FROM THE ROAD.
The five most famous prisons in the world
Prisons are one of the sad institutions on which, unfortunately, modern society is based. Removing individuals who are dangerous to the community, and enclosing them all together in one place for the purpose of surveillance and re-education, is one of the ways our ancestors found to ensure the safety of the population.
They remain places, albeit atrocious, that are nonetheless fascinating because of the peculiarity of their rules, the micro-world they inhabit, and also because of the many fictional works, films, books and many others, that have prisons as their main setting.
But which are the most famous prisons in the world? Among the largest, the most luxurious and the bloodiest, one can really find all possible and imaginable types.
The five most famous prisons in the world
Prisons are one of the sad institutions on which, unfortunately, modern society is based. Removing individuals who are dangerous to the community, and enclosing them all together in one place for the purpose of surveillance and re-education, is one of the ways our ancestors found to ensure the safety of the population. They remain places, albeit atrocious, that are nonetheless fascinating because of the peculiarity of their rules, the micro-world they inhabit, and also because of the many fictional works, films, books and many others, that have prisons as their main setting. But which are the most famous prisons in the world? Among the largest, the most luxurious and the bloodiest, one can really find all possible and imaginable types.
By Hanna Kosonen Geiran/Riksantikvaren - https://kulturminnebilder.ra.no/fotoweb/archives/5008-Kirke
Bastøy Prison Island (Norway)
This 'utopian' prison island can be regarded as the 'most luxurious prison in the world'. In fact, in this minimum-security prison, inmates do not suffer violence or harassment, but live a relatively quiet or normal life, spending time taking care of animals or working in the fields. They can also enjoy recreation, with tennis courts and football pitches.
Di Federal Bureau of Prisons - http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/flm/, Pubblico dominio, htt
ADX-Florence Facility (USA)
This maximum-security prison currently houses over 340 inmates, and is considered the 'safest in the world', where prisoners are under 24-hour surveillance as extremely dangerous and antisocial individuals. It is located in Colorado, and some of the most notorious criminals in history have passed through its walls. Prisoners are also subjected to very harsh treatment, being in total isolation for as many as 23 hours a day.
By Downtowngal - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29614229
Los Angeles County Jail (USA)
This prison located in Los Angeles, California, is believed to be the "largest in the entire United States", with over 19,800 total inmates. Despite its size and fame, this prison has had problems due to the high number of inmates and numerous scandals. This seems hard to believe considering the almost 800 million dollars the State of California pays to prisons each year for its administration.
By mahmut bozaraslan - Mehttps://www.voaturkce.com/a/diyarbakir-cezaevinde-kalanlarin-talebi-muze-ol
Diyarbakir Prison (Turkey)
Diyarbakir Prison is infamous for the cruelty of its guards, making it the 'cruellest prison in the world'. With a distressing record of inhuman torture, this place was known by all Turks as an atrocious and dehumanising place. Fortunately, this prison is about to close for good and become a museum.
Di Kathleen T. Rhem - https://web.archive.org/web/20060222101151/http://www.defenselink.mil/home/fea
Guantanamo Bay (Cuba)
This prison is one of the most controversial in the world, created by the United States after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Much has been written about the alleged atrocious treatment to which prisoners are subjected. Numerous organisations have denounced the treatment of prisoners inside the prison, including the United Nations and Amnesty International.
Natural Events
24/04/2024
A meteorite crater (also called astroblem, impact crater or basin) is a circular-shaped depression formed by the impact of a meteorite, asteroid, and in general a celestial body, on the surface of a planet.
Evidence of many of these craters, which have impacted our planet over geological eras, can be found on planet Earth. One of the most famous, for example, is the one believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs (called the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction).
Some of these craters can be found underground today, or at least the traces they left behind. Others have become beautiful lakes, others are still desolate and remote places today. But which are the largest in the world by diameter?
Home page
23/04/2024
We are all realising that our way of life, the one our parents, who were born and raised especially after the Second World War, taught us, is no longer sustainable. There are too many of us in this world now, and nature can no longer provide us with everything we need.
Capitalism, or consumerism for short, is forcing us to submit to environmentally worn-out logics that would not be sustainable even in the long run, but are even less so in the short time we have left before everything falls apart. Our way of life must change radically if we are to allow the survival of mankind. For example, the introduction of the law in Europe allowing the sale of insect meal aims at exactly that, at sustainability.
Therefore, it is necessary for all of us, while there is still time, to change certain behaviours to help the world. Here, then, are some tips for leading a greener and more sustainable life.
Natural Events
22/04/2024
Europe is historically a continent where we do not see extreme natural events, such as tornadoes, massive floods and earthquakes. However, events happen every now and then that are so strong and destructive that they go down in history.
Some of these disasters, which occurred even several centuries ago, are still remembered today for the number of victims claimed and the destruction wrought among the population. Weather, it is known, is unpredictable, and even in a relatively calm region like Europe, it can do damage.
The magazine Focus has listed the 10 worst natural disasters in the history of the Old Continent, some of them very recent, others dating back many centuries as well.
From the Road
21/04/2024
According to theMain Streets Across the World 2022report, which analyzes the main shopping areas of 92 cities around the world, New York Fifth Avenue is the most expensive route in the world followed by Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui. Post pandemic, the most expensive street in Hong Kong loses the top of the ranking and records the worst drop ever, -41%.
In detail, with an average annual fee of 14,547 euros per square meter, the Via Montenapoleone in Milan ranks ahead of New Bond Street in London and Avenue des Champs Élysées in Paris, respectively in fourth and fifth place in the global ranking of the most expensive streets in the world.
Via Montenapoleone in Milan, has earned the title of the most expensive shopping street in Europe and the third overall worldwide, with a jump of two positions compared to the last research of 2019.
Home page
19/04/2024
This is a list of the most populous cities in the world, defined based on 2018 United Nations estimates, official census estimates, and the 2021 "Demographia World Urban Areas" report.
"World Urbanization Prospects," a publication by theONU, defines the population of a real city as "the population living within the administrative boundaries of a city." For many of the metropolises, however, the metropolitan area is administratively distinct from the urban agglomeration proper. For this reason, ONU recent estimates distinguish three definitions of cities: cities proper, urban areas and metropolitan areas.
According to the definition of "city proper", based on administrative uniqueness, the Chinese city of Chongqing is the largest in the world.
According to the other two definitions, Tokyo, despite being divided into several administrative units, is the most populous "urban agglomeration" (i.e. the agglomeration without rural areas) in the world, while the Chinese city of Shanghai is the most populous "metropolitan city" (i.e. the area interconnected by common infrastructure and frequent transport).
The data in this gallery include the total population of agglomerations in their highest estimates, thus also including metropolitan areas.