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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's September 23rd, International Sign Language Day. The United Nations instituted this event in 2018 to commemorate the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)’s founding in 1951. The objective is to raise awareness of sign languages and deaf culture and to promote the acceptance of sign languages as deaf people’s basic human rights. The event has grown into a global movement to resolve the many issues deaf people face in their everyday lives and is celebrated through various activities by respective Deaf Communities worldwide.

These activities call for participation and involvement of various stakeholders including families, peers, governmental bodies, professional sign language interpreters, Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs), and concerned people all over the globe. All of us are invited to unite in endorsement of the need to secure and promote the human rights of deaf people. Please affirm your support for full human rights for all deaf people by signing the WFD Charter on Sign Language Rights for All at https://wfdeaf.org/charter.

Sign languages are visual languages that transmit messages. The 72 million deaf people on our planet use over 300 distinct natural sign languages, although there is also an international sign language that deaf people use when mingling, traveling, and attending international meetings. The international sign language is considered to be a pidgin form because it isn't as complex as the natural sign languages and has a limited lexicon.

Sign languages have been used by deaf people throughout history. Plato’s “Cratylus,” published in the 15th century BCE, has one of the oldest recorded accounts of sign language. Socrates also commented on the utility of sign languages: “If we didn’t have a voice or a tongue and wanted to communicate with one another, wouldn’t we try to make signals by moving our hands, heads, and the rest of our bodies?” Naturally. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's September 2nd. 🎂 On this day in 1966, in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, Hollywood movie star Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez was born. Of course, we know her as Salma Hayek. "Salma" is Arabic for "peace" or "calm." Her father is of Lebanese descent and her mother is of Mexican/Spanish ancestry. At the age of 12, Hayek attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, Louisiana, but was soon sent back home after getting in trouble for frequently terrorizing the nuns. What a naughty girl! After attending Mexico City's Universidad Iberoamericana, Hayek began pursuing an acting career. She played the title role in Teresa (1989), a hugely successful Mexican telenovela. Then it was on to Hollywood, where she achieved superstar status in movies such as Desperado (1995), Wild Wild West (1999) and Frida (2002), which was her pet project and earned her a Best Actress Academy Award nomination. Hayak recently announced that she'll star as Ajak, the wise and spiritual leader of the "Eternals" in the Marvel super-hero film of the same name, to be released on November 5th, 2021. While Hayek is adored worldwide as a glamorous movie star, she isn't just a pretty face – she's fluent in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. ☮️ Salma… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's November 9th, 🌌 Carl Sagan Day! On this day in 1934, the brilliant Carl Edward Sagan was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA. A trip with his parents to the 1939 New York World's Fair sparked Carl's lifelong interest in science. He was fascinated by scientific exhibits that turned a flashlight beam into a crackling sound and the sound of a tuning fork into a wave on an oscilloscope. He was also enthralled by an exhibit featuring the technology that would replace radio – television. The future held wonders!

Carl never lost his childhood passion for science. After he graduated from the University of Chicago with BA, BS, MS, and PhD degrees, he had a distinguished career as a professor at first Harvard and then Cornell. But that was just the foundation of his illustrious career.

He went on to become America's pre-eminent astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, and – the role he is most famous for – science communicator. It seemed at the time that his crowning achievement was the 1980 blockbuster PBS documentary series "Cosmos," which he wrote, produced, narrated, and starred in.

But Carl went on to do so much more. He wrote popular books such as "Pale Blue Dot," "The Demon-Haunted World," and "Contact" (which Hollywood turned into a movie starring Jodie Foster). He helped send the first physical Earth messages into outer space – the Pioneer Plaque and the Voyager Golder Record. He convinced NASA to turn Voyager's camera back toward Earth to take a picture of us from six billion kilometers away before the space probe left the solar system. This resulted in the famous "Pale Blue Dot" image.

Carl Sagan died of pneumonia much too young at the age of 62 on December 20, 1996. The world misses you immensely, Carl. ☮️ R.I.P… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's January 1st, ⛓️ Haitian Independence Day. France had ruled the colony of Saint-Domingue as part of its worldwide empire since 1659. However, in 1791, a group of enslaved Africans, inspired by the American and French Revolutions, began an epic struggle for freedom that culminated in victory and a declaration of independence on this day in 1804. The declaration proclaimed that the new republic would forever after be known by the same name it was known as before the Europeans had arrived – "Haiti," which means "High Land" in the Native American Taino language.

The Haitian Revolution is Haiti's defining moment. It was the largest slave uprising since Spartacus' unsuccessful revolt against the Romans in 72 BCE. Haiti's victory came as a total surprise and shock to the rest of the world and inspired countless other slave revolts throughout the Western Hemisphere. It also paved the way for the termination of the transatlantic slave trade. This victory was also the final nail in the coffin of Napoleon Bonaparte’s ambitions for a New World French Empire. He’d sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States the previous year in part to pay for the defeat of the revolt in Saint-Domingue. That was not to be. Haiti became the first independent state in Latin America and the first in the New World to be led by a person of color.

The victory over France put an end to Haiti's military fight for freedom, but not its political fight. The US and most European nations, including France, didn't immediately recognize Haiti's independence. France didn't officially do so until 1825. The US didn't do so until 1862. That doesn’t matter, though. All that matters is Haiti. The Haitians recognized their own independence on this day in 1804 and have continued to do so every day since. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's November 5th, 🌏 World Numbat Day – a special day to honor, celebrate, and take action to conserve one of the most unique mammals on a continent full of unique mammals – Australia, of course! I bet if you aren't from Australia, you've never heard of the Numbat before, have you? Well, let me enlighten you a tiny little bit here, and maybe if we’re lucky, some more Numbat enthusiasts will enlighten us even more.

The Numbat is a very cute little endangered marsupial about the size of its more well-known cousin, the opossum. It has a long, sticky tongue perfectly evolved for devouring termites, which it feeds on exclusively – about 20,000 a day. The Numbat is under threat mainly from habitat loss and introduced predators like foxes and feral cats. With an estimated population of fewer than 1,000 animals, the Numbat desperately needs our help to ensure its survival as a species.

The Perth Zoo operates the only captive Numbat breeding program in the world. Every year, they release juveniles back into the wild into areas managed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife to boost the wild population. Everybody living in Australia can contribute directly to the Numbat conservation effort by practicing responsible pet ownership (especially cats) and by never removing hollow logs from the bush (Numbats' preferred homes). It would be such a shame to lose these adorable creatures, wouldn’t it? ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's November 18th, 🎇 Latvia’s Independence Day, also known as Proclamation Day in the Republic of Latvia. On this day in 1918, the Latvian people defiantly declared their independence from Russia, who had forcefully moved in and occupied the country when World War I ended a week earlier (November 11th, 1918). The Latvian patriots fought the Russians for several more months before finally kicking the occupiers out, but the country still celebrates this day as its most important national holiday (analogous to the USA’s 4th of July celebration of the signing of its Declaration of Independence).

Latvia’s independence only lasted until World War II, though. In 1940, Russia, in the guise of its new empire, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) or Soviet Union, invaded and took control of the country. A year later Nazi Germany wrestled control from the Soviets, and held Latvia captive until 1944, when the Soviet Red Army took the country back and held it all the way through the Cold War period.

On May 4th, 1990, the Latvian Legislature once again passed a Declaration of Independence. The Latvian people had been relentlessly trying to restore their independence ever since Mikhail Gorbachev began liberalizing his Soviet regime in the late 1980s. Latvia finally attained full independence from the Soviet Union on August 21, 1991. However, with the despotic Vladimir Putin now trying to reestablish a Russian empire, nothing is guaranteed. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 11 months

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🐼 Every day should be Endangered Species Day. Please help protect our planet’s endangered species and their habitats. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

#Endangered Species Day #Endangered Species #Jamiese #Pixoplanet #Nature

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's October 3rd, 🏰 German Unity Day. On this day in 1990, leaders of the former East and West Germanies signed the Treaty of Unification, making Germany’s unification official. In Berlin, this event's celebration has expanded to a three-day festival around the Brandenburg Gate and at the Reichstag around Platz der Republik.

After the end of World War II in 1945, the Soviet Union occupied eastern Germany, and the Western Allies occupied the western half. A divided Germany, and especially a divided Berlin, came to be looked upon as one of the most enduring and ominous symbols of the Cold War.

Berlin was the location of some of the Cold War's most dramatic episodes. The Soviets blocked all ground travel into West Berlin during the Berlin Blockade from June 1948 to May 1949 and constructed the Berlin Wall in 1961. As the Soviet Union's power gradually waned in the late ‘80s, the Communist Party in East Germany began to lose its grip on power. Tens of thousands of East Germans began to flee the nation.

On September 4th, 1989, East Germans protested peacefully against their government in Leipzig. More demonstrations in other East German cities followed. Then on November 3rd, 1989, crowds of East German citizens joined protesters in forcing open the Berlin checkpoints between the two Germanies and toppled the Berlin Wall. Democratic elections then paved the way for eventual unification on this day, October 3rd, 1990. "Ich bin ein Berliner!" ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's September 5th. On this day in 1958, Boris Pasternak’s historical novel "Doctor Zhivago" was published in America. The book was set during the tumultuous period of the Russian Revolution and World War I. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev argued that it romanticized the pre-Revolution Russian upper class and degraded the peasants and workers who fought against the czarist regime. He banned the book in the Soviet Union, but it became an instant classic throughout the rest of the world and won Pasternak the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Pasternak experienced very little of the fame and glory that ordinarily accompanies a Nobel Prize, however. Khrushchev refused to let Pasternak accept his award and expelled him from the Soviet Writers Union to boot, effectively ending his writing career. Pasternak died two years later. "Doctor Zhivago," on the other hand, refused to die. In 1965, influential British director David Lean made the best seller into a blockbuster Hollywood movie starring Egyptian actor Omar Sharif in the title role. In 1987, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev righted Khrushchev's wrongs. He posthumously readmitted Pasternak into the Writer's Union and allowed his book to be published in his homeland. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's October 12th, 💻 Ada Lovelace Day. Ms. Suw Charman-Anderson founded this event in 2009 to celebrate the life and achievements of respected English mathematician Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, commonly referred to as Ada Lovelace.

During her lifetime, Ms. Lovelace rubbed shoulders with many of her era's most well-known scientists, including Michael Faraday and Charles Babbage. It's her work with Babbage on his proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine, that Ms. Lovelace is most famous for. She recognized that the machine had capabilities well beyond simple calculation and published the first algorithm designed to be run by such a machine. As a result, she's generally regarded to have been the world's first computer programmer.

Ada Lovelace Day has grown from a London Science Cabaret in 2009 to become an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The event's goal is to increase the profiles of women in STEM and created new role models who will encourage even more girls to embark upon STEM careers. Ada Lovelace is a perfect role model to emulate. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's September 18th, International Red Panda Day. On this day in 2010, the Red Panda Network commemorated this special day to spread awareness and encourage support for this endangered species. Since then, the need to protect the Red Panda has only increased due to climate change. These beautiful creatures reside in the Eastern Himalayas within the nations of China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan. Although Red Pandas are legally protected against poaching, deforestation, habitat destruction, fur trafficking and the illegal pet trade, law enforcement and conservation awareness are both weak in most areas.

Are Red Pandas really pandas? No, Red pandas aren't related to the much larger, more familiar black and white pandas at all, and despite their appearance, aren't related to racoons, either. In fact, they're not related to any other species alive on the planet today. Red pandas are about the size of a housecat and weigh between 12 and 20 pounds. These adorable mammals are enormously popular throughout Asia, where they're often featured in cartoons and as team mascots. However, only about 10,000 Red Pandas remain in the wild today. Please help the Red Panda Network, World Wildlife Fund, National Geographic, Australia Zoo, and others spread awareness and encourage support. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's December 13th, 🐴 National Day of the Horse in America. In 2004, Congress commemorated this special day to remind Americans of the incredible contribution these majestic creatures have made to the nation's history, character, and economy.

While National Day of the Horse may be new to this millennium, horses themselves have been intrinsic to the lives of Americans for over 500 years. The original species evolved in North America, but went extinct here between 11,000 and 13,000 years ago. They were reintroduced here by Spanish conquistadors in the late 1400s, and they’ve since flourished in the great plains and mountains of the west, where wild herds still roam to this day.

Horses continue to contribute to the advancement of American society by pouring roughly $9.2 billion yearly into the US economy. In many rugged and rural areas, horses are still necessary to plow fields, herd livestock, and transport food and supplies into rural areas. They also entertain us in rodeos and provide comforting, equine therapy. Horses have definitely woven themselves into the fabric of American life. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's October 27th. 🧸 On this day in 1858, the future 26th President of the United States, Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, was born in Manhattan, New York City. He was a curious and bright child who was fascinated by zoology and rigorously engaged in a variety of physical activities, including camping and boxing. He excelled academically in school and graduated from Harvard in 1980.

Teddy began his political career by serving in the New York State Assembly from 1882 to 1884. His keen interest in the military led him to join the fight in the Spanish-American War. He became Lieutenant Colonel of the Rough Rider Regiment, and contributed greatly during the Battle of San Juan Hill. Now known as a national war hero, he was elected as Governor of New York in 1898. In March, 1901, Teddy became Vice President of the United States. In September of that year, with the assassination of President McKinley, Teddy became President. At only 43, he was the youngest man to serve in that position. In 1904, he was elected to serve as President once again.

During his presidency, Teddy had numerous achievements and successes. He mediated the Russo-Japanese War, which won him the Nobel Prize. He put the monopolizing power of large corporations and trusts into check, making him known as the "trust-buster." He began construction of the Panama Canal, which was completed five years after he left office. He extended federal protection to natural resources of land and wildlife, added enormous areas of national forests, reserved lands for public use, and promoted extensive irrigation projects in the agricultural sector.

Theodore Roosevelt is remembered today not only as a remarkable politician, but as a militant, a writer, an explorer, and an all-around colorful figure in general. He is celebrated for his accomplishments in installing modern welfare programs, and undertaking environmental conservation measures, as well as his dedication to anti-trust reform. He is also admired for his commitment to active diplomacy and military action. Teddy is included in the famous Mount Rushmore Memorial in South Dakota's Black Hills, along with Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's September 1st. On this day in 1979, NASA's Pioneer 11 became the first satellite to visit 🪐 Saturn up close as it approached to within 21,000 kilometers of the planet's cloud tops. Instruments sent back a treasure trove of scientific data concerning the magnetic fields, atmospheres, and surfaces of the planet and some of its moons, along with data on interplanetary dust particles, cosmic rays, and solar wind properties. And of course Pioneer 11 sent back many awe-inspiring images. Science operations and daily telemetry ceased on 30 September 1995 when the spacecraft used up the last of its power.

Since Pioneer 11's rendezvous with Saturn, three other satellites have made the trip. NASA's twin Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft performed flybys in 1980 and 1981. The international Cassini mission arrived in orbit in 2004 and stayed for 13 years before spectacularly plunging into the planet in September 2017. Cassini also carried the European Space Agency's Huygens Probe, which landed on Saturn's moon Titan in 2005.

Meanwhile, unless it's collided with another celestial object, Pioneer 11 is still trekking its way out of the Solar System. If aliens capture it, they'll find a plaque depicting a man, a woman, and the location of the sun and earth in the galaxy. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

#Pixoplanet #Jamiese #NASA #Pioneer #Saturn #Voyager #Cassini #ESA #Huygens #Titan #solarsystem #MilkyWay #cosmos #universe #spaceexploration

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's December 27th, 🐼 National Visit the Zoo Day in the United States! The earliest type of zoo, the menagerie, dates as far back as 1500 BCE in Ancient Egypt. Egyptian Pharaohs and famous kings such as Alexander the Great, Solomon, Nebuchadnezzar, and Moctezuma also kept menageries. Menagerie ruins have also been found in China and throughout the ancient Roman Empire.

The first modern zoo was built in 1793 in Paris. Soon other cities all over the world followed. By the 19th century, science and geography had joined religion as central pillars of society. People naturally desire to see exotic animals from all over the globe and study their anatomy and behavior. These early modern zoos were like museums of living animals kept in small display areas.

Today's 2,800 zoos and zoological parks across the planet attempt to function as natural habitats for the species they house. They educate and entertain six million people each year, while also furthering scientific research and the conservation of species and their habitats.

Zoos are necessary because they educate the community, provide an understanding of the interdependence of animals and their habitats, and conduct conservation programs of animals in the wild, including breeding programs designed to reintroduce endangered species back into their natural environments. Enjoy your visit today and every day! ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's December 8th, 🎙️📺🎥 Mister Show Business Day! On this day in 1925, the world's greatest entertainer, Sammy Davis Jr., was born in the Bronx, New York City. He spent most of his life in show business, excelling as a singer, dancer, comedian, actor, and musician. He starred in Hollywood, in Las Vegas, and on Broadway; on radio, on TV, and in the movies. He did it all – and against all odds.

As a Black Man, he had to fight discrimination and racism almost his entire life. As a child, his father and uncle protected him while they traveled and performed together as the Will Mastin Trio, but nobody could protect him when he was drafted into the Army. Being a slight man, he was often beaten up by bigger white soldiers and given the worst assignments by white officers. What saved him was his talent. He learned to disarm his aggressors by doing impersonations of Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, and Edward G. Robinson.

Even after Sammy became a full-fledged star in the 1950s, he was often not allowed to stay in the same hotel he was performing in – that is, until he and his larger-than-life personality joined the notorious Rat Pack with fellow-entertainer Frank Sinatra. Frank made sure that Sammy had no problem staying anywhere he wanted and going anywhere he wanted in Las Vegas until Sammy's stardom grew to superstar status. Then Vegas, New York, and LA threw their doors open to him on their own.

Sadly, cancer took Sammy from us on May 16th, 1990. Luckily for all of us, though, his amazing talents were recorded. We'll be able to watch and listen to him and enjoy him to our hearts' content. You always thought you'd live forever, Sammy, and you will. ☮️ R.I.P.… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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