity of the booths are now compromised. They have been repaired many times and this furniture is over 60 years old. Obviously, we do not want to do this, however it has come to a point where they are structurally not safe anymore as a whole and we need to think about the safety of our patrons first,” the post continued. 
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709824200430000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0K1d5kPNnIywTzAKac2_vS">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“Customer safety is a priority for us and should be for our patrons as well.  Thank you and we hope you understand!”
Carley told the Post he hoped the booth would fetch at least $50,000. The outlet reported that on Sunday, the owner closed the booth and put a basket of onion rings on the table so fans could take photos one last time.

James Gandolfini

Iconic Booth From ‘The Sopranos’ Finale Sells For $82K On eBay

Iconic Booth From 'The Sopranos' Finale Sells For $82K On eBay

Entertainment

New Jersey

Television

Several <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">celebrities</a> are going to extreme lengths to fundraise for crew members who are currently on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/strike">strike</a> in Hollywood.
These unique <a href="https://www.ebay.com/e/charity/tusc-charity-auction?toolid=10001&amp;mkcid=1&amp;campid=5337789386&amp;mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&amp;customid=87443X1540253Xd8958fa1794a8a0bf7d2f0c3fa4b1fca&amp;_sop=3&amp;rt=nc">listings</a> popped up on eBay through the Union Solidarity Coalition, with many items going for thousands of dollars and climbing as more people share them. For example, actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lena-dunham">Lena Dunham</a> is willing to <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/186072283450?hash=item2b52c5b93a%3Ag%3A5RIAAOSwykdk%7EJ4O&amp;_trkparms=%2526rpp_cid%253D64d549ebbdbe1c8c27960c98">paint a mural</a> in the auction winner’s home.
“Lena will spend an afternoon rendering a custom mural- you give her a subject and some coffee, and she will be on a step stool with her eyes squinted for hours, creating something you will enjoy having for years and years or until you move!” the listing says. 
The auction description also stipulates that “Respect for talent and their staff will be expected at all times. Inappropriate behavior or solicitation for personal gain by the winner could result in the immediate conclusion of the experience with no refund. The talent has the right to end the experience at any time, for any reason, with no refund.” 
It also says background checks may be required. Winners must reside in Los Angeles, New York, or London. As of Friday morning, the top bid for the Lena Dunham mural listing was at just over $3,000.
Some of the other popular items on the auction page included taking a pottery class with actress/activist Busy Philipps for $3,000 and having Natasha Lyonne assist you with the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle (currently $4,000). Actor Adam Scott from “Parks and Recreation” offered to take the auction winner’s dog for an hour-long walk in Los Angeles.
Another auction offers bidders the chance for Emmy-winning actor John Lithgow to paint watercolor portrait of their dog. That auction is at $4,250 as of Friday. The most expensive item right now is dinner with Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, currently going for $9,100.
The second most expensive auction is the chance to have the cast of “Bob’s Burgers” sing a song custom-written just for the winner, at around $7,000.
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While many of the auctions require winners to reside in New York or L.A., there are several Zoom meeting options, including a 20-minute virtual meeting with Sarah Silverman ($1,950). There are also physical items up for auction, like a fedora autographed by Tom Waits ($2,600) and an apron signed by the cast of &#8220;The Bear&#8221; ($2,050).
The Union Solidarity Coalition is planning other fundraising events besides the eBay auctions as the strike drags on, per <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2023/09/14/writers-actors-strike-charity-auction-union-solidarity-coalition/">The Washington Post</a>.

Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham Will Paint You A Mural? Celebs Auction Services To Fundraise For Crew Members On Strike

Celebrities

Hollywood

strike

Grammy nominated rapper Latto tried selling her underwear for nearly six figures before she was shut down by auction site eBay for the sale violating the site&#8217;s &#8220;used clothing policy.&#8221;
The 24-year-old performer clapped back at trolls who accused her of regularly re-wearing the same pair of animal print underwear. Latto, born Alyssa Michelle Stephens, tweeted that it was the &#8220;panty police&#8221; coming for her.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Oh no, it’s the panty police <a href="https://t.co/asz584q0jk">https://t.co/asz584q0jk</a>
&mdash; BIG LATTO (@Latto) <a href="https://twitter.com/Latto/status/1619821766737817602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In response — and to prove she had more than one pair — she decided to tweet out images on her Instagram Stories on Monday showing a line up of the same animal print undies and saying that she had started an auction for them.
She captioned the post, &#8220;I&#8217;m gonna wear a pair today and sell em&#8217; tomorrow,&#8221; <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/01/31/latto-panties-ebay-clothing-policy-violation-big-energy/">TMZ</a> reported. The thong underwear was listed for $0.99 and the auction was to last for 2 days and 23 hours.
&#8220;Auction live on eBay since I can&#8217;t wear them twice [crying emoji],&#8221; the rapper also tweeted, with a link to the sale.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Auction live on eBay since I can’t wear them twice 🥲 <a href="https://t.co/sTXXk7QZMy">https://t.co/sTXXk7QZMy</a> <a href="https://t.co/q4D0PvilOM">pic.twitter.com/q4D0PvilOM</a>
&mdash; BIG LATTO (@Latto) <a href="https://twitter.com/Latto/status/1620210801952055298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The rapper&#8217;s cheetah print panties got as high as $95,650 before the auction site caught wind of the sale and shut things down.
A spokesperson for eBay told the outlet that the sale was stopped due to the site&#8217;s &#8220;health and hygiene&#8221; standards and shared that the rapper&#8217;s used and worn underwear was in direct violation of the company&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/used-clothing-policy?id=4281&amp;mkevt=1&amp;mkcid=1&amp;mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&amp;campid=5336834673&amp;toolid=10001&amp;customid=35871X943606Xfe33d48f82b26df12d77517d5ccc1968">used clothing policy</a>.&#8221;
The policy states that, &#8220;Used underwear and socks are not allowed. Other used clothing must follow our policy. 
We have a used clothing policy so buyers can be confident they’ll get clean, stain-free items when they buy on eBay.&#8221;
&#8220;Health and hygiene is also one of our top priorities, so our policy outlines why certain items can&#8217;t be sold on the site,&#8221; the statement on the site added.
Despite being out nearly $100,000 the rapper doesn&#8217;t seem to bothered by the end of the sale. She&#8217;s managed to get the last word in on the matter after she changed her profile picture on both Instagram and Twitter to a pair of animal-print underwear with big eyes and pink lips, <a href="https://people.com/style/latto-claps-back-at-style-troll-by-listing-underwear-on-ebay/?utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&amp;utm_content=new&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_term=63d9a042e100f3000160e9a1">People magazine</a> noted
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/original-e-t-model-from-spielbergs-film-sells-at-auction-for-massive-amount">Original E.T. Model From Spielberg&#8217;s Film Sells At Auction For Massive Amount</a>

In this photo illustration, an Ebay logo seen displayed on a

Grammy Nominated Rapper Selling Her Underwear For Nearly Six Figures Shut Down By Ebay

Grammy

Music

Online persons are using the closing of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disney World</a>&#8216;s &#8220;Splash Mountain&#8221; attraction as a chance to make a quick buck by selling the alleged water from the ride.
Splash Mountain, the enormously popular log flume ride at Walt Disney World&#8217;s Magic Kingdom theme park, closed on Monday in preparation to be rebuilt as a more &#8220;inclusive&#8221; ride. But Disney fans, eager to preserve the memory of the iconic ride, are looking for souvenirs. To that end, internet salespeople are looking to cash in by selling alleged water from the ride.
A quick search of &#8220;Splash Mountain Water&#8221; on eBay yields some interesting results. Entrepreneurial eBay auctioneers are selling bottles, mason jars, and even plastic bags purportedly full of water from the ride, at prices ranging from just a few dollars to hundreds. One product is a plastic bag that allegedly contains <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/334714956753?hash=item4dee90ebd1:g:JHUAAOSwdctjzuKh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4 ounces of water</a> from the ride, with &#8220;Splash Mountain Water 1/22/2023&#8221; written in black marker on the bag, with water droplets drawn on it; it is selling for $13.50.
A <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/125735480557?mkevt=1&amp;mkpid=0&amp;emsid=e11050.m43.l1123&amp;mkcid=26&amp;ch=osgood&amp;euid=8348a2b764ee4de0afdabae122faf849&amp;bu=45545240761&amp;osub=-1%7E1&amp;crd=20230124100220&amp;segname=11050" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar bag</a> full of water is selling for $25. One auction was for a <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/204223436314?mkevt=1&amp;mkpid=0&amp;emsid=e11050.m43.l1123&amp;mkcid=26&amp;ch=osgood&amp;euid=021e4c41b7c74598a8e51d31599e5241&amp;bu=45545240761&amp;osub=-1%7E1&amp;crd=20230124100451&amp;segname=11050" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reusable bottle</a> full of the water, selling for $27; that auction was ended because the item was no longer available. Another person was selling a <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/275639643825?hash=item402d672eb1:g:0SYAAOSwxcFjzgB7&amp;amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4Bc7hlB6IT9%2FazNbwRERS6hSco4ib8TsevXvoX%2FEQZNqGQdFvhT4ZAnIlUUottqCZoUu5dtFqOfL6ZmjdwlGX%2BLgknRYgBBpcOofNPD5CLuhP%2BNyEK67zQipdm6ssHBTTsTLchBHDfsgqSh%2BRHWzdwuc0GmjGBxri5hoU7bc1HijB84luwRt5sw7uRp96dI4u4XBt90Dzhn43Ia%2F6b2mN1GEfa6L30eS9fNMaYLKKpC10B4jL885UyloEQPSMltxzj7mEZNQ8%2BhmzEOxFiy4nONlRuO90md92J%2BCIpZFsnhV%7Ctkp%3ABFBM-o-GiL5h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small mason jar</a> full of the water. The image of the item shows a person holding the jar and standing in front of the ride entrance; that image has been appropriated by other sellers for their own auctions. And one seller is offering a tupperware container of the water for just <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/325511109969?hash=item4bc9f95d51:g:DwkAAOSwRl9j0Ks-&amp;amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4NiNxn6kUNfqh8tXQLXH7d4pArmIa1GE2oZt0Ed10nGBRtaDNRcsLpRoJc0DZ8WONN3hp3IBOS7ysFqYtVVxfN9970xS7azE3oIheWQNkaZULB2zzKt04HQaFDi6j5vKcz%2BfOTsRV15n0iEw%2F12TKhuW9ZEIheHMBhrG8K6egDJuAC%2Fx6IEr9Hx3KjhpwEhcekq3LRF%2BkCyGwvLNgzY%2Fni%2BoIQINNnSbpRNY%2BV70J04%2FxkI18WXU2fOrGiA2%2BOle%2B1gs7HShxPqYAnHalbK3AtE9iTyn94NDAoh9dxnH5C9T%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_yPhoi-YQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">99 cents</a>. One person selling their water sample for charity offers it &#8220;<a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/155376037175?hash=item242d222d37:g:E-sAAOSwO0lj0F1F&amp;amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4MzDXS%2FSSUoUOahavlMRYOzCVVcI24KJ9P%2F9BWXORgZS65hyZFLfpzRtMpOmwnVizgCx95RFVboC6CRf2CxVZi3C4K08RKYpr6FFBYxtQxXJeKZSjK%2BP9OM4oD1a3%2FyKez3Pfghpml71QJfPZHAZhqfyRoYRguOIiiZRebbwwrP%2FyvLcDyPdTd%2B4qN4DkBlYI57fOOkH%2BgK8y2GnYawI7%2BwhmjlzsO3ckICP8KDjTEBcndN%2Bxkx3ijRewepBA3dn3ne4pocA%2BWjS3Pc%2Fs%2FEUSoWjwzEAFozG1lMabBv0V%2F7X%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_qPhoi-YQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with rocks from the ride</a>.&#8221; As of the publication of the piece, the water has 13 bids and is selling for $91.
But many sellers are charging more than a pretty penny for their used log flume backwash. One seller advertises &#8220;AUTHENTIC Water From 01/22/23,&#8221; but with no picture of the item, only stock photos of the ride; it is being sold for <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/134426293307?hash=item1f4c6e743b:g:hBsAAOSwG5Jj0tjz&amp;amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4KZWncwuw1Mgxu0nnOvMAkPPO1m1%2FzpIwEYchkBfX1Ooym7tze7F8HtvWZZNtn3GjFl2xJ1HehkuwEYXsekH%2FOQ6odVEpR7Je2KNcyTjEaHot1VV17SkaCx09CrUQ4orXxZtI0bCRhLY4cnxXDmKaUKD%2FnXCeoWJz1Cnn4NerX%2BZZwuYs8YN9lB8%2BF6x7uV8RREn9IYbvR7sYBngxwfLeZz8muaZmGgKMzfRWiiB4%2BrmLev8Gg2I4aI8%2BGBrvgyQ0G2lVU14E08eRcrkpE5SZON1KJZwIuAmxnBQBCkQ5xJF%7Ctkp%3ABFBM-o-GiL5h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$700</a>. &#8220;OWN YOUR PIECE OF HISTORY,&#8221; the listing entices. Another person offers a half-filled water bottle for the low, low price of <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/234873372834?hash=item36af8b40a2:g:dRoAAOSw8LNj0c5R&amp;amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoA2kkTf49FiONbj7J0KMjh%2B3zEp97J7pWqVbJEzTJ4PPqRIWKNkpiX%2BQ9t%2BR%2BHxQWXWMvyOl8Tuf6FsLjYWrAltikKowHDM48u5O%2BiRgFREYDuoipAC%2FiXjSoDC8KdEzvPwv1MDOdSLIZt%2FOkPS62FMtByu122L4vE0xUSDq3SIBu9NEMgVwnIY8rSMCmV2V1tlDXFJJz0bG1QAAEVIY1ww%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9DO-oi-YQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$1000</a>. One seller advertises, &#8220;<a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/404125135485?hash=item5e17bc327d:g:XG4AAOSwV~1j0LaP&amp;amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4EU9%2FCrTZ2aYsNaxJGprrLZ2N2nOmjdmp%2FdGPELZoD%2B%2BsnLHMPZUiOhYyo9oSdeb9hoYB%2BIo7HdhRFIoVdvV1vAImRmAib9OpDvz%2Fo%2FsBXqq18DcFS4xw%2BKsM5u1tUUdPYApSLGnK%2Bkq5s6k5baRvrRPLLolMZbURNOVi8kltoFG45AEzFmUCPE6SqXSLM8lOuhwEwlzr0%2BiBh2gBYuSIIxXVnT7NGO6BH%2BOI2Ui7SsRRw0vl1mbwrAsDZaSKQ5nf8ulg0oH1rvA6jnnh9lYz%2FCnEJ7iYIq6nBH%2BGXFhAYzc%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9LO-oi-YQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RARE Disney 2023 Splash Mountain Attraction Flume Water</a>&#8221; in a custom Ziploc bag for a bargain; only $5000. One seller offers a <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/225370931763?hash=item3479278233:g:7EEAAOSwhN9jzkDK&amp;amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoCI6gbzRWiEzKIlSmm9F607aQC8uYUa5P4DVfwkMja66j7I%2FUYeZ07JOHRyLh9wHJEv%2Fx8WukWFGSwJ9AdDZcdIKOE3d0cBzBApwaNFhjQTRkLMAglTfMF5IaQKvfVeuaU0lmbbuXIZRJY9oFicYJBG%2B8lV9GNqxyY%2B1eSS09yndUCvQv%2Bsrp5vBKtlDnraBwr%2Bqfo405wnz%2Bz6ln8O3qGk%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4CQhoi-YQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">16.9 ounce water bottle</a> of the water; as of publication, it currently has a whopping 40 bids and is selling for $5,100.
One Disney World guest who has ridden Splash Mountain more than 200 times, summed things up succinctly. “The Disney community can be very weird sometimes,” Adrian Vasquez told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/us/disney-splash-mountain-closes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. “I honestly don’t know how else to put it.”
Splash Mountain took guests for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fans-bid-farewell-to-disney-worlds-splash-mountain-as-it-closed-after-30-years-due-to-racism-assertions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">final ride</a> down its 50-foot drop on Sunday. The ride opened in 1992 and has been a popular staple of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom ever since, with celebrities like Princess Diana going for a ride. But the company announced in 2020 that it would shut down Splash Mountain, which was accused of having racist themes, in favor of creating a more inclusive ride themed after Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog” in its place.
Some parkgoers called Splash Mountain “extremely problematic” due to “stereotypical racist tropes.” It’s based on elements from the Disney film “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Song of the South</a>” (1946), which were included on the ride.
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.

Splash Mountain

After ‘Splash Mountain’ Ride Closes, Online Sellers Offer Samples Of The Water, For A Few Dollars, Or Even Thousands

After 'Splash Mountain' Ride Closes, Online Sellers Offer Samples Of The Water, For A Few Dollars, Or Even Thousands

Disney

Disney World

Economy

Florida

A voting machine turned up for sale on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ebay-stirs-controversy-sparking-anger-from-sellers-forced-to-link-bank-account-after-move-away-from-paypal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eBay</a> after vanishing from a <a href="https://wp-updates.dailywire.com/topic/michigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan county</a>, and now the state is working with police to find out how it happened.
The voter assist terminal from Colfax Township in Wexford County was put up for sale on eBay and linked to Goodwill, <a href="https://www.cadillacnews.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Cadillac News</a>. State law prohibits citizens from withholding, breaking or destroying voting equipment, as well as obtaining “undue possession” of a voting machine.
“We are actively working with law enforcement to investigate allegations of an illegal attempt to sell a voter assist terminal acquired in Michigan,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a statement Thursday. “While our elections remain secure and safe, we take seriously all violations of election law and will be working with relevant authorities to ensure there are consequences for those who break the law.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Our elections are and remain safe and secure. We take seriously all violations of election law and will be working with authorities to ensure there are consequences for those who break the law. More here.<a href="https://t.co/cixBoMQsJB">https://t.co/cixBoMQsJB</a>
&mdash; Jocelyn Benson (@JocelynBenson) <a href="https://twitter.com/JocelynBenson/status/1565387854473306114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The machine has a touchscreen and is used to help disabled voters fill out their ballots.
“I can confirm the MSP Cadillac Post is investigating a missing piece of voting equipment,” Michigan State Police Lt. Derrick Carroll said in a statement. “The investigation is ongoing.”
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/01/politics/michigan-voting-machine-sold-ebay-goodwill-investigation/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN reported</a> that the machine was initially dropped off at Goodwill in Cadillac and bought by an Ohio man for $7.99 from Goodwill&#8217;s own online auction site. The man told CNN he then sold it on eBay for $1,200, calling it a chance to “own a piece of history.” A Connecticut man who bought the machine and received it last week, reportedly contacted Benson&#8217;s office.
Wexford County Clerk Alaina Nyman told Cadillac News the machine did not contain any sensitive information.
“No election data was on it and you can’t get into the machine without the program cards and those were all accounted for,” Nyman said.
County officials were at a loss to explain how the machine landed in the hands of the unidentified seller or when it disappeared.
“We are going to do things differently and will sign things in and out,” Colfax Township Clerk Becky Stoddard told Cadillac News, discussing future responses to the disappearance of the VAT machine.

Byron Township, MI – August 2:Voting at the Byron Township Com

Stolen Voting Machine Mysteriously Turns Up For Sale On EBay, Goodwill Site

Michigan Voting Machine Mysteriously Turns Up For Sale On EBay

Michigan

Voting

In a controversial move, eBay will no longer allow sellers on its platform to use PayPal.
Instead, according to the company’s new terms of use, sellers will be required to provide banking details, and will receive payments directly rather than through PayPal, an intermediary service. Conversely, buyers will still be able to use PayPal.
“Regardless of any other terms about settlement methods on the eBay Services (including eBay’s payment policies and information available when you create listings, which may continue to display settlement methods that are not currently supported for payments that we manage), disbursements via other settlement methods, such as to PayPal, are not available at this time,” read eBay’s latest <a href="https://pages.ebay.com/payment/2.0/terms.html">terms of service</a>. 
“But some sellers have threatened to stop using the service over the move,” reported the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57318294">BBC</a>, adding that “EBay&#8217;s forums have several posts from sellers who say they are reluctant to use the new system and give eBay direct debit access to their personal bank accounts.”
There are also concerns regarding fraud, given that eBay is viewed to favor buyers over sellers when it comes to item disputes. For example, if a fraudulent buyer were to purchase a product and return another damaged version in search of a refund, some eBay sellers are concerned that a refund could be taken directly from their bank account.
The BBC also reported that one eBay forum user wrote, “[EBay] are so heavily biased in the buyer&#8217;s favor&#8230; I am simply not prepared to switch to this new [system] and give eBay direct access to my bank account.&#8221;
“Where a buyer or the owner of a payment instrument initiates a chargeback, direct debit reversal, or PayPal buyer protection claim, or otherwise asks their financial institution to open a payment dispute … in connection with a Managed Payments transaction, you understand that we may investigate and, in our discretion, re-present the Dispute with the credit and debit card networks or other payment method providers,” notes eBay’s latest terms of service, adding that “failure to provide requested information on the timeline we require and as specified by credit and debit card networks&#8217; and other payment service providers&#8217; rules could adversely impact the outcome of a Dispute investigation, up to complete forfeiture of the amounts in dispute.”
Regarding the slight change in cost to users, “the new system is set at 12.8% of the final amount, including delivery plus $0.30 for US users (30p in the UK). This is compared to 10% previously for the eBay fee, plus PayPal’s fees and $0.30 (30p),” as reported by <a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/you-can-no-longer-use-paypal-on-ebay-heres-why">Tech Radar</a>. 
While buyers will have the choice of additional payment methods — such as credit and debit cards or systems like Apple Pay — payments will “now take two working days, compared to previously when PayPal transfers would usually happen on the same day.”
The two companies have worked closely together since eBay purchased PayPal in 2002, with PayPal splitting from eBay as a separate entity in 2015.

Ebay

EBay Stirs Controversy, Sparking Anger From Sellers Forced To Link Bank Account After Move Away From PayPal

Big Tech

After six Dr. Seuss books were unceremoniously canceled over revelations of their supposed racism, Big Tech giants rallied to further enable the most recent wave of digital book burnings. 
On Thursday, internet auction site eBay <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/auction-site-ebay-confirms-it-is-monitoring-for-illicit-dr-seuss-book-sales">confirmed</a> that they were “scouring” their open auctions for the canceled Dr. Seuss titles, “reviewing seller profiles, and removing the listings, which the site claims violate its ‘offensive materials policy.’”
According to eBay’s offensive materials <a href="https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/offensive-material-policy?id=4324">policy</a>, “Listings that promote or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination aren&#8217;t allowed.”
“In order to promote trust and respect among our diverse community of members, eBay does not allow items that promote or glorify racial, sexual or religious intolerance, or promote organizations that hold such views,” the policy reads:
<blockquote>Listings that promote, perpetuate or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination, including on the grounds of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender or sexual orientation, aren&#8217;t allowed. This includes but is not limited to the following:</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Slurs or epithets of any kind</li>
<li>Slavery items, including reproductions, such as tags, shackles, documents, bills of sale, etc.</li>
<li>Items with racist, anti-Semitic, or otherwise demeaning portrayals, for example through caricatures or other exaggerated features, including figurines, cartoons, housewares, historical advertisements, and golliwogs</li>
<li>Black Americana items that are discriminatory</li>
<li>Confederate battle flag and related items with its image</li>
<li>Historical Holocaust-related and Nazi-related items, including reproductions</li>
<li>Any item that is anti-Semitic or any item from after 1933 that bears a swastika</li>
<li>Media identified as Nazi propaganda</li>
<li>Listings that imply or promote support of, membership in, or funding of a terrorist organization</li>
</ul>
However, other titles and content which appear to violate this policy remain available on eBay, even while Dr. Seuss books continue to be wiped from online auctions.
Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf, the 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, is still available for purchase on eBay. The book was later edited by Rudolf Hess, who became Deputy Führer to Hitler in 1933.
The book explains Hitler’s ideological processes, how he became anti-Semitic, and describes his political plans for what would become Nazi Germany. 
In addition to writing that the fictitious and fabricated anti-semitic text, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, was authentic, Hitler also wrote that “the nationalization of our masses will succeed only when, aside from all the positive struggle for the soul of our people, their international poisoners are exterminated,” and that, “If at the beginning of the war and during the war twelve or fifteen thousand of these Hebrew corrupters of the nation had been subjected to poison gas, such as had to be endured in the field by hundreds of thousands of our very best German workers of all classes and professions, then the sacrifice of millions at the front would not have been in vain.”
Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion
Ironically, the fabricated text referenced as authentic by Hitler is also still available on eBay. The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion is a hoax which describes an apparent Jewish plan for world domination. It was first published in Russia in 1903, and has remained popular among anti-Semites, despite having been shown to have been plagiarized from other sources soon afterwards. Henry Ford even funded the printing and distribution of 500,000 copies in the United States in the 1920s.
The text claims to contain the minutes of a meeting held by world Jewish leaders in the late 19th century, known as the “Elders of Zion,” and includes 24 “protocols” containing various themes, such as international conspiracy, arrogance and corruption, or the relationship between gentiles and Jews.
According to the <a href="https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounders/a-hoax-of-hate-the-protocols-of-the-learned-elders-of-zion">Anti-Defamation League</a>, “The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion is a classic in paranoid, racist literature. Taken by the gullible as the confidential minutes of a Jewish conclave convened in the last years of the nineteenth century, it has been heralded by anti-Semites as proof that Jews are plotting to take over the world. Since its contrivance around the turn of the century by the Russian Okhrana, or Czarist secret police, ‘The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion’ has taken root in bigoted, frightened minds around the world.”
The Communist Manifesto
Available for comparatively bargain prices, The Communist Manifesto is also up for purchase on eBay. Written in 1848 under the original title, Manifesto of the Communist Party, German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels produced what is now seen as one of the world’s most impactful political documents, outlining an analysis of class warfare and the so-called conflicts of capitalism. It was commissioned by the Communist League and published just as the Revolutions of 1848 began.
The document is viewed as one of the primary and foundational documents underlying the spread of communism, with the ideology resulting in the deaths of millions of people under various communist regimes. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/100-years-of-communismand-100-million-dead-1510011810">Estimates</a> put the total death toll at 100 million people over 100 years of communism.
Birth of a Nation
The Birth of a Nation is a 1915 silent drama adopted from Thomas Dixon Jr.’s novel and play, The Clansman. The first 12-reel film ever made, and the longest movie at that time, is a partly fictitious account of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth, and the relationship of two families — the Northern Stonemans and the Southern Camerons — during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.
The movie is riddled with bigotry, with white actors in blackface portraying some African American characters as unintelligent or sexually dangerous, while presenting the Ku Klux Klan as the heroes required to preserve and protect white supremacist “American” principles. The Birth of a Nation was screened by President Woodrow Wilson in the White House, and many view the movie as responsible for the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, with their return occurring just a few months after the film’s release.
David Duke
Various works by David Duke, the American neo-Nazi and former grand wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, are still available on eBay. Among his statements and written work are the promotion of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial, with the Anti-Defamation League <a href="https://www.adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/assets/pdf/combating-hate/David-Duke.pdf">describing</a> Duke as “perhaps America’s most well-known racist and anti-Semite.”  
Louis Farrakhan Speeches
Various speeches from Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, are also available on eBay, despite his demonstrated history of open and unapologetic anti-Semitism.
<a href="https://www.adl.org/education/resources/reports/nation-of-islam-farrakhan-in-his-own-words">Examples</a> include “I don’t care what they put on me. The government is my enemy, the powerful Jews are my enemy,” “Those who call themselves ‘Jews,” who are not really Jews, but are in fact Satan: You should learn to call them by their real name, ‘Satan;’ you are coming face-to-face with Satan, the Arch Deceiver, the enemy of God and the enemy of the Righteous,” or “When they talk about Farrakhan, call me a hater, you know how they do – call me an anti-Semite. Stop it, I’m anti-termite!”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth">@ighaworth</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Mein Kampf

EBay Canceled Dr. Seuss, But You Can Still Buy Works From Hitler, Marx And More

Dr. Seuss

Nazi Germany

Internet auction site eBay confirmed, Thursday, that it is scouring its open auctions for six &#8220;canceled&#8221; Dr. Seuss titles, reviewing seller profiles, and removing the listings, which the site claims violate its &#8220;offensive materials policy.&#8221;
On Thursday morning, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/now-its-ebay-website-reportedly-bans-sale-of-some-dr-seuss-books">the Daily Wire reported that eBay sellers</a> who had listed copies of six Dr. Seuss titles marked at &#8220;racist&#8221; and &#8220;offensive&#8221; and removed from publication by Dr. Seuss Enterprises &#8212; “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”; “If I Ran the Zoo”; “McElligot’s Pool”; “On Beyond Zebra!”; “Scrambled Eggs Super!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer” &#8212; were receiving messages that they were no longer allowed to sell the books.
According to an eBay seller who received a message from the auction site&#8217;s standards and practices department about a removed listing, eBay is taking down the Dr. Seuss auctions because they violate the company&#8217;s &#8220;offensive materials policy&#8221; which bans the sale of items that &#8220;promote or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination.&#8221;
<blockquote>We had to remove your listing because it didn’t follow our Offensive material policy. Listings that promote or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination aren’t allowed.
What activity didn’t follow the policy[:]
Dr. Seuss Enterprises has stopped the publication of this book due to its negative portrayal of some ethnicities. As a courtesy, we have ended your item and refunded your selling fees, and as long as you do not relist the item, there will be no negative impact to your account. Please review our Offensive Materials Policy prohibits this item for more information.
What you need to do next.
You can’t relist items we’ve ended. Please ensure your current and future listings follow this policy.</blockquote>
The &#8220;offensive materials&#8221; policy states that:
<blockquote>&#8220;Listings that promote, perpetuate or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination, including on the grounds of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender or sexual orientation, aren’t allowed.&#8221;</blockquote>
Among those banned items, are &#8220;[i]tems with racist, anti-Semitic, or otherwise demeaning portrayals, for example through caricatures or other exaggerated features, including figurines, cartoons, housewares, historical advertisements, and golliwogs.&#8221;
On Thursday afternoon, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/dr-seuss-books-deemed-offensive-will-be-delisted-from-ebay-11614884201?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D91119413815751680011169279721662192294%7CMCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1614898173">the company confirmed to the Wall Street Journal</a> that they were taking action to remove the offending Dr. Seuss titles.
&#8220;Online marketplace eBay Inc. said it is working to prevent the resale of six Dr. Seuss books that were pulled earlier this week by the company in charge of the late author’s works because they contain offensive imagery,&#8221; the WSJ noted.
“eBay is currently sweeping our marketplace to remove these items,” a spokeswoman for the company reportedly told the outlet in an email.
&#8220;Hundreds of listings for the six books could be found on the platform as of Thursday morning, though the number appeared to be lower than it was on Wednesday evening,&#8221; the WSJ noted. &#8220;The eBay spokeswoman said it would take some time to review seller listings and that the company was monitoring newly published listings.&#8221;
As the Daily Wire pointed out earlier Thursday, the site still has copies of Adolf Hitler&#8217;s manifesto, &#8220;Mein Kampf&#8221; for sale, though the book clearly runs afoul of the site&#8217;s offensive materials policy. There is also <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-VHS-Tape-Dazzling-Disney-Movie-1989-Song-of-The-South-and-Bambi-Collection/313441335281?hash=item48fa8f37f1:g:TqkAAOSwPPZgQCGv">a listing for a copy of Disney&#8217;s &#8220;Song of the South</a>,&#8221; an early animated feature that the company has largely pulled from publication over concerns similar to those of Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

Ebay Packing Tape

Auction Site eBay Confirms It Is ‘Monitoring’ For Illicit Dr. Seuss Book Sales

Racism

On Thursday, reports surfaced that eBay, the online auction and shopping website, had blocked the sale of certain Dr. Seuss books. One eBay lister received the following response:
<blockquote>We had to remove your listing because it didn’t follow our Offensive material policy. Listings that promote or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination aren’t allowed.
What activity didn’t follow the policy[:]
Dr. Seuss Enterprises has stopped the publication of this book due to its negative portrayal of some ethnicities. As a courtesy, we have ended your item and refunded your selling fees, and as long as you do not relist the item, there will be no negative impact to your account. Please review our Offensive Materials Policy prohibits this item for more information.
What you need to do next.
You can’t relist items we’ve ended. Please ensure your current and future listings follow this policy.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Got one. Gonna buy the other five. Think I need to go ahead and buy Hick Finn too, that thing is a goner. <a href="https://t.co/nCMn9A4CRW">pic.twitter.com/nCMn9A4CRW</a>
&mdash; Cʜɪᴢᴀᴅ ⚜️🥃 (@AUChizad) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUChizad/status/1366741136434483202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
LET’S GOOOOOOO! <a href="https://t.co/KF3n67yCkZ">pic.twitter.com/KF3n67yCkZ</a>
&mdash; Cʜɪᴢᴀᴅ ⚜️🥃 (@AUChizad) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUChizad/status/1366862640790835206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I could sell Mein Kampf but not And to Think that I Saw it On Mulberry Street because it’s “hateful”. <a href="https://t.co/nUqK8wuOLf">pic.twitter.com/nUqK8wuOLf</a>
&mdash; Cʜɪᴢᴀᴅ ⚜️🥃 (@AUChizad) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUChizad/status/1367474510815985666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
For people doubting the authenticity of this email, here&#39;s someone else I don&#39;t know who got the same one.<a href="https://t.co/814B1DE3nf">https://t.co/814B1DE3nf</a>
&mdash; Cʜɪᴢᴀᴅ ⚜️🥃 (@AUChizad) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUChizad/status/1367482413870383104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In light of the fact that books such as “Mein Kampf” can be offered on eBay while some Dr. Seuss books are banned, it is important to examine what the company’s <a href="https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/offensive-material-policy?id=4324">Offensive materials policy</a> states:
<blockquote>Listings that promote, perpetuate or glorify hatred, violence, or discrimination, including on the grounds of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender or sexual orientation, aren&#8217;t allowed. This includes but is not limited to the following:</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>
<blockquote>Slurs or epithets of any kind</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Slavery items, including reproductions, such as tags, shackles, documents, bills of sale, etc.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Items with racist, anti-Semitic, or otherwise demeaning portrayals, for example through caricatures or other exaggerated features, including figurines, cartoons, housewares, historical advertisements, and golliwogs</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Black Americana items that are discriminatory</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Confederate battle flag and related items with its image</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Historical Holocaust-related and Nazi-related items, including reproductions</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Any item that is anti-Semitic or any item from after 1933 that bears a swastika</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Media identified as Nazi propaganda</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Listings that imply or promote support of, membership in, or funding of a terrorist organization</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
This week, Dr. Seuss Enterprises <a href="https://apnews.com/article/dr-seuss-books-racist-images-d8ed18335c03319d72f443594c174513">told</a> The Associated Press that the books &#8220;And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,&#8221; &#8220;If I Ran the Zoo,&#8221; &#8220;McElligot&#8217;s Pool,&#8221; &#8220;On Beyond Zebra!,&#8221; &#8220;Scrambled Eggs Super!,&#8221; and &#8220;The Cat&#8217;s Quizzer” portrayed “people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,&#8221; adding, &#8220;Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families.”
“Dr. Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field as part of our review process,” the company continued. “We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalog of titles.”
After Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced it would stop selling the titles “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer” — those books could not be found on Amazon.com for their normal prices, and any editions for sale had astronomical prices, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/prices-of-dr-seuss-books-skyrocket-after-6-are-canceled/">The Daily Wire</a> reported, adding:
<blockquote>For example, when searching for “If I Ran The Zoo,” the Amazon site listed “1 new,” “1 used,” and “1 collectible,” but when clicking on the links for “new” or “used,” a message popped up reading, “Currently there are no other sellers matching your location and/or item specification.” Yet a “collectible” link showed the book available for $1,500.</blockquote>

Now It’s eBay: Website Reportedly Bans Sale Of Some Dr. Seuss Books

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