In the early 18th century, eighty years prior to revolution, France went wild for stocks and bonds. Mechanics dropped their tools, tradesmen closed their shops. There was but one profession, one employment, one occupation, for persons of all ranks from peasant to prince. And that profession was speculating in stocks. This is the story of the time one adventurous Scotsman played chance against an entire nation.
That Scotsman was John Law and historians are still divided in opinion as to whether they should call him a knave or a madman. Both epithets were unsparingly applied to him in his lifetime, but posterity has found reason to doubt the justice of the accusation, and to confess that John Law was more deceived than deceiving, more sinned against than sinning. Posterity, however, has also found reason to uphold its first judgement and declare John Law to be a bankrupt, murderer and outlaw; gambler, cheat and card-sharp; a flatterer, sycophant and projector unmatched in the art of hyperbole. This is his story.
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and its associated public bodies.
In this report the Committee builds on the newly established principle of 'online harms' by considering potential psychosocial and financial harms associated with the use of immersive technologies. Following the World Health Organisation's formal designation of 'gaming disorder', the Committee heard calls from gamers, academics, and clinicians for urgent action to better understand and address the condition. While gaming disorder is a relatively new area of understanding, immersive technology providers also have clear responsibilities to protect users from well-established online harms including bullying and harmful content. The Committee also considered the effects of disordered spending within games, and consider the links between game design mechanics such as loot boxes and gambling. The potential harms outlined in this report can be considered the direct result of the way in which the 'attention economy' is driven by the objective of maximising user engagement. This report explores how data-rich immersive technologies are driven by business models that combine people's data with design practices to have powerful psychological effects.
Cover Photo by Marcin Nowak
The current novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which began in December 2019, presents a significant challenge for the entire world. The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations, including the health and social care systems, have planned extensively over the years for an event like this, and the UK is therefore well prepared to respond in a way that offers substantial protection to the public.
This document sets out:
- what we know about the virus and the disease it causes
- how we have planned for an infectious disease outbreak, such as the current coronavirus outbreak
- the actions we have taken so far in response to the current coronavirus outbreak
- what we are planning to do next, depending upon the course the current coronavirus outbreak takes.
- the role the public can play in supporting this response, now and in the future.
The Norman Conquest of England was that series of events during the latter part of the eleventh century by which a Norman Duke was set on the throne of England, and was enabled to hand down the crown of England to his descendants. The Norman Conquest of England does in truth mean a great deal more than the mere transfer of the crown from one prince or one family to another, or even than the transfer of the crown from a prince born in the land to a prince who came from beyond the sea. It means a great number of changes of all kinds which have made the history and state of England ever since very different from what they would have been if the Norman Conquest had never happened.
