Tuesday, the 23rd of February, 2016 is the 54th day in 2016 and in the 8th calendar week.
General Events:
World Spay Day
February 23, 2016 in the World
World Spay Day is an international day of action to promote the sterilization of pets, community cats and street dogs as a way to save animals’ lives. It takes place each year on the last Tuesday of February — this year, on February 23, 2016. Created as Spay Day USA by the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) in 1995, World Spay Day is now a program of The Humane Society International (HSI) and Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA).
Millions of animals suffer on the streets worldwide. Too often, governments deal with this overpopulation through cruel means, such as poisoning, electrocution or shooting. On World Spay Day and throughout the month of February — Spay/Neuter Awareness Month — veterinary and animal welfare professionals, business owners and concerned individuals join forces to shine a spotlight on spay/neuter as the most effective and humane means of decreasing the number of homeless animals put down in shelters or living on the street.
Where is World Spay Day?
Worldwide
Spay Day USA 2016
February 23, 2016 in the USA
Spay Day USA is celebrated on February 23, 2016. Spay Day USA is an annual observance on the last Tuesday of February that was created by the Doris Day Animal League in 1994 to bring attention to the pet overpopulation problem in the USA, and to encourage animal population control by neutering pets.
Where is the event?
Nationwide USA
Defender of the Fatherland Day
February 23, 2016 in Russia
Defender of the Fatherland Day takes place on February 23, 2016. Defender of the Fatherland Day is a holiday observed in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and several other former republics of the Soviet Union.  It is celebrated on February 23, except in Kazakhstan, where the date is May 7.
First celebrated in 1919 the holiday marks the date in 1918 during the Russian Civil War when the first mass draft into the Red Army occurred in Petrograd and Moscow (on 17 February). In January 1919 it was decided to combine the celebration that day with the anniversary of the publication of the decree on the establishment of the Red Army (of 18 February 1918). In 1919 February 17 fell on Monday; so it was decided to move the holiday to the nearest Sunday – 23 February. Since then it stayed that day. It was originally known as Red Army Day. In 1923 it was officially named the Day of the Red Army and the Navy.
In 1949, it was renamed Soviet Army and Navy Day. Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the holiday was given its current name in 2002 by Russian President Vladimir Putin who decreed it a state holiday (in Russia).
Where is Defender of the Fatherland Day?
Nationwide Russia
Tennis Day 2016
February 23, 2016 in the World
Tennis Day is observed on February 23, 2016. Tennis is a sport people usually play individually against a single opponent or between two teams of two players each. Each player uses a racquet that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into the opponent’s court. The object of the game is to play the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a good return.
Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society and at all ages. The sport can be played by anyone who can hold a racquet, including wheelchair users. Tennis is played by millions of recreational players and is also a popular worldwide spectator sport. The four Grand Slam tournaments are especially popular: the Australian Open played on hard courts, the French Open played on red clay courts, Wimbledon played on grass courts, and the US Open played also on hard courts.
Where is the event?
Worldwide
International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
February 23, 2016 in the World
February 23 is Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. Show your appreciation for your furry canine friends by spoiling them with their favorite dog biscuits.
As social beings, we break bread with other humans, in part, to bond. Dogs are social creatures, too. When you give your dog a dog biscuit you are helping cement that already-tight bond of love and trust between your dog and yourself.
Dogs have eaten and enjoyed discarded bread since the Roman Empire. In mid-1800 Great Britain, dog treats made of grain and baked were given to hunting dogs for extra energy.
Commercial dog biscuits were first “invented” in the late 1800s by a man from Cincinnati who saw dogs scavenging on hardtack (a long-lasting sailor’s bread) disposed of at the docks in London. He patented the idea and sold the biscuits as dog food. In the beginning of the 20th century, another American, whose dog biscuits were not selling well, decided to make the biscuits in the shape of bones, and that’s where we get the familiar treat we give our canine companions today.
What can you do to celebrate this doggitylicious day?
    EASY……Give your dog a biscuit when he sits, gives you a paw, quiets down after alerting you to a visitor, or just because you love him.
HARDER…..Put your dog in a down-stay and put a biscuit in front of him. Make him wait until you say, “OKAY!” and imagine his excitement as he scarfs down the biscuit!
HARDEST….Teach your dog to balance a biscuit on his nose, flip it in the air, and then snap it up!
Bring a bag of biscuits or two to your local animal shelter
Where is the event?
Worldwide
National Banana Bread Day
February 23, 2016 in the USA
It’s National Banana Bread Day! Banana bread is a delicious baked good, which is classified as a “quick bread” or “tea cake.” Bananas arrived in the United States in the 1870s and quickly became one of the most popular fruits on the market. It wasn’t long before they started to appear in dessert recipes as the star ingredient.
The first cookbooks that mentioned banana bread were published during the Great Depression. Culinary historians believe that a resourceful housewife who did not want to throw away over-ripe bananas may have invented the original recipe.
Today there are many variations on this classic. To celebrate National Banana Bread Day, bake yourself a delicious loaf with unusual add-ins like chocolate chips, berries, or nuts!
Where is the event?
Nationwide USA
Historical Events on 23rd February:
303 Emperor Diocletian begins policy of persecution of Christians razing church at Nicomedia
1455 Johannes Gutenberg prints his first book, Bible (estimated date)
1689 Dutch prince William III proclaimed king of England
1836 Alamo besieged for 13 days until 6th March by Mexican army under General Santa Anna; entire garrison eventually killed
1886 Aluminum manufacturing process developed
1896 Tootsie Roll introduced by Leo Hirshfield
1898 In France, Emile Zola is imprisoned for writing his “J’accuse” letter accusing government of anti-Semitism & wrongly jailing Alfred Dreyfus
1903 The US and Cuba sign an agreement by which Cuba releases Guantanamo and Bahia Hondo to the US for naval stations
1904 US acquired control of the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million
1904 Having occupied Korea, Japan signs a treaty with Korea under which it becomes a Japanese protectorate in return for Japanese protection from other powers
1916 French artillery kills entire French 72nd division at Samogneux Verdun
1941 Plutonium was first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg
1945 US Marines raise flag on Iwo Jima, famous photo and later a statue in the Marine Corps War Memorial
1969 Nayif Hawatimah forms Dem People’s Front for Liberation of Palestine
1997 Scientists in Scotland announced they succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named “Dolly”
1998 Osama bin Laden publishes a fatwa declaring jihad against all Jews and Crusaders
1999 An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31
2008 a B-2 Spirit of the USAF crashes at Guam. The crew survived but the aircraft was written off, making it the most expensive air crash in human history (the aircraft alone cost $1.2Bn). The B-2 had a perfect safety record before the crash; not one B-2 ever crashed.