From: spam@spideyatmailnotgods.net   
      
   Hi Bret,   
      
   I check the newsgroup once or twice a week now.  I've donated most of   
   my beanies (all the commons and some of my spare bears) to two   
   foundations, one for battered women (since they bring their children   
   with them) and the other to the Ronal McDonald Foundation.   
      
      
   I've purchased three beas in the past year, one was the CAnadian   
   exclusive, and two were bears with flower print son them.  The names   
   escape me.   
      
   At one time I used to know the names of all the beanies, now it's not   
   that important to me.   
      
   My bears are displayed in the house but it's not like I rush anywhere   
   to get beanies anymore.  Every now and then, I'll remember when I used   
   to go hunting once or twice a week for the new beanies.   
      
   Wow have times changed.   
      
   Linda   
      
      
   On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 00:07:37 GMT, Bret Wiersbe   
    wrote:   
      
   >I'm probably posting to a small audience, but it's been awhile since   
   >I've lurked on ACBB.  This place is a ghost town!  Well, here's some   
   >news that might get people going.  McDonald's is celebrating the 25th   
   >anniversary of the Happy Meal.  Toy surprises that once started as some   
   >very basic McDonaldland toys has grown into huge corporate partnerships   
   >with Mattel, Disney, Furbies, and of course Ty.  The 1997 Teenie Beanie   
   >promotion was the biggest and most successful Happy Meal promotion in   
   >history.  Good sources claim that McDonald's will have some special   
   >Teenie Beanies later this summer to celebrate 25 years of the Happy   
   >Meal.  I must confess, I'm kind of excited.  Although the regular line   
   >of Beanies have significantly declined in popularity, I've always felt   
   >that Teenie Beanies were one of Ty's best ideas.   
   >   
   >So who still collects?  I still buy a few.  I just recently bought   
   >Piñata the Mexican bear.  I found the one with the "flag" nose (those   
   >are about 1:12) but not too hard to find.  I expect an American Bear   
   >similar in "flag fabric" soon.  Other than that, the new releases have   
   >been pretty dull.  Have you seen the Circus Beanies?  Another failed   
   >attempt similar to the Chinese Zodiacs.  I haven't seen much on the Ty   
   >Store worth buying.  Besides, when there are only 1 or 2 available at a   
   >time, it's not worth paying Ty's outrageous shipping costs.  Oh, and   
   >he's still wasting fabric on Buddies.  Why he never made the really old   
   >Beanies like Trap the Mouse, Web the Spider, and Kiwi the Toucan into   
   >Beanies is beyond me.   
   >   
   >All my best,   
   >   
   >~ ~ Bret ~ ~   
   >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)