YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    This story comes from Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s biggest stories.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    Nov. 14: National Pickle Day, Louise Brooks Birth Anniversary, World Orphans Day, International Girls Day

    By | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Mon, Nov 7, 2011

    National Pickle Day

    You've probably heard of some interesting skin care tips including using cucumbers on eyelids. Even Cleopatra "attributed her good looks to a hearty diet of pickles" according to the New York Food Museum. Beyond their beauty uses, the art of pickling has been used since ancient times as a form of food preservation. Whether you like them sweet, half sour or dill, you can celebrate fermented cucumbers at the Peck Slip Pickle Festival on Nov. 13 at the New Amsterdam Market.

    Brief history of pickles from the New York Food Museum:

    * 2030 BC: Cucumbers brought from their native India helped begin a tradition of pickling in the Tigris Valley.

    * 850 BC: Aristotle praised the healing effects of cured cucumbers.

    * As early as 1606, pickles were being produced at home and commercially in Virginia.

    * 1869: Henry John Heinz mass markets the first commercially manufactured pickle products in America.

    * 2001: The first annual Pickle Day celebration, New York.

    Louise Brooks Birth Anniversary

    Before Mila Kunis, Olivia Wilde or Megan Fox, there was Louise Brooks. She was the "It" girl of the 1920s. She was flapper style personified with a dark bob, straight brows, dark lips and lean figure. Brooks was a dancer and an actress ("Pandora's Box," "Diary of a Lost Girl") and she continues to be an iconic figure of beauty. Brooks was born on Nov. 14, 1906, and is credited with popularizing the sleek bob hairstyle.

    World Orphans Day

    There are "145 million children orphaned or displaced globally," according to World Orphans Day. The Stars Foundation uses the second Monday of November to bring awareness to displaced children, malnutrition (responsible for half of all child deaths worldwide) and the number of children orphaned due to AIDS (one every 14 seconds).

    Contribute to the cause by helping out one of these top-rated charities. You can check out ratings for these and other charities on Charity Navigator.

    * Warm Blankets Orphan Care International

    * Save the Children

    * The Miracle Foundation

    International Girls Day

    The theme of the day is "She Can Do Anything" according to International Girls Day. On International Girls Day (and every day) encourage your daughters, granddaughters, nieces and friends to follow their dreams. Whether the girl in your life likes to skateboard or play sports, encourages "girls to think big, embrace their unique talents, love themselves and accept one another."

    Celebration ideas from the Confidence Coalition:

    * Send and e-card to the special girl in your life.

    * Discover a new interest, hobby, sport or activity.

    * "Make a photo album or a scrapbook that celebrates your unique talents and strengths."

    Loading...

    More US News

     

    News for You »

    • US test-launches intercontinental missile

      VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — The U.S. Air Force has launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile from a California base, a month after the test flight was postponed because of tensions with North Korea.

    • The War on Christmas Is Losing in Texas: Teachers Can Now Say 'Merry Christmas'

      For those of you worried that government can't be proactive, good news out of Texas. On Monday, the state's legislature sent Governor Perry its "Merry Christmas" bill, which would authorize schools to refer to the holiday in non-generic terms. Perry is expected to sign it.

    • Sergio Garcia invites Tiger Woods over for fried chicken

      Well, the previously lame fight between Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia just took one big “Anchorman”-sized step up a notch with a racially-charged remark from Garcia.

    • Judge: Hollister clothing unfriendly to disabled

      DENVER (AP) — A federal judge in Denver is contemplating an injunction against Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and J.M. Hollister LLC after ruling earlier that nearly 250 of their clothing stores that cater to a hip, young clientele are unfriendly to the disabled.

    • Why We Can't Forget That Oklahoma's Senators Voted Against Sandy Relief

      Nearly four months ago, Oklahoma Senators Tom Coburn and James Inhofe both voted against H.R.152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act that eventually sent $50.5 billion in relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. And in the flurry of last night's devastation in Moore, Oklahoma. it was impossible not to forget that fact, knowing the federal government would soon rally to the cause.

    • BREAKING: Subway Just as Unhealthy as McDonald’s!

      If you watched the London Olympics last summer, you saw a parade of top athletes touting the nutritional qualities of their favorite eatery: Subway. Watching Apolo Ohno or Robert Griffin III bite into a veggie footlong with avocado or hearing that Subway is “the official training restaurant of athletes everywhere,” you might get the idea that the food served at the chain isn’t that bad for you—that it’s even healthy.

    • Dancing With The Stars: Kellie Pickler Talks Emotional Win

      Kellie Pickler might not have won her season of "American Idol," but the country singer was the best dancer to strut across the floor on Season 16 of "Dancing with the Stars" - something she was still in shock about when she chatted with Access Hollywood .

    • 18-year-old’s invention can recharge a cell phone in 30 seconds

      A teenager from Saratoga, California took home one of the top prizes at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair late last week after showing off her invention, which can fully charge a cell phone in 30 seconds or less. Eesha Khare was given the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award and a $50,000 prize for being runner-up in the competition, which was won by a 19-year-old who unveiled a new spin on self-driving car technology. Khare’s battery technology requires a new component to be installed inside the phone battery itself, and Intel notes that it also has potential applications for car batteries.

    Show More
    Loading...

    Follow Yahoo! News