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Italian gelato is omnipresent in Florence enticing locals and tourists alike for a quick, refreshing treat. A squat paper cup or cone holds a heavenly piece of the rainbow.

Michelangelo's David is a pivotal work of art housed in the Galleria dell/Accademia, Florence and called a masterpiece of the Renaissance. The 26 year old savant was handed the commission in 1501 and it took him 3 years to complete the 5.17 meter marble sculpture. It portrays the Biblical David at a moment of contemplation, perhaps, just before his battle with Goliath.

Historians and critics have suggested that it's a defense of civil liberties embodied in the Florentine republic, an independent city state. Originally the position of the sculpture was with David's eyes turned defiantly towards Rome.

The Renaissance aesthetic is apparent in the careful and accurate depiction of the human body and its representation as a nude.

The sculpture has been duplicated many times, perhaps in part, a recognition of its importance in western art.
This panoramic shot of Florence in the evening provides a view of the key sites:
- the Arno River
-the Ponte Vicchio (Old Bridge)- the only bridge to have survived World War 2, built in the fourteenth century
- the Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace) with Campanile (bell tower)
- the domed cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore or Duomo
- the Uffizi art gallery and other state buildings

Florence has been called the art capital of Italy.

Jonathan Jones for the Guardian writes of the Uffizi, "Its collection originated in the collections of the Medici family, and goes back to the 16th, even the 15th century. And it is full of incomparable art, from the paintings of Giotto and Duccio to Leonardo da Vinci's Adoration of the Magi and Caravaggio's Medusa. It has fascinating frescoes in its corridors and a view across the river Arno. There's even a cafe terrace looking out over the Florence skyline."

Several of the greatest Renaissance artists of the age studied or worked in Florence, including Michelangelo and Botticelli. Michelangelo began to study painting in Florence with Ghirlandaio and later learned sculpture under the patronage of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

The painter Botticelli was a friend of both Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and the principal painter of the Medici family. His works represent Renaissance style in his use of classical subject matter and in the effect of motion that he achieves. It was for the home of a Medici that he created his two most famous works: Primavera and The Birth of Venus. In both works Botticelli uses figures from antiquity, such as the goddess Venus and the three Graces. He balances his figures in nearly symmetrical groupings, yet never loses a feeling of motion and lightness.

Renaissance style in art, exemplified in works from Florentine artists, flourished largely because of the patronage, or financial support, of wealthy citizens and the church. By purchasing numerous works of art, Renaissance men and women provided a livelihood for many painters, sculptors, and architects. It was also the Renaissance humanist desire to imitate and revive the beauty of ancient Greece, and to have that beauty surround them in their daily lives, that produced the wealth of superb art that is one of the hallmarks of Renaissance culture.

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, which houses an extensive collection of Renaissance art, is one of the oldest and most loved art galleries in the world.

A distinguishing landmark of Florence is the Duomo, the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral. It attracts throngs of tourists each year for its pivotal history.

The construction of the dome marks the beginning of Renaissance architecture; the cathedral and its dome blends old and new designs. Arnolfo di Cambio began the building in a Gothic style in 1294. In 1418, architect Filippo Brunelleschi received a commission to build the dome. He traveled to Rome with the sculptor Donatello to study architecture; there, the two artists investigated various Roman ruins to learn about the design and proportion of buildings, as well as the construction of arches and columns.

Although Brunelleschi never duplicated classical features, he borrowed ideas from the ancient ruins and incorporated them into the design of his dome. The Duomo and its surrounding buildings is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 890 sites throughout the world.

The fact that the cathedral has an intricate brick dome reveals the planners desired to distance themselves from the traditional Gothic buttresses so prevalent in the North.

In university I majored in history (MA)/ minored in English and enjoyed the swirl of ideas from classical Greek civilization (510-320 BC) to the present day. My wife and I are headed to Florence, Italy where we will be visiting some key historical sites and galleries, as well as sightseeing in the surrounding Tuscan countryside.

A pivotal moment in intellectual history was the Renaissance or 'rebirth of civilization' which centered in Florence and began in 1400-1430. This prosperous city of 60,000 was a stable city state made up of artisans and professional people who helped build Florence into an economic leader in Europe. The Florentine gold florin symbolized its influence.

These wealthy individuals supported the arts and learning and generally contributed to a dynamic growth in a humanist perspective largely motivated by an interest in Greek classical literature.

This growth took place after a one thousand year lapse called the Dark Ages where European civilization struggled to survive. The Roman Catholic church basically held communities together in the Middle Ages and the hub of every community was a church with tall spires that could be seen from afar.

Kenneth Clark in his Civilisation series for the BBC (1969) writes of the Renaissance:

'People sometimes feel disappointed the first time they see the famous beginnings of Renaissance architecture because they are so small. Well, so they are, after the great monuments of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. They don't try to impress us or crush us by size and weight, as all God-directed architecture does. Everything is adjusted to the scale of reasonable human necessity. They are intended to make each individual more conscious of his powers, as a complete moral and intellectual being. They are an assertion of the dignity of man.

The dignity of man. Today those words die on our lips. But in fifteenth century Florence their meaning was still a fresh and invigorating belief....'

I have prepared several more posts which are post dated over the next few days. I hope to do a live update later next week.

I have also post dated my other sites for next week with regular posts: 365 Quote Quest and 365 Word Quest.

Photo Image: The Birth of Venus, painted by Botticelli in 1486, at Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Good.is offers an exciting contest. Devise a simple, creative solution to a pressing global problem.

If I was still a teacher, this assignment would make a most energizing, collaborative lesson. Groups of students could brainstorm in a T chart the problems in the world, and the causes. Then each group could focus on one problem and come up with a creative solution.

OK, here is my entry, and it involves some of my landscaping, gardening experience.

One problem in the world is too much packaged food and produce shipped in from distant places. People do not know the value of growing some of their own organically safe food. More people should grow their own food in raised garden beds to appreciate the value of such a fulfilling hobby.

The Method
- Find a sunny spot in your yard.
- Use a garden hose to design a bed that fits in with the landscaping of your home.
- Turn the sod and bring in some extra top soil. Line the bed with burlap bags (optional) filled with sand or top soil.
- Along the northern extreme of the bed suspend a grid and stakes to enable pole beans and tomatoes etc. to grow up.
- Along the front of the bed grow other delectable vegetables which do not need staking.
- Also have a spot with several raised pots to grow herbs for your favourite dishes.
- Install drip irrigation (optional) to save on water use.

Wider Implications
- Organic gardening can also take place on rooftops or in greenhouses with hydroponic technology or even in vacant buildings transformed with grow lighting.
- Community gardens could be established on donated acreage.

Significance
- Children and parents can learn the value of growing food and working on a project together.
- Communities can appreciate that food can be enjoyed locally.
- Raised gardens can eliminate the disconnect between consumer and food producer, distributor.

Deadline for submissions is March 31. See other requirements.

Any other avid gardeners with tips? Or a simple solution to a world problem?

Photo Credit:

Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends. ~ H. Jackson Brown

One of the best segments ever televised by the Antique Road Show involves a woman who brings in a jade collection. She tells the story of her father who lived in China in the 30's and 40's and purchased several pieces from a dealer friend for a few hundred dollars. We find out that all the pieces are from the 18th century with some roots in imperialist dynasties.

It's riveting to see the works of art, the analysis provided by the dealer, and the woman's reaction when she finds out what they are worth! See the video here.

Do you have an antique, as endearing as an old friend?

One can't mistake the irony of Kathryn Bigelow winning best director for The Hurt Locker over ex-husband (1991) James Cameron's Avatar. After writing a movie review and portrait of Cameron's TED talk, I am surprised that Cameron was upstaged by a low budget, controversial film. Avatar won 3 Oscars and The Hurt Locker 6.

Johanna Schneller writes a wonderful portrait of Bigelow's work including this quote about her artistic endeavours.

“My goal is to make material as accessible as possible, but with a conscience. So I include some genre elements, which gives you a comfort level, and then I add other dimensions, which you don’t see coming, to make you walk out of the theatre and think. But it can’t be pedagogical. You have to keep the material subversive, so it doesn’t reveal itself. I’ll crawl through fire for that.”

I have a feeling that The Hurt Locker is on the play list for a lot of people including me. Has anyone seen the movie?

What do you think of the latest advertising campaign by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, a division of Bank of America? That's right; Merrill Lynch is the company that went bankrupt and was resurrected by U. S. government bailout money and acquired by Bank of America with over 20,000 brokers.

Print ads show consumers in the 50-plus age group holding up placards that read: “help2 retire.” A blank box appears underneath, along suggested words like “problems,” “cold feet” and “guesswork.” In March, a billboard from the campaign has debuted in Times Square, where viewers can text in their own answers.

The $20 million campaign which broke last week began with TV and print.

As a Canadian, I saw one of the ads over the weekend and thought it rather clever. After all, there are many boomer investors shell shocked by the volatility the last couple of years and wonder how they should invest their money for retirement.

Will Merrill Lynch and other investing firms continue to garner a few percentages of investors' hard earned money with their 'expert' investment advice?

Bob Harris, radio commentator, writer, stand-up comedian, Kiva supporter, recently toured Peru for a book he is writing on microfinance and provided an article for boingboing.

The excellent chronicle of his trip includes a look at some of the last surviving Inca stone handiwork, the vestiges of the Spanish conquest, and the beauty of the Peruvian people and countryside.

This is well worth reading and enjoying the photographs. For me, it serves as an ideal arm chair travelogue and a testament to the power of the Internet to convey authentic experiences from anywhere in the world.

Personally I was impressed with the Incan knowledge of stone cutting and their perfect walls which have withstood centuries of neglect and earthquake.

'The Incas moved and shaped these stones, most of which are bigger than you are, and then built hundreds of such walls -- all of course with no power tools, no known use of the wheel, no draft animal bigger than a llama, and no written language beyond intricately knotted cords.'

Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping. ~Bo Derek

This amazing infographic by Permuto underscores how much my buying habits are behind the times. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, people are purchasing the following items in ever greater numbers online:

- Office Supplies 67%
- Electronics 74%
- Computers...48%
- Clothing 66%
- Furniture 65% !!!!!!!!!
- Food, Beer, Wine - 57% !!!!!!
- Music, Videos 74%
- Books, Magazines 61%

A glaring exception is Drugs and Health Aids at 8%.

I guess I still need the full sensory experience provided in those bricks and mortar stores.

James Cameron, film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, and inventor, spoke at the TED conference in California in February. His 18 minute address explores his quest to satisfy his imagination and curiosity.

Some Highlights
- Canadian born Cameron (1954) grew up with a steady diet of science fiction. His two hours on the bus to and from school were spent reading flights into fantasy.
- His insatiable sense of curiosity was also satisfied hiking in woods and studying nature.
- In the late 60's James followed the moon expeditions and Jacques Cousteau's undersea adventures.
- Fortunately there were no video games at the time to distract him from drawing, painting, creating alien new worlds himself.
- Later he moved to California and became an avid scuba diver and logged 3,000 hours under water exploring the new worlds there.
- His films became a vehicle to nurture his urge to tell stories and create images: Terminator,'84; Alien,'86;Abyss,'89, Terminator 2, '91; Titanic, '97; Avatar, 2009. (His last two films have grossed over $5 billion worldwide.)
- Cameron moved toward digital animation in the early '90's and developed the technology through Digital Domain for Avatar.
- His interest in deep sea exploration led him to create Titanic with a Romeo and Juliet narrative. Amazingly, his interests allowed him to actually make deep sea documentaries including visits to the Titanic wreck. His experiences have been "surreal" merging his imagination with reality.
- Cameron has also worked with NASA to nurture his interests in space science.
- He has valued the creative bond he receives from working with small groups of people.

His Conclusions
- Curiosity is the most powerful interest you have.
- Imagination is a force that can manifest a reality.
- Respect for a team is more important that all the laurels of the world.
- Take risks, make a leap of faith.
- Whatever you do, failure is an option but fear is not.

If I were still a teacher, I would show this TED video and encourage a discussion around the insights he shares. How wonderful if all students could stay curious and have the opportunity to harness their imagination in vital ways.

Tropical deforestation is now being lead by a global food hunt. A study outlined in environmental research web.org by Nature Geoscience concludes that deforestation is not slowing down but speeding up. There is growing pressure to feed burgeoning populations who have moved to the cities.

"The main drivers of tropical deforestation have shifted from small-scale landholders to domestic and international markets that are distant from the forests," said lead author Ruth DeFries, a professor at the Earth Institute's Center for Environmental Research and Conservation. "One line of thinking was that concentrating people in cities would leave a lot more room for nature. But those people in cities and the rest of the world need to be fed. That creates a demand for industrial-scale clearing."

DeFries and her colleagues analyzed remote-sensing images of forest cover across 41 nations in Latin America, Africa and Asia from 2000–2005, and combined these with population and economic trends. They showed that the highest forest losses were correlated with two factors: urban growth within countries; and, mainly in Asia, growth of agricultural exports to other countries.

Studies suggest that 2/3 of people will live in cities by 2050 and a growing affluent population will increase demand for global food sources.

Hot spots of deforestation to make way for palm plantations, soybeans, sugar, and meat production are in Brazil, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Ironically some of these food commodities are turned into bio-fuels.

As well, large swaths of land in Africa and satellite countries around China are being bought and leased for global agriculture.

Who can argue with the premise food for forests?

Photo: Earth's Heart and Lungs Dismembered

Wow, my mind is still spinning from the lightning bolts of crackling insights.

The Art of Marketing Conference in Toronto on March 2 with 1500 in attendance was all about harnessing one's creative potential to connect with people on the Internet in vital ways. Six internationally renowned authors and leaders shared their "cutting edge thinking and real world experiences on today's marketing issues."

Speakers, Themes, and Links to their Websites

Seth Godin on Leadership and Creativity
Dan Heath on Strategy and Communication
Mitch Joel on Digital Marketing and Social Media
Max Lenderman on Branding and Experiential Marketing
Sally Hogshead on Persuasion and Influence
James Othmer on Advertising and Branding

All of the speakers provided riveting anecdotes, vivid images, and energizing insights.

Some Key Insights

Mitch Joel (A taller Seth Godin with similar polished presentation skills.)
Herman Cortes landed in Mexico in 1519 to conquer the land for Spain. One thing he did immediately was burn the ships. There was no going back for his men. Similarly burn the ships as a marketer; hit Ctrl/Alt/Delete. The rules of engagement on the Internet are continually changing.
- It's about doing: sharing, socializing, collaborating, and, most of all, creating.
- A paradigm shift has occurred with media. TV is stagnant but on the Internet people are engaged: interacting, reading consumer product reviews, caring about what others are saying. -Digital Darwinism is about community involvement and shaping the conversation, one to one, one to many.
-Stories spread and are shared to the world. Are you as a marketer there comfortable with the ebb and flow, more malleable and responsive?

Seth Godin (His 70 minute presentation felt like 30.)
Highway #11 is your usual nondescript area of restaurants, gas stations, and franchise outlets. One day Godin stopped at the Candy Shoppe on 'Highway #11' and was fascinated how a mom and pop store had a very sophisticated business where people on average were spending $60 on candy. What were their secrets?
- Ideas that spread win. The market for something to believe in is infinite.
- Work has evolved from hunter, farmer, cog in a machine, to artist doing human work like making emotional connections, creating change.
- The hard part in creating is there are no clear steps.
- Be generous. Give more than you receive.
- Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity.
- Do work that matters....

Sally Hogshead (By the time she was done, you love her name!)
-What made Jagermeister a popular drink despite its bad taste? It's got something to do with urban legend...
-It's interesting to see what people respond to. Be aware of the seven fascination triggers: mystique, power, lust, prestige, alarm vice (tension), and trust.
- Welcome to the rise of the A.D.D. world; many have the attention span of a gold fish.
- We are moving from the information to the fascination age...

James Othmer (You appreciate the measured words of the writer.)
- Fiction, non-fiction writer is collaborating with diverse media interests to foresee what's next.
- Is Avatar, a game changer? One aspect may be Jake Sully's immersion and perspective in the 3D digital universe.
- Marketers need to be sensitive to the story, the narrative and transformative, entertaining experiences in a new environment.
- There's a ubiquity of gadgets which need to be used in concert like a symphony and create connections.
- You are lost in a 'nincompoop forest' and must make your way through defining your brand.
- There are commitments not campaigns, collaborations not soloists.
- What's the show Bible for your brand? Be consistent across the media. What is your mythology and ethos?
- Choreograph the brand ballet.
-There are many worlds, but same orbits; one creator, many creators; unlimited versus fixed times.

Max Lenderman (He's been to the third world and studied media domains.)
- There are 4 billion people making $2 a day who yearn to be part of the middle class.
- How are marketers reaching these 4 billion today? There is event marketing, troupes of actors entertaining with live advertisements.
- Some cities are banning billboard ads. What are the alternatives?
- Tide's initiative to help survivors of Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti through portable washing sites provides that emotional, human connection.

Dan Heath (Last speaker still motivates.)
- Don't be afraid of change. Also change takes time.
- Ketchup makes way for salsa...
- Go into the communities, test hypotheses, listen, gain knowledge, feel the dynamics, make the change.
- Understand the dynamics between the elephant and his rider. How do you manage the rational versus the emotional side of your thinking?
- Direct the rider, motivate the elephant, shape the path.
- Don't dwell on problems; focus on hope. Emulate yourself at your best moments.

Conclusion
These are exciting times for people navigating a message on the Internet. It's a great opportunity for the creative component to take an integral part.

And, just to prove I was there, here is a foggy picture of me with Seth and his signing of the book I bought, Purple Cow. Moo! Thanks to my son-in-law for inviting me to this wonderful conference.