Men's Gymnastics

This original artwork by Robert Peak was used for the design of the men's gymnastics stamp from the 40¢ international airmail block of four honoring the 1984 Summer Olympics. This stamp was issued at Los Angeles, California 33 years ago on April 8, 1983.

Update: the card was later sent to Belarus as US-3975285.

Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram, India

Postcard IN-177804 from India shows the Shore Temple, built with blocks of granite in 700–728 CE, overlooking the shore of the Bay of Bengal at Mahabalipuram in India. It is one of the oldest structural stone temples of South India. Mahabalipuram was once a busy port during the reign of Narasimhavarman II of the Pallava dynasty. 

As one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, the Shore Temple was recognized as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

1984 Summer Olympics Torch Station

Outgoing postcard US-3373220 to China was a stamped postal postcard for the 1984 Summer Olympics with an Olympic Torch Station postmark in Los Angeles, California on July 28, 1984.

The torch was lighted at 9:30 a.m. on May 8, 1984 on the lawn in front of the United Nations building, with the energy from the Olympic flame in Athens, Greece via a "heat reading" device and underwater cables. It then traveled 33 states in a 9,000-mile or 15,000-kilometer marathon relay from New York to Los Angeles in 82 days, passing through the hands of thousands of runners from all walks of life.

Since I had a layover at LAX airport in Los Angeles earlier today en route to San Francisco, I thought it would be neat if I could mail it from LAX. To my disappointment, I found out that there was no US Mail drop box in the airport. The closest U.S. post office was at 9029 Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90009.

So the postcard will have to be mailed from San Francisco.

1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

Postcard US-2776584 to Belarus was a 13-cent stamped postal postcard issued by USPS, featuring a runner with an Olympics torch, for the 23rd Summer Olympic Games which opened in Los Angeles, CA 30 years ago on July 28, 1984.

In retaliation to the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, 14 countries including the Soviet Union, Cuba and East Germany boycotted the 1984 Summer Games. Iran and Libya also boycotted for different reasons.

The Olympic Committee led by Peter Ueberroth imposed financial constraints on the games budget by using existing facilities as much as possible. As a result, the 1984 Summer Olympics became the first financially successful modern Olympic Games. Some of the profits were used to endow a foundation to promote youth sports in Southern California, educate coaches, and maintain a sports library.

Los Angeles hosted the Olympic Games previously in 1932.

National Finals Rodeo Here to Stay

The National Finals Rodeo (NFR), organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), is a 10-day premier championship rodeo event held in the first full week of December in Las Vegas since 1984, with Wrangler Jeans becoming the title sponsor since 2001.

As the current contract with Las Vegas through 2014 was up to renew in December 2013,  PRCA board, the sanctioning body overseeing the NFR, had voted  6-3 to reject Las Vegas' initial offer to keep the NFR beyond 2014. Orlando, Florida and Dallas, Texas started to pursue the role of host city by offering a more lucrative deal to move the NFR. However, after more than a month of negotiations, a new deal was reached yesterday on January 24, 2013 so that the National Finals Rodeo would stay in Las Vegas for another 10 years through 2024.

Outgoing postcard US-2598769 to New Zealand shows a giant cowboy boot at the Cowboy Fan Fest and the Cowboy Christmas Gift Show during the National Finals Rodeo on December 7, 2013.

Brahma Shrine at Caesar Palace

Postcard US-2032250 to Thailand shows the Brahma Shrine at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It is a replica of one of the most famous Buddhist shrines, the Erawan Shrine at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

At the first glance, it may feel strange to see the shimmering blue-and-gold motif among the surrounding white pillars of Roman Square. Nonetheless, since donated to Caesars in 1984 from Thai newspaper tycoons Mr. and Mrs. Kamphol Vacharaphol and Mr. Yip Hon, a prominent figure of Hong Kong, the Shrine has become a symbol of prosperity and good luck. It features a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu god Brahma. The four faces of the Brahma statue represent the Four Divine States of Mind: Loving Kindness or Benevolence (慈), Compassion (悲), Sympathy or Empathetic Joy (喜), and Equanimity (捨).

The Shrine was cast in bronze and plated in gold, weighted more than 360 kilograms or 8,000 pounds and measured 4.3 meters or 14 feet tall. It was dedicated twenty nine years ago today on February 5, 1984 under the supervision of Buddhist monks. It is open to people of all faiths as explained by the full inscription of the shrine's plaque.