Honoring Independence Day In a bustling hall where voices rise, A man stands firm, his gaze up high. With rugged hands and weathered face, He speaks with honor, quiet grace. Norman’s brush, with strokes so fine, Captures more than a moment in time. It paints respect, a truth we share, In every glance, a silent prayer. Freedom to speak, to...

Along with Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” Michelangelo’s marble statue of “David,” is one of the two most recognizable and revered works in the art world. Both works of classical Renaissance art have been reproduced on everything from umbrellas to coffee mugs. But you probably won’t find a gift shop selling either of those iconic images anywhere near the Tallahassee Classical...

Hunter Biden has a new career: painting and selling his artwork. While that’s good for him, it’s not so good for dad. Big ethics issue. “‘The whole thing is a really bad idea,” said Richard Painter, who was chief ethics lawyer to President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2007,” The Washington Post reports (July 8). “‘The initial reaction a...

When I learned of the death of Kirk Douglas, I remembered the time I spent with him in his Beverly Hills home. I was in the sixth grade when I was first introduced to art appreciation, (in a public school, no less). After presenting an overview of impressionist artists, the entire class went on a field trip to the Museum...

Thank God It’s Vacation time! While the media continues to give this President the attention he craves, I’m unplugging from it all. In the meantime, I’ve selected some of the most popular commentaries. From the Philippines to Saudi Arabia; from the Netherlands to the United States, all continue to receive strong interest. I’ll return after Labor Day. The Mueller Report,...

The fire that devastated one of the great religious, cultural and architectural treasures of the world – the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris – not only shocked French citizens but the world. If the walls inside this cavernous basilica could talk, they would tell a story of conflict, coronation, and courage. Built by hand more than 850 years ago, Notre-Dame –...

With the bombardment of sexual harassment allegations, admissions, confessions, apologies, and denials from Harvey Weinstein to Charlie Rose, I’m shell-shocked. We need to take a break, and not just be thankful for our own families, friends and lives, but I think we need a good laugh. In that spirit, here are several offerings from the mind of Bizarro artist, Dan...

One of the most iconic images in Hollywood film is a static black and white picture of a pair of train tracks trailing into a distant western landscape. By itself, it doesn’t seem to say much. However, in the western classic High Noon, the image represents a reckoning that’s coming and the man whose actions make him a reluctant hero....

In the Tom Hanks Cold War drama, Bridge of Spies, U.S. attorney James Donovan is assigned to defend known Russian spy Rudolf Abel. After predictably losing the case, Donovan persuades the judge to give Abel a prison term instead of a death sentence. At some point in the future, Donovan reasons, the Russians may capture an American and Abel could...

With all the chaos in 2016, I thought I’d end on a positive note. Believe it or not, there were some bright spots. Here are a few standouts that I’ve been collecting. MBA – that’s Masters in Business Administration, online – offers a list of those CEOs who demonstrated an extraordinary level of concern for others. Among them: Sally Osberg,...