August 6, 1945, is the day of the Hiroshima bombing. As the Japanese military lost battles in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, soldiers perished in great numbers. Replenishing the ranks required drafting new men, leaving women, children, and elderly men at home. These people populated most of Japan's cities in August 1945. Hiroshima was home to several military facilities, military personnel, and foreign prisoners of war, all of which were in the city during the bombing. Foreigners, including workers, prisoners, and business people, pushed the total population to over 350,000 that day. At 8:15 A.M. on August 6, 1945, "Little Boy," the code name of the thin atom bomb, fell on the city. Up to 146,000 people would eventually lose their lives, half the day of the bombing. The world had never witnessed a bomb of this power, and Hiroshima is one of only two times a nuclear weapon has been used in war. The second would be three days later. Learn more at http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/kids/KPSH_E/frame/hirotop14.html.

Africa

Aug

Independence Day,(BO)(1825): August 6

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Independence Day in Bolivia marks the anniversary of August 6, 1825, the day of independence from Spain. Bolivia is named after the person who led the nation to independence, Simon Bolivia. Independence Day is a national holiday.

Africa

Aug

Root Beer Float Day (1893): August 6

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National Root Beer Float Day is the day when people celebrate the Root Beer Float, basically root beer with a scoop of ice cream. Native Americans invented root beer. The root beer float was designed by Frank J. Wisner in Cripple Creek, Colorado, in August 1893. Legend has it that Wisner, while thinking of how to provide soda to the townsfolk of Cripple Creek, saw the snow on top of Cow Mountain, which reminded him of vanilla ice cream. Being the Owner of the Cripple Creek Cow Mountain Gold Mining Company, he also owned a bar. Wisner added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the Myers Avenue Red Root Beer. He liked the taste, so he served it to his customers the next day, and it became an instant hit. Root beer is part of Native American heritage, a beverage created from sassafras or sarsaparilla root. Charles Elmer Hires was the first to produce root beer in 1876 commercially.

Africa

Aug

Wiggle Your Toes Day, Ntl.: August 6

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Can you wiggle your toes? Congratulations! You have something to be thankful for today. Millions of people worldwide cannot do this due to misadventure, paralysis, illness, or other reasons. Foot health is an indicator of overall health, and whether you can or cannot wiggle your toes, today is a great day to pamper those feet and focus on foundations. Wiggle Your Toes Day is an unofficial event with no sponsor.

Africa

Aug

Battle of Boyacá Day (CO)(1819): August 7

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Fought on August 7, 1819, the Battle of Battle of Boyacá liberated the portion of Columbia from the Spanish royal army. This battle is considered the turning point in Columbia's quest for independence. Battle of Boyacá Day is a national holiday in Columbia.

Africa

Aug

English-Style India Pale Ale Day, Ntl.: August 7

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National English Style India Pale Ale Day is the perfect opportunity to go to your local pub and order India pale ale. English Style India Pale Ale has a more defined malt taste due to the English hops and yeast used to brew it. English style contains less alcohol-by-volume(ABV) than similar Pale Ales made in the US. Founded in 2011 by beer evangelists and social media personalities Ashley Routson and Ryan Ross, IPA Day is a universal movement created to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide, using social media as the arena for connecting conversations. IPA Day is not the brainchild of a corporate marketing machine, nor is it meant to serve any particular beer brand. IPA Day is an opportunity for all breweries, bloggers, businesses, and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer. It is an opportunity for the entire craft beer culture to combine forces and advocate craft beer through increased education and global awareness.

Africa

Aug

Great River Tug Fest (US-IL/IA): August 7-9 (est)

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The Great River Tug Fest takes municipal rivalry to a whole new level, with the towns of LeClaire, Iowa, and Port Byron, Illinois, challenging each other annually to a game of tug-of-war across the Mississippi River. Like so many crazy events, this one started with a group of men challenging each other in a bar. The match is held on the second Thursday through Saturday in August and includes carnival rides, live entertainment, a large parade, food vendors, crafts, and other attractions. However, the main event is undoubtedly the tug-of-war across the Mississippi River, with the losing city getting soaked in America's biggest river and the winner claiming the title for the following year. The tug-of-war tradition started in the 1980s and features a large 2,700-foot, 700-pound rope stretched across the river. Port Byron's team digs in on their side in Illinois, and LeClaire occupies the bank in Iowa. Boaters and river traffic gather in the center of the river for a front-row seat as both sides then engage in a titanic tugging match, pulling with all their might to claim victory. The competition includes several categories, with men's, women's, and youth teams all participating. Typically around ten tug-of-war matches play out each year, with the calmative wins determining which city is the year's victor.

Africa

Aug

Independence Day, (CI)(1960): August 7

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Independence Day in Côte d'Ivoire marks the anniversary of August 7, 1960, the official day of independence from France. Independence Day is a national holiday.

Africa

Aug

Lighthouse Day, Ntl. (1789): August 7

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National Lighthouse Day marks the anniversary of Congressional approval and the declaration signed by President George Washington creating and supporting a network of lighthouses, piers, and buoys on August 7, 1789. In 1989, the US Congress reaffirmed this anniversary, declaring that August 7 be National Lighthouse Day.

Africa

Aug

Preposterous Packaging Day: August 7

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KILL THE CLAMSHELL

PREPOSTEROUS PACKAGING DAY

Preposterous Packaging Day might also be called "kill the clamshell packaging" day.

Today, take your rage out on the ridiculous types of packaging we often must navigate to get to our purchase.

Celebrants hold bonfire and trash compacting parties to retire all preposterous packaging from their lives permanently. Quite therapeutic!"

ODE TO PROPOSTEROUS PACKAGING

There once was a package so tight,
I battled it deep into night.
With scissors and saw,
I hacked through the flaw—
Just to find more wraps. What a plight!

The plastic was sealed with a glare,
Then taped up like a dragon’s lair.
Each layer I peeled
Revealed one more sealed—
A Matryoshka trap of despair!

At last, with my fingers all sore,
I reached the thing it bore.
A four-inch-wide pin
In a box not a bin—
Is this really all I paid for?

Africa

Aug

Professional Speakers Day: August 7

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Created by potential fulfillment specialist Jim Barber, Professional Speakers Day celebrates professional public speaking and those who excel at it. Today is about acknowledging the teachers and professionals who hold awe and attention with their oratorical skills.

Africa

Aug

Purple Heart Day, Ntl. (1782): August 7

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National Purple Heart Day commemorates the awarding of the first Purple Heart by George Washington on August 7, 1782. The Purple Heart is an award given to US soldiers injured or killed in the line of duty or maltreated as prisoners of war. This medal is made up of heart-shaped purple silk with a silver lining with the word “Merit” on the silver part. What sets the Purple Heart apart is that the awardee only needs to meet specific criteria to be given it. This award is solely for servicemen and women, not civilians.

Africa

Aug

Raspberries 'n Cream Day: August 7

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Raspberries ‘n Cream Day provides an excuse to enjoy this summer snack. People order this dessert or make it.

Africa

Aug

15th of Av (J): August 8/9

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Love, glorious love! The 15th of Av is a holiday in the Jewish faith, often referred to as the Jewish Valentine's day, and it is a celebration of love and future redemption. The tradition comes from The Talmud, a collection of books teaching Jewish law (Gemara) and the oral traditions (Mishnah) inscribed between the third and fifth centuries of the common era (CE). It is an encyclopedic collection used in Rabbinic Talmudism (Judaism as practiced after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE). The Talmud describes this night as a time when young Hebrew maidens would dance in the vineyards, and any man seeking a bride could go there and find one. For this reason, the 15th of Av is called Jewish Valentine's Day.

Africa

Aug

Bonza Bottler Day™, Intl: August 8

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When the number of the month matches the number of the day, that's Bonza Bottler Day. It is a play on numbers. There are twelve Bonza Bottler Days a year. This event began in 1985. Bonza is Australian for "Super." Bottler is slang for "something excellent."

Africa