Catch 22 is the terminology describing a problem for which the only solution is impossible because of circumstances inherent to the problem. Its origin is Joseph Heller’s book of the same name, first published in 1961. A literary masterpiece that’s considered to be the greatest satirical work ever produced, in any language or culture. Fact […]
John Smeddle
It’s complicated. Actually, it’s so complicated that if you were a copyright lawyer you’d be pinching yourself because what’s happening right now can’t possibly be true; it must be a dream. Because you just hit paydirt, baby. For at least the next ten years. And you have generative AI to thank. Of course, if you’re […]
In the movie Interstellar, which begins in 2067, we are treated to a scene in a classroom. The School Principal is explaining to an exasperated parent that the Apollo mission to the moon never happened. It was a public relations scam to force the Soviet Union to bankrupt itself by trying to beat the Americans. […]
On January 17th, a man you never heard of died at the age of 85. Years earlier, he invented something you never heard of, either. Whilst working for an organization so secret, whoever told you about it would have probably had to kill you. David Mills invented internet time synchronization. A protocol that co-ordinates the […]
When Microsoft’s market value cruised past the $3 trillion mark last week, the company also eased past the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of one of the ten most productive nations on the planet. When we first heard about Apple, then Microsoft reaching this formidable milestone, I think the prevailing impression was that of “okay, that’s […]
On January 22nd in 1984, 77,000,000 Americans sat down in front of their TV sets to watch Superbowl XV111, the glitzy annual sports finale to the National Football League season. The Washington Redskins versus the Los Angeles Raiders. The final score was 38-7 in favour of the mighty Redskins, a record number of points in […]
Three hacking incidents in Lebanon this month have raised serious concerns about what sort of priority is being placed on the need for cybersecurity. On the 7th of January, video screens at Rafiki Hariri Airport replaced standard airport information with threats to Hezbollah. Two baggage carousels stopped working. And MEA (Middle East Airlines) passengers were […]
For about a year now, one of the most significant narratives in the developed world has been job losses due to the advance of AI. In every sector, AI is the heir presumptive to administration, management and research roles. This technology has even crept into the arts, confounding our notions of creativity with AI demonstrating […]
Yet another incident has rocked the under-fire Boeing company. And just hours after Secretary of State Blinken’s Boeing 737 reported an oxygen failure. The hinge of a tray table on a Boeing 787 failed and fell into the lap of a distraught passenger. There was nothing on the tray as the passenger in question, Peregrine […]
For those who are Gen Z and younger, and not living in United States, this question may seem absurd. Of course America isn’t ‘biggest’ or ‘best’ at anything today. The biggest collective ego, maybe. But their economy is only ranked 2nd and 7th in the areas that matter. They no longer have the largest military […]