International Underlings Day
Peter D. Morris wants the hard work of anyone who is not a boss or a professional assistant to be recognized every four years. Underlings needed their own holiday because the other groups already have theirs. The holiday is recognized on Feb. 29 in leap yeas but only nonofficially on Feb. 28 or March 1 in a nonleap year. He encourages "supervisors to give their underlings time off during the six hours between Feb. 28 and March 1 each year during nonleap years," according to Underlings Day.
Some famous fictional underlings include Homer Simpson, Andy Sachs ("The Devil Wears Prada") and Mary Tyler Moore ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show").
Deerfield Massacre Anniversary
It all started with a stolen bell. It ended tragically with 48 deaths, 112 hostages and a burned town on Feb. 29, 1704, according to Memorial Hall Museum. One story explanation claims a bell being shipped for a Native American church in Canada was stolen and later sold to the congregation in Deerfield, Mass. French and Native American forces raided the town in an attempt to retrieve the bell. This is more "more mythical than historical" according to the editors of the book where the story was recorded, "Captive Histories" (Indigenous People Issues).
Other reasons for the raid on Deerfield, Mass., according to the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association:
* England and France were battling for control of North America and the attack on the small settlement " was one of a series of battles in what was known in Europe as the War of Spanish Succession."
* The Native American joined forces with the French because they "often shared political and religious beliefs" and the French were more interested in trade routes and the English wanted permanent agricultural settlements.
Surf and Turf Day
Take a vacation from your regular dinner fare and choose surf and turf. Surf and Turf Day is the antithesis of Meatless Monday. The dish is relatively young compared to others, and can be firmly traced to the 20th century, according to Food Timeline. A Surf and turf is an entree with seafood and meat (food from the sea and food from the land). Traditional combinations include prime rib and lobster or steak and shrimp. Variations include sirloin tips and scallops or surf and turf burgers.
Rare Disease Day
Rare Disease Day promotes awareness about rare diseases. In the U.S., a disease or disorder is "considered rare when it affects fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time. Facts about Rare Diseases according to Rare Disease Day:
* Most of these rare diseases have no cure.
* "80 percent of rare diseases have identified genetic origins whilst others are the result of infections (bacterial or viral), allergies and environmental causes."
* 50 percent of rare diseases touch children.
