Prague Stamp Shop

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I didn't find the most expensive anthem stamp here.....

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The National Anthem of Yugoslavia

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" Hej Slaveni " was composed in the mid nineteenth century by a Slovak in response to the loss of cultural identity in his homeland. Taking inspiration from the Polish anthem (which the melody is almost identical to), he composed an anthem that soon became popular with the whole Slavic community, in fact becoming the anthem of Slovakia during World War II (with Slovak words).    Being a confederation of mainly Slavonic states , the song seemed to be a natural fit for post-royalist Yugoslavia. It was sung at the first meetings of the resistance movement (later, the government), and became the temporary national anthem upon the re-establishment of Yugoslavia after the Axis defeat. A search was undertaken for a permanent anthem, but "Hej Slaveni" remained the most popular choice with the citizens; it was declared the temporary anthem in 1977, and was finally made official in 1988.   After most of the members of the Yugoslav federation had declared independence in the...
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The National Anthem of Paraguay

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Paraguayos, República o Muerte (Paraguayans, The Republic or Death!) is the national anthem of Paraguay . The lyrics were written by Francisco Acuña de Figueroa (who also wrote Orientales, la Patria o la tumba, the national anthem of Uruguay) under the presidency of Carlos Antonio López , who at the time delegated Bernardo Jovellanos and Anastasio González to ask Figueroa to write the anthem (Jovellanos and González were commissioners of the Paraguayan government in Uruguay). The anthem was officially finished by Figueroa on May 20, 1846. It still remains unclear who was responsible for the music. Some sources claim that Fre nchman Francisco de Dupuis was the composer, while others cite Francisco Acuña de Figueroa as the composer. Other sources claim that the music was composed by Francisco José Debali, repeating the team of the Uruguayan national anthem. What it is known for sure is that in 1933, the Paraguayan composer Remberto Giménez re-arranged and developed the final version o...
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Glimpses of Old Cebu: Images of the Colonial Era

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"Glimpses of Old Cebu: Images of the Colonial Era" is a 276-page coffee table book of nearly 600 of the best photographs, postcards , stereoviews and lantern glass slides of Cebu and its many towns taken between 1870-1945. More than just a mere showcasing of rare, never-before-seen images, the book also provides a treasure trove of information accompanying nearly every picture. The author, Lucy Urgello Miller has been collecting vintage Philippine postcards and photographs for over 20 years, the thrust of her collection being Cebu . She acquired 90% of her Cebu collection in the United States where she is living with her husband Richard "Rick" Miller. Most of the collection was bought at antique postcards shows. Lucy has about 1,000 pictures and postcards on Cebu but she selected only the best and most interesting for this book. Mommy Gingging, Lucy and my wife Grace A blue-blooded Theresian, Lucy spent her entire education from kinder...
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Francisco Dagohoy on Stamps

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The native of Bohol , Francisco Dagohoy , has the distinction of leading the longest revolt against the Spaniards (1744-1829).    Dagohoy's rebellion started when a priest denied his brother a Christian burial. Supported by about 20,000 people, he held his base in the mountain regions between Inagangan and Talibon . Twenty Spanish governor- generals were unable to quell Dagohoy's liberation struggle.   There is no document available to shed light on Francisco Dagohoy's birth, his parentage and death. It is believed that this was due to the disinterest of the Spanish authorities to record the hero's life and achievements and immortalize the exploits of one whom so humiliated them. Placido Sinsano, a centenarian grandson of Francisco Dagohoy's brother and successor Maximino, explained that Francisco Dagohoy was born in 1724 in Cambitoon , a barrio of Inabangan town some 20 kilometers from the poblacion.   Descendants claimed that Francisco Dagohoy's father...
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Gaming on Stamps

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    Since the 1980’s, the UK has had a rich history of video game classics, which carried on through to the 1990’s and to this very day.  And to celebrate that very rich history, the Royal Mail are releasing a set of 12 stamps each celebrating classic series from Tomb Raider , Dizzy, Micro Machines, Lemmings, Worms, Wipeout , Populous and the greatest football game of all-time, Sensible Soccer . Each of the limited edition stamps feature imagery and screenshots from some of the games most memorable moments in UK gaming and these are sure to be on the top of the list for many collectors alike.  Each of the stamps was carefully selected by games industry body UKIE and veteran video games journalist Julian Rignall . A spokesperson for Royal Mail , Phillip Parker had this to say on the announcement of the limited edition stamps “ UK has been at the forefront of the video games industry for decades, ”, Parker added “. In the 1980s and 90s young designers grapple...
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My Favorite Cebuano Classical Pianists

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3. Ai ma Maria Labra-Makk . I first met this world renowned Austria-based Cebuana pianist and educator four years ago when she had a solo concert presented by the Arts Council of Cebu  headed by Petite Garcia and St. Theresas' College , where she is an alumni. A few days before I attended the concert, I had a chance encounter with her in an elevator at Club Ultima. I ask her a question in English, but she answered fluently in Cebuano that she was here for the STC reunion and for the concert.   I told her that my wife was also an STC alumni and will be joining in some of this events. The CD collector in me urged to inquire if she had some with her, and if they were selling discs at her concert. "No. I didn't bring any", she answered smiling. My regret is that I did not ask any autograph or had myself pictured with her. She has the most impeccable rendition of Jeno Takacs' works especially the Toccata , in fact, she is the only artist to rec ord the comple...
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The National Anthem of Tunisia

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The lyrics of the Tunisian anthem, "Himat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Fatherland) were written by an Egyptian in the 1930s. Originally just one verse, another two were added by the Tunisian national poet Aboul-Qacem Echebbi. The music was composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab, the same person who wrote the music of the royal Libyan anthem and the anthem of the United Arab Emirates . The new anthem was introduced in 1987 since the previous anthem was closely tied to the government of Habib Bourguiba. Mohammed Abdel Wahab , (1907 - M ay 3, 1991) was a prominent 20th century Arab Egyptian singer and composer. He composed 10 songs for Umm Kulthum, including Enta omri. He was the first Egyptian singer to move from silent-era acting to singing. He died in 1991, and he is considered one of the best composers of all tim es. He composed the "Ya Beladi", the National anthem of the Kingdom of Libya (1951–1969). Born in Bab El-Shaariyah area of Cairo, Egypt (where his statue stands)...
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