March 7 is celebrated as International Open Data Day, World Information Architecture Day, Plant Energy Day, and the Birthday of the Telephone. This day in history has been marked by events that changed political borders, opened up new technologies, established cultural and sports traditions, and also influenced people’s daily lives.
International Open Data Day
This day is dedicated to the spread of the practice of open access to information created by government agencies, scientific organizations, and various institutions. This includes data on the budget, transport, ecology, demographics, medicine, statistics, and many other areas that can be available for free use, analysis, and redistribution.
Open data helps increase the transparency of government work, develop research, and create new digital services. Thanks to such data, journalists conduct investigations, programmers create useful applications, and citizens gain more opportunities to control government decisions. In many countries, the opening of government datasets has become an important part of digital transformation and modern governance.
Interesting facts
One of the most famous examples of the use of open data is associated with the cholera map in London in 1854. Doctor John Snow collected data on the places of residence of the deceased and plotted them on a map, after which it became clear that most cases were associated with a single water column. This study became one of the first examples of data analysis in medicine.
The first large government open data portal in the world was Data.gov in the USA, which was launched in 2009. At first there were only a few dozen data sets, but over time their number grew to hundreds of thousands, including information on climate, transport, energy and space exploration.
Ukraine launched a national open data portal data.gov.ua in 2015. After opening access to state registers, services appeared for checking companies, analyzing public procurement and controlling declarations of officials.
The Prozorro public procurement system is largely based on the principle of open data. Anyone can view information about tenders, participants and prices, which has allowed journalists and analysts to identify violations and save public funds.
Open data is actively used in transport. In many cities around the world, it is open public transport timetables that have made it possible to create popular navigation applications that show the movement of buses and trains in real time.
The European Union estimates the economic effect of open data at tens of billions of euros each year. Data on weather, maps, transport and the environment have become the basis for thousands of startups and technology services.
In Ukraine, one of the most popular open data sets is the register of real estate and land plots. Journalists have repeatedly used it to research the property of politicians and officials.
Satellite observation data from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus program is available free of charge to the whole world. They are used to track forest fires, melting glaciers, marine pollution and climate change.
World Information Architecture Day
This day was launched in 2012 with the support of the Information Architecture Institute. The day is dedicated to specialists who organize information in digital systems, including websites, applications and large databases.
Information architecture is related to the IT industry and digital design. It includes structuring data, creating understandable navigation, logical construction of pages and search systems. The main goal is to organize large volumes of information so that users can quickly find the necessary information and easily interact with digital products.
Interesting facts
The term “information architecture” became widely known after the publication of the book “Information Architecture for the World Wide Web” in 1998. The publication was unofficially called the “Polar Bear Book” because of the polar bear on the cover, and it was long considered the main guide for web designers and developers.
American designer Richard Wurman, who is often called one of the founders of information architecture, began to use the term in the 1970s to describe the process of organizing complex information in a way that was understandable to people.
One of the most famous examples of early information architecture in the digital environment is associated with the Yahoo website directory in the 1990s. In the early days of the Internet, information was searched for through thematic directories, where sites were manually categorized.
Information architecture became a separate professional specialty in the early 2000s, when the number of websites increased dramatically. Large companies began to create separate teams of specialists responsible for the structure of content and navigation of digital products.
One of the basic tools of information architects is a “site map” — a diagram that shows all the pages and the connections between them. In large services, such a map can contain thousands or even tens of thousands of pages.
Poorly thought-out information architecture can significantly reduce site traffic. UX studies show that users often leave the site if they cannot find the information they need within a few dozen seconds.
In large online services, such as e-shops or libraries, the information structure is created taking into account user behavior. To do this, millions of search queries and clicks are analyzed, and then categories, filters and navigation are changed.
Information architecture is used not only in websites. Its principles are applied in museums, large libraries, transport systems and even in supermarkets, where the location of goods and signs is also based on the logic of information search.
Plant Energy Day
This day is dedicated to the role of plant foods in the daily human diet. The initiator of its creation was the company Alpro, which specializes in the production of plant-based products.
Legumes, grains, nuts, vegetables and fruits contain proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Plant products also play an important role in modern approaches to nutrition and food production.
Interesting facts
Soybeans are among the richest plant sources of protein. On average, they contain about 35–40 percent protein, which makes soy one of the most nutritious crops in the world.
The oldest traces of lentil cultivation were found by archaeologists in the Middle East. It was cultivated more than nine thousand years ago, and it was part of the diet of some of the first agricultural civilizations.
Almonds are one of the most energy-intensive plant products. 100 grams contains approximately 570 kilocalories, as well as a significant amount of vitamin E, magnesium and healthy fats.
There are over 300 thousand species of plants in the world suitable for human consumption, but only about two hundred crops are actively used in global agriculture.
Ukraine is one of the largest producers of sunflower in the world. The seeds of this plant are an important source of vegetable oil, which is widely used in food.
Chickpeas, also called Turkish peas, contain a significant amount of protein and fiber. They are the basis for many dishes of Middle Eastern cuisine, including hummus.
Oats are considered one of the healthiest grain products. They contain soluble fiber beta-glucan, which helps lower blood cholesterol levels.
In ancient China, soy milk began to be produced more than two thousand years ago. It became a popular alternative to animal milk long before the emergence of the modern food industry.
Telephone Birthday
On this day in 1876, American inventor Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for a device that allowed the human voice to be transmitted over a distance using an electrical signal. This invention was an important step in the development of communications and quickly began to spread in different countries.
The first telephones worked through wired networks and were connected to special stations, where operators manually connected subscribers. Over time, telephone systems improved, automatic stations appeared, long-distance communication, and in the 20th century, mobile technologies began to develop. The invention of the telephone significantly changed the way people communicate and became the basis for modern telecommunications.
Interesting facts
The first words transmitted by telephone were heard during an experiment in 1876. Alexander Graham Bell said to his assistant Thomas Watson, “Mr. Watson, come in here, I need you,” and Watson heard it through a wire in the next room.
On the day the telephone patent was filed, one of the most famous stories of technical rivalry arose. Another inventor, Elisha Gray, filed documents for a similar device almost simultaneously with Bell, the difference was only a few hours.
The first telephones did not have the usual ring. To attract the attention of the interlocutor, people whistled into the receiver or created a loud sound near the transmitter.
One of the first long-distance telephone conversations took place in the United States between the cities of Boston and Salem in 1877. The distance was about 25 kilometers, which at that time was considered a significant technical achievement.
The first telephone exchange began operating in 1878. Operators manually connected subscribers using special cables, connecting them to the necessary lines.
The first telephone directory also appeared in 1878. It had only 50 numbers and took up one page.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many telephones were mounted on the wall in wooden cases. To call an operator, the user turned a special generator handle that sent a signal to the station.
In some countries, at the beginning of the development of telephony, people rented telephones rather than buying them. Telephone companies kept the devices in their possession and charged a fee for using the network.
Historical events on this day
1573 – Venice ceded Cyprus to the Ottoman Empire. The transfer of the island changed the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean and became one of the key moments in relations between European states and the Ottoman Empire.
1788 – The Great Kyoto Fire occurred in the Japanese city of Kyoto, destroying a significant part of the city’s infrastructure. The fire is considered the largest in the history of Kyoto and led to a large-scale reconstruction of the city.
1799 – Napoleon captured Jaffa during the Egyptian Campaign. Control of the city opened up strategic opportunities for French troops for further operations in the Middle East.
1866 – In Japan, an alliance was concluded between Satsuma and Choshu to overthrow the Edo shogunate. The coalition contributed to the modernization of the country and preparation for the Meiji Restoration.
1876 – 29-year-old American inventor Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone. His right to the invention was repeatedly challenged by other inventors, but court decisions always sided with Bell, confirming his priority in the discovery.
1900 – the first ever wireless message was sent to shore from the SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, which marked the beginning of a new era in telegraph and radio communications.
1933 – in Atlantic City, American entrepreneur Charles Darrow invented the game “Monopoly”, which later became one of the most popular board games in the world.
1936 – The Third Reich, in violation of international treaties, reoccupied the Rhineland. This step was an important stage in Germany’s aggressive policy before World War II.
1941 — British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent 58,000 British and Australian troops to Greece to support the Greek army against Italy. The offensive was repelled, but in April the German army inflicted a crushing defeat on the Allies.
1957 — The first flight of the medium-haul passenger aircraft An-10 took place, opening up new prospects for domestic air transportation in the USSR.
1967 — In the USSR, the six-day work week with one day off was replaced by a five-day week with two days off, which changed the organization of work and leisure for the population.
1987 — Mike Tyson defeated James Smith on points in a 12-round fight and became the WBA champion, cementing his status as one of the most famous sports stars in the world.
1992 — the first matches of the first football championship of Ukraine were played, which began the national football history after gaining independence.
1992 — after the overthrow of President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, the State Council was established in Tbilisi, headed by former Communist Party leader Eduard Shevardnadze.
1994 — the US Supreme Court ruled that parodies of original works do not violate copyright and do not require the permission of the owners, enshrining the principle of freedom of creativity in the legal field.
2010 — the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony for 2009 was held in Los Angeles at the Kodak Theater, which became another important cultural moment in the world of cinema.
Sunday first became an official holiday in the Roman Empire
On March 7, 321, the Roman Emperor Constantine I the Great officially declared Sunday the “Day of the Sun”—a day of rest. In his decree, this day was called the “honorable day of the Sun.” The law forbade courts, government agencies, and city artisans from working on Sunday. The only official procedure allowed in the courts on this day was the manumission of slaves (manumission). It was believed that a good deed did not violate the sanctity of the day.
Food markets continued to operate, and peasants were allowed to cultivate their fields, “since often no other day is suitable for sowing grain or planting grapes, and one cannot lose the favorable moment granted by heavenly providence.” Constantine deliberately used the term “Day of the Sun” rather than “Lord’s Day.” This was a political move: for pagans, the Sun (Sol Invictus – the Unconquered Sun) was one of the main deities, and Christians already celebrated the day of Christ’s resurrection and gathered for worship. The decree united subjects of different beliefs under one day off.
According to legend, on the eve of the battle, which was to take place on Sunday, Constantine saw in a dream the sun with a cross and an inscription that foreshadowed victory. The battle was successful, and upon returning, the emperor ordered to ban physical labor on Sunday.
In Russia, Sunday was introduced as a day off only in the 17th century, when it became a separate day of the week. The law was strictly enforced: in 1699, Prince Obolensky was even convicted for forcing his peasants to work on Sunday. The law declared: “there are six craft days in a week; on Sunday and the days of the twelve holidays, artisans should not work without necessary necessity.” If there was no evidence of the need to work, people were not allowed to work.
According to the international standard ISO 8601, Sunday is considered the last day of the week, although in some countries it is the first (Israel, the USA and parts of Africa). If the month begins on Sunday, the 13th falls on a Friday.
Constantine I also introduced freedom of religion, exempted Christian communities from taxes and duties, granted churches the right to own real estate and build temples throughout the empire. Pagan temples remained, but were not banned. Constantine remained a pagan all his life, being baptized only on the eve of his death. Legends claim that he killed his first wife and son from a previous marriage due to suspicions of treason, and then feared the revenge of the pagan gods and sought forgiveness from the Christian God.
Invention of the game “Monopoly”
On March 7, 1933 in the USA, during the economic and financial crisis, engineer Charles Darrow, who lost his job and earned a living by walking neighbors’ dogs in order to distract himself a little and imagine himself as a successful businessman, invented the game “Monopoly”.
There is another version: the game was invented by Eliza Maggie Georgest in 1903 under the name “The Homeowner’s Game”. The theme was the same – capitalist – to demonstrate how some players became rich by controlling real estate, while others found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy.
Charles Darrow turned out to be more legally savvy and in 1933 registered the rights to the game, calling it “Monopoly”. He made a number of changes to the rules, added the streets we know today and standardized the set of rules. This was the first commercially successful version of the game.
In 1934, Parker Brothers bought out all rights to the game from Darrow and made it the #1 economic board game in the US, and later worldwide.
During perestroika in the USSR, a Soviet version of the game appeared under the new name “Manager”. The game was often modified by hand: fields were drawn with felt-tip pens, company logos cut out of magazines were glued on, the number of cells was increased, the directions of the tracks were changed, small coins or drawn bills were used as money, and the acquired companies were written down on paper.
Today, there are many versions of “Monopoly”, but they are based on the same principles as the original: receiving income from capital placed in the form of bank deposits, securities, profitable real estate, land plots or businesses. The game allows you to feel like a rentier — a person who lives not on a salary, but on legal income from capital. However, as in life, bankruptcies do occur in the game. The character “Rich Uncle Penny Bags” was copied from the famous financier J. P. Morgan, one of the most influential people in the United States at the time.
The game demonstrates key economic principles: financial management, decision-making, strategic thinking, assessment of the operation of basic economic mechanisms, including supply and demand, capitalization and debt obligations.
Interestingly, “Monopoly” helped British prisoners of war escape from Nazi camps. British intelligence understood that the Nazis allowed the Red Cross to give prisoners “leisure kits”, including board games. They decided to use the game as a “Trojan horse”: the cards were replaced with silk ones that could be hidden in clothing, miniature compasses were inserted into hollow metal chips (hat, iron, car), and notes and micro-tools were inserted into the dice. The real currency of the countries through which the escape route was planned was placed in the stacks of money. Tiny steel files were hidden in hotels and houses.
Thanks to these sets, several hundred British and American pilots were able to escape from captivity. Even if the card did not help them escape, it gave the prisoners the most important thing – hope that they were remembered and fighting for their liberation. The operation remained secret for decades and became known only after the war.
France withdraws from NATO military command
On March 7, 1966, France officially announced its withdrawal from the NATO military structure. President Charles de Gaulle sent a corresponding message to US President Lyndon Johnson, in which he directly stated that France was restoring “full sovereignty over its territory” and was terminating its participation in the combined command.
Publicly, de Gaulle justified his decision with his “Great Power” doctrine, the main argument of which was that France did not want to be drawn into a “foreign war,” in particular Vietnam, due to automatic obligations to the United States.
As part of this decision, France issued an ultimatum: all foreign military bases, primarily American, had to leave the country within a year, and French troops in Germany were to be removed from NATO. It is said that when US Secretary of State Dean Rusk heard these demands, he asked: “Does this apply to Americans lying on French soil?” referring to the military cemeteries of World War II, but de Gaulle ignored the sarcasm and confirmed the firmness of his decision.
The last American troops left France in March 1967, and NATO headquarters moved from Paris to Brussels, where it remains to this day. An important nuance is that France did not withdraw completely from NATO, remaining in the political union. It only withdrew from the integrated military command, and French officers left the headquarters.
This step was made possible by the determination of Charles de Gaulle, who sought to make France a great power and restore its sovereignty. France returned to the full military structure of NATO only under President Nicolas Sarkozy in the spring of 2009.
