Asian Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) also known as the Moon Bear or White-Chested Bear - WWF maximum cards about Pakistan

"Asian Black Bear

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  (Redirected from Himalayan Bear)

The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus), also known as the Moon bear^[2] or White-chested bear^[3] is a medium-sized species of bear, largely adapted for arboreal life, which occurs through much of southern Asia, Korea, northeastern China, the Russian far east and Honshū and Shikoku islands of Japan."

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

There are many dangerous "entities" lurking in the wilderness of "The Pure Land" (a.k.a. Pakistan). This one here is NOT the deadliest. So don't shoot this innocent animal - it has no hidden agenda and it just wants to satisfy...bear necessities.

Oh, wait - killing may not be the worst thing that can happen, even to a bear!

"Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) is a Hong Kong-based charity that seeks to end cruelty to animals in Asia.

The AAF was founded in 1998 by Jill Robinson, who felt compelled to create the organisation after learning of the plight of the Asiatic Black Bear known as the “Moon Bear” because of the yellow crescent on its chest. Moon Bears are farmed throughout Asia for their bile, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine. The methods used in bear bile farming involve bears living up to 25 years in crush cages with metal catheters inserted into their abdomens for bile extraction or open wounds through which the bile drips.[1]"

"In February 2009, Animals Asia rescued a dozen malnourished, diseased Asiatic Black Bears from abusive bile-harvesting farms in southwest China. The bears were given to Animals Asia under an agreement made in 2000 with the government to save sick bears from state and illegal farms. The animals went to the foundation's Moon Bear Rescue Center outside Chengdu, which has handled 260 freed bears since the agreement was signed. [5]"

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

http://www.all-creatures.org/anex/bear-bf-12.html

http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=imghp&biw=1024&bih=653&q=bear+bile+farming&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Great Union Day (Romanian: Ziua Marii Uniri, also called Unification Day) occurring on December 1, is the national holiday of Romania.

"Great Union Day (Romanian: Ziua Marii Uniri, also called Unification Day^[1]) occurring on December 1, is the national holiday of Romania. It commemorates the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia, which declared the Union of Transylvania with Romania.

This holiday was set after the 1989 Romanian Revolution and it marks the unification of Transylvania, but also of the provinces of Bessarabia and Bukovina with the Romanian Kingdom, in 1918."

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

A previous Unification was accomplished by Michael The Brave, in 1600:

"Michael the Brave (Romanian: Mihai Viteazu(l), Mihai Bravu, 1558 - August 9, 1601) was the Prince of Wallachia (1593–1601), of Transylvania (1599–1600), and of Moldavia (1600), the three Romanian principalities^{note 1} being joined in the form of personal union for a brief time under his rule."

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

Geopolitical Journey, Part 6: Ukraine | STRATFOR

Geopolitical Journey, Part 6: Ukraine | STRATFOR

I will post later some  minimum, not maximum cards from Ukraine, from a partner/friend (he affixed whatever stamps he wanted onto his postcards).

I was told that it's illegal for a postal worker in Ukraine to postmark a stamp on the picture side.

Somehow, I'm not convinced. My investigation is ongoing. :)

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UPDATE