Category: Arts & Culture

Stained Glass and the Stories They Tell

Since ancient Rome, stained glass windows have been valued for their beauty. With the creation of sacred windows in houses of worship, this art form reached its peak during the Middle Ages, inspiring the faithful with their luminous narratives. As the centuries progressed, stained glass became a fixture in private homes, was later revived, and…


Canyons: The Deep Wounds of the Earth

They are steep, deep, and often found in remote and inaccessible areas. They are the canyons, the rifts in the earth, those deep wounds in the earth that have the allure of immensity. …


Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘The Mortal Storm’

NR | 1 h 40 min | Drama | 1940 Frank Borzage’s prescient film, set in early 1930s Germany, stands out even in the subgenre of anti-fascism war films. Academia loves and respects Professor Roth (Frank Morgan) for his distinguished contribution to science, teaching, and research. But with Hitler’s rise, Roth finds himself distinguished for…


‘The Sun Shines Bright’: No Ordinary Judge

NR | 1 h 32 min | Drama, Comedy | 1953 On screen, judges usually sit, speak little, summon people to their bench or chamber, and are rarely seen outside court. But Judge Priest (Charles Winninger) is no ordinary judge. He stands and talks and walks a lot, especially outside court. Priest presides over a town…


Galapagos and Africa: Nature Is Here

The South American islands that inspired Charles Darwin are home to 21 endemic species of birds, giant tortoises, iguanas, and penguins. There is another place on earth that can rival the beauty of the Galapagos—Africa! …


Sunsets Over the Spanish Islands

On an extraordinary journey among Spain’s most beautiful islands to appreciate their sea, customs, fiery sunsets, and diverse cultures, we will visit Ibiza, Formentera, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife—a fascinating and comprehensive journey. …


Andrew Higgins: The Man Who Won World War II

Andrew Higgins (1886–1952) was born to be an inventor and entrepreneur. His drive to create and be self-sufficient began when his father, John, died when he was 7 years old. Within two years of his father’s death, Higgins began a lawn service and took on several paper routes to help the family. By the time…


Saints and Sinners: Leo Tolstoy’s ‘Twenty-Three Tales’

“‘What am I asking?’ he said to himself. ‘I’m asking about the relation to the Deity of all the various faiths of mankind. I’m asking about the general manifestation of God to the whole world with these nebulae. What am I doing? To me personally, to my heart, unquestionable knowledge is revealed, inconceivable to reason,…


Film Review: ‘Surrounded’

R | 1h 41min | Drama, Western, Action, Mystery, Thriller | 20 June 2023 (USA) When I hear the word “Western” as it applies to movies, I don’t think of location as such, but rather of era and attitude. As much as I love it, the TV show “Yellowstone” is not a Western. Yes, it features feuding cowboys and Native Americans and…


An Aestival Festival: Some Poems for the Summer

From generals to lieutenants, the best military commanders study the lay of the land and the weather ahead of any mission. How steep are the hills? Are the valleys bare of vegetation or thick with vines and trees? What’s the heat index? Is rain likely? Failure to account for these factors can lead to defeat…