Today Is... 📆

We are proud of the fact that we only have one small bag for recycling and one small bag of rubbish a week for a 3 person household.

We recycle what we can, use multi use plastics and we have a compost heap in the garden.

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No joke, Razer doing it’s part in conserving the oceans.

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That is awesome. Good on Razer.

Hopefully these things last longer than their mice though. Works amoungst the best of them until it doesn’t.

So who’s gonna clean up all the dead ClearBots? Wall-E?

Really though, I’m glad to see companies using their markup for something good.

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:wave: Good morning! :cloud:

It is Wednesday, 09 June 2021
(W23 | D160 | 205 rem)

Today is: :star: Donald Duck Day

Donald Duck Day on June 9th each year commemorates the “birthday” of the iconic animated cartoon character. Donald Duck made his first screen debut on 9 June 1934, in The Wise Little Hen.

Donald Duck is one of the most iconic characters of the Disney franchise and has, for multiple generations, been one of the hallmarks of childhood and innocence. Also, of rage driven spite filled incoherent rambling while spraying the area around you like a sprinkler in high summer. There was something in his tendency to fly completely off the handle and rail at the slightest provocation that touched a part of us all. Everyone had times when they’ve just had enough, and Donald gave us the perfect way to respond. By raging incoherently while stamping our feet. It pays to lose your cool once in a while.

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Donald Duck may spark a plethora of childhood memories too, the unique voice known as pseudobulbar dysarthria may resonate in your mind and take you back to the old age times where you were tried and tried to emulate that voice with your friends, perhaps you still do! :wink: He certainly does deserve to be celebrated and there is at least seventy years of joy that this duck has brought to the world, what is your first memory of Donald Duck?

Donald first appeared to us in a 1934 film called The Wise Little Hen, a retelling of the original little red hen story. Throughout Donald is repeatedly asked to help plant the corn, and harvest the corn, each time finding him claiming some form of ailment that prevents him from participating. If you’ve seen this episode or read The Little Red Hen. Unlike that parable, The Wise Little Hen took a more direct approach to showing her displeasure. She told Donald she’d cure him of his ailment so he could eat the corn
 and gave him castor oil.

While that was his first appearance, the angry rage filled Donald we came to know and love didn’t really show up until Orphan’s Benefit, and it was also then that his relationship with Mickey was formed. Since then he has gone on to appear in video games, episodes of cartoons, and stands out as the Disney character who has appeared in the most films to date, outstripping even Disney Mascot Mickey Mouse. Apparently, there’s something about a rage-filled duck we just can’t get enough of.

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Have a totally wacky (quacky?) Wednesday, my dudes! :frog::grinning::+1:

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While I’m no fan of Disney, I definitely have fond memories of one of my first Genesis (MegaDrive) games, Quackshot

It was kinda like Duck Tales in that you had to do the levels in a certain order, so that you can upgrade your plunger to get past certain blockades.

I watched some gameplay recently on the Jaboody Show where they played Genesis games for one of their birthday. I’m surprised none of them had ever heard of the game, I seem to remember the magazines plugging the game a lot back in the day. I’d say the game still holds up today.


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:wave: Good morning! :sun_behind_small_cloud:

It is Thursday, 10 June 2021
(W23 | D161 | 204 rem)

Today is: :star: Ballpoint Pen Day🖊

On 10 June 1943 the BĂ­rĂł brothers, LĂĄszlĂł and György, became owners of US Patent 2390636 – better known around the world as the ballpoint pen.

The Hungarian inventors’ new pen, inspired by the quick-drying inks used by professional printers, was as remarkable as the first fountain pen had been the century before. Ballpoint Pen Day celebrates these intrepid inventors, and the often indelible mark they’ve left on the world at large.

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Nowadays, their invention is the ultimate cheap and disposable product – writer Douglas Adams even imagined a planet containing all the lost ballpoint pens in the universe. Yet it was once a luxury product, available only to the rich.

Today, manufacturers produce ballpoint pens by the millions and sell them worldwide. As a promotional tool, ballpoint pens find their way into our hands from advertisers of all sorts assuring that we always have a ballpoint pen handy, too.

Ballpoint Pen Day is a time to appreciate this rarest of things: a design classic that is affordable to almost everyone. They come in an incredible array of styles and designs, and a unique pen that suits the individual is available to people from every income level.

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At their most expensive, ballpoint pens have come to represent the final stroke on a business deal, and it is not uncommon to find one in any given purse or portfolio. Signing a receipt for your purchase? You’re probably using a ballpoint pen. Need to fill out a check to pay for your utilities? Again, it’s probably a ballpoint pen you’re using to sign over the money.

Some of the most expensive ballpoint pens are made from carefully designed metal tubes, they even come in gold and silver! Not all ballpoint pens are disposable, some of them are refillable, just like the fountain pens. No matter how you look at it, the ballpoint pen has made an incredible mark on history and is part of every business in the world these days.

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Why not get a head start on Letter Writing Day (1st Septembers)? Pick up a ballpoint pen and make someone’s day with a letter or a postcard. You can get them in any array of colors or styles, so why don’t you stop and get one of your very own today? They’re perfect for writing letters, filling out guest books, or if you’re feeling particularly creative, you can even write on your skin! Let your imagination and creativity flow wild!

Other ways to celebrate include:

  • create a doodle.
  • post a picture the most clever, interesting, or unusual ballpoint pen used for marketing a brand, company or product that you have.
  • show off any expensive, luxury pens you may have.
  • Or any pens you’ve kept for sentimental reasons - the pen you used to sign your marriage license, the pen you used to write your final exam, etc.
  • make a list of stuff that you need to make lists of.
  • circle and illustrate your favourite days of the year on your calendar.

Have a right good (write good) Thursday friends! :pen::grinning::+1:


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Down with Bic!

Brought to you by the quill and inkwell gang.

Seriously though, I tend to use those fine gel pens. I’ve ruined many pairs of pants/shorts by having one explode in my pocket. Eventually, I found a pen in a tube that I can only equate to ‘the tank of pens’. I’ve drained a set of 3 completely, and I just can’t find them any more!

Though high school and university, I managed to drain all my ballpoints, and had quite a collection added up. I remember losing one once, I can’t recall if I lent it out and it never got returned or just absent mindedness, but I felt like I really let myself down that time. Maybe one day, Musk or Bezos will find it on some random planet somewhere.

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Every day, especially if I am on the phone.

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If it said “create a doodie”, I would have the exact same response!

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Snap! I now keep scrap paper near me and those spiral A5 notepads and use them to doodle in - nothing special tho I have a tendency to draw triangles when doodling.

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I’m big into visual thinking and sketchnotes, today my buddy released this:

Pen and paper rules!

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:wave: Good morning! :sun_behind_small_cloud:

It is Friday, 11 June 2021
(W23 | D162 | 203 rem)

Today is: :star: Yarn Bombing Day

“But Greg, what the heck is yarn bombing?”, I hear you cry.

Yarn bombing (or yarnbombing) is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crochet yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk. It is also called wool bombing, yarn storming, guerrilla knitting, kniffiti, urban knitting, or graffiti knitting.

So now that you know what it is, let’s talk more about today’s Yarn Bombing Day celebrations


They’re showing up everywhere, like some kind of psychedelically colorful mushroom that grows sock-like over surfaces like trees and scaffolding and even bike racks. Somewhere, somehow, these normal everyday objects have suddenly become ensconced in an odd wooly growth in amazing patterns.

The skill varies widely from incredibly new to fantastically intricate, the thickness of the yarn from pencil-lead thin to thick as the pencil itself. Yarn Bombing Day is when fiber-freaks from around the world go on a knitting rampage to embrace the world in warm fuzzy comfort. Grab your needles and go forth noble kneedler, and stitch!

To understand Yarn Bombing Day, we first need to take a look at what yarn bombing is. It is sometimes referred to as guerrilla knitting or yarnstorming. No matter what you call it, it is simply the practice of knitted works of art being added to public places. For example, a yarn bomber may design some sort of colorful knitted pattern and wrap it around a bus stop. The aim of this practice was to try and take knitting from something that was viewed as merely for creating clothes and hats to something that could add meaning and color to urban locations.

It’s not like standard graffiti where the point is to mark your territory. It’s also definitely not an act of vandalizing. It is about creating a sense of belonging and conveying meaning, as well as drawing attention to something that is ignored by most people. Yarn Bombing Day, therefore, is simply a celebration of this tradition, raising awareness of the art of crochet and knitting while having a lot of fun in the process.

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The first-ever Yarn Bombing Day actually took place on the 11th of June 2011, and it has been going strong ever since!
It’s all done in the spirit of beautification and fun, bringing a fantastically colorful display to urban areas around the world.

It’s not even seen as graffiti by most people in the area, but rather an entirely acceptable and attractive form of urban art. And it’s little surprise, with all the amazing patterns that can come out of a knitter’s craft, and the warm and comfortable nature of the fabric. Of course, they don’t use wool because some people are allergic, but it’s still a fantastic time!

A fun way to celebrate Yarn Bombing Day is to do a bit of digging online to see some of the interesting yarn bombs that have taken place over the years. You will see some incredible pieces of knitted artwork, as well as learning about some truly great stories and tales along the way.

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In fact, one of the most famous yarn bombers was a 104-year-old great-grandmother. Grace Brett could possibly be the world’s oldest street artist. She went all out with her yarn bombing in 2016; adding her designs to 46 landmarks across the Scottish county of Borders.

Of course, she could not do it all herself, and so she enlisted the help of some Souther Stormers, with the secretive group going around Selkirk and placing her designs all around the area. I would certainly recommend taking a look at some of the photos. It is pretty incredible. If you thought the traditional red British telephone boxes were stylish already, wait until you see the funky makeover that Grace gave them!

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You can find yourself getting lost in all of the different yarn bombing stories for hours, and it will probably give you some inspiration regarding the different designs and creations that you can make in order to celebrate this day.

Get your knit on gang, and have a fun-filled Friday! :grinning::+1:


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I can only imagine the cleanup crew takes one look at these things, then say “Darn”

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:wave: Good morning! :partly_sunny:

It is Saturday, 12 June 2021
(W23 | D163 | 202 rem)

Today is: :star: Superman Day :man_superhero:

What’s that?! There in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s the Man of Tomorrow! It’s the Man of Steel!

Superman has gone by many names over the years, but one thing has remained the same. He has always stood for what’s best about humanity, all of our potential for terrible destructive acts, but also our choice to not act on the level of destruction we could wreck.

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Superman Day was started in 2013 by DC Entertainment, two days before the release of the Superman film, Man of Steel. At this time it was known as Man of Steel Day, and it was not until subsequent years that the day simply became known as Superman Day.

Both the name change and the continuation of the day seem to have happened organically. On the inaugural day, DC Entertainment partnered with comic book retailers and bookstores across the United States to celebrate the day, and gave out free copies of All Star Superman #1 Special Edition.

Superman was first created in 1933 by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, the writer and artist respectively. His first appearance was in Action Comics #1, and that was the beginning of a long and illustrious career for the Man of Steel. In his unmistakable blue suit with red cape, and the stylized red S on his chest, the figure of Superman has become one of the most recognizable in the world.

Superman has been through a lot of changes since his initial creation, his original Golden Age incarnation actually being a villainous character that bears absolutely no resemblance to our current hero. Superman as we know and love him today didn’t appear until Action Comics #1, published on April 18, 1938. Such was his success that he got his own comic in 1939, and the world has never looked back since.

Since that time, our boy in blue has seen appearances in every form of media the world has to offer. Comic books, video games, movies, novels, stickers, T-shirts, there isn’t a place that the Man of Steel hasn’t made an appearance. He’s even been represented in more than one TV show throughout the years, recently including “Smallville”, which retells his time as a youth in the town he grew up in, and the currently airing “Superman and Lois”, which sees Clarke and Lois married and raising their twin sons on the old Kent farm in Smallville.

“What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely. From an acting point of view, that’s how I approached the part.” – Christopher Reeve

Have yourself a Super Saturday Man! :man_superhero: :grinning::+1:


Know more:

https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/man-steel


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:wave: Good morning! :cloud:

It is Sunday, 13 June 2021
(W23 | D164 | 201 rem)

Today is: :star: International Axe Throwing Day

International Axe Throwing Day was created to encourage sporty types to give a go to a historical past time, relieve stress and just have fun with friends and family. Across the world, axe throwing clubs open their doors to encourage anyone to try the sport.

International Axe Throwing Day is all about people around the world who share a passion for axe throwing getting together and raising awareness about the urban sport. Axe throwing is a sport that is growing in popularity. It’s offbeat and fun, and it is an activity that everyone can enjoy. And yes; that means everyone!

We’re not suggesting that your five-year-old child runs around wielding an axe. There are safe ways to adapt this sport so that it is suitable for all ages. Of course, we’re talking about toy axes that aren’t going to cause any damage to anyone. Safety is always a priority.

Facts about axe throwing

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  • Most of the different axe throwing facilities cater to special events, like bachelor and bachelorette parties, team building functions, and birthday parties.
  • Most axe throwing facilities provide axe throwing leagues that run for eight weeks consecutively.
  • There are standardized regulations and rules that The World Axe Throwing League has identified. This includes target size, point system, and throwing distance, for example.
  • Bad Axe Throwing is the biggest axe throwing club in the world and they have been credited for commercializing the sport and making it popular and mainstream.
  • Axe throwing is a sport that can be enjoyed competitively, as well as being done recreationally with family and friends.

Once a humble tool used for chopping down trees or for taking into battle, the common axe is now the focal point of a fun-filled activity that doesn’t involve knocking down woodland or getting into scraps. As the name suggests, axe throwing is a sport wherein the goal is to hit a target using nothing but an axe.

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On the whole, it’s most popular in the USA and Canada, where it started out as an event in lumberjack competitions. However, in recent years it has gained popularity in Europe and you won’t need to go too far to find somewhere to throw some axes.

When played competitively, there are some strict rules to stick to – the target is always a certain width and consisting of five rings. Much like archery, the closer to the middle you get the more points you’ll win. In all axe throwing events, safety is paramount. There’s always strict safety measures in place, to protect both those competing and any spectators. So when you join in, you can be sure that you’re in for a fun and safe time!

One way to celebrate International Axe Throwing Day is to have a lesson with a professional in the sport. Believe it or not, there is quite a bit of skill involved when it comes to throwing a piece of steel against a target. You’re going to need more than a bit of beginner’s luck in order to hit the bulls-eye, and having someone who knows the sport teach you all about it can certainly be an extremely fun experience.

You could also host a party with friends in order to celebrate International Axe Throwing Day. Of course, if there is going to be alcohol involved, we definitely do not recommend that you incorporate real axe throwing into the event.

Safety first if you are going to venture into the world of recreational axe throwing! And even if you aren’t, have a safe and sane Sunday! :grinning::+1:


Know more:

https://www.iatf.com/

https://worldaxethrowingleague.com/

Axe throwing doesn’t seem all that big in South Africa (yet?) but Google does bring up some names: try Urban Axe Pack, AxeGang, and Wild Bird Archery & Axe Throwing Club


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That’s axe-ually quite cool!

And here’s a picture of the original axe throwing legend:

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:wave: Good morning! :sunny:

It is Monday, 14 June 2021
(W24 | D165 | 200 rem)

Today is: :star: World Blood Donor DayđŸ©ž

World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is held on 14 June each year. The event was organised for the first time in 2005, by a joint initiative of the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood.

World Blood Donor Day is one of 11 official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO).

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World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on the birthday anniversary of Karl Landsteiner on 14 June, 1868. Landsteiner was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system.

Transfusion of blood and blood products helps save millions of lives every year. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. It also has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care. Access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products can help reduce rates of death and disability due to severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth.

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In many countries, there is not an adequate supply of safe blood, and blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety.

An adequate supply can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors. The WHO’s goal is for all countries to obtain all their blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors by 2020. In 2014, 60 countries have their national blood supplies based on 99-100% voluntary unpaid blood donations, with 73 countries still largely dependent on family and paid donors.

The history of blood donation goes back further than you might expect, reaching as far back as the 17th century. The medical specialists of the time knew that blood was a vital element in the body, and losing too much of it was bound to have tragic consequences on the patient. So it was that experimentation began, and a whole new breed of heroes was born that contribute their blood so that others may live. Blood Donors save lives every day by giving of themselves, so those accident victims and those in need of transfusions for surgeries can live.

The first transfusions were done using poorly understood science and resulted in some rather tragic results for the patients. Richard Lower was the first one to examine animals and blood circulation and finding ways to stop blood clotting. While he was, of course, only working with animals, he managed to drain the blood off of a medium-sized dog and then transfuse the blood of a large mastiff into the smaller animal. Both dogs recovered with no apparent ill effects.

So it was that he gained considerable notoriety for his efforts, and was asked to speak on and teach this technique to the Royal Society. There were some odd beliefs about blood back then, and the first human transfusion involved putting the blood of a sheep into a patient who was suffering from a mild form of insanity. It was thought that perhaps the blood of so gentle a creature as a lamb might help to calm his madness. The act of transferring animal blood into patients was strongly questioned by the tightly superstitious and morally rigid authorities of the time, and the practice was outlawed, vanishing for 150 years.

It was an obstetrician that brought blood transfusions back into modern medical technology, starting in 1818. After he saved the life of a woman who had hemorrhaged terribly after giving birth, he started publishing works on how it was done and the study thereof. Throughout his life, he performed ten transfusions, 5 of which saved the lives of the recipients.

You too can save a life today, and you don’t even have to study for years or become a doctor to do so. Just reach out to the SA National Blood Service to find out where your closest donation site is, and go donate blood. Easy peasy. You lifesaver, you!

Have a mighty Monday folks! :grinning::+1:


Know more:


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hahaha I read that as World Bonor Day >_<

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The don’t want my blood because lobe earrings :thinking:

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