January 25 is celebrated in Ukraine as the Day of Cyber Specialist of the SBU, in the world it is the Day of the opposite or the Day of Opposites, the Day of controversial clothes and the Day of observing the weather.
SBU Cyber Specialist Day
The Day of the Cyber Specialist of the Security Service of Ukraine is a professional holiday of specialists who protect the state in the information space. This date symbolizes the importance of cyber security in today’s world, where threats from the virtual environment can have as serious consequences as physical attacks.
Cyber specialists of the SBU work to identify, analyze and neutralize threats in cyberspace. Their activities include countering cyberattacks on government institutions, critical infrastructure facilities, financial systems and the private sector. In the digital age, when technology permeates all aspects of life, their work becomes an important component of national security.
Among the achievements of Ukrainian cyber specialists, it is possible to highlight the prevention of numerous attempts to break into state databases, detection of international hacker groups, and countering fake information campaigns aimed at destabilizing society. Thanks to their work, Ukraine strengthens its status as a state that effectively fights cyber threats on a global scale.
Day on the contrary or Day of opposites
This is an informal holiday, the idea of which is to do everything in reverse or to question the usual things by doing them differently than usual. This is a kind of challenge to routine and established rules. On the contrary, the day encourages people to think creatively, play and experiment in everyday life.
This day is especially popular among children, because they are offered to turn the usual order on its head: start the meal with dessert, wear clothes inside out or even say “no” when you want to say “yes”. For adults, on the contrary, the Day can be a way to look at your habits, have fun with friends or family, or even think about how much depends on our attitude to ordinary things.
The symbolism of this day reminds us that everything in life depends on our perception and ability to see possibilities even in the unusual. In business, for example, the “opposite” approach can help to find non-standard solutions to problems, and in personal life – to discover new aspects of yourself.
Interesting facts
The idea of the Day, on the contrary, comes from children’s games, but now this holiday is also celebrated by adults. For example, children come to school in pajamas instead of school uniforms or write their name backwards.
In psychology, thinking “on the contrary” is used as an exercise to develop creativity. This technique helps to look at the problem from another angle and find new approaches.
One example of thinking in reverse is the world famous Amazon logo. The arrow from “A” to “Z” symbolizes that the company offers everything – from “A” to “Z”. This is a reverse approach to traditional advertising, where brands focus on one thing.
On the contrary, it is popular to organize themed parties on the Day, where guests have to wear something completely uncharacteristic of themselves, for example, men wear dresses, and women wear men’s suits.
Speaking about the philosophical approach to the “contrary”, the famous mathematician and thinker Louis de Broglie emphasized that sometimes the solution to a difficult problem lies in its complete negation or looking at it from a different angle.
Day of conflicting clothes or Day of incompatible colors
Every year on the fourth Thursday of January, an unusual holiday is celebrated – the Day of conflicting clothes, also known as the Day of incompatible colors in clothes. This holiday encourages people to abandon wardrobe rules and stylish canons, allowing themselves completely chaotic and daring experiments with clothes.
The essence of the holiday is to create the brightest and most absurd image, combining what is usually considered “tasteless”. For example, wearing a striped scarf with a checked shirt or combining neon colors that no one would ever dare to wear together. It is a day when the expression of personality is above all fashion rules.
Controversial Dress Day has an important message: even the strictest rules are just conventions, and everyone has the right to break them for creativity and self-expression. Plus, it’s a great way to add fun to the everyday and allow yourself a little chaos.
Interesting facts
For the first time, the idea of such a holiday appeared in the USA as a way to entertain schoolchildren and encourage them to participate in fun activities.
In some schools, this day has become part of “spirit week”, when students can dress according to a given theme, violating the school dress code.
Psychologists believe that such days help reduce stress, because they allow people to feel freedom from social expectations and rules.
The most common trend of this day is to wear things with completely different patterns at the same time: flowers with geometry, a cell with abstraction or a leopard print with peas.
Celebrities also sometimes use such days as an opportunity to get creative. For example, Lady Gaga and other famous artists who are known for their unusual images serve as a source of inspiration for those who want to create something truly unique.
Weather observation day
This is an unofficial but important holiday that calls people to look closely at changes in nature, to realize the significance of weather phenomena and their impact on our lives.
This day is especially relevant in the context of global climate change. Meteorologists, ecologists and climatologists use it to draw attention to the importance of observing the weather and preserving the environment.
On this day, people can not only follow the weather forecast, but also keep meteorological records themselves: measure the temperature, observe the clouds, or even record the amount of precipitation. Such activity helps to better understand how the climate is changing and why it needs to be protected.
Interesting facts
Meteorology is one of the oldest sciences. Even in ancient Greece, Aristotle wrote the treatise “Meteorology”, where he described weather phenomena.
One of the symbols of this day can be considered a cloud. Its shape and color not only help predict the weather, but also fascinate artists and photographers.
The hottest temperature recorded on Earth was +56.7 °C in Death Valley, USA, in July 1913.
The coldest place on Earth is the Vostok station in Antarctica, where the temperature reached -89.2 °C in 1983.
The well-known barometer used to measure atmospheric pressure was invented by the Italian scientist Evangelista Torricelli in 1643.
Observations of the weather helped to invent a phenomenal achievement of mankind — aviation. Pilots have used weather maps since the early 20th century to avoid adverse weather conditions.
Historical events on this day
1479 — the signing of the Treaty of Constantinople ended the 15-year war between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire. This agreement strengthened the position of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean, and Venice retained access to trade routes.
1533 — English King Henry VIII secretly married Anne Boleyn, which led to his excommunication from the Catholic Church and the establishment of Anglicanism.
1791 — the English Parliament decided to divide Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada, forming the modern territories of Ontario and Quebec.
1802 — Napoleon I was elected president of Italy, which increased his influence on European politics.
1831 — the Diet of the Kingdom of Poland announced the removal of Russian Emperor Nicholas I from power in Poland. This event was an attempt to restore Poland’s independence, which, however, did not last long.
1858 — Mendelssohn’s wedding march was first played at the wedding ceremony of the English princess Victoria with the Prussian crown prince Friedrich, after which it became a classic musical accompaniment for weddings.
1878 — on the Batumi Raid, the world’s first case of sinking a vessel by a torpedo took place: a Russian torpedo destroyed the Ottoman patrol steamer “Intibah”.
1915 — American inventor Alexander Bell held the first trans-American telephone session between New York and San Francisco, making a breakthrough in communications.
1917 — in the Irish Sea, the British cruiser Laurentic exploded on a mine. There were 3,211 gold bars on board. 350 people died, and a large part of the cargo was lost.
1919 — in New York, the largest hotel in the world at that time, “Pennsylvania”, was opened, which could accommodate more than 2,200 guests at the same time.
1924 — the first Winter Olympic Games started in the French town of Chamonix, which gathered athletes from 18 countries.
1949 — the first Emmy television awards ceremony, which became the main award in the world of television, took place in Los Angeles.
1955 — in the USA, scientists at Columbia University have created a nuclear clock capable of showing the time with an error of only one second for 300 years.
1964 — the launch of the Echo 2 satellite established a satellite connection between the USA and the USSR, which became an important step in the development of space technologies.
1965 — Joseph the Blind, who served 18 years in Soviet camps, was ordained a cardinal in the Vatican and became the head of the UGCC.
1971 — the left-wing terrorist organization “Red Brigades” carried out its first significant action, setting off explosions at the Pirelli factory in Lainate, which was the beginning of many years of terror in Italy.
2010 — a Boeing 737 of the Ethiopian Airlines crashed near Beirut, killing 90 people.
