In 1985, the worlds most powerful computer was the Cray-2 which cost $35,000,000 ($35 million), and could not see, hear, or speak with its environment. Today, smartphones process data 10x faster and cost less than $1000.00, with the ability to see, hear, and interact with the end user (e.g Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, Samsung’s Bixby etc.). In 1956, the International Business Machines Corporation’s best hard drive weighed 2000 lbs., was 5 megabytes in size, and cost $3000.00 per month which equates to $28,000 as of 2019 when accounting for inflation. In 2019, most solid state Universal Serial Bus drives possess 200x as much storage at a minimum and cost less than $5.00
Month: September 2021
State Intervention to Impede New Disruptive Technologies Causing Change Throughout History
For centuries, governments have restricted inventions for fear of disruption with notable examples including the Ottoman Empire banning the printing press, the Chinese empire outlawing voyages of discovery, Pope Urban VIII imprisoned Galileo Galilei because of his ideas related to the position of the Earth within the universe, and Queen Elizabeth I prohibited weaving machines which would displace tapestry workers
The Original Intention of the 13th Century Italian Carnival Festival
The Italian festival of Carnival which takes place during the winter in Venice, Italy, is a 13th century tradition designed to allow anonymity and indulgence before Lent commences. Ash Wednesday marks the end of Carnival and the beginning of Lent, a 40 day period of fasting and reflection. Catholic priests mark patrons forerheads with ash, a symbol of purification by fire. The 40 days of Lent represent the 40 days Jesus Christ spent in the wilderness, preparing for the culmination of his ministry upon Earth whilst being tempted by the devil. Historically, Lent was the final stretch of winter, with the last of any meat being finished during Carnival. Because of the challenges associated with winter, European Christians turned to their faith to help guide them through to the other end
The Problem of Corruption Within the Indian Judicial System
Of the total number cases of child trafficking which should be reviewed by the Indian Supreme Court, less than 0.001% are actually brought before the court and prosecuted. The problem however is not with the judicial system itself but rather with implementation of law enforcement as members of law enforcement often take bribes and victims frequently do not want to appear in court, sometimes being threatened by the same law enforcement officer who freed them from their captor as these officers want to continue to keep traffickers out of prison so that they can continue to generate income from their victims on a repeat basis. Law enforcement have been recorded as demanding bribes, meals, and the filling of their personal and/or professional patrol vehicles with fuel, from the families of missing children when these families appeal to them to try and find their missing loved one. When those in power are the direct beneficiaries of trafficking, the chance of the system as a whole changing is virtually non-existent. Compounding this, former victims of criminal offenses are often imprisoned after being freed which creates fear in victims when asked by higher authorities to comply with the judicial system which is yet another reason as to why trafficking goes on with near impunity in India and the Indian judicial system
The Creation of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Other Islamist Extremist Organizations
In Peshawar, Pakistan, Arabs who supported the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War reached out to displaced Afghan youth refugees, paying particular attention to the youngest and most impressionable minors. All camps had madrasas installed, which are religious educational facilities that young boys would attend, virtually always freely provided by their own families as the families believed this would provide a better future for themselves and Afghanistan. It has been argued by that these young boys were segregated so that they could be brainwashed and taught to fight violently as it was these same boys who grew up, created, developed, and became the Taliban. No formal education was provided to the selected youth outside of Quranic texts which is why this tactic was so effective. The Soviet-Afghan War led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, and permitted for the development of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria proliferated from al-Qaeda which had propagated from the Taliban which had developed from the Mujahideen, all of these groups cultivated at their root by the U.S. and Soviet need to control this region of the world with both groups sharing equal liability and responsibility