Postcard NL-2466145 from the Netherlands shows the Alde Feanen National Park, located in Friesland Province, the Netherlands. It is part of the Natura 2000, an ecological network of protected areas in the European Union. There are at least 450 plant species and 100 bird species in the morass, lake, forest, peatland and meadow ecosystems.
Postcard JP-531477 from Japan shows the East Temple (東寺) in Kyoto, Japan. It is famous for the five-story pagoda with layered tower, dated from 796, as the tallest wooden tower in Japan at 54.8 meters. The pagoda has been a symbol of Kyoto. It is part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO.
The U.S. Postal Service just issued Vintage Circus Posters Commemorative stamps on May 5, 2014,
featuring eight designs of early 20th-century circus poster art that showcased eye-catching imagery of stunts, performers, and animals. However, the unveiling ceremony of stamps had drawn protests from PETA and other animal welfare organizations, marking the change of times.
Unfortunately a day before on Sunday, May 4, 2014, an accident occurred during the aerial performance at the 11 a.m. Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus show in Providence, Rhode Island, resulting serious injures to 11 performers. The initial assessment indicated that failure from a single piece of equipment - failed clamp - caused the incident. It is troubling to learn no redundancy of safety measure was built in. While we accept the inherited risks from those circus acts and appreciate the dedications from the circus performers, there are lessons to be learned so that the similar failures would not happen again, with the highlight of other recent circus accidents.
Outgoing postcard US-2776555 to Germany shows a vintage circus poster for the Greatest Shows on Earth by Barnum and Bailey Circus, featuring a trapees act. Credit to Library of Congress. The postcard was purchased from Zazzle.com.
Traveling Postcard US-2722710 to Czech Republic shows a baby golden snub-nosed monkey (金丝猴), perching in a highland forest at elevations between 1,500 and 3,400 meters above sea level in Sichuan, China.
According to Wikipedia, the golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is an Old World monkey, endemic to a small area in temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China.
The golden snub-nosed monkey is endangered due to habitat loss. It is also the most treasured national animal in China next to Panda.
Achilles was killed out of his heel. Now, David is at risk of collapsing due to his weak ankles. According to a recent report published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage from the National Research Council in Italy, micro-fractures have been found in the ankle and leg areas at Michelangelo's famous statue.
The "David" statue dates from the early 16th century. Initially for more than three centuries, "David" stood outside at the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, exposing to the elements. It was moved inside to the Galleria dell'Accademia in 1873, with a copy placed in the piazza. Research shows that its left leg and the tree stump, where much of its 5.5-ton weight rests, has been weaken over the years due to vibrations caused by the tourists and passing automobile traffic. The quality of the marble used by Michelangelo was also a contributing factor.
Recommendations have been made to minimize the risk by retrofitting an earthquake-proof room or moving the statue to a more stable area outside the city.
For people in Las Vegas, there is not worry as we have an exact replica of Michelangelo's David as shown on postcard US-1655839 to Germany. It is located at the Appian Way Shops inside Caesars Palace Casino in Las Vegas, made from Carrara marble. He stands 5.17-meter or 17-feet tall and weighs more than nine tons.
Postcard TW-1240742 from Taiwan shows Swallow Grotto (Yantzkou 燕子口), a section of the Central Cross-Island Highway 500 meters from the Jinheng Park (靳珩公園) near Hualien, where the Liwu River twists and turns in the deep and narrow gorges. It is part of the Taroko National Park in Taiwan.
Several tunnels had to be built for the highway to pass through cliffs. Visitors could walk through the tunnels, enjoy the sight of streams below, and numerous small swallow grottos on the marble cliffs. However, swallows have moved away due to heavy human impacts.
Postcard CN-1285430 from China shows the Fernsehturm, Berlin TV Tower, in central Berlin, Germany. It was built from 1965 to 1969 under the administration of the East Germany, modeled after the first man-made Earth satellite Sputnik. With a height of 368 meters or 1,207 feet, it is the tallest structure in Germany. In comparison, Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas stands at 350 meters or 1,149 feet.
