November 6, 2015

Today we celebrate:

Basketball Day - On this day in 1861, James Naismith, the man who created basketball was born.  He wrote the original rulebook and began a basketball program at the University of Kansas.  He even lived long enough to see it become an Olympic demonstration sport in 1904, and an official Olympic sport in 1936, in addition to seeing the creation of the NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball Championship in 1939 just before he died.

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict – This day was declared in 2001 by the United Nations General Assembly for the purpose of making mankind aware that people and buildings are not the only casualties of war. The environment also suffers a great deal because of the pollution, poisoning of the soil and decimation of the forests and crops all in the name of allowing each side of the conflict to gain a military advantage.

Saxophone Day – Adolphe Sax, born on this day in 1814, invented the saxophone in 1840. A saxophone is a woodwind instrument with a single reed, and one of my favorite instruments to listen to.

National Nachos Day – This cheesy chip dish can be loaded with lots of different delicious ingredients so that you can make it just the way you like it.

Marooned without a Compass Day – This is a day to test your survival skills. Can you find your way home without a compass? Can you find your way out of your driveway?

National Medical Science Liaison Awareness & Appreciation Day – Celebrated on the first Friday in November, this is a day that was created for the purpose of educating the public about just what a medical science liaison is and what they do for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. I, for one, need a day like this because I had no idea what they do. If you are in the same boat, allow me to enlighten you because I do my research.  A medical science liaison is a communication bridge between clinical medicine and various other areas of healthcare such as the pharmaceutical industry or the manufacturers that make medical equipment.

To celebrate today, have some nachos while you listen to saxophone music. Then check your backyard for war damage and try not to get lost without your compass.  Finally, take a local medical liaison to a basketball game.