An Open Letter to PayPal

Attn: Daniel H. Schulman

President of PayPal

 Dear Mr. Schulman,

My name is Brian Heiler, I am writing to you today as the owner of a small start-up business who is in need of your help.

During the Pandemic shut down, I like a lot of other people found myself without employment and I decided that this would be the time to launch my dream business, creating niche publications.

Over the next few months, I and several collaborators created a publication I was very proud of, so much so that I threw caution to the wind and spent my much-needed funds to create it. 

The dream became a nightmare when, on my launch date, I discovered PayPal was allowing me to take orders but not allowing me access funds to pay for postage or to pay for the other services involved. 

I could not access my funds until I provided some proof that my business was real.

My business FYI has had a PayPal account for almost a decade.

I have sent document after document on that list and they've all been rejected with no explanation.

Your customer service has been nearly impossible to speak to, one person just coldly told me to "Just go buy stamps" another person reminded me "they're busy" and it would be a ten-day wait.

I have sent the requested documents several times and spent over $200 (that I don't have) getting the documentation PayPal demanded and woke up today to find it was again rejected for no explanation and again, the email asked for the document I already provided.

This dream project is now a nightmare, I can't ship the orders yet people keep ordering (giving PayPal my money), I can't do my press release campaign because I don't know if PayPal will keep my money indefinitely. No one will speak to me or answer my questions.

The stress has now caused negative effects on my health and I have taken a leave of absence from my job.

All I want is to speak to someone at your financial institution today to advise as to how I resolve this manner in a reasonable time.

I hope that your financial institution can honour this reasonable request from a small start-up business that cannot survive to wait.

Yours Sincerely,

Brian Heiler

Star Trek Happy Meal Box

On my way home from the printers picking up samples of Toy-Ventures (coming this week) I stopped into The Toy Society, a retro shop on my way home.

When I saw this on the shelf, it had to come home with me. Fortunately for me, it was reasonable because my reaction to it certainly wasn't, it was like seeing an old friend.

 

These Happy Meals seem to represent a good time for me as a kid, where everything was going great and somehow that feeling of overwhelming optimism I had as a kid is now connected to this piece of cardboard. 

Honestly, I felt a swirl of emotion, things were going great at school, I had tons of friends, I had discovered Judy Bloom and Crestwood Monster books, I was really quite pleased with my fourth-grade existence. 

I don't want to get all "woo-woo" but you go through a lot of self-doubts when you start something like a new publication and before I got to the Toy Society, my head, already woozy from the fumes of printer's ink was also filled with the worry that I was suffering from the "Dunning Kruger" effect.

And that is why I was so excited to see what is essentially a food wrapper from a restaurant I only now eat at begrudgingly (breakfast excepted), for that minute it was a reminder of positive times and it had to be mine.

Also, it reminds me how EXCITED I was to see Star Trek: The Motion Picture, that movie's gonna rock!

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Toy-Ventures: Space Trek

 

For the last couple of years, I've been buying a collection of Knock-Offs and this month, I get to explore strange new worlds with the cast of "Space Trek" but this band of interstellar explorers sure are wearing some familiar cloths and actually some familiar heads too.

Yes Space Trek is another in a series of a toyline inspired by the left overs of another, much more well known one and in this case it's the Mego Star Trek line and The Ideal toys Star Team series. It's Knock-Off-A-Rific! 

Also, there is a major update about Toy-Ventures magazine, it's a good one.

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Life Size Fisher Price Adventure People Sleeping Bag

This came up on a twitter conversation with a fellow named Dave Skidmore, who received this life-size fisher price adventure people sleeping bag as a gift from a friend's mother.

If they sold these in stores, this would be in my car so fast.

It's just such a mind-blowing thing to see such a beloved classic toy accessory life-sized, I'm completely in awe of this wonderful item and I hope it makes you smile.

 

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Oh, Behave

Groupies for Paul Revere and the Raiders weren't large in number but they made up for it by taking it very seriously...

 

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Toy-Ventures Magazine Issue 1 is on the Press!

 

So happy to share these photos sent to me by my friends at Thompson Printing.

Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here!

Some updates, Shipping will likely begin next week, I will post an update when I have confirmation.

US Contributors- Your copies will be shipping from within in the US itself vis USPS.

Canadian and European Orders- I'll be shipping your orders from here but I'm prepped and ready to go.

Digital Orders- Expect an email with a link in the next week or so.

Extra copies will be available for sale on my website, ebay, etsy and more. I'll post links when they're live.

The main page for Toy-Ventures Magazine is right here.

Thanks, everyone for your support, it means a great deal.

Brian

Fisher Price Adventure People 1978

I had set 4,5,6,7 thanks to four rather prosperous Christmas times, If I had to pick an absolute favourite from this page, I'd say "Wilderness Patrol", which ones did you have?

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Sleeping Bag O Rama

 

This selection of sleeping bags from 1979 really taps into the pop culture at the time, it's a mish-mosh of TV Properties and popular brands. I'd have gone for the Black Hole at the time, you?

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

The Christmas Place for Boys

I couldn't decide whether to call this page "Dorkton Abbey" or the "Virgin Academy" so I'll let you choose.

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Toy-Ventures: Maskatron (Kenner Six Million Dollar Man)

 Toy-Ventures this week looks at what we believe to be the greatest villain action figure of the 1970s and perhaps the best action figure of the decade as well.

Kenner's Maskatron, the robotic face changing robot from Kenner's Six Million Dollar Man toy line is a wonderful bit of toy magic when some licenses a property but takes artistic license (anticipate a callback joke) and sets out to also make a toy with tremendous play value.

Bionic Jump over to our facebook group PodStallions:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/podstallions

Toy-Ventures Magazine is coming this month:

https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/magazine/

Welcome to a psychedelic happening

*psychedelic happenings are in my parent's basement, no shoes in the happening, happening ends at 10pm. 

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Terry! Terry! Terry!

I think this is from the rare Star Trek episode they only play after 11pm.

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Star Wars Masks!

There was no way I was getting $40 for a mask in 1978 but I envied those who did.

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: 

The First issue of Toy-Ventures magazine is almost here:

Toy-Ventures Magazine Update!

Good news! The press proof for Toy-Ventures Issue one arrived, this video gives you a sneak peek into issue 1. I also want to use this time to answer some questions I'm getting, announce a second issue and of course, thank all the wonderful folks who supported this dream.

What would you like to see covered in Toy-Ventures Issue 2?

Toy-Ventures Magazine Web Page:

https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/magazine/

Toy-Ventures: AHI Action Apeman

Clearly inspired by the Mego Planet of the Apes action figures, the AHI Action Apeman are some of the boldest knock offs ever produced, I'll explain why I think that in this video.

The First issue of Toy-Ventures is coming this August.

Pod Stallions 81: Isolation Binge Watch 2

We're back and well, we're not really going anywhere much these days, so let's talk about all the stuff we're watching.

Our subject this week is what we're watching to pass the time, not only from our physical media collections but from the various streaming services available in this wondrous age.
Topics include Doom Patrol Season 2, the oeuvre of Al Adamson, The Facts of Life, Danger Diabolik, what movies work best with MST3k riffs, Fletch, The Jerk, Matt Berry, campiness, What we do in the shadows, record city, and Zardoz cosplay.

Pod Stallions FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2226244254053126/

Please  give us spirited debate in our new Facebook group.

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Revenge is dish best served cold (In the break room)

"Well played Roy from purchasing, you've won this round upstaging me with that incredible zebra sweater, relish in your victory my friend for this is not over, soon, I  will be the one who is draped in Orlon and you will taste defeat Roy, this I swear on the blood of my forefathers!"

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Megoknockoff/

The First issue of PlaidStallion's Toy-Ventures Magazine is coming this July, the premier issue will be a salute to Azrak-Hamway international and features articles about Star Trek, Space:1999, World Famous Super Monsters, KISS and of course parachuting Superheroes. Learn more here:

Woke up on the dark side of the bed today....

Happy Monday! Here is another Star Wars bedspread that hopefully brings you some joy. I had the pillowcase for this set (I think I still do) and this always transports me to being 7.

Like Mego Knock-Offs? Join our Facebook group dedicated today, it's an intimate group that focuses just on vintage toys: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Megoknockoff/

The First issue of PlaidStallion's Toy-Ventures Magazine is coming this July, the premier issue will be a salute to Azrak-Hamway international and features articles about Star Trek, Space:1999, World Famous Super Monsters, KISS and of course parachuting Superheroes. Learn more here: