State Dinners at the White House: A Photo Essay
The occasion of an official state visit by the leader of another nation is always an important event in the time that a president spends in the White House. Acting as the representative of the United States and hosting the acting head of another nations carries with it lots of rules and words of polite […]
Economics of the Olympics
There’s been a lot of press out there about how the current Winter Olympic Games is the most expensive in history. But what does this mean exactly? And if the cost to host the Olympics continues to rise to such epic proportions, why do countries keep bidding against one another for the privilege? Who Pays? […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
A Year of Action: President Gives State of the Union When writing the Constitution, our forefathers decided that our president would, “from time to time, give to the Congress information of the State of the Union.” In it, he would “recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary.” This means summarizing the […]
We’ve Gotta Have It!
It seems to happen like this: you’re living your life and suddenly you must have a certain communication device, you just can’t possibly function in the same way without it. For your parents it might have been a VCR or a personal computer, maybe a digital pager. For your grandparents it might have been an […]
A Look at Magnificent Libraries
Going back to their earliest days–2600 B.C.E.–libraries have been many things to many people. For some, they are institutions of learning and a place to acquire knowledge. For others, they are sanctuaries, safe havens, community gathering spaces or architectural marvels. Even today, in an age where the printed word is challenged by digital content, libraries […]
The Kennedy Assassination: 50 Years Later
Some historical events leave a lasting impact on American culture and politics. The assassination of our 35th president, John F. Kennedy was one of those events that remain a strong memory for people who experienced it. Fifty years ago this week, on November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was visiting Dallas, Texas. He was on his […]
Shutdown Showdown
For the first time in seventeen years, the U.S. government is in the midst of a shutdown. This means that a number of federally-funded programs and services have been suspended and its workers “furloughed.” Furloughted workers are not allowed to work or get paid until the shutdown has been resolved and the continuing resolution that […]
So What’s the Deal with Obamacare?
You are probably well aware by now that the federal government has shut down temporarily. This is largely over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare. Congress already passed this law in 2010, which has been going into affect in stages. However, last Sunday night, Congress could not overcome political and financial […]
Shutdown!
Last night, time ran out for the federal government. The House of Representatives and the Senate could not agree on the wording of a temporary funding bill that would help pay the federal government’s financial obligations and was forced at midnight to declare a shutdown of some parts of the federal government. This shutdown will […]
Working Together Better
In honor of the recent Labor Day holiday, let’s take a look at the various working styles of the three generations who make up the majority of today’s workforce: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millenials. The workplace is often the first environment where people are expected to coexist with people of other ages, sometimes as […]