New Stamps on Astronomy

Date of Issue- 6 May 2009

Hi ! Here are some new awesome issues on Astronomy by Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Lithuania and Serbia. 2009 being The International Year of Astronomy, many beautiful stamps are being issued by various postal administrations. The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA 2009) is a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei. The aim of the Year is to stimulate worldwide interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science under the central theme "The Universe, Yours to discover". IYA2009 events and activities will promote a greater appreciation of the inspirational aspects of astronomy that embody an invaluable shared resource for all nations. The Science Centres of different countries are organizing special programmes to create interest for Astronomy in all especially amongst children. For detailed check list of stamps visit http://europa-stamps.blogspot.com/ . This blog gives quick updates about all stamps issued on EUROPA 2009 theme. Here are some recent issues which I liked most. The stamp of Czech Republic depicts great astronomer Kepler. It's nice to see Kepler too, on EUROPA 2009 Theme of Astronomy stamps as he was the most renowned astronomer of all time like Galileo. Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician and astronomer who discovered that the Earth and planets travel about the sun in elliptical orbits. He gave three fundamental laws of planetary motion.The design of the Czech Republic Stamp is very appropriate, giving a clear explanation of Kepler's theory. This is the particular observation of a stamp designer that makes stamp special and different from other stamps. Today's Post is dedicated to great astronomers. This is all for today !....Till next Post....Have a Nice Time !........

Johannes Kepler (December 27, 1571 – November 15, 1630)

Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, and key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution. He is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican Astrononomy. They also provided one of the foundations for Isaac Newton's theory of universal gravitation. He also did fundamental work in the field of optics, invented an improved version of the refracting telescope (the Keplerian Telescope), and helped to legitimize the telescopic discoveries of his contemporary Galileo Galilei.

Kepler lived in an era when there was no clear distinction between astronomy and astrology, but there was a strong division between astronomy (a branch of mathematics within the liberal arts) and physics (a branch of natural philosophy). Kepler also incorporated religious arguments and reasoning into his work, motivated by the religious conviction that God had created the world according to an intelligible plan that is accessible through the natural light of reason.Kepler described his new astronomy as "celestial physics", as "an excursion into Aristotle's Metaphysics", and as "a supplement to Aristotle's On the Heavens", transforming the ancient tradition of physical cosmology by treating astronomy as part of a universal mathematical physics.

Serbia - 5 May 2009

Azerbaijan - 13 April 2009

Galileo (15 February 1564– 8 January 1642)
To commemorate 400 years of exploring the universe using astronomical telescopes, 2009 has been designated the International Year of Astronomy. Italian scientist Galileo Galilei was the first astronomer who turned the telescope to the sky in 1609. His astronomical observations and discoveries unleashed a scientific revolution that has virtually changed our perception of the universe and our place in it. 400 years later, astronomers explore celestial bodies with modern telescopes on Earth and in space in almost all wavelengths 24 hours per day.He was a physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for Copernicanism. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics", the "father of science", and "the Father of Modern Science." Stephen Hawking says, "Galileo, perhaps more than any other single person, was responsible for the birth of modern science."

The motion of uniformly accelerated objects, taught in nearly all high school and introductory college physics courses, was studied by Galileo as the subject of kinematics. His contributions to observational astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of the phases of Venus, the discovery of the four largest satellites of Jupiter, named the Galilean moons in his honour, and the observation and analysis of sunspots. Galileo also worked in applied science and technology, improving compass design.

Lithuania- 25 April 2009

Great Artists - Francis Bacon..

Date of Issue - 24 April 2009

Hi ! Here is the recent stamp issued by An Post to commemorate great artist of all time, Francis Bacon. This stamp has been issued to mark 100 years since the birth of this renowned artist , featuring a self portrait of this great man on 24 April. 28 April is also the death anniversary of Francis Bacon. Bacon's artwork is known for its bold, austere, homoerotic and often violent or nightmarish imagery, which typically shows room-bound masculine figures isolated in glass or steel geometrical cages set against flat, nondescript backgrounds. The minisheet depicts his famous London studio which was relocated piece by piece to the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin. The FDC Envelope shows Francis Bacon's Untitled - Final Unfinished Portrait. Today's Post is about the art and the artist. Sure to be liked by art lovers besides philatelists. Here are the nice philatelic items issued to commemorate Francis Bacon's Birth Centenary.This is all for today !......Till Next Post.....Have a Nice Time !.

Artist's London Studio which was later shifted to Dublin

Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon (28 October 1909 – 28 April 1992) was an Irish born British figurative painter. A late starter, Bacon did not begin painting until he was in his late 20s. It was in Paris that he was inspired to become an artist, when he visited an exhibition of Picasso drawings in 1927. Returning to London at the end of the 1920s, he found some measure of fame as an interior designer, but Francis Bacon's destiny lay elsewhere. He devoted himself to painting. He painted sporadically and without commitment during the late 1920s and early 1930s, when he worked as an interior decorator and designer of furniture and rugs. He later admitted that his career was delayed because he had spent so long looking for a subject that would sustain his interest. His breakthrough came with the 1944 triptych Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion, and it was this work and his heads and figures of the late 1940s through to the early 1960s that sealed his reputation as a chronicler of the grotesque. From the mid 1960's, Bacon mainly produced portrait heads of friends.

The FDC Envelope shows Francis Bacon's Untitled - Final Unfinished Portrait.

Most of the rest of his life was spent in London, where he led the life of a successful painter, creating portraits of many of the eccentrics he encountered in bohemian Soho. He died of a heart attack in Madrid on 28 April 1992. After his death, his studio was relocated piece by piece from 7 Reece Mews, London to the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin. When sold, Bacon's paintings command high prices, reflecting his stature as an artist. For example, in May 2008, Russian millionaire Roman Abramovich paid $86.3 million for Bacon's work 'Triptych'

The Minsheet FDC features the 82c stamp and shows a photograph of the artist's studio, as seen from the door.

Courtesy - An Post

Protect Biodiversity.....

Hi ! The Portuguese Post Office (CTT) has recently issued a very beautiful set of stamps, Miniature sheets and Max Cards on Biodiversity.These nice philatelic items issued on 22 April 2009 depict images of ponds with birds, fishes or trees.The 32 centimos stamp includes the image of a snipe, the 68 centimos, a butterfly, the 80 centimos stamp, a Dragonfly and the 2 euros stamp, a Cedar tree. The issue is a joint effort between CTT and the Institute of the Conservation of the Nature which celebrates the diversity of life in the region and ongoing efforts to protect habitats. Here are the awesome philatelic items on Biodiversity. Well, all the Max Cards are so beautiful that anyone would like to include them in wildlife / biodiversity / environment theme collection. Just wonderful items from Portugal ! Hope you would enjoy all these items. This is all for today !.....Till Next Post ....Have a Nice Time !.....

Magnificent Max Cards

FDC and Miniature sheets

Biodiversity - Lagoas – Azores

This issue, with a regional theme from the Azores, publicises some of the lakes of the archipelago: Lagoa Comprida (Flores Island), Lagoa do Caldeirão (Corvo), Lagoa do Capitão (Pico), Lagoinha (Terceira), Lagoa da Fajã de Santo Cristo (São Jorge) and Lagoa das Furnas (São Miguel). By depicting the natural environment of these six lakes, the issue also evokes the plant and animal communities of the surrounding areas. The Azores juniper (Juniperus brevifolia) and the ivy (Hedera azorica) represent the flora. For the local fauna appear the woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), the brown butterfly (Hipparchia azorina) and the dragonfly (Anax imperator), the tufted duck (Aythya ferina), the common teal (Anas crecca), the capped heron (Ardea cinerea) and the rosy tern (Sterna dougallii), besides the clam (Ruditapes decussatus), the famous Fajã de Santo Cristo clam, the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and the tessellate moray (Muraena helena).

Through their natural beauty, the lakes on the Azores have contributed substantially for the archipelago to be considered, by international sustained tourism, as the second-best group of islands in the world. In fact, from the geological, biological and economic point of view, the lakes represent an important heritage that should be protected. They are fundamental, for instance, for the water cycle, for balancing the landscape and for the Atlantic routes of migratory birds. By selecting these six lakes on the Azores as philatelic theme, the Portuguese Post Office (CTT Correios de Portugal) aim to underline some of the features of the surrounding biodiversity.

This issue is the result of a protocol signed between the Portuguese Post Office and the Institute of Nature and Biodiversity Conservation, and follows the company’ desire to contribute to the major European objective of ”stopping biodiversity loss before 2010”.

Courtesy - The Portuguese Post Office (CTT)

It's Day to remember Morse Code ! ..-.-..

Samuel Morse - Born on 27 April 1791

Hi ! Today is the Birth Anniversary of Samuel Morse, the inventor of Morse Code which was a remarkable invention in the history of communication. This special Post is dedicated to this great man who left a milestone in the field of communication by his invention that changed our life and now from telegraphic system of communication we are able to use fastest way of communication i.e. Internet. Samuel Morse was not a scientist - he was a professional artist. Educated at Phillip’s Academy at Andover, he graduated from Yale in 1810 and he lived in England from 1811 to 1815, exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1813. He spent the next ten years as an itinerant artist with a particular interest in portraiture. He returned to America in 1832 having been appointed Professor of Painting and Sculpture at the University of the City of New York. It was on this homeward voyage that he overheard a shipboard discussion on electromagnets. This was the seed out of which the electric telegraph grew. Morse is remembered for his Code, still used, and less for the invention that enabled it to be used, probably since landline telegraphy eventually gave way to wireless telegraphy. Beginning in 1836, Samuel F. B. Morse and Alfred Vail developed an electric telegraph, which sent pulses of electrical current to control an electromagnet that was located at the receiving end of the telegraph wire. Morse code was also extensively used for early radio communication beginning in the 1890s. For the first half of the twentieth century, the majority of high-speed international communication was conducted in Morse code, using telegraph lines, undersea cables, and radio circuits. Many Postal administrations have issued stamps to commemorate Samuel Morse and his remarkable invention. I am giving some of them here as a philatelic tribute to Samuel Morse . This is all for today..!....Till Next Post....Have a Nice Time !.....

Samuel Morse
Samuel Finley Breese Morse, inventor of several improvements to the telegraph, was born in Charlestown, Mass. on April 27, 1791. As a student at Yale College, Morse became interested in both painting and in the developing subject of electricity. After his graduation in 1810, he first concentrated on painting, which he studied in England. He would later become a well-known portrait artist.

After moving to New York in 1825, he became a founder and the first president of the National Academy of Design. He also ran for office, but was defeated in both his campaigns to become New York mayor. Meanwhile, Morse maintained a steady interest in invention, taking out three patents for pumps in 1817 with his brother Sidney Edwards Morse. It wasn't until 1832 that he first became interested in telegraphy.

That year, Morse was traveling to the United States from Europe on a ship, when he overheard a conversation about electromagnetism that inspired his idea for an electric telegraph. Though he had little training in electricity, he realized that pulses of electrical current could convey information over wires. The telegraph, a device first proposed in 1753 and first built in 1774, was an impractical machine up until that point, requiring 26 separate wires, one for each letter of the alphabet. Around that time two German engineers had invented a five-wire model, but Morse wanted to be the first to reduce the number of wires to one.

Between 1832 and 1837 he developed a working model of an electric telegraph, using crude materials such as a home-made battery and old clock-work gears. He also acquired two partners to help him develop his telegraph: Leonard Gale, a professor of science at New York University, and Alfred Vail, who made available his mechanical skills and his family's New Jersey iron works to help construct better telegraph models.

Morse's first telegraph device, unveiled in 1837, did use a one-wire system, which produced an EKG-like line on tickertape. The dips in the line had to be de-coded into letters and numbers using a dictionary composed by Morse, this assuming that the pen or pencil wrote clearly, which did not always happen. By the following year he had developed an improved system, having created a dot-and-dash code that used different numbers to represent the letters of the English alphabet and the ten digits. (His assistant Vail has been credited by Franklin T. Pope--later a partner of Thomas Edison--with inventing this "dots and dashes" version). This coding system was significantly better, as it did not require printing or decoding, but could be "sound read" by operators. In 1838, at an exhibition of his telegraph in New York, Morse transmitted ten words per minute using the Morse code that would become standard throughout the world.

In 1842, Morse convinced Congress to provide $30,000 in support of his plan to "wire" the United States. Meanwhile, Morse also solicited and received advice from a number of American and European telegraphy experts, including Joseph Henry of Princeton, who had invented a working telegraph in 1831, and Louis Breguet of Paris. In 1844, Morse filed for a patent (granted 1849) of the printing telegraph. He had already proved that his device worked over short distances, and the Federal funds he raised had allowed him to string a wire from Baltimore to Washington.

On May 11, 1844, Morse sent the first inter-city message. Soon thereafter, he gave the first public demonstration, in which he sent a message from the chamber of the Supreme Court to the Mount Clair train depot in Baltimore. The message itself was borrowed from the Bible by the daughter of the Commissioner of Patents and said, "What hath God wrought?" By 1846, private companies, using Morse's patent, had built telegraph lines from Washington to Boston and Buffalo, and were pushing further. The telegraph spread across the US more quickly than had the railroads, whose routes the wires often followed. By 1854, there were 23,000 miles of telegraph wire in operation. Western Union was founded in 1851, and in 1866, the first successful trans-Atlantic cable link was established. Though Morse didnât invent the telegraph and did not single-handedly create Morse Code, he may have been telegraphy's greatest promoter, and undoubtedly contributed to its rapid development and adoption throughout the world.
Morse died of pneumonia in New York on April 2, 1872.

The Polish Year in Israel !...

Hi ! It has been along time, I have not written about beautiful stamps of Poland. As I always love to see and write about Polish stamps because of their exquisite design and nice subjects, so I have a selected a recent Polish stamp for today's Post. It is about Polish Year in Israel. The stamp was issued on recently on 22 April 2009. Well it is very interesting to note that The Polish Year is celebrated in Israel. It is to show the love for Poland by Jewish people.Since 9 April 2008 a major event of culture and science - The Polish Year, has been celebrated in Israel in order to demonstrate the legacy of Poland, a country which is dear to many Jewish people. Its a great a way to show concern and respect for a country. The stamp is in the form of a souvenir sheet. Here is the beautiful stamp which features a portrait of Berek Joselewicz sitting on a horse, wearing a captain's uniform, and heading a regiment formed during the battle of Kock. The image on the miniature sheet is a copy of a painting made in 1893 by an outstanding Polish painter, Juliusz Kossak. This is all for today ! .....Till Next Post.......Have a Nice Time !

The Polish Year in Israel

Since 9 April 2008 a major event of culture and science - The Polish Year, has been celebrated in Israel in order to demonstrate the legacy of Poland, a country which is dear to many Jewish people. The rich agenda of the scheme, including film presentations, performance of well known Polish and Israeli artists, seminars, workshops and science conferences, is coordinated by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tel Aviv and the Polish Institute in Tel Aviv. The crowning of the celebrations is a joint postage stamp issue, commemorating the person of Berek Joselewicz - a hero of the Polish bids for independence.

The Polish Post, in cooperation with Israel Post, issued a postage stamp block in order to commemorate the Polish Year in Israel and to stress the amiable nature of the relations between both states. The stamp features a portrait of Berek Joselewicz sitting on a horse, wearing a captain's uniform, and heading a regiment formed during the battle of Kock. The image on the postage stamp is a copy of a painting made in 1893 by an outstanding Polish painter, Juliusz Kossak. The FDC features a bibliographical note on Berek Joselewicz.

Berek Joselewicz

Berek Joselewicz was born in 1764 in Kretynga, Lithuania. He earned a living as a horse trader. Upon the outbreak of the Tadeusz Kościuszko uprising in 1794, with the help of Józef Aronowicz he wrote an appeal in the Yiddish language calling the Polish Jews to arms. With around five hundred volunteers who responded to his call, he built a cavalry regiment. He persuaded Kościuszko to allow that the Jewish freedom fighters observe their religious customs, including wearing beards, eating kosher meals and celebrating Sabbath whenever it's possible in the circumstances. Berek Joselewicz's squadron was beaten during the battle to defend the Praga district of Warsaw, with only a few survivors remaining, including the captain. After the fall of the uprising, Berek Joselewicz emigrated to Italy, where he joined the Polish Legions of general Jan Henryk Dąbrowski as "colonel, Captain of the Polish Cavalry." He took part in numerous battles of the Napoleonic campaign, including the ones of Hohenlinden and Austerlitz.

Following the constitution of the Duchy of Warsaw (Księstwo Warszawskie) in 1807, he remained in the army as squadron leader in the 5 Mounted Riflemen Regiment. In 1808 he was awarded with the Virtuti Militari Knight's Cross, and he also received the National Order of the Legion of Honour prior to that. He died during the battles of Kock in 1809. The patriotic traditions of fighting for the freedom of Poland were passed on to Berek Joselewicz's son, Józef Berkowicz (1789-1846), and his grandson Leon. Józef Berkowicz began to fight side by side with his father in the armed forces of the Duchy of Warsaw. He struggled against the Austrians near Kock, and after his father died, he fought in Napoleon Bonaparte's Russian campaign in 1812. He received multiple wounds, but his bravery in battle never withered away. Similarly to his father, his accomplishments on the battlefield earned him the National Order of the Legion of Honour (with a Golden Cross). After that, he and his son Leon fought in the November uprising, and after its failure he emigrated to France, and then to Great Britain, where he lived until his death.

Berek Joselewicz earned himself a great deal of fame. The example that he set by committing his life to fighting for the freedom of the country where his family had lived for generations, and which he considered to be his motherland, was the strongest encouragement for many Polish Jews in the following years. Numerous Polish patriots of Jewish origin fought in the armed bids for independence. They were the ones who did not agree to stand idle and watch the Polish land being engulfed with the ravages of war. So they joined the army, and they gave proof of their courage and valour. The descendants of Berek Joselewicz fought on every front of World Wars I and II, including in the armed forces of general Władysław Anders, the 1st Polish Army and the Polish underground forces. That is because no one could understand what it means to dream of the freedom of one's mother country, and sacrifice their life for that cause, better than the Poles and the Jews.
Courtesy - Polish Post

Universal Declaration of Human Rights - New Maxim Card...

Date of Issue - 10 December 2008

Here is the new Max Card designed by our distinguished member Mr. Hemant Kumar Jain of Jabalpur based on stamp issued on dt.10-12-08 to commemorate 60 Years of Universal Declaration of Human Rights". For more details about this beautiful card Contact Mr. H.K. Jain E - Mail : jainhk60@gmail.com

60 Years - Universal Declaration of Human Rights

10 December 2008

Club News.....

Hong Kong 2009
The 23rd FIAP Asian International Stamp Exhibition is under the patronage of Federation of Inter Asia Philately (FIAP) and organized by the Hong Kong Philatelic Society. Hongkong Post is the main sponsor for this event. The Exhibition will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai. Approximately 600 frames will be on display. The Exhibition will open on Thursday, May 14, 2009 and close on Sunday, May 17, 2009. Mr. Dhananjay Desai of Ahmedabad is the National Commissioner from India and Mr. Sunder Bahirwani is the member of Jury from India. The list of exhibits from India and abroad can be viewed at http://www.hkpsoc.com/hk2009/exhibits.html


This is a specialized FIAP exhibition in six exhibition classes only - total 800 exhibition frames tentatively classified as below:

§ 666 frames for competitive class in the Traditional Class, Postal History Class, Thematic Philately Class, Youth Philately Class, One Frame Class and Philatelic Literature Class

§ 48 frames for the Court of Honour

§ 100 frames for 10th Inter-school stamp exhibits competition

Total of 814 frames of top class exhibits

Venue: Hall 5G, Level 5, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai.

Daily Theme:
· 14 May 2009 (Thurs): Youth Day
· 15 May 2009 (Fri): Friendship Day
· 16 May 2009 (Sat): Collector Day
· 17 May 2009 (Sun): Family Day

Date stamps: Four different pictorial postmarks, one for each day Hong Kong 2009 Temporary Post Office date stamps

Sales of stamps and stamp products by Hong Kong Post: $50 Sheetlet and First day Cover on opening day 14 May 2009

Souvenir covers on Hong Kong 2009
A set of four souvenir covers titled "Board Games", one for each day will be released by the organizer Hong Kong Philatelic Society for the exhibition. Tangram (Chinese: Qi Qiao Ban) is a dissection puzzle made by cutting a square into seven pieces. The challenge is to put these pieces together to form different shapes, and the number and variety of shapes that can be formed is only limited by imagination. Chinese Chess (Chinese: Xiang Qi) is widely played in Chinese communities. The board is a symbolic representation of a battlefield with a river in the middle separating the two armies at the beginning of the game. The objective is to capture the general of the opponent. Chinese Checker (Chinese: Dan Zi Tiao Qi) is a game for two to six players. The board is in the shape of a hexagram with holes for marbles to rest on. Each marble is moved by placing it in an adjacent hole or by jumping over another marble. The first player to move all his marbles across the board to fill up the star point directly opposite is the winner. Flying Chess (Chinese: Fei Xing Qi) is a simple board game for two to four players. Each player has four plane pieces in his chosen colour. The objective is to fly all four planes to the depot at the centre of the board. The players take turn in rolling the dice to determine the number of steps their planes move. The first player to land all his planes on the depot wins.

New stamps from Sri Lanka
Courtesy - Pradip Jain, Patna

Errors and Varieties on Indian Stamps

Black Color omitted

Yellow Color omitted

Courtesy - Pradeep Kumar Agarwal , Patna

Auction

ITS POSTAL AUCTION #44Indian Thematic Society indianthematicsociety@gmail.com is holding Auction Sale #44 closing on April 30, 2009. There are 130 lots in this sale. The scans of some lots are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/its_offers


ZEPPELIN STUDY GROUP - meeting at PIPEX 2009 stamp show at Portland, ORThe ZEPPELIN STUDY GROUP is meeting at PIPEX 2009 stamp show at Portland, Orgeon (USA). Meeting date is Sunday May 24, 2009. If you plan to attend that meeting, please get in touch with Dickson Preston who is organizing the meeting. Dickson can be reached by email dicksonp@u.washington.edu Further details online at http://www.ezep.de/meet/pip.html

- new board for zeppelin mail and airship memorabiliaA new board for zeppelin mail and airship memorabilia was launched some days ago. At http://www.ezeptalk.de/you will find a board where you can post and discuss everything about zeppelin mail and airship memorabilia. If you have a question or if you simply want to share a nice cover, please do so at eZEPtalk.de. You can also respond to questions or participate in discussions started by other board members.

Auckland Harbour Bridge.....

To be issued on 1 May 2009

Hi ! Here are the most beautiful stamps on Bridge going to be issued by New Zealand on May 1, 2009 commemorating 50th Anniversary - Auckland Harbour Bridge. Its a wonderful set for the collectors of Bridge and Tourism themes.Fifty years since its opening, Auckland Harbour Bridge is an icon of New Zealand’s landscape. Well, the bridges play a key role in linking one place to another but sometimes they link our hearts too. Here is an inspirational short story on Bridge about the two brothers' quarrel ! It will make you think.......Do you have any bridges that you need to build? Think over it ....! ....Till next Post........ Have a Great Time !

50th Anniversary - Auckland Harbour Bridge

Fifty years since its opening, Auckland Harbour Bridge is an icon of New Zealand’s landscape. Replacing a 40-kilometre drive or a cross harbour ferry ride, it’s been key to growth in the region – transforming North Shore’s seaside villages and rural communities into a thriving city, and opening Auckland City and points north and south to previously unimaginable opportunities for expansion and development.

50c – Opening Day 1959

On 30 May 1959, Governor-General Lord Cobham officially opened the box truss bridge after a week of celebrations that included a crossing by thousands of pedestrians before it was opened to vehicles. Retailers prepared for the event with ‘bridge specials’ and competitions, while parades, fashion shows and dances were held to welcome the new landmark.

$1.00 – Our Bridge 2009

By the late 1960s it was apparent that the Bridge would soon reach its capacity. To cope with the growth in traffic volumes, Japanese company IHI clipped two new lanes to each side of the bridge using the existing pier supports. The work was completed in 1969, with the only major maintenance required since being a girder strengthening project in 2006.

$1.50 – Our Icon 1961

From the day it opened until 1984, Auckland Harbour Bridge was a toll road, charging 25 cents per car with the aim of recovering the costsof construction. After one year of operation, 4.9 million vehicles had crossed the bridge, a figure that increased to 10.6 million in 1966 and reached more than 60 million in 2008. To help manage the traffic flow, the world’s first ‘moveable lane barrier’ was installed in 1990 – it’s now moved four times a day to create an extra lane at peak times.

$2.00 – Our Link 2009

Today, the Auckland Harbour Bridge is an essential link between the North Shore and Auckland City – providing commuters, travellersand tourists with an easy, direct link to motorways stretching north and south. It’s also a visitor destination, with bridge climbing and bungy jumping experiences now on offer to those with an adventurous spirit.

Courtesy - New Zealand Post

Two Brothers Quarrel .....A story about bridge linking the hearts....

Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box. "I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you."

"Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor; in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better."
"See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore."

The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."

The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.

The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand.

They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.

Do you have any bridges that you need to build?.........Think over it !!!

Festivals of Singapore...

Deepawali

Hi ! Today's Post is going to be very festive as it depicts twelve beautiful stamps from Singapore featuring Different festivals of Singapore. These stamps have been sent to me by my blogger friend Edmund Ong from Singapore. Thanks Edmund for these fabulous stamps! They have added new colours to the culture section of my Tourism collection. It is interesting to note that This set of stamps depicts two famous Indian Festivals Deepawali and Pongal which are celebrated in Singapore with great joy by Indian community and on these festivals, there is public holiday in Singapore. The changing circumstances in the 19th and the 20th century and the ensuing migrations to Singapore from different parts of Asia has brought about a multi- cultural society. The multi-cultural society makes the Singapore festivals and events a unique time altogether. The society comprises of Chinese, Malayans, Indians and people from other parts of Asia. The Chinese comprise of 80 percent of the population and the rest comprise of Malays, Indians, Eurasians, Philipino, Indonesian, Thai and Japanese. As a result one can find all throughout the year the festive spirits in the city- state.The rich mixture of cultures in Singapore means that there's always a cultural event to celebrate, all through the year. These festivals are usually colourful events centred around religion, age-old myths and traditions or the family. Here are the star stamps of today featuring the colorful festivals of Singapore ! This is all for today....Till Next Post .....Have a Wonderful Time !

Date of Issue - 29 February 2008

Singapore’s rich and vibrant multi-cultural heritage is best reflected in the many colourful festivals celebrated throughout the year. In this set of stamps, eight of the many festivals are featured. The four main festivals depicted are namely Chinese New Year, Christmas, Deepavali and Hari Raya Aidilfitri. In addition, there are also Easter, Hari Raya Haji, Mid-Autumn Festival and Pongal celebrated during the year.

Chinese New Year
It’s hustle and bustle all over Singapore when the Chinese usher in the new lunar year. Auspicious colours like gold and red dominate – from the decorations to the ‘hong bao’ (red packets of money) given to unmarried children for good fortune.

This is the time of family reunions, feasting and gathering. The festivities span 15 days, culminating in the Chingay street parade.

Christmas
Christians attend church services on this day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. During this joyous season, caroling can be heard in the malls and festive decorations put up along the streets of Singapore.

Deepavali
Deepavali is both visually spectacular and spiritually significant. Its origins are shrouded in legends celebrating the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil. On this day, Hindus traditionally light rows of oil lamps to thank the gods and to usher in all that’s good. Visits are made to family and friends; temples and streets are gaily decorated, along with feasting, festive bazaars and cultural performances.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri
One of two main festivals celebrated by the Muslims in Singapore, Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a joyous occasion marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Signifying openness of mind and heart, it is customary on this day for Muslims to attend prayers in the mosque and to seek forgiveness from one another. Then, decked in their finest clothes, they’d visit family and friends for feasting and community bonding.

Easter
Easter is the climax of the Holy Week when Christians around the world commemorate the passion, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Easter Sunday, Jesus triumphs over death and brings the gift of eternal life to all who believe in him. Like Good Friday, it’s an occasion for remembrance and thanksgiving marked by special church services.

Hari Raya Haji
Hari Raya Haji commemorates the pilgrimage of devotees to the holy city of Mecca. Animals like goat and sheep are usually sacrificed at dawn on this day, followed by prayers at the mosque and visits to each others’ homes. Held on the 10th day of the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar, it also symbolises a quest for the reunion of mankind.

Mid-Autumn Festival
In days of old, the Chinese held this festival to mark the bountiful harvest of mid-autumn. Today, it is also known as the Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival because of the lanterns and ‘moon cakes’ that grace the occasion. Celebrated on the night of the full moon – the 15th day of the eighth lunar month – it weaves a special kind of enchantment like no other festival in Singapore.

Pongal
Originating from South India, Pongal is a four-day thanksgiving celebration for good harvest. In Singapore, gaily-decorated cows, bulls with painted horns and dressed-up bullock carts take part in a cattle parade as cattle is considered sacred in Hindu tradition and bearers of good fortune. “Pongal” also means “boiling over”, symbolising an overflowing of blessings.

Courtesy - Edmund Ong