New stamps on Dinosaurs…

 

Date of Issue : 11 August 2011

South Korea Post issued a set of four stamps and Miniature sheet  on 11 August 2011 as the second installment of the "Age of Dinosaurs Series," Jurassic dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era .

Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era, which spanned about 50 million years from about 199.6 million years ago to 145.5 million years ago, refers to the period that followed the Triassic Period. In this period, giant reptiles such as dinosaurs thrived on the land, and ammonites, in the sea. In the latter part of the Jurassic Period, birds appeared for the first time, with gymnosperms like cycads and Ginkgo thriving.

Scelidosaurus
As an herbivorous dinosaur, it had a rather small head and small body, being 250 kg in weight and about 4m in height. It walked on four legs. With its hind legs being longer than the front legs, it is thought to have run with its hind legs and to have walked with its hind legs to reach and feed on the leaves of tall trees. Its most prominent body feature is the oval-shaped dermal scutes on both its back and tail. It was discovered both in the U.K. and U.S.A.

Stegosaurus
As an herbivorous dinosaur during the Late Jurassic Period spikes on its tails. Compared to its large body, its head was relatively very small, with its long hind legs and short, crooked front legs making its back crook forward. With its large body, it moved very sluggishly. It is 9 m in height and 2 tons in weight. It was discovered in the western part of the U.S.A.

Allosaurus
As a carnivorous dinosaur flourishing in the latter part of the Jurassic Period, it is known to be the fiercest predator in the North American continent. Its feature is the crests just in front of its eyes. It also had a sturdy jaw and teeth made for killing herbivorous or other carnivorous dinosaurs, as well as the hand that had sharp claws. It was 3.6 tons in weight and 14m in height. And it was discovered in the western part of the U.S., Portugal and Australia.

Dilophosarurus 
As a carnivorous dinosaur during the Early Jurassic Period, it had two crests split in the shape of a V on top of its head. Its razor-sharp teeth, long and strong legs, and long claws were perfect for hunting. Its first toe on its hand was shaped in the way to hold a prey, functioning like a thumb. It was 330~450 kg in weight, and 6~7 m in height. It was first reported in the U.S., with the possibility of having been discovered in the southern part of China being raised.

New Stamps from Poland…

 

 

POLES ON THE WORLD

 

 

Date of Issue : 29 August 2011

Here are some new stamps to be released this month by Polish Post commemorating famous personalities of Poland. Earlier on 30th June a colorful  stamp  with tag was issued on POLISH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU COUNCIL.

 

Professor Rudolf Stefan Weigl (September 2, 1883 – August 11, 1957, Zakopane) was a famous Polish biologist and inventor of the first effective vaccine against epidemic typhus. Weigl founded the Weigl Institute in Lwów, Poland (now Lviv, Ukraine), where he did his vaccine-producing research.The Weigl Institute features prominently in Andrzej Żuławski's 1971 film The Third Part of the Night. In 2003, professor Weigl was posthumously awarded the medal of Righteous Among the Nations of the World by the state of Israel.

Jan Szczepanik (born June 13, 1872 in Rudniki (near Mostyska), Austria-Hungary (Occupied Polish territory by Austria in 1772-1918) - April 18, died 1926 in Tarnów, Poland) was a Polish inventor.Szczepanik held several hundred patents and made over 50 discoveries, many of which are still used today, especially in the motion picture industry, photography, and television.

 

Michał Sędziwój (Michael Sendivogius, Sędzimir) (1566–1636) was a Polish alchemist, philosopher, and medical doctor. A pioneer of chemistry, he developed ways of purification and creation of various acids, metals and other chemical compounds. He discovered that air is not a single substance and contains a life-giving substance-later called oxygen-170 years before Scheele and Priestley. He correctly identified this 'food of life' with the gas (also oxygen) given off by heating nitre (saltpetre). This substance, the 'central nitre', had a central position in Sędziwój's schema of the universe.

 

THE YEAR OF SAINT MAKSYMILIAN MARIA KOLBE

Date of Issue : 12 August 2011

Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe (8 January 1894 – 14 August 1941) was a Pole of German ethnic heritage and a Conventual Franciscan friar, who volunteered to die in place of a stranger in the Nazi German concentration camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland during World War II.

He was canonized on 10 October 1982 by Pope John Paul II, and declared a martyr of charity. He is the patron saint of drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalists, prisoners, and the pro-life movement. Pope John Paul II declared him "The Patron Saint of Our Difficult Century".In Italian he is known as "San Massimiliano Maria Kolbe"; his given name in Polish is "Maksymilian", in French, "Maximilien".

Due to his efforts to promote Consecration and entrustment to Mary, he is known as the Apostle of Consecration to Mary.

 

POLISH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU COUNCIL

 

Date of Issue : 30 June 2011

 

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is the responsibility for the functioning of the Council of the European Union that rotates between the member states of the European Union (EU) every six months. The presidency is not a single president but rather the task is undertaken by a national government. It is also not the "Presidency of the EU" (although it is sometimes called that), as there is no such thing: each EU institution has its own President. Three successive Council presidencies, known as presidency trios, cooperate for an 18-month period to provide additional continuity by sharing common political programmes. The current (2011–2012) trio consists of Poland (which took up the position 1 July 2011), Denmark (which will take over in January 2012) and Cyprus (will take over in July 2012).

Stamps commemorating the end of the Space Shuttle era…

 

Date of Issue : 21 July 2011

On July 21, 2011, the day the Shuttle Atlantis touched down for the last time, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued seven new stamps commemorating the end of the Space Shuttle era. Since its beginning in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been responsible for many remarkable accomplishments. For example, on May 5, 1961, NASA sent Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut, into space.

Then, just eight years later, on July 16, 1969, NASA launched Apollo 11, carrying astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins on a journey to the Moon. In 1973, NASA was responsible for launching Skylab, a space-borne laboratory which circled the earth for nearly seven years. However, NASA’s next project—the famed Space Shuttle—is perhaps its greatest accomplishment so far. For 30 years beginning with the launch of Columbia on April 12, 1981, the Space Shuttle was the workhorse of America’s space program, bringing America as close as it has ever come to routine space travel.

For information about this issue,  contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

NASA’s final shuttle launch marks end of collector's era

Ron DiIulio, director of the astronomy program, has been chronicling the progress of the space program through the collection of autographed, commemorative envelopes and stamps for nearly half a century.

Now DiIulio will be seeking out the final pieces of his collection.Since the 1960s, DiIulio has collected artifacts that document most of the space programs’ “firsts,” including NASA’s first landing tests, the first time Americans entered space, groundbreaking for Kennedy Space Center, the first flight of a female astronaut and more. DiIulio even has stamps commemorating America’s space program from Colombia, Geneva, Switzerland and the Ajmer region of India.

“Pretty much everyone has a collection of something,” said DiIulio. “Having artifacts that can tell the story of the space program is invaluable. These kinds of items can really get people excited: it’s all about the power of imagination.”

“The final launch will be the end of an era,” said DiIulio. “We built this impressive fleet of ships, and now we are putting them on display and essentially ending America’s physical exploration of space. I’m glad that I’ll be able to share the history of the program with future generations through my collection.”

Read More …

 

 

Atlantis lands, NASA's shuttle program ends

 

Read More…

New stamps on Astronomy from Germany

 

Date of Issue : 11 August 2011

German Post will issue four new stamps on Astronomy on 11 August 2011.

Courtesy : Shrikant Parikh, Ahmedabad

Club News

Real Tributes to unsung heroes by a Philatelist…

Here I wish to share a great work and  service by Mr Anil Dhir, renowned philatelist from Bhubaneshwar. Mr Dhir is known for his extraordinary   work and  deep research in  philately and   social fields. “The Last Post” is an excellent example of his work with many more to mention… His selfless effort  and love for deep research makes him always very special in his work and findings. Here is another finest piece of work rather great service done by him….Read the full story !

 

1945 - An untold story of war & love

- DN Singh

This story begins with a visit to the Madras War Cemetery early this year, by a man in quest of a trace dating back some 66 years. The man in question, Anil Dhir has a penchant for history and has an enviable record in unearthing the glories of the past. Dhir says he was in search of material for his article on the War Cemeteries in India, which took him from one end of the geography to the other. 

His quest landed him in Chennai, where the Madras War Cemetery is situated. The Cemetery presented interesting clues before Dhir and a challenge too. At the Cemetery he had a tryst with an interesting disclosure - a set of fourteen graves which were of airmen who had apparently died in a plane crash at Amarda Road. The fourteen individually named headstones were arranged side-by-side, but from the Cemetery Registry it was learnt that they had been interred as a collective grave. A collective grave is a burial of recovered remains which, though not individually identified, constitute of a small group of known individuals.

Read full Story…

…….

It is a gigantic task, almost impossible to locate the living relatives of  the  airmen   who died in crash many years ago..... and  real  heart felt tributes to the  unsung heroes by Mr Anil Dhir  who is always in the quest of something different and unique !!  This is a heart touching story. To do this work one must have a great patience to work and wait .....which Mr Dhir has proved...in many  of his tasks done in past years.... The Last Post by Anil Dhir is one such example , well  known to   philatelists...   Philatelic Community is proud to be asscoited with Mr Dhir !! Great work  by him !!

New Zodiac Stamps from Japan..

 

Date of Issue : 7 July 2011

Special Stamps
"Constellation Series Vol.1"

Japan Post issued new "Zodiac" stamps on July 7, 2011, aiming to promote culture and science . The stamps depict constellations of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, House, Aquila, Cygnus, Hercules, Ophiuchus Serpens, Delphinus and Fish Hook.

The design of a postage stamp are as below :
(1) Libra
It looks good for the southern sky of early summer, many faint stars, the stars line up well, "balance" is far from the image. Appear next to the East "Virgo" listed in the Astra air-hand model was the goddess of justice, "the balance right and wrong measure" has become a constellation.Orbit of the sun across the sky (the ecliptic) is a constellation of 12 passes. Also a highly recognized constellations are used in astrology since ancient times.
(2) Scorpio
Clearly visible in the sky of the southern summer evening, is typical of the summer constellations. Impressive is how the stars have aligned in an S-shaped, bright images can facilitate the appearance of a scorpion. Noticeably bright orange first-magnitude star Antares at the heart of the scorpion.
(3) Sagittarius
Often seen in the late summer evening in the southern sky. You have (Archer), a family chalone half human half horse centaurs of Greek mythology, aimed at the heart of the Scorpion Antares is 引Ki絞Tta a bow shape. The broad background is bright Milky Way flows.
(4) House that
The constellations visible high overhead in the summer evenings. Is a small constellation, if the stars line up in place, the Western harp harp can image. Vega is very noticeable white glow, the Tanabata "Princess and the (Orihime) Stars" in the "Summer Triangle of stars" is one of three first-magnitude star to form.
(5) Aquila
The constellations visible in the southern summer night sky. Altair is strikingly noticeable sparkle "of the Summer Triangle" is one of three forms of the first magnitude, the Tanabata "Hiko (eon) Stars" is. In the dark of the night sky, the constellation Vega and Altair and this (Orihime star), but notice how shiny on both sides of the Milky Way.
(6) Cygnus
The constellations visible high overhead in the summer evenings. The stars arranged in a cross in the background of the Milky Way, emerge the form of a swan flying in the sky with outstretched wings. In its beauty, is called the Northern Cross on the Southern Cross. Deneb is the tail feathers shine in the position of "Summer Triangle of stars" is one of three first-magnitude star to form.
(7) Hercules
You look high overhead in the evening of the summer constellations. Hercules is a hero to Greek mythology, a saga that has been involved in various other constellations. Bright star, but look at the dark night sky, you will emerge strong hero figure of Hercules.
(8) Ophiuchus Serpens
You look south of the constellation of Hercules in the summer evening. Ophiuchus is a figure of Asklepios is the Greek myth in medicine saint, and get the dragon is a symbol of medicine. Serpens is the snake is this. If you know the head and tail, no other such a constellation.
(9) Delphinus
The constellations visible in the southern summer night sky. If appointed to the compact arrangement of the stars just fainter stars in the Milky Way near the banks and jump out of the water Pyonto is a very impressive figure of a dolphin. In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the sea appeared as use.
(10) Selling your mothers Fishing
"Selling our mothers fishing", the constellation name has been established by the International Astronomical Union is now used worldwide by name "ancient constellation Japan." Use fishing line to the curve of the stars of Scorpio S-shaped "hook" not likened to the name has been handed down around the old fishing villages of the Seto Inland Sea.

New Stamps on Sports from Japan

Date of Issue : July 08, 2011

Special Stamps
"100 Years of Japanese sport"

(1) Big Japan Amateur Sports Association was founded (1911)
(2) Japan's first Olympic participation (1912)
(3) National Sports Festival (since 1946)
(4) "Flying Fish of Fujiyama" was called Jin Zhi, Hiroshi Furuhashi (1949)
(5) boy scouts founder of Sports (1962)
(6) The 18th Olympic Games (Tokyo 1964 /)
(7) the 11th Olympic Winter Games (Sapporo 1972 /)
(8) The 18th Olympic Winter Games (Nagano 1998 /)
(9) sports Masters of Japan (2001 -)
(10) The 29th Olympic Games (Beijing 2008 /)
Background sheet:
100 Years of Japanese sports logo / on a background
Japan Amateur Sports Association logo / left in the background
Japanese Olympic Committee logo / right in the background
18th Olympic Games / bottom of the background (Tokyo, 1964 /)
Opening Ceremony Olympic cauldron

Club News

Special Cover on Anandilal Podar to be released on 30 July

A special cover will be released in Kolkata on 30th July  on ANNANDI LALL PODDAR, mayor of Calcutta in early 40's and a leading businessman of his time.Shri Anandilal Podar was an associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Shri Podar not only contributed liberally to sustain the Freedom movement but also endeavored upliftment of poor having put himself on the mission of education of the mass. Shri. Podar in 1921 establishment Anandilal Education Society now called Anandilal Podar Trust. He was the founder member of Podar Enterprise.

Interesting news about the cover is the number to be printed, 10,000. its perhaps the largest number of special cover to be released in India on a single issue. The cover has been designed by Mr Souvik Roy of Kolkata. Mr Souvik Roy may be contacted for this special Cover. email : lorenzosouvik@gmail.com 

Souvik Roy is a noted philatelist of Kolkata and has prepared a specialized collection on  Tagore Theme. Recently  a  Philatelic Exhibition on Tagore was held at  Rabindranath Tagore Centre in Kolkata organised by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India. The exhibits of  Sekhar Chakrabarti, Moloy Sarkar  and Souvik Roy were displayed  in this exhibition.

New Stamp from India…

Date of Issue : 6 July 2011

Today India Post issued a commemorative stamp on Dr. D.S.Kothari, an eminent scientist of India  .

Daulat Singh Kothari, popularly known as D. S. Kothari, was an outstanding scientist. He was a great educationist. His contribution to the entire spectrum of Indian education from elementary school to the university level is well-known. He was a student of Meghnad Saha. Kothari is regarded as the architect of defense science in India. He also played an important role in development of many other organizations, notable along them are the University Grants Commission and the National Council of Education Research and Training. Above all Kothari was an outstanding teacher. He had the moral and intellectual qualities of a rare human being. He devoted his life to the pursuit of knowledge in its widest sense. He was a multifaceted personality—an outstanding teacher, a great educationist, a renowned physicist and a highly successful leader and organizer.

Dr Kothari received several honors and awards. The Government of India honoured him with Padma Bhushan in 1962 and Padma Vibhushan in 1973. After his retirement from the Delhi University in 1971, he was appointed Emeritus Professor and he continued to maintain close contact with students and teachers almost till his death on February 4, 1993. In honour of Dr Kothari the Delhi University has established the D. S. Kothari Centre for Science, Ethics and Education. One of the objectives of this centre is to collect technical and non-technical writings of Kothari in book form.

image source : Mansoor B., Mangalore

Read More…

 

Rules for issue of commemorative postage stamps by Department of Posts, Government of India

The commemorative postage stamps issued by the Department of Posts, Govt. of India will be determined based on the following rules:-

1. Commemorative postage stamps will be issued on subjects that have a national or
international stature or have made national/international contribution or impact or reflect national/international areas of concern.

2. The Annual Issue Programme shall reflect regional, cultural and ethnic balance.

3. Stamps on a particular subject shall issue only once, except thematic such as wild life, environment, transport, flora fauna etc. or regular issues like Children’s Day, Season Greetings and sets on heritage, nature, culture, art, architecture etc.

4. Stamps shall be issued only on the apex institutions, not on branches of any institution or organization.

5. There shall be not over 50 issues (maximum 100 stamps) of commemorative stamps per annum.

6. Stamps on personalities shall not exceed 10% of the Annual Issue Programme.

7. The Union Minister incharge of the Ministry of Communications & IT may approve 5% of the Annual Issue Programme.

8. The date of issue shall be fixed by the Philately Division keeping in view the significant dates relating to the subject and the availability of slots in the printing
schedule.

9. Dates of issue once fixed shall not be changed. A proponent may hold a presentation function on any day on or after the date of issue.

10. Proposals may be sent by any citizen of India.

11. Proposals should be sent at least two years in advance for consideration by the Philatelic Advisory Committee (PAC) and approval by the competent authority.

12. Proposals must be submitted in the format available on indiapost.gov.in.

13. Proposals will be considered and recommended/not recommended by the PAC. They
will not be carried forward for the next PAC meeting.

14. Proponents shall follow the protocol for release functions.

15. The Department of Posts will decide the subject matters, prohibited subjects renewal of philatelic products, procedure for proposal consideration and issue/release of a stamp, period of sale of commemorative/special stamps and for definitive stamps and postal stationery. It will also determine issue policy, withdrawal policy and archival policy.

16. The denominations of postage stamps shall be in consonance with domestic and international postal tariffs.

17. The personalities on whom commemorative stamp may be issued should be of national or international importance. The occasion to be commemorated must be the birth centenary or 10th /25th /50th /100th death anniversary. No stamp will be issued sooner than ten years after an individual’s death. A commemorative stamp shall be issued in honour of the head of State on his/her first death anniversary.

18. A stamp on an institution, building, monument etc. may be issued on its centenary/125th anniversary/ 150th anniversary etc. The building, institution to be so honoured must be Heritage site of national/international importance or site recognized by ASI of  national/international importance. Building of regional importance may be commemorated with issue of special cover with special cancellation.

19. At least 25% of the stamps issued in a year will be on popular themes like flora, fauna, culture, heritage etc.

20. Proponents for the stamps relating to institutions/events/large organisations are required to make a mandatory purchase of a minimum number of 1 lakh stamps and
the requisite philatelic ancillaries.

 

New Stamps on Science and Wildlife..

 

 

Date of Issue : 23 June 2011

Thailand : Science and Technology

Hi ! In this post some new stamps on Science and wildlife. Both the themes are popular with topical stamp collectors all over the world.Thailand Post will issue a stamp on 23 June 2011 on 120th anniversary of development of Science service. The design of the stamp is excellent giving the striking view of science and technology theme. The postmark  of First day issue is very nice and most appropriate for this theme. The other beautiful set from Falkland Islands feature WWF sea lion stamps. This is all for this evening…..Till Next Post….Have a Nice Time !!..

 

120th anniversary of development of Science Service

Falkland Islands : Wildlife

Date of Issue : 30 May 2011

The Falkland Islands Post  issued  a set of 4 WWF Southern sea lion stamps.

Sea lions are resident in the Falklands . Numbers have declined dramatically since the 1930's when the Falklands held a large proportion of the world's population of Southern sea lion.

The Southern sea lion (Otaria flavescens) is perhaps the archetypal sea lion in appearance. Males have a very large head with a well developed lion-like mane, making them the most lionesque of the eared seals.  Females are smaller and lighter in colour, varying from buff to light grey-brown. Pups are born black or dark brown before moulting to a more chocolate colour. All sea lions look very dark when wet.

Southern sea lions frequently feed in kelp beds and often at night. They sometimes prey on penguins, but their main food is octopus, squid, lobster krill and fish caught reasonably close to the shore.

Read More…

Monuments of Science and Technology..

 

 

On 16th May Russian Post issued a Souvenir sheet featuring four monuments of Science and technology.

Design on the stamps:
1. The clock on the Central Telegraph building. Moscow.
2. The clock on the building of the Admiralty. St. Petersburg.
3. The clock on the building of Moscow State University. University. Moscow.
4. The clock on the building of the railway station. Sochi.

Club News

Sad demise of a senior philatelist from Karnataka

Noted senior philatelist from Karnataka Dr. P. G. Krishnamurthy passed away . He was found dead in unnatural condition near his house on 10th June. Dr. Krishnamurthy was an ardent philatelist and researcher of Modern Indian Postal History. He did extensive study on various aspects of Modern Indian Postal Services. We express our deepest condolences on sad demise of Dr Krishnamurthy. May his soul rest in peace

Read detailed news on Mr Prashant Pandya’s Blog :

http://modernindianphilately.blogspot.com/

Special Covers

Bihar

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

New stamps on scientists by USPS…

Date of Issue : 16 June 2011

USPS will issue a set of four stamps on 16 June 2011, honouring four famous American scientists, chemist Melvin Calvin, botanist Asa Gray, physicist Maria Goeppert Mayer, and biochemist Severo Ochoa. The signature of all four scientists and their specific field of work is shown in the background of each stamp.The stamps are very nice for those collecting on Science and personalities.

Melvin Calvin was the first scientist to trace in detail the process of photosynthesis and conducted pioneering research on using plants as an alternative energy source. He won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1961.

Asa Gray, one of the first professional botanists in the United States, advanced the specialized field of plant geography and became the principal American advocate of evolutionary theory in the mid-nineteenth century.

Maria Goeppert Mayer developed a theoretical model that helped explain the structure of the atomic nucleus; for this work she became the only woman other than Marie Curie to win a Nobel Prize in physics.

Severo Ochoa, a biochemist, was the first scientist to synthesize ribonucleic acid (RNA) and competed in the race to decipher the genetic code. Ochoa won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1959.

Special Covers

Rajasthan

4 special Cover released during 2nd Rajasthan Philatelic Exhibition RAJPEX 75