December 24, 2015

On Chess: Your Move Chess program stimulates minds of youth

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/chess-your-move-chess-program-stimulates-minds-youth

The intense concentration of Erica, a fifth-grader at Walnut Grove Elementary School in Ferguson, was apparent as she played chess against one of the best in the world. This fall, chess grandmasters visited Walnut Grove and Vogt elementary schools, which as part of the Ferguson-Florissant School District are benefiting from the Your Move Chess program.

Your Move Chess – a partnership between Ascension, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, and the Ferguson-Florissant School District – has brought after-school chess clubs to district students. The goal is to help them develop critical thinking skills, build confidence, and cultivate tools that can be valuable in all aspects of life.

The mission of Ascension, the largest Catholic and non-profit health system in the country, is to provide compassionate, personalized care to all, especially those in underserved communities. Some have posed the question, “Why chess?” The answer goes beyond the chess board and pieces.

Based in St. Louis, Ascension has more than 1,900 sites of care in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Ascension has learned that community health and wellness is supported not only inside the walls of a hospital, doctor’s office or other care site, but also through programs such as Your Move Chess, a program that stimulates the minds of youth and provides a fun, safe environment to learn outside of the regular classroom.

December 24, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 24

National Egg Nog Day Eggnog (or egg nog) is a sweet, dairy drink with cream, milk and often rum, brandy or whisky. Eggnog is popular in the US and Canada, though less so in Europe and the rest of the world. Eggnog Day falls on Christmas Eve and encourages you to make your own to celebrate the festive period! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/egg-nog-day/

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve occurs annually on December 24th. The anticipation of Christmas is often cause for celebration. Stockings are hung. Last minute gifts are wrapped. Dishes are prepared for the big day. Cookies are left for Santa. Churches open their doors for solemn services.

It is also the day Father Christmas, Sinterklass, Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus take off on their journey delivering gifts around the world.http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/latest-posts/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/december24.html

December 23, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 23

National Pfeffernuesse Day Very popular around the holidays, pfeffernusse are fluffy cookies made with ground nuts and spices and covered in powdered sugar. http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/latest-posts/

Festivus Festivus encourages the celebration of the festive season without the commercial overtones typically associated with Christmas. Celebrate by getting a plain aluminium pole in place of a traditional Christmas Tree, and labelling common and perfectly normal events as ‘Festivus miracles’. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/festivus/

Roots Day Many people are uninterested in where their ancestors came from…until they start researching the topic deeper. And then suddenly it turns out that their family history was a long and fascinating one, and they become obsessed with finding out everything possible about where their forefather come from that they talk the ear off of anyone even remotely interested. Maybe they were related to a famous person who made a significant discovery or took part in an important battle or other historical event? People have been migrating to all different parts of the world for hundreds of years in search of a better place to live, worship and raise their families, motivated by everything from religious prosecution to hunger and poverty in their own countries, to taking part in great wars that made our world what it is today, so it stands to reason that everyone would find something interesting about their own family history. Your parents, grandparents, etc. and their decisions are what made you who you are today, and had they made different decisions than they did, then it would not have only been their lives that would have ended up affected. Many times questions that have plagued us our entire lives can be answered with some solid family history research, and even spending just a few hours might reveal some valuable information. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/roots-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/december23.html

December 22, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 22

Winter Solstice The winter solstice is marked by the point at which the North Pole is at its farthest from the sun during its yearly orbit around the sun. It will be approximately 23 degrees away from the sun. Despite the temperature outside, the winter solstice is considered the astronomical beginning of winter. Meteorological winter begins December 1 and lasts until the end of February and is marked by the coldest average temperatures during the year. http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/latest-posts/

National Date Nut
 Bread Day It’s worth laying on a spread to celebrate Date Nut Bread Day – but the question is whether to choose butter or cream cheese! Nobody seems to know for sure who decided that this delicious fruity bread should get its own day, despite evidence that the holiday has been celebrated for years. Published recipes for the bread “date” back to the 1920s, but fruited breads were also known in earlier centuries and many different parts of the world. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/date-nut-bread-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/december22.html

December 21, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 21

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/december21.html

Crossword Puzzle Day Sharpen your pencils and your minds, all in one go, on this glorious Crossword Puzzle Day! These amazing word twisters allow you to expand your vocabulary and problem solving skills all in one go. There’s nothing like a crossword to start the day with your morning coffee, something to get the old gears going before you head into work for another grueling day. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/crossword-puzzle-day/

Humbug Day For many people, Christmas can be an incredibly stressful time of year. Coping with the pressures of shopping for gifts and planning events and parties whilst embracing the holiday spirit can be a lot to ask! Humbug Day encourages a controlled venting of all that stress before Christmas so that you can enjoy the festive season to the fullest. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/humbug-day/

International Dalek Remembrance Day Doctor Who fans may not be surprised to discover that those forceful characters the Daleks appear to be the only one of the Doctor’s enemies to have been given their own celebratory day. Dalek Day is held on 21st December each year. This date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the Daleks because they made their first TV appearance in Doctor Who on 21st December 1963. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-dalek-remembrance-day/

Short Story Day Do you love literature? Do you feel you have an inner creative streak you’ve never yet acted on? Do you have a brilliant idea that you’re afraid isn’t long enough to make into an entire book, but that you really just want to finally write down? If so, Short Story Day could be your chance to discover a new passion and create something you can be proud of. You don’t have to have written anything before to start writing now. After all, everyone has to start somewhere. All you need to become a writer is a pen and paper, or a computer, or a typewriter, if you will―the rest is entirely up to you. So if you have a story in you that’s waiting to be told, don’t wait and celebrate Short Story Day today! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/short-story-day/

December 20, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 20

National Sangria Day What could be better than a day dedicated to wine? Sangria Day is the perfect excuse to meet with friends and sample the delicious, fruity drink that is one of Spain’s claims to fame in the area of the culinary arts. Make sure your December 20th really packs a punch! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/sangria-day/

International Human Solidarity Day By resolution 57/265 the General Assembly, on 20 December 2002, established the World Solidarity Fund, which was set up in February 2003 as a trust fund of the United Nations Development Programme. Its objective is to eradicate poverty and promote human and social development in developing countries, in particular among the poorest segments of their populations. http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/international-human-solidarity-december-20/

Games Day What kind if games do you most enjoy, board games, card games, or maybe video games? Whatever game is you favorite, this is the day to play it and have some fun for a change! After all, what better a break could you take from the stresses of everyday life than to partake in Games Day? As generation upon would generation of people the world over would agree, playing games is a great way to just kick back, relax and have some fun with your family of friends. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/games-day/

Go Caroling Day Any fan of old classic movies knows that carolers were one of the hallmarks of any Christmas themed movie. Whether it was “It’s a wonderful Life” or Charles Dickens “Christmas Carol”, you could be certain at some point some warmly bedecked singers would arrive at someone’s door belting out the traditional songs for Christmas. While Caroling is slowly falling out of style, there’s still time to preserve this time honored tradition, and Go Caroling Day is your call to arms. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/go-caroling-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/december20.html

December 19, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 19

Look for an Evergreen Day Every year one thing remains the same around the holidays, people everywhere have to decide at what point before the big day they’re going to go out and hunt down a Christmas tree· Look for an Evergreen Day is about the last opportunity you have if you haven’t already gotten yours to ensure you have a tree for the Holidays· Even if you’ve already got your tree for this year, this is a great opportunity to go out and familiarize yourself with the other types of Evergreens in your neighborhood, and discover that these regal giants are around you all year round. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/look-for-an-evergreen-day/

National Hard
 Candy Day Most hard candies are 100% sugar with flavoring and colors added. To achieve a hard candy, confectioners boil a sugar syrup to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the temperature is reached, the hot pliable sugar is poured into molds or rolled and folded into shapes and left to cool. Once cool, the solid sugar becomes hardened and brittle. http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/latest-posts/

National Oatmeal Muffin Day Known for it’s healthful benefits, millions of people start each day with an Oatmeal Muffin.
http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/latest-posts/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/december19.html

December 18, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 18

Arabic Language Day With an estimated 390 million speakers, Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations, as well as the liturgical language of 1.6 billion Muslims. Being one of the only modern languages to be written and read in a right-to-left form, Arabic is a fascinating language with a long history. For all of these reasons and many more, we can all agree that Arabic is more than deserving of its very own day. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/arabic-language-day/

International Migrants Day Decidedly not the most popular celebration in an election year, International Migrants Day is a day of global solidarity with migrants. In fact, if you stumbled across somebody celebrating International Migrants Day, it may have been in connection to the 4,000 species of regular migrant birds, because frankly, the day’s title is confusing. It should be International Migrant Workers’ Day, because let’s face it, animals migrate just as much as we do and you don’t see many storks, bats, crabs and salmon demanding respect. All joking aside, Migrants Day is a celebration of the 232 million people who’ve said to themselves ‘I’ve had it with this place’ and hopped on an airplane clenching a one-way ticket. It’s also an occasion to celebrate the millions of babies they generated in the process, the future tax payers who will be funding the locals’ retirements within a few years. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-migrants-day-2/

Free Shipping Day The purpose of the day is to offer free shipping and guaranteed delivery on online orders in the run up to Christmas. It was hoped that this promotional offer would help to extend the traditional e-commerce season, increasing sales during the month. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/free-shipping-day/

Bake Cookies Day Bake Cookies Day occurs in the middle of the holiday season, and is a great excuse to bake some delicious cookies to help you get through the cold, winter days! Why not try some cinnamon flavoured cookies (such as the snickerdoodle) to get your kitchen smelling of winter festivities? https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/bake-cookies-day/

Ugly Sweater Day Lurking in the murky depths of many people’s wardrobes is a colorful, brash and (in most cases) highly embarrassing novelty Christmas jumper which, were it not for Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, would probably never see the light of day. Launched in 2011, this annual celebration, which is growing in popularity every year among adults and children, is not simply an excuse to parade humiliatingly-unfashionable seasonal knitwear featuring Rudolph, Christmas puddings and Frosty the Snowman; it is a light-hearted and enjoyable fundraising event with a serious aim in aid of Save the Children. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/ugly-christmas-sweater-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/december18.html

December 17, 2015

Daily Holidays - December 17

National Maple
 Syrup Day Pancake Day, let’s face it, is mostly an excuse to have Maple Syrup. So let’s dispense with the charade and get down to it – Maple Syrup Day is the real deal, and a great excuse to consume it by the glassful! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/maple-syrup-day/

Wright Brothers Day Show your appreciation for the current airline system and the freedom to travel to all parts of the planet by celebrating Wright Brothers Day. The brothers Orville and Wilbur, tenacious American inventors, recorded the first manned, powered flight in 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. They were not the first to build experimental aircraft, and news of fatal glider crashes involving other aviation trailblazers influenced the direction of their research and development. The Wright brothers focused their efforts on pilot-activated flight-stabilizing controls. Their discoveries form the basis of modern flight. In 1903 when aviation was in its infancy, sustained flight was measured in seconds and piloting was a developing skill, and although early flight lacked sophistication, it threw open the doors for the evolution of the aviation industry, and set the stage for the global travel system that we take for granted today. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/wright-brothers-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com

December 16, 2015

IKEA’s solar rooftop – the largest in Missouri – installed by women-owned, union contractor

The new IKEA store at I-64 at Vandeventer Ave. boasts the largest solar panel rooftop in the state, and a women-owned, IBEW Local 1 contractor was at the helm of the project.

Aschinger Electric, of Fenton, installed the retailer’s 259,000-square-foot solar array, which is comprised of a 1.28-megawatt system built with more than 4,000 panels. It will produce about 1,780,000 kWh of electricity annually for the store located in St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation District.

Aschinger is a fourth-generation, family-owned electrical contractor that has been in business for 75 years, said Emily Martin, Aschinger’s president. The company got the call about the project last spring and began work in June.

“We’re excited to be a part of IKEA and its brand name,” Martin said. “Everyone can see it when they pass by on Interstate 64. We’ve done many solar panel jobs in the past, but nothing of this size and scope.”

http://labortribune.com/ikeas-solar-rooftop-installed-by-women-owned-union-contractor/