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Thursday, February 26, 2026
The Runner Stumbles has one more weekend!
Afternoon Morning Glory
"Afternoon Morning Glory" - ©A. Derek Catalano
Taken around 4:30pm on a Sunday afternoon.
Bahamas Reflected in Machiavelli’s “Great Man” Theory
Bahamas Reflected in Machiavelli’s “Great Man” Theory
By The Bahamianologist
There is a book, slim enough to hold in one hand, that has never gone out of print since it was first circulated in Renaissance Florence more than five centuries ago. Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince, written in 1513, remains the most unsentimental manual of political power ever committed to paper. It does not concern itself with virtue in the conventional sense. It concerns itself with results — with the cold, calculating art of seizing, holding, and exercising power in a world that does not reward the meek.Machiavelli’s “Great Man” was not necessarily a good man. He was a necessary man — visionary enough to see what others could not, ruthless enough to do what others would not, and shrewd enough to make his dominance look inevitable in hindsight. He bent fortune to his will through a combination of virtù — that untranslatable Italian word encompassing strength, skill, cunning, and audacity — and an almost clinical reading of the moment he inhabited.
When we survey the long arc of Bahamian history, from the swaggering chaos of the pirate republic to the quiet consolidation of the post-independence era, we find, at every decisive turning point, a man who fits Machiavelli’s template with uncomfortable precision. None of them were saints. All of them were transformative. And understanding them through Machiavelli’s lens may be the most honest way to reckon with what they actually accomplished — and what they cost. Read more>>
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
The Great Bahamas Hurricane of 1929: The "Three-Day Storm"
"The Great Bahamas Hurricane of 1929"
Bahamas AI Image - ©A. Derek Catalano
The Great Bahamas Hurricane of 1929: The "Three-Day Storm"
The Great Bahamas Hurricane of 1929, also known as the "Great Andros Island Hurricane," remains one of the most significant and devastating meteorological events in the history of the Lucayan Archipelago. Striking during a period when the colony was already grappling with economic shifts and the early tremors of the Great Depression, the storm was a catastrophic event that claimed over 140 lives and fundamentally altered the Bahamian landscape.
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
242Day Celebration Meal
242Day Celebration Meal - ©A. Derek Catalano
Pan fried bread, fried Snapper, chunky conch chowder.
242Day Guava duff - ©A. Derek Catalano
#242Day #CelebrateBahamas
Bahamian Poetry by James Catalyn
James Catalyn with Bahamas Flag
Being Bahamian
by james j. Catalyn ©11th june 2009I am proud of my heritage
My colour
My people
I am proud of my language, “Bahamianese”
My music
My foods
I am proud of those who have achieved
And those who may not have had
The opportunity
They are my fellowmen
I am proud of my National Symbols
And my faith in things spiritual
I am proud that I am me
And being Bahamian
I am Bahamian and Proud!
Celebrate 242Day
"Celebrate 242Day Bahamas" - Bahamas AI Image
©A. Derek Catalano
Celebrate 242Day
On the twenty-fourth of February, hear the islands say,
Rise up, hearts of turquoise seas, it’s bright 242Day.
From coral keys to bustling towns where trade winds gently sway,
We gather as one people proud to honor who we are today.
The sun spills gold on ocean blues, on sands so warm and wide,
And every wave that kisses shore brings Bahamian pride.
It whispers through the coconut trees, it hums in Junkanoo drums,
It lives in every smiling face wherever our spirit comes.
So dress yourself in colors bold that mirror sea and sky,
Aquamarine and gold and black, let every banner fly.
Wrap up in Bahamian print, bright patterns stitched with care,
Let fabric tell our story loud in marketplaces fair.
Wear the flag upon your chest, let strangers see it shine,
A living sign of who we are, this heritage divine.
For black speaks strong of people’s might, our unity and name,
Gold beams warm as sunlight’s hope, aquamarine seas our claim.
Sailboat Moon - PC Wallpaper
"Sailboat Moon" - Bahamas AI Image
©A. Derek Catalano
"Sailboat Moon" - Bahamas AI Image
©A. Derek Catalano
©A. Derek Catalano
Download full size: 5376x3072
Happy 242Day Bahamas
#242Day #CelebrateBahamas
Related article: Celebrate 242Day Bahamas
Related article: Report on Bahamian Culture
Monday, February 23, 2026
The Architect of the Mind: The Importance of Reading and the Gift of Literacy
"Happy Readers" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
The Architect of the Mind: The Importance of Reading and the Gift of Literacy
Introduction
To read is to engage in a silent conversation with the greatest minds of history. It is a cognitive feat that the human brain was never biologically "wired" to perform, yet it has become the bedrock of modern civilization. Reading is not merely a mechanical skill; it is an architectural process that reshapes the brain, builds the foundations of empathy, and serves as the primary engine for social and economic mobility. Understanding the importance of reading, and the vital necessity of teaching it effectively, is essential for the flourishing of both the individual and society.
Rock the City: What's Happening
Dion Cunningham piano concert
Jonny Cake live onstage
Yah Doctrine live stream virtual event
What's Happening: Dion Cunningham, Jonny Cake, Yah Doctrine + Career Opportunities. Read more>>
A Love Letter Written in Law: The Last Will and Testament of Kelson Samuel Cox (1928 – 2023)
Kelson and Dorcas Cox, 1955 and 2018
By The Bahamianologist
There are love stories, and then there are Bahamian love stories. Not the kind written in novels or sung in ballads — but the kind forged in the predawn darkness of five o’clock prayer meetings, in the flour-dusted kitchens of a family bakery, in the quiet determination of a man cooking meals from his wheelchair for the woman he had promised to cherish more than fifty years before.
The kind of love that does not announce itself but simply endures — through heart attacks and business failures, through family triumphs and heartbreaking loss, through the slow erosion of the body that cannot diminish the iron of the spirit. Read more>>
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Celebrate 242Day Bahamas
Celebrate 242Day Bahamas
Celebrate Bahamian Pride
Tuesday, 24th of February, 2026
• Wear National Flag Colours
or Bahamian Print
• Enjoy a delicious Bahamian Dish
• Enjoy Bahamian Music, Art or Entertainment
all day long
• Wear National Flag Colours
or Bahamian Print
• Enjoy a delicious Bahamian Dish
• Enjoy Bahamian Music, Art or Entertainment
all day long
• Share photos using the hashtags below
#242Day #CelebrateBahamas
Visit: Celebrate Bahamas
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Offshore Tall Ship - AI Redo
One of my photos I redid with AI. Done as an oil painting and added the ship and seagulls.
"Offshore Tall Ship" - AI Redo - Oil painting
©A. Derek Catalano
"Harbour Island Pink Sands Beach HD Wallpaper"
Original photo - ©A. Derek Catalano
Download full size: 5312x2988
Friday, February 20, 2026
Commissioner's Martial Arts Expo
Commissioner's Martial Arts Expo
March 14, 2026
10:AM
A.F. Adderley Gym
Nassau, Bahamas
FREE to the public
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Don’t Be A Copycat
"Copycats" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Don’t Be A Copycat
Don’t be a copycat, carbon and thin,
Tracing the outline of somebody’s skin.
Don’t wear a voice that was never your own,
Or live in a shadow where nothing has grown.
It’s easy to echo what others have said,
To borrow their dreams and sleep in their bed.
To mimic their laughter, their swagger, their stride,
And tuck your own spark safely inside.
But what is a mirror that never looks back?
A face with no features, a sky that is black.
A song with no tremor, no crack in the tone,
A house full of people that feels like a loan.
You weren’t born blank like a page to be filled
With copies of others’ ambitions and wills.
You came with a rhythm, a pulse in your chest,
A pattern of thought that won’t match the rest.
Maybe your laugh is too loud for the room.
Maybe your plans don’t fit in with the gloom.
Maybe your questions make some people squirm.
Good. That’s your fire. Let it burn.
Offshore Storm - AI Redo
I had a pic of a storm I took some time ago and made it a black & white in Adobe Photoshop. Then I used AI to colorize it and add lightning bolts.
"Offshore Storm" - AI Redo
©A. Derek Catalano
©A. Derek Catalano
Download full size - 1536x1024
"Offshore Storm" - B&W Photo
©A. Derek Catalano
View and download original photo
BHRA Breakout Event!
BHRA Breakout Event!
This Friday the BHRA will be having its membership drive at the facility at 7:30pm-11pm.
For more info visit the BHRA on Facebook
Support our Student Matinees of Gun Boys Rhapsody!
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The Runner Stumbles Opens TONIGHT!
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Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Culture & Couture Fashion Show
Culture & Couture Fashion Show
February 23rd, 2026 at 6:30pm
The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas
For more information follow
The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Bahamas on Facebook.
Take It As It Comes
"Contemplation" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Take It As It Comes
The sky does not announce its every turn,
It shifts from blue to gray without concern.
No whispered memo, no engraved decree,
Just drifting clouds that move because they’re free.
The tide rolls in, then slowly rolls away,
It doesn’t beg the shoreline let it stay.
It meets the rocks, it foams, it breaks, it runs,
And trusts the moon to guide what’s to be done.
So why do we, with furrowed brow and fist,
Attempt to map each fog that might exist?
Why strain to choreograph the unseen dance
Of futures balanced on a thread of chance?
Hibiscus in Yellow Vase - AI Redo
A piece I did in colored pencils back in 1990(bottom). I redid it with AI as a watercolor(top) and tweaked in Adobe Photoshop.
"Hibiscus in Yellow Vase" - After AI - Watercolors
©A. Derek Catalano
"Hibiscus in Yellow Vase" - Original - Colored pencils
©A. Derek Catalano
©A. Derek Catalano
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
The Cascarilla Tree and Its Bark: Nature, Uses, and Value
"Cascarilla Tree" - Bahamas AI Image
©A. Derek Catalano
The cascarilla tree — its biology, geography, harvesting, uses (traditional, commercial, scientific, and industry), and what it would take to establish a lucrative cascarilla processing/export business in The Bahamas.
The Cascarilla Tree and Its Bark: Nature, Uses, and Value
1. Botanical Description
Cascarilla refers to the dried bark of Croton eluteria, a small aromatic tree in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). The plant is native to the Caribbean region, including The Bahamas, and also grows in parts of Central America and other tropical areas. It typically grows as a shrub or small tree up to about 12–20 feet tall with pale yellowish-brown fissured bark, scanty lance-shaped leaves, and clusters of small white fragrant flowers (often in spring).
The name Croton eluteria reflects its botanical lineage: Croton from the Greek for “a tick” (referring to seed shape) and eluteria said to reference the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas.
In the field, the bark is easily stripped from twigs and branches, then dried before further processing.
WRY ‘CUDA . Abaco Bahamas
WRY ‘CUDA
By Rolling Harbour, Abaco
There’s no doubt about it, barracudas have a particularly unwelcoming look to them. They exude menace. There’s something about the torpedo shape, the primitive head, and the uncomfortably snaggle-toothed grin-with-underbite that suggests a creature not to be underestimated. Read more>>
Neon Junkanoo Sun - AI Redo
Many years ago I created this image(bottom) in Microsoft Paint, then tweaked it in Adobe Photoshop. I redid it with AI using two different AI image creators(top and center).
"Neon Junkanoo Sun" - After AI
©A. Derek Catalano
Visit my Junkanoo and Carnival Concept Art
Grand Bahama Student Eco Art Contest: From Waste, We Create!
An Eco-Art & Sculpture Contest for Students
Awarding Young Artists & Visionaries who want to help bring awareness to how climate change and global pollution affect our island nation.
The From Waste, We Create! Eco-Art & Sculpture Competition is a dynamic, island-wide movement that empowers Grand Bahama’s youth to take action for our island and ocean - through creativity, teamwork, and environmental pride.
Celebrating Bahamian Talent, Smart Tech, and Project Opportunities
Smart Tech Choices, Sharade Taylor's Upcoming Show, and New Opportunities in March
For Safer Internet Day 2026, BTC hosted a youth forum at Fusion Superplex to promote the theme “Smart Tech, Safe Choices.” Students from seven schools met with experts and law enforcement to talk about AI, cybersecurity, and how to act responsibly online. The event focused on giving young people real-world advice for staying safe in a digital world. Read more>>
Monday, February 16, 2026
Call Out Foolishness
"Reckless" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Call Out Foolishness
In the bustling square where the voices collide,
Where the ego is loud and the logic has died,
There’s a duty that falls to the brave and the bright,
To stand as a beacon and shine out the light.
For silence is fertile, a soil for the weed,
If we do not confront every dangerous deed.
So lift up your voice, let the clarity ring,
Against every foolish and fraudulent thing.
We live in an age where the fiction is sold,
In whispers of silver and headlines of gold.
The merchant of myths and the weaver of lies
Will look at the truth with disdain in their eyes.
They peddle the rumors, the "facts" they’ve designed,
To poison the well of the innocent mind.
But a citizen knows that the truth is a shield,
And to blatant deception, we never shall yield.
When they speak of the "secret" that nobody knows,
While the shadow of doubt and conspiracy grows,
Don't nod in agreement to keep at the peace,
For that is the way that the follies increase.
Call out the fake news and the data they’ve blurred,
Let the weight of the evidence always be heard.
To make up a story is easy and cheap,
But the harvest of lies is a bitter to reap.
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