MetaFilter posts tagged with charity and auction

Name That Newly Found Species, for Charity

filthy light thief — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:28:05 -0800

In 2005, the first comprehensive characterisation of decapod fauna of the continental margin of southwestern Australia was performed. 524 provisional species were identified, including 175 species (33%) that were new to science, each needing to be named. Earlier this year the naming rights for one particular unnamed spotted shrimp went up for auction to support the Australian Marine Conservation Society. Bob Rosenberry, journalist and publisher of Shrimp News International was an enthusiastic bidder, with plans to name the species Lebbeus shrimpnewsii, until he learned he couldn't name it after a commercial entity. The winner was a surprise to all involved: Lucien James "Luc" Longley, retired NBA player. (via) Longley, the first Australian to play in the NBA, was not new to conservation efforts, and had gotten involved with ocean conservation in an earlier effort to preserve Ningaloo Reef. The full report on the 2005 comprehensive characterisation of decapod fauna is available with other Museum Victoria Science Reports (Science Report No. 11 - HTML abstract, 108 pg, 7541 kb PDF) As noted in the Wired (via) article, Lebbeus clarehanna wasn't the first species named as a charity fund-raiser. In 2007, an auction of rights to name 10 newly discovered species of fish efforts raised more than $2 million for conservation in eastern Indonesia, and in 2005 an internet casino paid $650,000 for the right to name the foot-high primate (common name: GoldenPalace.com Monkey; scientific name: Callicebus aureipalatii - Latin for "golden palace"). Last year, you could have won the rights to name a new species of bats. And if you're wondering about the rules for naming newly found fauna, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature has the International Code Of Zoological Nomenclature hosted online. Botanicals have their own rules.

WWIII is upon us!

yiftach — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:04:59 -0800

The warm and fuzzy one, not the end of civilization as we know it. For the third year in a row, a whole gaggle of artists have donated original art for a silent auction to benefit domestic violence shelters and a crisis line in Portland, OR and Fleminton, NJ. One (prolific and admittedly talented) guy's obsession turned to good. The art varies widely in style and inspiration, but is almost universally interesting to see, if only to marvel (yes, you geeks, I know WW is a DC property) at how different people visualize the same character.

Saving the world, one stapler at a time.

drew — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 12:12:25 -0800

Saving the world, one stapler at a time. Now you can buy a stapler (signed by an uber-celeb) and be a philanthrophic soul at the same time! If only they had a red Swingline signed by Milton, my life would be complete. But why would anybody want this one signed by Paris Hilton? God knows where it's been!

The Ultimate Geek Auction

eurasian — Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:10:26 -0800

A tour with WotC, a session to play D&D with them. Lifetime subscription to Steam. Ok, some items are better than others. But for Child's Play, the folks at PA are pulling one heckuva dream auction for geeks. More auction items are detailed, go to the the second news post.

corpse — Tue, 19 Feb 2002 07:48:23 -0800

Want to be the first kid on the block to own a Segway? Amazon and Dean Kamen are auctioning off three of them. All proceeds go to Dean's non-profit organization, FIRST.