"Tropic Shore" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Monday, December 8, 2025
Sunday, December 7, 2025
The Darkness of Xenophobia
"Alien Xenomorph" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
The Darkness of Xenophobia
A chilling fog that shrouds the open mind,
A baseless dread of those we fail to find
Familiar in their custom, speech, or creed,
This is the fear called Xenophobia, indeed.
It is the hatred born of ignorance,
The sudden shiver at a foreign glance.
The Definition and Its Roots
It is not simply bias or dislike,
But deep revulsion striking like a pike,
Against the stranger, alien, or new,
A desperate drawing up of walls by few.
It is a mechanism, harsh and crude,
That sees all difference as an ill-intent, construed
As menace to the safety of the known,
A seed of malice that the heart has sown.
Causes: The Seeds of Anxiety
The fear takes root where understanding's slight,
And thrives upon the absence of the light.
One cause is economic anxiety's strain,
The false belief that gain requires loss and pain.
A local culture fears its way of life,
Will be consumed within a global strife,
And turns upon the newcomer in need,
Mistaking fellow humans for a greed.
The rhetoric of politics provides the fuel,
When leaders preach exclusion as a rule.
They paint the "other" as a cunning foe,
Distorting facts to make the hatred grow.
A lack of contact seals the hardened case,
When no shared meal or laughter sets the pace;
The human face, behind the veil unseen,
Remains a monster on a distant screen.
A baseless dread of those we fail to find
Familiar in their custom, speech, or creed,
This is the fear called Xenophobia, indeed.
It is the hatred born of ignorance,
The sudden shiver at a foreign glance.
The Definition and Its Roots
It is not simply bias or dislike,
But deep revulsion striking like a pike,
Against the stranger, alien, or new,
A desperate drawing up of walls by few.
It is a mechanism, harsh and crude,
That sees all difference as an ill-intent, construed
As menace to the safety of the known,
A seed of malice that the heart has sown.
Causes: The Seeds of Anxiety
The fear takes root where understanding's slight,
And thrives upon the absence of the light.
One cause is economic anxiety's strain,
The false belief that gain requires loss and pain.
A local culture fears its way of life,
Will be consumed within a global strife,
And turns upon the newcomer in need,
Mistaking fellow humans for a greed.
The rhetoric of politics provides the fuel,
When leaders preach exclusion as a rule.
They paint the "other" as a cunning foe,
Distorting facts to make the hatred grow.
A lack of contact seals the hardened case,
When no shared meal or laughter sets the pace;
The human face, behind the veil unseen,
Remains a monster on a distant screen.
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Shadows in the Archipelago: Distinguishing Human Trafficking from Smuggling in The Bahamas
"Undercover Run" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Shadows in the Archipelago: Distinguishing Human Trafficking from Smuggling in The Bahamas
Introduction
In the complex landscape of transnational crime, few offenses are as frequently conflated yet fundamentally distinct as human trafficking and human smuggling. While both involve the movement of people and the illicit crossing of borders, they differ sharply in their means, their ends, and their victims. For the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, an archipelagic nation strategically positioned between the Caribbean, South America, and the United States, these distinctions are not merely academic—they are matters of urgent national security and human rights.
The Bahamas serves as a critical transit point in the Western Hemisphere’s migration corridors. Its porous borders and proximity to the United States make it a prime target for smuggling networks moving economic migrants. Simultaneously, its tourism-driven economy and reliance on migrant labor create vulnerabilities ripe for human trafficking. Understanding the nuance between these two crimes—trafficking as a crime against the individual involving exploitation, and smuggling as a crime against the state involving illegal entry—is essential to evaluating the nation’s legal responses, including the landmark Trafficking in Persons (Prevention and Suppression) Act of 2008 and the recently introduced Smuggling of Migrants Bill 2025.
Christmas Beat Retreat 2025
Christmas Beat Retreat
Theme:
Christmas Past & Present
14th December, 2025 at 4:00PM
Rawson Square, Bay Street
Nassau, Bahamas
Friday, December 5, 2025
HOPE FEST 2025!
HOPE FEST 2025!
Join us for food, music, rides & Christmas cheer!
This Saturday, Dec 6, 2025
1PM–10PM
Collins House - Collins Ave. & Shirley St.
LIVE PERFORMANCES, RIDES, VENDORS, & CHRISTMAS CHEER!
FIRST 50 CHILDREN GET ONE FREE RIDE!
Junkanoo Rushout by Colours
Supporting Great Commission Ministries
Adults: $10 | Children (12 & under): $5
Get tickets at www.gcmbahamas.com or at the gate.
Don’t miss the family event of the season!
Don’t miss the family event of the season!
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Hate is Counterproductive
"Hater" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Hate is Counterproductive
Hate is often framed as power. People use it to stand firm, to guard themselves, or to strike back when they feel wronged. It feels active instead of passive, sharp instead of soft. Yet hate is one of the most counterproductive forces in human behavior. It weakens judgment, drains energy, narrows perception, and harms both personal relationships and large communities. When examined closely, hate does far more damage to the person who holds it than to the target it aims for.
To understand why hate works against us, it helps to see what it does to our thinking. Hate simplifies. It reduces complex realities into rigid categories. A person becomes the worst thing they ever said. A group becomes a single stereotype. A situation loses all nuance and turns into a personal threat. This kind of thinking feels satisfying in the moment because it removes uncertainty, but it also shuts down learning. Once hate takes hold, it is nearly impossible to listen fairly, question assumptions, or notice changing facts. Progress depends on the flexibility to adjust when new information arrives. Hate removes that flexibility and replaces it with stubbornness.
Hate also distorts priorities. It makes people focus more on hurting an opponent than improving their own lives. This is easy to see in personal arguments. Someone who is angry often tries to make the other person feel worse rather than trying to solve the problem. On a larger scale, groups caught in hateful conflicts pour time, money, and attention into fighting the other side instead of improving their own communities. Resources that could strengthen education, health care, safety, or innovation get lost in cycles of retaliation.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
No More Mumbo Jumbo
"Mumbo Jumbo Dance" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
No More Mumbo Jumbo
In the land where whispers roam and tales unfold,
Where the winds of nonsense scatter, wild and bold,
There came a cry, a call to arms, a plea so loud,
To shake the chains, and lift the foggy shroud.
No more mumbo jumbo, the people said,
No more the twisted lies, the truth misled.
For ages now, we’ve danced in circles tight,
Chasing shadows, turning day to night.
The mystics spoke in riddles, wrapped in smoke,
Their words were clouds, their promises a joke.
They promised answers, but their tongues were veiled,
Leaving us to wander, lost and frail.
Friends of the Environment November E-News
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Tuesday, December 2, 2025
A History of Boat Building in The Bahamas and Its Modern Trajectory
"Bahamian Sloop" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
A History of Boat Building in The Bahamas and Its Modern Trajectory
The Bahamian archipelago, comprising over 700 islands and cays scattered across the western Atlantic, is inherently a maritime nation. From its earliest Lucayan inhabitants to the modern global shipping hub of today, the sea has dictated life, commerce, and communication. Central to this enduring relationship is the craft of boat building, a tradition that evolved from dugout canoes into sophisticated sailing vessels, serving as the economic engine and cultural backbone of the Out Islands for centuries. The history of Bahamian boat building is a chronicle of adaptation, resilience, and masterful use of indigenous materials, leading to a modern industry that balances tradition with global demand.
Monday, December 1, 2025
Tropic Christmas Street - PC Wallpaper
"Tropic Christmas Street" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Sunday, November 30, 2025
The Danger and Bad Reputation of Pit Bulls: Where It Comes From, What Is True, and What Is Not
"Angry Pit Bull" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
The Danger and Bad Reputation of Pit Bulls: Where It Comes From, What Is True, and What Is Not
Pit bulls carry one of the most complicated reputations in the dog world. Some people see them as loyal family pets. Others see them as unpredictable animals capable of serious harm. Both views exist for a reason, and both are tied to decades of culture, media coverage, and selective breeding. Understanding the danger and the reputation requires looking at history, behavior, statistics, and the environment in which these dogs are raised.
A Celebration of Life: Lynn Sweeting
A Celebration of the
Literary Life of Lynn Sweeting
Bahamian Poet, Feminist, Citizen Journalist
1962 - 2022
Saturday, December 6, 2025
6pm - 7:30pm
The NAGB, West Hill Street
Nassau, Bahamas
Saturday, November 29, 2025
Not a Fool for Promises
"Promises, Promises" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Not a Fool for Promises
You build a castle in the air, a fortress made of breath,
And swear that it will stand its ground until the day of death.
You paint a vista for my eyes of colors bright and bold,
And spin the straw of future days into a thread of gold.
But I have watched the colors fade and seen the castle fall,
For words are only mortar when there is no stone at all.
I hear the rhythm of your speech, the cadence and the rhyme,
But I am not a fool who waits upon the shelf of time.
A promise is a comfort to a fool, or so they say,
A warm and heavy blanket used to hide the cold of day.
It soothes the anxious mind a while, it calms the restless heart,
But comfort turns to bitterness when realities depart.
For I have seen the gap between the spoken and the true,
The chasm where the "will be" dies and never turns to "do."
So do not try to dazzle me with visions of the prize,
I see the calculation in the corner of your eyes.
Consider first the lover’s vow, the holiest of lies,
Whispered in the heat of night beneath the starry skies.
"Forever" is a mighty word, too heavy for the tongue,
A song of infinite design that simply can't be sung.
We stand before the altar steps, the witness and the priest,
And promise that our love will last 'til breathing has surceased.
But rings are made of metal cold, and flesh is weak and frail,
And promises of passion are the first of all to fail.
The "sickness and the health" become a burden and a bore,
When the promise of the honeymoon walks out the open door.
I will not bank on "always" when the "now" is slipping by,
A marriage built on words alone is destined just to die.
Friday, November 28, 2025
Thursday, November 27, 2025
Piracy in the Caribbean Today
"Pirate Powerboat" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Piracy in the Caribbean Today
Piracy in the Caribbean is often imagined through the lens of old legends, wooden ships, buried treasure, and outlaw captains who ruled the sea. While that era ended centuries ago, the Caribbean has never fully escaped the reach of maritime crime. Modern piracy looks different from its historical version, yet it remains a real and evolving threat shaped by geography, economics, politics, and global trade. The region sits at a crossroads of international shipping routes, tourism, and drug trafficking networks. This combination creates a mix of opportunity and vulnerability that allows modern pirates and maritime criminals to operate far more often than many people realize.
Island Surprise: A Bahamian Adventure
Kids embark on a magical journey with
Island Surprise: A Bahamian Adventure
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Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Abaco: The Brooklyn Bridge Barge Incident
"Container Barge on Tropic Sea" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Abaco: The Brooklyn Bridge Barge Incident
Below is a focused, evidence-based, and practical analysis of the Brooklyn Bridge barge grounding off Abaco (what happened, timeline, cargo and damage, official response and salvage, and insurance/environmental implications), followed by a legal analysis of whether Abaco residents who broke into containers and removed cargo can be charged under Bahamian law (likely offences, possible defences, likely outcomes), and a short conclusion with practical recommendations.
Happy National Friendship Day Bahamas - TODAY
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Golden Isles By-Election: Analysis and Indicators
By-Election Results
Golden Isles By-Election: Analysis and Indicators
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The by-election was officially called for Golden Isles, under a public notice by the electoral authorities. By-Election Public Notice
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Voters in Golden Isles reportedly showed up in steady flow at polling stations, with some early-morning crowding at one station (people rushing the gates) but overall police and election officials said voting proceeded in a relatively orderly fashion. The Tribune
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According to “unofficial results,” the candidate from Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Darron Pickstock, won the by-election. The Nassau Guardian
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The main challenger from Free National Movement (FNM), Brian Brown, lost — reportedly by just over 200 votes. The Nassau Guardian
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Other candidates (including independents or from smaller groupings) also ran, but did not secure enough votes to win. The Nassau Guardian
Harbour Is. Junkanoo Parade Number Picking
Harbour Is. Junkanoo Committee
proudly presents
BOXING DAY JUNKANOO PARADE NUMBER PICKING
Saturday, Nov. 29th, 2025
at 12:00 noon
At the Fig Tree, Bay St.
Harbour Is., Eleuthera
Junkanoo Rushout at 7PM
Music, Food and Drinks on Sale
Come out and support
You Are Entitled to Your Opinion
"Your Opinion" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
You Are Entitled to Your Opinion
Within the fortress of the skull, a sovereign state resides,
Where thoughts drift in like ocean foam upon the mental tides.
You are the captain of this ship, the ruler of this sphere,
No external hand can force a thought to disappear.
The architecture of the mind is yours and yours alone,
A private sanctuary built on flesh and blood and bone.
And in this quiet, sacred space, you hold the legal right,
To view the world in shades of grey, or strictly black and white.
You are entitled to your taste, to what brings you delight,
To favor shadows in the day or neon in the night.
If you prefer the winter chill to summer’s golden heat,
Or find the bitter coffee bean more pleasant than the sweet,
No logic can dispute your love, no formula can prove,
That jazz is wrong because it lacks a certain kind of groove.
In matters of the heart and art, of beauty and of style,
Your preference is the final judge, the verdict of the trial.
But here the boundary must be drawn, where objective truths exist,
Where reality is solid stone, and not a swirling mist.
For while the mind is free to roam, the universe is fixed,
And facts remain distinct and clear, however they are mixed.
To say "It is my opinion" does not magic truth away,
It cannot turn the gravity off, or turn the night to day.
The right to hold a point of view is not a magic wand,
That bends the laws of physics to the waving of a hand.
Monday, November 24, 2025
The Root and the Grave: A Cat Is. Horror
"Silas the Zombie Overseer" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
The Root and the Grave: A Cat Is. Horror
Act I: The Unbinding
Chapter 1: The Breath of God
The wind did not howl; it screamed. It was a high, thin sound, like metal being sheared on a lathe, a sound that vibrated in the teeth and the marrow of the bone. Hurricane Zephyr, a late-season Category 4 monstrosity, was currently grinding the spine of Cat Island into the Atlantic Ocean.
Sarah Seymour huddled in the basement of the swaying guesthouse in Port Howe, her arms wrapped around her knees. The darkness was absolute, save for the strobing flashes of lightning that illuminated the dust motes dancing in the humid air. Above her, the timber-framed house groaned, the nails popping like pistol shots as the pressure dropped.
Sarah was a historian, a woman of facts, dates, and architectural blueprints. She had come to Cat Island to catalog the ruins of the Deveaux Plantation, to preserve the fading legacy of the 18th-century cotton barons. She did not believe in ghosts, or obeah, or the "bad wind" the locals whispered about. But tonight, huddled in the dark while the island was flayed alive, the rational world felt very far away.
Announcing Richard III
presents
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Positive Vibes Only
"Tropic Beach Paradise" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Positive Vibes Only
I. The Awakening Frequency
The morning sun begins to creep across the bedroom floor,
To open up the spirit’s eyes and unlock every door.
Before the coffee touches lips, before the day begins,
The battle for the state of mind is where the heart wins.
It starts within a quiet thought, a choice that we must make,
To choose the path of gratitude for every breath we take.
A subtle hum, a gentle buzz, a rhythm deep inside,
Where optimism anchors us and leaves the doubting tied.
II. The Physics of the Soul
There is a law, unseen but real, that governs how we feel,
A magnetic force of energy that creates what is real.
Like attracts the like, they say, in physics and in thought,
So dwelling on the misery brings battles to be fought.
But when we cast a frequency of hope into the air,
We summon strength and brightness, dismissing all despair.
It is a vibration all around, a shimmer in the light,
That turns the heavy, grayscale world to colors burning bright.
III. The Garden of the Mind
Imagine that the mind is soil, a garden rich and deep,
Where thoughts are seeds that we must sow before we go to sleep.
If we plant seeds of bitterness, of envy, fear, and lack,
The weeds will choke the vibrant rose and turn the petals black.
Negativity is a vine that creeps and pulls us down,
It weaves a heavy, thorny wreath to replace the victor’s crown.
It whispers that we cannot fly, it anchors us to earth,
And blinds us to the miracle of our own inner worth.
Friday, November 21, 2025
National Art Gallery of The Bahamas
Double Dutch 9 Opens Today
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St. Saviour's Parish: Grill Out/Raffle Drawing
St. Saviour's Parish: Grill Out/Raffle Drawing
28th November 2025
Arthur's Town Community Park
Cat Island, Bahamas
3PM Until
Come and chill with us.
Thursday, November 20, 2025
The Queen Pearl: A Harbour Is. Mystery
"The Queen Pearl" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
The Queen Pearl: A Harbour Is. Mystery
Chapter 1: The Pink and the Grey
The heat in Dunmore Town didn’t just sit on you; it owned you. It was a physical weight, a damp blanket woven from salt spray, frying oil, and the exhaust of a hundred golf carts putting along narrow, colonial streets.
Jack Watkins adjusted his tie, a reflex that marked him instantly as an outsider. In Nassau, a tie was business. Here, in Harbour Is., Eleuthera, it was a sign of mental instability or a court summons. Jack was neither crazy nor a lawyer, though the locals looked at him with the same suspicion reserved for both. He was an insurance investigator for Maritime & General, and he was currently sweating through a suit that cost more than the golf cart nearly running him over.
"Watch it, bey!" a voice shouted from the cart.
Jack stepped onto the curb, narrowly missing a pile of potcake poop. The town was vibrating. This was the opening night of the Annual Conch Fest, a week-long deification of the Strombus gigas, the sea snail that fed the nation. The air smelled of spicy peppers, lime juice, and deep-fried seafoods.
Jack wasn't here for the fritters. He was here for the Queen.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Mass Hysteria: How Collective Fear Shapes Human Behavior
"Mass Hysteria" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Mass Hysteria: How Collective Fear Shapes Human Behavior
Mass hysteria, also called collective hysteria or mass psychogenic illness, is a phenomenon in which groups of people share the same false beliefs, emotions, or physical symptoms without a clear physical cause. It is not a relic of the distant past. It is a recurring feature of human behavior, shaped by fear, uncertainty, social pressure, and the powerful need for belonging. Understanding mass hysteria offers a deeper view of how individuals think and act when they are swept into the emotional current of a group.
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