All - Leep Calendar

Mother's Against Drunk Driving officially lobbied for and passed the national law making the sale and public consumption of alcohol illegal to persons under the age of 21, July 17, 1984. Before this, many states had the legal drinking age at 18. According to the organization, the change in legal age saves over 1,000 lives each year.

Africa

Jul

7-7 London Bombing (2005): July 7

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Three years into the 'War on Terror,' the United Kingdom experienced its day of horror on July 7, 2005. Today is the anniversary of that event known as 7/7. It was a beautiful day in central London when four suicide bombers, in coordinated attacks using public transportation, killed 52 people and injured over 770 during the morning rush hour. Three bombs detonated in London's subway system, two outside Liverpool Street and Edgware Road stations. The third exploded between King's Cross and Russell Square in London. The last suicide bomber, the fourth, detonated on a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square. Photograph: 7th July Memorial in Hyde Park, London Chris Dorney | Dreamstime.com

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Jul

9-9-9 Emergency Number Established (1937): July 1

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July 1, 1937, saw the world's first emergency telephone number deployed in London, covering a 12-mile radius from Oxford Circus. It would be another 31 years before the US would implement a similar system, 911, and even longer for other nations. For example, in Saudi Arabia, the emergency number is 110. The idea of 999 was first suggested in 1935 after five women died during a fire in Wimpole Street in London. Callers using 0 to dial the police were unable to get through as the switchboard was jammed. By the time people got through, it was too late. The first calls came in on July 2, and the system fielded 1336 calls in its first week.

Africa

Jul

Air Conditioning Appreciation Days: July 3-August 15

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Think of how life would be without air conditioning. It is a scary thought! The Romans were the first to attempt air conditioning, using fans held by slaves, water via aqueducts, and designing buildings with breezeways. The Persian and Arab worlds further perfected the use of architecture to create breezes. Electricity would finally make air conditioning possible, first with a fan and then via Willis Carrier's 1902 invention, a water-cooled, coiled air conditioner. Like many inventions, he didn't realize what he had for over a decade. His purpose was to reduce humidity in his print shop, and it did that, but he soon realized it could do much more. In 1922, he created the first room chiller debuting over Memorial Day weekend in 1925 with the first artificially cooled commercial venue, the Rivoli Theater in Times Square. Suddenly, places considered virtually unlivable, like the desert Southwest, areas of the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Australia, were suddenly attractive. Air conditioning made it possible, but it would take a while. In the 1960s, only 10% of homes had air conditioning in the United States. By 2007, 86% would have it. Cities including Phoenix, Dubai, Riyadh, and Sydney would not be the powerhouses they are today without air conditioning. Air conditioning changed demographics throughout the world. As the dog days of summer set in, please take this opportunity to be thankful for that cool breeze that allows us to work, sleep and make the most out of the hot (and often humid) summer months. John C Nash created Air Conditioning Appreciation Days.

Africa

Jul

Alopecia Month for Women, Intl: July

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Alopecia is hair loss, and though it is annoying for men, it is devastating for women. International Alopecia Month for Women seeks to educate the public about this condition, remove the stigma and offer solutions for women and girls suffering from Alopecia.

Africa

Jul

Amelia Earhart Day (1897): July 24

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Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897, in Aitchison, Kansas. She is the 16th woman to receive a pilot's license from the FAI and is best known as the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean. In 1937 she undertook the monumental challenge of attempting to be the first woman to fly around the world. On July 2, 1937, around 8:45, she sent her last message, then her plane disappeared. Neither the plane nor her body was recovered. Amelia Earhart day occurs each year on her birthday as a celebration of her life and accomplishments.

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Jul

American Grown Flower Month: July

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Flowers grown in the United States support the farmers, small businesses, jobs, and the economy. In honor of the people and employment growers create, the US Senate designates July as "American Grown Flower Month." Consumers spend almost $27 billion yearly on floral products, including cut flowers, garden plants, bedding, and indoor plants. Thirty percent of households in the United States purchase fresh-cut flowers and greens from more than 16,000 florists and floral establishments each year. The five most popular grown flower varieties in the United States are tulips, Gerbera daisies, lilies, gladiolas, and irises.

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Jul

Americans with Disabilities Act, (1990): July 26

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Today is the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ratification on July 26, 1990. The ADA protects against discrimination based on disability. It expanded the Civil Rights Act of 1964, making discrimination based on race, religion, sex, and national origin illegal. Thanks to the ADA, employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and accessibility to public areas for those with disabilities.

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Jul

Anisette Day, Ntl.: July 2

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National Anisette Day celebrates anisette, an anise-based liquor. Though it is not advisable to drink anisette on its own, this liqueur provides a sweet tinge when mixed with other spirits. Anisette is popular in the Mediterranean countries and France. Anise, the herb, is believed to have medicinal properties. The Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used it to aid digestion, bad breath, and flatulence. Anise appears in the Bible as proof that one should not be stingy in offerings to the Lord, and anisette was currency during Roman times. It is the flavor found in black licorice.

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Jul

Anti-boredom Month, Ntl.: July

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National Anti-Boredom Month is an unofficial observance in the United States designed to help parents keep children busy and engaged during their summer vacation. Most cities have a list of activities in which children and families can participate. The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the YMCA, churches, synagogues, and temple and mosque groups offer wholesome activities for children to keep them engaged throughout the summer. Check with your local community centers for activities in your area. There is no sponsor for this month, and it is unknown how it came into existence.

Africa

Jul

Apartheid Wall, Month Against the (2004): July

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On July 9, 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion entitled Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Commonly referred to as the Apartheid Wall, it is illegal under international law. The Court was clear, demanding the wall be removed, Palestinian rights re-established, and it called upon the international community to enforce Israeli compliance. Nearly 20 years later, the wall continues to grow. _____________ Apartheid is a word associated with South Africa before 1992. However, the definition fits the parameters of Israeli law and conduct. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B'Tselem, and dozens of global humanitarian organizations have concluded Israel is an apartheid state. DEFINITION OF APARTHEID: 1. An official policy of racial segregation involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against one group of people by another due to their race, origin, faith, or other determining factors. 2. A policy or practice of separating or segregating groups. 3. The condition of being separated from others; segregation. __________ The wall was first proposed in 1973 during the Yom Kippur War by Ariel Sharon (who ironically pretended to be against it in 2002). Its purpose is to create specific "facts on the ground" that would complement the annexation of land via the settlement projects instituted after the 6-Day War of 1967. The actual planning of the wall began in 1978, nine years before the first Intifada (uprising) and fifteen years before the first suicide bomb. Security was never the objective. Annexation and disenfranchisement of the indigenous people was the goal. The wall and settlements made it impossible for a contiguous state for non-Jewish people in the Holy Land. The first mention in public of the planned wall was in 1992 by then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The wall consists of areas of fence and concrete. The Apartheid Wall is four times longer than the Berlin Wall and up to 25 feet in height, with a large portion built on land not part of Israel. Construction on the wall began in 1994 following the Oslo Accords of September 1993, with 112 miles completed by late 2003. In contrast, the Berlin Wall was 12 ft high and 103 miles long. In 2004, Israel's Wall was deemed illegal under international law. However, the state continues to build, expand, and confiscate land, destroying thousands of Palestinian homes, businesses, and agricultural properties. In addition to the wall, Israeli apartheid accelerates through a network of Jewish-only roads, Jewish-only colonies, unequal distribution of resources like water, checkpoints, permits, and a two-tiered legal system throughout the Occupied Territory. Despite the court ruling, Israel has continued its pattern of injustice with impunity. The wall and its associated regime of colonial settlements continue to grow in Palestine, embodying a massive instrument of land annexation, the pillage of natural resources, and displacement. In 2014, thirty organizations and coalitions came together to declare July the Month Against the Apartheid Wall. In 2018, the Israeli Knesset made apartheid official state policy by passing the Jewish Nation-state bill. This bill states Israel is home to its Jewish population exclusively. In June 2022, Israel dissolved its government, forcing the fifth election in four years to avoid ending its apartheid policies due to sunset at the end of the month. By dissolving the government, the apartheid laws can stay intact. Twitter: #StopImpunity

Africa

Jul

Aphelion Day: July 4

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Aphelion Day occurs when the sun reaches its furthest point from the earth.

Africa

Jul

Apple Turnover Day, Ntl.: July 5

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National Apple Turnover Day celebrates the flaky pastry dough filled with apples, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, coated in caramel, or smothered in chocolate. On this day, people indulge in this wonderful pastry. National Apple Turnover Day is an unofficial holiday with no sponsor.

Africa

Jul

Arctic Sea Ice Day: July 15

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Arctic Sea Ice Day calls attention to the diminishing ice caps in the Arctic Sea, which threatens the lives of animals, ocean currents, and global weather patterns. You can help: 1. Learn more about local and regional renewable energy options and programs, including solar or wind. 2. Supporting a state/province/country-wide renewable energy program. 3, Support elected officials who commit to investing in programs that make renewable energy affordable and accessible. 4) Share what you’ve learned.

Africa

Jul

Aunt & Uncle Day: July 26

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We have Mother's Day, Father's Day, Sisters Day, Brothers Day, and just so you won't feel left out, Aunt and Uncle Day falls today. This unofficial holiday grew from custom (someone said let's have one years ago, and now there is) to honor one's aunts and uncles. How to celebrate? Call them. Take them out for lunch or dinner, even host a party. Offer to help with daily chores, and do anything you can to show appreciation for this very influential element of your extended family. This is different than Aunties Day, which is a sponsored event and occurs on July 24 each year.

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