They are rated, when I get one, on my usual scale of from 1 BEAN = forget it! to 6 BEANS = kewl.

On 30 December Ty announced Issy, named after Isadore Sharp, founder and chairman of the Four Seasons Resorts, in memory of Christopher Sharp (1960-1978).  Only available for adoption by guests staying in the Four Seasons Resort in New York City.  All profits from Issy will go to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan to aid Pediatric Cancer research.

A small glitch seems to be attached to this new bear. The CHEAPEST room rates start at $475/night! To me that is just a tad over my usual Beanie budget -- for an entire year! Maybe you can just visit someone staying there, or simply catch anyone walking in to register -- OR order chewing gum from their exclusive shops and get one of these bears? Come on TY. It is kewl to donate $$ to any charity, BUT is YOUR hotel doing so poorly that THIS is the only way you can attempt to drum up business? And, as with the other for charity Beanies, just how much IS the profit on EACH one? Inquiring minds want to know!

Seems as if shop owners will be getting a special new bear - Thank You - could it be the end of the critters, or just one last thanks for this years sales? I guess we shall all know soon enough.

Two bears - Sunny and Periwinkle.

I guess it was easier to send them to the Adoption Centers than sell them online, with all the problems they had with the last one?

Try to get the 2 different tag variations. One has eBeanie on the back, and the other has a barcode.

McDonalds is going to have a set of three special election year Beanies - Lefty, Righty and Libearty! They will be available while supplies last and are U.S.A. EXCLUSIVES!

28 September - NEW HOLIDAY Beanies

Buckingham England

Chinook Canada

I knew it was only a matter of time before Ty did a wizard bear to keep pace with the Harry Potter Celebrity Bear craze!

August 2000

Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat and Ox

Be careful though when you try to find the animal that matches your birth year. Since the Chinese zodiac is based on the Lunar calender, the new year does NOT begin on 1 January, and you would need a very detailed reference to determine the actual animal corresponding with your birthday. ALL of the info which I have seen thus far on the various Beanie-related sites is extremely generic and does NOT explain this important detail! According to some references in my research library I am either a Dragon or a Rabbit, depending on my REAL day of birth in 1940. And I assume that the birth hour would also make any analysis of a person's character, relationships, etc. more precise in this centuries-old horoscope system.

If you have an interest in horoscopes, their history and evolution, do a WEB search and check out some other exotic zodiacal systems such as the Hindu or the Arabic. Isn't it strange that modern scientists say that horoscopes are hogwash when, for over a thousand years, various cultures have used them, and some even have similar animals and/or sign characteristics!! We are ALL Children of the Universe, or Star Children!

Although the actual names may change BEFORE they finally appear in the official adoption centers, here is the list that seems to be circulating :

Aruba the Fish, Bananna the Monkey, Buzzy the Buzzard, China the Panda, Howl the Wolf, Huggie the Bear, Lurkie the Turkey, Oats the Horse, Pellet the Hamster, Prince the frog, Slayer the Lizard, Tricks the Retriever, Whiskers the Dog

Hey, I had his poem in my Newsletter way back in May!!

Cinders the black bear, Righty 2000 (red white and blue version of the old elephant), Lefty 2000 (red white and blue version of the old donkey), Peek-a-boo the turtle, Cashew the brown teddy Cheeser the mouse, India the Tiger, Sniffer the Beagle, Squirmy the worm, Fetcher the brown doggie, Runner, the Mustelidae (this is the scientific Family name for a group of predacious animals including the weasels, skunks, badgers, otters, wolverines and martens - Ty seems to be getting a tad vague all of a sudden!) [see PICS of these above]

Calliope, the Jester Bear, Kingston the Lion, Easton the Panda, River, the Blue Bear, Clay, the Orange Bear, Fern, the Green Bear, Mulligan, the Golf Bear, Baron the Bear with leather jacket, Franny the American Bear, Marigold the Yellow Bear, Scarlet the Pink Bear, Armstrong, the Aqua Bear

Calypso, Buzz, Cookie, Princess

Hey, I really like them! I have been trading some stuff, and got the following.

[L to R, clockwise from top] - Angel, blonde girl, blue flower-print dress [6], Chipper, a long haired blonde boy in plaid shorts [6], Curly, girl in yellow dress with applied flowers [6], Ginger, girl with plaid jumper with flowers at straps [6], Rascal, a darkish boy in plaid shorts [6], Tumbles, brown haired boy in jeans shorts [6], Boomer, a curly blonde boy in plaid shorts [6], Cutie, curly-haired dark complexioned girl with red flowered dress, Precious, blond girl with pink polka-dot dress [6]. They all wear clothes marked with a sewed-on ty GEAR label. THEY ARE ALL KEWL!

2000 Signature bear [6], The Beginning - bear [6], Swoop - Pterodactyl [6+], Halo II - Angel Bear [4], Frigid - Penguin [3], Aurora - Polar Bear [6], Springy - Lavendar bunny [4], Swampy - Alligator [5], Grace - praying bunny [4], Wiggly - Octopus [5], Trumpet - Elephant [4], Sarge - German Shepherd [3], Sneaky - Leopard [4], Fleecie - lamb [3], Rufus - dog [4], Scurry - beetle [6], Morrie - eel [6], Glow - lightning bug [6], Niles - Camel [5], Bushy - Lion [5], Wisest - owl [3]

Berkley (brown bear), Fairchild (gray mouse), Rosalyn (white bunny), Blush (cream bunny), Beverly (gold bear), Amore (white bear with red heart), Carson (brown bear), Hayes (peach bear), Harper (cream bear), Cromwell (rose mouse) [6], Darlene (tan bear with rose dress), Blarney (bear with green shamrock sweater) [4]