9. The Sherman Anti-trust Act

 The Sherman Anti-trust Act passed in 1890, is a significant piece of legislation in U.S history. It was enacted in response to the rise of monopolies and trusts during the Industrial Revolution. Before the Sherman Anti-trust Act, the U.S. government adopted a laissez-faire approach to regulation, believing it would foster rapid economic growth. While it did spark an increase in productivity and overall economic activity, it also allowed large corporations to cultivate monopolistic power, dominating entire industries. Monopolies like these often lead to to inflated prices and reduced innovation, posing consumer risks. 

The U.S. government created the Sherman Anti-trust act to address the issue of monopolies and support a free market. The act consists of two key sections: section 1 prohibits contracts and conspiracies that restrain trade and commerce between states or foreign nations, and section 2 makes it a felony to monopolize or attempt to monopolize any aspect of interstate trade or commerce. The act was passed with overwhelming support, marking one of the first instances in which the federal government took action to regulate business for the public good. 

Over the years, the significance of the Sherman Anti-trust Act has become increasingly apparent through its application in legal battles against powerful corporations. Major companies such as standard oil, which was broken up in the early 20th century, AT&T in the late 1980s, and Microsoft in the late 1990s, have all face scrutiny and legal challenges under the Sherman Anti-trust Act. These high profile cases have demonstrated the acts effectiveness in maintaining a competitive marketplace and its modern relevance in addressing anticompetitive practices. 

In conclusion the Sherman Anti-trust Act is vital in preventing monopolistic behaviors and establishing a critical legal framework for federal businnes regulation. By promoting lower prices and higher quality products, enhancing choices for consumers, and encouraging increased innovation, the act continues to be a key element of U.S. economic policy. 

7. Why are anti-war websites not in the mainstream news?

Anti-war websites and other media do not fit the United States' political agenda. Therefore, they bury websites like antiwar.com. Our government uses war to gain and maintain global power, constantly putting war over the well-being and money of citizens. The United States government has shown on multiple occasions its motives and ability to withhold and hide information regarding our military involvement, making it highly likely that the government is purposefully burying these sites.

One reason anti-war websites are buried online is that the U.S. government does not want to stop military involvement; war is essential to American safety. The United States is deeply involved in world politics; we have military bases in 80 foreign countries and territories. It is nearly impossible for us to pull out of many of these bases without conflict. Since the Revolutionary War, the U.S. has been involved in 11 wars (declared by Congress) and has made many enemies along the way. We are still in an "arms race" with some of the most powerful militaries, including China, Russia, and North Korea. Our past military endeavors have made it impossible for us to stop funding war, even though most people can agree that the consequences are severe. Our government does not want hoards of citizens fighting back because we could seem weak to other governments. Patriotic and motivated soldiers win wars; these anti-war sites criticize the government's reasoning and can diminish that support. The government wants war to stay powerful, and they need their citizens to support it, so they hide opposing views.

Although our country's safety is a good reason to hide anti-war websites, our government also has more selfish reasons. By banning anti-war websites, the United States can cover up their abuses. Even while researching on Google, the first links to appear are all U.S. government sites explaining our policies on war crimes, none referencing the crimes we have committed. The U.S. military has a history of committing war crimes and hindering public knowledge; Abu Ghraib is the perfect example. In November 2003, the Associated Press published a press report on the abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The violations only became public knowledge when the TV show 60 Minutes released images of the abuse, torture, and murder in early 2004. The army had conducted an internal investigation, which was leaked to the public shortly after. Was the government even planning on releasing the results to the public? Likely not. A report by Human Rights Watch in June 2004 stated, "The only exceptional aspect of the abuse at Abu Ghraib may have been that it was photographed." The government has every motivation to hide such events, and sadly, the military will most likely not stop. The Stanford prison experiment, although flawed, showed just how authority and power are easy to abuse in prison environments. Soldiers will keep abusing their power over political prisoners. On a larger scale, the United States government will continue to abuse its monetary and military power by involving itself in conflict. As the U.S. involves itself in more wars, more abuse will ensue, and the government will have even more reason to hide anti-war websites.

The U.S. government has access to all the information in the world. They could be watching you through your device's camera right now. There is no doubt that they have the ability to bury information on the Internet if they feel the need. Although anti-war websites may be hard to find for national safety, our government is willing to abuse people and resources to gain more global power.

 

 

5. Privacy Online and Offline

In today's digital age, online privacy has become an increasingly significant concern that impacts me, my friends, and my family. Every online action, from sending a message to posting a picture, leaves a permanent trace. This is scary since even a single photo is enough for people to gain personal information. Even offline, our movements are being tracked. Cell towers and license plate readers are constantly monitoring our day-to-day activities. As someone who owns a car, I find this constant surveillance scary. The data from my license plate is stored and accessible to local police and even at a federal level. An even more concerning issue to me is wiretapping. The possibility that my conversations could be recorded without my knowledge is scary. My friends and I are constantly attached to our phones, bringing them everywhere. With this level of connectivity, it is frightening to think about how much of my daily life is under surveillance. Additionally, spam calls, scam emails, and phishing attempts have exposed how available our information is. Recently, I received fake texts pretending to be from the Massachusetts DOT, claiming that I owed fees that didn't exist. Although I didn't open the fraudulent links, I have had friends fall for similar scams, resulting in their social media, messaging, and email accounts being taken over. Using location information and other data to form targeted frauds impacts people who aren't as tech-savvy, the first person coming to mind being my grandmother.

The government has a vital role to play in protecting our privacy. First and foremost, the government should work on strengthening encryption standards. Many websites like Apple messages and WhatsApp already use encryption to prevent wiretapping, but previous hacks have exposed issues within. As everything becomes increasingly digital, the risks of hacks only grow, and the government should push for stronger encryption to protect citizens from unauthorized surveillance. But it's not just foreigners surveilling us. The United States government needs to reevaluate its data collection practices. Instead of holding information on average citizens, they should prioritize data necessary for their operations. Limiting the amount of data collected will also prevent citizens' data from being accessed and misused by foreign governments; the less information we have on our citizens, the less other countries can get. Another issue the government needs to address is the lack of legislation addressing privacy violations such as revenge porn. While bills have been proposed to make revenge porn illegal, they have not passed yet. The government needs to hold people who violate online privacy accountable, and it is appalling how low of a sentence perpetrators get.

While it is clear that the government has a significant role to play, individuals also need to take steps to protect their own privacy. However, there is very little we can do to protect our privacy. If you own any form of technology, chances are your personal information is already out there. The most we can do is remain aware of the risks and be cautious about the data we share online.

4. The History of Motion Picture

 Before the invention of photography, there were toys that replicated the process of film, showing multiple drawings in succession to result in moving images. Photography was being innovated very quickly in the 1830s-1850s. Eadward Muybridge was a photographer; Muybridge used multiple cameras to take successive pictures of a horse running on a track. The images of The Horse in Motion were mounted on a rotating disk and projected, creating the first motion picture in 1877. French physiologist Etienne-Jules Marey took the first series of photos from a singular camera; he wanted to analyze motion too fast for human perception. Marey invented the Chronophotgraphic gun, a camera capable of taking 12 back-to-back photos. Both Muybridge and Mary were motivated by science, wanting to expand technology and explore what the naked eye could not see. The Edison company is regarded for making the first motion picture. Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877 and wanted something visual to accompany it. Edison hired a lab assistant, William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, to create the first motion picture camera, the Kinetograph, and the Kinetoscope, to view the pictures. Using Edisons Kinetescope, the Lumiere brothers built the cinematograph, which functioned as a camera, printer, and projector and was much smaller and lighter than the Kinetescope. George Albert Smith and Charles Urban created the first colored film camera, the kinema color; the first movie to use this technology was A Trip to the Moon in 1902. The first motion picture using sound was released in 1927. The Jazz Singer had minimal audio but involved dialogue synchronizing with the picture. By 1931, the sound was incorporated into the film, and there was no need to sync two separate media. Film has evolved since, and we no longer use film to record all movies, and the quality of camera, audio, and editing has improved. Motion pictures have also seen inventions like slow motion and time-lapses and have become highly accessible through technology like television and cell phones.

So why is motion picture important? Motion pictures allow us to study phenomena that occur faster than we can see. Both Muybridge and Marey used early motion pictures to analyze the fast movements of horses and birds. Motion pictures can also do the opposite and film time lapses of longer-term changes that we do not perceive in daily life, like the changing seasons and the growth of plants. Both slow-motion pictures and time lapses provide a connection between art and science. Motion pictures connect people; with international distribution, you can watch movies from other cultures and vice versa. This ability to get an insider view into "foreign" cultures is essential to creating a tolerant society. Motion pictures are not only a window into other cultures but also a window into history. Motion pictures preserve history and reflect the social attitudes and technology of different eras, giving us a deeper look than written history can provide. Motion pictures create emotional and intellectual connections; by telling stories and accompanying them with visuals, it is now easier to express and exchange emotions.

Overall, Motion pictures have come a long way, and now everyone can produce and watch films through their Phones, making it easier than ever. Motion pictures are important to science, unity, art, and history, making them a cornerstone of society.