$ TZ=PST8 erl
Erlang (BEAM) emulator version 5.5.4 [source] [async-threads:0] [kernel-poll:false]

Eshell V5.5.4  (abort with ^G)
1> calendar:local_time_to_universal_time_dst(calendar:local_time()).
** exited: {badarg,[{erlang,universaltime_to_localtime,
                            [{{1969,12,31},{23,59,59}}]},
                    {calendar,local_time_to_universal_time_dst,1},
                    {erl_eval,do_apply,5},
                    {shell,exprs,6},
                    {shell,eval_loop,3}]} **