Israel Independence Day

Known as Yom Ha’atzmaut in Hebrew, this day is a celebration of the declaration of the independence of the State of Israel in 1948. That event took place on May 14, according to the Gregorian Calendar, but on the Hebrew Calendar, which varies in relation to the Gregorian, it takes place on the 5th of Iyar, which goes from sundown on May 5 through May 6 in 2014. In 2015 it will fall on April 23.

Learn more:

Grauesel at wikivoyage shared [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
source: CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day (actually celebrated on September 16). In fact, in Mexico itself Cinco de Mayo is a minor holiday outside of the state of Puebla. However, this holiday is observed in a big way in the United States, particularly in states with high Mexican-American populations, such as California, Arizona and Texas. More and more Canadians are celebrating Cinco de Mayo as well, including those with Mexican roots and those without. Just as you don’t have to have Irish heritage to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, you don’t have to have Mexican heritage to join in on the fun of Cinco de Mayo!canada-mexico

World Press Freedom Day

o we really need World Press Freedom Day? Take a look at some of these statistics:

Press Freedom in 2013
source: Reporters Without Borders

Freedom of the Press is one of the fundamental requirements of democracy. Citizens are not free when the state restricts their access to information, or when the state fails to stop others from doing so.

Violence is a threat to the press in many parts of the world. However, even here in North America, where we live in one of the most democratic societies, control of our free and open access to information is an ongoing battle.

Learn more:

May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada

Asian Heritage Month gives Canadians of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds the opportunity to learn more about, and celebrate, the history of Asian Canadians and the contributions of Asian Canadians to the development of our nation. Canadians trace their roots to all corners of the globe, including such places as China, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam and many more Asian nations.

for more information on Asian Heritage Month:

12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books: Reason #7

You will discover surprising new ideas that are interesting and engaging.

Reading introduced me to concepts like mindful eating, relaxation exercises, and the importance of loving yourself. If I didn’t read, I wouldn’t even be aware of these ideas, which have defined my entire coaching philosophy. If you don’t read, you could be missing out on intriguing ideas that would likewise re-define your personal purpose or business philosophy.

source: Lifehack.org.  Read the entire article by Daniel Warren.

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hold On
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12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books: Reason #6

You will entertain yourself for a low price.

If you’re looking for entertainment on a budget, you can’t beat books. Thanks to the popularity of electronic reading devices like the Kindle and re-selling websites like eBay, it’s never been easier to entertain yourself for hours at a time, for the low cost of a few dollars.

source: Lifehack.org.  Read the entire article by Daniel Warren.

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How about FREE?  Use your local library, including this place.

12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books: Reason #5

You will have things to talk about at parties.

Reading more books will enable you to say the sentence, “Did you know ________?” more often, making it easier to start conversations with strangers (or, as I like to say, “People who aren’t my friends yet”).

source: Lifehack.org.  Read the entire article by Daniel Warren.
source: CC-BY-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books: Reason #4

You will improve your vocabulary.

The more words you’re capable of using, the better you will become at expressing your thoughts and feelings. I couldn’t imagine how I would write articles like this if I didn’t actively aim to expand my vocabulary, because using the same few words to express myself would get awfully boring in a hurry (don’t you agree?).

source: Lifehack.org.  Read the entire article by Daniel Warren.

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12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books: Reason #3

You will immerse yourself in a new world.

Sometimes our daily life can start to feel dull, dry or depressing — I know it, you know it, we all know it. At times like this, I like to dive into a good fiction book for a much-needed escape into another world, where I can forget about whatever problems are stressing me out. Whether you want to travel to the land of the Hobbits, a galaxy far away or a tropical destination in a steamy romance novel is up to you. You’ll come back refreshed after your mini-vacation to a fresh and exciting place in the world of words.

A Hobbit Hole
A Hobbit Hole (source: wikimedia commons)
source: Lifehack.org.  Read the entire article by Daniel Warren.

 

12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books: Reason #2

12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books: Reason #2

You will increase your odds of success.

The more books you read, the more knowledge you will have, the more strategies and resources your brain will store, the more likely you will succeed.

source: Lifehack.org.  Read the entire article by Daniel Warren.
Lao girls reading
source: Blue Plover (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons