Today is...

[IceWizard]

21 Aug 2017


Older Peoples Day



With people living and working longer, it’s increasingly important that we recognise the importance of supporting senior citizens and OAPs within our society. Senior Citizens Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the long-term contribution and dedication of older people, and to ensure that we’re doing our best to give something back to older people.


And




Poet's Day



Poetry… We hear the term bandied about all the time, and there isn’t a one of us that avoided writing some in our younger days. Whether that poetry was written by the dictate of our instructors in school, or driven by hormone fueled teenage angst, there was a portfolio of our work available to embarrass or edify us. But the question has to be asked, what is poetry really? There seems to be so many varieties of it, and in a world containing hundreds of countries and thousands of cultures, it’s the one thing that is nearly universal. So what is poetry, let’s take a look shall we?

The History of Poetry

At it’s most base description, Poetry is a form of writing that uses the aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of a language, combined with simile and metaphor, to bring out meanings deeper than the mere definition of the words. The history of poetry is lengthy, traceable in written form as far back as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, and has been used as a memetic method of passing down stories and mythologies throughout cultures for countless ages before that. The question of “What is Poetry?” has been a question that has vexed philosophers for time out of mind, with Aristotle writing a book aptly named Poetics, trying to define it. However he was only able to address a small portion of what poetry is, and how it is used in rhetoric, song, drama, and comedy.

One of the greatest poets of all time heralded from England, along the Avon river in the aptly named Stratford-upon-Avon in south Warwickshire, England. This, of course, was the man who was to come to be known as ‘The Bard’, William Shakespeare. His body of work is the foundation for the study of poetry in college’s throughout the world, and is considered to be the absolute pinnacle of the art by many. Such was the love of ‘The Bard’s works, that during the time of the Victorian’s, the term ‘Bardolotry’ was used to describe their love of his works. Perhaps the most important lesson to take from the Bards rise to prominence in the world of Poetry and literature lay in the time it took for his works to become legend. It wasn’t until the 19th Century, hundreds of years after his death, that Shakespeare became the legend we know today.

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August 21 Birthdays




Usain Bolt - 31




Wilt Chamberlain - (1936 - 1999) (63)




Serj Tankian - 50




Kenny Rogers - 79




Asher Brown Durand - (1796 - 1886) (90)




Loretta Devine - 67










August 21st


2005: The Rolling Stones kicked off their tour in support of A Bigger Bang at Fenway Park in Boston. The tour would go on to be the biggest grossing tour of all time grossing over $550 million.

1995: R.E.M. filed a trademark infringement suit against the Hershey Food Corporation claiming they launched an unauthorized “Kit Kat/R.E.M. Concert” for free tickets and trips, alleging injury to business reputation, false advertising & deceptive practices.

1994: Metallica performed the final date on their three year tour in support of their self-titled fifth album at Bicentennial Park in Miami. During the concert, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford sang guest vocals on a rendition of Judas Priest’s “Rapid Fire”. While touring in support of Metallica, they performed over 300 concerts.

1992: Eric Clapton & Elton John began a co-headlining two night stand at Shea Stadium in Flushing, NY. Both concerts sold out in 90 minutes.

1982: Bono married longtime girlfriend Alison Stewart in Dublin, Ireland. Unlike most rock and roll marriages, the couple is still married to this day.

1982: Crosby, Stills and Nash peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Wasted on the Way” which was their second and final top ten single in the U.S.

1972: In Akron, OH, Jefferson Airplane bassist Jack Casady was arrested for calling police officer “pigs”. Grace Slick was also maced & guitarist Paul Kantner was injured at the hands of Akron police officers.

1971: Creedence Clearwater Revival peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Sweet Hitch-Hiker” which was their final top ten single in the U.S.

1965: The Rolling Stones reached the top of the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first time with Out of Our Heads which spent three weeks on top.




Birthdays:

Glenn Hughes - Bassist for Deep Purple born in 1951

Joe Strummer - Singer & guitarist for The Clash born in 1952

Steve Smith - Drummer for Journey born in 1954