June 30, 2005
LOTS OF UPDATES...
I'm back from the beach and see there is a lot to catch you up on. I will be making the necessary updates to the website when I return back home.

JUNE RETIREMENTS
BEANIES: Muff, Demure, Harrison, McWooly, Marshmallow, Spuds, Laptop, Cutesy http://www.ty.com/June05_bb1

YOU'RE SPECIAL INTRODUCTION @ TY STORE
http://www.ty.com/YoureSpecial_intro 

JULY INTRODUCTIONS
BEANIE BABIES: Oriel, Shortstop, Tux, Weaver, Books (3 versions)
BEANIE BUDDIES: Sport, Avalon
PINKYS: Radiance, Ratzo & Pinky Poo key chains
ALPHABET BEANIES: A through Z (look to be Jingle Beanie sized)
CLASSICS: Jazzy, Rocker, Roller, Bluesy, Lexie, Destiny, Cassidy, Dodges, Rabble, Whistles, Bristol
TY BABY: Pretty Puppy, Funky Monkey, Kitty Cat, Little Piggy http://www.ty.com/july05_intro 

CHERISH UPDATES
Sue writes: "Hi, I just wanted to let you know about the forthcoming sale of the 2005 CHERISH Race for Life Bear, next Sunday 3rd July.

I will be taking part in the Cancer Research UK Race for Life event at Reading on 6th July. This is my 4th year of taking part in the event, which is a 5km run or walk for women only. You can read more about the event at http://www.raceforlife.org/

In 2004 a similar bear was sold, in a different colourway, through Bean Bag and Collectables Magazine in the UK. This was a very popular offer and sold out very quickly. This year the bears are being offered for sale solely from the CHERISH website at www.cherishonline.co.uk.

The edition is limited to 50, with another 10 bears with extra accessories being later offered for sale by auction on eBay (seller ID sue_owen)

Each bear is numbered in an appropriate way – they are wearing a running number pinned onto their back with a tiny pink safety pin! Just as each participant in Race for Life receives a medal at the end of the event, so each bear of this edition has its own medal. These medals have been designed and made especially for CHERISH so cannot be obtained anywhere else. The medals come in an ‘antique gold’ finish and have a centre with the words ‘CHERISH Race for Life 2005 as well as a tiny picture of a triumphant Sherbet.

The CHERISH 2005 Race for Life Beanie comes with a 'headband', which is actually an exclusive wristband made for a local Cancer Research UK fundraising group. Each bear will be beautifully presented in a cellophane bag inside lilac tissue paper with a very special glossy card and matching magnet, which you can display with the Beanie.

The cost is £15 for each bear, plus P&P. There is no extra charge for payment by PayPal. Ordering will begin on Sunday 3rd July at 8am British Summer Time. As usual, you are asked to order ONE Bear per person only so that 50 different people can support this event.

Many thanks for all your support for the recent fundraising for research into Men's Cancers.

Just a reminder that the final auctions close in a few hours so don't forget to place that final bid! I look forward to publishing the final total raised. Best wishes, Sue"

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" 

UPDATE ON TY EUROPE
Bean Watcher shares the following: "I have not yet posted this information on the Bean Watcher site, but will when I get a chance. Here are some major points from readers in the UK about what was previously known as Ty Europe LTD. * Ty Europe LTD no longer exists. The organization is now called Ty UK. * The new UK exclusives, along with the two German exclusives, will start shipping to retailers tomorrow (July 1st) * A special promotion in September 2005! I will post an article on this topic on the Bean Watcher site, either later today or in tomorrow's column Let's celebrate the good news and rejoice at the new beginning for beanies in Europe! VISIT BEAN WATCHER HERE: http://www.beanwatcher.com

BREAKING NEWS  ~ TY EUROPE
Sue writes: "Hi Lisa, Welcome home! Hope you had a great time! Breaking news in UK is of the new company Ty UK Ltd that has bought Ty Europe - it is being run as a UK based company by Brits - it has NOT been taken over by Ty Inc as some thought it might. The May/June releases are in the warehouse now and that includes the UK trio, which I am told will be a one-time shipment. I'm thrilled at this news and hoping for a bright new start for Ty collectors in UK! Lots of luck to the new company! Best wishes, Sue"

June 26, 2005
BEACH BOUND...
I will be away from the computer today through Thursday. Newsletters will resume again on Thursday or Friday. Have a great week! :o)

Donating Beanie Babies can make a difference
My name is Mary Swatley and I am a student at St. Benedict. A few months ago, I received some news about the lack of toys and prizes for the surgery patients at Children Special Services. My mom and I discussed the issue and decided to donate my many Beanie Babies to the kids. My mom works for the Health Department and she talked it over with her supervisors, and they agreed that the donation would be a great and wonderful thing for the children. I decided that giving away something that I once loved playing with and donating it to children that have next to nothing would be a good thing. Those patients do not come from wealthy families and one toy could possibly be the only toy they have. Therefore, I could not turn down the opportunity in making a difference in their lives. I didn't make a huge difference in their lives but the fact is now when they arrive for their daily treatment -- and, let's face it, the doctor's office is not the most fun place to be -- they are able to have something with which to play. Some of these patients are dealing with life-threatening diseases and need some sort of comfort, and who knew that a hand-size stuffed animal could get the job done? VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/bartlett_appeal/article/0,1426,MCA_15697_3878466,00.html

June 25, 2005
PLEASE NOTE.. 
The information that I shared yesterday which was sent to me by Michael about the newbies should be considered a rumor until officially announced at Ty.com. It's been brought to my attention that some people have been known to post false information on Ty's Cyberboard about new releases only to get a reaction from the public.

If you are attending any of the gift shows this summer and would like to share information with my readers please send it to me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

Gifts to police departments reflect community's support of services
WAYNE HEIGHTS - Stuffed animals are finding new homes with area police departments, who use the cuddly toys to comfort children involved in accidents or investigations. "It calms them down, gives us a little more chance to talk to them," said Waynesboro Police Chief Ray Shultz. "I never was in anything like that when I was younger, but I would think that it would have made me feel better," said Amy Socks, who recently donated hundreds of Beanie Babies to Washington Township police. Twp. donations The Washington Township Police Department has been flooded with unsolicited donations recently, including a used vehicle and several hundred stuffed animals. "It's a little unusual (because it's coming) all at once, but the community has always been supportive of us," said Police Chief Barry Keller. "We have a very generous community." The biggest donation, by far, was a sport utility vehicle, but the department also has received cash donations, several firearms and many stuffed animals, including 172 Beanie Babies. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE: http://www.therecordherald.com/articles/2005/06/24/local_news/news02.txt

June 24, 2005
ASK TY
Q: A lot of people have never been to the Ty Warner Park. Can you tell us a bit about it? (submitted by 9143929)
A: Where do I start? Tennis Courts, Ball Fields, Fountains, Lakes, Playgrounds, Walking Paths, Trees, Flowers, Pavilions, a Monument and Water Park, Fun ! You really should visit the park on the 4th of July . . . we're giving away Beanies ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home 

'eBay sells 18 cars, 65 two-wheelers every day'
In 2000, Avnish Bajaj launched Bazee.com, a website that pioneered the concept of online auction in India. In 2004, he sold his online company for a whopping $50 million to the US-based company eBay, the world's biggest online auctioneer. Despite the sell-off, 34-year-old Bajaj continues to look into the interest of the company's Indian arm, eBay India Pvt Ltd. Which are the most popular items among consumers? If you look at eBay US's evolution, the category that grew fastest was collectibles. With large disposable incomes, people in the US were more into collecting hobby items like beanie babies. In India, we sell more retail stuff like electronic goods, computers, mobile phones and jewellery. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.rediff.com/money/2005/jun/24inter.htm

living | History 101
Q: 'Can you give a brief history of the Biltmore Hotel?' -Noreen Starna

In the years immediately following the 1925 earthquake, Santa Barbara was without a large first-class hotel. Of the two flagship hotels of the early 1920s, the Potter, located off West Beach, had burned down in 1921, and the earthquake demolished the Arlington. The Samarkand (located where the retirement community of the same name is today) and El Mirasol (now the site of Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens) offered very high standards of service, but neither was all that large and neither was near the beach. Tourism was becoming more and more an important part of the local economy; the need for a large, luxury hotel was growing more acute.

In 2000, Ty Warner, who presently also owns the San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito Country Club, Sandpiper Golf Course, and the Miramar Hotel, bought the Biltmore and Coral Casino and undertook a $145 million renovation of the hotel that should be completed sometime next year. His proposed renovations to the Casino have sparked controversy and are still undergoing a review and approval process. The Biltmore continues to be a bellwether of Santa Barbara's tourist industry. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.independent.com/living/history970.htm

NEWBIE INFO
Michael shares the following info: "Below are three posts which supposedly tellswhat was introduced at today's Gift Show in Dallas, Texas. One of the posts says that there is a new I love City State Bear, another post also says that there will be Pinky Keychains, another post says that there will be more introduced of the Ty Baby Line. The Final Post says there are 15 new Ty Classics introduced. Also most of these i guess will be the new July Releases." Michael 

State Flower Bear Post: http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_19-995183-0-1,00.html 
Pinky Keychain Post: http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_19-995191-0-1,00.html 
Ty baby Post: http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_19-995199-0-1,00.html

June 23, 2005
Creativity brought to bear at interactive store
Customers can create, accessorize stuffed toy Nearly 10 years ago, when Beanie Babies were superpopular, Maxine Clark was ferrying around a young friend trying to find a particular one. While they searched, the 10-year-old girl commented that a Beanie Baby would be so easy to make. That got Clark - an executive trainee who rose through the ranks of The May Department Stores Co. to become president of Payless ShoeSource - to thinking. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/allheadlines/80776.php

Unbearable lightness of being a bear
DOVER - Children packed up their favorite teddy bears and headed off for a picnic at the Dover Library Friday afternoon. The picnic was held indoors because of a morning rain, but the last-minute change didn't dampen the preschoolers' spirits. Sitting on blankets and eating their lunches, both kids and moms listened to Assistant Children's Librarian Judi Long read three books on bears. Long had brought her daughter's bear along and afterwards handed out ice cream cups to her attentive audience. Gigi Goldaber, a graduate of the Wellesley Coop, hugged a couple of fellow graduates who were moving on to kindergarten next year. Gigi's pink beanie-baby bear, Cure, was recently purchased from her older brother, Brian, as part of a fund-raising effort. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www2.townonline.com/dover/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=271006

SILENT RETIREMENTS @ TY STORE
These two bears have retired and have been removed from the Ty Store.
MOM-e 2005: http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=7426 
Dad: http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=7484

June 22, 2005
Good Life: In The Mid-Hudson Valley
Hospital gets Babies
Linda Scarchilli of Beekman visited Saint Francis Hospital in Beacon Thursday.

With her she brought more than 150 Beanie Babies and a few dozen Barbie Dolls. The toys will be given to children brought to the hospital's emergency and trauma centers.

"I collected these over the last 10 years and either kept them in their original boxes or put them in plastic cubes or zip bags to protect their value," said Scarchilli in a written statement.

The toys were donated to the Saint Francis Health Care Foundation. "We have a few that we kept," she said. "I hope the rest will bring a lot of happiness." VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

M.C. IV TO RETIRE SOON?
Laura shares the following:
"Hi Lisa
Just a quick email as I just received this as time is running out for MC IV--- take care, Laura  (GO PISTONS!!)"

June 21, 2005
Georgia mourns two soldiers killed in Iraq
Their Humvee is attacked 35 miles north of Baghdad
Two Georgia soldiers were killed when their Humvee was attacked by insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades about 35 miles north of Baghdad, the Pentagon said Monday.

The soldiers — 1st Lt. Noah Harris, 23, of Ellijay and Cpl. William A. Long, 26, of Lilburn — died Saturday from injuries sustained during an attack late Friday night near Buritz, a former stronghold of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.

The men were part of the Army's 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning. They were transporting a detainee when they were attacked, military officials said. An Iraqi civilian and the detainee also were killed in the attack.

Iraqi soldiers later detained two suspects, the military said.

Noah Harris joined the Army after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. He told his father that people "must serve some higher purpose than yourself in life."

Harris' parents said Monday that their son, 23, died for something he believed in.

'Exceptional person'

Noah Harris was a high school state wrestling champion who went 39-0 his senior year at Gilmer County High School and also served as captain of the football team. He graduated in 2003 from the University of Georgia, where he was captain of the varsity cheerleading squad.

"He was an exceptional person who absolutely just loved life," said Shelly Korpieski, UGA's spirit coordinator, who cheered alongside Harris at Bulldogs football games. "He was so well-liked and admired by everybody. He had a very positive leadership quality about him."

Rick and Lucy Harris said their son spoke with joy about his dealings with the Iraqi people.

He was known for "carrying bullets in one pocket and Beanie Babies in the other," his father said, because he gave out stuffed animals and soccer balls to Iraqi children. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

TY EUROPE IS FOR SALE
David shares an interesting article with Bean Watcher:
TY Europe Limited (In Administration)
Importer and Distributor of Beanie Babies Soft Toys 
The Joint Administrators, Colin Haig and Karen Dukes offer for sale such rights, title and interest the company may have in the business and assets of this distributor of the highly popular children’s collectible soft toy. VIEW ALL INFO HERE

June 20, 2005
UPDATED: NEW CHERISH AUCTIONS
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

June 19, 2005
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
I hope that all Dads are treated like royalty today. Enjoy this time with your family.

Million-dollar view costs $15,000 a night
Atop the city's tallest hotel, the most discerning travelers can survey the Manhattan skyline floating above the world's most dynamic city from two new Presidential Suites on the 51st floor of the Four Seasons New York.

The nightly rate: $15,000, touted as the most expensive in the country.

More than 600 feet above the streets of Gotham, hotelier Ty Warner of Ty Warner Hotels and Resorts commissioned architect I.M. Pei and interior designer Peter Marino to create one of the world's most breathtaking hotel experiences. For Pei, who designed the hotel in the early 1990s, the two penthouses are a crowning achievement.

"This is what the hotel always called for," says the architect whose other works include the National Gallery in Washington, the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston and the Pyramid at the Louvre in Paris.

After acquiring the Four Seasons Hotel New York in 1999, Warner, who parlayed his line of plush Beanie Baby toys into one of America's great fortunes, felt compelled to create something memorable. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

June 17, 2005
RANCHO WARNER: Beanie Baby baron Ty Warner has reportedly purchased Rancho San Marcos, the scenic but financially hobbled golf course atop San Marcos Pass, adding it to his string of landmark acquisitions throughout the South Coast. Given that Warner already owns two premier golf courses in the area - the Sandpiper and the Montecito Country Club - he may convert San Marcos to an equestrian center. Attendance at San Marcos has been hamstrung by a strict booze ban, imposed as a condition of approval. San Marcos' most recent owners, Rentokil, had been seeking to have that condition lifted. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Ready to Rebuild: Illiopolis family counts its blessings after fire destroys home
ILLIOPOLIS - From the pile of debris which had once been the Jordan family home in Illiopolis, Lance Watkins, a family friend, shouted out, "We have a survivor! The cowboy lives."

His discovery brought cheers from the family who had just watched their home of 18 years become a pile of rubble.

They had already laughed together as the chimney came tumbling down, Christmas lights still attached. They hooted when removing an upstairs wall revealed a blackened toilet. They shed tears when walls of the house crumbled onto themselves.

As the demolition continued, Valory Jordan pointed out a shower curtain amid the swirling dust.

"I had just done my bathroom in bears," she remembered. "I had thousands of teddy bears, Winnie the Pooh, Boyd's Bears, Beanie Baby bears. I lost all my bears."

It's those kinds of losses, continued Valory Jordan, that make a house fire difficult.

"The big-screen television, the computer, they can all be replaced. But snapshots of my kids, things that my mother had given me that were hers, things with sentimental value, you can't replace those." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ASK TY
Q: Is there any animal, bear, or creature in the Beanie Baby line you've wanted to create, but haven't as of yet? (submitted by Phister)
A: There certainly is . . . but that information is top secret ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

June 16, 2005
Beanie Babies will bring joy to a sick child
My name is Mary Swatley and I am a student at St. Benedict. A few months ago, I received some news about the lack of toys and prizes for the surgery patients at Children Special Services. My mom and I discussed the issue and came up with the solution to donate my large amount of Beanie Babies to the kids.

My mom works for the Health Department and she talked it over with her supervisors, and they agreed that the donation would be a great and wonderful thing for the children. I decided that giving away something that I once loved playing with and donating it to children that have next to nothing would be a good thing. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Sharing the Love: Triplets donate Beanie Babies to hospital
MATTOON -- 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 Wednesday.

Andrew, Isabella and Nicholas Saal have made donations to organizations on their birthdays for several years. Wednesday 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. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

June 15, 2005
TY UK EXCLUSIVE RARE STOCKIST INFORMATION ON AUCTION
Thank you to Barbara for sharing the following auction information:

Partial item description: For auction the account and trading information of the entire base of the Welsh representative of the now defunct Ty Europe Ltd. This account information covers an area of 13,000 square miles and is one of the largest geographical territories that was supported by Ty Europe Ltd. It covers the UK postal codes of: SA, CF, NP, GL, HR, SY & LD.

The information contains all relevant information on accounts within the area, i.e; Account name, address, telephone number, contact name, most recent account activity. It also provides all copy orders and invoices stretching back three years. It contains all active accounts, and dormant accounts.

On disk are spreadsheets showing area activity and account information, and all information relevant to the running of this patch by the former representative of this now liquidated company.

This information is for sale by auction directly by the most recent Ty Europe representative covering this territory. I have authority from the official administrators of Ty Europe Ltd to dispose of this information as I see fit, and that they have no requirement for it. VIEW AUCTION HERE  (NOTE: This auction has been removed from eBay!)

June 14, 2005
Collecting is a ball for some
Local man builds pyramid with 17,575 golf balls
COSHOCTON - Model vehicles, hats, belt buckles, puzzles and fly swatters are just a few of the many items in Elmer Wright's collections. His golf balls, however, are the pinnacle of it all.

In the midst of all of Wright's collections is a pyramid that consists of 17,575 golf balls, which he started gathering 10 years ago when he picked up golfing.

The pyramid is 37 rows high, 5 1/2 feet wide, 4 1/2 feet tall and weighs a little more than 3,000 pounds.

"Friends give them (the golf balls) to me and I've found a lot," said Wright of Coshocton.

The golf balls in the pyramid are as diverse as Wright's collections. They bear company logos, people's names, advertise products such as Pepsi and show school or team pride.

"In the '50s Hill Top was called Lake Park Golf Course," he said. "I found a ball that said that on it and it is probably my oldest."

Wright has taken his pyramid apart and rebuilt it four or five times now.

"I've been working on it eight years all together," he said. "There were 500 or 600 golf balls in the first one that I built. I just keep adding on."

Surrounding Wright's golf balls are 519 key chains, 669 yard sticks, 315 jigsaw puzzles and hundreds of other items.

"I just enjoy collecting stuff," he said. "It's something different."

Wright's various collections have found a resting place in the part of his home that use to serve as the location for his sharpening service. He sharpened items such as knives, scissors and saws for around 20 years and worked for Peabody Coal Co. for 28 years.

Marjorie Wright, Elmer's wife, also enjoys collecting items. Over the years she has collected coins, dolls and Beanie Babies. Now she is into history books.

"I think people like collecting things they couldn't afford or didn't have growing up," she said. VIEW ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

Simple Bookkeeping for Beanbag Collectors
Maida writes: "Hi Lisa, I wanted to let you know that I have put our software program on ebay for 10 days with free shipping. There are 10 of them. They are at a fixed price so no bidding just buying." http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7163236222

June 13, 2005
Communities mourn loss of Marines in Iraq
CLEVELAND -- Businesses, government buildings and homes have lowered their American flags to half staff in Strongsville and Middleburg Heights to honor two Marines killed in Iraq.

The two northern Ohio cities are reeling after 23-year-old Lance Corporal Thomas O. Keeling and 26-year-old Corporal Brad D. Squires died in the same explosion Thursday. Lance Corporal Devon Paul Seymour of Saint Louisville, Ohio, also died in the explosion.

Gary Starr became mayor of Middleburg Heights one year after Brad Squires was born. He says he probably gave Squires his town safety certificate when he was five.

Starr says the whole city is grieving.

Squires was supposed to be married in January but moved his wedding date up to November, before he was shipped out. He was a family man who was looking forward to starting one.

Sharon Berry says her son Thomas Keeling adored his grandfather, a marine and World War II veteran, who was awarded two purple hearts.

And Keeling adored kids. In weekly care packages, his family made sure to send Keeling candy and Beanie Babies to hand out to children.

Keeling graduated from Kent State last year. He was 23.

He’ll be buried next to his grandfather.

Strongsville Mayor Tom Perciak says the community will do what it can to support the Keelings. He says Thomas Keeling’s death is beyond sad. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PICTURES HERE

UPDATED: NEW CHERISH AUCTIONS
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

June 12, 2005
EBay stores adjust
Sheree Kamoski has logged on to a new career helping people sell unwanted items online through eBay.