July 31, 2005
YOUR THOUGHTS
I'd like to know YOUR opinions on the latest Beanie releases. I loved Juggles and Pirouette! They are different from any other Beanie to date and it's great to see Ty has come up with some new ideas instead of reproducing older styles with slight changes. WTG TY!! If you'd like to share your thoughts and ideas please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com

~~ Nadine writes: "LISA..... I PERSONALLY THINK ALL OF THE NEW BEANIES ARE NOT WORTH BUYING.....THEY ARE TERRIBLE LOOKING, I WILL NOT BE ADDING TOO MUCH TO MY COLLECTION OUT OF THIS BUNCH.  I THINK THERE WAS ONE DOG, THE ONE PINKY, AND 4 H BEAR - AND THANK GOD WAS ABLE TO ORDERTHE OTHER 4-H BEAR ON LINE. JUST MY OPINION. NADINE (NADINEBEANIE)"

~~ Donna writes: "lisa, i`m with you, those are the two i like best especially juggles !!donna   :O)"

PINKYS QUESTION ANSWERED...
Thank you very much to HJ for responding to my PINKYS question regarding Tafetta's re-introduction. Here is what HJ writes: "Hi Lisa-- I am responding to your post of 7/30/05 regarding the introduction of Taffeta the Pinky Beanie.  You may recall that the March intros included  the introduction of the Pinkys line which included 7 Pinkys Beanies (Baubles,  Chenille, Dazzler, Julep, Pinky Poo, Rosa, and Silky).  During the first week of March, Ty added the Pinkys line to the Ty.com site and for  about a day, it consisted of 22 different styles including 5 Pinkys Beanies which were not part of the March introductions.  Also during the  first week of March, these 5 Pinkys Beanies were found for retail sale in the UK.  Since the March intro, all 5 "missing" Pinkys Beanies have been officially introduced on the Ty site (April intro-Frilly, May intro-Sparkles,  June intro-Glitters and Ratzo, and finally August intro-Taffeta).  You may want to refer to your news post for March 9th--

March 9, 2005
MISSING PINKYS?
Michael shares the following with BeanWatcher: "Two days ago, on March 7th, Ty posted a heart-shaped link to the Pinkys on Ty.com.  Clicking on the link led to a list of 22 current styles in the product line.  However, collectors who click on the link now will find only 16 current styles listed (click  here).  Which styles can no longer be seen?  The five Pinkys found only in the UK right now (Ratzo, Taffeta, Frilly,  Glitters, and Sparkles) and the mysterious
style called Chiffon."

<< my comments: Interesting.. I wonder why they would have been added then deleted from the list. Perhaps someone introduced them sooner than they were supposed to since they weren't on the official introduction notice. I have included them in my PINKYS page: http://www.planetbeans.com/Pinkys.htm. I have updated these 5 styles with the status of UNKNOWN until they are added back. >>

Thanks for listening and have a good rest of the weekend! HJ"

BROOKFIELD ZOO "BEANIE DAYS" REPORT
Krystal shares the following: " Hi Lisa, I again attended this years Beanie Baby Days at the Brookfield Zoo near Chicago.  This year, things were a little different.  In the years past, a commemorative card was given with the beanie.  This year, the beanie, Jumpshot, came with an additional tag on the other ear.  The tag is brown and circular, and reads: "Brookfield Zoo 2005 Beanie Baby Days".  The back reads "Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world, some reaching 17 feet tall.  They are speedy too, getting up to 35 mph at full gallop!"  I like this additional tag better than the card, as it makes the beanie a little more special.

The kids sure do like their free beanies!  Everywhere you went you saw Jumpshot clutched in little arms!  That certainly was a hit with the kids!"

Krystal
Iowa City,IA

CHERISH AUCTIONS CLOSING TODAY
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

July 30, 2005
ORDERING CLOVER
Dotti writes: "Just wanted you to know that I ordered Clover the exclusive 4-H bear just now from the website and had no trouble at all. Dotti"

TAFFETA PINKY QUESTION
Does anyone know why Taffeta the Pinky Beanie was introduced yet again? I have the following posted on the PINKYS page:

TAFFETA - 40202
Birthdate: March 14, 2004
Listed silently on March 8, 2005
Officially introduced: March 31, 2005
Re-introduced: July 29, 2005

~~ Does anyone know if this is a different size or if there is any difference in the Taffeta that was introduced in March orginally?

SMASH IS USA EXCLUSIVE
While updating the Beanie Information Pages I noticed that Smash is listed as a USA Exclusive. http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=8807

ALL BEANIE INFO PAGES HAVE BEEN UPDATED
http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm

YOUR THOUGHTS
I'd like to know YOUR opinions on the latest Beanie releases. I loved Juggles and Pirouette! They are different from any other Beanie to date and it's great to see Ty has come up with some new ideas instead of reproducing older styles with slight changes. WTG TY!! If you'd like to share your thoughts and ideas please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com

News of New Beanie Next month for September!
Reuben50   (Jul 29, 2005, 07:12 PM)
Message Id: 1011782
Reuben50 writes: Prunella the witch bear

It is a pumpkin-colored teddy bear holding a witch's broom and has on a purple witch's hat. This may be just a prototype that Ty is working on, but I just saw this picture through a retailer's sheet that looks like it will be a pre-sell.

Anymore news I find on this, I will report back. This confirms that Halloween releases will be out next month.

--------------

Follow-up... Prunella is a HALLMARK GOLD CROWN Exclusive...
Reuben50 writes: It is not a September release. Rather, it is available for ordering in August, but will not be shipped until September. So it will most likely be announced at the end of August on the Ty website.

I also forgot to mention that there is a small black spider on Prunella's witch hat.

--------------

Poem and Style number....
Reuben50 writes: Style #47016
Poem: 
If you could use a spell or two
Prunella is the witch for you
Just ask the spider on her hat
It used to be a kitty cat! VIEW FULL POSTING & REPLIES HERE

July 28, 2005
MORE ON PROMISE
Rose writes: "Hi Lisa, Rose here from Canada, Just read your email concerning the promise Bear I called the number listed & she told me that they are the property of mnw, & it will be up to them what they do with them So have fingers crossed. Thanks Rose"

NMFN TY Beanie Bear
Product Information:
NOTE: Available only to NMFN employees. Employment will be verified before purchase is processed.

Promise is the first authentic Northwestern Mutual Financial Network TY Beanie Baby Bear in a series of collectible bears. Promise comes complete with birth date, custom poem and has the column capital embedded in its nose. Promise is polyester and is appropriate for ages 3 and up. Colors: Blue and Gold.

Price: $6.50 VIEW INFO ONLINE HERE

Additional info on Promise can be found on BeanWatcher.

<< my comments: There you have it! If anyone does manage to obtain a Promise Beanie from the so called "waiting list" please let me know. I think we've heard about enough on this Beanie. What do you think? LOL It seems, from some of the postings on Ty's Cyberboard, that many collectors are working themselves up into a frenzy to try and obtain this exclusive Beanie. Just remember one thing.. these may be available to employees only but surely many will make their way to eBay. Just don't go crazy with the price because there will be some greedy people looking to make a fast buck. Soon enough you'll start finding these in thrift stores and such. If I receive any additional (different) information about the availability of this Beanie I will be happy to pass it on to you! >>

Soldier Says Toys Collected In Omaha Help Pave Way In Iraq
Serviceman On Leave Tells Story Of Distributing Beanie Babies

OMAHA, Neb. -- An Omaha soldier home on leave from Iraq brought with him some unforgettable video from overseas. He said the soldiers there are trying to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis with toys donated by a group of local nurses.

The labor and delivery nurses at the Nebraska Medical Center collected about 1,000 Beanie Babies and shipped them to Iraq. Sgt. David Rozmarin said he distributed the toys, along with other goodies, as he patrolled in Iraq. Rozmarin's video camera went everywhere with him during his second tour of duty in the Middle East. He’s with the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion 24th Infantry Regiment. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

July 27, 2005
AVAILABILITY OF PROMISE
Nadine shares the following:
Here's a letter that Nadine wrote to Ty, Inc.

HI.....

JUST SAW AD'S ON INTERNET REGARDING THESE BEARS ARE THEY GOING TO BE EXCLUSIVE TO CANADA AND TO THE PUBLIC OR JUST TO THE EMPLOYEES OF NORTHWEST MUTUAL.

THANKS FOR A SPEEDY REPLY

NADINE BURKE
-------------------------------
Ty, Inc. reply:

Thanks for contacting the Ty.

While the Promise Beanie Baby is listed on our website www.Ty.com, it is not available to purchase.

This Beanie Baby was produced by Ty exclusively for Northwestern Mutual Financial.

Customer Service

JULY RETIREMENTS
Bits, Dad, Delilah, Stubby, Tender, Tux
http://www.ty.com/july05_ret1

Vaccine use hits a record in U.S.
Vaccinations of young children in the United States reached record levels last year, surpassing for the first time the federal goal set for 2010.

And vaccine-preventable illnesses are declining significantly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with measles and rubella essentially eliminated as indigenous diseases.

But the good news in the statistics released Tuesday was tempered by vaccination rates that varied widely by state, with Kansas trailing most of the nation, and by data showing that many children in racial and ethnic minorities still were inadequately immunized. Missouri’s vaccination rate was better than the national rate.

Health officials in Kansas have tried a variety of techniques to increase rates: public outreach efforts, new partnerships with local health departments and even prizes for parents who bring in their children. Called the Immunize and Win a Prize program, the state gave away incentives –– from a digital thermometer to Beanie Babies to utility bill payments –– and saw double-digit increases in immunization rates among children receiving Medicaid. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ILLINOIS STYLE: Mattoon triplets donate toys to newborns 
MATTOON, Ill. - The Saal family triplets have about 70 to 80 people attend their birthday party each year, and that would amount to a huge number of toys if they got a present from everyone.

But that's nothing compared to the number of presents the Mattoon family gave to other children recently.

Andrew, Isabella and Nicholas Saal have made donations to organizations on their birthdays for several years. This year might have topped them all with the contribution of about 1,300 Beanie Baby toys to Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.

SBLHC will give one of the stuffed animal toys to every baby born at the hospital for the coming year, which should be around 800 to 1,000, and the rest will go to what the hospital calls its "kennel." That's a collection of toys, mostly stuffed animals, to give to children to help comfort them before medical procedures.

"I want the little kids to be happy when they leave the hospital," Nicholas said.

The triplets' mother, Kendra Saal, said she and her husband, Jeremy, think the donations will help their children learn how to help make "a pretty tough world" better for others.

"We just wanted to teach the kids the value of giving," she said. Also, Nicholas still carries a stuffed animal he got at SBLHC when he had surgery a year and a half ago, and that was part of the inspiration for the project, she added.

"It just really made him feel special," she said.

The Beanie Babies were piled onto the floor of the reception area of SBLHC's education center Wednesday afternoon, and the triplets played with the toys before a birthday party complete with cake and balloons.

Carol Beyer, director of SBLHC's Women's and Children's Center, said child patients at the hospital will now have help getting through some "scary procedures" because of the triplets' contribution.

"We're awed by this amazing donation," Beyer said. "We are all very moved by the generosity and thoughtfulness."

Saal said the family started out in mid-May wanting to collect 700 Beanie Babies in honor of the children's seventh birthday, which was actually on June 2.

She said they began by e-mailing friends asking for donations of the toys, and the message kept getting forwarded to other people. The family ended up with more than a dozen boxes full of the toys in their home's family room.

"We got packages from people we don't even know, all over the United States," Saal said.

But the biggest portion of the Beanie Babies, 700 in all, came from Ty Co., the Chicago-area company that makes the toys. Saal said the family got a call from a woman in Bloomington who had received the e-mail and said she was going to notify the company about the project.

"A few minutes later, we got a phone call from them," she said.

Contacted at the company's headquarters, Ty Vice President Scott Wehrs said the company is "dedicated to finding these opportunities" and the Saals' project certainly fit.

"It seemed like a very worthwhile venture," he said. "We were touched by what was happening."

Wehrs said the company makes donations ranging from a single toy for such events as auctions to up to a million for major international relief efforts. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

July 26, 2005
AVAILABILITY OF PROMISE
Karen shares with Ms. Janie: "I just got through to a number for the Promise bears. It is a company called Image Mart who have done the promo for NWM employees. If there are any left after their meeting in Milwaukee this week, they'll offer them to others. They are starting a waiting list for those who want it. The number of the company is: 866-547-8953 

It would appear that it'll be like the Ronald McDonald bear, where Ty produced a bear for their employees only."

PATRIOTIC DRIVE 2005 Surpasses All Expectations!
1,500 OPERATION GRATITUDE volunteers, wearing hand-made red, white and blue headbands, celebrated to DJ style music and Subway sandwiches (generously donated by the Los Angeles area franchisees), as they formed a human assembly line to package and ship over 20,000 gift boxes during the 4-day Memorial Weekend.

Fox News and all local media channels, newspapers and radio stations sent reporters to cover the spectacle, and to their amazement, witnessed people from all age groups, ethnic backgrounds and geographical locations, gather together to ensure that our men and women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other theatres of operation would receive a small package of love during the summer, beginning with the 4th of July Holiday.

The gift boxes were filled with items donated by corporate sponsors and individual donors. Items included Girl Scout Cookies, AA batteries, DVDs, Music CDs, Beanie Babies and other novelties, candy, Smartzone Bars, Coppertone sunscreen, t-shirts, Emer'gen-C, hats, Cell Boosts, Craisins, AT&T and Callingcards.com phone cards, SF Bay Coffee, Sunkist Pistachios and various other goodies. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

Joking juggler wows fair crowds
HARRINGTON — Germany native Michael Hilby, 37, is making little use of the social work degree he obtained from the University of Berlin decades ago.

Instead, he makes a living making people laugh with his comical expressions, silly jokes, mime routines and vaudeville-inspired acts.

Best known as Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy, he will delight crowds at the Delaware State Fair through Saturday, performing outside the Grandstand's Patron Brick Plaza each evening.

As his name implies, Mr. Hilby is a master juggler, using such props as an electric-powered hedge trimmer, a bowling ball and a flaming beanie baby. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE  

<< my comments: OUCH!! Now I know there will be some hardcore collectors feeling this one! LOL >>

Mother pleads for clues in son's throat slashing
The mother of a Hopewell teen whose throat was slashed in what police described as a brutal attack pleaded yesterday for those with information about the assault to contact police.

Michele Delon of Hopewell spoke to the media yesterday about her son, 15-year-old Jeremy Delon, during a news conference at Children's Hospital, where the teen remained in critical condition.

"Jeremy is a good kid. He is my only child," Delon said yesterday. "I just plead and beg with anybody that knows anything to come forward."

Four of Delon's friends found him Thursday night along the Ohio River in Hopewell. He was beaten and unconscious with his throat slashed. He underwent surgery Friday.

Hopewell Police Chief Gene Ungarean said his detectives are actively investigating the attack and following up on leads. He declined to provide details.

Michele Delon, 36, said she would not discuss the investigation or her son's condition. A pink Beanie Baby bear was perched next to her on the table, and family members wore pink bracelets with the word "hope."

"Right now we need a lot of prayers and a lot of hope," Delon said. "He's a strong, strong boy, and he is fighting." VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

<< my comments: Although I don't collect many Beanies these days, I am glad that Beanies are being used as a comfort item during hard times. It's also great that people who have unwanted collections are giving Beanies away to military, police, fire departments, etc. Beanie people really are very caring individuals. >>

July 24, 2005
REMINDER: CHERISH AUCTION ENDING TODAY!
Auctions to aid the London Bombings Relief Fund: http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

RUMORED NEW RELEASES
NEW BEANIES, BUDDIES, CLASSIC
07121956   (Jul 23, 2005, 06:26 PM)
Message Id: 1008990
07121956 writes:
NEW MERCHANDISE FOR AUG.
AERIAL-PEREGRINE FALCON
BALDWIN-BALD EAGLE
BRIDE OF COUNT-DRACULA BEAR
BUFORD-BASSETHOUND
HUMMER-GRAGONFLY
INVISIBEAR-INVISIBLE BEAR
LIMELIGHT-LIME GREEN BEAR
MOONLIGHT-WEREWOLF
PHANTOM-PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
RATTA-TAT-TYE DYE RAT
RATZER-GREEN RAT
RITZO-BLUE RAT
SPINY-ECHIDNA
TORCH-FIRE ANT
VENOM-COBRA
WINGS-PIG WITH WINGS
VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

NEW BUDDIES, PINKYS
07121956   (Jul 23, 2005, 06:26 PM)
Message Id: 1008992
07121956 writes:
COUNT
HOLY FATHER,
L'AMORE
LITTLE FEATHER
PELLET
TWILIGHT

PINKYS
CAHOOTS OWL
FLOATS-FISH
JULEP KEYCHAIN
PINKERTON-LION
TAFFETA-CAT
VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

July 23, 2005
ASK TY
Q: Aside from enjoying your Beanie Baby business, what else in your life do you enjoy? (submitted by sneakysly)
A: Here are just a few of the many things that I enjoy: tennis, exotic cars, travel, golf courses . . . and a child's smile ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

SILENT INTRODUCTION OF ILLINOIS VIOLET
http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=8676

SILENT INTRODUCTION OF TWO 'PROMISE' BEARS
Northwestern Mutual Exclusives. Both of these bears have an insignia on their noses.
(blue version): http://www.ty.com/images/products/8680_lg.gif
(brown version): http://www.ty.com/images/products/8679_lg.gif

“Mini Coopers have enjoyed an incredible surge in popularity the last few years because of their hip new look and how much fun they are to drive,” said Managing Director Luis Fernandes. “But there’s nothing like the convertibles! They’re the ultimate fun, the perfect touch to make sightseeing around Los Cabos unforgettable. And only Las Ventanas offers this special amenity.”

The Mini Cooper S Convertibles are available on-property at the resort for guests to rent. They join an ever-expanding list of cutting-edge amenities and services that have made Las Ventanas’ reputation as a luxury innovator. The resort was the first to offer pre-loaded iPods as well as Sony LocationFree TVs at poolside. The new Hot Type program allows guests to read a favorite author’s next novel before it even hits the book stores. Other unique touches include in-room telescopes for star-gazing and whale-watching, a Department of Romance overseen by a Director of Romance, poolside sunglass-cleaning, and sewing kits personalized to each guest’s wardrobe.

Las Ventanas is part of Ty Warner Hotels & Resorts, LLC, which was founded by entrepreneur Ty Warner for the purpose of acquiring one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable luxury hotels and resorts throughout the world. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ty's third tee:
Beanie Baby baron Ty Warner announced the close of a deal to purchase the rustic Rancho San Marcos Golf Course for an undisclosed sum, bringing to three his collection of area golf courses—the others being Sandpiper and the Montecito Country Club. The latter has been commissioned for a redesign by golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Warner purchased the financially ailing San Marcos course from Rentokil, a company headquartered in England. Prior to the sale, Rentokil had sought permission to sell beer and wine at the facility—contrary to the original terms and conditions of the course's permit with the county. Rentokil had also made noise about building a new San Marcos clubhouse in order to host top-dollar events. Warner's spokesperson, John Davies, indicated in a recent conversation that Warner might be inclined to forgo the clubhouse expansion, but not the beer and wine permit. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

July 22, 2005
COLLECTORS COMMENTS
Gwyn writes: "Hi Lisa! I found something odd in Professor Butler's explanation of the Harry Potter marketing phenomenon in terms of Beanie Babies. He writes: "Part of what was magical about that, was that the producer and marketer was saying to the world that this was a very exclusive line of beanie babies, and that if you want to complete your set of toys, you need to get one quickly."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Ty been saying for years that when he released the "original nine," his whole concept behind Beanie Babies was to produce a decent-quality soft toy that a kid could buy with his or her allowance? The whole concept of exclusives, fast retirements, and whatnot came along rather later, unless I'm very wrong. And considering that his US distributors have included Hallmark, other card and gift shops, the late great Zany Brainy, and eventually Learning Express and Cracker Barrel, it seems that the distribution for the Beanie Babies line in general has been TARGETED but hardly EXCLUSIVE. Of course Prof. Butler is writing from Australia, so I'm guessing he wasn't a firsthand observer of the introduction of Beanies in their country of origin, but I'm also guessing he's not a Beanie collector himself! Cheers, Gwyn"

CALIFORNIA TRADE SHOW BEGINS TODAY...
and runs through Monday, July 25th! If you are attending the show and would like to share your show report please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com

SILENT INTRODUCTION OF CALIFORNIA POPPY
As expected this bear has now found it's way to the CURRENT list at Ty.com: http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=8675

CHICAGO TRADE SHOW BEGINS TOMORROW...
and runs through Tuesday, July 26th! I would expect the silent introduction of Illinois Violet the bear sometime over the weekend. 

VIEW THE SUMMER TRADE SHOW SCHEDULE HERE (I've included a listing of the show bears on this schedule): http://www.planetbeans.com/Ty2005SummerSchedule.htm

HARROGATE HOME & GIFT FAIR
Hayley of Beanzaddiction shares her report: http://beanzaddiction.com/beanz05/harrogate05.htm

July 21, 2005
Harry Potter Business Magic
When was the last time you made about 60 million Singapore dollars in a day?
JK Rowling sure did… with her latest Harry Potter novel.

How did she do it? Is it magic, or is it simply a matter of savvy marketing?

The answer to that coming up shortly, in this edition of Mind Your Business

--------

What’s so magical about the marketing strategy for Harry Potter?

Professor Patrick Butler from the Department of Marketing at Australia’s Melbourne Business School explains.

One of the central elements of marketing Harry Potter is the very clear connection between the magic of Harry Potter and the magical story of JK Rowling, the author, in that it’s been put to us as a real rags to riches story, which was really familiar to us – she was a struggling author, a single mother, she had been writing for many years without any real commercial success, and she was about to quit the whole business when an agent spotted the Harry Potter phenomenon. So through all of that, you find the magic in the story as well as the magic in the author’s story. That’s an interesting parallel that’s no secret or coincidence.

I noticed that prior to the release of each new book, the marketers tend to play on the psychology of scarcity - bookstores and online retailers begin to advertise advance orders for the book and queue-lines form. All these things create an illusion that the book will sell out quickly…

So where have we seen this technique applied before?

The nearest thing was these little dolls called the beanie babies. Here was a particular series of toys; small furry animal types. Part of what was magical about that, was that the producer and marketer was saying to the world that this was a very exclusive line of beanie babies, and that if you want to complete your set of toys, you need to get one quickly. And so people were rushing out and queuing up and placing special orders, and later on, they were sold at high prices on eBay, and so on. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

July 2005 Sold Out/Out Of Stock.
Reuben50   (Jul 21, 2005, 09:52 AM)
Message Id: 1008078
Reuben50 writes: For your information... expect a few or more of these to retire by the end of the month. Tux I would definitely bet on being retired.

SOLD OUT
Tux (Beanie Babies)

OUT OF STOCK
Las Vegas, Patrick Star (Beanie Babies); Bonsai, Carnation (Beanie Buddies); Pinky Poo - Beanie version (Pinkys); Catnap, Corkscrew, Dangles, Purrz, Slumbers, Tubby, Whiffer (Pluffies); Calhoun, Foofie (Ty Classics). VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

July 20, 2005
Books might have to start new chapter

It's hard, because for 500-odd years, nobody's had to think about it. A book has been a self-contained unit of a lot of words on a good number of bound pages. But that might not be the answer anymore — or at least not the only answer.

Over the past few days, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has flown off bookstore shelves, igniting the kind of frenzy seen in the past for Star Wars movies, Beatles concerts and the arrival of Beanie Baby shipments. This Potter mania seems to disprove everything that pundits postulate about the downfall of traditional books.

Half-Blood Prince is 652 pages long. That's not a book — it's a commitment. And its fans aren't just the usual book buyers — pre-Nintendo people like me, who read because we're either stuck on long flights or can't hear the TV from the couch. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

July 19, 2005
Beanie Babies mogul buys Santa Ynez golf course
Beanie Babies mogul Ty Warner has purchased the 18-hole Rancho San Marcos Golf Course near Lake Cachuma.

Warner closed the deal with Premier Golf International on Friday for an undisclosed price.

''This is a course that adds tremendously to the tranquil, bucolic setting of the Santa Ynez Valley area,'' Warner said in a statement. ''It is our goal to help the course fulfill its anticipated potential, create a better experience for golfers, while better protecting the natural environment and adhering to the needs and concerns of local residents.''

Although he earned his fortune from the creation and success of the Beanie Babies plush toys, Warner already owns area golf courses and resorts. He purchased the Sandpiper Golf Course in Goleta for $25 million and paid $40 million for the Montecito Country Club.

''We've been looking to buy this property for about three months,'' said Greg Rice, a representative of Ty Warner Hotels and Resorts, which is wholly owned by Warner. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

TY Europe Limited (in administration) - sale of business preserves local jobs
The joint administrators of Ty Europe Limited, Colin Haig and Karen Dukes, from PricewaterhouseCoopers, are pleased to announce the sale of the business and its assets to Ty UK Limited. The business, which distributes the highly popular children’s collectible soft toy range, ‘Beanie Babies’, across Europe, operated from premises in Fareham, Hampshire.

Colin Haig, joint administrator and partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said:

“We are extremely pleased to have been able to ensure the continuation of this business for the 1300 trade customers in the UK, Germany, Ireland, Spain and Poland. We understand that in addition to the significant existing stock acquired, supplies of new stock have already landed and are being distributed by Ty UK Limited.” VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Financial Woes For 'Beanies For Baghdad'
Despite financial troubles, a woman who runs a nonprofit group that ships toys, school supplies, sporting goods, clothing and Beanie Babies to impoverished Iraqi children, hopes to keep the gifts flowing to Iraq.

Beanies for Baghdad was founded in 2003 by an Army officer who befriended an Iraqi girl.

But Evansville homemaker Donna Ward now runs it out of her home. She and her husband have shipped more than 500 boxes of items for children in Iraq. They estimate that they have spent more than $2000 of their own money shipping boxes to Iraq.

Beanies for Baghdad, which is not a registered charitable organization, accepts donations. But Ward says she doesn't like to solicit donations. She prefers to send packages to Iraq with her own money when she can. VIEW ARTICLE HERE

IN HAND PHOTO OF FRIEDRICH AND GERMANY ON EBAY
Michael shares the following in-hand auctions:
VIEW FRIEDRICH AUCTION HERE  ---   VIEW GERMANY AUCTION HERE

July 18, 2005
Tux is sold out.
Reuben50   (Jul 17, 2005, 12:57 PM)
Message Id: 1006444
Reuben50 writes: According to Ty retailer pages, Tux is sold out. When a product sells out, that leads into retirement. When a product is out of stock, it may or may not retire. It just means that they're in the process of making more.

I don't know if the reason for Tux's sellout was because of the Linux corporation or some other reason, but it looks I was right again on this guess for an early retirement. VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

<<< my comments: You may recall the following info posted under the June 30th news:
Is this a sign that Ty prefers Linux?
Gwyn writes: "Hi Lisa! Since I am a giant raging geek, I took one look at Tux, the new cartoony penguin Beanie, and then at Tux, the cartoon penguin mascot of the Linux computer operating system (on which Macintosh OS X is partly based), and wondered how soon Linus Torvalds, the originator of Linux, will be filing a lawsuit against Ty! Here is a link to a picture of the computer mascot for comparison: http://adele.gerwinski.de/~anja/gnuart/penguin/tux.jpg Best, Gwyn" >>>

BOOKS IS GOING TO BE TARDY
NEWCOLORMEFRANKENTEDDY   (Jul 17, 2005, 11:09 AM)
Message Id: 1006404
NEWCOLORMEFRANKENTEDDY writes: I just heard from cindysbean that the Books the Bear Trio is on back order and Ty will not ship out until Late July and/or Early August. I also called one of my favorite retailers in Edwardsville, IL and they also said that Books was on back order and had no idea when it might ship. It seems to me that the Books trio are going to be Tardy to School. VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE  

Couple devoted to Iraq toy project
EVANSVILLE – Despite financial troubles, a woman who runs a non-profit group that ships toys, school supplies, sporting goods, clothing and Beanie Babies to impoverished Iraqi children hopes to keep the gifts flowing to Iraq.

Beanies for Baghdad, founded in 2003 by an Army officer who befriended an Iraqi girl, is now run by Donna Ward out of her Evansville home.

On Friday afternoon, several plastic bags of school supplies, Beanies, clothing and stuffed animals lay on her living room floor. Ward and her husband, Gerald, have shipped more than 500 boxes of items for children in Iraq.

They estimate that they have spent more than $2,000 of their own money shipping boxes to Iraq and have spent $1,500 donated by other sources, including local businesses and other aid organizations.

Donna Ward has collected six large boxes of toys for another mailing. The homemaker estimates it will cost $200 to $250 to send it first class to Iraq.

“We’ll probably hold off until August,” she told the Evansville Courier & Press. “We always can use money, but I don’t like to take cash from people.

“I’m not asking for money; I am asking for donations of (items for Iraqi children). The money will come from somewhere.”

In June, the Kansas City, Mo.-based non-profit aid organization, Operation Iraqi Children, allowed Beanies for Baghdad to include 500 pounds of its material in things shipped to Iraq at a cost donated by FedEx. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

July 17, 2005
A heart and mind changed
Father John's Journal
The Rev. John Barkemeyer is an Army chaplain who was deployed in November. He is now serving at Camp Bucca, the largest detainment facility in Iraq. Due to his long deployment, he recently decided not to continue as pastor of St. Cajetan Catholic Parish in Chicago's Morgan Park community. The following thoughts represent the 14th installment of Father John's Journal in Southtown.

The other day we went on a humanitarian mission to benefit three schools in the port city of Umm Qasr. We delivered about 50 boxes of schools supplies and a few thousand Beanie Babies. This is known as trying to win the "hearts and minds" of the Iraqi people. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Judging by the exorbitant sums changing hands for so-called 'designer toys' on the internet auction site, it could well be that today's cult collectables are the likely future investment equivalents of Subbuteo, Scalextric and sticker albums. For the past decade, collecting often quite unremarkable and indistinguishable plastic figures has been the preserve of the in-crowd - former Star Wars obsessives who have grown up with dance music, expensive trainers and creative jobs in the media, design and fashion industries.

Now, thanks to the endorsement of key tastemaker and Brit-award winner Mike Skinner, frontman of the Streets, this cliquiest of cults is going overground. The video for Routine Check, recently released by the Mitchell Brothers (starring Skinner), features an army of James Jarvis's Young Ruffian and Policemen figures involved in a game of table football, and as a new Star Wars film reawakens a latent nostalgia for the plastic X-wing fighters and Chewbacca figures of our youth, retail experts are predicting that 2005 will be 'the year of designer toys'.

'It's a completely different market but I'm reminded of the clamour for Beanie Babies a few years ago. They sold for £100 a time but six months down the line, once the hype had subsided, you couldn't get £2 for them.' She adds: 'Things that are made to be collected so often fail to last precisely because they're marketed in a calculated way.'

Aberdonian fashion retailer Brian Toft may defiantly claim to own every smurf figure ever produced but he's more deserving of our approbation than derision. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Mega bites
No one calls the Internet the information superhighway anymore.

That's because, many times, we log on, steer clear of the freshly paved informational freeways, and head right for the low road.

Go on to almost any Internet forum, message board, chat room, discussion area -- almost anywhere folks type to each other -- and you'll see a disturbing pattern: What starts out as a polite, civil conversation quickly crumbles into vulgarity shouting matches, complete with personal attacks, threats and suggested activities for your mother.

"There appears to be an online transformation of behavior," says Gracie Lawson-Borders, assistant professor in communication studies at Kent State University. "It's almost like there's a second person. . . . We get online and we find people lose the civility."

The reasons for the Neanderthal behavior, called "flaming" on message boards and forums, are not complicated:

Anonymity. Online, no one knows who we are. We have no reputations to protect, no chance at being recognized. We can curse out folks for driving foreign cars -- and then show up to work at the Volkswagen dealership with a smile the next morning.

Anarchy. For the most part, there are no Internet police to write us tickets when we step out of line in a chat room. Drop a few four-letter bombs on Yankees fans in a baseball forum and the worst thing that can happen is you might get banned from the site -- at least until you sign up under a different name.

Ego. Once we are anonymous and fearless, all we need is a spark. That comes from any sort of disrespect, real or perceived.

So if someone on the Beanie Baby message board questions your knowledge of plush toys, you fire back with a low blow. Then he or she fires back even lower, and it's on.

You go back and forth, each not thinking before hitting "send" and each trying to get in the last word. Until finally, the discussion is about how high the other will bounce after a five-story fall.

The nonsense then goes on until one of you needs to log off -- and become human again. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

CHERISH AUCTION UPDATES
Auctions to aid the London Bombings Relief Fund: http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

July 16, 2005
NO NEWS...
I've done my usual searches and have come up empty-handed! If you have news to share please send to Lisa@planetbeans.com.

July 15, 2005
ATLANTA GIFT SHOW BEGINS TODAY
... and runs through Tuesday, July 19th. We should expect the introduction of Georgia Cherokee Rose the Bear within the next few days. If you attend this show please consider sharing your report. Lisa@planetbeans.com

TY 2005 SUMMER TRADE SHOW SCHEDULE
http://www.planetbeans.com/Ty2005SummerSchedule.htm

Ask Ty
Q: If you were to design a Ty automobile, what would it look like? (submitted by DAGGETT)
A: Wow, this is a tough one. I'm picturing a cross between a SUV and a Mini Cooper. Something that would be fun to drive, seat 6 and be very fuel efficient. And one more thing, the auTymobile would be available in one color . . . red ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

INTRODUCING GEORGIA CHEROKEE ROSE
http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=8467

July 14, 2005
Soldier describes the children of Iraq
Editor's note: The following was written last week by Army National Guard Maj. Gary W. Solesbee of Sautee-Nacoochee. Solesbee is a member of the 48th Brigade Combat Team currently serving in Iraq. Solesbee is White County's Emergency Medical Services director.

I want to tell you that if we could get the Iraqi children grown, we would have a new and better Iraq. The children over here really love the soldiers. They always wave at us as we go by in a convoy.

We return the wave, and they always have a big smile like we made their day for them. They are very smart and many of them can speak English very well by age 7.

I asked them where they learned English, and they said watching TV. I guess TV is not all that bad for some kids. Once you go "out of the wire" (leave the protected area of the camps), they stand alongside the roads in hopes that the gunner (who's partially exposed through the top of the vehicle) will throw them candy or a small toy. We have a ton of small stuffed beanie babies or something similar that the soldiers take with them in the vehicles when they go out. We often take Gatorade, water and muffins, too, as they love anything we will give them.

If kids are standing along the road, you will see the soldier throw them some and they will race to get them and just wave and feel so proud. Most of them are ages 3 to 12. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

Letting go of life's leftovers
Why do we have so many of life's leftovers? Why is it so hard to get rid of obsolete and useless items?

For some people, it's hard to let go of the past. Everyone knows change is not easy, but it is an inevitable part of life.

But imagine living with constant reminders of when you were skinny by opening your closet and looking at your size five jeans from the '90s.

What about holding on to love letters from the one you really should have married; or that awful gift a co-worker gave you years ago that you never liked; or your Beanie Baby collection, which you planned to sell someday and make a fortune?

Do you keep outdated magazines and newspapers for articles you liked? Maybe you're one of those sentimental parents who kept everything from every stage your child went through: all their baby teeth, locks of hair and every work of art starting from preschool. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

July 13, 2005
Dublin Toy and Train Fair
18-Sep-2005 to: 18-Sep-2005
For all the Big Kids out there! Dublinks.com advises this is a Dublin event not to be missed!

Dublin Toy and Train Fair is set to be a quarterly event during 2005. There will be lots of fun Antique toys for sale such as Antique dolls, Teddy Bears and the very popular Beanie Babies. Numerous Antique models of trains are for sale including trains by Hornby, Triang, Trix, Wrenn, and Marklin.

The next Fair is set to take place on the Sunday 18th September between 10am and 5pm. The chosen venue for this Collectibles fair is the Clontarf Castle Hotel on the northside of Dublin.

This Fair promises to be a large event with over 46 dealers from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and England attending. There will be more than 70 tables stocked with interesting collectors items. All sorts of collectible toys will be available including Diecast models by Corgi, and Dinky, Construction sets by Meccano, Bayko, Lead soldiers by Britains, Crescent. For those who prefer reading to playing Comics, and TV and Film annuals from the 1940's-1960's will also be on offer. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & INFO HERE: http://www.dublinks.com/index.cfm/loc/1/pt/0/spid/E3B9475C-87DA-40BD-8225951DF2162DA0.htm

INTRODUCING #1 TEACHER
http://www.ty.com/Teacher_intro

Thanks Ty for another great bear! This one is sure to be a big hit.

July 11, 2005
PINKY KEY CHAIN QUESTION...
How long are the Pinky key chains? Lisa@planetbeans.com

July 8, 2005
News Briefs
Beanie Babies Rejoice: The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday evening to deny the appeals of Ty Warner's proposed Coral Casino renovations. The $35 million facelift of the historical Montecito beach club has been the subject of 102 official meetings spanning more than five years, but this week's vote appears to have put an end to the discussion - at least for now. In rejecting the appeals, the supervisors concluded that the benefits of the project - including improved environmental sensibilities and safety code requirements, as well as certain historic refurbishing - outweigh the Class 1 impacts on the historical integrity of the building itself. At the center of the controversy was Warner's plan to replace the second-story cabanas with a new restaurant, something detractors contend directly violates the traditional architecture of the original 1937 beach club. Next up for opponents of the plan is a possible appeal to the California Coastal Commission. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.independent.com/news/now972.htm

— Chris, Moline

A: Yes, they are real Beanie Babies. Toy manufacturer Ty distributed the Teenie Beanie Babies in Happy Meals at McDonald's from 1997-2000 and again in 2004 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Happy Meal. As for selling them, local collectibles stores may take them, or you could try eBay. A search for "Teenie Beanie Babies" on eBay turned up 424 results for individual dolls and complete sets. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2005/07/08/news/hometowns/doc42ce05ab01f28835870685.txt

Fund-raiser to be held for Sayre Theatre
SAYRE - They've seen what the Sayre Theatre has done for the community and now they want to do something for the theater itself.

That is why a handful of local residents got together with Sayre Theatre Manager Marjorie Ross to plan an event to be held on Sept. 24 that would raise money for the theatre. One of the residents, Deborah Bonn-Brown, the president of the Ribbons of Hope Foundation, who brought up the fact the theater had helped raise money for a local Boy Scout troop and brought in more than $20,000 in money for the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster.

"I want to make sure this theater is here for my children and grandchildren," Bonn-Brown said. "There's so much they do for the community."

While the organizers, including Mike Ross, Jim Magana, Helen Rouse, Marie Kwasnoski, Jean Choi, Deb Stensager, Brooks Eldridge-Martin and Bonn-Brown, said they could not go into too much detail about what will be included at the event, they said "big news" will be coming out in the next couple weeks.

They did say items would be up for auction such as a Nancy Reagan autographed Beanie Baby commemorating the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan, and a book signed by Arnold Palmer. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.thedailyreview.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14817305&BRD=2276&PAG=461&dept_id=465049&rfi=6

ASK TY
Q: Have you ever met a celebrity who collects Beanie Babies? (submitted by boonesgirl)
A: My close friends, SpongeBob and Garfield, have very impressive collections ! SpongeBob prefers the aquatic Beanies while Garfield has a fondness for the bears ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

July 7, 2005
I'M BACK...
I am now home from vacation. I will be making updates as I'm able. I have quite a bit of updates to do so please be patient. :o)

NEWS ARCHIVES ARE UPDATED
http://www.planetbeans.com/NewsArchives.htm

Coral Casino plans get the greenlight
After five years and more than 100 meetings, Ty Warner receives final approval to renovate his exclusive Montecito beach club.

On Tuesday, after a four-hour meeting, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved renovation plans for the Coral Casino.  Although the 60-year old beach club is in need of repairs, some members argued that the plans submitted by Warner violated the historic integrity of the club. VIEW ARTICLE HERE: http://www.ksby.com/news/headlines/1663127.html