Jack's Blob

Living in 2020, self-driving cars are admittedly difficult to trust. The same way humans were wary of hot air balloons in 1783, the steam locomotive in 1801, and the automobile itself in 1886 (which reassuringly crashed into a wall during Karl Benz’s first public demonstration). This skepticism is nothing new, and is inseparably bound with the notion of innovation - especially in transportation. The hesitant disbelief undoubtedly felt by the ancient people gazing upon the first canoes more than likely parallels that of the onlookers to the first commercial flight in 1914. We often judge through the omniscient lens of hindsight, mindlessly blaming our ancestors for their inability to see the future, and scoff at their ignorance. Entering new domains of transportation is  inherently  intimidating, and autonomous vehicles are no exception. While the idea of humans relinquishing total control of the vehicle appears alien and alarming, close inspection into the subject reveals a ...

Photo by  Markus Spiske  on  Unsplash   Fair warning: there is no hiding my personal politics on this one. I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the concept of the Marketplace of Ideas. It’s hard  not  to, when arguably living in the most information-accessible period in all of history, wonder how we find ourselves divided into strict camps, all equally, intensely convinced of  entirely  perpendicular realities of the world. Even after Trump’s presidency is over, it’s depressingly clear that his reign over the willing minds of millions of Americans will continue. It’s also clear that no matter who’s in the White House, morally-bankrupt pawns like Giuliani will continue to spew unhinged, unfounded propaganda for however long it keeps them relevant. They are not doing this in a void – millions of people are listening to and  believing  in their lies, deepening the rift between citizens to a dangerous level. Globally, there are instances ...

Photo by  Stijn Swinnen  on  Unsplash   Being born in the year 2000 gives me an interesting, warped perspective on U.S. foreign occupancy and the concept of “war” in general.    Without a doubt, both the World Wars and the Vietnam War seem like some of the most hellish, gut-wrenching low points in human history. It’s really hard to overstate how disturbing it was learning about the conditions of these conflicts.  Operation Wandering Soul  was infamously used by the U.S. as a tactic of psychological warfare; content warning, listening to the “ ghost tapes ” can be genuinely disturbing. If you’ve got the time, here’s a captivating clip of a Vietnam vet recounting his experience oversees, and specifically how it differed from the narrative Americans were being fed back home:   In my mind, it’s quite understandable that such conflicts were met with passionate anti-war movements. When I look around now, however, there’s nearly  no  discu...

As officer Derek Chauvin’s knee was pressed into the tender neck of George Floyd, the clock started ticking.   1 minute passes. Chauvin and his crew had responded to a call about an allegedly counterfeit $20 bill. All four officers are now surrounding or on top of Floyd, face down on the pavement. 2 minutes. Floyd can be heard on recording desperately pleading, “I can’t breathe, man.  Please !”  4 minutes. Despite the arresting officers putting in multiple requests for emergency medical services for Floyd’s injuries, Derek Chauvin continues to press his weight against Floyd’s throat. 5 minutes. Floyd has now told the officers he cannot breathe a total of 16 times, crying. Onlookers start to express concern at the situation, over which officer Chauvin threatens to mace them. At 6 minutes, George Floyd stops moving. His eyes are closed. When Chauvin is  twice  asked by a fellow officer if they should move the unresponsive Floyd onto his side, he denies it. Even...

 Photo by  Claire Anderson  on  Unsplash At the top of American Government, there sits 7 individuals with a profound set of powers and responsibilities. The individuals comprise the most powerful judiciary body in the world, the Supreme Court of the United States. Beholden to the law, the American public puts their faith in the honor and objectivity of these justices. As the famously instrumental Chief Justice John Marshall put it , they are tasked with “expounding” the constitution, a 200-year-old document that remains the ultimate law of the land today. It was Chief Justice Marshall’s Court that gave themselves the ability to strike down an act of Congress as unconstitutional, forever changing the balance of American law. And though they disagree, there is a crucial, mutual respect for their common goal: preserving and protecting American liberty . Each week, the justices are delivered a fateful mountain of more than 100 new cases from lower courts. Although they h...