What am I bid?
It's the ultimate global marketplace, raking in billions of dollars and attracting thousands of new buyers and sellers every day. Kevin Airs explores the online bazaar of eBay.
In Camden, where Sydney's suburbia meets the bush, Elizabeth Summerell is living her dream. Her green dream. Her green Australiana dream.
Via eBay, the world's largest online auction site, her home is a vision of jade. Virtually everything that could be green is green and, where possible, with an Australiana flourish.
For the past three years Summerell, 45, has been buying on average three green items a week on eBay. The mother of two is planning an extension to her home so she can buy more.
Taking your bargains to the grave barely scratches the surface of the oddity and novelty of eBay. A British man recently sold a month of his friendship, with the final selling price of almost $2000 guaranteeing two emails a week plus phone calls and text messages and a shoulder to cry on.
The highest price ever paid for an item on eBay was for a Gulfstream private jet, a snip at around $6 million. Another auction offered the chance to own an aircraft carrier (stripped of its guns and planes).
A new listing this month - starting price, just $140 - was for a stuffed armadillo, wearing a Stetson, a double-holstered belt and two toy guns. No home is complete without one, obviously.
Others use the online auction site to clear their homes of clutter - and sometimes exorcise their ghosts. One embittered American recently used eBay to sell his former wife's precious collection of Beanie Babies and included a lengthy rant about her in the auction's description. He followed up that sale with an auction of her wedding dress - and in the absence of his wife, chose to model it himself for the pictures on the auction page, complete with beard and hairy back.
Nothing surprises Pat Margoc. The Mosman office manager is a former second-hand dealer who moved into selling specialised vintage and designer accessories on eBay. One day she came across a tie made entirely of bird feathers, which she promptly listed on eBay and sold. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
October 24, 2004
DO
YOU NEED OLD TIMER?
Grace writes: “Dear
Lisa, I would like everyone to know that there is no limit on how
many Old Timers you can purchase when you go to their stores either.
If you know of anyone that needs one, please forward my email addee
to them. I will only charge for the amount of the beanie and
shipping. Thanks for all your great news hunting! Grace”
-------------------------------
Rose writes: “Hi Lisa My olboy is such a wonderful man, He took me to a Cracker Barrel, about a 1 1/2 drive from where we live in Canada, & they gave me 2 of them, I had phoned them the day before & they put them away for me , the picture does not do them justice they are so cute. Thanks Rose”
Entrepreneural
teens are working on the future
Baruti
Kafele thinks like an entrepreneur.
He has lots of business ideas, including a plan for a a restaurant that mixes casual dining with fast food. During the summer, he and a partner won a business-plan competition with a plan to launch a clothing brand of custom-designed caps and shirts.
And all this took place before he received his first high school report card. Kafele is 14.
"He's been writing business plans for the last two years. He wants to do so many things," says his mother, Kimberly. "He's pretty motivated and he's dedicated, and we just encourage him."
Cameron Johnson, a celebrated 19-year-old entrepreneur from Virginia, came of age with the Internet and embraced e-business early.
When he was 9 years old, his parents gave him a computer and printer for Christmas. He started printing and selling greeting cards and stationery to friends, relatives and family.
By age 12, he was one of largest Internet retailers of Beanie Babies. He recently started his 11th Internet venture, trueloot.com, which allows Internet users to earn points toward cash and prizes in exchange for receiving targeted ads on cell phones or via e-mail.
"I grew up with the Internet," says Johnson, who attended Virginia Tech last year, but has put his education on hold to pursue his Internet businesses, consulting and public speaking. "Age would have been a huge disadvantage if I tried to start a business, but with the Internet and computers I was able to do it." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
Special
delivery
The idea
started with some leftover breakfast bars.
It grew Saturday to dozens of stuffed animals going to the poorest children in Iraq.
“We just thought that the condition they are in, they should have something to play with,” Lauren Binckley, the student council president at Longfellow Elementary School in Rock Island, said while taking a break from packing toys in boxes.
Dozens of Beanie Babies, along with a purple Barney the dinosaur, a Strawberry Shortcake and a patriotic bear with an American flag on his chest, are on their way from the school to children in the most impoverished parts of Iraq.
They came from toy boxes, closets and underneath beds in the homes of students. Employees at nearby Augustana College collected some, too. They are on their way today to children who may not have many, or any, toys at all.
Peters is one of many soldiers handing out Beanie Babies and other stuffed animals sent by supporters of American troops. The small toys are easily carried by soldiers in their backpacks and handed out to children they meet along the way. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PICS HERE
Troops
face another Christmas far from home - Local group gears up again to
send holiday boxes to Iraq
More than 100 people showed
up to help last year. This year, she said, "we're expecting
hundreds.''
Women from around the Northwest have been sewing homemade Christmas stockings for the effort, she said.
The stockings will be packed with items ranging from candy canes and packs of cards to food snacks. Each will also have a small flag packed in a pocket.
What doesn't fit in stockings will go into boxes.
"We send a lot of junk food they can't get,'' Gulit said. "We send board games.''
They'll also send Beanie Babies and school supplies for distribution to the civilian population.
"We have enough Beanie Babies to supply half the kids in Iraq,'' Gulit said. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
Super
salad will comfort ill kids
There is no
denying it - no one enjoys the poke of getting an IV, especially kids.
Yet, each week at least 60 young children at Children's Hospital of
Michigan need to receive the necessary fluids; and rare is the child -
already dealing with illnesses ranging from dehydration to cancer - that
doesn't wince or cry when that needle penetrates their tender skin.
However, according to the experts - the moms and dads and nurses standing by the child's side - when a soft and cuddly friend is in the hands of the patient, the sting of the needle somehow feels a lot less painful.
So that is why the IV team at Children's Hospital do their best to give each child a stuffed animal. And that is why a young lady from Bloomfield Hills is working together with her friends and fellow students, and with Children's Hospital of Michigan and Leo's Coney Island to build Detroit's Largest Greek Salad on Sunday, Nov. 14, at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township.
"We are building this salad so we can supply Children's Hospital with enough brand new Beanie Babies to get them through six months or a year," said Abby Bice, the seventh grade Birmingham Covington School and Temple Beth El student who came up with the idea.
"We need lots of people to come eat the salad, which will cost $5 a bowl. For each donation, we will be able to purchase two Beanie Babies for these kids."
The event runs from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, at Temple Beth El, on the northwest corner of 14 Mile Road and Telegraph in Bloomfield Township. Bowls of salad will require a contribution of $5 and will include a drink. All proceeds are directed to the purchase of stuffed animals for the kids at Children's Hospital of Michigan. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
SEND
AN E-BEAR TO BEAT BREAST CANCER
Thank
you to Rose for sending this to me.
Pull your friends together to beat breast cancer! For every
e-bear you send to your friends, Avon Canada will donate 10¢ to
breast cancer research (up to maximum of $10,000). Click
here to see your e-bear: http://avonweb.ca/ebear
October 23, 2004
ORDERING
OLD TIMER BY PHONE
Lois
in California writes: "I called the Cracker Barrel
order line at 1-800-333-9566 on October 12th and ordered their
exclusive bear, Old Timer. I received it in the mail on
October 21st. I had no problem ordering it on the phone.
The picture does not do it justice. If anyone is interested
just call the number. I ordered 6 so I do not think there is a
limit. Have a good day. Lois, California."
my
comments: Thank you to Lois for sharing this information. I know
there are many collectors that don't have a Cracker Barrel store close
by so this is a great way to obtain this exclusive bear.
Local people
Thirteen-year-old
Dennis Fries, creator of "Operation Noah," is helping
children and babies at Phoenix Children's Hospital by providing them
with Beanie Babies. Dennis created Operation Noah, an animal
collection drive, with the help of schools and Game Daze to help
bring comfort to young hospital patients. He became very familiar
with how much aid a stuffed animal can do. As a young boy, he made
regular trips to the hospital for stomach problems, asthma and
allergies. VIEW
FULL ARTICLE HERE
NEW
OLD TIMER NEWSFLASH
This time
saying "now available" whereas the original introductory
newsflash said "coming soon". http://www.ty.com/oldtimer_new
October 22, 2004
ASK TY
Q: What's the
most favorite Halloween costume you have ever worn? (submitted by
jasminekittykat)
A: The best costume I can remember is from my childhood
years. I thought I was the meanest pirate that had ever walked the
earth (or maybe my block) ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home
October 21, 2004
Crohn's
Patient Needs Your Help
Since she
was 17, Shannon has suffered through the symptoms of Crohn's.
But, she has also gotten a host of other illnesses from the disease
like diabetes, osteoperosis and other serious sicknesses.
After more than a dozen surgeries and taking practically every medication known, the program at Northwestern is like a light at the end of the tunnel. The transplant will regenerate Shannon's own cells, not using embryonic or donor cells. She will get chemotherapy four times the strength that cancer patients get. The treatment will basically kill her immune system and then her new cells will be replaced. The only problem, it costs $100,000 and her family simply doesn't have the money.
Her family is planning an auction, to raise money to send Shannon to Chicago, to save her life from Crohn's. Already donated is a 1930 Model A Ford, decked out in Auburn colors and nearly 1000 Beanie Babies. They are asking for the community to come together and specifically for you to help in any way you can. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
Girl Scouts collecting Beanie Babies for Iraqi childrenGirl Scout troops 4436 and 4460 are taking up a collection of Beanie Babies to send to U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq, for distribution to Iraqi children. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
October 20, 2004
NO
BEANIE NEWS
I've
looked all over for Beanie news to share with my readers
and have come up empty handed. If you would like to share news,
pictures, buying experiences, etc. please
send to Lisa@planetbeans.com.
October 19, 2004
NO
BEANIE NEWS
I've
looked all over for Beanie news to share with my readers
and have come up empty handed. If you would like to share news,
pictures, buying experiences, etc. please
send to Lisa@planetbeans.com.
BEANIES
FOR SALE
Diana
writes: “Lisa,
Would you be so kind to post a quick note in your newsletter again
for me? This is something I have been debating for quite a while and
the unfortunate part is the fact that it is inevitable with the
situation I am in. I tried selling some non-bears in a yard sale
back in August and didn't have much luck in the area I'm in. I want
to sell some of my beanie bears and other miscellaneous beanies. I
am running out of room to display them all and unfortunately my
three year old son and I will have to move in with my dad soon. Dad
will have a fit if I bring them all to his house, so I'll just hold
onto the ones that are sentimental to me! They're all MWMT and have
been stored in three Rubbermaid tubs now for a year or more. I want
to know they are going to a good home! If anyone is interested,
please have them e-mail me at dianacurtis@portbridge.com.
Thanks! Diana in NC”
October 18, 2004
TY
OFFERS SWEATSHIRTS
For $30
you can own a "Ty University" sweatshirt: http://www.ty.com/TyStore
Teen
suing Yanks for $3 million
Lately it seems
the Yanks are having a hard time -- not with their game, but with
their fans. Now, 14-year-old Alex Palkovic's father is suing the
Yankees and the City of New York on his behalf for $3 million.
Palkovic said he was assaulted at a game in August.
Alex said, "I felt a hand grab behind my back and squeeze and pick me up and throw me to the ground."
Palkovic's father James Miller said, "This guy came out of nowhere, grabbed him, threw him down, picked up and ran him back out."
Aug. 8 was giveaway day. Anyone 14 and under could get a free Beanie Baby. A Yankees security guard didn't believe Palkovic was 14 and denied him. That's when Palkovic said things got ugly.
He said, "I saw a box and the Beanie Babies, and I put it back because I didn't want any trouble. The security guard basically lifted me up pressing with a lot of pressure into my back and throwing me out." VIEW FULL STORY HERE
COMMENTS
Linda writes: “Hi
Lisa, Just wanted to let you know I ordered the special Peace bear from
Cherish/Sue Owen for a donation to breast cancer UK. My lucky number is
5 so I was hoping for a 5 to be in the number on the the shirt. The bear
arrived in one week, beautifully packaged in cello and included several
thank you cards. I took the bear out to look at the number on the
back......lo and behold.....25! It was from your newsletter that I
clicked on the Cherish website. So thank you and I believe we are ALL
lucky! Linda”
La Rue writes: “Good morning, Lisa, I also ordered along with Linda the special Peace bear from Sue Owen/Cherish for a donation to breast cancer UK and couldn't believe my number. No, there was not 5 in my number but the number I have troubles with**13**. LOL. Sue had emailed the notice to us to post on our websites. Have a great week.--La Rue”
October 17, 2004
WOMAN,
THRIFT SHOP AT ODDS OVER DUMPSTER ITEMS
WESTERLY
- Officials at the Blue Mitten Thrift Shop have complained to police
that someone has been wrongly taking items from the benefit store's
Dumpsters on Main Street. But a resident says she's merely picking
up articles that the store is tossing aside, items too good to be
thrown away.
Suzanne
Melanson of Babcock Village is defending her position as a retriever of
useful items, but Lynn Kent, who oversees the thrift shop, has another
story.
Melanson claims that volunteers at the thrift shop are throwing out
merchandise such as brand new baby clothes, furniture, mirrors, games,
puzzles, cameras, camcorders and other materials that could be used by
the needy. Melanson said she has rescued stuffed animals, beanie babies
with the tags still on them and videos in good condition. She said that,
last Christmas, she distributed some of the toys to residents at Babcock
Village so they would have gifts for their grandchildren or friends. VIEW
FULL STORY HERE
CHERISH
AUCTION REMINDER
Sue
writes: "Just a
reminder that this week's PINK auctions for Breast Cancer
Research will close from 7 pm UK time today and new
auctions will begin. The
final PINK auctions will begin next Sunday 24th October
(the same day that my family takes part in the sponsored
walk 'Making Strides for Breast Cancer' in Marlow - please
hope for better weather for us than today!) and will
also include some Halloween themed items. Thanks
to all who have ordered the Boyds CHERISH Bear, which is
selling nicely! Details are on the Home Page of http://www.cherishonline.co.uk
Best
wishes, Sue"
October 16, 2004
STATE EXCLUSIVES
CHECKLIST ADDED
Mary asked
if I could make a checklist for the “I LOVE” Bears: http://www.planetbeans.com/StateExclusiveChecklist.htm
You can also find all of the “I LOVE” State Exclusive info all on one page: http://www.planetbeans.com/StateExclusives.htm
NEWS FROM JODI
Jodi writes: “Hi
All!! Sorry for the group e-mail. Would you consider doing me a favor?
Please? I've created a calendar for next year and it can be ordered
here: http://www.lulu.com/content/81161
The cost is $20.00 plus shipping and almost $9.00 from each calendar sold will go to the Purrs & Puppy Breath Nursery, Inc. "fund". Would you please pass this link on to anyone whom you think might be interested in ordering one? I'd be forever grateful for any "advertising" I can get for this project. I'm within 2 months of getting the final paperwork back from the Government so that I can begin the Nursery building. Jodi”
SANDY’S LEX
Sandy shares
pictures of Lex and his tag. What a cute bear! http://www.planetbeans.com/SandysLex.htm
Quaker
Hill troop sending care packages to children overseas
Waterford - For
those who watch the news, the war is a stark reality. For those with
loved ones in Iraq, the war is something they live with daily.
For the youngest among us, whose parents hope to shelter their children
from the war's violence, the war can seem far away: a muffled television
report after bed time, a friend's brother or sister, a uniform in the
newspaper.
Sara Pickowitz is donating old beanie babies now that she's grown out of playing with them.
"They're all babyish," she said, making a face.
The web site suggested sending all supplies in bulk if possible so that every child in a classroom could be given the same supplies. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
October 15, 2004
INTRODUCING SUNTORY SANGOLIATH
Suntory Sungoliath Team Exclusive
- Available IN-STADIUM ONLY
http://www.ty.com/Suntory_Intro
HALLOWEEN
CONTEST
http://www.ty.com/Halloween_Home
CHERISH
UPDATE FROM SUE
Adorable
new offering to support CHERISH which is sure to be a quick
sell-out!
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm
ASK
TY
Q: Where
do you put all of your Beanie Babies, and how do you set them up?
(submitted by gothabeanies)
A: I have Beanies everywhere ! This morning Jinxy and Shivers
had breakfast with me and Victory greeted me when I arrived at the
office. http://www.ty.com/askty_home
HALLOWEEN
SURPRISES?
24 hours and
counting !
Ty Warner (Oct 14, 2004, 09:24 AM)
Message Id: 854323
Ty Warner writes: I have some Halloween surprises heading your way
very soon ! VIEW
POSTING & REPLIES HERE
PayPal Overcomes
Glitches
PayPal
says it has corrected the software problems that have disrupted the
online payment service since Friday. PayPal, which is owned by eBay,
says the problems began with what wat supposed to be a routine software
upgrade. VIEW
FULL STORY HERE
'SIMPLE
BOOKKEEPING' ON EBAY
Maida
writes: "Hi
Would you mind letting your readers know that I have put 10 copies of
Simple Bookkeeping for Beanbag Collectors on ebay for 17.99 a $2.
Discount. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7107946075
Sincerely, Maida Belove [info@simsys.com]
Bruce McCarthy [tech@simsys.com] http://www.simsys.com
SimSys, Inc. 541.431.0534 Voice/Fax"
October 14, 2004
Attendance
pays off for kids
Students
win bikes for missing no class in first nine weeks
Three hurricanes hitting Central Florida during a six-week period
did not prevent 264 Tavares Elementary School students from showing
up for classes every day that school was in session.
On Wednesday, that perseverance paid off for 24 lucky students who
won various prizes during a drawing at the school. Most of the
prizes were Beanie Babies.
“This is great for having all of the hurricanes,” said Coach Monty Boyd, who buys the Beanie Babies out of his funding. VIEW FULL STORY HERE
RETIREMENTS http://www.ty.com/Oct14_04Ret
Halloweenie Beanies: Bat-e, Fraidy, Quivers, Scared-e, Tricky
Beanie Babies: Boston, Denver, Little Feather
October 13, 2004
NO
BEANIE NEWS
I've
looked all over for Beanie news to share with my readers
and have come up empty handed. If you would like to share news,
pictures, buying experiences, etc. please
send to Lisa@planetbeans.com.
PayPal
users stranded as site glitch continues
Ebay
transactions could be delayed
A routine monthly code update performed on Friday for the
PayPal.com online payment website has caused havoc for users, many
of whom have managed to access the site only intermittently since
the changes were made.
In an update posted Tuesday on eBay.com, which owns PayPal, PayPal
said the problems were apparently caused by the new code base, which
was meant to update the site on Friday.
"The code worked well when tested and during the first hours of
launch," the statement said. "Unfortunately, problems
handling peak levels of traffic developed later in the day that
created intermittent availability and errors for members. These
problems have continued in varying degrees."
Sara Bettencourt, a spokeswoman for PayPal, said that the company
doesn't know how many users have been affected by the service
disruption but that it doesn't believe all of its customers were
experiencing problems. VIEW
FULL STORY HERE
Thief
tries to sell stolen 1957 Chevy on eBay Little was known of
this covert operation until CIA agents dressed as camels infiltrated
the camps. They discovered al-Qaida has unleashed a group of people
who are willing to sacrifice their last shred of dignity to attain
what they want. They are Garage Sale Terrorists. One of the courses
taught at Garage Sale Terrorist School is based on a 1942 movie with
Paul Muni called "Commandos Strike at Dawn." I was putting
out my treasures at 5:15 a.m. for a scheduled opening at 9 a.m.,
when the dog next door barked. I thought I saw movement behind the
agapanthus across the front yard. Suddenly, three figures
dressed in dark clothing with mud smeared on their faces came
charging down the dry creek bed made of river rock. I was startled
by them, but they raised their hands above their heads to show me
they weren't armed. "Do you have power
tools?" they asked in unison, like Donald Duck's nephews,
"or gold jewelry?" The "dump and
run" is another fright tactic. A woman got out of a van and
distracted me. While my back was turned, her husband unloaded
several items they didn't sell at their garage sale. I yelled at
him. but he burned rubber getting away and, while I expended my
entire vocabulary of expletives on him, the wife slipped away up the
dry creek bed and through the agapanthus. Still, there was worse
to come. A woman wearing a long coat asked the price of my Beanie
Babies. "Three
dollars," I told her, "or two for five." "I'll give you a
dollar for each," she said, with a menacing tone that should
have warned me she was not to be trifled with. "Nope, my price is
firm." Suddenly she tore open
her coat, revealing a quagmire of wires and batteries hooked to what
looked like either dynamite or toilet paper spools. I couldn't be
sure. "A dollar or I'll
blow them to smithereens," she screamed. What else could I do? I
had to protect the Beanies. I caved. VIEW
FULL ARTICLE HERE
A
Mountain Home man was arrested Tuesday after he listed for sale on
eBay the '57 Chevy he stole, according to Sheriff Joe Edmonds.
Thomas John Degroote, 44, was arrested and booked into the Baxter
County Detention Center on felony theft charges, according to a
press release.
A 1957 Chevrolet sedan was reported stolen from a salvage yard near
Whiteville, according to the release. The owner of the salvage yard
said the partially restored red-and-white Chevy belonged to his
mother and was parked next to his mother's house, but she was in a
nursing home. Deputies were able to locate the stolen car after it
was discovered as listed for sale on eBay. Several bids already had
been offered for the car on the Internet. VIEW
STORY HERE
October 12, 2004
Terrorists
on your own driveway
I had
trained diligently and prepared for my garage sale with dry runs
much like the presidential candidates preparing for their debates.
Still, I was as surprised as George Bush discovering the first
debate was 90 minutes long when the actual day arrived.
No need to place a
bid -- eBay's data are free
Calling them
eBayologists doesn't sound quite right; Amazonists is worse. There may
not be a good name for them, but for a growing number of academics
trying to test ivory-tower theories in the real world, the big online
commerce sites are the new place to be.
The practice works only on eBay-style auctions, which have fixed time limits. There are many eBay users who swear by the practice. In fact, there are a number of services that will snipe for you automatically.
Not all of the work being done online by economists is theoretical, and savvy eBay traders would be wise to acquaint themselves with some of the literature. Lucking Reiley, for instance, along with a colleague, Rama Katkar, wanted to find out if it was better to publicly set a minimum bid for an item or to use an eBay feature called a "secret reserve," which rejects bids below a certain dollar amount without telling bidders what the minimum is.
By comparing 50 pairs of identical items, one with the secret minimum and one without, the economists concluded that the secret minimum dissuaded buyers from participating in the auction, thus driving down prices. The study was done using Pokemon cards, but the finding, presumably, could hold true for anything: Beanie Babies, lawn gnomes, you name it. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
Testing:
Do you really remember the '90s?
Here are some sample
trivia questions from the decade. We selected one question from each
year represented in the new "Trivial Pursuit: '90s Time Capsule
Edition." (Answers below)
1998 -- How many Beanie Babies could one person bring into the U.S. from Canada in 1998? VIEW FULL LIST AND ANSWERS HERE
October 11, 2004
VERY
sad news to share with you this morning...
'Superman'
Christopher Reeve Dies at 52
MOUNT KISCO,
N.Y. - "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve, who turned
personal tragedy into a public crusade and from his wheelchair
became the nation's most recognizable spokesman for spinal cord
research, has died. He was 52.
Reeve went into cardiac arrest Saturday while at his Pound Ridge home, then fell into a coma and died Sunday at a hospital surrounded by his family, his publicist said. He was 52. VIEW FULL STORY HERE
Support
overwhelms family
Mountain
of Beanie Babies helps Forbes family deal with loss of Matthew
More than a thousand donated Beanie Babies have helped to mend
the broken hearts of one devastated Fredericton family, and now they
want the soft plush animals to mend the hearts of other families who
might be going through rough times.
On
April 29, a house fire destroyed the Forbes family's Taymouth home and
claimed the life of their 17-year-old son, Matthew.
Food, clothing, and archived school photos were being sent to the family
almost daily, but it was one set of donated collectibles that really
touched their hearts.
Beanie Babies, a favourite collectible of Matthew and his sister,
Lindsay, began to funnel in from all around the world - 1,300 of them in
fact, from as far away as Spain.Lindsay Forbes,
18, sits in the middle of the 1,300 Beanie Babies that people from
around the world donated to her to help her cope with the death of her
brother, Matthew, who died in a house fire last April. Forbes has given
away most of her Beanie Babies to help other children cope with tragedy
and loss. VIEW
PICTURE & FULL STORY HERE
October 10, 2004
CHERISH
AUCTION UPDATES
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm
Youths'
films shown at festival
WEST
CHESTER -- Steven Collier didn’t have the budget to hire Tom
Cruise or the staff necessary to create the complicated special
effects common in many of today’s films. His film crew consisted
of himself, his sister and her friend, and the only special effects
he could afford were two cheap costumes and fireworks.
Nevertheless, he completed the film and screened it for area
residents at the West Chester Film Festival Saturday. "Fraudzilla
2003: The Return of Fraudzilla," a parody of Japanese Godzilla
films, was one of a dozen films directed by children aged 16 or
younger.
Alexandra Theobald, director of "The Flick Chat," didn’t
even bother with actors for her film. For nearly the entire film,
the only "actors" that appeared on screen were Beanie
Babies voiced by Theobald.
"The Flick Chat" refers to the name of the Beanie Babies’
talk show, which airs on the fictional Stuffed Animal Channel.
Theobald filmed a series of skits, positioning the Beanie Babies and
altering her voice to portray them as reporters, actors and other
professionals.
"This is a collage of a bunch of different ideas I had,"
Theobald said. VIEW
FULL ARTICLE HERE
October 9, 2004
NO
NEWS
I've
looked all over for something of interest to share with my readers
and have come up empty handed. If you would like to share news please
send to Lisa@planetbeans.com.
October 8, 2004
SPECULATION
CLEARED UP
There was
some speculation that the newest UK Trio was no longer sold out
because it was still listed in the current list and no longer on the
same newsflash with 2004 Holiday Teddy, Dotson, and Little Feather.
Original newsflash that listed all the above mentioned Beanies: http://www.ty.com/wes_soldout
2004 Holiday
Teddy, Dotson, and Little Feather are now listed on a separate
newsflash. http://www.ty.com/hdf_soldout
Keep in mind that any time Ty has sold out of a particular Beanie it is
still listed in the current list until it is officially RETIRED!
OFFICIALLY
RETIRED
England,
Scotland, and Wales are now officially retired: http://www.ty.com/100804_Retirements
ASK
TY
Q:
If
you had to pick the funniest Beanie, what would it be? (submitted by
tyty42)
A:
I think you can probably guess which Beanie I'll pick.
This Beanie is so funny that the poem ends with "When I see
myself I laugh too !". Can you guess yet ? . . . . it's Ratzo !
http://www.ty.com/askty_home
October 7, 2004
Praise
your candidate, win a bear
Most of
the catalogs I get at work feature things I can't use or have no
authority to buy - industrial trash containers, office furniture and
the like.
But two weeks ago, I got one from an outfit called The Lighter Side,
which features a variety of novelties and oddball items, some of
which are a little on the risque side.
But as I leafed through it, what got my attention was its small
assortment of campaign-related merchandise, including Halloween
masks for George Bush and John Kerry and Bush and Kerry "bop
bags," those inflatable toys that tip over when you slug them,
then jump back up again.
But what really caught my eye were a pair of campaign commemorative
teddy bears featuring pictures of the respective candidates for
president.
They're pictured above, but they're not as big as the illustration
suggests. In terms of size, they're more like Beanie Babies.
If you would like one of your own, there are two ways to get one. VIEW
FULL ARTICLE AND ORDERING INFO HERE
CONTESTS
AT COLLECTIBLEZSPOT
Ryan
informs me that they are running a couple of contests at
CollectiblezSpot currently.
I (Love) Washington
- Promotion Runs October 6 - October
13 Participants have a chance to win one of three bears exclusive to
Washington. VIEW
CONTEST HERE
Raffle 4 Charity - Ends November 1 Your chance to win the
entire 2004 Asian-Pacific Flower Exclusive Beanie Baby set of six,
PLUS a second winner will take home two AP Exclusives as well! 100%
of all proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross Disaster Relief
Fund. VIEW
CONTEST HERE
Holiday Teddy 2004 SOLD OUT
http://www.ty.com/wes_soldout
Holiday Teddy 2004 has now been added to this newsflash!
October 6, 2004
INTRODUCING LEX
http://www.ty.com/LEX_Intro
BILLIONAIRE
NOW LISTED
http://www.ty.com/3_detail?id=4807
Traveling
Hopefully Through Life
(CBS) "Goals
are dreams with deadlines." So says author Libby Gill. She
gives insights into jump-starting your life toward happiness in her
new book, "Traveling Hopefully."
Why is change so
hard for most people? Gill says, "People don't pick the right
thing. They move along in the current of life instead of soul
searching. There are 'dreamers' and 'doers' and you've got to put
the two together. You need to decide where you want to go before you
can make the external change. You need to have a roadmap."
As I watched Dad drift in and out of sleep while Zach played with the new Beanie Baby we'd just bought at the gift shop, I realized that, though my father had been in and out of hospitals since I was a teenager, this time he would not be coming home. I read Zach his Beanie's "adoption papers" and burst into tears. It said on the tiny heart-shaped tag that the toy bear had been named Ariel for a little girl who'd died of AIDS at age seven, not much older than my son was then. I was overwhelmed by the pain and sadness; years of it came rushing to the surface as I held my sweet boy in my arms and tried not to frighten him with my tears. That's when I determined to change my father's legacy in those last days of his life, and in changing his, change my own. VIEW FULL STORY HERE
BILLIONAIRE
7 ON eBAY
The
first IN-HAND auctions for Billionaire 7 are now listed.
This
auction ended with a BIN price shortly after the auction was listed.
The winner will pay $709.99 for this special bear.
Partial
auction description: "This
Auction is for the brand new "Billionaire 7 Bear"
Ty Beanie Baby Autographed by Ty Warner Authenticated by
Ty-endorsed Peggy Gallagher rated Mint With Mint Tags and Museum
Quality and beautiful beanie! This new Billionaire 7 Bear is Royal
Blue with shiny hot red fireworks all over!" VIEW
AUCTION HERE (this
seller has 1 Billionaire Bear auction.)
Ending
later tonight.
Partial
auction description: "YOU
ARE BIDDING ON AN AUTHENTICATED AND THE BEST LOOKING BILLIONAIRE
BEAR EVER MADE. THIS IS A GORGEOUS BILLIONAIRE #7 BEAR!!! HE IS
NOTED BY BECKY ON THE CERT. AS "MWMT - MUSEUM QUALITY". HE
IS A SPECTACULAR ROYAL BLUE AND HAS RED FIREWORKS COVERING HIS BODY!
THERE IS A SHIMMERY BLUE RIBBON AROUND HIS NECK AND A DOLLOR SIGN
EMBLEM WITH #7 ON HIS CHEST!!! HE IS NUMBERED BEETWEEN 80 & 85
OF ONLY 612. DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE ON THIS FABULOUS AND SUPER RARE
BILLY BEAR. YOU DO NOT GET ANY BETTER!!! THIS BEANIE IS
AUTHENTICATED BY BECKY ESTENSSORO OF TRUE BLUE BEANS AND COMES IN A
SONICALLY SEALED CONTAINER WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY. SEE
PICTURES" VIEW
AUCTION HERE (beautiful picture!) (this
seller has 2 Billionaire Bear auctions.)
Ending in
just under 3 days.
Partial auction description:
"This ultra-rare Billionaire 7 Bear is brand new and the
hottest thing on the Beanie market. These Bears were only
given to TY employees and many never reach the open market.
The employees received this Bear at the annual Ty event on Saturday,
October 2nd. Each bear was hand signed and numbered
by the "billionaire" himself, Ty Warner. The
number of this Bear will be kept a secret to protect the identity of
the person who sold it to us. We will disclose the number only
to the buyer." VIEW
AUCTION HERE (this seller has 2 Billionaire Bear auctions.)
CHERISH
AUCTION UPDATES
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm
NEW TY TRADEMARK DISCOVERED
Hayley from BeanzAddiction writes: “Hi Everyone, I've discovered a new Ty Trademark - "Angeline". It is listed under Goods and Services as "dolls and plush toys" which is different from the usual "plush toys" listing and was filed on 27th September. I wonder what it could be?”
October 5, 2004
DOTSON
& LITTLE FEATHER SOLD OUT
http://www.ty.com/wes_soldout
eBay
boss named most powerful businesswoman in US
Meg
Whitman of eBay has been named the most powerful woman in corporate
America by Fortune magazine, toppling Carly Fiorina of
Hewlett-Packard who had been at the top of the list since it began
in 1998.
In the case of Ms Whitman, 48, there was one over-riding factor, the magazine said. "2004 belongs to Meg Whitman. Here's just one reason: The $60bn market value of eBay, the company she runs, has surged past that of HP."
The online marketplace is one of the fastest growing companies in history. This year it expects to report operating profits of about $1bn (£555m) on revenues of $3.2bn. It began as a meeting place for people selling collectibles, such as Beanie Babies, but has grown rapidly into many other marketplaces, including clothing, electronics, furniture and cars. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
AMY’S QUIVERS TRIO
(very cute!)
Amy shares a
picture and information on her Quivers Buddy, Beanie, Halloweenie. http://www.planetbeans.com/AmysQuiversTrio.htm
October 4, 2004
Bracelets
for a cure, not a trend
If
you see me on campus or anywhere else, you will not find me wearing
a Lance Armstrong “LiveStrong” bracelet.
About three weeks ago, I made the decision to pull mine off my wrist.
It happened when I saw a group of three girls walking towards me.
Two of them had an orange complexion, giving away that they had just gone fake-baking (a quick path to skin cancer).
They were also toting cigarettes in their right hands (also known as cancer sticks), which beautifully complemented their trendy “LiveStrong” bands.
After all I have seen and experienced, I figured that donating $10, wearing my band and spreading some info was the least I could do.
Then, in the Sept. 23 edition of The University Daily Kansan, I read about Adam Strauss, a KU student who bought the bracelets, and sold them on eBay, making upwards of $1,000 this summer.
“I gave enough money to cancer research,” Strauss said in the article. “They were in high demand. I was helping people that wanted to support cancer research.”
He also said his conscience is clean. How is that possible? He did not help those people one bit. If he were really helping other people support cancer research, he would have done the morally correct thing and donated that $1,000 right back to the foundation. Instead, he’s one of the thousands of vendors you find on eBay who have turned the “LiveStrong” bands into a Beanie Baby-like frenzy.
To those
of you who still wear the yellow bands for the right reason, thank
you. To Adam Strauss, I hope someday you can really see how immoral
your “business venture” really is. Do I still own my bracelet?
Yes. When will I wear it again? When it’s no longer a trend and
once again an actual cause. VIEW
FULL ARTICLE HERE
http://www.ty.com/wes_soldout
INTRODUCING BAHATI
WWF Ty Store Exclusive
http://www.ty.com/Bahati_Intro
October 3, 2004
Biz
bits
The
Beanie Baby boom of the late 1990s has gone bust. At the height of
the craze in 1998, the floppy $5 to $7 toys were valued at thousands
of dollars on the resale market; now they typically sell for $2
apiece at flea markets. Pop culture experts say Beanie Babies were
just another fad in a repeating novelty cycle.
VIEW
FULL ARTICLE HERE
CHERISH
AUCTION UPDATES
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm
October 2, 2004
NO
NEWS
I've
looked all over for something of interest to share with my readers
and have come up empty handed. Yesterday we had tons of news and
today nada. Go figure! LOL If you would like to share news please
send to Lisa@planetbeans.com.
October
1, 2004
BEANIE
CALENDAR UPDATED
I've
updated all of the newest birthdates on the Beanie Calendar and the
Beanie Info Pages.
http://www.planetbeans.com/BeanieCalendar.htm
http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm
Thank you to Carolyn for providing me with style numbers for all the new releases. I've updated them throughout the Beanie Info pages.
NOW LISTED ON RETIRED LISTS
Plumpkin Pluffie, Gourdin Classic
INTRODUCING PEACE, LOVE, & JOY
http://www.ty.com/Gift_Intro
Hallmark Gold Crown Exclusives
CHERISH
AUCTION UPDATES
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm
ALL
BEANIE INFO PAGES ARE UPDATED
http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm
I managed to get all the updates completed yesterday. When these
new Beanies arrive I will need the style numbers and birthdates. If
you can provide them to me I'd appreciate it. Lisa@planetbeans.com
Return of
the Gray Whale
A gray whale goes for a ride on Sterns Wharf Thursday morning.
Three years ago, the Santa Barbara Sea Center was torn down and its trademark thirty-eight foot fiberglas gray whale moved to storage.
Now, the whale is back, as construction crews put the finishing touches on the new sea center. Twice the size as the old facility, it is expected to draw 150 thousand visitors a year.
"It's a hands on interactive marine facility that will focus on the Santa Barbara Channel. It will be fun for children of all ages to learn more about the marine environment," said Jenny Theodorou.
The Santa Barbara Sea Center has been renamed the "Ty Warner Sea Center" thanks to a generous donation from the Beanie Baby billionaire who lives in Montecito.
The center is expected to open in the Spring of 2005. VIEW ARTICLE HERE
| HI
AND LOIS COMIC ABOUT BEANIE BABIES Thank you to Patti for sharing. |
 |
ASK
TY
Q: What
was the funniest thing that ever happened to you? (submitted by
horsechickie92)
A: I have had many funny and embarrassing moments. Recently,
while attempting to rearrange some landscaping outside our office, I
fell into the pond . . . luckily, no one saw me do it ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home
ONE
TO SHARE
Thank you to
Donna for sharing
Florida Governor Jeb Bush held a special news conference in
Tallahassee today to inform the people of Florida of new state symbols.
The changes take effect immediately and must be implemented by all
official agencies.
The changes are as follows:
-The Florida State Flag will now be a blue tarp
-The license plate symbol of two oranges will be replaced by a chainsaw
-The new State song will be " Blowing in the Wind"
-The state motto will now be..."Oh my God, Here comes another
one"
-The new state beverage will be............anything with an alcohol
base.
-The new State tree will be ..............any that are left standing at
the end of hurricane season.
-The new State Bird will be the "whipper" will
-The new State nickname will be "State of Disaster"
Alphabet
menagerie
Edwardsburg
uses Zoo-Phonics to introduce students to ABC's.
EDWARDSBURG -- The menagerie of Beanie Babies in teacher Betsy Moyer's
classroom are more than simply plush toys for her kindergartner's
enjoyment.
They're part of Edwardsburg Primary School's Zoo-Phonics program, which aims to help students master phonics.
The program, which Moyer and another teacher, Mary Ann Titus, successfully piloted four years ago, has spread throughout the building, which houses the district's preschool through first-grade students. This year, even the preschoolers enrolled in the Michigan school readiness program will begin learning the alphabet, Zoo-phonics style. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PICTURES HERE
NOTE: Brandon's Kindergarten teachers also use Beanie Babies in their class for fun games and phonics.
Return
of Service
Robin
Williams among performers repeating their efforts to help Andre Agassi's
Grand Slam for Children
The biggest spenders at Andre Agassi's annual benefit concert and
auction have paid more than $100,000 each to have dinner with Robin
Williams.
Is there anyone Williams would pay that kind of money to dine with?
"Stephen Hawking," the actor-comedian says without hesitation. "Just to meet the greatest mind of the 20th century and now the 21st."
But high bidders at the Grand Slam for Children are willing to settle for probably the fastest comic mind. "At that point you just feel like, 'What kind of lap dance can I do?' " Williams says by phone recently.
"It is astonishing, but we've never had anyone come away going, 'Thanks for nothing!' We've actually had repeat (bidders). I guess as they say in the city, 'You're go-o-o-d. ' "
Aside from the seventh appearance by Williams, this year's MGM Grand event Saturday also sees return visits from Josh Groban, Ray Romano and married country stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, along with Grand Slam newcomer John Mayer.
"It's a pretty wild night, and I'm always shocked at the amount of money he raises," says Williams.
The first benefit in 1995 raised an announced $1.8 million. Last year's topped $6.3 million, which was doubled in a surprise pledge by Beanie Baby creator Ty Warner. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE
OCTOBER
IS NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
During the
month of October every click to provide much needed mammograms will be
doubled. Please take a moment to visit and click. It's so simple to help
out!