The top 20 moments that shaped the world - in pictures.

[bindeweede]

Interesting in its own way, but wasn't a Sinclair ZX expensive, compared with a £300 laptop today?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/galler ... n-pictures

[Abdul Alhazred]

All of these are infinitely debatable, after all are these THE top 20? What about {this other thing I think is more important}, etc.

But there's one I really take issue with ...

4. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

At best one could say that plenty of decent people thought so at the time.
Or maybe that it should have been a moment that shaped the world.

I see zero evidence that it had any effect at all, at the time or since then.

[chaggle]

All of these are infinitely debatable, after all are these THE top 20? What about {this other thing I think is more important}, etc.

But there's one I really take issue with ...

4. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

At best one could say that plenty of decent people thought so at the time.
Or maybe that it should have been a moment that shaped the world.

I see zero evidence that it had any effect at all, at the time or since then.

4/20 on digital technology but the car doesn't even get a mention?

[Tony Williams]

These are all from the 20th century, which presumably reflects the lack of historical education of the people they surveyed.

I am baffled as to how any such list could omit what was (IMO) the most important technological innovation of all in terms of its impact - the invention of the printing press.

[Abdul Alhazred]

I figured they just meant the 20th century (and after).

The printing press?

How about the invention of writing?

Though there is no known "moment" for that one, and probably it happened independently more than once.

[Tony Williams]

I figured they just meant the 20th century (and after).

I looked, but I couldn't see any reference to that.

The printing press?

How about the invention of writing?

Though there is no known "moment" for that one, and probably it happened independently more than once.

Exactly - it wasn't a "moment" any more than was the development of language - both evolved over a very long period of time, in many places. The first printing press was however definitely a "moment".

[Matt]

Along the same lines at the printing press movable type was quite a transformational moment.
Surprised to see antibiotics but not vaccinations. In general the germ theory of disease is what it's all about.

The £125 for a ZX spectrum in 1982 is worth £308 today according to http://www.moneysorter.co.uk/calculator ... calculator

[polomint38]

I was going to say they missed the birth of Bindweede, who created this historical website, then I saw this quote, which explains why he is not mentioned.

I figured they just meant the 20th century (and after).

[Croydon13013]

I was going to say they missed the birth of Bindweede, who created this historical website, then I saw this quote, which explains why he is not mentioned.

I figured they just meant the 20th century (and after).

That's harsh. I'm pretty sure he was born in the 20th century. Before WW1 perhaps, but not THAT long ago!

I was talking to someone at work who claims to be too young to know anything about the Spice Girls...