Ben Judge
Ben studied modern languages at London University's Queen Mary College. After dabbling unhappily in local government finance for a while, he went to work for The Scotsman newspaper in Edinburgh. The launch of the paper's website, scotsman.com, in the early years of the dotcom craze, saw Ben move online to manage the Business and Motors channels before becoming deputy editor with responsibility for all aspects of online production for The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News websites, along with the papers' Edinburgh Festivals website.
Ben joined MoneyWeek as website editor in 2008, just as the Great Financial Crisis was brewing. He has written extensively for the website and magazine, with a particular emphasis on alternative finance and fintech, including blockchain and bitcoin.
As an early adopter of bitcoin, Ben bought when the price was under $200, but went on to spend it all on foolish fripperies.
Latest articles by Ben Judge
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17 February 1958: CND – the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament – is launched
Features On this day in 1958, as the nuclear arms race hotted up, 5,000 people crammed in to Westminster’s Central Hall to witness the launch of CND, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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11 February 1990: Nelson Mandela is released from prison
Features On this day in 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 26 years, as South Africa began the process of dismantling apartheid.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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11 February 1826: England gets its third university
Features London University – later University College, London – was founded on this day in 1826, becoming in the process England's third university.
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8 February 1971: Nasdaq begins trading
Features On this day in 1971, America’s “National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations” – or Nasdaq exchange – began trading.
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3 February 1690: America’s first paper money is issued
Features On this day in 1690, the Massachusetts colony began circulating the first paper money on North America, printed to finance England’s war against France.
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3 February 1960: Macmillan’s “wind of change” speech
Features Harold Macmillan gave his famous “wind of change” speech on his visit to Africa on this day in 1960, marking a change in Britain's colonial policy.
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1 February 1884: the first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary is published
Features On this day in 1884, after five years of hard slog, the first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary was published. It contained all the words from A to Ant.
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28 January 1896: The world’s first speeding ticket is issued
Features On this day in 1896, motorist Walter Arnold was caught tearing through Paddock Wood in Kent at a hair-raising 8mph, and so became the first driver in the world to get a speeding ticket.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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27 January 1606: the trial of Guy Fawkes begins
Features On this day in 1606, the trial of Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators began, accused of high treason by trying to blow up the king and parliament.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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25 January 1947: the world’s first video game is patented
Features On this day in 1947, Thomas T Goldsmith and Estle Ray Mann submitted a patent application for their “Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device” – the world's first video game.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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21 January 1976: Concorde’s first commercial flight
Features Almost seven years after its maiden flight, and at a total cost of £1.3bn, Concorde finally entered commercial service on this day in 1976.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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19 January 1986: the world’s first PC virus infection
Features On this day in 1986, the first IBM personal computer was infected with the “Brain” virus, spread on floppy disks.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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15 January 1892: the rules of basketball are published
Features Canadian PE instructor Dr James Naismith, working at a YMCA training school, published the 13 rules of basketball on this day in 1892.
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14 January 2005: Huygens probe lands on Saturn’s moon, Titan
Features On this day in 2005, the ESA’s Huygens probe landed on the frozen surface of Titan, one of Saturn’s moons.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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13 January 1942: Henry Ford patents his plastic car
Features On this day in 1948, Henry Ford was granted a patent for his method of making cars with plastic bodywork.
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12 January 1895: the National Trust is founded
Features On this day in 1895, the National Trust was founded to “set aside the best and most beautiful parts of Britain for the public and posterity”.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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8 January 1835: US national debt hits $0
Features By selling land, collecting taxes and cutting public spending, the US national debt was brought down to $0 for the first and only time in the country’s history on this day in 1835.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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8 January 1940: food rationing is introduced in Britain
Features On this day in 1940, the Ministry of Food introduced rationing in the UK to ensure there was enough food to go round during the war.
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7 January 1785: First crossing of the English Channel by air
Features On this day in 1785, French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American doctor John Jeffries became the first people to cross the English Channel by air.
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7 January 1782: America’s first central bank opens for business
Features On this day in 1782, the Bank of North America, created to help pay for the American war of independence, opened for business.
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5 January 1971: The first one-day international cricket match
Features On this day in 1971, Australia beat England by five wickets in the first ever one-day international cricket match.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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2 January 1980: National steelworkers' strike
Features For the first time in over 50 years, Britain’s steelmaking industry saw the start of a national strike on this day in 1980, as unions demanded a 20% pay rise.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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24 December 1955: Norad begins tracking Santa
Features On this day in 1955, the North American Aerospace Defense Command began tracking Santa Claus as he sped around the world delivering presents.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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22 December 1965: 70mph speed limit introduced
Features On this day in 1965, a “temporary” 70mph speed limit was introduced on all unregulated roads in Britain by the Minister of Transport. The limit was soon made permanent.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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