12 | July | 2014 | M'chelsMusings

Saturday, the 12th of July, 2014 is the 193th day in 2014 and in the 28th calendar week.

General Events:

The Twelfth 2014
July 12, 2014 in Ireland

The Twelfth is celebrated on July 12, 2014. The Twelfth (also called The Glorious Twelfth or Orangemen’s Day) is a yearly Protestant celebration. It originated in Ireland during the 18th century. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne (1690). Members of the Orange Order and Protestant marching bands hold large parades throughout Northern Ireland and, to a lesser extent, in other parts of the world where Orange lodges have been set up. Streets are also decorated with British flags and bunting. The Twelfth is a public holiday in Northern Ireland. While it is a Protestant celebration, not all Northern Irish Protestants celebrate it, whether due to political or cultural reasons or indifference.

Where is The Twelfth?
Nationwide Ireland

National Simplicity Day
July 12, 2014 in the USA

Author, naturalist, philosopher, historian, tax resister, abolitionist, development critic, surveyor, and leading transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817. Today, July 12 celebrates National Simplicity Day in his honor. Thoreau was an advocate for living a life of simplicity.

Thoreau (July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) is well-known, by many, for his book“Walden”, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. He asserted that: “ as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex”.

In our fast, ever-increasing busy lifestyles, National Simplicity Day is the time to, take a step back and begin to simplify our lives. One can start by slowing down, tuning into nature, enjoying the simple things in life, decluttering and striving for balance. Once you have done this, you can begin to enjoy the many stress-reducing pleasures and benefits of a simple lifestyle.

“Choosing to live a life of simplicity is not about choosing to live in poverty; it is about living in balance. Based on three key elements – ecological awareness, frugal consumption and personal growth, voluntary simplicity is helping people change their lives and collectively helping to create a better world.”

Where is National Simplicity Day?
Nationwide USA

Different Colored Eyes Day
July 12, 2014 in the World

Different Colored Eyes Day has two reasons to celebrate. First of all, it celebrates diversity of eye color. Wouldn’t the world be boring, if everyone had the same color of eyes?

Secondly, it recognizes an eye condition called Heterochromia. People who have this trait, have two different colors of eyes. One eye may be brown, while the other is blue. Famous people who have Heterochromia include David Bowie, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Walken.

Your eyes are an important part of your appearance. They are also important in communications. When you look into your lover’s eyes, you need to like what you see. Making “eye contact” just wouldn’t be the same without different colored eye. Isn’t it great that we have a variety of eye colors to set us apart from one another?

Where is Different Colored Eyes Day?
Worldwide

National Pecan Pie Day
Nationwide USA, 2014 in the USA

It’s Pecan Pie Day! This sweet delight has the best of both worlds—a smooth filling and a crunchy top. Traditional recipes for pecan pie call for ingredients like roasted pecans, butter, eggs, and brown sugar, but there are many different variations. Some people even choose to add special ingredients like chocolate or bourbon.

Most Americans consider pecan pie to be a Southern specialty, but this type of pie is actually French in origin. French immigrants living in New Orleans baked the first American pecan pies. Many years later, the Karo company popularized the dessert with recipes that called for the company’s corn syrup.

Even though it’s not Thanksgiving, today is a great day to eat a slice of pecan pie! Pick up a pie at your local bakery or grocery store to share with friends. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!

Where is National Pecan Pie Day?
Nationwide USA

Natural Events:

July Full Moon
July 12, 2014 in Eastcoast (North America)

On July 12, 2014 the moon reaches its maximum brightness. Therefore it is called full moon. Full moon is a lunar phase that occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. More precisely, a full moon occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun. As seen from Earth, the hemisphere of the Moon that is facing the earth is almost fully illuminated by the Sun and appears round. Only during a full moon is the opposite hemisphere of the Moon, which is not visible from Earth, completely unilluminated.

The time interval between similar lunar phases is on average about 29.53 days. Therefore, in those lunar calendars in which each month begins on the new moon, the full moon falls on either the 14th or 15th of the lunar month. Because lunar months have a whole number of days, lunar months may be either 29 or 30 days long.

Full Moons are traditionally associated with temporal insomnia, insanity and various “magical phenomena” such as lycanthropy. Psychologists, however, have found that there is no strong evidence for effects on human behavior around the time of a full moon. They find that studies are generally not consistent, with some showing a positive effect and others showing a negative effect. In one instance, the British Medical Journal published two studies on dog bite admission to hospitals in England and Australia. The study of the Bradford Royal Infirmary found that dog bites were twice as common during a full moon, whereas the study conducted by the public hospitals in Australia found that they were less likely. Full moons trigger deer movement in North America. Hunters and fisherman rely heavily on moonphases.

Where is July Full Moon?
EST Eastern Standard Time / UTC-05
Eastcoast (North America)

Historical Events:

1109 – Crusaders capture Syria’s harbor city of Tripoli

1191 – Richard Coeur de Lion & Crusaders defeat Saracens in Palestine

1630 – New Amsterdam’s governor buys Gull Island from Indians for cargo, renames it Oyster Island, it is later known as Ellis Island

1679 – Britain’s King Charles II ratifies Habeas Corpus Act allowing prisoners right to be imprisoned to be examined

1785 – 1st manned flight by gas balloon in Netherlands

1812 – US forces led by Gen Hull invade Canada (War of 1812)

1843 – Mormon leader Joseph Smith says God allows polygamy

1859 – Paper bag manufacturing machine patents by William Goodale, Mass

1878 – Fever epidemic in New Orleans begin, it will kill 4,500

1902 – Australian parliament agrees to female suffrage