Charlize Kisses Girl for $140K

Charity auctions meal with GOP star

(NEWSER) - For any wealthy Sarah Palin super-fans out there, this could be your chance: eBay is hosting an auction for a private dinner with the former Alaska governor and husband Todd—provided the winner passes a background check. Bidding starts at $25,000, and proceeds go to a charity that provides vets with bicycles, reports CNN. For those who'd rather eat with Karl Rove, the bids start at $7,500. The 10-day auction starts Tuesday. More»

(NEWSER) - A CD of Mikhail Gorbachev singing traditional Russian ballads has sold for $164,940 at a charity auction in London, the Guardian reports. The sole copy is now in the hands of an “anonymous British philanthropist.” The benefit was held to raise money for a foundation, named after the former Soviet premier’s late wife, committed to fighting childhood cancer. More»

Johansson auctions off used tissue to feed the hungry

(NEWSER) - Scarlett Johansson is proving that even Hollywood glamour-pusses can be gross. The actress thinks her flem would make a nice fan memento, so she’s auctioned off a used tissue to raise money for a hunger charity. Bidding on eBay has already topped $2,000, the New York Daily News reports. Johansson alerted the world to the auction on Leno, telling him that she caught a cold from co-star Samuel L. Jackson while filming The Spirit. More»

Price for Beatles relic misses $750K projection

(NEWSER) - A 1911 document that lists “E. Rigby” among the employees of a Liverpool hospital sold at auction for $177,000 yesterday, failing to match hopes of a $750,000 haul for the Beatles relic, Reuters reports. The possible inspiration for the song "Eleanor Rigby" is a salary register signed by scullerymaid E. Rigby. Paul McCartney sent it to a music charity in 1990 in response to a donation request, the group's head says. More»

Charity auction for San Francisco homeless sets record

(AP) - A Chinese investment fund manager won the chance to have lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett by bidding $2.1 million in the most expensive charity auction ever held on eBay. Zhao Danyang of the Hong Kong-based Pureheart China Growth Investment Fund won the auction, which ended Friday evening with a bid of $2,110,100. More»