In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Horse, beginning on February 17, 2026 and marking the start of the 16-day Spring Festival. The Horse embodies speed, enthusiasm, and vibrant energy. Those born under this sign are said to be warm-hearted, lively, and adventurous. Famous people born in the Year of the Horse include Thomas Edison, Frederick Law Olmsted, Nelson Mandela, Barbra Streisand, Catherine O’Hara, Paul McCartney, and Jackie Chan. Kung Hee Fat Choy!
Fosse Ardeatine is a memorial cemetery and national monument located south of Rome where German occupation troops killed 335 civilians and political prisoners on March 24, 1944 in retaliation for an attack by Italian partisans against a German police regiment in central Rome the previous day.
SS officials decided to execute ten Italians for each German policeman killed in the guerrilla action. They selected the Ardeatine Caves, remnants of ancient Christian catacombs and a former pozzolana quarry, as the venue to carry out the shootings in secrecy. German engineers detonated explosives to seal the mouth of the caves and conceal the bodies of the victims.
The monument is the result of a national competition won by a collaboration of five architects (Nello Aprile, Cino Calcaprina, Aldo Cardelli, Mario Fiorentino & Giuseppe Perugini) and two sculptors (Francesco Coccia and Mirko Basaldella). Coccia created at the entrance to the site a colossal set of three male figures, The Martyrs, standing together as one with hands tied behind their back. The memorial itself is a vast concrete slab that hovers over 335 identical graves set in rows. On every anniversary of the mass slaughter, a solemn state commemoration is held at the monument in honor of the fallen.
In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Snake, beginning on January 29, 2025 and marking the start of the 16-day Spring Festival. The Snake symbolizes wisdom, intuitive creativity, and transformation. Those born under this sign are said to be passionate and steadfast in pursuing goals, possess introverted and mysterious natures, and have excellent problem-solving and communication skills. Famous people born in the Year of the Snake include Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Bob Dylan, John F. Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Anne Frank, Muhammad Ali, and Indira Gandhi. Kung Hee Fat Choy!
In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Dragon, beginning on February 10, 2024. The Dragon symbolizes power, nobility, honor, wealth, and success. Those born under this sign are said to possess intelligence, confidence, tenacity, and courage; they can also be, at times, temperamental and impulsive. Famous people born in the Year of the Dragon include John Lennon, Bruce Lee, Martin Luther King Jr., Adele, Stanley Kubrick, Robert Oppenheimer, and Dr. Seuss. Kung Hee Fat Choy!
for the thousands of acres on Maui Island torched by wind-blown wildfires, and especially the devastation of Lahaina Town, these images recall what once was—Front Street in Lahaina Town, the Pioneer Inn built in 1901, and the Jodo Mission Buddhist Temple founded in 1912.
In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Rabbit, beginning on January 22, 2023. The Rabbit embodies a quiet kindness with a strong and confident personality. Those born under this sign are said to be gentle and compassionate, with artistic sensibilities and steadfastness toward achieving their goals. Famous people born in the Year of the Ox include Julius Caesar, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Albert Einstein, George Orwell, Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Bob Hope. Kung Hee Fat Choy!
Best wishes for a peaceful, joyous, and productive 2023.
In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Tiger, beginning on February 1, 2022. The Tiger is an animal valued for its courage, boldness, and confidence. Those born under this sign are said to be ambitious, optimistic, and enthusiastic by nature and possess strong self-esteem and high energy, especially at work. Some say tigers can also be stubborn and brash. Famous people born in the Year of the Ox include Marilyn Monroe, Fidel Castro, Jonas Salk, Ansel Adams, Lady Gaga, and Stevie Wonder. Kung Hee Fat Choy!
This is the main entrance to Powell’s City of Books, the venerable bookstore in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1971 by Walter Powell. Billing itself as the world’s largest independent bookstore, it occupies an entire city block and contains over a million volumes of new and used books over 68,000 square feet of floor area.