Eastern Heritage and History Untold Story of Marine Legend Major Pete Ortiz Revealed in New Book The Phantom October 6, 2026 rifanmuazin To the Nazi occupiers of France, he was known simply as Das Fantom. With a half-a-million French francs placed on his head by the Gestapo, Major Pete Ortiz of the…
Oriental Collectibles and Numismatics All Roads Lead to Netcong: Exploring the History and Currency of a Northern New Jersey Railroad Hub October 6, 2026 rifanmuazin This month, our historical journey takes us to the oddly named town of Netcong in northern New Jersey to explore its rich industrial past, its enduring community character, and the…
Eastern Heritage and History New Revelatory Retelling of Alexander the Great’s Life Unveils the Human Behind the Myth October 6, 2026 rifanmuazin Alexander the Great was a wide-eyed boy from the hills of Macedon who ruled most of the known world by his mid-twenties. For centuries, historians, refugees, poets, and explorers have…
Eastern Heritage and History Unearthing the Roots of a Civil Rights Pioneer: Keri Leigh Merritt’s An Inconvenient Woman Sheds New Light on Lillian Smith October 5, 2026 rifanmuazin A key yet frequently overlooked figure in the early American civil rights movement, Lillian Smith dedicated her life to dismantling the rigid structures of segregation in the South. Despite her…
Eastern Heritage and History Carve Out Time for October’s New History Reads October 5, 2026 rifanmuazin Among the standout releases of the season is a captivating biographical dive into the life of Major Pierre “Pete” Ortiz. Authored by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, The Phantom brings…
Eastern Heritage and History A Sweep Through the Ages: New History Releases Offer Fresh Perspectives on the Past October 5, 2026 rifanmuazin From the classical age of Alexander the Great and Roman statesman Cicero to the United States on September 11, 2001, this month’s new history releases cover a wide swath of…
Eastern Martial Arts and Wellness The Hidden History of Karate’s Most Popular Kick: How a French Martial Art Transformed an Ancient Tradition October 4, 2026 rifanmuazin Have you ever wondered why there is not a single traditional kata featuring the mawashi-geri, better known as the roundhouse kick? It is a striking anomaly in the martial arts…
Eastern Heritage and History The Tragic End and Enduring Legacy of Marcus Tullius Cicero: A New Biography Explores Rome’s Greatest Orator October 4, 2026 rifanmuazin When the celebrated Roman statesman and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero was murdered in December of 43 BCE, his executioners subjected his remains to a final, brutal act of desecration. His…
Asian Art and Culture Bridging History and Contemporary Art: Ananth Ramaswamy and Devi Seetharam’s Research Journey for the Cochin Ceiling Commission October 3, 2026 rifanmuazin In the quiet, climate-controlled depths of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), two artists recently stood face-to-face with a relic of 19th-century Kerala craftsmanship that had previously existed for them…
Eastern Heritage and History Inside the Minutes That Changed History: An Excerpt from Jeffrey Robinson’s New Book Ash and Honor October 3, 2026 rifanmuazin From the Secret Service agents racing to secure President George W. Bush to the military pilots thrust into harrowing, unprecedented scenarios in the skies, the human stories behind the tragedy…