Today is...

[IceWizard]

21 Mar 2017



World Down Syndrome Day



All of us have come into contact with those with Down Syndrome at one time or other. Usually free-spirited and happy, and often surrounded by adoring animal friends, people with Down Syndrome seem to be able to enjoy the little things in life the way that many of us can’t—and in many ways, they do.

However, they also face countless challenges on an every day basis, and many simple things the rest of us take for granted can prove extremely difficult for them, despite their admirably positive attitude to life. That’s why we should all take some time this World Down Syndrome Day to learn a bit more about this disorder and how we can help those who have it live better lives.

The History of World Down Syndrome Day

Down syndrome has been observed in all races for thousands of years. Sadly, many infants with disabilities were either killed or abandoned in ancient times. However, quite a few historical pieces of art are believed to portray people an even angels with Down syndrome, including South American pottery dating back the 5th century AD as well as some Renaissance paintings.

Down syndrome was first characterized as a separate form of mental disability in 1862 by English physician John Langdon Down. It was almost a hundred years later, however, that its cause, the triplication of the 21st chromosome, was discovered by Jérôme Lejeune. In the 19th and 20th centuries, many individuals with Down syndrome were institutionalized, few of the associated medical problems were treated, and most died in infancy or early adult life.

The eugenics movement, which is usually thought to have been exclusive to Nazi Germany but which was in fact active in many different parts of the world, began programs of forced sterilization of individuals with Down syndrome and comparable degrees of disability in the first half of the 20th century. After the Second World War, many advocacy groups for Down syndrome formed and began fighting for the inclusion of people with Down syndrome into the general school system and for a greater understanding of the condition among the general population, as well as groups providing support for families with children with Down syndrome.

The first World Down Syndrome Day was held on March 21st 2006. The day and month of the day were not coincidental, but were chosen specifically to correspond with 21 and trisomy.



And





International Day of Forests



Trees—they produce the vast majority of the oxygen we need to survive, they provide us with much-needed shade on hot days, and they’re just plain beautiful. For all of those reasons and many more, protecting the trees on our planet should be a real priority for all of us and thankfully, recently, it has.

Of course, with millions of hectares of forests being chopped down every year, we still have a long way to go, but we are making progress, and the International Day of Forests is proof of that.

The History of International Day of Forests

The International Day of Forests was established on March 21st, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012. Since then, each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations.

The state of our forests is important to us all here on earth for many reasons – 80% of all terrestrial biodiversity lives in forests, and each year many species go extinct as a result of them being destroyed. Of course, forests also play a critical role in climate change deforestation results in 12-18 percent of the world’s carbon emissions and accelerated global warming.

Forests also provide food, fiber, water and and even medicines for approximately 1.6 billion of the world’s population, especially the poorest people.




And




Memory Day



Uh…what day is it again? Oh yes, that’s right – Memory Day! Celebrate the amazing gift of your memory – before you forget and the day is over!

Why not try one of those on-line brain games to test your memory skills? Or devise your own test at work – cover your eyes and try to remember all the items on your colleague’s desk? Or what about trying to remember the lines from your favorite TV show’s theme song from back when you were a child?

On a more serious note, we all know how devastating Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are to both its sufferers and their loved ones. Why not mark this day in a meaningful way by supporting one of the great charities that help in these areas? Or go visit someone you know who is affected. They may not remember it, but you will – and your world will be a little better for it.

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March 21 Birthdays




Gary Oldman - 59




Rosie O'Donnell - 55




Matthew Broderick - 55




Roger Hodgson - 67








March 21st

2005: MTV aired the final episode of The Osbournes. Dr. Phil McGraw visited the family where he held a frank discussion about drug abuse & other issues.

1994: Bruce Springsteen won the Best Music, Original Song Oscar at the 66th Academy Awards for “Streets of Philadelphia”.

1992: Johnny & Edgar Winter performed together for the first time in 15 years at the Sting club in New Britain, CT.

1991: Leo Fender, the inventor of the Stratocaster & Telecaster guitars died from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 81 years old.

1987: ZZ Top played the final date of their fourteen month tour in support of Afterburner at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, HI.

1983: Pink Floyd released The Final Cut, which was their final album with bassist & singer Roger Waters.

1981: John Lennon peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart posthumously with “Woman” which was Lennon’s sixth top ten single in the U.S.

1976: David Bowie & Iggy Pop were arrested in their hotel room in Rochester, NY for suspected marijuana possession. The charges were later dropped.

1970: Santana peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Evil Ways” which was their first top ten single in the U.S.



Birthdays:

Roger Hodgson - Guitarist & Singer for Supertramp born in 1950