PyeongChang - Host of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games 2018

 

Date of Issue : 3 August 2011

PyeongChang - Host of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games 2018

Pyeongchang (Pyeongchang-gun) is a county in Gangwon province, South Korea. It is located in the Taebaek Mountains region, and is the most popular winter sports location in South Korea. It is also home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. Pyeongchang County is located approximately 180 km (110 mi) east of Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Pyeongchang will host the third Winter Olympiad  2018 Winter Olympic Games.

One commemorative stamp celebrating the hosting of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games is issued, conveying  delight and exhilaration and looking forward to the date when this dream is realized in PyeongChang -- a locale that is surrounded by Taebaek Mountains to its east, the Charyeong Mountains to its southwest, the Odae Mountain and Gyebang Mountain to its north. The locale is more than 700 meters above sea level and receives over 250 cm in average annual snowfall.  

 

Special Covers

Madhya Pradesh

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

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Anna's victory is a great feeling of satisfaction and pride for Indians.Youth power the back bone of Anna movement is the main factor for this victory . Anna, the true follower of Gandhi, using non violent attitude over anti-corruption has finally succeeds in his motive.

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Anna - a Symbol of Gandhian Philosophy…

 

 

The impact of Mahatma Gandhi on the world has been extraordinary. His use of non-violent resistance in leading India to freedom inspired many leaders like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, and set an example for freedom movements throughout the world. As a pioneer of the philosophies of Satyagraha, and Ahimsa, Gandhi's life is an example of unfaltering commitment to non-violence even in the most extreme situations. In today’s scenario Anna’s movement is the best example of using  non violent attitude as the most effective  weapon to fight against corruption .

Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man. - Mahatma Gandhi

Though the great  Mahatma Gandhi  died long before , but his philosophy of non violent movement has still potential to change any thing in the world at present too when whole of the world is running fast to get more and more weaponry power for survival and success .

India’s freedom struggle history says that it was the only Mahtma Gandhi’s quit India non violent movement which forced Britain to succumb . It is said that when Mahtma Gandhi launched his non violent movement against British agent rulers in India , a Britain agent in India wrote a letter to his English mentor in which he sought suggestion that “ how to kill a loin non violently” . In his letter he clarifies, that they are in fix how to deal with the non violent moment launched by Indian leader Mahtma Gandhi . The point that it is very difficult for any even cruel regimes to attack on the peaceful people . And Anna Hazare has proved it again in the country which faces sever criticisms from various quarters for its involvement in human rights violations .

Very few social activists have captured the attention of Indians across the globe as Anna Hazare did during his “fast unto death” over the issue of the Lokpal Bill. Hazare, a Gandhian by belief, outlook and practice, has become the face of India’s fight against corruption.

Mahatma Gandhi – The Pride of India

The Satyagraha launched by Anna Hazare is a form of non-violent protest by the public led by an individual against an unpopular policy of a ruling party.The Satyagraha is a weapon of civil disobedience and was used very effectively by Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle. Part of the civil disobedience is the weapon of a fast.This can be till death or for a specified period. Credit must go Mahatma Gandhi who perfected this concept and used it effectively against the British rulers.

Anna Hazare uses satyagraha in its most purest form to get the government to act against corruption.Gandhi demonstrated to a World, weary with wars and continuing destruction that adherence to Truth and Non-violence is not meant for individuals alone but can be applied in global affairs too.Gandhi’s vision for the country and his dreams for the community as a whole still hold good for India.

 

Gandhi’s principles are fundamentally humane and shall always be the need of mankind.

 

People of this generation have not seen mass movements led by Gandhi . We have read about them in history books and drawn inspiration from their heroic tales. Today, we have an opportunity be a part of the new August Revolution spearheaded by Anna Hazare, aimed at making India a corruption free society. Let’s grab that chance.

 

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Body Tattoo on stamps..

 

 

Date of Issue : 4 August 2011

Here is new set of stamps from Papua New Guinea featuring a very new topic which has not usually much featured on world stamps so far.The set includes 4 stamps and two souvenir sheets. Probably this this is the first set that I came across on tattoos an d wish to give a detailed Post on these stamps. Tattoos are no longer just an art form of the elite or associated with societal deviants. People of all ages and from all walks of life are finding their own special meaning in tattoos.Today, tattooing has reached a new popularity and has become a part of fashion .

 

      

History of Tattoo

The history of tattoo goes back over 5000 years ago and is as diverse as the people who wear them. The word tattoo is said to have two major derivations from the Polynesian word 'ta' which means striking something and the tahitian word 'tatau' which means 'to mark something'. Tattoos are created by inserting colored substances beneath the skins surface using sharp pin-points.

 

 

According to history, the first tattoo was probably created by accident. Presumably, someone had a wound, and with a charcoal stained palm/hand may have rubbed in some of the substance into the wound in the process, and after the wound had healed, the substance trapped beneath the skin layer was still seen.

Tattoos today

Today, people wear tattoos for various reasons ranging from cosmetic, sentimental/ memorial, religious, magical reasons, and to symbolize their belonging to or identification with particular groups, including criminal gangs but also a particular ethnic group or law-abiding subculture.

To others, tattoos have served as rites of passage, marks of status and rank, symbols of religious and spiritual devotion, decorations for bravery, sexual lures and marks of fertility, pledges of love, punishment, amulets and talismans, protection, and as the marks of outcasts, slaves and convicts. The symbolism and impact of tattoos varies in different places and cultures. Tattoos may show how a person feels about a relative  or about an unrelated person.

Body Tattooing in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea, endowed with diverse cultures, customs and over seven hundred distinct languages is also home to body tattooing. Like with other Pacific islanders, varying from shapes sizes and shades, tattoos stand to play significant roles in respective tribes. They can be found on different parts of the body (male and female) depending on their significance. Whole-body tattooing is common in Gulf and to most of the Papuan coastal areas.

A hand tattoo from Kairuku, Central Province

Some are done as an indication of maturity while others represent tribal identity, self pride, magic qualities and or other reasons. Whole-body tattooing is rarely seen on the younger generation nowadays. The very few who wear them are those in their late 50s and 60s.

In the highlands areas, most are known for their small forehead and side tattoos. These are signs of tribal identity and or self pride. And again, some tribal groups believe that tattoos have magical qualities that protect them from evil spirits and their enemies. For the womenfolk, tattoos are done for self body pride and or merely  to show off their tribal symbols/ designs on their beautiful bodies, with the hope of attracting the opposite sex.

Read about   Tribal Tattoos of Papua New Guinea

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The dream of India as a strong nation will not be realised without self-reliant, self-sufficient villages, this can be achieved only through social commitment & involvement of the common man."        - Anna Hazare

India Against Corruption (IAC) is a citizen's movement to demand strong anti-corruption laws. Lokpal bills were introduced several times since 1968, yet they were never passed by the Indian Parliament. After a fast by veteran social activist Anna Hazare and widespread protests by citizens across India the Government of India constituted a 10-member Joint Committee of ministers and civil society activists to draft an effective Jan Lokpal Bill. The primary focus of IAC movement is to ensure a strong Lokpal bill.

The success of this campaign depends entirely on its volunteers — folks like you from all across the world who are willing to lend their time and their talents to free India of Corruption. You can choose your level of involvement based on the time commitment you wish to make.

 

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International Homeless Animals' Day

August 20,  marks the  International Homeless Animals Day. It is an effort to raise awareness about the extreme overpopulation affecting animal shelters, The International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) will hold events and candlelight vigils across the world in honor of those animals that have lost their lives due to overpopulation.

            

 

In 1992, ISAR introduced International Homeless Animals’ Day as an innovative educational vehicle with a purpose of informing society of the global tragedy that overwhelms animal shelters each year – pet overpopulation. Since the conception of International Homeless Animals’ Day, ISAR has reserved the third Saturday of August, commemorating the Day annually, to promote new campaigns, programs, and ideas on the solution to the pet overpopulation epidemic: spay/neuter.

Every year more than 4.5 million dogs and cats die in local animal shelters due to a lack of space. For the past 19 years,  ISAR has promoted new ideas and efforts to maintain the pet population with spay and neuter programs.

Event Schedule for International Homeless Animals' Day: August 20, 2011

Last year, the U.S. Postal Service released this pane of 10 special stamps entitled "Animal Rescue: Adopt A Shelter Pet". The stamps received a boost from talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, a well-known advocate for pet adoption - and Halo, a pet food company she co-owns. After introducing the stamps on the Ellen DeGeneres Show last March, USPS and Halo launched a "Stamps to the Rescue" campaign. Halo set a goal of feeding 1 million shelter dogs and cats by the end of 2010 - and delivered on its promise. Halo has donated food to more than 100 shelters throughout the United States.

The stamps feature photographs of five cats and five dogs taken by veteran stamp photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce. All ten animals were adopted from a shelter in New Milford, CT.

 

This special stamp issue seeks to raise awareness of responsible dog ownership and support the dedicated work of organisations re-homing lost and abandoned dogs. The stamps were  issued by Australia Post  in 2010 .

The UK  released a series of stamps celebrating the 150th anniversary of animal rescue organization Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.  The postage feature seven dogs and three cats who used to reside in the home, but who now are living it up in their new forever homes. 

Love and Care for animals

These stamps were issued by Australia Post in  October 2010 to draw attention to the importance of Australian wildlife carers and their ability to return animals to their native habitat after injury or illness.

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Rare birds featured on new Pitcarin Island stamps…

 

Date of Issue : 20 July 2011

The rare birds featured in this stamp issue are the Henderson crake Porzana atra; the Henderson fruit dove Ptilinopus insularis; the Henderson reed warbler Acrocephalus taiti; the Henderson lorikeet Vini stephani and gives special attention to the Henderson petrel Pterodroma atreta.

It is the plight of the petrel that has captured the attention of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and they have initiated the Henderson Island Restoration Project which involves the planned eradication of introduced rats that are driving the Henderson petrel towards extinction. Over 95% of petrel chicks on Henderson are killed by rats within one week of hatching - over 25,000 chicks every year. These rats are also competing with the other land birds and therefore may be limiting their populations.

In August-September 2011, the RSPB operational vessel will be at Henderson, carrying two helicopters that will use GPS technology to methodically drop poison bait across the entire island. This highly targeted, short-term intervention will bring really long-term benefits: the Henderson petrel saved from its slide towards extinction, a large island restored and at least ten further unique species safeguarded for future generations to enjoy. The overall cost of the eradication project is in the region of GBP £1.5 – 1.7m.

I support Anna Hazare

A strong anti-corruption law ( Jan Lokpal Bill) will never get passed unless there is a mass movement. Anna Hazare is fasting for us. We need to mobilize as many Indians as possible into supporting Anna's campaign.

   

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