May 2004 News Archives

May 31, 2004
LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF GARFIELD & FRIENDS
Brenda writes: “Hi, Lisa! Visited one of my Ty Retailers, today. We talked about the GARFIELD: the Movie Beanies. I was shown the TY Order Sheet for the month of June. Sure enough; all the GARFIELD Movie Character Beanies were listed, as N/A....for ordering. I was told TY has, already, retired these beanies, since they sold out of them the 1st week they were available for ordering. A 2nd order was supposed to be allowed, for these beanies, before July. But; now, it appears they will no longer be available any longer.

I was, also, told; that the Ty Retailers that ordered on the 1st available day to order them, will probable receive their ordered GARFIELD: the Movie Beanies. But; any TY Retailers that were "late" placing their orders, for these beanies, may never receive their ordered shipment. Only; because TY sold out of them, when the 1st orders were submitted.

Of course; only TYme will tell, just how many TY Retailers receive their ordered shipments of these beanies.

We, also, discussed the possibility of multiple versions of the, new, HERO Buddy, just announced. Everyone; of course, will have to wait and see what arrives in the TY Retailer's ordered shipments of this Beanie Buddy. Will be interesting to see; whether or not, TY will release the matching versions, in this buddy, like with the HERO Beanie Babies. (The American Flag on the arm, the reversed American Flag on the arm, and then, of course, the American Flag on HERO's chest.) Or; whether or not, all the shipped HERO Buddies will have just the American Flag on the arm.

Also; when UNION starts arriving at the TY Retailers.....we wondered whether or not there might be American Flag nose and Black nose UNION beanies. Or; whether or not TY will ship UNION Beanies with just the American Flag noses. Would be nice to find more then one version shipped of these two TY products! ..... Like the old saying goes! EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED WITH TY! LOL! (:-D)

May you, and your family, have a happy and safe "Memorial Day"! Take care. Bren”

May 30, 2004
RONALD McDONALD TEENIE BEANIE
Bean Watcher readers share with him the auction linked to a Beanie AND a Teenie Ronald McDonald. VERY CUTE!! VIEW AUCTION HERE

CHERISH: MEMORIAL DAY HERO AUCTION
Sue writes: "Coming from a military background, I have been reading with interest about Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday in May in the USA.

In 1868 Gen. John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, named May 30th
"for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country"

'We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies'
Moira Michael

In tribute to these heroes, I am holding an auction in aid of Cancer Research UK, of a USA Hero Beanie
wearing a sweater with the word HERO knitted in red, white and blue into the front, which also has a poppy embroidered on it.
On its reverse the sweater has the USA Stars and Stripes knitted in a heart-shape to symbolise the love of the country for those who gave their lives.

This sweater will be auctioned on eBay starting today, Sunday May 30th, at 20.00 British Summer Time, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK, in particular for research into Bowel Cancer. My father died from this at the age of 38 while serving in the Royal Navy.

To honour our own personal heroes, our fathers, I am holding special auctions starting next Sunday, of Fathers Day themed Beanies with sweaters or special signatures. Proceeds from these auctions will also go to fund research into Bowel Cancer.

NBA, Olympics would both benefit from divorce
It's time for the Olympics to downsize, to boot out the big men. The move would be purely practical, not punitive. The Games need to streamline, and a lot of professional athletes don't want to go anyway.

Some of the best basketball players in the world have declined to play for the United States this summer in Athens, creating predictable exasperation over the dearth of patriotism among millionaire athletes. The exasperation is silly, and the athletes are right.

As the NBA becomes more international, the players' passion for the Olympic tournament will keep dimming. The top Lithuanians won't have anything to prove that they can't accomplish in the NBA. Already, Yao Ming's success in Houston means every bit as much to China's basketball program as anything he can do in Athens. If national showdowns are really necessary, the World Championships will suffice.

A great marketing tool, for both the NBA and the Olympics, would be lost, but the connection has already started to lose its value, particularly for the keepers of the Olympic flame. There's a reason they never hand out Beanie Babies or bobbleheads at the gate. The Olympics are supposed to sell themselves. Each event is a unique piece of history, an athlete's recurring dream. Every rejection from a superstar undermines the mystique, bringing the Games closer to Seat Cushion Giveaway Day. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Keeping up with `Jones'
A message on the Web site HorseHats.com says that because of the volume of orders for Smarty Jones hats, processing will take two to three days.

"We're shipping all day, working 'til 10 o'clock at night and then we start all over again. We're pleased as punch about the business," said Dave Williams, owner of the two-year-old Lexington, Ky., company that cuts licensing deals with horse farms and sells merchandise with their horses' names and logos, including Seattle Slew, Seabiscuit and Secretariat, online. "We got a sense of how popular he was when he was outselling everybody prior to the Derby. There are a lot of people out there with the last name Jones."

With 26 years since a horse has won the Triple Crown, the rich-textured story of Smarty Jones and his jockey, trainer and owners, which tops even last year's feel-good Funny Cide story, has just about everyone associated with racing giddy.

TIDBITS
The PGA Tour teamed with Ty Inc., to offer a tour Beanie Baby, a brown bear with a tartan plaid hat named ChariTee. Sales of ChariTee, in stores the week of June 7, will benefit the tour's charities. An eBay auction in July will feature 24 bears autographed by PGA Tour players. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

The Disney palace is going to be a welcome sight this summer for Sgt. John Wymore, his wife, Tracy, and their children.

Just weeks ago, Wymore was the chief electrical engineer in the largest of Saddam Hussein's fallen palaces in Tikrit, Iraq, where the United States Army 4th Infantry Division made its regional headquarters.

"There were soldiers over there doing toy drives," he said. One American collected 70,000 Beanie Baby toys from care packages to distribute to Iraqi children. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

May 29, 2004
ANOTHER HERO THE BEAR?
I’m curious why Ty has named this latest HERO Buddy the same as the Daddy version of Hero that was introduced on 4/4/02.

Hugs, tears and a rush to start on summer
Thursday was a day of happiness for schoolchildren and teachers alike, but it was also a day for sad goodbyes and a flood of memories.
TAMPA - Thomas Palmer is waving. Everyone gets a wave. His fluorescent orange-gloved wave is the second most important part of his job as a crossing guard at the bright white crosswalk on S Boulevard near Gorrie Elementary School.

The first most important part is this: "To look after the kids," Palmer says. "They're so innocent."

Palmer, 70, is a fixture on this Hyde Park corner. Morning and afternoon, he stops the same faces, waves to the same drivers intent on their destinations. Even the most harried ones bend to his will and wave back.

Now, after four years of waving and protecting innocents, this is Palmer's last day.

It's a hard job, driving a bus. Lots of responsibility, lots of crowd control, lots of time in rush hour traffic with your flashing stop signs making it worse.

This is what Bagamary knows about patience and liking kids: She gets up school days at 4:30 a.m. to run routes for high school, elementary and middle school kids. Then she goes to her other job cleaning houses for four hours. Then runs those routes in reverse in the afternoon.

The payoff, besides the veteran's pay of about $12 an hour, is this: A student hands Young a pretty, yellow toy bear, like a Beanie Baby, wearing a tag that says, "God Bless Our Bus Driver."

"We're not supposed to accept gifts," Young says. "But how can you say no to a sweet little kid." VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Supporting Vermont's Troops
Over one-hundred boxes of donated goods are making their way tonight from South Burlington to Vermont troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The North Country Federal Credit Union started the drive five weeks ago.

It took over four hours today just to tape up all 115 boxes and fill out the customs forms.

People donated items requested by the Vermont Guard troops. Everything from food to band-aids to reading material... and items to give Iraqi children -- like hard candy and beanie babies.

"It's really shown that people were looking for something. A way, an easy way, to show their support for the troops. They want them to come home safe. And they were just waiting for someone to give them a way to show their support," says Julie Allen of the North Country Federal Credit Union.

The Post Office says the boxes should reach the troops by early June. VIEW ARTICLE HERE

May 28, 2004
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!
If you are going to be traveling, be safe! :o) Enjoy this time with friends and family with abundant smiles and hugs.

JUNE INTRODUCTIONS
GARFIELD & FRIENDS: http://www.ty.com/Garfield_Intro
NOTE: At the bottom left-hand corner of the Garfield Beanies Announcement.......in small print, it states the following: Ty is the official licensed plush distributor for Garfield: the Movie (excludes Europe and Asia) ..... Brenda

BEANIES: http://www.ty.com/June04_BB - Jaz the Cat, Huggins the Dog, Legend the Dragon, Jumpshot the Giraffe, Union the Bear

BUDDIES: http://www.ty.com/June04_BBD - HERO, VALOR

ASK TY
Q: If you could, would you change anything about Beanies? (submitted by clairecat)
A: Looking back over the past 10 plus years, there are probably some changes I would make to a Beanie or two. What do you think . . . would you change anything? http://www.ty.com/askty_home

May 27, 2004
Love a soldier
Group makes sure troops remembered
When her son was sent to Iraq, Frances Bowen quickly realized she needed to occupy her mind with something other than worry. So the Durand mom devoted her energy by volunteering for a group that sends care packages and letters to troops to make sure they aren't forgotten.

"The first week was just awful - you worry all the time," Bowen said. "You realize you can't sit around and just worry. You have to be proactive and do something to support him."

Bowen and the group she joined, Soldiers' Angels Foundation, will collect items for troops, accept donations for postage and pack boxes to send to soldiers from noon-6 p.m. Thursday at the UAW Local 598 ball field near Torrey and Bristol roads in Flint Township.

Bowen's goal is to collect enough items to fill 100 boxes. She said she already has about 30 boxes full.

UAW Local 598, Grand Blanc Middle School, Linden Elementary School and Swartz Creek High School have given to Bowen's project.

"I donated some Beanie Babies, because (soldiers are) giving them to younger (Iraqi) children so they won't be afraid," said Kandin Unger, 12, a sixth-grader at Grand Blanc Middle School's Brendel campus.

"I tried to tell them about myself, tried to make the letter interesting so it wouldn't be, like, long and boring," Kandin said.

Social studies teacher Patrick Bader's classes at the middle school are donating more than 380 packages, and students wrote 180 letters to soldiers. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Prosecutors give details on Kraybill
A state prosecutor will argue at a bond hearing Tuesday that the murder of Winnetka resident Joel Cacharelis last year amounted to a "cold-blooded, ambush-style killing" at the hands of his lifelong friend, David Kraybill.

Assistant States Attorney Mike McHale will lay out elements of the state's case during a bond hearing at the Cook County Courthouse in Skokie. It includes allegations the 41-year-old Madison man tampered with a witness and threatened to kill a jail guard's children. While in custody, tapped phone conversations reveal Kraybill's attempts to keep his fiancé from speaking with police.

In 2001, police seized close to $360,000 and a large cache of items including 1,000 Beanie Babies, gold coins, jewelry and electronics equipment from Cacharelis' home and a bank safe-deposit box. Winnetka Police Chief Joseph DeLopez said police failed to tie Kraybill, who often visited Cacharelis, to the burglaries. DeLopez said investigators believed Kraybill could have been an out-of-state fence for stolen goods. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

A lot of eBay sellers start out selling odds and ends they have around the house—and for good reason. For items that are in good condition, you'll probably get more money for them on eBay than at a garage sale. You probably have plenty of stuff that you'll never miss and you really don't need to store or dust anymore. And it's a relatively risk-free way to test the waters of eBay selling.

If you can't bear to part with anything you already have, start with products you know and have experience with. Choose things that have demonstrable market demand (that is, you know people are buying them). Don't make the mistake of selling only things you like, or the trendiest, coolest things you can find. If your goal is to make a profit—and it should be!—then you need to be selling things people will buy.

Product life cycle. How long can you expect the demand for the item to continue? You may have something that is wildly successful today, but next year you won't be able to pay people to take it away from you. Beanie Babies and other fad collectibles are a great example of this. Some high-tech items are also at risk of having a short life cycle due to technology advances. If you pay attention to product life cycles, you can maximize your profits while the item is hot and avoid getting stuck with excess inventory when the demand declines. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 26, 2004
JUNE RELEASES?
Tammy shares with Ms. Janie a list of rumored June releases:
JUNE BEANIE BABIES:
Legend - dragon
Jumpshot - giraffe
Huggins - dog (pug?)
Union - Bear (US exclusive?)
Jaz - pastel pink/blue cat
ChariTee - PGA Bear for fundraising

JUNE BEANIE BUDDIES:
Hero - Bear
Valor - Eagle

May 25, 2004
BIG RETIREMENT
BEANIES (http://www.ty.com/May04_BB_Ret) : Fridge, Frosty, Lullaby, Mother 2004, Punxsutawney Phil 2004, Schnitzel, Sherwood, Sport, Sunray, Tubbo, Zeus
BUDDIES (http://www.ty.com/May04_BBD_Ret) : Cupid, Dublin, Frolic, Woody
BASKET BEANIES (http://www.ty.com/May04_BSKT_Ret ): Carnation, Lullaby, Nibbles, Petey

McDonald's to launch Neopet project
GLENDALE -- You know you've arrived in the toy world when you're crammed in a box with a hamburger and fries and thrust into the hands of a covetous 8-year-old.

Neopets, the tangible version of the online characters created by Neopets Inc., now have that validation. The Glendale-based company announced a deal with McDonald's Corp. on Monday that will put 109 different plush toys and 15 trading cards into Happy Meals beginning May 28. The two companies have an advertising relationship dating back a year, but the four-week promotion marks the first time the creatures have found their way into the kids' meals.

Beyond just making the toys' creators feel good, the deal brings a serious financial upside. The fast food giant won't say how many of the meals it sells every month, but annual sales of the packages run in the $3 billion range. Hot promotions, such as McDonald's Teenie Beanie Babies or Burger King's Pokemon toys, have created past crazes so passionate that adults will buy the meals then toss out the food just to bring home the hot toys.

"We always look for what's hot and new for kids," said Kathy Pyle, director of family and kids marketing for McDonald's. "Neopets definitely came to the top of the list: new, fresh, interactive and different."

The restaurant has a built-in relationship with Neopets -- unlike many of the toys that McDonald's features in monthly promotions -- and the online audience of 11 million active users on www.neopets.com In the virtual universe the characters inhabit, when pets get hungry, they chow down at a virtual McDonald's. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

CHUBBLEYS FOR SALE
Diana writes: "Hi Lisa! I was wondering if you could put a notice in your newsletter that I'd like to sell the seven Chubbley bears I have. These are cute, but the last thing I need is another collection. Anyone who is interested may contact me at dianacurtis@yahoo.com and if possible, put "Chubbley" in the subject line (in case their message goes to my Bulk Folder so I'll know what to look for in the subject line as I scan through before deleting the messages). I only have seven of them: Little Bear, Sonny, Moonbeam, Snowbear (with green scarf and orange nose), Doobloon, Hugs, and Kisses. I take PayPal or a money order/cashiers check. Diana in Raleigh, NC"

May 24, 2004
PGA TOUR, Ty team up to offer 'ChariTee' bear
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Through a partnership with the PGA TOUR, Ty Inc. is offering a new member to the Beanie Baby® collection that will wear the TOUR's "Giving Back" logo and support the TOUR's charitable initiatives through each sale.

ChariTee, a brown bear adorned with a tartan plaid driving (or Hogan-style) cap, is scheduled to be in stores the week of June 7. As with all Beanie Babies, ChariTee will wear Ty's signature heart-shaped hang tag, bearing the PGA TOUR's Giving Back logo, a message explaining that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to PGA TOUR Charities, and its name and poem, which reads as follows:

The PGA TOUR is here to say
There's more to life than tournament play
What's better than a hole-in-one?
It's giving back ... and we're not done!

ChariTee will be sold through Ty authorized retailers, a complete listing of which can be found at www.ty.com/retailers and PGA TOUR merchandise venues, including tournaments, Tournament Players Clubs and PGA TOUR Shops. A portion of all original sales will support PGA TOUR Charities, Inc., helping the TOUR and its tournaments move closer toward the $1 billion milestone in all-time charitable donations. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Local Women Start Program To Help Needy Iraqi Children
With more than 1,300 National Guardsman currently serving in Iraq, there are many here in South Dakota left wondering how they can help.

Amy Hoines, the wife of a 1st Lt. Dave Hoines of the 147th Field Artillery, said those looking to help can donate clothes, toys, shoes and school supplies to Operation Iraqi Children.

Hoines and two other women who have family members in the 2nd Battalion of the 147th Field Artillery started Operation Iraqi Children when their soldiers told them they didn't need anything. She said her husband said that although the packages from home are nice, for the time being they had enough, and were running out of room for supplies.

Operation Iraqi Children will take donations of toys, school supplies and all sizes of children's clothing and shoes.

"Stuffed animals toys, such as Beanie Babies, are really good because they are small and easy to carry around. Happy Meal toys are great, too," Hoines said. "We will take anything, Nothing has to be brand new, but the clothing should be gently used, not worn out."

Hoines reminds those wanting to donate items that some toys are not acceptable in Iraq.

"We don't want to turn down donations, but we don't want to get things that are not appropriate either," she said. "Barbie dolls are not appropriate,;any doll that's clothing can be removed should not be sent. And anything that runs on batteries will not work because batteries are very hard to get in Iraq and the heat eats them up." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 23, 2004
ROBBIE’S BASEBALL TOURNAMENT (DAY 1)
Boy was it hot outside during Robbie's game yesterday morning. This was the first game of the tournament and the game was tied 4-4 at the bottom of the 5th and since this was a tournament there were going to be just 5 innings so we had hopes of going into a 6th inning since the score was tied. Picture this.. bases loaded, 2 outs, tied score, then the big guy from the opposing team is up at bat. This kid is in the 6th grade and is as tall as Mark is. He's a BIG boy. Anyway.. bases loaded and tied score and this kid decided to hit the game ending GRAND SLAM HOME RUN! Can you believe that?! As the coach told the boys, if their team was to lose that was the way to go down. Robbie's team now plays in the losers bracket game on Wednesday night and hopefully they will win that one then have to play again next Saturday. This was a nail biter. Great game!

GARFIELD AND FRIENDS AT BORDERS
Patricia writes: “I had seen the news on your site that Borders was already selling Garfied & Odie and decided to check it out here in Maryland. They had both but none of the others and had improved there rating with collectors by NOT putting a price label on the hang tag but rather attaching a totally seperate bar code price tag! Yeah, Borders.”

Every day Jake Hausman is in Iraq his aunt ties a ribbon to her tree that's become a sea of yellow
Everything is ready for Jake Hausman to return. He has a car that he has never driven, a family ready to hug him and trees full of yellow ribbons to cut off.

Spc. Hausman joined the Army even before he turned 18, during a time when war was imminent, and has spent the last 177 days in and around Mosul in northern Iraq.

For every day he is gone, his aunt, Teresa Hausman, ties another yellow ribbon on the trees in her front yard.

"I do it just to symbolize that I remember him every day and say a prayer for him at least once a day. This is just a small way to show support for him and all our troops. They put their lives on the line for us," she said.

It began with a giant yellow bow on the day he left, Nov. 13, and every day a new ribbon is added to the sea of yellow outside Teresa's house.

His family takes pride in the fact that the recently released Hero Bear, a new addition to the popular Beanie Baby's stuffed animals collection, has the same birthday as Jake, March 12.

"Freedom isn't free, and I'm so proud of what Jake is doing, he is our hero," his mother said.

Living on East Court Street has also caused Teresa's ribbons to attract a lot of attention. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

May 22, 2004
Gifts of love
Options for commemorating a wedding are numerous
Traditionally, June is the month when thoughts of love fill the air and wedding bells chime. But guests invited to the nuptials often face the dilemma of what to give the happy couple. Money always is a welcome and useful choice. But what if you want to give a tangible memento?

For a touch of fun, there are Beanie Babies decked wedding attire and Disney catalog's Mickey and Minnie dressed for the occasion with a certificate sporting the lovebirds' first names and wedding date. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Nobles and knaves
Nobles: The students of Florida's Okaloosa County School District, for head-of-the-class style charity.
Okaloosa students likely have little but summer vacation on their minds, yet they've already outfitted over 300 Iraqi students with back-to-school supplies. This week, about 30 airmen and soldiers passed out over 200 bags stuffed with books, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, Beanie Babies and Matchbox Cars to children from the town of Al Anwar (located north of Baghdad). Teachers were given supply packs; Okaloosa students even provided playground balls and shoes. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 21, 2004
Sue in CA writes: “Hi Lisa! I wanted to congratulate Jay in California on finding Garfield (even before Marilyn) LOL! I am in Southern CA and called my local retailer today and she hasn't received her shipment of Garfield and friends yet. She said she was notified that they wouldn't arrive until June 1st. I told her that she better keep close watch cause they might arrive sooner. I am very excited about this Garfield group and Ty making them makes them extra special!!! Thanks Jay for sharing your photos, we collectors appreciate it!!!! Sue”

CHERISH NEWS
Sue writes: “CHERISH is delighted to announce the launch of a limited edition of 50 collectible mohair bears designed and made especially by Stef Hanson of Windy Ridge Bears. Stef was recently voted Planet-Teddy Bear Artist of 2003 and her bears have been shown at many UK shows as well as being featured in UK collectors' magazines. You can view Stef's beautiful bears on her website at http://www.windyridgebears.co.uk

The CHERISH Charity Bear is special in many ways, not least because of its unique fur, black mohair with gold glittery flecks running through it. He wears a special limited edition CHERISH tag and ribbon and has his individual number embroidered in gold thread on his paw. He also has a Windy Ridge Bears tag, which is numbered and signed by the artist. He will come beautifully gift-wrapped with a CHERISH certificate included. Perhaps the best bit is that £20 from his sale will go to benefit Cancer Research UK!

The first bear of the edition (#01) will be reserved from sale for the moment and will be making a grand appearance at a later date as part of a wonderful package including Stef's new range of teddy toiletries 'Bear Essentials', a sweater designed by myself, 'Boglin's Knitwear' and a chair designed by Dawn Wilson, 'Chairs4bears'. Thanks for reading! Sue”

VERY CUTE GIFT IDEA
La Rue writes: “ Kansas Brass & Pewter is adding a new item your readers might enjoying collecting Loose-Neck(tm) Watch & Lucky & Turtles. an inexpensive and fun item for children and adults alike. Details will be upcoming. http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/turtles.html ”

<< my comments: These long-necked turtles are too cute! I have one in my van. My Mom picked one up for me when she went on a cruise and it's cute watching it move it's long neck back and forth when driving. The kids LOVE it! LOL >>

Youngsters prepare for business exposition
PORTLAND -- It’s not the Harvard Business school, at least not yet. But the basement of the Portland Middle School is serving as an incubator for a series of small companies.
And this week, the "employees" are rushing to complete orders for a full range of products that will be sold at a business expo Tuesday evening.

In the past, the school has made donations to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Paul Newman’s Hole-in-the-Wall Camp, the Connecticut Children’s Hospital, and the St. Francis Hospital neo-natal intensive care unit.

"We try to focus on helping pediatric hospitals so they will relate to that," Santastefano said.

"One year, St. Francis asked us for tape recorders to put into incubators."

Families recorded themselves speaking and then the hospital would play the tapes later when the tiny infants were alone in their incubators, so they would be able to hear their families even when they couldn’t be there in person.

Another year, the school bought Beanie Babies to donate to the hospital; placed in the incubators, they gave companionship and also were used to divide the mass of tubes and wires that support the "preemies." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ASK TY
Q: What do you like most about your job? (submitted by goldbear)
A: There are many things I like about the job. Every day is filled with new experiences and there's never a dull moment. I work with many wonderful people and . . . . what's not to like about being surrounded by Beanies ?! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

"POMPEY LOOK FOR NEW SHIRT SPONSOR"
Dianne shares with Ms. Janie:
Portsmouth Football club have announced that they are looking for a new shirt sponsor for the 04/05 season.

After a highly successful two year association with TY EUROPE, in which the club won the first division championship and secured promotion to the premiership, it has been decided that the time is right to search for a new sponsorship. After much discussion it was made clear that Ty would not wish to hinder the club and as such are willing, should a new sponsor be found, to step down, having witnessed two fantastic seasons and benefiting from the raised profile and world wide recognition that being a premiership football clubs' shirt sponsor brings.

May 20, 2004
LACK OF NEWS... (this is getting OLD!!)
I have searched all over and haven't found much worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. Not only is there nothing online to share news-wise.. I’m finding that collectors have stopped sending in news, pictures, or thoughts to share with other collectors which is a shame. I have always enjoyed sharing what my readers send in. Something has to give and soon! I am getting a bit tired of searching for hours each day for news only to come up with the occasional little bit of news. LOL

GARFIELD BEANIE IN-HAND PICS
First sightings of Garfield and friends have arrived in Orange County, California. One of Bean Watcher's readers shares pictures. VIEW HERE

May 18, 2004
Report from NY Stationary Show
Jakey the wolfpup (May 17, 2004, 09:22 AM)
Message Id: 733561
Jakey the wolfpup writes: All six Garfield beanies were at the show. The rep said they were shipping June 1st. They are really gorgeous looking, very well made. Garfield is so big and fat! and Louis the mouse is so little and cuddly. The others are also well made. The rep said he "heard a rumor that there might be a McDonald beanie" VIEW CYBERBOARD POSTING HERE

INTERESTING POST ON THE CYBERBOARD
Does anyone even go from store to store anymore?
fuzywuzy (May 15, 2004, 07:19 AM)
Message Id: 732517
fuzywuzy writes: I used to be on the beanie hunt all the time. I was wondering if anyone still runs from store to store to find the newest latest thing anymore?~~~~~~~fuzywuzy VIEW CYBERBOARD LISTING AND RESPONSES HERE

<< my comments: I would like to hear from YOU on your collecting habits and the availability of Ty products in your home town. Please send comments to Lisa@planetbeans.com with TY PRODUCTS in the subject line. I will add your comments to this page: http://www.planetbeans.com/Collecting.htm >>

Movie marketing push puzzles parents
If you haven’t heard that “Shrek 2” is opening in theaters nationwide Wednesday, please remove your head from that hole in the ground.

“Shrek 2” is everywhere. There are round-the-clock commercials on television. There is an official Web site, www.shrek.com. There are numerous product tie-ins, including (but not limited to) Baskin-Robbins’ Shrek swirl ice cream, Pillsbury’s Shrek 2 Sugar Kit, Betty Crocker’s Shrek Fruit Snacks and Sierra Mist’s Shrek-A-Licious Slurpee beverage.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (June 4) and “Garfield” (June 11) also are expected to be blockbusters, and therefore are unleashing blockbuster-sized marketing and licensing campaigns. “Garfield,” for instance, has tie-ins with Beanie Babies, Wendy’s restaurants and Goldfish crackers, among other companies. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 17, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and haven't found ANYTHING worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com.

May 16, 2004
BEANIES ON SNL?
Marc writes: "Hi Lisa! On Sat. Night Live last night (hosted by the Olsen twins), I think I noticed the It's A Boy & It's A Girl bears at the end of a sketch (approximately 15-20 mins. before the end of the show). They were on a shelf above the bed at the end of the "Bloder Brothers" sketch. The appearance was very brief but I'm pretty sure they were in there. Did anyone else watch and notice the Beanies? Maybe they'll repeat this one over the summer so I can get a second look. Enjoy your Sunday. :) Marc"

<< my comments: If you saw this show and would like to share your comments please send to Lisa@planetbeans.com >>

Purrfect Pitches?
Merchandise deals like those in new Garfield movie can be financial cat's meow for studios and their partners
When families show up at the nation's movie turnstiles for next month's premiere of "Garfield: The Movie," the film's marketers hope they'll eventually be buying more than movie tickets and popcorn.

At Wendy's restaurants, kids' meals next month will feature one of five Garfield toys -- sunglasses, a clock, a small plush cat, a match card game or a mini movie viewer.

And at grocery stores, Garfield the Cat will be smiling at shoppers from a Goldfish cracker display, urging folks to try the snack of "cool cats." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Imperial County 4-H delegation seeks donations of plush toys for police
The Imperial County 4-H Club delegation from the Sacramento Focus Group is collecting Beanie Baby-type plush toys.
Under the name of "Operation Hugga-Beanie," this programs plans to donate all collected toys to local law enforcement agencies.

In turn, the "Beanie Babies" will be distributed by these agencies to children victims of accidents, fire, domestic, disputes and emergencies on an as needed basis. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

'Cement Queens' get job done in Guatemala
Three Fargo sisters now know a great deal more about working with cement. They also have a new appreciation of and respect for another culture and the people of another country.

Dubbed the "Cement Queens," the Ness sisters recently spent 10 days in Guatemala helping to build a school in a remote village at the end of a "very scary ride" on a winding road in the mountains.

Nicole, 31, Megan, 28, and Danielle, 24 – daughters of Bernie and Rhonda Ness of Fargo, say the Guatemalan men hired by Rotary International to work on the school project in the village of El Rodeo initially had a problem with women mixing cement and doing other manual labor associated with construction of the school.

"We had tons of candy with us," says Nicole. "We took along soccer balls and Beanie Babies, which we discovered are a big thing down there." VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Trash to Treasure
Proving to be much more than a fad, eBay becomes cultural, economic force
In 1993, Toby Scott found a "squatty" perfume bottle with a big round top at a garage sale in State College. He shelled out $2 for it.

Nearly two years later, a bewildered Scott sold that clear bottle on eBay for $200.

It's the mantra of the successful eBay merchant: "What is worthless to me will be coveted by someone else. So let's make a deal."

Scott later learned from the buyer that the bottle was a Lalique, a rare item coveted by collectors.

"He told me it was a signed Lalique," the Bellefonte resident said. "And sure enough, I turned the thing over, and it had an itty-bitty signature on the bottom that I had missed."

Among the periodic fads that infect the nation, it was probably the Beanie Baby hysteria of the late 1990s that ushered the odd word "eBay" into the household. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

May 15, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and haven't found much worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com.

'Everyone's looking out for each other'
Ask 1st Sgt. Johnny Whisenant about life on active service in Iraq, and the answer won't be in English.

The soldiers live on an F.O.B., eat M.R.E.s and 'A' rations, shop in a P.X., and are taken care of by an M.W.R. committee. They attend 'net calls', work with 'battle buddies' and carry 'camel packs'.

In an interview by phone with The Times Thursday, he provided a glimpse into the daily lives of the 150 Huntsville and Guntersville National Guard soldiers serving with Company B, 279th Signal Battalion in Iraq.

Whisenant said that the security situation locally is relatively stable, and had actually improved since the 279th's arrival. "When we arrived you could have several different attacks going on in the surrounding areas," he said. "There are not as many now in our area."

The local people, mainly Kurds, had been generally friendly, he said. The unit planned to send a convoy to one of the neighboring villages to distribute Beanie Babies and candy to the Iraqi children, and U.S. troops are building a school nearby. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

May 14, 2004
SIMPLE BOOKKEEPING LAUNCHED ON AMAZON.COM
Maida writes: “I am proud to announce that Simple Bookkeeping for Beanbag Collectors was launched on Amazon.com 5/12/2004. Amazon.com: Software: Simple Bookkeeping for Beanbag Collectors [WMA]

This is a Simple Software Program that provides endless information with a record keeping system designed especially for Beanbag Collectors It comes with complete and editable data on every Ty® Beanie Baby, Buddy, Teenie, Basket, Jingle and Champion. It includes Beanie values, issue dates, retirement dates, birthdays and more. Download FREE updates from our website www.simsys.com or keep current manually.”

ASK TY
Q: Ty, even though you have become a celebrity yourself, do you still get "starstruck" meeting other celebrities? (submitted by labonte18)

A: I wouldn't call it "starstruck", but it's certainly interesting to meet someone that you have seen or read about in the media. I will admit . . . playing tennis with Andre was quite a treat ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

Cornstarch in the real world
Q: I remember my grandmother said there was nothing you couldn't do with cornstarch, but I have no memory of what she actually did with it, except make gravy. Can you dig through the homemaker archives and come up with anything? -- M.S., Arlington

A: I don't have security clearance required to access the homemaker archives, but the people who make the stuff say there are dozens of uses. If these don't work, blame the folks at Hodgson Mill:

Use it to set liquid makeup, but use sparingly, lest we appear to be in clown face.

To soothe sunburn, mix 1 cup of cornstarch into a tub of warm water, and have a good soak.

Freshen Beanie Babies (and other stuffed animals) by sprinkling with cornstarch, rubbing it in and then brushing it off. VIEW FULL LIST HERE (helpful stuff!)

Trash + Trinkets (sometimes equal) treasures
Should you discard or save those 200 Beanie Babies that were carefully placed into 16 impact-resistant boxes in the attic?

And what about your collection of animal decanters filled with Avon perfume? Or the two smelly shoeboxes stuffed with baseball cards from the 1970s? Or that yellow and brownish-looking Bill of Rights document?

Rather than make a rash decision, consider asking J. Michael Flanigan for his opinions. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

What's all the hype about online auctions? Why are we hearing so much about them? Are they really profitable? And how can you get involved?

Online auctions have effectively created a giant virtual marketplace where people can gather to buy, sell, trade and check out the goods of the day. They're enormously popular, high-traffic venues where start-ups and auctioneers alike can begin selling product almost immediately, with...

"Fad items" are where you can really cash in quickly. Remember the Beanie Baby phenomenon? People went nuts and bid literally thousands of dollars on them! It would be difficult to build a site and try to generate traffic around a fad item--by the time you were done, the fad might already be old news. But auction sites give you an instant audience at a low cost, so if you spot a trend, you can hop on the wagon as quickly as possible. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

May 13, 2004
Court backs woman in ‘Beanie’ fire
The Iowa Supreme Court sided Wednesday with a woman who claimed an insurance company should pay for nearly $100,000 in damage to her DeWitt home after her husband set fire to her Beanie Babies collection and the blaze raged out of control.

Court records show that in March 2000, Sager set fire to his wife’s cherished stuffed animals and Christmas decorations in the home’s basement after she told him their relationship was ending. The couple later divorced. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Happy Meal sees 25 years of smiles
There is no sound like that of a child yearning for a toy.
In the marketing business, it has a name.

"It's called the shin-kick factor: 'Mommy, I want that! Mommy I want that!'" said Fred Paprin, a New York City-based marketing expert. "And that's what they get, because after a while, Mommy can't handle it."

Fast food giant McDonald's harnessed the power of the shin-kick factor in 1979 with its creation, the Happy Meal. And now, 25 years later, it celebrates the birthday of the boxed dinner that became an American icon.

"Not just the toy, the whole package. Because this is something for me. We're going out on a trip, and I have to sit in the car all this time. But because I'm doing so well, hey, I get a present."

People were so nuts for the Teenie Beanie Babies in Happy Meals that adults were buying the boxed dinners and tossing them in the trash without eating anything. It was the most popular Happy Meal toy of all time.

While the toys have changed, so have the meals. McDonald's is jumping on the healthy bandwagon by adding apples with a caramel dip, Chicken McNuggets with white meat and 1 percent milk and apple juice.

There's even an adult Happy Meal with a salad, bottle of water and a Stepometer.

But the Happy Meals experience for adults is naturally different from the youngsters' - especially when the adult "toy" is something reminding them to work out. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Curators From the Cradle: Marbles, Bugs and Warhols
PICASSO'S "Boy With a Pipe (The Young Apprentice)" sold at Sotheby's last week for $104.1 million, setting a record for a painting purchased at auction. But another notable development came with the first lot of the sale, when a 13-year-old boy waged a spirited bidding war for a Degas horse drawing.

The teenager, whose parents asked that his name not be used, eventually lost out — the drawing sold to another bidder for $300,000 — but his participation nonetheless demonstrates his precocious grasp of the market. He is so familiar with the art market, in fact, that his parents (who are also his backers) found it unnecessary to attend: they were at the ballet that night, leaving him in the care of a Sotheby's employee. "He might as well have been an adult next to me," said Peggy Race, Sotheby's director of protocol. "He didn't need my guidance."

For the Kunhardt family, collecting is a way of passing on something more valuable than money — a family legacy. Peter Kunhardt, a documentary filmmaker and a creator of the series "The American President" on PBS, started collections of presidential autographs for his four children after meeting several of his subjects.

"We did a 10-hour program on the presidency which they got very into," Mr. Kunhardt said of his children, Peter Jr., 21; Abby, 19; Teddy, 18; and George, 16. "So I asked the living presidents to sign pictures to them."

After that, it seemed only logical to start collecting the dead presidents as well. These days the walls of their bedrooms in Chappaqua, N.Y., are covered with historical artifacts.

Christmas mornings have grown competitive in the five years since the family started collecting presidential memorabilia — usually letters or short documents in the $300 to $1,000 range. "He has a tradition of always wrapping them himself and hiding them behind the couch, and then slowly handing them to us," Peter Jr. said of his father. "We know what will be inside — we know it's going to be a president — but not which one."

If your children do not have the collecting gene, there's not much you can do about it, as Dr. Lawrence Cutler discovered when he tried to tempt his daughters, Jackie, 15, and Elizabeth, 13, with everything from coins and stamps to Beanie Babies.

"When it wasn't cool they wanted no part of it," he said. "The day the Beanie Baby craze was over it was like a light switch. I was heartbroken. It took me a long time to get over it." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Politician's clear, lucid tones bring their own reward
This might be a first: a politician getting a reward for speaking up in public.

Genesee County Commissioner John W. Northrup, known for forgetting to use his table microphone at meetings, was given a blue Beanie Baby bear as a reward for speaking more clearly so the audience could hear him. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 12, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and haven't found ANYTHING worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com.

HEARTFELT REPLY TO SHELDON
Sue writes: “Hi Lisa, I saw the e-mail from Sheldon today where he said he was back online but wanted to thank people for the cards and etc. and especially the things from perfect strangers. I was one of those perfect strangers and just wanted Sheldon to know how much beanie people care. Most of us are a big caring group! As one of the ladies had put it, "Beanie people take care of the own!" Sorry, can't remember the lady's name that said that but certainly a true statement indeed! Sheldon you take care of yourself and keep in touch with beanie people, you'll be a happier person!!!!!! SK”

May 11, 2004
Oxford students prepare boxes of goodies for troops in Iraq
OXFORD, Ala. - Oxford Elementary students have been filling boxes with calling cards, shaving cream and other items for the past month to help hometown soldiers stationed in Iraq.

With five faculty and staff members with family stationed in Iraq, the school decided to send troops packages filled with items they need or may crave from home.

First grade teacher Tricia Andress said boxes in the school's hallway have been filled and emptied three times.

Andress and Susie Mumper's first grade class started the effort that soon spread to the whole school.

Oxford Elementary housekeeper Wanda Hammock's son, Spec. Michael Arnold, has been stationed in Baghdad since late March. Arnold told his mother over the phone Sunday that the school's initiative makes him feel loved.

She said soldiers are mostly looking forward to calling cards, because calling home is so expensive. Soldiers also like receiving Beanie Babies, to either send back home to their children or give to Iraqi children.

Child's play
It's a typical day in the life of Sebastien Perron. As he stands in the middle of Ron Jon Surf Shop, surrounded by a flock of adoring tweens, he juggles a three-inch rectangular bag on the backs of his hands."Remember the Hacky Sack?" he asks, referring to the kickable foot bag. He tells his audience this toy is a Myachi, a Hacky Sack for the hands.

Before long, the kids have bought their own Myachis, for $5 apiece, and are miming Perron's tricks.

This is what Perron does for a living: He plays.

Perron and his partner Jason Loeffler play all over Florida, showing kids the art of Myachi.
He didn't want to grow up -- or grow older, anyway -- and regret never "going for it."

So in 1997, at age 25, Ochs quit his job and researched the yo-yo,the Frisbee, Beanie Babies and the Pet Rock to see what made them work. He scoured the New York garment district for fabrics and made the first 10,000 Myachi hand sacks himself, using a friend's sewing machine. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Sacred Heart scores high
Students finish 2nd statewide

LANCASTER -- Sacred Heart School's academic decathlon team made a triumphant return from the Catholic schools' state finals with second-place honors, the school's best finish in 10 years of competition.

The 10 youngsters, plus four alternates, went to the state finals after placing first in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles competition against 73 other teams in categories including literature, mathematics, English, religion and fine arts.

The team members adopted two mascots: a Beanie Baby cat named Kaleidoscope, which they would stroke while reciting "Sacred Heart Lancaster, first place decathlon," and a stuffed pink unicorn that they retrieved from the school lost-and-found box. They named the unicorn Kevin and attached to it a Chinese fortune-cookie paper reading "Determination and perseverance will lead you on to victory." VIEW FULL STORY HERE

May 10, 2004
NOTE FROM SHELDON
SHeL writes: “Hi Lisa, I just got back online today and I'm doing fine. Thank so much for your
call and keeping people informed of my condition. I truly appreciate all the cards and letters that I have been receiving. Particularly the ones from perfect strangers”

May 9, 2004
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
I hope that all Mother’s will enjoy a relaxing day filled with many smiles, lots of hugs, and an abundance of love. :o)

CHERISH AUCTIONS
Sue writes: “Hi, I hope that you are enjoying a great weekend. Tomorrow isn't Mother's Day in UK but will, nonetheless be a very special day for me as I am going to meet a 'Beanie Friend' from the USA for the very first time. She is in the UK for a couple of weeks and is staying close enough to meet up with me. As you can imagine, we are very excited!

I digress...I really wanted to share with you these photos of Mom-e, sent to me by another friend in the USA, Pat O'Buck. I have knitted a sweater for Mom-e, which, I hope you will agree, pays tribute to all mothers everywhere!

The front of the sweater has a single full-blown rose knitted into the design, which has been enhanced with embroidery and beading.

Two dewdrops have been added to the base of the rose, as if the bloom has just been picked from the early-morning garden to place on Mom's breakfast tray (I wish!)

On the back of the sweater a dark pink circle has been knitted, reminiscent of the chest logo on the Beanie, with 'MOM' knitted into the centre and then beaded with tiny pearl beads. Two satin roses and a gold embroidered edging complete the design.

The sweater is fastened at the neck with a tiny pink and white heart design button.

Mom-e 2004 and her sweater will be auctioned on eBay as part of my fund raising for sponsorship for 'Get on your Bike' (a family cycle ride of 15 miles that my family and I are undertaking next Sunday).

The auction will start on Mother's Day (Sunday 9th May) at 21.00 British Summer Time under seller ID sue_owen VIEW AUCTIONS HERE

Wishing all mothers everywhere a very Happy Mother's Day! Sue”

May 8, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and haven't found ANYTHING worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com.

Suspected 'Sasser' creator arrested in Germany
Charlene shares the following news story:
Worm infected thousands of computers worldwide
BERLIN - German authorities have arrested an 18-year-old man suspected of creating the "Sasser" computer worm, which infected thousands of computers worldwide, an official said Saturday.

The suspect, a high school student, was arrested Friday, said Frank Federau, a spokesman for the state criminal office in Hanover.

Police and prosecutors on Friday searched his parents' house in the northern town of Waffensen, Federau said. He did not release the man's identity, and said he did not immediately have details of how the suspect was tracked down. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

May 7, 2004
MOM-e 2004 RETIRES
This hasn't been officially announced but there is a retired sign across this bear on the Ty Store. http://www.tytrade.com/TyStore

HELP NEEDED
Brenda writes: "Good Morning, Lisa! Hope you have a nice day, today, and over the weekend.

Not sure; whether or not, you are familiar with Maida & Bruce at SBBC. But; I received their latest SBBC Updates notice, the other day, with a message enclosed. They have had an unexpected, added, expense of $750.00....with having to purchase the UPC Bar Code rights for their SBBC Programs.

They were hoping; that they might receive donations, to help with this, unexpected, extra cost. I have mailed them a, small, donation fee to help them. I wonder how many other people, on the internet, that have purchased their SBBC Programs have sent donations, too?

A great many people, I know, have ordered and use their SBBC Programs....as well as, their website for downloading their, monthly, updates of data and photos for their programs. If; everyone that has purchased their software programs, donates a small donation, as I have done, Maida & Bruce should re-coop their unexpected UPC Bar Code expenses and, probably, then some.

I hope; that everyone has helped them, in some small way. I think their SBBC Programs are wonderful, for us TY Collector's to keep track of our collections with. And; they keep us, all, updated with, new, TY data and photos monthly. I wish them a lot of luck, with help from all their SBBC Program "internet friends" and their donations.

I know; I'm glad, that I have mailed them a small donation. I appreciate their hard work, on our behalf, as TY Collectors. Brenda"

ASK TY
Q: Ty if I looked in your year book what would the predictions for you say? (submitted by joeswife)
A: When I graduated I had aspirations of becoming an actor, so many thought I would be a Hollywood star ! If you opened my yearbook (if I could find it), I think you would find words like . . . . "follow your dreams" and "best of luck". http://www.ty.com/askty_home

FTD SENDS HALLMARK EXCLUSIVE BEANIE?!
Ellen writes: "Lisa, I sent a couple of the FTD mothers day flowers and beanies. What arrived was not the bear that was mentioned on the site. What they received was the DEAR beanie baby (The Hallmark exclusive), and there were no special tags to make it a FTD exclusive. It doesn't make sense to me. Ellen"

<< my comments: This is VERY odd! Here we are all thinking DEAR is exclusive to Hallmark so how would FTD get a hold of them to send unless they went and purchased them all at Hallmark to send with their bouquets?! LOL >>

HELP NEEDED
Brenda writes: "Good Morning, Lisa! Hope you have a nice day, today, and over the weekend.

Not sure; whether or not, you are familiar with Maida & Bruce at SBBC. But; I received their latest SBBC Updates notice, the other day, with a message enclosed. They have had an unexpected, added, expense of $750.00....with having to purchase the UPC Bar Code rights for their SBBC Programs.

They were hoping; that they might receive donations, to help with this, unexpected, extra cost. I have mailed them a, small, donation fee to help them. I wonder how many other people, on the internet, that have purchased their SBBC Programs have sent donations, too?

A great many people, I know, have ordered and use their SBBC Programs....as well as, their website for downloading their, monthly, updates of data and photos for their programs. If; everyone that has purchased their software programs, donates a small donation, as I have done, Maida & Bruce should re-coop their unexpected UPC Bar Code expenses and, probably, then some.

I hope; that everyone has helped them, in some small way. I think their SBBC Programs are wonderful, for us TY Collector's to keep track of our collections with. And; they keep us, all, updated with, new, TY data and photos monthly. I wish them a lot of luck, with help from all their SBBC Program "internet friends" and their donations.

I know; I'm glad, that I have mailed them a small donation. I appreciate their hard work, on our behalf, as TY Collectors. Brenda"

May 6, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and haven't found ANYTHING worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com.

"I've always been a huge fan of Beanie Babies. They're beautifully made and you can't help but smile when you see and hold them. It's an honor to be part of the Ty family," said Davis.

Founded in 1986 by Ty Warner, creator of the wildly popular Beanie Babies(R), Ty is the leader in plush toys. In addition to Beanie Babies(R), the company's product line includes: Teenie Beanie Boppers(R), Beanie Boppers(R), Punkies(R), Pluffies(R), Ty Classic(R) and Beanie Buddies(R). The red Ty Heart Logo(R), recognized around the world, can be found on all Ty products available at finer specialty gift retailers. Visit Ty on the Internet at www.ty.com.

GARFIELD, the lasagna-loving and cynical fat cat, is the brainchild of cartoonist Jim Davis, a native of Indiana. The tubby tabby and his cartoonist celebrated the strip's 25th year in syndication in 2003, having debuted on June 19, 1978, in just 41 U.S. newspapers. Today, GARFIELD is the most widely syndicated comic strip in the world, distributed by Universal Press Syndicate, appearing in 2,570 newspapers, with an estimated 263 million readers. Visit Garfield on the Internet at www.garfield.com. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

The Garfield Beanie Baby series will be available in June in gift stores. The movie opens June 11. VIEW ARTICLE HERE

Not your ordinary 7-year-old
EXETER - On the surface, Paige Webster’s birthday party looked like that of your typical American 7-year-old: balloons stretched to the ceiling, fun activities were planned for the seven friends attending, and a birthday cake sporting candles rested on the kitchen counter awaiting its grand entrance.

But under the surface was a striking uniqueness. This generous-spirited little girl turned the tables this year and used her birthday as an opportunity to give rather than receive.

By her own accord, the Exeter resident decided that instead of requesting presents for herself, she’d ask friends to buy a gift for children who are less fortunate. After researching a number of philanthropic organizations with her mother, Paige decided she’d use her birthday to benefit Children to Children, a group out of Maryland that provides duffel bags and stuffed animals for children living in foster care who normally have to carry their items from home to home in trash bags.

According to Paige’s mother, Loryne Webster, Children to Children has collected 32,000 duffel bags since its inception.

And so, as the birthday girl requested, each of her pals arrived at the 1 p.m. party on Saturday with a duffel bag in tow. And for each duffel bag donated, Paige matched that gift by donating a Beanie Baby from her own personal collection.

When asked why she decided to make this extraordinary gesture, Paige replied, "Because I don’t really need anymore presents and because (these children) didn’t have any bags to carry their stuff in." VIEW FULL STORY & PIC HERE

May 4, 2004
THE SAGA CONTINUES...
Norm writes: "hi Lisa - Well, interesting rejection from the Ty Board yesterday. It appears that some of the moderators have no clue about the products their company produces. I don't believe that they pay any attention to the text. Have a good day.

I got a good chuckle from this one. This bear is RETIRED !!

Your post to the Ty bulletin board was not approved.
Reason for denial: Pre-sells / Pre-Trades

The Beanie Board of Trade does not allow "pre-sells" or pre-trading of any type. This includes offers to buy, sell, or trade. Please post your listing when the product is in hand.

Post Subject: Does anyone need a RED WHITE & BLUE BEAR?
Post Content: I have one extra and will trade for Pluffies. Will respond to email after school today. thanks

NOTE FROM LINDA
Linda writes: “Sue Owen is totally awesome! What a wonderful, caring and talented woman! Love those sweaters! Linda”

<my comments: Linda is right on with her comment. Sue is truly a remarkable woman. She does so much for so many and this comment is very well deserved and earned!!>

May 3, 2004
GERMANY CHAMPION BEANIES AT DOLLAR STORE
Laura writes: “Lisa, Just a quick note as I just came home from a dollar store )not a Dollar Tree) and there was a shelf filled with the Champion beanies (about a 100) as I look through (and they were tag protected with the good protectors) they all were the Germany Champion so I asked the owner if that was the only one he had and he said yes only the Germany ones. Just thought I would mention it, ...... Laura in MI”

RONALD McDONALD RETIRES
There wasn't an official announcement but if you check the RETIRED list at Ty.com you will find that Ronald McDonald is now retired: http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=4181

BIRTHDAY BEANIES
Ron writes: "Lisa, Howdy from Minnesota! With the introduction of Sapphire as the newest BBOTM, do you think this is the start of the newest group of birthday beanies from Ty? And will the various months be scattered between BBOTM, the Ty store and Ty retailers, similar to the Decade beanies? Mr. Warner must lie awake at night dreaming up ideas to drive us collectors crazy!"

CHERISH NEWS
Sue writes: “This week I have two special Mexican-themed Beanies to show you. Both will be going on auction on Cinco de Mayo (5th May!) under eBay seller ID sue_owen, as usual in aid of Cancer Research UK. This time the proceeds will be added to my sponsorship for 'Cycle for Life', a 15 mile family bike ride, which I am using as training for Race for Life in July!

I have knitted Mexican-style garments for Piñata (if it were ever chilly enough in Mexico to warrant a sweater!) and Siesta. Of course, the only garment that could be made for a Mexican donkey had to be a poncho! Both are made from the same coloured wool - a black background to offset the bright colours of the Mexican flag and the yellow of Pinata and of Siesta's hat. Each garment has beads added to the geometric design and Siests's poncho has tassels edging it.

As they say in the best fashion magazines, the accessories in the photographs are 'the models' own' but I may be persuaded to throw in the little flags with the dressed Beanies! More photos of these may be viewed on http://www.boglin.net Best wishes, Sue”