On July 14, the world celebrates Currant Day. This is a holiday for gardeners, summer residents and all connoisseurs of delicious fruits. Professionals conduct master classes on growing and competitions “Who can eat the most berries, pies and jam.” The verb “frost” in Old Russian means to emit a strong aroma. Currants are one of the most valuable and at the same time affordable food products. The berry bush belongs to the gooseberry family. Scientists have discovered more than 200 wild plant species. Wild thickets of 50 subspecies are found in central Russia. Bushes grow on the edges of forests, the edges of forest belts, the banks of reservoirs, on the outskirts of swamps, and damp floodplain meadows. The lifespan of a perennial shrub is 10-15 years. Under favorable conditions, the harvest ripens by mid-June - early July. The most common are currant plantings with black, white and red berries. In addition, gardeners grow bushes with golden and green fruits. The berries have a round, oval, teardrop shape. Some varieties are distinguished by the edge along the upper part or the entire surface of the skin. The healthiest and most delicious are currants grown in the middle zone and northern latitudes. The first mentions of currant plantings appeared in the 11th century. This garden crop began to be grown by novices of Russian Orthodox monasteries and monasteries. Therefore, in the Middle Ages the name “monastic berry” was used. Gradually, garden culture spread throughout the European, Asian, and Far Eastern parts of the country. Now currants grow on all continents except Antarctica and Australia. But Russia remains the leader in terms of the volume of crops grown. Currant berries are good in any form. The most useful ones are those freshly picked from the bushes. Such food contains the maximum amount of rapidly degrading vitamins, enzymes and vital energy. In addition, compotes, jellies, jams, and marshmallows are made from currants. Syrups, marmalades, and jams are also popular. To preserve vitamins without cooking, freshly picked and washed berries are rubbed with sugar. Tinctures, wines, and home brews have a unique aroma. The leaves and fruits are used for soaking, pickling, and twisting homemade preparations. This is an excellent seasoning for fish, meat, and some types of cheese. Dried shoots are added to teas and decoctions. Most types of currants are honey plants. Black varieties hold the record for the amount of vitamin C. To meet the daily requirement, it is enough to eat 50 grams of fruit daily. Unripe fruits contain 4 times more vitamin C compared to fully ripened berries. In addition, the composition includes vitamins A, B12, E, beneficial enzymes, potassium, magnesium, iron and sodium. The essential oils contained in the leaves help fight colds and inflammatory diseases. Decoctions, 30-45 minute infusions, and mixed teas are good for strengthening the immune system. Compresses on sore spots relieve pain on abscesses and growths. Currants are useful for treating the effects of radiation exposure. With regular use, radionuclides and decay products of damaged cells are removed from the body. Berries, leaves, shoots are first-class raw materials used in the chemical, pharmaceutical industries, winemaking, and agriculture. A common food coloring is made from the black fruit. Currants are rightfully considered one of the healthiest berries. Celebrate the holidays - Currant Day! Grow or buy delicious fruits in stores. Eat currants regularly and you will forget about diseases!

Confusion and confusion were, according to legend, a consequence of the construction of the Tower of Babel. For the creation of the pillar (the construction of a pillar, the top of which was supposed to rest against the heavens), higher powers punished people by scattering them around the world and mixing the languages ​​of communication. The tower was struck by lightning, causing confusion and chaos. In English, pandemonium means pandemonium, disorder and uncertainty. In honor of these phenomena, a special day has been established, calling on people to reconsider the way they organize their lives. July 14th is the Festival of Chaos and Disorder. Pandemonium Day appeared on the initiative of the American Adrian Sue Coopersmith. This Chicago resident is known as the person who invented more than 1,900 holidays. Many of them have become firmly established in the lives of US residents: International Hug Day, Compliment Day, World Thank You Day and, of course, Pandemonium Day. In second place in the number of memorable dates are the spouses Thomas and Ruth Roy. They came up with more than 80 “special days” featuring cranky colleagues, cats, chatting and walking house plants. Some of the unofficial US holidays included in the Chase Calendar of Events have acquired international status and are celebrated on all five continents. In the modern world, various events and shocks occur every minute, so it is difficult for a person to lead an orderly life and maintain a measured way of life. Confusion in the head and mental discomfort are a consequence of the confusion and chaos reigning around. According to E.S. Coopersmith, once a year, on July 14, people simply need to start putting things in order in their own home and in their heads. To do this, cleaning is carried out to get rid of everything superfluous and unnecessary, searching for lost things and other activities that will lead to ordering of life. In honor of Pandemonium Day, creative people are invited to liken themselves to the demiurge, as the builders of the Tower of Babel did. Artists can mix different colors on a palette to create new shades, gain insight into ideas, and see ways to solve problems and situations that previously seemed hopeless. The philosopher F. Nietzsche said: “You need to come face to face with chaos in order to give birth to a star,” drawing parallels with the emergence of new galaxies after cosmic cataclysms. Therefore, disorder and confusion must be treated as something that can and should be ordered according to the laws of nature. According to ancient Greek myths, Chaos appeared first in the Universe, in which the beginnings of the future world were mixed: air and fire, earth and water. No one can say what it looked like, except that it was a black haze, like the open mouth of an animal. Chaos gave birth to Night and Darkness (Erebus), Gaia, the goddess of the Earth, the underground abyss Tartarus and Eros - love, which, as Dante said, “moves the suns and luminaries.” Everything is subject to her - gods, people, and animals. July 14th is an excellent occasion to feel the demiurge by celebrating the Festival of Chaos and Disorder.

France's national holiday, Bastille Day, falls on July 14th. This event of 1789 is the beginning of the Great French Revolution and is valued by descendants as a symbol of the political liberation of the common people from the despotism of power. The revolution itself took place under the motto of equality of citizens and universal brotherhood. Although it dragged on for a decade, the bourgeoisie, peasantry and urban lower class were able to defeat the old order, which led to a crisis in the country. Not the least role was played by the uncertain reign of the monarch Louis XVI. The previous rulers greatly emptied the treasury, and all attempts to revive the economic situation were defeated by the opposition of the aristocratic elite. The nobility did not want to pay taxes, help the country, and actively opposed the third, lower class to participate in making any decisions related to governance. By the summer of 1789, the economic crisis had virtually ruined French production, and political disagreements had reached their limit, including over the endless change of finance ministers. A series of circumstances, such as natural disasters, also led to the sad ending, the overthrow of the monarchy. The associated crop failures caused a surge in hunger and mortality, and the pre-revolutionary winter was particularly harsh. A combination of factors has created an urgent need to reform the system. But the upper class was not ready to sacrifice either money or power. The organized National Assembly was under threat of dispersal, and government troops, which were converging on Paris, did not contribute to the adoption of peaceful decisions. From June 12, the people began active resistance, under the influence and direct leadership of the leaders of liberation ideas. The French army went over to the side of the Paris Commune, and nothing could stop the masses. And so on July 14, the decision was made to storm the famous fortress-prison. Completed in 1382 as a fortification, it soon became a refuge for prisoners. Many terrifying stories have been seen on those walls, and many of them are real legends, such as the “Iron Mask”, whose identity has not yet been revealed. In the 16th century, visiting the Bastille as a prisoner was even honorable and popular among philosophers, publicists and other free-thinking bright minds of that time: Voltaire, Cagliostro, Fouquet, Beaumarchais. At the time of the attack, there were only 7 prisoners there, but it was the bloody history of the Bastille that associated it with the power of the monarchy. At the same time, the attackers hoped to replenish their arsenal at the expense of an ammunition depot. The active resistance of the prison garrison led to casualties: the liberators lost almost 100 people. The commandant himself paid with his head for refusing to surrender. Subsequently, a similar fate befell the representative of the Bourbons, Louis XVI. But the dynasty still exists today, unlike the Bastille: after 2 months, the townspeople did not leave a single stone. The July Column was erected on this site decades later. By coincidence, it has nothing to do with 1789: it is in honor of other revolutionary events of July 1830. The overthrow of the old government and the construction of a democratic society cost France a huge number of victims, but with its ideological example it inspired other countries under the yoke of the ruling elite. Bastille Day, albeit with a slightly different, originally sounding name (“Le Quatorze Juillet” - “The Fourteenth of July”), was officially established as a national holiday in 1880. And now for the French, July 14 is a patriotic and joyful day with its own traditions. The Bastille is long gone, but it remains an unshakable symbol of France. Celebrations in honor of distant events are widespread, some begin the day before, for example, the Tuileries Ball. The main part of the holiday is the military parade on the Champs Elysees. And to get to the Palace of Versailles, you should wear white. The Paris Opera, many museums are open for free. In the evening, after the orchestra's performance, fireworks begin on the Champ de Mars near another symbol - the Eiffel Tower. Not only the French celebrate this holiday today. For example, in Germany for the last few years a rally of French cars has been organized and people are introduced to the national cuisine. And in Russia, despite the events of 1812, they love French culture and remember this date. The special project “Bastille”, implemented annually in St. Petersburg, will introduce those interested to the history and culture of France.

Predators from the superorder of cartilaginous fish, living in the depths of the water, play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem of the World Ocean. Analysis of fossils confirms scientists' conclusions that sharks lived on Earth 420 million years ago. These toothy predators regulate populations of fish, squid, mammals, turtles, crustaceans and plankton.

In Homo erectus, Homo erectus, the ancestor of modern humans, the main load during movement fell on the legs. Since the Pleistocene era, i.e. for 2 million years, nothing has changed. The arch of the foot still bears the weight of the body of a person who walks, jumps, runs, dances and otherwise moves in space. To reduce the load on their feet and comfort of movement, people began to use special inserts in their shoes, in honor of which a celebration was established. July 14th is the Insole Festival. The foot, which is called the second heart, has spring properties - it springs when walking. There are more than 70 thousand nerve endings on the sole, which connect its surface with individual organs and areas of the body. By influencing the foot in a certain way, it is possible to restore the bioenergetic activity of the entire human body. In addition, proper distribution of weight during movement eases the load on the leg muscles and spine, joints and pelvic organs. Initially, the insoles were made of scoop - thick leather 3-4 mm thick. This material has good vapor permeability and wear resistance. Such insoles absorb up to 50% of the sweat generated by the foot due to their high moisture capacity. Today, in the manufacture of this essential part of shoes, leather, dermantin, special cardboard, natural or artificial felt are used. Insoles help in the formation of the correct arch of the foot for children and are used to correct posture in adults. The first orthoses were invented in the Netherlands in 1762 by the Dutch naturalist Petrus Camper. In the 18th century orthopedic insoles were made from balsa wood. Later, metal began to be used for their production. At the end of the 19th century. This shoe part began to be manufactured in the USA using plaster casts of the foot. The technology did not allow taking into account all the nuances of the instep and bends of the foot. Therefore, such orthopedic insoles have proven themselves poorly in use. Development of science and technology in the twentieth century. made it possible to begin producing orthotics made from modern materials that made the product elastic and wearing shoes comfortable. To reduce the load on the feet and correct foot defects, shoe inserts made from balsa wood, artificial or natural leather, dense fabric and high-tech synthetic materials are used today. Orthoses not only make walking easier for people with excess weight, arthritis, flat feet or hallux valgus, but also help combat injuries or curvature of the spine. A regular insole is no less important, because... creates a layer between the main material of the shoe and the foot. Underneath there are stitched or glued parts of shoes, boots or boots. Without an insole, these elements, their joints and seams will not be able to withstand the pressure of the foot and will begin to deform, which will lead to rapid wear of the shoes. Special inserts with shock absorption make wearing it convenient and comfortable, like orthotics, preventing your legs from getting tired while walking. Everyone who appreciates this important invention of mankind celebrates Insole Day on July 14th.

Fun Holidays - World Kebab Day

Holidays of South Ossetia - Peacemaker Day

Madagascar Festivals - Famadihana Ceremony

Developed intelligence and erudition are the result of a person’s knowledge, ability to process received information and apply it in life. Nous (in ancient Greek “mind”, “thought”) was one of the main categories of ancient philosophy. “I only know that I know nothing, but others do not know this either,” said Socrates. In this statement, the ancient Greek philosopher did not belittle his intellectual capabilities. Socrates rightly pointed out that the smarter and more educated a person becomes, the more clearly he begins to remember how large the area of ​​​​knowledge is that lies beyond the boundaries of what is already known. Games help train the mind and improve thinking: chess, go, mahjong, checkers and backgammon. Participation in quizzes and erudition competitions also contributes to the development of intelligence and broadening of horizons. Competitions are held among friends and like-minded people, within the walls of educational institutions and under the spotlight in television studios. A holiday has been established in honor of competitions whose winners demonstrate remarkable thinking abilities, erudition and intelligence. July 14 is World Mind Games Day. Russian aristocrats of the 19th century. whiled away their leisure time by assembling puzzles (an analogue of modern puzzles), which looked like a mosaic, answering questions from “Mail in a Hat” and writing burime - composing poems to given rhymes. In social salons they played nonsense and charades, in which, with the help of clues, one had to guess the word conceived by the opposing team. The most popular intellectual game in the USSR was "What? Where? When?" which appeared on television screens in September 1975. Its participants, experts, enjoyed great popularity and recognition among both physicists, representatives of the Soviet technical intelligentsia, and lyricists. An analogue of “What? Where? When?”, the permanent presenter of which was V. Voroshilov, was “Brain Ring”, invented by the Odessa intellectual club. The rounds of the TV quiz show, which started in 1990, featured two teams of thinkers and scholars. Starting from the second season, the master of the Club of Connoisseurs, the charismatic Andrei Kozlov, was the permanent host of the game. From 1992 to the present day, “Clever Men and Clever Girls” has been broadcast on Channel One, in which intellectuals of high school age take part. For winning the TV Olympiad, young people receive the right to enter MGIMO without exams. In 1991, with the country's transition to a market economy, "What? Where? When?" began to be called an intellectual casino, in which experts had the opportunity to earn money “with their own mind.” The history of the creation of domestic games does not end there. In 1994, the NTV channel launched “Own Game” - the American Jeopardy! In 1999, the show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” appeared on television. - an analogue of the English Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the franchise of which was acquired by Channel One. In 2002, “The Smartest”, an adaptation of Britain’s Brainiest Kid, was released on STS screens. The popularity of intellectual games in Britain and the presence of franchises that are sold to other countries is explained by historical traditions. The fashion for competitions in intelligence and erudition came to drinking establishments in England in the 1970s. last century. Pub quiz, a pub quiz, was conceived as a way to attract non-drinkers to bars and increase beer sales. The organizers of the intellectual game thought through the questions in advance and invited visitors to take part in the competition. By 2009, the number of weekly pub quizzes in the UK exceeded 22,000. By analogy with the English Pub quiz, “Brain Slaughter” was invented, successfully conducted in Belarus, Russia, Spain, Italy, Greece and 13 other countries. World Intellectual Games Day invites everyone to take part in quizzes in pubs or competitions on TV, the participants of which demonstrate advanced erudition and a broad outlook.

On July 14 (July 1 according to the old calendar style), people celebrate Kuzma and Demyan. This holiday is named after the church date of honoring Saints Cosmas and Damian, whose memory is revered by Christian believers on this day. The brothers' story took place in Rome in the 3rd century. The young men were raised by a Christian mother, who instilled in them love for the Lord and mercy for the suffering. They became doctors and treated the sick for free. For their Christian faith, Cosmas and Damian were called to trial before the pagan emperor, but he was struck by a terrible illness and the brothers managed to cure the ruler. They were released, but after a while the healers died in the forest at the hands of their envious teacher. Cosma and Damian were considered intercessors against various ailments and patronized everyone who worked in the medical field or received health services. Residents went to churches and asked the holy brothers for recovery, good health, family well-being and patronage in their studies, so that reading and writing would be easy. On this day, people were engaged in gardening and field work. The peasants went to haymaking in order to dry up more hay for their livestock for the winter. We also weeded the garden beds to remove weeds. It was time to harvest the root crop. Weavers began collecting dye herbs needed to dye fabrics and embroidery threads. It was customary for Kuzma and Demyan to pick raspberries and gooseberries. They were used to make compotes and jams, and add them to cottage cheese, pancakes, and pies. Housewives tried to prepare at least a few jars of raspberry jam, since this plant had warming and diaphoretic properties and helped with cold fever. But gooseberries were valued for their spicy taste in meat and fish dishes. The second name of the date was Summer Kuzminki, also called the Indian holiday. They were honored mainly by girls and women. During the day, housewives gathered together and pooled together to prepare a feast of plant crops. They always cooked a huge vat of porridge, which they treated to neighbors and poor people or travelers passing by. Homemade alcohol was also placed on the table. Women often stayed up late, telling each other their deepest secrets and sharing the latest events. If a reddened moon was observed on Kuzma and Demyan, then they prepared for windy weather, but a month with blunted horns was noted for precipitation. Bright stars and a cloudy sky in the morning foreshadowed an imminent thunderstorm. A spider weaving a web promised hot, dry weather. The heat was also predicted by a chirping magpie.

Orthodox holidays on July 14:

Memorial Day of the Holy Wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian

Memorial Day of the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God

Memorial Day of the Holy Martyr Potitus of Gargar