Today Is... 📆

GregRedd · May 19, 2021, 5:06am

It is Wednesday, 19 May 2021
(W20 | D139 | 226 rem)

Something from the Brits today for a change - Numeracy Day.

KPMG and National Numeracy started National Numeracy Day together in 2018.

National Numeracy Day has been celebrated in the United Kingdom every year since 2018. It’s about recognising the large part that numbers play in our lives. People are encouraged to try and build confidence in their numeracy skills, even if they’re not maths-orientated people.

This day is celebrated to try and show that you don’t have to be super smart to love numeracy, everyone can learn how to be better with numbers.

Numeracy Day tries to highlight how much numbers are used in our lives, every day. This can range from the sports people watch, the books that people read and in the shops when using money. Not everyone’s great with numbers or interested in numeracy, but that doesn’t have to stop you getting involved with them, especially on Numeracy Day.

Supporters, educators, individuals and employers are all encouraged to take part in Numeracy Day. There are lots of numeracy day activities that you can do. Plus, it’s not just about improving your own numeracy skills, it’s about helping other people improve theirs too.

Numeracy Day was created to try and make people of all ages explore and be more curious about numbers.

A brilliant way to celebrate is by recognising the way numbers are part of our lives. Here are a few uses of numbers that we have in our daily lives:

Money: Whether you’re buying vegetables or sweets, money plays a big part in everyone’s lives.
Weight: If you’re weighing yourself or fruit in the supermarket, it’s impossible to avoid numbers.
Television: Numbers are all over our TV’s, this can be from the channel number or even when you’re changing the volume.
Phone numbers: It might seem a bit old-school to be remembering phone numbers, but they’re still important. They pop up whenever you need to phone a company or service, or when you’re ordering a delicious pizza.
Cooking: Speaking of food, if you’re baking or cooking you’ve got to work with numbers.

There are so many different ways that we use numbers in our daily lives. You don’t have to be a maths genius to use numbers either. As long as you’re celebrating numeracy at any level, you’re taking part in National Numeracy Day.

Once you’ve checked the temperature, calculated the distance to travel, and factored in the amount of time you need to get through your day, I hope it all adds up to a great Wednesday, my Dudes!

Know more:

https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/numeracyday

murfle · May 19, 2021, 6:19am

The Brits you say?

GregRedd · May 20, 2021, 5:11am

Good morning!

It is Thursday, 20 May 2021
(W20 | D140 | 225 rem)

Today is: World Bee Day

World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20. On this day Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping, was born in 1734. The purpose of the international day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem.

Bees and other pollinators, such as butterflies, bats and hummingbirds, are increasingly under threat from human activities.

Pollination is, however, a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems. Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land. Not only do pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity.

To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day.

The goal is to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries.

We all depend on pollinators and it is, therefore, crucial to monitor their decline and halt the loss of biodiversity.

We can all help by…

planting a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year;
buying raw honey from local farmers;
buying products from sustainable agricultural practices;
avoiding pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in our gardens;
protecting wild bee colonies when possible;
sponsoring a hive;
making a bee water fountain by leaving a water bowl outside;
helping sustaining forest ecosystems;
raising awareness around us by sharing this information within our communities and networks; The decline of bees affects us all!

Bee engaged, bee happy, and have yourself a buzzing Thursday!

Know more:

Beo · May 20, 2021, 5:36am

murfle · May 20, 2021, 5:39am

GregRedd · May 21, 2021, 3:51am

Good morning!

It is Friday, 21 May 2021
(W20 | D141 | 224 rem)

Today is: Pizza Party Day

If there’s one thing that makes any day better it’s a hot slice of pizza shared among friends. Pizza Party Day was created to give people an excuse (like we needed one) to get together with a group of people we love and enjoy the rich cheesy taste of pizza.

For thousands of years, people have been gathering around to enjoy this delicious food. Of course, all those years ago it may not have looked quite like we see it today.

The first people to make something like the pizza we know were the Greeks, who started by covering bread with bread, herbs, oil, and cheese. Another version was enjoyed by the Romans, who covered a dough sheet with honey and cheese and seasoned it with bay leaves.

Pizza first started looking like we’re familiar with as Neapolitan Flatbread in Italy, a dish made with mozzarella cheese from buffalo around Naples. Over time new ingredients were added and it spread across the globe.

In 1905 pizza found its way to America in a little pizzeria in Little Italy in New York City.

Today cheese for pizza is produced in quantities of over 2 billion pounds every year and is one of America’s favorite foods.

With so much history behind this incredible dish, it’s not surprising that it finally got its own holiday.

One of the challenges when organizing a pizza party is that not everyone agrees on what toppings should go on a pizza.

Some people fiercely believe that pineapple has no place on a pizza, while others think that anchovies do. The great thing about a Pizza Party is you can order enough variety for everyone (or, like some talented MEWbs, make your own)!

In an ode to Pizza Party Day, let’s take a look at some fun pizza trivia:

Western Europe is the biggest pizza market in the world, worth $54.4 billion, followed closely by America at $50.7 billion. You then have Latin and South America at $16.8 billion.
Americans order 350 slices of pizza every second!
The world’s most expensive pizza costs $9,200 and it can be found in Salerno, Sicily.
61 percent of people prefer thin-crust pizzas.
Women are twice as likely to order vegetarian toppings on their pizza compared to men.
Saturday is the most popular night to eat pizza. But, there’s never really a bad night for eating pizza, right?
Pizza Hut became the first restaurant to deliver a pizza to space, rocketing a pizza to an astronaut at the International Space Station. The pizza was topped with salami and extra spices because tastebuds are dulled in space.
Pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping! The least popular are anchovies, chicken, and pineapple.

What are your favourite pizza toppings then? Answers on a slice, delivered to the Redd Keep, in under 20 minutes please.

Thick crust, thin crust, pineapple or not, it doesn’t matter - it’s pizza! Eat and enjoy, ideally with family and friends, and have the perfect pizza party Friday!

murfle · May 21, 2021, 5:43am

We need more notice on days like this. My favourite crust recipe is a 3+ day cold ferment!

I actually planned to make pizza this weekend, I just need white bread flour. Guess I’ll have to use whole wheat, which is fine by me.

Checkers seems to be the only place I can find decent pepperoni, but it’s nothing compared to Pizza Hut’s.

I worked at a Pizza Hut for 4 years. There’s a reason I don’t eat mushrooms.

Beo · May 21, 2021, 6:28am

Wyvern · May 21, 2021, 6:56am

Im glad we had ours already - we wont be able to make this especially this weekend

aldyr · May 21, 2021, 7:10am

Well that seals it, pizza from Village Bicycle tonight

Beo · May 21, 2021, 7:28am

Does pizza made with bread count (minus the cheese, sauces and toppings)?

murfle · May 21, 2021, 7:30am

I hope you’re not referring to a family member there…

murfle · May 21, 2021, 2:10pm

Time to make some sauce.

murfle · May 21, 2021, 3:13pm

GregRedd · May 21, 2021, 7:17pm

GregRedd · May 22, 2021, 5:58am

Good morning!

It is Saturday, 22 May 2021
(W20 | D142 | 223 rem)

Today is: Sherlock Holmes Day

World-renowned detective. Most portrayed character in history. Icon. Who are we speaking of? Why, Sherlock Holmes, of course! Any self-respecting amateur detective would guess that!

The ultimate detective archetype, the character of Sherlock Holmes has been a hero to millions since his creation well over a century ago. So can all agree he more than deserves his very own day? Of course, elementary my dear Watson!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, was born on 22 May, which is why today is the day dedicated to celebrating his most famous character.

Doyle said the character was originally inspired by Joseph Bell, a surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for whom Doyle had worked as an assistant. Like Holmes, Bell was famous for his ability to draw broad conclusions from minute observations.

Francis “Tanky” Smith, a policeman and master of disguise who was Leicester’s first private detective, is also thought to have influenced the character.

Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes story first appeared in print in 1887 and continued to be published for the next forty years, until shortly before the author’s death. During this time, the detective had countless adventures, usually accompanied by his loyal friend and assistant, Dr. Watson.

With there being so very many different versions of the iconic character, the ways of celebrating this day are virtually unlimited. If you enjoy reading and have somehow never read these wonderful stories (gasp!) it is high time you did.

If you’ve already read them or feel like giving your eyes a bit of a break, how about watching one of the many shows or movies made about Holmes? There are many!

Here are 10 interesting tidbits about the greatest detective who never lived.

Sherlock Wasn’t Always Sherlock
When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle dreamed up his detective, his name was originally “Sherrinford.” Eventually, though, Doyle changed the name to “Sherlock,” which was also the name of a famous cricket player (Doyle was a huge fan of cricket and even played himself).

Dr. Watson Wasn’t Always Dr. Watson
When Doyle came up with the idea of Sherlock’s assistant, Watson, his name was actually Ormond Sacker, which appears in early drafts of the stories.

In The Novels, Sherlock Never Wore That Famous Cap
The cap we most associate with Sherlock is the deerstalker, but in Doyle’s works, he never wears it. The image of the detective in the famous cap actually came from illustrations that appeared with the short stories in Strand magazine in the late 1800s. Artist Sidney Paget drew Sherlock in the cap and those illustrations stayed in the minds of readers: to this day, that’s how fans envision the character.

Sherlock Never Said, “Elementary, My Dear Watson” In Doyle’s Stories
Although it’s the most quoted line attributed to the detective, Sherlock never actually said it. He did say, “Elementary” several times and “My dear Watson” at other times, but the full phrase never actually appeared until 1915 when P.G. Wodehouse wrote it in Psmith, Journalist.

The First Sherlock Holmes Movie Premiered In 1900
The first movie adaptation of the character happened at the turn of the century with a film that only lasted 30 seconds, Sherlock Holmes Baffled. Not much else is known about this movie, not even the name of the actor who portrayed the detective.

The First Sherlock Holmes Novel Flopped
Doyle’s first novel about Sherlock was A Study in Scarlet, written in 1887. That novel got rejected by many publishers, although it eventually appeared in Beeton’s Christmas Annual, which still didn’t sell well.

Oscar Wilde Is The Reason There Was A Second Novel
A Study in Scarlet, though, did have one fan: editor Joseph Stoddart from Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine. At a dinner party hosted by Wilde, Stoddart pushed Doyle to write a second novel about the detective for his magazine, which became The Sign of the Four.

Sherlock Holmes Is Not The Most-Filmed Fictional Character
Although Sherlock is the most-filmed human character of all time and has appeared in more than 226 movies, the most-filmed fictional character award goes to the non-human Dracula for 239 appearances on film.

Mycroft Only Appeared In Two Sherlock Holmes Stories
Fans of the BBC’s Sherlock series are very familiar with Mycroft, the famous detective’s brother. But in the original tales, Mycroft was really not that important: he only appeared in two storie, The Greek Interpreter and The Bruce-Partington Plans. He does briefly get mentioned in two others, though.

Dr. Watson Doesn’t Narrate All Of Sherlock’s Stories
Although many readers assume that Watson narrates all the Holmes stories, there are four that Doyle told from a different point of view. Two stories occur in the third person, while Doyle wrote the other two from Holmes’ own perspective.

It’s an elementary deduction - you can have a most excellent Saturday today!

DarthMol · May 22, 2021, 2:43pm

This show was my first introduction to Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Hound!

GregRedd · May 23, 2021, 6:39am

Good morning!

It is Sunday, 23 May 2021
(W20 | D143 | 222 rem)

Today is: World Turtle Day

World Turtle Day celebrates these noble reptiles and their place in the world and encourages people to take action to help protect both the common pet turtle and the ever endangered sea turtle.

The day is dedicated to celebrating and protecting both turtles and tortoises. First created in 1990 by American Tortoise Rescue, World Turtle Day recognizes that some species of our hard (and soft!) shelled friends are suffering and almost on the edge of extinction due to environmental hazards, issues with hunting and harvesting of their eggs.

American Tortoise Rescue was created by Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson, a married pair of animal activists who had a particular passion for tortoises. We all have to have something that drives us in this life, and for these two it was bonding over animal right’s activist work. Don’t think these two are just closet hippies with an overwhelming adoration for all things shelled and scaly.

Susan is deeply involved with television arts & sciences and the public relations society of America while being a partner in Tellem Grody Public Relations Incorporated. They organize charity collections and works around the world to help protect these amazing critters, and created Turtle Day to get everyone involved and spread awareness of the shrinking habitat and declining numbers of these sensitive creatures.

So what is the difference between turtles and tortoises? Although they are both reptiles, the main difference between the two is that turtles live in the water at least some of the time, while tortoises live on the land. Because they live in the water, turtles have streamlined and mostly flat shells, while tortoises often have larger and more domed ones.

Our tortoise friends can also live longer than their reptilian cousins. Tortoises can live over 300 years, although their average lifespan can go up to around 150 years. Turtles live up until the age of 40, although one record-breaking turtle almost lived to the age of 90!

Does anyone have a pet tortoise or a pet turtle? If you do have your own tortoise or turtle, why not show it some appreciation on its very own special day? Why not buy your turtle a new rock for its terrarium, or build its very own private basking beach if they don’t have one yet. Why not give their tank an early spring deep clean to make sure they’re lounging in the best possible environment for them.

Studies show that tortoises can respond to the sound of their owner’s voice (might be because you feed them, or they love you, it’s hard to tell). Why not treat them to some of their favorite broccoli, or even give them a good soak when needed to keep them living their best life.

If you’re not near a turtle or tortoise hub, keeping your nearby beaches clean is equally important for local wildlife and their ecosystem. Keeping your local sandy summer spot free from plastic bags or water bottles will keep the surrounding sea and land life happy. Don’t live near a beach?

Plastic can endanger your local wildlife even in an urban environment, and animals from foxes to fish can get caught up in plastic. Why not do a local recycling drive or clear out in your local park as a big thank you to our two, four, and no-legged friends.

They’re an amazing creature, with certain varieties making great pets and others helping to preserve the ecosystem in the waters they live in. Of course, if you live where snapping turtles haunt the waters, it’s probably a good idea that people know how to avoid them, where to find them, and how not to lose a toe! Happy Turtle Day!

Now grab shell, gimme some fin, and have a totally awesome Sunday dudes!!

murfle · May 23, 2021, 6:42am

czc · May 23, 2021, 10:06am

Turtle strategy in Age of Empires!