History of the Teddy Bear - Part I

It is hard to imagine what life would be like without teddy bears. But, it was not always that way. Part 1 of this three-part history of this teddy bear series will guide you through the early years starting in the early 1900s. What is interesting to note, about the history of the teddy bear, is the fact that its origin occurred in the same year in two different parts of the world. One in the United States of America during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency and the other in Germany. Here is the teddy bear's story.

In the early 1900s, 1902 to be exact, a cartoonist by the name of Clifford Berryman drew a cartoon called "Drawing the Line in the Mississippi". It showed the then president, Theodore Roosevelt, refusing to shoot a baby bear that his men had captured and tied to a tree. According to history, Roosevelt had traveled to Mississippi to help settle a border dispute. To help please the president, his hosts took him bear hunting; but because the hunting was so poor, his men captured a small bear and tied the bear to a tree for the president to shoot. Roosevelt refused. This story was later captured in cartoon form by Berryman.

Following its initial publication in the Washington Post, November 16, 1902, the cartoon created an immediate sensation, and it was subsequently reprinted in other papers. Including a newspaper in New York. There, this cartoon inspired Morris and Rose Michtom to create a bear in honor of the president's actions. Rose Michtom made a bear, named it "Teddy's Bear" and put it in their store window where it was immediately sold. More bears were created and quickly sold. It did not take long before the Michtoms could not keep up with the demand. It was then that they founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company, the first teddy bear manufacturer in the United States. During the course of their discovery, the Michtom's wrote to the president and asked for permission to use the name "Teddy" in his honor. The president agreed.

Simultaneously in Germany, Margarete Steiff's nephew was working in her stuffed toy business [Steiff] and had drawn sketches of bear cubs that were in the Stuttgart Zoo. These designs were used to created a prototype of a toy bear. A number of months later, Steiff introduced its first bear at the Leipzig Toy Fair. Although European buyers showed minimal interest, there was growing interest in "Teddy's Bear" in America due to the publicity surrounding the president and the bear cub. An America buyer ordered 3000 bears to be shipped to America.

By 1906, the United States was in the midst of a teddy bear craze. This would be comparable to the Cabbage Patch doll craze in the 1980s and the most recent Beanie Baby craze of the 1990s. An American composer J.K. Bratton created the score for the Teddy Bear's Picnic with the lyrics being provided by Jimmy Bratton. Teddy bear adventure story books were being written and the teddy bear manufacturers were creating teddy bears that came in all shapes and sizes. The apostrophe 's' was dropped from "Teddy's Bear" and the word "teddy bear" became the accepted term for this soft plush toy. Steiff, also, adopted the world "teddy bear" for their bear products.

Other competitors sprang up to get into the forray of manufacturing teddy bears; but many did not last the test of time. Except one, Gund Manufacturing Corporation, which started making bears in 1906 and is still creating them today.

In 1926 over in England, A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin Milne's father, starting writing stories about his son's adventures with his teddy bear and other stuffed animals. Father and son made many trips to the London Zoo and there fell in love with "Winnie" an orphaned bear. And the Winnie the Pooh series was born.

History of the Teddy Bear - Part II will discuss more great years between 1920-1940

Koala Bears - What's in a Name?

Don't you just love koala bears? They look so much like teddy bears - so cute and cuddly. But did you know that they should not really be called koala bears because they are not really bears at all? So where did the name "koala bears" come from?

Before the European settlement in Australia in the late 18th century, the different Australian Aboriginal tribes had different names for the koala such as cullawine, carbora or kola. It is probably from these names that we get our word, "koala." It wasn't until ten years after European settlement that the first recorded sighting of a koala occurred where it was described as resembling the "sloths in America". The koala has also been called a monkey. Maybe the viewers spotted a gray animal perched high in a tree and assumed it was a creature they knew.

The most common term used for the koala in early European settlement years was "native bear". In many publications in the 19th and even into the 20th centuries the koala was referred to as a native bear, or simply, a bear.

Even in the children's story, Dot and the Kangaroo (by Ethel C. Pedley published in 1920) a koala is called a native bear. All through another children's story, Blinky Bill (by by Dorothy Wall published in 1939), which is a story about a naughty koala boy, koalas are called bears and the name of the mother koala alternates between Mrs Koala and Mrs Bear.

If that wasn't enough to convince you that koala bear was the proper name, in 1816 the koala was given the scientific name, phascolarctos cinereus, which means "ash colored pouched bear."

But this scientific name is deceiving because a koala is not a bear at all. It belongs to a group of mammals called marsupials. The mother koala has a pouch in which she carries her baby koala and feeds it milk until it is old enough to exist outside the pouch.

Teddy Bears - Toys & Collectables

Soft cuddly toys have been popular for well over a hundred years. The most famous is the Teddy Bear.

The name Teddy Bear comes from former US president Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was "Teddy", which came from a bear hunting incident in Mississippi in 1902. A few of Roosevelt's attendants had caught a black bear and tied it to a willow tree. They called Roosevelt and suggested he should shoot it. He refused on the grounds that it was unsportsmanlike, but instructed it to be put out of its misery after a long and brutal chase.

After the incident Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Clifford Berryman made the incident famous with the initial cartoon showing an adult black bear lassoed by a handler and a disgusted Roosevelt. After a series of cartoons the bear became smaller and cuter.

In 1903 Morris Michtom a candy store owner from Brooklyn who used to make soft cuddly toys in the evening with his wife saw the cartoons and started to make what would later be called Teddy Bears. By 1907 the demand was such that Michtom created The Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.

There is some controversy surrounding who actually made the first teddy because a German toy company called Steiff claims to have made them before Michtom and actually exported 3,000 to the United States in 1903.

Teddy Bears are categorised as "plush toys" this denotes the type of textile materials traditionally used to make them which generally consist of mohair, cotton, worsted yarn and silk. However nowadays they are often made from manmade fibres such as polyester.

In recent times the plush toy has enjoyed immense success especially during the 1980s when Care Bears became very popular. They were actually made famous by a series of greetings cards which were later made into television cartoons, soft cuddly toys, comics and later full length films. Teddy Ruxpin was another bear which was very popular in the '80s and was sold all over the world. This particular soft toy was an electronic talking bear and used the voice of actor Phil Baron.

Today Teddy Bears are still selling with annual sales far exceeding 1 billion dollars. The most widely sold brands of Teddy Bear are made by Gund and Ty Inc. Also the Build-A-Bear Shop has made it possible for children and adults to create their own bears, which has made the experience of owning a Teddy Bear far more personal.

The Teddy Bear has become an iconic figure in the world of soft cuddly toys and in many ways is a timeless childrens possession as well as a valuable collectable. There are museums, festivals and websites dedicated to Teddys and many have been sold for thousands of pounds. The most expensive ever sold have been made by Steiff to celebrate their 125th anniversary they created a gold Teddy Bear. Its mouth is made of gold its fur from gold thread and the eyes are made from sapphires and diamonds. Only 125 were made each with an $84,000 price tag making them the most expensive ever made.

Teddy bears are loved by everyone, but as they originate?

It is difficult to bear to imagine a world without our loved and loyal friend, Teddy Bear. Only in years with us for just over 100, his first appearance in 1902. Then, in one of those coincidences impossible to explain, Teddy was released the same year on opposite sides of the world - in Germany and the United States.

In America, the teddy bear was born with a cartoon showing President Theodore Roosevelt refused toshoot a bear cub. After this story Roosevelt had traveled to Mississippi border dispute between the state and Louisiana, and while there, found time to hunt bear. There were no bears, but he found his guests were desperate who had a good time. So eventually someone captured a bear and invited Roosevelt to shoot. Roosevelt's refusal to fire in a goal so helpless inspired the famous cartoon with its message about the two ways Roosevelt was drawing a line, that is, settlement of border disputes and refuse to shoot an animal in captivity.

The cartoon has caused an immediate sensation and was widely reprinted in the United States. It has inspired Morris and Rose Michtom of Brooklyn, New York, with an action, to take account of its President, and was called "Teddy Bear". E 'was inserted in the window of his New York candy and stationery. Instead of fierce and standing on all fours like a time, toysBears>, the bear has seen this cute, innocent and honest, like the bear in the now famous cartoon. This may be why "Teddy Bear" was so popular with adults and children around the country. In fact, demand was so strong that I am Tom, a wholesale firm called Butler Brothers Company founded the first teddy bear manufacturer in the United States, the new ideal and toys.

At the same time, but on the other side of the Atlantic, inGermany, a young man named Richard Steiff was for his aunt, Margarete Steiff, working in their full activity toy. Richard often visited the Stuttgart zoo animals, especially young people to draw the bears. In 1902, the year Tom made me the "Teddy Bear" by Steiff Toys Bears their first draft is based on Richard.

Over the next 100 years the Teddy Bear was the power and while other toy fads came and went, was to lead toenduring favorite with generations of children around the world. The bear is loved by adults too, because it is lovable, loyal and friendly. These qualities are evident in England, the latest generation of bears, pictures of Devon Devon Bear Designs products, the display of adorable little animals around the beautiful landscape of the south.

Wire Rope - Securing Cargo and Saving Lives

Transport companies put their careers and stability on the line with every load they haul, even if the load is something as simple as a trailer loaded down with the fluffiest of teddy bears. If there are issues with the freight during transport, the carrier is directly responsible for the cargo; that's why the security of that cargo is so important. When you want to keep freight in check you use all the necessary ratchet straps, hooks, cargo bars and wire rope to make sure that what you're hauling stays secure.

Some methods of securing freight are far superior to others. We tend to take for granted what we work with on a daily basis and don't realize that things like wire rope play such a massive role in fueling the economy and saving lives - it's not always just about the cargo.

For 69 days, 33 trapped Chilean miners prayed for a way to escape from the collapsed mine in San Jose. That relief finally came in a rescue effort that involved a two-thousand foot shaft, a transport container big enough for one man and a lot of wire rope that was imported from Germany specifically for this task.

The wire rope used during the rescue process did its job over and over, repeatedly taking the weight of the precious cargo (the miners) and the abuse of repeat friction through the winch system that raised and lowered the container through each rescue attempt. During the individual rescue of 33 miners, the wire rope suffered no issues.

Had other materials been used, replacement would have been necessary at least once during the process - especially if common rescue rope had been brought it for the job. The versatility that wire rope delivers is the kind of strength you want behind your freight when you're transporting cargo that sustains your business. If it's strong enough to secure the lives of men 33 times, running approximately 4000 feet per cycle without a break, then it's strong enough to keep your freight secure under virtually any circumstance.

Manipulation and Control in Relationships - The Teddy Bear and Goldilocks Syndrome

Manipulative people are a real pain in the butt. I know everyone does it to varying degrees. But like many problems in life, it is usually one of degree.

When you get caught up with someone on the high end of the manipulation bell distribution curve it is a real pain. And even worse- what if you are at the higher end of the distribution curve for people's susceptibility to manipulation. Well then you have a match made in both heaven (for the manipulator) and hell (for yourself).

The trouble is many people are highly manipulative or controlling without really realizing it. They mostly do it instinctively. Controlling their partner makes them feel safe. Challenge their control and they get stressed (a nice change at least for you). But then, they will increase their attempts to control you further.

There are many reasons why people want to control and manipulate. One reason (amongst a great many) is that the controller is trying to squeeze you into a mould of what they want you to be.

Now I know that many married men will be thinking of the old line "men want their wives to remain the way they were when they married, and women want to change the men they marry into what they think they should be". In reality, this is a two way street. Both men and women can have overly strong wishes to fit their partner into the mould of their dream person. When this happens, they can become controlling, resisting your attempts to be yourself.

Now, I am not talking about a wife trying to make her partner less of a slob, or a man trying to get his partner to be more up front about what she wants or feels ('if you loved me you would know').

I am talking about people who constantly chip away at your true self. One sign is that your partner is constantly criticising everything you do even when most of it is pretty good. Even worse is when they are telling you and other people what you feel and what you think. What you should be doing, who you should be seeing, and what you should be wearing. The archetypal control freak.

An analogy for trying to squeeze a partner into a mould is the teddy bears and dolls of our childhood. Teddy used to always know what we truly wanted and how to behave. Teddy was always the constant true 'person' who always cared and behaved the way they were supposed to.

Imagine if one day, teddy had spoken back and said- "No, I don't want to do that, I want to do this'. Uh oh. Teddy is not that nice perfect person anymore. This is a bit what it is like for many manipulators and controllers when their 'teddy' wakes up and tries to assert their independence a bit more.

Bad teddy (such a simple line makes us gulp with nervousness!)

Another form of control relates to Goldilocks. Remember how Goldilocks went around the bear's house looking for the 'perfect' fit. Well, many people carry some form of image of the 'perfect' person.

And no girls- I don't really mean that guys all want a blond bombshell with big 'knockers', an overwhelming desire to clean and cook, and a large inheritance. Or, that women want someone sensitive but rugged, rich but spends a lot of time doing things in the house, is a mind reader except when you don't want them to, and has no interest in looking at other women once he discovers the magnificent you.

I mean that controllers are trying to push you into the mould of what they want. As people grow in maturity, they should recognize and embrace the good and not so good (for them at least) in their partner. Sure, openly discuss and work on the most annoying or unfair attributes in each other. But don't jam your partner into a mould.

You have to ask- are controllers scared to take the risk of living with a 'real' person. Someone who may not do or agree with what they want or think all the time. Maybe their 'fantasy' person is much more comfortable and easy. A type of teddy, blow up rubber doll, or 'Ken'.

If you believe you are being controlled, start to learn more about your own susceptibility to manipulation. Develop your assertiveness. Learn how to deal with stress. And learn how and why people manipulate.

Be careful. Gaining your freedom might mean that you lose your partner if they can't adjust.

Be doubly careful if you suspect your partner (male or female) may react dangerously (aggressively or passively). Seek advice and help from experts.

The Origin of the Barbie and Ken Dolls

There are many children who have a favorite type of toy. This can be teddy bears, Cabbage Patch dolls, Care Bears, soft dogs and cats. They can even be the world famous Barbie and Ken dolls. These two dolls are well known by many people and not just children. While these two dolls are mainly used as toys by little girls, collectors will not hesitate to buy either of these should they come across one.

The Barbie and Ken dolls are made so that they resemble adults. The many different careers and styles of the years have an impact on the lives of these dolls. Today you will find that the world of Barbie has many accessories and items that can be used with either of these two dolls. There are also companion dolls that are of different ethnic backgrounds.

The original Barbie doll was based on a German doll called Bild Lilli. Once Mattel made Barbie and acquired the rights to the German doll, Lilli was soon discontinued. Barbie was then officially given the name Barbara Millicent Roberts. Ken was named Ken Carson. The names for the Barbie and Ken dolls were taken from the names of Ruth Handler, who was the original designer of Barbie.

While Barbie made her debut into the toy market during 1959 at the International Toy Fair in New York, Ken made his appearance during 1961. From 1961 Barbie and Ken have been considered as a couple. Their relationship was a on and off relationship. After a 43 year relationship, the Mattel Company decided that it was time for the two dolls relationship to end.

This separation lasted for about 2 years. In 2006 Barbie and Ken were made into a couple again. While the reason for the separation of the famous couple is probably due to a decline in sales, the reason they are a couple is that probably Barbie doesn't sound complete without Ken.

While the popularity of both Barbie and Ken is attributed to the clothes and accessories you can buy, the look of the dolls may also play an important role. For many young girls Barbies looks are in keeping with the careers that she keeps getting. This fashion conscious doll has gone from being merely a fashion doll to a pilot, doctor, airline stewardess, astronaut, rock star to even being a fairy tale princess or mermaid.

Now while Barbie and Ken are just toys they are iconic figures. The looks and careers you see these dolls appearing in are an indication of how toy fashions can change. The one constant perhaps is the imagination and the endless hours of fun that a girl can derive from just playing with her Barbie and Ken dolls.