-=May 31, 2003=-
LAST DAY TO ENTER...
The "World Peace 2003!" contest ends TONIGHT at midnight EST.  :oD http://www.planetbeans.com/May2003Contest.htm

Ebay and its era of endless entrepreneurs
I am addicted to Ebay.

-=May 30, 2003=-
TY PROMOTES 'Free M.C. II Beanie Baby!'
Charlene shares the following copy of the promotion. VIEW HERE

A Vérité Veteran Reflects on Life Behind the Camera
THE climb to Charlotte Zwerin's top-floor atelier on the leafy end of Morton Street is so steep that Ms. Zwerin, a 71-year-old documentarian whose partnership with Albert and David Maysles yielded such monuments to cinema vérité as "Gimme Shelter" and "Salesman," occasionally resorts to a mechanical chairlift to scale the penultimate flight. But only when her dicey back flares up, or if she's having what she terms a bad oxygen day.

Also, go ahead and call her a kook for being as proud of her collection of Beanie Babies (she succumbed to an octopus, then "got addicted") as she is of her original Christo drawings (she and the Maysleses zoomed in on him for "Running Fences" and "Islands" ). Nothing wrong with strange obsessions. Life would be colorless without them, would it not? Ms. Zwerin, despite her blah gray sweat pants, is an advocate of color. And clutter. Disturb hers and she clucks like a rousted hen. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

The moves that move them
For skating stars of Champions on Ice, shows like Sunday's are a chance to connect with the audience.

Ask skaters and they tell you there's a one-word difference between performing in front of judges vs. your giddy, trivia-filled fan.

They will also see Orange County's own Sasha Cohen, a collector of Beanie Babies and a skater with animal grace, expressive arms and amazing flexibility who, inevitably, is hoping to become the first woman to master a quadruple jump. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

NEW CONTEST TO START JUNE 1st
Details will be posted soon... 

BEANIE INFO PAGES UPDATED
In case you were wondering.. I did manage to update all of the Beanie info pages yesterday (Complete Beanie Checklist, Bear Only Checklist, Buddy Checklist, Beanie Bopper Checklist, and the various information pages adding the pictures, intro dates and such). If you notice anything missing or any errors.. please contact me. Lisa@planetbeans.com 

-=May 29, 2003=-
JUNE INTRODUCTIONS
BEANIES: July, Lumberjack, Sherbet (lilac, baby blue, dark neon pink?) Fancy, Muddy, Colosso
http://www.ty.com/BB_June03

CLASSICS: Glitz, Glamour, Disco
http://www.ty.com/TYC_June03

TEENIE BEANIE BOPPERS: Sailor Sam, Private Pete
http://www.ty.com/TBB_June03

BUDDIES: Sherbet (pink & lilac), Soar
http://www.ty.com/BBD_June03

MAY RETIREMENTS (Beanies)
March, Smitten, Dublin, Dippy - http://www.ty.com/may_retirements

Do you have a special occasion coming up? 
Sue Owen writes: "Is there a special person who deserves a special greeting from you?

Are you looking for an alternative to the usual flowers, fruit, chocolates, etc that can only be enjoyed for a short while?

Why not  'SAY IT WITH CHUBBLEYS'? They keep for ages and they don't make you fat!

This gift service offers you an original product at a competitive price. As usual, all proceeds will go to Cancer Research UK.
For a modest sum you can arrange to have an appropriately gift-tagged Chubbley Bear and greeting card mailed to a friend or relative.

I do not have the entire range of Chubbley bears to enable you to make your own choice but I promise to select one which suits the occasion. The special ear tag and rhyme will link that particular bear to the occasion perfectly!

For more details of price and how to order click here

This offer will continue for as long as I have Chubbleys to send and thanks to the generosity of Chubbley UK Ltd over the past year I have plenty!

OTHER NEWS ON THE WEB SITE:
Sponsor me and be entered into a draw to win a Blue Decade Beanie with custom-knitted '10 Years of Race for Life' sweater

Send me stamps and be entered into a draw to win a signed Daphne Countin Sheep with custom-knitted sweater

Last chance to enter the Windy Ridge Draw for a beautiful hand made mohair bear designed and made for CHERISH by Stef Hanson

Thanks for your continued support in having fun while raising funds for Cancer Research UK.
£8000 has been raised over the last year!"

Bicentennial Yesterdays: May 28
1998 Some people spent Memorial Day weekend poolside. Some picnicked with family and friends. And others spent the weekend in their cars, driving to McDonald's. People were lining up outside before the store even opened. The Ty Teenie Beanie Babies promotion began. Collector's were hoping to claim the entire set of Teenie Beanie Babies, but they had to wait their turn. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

HERO (AUSTRALIA)
It's been suggested that maybe the Australia version of HERO may make it's way to the stores. Maybe it was sold for a short time at Ty Store. Have you noticed that this bear is NOT retired? It is SOLD OUT but still listed on the currents list at Ty.com. Please share your comments or thoughts about this bear being sold out so quickly and what you think will happen next. Lisa@planetbeans.com 

HERO (Australia) COMMENTS
Diana writes: "Hi Lisa! Interesting news with our fellow Australian Hero... I DO hope he is a Ty Store exclusive, though I really don't agree with RETIRING any of these Ty Store exclusives as fast as some of them do (but since this one isn't officially retired?). But I'd hate to think it was just another of Ty's ploys to have us order something off the website that would be available in stores minus the wonderful shipping and handling charges. Not only that, but I have two friends overseas that I always order for, so that would mean not only do they have to pay me for the beanie and Ty's shipping charges (we split that), but then they have to pay me to ship them overseas to their locations, making it even more expensive for them! On another note, SOLD OUT to me means that maybe there just weren't enough made compared to their EXPECTED number of orders, or maybe they released him too soon due to popular demand to realize that hey, of course everyone wants one (or two or three or four) so maybe they'll beef up production and offer him to the people who missed out - I hope they do! D"

Ty Flip Flops Auction To End
From: Beanieholics
The eBay auction that features a pair of flip flops that Ty Warner signed and personally decorated for Hospice of Santa Barbara will end tonight. Currently bidding has passed the $560 mark. How much higher will the bidding go in an attempt to own this one of a kind Ty item? Click Here To View Auction

ROYAL BLUE DECADE
When updating the checklists and info pages I stumbled across a ROYAL BLUE DECADE on the currents list. This Beanie was not part of the June Introductions.

-=May 28, 2003=-
When Is a Nickel Worth $1 Million?
From: Beanieholics
"Hey buddy, I'll give you a million for that nickel."
That may be what someone will hear if they have a certain coin in their possession. Five Liberty nickels were minted illegally in 1913, possibly by a mint official. They were never placed in circulation and for many years were considered illegal to own because they were not a regular issue. Four of the coins have been accounted for. In 1996, one of the 1913 nickels was auctioned off for $1.4 million, the first coin to sell for more than $1 million. It is because of that price that at least $1 million is being offered for the missing coin. Click Here For More

-=May 27, 2003=-
What's that famous saying? 'No news is good news' 
We should be in for lots of good news soon since there hasn't been any news to speak of. LOL 

HERO AUSTRALIA
Well Ty does it again! This one is a Ty Store Exclusive. http://www.ty.com/Hero_australia 

HERO AUSTRALIA - SOLD OUT
http://www.tytrade.com/TyStore

-=May 26, 2003=-
Inventing Toys From an Adult View
THIS fall, the toy industry holds its fair in New York City, and designers will gather in hopes of introducing the next big hit — the one that will have parents lining up at stores in December, willing to wait for hours and pay any price for the must-have toy of the year.

Some at the convention will be independent inventors striving to persuade big toy companies to look at their ideas. Theirs is a long, hard road; most toy and game makers will not examine original inventions unless the inventor is represented by a toy agent. Independent inventors can be reluctant to pay the submission fee agents often charge just to look at an invention. And many resist the idea of signing over rights or royalties in licensing agreements.

Yet everyone would love to have the next Beanie Babies. And marketing experts say a majority of new toys and games come from individuals, rather than from big companies like Mattel. Some have begun talent searches and competitions to unearth ideas before the Toy Fair. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

A Memorial Day Special: An Interview with Marilyn
Bean Watcher writes: "Marilyn from the USA has shared her beautiful photographs with webmasters from several beanbag sites, including mine. Many collectors have asked about her -- how she started collecting, how she is able to find her beanies so quickly, whether or not she has any ties to Ty or Ty, Inc., and more. You'll soon find out how she first started collecting Ty products, her "secret" to finding new styles quickly, and why she enjoys sharing pictures of her recent finds. So find a comfortable seat, grab a refreshing drink, and enjoy the read!" READ INTERVIEW HERE

-=May 25, 2003=-
NEW THANK YOU BEAR RAFFLE BEGINS
http://www.planetbeans.com/ThankYouBearRaffleTWO.htm

-=May 24, 2003=-
NEW RELEASES?
Ms. Janie shares: "The rumor mill is spinning out of control.  In anticipation of new releases I have received the following list of rumored products to be released.  PLEASE view this as a rumor until Ty officially releases them.

Here goes hold on to your hats, as this list looks pretty promising, if reveled to be true! 
http://www.msjanie.com/2002_photos/rumored_6_2003_products.html

Little things loom large for Astros
In the opener of a series that has first place as the prize, the Astros proved Friday night there is no substitute for a good substitute.

Orlando Merced, starting in right field in place of the ailing Richard Hidalgo, drilled a two-run single and made a deadeye throw from the corner to kill a big inning for the Cubs.

The switch-hitting Jose Vizcaino replaced rookie Adam Everett at short so the Astros could wave another lefthanded bat against Mark Prior. The move paid off early and handsomely, as the veteran jerked the first pitch he saw into the lower deck in right for a three-run homer.

All of which added up to a six-run first inning off Prior, who went into the game with a 5-1 record and an earned run average a hair over 2.00. When you bundle your hits and breaks for six runs off such a dazzling young righthander, you do not expect to struggle. You expect diamonds and Beanie Babies to fall from the skies. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Shawn Guyer's milestones
Feb. 3, 1992: Shawn Guyer is born to Steve and Penny Guyer.

April 1994: Shawn's spleen is removed at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey. He's sent to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he begins chemotherapy. He also receives a bone marrow transplant from his father, but there are complications. A dose of medication to fight the complications is doubled and Shawn begins to recover.

July 1997: Five-year-old Shawn, with a temperature of 104 degrees, is flown to Hershey's pediatric intensive care unit. He is diagnosed with a bacterial infection, but doctors don't know the specific bacteria causing the problem.

August 1997: A week after being in the hospital, doctors tell his parents that Shawn will lose his arms and legs. His body, to protect itself, blocked the blood flow in his arms and legs.

September 1997: The community begins raising money for the Guyer family. In one day, people bring $13,000 to WIKZ-FM 95.1 radio station. Another $6,000 in donations is collected at a bank. Children give Beanie Babies, allowance and birthday money. Businesses donate money and challenge other businesses to match them. Many other fund-raisers are held, including car washes, all-you-can-eat breakfasts and a golf tournament. VIEW THE FULL AMAZING STORY & PICS HERE

-=May 23, 2003=-
ASK TY
Q: Ty products are so personable with poems, birthdays, and stories (Boppers) that we can enjoy and sometimes identify with . . . How did you come up with the idea of poems, birthdays, and stories? (submitted by song bird)
A: The poems, birthdays, and Bopper personalities were all designed with children in mind. Beanie Babies were made to sit in the palm of a child's hand, soft and cute. Birthdays are important to children and the poems engage them to read. The Bopper personalities inspire thought and creative play. And, to all the adults out there . . . . I'm glad you're like me, kids at heart ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

HERO w/REVERSED FLAG
Rose writes: "Hi Lisa, I hope all is well with you and your family. I just had to comment on this subject, especially since I noticed someone had bid $50 for one of these bears (eBay auction you linked). In my opinion they will be the common version since it is obvious that Ty was just correcting a mistake that was made with the first release. The Hero that should be fetching a higher price is the one that was released with the flag with the blue field on the left since fewer of these would have been produced. Ty tends to let a charity beanie hang around a long time so I'm betting the market will be flooded with these 'reversed flag' Heroes. Anyway I just thought you should warn your readers to save their money. And yes I did pick one up yesterday at my favorite retailer for $5.00 ~Rose"

<my comments: VERY good point Rose!! It seems there is almost always regret when people go out and buy on impulse. I hope collectors will take heed to your suggestion.>

REVERSED FLAG IS THE RIGHT WAY...
Kathryn shares with Ms. Janie: "I noted several comments on your website regarding the "backward flag" beanie. In accordance with military regulations, if the full-color U.S. Flag insignia is worn on the uniform the "reverse side flag" is the correct positioning. Please see excerpt below. "The full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is worn so that the star field faces forward, or to the flag's own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer's right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward. The appropriate replica for the right shoulder sleeve is identified as the reverse side flag."

POLICE DEPARTMENTS KEEP PATCHES CLOSE TO THE VEST
Several police departments across Maine have stopped giving away patches to the public because of security concerns, expense and the propensity for them to end up on online auction sites.

(Cape Elizabeth-AP) -- Cape Elizabeth police used to give their uniform patches to collectors for the asking. But the department has stopped the practice after patches began appearing on the eBay auction site. Capt. Brent Sinclair says the department didn't want to see people profiting from its generosity. Cape Elizabeth isn't alone. Saco Police Chief Bradley Paul says collectors have made the patches something akin to Beanie Babies, baseball cards and stamps. VIEW STORY HERE

Weird Al, eBay And Beanies
From: Beanieholics
Just heard Weird Al's new song, called "eBay" goes to the tune of "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys.... WAY TOO FUNNY....Anyway he mentions Beanie Babies in it. Too funny!!! haha! ~James

The song comes from Weird Al Yankovik's new CD called "Poodle Hat" which was released just this week. We went in search of the song on the Internet hoping to hear it but only found the lyrics. Okay, if you know the song "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys then the following lyrics that mentions Beanies goes along with the chorus of that song:

Gonna buy (a slightly-damaged golf bag)
Gonna buy (some Beanie Babies, new with tag)
(From some guy) I've never met in Norway
Found him on eBay

For those that want to view all of the lyrics to 'eBay' by Weird Al, just use the link below.
Click Here For Lyrics

Welcome back to the Beanie Babies Official Club website, the only official source for news and information for BBOC members.

2003 marks a very special year for Beanie Babies, it's their 10 year anniversary!

We're planning a very special offer for this very special occasion.

Check back often….you don't want to miss out. Click Here For To Visit The BBOC Website

-=May 22, 2003=-
BACKWARD FLAGGED HERO
Ms. Janie shares
Karen's HERO - Today I picked up some US USO Hero bears from my local Ty retailer and upon examining them, I found the flag on the right arm is reversed. These are the only ones of this oddity listed on E-Bay. I have listed 5 of them on E-Bay.

Vicki's backward flagged HERO

Carol Davey please contact me at Lisa@planetbeans.com.

IMA Hero Collection News
Diane writes: "Hello Everyone, Summer is right around the corner, and many of you are busy making vacation plans.  Be sure to check out the IMA Hero Travel Bookstore where you will find over 20 categories of books, games, and activities.  Whether you want to keep the kids busy or find a city tour book, begin your search here:

IMA Hero Travel Bookstore http://www.imahero.com/bookstore/travel/travelmain_bookstore.htm"

Schoolwork pays off with tasty new treat
Josh Benner knows the power of persuasion.

In fact, the Aspen fifth-grader scooped up and devoured the results of his persuasive skills Wednesday at Paradise Bakery, where Josh’s Oreo Cookies-n-Creme made its debut in the bakery’s rotation of ice cream flavors.

“It’s good,” he succinctly declared after sampling a generous helping.

The 11-year-old lobbied the bakery to create his favorite flavor to fulfill a school assignment from his teacher, Tom Hills.

Each year, Hills has his fifth-graders at Aspen Middle School write a persuasion paper. Youngsters identify an issue and write a paper outlining a change they’d like to see. They must also come up with three supporting arguments for their proposal, anticipate objections and offer solutions to overcome the potential opposition.
Several years ago, Boogie’s Diner owner Leonard Weinglass visited to explain the pricing of Beanie Babies at the store/diner in response to a student’s attempt to convince Boogie’s to drop the price of the fad collectible.

Weinglass explained how the price was set, but briefly offered a discount on Beanie Babies in response to the student’s pitch, Hills recalled. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

-=May 21, 2003=-
Forget the Beanie Babies, eBay is all about business
Small firms are selling goods and buying stock
A $280,000 Lamborghini for sale on eBay sounds like another Internet prank, as likely to be legitimate as were prior online auctions for used dentures and somebody's soul.

But it's no joke to Fox Valley Motorcars in West Chicago, which in the past few months has used eBay to sell Ferraris, Porsches and a 1967 Corvette Stingray convertible.

"I get a real good feeling of what's going on in the county by having my inventory on eBay," said Mike Jernigan, Fox Valley's sales manager.

Originally a haven for collectors of Beanie Babies, Pez dispensers and antiques, eBay has increasingly become a trading post where businesses -- particularly small businesses -- list their wares and seek bargains on everything from computers to welding equipment. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Ty Warner Flip Flops Now On eBay
From: Beanieholics
It's your chance to own a one of a kind Ty item. The pair of flip flops that Ty Warner signed and personally decorated for Hospice of Santa Barbara are now listed on eBay. The auction item comes with a certificate of authenticity. Ty donated these flip flops for the 'Footwork's of Art' project initiated by the nonprofit group Hospice of Santa Barbara. Our thanks to Charlene for directing us to the auction. Click Here To View Auction

Warner May Acquire Sandpiper For Well Below Par
From: Beanieholics
The proposed sale of Sandpiper Golf Course to businessman Ty Warner (think Beanie Babies, Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel, San Ysidro Ranch) is in the rough but could find its way back to the green. Click Here For Story

LIBERTY BUDDIES RETIRE!
http://www.ty.com/Liberty

-=May 20, 2003=-
MYSTERY REP LETTER
Steve writes: "my retailer notified me of a rather encryptive message from her ty rep. i saw the letter myself and it confused even me. the rep used lots of the beanie names in her letter and it basicaly said tht she was coming to the store to make the owner a great deal on some product weathernew or old, i 'm not sure to help boost lacking sales. have any of the other retailers goten this leter and have they figured out the mysteries. steve :o)"

SILENT RETIREMENT?
The Blue version of Decade is now in the retired section. Red and white versions are still listed as current.

TWO PEACE SYMBOL VERSIONS LISTED
Look at the top of the currents section and you'll notice that the "Singapore" (pictures shared by Mark on the May 16th news) and "US" versions of the Peace Symbol Bear are both listed.

-=May 19, 2003=-
ANYTHING INTERESTING?
News is incredibly slow right now. If you have some news or interesting stories/pictures to share.. please send to Lisa@planetbeans.com.

BEANIE PAGES UPDATED
I've updated the Beanie Information pages (added the new Asia-Pacific exclusives birthdates and poems). I've also updated the Beanie Calendar page. :oD

Significance of Birthdays for Asia Pacific Flag Exclusives
What is the significance of the birthdays selected by Ty for the new Asia-Pacific Exclusives bears? Bean Watcher has the answers posted on his site HERE

-=May 18, 2003=-
HERO PRICE INCREASE?
Krystal writes: "Lisa, I just picked up the British version of Hero at a Hallmark in Iowa today.  They were selling him for $6.95 instead of their usual $5.95.  I wonder if other retailers will do the same??"
Krystal Keck
Iowa City IA

SICK OF SEEING FAKES?!
Patricia points out some auctions in which the colors of these rare Teddies are way off of what they should be. Here are a few comparisons. Please people... if you are thinking about bidding on RARE Beanies on eBay or elsewhere.. protect yourself by making sure to only bid on authenticated Beanies. Why would you spend over $100 on a Beanie that is questionable? Be informed by visiting the FAKE pages of sites like Ms. Janie's. I'd recommend THIS page to give some insight as to what is real and fake.
auction for New Face Jade Teddy I New Face Jade Teddy from Ty.com
auction for Old Face Brown Teddy I New Face Brown Teddy from Ty.com
auction for New  Face Magenta Teddy I New  Face Magenta Teddy from Ty.com
auction for New Face Teal Teddy I New Face Teal Teddy from Ty.com
auction for New Face Violet Teddy I New Face Violet Teddy from Ty.com

-=May 17, 2003=-
Cybercrime sweep nabs 135
Officials seize $17M in crackdown on investment swindles, identity theft and other dot.cons.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Law-enforcement officials said Friday 135 people have been charged and more than $17 million seized in a crackdown on investment swindles, identity theft and other forms of Internet fraud and abuse.

Officers arrested 50 suspects this week in an effort to combat the fast-growing online crime that now accounts for more than half of all fraud complaints, Attorney General John Ashcroft said.

Those arrested were accused of a variety of crimes, from setting up fake banking Web sites to collect the account numbers of unsuspecting customers to surreptitiously taping and selling unreleased movies, Ashcroft said.

Many of the cases involved advertising goods or services that did not exist. Defendants allegedly sold computers, video-game consoles, Beanie Babies and other items through e-mail or online auction sites but never delivered them, while others allegedly sold counterfeit software and watches. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

A Chess Player's Challenge: Opponents His Own Age
Ten-year-old Fabiano Caruana has a gold medal and travels to Crete and Budapest to compete in chess tournaments. Some of his trophies are taller than he is. And last year, he became the youngest person to defeat a grandmaster.

But Fabiano, who lives in Brooklyn and used to take Beanie Babies to his tournaments for luck, has left the international circuit behind for a while. On May 8, he packed his bags and boarded a private jet bound for the National Elementary Chess Championship in Nashville, Tenn. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Local, D.C. libraries to open books on reading
COLUMBUS - Just because school will be out for the summer doesn't mean reading has to stop.

The Columbus Public Library will begin its summer reading program next month.

"If they don't continue reading in the summer, what they learned (in school) will be diminished," children's librarian Brad Hruska said.

The program, which runs from June 9-Aug. 1, attracted about 800 children last year. This year's program is set to the theme of 'Doggone Fun at the Library.'

Each week will feature a different topic based on dogs, such as training, service and rescue dogs and dog care.

A different activity will be held each day. Movies will be shown at 1:30 p.m. on Mondays, and special activities and presentations from organizations like the Colfax K-9 Unit, the Humane Society and local veterinarians are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Story time will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Fridays are family days when children and their parents are encouraged to visit the library together.

Each child in the program is encouraged to read one book a day or a week. Prizes such as gift certificates and Beanie Babies will be given out. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

-=May 16, 2003=-
A CHERISH CELEBRATION
Sue Owen writes: "Hi, The third and final set of celebrity signed George Chubbley Bear auctions closed on Wednesday at a total of £572.77. These are the last of the Georges donated to me by Chubbley UK Ltd. The  total raised through all CHERISH Chubbley events this year is in excess of £3000! This brings the total raised for Cancer Research UK over the last year to around £8000. I don't have to tell you how I am feeling this week!

This week we will be updating the CHERISH website with a look back at the success of the 'George Campaign' as well as a look forward at what is being planned for future fundraising.

Not only will there be Chubbley events but also Ty fundraisers, a Countin' Sheep which cannot be bought anywhere and Boglin's Knitwear as well as the current prize draw for Stef Hanson's Windy Ridge Bear. Here are some photos of two of the things on offer - the Windy Ridge Charity Bear 2003 and the Race for Life Decade (attached)

Many thanks for all of your support and interest in CHERISH.

Best wishes, Sue Owen

HERO COMMENTS & BEANIES FOR SALE
Trish writes: "Lisa, just a quick note to let you know I was able to purchase the Hero Dad-E beanie bear on ebay; of course by bidding on it's auction before I noticed Ty had released any in the stores here in the States.  Mine is coming from a seller in United Kingdom as a pre-sale.  My winning bid was $10.50 and in GBP, the price is $16.99.  I've not rec'd it yet, but will let you know if I got the "real deal".  What do you think of the price? 

Since I've not checked the prices with Ty or any other beanie sellers, I have no idea what the going price has been, but at least I was able to get one.  AND, if you'd like to have one, I'll sell him to you as our money situation has gotten pretty bad.  This economy is killing sales and my husband works commission sales at Sears.  In fact, I have several beanies I could and need to sell to get some extra money as my husband has to go in for gall bladder surgery within the next month.  He will see the surgeon next week and we'll find out the surgery date.  While out of work, he will have no money flow as he has no sick leave or vacation time.

If there's any way of you putting out the word that I'm needing to sell my beanie babies, I would appreciate it.  I'll make up a list one day very soon and some pricing.  If anyone may be interested, they could email me at McSorleypa@aol.com."

DAD-e IS SHIPPING
Elaine writes: "Dad e 2003 has been shipped.  Just received notification...This is really fast service....."

PEACE SYMBOL DIFFERENCES Mark writes: "Dear Ms Lisa, Greetings from Sunny Singapore and love getting your news letters. I just wanted to see if your readers and other collectors have notice that there are two different peace symbols. My friend from USA sent me one recently as thinking that TY will not be bring in this beanie to Asia. However, just recently the retailers in Singapore have them. I purchase one thinking they there may be of a different Tag version from the one from USA. (There are three version that I know of) but the tags are the same all aline to the left. Anyhow to my surprise the symbols are a different version. Has anyone notice this ??? Please see pictures attached. Your comments please." Regards Mark

CHUBBLEY ANNOUNCEMENT
View an important announcement from Chubbley UK about the future of Chubbley Bears. ANNOUNCEMENT FOUND HERE

Four indicted for online auction fraud
Four men have been indicted in federal court in Pittsburgh as part of a nationwide crackdown on Internet fraud called "Operation E-Con" that will be announced today in Washington, D.C., by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Three of the indictments involved local men charged with selling items online that they didn't own and had no intention of delivering. They used eBay and other Internet auction sites.

Duggal defrauded customers from across the United States from October 2001 through June 2002, according to the indictment. Ronald James Wiest of Cottage Grove, Minn., for example, paid for a $629 Sony digital camera kit that he never received.

Condon and Koch pulled similar schemes, according to the grand jury.

Diller began his operation in 1999, prosecutors said, when he advertised Beanie Babies and Beanie Baby cards online and had customers send payments to an address on Cambridge Street in Harrison. When customers complained about not receiving their merchandise, police investigated, but Diller fled and disappeared. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Ty and Hospice, the perfect combination for success! 
From: Ms. Janie
Ok guys, I think I have now seen it all! Ty’s generosity has finally gone over the top, or should I say, sand dunes. Check out the following link for a pair of wild sandals carrying the Ty logo. Once again, Ty has associated himself and company in a charity that will benefit others! Way to go Ty!!! EXHIBIT & SILENT AUCTION: May 2003 Over 300 celebrity-designed will be mounted and displayed for public viewing in downtown Santa Barbara for two weeks in May 2003 in the midst of the Memorial Day holiday. All viewers will be able to bid for these creative treasures on silent auction sheets displayed with each mounted pair. On the last day of the exhibit, the public is invited, free of charge, to participate in the excitement of final bidding for these coveted celebrity flip-flops. Promotional materials about Hospice of Santa Barbara, the Project, and its sponsors, as well as Project memorabilia will also be offered at the site. Swept Off Your Feet raffle tickets for a coveted item will also be sold community-wide throughout May. Click all the way through page 3, enjoy! http://www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org/steppin_out.htm

ASK TY
Q: Have you ever thought about making a Beanie movie? (submitted by beanie babies beanie buddys) 
A: I've had numerous conversations over the years about making a movie. Here's my question to you . . . . if you made a Beanie movie, what would the title be ? Post your thoughts on Daily Tymes. http://www.ty.com/askty_home

-=May 15, 2003=-
ADVICE NEEDED
I thought I'd pose this question to my readers. Recently a friend of mine purchased Beanies off of eBay (Bubbles & Radar). She mailed Bubbles to me as part of a "secret pal exchange" we had in the Planet Beans Group and she had purchased a couple for a friend of hers. When he received his Bubbles & Radar he thought they may be fakes. I took a good look at mine and compared it to Ms. Janie's FAKE Bubbles page and found some similarities to the Bubbles I received. I even found a couple of other things that I found odd about the Beanie and shared pictures with Sandy and she in turn shared them with her other friend and the seller on eBay she purchased them from. The seller didn't believe them to be fake so he quickly asked Sandy to mail them back for a full refund. The problem was that I have one and someone else has 2 of them so that would have been an inconvenience all the way around. The other person mailed his two Beanies out to True Blue Beans for authenticating. Turns out they were both fake. Now Sandy is trying to figure out what to do with this seller since he had AUTHENTIC written in his description and is still selling these two FAKE Beanies. EBay was contacted and nobody is sure what they will end up doing. The seller says he doesn't believe the authenticator so it sounds like he will still continue selling obvious fakes. Has anyone had an experience like this in which you can share details on the best way to handle it? I personally think this person shouldn't be allowed to sell these Beanies and he should reimburse Sandy for all the monies she's spent and perhaps reimburse this other person the authenticating charges. Also.. Sandy hasn't left feedback for this seller for fear that when she leaves negative feedback that the seller will retaliate and mess up her excellent rating. What do you suggest?

CHERISH AUCTION SUCCESS!
Sue writes: "Hi, The third and final set of celebrity signed George Chubbley Bear auctions closed at 8 pm UK time tonight at a total of £572.77. These are the last of the Georges donated to me by Chubbley UK Ltd. The  total raised through all CHERISH Chubbley events this year is in excess of £3000!

This week we will be updating the website with a look back at the success of the 'George Campaign' as well as a look forward at what is being planned for future fundraising. The events will be as diverse as I can make them in order to include as many people as possible in at least one event. I do realise that some people cannot participate in certain events so if that is the case for you please keep checking the website as there will be more events in the future!

Not only will there be Chubbley events but also Ty fundraisers, a Countin' Sheep which cannot be bought anywhere and Boglin's Knitwear as well as the current prize draw for Stef Hanson's Windy Ridge Bear. I am also crossing my fingers that another company will succeed in a venture that they have started on my behalf!

Many thanks for all of your support and interest in CHERISH.

Best wishes and congratulations to all high bidders! Sue Owen"

Ty Beanies & More, Magazine Review
From: Beanieholics
Not that we have seen the newest issue being sold anywhere yet but Barbara Crews has. Her thoughts?

"A bit too cutsey. Although it did have some hard facts about Ty's toys and pictures of the April/May releases."

Barbara gives it two out of five stars. Click Here To Read Review

Becky writes: "Hi Lisa, I LIKE the Ty Beanies magazine! No ads! Lots of terrific pictures and info. It is well worth the money. Becky" 

-=May 14, 2003=-
OLD BEANIES AT AN ESTATE SALE
SHeL writes: "Here is a copy of an e-mail I received from a friend in the midwest:

''Subject: Beanies my sister went to an estate auction...didnt pay more then $12 for ANY beanie...got some of the OLD ones.. passed up the old dinosaurs.. didnt know what they were worth. she paid a total of $90 for over 215 beanies and is selling them to a friend for $2000!!! now thats what you call LUCK!''

Why couldn't this happen to us ?"

COLLECTORS STORIES
Joanna sends in her story: http://www.planetbeans.com/CollectorsStories.htm

FUZZY BEAR AT TY STORE
I noticed there is another fuzzy bear posted on the bottom left window of the Ty Store. Any guesses as to what this bear will be?

HUTCH & PRIMROSE CHUBBLEYS SPECIAL
"We're late," says Hutch and Primrose Chubbleys but we and the March Releases have arrived at Kansas Brass & Pewter. There is a little surprise awaiting you as a thank you for waiting so long. Check and see what we have to offer. http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cb.html 

Total Lunar Eclipse Coming May 15-16
SHeL shares info:
On the night of May 15-16, millions of eyes will be drawn skyward, where there will hang a mottled, coppery globe -- our Moon -- completely immersed in the long, tapering cone of shadow cast into space by Earth. http://www.space.com/spacewatch/lunar_eclipse_news_030425.html 

HERO SOLD OUT??
Diana shares the following: "Hi Lisa! Check THIS out! I found this in my bulk mail folder through Yahoo! this morning... Thought you might find it interesting. Note how much money these people want... no thanks!"

SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE

-Mint Condition with Mint Tags 
-Rare, Official Ty Beanie 
-100% of Ty's Profit from the original purchase of this Hero Beanie Baby will be donated to the USO 
-This Limited Edition Beanie named "Hero" was created to honor the troops who bravely fought for the US. 
-Collector's Beanie - Great Investment 

Get this RARE Collector's Beanie Today While Supplies Last...

Wait until you get a load of this price.. and while this bear will be extremely popular I don't believe it is "sold out everywhere". Stores are receiving these Beanies as we speak and Ty has promised that it will be available. VIEW THE AD HERE

-=May 13, 2003=-
BEANIE KIDS AT THE DOLLAR TREE
Steve writes: "while shopping over the weekend i found myself staring at beanie kids in the dollar tree store in my mall. they only had 2 designs, but said that the other store had different ones. i picked up cookie and tumbles, as they make great contest prizes for my yahoo group members. kb toys had a selection of beanies and buddies that were priced way beyond what  i would ever pay for old shelf sitters. the beanies included 2001 signature bear and others from the same tyme period for $7.99 ! !  the buddies they had included shamrock, cinders, dearest, etc for $19.99 each on sale this weekend for 9.99 . i thought sale meant discount price? considering their sale price is tys retail price, i expect these to shelf sit just a  little longer at kb toys.

also, our local bon ton stores are now carring ty in their childrens dept. everything is current, and all product lines represented, however watch the tags, as most were bent in my store from careless children and sales clerks shoving the stuffed toys back on the shelf. i must say i was rather surprised at the shear number of currents they had, at least 5 to 6 dozen pers style, and if they have a sale, its a good one. buddys wereon sale last week for 4.99 each ! ! !"

As well as 8 George Chubbley Bears signed by celebrities (Margaret Thatcher, Paula Radcliffe, Daley Thompson, Duncan Goodhew, Glenda Jackson, Chris Eubank, Sebastian Coe and the Marquess of Bath) there is an oddity George which has a 2001 logo on each paw. This bear has also been signed by Darren Barker of Chubbley UK Ltd. Details about each celebrity can be found on my website at this URL: http://www.boglin.net/cherish_a_celebrity_george.htm

-=May 12, 2003=-
Bakers adjusting to new colors
Melissa Baker offers insight to Dusty, Darren
CHICAGO -- The mother of the most famous batboy in Major League Baseball had a difficult time explaining to her now 4-year-old celebrity son that he can't do his job anymore.

Darren is the celebrity spokesman for a children's clothing line -- he even has business cards -- and sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch at Wrigley Field on May 4. That day also was "Dusty" the Beanie Bear Baby Day at the ballpark. Baker never had a Beanie Baby named after him while in San Francisco. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Born to run
Fifth-grader doesn’t let prosthetic slow him down
Parents make decisions for their children all the time. No dessert before dinner. Bedtime is 9 p.m.

But put yourself in Steve and Ann Bohrer’s place. Their son, Nick, was born with a rare circulatory disease that caused immense pain and destroyed his lower right leg and knee.

Together with their son, they came to a heart-wrenching decision about a year ago: to amputate 11-year-old Nick’s leg.

“I remember right before the surgery I took a few minutes to have a few last looks,” he recalls.

The family praises Nick for taking the lead on dealing with it all. Nick found a prayer on a Beanie Baby that they recited before his surgery. And it quickly came back to them — including Nick’s 12-year-old sister, Clare — last week:

Little angel up above,
Guard me with your special love,
Make sure you’ll always be,
By my side close to me.

<You may notice the above poem comes from Halo II.> VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Ty Store Exclusive DAD-e Introduced!
http://www.ty.com/DAD-e_2003

-=May 11, 2003=-
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! :oD
I hope all of the Moms and Grandmas have a wonderful day! Be blessed with your family around you on this day to celebrate Mothers!

Minnesota man pleads guilty to Internet fraud
MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnetrista man who sold counterfeit Beanie Babies, North Face jackets and other items on the Internet pleaded guilty to charges that he defrauded roughly 1,000 customers.

Richard K. Parris, 20, pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to mail fraud and trafficking counterfeit goods. He was indicted in February on 24 counts in the scheme.

Parris admitted in court to operating under 11 different Internet addresses and screen names while soliciting customers through eBay and a Yahoo auction site and by direct solicitation.

He defrauded customers in the United States, Canada and Great Britain of more than $120,000, authorities said. VIEW ARTICLE HERE

-=May 10, 2003=-
MAY 2003 USA EXCLUSIVES
Bean Watcher points out the following: "Two Beanie Babies and three Beanie Buddies, all part of the May 2003 introductions, have now been listed as USA Exclusives. The Beanie Babies are Red the bear and Red, White & Blue the bear.  The Beanie Buddies are Liberty (Red) the bear, Liberty (White) the bear, and Liberty (Blue) the bear.  All five styles are colored in red, white, and blue -- the colors in the USA flag. To view the list of current Beanie Babies, click here. To view the current list of Beanie Buddies, click here. 

LIBERTY BUDDIES ~ WHICH WILL BE HARDEST TO FIND?
Brenda writes: "Hi, Lisa! Just a quick note. I was talking to my Ty Retailer Store Owner today about the new LIBERTY Buddies. I was told; that the LIBERTY bears were shipped in bags of six (6). There are three (3) white-faced, two (2) blue-faced, and one (1) red-faced LIBERTY bears per bag.

According to my Ty Retailer; this will make the red-faced LIBERTY bears, the hardest buddy to find and purchase.

And; the RED and RED, WHITE, and BLUE beanie babies are being bundled together. Which will make the RED beanie baby bear hardest to find. Since; there are far more RED, WHITE, and BLUE beanies per bag of twelve (12), than there are RED beanie baby."

-=May 9, 2003=-
High on the Hog Beauty Contest Winnners...
The High on the Hog Beauty Contest was a big crowd-pleaser as a large group gathered to watch or participate in the show Saturday afternoon.

Little beauties shivered in the unusually chilly, damp weather as they waited their turn to strut their stuff on stage in front of the judges. Even the tiniest tots seemed to enjoy their chance to step up on stage and try to charm the judges with their sweet smiles and cute attire. Most wore casual wear to include colorful spring sundresses, shorts, capris and skirts.
Debbie St. John introduced each contestant and told a little bit about their favorite things. There were six age categories competing to win top awards that included the High on the Hog beauty title for a year, crown, and trophy. All participants received a trophy for participating and the younger contestants received a beanie baby pig, to help them remember the High on the Hog event.

Judges certainly had a difficult assignment in selecting the following winners among all the little beauties. VIEW FULL STORY & PICTURE HERE

ASK TY
Q: Hey Ty! Since you're doing a Beanie for the Cubs, are you going to do any for other baseball teams? (submitted by Mrs. White)
A: I think you could be in for a real treat at the ball park this summer ! And for those of you wondering if I like bananas . . . they're ok.

POMPEY AT RETAIL?
Ms. Janie has heard from two of her readers that Pompey is now available in the UK retail stores. How aggravating for those that have paid so much for them with shipping.

ASIA EXCLUSIVES
http://www.msjanie.com/2002_photos/Odelia_2003_Asia_bears.html

-=May 8, 2003=-
DID YOU NOTICE?
Sue Owen made a sweater for me and I've placed a picture of it on one of my favorite Peace bears on the main page of the site. I just adore my sweater! Sue is a talented lady.. she does so much for Cancer Research UK and takes the time to make handknitted sweaters for her friends in her "spare" time. :oD A BIG thank you to Sue! Also.. the sweater arrived that Sue made for the Peace Symbol Bear for the "World Peace 2003!" contest currently running so I've taken a picture of the bear wearing the sweater and have placed it on the contest page.

COUNTIN' SHEEP AT KANSAS BRASS & PEWTER
Kansas Brass & Pewter has received shipment of Series I flock of countin' sheep. http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cs.html

"Spring heralds the release of the second 12, hot on the hooves of the success of Series 1 in January."  Expected release date is April 30th. 

All hang tags will be shipped to retailers with protectors.

There are some cuties in this next release (three sheep amongst the four farms). There will be images posted in the very near future but the names can be found on the website.

Added features to these collectibles: Tag protectors especially designed for this collection; hang tags that do not show scratches or bend marks and unusual 2003 Countin' Sheep calendars.

Countin' Sheep are getting ready to hit the mainland's soon.

COLLECTORS STORIES
Sharon shares her story: http://www.planetbeans.com/CollectorsStories.htm

CHERISH AUCTIONS
Sue writes: "The second set of CHERISH a Celebrity Signed George Chubbley auctions closed this evening with an amazing total of £652.38 for 10 items! Top seller was the oddity George which has the 2001 logo on the wrong paw. This went for £197.66! There will be some delighted high bidders tonight, I am sure. It is wonderful to see that some people have bid on and won more than one auction. How special to have a little piece of English history of one's own and even more special to have a collection!

The George Chubbley Bears do look good for display - they each come in a case with a gold background to set them off nicely. Rest assured that each is quite unique in that each celebrity has only signed one of each of these special limited edition tags.

£62 of this week's total (from the sale of the Sir Bobby Charlton signed George) will be going to the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK, which raises funds specifically for research into the prevention and cure of bowel cancer.

The way things are going CHERISH looks set to achieve the goal of £3000 in total from all of the fundraising events centred around George Chubbley Bear (with some help from a few of his Chubbley friends!)

Thank you so much for your interest and support. Keep an eye on this week's auctions...there is a DOUBLE LOGO George Oddity for sale this week as well as a whole host of wonderful English celebrities' signed Georges.

Click here to see this week's auctions.  Best wishes, Sue Owen"

It was the morning after, and Marlene and Steven Aisenberg were left once again with an aching void. DNA had cratered their hopes that a little girl in Pontiac, Ill., was one and the same as their Sabrina.

There would be no reunion, no homecoming. The middle bedroom, painted yellow and adorned with Beanie Babies for a child they last knew as a diapered cherub, would remain empty. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

-=May 7, 2003=-
THANK YOU
I wanted to say thank you to those of you that sent me the poems and other Beanie info I needed yesterday. The Beanie information pages are such an important part of this website and I want them to remain updated at all times. :o)

-=May 6, 2003=-
PHOTOS OF DUSTY
http://www.msjanie.com/2002_photos/DIANE_DUSTY.html

Diane responds: "Hi Lisa, Just to let you know I do receive your newsletter and read your site most days. It was my son who was able to get so many Dusty's from yesterdays game. I knew that this beanie would be special, so when tickets went on sale for the Cub's I bought 5, so we could go. Anyways to make a long story short my 13 year old son wanted to make some summer spending money, so I suggested that he see if any of the kids wanted to give up there beanie for money. Most of the kids who my son got the bears from were his age or older (even though it was supposed to be 13 and younger) and could careless about the bears, they were happy to get some money for the bears that they had. My son found several cards just thrown on the ground. My son is long past collecting beanies, but he has very fond memories of the good years. My son is a great sales person and I give him credit for what he did. He did not take beanies away from innocent little kids. Most kids his age are into other things like yu-gi-oh cards. It gave them money to buy what they really wanted. You don't need to post this I just say your comment and felt like I needed to explain a little. Three of those beanies were ours from the tickets and the give aways. I also saw several adults going around trying to buy the beanies. Looked like one guy had bought tickets for several Mexican families that brought a whole row of kids. None of them had any beanies as he had them all. Thanks, Diane"

CONNIE'S NEW BEANIES
Connie shares another unique and beautiful picture of her new Beanies. VIEW HERE

BLOOM UNCOVERED Sue writes: "Some Beanie trivia for you...on closer inspection of Bloom, she has no beans in her arms - just wadding - presumably the weight of the beans would pull her paws too low and she wouldn't hold her flower at the right angle.  A lot of work in this bear - she has a nose stitched from pink thread, the flower she holds has a piece of green knotted satin ribbon forming its centre and petals are made of coloured felt. On the reverse of the flower is a bow made from the same green ribbon.To allow me take a photo of the reverse of the flower Bloom kindly did some beanie aerobics... Sue" <click on images for a close-up picture>

IT STARTED WITH TWO LITTLE BEARS
Little did a North Lincolnshire woman suspect that buying a holiday souvenir would spark a major collection.

Barbara Clarke of Brumby was holidaying in Canada and bought two bears, produced by the toy firm Ty. Since then she has spent most of her time tracking down elusive additions to her expanding collection, which now totals 700 and fills one room of her house.

There are other animals as well as bears in the collection. They are of different sizes, including Beanie Babies, which are small, and Buddies, which are larger. There are even Christmas decorations called Jingle Beanies. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Happy Meal toys fire up collectors
When Dale Williams came to Perrysburg Township this weekend, the Coldwater, Mich., man hoped to find the last toys he needed to complete a set of figurines from the Disney movie McDonald’s collection.

The 67-year-old chiropractor was willing to pay a reasonable price or trade one of the extra items in his collection of Happy Meal toys.

For example, Beanie Babies, the plush toys people waited for hours in line in the 1990s to get in a Happy Meal, were selling for as little as a quarter. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Cubs Notebook
The first 10,000 children at Sunday's game received a limited edition "Dusty the Bear" Beanie Baby, adorned with the Cubs logo and named in honor of the Cubs manager.

Baker's wife Melissa is an avid collector of the dolls. Her husband, however, is unable to grasp the novelty's allure. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Fabulous Baker boy a singing hit
CHICAGO -- Darren Baker is more than just a bat boy. He can sing, too.

The four-year-old son of Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker sang Take Me Out to the Ball Game at yesterday's game against the Colorado Rockies, drawing loud cheers from a standing crowd.

"Hi, everybody!" he said while his father watched from the dugout.

Darren sang at the Cubs' convention this winter, and team officials asked if he would do it again yesterday as part of Dusty Baker Beanie Baby Day. "That was a lot of fun," he said afterward. "That was pretty cool." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

-=May 5, 2003=-
Sunday a fun day for Bakers
CHICAGO -- Never mind guiding a team to the World Series or winning the Manager of the Year award three times. As far as Dusty Baker's wife is concerned, her husband has finally made it. He has a Beanie Baby named after him.

The bright blue plush bears were handed out to the first 10,000 children attending Sunday's Chicago Cubs game against the Colorado Rockies. The toy is unique -- it's the first time Ty Inc. produced a Beanie Baby exclusively for a professional sports franchise bearing an official team logo. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

NOTES FROM SUNDAY'S GAMES
CHICAGO: The Cubs are expected to activate closer Antonio Alfonseca before Monday night's game against Milwaukee. Alfonseca has been on the disabled list since spring training with a strained hamstring. ... Sunday was "Dusty Baker Beanie Baby" day at Wrigley Field. The first 10,000 children under 13 got a limited edition, blue bear with the Cubs logo on its chest. Baker doesn't understand the craze over the plush toys, but his wife collects them. "My wife told me, `You finally made it big, honey,"' Baker said. "This is part of my penance, I think, to have a Beanie Baby. For years, I told my wife she was crazy. And now here I am. I'm on one now. ... X-rays on RHP Carlos Zambrano's right index finger were negative. Zambrano bruised the tip of his finger Saturday when he tried to barehand a one-hopper from Jay Payton. "It's a little sore today," Zambrano said. ... By taking 2-of-3 from the Rockies, the Cubs won their seventh series. Chicago didn't win its seventh series until June 7-9 last year. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Notes: Baker backs Sox's Manuel
Cubs manager says he's pulling for cross-town rivals
CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker is keeping tabs on Chicago White Sox manager Jerry Manuel, who has been under fire as the team posted a 15-15 record entering Sunday's action. The two both grew up in Sacramento, Calif.

"I pray for him. He's my homeboy," Baker said Sunday of Manuel. "He's in my prayers all the time."

Baker has been celebrated in the first month of play as the Cubs new skipper while Manuel has been criticized.

"Am I understated or overstated? That's something I can't really control," Baker said. "I didn't ask for a Beanie Baby. I didn't ask for anybody to put me in the paper. I've been in the paper for every sport since I was 15, 16 years old. I'm tired of people talking about me. I'm sure there are a ton of people more famous than me and they get tired of it sometime. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Bear with it: After years of poking fun at his wife for collecting Beanie Babies, Dusty Baker was humbled Sunday when asked about the Dusty the Bear Beanie Baby giveaway at Wrigley Field.

"This is part of my penance, I think, to have a Beanie Baby (giveaway) because for years I told my wife she was crazy," Baker said. "I said, 'Man, what a waste.' It didn't make any sense. I don't understand it, but here I am, I'm one now." VIEW FULL STORY HERE

BEWARE OF FAKES
Steve writes: "just a quick note to let you all know to be aware of what you buy. i just got a surprise when i opend my package on saturday of bubbles and radar to find that they were both fake. i checked them against ms janies site andsure enough they were. they were purchased from a dealer in defiance ohio through ebay. keep your eyes peeled folks. steve :o)

COMMENTS ON CHEATERS
Mary writes: "Just read your article on the "cheaters" .   Good for you Lisa, and too bad that some people have nothing better to do than to try to beat the system! I, for one are glad you took a stand and spoke out and did something about it!  Way to go!"

Debbie writes: "Hi Lisa, I hope that this note finds you doing just GREAT. I wanted to Thank You for speaking out on the CHEATERS, I think it happens more than we know but if they (CHEATERS) know the sites that are doing contest are watching them then maybe they will think twice, maybe just hopeful thinking. I can't believe that when a contest starts people either send more answers with different e-mail addresses or go to other sites asking for answers. I could go on and on but I won't, KEEP UP THE GREAT JOB, HAVE A GREAT DAY & GOD BLESS!!!!!     Debbie    :o)   :o)"

Trish writes: "I'm glad to see you're on to the "cheaters"!!  It seems there's always going to be some in every game or contest which is not fair to those of us who are honest.  You go, girl!!

CONGRATULATIONS in getting to these cheaters minds to make them stop to think of what they were doing and you got 'em stopped.  Yeah!!!!!!! My best to you, TrishMcS  ;-)"

Helen writes: "Lisa, I am so happy you are checking the ISP of entries. I feel this has been going on a long time and needed to be stopped. People like that make it hard for honest entries to win. I dont think it will upset any of the honest people who are entering your contests!! Thanks for all the work you do for us!!

Darren Barker in action as you have never seen him before...
Yesterday the winners of the 'Cracker of a Draw' and 'Send Sue Stamps' draw were announced on my website. Chubbley Bears and a Chubbley Postbox were used as props for these draws.

Today the most recent winner has been added - the winner of the St George's Day Prize Quiz. The method of selection employed is quite unique and definitely worth a look even if you did not participate...it really does show what a great sense of humour Darren Barker, Managing Director of Chubbley UK Ltd, has! 

Thanks for all the fun, Darren! Congratulations to the lucky winner.

Click here to view and keep following the links - turn your speakers up first! Best wishes, Sue Owen

DAD-e 2003 PRESALE
What a cute bear. This one is said to be a Ty Store Exclusive. VIEW HERE

-=May 4, 2003=-
CRACKER OF A DRAW WINNERS
Sue has posted the winners of this special charity event. You can view pictures and find out who the lucky winners are HERE

CHARITY Signed George Chubbley Bear Oddity
WOW.. look at how high this auction is currently. VIEW HERE Be sure to click on "View seller's other items" to see the other great Chubbley Bears Sue has up for CHARITY auction now. WTG Sue.. you always do such a great job in helping to raise money for Cancer Research UK. :o)

Helping the elderly tell life stories
ANITA Betsold likes the view from her bed at Hampshire Care Rehabilitation Facility in Leeds. Sitting in her wheelchair in her room one recent day, she gestured to dozens of colorful stuffed animals that line several shelves on the wall opposite her bed, along with a host of family photographs.

"I lie in bed and look at my Beanie Babies," she said.

Anita Betsold, 70, sits in her room at Hampshire Care where she has decorated the walls and shelves with family pictures and a large collection of Beanie Babies. Betsold's life portrait talked about growing up on a Vermont dairy farm, where she drove a tractor and cared for the farm animals. VIEW FULL STORY AND PICTURE HERE

Valley workers keep giving
When employees at the county's Department of Transportation decided to give to charity, they dug deep into their closets and pantries.

"We were just trying to promote (giving) other things (rather) than money," said Karen Stewart, who works in the department's geographic information systems division. "We actually got two truck beds full of clothes, toys and food."

The haul also included more than 100 Beanie Babies. The bulk of the donation went to the Thomas J. Pappas School for homeless children. Anything donated for adults went to Central Arizona Shelter Services in Phoenix, which serves the homeless. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Dusty Give-Away Today
From: Beanieholics
Today is promotional day at Wrigley Field. Children 13 years and younger (if they make the first 10,000 fans) will receive the exclusive "Dusty" the Bear Beanie Baby® with Cubs logo. As we've mentioned before, Theresa is a big Cubs fan from way back. We'd drive up but we past the age of passing for 13 long ago! Click Here For More

Monkeying Around
From: Beanieholics
Last night on Trading Spaces we were surprised to see Bongo and Congo make an unannounced appearance. Two of the guests were caught "monkeying around" as Kia, the designer called it. They were playing with the two Ty toys through a cut-out for a headboard. Guess you'll never know when these toys will show up! Click Here For Trading Spaces Link

WHERE DID THE CHEATERS GO?
I have received many comments from my readers that they were happy I've posted about the "cheaters". I was worried I was being too harsh but I had to do something. ;o) I wanted you to know that not even one of those so called "cheaters" entered the contest yesterday so maybe they took me seriously. Nancy is right.. it isn't fair to those of you that are honest and wouldn't think of trying to gain an unfair advantage. I will do my best to keep things fair to all and thank you for entering the contests here at Planet Beans. :o)

Nancy writes: "Hip! Hip! Horray! Good for You!  That makes me upset to know some people are doing this, probably for any site that has a Beanie game going.  I am so glad you have discovered them Lisa.  It is not fair to us that would not even think of doing something like this.  Take care lady, you are the best. Nancy P"

TY INTRODUCES DUSTY
http://www.ty.com/Dusty-introduction

DUSTY RETIRES
http://www.ty.com/Dusty-retirement0504

-=May 3, 2003=-
NICOLE'S CHUBBLEY DISPLAYS
Be prepared to drool. LOL http://www.planetbeans.com/NicolesDisplay.htm 

CHEATERS
I'd like to say how disappointed I am in the number of cheaters that I've tracked through their IP addresses! I have 16 people that are currently cheating.  If YOU are cheating.. you can consider yourself banned from this and ALL future Planet Beans contests. I did post on the contest page that I was only allowing ONE enter PER HOUSEHOLD. Those of you that think you are going to get away with cheating in my contests can think again. I will also be informing other webmasters of the list of cheaters I have. I'm sorry to sound so harsh but I must speak out about this. I have many people that enter these contests honestly and they don't deserve to have this happen. I will be checking the entries from now on and if YOU are cheating.. you need to take heed to my warning and STOP! All entries from these people have been removed from the contest and have been placed in a separate folder. While the contest prize is great.. I'd rather not deal with the hassle of cheaters. Makes much more work for me to have to check the IP addresses each day. :o(

QUESTION ABOUT BEANIES & MORE MAGAZINE
"Dear Lisa, has the new issue of the Beanie Mag been sent? I have not received my copy nor an email from Ty with any info. What is the best way to get in touch with Ty to check on the status? Thanks for all you do...Marge"

<if you have an answer for Marge please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com>

UK HERO PICS
Bean Watcher has pictures of the UK version of HERO! VIEW PICS HERE Bean Watcher also has pictures of the new MAY releases.

FREE MUM BEANIES?
Rory shares with Ms. Janie: "Good Morning, Ms. Janie. I have been a long time reader of your great page. Thank you. Today for some reason I feel it is important to write about this and let people know. Maybe it is not as big a deal as I found it this morning:

I went to my local grocery store to buy some items. This store/chain has been carrying beanies now for about a year. (Kicks, Cashew, Champions, etc...) Well this morning I walked past an aisle where I saw a display set up with about 2-3 dozen MUM beanies. On this display was a sign that stated:
"Buy 3 Hallmark cards get 1 Free MUM beanie." I could not believe my eyes. As I was reading that sign, I thought I had seen the double tush tag out of the corner of my eye. Sure enough upon closer inspection, all of them were Canadian beanies. I just found this to be a shame considering the current state of Canadian beanies.

Feel free to share or not share with your readers. Rory"

RAREST BEANIE (WOW!!)
Marie of About Beanies found an interesting auction: "While surfing eBay tonight looking for things I shouldn't buy I ran across an auction for a Pre UK tagged Spot without a spot Beanie Baby! My jaw almost dropped! I believe this is the first time I have ever seen one like this on eBay. This Beanie is one of the Original 9 and even more rare with this tag!

The seller has kindly let me show off these wonderful images of Spot who is already fetching almost $4,000 with 6 days remaining. Click here to view the auction!

Becky from True Blue Beans authenticated this rare Beanies and had a lot of interesting information to say about this Beanie as well!"

-=May 2, 2003=-
CHUBBLEY DELAY
La Rue of Kansas Brass & Pewter has informed me that the April releases which include Blaze the Dragon, Klondike Chubbley, Nugget Cub, Suds Chubbley, Glacier Chunky have been delayed due to the SARS outbreak in China. Customs is holding all outgoing product from China and there is no word yet as to when these new Chubbleys will be shipped to Chubbley UK. Stay tuned for further info.

Kids are winners, too
Beyond taking part in creating class gift baskets that were raffled at the Soiree, all Manchester Elementary-Middle School students were given the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Each student was given a free raffle ticket for a chance to win one of four kid-themed gift baskets. Beyond the free ticket, students also had the opportunity to purchase more raffle tickets during the week of the Soiree.

Winners of the four student baskets were announced one day before the Soiree. Third-grader Ray Thompson won "Taste Sensations," fourth-grader Beth French won "Beanie Babies," fifth-grader Barbie Grover won "Fun in the Sun" and seventh-grader Kevin Kirk won "Lego Mania." VIEW FULL STORY HERE

-=May 1, 2003=-
NEW CONTEST STARTS TODAY
http://www.planetbeans.com/May2003Contest.htm

WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The winners of the April Contest have been posted on the contest page: http://www.planetbeans.com/PeaceContest.htm

BRACELETS BY LISA
--Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets - Be sure to check out these beautiful awareness bracelets. You will have 3 styles to choose from and I'm offering FREE shipping on orders placed by Mother's Day!

Laura writes: "Lisa, I just wanted to email you and tell you what a beautiful job that you've done on your Breast cancer bracelets! BRAVO!!!!! Excellent job, well
done!!! Laura"

--If you plan on ordering a bracelet for Mother's Day please order by Monday, May 5th so I can order letters or additional supplies if needed.

TY CANADA - WHAT'S HAPPENING
Laura writes: "The reason to why I am writing today is that I have gone into some beanie stores to see what is happening with Ty. The retailer's that I have talked with have no idea really and are playing it by ear. As far as what they are doing with their stock is confusing right now. One store has a 50% off sale. Of course I went right in to check out the stock and there are only commons left and tons of basket beanies. Nothing in the way of newer beanies, in fact the newest ones looked like the Boy & Girl beanies! Not kidding! Another store has the prices knocked done about $1.50 - $2.00 a beanie and buddies all on sale for up to 50% as well. It doesn't look too promising for our area as one of the retailers is not a chain but has an independent account with Ty and I think we will see this retailer empty her Ty products. I have noticed a lot of different bears in there and more other brands of bears. All bears! So, with Ty being so much more than bears and commons end up being shelf sitters I am sure we won't be able to buy New TY there if any ever come out again?? Anyway your Bracelets by Lisa page is looking wonderful and congratulations on doing such a wonderful job! {{{huggs}}} Laura"

Washington, April 30 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. and state regulators said they have opened 17 criminal cases as part of a nationwide crackdown on people who scam the public using EBay Inc.'s online auctions and other Web sites.

The Federal Trade Commission announced the campaign, which includes attorneys general from 29 states, at a news conference in Washington today. So far, federal and state authorities have pursued 57 enforcement actions over allegations of fraudulent escrow services, counterfeiting, credit card and identity theft, sellers who fail to deliver promised goods and other fraud.

``Law enforcement will do what it can, and responsible auction sites are trying to police their own market,'' said Washington state Attorney General Christine Gregoire. ``But the single most powerful tool to protect consumers is education.''

Fraud has been growing with the popularity of online auctions on sites run by EBay, Amazon.com Inc. and Yahoo! Inc., where consumers can bid on everything from Beanie Babies to real estate. Buyers and sellers separately arrange for the transfer of items. Almost half of the Internet fraud complaints received by the FBI last year involved auctions. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

ASK TY
Q: Do you design most of the Beanies or do you just give the "OK" to produce them? (submitted by scarecrowkid)
A: I am very much involved in the design of all the Beanie Babies. In fact, I am involved in the design of all my products. You can be sure of this . . . if it has Ty on the tag, I have approved !

CHERISH CHARITY AUCTIONS
Message from Sue Owen: "Good evening, The first set of CHERISH Charity auctions has closed at a total of £441.03. Thanks to all who bid! It was a close-run thing but in the end George Chubbley signed by Judy Dench was equalled in final bidding price by Gary Lineker's signed George.

There are more goodies now on eBay! Eight signed George Chubbley Bears - Sir George Martin (the Beatles' producer), Sir Bobby Charlton (a football legend), Nigel Mansell (the Formula 1 and Indy Car driver), David Gower (cricketer), Sir Steve Redgrave (5 times Olympic rowing champion), Jane Sixsmith (hockey player), Annabel Croft (tennis player), John Major (former Prime Minister).

ALSO there is a signed photo of Michael Owen (no relation!) the England #10 footballer on whom the Ty Bopper 'Striker' was modelled and - a real bonus for the Chubbley fanatics - a George Chubbley oddity which has its 2001 logo embroidered on the wrong paw. This bear has also been signed by Darren Barker, Managing Director of Chubbley UK Ltd.

VIEW ALL AUCTION LISTINGS HERE

The money raised through the CHERISH a George Campaign is mounting up! Nearly £700 has been raised through a draw in the CHERISH Community; over £700 has been raised from the issue of a limited edition of 70 specially tagged Georges (sold out in just over a week) through Bean Bag and Collectables Magazine. I can't wait to see how much the auctions will add to this - more coming next week!

Thanks for all your support! Sue Owen"

AUTHENTICATION SPECIAL
Greetings! We would like you to inform your readers that the month of May we are having a Spring Sale Offering ! Our escrow service will be free the entire month of May 2003 This spring sale is a $5.00 savings!! This is a perfect opportunity to buy safely from the Internet auction sites! We hope everyone is enjoying the spring time weather!! Sincerely, Peggy Gallagher Enterprises, Inc. http://www.peggyg.com

MAY WALLPAPER
http://www.ty.com/May03_Wallpaper