Ai Weiwei – from criminal to art-world superstar
Source: The Guardian
In this interview, Chinese protest artist Ai Weiwei reflects on his past work and talks about his current endeavors and outlook.
Current Events
Gibson: Madison was no party animal
Source: The Roanoke Times
In this opinion piece, Bob Gibson, the executive director of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, argues that James Madison serves as a unifying figure in a divisive political climate.
Tales of the Super Survivors
Source: The New York Times
Opinion columnist David Brooks examines the key qualities of people who have survived traumatic events while retaining a positive outlook.
How the Arab Spring Became the Arab Cataclysm
Source: The New Yorker
The events of the Arab Spring promised a birth of liberty in North African and Middle Eastern nations. Why did it instead lead to worse conditions than those that inspired the protests in the first place?
Hawking backs interstellar travel project
Source: BBC
In April, physicist Stephen Hawking and a Russian billionaire announced plans for mankind’s furthest-ever exploration.
With Seattle Shelter Effort, Amazon Shows Glimmers of a ‘Good Neighbor’
Source: The New York Times
American cities are getting help from companies in creating housing for families in need. Find out how one corporation in Seattle responded to the housing crisis and is partnering with a nonprofit to provide shelter.
WI-Fi-enabled school buses leave no child offline
Source: PBS
Superintendent Darryl Adams decided that every student in his California school district would have access to the internet. Read about how he put school buses to work at night to get students connected to their schools.
Henry Worsley, a British Adventurer Trying to Cross Antarctica, Dies at 55
Source: New York Times
Walking in Ernest Shackleton’s footsteps, Henry Worsley’s expedition involved crossing 900 miles of the Antarctic on foot without assistance or support.
McKinley vs. Denali: Who Decides Names on a Map?
Source: National Geographic
For a century, the tallest mountain in North America was officially known by the name of the 25th U. S. President. In 2015, the official designation reverted to what most Alaskans already called it.