The Squid Calendar

Mold is a problem that can hit any home.  It can cause serious health problems.  Areas that have had flooding are especially prone to mold.  Take care of it fast, and do all you can to prevent mold in the first place.  Learn a little more about fighting mold at:  Fight Toxic Mold By Going Green by RinchenChodron.

Mold Photo by Lexie Rydberg used under CC 2.0.

Yesterday started the fourteenth annual Balance Awareness Week (September 19-25, 2010). Any person with a problem with balance can tell you that it is an extremely difficult thing to deal with.  Simple activities of daily life become great tasks when your balance is impaired.

My life with Meniere’s Disease by davidstillwagon
Otosclerosis – a disease of the middle ear by aj2008
How Meniere’s Disease Has Impacted My Life by TrinaSonnenberg

PS – If anyone knows of an illness that would make shiny floors trigger dizziness, please contact me.

Pediculosis?  uh…yeah…that means lice.

Yep.  September is National Pediculosis Prevention Month.  Kids are back in school people are coming inside from the sunny days of summer and lice is jumping from head to head.

Learn a little more about lice:
Pictures of head lice by human-kind-projects
How To Get Rid Of Headlice by Squidoo_Queen

Tonight, on all four major television networks, will air Stand Up 2 Cancer.  This star packed event will raise awareness for cancer issues, and raise money for cancer research.  Tune in tonight at 8PM (7 Central) on ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX.

Cancer does not discriminate.  It strikes all ages, all races, and all economic statuses.

These pages were written by people with first hand experience standing up to cancer:

Diagnosed with Breast Cancer – My story by alteredkat
Cancer Warrior by Susan52
Cancer is a Punk by papawu

Today, September 8th, is International Literacy Day.

Being 2010, here are some startling statistics:

More than 780 million of the world’s adults (nearly two-thirds of whom are women) do not know how to read or write, and between 94 and 115 million children lack access to education.

CreativeArtist has put together a great page of advice for literacy tutors and students: Literacy and Phonetics.

Today begins Suicide Prevention Week (September 5-11). An average of one person dies by suicide every 16.2 minutes. (source)

Suicide senselessly takes away good people, and leaves hurt friends and families.  Read a few stories from people who have had suicide impact their lives, and look over these warning signs of suicide because you just might be able to help someone at a time they need it most.

He Chose Suicide by BevsPaper
Sarah: The Suicide of Our Adult Child by BarbRad
A dedication to my mother by MsSnow4a
I Lost a Friend to Suicide by JennyLynn86
Spotting and Understanding The Signs of Suicide and Getting Help by TishDee

September is Pain Awareness Month. Millions of people suffer chronic pain. Chronic Pain is a physical problem, but it has physiologic, emotional, social, and economic implications.

Learn more at Pain Awareness Month by Macs.

Today is World Population Day.  Today we need to think for a bit on how the rise in population is effecting the earth and how we plan to provide for the masses.  We need to consider what changes we need to make now, so that we don’t overpopulate it.

Learn more about World Population Day.

I tried to find an amazing lens that addresses these issues, but could not find anything that fully satisfied me.  So instead, I’d like to introduce a great lens that takes a look at the world population and breaks it down so you can gain a better perspective on its composition. Are any of the statistics surprising to you?  If The World Were A Village of 1000 People… by lisadh

Photo by Markusram used by permission CC 2.0

Today is World Blood Donor Day. The need for blood is universal. It is needed worldwide by the young and the old, the rich and the poor. If you are able to donate blood, you will find that it is a simple process that can help someone else go on living.

I am a blood donor, and since both my mother and my sister have received blood, this is an important issue to me.

Learn more about Donating Blood, it’s importance, and the process of blood donation from LeorG.

Also, JohannTheDog shares the importance of dog blood donation.

Photo by Herkie used by permission CC 2.0

Today is World Oceans Day, a United Nations declared day to think about our oceans and how much we depend on them, and what we can do to protect them.

Our oceans have taken a beating in the last century. With pollution, over-fishing, and climate change the oceans are struggling to survive. Learn more about our oceans at World Oceans Day by kimmanleyort.

Photo by sub_lime79 used by permission CC 2.0