May 2006 News Archives

May 31, 2006
TY 2006 SUMMER TRADE SHOW SCHEDULE
Thank you to Jennie for providing photos of the show card in response to my inquiry on Monday. There are only 6 shows on the trade show schedule for Ty, Inc. compared to 18 last summer. http://www.planetbeans.com/Ty2006SummerShows.htm

BEANIES: Aces (Las Vegas Exclusive), Baaabsy, Bali (US Exclusive), Miami, Mooosly, Shaqbear, Wailea

Oddly enough this link no longer appears on Ty.com nor is the link that was shared earlier working.
http://www.ty.com/June06_intro

3 VERSIONS OF BALI
While updating the website I noticed there are now 3 versions of Bali the Komodo Dragon.
Bali retail
Bali US Exclusive
Bali Shedd Aquarium Exclusive

Before our youngest child was born, we had drastically (yet humanely) reduced the stuffed animal population in our home. The older kids weren't collectors; yes, they had their favorite pigs and dogs, they had a handful of Beanie Babies, but they weren't too broken up to see the farm weeded out a bit. Their ponies and lions went to church rummage sales and preschool fund-raisers, where they sat with other stuffed animals no one wanted.

"Kids today aren't that excited about stuffed animals because they don't do anything," a friend told me. "How can a plain old toy bear compete with video games?"

She had a point. Stuffed animals don't have a lot of bells and whistles (even the annoying ones that squeak and talk.) They basically sit and wait. Their one and only attraction is pure, old-fashioned cuteness. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 29, 2006
MEMORIAL DAY
Please take time to thank the heroes around you. Be safe and responsible today. Enjoy time with family and friends.

SUMMER TY SHOW SCHEDULE
The summer show schedule should be starting in June. Do you have the Ty summer show schedule? Please share the information so I can pass it onto my readers. Lisa@planetbeans.com

May 28, 2006
from my hometown
Soldiers to be honored at Fallen Heroes Memorial
LAWRENCEVILLE — Taja Travis is doing all she can to hold onto her dad.
She kept some of his ashes to wear on a necklace; she asked if she could keep his bed when deciding what to do with his things in storage. She wrote a poem and read it in class.
Engraving his name on a wall — a permanent memorial to the soldier’s sacrifice to his country — will give the 16-year-old a piece of her father to hold onto forever.
Staff Sgt. Philip Lamar Travis, who died in Tallil, Iraq, is one of two soldiers who will be honored Monday at a ceremony at Gwinnett’s Fallen Heroes Memorial.
Travis, a member of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 48th Brigade, lived in Snellvillle before he was deployed to the war zone.
Marine Lance Cpl. Kun Young Kim, a Norcross resident known to his friends as John, died in April, before he reached his 21st birthday.
They are the sixth and seventh Gwinnett soldiers to die in the war in Iraq. Another died in a training exercise last year.
The Georgia National Guard’s 48th Brigade recently returned home after more than a year in the Middle East, but thousands of military men and women remain in the region.
Officials said they will keep having ceremonies every Veterans Day and Memorial Day as long as names have to be added to the stone register.
He lavished attention on his little girl, and when he went to Iraq he felt especially drawn to the children there. He gave Beanie Babies to the children, but none could have competed with the daughter waiting for him back home.
“You know that person never wanted to leave you,” Taja wrote in her poem. “That person that you lost may have been a brother, sister, cousin/aunt, uncle, father or mother but above all that they were all Soldiers.” VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

new exclusive hallmark buddy
osiris2 (May 28, 2006, 09:26 AM)
Message Id: 1104433
osiris2 writes: i went to the hallmark store this eveing. was speaking to the manager as i know her well . she checked her oustanding orders and she saw this item called red white and blue buddy. it did not have an order number but the word hall mark next to it. she told me that when it has the word hall mark instead of an order number it is an exclusive. it will be very exclusive because thw quantity that will ship will be 1. she will save it for me when it comes in so i can inspect it. everyone get in contact with your hall marks stores VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

May 27, 2006
STARTING TODAY... KNOTT'S BERRY FARM BEANIE DAYS
Weekends May 27-29, June 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25
It's TY Beanie Baby Days at Knott's Berry Farm!
Every child (ages 3-11) with paid admission will receive a FREE Specially tagged Beanie Baby.
Five exclusive items to collect in all! While supplies last!

(NOTE: If you attend this event please consider sharing your photos so I can pass them on to my readers. Lisa@planetbeans.com)

May 26, 2006
PHOTOS OF JUNE RELEASES
Cindy's Beans has photos of the upcoming June releases: http://www.cindysbeans.com/

INTERESTING POSTS
Grin or Gripe?: The Truth About Punkies et. all... PART 1
humphrey~cool (May 26, 2006, 08:10 AM)
Message Id: 1104142
humphrey~cool writes: I am very sad to see the Punkies line has unofficially retired. (I must admit that I'm hoping for new ones to be introduced for June!)

Punkies were unique. They were different enough from Beanies, but the designs were so creative- especially my personal favorite: Pipsqueak! When Punkies and Pluffies were introduced, I thought that these two lines would never survive together, and I predicted that Pluffies would come to a demise first. While the newest releases of Pluffies certainly are nicer than the rest (I LOVE TY DINOS!), I don't see them sticking around for much longer either... Ty has had to resort to making basketballs and soccer balls! (What a last resort!)

What I'm trying to get to in this post is that Ty needs to realize that just putting out a product isn't what has made his products great. Beanies are exciting! Classics are the best stuffed animal on the market! Attic Treasures were so whimsical and reminiscent of past memories.

See post 2 VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

Grin or Gripe?: The Truth About Punkies et. all... Part 2
humphrey~cool (May 26, 2006, 08:10 AM)
Message Id: 1104145
humphrey~cool writes: What do the other lines have?
Come on Ty! You have to try! Buddies are virtually extinct. Nothing happened with Beanie Kids, Boppers, and Teenie Boppers. Now Punkies are done. Pillow Pals folded. Angeline doesn't appear to be very successful. Bow Wow Beanies aren't collectables-they are dog chew toys! Jingles, Baskets, Halloweenie, and now Valenteenies are just a holiday marketing ploy. And last and getting closer to least are Pinkies-"the Beanies that should have been Beanies"-which it seems like Ty is going to give up on next.

I don't think starting new lines is going to keep interest in Ty Products... what do you think? I think Ty needs to keep up the standard that he set for himself long ago... I'm not just talking about 1997, I'm talking 1999-2002. I think that these were the best days of Ty's designs! Come on Ty- we know you can do amazing things with your products, so keep it up!

What do the rest of you think? VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

Beanie Baby drive build good relations
Kristina and Kailyn Helgeson didn't expect an overwhelming response when they decided to have a Beanie Baby drive at St. Patrick's Elementary school, but they are glad the response is so big.

The World's Richest People
The Best Billionaire Hotels
Billionaires own stocks, bonds, real estate and art. Many also have their own collectible cars, mega-yachts and private planes. And some own hotels. Nice ones.

Hotels come in handy, and they can quickly increase in worth. Ten years ago, for instance, Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud paid $150 million for the Four Seasons George V in Paris. A recent independent valuation now pegs it at $750 million.

Billionaire hotels span the globe from Barbados and St. Moritz, Switzerland, to Gambia, West Africa, and the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They also offer tastes of the billion-dollar lifestyle. At the Kona Village Resort, owned by American billionaire and Beanie Babies founder Ty Warner, guests can sip Mai Tais by the pool after a nap at one of 125 private thatched-roof cottages. At Donbass Palace in Donetsk, Ukraine, owned by Ukrainian steel and coal magnate Rinat Akhmetov, a vacationer can splurge on a $3,000-a-night executive club suite. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & SLIDESHOW OF THE WORLD'S 11 MOST FAMOUS BILLIONAIRE OWNED HOTELS

ASK TY
Q: What are your plans for Memorial Day weekend this year? (submitted by beaniecharge)
A: I hope to have some time to enjoy this weekend but one thing is for sure . . . I will take time to honor all those that gave their lives for our freedom ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

May 25, 2006
Charlie Sheen Sees Barbaro Breakdown Conspiracy
Actor and conspiracy theorist Charlie Sheen says Barbaro's breakdown in last Saturday's Preakness was not an accident. While taping a segment of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Mr. Sheen declared that "shadowy figures in the racing world" had conspired to injure the colt in order to win sympathy for "a failing industry that's on its last legs."

According to Mr. Sheen, the racing industry has been trying for the last twenty years to attract "a younger demographic" to the nation's tracks; but despite "family nights and flag nights and appearances by lame-ass country musicians, there's no disguising the fact that if you go to most any track in America on a week day, all you'll see is a bunch of degenerate old men wearing too much plaid gumming cigars and drooling all over themselves."

"But, Charlie," said interviewer Frank Deford, who bears an unfortunate resemblance to Grandpa Munster, "Barbaro had a good chance of winning the Triple Crown, which would have given the racing industry a great marketing tool. Why would anyone tamper with the horse at that point?"

"Nothing," replied Mr. Sheen, "but where were the grieving owners and the heroic veterinarians when 269 horses broke down on California tracks between November 2003 and November 2005? How many of those horses were saved? Zip. Nada. None. I'll wager nobody left Beanie babies and flowers outside the landfills where they wound up. Of course, they weren't potentially worth bazillions of dollars in stud fees." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

KNOTT'S BERRY FARM BEANIE DAYS REMINDER
Weekends May 27-29, June 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25
It's TY Beanie Baby Days at Knott's Berry Farm!
Every child (ages 3-11) with paid admission will receive a FREE Specially tagged Beanie Baby.
Five exclusive items to collect in all! While supplies last!

(NOTE: If you attend this event please consider sharing your photos so I can pass them on to my readers. Lisa@planetbeans.com)

May 24, 2006
JUNE RELEASES
Michael writes: "Hi Lisa, I was Just looking on the trading board of addies attic and someone has for pre-sale some of the New June 2006 Ty Beanies and other June 2006 Ty Products. Below is a link to the posting as well as the list the seller provides of these new beanies.

Beanie Babies, $6.00 each: --basketball bear for Shaquille O'Neal; --lamb like Doogie and Catsby --cow like Doogie and Catsby --beach bum teddy bear --beach bear like Pirouette --Las Vegas bear (red holding a casino sign) --komodo dragon/salamander (exclusive?) Pinkys, $6.00 each: --husky/wolf like Juneau Ty Classics, $10.00 each: --frog (looks just like Charm) --floppy pig --floppy cow" http://207.99.80.48/BrdDtl.php?778354

WELCOME BACK BEAN WATCHER
Many collectors were sad to see the retirement of the Bean Watcher. I'm glad that I can report that the website you loved is planning to return: http://www.beanwatcher.com/

May 23, 2006
DO YOU HAVE NEWS TO SHARE?
Please send any news, photos, credible rumors, etc. to Lisa@planetbeans.com

I made a SPECIAL place in my bedroom for my Derby Horse!
1966065 (May 22, 2006, 02:10 PM)
Message Id: 1103567
1966065 writes: It is nothing fancy----I just made room on a shelf for the Derby Horse that I was lucky enough to order from the Kentucky Derby Store awhile back. Remember the one with the extra tag that had the number 8 on it? Then the horse with the #8 won the first race. The horses name is Barbaro and he broke his hind leg at the start of the race on Saturday. Sunday he had surgery on it---a very bad break in three places. His chances of recovery are 50-50. I want to remember this fine stallion everyday and say a few prayers. I hope you will also. I am NOT into horse racing---but a good athlete is a GOOD athlete to me and deserves some THOUGHT! VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

I FOUND OUT THE NAMES OF THE 5 BEANIES THAT WILL BE GIVING OUT AT KNOTTS BERRY FARM, ONE A WEEK FOR 5 WEEKS.

THERE WILL BE A EXTRA HANG TAG ON THESE BEANIES AND WILL BE GIVING OUT TO EVERY CHILD .

May 21, 2006
4 honored as heroes
Cox Communications and the Arizona Interscholastic Association recently gave the Everyday Heroes awards for high school students, teachers, coaches and administrators who demonstrate character and honor, both on and off the field, in communities throughout the state. Cox and AIA gave $36,000 in award money at an event held Saturday night at Orpheum in downtown Phoenix.

Everyday Heroes award recipients are:

Cox7 Arizona After the Bell Award

Alison Goulder is a student at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix. Allison got involved in "Operation Grateful" after reading about soldiers who were collecting Beanie Babies to give to children who live in war-torn countries overseas. Allison collected more than 55,000 Beanie Babies for the cause and received recognition for her efforts from President Bush. Alison received $1,500 and prizes. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Brenna Aller, 18
Hiawatha, Kan., 12th grade, Hiawatha High School
In the eighteen years of my life, I have had to lot of experience with money. It has become increasingly important in my life during the past few years.

When I was younger, receiving $50 for Christmas was a big chunk of change and could buy nearly anything a kid could want.

However, even though I was young, my mind was on investing. In fifth grade, I made perhaps one of my worst financial decisions. I invested in a craze that consumed nearly all of America: The Beanie Baby.

I don’t know how, but I ended up with 204 of them (yes, I counted). I spent every dime on them, and I really regret every one of them.

Fortunately, I got over the Beanie Baby craze, but many more financial disasters were to come.

I believe the best thing I did to learn about money was to get a job. Having a job taught me the value of a dollar and gave me independence. I was able to go shopping with my friends and buy the things I wanted. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 20, 2006
Lady, We've Heard It Before
ON A TRIP TO CHINA WITH PRESIDENT Clinton, U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky took note of rock-bottom prices on Beanie Babies sold by street vendors--and bought 43 for her daughters back home. Trouble is, the snuggly souvenirs violated U.S. Customs regulations, which at the time limited Beanie imports to one per traveler. Barshefsky's plea to the Wall Street Journal: "I'm a mother." VIEW ARTICLE HERE

From carbon-copy cubes to uniquely you
Cubicles, long the villain in comic strips, sitcoms, movies and generally every aspect of pop culture, are ready to shake their rep.

No longer will they be the brunt of your fury and spited as a drab, personality-less half-box in a sea of drab, personality-less half-boxes.

(After all, is it really their fault that your co-workers are freeloaders and your boss fails to recognize your genius?)

If you’re ready to leave the cube farm state of mind, former Tacoman and current Seattle media darling-slash-lifestyle expert Kelley L. Moore has some advice: Bring some personality to the L-shaped table.

“A lot of people spend time on (decorating) their homes but don’t think about spending the same amount on their office,” Moore said.

“You’re going to have to be there anyway, right? Why wouldn’t you want to take it to the next level and make it someplace that is more like home?” she said.

photo caption: Stuffed animals, Beanie Babies, antiques and artwork fill Maryann Hymer’s office at the Engineered Wood Association in Tacoma. Hymer says the homey décor makes her more comfortable and reflects her personality. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

May 19, 2006
ASK TY
Q: If you could have a puppy, what kind would you pick? (submitted by caper2)
A: This is a very difficult question . . . . as I love puppies. I think I would adopt a homeless puppy at my local animal shelter and be sure to spoil him with Bow Wow Beanies ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

May 18, 2006
**TRADERLIST has been updated with latest complaints and..
GrammaPat (May 17, 2006, 06:56 PM)
Message Id: 1102776
GrammaPat writes: an ARREST AND CONVICTION! Please check it out, and if you have any Internet problems, please contact a mediator at TRADERLIST for help.

Thanks,
Pat
VIEW POSTING HERE

Beanie Baby Days at Knott's Berry Farm
Thanks to Ms. Janie for sharing this info:
Beanie Baby Days
Weekends May 27-29, June 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25 It's TY Beanie Baby Days at Knott's Berry Farm. Every child (ages 3-11) with paid admission will receive a FREE Specially tagged Beanie Baby. Five exclusive items to collect in all. While supplies last. http://www.knotts.com/park/calendar/index.asp

The kindness of strangers makes a big difference
Mainers assist a region of South Africa devastated by the AIDS epidemic.
BRUNSWICK - When John and Indrani Dennen make their yearly trip to South Africa, they typically arrive bearing gifts.

This year, for example, they arrived with 100 pounds of children's clothing that had been collected at their store in the Tontine Mall during the Christmas season - all of it donated in great shape, washed and folded. They delivered the clothing to Jabulani, a self-help center and safe haven for AIDS orphans in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

"It's the best thing they'd ever seen," John Dennen said of the children's reaction to receiving clothing with brand names such as L.L. Bean and The Gap.

The previous year the Dennens delivered to St. Mary's Hospital in nearby Marianhill 300 Beanie Babies donated by Carol Thibeault, owner of Split Ends Hair Salon. The cuddly toys were given away to children who have AIDS or who have lost their parents to the disease, which afflicts up to 40 percent of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Students unearth capsule
ROGERS — Kate Sbarra saw her Beanie Baby parrot again after seven years and will visit it one more time at Project Graduation. The parrot has a role in two graduations for Sbarra and the rest of the class that finished fifth grade at Northside Elementary School in 1998.

On Monday, after finishing their senior classes at Rogers High School, Sbarra and about 60 other Northside graduates were invited back to unearth the time capsule they buried as part of their fifth-grade graduation. It was a chance to see what had been important to them when they were in elementary school.

Besides the parrot, they found a copy of a book that is still in use in the fifth grade, teacher Linda Jefferson said. There were also Tootsie Rolls and animal crackers that teacher Larry Tuttle used as rewards; friendship rings that declared two fifth-grade girls would be friends forever; a hand-drawn panther autographed by all the students, and lots of papers and pictures. Everything was placed in a Tupperware tub and buried near the steps of the school, Jefferson said. Most of it withstood the time underground well, she said. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

1st Kernow, then Majestic......
Secret Bean (May 17, 2006, 11:43 AM)
Message Id: 1102708
Secret Bean writes: Bye Bye George.... ;O)
VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE
(NOTE: This was posted on the Cyberboard BEFORE George actually retired.)

May 16, 2006
BEATRIX POTTER BEANIES
Barbara writes: "Good Morning Lisa, Just a note to let you know that the Beatrix Potter Beanie Babies are available for pre-order. For your convenience I have included a link... http://www.heroes-shop.com/

Click on the Soft toys and you'll see three of the beanies for pre-order..they are Jeremy Fisher, Peter Rabbit and Pigling Bland.

May 15, 2006
Eight traits of successful entrepreneurs
To measure up to his official title of “marketing guru” at an Internet company, Mark Hughes hatched and rejected a lot of gimmicks before finally deciding that the business, Half.com, should pay the town of Halfway, Ore., $100,000 to rename itself Half.com for a year. The national publicity was enormous.

Cameron Johnson of Blacksburg, Va., started his first Internet company at age 9, selling greeting cards. Next, he bought his sister’s Beanie Baby collection for $100, resold it on eBay for $1,000, then expanded, and by age 12 had made $50,000. As a high school freshman, he sold ads on the Internet, pulling in as much as $15,000 a day. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 14, 2006
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
I hope your Mother's Day is a special one celebrated with many smiles, happy surprises, and lots of love and hugs from your children.

This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up spit-up laced with hot dogs, birthday cake, and fruit juice saying, "It's OK honey, Mommy's here."

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T because they are busy working to put food on the table.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal bleachers at football or soccer games Friday night instead of watching from cars,so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the World," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet like a tired 2-year old who wants ice cream before dinner.

This is for mothers who have tearfully placed flowers and teddy bears on their children's graves. Whose children have died from illness, accidents and the worst of all and hardest to comprehend, suicides.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to but just couldn't.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year, and then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who taught their sons to cook and sew and their daughters to be brave and strong. (And sink a jump shot.)

This is for all mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls " Mom ?" in a crowd, even though they know their own off spring are at home.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips sometimes until they bleed--when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation. And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married Mothers. Grandmothers whose wisdom and love remains a constant for their grown children and their children's children.

May 13, 2006
MESSAGE FROM JENNI
Jenni writes: "Hi Lisa I wonder if yet again i could ask a favour, would you be able to post the following message to all those fabulous beanie collectors out there, I am rapidly trying to get to answering all the emails that have come through to us and i will get to them all in turn i promise and thankyou everyone for your patience, to help a little with the volume of queries, my boss, Marcus, who owns Abbey Bears Padstow, has asked if anyone would like to place an order over the telephone, or has a querie, could they please call Abbey Bears in St. Ives and speak to either Alex who owns the store or Sally on 01736 798586-REMEMBERING to alter the dialing area code if they are calling from outside the UK, this would help us to help more of you out there wanting to place orders much quicker. Again, many thanks to you all, Happy beanie hunting!!! Jenni"

(NOTE: I think it's wonderful that Jenni is working so hard to help out fellow collectors. KUDOS to Jenni and everyone else that is also helping out. I've always said that Beanie people are the BEST!!)

Each of us has our own idea about when something is cheap. On a superficial level, something that costs $1 is cheap, and something that costs $100 is expensive. But it is not really the dollar cost that makes something cheap or expensive. Rather, it is whether the intrinsic value of the item purchased is close to the cost paid to own that item. Often, we are tempted to buy something at a price which has been "hyped" way beyond its intrinsic value. Remember the Beanie Baby craze of a few years ago, when those cute little stuffed animals were being hyped as collector’s items and as such were being bought for way more than their intrinsic value? Now that the craze has passed, these items are being sold at garage sales for a price that is much closer to their intrinsic value. The hype value of the Beanie Baby has disappeared over time. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

May 12, 2006
Seven years in the making
Laughter, surprise surround time capsule opening at Gulf Coast High School
They were taller than before.

Some of them had tattoos, facial hair or piercings. Some may have had all three.

But in the eyes of six teachers, their 10-year-old personalities still shone through.

“It’s so exciting to see them now, to hear how they are making their dreams come true,” said Linda McDonough, a sixth-grade teacher at Corkscrew Middle School. “It’s exciting, but it makes you feel really old.”

McDonough and the five other teachers gathered with about 40 students to unearth a time capsule at the back of Gulf Coast High School on Thursday afternoon.

The students and their teachers placed the time capsule at the school after the students completed their fifth-grade year at Laurel Oak Elementary School.

“It’s strange. We go to school with these people, but you forget who you grew up with,” said Grace Grabiel, 18. “I remember burying (the time capsule), but only because I have pictures of it.”

“We had a very unique staff, though, and Dr. (John) Kelly (the former principal) allowed us to be our own unique community,” she said. “This is wonderful. It is wonderful to see how much the students have grown and what their goals are and what they are planning to do next year,”

Fitzek, who co-owns a marine manufacturing company with her husband, left the teaching profession to raise her children, now 4 and 6. She said her one disappointment was that her class’s time capsule did not survive in the box. Most of the material inside had disintegrated, except a Beanie Baby and a glass cocktail swizzle stick.

It was disappointing to 18-year-old Justin Strang as he sifted through the box of black dirt and paper to find remnants of what his class left behind.

“It is disappointing to me that the documents we put in there didn’t come out,” he said. “It’s also disappointing that I am the only person from my class who showed up.” VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ASK TY
Q: What is the most exciting time of year for you? (submitted by pocketswoof)
A: I think I like the fall best, because the weather is beautiful, the colors are fantastic, and I'm planning for Toy Fair ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

May 10, 2006
BEATRIX POTTER NEWS
John writes: "I've just heard by email confirmation from the Beatrix Potter Attraction in the Lake District -

The Three Beanies - Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher and Pigling Bland will be officially launched at the World of Beatrix Potter there on June 10th, and also at Harrods on the same day!! These will be the only outlets intially.

COUNTERFEIT BEANIE DISCUSSIONS
Barbara shares the following: "Good Morning Lisa,

Hope all is well with you and yours. I thought I'd send you a note to tell you about the True Blue Beans website. Counterfeit beanies are discussed there and lots of valuable information is shared by some of the best experts in spotting counterfeit auctions. I have provided a link to the site in case anyone is interested in it. Please note that you have to be a registered member to view all the boards and you have to be logged in to view them and to participate in discussions. http://truebluebeans.forumup.org/index.php?mforum=truebluebeans

NEWS FROM JENNI AT ABBEY BEARS
Jenni from Abbey Bears in Padstow writes in to let me know that Kernow is still available. They are also offering presales for the 4 World Cup 2006 Beanies as well as presales for Beatrix Potter Beanies. Obby Oss photos and more info: http://www.planetbeans.com/JennisPhotos&Info.htm

May 9, 2006
NEWS SNIPPETS FROM JOHN
John writes: "Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher and Pigling Bland expected the first week in June! - more info as I get it.

Mascotte and Basilico - probably towards the end of May - to be confirmed as soon as I know.

(NOTE: Perhaps Ty is ready to shake things up like the old days! Thank you to John for sharing these news items.)

May 8, 2006
KERNOW RETIREMENT
As expected.. Kernow retired quickly on 5/5: http://www.ty.com/Kernow_ret

DERBY 132
Jennie writes: "HELLO LISA,
HOPE YOU HAD A NICE WEEKEND.
I THOUGH YOU MIGHT TO KNOW THAT THE KENTUCKY DERBY WAS WON BY #8, THE SAME HORSE THAT WAS ON THE EXTRA TAG. I WILL WATCH THIS NEXT YEAR. LOL
JENNIE
JOJO"

JOHN'S CORNWALL REPORT & MORE PHOTOS
A sincere THANK YOU to John for sharing some more great pictures and his show report. Did you wonder what Kernow will do with himself after his retirement? He now loves to relax while watching gorgeous sunsets. Gorgeous photo, John! :o) http://www.planetbeans.com/JohnsPictures.htm

(NOTE: I forgot to mention in the earlier newsletter that John has shared a picture of BOTH Fun & Laughter together. From what I've read... Fun was harder to get and to my knowledge.. this is the first photo posted on the Beanie sites with both 20th anniversary Beanies.)

May 5, 2006
GOING OUT OF TOWN
I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. I will return and do the necessary updates on Monday! :o) If anything exciting happens within the next few hours I will be sure to send it your way.

CINCO DE MAYO
Have fun and be safe!! If you'd like to learn more about this historical day view the following website.
http://www.icfw.org/sg-cinco.htm

Whitman Sees EBay Strength In Diversified Brands
EBay's Meg Whitman touted on Thursday her company's ability to draw on the strengths of its three main brands--eBay, PayPal and Skype--as a key differentiator as it looks to be "a big part of shaping the future of the Internet."

"This allows us to mine new opportunities for years to come," she said, adding that she expects faster revenue growth going forward because of its strategy.

Often relegated to just an online auction company, eBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) is looking to stake its claim as being at the center of all things Internet, much like how Google (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ), Yahoo! (nasdaq: YHOO - news - people ) and Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) are viewed currently. EBay also owns Rent.com, Shopping.com (nasdaq: SHOP - news - people ), and online classified ad site Kijiji.

During the company's annual analysts meeting on Thursday in San Jose, Calif., Whitman stated the decision not to rebrand PayPal in 2002 as "eBay Payments" set the company on a course of using multiple brands to expand its reach beyond its own site, citing PayPal's popularity on Dell (nasdaq: DELL - news - people ) and Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people )'s iTunes.

Otherwise, the company could have gone the way of the Beanie Baby. Whitman took attendees and listeners on a trip down memory lane, revealing that when eBay came public back in 1998, the company was getting 10% of its gross merchandise volume from the stuffed toy craze. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

POLICE BEAT
A likely story
Trying to weasel his way out of an arrest, a man who stole a truck from the driveway of a Santa Barbara residence on April 25 told police he took the vehicle as required for a job interview.

According to police, the owner of the Ford truck had left his vehicle unlocked and running in the driveway while he went inside his house. The sound of a door slamming shut and the sight of his truck driving away led the man to call authorities, who managed to pull over the car at Carpinteria Avenue and Arbol Verde.

The car thief claimed to deputies that he had responded to a “help wanted” ad in a Ventura-based newspaper, and that his prospective employers for a tree trimming business, as part of the job interview process, told him to pick up the truck at the Santa Barbara residence, where it would be running in the driveway. He was to drive it to the Five Points Shopping Center in Oxnard.

Police were unable to locate any tree trimming company with the name that he provided, and he was arrested for auto theft. Authorities said the man had also stolen $24 in cash from the truck owner’s wallet, which was left in the vehicle’s cab.

Paranoid in Montecito
Stating that Al-Qaeda, Saudi Arabians, and the Mafia were all out to get him, a delusional Montecito man was arrested on April 26 after threatening his mother and the president, according to police.

The man incriminated himself when he called police with the claims, and after making several threats against the president, police notified the FBI and drove to the man’s house. There, they found him on the phone to the CIA, where the man asked one deputy if he was in the Mafia.

According to a police report, the man had initially refused to open the door and “continued to yell at deputies about Ty Warner being a drug trafficker, the Saudi Arabian royal family, Al-Qaeda and the Mafia being after him.”

Police arrested the man when he began screaming at his elderly mother. Mental health officials, according to authorities, assessed the man while he was in custody.

The police report said that during his mental evaluation the man “continued to talk incoherently about the Saudi Arabian royal family, that Ty Warner is in the Mafia, and stated that he was being hunted and shot at by Al-Qaeda operatives.” VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE (NOTE: SAY WHAT?!?!?!)

May 4, 2006
Be careful of buying fake Beanies. There are 12 fakes on auction
Mags2002 (May 03, 2006, 04:30 PM)
Message Id: 1099826
Mags2002 writes: right now. 2 Humprheys, 2 Brontys, a Trap and a fake Flutter with plastic eyes from one seller. Three fake colored Teddies from one seller. A fake Peking and Chilly from one seller and another fake Trap from a seller. Make sure to do your homework and remember it's best to buy authenticated if spending money on rare oldies. Counterfeits are worthless. Buyer Beware. Mags VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

Re:I have it on good authority..retailers were able to order 144
kwalityinfo (May 03, 2006, 01:45 PM)
Message Id: 1099794
kwalityinfo writes: rather than the normal ordering amounts. That is already equivalent to shipping a few times. Time will tell if there are to be more. Usually, expecting rarity with UK beanies has meant bitter disappointment. VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

OUT OF TOWN NOTICE
I will be out of town tomorrow afternoon 5/5 and will return the afternoon of Monday 5/8. I will reply to all emails and update news when I return.

ADDITIONAL INFO ON THE BALI KEY-CLIP
Barbara writes: "Good Morning Lisa,

I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to play on the computer and keep up with Ty news. Anyway, yesterday I went out to lunch with my Mom at Pizza Hut and I was surprised to see a Ty keychain with Bali the Komodo Dragon. The hang tag has info about the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. With our pizza order I was able to buy one of these for 1.99 plus tax and without a food order you can purchase these for 2.50 plus tax LOL I picked up a few for some of my friends that don't live in Illinois.

ASK TY
Q: If you were a flower, what type would you be and why? (submitted by Eazy1668)
A: If I were a flower I would be a wildflower, however, I can't narrow it down to a single one. If you ever have the chance to visit Santa Barbara, California and see all the wonderful wildflowers, you will know why ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

May 3, 2006
BALI PROMOTIONAL KEY-CLIP
Judy shares with Ms. Janie photos of a promotional Shedd Aquarium key-clip which she found at Pizza Hut near Chicago. Very cute! http://www.msjanie.com/2006_photos/Judy_Bali_Pizza_hut.html

NEWS FROM CORNWALL
I haven't seen any reports yet from Cornwall. Did you go to Cornwall to purchase this Beanie? I'd love to hear from you about your experience. It's rumored that this Beanie is already sold out. Lisa@planetbeans.com.

May 1, 2006
(Thank you to those of you that emailed me while I was away to let me know about the wallpaper and BOTM newsflashes!)
MAY WALLPAPER
http://www.ty.com/May06_Wallpaper

BEARS AND BEANS NO MORE
Lynne writes: "Hi Lisa, No news as such. For some time I have been a member of the bearsandbeans forum which was run by Daphne, who used to publish Beanbag World magazine in the UK. This weekend, without warning it seems to be no more. Another sad loss to the world of beanie collecting... http://www.bearsandbeans.co.uk