Moshe Smoira

Moshe Smoira (born 25 October 1888, died 8 October 1961) was an Israeli jurist and the first President of the Supreme Court of Israel. In 1921 he emigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine and opened a practice in Jerusalem. He was a partner of Pinchas Rosen, who later became the Israeli Justice Minister, and was associated with Mapai. He was invited by the Mandate authorities to teach at the Jerusalem Law School and became a lecturer there. He was the lawyer for the Histadrut. He specialized in Labour law and was one of the initiators and drafters of the Mandatory Law of compensation to dismissed workers.

In the 1930s he was appointed President of the Court of Honor of the World Zionist Organization and President of the Association of Jewish Lawyers in Eretz Israel. After the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948 he was appointed President of the Supreme Court. He did not consider the Declaration of Independence a legally binding document.

In 1954 he retired due to a terminal illness and was succeeded by Yitzhak Olshan. He died in 1961 in Jerusalem. In 1989, Israel issued a stamp in his honour. His daughter, Michal, married Supreme Court judge Haim Cohn.

Thank you Merja.

Namık Kemal

Namık Kemal, born as Mehmed Kemal (December 21, 1840 - December 2, 1888) was an Ottoman poet, translator, journalist, and social reformer.

Kemal was born in Tekirdağ to an Albanian mother Fatma Zehra and father Yenişehirli Mustafa Asım in the Ottoman Empire. He was influenced by the growing national sentiment of his day, and published a politically controversial newspaper. When the government cracked down on the newspaper he fled to Western Europe and worked there as a translator. When he returned, his most famous work, "Vatan Yahut Silistre", was staged at the Gedikpaşa Theatre in Istanbul on April 1, 1873. The play promoted nationalism and liberalism, and was considered dangerous by the Ottoman government. Immediately afterward, on April 9, 1873, he was sent into exile by the Ottoman Sultan and imprisoned in Cyprus. He was pardoned by Murat V on June 3, 1876, and returned to Istanbul (Constantinople) on June 29, 1876. He later became the governor of Sakız (now Chios, Greece), where he died in 1888. He was laid to rest in Bolayır, Çanakkale Province on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Some of his most famous works are "Rüya", "Zavallı Çocuk", "Kerbela", "Akif Bey", "Gülnihal", "İntibah" and "Emir Nevruz". Some were published with pseudonyms, and others were published anonymously. Kemal's patriotic writings became a source of inspiration for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of the Turkish nationalist movement and the founder of the Republic of Turkey. He was married to Nesime Hanım; they had two daughters (Feride and Ulviye) and a son (Ali Ekrem).

Thank you Dear Merja for this FDC issued by the Turkish Cypriot occupation Government or the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus as it is officially called.

Birth Centenary of Lord Rutherford 1.12.1971

Maria gave me this Cover with two stamps which were issued on 1^st December, 1971, to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Lord Rutherford.

Rutherford was born at Spring Grove in the province of Nelson in 1871.  He became one of the greatest scientific scholars of all time, and for his outstanding work in the field of atomic physics was created a knight, and later earned a peerage as Baron Rutherford of Nelson.  His greatest contribution to science was when he propounded the nuclear theory of the atom, previously thought to be indivisible, following experiments by another famous New Zealand scientist, Dr Ernest Marsden and himself on the bombardment of metal foils with the alpha particles emitted by radium. Rutherford's work enabled others to harness energy from radioactive materials. 

The two stamps depict this scientist as shown below.

1c. Lord Rutherford with a molecular structure.

7c. Lord Rutherford with a chemical formula.

Ci of the Song Dynasty

On August 31,2012, China National Philatelic Corporation issued a set of six special stamps with special first day covers titled "Ci of the Song Dynasty" with a total face value of 8.60 yuan. On view are all the six FDCs.

China has a long and rich literary tradition, not the least of which includes many forms of poetry and verse. Among them, perhaps some of the most beautiful, sorrowful and tangible are the ci 词 lyrics.

Ci poetry, like most Chinese literature, came about during the Tang Dynasty. However, ci lyric came into its fullest array later during the Song Dynasty, when the style was formatted and regularized. Ci lyrics are distinguished from other types of Chinese poetry by the fact that they are arranged to the tunes of traditional songs, known as cipai. To compose a new ci lyric, a ci poet would typically choose from a set of about 800 traditional tunes and insert his own unique words to fit the rhythm and meter of the song’s melody.

Early on in the history of ci poetry, the lyrics were sung more like a song, to the tune of the original melody. Later, as the art was adapted in the Qing Dynasty, ci poetry became more like spoken word, where the lyrics were read out in their own rhythm and meter, rather than sung. 

The themes of ci poems also differed from those of other Chinese poetry. Most ci poems centered around the tangible world and emotional state of the author, rather than military pursuits or epic adventures. A ci poem often seems to meander as though the poet were simply writing his thoughts down as they occured to him. One of the most famous ci poets, Su Shi, once wrote a well-known ci lyric after the loss of his wife in which he recounted feelings of loneliness and coldness, sitting by the window and looking upon the moon. 

The ci lyrics of the Song Dynasty comprises some of the most accessible and beautiful poetry within the Chinese literary tradition. These poems usually refer to emotions common to the human experience, making them exquisite compositions that have the possibility of touching each reader who comes across them.

These fantastic FDCs were sent to me by Dear friend Pin Ling.

The Israeli Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial forum in the state. It sits in Jerusalem, the capital, and its jurisdiction extends throughout the state. It is the highest judicial authority, and its precedents are binding not only on all lower courts, but also on all persons and other authorities in the state. Together with the legislative arm (the Knesset) and the executive arm (the Government), the Judiciary, and the Supreme Court at its head, stands at one of the apexes of the triangle of the three authorities of the regime.

 The stamp on this FDC dated 17.9.1992 depicts the new building which would house the supreme court. The erection of a building for the Supreme Court has been made possible by a contribution of the Rothschild Foundation, and through the praiseworthy initiative of Dorothy de Rothschild, of blessed memory, in response to an approach by the President of the Supreme Court. All the investments in the building and its surroundings have been made by the Rothschild Foundation alone.  

The design of the Supreme Court building was chosen by an international competition held in 1985. 174 Israeli architects participated in the first stage of the competition and 4 of them joined 6 previously chosen firms in submitting designs for final selection. The winning design was the work of the Israeli architects, Ram Karmi and Ada Karmi-Melamede.  The court building is situated in the David Ben-Gurion complex, and comprises a vestibule, library, courtrooms, judges' chambers, boardrooms, and an administrative wing. It also includes a public area with rooms for lawyers and journalists, a post office, and restaurant. The foundation stone of the Supreme Court building was laid on April 29, 1987, and the building operations began in 1989. The building was opened in a State ceremony, attended by the President of the state, its leaders and judges, on November 10th 1992.

Thank you Dear Merja for this nice cover.

1978 Health Stamps 2.8.1978

The 1978 Health Stamp Issue comprised two stamps - one marking the 50th anniversary of the issue of the first Health stamp and the other recognising the work of the National Heart Foundation.

Each stamp had a surcharge which helped finance New Zealand's six permanent health camps maintained by the Children's Health Camps Board.

10c + 2c. This stamp features a reproduction of the design of the first Health stamp issued in 1929.  A nurse is depicted on this stamp with the slogan "Help stamp out Tuberculosis".

12c + 2c. This stamp recognises the work of the National Heart Foundation and features a heart operation in progress together with the Foundation's emblem.

Thank you Maria for this very nice FDC.

10th Death Anniversary of Dag Hammarskjöld

Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld (29 July 1905 – 18 September 1961) was a Swedish diplomat, economist, and author. The second Secretary-General of the United Nations, he served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. He is among three other people to be awarded a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize. Hammarskjöld remains the only U.N. Secretary-General to die in office, and his death occurred en route to cease-fire negotiations. American President John F. Kennedy called Hammarskjöld"the greatest statesman of our century".

In September 1961, Hammarskjöld learned about fighting between "non-combatant" UN forces and Katangese troops of Moise Tshombe. He was en route to negotiate a cease-fire on 18 September when his Douglas DC-6 airliner SE-BDY crashed near Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). Hammarskjöld and fifteen others perished in the crash.

A special report issued by the United Nations following the crash stated that a bright flash in the sky was seen at approximately 1:00. According to the UN special report, it was this information that resulted in the initiation of search and rescue operations. Initial indications that the crash might not have been an accident led to multiple official inquiries and persistent speculation that the Secretary-General was assassinated.

Celebrating the Momentous Arrival of Giant Pandas on Singapore Postage Stamps 6.9.2012

Giant Pandas stamp issue was on 6 September 2012.

This stamp issue was to commemorate the arrival of two pandas, Kai Kai and Jia Jia, on loan to Singapore by China to mark the twentieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The first day cover is in vertical format. This could be a first as I do not recall any first day cover previously issued in this format by Singapore. 

These two giant pandas began their 10-year stay in Singapore on 6 September 2012. Singapore is the ninth country to receive the loan of giant pandas from China since 1994. 

Artistically illustrated in drawings by local international artiste, Edmund Chen Zhi Cai who is also SingPost’s stamp ambassador, this set of stamps depicts the various poses of Kai Kai and Jia Jia. For example, the S$2 stamp shows Kai Kai and Jia Jia playing with each other. 

First day cover was cancelled with a special Giant Panda postmark specially designed by Edmund’s 12-year-old daughter, Yixin, and the folder cover of the Collectors’ Sheet is designed by his 21-year-old son, Yixi. “It is not easy to draw the pandas. Initially, I could not even differentiate the gender. Although pandas are in black and white, I have found that just for the colour black alone, there are many different shades. It is only through many attempts that I am finally satisfied with my work,” said Edmund. Edmund was also the designer for the Oriental Small-Clawed Otter stamp issue released last year.

                                                                                                                                                       

Hunting Weapons

The stamps on this cover postmarked 8.9.1980 depict hunting weapons of yore.  Thank you Dear Merja for this lovely FDC.

American Trees 9.10.1978

These two covers were given to me by Pia of Finland. They show four stamps with the famous American trees on them. A brief description of each is given below.

Giant Sequoia tree. Giant Sequoia is the world's largest tree in terms of total volume. They grow to an average height of 50-85 m (150-280 ft) and 5-7 m (16-23 ft) in diameter. Record trees have been reported to be 93.6 m (307 ft) in height and 8.85 m (29 ft) in diameter. The oldest known Giant Sequoia based on ring count is 3,200 years old. Giant Sequoia is a very popular ornamental tree in many areas. Areas where it is successfully grown include most of western and southern Europe, the Pacific Northwest of North America north to southwest British Columbia, southeast Australia, New Zealand and central-southern Chile. It is also grown, though less successfully, in parts of eastern North America.

Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern White Pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland west through the Great Lakes region to south eastern Manitoba and Minnesota, and south along the Mississippi Basin and Appalachian Mountains to northernmost Georgia and Mississippi. It is also known as the white pine, northern white pine, orsoft pine. This tree is known to the Native American Haudenosaunee (Iroquois nation) as the Tree of Peace. It is also known as the Weymouth pine in the United Kingdom, named after George Weymouth who brought it to England in 1620.

American white oak - large slow-growing deciduous tree of the eastern United States having stout spreading branches and leaves with usually 7 rounded lobes; yields strong and durable hard wood.

American gray birch - medium-sized birch of eastern North America having white or pale grey bark and valueless wood; occurs often as a second-growth forest tree. Gray birch is an attractive tree that is often used as a winter landscape plant or when space limitations require the use of trees with a smaller stature. It can also be planted as a nurse tree to protect more valuable pines in the landscape that require protection to become established.

1970 - Year of Conservation

1970 was declared as the Year of Conservation. 

And at its Conference in Strasbourg, 9 - I2 February I970, many decisions were taken to protect the environment and conservation of natural resources. Most European countries decided to commemorate the event with the issue of commemorative postage stamps. This cover has two stamps the Iceland issued. Thank you Maria for this nice FDC.

The stamp of 3kr depicts the Saxifraga oppositifolia, the purple saxifrage or purple mountain saxifrage, is a species of edible plant that is very common all over the high Arctic and also some high mountainous areas further south, including northern Britain, the Alps and the Rocky Mountains. It is even known to grow on Kaffeklubben Island in north Greenland, at 83°40'N, the most northerly plant locality in the world.

It is a low-growing, densely or loosely matted plant growing to 3–5 cm high, with somewhat woody branches of creeping or trailing habit close to the surface. The leaves are small, rounded, scale-like, opposite in 4 rows, with ciliated margins. The flowers are solitary on short stalks, petals purple or lilac, much longer than the calyx lobes. It is one of the very first spring flowers, continuing to flower during the whole summer in localities where the snow melts later. The flowers grow to about 0.5 inches in diametre.

It grows in all kinds of cold temperate to arctic habitats, from sea level up to 1000 m, in many places colouring the landscape. It is a popular plant in alpine gardens, though difficult to grow in warm climates.

The 15kr stamp shows Laki or Lakagígar (Craters of Laki) is a volcanic fissure in the south of Iceland, not far from the canyon of Eldgia and the small village Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Lakagígar is the correct name, as Laki mountain itself did not erupt, but fissures opened up on each side of it. Lakagígar is part of a volcanic system centered on the Grímsvötn volcano and including the Þórðarhyrna volcano. It lies between the glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull, in an area of fissures that run in a south-west to north-east direction.

The system erupted over an eight-month period between 1783 and 1784 from the Laki fissure and the adjoining Grímsvötn volcano, pouring out an estimated 14 km³ (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydroflouric acid and sulphur dioxide compounds that killed over 50% of Iceland's livestock population, leading to a famine that killed approximately 25% of the island's human population.

The Laki eruption and its aftermath caused a drop in global temperatures, as sulfur dioxide was spewed into the Northern Hemisphere. This caused crop failures in Europe and may have caused droughts in India. The eruption has been estimated to have killed over six million people globally, making the eruption the deadliest in historical times.

Festivals in Singapore 17.10.2012

Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy 12.6.1979

U.S.A commemorated the life of Robert Francis Kennedy, a prominent political figure. Kennedy served as a U.S. Senator and U.S. Attorney General, with this commemorative stamp and cover. The stamp design was taken from a family photo suggested by Mrs. Ethel Kennedy.

Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician,a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil-rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and a member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F. Kennedy, and he served as the president's chief advisor during his presidency. From 1961 to 1964 he served as the U.S. Attorney General.

Following his brother John's assassination, on November 22, 1963, Kennedy continued to serve as the Attorney General under President Lyndon B. Johnson for nine months. There long had been bad blood between them, so in September 1964 Kennedy resigned to seek a U.S. Senate seat from New York, which he won in November. Within a few years he publicly split with Johnson over the Vietnam War.

In March 1968 Kennedy began a campaign for the presidency and was a front-running candidate of the Democratic Party, appealing especially to black, Hispanic and Catholic voters. In the California presidential primary, on June 4, Kennedy defeated Eugene McCarthy, the hero of the New Left and student elements in the Democratic Party. That night Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian Arab. Mortally wounded, he survived nearly 26 hours, then died early in the morning of June 6.

Thank you Hemant for this FDC.

Small harbours of New Zealand.

The 1979 Scenic Issue depicted four small harbours of New Zealand.

Whangaroa ('Long Harbour') – 15c. Between Maungonui and the Bay of Islands, on the eastern coast of Northland, is a spacious and perfectly land-locked anchorage the result of a drowned river system. The narrow rock-walled entrance, scarcely a third of a mile across, is cut in hard volcanic breccia, while the upper reaches, over 2 miles in width and surrounded by gently undulating country, have been eroded in soft sedimentary shales and sandstones.  Whangaroa is chiefly known as a base for deep-sea game fishing.

Bon Accord Harbour, Kawau Island - 20c
The scene depicted on the stamp is of Mansion Bay located in Bon Accord Harbour.  Kawau Island, whose name stems from the many shag colonies there, lies just off shore in the Hauraki Gulf, due east of Warkworth and 30 miles north of Auckland City.  Approximately 5 miles long and 3 miles wide, the island is almost split in two by Bon Accord Harbour, which opens towards the mainland, so forming a fine natural anchorage.

Akaroa Harbour - 23c
Situated at the south east end of Banks Peninsula is a busy fishing centre, both commercially and for pleasure.  The harbour is a little over a mile wide at the entrance, and runs inland for a distance of a little over 10 miles, opening into various bays at its upper end.  In the 1800s the harbour was the usual resort of whalers frequenting the seas about the Peninsula.

Picton Harbour - 35c
Situated in an inlet of Queen Charlotte Sound is the main port of Marlborough and is the South Island terminal of the inter-island rail-car ferry.  Terminal facilities established at the port came into operation in August 1962 and provide berthage for the ships maintaining a ferry service between Picton and Wellington for railway rolling stock, motor vehicles, and passengers.

Thank you Dear Maria for this FDC with the pretty set of stamps.

"Flight" by Ásgrímur Jónsson

Iceland 1971, the painting "Flight" depicted on this 10kr stamp on the FDC is a  painting by Ásgrímur Jónsson (1876 – 1958). The painting is not a picture of a particular place, but does refer to a folktale. In the register of the National Gallery of Iceland, on the artwork gift of Ásgrímur Jónsson to the National Gallery, this painting "Flight" is classified in the group of "Folklore", not in Asgrimur Jónsson "Landscape" paintings.“

The mountain in the picture of the painting "Flight" looks like Mt. Búrfell in Thjorsardalur. The waterfall looks in a number of ways like the Tröllkonuhlaup waterfall. Presumably Asgrimur Jónsson took the Tröllkonuhlaup - waterfall and Mt. Burfell into consideration when painting his picture as he knew this area very well.

The stamp shown is to highlight the plight of Displaced People (Flottafolk), is also depicted on the cover,

Ásgrímur Jónsson (March 4, 1876 - April 5, 1958) was an Icelandic painter, and one of the first in the country to make art a professional living. He studied at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen between 1900-1903 and traveled widely after graduation. The subjects of his pictures are mostly the landscapes of his home country, particularly mountains. His painting style is similar to the French impressionists like Corot. Some of his pictures also illustrate Icelandic sagas and folk tales. He was also noted for his murals in various churches in Iceland. A number of his works are on display in the National Gallery of Iceland. Jónsson influenced many artists in Iceland.

Thank you Maria for this thought provoking FDC.

China Merchants

On October 26,2012,China National Philatelic Corporation issued a set of three special stamps entitled "China Merchants" with a total face value of 3.90 yuan. The special stamps include three with the titles "Establishing Business by Pujiang River", "Development at Shekou", and "Making Greater Achievements". 

China Merchants, established in 1872 when China was still in the late Qing Dynasty, is China's first enterprise of China's modern history. It has experienced 140 years of development, symbolizing the uncommon development history of China's national enterprises. It is a good representative of China's national business and industry, which has established China's first modern industrial zone, the Shekou Industrial Zone in Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province since the opening-up and reform of China in the late 1970s. It has now developed into a large corporate group with key businesses in transportation, finance and real estate in the new century. 

Thank you very much Dear Munu for these three lovely FDCs.

Architecture in Israel

With the Jewish People's return to the Land of Israel, it became necessary to plan and implement a new infrastructure for urban and rural locations. Such infrastructure included housing, public buildings, and agricultural and industrial facilities. Architects tried to combine elements of European architecture and technological innovations to suit the prevailing climatic, topographical and social conditions.Starting from scratch gave the designer's imagination free rein. Economic and social difficulties notwithstanding, functional and aesthetic solutions were produced which compare favourably with the best architecture in the world.

The stamp issued on 26.4.1992 depicts The National Institutions Building built between 1928 and 1932 in Jerusalem with the offices of the Jewish Agency, the Zionist Management, Keren Hayesod Foundation Fund and Keren Kayemet National Fund.

The design and planning of this first public building in Eretz Israel were chosen by public competition. Thirty-three designs were submitted by Jewish architects in Israel, with styles ranging from local eclecticism to extreme modernism. Ratner's work was accepted as the most suitable, being both functional and representative. The main building is accentuated by a large veranda on pillars. The impressive internal courtyard is oval with a wide opening to the street. The courtyard is enclosed by the offices and the main building. By using simple cubist shapes, both in the exterior and interior, and with fine attention to detail, Ratner gave the National Institutions Building an air of simplicity and majesty which still remains today despite many changes and additions to the building over the years.

Merja gave me this FDC.

The 1980 Summer Olympics 1.11.1979

The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott of the Moscow Olympics was a part of a package of actions initiated by the United States to protest the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. It preceded the 1984 Summer Olympics boycott carried out by the Soviet Union and other Communist-friendly countries.

The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan spurred Jimmy Carter to issue an ultimatum on January 20, 1980 that the United States would boycott the Moscow Olympics if Soviet troops did not withdraw from Afghanistan within one month.

At the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletes from a number of countries, including Australia, Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal,Puerto Rico, San Marino, Spain, and Switzerland, marched under the Olympic Flag, instead of their national flags, a fact that the Soviet TV coverage alternately ignored. Moreover, although the government of New Zealand officially supported the boycott, four athletes from that country competed independently and marched under their NOC's flag. Altogether, the athletes of 16 countries were not represented by their national flags, and the Olympic Anthem replaced their national anthems at medal ceremonies. As a result, there were a few ceremonies where three Olympic Flags were raised.

These two covers are pre release and re-release covers with one of the stamps issued in 1979. It was rumoured that the stamps were withdrawn after the boycott of the games. This however, is strongly debated. The 1979 cover has a Colorano “silk”Cachet.

The 1980 cover was postmarked well after the boycott came into force, and honours Jesse Owens and the 1980 US Olympic Team that never participated. James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the long jump, and as part of the 4x100 meter relay team. He was the most successful athlete at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

The Jesse Owens Award, USA Track and Field's highest accolade for the year's best track and field athlete, is named after him, in honor of his significant career.

Thank you Hemant for these two covers.

Þórarinn B. Þorláksson

Þórarinn Benedikt Þorláksson (February 14, 1867 – July 10, 1924) was one of Iceland's first contemporary painters, the first Icelander to exhibit paintings in Iceland, and recipient of the first public grant that country made to a painter.

Þorláksson, together with a small number of other artists including his contemporary Ásgrímur Jónsson, confronted and portrayed the landscape of their country on its terms and through Icelandic eyes, rather than through the conventions—and the light—of Western European artistic tradition. In this respect the work of Þorláksson and Jónsson played a role similar to that of the Heidelberg School in Australia (slightly earlier) and the Group of Seven, Emily Carr and Tom Thomson in Canada (a little later).

Thank you Maria for this nice cover, with a stamp showing one of the pretty paintings by this great artist.

Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus 14.11.2012

Cyprus won its first ever Olympic medal after Pavlos Kontides took silver in the single-handed Laser sailing class at the London Olympics.

The 22-year-old Cypriot's historical win was witnessed by the Duchess of Cambridge, who watched the race off Weymouth, accompanied by the Princess Royal.

Kontides said: "I will only understand how great this is when I return home. I'm very proud."

The medal is the country's first since it started taking part in the Olympics at the Moscow Games in 1980.

Thank you Merja for this nice FDC.

William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers 4.11.1979

William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American cowboy, vaudeville performer, humorist, social commentator and motion picture actor. He was one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s.
Known as ”Oklahoma’s Favorite Son," Rogers was born to a prominent Cherokee Nation family in Indian territory  (now part of Oklahoma). He traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), wrote more than 4,000 nationally syndicated  newspaper columns, and became a world-famous figure. By the mid-1930s, Rogers was adored by the American people. He was the leading political wit of the Progressive era  , and was the top-paid Holloywood movie star at the time. Rogers died in 1935 with aviator Willey Post  , when their small airplane crashed in Alaska.
His vaudeville rope act led to success in the Ziegfeld Follies  , which in turn led to the first of his many movie contracts. His 1920s syndicated newspaper column and his radio appearances increased his visibility and popularity. Rogers crusaded for aviation expansion, and provided Americans with first-hand accounts of his world travels. His earthy anecdotes and folksy style allowed him to poke fun at gangsters, prohibition, politicians, government programs, and a host of other controversial topics in a way that was readily appreciated by a national audience, with no one offended. His aphorisms, couched in humorous terms, were widely quoted: "I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat."
Rogers even provided an epigram on his most famous epigram:

When I die, my epitaph, or whatever you call those signs on gravestones, is going to read: "I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I dident [sic] like." I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved.

Rabbi Hayyim Benatar (1696 - 1743)

Merja gave me this FDC dated 16.6.1992 commemorating Rabbi Hayyim Benatar who died before reaching the age of 50. During his short lifetime he spent brief periods of time in a number of different countries. He was one of the few Rabbis to whom the people gave the title "The Holy One", and he and his famous book 'Or HaHayyim" ("Light of Life") were widely acclaimed in all the countries of the Jewish Diaspora.

Rabbi Hayyim Benatar was born in the town of Salé in Morocco, where, at the time, the Jews were being persecuted by a despotic ruler. His genius was recognised at an early age, as soon as he began teaching Torah to young people and adults and writing his commentary on a section of the Talmud.  

Rabbi Hayyim wrote his most famous books, which are astounding in their scope and in their depth. He wrote "Hafetz Hashem" on the Talmud, “Pri Toar" on the Code of Jewish Law, "Or HaHayyim" on the Torah and "Rishon Lezion" on the Prophets.  

On his arrival in Jerusalem everyone accepted his authority, recognising his genius and his sanctity. His senior scholars were accepted to his Yeshiva, among them Rabbi Hida who was to write "I have been privileged to have studied at his exalted Yeshiva, and my eyes have seen the greatness of his teaching. A brilliant thinker, a truly saintly person, and though his erudition s known from his writings, this is only a small fraction of his genius and the breadth of his benevolence".

Though he died less then a year after his arrival in Jerusalem, he became a popular legend. His book on the Torah "Light of Life" is a basic book, which includes everything in it: Law and Kabbalah, philosophy and legends, teachings and dialectics. He was known by the title the Holy "Or HaHayyim", being named after his most famous work, for which the Jewish world has always held him in the highest esteem.

100 years of the Paris Commune

"Working men's Paris, with its Commune, will be forever celebrated as the glorious harbinger of a new society" -Karl Marx

The Paris Commune or Fourth French Revolution was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 (more formally, from March 28) to May 28, 1871. In a formal sense, it acted as the local authority, the city council (in French, the "commune"), which exercised power in Paris for two months in the spring of 1871 The Commune was the result of an uprising in Paris after France was defeated in the war. This uprising was chiefly caused by the disaster in the war and the growing discontent among French workers. 

However, the conditions in which it formed, its controversial decrees, and the indiscriminate violence with which it was brutally suppressed make its brief tenure one of the more important political episodes in the history of working class revolutions. The Paris Commune existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists, and is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution. Debates over the policies and outcome of the Commune contributed to the break between those two political groups.

Marco sent me this FDC dated 9.3.1971 postmarked in Berlin.

Passenger Ferries- Ålandsfärjan 19.2.2013

Many Ålanders associate the name Ålandsfärjan with the ship servicing between Mariehamn and Kapellskär 1987-2008. However, the ship featured on the 2013 stamp is the very first ferry named Ålandsfärjan.

Following a disagreement between the founders of Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen, the shipping company that pioneered passenger traffic between Åland and Sweden in 1959, a group of owners started the competing shipping company Rederi Ab Ålandsfärjan.

S/S Ålandsfärjan was built in Scotland in 1933 and named S/S Brittany. Ålandsfärjan was the first ferry in service for the newly started company. Operations between Roslagen on the Swedish coast and Mariehamn in Åland began on 20 June 1963. The ferry was originally owned by the British Railways and in service on the British Channel.

S/S Ålandsfärjan was withdrawn from service in 1972 and broken up in Teijo, Finland, after having run aground and been damaged. 

Thank you Dear Ella for this lovely FDC.

Tevel 89 - National Stamp Exhibition for the Youth

Tevel 89 was a national stamp exhibition for youth, with participants from around the world. The Exhibition, organised by the Israel Philatelic Association and funded by the Israel Postal Authority, was sponsored by the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Director-General of the Israel Postal Authority. It took  place in Bnai-Brith House during the intermediate days of the Festival of Succot (Tabernacles),15-21 October 1989.

Young philatelists from the ages of 10 to 21 exhibited at the Exhibition in the international and national sections. There were 310 different categories in the Exhibition, and a very full display. A total of 120 young people participated in the exhibition. In the international section, there were young philatelists representing 7 countries (their flags are shown on the cover, carried by stags) and the quality of the Exhibition was very high by current international standards

The Exhibition had a number of different purposes, but its main purpose was to create an awareness of philately as an exciting, educational hobby, which furthers aesthetic and moral values among the public in general, and among the future generations in particular.

Thank you dear Merja for this extremely interesting FDC postmarked 12.10.1989.

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25th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

When the 25th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference opened in Wellington in November 1979, the New Zealand Post Office released a set of three stamps to commemorate the event.

Maria sent me this lovely FDC commemorating the 25th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference It was the third time New Zealand had played host to this conference, the previous occasions were in 1950 and 1965, and the second time New Zealand stamps had commemorated such an event.

Chamber of the House of Representatives - 14c
 - Looking towards the Speakers chair.

Parliamentary Symbols - 20c
 - The black rod and the mace.

Wall Hanging - 30c
 - Which dominates the foyer of the 'Beehive' Parliament Buildings.

Leipzig Spring Fair 1970

Marco sent me this FDC of the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1970. The GDR issued these two stamps on 24.2.1970 sybolising communications and associated eletrical equipment such as swithgear boards and transformers. This was one of the themes of the Fair.

Wildfowl Decoys 19.2.2013

The issue of a 3-part series of franking labels featuring old style wooden duck decoys began in 2012 by Aland. First out was the Common Eider; the 2013 motif is the Long-tailed Duck and it was issued along with this striking cover on 19.2.2013.

Wildfowl decoys are lifelike dummies used by hunters to encourage birds to land nearby. The oldest decoys were made from plants such as bulrush, and the first decoys carved from wood were unpainted. Decoys are now mostly made from plastic. The Long-tailed Duck belongs to the order Anseriformes. It reaches a length of between 39 and 47 cm and can weigh up to almost one kilo. It has a rounded head and a short sturdy bill. The all-dark wings are quite sharp and pointed. Their flight is smooth and rapid, with a characteristic wing-beat dipping low below the horizontal.

Thank you Dear Ella for  these lovely stamps and the FDC.

The French Revolution (1789–1799) - 200th Anniversary 7.7.1989

The French Revolution (1789–1799), was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France that had a lasting impact on French history and more broadly throughout the world. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed within three years.French society underwent an epic transformation, as feudal, aristocratic and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from radical left-wing political groups, masses on the streets, and peasants in the countryside. Old ideas about tradition and hierarchy–of monarchy, aristocracy, and religious authority–were abruptly overthrown by new Enlightenment principles of equality, citizenship and inalienable rights.

Cyprus along with some other countries commemorated the 200^th Anniversary of this momentous event in French History with this graphic stamp and FDC.

Thank you Merja for this lovely cover.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert

Sir Humphrey Gilbert (c. 1539 – 9 September 1583) of Devon in England was a half-brother (through his mother) of Sir Walter Raleigh. Adventurer, explorer, member of parliament, and soldier, he served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth and was a pioneer of English colonization in North America and the Plantations of Ireland.

On arriving at the port of St. John's, Gilbert found himself temporarily blockaded by the fishing fleet under the organization of the port admiral (an Englishman) on account of piracy committed against a Portuguese vessel in 1582 by one of Gilbert's commanders. Once this resistance was overcome, Gilbert waved his letters patent about and, in a formal ceremony, took possession of Newfoundland (including the lands 200 leagues to the north and south) for the English crown on 5 August 1583. This involved the cutting of turf to symbolize the transfer of possession of the soil, according to the common law of England. The locals presented him with a gift of a local dog, whom he named Stella for the North Star. He claimed authority over the fish stations at St. John's and proceeded to levy a tax on the fishermen from several countries who worked this popular area near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. 

Thank you Hemant for this nice FDC.