Do a grouch a favor day

Do a Grouch a Favor Day

Make the day a more pleasant one by doing your favorite grouch a favor on Feb. 16. Maybe you have a friend, boss or relative who walks around as if they have rocks in their shoes. Or maybe someone who is usually cheerful is having a bad day. There are plenty of ways to cheer up the grouch in your life. Cheer up a:

* Grouchy boss. "Find out if there is something you can do to alleviate the situation. I am not suggesting you be the boss' 'whipping boy' by any means. Just get in there and solve some problems," advises Brad Isaac of Persistence Unlimited.
* A friend. Just listen. Sometimes the grouchy friend needs someone to vent to, without receiving criticism, feedback or advice.

* A child. A child could be grumpy do to inactivity, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. If the child is rested, not hungry and not sick, engage in physical activity from walking or playing at the playground to bowling or bike riding.

911 Birthday

The first 911 call was not an emergency call, it was just a test. A month before, AT&T announced it would designate 911 as a universal emergency number. On Feb. 16, 1968, Alabama Speaker of the House Rankin Fite called U.S. Rep. Tom Bevill from the Haleyville City Hall, according to 911 Dispatch. Fite used a red rotary dial phone, which is preserved by the Haleyville Historical Society.

Other countries already had established three-digit emergency numbers according to 911 Dispatch:

* Australia: 999 in September 1957; 000 in 1961

* Britain. 999 on July 8, 1937

* New Zealand. 111 in September 1958

Almond Day

If you think you have some odd relatives, check out the almond. Almonds are related to peaches, plums, apricots and cherries, according to the Pollen Library. The nuts date to prehistoric times and most likely trace their roots back to Asia Minor, according to "The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink."

These lightly flavored nuts are versatile and can be used in sweet and savory dishes like pasta salad or used a coating for chicken tenders. Almonds offer health benefits, including lowering LDL cholesterol, lower risk of weight gain and provide protection against diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to World's Healthiest Foods. So grab a handful or two of almonds and enjoy.

Surrender of Fort Donaldson 150th Anniversary

"No terms except under unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted," Gen. Ulysses S. Grant stated when his forces surrounded Fort Donelson, Ky., on Feb. 16, 1862, according to the National Park Service. Confederate Gen. Simon Buckner surrendered and the Union's general earned himself the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant. The NPS will be commemorating the anniversary with events throughout the month.