The End of Daylight Saving Time in 2019

On 2 a.m. today, we turned our clocks back one hour, marking the end of daylight saving time (DST) in 2019.

Postcard US-4002383 to Russia shows Hoover Dam with Arizona side on the right and Nevada side on the left, with the state boundary running across the dam.

Since Arizona is in the Mountain Time Zone (GMT-7) whereas Nevada is in the Pacific Time Zone (GMT-8), Arizona is one hour ahead. Therefore, if you stand across the state line on the dam right now, your left-side of body and your right-side of body will be in different time zones with one-hour time difference.

However, because Nevada observes DST while Arizona does not, during the summer there is no time difference. Interesting? Confusing? Next time when you visit the dam, pay attention to the clocks on the two intake towers; you will see.

Daylight saving time will return at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 8, 2020.

Elephant Rock at Valley of Fire

Outgoing postcard US-3599773 to Hong Kong shows an arch in the shape of an elephant near the east entrance of the Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, Nevada. Parking is prohibited on the main road near the rock, but visitors can park at the east entrance parking lot and take a short 0.2 mile hiking trail to a vantage point. There are chances to see wildlife but watch out for lizards and snakes.

The card was sent on November 28, 2015 and has since expired,

Unrelated, USPS faces a forced postal rate deduction starting today on April 10, 2016. Mailing a 4"x6" postcard domestically will now cost 34¢ instead of 35¢; while an oversize one will incur the 1oz first class letter rate at 47¢ after a 2¢ reduction. The international postcard rate, same as that of a first class international letter up to 1oz, has decreased from USD 1.20 to USD 1.15.

Me and Jim Found Tonopah

Postcard US-3100087 to Ukraine was purportedly from "me", the mule on the top-right insert, and my owner Jim after we found Tonopah at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95, about half-way between Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada in the 1950s.

"Here we are in Tonopah, Nevada, that great silver mining camp that for a generation was the nation's greatest producer of silver. A beautiful, modern little city, but DIFFERENT. Fine highways leading everywhere; finest of hotels and torist accommodations; unexcelled climate; good stores, schools, theatres. Best of hunting and fishing in season. Noted gaming palaces. You only live once - be sure and visit Tonopah. It IS different."

Tonopah is a the county seat of Nye County, Nevada with a population of 2,478 in 2010 census and a total area of 16.2 square miles or 42 square kilometers.

Happy 150th Birthday, Nevada!

Postcard US-3017742 was sent to Germany with warm greetings from Nevada. On October 31, 1864, Nevada became the 36th state of the United State during the Civil War. Today marks the 150th birthday of the "Silver State" Nevada.

Las Vegas hosted a special Nevada Day Parade for the first time started at 10 a.m. to celebrate the State’s Sesquicentennial, highlighting the legacy of Southern Nevada. 150 groups marched up 4th Street in Downtown Las Vegas, consisting of floats, antique cars, horses, motorcycles, and marching bands. Hard to miss were larger-than-life Birthday Cake, Elvis, and American Eagle balloons.

Celebrations continue tomorrow including the 76th annual Nevada Day Parade in Carson City on November 1, 2014.

You can purchase a copy of the Greetings from Nevada postcards from Zazzle.

Marriage for All in Nevada

Mere one day after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear appeals against lower courts' rulings that declared banning same-sex marriage were unconstitutional in Oklahoma, Utah, Indiana, Virgina, and Wisconsin, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Idaho and Nevada’s bans on same-sex marriage violated equal protection rights on October 7, 2014. The court's decision also covers Alaska, Arizona and Montana.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced this Tuesday evening that they would not appeal the ruling. The Marriage Bureau in Clark County, located at 201 Clark Avenue in the Regional Justice Center, will start to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples at 2 p.m. Wednesday October 8, 2014. Now, Las Vegas can truly claim itself as the wedding capital of the world.

Postcard US-1864037 to Germany shows the Little Church of the West Wedding Chapel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. Built out of California redwood as part of the Last Frontier Hotel in 1942, it is the oldest building on the Las Vegas Strip. It had since moved several times until it was relocated to the current location in 1996. The wedding chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1992. It is known for the 1964 movie Viva Las Vegas filmed at the Little Church of the West, where Lucky Jackson (played by Elvis Presley) and Rusty Martin (played by Ann-Margret) recited their vows.

Update: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy put the Ninth Ciruit Court's order on hold after Idaho filed an emergency request for a stay on October 8, 2014.

Update 2: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy Justice Kennedy revised his order in the afternoon on October 8, 2014,  removing Nevada (case No. 12-17668) from the hold.

Update 3: Nevada started to issue same-sex marriage licenses on October 9, 2014.

Better Late than Never

Postcard US-2849028 to China was a Welcome to Las Vegas card from the tropical themed Margaritaville casino inside the Flamingo in Las Vegas. It was mailed directly from USPS' Philatelic Center in Kansas City after it was sent in to obtain a first-day-of-issue postmark on the Nevada Statehood Forever stamp by mail on July 26, 2014, along with other cards. Due to the initial delay in selecting a card on my part and a longer-than-usual-processing time at the Philatelic Center in Kansas City, it took exactly 100 days for the card to arrive. Yet it is an encouraging sign, and I hope the rest of those postcards in that order will soon reach their intended recipients.

All Star Concert at the Smith Center Celebrates Nevada's Sesquicentennial

Nevada’s 150-year history was condensed into a two-hour 250-cast 27-act concert at Reynolds Hall in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas tonight on September 22, 2014.  It was one of the 450 statewide events that celebrate the 150th anniversary of Nevada Statehood.

Outgoing postcard US-3000615 to New Zealand was a variation of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve postcard, sent in to obtain a first-day-of-issue postmark on the Nevada Statehood Forever stamp by mail on July 26, 2014. The turn around time is usually around 30 days. However, it took longer than usual this time as I just received the order on September 20, 2014.

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

Discover Nevada State Parks Day

As an official Nevada 150 event of the Silver State’s Sesquicentennial celebration, and in conjunction with National Get Outdoors Day, “Discover Nevada State Parks Day” offers visitors free day use admission and free fishing (no license required) at all of Nevada’s 23 State Parks on June 14, 2014.

I went to see the Old Mormon Fort in Las Vegas, a state historic park located next to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. It was the first European settlement in Las Vegas, Nevada. One hundred fifty nine years ago, thirty missionaries arrived and started to build a 46-meter or 150-foot square adobe fort on June 14, 1855. Therefore, June 14th is remembered as Settlement Day, the day the first non-native permanent residents set foot in the Las Vegas valley. The Mormon outpost served as a way station for travelers. The first post office in Las Vegas was established on site in 1893.

The postcard, featuring art work by local artist Ali Tenney Boyer, was a gift from completing a survey after the visit.

Greeting from Searchlight, Nevada

During the Nevada 150th Year Sesquicentennial celebration, people around the world are getting to know many other places in Nevada in addition to the well-known Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City. Searchlight is one of such small unincorporated towns in Nevada. Located 90 kilometers or 57 miles from Las Vegas at the topographic saddle between two mountain ranges in Clark County, it had a population of 539 as a census-designated place (CDP) in 2010.

Senator Reid Spoke at the Commemorative Nevada Statehood Stamp
First-Day-of-Issue Event on May 29, 2014

Searchlight is the hometown of the U.S. Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid. Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) also lived there. She was a Hollywood costume designer who won eight Oscars, still a record in its category and more than any other woman.

The postcard was purchased from Zazzle.com. You can personalized the postcard with any place name in Nevada.

Valley of Fire

Postcard US-1804465 to Germany shows a flaming sunset view at the Valley of Fire, the oldest and largest state park in Nevada located 55 miles from Las Vegas, dedicated in 1935. The Valley of Fire got its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes some 150 million years ago when dinosaurs were around. You can find areas of petrified wood and early Indian petroglyphs throughout the park. There is a diverse desert bio-community that features creosote bush, burro bush, and brittlebush; beaver tail and cholla cactus; springtime blooming plants such as desert marigold, indigo bush, and desert mallow; birds such as raven, house finch, sage sparrow, and roadrunner; lizard and snake; coyote, kit fox, spotted skunk, jackrabbit; and the desert tortoise.

The Valley of Fire was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1968. The park is also marked as Nevada Historical Marker #150. A close-up view of an area in Fire Canyon, part of Valley of Fire, has made on to the Nevada Statehood Forever Commemorative stamp, to be issued by USPS in Las Vegas, NV on May 29, 2014, to celebrates the 150th anniversary of Nevada statehood. The oil-on-Masonite panel was painted by Nevada artist Ron Spears.

Reno, Nevada

US-2262734 to Germany shows a map of Reno in the northwestern part of Nevada. Reno is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The city is located in a high desert valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, 65 kilometers or 40 miles away from Lake Tahoe. It is known as "The Biggest Little City in the World", I was in Reno from November 7 to November 10, 2004 to attend the 2004 URISA annual conference.

Daylight Saving Time Ends in 2013

Daylight saving time (DST) ends today in the morning at 2:00 am. Following the expression Spring Forward, Fall Back, we set clocks back one hour, saying good bye to DST and entering Standard Time. DST returns next year on March 9, 2014.

Most areas of the United States currently observe DST. However, most areas of Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation, a Native American Reservation), along with Hawaii and the overseas territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands, do not observe DST. Arizona opted out the DST in 1968 largely in part because of Phoenix and Tucson being among the hottest US metropolitan areas in the summer. Extending daylight hours results in more people being active, thus more power usage from air conditioning units and cooling systems in homes and businesses.

Postcard US-2248458 to Tucson, Arizona showing Hoover Dam with Arizona side in the foreground and Nevada side in the background, as the state boundary runs across the dam. Since Arizona is in the Mountain Time Zone (GMT-7) whereas Nevada is in the Pacific Time Zone (GMT-8), Arizona is one hour ahead. However, because Nevada observes DST while Arizona does not, during the summer the clocks on the intake towers will show the same time. During the winter, the clock on the Nevada side will be one hour behind from the one on the Arizona side.

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Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas

Postcard US-2260954 to Finland shows the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas. The 1982 Museum opened on October 28, 2011 at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Nevada after it moved from its previous location in Lorenzi Park.

The museum's permanent exhibits include the development of Las Vegas and the natural history of the area. Many interactive exhibits explain how geology shaped the Great Basin and Nevada; how the early flora and fauna survived and evolved; what Native Americans, pioneers, early settlers, miners, railroaders, ranchers and entrepreneurs had contributed to this area. There are some unique artifacts from the Hoover Dam constructions, the atomic testing era and the different stages of Las Vegas as the resort capital of the world.

"Flores Familiares" is the current exhibit that highlights the Mexican heritage embroidery exhibit by Nevada Arts Council. 

The museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm, Thursday to Monday. It is currently participating in the Museums on US program sponsored by Bank of America that offers free admission to the Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit/debt card holders on the first full weekend of every month. The free admission dates are September 7th and 8th, October 5th and 6th, November 2nd and 3rd, December 7th and 8th in 2013.

It is one of six Nevada State Museums operated by the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs. The other five museums are: East Ely Railroad Depot; Lost City Museum, Overton; Nevada Historical Society, Reno; Nevada State Museum, Carson City; Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City; Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City.

Area 51 Warning Sign

According to a news report from ABC today, newly declassified CIA documents has confirmed the existence of the mysterious Area 51, the secret Nevada site that has spawned rumors about aliens, UFO, and government secretive weapon experiments.

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I made this postcard out of the artwork created by DLIMedia under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Over the Rainbow in Las Vegas

Rainbow over the Mirage

It seldom rains in Las Vegas. Measured at the Las Vegas McCarran International Airport between 1981 and 2010, the average annual precipitation is about 4.19 inch or 106.4 mm. In average, there are 26.5 raining days per year; even during the wettest month in February, it has only 4 days of precipitation. It is the driest month in June when the average monthly precipitation is 0.07 inch or 1.78 mm with 0.6 raining days. (Interestingly, in English, plural "days" is used with zero or a decimal version of less than one instead of singular "day"). I used to live in West Palm Beach, Florida. In comparison, the average annual precipitation during the same period there is 62.31 inch or 1,582.67 mm with 136 raining days per year.

As a result, we rarely see rainbows in Las Vegas. Therefore, when it does occur, it's beautiful and magnificent. The postcard US-2276095 is currently traveling to Moldova featuring a rainbow over the Mirage Hotel and Casino.

On Youtube, you can watch "Over the Rainbow" from the 1939 movie "the Wizard of Oz", sung by actress Judy Garland.

Here are a few more postcards with rainbows over Las Vegas: US-2236311 with New York-New York Hotel and Casino to Ukraine and US-2205397 with Wynn Las Vegas to California, USA.

New York - New York Hotel and Casino

Wynn Las Vegas

Spring Mountain Ranch State Park

Spring Mountain Ranch

After visiting Mt. Charleston in the Sunday morning on April 28, 2013, I decided to drive to the Spring Mountain Ranch, a State Park of Nevada, USA. It is located in the Cottonwood Valley, 15 miles (25 km) west of Las Vegas. From Mt. Charleston, it was about one-hour driving (47 miles/76 km).

The historic Sand Stone Ranch was established in 1876. It was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1976. A preceding campsite was set up in the mid-1830's, on the alternate route of the Old Spanish Trail that connected the northern settlements near Santa Fe, New Mexico with those in the Southern California. The spring-fed creek and grassy meadows on site formed an oasis for travelers using pack and wagon trains.

The temperature is usually 10-15°F(6-8°C) cooler at the Ranch (3,800 feet/1,158 m) than in Las Vegas (2,181 feet/665 m). Therefore, it is a nice place for retreat with its Super Summer Theater and Living History Program.

The main ranch house serves as the visitor information center. It was staffed with Park volunteers. You can buy postcards and other  souvenirs there. The park admission is US$7 per vehicle.

The postcard, sent as US-2206077 to USA on April 30, 2013, shows the ranch house living room.

Address:

Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
6375 Hwy 159,  Blue Diamond, NV 89004
(702) 875-4141