FDC -- My Philately World

China Minisheet: 2010-4

2010-02-06T16:01:00.000+08:00

China Minisheet
Name: Liangping New Year Woodprints (梁平木版年画)
Number: 2010-4
Date of Issue: 06 February 2010

Denomination:
1.20元 (4-1): Gate God (门神)
1.20元 (4-2): Stealing the Immortal Grass (盗仙草)
1.20元 (4-3): Peace Leads to Happiness (和气致祥)
1.20元 (4-4): Exiting the Pass with a Stolen Token (盗令出关)

The Liangping New Year Woodprints, originated in Liangping County, Chongqing Municipality, and sold throughout the nation, was in full flourish during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). It features engraving printing techniques and a forceful, vigorous way of cutting. Distinguished from other genres, the Liangping Woodprints adopts manual color application and depiction on the faces of the figures. The pictures often impress the viewers with concise compositions, appropriate rhythms, pristine designs, vivid images, and bright yet elegant colors. The subjects range from auspicious blessings to theatrical dramas and mythological legends. Greatly influenced by the local culture, the Liangping Woodprints has developed a unique style among the different forms of Chinese New Year pictures. It was included on the first National Intangible Cultural Heritage List by China's State Council in 2006.

China Stamps: 2010-4

2010-02-06T15:54:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: Liangping New Year Woodprints (梁平木版年画)
Number: 2010-4
Date of Issue: 06 February 2010

Denomination:
1.20元 (4-1): Gate God (门神)
1.20元 (4-2): Stealing the Immortal Grass (盗仙草)
1.20元 (4-3): Peace Leads to Happiness (和气致祥)
1.20元 (4-4): Exiting the Pass with a Stolen Token (盗令出关)

The Liangping New Year Woodprints, originated in Liangping County, Chongqing Municipality, and sold throughout the nation, was in full flourish during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). It features engraving printing techniques and a forceful, vigorous way of cutting. Distinguished from other genres, the Liangping Woodprints adopts manual color application and depiction on the faces of the figures. The pictures often impress the viewers with concise compositions, appropriate rhythms, pristine designs, vivid images, and bright yet elegant colors. The subjects range from auspicious blessings to theatrical dramas and mythological legends. Greatly influenced by the local culture, the Liangping Woodprints has developed a unique style among the different forms of Chinese New Year pictures. It was included on the first National Intangible Cultural Heritage List by China's State Council in 2006.

Hong Kong EAG M/S FDC

2010-01-28T20:56:00.002+08:00

Hong Kong Minisheet FDC
Name: Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games
Date of Issue: 05 December 2009

This set of stamps is issued to celebrate the 5th East Asian Games held in Hong Kong from 5 to 13 December 2009. The event marks an exciting milestone in our sports history, as it is the first time Hong Kong has had the honour to host a regional multi-sport contest of this scale.

The quadrennial event debuted in China (Shanghai) in 1993, followed by Korea (Pusan) in 1997, Japan (Osaka) in 2001 and China (Macao) in 2005. Athletes from nine East Asian countries or regions meet in Hong Kong this year to compete for 262 gold medals in 22 sports. With both the number of gold medals up for grabs and the number of sports staged in the arena hitting record highs, the Games this year is the biggest ever.

The set of six stamps contains two designs for each of the three denominations, featuring all the 22 sports in the 5th East Asian Games, namely, Judo, Rowing and Rugby Sevens ($1.40); Athletics, Badminton, Wushu and Shooting ($1.40); Basketball, Hockey, Squash and Aquatics ($2.40); Cycling, Weightlifting and Tennis ($2.40); Windsurfing, Football, Bowling and Taekwondo ($3); Table Tennis, Volleyball, DanceSport and Cue Sports ($3). The silhouettes in gold, silver and bronze foil represent the three levels of medals awarded, bringing out the spirit of competition that motivates athletes to go for their best.

"Be the Legend" - Get set for the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games!

China Sheetlet: 2010-3

2010-01-21T22:13:00.002+08:00

China Sheetlet II
Name: Site of Shanghai Expo (上海世博园)
Number: 2010-3
Date of Issue: 21 January 2010
Value: 8 stamps/sheet

Denominations:
80分 (4-1): Expo Center (世博中心)
Covering a floor space of some 140,000 square meters on the southern bank of the Huangpu River to the west of the Expo Boulevard, the Expo Center will serve as the operational command center, celebration and convention center, media center, and forum venue of the Shanghai Expo. Taking advantage of its riverside location and innovatively adopting polygonal glass pieces on the exterior wall, the simply-designed building features a transparent inner space and a crystal look, and largely provides an optimal vision while saving energy consumption and being friendly to the environment. It embraces conference halls, banquet halls, and multi-functional halls of varying dimensions, where forums and other important activities will take place during the Expo 2010.

1.20元 (4-2): China Pavilion (中国馆)
Towering 63 meters to the east of the Expo Boulevard and covering a total floor space of 160,000 square meters, the China Pavilion is the tallest and largest national pavilion in the Expo Site. Designed as a "Crown of the East", the National Hall adopts traditional, heavy "Chinese red" as the main hue and features a square roof fashioned from dougong - a type of bracket as a typical traditional Chinese architectural element. The magnificent and imposing structure embodies the soul and essence of the Chinese culture. The exhibition halls for municipalities, provinces and regions form a foundation platform, supporting and echoing the National Hall in the harmonious manner. The halls exhibit the splendid Chinese civilization through their distinctive representations of the theme of World Expo 2010.

1.20元 (4-3): Performance Center (演艺中心)
Covering a floor space of 80,00 square meters on the southern bank of the Huangpu River to the east of the Expo Boulevard, the Performance Center will be the main venue for grand performing activities during the Shanghai Expo. Designed in the shape of a UFO craft, the building looks particularly dynamic and novel against the backdrop of the Huangpu River. Featuring a giant central stage, which varies in dimensions and shape according to the performance content, the Center is capable of accommodating an audience of 18,000 and adapting to different demands in stage design for various performing arts, being the first of its kind in China. After the World Expo, the Performance Center will be developed into a cultural district integrating art performance, art exhibition, athletic competition, and fashionable recreation.

3元 (4-4): Theme Pavilion (主题馆)
Facing China Pavilion in the east across the Expo Boulevard and covering a floor space of 143,000 square meters, the Theme Pavilion is the largest of its kind in the history of the World Expo. It comprises three exhibition halls, namely Urbanian Pavilion, Pavilion of City Being and Pavilion of Urban Planet, which, alongside the Urban Civilization Pavilion and Urban Future Pavilion situated in Puxi section of the Expo Site, present the Expo theme, "Better City, Better Life", from varying angles. Inspired by linong (cramped old-style alleys) and "tiger windows", the design of the Theme Pavilion is reminiscent of the city characteristics of old Shanghai, while the combined application of environmentally-friendly, energy-saving, and green technologies represent another face of Shanghai as a modern cosmopolitan city.

China Souvenir Sheet: 2010-3

2010-01-21T22:12:00.002+08:00

China Souvenir Sheet
Name: Site of Shanghai Expo (上海世博园)
Number: 2010-3
Date of Issue: 21 January 2010

Denomination:
6元: Expo Boulevard (世博轴)
Stretching one kilometer in the central part of the Expo Site, the Expo Boulevard is a two-story, semi-opening structure, which serves as the transportation hub of the Expo Site, topped by white films. Covering a floor space of 250,000 square meters, it it the largest single-unit building in the Expo Site. The distinctively-designed six cone-shaped "Sunshine Valleys" scattered along the boulevard highlight the structure with such functions as underground space lighting and rainwater collection. The Expo Boulevard links together China Pavilion, Theme Pavilion, Expo Center, and Performance Center, all contributing to an architectural spectacle. After the Shanghai Expo, the "one boulevard and four pavilions" will be permanently preserved on the site as the most significant exhibit and the major landscape zone in the Expo Site.

China Stamps: 2010-3

2010-01-21T21:24:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: Site of Shanghai Expo (上海世博园)
Number: 2010-3
Date of Issue: 21 January 2010
Value: 4 stamps/set

Denominations:
80分 (4-1): Expo Center (世博中心)
Covering a floor space of some 140,000 square meters on the southern bank of the Huangpu River to the west of the Expo Boulevard, the Expo Center will serve as the operational command center, celebration and convention center, media center, and forum venue of the Shanghai Expo. Taking advantage of its riverside location and innovatively adopting polygonal glass pieces on the exterior wall, the simply-designed building features a transparent inner space and a crystal look, and largely provides an optimal vision while saving energy consumption and being friendly to the environment. It embraces conference halls, banquet halls, and multi-functional halls of varying dimensions, where forums and other important activities will take place during the Expo 2010.

1.20元 (4-2): China Pavilion (中国馆)
Towering 63 meters to the east of the Expo Boulevard and covering a total floor space of 160,000 square meters, the China Pavilion is the tallest and largest national pavilion in the Expo Site. Designed as a "Crown of the East", the National Hall adopts traditional, heavy "Chinese red" as the main hue and features a square roof fashioned from dougong - a type of bracket as a typical traditional Chinese architectural element. The magnificent and imposing structure embodies the soul and essence of the Chinese culture. The exhibition halls for municipalities, provinces and regions form a foundation platform, supporting and echoing the National Hall in the harmonious manner. The halls exhibit the splendid Chinese civilization through their distinctive representations of the theme of World Expo 2010.

1.20元 (4-3): Performance Center (演艺中心)
Covering a floor space of 80,00 square meters on the southern bank of the Huangpu River to the east of the Expo Boulevard, the Performance Center will be the main venue for grand performing activities during the Shanghai Expo. Designed in the shape of a UFO craft, the building looks particularly dynamic and novel against the backdrop of the Huangpu River. Featuring a giant central stage, which varies in dimensions and shape according to the performance content, the Center is capable of accommodating an audience of 18,000 and adapting to different demands in stage design for various performing arts, being the first of its kind in China. After the World Expo, the Performance Center will be developed into a cultural district integrating art performance, art exhibition, athletic competition, and fashionable recreation.

3元 (4-4): Theme Pavilion (主题馆)
Facing China Pavilion in the east across the Expo Boulevard and covering a floor space of 143,000 square meters, the Theme Pavilion is the largest of its kind in the history of the World Expo. It comprises three exhibition halls, namely Urbanian Pavilion, Pavilion of City Being and Pavilion of Urban Planet, which, alongside the Urban Civilization Pavilion and Urban Future Pavilion situated in Puxi section of the Expo Site, present the Expo theme, "Better City, Better Life", from varying angles. Inspired by linong (cramped old-style alleys) and "tiger windows", the design of the Theme Pavilion is reminiscent of the city characteristics of old Shanghai, while the combined application of environmentally-friendly, energy-saving, and green technologies represent another face of Shanghai as a modern cosmopolitan city.

Hong Kong EAG FDCs

2010-01-11T20:42:00.001+08:00

Hong Kong FDCs
Name: Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games
Date of Issue: 05 December 2009

This set of stamps is issued to celebrate the 5th East Asian Games held in Hong Kong from 5 to 13 December 2009. The event marks an exciting milestone in our sports history, as it is the first time Hong Kong has had the honour to host a regional multi-sport contest of this scale.

The quadrennial event debuted in China (Shanghai) in 1993, followed by Korea (Pusan) in 1997, Japan (Osaka) in 2001 and China (Macao) in 2005. Athletes from nine East Asian countries or regions meet in Hong Kong this year to compete for 262 gold medals in 22 sports. With both the number of gold medals up for grabs and the number of sports staged in the arena hitting record highs, the Games this year is the biggest ever.

The set of six stamps contains two designs for each of the three denominations, featuring all the 22 sports in the 5th East Asian Games, namely, Judo, Rowing and Rugby Sevens ($1.40); Athletics, Badminton, Wushu and Shooting ($1.40); Basketball, Hockey, Squash and Aquatics ($2.40); Cycling, Weightlifting and Tennis ($2.40); Windsurfing, Football, Bowling and Taekwondo ($3); Table Tennis, Volleyball, DanceSport and Cue Sports ($3). The silhouettes in gold, silver and bronze foil represent the three levels of medals awarded, bringing out the spirit of competition that motivates athletes to go for their best.

"Be the Legend" - Get set for the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games!

Taiwan Year of the Tiger FDCs

2010-01-10T19:46:00.001+08:00

Taiwan FDCs
Name: Year of the Tiger
Date of Issue: 01 December 2009

To welcome the year of the tiger, Chunghwa Post issues a set of two New Year’s Greeting Postage Stamps (Issue of 2009) and a miniature sheet. Employing ink wash techniques from Chinese painting, the stamps portray the composed and awe-inspiring air of a tiger. The miniature sheet features a stately tiger on an open scroll.

Denominations:
NT$3.50 Stamp:
An image of a tiger gazing ahead, which symbolizes farsightedness, optimism, enterprise and luck.

NT$13.00 Stamp:
A portrait of a tiger leisurely lying on the ground, which suggests talent, ambition, and new sources of revenue.

NT$12.00 Miniature Sheet:
The sheet features a stately tiger on an open scroll, suggesting “good fortune is at hand” (the Chinese character for tiger sounds close to the character for good fortune). The design of the marginal inscription blends Chinese calligraphy, auspicious cloud patterns and colorful flowers to create a festive atmosphere.

China Stamps: 2010-2

2010-01-08T19:18:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: Centenary of the Birth of Comrade Song Renqiong (宋任穷同志诞生一百周年)
Number: 2010-2
Date of Issue: 08 January 2010
Value: 2 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (2-1): Song Renqiong during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression
1.20元 (2-2): Song Renqiong in Reform and Opening-Up

Song Renqiong (1909 - 2005), born in Liuyang, Hunan Province, was an excellent member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a great communist, and outstanding proletarian revolutionist, and a prominent leader in political work of the CPC and Chinese army. A member of CPC since 1926, Song participated in the Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927, and together with Mao Zedong, formed the Jinggangshan Base of the Red Army. During the war period, Song devoted himself in many battles throughout the country, showing great fearlessness and selflessness. Since the founding of New China, he ever acted as secretary of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, deputy director of the Advisory Commission of the CPC Central Committee, and vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). In 1955, he was conferred the rank of general. In the nearly 80 years of his revolutionary career, Song devoted his lifetime to the liberation of the Chinese people and the cause of Chinese socialist modernization. His lofty morality and brilliant achievements have been deeply imprinted in people's mind.

Russia New Year FDC

2010-01-07T20:00:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: Happy New Year!
Date of Issue: 01 December 2009

Traditionally, towards the New Year, Publishing and Trading Centre "Marka" issues thematic postage stamp. One of the recognized symbols of this holiday in Russia is the Spasskaya tower of the Moscow Kremlin. During the striking of its chimes citizens of the Russian Federation welcome in the New Year.

The stamp presents the Spasskaya and the Senate towers of the Kremlin and the dome of the Senate at the background of stylized snowflake.

Comment: The snow-shaped stamp is very cute for kids.

Russia Antarctic FDC

2010-01-06T20:46:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: The 50th Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty
Date of Issue: 30 November 2009

In 2009 the Antarctic Treaty celebrates its 50th anniversary. The document came into force on December 1st, 1959 after its ratification by 12 countries - first members. The main purpose of the Treaty - to ensure the peaceful exploration of Antarctica to the benefit of the whole mankind; it provides the freedom of scientific researches and promotes international cooperation.

The stamp presents the attributes of Russian Antarctic investigations – cross-country vehicle "Kharkovchanka-2", weather balloon, solar battery, automatic weather station - on the background of the contours of the Antarctic Region and the flag of the Russian Federation.

China Booklet: SB39

2010-01-05T20:42:00.000+08:00

China Booklet
Name: Year of the Tiger - Geng Yin Year (虎年-庚寅年)
Number: SB39
Date of Issue: 05 January 2010
Value: 10 stamps/booklet

According to Chinese lunar calendar, 2010 is Geng-Yin Year, or the Year of the Tiger. Traditionally in China the tiger is crowned with the titles "King of All Beasts" and "Mountain Monarch", and the mysterious tiger totem represents people's worship for the animal in primitive society. The tiger is also a symbol of power and might, and its image was widely used as the design of military commander's tally in ancient times. In traditional Chinese culture, the tiger is often mentioned alongside the dragon to imply strength and prosperity. The Chinese people view the tiger as a holy animal, and use its image on various occasions to drive away evil spirits and bring peace. Today, the traditional custom of having children wear tiger-design hat and clothes still prevails in many places of the country. Symbolizing vigor and vitality, the tiger is expected to bring life and hope to a new year.

China Sheetlet: 2010-1

2010-01-05T20:39:00.002+08:00

China Sheetlet II
Name: Year of the Tiger - Geng Yin Year (虎年-庚寅年)
Number: 2010-1
Date of Issue: 05 January 2010
Value: 6 stamps/sheet

According to Chinese lunar calendar, 2010 is Geng-Yin Year, or the Year of the Tiger. Traditionally in China the tiger is crowned with the titles "King of All Beasts" and "Mountain Monarch", and the mysterious tiger totem represents people's worship for the animal in primitive society. The tiger is also a symbol of power and might, and its image was widely used as the design of military commander's tally in ancient times. In traditional Chinese culture, the tiger is often mentioned alongside the dragon to imply strength and prosperity. The Chinese people view the tiger as a holy animal, and use its image on various occasions to drive away evil spirits and bring peace. Today, the traditional custom of having children wear tiger-design hat and clothes still prevails in many places of the country. Symbolizing vigor and vitality, the tiger is expected to bring life and hope to a new year.

China Stamp: 2010-1

2010-01-05T20:34:00.001+08:00

China Stamp
Name: Year of the Tiger - Geng Yin Year (虎年-庚寅年)
Number: 2010-1
Date of Issue: 05 January 2010
Value: 1 stamp/set

According to Chinese lunar calendar, 2010 is Geng-Yin Year, or the Year of the Tiger. Traditionally in China the tiger is crowned with the titles "King of All Beasts" and "Mountain Monarch", and the mysterious tiger totem represents people's worship for the animal in primitive society. The tiger is also a symbol of power and might, and its image was widely used as the design of military commander's tally in ancient times. In traditional Chinese culture, the tiger is often mentioned alongside the dragon to imply strength and prosperity. The Chinese people view the tiger as a holy animal, and use its image on various occasions to drive away evil spirits and bring peace. Today, the traditional custom of having children wear tiger-design hat and clothes still prevails in many places of the country. Symbolizing vigor and vitality, the tiger is expected to bring life and hope to a new year.

Taiwan Ferns FDCs

2010-01-04T20:26:00.000+08:00

Taiwan FDCs
Name: Ferns
Date of Issue: 26 November 2009
Number: Sp. 536

Taiwan has among the highest density of ferns in the world and has been touted as the Kingdom of Ferns. To introduce the beauty of ferns, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet featuring Asplenium nidus, Cyathea spinulosa, Cyathea lepifera, and Cibotium taiwanense.

Denominations:
NT$5.00: Asplenium nidus (臺灣巢蕨)
Commonly known as the bird's-nest fern in English, its long slender fronds are layered and form a nest-like clump at its short fat rhizome. It is a large epiphytic fern and can usually be found growing on tree trunks. It is a common ornamental garden plant.

NT$9.00: Cyathea spinulosa (臺灣桫欏)
The plant is commonly known as the Taiwan tree fern in English. Its trunk is about five meters high, and its fronds are oval-shaped. New green fronds are upright and radiate from the crown, while the old fronds bend downward to form a leave skirt. This shade tolerant tree is common in mid- and low-elevation regions of the island.

NT$12.00: Cyathea lepifera (筆筒樹)
This fern is known as the common tree fern in English. It usually produces a single straight trunk up to a height of eight meters. Its fronds are large and form a clump at the crown. When an old frond falls, it will leave an obvious mark on the trunk where it once attached. It is a representative tree species in the subtropical areas of Taiwan.

NT$25.00: Cibotium taiwanense (臺灣金狗毛蕨)
This fern’s short, thick rhizome is densely covered with golden hairs and bears a crown of fronds. The base of its pinna is asymmetrical, and there are two to three pinnules less on the side closer to the ground. This terrestrial plant can only be found in Taiwan.

This set of stamps is printed in intaglio in combination with offset, and the effect is simply exquisite.

China Stamps: 2010-5

2010-01-02T18:48:00.001+08:00

China Stamps
Name: Chinese Ballet - Red Detachment of Women (中国芭蕾-红色娘子军)
Number: 2010-5
Date of Issue: 01 January 2010
Value: 2 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (2-1): Belief (信念)
1.20元 (2-2): Happiness (快乐)

"Red Detachment of Women" is a famous Chinese ballet adapted and premiered by the Central Ballet from the film of the same name in 1964. The drama represents a Red Army's detachment of women in Hainan Island fighting against local reactionary forces under the leadership of the Communist Party of China during the second civil war period, successfully portraying such revolutionary figures as Wu Qinghua and Hong Changqing. A perfect blending of the Western ballet art with traditional Chinese folk dance, the dance drama has enjoyed wide popularity as a jewel in the world of ballet for 45 years since its debut.

Israel Christmas ATM FDC

2009-12-29T19:42:00.000+08:00

Israel ATM FDC
Name: Christmas
Date of Issue: 26 November 2009

2009 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Israel, Lithuania.

2008 Christmas FDCs:
Canada: The Nativity, Canada: Winter Fun, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania.

2007 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Lithuania, Ukraine, Vatican.

China Stamp: 2009-31

2009-12-28T21:00:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: 80th Anniversary of Gutian Conference (古田会议八十周年)
Number: 2009-31
Date of Issue: 28 December 2009
Value: 1 stamp/set

Gutian Conference, officially known as the Ninth Congress of the Fourth Front Army of the CPC Red Army, took place on December 28, 1929, in Gutian Town of Shanghang County, Fujian Province. The meeting deliberated and approved Gutian Conference Resolution, a guideline document for the construction of the Party and the Red Army, drafted by Mao Zedong. The meeting established fundamental principles and mechanisms for the construction of people's army under the leadership of the CPC, settled the issue of building a new-type people's army, and laid a foundation for the political work of the people's army. It is a milestone in the history of the CPC and the Chinese army. Over the past 80 years, Gutian Conference has played a guiding role in the efforts to make Chinese People's Liberation Army more revolutionary, modernized, and standardized.

Israel Lighthouses FDC

2009-12-24T21:02:00.000+08:00

Israel FDC
Name: Lighthouses in Israel
Date of Issue: 26 November 2009
Number: 832

The Hebrew word for lighthouse - "migdalor" – is comprised of two words: "migdal" (tower) and "or" (light), indicating structures that are usually tall and equipped with devices that emit light, either steadily or cyclically.

Lighthouses serve as navigational aides for ships sailing near the shoreline. Some are built at hazardous locations, adjacent to rocky cliffs or sandbars, in order to warn ships against approaching too closely. Others are built near ports to mark the way for ships coming in to dock.

In olden times lighthouses were lit by burning wood, oil or coal but since the late 19th century most have been refitted to work on gas and electricity.

Although the use of advanced navigational tools has made most lighthouses obsolete, many continue to serve as tourist attractions and landmarks.

The stamps in the series depict three of the lighthouses built along Israel's southern Mediterranean coastline:

Denominations:
4.60 שח: Jaffa
This 29-meter high lighthouse is built on a hilltop poised above the Jaffa Port. The Jaffa lighthouse was initially erected in 1865 as part of operations carried out by Turkish authorities to improve the port facilities. The structure appearing on the stamp was built by the British in 1936. The lighthouse's identifying mark was four white flashes, emitted every 14 seconds. The rocks along the Jaffa shore did not allow ships to enter the port, thus passengers and cargo were offloaded at sea and transported to shore in small row boats, such as that appearing on the stamp to the right of the lighthouse.

6.70 שח: Tel-Aviv
This lighthouse was built in the 1930's on the beach to the north of Tel-Aviv, adjacent to the Yarkon Estuary in order to warn ships against approaching the shore, where sandbars were located. The 20-meter high lighthouse served the Tel-Aviv Port as well as the adjacent electricity plant harbor.
The lighthouse's identifying mark was two flashes (one long and one short), emitted every seven seconds.

On 15 May, 1936 approval was received to operate a Hebrew port in Tel-Aviv. Four days later the first cargo ship to arrive at the makeshift port was unloaded. Sacks of cement were offloaded at sea and transported to shore in small boats. The porters, excited to be taking part in this historic event, expressed their joy by dancing a rousing Hora.

8.80 שח: Ashdod
This 76-meter high lighthouse is built atop Tel Yona, near the Ashdod Port. It was erected in the 1960's as part of the construction of the port facilities. The lighthouse's identifying mark was three white flashes, emitted every 20 seconds.

Ashdod Port is Israel's largest sea port. It is a modern facility, equipped with huge cranes and is capable of handling large cargo ships quickly and efficiently.

Description of the Stamps and the First Day Cover
Jaffa stamp – photograph of rowers in a boat, Tel-Aviv Municipal Archives
Tel-Aviv stamp – photograph of porters dancing, Jewish National Fund Archives
Ashdod stamp – photograph of a docked ship, Ashdod Port Company
Tabs – photographs by Dreamstime
Envelope – photograph of the Tel-Aviv lighthouse and its surroundings, Israel Electric Corporation Archives

Israel Archeology FDCs

2009-12-22T19:36:00.001+08:00

Israel FDCs
Name: Maritime Archeology in Israel
Date of Issue: 26 November 2009
Number: 831

Remains from ancient cultures are abundant along the coastline of Eretz Israel. These remains are material evidence of the activity of the diverse civilizations which inhabited these shores over thousands of years. They are part of Israel's cultural maritime legacy as well as an important source of knowledge of its history. Submerged archeological maritime remains that were hidden from human view for thousands of years have been exposed in recent years as the result of human intervention at the shoreline (construction of ports and marinas and sand quarrying) and the development of scuba diving. Unsupervised exposure of the remains and the subsequent unavoidable damage has led to the danger that these treasures may be lost.

Fifty years of underwater archeological research has uncovered many important sites, each with its own character and finds. The uniqueness of the finds lies in their generally good state of preservation and their rarity relative to archeological excavations on land. Every sunken ship preserves the moment of disaster as a sort of "time capsule", and contains much evidence regarding the technology of the vessel, the crew's lifestyle and the ship's cargo and sailing route.

This series of stamps illustrates some of the finds from sunken ships found along Israel's shoreline and reflect the seafarers' commercial ties and beliefs:

Denominations:
2.40 שח: Figurines
The power of the sea aroused the seafarers' need to seek heavenly protection and shelter. Greek and Roman sailors customarily carried talismans and figurines and held religious rituals while at sea. Three figurines of the patrons of sailing and trade were found in a Roman ship discovered near Haifa: the god Serapis, the goddess Minerva and the god Mercury.

2.40 שח: Earthenware Jugs
The bustling ports were the scene of import and export of raw materials, tools, foodstuffs and luxuries. Olive oil and wine were in great demand around the Mediterranean, and Eretz Israel was rich in both. These wares were transported in earthenware jugs called amphoras, various types of which were suited to specific types of goods.

3.60 שח: Weapons
The location of Eretz Israel at an important strategic crossroad and its significance for Christianity and Islam resulted in its being a battleground between great naval powers throughout history. Fleets landing on its shores left various weapons, including bronze axes, swords and daggers, bronze helmets, clay grenades used for "Greek Fire" and cannons.

5 שח: Anchors
The role of the anchor is to hold a ship safely in place, thus it is one of the most important and common tools used by sailing vessels. Ancient ships carried several anchors, as they were easily lost. Others sank with ships which were wrecked in storms. The variety of types discovered along our shores demonstrates the complete development of these anchors: stone anchors from the Bronze Age, anchors of wood and stone, or wood and lead, from the Persian, Hellenistic and Ancient Roman Periods, iron anchors from the Roman and Byzantine Periods and four-pronged grapnel anchors from the Middle Ages.

Comment: I'm so lucky because my Israeli friend got the designer's autograph on my FDC. His name is Eliezer Weishoff in English, but you can see his autograhp is Hebrew (אליעזר ויסהוף). Frankly Speaking, it's very hard to recognize it.

Israel Theater FDC

2009-12-21T19:53:00.001+08:00

Israel FDC
Name: The Yiddish Theater 1876, Iasi (Israel - Romania Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 26 November 2009
Number: 830

This joint Israel - Romania stamp issue commemorates the establishment of the Yiddish Theatre in Iasi, Romania in 1876 and the accomplishments of the founder of Jewish theatre, Abraham Goldfaden.

Abraham Goldfaden (1840 - 1908), a poet and father of the Jewish theater, was born in the town of Starokostiantyniv in the Volyn region, one of the centers of Jewish Enlightenment in southern Russia. His first book of Hebrew poems, "Zizim u-Ferahim" (Buds and Flowers), was published in 1875, after which he went on to publish poems in Yiddish. Goldfaden set some of his poems to folk melodies and they achieved such great popularity that some are even sung to this day, including the most well-known of his songs, "Raisins and Almonds".

Goldfaden arrived in Iasi, Romania in 1876 in order to publish a newspaper representing the Jewish Enlightenment. There he put on the first play improvised in Yiddish, integrating his already well-known songs and featuring two wandering actor-singers. Overnight he became the founder of the modern Jewish theater, a title he justifiably awarded himself. Up to that point, theater productions in the Jewish community were mainly held as part of the Purim holiday festivities (“Purim Spiel”), while plays written by followers of the Enlightenment were meant only to be read. The Orthodox Jewish community rejected the theater institution but Goldfaden was not deterred and dedicated himself to the theater he had founded, turning it into a legitimate part of Jewish culture. His theater merged the folkloristic roots of Jewish culture with the ideas of the Enlightenment and was influenced by the Russian-European melodrama and operetta. His troupe gave rise to many other theater troupes, which frequently made use of his repertoire, including plays such as: "The Witch", "The Two Kuni-Lemls" and "Shmendrik" (The Comical Wedding).

Over the course of thirty years, Goldfaden wrote more than 50 plays, which he directed, set to music and produced, even building and designing the sets and costumes. His productions allowed actors to hone their craft and developed an audience of theater proponents. He travelled throughout Europe, Russia, the Ukraine and America with his troupe. His plays were fraught with scathing criticism of the religious establishment and spoke out against inconsistencies within Jewish society, which was straddling the line between tradition and progress on the eve of the 20th century. His plays were received enthusiastically and he gave the Jewish stage eternal characters such as Bubbeh Yachneh, Miraleh the Orphan, Hotzmich, Shmendrik and Kuni-Leml.

At the height of his activities in Russia, Goldfaden's troupe numbered 40 actors and actresses and he began writing historical melodramas: "Shulamith", "Dr. Almasada", "Judah the Maccabean" and "Bar Kochva". Always attentive to his audience and to the goings on around him, Goldfaden wrote "Bar Kochva" in order to awaken awareness and national pride within his audience in reaction to the wave of pogroms that washed over Russia.

In 1883, the troupe disbanded after the Czar issued a proclamation banning the production of Yiddish plays within the realms of the Russian empire. Goldfaden continued to wander through Europe and America on his own. Upon arriving in America in 1887, he discovered that his former actors were performing his old repertoire but his theatrical endeavors in the New World were rejected. Although unable to rekindle his days of glory in the theater, he continued to pen new plays, such as "Lo Tachmod" (The Tenth Commandment or Though Shalt Not Covet), "Days of the Messiah?!" and "The Binding of Isaac", which he produced them with various troupes in many places. He wrote and produced his Hebrew-language play "David in War" featuring a group of youths in a Zionist club in New York. Thus he also considered himself to be the father of the Hebrew Theatre.

Abraham Goldfaden died on January 9, 1908 and tens of thousands of mourners accompanied him on his final journey. The original theater he created filled the community's needs and impacted the artistic development of the Jewish and Hebrew theaters as they came into being. Many of his plays continue to be produced in Israel and in Jewish theaters throughout the world.

Description of the Stamp & the First Day Cover
The stamp features an adapted illustration, based on the original poster for the play Two Kuni-Lemls.

The First Day Cover features two quotes from the play Two Kuni-Lemls, both in the original Yiddish and translated into Hebrew.

China Stamps: 2009-30

2009-12-20T19:35:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: 10th Anniversary of Macao's Return to the Motherland (澳门回归祖国十周年)
Number: 2009-30
Date of Issue: 20 December 2009
Value: 3 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (3-1): Celebration (欢庆)
1.20元 (3-2): Cooperation (合作)
1.50元 (3-3): Prosperity (繁荣)

December 20, 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland. Macao has taken on a brand new look since its return to the motherland. With the support of the Central Government, Macao Special Administrative Region, drawing together and leading the people from all walks of life, has earnestly carried out the policies of "one country, two systems", "Macao people governing Macao" and "enjoying a high degree of autonomy", and has energetically coped with all kinds of challenges to maintain a good situation in which economy sees a sustained growth, society maintains harmonious and stable, and people's livelihood gets better and better step by step. Over the past 10 years, Macao has developed a closer tie with mainland China, and has had more external contacts each passing day; meanwhile its trade cooperation has expanded continuously. Macao is marching forward with vigor and vitality after its return to the motherland, and has opened up a successful practice of and bright prospects for the "one country, two systems" policy.

Thailand Medical FDC

2009-12-18T19:50:00.000+08:00

Thailand FDC
Name: 110 Years Medical Department, RTA
Date of Issue: 25 November 2009
Number: 888

Purpose: To commemorate 110th anniversary of establishment of Medical Department, Royal Thai Army, as well as to disseminate its missions to the public.

Designs: Mor-Oum is performing the missions of Medical Department, RTA.
3 บาท BAHT: Medical Department, RTA., in 1900 and Mission "To Conserve the Fighting Strength"
3 บาท BAHT: Mor-Oum and Aero Medical Evacuation
3 บาท BAHT: Mor-Oum and Field Surgery
3 บาท BAHT: Mor-Oum and Medical Department, RTA., in 2010

Estonia Christmas FDCs

2009-12-16T18:50:00.001+08:00

Estonia FDCs
Name: Christmas
Date of Issue: 19 November 2009

Already centuries ago our forefathers marked the winter solstice as the most important event of the year. It was the time of cleaning and decorating the house (with a spruce tree, so-called Christmas crowns and krõllid), straw on the floor, beer, baked pork, Christmas bread and black pudding. The word jõul (Christmas) has been borrowed into Estonian from Scandinavia about a thousand years ago. At Christmas the Christian world marks the birth of Christ. Traditional Christmas services are carried out in all the churches. The Pope ushering in Christmas at a midnight mass in St Peter's Basilica, with the Vatican Television Centre mediating it to the whole world, has acquired a global meaning. Christmas is reflected in the work of many great artists and composers. One of the best-known Christmas songs is Franz Xaver Gruber's Silent Night composed in 1818, which has been performed in about 300 languages and dialects. Over time the Christmas tree (15th century), the Advent crown (19th century), sending Christmas cards to friends and relatives (19th century), Santa Claus (20th century) and later also gingerbreads and poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) have become part of Christmas traditions at different times. The first postage stamp dedicated to Christmas was issued in Canada in 1898, and Estonia got its first Christmas stamp in 1992. In today's rapidly changing world Christmas has become a mixture of forefathers' customs, the Christian tradition and commerce.

2009 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Israel, Lithuania.

2008 Christmas FDCs:
Canada: The Nativity, Canada: Winter Fun, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania.

2007 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Lithuania, Ukraine, Vatican.

India Aquatic Animals FDC

2009-12-15T20:17:00.002+08:00

India FDC
Name: Aquatic Animals (India - Philippines Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 16 November 2009

Denominations:
500: Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetica)
The Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica) and Indus River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) are two sub-species of freshwater or river dolphins found in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The Ganges River Dolphin is primarily found in the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers and their tributaries in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, while the Indus River Dolphin is found in the Indus River in Pakistan and its Beas and Sutlej tributaries. From the 1970s until 1998, they were regarded as separate species; however, in 1998, their classification was changed from two separate species to subspecies of a single species (see taxonomy below). The Ganges river dolphin has been recognized by the government of India as its National Aquatic Animal. More...

2000: Butanding (Rhincodon typus)
The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow moving filter feeding shark, the largest living fish species. In the Philippines, it is called "butanding". The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb), but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks. This distinctively-marked fish is the only member of its genus Rhincodon and its family, Rhincodontidae (called Rhinodontes before 1984), which belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class Chondrichthyes. The shark is found in tropical and warm oceans, lives in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years. The species originated about 60 million years ago. Although whale sharks have very large mouths, they feed mainly, though not exclusively, on plankton, microscopic plants and animals, although the BBC program Planet Earth filmed a whale shark feeding on a school of small fish. More...

Thailand Flowers FDC

2009-12-14T21:45:00.000+08:00

Thailand FDC
Name: New Year 2010
Date of Issue: 15 November 2009
Number: 878

Purpose: To be affixied on New Year greeting cards and to publicize rare wild flowers of Thailand.

Designs: Illustrating 4 kinds of rare wild flowers discovered in Thailand
3 บาท BAHT: Drosera peltata Sm.
3 บาท BAHT: Sonerila griffithii C. B. Clarke
3 บาท BAHT: Cyanotis arachnoidea Wight
3 บาท BAHT: Caulokaempferia saxicola K. Larsen

Taiwan Greetings FDCs

2009-12-13T19:24:00.000+08:00

Taiwan FDCs
Name: Personal Greeting Stamps - Happy Times
Date of Issue: 12 November 2009
Number: Def. 131

To provide more design options, Chunghwa Post is issuing “Happy Times,” a new set of ten personal greeting stamps. All ten stamps have denominations of NT$3.50 and NT$5.00, distinguished by different background colors. Customers now have a chance to create a brand new set of personal greeting stamps using their prettiest or most memorable photos. The designs of the stamps follow:

1. Pearl (cherished love): Precious pearls are often used to express a love that is cherished above all. Giving pearls is a display of how much one values the recipient.

2. Present (surprise): Presents wrapped with a ribbon that is tied in a bow suggest that they are full of surprises and bring joy.

3. Bouquet (love): Beautiful flowers are the ideal choice for expressing affection to family members, as well as romantic love and friendship.

4. Candy (sweetness): A lollipop and some candies wrapped in colorful cellophane paper make one feel sweet, thus adding to the joy of happy times.

5. Balloon (joy): During celebrations and other happy occasions, colorful balloons floating in the air impart a joyous atmosphere.

6. Champagne (celebration): During romantic moments or celebrations, the clinking flutes that are filled with champagne can help to mark the occasion, freezing a beautiful moment in time.

7. Heart (warmth): Hearts represent mutual support and caring between family members, friends and lovers. This stamp features a big heart made of many smaller hearts to convey the warmest side of anyone’s heart.

8. Cake (bliss): A cake decorated with chocolate and a strawberry offers a taste of happiness and sweetness. It’s a desert that can’t be passed up during happy times.

9. Sparkler (celebration): By lighting up sparklers or setting off fireworks in the night sky, the flickering light brings the festivities to a high point.

10. Clover (luck): It is said that four-leaf clovers bring good luck, but their rarity makes them especially precious. Let flying four-leave clovers on stamps spread good luck and best wishes.

Comment: This is the first time my daughter's photos appear on the real posted FDC. Thanks to my Taiwanese friend.

Poland Writer FDC

2009-12-12T19:46:00.000+08:00

Poland FDC
Name: 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Paweł Jasienica
Date of Issue: 10 November 2009

10th November 2009 is the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Paweł Jasienica, one of the most widely-read Polish historical writers of the 20th century. The ease of translating his thoughts into words, the skill of expressing them and presenting historical facts and profiles of significant personalities of the ages under study, all rendered his books much sought-after. Among the most well-known works of Jasienica there is the essayistic historical synthesis of pre-partition Poland entitled "Polska Piastów" (1960), "Polska Jagiellonów" (1963) and "Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów" (1967-1972) which was reissued on numerous occasions. Following its first edition Jasienica came under criticism for promoting what was called a personalised approach to history (the belief that individuals have the power to influence history) which stood in contradiction with the Marxist philosophy of history of those days. The then authorities never stopped looking for a reason to prohibit the publishing of Jasienica's books in hope that he would be erased not only from people's memory, but also history. The readers, however, didn't fail him.

There are very few things in life as contagious as freedom
Paweł Jasienica was an advocate of freedom both in its literal sense and its figurative meaning, and he fought for it both with his pen and his sword. He was born to a family of long patriotic traditions - his grandfather took part in the January Uprising, and his great grandfather was a soldier in the November Uprising. The writer was born in Symbirsk at the Volga river and his real name was Leon Lech Beynar (he adopted a different name following the war in order to protect his wife from the NKVD as she, as a widow, remained in Vilnius which was then occupied by the Russians). He stayed in Russia until 1920. Between 1928 and 1932 he studied history at the Stefan Batory University in Vilnius and later worked as a teacher in Hrodna where he published a number of historical essays. Following the outbreak of World War 2 in 1939 he fought in the September campaign and actively conspired against the occupants as a member of the AK . When his squad was broken up in August 1944 he was taken captive and transported to Białystok where he endured interrogation and imprisonment by the NKVD. He was then drafted to a unit of the People's Army of Poland, but managed to escape and reach the 5th AK brigade in Vilnius. In July 1945 he was appointed the adjutant of the brigade commander Zugmunt Szyndzielarz a.k.a. "Łupaszka." Wounded on the night between 8 and 9 July, he left his brigade avoiding arrest and execution and took refuge in the parish house in the village of Jasienica.

Only slaves remain passive, but he who has tasted freedom wants ever more of it
In 1946 following the war he started working in Kraków as editor for "Tygodnik Powszechny" using an adopted name Paweł Jasienica. Having been arrested by the secret police (UB - Urząd Bezpieczeństwa) in 1948 and subsequently released, he joined the PAX association. Between the late 1959 and 1962 he presided over the Association of Polish Writers (Związek Literatów Polskich, ZLP) and between 1966 and 1970 he was Vice-Chairman of the Pen Club. In 1964 he signed the protest of 34 intellectuals campaigning against press censorship, and in March 1968 he supported the students' protest for which he was expelled from the ZLP. The pro-establishment press called him a mason and a man of unpleasant past. In 1968 Władysław Gomułka publicly suggested Jasienica was double-faced in an attempt to discredit the writer and provide a reason for prohibiting the publication of his books and articles. Jasienica felt the painful burden of those unfair accusations until the end of his life. He died in 1970 and was buried at the Powązki cemetery in Warsaw.

New stamp and First Day Cover
In order to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Paweł Jasienica Poczta Polska introduced a stamp featuring a black and white photograph of the writer on the background of books. The FDC presents a stack of books and one page of typescript with the author's handwritten corrections. The issue is accompanied with an occasional date stamp in the shape of an open book, in use in the Warsaw 1 Post Office.

Russia Transport FDC

2009-12-11T19:48:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: The 200th Anniversary of the Transport Department of Russia
Date of Issue: 09 November 2009

In 2009, the Ministry of Transport of Russia celebrates its 200th anniversary. On November 20, 1809 Emperor Alexander I signed the manifesto entitled "Establishment of management of water and land communications". This date marked the beginning of the establishment of administrative structures in the transport sector of Russia, and rightly became the starting point of managing development of nation-wide transport system of the country.

The stamp presents the coat of arms of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the Russian flag.

India Personality FDC

2009-12-10T20:20:00.000+08:00

India FDC
Name: Danmal Mathur
Date of Issue: 06 November 2009

Shri Danmal was born on 14th March 1904 in a modest home in 'Bhata Gavari' in Kayastha Mohalla, Aimer. His father, Munshi Kanmal Mathur, employed by the Kotah State in 1894 as 'Motamid' (Housemaster) of Kotah House in Mayo College. And he was a disciplinarian! Without doubt Danmalji's formative years and personality were greatly influenced by his father.

On 25th Feb., 1916 (when he was only 12) Danmalji was married to Roop Kanwar, daughter of Shri Devi Dayal Mathur of Kharwa. The adage 'Behind every successful man is a woman' is exemplified in its entirety by the support Shri Danmal received from his wife who managed the house-hold and brought up a large family, allowing her husband time to give to the innumerable professional, philanthropic, societal and other commitments he was destined to be a part of.

He passed his B.Sc. examination from Government College, Ajmer in 1927 where he was appointed 'Demonstrator' in Physics. He was HOD and Vice Principal Mayo College.

In 1952 Shri Danmal was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to the USA where he impressed the various forums he addressed, by his views on Education and his expositions on Indian culture and religion.

In the same year Shri Danmal was awarded the 'International Service Star' for his valuable services by Lord Mountbatten of Burma and Chief Scout of India.

In 1947 Shri Danmal accompanied the Indian Scouts contingent as a senior member to Paris at the international Scouts Jamboree.

Shri Danmal started scouting in the Railways at the Mt. Abu camp in 1948.

In his quest to spread the message of scouting, dynamic Shri Danmal also took a contingent of scouts to Japan in 1953.

When Ajmer was merged with Rajasthan in 1956 Shri Danmal was appointed Divisional Secretary and later Commissioner of Rajasthan State Scouts and Guides. It was because of his efforts in persuading the Government that a 17 acre permanent scouts campsite was set up at Pushkar Ghati, and land was allotted for setting up the Divisional Headquarters for Scouts in 'Tope Dara' in Ajmer. For his contribution to Scouting the National Headquarters of Bharat Scouts and Guides honoured him by decorating him first with the 'Silver Star' and subsequently, in 1970, with the 'Silver Elephant' the highest award in Scouting in India.

Subsequently, he played cricket for Rajputana and was in the team which played against the M.C.C. when it toured India and Australia in the thirties.

Comment: Do you find? the additional definitive stamps were not cancelled, interesting.

Spain JUVENIA FDC

2009-12-09T20:16:00.000+08:00

Spain FDC
Name: JUVENIA 2009
Date of Issue: 06 November 2009

The National Exhibition of Youth Philately (Juvenia 2009) is an important philatelic event for youth stamp collecting. It has been taking place every two years and in 2009 will be held in Mieres (Asturias). From the 6 to the 14 November, exhibitions, workshops, lectures and other commemorative events will take place in this XXI edition of JUVENIA. The challenge of this edition, as in previous ones is to widespread the exciting, formative and varied world of philately amongst the young ones. This XXI edition is organised by the Club Filatélico Mierense who celebrates its 50th anniversary. There will be collections on exhibition from France, Portugal and Spain. Within the programme of Juvenia there will be many activities taking place: Seminars, visits, lectures, stamp presentations etc. these events will be hosted in the hall of the main building of the University Campus of Barredo in Mieres.

Mieres borders on Ribera de Arriba, Oviedo and Langreo to the north; to the south on Lena and Aller : to the east on Langreo, San Martín del Rey Aurelio and Laviana; and to the west on Morcín and Riosa. There are remains of Celtic fortifications and mounds which evidence the existence of pre Roman inhabitants. From the Roman times there remain vestiges and inscriptions, though the importance of this municipality begins in the IX century when a number of monarchs from Asturias make important donations to its churches and jurisdictions. Mieres was part of the Jacobean Path thus its name, Mieres-on-the path. From the XIX century, the region had a buoyant coal mining industry which is nowadays in decline and up until 1970 it also had a prosperous metal industry.

The stamp depicts a view of the Requejo square with a statue of a man pouring cider in a glass and in the background there features the typical glass window galleries of this region besides the logo and text allusive to Mieres and Juvenia.

Comment: This FDC is a surprise from my Spanish friend. Francisco, please email me if you see this post.

Russia Empress FDC

2009-12-08T19:19:00.001+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: History of Russian State: The 300th Anniversary of Birth of Elizaveta Petrovna, Russian Empress
Date of Issue: 06 November 2009

Elizaveta Petrovna (Russian: Елизаве́та (Елисаве́т) Петро́вна) (29 December [O.S. 18 December] 1709 – 5 January 1762 [O.S. 25 December 1761] ), also known as Yelisavet and Elizabeth, was the Empress of Russia (1741–1762) who took the country into the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748) and the Seven Years' War (1756 – 1763). On the eve of her death in 1762, the Russian empire spanned almost 4 billion acres[citation needed] (more than 16 million squared kilometres). More...

Singapore APEC FDC

2009-12-07T19:54:00.000+08:00

Singapore FDC
Name: Asia - Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2009 Meetings
Date of Issue: 09 November 2009

Formed in 1989, the Asia - Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is the only inter-governmental grouping in the world operating on the basis of non-binding commitments, open dialogue and equal respect for the views of all participants. Each year, the APEC meetings bring together 21 economies from the Asia - Pacific region and member economies take turns to host the meetings. Singapore is proud to host the APEC meetings for 2009. A year-long event from February to November, it will see more than 15,000 delegates from the 21 APEC member economies attend some 123 meetings and events in Singapore. This will culminate in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November where Leaders of the 21 APEC member economies will meet.

Singapore's hosting of APEC 2009 is significant as it is the first time the 21 APEC Economic Leaders will meet in Singapore. Singapore last chaired the APEC meetings in its second year in 1990, when the forum had only 12 members who met at the Ministerial level. This year also marks APEC's 20th anniversary as an inter-governmental grouping since its formation in 1989.

APEC's mission is to enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen the Asia - Pacific community. Over two decades, APEC has made positive contributions to businesses as well as individuals through the reduction of tariffs and trade barriers across the Asia - Pacific region, creating efficient domestic economies and in creasing exports.

As Chair of the APEC meetings for 2009, Singapore has chosen the theme "Sustaining Growth, Connecting the Region" which reflects the continuing efforts of APEC to facilitate trade and investment in the Asia - Pacific region. Such efforts have gained greater importance in the face of a challenging global economic environment. The year-long APEC meetings will see representatives from the 21 APEC member economies convene to discuss measures to support economic growth; address the global economic crisis; support the multilateral trading system; accelerate regional economic integration; and explore avenues to strengthen APEC as an inter-governmental grouping.

With more than 15,000 participants in Singapore during the year-long event and up to 1,500 local and international media during the APEC Leaders' Week from 8 to 15 November itself, it is a golden opportunity for Singapore to play host to our foreign guests, and to showcase what Singapore has to offer - not just in terms of being an attractive business venue, but also to promote Singapore as an exciting place to work, live and play, with our vibrant multicultural heritage, efficient infrastructure, and thriving entertainment scene.

Lithuania Christmas FDC

2009-12-06T19:16:00.002+08:00

Lithuania FDC
Name: Holy Christmas and New Year
Date of Issue: 07 November 2009

2009 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Israel, Lithuania.

2008 Christmas FDCs:
Canada: The Nativity, Canada: Winter Fun, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania.

2007 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Lithuania, Ukraine, Vatican.

Estonia Manor Hall FDC

2009-12-05T20:02:00.000+08:00

Estonia FDC
Name: Estonian Manor Halls - Saku Hall
Date of Issue: 05 November 2009

Saku Hall is the most outstanding architectural monument in the small town of Saku on the middle reaches of the Vääna River close to Tallinn, one of the most beautiful examples of Classical architecture in Estonia. The first reports of the manor go back to 1489 when the manor seat was situated a few kilometres to the south from the present location. It moved to where it stands today in the 17th century. It had a number of earlier owners but in 1765 Otto Magnus von Rehbinder bought the estate. His grandson Paul Eduard started to build up the mansion in a grand style. The manor hall has a portico with rich decor supporting on four beautiful columns and large “Venetian” windows. The architect has remained unidentified (the famous Carlo Rossi of St. Petersburg has been suggested as one of the possible authors). Stucco décor and stencilled paintings enhance the interior. In the 20th century the manor hall housed a domestic economy school and then a specialised secondary school. It has also served as the seat of the local government. Today Saku Hall functions as a holiday and seminar centre.

Hong Kong Football M/S FDC

2009-12-04T20:52:00.001+08:00

Hong Kong Minisheet FDC
Name: Football (Brazil - Hong Kong Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 05 November 2009

Football, a popular sport all over the globe, has long been a favourite pastime for people from all walks of life in Hong Kong. In Brazil, it is a sport played and watched with a national pride and passion that is deeply ingrained in Brazilian culture. To share with philately lovers the worldwide enthusiasm for the sport, Hongkong Post and Brazil Post jointly release the “Football” special stamps. This is our tenth joint issue with an overseas postal administration.

Professional football in Hong Kong dates back to 1968. The British style dominated at the beginning. From late 1990s onwards, however, more and more Brazilian footballers joined in, particularly the First Division clubs, bringing their unique style of play to the Hong Kong pitch. The Hong Kong Football Representative Team, which represents Hong Kong in international football tournaments, competed for the first time in World Cup qualification in 1973 and further advanced to the knockout stage in 1977 and 1985. To promote the sport locally, the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) organises various programmes to nurture young players. Talented footballers have the opportunity to join clubs in the HKFA leagues or represent Hong Kong in international competitions.

Football made its first touch down on Brazilian soil over a hundred years ago. It has now captured the energy and imagination of the whole nation from the streets to the leagues. Brazilian football emphasises aggressive attacks, passing skills and swift movements. What sets Brazilian football apart is its stylistic footwork with rhythm and choreography. Brazil appeared at the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930 and hosted the World Cup in 1950. The Brazil National Football Team is considered one of the most successful national football teams in World Cup history with its record five victories in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.

In 2005, the Brazil National Football Team made its first visit to Hong Kong to play a friendly match against the Hong Kong Football Representative Team. With top-notch players from the five-time champion team, the event was exhilarating for football fans in Hong Kong.

The joint issue depicts players in action from both the Brazil and Hong Kong teams in comic strip style. The four stamps feature Header by Striker ($1.40), Defense by Goalkeeper ($2.40), Long Pass by Skipper ($3) and Tackle by Defender ($5). In the design, quarters of the football positioned in different corners of the stamps come together at the centre to form a complete picture, symbolising the team spirit of this popular sport.

China Sheetlet: 2009-27

2009-12-03T19:40:00.001+08:00

China Sheetlet II
Name: Ancient Academies (2nd Series) 古代书院 (二)
Number: 2009-27
Date of Issue: 15 November 2009
Value: 8 stamps/sheet

Denominations:
1.20元 (4-1): Shigu Academy & Han Yu (石鼓书院 & 韩愈)
Shigu Academy was named after its location on the Shigu Mountain north to Hengyang City, Hunan Province. It was originally the place where Li Kuanzhong, a scholar in the Tang Dynasty, Built a studio, and later it became, in the Song Dynasty, an academy, attracting many famous scholars and followers. Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty bestowed the land and the tablet bearing Shigu Academy on it, making the Academy highly reputed throughout the country.

1.20元 (4-2): Anding Academy & Hu Yuan (安定书院 & 胡瑗)
Anding Academy lies in the Taizhou Middle School in Jiangsu Province. Hu Yuan, a renowned educator in the Northern Song Dynasty, once taught here, and developed the educational thought of combining both theory and practice, and implementing the education by subjects. The Academy was built by Chen Gai, the then governor of Taizhou in the Southern Song Dynasty, on the former site where Hu Yuan gave lectures. As one of the earliest academies of classical learning in Jiangsu Province, it had cultivated a large number of outstanding talents.

1.20元 (4-3): Ehu Academy & Zhu Xi, Lu Jiuyuan (鹅湖书院 & 朱熹, 陆九渊)
Located north of the Ehu Mountain in Qianshan County, Jiangxi Province, Ehu Academy was built by Cai Kang, a judicial official in the Song Dynasty, to mark the Ehu Meeting of such philosophers as Zhu Xi, Lv Zuqian, Lu Jiuyuan and Lu Jiuling. Now, the major architectures of the Academy have been well preserved with an integral layout after several times of destruction, rebuilding and renovation during the ups and downs over the past 800 years.

1.20元 (4-4): Dongpo Academy & Su Dongpo (东坡书院 & 苏东坡)
Dongpo Academy, situated in Danzhou, Hainan Province, was first built in the Song Dynasty with the original name of Zaijiutang. It gradually evolved from a venue where Su Dongpo, a great scholar in the song Dynasty, assembled with local scholars during his exile in Danzhou to an academy with sacrificial and educational functions. Dongpo Academy, the supreme academy in Danzhou for all the following dynasties, is an important cultural site in Hainan Province.

Hong Kong Football FDCs

2009-12-03T19:08:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong FDCs
Name: Football (Brazil - Hong Kong Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 05 November 2009

Football, a popular sport all over the globe, has long been a favourite pastime for people from all walks of life in Hong Kong. In Brazil, it is a sport played and watched with a national pride and passion that is deeply ingrained in Brazilian culture. To share with philately lovers the worldwide enthusiasm for the sport, Hongkong Post and Brazil Post jointly release the “Football” special stamps. This is our tenth joint issue with an overseas postal administration.

Professional football in Hong Kong dates back to 1968. The British style dominated at the beginning. From late 1990s onwards, however, more and more Brazilian footballers joined in, particularly the First Division clubs, bringing their unique style of play to the Hong Kong pitch. The Hong Kong Football Representative Team, which represents Hong Kong in international football tournaments, competed for the first time in World Cup qualification in 1973 and further advanced to the knockout stage in 1977 and 1985. To promote the sport locally, the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) organises various programmes to nurture young players. Talented footballers have the opportunity to join clubs in the HKFA leagues or represent Hong Kong in international competitions.

Football made its first touch down on Brazilian soil over a hundred years ago. It has now captured the energy and imagination of the whole nation from the streets to the leagues. Brazilian football emphasises aggressive attacks, passing skills and swift movements. What sets Brazilian football apart is its stylistic footwork with rhythm and choreography. Brazil appeared at the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930 and hosted the World Cup in 1950. The Brazil National Football Team is considered one of the most successful national football teams in World Cup history with its record five victories in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.

In 2005, the Brazil National Football Team made its first visit to Hong Kong to play a friendly match against the Hong Kong Football Representative Team. With top-notch players from the five-time champion team, the event was exhilarating for football fans in Hong Kong.

The joint issue depicts players in action from both the Brazil and Hong Kong teams in comic strip style. The four stamps feature Header by Striker ($1.40), Defense by Goalkeeper ($2.40), Long Pass by Skipper ($3) and Tackle by Defender ($5). In the design, quarters of the football positioned in different corners of the stamps come together at the centre to form a complete picture, symbolising the team spirit of this popular sport.

Russia Rank FDC

2009-12-02T19:43:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: The 75th Anniversary of a Rank of the Hero of Soviet Union
Date of Issue: 29 October 2009

The title Hero of the Soviet Union (Russian: Герой Советского Союза, Geroy Sovyetskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.

The award was established on April 16, 1934. The first recipients of the title originally received only the Order of Lenin, the highest Soviet award, along with certificate (грамота, gramota) describing the heroic deed from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Because the Order of Lenin could be awarded for deeds not qualifying for the title of hero, and to distinguish heroes from other Order of Lenin holders, the Gold Star medal was introduced on August 1, 1939. Earlier heroes were retroactively eligible for these items. More...

Singapore Attractions JI FDC

2009-12-01T19:22:00.001+08:00

Singapore Joint Issue FDC
Name: Tourist Attractions (Indonesia - Singapore Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 28 October 2009

Singapore and Indonesia enjoy warm and friendly ties. Both countries are close neighbours and each other's major trading partners. Ministers and officials from both countries work closely together bilaterally, as well at international fora such as ASEAN to advance common interests. In this stamp issue, selected attractions of both countries are featured.

Denominations:
1ST LOCAL: Singa Ambara Raja Statue
Singa Ambara Raja statue is the landmark of Singaraja City on the northern part of Bali. Adapted from Buleleng regency symbol, this statue uniquely depicts a winged lion holding a big corn in one of its front leg. The statue was officially inaugurated on 30 March 1971 to signify the historical struggle of Singaraja people against Dutch colony.

65c: Merlion
The iconic Merlion is Singapore's most enduring symbol. The name of the half-lion, half-fish creature is a combination of both Singapore's ancient name "Temasek" (meaning "sea town") and original name "Singapura" (meaning "Lion City").

80c: Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park)
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah or "Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park" is a recreational spot with splendid cultural highlights of the grandeur of Indonesia. Officially opened on 20 April 1975, it covers nearly 250 acres of area at the eastern side of Jakarta. The park is a summary of Indonesian culture, with virtually all aspects of daily life of each provinces of Indonesia encapsulated in separate pavilions with collection of architectures, clothing, dances and traditions.

$1.10: Sentosa
Sentosa was a British military fortress until 1967 when it was handed back to the newly independent Singapore Government. In 1968, the Government decided to develop the island into a holiday resort for local visitors and tourists. The public was invited to suggest names for the island and "Sentosa" - meaning peace & tranquility in Malay - was eventually chosen for the island resort in 1972.

Singapore Attractions M/S FDC

2009-11-30T19:49:00.001+08:00

Singapore Minisheet FDC
Name: Tourist Attractions (Indonesia - Singapore Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 28 October 2009

Singapore and Indonesia enjoy warm and friendly ties. Both countries are close neighbours and each other's major trading partners. Ministers and officials from both countries work closely together bilaterally, as well at international fora such as ASEAN to advance common interests. In this stamp issue, selected attractions of both countries are featured.

Denominations:
1ST LOCAL: Singa Ambara Raja Statue
Singa Ambara Raja statue is the landmark of Singaraja City on the northern part of Bali. Adapted from Buleleng regency symbol, this statue uniquely depicts a winged lion holding a big corn in one of its front leg. The statue was officially inaugurated on 30 March 1971 to signify the historical struggle of Singaraja people against Dutch colony.

65c: Merlion
The iconic Merlion is Singapore's most enduring symbol. The name of the half-lion, half-fish creature is a combination of both Singapore's ancient name "Temasek" (meaning "sea town") and original name "Singapura" (meaning "Lion City").

80c: Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park)
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah or "Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park" is a recreational spot with splendid cultural highlights of the grandeur of Indonesia. Officially opened on 20 April 1975, it covers nearly 250 acres of area at the eastern side of Jakarta. The park is a summary of Indonesian culture, with virtually all aspects of daily life of each provinces of Indonesia encapsulated in separate pavilions with collection of architectures, clothing, dances and traditions.

$1.10: Sentosa
Sentosa was a British military fortress until 1967 when it was handed back to the newly independent Singapore Government. In 1968, the Government decided to develop the island into a holiday resort for local visitors and tourists. The public was invited to suggest names for the island and "Sentosa" - meaning peace & tranquility in Malay - was eventually chosen for the island resort in 1972.

Singapore Attractions FDC

2009-11-29T19:33:00.001+08:00

Singapore FDC
Name: Tourist Attractions (Indonesia - Singapore Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 28 October 2009

Singapore and Indonesia enjoy warm and friendly ties. Both countries are close neighbours and each other's major trading partners. Ministers and officials from both countries work closely together bilaterally, as well at international fora such as ASEAN to advance common interests. In this stamp issue, selected attractions of both countries are featured.

Denominations:
1ST LOCAL: Singa Ambara Raja Statue
Singa Ambara Raja statue is the landmark of Singaraja City on the northern part of Bali. Adapted from Buleleng regency symbol, this statue uniquely depicts a winged lion holding a big corn in one of its front leg. The statue was officially inaugurated on 30 March 1971 to signify the historical struggle of Singaraja people against Dutch colony.

65c: Merlion
The iconic Merlion is Singapore's most enduring symbol. The name of the half-lion, half-fish creature is a combination of both Singapore's ancient name "Temasek" (meaning "sea town") and original name "Singapura" (meaning "Lion City").

80c: Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park)
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah or "Beautiful Indonesian Miniature Park" is a recreational spot with splendid cultural highlights of the grandeur of Indonesia. Officially opened on 20 April 1975, it covers nearly 250 acres of area at the eastern side of Jakarta. The park is a summary of Indonesian culture, with virtually all aspects of daily life of each provinces of Indonesia encapsulated in separate pavilions with collection of architectures, clothing, dances and traditions.

$1.10: Sentosa
Sentosa was a British military fortress until 1967 when it was handed back to the newly independent Singapore Government. In 1968, the Government decided to develop the island into a holiday resort for local visitors and tourists. The public was invited to suggest names for the island and "Sentosa" - meaning peace & tranquility in Malay - was eventually chosen for the island resort in 1972.

China Stamps: 2009-29

2009-11-28T15:22:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: Stage Art of Ma Lianliang (马连良舞台艺术)
Number: 2009-29
Date of Issue: 28 November 2009
Value: 2 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (2-1): Summoning the East Wind (借东风)
1.20元 (2-2): Orphan of the Zhao Family (赵氏孤儿)

Ma Lianliang (1901 - 1966), a native of Beijing, of Hui ethnic group, was a renowned master of Peking Opera. At the age of eight, he entered Xi Lian Cheng Opera School. After graduation, he combined what he learned from the school with bold innovation, and based on stage practice, he gradually developed a unique artistic style of his own, which is now commonly known as the Ma School. The images he portrayed on stage featured distinctive personalities, and in addition to outstanding performance in singing, recitation and acting, the master impressed the audience with his accurate representation of scenarios and vivid depiction of dramatic figures, thus realizing a perfect fusion of play plots with artistic forms. His most representative plays, including "Summoning the East Wind", "Sweet Dew Temple", "Su Wu as a Shepherd" and "Orphan of the Zhao Family", enjoy great popularity among the audience. The superb stage art of Ma Lianliang made a great contribution to the development of Peking Opera, exerting a profound influence that still lingers today.

Lithuania Geodetic Arc FDC

2009-11-27T20:08:00.002+08:00

Lithuania FDC
Name: The World Heritage Objects: The Struve Geodetic Arc
Date of Issue: 24 October 2009

Denominations:
2 Lt: Triangulation Chain of Struve Arc
2 Lt: Point in Meškonys of Struve's Arc

Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve (1793–1864), the professor of University of Tartu in Estonia developed methodology for measuring the arc of the meridian of the earth. He composed a triangulation chain of 258 triangles with special markings firmed on top. This chain was later named Struve Geodetic Arc in honour of the professor.

The establishment of Struve Geodetic Arc in 1816–1852 is one of the greatest and most impressive attempts to determine the exact size and shape of the earth. The triangulation chain passed through territories of ten countries – from the northernmost European city Hammerfest in Norway to Ismail in Ukraine at the Black Sea. The Arc crosses Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russian Federation, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova. The fragments of this triangulation chain, which extended through the mentioned countries 2822 kilometres, were used for the calculation of the arc of meridian.

In the territory of Lithuania 3 points of Geodetic Arc out of 18 present in the country are marked: one in Rokiškis district (Gireišiai village) and two in Vilnius district (Paliepiukai and Meškonys villages).

From 2005 the Struve Geodetic Arc was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List. The Struve Geodetic Arc is the first trans-national nomination in the World Heritage List, introduced by ten states.

On June 16 2006 the geodetic point in Meškonys was introduced to the public.

Russia Road Safety FDC

2009-11-26T20:27:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: Road Safety
Date of Issue: 22 October 2009

Road safety - a complex of measures aimed at ensuring the safety of all road users.

Ensuring safety on the roads of Russia Today includes a series of measures: tightening of administrative responsibility, the introduction of technical means and systems using photo-and video fixation, outreach and advocacy.

Estonia Windmill FDC

2009-11-25T23:46:00.000+08:00

Estonia FDC
Name: Estonian Mills - Angla Windmill
Date of Issue: 22 October 2009

The Angla windmills lie in Angla Village at the Upa-Leisi road, one of the main traffic and tourist routes of Estonia's western Saaremaa Island. The group of windmills is a Saaremaa must, being a symbol of the island and one of the best surviving groups of windmills in Estonia, standing at its original location on Angla Windmill Hill. The group consists of five windmills – four post windmills with rotatory bodies, the fifth being an octagonal wooden Dutch windmill with a rotatory boat-shaped roof and gallery. The Reinu windmill, dating back to the beginning of the 19th century, is the oldest in the group. Lause windmill (1880) probably has older parts in its structure. The third windmill in the complex is that of Viita. The Vilidu windmill (1913) was thoroughly restored in 2008 and has the original function of grinding flour with a miller working as a guide there in the summer. The Tedre Dutch windmill (1927) is currently under restoration. The administrators of Angla Windmill Hill know their ancestors' heritage and how to take care of it and are now working at a paper about the history of Saaremaa's windmills.

Russia Admiral FDC

2009-11-24T19:13:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: The 200th Anniversary of Birth of Vladimir Istomin, the Hero of the Sevastopol Defence 1854-1855
Date of Issue: 14 October 2009

Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin (Владимир Иванович Истомин in Russian) (1809 – March 7(19), 1855) was a Russian rear admiral (1853) and hero of the Siege of Sevastopol.

In 1827, Vladimir Istomin graduated from the Naval College. That same year, he then took part in the Battle of Navarino and later in the blockade of the Dardanelles (1828-1829). In 1836, Istomin was transferred from the Baltic Fleet to the Black Sea Fleet. In 1850, he was appointed commander of the battleship Paris (Париж), which would participate in the Battle of Sinop in 1853. During the siege of Sevastopol, Vladimir Istomin was in charge of the defense of the Malakhov Mound (Малахов курган) and nearby redoubts, setting an example of bravery and tenacity. He was killed by a cannonball on the Kamchatka redoubt on March 7, 1855.

Vladimir Istomin was buried in Sevastopol.

Taiwan Flower ATM FDC

2009-11-23T22:19:00.002+08:00

Taiwan ATM FDC
Name: Flower of Tung Oil Tree (Continued)
Date of Issue: 14 October 2009

Vernicia fordii (Tung Tree; syn. Aleurites fordii Hemsl.) is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to southern China, Burma, and northern Vietnam. Other vernacular names include Tung Oil Tree, Tung-oil Tree, Tungoil Tree, China Wood-Oil Tree, Kalo Nut Tree, 油桐 (lit. oil tung) being the formal name in Chinese.

It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 20 m tall, with a spreading crown. The bark is smooth and thin, and bleeds latex if cut. The leaves are alternate, simple, 4.5–25 cm long and 3.5–22 cm broad, heart-shaped or with three shallow, maple-like lobes, green above and below, red conspicuous glands at the base of the leaf, and with a 5.5–26 cm long petiole. The flowers are 2.5–3.5 cm diameter, with five pale pink to purple petals with streaks of darker red or purple in the throat; it is monoecious with individual flowers either male or female, but produced together in the inflorescences. The flowers appear before or with the leaves in loose, terminal clusters. The fruit is a hard, woody pear-shaped drupe 4–6 cm long and 3–5 cm diameter, containing four or five large, oily seeds; it is green initially, becoming dull brown when ripe in autumn. More...

Taiwan Flowers FDC (II)

2009-11-22T20:35:00.000+08:00

Taiwan FDC
Name: Flowers (2nd Series)
Date of Issue: 14 October 2009
Number: Def. 129(II)

Having issued the first set of definitive stamps on flowers on March 12, 2009, Chunghwa Post is going to follow up with a second set, featuring Calliandra emarginata, Bombax ceiba, Delonix regia, and Spathodea campanulata. This set of stamps was organized by Dr. Heng-piao Chin, the former director-general of the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, and Dr. Ting-Fang Hsieh, director of the Floriculture Research Center, Agricultural Research Institute, Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan. The stamps were painted by Mr. Hung-tu Ko, and printed by Central Engraving and Printing Plant in color deep-etch offset.

Denominations:
NT$1.00: Calliandra emarginata (紅粉撲花)
Calliandra emarginata, or powder puff, is a semi-deciduous shrub of the Fabaceae family. Leaves are bipinnately compound, with oval lanceolate leaflets. The leaflets fold together at night and unfold during the day. The inflorescence is axillary and capitulum. The corolla is semicircular, with dense long filaments, resembling a powder puff. It is a very good ornamental specimen.

NT$2.50: Bombax ceiba (木棉花)
Bombax ceiba, commonly known as cotton tree, is a deciduous tree of the Bombacaceae family. Leaves are palmately compound. Flowers are orange or red, with five petals. The calyx is cup-shaped. It produces a capsule which, when ripe, will burst open and disperse seeds that are covered thickly with cotton-like fibers. The tree has a masculine shape and looks different in all four seasons. One of its salient features is that it blooms before it leafs out.

NT$10.00: Delonix regia (鳳凰木)
Delonix regia—which is commonly known as royal poinciana, flamboyant, or flame of the forest—is a deciduous tree of the Leguminosae family. Most of them have buttress roots. The tree has an umbrella-shaped crown. Leaves are opposite and bipinnately compound. Each of its flowers, which are arranged in terminal racemes, has five petals, which are bright red with a touch of yellow, and its filaments are slender and red. Because the tree blooms in June, it is often used to symbolize graduation. The royal poinciana is a large tree and mainly used for firewood, or as an ornamental or street tree.

NT$32.00: Spathodea campanulata (火焰木)
Spathodea campanulata, or fountain tree, is a deciduous tree of the Bignoniaceae family. Leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, with oval leaflets. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal panicle, with the outer buds blooming first. The flowers are orange scarlet, resembling flames on the crown of the tree. The fountain tree loves heat and sun light. It is commonly grown as a street tree and garden specimen.

Sri Lanka Army FDC

2009-11-21T19:00:00.000+08:00

Sri Lanka FDC
Name: Sri Lanka Army - Diamond Jubilee
Date of Issue: 10 October 2009

Sri Lank Army, born on 10th October 1949 marks its sixty years of age (Diamond Jubilee) on 10th October 2009 with pride and dignity following the great victory recorded with the elimination of terrorism which prevailed over three decades. The Army, in retrospect has reached its unparalleled greatness through its unfailing determination, dedication, dignity and pride right throughout its sixty years of existence.

The Army founded in 1949 with a limited group of people is now composed of six Security Forces Headquarters, five Forward Maintenance Areas, fourteen Divisions, six Task Force Headquarters, sixty-four Brigades, seven Area Headquarters, two Sub Area Headquarters and twenty-three Regiments.

The Army goes into the annals of military history this year because of its unmatched and glorious victory over the scourge of ruthless LTTE terrorism that posed a threat to the country's unitary nature and territorial integrity and disrupted the peaceful co-existence of all ethnicities for over thirty years, though the peak of fighting against terrorism took place between the period 1999 - 2009.

Heroic soldiers of the Army at the expense of their own precious lives and limbs brought peace to the entire Sri Lanka and unified the Nation under one flag through "Victory through Sacrifice", Therefore the commemoration of the Army Day (October 10th) and its 60th Anniversary at this juncture inspires us greatly. The issue of a new stamp by the Department of posts at Army Headquarters to coincide with this golden landmark, signals the undeniable face that we have re-created a new milieu for our younger generation where they could live in peace and happiness.

India Author FDC

2009-11-20T20:02:00.000+08:00

India FDC
Name: R. K. Narayan
Date of Issue: 10 October 2009

R. K. Narayan (October 10, 1906 – May 13, 2001), shortened from Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami was an Indian author whose works of fiction include a series of books about people and their interactions in an imagined town in India. He is one of three leading figures of early Indian literature in English, along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao. He is credited with bringing Indian literature in English to the rest of the world, and is regarded as one of India's greatest English language novelists. More...

Lithuania Fauna & Flora FDC

2009-11-19T19:26:00.002+08:00

Lithuania FDC
Name: The Red Book of Lithuania - Grassland Fauna and Flora
Date of Issue: 09 October 2009

Denominations:
1.55Lt: Machaon (Papilio machaon)
The day-flying butterfly Machaon (Papilio machaon) belongs to the family Papilionidae or the Swallowtail.

Every year in Lithuania two generations of machaons evolve: first generation flies during the months of May and June, the second during July and August, sometimes even till the middle of September. The Machaon butterflies are met in Europe, North Africa, in the tropical areas of Asia, North America. In Lithuania they are found all over the country, more frequently in the Southern regions of the country.

Machaons can mostly be noticed in the open, subject to the sun warmth slopes of rivers and lakes, grassy fields, more rarely in the upland bogs. They feed on leaves and trusses of the plants belonging to the family Apiaceae. Machaons do not avoid cultural territories, they can be found in the forest openings, roadsides, gardens, pastures, and forest cuttings. In Lithuania this species is under protection since 1989.

1.55Lt: Marsh Gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe)
The Marsh Gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe) – is a flowering plant from Magnoliophyta division.

The period of blossoming of this flower is July–August, sometimes – up to October. The Marsh Gentians are spread throughout almost all Europe, Caucasus, and West Siberia and south of East Siberia. In Lithuania this flower was found in southeast regions: Alytus, Ignalina, Marijampolė, Šalčininkai, Varėna, etc.

The Marsh Gentians grow alone, less frequently in small groups, in boggy meadows or meadows with temporarily excessive moist, also peaty clearings of woods, borders of marshes. This is extremely rare plant and it extinguishes every year due to drainage of marshes, climate change, cultivation of meadows. This species is included into the list of the protected plants of Lithuania since 1962.

Malaysia Caring Society FDC

2009-11-18T20:25:00.000+08:00

Malaysia FDC
Name: Caring Society
Date of Issue: 09 October 2009

2009 is the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This legally binding treaty calls on all citizens of the world, from its leaders to each and every one of us to live up to our duties to ensure every child survives and thrives, free from hunger, want, neglect and abuse.

The CRC demands from every one of us, as part of a caring society, to place children at the heart of human development. Not only because this offers a strong return on our investment; nor because of the vulnerability of childhood calls upon our compassion; but rather because that is every child's right.

Denominations:
30sen: Right to Play
Play and participation are critical rights for every child. It facilitates creativity, individuality and social, physical and intellectual growth. There are children however who are deprived of play due to conflict, disease and exploitation. Building safe social and physical environment must be a priority so all children can play and develop into caring citizens free to participate in shaping their own societies.

30sen: Right to Food
Every child born into this world has a right to survive. Nutritious food and clean water are amongst the most essential needs to ensure a child's good health to develop mentally and physically. Universal and sustainable food security is part and parcel of protecting this right for children and their families.

30sen: Right to Learn
The ABCs are the beginning of a brighter future for every child. The opportunity to learn and benefit from development must be the right of all children, regardless of gender, ethnicity, economic background, disability, citizenship or HIV status. Only when every single child is able to read and write, can we truly begin to reduce poverty and guarantee true human progress for all communities.

30sen: Right to Protection
Every child has the right to grow up safe, free from abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination. Yet many experience violence in their childhood, their homes and families, schools, care systems and communities. Giving our children a happy childhood is only possible when society unites to openly confront violence and to defend children's right to protection.

RM1: Born with Rights
Children are the seeds of a country's future. For them to grow and realize the fullest potential, a conducive environment for their development and growth must first be set in place. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) helps create this environment for children aged 18 and below by setting the standards for their health care, education , as well as legal, civil and social services.

And although translating the vision and values of the CRC into reality is chiefly the government's responsibility, society as a whole is also responsible for realizing the CRC's objectives. Parents, teachers, health workers, advocates and even children themselves, play crucial roles every day to protect and guarantee the rights of all children.

To ensure that children are accorded their rights as enshrined in the CRC, Article 45 of the CRC itself mandates that UNICEF play the most important role of all; Help foster the implementation of the rights of the child.

Taiwan Typhoon FDC

2009-11-17T18:56:00.000+08:00

Taiwan FDC
Name: Typhoon Morakot - Relief Surtax Stamps
Date of Issue: 09 October 2009

On August 7, 2009, typhoon Morakot slammed into Taiwan. The torrential rains lasted for two days and nights, causing many casualties and serious damages in the hard-hit areas of southern and eastern Taiwan. Wishing to make a contribution to the enormous funds needed by the government for disaster relief and reconstruction, and to make a call to the public to put compassion into action, Chunghwa Post is issuing a Typhoon Morakot Relief Surtax Stamps Souvenir Sheet to raise funds for relief efforts, as it did after the 921 Earthquake in 1999 by issuing the 921 Earthquake Relief Surtax Stamps Souvenir Sheet.

This souvenir sheet contains two stamps, focusing respectively on the themes of "We are all in the same boat." and "Let’s conserve the land and rebuild our homes." The borders of the stamps have printed imitation perforation. Both of the stamps have denominations of NT$25, and each bears an additional surtax of NT$25, which will be contributed to typhoon Morakot relief. This brings the total value of the souvenir sheet to NT$100.

A total of 600,000 sheets will be issued and sold from October 9, 2009 to April 8, 2010. After the sale, the money raised via the surtax will be calculated and turned over to a special fund for disaster relief set up by the Ministry of Interior.

China Pre-stamped Envelopes: JF93

2009-11-16T20:16:00.002+08:00

China Pre-stamped Envelopes
Name: The 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force
Number: JF93
Date of Issue: 11 November 2009
Value: 7 envelopes/set

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force was officially established on Nov. 11th, 1949. Through 60 years of building, it has developed into a modern combat force consisting of aviation, ground air defense, airborne, communication, radar, ECM, anti-chemical troops, etc.
(7-1): Aviation Troops
Composed of fighters, attackers, fighter bomber, bombers, transport aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, early warning aircraft, ECM aircraft and tankers, aviation troops are the principal part of Air Force.
(7-2): Ground Air Defense Troops
Equipped with a weaponry system with the third-generation surface-to-air missile as the mainstay, ground air defense troops make the backbone of national air defense.
(7-3): Airborne Troops
Airborne troops, composed of airborne/motorized infantry, armed troops, reconnaissance, communication and other arms, become an important strategic force playing the key role in significant areas and at critical moments.
(7-4): Communication Troops
Communication troops, the "neural system" of Air force operation system, are the fundamental support to command, control and information network.
(7-5): Radar Troops
Radar troops, the main body of national air defense early warning system, provide air intelligence for air operations, national air traffic control and civil air defense, and implement air defense early warning, information warfare and reconnaissance missions.
(7-6): ECM Troops
ECM troops are the main player in information warfare, utilizing all electronic reconnaissance, jamming and protection systems for gaining electromagnetic superiority and electronic offensive and defensive missions.
(7-7): Anti-chemical Warfare Troops
Using special equipment and technologies, anti-chemical warfare troops are the specialized one to perform anti-chemical support, flame-throwing and smoke-making.

China Stamps: 2009-28

2009-11-16T19:27:00.000+08:00

Sheetlet

China Stamps
Name: Guangji Bridge (广济桥)
Number: 2009-28
Date of Issue: 16 November 2009
Value: 3 stamps/set

Guangji Bridge, also known as Xiangzi Bridge, first built in 1171, spans over a river in the east of Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province. An outstanding model in combining beam bridge, floating bridge and arch bridge, the structure features 24 piers at the eastern and western section, which support pavilions varying from one another. The central part of the bridge is formed by 18 shuttle-shaped boats connected appearance, characterized by an integration of girders and boats as well as an array of elegant pavilions in traditional styles. Representing the struggling spirit and persevering fortitude of the local people of many generations, Guangji Bridge is considered an important historical milestone of the Chaozhou culture as well as an artistic embodiment of the Chinese civilization.

China Stamps: 2009-27

2009-11-15T23:02:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: Ancient Academies (2nd Series) 古代书院 (二)
Number: 2009-27
Date of Issue: 15 November 2009
Value: 4 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (4-1): Shigu Academy & Han Yu (石鼓书院 & 韩愈)
Shigu Academy was named after its location on the Shigu Mountain north to Hengyang City, Hunan Province. It was originally the place where Li Kuanzhong, a scholar in the Tang Dynasty, Built a studio, and later it became, in the Song Dynasty, an academy, attracting many famous scholars and followers. Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty bestowed the land and the tablet bearing Shigu Academy on it, making the Academy highly reputed throughout the country.

1.20元 (4-2): Anding Academy & Hu Yuan (安定书院 & 胡瑗)
Anding Academy lies in the Taizhou Middle School in Jiangsu Province. Hu Yuan, a renowned educator in the Northern Song Dynasty, once taught here, and developed the educational thought of combining both theory and practice, and implementing the education by subjects. The Academy was built by Chen Gai, the then governor of Taizhou in the Southern Song Dynasty, on the former site where Hu Yuan gave lectures. As one of the earliest academies of classical learning in Jiangsu Province, it had cultivated a large number of outstanding talents.

1.20元 (4-3): Ehu Academy & Zhu Xi, Lu Jiuyuan (鹅湖书院 & 朱熹, 陆九渊)
Located north of the Ehu Mountain in Qianshan County, Jiangxi Province, Ehu Academy was built by Cai Kang, a judicial official in the Song Dynasty, to mark the Ehu Meeting of such philosophers as Zhu Xi, Lv Zuqian, Lu Jiuyuan and Lu Jiuling. Now, the major architectures of the Academy have been well preserved with an integral layout after several times of destruction, rebuilding and renovation during the ups and downs over the past 800 years.

1.20元 (4-4): Dongpo Academy & Su Dongpo (东坡书院 & 苏东坡)
Dongpo Academy, situated in Danzhou, Hainan Province, was first built in the Song Dynasty with the original name of Zaijiutang. It gradually evolved from a venue where Su Dongpo, a great scholar in the song Dynasty, assembled with local scholars during his exile in Danzhou to an academy with sacrificial and educational functions. Dongpo Academy, the supreme academy in Danzhou for all the following dynasties, is an important cultural site in Hainan Province.

Estonia Owl FDC

2009-11-14T20:28:00.000+08:00

Estonia FDC
Name: Bird of the Year – Eurasian Tawny Owl
Date of Issue: 08 October 2009

The Estonian Ornithological Society has chosen the tawny owl (Strix aluco) as the bird of the year 2009. The tawny owl, a bird in the order Strigiformes, is an age-old resident of Estonia, although it was relatively rare until the middle of the 19th century. The tawny owl prefers habitats close to humans – cemeteries, parks, broadleaved groves around farms or manor seats etc. The tawny is a nocturnal bird of prey who nests in large hollows and cracks in trees, but sometimes also in suitable holes in buildings. It willingly settles in nest boxes with a large entrance holes. There are from 1,000 to 2,00 nesting pairs of the tawny owl in Estonia at present. The tawny is about the size of a crow; it has large dark eyes and a brownish or grey plumage. The tawny starts nesting early in the year. Some couples lay their eggs already in February, although generally this activity occurs at the beginning or middle of March. The clutch, usually of three to four eggs, is incubated by the female alone in four weeks and it takes about as long for the young to fledge. The tawny’s wide diet includes almost any prey it can catch, mainly small rodents – particularly in rural areas – but birds, frogs, bats and earthworms will do as well. The tawny owl is a species in the third category of protected birds.

Russia WFP FDC

2009-11-13T16:57:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: The World Food Programme
Date of Issue: 07 October 2009

The United Nations World Food Programme-the world's largest humanitarian organization which assists the poor in developing countries, fights against hunger and poverty, supports victims of military operations, natural and technogenic disasters.

In Russia, The UN WFP has operated since January, 2000.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children. From its headquarters in Rome and more than 80 country offices around the world, WFP works to help people who are unable to produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families. More...

2010 China Stamps Issue Plan

2009-11-12T19:22:00.013+08:00

Update: 06/02/2010

No.	Name	Date	Values	Note
1	Year of the Tiger	01.05	1	Booklet, Sheetlet II
2	Centenary of the Birth of Comrade Song Renqiong	01.08	2
3	Site of Shanghai Expo	01.21	4+1SS	Sheetlet II
4	Liangping New Year Woodprints	02.06	4	Minisheet
5	Chinese Ballet - Red Detachment of Women	01.01	2
6	Centenary of the International Women's Day	03.08	1
7	Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains	03.20	6
8	Qingming Festival	04.05	3
9	Stories of Idioms (2nd Series)	04.18	4
10	Commemorating the Opening of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai China	05.01	1
11	Ancient Calligraphy of China - Semi-cursive Script	05.15	6
12	Wen Yanbo Retrieves a Ball Fallen into a Hole	06.01	2
13	Energy Saving, Emission Reduction and Environmental Protection	06.05	2
14	Kunqu Opera	06.12	3
15	Site of Ancient Loulan City	07.03	2
16	Maritime Day of China	07.11	1
17	Foreign Musicians	07.25	4
18	Charm of the Zhujiang River - Guangzhou	08.04	4
19	A Folktale: The Cowherd and Weaver Girl	08.16	4
20	Shangri-La	08.28	4+1SS
21	Plum Blossoms, Orchid, Bamboo And Chrysanthemum	09.15	4
22	The Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Confucian Mansion	09.28	3
23	60th Anniversary of Harnessing the Huai River	10.14	4
24	880th Birth of Zhu Xi	10.22	2
25	Commemorating the Opening of the 16th Asian Games	11.12	4
26	Chinese Medical Pharmacies	11.20	5

2008 China Stamps & Postal Stationeries Catalogue
2009 China Stamps & Postal Stationeries Catalogue
2010 China Stamps Issue Plan

Thailand Carriage FDC

2009-11-12T17:27:00.001+08:00

Thailand FDC
Name: Royal Carriage
Date of Issue: 07 October 2009
Number: 840

Denominations:
3 บาท BAHT: 4-Wheeled Dog Cart
3 บาท BAHT: Postillion Landau
3 บาท BAHT: C Spring Phaeton
3 บาท BAHT: Glass State Coach

Portugal Senses FDC

2009-11-11T19:23:00.000+08:00

Portugal FDC
Name: Stamps and Senses
Date of Issue: 02 October 2009

This issue – consisting of five stamps and a block with a sixth stamp – is a consequence of a proposal made by the Universal Postal Union to celebrate the birth bicentenary of Louis Braille (1809-1852), the inventor of a system that combines embossed dots and which is applied to reading, writing, calculation and music for the blind.

The stamps of this issue are dedicated to each of the five senses, allowing for experiencing real physical interaction: the touch feels the embossed ink coming out of the tube; the smell receives the aroma of the cup of coffee; the sight detects holographic images on the spectacle lenses that change according to the position of the stamp; the taste identifies the flavour of vanilla on the glue of the stamp that shows an ice-cream; the ear is sensitive to the noise made by the file when you rub its rough surface.

Made up of different nerve cells that capture variations and respond to stimuli, according to present science the sense organs comprise not only the classical five senses described by the ancient but other senses as well, such as cold and heat, balance and pain, contact and pressure. However, it is not the aim of this issue to underline theoretical statements, but rather to contribute to modernity in communication. Thus, thanks to improved technology in graphical arts, a set of elements, which is usually absent in common stamps, has been incorporated in this collection, becoming a differentiating fact in this emission and imparting an innovative character to stamps in the landscape of contemporaneous philately.

Russia Kremlins FDC

2009-11-10T20:08:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: Russian Kremlins (6th Definitive Issue)
Date of Issue: 01 October 2009

Denominations:
4.00: Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, as it is supposed, was erected in the beginning of ХVI century under the direction of the Italian military engineer and architect Peter Fryazin. On the territory of the Kremlin there is the Michael-Arhagnelsky Cathedral, which was built in 1631 in honor of the victory of militia in 1612. Kuzma Minin is buried there, and also the monument to Minin and Pozharsky is established there.

10P.: Moscow Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin is one of the greatest monuments of the history of Russia. Aboriginal сenter of the national craft and culture, it attracted the best town-planners, carpenters, blacksmiths, artists and all artisan people who brought with them the experience and skills of the peoples. Moscow Kremlin has been used as a sample for the construction of many Kremlins in other cities of the Old Russian State.

50P.: Tobolsk Kremlin
Tobolsk Kremlin - the only stone Kremlin in whole Siberia. It is known, that "exile" alarm bell from Uglich was hanging there for some time, on a purpose-built belltower, which townspeople rang after the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry. By order of Basil Shuisky, "ear" and "tongue" of the bell (like it was a human) were pulled out, and in 1592 the bell was exiled to Siberia.

Comment: This issue contains 12 denominations: 1.00; 1.50; 2.00; 2.50; 3.00; 4.00; 5.00; 6.00; 10P.; 25P.; 50P.; 100P.. Every denomination stamp issues a single FDC, it's very difficult to collect complete FDCs of this issue.

Hong Kong PRC 60 S/S FDC

2009-11-09T21:29:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong Souvenir Sheet FDC
Name: 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China
Date of Issue: 01 October 2009

Founded on 1 October 1949, the People's Republic of China celebrates her 60th anniversary this year. Over the past 60 years, China has amazed the world with her remarkable success in development. While looking back with pride at our numerous accomplishments, all Chinese people strive for an even brighter tomorrow.

The Souvenir Sheet with two $5 stamps in Chinese red captures the excitement of the special occasion. The National Emblem and the dazzling Tiananmen Square on the left and the Regional Emblem above the splendid night view of Hong Kong on the right underline the close and harmonious tie between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Hong Kong PRC 60 M/S FDC

2009-11-08T19:30:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong Minisheet FDC
Name: 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China
Date of Issue: 01 October 2009

Founded on 1 October 1949, the People's Republic of China celebrates her 60th anniversary this year. Over the past 60 years, China has amazed the world with her remarkable success in development. While looking back with pride at our numerous accomplishments, all Chinese people strive for an even brighter tomorrow.

To mark this memorable moment, Hongkong Post issues a set of commemorative stamps. The set of six stamps is designed based on the winning entry of the Stamp Design Competition for the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China jointly organised by the Home Affairs Bureau, Radio Television Hong Kong, the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education and the Commission on Youth. Victoria Harbour and Tiananmen Square depicted on two interlocking cogwheels ($1.40), and the five-star national flag flying by the side of the "Forever Blooming Bauhinia" ($1.80), symbolise the intimate and inseparable bond between Hong Kong and our Motherland. The Bird's Nest ($2.40) reminds us of the country's first hosting of the Olympic Games while the successful launch of China's manned spacecraft Shenzhou-7 ($2.50) marks her rapid technological advancement and development. The Temple of Heaven against the backdrop of an illuminated globe ($3) and a golden dragon soaring above the Great Wall ($5) signify the nation's rising economic and international status. The six stamps also fit into a perfect ring on the minisheet with the accompanying number "6", bringing out the theme of the 60th anniversary.

Hong Kong PRC 60 FDCs

2009-11-07T20:01:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong FDC
Name: 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China
Date of Issue: 01 October 2009

Founded on 1 October 1949, the People's Republic of China celebrates her 60th anniversary this year. Over the past 60 years, China has amazed the world with her remarkable success in development. While looking back with pride at our numerous accomplishments, all Chinese people strive for an even brighter tomorrow.

To mark this memorable moment, Hongkong Post issues a set of commemorative stamps. The set of six stamps is designed based on the winning entry of the Stamp Design Competition for the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China jointly organised by the Home Affairs Bureau, Radio Television Hong Kong, the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education and the Commission on Youth. Victoria Harbour and Tiananmen Square depicted on two interlocking cogwheels ($1.40), and the five-star national flag flying by the side of the "Forever Blooming Bauhinia" ($1.80), symbolise the intimate and inseparable bond between Hong Kong and our Motherland. The Bird's Nest ($2.40) reminds us of the country's first hosting of the Olympic Games while the successful launch of China's manned spacecraft Shenzhou-7 ($2.50) marks her rapid technological advancement and development. The Temple of Heaven against the backdrop of an illuminated globe ($3) and a golden dragon soaring above the Great Wall ($5) signify the nation's rising economic and international status. The six stamps also fit into a perfect ring on the minisheet with the accompanying number "6", bringing out the theme of the 60th anniversary.

Poland Volleyball FDC

2009-11-06T20:38:00.000+08:00

Poland FDC
Name: European Championships in Women's Volleyball "Poland 2009"
Date of Issue: 25 September 2009

The 2009 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 26th edition of the European Volleyball Championship, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. Hosted in Bydgoszcz, Łódź, Katowice and Wrocław in Poland, from September 25 to October 4, 2009. More...

Estonia Lighthouse FDC

2009-11-05T19:53:00.000+08:00

Estonia FDC
Name: Hara Lighthouse
Date of Issue: 24 September 2009

The small Hara Island near the western shore of Hara or Papilaht Bay (earlier Paponvik) is mainly covered with spruce forest. In 1909 an iron framework lighthouse 15.2 meters high was erected at the highest point (12 metres above sea level) of the island. At the time it had a major sprat salting facility with 350 workers where sprats were salted into tin cans under the name of Revelskiye kilki (Tallinn Sprats) since 1870. The Tallinn Sprats made in Hara were shipped to St Petersburg via Loksa Port. Initially the sea mark of Hara Island was visible to 10 nautical miles. In 1954 major rebuilding of the lighthouse was carried out as the navigation mark was to be connected with a new military port. The height of the tower was increased to 23.7 meters with the red light visible to seven nautical miles. But gradually importance of the port declined and in the late 1980s the installations were dismantled from the Hara Lighthouse and it became a day mark. Its present height is 24 metres and it consists of a cylinder with a conical red roof over a metal framework. The tip of the sea mark is clearly visible over the forest. The Hara Lighthouse will be one hundred this year.

Russia Headdresses FDC

2009-11-04T20:36:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: Culture of Russian - National Costumes (Headdresses)
Date of Issue: 23 September 2009

Denominations:
9.00: Moscow Province, Maiden Bandage, The Middle of the XIX Century
Maiden bandage from Moscow province is decorated with stained glass, nacre, beads. It is fixed on the head with silken blades; beaded ochelye (semicircular frontal shield) closes a forehead.

9.00: Nizhniy Novgorod Province, Wedding Crown, The Middle of the XIX Century
Wedding "crown with the cities" of Nizhniy Novgorod province is carried out in the form of a nimbus with serrated ledges. It is decorated with nacre, stained glass, spangles. Pearl podniz' descends onto the forehead.

9.00: Yaroslavl Province. Female Kokoshnik. The Middle of the XIX Century
Kokoshnik from Yaroslavl province – the rigid headdress, which completely covers hair of a married woman. It is trimmed with blue velvet, the floral ornament is embroidered with golden thread.

9.00: Tver Province. Men's hat. 2nd Half of XIX Century
Men's felt hat from Tver' province - the festive headdress of wealthy young men. It is decorated with a strip of dark green velvet with a metal buckle.

Estonia Athletics Autographed FDCs

2009-11-03T20:59:00.002+08:00

Estonia FDCs
Name: A Century of Track and Field Athletics in Estonia
Date of Issue: 22 September 2009

We count the centenary of Estonian athletics from the first athletics competitions in Tallinn and Tartu in 1909. The first Olympic Games of the antiquity can be regarded as the starting signal of modern athletics. The last century, which seems like an hour side by side with the the 3,000-year history of the games of the antiquity, offers unforgettable moments and emotions to all friends of sports and probably to every Estonian. The brightest of them are connected with the Olympic gold medals of high jumper Jüri Tarmak in 1972 in Munich, of triple jumper Jaak Uudmäe in 1980 in Moscow, of decathlonist Erki Nool in 2000 in Syndey of discus thrower of Gerd Kanter in 2008 in Beijing.
Comment: My Estonian friend made a great job for me again. She made 3 autographed FDCs for me. This is the best in 3, it has 5 autographs, 4 from Olympic Games Gold Medalists: Gerd Kanter (topleft), Erki Nool (middle), Jaak Uudmäe (lower left with his record 17.35 m) and Jüri Tarmak (lower right with his record 2.25m), the other one is from Aleksander Tammert Jr (topright), a Bronze Medalist in 2004 Olympic Games Discus Throw event.
Comment: The additional stamps and autographs are perfect, Kanter's stamp & autograph, Nool's stamp & autograph.
Comment: Nool's stamp & autograph again :)

Estonia Athletics FDCs

2009-11-02T19:44:00.000+08:00

China Pre-stamped Postcard: JP161

2009-11-01T21:13:00.001+08:00

China Pre-stamped Postcard
Name: Sixtieth Anniversary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Number: JP161
Date of Issue: 01 November 2009

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (simplified Chinese: 中国科学院; ; pinyin: Zhōngguó Kēxuéyuàn) was founded in Beijing on November 1, 1949. Consisting of the Academic Divisions and various subordinate institutions, it is the lead national academic institution in natural sciences, a major advisory body to the government on science and technology related issues, and a national comprehensive research and development center in natural sciences and high technology areas in China.

Official Website of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Lithuania Order FDC

2009-10-31T19:57:00.000+08:00

Lithuania FDC
Name: Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Vytis
Date of Issue: 19 September 2009

Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Vytis – the second state award of Lithuania. The Order was established in 1919.

The Order of the Cross of Vytis is conferred on persons for acts of bravery performed in defending the freedom and independence of the Republic of Lithuania.

After the restoration of independence, the leaders and members of the Senior Committee for a Free Lithuania and other outstanding representatives of the world Lithuanian community were honoured with the Order of the Cross of Vytis for services to the cause of restoration of the Independent State of Lithuania.

The Order of the Cross of Vytis is also awarded to the persons for exceptional courage and fortitude when defending the country’s territory, protecting the State border, for the exceptional bravery during the prevention of ecological disasters, natural disasters, accidents, for especially significant projects related to the organisation of the national defence.

Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Vytis consists of: silver cross, silver star and the sash of red moiré.

Hong Kong Customs B/S FDCs

2009-10-30T19:59:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong Booklet Sheet FDCs
Name: Centenary of Customs and Excise Service
Date of Issue: 17 September 2009

The Preventive Service was set up on 17 September 1909 under the then Imports and Exports Department and tasked with the duties of protecting and collecting revenue on liquors. It was renamed the Customs and Excise Service in 1977 and became an independent government department in 1982. The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) is one of the major law enforcement agencies with a staff establishment of around 5,600 responsible for combating smuggling, protecting and collecting revenue on dutiable commodities, deterring narcotics trafficking and drug abuse, safeguarding intellectual property rights and consumer interests, and protecting and facilitating legitimate trade to maintain Hong Kong's trading integrity. 2009 marks the 100th anniversary of the C&ED. Hongkong Post issues a set of four stamps to commemorate this important milestone.

Using a process printing technique, monochrome photos are juxtaposed with colour images on the stamps to spotlight the past and present of the C&ED undertaking different enforcement functions.

Denominations:
$1.40: Front-line Drug Fighter
Back in the 1960s, Preventive Service staff inspected baggage. Today, the C&ED's dog handlers team up with drug detector dogs in customs clearance and drug raids to combat narcotics trafficking and drug abuse.

$2.40: Facilitation of Trade
The monochrome photo shows the Sheung Shui Customs Station in 1935. In 2004, an advanced Mobile X-ray Vehicle Scanning System came into service. The use of sophisticated technology has contributed to more efficient customs clearance and enabled the C&ED to achieve trade facilitation at the same time.

$3: The Fight Against Smuggling
The stamp presents a comparison over time of anti-smuggling patrols in local waters. Nowadays, the C&ED's fleet of modern patrol launches and high-speed pursuit craft intercept vessels smuggling contraband in Hong Kong.

$5: Law Enforcement
The background features a photo of the Superintendent of the then Imports and Exports Department with his colleagues from the Preventive Service. Today, the C&ED is one of the primary law enforcement agencies under the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The C&ED celebrates its centenary in 2009. The past century has witnessed the Department's significant contributions in maintaining Hong Kong's status as a free port, an international trade centre and a logistics hub in Asia.

Hong Kong Customs M/S FDC

2009-10-29T19:52:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong Minisheet FDC
Name: Centenary of Customs and Excise Service
Date of Issue: 17 September 2009

The Preventive Service was set up on 17 September 1909 under the then Imports and Exports Department and tasked with the duties of protecting and collecting revenue on liquors. It was renamed the Customs and Excise Service in 1977 and became an independent government department in 1982. The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) is one of the major law enforcement agencies with a staff establishment of around 5,600 responsible for combating smuggling, protecting and collecting revenue on dutiable commodities, deterring narcotics trafficking and drug abuse, safeguarding intellectual property rights and consumer interests, and protecting and facilitating legitimate trade to maintain Hong Kong's trading integrity. 2009 marks the 100th anniversary of the C&ED. Hongkong Post issues a set of four stamps to commemorate this important milestone.

Using a process printing technique, monochrome photos are juxtaposed with colour images on the stamps to spotlight the past and present of the C&ED undertaking different enforcement functions.

Denominations:
$1.40: Front-line Drug Fighter
Back in the 1960s, Preventive Service staff inspected baggage. Today, the C&ED's dog handlers team up with drug detector dogs in customs clearance and drug raids to combat narcotics trafficking and drug abuse.

$2.40: Facilitation of Trade
The monochrome photo shows the Sheung Shui Customs Station in 1935. In 2004, an advanced Mobile X-ray Vehicle Scanning System came into service. The use of sophisticated technology has contributed to more efficient customs clearance and enabled the C&ED to achieve trade facilitation at the same time.

$3: The Fight Against Smuggling
The stamp presents a comparison over time of anti-smuggling patrols in local waters. Nowadays, the C&ED's fleet of modern patrol launches and high-speed pursuit craft intercept vessels smuggling contraband in Hong Kong.

$5: Law Enforcement
The background features a photo of the Superintendent of the then Imports and Exports Department with his colleagues from the Preventive Service. Today, the C&ED is one of the primary law enforcement agencies under the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The C&ED celebrates its centenary in 2009. The past century has witnessed the Department's significant contributions in maintaining Hong Kong's status as a free port, an international trade centre and a logistics hub in Asia.

Hong Kong Customs FDC

2009-10-28T20:20:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong FDC
Name: Centenary of Customs and Excise Service
Date of Issue: 17 September 2009

The Preventive Service was set up on 17 September 1909 under the then Imports and Exports Department and tasked with the duties of protecting and collecting revenue on liquors. It was renamed the Customs and Excise Service in 1977 and became an independent government department in 1982. The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) is one of the major law enforcement agencies with a staff establishment of around 5,600 responsible for combating smuggling, protecting and collecting revenue on dutiable commodities, deterring narcotics trafficking and drug abuse, safeguarding intellectual property rights and consumer interests, and protecting and facilitating legitimate trade to maintain Hong Kong's trading integrity. 2009 marks the 100th anniversary of the C&ED. Hongkong Post issues a set of four stamps to commemorate this important milestone.

Using a process printing technique, monochrome photos are juxtaposed with colour images on the stamps to spotlight the past and present of the C&ED undertaking different enforcement functions.

Denominations:
$1.40: Front-line Drug Fighter
Back in the 1960s, Preventive Service staff inspected baggage. Today, the C&ED's dog handlers team up with drug detector dogs in customs clearance and drug raids to combat narcotics trafficking and drug abuse.

$2.40: Facilitation of Trade
The monochrome photo shows the Sheung Shui Customs Station in 1935. In 2004, an advanced Mobile X-ray Vehicle Scanning System came into service. The use of sophisticated technology has contributed to more efficient customs clearance and enabled the C&ED to achieve trade facilitation at the same time.

$3: The Fight Against Smuggling
The stamp presents a comparison over time of anti-smuggling patrols in local waters. Nowadays, the C&ED's fleet of modern patrol launches and high-speed pursuit craft intercept vessels smuggling contraband in Hong Kong.

$5: Law Enforcement
The background features a photo of the Superintendent of the then Imports and Exports Department with his colleagues from the Preventive Service. Today, the C&ED is one of the primary law enforcement agencies under the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The C&ED celebrates its centenary in 2009. The past century has witnessed the Department's significant contributions in maintaining Hong Kong's status as a free port, an international trade centre and a logistics hub in Asia.

Russia Cossacks FDC

2009-10-27T20:03:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: History of the Russian Cossacks
Date of Issue: 15 September 2009

Since ancient times the Cossack troops to carry out the function of border guards, were the main strike forces of military campaigns in eastern and western borders of the state. Cossacks performed various diplomatic missions, served as the researchers of the Siberian and Far Eastern lands. The history of many cities of our country began with the Cossack settlements.

Denominations:
10P.: Yermak Timofeyevich
Yermak Timofeyevich (Russian: Ерма́к Тимофе́евич, also Ermak) (born between 1532 and 1542 – August 5 or 6, 1585), Cossack leader, Russian folk hero and explorer of Siberia. His exploration of Siberia marked the beginning of the expansion of Russia towards this region and its colonization. ("Timofeyevich" is his patronimic, not the last name, so in references he must be looked up as "Yermak" or "Yermak Timofeyevich"; his last name, if any, is unknown). More...

10P.: Semyon Ivanovich Dezhnyov
Semyon Ivanovich Dezhnyov (Russian: Семё́н Ива́нович Дежнё́в, commonly called Dezhnev in English; c. 1605 – 1672) was a Russian explorer of Siberia and the first European to sail through the Bering Strait. In 1648 he sailed from the Kolyma River on the Arctic Ocean to the Anadyr River on the Pacific. His exploit was forgotten for almost a hundred years and Vitus Bering is usually given credit for discovering the strait that bears his name. More...

10P.: Matvei Ivanovich Platov
Count Matvei Ivanovich Platov (Russian: Матвей Иванович Платов, Pribilyanskoe August 6, 1757 - Epanchitskoe (near Taganrog) January 3, 1818) was a Russian general who commanded the Don Cossacks in the Napoleonic wars. More...

Estonia Bear FDC

2009-10-26T20:12:00.000+08:00

Estonia FDC
Name: Estonian Fauna – Brown Bear
Date of Issue: 10 September 2009

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) has lived in Estonia since very old times, the late Ice Age. As a result people came into contact with it as soon as they settled in the area and the animal has acquired an important cultural role in the Estonian folk tradition. The range of the brown bear covers the whole Eurasian continent from forest-tundra to the Mediterranean and the Himalayas in the south and in North America from the northern point of the continent to Mexico. But because of intensive human activity it has been crowded out from much of its former range and lives only in patches. The brown bear is an omnivore who also feeds on vegetable matter, such as roots, berries and mushrooms, which is often its main diet. But it can easily kill a deer or other prey. Brown bears also feed on carrion and visit waste dumps. To adapt to a period of poor food supply the brown bear dens for periods of varied lengths depending on their range. During her hibernation the female bears one to three, rarely as many as five, cubs of 300-500 grams, which grow on mother's milk enough to be able to wander around in search of food with the mother. About 5 percent of the population is hunted every year in Estonia to keep the bear population in check in order to maintain the ecological balance and prevent potential damage to apiaries.

Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs-2

2009-10-25T19:03:00.003+08:00

Thailand FDCs
Name: Provincial Emblem (4th Series)
Date of Issue: 09 September 2009
Number: 876
Yala
Yala (Thai: ยะลา) is the southernmost province (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north-west clockwise) Songkhla, Pattani and Narathiwat. Yala is the only land-locked province in the south of Thailand. The southern part borders Kedah and Perak of Malaysia. This city has once been one of the most beautiful city in Thailand and popular city for tourism. However, after rioter movement for separate, it later became to degenerate.

The provincial seal shows a miner with simple mining tools including hoes, crowbars, and baskets. Yala was originally a mining town with tin and tungsten ores. More...Roi Et
Roi Et (Thai: ร้อยเอ็ด) is one of the provinces (changwat) of Thailand, located in the North-East of Thailand. Neighboring Provinces are (from north clockwise) Kalasin, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Sisaket, Surin and Maha Sarakham.

The provincial seal shows the shrine of the city pillar, which is located in the artificial lake Bueng Phlan Chai. The spirit of the shrine, Mahesak, is highly revered by the local people. More...Ranong
Ranong (Thai ระนอง) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, on the coast of the Andaman Sea. It is the province with the fewest citizens. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Chumphon, Surat Thani and Phang Nga. To the west, it also borders Kawthaung Province, Union of Myanmar.

The seal of the province shows a castle on top of a hill, to remember that King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) once visited Ranong and stayed at the Ratana Rangsan Castle on top of the Niveskiri Hill. More...Rayong
Rayong province (Thai: ระยอง) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chon Buri and Chanthaburi. To the south is the Gulf of Thailand.

The seal of the province shows the island Ko Samet. The provincial tree is Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum). More...Ratchaburi
Ratchaburi (often shortened Rat'buri, Thai: ราชบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and Phetchaburi. In the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar.

The provincial seal shows the royal sword and the royal sandals, as the name Ratchaburi means City of the King. The name derives from the fact that King Rama I was born here. The provincial slogan is Beautiful women of Photharam, beautiful women of Baan Pong, the city of earthen jars, shadow plays at Wat Khanon, magnificent caves, floating market at Damnoen, bats, delicious Yii Sok fish. More...

2007 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (1st Series)
(Part I), (Part II), (Part III), (Part IV)
2007 Thailand Provincial Emblems Sheetlet FDCs: (1st Series)
(Part I), (Part II)
2008 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (2nd Series)
(Part I), (Part II)
2008 Thailand Provincial Emblems Sheetlet FDC (2nd Series)
2008 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (3rd Series)
(Part I), (Part II)
2009 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (4th Series)
(Part I), (Part II)

Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs-1

2009-10-24T20:22:00.005+08:00

Thailand FDCs
Name: Provincial Emblem (4th Series)
Date of Issue: 09 September 2009
Number: 876
Phuket
Phuket (Thai: ภูเก็ต, formerly known as Tha-Laang or Talang, or Junk Ceylon in Western sources, a distortion of the Malay Tanjung Salang, i.e. "Cape Salang") is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island there are no land boundaries.

The provincial seal shows a depiction of the Two Heroines Monument. This monument was buit to commemorate the heroic acts of two brave women, Thao Thepkasatree aand Thao Srisunthorn, who protected the town of Thalang from a Burmese attack. More...Maha Sarakham
Maha Sarakham (Thai: มหาสารคาม; also spelled Mahasarakham) is one of the provinces (changwat) of Thailand, located in the northeastern (Isan) region of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Kalasin, Roi Et, Surin, Buriram and Khon Kaen.

The provincial seal shows a big tree in front of big rice fields, symbolizing the richness of resources in the province. More...Mukdahan
Mukdahan (Thai: มุกดาหาร) (also Mukdaharn) is one of the north-eastern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from south clockwise) Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Roi Et, Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom. To the east it borders the Mekong River, across which lies Savannakhet Province of Laos.

The provincial seal shows the Prasart Song Nang Sathit palace, in which an opal is displayed on a tray. More...Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son (Thai แม่ฮ่องสอน) (also Maehongson, Mae Hong Sorn or Maehongsorn) is one of the northern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, and at the same time the westernmost. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Shan State of Myanmar, Chiang Mai and Tak. To the west it borders Kayin State and Kayah State of Myanmar again. It was formerly called Mae Rong Son (also Maerongson, Mae Rong Sorn or Maerongsorn).

The provincial seal, Rup chang nai thong nam (รูปช้างในท้องน้ำ), is a reference to the training of wild elephants to be able to take orders in battle and for various types of animal labour. More...Yasothon
Yasothon (Thai: ยโสธร) is one of the provinces (changwat) of Thailand, located in the North-East of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket and Roi Et.

The seal of the province shows two mythical lions, called Singh, facing the chedi Pra A-non, in the temple Wat Maha That in the city Yasothon. In the legendary account of the founding of the city, a lion came out of the forest when the site was chosen; hence the city was called Ban Singh Tha (Thai: บ้านสิงห์ท่า), Home (of) Imposing Lion. (For facts behind the legend, and of two men called Singh, see the city's history). In the bottom of the seal is a lotus flower (Nymphaea lotus), as the lotus is both the provincial flower of the province as well as of the province Ubon Ratchathani, of which Yasothon was part until 1972. More...

2007 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (1st Series)
(Part I), (Part II), (Part III), (Part IV)
2007 Thailand Provincial Emblems Sheetlet FDCs: (1st Series)
(Part I), (Part II)
2008 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (2nd Series)
(Part I), (Part II)
2008 Thailand Provincial Emblems Sheetlet FDC (2nd Series)
2008 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (3rd Series)
(Part I), (Part II)
2009 Thailand Provincial Emblems FDCs: (4th Series)
(Part I), (Part II)

India School FDC

2009-10-23T20:08:00.000+08:00

India FDC
Name: Sacred Heart Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai
Date of Issue: 09 September 2009

The progress of any nation mainly depends upon the quality of education that it imparts to its citizens. Education is the key to development and all-round prosperity.

An Irish lady named Nano Nagle from Cork, Ireland, had founded "The Congregation of Presentation Sisters" in the year 1775. She firmly believed that education was the only powerful tool which can transform society, and began her mission among the poor and underprivileged people in Ireland. From these humble beginnings the Congregation of Presentation Sisters traveled to many countries all over the world including India.

They came to Chennai (Madras) in 1842 to work for the Anglo-Indian community living in the area of Georgetown, then referred to as "Black Town" and began working in St. Ursula's Anglo-Indian School which was already in existence there.

The present Church Park land was acquired by them in the year 1904, and the foundation stone was laid in 1908 for Sacred Heart High School, Church Park. It was started as a middle school with 137 students and grew to become a private matriculation school in 1954.

The Presentation Sisters wanted to reach out to the downtrodden and marginalized society and thus Sacred Heart Tamil Medium School was born to cater to the underprivileged section of the society.

The educational philosophy of the school is to enable its students to become aware of the dignity and value of every individual and the independence of the human race. With a strong academic foundation and an equal emphasis on community development, the students of Sacred Heart are given every opportunity to learn and excel in sports and various extra-curricular activities in its sprawling complex in the heart of the city.

Above all, Sacred Heart provides its students with high ethical standards. The motto of the school is "For faith and morals". The aim of the school is to bring out the best in the students, helping them imbibe a sense of dignity and purpose in life. The signature song of the school is "Stand brave, stand true under the green and gold" (colours of the school standard).

The school owes its success to the dedication of the Presentation Sisters and the gifted teachers, who foster critical thinking in their students, promote human values and educated them for social changes.

The alumni of the institution have brought glory to their Alma Mater by achieving excellence, fame and making significant contribution worldwide as educationists, social workers, civil servants, lawyers, doctors, scientists, media persons and in fine arts.

Thailand Goddess S/S FDC

2009-10-22T19:42:00.001+08:00

Thailand Souvenir Sheet FDC
Name: Guan Yin
Date of Issue: 09 September 2009
Number: 889

Purpose: To promote stamp collecting activities

Design: Illustrating Bodhisattva Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, in the Posture of Giving Blessing (Standing). According to Guan Yin book, Guan Yin Goddess has a beautiful oval-shaped face figure, complexion is fairer than the ivory-white, elegant hair is as black as dark cloud of the night, eyes are more graceful than crystal eyes, right hand holds a vast containing divine mercy holy water while left hand holds willow twig, and dress is shiny white.

Thailand Goddess FDC

2009-10-21T18:51:00.000+08:00

Thailand FDC
Name: Guan Yin
Date of Issue: 09 September 2009
Number: 889

Purpose: To promote stamp collecting activities

Design: Illustrating Bodhisattva Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, in the Posture of Giving Blessing (Standing). According to Guan Yin book, Guan Yin Goddess has a beautiful oval-shaped face figure, complexion is fairer than the ivory-white, elegant hair is as black as dark cloud of the night, eyes are more graceful than crystal eyes, right hand holds a vast containing divine mercy holy water while left hand holds willow twig, and dress is shiny white.

Israel Bird ATM FDC

2009-10-20T19:34:00.001+08:00

Israel ATM FDC
Name: Bonelli's Eagle
Date of Issue: 08 September 2009

The Bonelli's Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciata) is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. It breeds in southern Europe, Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert and across southern Asia to Indonesia. It is usually a resident breeder which lays 1-3 eggs in a tree or crag nest.

The Bonelli's Eagle is a species of wooded, often hilly, country with some open areas. The African race prefers savannah, forest edges, cultivation, and scrub, provided there are some large trees; this is not a species of very open or densely forested habitats.

This is a small to medium - sized eagle at 55-65 cm in length. The upperparts are dark brown, and the underside is white with dark streaks. The wings are relatively short and rounded. The long tail is grey on top and white below and has a single broad black terminal band. The feet and eyes are yellow.

Recent DNA research resulted in this species being moved to the genus Aquila from Hieraaetus. More...

Israel ATM FDCs - Birds of Prey Series
22/04/2009 Lesser Kestrel
30/06/2009 Short-toed Eagle
08/09/2009 Bonelli's Eagle

Israel Virtual Communication FDC

2009-10-19T19:17:00.001+08:00

Israel FDC
Name: Virtual Communication
Date of Issue: 08 September 2009

The Virtual Communication stamp series presents three technological breakthroughs that were developed in Israel and have become household tools throughout the world. These products embody the immense capabilities of Israel's elite technology industry and the innovativeness of Israel's software developers.

Denominations:
2.40 שח: Instant Messaging Software
Instant Messaging is a system that allows internet users to conduct computerized correspondence, with the recipient instantly receiving the sent message. Various messaging systems have been developed since the 1970's, but their capabilities were very limited.

In 1996, Israeli software developers Yair Goldfinger, Arik Vardi, Sefi Vigiser and Amnon Amir introduced an innovative system called ICQ, with the assistance of entrepreneur Yossi Vardi. For the first time, installation of this system allowed every internet user to know which of his/her friends was available to chat at any given moment and to communicate with them via instant messaging. This development led to a breakthrough in the use of this means of communication, which subsequently became extremely popular throughout the world. The technological and commercial success of the ICQ system inspired many others in the Israeli hi-tech realm.

Many further developments have been made to the Israeli instant messaging software since it originally came into use, expanding its capabilities to telephone and video calls, and similar programs currently exist around the world.

5.30 שח: USB Flash Drive
Many information storage devices have been developed over the years which were designed to allow computer users to upload them with information created on one computer and to make use of that information on other computers. However, these devices were not user friendly, as in some cases a preliminary definition process had to be executed before use, while other devices were not adaptable for use with certain types of computers.

In 1999, Dov Moran, an Israeli engineer and entrepreneur, along with his colleagues at M-Systems, invented an innovative device that could be connected to a computer quickly and easily. The device did not require a preliminary installation process and it operated using a standard connection that exists in any modern computer. It was small, reliable and enabled unlimited expansion of the scope of memory.

In addition to using the new device as a means of storing information in order to transfer data between computers, it may be uploaded with software, allowing it to operate independently, regardless of the capabilities of the computer to which it is connected.
This innovative development achieved immediate global success and gave rise to a new field of development in the computer world, becoming the standard portable computer storage device.

6.50 שח: Voice over Internet Protocol
VoIP technology enables telephone calls to be transmitted via the internet. Using the internet allows communication lines to be utilized more efficiently, greatly reducing the cost of the call.

The internet was originally designed to transfer computer data, thus a special application that would allow the transfer of telephone calls via internet had to be developed. This type of innovative software was first developed in 1995 by Alon Cohen, Lior Haramati, Ofer Shem-Tov, Elad Sion, Rami Amit, Opher Kahane and Dror Tirosh – Israeli software developers at VocalTec. The application was very successfully distributed worldwide by VocalTec, managed by promoter Dr. Elon Ganor.

Similar applications have been developed in recent years, based on the Israeli invention, changing the way the world's telephone systems currently operate.

Israel Honey FDC

2009-10-18T19:34:00.001+08:00

Israel FDC
Name: Festivals 2009 - Honey in Israel
Date of Issue: 08 September 2009

Honey is considered to be one of the tastiest foods and, along with milk, has frequently served as an allegory for things that are good and desirable. When the Torah wished to glorify the Land of Israel, it was said to be a "Land Flowing with Milk and Honey" and the author of the Song of Songs described the beloved wife by saying "honey and milk are under your tongue".

The stamp series depicts the sweet delicacy's journey from the flower in the field to people's tables.

Bees produce honey from floral nectar that they gather and store in a special organ in their bodies called "honey stomachs". The nectar is brought to the hive and transferred among the bees, eventually reaching the hexagonal wax honeycomb cells. There, through much ventilation and aided by enzymes, the bees turn the nectar into sticky liquid honey.

A large portion of the honey collected in the hive's honeycombs is used to feed the adult bees and the larvae hatched from the eggs laid by the Queen Bee. The excess honey is collected by the human beekeeper and utilized as a healthy and nourishing food.

Jewish tradition considers the honey's sweetness to be a sign of a good future and has created a number of customs related to it. Thus, for example, some Jewish ethnic groups customarily give a child a bit of honey when he begins studying the Torah, symbolizing the sweetness of his learning. During the feast on Rosh Hashana Eve it is customary to eat a slice of challah or a piece of apple dipped in honey and to recite the blessing, "May it be Your will to favor us with a good and a sweet year".

The stamp tabs depict important milestones in the raising of honeybees in Israel.

People originally gathered honey from nature, collecting it from hives belonging to wild bees. Later, after having learned the ways of bees, people began to build hives, populate them with bees and care for them. Archeological excavations in Tel Rehov in the Beth-Shean Valley have recently unearthed beehives used in the ancient beekeeping industry dating to the period of the Israelite monarchy in the 10th-9th centuries BCE. The hives, made of elongated mud cylinders, are the only ones discovered to date in archeological excavations of the Ancient Near East. The hives were studied by Prof. Amihai Mazar and Dr. Nava Panitz-Cohen. The drawing of the hive that appears on the tab of the first stamp is based on a black and white sketch by painter Anna Yamim, which was adapted and colored by artist Tuvia Kurtz.

In 1886, Reuven Lerer, founder of the town of Ness Ziona, re-established the raising of bees among the Jewish settlers of Eretz Israel. Along with his son Moshe, he learned how to craft mobile hives consisting of wooden frames and attached honeycombs. They founded a honey farm that hosted some 200 hives at its peak. The tab of the second stamp features Moshe Lerer as he collects honey with his wife Pearl. The picture is based on a photo of the Lerer family, as adapted and colored by Tuvia Kurtz.

Today, the raising of bees constitutes an important agricultural field in Israel, providing income for hundreds of growers. Some 100,000 hives are scattered throughout Israel, producing more than 3,500 tons of honey each year. Modern hives, placed along the edges of a field of flowers, appear on the tab of the third stamp, as the beekeeper, clad in customary protective clothing, collects the honey from the hive.

China Minisheet: 2009-24

2009-10-16T22:59:00.001+08:00

China Minisheet
Name: 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国第十一届运动会)
Number: 2009-24
Date of Issue: 16 October 2009
Value: 2 stamps/sheet

Denominations:
1.20元 (2-1): Emblem (会徽)
1.20元 (2-2): Mascot (吉祥物)

The 11th National Games of the PRC was held from October 16 to 28, 2009, in Shandong Province, and athletes from around the country competed in 362 events in 33 sports, more than any previous such games. Of the events, 354 were competed in Shandong, while the rest in the cities of Beijing, Shenyang and Changchun. The event coincided with the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China and the 50th anniversary of the National Games. Over the past half a century, the National Games has constantly promoted the popularization of sports among all the people of China, cultivated a great number of competitive athletes, and made tremendous contributions to the development of Chinese competitive sports.

China Stamps: 2009-24

2009-10-16T22:50:00.001+08:00

China Stamps
Name: 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国第十一届运动会)
Number: 2009-24
Date of Issue: 16 October 2009
Value: 2 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (2-1): Emblem (会徽)
1.20元 (2-2): Mascot (吉祥物)

The 11th National Games of the PRC was held from October 16 to 28, 2009, in Shandong Province, and athletes from around the country competed in 362 events in 33 sports, more than any previous such games. Of the events, 354 were competed in Shandong, while the rest in the cities of Beijing, Shenyang and Changchun. The event coincided with the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China and the 50th anniversary of the National Games. Over the past half a century, the National Games has constantly promoted the popularization of sports among all the people of China, cultivated a great number of competitive athletes, and made tremendous contributions to the development of Chinese competitive sports.

Israel Health Fund FDC

2009-10-16T20:55:00.001+08:00

Israel FDC
Name: 75 Years to the Leumit Health Fund
Date of Issue: 08 September 2009

Leumit Health Fund was founded at the height of the British Mandate period in Israel by a group of doctors whose goal was to provide medical services for local residents. The organization was founded in Dr. Yaakov Vinshal's kitchen by doctors who dreamed of an independent, high quality health fund that was accessible to all. There, in that kitchen, the concept of "Leumit" was born, seeing itself as one large family that puts the client first while providing and maintaining high quality, professional and readily available medical service. Leumit Health Fund then went through a creative transformation, focusing on personalized treatment, and by making service, caring, commitment and staff involvement the core of client care.

In 1934, when still in its infancy, the Fund had 35 insured members. Today, with 700,000 insured members who reflect a cross-section of Israeli society's ethnic and socio-economic sectors, Leumit continues to adhere to the principles of service and high quality, personal service.

Leumit provides all of the medical services defined in the National Health Insurance Law as well as additional health services at the highest level, through 340 medical centers located throughout the country and thousands of medical and service staff members.

Leumit is a leader in many aspects of supplementary medical care which is provided to its clients through supplementary insurance programs and offers medical services at the level of private care: surgery performed by the best doctors in public and private hospitals, consultations with specialists (second opinions), significant discounts on medications not included in the list of nationally subsidized medications, examinations during pregnancy, and unique insurance services, such as lifetime long-term care insurance.

Leumit's broad approach to the health field includes treatment that integrates mind and body. Leumit offers a wide range of natural treatments and healing methods: acupuncture, Alexander technique, chiropractic, homeopathy, reflexology, tai chi and more. All of these services are offered to members in conjunction with conventional medical methods.

According to the Ministry of Health's objective criteria the Fund provides the highest quality medical services available in Israel. The unique variety of services that Leumit Health Fund offers its clients, as well as the best range of medications, ensures good health and a high quality of life along with unique, efficient and considerate service.

Israel Animal Therapy FDC

2009-10-15T20:48:00.000+08:00

Israel FDC
Name: Animal Assisted Therapy
Date of Issue: 08 September 2009

The connection between human beings and the animal kingdom is imprinted in the collective unconscious and molds our emotional world. The new field of Animal Assisted Therapy, which utilizes this connection to further human wellbeing, is rapidly growing and developing in Israel and throughout the world.

Many studies geared toward examining the unique therapeutic effect of animals (the "instrument") indicate the direct and indirect effects of this connection on a patient's emotional, social and physiological state. The integration of animals into educational, treatment and rehabilitative frameworks is accelerating.

The Emotional Realm: Animals provide people with "unconditional" love, warmth and acceptance, grant them a sense of meaning and a source of security and pride, while also strengthening their sense of ability and self-image. Animals contribute to the development of self-awareness and awareness of others and to the development of feelings of compassion and empathy. They also induce a sense of calm, reduce stress and anxiety and diminish loneliness and depression. Animals help to lessen feelings of anger, frustration and aggression and allow the fostering of self control and emotional adjustment.

The Social Realm: Animals serve in a "mediatory" capacity between the individual and his/her environment. For example, a spurned child may become the "star" of the class after presenting and teaching about an animal, thus becoming the focus of attention. Through learning and a command of body language and communication with the animal, patients also develop better sensitivity and perception in their human interactions. Holding animals may also strengthen a patient's sense of responsibility and commitment to tasks.

The Physiological Realm: Studies show that the presence and holding of furry animals reduce anxiety, blood pressure and increased heart rate. Raising pets contributes to reducing the risk of recurring heart attacks and to better recovery. People who raise pets report a lower rate of headaches, constipation, allergy attacks, backaches, flu and concentration difficulties.

The three stamps display characters interacting affectionately with animals. The stamps and their tabs express the uniqueness of Animal Assisted Therapy, which allows patients to feel needed, meaningful, worthy and capable at every point throughout the process.

Taiwan Deaflympics FDC

2009-10-14T20:00:00.000+08:00

Taiwan FDC
Name: 21st Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009
Date of Issue: 05 September 2009
Number: Com.315

The forerunner of the Deaflympics was the Deaf World Games, which were the first international games for athletes with a disability. In light of the Deaf World Games' scale and the special characteristics of deaf people's culture, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the name change in May 2001. The ROC won the bid to host the 21st Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009 from September 5 to 15, 2009. Athletes from some 80 nations will participate. To mark these games, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of two commemorative stamps.

On the upper right corner of both stamps is the logo of the 21st Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009. The design of the logo integrates the three major elements of the games: the Chinese character pei (which is part of the compound for Taipei), an ear (symbolizing the hearing impaired) and a person (symbolizing an athlete). The vignette of the NT$5.00-denominated stamp shows a badminton player and a runner set against a map of Taiwan and a pattern of dark and light rings suggesting sound waves. The composition conveys the idea that the 2009 Deaflympics are being held in Taipei. The NT$25.00-denominated stamp shows figures engaged in taekwondo and tennis set against a background of a stylized ear. Drawn in simple and soft lines, the stamp symbolizes the idea of "Taiwan walking out, and the world coming in." It conveys the inexhaustible vitality of Taiwan and the courage with which hearing-impaired athletes face challenges.

Russia Veliky Novgorod FDC

2009-10-13T21:13:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: 1150th Anniversary of Veliky Novgorod
Date of Issue: 04 September 2009

Veliky Novgorod (Russian: Вели́кий Но́вгород; literally Great Novgorod) is the foremost historic city of North-Western Russia and the administrative center of Novgorod Oblast. It is situated on the M10 federal highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg. Translated from Russian, its name means roughly "The Great New City" or "The Big New City". The city lies along the Volkhov River just below its outflow from Lake Ilmen. More...

The stamp on the background of birch bark placed an antique image of the Novgorod Kremlin with stylized Sophia Cathedral and the emblem of the city. More...

Russia Military Glory FDC

2009-10-12T20:22:00.000+08:00

Russia FDC
Name: City of Military Glory
Date of Issue: 24 August 2009

City of Military Glory (Russian: «Город воинской славы») is an honorary title bestowed upon the citizenry of Russian cities, where soldiers had displayed courage and heroism during the Great Patriotic War. The award, which to date has been bestowed upon 19 cities, is similar to the Hero City title awarded during the Soviet-era, and no city has yet received both awards.

Denominations:
10p.: Belgorod
Belgorod (Белгород) was conferred the status of City of Military Glory by President Vladimir Putin on 27 April 2007. In August 1943, during the Belgorod-Kharkov operation, Soviet troops broke through the defense of the Nazi troops, liberated Belgorod and Kharkov.

10p.: Kursk
Kursk (Курск) was conferred the status of City of Military Glory by President Vladimir Putin on 27 April 2007. During the Battle of Kursk, Soviet Army had foiled last major offensive of the enemy and finally consolidated in the hands of the strategic initiative.

10p.: Oryol
Oryol (Орел) was conferred the status of City of Military Glory by President Vladimir Putin on 27 April 2007. Orel offensive operation was broken beforehand prepared deeply layered protection of the German fascist troops.

10p.: Polyarny
Polyarny (Полярный) was conferred the status of City of Military Glory by President Vladimir Putin on 5 May 2008. During the Great Patriotic War, the city was the main base of the Arctic Northern Fleet. Throughout the war the Northern Fleet carried out the operation as a submarine and surface forces, it is from here.

10p.: Rzhev
Rzhev (Ржев) was conferred the status of City of Military Glory by President Vladimir Putin on 8 October 2007. Under the walls of Rzhev in 1941-43, there was the hardest battle of all the Great Patriotic War.

Singapore Bridges JI FDC

2009-10-11T19:44:00.000+08:00

Singapore Joint Issue FDC
Name: Bridges (Philippines - Singapore Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 28 August 2009

The Philippines and Singapore enjoy a warm bilateral relationship. Both countries also work closely together in ASEAN as well as various international and regional fora. On the economic front, the Philippines is also one of Singapore's major trading partners within ASEAN. Issued against the backdrop of the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Philippines, this set of stamps commemorates the warm relationship between both countries.

Denominations:
1st Local: Bamban Bridge
"Bamban Bridge", crossing the Sacobia-Bamban River system, along the MacArthur Highway between Mabalacat, Pampanga and Bamban. Tarlac, is one of the modern and sleek-looking bridges in The Philippines. The bridge's arch has a span of 174 metres and contains 1,400 tons of steel. It is one of the longest bridges of its type in the world and was completed sometime around 1998.

65c: Cavenagh Bridge
"Cavenagh Bridge", built in 1868, is the oldest bridge on the Singapore River. Built to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of the Straits Settlement, it was converted to a pedestrian bridge. Now, with lighting added in the 1990s to accentuate its architectural features at nightfall, it provides the most convenient pedestrian link between the cultural district at the north bank and the commercial district to the south of the Singapore River.

80c: Henderson Waves and Alexandra Arch
"Henderson Waves" and "Alexandra Arch" , both found along the Southern Ridges, were opened May 2008. Presently Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge, standing 36m above Henderson Road. Henderson Waves connects Mount Faber park to Telok Blangah Hill Park, while the smaller bridge Alexandra Arch, connects Kent Ridge Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park via the Flora Walk.

$1.10: Marcelo Fernan Bridge
"Marcelo Fernan Bridge" is an extradosed cable-stayed bridge located in Metro Cebu, Cebu in the Philippines. It spans across Mactan Channel connecting Cebu Island to Mactan Island. Opened in August 1999 to decongest the traffic from the older Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, the bridge has a total length of 1237 metres with a centre span of 185 metres. This bridge is one of the widest and longest bridge span in the Philippines, and is named after Senator Marcelo Fernan from Cebu City.

Singapore Bridges M/S FDC

2009-10-10T20:23:00.000+08:00

Singapore Minisheet FDC
Name: Bridges (Philippines - Singapore Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 28 August 2009

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Philippines. To commemorate this anniversary, Singapore and the Philippines will be releasing this joint stamp issue with the theme "Bridges", which aims to illustrate the close and multifaceted ties between both countries. Chosen bridges include Henderson Waves & Alexandra Arch and Cavenagh Bridge from Singapore, as well as Bamban Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge from the Philippines.

Denominations:
1st Local: Bamban Bridge
"Bamban Bridge", crossing the Sacobia-Bamban River system, along the MacArthur Highway between Mabalacat, Pampanga and Bamban. Tarlac, is one of the modern and sleek-looking bridges in The Philippines. The bridge's arch has a span of 174 metres and contains 1,400 tons of steel. It is one of the longest bridges of its type in the world and was completed sometime around 1998.

65c: Cavenagh Bridge
"Cavenagh Bridge", built in 1868, is the oldest bridge on the Singapore River. Built to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of the Straits Settlement, it was converted to a pedestrian bridge. Now, with lighting added in the 1990s to accentuate its architectural features at nightfall, it provides the most convenient pedestrian link between the cultural district at the north bank and the commercial district to the south of the Singapore River.

80c: Henderson Waves and Alexandra Arch
"Henderson Waves" and "Alexandra Arch" , both found along the Southern Ridges, were opened May 2008. Presently Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge, standing 36m above Henderson Road. Henderson Waves connects Mount Faber park to Telok Blangah Hill Park, while the smaller bridge Alexandra Arch, connects Kent Ridge Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park via the Flora Walk.

$1.10: Marcelo Fernan Bridge
"Marcelo Fernan Bridge" is an extradosed cable-stayed bridge located in Metro Cebu, Cebu in the Philippines. It spans across Mactan Channel connecting Cebu Island to Mactan Island. Opened in August 1999 to decongest the traffic from the older Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, the bridge has a total length of 1237 metres with a centre span of 185 metres. This bridge is one of the widest and longest bridge span in the Philippines, and is named after Senator Marcelo Fernan from Cebu City.

Singapore Bridges FDC

2009-10-09T19:32:00.001+08:00

Singapore FDC
Name: Bridges (Philippines - Singapore Joint Issue)
Date of Issue: 28 August 2009

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Philippines. To commemorate this anniversary, Singapore and the Philippines will be releasing this joint stamp issue with the theme "Bridges", which aims to illustrate the close and multifaceted ties between both countries. Chosen bridges include Henderson Waves & Alexandra Arch and Cavenagh Bridge from Singapore, as well as Bamban Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge from the Philippines.

Denominations:
1st Local: Bamban Bridge
"Bamban Bridge", crossing the Sacobia-Bamban River system, along the MacArthur Highway between Mabalacat, Pampanga and Bamban. Tarlac, is one of the modern and sleek-looking bridges in The Philippines. The bridge's arch has a span of 174 metres and contains 1,400 tons of steel. It is one of the longest bridges of its type in the world and was completed sometime around 1998.

65c: Cavenagh Bridge
"Cavenagh Bridge", built in 1868, is the oldest bridge on the Singapore River. Built to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of the Straits Settlement, it was converted to a pedestrian bridge. Now, with lighting added in the 1990s to accentuate its architectural features at nightfall, it provides the most convenient pedestrian link between the cultural district at the north bank and the commercial district to the south of the Singapore River.

80c: Henderson Waves and Alexandra Arch
"Henderson Waves" and "Alexandra Arch" , both found along the Southern Ridges, were opened May 2008. Presently Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge, standing 36m above Henderson Road. Henderson Waves connects Mount Faber park to Telok Blangah Hill Park, while the smaller bridge Alexandra Arch, connects Kent Ridge Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park via the Flora Walk.

$1.10: Marcelo Fernan Bridge
"Marcelo Fernan Bridge" is an extradosed cable-stayed bridge located in Metro Cebu, Cebu in the Philippines. It spans across Mactan Channel connecting Cebu Island to Mactan Island. Opened in August 1999 to decongest the traffic from the older Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, the bridge has a total length of 1237 metres with a centre span of 185 metres. This bridge is one of the widest and longest bridge span in the Philippines, and is named after Senator Marcelo Fernan from Cebu City.

Taiwan Folk Rhymes FDC

2009-10-08T10:44:00.003+08:00

Taiwan FDC
Name: Children's Folk Rhymes (Continued)
Date of Issue: 26 August 2009
Number: Sp.535

Chunghwa Post previously issued three sets of stamps on children's folk rhymes on April 4,1998, April 2, 1999, and April 4, 2001; now it is following up with another set of four stamps on the subject.

Denominations:
NT$5.00: "Little Girl and Her Doll" (妹妹背著洋娃娃)
Originally named "Doll in the Garden," the stamp features a little girl carrying a doll on her back, with the background features the garden described in the song. The little birdie in the upper right corner is a fun nod to the last line of the song and is sure to bring a smile to everyone's face.

NT$5.00: "Train" (火車快飛)
In reflection of the song's theme, the stamp features a child happily riding a train. The red color is lively and fun and creates a joyous atmosphere, conveying the kid's excitement as he gets closer to home.

NT$5.00: "Thunder Shower" (西北雨)The big raindrops of the thundershower echo the name of the song. The pink lotus blossoms in the pond and the fireflies and anthropomorphic fish in the rain add layers of interest to the turquoise water.

NT$5.00: "Kingdom of Dolls" (娃娃國)
The stamp features the king and his soldier leaving their palace on horseback. The distant castle is in reference to the name of the song. The king and the soldier, on the one hand, and the castle, on the other—one in the front and one in the back, one large and one small—create a sense of rhythm for the entire composition.

Comment: Chunghwa Post issued a new pre-stamped envelope on same day, so my friend made a double-first day cover for me.

China Sheetlet: 2009-26

2009-10-07T10:52:00.001+08:00

China Sheetlet II
Name: Military Parade on the National Day for the 60th Anniversary of the PRC (中华人民共和国成立60周年首都阅兵)
Number: 2009-26
Date of Issue: 01 October 2009
Value: 8 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (4-1): Military Phalanx (徒步方队)
October 1, 2009 marks the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China. To celebrate this national holiday, people from all walks of life based in Beijing gathered at Tiananmen Square for a grand celebration and military parade. The bright-red flag of Chinese People's Liberation Army, escorted by the awesome PLA guard of honor, flaunted against wind, leading the generals and soldiers of the three armed services in a military review by the Party and the people. In powerful steps and a uniform manner, the valiant troops exhibited up-to-date weapons and military supplies, first-class training achievements, and an enterprising spirit, staging a fantastic and distinctive militray parade to the entire nation and the world.

1.20元 (4-2): Land Force and Second Artillery Corps Formation (陆军和二炮装备方队)
In an imposing bearing with the character of the times, formations of tanks, armored cars, self-propelled artilleries, infantry fighting vehicles, and various missiles converged into a great flow of iron and steel, making its way majestically through the broad Chang'an Avenue. The remarkably advanced arms represent the major achievements China made in the construction of a system of armed forces with Chinese characteristics. The weapons and vehicles collectively form a three-dimensional defense net that involves land, marine and air forces and much resembles a formidable Great Wall of Iron and Steel.

1.20元 (4-3): Naval Equipment Formation (海军装备方队)
Riding the waves of triumph, the formidable naval equipment formation comes from the dust of history, bearing witness to the endeavors and achievements made by the People's Navy over the past 60 years in building itself more revolutionary, standardized, and modernized. As a high-tech armed force, the People's navy has constantly reinforced the construction of a high-quality talent team, developed a variety of effective weapons, and established a three-dimensional defense network on the sea, thus demonstrating the rapid development of Chinese science and technology and the constant improvement of China's capability of safeguarding its territorial waters, particularly after the nation introduced reform and opening-up policies. The naval force has formed a maritime Great Wall, which permanently defends the coastal areas and territorial seas of the People's Republic.

1.20元 (4-4): Air Force Formation (空中梯队)
From south and north, from all directions, soldiers of the air forces arrived to meet in the national capital. The fleet of a joint formation of air forces hovered above Tiananmen Square, producing thunderous roars. Alongside the booming tanks marching on the ground, they composed a three-dimensional military array, unfolding a picture of the modernized people's army. In varying forms, different air formations showed off their respective power and charm in the sky. Over the past six decades, these guardians have loyally defended the airspace of our motherland to ensure that all the Chinese people are bathed in sunlight.

China Stamps: 2009-26

2009-10-07T10:20:00.000+08:00

China Stamps
Name: Military Parade on the National Day for the 60th Anniversary of the PRC (中华人民共和国成立60周年首都阅兵)
Number: 2009-26
Date of Issue: 01 October 2009
Value: 4 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20元 (4-1): Military Phalanx (徒步方队)
October 1, 2009 marks the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China. To celebrate this national holiday, people from all walks of life based in Beijing gathered at Tiananmen Square for a grand celebration and military parade. The bright-red flag of Chinese People's Liberation Army, escorted by the awesome PLA guard of honor, flaunted against wind, leading the generals and soldiers of the three armed services in a military review by the Party and the people. In powerful steps and a uniform manner, the valiant troops exhibited up-to-date weapons and military supplies, first-class training achievements, and an enterprising spirit, staging a fantastic and distinctive militray parade to the entire nation and the world.

1.20元 (4-2): Land Force and Second Artillery Corps Formation (陆军和二炮装备方队)
In an imposing bearing with the character of the times, formations of tanks, armored cars, self-propelled artilleries, infantry fighting vehicles, and various missiles converged into a great flow of iron and steel, making its way majestically through the broad Chang'an Avenue. The remarkably advanced arms represent the major achievements China made in the construction of a system of armed forces with Chinese characteristics. The weapons and vehicles collectively form a three-dimensional defense net that involves land, marine and air forces and much resembles a formidable Great Wall of Iron and Steel.

1.20元 (4-3): Naval Equipment Formation (海军装备方队)
Riding the waves of triumph, the formidable naval equipment formation comes from the dust of history, bearing witness to the endeavors and achievements made by the People's Navy over the past 60 years in building itself more revolutionary, standardized, and modernized. As a high-tech armed force, the People's navy has constantly reinforced the construction of a high-quality talent team, developed a variety of effective weapons, and established a three-dimensional defense network on the sea, thus demonstrating the rapid development of Chinese science and technology and the constant improvement of China's capability of safeguarding its territorial waters, particularly after the nation introduced reform and opening-up policies. The naval force has formed a maritime Great Wall, which permanently defends the coastal areas and territorial seas of the People's Republic.

1.20元 (4-4): Air Force Formation (空中梯队)
From south and north, from all directions, soldiers of the air forces arrived to meet in the national capital. The fleet of a joint formation of air forces hovered above Tiananmen Square, producing thunderous roars. Alongside the booming tanks marching on the ground, they composed a three-dimensional military array, unfolding a picture of the modernized people's army. In varying forms, different air formations showed off their respective power and charm in the sky. Over the past six decades, these guardians have loyally defended the airspace of our motherland to ensure that all the Chinese people are bathed in sunlight.

China Sheetlet: 2009-25

2009-10-07T10:14:00.001+08:00

China Sheetlet II
Name: 60th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国成立六十周年)
Number: 2009-25
Date of Issue: 01 October 2009
Value: 8 stamps/sheet

Denominations:
1.20元 (4-1): Founding Ceremony (开国大典)
The founding of New China was a historic decision of the Chinese people. On October 1, 1949, during the founding ceremony held on the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Chairman Mao Zedong stood on the Tiananmen Rostrum and solemnly declared to the world the establishment of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. The founding of the PRC heralded a new era of Chinese history, in which the Chinese people enjoy equal respect, dignity and freedom and the Chinese nation stands in a brand-new imposing manner in the east of the Earth.

1.20元 (4-2): Reform and Opening-Up (改革开放)
The reform and opening-up has led the Chinese people onto the road for prosperity and affluence. On December 18, 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC was held in Beijing. The session re-established the guideline of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, and decided to shift the Party's and the state's working focus to the construction of socialist modernization and implement the strategic policy of reform and opening-up.

1.20元 (4-3): The Return of Hong Kong and Macao (港澳回归)
On July 1, 1997, the handover ceremony between Chinese and British governments was held in Hong Kong, proclaiming China's resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and the founding of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of PRC. On December 20, 1999, China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao. The return of Hong Kong and Macao symbolized an end to the humiliation in Chinese history, saw successful implementation of the scientific concept of "On Country, Two Systems", and erected a historic milestone in the great cause of national reunification.

1.20元 (4-4): Olympic Pageant (奥运盛典)
On August 8, 2008, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, kicked off at the National Stadium in Beijing, with the Olympic flame ignited for the first time in China. Athletes from different countries and regions competed in a diversity of events. Eventually, China led the world in the Olympic gold medal tally with 51 golds. The Beijing Olympics fully demonstrated the unity and friendship between people of different countries around the world, showcased the sublime spirit and quality of human beings, brought additional glory to the Olympic movement, and wrote a new chapter for the peaceful development of mankind.