All - Leep Calendar

The Freedom of Information Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 4, 1966. It provides unprecedented public access to government documents for various purposes, including research, journalism, and law. It took 12 years for the landmark legislation to go from idea to legal statute, largely thanks to the dogged efforts of California Congressman John E. Moss. National Sunshine Week is an awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the Freedom of Information Act and its contributions to accurate journalism. It is observed throughout the nation by media organizations, schools, universities, and libraries and coupled with a public relations campaign. The event first appeared in 2005. Sunshine week marks the birthday of James Madison, the father of the US Constitution. Madison was born on March 16, 1751.

Africa

Mar

Adelaide Cup (AU-SA): March 13

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Created in 1864, the Adelaide Cup is a 3200m, open handicap group 2 horse race in Australia with AUD 400,000 purse going to the winner. It's one of Australia's most popular sporting events and occurs each year on the second Monday in March.

Africa

Mar

Black Swan Day (2020): March 13

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Black Swan Day marks the day the COVID-19 situation turned upside down in the United States over eight hours on March 13, 2020. An event is considered a "Black Swan Event" when it upends norms and changes how society behaves going forward. It is a sudden and disruptive event. March 13, 2020, certainly fits that description. On March 13, 2020, the United States declared a National Emergency over the novel Coronavirus. On that day, the US had 2,183 cases with 48 deaths. Globally, the world had recorded 145,417 cases and 5,427 deaths. What we were about to engage as a global community, nobody knew. Everyone has a story about that day, and this is mine. FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH At 7:30 AM, March 13, 2020, I arrived my office in Bala Cynwood (Bah-la Kin-wood), Pennsylvania, wary of the fact it was Friday the 13th, but looking forward to getting the day over so the weekend could start. I was doing direct marketing door-to-door, business-to-business for 100% commission. I hated it with a passion but needed income as I researched LEEP. Every morning we held a ninety-minute "sales meeting," remedial training for the never-ending stream of recruits, 90% of whom never made it to 30 days, let alone a whole week. This day I lucked out, and I didn't have to take a trainee into the field. SCHUYLKILL GHOSTS & BUBBLE GUM LIGHTS At around 9:30 AM, I headed to my car, swung onto City Avenue, and headed toward Center City on the Schuylkill (Skoo-kull), interstate highway 76. It was the first indication that this would not be a typical day. There wasn't a single car moving westbound on the I-76, not one. Usually, the infamous highway is bumper-to-bumper at this time of day, actually any time of day. Where were the cars? I exited onto the PA1 northbound. On this road, another major highway, no cars were going southbound either. Two miles in, and still no cars on the other side. Drivers traveling my way were looking around as puzzled as me. A woman in hijab passed, catching my eye; she nodded and shook her head, confused. I grinned back half-heartedly and shrugged. Suddenly, over the crest ahead, a flood of bubble gum lights and sirens spilled into all the southbound lanes, swelling from the emergency parking lane to the Jersey barrier dividing us. Dozens and dozens of police motorcycles rushed toward us, followed by police cars, fire engines, command cars, and ambulances. Each vehicle was fully animated, and all had sirens blaring. Confused, my car compatriots and I all eased over to the shoulder, trying to figure out what to do. The flood of rapidly moving vehicles was over a mile in length. Then I saw the hearse. It was a funeral procession for a first responder. It is hard to explain the fear this engendered. My first thought was terrorism. Why else would roads be closed and hundreds of emergency vehicles of every flavor be traveling quickly toward Center City, lights flashing and sirens blaring? Fortunately, it was a show of respect, not my worst fear. However, the day continued in its strangeness. SHADES OF 1918 My first stop in North Philadelphia was an Irish pub with two locations in the city. The person I needed to speak with wasn't in, but his father was. I asked about their plans for Saint Patrick's Day the following week. "I don't know," he confided. "My father lived through the 1918 pandemic, and we're not sure what this is yet." The Spanish Flu. Over 12,000 Philadelphians lost their lives within six weeks during the 1918 second wave. It tore through the city after a Labor Day parade attended by an estimated 200,000 people. THE SIGN Wishing him luck for Saint Patrick's Day, I left and headed into the territory I planned to work that day, an area of light and heavy industrial manufacturing peppered with strip malls and various fast food joints. After about thirty minutes, I got my first contract, a multi-location retailer with a warehouse. Fabulous. After about forty minutes with them, I headed to a Starbucks. Parking, I exited the car, looking forward to sitting down. Instead, a sign at the door read: "Takeout only until further notice due to COVID-19." What? Gingerly, I scanned the other storefronts in the strip mall. Most were closed, except for a Redwing shoe store and a Duncan Donuts. The closed locations all had similar signs. Several strip malls later with closed signs, and I began to panic as I needed a restroom. The Taco Bell, cheesesteak place, and sub shop all refused customers inside. Nearly every location I could enter was empty, and the proprietors were worried and not friendly, which was highly unusual. Typically only nail salons and pawn shops were mean to me. Everyone was on edge. By 3 PM, I called it a day. Until I entered my car, without access to a radio during the day I didn't know that all hell had broken loose. The White House had officially declared a National Emergency over the Coronavirus. Several outbreaks in the US were reported, and suddenly people were discussing shutting everything down. "They can't shut everything down," I thought, "can they?" MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020 That weekend, there was a stayed uneasiness. Monday morning's commute was better than Christmas week, with hardly any cars on the road. After our mind-numbing sales meeting, I headed to Philadelphia's Italian Market (my favorite place in the city) and checked in on existing clients until my 1:30 PM appointment with a culinary school in South Philly. As I left the school with a new contract, my phone started vibrating and screeching with an alarm I'd never heard. The text read, "The state of Pennsylvania will shut down at 5 PM today, March 16, 2020." What the?!? No! I'm supposed to get my hair cut tomorrow! Little did I know it would be seven more months of mop head before that would happen. Dumbfounded, I stood on the sunny street with budding trees staring at the message on my phone. It was 3 PM, exactly. Fortunately, I had made my commission for the week. Screw it! I didn't want to go home, and I didn't want to work. I wanted people, a communion of strangers, so I headed to a pub within stumbling distance of my house. About 15 of us sat in the small 1930s era bar, drinking cheap wine and bottled beer, tipping the bartender liberally, and discussing events with trepidation. The owner wandered in around 4 PM and informed us that the bar and most other businesses would indefinitely close at 5 PM. We watched the news on the tele and tried to make light of this new reality. At 4:55 PM, a final toast before one-by-one, we spilled out the door and made our way home. It was the end of an era and the beginning of what would become two and a half rather surreal years for everyone. ________________ As of today, January 19, 2023, 672,364,867 cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally. Six million, seven hundred thirty-seven thousand, four hundred seven people have died, and the US stands at 103,708,163 cases with 1,127,080 deaths, the highest in the world. I don't think I'm a fan of black swans anymore.

Africa

Mar

Brain Awareness Week, Ntl.: March 13-19

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National Brain Awareness Week is celebrated globally to increase public awareness of the importance of brain research. The campaign brings together scientists, families, schools, and communities hosting varied events on brain-related topics. Libraries, community centers, and classrooms host brain exhibitions, lectures, and workshops to raise awareness.

Africa

Mar

Canberra Day (AU)(1913): March 13

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Africa

Mar

Coconut Torte Day, Ntl.: March 13

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National Coconut Torte Day occurs each March. Celebrate by gathering ingredients to make one. Build up three or more layers of cake while liberally slathering the layers in between with flour, ground nuts, breadcrumbs, sugar, eggs, and of course, lots and lots of coconuts. You will make some new friends with this one. National Coconut Torte Day is an unofficial event with no sponsor.

Africa

Mar

Commonwealth Day (UK/CA): March 13

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Commonwealth Day refers to the former British empire, which at one time included countries in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific. It was initially called Empire Day and is observed in the United Kingdom, the British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, and the province of Newfoundland in Canada. Annually on the second Monday in March.

Africa

Mar

Deaf History Month (1988): March 13-April 15

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Deaf History Month begins on the anniversary of the White House declaration on March 13, 1988, for Deaf Awareness and ends on April 15. Within the month are three other celebrations: Deaf Civil Rights Victory Day, signed into law by President Lincoln, one marking the charter that granted college degrees to deaf students, and the opening of the first public school for the deaf on April 15, 1817. This month celebrates the contribution of the deaf and hard of hearing persons to society and the importance of American Sign Language. Sponsored by Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action, the National Association of the Deaf, and the American Library Association, showcases include art installations created by the hearing impaired and online events that aim to educate the public about hearing loss.

Africa

Mar

Donald Duck Day (1914): March 13*

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Donald Duck is one of the two most recognized cartoon characters of the Walt Disney Company. Today is the actual birthday of the character, March 13, 1914. He was first mentioned in the book "The Life of Donald Duck." The second Donald Duck Day, June 9, marks the anniversary of his screen debut in 1934.

Africa

Mar

Earmuff Day (1873): March 13

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Earmuff Day commemorates the invention of the earmuff, the 1873 invention by a boy named Chester Greenwood from Maine. The boy's sensitive ears turned weird colors in the cold. Unfortunately, he loved ice skating, and the solutions seemed too bulky or itchy. So he experimented and fashioned his Champion Ear Protector, patented in 1877. We have been wearing them ever since.

Africa

Mar

Fill Our Staplers Day: March 13

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During Daylight Savings Sunday, you check the batteries in your smoke and carbon dioxide alarms. The following day at work, you check the staples in your stapler and refill them as needed. Brought to you annually by the Dull Men's Club.

Africa

Mar

Go Green Week (UK): March 13-19

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Go Green Week, first run in 2007, is a massive student action drive involving universities focused on sustainability in the UK. Go Green Week promotes environmental awareness and encourages individuals and communities to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and live more sustainably. The event typically occurs in February or March and is organized by People & Planet, a UK-based environmental and social justice organization. It brings together diverse participants, including universities, schools, businesses, and community groups, to participate in various activities and events focused on environmental sustainability. During Go Green Week, various activities engage people in sustainable living and raise awareness of environmental issues through workshops, talks, film screenings, litter picks, tree planting, sustainable food events, and more. The main goal of Go Green Week is to encourage people to make small changes in their daily lives that can significantly impact the environment. These changes can include reducing energy use, using public transport or cycling instead of driving, reducing meat consumption, and reducing waste. Go Green Week is essential for raising awareness of environmental issues and promoting sustainable living in the UK. It is also an opportunity for individuals, communities, and businesses to unite and collectively reduce their carbon footprint and protect the planet.

Africa

Mar

Good Samaritan Day (US/UK)(1964): March 13*

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Good Samaritan Day, named after the parable of the good Samaritan from the New Testament of the Bible, (Luke 10:25-37), promotes universal respect, empathy the importance of being a good and selfless person by acting rather than remaining passive in the face of need. March's Good Samaritan Day was declared in 1964 in New York City after Catherine "Kitty" Genovese was viciously stabbed and murdered before witnesses on the streets of the city. Why does a murder of a single woman deserve a day of remembrance? At the senseless crime scene, nearly 40 people witnessed it and allegedly stood by and watched as Catherine screamed for help and then died. Not one of the bystanders intervened. The second Good Samaritan Day occurs in October. The New York murder of Catherine Genovese was forgotten over the years until the same thing happened again on Foshan Market Street in Guangdong, China. A young girl named Wang Yue was run over by two vehicles on October 13, 2011. Dozens of people gathered on the sidewalk, watching the cars plow over the young girl and doing nothing to save her until an older woman named Chen Xianmei rushed to her aid. It was too late. Crushed under the weight of the vehicles, Wang Yue died. October's Good Samaritan Day was created by Richard Lutz, appalled by the indifference of the onlookers, as a tribute to Yue's life. It falls on the anniversary of her deadly attack. With today's propensity to get images that will trend on social media rather than societal engagement, Good Samaritan Day and the two women killed behind each remind us to be present in this world, assist when possible, and reject becoming a passive, dispassionately callous assemblage of malignant apathy.

Africa

Mar

Israeli Apartheid Weeks, Intl.: March 13-27

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Created in 2004 as End Israeli Apartheid and Segregation Week, this awareness and advocacy campaign has become a worldwide phenomenon with events throughout the globe in most major cities. The event transitioned to Israeli Apartheid Week in 2017, with global events planned over two months. Each nation organizes according to its schedule. The goal is to end the practice of apartheid worldwide, with the state of Israel as its most notable and brutal practitioner. The ultimate goal of the event is to ensure people living within the State of Israel and its Occupied Territories, regardless of race, origin, or faith, have equal rights as human beings, opportunity, equal access to resources, and respect as agreed by representatives of the state of Israel in 1947 at the United Nations. The state agreed to these standards as a condition of its creation, though it has yet to fulfill them. It has also agreed to international law and treaties as a signatory, many of which it continues to violate. What is Apartheid? Apartheid uses politics, the military, and law to create a system where one group is preferred over another based on ethnicity, faith, politics, or some other arbitrary segregator. The preferred people are endowed with privilege, above-equal, and have preferential access to resources and services. They often have segregated housing, schools, roads, courts, and employment opportunities. Segregation is based solely upon the identifying segregator. Apartheid is enforced via the military, political office, industry, and a two-tiered legal system. In Israel, the government and military work together to normalize segregation. How Israel Practices Apartheid In Israel, the primary selector is faith, and the second is race, as experienced by the non-white Jewish communities within the state. Those identified as Jewish are preferred and live in a republic based upon democratic principles. Those identified as not Jewish (Christian, Muslim, Druze, Buddhist, etc.) live in a fascist state, with nominal or no rights depending upon where they live in the region (occupied or within the Green Line). Israel has over 70 laws guaranteeing this unequal treatment by faith, including the Nation-State Law of 2018. Though it claims democracy, Israel has no constitution. Jewish persons can argue their rights in civil courts. Non-Jewish persons are tried in military courts and can be held indefinitely without charges in indefinite detention, which is often renewed every six months. Israel's Jewish residents can only be held with charges and under the law. No Jewish person in Israel can be held without charges or indefinitely. This example is a textbook illustration of a two-tiered legal system. Israel is a nuclear superpower with one of the ten most powerful militaries in the world. It uses this military power to enforce apartheid on those it occupies and disenfranchise those who are not Jewish. The people it oppresses have no army, navy, or air force. They can be attacked, and are attacked, with impunity by the military and by the settler movement, often killed or permanently maimed at any time. Israeli apartheid is more brutal than that experienced in South Africa. Using the military to bomb, raze homes, limit access to natural resources, conduct sieges, and blockades elevated Israeli apartheid to a new level far above apartheid-era South Africa. The construction of its wall, ten times the size of the Berlin Wall, Jewish-only roads, Jewish-only housing (enforced and protected by the military), hundreds of checkpoints, and the collective punishment of millions of people, simply because they are not Jewish, further illustrates the aggressive nature of Israeli style apartheid. What you can do: Through non-violent means like Israeli Apartheid Week, awareness, education, and advocacy help expose this practice. A nation-state cannot be democratic and practice apartheid, period. Like South Africa, Israel's apartheid policies will only end when the international community says 'enough!' Check the Israeli Apartheid Week site for opportunities to help in your city and country or to register an event of your own.

Africa

Mar

Jewels Day: March 13

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National Jewels Day is a day to appreciate, learn about, and celebrate the many jewels and gemstones that have been a part of our lives. Since the beginning of civilization, people have been fascinated by the beauty of precious metals and gemstones and have adorned themselves and objects with them. Jewels signify wealth and are often used as currency or for religious worship.

Africa