September 2006 News Archives

September 29, 2006
OCTOBER INTRODUCTIONS
BEANIES: Little Bear, Jinglemouse, Janglemouse, Chillingsly, 2006 Holiday Teddy, Freezie, Joy, Joyful, Joyous, Skis, Hollyhorse, Garfield Season's Greetings, Holiday Dora, Ho Ho Ho, Happy Holidays, Tootoot, Groowwl http://www.ty.com/Oct06_intro_BB1

BOW WOW BEANIES: Christmas Bone Red Snowflake, Christmas Bone Stripe, Christmas Bone Green Snowflake, Chocolate, Zero, Chillin' http://www.ty.com/Oct06_intro_BWB1

PLUFFIES RELOCATED TO CURRENTS LIST
Thank you to Daniel from Beanie Universe for alerting me to the following: "Hi, just to let you know, Ty has moved the Beary Merry and Candy Cane Pluffies ffrom the Retired list to the Current List! He is doing the same thing he did with Plumpkin! Just thought I would make you aware of this."

September 28, 2006
MORE ON NIGEL
Stephen writes: "Hello Lisa.... I went to a town today that has a store with a Beales franchise inside it to see if i could buy the beanie....The lady told me that none of the stores in the franchise are allowed to sell the beanie till Saturday...The lady said to me that there is a limit of 3 beanies per person....When i told the lady about this guy who had so many for sale on ebay that he had bought from the Winchester store,, She showed me a memo from Beales head office to say it is 3 per person and none could be sold till Saturday...The lady also told me that the staff could not buy any of the beanies till Saturday.... The lady phoned another of the stores and she also quoted what the memo to staff said.... The lady said they would only be selling the beanies in the store because they do not have the facilitys to sell online and over the phone.... Stephen"

INTERESTING POSTS
Prince William, Prince Harry Harrods Exclusives
butkus1 (Sep 23, 2006, 09:17 AM)
Message Id: 1123648
butkus1 writes: Hi, I called Harrods yesterday to preorder 2 Prince Williams and 2 Prince Harrys. They would not take my preoder as they always did in the past. They told me to call the day the beanies are introduced at 9:00 AM London time with is 4:00 am in New York where I live. She said they would be sold out in one day. How unfair to people living in the States. People have jobs and it is very hard to get up at 4 am to order beanies. I think Ty is going to lose a lot of United States collectors if this continues.
It's great for the secondary market, but not the average collector.
These foreign introductions are getting out of control.
What do you think?
butkus1
VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE: http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_19-1123648-0-1,00.html

Beales Nigel latest as of AM 28th
radcom (Sep 28, 2006, 07:58 AM)
Message Id: 1124390
radcom writes: As of this morning (28th) my local Beales said they will not ship any orders because they have had too many calls and can't cope so only collection and 3 per customer. They said they would only get 750 out of the 5000 and had sold a lot already. The girl said they might not have any by the weekend. Pip Ps I have not seen people queing like this since Harrods 2005. http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_19-1124390-0-1,00.html

BUYING NIGEL
Ms. Janie writes: "ALERT Many members have written to say that they have been able to pick up Nigel at their local Beales Stores TODAY! You can buy up to 20 bears, and already some are in hand on eBay."

IN-HAND PHOTO OF NIGEL
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150039146354 NOTE: I am in no way promoting this seller or recommending that you purchase from this or any other seller. I am merely sharing IN-HAND photos of Nigel with you.

TY STORE MAKEOVER
The Ty Store has completely changed and I must say I'm impressed. It's much more modern! There are 3 sections; Beanie Babies, Garfield, and Clothing Accessories. http://www.tytrade.com/tyshop_items

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors are debating a controversial ban on alcohol and whether Ty Warner's $15,000,000 renovation of Rancho San Marcos Golf Course should be approved.

A green oasis in between Santa Barbvara and Santa Ynez, the Rancho San Marcos Golf Course is popular among pros and duffers alike. But when it comes to the business of golf, they're competing on an uneven playing field.

Tom Endy of Rancho San Marcos says the course needs a new teaching facility, design improvements, a restaurant, and perhaps most importantly, permission to sell alcohol. http://www.ksby.com/home/headlines/4240796.html

Gilroy Teen Opts for Warming Hearts Over Cold Hard Cash
Gilroy - Like many teenagers, Ashley Harrington, 15, had outgrown her childhood toys, the plush, pint-sized Beanie Babies she eagerly collected as a kid. Enshrined in plastic cases, they'd sat idle, boxed in the garage since her 11th birthday.

But there aren't many teenagers who'd forgo thousands of dollars, as Harrington did when she donated 295 of the toys to the Gilroy Fire Department.

"It's quite a gift," said chief Dale Foster. The stuffed animals could have netted as much as $7,000 on the auction Web site eBay, he added.

Harrington's mother, Wendy, estimated the toys' value somewhat lower, at $3,000. They were originally purchased for $6 each, at the height of the Beanie Baby craze.

"I knew it'd be helping kids out," said Harrington, a sophomore at Gilroy High School. "I'd rather do that, than get the money."

Eighty of her toys have been donated to Toys for Tots. Firefighters will give the remaining toys to children affected by fires, car accidents, medical emergencies, "all kinds of things where people are under stress or suffering anxiety or a sense of loss," said Foster. "It's something to hang on to, and to comfort them." http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/contentview.asp?c=195766

SpongeBob's 'SquarePants' Become Pink This October To Help Raise Funds During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
New Limited-Edition 'SpongeBob PinkPants' Collectible Ty Beanie Baby(R) Now Available at Retailers Nationwide;

Nickelodeon & Ty To Donate Profits From Premier Offering To Breast Cancer Charities

NEW YORK and OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, in partnership with Ty, announce an all-new, limited-edition "SpongeBob PinkPants" Ty Beanie Baby®. The world's most iconic sponge - SpongeBob SquarePants - will make a temporary wardrobe change in October, trading in the well-known "SpongeBob yellow" for pink in an effort to raise funds in support of October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Currently available at retailers nationwide and on nick.com, while supplies last, the Beanie® marks the first time the world famous sea sponge will be produced in plush in a color other than yellow. Both Nickelodeon and Ty will donate profits from the premier offering of the SpongeBob PinkPants Beanie Baby to various breast cancer charities in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The special Beanie will retail for approximately $6.00.

"So many woman and families are personally and directly affected by breast cancer," said Leigh Anne Brodsky, president of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, "Turning SpongeBob pink is a very bold gesture and we hope these limited-edition 'SpongeBob PinkPants' products will both raise funds and also send a positive message of support during Breast Cancer Awareness month this October."

The "SpongeBob PinkPants" Beanie Baby also marks the first time Ty has produced a licensed character Beanie to be used as a fundraiser. "We are proud to help fund organizations dedicated to finding a cure for this terrible disease," said Ty Warner, CEO/Chairman of Ty Inc. and Beanie Baby creator. "So many of us know someone who has been affected by breast cancer, and it is up to all of us to work together to find a cure."

In addition to the "SpongeBob PinkPants" Beanie Baby, Nickelodeon will also create a limited-edition "SpongeBob PinkPants" graphic tee-shirt that will be available exclusively at nick.com for $14.99. The company will also donate all profits from the tee-shirt to breast cancer charities. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060926/nytu059.html?.v=61

BEANIES: Miami, Pique, Pirouette, Senna-Kun, Squidward Tentacles
BUDDY: Happy Birthday!

FEDERER-BEAR BLOG
Hello everybody! After my official “unveiling” at the US Open, the “Feder-bear Everywhere Tour” took me to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where the ATP has its Americas offices. It’s right around the corner from the PGA Tour, where that Tiger fella who I met at the US Open apparently plays golf. All Roger now needs is to add a Lion to his entourage and we’re good to go to Oz! Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh my! Roger beat Marcos Baghdatis there this year in the final of the Australian Open. I’ve seen a picture of Marcos and he kinda looks like a lion when he doesn’t shave, don’t you think? I love those cherub cheeks!!!!!!!! (Dmitry told me to use lots of exclamation points in my blog because readers love them even if the ATP editors hate them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

In Florida, I wrote my blog and also served as Honorary Tournament Chairman for an ATP staff tennis tournament. Two nice people named Jorge and Davina beat Murray and Bram in the final, though it wasn’t exactly the Bryans vs. Bjorkman-Mirnyi out there. I like that Mirnyi guy, who I met in New York. I mean, he’s HUGE! Plus, everyone calls him The Beast, so he can join our animal posse…

Okay, enough with the animal references: This is about KIDS! After all, if you agree to purchase a Beanie Baby ® clone of me (I currently am the sole Feder-bear Beanie Baby ® until December, at which point I get mass produced and I no longer can call myself the sole No. 1 like Roger), proceeds will go toward the ATP’s ACE program. (By the way, why does tennis have so many acronyms? ATP, WTA, ITF, USTA, FFT, ITWA? Everything’s short for something, except Rafa’s pants, which are definitely not shorts in my book.) It’s important you know that ACE isn’t just something that Andy Roddick hits a lot but also Assisting Children Everywhere, a global partnership between ATP and UNICEF to help ensure the health, education and protection of children around the world. Good cause, right?

So Click here to get on the Mailing List and when Feder-bears are ready for pre-orders and delivery for the December holidays, you’ll be the first to know about it. I don’t know yet where I’ll blog from next, as the ATP’s travel agent is on vacation this week because the guys are playing Davis Cup. However, I hope to go to Tokyo with Roger and definitely end the year with the “Best of the Best” at the Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai. Until then… follow me on this Feder-bear Everywhere Tour. Peace out!!!!!!

September 24, 2006
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ROGER
John is so clever. He has sent two more picture of Roger with an apology. Too cute!: http://www.planetbeans.com/JohnsPictures.htm

Below $1 billion? Not in Forbes 400
NEW YORK -- For the first time, Forbes magazine's list of the 400 richest Americans consists exclusively of people worth $1 billion or more.

As a group, the people who made the rankings released Thursday are worth a record $1.25 trillion, compared to $1.13 trillion last year.

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson vaulted to No. 3 from 15 in last year's rankings, finishing behind the mainstays at Nos. 1 and 2: Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates and Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Adelson is estimated to have $20.5 billion, Buffett $46 billion and Gates $53 billion. Gates has held the No. 1 spot for the last 13 years, while Buffett has been No. 2 every year since 1994 except 2000, when Larry Ellison of Oracle Corp. held that spot.

Adelson's ascension knocks Helen Walton, the widow of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, into 11th place with a net worth of $15.3 billion. Her children, Jim, S. Robson and Alice, and Christy Walton, the widow of her son John, ranked in the bottom half of the top 10 this year. Each was worth between $15.5 billion and $15.7 billion, Forbes reported.

Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., fell off the list completely, as she lost $395 million over the past year.

California is home to 90 of the 400 on the list, which includes U.S. citizens living abroad. That's the most of any state. Forty-four live in New York City.

Nineteen of the billionaires call Illinois home, led by Ty Warner, who made his fortune with Beanie Babies, and real estate investor Sam Zell. They tied for 52nd with $4.5 billion. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ASK TY
Q: What Beanie cheers you up? (submitted by supergirl98)
A: You would think that this is an easy question, but it's not. I can't come up with just one, or two or even three . . . . they all cheer me up ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

September 21, 2006
EXCLUSIVES RETIRE
http://www.ty.com/sep06_uk_ex1
Ole (Spanish Exclusive), Packer (UK Exclusive), Pippo (Italian Exclusive), Scrum (UK Exclusive)

BEATRIX POTTER BEANIE UPDATE
John writes: "Hi Lisa, I've just spoken to the Heroes shop in the Lake District, and I've been told that the next three Beatrix Potter beanies will be released there in the first week in November.

They should be available for pre-order on their website from next week...and they are a limited edition gold thread set. like the first three were!

The 400 Richest Americans
A nine-figure fortune won’t get you much mention these days, at least not here. This year, for the first time, everyone in The Forbes 400 has at least $1 billion. The collective net worth of the nation’s wealthiest climbed $120 billion, to $1.25 trillion. Surging real estate, oil and other asset prices paved the way for 28 new members and 14 returnees.

#52 H Ty Warner
Source Manufacturing, Self made

Salesman's son dropped out of college, took to road selling plush toys. Started line of stuffed animals 1986. Beanie Babies ruled lunch-box set for years; created buying mania by limiting production runs. Estimated $485 million sales down sharply as popularity of bean-filled cuties wanes. Plowed profits into real estate; owns country club in Santa Barbara, office parks in Chicago. Press-shy. Recently built world's most expensive hotel room at New York's Four Seasons Hotel: 4,300-square-foot suite has onyx walls and heart-stopping views of Manhattan skyline. One night's stay: $30,000. VIEW FULL LISTING HERE

Current Net Worth for 2006 - $4.5 billion (up from last year in money but down in listing)
from 2005: #49. Warner, H. Ty, 61, $4.4 billion, Chicago, Beanie Babies
from 2004: #34. Warner, H. Ty, $5 billion, Beanie Babies
from 2003: #30. Warner, H. Ty, $6 billion, Beanie Babies
from 2002: #26. Warner, H. Ty, $6 billion, Beanie Babies
from 2001: #42. Warner, H. Ty, $4 billion, Beanie Babies
from 2000: #53. Warner, Ty, 56, Chicago, $4.5

Fisher-Price, a division of Mattel, is releasing its 10th anniversary edition of Tickle Me Elmo. Unlike 1996, when Elmo became a surprise, sold-out sensation, this time there's a lot riding on the little red guy.

Toy retailers are counting on him to drive sales this holiday season. He could make or break the careers of executives at Mattel. And employees of Freeman Public Relations in Clifton will reap the rewards if the agency's biggest promotional gamble pays off.

The gamble? Keeping the new model of Elmo -- called Tickle Me Extreme -- under wraps until today.

Freeman and Fisher-Price executives decided a year ago that the best way to generate excitement about the toy would be to keep Elmo's new appearance and battery-operated moves hidden until "the reveal." The reveal arrives today, when the toy goes on sale for the first time.

"The American public is in love with the reveal," Bruce Maguire, CEO of Freeman, said in February, when the mystery marketing strategy was announced at the New York Toy Fair. He cited shows such as "Survivor" and "The Bachelor," and Apple's success in keeping new versions of the iPod top-secret, as evidence that the public likes a surprise.

Les Fox, who made a fortune during the Beanie Baby craze in the 1990s by selling more than 3 million copies of his Beanie Baby handbook, and has since become an expert on eBay auctions, said Elmo was generating a lot of interest on the auction site Monday. One bidder told Fox she was willing to pay more than the $39.99 list price for the doll because she has four children under age 5 "who all love Elmo."

And Fox, a Bergen County resident who collects everything from meteorite fragments to American art, said he may even buy one. "Yeah, why not," he said. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

September 18, 2006
TY-SIGNED HAMLEY BEANIE
It was only a matter of time before one of the 10 Ty-signed Hamley/William bears showed up on eBay.

partial item description: Ty beanie baby Hamley signed by Ty Warner a Hamley's Toy Store UK Exclusive.

This special Hamley is 1 of the 5 Ty Warner kindly agreed to sign (5 Williams were also signed) to help launch Hamley's Toy Store Noah's Arc Ty display on 16th September 2006. VIEW AUCTION HERE

NOT LISTED
I wonder why it's taking so long to get Hamley and William listed in the current Beanies list?! I have updated the Beanie Calendar to include these two bears as well as the TY 2006 Beanies page, Complete Beanie Baby checklist, and Bears Only checklist. http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm

September 15, 2006
NEW BEALES BEAR TO COME
John writes: "Hi Lisa, There have been some rumours about a new UK exclusive for a store called Beales in the UK...so I've just been looking at the Beales website...and on the home page there is a section "Beales 125 years young". If you click there and then scroll down to page 3, there is a shadowed bear in a box on the right hand side of the page, with a message saying :

"Top Secret special limited edition Beales Beanie Bear coming to Beales in October. Very collectible and very exclusive!! £5.99"

Sounds like Ty...but doesn't actually say so.....a case of watch this space!, do you think???

This year, she was put in touch with Beanie Baby Ambassador, a Paradise Valley organization that uses the small stuffed critters as ambassadors.

"We decided to expand our letter-writing campaign to include the stuffed animals," Martine said. "We'll send them with our letters and ask the soldiers to distribute them to the children of Iraq."

The goal is to collect at least 770 Beanie Babies, about the same size as Kiva's pupil population, by today. Kiva is at 6911 E. McDonald Drive in Paradise Valley. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ASK TY
Q: What was the best advice you've ever received? (submitted by pocketswoof)
A: My Mom told me to "always do my best" and "you can do anything you set your mind to" but most of all . . . "treat others as you would want to be treated" ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

Although it says NO orders will be accepted prior to October 2nd, several readers have already place orders and have received confirmation.

HAMLEY'S INVITATION
Thanks to John for sharing photos of his invitation to the launch of Hamley & William. You will notice the invitations makes mention of a free gift from Ty. http://www.planetbeans.com/JohnsPictures.htm

September 13, 2006
HAMLEY'S BEARS BOTH AVAILABLE
As of this writing at 5:25am EST BOTH Hamley and William are IN STOCK once again. I expect to see out of stock appear soon so if you wish to order you may want to do so quickly.

Two New Ty Beanie Babies(R) Carried Exclusively this Halloween Season at Borders(R) and Waldenbooks(R) Stores
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning today, Borders, Borders Express(TM) and Waldenbooks stores nationwide will exclusively carry two Halloween inspired Beanie Babies. The Halloween Beanies® include Frightful(TM), a very un-frightful looking black cat, who holds a giant candy corn and wears a witch's hat complete with a spider and spider webs, and Haunts(TM), a loveable gourd orange bear, dressed in a black pointed hat and a pumpkin-decorated bow tie.

Regularly priced at $6.99, customers and fans of Beanie Babies will be able to purchase one of these Beanies at the discounted price of $4.99, while supplies last, with the purchase of any two children's books. To find the nearest Borders or Waldenbooks store, visit http://www.bordersstores.com .

"We are excited to have this opportunity to introduce Frightful and Haunts to those who are new to Beanie Babies as well as to our customers who are lifelong fans," said Diane Mangan, category director of children's books for Borders Group, Inc. "These loveable characters will bring joy to anyone who gives them a home. Paired with books that celebrate the season, the Beanie Babies will make a wonderful gift to anyone who loves Halloween." VIEW PRESS RELEASE HERE

September 12, 2006
HAMLEY'S BEARS BOTH AVAILABLE
As of this writing at 5:36am EST BOTH Hamley and William are IN STOCK once again. I expect to see out of stock appear soon so if you wish to order you may want to do so quickly.

SHIPPING COST REMINDER
Items: £11.98 (2 bears) ($22.43 USD)
Postage & Packing: £40.99 ($76.74 USD - this is for up to 4 bears)
Estimated Tax: £-9.26

TOTAL: £43.71 ($81.85 USD)

MARILYN'S PHOTOS
Thank you to Marilyn for sharing her great photos of Baby Boy, Baby Girl, Superstition, Trick R. Treat, Ghoulish, Shudders, You're A Sweetie, Yikes and Awareness: http://www.planetbeans.com/MarilynsPhotos.htm

Ty & Hamleys are Proud to Celebrate the Launch of the New Exclusive Ty Display Called Noah's Ark at Hamleys Regent Street, London on Saturday 16th September Starting at 9.30am
LONDON, September 12 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate this special occasion Ty have produced two exclusive Hamleys teddy bears which are naturally called William & Hamley, William is red and Hamley is white and are both decorated with a beautiful gold ribbon along with the Hamleys logo.

The day will thrill the true Ty collector as well as introduce many to the wonderful world of collecting. True to form the quantities are unknown and are not of equal availability!!! For a real special treat some of these bears will be signed by Mr. Ty Warner himself.

The event will be enjoyed by people of all ages and both sexes and there will be entertainment provided throughout the day. For those lucky enough to receive a personal invitation to the celebration there will be a free gift available from the representatives from Ty.

Hamleys was established by William Hamley in London in 1760. Over the years Hamleys has developed an international reputation for choice, quality and innovation. Today, Hamleys is an internationally recognised toy retailer with ambitious plans to further grow the brand. Online shopping enables Hamleys magic to be delivered throughout the world www.hamleys.com
VIEW PRESS RELEASE HERE

INFO ABOUT ORDERING JOHNNY
After hearing from several collectors about problems ordering Johnny I contacted John from the National 4-H Council. When trying to place an order for the new Johnny Ty Beanie Baby the following message appears when adding to the shopping cart: "We are sorry, our current stock levels are less than the quantity requested. Do you wish to backorder the remainder? 1 item will be backordered." The reason this message is appearing is NOT because it's sold out. The bear will not be shipping until October 30th. You can enter your quantity in the shopping cart and continue with the ordering process. ALL orders placed will be shipped out on October 30th, when they are in stock. I hope this clears up any confusion. http://4-hmall.org/detail.aspx?ID=18965

UPDATE: Kelly writes: "Lisa – Sorry about the confusion on this. We will receive our shipment of 4-H John Deere Bears from Ty by October 30^th and have not yet sold through on our allocation of these items at this time. We will remove the bear from the store site when we have actually sold all of the pieces we have been allocated.

I will work with my webmaster to modify the message that pops up when people place a backorder for the item to make it clearer what we mean.

Thanks for your help and we appreciate the exposure you have given all of our 4-H Ty pieces now and in the past."

Kelly Carpenter
Director
National 4-H Supply Service
6931 Arlington Road Suite T 400
Bethesda , MD 20814
301-961-2943
Fax 301-961-2937
www.4-hmall.org

Ty Continues To Fund Breast Cancer Research With The Introduction Of Two New Beanie Babies(R)
Ty Inc. Donates To Breast Cancer Charities
OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Ty continues its support of breast cancer research and awareness with the creation of Awareness(TM) the Beanie Baby(R). Awareness(TM), a pink bear wearing a pink ribbon on its chest, has been created by Ty to lend its support to the fight against breast cancer by donating a portion of the profits from the sale of this Beanie to various breast cancer charities. It is currently available in Ty authorized retail stores nationwide. The poem written on its tag reads: Mothers, sisters, daughters, wives
The special women in our lives
Let's all join hands and do what's right
For them, let's try to win this fight!
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20021118/TYLOGO ) Continuing the support it began in 2003 with the introduction of Cure(TM) the Beanie Baby, which benefited the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Ty has also introduced a special edition of the popular character, SpongeBob SquarePants, in honor of the cause. Sales of this SpongeBob PinkPants Beanie Baby, also available in retail stores nationwide, will also aid in the fight against breast cancer. "We are proud to continue to fund organizations dedicated to finding a cure for this terrible disease," said Ty Warner, CEO/Chairman of Ty Inc. and Beanie Baby creator. "So many of us know someone who has been affected by breast cancer, and it is up to all of us to work together to find a cure for this terrible disease." VIEW FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

September 11, 2006
Five Years On: 2,992 Lives Remembered
Privately & Publicly, Americans Mark The Day Their World Changed

(CBS/AP) It's been five years. Five long years, some would say; others feel just the opposite – as if Muhammad Atta and his crew passed through security only yesterday on their way to the Sept. 11 terror attacks which brought untold sorrow and a new frame of mind to the United States of America, its allies and its enemies.

President Bush, who calls the anniversary "a day of renewing resolve," is vowing to never "forget the lessons of that day." He says there is "still an enemy out there who would like to inflict the same kind of damage again."

As Americans and others around the world began ceremonies of remembrance of the 2,992 who were killed – two previously unseen terror videos surfaced. The first, found on the Internet Sunday, is said to show Osama bin Laden and his followers possibly planning the attacks. The second video, which turned up a few hours later, calls on Muslims to step us their resistance against the U.S. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Counselor Hopes To Ease Stress Of Young Students
Old Saybrook — Jennifer Silva's office in the Kathleen E. Goodwin School is a relaxing and reassuring place, where a small fountain gurgles cheerfully on a shelf, a rocking chair awaits visitors and Beanie Babies are strewn across the surface of a low table.

It's a place where little kids with problems big and small come to “chill out” occasionally, and hopefully confide in Silva about what's bothering them.

Silva is the Goodwin School's new counselor. A professional flutist who plays chamber music in her spare time, she was hired this summer to take over for Kathy Scully, who took over as counselor at Old Saybrook High School.

She went next door and offered assistance. She sat at a small table with the weepy little girl, and quickly figured out that Beanie Babies could help her communicate with someone so young.

“She decided she would be the giraffe and I would be the bunny,” Silva said.

Within moments, the crisis was calmed and the little girl, who had become upset after being embarrassed about a question-and-answer session with the teacher, went back to her classroom mollified. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Navratilova goes out a winner
NEW YORK — Martina Navratilova went out a winner last night when she and partner Bob Bryan won the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship on Arthur Ashe Stadium after the women's final. As she approaches her 50th birthday, Navratilova announced she would retire from the doubles game after this tournament. So the 6-2, 6-3 victory over Kveta Peschke and Martin Damm put the crowning moment on a storied career.

chocolate chip has been removed from the
osiris2 (Sep 09, 2006, 05:00 PM)
Message Id: 1121285

osiris2 writes: midwest airline store. wonder if it will be back for sale on the site or will we have to call for it. if we have to call for it forget i will just get it secondary. http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_19-1121285-0-1,00.html

September 8, 2006
Barbie goes silver at 25th annual fair
If you're interested in buying antique dolls or browsing for other classic toys, the Central Texas Doll Fair might have just what you're looking for.

This Saturday at the Heart O' Texas Complex, a Waco tradition will continue with its 25th year of selling "such a variety of everything you could think of pertaining to dolls," said Annette Hartpence, show chairwoman. This is Hartpence's third year as chairwoman and her sixth year to be involved with the show.

The fair's purpose is "to buy and sell to the public all kinds of dolls and toys," Hartpence said.

The doll show will showcase 40-50 dealers. Several thousand people will come from around the country, Hartpence said.

A variety of antique and modern dolls and doll accessories, books, teddy bears, TY Beanie Babies and other collectibles will be sold at the show. The most popular dolls have always been Barbies, Madame Alexander dolls and antique dolls from the 1800s, Hartpence said.

The show is hosted by the Central Texas Doll Club, which has 53 members and meets at Baylor's Wiethorn Visitors Center. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

CONSUMER TRENDS: Stashed-away items may be collectibles
Next time you're poking around Grandpa's barn for antiques, try looking on the roof instead. Antique weather vanes are some of the hottest collectibles on the market.

But you don't need a weather vane to know which way the wind is blowing in the collectibles market these days. Consider stashing away a few items that are popular today, in hopes that they'll be hot in 2026.

Below are some tips on what makes a collectible a collectible, according to Gannett News Service.

Origin. You could sell a stuffed blowfish if Elvis kept it on his nightstand. It will certainly sell if Elvis signed it.

Condition. Collectibles are worth more if they're in pristine condition. Scratches, dents or ham-fisted repairs slash the value of antique furniture. And you should never clean an old coin or tape an old letter.

Popularity. A few years ago, people could finance a trip to space by trading Beanie Babies. Though there's still a lively market in the stuffed toys, Beanie Baby prices are teenier now. VIEW ARTICLE HERE

FEDER-BEAR BEANIE BABY TO COME
Support the ATP's charitable efforts for UNICEF through the purchase of the "Feder-bear" beanie baby. The "Feder-bear," a take-home version of UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador and ATP's #1 ranked player Roger Federer, will be available for purchase this holiday season.

Proceeds from the sale of each bear will benefit the "ACE" program (Assisting Children Everywhere), a global partnership between the ATP and UNICEF to help ensure health, education and protection of children around the world.

By joining the waiting list now, you will be the first to receive information and news on the launch date and availability of the limited edition Feder-bear! VIEW PHOTO & INFO HERE

ASK TY
Q: September 9th is National Teddy Bear Day; how do you plan to celebrate it? (submitted by fairylady)
A: I like to celebrate it by giving Beanies to pediatric wards at various hospitals. I find it's always best to celebrate with others that way, don't you ? http://www.ty.com/askty_home

September 7, 2006
HAMLEY'S IS NOW TAKING PRE-ORDERS
I received an email today from a very reliable source with the following info:
Ty Hamley Beanie Bear (Limited Edition, Hamleys Exclusive, only 5000 available!) and Ty William Beanie Bear (Limited Edition, Hamleys Exclusive, only 3000 available!) are posted for pre-ordering. However, at this time it states Sorry - Out of stock for both bears. You can be put on an email list to be notified when the item is back in stock. I'm not sure if they really are out of stock. I'm guessing it says they are out of stock because they aren't yet available. The bears are selling for £5.99 each.

Hamleys Toy Store
188-196 Regent Street
London
TEL: 0870 333 2455 ( remember to use the UK dialing code )
www.hamleys.co.uk

Hamley's description: This is the limited edition Hamleys 'Hamley' Beanie baby. In 1760 the first Hamley's store Was opened and filled up with toys galore The best in the world he desired it to be And achieve this he did, to all of our glee! http://www.hamleys.com/invt/0000000575167

William's description: This is the limited edition Hamleys 'William' Beanie baby. In 1760 the first Hamley's store Was opened and filled up with toys galore The best in the world he desired it to be And achieve this he did, to all of our glee! http://www.hamleys.com/invt/0000000575175

NOTE: I followed the ordering process to see what shipping would be to the United States and found the following info:

Items: £11.98 (2 bears) ($22.43 USD)
Postage & Packing: £40.99 ($76.74 USD)
Estimated Tax: £-9.26

TOTAL: £43.71 ($81.85 USD)

Shipping is incredibly high but I'm sure many of you will be placing an order.

STATUS: It still says 'Sorry - Out of stock'

Extra Information: A limited number of the Hamleys beanies have been signed by TY. These will only be available on the official launch day of September 16th where he will be unveiled at the Hamleys Regent Street store at 9:30 am. Purchases of the signed Beanies will be limited per customer. Further information available on launch day in store..

Update on MC Anniversary Bear
nanabanana (Sep 07, 2006, 10:25 AM)
Message Id: 1120962
nanabanana writes: I just received a call from a supervisor at MBNA and he said they are getting the correct bears mailed out now and we should be receiving them soon. He said the person handling the shipments failed to change the setting to MC #5 and the #4s were automatically mailed by mistake. He was very nice and seemed to be very knowledgeable about the situation. There is still hope.
Everyone have a beaniful day.
Hugs/Nana
http://www.ty.com/tytalk_Message_Display/1,1581,1_21-1120962-0-1,00.html

TY WALLPAPER
I've received many emails from people wondering if I knew why the Ty wallpaper wasn't introduced at the beginning of the month. Fortunately, the wallpaper has FINALLY been introduced. http://www.ty.com/Sep06Wallpaper

September 6, 2006
Timeout with: Taylor Fouser, Timberline soccer
Q: What was your favorite toy as a child?

A: I was a big collector of Beanie Babies and I thought I was a businessman in the making because I would always try to buy the rare ones with the thought of appreciation and big sales running through my head. However, I could never get myself to sell them, so now all I have is an excess of little worthless bears around my house. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

2007 ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS/GREAT CAUSE
The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Foundation is selling the 2007 Entertainment books as a fundraiser for their group. The Entertainment books are filled with 2 for 1 or 50% off discounts on restaurants, local merchants, grocery stores, airfare, rental cars, movies, museums, sporting events, massages, thousands of hotels throughout the US/Mexico and Canada, video rentals, pet supplies, etc. The books are available for most cities in the US and make great birthday, wedding, housewarming or Christmas gifts. They can be mailed to you or to another person if you are giving the book as a gift. $20 each.

Approximately $5 from each sale goes to our nonprofit group ....it supports our efforts to give support to individuals who have lost a baby to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. We provide free counseling and support to parents, help with funeral expenses when needed and also conduct extensive free workshops for daycare providers, community groups, high schools, and emergency responders on SIDS including how to lower the risk of SIDS.

You can order a book for your area by contacting Gayla Reiter at gayla@mindspring.com ; by clicking through the link on her website at www.gaylareiter.com or by going online to the entertainment site (www.entertainment.com/email ). If you order directly from the entertainment site, please enter our seller's number which is 227192 and mail a copy of the confirmation email to me at gayla@mindspring.com so that our group will receive credit for the sale.

September 4, 2006
MORE ON THE 2 UK EXCLUSIVES
John writes: " Hi Lisa, I've just spoken to Hamleys, Regent Street, London.

The assistant has confirmed that there are indeed 2 Ty Exclusives to be released on September 16th in store. They are opening a new Ty department in the store 2 days earlier, which promises to be much better than what they have now. No pre-orders are being accepted for these releases - you need to be there on the day!!

TY - UK NEWS
I received an email today from a very reliable source with the following info:
The 3 new Beatrix Potter beanies are at the Birmingham trade show but they are not available to order by retailers until 1st October with delivery due later in October.

Y Ddraid Goch Buddy is now available to all UK account holders and not just Wales.

AND.......'Tis rumoured that Mr Ty Warner himself, has signed some of the Hamleys exclusive beanies!!! not sure exactly how many though-sorry-not many I doubt though :-)

September 3, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TY!
Have a wonderful and memorable birthday. It takes a special person to be able to bring so many people together from all over the world. Thank you! :o)

Bonkers over Beanies Beanie background
IT was love at first sight the minute she set eyes on the little purple teddy bear called Princess.

This exclusive Ty Beanie Baby was specially created to honour the late Princess Diana, Princess of Wales.

Like an angel, she came from heaven above
She shared her compassion, her pain, her love
She only stayed with us long enough to teach
The world to share, to give, to reach.

“My husband and I had encountered this charming bear at a swap meet (flea market equivalent) in Hawaii where we were residing in 1997. But I knew I couldn’t afford its steep US$250 (RM930) price tag. So, I left with a heavy heart,” said Nancy Aguirre, 57.

“On our 13th wedding anniversary, Ray (her husband) presented a gift box to me.

“I exclaimed to Ray, ‘Oh my God! I can’t believe you spent so much on me’,” Aguirre reminisced with a smile.

And that triggered her passion for Ty Beanie Babies that can cost between a few dollars and several thousand.

“I’d spend every week going beanie-hunting at craft fairs. My collection soon grew to 3,000 and I had to rent a space in a warehouse to store them in crates. I visit them at least once a month to see if they’re OK. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTOS HERE

Andre Agassi's Tennis Career Ends
Legend Says U.S. Open Marks His Retirement
(CBS News) NEW YORK Worn down and wincing, Andre Agassi could only stand and watch the final shot whiz by.

A career for the ages came to a close Sunday when Agassi lost to the 112th-ranked player in the world, with Benjamin Becker serving an ace to finish off a 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5 victory in the third round at the U.S. Open.

Agassi nearly forced a fifth set, but Becker broke Agassi's serve late in the fourth set.

A tearful Agassi received a standing ovation and thanked the fans at the U.S. Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens.

"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what I've found," Agassi said. Speaking to spectators, he added, "You have willed me to succeed, sometimes in my lowest moments."

The 36-year-old Agassi, playing in the final tournament of his career and fighting a bad back, had been on court for more than seven hours already, including his five-set thriller against eighth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis that began Thursday night and finished in the wee hours of Friday. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTOS HERE

(NOTE: Although this isn't Beanie related I wanted to share. I watched the final farewell a short time ago on CBS and it was very emotional. I've watched Andre play tennis for years and watched him grow up from that bratty kid to the professional he became. What a class act! Tennis won't be the same without Agassi. Best of luck to you and your family. I'm sure Steffi and the kids will enjoy you being home with them.)

BLAST FROM THE PAST (APRIL 30, 2005)
In Business Q and A
Andre Agassi, founder of the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation
Q. Last year your Grand Slam for Children's benefit raised $6.1 million for your charities and the foundation, which was down slightly from 2003. Are those charitable giving patterns likely to continue?

A. In 2003 we raised $12.6 million because we raised $6.3 million and we had Ty Warner match the whole thing. You're talking about a generous person who steps up and says I'll double whatever you make. We definitely don't count on that every year but certainly appreciate it. We've been very successful with our event so much so that we are now being more concerned about the evening representing everything we want it to be for everybody so that year after year we can do this, which means cutting down the auction a little bit so that it's more efficient and more of an overall enjoyable evening, which is going to cost a few dollars but we'll make that up in the long run. VIEW FULL INTERVIEW HERE

2 NEW UK EXCLUSIVES TO COME
I received an email today from a very reliable source with the following info:
Hamleys Toy Store in Regent Street London, are releasing 2 store exclusive TY BEANIE BABIE BEARS! Their release date is 16th September at 9.30 am. I would imagine they are orderable via their website or over the telephone ( details below ). I am unsure of the ACTUAL numbers of each edition, BUT, APPARENTLY, they are VERY limited!!!!! Happy Hunting!!!

Hamleys Toy Store
188-196 Regent Street
London
TEL: 0870 333 2455 ( remember to use the UK dialing code )
www.hamleys.co.uk

September 1, 2006
ASK TY
Q: Are you going to attend the Championship Match at the US Open this year? (submitted by 8885207)
A: I would love to . . . if I can get a ticket ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

ALL BEANIE INFO PAGES UPDATED
I've managed to find the time to make all the necessary updates with the newest releases. The Beanie Calendar has also been updated - all on one page! I wasn't able to find a birthdate for Awareness so I'm unsure if there will be one. http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm

BALI KEY-CLIP
It appears that the Bali key-clip is in Ty's image directory. It's only a matter of time for it to appear in the current or retired list. It's anyone's guess as to why this key-clip hasn't been announced yet. http://www.ty.com/images/products/21289_lg.gif

ORDERING CHOCOLATE CHIP
Ty Chocolate Chip Beanie Bear
Smooth landings make for one happy bear I'm friendly and I've got cookies to share I fly with an airline that''s unique and so rare Its fans call it, "The best care in the air" ! BEARS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON OCTOBER 2, 2006. NO ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THAT DATE. http://www.midwestairlinesstore.com/product.i?sku=YXTy