Sunday, August 1, 2021

Friendship Day

 Friendship Day (also International Friendship Day or Friend's Day) is a day in several countries for celebrating friendship. It was initially promoted by the greeting cards' industry; evidence from social networking sites shows a revival of interest in the holiday that may have grown with the spread of the Internet, particularly in India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Mobile phones, digital communication and social media have contributed to popularize the custom. Those who promote the holiday in South Asia attribute the tradition of dedicating a day in honour of friends to have originated in the United States in 1935, but India celebrates Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August.[1] In Nepal, Friendship Day is celebrated on 30 July each year. In Oberlin, Ohio, Friendship Day is celebrated on 9 April each year.

History

Friendship day was first proposed in Paraguay in 1958. It was originated by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930, intended to be 2 August and a day when people celebrated their friendships by holiday celebrations.[3] Friendship Day was promoted by the greeting card National Association during the 1920s but met with consumer resistance – given that it was too obviously a commercial gimmick to promote greetings cards. In the 1940s the number of Friendship Day cards available in the U.S. by had dwindled and the holiday largely died out there.[4] There is no evidence to date for its uptake in Europe; however, it has been kept alive and revitalised in Asia, where several countries have adopted it.[5]

World Wide Web Day


 There is no denying the importance of the World Wide Web. In fact, most people rely on the World Wide Web in order to find out information and carry out tasks online every day. It is integral to a lot of jobs as well. Therefore, it is only right that we have a day to honor the World Wide Web, and that is what World Wide Web Day is all about.

Have you ever found yourself saying “where would I be without the Internet?” – This is something that a lot of people remark all of the time! This is especially the case when you have an unexpected Internet outage, and you can’t get online. You don’t know what to do with yourself. The World Wide Web has made it possible to do so many things that were simply not achievable before. This includes catching up with friends and family members that live on the other side of the world, as well as finding out information about virtually any topic! It really is quite remarkable to think about the power that the Internet has today and how it has enriched our lives in so many different ways. 

If you do some digging online, you will see that there are some really interesting facts about the World Wide Web, and you can spend some of your day finding out more about these. It is incredibly insightful! For example, you can take a look at the first-ever image that was posted on the World Wide Web. This was uploaded in 1992 by Berners-Lee. It was a photo of Les Horribles Cernettes, which is a parody pop band that was founded by employees at CERN. 

You have also probably used the term “surfing the net” a lot. Did you know that this was created by a librarian called Jean Armour Polly? She is credited with coining the term. This was as a consequence of an article she published called “Surfing the Internet” in March of 1992. This article was published in the Wilson Library Bulletin at the University of Minnesota. 

Here are some other facts that you may not know about the World Wide Web…

The first computer used by Sir Tim Berners-Lee as a web server was a NeXT computer.

This computer was also used to write the first web browser, WorldWideWeb. 

It was announced that the World Wide Web would be free to anyone in 1993.

The launch of the Mosaic web browser in 1993 was a major turning point for the World Wide Web. It is credited with popularizing the World Wide Web.

While the first popular search engine is known as Yahoo! Search, it is believed that Archie was the first of its kind. This was the first tool for FTP archive indexing, enabling people to locate specific files.  

History of World Wide Web Day

In order to understand the history of World Wide Web Day, it is vital to understand the history of the World Wide Web. A lot of people think that the World Wide Web and the Internet are the same things, and so they use the terms interchangeably. However, this is not actually the case. The history of the Internet goes back a lot further than that of the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web is actually a worldwide information medium whereby people can access it using their computers when they are connected to the Internet.

The World Wide Web was conceived by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 at the CERN center in Geneva, Switzerland, as a way for him to communicate with co-workers via hyperlinks. A quarter of a century later, WWW has become the main means of interaction, transaction and communication among humans, opening the door of opportunity for people in ways that would have been unimaginable to previous generations.

It is certainly interesting to look back at the history of the World Wide Web, as it has grown significantly over the years. There was significant growth in 1993. At the start of the year, there were only 50 servers around the world. However, this number had grown to more than 500 servers being online by October of the same year. Two of the earliest webcomics also started during this period as well: NetBoy and Doctor Fun. 

Advances in data compression made it possible for practical media distribution and media streaming to happen over the web. This is because of the impracticality of the high bandwidth requirements for uncompressed media. 

The number of websites that were live at this point were still very small in comparison to the number of sites that are live today. However, there were some notable websites that started during this period. For example, Yahoo! Directory was launched in January of 1994, and this was then followed by the search engine – Yahoo! Search – in 1995. It was, therefore, the first popular search engine on the World Wide Web. We also saw the start of web commerce in 1995, as Amazon and eBay were both founded. 



Celebrate about World Wide Web Day

We celebrate World Wide Web Day by getting online, taking hasty selfies to post on social platforms, arguing with trolls on blogs, taking notes from podcasts, holding VoIP conferences to discuss the weather, backing up our data to servers across the world, syncing photos for the whole family to see, booking our doctor’s appointments online and generally expressing our opinions in discussions which are oftentimes much ado about nothing.

You can also spend your day learning more about the World Wide Web. This includes the history of the web, as well as discovering more about the capabilities of the web today. There are so many different things that are now possible to do online. A lot of people simply do not realize the full potential of the World Wide Web. This is why World Wide Web Day presents you with the perfect opportunity to delve deeper and make sure you are using the web to its fullest. 

There are also a lot of events that go on around the world on World Wide Web Day, and so it is worth doing a bit of digging into this. Some major establishments around the world have conversations and interviews with major players in the creation and development of the World Wide Web. There are also different talks and activities going on involving technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators, and so you are bound to find a lot of exciting things going on online, as well as potentially at businesses in your local area too. In fact, you could even decide to run an event at your local business yourself; it’s a great day for marketing.

Monday, March 15, 2021

Hypothetical Planet X




Planet Nine is a hypothetical planet in the outer region of the Solar System. Its gravitational effects could explain the unusual clustering of orbits for a group of extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs), bodies beyond Neptune that orbit the Sun at distances averaging more than 250 times that of the Earth. These eTNOs tend to make their closest approaches to the Sun in one sector, and their orbits are similarly tilted. These alignments suggest that an undiscovered planet may be shepherding the orbits of the most distant known Solar System objects. Nonetheless, some astronomers question the idea that the hypothetical planet exists and instead assert that the clustering of the eTNOs orbits is due to observing biases, resulting from the difficulty of discovering and tracking these objects during much of the year.

In Depth

In January 2015, Caltech astronomers "Konstantin Batygin" and "Mike Brown" announced new research that provides evidence of a giant planet tracing an unusual, elongated orbit in the outer solar system. The prediction is based on detailed mathematical modeling and computer simulations, not direct observation.

This large object could explain the unique orbits of at least five smaller objects discovered in the distant Kuiper Belt.

"The possibility of a new planet is certainly an exciting one for me as a planetary scientist and for all of us," said Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division. "This is not, however, the detection or discovery of a new planet. It's too early to say with certainty there's a so-called Planet X. What we're seeing is an early prediction based on modeling from limited observations. It's the start of a process that could lead to an exciting result."

The Caltech scientists believe Planet X may have has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and be similar in size to Uranus or Neptune. The predicted orbit is about 20 times farther from our Sun on average than Neptune (which orbits the Sun at an average distance of 2.8 billion miles). It would take this new planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the Sun (where Neptune completes an orbit roughly every 165 years).

Artist's concept of a hypothetical planet orbiting far from the Sun. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)

Overview

Caltech researchers have found mathematical evidence suggesting there may be a "Planet X" deep in the solar system. This hypothetical Neptune-sized planet orbits our Sun in a highly elongated orbit far beyond Pluto. The object, which the researchers have nicknamed "Planet Nine," could have a mass about 10 times that of Earth and orbit about 20 times farther from the Sun on average than Neptune. It may take between 10,000 and 20,000 Earth years to make one full orbit around the Sun.

In January 2015, Caltech astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown announced new research that provides evidence of a giant planet tracing an unusual, elongated orbit in the outer solar system. The prediction is based on detailed mathematical modeling and computer simulations, not direct observation. The announcement does not mean there is a new planet in our solar system. The existence of this distant world is only theoretical at this point and no direct observation of the object nicknamed "Planet 9" has been made. The mathematical prediction of a planet could explain the unique orbits of some smaller objects in the Kuiper Belt, a distant region of icy debris that extends far beyond the orbit of Neptune. Astronomers are now searching for the predicted planet.

In Depth

This large object could explain the unique orbits of at least five smaller objects discovered in the distant Kuiper Belt.

"The possibility of a new planet is certainly an exciting one for me as a planetary scientist and for all of us," said Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division. "This is not, however, the detection or discovery of a new planet. It's too early to say with certainty there's a so-called Planet X. What we're seeing is an early prediction based on modeling from limited observations. It's the start of a process that could lead to an exciting result."

The Caltech scientists believe Planet X may have has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and be similar in size to Uranus or Neptune. The predicted orbit is about 20 times farther from our Sun on average than Neptune (which orbits the Sun at an average distance of 2.8 billion miles). It would take this new planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the Sun (where Neptune completes an orbit roughly every 165 years).

When was it discovered?

Planet X has not yet been discovered, and there is debate in the scientific community about whether it exists. The prediction in the Jan. 20 issue of the Astronomical Journal is based on mathematical modeling.

What is its Name?

Batygin and Brown nicknamed their predicted object "Planet Nine," but the actual naming rights of an object go to the person who actually discovers it. The name used during previous hunts for the long suspected giant, undiscovered object beyond Neptune is "Planet X."

If the predicted world is found, the name must be approved by the International Astronomical Union. Planets are traditionally named for mythological Roman gods.

Sources

Fesenmaier, Kimm, "Caltech Researchers Find Evidence of a Real Ninth Planet," press release, last modified January 20, 2015

Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown, "Evidence for a Distant Giant Planet in the Solar System," The Astronomical Journal

Green, James, "A New Planet in our Solar System? NASA Takes a Look," video statement, last modified January 20, 2015

 


Wednesday, January 13, 2021

When We Were 18 We Went Off !!!


When we were 18 we went off,

When you aimed to be a doctor,
I aimed to be a brave man...
When you cleared NEET,
I cleared my NDA...
When you were in a medical college,
I was in a training camp...
When your day started at 9 am and ended at 5 pm,
Mine started at 2am and ended at 10pm..
When you were having deep sleep,
I awake in scary nights...

 At Job;

When you were holding test tubes, scissors and cutters,
I was holding rifles, guns and grenades...
When you were awarded with a graduation cap,
I was awarded with the medals and colorful bands
Which shone on my chest...
When you always lived with mother and father,
I lived with their photos in my pocket...

We were married;

When your wife could see you every day,
My wife just wished I was alive...
When you were with your wife and shared feelings...but,
I couldn't...
When you went to trips,
I went to fight...
When you were treating the patients with injections,
I was fighting with my guns...
When you were celebrating Holi with different colors and family,
I was shedding my red blood...
No one knows that either one day
I would come to home with my luggage or in a coffin,
Wrapped with "Tricolor flag" with 4 soldiers holding on their arms...

Finally I came in coffin...

All were in tears...
When you whipped your wife's tears...but,
I couldn't...
When you hugged her,
I couldn't...
As my life is ended,
Her life is also ended unknowingly...
You are happy you are alive,
I am happy that I died for my country...
You worked for the country,
I died for the country while working for it...

When we were 18, we went off....!!!!

                                                        -SAKSHAM YADAV
                                                         Instagram ID:- _nxt_sky_



Saturday, August 15, 2020

Independence Day

Independence Day is celebrated annually on 15 August as a national holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947, the day when the provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947, which transferred legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly, came into effect. India retained King George VI as head of state until its transition to a full republic, and the Constitution of India 1950 replaced the dominion prefix, Dominion of India, with the enactment of the sovereign law Constitution of India. India attained independence following the Independence Movement noted for largely non-violent resistance and civil disobedience.

Independence coincided with the partition of India, in which British India was divided along religious lines into the Dominions of India and Pakistan; the partition was accompanied by violent riots and mass casualties, and the displacement of nearly 15 million people due to religious violence. On 15 August 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi. On each subsequent Independence Day, the incumbent Prime Minister customarily raises the flag and gives an address to the nation.The entire event is broadcast by Doordarshan, India's national broadcaster, and usually begins with the shehnai music of Ustad Bismillah Khan.

History

European traders had established outposts in the Indian subcontinent by the 17th century. Through overwhelming military strength, the British East India company subdued local kingdoms and established themselves as the dominant force by the 18th century. Following the First War of Independence of 1857, the Government of India Act 1858 led the British Crown to assume direct control of India. In the decades following, civic society gradually emerged across India, most notably the Indian National Congress Party, formed in 1885. The period after World War I was marked by British reforms such as the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms, but it also witnessed the enactment of the repressive Rowlatt Act and calls for self-rule by Indian activists. The discontent of this period crystallised into nationwide non-violent movements of non-cooperation and civil disobedience, led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

During the 1930s, the reform was gradually legislated by the British; Congress won victories in the resulting elections. The next decade was beset with political turmoil: Indian participation in World War II, the Congress' final push for non-cooperation, and an upsurge of Muslim nationalism led by the All-India Muslim League. The escalating political tension was capped by Independence in 1947. The jubilation was tempered by the bloody partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan.

Jai Hind!!

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Creamsicle Day

 

A soft flavor that kids the world over have discovered to sate the heat and give energy to them during the oppressive summer months. That first bite seems to overpower the taste buds, giving a hint that even more surprises await within the frozen delight, this is a day of celebration – Creamsicle Day!

Is it really summer if you have not had a creamsicle yet? Creamsicle Day is designed to celebrate the delicious citrus and creamy dessert on a stick that most of us enjoy throughout the warmer months. After all, there is no better way to cool down when the sun is shining, is there?

While “Creamsicle” is actually a brand name, a lot of people have come to use it to describe any sort of similar ice cream. The original Creamsicle, though, consists of vanilla ice cream that is on an ice lolly stick, with iced orange juice coating the outside. Orange was the original flavor, but there are now lots of other flavors for you to choose from. This includes everything from strawberry to blueberry and grape.

 

Did you know that there have been many different variations of the Creamsicle made by the brand? For example, you can get the Fudgsicle, which is a chocolate flavored pop that has a texture that is very much like ice cream? There is also a Dreamsicle, which contains ice milk rather than ice cream. The brand has also created sugar-free pops, low-fat pops, and 100-calorie bars, so if you are watching what you eat or you are on a certain type of diet, you do not need to miss out on a Creamsicle; you can still indulge and enjoy yourself! Which flavor will you be having?

Originally created by Frank Eppperson in 1905, this industrious, and inventive 11 year old experimented with putting fruit juice around vanilla ice cream. The original ‘Epsicle’, which later became known as a Popsicle, creamsicle and even dreamsicle, were done with just the orange juice outside. However now you can find them in a myriad of flavors, from orange to blue raspberry, lime, grape, cherry and even blueberry!

This cold delight has been a staple of the summertime ice cream truck since they started moving around, and served at various warm locations since they were spread around as a treat. People have been going around trying all sorts of creamsicles from different areas and locales. Apparently the ones served on Long Island are less about the orange as they are the strong vanilla, while in Florida’s Palm Beach you get a small amount of vanilla flavor and a crazy amount of orange.

Monday, July 20, 2020

International Chess Day



I’m sure you’ve heard of chess, but did you know there’s a whole day dedicated to it? Now you do! A game of strategy and wits, Chess is the thinking man’s game. From Early India to today, Chess is a wonderful game to play anytime, anywhere.

History of International Chess Day

Invented in India in the fifth century, it was named “Chaturanga” and this is likely one of the oldest games of our era. the game then spread to Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world and subsequently spread to Southern Europe. In Europe, chess evolved into roughly its current form in the 15th century. The game was developed extensively in Europe. By the late 15th century, it had survived a series of prohibitions and Christian Church sanctions to almost take the shape of the modern game.

Modern history saw reliable reference works, competitive chess tournaments, and exciting new variations. These factors added to the game’s popularity, further liked by reliable timing mechanisms (first introduced in 1861), effective rules, and charismatic players. Chess remains a highly popular pastime among the general populace. A 2012 survey found that “chess players now make up one of the largest communities in the world: 605 million adults play chess regularly”

On July 20, 1924 at the eighth summer Olympic games in Paris, France, the FIDE (World Chess Federation) was Founded. Thus in 1966, on the same day as the founding of the FIDE, International Chess Day begun. Today there are chess tournaments all over the world. The first modern chess tournament having been held in London in 1851 and won by German Adolf Anderssen

Monday, July 6, 2020

Umbrella Cover Day


Umbrella covers are the little sleeves, slipcovers, cases, sheaths, that come on new umbrellas when you buy them. Made of the same material as the umbrella, they are a tight and attractive bit of packaging, but can sometimes impair the speed of releasing the umbrella in a sudden shower. People are on the fence about whether they are critical bits of umbrella apparel, or a waste of material. It is this very ambiguity that has inspired a museum of Umbrella Covers and a Guinness World Record.


So whether your umbrella was purchased during the onset of a sudden spring shower, or an advanced purchase for a drizzly day, chances are that your umbrella’s cover comes with a bit of history, and has a story to tell. Umbrella Cover Day celebrates the stories behind the cover, and encourages you to hold onto and dig out your umbrella covers from the bottom of drawers, the backs of cupboards and from, unsurprisingly, on your umbrellas, and to celebrate the mundane and everyday things in life. Of course, umbrella covers can have practical uses, too – why not keep your plastic utensils in them, store your plastic bags, pencils, makeup, loose change. Use them to decorate your room – or maybe as ear warmers for your pets.
 

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Iced Tea Day

Drinks are such a key part of modern culture that they are so much than just a necessity for the body. We drink water to survive, we drink coffee to stay alert, we sip cocktails to feel refreshed and get in the mood, and we drink soda to relax and unwind. Different drinks feed into different moods and give us new and unique experiences that play a big role in our lives, both socially and at home. So, it is important to make sure you sample as many different beverages as you can. 


On a hot summer day, there’s nothing that quenches the thirst and fosters relaxation quite as much as a frosty cold glass of iced tea. While hot tea is delicious and certainly an excellent beverage for most situations, it’s purely inappropriate for picnics, and it only stays hot so long. Instead, it is necessary to branch out to the more versatile and refreshing alternatives. Sweet tea is one of the most popular beverages in the deep South, but it’s just one example of the variety that can be iced tea.

Saturday, June 6, 2020

World Chocolate Day



Chocolate Day is nothing short of a special tribute to mankind’s greatest culinary invention. (Sorry Bread or even Pizza!) Chocolate can enhance and help to create the most luxurious desserts and can even be enjoyed and indulged on its own. Some of the most popular chocolate bars are plain and simple. If this is the one for you, try going for a high cocoa percentage with low added sugar. 



The history of chocolate goes back around 2,500 years. The Aztecs loved their newly discovered liquid chocolate to the extent that they believed the god of wisdom, Quetzalcoatl, literally bestowed it upon them. Cocoa seeds even acted as a form of currency. Could you imagine going shopping or buying a house will a huge pile of Cocoa seeds? It would be wonderful, no? These days, the chocolate was bitter, as it was long before sugar was added. Once chocolate took a turn and went sweet in a 16th Century Europe, chocolate caught on to the masses and became one of many households favorite treats. 

Thursday, June 4, 2020

World Environment Day



World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June every year, and is the United Nations' principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of our environment. First held in 1974, it has been a flagship campaign for raising awareness on emerging from environmental issues to marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime. World Environment Day has grown to become a global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually. Each year, WED has provided a new theme that major corporations, NGOs, communities, governments and all celebrities worldwide adopt to advocate environmental causes.


World Environment Day was established in 1972 by the United Nations on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, resulting from discussions on the integration of human interactions and the environment. Two years later, in 1974 the first WED was held with the theme "Only One Earth". Even though WED celebration have been held annually since 1974, in 1987 the idea for rotating the center of these activities through selecting different host countries began.


Wednesday, April 29, 2020

International Dance Day


International Dance Day is a global celebration of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO. The event takes place every year on 29 April, which is the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810), the creator of modern ballet. The day strives to encourage participation and education in dance through events and festivals held on the date all over the world. UNESCO formally recognize ITI to be the creators and organizers of the event.To mark International Dance Day each year, on 29 April, the International Theatre Institute invites its members along with dancers, choreographers, dance students and enthusiasts to join them in a Gala Celebration.

The Gala Celebration takes place in a chosen host city decided on by the Executive Council of the International Theatre Institute – for instance in 2017 it was held in Shanghai, China, and in 2018 it was in Havana, Cuba.The programme of the Gala Event can vary, but usually consists of top-quality dance performances from around the world, student performances, keynote speeches, and a recital of the Message for that year’s event read, in person, by that years selected message author.
In Shanghai 2017 for instance, the event became a three-day celebration with greater emphasis on education through dance workshops and presentations led by an international cast of dance experts. The evenings were reserved for performances, the finale of which was the Gala Celebration. The Shanghai event also had a humanitarian aspect, with much of its focus being on celebrating the achievements of disabled dancers and encouraging disabled children to dance.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Easter Sunday


Easter, also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent , a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.Most Christians refer to the week before Easter as "Holy Week", which contains the days of the Easter Triduum, including Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Maundy and Last Supper, as well as Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus.In Western Christianity, Eastertide, or the Easter Season, begins on Easter Sunday and lasts seven weeks, ending with the coming of the 50th day, Pentecost Sunday. In Eastern Christianity, the season of Pascha begins on Pascha and ends with the coming of the 40th day, the Feast of the Ascension.


Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts which do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars which follow only the cycle of the Sun; rather, its date is offset from the date of Passover and is therefore calculated based on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established two rules, independence of the Jewish calendar and worldwide uniformity, which were the only rules for Easter explicitly laid down by the council. No details for the computation were specified; these were worked out in practice, a process that took centuries and generated a number of controversies. It has come to be the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March. Even if calculated on the basis of the more accurate Gregorian calendar, the date of that full moon sometimes differs from that of the astronomical first full moon after the March equinox.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Good Friday


Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of Passover. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, and Black Friday.Members of many Christian denominations, including the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox and Reformed traditions, observe Good Friday with fasting and church services.
The date of Good Friday varies from one year to the next on both the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Eastern and Western Christianity disagree over the computation of the date of Easter and therefore of Good Friday. Good Friday is a widely instituted legal holiday around the world, including in most Western countries and 12 U.S. states.Some countries, such as Germany, have laws prohibiting certain acts, such as dancing and horse racing, that are seen as profaning the solemn nature of the day.

A common folk etymology incorrectly analyzes "Good Friday" as a corruption of "God Friday" similar to the linguistically correct description of "goodbye" as a contraction of "God be with you". In fact, "Good Friday" comes from the obsolete sense "pious, holy" of the word "good".Less common examples of expressions based on this obsolete sense of "good" include "the good book" for the Bible, "good tide" for "Christmas" or Shrovetide, and Good Wednesday for the Wednesday in Holy Week.In Old English, the day was called “Long Friday”, and this term was adopted from Old English and is still used in Scandinavian languages and Finnish.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Zoo Lovers Day


Each year on April 8th, National Zoo Lovers Day encourages us to explore our local zoos. Each year millions of people visit zoos and learn about the many animals that live there. Also known as zoological parks, many of them serve as breeding centers. These facilities are relied upon when species are endangered or at risk of becoming endangered. They also provide education to the public about a broad variety of animals and their habitats. 
Zoo Lovers Day is a great excuse to get your family together and go for a trip to see the exotic animals of the world!  Zoos have a long history, bringing strange new animals from the far flung and mysterious regions of the world straight into the heart of civilization. Where else can you see prowling lions, playful monkeys, and majestic elephants outside of the depths of the Savannah?  Well, or main street London when Harrod’s still had a zoo section!

Zoo is actually short for Zoological Garden, and is mostly used to refer to the modern concept of a zoo.   Prior to this the term menagerie was used, coming from a long history reaching back all the way to the ancient world.  The oldest collection of this sort was found during an archeological dig in Hierakonpolis Egypt in 2009.   The animals they had there included an impressive array of hippos, elephants, baboons, wildcats, and hartebeests.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

World Table Tennis Day



Table tennis is not only a matter of competition; it is also a vehicle for positive social change, a healthy worthwhile use of leisure time and an opportunity to bring people together, an excellent tool for social inclusion. This sport has a unique value where people from different ages, gender, skills or physical condition can play together. Hence, there’s a day for people who love table tennis to spread their love for the sport and get people interested in it. It’s called World Table Tennis Day! Read more below to find out more about its history and how you can take part in the celebration.

Table tennis, also called ping pong, originated during Victorian England where it was originally played as a parlour game. The term “ping-pong” was used as a catchy phrase by the company J. Jaques & Son Ltd and hence was trademarked by them in 1901. Table tennis didn’t become a competitive sport until 1988 when the summer Olympics started. Table Tennis has since honed in its rules when the 2000 Olympics in Sydney when they implemented rules for players to join for competition, and now organizations like the International Table Tennis Federation formed and took table tennis to a whole new level.The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is to promote table tennis globally to be played in each corner of the world. To accomplish this mission, ITTF created ITTF Development to make the sport accessible to everyone. In 2015, ITTF created World Table Tennis Day to get people interested in this competitive sport and has since been celebrating the holiday so that way more people can learn about the sport.

Since then, ITTF developed a Table tennis for ALL program with the aim to make the sport Popular, Universal and Inclusive. The term “ALL” means more people, but not only that, also different kinds of people in terms of age, gender, social status, culture and physical ability.The World Table Tennis Day is celebrated by organizing activities, such as tournaments and exhibitions on the streets, clubs, bars, schools, workplaces, shopping centres, etc. All these events can be registered on the official website of the day, tt4all.com, to join the world wide celebration. If you’re looking for other ways to celebrate World Table Tennis Day, watch competitive world tennis on TV and hashtag #worldtabletennisday on social media so your friends can know what day it is!

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Amber Fossil

Amber is fossilized tree resin, which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times.Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects.Amber is used in jewelry. It has also been used as a healing agent in folk medicine.There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents. Because it originates as a soft, sticky tree resin, amber sometimes contains animal and plant material as inclusions.Amber occurring in coal seams is also called resinite, and the term ambrite is applied to that found specifically within New Zealand coal seams.


The English word amber derives from Arabic Ê¿anbar (cognate with Middle Persian ambar) via Middle Latin ambar and Middle French ambre. The word was adopted in Middle English in the 14th century as referring to what is now known as ambergris (ambre gris or "grey amber"), a solid waxy substance derived from the sperm whale. In the Romance languages, the sense of the word had come to be extended to Baltic amber (fossil resin) from as early as the late 13th century. At first called white or yellow amber (ambre jaune), this meaning was adopted in English by the early 15th century. As the use of ambergris waned, this became the main sense of the word.

Friday, March 27, 2020

Saturday, March 21, 2020

World Water Day


World Water Day is an annual UN observance day (22 March) that highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.The theme of each day focuses on topics relevant to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which is in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 6.The UN World Water Development Report (WWDR) is released each year around World Water Day.
UN-Water is the convener for World Water Day and selects the theme for each year in consultation with UN organizations that share an interest in that year's focus.The theme for 2020 is "Water and Climate Change" and explores how the two issues are inextricably linked.In light of the growing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 campaign also promoted messages around hand washing and hygiene and gave guidance on staying safe while supporting the campaign.


The 2019 theme was "Leaving no one behind".Previous themes for the years 2014 to 2018 were "Water and energy", "Water and Sustainable Development", "Water and Jobs'", "Why waste water?" and "Nature for Water".World Water Day is celebrated around the world with a variety of events. These can be theatrical, musical or lobbying in nature. The day can also include campaigns to raise money for water projects. The first World Water Day, designated by the United Nations, was in 1993.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Internet


The Internet (portmanteau of interconnected network) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to link devices worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of private, public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope, linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast range of information resources and services, such as the inter-linked hypertext documents and applications of the World Wide Web (WWW), electronic mail, telephony, and file sharing.
The origins of the Internet date back to the development of packet switching and research commissioned by the United States Department of Defense in the 1960s to enable time-sharing of mainframe computers.The primary precursor network, the ARPANET, initially served as a backbone for interconnection of regional academic and military networks in the 1970s. The funding of the National Science Foundation Network as a new backbone in the 1980s, as well as private funding for other commercial extensions, led to worldwide participation in the development of new networking technologies, and the merger of many networks.The linking of commercial networks and enterprises by the early 1990s marked the beginning of the transition to the modern Internet, and generated a sustained exponential growth as generations of institutional, personal, and mobile computers were connected to the network. Although the Internet was widely used by academia in the 1980s, commercialization incorporated its services and technologies into virtually every aspect of modern life.


Most traditional communication media, including telephony, radio, television, paper mail and newspapers are reshaped, redefined, or even bypassed by the Internet, giving birth to new services such as email, Internet telephony, Internet television, online music, digital newspapers, and video streaming websites. Newspaper, book, and other print publishing are adapting to website technology, or are reshaped into blogging, web feeds and online news aggregators. The Internet has enabled and accelerated new forms of personal interactions through instant messaging, Internet forums, and social networking. Online shopping has grown exponentially both for major retailers and small businesses and entrepreneurs, as it enables firms to extend their "brick and mortar" presence to serve a larger market or even sell goods and services entirely online. Business-to-business and financial services on the Internet affect supply chains across entire industries.

International Day of Forests


The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012.Each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations.Countries are encouraged to undertake efforts to organize local, national, and international activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns, on International Day of Forests. The Secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, facilitates the implementation of such events in collaboration with governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, and international, regional and sub regional organizations.International Day of Forests was observed for the first time on March 21, 2013.

The catalyst for Forest Day was a casual conversation in Oxford, England, in February 2007, between two scientists who felt the world was underestimating the importance of forests in mitigating carbon emissions and saw a glaring need for the latest forestry research and thinking to inform global policy makers and UNFCCC negotiators. They did not foresee that the conference would become one of the most influential global events on forests and climate change today.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

International Day of Happiness

The International Day of Happiness is celebrated worldwide every year on 20 March, and was originally conceptualized and founded in 2006 by Jayme Illien, CEO of the United Nations New World Order project, to advance happiness as a fundamental human right for all human beings, and happytalism, as new economic system, theory, and philosophy, which achieves the United Nations global goals, and the happiness, well-being, and freedom of all life on earth.
The next international day of happiness is March 20, 2020.

The 2020 International Day of Happiness campaign theme is ‘Happiness For All, Together'”. To celebrate, UNIDOHappiness, the UN secretariat for the International Day Of Happiness, is calling on all 7.8 billion people and all 206 nations and territories, to take the "Ten Steps to Global Happiness" challenge and call to action. The ten steps to global happiness are "ten easy steps any individual, organization, or country, can take on the international day of happiness, and throughout happiness week, to celebrate the international day of happiness, while also advancing the happiness, well-being, and freedom of all life on earth by 2050, when the United Nations forecasts global population to reach 10 billion".The first step is “Tell Everyone", which is designed "spread the word" to increase global awareness about the very existence of the international day of happiness, and the UN's unanimous recognition of happiness as a human right, as well as happiness as an approach to sustainable economic and human development.


The 2006 origin and inspiration for creating the international day of happiness initially came from founder Jayme Illien's belief that the happiness, wellbeing, and freedom of all life on earth is the ultimate purpose of every human being, nation, and society. Illien developed his vision for global happiness as humanity's ultimate purpose, through a life spent on the frontlines saving orphaned and abandoned children fleeing war, genocide, and extreme poverty, and theorizing about solutions to the human condition, and the great challenges facing humankind, after he himself was abandoned as an orphan, and rescued from a roadside in India in 1980, by missionaries of Mother Teresa, who first named him Adam, and sent him to live in America.

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Precautions for Corona Virus

Take steps to protect yourself

Illustration: washing hands with soap and water

Clean your hands often

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Illustration: Woman quarantined to her home

Avoid close contact

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Take steps to protect others

man in bed

Stay home if you’re sick

  • Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. Learn what to do if you are sick.
woman covering their mouth when coughing

Cover coughs and sneezes

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
  • Throw used tissues in the trash.
  • Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
man wearing a mask

Wear a facemask if you are sick

  • If you are sick:  You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room. Learn what to do if you are sick.
  • If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.
cleaning a counter

Clean and disinfect

  • Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
  • If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.