6 things that still exist, strange as it sounds
Some relics of the past survived the ideological and technological advances of the times. The six items on this list (made by the people of List Verse) will probably surprise you, since most of us haven't heard from them in decades. Check it out below.
6 - Corporal punishment in schools
According to List Verse, hundreds of thousands of US children are still legally punished in public schools each year. In 1977, the Supreme Court declared legal practice in places where it was not explicitly prohibited by local authorities. With this, the practice continues to this day.
And in 19 states - mostly Southern and Midwestern United States - the duties of a teacher or monitor may include slapping the backs of students with a wooden or fiberglass paddle. In 2012, 39, 000 punished “corrections” occurred in Mississippi alone, often for minor transgressions, such as delays or talking in class.
5 - A Star Wars Movie Set
The force is still with us, although apparently not for long. About 20 structures used to represent the planet Tatooine, home to Luke Skywalker's home, are still standing in the Sahara desert of Tunisia, North Africa.
Most of the structures were built in 1999 for The Phantom Menace, but some of the scenarios date from the 1976 shoot. Despite being remotely located in an inhospitable location, the set of structures has been a major tourist spot for fans of Star Wars saga. So much so that the Tunisian government itself asked George Lucas to leave it intact during his last visit.
Unfortunately, however, by nature itself, the place may soon disappear. This is because large sand dunes have already started to rise on the site, which can be fully covered in a few years.
4 - The first website
Almost 23 years ago, CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) reported the existence of a new electronic platform invented by British physicist Tim Berners-Lee and hosted on a NeXT computer. It was on August 6, 1991 that the first website went live on the newly created World Wide Web.
Website visitors could learn more about hypertext, technical details for creating their own web page, and even an explanation of how to search the web for information. And did you know that this website is still active? Just access this link. As you can see, it is extremely simple and devoid of any layout.
3 - Telegram
The sending of telegrams has never completely stopped, even with the heavy use of the internet and cell phones for sending messages, urgent or not.
In the Brazilian Post Office, and in many other places around the world as well, the service is still usually done at agencies or even over the internet to send messages to those who do not have access to the most common means of communication (something very difficult today, but it exists).
2 - Milkman
In 1963, according to the US Department of Agriculture, nearly 30 percent of households in the United States were selling milk at their doorstep, a number that steadily declined as it became easier and cheaper to buy in supermarkets. In 2005, only 0.4% of the US population received milk at home.
However, the movement in practice has gradually increased again, mainly because of concerns about antibiotics, preservatives and hormones contained in the milk that is undergoing an industrial process. Most use glass bottles, with some companies employing employees in white uniforms and caps purely for nostalgia value. In Brazil, the practice should also remain the same in some agricultural regions.
1 - Pager
In the pre-cellular era, pagers were widely used by doctors, realtors, firefighters, lawyers, and other professionals. But especially in the medical field, the pager has become very useful for emergency care or even for appointment reminders.
Although the item seems a bit obsolete today, it is still in use. In some hospitals, the use of mobile phones is prohibited near some more sensitive medical equipment. Also, recharging cell phones and smartphones takes electricity and takes some time. As a result, many hospital professionals have adopted paging as a guarantee for emergency care.
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And you, reader? Remember some other item or service that looks like it's gone but is still used? Tell us!
* Originally posted on 27/01/2014.
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