Winter joy: children building a Snowman. Non-traditional maximum card/ maxicard/ dorincard that I created with a greeting card, with a concordant pictorial postmark from Star, North Carolina.

There could be some people, somewhere in the world, who would say that this is not concordant in subject, because the morphology of the snowman differs between the card, the stamp and the postmark.

[Strikethrough typing, as element of style]

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen Dudes and Dudettes:

What the hell  do you want me to do?

Find and use ONLY a card (real commercial postcard, no less; no greeting card!), stamp and postmark that show a snowman in the same, CONCORDANT configuration???

As if the children use a recipe, a Standard Operating Procedure for building a snowman exactly the same way every year!

http://www.zazzle.com/sheesh_postage-172193995595441185?rf=238693463283865848

:) :) :)

==============================

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR hearts!

http://clytie-randomhearts.blogspot.com/

Do I wish you a...Happy Face Spider? No, I wish YOU HAVE a Happy Face, because you will have a Happy New Year! :)

Happy New Year 2011!

"Theridion grallator, also known as the "happy face spider," is a member of the Theridiidae family.

The Hawaiian name is nananana makakiʻi (face-patterned spider). The binomial grallator is Latin for "stiltwalker", reference to the species' long spindly legs."

Does YOUR "smile" pattern change according to what YOU eat?

"As the pattern may change according to what food the spider has eaten (Gillespie, 1989) and as T. grallator is very small, hides during the day, and is thus not a significant prey item for any species of predator, it is more likely that the bizarre variety of patterns serves no significant adaptive purpose at all."

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

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

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

"WAGSTAFF: A Voice vs. An Echo." Also, a set of dorincards with Audrey Hepburn, a most classy Lady of the silver screen

I like and I follow this screenwriting blog, by Stephen Hoover:
WAGSTAFF: A Voice vs. An Echo

"True artists have their D.N.A. imprinted on their masterworks.   You can recognize the work of a master painter immediately.   Same with a writer.   Rare are unique voices -- distinct and resonating -- in any artistic field."


We should work at finding and expressing our voices.
:)
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This is a traditional maximum card, but can you decipher the postmark?

Out of sheer desperation, I decided some time ago to also create (occasionally) maxicards with labels (either white or transparent) so we can see the dam(ned) darn postmarks.

http://www.zazzle.com/what_stamp_postage-172780532697535446?rf=238693463283865848

You think that's CURSING?

http://www.zazzle.com/i_dont_think_so_postage-172747464236221795?rf=238693463283865848

http://www.zazzle.com/now_where_was_i_before_i_got_interrupted_postage-172442505130559121?rf=238693463283865848

Oh, yeah - Audrey Hepburn.

Here she is:

http://delcampe.com/page/item/id,45129971,var,BEAUTIFUL-CLASSY-AUDREY-HEPBURN-non-traditional-maximum-card-maxicard-6,language,E.html

Can YOU see the postmark now?

http://www.zazzle.com/yep_sure_thing_postage-172043653061207202?rf=238693463283865848

http://delcampe.com/page/item/id,45129745,var,BEAUTIFUL-CLASSY-AUDREY-HEPBURN-non-traditional-maximum-card-maxicard-2,language,E.html

http://delcampe.com/page/item/id,45129962,var,BEAUTIFUL-CLASSY-AUDREY-HEPBURN-non-traditional-maximum-card-maxicard-5,language,E.html

http://delcampe.com/page/item/id,45129949,var,BEAUTIFUL-CLASSY-AUDREY-HEPBURN-non-traditional-maximum-card-maxicard-4,language,E.html

http://delcampe.com/page/item/id,45129768,var,BEAUTIFUL-CLASSY-AUDREY-HEPBURN-non-traditional-maximum-card-maxicard-3,language,E.html

c am sayin'? postage from Zazzle.com

c am sayin'? postage from Zazzle.com

c am sayin'? Another way to say "Do you see what I am saying?". The abbreviated style is used mainly in texting and tweeting. :)

According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist - stamp from Zazzle.com

According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist - stamp from Zazzle.com

I like it. :)

BBC: "US signals new economic push" and "China's leaders meet to plan economic future" - the rich are getting too rich, while the middle class gets "Standard & Poor" :)

BBC: "US signals new economic push"; my message to US: "Pu-push it real good!".

We need a faster recovery! :)

BBC: "China's leaders meet to plan economic future"; my message to China: "That's the way, aha, aha..."

We are glad that "political reform will even be on the meeting's agenda, after Premier Wen Jiabao recently issued a call for openness.

Mr Wen told US broadcaster CNN earlier this month that calls for "democracy and freedom [in China] will become irresistible".

In August, he said: "Without political reform, China may lose what it has already achieved through economic restructuring."

"The BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing says China wants to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, which has grown in order to prevent strikes and disputes over pay, which have led to social unrest in the past."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11548789

The Roman Empire resorted to PANEM ET CIRCENSES to distract the large crowds of unemployed, unrested and unruly citizens.

Crowd Control Techniques.

-------------------------

Now, back to the ranch, in USA.

"Democrats must know high unemployment in America has little or nothing to do with China. Yes, China should allow the yuan to rise further against the dollar. But China’s under-valued currency isn’t the reason we’ve lost 15 million jobs since the end of 2007. No, the tax code shouldn’t reward companies for relocating jobs there. But this tax break is barely relevant to the situation we’re in.

Our jobs crisis is due to the collapse of demand in the U.S. after the housing bubble burst. No longer able to borrow against the rising value of their homes, the vast American middle and working class can no longer spend enough to keep the economy going.

If Democrats (or Republicans, for that matter) want to blame something, blame America’s record level of inequality – an almost unprecedented concentration of income and wealth at the top, and a smaller proportion for the vast middle."

http://robertreich.org/

Filthy rich, beware! Don't let 99% of the population get desperate, just because you can.

Amassing [wealth] may be hazardous to you, eventually. Read and learn from history.

You may rich reach :) the critical mass...or rather a mass of people critical of you.

:)

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

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

A flavor of India - Bengal tiger maximum card, and a Pole Gymnastics videoclip

This is a postal card, not the back of the above viewcard. But here you can see the same pictorial postmark.

A future custom postcard that I'll create:

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Speaking about feline moves and physical strength...

[I'm just kidding] BREAKING NEWS: Stripclub performers, pole dancers, sex acrobats, etc. from around the world are outraged by the newly-approved, worldwide mandatory routines for Pole Dancer Licensing Exam.

The routines are inspired from Indian Pole Gymnastics.

They are another symptom of job outsourcing, unless you improvise, adapt and overcome what's boring in your usual moves in pole dancing.

Customers have voiced their frustration over the lameness of the current routine, which is so simple, a GEICO cave-woman can do it.

While clothes are optional, the spectators would like to see the dancers come up with more intellectual creativity and more physical ability, in more graphic detail of the choreo kind.

Don't be surprised, next time you go to that kind of club, if you see moves inspired by these fine athletes from Bhārat Ganarājya, otherwise known as India.

Better than Ezra? No, better than Mowgli!

Watch this Indian Pole Gymnastics videoclip (cool music, too):

http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2010/08/17

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

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

"Men are not dogs. Dogs are LOYAL!" - Wanda Sykes. Shipping Labels from Zazzle.com

"Men are not dogs. Dogs are LOYAL!" - Wanda Sykes. Shipping Labels from Zazzle.com

Another element of a mailpiece, that can be personalized as you wish, is your address label.
This is an example of how you can add your favorite photo to it, such as your beloved puppy.
Then you personalize it online with your own mailing address.
The image above shows the bigger model - a shipping label.
The mid-size is the address label.
The smallest size is the return label.
You can see them all, customizable, in my zazzle store. Click on the links to visit, if you want.

Every day, in USA, about 11,000 cats and dogs (many of them are adoptable) have to be euthanized [translation: put to sleep] [further translation: killed] in animal shelters.
Those unfortunate cats and dogs can't "claim sanctuary"...

Yes, that's an euphemism. postage stamp from Zazzle.com

Yes, that's an euphemism. postage stamp from Zazzle.com

Sheesh!... Stamps from Zazzle.com

Sheesh!... Stamps from Zazzle.com

What does it mean?

"Etymology

A euphemism for Jesus. [MY NOTE: I'd say An euphemism, but how could I know better than wiktionary.org? :) ] 

Interjection

sheesh

1. (euphemism) An expression of exasperation."

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sheesh

----------------------------

So, it means "I'm exasperated", basically. 

Or, "You exasperate me".

Or "This exasperates me".

Do you think that it's possible to create a maximum card with such a stamp?

Unless you have a postcard showing that word, FIP Commission for Maximaphily would say NO.

"In general, abstract or symbolic subjects do not suit Maximaphily and are excluded from its field." - http://maximaphily.info/Articles/What%20is%20MAXIMAPHILY%20_1_.pdf

That rule is most unfortunate and short-sighted, in my opinion.

It mainly serves the small "community" of maximaphily exhibits judges in Philatelic Expositions.

What's a judge to do about figuring out the message and concordance in an abstract, encrypted maximum card? Nah, too complicated and subjective. Too neuron-stretching. It's HARD!

So, they keep it simple: "a postcard with a certain dog breed, a stamp with the same dog breed, and a postmark with the same dog breed, ideally".

That's fine. I create all  the time MCs with this rationale, this line of thinking.

But why shouldn't we create, whenever we feel like, abstract or symbolic MCs?

The rules of Maximaphily should mainly serve the many creators/collectors, not the few judges.

Do what makes YOU happy, not what others try to impose on you.

Sheesh!

:)

Are you kidding??? stamp from Zazzle.com

Are you kidding??? stamp from Zazzle.com

Mm-hmm. Stamp from Zazzle.com

Mm-hmm. Stamp from Zazzle.com

In the past, YOU, as a stamp collector, were NOT able to communicate with others using text-on-stamps (stamps with words - YOUR choice of words).

Welcome to the present!

I have created many more stamp designs with words, and I can create (you can do it, too) many more, with no end in sight. :)

Sometimes, to create a maximum card, you already have the right postcard, and the right postmark is available for a limited time (1-30 days, usually - in USA, at least).
If you don't have the right stamp, you can...give up. Anybody can do that.
Or, YOU can create the right stamp (with image, text, or both), as you wish (if it's approved, of course).

You can tele-create, remotely create zazzle stamps from wherever you are in the world.
And many other custom products.
Designing is free.
What are you waiting for?
:)
If I can do it, then ANYBODY can do it*.
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* Certain exceptions apply.
:)

Size does matter for Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus) - WWF official maximum cards from Brunei Darussalam (Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace)

The bigger, the better.

"[It] is thought to be used to attract females and is a characteristic of the males, reaching up to 7 inches in length."

We're talking about the nose (proboscis).

"Proboscis Monkey belong to the order of Primates, from the family Cercopithecidae and subfamily Colobinae (Bennett & Gomber, 1993). According to Bennett & Gomber (1993), in the Old World, these monkeys are divided into two groups known as cercopithecines and colobines. Proboscis Monkey are colobines. Males are much larger than females, weighing up to 24 kg (53 pounds) and reaching 72 cm (28 inches) in length, with a tail of up to 75 cm in length. Females are up to 60 cm long, weighing up to 12 kg (26 lb). This large sexual dimorphic difference is greater than in any other primate.^[5]"

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proboscis_Monkey}

^"Brunei (pronounced /bruːˈnaɪ/ in English), officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace^[5] (Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: بروني دارالسلام), is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by thestate of Sarawak, Malaysia, and in fact it is separated into two parts by Limbang, which is part of Sarawak. It is the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo, with the remainder of the island belonging to Malaysia and Indonesia."

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

NUCLEAR, not NUKELAR Postcards from Zazzle.com

NUCLEAR, not NUKELAR Postcards from Zazzle.com

Initially, I submitted this design to create a Zazzle custom stamp.

I show you here the response from the Content Review Team at zazzle.com, because it's very instructive as to what can you expect once in a while, when your submission is not approved:

"Dear dorinco,

Thank you for your interest in Zazzle.com, and thank you for publishing products on Zazzle.

Unfortunately, it appears that your product, NUCLEAR, not NUKELAR, contains content that is not suitable for printing at Zazzle.com.

We will be removing this product from the Zazzle Marketplace shortly.

Please help us make our content approval process better by taking this short survey.

The details of the product being removed are listed below:

• Product Title: NUCLEAR, not NUKELAR
• Product Type: Postage
• Product ID: 172770906595570621

• Result: Not Approved
• Policy Violations:

o Design includes material that is not suitable for printing on custom postage

We apologize for the inconvenience, a detailed description of the policies are located here.

If you have any questions or concerns about the review of your product, please emailcontent_review@zazzle.com

Best Regards, 
Content Review Team 
Zazzle Inc."

======================

So, what's a designer to do?

Give up?

So I designed  a postcard, instead, with NUCLEAR, not NUKELAR..

 

Polar bear, (Ursus maritimus), mother and two cute Postage Stamps from Zazzle.com

Polar bear, (Ursus maritimus), mother and two cute cubs Postage Stamps from Zazzle.com

Eye-of-the-beholder maximum card: what do YOU see?

The painter is Salvador Dali.

I did not create this maximum card; somebody else created it "in violation of the laws" [OMG!] of traditional maximaphily, since it's an abstract subject and connection.

Well, I say that abstractions, (visual) metaphors and subtle mental encryptions should be encouraged in maximaphily, not prohibited.

My newest Zazzle stamp: Blizzard of 2010, 2/6/2010. Accumulated 32.4 inches of snow in Herndon, VA, near Dulles International Airport.

Accumulated 32.4 inches of snow in Herndon, VA, near Dulles International Airport, on 6 FEB 2010.

http://www.zazzle.com/blizzard_of_2010_2_6_2010_postage-172950724858161300?rf=238693463283865848

"Now you see him, now you don't!" "Before, and after".

The title is a joke, of course. :)

I could further joke that the guy is an avid researcher, member of several herpetological societies. He wrestles with his python once a month, so that's his Mont(hl)y Python. 

The lower image shows his Full...Python. Full of food.

Joking aside, the upper image shows a young boa, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Snake,_Jersey_Zoo.jpg and the bottom shows an 8 meter-long sucuri from Pantanal, Brazil. That's a special boa, called anaconda - green anaconda, in this case. 

In the belly of the beast is a capybara, the world's largest rodent http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara.

"Eunectes murinus (derived from the Greek "Ευνήκτης" meaning "good swimmer" and the Latin "murinus" translated into "he who predates on mice") is a non-venomous boa species found in South America. It is the most massive of all known snake species".

"Primarily aquatic, they eat a wide variety of prey, almost anything they can manage to overpower, including fish, birds, a variety of mammals, and other reptiles. Particularly large anacondas may even consume large prey such as tapir, deer, capybara, jaguars, black caiman, and crocodiles, but such large meals are not regularly consumed"

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

I especially like that lower image, an actual postcard from Brazil. Someday, I'll create a maximum card, with a matching stamp.

Here are a few anaconda stamps:

http://www.reptile-stamps.de/html/eunectes

This stamp design was not printed/ordered yet. You could be the first owner of it, worldwide! :)

http://www.zazzle.com/giant_panda_bear_cute_cub_su_lin_postage-172727316828710880?rf=238693463283865848

I don't have enough disposable income to actually buy ALL the stamp designs that I create at zazzle.com.
Some of my stamp designs are so rare that there is only 1 sheet of 20 stamps in the whole world (like the "no text" version of the above); or THERE IS NO sheet of 20 stamps in existence, yet, like this text version of my Su Lin stamp design.
What other company/country allows you to create and display, without ordering/buying, a personalized stamp design product?

Lovely giant panda cub Su Lin, from San Diego Zoo - the "no text" version of my Zazzle stamp

http://www.zazzle.com/giant_panda_bear_cub_postage-172565669280993827?rf=238693463283865848