Pierre de Fermat's birthday celebrated in Google Doodle

 

 

La Poste commemorated Pierre de Fermat's  400th birth anniversary on a postage stamp in 2001

 

Hi ! Just received a mail from Mr Anurag Pratap of Silvassa about this news with the postage stamp issued by French Post…I wish  to share it with the readers …Some might have noticed it in 17th August 2011 in Google Doodle ….Those who have not noticed, might like the stamp issued on great “Amateur Mathematician” !  Mathematics  is a wonderful theme for the lovers of this subject ! This is all in this Post…Have a Nice Time !

The birthday of Pierre de Fermat, the 17th century French lawyer famous for the so-called 'Fermat's Last Theorem' mathematical puzzle, was celebrated in a Google Doodle on 17th August 2011. Because Ferment did not spread his work through books and journals and he often did not provide any proof for his theorems he was referred to as an 'amateur' mathematician, but that the same time Fermat is also considered to be one of the two (the other being Rene Descartes) leading mathematicians of the first half of the 17th century. Pierre de Fermat died at the age of 63 on January 12, 1665 at Castres, France.

Google doodles have gained immense popularity over the past few years and the Google team has put out commemorative doodles on events ranging from news events, civic milestones, birthdays, death anniversaries and important dates in history. Google estimates it has created more than 900 doodles since 1998, with 270 of them running in 2010.

The Doodle of  Pierre de Fermat shows a blackboard with algebraic symbols on it, with the word "Google" faintly visible as though rubbed out earlier. The symbols read: xⁿ + yⁿ ≠ zⁿ. If you hover your mouse over the Doodle, the pop-up text reads "I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of this theorem, which this doodle is too small to contain."

Pierre de Fermat, was born on 17 August 1601, 410 years ago. A lawyer at the Parlement of Toulouse and a gifted amateur mathematician, he made breakthroughs in several fields of calculus, probability, geometry and number theory, but is best known for a brief note he made in the margin of a book of arithmetic. His enigmatic aside set the scene for perhaps the greatest mathematical mystery of all time.

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New Stamp…

Joint Issue : Portugal - Thailand

 

Date of Issue : 20 July 2011

Diplomatic Relations : Portugal - Thailand

 

500 Years of the Arrival of the Portuguese to Siam and the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations

Five centuries of unbroken relations from 1511 to 2011 between Portugal, the oldest established nation in the West, and Thailand, the only Southeast Asian State ever to be colonized,  go far beyond simple trade contacts and are a unique case in the annals of international relations, with diplomatic, political, military, religious, cultural and sociological dimensions. The relationship from the very beginning was one between equal nation states.

 
In the former capital, Ayutthaya, where a Portuguese district with churches and a mixed Luso Thai population long existed, generations of naval pilots, soldiers, interpreters and doctors loyally served the Kings of Siam. From the 16th to the 18th Century, portuguese was the lingua franca, and it was here that the Portuguese introduced technology and the skills of military construction, as well as European pharmacology and medicine.

Sia, was closely connected to the Asian possessions of the Portuguese Crown and received large and important embassies from Portuguese centres such as Malacca, Macau and Goa, The relations between the two countries remained unaltered, even during the troubled times of the war of liberation led by King Taksin – whose personal guard was provided by Portuguese military men – and Rama I, who received important military assistance from the Portuguese Queen Dona Maria I, in 1796.

In 1820, Siam and Portugal signed the first written treaty of modern times, ensuring Siam’s full integration in to the international community. During the period of the major reforms that took place during  the 19th century and the  beginning of the 20th century, under the reign of Rama V and Rama VI, many Portuguese from Macau settled in Bangkok acting as advisors to the Siamese government. Unlike other foreigners, they became Siamese citizens and received Thai citizenship. The history of this old alliance is an eloquent and pioneering example of fruitful dialogue between civilizations.

Club News

 

PHILANIPPON – 2011
World stamp exhibition, Yokohama city, Japan (28th July – 2nd August 2011)

Pradeep Jain from Patna writes…

Participating in Philanippon 2011 as a booth holder representing India, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka was a very pleasant experience. Being my first visit to Japan, I was excited on one hand but anxious on the other given the unfamiliar culture, taste and preferences and above all difference in language.

( From L to R ) : Mr Pradip Jain, Mr AR Singhee (Jury ) Mr Tay Peng Hian, RDP President FIP, Mrs Singhee, Mrs Pramila Jain and Mr Praggya Kothari

Exhibition hall was well organised and perfectly laid out providing sufficient displays and space for the visitors. The end of the exhibition hall featured rows of collections of various categories. One side of the hall had space for postal operators and the other side for domestic and international dealers. My most memorable moment was watching kids
engrossed in various activities spread across the exhibition hall. Another Interesting feature of the Exhibition was the presence of various security printer international and domestic who were giving out special souvenirs.

Visitors at Mr Pradip Jain’s Booth

A special mention of Cartor Security printers - who had brought in their printing machine in the the exhibition hall. Visitors were provided hands-on demo and interesting souvenirs which was printed and perforated on spot was given as gift. Over the next few days as the crowd of stamp lovers increased, I am especially grateful to Japan Post for arranging a volunteer that provided assistance to us in the booth during the crucial hours of massive crowd.

Overall my experience of Phila Nippon, Japan post and Japan was of immense satisfaction. Starting from our arrival,hotel accommodation, exhibition and finally custom clearance and departure, I had never witnessed anything so smooth, well managed and professionally handled. In the face of great natural calamity faced by Japanese, organising an event of such magnitude with great efficiency is remarkable achievement in itself. My Heartiest gratitude to organizers of Phila Nippon and People of Japan for their services and hospitality which i shall carry with me for my life.

New Silver Stamp by France..

 

Date of Issue : 11 July 2011

French postal administration has issued a souvenir sheet with 4 stamps on 11 July 2011 to celebrate the  Rugby World Cup 2011 that is going to be held in November in New Zealand. With this set French post has also issued a wonderful  silver stamp of high value  5 euros. This stamp is sold in a plastic protective capsule to help resist tarnishing included in a cardboard card of the size of a credit card.

Other Silver stamps issued by La Poste

First French Silver stamp issued in  2005  depicting Marianne.  Marianne is the symbol of French republic and is pictured on the French definitive stamps.

 

France "FOOTBALL WORLDCUP ~ FIFA"

Date of Issue : 10 June 2010

The 2010 Football Stamp, a 5 euro silver stamp from France

La Poste issued  this  5 euro silver stamp made of 99.9% pure silver on 10 June 2010. Beautiful and collectible, this stamp is also a real pressure-sensitive 5 euro postage stamp, and can be used in France to mail a package. The stamp shows a football player kicking the ball, with another player looking at him.

New Stamps from France..

 

World Judo Championship stamp from France

The World Judo Championships will be held from 24 to 28 August 2011 at Bercy, Paris. The French Post has joined this event by issuing a semi panoramic stamp illustrating three different takes of the discipline and the Japanese ideogram meaning "the gentle way".

Judo is, nowadays, one of the most popular sporting activities in France. Martial art and combat sport of Japanese origin consist mainly of projection techniques, self-control, throttling, dislocation and immobilization.

 

Train of Pignes

The French Post has launched a stamp dedicated to the still functioning steam train of Pignes. The Railways of Provence, formerly "Railways of the South of France", is made up of three rail networks. One of them, the network of the Alps, was one of the lines between Nice and Digne-les-Bains and was completed in 1911. Now it is the only remained in operation in this region and carries more than 400,000 passengers per year. Its role is twofold: Nice suburban service and tourist transportation in the hinterland by the steam train of Pignes. The line will soon have a new modern railcar.

 

50 Years of OECD

France has issued a stamp commemorating the 50th anniversary of OECD.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) was established in 1961 following an agreement signed in December 14, 1960 by 20 countries. Today, its 34 member countries are committed to the principles of democracy and market economy, they aim to support sustainable economic growth, increase employment, raise living standards, maintain financial stability, assist other countries to develop their economies, and contribute to the growth of world trade.

New Stamps from Malaysia

 

 

Pos Malaysia will issue a set of 3 stamps today on 100 years of aviation.

 

Date of Issue 7 July 2011

: Thevarayan Srinivasan, Klang - Malaysia

My recent Cover

Cover from France 

 

Thanks to David Jastrzebski from Dijon - France   for these wonderful stamps and nice Cover.

Special Covers

Maharashtra

 

  

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

New stamps on architecture…

 

Date of Issue : 9 June 2011

Art Deco Stamps

This new set of stamps issued by  Canada Post on 9 June 2011, features five Canadian structures built during the Art Deco period.

Emerging in France between the two world wars, Art Deco was a creative response to the dull austerity of the First World War that permeated the design of furniture, household goods and textiles. Still, the movement made its most lasting contribution to early 20th century architecture. Beginning between 1908 and 1912, Art Deco gained mainstream exposure at the exposition from which it took its name: the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Moderne in Paris, France in 1925, and the period continued well into the Great Depression. In fact, several prominent Canadian Art Deco buildings were constructed as a result of federal employment initiatives

According to designer Ivan Novotny of Taylor | Sprules, "Many of the great (Art) Deco buildings across this country have very distinct silhouettes that were defined by the principles of the movement. It's the commonly overlooked extraordinary details that adorn these great spires that demand a closer look."

In addition to dramatic black and white photography, Novotny adds that the stamp design "uses bold geometric forms and vibrant colours, to capture each building's unique character."

According to Alain Leduc, Stamp Design Manager, "With stamps, it's the details that count, that elevate the design to something more than merely representative. For that reason, the emphasis on detail on the Art Deco period was so very inspiring. It's the details that allow an architect to take a functional structure and make art of it."

The stamps show  Burrard Bridge, R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, Cormier House, Supreme Court of Canada and Dominion Building.

Metz - FFPA Congress stamp from France

The French Post has issued a stamp dedicated to the city of Metz which welcomes in 2011 the 84th Congress of the FFPA (French Federation of Philatelic Associations).

An important Gallo-Roman city, Merovingian capital of the Austrasia kingdom, birthplace of the Carolingian dynasty, cradle of the Gregorian chant, and one of the oldest republics of the common era in Europe, Metz has a rich 3,000 year history. The city has been steeped in Romance culture, but has been strongly influenced by Germanic culture due to its location and history.

The stamp illustrates one of the largest Gothic buildings in Europe, St. Stephen's Cathedral, built from 1220 to 1522. On the vignette, the Gate of Germans (12th-15th century), remnants of the old medieval fortification could be seen.

Special Cover on Gaiety Theatre, Shimla..

HP Postal Circle issued a new special cover on 6 June 2011 on famous Gaiety Theatre of Shimla.

Gaiety Theatre Shimla

Gaiety Theatre

The Gaiety Theatre was originally part of a huge town hall complex in the neo-Gothic style, spanning the Mall and the Ridge.

The architect Henry Irwin, who built the Viceregal Lodge, designed the theatre building. In 1911, the upper portions of the building were dismantled as the structure was found to be unsafe. It was opened on the 30th of May, 1887, Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year and its God- Father was lord Bill Beresford, who saved the Simla A.D.C.(Amateur Dramatic Club) , time and again from financial ruin. The formal inauguration of the Simla A.D.C. took place in the year 1888 and since then plays have been staged in the Gaiety with unfailing regularity.The history of ADC goes back to the times when theatre was looked upon as a major and serious source of entertainment and, therefore became a cultural necessity for the English elite. Hence, Shimla became the home of amateur theatre and the Gaiety Theatre produced the best of the plays performed in London.

Among the leading theatre personalities connected with the Shimla Amateur Dramatic Club are: Field Marshal Lord Roberts, who remained president of the Club from 1891-1892 during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief of India; Major P.H. Dnyer, a distinguished producer and actor who acted in Loyalties, Interference and Mary Rose; Lord Bill Beresford, V.C. who was the Military Secretary to Viceroy Lord Lytton, famous poet and author Rudyard Kipling, Lord Kitchner, Mrs. Deane, Major General Sir Godfrey Williams, the Chief of Scouts, Colonel Baden-Powell, and Sir Dennis Fitz Patrick, Lieut-Governor of Punjab during 1895 and many others. Notable film personalities like K.L. Saigal, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendall, Raj Babbar, Anupam Kher, Manohar Singh, Nasseerudin Shah, frequently performed on the stage of the Gaiety theatre.

My recent Covers

David Jastrzebski, Dijon – France

Roland Raulsague – France

Hello Roland, Thanks for the cover. It is difficult to read your address on envelop. Please email me your full address.

Fruits and Butterflies on new Hungarian Stamps…

Date of Issue : 6 May 2011

Hi ! I In this Post some nice stamps featuring fruits and Butterflies…Well this is the time of fruits…..Magyar Posta issued a set of two stamps on 6 May 2011 featuring fruits from Hungary.The HUF 145 stamp shows the domesticated apple and the HUF 310 stamp depicts the cat’s head pear. Another set features beautiful butterflies and Moths with a nice MS. Both the sets are colorful and very attractive and sure to be liked by all stamp lovers !! This is all for this evening ….Till Next Post …Have a Nice Time !!

Domesticated apple

Its origin is uncertain but it was certainly grown in the 16th century in France. In Hungary it is still grown in small gardens and vineyards on the Great Plain. It ripens in August. Its 240-300 g fruit is a flattened ball with a whitish yellow flesh and stripy skin, and there is also a single colour clone version. Its flesh is hard and highly acid with little flavour. It is favoured for its size and is widely used in cooking. The tree has a large crown with big leaves and remarkably small buds. It starts producing late but then produces well, albeit in phases. The species tolerates a va-riety of growing locations but it likes alkaline soil the least. The tree is excellent for old fashioned gardens and requires minimal care. The fruit can be kept until the end of September in a cool larder.

Cat’s head pear

Already cultivated in 1590 in the Bamberg nursery, it became known in French areas as well as West Hungary. Its fruit is large, about 9-9.5 cm in diameter. Its stem is thick and strong and does not drop easily. Hard skin and yellow flesh are typical with a reddish-brown skin on the sunny side. Its flesh is crispy and coarse but not stony. Sweet, but a little tart, it is the typical kitchen type. It used to be popular for stewed fruit and jelly. In France it was also fermented to make perry. During November and December after-ripening is finished but it can be kept until spring.

Moths and Butterflies from Hungary

Date of Issue : 6 May 2011

Insects with scale covered wings (Lepidoptera) include moths and butterflies, which are thought to be the last order to have evolved among arthropods. To date about 150,000 species of moths have been identified, and 3,500 are known to have occurred in the Carpathian Basin. Insects belonging to the Lepidoptera order are commonly described in Hungarian by a number of words, which can be summarised in English as moth and butterfly. Most of the species representing 40 moth families living in Hungary are small and fragile, but there are some which are large and fat, and they usually fly at night. The ones that are nocturnal are called moths in everyday speech. The word butterfly is mainly used for the splendid dainty species with beautiful coloration, which are on the wing during the day. All butterflies belong to one family only, which is represented by 4 species in Hungary. These, compared to their wonderful rela-tives living in the tropics, are elegant but modest in appearance.

The stamps of the set show, in order of ascending face value, on a white background Freyer’s Purple Emperor (Apatura metis), which is characteristic in the Danube’s catchment area, Esper’s Marbled White (Melanargia russiae), which used to live in our forest steppe areas but has now disappeared, Garden Tiger Moth (Arctia caja), now a less frequent visitor to our gardens, and the Willowherb Hawk-moth (Proserpinus proserpina), still quite common in wet meadows. In the border and the stamp design of the numbered block the splendid Large Copper with its original coloration is repeated in a delicate drawing, imparting a special rhythm. This butterfly occurs in marshland in Hungarian areas. Butterfly motifs are likewise repeated in the design of the first day cover and the special postmark.

: Magyar Posta

Wolfgang Beyer, Germany

David Jastrzbski, Dijon - France

Butterflies of Israel…

 

 

Date of Issue : 12 April 2011

 

Israel post has issued a magnificent butterflies  sheet of six different stamps this month. The sheet is with the tabs of butterflies and the gutter strip shows flowers. Lovely marginal pictorial tabs are specialty of Israeli stamps.

Butterflies’ vibrant colors and gentle flight overwhelm us with feelings of wonder and joy. These beautiful flying insects have inspired artists, poets and intellectuals alike. Their wondrous life cycle, called a “complete cycle”, is made up of four stages: egg, caterpillar, pupa and adult. A complete cycle from egg to adult is called a generation. Some butterfly species produce one generation per year while others produce numerous generations within a single year. The lifespan of an adult butterfly varies among species, with adults of some species living for approximately one week and others for a number of weeks or even months. Some species are considered to be local while others migrate for distances of hundreds and thousands of kilometers.

To date, some 150,000 species belonging to the Lepidoptera order have been identified throughout the world, of which approximately 20,000 species are butterflies, and the rest are moths.

In Israel there are an estimated 2,300 Lepidoptera species, including 142 species of butterflies. Mt. Hermon is the richest butterfly species site in Israel, with no less than 100 different species! Mt. Hermon is the southernmost point of distribution for 30 of these 100 species, which do not fly to any other areas in Israel.

Overall, Israel’s butterfly population may be categorized into seven families. Five of those families are represented among the butterflies featured in the stamp series:

Swallowtail - Papilio machaon syriacus represents the Papilionidae family. Many members of this family display prominent colors, including black, yellow and red. These colors serve to warn birds and lizards that they are poisonous.

Red admiral - Vanessa atalanta represents the Nymphalidae family. Like many of the species belonging to this family, this butterfly remains camouflaged as long as its wings are closed because its underwings are dull in color, revealing its bold colors only when its wings are open wide.

Caper white - Anaphaeis aurota represents the Pieridae family of white and yellow butterflies. This butterfly’s white wings are decorated with black markings. This species migrates to Israel from Africa nearly every summer and it may be seen flying throughout Israel until early winter.

Plain tiger - Danaus chrysippus is the only representative of the Danainae family to be found in Israel. It migrates annually from Africa to Israel and belongs to the same scientific genus as the American Monarch butterfly, considered to be the most famous butterfly in the world thanks to the tremendous distances it migrates.

Common blue - Polyommatus icarus zelleri and Tawny silver-line - Apharitis acamas represent the largest family of butterflies in Israel – the Lycaenidae family. Like many of the males belonging to this family, the Common blue male is bright blue in color in order to attract females, while the coloring of the Tawny silver-line allows it to blend into its surroundings and remain camouflaged from its enemies.

Butterflies Assist in Biodiversity

Conservation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently declared that the threat of extinction of animal and plant species has reached a level of global crisis. Within the framework of worldwide efforts to curb extinction, butterflies have been identified as effective bio-indicators of ecosystem changes and have become an important component in natural and environmental preservation. While constant and long term monitoring of butterfly species provides information regarding the loss and extinction of rare butterflies, no less importantly, a dwindling of butterfly varieties also indicates a similar dwindling of plant species and various other animal groups. Members of The Israeli Lepidopterists Society promote national butterfly monitoring in Israel, doing so throughout the country. The Society also initiated a bill to protect 14 endangered butterflies species and a law was enacted in 2009.

My recent Covers

Wolgang Beyer, Germany

Roland Montagne, France