The Left Lane
Of course there's a Year of Horse stamp
2002 is the Year of the Horse.
The horse, of course, is part of the Chinese Lunar New Year calendar and will be honored on a new U.S. 34-cent stamp celebrating the occasion, designed, once again, by Hawai'i's own Clarence Lee.
The new stamp is the 10th in the U.S. Postal Service's award-winning lunar new year commemorative series. It features a drawing of a horse with the wording "Happy New Year" in the upper right corner. "USA" and "34" are at the right-hand bottom corner.
The horse is the seventh of 12 animals associated with the lunar calendar.
According to the ancient tradition, each animal has certain spiritual attributes. People born in the Year of the Horse are said to enjoy being in the spotlight, are hard-working, honest, independent and very sociable.
The new stamp will be released on Feb. 12, as the Year of the Horse begins.
The easiest way to get first-day official postmarks of the 2002 Lunar New Year stamp is by calling toll free (800) STAMP-24.
Images of many past and future stamp issues can be found in the Collector's Corner of the Postal Store at usps.com/shop
— Associated Press
Timex sure to sparkle with Swarovski crystals
Timex, recently listed as the most recognizable name in fashion, is known as the workhorse of watches.
However, in 2002, it's changing its image with the introduction of the "Timex Collection" of trendy fashion watches. Now the affordable watches are adorned with upscale Austrian Swarovski crystals and come in seven styles. Watch cases are available in both silver and gold tone. Bracelets, with removable links, are available in gold, silver or bi-metal finishes. Dials come in a range of colors including blue, silver, pink and black, each of which enhances the crystals' effect.
The Timex Sparkles collection, retailing for about $50, is available only on the Web at timex.com. They should be in Wal-Mart and Kmart by the end of this month.
— Paula Rath, Advertiser staff writer
