QUOTATION: Honore de Balzac

It is easier to be a lover than a husband for the simple reason that it is more difficult to be witty every day than to say pretty things from time to time.

Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) Discuss

TODAY’S SAINT, MAY 11: Frost Saints’ Days

Frost Saints’ Days

These three consecutive days in May mark the feasts of St. Mammertus, St. Pancras, and St. Servatus. In the wine-growing districts of France, a severe cold spell occasionally strikes at this time of year, inflicting serious damage on the grapevines; some in rural France have believed that it is the result of their having offended one of the three saints, who for this reason are called the “frost saints.” French farmers have been known to show their displeasure over a cold snap at this time of year by flogging the statues and defacing the pictures of Mammertus, Pancras, and Servatus. More… Discuss

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TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827)

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827)

Carpeaux was a French sculptor and painter whose works demonstrate his interests in movement and baroque art. Initially a student under Francois Rude, Carpeaux won the Prix de Rome in 1854 and then studied the works of Michelangelo, Donatello, and Verrocchio in Rome. In 1861, he made a bust of Princess Mathilde, which brought him several commissions from Napoleon III, and became a favorite of the court. Why did La Danse, his sculpture on the facade of the Paris Opera, create a scandal? More… Discuss

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THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: Bob Marley Succumbs to Cancer at Age 36 (1981)

Bob Marley Succumbs to Cancer at Age 36 (1981)

Born in a small Jamaican village and raised in the slums of Kingston‘s Trench Town, Marley overcame tremendous hardship to become a groundbreaking singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He propelled reggae to worldwide popularity, creating music that reflects his commitment to nonviolence and the Rastafarian religion. In 1975, Marley released “No Woman, No Cry,” a song that brought him international fame. Marley was diagnosed with cancer in 1977 but refused the recommended medical treatment. Why? More… Discuss

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Michelangelo’s David Has an Achilles Heel

Well, technically, it is more like Achilles ankles. Experts say the Renaissance masterpiece is at risk of collapsing under its own weight because of the stress placed on the sculpture’s weak ankles. Micro-fractures and cracks are appearing in both of David‘s legs as well as the carved tree stump behind the figure’s right leg. Though it might escape the layman’s eye, the statue is carved of poor quality marble. This, compounded by the centuries-old statue’s great weight—upward of 6 tons—and off-center pose, means that an earthquake or even nearby roadwork could cause the figure to topple. More… Discuss

A renewed interest in exorcism – The Washington Post

Olga Korbut: The SpARROW FROM MINSK

Korbut was a Soviet gymnast who made a splash at the 1972 Munich Olympics when she took home three gold medals and a silver medal. Diminutive and charismatic, she was the first person ever to do a backward aerial somersault on the balance beam and the first to perform a backward release move on the uneven parallel bars. She greatly increased the popularity of gymnastics and influenced the sport’s turn toward a more athletic, powerful style. What two gymnastics moves did Korbut invent? More… Discuss

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WORD: panacea

panacea 

Definition:	(noun) A remedy for all diseases, evils, or difficulties.
Synonyms:	cure-all
Usage:	Here the glib politician crying his legislative panaceas, and here the peripatetic Cheap-Jack holding aloft his quack cures for human ills. Discuss.