There were not many dictators as colorful as Ferdinand Marcos of the Phillippines, with election rigging, embezzlement and his wife Imelda’s roomful of shoes. He was even accused of masterminding the assassination of political rival Ninoy Aquino. But those were the 1980’s. Eventually the power of the people triumphed, and a three-day, fairly non-violent revolution toppled the 20-year Marcos regime on Tuesday, February 25, 1986. Later that day Ninoy Aquino’s widow Corazon was sworn in as President, an office won two weeks before on February 7. There was mass confusion and fraud in those elections. The Philippine official government agency declared Marcos the winner, a move that angered the people so much they began to revolt. People Power Day commemorates this uprising, better known as People Power Revolution. A monument honoring the revolution was erected in a square in the capital city of Manila.

Every year Thailand recognizes one of its own as National Artist. Since 1985, the honors have been presented on February 24, “National Artist Day” in Thailand. This is the birth date of Thai artist Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, or King Rama II. Nabahalai was King of Siam (1809–1824) who brought in a renaissance of Thai arts and culture, especially in literature.
Each National Artist is given a plaque of honor and a golden insignia.

He/She also receives:
- a monthly stipend;
- medical coverage;
- financial assistance in case of accident;
- a set of gifts when in sickness or on important occasions;
- insurance premium against accident occurred during official trips to publicize his/her works;
- death benefits (a contribution for cremation, funeral and religious rites expenses);
- financial contribution for post-mortem publication of books publicizing his/her works; and travel benefits for expenses incurred during official trips.

Each year on February 22, the Girl Scouts participate in activities, games and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries. Girls are encouraged to design activities that increase cultural awareness and emphasize the positive similarities between U.S. Girl Scouts and their sisters throughout the world.

World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at the fourth Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy (now called Edith Macy Conference Center). Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all around the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their “sister” Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

The delegates chose February 22 as the date for Thinking Day because it was the mutual birthday of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, and his wife Olave, who served as World Chief Guide.

The theme for 2008 is ‘Think about water’, focusing on water’s importance to health and on the issues of access to clean water and water conservation. 

This is also cookie time for many Girl Scouts. Celebrate with some creative ways to use some of your favorites, including these Thin Mint Brownies.
Ingredients
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. butter
3 cups Thin Mint cookies crushed into crumbs
½ cup nuts (chopped)
Directions
Mix together milk, marshmallows, chocolate chips, sugar and salt in microwaveable bowl. Bring to a boil in microwave. Stir well and cook in microwave an additional 2 minutes at medium high heat. Remove from microwave. Add butter, vanilla, and chopped nuts. Break Thin Mint cookies into crumbs and add to mixture. Pack into a 9 in square pan. Refrigerate to harden. Cut into 2 inch squares.

Leave it to the US government to make a holiday confusing. The holiday originated as the celebration of George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22. This was the first federal holiday to honor a US citizen and was commonly celebrated by reading Washington’s farewell address. This tradition began during the Civil War as a reminder of the principals the country was founded on.

But then folks got antsy with the celebration, thinking that it should coincide with a weekend so they could have a three-day holiday. On January 1, 1971 the Uniform Monday Holiday Act took affect, moving Memorial Day, Washington’s Birthday, and Veterans Day from fixed dates to designated Mondays and created a new holiday, Columbus Day, which also falls on a Monday.

George Washington’s Birthday: 3rd Monday in February (formerly Feb. 22) Memorial Day: last Monday in May (formerly May 30) Columbus Day: 2nd Monday in October (formerly not a federal holiday, but observed on Oct. 12 in some states) Veterans Day: 4th Monday in October (formerly Nov. 11, and moved back to Nov. 11 in 1978)

But don’t believe all those commercials that make it sound like this is a day to honor both Presidents Lincoln and Washington. A draft of the Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968 would have renamed the holiday “Presidents’ Day” to honor both, but when signed into law on June 28, 1968 it was simply called Washington’s Birthday. And though Lincoln’s birthday is not a federal holiday many states and communities honor him on his birthday, February 12.

So many languages on this earth have disappeared due to the dominance of one culture over another. International Mother Language Day, also known as Language Martyrs’ Day in Bangladesh, recognizes the diversity of countries and the tradition of language. The date was chosen to commemorate a Feb 21, 1952 uprising against the Pakistani states governments decision to name Urdu as the national language of Bangladesh, even though East Pakistan’s Bengali speaking people were the majority. Five students died in the protest. Today, International Mother Language Day is observed yearly in UNESCO member states and at its headquarters to promote linguistic and cultural diversity.

Down with Autocracy, free Democracy
Shommilito Shangskritik Jote, 1988.
Subject: 21 February 1952, “Language Martyrs’ Day”

It was a dark day in American history when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcing 120,000 Japanese American citizens and legal residents into internment camps during World War II solely based upon their Japanese descent.

After the country of Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, there was much prejudice against anyone who even resembled Japanese. Many second generation Americans whose family had come from Japan were unfairly targeted as a threat to America and were forced to leave their jobs, their friends and their homes to go live in what were basically concentration camps. In later years the Act that Roosevelt signed was recognized for what it was, racism and wartime hysteria. In 1988 President Reagan signed a reparation agreement that officially apologized and provided each surviving camp member with $20,000 in compensation.
The anniversary of this order is February 19. It is a time to remember this history lesson and urge respect for all people in America, no matter what the country were they came from is doing.

Now that Al Gore has made global warming cool, it should be very hip to celebrate Kyoto Protocol Day. The protocol became legally binding at midnight on February 16, 2005 and says there should be a 5.2% cut in greenhouse gas emissions from the industrialised world by 2012. It is an amendment to a treaty passed at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The main point of the treaty is to have the biggest emission producing countries in the world reduce greenhouse gas to combat global warming. There is a movement to increase the terms in 2009, mandating that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 25 percent to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 — and by at least half by 2050. The United States is the only industrialized nation not to have signed the treaty.

John Frum (or Jon Frum) is a mystical American GI celebrated on the island of Tanna, part of the country of Vanuatu in the South Pacific. He is depicted as a serviceman dressed in a white uniform.

The legend says that an American World War II serviceman will bring wealth and prosperity to the island people if they worship him. This phenomenon is a cargo cult that sprang up in villages in the South Pacific during World War II, when hundreds of thousands of American troops and their supplies poured into the islands from the skies and seas. When the war ended and the military and their precious supplies ceased to come, many islanders in the South Pacific began to carve airstrips into their forests to entice the Americans to return. In 1964, one cargo cult on New Hanover Island in Papua New Guinea offered the U.S. government $1,000 for Lyndon Johnson to come and be their paramount chief - he declined.

Most of the cargo cults evaporated with their dreams of the rich Americans returning, but this island on Sulpher Bay, featured in recent years on the TV show “Survivor”, has turned John Frum into a god and they worship he accordingly. Rituals with dancing and preaching are conducted throughout the year but on February 15 they hold a special celebration for John Frum. No one knows were the name came from, but it is speculated that the islanders heard American GIs say “John from America……or wherever, and the natives took it as John Frum. Today his story has been mixed with the story of Christ, and the islanders wait for him to return. Read more about this fascinating island from the Vanuatu Cultural Centre.

Here’s another popular story about the origin of Valentine’s Day. In ancient Rome there was a festival called Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15. This was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. On this holiday, it was tradition for all the young unmarried women to put their names in a an urn. The city’s bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day around 498 A.D. The Roman ‘lottery’ system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed, but the tradition of love in February did not.

It is very common to send a love note to your sweetie on Valentine’s Day, and some historians believe the old Saint may have been the one to start this tradition. During his time, it was unlawful for a priest to marry couples, because Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families. But Valentine would not be deterred and he secretly married folks. The Emperor caught on and had Valentine sent to prison with a sentence of beheading. Before the devilish deed could take place, Valentine fell in love with a young woman, possibly the jailers daughter. Before he was sent to the gallows he sent her a message of love and signed it, “from your Valentine”. Don’t forget to be someone’s Valentine this year, but keep your head about it!

For a sweet treat for your sweet, try these delicious Fudge Nut Cookies.
Ingredients

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
12 ounces miniature semisweet kisses or chips
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the chopped chocolate and the butter in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove the top of the double boiler and let the chocolate mixture cool.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on medium speed until blended. Gradually beat in the sugar, then increase the speed to high. Continue beating for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and light.

Stir the vanilla into the cooled chocolate and add to the egg mixture, beating on medium speed until combined. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Using a wooden spoon, fold in the miniature kisses and nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Using a 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop or cup measure, drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the mounds 2-inches apart. Bake the cookies, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until set on the outside, but still slightly moist on the inside.

There is very little known about the saint (or saints) whose name we celebrate every February 14, so little in fact that the Catholic Church removed his feast day from the official list in 1969. But those who celebrate romance keep his name alive during the dark month of February.There are actually two saints named Valentine, though some believe they are the same person.

Valentine of Rome, a priest imprisoned and later martyred for helping others in prison.

St. Valentine is the the patron saint of the Epilepsy Foundation. In the 1300s and 1400s, people with seizures made pilgrimages to the Priory of St. Valentine, a monastery on the border between France and Germany, for spiritual healing from the neurological condition. The Foundation is not sure how Valentine came to be known for cures, but epilepsy was once known as the “falling sickness” because some seizures cause a person to lose consciousness and fall down. Valentine sounds like the German word for fallen, so that might be the connection.

It’s hard to pinpoint the reason St. Valentine’s Day became known for love. The holiday goes back to the 1382 when Chaucer wrote a poem about birds finding a mate on the Bishop Valentine of Genoa. His saint’s day is May 2, so it is still unclear where February 14 came from, except that a “High Court of Love” was established in Paris on Valentine’s Day in 1400. The court dealt with love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women.

The modern Valentine’s Day and its tradition of card giving came in the 1840s when a card and stationary store in Worcester, Mass. started selling hand-embossed and lace decorated Valentines. The owner’s daughter, Ester Howland was an artist who envisioned the cards and began to market them in her father’s store.Of course there are as many ways to celebrate Valentines Day as there are lovers. More on popular rituals tomorrow.