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Bridge

A log bridge

A bridge is a structure built to span a gorge, valley, road, railroad track, river, body of water, or any other physical obstacle. Designs may be built higher than otherwise needed in order to allow other traffic (particularly ship traffic) beneath.

The purpose of a bridge is to allow easier passage by providing a continuous more uniform more easily navigable route via what would otherwise be an uneven or impossible path for the particular kind of thing travelling or being transported, whether people, vehicles, trains, ships, liquids or whatever else.

History

The first bridges were spans made of wooden logs or planks and eventually stones, using a simple support and crossbeam arrangement.

The arch was first used by the Roman Empire for bridges and aqueducts, some of which still stand today. The Romans also had cement, which reduced the variation of strength found in natural stone. Brick and mortar bridges were built after the Roman era, as the technology for cement was lost then later rediscovered.

Rope bridges, a simple type of suspension bridge, were used by the Inca civilization in the Andes mountains of South America, just prior to European colonization in the 1500s.

During the 18th century there were many innovations in the design of timber bridges by Hans Ulrich, Johannes Grubenmann, and others. The first engineering book on building bridges was written by Hubert Gautier in 1716.

With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, truss systems of wrought iron were developed for larger bridges, but iron did not have the tensile strength to support large loads. With the advent of steel, which has a high tensile strength, much larger bridges were built, many using the ideas of Gustave Eiffel.

Etymology

The Oxford English Dictionary traces the origin of the word bridge to an Old Norse word bryggja, meaning "landing stage, gangway, or movable pier".

Types of bridges

There are four main types of bridges: beam bridges, cantilever bridges, arch bridges and suspension bridges.

By use

A bridge is usually designed for trains, pedestrian or road traffic, a pipeline or waterway for water transport or barge traffic. In some cases there may be restrictions in use. For example, it may be a bridge carrying a highway and forbidden for pedestrians and bicycles, or a pedestrian bridge, possibly also for bicycles.

An aqueduct is a bridge that carries water, resembling a viaduct.

Decorative and ceremonial bridges

To create a beautiful image, some bridges are built much taller than necessary. This type, often found in east-asian style gardens, is called a Moon bridge, evoking a rising full moon.

Other garden bridges may cross only a dry bed of stream washed pebbles, intended only to convey an impression of a stream.

Often in palaces a bridge will be built over an artificial waterway as symbolic of a passage to an important place or state of mind. A set of five bridges cross a sinuous waterway in an important courtyard of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. The central bridge was reserved exclusively for the use of the Emperor, Empress, and their attendants.

Index to types of bridges and bridge related topics

Bridge structural and evolutionary taxonomy

A bridge taxonomy showing evolutionary relationships

Bridges may be classified by how the four forces of tension, compression, bending and shear are distributed through their structure. Most bridges will employ all of the principle forces to some degree, but only a few will predominate. The separation of forces may be quite clear, as in a suspension or cable-stayed span; the elements in tension are distinct in shape and placement. In other cases the forces may be distributed among a large number of members, as in a truss, or not clearly discernible to a casual observer as in a box beam. Bridges can also be classified by their lineage, which is shown as the vertical axis on the diagram to the right.

Efficiency

A bridge's structural efficiency may be considered to be the ratio of load carried to bridge weight, given a specific set of material types. In one common challenge young students are to be divided into groups of two or three and then to be given a fixed quantity of wood sticks, a specific distance to span, and a given glue, and then to construct a bridge that will be tested to destruction by the progressive addition of load at the center of the span. The bridge taking the greatest load is by this test the most structurally efficient. A more refined measure for this exercise is to weigh the completed bridge rather than measure against a fixed quantity of materials provided, a test that emphasizes economy of materials and efficient glue joints.

A bridge's economic efficiency will be site and traffic dependent, the ratio of savings by having a bridge (instead of, for example, a ferry, or a longer road route) compared to its cost. For a given site, kind of bridge employed and the materials used determine the total cost, a lifetime cost composed of materials, labor, machinery, engineering, cost of money, maintenance, refurbishment, risk potential, and ultimately, demolition and associated disposal, recycling, and reuse. Bridges employing only compression are relatively inefficient structurally, but may be highly cost efficient where suitable materials are available near the site. For medium spans, trusses or box beams are usually most economical, while in some cases, the appearance of the bridge may be more important than its cost efficiency. The longest spans usually require suspension bridges.

Notable bridges

  • Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge - Japan, with the longest section span of 1.9 km.
  • Forth Railway Bridge - Scotland, one of the most famous cantilever bridges in the world.
  • Golden Gate Bridge - USA, arguably the most beautiful of its type.
  • The Iron Bridge - England, the world's first iron bridge.
  • Confederation Bridge - Canada, world's longest bridge over waters that freeze.
  • Jamuna Bridge- Bangladesh, longest rail-road bridge in south asia , 2nd longest in world.
  • Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - USA, spanning Lake Pontchartrain in south Louisiana, it is the longest bridge in the world at 23.87 miles (38.41 km).
  • Lupu Bridge- China, longest single steel arch.
  • Mackinac Bridge - USA, Opened to traffic in 1957, connecting the two peninsulas of Michigan; held the title of the world's longest two tower suspension bridge between anchorages until the 1990s.
  • Mahatma Gandhi Setu - India, the longest river bridge in the world.
  • Menai Suspension Bridge - Wales, first road suspension bridge in the world.
  • Millau Viaduct - France, tallest bridge in the world.
  • Øresundbroen/Öresundsbron
  • Overtoun Bridge, - Scotland, dogs have leaped to their deaths from this bridge, leading to urban legends.
  • Palace Bridge - St Petersburg, Russia, one of iconic images of the city
  • Penang Bridge - Malaysia, longest bridge in Southeast Asia.
  • Québec Bridge - Canada, largest cantilever bridge in the world.
  • San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - USA, especially for seismic retrofit and eastern span replacement.
  • Sundial Bridge - USA, a dramatic single cantilever spar cable stayed span for pedestrians.
  • Sydney Harbour Bridge - Australia, arguably the best-known suspended-deck compression arch bridge.
  • Tacoma Narrows Bridge - USA, famous for its collapse due to aerodynamic effects.
  • Tatara Bridge - Japan, largest span cable-stayed bridge.
  • Tower Bridge - London, England, and a symbol of this city.
  • Tsing Ma Bridge - Hong Kong, the world's longest rail & road suspension bridge
  • Tyne Bridge - England, one of Northern England's most iconic structures.
  • Trajan's bridge - Romania, ancient Roman bridge over the river Danube, only fragments visible.
  • Vasco da Gama Bridge - Portugal, the longest bridge in Europe at 17.2 km.
  • Victoria Falls Bridge - linking Zimbabwe to Zambia, built in 1905 as part of the projected Cape-Cairo railway.
  • Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge - USA, built during Boston's Big Dig, the widest cable-stayed bridge.
  • Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge - USA, will be the first extradosed cable-stayed bridge constructed in the United States.

Catastrophic collapses


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The longest spans usually require suspension bridges. 2005 - Care Bears Nighty-Night. For medium spans, trusses or box beams are usually most economical, while in some cases, the appearance of the bridge may be more important than its cost efficiency. 2004 -. Bridges employing only compression are relatively inefficient structurally, but may be highly cost efficient where suitable materials are available near the site. 1986 - Friends Make Everything Better. For a given site, kind of bridge employed and the materials used determine the total cost, a lifetime cost composed of materials, labor, machinery, engineering, cost of money, maintenance, refurbishment, risk potential, and ultimately, demolition and associated disposal, recycling, and reuse. 1983 -.

A bridge's economic efficiency will be site and traffic dependent, the ratio of savings by having a bridge (instead of, for example, a ferry, or a longer road route) compared to its cost. Over the years, the Care Bear characters have been seen in, or influenced, several other films and TV shows:. A more refined measure for this exercise is to weigh the completed bridge rather than measure against a fixed quantity of materials provided, a test that emphasizes economy of materials and efficient glue joints. The villains' profiles will be dealt with in the individual articles for the animated franchise. The bridge taking the greatest load is by this test the most structurally efficient. Throughout movies and series, there were bad guys who often tried to stop the Bears and Cousins on their missions:. In one common challenge young students are to be divided into groups of two or three and then to be given a fixed quantity of wood sticks, a specific distance to span, and a given glue, and then to construct a bridge that will be tested to destruction by the progressive addition of load at the center of the span. (NOTE: Noble Heart Horse was a later addition to the franchise, appearing on five of the TV episodes.).

A bridge's structural efficiency may be considered to be the ratio of load carried to bridge weight, given a specific set of material types. Below are the descriptions for all of the Cousins, old and new. Bridges can also be classified by their lineage, which is shown as the vertical axis on the diagram to the right. . In other cases the forces may be distributed among a large number of members, as in a truss, or not clearly discernible to a casual observer as in a box beam. In 2004, the Bears appeared in their first PC game, Let's Have a Ball! The following year, they appeared in Catch a Star (also for the PC) [4] [5] and Care Quest (for the GameBoy). The separation of forces may be quite clear, as in a suspension or cable-stayed span; the elements in tension are distinct in shape and placement. As with the 1980s movies and television series, both films are produced by Nelvana Limited.

Most bridges will employ all of the principle forces to some degree, but only a few will predominate. Another such film, The Care Bears' Big Wish Movie, was released on October 18, 2005 [1] [2] [3]. Bridges may be classified by how the four forces of tension, compression, bending and shear are distributed through their structure. As part of this comeback, the Bears' straight-to-DVD CGI debut, Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-lot, was released on October 5, 2004 to less than critical acclaim. The central bridge was reserved exclusively for the use of the Emperor, Empress, and their attendants. The new toys offer features such as light-up bellies when pressed. A set of five bridges cross a sinuous waterway in an important courtyard of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. As of 2005, Care Bears are being marketed once more.

Often in palaces a bridge will be built over an artificial waterway as symbolic of a passage to an important place or state of mind. The Care Bears television series ran from 1985 to 1988; three animated feature film spinoffs, The Care Bears Movie (1985), The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (1986), and The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987) followed. Other garden bridges may cross only a dry bed of stream washed pebbles, intended only to convey an impression of a stream. A spin-off collection of toys, the Care Bear Cousins, feature stuffed monkeys, lions, and other such animals in the same style as the teddy bears. This type, often found in east-asian style gardens, is called a Moon bridge, evoking a rising full moon. Each Care Bear comes in a different colour and with a specialized insignia on its belly: for example, "Bedtime Bear" is pastel blue and sports a sleepy-looking anthropomorphised crescent moon, and "Cheer Bear" is pink with a rainbow insignia. To create a beautiful image, some bridges are built much taller than necessary. Over 40 million units were sold between 1983 and 1987.

An aqueduct is a bridge that carries water, resembling a viaduct. In 1983, Kenner took the characters and made the first in a line of very successful teddy bears based on the Care Bears. For example, it may be a bridge carrying a highway and forbidden for pedestrians and bicycles, or a pedestrian bridge, possibly also for bicycles. The original artwork for the cards was painted by artist Elena Kucharik. In some cases there may be restrictions in use. The Care Bears are a set of characters created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. A bridge is usually designed for trains, pedestrian or road traffic, a pipeline or waterway for water transport or barge traffic. The name "Care Bears" is only a Trademark(™); the actual copyright is from an entity titled "Those Characters from Cleveland".

There are four main types of bridges: beam bridges, cantilever bridges, arch bridges and suspension bridges. In 2005, "Care Bears" placed 7th among AOL's top ten searches for toys [7]. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the origin of the word bridge to an Old Norse word bryggja, meaning "landing stage, gangway, or movable pier". It is generally a derogatory term in this instance. With the advent of steel, which has a high tensile strength, much larger bridges were built, many using the ideas of Gustave Eiffel. In MMORPG games the term carebear normally refers to a player that does not like Player vs Player (PvP) conflict in the game. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, truss systems of wrought iron were developed for larger bridges, but iron did not have the tensile strength to support large loads. However, during the cartoon series, both the Care Bears and the Care Bear Cousins both use the "Care Bear Stare.".

The first engineering book on building bridges was written by Hubert Gautier in 1716. During the movies, especially the sequel, the Care Bear Cousins call their weapon "Care Bear Cousins Call." In the second movie, the Call looks like a musical score, and the cousins, excluding Swift Heart Rabbit, use whatever animal noises is common to that animal. During the 18th century there were many innovations in the design of timber bridges by Hans Ulrich, Johannes Grubenmann, and others. The Care Bears' ultimate "weapon" is the Care Bear Stare, in which the collected bears stand together and radiate light from their respective chest symbols, combining to form a ray of love and good cheer which could bring care and joy into the target's heart. Rope bridges, a simple type of suspension bridge, were used by the Inca civilization in the Andes mountains of South America, just prior to European colonization in the 1500s. In the Swedish dubs of the various series, the villains Dark Heart, Coldheart and No Heart are, for some reason, all called the same name, "Hjärtlös" (or Heartless). Brick and mortar bridges were built after the Roman era, as the technology for cement was lost then later rediscovered. The Colombian dub is considered for being the worst Latin American Spanish dub of the Care Bears' TV series.

The Romans also had cement, which reduced the variation of strength found in natural stone. (The movies were dubbed in Mexico, the first half of the Nelvana series was dubbed in Chile, the second half was dubbed in Venezuela and a new dubbed version, showing in the Latin American version of Cartoon Network's Boomerang channel, is now dubbed in Colombia. The arch was first used by the Roman Empire for bridges and aqueducts, some of which still stand today. The Latin American Spanish dub of the Care Bears is the most chaotic dub ever known, mainly because the movies and the TV series were dubbed in many countries by different cast members. The first bridges were spans made of wooden logs or planks and eventually stones, using a simple support and crossbeam arrangement. Coincidentally, she comes from Sigma Sigma Sigma, the same group where the cartoon's founder, Linda Denham, came from. . The term Care Bears was used as a fan base name for Carrie Underwood (the winner of 2005's American Idol).

The purpose of a bridge is to allow easier passage by providing a continuous more uniform more easily navigable route via what would otherwise be an uneven or impossible path for the particular kind of thing travelling or being transported, whether people, vehicles, trains, ships, liquids or whatever else. As soon as the mistake was discovered, the two bears returned into their appropriate hues, and later on a children's story was written explaining why. Designs may be built higher than otherwise needed in order to allow other traffic (particularly ship traffic) beneath. When the franchise was introduced in the 1980s, a mistake was made causing Bedtime Bear (blue) and Wish Bear (aqua) to swap colours. A bridge is a structure built to span a gorge, valley, road, railroad track, river, body of water, or any other physical obstacle. little bears) and cariño (a type of love that is not romantic). Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge - USA, will be the first extradosed cable-stayed bridge constructed in the United States. In Latin America, the Care Bears are referred to as "Los Ositos Cariñositos" from Ositos (lit.

Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge - USA, built during Boston's Big Dig, the widest cable-stayed bridge. However, French-speaking Quebec knows them as Les Calinours, or "Hug bears". Victoria Falls Bridge - linking Zimbabwe to Zambia, built in 1905 as part of the projected Cape-Cairo railway. In French-speaking countries, the Care Bears are referred to as Bisounours, roughly translating as kiss bears, from bisou (kiss) and nounours (teddy bear). Vasco da Gama Bridge - Portugal, the longest bridge in Europe at 17.2 km. Thai: ?????????????. Trajan's bridge - Romania, ancient Roman bridge over the river Danube, only fragments visible. Swedish: Krambjörnarna.

Tyne Bridge - England, one of Northern England's most iconic structures. Spanish: Osos Amorosos (Spain), Los Ositos Cariñositos (Latin America). Tsing Ma Bridge - Hong Kong, the world's longest rail & road suspension bridge. Serbo-Croatian: Mede medenjaci, Mece Dobrici. Tower Bridge - London, England, and a symbol of this city. Portuguese: Ursinhos Carinhosos. Tatara Bridge - Japan, largest span cable-stayed bridge. Polish: Troskliwe Misie.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge - USA, famous for its collapse due to aerodynamic effects. Japanese: ?????. Sydney Harbour Bridge - Australia, arguably the best-known suspended-deck compression arch bridge. Italian: Gli Orsetti del Cuore. Sundial Bridge - USA, a dramatic single cantilever spar cable stayed span for pedestrians. Icelandic: Kærleiksbirnirnir. San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - USA, especially for seismic retrofit and eastern span replacement. Hebrew: דובוני אכפת לי (Doobonei eechpattli).

Québec Bridge - Canada, largest cantilever bridge in the world. Greek: ΤΑ ΑΡΚΟΥΔΑΚΙA. Penang Bridge - Malaysia, longest bridge in Southeast Asia. German: Die Glücksbärchis. Palace Bridge - St Petersburg, Russia, one of iconic images of the city. French: Les Bisounours. Overtoun Bridge, - Scotland, dogs have leaped to their deaths from this bridge, leading to urban legends. Finnish: Halinallet.

Øresundbroen/Öresundsbron. Dutch: Troetelbeertjes. Millau Viaduct - France, tallest bridge in the world. Czech: Starostliví medvídci. Menai Suspension Bridge - Wales, first road suspension bridge in the world. Care Bears Holiday Hugs. Mahatma Gandhi Setu - India, the longest river bridge in the world. Journey to Joke-a-lot Soundtrack.

Mackinac Bridge - USA, Opened to traffic in 1957, connecting the two peninsulas of Michigan; held the title of the world's longest two tower suspension bridge between anchorages until the 1990s. Meet the Care Bears. Lupu Bridge- China, longest single steel arch. The Care Bears Christmas. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - USA, spanning Lake Pontchartrain in south Louisiana, it is the longest bridge in the world at 23.87 miles (38.41 km). Adventures in Care-a-lot. Jamuna Bridge- Bangladesh, longest rail-road bridge in south asia , 2nd longest in world. The Care Bears Care For You.

Confederation Bridge - Canada, world's longest bridge over waters that freeze. Introducing the Care Bears. The Iron Bridge - England, the world's first iron bridge. Love-A-Lot Bear's name is inspired by that of Sir Lancelot. Golden Gate Bridge - USA, arguably the most beautiful of its type. Similar to the Round Table used by Arthur and his knights, the Care Bear Family sits around a heart-shaped table. Forth Railway Bridge - Scotland, one of the most famous cantilever bridges in the world. The name Care-a-lot is a play on King Arthur's legendary Camelot castle.

Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge - Japan, with the longest section span of 1.9 km. A carebear appears in the popular flash animation & song Ultimate Showdown by Neil Cicierega. Eventually, the Gigglepies turn out to be made of cow manure, so the Yugopotamians just eat them (manure is a delicacy on their planet). Cosmo and Wanda submit to the cuteness of the Gigglepies, and Timmy is later informed of their tactic for taking over planets: by winning over vast races with their cuteness, having them submit, and then destroying the planet. Timmy, Cosmo and Wanda find that Yugopotamia, whose citizens are frightened to death of anything cute and nice, is being overrun by the Gigglepies.

Timmy and his fairy godparents, Cosmo and Wanda go to Yugopotamia, when their alien friend Mark informs them of an alien race that is overcoming his own. The Fairly OddParents: The episode entitled, So Totally Spaced Out guest starred a spoof of the Care Bears, in the form of the alien Gigglepies. She screams "Sunshine Bear, wait!" and after looking at Meg, and looking at a speeding truck, and comparing the two, the bear throws itself in front of the oncoming truck. Every animal gets across the street except for the Care Bear.

She looks out the window and sees the stuffed animals running from the house. She walks to her closet, and when she returns, they are gone. Meg is sitting in her room talking to her stuffed animals. Family Guy: The episode which aired on Sunday, January 8th 2006 mentions a Care Bear.

He asks if one of them is a "Care Bear" and the bear replies (after bandishing a lead pipe) that he's an "Intensive Care Bear". The Simpsons: In an episode where Homer becomes afraid of anything relating to bears after being attacked by one, he hallucinates that the bear logos on commercial commodies come to life to hurt him. ER: In a recent episode, King Funshine is struck by lightning while being held by Jerry Markovic (Abraham Benrubi) [6]. The O.C.: In Season 1, Episode 24 ("The Proposal"), Merissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) has a Share Bear.

Phil: An obsessed Care Bear fan—the administrator of The Memories Board—appeared as a guest star on the syndicated show in April 2005. Dr. SpongeBob SquarePants: In the Gary Takes a Bath episode, the beloved title sponge calls his pet snail "Gare-Bear". Codename: Kids Next Door: The Rainbow Monkeys, who appear in many episodes, are yet another Care Bear spoof.

Rugrats: The Dummi Bears spoof heavily on the Care Bear franchise, especially with their Sing a Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy Song theme. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: On one of the early episodes, a young girl tells Will Smith that her father only supports Care Bear music to prevent her from listening to inappropriate songs. Blade: Trinity (2004): Hannibal King (Ryan Reynolds)claims that his group the Night Stalkers originally wanted to use Care Bears as its name, but claims it was already taken. The Hot Chick (2002): Rob Schneider's friend has a Cheer Bear on her keyring, seen during the scene at the race track early in the film.

Snow Day (2000): One of the characters (played by Emmanuelle Chriqui) is nicknamed "Claire-bear" by her boyfriend. (Alyson Court appeared in that sequel as well as this independent gem.). South of Wawa (1991): Footage from the Care Bears' Wonderland adventure are shown. Checking Out (1989) (unconfirmed): As Jeff Daniels steps outside in desert conditions towards the film's end, one of the onlookers whom his character encounters is holding a Swift Heart Rabbit doll in his hands.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987): During a party scene in the film, a Wish Bear raft can be seen inside a swimming pool. Nelvana episodes - No Heart, Beastly and Shrieky (see TV series article). DiC-produced episodes - Professor Coldheart, Frostbite. Fourth movie - Rat King.

Third movie - The Wizard and Dim & Dumb. Second movie - Dark Heart. First movie - Nicholas and the Evil Spirit. The Birds are usually seen in the Forest of Feelings with the Care Bear Cousins and watch over them.

The Star and Heart Buddies look out for the Bears whenever they are on missions in caring. He only appeared in some of the franchise's early publications and on the DiC-produced TV episodes. The Cloud Keeper is the portly gentleman who maintains Care-a-lot. Paradise Valley is home to Perfect and Polite Panda (see above for profile).

The Hall of Hearts, located inside Care-a-lot, is the Care Bears family's meeting place. The Forest of Feelings is where the Care Bear Cousins live. Thus protected, the Bears protect caring on Earth. High up in the clouds, it floats above all air traffic, and, with a nice comfy cloud floating above it, stays away from all satellite photographs too.

Care-a-lot is the special place where the Care Bears live, and the softest, coziest place anyone can imagine. The Kingdom of Caring is made up of Care-a-lot and the Forest of Feelings (see descriptions below). Her symbol is an ice cream cone, showing her wholehearted devotion to helping others live life to the fullest. A real sweetheart, she gets along well with everyone she meets, though she has a tendency to overeat but takes things in moderation.

Treat Heart Pig- Featured on some of the later TV episodes, Treat Heart Pig knows how to turn any occasion into a holiday. It is interesting to note that the gender of this character changed between movies and television series, examples of which can be seen in the Wonderland movie and The Great Race episode. His tummy symbol is a red heart with white wings. Sometimes his cockiness and overconfidence get him into trouble, but his quick thinking gets him out of it.

Swift Heart Rabbit was the fastest of the Care Bear Cousins, reportedly running up to 90 mph to "help others". Her symbol is a curved pink star with a red heart inside. Proud Heart Cat - A regular in the animated movies and series, Proud Heart Cat is the "purr-fectionist" of the Care Bears family, and reminds us to do our best in everything we do. A heart with a party horn is his symbol.

Playful Heart Monkey - Also appearing in the animated franchise, Playful Heart Monkey is the most mischievous Cousin anyone can meet--for him, the whole world is a playground. He himself was a later addition to the family. In A New Generation, he took care of the other baby Bears and Cousins; his partner was True Heart Bear. Noble Heart Horse is the founder of the Care Bear Cousins, and was an overseer of the Forest of Feelings and the Kingdom of Caring in the second movie, but on the TV series, he was not much of a regular.

The reason behind his tummy symbol, a heart-shaped medal, is because of his warm personality combined with his faithfulness and his namesake. Loyal Heart Dog is a very proper and formal-mannered pup, honest and loyal and true beyond compare. His symbol is a pink heart-stamped weight. Lotsa Heart Elephant - Featured in the movies and TV series, Lotsa Heart Elephant is the strongest of the Cousins in physical ability and perseverance, despite having a very weak mind.

A red-heart pillow is her symbol. Gentle Heart Lamb - Featured in the first and second movies, Gentle Heart Lamb is the most softhearted of the Cousins, gentle and shy as her name suggests. His symbol is a stocking cap resting on the left side of a red heart. Cozy Heart Penguin - A star of the first movie, Cozy Heart Penguin is the sweetest and warmest of the Cousins, and the one most suited to winter conditions.

His symbol is a yellow heart-shaped light bulb. Bright Heart Raccoon - The smart aleck of the Cousins, Bright Heart Raccoon is a walking supercomputer who can solve problems thinking logically, and helps his friends on their toughest dilemmas. Brave Heart's tummy symbol is a red heart with a crown hanging on the right side. Brave Heart Lion is the (un)official leader of the Care Bear Cousins, and one of the original ten when these cousins were introduced in the Care Bears franchise--Swift Heart Rabbit, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Loyal Heart Dog and Proud Heart Cat to name a few.

Multicoloured. Tummy symbol is a painters pallet with hearts of paint. Work of the Heart Bear Coming out new in 2006. Her symbol--a shooting star with a rainbow tail--reminds us to believe in our dreams.

Wish Bear's job is help, simply enough, everyone's wishes come true, even though not all of them work the way they should. True Heart Bear - The mother of the Care Bears and the Cousins, True Heart Bear, who first appeared in the second movie, is everything one would expect the first Bear to be: warm and perky, fun and friendly and extra-lovable and loving! Her symbol, a multi-coloured star radiating from a central heart, shows all the beautiful ways that caring shines out from a loving heart. He is bright blue and his symbol is a shooting star with a rainbow tail. Thanks-A-Lot Bear - One of the least known Care Bears, Thanks-A-Lot Bear's only known appearance is in the toy line as a plush, a glowing plush, and a small plush partnered with Funshine Bear.

He wears the perfect symbol for his job on his tummy--a red heart with a narrow pink border. A loving and lovable brown bear who knows a lot about helping others share their feelings, Tenderheart helps spread love and make it grow by helping people show they care. Tenderheart Bear - The leader of the Care Bears, and one of the original ten characters introduced in the franchise (the others were Bedtime Bear, Birthday Bear, Cheer Bear, Friend Bear, Funshine Bear, Good Luck Bear, Grumpy Bear, Love-A-Lot Bear and Wish Bear). Now she has a heart holding a star.

A smiling apple was her symbol back then. Her only appearance in the early franchise was in a 1987 cough medicine colouring book. Take Care Bear - The least-known of all the Bears, Take Care Bear helps her friends live in the best of health. He was featured in the British franchise as an exclusive plush.

His symbol represents his job: a jack-in-the box with a star popping out. Surprise Bear - A rare find in the 80s franchise, there is no one who loves good surprises so much like Surprise Bear. His tummy symbol is a bright red apple. Smart Heart Bear - Added to the toy line in 2004, this Bear teaches kids that school is fun and so is learning.

Purple in colour. Tummy symbol is a sun in heart. Shine Bright Bear New in 2006. In the 1980s franchise, Share Bear's symbol was a heart-sprinkled sundae with two straws; in 2004 it was changed to two lollipops (on the grounds that sharing milkshakes can spread germs, according to present-day distributors Play Along Toys).

She shows that, through her symbol (see below), sharing is a treat that comes from the heart. Share Bear, also a later addition, helps others to learn about sharing the things they have. Secret's tummy symbol is a red heart-shaped padlock. He can only tell secrets to his partner, Friend Bear (as the first movie strongly shows).

Secret Bear, a later addition to the Care Bears family, acts as a mime to the other members. Sea Friend Bear - Another British exclusive in the '80s between Tonka and the World Wildlife Fund, Sea Friend Bear makes sure that the world's oceans and seas are safe from harm. He is white, and his tummy symbol is a heart adorned with the pattern of the United States flag. Proud Heart Bear A rare bear, he appeared only as a toy in the '80s franchise.

Blue in color. Tummy symbol is a bouncing ball with heart in it and a rainbow bounce trail. Play-a-Lot Bear New in 2006. Image appears courtesy of The Care Bear Zone. .

They only appeared in one Care Bears episode, The Long Lost Care Bears. Perfect and Polite Panda from the Nelvana Care Bears cartoon episode "The Long Lost Care Bears". Perfect & Polite Panda - Looking after Paradise up above the skies of Care-a-lot, Perfect & Polite Panda always spoke in rhyme, finishing each other's sentences and complimenting one another's feelings. She can be seen dancing with her crush, Tenderheart Bear, at the beginning of the first movie. Though a true believer in the power of love, she is not afraid to help it along.

Love-A-Lot Bear - With two intertwined hearts as her tummy symbol, Love-a-Lot Bear spreads the message of her namesake and makes it grow wherever she goes. Her symbol--a laughing star at giving others the giggles--shows what she really is. Laugh-A-Lot Bear - Also a new addition in 2004, Laugh-A-Lot Bear turns her worst mistakes into the best jokes. Her tummy symbol is a heart with beams of light radiating out of it.

Hopeful Heart Bear was a new addition to the toy line in 2005. Blue in colour. Tummy symbol is 2 music notes and hearts. Heartsong Bear new toy coming in 2006.

She is also one of the mascots of the Sigma Sigma Sigma college sorority in real life. In 2004, it was changed into a multi-coloured flower. In the second movie (1986), Harmony's symbol was three joint-together hearts (the US version); in the British toys, it was three music notes. Her symbol (see below) shows that harmony can be achieved when different people come together for the good of all.

Harmony Bear, a peace-lover, helps others overcome differences and get along. Grumpy is a fan favourite. Grumpy Bear, whose symbol is a grey rain cloud with falling hearts, tells us that it is okay to be grumpy sometimes, but that we should always remember to be caring, even when we are upset and that it is silly when we take our grumpiness too far. As a later addition to the toy line, Grams Bear was featured, along with her grandchildren, in the first movie and on some of the Nelvana TV episodes.

A rose stands out as her symbol. A seasoned "veteran," an excellent storyteller, and a valued mentor for the family, she knows just about all there is about being a Bear, and is ready to lend a hand or a patient ear to help anyone in need. Grams Bear - The grandmother of all the Care Bears family, 'Grams Bear' looks after the Kingdom of Caring's two youngest members, Hugs and Tugs (see above). What can say better about his mission than (of course) a four-leaf clover on his tummy?.

Good Luck Bear helps spread his namesake to those he encounters. In the 2004 toy line and the direct-to-DVD feature, Journey to Joke-a-lot, Funshine was a male bear. Being happy is what she is all about. Funshine Bear - A regular in the toy line's animated fare for years, Funshine Bear, Care-a-lot's class clown, has a smiling sun as her tummy symbol--and even a smile on her face.

Two smiling flowers show up on her tummy symbol. Friend Bear, one of the original ten Bears, is the ideal friend for everyone she meets. Forest Friend Bear - A joint exclusive between Tonka and the World Wildlife Fund for the '80s British and Australian franchise, Forest Friend Bear's job is to help keep forested areas safe. She has been revamped in 2004 by Play Along Toys, her tummy symbol is a heart shaped planet Saturn with stars around it.

Her tummy symbol, two heart-shaped balloons, shows that, with imagination, there is a rainbow of happiness that we can create. She is constantly getting into funny little scrapes because her mind is somewhere else. Day Dream Bear - Made exclusively for the British version of the franchise in the 1980s, Day Dream Bear shows that daydreams are fun and help inspire people to do things, but also shows how to pay attention. However, he is the only one in the Kingdom of Caring who cannot fly a kite!.

His symbol--a colourful kite--reminds everyone that the sky's the limit when you do your best. Do-Your-Best Bear - A recent addition to the toy line (2004), Do-Your-Best Bear helps people be the best they can. A rainbow stands out as her symbol. Cheer Bear - One of the original ten, Cheer Bear's job (see picture below) is to make people feel their happiest.

He appeared in some of the Nelvana episodes and made a cameo appearance in the beginning of the third movie, Adventure in Wonderland. A yellow trophy with a heart is his symbol. Champ Bear - The Kingdom of Caring's sports guru, Champ Bear encourages the message of playtime--he is especially good at games he has never played before. His symbol is a cupcake with one candle on it.

Birthday Bear knows how to celebrate his namesake all the time. Her tummy symbol is a star and heart connected by a rainbow. Best Friend Bear - Added to the line in 2004, this Bear helps by showing that you can always find someone to be your friend. His tummy symbol (see above) says everything best about his job.

Bedtime Bear - The sleepiest Bear of them all, Bedtime Bear makes sure that people get a good night's sleep all over the world. Bashful Heart Bear - The shyest of the Care Bears, added to the toy line in 2004, her tummy symbol is a heart hiding behind a cloud with a rainbow. His tummy symbol, a smiling Star Buddy inside a diaper, reflects his bright and happy personality. Baby Tugs' aspiration is to become a Care Bear himself and join the other Bears on missions in caring.

The two siblings, looked after by their grandmother, Grams Bear (see below), are the youngest members of the Care Bears family. Baby Tugs Bear (often called Tugs), whose sister is Baby Hugs Bear, is a rough and tumble little boy cub who always gets into mischief. A Star Buddy inside a pink box—her tummy symbol—shows her personality. Sweet, curious and loving, she can never go anywhere without being hugged by anyone.

Baby Hugs Bear (often called Hugs), along with her brother, Baby Tugs Bear, with whom she often gets into mischief, is the youngest member of the Care Bears family. Orange in colour. Tummy symbol is a flower with heart petals. Amigo Bear New in 2006.

Her shooting-star tummy symbol reminds America to lift up their red, white and blue by caring for those around them, and making their country--and the world--a better place. America Cares Bear - A brand-new addition to the famous toy line (2004), America Cares Bear is the Kingdom of Caring's most patriotic member, a happy and energetic bear who believes that America's greatest strength is in caring.