LiveAuctioneers announced the completion and launch of its independent online-bidding platform in advance of the discontinuation of eBay’s Live Auction service on December 31, 2008. Fully illustrated catalogs are currently available for preview and pre-sale bids are being accepted for auctions commencing January 1, 2009. More: continued here

An employee in a post office in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, uncovered an elaborate blackmail scam involving photos falsely showing officials in compromising positions last week. More: continued here

Study shows increased reliance on social safety net in CaliforniaSan Jose Mercury News,  USA –1 hour agoA job she had lined up at a community college fell through due to budget cuts, and with a rise in prices, her food stamps don't stretch too far. … More: continued here

Tuesday Options Update: EBAY, SBUX, GE & AMAGSeeking Alpha, NY –4 hours agoEbay Inc. (EBAY) – A large bullish call spread has been executed through option contracts in online retailer, Ebay, where according to customer traffic … More: continued here

The cost of sending a letter in Britain will go up next year, the Royal Mail has announced. More: continued here

One of the letters sent to Santa that turned up at the Wellington post office. Children from Northeast Ohio who write letters to Santa Claus sometimes get this reply:Your letter arrived from the Post Office, to my delight.I read each… More: continued here

Saying “times have changed,” FedEx (FDX) announced it will not advertise during Super Bowl 43, set for Tampa Bay, Fla., on Feb. 1. More: continued here

The town of Rolesville got a new post office just in time to handle the holiday rush. More: continued here

Television talk-show host Jay Leno listed an eBay auction for a used tissue that his guest, actress Scarlett Johansson, had blown her nose into and autographed. More: continued here

Saying “times have changed,” Memphis-based FedEx Corp. has announced it will not advertise during Super Bowl 43, set for Tampa Bay, Fla., on Feb. 1. More: continued here