Fighting Grassroots Terrorism: How Local Vigilance Can Help | STRATFOR. Also, I show you an emblematic animal for VIGILANCE: The SURICATE / MEERKAT ( Suricata suricatta), on a maximum card / maxicard / dorincard from Bulgaria (no, it doesn't roam Bulgaria - it would incur roaming charges. Sofia Zoo - that's a ZOO, not a person - has some SURICATES)

VIGILANCE goes a long way: Fighting Grassroots Terrorism: How Local Vigilance Can Help | STRATFOR

"The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members. Meerkats have an average life span of 12–14 years."

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

This ain't no pet cat, unless you want a STINKING pet cat.

"Meerkats make very poor pets. 

They bite, and the bite can become infected. 

They stink, and will scent-mark their owner and the house (their "territory"). 

Being a pack animal, they may become hysterical if kept as single pets"

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

Learn about VIGILANCE from SURICATE, and about VIGILANTE attitude from GRIZZLY BEAR (who attacks anybody "guilty" of trespassing/crossing his path/upsetting him).

"Meerkats demonstrate altruistic behavior within their colonies; one or more meerkats stand sentry while others are foraging or playing, to warn them of approaching dangers. 

When a predator is spotted, the meerkat performing as sentry gives a warning bark, and other members of the gang will run and hide in one of the many bolt holes they have spread across their territory."

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

SURICATES are like HUMANS, in some ways...

"Evicted females and roving males"...

"Despite this altruistic behaviour, meerkats sometimes kill young members of their group. 

Subordinate meerkats have been seen killing the offspring of more senior members in order to improve their own offspring's position.^[6]

Meerkats have been known to engage in social activities, including what appear to be 

wrestling matches and foot races."

"members of the group may choose different holes." [?]

"A new meerkat group often arises from evicted females meeting and staying with roving males, 

seeking to mate."

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

In the SURICATE maxicard above, can YOU spot a heart shape, anywhere?
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-DON'T READ FURTHER until you try your spirit of observation...you, Vigilance Champion!
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.

.

-see how hard it is to find a true heart, in today's world?

.

I can FETCH you a heart shape, with a horizontal black stripe, on the SURICATE to the FAR right, between its belly-button and its genitals, I guess.

Yes, you may say that this heart shape is FAR-FETCHED...:)

Please visit and play: Guest Heart Thursday #69

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

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

APS StampCampus - Collecting FDC Course Syllabus. Please read this very useful philatelic information about FDCs (First Day Covers), postmarks, etc

Please read this very useful philatelic information about FDCs (First Day Covers), postmarks, etc:

APS StampCampus - Collecting FDC Course Syllabus

Russia`s Post issues stamps to mark Obama`s 50th birthday: Voice of Russia. The United States Postal Service will only issue a stamp about 1 year after a US President's death. Zazzle, Endicia and stamps.com will NOT issue personalized US postage with a US President , because he is "a politician". Do you really want me to tell you, out loud, what I believe about such postal policies? :) The United Kingdom & The Commonwealth countries have issued perhaps thousands of different designs with the head of the state, AND her family...Prince THIS and Princess THAT. What's the biggie, USPS? There is no biggie. No-big-deal! :) While we are at it, I show you the 5 different US postage featuring me

Russia`s Post issues stamps to mark Obama`s 50th birthday: Voice of Russia

UPDATE: Russia post actually issued a philatelic souvenir with President Obama, NOT a stamp valid for postage. It's not inscribed Russia Post, and there's no denomination. That 50 is the age, of course. :)


ANOTHER UPDATE: Finally, USPS has decided to feature living persons, too, on its stamps. My point, exactly! :)

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Here's the closest I could come, so far, with a maximum card with a US customized postage ("personalized stamp") onto which I could superimpose, if I really want, a small picture of President Obama.

Such a maximum card is not meant to circulate thru the mail from now on, so don't you jump on me and tell me that I am not allowed to "deface" a blank zazzle stamp, or "face" it in this case.

Yes, we are not supposed to obscure any part of a mint USPS stamp that goes into the mailstream.

With a zazzle stamp and such, what matters for the mailstream is actually the black and white square pattern (IBI= information-based indicia) with encrypted franking value, which is supposed to be voided by the scanner of the Post.

Could a design not pre-approved (with a cut-out image glued onto the center of a blank zazzle stamp) still get thru the mail, whether it's supposed to, or not?

One way to find out.

Why shouldn't USPS allow, like New Zealand Post and Israel Post did, postage with a blank area where the user can draw, etc., at their own will and at their own responsibility, including legal, if there is any break of a law?

See more cool stamps, personalized or not, here. Navigate.

http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eryx.it%2Fdentelli%2Findex.htm&langpair=it|en

http://www.eryx.it/dentelli/index.htm

Another example, with my zazzle stamp on a transparency rectangle, temporarily superimposed on the postcard.

USPS, change your rule about "no living persons featured on stamps."

You want only DEAD people on stamps? WTH? :)

It's nice to see stamps with people still alive, full of life, alive and kicking...:)

Even if they are politicians or any other kind of (positive) celebrities.

"New Handbook: Barack Obama on Worldwide Stamps June 2010

The American Topical Association released its 160th handbook on topical collecting in Denver at the National Topical Stamp Show. Released in June, the new handbook is the seventh in the long-running series written by Melvin Morris. The new handbook will be of special interest to collectors of Americana, US Presidents, Black history on stamps, and politically-related philatelic issues. It covers the period of time between Obama's announcement of his intent to run for US President and his selection as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in late 2009. Obama consists of 96 , fully color illustrated pages, with eight short chapters and 113 high-quality illustrations. Stamps from 30 different countries are listed and illustrated. Chapter titles include “Senator Obama's, Free Franks,” “Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize,” “The Coming of "Bo" Obama,” and “Michelle Obama Stamps.” This handbook will be a fine visual reference for philatelic bookshelves. Morris was the editor of Americana Philatelic News, newsletter of ATAs Americana Unit, from 1992 thru 2009. He is a retired high school and college teacher and was an editor for Grolier’s Encyclopedia International.  His collecting interests include the US Presidents and also dogs on stamps. His brief biography in the Obama handbook relates the story of how he collected stamps before he was born! 
Orders for the new ATA handbook should be sent to ATA, PO Box 8, Carterville, IL  62918-0008 for Payments by Check or Money Order. MasterCard, Visa, Discover and PayPal orders can be called into the ATA Central Office at 618-985-5100 or to americantopical@msn.com."

http://www.americantopicalassn.org/handbooks.html

Luckily for me, I am not a celebrity.

So, while President BARACK OBAMA does NOT appear on any "US postage", a nobody citizen like me already appears on 5 different designs!

How crazy is that? :)

You, too, can have your picture on personalized stamps!

If I did it, then anybody* can do it!

*= certain exceptions apply.

I would argue that even a politician or other celebrity MIGHT be able to persuade "zazzle and such" to approve a stamp design, created by:

-  the celebrities themselves (as private citizens entitled to design customized stamps) 

- or by a private designer , by (short email) permission

[I did that already, for friends/partners/clients from 3 continents :)].

For example:

"I, [YOUR NAME HERE], hereby authorize Dorin Cojocariu (USA) to design stamps and postcards with images of myself, pre-approved by me."

Once I receive this email from you or your agent/lawyer, I would forward this to "zazzle and such", as a response to their email asking me IF I have permission from the copyright holder.

Your email address will be verified by "zazzle and such", so that they can have on record your electronic permission for me to create stamps and postcards (for example) with your image(s).

http://www.zazzle.com/dorin_cojocariu_usa_image_2_postage-172985906327460956?rf=238693463283865848

http://www.zazzle.com/dorin_cojocariu_usa_postage-172288326293304320?rf=238693463283865848

C, as in CREATIVITY, Creative Workarounds, Customized Postage...:)

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