Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT TODAY?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
March 24, 2019
485 replies
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Today is March 24th and it is:

World Tuberculosis Day

World Tuberculosis Day is a worldwide event that aims to raise public awareness about tuberculosis and the efforts made to prevent and treat this disease. This event is held on March 24 each year and is promoted by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

March 24th marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch detected the cause of tuberculosis--the TB bacillus. This was a first step towards diagnosing and curing tuberculosis. World Tuberculosis Day can be traced back to 1982, when the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease launched World TB Day on March 24 that year, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Dr. Koch’s discovery.

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I plan on posting interesting tidbits about each day/date of the calendar. I hope others will add to it as well. It can be related to any subject as long as it happened on or is correlated in some way with that particular date.

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LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

May 15th Is...

National Chocolate Chip Day – May 15, 2019

WEDNESDAY MAY 15

National Chocolate Chip Day 2019 – May 15

We might not know which came first — the chicken, or the egg — but when it comes to chocolate chips and their namesake cookie, the history is well-documented, and it might not be what you think. Chocolate chips actually came after the chocolate chip cookie, and despite their ubiquity, are likely younger than your grandmother (they were first marketed in 1940!). Legend has it that the chocolate chip cookie was a happy accident, born when baker ran out of baker’s chocolate and opted for semi-sweet instead.

The recipe spread like wildfire, and after a few years of selling their semi-sweet chocolate bars with a chopping tool (for easy chunking of the bar), Nestlé went one step further by introducing chocolate “morsels” to the world. With such a history, and with so much mass appeal, it’s no surprise that this kitchen delight deserves celebration, and that’s why, on May 15, we’ve got National Chocolate Chip Day.

National Chocolate Chip Day Activities

Hack The Kitchen: Chocolate For Dinner
Most chefs know how to use tried-and-true flavor combinations to great effect, but the best chefs create new combinations altogether. Try using chocolate chips in a dinner recipe for a real challenge. If you’re looking for a place to start, you might consider trying the mole recipe in the section below!
How Big Can You Bake It?
You probably won’t approach the world record, but National Chocolate Chip Day is the perfect occasion to try your hand at baking the biggest chocolate chip cookie possible.
Art You Can Eat
With a mix of chocolate chips, M&Ms, and some other similarly-sized chocolate candies, you’re well on your way to a kid-friendly edible art project! This can get messy, though, so it’s probably a project best suited for the kitchen!

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

TODAY Is.....

National Buttermilk Biscuit Day – May 14, 2019

TUESDAY MAY 14

There’s nothing quite like a flaky, buttermilk biscuit paired with jam, honey, maple syrup, or butter to send your taste buds into overdrive. What better way to celebrate a long-standing Southern tradition than by commemorating National Buttermilk Biscuit Day on May 14? These flakey, carby treats emerged in the pre-Civil War era as an inexpensive addition to meals. When people realized these robust bread products absorbed the gravy on their plates better than plain bread, biscuits soared in popularity and the version that we all know and love — the buttermilk biscuit — was born. From celebrating at your favorite restaurant to whipping up a gourmet batch at home, there are ample ways one can pay homage to this Southern staple.

National Buttermilk Biscuit Day Activities

Go on a biscuit quest
Rule #1: You can never have too many biscuits. In preparation for the holiday, scope out the local restaurant scene a few days beforehand to discover what kind of deals you can find. Then, on May 14, put your game face on and head over to your local Cracker Barrel to enjoy some home-style cooking, complete with mouthwatering buttermilk biscuits and flavorsome gravy. For dessert, mosey on over to Red Lobster to scarf down copious amounts of their legendary (and addictive) cheddar biscuits. Popeyes, Bojangles’, and Church’s Chicken also have tasty biscuits. Remember, the earlier you start , the more ground you’ll cover.
Make some biscuits
Nothing, and I mean nothing, beats homemade buttermilk biscuits. If you aren’t sure where to start, there are hundreds (give or take) of recipes floating across the Internet at this very second. If you’re feeling adventurous, make up your own recipe! We’ll give you a hint: you’ll probably need buttermilk.
Turn ordinary buttermilk biscuits into an extraordinary dish
As wonderful as buttermilk biscuits might be on their own, they can often be made even better when combined with other awesome ingredients. From exotic casseroles to scrumptious cinnamon rolls, there are heaps of unique dishes that can be made using buttermilk biscuits as a base. Get creative — the possibilities are truly endless!

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

MAY 2 is ......

National Brothers and Sisters Day 2019 – May 2

Today is dedicated to the people who (we hope) made your childhood memorable — your siblings. They’ve been there for you during the good times. And they haven’t left your side through the bad (even if they created it by getting you in trouble). Of course, there were probably times where you couldn’t stand the sight of each other. What siblings don’t get into fights? Still, National Brothers and Sisters Day is the day to reflect on the best times.

We all agree about the importance of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. But brothers and sisters know you like no one else ever will.

National Brothers and Sisters Day Activities

Get nostalgic
Revisit special memories and moments with your siblings. Go to the places they taught you to drive. Visit your favorite childhood haunts. There’s no way to go wrong here, as long as you’re celebrating and spending time together.
Hang out
Go out to lunch or dinner and catch up on old times. Talk about what’s new in your life and your upcoming events. Maybe this will even start a new tradition, or even a habit of catching up more often.
Family vacation
Make a list of places you’ve dreamed about visiting, local or internationally, and start checking off your bucket list. Create memories with them that will last a lifetime.

Why We Love National Brothers and Sisters Day

Family ties
Your brothers and sisters know you inside and out. If they’re older than you, they’ve been a part of your life since you were in diapers (they probably even changed a few, and for that, they deserve eternal gratitude). If you’re the older one, you’ve probably helped a sibling or two navigate through life — whether you’re intimidating their bullies or showing them a cool new trick on the swing set. These amazing bonds are what makes your relationship meaningful. Embrace them on National Brothers and Sisters Day
Understanding
No one will ever “get” you better than your sibling. At our jobs, we have to monitor what we say because we don’t want our thoughts to get misinterpreted. With our friends, we’re allowed to be a little weirder, but we can’t be too weird in case they decide to bail on us. But this isn’t the case with your siblings. You can be as crazy as you want, and say everything that comes to mind. They know the true you — and more importantly, they’re stuck with you.
No secrets
Remember those horrible fashion trends you participated in? All those toys you obsessed over that you would never be caught dead with today? Your siblings were there for all of it. They have the power in their hands to destroy you if they choose — and they’re being very nice by deciding not to (for the moment). As the saying goes, keep your friends close, your enemies closer — and your siblings closest. You’ll never know what they’ll reveal if you make them angry!

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

APRIL 30th is.........

Image result for international jazz day 2019

April 30, 2019

In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day in order to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. International Jazz Day is chaired and led by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The Institute is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting and producing this annual celebration.

International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication. Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity; eradicating discrimination; promoting freedom of expression; fostering gender equality; and reinforcing the role of youth in enacting social change.

International Jazz Day is the culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month, which draws public attention to jazz and its extraordinary heritage throughout April. In December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly formally welcomed the decision by the UNESCO General Conference to proclaim April 30 as International Jazz Day. The United Nations and UNESCO now both recognize International Jazz Day on their official calendars.

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Today Is..........

National Superhero Day

April 28, 2019

Marvel employees created National Superhero Day on April 28, 1995. That’s Marvel, as in Marvel Comics, the creators of “The Fantastic Four,” “The Avengers,” “X-Men,” and supervillains like Magneto, Green Goblin, and Loki.

However, as we all know, supervillains are unworthy of their own day.

Still, the idea behind superhero day is to honor those who serve and protect while fighting evil. Whether you’re a fan of the Marvel Universe or the DC Comics variety (like Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, or Superman), honoring heroes, real or fictional, is a worthwhile cause.

Holy holiday, Batman! Let’s get started on this…

National Superhero Day Activities

Throw a cosplay party
Halloween is still months away and mostly for children. But cosplay can happen anytime, and no time is better than National Superhero Day. So whether you choose a theme, like DC comic books heroes, Marvel heroes, or neighborhood heroes, invite people to come as their favorite! Look, a dinner table boasting the likes of Silver Surfer, the Huntress and Iron Man is bound to be fun!
Sponsor a superhero film festival
Even if you’ve never wanted to don a cape and save the day, it’s awesome to watch other people do it. So celebrate National Superhero Day by streaming films like "Iron Man," "Justice League," "Logan'" or even Captain Underpants. Just make sure you have plenty of candy and popcorn on hand — and maybe some masks too for the immersion experience.
Honor your own real-life superheroes
What makes a superhero? Usually it’s the attribute of powers, but don’t let that stop you from taking the day to thank your own heroes. You can thank an entire group, like firefighters or police officers, or honor just one person who has demonstrated fairness, courage and compassion. Make this superhero day your perfect day to honor all heroes

Why We Love National Superhero Day

Superheroes unite!
Start a debate amongst comic book fans about who's the best superhero and you'll soon find yourself in the middle of a heated argument. Batman? Some say he’s just a guy with gadgets. Who’s faster, the Flash or Quicksilver? Who’s more powerful, Spiderman or the Green Lantern?
National Superhero day solves this conundrum by honoring ALL superheroes. So quit arguing and embrace the wonderful diversity of heroes offered in this, and other, universes.
They're real
When we consider the attributes that make a superhero, aside from special powers, they embrace truth and justice, fight evil and demonstrate courage. There are many people in our society who embrace those same values and that makes them pretty super too!
There's a hero for everyone
Superheroes come in all colors, genders, religions, and incarnations. What’s not to love about a day that embraces an alien with a green pointy head (Martian Manhunter), a woman with wings (Hawkgirl), or a man half-metal, half-human (Cyborg)? Even Squirrel Girl has her own loyal following, and although she may not reach the status of having her own day, she is certainly a superhero.

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Today is.....

World Book Day 2019 — April 23

World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day, or International Day of the Book, is an annual event the organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. World Book Day was first celebrated on 23 April 1995, and continues to be recognized on that day. A related event in the United Kingdom and Ireland is observed in March.

We love books, and our friends at UNESCO agree. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization proposed World Book Day as a day of celebrating the joy of reading for enjoyment.

One hundred countries observe World Book Day, and why not?

Children who regularly read for enjoyment have higher test scores, develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures than their non-reading counterparts. Whether you read traditional paperbound books or turn to your Kindle/iPad/whatever, reading’s a passport to this and many other worlds.

So celebrate with us on April 23! Here’s how to harness your inner bookworm — and maybe get a free book.

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

It's April 22nd!

Welcome to.........

Image result for earth day images

A brief history of Earth Day

By Dane Sager Kelly - Web Producer

Posted: 8:24 PM, April 21, 2018Updated: 10:17 PM, April 21, 2019

Monday (April 22nd) will be the 49th Earth Day, an event celebrated in 193 countries worldwide, currently coordinated by the Earth Day Network.

Earth Day's origins start with Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson, who was inspired to organize the event after the Jan. 28, 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. More than three million gallons of oil spilled into the Santa Barbara Channel in the Pacific Ocean, killing more than 10,000 animals. Nelson enlisted Stanford University graduate Denis Hayes to assist in coordinating and organizing the event.

The first Earth Day was held April 22, 1970. The New York Times estimated the gather in in New York City had crowds of 20,000 people and more than 100,000 over the course of the day. Since New York City was home of most television networks and several large publications, coverage of Earth Day was spread nationally.

Across the country, approximately 2,000 colleges and universities and approximately 10,000 schools participated in the first Earth Day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The first Earth Day was said to bring 20 million Americans together, pressuring the United States to prioritize environmental issues.

"My primary objective in planning Earth Day was to show the political leadership of the nation that there was broad and deep support for the environmental movement," Nelson said in 1980. "While I was confident that a nationwide peaceful demonstration of concern would be impressive, I was not quite prepared for the overwhelming response that occurred on that day."

The first Earth Day's success didn't take President Richard Nixon by surprise, having representatives around the country at events. On July 9, 1970, Nixon proposed consolidating the environmental responsibilities of the U.S. government into one agency, the EPA.

In the nearly 50 years since its inception, Earth Day continues to influence the environment on both local and international scales.

In 1995, Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his environmental work. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 89.

Since 1970, Earth Day celebrations have grown. In 1990, Earth Day went global, with 200 million people in over 140 nations participating, according to the Earth Day Network (EDN), a nonprofit organization that coordinates Earth Day activities. In 2000, Earth Day focused on clean energy and involved hundreds of millions of people in 184 countries and 5,000 environmental groups, according to EDN. Activities ranged from a traveling, talking drum chain in Gabon, Africa, to a gathering of hundreds of thousands of people at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Today, the Earth Day Network collaborates with more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. According to EDN, more than 1 billion people are involved in Earth Day activities, making it “the largest secular civic event in the world.”

Citation Information: Article Title--Earth Day 2019

Author: History.com Editors

Let us all play a part and be a part of celebrating the earth and our world.

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

TODAY Is,,,,,

APRIL 21ST

Image result for easter sunday

Amen!

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

APRIL 17TH IS.....

NATIONAL HAIKU POETRY DAY

Observed annually on April 17, National Haiku Poetry Day encourages all to try their hand in creativity. Haiku poetry is a form of Japanese poetry that is non-rhyming and normally consists of 3 lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5. Haiku poems are usually inspired by an element of nature, a season, a moment of beauty or an individual experience or event. Sensory language is used to capture a feeling or image.

From Haiku: This Other World
Richard Wright (1908-1960)

Whitecaps on the bay:
A broken signboard banging
In the April wind.

English haiku does not always follow the strict syllable count found in Japanese haiku. The typical length of haiku found in English language journals is 10-14 syllables, versus the 5-7-5 syllables used in the Japanese language.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Celebrate National Haiku Poetry Day by creating a haiku poem of your own! Post your Haiku poem on social media using #NationalHaikuPoetryDay.

Educators, visit the National Day Calendar® Classroom for a project linked to National Haiku Day.

HISTORY

National Haiku Poetry Day was registered by Sari Grandstaff in 2007 and implemented as a project of The Haiku Foundation in 2012.

LydiaN586309Author

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

TODAY is....

EMANCIPATION DAY!

Emancipation Day is a holiday in Washington DC to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act, which president Abraham Lincoln signed on April 16, 1862. It is annually held on April 16.

Is Emancipation Day a Public Holiday?

Emancipation Day is a public holiday in District of Columbia, where it is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

Emancipation Day

Emancipation Day marks the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862.

What Do People Do?

A wide range of events are arranged in Washington DC to mark Emancipation Day. These are spread throughout the month of April and include exhibitions, public discussions, presentations of historic documents, the laying of wreaths, concerts and poetry readings. The events aim to educate a broad spectrum of people about the history of the municipality of the District of Columbia in general and slavery in particular. Attention is also paid to the African origin of many slaves and racial issues in modern American society.

Public Life

April 16 is a legal holiday in Washington DC. Local government offices are closed and many public services do not operate. However, many stores and businesses are open and there are no changes to public transit services. In some years, Emancipation Day may be the reason to extend the deadline for filing an income tax return (Tax Day). In 2007, the observance Emancipation Day in Washington DC had the effect of nationally extending the 2006 income tax filing deadline from April 16 to April 17. This 2007 date change was not discovered until after many forms went to print.

In all other areas of the United States, April 16 is a normal day and public life is not affected.

Background

Formal slavery was legal until 1865 in most of the area that is now the United States. Many slaves were of African origin and many slave owners were of European descent, although some other groups also had slaves. By 1860, there were about four million slaves in the United States. On April 16, 1862, Abraham Lincoln, who was the US president at the time, signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, which freed more than 3000 slaves in the District of Columbia. However, slavery did not officially end in the rest of the United States until after the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861 until 1865.

The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution formally ended slavery in the US. It was proposed on January 31, 1865, and ratified by 30 of the then 36 states in the same year. However, it was only ratified in Mississippi in 1995. Slavery and the racial divisions, upon which it was based, have had and continue to have huge implications for individuals and American society as a whole.

Emancipation Day in Washington DC marks the anniversary of the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act. On January 4, 2005, legislation was signed to make Emancipation Day an official public holiday in the District of Columbia. Elsewhere in the United States, the emancipation of slaves is celebrated in Florida (May 20), Puerto Rico (March 22) and Texas (June 19). There are also similar events in many countries in the Caribbean, including Anguilla, Bahamas, Bermuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Many of these events occur during the first week of August as slavery was abolished in the British Empire on August 1, 1834.

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