February 2005 News Archives

February 28, 2005
MARCH INTRODUCTIONS
http://www.ty.com/March05_Prod_Intro
BEANIES: Mom, Spongebob Tuxedopants, Spongebob Thumbsup
BUDDIES: Cutesy, Spongebob's Pineapple Home, Fumbles, Whittle
CLASSICS: Champagne, Cartwheels, Sandy, Buckshot
PINKYS: Pinky Poo, Chenille, Rosa, Dazzler, Julep, Silky, Baubles, Twinkles, Ratzo, Pinky Poo (large), Gloss, Lil' Gloss, Orchid, Fab (purse), Chic (purse), Shimmers

Ty Warner buying Miramar (Santa Barbara News-Press, Calif.)
Feb. 26--Billionaire Montecito resident Ty Warner said Friday that he plans to add to his stable the long-neglected Miramar Hotel property, which has languished as an eyesore for more than six years.

A contract "has been fully executed," according to Greg Rice, vice president of development for Mr. Warner's company Ty Warner Hotels & Resorts in Montecito.

No purchase price was disclosed for the historic 17-acre hotel site, owned by hotelier Ian Schrager and Miramar Holdings LLC. Mr. Warner said in a written statement that "a premium price" has been paid for the property in order to acquire all the approval plans and rights that will allow him to "expedite the Miramar renovations."

Sources familiar with the deal told the News-Press that the purchase price is roughly $45 million. Mr. Schrager paid $31.7 million for the property in September 1998, and sources said that he also had to spend an additional $10 million to $15 million on improvements made since the purchase, plus financing costs.

Mr. Warner -- the Beanie Babies magnate with an estimated net worth of $6 billion, according to Forbes magazine -- already owns several high-profile properties on the South Coast, which he renovated and upgraded. The properties include the Four Seasons Biltmore, the Coral Casino Beach Club, San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito Country Club and the Sandpiper Golf Course.

Mr. Warner's purchase comes two months before the permits for the proposed remodel of the seaside hotel expire in May. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

SWEETEST BUDDY RETIRES
Michael writes: "I just now noticed that Sweetest the Beanie Buddy made for the Tystore is no longer there and has moved to the Retired list. To replace Sweetest is an empty window. Michael"

MUM IS SILENTLY INTRODUCED
I expected this to occur around the time that MOM was introduced. Now MUM is officially on the list is in fact listed as a UK exclusive as many had thought! http://www.ty.com/images/products/6228_lg.gif

February 27, 2005
PICTURES OF PINKYS & SPONGEBOB BEANIES
A "retailer in New York" shares great pictures of the Pinkys and the SpongeBob Beanies. VIEW PICTURES HERE

February 26, 2005
PINKYS ARE COMING
Michael shares the following: "According to a post on the Ty talk cyberboard Ty is making preparations to introduce the Pinkies. Below is what the post says and and link to the post itself. I myself checked this out and the post is exactly right. Also Pinkies are at the mall in Fairview Heights....although when i said i wanted the Ratzo Pinkie they asked me-- "Which One, The beanie or the Buddy?" So i told them to hold both. Im going to get them later today when my dad gets home from work and will provide more info then. Also when i get them i wont be able to get a picture probably until Monday. Michael"

A spot reserved on Ty for Pinkys....
bkneeobsessed (Feb 26, 2005, 07:18 AM)
Message Id: 940543
bkneeobsessed writes: If you go in your Tyfolio, click on My Favorites and scroll down to the last category. Now hover over the green "change favorites" button. On the bottom of your browser where it shows website addresses, it says it's for Pinkys. They're getting ready! http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_19-940543-0-1,00.html

Students Collect Toys for Troops
Students at Saint Andrew School in Milford collected 2,700 beanie babies to send to American soldiers in Iraq.

The troops actually asked for these little toys, not for themselves, but as a way of comforting Iraqi children.

They'll be shipped out by volunteers at the yellow ribbon center in Batavia along with signs of support made for the troops. VIEW ARTICLE & PICTURE HERE

February 25, 2005
Students sending Beanie Babies to Iraq
BLOOMINGTON -- Almost every species of the animal kingdom along with imaginary figures are represented in the hundreds of Beanie Babies piled in the office at Northpoint Elementary School.

Students have brought the stuffed animals by the armful as part of the Beanies for Baghdad effort to support the troops in Iraq.

They were inspired in part by their art teacher Matt Thomas, who served in Iraq for seven months before returning in October.

ASK TY
Q: How do you decide what each Beanie's birthday will be? (submitted by Denny916)
A: Some Beanies remind me of friends and I use their birthdays. Other Beanies remind me of famous people and I use their birthdays. Sometimes Beanies bring back special dates in my life . . . and I use those for the birthdays ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

MISSING BEANIE CASES
Michael writes: "I just now noticed that you can no longer order Ty beanie cases from the Ty store. The Ty beanie cases are no where to be found at the Ty store and there is an empty window where the cases use to be. Michael" http://www.tytrade.com/TyStore

Reporter trips (and falls) down memory lane
He gets a rude awakening from dream of cashing in on childhood treasures when he checks their value online.
Welcome to my future, the one I envisioned while hoarding away priceless collectibles in my childhood bedroom on Long Island.

My parents recently announced they were selling their home of 35 years to move to Phoenix, because poaching eggs is something they always wanted to try on their windowsills.

More recently, there was the sham of the Beanie Babies. These annoying dolls fetched hundreds to thousands of dollars in the mid-'90s, with a mint-condition Peanut the Royal Blue Elephant commanding $5,000.

Their incredible value owed to a unique marketing plan by Ty Warner, founder of toy company Ty Inc. of Oakbrook, Ill. He introduced Beanie Baby characters, then yanked them from production almost immediately.

Struck by the potential for profit, people started trying to guess which Beanies would be retired next. Others, fearful of missing out, started scooping up every model in toy stores.

"Ty Warner was a genius," Dralle says. "He created phony demand by controlling the supply. There was no intrinsic value to these things other than this false demand."

When Beanie value took a slight dip in 2000, not unusual for any collectible market, a predictable percentage of owners reacted by selling.

In this case, since there was no genuine Beanie rarity, that percentage represented thousands of owners. So the dip escalated into a crash unseen since 1929.

The family already got their visas, and as part of the arrangement, they are scheduled to appear on ABC’s “Good Morning, America.”

Since they were reunited, Christian and Buddhist priests, relatives, people from villages surrounding Kalmunai and even an American family were among a sea of visitors who came to see Abilass.

Among the gifts he received was a Beanie Baby from 11-year-old Natascha Yogendra from Fairport, N.Y., who is in the region with her parents doing charitable work and visited Abilass a few hours before he departed for Colombo.

“I don’t use it anymore so I brought it for the baby,” Natascha said as she placed her gift by Abilass’ side and kissed his forehead. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

February 23, 2005
NOW THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION!!
Ms. Janie has posted the following question to her readers: "How can Ty win back his collectors and put Beanies back on top?" You can read the very informative responses and suggestions at http://www.msjanie.com/2005photos/save_beanies.html

February 22, 2005
BONNET IS INTRODUCED AT TY STORE
http://www.ty.com/Bonnet_intro
There is a Beanie and a Buddy offered. HOW CUTE! :o)

Group fills troops' requests
DEER CREEK -- A group of volunteers are close to tripling their goal of sending 50 boxes of snacks, socks and Beanie Babies to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The effort, led by Deb Robertson of Deer Creek, continues to grow. "Probably by early next week, we'll have shipped 140 boxes," she said over the weekend.

She is interested in helping other communities start similar programs. She decided to help the troops when her son joined the Illinois Army National Guard.

Robertson and other volunteers dropped off about 300 bags at the doors of homes in Deer Creek with a list of items requested by soldiers. About half of the bags were filled; more people brought items to the Village Hall.

Marty Ohler, who lives three miles west of the Mitsubishi Motors North America plant, was reading meters for Corn Belt Energy when he and his wife, Marcia, read about the effort.

Ohler was born in Romania, about 500 miles from the Russian border, and remembers being a 7-year-old boy riding trains with women and children moving away from war.

When the train stopped, boys would get out and dig potatoes from fields near the tracks. "It was a sheer survival thing," said Ohler, who immigrated to the United States in 1952.

When he heard of the efforts to send chocolate and Beanie Babies for troops to carry in their cargo pockets and give to children, he wanted to be part of it.

"We wanted to show that Americans aren't the evil people that some people make us out to be," he said. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

February 21, 2005
PINKYS
Ms. Janie shares the following info about Pinkys
Small promo version of Pinky

It includes 6 beanies-silky the pig, dazzler the bear, baubles the frog, julep the monkey, Rosa the guinea pig, & chenille the chick.
2 pink purses-fab the poodle & chic the kitty
Also ratzo the buddy in pink, a classic cat, 3 classic dogs, a large classic bear

Cuddly Comfort
As a licensed psychotherapist, Beryl Title knows that hugging a cuddly toy can comfort a child.

As she watched news reports of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami a few weeks ago, she wanted to send cuddly companions to the youngest victims.

"I saw the look on the children's faces," recalls Beryl, who lives on Hilton Head Island.

So, she decided to collect Beanie Babies and other small stuffed animals to bring smiles to children who lost everything.

"The kids will be able to sense that these Beanie Babies are coming with love. And really, if anything can help heal them, it is that sense of feeling loved," Beryl said Sunday.

Beryl's daughter, Channing, has helped out by distributing fliers around their neighborhood and at her school.

"I felt that it was my responsibility to do something to help them out too, instead of just watching it and just being like, 'Oh, poor babies,'" said Channing, a seventh-grader at Heritage Academy.

"I wanted to make a difference and wanted to help my daughter to see the importance of helping other kids and to see outside of yourself," Beryl said.

The response has been tremendous. In just a few weeks, Beryl says she has received about 550 Beanie Babies. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

February 20, 2005
NEW YORK SHOW REPORT
Ms. Janie shares the following report: "This report has been shared by a Ty retailer attending the show, which was kind enough to phone me. I did have difficulties hearing, as the show was pretty loud so please know up front that names and descriptions are subject to change. If you have additional information to offer about new styles or your experience at the show, please feel free to contact me at msjanie@comcast.net

All TY salesmen were wearing pink ties and pink handkerchiefs to support the PINK line. Ty personally introduced the PINK line in person yesterday. He will be in attendance today and is expected to sign the PINK poodles for retailers. The show so far is pretty slow but is expected to pickup throughout the day! Beanies including Pinks- Pinks will ship right away for March orders.

Bright pink Beanies, probably the same ones introduced a week or so ago at the Nuremburg Toy Fair - poodle, monkey, a frog, bear, dog, chick, Rosa – pink and white Guinea Pig
2 Sponge Bob Beanies, one with glasses and 1 with a pineapple design
6 Classic – and 1 large
Pink classic – whole new line of Pinks, including one larger version Purses – 1 pink poodle with ribbon in hair and around the neck, dog purse and 1 cat purse
Angeline - storybook with characters, will not ship until April, If you are not at the show you can not order. 24 angels with messages, example, Happy Birthday, Thinking of you, etc. etc. 24 key chains displayer Soft with a miniature storybook attached."

I was just reading the letter that was posted by “Johnah” and found it so ironic, I too am 62 years old with fibromyalgia and have close to 1800 beanies and buddies and having a hobby like collecting Beanies is a great way to take your mind off the constant pain that comes with fibromyalgia. I too purchased a great deal of my beanies through Beanies 4 You. I have been buying from them since 2002 and if you ever do have any kind of problem Mark rectifies it immediately, it’s a great place to buy from.

So to make a long story short I wholeheartedly agree with everything Johah said about Beanies 4 You. Have a great day, Ruth in Ohio”

February 19, 2005
HAPPY CUSTOMER ~ KIND WORDS
Johnah writes: “Hi, I just wanted to say what a wonderful site you have and to let you know how happy I am that Beanies 4You is advertising with you. Mark & Michelle are so very nice. I am a 62 yr old woman and I have fibromyalgia and I love my ty beanie babies (all categories!) and I have about 1400 of them of which I have bought the majority of from Beanies4You! My memory is getting a lot worse and just recently I ordered 2 of the month introductions ( of which I couldn't afford, 1 is expensive enough !) and I contacted Mark & Michelle and they took 1 of the sets off of my credit card! (My husband now helps me keep up with my orders!) Now I realize they didn't have to, but that is just how wonderful they have been to me and I'm sure they are like this with all their customers ! I am so pleased Mark & Michelle let their customers know about your site as I didn't know about it. I will look forward to looking at it & will put it in my FAVORITE PLACES ! Thanks, Johnah”

February 18, 2005
ASK TY
Q: Do you ever dream about Beanies? (submitted by 9178947)
A: Great question. I often dream of new Beanies . . . I guess that's why I sleep with a sketch pad on my night stand ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

MICHAEL'S FABULOUS FIND
Did Michael find a Beanie that is "believed to be rarer then both BILLIONAIRE BEARS, #1 BEAR and ROYAL BLUE PEANUT. In fact early indications are this may become the most valuable beanie to date." http://www.planetbeans.com/FabulousFinds.htm

UPDATE ON MS. JANIE FROM BEANIES 4 YOU
Mark writes: "Update on Ms. Janie -- Michelle and I received the following update about Ms. Janie: She is feeling a little better today, but still is recovering and is on so many medications, that all she's doing is sleeping. She's lost 7 lb in the week, because her appetite is not good, but she's trying to eat because of the medications.

INFO PAGES ALL UP-TO-DATE
Thank you to KarenBrit for helping me out with some missing style numbers. I've updated ALL the Beanie Info Pages. Now I'm ready for the next batch of releases. LOL http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm

When old is new and shabby is chic
Trends drive preferences in antiques and collectibles
When customers come in to the Jesse James Antique Mall and Furniture Gallery in St. Joseph, they are either true collectors or what Annette Weeks calls “home decorators.”

Both groups want a good deal, she says, but have different criteria when looking. Collectors consider investment potential, so age and rarity are important. The decorators don’t care how old it is. They are looking for items for a specific room or for nostalgic and personal reasons.

Trends can make a difference for both groups.

“Trends can be media driven,” says Ms. Weeks, who is general manager of the mall and is coordinator for this weekend’s antique show at Civic Arena. “Shabby chic,” a trendy, rustic, distressed look, and old furniture for fix-up projects are sought after by the ‘HGTV crowd,’” she says.“Look at how many were made,” Ms. Shaw says. “Beanie Babies are a good example of what happens when a market becomes over-saturated and the market falls out.”

“They had an amazing ride,” Ms. Weeks says. “We gave it only a year and were amazed it lasted so long.”

She thinks the popularity of Beanie Babies lasted as long as it did because children started collecting. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

SNOW ANGEL CLASSIC RETIRES
http://www.ty.com/Snow_Angel_Ret

QUICK SHIPPING
Rosalie writes: "I can't believe it. I ordered 4 Woolins from the Ty Store on Tuesday the 15th. I just got an email that they have been shipped on the 17th. That has to be the fasted turn around I have ever seen. Thanks Ty.

Thanks for keeping us posted about Ms. Janie. She is such a great gal. You are doing a great job with your newsletter. Please keep up the good work. Rosalie from Chicago"

February 17, 2005
WHERE’S THE NEWS?
There sure isn’t much happening in the way of news. If you have anything to share whether it be news, pictures, fabulous finds, etc. please share. Lisa@planetbeans.com

February 16, 2005
Hot toy? Sounds like a (beeping) mystery
Are Wibbles the new Beanie Babies? Can mini-Groovy Girls grab the spotlight from Bratz Dolls? Will kids clamor for the newest version of Tamagotchi interactive pets?

Christmas is months away, but the toy industry is already looking at the tea leaves.

More than 7,000 toy, game and puzzle vendors will vie for the attention of more than 17,000 buyers at the American International Toy Fair starting Sunday in New York. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Ty Inc. hit with $716,000 judgment
Witness tampering finding by judge
Beanie Baby magnate H. Ty Warner got beaned in court, and it will cost his company more than $700,000.

A federal judge in Chicago has found the Oak Brook billionaire tampered with a witness by persuading him not to testify in a trademark dispute involving Beanie Babies.

U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow punished Warner's company, Westmont-based Ty Inc., by ordering it to forfeit $716,046 it had won in the trademark case against Softbelly's Inc., another plush toy-maker. She could not impose any criminal penalties on Warner because the case was a civil matter.

"We're extremely disappointed in the opinion," said James White, a Chicago attorney who represented Ty in the case. "We respectfully disagree with it."

The lawsuit opened a window on the secretive world of Warner and his Beanie Baby empire. The former toy salesman transformed $5 bean-bag animals with cute names like Chocolate the Moose into one of the hottest toys of the 1990s. Children and adults collected them by the dozens. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

NOTE: If you are unable to view the full article please email me and I'll send you the complete article - Lisa@planetbeans.com

February 15, 2005
PRAYERS FOR MS. JANIE
Karen writes: “Hi All, Ms. Janie asked me to let others know that she is very sick. She has not been feeling well for the last week, and her doctor's visit today confirmed she has pneumonia and is to go straight to bed. She will not be updating the site for a few days...perhaps she should take a week off...but i'm not sure i can convince her of that! lol

It should be an exciting week, with the New York show upon us. I'm sure between everyone, news will be covered well.

As a side note, sales of the book have got my fingers aching, elbows hurting, and arms about to drop off, with all the emails, registering orders, sending out payment details, etc. Close to 1,000 orders have come in!!!! I'm speechless! No, i'll never be that :-) The adrenaline (? sp) is keeping me going, I'll probably collapse after the last book's mailed out! lol Won't be long now. I can see it as a way to get the market up and running like crazy again! I've had the kindest emails and the excitement is incredible, over the book. Makes it all worthwhile the work put into it. Thank you everyone for sharing the news about it. Love: Karen

February 13, 2005
CHERISH AUCTION REMINDER
Sue writes: "A reminder that the latest DEC-AID auctions close today for the series of Asia Pacific Flag Bears (with tags and cards) and the 2 TAKEYA special edition packages (the original Sakura and Nipponia with lovely perambulators and extra tags and cards), also the One-Off Sugatami-Mirror Model by Beanie Tenjishitsu (again with the original Sakura).

Although I had planned to stop the DEC-AID auctions and concentrate on those for Cancer Research UK, I have found that wonderful donations keep on arriving for DEC-AID and so I am continuing while they keep on arriving! A few more 'specials' will be starting today for DEC-AID as well as more special items for International Childhood Cancer Day (February 15th). The two different types of auction will continue to look quite different so there should be no confusion as to what each is raising money for (I hope!)

Thank you very much for your continued support for both charities. Best wishes, Sue" VIEW AUCTIONS HERE

February 12, 2005
NO NEWSLETTER TODAY
Topica posts the following message:
Scheduled Upgrades and Maintenance In Progress

The site will be back online by 8 pm PST (04:00 GMT, Feb 13th).

During this time, our website and services will be unavailable. All scheduled campaigns will be queued and then delivered shortly after service is restored.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may experience and we thank you for your patience.

System Available: 8pm PST (04:00 GMT, Feb 13th)

Letting the cat out of the bag worked this time
Munchkin came to us as a tiny kitten after her mother stopped feeding her and her littermates. She was nine days old when I started bottle-feeding her and was the only one of the litter to make it. A sleek, black kitty with shiny fur and a white blaze on her chest, Munchkin doesn't like other cats or, for that matter, very many people.

But she's a great hunter and stalks my daughter's old Beanie Babies as though they are real. Her favorite toys are a small stuffed moose and tiny little bear with a Santa hat. She fights terrible Beanie Baby battles, often having to go to the mat with those vicious plush critters. We find them strewn all over the house when we awaken every morning, following a night of Munchkin beating the stuffing out of them. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Love is in the cards
Valentine's Day trinkets can be silly or sentimental
Walk into Loft's Cards and Gifts on Main Street in Johnson City and there's no mistaking that love is in the air.

Next to the greeting cards, the most popular items in the store for Valentine's Day are the Ty Beanie Babies, said owner Eleanor Toman. And with the variety available, there is something to appeal to every taste. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PICTURE HERE

INTERESTING THREAD ABOUT TY PROTOTYPES
I was reading a thread on the Daily Tymes about prototypes. Some interesting reading. VIEW THREAD & REPLIES HERE

February 11, 2005
MICHAEL’S FINDS
Michael writes: "Attached are several pictures of my latest Ty finds. Including pictures of Bits the beanie baby, comparisons of Garfield the beanie baby and Garfield the beanie Buddy, a comparison of Pooky the beanie baby and Pooky the beanie buddy and a picture of Masque, Mardi Gras the bear, a Ty lapel pin >> from the Ty show, Adonis the bbom, and a Zodiac Monkey Beanie i found at a Goodwill store. You may feel free to post these photos on your website. Michael" VIEW PICTURES: http://www.planetbeans.com/MichaelsFinds.htm

IN-HAND PICTURE OF MUM
Bean Watcher shares a picture and information about the MUM Beanie Baby that's not yet released on Ty.com: VIEW INFO HERE

NOTE: Something of interest. Take a look at the last sponsor on the list below.
Official NASCAR Members Club(SM) Launched to Be an Organization That Creates a Direct Connection Between America's Most Passionate Fans and the Sport They Love
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- NASCAR's 75 million fans have been called the most passionate, loyal and devoted fans in all of sport. In appreciation, NASCAR, its legendary champions and top drivers are inviting the sport's most avid fans to become part of the official NASCAR family and achieve official insider status. Now NASCAR fans across the globe will be able to be recognized for their loyalty and enjoy exclusive privileges available only to members of the Official NASCAR Members Club(SM), which was launched today at fabled Daytona International Speedway (DIS).

The Club's National Membership Chairman, Richard Petty, as well as the largest group of legendary NASCAR Cup Series champions ever assembled, were on hand as Stoneacre Partners, LLC, and NASCAR unveiled the Official NASCAR Members Club and invited race fans everywhere to join as charter members in 2005. The Official NASCAR Members Club will be a member organization designed to strengthen the every day connection between NASCAR fans and the sport they love. The NASCAR Members Club is the only member club licensed by NASCAR that is open to all race fans age 13 and above.

Stoneacre Partners, LLC, a leading developer of affinity and customer loyalty programs, has secured long-term, exclusive rights from NASCAR to create, develop and manage the Official NASCAR Members Club. Stoneacre and NASCAR are working closely with numerous sponsors, promotional partners, race tracks, teams, drivers and other businesses affiliated with the sport, to develop special benefits and rewards for members of the Official NASCAR Members Club. Stoneacre manages fan relationships for the entire sport of NASCAR by directly connecting the sport to its avid fans. The Stoneacre Partners team has a long history of creating and developing some of the most successful customer loyalty initiatives in history, including Marlboro Gear, Pepsi Stuff, and the Beanie Babies Official Club. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Raising a Philanthropist
A few weekends ago, my daughter and several of her sixth-grade friends decided to raise money for tsunami relief. They talked and planned, then baked and baked. Hoping to make a few hundred dollars, they stood outside the supermarket in the freezing cold to sell their cookies and muffins. To their surprise, they pulled in a whopping $1,316 in cash donations. They were overwhelmed by the generosity of the supermarket patrons, many of whom gave $20 for a $1 treat. It was quite an empowering experience for the kids.

I'm often asked how to encourage children to be philanthropic. My response: Charity begins at home. Simple acts such as supporting your kids' fund-raising ideas or contributing to the collection in church won't go unnoticed by your children.

Start small and make the experience as hands-on as possible -- baking cookies or choosing a toy for a holiday toy drive, for example. The more tangible the gift, the easier it is for children to appreciate the joy of giving.

Although the impulse to give comes naturally during the holidays or after a disaster, take advantage of other opportunities throughout the year. One mother encouraged her 7-year-old daughter, Samantha, to use her own money to buy Beanie Babies for the toy closet at the cancer treatment center of a local hospital. On one visit, the mother of a young patient came up to Samantha and told her how much her daughter enjoyed going to the closet to select a toy. "That really impressed Samantha," said her mom. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

LINK CORRECTION: FTD OFFERS TY VALENTINES TIN
Description: Special sweets for the Sweethearts. This tin contains Truly®, a very special white Beanie Baby® from Ty®, as well as traditional Valentine candy favorites sure to let your special sweetheart know you care. Valentine heart PEZ dispenser and PEZ candies, a box of conversation hearts, an assorted HERSHEY® Kisses, and a bag of gummi bears. One gallon tin is approximately 7-1/2" high and 6-1/4" diameter. $29.99. VIEW PICTURE & DETAILS HERE

CHERISH AUCTION REMINDER
Sue writes: “Just a reminder that the Valentine's auctions are scheduled to close later today so that items paid for straight afterwards can be mailed out tomorrow. http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

I am being whisked away for a short romantic break in France on Valentine's Day so all items not paid for straight away will be posted after our return (on Friday), as stated in the auctions. The DEC-AID items will also be mailed from next Friday onwards, with those auctions closing this Sunday.

IF you live in UK you could have an item sent in time for Valentine's Day so if (like me!) you are still searching for that special gift then look no further! Each item will be sent out gift-wrapped and has a lovely little card with a picture of the item incorporated into the design, making it unique. These are the first items this year to wear the CHERISH collect for life 2005 tags.

More items will be listed soon to raise further funds for research into children's cancers, in conjunction with International Childhood Day on 15th February. Please click here for more information Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! Sue”

ASK TY
Q: Can you please clear up some of the confusion about the prototype issue?(submitted by americanmaid)
A: As I said before in the statement I posted on the Daily Tymes Board with respect to the prototypes, I'm taking action to ensure that this situation is resolved soon and never happens again. Please know that I'm taking this very seriously and I appreciate your concerns. http://www.ty.com/askty_home

=================================
posted in January
January 29, 2005
TY STRIKES BACK AT PROTOTYPES; ASKING FOR HELP

I need your help !
Ty Warner (Jan 28, 2005, 05:20 PM)
Message Id: 924112
Ty Warner writes: I was shocked to see the auctions for my prototypes. I have not given anyone the authority to sell these items. I do not know how they found their way out of our office, or if they are even authentic. Please know one thing is for certain, I will find out how this happened and who is responsible. I ask you not to bid on any prototypes until I have resolved this issue. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of my prototypes please email my office at contact@ty.com. Thank you for your help and your continued support.

<< There has been much speculation on Ty's Cyberboard that the posts by "Ty Warner" were not in fact made by Ty. This proves that the post was indeed made by the man himself. >>

February 10, 2005
THIS IS A STORY.. ABOUT HUGZ DEMISE
Michael writes: "I just got back from one of my favorite Ty retailers in Edwardsville, IL. Anyway they said that they heard when they went to the gift show in Chicago that Ty had a big yelling match with the creator of the Hugz Punkies and finally Ty Warner fired him. Thats why the Punkies sold out and retired so suddenly. Also the creator of the Hugz family also created the Halloweenie Beanies at least thats what they told him at the Ty show. Michael

Update from Michael: "I tried posting my info about the news i heard about hugz and it still has yet to be posted....whats odd is usually when they reject a posting they email you and say its inappropriate topic or off topic or somthing like that. Well no email yet and i posted the news on the Ty talk cyberboard at around 5:00 p.m. central time. I just find thats very odd.... Michael"

FTD OFFERS TY VALENTINES TIN
Description: Special sweets for the Sweethearts. This tin contains Truly®, a very special white Beanie Baby® from Ty®, as well as traditional Valentine candy favorites sure to let your special sweetheart know you care. Valentine heart PEZ dispenser and PEZ candies, a box of conversation hearts, an assorted HERSHEY® Kisses, and a bag of gummi bears. One gallon tin is approximately 7-1/2" high and 6-1/4" diameter. $29.99. VIEW PICTURE & DETAILS HERE

February 9, 2005
CROAKS IS SOLD OUT
http://www.ty.com/truly_soldout

BEANIE BABY BOOK
Karen (aka KarenBrit on Ty Talk) writes: "Hi Lisa, I am so excited to announce more details of the beanie baby book I've been working on for the last year, and can start actively taking preorders for it, so it will be READY to go the minute they arrive!!

Please would you post the link below on your website, so that your members can read more details about the book. For anyone who places an order, please let them know that I will email them an order number, so I know the quantity of books, labels, padded envelopes, etc, that I need. If they don’t receive a confirmation email within 24 hours, they should email me directly.

It'll be super to get the final book into every ones' hands! J Delivery is explained on the page on this link too. Love; Karen

Arizona’s Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 10th Annual National Awards Program
Scottsdale students earn $1,000 awards, engraved silver medallions and trip to nation’s capital
PHOENIX, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles Strauber, 17, and Alison Goulder, 14, both of Scottsdale, today were named Arizona’s top two youth volunteers for 2005 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 10th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). More than 20,000 high school and middle level students submitted applications for this year’s program.

Alison, an eighth-grader at Rancho Solano Private School, has collected 28,000 Beanie Baby dolls for shipment to U.S. soldiers in Iraq so that they can pass them along to children in the war-torn country. Alison has been involved in many community service projects in the past through her school, but "I always wanted to start a project of my own," she said. When she learned from a magazine article that soldiers in Iraq were requesting Beanie Babies, she knew she had found her project.

Alison, who has been collecting Beanie Babies since she was 7 years old, contacted a law firm that was shipping care packages to troops in Iraq and offered to donate her collection. She then launched a collection drive at her school, using fliers and collection bins to encourage classmates to donate their Beanie Babies. Her campaign soon spread to other schools and school districts in Arizona, and as the little stuffed animals poured in, Alison hauled them home every night, sorted them and prepared them for shipment. But Alison didn’t stop there - she also sought and received donations directly from the manufacturer of Beanie Babies. In December, she was thanked personally by senior Department of Defense officials at the Pentagon for her efforts. "I thought it was a great way to help our soldiers and Iraqi kids at the same time," said Alison. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

February 8, 2005
Tsunami teaches kids to think globally
After days of watching television coverage of the tsunami disaster that devastated south Asia, 11-year-old Meagan Slater was determined to make a difference.

She approached her Gardnerville Elementary School classmates about helping put together Crisis Care Kits to be sent to the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami that claimed 153,000 lives and left millions homeless.

"I wanted to be like the first kids in the world to make a difference," the sixth-grader said Friday.

Armed with inventory lists, she asked her teacher, Alison Mains-Lay, if her classmates could help gathering items from shampoo to little stuffed toys.

She posted fliers around the school and assigned an item to each grade. The final items will be packed up and shipped by Meagan's church later this week.

On Friday, a table in her classroom was covered with hundreds of items that students had contributed.

Mains-Lay said students at GES consider themselves part of the global community and were happy to help Meagan with her project.

"I am exceptionally proud of them," she said. "They are not just thinking of themselves."

Mains-Lay said she was happy to present the project to the school to enlist all the students' participation.

"It makes me feel really good because I am helping all these people," Meagan said. "I didn't expect this much because most people are really busy in their lives."

Jonny Lawrence, 11, donated two Beanie Babies, a box of bandages, combs and shampoo.

"Since most of the homes were wrecked, it's probably hard to find these things," he said. "When you watch it on TV, it makes you feel bad."

Halie Stanton, 11, included her Beanie Baby penguin with the toys.

"They're for the little kids," she said. "They need something to hold onto. Something to cherish and to have and to hold." VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PICTURE HERE

Seid helps toys find their way
The man who quietly took on the project of moving Beanie Babies from Michigan to Iraq has been at it again, delivering locally-donated toys to some of the world's poorest children.

"I went on a trip last week to Africa, and I brought about 2,000 Beanie Babies down there to Djibouti. We're down there doing humanitarian stuff," said Air Force Lt. Col. Howard Seid, formerly of Ontonagon. "There are a bunch of Marines down there. They're doing inoculations of the people and their livestock. These people have absolutely nothing.

"They said these kids have never had a toy in their lives. They're going to love this stuff."

Three Ironwood women -- Tricia Doan, Lynda Van Rossum and Pamela Mack -- launched an effort to collect and distribute the dolls late in 2004. The effort was a response to Doan's son, Army Lt. Anthony Doan, who wanted gifts to share with children in war-torn Iraq.

The idea spawned the Beanie Baby Brigade. So far, some 10,000 of the stuffed dolls have been distributed. Many of them were donated by Gogebic Range residents.

It was going to be a challenge to get the dolls to Iraq. As commander of the 68th Airlift Squadron, Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, Seid was in position to make things happen.

"My cousin, (Chris Gotham), who lives there in Ironwood, knew I was a commander down here and flying. She's the one who got ahold of me. Chris is the one who kind of set everything up," said Seid. "I was up there during deer season. I brought a trailer to carry back all my venison. I ended up bringing four deer back, but about 20 boxes of Beanie Babies, too. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Some Fancy Footwork
Second-graders spearhead effort to collect new shoes for children in Iraq
Connie Carlson, a Clermont resident, has a son, Capt. Philip Carlson with the National Guard, who is stationed at a Forward Operation Base named COBRA just north and east of Baghdad. Philip Carlson is the company commander; he along with approximately 100 fellow soldiers, have stumbled upon a great need in the nearby villages where children are walking around with no shoes on their feet in very inclement and sometimes freezing weather.

“One of the jobs the troops stationed in Iraq have right now is to establish positive relationships with the Iraqi people,” Connie Carlson said. “While visiting in the nearby villages, Philip noticed that a lot of kids were not wearing shoes — not because they chose not to, but because there were none to wear.”

Connie and Philip set a goal of collecting 600 pairs of brand new shoes for the Iraqi children. Connie, a member of the Clermont Kiwanis Breakfast Club, mentioned that goal at one of the club’s local meetings last month. She said the troops often hand the kids pencils, beanie babies or other small gifts, so new shoes would be a big deal. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE 4 YEAR OLD DRIVING HIS MOM'S CAR?!
SAND LAKE, Mich. - A 4-year-old boy drove his mother's car to a video store a quarter-mile from their apartment in this town about 15 miles north of Grand Rapids.

This story was shown on our local news here about a 4 year old taking his Mom's car out for a ride to the video store at 1:30am. LOL VIEW THE VIDEO HERE

February 6, 2005
SPRING FAIR NEWS
Hayley from Beanzaddiction writes: "Hi everyone. OMG so much ty news. Angeline is a cute little angel range from ty. Her range includes many plush Angelines, cards, gift bags, plush key rings, tissue paper. Also world premier of the Pinkys range. They are a range of animals and bears that are completly pink. Includes a gorgeous pink Ratzo and buddy. Uk exclusive is a purple mothers day bear holding the letters MUM. There will also be a Usa version holding the letters Mom. More later Hayley." http://www.beanzaddiction.com

UPDATED SPRING FAIR NEWS
Hayley has posted an update: http://beanzaddiction.com/beanz05/spring2005.htm

TY SWEATSHIRTS ARE SHIPPING
Margie writes: “Hello thought i would share this with you finally i am getting my sweatshirts YEA !!!!! Margie”

Thank you for your order from the Ty Store.

This is to confirm shipment of the following order: xxxxx156

Ship date - 2/3/2005

Item Detail:
Qty Description
1 TY UNIV SWEATSHIRT XXL/PINK
1 TY UNIV SWEATSHIRT XXL/GREY

Beanie Babies need empathetic soldiers in Iraq to adopt them
MARQUETTE - If you know any empathetic American soldiers stationed overseas, the Marquette office of the Red Cross wants to hear from you.

"We got one shipment from downstate of over 600 of them," she said. "It came in on a pallet."

The program was spurred on by the request of First Lt. Anthony Doan, who is serving in the Army in Iraq and wrote his mother asking her to spend his tax return on a box of Beanies.

Doan, who is the son of Tricia and Tim Doan of Ironwood, said the Iraqi children were frightened when American soldiers searched their houses.

Doan's mother and her friends, Pam Mack and Lynda Van Rossum, began a program to fulfill Doan's request. After word about the program spread, the women received over 1,000 Beanies and the project grew too big for them to handle on their own. They contacted the central U.P. office of the Red Cross for assistance. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PICTURE HERE

FBI officer Jeff Ross said this Wednesday at Treasure Mountain Middle School. He and Fred Ross (no relation) from the Salt Lake City Police Department gave a presentation on Internet safety, providing tips on how they can protect themselves from potential attackers.

"Every school in this state, I guarantee you, has a student that's been targeted by someone interested in kids," Jeff Ross said.

"I'm sure your teachers were happy when the Internet came a few years ago for research," Fred Ross said. "Whenever something comes up that's good, something bad comes along with it."

The officers showed students how easily a predator can learn personal information about them. The officers showed screen images from a chat room encounter with a girl, Amanda (name changed), and a pedophile who eventually attacked her.

The pedophile asked "amanda101" (her screen name) how old she was. She didn't tell him, so he looked up the profile she'd written about herself for the chat room, which listed her hobbies and her brother's name.

"It doesn't sound like much, but you'll see how badly it turned out for them," Jeff Ross said.

The pedophile then searched "amanda101" for postings on message boards and found one where she had listed what Beanie Babies she wanted for her collection, her phone number, and her mother's name.

From that, he found her address, directions to her home, and even aerial images of her school using a website like mapquest.com.

Some pedophiles will use presents, like Beanie Babies, to win a child's trust and affection. Even if pedophiles abuse children, victims might be less inclined to report it, because they like the person. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

February 4, 2005
ASK TY
Q: Ty, do you think we'll ever see a quote from you for the "Quote of the Day"? (submitted by pepluvsme)
A: All of you do such a great job with quotes that I just can't compete ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

A BIG WINNER
Take a peek at Beanies 4 You raffle page and see if you recognize the name of the winner of the Ty Leather Jacket or the $250 gift certificate (3rd from the bottom): http://www.beanies4you.com/html/raffle.html ;o) All I can say is take your chance and buy a raffle ticket. It only takes ONE ticket to be the big winner. Be sure to look at the current raffle prizes to be won. Don't forget about the HUGE anniversary sale this weekend at Beanies 4 You. I will keep you posted on when the festivities begin and I know you won't want to miss it. :o)

Shadow seen in Punxsutawney
Pennsylvania groundhog predicts another six weeks of winter
Phil is nestled back safely in his burrow for another year and spring is still several weeks away, but the world’s most famous groundhog will never be forgotten by the nearly 30,000 people who turned out to see him prognosticate Wednesday’s weather.

In Punxsutawney, a small western Pennsylvania town, Ground-hog Day is more American than Thanksgiving, the World Series or the Fourth of July.

The atmosphere falls somewhere between a rock concert and New Year’s Eve at Times Square, but everything about this communitywide festival is Smalltown, U.S.A., to its core.

The Inner Circle is a group of tuxedo-and-top hat-clad men responsible for staging this annual event that dates to 1886.
“It truly is for no good reason. It’s just serious fun,” Bill Cooper, Inner Circle president, said.

For more than 100 years, Feb. 2 was a day to enjoy, but came and went with relatively low-key fanfare in Punxsutawney. Since the release of Bill Murray’s 1993 motion picture, “Groundhog Day,” the city has become a mecca for fun-loving folks around the world.
“If it takes more than 15 seconds to explain Groundhog Day, save your breath because they will never understand it,” Cooper said.
Gov. Ed Rendell, a former Philadelphia mayor, trekked to western Pennsylvania for Punx-sutawney’s festivities, the first chief executive to do so in many decades. At the annual Ground-hog Banquet, attended by more than 400 people, Cooper’s introduction of Rendell shows who the state’s real celebrity is.

The schedule includes a Prognosticator’s Ball, arts and craft festivals, food samplings at a local culinary institute, free showings of the “Groundhog Day” movie and the main event, Phil’s early-morning appearance to check his shadow.

This takes place at Gobbler’s Knob, an outdoor natural amphitheater 1.5 miles outside of town that people reach by way of a well-run system of shuttle buses. By 3:15 a.m., several hundred people have started to gather. Four hours later, the scene looks like 42nd Street in New York City about five minutes before midnight on Dec. 31.
Flags, banners and handmade signs dot the crowd with messages such as:

* Drive down — $10.
* Groundhog VHS — $15.
* 4 Phil Beanie Babies — $20.
* Bail for underage drinking — $250.
* Hypothermia and seeing Phil — Priceless.
VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Donna shares the following:
Technology - Reuters Internet Report
Rowling Warns Potter Fans - Watch Out for Scams
LONDON (Reuters) - Author JK Rowling has warned Harry Potter (news - web sites) fans to watch out for Internet fraudsters claiming to sell electronic copies of her latest wizard saga -- they are trying to steal bank and credit card details.

In the latest "phishing" scam, fans were asked to hand over their bank details to pay for a supposed copy of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" which is to be published on July 16.

"Please, please protect yourselves, your computers and your credit cards and do not fall for these scams," the writer said after her lawyers succeeded in closing down a fraudulent Web site that offered the latest Potter book in electronic form.

Rowling, whose tales of a teenage wizard have turned her into a multimillionaire and revived children's passion for reading, warned that the conmen could reappear.

"I would bet the original manuscript of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' itself that this will not be the last attempt to con HP fans before publication of the book," she said on her official site. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

February 3, 2005
Once again, Phil's got the forecast down cold
PUNXSUTAWNEY -- A girl celebrating her sixth birthday. A group from New Mexico coming to experience a national legend. A couple getting engaged at the spot where they met two years ago.

Those were just a few of the story lines yesterday at Gobbler's Knob, where wily Punxsutawney Phil dampened everyone's spirits -- if only for an instant -- by predicting another cold six weeks of winter.

It was a brisk morning set against a cloudless sky when Phil emerged from his on-stage burrow in 13-degree weather.

He didn't show any gratitude to the 18,000 adoring fans who had been chanting his name on and off for about an hour, awaiting his prediction.

As handler Bill Deeley pulled Phil out of his hiding place, the rodent kicked his small feet and struggled and squirmed to get away, before speaking to Inner Circle President William Cooper.

Chief Healthman Paul "Rusty" Johnston translated Phil's message, reading to the crowd from a scroll.

As loud jeers and boos arose from the crowd, Cooper tried to calm them, saying "He's only the messenger."

Members of the Inner Circle carried a variety of tokens to hand out to Phil's fans through the morning. There were wooden nickels and metal coins, as well as the coveted beads. For the crowd, Punxsutawney Phil Beanie Babies were shot off the stage. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PICTURES HERE

Tranquil Technologies Introduces The Heartibles Collection Therapeutic Gift Items Hailed as "What's IN for 2005"
Tranquil Technologies introduces its unique line of therapeutic gifts just in time for Valentine's Day. The Heartibles Collection launched in January 2005 with A Loving Heart, A Christian Heart and A Hero's Heart. Cultural trend watchers have taken note, proclaiming Heartibles "What's IN for 2005." The Heartibles Collection has been featured on more than 35 television shows and in more than 100 newspapers.

Tranquil Technologies co-founder Nathan Rice, who has an extensive background in the merchandising and retail industries and has observed gift trends over the past few decades, says: "We predict Heartibles will be more than just the next Beanie Baby or the next Stress Ball. This is a concept product that resonates deeply with people. We believe Heartibles will be a gift people want to give themselves as well as others."

ABOUT THE HEARTIBLES COLLECTION: Individually priced at $19.99, the Heartibles Collection will soon be available at bookstores, gift shops, and card stores nationwide as well as through retail chains and television shopping channels. The Heartibles Collection will include A Happy Heart, A Prayerful Heart, A Tender Heart, A Grateful Heart, and many others. Heartibles are currently available for purchase exclusively at www.Heartibles.com or by calling 1-888-858-1811. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

UPDATED: NEWS FROM BEANIES 4 YOU
Mark & Michelle have posted the following: "As many of our faithful customers will remember, we launched the current version of our webpage exactly one year ago --- Wow, what a year it has been !!! Over 6000 orders placed, and over 100,000 beanies sold ... and this is supposed to be our part-time business. :-)

We owe all of our success to our hundreds upon hundreds of customers throughout the world !! Our family sincerely appreciates your continued support of our 'little business'. We know that without your support, we would be just like any of those many beanie sites out there struggling to make ends meet.

As a way to say THANK YOU, we will be having a HUGE ANNIVERSARY SALE this weekend ... and believe me, the word HUGE is appropriate. More specifics will be posted on this page each day until this weekend ... At this time I can tell you there will be well over one thousand items available, with almost all of them less than $3.00 each !!!

To wet your appetite a little, check out some pictures of our family getting ready for this big sale:"
http://www.beanies4you.com/html/sale.html

How an ex-Dover couple cheated buyers worldwide
DOVER -- The people who posted complaints, saying they were being robbed, lived all over the world -- Indiana, Missouri, Scotland, Japan and Singapore. The subject of their complaints lived in a small, neat house on Sickle Street near Dover High School.

They had connected over the Internet, where a lot of people sign on with made-up nicknames, but where commerce often is based on the presumption that sellers are honest, and that systems of checks and re-checks ensure that honesty.

Since 1999, Lutz and his wife, Wendy, had operated a company, which used different names at different times, that sold collectible Beanie Babies in auctions on eBay, the giant Internet auction house, and at stores in the Rockaway Townsquare and Paramus malls.

They operated online as thebeanieboyz@aol.com, bjseth@aol.com, wcoutinh@optonline.net, traded on eBay as aruba2001, and were known to most of their Internet customers as Wendy's Beanies.

Greg Haines, a Beanie Baby collector from Nevada, said he purchased a set of 25 Beanies in 2000 and paid $340 by credit card. He said he bought the items from a company called Beanies and More of Bergenfield, one of Seth Lutz's companies. However, in 2002, another $340 charge appeared on his credit card statement. The charge was for the same items, but from a different company. Haines said he did not place an order in 2002. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

The legend of Punxsutawney Phil: A media creation
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - If you think the media is responsible for the commercialization of a weather prognosticating rodent and the small town that celebrates it, you'd be right.

But it's not a modern phenomenon. It happened almost from the beginning in the home of Punxsutawney Phil.

Clymer Freas, an editor at The Punxsutawney Spirit in the 1800s, is credited with turning what had essentially been a German superstition celebrated locally with hunting - and eating - groundhog into what has to be one of the longest running publicity campaigns.

The Inner Circle has never considered charging an admission and gets most of its money from licensing agreements, particularly with Ty Inc. The company makes Punxsutawney Phil Beanie Babies.

"Groundhog Day isn't really about money. You can attend Groundhog Day (and) you can have a perfectly satisfactory day and it won't cost you a penny," Johnston said. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Phil not the only shadow around
When Punxsutawney Phil toddles forth to seek his shadow and predict winter's longevity this morning, the celebrated groundhog will have much competition.
     There are more than 25 other assorted groundhogs also offering opinions today, not to mention one upstart pig and a llama with weather on their minds.
     General Beauregard Lee of Georgia, Pierre C. Shadeaux of Louisiana, Pee Wee of Vermont, French Creek Freddie of Nebraska and Buckeye Chuck of Ohio are among the many contenders for alpha-groundhog — poised to predict if the nation must endure six weeks more of winter or an early spring.
     This year, Groundhog Day has swelled into six days of celebration. Gates to "Gobbler's Knob," where Phil lurks before his big moment, open today at 3 a.m. to accommodate thousands of visitors and the national press. Phil has 46 official sponsors, a namesake Beanie Baby and a wedding chapel — Phil's Wedding Chapel, of course, where the town mayor will marry happy couples until midafternoon. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

BEANIE BABY OF THE MONTH
The deadline for signing up was set for January 31st and now there is a new message posted that says "Sign up for the Beanie of the Month program by February 28, 2005 and you will receive your first Beanie Baby in June 2005." http://www.tytrade.com/bom_order_page

BEANIES 4 YOU NEWS
Some interesting news coming from Beanies 4 You (http://www.beanies4you.com). Specifics aren't clear yet, but it has to do with a HUGE ANNIVERSARY SALE this coming weekend. All they have told me so far is that customers will not be able to believe how low the prices will be, and that each order placed over the weekend will receive a free Ty product. Mark and Michelle of Beanies 4 You promised to release more information in the next newsletter.

Superbowl Advertising
Last year, the Super Bowl halftime "wardrobe malfunction" led to an intense level of public outrage. The performance of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake prompted over a half-million complaints to the Federal Communications Commission, leading to increased fines against indecent broadcasters. While the nationally televised flash of a woman's breast was shocking, the potential for some of the products advertised during the Super Bowl to harm young viewers merits a comparable degree of indignation.

For the 2005 Super Bowl, which will most certainly be the highest rated television program of the year, Anheuser-Busch has purchased the most ad time (10 of the 60 available spaces at an average cost of $2.4 million per 30 second spot) for their skillful commercial appeals to get more people to drink more alcohol. Anheuser-Busch will argue that underage persons are not the intended targets for these ads, but it is impossible to plausibly claim the ads will have no impact on kids. The funny, provocative, trend-setting, youth-oriented beer ads aired during recent Super Bowls with their clever use of cartoons, animals, athletes and music provides good evidence that young people are being targeted. Over 30 million young people under the age of 21 (about forty percent of the underage population) will be watching the Anheuser-Busch Super Bowl commercials. Many will be watching the ads with great expectations, some even as the main attraction.

Not to be outdone, the fast food chain McDonald's will push its unhealthy junk food with Super Bowl ads as well. Experts in their methods of targeting children, McDonald's uses some of children's most beloved characters, including Nemo, Tarzan, Winnie-the-Pooh, 101 Dalmatians, Furby and Beanie Babies, as well as collectible toys and gimmicks to peddle its high-calorie, low-nutrition Happy Meals. The rise of McDonald's and other fast junk food chains has paralleled the boom in children obesity as it has changed the diets of children, (who are encouraged to nag their parents for fast food). VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE