First American to Walk in Space

Postcard US-3263789 from North Carolina shows NASA astronaut Major Edward H. White II who made the United States' first spacewalk on June 3, 1965 during the third orbit of the Gemini IV flight. The extra-vehicular activity (EVA) started at 19:45 UT (3:45 p.m. EDT) when White opened his hatch and used the hand-held maneuvering oxygen-jet gun to push himself out of the capsule.

White was seen on the card backing away from the Gemini spacecraft 120 miles or 193 kilometers above the Pacific Ocean northeast of Hawaii. The space walk lasted 23 minutes, ending over the Gulf of Mexico. The photo was taken by commander James McDivitt.

Daylight Saving Time Starts in 2015, But Not in Hawaii

Daylight Saving Time (DST) starts today at 2 a.m. on March 8, 2015 in most parts of the U.S. except in the states of Arizona and Hawaii, and the overseas territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. As clocks "spring forward" one hour, spring is in the air.

Hawaii is in the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone; Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST) is equivalent to GMT/UTC - 10h Standard Time. When the United States enacted the Uniform Time Act in 1966, Hawaii opted out in 1967, mainly because there is not a large variation in daylight hours from summer to winter due to Hawaii's proximity to the Equator. The Territorial Legislature enacted a bill placing Hawaii on daylight saving time in 1933, but the law was repealed three weeks later. According to Wikepedia, during World War II between February 9, 1942 and September 30, 1945, Hawaiian Standard Time was advanced one hour to so-called "Hawaiian War Time." That was the only period when Hawaii was effectively placed on year-round daylight saving time.

Postcard US-3230216 from California shows a NASA image of the entire Hawaiian Island chain as seen from the Space Shuttle. Niihau and Kauai are in the foreground followed by Oahu, Molokai, Lanai and Maui, with the Big island in the distance. The curve of the Earth and the black of outer space can be seen on the top of the card.

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.

Wish You Were There from Hawaii

Memories of Kauai

A postcard of the Salt Pond Beach Park arrived today from a friend of mine traveling in Hawaii. The Salt Pond Beach Park is located on the leeward side of Kauai. Kauai, or any other Hawaii island, is like a ship that has leeward and windward sides. The leeward sides refer to the west and south sides that are usually hot and dry; and the windward sides (the east and north sides) are relatively cooler and wetter. Salt Pond Beach Park has a naturally made, shallow swimming pond behind a curling finger of rocks. The center and western edge of the beach is popular with bodyboarders and bodysurfers. The flat ground to the east of the beach was the last location to produce sea salt in Hawaii.