BMP AFGHANISTAN Stamps Collection

AFGHANISTAN    378    A120    60p black
AFGHANISTAN    372    A121    25p green
AFGHANISTAN    375    A122    40p chnt brn
AFGHANISTAN    451    A123    1af car & ultra
AFGHANISTAN    551    A172    100p citron
AFGHANISTAN    552    A172    2af lt grn
AFGHANISTAN    662a    A210    3af choc (White Margins)
AFGHANISTAN    676    A214    5af gold, rose car & blk
AFGHANISTAN    682    A217    13.75af car rose
AFGHANISTAN    684    A218    50p dl red & grn
AFGHANISTAN    686    A218    5af brt grn & dk brn
AFGHANISTAN    695    A222    25p gold, bl, blk, red, & grn
AFGHANISTAN    704    A227    75p aqua, dk bl & emer
AFGHANISTAN    1051    A430    20af multi
AFGHANISTAN    1097    A442    2af multi
AFGHANISTAN    1098    A442    5af multi
AFGHANISTAN    1099    A442    8af multi
AFGHANISTAN    1102    A442    15af multi
AFGHANISTAN    C57    AP8    10af red lil & grn
AFGHANISTAN    B73    SP18    1.50af + 50p grn, choc & red

C57    AP8    10af red lil & grn

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A122 (March 21, 1951) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    375    A122    40p chnt brn    C    1    0.12    0.12
Ruined Arch (Imprinted: Waterlow & Sons Limited, London) (March 21, 1951) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A120 (March 21, 1951) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    378    A120    60p black    C    1    0.20    0.20
Ancient tower (March 21, 1951) (Imprinted: Waterlow & Sons Limited, London) [Scott Catalogue]

AFHANISTAN's Stamps: A121 (March 21, 1951) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    372    A121    25p green    C    1    0.10    0.10
Zahir Shah (Imprinted: Waterlow & Sons Limited, London) (March 21, 1951) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A123 (November 23, 1957) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    451    A123    1af car & ultra    C    1    0.20    0.20
Zahir Shah (Imprint: Waterlow & Sons Limited, London) (November 23, 1957) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A218 (June 25, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    686    A218    5af brt grn & dk brn    C    1    0.30    0.30
Yak (June 25, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A430 (December 10, 1983) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    1051    A430    20af multi    C    1    0.00
U.N. declaration of human rights, 35th anniversary (December 10, 1983) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A442 (June 30, 1984) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    1097    A442    2af multi    C    1    0.08
AFGHANISTAN    1098    A442    5af multi    C    1    0.20
AFGHANISTAN    1099    A442    8af multi    C    1    0.30
AFGHANISTAN    1102    A442    15af multi    C  1    0.60
Classic automobiles and their designers 1097 (Ettore Bughatti (1881-1947) Type 43, Italy); 1098 (Henry Ford (1863-1947) 1903 Model A, USA); 1099 (Rene Panhard (1841-1908) 1899 Landau, France); 1102 (Armand Peugeot (1848-1915) 1982 Vis-a-Vis, France) (June 30, 1984) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A218 (June 25, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    684    A218    50p dl red & grn    C    1    0.08
Ibex (vertical) (June 25, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A214 (March 22, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    676    A214    5af gold, rose car & blk    C    1    0.35
Issued to honor philately (Tiger's Head of 1878) (March 22, 1964) [ Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A172 (1961-1972) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    551    A172    100p citron    C    1    0.10
AFGHANISTAN    552    A172    2af lt grn    C    1    0.60

Buzkashi (1961-1972) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A210 (October 8, 1963) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    662a    A210    3af choc (White Margins)    C    2    0.50



Balkh Gate (October 8, 1963) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A227 (November 9, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    704    A227    75p aqua, dk bl & emer    C    1    0.05    0.05
Emblem of Afghanistan Women's Association (November 9, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: SP18 (October 1965) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    B73    SP18    1.50af + 50p grn, choc & red    C    1    0.10    0.10

First Aid Station; issued for the Red Crescent Society (October 1965) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A217 (April 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    682    A217    13.75af car rose    C    1    0.50    0.50


Inauguration of Kandahar Airport (April 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: AP8 (April 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN        C57    AP8    10af red lil & grn    C    1    0.35    0.35
Inauguration of Kabul Airport Terminal  (April 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN's Stamps: A222 (August 24, 1964) [Scott Catalogue]

AFGHANISTAN    695    A222    25p gold, bl, blk, red, & grn     U    1    0.07    0.07

Issued to commemorate Independence Day. The stamps were printed with an erroneous inscription in upper left corner: "33rd year of independence." This was locally obliterated with a typographed gold bar. [Scott Catalogue]

Flag and outline of Nadir Shah's Tomb

This is just a test

Testing...testing...testing...do you hear me...phou...phou...testing...123...testing...phou...123

Kindle Fire is not compatible with Blogger

Kindle Fire is not compatible with Blogger with respect to downloading images and pictures of any type. It used to be very easy to download pictures on Blogger using Kindle Fire, but this compatibility is no longer available.

Messages to My Sons: Anticipations

Here comes the weekend again. I am looking forward to this weekend and being with you. Perhaps we could go to watch a movie and eat hamburgers and fries. May be all of us boys can go to do that. I always look forward to our time together. I cherish every moment of it because I know good time like that doesn't last long and soon you will be on your own doing your own things once you are in college. There is nothing more important than family. One day you will know once you have your own children. I am also looking forward to this Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. Your mom said that she will be cooking this year for us only. That would be nice for a change. Good deal.

Within You A Great God

In all human beings, a great God live within us. Our bodies are "temples of the Holy Spirit". Do not offend your Lord God by wearing your "stupid hat".  Love everyone as yourself. You cannot claim that you love your God without first loving your neighbor. Obey the Ten Commandments. They are there for one reason is to make you the best vehicle you can be so that the Lord God can reside in you. The God of Abram, Isaac, and Jacob is alive and lives within you. Be respectful. Amen.

Healthy Hair Tips for Gray Hair

The herb Fenugreek may be used to darken white hair. Grind Fenugreek seeds to a powder. This is accomplished by soaking the seeds in hot water until they soften. Subsequent grinding can form a paste. This paste may be applied diluted with water on gray hair for two hours. Following this application, rinse the hair with some warm water and air dry. This treatment is applied daily to see any effect. Coconut oil may also work on softening the hair and making it silky to touch. Apply coconut oil to hair and let it stay there for about 2 hours. Rinse with hot water and olive oil soap base to wash the hair from coconut oil residues. Before applying these two treatments, apply a small amount of both on your back arm to see if you are sensitive to these products.Results may vary greatly, and you won't see any significant difference until a time period equals to (3 months + 1 month for every year you've had the gray hair. Say you had gray hair for 25 years, then you won't see any significant coloring of your gray hair until (3 + 25) 28 months of applications are done.   You must consult your dermatologist before beginning these hair treatments as they may act differently on different people, and to make sure you are not allergic to these natural products. Good things to you, friend.

Writing is Therapeutic

I once was told to take up writing to relief my stress. I must admit it I was skeptical at first. But, I tried it anyway. It worked. Writing can be therapeutic indeed. You don't have to be a writer to write. Just read my blog posts and you would know immediately I am not much a writer at all. However, writing is more for myself than anyone else. Write my friend, write a blog, a poem, a letter, a postcard, a note to your significant other, just write and distress. By the way, reading has a similar effect. Read a book, a blog, a letter, a newsletter, a newspaper, a magazine, a thesis, just read and enjoy, and most of all distress. Stress is the cause of all health evil. Ask any physician and he/she will tell you that stress is the cause of 80% of all degenerative diseases, including cancer, stroke, and heart attack. The remaining 20% are due to either genetics, accidents, or acute illnesses like bacterial infections. Writing, reading, and arithmetic, or the three Rs are therapeutic. Doing arithmetic can distract you and shift your focus from thinking about your problems to thinking about solving a math problem. Read, write, and do arithmetic. Live life without stress and disease. Writing indeed is a gift from heaven...Enjoy it. 

Messages to My Sons: This Weekend

Dear Babas, I enjoyed seeing you the last couple of days, EG. I am glad you decided to stay over on Friday night. After not being able to see the movie due to uncontrollable temperature in the theater and then the projector would not work (Lol), I am glad we decided not to stay and see the movie. I hope you'll enjoy the jeans you bought. I know you like to wear nice cloth and I hope you will have enough money in your adult life to keep you happy. I missed you very much yesterday dearest AW and JP. I hope you had a nice scout camping time. I know AW enjoys it more than you JP, but you are such an easy going guy. I love you all. Dad.

It is cold in Holly Springs

Winter may not be officially here as yet, but it's been cold the last few days in my Southern town. Yesterday night the temperature was in 20s, and that is cold around here.

Bonjour

Bonjour mes amis. Comment ca va? Tres bien, merci.

Did you know that...

...50% of all death in the United States are due to heart attacks.

And, the Number One Killer Disease in the United States is...[Drummer Please...bmmmbmmmbmmm]

                               Heart Attach

Best Place to Hide Your Secrets...You Have Found It!

If you want to write your personal diary and hid it in a secret place on the Internet, you have found it. Write your personal diary on my blog, BMP. No one reads it. I, me, and myself read it. That's all. Sometimes my brothers and my sister visit my site, but they don't even read the blog posts. They simply like the images of stamps and the ones from planet Mars. BMP seems to have a few followers. But, I am not even sure if they are real. Perhaps their computers accidentally landed on my site for a few seconds while surfing the net. I haven't had a new follower for ages. Somehow the number of BMP followers got stuck on 18. The Google+  followers are 4, and the number has been 4 since I joined Google+. Perhaps this number 4 is the default for Google+. A "4" means you don't have anyone following your blog. It is just to keep you thinking that you have followers. Hide your deepest secrets here for free. No one will read it. I guarantee it.

The "Black Box"

The notion of "black box" is well-known in science. Whenever there is a lack of knowledge in a particular area, this would be a "black box". Botanical medicine and its science is full of these black boxes. Much is based on folklore, hearsay, tradition, belief, and anecdotal reports. Although scientific studies are numerous in this area, including placebo-controlled clinical trials, much of herbalists and traditional healers still rely on what they were handed down from their teachers. Botanical medicine is learned and practiced based on tradition as much as on science. Yes, black boxes are numerous in this area, but other areas of medicine have their own "black boxes". No science is complete, otherwise it becomes obsolete very quickly.

Ceylon's Stamps: A88 (June 2, 1953) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Ceylon's Stamps  A88 Coronation Issue (Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of England) (June 2, 1953) [Scott Catalogue]:

 

317  A88  5c green 

Turkey's Stamps: SP25 (May 5, 1959) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Turkey's Stamps  SP25 (Road building machine) Council of Europe, 10th anniversary; No. B70 surcharged in ultramarine (May 5, 1959); the original surtax of 5k went to the Red Crescent Society and to the Society for the Protection of Children [Scott Catalogue]:

 

1440  SP25  105k on 15k + 5k org

Turkey's Stamps: A286 & A287 (November 10, 1958) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Turkey's Stamps  A286/A287 (printed in alternate rows in sheet) Issued to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Kemal Ataturk [A286 Flame and Mausoleum/A287 Kemal Ataturk] (November 10, 1958) [Scott Catalogue]:

 

1430  A286  25k red

1431  A287  75k bl grn

Turkey's Stamps: A259 (December 26, 1956) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Turkey's Stamps  A259  Mehmet Akif Ersoy (Issued to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Mehmet Akif Ersoy, author of the Turkish National Anthem (each stamp bears a different verse of the anthem) (December 26, 1956) [Scott Catalogue]:

 

1219  A259  20k brn & brt yel grn

1220  A259  20k rose car & lt gray

Turkey's Stamps: A269 (September 1, 1957) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Turkey's Stamps  A269  King of Afghanistan (Issued to commemorate the visit of Mohammed Zahir Shah, King of Afghanistan, to Turkey (September 1, 1957) [Scott Catalogue]:

 

1250  A269  45k car lake & pink

Turkey's Stamps: A250 (May 13, 1956) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Turkey's Stamps  A250  (Zubeyde Hanum) Issued to commemorate Mother's Day 1956, and to honor Zubeyde Hanum, mother of Kemal Ataturk; (May 13, 1956) [Scott Catalogue]:

 

1206  A250  20k pale brn & dk brn

Turkey's Stamps: AP5 (August 13, 1959) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Turkey's Stamps  AP5 (Hawk) (August 13, 1959) [Scott Catalogue]:

 

C34  AP5  105k yel & sep

Turkey's Stamps: AP7 (July 13, 1967) [Scott Catalogue]

 

Turkey's Stamps  AP7 (De Havilland Rapide Biplane) (July 13, 1967) [Scott Catalogue]:

 

C39  AP7  10k pink & blk

How I Lost 50 Pounds in One Year?

The formula is very simple, but its application is very hard. Here is the big secret about loosing weight, for every pound of fat you need to loose, you will need to waste 3,500 Calories. Simple enough, isn't it? Not! Most people who are overweight or fat love to eat. I used to be one of them. Actually, I still am one of them, but I learned how to control myself. So, here is the other part of the big secret, to loose these 3,500 pounds you need to have an extremely self control at the beginning. Yes, only at the beginning until your "new" eating style becomes a habit. It took me exactly one year to loose 50 pounds. I began on October 10, 2013 at the right-full weight of 226 lbs. and by October 10 of this year I dropped to my ideal weight of 176 lbs. (ideal for my age, height, and gender). [There are many sites on the Internet that are happy to provide you with your ideal weight, however to get there it is up to you.] And, don't count on your doctor to tell you how. Believe me if he knew how, he won't be as chubby either. He might give you some lip service on eating less and exercise more as he run out the exam room. My story began on October 10, 2013. I woke up that morning and ate breakfast (three full bagels toasted with cream cheese, yum). I had that morning my appointment at the clinic to check my "cholesterol and lipids level". The news from the lab were terrifying. I had "numbers that I never have seen before", my clinician stated with disbelief. "You must be kidding me" I replied. "Kid you not" said the clinician. I was so depressed that day that three bagels were the only food I ate that day. And, my journey had began. The first thing I did I stopped eating lunch at the "McDonald's" of the World. I either ate a light lunch at work or ate nothing for lunch. At dinner time, I ate a lot of salad and gradually I decreased my food intake at dinner time. I increased my vegetables, salad, and fruits intake and ate less of carbohydrates (bread) and meat. I used to eat a whole bag of chips/peanuts watching TV at night. That's gone too. I noticed my weight began to drop gradually. I would loose a pound or two a week. My six-month visit to the clinic to check my blood lipid makeup was a miracle. It read normal all over the lab report. My clinician and I were all smiles that day. I continued on my new "diet", and one year later it is now a habit to eat less, and eat more of the good stuff (vegetables, fruits, and salads). My meals are almost 70% of this type of foods and the remaining everything else. I do "cheat" once a while. This is usually on the weekends. But, then I return to my "new routine" on weekdays. And, how about exercise? I had a part-time job that required physical activity. Part of loosing 50 pounds in one year is due to it. I would say, it perhaps contributed at least 30% to 40% of me loosing all that weight "quickly". Unfortunately, now I resigned from that job I started to gain "some weight" back. But, if I keep following my new food habit I doubt it very much I am going to gain back all that weight. [Actually, the taste of hamburgers from fast food restaurants is not anymore appealing to me. I just lost the taste for it.] I might gain some, but I am really determined to stay healthy. I am relatively speaking still young and I want to see my children graduate from college and spoil my grand babies with toys.

Health Insurance Premium Increase

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has increased my health insurance premium by 12.2%, beginning in January 2015. This covers my three sons and my wife. I am covered by my employer, at least for now. I am expecting some new changes and surprises from my employer concerning health insurance. I'll keep you posted.

Messages to My Sons: Happy B-Day JP

Happy Sixteen Birthday JP. I love you. I enjoyed the dinner tonight with you, AW, and Mom. I wish EG could have made it to the dinner. Many birthdays to come baby JP. I love you. Dad.

P.S. My God, EG, you lost so much weight. You told me you were at 159 lbs. Wow. Way to go EG.

P.S. AW, you are the greatest thing God ever made. You are so good and want everyone to be happy. You please people on your own expense. You will be rewarded for that. Good deeds never go unnoticed. Good job AW.

Town of Holly Springs (North Carolina): Official Newsletter (November 2014)

Hackers

I discovered yesterday, Saturday, November 1st that my Discover card account was hacked. Someone managed to get to my cashback points and steal worth of $300 from my cashback accumulation. I immediately called Discover and closed the account. With this electronic age, nothing is protected 100%, and for a simple reason. Hackers aim to target the weakest point in the chain. Who knows how they got hold of my account ordering merchandise from L.L. Bean worth of $300? These people, while technically knowledgeable, are the scum of the earth, ethically rundown with no morals or lack of characters. They suffer from moral turpitude. Make sure to check your accounts and in particular the reward programs that you have. There are people looking to steal it from you. Don't become a victim like me.

Homeless at every corner...Revisited

After I published my blog on homeless people standing at intersections in greater Raleigh/Durham area, they suddenly all vanished. Not one or a few, all vanished overnight. And, it was not that cold here. Rumors on the Internet state that they were rounded up and placed in "FEMA Camps". That would be one explanation, I wonder what could be else?

Happy Halloween 2014

MCPHS University

Messages to My Sons (First Message; October 30, 2014)

This first message is one of many to come to my sons: EG, AW, and JP. I love you all very much. Perhaps it is difficult to express my love to you by words. I am not much a talker, as you all know, Babas. I struggle with English words and often I feel I want to say more, much more, than what comes out of my mouth. Somehow, I think you know it. That is it for now. I will write more in the future to you all, Babas.

Are Medical Clinics Loosing Patients Because of Fear from Ebola?

I received the following e-mail from my "primary care provider" clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina. I thought I share it with you all. Are medical clinics concerned about patients not visiting their physicians of fear from "catching" Ebola virus? Perhaps, they are panicking. Just read their message and judge it by yourself:

"Wake Internal Medicine Consultants' goal is to provide Raleigh, NC and surrounding areas with quality medical care in a safe environment. At WIMC, we also have an interest in informing the public on medical issues and current events in the medical field.

WIMC has two Infection Control Officers and we are keeping up-to-date with the latest Ebola news through the Wake County Department of Health & Human Services, the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services and the Federal Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Information and recommendations are changing rapidly and many unknown factors related to the Ebola virus remain. In many ways, Ebola is not different from any other infectious disease that we encounter on a regular basis. Ebola is not airborne and is not spread by casual contact; but, it is transmitted by exposure to bodily fluids such as blood, sweat, urine, etc. We have always practiced the universal precautions such as use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, gloves, frequent hand washing, use of hand sanitizer and will continue to do so. In between patients, every table, counter, door knob, sink, etc. is cleaned with a solution proven to kill Ebola and to eliminate transmission of any diseases, viruses and/or bacteria. If nothing else, the Ebola scare has heightened everyone's awareness of the importance of adhering to these essential universal precautions.

As an additional safety measure, all WIMC phone agents responsible for booking appointments will be asking patients if they have traveled outside of the country in the last 30 days or have been in contact with anyone who has. If the patient answers yes to either question, one of our Infection Control Officers will get engaged for further telephone triage with the patient and medical staff at WIMC.

We take very seriously the health and safety of our patients and staff and make it a top priority. You can be certain we will remain diligent in emphasizing this point as we are confronted with circumstances like the Ebola virus scare.

Respectfully,

Wake Internal Medicine Consultants, Inc."

 

Gone Blog

At ease until further notice.

A homeless at every corner

Perhaps it is the sign of time.It is definitely not a new phenomenon. However, I have noticed it spreading a bit too much recently. In the Triangle Area in North Carolina, homeless people are showing up at traffic intersections with signs begging for donations. Some spend a good number of hours standing at the same corner. Not only men, but women too. Young and old, all races, and both genders stand there for hours begging with a sign in their hands. These signs are made and "look professionally prepared".This phenomenon is widespread in big cities, like Boston or New York, but not here. It is just new to this area. What the background of these homeless people and what brought them to that point in their life remains a mystery. Once I was watching how many "dollars" one guy got in a matter of a couple of minutes (the time to take a traffic light to go through a cycle). He collected about $5 to $10 in 2 minutes. That is $150 to $300 per hour. No wonder I am seeing more people begging for money. Who needs a job if you already have one making $300/hour!

Beautiful Jewish Wisdom: God is Love

"Could we with ink the ocean fill, Were every blade of grass a quill, Were the world of parchment made, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry; Nor would the scroll Contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky." Meir B. Issaac Nehorai

Beautiful Jewish Wisdom

" We are told by the Psalmist first to leave evil and then to do good. I will add that if you find it difficult to follow this advice, you may first do good, and the evil will automatically depart from you." The Gerer Rabbi (The Hasidic Anthology)

Beautiful Jewish Wisdom

"Enrich your heart with love and friendship. Love your neighbor as yourself and wish him well. Have mercy upon him in his misfortune, and do all you can for him." Jacob Kranz (Sefer Ha-Middoth)

Ebola "Natural" Scams

In every new health crisis, there are those who try to scam people into buying products that combat the cause of that illness. There are currently "natural" remedies claims on the Internet that specifically trying to push one product or another on the public claiming it can protect or cure Ebola. These are just claims, they are not based on factual discoveries or clinical trials. No one yet has conducted trials on the use of colloidal silver against the Ebola virus. No one yet has shown any scientically based clinical evidence that injections of massive doses of vitamin C given intravenously can kill the Ebola virus. All of these are claims and are not based on facts. What has been shown so far is that the immune system of the patient, given appropriate supports such as liquids and nutrients, could stop the progression of the disease and overcome the virus. Infusing antibodies from previously infected individuals into new patients seem to help as well. These are the hard facts. Nothing more and nothing less. Now, if you want to spend your money on colloidal silver or massive doses of vitamin C, then it is your call. However, most likely, by doing so you are making some people very rich and you are living in a dream world, perhaps free of nightmares, but it is nevertheless a dream world.

Colloidal Silver

Could colloidal silver act against viral infections? The answer is yes, according to natural medical practitioners. Could colloidal silver work against Ebola virus? Theoretically speaking, it could, but no one has tried it yet. Colloidal silver can be taken by mouth or applied externally on affected areas. Some call colloidal silver "nano silver". In colloidal preparations, the particles of the dispersed phase are normally between 1 nm in size to 0.5 micrometer. Colloidal dispersions are a class of dispersed systems that is between molecular dispersions and coarse dispersions. The particles in the molecular dispersions are less than 1 nanometer in size whereas coarse dispersions have their particles greater than 0.5 micrometers in size. Too much of colloidal silver intake can turn the skin blue in color, a benign condition, but aesthetically not very appealing.

Closed Border

Effective immediately, North Korea has closed its border to all tourists. According to official North Korean reports, the border closing was due to keep Ebola out the country.

Russia's Stamps; A2171 (September 15, 1977) [Scott Catalogue]

Russia's Stamps  A2171  Icebreaker Arctica, first ship to travel from Murmansk to North Pole, August 9-17; multicolored margin with Russian flag and map of Arctica's route; red control number No. 468993 (September 15, 1977) [Scott Catalogue];

4586  A2171  50k multi

Russia's Stamps: A2170 (July 15, 1977) [Scott Catalogue]

Russia's Stamps  A2170  Judith, by Giorgione (July 15, 1977) [Il Giorgione (1478-1511), Venetian painter; detail from painting in Hermitage, Leningrad]; brown and gold frame with black and white inscription; size 78x106 mm [Scott Catalogue]:

4578  A2170  50k multi 

Russia's Stamps: A2178 (October 26, 1977) [Scott Catalogue]

Russia's Stamps  A2178  60th anniversary of October Revolution (black, red, and gold margin showing appeal and front-page of Izvestia 1917; size 106x73 mm) (October 26, 1977) [Scott Catalogue]:

4614  A2178  30k gold, red & blk Medal

Russia's Stamps: A1526 (August 5, 1965) [Scott Catalogue]

Russia's Stamps  A1526  8th Trade Union Spartacist Games (August 5, 1965) [Scott Catalogue]:

3075  A1526  4k vio bl, bis brn & red brn Relay Race

3076  A1526  4k buff, red brn, gray & mar Bicycle Race

3077  A1526  4k bl, mr, buff & lt brn Gymnast on Vaulting Horse

Russia's Stamps: A1543 (November/December 1965) [Scott Catalogue]

Russia's Stamps  A1543  Birds (November/December 1965) [Scott Catalogue]:

3124  A1543  1k gray grn & blk Buzzard

3125  A1543  2k pale brn & blk Kestrel

3126  A1543  3k lt ol grn & blk Tawny Eagle

3127  A1543  4k  lt gray brn & blk Red Kite

3128  A1543  10k  lt vio brn & blk Peregrine Falcon

3129  A1543  12k bl & blk Golden Eagle (Horizontal)

3130  A1543  14k  bluish gray & blk Lammergeier (Horizontal)

3131  A1543  16k  dl red brn & blk Gyrfalcon

Russia's Stamps: A2180 (November 2, 1977) [Scott Catalogue]

Russia's Stamps  A2180  Adoption of new constitution, General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, Chairman of Constitution Commission; (Red and gold margin showing cover of constitution and Brezhnev quotation; Size 142x75 mm) (November 2, 1977) [Scott Catalogue]:

4618  A2180  50k gold & multi

What a Day!?

Today, I quit my part-time job. My son told us that he was unhappy and he needed help from a counselor. He had been feeling sad for sometimes now. I blamed myself for not being present for my kids and working too much. I just quit my part-time job. I need to be home with my kids. We need each other. One of my friends once told me that "if the only problem you have is a financial one then you do not have a problem". Now I believe him. He is right. Money is not everything in this world. My priorities have been misplaced recently. I need to regroup and refocus; God, family, country, and may be job. Just, may be. Now I know better.

Zanzibar...Facts to help you go to sleep...Extremely effective against insomnia

Zanzibar is a group of islands located off the coast of Tanganyika in East Africa. The approximate area of these islands is 1,044 square miles. The population of Zanzibar in 1967 was 354,360. And, guess what, its capital is also named Zanzibar! Later on, Zanzibar became part of Tanzania (population in 1983 was 19,730,000), which was renamed as the Republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar gained its independence from the British on December 10, 1963. This was followed by an uprising  in January of the following year. And, during the same year Zanzibar joined Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar (URTZ). That was wonderful. By the way, the capital of the Republic of Tanzania is Dodoma.

Sierra Leone's Stamps: CD331 (August 30, 1982) [Scott Catalogue]

Sierra Leone's stamps  CD331 Royal Wedding Issue (August 30, 1982) [Scott Catalogue]:

546  CD331  3.50 le on 3 le multiple

Sierra Leone's Stamps: A64 (August 13, 1979) [Scott Catalogue]

Sierra Leone's Stamps A64 International Year for the Child and 30th anniversary of SOS villages (villages for homeless children) (August 13, 1979) [Scott Catalogue]:

451  A64 5c multi (Child, IYC and SOS Emblems)

452  A64 27c multi (Girl and Infant IYC and SOS Emblems)

453  A64 1 le multi (Mother and Infant IYC and SOS Emblems)

Mr. H. and I: So long no see (Post 7)

I saw Mr. H. about 6 weeks ago working in the building next to me. This was the second time I have seen him since he moved from my building. We had our customary hand-shake and parted pretty quickly as I was in a hurry.

Exponential Function: An Example

The general format for an exponential function in time is [x = a e^kt). This may be linearized to produce the following equation [ln x = ln a + k t]. In this equation, x is the quantity present at time t and a is the initial value for the variable x. Let us assume that a viral infection grows exponentially. If the initial number of people infected was 3 and in one month that number became 6, then the equation may be written as [ln 6 = ln 3 + k (1)], or k is 0.69 per month. Thus, in 12 months the number of patients expected would be [ln x = ln 3 + (0.68) (12 months)] or x = 11,833 infected persons.

Feeling Drowsy?

If so, then you might be deficient in one of the B vitamins called biotin. A daily dose of 150 mcg to 300 mcg is needed for that.

Heartburn Control

You probably take antacids when you have occasional heartburn. Acupressure can also bring relief in this area. Find acupressure point CV12 and press on it for a period of less than two minutes. Pregnant women and those with hiatal hernia should press on this point gently. CV12 point is located midpoint between the navel and the breast bone in the front of the body. Pressure on CV12 should be performed while the stomach is empty.

Ebola in the USA

Ebola is a deadly infectious disease that kills between 50% to 90% of its victims. Three Americans who contracted Ebola while working in West Africa have been brought back to the USA fir treatment. Two of them were declared free from the disease and a third is doing well and expected to be released soon. A man from West Africa travelled to the States recently and was found to have Ebola. He was admitted to a hospital in Dallas, TX however he passed away from this illness a few days later. During that time, many came in contact with him, and two nurses so far were found to carry the virus and both are isolated. The second victim, unknown to her that she was infected, travelled to Ohio to visit relatives and friends. She travelled by commercial air. Now, the number of people she was in "touch" with and those who Eng home and work unknowing of her being a carrier now they are at risk of being infected themselves. The few weeks are going to be crucial. Hopefully no more new cases. By the way, the African man who passed away also had encounters with people in Dallas, and now these people are under supervision. And, yes...the second nurse who travelled by plane, that plane flew to several States before it got decontaminated. Did I miss something? Of course, the media is reporting this and you could tell they themselves are getting nervous on how to get hold on the situation. They seldom now mention ISIS. Meanwhile, the gas prices suddenly began to drop. Now they are under $3 a gallon. And, the stock market is fluctuating like a nat flying in summer.