Sociable Stamp Society

This is our blog for current stamp news and views of interest to the philatelist and beginner. Daily updates provide items on shows, new issues, events, what's selling, and timely facts.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Thirteen Cents Postage

Best Show Calendar
The American Philatelic Society runs one of the world's premier series of stamp shows, and their membership services people also maintain the best list of stamp shows anywhere. Keep this site in mind when travelling. ...shows

French Colonies
France once ruled a motely assortment of colonies in Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, which always seemed more exotic than the British possessions, if only because their Westernized names were French. Haute Volta, Guadeloupe, and Martinique evoke unexplored horizons and adventure. The France and Colonies Philatelic Society has been an active society for more than 60 years, and their growing Web site is an invitation to discover one of philately's most intriguing collecting areas. Under the "Exhibitions" heading are a few online presentations. A "Cover of the Month" features a cover and it's story, and the "Type Sage Issue of 1876 - 1900" shows a collection the stamps with reference to the varieties and uses of this well regarded 19th century issue. ...FCPS

Best US Stamp Identifier
No commercial stamp venture would even contemplate creating a site like 1847usa.com, and if they did, they would not do as well. This is the USA reference site on the web, a virtual national postal museum. ...1847

Congo Belge Et Ruanda-Urundi
This is probably the best site covering the issues of the Belgian Congo that you'll ever find. It's encyclopedic with each issue show and described, along with enhancing material. It's truly an education. ...congo

the lanai guy | 8:27 PM | 0 comments |

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

12c

with tongs in hand
Greetings, stamp fans! I thought I'd fill you in on the Glassine Surfer as I have the space here. This is the website about stamp collecting that I run. I also write a column called the Glassine Surfer for the American Philatelic Society. Same name. Lots in common. But different species of the same animal. And as some of you may know I contribute to Gibbons Stamp Monthly in the United Kingdom. There, I write a more detailed column called US Stamps, which carries a primer on a US topic, along with news and some ideas. I recommend both APS and Stanley Gibbons, leaders in their realms.

Special Motorcycle FDC
Usual timely item from Gibbons. This time: "Top racers to sign for charity." ...UK

PC PRO Whacks the Big G
The UK mag PC Pro recently had this to say about everyone's favorite search engine. I guess I've seen this coming, but I've not clue as to the solution.

"Go to Google and enter the name of a London hotel for which you'd like the homepage. You'll be confronted by pages and pages of hotel reseller aggregator websites, all offering to make the booking on your behalf. No, I just want the website of the actual hotel please, so I start scrolling down the list. I count myself lucky if I find the right URL within the first ten pages of hits.

"Let's try something else - some computer or home hi-fi product. Again I get a vast number of irrelevant websites, many of which are aggregators of not only Google but also Amazon or eBay. Tearing my hair out, try to dive into the search terms to find a way to stop it giving me all this unnecessary rubbish. And it isn't easy to do, since Google is giving me all this stuff deliberately.

"I understand from fellow contributing editor Davey Winder that there are some magic incantations I can add onto the search terms to knock out a number of these aggregators. But this isn't the long term solution. The reality is that Google has thrown the baby out with the bath water for my daily searching, and I confess that I've gone back to Yahoo! for the time being. It's far from perfect, but I find things quicker." ...pro

and yes, I'm prodigal son of Yahoo

the lanai guy | 1:37 PM | 0 comments |

Monday, April 18, 2005

11c Garfield

Maltapost commemorates Pope John Paul II
A single stamp, with a face value of 51c, is being issued by the Philatelic Bureau of Maltapost in commemoration of the death of Pope John Paul II, who departed this life on Saturday 2 April. The stamp will be issued on Friday 15 April, and will be on sale from all Maltapost branches in Malta and Gozo and from the Maltapost Mobile Unit. ...pope

BVI Postal Service affected by Royal Mail
Insightful article on how postal service in the British Virgin Islands is dependant on the RM's conduct. ...BVI

Concentration Camp Remembered
A new stamp is to be issued on 6th May to honour those who were imprisoned in the Mauthausen Concentration Camp during World War II. ...camp

USPS taps Donahoe to fill deputy PMG post
The U.S. Postal Service announced April 12 that Chief Operating Officer Patrick Donahoe will become deputy postmaster general at the end of the month. ...dPMG

the lanai guy | 3:50 PM | 0 comments |