Saturday, June 01, 2002
Cool Site: Five-A-Day
Many think that pineapples are native to Hawaii, but they are a fairly recent introduction. Don Francisco de Paula y Marin, Spanish advisor to King Kamehameha I, brought the first pineapples to Hawaii in 1813. It wasn't until 1901 that large-scale pineapple production for export was started by James Dole. Today Hawaiian pineapples make up only a small portion of the world's production, but the fruit is still synonomous with the islands to many folks. Dole Foods has been maintaining and growing a terrific site for kids for several years, called Dole Five A Day. You'll find games, songs, recipes and reference information on the many fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet. Among the many friends you'll find are Pinellepy Pineapple, Bobby Banana (the star!), Mia Mango, and Pono Papaya. Have Fun!
Aunty Kat
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Many think that pineapples are native to Hawaii, but they are a fairly recent introduction. Don Francisco de Paula y Marin, Spanish advisor to King Kamehameha I, brought the first pineapples to Hawaii in 1813. It wasn't until 1901 that large-scale pineapple production for export was started by James Dole. Today Hawaiian pineapples make up only a small portion of the world's production, but the fruit is still synonomous with the islands to many folks. Dole Foods has been maintaining and growing a terrific site for kids for several years, called Dole Five A Day. You'll find games, songs, recipes and reference information on the many fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet. Among the many friends you'll find are Pinellepy Pineapple, Bobby Banana (the star!), Mia Mango, and Pono Papaya. Have Fun!
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
Friday, May 31, 2002
Cool Site: Dot-2-Dot-4-Fun
Today's web find doesn't have anything to do with Hawaii, and in fact comes from the United Kingdom, half way around the world from us! It's touted as "The only website on the net dedicated to those who love Dot-2-Dot!" which caught Aunty's eye right away. If you have Shockwave installed on your computer, you can selct from a large number of designs and use your mouse to connect the dots to make a picture and also color it, right online! Great use of technology and fun for kids (of all ages). Site: Dot2Dot4FUN. Enjoy!
Today's web find doesn't have anything to do with Hawaii, and in fact comes from the United Kingdom, half way around the world from us! It's touted as "The only website on the net dedicated to those who love Dot-2-Dot!" which caught Aunty's eye right away. If you have Shockwave installed on your computer, you can selct from a large number of designs and use your mouse to connect the dots to make a picture and also color it, right online! Great use of technology and fun for kids (of all ages). Site: Dot2Dot4FUN. Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Cool Site: Canoe Plants
One of the very first web sites that Aunty Kat found when she was first introduced to the 'Net way back in 1996 is still a favorite. "Canoe Plants" are the life-sustaining plants that Polynesian voyagers carried with them in their journeys to settle the Pacific islands. On the list are familiar plants such as coconut, banana and sugar cane, as well as those less well known to people who do not live in Hawaii. This is a rich resource filled with practical, medicinal and cultural information about each plant. There is no flash, no gimmicks, and not even much color. Just a core resource for learning more about the islands, plain and simple! Site: Canoe Plants of Ancient Hawaii.
Aunty Kat
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One of the very first web sites that Aunty Kat found when she was first introduced to the 'Net way back in 1996 is still a favorite. "Canoe Plants" are the life-sustaining plants that Polynesian voyagers carried with them in their journeys to settle the Pacific islands. On the list are familiar plants such as coconut, banana and sugar cane, as well as those less well known to people who do not live in Hawaii. This is a rich resource filled with practical, medicinal and cultural information about each plant. There is no flash, no gimmicks, and not even much color. Just a core resource for learning more about the islands, plain and simple! Site: Canoe Plants of Ancient Hawaii.
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
What is Lahaina Noon?
Here's an interesting question from Aunty Kat's mailbox. Lahaina means cruel sun and is the name of a town on the island of Maui. In the tropics, and only in the tropics, the sun is directly overhead and casts no shadow on two days each year. In Hawaii, these days are usually in May and July, equidistant from the summer solstice on June 21. It doesn't only happen in Lahaina! (on Maui) but it does occur on different dates based on distance from the equator. The name was selected in a contest from the Bishop Museum, where you can find this year's dates for Lahaina Noon.
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
Here's an interesting question from Aunty Kat's mailbox. Lahaina means cruel sun and is the name of a town on the island of Maui. In the tropics, and only in the tropics, the sun is directly overhead and casts no shadow on two days each year. In Hawaii, these days are usually in May and July, equidistant from the summer solstice on June 21. It doesn't only happen in Lahaina! (on Maui) but it does occur on different dates based on distance from the equator. The name was selected in a contest from the Bishop Museum, where you can find this year's dates for Lahaina Noon.
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
The World's Tallest Mountain is...
Well, it depends on how you look at it! At 29,035 feet above sea level, Mount Everest is the tallest summit on earth measuring exposed area above the ground. But Mauna Kea is the tallest if measured from the sea floor to the summit, a total of 31,796 feet. Mauna Kea, which means white mountain, is located on the Island of Hawaii. It is a dormant volcano, and although it is our tallest volcano, neighboring Mauna Loa is larger in terms of area. Mauna Kea is home to the world's largest observatory, which you can visit (virtually) at the Mauna Kea Observatories web site. This is one of the few places in the tropics where you can find snow in the winter time. It is possible to be snowboarding in the morning and surfing (without a wetsuit!) in the afternoon! You can find out the weather at the top of the world any time you wish at the Mauna Kea Weather Center, and learn more about the cultural and spiritual significance of Mauna Kea at Malama Mauna Kea (malama means to take care of or protect). Each of these web sites has spectacular photos as well!
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
Well, it depends on how you look at it! At 29,035 feet above sea level, Mount Everest is the tallest summit on earth measuring exposed area above the ground. But Mauna Kea is the tallest if measured from the sea floor to the summit, a total of 31,796 feet. Mauna Kea, which means white mountain, is located on the Island of Hawaii. It is a dormant volcano, and although it is our tallest volcano, neighboring Mauna Loa is larger in terms of area. Mauna Kea is home to the world's largest observatory, which you can visit (virtually) at the Mauna Kea Observatories web site. This is one of the few places in the tropics where you can find snow in the winter time. It is possible to be snowboarding in the morning and surfing (without a wetsuit!) in the afternoon! You can find out the weather at the top of the world any time you wish at the Mauna Kea Weather Center, and learn more about the cultural and spiritual significance of Mauna Kea at Malama Mauna Kea (malama means to take care of or protect). Each of these web sites has spectacular photos as well!
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
This Day in History
Today's Cool Site is from the History Channel. Not only can you find out what happened on this day in past years, but you can enter any date, such as your birthday, to see what happened on that day. Link: This Day in History.
Aunty Kat
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Today's Cool Site is from the History Channel. Not only can you find out what happened on this day in past years, but you can enter any date, such as your birthday, to see what happened on that day. Link: This Day in History.
Aunty Kat
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Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Today's Cool Site: Say Hello to the World
None better for the first of Aunty Kat's daily picks for Cool Sites than Say Hello to the World from the Internet Public Library. Here you can find out how to greet people from all over the world in their language. In Hawaii, we say aloha to greet each other. The word has many meanings in addition to hello and goodbye, describing a concept of how we should treat each other. More: The Language of Hawaii and Aloha Spirit.
a hui hou (so long! - until next time)
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~
None better for the first of Aunty Kat's daily picks for Cool Sites than Say Hello to the World from the Internet Public Library. Here you can find out how to greet people from all over the world in their language. In Hawaii, we say aloha to greet each other. The word has many meanings in addition to hello and goodbye, describing a concept of how we should treat each other. More: The Language of Hawaii and Aloha Spirit.
a hui hou (so long! - until next time)
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~
Monday, May 27, 2002
Memorial Day in Honolulu
Memorial Day has special significance in Hawaii. Honolulu is the only U.S. city that has been attacked by another country. In December of 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, sinking several battleships and destroying planes on the ground. Forty years ago this week, the Arizona Memorial was opened as a remembrance for all who lost their lives on the USS Arizona. You can learn more about WWII in Hawaii and the significance of Pearl Harbor through time in our History of Hawaii section. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin has an article describing the symbolism of the Arizona Memorial in today's news.
Aunty Kat
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Memorial Day has special significance in Hawaii. Honolulu is the only U.S. city that has been attacked by another country. In December of 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, sinking several battleships and destroying planes on the ground. Forty years ago this week, the Arizona Memorial was opened as a remembrance for all who lost their lives on the USS Arizona. You can learn more about WWII in Hawaii and the significance of Pearl Harbor through time in our History of Hawaii section. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin has an article describing the symbolism of the Arizona Memorial in today's news.
Aunty Kat
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No, Your Eyes Aren't Playing Tricks on You!
The colors of the background and links on this page will change as you read. If you find the lighter colors hard to see, just wait a few seconds and it will get darker. It's the magic of rainbows! You can also adjust the size of the text using the A- to make it smaller and the A+ to make it larger. If you want all links to open in a new browser window, click the box. If you don't want additional windows, leave the box unchecked. When you visit other sites, just use your back button to return here!
Aunty Kat
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The colors of the background and links on this page will change as you read. If you find the lighter colors hard to see, just wait a few seconds and it will get darker. It's the magic of rainbows! You can also adjust the size of the text using the A- to make it smaller and the A+ to make it larger. If you want all links to open in a new browser window, click the box. If you don't want additional windows, leave the box unchecked. When you visit other sites, just use your back button to return here!
Aunty Kat
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Sunday, May 26, 2002
About Rainbows
Aloha and welcome to Rainbows, your bridge to the Hawaiian Islands!
Rainbows are a common occurrence in Hawaii. We often have showers while the sun is shining, called liquid sunshine, and this creates the right atmosphere. Rainbows have mythical significance in many cultures, and are sometimes called a bridge between worlds because the arch reaches up into the sky. They're generally considered a positive omen, promising sunshine after rain. Because rainbows contain all the colors (even if we can't see them), they are often used to symbolize unity in diversity... the ability of people with very different cultural backgrounds to get along well.
The Hawaiian word for rainbow is Anuenue, pronounced AH NEW EH NEW EH. The words for a mele (song) about rainbows can be found here: Ke Anuenue. One of the Hawaiian legends about rainbows can be found on the Internet: The Legend of Makaha; and there is even a ghost story. Some other pages of interes are: The Rainbow Connection; Rainbow Woman and Man Petroglyphs; and Halau Hula O Ke Anueneu Punahele ( a hula school) explaining the reason for their name, which means favorite rainbow.
We'll share more interesting web sites, stories and news on this page, so check back often!
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
Aloha and welcome to Rainbows, your bridge to the Hawaiian Islands!
Rainbows are a common occurrence in Hawaii. We often have showers while the sun is shining, called liquid sunshine, and this creates the right atmosphere. Rainbows have mythical significance in many cultures, and are sometimes called a bridge between worlds because the arch reaches up into the sky. They're generally considered a positive omen, promising sunshine after rain. Because rainbows contain all the colors (even if we can't see them), they are often used to symbolize unity in diversity... the ability of people with very different cultural backgrounds to get along well.
The Hawaiian word for rainbow is Anuenue, pronounced AH NEW EH NEW EH. The words for a mele (song) about rainbows can be found here: Ke Anuenue. One of the Hawaiian legends about rainbows can be found on the Internet: The Legend of Makaha; and there is even a ghost story. Some other pages of interes are: The Rainbow Connection; Rainbow Woman and Man Petroglyphs; and Halau Hula O Ke Anueneu Punahele ( a hula school) explaining the reason for their name, which means favorite rainbow.
We'll share more interesting web sites, stories and news on this page, so check back often!
Aunty Kat
~~~~~~~~
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