Blue Angels and Thunderbirds Crashed in Separate Accidents

It is rare to see an aircraft crash from military flying demonstration squadrons as they feature the most skillful pilots from their respective services. As a matter of fact, the last accident for the US Navy's Blue Angles happened during an air show at a Marine Corps air station in Beaufort, South Carolina in April 2007, when Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis was killed; the US Air Force's Thunderbirds saw its last crash in September 2003 with Capt. Chris Stricklin parachuting to safety. Therefore, it's such a bizarre coincidence as a Blue Angels F-18 and a Thunderbirds F-16 crashed separately in the same day.

One F-16 fighter jet of the Thunderbirds crashed near Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado around 1 p.m. MDT (12 p.m. PDT), following a flyover for the Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony with President Obama in attendance as the keynote speaker. The pilot of the No. 6 Thunderbirds jet Maj. Alex Turner ejected safely.

A mere hour later at approximately 3 p.m. CDT (1 p.m. PDT), a U.S. Navy Blue Angels  F/A-18 fighter jet crashed while in formation during an air show practice in Smyrna, Tennessee on June 2, 2016. The pilot did not eject and was killed in crash.

Postcard US-3935005 to Germany shows a paratrooper in descent against the Moon during the Aviation Nation on November 13, 2010.

Thunderbird No.6 was seen at the Aviation Nation on Nov. 14, 2010

National Doughnut Day

National Doughnut Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the first Friday of June each year. It was started by the Salvation Army in 1938 to honor their members who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. Many national chains and independent shops in Las Vegas are offering specials today, including free doughnuts with or without purchase.

Postcard US-2317873 to Russia shows a Voodoo Doll doughnut, one of those raised yeast doughnuts filled with raspberry jelly topped with chocolate frosting and a pretzel stake, from Voodoo Doughnut which is an independent doughnut shop based in Portland, Oregon. It is known for its unusual specialty doughnuts, eclectic decor, cash-only payment and pink boxes featuring the company logo and illustrations of voodoo priests. Interestingly, Voodoo Doughnut also offers legal wedding services, with doughnuts and coffee included for the reception. I visited Voodoo Doughnut's original location at 22 SW 3rd Avenue during my Jetblue AYCJ trip to Portland, OR in 2010.

Apúlia, Portugal

Postcard PT-368959 from Portugal shows Apúlia, a town with 4,323 residents and a former civil parish in the municipality of Esposende, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Apúlia e Fão. It was a municipality by itself until 1834, when it was incorporated into Esposende. Apúlia is known for its dune beaches, as seen on the card, and Roman-style folk costumes, which may indicate its connection to the region of Apulia in Italy where a possible migration was originated during the Roman Empire.

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. On May 17, 2010, President Aníbal Cavaco Silva ratified a law for legalization of same-sex marriage and became effective on June 5, 2010. Portugal became the sixth country in Europe and the eighth country in the world to allow same-sex marriage nationwide.

World Book Day

World Book Day is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing and copyright on April 23 every year. It was celebrated for the first time on April 23, 1995.

Postcard US-1828687 to Germany shows people reading books at a park in Portland, Oregon.

Aviation Nation is Back

Aviation Nation is an annual air show and open house of the Nellis United State Air Force Base near Las Vegas, NV, held in November of each year.

However, due to the defense budget cut for fiscal year 2013, the scheduled airshow on November 9 and 10, 2013 was canceled. It is exciting to see the Aviation Nation returns on November 8 and 9, 2014 with aerial demonstration between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. There will be no Aviation Nation 2015 because an expected inspection during the same time period next year when the air show is usually held.

Postcard US-2489824 to Germany shows the popular F-16 Thunderbirds demonstrations during a previous Aviation Nation event on November 14, 2010. Nellis Air Force Base is the home base for the U.S.A.F. Thunderbird air demonstration team. In addition, both the newest U.S.A.F aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor and the legacy aircraft such as the World War II B-25J Mitchell "Executive Sweet" are featured.

Sailing along Rotterdam

Postcard NL-2675928 from the Netherlands shows Euromast, an observation tower in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Designed by Hugh Maaskant and constructed between 1958 and 1960, it was specially built for the 1960 Floriade. It has a "crow's nest" observation platform and a restaurant at 96 meters or 315 feet above-ground. Euromast was originally 101 meters or 331 feet in height. When the Space Tower was added on top of the building in 1970, it added an additional 85 meters or 279 feet in height. At 186 meters or 610 feet, Euromast is the tallest building in Rotterdam, the second-largest city in the Netherlands. In comparison, the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas stands at 350.2 meters or 1,149 feet. Euromast became a listed monument in 2010.

International Tiger Day

Today is International Tiger Day, an annual celebration on July 29 to raise awareness for tiger conservation. It started in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia. The most recent estimate shows only 3,200 tigers still in the wild, including 500 Siberian tigers. 95% of the total population have disappeared in the past 100 years; three subspecies: Bali , Caspian and Javan, have already been extinct by 1940s, 1970s, and 1970s respectively.

Habitat loss has been a direct contributor for the tiger population decline. Tigers lost 93% of their natural habitat due to human activities including deforestation, urbanization, and agricultural expansion. Climate change is also a factor as rising sea levels threaten to wipe out the last remaining habitat of Bengal tigers in the Sundarbans, a large mangrove forest area between India and Bangladesh on the northern coast of the Indian Ocean. Therefore, It is ultimate important to protect the natural habitats of tigers for tiger conservation to be successful.

USPS issued the Save Vanishing Species stamp featuring a tiger cub on September 20, 2011, with its net proceeds from sale benefiting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Multinational Species Conservation Funds. The Funds in turn supports efforts by numerous conservation organizations, including WWF which implements conservation projects such as surveying tigers and their prey in Nepal.

The featured postcard was sent from Connecticut as US-2140597.

Free Cone Day

It is Free Cone Day by Ben & Jerry's from 12 pm to 8 p.m. With the temperature in Las Vegas reaches around 90°F this afternoon first time in the year, it is the right time to enjoy some ice cream.

Ben & Jerry's is a Burlington, Vermont based ice cream company, founded in 1978. According to their mission statements, the company promotes progressive values by making commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment; operating the company under a sustainable financial growth; and initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally and internationally.

Since their first anniversary back in 1979,  Ben & Jerry's have presented Free Cone Day as a token for customer appreciation every year on April 8.

Outgoing postcard US-2722693 to Hong Kong shows a photo taken at Ben & Jerry's main factory in Waterbury, Vermont on October 4, 2010 during the AYCJ trip on JetBlue. 

Dniester Canyon, Ukraine

Postcard UA-951602 from Ukraine shows Dniester Canyon, a 250-km or 155-mile river segment of the Dniester River from the mouth of Zolota Lypa River to the mouth of Zbruch River. According to Wikipedia, Dniester River is the second largest and the most ecologically clean river in Ukraine.

Similar to the Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam in the United States, Dniester Canyon is partly flooded by reservoir waters. While the water depth can reach up to 50 meters, the canyon valley has its depth varied from 80 to 200 m or from 260 to 650 ft. Its original and unique geological, botanical, archaeological, and hydrological nature earned its reputation as one of seven natural wonders in Ukraine. Dniester Canyon was recognized the National Nature Park on February 3, 2010.

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F-22 Raptor

As part of the Veterans Day Celebrations, Aviation Nation, the annual open house and air show at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, was scheduled for November 9 and 10, 2013. However, due to government spending cuts, the U.S. Air Force has cut back non-critical activities. As a result, all air shows including Aviation Nation, have been cancelled.

Postcard US-2317852 to Malaysia shows a F-22 Raptor flying near an early moon in the late afternoon during the 2010 Aviation Nation on November 13, 2010. F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth fighter jet manufactured by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, partnering with Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

Youtube has a video on the F-22 Demo at the 2010 Aviation Nation, performed on Sunday, November 14, 2010. 

Vegas Valley Book Festival

The Vegas Valley Book Festival just concluded a three-day celebration of literature and imagination from October 30 to November 2, 2013. Founded by Nevada Humanities in 2002, it has featured authors from around the globe participating in a full schedule of panel discussions, book signings, readings, workshops, poetry, children's literature, and special events.

Postcard US-1920289 to the Netherlands shows Dennis Lehane as the closing keynote speaker of the 2010 festival at the Clark County Library on November 7, 2010. Dennis has written several novels, including A Drink Before the War, Mystic River, "Gone, Baby, Gone", and the latest Moonlight Mile. My favorite quote of Dennis came from his book Shutter Island: “Which would be worse, to live as a monster or to die as a good man?” 

Parachute Jump

I made this postcard today to commemorate the first parachute jump by André-Jacques Garnerin on October 22, 1797. Google made an interactive Doodle to celebrate the 216th anniversary of the jump. André-Jacques Garnerin was a balloonist and the inventor of the frame-less parachute.

The jump demonstration shown on the card was performed on November 14, 2010 at the Aviation Nation, an annual public open house at the Nellis Air Force Base. However, the Aviation Nation scheduled for November 9 and 10, 2013 has been canceled due to the budget cut.

Flower Carpet at the Grand Place, Brussels

Postcard BE-230026 from Belgium shows the Flower Carpet in 2010 at the Grand Place, central square of Brussels. The Grand Place is surrounded by guildhalls, the city's Town Hall, and the Breadhouse. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

The Flower Carpet on the Grand Place in its present-day form was first created in 1971 by the landscape architect E. Stautemans, You can watch a YouTube video to see how the 2010 Flower Carpet was made. You can find more information about the Flower Carpet from their website online.

The sender also offers six things you need to survive in Brussels:

1. comfortable shoes (hilly)
2. sunshades (weather changes in 10 minutes)
3. umbrella (weather changes in 10 minutes)
4. big scarf (weather changes in 10 minutes)
5. sense of humor (lots of absurdity, but it works out in the end)
6. photo camera or sketchbook (it's a beautiful city)

The postcard also bears a beautiful postmark.

Highland Light, Cape Cod

Postcard US-1829598 to Canada shows the Highland Light, the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod, on the Cape Cod National Seashore in North Truro, Massachusetts. The photo was from my JetBlue AYCJ trip on September 24, 2010. 

The first primary lighthouse at this site was established in 1797. However, the latest lighthouse was moved 140 m or 450 ft to the west, away from the beach, to the present location in 1996, as it was in danger of falling off the cliff due to beach erosion. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

The Tower at University of Texas, Austin

This postcard shows the main building at the center of the University of Texas at Austin campus in Downtown Austin, Texas on September 16, 2010. I was traveling from Dallas, Texas to Las Vegas, Nevada that day on my Jetblue All-You-Can-Jet (AYCJ) pass. However, since JetBlue did not have flights to or from Dallas, I took a bus to Austin in the morning for an afternoon flight to Long Beach, California, then onto Las Vegas. I had a few hours around noon, so I took a quick tour at University of Texas at Austin, and had lunch in a Thai restaurant near the campus.

The Main Building is known as "The Tower" since it has a 94 m or 307 ft tall clock tower, designed by architect Paul Philippe Cret and completed in 1937. It is the most recognizable landmark of the University and the city Austin. 

In a massacre on August 1, 1966, architectural engineering student Charles Joseph Whitman, opened fire from the observation deck of the tower of the Main Building, killing 16 Austin residents and wounding many more. He was shot to death by police at the end of 96-minute stand-off.

Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Postcard US-2333998 to Ukraine shows an aerial photo of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, taken from a Jetblue plane on approach to Portland, Maine on September 7, 2010. It was the first leg of my All-You-Can-Jet (AYCJ) trip from New Orleans, LA to Portland, ME with a transfer at JFK airport, NY.

Cape Elizabeth is a wealthy town in Southern Maine, with a population of 9015 as of the 2010 census, where the historical Portland Head Light is located. Visible on the lower-left center on the card, the lighthouse is predominant at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor.Built from 1787 to 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in the state of Maine. In 1872, an artillery base was built around the lighthouse to guard the entrance to the harbor. It was named Fort Williams in 1899 and remained active until 1962. It then became Fort Williams Park maintained by the town. The Park includes Portland Head Light and the former lighthouse keepers' house that currently serves as a maritime museum museum, remains of the military fort, the ruins of Goddard Mansion, and recreation facilities such as tennis and baseball courts. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 24, 1973.

The United States Postal Service issued a Portland Head Light Forever Stamp as part of the New England Coastal Lighthouses series on July 13, 2013.

Las Vegas Pride Parade

Las Vegas Pride Parade is one of the few, if not the only one, Pride Parades held at night. The 15th Annual Las Vegas Pride Parade will march up the 4th Street from West Charleston Blvd to Ogden Avenue starting at 8 pm on September 6, 2013 in downtown Las Vegas. The 2013 parade, presented by the MGM Resorts International and led by Grand Marshal Edward Padilla and Celebrity Grand Marshals from the cast of Divas Las Vegas, brings together the gay and straight business community, nonprofit organizations, LGBT service agencies, civic groups, and churches for a big celebration.

The postcard shows the banner of Las Vegas Pride projected on the giant Viva Vision LED display canopy at the Fremont Street Experience on April 30, 2010. The parade was changed to be held in September since.

The Largest Thermometer in the World

Baker, CA, 2010

The largest thermometer in the World is located in Baker, California, USA. It is actually an electric display rather than a tall thermometer since it does take the temperature by itself. It was built in 1991 to commemorate the record 134°Fahrenheit or 57°C temperature in the nearby Death Valley on July 10, 1913. It is 134 feet or 40.8 m tall and is capable of displaying a maximum temperature of 134°F. Both mentionings of "134" are a reference to the record temperature.

The photo on the postcard US-2293209 to China was taken on October 10, 2010 during my last lag of the JetBlue's second "All-You-Can-Jet" (AYCJ) program. I was driving from Portland, Oregon via Baker, California to Las Vegas, Nevada with a one-dollar-per-day one-way rental car deal.

World War II B-25J Mitchell "Executive Sweet"

Executive Sweet

Traveling postcard US-2323208 to japan shows the North American B-25J Mitchell 430801 "Executive Sweet", built in Kansas City in 1945, performing at Aviation Nation, Nellis Air Force Base in 2010.

Executive Sweet served the World War II as a crew trainer. It was converted into USAF VB-25J, a VIP transport in 1948. It was upgraded in 1954 and designated as VB-25N by Hayes Aircraft, Inc. After military service at the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field, Texas, it was sold as surplus and became a crop sprayer. Next, it was acquired by Hollywood's Filmways Studios in 1968, and used in the movie "Catch-22". The aircraft was placed on sale after completion of the movie production in 1970, It was purchased by Ed Schnepf in 1972 and was restored to a wartime J model. In 1982, the restored bomber was donated to the American Aeronautical Foundation Museum at Camarillo, California.

Space Needle and Maple Leafs

Jetblue's AYCJ pass took me to Seattle, Washington on October 7, 2010. Postcard US-1812081 to Germany shows the Space Needle, a landmark of city, over the maple leafs during my visit. The observation tower was built for the 1962 The Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair) in 1962. The tower is 184 m or 605 ft tall, with an observation deck at 160 m or 520 ft and a a rotating restaurant  SkyCity at 150 m or 500 ft. In comparison, the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas is 350.2 m or 1,149 ft. 

From the top of the Needle, the panoramic view reveals the downtown Seattle, the Olympic Mountains, the Cascade Mountains, and Mount Rainier, Elliott Bay and surrounding islands. The Space Needle was designated as a historic landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Board of the City of Seattle on April 19, 1999.