Saturday, October 25, 2008

Spotlight
He had his Blue Period and his Rose Period. He was one of the artists responsible for the development of Cubism and his pieces hang in galleries all over the world. Pablo Picasso, born on this date in 1881, was also a poet, a playwright and in many ways a philosopher. He said, "The world today doesn't make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?" He believed one should "Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone." Perhaps his question sums up his style: "Are we to paint what's on the face, what's inside the face, or what's behind it?"

Quote
"I am always doing things I can't do, that's how I get to do them." — Pablo Picasso

Question of the Day
I have a signed copy of Picasso's 'Le Picador II'. Though he signed 50 of these prints mine is numbered '1 of ten.' Is this possible?
Unless it has the wide margins, it is likely from the book edition.

Word of the day
frizzle
v.tr.
1. To fry (something) until crisp and curled: frizzled the bacon.
2. To scorch or sear with heat.

v.intr.
To fry or sear with a sizzling noise.

[Possibly blend of FRY and SIZZLE.]
(© Houghton Mifflin Company)

Today's History

Grenada

• The Charge of the Light Brigade: the British assaulted Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava, which was commemorated in a poem by Tennyson (1854)
• United Nations: voted mainland China in, Taiwan out (1971)
• Operation Urgent Fury: the US invaded Grenada in response to the execution of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop (1983)

Today's Birthdays

Chad Smith

• Richard E. Byrd (1888-1957): navigator and the first man to fly over both poles
• Anne Tyler (67): novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize for Breathing Lessons
• Chad Smith (47): drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers; other pop musicians born on this date include Helen Reddy (67), Taffy Danoff and Jon Anderson (both 64), Ed Robertson (38) and Ciara (23)
• Adam Goldberg (38): actor, who had memorable guest starring roles in Friends and Entourage; also, actors Jeanne Cooper and Marion Ross (both 80), Brian Kerwin (59), Nancy Cartwright (52), Tracy Nelson (45), Michael Boatman and Kevin Michael Richardson (both 44) and Mehcad Brooks (28)
• Midori (37): classical violinist; composers Johann Strauss (1825-1899) and Georges Bizet (1838-1875) share this birth date