77th Anniversary of the July 7th Incident

The July 7th Incident (七七事變), also known as the Lugou Bridge Incident (盧溝橋事變), was a battle between the Republic of China's National Revolutionary Army and the Imperial Japanese Army outside of the walled town of Wanping (宛平鎮) to the southwest of Beiping (now Beijing) on July 7, 1937. With the Japanese forces invaded Beiping, China, it marked the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War that lasted from 1937 to 1945.

China fought Japan and received initial economic helps from Germany, the Soviet Union and the United States. After the Japanese attacked on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the war merged into the greater conflict of World War II as a major front of the Pacific War. The Second Sino-Japanese War was the largest Asian war in the 20th century.

After 77 years, we still need to remember the great cost of the Second Sino-Japanese War as it made up more than 50% of the casualties in the Pacific War when the 1937–1941 period was taken into account. We also need to hold the war criminals accountable by highlighting wartime atrocities, so as to resist any future war attempts.

Postcard US-2017736 to Montana shows a Hutong (胡同), typical narrow street or alley in Beijing, with background of a gate in the historic city defense wall.

American Papermaking 1690 - 1990

Postcard US-2849009 to the Netherlands was a postal stamped card to celebrate 300-years of American Papermaking from 1690 to 1990, issued by USPS at the annual meeting of the American Paper Institute in New York City on March 15, 1990. The American Paper Institute and the National Forest Products Association merged on January 1, 1993 and formed the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA).

The card shows a painting of the Rittenhouse Paper Mill, established near Germantown, PA in 1690. The painting was based on black and white photographs, circa 1770, of the most recent mill that lasted until the late 1800s. The original paper mill, first in America, was washed away by flood in 1700;  a second mill constructed in 1702, was destroyed by a fire. A reproduction of the original Rittenhouse watermark is featured on the left side of the card with a note "This watermark appears on the first paper made in the United States on this site in 1690."

According to an article in Times-News from Hendersonville, NC on April 1, 1990 and an article in Lawrence Journal-World from Lawrence, Kansas on April 8, 1990, collectors had until April 12, 1990 to obtain the first-day cancellations. It also noted that the Postal Services gave preferential service to customers who bought cards at a local post office, self-addressed them before sending them in for cancellation. If customers preferred to have the Postal Service supply the card, they needed to send, for each card ordered, payment of 15 cents in the form of a check or money order and a self-addressed, peelable label to a New York City post office. Now a days, USPS sells a postal stamped card for the face value plus a mark up. For example, a Tree Stamped Single Stamped Card sells for 38 cents with a first-class FOREVER postcard rate (currently at 34 cents) postage.

Coincidentally, the postcard arrived in the Netherlands yesterday when the Dutch National Soccer Team defeated Costa Rica 4:3 in Penalties at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Bikini in the Sin City

The modern bikini was introduced by French designer Louis Réard in Paris today six-eight years ago. On July 5, 1946, Louis Réard unveiled a bold two-piece swimming suit at the Piscine Molitor, a popular swimming pool in Paris, with the help of Parisian exotic dancer Micheline Bernardini from the Casino de Paris. The name of "bikini" was from the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean where a U.S. atomic bomb was tested earlier that week. Many western countries declared it illegal and the Vatican declared it sinful.

Bikini did not become popular until the early 1960s. However, its popularity has been growing ever since. In Las Vegas, you can find numerous bikini related contests and activities, such as the SpyOnVegas Hot100 contest at the Wet Republic at MGM Grand, IFBB Legends Pro Bikini, and Bikini Bike Wash at the Las Vegas BikeFest.

The postcard was a cut out from a greeting card purchased at a local casino gift shop.

Battle Born

In this Independence Day on the 4th of July, CNN Interactive is showcasing a natural wonder in each of the 50 states. CNN's choice of amazing natural wonder in Nevada is the Valley of Fire State Park, USPS also issued a Nevada Statehood Forever Commemorative stamp on May 29, 2014, featuring a view in the Valley of Fire State Park, to celebrates the 150th anniversary of Nevada Statehood.

When President Abraham Lincoln needed another Republican state to help support his anti-slavery policies in Congress, people in Nevada answered the call and voted to join the Union, even the population in Nevada back then was not big enough to form a state. Nevada was admitted to the Union in 1864, during the Civil War. Hence the words “Battle Born” have appeared on the Nevada state flag since.

The postcard was made by VistaPrint with one of my photos taken on November 27, 2011.

#CNN50spots

Bass Harbor Head Light, Maine

Postcard US-2859863 from Maine shows Bass Harbor Head Light, located within Acadia National Park on the southeast corner of Mount Desert Island, Maine. According to Wikipedia: "the history of Bass Harbor Head Light started in 1855 when it was deemed that there was sufficient reason for a lighthouse at the mouth of Bass Harbor. $5000 was appropriated by Congress for its construction in 1858. The construction of a fog bell and tower, which no longer remains today, was completed in 1876 with a much larger 4000 pound (1800 kg) bell being placed inside the tower in 1898. The keeper's house remains in its original configuration with the exception of a 10-foot addition that was added in 1900. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Bass Harbor Head Light Station on January 21, 1988, reference number 87002273. In 1902, an oil storage house constructed of brick was built 205 feet northwest of the lighthouse."

US Mint issued the Acadia National Park quarter in 2012 as part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, featuring a view of the Bass Harbor Head Light and other representative elements such as the coastline, the pine trees and the ocean.

Girl of the West

Outgoing postcard US-2776619 to Ukraine shows the August 1952 cover of the Western Horseman magazine. It featured Elinor Tutt who was the the "Girl of the West" for the 12th annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs that year. Snow-capped Pikes Peak can be seen in the background just to the left of "Squeaky's" nose. The magazine sells for 35 cents a copy in 1952, same as in 1951.

Some twelve years later on July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is considered one of the most celebrated legislative achievements in U.S. history. The law made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and barred unequal application of voter registration requirements. One of the five things to know about the 1964 Civil Rights Act was how the protection for women made into law. In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Hobby Lobby case, women's rights are not a given. They need to be kept vigil, along with the other civil rights.

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Take Pride in America

Postcard US-2849038 to Texas was a 14-cent postal postcard issued by USPS in 1987. It features a mountain-lake scene with brilliant blues and rich greens at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming. It was part of the "Take Pride in America" national public awareness campaign to encourage people to take pride in the nation's natural and cultural resources.

According to an AP Newsfeatures article in Lawrence Journal World on September 20, 1987, "launched by President Reagan in his 1986 State of the Union message, 'Take Pride in America' has been a major campaign to ensure the wise use and stewardship of our public lands - natural resources that belong to all Americans."

The National Elk Refuge was created in 1912 to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for one of the largest elk herd in the world. The refuge is home to an average of 7,500 elk each winter. and receives nearly one million visits annually.

The domestic postcard rate, according to Akdart.COM, was 14 cents between February 17, 1985 and April 3, 1988. Yet, another stamped postal postcard issued in 1980 also had a 14-cent postage when the domestic postcard rate was 10 cents.

On an unrelated note, USA team was edged out by Belgium 1:2 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in a Round of 16 match at Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Brazil on July 1, 2014, but not without a fight. The USA Team exceeded the expectation as many did not believe it would make into the Round of 16. "Man of the Match" Tim Howard, who set a World Cup record by making 16 saves, said before the match: "we’re proving critics wrong." We are still proud of the United States Men's National Soccer Team, and are optimistic about their future despite of a loss.

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