The Squid Calendar

Today marks 100 days of the Boy Scouts.  Scouting has influenced the lives of millions of kids, teaching them skills, both physical and mental, that they will carry with them throughout their lives.

OneFootPutt gives us a bit of Boy Scout history: 100 Years of Boy Scouts.

(photo by anja_johnson)

February 6 is International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. An estimated 100-140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting and more than 3 million girls are at risk for cutting each year in Africa alone.  (source)

The Asante Africa Foundation recently hosted Maasai tribal chief Salaton Ole’ Ntutu who built a rescue shelter to protect young girls from female genital mutilation.

February 5, 2010 – Go Red for Women!

Today is National Wear Red Day sponsored by the American Heart Association. This is an day of awareness about the the impact of heart disease on women.

Heart disease is by far the biggest killer of women in the United States.  Indications of heart disease display themselves differently in men and women.  Learn more about heart disease in women:

National Wear Red Day: Heart Disease Awareness

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. Every day, thousands find out they have cancer.  Every day, thousands live with cancer.  And, every day, thousands die from cancer.

But, many are doing all they can to stop it.  This group of artists sell their art and contribute the proceeds to cancer related charities.

Art for Cancer Group by CaseyShannonStudio

These are the Squidoo charities that aid people with cancer, awareness, and cancer research:

• Athletes for a Cure
• DonnaBella’s Angels
• Michael’s Way
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Women’s sports have come a long way since Title IX was enacted in 1972.  In my high school a few years ago, we had a girl on the football team, and two more on the wrestling team.

We’ve come a long way, but even now, thirty eight years later, the money allotted to girls’ sports does not compare to that of boys’ programs.

2010 is the 24th year of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, with this year’s theme being “Stay Strong, Play On.”

SusanVillasLewis gives a great account of some amazing female athletes in Sports: First Woman To …

(Volleyball photo by Gil Searcy)

The Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival is the Thai equivalent of the Rose Bowl Parade in the USA.  It is a three day festival with elaborate displays, great food, and a parade.

Watch some of the amazing videos shot by allthai during the festival:
The Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival

(Chiang Mai Flower Festival photo by deevaugn)

Groundhog Day is a holiday that has always perplexed me. Every year it makes me thing about how absurd all holidays are, and question how we come to these traditions. But the I see them standing with their top hats and walking sticks and I realize that it doesn’t really matter. Even if it is seemingly crazy, it’s traditional and it’s fun. It brings a community together for something. That’s all that really matters.

awelldressedbullet has the low down on Groundhog Day:

• All About Groundhog Day
• Groundhog Day Predictions

(Groundhog Day photo by Kevin Spencer.)

February 1 – Today is National Freedom Day, which celebrates the anniversary of when President Lincoln signed a congressional resolution to outlaw slavery, which later became the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution.  This is not to be confused with the Emancipation Proclamation.

So today, we celebrate freedom from slavery.

But consider this: slavery still exists. It is merely disguised.

The Abolition of Modern Day Slavery by MAGOH
Stop Human Trafficking! by lmicciche
Stop Human Trafficking by WhitU4ever

February 1-5, 2010 is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.

XP has covered this issue well on National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week.  Here are some startling statistics:

• 1 in 3 female teenagers in a dating relationship has feared for her physical safety.
• 1 in 5 teenagers in a serious relationship reports having been hit, slapped, or pushed by a partner.
• 29 percent of girls who have been in a relationship said that they have been pressured to have sex or to engage in sexual activities that they did not want.
• Technologies such as cell phones and the Internet have made dating abuse both more pervasive and more hidden.  (source)

Tonight is the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.  Get ready for an amazing display of talent.

Let’s take a look at some who were nominated:

Zac Brown Band – Nominated for Best New Artist

Bela Fleck – Nominated for Best Contemporary World Music Album

The Ting Tings – Nominated for Best New Artist

Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate – Nominated for Best Contemporary Jazz Album

Lady Gaga – Nominated for Album of the Year

Adele – Nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance