The 8895 is used in the Exadata Database Machine X4-8,an 8-processor rack system with up to 12 TB of system memory 672 terabytes of disk, 44 terabytes of high-performance PCI Flash, 240 database CPU cores, and 168 CPU cores in storage to accelerate data-intensive SQL.
The article implies it would be at least 8 processors (I hope they don't charge by CPU or CPU core). Anyway, it's at least $200k. But as you say, an Oracle shop is already in way deeper than that.
The Hercules wasn't misguided at all. At the rate U-boats were sinking Liberty ships and the possibility of battleships like Bismark and Tirtipz roaming the Atlantic a big transport plane would work. Problem was that it was ahead of it's time, without computers to help the pilot it wasn't safe to fly.
I suspect one use of this plane is along the same lines. Submarines are not a concern. Fly low, under radar and you have a reasonable chance of moving large numbers of troops or supplies quickly to an isolated invasion point, even if your air cover can't protect you.
Should people have to compete in bare feet and naked?
Only in Beach Volleyball.
But as far as track and field sports, if one competitor can use springs or blades then why can't all of them?
For local government purposes the city is part of Toulouse Métropole (“Greater Toulouse”), which includes 37 neighbouring communities and has a total population of around 714,000. Toulouse Métropole employs some 10,000 staff to manage its administrative operations.
I don't know much about local government in the US or France. But that seems like a heck of a lot of administrators for that number of people.
It is easier to change the specification to fit the program than vice versa.