Roger Stahl
RT @LockheedMartin: Is a superhero suit science fact or science fiction? Find out from our top technologists:
RT @LockheedMartin: Is a superhero suit science fact or science fiction? Find out from our top technologists:
How science fiction influences thinking about the future
Microsoft, Google, Apple and other firms have sponsored lecture series in which science fiction writers give talks to employees and then meet privately with developers and research departments. Perhaps nothing better demonstrates the close tie between science fiction and technology today than what is called “design fiction”—imaginative works commissioned by tech companies to model new ideas. Some corporations hire authors to create what-if stories about potentially marketable products. “I really like design fiction or prototyping fiction,” says novelist Cory Doctorow, whose clients have included Disney and Tesco. “There is nothing weird about a company doing this—commissioning a story about people using a technology to decide if the technology is worth following through on. It’s like an architect creating a virtual fly-through of a building.” Doctorow, who worked in the software industry, has seen both sides of the development process. “I’ve been in engineering discussions in which the argument turned on what it would be like to use the product, and fiction can be a way of getting at that experience.”
Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton is on the board of trustees of RAND Corporation
Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton is on the board of trustees of RAND Corporation, an organisation specialising in research and development for the United States military and intelligence sector. The Sony Archives show the flow of contacts and information between these two major US industries, whether it is RAND wanting to invite George Clooney and Kevin Spacey to events, or Lynton offering contact to Valerie Jarrett (a close advisor to Obama) or RAND desiring a partnership with IMAX for digital archiving. With this close tie to the military-industrial complex it is no surprise that Sony reached out to RAND for advice regarding its North Korea film The Interview. RAND provided an analyst specialised in North Korea and suggested Sony reach out to the State Department and the NSA regarding North Korea's complaints about the upcoming film. The Sony documents also show Sony being in possession of a brochure for an NSA-evaluated online cloud security set-up called INTEGRITY.
RT @wikileaks: RELEASE: Sony Pictutres CEO worked with RAND Corp to bring George Clooney and Kevin Spacey to RAND events
RT @wikileaks: RELEASE: Sony Pictutres CEO worked with RAND Corp to bring George Clooney and Kevin Spacey to RAND events
RT @wikileaks: RELEASE: Sony Pictures worked with RAND Corp who advised pulling in NSA over “The Interview”
RT @wikileaks: RELEASE: Sony Pictures worked with RAND Corp who advised pulling in NSA over "The Interview"
RT @antievictionmap: How do you spell eviction? google! @stopsfevictions @TenantsTogether @UESF @KenTrayUESF @ourcity …
RT @antievictionmap: How do you spell eviction? google! @stopsfevictions @TenantsTogether @UESF @KenTrayUESF @ourcity …
RT @antievictionmap: Cops here ready to protect google from us @marymad @violentfanon @FitzTheReporter
RT @antievictionmap: Cops here ready to protect google from us @marymad @violentfanon @FitzTheReporter
RT @TheCoalitionSF: Petition demands @google attorney reverse evictions at Mission building
RT @TheCoalitionSF: Petition demands @google attorney reverse evictions at Mission building
RT @rConflictNews: Syrian filmmakers mock Islamic State in satirical videos – @whalenpj
RT @rConflictNews: Syrian filmmakers mock Islamic State in satirical videos - @whalenpj