The 1980s is often called the decade of decadence. There were good parts and bad parts. Compact discs appeared, smallpox was announced to have been eradicated, the space shuttle first launched, MTV debuts and, of course, the internet was created. The world was growing, becoming more intelligent, kind and, dare I say it, civilized.

Saudi Arabia issued #796 in October of 1980. It features Muslims on an airport tarmac arriving in Mecca. A pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is considered one of the most significant religious duties for Muslims. The pilgrimage is obligatory for adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey at least once in their lifetime.

1980 was also the year the Saudi Arabian government put to death 63 men for attacking Mecca the year before.

The 63 men were beheaded by sword for their part in an attack on the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The beheadings were carried out at dawn in public parks in eight cities. The executions were scattered throughout the country to expose as many people as possible to the judgement against the Moslem militants and to dispel suspicions that the attack on the mosque had weakened government authority.

This, in the civilized, modern era we live in.

When asked what he thought about the public executions one local said, “People here tend to stay indoors at such times.”

At the time this was the largest mass execution in the 48-year history of Saudi Arabia.

Think we are more civilized now?

Saudi Arabia outdid itself by executing 81 men, at one time, on March 12, 2022. Now, in 2023, authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have executed at least 100 people according to Amnesty International.

The 63 beheaded men had their heads sewn back on before burial, as is tradition.

Stamps have stories. Sometimes they show elements of life that are good. Sometimes there is a darker side or a seldom heard side that they do not want you to hear. In the listings in the store you can read more about the stamps in addition to the Stamp Stories section. Remember, stamp collecting as a lot to offer, you just need to look and appreciate them for what they give to you… and you choose to take from them.

Edaphosaurus is an extinct genus of herbivorous synapsid reptile that lived during the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian periods, around 307 to 280 million years ago. Synapsids were a group of reptiles that eventually gave rise to mammals.

Edaphosaurus was a relatively large animal, growing up to 3 meters in length. It had a distinctive sail on its back, which was made up of elongated vertebral spines. The sail likely served a variety of purposes, including thermoregulation, display, or even as a form of protection.

Edaphosaurus was herbivorous, and its teeth were adapted for grinding tough plant material. It likely lived in swampy or forested environments, feeding on a variety of plants and possibly using its sail as a means of camouflage.

Fossils of Edaphosaurus have been found in various locations around the world, including North America and Europe. Its discovery and study have helped researchers better understand the diversity of reptiles that lived during the Paleozoic era and the evolution of synapsids towards mammals.

Cryptocleidus is an extinct genus of plesiosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic period, around 200 million years ago. Plesiosaurs were a group of marine reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic era, and Cryptocleidus was a relatively small member of this group, growing to about 3 to 4 meters in length.

Cryptocleidus had a distinctive body shape, with a broad, flat body, a short tail, and four large flippers that were used for swimming. Its neck was relatively short compared to other plesiosaurs, with only around 25 vertebrae, and its skull was relatively small with sharp teeth. Cryptocleidus likely fed on small fish and other marine animals, using its sharp teeth to capture and consume prey.

Fossils of Cryptocleidus have been found in various locations around the world, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Argentina. Its discovery and study have helped researchers better understand the evolution and diversity of marine reptiles during the Mesozoic era.

Putna Monastery is a significant historical and cultural landmark located in the northern part of Romania, in the region of Bukovina. The monastery was founded in the 15th century by Stephen the Great, a prominent figure in Romanian history known for his military victories and contributions to the arts and architecture.

The monastery is known for its striking architecture, featuring a combination of Moldavian and Byzantine styles. The interior of the monastery is adorned with intricate frescoes, which were painted by renowned artists of the time.

One of the most significant features of the monastery is the tomb of Stephen the Great, which is located within the church. The tomb is made of white marble and is adorned with intricate carvings and inscriptions.

Saint Stephen succeeded his father, Prince Bogdan II, as Prince of Moldavia on April 12, 1457 soon after the latter was murdered. He defended his country against the Turks, and he also built many churches and monasteries.

Saint Stephen the Great was a spiritual son of Saint Daniel the Hesychast (December 18), who told him that if he built a church after every battle he would be victorious in all his wars.

Following Saint Daniel’s counsel, Saint Stephen won forty-seven battles and built forty-eight churches or monasteries. He also built the Putna Dormition Monastery in northern Moldavia in 1466 when Saint Daniel urged him to do so.

In 1476, Saint Stephen lost the battle of Razboieni to the Turks. He went to visit Saint Daniel at the Voronets Monastery to ask whether or not he should surrender the country to the Moslems. Saint Daniel told him not to surrender, because he would soon win a decisive victory.

Saint Daniel also told him that after he had saved the nation, Stephen should build a monastery in honor of Saint George at that place. Having faith in Saint Daniel’s prophecy, Stephen went forth with his army and drove the Turks from the country.

Saint Stephen fell asleep in the Lord on July 2, 1504, and was buried at the Putna Monastery. He was glorified by the Orthodox Church of Romania in 1992.

Over the centuries, the Putna Monastery has played an important role in Romanian history and culture. It has served as a center for religious and cultural activities, as well as a place of refuge during times of war and conflict.

Katsushika Hokusai was a renowned Japanese painter and printmaker who lived during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He is perhaps best known for his iconic series of woodblock prints titled “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” which included his most famous work, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” However, one of the most intriguing and bizarre stories associated with Hokusai has to do with his obsession with immortality.

According to legend, Hokusai believed that he could achieve immortality by creating a masterpiece that was so perfect, it would live on forever. In order to achieve this goal, he reportedly spent much of his life searching for the perfect subject and perfecting his technique.

He felt his artwork would transcend the divine, if only he could live long enough. He wrote that “at [age] one hundred and ten, every dot and every stroke will be as though alive.”

Hokusai’s last words were:

“If heaven will extend my life by ten more years…’ then, after a pause, ‘If heaven will afford me five more years of life, then I’ll manage to become a true artist. ‘

Despite his best efforts, Hokusai was never able to achieve immortality. He died at age 90. However, his legacy as one of Japan’s greatest artists has certainly lived on. Today, his works are still celebrated and admired around the world, and his name is synonymous with the beauty and elegance of traditional Japanese art.

Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea was a renowned Romanian writer and politician who lived from 1858 to 1918. One of the most interesting stories about him involves his famous play, “Apus de soare” (Sunset), which premiered in 1909.

At the time, Romania was a relatively young and inexperienced country, having gained independence from the Ottoman Empire only a few decades earlier. The country was still struggling to find its national identity and establish a distinct cultural identity.

Delavrancea’s play was a powerful reflection of this struggle, portraying the lives of peasants in rural Romania and their complex relationships with their land and with each other. The play was a huge success and was widely acclaimed for its realistic portrayal of Romanian life.

However, the success of “Apus de soare” did not sit well with the political authorities of the time. The play’s themes of struggle and oppression were seen as a threat to the established order, and Delavrancea himself was viewed with suspicion for his political views.

One day, while Delavrancea was attending a meeting of the Romanian Academy, he received a surprise visit from the police. They had come to arrest him on charges of “political subversion” and “incitement to rebellion”.

Despite his protests of innocence, Delavrancea was taken into custody and thrown into jail. The arrest was widely seen as an attempt by the government to silence a voice of dissent and to intimidate other artists and writers who might dare to speak out against the established order.

However, Delavrancea’s arrest backfired spectacularly. It sparked a wave of protests and demonstrations across the country, as people demanded his release and the preservation of artistic freedom.

After several days in jail, Delavrancea was finally released without charge, and his reputation as a hero of the people was cemented. The incident also marked a turning point in Romanian history, as it galvanized the movement for cultural and political independence and helped to establish a new sense of national identity.

When Rembrandt was commissioned to paint the piece in 1642 by the Amsterdam civic guard, it was intended to be a group portrait of the guard’s officers. However, Rembrandt took a unique approach to the painting by creating a dynamic composition that included all of the members of the guard, with some in the foreground and others in the background.

The painting was a departure from the traditional group portrait style of the time, and some of the members of the guard were not happy with the unconventional approach. They complained that they could not see themselves clearly in the painting and that they were not given the prominence they felt they deserved.

To make matters worse, the painting was quite large and did not fit well in the space for which it was intended. In order to make it fit, Rembrandt was forced to cut off some of the figures on the sides of the painting.

Despite these challenges, “The Night Watch” was completed and displayed in the Amsterdam city hall. It became an instant sensation, and people flocked to see the groundbreaking piece.

However, over time, the painting became dirty and discolored, and in the 18th century, it was decided that it needed to be cleaned. Unfortunately, the restoration efforts went too far, and some of the original paint was removed.

In the early 20th century, the painting was moved to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains today. In 1975, it underwent a major restoration effort that removed the old varnish and revealed the painting’s original colors and details.

Today, “The Night Watch” is considered one of the most important works of art in the world, and it remains a testament to Rembrandt’s innovative approach to painting and his ability to create dynamic and powerful compositions.

Sputnik 2 was a Soviet spacecraft launched on November 3, 1957, just one month after the successful launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Unlike its predecessor, which was a simple sphere with a radio transmitter, Sputnik 2 was much larger and more complex. It weighed approximately 1,120 kg and was equipped with a life support system, a telemetry system, and a reentry system. But what made Sputnik 2 so significant was that it carried a living creature, a dog named Laika, who became the first animal to orbit the Earth.

Laika was a stray dog found on the streets of Moscow. She was selected for the mission because of her size, temperament, and the fact that she had already survived a number of other tests and procedures. Before the flight, Laika was trained to eat a special high-nutrition gel, to be strapped into a special harness, and to remain motionless for long periods of time.

Unfortunately, the mission was not designed to be a safe return flight for Laika. The technology to safely return a living creature from orbit had not yet been developed, so it was a one-way mission. The goal of the mission was to study the effects of spaceflight on a living creature, with a particular focus on the effects of radiation and weightlessness.

Sputnik 2 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and entered orbit around the Earth. Laika was alive for several hours after launch, and her vital signs were monitored remotely. However, the spacecraft’s thermal control system failed, and temperatures inside the spacecraft rose rapidly. After just a few hours in orbit, Laika died from overheating.

The announcement of Laika’s death provoked an international outcry. Animal rights activists and others criticized the Soviet Union for putting a living creature in such a dangerous and deadly situation. The mission also had a significant impact on the space race, as it demonstrated the Soviet Union’s technological prowess in space exploration and intensified the competition between the Soviet Union and the United States.

In the years since the mission, Laika has become a cultural icon and a symbol of both the early days of space exploration and the ethical questions surrounding the use of animals in scientific research. Despite the controversy and tragedy surrounding the mission, it remains a landmark achievement in the history of space exploration and a testament to human ingenuity and curiosity.

With all the media in 2023 abuzz about classified material being found at Donald Trump’s estate in Florida and in Joe Biden’s garage next to his Corvette, it is only logical to write about Thomas Pickering and his run in with classified material.

Timothy Pickering (1745-1829) was an American statesman who served in a variety of high-level government positions during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was born in Massachusetts and studied law before becoming involved in politics.

Pickering served as a member of the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1781, where he was an advocate for the American Revolution. He later served as a delegate to the Massachusetts convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788.

In 1791, President George Washington appointed Pickering as Postmaster General, a position he held until 1795. He then served as Secretary of War from 1795 to 1796 and as Secretary of State from 1795 to 1800 under Presidents Washington and John Adams.

During his tenure as Secretary of State, Pickering was involved in several controversial issues, including the XYZ Affair, which led to the Quasi-War between the United States and France.

In 1810 he was a member of the House of Representatives under President James Madison. President Madison, on October 27th, declared that the Spanish Possession of West Florida was now property of the United States because it fell under the Louisiana Purchase.

Now Pickering was not a liked man. He was fired as Secretary of State by John Adams for disloyalty to the Administration, had called George Washington “a much overrated, semi-literate mediocrity” and was known to have worked to overthrow the first four presidents.

So, when James Madison issued the proclaimation, Pickering stood up to speak against it and produced a document from France’s foreign minister, Charles Tallyrand stating that West Florida was not part of the Louisiana Purchase. The only problem was the document was classified.

His enemies took the opportunity to take up a resolution of censure stating that he had released information that had yet to be de-classified. Pickering became the first of nine U.S. Senators to be officially censured.

This innocent little green stamp from Kashmir in 1867 was printed with an ink made from “Paris Green” a highly toxic compound. Also known as Schweinfurt green, Emerald or Vienna green. It is a highly toxic emerald-green crystalline powder that has been used as a rodenticide and insecticide and also as a pigment, despite its toxicity. It got it’s name by being used to kill rats in the sewer in Paris.