However, it looks like the buyer needed to be a bit more aware; "The auction winner, who lives in Los Angeles County, thought he was bidding on a pro-Palin and pro-John McCain item and didn't realize its true nature until he heard about the auction on talk radio," the seller is reported as saying in the LA Times. The article says the mannequin is "not leaving its West Hollywood home," but doesn't say if the sale will go through; eBay's rules for bidders are quite firm, and unless the seller is amenable, the sale must go through. more ›

... as long as it's just a goofy doll in a Neiman Marcus coat dress and it's Halloween in WeHo. "We're not treating it as a threat," said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Wayne Williams on Tuesday. "Halloween presents some interesting challenges for us with the masks and costumes." The effigy was up "for weeks" before being called out on LAist (and elsewhere) earlier this week, according to LAT. more ›