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The “New Michelangelos” and the Dan Brown Approach to Art History

By Tony Hicks
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Every generation believes it has discovered the secret code to art. Not just art appreciation. Not the quiet, nerdy joy of standing in a museum reading a wall plaque and pretending you understand chiaroscuro. No—each generation believes it has unlocked the truth . The hidden symbols. The suppressed meanings. The conspiracies buried in brushstrokes. The whispers of secret societies hiding in marble veins. And somehow, inevitably, Michelangelo gets dragged into it . In the modern imagination, Michelangelo has become less of a Renaissance artist and more of a supporting character in an endless stream of speculative documentaries, YouTube essays, and paperback thrillers that promise to reveal what the Vatican, the Medici, the Freemasons, and possibly aliens have been hiding for centuries. Welcome to the strange cultural phenomenon of the “New Michelangelos.” These are the commentators, theorists, amateur historians, and occasionally very confident influencers who approach art history t...
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Governor Signs Medical Malpractice Reform Into Law—Because Nothing Says “Health Care Progress” Like Rearranging the Legal Furniture

By Tony Hicks
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There are certain moments in American politics when lawmakers gather, smile for cameras, hold up freshly signed legislation, and collectively pretend they’ve just solved a crisis. The ink dries, the press releases fly, and somewhere a legislative aide writes the phrase “historic reform.” Recently, one such moment occurred when a governor signed a package of medical malpractice reforms and several other health care bills into law. The announcement came with all the usual ingredients: solemn speeches about protecting patients, promises of lower costs, and a healthy dose of optimism about how this legislation will finally—finally—fix the complicated ecosystem known as American health care. And if you’ve been paying attention to health policy for more than five minutes, you know exactly how this story usually goes. Not with a bang. Not with a revolution. But with a carefully negotiated compromise that leaves everyone mildly dissatisfied and politicians claiming victory anyway. Let’s ...
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Five Things to Eat or Drink: March 2026

By Tony Hicks
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A mildly chaotic culinary guide for people who are hungry, tired, and suspicious of food trends. March is a weird month. Winter is technically over, but the weather hasn’t gotten the memo. One day it’s sunny and optimistic; the next day the wind slaps you across the face like you owe it money. Grocery stores are in a similar mood swing. Half the shelves scream “spring freshness!” while the other half is still selling soup like civilization depends on it. So when people ask, “What should I eat in March?” the real answer is: something comforting, something bright, something caffeinated, something fermented, and something that makes you feel like you briefly have your life together. Below are five things worth eating or drinking in March 2026. Not because a lifestyle magazine said so, but because they survive the strange emotional terrain between winter survival mode and spring optimism. Let’s begin. 1. Citrus Everything Because sunlight is still on backorder. March is peak citrus...
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Building the No Neck Army: The Military’s Holistic Health and Fitness Program

By Tony Hicks
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There was a time when military fitness was simple. You ran until your lungs tasted like metal, you did pushups until your arms trembled like loose wiring, and if someone asked how you were doing mentally, the official treatment plan was: drink water and walk it off. It was an era of straightforward suffering. If your knees sounded like microwave popcorn every time you climbed stairs, congratulations—you were probably in excellent shape by Army standards. Then the Army looked around and realized something uncomfortable: maybe turning human beings into sleep-deprived, nicotine-powered pushup machines wasn’t exactly the optimal long-term strategy. And thus emerged the modern masterpiece known as Holistic Health and Fitness , or H2F , which sounds less like a military program and more like something you’d see advertised on a smoothie bottle next to a picture of a yoga instructor holding a green drink that costs $14. But make no mistake. This isn’t yoga. This is the Army’s attempt to b...
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