MDBCs 21 Jun 2024

On June 21, wear your flip-flops, put on your sunglasses, and step outdoors to enjoy some Sun, because it is Daylight Appreciation Day. The holiday was created by Solatube International as a way to raise awareness about the advantages of daylighting.

Daylighting is the use of natural light to light up interior spaces. This can be done by simply opening windows and raising shades in a room or by constructing windows and adding reflective surfaces to them to allow the maximum amount of sunlight indoors.

An Ancient Practice...

Daylighting is an ancient practice and is highly recommended by architects, interior decorators and energy experts today, due to its health and energy saving benefits. Using natural light cuts down on energy and electricity costs. Studies have shown that daylighting in the workplace can help increase productivity, work performance, employee satisfaction and retention.

...With Health Benefits

By connecting people with nature and the outdoors even when they are indoors, daylighting helps reduce stress. Studies have shown that people who spend time in a room lit with bright sunlight tend to be happier than those who spend a lot of time under artificial lights.

Longest Day of the Year

Daylight Appreciation Day is fittingly celebrated on the longest day of the year for Northern Hemisphere residents - in most years, the June Solstice occurs on June 21. In the Northern Hemisphere, the day is also called the Summer Solstice and is considered by many to be the first day of summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is the shortest day of the year and is thought to mark the first day of winter in the region.

How to Celebrate?

Speak to an architect or a civil engineer to find ways to daylight your indoor spaces. If you don't want to spend the time and money to make major structural changes to your place of work or home, what about taking some simple steps like opening the window, installing light colored drapes or curtains or applying a reflective surface to the window to let more natural sunlight in?
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, spend some time in the outdoors and appreciate the extended period of daylight. Maybe you could celebrate the day by hosting a BBQ and a pool party? Treat everyone with homemade creamsicles, iced tea and corn on the cob.
Since it is also the June Solstice, why not spend the day participating in local solstice related events. Many cultures assign special significance to the solstices. Read about their traditions and participate in any local festivals or events marking the day.
If you are a Southern Hemisphere dweller, make the most of the sunlight before peak winter sets in. Maybe host a soup party, where everyone brings warm soup to share? Serve warm and spiced wine to usher in the winter.

Did You Know…

…that daylighting designers and architects take into account the direction when deciding on where to build windows? South-facing windows let in a lot of winter sunlight but very little direct light in the summer. East- and west-facing windows, on the other hand, let in a lot of light during the morning and evenings but also tend to cause glare.

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Take Your Dog to Work Day

Studies have shown that bringing pets to work can increase productivity. So, on a Friday in June, take your dog to work to celebrate Take Your Dog to Work Day.

Celebrated annually since 1999 on the first Friday after Father’s Day in the United States, the unofficial holiday was created by Pet Sitters International as a way to encourage dog adoption and to celebrate the love and joy dogs bring to the lives of their pet parents.

The week preceding this unofficial holiday is Take Your Pets to Work Week.

How to Celebrate?

Take your furry friend to work on this day. Make sure you let your co-workers know that you will be bringing your dog to work and clear it with anyone who may have allergies or other issues.
Have your company organize a visit to the local dog shelter, or, better yet, let the local dog shelter come to your workplace with dogs that are in need of a loving home – you never know, some of your co-workers may adopt a dog!

Did You Know…

… that in ancient China, royals would carry little dogs in their sleeves to keep warm?

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"Where is Pearl Harbor?" I asked my fourth-grade history class. "Here’s a hint: It’s a place where everyone wants to go."

One student blurted out, "Candy Land!"

***

Workers at the Carlsberg brewery in Denmark walked off the job after losing a prized perk: unlimited beer at work. They now have to settle for three beers at lunch.

A worker told the Wall Street Journal that wasn’t enough: "I need a beer when I take a cigarette break."

***

On his birthday, my husband was stuck driving our six rambunctious children around. As usual, they were yelling, punching, and annoying one another. Joel finally had had enough.

"Kids," he said over the din, "if you would behave and be kind to each other, that would be a very nice birthday present for me."

Our six-year-old shot back: "Too late, I already got you another present."

***

I took four tires to a friend’s garage sale and was asking $30 apiece. I needed to leave for a few minutes, so I asked him to watch them for me.

"Sure," he said, "but if someone offers less, how low are you willing to go?"

"Try for more, but I will accept $15," I said, and left.

When I returned, my tires were gone. "How much did you get for them?" I asked excitedly.

"Fifteen dollars each."

"Who bought them?"

"I did!"

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The Giant Horse Conch is the Death Star of the Mollusk World

The Giant Horse Conch (Triplofusus giganteus) can grow up to 24 inches across. It's most commonly found off the Atlantic coast of Florida at depths of 43 to 223 feet. If you go scuba diving there, the Giant Horse Conch is waiting for you. And it's hungry. This shows the monster hunting non-human prey: a Tulip Snail.

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This diving suit was used in 1920s France and even included a telephone

The deep sea has always been a source of fascination for us human beings, exploration seeming so tantalizingly possible and yet out of reach. For this reason, we have as a species long sought to explore the seafloor with diving suits. In the early 20th century there was tremendous interest in building those exploratory suits, including the Neufeldt-Kuhnke which spawned yet more variations.