2014 Nobel Peace Prize Honors Champions for Children
Protecting the rights of children received worldwide recognition last week. The Norwegian Nobel Committee co-awarded its prestigious Peace Prize to Kaliash Satyarthi of India and Pakistani teenager, Malala Yousafzai. Many saw this pairing as a hopeful sign considering the recent flaring of an ages-old conflict between the two countries who share a common border. Both […]
Ebola: What It Is and Is Not
Back in the summer, btw brought you news of an outbreak of Ebola. In the months since, thousands have died and concern over how to both treat victims and stop the rapid spread has grown. What began in West Africa has now officially spread to the United States. A Liberian man named Thomas Duncan had […]
Becoming Better Neighbors
Continuing our recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, we turn our attention to the United States/Latin America foreign policy relations. As many of you probably know, maintaining a good ongoing relationship with a neighbor can be both challenging and satisfying. The same goes with countries that share a common border. These North American countries have a […]
Don Quixote: Its Impact and Influence
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s take a look inside one of the most influential books of all time. Written by Spaniard Miquel de Cervantes in 1605 (with a Part Two published in 1615), El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de La Mancha (commonly known as Don Quixote) is also considered by many to be […]
UPDATED: Scotland’s Declaration of Independence?
At the height of the British Empire, England had rule over one-quarter of the world’s population. In the years since, some of the countries under their rule either won their independence through war (the United States and India) or through diplomatic negotiations (Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). Of its remaining fourteen territories, the citizens of […]
Civil Unrest: Yesterday and Today
It has been more than two weeks since the shooting of an unarmed African American teenager sparked protests and riots throughout a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. But the debate that has begun after this this event is not likely to come to a resolution any time soon. As the United States Justice Department and […]
Anne Frank: The Enduring Power of a Single Voice
Maybe you have read Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl. If so, you will know that it chronicles the lives of the Franks, an upper-middle class Jewish family who fled Germany for Amsterdam. They went into hiding to avoid capture by the Nazi’s, who were forcing the Jews into concentration camps where many were […]
Patents: For the Benefit of Society
You have probably seen a copyright symbol– © –printed inside of your favorite books or on the backs of CDs. But what do you know of the patent? Both copyrights and patents protect the originators of intellectual property–any idea, process or invention that comes from a person’s mind. Patents, however, can be a very complicated […]
Pages to Frames: Our Favorite Books into Films
In 2011, the young adult novel The Fault in Our Stars charmed readers and impressed critics everywhere, topping all kinds of bestseller lists. The book, by Vlogbrother and awesome guy, John Green, is a love story between two teens who meet in a cancer support group. In June, the film adaptation hits the big screen, […]
Youth Can Do It!
Every single day, young people everywhere take part in projects and activities designed to make a difference in their communities and around the world. They volunteer in food pantries, help beautify their neighborhood parks and tutor those in need of a little help. April 11-13 is designated as Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), a time […]