Wright Brothers' First Controlled Flight

Outgoing postcard US-3772207 to Brazil has a 37-cent First Flight commemorative stamp in the front, issued by USPS on May 22, 2003 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first controlled, powered, and sustained flight in a heavier-than-air flying machine. At Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903, Wright Brothers tested Flyer I with a four-cylinder engine for the first flight that lasted 12 seconds and 120 feet or 37 meters, followed by three even more successful flights later that day.

The miniature souvenir sheet has ten pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) stamps. The card has address, messages and additional postage on the back. It was sent to the Post Office in Kitty Hawk, NC for the 2015 edition first flight pictorial postmark in a package with several other postcards. Tracking shows the package left Las Vegas on January 16, 2016 and was delivered in January 19, 2016.

I did an inquiry on February 22, 2016 for the service update via USPS.COM, and got a prompt call back the next day asking me for more information, and another call the day after informing me that the cards were mailed out on Monday, February 22, 2016. Sure enough, I received the one addressed to myself today on February 26, 2016.

However, the SURPRISE was that they used the 111th anniversary edition rubber stamp from 2014 with a date of "DEC 17 2014", rather than the 112th anniversary edition on Dec 17, 2015 !!! Interesting.

To Infinity and Beyond!

Postcard DE-4980404 from Germany shows a concept art for the Pixar Animation Studios' Toy Story by Nilo Rodis. Buzz Lightyear is a fictional character in the Toy Story animation series. He is a toy space ranger hero in the movies and an action figure in the Toy Story franchise.

Horologium

Postcard HK-398848 from Hong Kong features Horologium, a faint constellation in the southern sky with only one star, Alpha Horologii, an orange giant, brighter than apparent magnitude 4. The constellation was first described by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752 as l'Horloge à pendule & à secondes (clock with pendulum and seconds hand.) It is one of the 88 modern constellations.

The card came with one of the Year of the Monkey stamps issued by Hong Kong Post.

New Moon Stamp by USPS is Out

Postcard UA-1386362 from Ukraine shows a full moon over the horizon. Today, USPS put out the new Moon Global Forever international rate stamp today. It continues to be a round stamp as other Global Forever stamps, featuring a detailed surface photograph of the moon. It sells for USD 1.20, which is good for mailing a 1-ounce letter or postcard to any country where the First-Class Mail International service is available.

Update: As of April 10, 2016, the new Global Forever international rate is decreased to USD 1.15.

Dragon Dance

Postcard US-3372308 to Finland shows a Kung Fu team performing the dragon dance at Chinatown Plaza in Las Vegas on February 22, 2015. Dancers manipulate the poles positioned at regular intervals along the length of the flexible dragon body, mimicking the supposed movements of this mystic creature in a sinuous, undulating manner.

Similar to the lion dance and often performing together, the dragon dance can usually be seen during the Chinese New Year celebrations.  It was a highlight during the Year of the Monkey Spring Festival at Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road earlier today.

Dragon dance at Chinatown Plaza in Las Vegas on February 21, 2016