For people of a certain age (well, my age), the mere mention of educational children's television programs immediately brings back fond memories. This includes "Sesame Street," "The Electric Company" and "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." Published August 7, 2018
Some people will remember reading about Alexander Hamilton in their history books due to his fatal July 11, 1804, duel with Vice President Aaron Burr. Others will instantly recall the award-winning Broadway musical "Hamilton," which dealt with aspects of his life and career through song and dance. Published July 24, 2018
U.S.-Canada relations are at a low point, due to the ongoing trade war which has engulfed our two nations. Nevertheless, we've been close friends, allies and trading partners for over a century in spite of our differences, both subtle and profound. Published June 19, 2018
U.S. President Donald Trump announced in April he was considering a pardon for Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion. Published May 16, 2018
Some people believe children's books are only written for, and read by, children. This couldn't be further from the truth. Those same children, when they grow up and become adults, often re-read their favorite stories to their children and grandchildren. Published March 26, 2018
One of my favorite childhood memories was going to Comics Unlimited, a now-defunct comic book store close to my high school. My friends and I would enthusiastically snatch up just about every new title before it was placed on the racks. Published February 22, 2018
When the State of Israel was founded on May 14, 1948, it was immediately under attack by its Arab neighbors. Published January 10, 2018
Jackie Robinson's inspirational story has long been immortalized in books and movie adaptations. He broke major league baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947. He played for the Brooklyn (now Los Angeles) Dodgers from 1947-1956. He won many individual awards, as well as the 1955 World Series, and is a member of the Hall of Fame. Published November 29, 2017
If you look at a political spectrum, the far right is normally associated with the Italian Fascists and German Nazi Party. Yet, the former's leader, Benito Mussolini, started off as a socialist -- and the full name of Adolf Hitler's outfit, the National Socialist German Worker's Party, contained left-wing themes. Published October 1, 2017
Johannes Vermeer is regarded as one of the great 17th century Dutch painters. No visit to Amsterdam's Rijskmuseum, The Hague's Mauritshuis or Paris' Louvre, among others, is complete without an examination of his magnificent work in its permanent collection. Published July 30, 2017
In July 2002, Omar Khadr was accused of throwing a hand grenade and killing a U.S. Army combat medic, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Speer, on the battlefields of Afghanistan. Khadr was ultimately captured, linked to al Qaeda (reportedly through his father's connections), pled guilty, and sat in a Guantanamo Bay jail cell before being repatriated by Canada in 2012. Published July 23, 2017
Jackie Robinson's inspirational story has long been immortalized in books and movie adaptations. He broke major league baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947. He played for the Brooklyn (now Los Angeles) Dodgers from 1947-1956. He won many individual awards, as well as the 1955 World Series, and is a member of the Hall of Fame. Published July 9, 2017
Progressive rock, or "prog rock," was a unique, almost revolutionary form of modern music during the 1960s and 1970s. Its early adherents, including Emerson, Lake and Palmer, King Crimson and Yes, emphasized the desire to create an intellectually stimulating musical experience that was artistic, lyrical, creative and memorable. Published June 28, 2017
Baseball's modern World Series began in 1903. One of its earliest, and most successful, champions was the Chicago Cubs, winning in 1907 and 1908 against the Detroit Tigers. Published June 13, 2017
When we think of Ronald Reagan, it usually involves either his two successful terms in the Governor's Mansion of California or the White House. What we rarely consider is the period when this great modern conservative figure was trapped in the political wilderness -- with a future that was far from certain. Published April 19, 2017
While libertarians and conservatives have some similar outlooks on politics, economics and culture, many profound differences have kept them apart. Attempts to bridge this gap, including Frank S. Meyer's theory of fusionism (combining elements of libertarianism and traditional conservatism), have largely been unsuccessful. Published February 22, 2017
Michael Medved is one of America's most successful talk radio hosts. An Orthodox Jew, he attended law school, worked as a Democratic Party aide and speechwriter, and eventually found a permanent home in the Republican Party. He's a member of USA Today's board of contributors, a former New York Post film critic, and has written books on everything from politics to Hollywood. Published January 25, 2017
William F. Buckley Jr., the late founder of National Review, was one of the most talented and erudite writers the world has ever seen. Yet, for all that we have read and admired about his books, columns, reviews, essays and speeches, very little has been discussed about his mastery of a most difficult literary form: the eulogy. Published November 7, 2016
David Goldblatt examines the stories, surprises, struggles and successes in "The Games: A Global History of the Olympics." With dashes of history, politics, ethnicity and popular culture, the well-respected sportswriter-author shows us how far the Olympics have come, and what the games' future might hold. Published August 16, 2016
Herbert Hoover, the 31st U.S. president, confuses more historians than he inspires. Published July 6, 2016
