More Outrage in Baltimore
It has been less than a year since the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri brought to boil our nation’s long-simmering tension between minority communities and law enforcement. Last month, a similar incident in Baltimore, Maryland thrust the subject back into the national consciousness. What Happened? On April 12, Baltimore police arrested a […]
We Will Never Forget: Oklahoma City, 20 Years Later
On April 19, 1995 the Afred E. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was destroyed by a homemade bomb. The bomb was set off by Timothy McVeigh, who at 9:01 am drove a rented moving truck and parked it in front of the building’s main entrance before creating the detonation. The bomb exploded […]
A Plan for Iran’s Nuclear Future
Iran’s nuclear program has been a global concern for decades. The United States as well as the EU-3 (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) tried to put a halt to Iran’s nuclear development in the past. Several Iranian leaders in the past have publicly threatened the United States and Western nations. For this reason, it […]
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 […]
Where Was Putin?
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on March 5, and then wasn’t seen or heard from again for eleven days. This is highly unusual because the Russian leader typically maintains an almost-daily presence in the lives of the Russian people. News of his visits, meetings, and general daily activities are […]
Making the Most of Your Spring Break
While rites and rituals surrounding the arrival of spring go back to ancient days, our collective concept of “epic” vacations away from it all are relatively modern. But not everyone can swing an epic spring break every year. Some years it’s a bliss-filled week spent on a beach, some years it’s a “staycation.” But it […]
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 […]
Great African American Biographies
To commemorate Black History Month, btw offers our annual snapshot of some of our most influential and culturally significant African American men and women. W.E.B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt DuBois is a figure commonly remembered in Black History Month recognitions. However, he remains a difficult person to categorize in just one area. He was […]
The Great Vaccination Debate
Last month, we brought you news of the recent resurgence of measles after more than a decade of being considered “eliminated” in 2000. This week, we dig deeper into the growing concern over the spread of the disease and look at both sides of the larger vaccination debate. A Brief History of Vaccination Smallpox, a highly […]
Just a Movie: How Accurate Do Films Need to Be?
Four of the eight nominees for the Academy Award for Best Picture this year are considered “biopics” (short for biographic pictures): American Sniper, The Imitation Game, Selma, and The Theory of Everything. All four have been subjected to some level of scrutiny for how the films have portrayed their subject matter and its level of […]