Today Is... 📆

GregRedd · May 18, 2021, 4:43am

It is Tuesday, 18 May 2021
(W20 | D138 | 227 rem)

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) created International Museum Day in 1977. The organization chooses a different theme for the day and coordinates every year. Some of the themes include globalization, indigenous peoples, bridging cultural gaps, and caring for the environment.

Every year since 1977, all of the museums in the world are invited to participate in this day to promote the role of museums around the world, by organizing enjoyable and free activities around the year’s theme.

The objective of International Museum Day (IMD) is to raise awareness about the fact that, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.”

Organised on 18 May each year or around this date, the events and activities planned to celebrate International Museum Day can last a day, a weekend or an entire week. IMD was celebrated for the first time 40 years ago. All around the world, more and more museums participate in International Museum Day. Last year, more than 37,000 museums participated in the event in about 158 countries and territories.

With the theme “The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine”, International Museum Day 2021 invites museums, their professionals and communities to create, imagine and share new practices of (co-)creation of value, new business models for cultural institutions and innovative solutions for the social, economic and environmental challenges of the present.

Few places in our world are more educational than museums. After all, where else could we hope to see so many pieces of actual history that tell so many stories about our ancestors?

From prehistoric spears to Egyptian mummies, from ancient Greek sculptures to medieval armor, and from the first radio to the first planes used in war during WWI, museums have it all. Unfortunately, there are millions of people with direct access to museums that have never visited one.

And while visiting a local museum may be a little difficult at the present time, maybe get online if you can and do a virtual museum visit!

Know more:

Beo · May 18, 2021, 5:22am

murfle · May 18, 2021, 5:25am

GregRedd · May 18, 2021, 6:02am

Harumph!

Wyvern · May 18, 2021, 7:04am

This was my favourite place to visit whilst I lived in the UK

GregRedd · May 18, 2021, 8:14am

Thank you. You are not uncultured swine!

GregRedd · May 19, 2021, 5:06am

Good morning!

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

Today is: Numeracy Day

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