Use Caution When Buying Michael Jackson Memorabilia; Value of Items Could Only Be Sentimental

Immediately following the announcement of Michael Jackson’s sudden death, enterprising individuals began selling memorabilia online to take advantage of the increased demand. Better Business Bureau warns that the value of most memorabilia and commemorative items being sold is sentimental and the currently inflated prices for many items will drop over time.

According to Smartmoney, before Jackson’s death, sellers listed an average 200 to 400 memorabilia items daily on eBay, but by the morning following his death almost 20,000 Michael Jackson-related items and memorabilia were for sale on the auction Web site. Items included autographs, gloves, posters, newspapers and even a Cheeto which supposedly predicted the death of the pop star.

In addition to memorabilia, commemorative items are already being mass produced and sold to fans—including t-shirts and special edition newspapers and magazines. Because the value of collectibles is largely dependent on how rare an item is, mass-produced commemorative items are not likely to appreciate in value.

“Collectibles associated with Michael Jackson are selling at a premium right now and most of these items will not increase in value in the future,” said Kathy Graham, President/CEO of the BBB of Coastal Carolina, Inc. “Following the death of Princess Diana, the market was flooded with mass-produced items commemorating her death including special edition Beanie Babies that at one time sold for more than $100 but are now on garage sale tables for a buck.”

For fans looking to purchase items to help them remember the King of Pop, BBB offers the following advice:

Get educated.
Collectors should research the value of Michael Jackson-related items before they begin purchasing memorabilia, especially if they are interested in purchasing pieces that have the potential for substantial appreciation in value.

Confirm authenticity.
Confirming the authenticity of memorabilia is rarely easy. Autographs can be verified by a third party, but for other items, the collector should feel free to ask the seller questions about the item, including how the seller came to own it. If the seller can’t answer simple questions, then the collector should walk away.

Make purchases with a credit card.
Consumers should always purchase items with a credit card if they are shopping online. If the seller turns out to be fraudulent, then the consumer can dispute the charge with the credit card company and may be eligible for reimbursement.

Purchase items from a reputable seller.
When shopping online stores, collectors should look for the BBB seal on Web sites and click on the seal to confirm its legitimacy. If there isn’t a BBB seal on the site, shoppers should always check a company out with their BBB before they buy at www.bbb.org.

When purchasing items from an individual on eBay, research the seller’s track record by reading buyer reviews. When shopping on Craigslist, go local and never wire money as payment.

Don’t be fooled by empty advertising claims.
Just because the seller claims that the item is of limited edition, it doesn’t mean that there weren’t millions made. If the item is being widely advertised, chances are, it’s too common to actually gain much value over the years.

For more BBB advice you can trust on shopping safely go to www.bbb.org.

Patriot men cagers gain services of Shepherd transfer

Francis Marion University men’s basketball coach Gary Edwards has announced the addition of 6-6 junior forward Liki Turner, who is transferring from Shepherd College to FMU and will play for the Patriots this season.

Turner is a native of Richmond, Va., and was a two-sport (football and basketball) letterman at Benedictine High School. He averaged 10 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game as a senior, while teaming with University of North Carolina signee Ed Davis as Benedictine posted a 29-3 record and won the Virginia Independent Schools Division I championship.

At Shepherd, he earned WVIAC Freshman of the Year honors after averaging 14.6 ppg and 8.9 rpg during the 2007-08 campaign. He recorded 13 doubles-doubles.

This past year, he compiled averages of 14.3 ppg and 8.1 rpg while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 72.0 percent at the foul line. In his two seasons with the Rams, he tallied 823 points and 486 rebounds.

“Liki is a proven performer on the Division II level,” said Edwards. “He brings experience and an intensity to our front line. I expect him to contend for All-Conference honors in the Peach Belt just as he did in the WVIAC."

At Francis Marion, Turner will join previously announced newcomers 6-2 freshmen guard Evrik Gary of Camden and 5-11 junior guard Bryant Julious of Hemingway.

Francis Marion finished the 2008-09 season with a 16-12 record.

FMU signs Conway cross country runner

Francis Marion University cross country coach Mark Bluman has announced the signing of Sierra Young of Conway to a national letter of intent to attend FMU and run for the Patriot women this fall.
Young, 5-0, is a product of Conway and Loris high schools. She ran for three years at Loris before graduating from Conway this past spring.

For the Lions, she competed in both the 2006 and 2007 AA-A state meets, posting identical 25:29 times over the 5,000-meter course.

“The recruitment of Young is a testament to the program we have at FMU,” said Bluman. “As a freshman, she attended Loris High School and was a teammate of current FMU runners Kim Richardson and Holly Todd. Obviously she has noticed the success and fun that they are having at Francis Marion and she wanted to be a part of that.

“Young is a second generation runner as her father is also a distance runner. As a daughter of runner, she comes in with a great level of maturity. This maturity will contribute to her success here at FMU. I look forward to working with her. She comes to Florence well prepared to handle the demands of competing at the next level.”

Francis Marion loses only one senior from its 2008 women’s squad that placed ninth at the Peach Belt Conference Championship Meet and 20th at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Meet.

At least 5 state newspapers say Sanford should resign

Associated Press

COLUMBIA — At least five South Carolina newspapers say Gov. Mark Sanford should resign because of revelations about his affair with a woman in Argentina.

The Greenville News, The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg, The Herald of Rock Hill, the Morning News of Florence and The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg all called on Sanford to resign.

Sanford told The Associated Press Tuesday he had more encounters than previously disclosed with his Argentine "soul mate" and had dalliances with women earlier.

Spartanburg and Orangeburg newspapers earlier had called for Sanford to quit. Spartanburg said Wednesday that Sanford "has squandered the trust South Carolinians had in him."

The Greenville News said Sanford "has destroyed any shred of credibility with his lies unnecessarily added on top of other lies."

Coker Women's Soccer Adds Four for 2009

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
7/1/2009

Hartsville, S.C. - Coker College Head Women's Soccer Coach announced the signing of four players to National Letters of Intent to play soccer for the Lady Cobras in the fall of 2009 today. Morgan Hartline, Sarah Kinsey, Jill Giguere and Sarah Rountree will all wear Coker blue and gold starting in August, with the hope of taking the Lady Cobras back to the top of the Conference Carolinas standings.

Hartline is a native of Columbia, S.C., where she was a standout performer at Dutch Fork High School. A forward, Hartline joins fellow Lady Cobras Bridget Clark and Amanda McPhail who also attended Dutch Fork High School. According to Coach Grass, "Morgan distributes the ball very well, but looks to put the ball in the back of the net."

Kinsey joins the Lady Cobras from Windermere, Florida, where she attended West Orange High School. A three-time letter winner, Kinsey was a Second Team Metro Conference Forward in 2009 and was named the 2009 Offensive Player of the Year. Off the field she graduated with honors, while taking accelerated college courses and was a four-year member of the A/B Honor Roll. When asked about Kinsey joining the Lady Cobras Coach Grass said, "She gets herself in the right place to capitalize on goals, but also finding the holes for others to score."

Giguere comes to Coker from Myrtle Beach, S.C., where she was a four-time MVP for Socastee High School. A forward/midfielder, Giguere was a two-time Toast to the Coast selection, three-time All-Region selection, was a All-State nominee and was the team high scorer for five years. "Jill will be competitive at both the midfield and forward positions," said Coach Grass. "She will keep others on their toes with her subtle moves and seamless passes."

Rountree is another native of Florida, joining the Lady Cobras from Plantation, Florida, where she was a three sport standout at Archbishop McCarthy High School. The two-time Archbishop Female Athlete of the Year, was also named All-County in soccer, softball and golf, while receiving Academic Second Honors for four years and she was a member of the National Honor Society. "Rountree has a nose for tracking down attacking players and denying them goals," said Coach Grass about the defender. In addition to playing soccer for the Lady Cobras, Rountree will also take the field as a Coker Softball player in the spring, making her one of just a handful of two sport athletes at Coker.

With the addition of these four young ladies and the return of 13 players from last season, Coach Grass and the Lady Cobras will be looking to improve last season's record. The Coker women open their 2009 season on August 27, when they host Newberry College at 5:30 p.m. on the Coker Soccer Field.

SC Dems Condemn Sanford in New Video

The South Carolina Democratic Party today released a new web video, "No Laughing Matter," highlighting how Governor Mark Sanford's reckless behavior has made South Carolina into a national punchline that even leading national Republicans won't defend.

Governor Sanford's irresponsible conduct has made South Carolina into a national laughing stock, but his abuse of power is no laughing matter. When Americans think of South Carolina, we want them to think of our beautiful beaches and Southern hospitality, not lies and scandal. After embarrassing South Carolinians for two weeks, Governor Sanford expected to be able to return to work with no questions asked. This latest admission from Mark Sanford is precisely the reason why we've pushed the Attorney General and Republican legislative leaders to investigate all of the Governor's activities related to his extramarital affair. South Carolinians need to know if Governor Sanford's reckless, irresponsible behavior constituted illegal behavior," said S.C. Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler.

To view the SCDP's web video "No Laughing Matter," visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txdZB8bVYEg

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler released the following statement today in response to Governor Mark Sanford's admission to having more encounters with this mistress than he previously disclosed.

"This latest admission from Mark Sanford is precisely the reason why we've pushed the Attorney General and Republican legislative leaders to investigate all of the Governor's activities related to his extramarital affair. South Carolinians need to know if Governor Sanford's reckless, irresponsible behavior constituted illegal behavior," said Fowler.

McMaster Requests SLED Review All Sanford Travel Records in Light of New Revelations

Columbia, S.C. June 30, 2009 - "In light of the governor's disclosure of additional travel today, I have requested that SLED conduct a preliminary review of all Governor Sanford's travel records to determine if any laws have been broken or any state funds misused."