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 […]
Justice for All: Celebrating 50 Years of Civil Rights Legislation
Last summer btw reported on the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington where Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired the masses to make the world a better place for all of its citizens. That gathering was considered one of the milestones that took place between 1955 and 1964 that culminated in landmark federal legislation […]
High Praise for a Folk Hero
Summer is a time for festivals all over the country. Many are annual events created around a symbol native to the area – a flourishing crop, historical event, or, in the case of Akeley Minnesota, famous folklore heroes. Paul Bunyan Days, held this year from June 27-29, celebrates the heroic lumberjack who became the subject […]
Getting Fired Up Over the World’s Biggest Sporting Event!
After much fanfare (and more than a little controversy) the month-long Federation International Football Association (FIFA) finally kicked off its 20th World Cup in Brazil on June 12. Held every four years in a different host country, this soccer tournament is made up of 32 national teams from six regions (out of 209 total eligible […]
Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
Spring. It’s a time for grand returns: trees, blooms, birds, and, of course, baseball. Each year, Opening Day marks the official beginning of professional baseball season. There are 30 teams in Major League Baseball (divided into two leagues, the American League and the National League) as well as 240 teams who compete in the Minor […]
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 […]
btw’s Year in Review: U.S. News
It’s that time of year again, time to take a break from the frantic pace of the holidays and reflect on the year behind us. Doing so not only reminds us what happened, but allows us to reflect on trends, learn from our successes and failures, and speculate on what might have lasting impact. 2013 […]
Looking Back at Two Decades of NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a treaty (like a formal contract) that was signed into law by the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada in 1994. It was created to increase trade between the three North American nations by lowering (and finally eliminating) trade barriers. Those barriers were mostly duty […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
U.S. and Japan Partner on Security Last month, Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel met with their Japanese counterparts, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera. Together these leaders worked out ways to align on security measures that better protect both countries against threats from North Korea and […]