Tiger & Turtle, Magic Mountain (Duisburg, Germany) What may appear from afar as the most thrilling roller coaster of your life is actually an intricate walkable staircase. German designers Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth unveiled their 249-step masterpiece late last year in Duisburg, Germany, and it’s been a local hit ever since. While the upside down loops are blocked off, the curvy staircase offers visitors captivating views of the Rhine, with the highest stair rising to 49 yards above sea level. The sculpture is also open at night and illuminated by led-lights strategically built into the handrails for better visibility. Photo credit: Eichental via Flickr.
It was initially a unanimous decision to make March the first month of the year. It has been named after Mars, the God of War and the son of Juno and Jupiter. He has been described as a chivalrous and hot-headed deity. He is known for his battle against the giants as well his significant role in the Trojan War.
The month was named after Mars since the weather is as Charles Dickens observed, “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade”.
Events By Days
15th March
Best-selling author Michael Crichton believes, “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know…
16th March
Someone wise once said, “Life is all about sequence of events; although every event is a successor…
17th March
The various dates of a calendar play an important part in our lives. The day our parents got…
Abraham Lincoln turned down the chance to host elephants
In 1861, the King of Siam offered to gift President Lincoln ‘several pairs of young male and female elephants,’ which were indigenous to his country (today we know it as Thailand). The elephants could be bred to multiply, the king suggested, and the herds could be used as ‘beasts of burden’ that could work alongside the military during the Civil War. The president politely declined the offer, opting to use steam power instead of animal labor.
Gerald Ford modeled on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine
Before he became our nation’s 38th president, Gerald Ford had a side gig as a model. In 1942, shortly after joining the Navy, he landed an uncredited spot on the cover of Cosmopolitan in his uniform. Another fun fact? It was during this time that he met and went on to marry a fellow model, Elizabeth Bloomer. She became known to Americans as First Lady Betty Ford.
John Quincy Adams approved a real-life journey to the center of the Earth
Ever hear of President David Rice Atchison? If the answer is no, that’s probably because he was only ‘president’ for a day. In 1849, the inauguration of Zachary Taylor landed on a Sunday, and the religious incumbent refused to be sworn in on a holy day. He had Atchison stand in for him.
Presidents’ Day is technically called Washington’s Birthday
Presidents’ Day has a more complex history than one would think. After George Washington died in 1799, his supporters recognized his birthday as a day of remembrance. In 1885, his birthday became a federal holiday for the whole country. Later, in 1968, a new bill made certain federal holidays on Mondays and combined birthday celebrations for Washington and Lincoln for a ‘Presidents’ Day.’ According to the United States Code, however, that holiday is technically still called Washington’s Birthday and never officially changed to Presidents’ Day. Federal code permits local governments and private businesses to name federal holidays whatever they want, so most states call it Presidents’ Day.
The name March comes from the Roman god of war, Mars. For many years, March, being the start of spring, was also the start of the New Year. Much of Europe used March as the start of the year. Britain used March 25th as the beginning of the New Year until 1752.
March in Other Languages
Chinese (Mandarin) – sanyuè
Danish – marts
French – mars
Italian – marzo
Latin – Martius
Spanish – marzo
Historical Names:
Roman: Martius
Saxon: Hrethmonath
Germanic: Lenz-mond (Springtime month)
Fun Facts about March
It is the first month of Spring which begins between March 19-21.
In the Southern Hemisphere, March is the same as September in the Northern Hemisphere.
Each year March and June end on the same day of the week.
It is the time of year when animals start to wake up from hibernation.
March Madness is a basketball tournament played by the NCAA.
Pancreatic cancer is so difficult to treat in large part because it often isn’t discovered until the disease has spread to other parts of the body. That’s because in many cases there are no signs or symptoms until the cancer has reached an advanced stage. Even when there are early signs and symptoms, they are often vague, so patients tend to ignore them or doctors attribute them to another disease. For these reasons, pancreatic cancer is often known as a silent killer.
“There is not a single (symptom) that lets you home in specifically on pancreatic cancer,” says Dr. Brian Wolpin, director of the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “They tend to occur later in the disease course, so for most people a small tumor will not be symptomatic. Symptoms develop later, when the tumor is larger or has spread.”
Even when symptoms do develop, “they are not a very good way to find the disease,” he says, because they may be confusing to patients and doctors. The symptoms also vary depending on where the tumor is located in the pancreas, which consists of a head, body and tail.
According to the Lustgarten Foundation, the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer that need to be taken seriously include:
Jaundice (with or without itching), dark urine or light-colored stool.
General symptoms such as back pain, fatigue or weakness.
Other illnesses, including pancreatitis and new-onset diabetes in an adult.
Digestive problems, such as unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, malnutrition, nausea or vomiting and abdominal pain.
Blood clots, which may cause pain, swelling, redness and warmth in the leg, chest pain or trouble breathing.
Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms to Take Seriously
Jaundice causes a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Jaundice may also cause signs and symptoms such as itching (which may be severe), dark urine and light or clay-colored stool. Pancreatic cancer can lead to jaundice when a tumor blocks the bile duct. Bile, produced in the liver to aid digestion, contains a dark yellow substance called bilirubin. If the bile is blocked, it accumulates in the blood, skin and other tissues, causing jaundice.
“The main symptom is abdominal discomfort,” Wolpin says. “That sometimes radiates into the back because the pancreas is in the back of the abdomen.” The pain may be constant or occasional and can worsen after eating or when lying down. Of course, many conditions other than pancreatic cancer can also cause abdominal or back pain, which makes this a challenging symptom to attribute to pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer may cause digestive problems and weight loss. When pancreatic enzymes cannot be released into the intestine, digesting food, especially high-fat foods, may be difficult. Over time, significant weight loss and malnutrition may result. If the tumor blocks the upper part of the small intestine, that can lead to nausea and vomiting.
Pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas, can be a sign of pancreatic cancer if the condition is chronic or when it appears for the first time and is not related to either drinking alcohol or gallstones.
Developing diabetes mellitus (high blood sugar), especially after the age of 50, can be a sign of pancreatic cancer, Wolpin says. “The cancer seems to cause diabetes in some cases, so a new onset of diabetes, particularly later in life and with weight loss, is a sign. That being said, most people with diabetes do not get pancreatic cancer.”
Pancreatic cancer can cause blood to clot more easily. The clots can block blood flow in the legs, lungs or other organs such as the pancreas itself or liver.
While many other illnesses can cause these signs and symptoms, it is important to take them seriously and see your doctor as soon as possible.
Knowledge of Pancreatic Cancer Is Key
With so few advanced warnings, how can people stay vigilant about the potential for pancreatic cancer?
“Knowledge of the disease is the key,” says Dr. Victoria Manax, chief medical officer of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. She recommends knowing the risk factors associated with the disease, including smoking, obesity and a history of chronic pancreatitis. “There are also hereditary factors that may come into play. If you have a relative or relatives that have been diagnosed with the disease, you may be at an increased risk,” Manax says. “Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being aware of your own risk factors is important.”
You should always see a doctor if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you or are persistent, Manax says. The doctor can perform tests and procedures to help investigate what may be the cause. “If you have certain risk factors, you may also want to see a pancreatic specialist early on,” she says. “You are your own best advocate.”
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