National Rare Disease Day

Today marks National Rare Disease Day! The purpose of today is to bring awareness to the many rare diseases we don’t know about. A rare disease may also be referred to as an orphan disease. A rare disease is defined as “any disease that affects a small percentage of the population,” according to Wikipedia. Since it would be incredibly difficult to list and explain every known rare disease for the purposes of this blog, I present you with a list of rare diseases. While I certain this list is not inclusive, it certainly does make one wonder how much we know about the human body, particularly as far as human medicinal/technological advances go!

Well, that’s enough big words for one day…Let’s more on to something I am a bit more knowledgeable about: Awesomeness! It is with great pleasure that I am able to inform you that today has also been proclaimed “Awesome Day in Halifax!” This incredibly awesome day is in celebration of the Awesome Foundation Halifax’s one-year anniversary. Unfortunately, I am unable to attend tonight’s festivities, but I’m sure they will manage without me! See below for the Official Proclamation, from Halifax Regional Municipality’s Mayor, Mike Savage!

Way to go Awesome Foundation! May you bring plenty more awesomeness to the world! Curious about what the Awesome Foundation is? Click here! For more information on the Halifax branch, check out their website (be sure to click on Awesomzilla)! Best of luck to all of the hopefuls pitching ideas tonight!

International Polar Bear Day

Happy International Polar Bear Day, or as Coke likes to call it, Happy International Cute Marketing Trick to Make You Buy and Therefore Consume Copious Amounts of Coca-Cola Products to Make Themselves Look Like a Socially Responsible Company Day (Just kidding Coke execs, please allow me to interview you for my Honours Thesis research!)!!!!!

Like International Penguin Awareness Day, the purpose of International Polar Bear Day, is to bring awareness to the conversations about climate change and the impact it is having on many species, including the Polar Bear. These (deadly) cuddly white-furred bears are suffering tragically in the face of climate extremes in the Arctic – something augmented by human activity.

Polar Bears are native to the Arctic. These carnivorous mammals are the largest bear species (matched only with the Kodiak, an omnivorous bear). The average lifespan of a polar bear is usually no more than 25. Male polar bears are called “boars” and can weigh up to 1500 lbs, while the females, or “sows,” weigh only about half that! Ladies – next time you think you’re having a “fat day” remember this fact! To learn more about how amazing polar bears are, along with their struggle to survive, here’s an episode of David Suzuki’s “Nature of Things.”

I will leave you with a video of the Nation’s (and my) boyfriend, George Stroumboulopoulos’ visit to Churchill, MB. Here he investigates the impact of climate change on these beautiful creatures! 

National Tell A Fairy Tale Day

Once upon a time there lived a wise, old, creative, god-like creature named Holidae Nationala. He was very imaginative, and longed for nothing more than to create something to look forward to everyday; a reason to celebrate, some might say. For many moons, he thought long and hard about what makes life great. He thought for so long, that by the time he was done 365 days had passed. He was exhausted, but satisfied that his hard work would benefit the masses by providing them with a little bit of happiness everyday. But he was by no means finished. For soon after, he realized that he was missing one more reason - a 366^th in fact! Only then was he finished. And what he produced was something magical, something that no other would ever be able to accomplish. For he, Holidae Nationala created 366 National Holidays, conveniently named after himself. Legend has it that, it is because of this innovative creature’s imagination that today is National Tell A Fairy Tale Day!

Fairy Tales are actually “a type of short story that typically features folkloric fantasy characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants, mermaids, or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments.” Fairy tales were traditionally told orally and date as far back as anywhere from 6^th-3^rd century BC to 100-200 AD. The written form of fairy tales didn’t appear until the late 1600s, in which they are thought to have originated from Germany. Some of the most popular fairy tales are those of Aesop, and are most often associated as children’s stories. 

National Chili Day

Today marks the final food-related Holiday for the month of February! Don’t be discouraged, there are still plenty more to come! Happy National Chili Day everyone!

Chili, or chili con carne as it’s known, is a tomato-based “spicy stew” that is loaded with vegetables, beans, and meaty goodness! For those of you who prefer a vegetarian or vegan option, chili is just as good without the meat! Its super hearty and is (you guessed it!) a good source of dietary fiber!

The origins of chili aren’t overly apparent on my reliable source of knowledge (Wikipedia). I can tell you that it originates from Spain where the word “chili” refers to the chili peppers used, and “carne” refers to meat.

Fun Chili Fact: There is actually a controversy surrounding the use of beans in chili in terms of tradition! Apparently beans have been considered to be an essential ingredient of this body-warming dish throughout the 20^th century. However, there is uncertainty over whether or not they were used in the original recipe. It is thought that beans were used when meat could not be afforded! 

National Tortilla Chip Day

So it turns out this week continues with a few more food related Holidays! Today, for example is mmmm mmmm mmmm, National Tortilla Chip Day!

Tortilla chips are chips made from corn, which are either fried or baked. They come in a variety of color including white, yellow and blue, as well as a variety of shapes and sizes, such as bite size and triangular! These tasty chips are thought to be a Mexican tradition, although they were first thought to have been manufactured in the 1940s in Los Angeles, California. The shape of the tortilla itself was a result of a little creativity from a one, Rebecca Webb Carranza, a tortilla factory owner who wanted to put the misshaped tortillas to good use. As my mother always says, “waste not, want not!”

Tortilla chips are a delicious part of multiple dishes, such as nachos, or with dips such as salsa, or my personal favourite, guacamole. They can also be enjoyed on their own!

Buyer beware: Tortilla chips and corn chips are not the same thing! Tortilla chips are made from corn tortillas, while corn chips are made from corn meal!