Part 2 Fox news: Outfoxing the Cold War - The Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus), maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards from USA and Romania

See my previous post for more images and info. :)

Fox news: Outfoxing the Cold War - The Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus), maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards from USA, Romania and (WWF) Finland

Postmark from Nome, Alaska.

Postmark from Arctic Village, Alaska.

I hate cold, but this fox species just loves it! :)

"The Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus or Vulpes lagopus^[2]), also known as the White Fox, Polar Fox or Snow Fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_fox

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Happy Blue Monday!

Please visit:  http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

It's Year of the Rabbit, not Year of the Kumquats [the fruits depicted as the main (!!!) graphic element on the 2011 USPS stamp for YOTR, courtesy of the "vision" of the stamp illustrator Kam Mak]

This older Year of the Rabbit maxicard/ maximum card/ dorincard properly depicts a goddamn [ :) ] rabbit as the main graphic element of the stamp - as it should!

Now it's Year of the Rabbit, not Year of the Kumquats [the fruits depicted as the main (!!!) graphic element on the 2011 USPS stamp for YOTR, courtesy of the "vision" of the stamp illustrator Kam Mak]

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2011/pr11_006.htm

I strongly believe that you could put any secondary symbol (narcissus, kumquats, General Tso chicken with rice - whatever) of the Chinese Lunar Year celebration in the BACKGROUND.

But put the image of the zodiac animal in the FOREGROUND - that's the main symbol!

:)

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Happy Sunday Stamps!

Please visit http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com/

Part 1 - Side-by-side comparison between European bison (Bison bonasus) and American bison (Bison bison)

The front view, of the head only, is not too conclusive for the layman, for the average person. Don't they look pretty similar, at first glance?

Captivity versus Freedom? How about Freedom made possible only thru Captivity? The fascinating true story of how the last 11+1 specimens [7 cows and (4+1) bulls] have saved the species called Wisent (pronounced /ˈviːzənt/) (Bison bonasus), also known as the European bison

I will detail this amazing story later, with more images and comments.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisent

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY [  :) yes, I mean "long story - short" ]: this species was saved from the brink of extinction by the coordinated effort of breeding the last 12 specimens alive, all captive: 7 cows and 4 bulls of Lowland Wisent (Bison bonasus bonasus),  and 1 bull of Caucasian Wisent (Bison bonasus caucasicus) .

The eventual FREEDOM, semi-freedom or zoo captivity of the descendents was possible only thru CAPTIVITY, and selective breeding (yes, some in-breeding, too).

TBC (to be continued)

See, it might be a good idea to have a...Caucasian in your genealogic tree. :)

For comparison with the European bison: American bison (Bison bison).

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Please visit the Two 4 Tuesday meme: http://www.two4tuesday.com/home/two4tuesday/index.php/2011/01/18/captivity-freedom/

Captivity – Freedom

January 18, 2011

My post for the "Sunday Stamps" meme: cool stamp from the Republic of South Africa, with WITRENOSTER/ WHITE RHINO (Ceratotherium simum)

"The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few megafaunal species left. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species. The White Rhino consists of two subspecies: the Southern White Rhino, with an estimated 17,480 wild-living animals at the end of 2007 (IUCN 2008), and the much rarer Northern White Rhino. The northern subspecies may have eight remaining worldwide — all in captivity.^[3]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rhino

I like this stamp because it shows not only the rhinos, but it also gives you a clue, a research starting point, a spark for your mind: the map of the region of KwaZulu/Natal, in the context of South Africa.

So, the point is: don't just look at this rhino stamp and move on with your oh, so busy life.

While you are at it, at least take a quick look at the (wikipedia, for example) entry for South Africa.

Expand your horizon. Horizontally. Coz now it may be too much of a vertical horizon, ultra-specialized in your tiny square of knowledge required to do your job, whatever that is.

:)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa

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Happy Sunday Stamps!

Please visit http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com/

From the heart of Liechtenstein? No, from Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus lichtensteinii). Not a wildebeest. WWF maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards about Mozambic.

This is a set with controversial issues. Why is the upper left image showing a far-away animal? What's this about - Big Sky Montana? The sky occupies most of the image.

Or, it can be the photographer's artistic choice to show us a perspective of that habitat, leaving the animal in the background. The cloudy sky over the African savannah...or something.

"Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus lichtensteinii)[2] is a savannah and floodplain dwelling antelope found in southern Central Africa. By some, this species is classified as Sigmoceros lichtensteinii."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichtenstein's_Hartebeest

No, we're not talking about the country Liechtenstein here.

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/

The Turkish Role in Negotiations with Iran | STRATFOR. Also, a visual metaphor of Negotiation - "Locking horns, in a power struggle"

Please read: The Turkish Role in Negotiations with Iran | STRATFOR

A visual metaphor of Negotiation - "Locking horns, in a power struggle":

In this maximum card/ maxicard/ dorincard that I created in 2006, notice how the deer (Roosevelt Elk?) from the pictorial postmark seemlessly integrates with the deer from the stamp!!!

As if they are from the same herd! :)

I like that!

But power struggles are normal even within the same herd...between harem owners/"sultans"...

How to remove unsoakable, self-adhesive stamps from paper? Try Pure Citrus air-freshener!

I have spotted this from Don Schilling at http://stampcollectingroundup.blogspot.com/:

"Air-Freshener Removes Unsoak[a]ble Stamps

Guest Columnist Peter Butler writes in It’s Like Magic: Removing Self-Adhesive Stamps from Paper, an article that appeared in the October issue of American Philatelist, that one of the products that seem to work well removing those pesky, unsoakable, self -adhesive stamps is an air-freshener called Pure Citrus."

The original article is here:

http://www.stamps.org/ap/Guest1010.pdf

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An example of self-adhesive stamps (I show you also the back of this beautiful, luxuriant pane of stamps): Hawaiian Rain Forest.

Now, in hi-res (high-resolution) for you to properly appreciate the exquisite artwork:

Click on it, then click again, to zoom in.

:)

"BBC: African elephant is two species, researchers say". Also, Part 2: The African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana) - maximum card/ maxicard/ dorincard from the Republic of South Africa, and WWF maxicards about Uganda

Thank you, my friend Fi from Jo'burg [Johannesburg, RSA], for creating this UNICATE (only 1 in the world in this configuration, AFAIK= "as far as I know") maxicard specially for me! 

You have chosen the perfect position of the postmark on the postcard, when you handcancelled "under the supervision"/ "in front of" the cooperating postal clerk from the village of Krugersdorp. :)

Isn't it cool when the postmark is really visible?

WWF maxicards about Uganda

Please read: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12054343#

"The African Elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal, normally reaching 6 to 7.3 metres (19.7 to 24.0 ft) in length and 3 to 3.5 metres (9.8 to 11.5 ft) in height at the head, and weighing between 6,000 to 9,000 kg (13,000 to 20,000 lb).

The largest on record, shot in Angola in 1965, was a bull weighing 12,274 kg (27,060 lb) and standing 4.2 metres (13.8 ft) high, the body of which is now mounted in the rotunda of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.. (The museum's website states that the specimen weighs only 8 tons^[4].) The Bush Elephant normally moves at a rate of 6 km/h (4 mph), but it can reach a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph) when scared or upset."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_elephant

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Loxodonta_africana

Dentition (or lack of proper dentition) may be hazardous to you:

The last set of [molar] teeth last approximately until the age of 65–70. 

"Not much later, the animal dies of starvation from not being able to feed correctly. There are known cases of over 80 year old specimens in captivity."

A male elephant is called a BULL elephant.  And you thought that bullshit is always a bad thing ("that's bullshit" = "that's bad/ false/ useless!" - right?)

"These animals typically ingest an average of 225 kg of vegetable matter daily, which is defecated without being fully digested. That, combined with the long distances that they can cover daily in search of more food, contributes notably to the dispersion of many plant seeds that germinate in the middle of a nutrient-filled feces mound."

"Elephants also drink great quantities of water, over 190 liters per day."

You can talk all you want, but can YOU emit infrasounds?

"Mating happens when the female becomes receptive [MY NOTE: raping is not an option here], an event that can occur anytime during the year. When she is ready, she starts emitting infrasounds that attract the males, sometimes from kilometers away. The adult males start arriving at the herd during the following days and begin fighting, causing some injuries and even broken tusks. The female shows her acceptance of the victor by rubbing her body against his. They mate, and then both go their own way. After 22 months of gestation (the longest among mammals), the female gives birth to a single 90 cm high calf which weighs more than 100 kg. The baby feeds on the mothers milk until the age of 5, but also eats solid food from as early as 6 months old. Just a few days after birth, the calf can follow the herd by foot."

If you MUSTH know:

"Although it has often been speculated by zoo visitors[1] that musth is linked to rut, it is unlikely there is a biological connection because the female elephant's estrus cycle is not seasonally-linked, whereas musth most often takes place in winter. Furthermore, bulls in musth have often been known to attack female elephants, regardless of whether or not the females are in heat. There has been speculation that there may be a connection between musth and dominance behaviour.

Often, elephants in musth discharge a thick tar-like secretion called temporin from the temporal ducts on the sides of the head. Temporin remains largely uncharacterised, due to the difficulties of collecting samples for analysis; however, secretions and urine collected from zoo elephants have been shown to contain elevated levels of various highly odorous ketones and aldehydes. The elephant's aggression may be partially caused by a reaction to the temporin, which naturally trickles down into the elephant's mouth. Another contributing factor may be the accompanying swelling of the temporal glands; this presses on the elephant's eyes and causes acute pain comparable to severe root abscess toothache. Elephants sometimes try to counteract this pain by digging their tusks into the ground.

An African elephant chases a giraffe during musth.

Musth is linked to sexual arousal or establishing dominance, but this relationship is far from clear. Cases of elephants goring and killing rhinoceroses in national parks in Africa have been documented and attributed to musth in young male elephants, especially those growing in the absence of older males. Studies show that reintroducing older males into the elephant population of the area seems to prevent younger males from entering musth, and therefore, stop this aggressive behavior.^[2][3]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musth

Maximum card/ maxicard from Canada - The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis, which means "good, or true, whale of the ice")

The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

Life in the ocean is fiercely competitive, as the males of this species can TESTify...:)

Read my previous blogpost for more TESTimony.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_Right_Whale

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Please visit:  http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

It is never SCALING back -The Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). Maximum card from Taiwan/ Republic of China

This is another maximum card from Taiwan/Republic of China, made specially for me, at my specific request, by my good friend Shu-i. Thank you, again! :)

She managed to professionally custom-create this postcard, as well as others for the other animal stamps that I indicated. Then she affixed the stamp and had it handcancelled at the Post Office.

I'd love to have such a philatelic partner/friend in every country in the world...:)

And I am returning the favor - I am not just requesting items. I am offering, as well.

"If you want to HAVE a friend, you have TO BE one." :)

The Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is a very interesting animal. Read for yourself. There are 8 species of pangolins in Asia and Africa.

The keratin plates, razor-sharp, are a great armor. Sisterhood of ants, bite me!

"A pangolin (pronounced /ˈpæŋɡəlɪn/), also scaly anteater or Tenggiling, is a mammal of the order Pholidota. There is only one extant family (Manidae) and one genus (Manis) of pangolins, comprising eight species. There are also a number of extinct taxa. Pangolins have large keratin scales covering their skin and are the only mammals with this adaptation.^[2] They are found in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The name "pangolin" derives from the Malay word pengguling("something that rolls up")."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manidae

How to raid a cathedral:

The pangolin raids a termite cathedral mound for a meal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manis

When the going gets tough, just...hang on!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pangolin's_tail.jpg

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/

Maximum card from Transkei - the black-footed cat (Felis nigripes)

Small feline, but quite fierce in self-defense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felis_nigripes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transkei

Asian Golden Cat (Pardofelis temminckii; syn. Catopuma temminckii) - this is a dorincard that I created with an A4 (page-size) image of a magazine page.

Is this a traditional, FIP-compliant maximum card? No.

Is this made with a commercial, normal size postcard? No.

Do I like this dorincard? Yes.

How about you?

Wild experiment: go to your local store(s) where you buy postcards, and ask, with a straight face, for "a normal postcard with an Asian Golden Cat, in other words Pardofelis temminckii."

The clerk will look at you, wondering what the hell is wrong with you, then you'll get a NO.

So what's a collector to do? Nothing?

YOU do that, if that's what you want.

I prefer to find solutions.

In this case, I found this large, detailed, gorgeous image in a magazine.

I own this copy of the page (a real page), and I can do many things with it.

Of course, I choose to use it as a postcard.

I could even mail it, but I would risk getting it damaged or losing it.

The normal fate (99.99% of the time) of a magazine page is to end up in the trash, don't you think?

Well, think.

:)

Since the image is superb, I could really affix the label with the postmarked stamp onto it.

My good friend Ye Choh San (Malaysia) has sent me that serviced label, at my request.

"The Asian Golden Cat (Pardofelis temminckii syn. Catopuma temminckii), also called the Asiatic Golden Cat and Temminck's Golden Cat, is a medium-sized wild cat of Southeastern Asia."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_golden_cat

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/

Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) 2 Postage Stamps from Zazzle.com

Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) 2 Postage Stamps from Zazzle.com

Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) 1 Stamps from Zazzle.com

Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) 1 Stamps from Zazzle.com

WWF maximum cards from Somalia: Soemmerring's Gazelle (Nanger soemmerringii; formerly Gazella soemmerringii). Speke's Gazelle (Gazella spekei) is the smallest of the gazelle species.

What do YOU know about Somalia, besides "Pirates of the Somalian [Coast]"?
"Black Hawk Down"? That was a case of mis-allocation of resources: DON'T send your troops in the harm's way, without proper support!

Soomaaliya?
I see three redundant letter/sounds here.
"Somalia" is clear enough for me. :)
Every language in the world, including English, Esperanto, etc., is too imperfect, not phonetic enough, not optimized. None is 100% "what-you-read-is-what-you-pronounce".
There are thousands of languages and dialects, and about 26 (?) major languages.
Every language has a lot of unnecessary complications and other problems, I think.
Or, do you have a counterexample? :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalia

Do you have a gazelle species named after you?
I bet you don't.
But some people do:
Speke's Gazelle, G. spekei
Cuvier's Gazelle, G. cuvieri
Thomson's Gazelle, E. thomsoni
Soemmerring's Gazelle, N. soemmerringii
Grant's Gazelle, N. granti


"Speke's Gazelle (Gazella spekei) is the smallest of the gazelle species. Partially sympatric withG. gazella pelzini, it is confined to the horn of Africa where it inhabits stony brush, grass steppes, and semi deserts (Kingdom 1982, 1997). "
"This Gazelle is currently (2008) classified as endangered under the IUCN Red List."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speke's_gazelle

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Temporarily territorial:
"The Soemmerring's Gazelle is a tall gazelle with tan flanks, gradually turning to white on the belly, and long black horns. They are approximately 0.6-0.9 m (2-3 ft.) at the shoulder, and they weigh 35-45 kg (77-99 lb). The diet of the gazelle consists of acacia and bush leaves, grasses, and herbs. They inhabit open steppes with brush and acacia, as well as steppes with few trees, and scientists suggest that male Soemmerring's are temporarily territorial."


From the gazelles' perspective, there's no such thing as an O.K. Corral; no corral is OK:
"In many parts of North Africa and the Middle East, large stone corrals were constructed to drive herds of gazelle into, making for an easy ambush. This method of hunting started in prehistoric time and continued into the early part of the twentieth century. One interesting fact is that at some point in history, a Soemmerring's gazelle population became isolated on Kebir Island in the Dahlak archipelago where the gazelle actually developed a dwarf form of the larger mainland races."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soemmerring's_Gazelle

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/