Category: February 18

• NATIONAL RED SOCK DAY – Third Saturday in February

  NATIONAL RED SOCK DAY

  Wear your red socks on National Red Sock Day to help save a life and limb! Did you know leg health can indicate risk for heart attack, stroke, and amputation? One in five adults over the age of 60 have a condition called Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.), and many don’t even know they have it. National Red Sock Day on the Third Saturday in February raises awareness about P.A.D., its risk factors, and what you can do.

  #NationalRedSockDay

  P.A.D. is caused by plaque build-up in the peripheral arteries, mainly the arteries in the legs. It is the most debilitating disease many people have never heard of, and yet, it is responsible for nearly 200,000 amputations annually. More than half of those amputations are preventable with early diagnosis and treatment.

  P.A.D. Symptoms

  • Leg pain
  • Leg cramps
  • Neuropathy
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Non-healing foot ulcers

  Additionally, 3 in 5 heart attack sufferers have P.A.D. This is why National Red Sock Day takes place in February, which is also American Heart Month.

  P.A.D. Risk Factors

  • Diabetes
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • High blood pressure
  • High Cholesterol
  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • Hereditary

  Diabetics are one of the highest risk groups with cases rising fast. More than half of American adults have Pre/Diabetes, and the most prevalent complication is vascular. In fact, 1 in 3 diabetics over 50 have P.A.D. However, the most horrifying aspect of this disease is that most people don’t know they have it until it reaches its advanced stages. P.A.D. can lead to heart attack, stroke, and amputation. Diagnosis and appropriate treatment in early stages can help keep life and a limb healthy longer.  Diagnosis involves checking leg pulses in patients over age 50.

  National Red Sock Day aims to raise awareness and encourage a candid conversation between patients and their physicians to test sooner for P.A.D.

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL RED SOCK DAY

  Wear your red socks on National Red Sock Day to help raise awareness about P.A.D. The red sock design symbolizes good circulation, keeping life and limb healthy. The blue toe and heel indicate how poor circulation in the feet can indicate risk for heart attack, stroke, and amputation. Help The Way To My Heart expand critical life and limb saving P.A.D. education, advocacy, and support by purchasing official P.A.D. Awareness Socks at www.TheWayToMyHeart.org/Red-Sock-Day

  Have a conversation with your doctor about P.A.D. Make sure to report risk factors, including a history of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and smoking. If you need help explaining your symptoms, The Way to My Heart offers various resources to guide you.

  Another way to participate is by donating to The Way to My Heart’s campaign. You can also follow The Way to My Heart on Facebook.

  Also, please share the word on social media using #NationalRedSockDay to help raise awareness.

  NATIONAL RED SOCK DAY HISTORY

  The Way To My Heart founded National Red Sock Day in 2022 to raise awareness about P.A.D. and how early diagnosis can make a difference. Its mission is to support P.A.D. patients, caregivers, and providers through high-touch advocacy, education, and interaction. The organization offers numerous programs to support patients, from facilitating communication between patients and medical professionals to improving access to critical life and limb-saving resources. Its efforts are dramatically reducing healthcare costs by eliminating unnecessary amputation and improving patient outcomes.

  The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed National Red Sock Day to be observed annually on the third Saturday in February.

  January 20, 2022

  •

  National Day Calendar

  •

  February 18, Health & Awareness, National Day

• NATIONAL DRINK WINE DAY – February 18

  NATIONAL DRINK WINE DAY

  While February 18th is observed annually as National Drink Wine Day, it would be a shame to celebrate only one day a year. Perhaps this day is just a reminder to drink wine.

  #NationalDrinkWineDay

  Wine does have its benefits after all. Moderate drinkers of wine have lower risks of liver disease, type II diabetes, certain kinds of cancers, heart attack, and stroke.  It also can reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good (HDL).

  Drinking wine includes other benefits as well. When paired with the right meal, it enhances the flavors of spices, fruits, and sauces. A glass of wine helps relax us. Learning about wine keeps our minds sharp, too. Since the fruits, regions, and the making of wine have such a complex story, those who delve into find themselves traveling to learn more.

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL DRINK WINE DAY

  • Since February 18th is also National Crab-Stuffed Flounder Day, so we suggest a fresh, fruity white wine pairing the celebrations together.
  • Attend or host a wine tasting.
  • Try a new wine.
  • Give a bottle of wine to a friend.
  • Visit a vineyard.
  • Raise a toast to your favorite wine and let us know which one it is.
  • Always drink responsibly and try a new wine. Use #NationalDrinkWineDay to post to social media.

  

  NATIONAL DRINK WINE DAY HISTORY

  National Day Calendar continues researching the origins of this celebratory day. However, we’ve sipped a few wines and suspect either a winemaker or connoisseur created this day. 

  Drink Wine FAQ

  Should I drink red or white wine for National Drink Wine Day? Drink whichever wine you prefer. You can even drink both!

  Are there other wine days on the calendar? There are many wine days on the calendar. Check these out:

  • Wine Tourism Day
  • National Wine and Cheese Day
  • International Merlot Day
  • Drink Local Wine Week

   

  February 18, 2015

  •

  National Day Calendar

  •

  February 18, National Day, Pop Culture & Lifestyle

• NATIONAL CRAB STUFFED FLOUNDER DAY – February 18

  NATIONAL CRAB STUFFED FLOUNDER DAY

  Crab and flounder take center stage on February 18th when National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day arrives each year. The day recognizes the unique, flavorful delight when crab and flounder combine.

  #NationalCrabStuffedFlounderDay

  This one-of-kind dish is composed of a stuffing made with crab meat, bread crumbs, butter, and seasonings, which is stuffed into the whole flounder or rolled up into the fillets and baked.

  Flounder is a flatfish in approximately 100 different species. Around the United States, the winter flounder and Pacific flounder are common species. While there are thousands of species of crabs, only certain ones are edible. In the United States, some of the more popular and tasty ones are the blue crab, stone crab, Dungeness, king, and rock or snow crabs. They come in both hard and soft shells and can be found along all the coasts and Hawaii.

  Popular along the East and Gulf Coasts, there are a variety of restaurants that serve crab-stuffed flounder, and there are plenty of recipes to try your hand at making at home.

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CRAB STUFFED FLOUNDER DAY

  • Order up a plate or two at your favorite seafood restaurant.
  • Try your hand at making crab stuffed flounder at home.

  • Invite family or friends to dine with you.
  • If you are also celebrating National Drink Wine Day on February 18th, a sweet Riesling or a Chardonnay will pair well with Crab-Stuffed Flounder.
  • Use #NationalCrabStuffedFlounderDay to post to social media.

  NATIONAL CRAB STUFFED FLOUNDER DAY HISTORY

  National Day Calendar continues to research the origins of this seafood holiday. We’ve cast about seeking answers and while we reel back in, we’re going to see what the catch of the day is and celebrate a little more!

  Crab Stuffed Flounder FAQ

  Q. I don’t like the taste of crab. What else can I stuff the flounder with?
  A. There are many recipes out there that call for either bread stuffing or nut and vegetable stuffing. Both contain fragrant herbs and spices that bring a lot of flavor to the recipe.

  Q. Where are flounders found?
  A. This flatfish is found in coastal regions on the ocean floor worldwide.

  Q. Where to crab live?
  A. Depending on the species, they may live in either salt or freshwater. Many crabs also spend much of their time on land.

  June 18, 2014

  •

  National Day Calendar

  •

  February 18, National Day, Pop Culture & Lifestyle

• NATIONAL BATTERY DAY – February 18

  NATIONAL BATTERY DAY

  Get a charge out of National Battery Day! Observed each year on February 18th, the day serves to appreciate the convenience batteries provide to our everyday lives.  

  #NationalBatteryDay

  Today we would be hard-pressed to find someone in the United States who doesn’t benefit from a battery. Even those who live “off the grid” have battery-operated devices such as a flashlight, radio, or watch.

  A battery changes chemical energy into electricity by bringing the different chemicals together in a specific order. When correctly ordered, the electrons will travel from one substance to another, creating an electrical current.

  Long Road of the Battery

  While battery manufacturing for everyday personal use developed in the last 50-60 years, archaeologists found evidence of a device that may have been used to electroplate gold onto silver, much like a battery would. In 1936, during the construction of a new railway near Baghdad, a Parthian tomb was found. Archaeologist Wilhelm Konig found a copper cylinder encasing an iron rod in a clay jar. Konig suggested the find was approximately 2,000 years old.

  Benjamin Franklin first coined the term “battery” in 1748 to describe an array of charged glass plates.

  1800

  In 1800, Italian scientist Alessandro Volta layered silver, cloth, or paper soaked in salt or acid and zinc into what he called “voltaic piles.” The voltaic piles generated a limited electrical current. Volta proceeded to publish his work, and we get the word “volt” from his name to describe the electric potential.

  William Cruickshank, an English chemist, designed a battery for mass production in 1802.

  Corrosion in batteries has always been an issue, but it was much worse until John Daniell came along. Daniel, a chemist, receives credit for developing a way to reduce corrosion when storing batteries. In 1820 he invented the Daniell Cell, which incorporated mercury, reducing the corrosion.

  1896

  Over time, various scientists and inventors developed gradual improvements to the battery. In 1896, the National Carbon Company (later known as the Eveready Battery Company) manufactured the first commercially available battery called the Columbia. Two years later, National Carbon Company introduced the first D-sized battery for the first flashlight.

  The 1900s and beyond

  Until 1957, watches needed to be wound routinely to keep time. Then in 1957, the Hamilton Watch Company introduced the first battery-operated watch.

  Today batteries are available for numerous purposes.  In our modern age, portable electricity isn’t something we think about every day because it is easily accessible.  We charge the batteries on our phones by using the batteries in our cars as we travel down the road.  We even have portable chargers that can charge our batteries where ever we are. The variety of batteries change every day. Solar batteries recharge daily and store power in cells. They come in numerous sizes, too. 

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL BATTERY DAY

  • Take count of how many batteries you rely on in your life. Don’t forget, our phones, watches, hearing aids, and many more items all use batteries.
  • Spend the day learning more about batteries – the different kinds, where battery design is headed, and more.
  • Read about the types of batteries available on the market. Some last longer, are rechargeable and are more environmentally friendly.
  • Take stock. How many batteries does your home and environment require? Toys, remote controls, cars – the numbers add up.
  • Discover the best ways to recycle your batteries. Some batteries are easier to recycle than others.
  • Educators and families, visit the National Day Calendar Classroom for projects and ideas to celebrate the day.
  • Use #NationalBatteryDay to post on social media.

  NATIONAL BATTERY DAY HISTORY

  National Battery Day commemorates the anniversary of Alessandro Volta’s birth on February 18, 1745.

  Battery FAQ

  Q. What’s the difference between lithium and alkaline batteries?
  A. There are several differences between lithium and alkaline batteries.

  • Battery life: A lithium battery will last longer than an alkaline battery.
  • Cost: Alkaline batteries cost less than lithium batteries.
  • Durability: Extreme heat or cold drain battery power. Lithium batteries are more durable in extreme conditions than alkaline batteries.
  • Weight: Alkaline batteries are heavier than lithium.
  • Recyclable: Lithium batteries are more easily recycled than alkaline batteries.
  • Rechargeable: Lithium batteries may be rechargeable while alkaline batteries are not.

  February 18th Celebrated History

  1897

  Auguste Bartholdi received U.S. design patent no. D11,023 for “Liberty Enlightening the World” a statue that is known today as the Statue of Liberty.

  1930

  While reviewing photographs he took in January while working at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovers the planet, Pluto. The tiny planet moves from frame to frame, alerting the astronomer that the speck of light is not an ordinary star.

  1939

  The Golden Gate International Exposition opens at San Francisco’s Treasure Island.

  2006

  Shani Davis takes gold in the 1000 meter individual event at the Turin, Italy Winter Olympics. He becomes the first African-American to win an individual gold medal at the winter games.

  February 18th Celebrated Birthdays

  Toni Morrison – 1931

  The American novelist received the 1993 Nobel Prize for Literature. She is best known for her novel Beloved. Beyond her works of fiction, Morrison also published children’s stories, short fiction, poetry, plays and several works of non-fiction.

  Helen Gurley Brown – 1922

  In 1965, the American author became editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Cosmopolitan. She remained in the role for 32 years.

  John Hughes – 1950

  The American filmmaker was best-known for his timeless coming of age and comedy movies. Some of his most memorable films include The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Buellers’ Day Off, Weird Science, Home Alone, Uncle Buck, and the National Lampoon series of movies.

  John Travolta – 1954

  From Welcome Back, Kotter to Grease and Carrie in the 1970s to American Crime Story, Pulp Fiction, and Gotti, the American actor’s career has transcended genres and nearly 50 years. His versatility allowed him to play roles such as Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever as well as lighter comedic roles such as in Wild Hogs and Look Who’s Talking.

  Andre Romelle Young- 1965

  The rapper known as Dr. Dre launched Aftermath Entertainment in 1996 and Beats Electronics in 2006. In the 1990s, he co-founded Death Row Records with Suge Knight and Dick Griffey.

  Molly Ringwald – 1968

  The American actress rose to popularity in the 1980s with films like Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and the teen classic The Breakfast Club.

  Notable Mentions

  Charles M. Schwab – 1862
  Jack Palance – 1920
  Yoko Ono – 1933
  Cybill Shepherd – 1950
  Vanna White – 1957

  June 11, 2014

  •

  National Day Calendar

  •

  February 18, Invention, National Day, Pop Culture & Lifestyle