SKYWATCH: NO-SHOW SOLAR ECLIPSE, JUPITER’S SHRINKING RED SPOT, AND MORE

 

Pro-Am Collaboration Yields Stunning Images

Amateur astronomers have teamed up with the pros to produce four stunning multiwavelength images of galaxies M101, M81, M51, and Centaurus A.

 Mysteriously Bright Supernova Explained

In 2010, a mysteriously bright supernova appeared, later sparking a debate within the astronomy community. But new images of the now-faded supernova reveal an intervening — and until now invisible — cosmic lens, which magnified its light.

Watch a Star Evolve in “Real Time”

The odd behavior of a star in the heart of the Stingray Nebula provides tantalizing evidence that we may be seeing, first-hand, its helium-shell flash: an explosive phase of nuclear burning at the end of a star’s life.

Planets’ Wacky Orbits Solved

By combining nearly 1,500 observations with sophisticated computer models, astronomers have shed light on a nearby planetary system, proving that the planets’ bizarre orbits will actually remain stable for the next 100 million years.

Spring Cleaning for Opportunity Rover

The Mars rover Opportunity has been cleaned of heavy dust coating its solar panels, thanks to some strong winds blowing over the rim of Endeavour Crater.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, April 25 – May 3

The waning crescent Moon and brilliant Venus make a fine pairing at dawn, then a new Moon results in a partial solar eclipse in Australia, and by the end of the week, a waxing crescent shines below Jupiter.

April 29th’s “No Show” Annular Solar Eclipse

The first and only annular solar eclipse of 2014 has a path that just clips Antarctica, at a location so remote that no one on Earth will get to see the event.

Jupiter’s Not-So-Great Red Spot

Astronomers don’t know why Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot has been gradually shrinking since the 1800s — or why the downsizing has accelerated during the past two years.

Tour May’s Sky: Evening Planets Align

May opens with the Moon just making its entrance into the evening sky and four planets strung along the ecliptic. Download our mp3 and head outside to take a guided tour of this month’s sky with senior contributing editor J. Kelly Beatty.

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HATEWATCH: THE PEOPLE OF STORMFRONT: WHO BACKS THE LARGEST HATE SITE ON THE INTERNET?

The People of Stormfront: Who Backs the Largest Hate Site on the Internet?

By Heidi Beirich on April 24, 2014 – 10:44 am

Here at Hatewatch, we’re taking a deeper look at the donors who keep the largest hate site on the Internet – Stormfront – up and running. Taking in more than $100,000 a year in contributions, Stormfront is one of the best-funded hate sites in the world.

Although the site has hundreds of “Sustaining Members” that pledge $50 a year, a detailed financial study by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) shows that usually less than a dozen donors provide more than half of the income Stormfront takes in each month.

In fact, only a handful of high value contributors cover most of the costs involved in keeping Don Black, owner of Stormfront, and his vision of “White Pride Worldwide” online.

Philip Holthoff

This month, Philip Holthoff, an odd and intensely racist Arkansas high school social studies teacher was among them, pledging $100 on April 20th.  He is also a sustaining member. Holthoff’s donation came just days after a Southern Poverty Law Center report identified Stormfront as the primary online meeting place for murderers involved in white supremacist-related killings worldwide.

Holthoff, 53, a teacher at Star City High School in Star City, Ark., about 60 miles south of Little Rock, is another neo-Nazi in a position of trust, hidden in plain sight. On his Facebook page, he links to various hate groups, including American Renaissance, The Occidental Quarterly and Alternative Right, along with the Star City High School Art Department.

It is on Stormfront, in more than 400 posts over the past ten years, where Holthoff has made clear his opinion of the African-American students he is entrusted to educate. Posting under the anonymous user name, “David_Lee_Saxon,” Holthoff has been unflinchingly open about his professional position. “I teach high school and you would be amazed at some of the wild rumors Negro students believe,” Holthoff wrote in 2008.

In a 2009 post in the Stormfront Youth section, in a thread titled “Aren’t Teachers Supposed to Teach truth?” Holthoff wrote: “I teach social studies in a public high school and I am racially conscious!”

In another forum thread he started in 2009 titled “Reflections from a racially conscious high school teacher,” the Arkansas teacher wrote, “You don’t know chaos until you have seen Negro students going wild in the halls after the [2008] election screaming: OBAMA…OBAMA!!!”

Mike Walker, the principal at Star City High School, told Hatewatch he had “no clue” about Holthoff’s racist activities. Dr. Richard Montgomery, the school district’s superintendent, told Hatewatch, “The school district does not advocate hating anyone.” For his part, Holthoff told Hatewatch, after being advised that his racist postings would be reported on, “That’s fine. Go for it.” He added, “I’m not talking to you. I have nothing to say.”

In his writings, rife with spelling and punctuation errors, Holthoff has repeatedly expressed his opinion on interracial dating in his high school. “In every high school there are white girls willing to have sex with black males. I have seen it change from “‘Thats [sic] is so gross, I would never do that .’ [sic] to ‘Well, I personally wouldn’t do it, but if they are in love who are we to interfere?” He continues, “What is changing now is that even ‘nice’ girls from ‘good’ families are having interracial relationships. its not just ‘poor white trash’ girls anymore. I know of cases in which they go to the prom together and the white parent does not have a problem with it!”

Holthoff complained again last year about interracial relationships at his high school.

Philip Holthoff posing with a Sarah Palin cutout

“I happen to be employed in a school district that is 85% Caucasian. In the most recent homecoming election the queen was white and the king was black. They are also dating, it is widely known as they walk hand in hand down the hall. This school is very rural, they love hunting, fishing NASCAR, and four wheel riding, the very people the media denounces as racist and homophobic, and yet the king and queen received a standing ovation from their fellow high students.”

In another post last year, Holthoff described his high school’s commencement ceremonies and complained about “that odor” of African Americans: “Its [sic] graduation time. I always get a kick out of how white administrators beg and plead for people to behave during the ceremonies. Black parents are the worse. The entire race must have ADD. Halfway into the ceremony they scream, shout, blow air guns and dance in the aisle when their child’s name is called. And that odor get in your clothes to! [sic]”

The SPLC’s files suggest that Holthoff, 53, has been an active neo-Nazi for most of his adult life. Records show he joined the neo-Nazi National Alliance in May 1980 at the age of 19, where he was given membership number A3148. Records also show Holthoff joined National Vanguard in May 2005 as member #V0547, and he is listed as a “lifetime” member of White Revolution.

In a 2007 Stormfront post, Holthoff outlined his pedigree in the racist movement. “I was a loyal NA [National Alliance] member for years, went to two national leadership conferences and once stayed a week in WV [West Virginia] with a friend who was employed on staff under WLP [now deceased leader of the National Alliance William Pierce],” he wrote on Stormfront. “After the death of WLP the infighting and rumors and excessive secrecy disgusted me and I left and joined NV [National Vanguard]. I was at the second [David] Duke leadership conference and had so much hope. I suspect most of those present were NV members.”

Expressing common movement fantasies about rounding up “race traitors” after the revolution, Holthoff wrote earlier this year that he hopes a “top secret group” of white supremacists will form to “bring to justice“ those “traitors” who promote interracial activities like the Super Bowl:

Have you seen how much Super Bowl seats cost? I regard any white that goes to such as irredeemably lost and a traitor to his people. After all, both teams that they will pay thousands to watch are majority non-white.

I hope that when the White Separatist State becomes a reality we have a top secret group that will seek out and bring to Justice, regardless of where in the world they may be, whites that produce or direct such interracial features.

Holthoff also sees a Jewish conspiracy in the making of teen idols:

But wait! There is a pattern here. Jews and liberals (What I call the Judeo-liberal coalition) deliberately build a person up as a teen idol. They make sure she is clean as a whistle (Or at least assures us she is. I lost track of how many parents told me years ago that Hannah Montana was an excellent role model for teens and that she was a virgin and a Christian…..)

But I see a deeper pattern here! Remember Buffy the vampire slayer (Yes, I realize the girl playing her was Jewish) but she had a devoted teen following and was marketed as a strong female that all should idolize. The first couple of seasons built the fan base up. But then came the inevitable race mixing with episodes of her dating her former black principal. The idea is to get them hooked and then have their idol in question race mix or become lesbian as a way of encouraging same among teens. Notice how many times that occurs now in teen sit-coms.

Despite being in a position of trust as a teacher while posting crude, racist comments about his African-American students, there is also an underlying creepiness in some of Holthoff’s Stormfront postings. Along with an apparent obsession with teenage interracial sex, Holthoff also seems to express an unusual interest in pornography. In 2007, he wrote about porn and underage girls:

5. I have taught in public schools before. Girls do indeed mature faster, both physical and emotionally than guys. At the risk of being sexist I would rather teach girls. They are more respectful and easier to teach.(I am only referring to WHITE high school girls)

6. I have seen porn before. All of it had a screen introduction stating the girls were of legal age and proof was on file.

7. There is a type of porn in which twenty something aged girls try to look underage by wearing braces and pig tails but even those have the statement of legality prior to the movie.

Holthoff went on to warn Stormfront users about the risks of entrapment facing illegal consumers of under-age porn:

8. I am always aghast at how stupid guys are that get arrested trying to meet this or that 13-17 aged girl in a local hotel. It is always a cop playing as if he is a girl. Folks, I can tell you from experience that teenage girls don’t troll the internet looking for thirty and forty year old guys. Don’t be stupid!

9. Indeed the FBI hired some teenage girls to teach law enforcement how to chat like a teen on the internet in order to entrap people. This operation was called Innocent Images. Yes, your tax dollars at work!

10. Ive [sic] known people to get catalogs in the mail that look fabricated, as if the FBI set them up. These catalogs offer videos of underage girls attending nudists camps. You are invited to order. Don’t be dumb! Its a set up!

In another Stormfront post, Holthoff reviewed a film by porn actress Sasha Grey. And in 2007 Holthoff wrote about lowering the age of consent:

“Didn’t Hitler suggest lowering the age of consent for marriage as a way to combat the hothouse sexual atmosphere that reigns supreme in any Judeo-democracy?”

Although most of the hate groups Holthoff is known to have been a member of are now defunct, he claims to run a Yahoo group called “White Southern National Front.” This member-restricted group, started in 2004, remains active.

Oh, and one other thing. It turns out Holthoff is also a ghost hunter of some sort who claims to have seen apparitions. Click here for his web page if you want him to help you track the paranormal.

SOURCE

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CARTOON OF THE DAY: CLIVEN BUNDY, HERO TO ZERO

CLIVEN BUNDY

 

John Darkow has been a professional cartoonist for over 20 years, spending the last 10 as the staff cartoonist at the Columbia Daily Tribune. He is syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons.

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WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DAY [WIPO]: APRIL 26, 2014

 

WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DAY

Quick Facts

World Intellectual Property Day is annually held on April 26 to increase awareness and understanding of intellectual property worldwide.

Local names

Name Language
World Intellectual Property Day English
Día Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual Spanish
היום הבינלאומי לקניין רוחני Hebrew
اليوم العالمي للملكية الفكرية Arabic
세계 지적 재산의 날 Korean
Welttag des geistigen Eigentums German

World Intellectual Property Day 2014

Saturday, April 26, 2014

World Intellectual Property Day 2015

Sunday, April 26, 2015

World Intellectual Property Day is observed on April 26 each year with a variety of events and activities worldwide. It aims to increase people’s awareness and understanding of intellectual property (IP). World Intellectual Property Day is sometimes referred as World IP Day.

World Intellectual Property Day

World Intellectual Property Day focuses on increasing people’s awareness and understanding of all aspects of intellectual property.

©iStockphoto.com/samdiesel

What do people do?

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) works together with various government agencies, non-government organizations, community groups and individuals to hold different events and activities to promote World Intellectual Property Day each year. Activities and events may include (but are not exclusive to):

  • Stage concerts or other public performances centered around the around the World IP Day theme, with the performers delivering messages which encourage respect for creators and creativity.
  • Essay competitions for young people on themes relating to intellectual property, innovation, piracy, counterfeiting, and other similar issues.
  • Seminars or free lectures in universities to build awareness of intellectual property and its benefits among students, faculty and researchers.
  • Exhibits in museums, art galleries, schools and other educational institutions, with presentations explaining the link between exhibitions, innovation and intellectual property.

Some local intellectual and copyright offices may have an open day on or around April 26 to promote World IP Day. Some educational institutions may choose World IP Day as a time to celebrate the works of a notable inventor, artist, designer, or entrepreneur, and link discussions with the important role of intellectual property.

Public life

World Intellectual Property Day, also known as World IP Day, is an observance held in many places around the world. It is not designated as a special public holiday.

Background

WIPO is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest.

WIPO decided in 2000 to designate an annual World Intellectual Property Day to address the perceived gap between IP as a business/legal concept and its relevance to people’s lives. April 26 was chosen as the date upon which the convention establishing WIPO first entered into force in 1970.

WIPO plays a key role in organizing World IP Day. The activities, events and campaigns that focus on World IP Day seek to increase public understanding of what IP really means, and to demonstrate how the IP system fosters not only music, arts and entertainments, but also all products and technological innovations that help to shape the world.

External link

World IP Day Official Site

World Intellectual Property Day Observances

 

Weekday Date Year Name Holiday type Where it is observed
Thu Apr 26 2001 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 26 2002 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 26 2003 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 26 2004 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 26 2005 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 26 2006 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 26 2007 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 26 2008 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 26 2009 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 26 2010 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 26 2011 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 26 2012 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 26 2013 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 26 2014 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 26 2015 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 26 2016 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 26 2017 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 26 2018 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 26 2019 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 26 2020 World Intellectual Property Day United Nations observance

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WORLD MALARIA DAY [WHO]: APRIL 25, 2014

 

WORLD MALARIA DAY

Quick Facts

World Malaria Day is annually observed on April 25 to promote efforts that provide effective control of malaria worldwide.

Local names

Name Language
World Malaria Day English
Día Mundial de la Malaria Spanish
יום המלאריה הבינלאומי Hebrew
يوم الملاريا العالمي Arabic
세계 말라리아의 날 Korean
Weltmalariatag German

World Malaria Day 2014

Friday, April 25, 2014

World Malaria Day 2015

Saturday, April 25, 2015

World Malaria Day gives people the chance to promote or learn about the efforts made to prevent and reduce Malaria around the world. It is observed on April 25 each year.

United Nations' World Health Day

Good healthcare is important to prevent and treat diseases such as Malaria.

©iStockphoto.com/Günay Mutlu

What do people do?

Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), which is the United Nations’ (UN) directing and coordinating authority for health, actively play a role in promoting and supporting World Malaria Day. The activities and events that take place on or around World Malaria Day are often joint efforts between governments, non-government organizations, communities and individuals. Countries that have been involved in actively participating in World Malaria Day include (but are not exclusive to):

  • Belgium.
  • Denmark.
  • Ethiopia.
  • Cameroon.
  • Germany
  • Mozambique.
  • Switzerland.
  • Uganda.
  • United States.
  • Zambia

Many people, as well as commercial businesses and not-for-profit organizations, will use the day as an opportunity to donate money towards key malaria interventions. Many fundraising events are held to support the prevention, treatment and control of malaria. Some people may also use the observance to write letters or petitions to political leaders, calling for greater support towards protecting and treating people who are at risk of malaria. Many newspapers, websites, and magazines, as well as television and radio stations, may use World Malaria Day as the chance to promote or publicize awareness campaigns about malaria.

Public life

World Malaria Day is a global observance and not a public holiday.

Background

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. About half of the worlds’ population is at risk of malaria, particularly those in lower-income countries. It infects more than 500 million people each year and kills more than one million people, according to WHO. However, Malaria is preventable and curable.

The World Health Assembly instituted World Malaria Day in May 2007. The purpose of the event is to give countries in affected regions the chance to learn from each other’s experiences and support one another’s efforts. World Malaria Day also enables new donors to join in a global partnership against malaria, and for research and academic institutions to reveal scientific advances to the public. The day also gives international partners, companies and foundations a chance to showcase their efforts and reflect on how to scale up what has worked.

External link

WHO Information on World Malaria Day

World Malaria Day Observances

 

Weekday Date Year Name Holiday type Where it is observed
Fri Apr 25 2008 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 25 2009 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 25 2010 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 25 2011 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 25 2012 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 25 2013 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 25 2014 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 25 2015 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 25 2016 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 25 2017 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 25 2018 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 25 2019 World Malaria Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 25 2020 World Malaria Day United Nations observance

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BLACK WOMEN IN AMERICA: MARIE MAYNARD DALY

When many people think of the chemist in the white lab coat, they are bound to picture a White male.

But, there are Black women who have greatly contributed to the science of chemistry.

The world of chemistry affects all of our lives on a daily basis.

In the medicines we take; hair care products, such as shampoos, conditioners, and hair colors; fertilizers for our plants; cleaners for dishes, clothes, floors, and our vehicles; the dyes used in the clothes we wear; even in the preparation and preservation of the foods we eat as we bake a pie or a cake or cook meat and vegetables for dinner.

Many people have given their gifts of insight and knowledge to the field of chemistry. One such lady is Ms. Marie Maynard Daly. Ms. Daly is best known for being the first Black American woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States and the first Black American woman to receive a doctoral degree, which she earned from Columbia University in 1947, for her thesis A Study of the Products Formed by the Action of Pancreatic Amylase on Corn Starch (1947).

She also conducted pioneering research on the effects of hypertension (high blood pressure) and blockage in arteries leading to a better understanding of how heart attacks are caused.

Here is her story.

********************************************************

Marie Maynard Daley, chemist (b. April 16, 1921 – d. October 28, 2003). Marie M. Daly was born on April 16, 1921, in Corona, Queens, New York. She was raised in an education-oriented family, and Ms. Daly quickly received her B.S. and M.S. in biochemistry at Queens College and New York University. After completing her Ph.D. at Columbia—and becoming the first Black American woman to obtain a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States—Ms. Daly taught and conducted research.

Background

The pioneering scientist and future chemist was the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States, and her groundbreaking work helped clarify how the human body works.

Ms. Daly came from a family who believed strongly in the power of education. Her father, Ivan C. Daly, had emigrated from the West Indies as a young man and enrolled at Cornell University to study chemistry. A lack of money blocked his path, however, and he was forced to quit college, instead returning to New York City where he found work as a postal clerk.

Ms. Daly’s mother, Helen, grew up in Washington, D.C., and came from a family of readers. She spent long hours reading to her daughter, and fostered Marie’s love of books—in particular those that centered on science and scientists.

Higher Education

After graduating from Hunter College High School, an all-girls institution in New York City, Ms. Daly attended Queens College in Flushing, New York, choosing to live at home in order to save money.

Ms. Daly graduated with honors in 1942 and, to get around the fact that she didn’t have much money for graduate school, landed work as a lab assistant at her old college as well as a hard-earned fellowship. Both were instrumental in helping her to cover the costs of getting a graduate degree in chemistry from New York University.

Ms. Daly didn’t waste time in completing her studies. She finished her master’s degree in just a year and then, in 1944, enrolled at Columbia University as a doctoral student. Aided by her own ambition and intelligence, Ms. Daly was further helped by timing. World War II was at its peak, and employers were looking for women to fill the jobs left by the scores of men who’d been sent overseas to fight. In addition, Columbia’s chemistry program was being led by Dr. Mary L. Caldwell, a renowned scientist who helped blaze new trails for women in chemistry throughout her career.

Receives Ph.D.

At Columbia, Ms. Daly took to the lab, studying how the body’s chemicals help digest food. She finished her doctorate—unknowingly making history as the first female African American to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States—in 1947. Fascinated by the human body’s complicated inner workings, Ms. Daly landed a grant in 1948 from the American Cancer Society. This was the start of a seven-year research program at the Rockefeller Institute of Medicine, where Ms. Daly examined how proteins are constructed in the body.

 

Marie_Maynard_Daly

Researcher and Activist

In 1955, Ms. Daly returned to Columbia, working closely with Dr. Quentin B. Deming on the causes of heart attacks. Their groundbreaking work, which was later relocated to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York, disclosed the relationship between high cholesterol and clogged arteries. That work opened up a new understanding of how foods and diet can affect the health of the heart and the circulatory system.

In addition to her research work at Einstein, Ms. Daly also taught biochemistry courses. Recognizing the importance of her own career path, Ms. Daly championed efforts to get students of color enrolled in medical schools and graduate science programs. In 1988 she started a scholarship, in honor of her father, for minority students who want to study science at Queens College. Her career milestones include the following: serving as an instructor in Physical Science at Howard University between 1947-48; an Associate at the Columbia University Research Service of the Goldwater Memorial Hospital, from 1955-59; Assistant Professor (1960-1971) and Associate Professor (1971-1986) of Biochemistry and Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, an Investigator for the American Heart Association (1958-63), and elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Ms. Daly retired from Albert Einstein College in 1986. Her many honors included induction into Phi Beta Kappa as well as being tapped as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Ms. Daly, who married Vincent Clark in 1961 and whose full married name was Marie Maynard Daly Clark, died in New York City on October 28, 2003.

SOURCE

RELATED REFERENCES:

1.
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African American Women Chemists by Brown, Jeannette (Nov 16, 2011)

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WORLD BOOK AND COPYRIGHT DAY: APRIL 23, 2014

 

WORLD BOOK AND COPYRIGHT DAY

Quick Facts

World Book and Copyright Day is an occasion to celebrate the contribution of books and authors to our global culture and the connection between copyright and books.

Local names

Name Language
World Book and Copyright Day English
Día Mundial del Libro y del Derecho de Autor Spanish
עולם ספר ויום זכויות יוצרים Hebrew
اليوم العالمي للكتاب Arabic
세계 책과 저작권의 날 Korean
Welttag des Buches und des Urheberrechts German

World Book and Copyright Day 2014

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

World Book and Copyright Day 2015

Thursday, April 23, 2015

April 23 marks the anniversary of the birth or death of a range of well-known writers, including Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Maurice Druon, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Haldor Kiljan Laxness, Manuel Mejía Vallejo, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and William Shakespeare. For this reason, UNESCO’s General Conference chose this date to pay tribute to books, the authors who wrote them, and the copyright laws that protect them.

World Book and Copyright Day

People of all ages take the time to appreciate books and their authors on World Book and Copyright Day.

©iStockphoto.com/ Ekaterina Monakhova

What do people do?

A range of activities to promote reading and the cultural aspects of books are held all over the world. Many of these emphasize international cooperation or friendships between countries. Events include: relay readings of books and plays; the distribution of bookmarks; the announcement of the winners of literary competitions; and actions to promote the understanding of laws on copyright and the protection of authors’ intellectual property.

In some years, the Children’s and Young People’s Literature in the Service of Tolerance is awarded. This is a prize for novels, collections of short stories or picture books that promote tolerance, peace, mutual understanding and respect for other peoples and cultures. There are two categories: one for books aimed at children aged up to 12 years; and one for those aimed at young people aged 13 to 18 years.

Purpose of the day

World Book and Copyright Day is an occasion to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors and to encourage people to discover the pleasure of reading. It is hoped that this will lead to the renewed respect for those who have made irreplaceable contributions to social and cultural progress. In some years, the UNESCO Prize for Children’s and Young People’s Literature in the Service of Tolerance is awarded. It is also hoped that World Book and Copyright Day will increase people’s understanding of and adherence to copyright laws and other measures to protect intellectual copyright.

Background

The year 1995 was named the United Nations Year for Tolerance and UNESCO’s General Conference, held in Paris, concentrated on this theme. The delegates voted to establish an annual occasion to carry the message of tolerance into the future, in the form of a day to celebrate books, authors and the laws that protect them. The date was chosen because April 23 marks the anniversary of the birth or death of a range of internationally renowned writers and because of the Catalan traditions surrounding this day. In Catalonia, a region of Spain, April 23 is known as La Diada de Sant Jordi (St George’s Day) and it is traditional for sweethearts to exchange books and roses. World Book and Copyright Day has been held annually since 1995.

Symbols

Each year a poster is designed and distributed around the world. It features images designed to encourage people, particularly children, to read books and appreciate literature. There is also a logo for World Book and Copyright Day. It features a circle, representing the world, and two books, one of which is open.

External links

United Nations: World Book and Copyright Day

World Book and Copyright Day Observances

 

Weekday Date Year Name Holiday type Where it is observed
Mon Apr 23 1990 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 23 1991 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 23 1992 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 23 1993 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 23 1994 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 23 1995 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 23 1996 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 23 1997 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 23 1998 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 23 1999 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 23 2000 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 23 2001 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 23 2002 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 23 2003 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 23 2004 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 23 2005 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 23 2006 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 23 2007 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 23 2008 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 23 2009 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Fri Apr 23 2010 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 23 2011 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 23 2012 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 23 2013 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 23 2014 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 23 2015 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 23 2016 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 23 2017 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 23 2018 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 23 2019 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 23 2020 World Book and Copyright Day United Nations observance

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAY: APRIL 23, 2014

 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAY

Quick Facts

English Language Day promotes the history, culture and accomplishments of the English language.

Local names

Name Language
English Language Day English
Día del Idioma Inglés Spanish
יום השפה עברית Hebrew
يوم اللغة الانجليزية Arabic
영어의 날 Korean
Welttag der englischen Sprache German

English Language Day 2014

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

English Language Day 2015

Thursday, April 23, 2015

English Language Day is a United Nations (UN) observance that people celebrate on April 23 each year. It coincides withWilliam Shakespeare’s birthday and World Book and Copyright Day.

 

English is one of the most popular languages used worldwide.

©iStockphoto.com/sqback

Celebrate English Language Day

English Language Day aims to entertain and inform people about the history, culture and achievements associated with the language. The day often features book-reading events, English quizzes, poetry and literature exchanges, and other activities that promote the English language.

Public life

English Language Day is a global observance and not a public holiday.

About English Language Day

English is one of the two working languages of the UN Secretariat and one of the organization’s six official languages. English is often referred to as a “world language”, or the lingua franca (bridge language or common language used by speakers of different languages) of the modern era because it is widely spoken. The UN first celebrated English Language Day on April 23, 2010.

Did you know?

For a language that was used by only 3 tribes about 1500 years ago, English has official or special status in at least 75 countries with a total population of over two billion.

English Language Day Observances

 

Weekday Date Year Name Holiday type Where it is observed
Fri Apr 23 2010 English Language Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 23 2011 English Language Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 23 2012 English Language Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 23 2013 English Language Day United Nations observance
Wed Apr 23 2014 English Language Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 23 2015 English Language Day United Nations observance
Sat Apr 23 2016 English Language Day United Nations observance
Sun Apr 23 2017 English Language Day United Nations observance
Mon Apr 23 2018 English Language Day United Nations observance
Tue Apr 23 2019 English Language Day United Nations observance
Thu Apr 23 2020 English Language Day United Nations observance

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INTERNATIONAL MOTHER EARTH DAY: APRIL 22, 2014

 

EARTH DAY

Quick Facts

Earth Day promotes environmental awareness and calls for the protection of our planet.

Local names

Name Language
Earth Day English
Día de la Tierra Spanish
יום כדור הארץ Hebrew
يوم الأرض Arabic
지구의 날 Korean
Tag der Erde German

Earth Day 2014:  Theme: Earth Day 2014-Green Cities

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Earth Day 2015

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Earth Day is a name used for 2 similar global observances. While some people celebrate Earth Day around the time of the March Equinox, others observe the occasion on April 22 each year.

Earth Day aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth’s environment. It’s not to be confused with Earth Hour

 

Earth Day

People unite on Earth Day to appreciate and respect earth’s environment.

©iStockphoto.com/webphotographeer

What do people do

The April 22 Earth Day is usually celebrated with outdoor performances, where individuals or groups perform acts of service to earth. Typical ways of observing Earth Day include planting trees, picking up roadside trash, conducting various programs for recycling and conservation, using recyclable containers for snacks and lunches. Some people are encouraged to sign petitions to governments, calling for stronger or immediate action to stop global warming and to reverse environmental destruction.  Television stations frequently air programs dealing with environmental issues.

Public Life

Earth Day is not a public holiday and public life, with regard to transport schedules and opening hours for schools and businesses, is not affected.

Background

The April 22 Earth Day, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, was first organized in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the planet as well as to encourage awareness of the growing problems of air, water and soil pollution.

Some people prefer to observe Earth Day around the time of the March equinox. In 1978, American anthropologist Margaret Mead added her support for the equinox Earth Day, founded by John McConnell. She stated that the selection of the March Equinox for Earth Day made planetary observance of a shared event possible.

Symbols

Symbols used by people to describe Earth Day include: an image or drawing of planet earth; a tree, a flower or leaves depicting growth; or the recycling symbol. Colors used for Earth Day include natural colors such as green, brown or blue.

The “Earth Flag”, which was designed by John McConnell, has been described as a “flag for all people”. It features a two-sided dye printed image of the Earth from space on a dark blue field, made from recyclable, weather-resistant polyester. Margaret Mead believed that a flag that showed the earth as seen from space was appropriate.

Earth Day Observances

 

Weekday Date Year Name Holiday type Where it is observed
Sun Apr 22 1990 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Mon Apr 22 1991 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Wed Apr 22 1992 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Thu Apr 22 1993 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Fri Apr 22 1994 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sat Apr 22 1995 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Mon Apr 22 1996 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Tue Apr 22 1997 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Wed Apr 22 1998 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Thu Apr 22 1999 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sat Apr 22 2000 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sun Apr 22 2001 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Mon Apr 22 2002 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Tue Apr 22 2003 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Thu Apr 22 2004 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Fri Apr 22 2005 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sat Apr 22 2006 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sun Apr 22 2007 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Tue Apr 22 2008 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Wed Apr 22 2009 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Thu Apr 22 2010 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Fri Apr 22 2011 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sun Apr 22 2012 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Mon Apr 22 2013 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Tue Apr 22 2014 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Wed Apr 22 2015 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Fri Apr 22 2016 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sat Apr 22 2017 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Sun Apr 22 2018 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Mon Apr 22 2019 Earth Day Worldwide observance
Wed Apr 22 2020 Earth Day Worldwide observance

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HAPPY EARTH DAY! APRIL 22, 2014

She is all we have.

She has given us so much, and has had so much taken from her and done to her.

She is our Big Blue Marble.

Let us all be thankful for this world we have and honor Earth — our home in the wide and ever-expanding universe.

 

 

Earth_Eastern_Hemisphere

A photomosaic of Earth, taken by NASA.  SOURCE

 

800px-EilatFringingReef

Coral reef and beach.  SOURCE: Photograph taken 7/2/2007, by Mark A. Wilson (Department of Geology, The College of Wooster.

 

800px-Pingualuit_aerial_2007

Ancient ice-free Pingualuit  impact crater, now filled with water, marks Earth’s surface. Location: Ungava Peninsula.  SOURCE

 

800px-ISS034E016601_-_Stratocumulus_Clouds_-_Pacific_Ocean

Stratocumulus clouds above the northwestern Pacific Ocean, about 460 miles east of northern Honshu, Japan.  SOURCE

 

SUNRISE ON EARTH

Sunrise on Earth. The first photograph taken by humans of Earthrise during Apollo 8.   SOURCE

 

800px-Earth-Moon_system_as_seen_from_Saturn_(PIA17171)

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft photographs the Earth and Moon (visible bottom-right) from Saturn (July 19, 2013).

SOURCE TEXT:

“In this rare image taken on July 19, 2013, the wide-angle camera on NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has captured Saturn’s rings and our planet Earth and its moon in the same frame. It is only one footprint in a mosaic of 33 footprints covering the entire Saturn ring system (including Saturn itself). At each footprint, images were taken in different spectral filters for a total of 323 images: some were taken for scientific purposes and some to produce a natural color mosaic. This is the only wide-angle footprint that has the Earth-moon system in it.

The dark side of Saturn, its bright limb, the main rings, the F ring, and the G and E rings are clearly seen; the limb of Saturn and the F ring are overexposed. The “breaks” in the brightness of Saturn’s limb are due to the shadows of the rings on the globe of Saturn, preventing sunlight from shining through the atmosphere in those regions. The E and G rings have been brightened for better visibility.

Earth, which is 898 million miles (1.44 billion kilometers) away in this image, appears as a blue dot at center right; the moon can be seen as a fainter protrusion off its right side. An arrow indicates their location in the annotated version. (The two are clearly seen as separate objects in the accompanying narrow angle frame: PIA14949.) The other bright dots nearby are stars.

This is only the third time ever that Earth has been imaged from the outer solar system. The acquisition of this image, along with the accompanying composite narrow- and wide-angle image of Earth and the moon and the full mosaic from which both are taken, marked the first time that inhabitants of Earth knew in advance that their planet was being imaged. That opportunity allowed people around the world to join together in social events to celebrate the occasion.

This view looks toward the unilluminated side of the rings from about 20 degrees below the ring plane.

Images taken using red, green and blue spectral filters were combined to create this natural color view. The images were obtained with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on July 19, 2013 at a distance of approximately 753,000 miles (1.212 million kilometers) from Saturn, and approximately 898.414 million miles (1.445858 billion kilometers) from Earth. Image scale on Saturn is 43 miles (69 kilometers) per pixel; image scale on the Earth is 53,820 miles (86,620 kilometers) per pixel. The illuminated areas of neither Earth nor the Moon are resolved here. Consequently, the size of each “dot” is the same size that a point of light of comparable brightness would have in the wide-angle camera.”

SOURCE

 

 

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