50 Years of the iconic Hindi film, Sholay

 

In 1975, a watershed moment transformed Indian cinema forever. Sholay, widely regarded as Bollywood’s most iconic film, premiered on a Friday, as Indian films do. This, however, was not just any Friday—it was August 15, the anniversary of India’s independence from British rule in 1947. On the eve of independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister, had delivered a famous speech heralding India’s “tryst with destiny.” Almost 30 years later, Sholay became Bollywood’s tryst with destiny; it held the box-office record as highest-grossing film for 19 years, ran for five years in a cinema hall in Bombay (now Mumbai), captured the public imagination as few Indian films have before or since, and is regarded as an evolutionary milestone in Hindi cinema.

At once a western, revenge thriller, bandit drama, buddy film, comedy, and musical, Sholay is all things to all fans. The plot follows Jai and Veeru, best friends and petty criminals who are hired by former police officer Thakur Baldev Singh to capture the dreaded bandit Gabbar Singh, who is terrorizing Thakur’s village, Ramgarh.

World Lizard Day

World Lizard Day is celebrated annually on August 14th. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about lizards and their importance in ecosystems. It's a time to learn about the diverse world of lizards, appreciate their unique characteristics, and understand the threats they face, such as habitat loss and climate change. 

Here's why World Lizard Day is important:

·        Biodiversity:

Lizards are a highly diverse group of reptiles with over 7,000 species found on every continent except Antarctica.

·        Ecological Roles:

Lizards play vital roles as predators, prey, and decomposers within their ecosystems, contributing to overall biodiversity. 

·        Conservation:

Recognizing the threats faced by many lizard species due to habitat loss, climate change, and other factors, World Lizard Day helps promote conservation efforts. 

International Wolf Day

 

International Wolf Day is celebrated by people all over the world on August 13 every year. It commemorates wolves and brings to the forefront their struggles. Wolves are highly intelligent animals with sophisticated social organizations and characteristic patterns of behaviour.

History and importance of Wolf Day

International Wolf Day was started in 2003 to make people more aware of wolves and their needs for conservation. The day seeks to transform negative attitudes toward wolves, widely regarded as dangers, by informing people on their importance in maintaining ecosystems. Wolves contribute to balance by regulating the populations of prey and facilitating biodiversity. The value of the day is in the promotion of coexistence between humans and wolves, with emphasis on continuous conservation worldwide. It is a reminder of the need to preserve endangered species and natural habitats, promoting respect for wildlife and the environment.

Wolf Species and Social Life

There are two primary wolf species currently: the gray wolf and the Ethiopian wolf. The Ethiopian wolf is scarce, with only around 500 remaining in the wild. The gray wolf is more widespread, with approximately 250,000 occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. Wolves inhabit packs under a male and female alpha. Each wolf's howl is distinctive, similar to a human fingerprint. This allows wolves to identify one another from afar.

History of Decline and Efforts to Recover

Wolves had nearly been driven to extinction in Europe and America. When human populations increased, wolves lost their natural habitat. They occasionally preyed on livestock and farmers attacked them. This led to massive hunting and killings of wolves. There have been conservation policies and reintroduction schemes that have allowed wolves to come back in Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany. Farmers continue to see wolves as a menace even with all these attempts. Illegal killings persist in some areas.

International Lefthanders Day

International Lefthanders Day is celebrated worldwide on August 13 as an observance which is dedicated to recognizing the unique experiences and perspectives of left-handed people. International Left-Handers Awareness Day is celebrated for their creativity, adaptability, and individuality, while also drawing attention to the fact that they make up only about 10% of the global population who are left-handed. 

What is International Left-Handers Awareness Day?

International Left-Handers Awareness Day is an annual occasion that honours the skills and contributions of left-handed individuals while shedding light on the everyday difficulties they encounter. Those who are Left-handed persons, they are so unique in the world and the way they represent whether it’s using tools, writing in notebooks, or operating devices created with right-handers in mind. The goal is to encourage better awareness, inspire more inclusive product designs, and build greater understanding of the left-handed experience.

When is International Left-Handers Awareness Day celebrated?

International Left-Handers Awareness Day is celebrated each year on August 13. International Left-Handers Awareness Day was introduced in 1976 by the UK-based Left-Handers Club. 

Being left-handed in a society where right-handed people predominate can frequently bring some challenges. From uncomfortable scissors to misaligned desks, lefties have had to adjust to a world that hasn't always been friendly. On the other hand, there are certain benefits linked to being left-handed. Researches indicate that left-handed people might be more successful in several industries. That is why, this day is celebrated to address the struggles 

International Left-Handers Day: History

The history of International Left-Handers Day begins in 1976 with the visionary efforts of Dean R. Campbell, the founder of The Left-Handers Club. Recognizing the difficulties faced by left-handed people in a predominantly right-handed world, Campbell established this special day to shine a spotlight on their experiences.

International Left-Handers Day: Significance

International Left-Handers Day is significant for several reasons:

·      Increasing Awareness: It draws attention to the difficulties experienced by left-handed people in a world dominated by right-handers. Even simple tasks like writing or using scissors might be more challenging for lefties.

·   Honouring Diversity: This day honours the distinctive traits and viewpoints of left-handed individuals. It advances the notion that one's diversity is an asset.

·     Encouraging Inclusivity: It pushes for the development of a world that takes into account the needs of people who are left- and right-handed. This involves creating locations and goods that are appropriate for all users.

·       Increasing Self-Esteem: It is a day for left-handed people to appreciate their uniqueness and take pride in their differences.

Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018

 

The Parker Solar Probe launched on August 12, 2018, at 7:31 UTC (3:31 a.m. EDT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket with an Upper Stage. It was the first NASA mission named after a living individual, honouring astrophysicist Eugene Newman Parker. Parker, who theorized the existence of the solar wind, was present at the launch. 

The Parker Solar Probe is designed to "touch" the Sun, by flying through its outer atmosphere, the corona, to gather data and unravel some long-standing mysteries of our star. To achieve this, the spacecraft utilizes a unique trajectory involving seven Venus gravity assists over roughly seven years to gradually push its orbit closer to the Sun. 

The mission has three main scientific objectives: to understand the flow of energy that heats and accelerates the solar corona and solar wind, to determine the structure and dynamics of plasma and magnetic fields at the source of solar wind, and to investigate the mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles. 

To achieve these goals, the probe is equipped with four key instruments:

·        FIELDS measures electric and magnetic fields.

·        IS☉IS studies energetic particles.

·        WISPR provides images of the corona and inner heliosphere.

·        SWEAP analyzes the most common particles in the solar wind. 

A 4.5-inch thick carbon-composite heat shield protects the spacecraft and its instruments from the extreme heat and radiation during its close passes by the Sun. 

World Steelpan Day

August 11^th is World Steelpan Day, declared by Pan Trinbago. When French planters arrived in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1700s, they brought the carnival tradition, and their slaves formed their own festival. In the 1930s, the steel pan was originally made with metal objects, including car parts, paint pots, dustbins, oil drums, and biscuit tins. A series of dents were hammered into the metal surface, and each one created a different note according to its position and size. While the British government tried to ban it, this instrument made out of industrial waste has become an icon of Trinidadian culture!

LEGO Group founded in 1932

 

The LEGO Group was founded on August 10, 1932, by a man named Ole Kirk Christiansen. Mr. Christiansen decided to call his company “LEGO” based on the double meaning of the word – it’s derived from the Danish words “leg godt,” which means “play well,” and in Latin, “lego” means “I put together.”

Mr. Christiansen didn’t set out to create a toy company at first, though. Instead, he started a woodworking shop creating furniture, ladders, and other such items. To demonstrate his products, Christiansen would build miniature models of them. He soon realized that these miniature models were trendy among children as playthings and, at the height of the Great Depression, they were easier to sell.

Thus, the concept of LEGO toys was born. It wasn’t until 1948, though, that LEGO began producing the interlocking blocks they are now known for. At first, the bricks didn’t gain a lot of traction. Metal and wooden toys were still the trends, and the market hadn’t really warmed up to the idea of plastic toys yet. Still, Christiansen and LEGO stuck with the production of their plastic “LEGO bricks,” even moving away from the production of metal and wooden toys to focus on them entirely.

It turned out to be a good move. Over the years, the company continued to grow and expand, posting consistent positive earnings and growth save for a few short years in the early 2000s, where they had a bit of a downturn. In 2016, LEGO reported its highest earnings of all time, bringing in a total of $5.17 billion.

It isn’t just LEGO bricks that the company is involved in, though. In 2014, The LEGO Group and Warner Bros released The LEGO Movie, which received almost unanimous praise and had one of the highest-grossing openings of any animated movie. LEGO continued their expansion into media, releasing many video games and another animated film, The LEGO Batman Movie, in 2017. In addition to this, the company has also opened up several retail stores where they sell their products and a few amusement parks called Legoland.

All in all, it’s been almost a century of success for LEGO as they grew to be one of the world’s largest toy brands then expanded beyond toys in several exciting ways.