Military Care Kit

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is offering a Military Care Kit, or "Mili-kit," to make it easier for military families and friends to send care packages to their loved ones stationed overseas.

Each kit contains two priority mail boxes, six priority mail flat-rate boxes, eight priority mail labels, one roll of priority mail tape and eight customs forms with envelopes.

There is no charge for the kit, which may be ordered by calling the USPS Expedited Package Supply Center at 1-800-610-8734.

For more detailed information on tracking and military mail, visit the Military Postal Service Agency's Web site at http://hqdainet.army.mil/mpsa.

Real Aotearoa stores

According to Scoop Independent News and a New Zealand Post press release, Real Aotearoa stores are "a new take" on the traditional souvenir shop.

The newly opened stores in Auckland and Christchurch are targeting well heeled visitors - especially stamp collectors.

New Zealand Post stamps general manager Ivor Masters is quoted as saying that the idea is a simple one and seemed a logical progression of the stamps and collectables business

"Stamp collectors are a discerning audience. They know what they want. Those who visit our retail centres have very specific product requests which tend to be filled from stock behind the counter rather than items on display in the front of the shop," he said.

The Maori word "Aotearoa" is synonymous with New Zealand.

To read the entire article, click here.

Irish Post Office ‘facing collapse’

According to a report on the IrishExaminer.com Web site, "Over a quarter of post offices have closed down since 2000 and the entire network faces collapse in the coming years unless the Government addresses fears over declining business and a possible loss of social welfare payments."

The Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) claims hundreds of members are earning less than the legal minimum wage, despite remaining open for up to 50 hours every week.

Dissatisfaction with remuneration is prompting postmasters and postmistresses to leave the service, while concern is also mounting about the future of Government business — such as social welfare payments — which is carried out in post offices.

Shown above is a somewhat forlorn looking Irish mailman on a 1983 stamp (SC573) marking World Communications Year (WCY).

To read the entire article, click here.

Potter featured in Goverment Leader

The Nov/Dec issue of Government Leader Magazine has profiled Postmaster General Jack Potter in its cover story, focusing on his accomplishments as PMG and the improved performance of USPS in recent years.

It reports in depth on Potter’s management style, "forged as he rose through the ranks." The son of a 40-year Postal Service veteran, Potter began his postal career in 1978 as a distribution clerk in Westchester, N.Y.

To read the article, click here.

Keeping people posted

According to GulfNews.com, "The hosting of a major stamp exhibition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signaled a growing interest in stamp collecting and philately in the country, said Abdullah Khoury, head of the Emirates Philatelic Association."

Khoury says philately is still in the developing stages in the UAE.

"This is a first major step in promoting philately in this region, and a means to bring international recognition to regional philately and stamp collection," he said.

Shown above is a thirteen-year-old named Nasar who displaying his collection at the Asian Stamp Exhibition. Among his stamps is a recalled 1977 stamp with the date printed upside down in Arabic.

For more on the Emirates Philatelic Association, click here.

Celebrating our differences

USPS NewsLink reported earlier this week that, "In a time when politics, war and cultural differences tend to divide nations rather than promote international tolerance and diversity, one California Postmaster prefers to celebrate our differences."

Fresno Postmaster Ramona Frankfort celebrated this year’s holiday stamps by inviting the diverse elements of her community to attend a special dedication event.

Shown in the USPS photo above is Kamal Abu-Shamsieh, (left), Director of the Fresno Islamic Cultural Center, Postmaster Frankfort (center) and Community Relations Coordinator Ben Romero (right)

“The concept was to gather members of all cultures, faiths and backgrounds in one common ceremony,” Frankfort said.

The event was held at the Islamic Cultural Center in Fresno. A captain from the city’s fire department opened the ceremony, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Representatives from Fresno’s Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Afro-American communities spoke to an audience of 250.

Afterwards, there was a reception and refreshments.

Santa and the Postmaster

ABC Family will premiere a one-hour holiday special titled, “Dear Santa” on Tues., Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

According to a USPS press release, the Postal Service provided the producers of the show with letters to Santa from around the country.

Letters featured on the show helped make children’s Chirstmas wishes come true.

In 1912, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow individuals and institutions to use letters addressed to Santa Claus for philanthropic purposes.

In the photo above, Postmaster Hitchcock is shown handing Pilot Earle Ovington the first pouch of air mail on Long Island, New York, Sept. 23, 1911.

Could it be the letters in the sack were destined for the North Pole? We'll never know.

Happy Thanksgiving

Apart from the US and Canada, Brazil also observes Thanksgiving according to the Heindorffhus Web site.

As reported on this wonderful philatelic site, "The celebration began in the 1940s when the Brazilian ambassador to the U.S. was invited to a Thanksgiving service at the National Cathedral in Washington. He liked the idea and took it home. Brazil has celebrated a Thanksgiving ever since."

Shown above is the first Brazil Thanksgiving stamp (Scott #1417) which was issued in 1975. Over the years, Brazil has issued quite a few others - usually in November.

For more on Thanksgiving and stamps, click here.

QUEZONPEX 3

Yesterday marked the virtual opening of the world's finest international virtual philatelic exhibit, QUEZONPEX 3.

Co-sponsor,virtual exhibitor,and Australian blogmaster extrodinaire Michael Dodd of CDD Stamps says, "If you have not had a look yet, I do think it worth a few minutes, or more once you get started, to have a look at the exhibits that have been submitted. Open 24 hours a day so to speak.. and for longer than just a few days as is the case with normal (that is physical) Stamp Shows and Exhibitions, and hey, no entrance fee."

Michael goes on to say if you're looking for ideas about how to prepare and present an exhibition display this is a great place to start.

I couldn't agree more. Even if exhibiting isn't your thing, there are some really interesting exhibits all of which are very extremely easy to navigate.

So here's tip of the Round-Up tongs to show organizer Alberto Z. Acala of the Philippines, his helpers and all the exhbitors who worked long and hard to put this together.

Great job!

Alberto reached at maeca_mvcc@yahoo.com for more information or to find out how to get a copy of the show's souvenir cover, a virtual copy of which is shown above.

To visit QUEZONPEX 3 (and don't forget to sign the virtual guest book!), click here.

Homer Simpson stamps

If you want a chuckle or two go Worth1000.com and check out their latest "Going Postal" Photoshop contest.

According to the site, "Marilyn Monroe has a stamp, so why not Marilyn Manson, huh? If James Dean, tragic 50's teen idol, can have his own stamp, why doesn't Jimmy Dean, sausage maker extraordinaire, get one? It makes no sense, we need better stamp designers, to right these wrongs, and equalize these inequities."

The object of the contest was to create a new design for a postage stamp. Either one we'd all love, or one we'd all hate - like the one shown above (which I understand is available at your nearby Kwik-E-Mart! Do'h!)

To visit the site, click here.

ZIP code directories...may they rest in peace

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reporter Lena Mitchell had a run-in with a window clerk at her local post office recently over ZIP code directories. Apparently they are no longer being printed.

She writes, "Surely if the post office can spread itself into so many areas outside its basic business of delivering letter mail - including a boutique of postal gifts, clothing, collectibles, online bill-paying and other services - it can give us a basic service like onsite ZIP code information."

According to a post office spokesperson, the postal service discontinued placing ZIP code directories in post offices in 2004.

By the way, the ZIP in ZIP code is actually an acronym for "Zoning Improvement Plan." Mr. ZIP (shown above) appeared on the selvage of stamp panes on many stamp issues, beginning with the Sam Houston stamp of 1964.

To read Lena's article, click here.

What's in your refrigerator?

Shown on the left is collector/dealer Steven Tan, 68, of Malaysia. He and the hobby were featured in an article that appears today in the on-line edition of the Malaysia Star.

Since the mid-1970s, Tan has been managing director of International Stamp & Coin in Malaysia. He also the publisher of several catalogues on stamps, coins and paper money.

In the article, Tan gives some rather unusual advice. “Since the weather is so hot in Malaysia, do you know I used to recommend that stamp collectors keep their collections in the fridge!"

“Really ? because that will keep them in perfect condition. Nowadays you have chemical free stamp albums, but it’s not the same."

Huh?

To read the entire article, click here.

St. Francis of the Post Office

Mail carrier, Kathy Bland (shown above), was recently featured in her local paper because she has saved more than 800 abandoned or neglected animals along her Indiana mail route, helps the elderly and sends candy to children she delivers mail to.

In an article titled "St. Francis of the Post Office," the cancer survivor's unusual outreach to children, elderly and animals along her delivery route was profiled. As a result, she and the post office got tons of positive feedback except... from her employers.

According to The Star Press in central Indiana, "... the postal service was more concerned with the potential safety issues the article and accompanying photos raised."

Despite it not having affected her productivity, Bland is no longer allowed to give candy to children or rescue needy animals during work hours. She also was banned from giving media interviews in her postal-service uniform.

However, all is not lost.

She recently received a letter from Postmaster General Potter commending her "excellent service" after an outraged citizen wrote him about how Bland was being treated.

To read the entire article, click here.

Barber stamp

Darren Garnick writes in his "Working Stiff" column which appears in the Boston Herald that New Jersey barber shop owner Carmen Triggiano has tried for the past 16 years to have a U.S. postage stamp honoring the barber profession.

According to Garrick, "He has written to three U.S. presidents and numerous local, state and federal officials, and has secured the support of every barber/cosmetology licensing board in the nation. He's even tried to appeal to a higher power, Oprah Winfrey, whose father Vernon is a barber."

“I’m not giving up,” promises Triggiano, whose latest tactic is contacting Washington, D.C., barbers in the Yellow Pages, hoping some of them cut politicians’ hair.

To read the entire article, click here.

It's official

It’s official. Postmaster General John E. Potter has announced that the U.S. Postal Service is reducing the time it takes a person to become eligible to appear on a stamp following his or her death from 10 years to five.

In a USPS press release, Potter is quoted as saying, "“For more than three decades we have had a rule requiring notable Americans be deceased 10 years before they could be recognized for commemoration on a postage stamp. We created this rule to make certain their legacy stood the test of time. The Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee has been discussing this issue for some time and now has recommended that we reduce that wait time to five years."

“In this era of instant communications, I think this is a reasonable suggestion and it will allow us to honor a subject’s lifetime achievements while their memory is still relatively fresh in the public’s eye,” Potter said. “This new approach will take effect Jan. 1, 2007.”

The Committee will not accept or consider proposals for a subject until at least three years after his/her death. The change does not affect deceased U.S. presidents, who may be honored with a memorial stamp as soon as the first birth anniversary following their death.

For additional details on the stamp selection process, click here.

Pikes Peak

Today marks the 200th anniversary of the sighting of Pikes Peak in 1806.

Shown on the right is a 1902 lithograph by Illinois artist Edgar Spier Cameron (1862-1944) which appears on a recent US postcard issued to mark the occasion. It depicts Capt. Zebulon Montgomery Pike and three members of his expedition standing on a mountaintop looking at the summit that would be named in his honor.

Noted for its imposing appearance and for the majestic views provided from its 14,110-foot summit, Pikes Peak is a popular tourist destination near Colorado Springs, Colo. It was declared a national historic landmark in 1961.

According to a USPS news release, "As the expedition was crossing the plains in mid-November, Pike became intrigued by a mountain 'which appeared like a small blue cloud' in the distance."

Although Pike never actually climbed it — harsh weather conditions turned him back — the mountain that had captured his attention became commonly known as "Pikes Peak."

For more on Pike and his expedition, click here.

Man claims he's the one who mailed invert

Round-Up reader Leigh Caldwell reports that The Sarasota Herald-Tribune has a on-line video report about a man who claims he's the one who mailed the suspected "Inverted Jenny" on his absentee ballot(see 11/9/2006 post).

According to the video, it's not what it seems.

To view the video, click here.

Trailblazers and Trendsetters

"Trailblazers & Trendsetters: Art of the Stamp,” an exhibition opening this Thursday at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, showcases some of the original art for postage stamps commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service during the last 50 years. The works of art featured in the exhibit are on loan from the U.S. Postal Service.

The 76 pieces on display in this exhibition are the work of more than 40 different artists; some of the original works are more than 100 times the size of the stamp on which they appear.

The works of art on display in the exhibit are a sampling of the wide range of events, people and trends that have influenced American culture—the “Trailblazers & Trendsetters” that have earned a place in the nation’s history and have been honored on stamps.

From explorers to entertainers, the “Trailblazers & Trendsetters” on exhibit represent a broad spectrum of American history and popular culture. Among the “Trailblazers & Trendsetters” on display are “Buffalo Soldiers,” “Emily Dickinson,” “Duke Ellington,” “First Man on the Moon,” “Juan Ponce de Leon” and “Laurel & Hardy.”

USPS selling Segway Scooters

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has teamed up with Supply Management Investment Recovery in Washington, DC, to sell 38 Segway scooters to the general public.

Back in 2002, Reuters reported that the post office bought 40 of the innovative Segway devices to begin a second phase of testing in Norman, Okla., and five new locations including San Francisco, Memphis, the Bronx in New York City, Chandler, Ariz., and a sixth, undisclosed location.

"The initial tests demonstrated how the machines could relieve postal workers from the travail of carrying as much as 35 pounds of mail along their routes, the post office said. It also decreased the time it took to walk between delivery addresses."

Apparently there was a good amount of oppostion from the carriers and others(click here for a PostalMag.com editorial on the purchase).

So don't miss out on this chance to own your own personal Segway scooter. According to USPS.com, the scooters come complete with a user guide, getting started manual, and a safety video "to start you on your Segway scooter experience."

The auction will be held online with bidding beginning at 8:00 A.M. CT on December 6, 2006, and ending at 5:00 P.M. CT on December 7, 2006.

For further information, contact Chris Register at the DoveBid, Inc., Chicago office at 847-597-4410.

To go to the auction site and videos of the Segways in action, click here.

UK Christmas stamps stir controversy

Britain's Royal Mail is having to defend a set of Christmas stamps, designed by Japanese artist Tatsuro Kuichi, for not being religious enough, according to Japan Times.

The three designs (shown above) have created a stir in Britain with the Church of England saying it was disappointed there were no religious images among the series of 2006 Christmas stamps.

According to the article, "Digital illustrator Kiuchi, who graduated from International Christian University in Tokyo, but is not a Christian, said he took time to try to understand the real meaning of Christmas in Europe before making the designs."

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said it was customary for the postal service to consider both the religious and secular aspects of the holiday in order to recognize "all elements of Christmas in a multifaith society."

To read the entire article, click here.

Semper Fi and Happy Veterans Day!

Yesterday marked the 231st birthday of the United States Marine Corps and today is Veterans Day.

Last year the achievements of John A. Lejeune, Lewis B. Puller, John Basilone, and Daniel J. Daly, four legendary Marines who served with bravery and distinction during the 20th century, were immortalized on US postage stamps.

The John A. Lejeune stamp features a detail from a circa 1924 photograph of Lejeune. The stamp also depicts the insignia of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division, which Lejeune commanded during World War I.

The Lewis B. Puller stamp features a photograph of Puller at Koto-ri, Korea, in 1950, and the insignia of the 1st Marine Division. Puller was a battalion commander and regimental commander with the 1st Marine Division during World War II and the Korean War.

The John Basilone stamp features a detail of a 1943 photograph of Basilone and the insignia of the 5th Marine Division. Basilone served and died with the 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division during the invasion of Iwo Jima in February 1945.

The Daniel J. Daly stamp features a detail from a circa 1919 photograph of Daly and the insignia of the 73rd Machine Gun Company, which is a variation on the Army's 2nd Infantry Division insignia. During World War I, Daly served as a Marine with the 73rd Machine Gun Company in the 2nd Infantry Division.

By the way, the USPS is offering a free,44-page, full color publication (#528), Veterans and the Military on Stamps. It can be downloaded by clicking here.

Semper Fi and Happy Veterans Day to all our men and women in uniform!!

Dillaway to receive Spellman Award

The Weston Town Crier reports that Dr. Guy Dillaway will be the first person to receive the prestigious Spellman Award in over five years.

Dillaway, a resident and dentist in Weston, has been involved with the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History since the mid-1960s. He was on the museum’s Board of Trustees for 20 years until recently and now does appraisals for them.

Dillaway is a past Vice-President of the American Philatelic Society, he is also a member of the American Stamp Dealers Association, and the Postal History Society.

The Spellman Museum, with more than 2 million items, was founded in 1960. It is one of only two stamp museums in the country, the other being the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

To read the entire article, click here.

Suspected "Inverted Jenny" used to mail ballot

AZCentral.Com is reporting that a suspected "Inverted Jenny" was used to mail a ballot in yesterday's election.

Broward County, Fla., elections officials said what appeared to be the famous misprint was affixed to an envelope containing an absentee ballot.

According to Robert Nolin, a reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel,"The stamp, similar to one that sold in mint condition for $525,000 last year, was canceled. So was the ballot, which contained no clue to the identity of the voter."

The mystery unfolded at the elections office Tuesday evening, when County Commissioner John Rodstrom, a member of the county's Canvassing Board, noticed an unusual stamp on a large white envelope carrying an absentee ballot.

"A former stamp collector, Rodstrom immediately recognized the unmistakable blue and red image of an upside-down biplane: the Inverted Jenny."

Mitch Kopkin, proprietor of the Tropical Stamp shop in Fort Lauderdale is quoted as saying, "It's highly unlikely the stamp in question is an actual Inverted Jenny. It could be a forged stamp."

To read the entire article, click here.

Premium Postcards

The United States Postal Service has a cool feature you might not know
about. It's called Premium Postcards.


If you go to: http://tinyurl.com/8ybt4, you can upload a picture and
they'll create, print, and mail a postcard for you. You can also choose an image from their gallery. Included in the gallery are the 50 state "Greetings From" Series.

Lori Appling of Delray Beach, FL says she used to use this service a lot when she lived in Paris. "It allowed me to make postcards out of my own pictures as well as avoid the international postage rates."

For a premium postcard, it's only $.84.

eBay - a virtual goldmine for USPS

The Rocky Mountain News reports that Postmaster General John Potter says eBay shippers have generated more than $1 billion of postage since the two started working closely together more than two years ago.

Calling it a "virtual gold mine" for the postal service, reporter Jeff Smith writes, "USPS is a gargantuan federal organization with $69.9 billion in revenue and more than 700,000 employees. Unlike private companies, it doesn't face Wall Street pressure to achieve certain earnings or revenue growth, instead looking to cover its costs."

"But even that has proved difficult in recent years, with more people e-mailing than sending letters. EBay has provided a boost to USPS' priority mail and other package services, through such products as the flat-rate boxes."

Priority mail revenue alone was up 9.2 percent in the first nine months of the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 according to the article.

To read the entire article, click here.

Political mail

Ohio's Ledger Independent reports that political mail has reached a ‘phenomenal’ level.

According to staff writer Misty Maynard, "Friday alone, more than 5.2 million political mailings were sent out of the Cincinnati district of the United States Postal Service."

Described as a "phenomenal amount of mail" by Bonni Manies, the manager of consumer affairs for the USPS, this year's political mail is more than twice in volume than the political mailings of the last major election.

"Processing the amount of political mail that goes through the system daily is both a blessing and a curse. Manies said the mailings do put more money into the system. However, it has made the jobs of many workers more difficult."

To read the entire article, click here.

...AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE TOMORROW!

Gibraltar calling

Got a nice e-mail from Stephen Perera in response to a post I did on October 21.

Stephen is the creative genius behind the Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau's magnificent Web site.

It is quite unique and a definite must see for every stamp collector with a computer.

Stephen says, "I wanted to add a few special ingredients to set it apart from all other philately sites in the world...the Stamp Previews section for example....no-one does that at all....and then the Magnifying Glass.....this is where I have some fun really.....I design a lot of their stamps and do all their design work so when I have some time I spend 3 or 4 days doing some fun stuff on anything I can think of!!!!! I felt the postmark was a bit of an unsung hero so I did something for it!"

He continues, "...if you have any thoughts or ideas on developing things on the site please let me know.....I'd love some feedback.....anything.....I don't get to talk to anybody looking at the site out there really."

He can be reached at graphics@stephenperera.com

To visit the Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau, click here.

For a related story about Gibraltar's postal services, click here.

Prisoner parcel post

A prisoner wrapped himself in a large parcel and posted himself to freedom from a jail in Austria according to Ananova.com

The site reports that Bosnian Muradif Hasanbegovic, 36, was serving a seven-year sentence for robbery in the Karlau prison, near Graz.

He escaped from the workshop where he helped package and post parts for lampposts.

The man packed himself up in a parcel, and other convicts loaded him onto a lorry. Once clear of the prison he broke out of the parcel, jumped off the back of the lorry and fled.

The lorry driver told police: "I noticed the tarpaulin had a hole in it just as the prison called me and asked 'Have you noticed anything funny? We are kind of missing a prisoner'."

Khamsa stamps withdrawn

TotallyJewish.com reports that, "The Israeli postal authority has been forced to pull two new stamps from circulation after it was realised that their designs incorporated holy words that, under religious law, couldn’t be defaced, disposed of or destroyed."

According to the site, "The first, which was withdrawn last week, depicted a khamsa –a charm shaped like a hand – and incorporated one of the names of God in Hebrew. The other, it was noted after production, showed sections of the Talmud."

The postal authority was instructed to cease printing the stamps by Israel’s Communications Minister Rav Ariel Attias.

Recipients of the stamps have been advised that they need to receive the same kind of religious burial as a siddur or Torah scroll.

Israeli post offices, meanwhile, are offering a refund to anyone who has purchased one of the stamps.

Ten year rule being reconsidered

Associated Press (citing Linn's as their source) is reporting that USPS is considering speeding up an individual's eligibility to be honored on a stamp .

According to the article, USPS is discussing allowing people to be subject of a stamp five years after they die rather than the current 10 years. The one exception are former U.S. presidents who are honored with a stamp the year after they die.

The report says, "Several political leaders have been pressing for an exception to that rule for civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, who died last year."

To read the entire article, click here.

Philatelic Cruising

According to Gibbons Stamp Monthly, "There are now some 16,000 stamps depicting ships listed in the Stanley Gibbons specialist catalogue."

An on-line feature article, Philatelic Cruising, says, "With the phenomenal growth in the popularity of cruising over the last 20 years or so, there is a wealth of philatelic material which can be used to illustrate the history and development of this popular leisure form."

According to the article, "The Ship Stamp Society, with its worldwide membership of almost 300 members in 23 countries, has collectors with specialised knowledge of all types of vessels ranging from naval craft, liners, yachts, etc, and there is much exchange of information between these enthusiasts in the Society’s monthly magazine Log Book."

To visit their Web site, click here.

To read the entire article, click here.

Also, check out Ships on Stamps at www.shipsonstamps.org

National Postal Museum Library

The National Postal Museum Library is one of twenty specialized libraries in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries system. The National Philatelic Collection was the basis of the Library when it was established in 1993.

With more than 40,000 books, journals, catalogues and archival documents, the National Postal Museum Library is among the world's largest postal history and philatelic research facilities.

Although the National Postal Museum Library focuses mainly on philately and postal service in the United States, the collections are international in scope. In particular, Canada, Great Britain, Germany and France are well represented. With more than 5,000 books, 6,000 serial titles, manuscript files, photographs and many auction and priced catalogues, the collection also includes major archival holdings, including files from the United States Post Office, the Highway Post Office, the Aerial Mail Service, the Railway Mail Service, and the Panama Canal Zone Post Office.

To learn more about the National Postal Museum Library, click here.