Extreme Sports - Life on the Edge

New Zealand Post has issued the stamp set features the extreme sports which have high level of inherent danger (“Life on the edge”) on December 1, 2004. The issue consisted of 5 stamps  depicted the inherent danger sport like snow sport, whitewater rafting, jet boating, bungee jumping, and skydiving.

Snow sport

An extreme sport, also called adventure sport is a popular term for certain activities perceived as having a high level of inherent danger. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion, and highly specialized gear or spectacular stunts.

Lisbon Dakar 2008 – 30 years of adventure

Azores Post (Portugal)  commemorated the 30th year adventures  of Lisbon Dakar  with issued the special miniature sheet consist of 4 stamps depicted the off-road automobile rally which organized by the Amaury Sports Organization on May 20, 2008.

The Dakar Rally ( formerly known as "Paris to Dakar Rally") is an annual rally raid type: off-road automobile race. Most events since the inception in 1978 were from Paris, France, to Dakar Senegal, but due to security threats in Mauritania which led to the cancellation of the 2008 rally, the 2009 Dakar Rally was run in South America (Argentina and Chile)(Wikipedia source).

Thomas the Tank Engine

On June 14, 2011, Royal Mail celebrated the centenary of the birth of the Reverend Wilbert Awdry by issued the special stamp feature the six character of the children book “Thomas the Tank Engine”.

Besides the six single stamps, Royal Mail also issued one miniature sheet which consisted of 4 posted stamps, depicted the comic strip of  Thomas and Friends story.

Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

Blue Moon Butterfly of Pitcairn Islands

The species as depicted on stamp of Pitcairn Islands are Blue Moon Butterfly or Hypolimnas bolina , male at the left side and female at the right side.

The Blue Moon butterfly, also called Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina) in New Zealand or Common Eggfly, is a species of nymphalid butterfly.The Great Eggfly is a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 7–8½ cm. The species has a high degree of sexual dimorphism. The female is mimetic with multiple morphs.

Enironmental Care on Indonesian stamps

To commemorate the World Environment Day, June 5th 2005, the Indonesian Government has issued the special stamp of environmental care series, two different stamp designs, mangrove forest theme, both valued in denomination Rp. 1,500.-

Mangroove plants are unique. They have the characteristic of land and ocean plants. Mangrove has extensive root functions as part of respiration system and produce much organic to create a unique coastal environmental for marine lives.

Their roots provide a breeding ground for plants and animal biodiversity, and aid in building up coastlines.

Tony Blair’s Statement of Global Warming

Tuvalu Post issued the stamp set features global warming in two format, one souvenir sheet, and one miniature sheet on year 2000. The souvenir sheet consist of one stamp depicted the earth in “fired” and  two small pictures of  gas emission as root causes. Background picture of the earth’s heat curve shown  on the sheet  included the text how to effort to eliminate the global warming and the statement of Tony Blair as British Prime Minister (1997-2007). “Global Warming is too serious for the world any longer to ignore its danger or split into opposing factions on it”

While the issue of miniature sheet  consists of six stamps, three stamp on the left side depicted  the causes and three stamps on the right side depicted the effects of global warming.

Green Energy

 

The Postal Administrative  of  Korea Republic regularly every year issued the stamp set related to the environmental issues. On August 21, 2009, the Korea Post issued the postage stamp set depicted the green energy, such as solar thermal, usage of photo voltaic, wind power, and tidal power.

Green Energy is energy that can be extracted, generated, and/or consumed without any significant negative impact to the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines green power as electricity produced from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact small hydroelectric sources.
 

The last century has seen a rapidly growing global population and much more intensive use of resources, leading to greatly increased emissions of gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, from the burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal), and from agriculture, cement production and deforestation.

Green power is a subset of renewable energy and represents those renewable energy resources and technologies that provide the highest environmental benefit. The use of solar thermal for house electricity as depicted on the above stamp as one of green energy application.Customers often buy green power/energy for avoided environmental impacts and its greenhouse gas reduction benefits .

Pansy Flower

Bosnia & Herzegovina Post (Entreprise Publique La Poste de BH) issued a stamp features Mucichica or Pansy flower on October 09, 2009. The issue only one stamp depicted many pansy flowers.

Mucihica (Viola × wittrockiana)

The Pansy is a large group of hybrid plants cultivated as garden flowers. Pansies are derived from Viola species Viola tricolor hybridized with other viola species, these hybrids are referred to as Viola × wittrockiana or less commonly Viola tricolor hortensis.

Azores Bullfinch (Priolo)

CTT Correios de Portugal SA has issued the stamp set feature protected bird species, Priolo or Azores Bullfinch , known also as Pyrrhula murina on May 28, 2008. The issues are 4 postage stamp and one souvenir sheet consist of one stamp. All stamps depicted the species and how its life described on stamp.

The Azores Bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina), also known locally in Portuguese as the Priolo, is an endangered passerine bird in the true finch family. It is endemic to São Miguel Island, in the Azores archipelago of Macaronesia in the North Atlantic Ocean.

This species is plump, with shorter wings and a longer tail. The plumage pattern is similar to  the Eurasian Bullfinch, though colouration is more sombre, lacking its bright pink under-parts. It has a black cap, face, wings and tail; the rest being greyish or pale grey-brown.

King Kong on New Zealand’s Stamp

 

On 19 October 2005, New Zealand Post proudly issued the special stamp set to commemorate the released of the fantasy adventure film which directed by Peter Jackson, King Kong.

King Kong is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name and stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. Andy Serkis, through performance capture, portrays Kong.

Although the film performed lower than expectations, King Kong made domestic and worldwide grosses that eventually added up to $550 million becoming the fourth-highest grossing movie in Universal Pictures history.

Entertainment Weekly called the depiction of Kong the most convincing computer generated character in film in 2005.Movie reviewers, who gave King Kong critical praise, consider it one of the all-round best movies of 2005, though it has been criticized for its 3 hour, 7 minute running time. It won Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.

The issue consist of 5 postage stamps depicted the image taken from the original film , King Kong character (45c), the remaining depicted Ann character ($1.35) and her colleague.

American Motorcycle

 

U.S. Postal Service have proud to recognize the role of motorcycles in American culture by issuing the four stamps that feature American motorcycle in early August 2006.

Three of the stamps feature digital illustrations of a 1918 Cleveland, 1940 Indian Four and a 1965 Harley-Davidson Electra-Glide that are modeled after motorcycles in existence today. The fourth stamp shows a circa 1970 chopper, a computer generated stamp image created by the stamp artist in consultation with professional chopper builders.

The first of these stamps, along with the actual cycles the stamps are modeled from, kick-started the 66th Anniversary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, SD, August 7, 2006.

 

Cleveland 1918The single-cylinder Cleveland motorcycle depicted on this stamp was built by the Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company of Cleveland, OH. Technical data of this motorcycle featured a 2.5-horsepower, single-cylinder motor, could travel 75 miles on a single gallon of gasoline and reach speeds of up to 35 to 40 mph. Weighing around 150 pounds . The lightweight and affordable reason makes the Cleveland a popular motorcycle of its time. The Cleveland A2 that modeled for the stamp is owned by Penny Nickerson of Long Island, NY.

Kapa Haka (Traditional Maori Performing Arts)

Kapa Haka is intrinsic to New Zealand’s cultural identity. The meaning of Kapa Haka is  stand in a row  (kapa) and dance (haka). This performing art present the combination of sing, dance, expression and movement. Performed both ceremonially and competitively, the power of Kapa Haka to convey a range of emotions is undeniable.

To commemorate this art, New Zealand Post issued the stamp set that captures the dynamism and strong cultural tradition of Kapa Haka on February 17, 2011. The issue comprised of six postage stamps. All six stamps are displayed together on the miniature sheet and first day cover, forming a complete picture of the six aspects of Kapa Haka.

Whakaeke - 60c

Whakaeke is a choreographed entrance onto the performance area, where elements of all discipline are utilized.