Today Is... 📆

GregRedd · October 26, 2021, 4:38am

It is Tuesday, 26 October 2021
(W42 | D299 | 66 rem)

Today is: Worldwide Howl at the Moon Day and Night

It’s our first day that’s a Day and Night, if you know what I mean? Technically, it’s Howl at the Moon Day, but the howling mostly happens at night, so it’s really Howl at the Moon Day and Night. But you are encouraged to howl like a wolf at any time you like today. Right now as you’re reading this on the toilet, at the breakfast table, or at your desk in the office, for example. Howl away!

The name of the holiday comes from the belief that wolves howl at the Moon. According to lore, on a full Moon night, wolves upturn their head towards the Moon and communicate with it by howling. Images of wolves with their heads turned towards the sky, howling with a full Moon in the background are commonplace today.

There is, however, absolutely no scientific evidence connecting Moon phases and wolf activities. Research has shown that wolves howl to communicate with the rest of their pack. Because they are nocturnal - they hunt for food at night and sleep during the day - they tend to howl at night. They turn their heads up when howling because doing so helps carry their sounds further.

The wolf has been a powerful symbol throughout all of mythology, whether we reference Fenris Wolf who was set to devour the world during Ragnarok, or Romulus and Remus who were raised by wolves to create the foundation of the Roman Empire, the most powerful empire of all time. They have been the subject of powerfully moving art, the once popular and now embarrassing three-wolf moon shirt, and more song themes than one can shake a proverbial stick at.

Part time monstrous, part time noble, no other animal has been quite as controversial as the wolf, but one thing remains constant throughout: wolves are regularly shown as howling at the moon, and Howl at the Moon Day is your opportunity to join them in their celebration of the wild.

In many parts of the world wolves are seen as pest animals, harassing livestock and endangering pets. This has led to severe over-hunting and recovery efforts can get costly.

Wolves are wonderful and majestic animals, and are a vital part of the world’s ecology. Howl at the Moon Day was organized to help educate people on them, and to help organizations like Wolf Haven generate funds and get the word out on Wolf Conservation.

You can keep things literal in your Howl at the Moon Day celebrations, and merely take a step outside and give the celestial orb in the sky a great big howling hello. You can also educate yourself and others about the important role wolves play in the environment. And of course, you can watch, read, play, and listen to a wealth of wolf-themed movies, television, books, games and music. And werewolves count too.

On a more metaphorical note, Howling at the Moon can represent breaking free of the traditional and standard, to stare into the dark night and away from the sane light of convention and civilization. Howl at the Moon Night can be your opportunity to just cut free, do something wild and unexpected, and just let the wild in you out for an evening.

Unleash your inner wolf and howl! Whether it’s day or night actually doesn’t matter.

murfle · October 26, 2021, 5:27am

GregRedd · October 27, 2021, 4:45am

Good morning!

It is Wednesday, 27 October 2021
(W42 | D300 | 65 rem)

It’s the 300th day of the year!

Today is: Black Cat Day

Because of superstitious beliefs in some cultures, black cats are sometimes associated with bad luck and, sadly, are more likely to be put to sleep or wait a long time to be adopted from shelters. Black Cat Day was launched to show people that a black cat could be the perfect cat for them, and help raise awareness about black cats in general.

If you’ve been looking for a rescue cat yourself, why not consider a black cat? Not only are the superstitions about them bringing bad luck completely untrue, but you might find a black cat to be a fantastic feline companion for you! On Black Cat Day, a fun way to celebrate, if you own a black cat, is to take photos with your pet to share and spread awareness about the day on social media. Children can join in by drawing pictures of black cats.

A lot of people think that black cats are associated with bad luck. If you see a black cat, do you walk away from it? For a lot of historical settings and cultures, black cats were actually related to positive things. However, it seems that this myth about them bringing bad luck is the one that has stuck the most. That is why Black Cat Day is so important. It is all about dispelling this myth and appreciating how great black cats are.

It’s worth pointing out that there are a lot of myths and superstitions regarding black cats, and many of them are actually positive. For example, in sailing lore, having a black kitten on a ship is said to calm both the sea and the wind. In England, if a Black Cat visits your hotel, B&B, or inn, you are encouraged to welcome the cat nicely, as he will bring more patrons. There are some other superstitions in England regarding black cats as well, for example, if a black cat walks in front of you, he is said to take your troubles with him. Also, a pudgy black cat is believed to be a charm for a great marriage.

In Scotland, it is believed that placing black kittens on your porch will attract positive events and allay misfortune. In Early America, they believed that black cats had magical powers in their bones, which attracted power and good fortune.

Black cats are also very symbolic. Rather than being associated with bad luck, they actually symbolize understanding that there is no such thing as bad luck. They are also associated with strength, sensuality, elegance, supporting and advocating adoption, beating the odds, and standing up against prejudice.

So, as you can see, black cats are very powerful creatures, which send a positive message to people. This is why black cat gifts, including jewelry charm bracelets and artwork, have become so popular with people who are looking to send positive and uplifting messages to their loved ones.

Black Cat Day was created in 2011 by Cats Protection in order to celebrate beautiful black cats. When the campaign was first launched, it was revealed that it took black cats an average of a week longer to find a home when compared with other colored cats. Because of this, the campaign was set-up to celebrate black cats and to help promote them as beautiful pets that deserve as much love and attention as other cats.

All cat lives matter! Stop black catism! And have a great day my dudes!

FarligOpptreden · October 27, 2021, 4:54am

Can we do Black Cat peanut butter today?

murfle · October 27, 2021, 5:26am

Dang allergies

GregRedd · October 28, 2021, 4:51am

Good morning!

It is Thursday, 28 October 2021
(W42 | D301 | 64 rem)

Today is: International Animation Day

Animation is everywhere these days, and most of us have been raised on it. Starting with our Saturday Morning Cartoons that we enjoyed with our sugary bowl of cereal, straight through to our favorite video games and movies of today, our view of the world has often been shaped by this amazing artform.

History of International Animation Day
The International Film Association was originally established in France, and was organized for the purpose of recognizing all forms of cinema and art. Among them was Animation, and thus they developed International Animation Day in 2002 to serve as the pinnacle event in the celebration of the rising art of animation.

Animation is the art of creating the illusion of movement through a series of images that each show a separate stage of the animation, then displayed at a set rate through a projector. The original animation was known as ‘cel-animation’ or ‘hand-drawn animation’, and was quite literally drawn frame by frame into the animated characters that we’ve come to enjoy.

More modern renditions of animation are done via CGI, and these often emulate the age old method of animation that is hand-drawn, while others use computer animation to bring the art into the modern world. All styles of this art-form have their own appeal, and many fans have rallied behind one or the other as the ultimate form of animation.

Other forms of animation that carry their own aesthetic are stop-motion animation where individual pictures are taken and streamed together to create an animated film. These methods often include complex sets and gorgeous dolls, but have also been done with clay as a medium. These forms are often called claymation.

Animation has been used in everything from short commercials to full feature length films, and have served as a method of delivering everything from entertainment to information through an accessible medium.

How to Celebrate Animation Day
The best way to celebrate animation day is to pick up a series of films that represent the various ages of animation. From the original Disney Mickey Mouse cartoons all the way through the classic Wizards film and into modern shows like Avatar that show the most magnificent blending of traditional filming and new.

Dig deep and you can find a great variety of animation techniques that will create some fantastic variation in theme, feel, and style. So take this Animation Day to get out and explore the great wide world of animation, and relive some old adventures, and try some new.

Have a super animated day!

Know More:

http://www.asifa.net/international-animation-day

murfle · October 28, 2021, 5:37am

GregRedd · October 29, 2021, 3:51am

Good morning!

It is Friday, 29 October 2021
(W43 | D302 | 63 rem)

Today is: International Internet Day

International Internet Day is marked annually on 29 October. The day commemorates the anniversary of the first message that was sent between two computers on 29 October 1969 through ARPANET, the predecessor of the Internet. Since then, the technology has become an indispensable part of our lives.

The first message exchange through the network was to programmer Bill Duvall at Stanford Research Institute by UCLA professor Leonard Kleinrock and his student and programmer Charley Cline. The duo attempted to send the word “login” as the first message. However, the system crashed after they wrote the letters l and o, resulting in the first-ever message sent on the network being the word “lo”. The word “login” was sent an hour later by the programmers.

We’ve been resetting our routers just to keep our online lifeline running ever since.

The Internet has transformed our lives in a monumental way, making it unthinkable to imagine a world without it. From smartphones and social media to cyber security, the network is present everywhere.

The Internet is everywhere these days, being accessed on phones and tablets, tied into our cameras and our TV’s. Wi-Fi is accessible from everywhere from city buses to your neighbourhood McDonald’s, and the world grows smaller every day as a result. Internet Day is a celebration of this culmination of computing and communication technology, and they way it has brought all our lives together.

Why don’t you start your celebration of Internet Day by visiting the original website, which just so happens to still be online! Take a moment to gander at its high-quality graphics, it’s utterly sleek and streamlined design, and the sheer high-tech embodied by the first website ever. Absolutely stunning? No?

Spend a moment today being grateful for that L and O, and consider our modern world without the internet! Happy Friday!

Know More:

http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html

murfle · October 29, 2021, 5:24am

czc · October 29, 2021, 6:51am

Everyday is internet day.

GregRedd · October 30, 2021, 7:13am

Good morning!

It is Saturday, 30 October 2021
(W43 | D303 | 62 rem)

Today is: Haunted Refrigerator Night

There isn’t a huge amount of things you can do with certain leftovers, and sometimes you forget about them in the face of a fresher meal! When you forget about those leftovers, you can rest assured they certainly haven’t forgotten about you. Instead, they sit lurking in the back of the refrigerator waiting for you to delve into its darkest corners and unleash the disgusting rotten mess that lurks within those Tupperware sarcophagi.

Haunted Refrigerator Night is time for you to don your protective gear, grab your proton pack, and bust the ghosts of dinners past that still lurk in your refrigerator.

This holiday is one of the grand march of holidays created by Thomas & Ruth Roy of Wellcat Holidays & Herbs. Tom and his wife decided that the best time to tackle the frightening depths of their refrigerator was the night before Halloween, and there they started a long history of tradition where they would face these dangers each year.

We know that digging into your refrigerator can be overwhelming, even frightening, but that’s no reason to let those items continue to fester.

While it would be best for people to make a habit of using the contents of their refrigerator throughout the year, or at least clean it out a little more often, we all know that isn’t going to happen. Every day we indulge in delicious meals and stash their remains with fond hopes of lunch tomorrow, dinner tomorrow night, or even a leftovers night on Friday, and yet they continue to sit and fester for months on end in the back of the refrigerator.

Until Haunted Refrigerator Night, when it’s time to finally set those lost souls free.

Haunted Refrigerator Night is best celebrated by cleaning out the horrors that live deep within your icebox. Be sure to bring a medical mask, copious garbage bags, and if you’re brave a container of cleaners to try to restore the Tupperware to a usable state.

Honestly, though you’ll probably be safer by just tossing the whole thing into the garbage, who wants to chance that smell sticking around? You can finish off Haunted Refrigerator Night with a vow (we both know you won’t keep) to start using your leftovers more in the year to come.

Face up to the frightening spectre that is the back of your fridge, and get to clearing out the horrors that have taken up residence in it! Time to get all Marie Kondo on your fridge!

GregRedd · October 31, 2021, 6:12am

Good morning!

It is Sunday, 31 October 2021
(W43 | D304 | 61 rem)

Today is: Halloween

Halloween is a holiday that originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes.

When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the 400 years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honour Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of bobbing for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

On May 13, 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honour of all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory III later expanded the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs, and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1.

By the 9th century, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted older Celtic rites. In 1000 A.D., the church made November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honour the dead. It’s widely believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, church-sanctioned holiday.

All Souls’ Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints’ Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

Here’s a really good list of movies old and new, scary and not so scary, to get your Halloween juices flowing:

And it wouldn’t be a proper Gamer Halloween without some games to play too:

Do you and yours do the “Trick or Treat” thing? What’s the ratio of tricks to treats? In my experience, it’s 100% “Treats”!

Know More:

GregRedd · November 1, 2021, 8:13am

Good morning!

It is Monday, 1 November 2021
(W44 | D305 | 60 rem)

Today is: World Vegan Day

World Vegan Day is an annual event celebrated by vegans around the world every 1 November.

The benefits of veganism for humans and the natural environment are celebrated through activities such as setting up stalls, hosting potlucks, and planting memorial trees.

The event was established in 1994 by Louis Wallis, then Chair of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the organisation and the coining of the terms “vegan” and “veganism”.

Speaking in 2011, Wallis said: “We knew the Society had been founded in November 1944 but didn’t know the exact date, so I decided to go for 1 November, partly because I liked the idea of this date coinciding with Samhain/Halloween and the Day of Dead – traditional times for feasting and celebration, both apt and auspicious.”

Even though the term “vegan” and the Vegan Society were established at this point, obviously the idea of eating only foods that avoid the use of animal products has been around much longer.

In fact, it is estimated that veganism has probably been around for at least 2000 years, and the idea of vegetarianism (not eating meat) was perhaps around for even 500 years prior to that! That was when Greek philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras of Samos, made it part of his life’s work to promote acting with benevolence and care for all species. Many followers of Buddhism are also promoters of vegetarianism and they do not believe in inflicting harm on other animals.

It wasn’t until 1806, however, that the concept of veganism as a lifestyle was really beginning to take shape. It was around this time that the objection to eating dairy and eggs for ethical reasons was first promoted to Europeans by Dr. William Lambe and Percy Bysshe Shelley.

It took more than 100 years or so, but finally, the vegan folks bonded together and created the UK Vegan Society. It was that same year that the term “vegan” was coined by Donald Watson, obviously derived from the word Vegetarian. At that time, the differentiation was that Vegans did not consume dairy products.

Later this definition extended to eggs and by 1951 veganism had become a movement of people who did not partake in the exploitation of animals of any sort. This included wearing furs, leather, or other animal products. The American Vegan Society followed along with its formation just a few years later, in 1960.

Then, in 1994, the President of the UK Vegan Society decided to elect the date of the 1st of November as World Vegan Day, which is now recognized as the date on which the Vegan Society was founded and on which Vegan Day would be observed. And it’s a great kickoff day as a start to World Vegan Month, which happens to be November.

Being kind to animals is one reason to celebrate World Vegan Day. Fewer animal products mean fewer greenhouse gasses, which means better earth for everyone. And it’s also better for the human body. It’s a win-win-win!

Along with celebrating the start of the Vegan Society, Vegan Day is an opportunity to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general. Although this might sound complicated, it really doesn’t have to be! Getting started can be easy, by just having a green veggie salad for lunch instead of that burger. Use coconut oil instead of butter for cooking, and substitute soy, oat, or almond milk for dairy milk. It’s easier than most people think!

Do you think you could go vegan for the day? For longer? Are you already following a vegan diet? Are you doing it for ethical or medical reasons?

Know More:

DarthMol · November 1, 2021, 9:55am

I’ll say this about Vegans, they certainly made Vegetarians seem like really reasonable people.

DarthMol · November 1, 2021, 1:01pm

The header on https://www.thefarside.com/ today.

GregRedd · November 2, 2021, 4:52am

Good morning!

It is Tuesday, 2 November 2021
(W44 | D306 | 59 rem)

Today is: The Day of the Dead💀

Technically it really should be The Days of the Dead as the traditional Mexican festival of Día de los Muertos cover the three day period from All Saints Eve (31 October), through All Saints Day (1 November), and ends today on All Souls Day.

The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from 31 October - 2 November. While 31 October is Halloween, 1 November is “el Dia de los Inocentes,” or “el Dia de los Angelitos” or the Day of the Children, and All Saints Day. 2 November is “el Día de los Difuntos” - All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead.

According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on 1 November and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same from midnight on 2 November.

The roots of the Day of the Dead, celebrated in contemporary Mexico and among those of Mexican heritage in the United States and around the world, go back some 3,000 years, to the rituals honoring the dead in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The Aztecs and other Nahua people living in what is now central Mexico held a cyclical view of the universe, and saw death as an integral, ever-present part of life.

Upon dying, a person was believed to travel to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. Only after getting through nine challenging levels, a journey of several years, could the person’s soul finally reach Mictlán, the final resting place. In Nahua rituals honoring the dead, traditionally held in August, family members provided food, water and tools to aid the deceased in this difficult journey.

This inspired the contemporary Day of the Dead practice in which people leave food or other offerings on their loved ones’ graves, or set them out on makeshift altars called ofrendas in their homes.

El Día de los Muertos is not, as is commonly thought, a Mexican version of Halloween, though the two holidays do share some traditions, including costumes and parades.

On the Day of the Dead, it’s believed that the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve. During this brief period, the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance and play music with their loved ones. In turn, the living family members treat the deceased as honored guests in their celebrations, and leave the deceased’s favorite foods and other offerings at gravesites or on the ofrendas built in their homes. Ofrendas can be decorated with candles, bright marigolds called cempasuchil and red cock’s combs alongside food like stacks of tortillas and fruit.

The most prominent symbols related to the Day of the Dead are calacas (skeletons) and calaveras (skulls). In the early 20th century, the printer and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada incorporated skeletal figures in his art mocking politicians and commenting on revolutionary politics. His most well-known work, La Calavera Catrina, or Elegant Skull, features a female skeleton adorned with makeup and dressed in fancy clothes. The 1910 etching was intended as a statement about Mexicans adopting European fashions over their own heritage and traditions. La Calavera Catrina was then adopted as one of the most recognizable Day of the Dead icons.

During contemporary Day of the Dead festivities, people commonly wear skull masks and eat sugar candy molded into the shape of skulls. The pan de ánimas of All Souls Day rituals in Spain is reflected in pan de muerto, the traditional sweet baked good of Day of the Dead celebrations today. Other food and drink associated with the holiday, but consumed year-round as well, include spicy dark chocolate and the corn-based drink called atole. You can wish someone a happy Day of the Dead by saying, “Feliz día de los Muertos.”

So, Feliz dia de los Muertos, and happy Tuesday too!

Know More:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/top-ten-day-of-dead-mexico

DarthMol · November 2, 2021, 7:07am

A good day to play Guacamelee and it’s sequel - both fantastically incorporate the Mexican culture and mythology and are brilliant games in and of themselves.

aldyr · November 2, 2021, 10:00am

The day of the dead parade was never a thing, until some that one Bond film, which many people think, that’s how the mexican culture was. But it’s only recently been celebrated that way.

GregRedd · November 2, 2021, 9:16pm

Day of the Dead drone art over Mexico City.

GregRedd · November 3, 2021, 5:30am

Good morning!

It is Wednesday, 3 November 2021
(W44 | D307 | 58 rem)

Today is: World Jellyfish Day

Although Jellyfish Day may sound a bit odd to some, it only makes sense to celebrate an invertebrate that has been on this earth for millions of years longer than humans. So, this event is meant to honor our slightly slimy counterparts that can sometimes cause a bit of consternation at the beach.

Most people feel that the informal origins of Jellyfish Day likely stem from a group of enthusiastic marine biologists–or simply through those who merely respect the simplicity of these strange and yet beautiful creatures.

The largest populations of jellyfish are prevalent in the southern hemisphere, in places like Australia and South Africa where the beaches are teeming with these interesting (and sometimes dangerous) creatures.

Jellyfish Day has been slated to fall in the springtime in the southern hemisphere, as this is the season when jellyfish will begin their migration to the shores of the northern hemisphere.

Obviously, commemorating this event can be a bit difficult. Clearly, it’s not possible to take a jellyfish out to dinner nor would it enjoy a day at the spa. However, simply traveling to the beach in hopes of catching a glimpse of one is one fun idea that could be implemented.

Get on board with this day by paying heed to the Jellyfish and learning more about its life. Try out these fun facts to share with friends when reminding them that it’s Jellyfish Day:

A group of jellyfish is called “bloom”, a “swarm” or a “smack”. That’s such a fun way to refer to a collection of these unique and interesting creatures.
Jellyfish not only do not have bones or a heart, but they also do not actually have a brain–only a central nervous system. This, however, does not keep them from being smart and able to adapt to their environments.
Some jellyfish can glow in the dark! The ones who have this feature have bioluminescent organs that emit either green or blue light, which is activated by touch. This functions as protection as it aims to startle a predator.
One giant species of jellyfish is called Hair Jelly. The largest ever recorded was found washed up in Massachusetts, USA, in 1870. It had tentacles that were more than 120 feet long–even longer than a blue whale!

A jellyfish with 120 feet long tentacles can have all day, every day. It certainly can have today.

Know More:

https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/worldjellyfishday.html