URU - 2012 - MAR 30TH - BRIEF DESCRIPTION - XXX OLYMPIC GAMES LONDON 2012

Uruguay - 2012 - XXX Olympic Games, London 2012( Previous/ Next)

Options:

SERIES --- 7,50 EUR
STAMP 1 --- 3,50 EUR
STAMP 2 --- 3,50 EUR
STAMP 3 --- 3,50 EUR
STAMP 4 --- 3,50 EUR
SE-TENANT NORMAL --- 8,00 EUR
SE-TENANT INVERTED --- 10,00 EUR
BLOCK --- 15,00 EUR
BLOCK with First Day Cancellation --- 18,00 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 9,50 EUR

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: March 30th, 2012
Printed: 45.000 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: All Rectangular [47 mm. x 32 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 2 series [2 x 1] , 8 stamps [4 x 2]
[ [ Stamp 1, Stamp 2 ]
[ Stamp 3, Stamp 4 ]
[ Stamp 1, Stamp 2]
[ Stamp 3, Stamp 4 ] ]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [140 mm. x 180 mm.]

FDC Type: Official Cover from Post Office
FDC not sent Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]

Catalogue information:

Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: 2554 - 2557
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available

Topics:

Brief Description:

A brief description of the Most Popular Topics of this Release are: Olympic Games, or a a wider Sports, or in particular the XXX Olympic Game London 2012.

The 2012 Summer Olympics, formally the Games of the XXX Olympiad and commonly known as London 2012, was a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It took place in London, United Kingdomand to a lesser extent across the country from 25th of July to 12th of August 2012. The first event, the group stage in women's football began on 25 July at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, followed by the Opening Ceremonies on 27th of July. More than 10,000 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated.

Following a bid headed by Former Olympic Champion Sebastian Coe and Then-Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, Londonwas selected as the host city on 6th of July of 2005 during the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, defeating bids from Moscow, New York City, Madrid and Paris. London was the first city to host the Modern Olympic Games three times, having previously done so in 1908 and in 1948.

The Games received widespread acclaim for their organisation, with the volunteers, the British military and public enthusiasm praised particularly highly. The opening ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle, received widespread acclaim throughout the world, particular praise from the British public and a minority of widely ranging criticisms from some social media sites. During the Games, Michael Phelpsbecame the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, winning his 22nd medal. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bruneientered female athletes for the first time, so that every currently eligible country has sent a female competitor to at least one Olympic Games. Women's boxingwas included for the first time, thus the Games became the first at which every sport had female competitors.

These were the last Olympic Games under the IOC presidency of Jacques Rogge, and the Medal Tablewas won by United States, followed by China, and Great Britain.

Then, looking more at the desing of the Issue, many Topics arise, mostly related with Sports, however it also appears Architectureand Tourism, as many Typical Views of Londonare shown in the Design besides the Sportsmenchosen to be honored with Stampsin this Release.

Starting with Sports, from the eight in which Uruguayparticipated on this Olympic Games, only four were chosen to be present, one on each stamp of the Series. The selected ones were: Football, Cycling, Laser Sailing, and Atlethics, and the Sportsmen chosen in each Sportwere: Luis Suarez, actual Strikerof the National Team of Uruguay and the Barcelona Futbol Club, that also played in great Football Teams as Liverpool from England and Ayax from Holland. Then Jorge Soto in Cycling, Alejandro Foglia in Laser Sailing, and finally Deborah Rodriguezin 400 m Hurdles Atlethics.

Although only the Fourpreviously mentioned Sportsappears in the stamps, in the complete desing of the release, Sixteen are shown, as on the margins of the Block, two stripes of Iconswith Draft Representations of Sportsare placed, and these include the following Sports: Basketball, Waterpolo, Fencing, Tennis, Rowing, Football, Wrestling, Boxing, Taekwondo, Canoeing, Gymnastics, Equestrian, Shooting, Cycling, and Field Hockey.

Then, as noted previously, many Typical Views of Londonare shown in the Design of the Stamps. These Views are:

The Arcelormittal Orbit,  a 114.5 metre tall Sculptureand Observation Towerin the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, London. It is Britain's largest piece of public art, and is intended to be a permanent lasting legacy of London's hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympicand Paralympic Games, assisting in the post-Olympics regeneration of the Stratford area.

Orbit was designed by Turner-Prize winning artist Sir Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmondof Engineering Group Arup. Announced on 31 March 2010, it was expected to be completed by December 2011. The project came about after Mayor of London Boris Johnsonand Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell decided in 2008 that the Olympic Park needed "something extra". Designers were asked for ideas for an "Olympic tower" at least 100 metres (330 ft) high, and Orbitwas the unanimous choice from proposals considered by a nine-person advisory panel.

The project was expected to cost £19.1 million, with £16 million coming from Britain's richest man, the Steel Tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman of the ArcelorMittal Steel Company, and the balance of £3.1 million coming from the London Development Agency. The name "ArcelorMittal Orbit" combines the name of Mittal's Company, as chief sponsor, with "Orbit", the original working title for Kapoorand Balmond's design.

Then, the St Paul's Cathedral, an Anglican Cathedral, the Seat of the Bishop of London and the Mother Church of the Diocese of London. It sits on Ludgate Hill, the highest point of the City of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. The present church, dating from the Late 17th century, was designed in the English Baroque Styleby Sir Christopher Wren. Its construction, completed within Wren's lifetime, was part of a major rebuilding programme in the City after the Great Fire of London.

The cathedral is one of the most famous and most recognisable sights in London. Its dome, framed by the spires of Wren's City churches, dominated the skyline for 300 years. At 111 m. high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1962. Its dome is among the highest in the world. St Paul's is the second largest church building in area in the United Kingdom after Liverpool Cathedral.

St Paul's Cathedraloccupies a significant place in the national identity. It is the central subject of much promotional material, as well as images of the dome surrounded by the smoke and fire of the Blitz. Important services held at St Paul's have included the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellingtonand Sir Winston Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; the wedding of Charles, Prince of Walesand Lady Diana Spencer, the launch of the Festival of Britain and the thanksgiving services for the Golden Jubilee, the 80th Birthdayand the Diamond Jubileeof Elizabeth II.

In the third stamp you can see The Tower Bridge (built 1886 – 1894)  is a Combined Bascule and Suspension Bridge in London. The bridge crosses the River Thamesclose to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London. Tower Bridge is one of five Londonbridges now owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the City of London Corporation. It is the only one of the Trust's bridges not to connect the City of London directly to the Southwark Bank, the northern landfall being in Tower Hamlets.

The bridgeconsists of two Bridge Towerstied together at the upper level by two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal tension forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. The vertical components of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. The bridge's present colour scheme dates from 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. Originally it was painted a mid greenish-blue colour.

The last stamp is dedicated to the Big Ben Clock, and the Parliament Palace, where Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, and often extended to refer to the Clockand the Clock Tower.

The Tower is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, renamed as such to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II(prior to being renamed in 2012 it was known simply as "Clock Tower"). The tower holds the Second Largest Four-Faced Chiming Clock in the world (Minneapolis City Hallbeing the largest). The tower was completed in 1858and had its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009, during which celebratory events took place. The tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of the United Kingdom and is often in the establishing shot of films set in London.

Finally, Maps, and in particular Maps of the United Kingdom Topic could be added, as a small iconic one appears as the colour proof at the right-bottom corner of the Block.

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.

URU - 2012 - #040 - SERIE - 185TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL POST OFFICE

Uruguay - 2012 - 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office

Options:

SERIE --- 1,40 EUR
BLOCK --- 1,40 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 2,80 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day --- 9,00 EUR
COVER Sent on First Day --- 6,00 EUR

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: December 21st, 2012
Printed: 10.000 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [27 mm. x 39 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 1 stamp [1 x 1]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [81 mm. x 92 mm.]

FDC Type: Normal
FDC not sent Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]
FDC sent on issue day Shape and Size: Rectangular [235 mm. x 105 mm.]

Cover Shape and Size: Rectangular [241 mm. x 159 mm.]

Catalogue information:

Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: No Data Available
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available

Topics:

Issue:

This block of a single stamp was issued in commemoration of the 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office "Administración Nacional de Correos", commercially named "Correo Uruguayo".

This issue was released precisely the day of the National Post Office Anniversary, as it was founded on, a far away in time December 21st of 1827. It was established during the provisional goverment of Juan Antonio Lavalleja just two years after independence of Uruguay, and the administrator appointed to manage the Post Office was the militar Luis de la Robla.

The design of the stamp of this issue, and also the one of the block that will be later described, seems inspired in the artistist movement created by Joaquín Torres García called Constructive Universalism.

The stamp is divided in two parts, the above one showing some Covers and Letter, and a Map of Uruguay, over the logotype of the National Post Office, probably giving the idea of the complete coverage of the postal network through all the country. Then, the below part shows the act of delivering, showing national Post office van full of packages and a postman with a hat giving one of these packages to some man and probably his child, showing that the postal network actually reach everyone of us.

Block:

The block, as already mentioned, follows the constructive aproach, and uses this technique, to show the main services that the National Post Office provides, each one in a different frame.

Travelling through the different frames, it is found the mail box service represented by some sort of small coffers in the tiniest frame on the left-top corner.

Then, at right of previous one, the money transfer service is shown, with a packet of notes, and the characteristic icon of transer.

Below the two previous frames, a bigger one shows the parcel service, the draw presenting the postman with hat and bag taking some packages from the storage is clear about it. However, another topic that is finely introduced in this frame is the participation of the National Post Office in the wonderful project that was implemented since a few years in Uruguay called "One Laptop Per Child", that as it names suggest, was to provide a notebook computer for each child at school age. This participation is depicted in the block as one of the packages shown in this frame is a XO computer, the particular computer provided to these kids.

After that frames, we go to the right ones, and in the one of the right-top corner, the receipts and payments service is displayed. As this service was at first thought mainly for old and disable people, in a way to help them providing the broad postal net to bring closer the places in which they can paid or get paid, usually get paid their retirement pension, for this reason, the draw focus in that clients to this service and show an old man walking aided with a cane or walking stick in front of a cashier.

Below that frame, a smaller one is found, only showing a van, more precisely a draw that depicts the model that is widely used by national post office.

Continuing our trip to the bottom part of the block, below the previous frame, and being the bigger one, we found the one that shows the newest service that the national post office provides that is the digital signature. This service is presented metaphorically by the conjunction of the two ways of sign, traditional, by handwriting, represented by the hand with a pen at right, and the new one, by cryptographic methods aided by specialized hardware and software, depicted at left with a hand holding a key. Bellow both hands, documents and covers are shown, and the rising sun logotype of National Post Office at background.

Immediately at left of the big frame, there are two more, the upper one shows a man inserting a cover in a mailbox, a very special mailbox, an english one awarded in Paris, and installed in Uruguay in 1879. Nowadays there are not vicinal mailboxes as these, however, thanks to his beautiful design it still is an icon of Uruguayan Post Office, so much that, a permanent serie some years ago was composed by many stamps with this mailbox.

Then, the lower one shows philately, or as a postal service, the selling of new releases of stamps, this service is presented metaphorically with a hand using a Stamp tong or tweezer to hold a stamp, a magnifying glass, many stamps and some other philatelic tools.

Finally, the last frame, simply shows the earth globe, showing Southamerica mainly, and with Uruguay country prominent in it, surely as a way to exhibit the connection of Uruguay to the rest of the world through the National Post Office.

One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a project supported by the Miami-based One Laptop per Child Association (OLPCA) and the Cambridge-based OLPC Foundation (OLPCF), two U.S. non-profit organizations set up to oversee the creation of affordable educational devices for use in the developing world. The project was originally funded by member organizations such as AMD, Chi Mei, eBay, Google, Marvell, News Corporation, Nortel, Red Hat, and Quanta.

In the first years of the project, the Association managed development and logistics, and the Foundation managed fundraising such as the Give One Get One campaign. In 2010 the Association set up a new office in Miami under Rodrigo Halaby, and currently oversees deployment and support for the XO-1.5 laptop and its successors, and country partnerships. The foundation, led by Chairman Nicholas Negroponte, currently oversees development of future software and hardware, including the ARM-based OLPC XO-1.75 laptop and the OLPC XO-3 tablet.

FAQ on official site of OLPC informs that as of 2011 there were about over 2.4 million XO laptops delivered.

The Plan Ceibal is a Uruguayan initiative to implement the “1 to 1” model to introduce Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in primary public education and is beginning with the expansion into secondary schools.

In four years Plan Ceibal delivered 450,000 laptops to all students and teachers in the primary education system and no-cost internet access throughout the country. Impact already be seen, include: increased self-esteem in students, improved motivation of students and teachers as well as active participation by parents (94% approve of the Plan according to a national survey performed in 2009).

The success of Plan Ceibal is not only due to technological innovations, but also to achievements such as the creation of a training plan for teachers in primary education, the active inclusion of the society and teachers in the project and the successful design and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation model to measure the impact nationally that serves as a guide to define future actions in the Plan.

Ceibal Project emerged as a result of the digital gap that existed in Uruguay between the people who didn't have access to technology and to those who did. It was impelled during the regime of Tabaré Vazquez as a pioneer project; although it was inspired by Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop per Child project. It raised three principal values: to distribute technology, to promote knowledge and to generate social equity.

The project was named “Ceibal” like the typical Uruguayan tree and flower called “ceibo”, known in English as Cockspur coral tree. Ceibal also stands for "Conectividad Educativa de Informática Básica para el Aprendizaje en Línea" (Educational Connectivity/Basic Computing for Online Learning in English). The OLPC XO-1 computers used in the project are nicknamed "ceibalitas".

The XO-1, previously known as the "$100 Laptop" or "Children's Machine", is an inexpensive laptop computer designed to be distributed to children in developing countries around the world, to provide them with access to knowledge, and opportunities to "explore, experiment and express themselves" (constructionist learning). The laptop is manufactured by the Taiwanese computer company Quanta Computer.

The rugged, low-power computers use flash memory instead of a hard drive, run a Fedora-based operating system and use the Sugar user interface.[24] Mobile ad-hoc networking based on the 802.11s wireless mesh network protocol allows students to collaborate on activities and to share Internet access from one connection. The wireless networking has much greater range than typical consumer laptops. The XO-1 has also been designed to be lower cost and much longer-lived than typical laptops.

A digital signature is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender, such that the sender cannot deny having sent the message (authentication and non-repudiation) and that the message was not altered in transit (integrity). Digital signatures are commonly used for software distribution, financial transactions, and in other cases where it is important to detect forgery or tampering.

FDC:

The desing of the First Day Cancelation, only shows the legend of the 185 anniversary "185 ANIVERSARIO D CORREOS", and four wavy lines. This legend is a bit weird, as it is not understand why they use a 'D' crossed by another small undulated line to write the word "de", that is "of" in english.

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.

URU - 2012 - #040 - FDC Sent on First Day - 185TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL POST OFFICE

Uruguay - 2012 - 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #040 - COVER Sent on First Day - 185TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL POST OFFICE

Uruguay - 2012 - 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #040 - BLOCK - 185TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL POST OFFICE

Uruguay - 2012 - 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #040 - FDC not Sent - 185TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL POST OFFICE

Uruguay - 2012 - 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #040 - SERIE - 185TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL POST OFFICE

Uruguay - 2012 - 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office

Options:

SERIE --- 1,40 EUR
BLOCK --- 1,40 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 2,80 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day --- 9,00 EUR
COVER Sent on First Day --- 6,00 EUR

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: December 21st, 2012
Printed: 10.000 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [27 mm. x 39 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 1 stamp [1 x 1]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [81 mm. x 92 mm.]

FDC Type: Normal
FDC not sent Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]
FDC sent on issue day Shape and Size: Rectangular [235 mm. x 105 mm.]

Cover Shape and Size: Rectangular [241 mm. x 159 mm.]

Catalogue information:

Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: No Data Available
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available

Topics:

Issue:

This block of a single stamp was issued in commemoration of the 185th Anniversary of the National Post Office "Administración Nacional de Correos", commercially named "Correo Uruguayo".

This issue was released precisely the day of the National Post Office Anniversary, as it was founded on, a far away in time December 21st of 1827. It was established during the provisional goverment of Juan Antonio Lavalleja just two years after independence of Uruguay, and the administrator appointed to manage the Post Office was the militar Luis de la Robla.

The design of the stamp of this issue, and also the one of the block that will be later described, seems inspired in the artistist movement created by Joaquín Torres García called Constructive Universalism.

The stamp is divided in two parts, the above one showing some Covers and Letter, and a Map of Uruguay, over the logotype of the National Post Office, probably giving the idea of the complete coverage of the postal network through all the country. Then, the below part shows the act of delivering, showing national Post office van full of packages and a postman with a hat giving one of these packages to some man and probably his child, showing that the postal network actually reach everyone of us.

Block:

The block, as already mentioned, follows the constructive aproach, and uses this technique, to show the main services that the National Post Office provides, each one in a different frame.

Travelling through the different frames, it is found the mail box service represented by some sort of small coffers in the tiniest frame on the left-top corner.

Then, at right of previous one, the money transfer service is shown, with a packet of notes, and the characteristic icon of transer.

Below the two previous frames, a bigger one shows the parcel service, the draw presenting the postman with hat and bag taking some packages from the storage is clear about it. However, another topic that is finely introduced in this frame is the participation of the National Post Office in the wonderful project that was implemented since a few years in Uruguay called "One Laptop Per Child", that as it names suggest, was to provide a notebook computer for each child at school age. This participation is depicted in the block as one of the packages shown in this frame is a XO computer, the particular computer provided to these kids.

After that frames, we go to the right ones, and in the one of the right-top corner, the receipts and payments service is displayed. As this service was at first thought mainly for old and disable people, in a way to help them providing the broad postal net to bring closer the places in which they can paid or get paid, usually get paid their retirement pension, for this reason, the draw focus in that clients to this service and show an old man walking aided with a cane or walking stick in front of a cashier.

Below that frame, a smaller one is found, only showing a van, more precisely a draw that depicts the model that is widely used by national post office.

Continuing our trip to the bottom part of the block, below the previous frame, and being the bigger one, we found the one that shows the newest service that the national post office provides that is the digital signature. This service is presented metaphorically by the conjunction of the two ways of sign, traditional, by handwriting, represented by the hand with a pen at right, and the new one, by cryptographic methods aided by specialized hardware and software, depicted at left with a hand holding a key. Bellow both hands, documents and covers are shown, and the rising sun logotype of National Post Office at background.

Immediately at left of the big frame, there are two more, the upper one shows a man inserting a cover in a mailbox, a very special mailbox, an english one awarded in Paris, and installed in Uruguay in 1879. Nowadays there are not vicinal mailboxes as these, however, thanks to his beautiful design it still is an icon of Uruguayan Post Office, so much that, a permanent serie some years ago was composed by many stamps with this mailbox.

Then, the lower one shows philately, or as a postal service, the selling of new releases of stamps, this service is presented metaphorically with a hand using a Stamp tong or tweezer to hold a stamp, a magnifying glass, many stamps and some other philatelic tools.

Finally, the last frame, simply shows the earth globe, showing Southamerica mainly, and with Uruguay country prominent in it, surely as a way to exhibit the connection of Uruguay to the rest of the world through the National Post Office.

One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a project supported by the Miami-based One Laptop per Child Association (OLPCA) and the Cambridge-based OLPC Foundation (OLPCF), two U.S. non-profit organizations set up to oversee the creation of affordable educational devices for use in the developing world. The project was originally funded by member organizations such as AMD, Chi Mei, eBay, Google, Marvell, News Corporation, Nortel, Red Hat, and Quanta.

In the first years of the project, the Association managed development and logistics, and the Foundation managed fundraising such as the Give One Get One campaign. In 2010 the Association set up a new office in Miami under Rodrigo Halaby, and currently oversees deployment and support for the XO-1.5 laptop and its successors, and country partnerships. The foundation, led by Chairman Nicholas Negroponte, currently oversees development of future software and hardware, including the ARM-based OLPC XO-1.75 laptop and the OLPC XO-3 tablet.

FAQ on official site of OLPC informs that as of 2011 there were about over 2.4 million XO laptops delivered.

The Plan Ceibal is a Uruguayan initiative to implement the “1 to 1” model to introduce Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in primary public education and is beginning with the expansion into secondary schools.

In four years Plan Ceibal delivered 450,000 laptops to all students and teachers in the primary education system and no-cost internet access throughout the country. Impact already be seen, include: increased self-esteem in students, improved motivation of students and teachers as well as active participation by parents (94% approve of the Plan according to a national survey performed in 2009).

The success of Plan Ceibal is not only due to technological innovations, but also to achievements such as the creation of a training plan for teachers in primary education, the active inclusion of the society and teachers in the project and the successful design and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation model to measure the impact nationally that serves as a guide to define future actions in the Plan.

Ceibal Project emerged as a result of the digital gap that existed in Uruguay between the people who didn't have access to technology and to those who did. It was impelled during the regime of Tabaré Vazquez as a pioneer project; although it was inspired by Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop per Child project. It raised three principal values: to distribute technology, to promote knowledge and to generate social equity.

The project was named “Ceibal” like the typical Uruguayan tree and flower called “ceibo”, known in English as Cockspur coral tree. Ceibal also stands for "Conectividad Educativa de Informática Básica para el Aprendizaje en Línea" (Educational Connectivity/Basic Computing for Online Learning in English). The OLPC XO-1 computers used in the project are nicknamed "ceibalitas".

The XO-1, previously known as the "$100 Laptop" or "Children's Machine", is an inexpensive laptop computer designed to be distributed to children in developing countries around the world, to provide them with access to knowledge, and opportunities to "explore, experiment and express themselves" (constructionist learning). The laptop is manufactured by the Taiwanese computer company Quanta Computer.

The rugged, low-power computers use flash memory instead of a hard drive, run a Fedora-based operating system and use the Sugar user interface.[24] Mobile ad-hoc networking based on the 802.11s wireless mesh network protocol allows students to collaborate on activities and to share Internet access from one connection. The wireless networking has much greater range than typical consumer laptops. The XO-1 has also been designed to be lower cost and much longer-lived than typical laptops.

A digital signature is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender, such that the sender cannot deny having sent the message (authentication and non-repudiation) and that the message was not altered in transit (integrity). Digital signatures are commonly used for software distribution, financial transactions, and in other cases where it is important to detect forgery or tampering.

FDC:

The desing of the First Day Cancelation, only shows the legend of the 185 anniversary "185 ANIVERSARIO D CORREOS", and four wavy lines. This legend is a bit weird, as it is not understand why they use a 'D' crossed by another small undulated line to write the word "de", that is "of" in english.

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.

URU - 2012 - #039 - SERIE - TEN YEARS POLITICAL PARTY "PARTIDO INDEPENDIENTE"

Uruguay - 2012 - Ten years of the political party "Partido independiente"

Options:

SERIE --- 1,40 EUR
SERIE [2X2] --- 5,50 EUR
BLOCK --- 12,00 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 2,80 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day --- 9,00 EUR
COVER Sent on First Day --- 6,00 EUR

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: December 17th, 2012
Printed: 15.003 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [39 mm. x 27 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 9 stamps [3 x 3]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [149 mm. x 125 mm.]

FDC Type: Normal
FDC Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]
Cover Shape and Size: Rectangular [241 mm. x 159 mm.]

Catalogue information:

Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: No Data Available
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available

Topics:

Issue:

This stamp commemorates the ten years of the foundation of the "Partido Independiente", the newest political party of Uruguay, with parliamentary representation, founded in 2003 and leadered by Pablo Mieres.

The stamp desing is very simple, as it only shows the party logotype, and the logotype built for it 10 years anniversary, all in the purple and yellow colours that represent this party.

The "Partido Independiente", "Independent Party" in English, is a social democratic and Christian humanist or Christian socialist political party of Uruguay. As already said, it is leadered by Pablo Mieres, who was one of its founders, and it presidential candidate in the 2004 national elections and in 2009 ones too.

Its goal is to build a third way away from the heterodox left-wing coalition "Frente Amplio" and the traditional right-wing parties as "Partido Colorado" and "Partido Nacional".

Inside this party coexist social democrats ideas, represented by Deputy Ivan Posada, and Christian Socialists ones, represented by its leader Pablo Mieres. The latter suggested that the party is located in the center-left of the political spectrum, although the Uruguayan population, and mostly or at least many of the political scientists identify the party as a center-right party.

The "Partido Independiente" participated in two national election, and in both get parliamentary representation. At the 2004 one, it won 1.89% of the popular vote, which gives it one seat in the Chamber of Deputies, which was occupied by Iván Posada, and none in the Senate. Then, At the 2009 election, it raised it popular vote to 2.49%, obtaining two seats in the Chamber of Deputies, that are being occupied by Iván Posada again and Daniel Radío, and none seats in the senate. This performance in the last two elections, made "Partido Independiente" the fourth largest party in Uruguay, and the smallest with parliamentary representation.

Block:

The block is only decorated with three circles to show the inks used in printing, and the legend of the party ten years anniversary "10 Años Partido Independiente".

An interesting information that is revealed by the ink colour circles, is that for the pringing of these stamps there were used the ink of each colour itself to produce the ones in the stamps, and not the usual strategy of producing all the colours as the combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks.

FDC:

The desing of the First Day Cancelation, only shows the logotype made for the anniversary and the same legend printed in the block "10 Años Partido Independiente".

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.

URU - 2012 - #039 - SERIE [2X2] - TEN YEARS POLITICAL PARTY "PARTIDO INDEPENDIENTE"

Uruguay - 2012 - Ten years of the political party "Partido independiente""

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #039 - BLOCK - TEN YEARS POLITICAL PARTY "PARTIDO INDEPENDIENTE"

Uruguay - 2012 - Ten years of the political party "Partido independiente""

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #039 - FDC not Sent - TEN YEARS POLITICAL PARTY "PARTIDO INDEPENDIENTE"

Uruguay - 2012 - Ten years of the political party "Partido independiente""

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #039 - FDC Sent on First Day - TEN YEARS POLITICAL PARTY "PARTIDO INDEPENDIENTE"

Uruguay - 2012 - Ten years of the political party "Partido independiente""

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #039 - COVER Sent on First Day - TEN YEARS POLITICAL PARTY "PARTIDO INDEPENDIENTE"

Uruguay - 2012 - Ten years of the political party "Partido independiente""

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

GO TO DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE

URU - 2012 - #039 - SERIE - TEN YEARS POLITICAL PARTY "PARTIDO INDEPENDIENTE"

Uruguay - 2012 - Ten years of the political party "Partido independiente"

Options:

SERIE --- 1,40 EUR
SERIE [2X2] --- 5,50 EUR
BLOCK --- 12,00 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 2,80 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day --- 9,00 EUR
COVER Sent on First Day --- 6,00 EUR

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: December 17th, 2012
Printed: 15.003 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [39 mm. x 27 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 9 stamps [3 x 3]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [149 mm. x 125 mm.]

FDC Type: Normal
FDC Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]
Cover Shape and Size: Rectangular [241 mm. x 159 mm.]

Catalogue information:

Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: No Data Available
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available

Topics:

Issue:

This stamp commemorates the ten years of the foundation of the "Partido Independiente", the newest political party of Uruguay, with parliamentary representation, founded in 2003 and leadered by Pablo Mieres.

The stamp desing is very simple, as it only shows the party logotype, and the logotype built for it 10 years anniversary, all in the purple and yellow colours that represent this party.

The "Partido Independiente", "Independent Party" in English, is a social democratic and Christian humanist or Christian socialist political party of Uruguay. As already said, it is leadered by Pablo Mieres, who was one of its founders, and it presidential candidate in the 2004 national elections and in 2009 ones too.

Its goal is to build a third way away from the heterodox left-wing coalition "Frente Amplio" and the traditional right-wing parties as "Partido Colorado" and "Partido Nacional".

Inside this party coexist social democrats ideas, represented by Deputy Ivan Posada, and Christian Socialists ones, represented by its leader Pablo Mieres. The latter suggested that the party is located in the center-left of the political spectrum, although the Uruguayan population, and mostly or at least many of the political scientists identify the party as a center-right party.

The "Partido Independiente" participated in two national election, and in both get parliamentary representation. At the 2004 one, it won 1.89% of the popular vote, which gives it one seat in the Chamber of Deputies, which was occupied by Iván Posada, and none in the Senate. Then, At the 2009 election, it raised it popular vote to 2.49%, obtaining two seats in the Chamber of Deputies, that are being occupied by Iván Posada again and Daniel Radío, and none seats in the senate. This performance in the last two elections, made "Partido Independiente" the fourth largest party in Uruguay, and the smallest with parliamentary representation.

Block:

The block is only decorated with three circles to show the inks used in printing, and the legend of the party ten years anniversary "10 Años Partido Independiente".

An interesting information that is revealed by the ink colour circles, is that for the pringing of these stamps there were used the ink of each colour itself to produce the ones in the stamps, and not the usual strategy of producing all the colours as the combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks.

FDC:

The desing of the First Day Cancelation, only shows the logotype made for the anniversary and the same legend printed in the block "10 Años Partido Independiente".

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.

URU - 2012 - #038 - SERIE - MENTAL HOSPITAL "COLONIA ETCHEPARE" CENTENARY

Uruguay - 2012 - Centenary of Mental Hospital "Colonia Etchepare"

Options:

SERIE --- 1,40 EUR
SERIE [2X2] --- 5,50 EUR
BLOCK --- 12,00 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 2,80 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day --- 9,00 EUR
COVER Sent on First Day --- 6,00 EUR

If you are interested in any of this items, or any other items from Uruguay, just make a donation including your e-mail in the description.

I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: December 4th, 2012
Printed: 15.003 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [32 mm. x 47 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 9 stamps [3 x 3]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [125 mm. x 185 mm.]

FDC Type: Normal
FDC Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]
Cover Shape and Size: Rectangular [241 mm. x 159 mm.]

Catalogue information:

Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: No Data Available
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available

Topics:

Issue:

This stamp commemorates the Centenary of the Mental Hospital "Dr. Bernardo Etchepare", commonly known as: "Colonia Etchepare", that was the second Mental Hospital built in Uruguay, after the National Mental Hospital, later called "Hospital Vilardebó", and it is located 70 km far from the Capital of Uruguay Montevideo, near the city of Santa Lucía in the department of Canelones.

The stamp was released in the same month of its foundation, that took place in December of 1912, in the presidence of José Batlle y Ordoñez, as an emergency measure for the overpopulation of National Mental Hospital that was made for 700 patients and it was hosting 1500 at the decade of 1910.

Jointly with the "Hospital Vilardebó" they reach a population of 5.000 patients in 1950 decade, giving Uruguay a rate of 18 patients by 10.000 habitants, one of the most high rates in the world. Hopefully, later, better strategies and projects for the treatment of mental illness, had lowered that rate to more acceptable ones.

The desing of the stamp shows a wonderful painting made by a hospital internship, the artist Oscar Caballero. The painting is called "Esquizofrenia", that is the spanish word for the mental illness "schizophrenia", and in a poetic way, the painting express what happen inside someone suffering that disease.

The Mental Hospital "Dr. Bernardo Etchepare", founded on December of 1912, due to the overpopulation of the National Mental Hospital, received around 350 new patients by year, and had a low rate of outflows, so it quicly get as overcrowed as the National Mental Hospital it pretend to save, and it conception of a peaceful colony in which more of the patient get rehabilitated soon get lost and it became an asylum.

The main cause of this big annual rate of new patients was that not all of them was referred to this institution because of psychiatric disorders, on the opposite, there were many people that get inside by lack of economic or social resources, and also conducted by police for tramp.

In the beginning, following the country's population composition, the colony housed equally Uruguayan and foreigners of different nationalities. The immigration flows from, the two World Wars, the Russian Revolution, and the Spanish Civil War were reflected in the nationality of patients admitted. It must have had no minor relevance the uprooting, the cultural and linguistic diversity, and other psychosocial complications due of those strong conditions of exodus.

In 1984 the "Sociedad de Psiquiatría del Uruguay", in english "Psychiatry Society of Uruguay" drafted the transcendent document "Situación de la Asistencia Psiquiátrica y Propuesta de Cambio", in english "Psychiatric Care Situation and Proposal for Change", which was a cornerstone concept in formulating the "Programa Nacional de Salud Mental", in english "National Mental Health Programme" in 1986. In the analysis based on the Colonia Etchepare, it notes that the instituition housed 2,400 patients (1,300 of them in nearby Cologne "Santin Carlos Rossi"). The technical relationship by patient is a psychiatrist in 100 patients, one nurse every 153 patients, whereas a clerk reported every 21 patients and a staff of maintenance and monitoring every 11 patients. The technical assistance available time is 6 minutes psychiatrist, three minutes of nurse, and psychologist 4.8 minutes per week per patient. The average stay is in 520 days. Only 150 patients attend rehabilitation workshops, that is 6.25% of the institutionalized population. And finally, in relation to the Colony, the paper concluded: "Over 78% of psychiatric beds in the country, its high rate of chronicity, high operating costs and low technical relationship / patient, the "Colonia Etchepare" is merely a custodial asylum".

From the administration of government installed in 2005, it was strengthened the efforts to enhance habitat quality and dignity of patients in the Psychiatric Care Colognes. And this work gives great results, with many patients that get rehabilitated. The Management Report of 2011 tells that 830 people (431 in "Dr. Bernardo Etchepare" and 399 in "Dr. Santin Carlos Rossi") housed in the "Colonia Etchepare" of Psychiatric Care. This shows a sustained progressive reduction on mental asylum, that leaves the country with this remnant which corresponds to a rate 2.5 patients per 10,000 inhabitants, way lower from 18 / 10.000 one of the 1950s.

Dr. Bernardo Etchepare born in 1869 and passed away in 1925.

He graduated a medical surgeon in Paris in 1894. Back to Uruguay was appointed professor of anatomy, position he held until 1905, and also served as surgeon for 10 years, after that he devoted entirely to psychiatry.

He was Service Chief at Vilardebó Hospital, and Professor of Psychiatry at the University since 1908 to the end of his days. It was also a founding member of the "Society of Psychiatry, Uruguay", he installed the first non-state psychiatric hospital in Uruguay, and wrote numerous scientific papers on mental illness.

It is interesting to know that he had a biologist and organismic vision of mental illness, he rejected the lines of thought of first Freud and then Jung, and among any other things, he not accepted the theory of schizophrenia, which is the topic selected for this stamp to depict the Mental Hospital that now bears his name.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by a deficit of typical emotional responses. Common symptoms include auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social or occupational dysfunction. The onset of symptoms typically occurs in young adulthood, with a global lifetime prevalence of about 0.3–0.7%. Diagnosis is based on observed behavior and the patient's reported experiences.

Genetics, early environment, neurobiology, and psychological and social processes appear to be important contributory factors; some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or worsen symptoms. Current research is focused on the role of neurobiology, although no single isolated organic cause has been found. The many possible combinations of symptoms have triggered debate about whether the diagnosis represents a single disorder or a number of discrete syndromes. Despite the etymology of the term from the Greek roots skhizein (σχίζειν, "to split") and phrēn, phren- (φρήν, φρεν-; "mind"), schizophrenia does not imply a "split personality", or "multiple personality disorder" (which is known these days as dissociative identity disorder)—a condition with which it is often confused in public perception. Rather, the term means a "splitting of mental functions", because of the symptomatic presentation of the illness.

The mainstay of treatment is antipsychotic medication, which primarily suppresses dopamine (and sometimes serotonin) receptor activity. Psychotherapy and vocational and social rehabilitation are also important in treatment. In more serious cases—where there is risk to self and others—involuntary hospitalization may be necessary, although hospital stays are now shorter and less frequent than they once were.

The disorder is thought mainly to affect cognition, but it also usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. People with schizophrenia are likely to have additional (comorbid) conditions, including major depression and anxiety disorders; the lifetime occurrence of substance use disorder is almost 50%. Social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty, and homelessness are common. The average life expectancy of people with the disorder is 12 to 15 years less than those without, as the result of increased physical health problems and a higher suicide rate (about 5%).

Oscar caballero was born in Minas, a city in the departmen of "Lavalleja" in Uruguay, in the year 1936, and is an internship of Colonia Etchepare since a few years ago.

This are his words: "I made many drawings of madness and put them in a box that said do not touch. It was a fight between me and the table, brushes, everything. The three heads were saying different things, one dozing, as thinking. Another stunned, looking at the stars. The first is as a clown who looks ahead and laugh at life. I have laughter as the main thing of all, I felt with the body healthy, strong lungs, I always felt happy. Happiness lies in laughter, you have to laugh. My grandmother heard me laugh and tell me about also with words people get cured. I paint with great joy and with much criticism, I'm painting and I am criticizing. I am retailer".

The painting of Oscar Caballero shown in the stamp, "esquizofrenia", is a large one, it measures are: 0,68 mts x 1,24 mts, and it was made with oleo over wood.

The work shows the mental split in schizophrenics, with these four faces that cames from one head, each shown different mood states, namely: happyness, sadness, fear, and annoyance. Then, behind the main four faces head, there is an interesting tiny image of what seems to be a tree in a sunrise, thats brings a warm breeze of peace and hope after the shock produced by the disturbin foreground image.

Block:

The block is only decorated with four faces, or perhaps more precisely masks icons to show the inks used in printing, and the legend of the centenary of "Colonia Etchepare" Mental Hospital, "Centenario de la Colonia Etchepare"

FDC:

The desing of the First Day Cancelation, shows a fragment of the work of another internship of the "Colonia Etchepare", named "Raúl Cabrera", although it sign his works as "Raúl Javiel Cabrera", and was commonly known as "Cabrerita".

The work shown is a double work, two works in the same cardboard, the main one called "Rostro Masculino", and the other one "Rostros", translated in english "Male face" and "Faces" respectively.

Raul Cabrera or Cabrerita, was born at December 2nd, 1919, in Montevideo, Uruguayan Capital, and passed away at December 18th, 1992, in the City of Santa Lucia, at the department of Canelones.

Cabrerita spends the early years of his childhood, after being abandoned by his family since birth in the asylum "Damaso A. Larrañaga" and he attends school at "José Pedro Varela" school upto 5th grade.

From early age he manifest their artistic qualities and very young he began to work painting stained glass. Then, he Attends the "Círculo de Bellas Artes de Montevideo", an Academy of Fine Arts, and he aslo studies at "Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay (UTU)" a Labour University, directed by painter Guillermo Laborde. He Studies with Gilberto Bellini, then with Pablo Serrano at the "Taller Don Bosco", and also with Carlos Prevosti.

His work in art is permanent and constant despite that his life is full of admissions in psychiatric hospitals or residences in friends house that temporary take charge of him, mainly in Lucy house, sister of the poet José Parrilla, who was his friend and protector.

When Lucy is evicted, settles with Vilardebó Hospital Director, Dr. Caceres, a human being of great culture and sensitivity, to stay at the center as a way to alleviate the situation of homelessness. But when Dr. Caceres leaves Vilardebó address, the new director decides Cabrerita moving to Colonia Etchepare, where he lived nearly 30 years in rather inhuman condition.

Cabrerita was one of the legendary characters of Montevideo, as he usually take part of the gatherings at the Café Sorocabana with memorable personalities as Idea Vilariño, Humberto Megget, Felisberto Hernandez, Carlos Maggi, José Luis "Tola" Invernizzi, among others.

His paintings show strange girls with staring eyes, long faces, eyes averted, with her hands folded, motionless, and covering her sex.

He Participate in solo exhibitions at the YMCA of Montevideo, in the Ateneo and at the XVI Biennial of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1981. and it was awarded at the Municipal Hall, 1944 V, VII Municipal Hall 1946 National Painting X 1946.

In his last years was a neighbor of the city of Saint Lucia, giving his drawings for lack of money to change snuff, or a glass of milk. Before dying he resides with a family in that city.

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.