SeaWorld to End Orca Breeding Program

SeaWorld announced on March 17, 2016 that the company will end all orca (killer whale) breeding now. It will also introduce new, inspiring, natural orca encounters, rather than theatrical shows, with focus on orca enrichment, exercise, and overall health. Those change will start in its San Diego park in 2017, followed by San Antonio and then Orlando locations in 2019.

The postcard, purchased at a local stamp show, shows Orky and Corky, the only pair of mature breeding Orcas at Hanna-Barbera's Marineland in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. They were receiving a fraction of the some 450 pounds of fish as their daily consumption. Marineland, first opened in 1954, was purchased by the owners of SeaWorld San Diego in 1987. The new owners moved these popular killer whales and other animals to their San Diego facility and abruptly closed Marineland.

The current changes come as a result of the pressure from animal rights groups in protesting SeaWorld for its treatment of the killer whales and other sea mammals in captive. Now, Seaworld will have to ponder its own fate: how to survive without orca shows?

Krakow, Poland

Postcard PL-749739 from Poland shows Krakow, the second largest city in Poland. Its history dates back to the 7th century, making the city one of the oldest in Poland. Krakow has been one of the leading academic, cultural, and artistic centers and one of the most important economic hubs in Poland.

Krakow was named European Capital of Culture in 2000. It is the host city for the next World Youth Day in 2016.

SFMOMA: See You in 2016

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

I colored a copy of my postcard US-2165886 when I learned that the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) will be closed for renovations on June 2, 2013. Nearly 30,000 pieces of art are being packed up for the move. It is scheduled to reopen in early 2016.

During the closure period, some of its art  pieces will be loaned to other local museums including the Asian Art Museum, the Oakland Museum and the Palace of the Legion of Honor in the Bay Area. It will also exhibit some of its collections at other venues such as the City of Los Altos and San Francisco's Crissy Field.

SFMOMA is planning a  four-day celebration to kick off expansion and launch into off-site exhibitions and programs. The admission is free from Thursday, May 30 through Sunday, June 2, 2013

I visited SFMOMA in June, 2012 and bought those coloring postcards (US-2005787,
 US-2011378, and US-2165886)  and a copy of Above San Francisco Postcard Book by Robert Cameron.

So, SFMOMA: we will see you in 2016, bigger and better!