Stock Market Plummets: Crisis or Capitalism?
On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 1,500 points (more than 6%). This was the worst fall in six years, and at one point, the biggest one-day drop in history. So should we panic? What Caused the Plunge? The drop wasn’t caused by any one fundamental thing. Instead, there were a number […]
Obama Rejects Keystone Pipeline (Again)
Last year, btw wanted to know your thoughts about the Keystone XL Pipeline. Earlier this month, President Obama formally rejected the permit that would allow its completion. Let’s take a closer look about what has happened and what it means. Pipeline Timeline It begins with TransCanada, the company that wants to build a 1,179-mile pipeline […]
Recalling Recalls
Pretty much any product you can purchase–food, a car seat, or medicine, for example–can be subject to a recall. This means that a significant and hazardous defect in the product has been identified and and action is taken by the company to alert the public that a particular product might cause injury or damage. Last […]
The Economics of Terrorist Groups
Last month, btw published news of “cultural vandalism” committed by the Islamic State (which is variously referred to as IS, ISIS, and ISIL). The extremist group appeared to have destroyed ancient artifacts in the Middle East because the objects were viewed as religiously offensive. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that ISIS has been […]
Shored Up: West Coast Labor Dispute
It is easy to take for granted how our goods make their way to us. That is, until something happens that grinds the process to a halt. This happened all along the West Coast as a nine-month old dispute involving dockworkers and shipping companies caused a major disruption in international trade. The ordeal recently ended […]
Examining the European Debt Crisis
The overall economy of Europe is in big trouble. For the past three years, the European countries bound together by economics have been engaged in ongoing talks over the best way to solve current problems and devise solutions for the future. To understand what is happening, btw brings you a big-picture view. The Brief History […]
A Turkey of a Day
Dedicated btw fans know that we have posted about the history of the presidential turkey pardon in the past. But this year, let’s switch it up a bit and examine a different Thanksgiving history angle. (And no, it’s NOT going to be about Pilgrims, Native Americans, and what they might or might not have agreed […]
To Frack or Not to Frack: A Complicated Question
Negotiation over ownership of the world’s natural resources has long caused tensions between nations and lead to ongoing, major disputes, including war. One of the major issues of the 2012 presidential election centered around the United States becoming less depending on foreign oil (mostly the Middle East) and more self-reliant in producing its own energy […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Tom Hanks Has an App? Best Actor Winner. Movie star. Former sitcom star. All-around nice guy. Technology developer? Tom Hanks, known to many as that guy in Forrest Gump and Castaway, decided to take his love for vintage typewriters to a whole new level. Launched last month, Hanx Writer emulates the clacks and dings of […]
Women’s Equality Day
Tuesday, August 26 is Women’s Equality Day in the United States. This day commemorates the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment where women citizens in the United States were give the right to vote. Learn more about this day by reading information about it on the White House blog page. You can also learn more about […]