World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day, celebrated on June 8 every year, was originally proposed by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008. The 2015 Theme is "Healthy oceans, healthy planet."

The United Nations Postal Administration issued three panes of 12 stamps on May 31, 2013 to raise awareness for World Oceans Day. The artwork by Yoshito Hirano on Postcard JP-240233 from Japan illustrates the important relationship between human settlements and the ocean.

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.

ALMA, Chile

Postcard PL-952957 from Poland shows the Atacama Large Millimeter and submillimeter Array (ALMA), an astronomical interferometer of radio telescopes in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. The array was constructed on the Chajnantor plateau at 5,000 meters or 16,597 feet altitude, near Llano de Chajnantor Observatory and Atacama Pathfinder Experiment, to provide a high and dry environment which is crucial to millimeter wavelength operations. Initially consisting of 66 12-meter or 39-foot, and 7-meter or 23-foot diameter radio telescopes observing at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, ALMA is design to study star birth during the early universe and detailed imaging of local star and planet formation.

With its groundbreaking ceremony at ALMA site in November, 2003, ALMA began scientific observations in the second half of 2011 resulted in the first images available to the public on October 3, 2011. Inauguration ceremony was held on March 13, 2013 with the array being fully operational since.

Unrelated, it is the 3rd anniversary today since Professor Fang Lizhi (方励之), born February 12, 1936, passed away in Tucson on April 6, 2012 at age 76. A Chinese astrophysicist and activist whose liberal ideas inspired the pro-democracy student movement of 1986–87 and, eventually, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, Professor Fang was a recipient of the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Award in 1989. During his tenure as Professor of Physics at the University of Arizona, he continued to carry out research in astrophysics and cosmology with special interests in the cosmic microwave background anisotropy, Lyman alpha forest, application of wavelet in cosmology, turbulence in intergalactic medium, and the 21cm radiation during the Reionization.

Penguin One

Postcard US-3014308 to Japan shows one of Southwest Airlines' specialty planes, Penguin One, taking off from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. It is the latest co-branded 737 jets under the partnership with SeaWorld since 1988. The current SeaWorld fleet includes Shamu Two, entering service on May 30, 1990; and Shamu Three, on September 7, 1990. The first jet Shamu One, introduced on May 23, 1988, has since retired.

However, animal rights activists have protested Southwest Airlines' relationship with SeaWorld for its treatment of the killer whales and other sea mammals in captive. Under the pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other animal rights groups, Southwest announced on July 31, 2014 that it would concluded its 26-year partnership with SeaWorld by the end of the year. Penguin One, just introduced to the fleet last year on June 20, 2013, will be painted back to the traditional Southwest color scheme along with Shamu Two and Shamu Three.

Košice, Slovakia

Postcard SK-41685 was my first received card from Slovakia, showing Košice, the biggest city in eastern Slovakia.

Slovakia was first occupied between the 5th and 6th centuries. The first Slavic state was created as Samo's Empire around the 7th century. After the 10th century, the Kingdom of Hungary covered the territory of today's Slovakia, and later became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The present-day Slovakia and Czech were resulted from the peaceful dissolution of the mutual state Czechoslovakia on January 1, 1993.

Košice is the second largest city in Slovakia with a population of 240,000, next to the capital city Bratislava. It was the European Capital of Culture in 2013, along with Marseille, France. The city has a well-preserved historical center with many heritage protected buildings in Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau styles. The St. Elisabeth Cathedral, as seen in the middle of the card, is Slovakia's largest church.

Personal Environment Monitor by Lapka

Postcard US-2692591 to Ukraine shows a sensor for the Personal Environment Monitor (PEM) by Lapka™, which can be connected to a smart phone connect through the device's headphone jack. PEM works with your smart phone to measure and monitor humidity, electromagnetic fields, and radiation in your personal environment space at work and at home. One of the sensors in a form of a stainless steel probe can even help you verify whether those "organic" vegetables and fruits you bought at the store are really organic by measuring the quantities of nitrates in those organic matters. The postcard was obtained at Lapka's booth at the 2013 CES.

Goodbye! Sophie the Blue Snake

Today marks the end of Year of the Snake that runs from February 10, 2013 to January, 30, 2014. Postcard US-2134679 to China shows the Year of Snake art installation that features Sophie Chow, an animated blue snake twisted around a giant peach tree at the Waterfall and Atrium Gardens of The Palazzo  in February 2013. Sophie is 98-feet long, can blink her eyes, sticks her tongue in and out, and move her head side to side. The peach tree that she perches on, at 38-feet tall and 28-feet wide,  has 8,800 blossom vines on the tree, adorned with 193,600 flowers and 28 custom dancing lanterns. Golden I Ching coins, representing an abundance of wealth, are placed around the tree.

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.

Our Lives Begin to End the Day We Become Silent about Things that Matter

As we honor the 85th Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929, he is remembered as the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement that challenged racial discrimination in federal and state laws. What he once said "Our Lives Begin to End the Day We Become Silent about Things that Matter" still rings true today.

The postcard shows the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument in Washington D.C. with a 2013 USPS March on Washington 50th Anniversary forever stamp. The first-day-of-issue cancellation was requested on October 23, 2013 and received on December 7, 2013.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, an American federal holiday that celebrates the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., is observed on the third Monday of January each year. For 2014, it will be on January 20. It is not trivia to note that some states had resisted observing the holiday, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It had not officially observed in all 50 states until 2000.

Behalte stets im Herzen

Postcard DE-2794333 from Germany shows a Volkswagen Minibus with the split windshield. Starting from Hanover, Germany from the 1950s to 1979 and then continuing in Brazil until the end of 2013, its production had been the longest in automotive history.

"Always keep in mind,
what you have encountered on your way,
every joy, every smile,
every preserved moment!"

Last in 2013 or First in 2014?

Postcard ES-215704 from Spain was the last official card I received in 2013. However, since the PostCrossing server resides in UTC/GMT zone, the registered arrival date was January 1, 2014. That would make this card my first in the New Year.

The postcard shows a night view of Seville, the fourth-largest city in Spain, with the Torre del Oro (Gold Tower) at the left-center by the Guadalquivir River and the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See at the top-right in the background.

Built in the early 13th century, the Torre del Oro was a military watch tower that controlled access to Seville via the river. It got its name due to its golden shine projected on the river, caused by its building materials: a mixture of mortar, lime and pressed hay. It served as a prison during the Middle Ages. 

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, known as Seville Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral that ranks as the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world. It was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987, along with the Alcázar palace complex and the General Archive of the Indies.

Countdown to New Year

The countdown to 2014 has begun! In Las Vegas, the biggest party of the year is tonight that include concerts, celebrity-hosted parties. Fireworks will be shot from casino rooftops of Stratosphere Tower, Treasure Island, The Venetian, Caesars Palace, Aria, Planet Hollywood, and MGM Grant. New to this year: a special "count up" to midnight, on the side of the Stratosphere Tower, will start 10 seconds before midnight.

Postcard US-2025670 to Belarus shows the fireworks from Stratosphere on January 1, 2013.

Christmasland in New Taipei City

Christmas may be over, but Christmas cards are still pouring in. The latest addition was postcard TW-1107953 from the Christmasland (新北市歡樂聖誕城) in New Taipei City, Taiwan. In addition to usual Christmas trees, decorations and concerts, there was a Christmas Post Office with a special pictorial stamp! The profit from the postcard sale benefited public charities.

Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon

In just a few hours, more than 30,000 runners will cross the start line near the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in the Fifth Annual Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon at 4:30 pm. Runners will have a unique experience, passing by faux pyramid and volcano, replicas of the Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower, dancing water fountains in front of Bellagio, and Venice-themed canals. The finishing line is in front of the Mirage Hotel and Casino in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip.

Another 2,500 runners will run 6.5-mile "half of the half" Marathon, beginning at 3:30 p.m. They will finish at downtown, where following marathoners will pass twice beneath the Fremont Street Experience canopy. 

The race was pushed up from the first weekend in December in the past races. The postcard to a private swap shows gondolas and an ice skating rink over the canals at the Venetian Casino and Hotel, with the Marathon runners in the background on December 4, 2011.

Update: Collage photo from the races today. From left to right and top to bottom: runners pass 1) Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas, 2) Crystals at CityCenter, 3) Volcano at Mirage, 4) Statue of Caesar and Colosseum at Caesars Palace, 5) Fashion Show Mall, 6) Forum Shops, 7) Band stage with laser beams near the finish line, 8) Montgolfier balloon and Arc de Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas, 9) Music Fountains at Bellagio.

Hawaii, the Aloha State

Postcard US-2413163 to Japan shows a beautiful map of Hawaii, the only state in the U.S. made up entirely of islands. Hawaii, joined the Union on August 21, 1959, is the most recent of the 50 U.S. states.

The Aloha State made the headlines today by leapfrogging Illinois to become the 15th state to recognize same-sex marriages after Governor Neil Abercrombie signed the marriage equality bill into law during a ceremony at 10:00 am local time. Before signing, Abercrombie stated that “those who have been invisible will now be visible to themselves and the whole world.” 

Neil Abercrombie signs the marriage equality bill

Same-sex ceremonies are set to begin December, 2, 2013, boasting Hawaii's claim as a wedding destination.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

In this Veterans Day 2013, we feature postcard US-2475557 to Portugal that shows the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall with reflection of the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors U.S. service members who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam and the South East Asia, and service members missing in action during the War.

In Las Vegas, there will be the 2013 Veterans Day Parade in downtown at 10 a.m on Monday, November 11, 2013. The parade is said to be the largest Veterans Day parade west of the Mississippi River, featuring active duty and reserve service members, veterans groups and local organizations.

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?” 

World Food Day

Today is the 68th anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1945. Many organizations such as the World Food Program have observed October 16 as the World Food Day since 1981. The World Food Day theme is "Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition" in 2013.

Postcard PL-496296 from Poland shows a variety of traditional food in Poland. It reminds us the food security and agricultural development is a global concern. Collaborative actions are needed in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

For more information, visit World Food Day USA.

International Day for Disaster Reduction

The United Nations General Assembly designated the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction on December 22, 1989. As part of its proclamation, it also designated the second Wednesday of October as the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. The objective was to promote the awareness in order to decrease the loss of life, property destruction and social and economic disruption caused by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, droughts, locust infestations, and other disasters of natural origin.

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly decided to designate October 13 as the official date and changed the name to the International Day for Disaster Reduction. The 2013 Theme is Living with Disability and Disasters.

Postcard US-2217252 to Portugal shows a postcard I bought in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia when I was there to volunteer for tsunami relief effort in February, 2005.

Electric Daisy Carnival

Summer Display at Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas 2013 starts a few hours ago in the evening on June 21, 2013 and will last for three days until June 23, 2013. It is an international annual electronic dance music festival that drew more than 300,000 people last year in 2012. It is held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway where the organizer Insomniac has transformed this 1,000-acre race field into six areas of music, carnival rides, vendor village, interactive art installations and other festival attractions. Sirius XM channel 52 has EDC radio throughout this weekend.