-=December 31, 2003=-
HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE
I hope you all remain safe this New Year’s Eve. Those of you that brave the crowds and actually go out tonight.. Have a great time and be careful! We always stay home since there are too many crazy people out there on the roads. :oD

ASK TY 
Q: What new plans do you have to make 2004, exciting for Beanies? (submitted by 9164) 
A: How about a poem for the final answer ? 2003 was a fun filled year Now 2004 is almost here I'm working harder than ever before You'll be surprised at what's in store ! I'll see you at the Cyberboard New Year's Eve party ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

JANUARY WALLPAPER
http://www.ty.com/January2004_Wallpaper

JANUARY 2004 BEANIE OF THE MONTH
http://www.ty.com/Jersey_Intro

WHEN DID CLUBBY VI RETIRE?
Toni points out that Clubby VI is now listed on the retired list at Ty.com

ASHLEY & HER AMAZING BOPPER COLLECTION
http://www.planetbeans.com/AshleysBoppers.htm

-=December 30, 2003=-
CHUBBLEY NEWS
La Rue has some exciting Chubbley news: http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/aan.html
You can also view the new January releases here: http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cb.html

JANUARY INTRODUCTIONS
BEANIES: http://www.ty.com/January2004_BB
Chopstix the Monkey
Corsage the Bear
Demure the Poodle
Killarney the Bear
Lefty 2004 the Donkey
PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL 2004
Righty 2004 the Elephant

BUDDIES: http://www.ty.com/January2004_BBD
Peace Symbol Bear
Bo the Dog
Dublin the Bear
Filly the Horse
Lullaby the Lamb
Parfum the Poodle
Sampson the Dog

CLASSICS: http://www.ty.com/January2004_TC
Alfalfa the Bunny
Baby Goldilocks the Bear
Bayou the Frog
Chewy the Dog
Digits the Monkey
Galaxy the Unicorn
Goldilocks the Bear
Griddles the Bear
Lilac the Bear
Ripples the Dog
Schultzie the Dog
Truly Yours the Bears
Weensy the Elephant

PLUFFIES: http://www.ty.com/January2004_PLF
Googly the Blowfish
Pokey the Leopard
Pudder the Pink Bear
Tinker the Blue Bear

PUNKIES: http://www.ty.com/January2004_PNK
Butters the Cow
Marbles the Moose
Shockers the Bear

BOPPERS: http://www.ty.com/January2004_BBP
Rah-Rah Rachel
Sassy Sidney
Totally Trish

Setting up shop at Southland
MARION -- It's not a Beanie Babies world anymore. An aisle space in the middle of the mall will have to do.

That's where Phoebe Corrigan cheerily sells the bean-bag dolls to the patrons strolling Southland Mall. Corrigan, a Marysville resident, began selling Beanie Babies in 1996 as a gimmick to get customers in the door of her T-shirt shop.

The arrival of 300 customers told her the future of her business was in the Ty product whose popularity backed up check-out lines at gift shops and McDonald's drive-throughs in the mid-1990s. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

TY TO JOIN A VIRTUAL NEW YEARS PART ON CYBERBOARD
Click here to view the original thread 
Click here to view Ty's post

-=December 29, 2003=-
NO NEWS TO SPEAK OF
I have searched for the last couple of hours and have found nothing worth sharing. I will be mailing a newsletter to offer a hint for the contest today. If you have ANY news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com 

-=December 28, 2003=-
ASK TY 
Q: If you could spend the holidays anywhere, where would it be? Which Beanies would come with you? (submitted by clairecat) 
A: The Holidays are a wonderful time of joy, memories and reflection. Whether I'm home or on the road, near or far, Christmas makes anywhere special ! May your Holidays be filled with peace and love this season. http://www.ty.com/askty_home

-=December 27, 2003=-
Sam Goody Hosts the First Bad-Gift Boycott to Help Correct Santa's Gift Giving Errors and Announces National Bad-Gift Story Contest
Hundreds Attended to Exchange their Bad Gifts for a Sam Goody Gift Card Worth Up to $500; A Dumpster Full of Bad Gifts Were Collected and Returned to Santa

Santa Claus delivers millions of gifts every holiday season, and with a delivery list of that size, mistakes are bound to happen. To help correct Santa's errors, Sam Goody offered those who received bad gifts this year the opportunity to exchange them at the first "Sam Goody Bad-Gift Boycott" event at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Nine-year-old Jacob Wilson of Minneapolis was on hand with his father Mike to demonstrate the difference between a good gift and a bad gift. "This is a good gift," he said, holding up a copy of John Madden Football 2004," the wildly popular video game. "And this is a gift that stinks," he said, referring to the stuffed animal he received from his grandma in Tucson. Jacob hurled the stuffed animal into the Sam Goody dumpster. "Sometimes Grandma forgets that Jake is nearly 10 and his "Beanie Baby" stage has long since passed," Mike said.

-=December 26, 2003=-
DECEMBER RETIREMENTS
BEANIES:
2003 Holiday Teddy
2003 Signature Bear
Chillin'
Cornbread
Decade
Rudy
Snowdrift

BUDDIES: 
2002 Holiday Teddy
Extra Large Shamrock
Large Shamrock

BOPPERS:
Cute Candy
Festive Frannie
Happy Hanna
Jammin' Jenna
Lovely Lily
Lucky Lucy
Naughty Natalie
Rugged Rusty

TEENIE BOPPERS: 
Cool Cassidy
Hat-Trick Hunter
Jazzy Jessie
Lucky Linda
Paula Plappertasche
Pretty Penelope
Rockin' Ruby
Rugged Rusty
Snappy Cindy
Sweet Sally
Wishful Whitney

JINGLE BEANIES:
2000 Holiday Teddy
2002 Holiday Teddy (green)
2002 Holiday Teddy (red)
Chillin'
Flaky
Herald
Jangle
Roxie

It included money, home-cooked food, clothing and toys.

Except her wishes, which her mother scribbled on a sheet of paper, contained things she wanted others to have.

Christie died Nov. 18 from complications associated with spina bifida, a birth defect.

In death, much as in her life, the 21-year-old Newman woman gave more than she received.

She left money to Family House at Children's Hospital Oakland, where her parents, Joe and Pat Freitas, spent many nights so they could be near her.

She bequeathed her clothes to children in need.

She gave her collection of 200 or so Beanie Babies to her brother, Jayme Freitas, to spread as Christmas presents among poor children in Arlington, Va., where he lives. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Building holiday spirit takes a village
Stylists make décor bearable
Then there's the Great Beanie Baby Takeover in Edmonds.

How did busy Signature Styles salon at Edmonds' Five Corners area become overrun with 155 of the soft, cuddly critters?

Beanie Babies, Basket Beanies, Jingle Beanies and Beanie Buddies, a bigger version of the Ty collectibles, festoon the stylists' mirrors and the shampoo area, and run the length of the front windows. They join garlands, wreaths and a sleigh. And 60 of them reside on the 10-foot-tall Christmas tree in the middle of the room. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

-=December 25, 2003=-
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!

-=December 24, 2003=-
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE
I hope everyone enjoys the last hours of the mad rush to get things finished today. :oD I have a few last minute things to get done and I expect the stores to be so crowded. Be safe and remember to give to those less fortunate even if that means you can only give a smile please do so.

Tomorrow morning will be quite hectic so I’m unsure when I may be able to come online and report news, if any, or more the graphic. I will take a break from the news tomorrow and give you all a break in locating the contest graphic.

MERRY CHRISTMAS… I would like to wish each and every one of you a blessed and beautiful Christmas or holiday you celebrate during this time of year. Take this time to spend with family and friends. Remember to give thanks for the riches we are all blessed with. Enjoy watching your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, as they open their gifts with a twinkle in their eyes and delightful giggles all around. THIS is what it’s all about, togetherness! -HUGS

Beanie bonanza
Two collectors donate 700 Beanie Babies to local charities
Wendy Wigger liked "Happy" the Hippo the best: Of the surplus Beanie Babies she saw in the last week, the pink hippopotamus with the giant grin grabbed her attention.

As a spokeswoman for Holland Community Hospital, Wigger spent last week tackling the huge but enjoyable task of sorting through and redistributing more than 700 of the small plush toys throughout the community. The hospital's emergency and pediatric departments, the Holland Rescue Mission, the Center for Women in Transition, Sylvia's Place in Allegan and an orphanage in Russia are all in line to receive the small stuffed animals, thanks to a big donation from two private collectors from Fennville.

"I've been busy the last couple of days ... 700 Beanie Babies are a lot," Wigger said. "I think they were multiplying before our eyes, it was phenomenal." VIEW FULL STORY & PIC HERE

Charity Buried Under Mountain Of Toys
Viewers Offer Overwhelming Response To Report
CHICAGO -- Grant-A-Wish needed more toys to give to children in need.
Wishes, as is the saying, do come true.

"I want to thank everyone," she said. "I want to wish them the greatest things in the world."

People dropped off presents at the charity's office on Wells Street. Savini reported people that people have not only brought bags of toys, but their checkbooks as well. Children in shelters and hospitals will have something to open, and their 1,000 gift shortfall had turned into a 3,000 gift bounty.

Corporations have also donated gifts, Savini reported. The Disney Company is donating 1,000 tickets to their upcoming ice show, "Monsters, Inc.", and the Ty Corporation is donating 1,000 Beanie Babies. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

LOOKING FOR BEANIE BEARS
Chester writes: "Merry Christmas to all fellow collectors on the list. I am currently changing my collecting and concentrating only on Ty Beanie Baby Bears. I am interested in acquiring as many bears as possible. I already have about 250 bears.  I would be very interested in trading the remaining part of my beanie collection and a rather large collection of puffkins  for any bears that I do not currently possess in my collection.

It is hard to identify all the beanies that I have, but it is well over 500 pieces.  I am requesting that anyone who is looking for certain beanie babies (other than bears) indicate to me what they are looking for and what bears you have available to trade.  My email address is cbarkan@optonline.net.  PS I do not have any Old Face 3rd generation pieces. I started collecting in the late 90's.  I would love to have them but them are still cost prohibitive.  All pieces I am looking for must be Mint with Mint Tags.

-=December 23, 2003=-
TWO MORE MUST-READ CHRISTMAS STORIES…
BOBBY’S GIFT FROM SANTA: http://www.planetbeans.com/ChristmasStory2.htm
THE GLITTER CARD: http://www.planetbeans.com/ChristmasStory3.htm

The first one can be found at: http://www.planetbeans.com/ChristmasStory.htm

TY'S HOLIDAY GREETINGS
There is now a newsflash on the main page of Ty.com for the Happy Holidays from Ty that was shown on the December 18th "Ask Ty" http://www.ty.com/happy_holidays

CONNIE'S BEARON DISPLAYS & HOLIDAY PICTURE
http://www.planetbeans.com/ConniesFinds.htm

MY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
http://www.planetbeans.com/ChristmasDecorations.htm

-=December 22, 2003=-
SEARCHING FOR NEWS
There isn’t much happening today. I wanted to share two things with you though. :oD If you have any news, holiday photos/displays, Christmas sentiments, anything at all.. please send to Lisa@planetbeans.com

ADDITIONAL INFO ON THE JANUARY RELEASES
Beanieholics has additional info about the rumored new releases. VIEW HERE

A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS STORY (a must read!)
http://www.planetbeans.com/ChristmasStory.htm

-=December 21, 2003=-
Sorry for the delay this morning in getting the graphic moved and the news out. I’m fighting a sinus/upper respiratory infection and patiently waiting for the antibiotics to kick in and make me feel better. My face and head hurt pretty bad this morning. Also… Robbie may have the flu which started yesterday so he’s miserable. Just a terrible time of year to be sick. I hope all of my wonderful friends and readers are well this holiday season. It’s no fun to be sick! :o(

SHARON'S HOLIDAY DISPLAY
Sharon writes: "Hi Lisa, I'm not sure if it shows up real well in the picture but this curtain has a lighted christmas tree on it and this year I decorated it with Jingle beanies. It adds a little Ty Christmas cheer to my dining room. Sharon" http://www.planetbeans.com/SharonDisplay2.htm 

One woman's shopping habit blossoms into a store
All it took was a little Chocolate, and Mitzi Davis was addicted.

Five and a half years ago, the Kingwood resident purchased her first Beanie Baby, a moose named Chocolate. It was a present for her granddaughter Samantha, but Davis admits she was the one who got hooked.

Within months, she had opened a shop in Humble called the Beanie Outlet.

Davis now knows every one of the 700-plus Beanie Babies by name and says with motherly affection, "I love them all."

Once a manager of a clothing boutique in Indiana, Pa., Davis said she was a "woman of leisure" when she bought the Beanie Baby that led to her new career.

Soon after she purchased Chocolate, she and her husband, Edward, a retired Pennzoil manager who now works for Warren Motor Oil, took a vacation to Palm Springs, Calif. They came across a shop that sold Beanie Babies and ended up spending a lot of time there.

"We went almost every day to get a new Beanie for our granddaughter," Davis said.

The shop's owner believed the Houston area would be an ideal place to open a Beanie Baby store, and he encouraged Davis to consider the idea herself. VIEW FULL STORY & PIC HERE

Collectors fade away
In an office not much larger than a broom closet, reference books, stamp albums and philatelic supplies are stacked floor to ceiling, obscuring the only window in the 12-by-13 room.

Charles Avery doesn't worry about the view, let alone cramped quarters. There is no line of last-minute shoppers vying for the Legends of Hollywood series or the updated Traveler's album for world stamps.

Remember the Beanie Baby boom of 1998 and 1999? Beanies initially became popular because their price of $4 to $5 was affordable for children. Later, they became valuable collectibles for adults who could sell a single toy for as much as $1,000.

Today, you can find them at garage sales for under a buck.

Blue suede shoes

Well before Beanie Babies, we had Elvis. Elvis on plates, Elvis on planes, even fruit cakes carved into the King's likeness. This marketing phenomenon was not lost on the U.S. Postal Service. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

-=December 20, 2003=-
CAN YOU HELP
I'm trying to locate the prize that Steve Kooser didn't mail to the person who won the prize package it was to be included in. Take a look at this picture to see if you happen to have an extra to sell to me. I've searched eBay and can't find one and I'm not sure where else to look. http://www.planetbeans.com/News/October2003/miscellaneous/jackboyds.jpg  I'd like to send out a special THANK YOU to Stephen and to Scott of Scott's Collection who both offered to send a replacement to Laura. :oD

More Toys for Tots: WHSmith and BAA Pittsburgh Team Up to Provide $60,000 Worth of Ty collectibles
More area youngsters will have a special gift this holiday season thanks to a generous donation to the Marine Toys for Tots drive by WHSmith and BAA Pittsburgh, Inc., developer of the AIRMALL® at Pittsburgh International Airport. Several thousand stuffed plush toys -- more than 550 cases of Ty collectibles -- are being delivered today to the Toys for Tots facility in Ambridge, PA.

WHSmith, an 11-year operator of news and gift shops at the AIRMALL®, is providing $60,000 worth of Ty's wildly popular Beanie Babies, Ty Classic, Pluffies, Punkies, and other collectibles. The colorful creatures, which sport fun names like Frisco the Cat and Zeus the Moose, retail from $6.99 to $50. The donation comes just in time for the local Marine Corps Reserves' delivery of toys to needy children. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Parents’ grief heads to court
Ryan Howard’s nearly 15-month-old frame still felt cold to his mother’s touch despite the warm blankets nurses at Hanover Hospital had wrapped around him.

The hospital staff needed an accurate reading of the boy’s oxygen content, but an oximeter, an instrument to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood, appeared to be malfunctioning or couldn’t obtain accurate readings from his tiny fingers.

The levels seemed too low, according to a medical malpractice suit filed in York County of Common Pleas.

The nurses were trying to page the doctor. Ryan needed oxygen. The staff was trying to stabilize him for possible transport to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

“. . . I happened to look down and I said, ‘He is not breathing,’” Ryan’s mother, Laura Howard, said during her deposition. “And Dr. (Diego) Gonzalez said, ‘Yes, he is, he’s fine.’

The Howards know their lawsuit won’t bring back Ryan, but they hope it helps inform others.

Life continues

Following Ryan’s death, the Howards bought more than 200 rhino Beanie Babies to give to friends and family as a remembrance. Their son was known as “Little Rhino” because of a stuffed rhino he once received as a present. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Most Expensive Home Sales In America 2003
Every year, when we compile our list of the Most Expensive Homes In America, we raise a skeptical eyebrow because we doubt that most of the properties on our list will sell anywhere near their asking prices. The houses linger on the market for a few years until their owners take them off. Only in the cases of the owner's death or financial hardship do the properties sell for a more reasonable, or realistic, price.

It isn't easy to sell a $50 million home (the average home price on this year's Most Expensive Homes list was $49.05 million), especially since the number of buyers in that price range is small and more often than not people with that kind of money want to build a home of their own. So when we set out to identify the ten Most Expensive Home Sales of 2003, we saw that there is roughly a $20 million difference between the houses that have the highest prices and those that actually sell.

There was one home, however, that sold above the asking price. A bluff-front home in Montecito, Calif., was under contract for $20 million, before beanie baby billionaire Ty Warner heard about the sale, and swooped in with a competitive offer to buy the house for $22 million; plus he agreed to give the original buyer $5 million to walk away from the deal and he paid the other buyers' broker fees. In total, he spent $27 million for a $20 million house that he is expected to level and use for the land. (His primary home is next door.) VIEW FULL STORY HERE

JANUARY RELEASES?
Beanieholics has a list of rumored new releases. VIEW HERE

THANK YOU BEAR
The newest Thank You Bear is now pictured on the CURRENTS list. VIEW HERE I've updated the checklists.

-=December 19, 2003=-
BROWN DECADE SHIPPING
SHeL informs me that his Brown Decades were shipped yesterday. Those of you ordering from the Ty Store have to love this fast shipping!

KANSAS NEWSPAPER GIVES PLANET BEANS A MENTION
You may remember the news article from December 11^th where I stated that La Rue from Kansas Brass & Pewter had a mention in her local newspaper regarding her beautiful sled ornament. The same newspaper now has a write-up for Planet Beans. :oD VIEW ARTICLE HERE

Flood Losses Cut Deep in West Virginia
In a matter of minutes, the Reed family lost nearly everything they owned to six feet of raging flood waters that deluged their West Virginia home last month. The seven-member family, which includes four children who range in age from two to 12, turned to the Red Cross for help.

After the waters receded, Amy Reed’s 10-year-old step daughter, Whitney, asked about the strange objects littering their front yard. “I guess they’re other peoples’ front doors, honey,” Reed told her.

But the real shock hit Whitney when she saw the damage to her downstairs bedroom.

“It wasn’t until she was on the phone with her mother, describing what she had seen, when the tears began,” Reed said.

Toys, clothing, cherished treasures and collectibles were among the debris bobbing in six feet of water. Presents for the children this Christmas were also destroyed.

“She lost the only photograph she had that pictured her with both her parents before their divorce. That’s the stuff that’s heart-breaking.”

Other items the Red Cross has given to young and old are Beanie Babies, donated by Ty Inc.

When the Reed family’s youngest, Madison, aged 2, received her Beanie Babies, she clutched them tightly and belted out her favorite song, “I Can Only Imagine,” to the Red Cross volunteers there to help the family. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Santa Fund 2003
Elf: 'The joy of little children has no bounds'
Anonymous, Harpswell, Lincoln Log Cabin; Susan Yetter, Brunswick, box of Legos; Alex and Sam Nichols, Brunswick, Model USS Enterprise kit, two Power Rangers and a Doll. Joan Ingersoll must have needed lots of space to display all the Beanie Babies that she had in her collection. Today another assortment arrived for use at the Santa Claus Fund — these will be put in the packages for lucky children this Christmas. The large bag today contained 60. Surely Joan will miss her collection, but her reward will be in knowing that more than 100 children will be made happier on Christmas morning by receiving one of these Beanie Babies. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Looted flower shop overflowing with toys
So many people have donated toys to a Northwest Side business to replace what burglars stole earlier this week that Chicago firefighters have agreed to help deliver the overflow to needy kids.

More than $20,000 has been pledged and more than 2,000 toys have been donated to Jim Harney, owner of Aberdeen's Wedding Flowers, to make up for the 125 toys that were ripped off sometime before 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Harney was crestfallen after the burglary because he intended to deliver the toys to hospitalized kids, something he and his family have done for years.

Since the break-in, though, more than 700 people have called offering money or presents.

"It's amazing," Harney said. "Charities are calling us asking if we can donate toys to them."

Ty Inc. delivered 500 Beanie Babies to the flower shop on Harlem near Irving Park on Thursday morning, said Scott Wehrs, a Ty spokesman.

"We received over 80 e-mails in our Oak Brook office from our employees, asking us to do something for them," he said. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Hope for the Holidays gifts in many forms await families
For the moment, Santa's workshop seems to have been relocated to the Alachua County Fairgrounds.

The concrete floor of the drafty main exhibit building has been marked off into squares with masking tape. Within each square, the Christmas dreams of a single family are being assembled - food baskets and warm jackets, bicycles and baby dolls.

Today marks the end of the 21st annual Hope for the Holidays campaign, and 450 needy area families, ranging in size from a single person to a group of 15, will be stopping by the fairgrounds to find their holiday wishes fulfilled.

Volunteers were still wrapping presents Thursday as the first of the families began to check in.

"One anonymous donor provided about a thousand Beanie Babies she'd collected," Dix said, and indeed, a Beanie Baby was peeping out of most families' gift boxes. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

<my comments: Just thinking out loud here... If everyone that collected Beanie Babies, and I know that there are a LOT of you out there that still collect, would take a few of your extra Beanies to a shelter, hospital, or any place needing donations, there would be many more kids feeling some love this holiday season. This is the season for feeling blessed for what we have and it's a time to give to those less fortunate. Please do your part. I take great joy in knowing the Beanies and other items I donate will make someone smile. Think of all of those kids that don't even have one present to open on Christmas morning! Don't you think those kids would love to own a Beanie Baby? I do!>

-=December 18, 2003=-
ASK TY w/HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM TY
Q: Do you make a special display or place setting for your Holiday Beanies? Which Holiday Beanie is your favorite?
(submitted by Bene8691)
A: This year I decorated a tree with all the Jingle Beanies and put Star at the top. Which Holiday Beanie is my favorite ? Click here to see some of my favorites helping me wish you a wonderful holiday ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home 

MIDWEST BEARON STILL AVAILABLE
La Rue shares the following: "Midwest Airlines 100th Anniversary of Flight (red) Bearon is still available to order but not guaranteed to arrive before Christmas. If you wish this limited Ty Beanie Baby--call 888-888-8006; price $5.99 + $4 S&H."

BEANIE BABY SIGNED FINAL 4 SURVIVOR MARQUESAS 
One of Ms. Janie's readers shares info about this auction:
partial description from the auction: THIS ELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION 'ARIEL' BEANIE BABY IS SIGNED BY THE FINAL FOUR SURVIVORS FROM SURVIVOR: MARQUESAS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO OWN THIS COLLECTIBLE IS OUTWIT, OUTPLAY, OUTLAST AND OUT BID OTHER FANS AND THE BEANIE SIGNED BY PASCHAL, VECEPIA, KATHY AND NELEH IS YOURS! DONT MISS OUT! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=201&item=2581399983 

Santa leads way as Wind Warriors deliver gifts
It's not often one sees Beanie Babies tied to the front forks of a Harley Fat Boy, or tinsel wrapped around the handlebars of a Yamaha. But, roaring down U.S. 69 the Wind Warriors and friends were decorated for the season, spreading the Christmas cheer. Santa led the pack as over 40 bikes and trikes (that's a modified motorcycle with two rear wheels) cruised through downtown Jacksonville Sunday afternoon for the Wind Warriors' Annual Toy Run.

This was the fifth year the group had gathered for the occasion of donating toys and money to the Crisis Center and the HOPE food bank in Jacksonville. The event brought together long time friends and new comers alike; with the Wind Warriors, no one is left out. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

-=December 17, 2003=-
BEANIES IN NEW CODY BANKS MOVIE
Steve writes: "just wanted to let you and your readers know that i saw previews at the theather for the new cody banks movie, and his co stars are beanie babies....lol. thats right, ty beanies are featured in the movie as being part of a "subliminal plot to take over the world" the clip shows hero and a few otehrs on a table and they actualy come to life and move. definately one you will want to check on. steve :o)

WHERE BEANIES ARE
I've not received any updates so far this month for the Where Beanies Are page so I will post this one right here. 
Kathy writes: "Lisa I was at the Sacramento Airport today seeing my daughter off.  She has to go back to Baghdad.  But while I was there in the gift store was all of the new beanies for Valentine's Day.  They were $6.99 in case anyone wants to go get them.

The next 100 years of flight - part two
At 1035 EST on 17 December 1903, humanity truly took to the air. Orville Wright made the world's first manned, powered and, most importantly, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air craft. Their best flight that day lasted just 59 seconds but it demonstrated for the first time that the air could be used for travel.

Now, 100 years on, passengers can fly non-stop halfway around the world for a few hundred dollars. To celebrate a century of flight, New Scientist's Paul Marks spoke to two people deeply involved in shaping the future of flight in the 21st Century. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

After 100 years, is there anything left to know about flight?
Advances in aerodynamics have slowed as human flight has matured, but perhaps a return to studying flight in nature will point the way to new ideas

Major advances have been made in flight in the 100 years since the Wright brothers first lifted off the soil of North Carolina, opening the doors for world travel while dramatically altering the way wars are fought.

But after 100 years of rapid progress, some wonder whether the boundaries of aerodynamics have already been reached, whether any major breakthroughs are awaiting discovery or if planes in the future will pretty much look and function as they do today.

"It's difficult to see where we go from here," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group outside Washington. "The ideal jetliner, the ideal helicopter, the ideal fighter shapes have already been discovered, given what we know."

Since the historic flight at Kitty Hawk on Dec. 17, 1903, engineers have produced airplanes that have climbed to the edge of the atmosphere and broken the sound barrier, rockets that have propelled man to space and massive passenger jets like the Boeing 747 that have revolutionized world travel. VIEW FULL STORY HERE