All - Leep Calendar

Victory Day in Malta marks the anniversary of September 8, 1565, when the Turks' great siege was broken. It also serves as a reminder of the 1943 siege by Nazi Germany, which the nation also survived. Victory Day is a national holiday.

Africa

Sep

Video Games Day, Ntl.: September 12

06:20 AM | -

National Video Game Day celebrates video games. A BRIEF HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann submitted a patent on January 25, 1947, for the "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device," which, though never put into production, laid the foundation for video games. In 1948, a chess simulation game created by Alan Turing and David Champernowne became the first video game. It would have to wait a while to be played. At the time, computers didn't have enough memory to run complicated scripts. In 1950, Bertie the Brain, a tic-tac-toe arcade game, premiered using a purpose-built machine. In 1952, Pilot ACE was the first game created that could run on an IBM. A video version of checkers followed it. In 1954, the University of Michigan was the first to develop a graphics-based computer game that simulated billiards. The cue maneuvered via a joy stick and knob. By 1958, the game of tennis had made it to video. Business simulation games soon followed, taking "gaming" into the 1960s. The first purpose-built entertainment game originated with MIT and Harvard in 1962 from the minds of Martin Graetz, Steve Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen. It was called Space War and was popular among the various academic and research institutions with mainframe computers. At the time, a singular language did not exist that would allow programming across various platforms. That changed with BASIC in 1964. The first commercial video game was a coin-operated arcade game developed by Bill Pitts, and Hugh Tuck at Stanford University called Galaxy Game. At $20,000, it was too expensive for most arcade owners, and Galaxy Game never advanced past the prototype stage. Concurrently Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney were working on a much lower-cost version called Computer Space, which became the first video game sold commercially. Computer Space's creator would later be known as Atari, Inc. Pong would be the first game released under the new company in 1972, and an entire new industry was born. Magnavox saw an opportunity and developed the first in-home video game console that used a television set as the screen. Ralph Baer first put forth the concept in the 1950s. However, the technology needed to catch up with his ingenuity, which would take a decade and a half. The Odyssey went on sale in September 1972 and lasted until 1975. A lack of marketing strategy in distribution and channels spelled the ultimate doom for the product. However, it paved the way for Atari, Nintendo, and a host of other companies to create one of the most lucrative and successful entertainment and learning industries ever seen. David Earle created Nation Video Game Day. His company Kid Vid Warriors, sponsored it until 1996, when it moved from July to September. In 1997, the event settled on September 12 annually, without a sponsor.

Africa

Sep

Vishwakarma Puja (H): September 17

06:20 AM | -

Vishwakarma is the Hindu god of architecture. Vishwakarma Puja (Vishwakarma Jayanti) is a day of celebration for Vishwakarma. Engineers, architects, artisans, craftsmen, mechanics, smiths, welders, industrial workers, factory workers, and others pray for a better future and safer working conditions. Workers also pray for the smooth functioning of various machines. Legend states Vishwakarma constructed the holy city of Dwarka, where Lord Krishna ruled. He is believed to be the creator of the weapons of the gods, being the divine carpenter. It is customary for craftsmen to worship their tools in his name, refraining from using the tools while doing so. Celebratory statues and pictures of Vishwakarma are placed in positions of prominence within workplaces and factories. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian civil calendar, the official holiday calendar in India. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes, with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Names of months and holidays and the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar may vary widely from one calendar to the next. Determine the proper calendar before attending local events.

Africa

Sep

Voter Registration Day, Ntl: September 24

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National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday first observed in 2012. Its objective is to get the 25% of eligible voters who aren't registered to vote, registered. On the fourth Tuesday in September, volunteers across the country hit the streets and reached out to the unregistered to help them get registered ahead of the fall elections. This event is endorsed by several groups, including the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the National Association of Election Officials (The Election Center).

Africa

Sep

Vulture Awareness Day, Intl: September 5

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The first Saturday of September is Vulture Awareness Day. This event highlights the importance of vultures for the environment and raises awareness of the declining population of vultures. Organized by the Birds of Prey Programme and the Hawk Conservancy Trust, this event became international after 2009. People interested in participating in this event should contact any participating organization since each has its activities.

Africa

Sep

Waffle Week, Ntl: September 6-12

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The Waffle House's National Waffle Week celebrates the nook and cranny food and its contribution to American culture. The first viable patent for a waffle iron was granted on August 24, 1869, to Cornelius Swartwout, US Patent 94043 A.

Africa

Sep

Walk and Roll Dog Day, Ntl: September 22

06:20 AM | -

People aren't the only living beings on this planet that sometimes need a little help getting around due to paralysis or limb loss. Animals too. Created in 2011, National Walk & Roll Dog Day honors our canine companions that need ambulatory help, often in the form of wheelchairs. It's a day to strut your pal proudly and rejoice in the longevity veterinary science has created through animal wheelchairs.

Africa

Sep

Wedding Proposal Day (Fall): September 23

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Twice a year, Proposal Day® falls on the equinox, generating worldwide discussion among eligible singles seeking marriage. The day allows singles to press the issue if so inclined. This day also supports rescue animals in shelters for those not ready to marry. If you're not prepared to propose, you're encouraged to add to your family by adopting an animal. Not just dogs and cats but rabbits, birds, and other animals often find their way into shelters too. Can't have pets? Try a fish! Created and trademarked by John Michael O'Loughlin, check his site on this day to see who is named the most eligible bachelor and bachelorette in the world.

Africa

Sep

White Balloon (Bravehearts) Day (AU): September 11 (est)

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Protecting children from childhood predators and providing the resources for victims to heal is the agenda of White Balloon Day, also called Bravehearts Day, in Australia. Funds raised during White Balloon Day support personal safety education programs and child protection services, counseling and support services, and lobbying for legislation to protect children. This event first ran in 1996.

Africa

Sep

White Chocolate Day: September 22

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White chocolate comes from cocoa butter without cocoa beans and first appeared in the 1930s under the Nestlé brand. This sweet, creamy confection is a favorite with truffle lovers and candy lovers alike. National White Chocolate Day is an unofficial event with no sponsor.

Africa

Sep

Wiener Schnitzel Day: September 9

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National Wiener Schnitzel Day or Wienerschnitzel Day celebrates a fried German sausage. Schnitzel is a cooking style in which meat is tenderized through pounding, coated in bread crumbs or batter, and deep-fried. Schnitzel can be any meat: chicken, beef, lamb, ground meat, or sausage, and it can be served in a bun or bare. Each year on National Wiener Schnitzel Day, the fast food chain Wienerschnitzel in the United States offers sandwich specials and other goodies in celebration.

Africa

Sep

Wife Appreciation Day: September 20

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Wife Appreciation Day is an opportunity for a husband to show his wife how much she means to him. Showing appreciation can be done in many ways, from a simple "thank you" to making dinner. Show your creativity. Take this opportunity to show the woman in your life how special she is on Wife Appreciation Day.

Africa

Sep

Wilderness Month, Ntl.: September

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"In our Nation's earliest days, a vast majority of North America was wilderness—from majestic plains and imposing mountain ranges to dense forests and rushing waterways. Today, protected wild spaces continue to serve as a backdrop for curious and adventurous Americans to seek the thrill and joy of connecting with the sacred spirit of our country's wilderness, offering a wide variety of activities, including hiking, camping, and climbing. This month, as we cherish our vast and vibrant natural heritage, we resolve to preserve its splendors for all who will follow in our footsteps. Aiming to leave future generations with a "glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning," President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law two historic pieces of legislation that opened a new chapter in American conservation—the Wilderness Act and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. The Wilderness Act defined our untrammeled lands as wilderness and created the National Wilderness Preservation System, recognizing forests, parks, and wildlife refuges as having intrinsic value as wild lands worth protecting. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established out of a bipartisan commitment to ensure that we can protect lands and waters for use and enjoyment by all our people; throughout the last 50 years, it has supported conservation efforts in every State, including tens of thousands of State and local projects through billions of dollars in grants. But a lack of full and secure funding hinders many important LWCF projects that protect critical habitats and provide recreational opportunities—which is why I keep calling on Congress to pursue permanent funding for the LWCF.” Excerpt from 2016 Presidential Proclamation by Barak Obama

Africa

Sep

William McKinley Assassination (1901): September 6

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The 25th President of the United States, William McKinley, was just six months into his second term as President of the United States when he was assassinated on September 6, 1901, by Leon Czolgosz, an American citizen of Polish decent. The President died eight days later. McKinley was neither the first nor last American President to be assassinated in office. Abraham Lincoln was the first, killed in 1865, and James A. Garfield was the second in 1881, having been in office for four months. John F Kennedy was the last in 1963. McKinley was the last President to have served in the American Civil War (1860-1865). After his assassination, the US Congress mandated the Secret Service be used to protect the President of the United States from all threats, foreign and domestic. Its original purpose was to investigate counterfeiting after the Civil War, and it evolved into the US's first intelligence and counter-intelligence agency. Later it was split into several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, CIA, and IRS-CI. The Secret Service's mission continues to include protecting the financial and trade infrastructure of the United States as well as providing protection for its leaders.

Africa

Sep

Wine Box Month, Intl.: September

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BOXED WINE COMES INTO ITS OWN INTERNATIONAL BOXED WINE DAY International Boxed Wine Day celebrates the innovation, environmental benefits, and increasing respectability of boxed wine. It was established in February 2021 by Wine Nook, a company known for designing stylish boxed-wine dispensers, to highlight the convenience, quality, and eco-friendliness of boxed wine packaging. HISTORY Packaged wine as we know it—"bag-in-box" or "boxed wine"—was pioneered by Australian vintner Thomas Angove of Renmark, South Australia, who patented the design on April 20, 1964. His innovation featured a polyethylene bladder inside a cardboard box. Two years later, Charles Malpas improved it with a plastic tap for easier pouring. The design was inspired by pre-existing bag-in-box packaging used for battery acid—Yikes! The concept quickly gained popularity in Australia, and in the 1980s, Franzia, an Australian brand, introduced boxed wine to the U.S. as an affordable, convenient table wine. DEMOGRAPHICS While detailed demographics are limited, trends show strong appeal among eco-conscious consumers, casual drinkers, and those seeking convenience or value. Brands like Juliet and Bota Box, with sleek packaging and premium wine inside, are deliberately targeting at-home relaxation and particularly appealing to women. European markets have seen significant adoption, with countries like Sweden reporting that bag-in-box accounts for nearly 29% of total wine sales. In France, boxed wine makes up around 45% of supermarket wine sales. A BILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY While long-term yearly data from the 1960s is limited, several sources highlight notable growth: —Between 2015 and 2019, boxed wine brands outpaced still bottled wine in both value and volume growth. —Recent data shows boxed wine sales in U.S. off-premise retail reaching approximately $1.6 billion in the $4-plus price tier, up nearly 9% year-over-year. —Total boxed wine sales in the latest four weeks were about $164 million, reflecting a 4% increase, although volume declined slightly. —Globally, the wine box packaging market was valued at about $1.11 billion in 2022. It grew at an estimated CAGR of 3.5% from 2015 to 2021. Annual growth is projected at around 5.1% through 2032, reaching $1.83 billion. The growth of boxed wine continues, driven by rising wine consumption, e-commerce demand, and sustainability concerns. TOP BRANDS Franzia is one of the most recognizable boxed wine brands, sold in 3- and 5-liter cartons and known for affordability. Founded in 1906 by Teresa Franzia, the brand is now owned by The Wine Group and remains among the world's top-selling wine brands. In the U.S., premium boxed wine brands like Black Box (Constellation) and Bota Box (Delicato Family Wines) have driven market interest, with combined sales reaching nearly 14 million cases annually. BOTTLE VS BOX Boxed wine is increasingly shedding its "cheap and low-quality" stigma: —The packaging prevents oxidation after opening, keeping wine fresh for up to six weeks—far longer than typical bottles. —It offers substantial cost savings—up to 40%—thanks to reduced packaging and logistics. —The eco-advantages are compelling: reusable cardboard boxes weigh less, cut carbon emissions, and require less manufacturing energy. Upscale establishments like Merriman's in Hawaii are encouraging high-end wineries to adopt boxed packaging to replace thousands of glass bottles and reduce their carbon footprints. The emergence of premium boxed wines—by Juliet, Bota Box, Tablas Creek, and others—demonstrates that quality and aesthetic appeal can rival traditional bottles. However, bottled wine still retains its romantic and traditional allure, and for some connoisseurs, certain varietals and vintages still benefit from traditional bottling. KEY TAKEAWAYS INVENTOR: Thomas Angove (1964), Charles Malpas tap (1967) MARKET GROWTH: Strong growth from 2015 to 2019; $1.6 billion in U.S. sales in the 4-plus dollar tier; global market valued at about $1.1 billion in 2022, projected to reach $1.8 billion by 2032. DEMOGRAPHICS: Eco-conscious consumers, casual drinkers, women at home; strong European adoption. TOP BRANDS: Franzia, Black Box, Bota Box. BENEFITS: Longer freshness, cost savings, eco-friendliness, rising quality and growing prestige.

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