Sci-Fi Author Neal Stephenson Joins Mystery Startup Magic Leap as Chief Futurist

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If nothing else, Magic Leap knows how to capture the imagination.

Silicon Valley is already abuzz over this stealthy augmented-reality startup, mainly due to some funding from Google and a brief glimpse of the companys technology that shows a 3-D virtual elephant floating above someones hands. And now, the company has raised its cachet even higher by teaming up with big-name science fiction writer and game designer Neal Stephenson, author of such sci-fi classics as Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon.

Stephenson will hold the title of Chief Futurist at the mysterious Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based company, which recently announced a $542 million round of funding led by Google. The sci-fi writer revealed his new title with a blog post, saying hed been swayed to join Magic Leap after receiving a demonstration of the companys technology.

Magic Leap is mustering an arsenal of techniquesto produce a synthesized light field that falls upon the retina in the same way as light reflected from real objects in your environment, he writes, saying its a tool that will serve not only gamers but readers, learners, scientists, and artists.

As one of the companys visionaries, Stephenson will work with the startup in a more theoretical, rather than technical, capacity. Where I hope I can be of use is in thinking about what to do with this tech once it is available to the general public, he writes.Hell join other notable names at the company, including founders Rony Abovitz, the former head of a medical robotics company MAKO Surgical, which was sold for $1.65 billion, and Richard Taylor of WETA Workshop, the company that created the props and creatures seen in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Thus far, the startup has been extremely tight-lipped on what its final product will be. Publicly, it released little more than a GIF of a tiny elephant appearing in an open pair of hands as a puzzling hint of what it would eventually debut. But some have speculated that the company could be making a Google Glass-like wearable that realistically blends computer-generated graphics with real world.

In this manner,Magic Leap adds to a wealth of efforts by othersnotably Google Glass and the Oculus Riftto bring augmented reality and virtual reality into the mainstream. When the company landed that $542-million pile of cash, the investment didnt come from Google Ventures, Google Capital, or any of the search giants other investment armsbut rather Google Inc. itself.

Additionally, Magic Leap nabbed senior vice president Sundar Pichai, the man in charge of Googles core products, as a member of the startups board. And other investors carry their own cachet, including Qualcomm, Legendary Pictures, and venture capitalist bigwigs Andreessen Horowitz, Obvious Ventures, and KPCB.

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Sci-Fi Author Neal Stephenson Joins Mystery Startup Magic Leap as Chief Futurist

Magic Leap recruits writer Neal Stephenson as chief futurist, games hinted

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Magic Leap, a startup which is working on wearable augmented reality tech with games applications -- and which has also been invested in, by Google, to the tune of $500 million dollars -- has hired author Neal Stephenson as its chief futurist.

In a new blog post, Stephenson hints at the potential for the tech, particularly vis-a-vis games.

"I sometimes feel that the creative minds who make games have done about as much as is possible in two dimensions," he writes. "It feels like the right time to give those people a new medium: one in which three-dimensionality is a reality and not just an illusion laboriously cooked up by your brain, and in which itas possible to get up off the couch and move -- not only around your living room, but wherever on the face of the earth the story might take you."

The company has recruited game industry veterans including 7th Guest creator Graeme Devine, and is currently recruiting for game projects involving Devine and Weta Workshop (Lord Of The Rings) concept designer Greg Broadmore - Weta's Sir Richard Taylor is an advisor to the firm.

Stephenson's latest game-related project was a Kickstarter-funded prototype called Clang aimed at creating realistic swordplay for games, which ran out of money before getting picked up for production; the project was ultimately killed.

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Magic Leap recruits writer Neal Stephenson as chief futurist, games hinted

Magic Leap adds Neal Stephenson as VR chief futurist

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Chris Davies

If you thought Google-invested startup of augmented reality mystery Magic Leap couldn't get any more intriguing, think again: famed science-fiction author Neal Stephenson is now onboard. The writer - perhaps best known for his novel Snow Crash, which included plenty of augmented and virtual reality technology - will be Magic Leap's Chief Futurist, it was announced today, joining the hype-causing team experimenting with ways to project light fields onto the retina and use them to deliver believable three-dimensional environments. Turns out, Magic Leap's demonstration was enough to convince the award-winning author that the technology has some serious potential.

Published back in 1992, Snow Crash was Stephenson's third novel, set in the near-future - or what the author believed was nearly possible given the technological landscape at the time - and making heavy thematic use of the so-called Metaverse.

This, a successor to the internet, was a virtual environment in which users were each represented as digital avatars. While public access terminals offering simple black and white access were available in the novel's universe, the most common method of access were personal display goggles, though which a first-person view of the Metaverse would be delivered.

At the time, Stephenson says, he believed that sort of personal virtual reality environment would be just around the corner. Instead, it's taken considerably longer to get anywhere close, and the nearest to mass-market wearable display approaches have either focused on delivering basic notifications, like Google Glass, or some sort of game arena, like Oculus Rift.

Magic Leap surged from near-unknown status back in October, after it was revealed that Google - among others - had made an investment totaling more than half a billion dollars.

The technology that's paying for is far from detailed at this stage, though Stephenson describes it as "a synthesized light field that falls upon the retina in the same way as light reflected from real objects in your environment."

What the author is clear on, however, is that tech alone won't be enough to make Magic Leap a success. Instead, he writes, it will demand a whole new world of entertainment like games, specially written to take advantage of the virtual reality potential.

"I sometimes feel that the creative minds who make games have done about as much as is possible in two dimensions. Its hard to imagine how the current crop of games, for example, could be more finely tuned to deliver that particular kind of entertainment. It feels like the right time to give those people a new medium: one in which three-dimensionality is a reality and not just an illusion laboriously cooked up by your brain, and in which its possible to get up off the couch and move--not only around your living room, but wherever on the face of the earth the story might take you. Making such games is not going to be a matter of porting existing ones to the new system. Its going to mean redefining the medium from the ground up" Neal Stephenson, Chief Futurist, Magic Leap

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Magic Leap adds Neal Stephenson as VR chief futurist

Exclusive: Shigeto Premieres 'Tide Pools' From 'Ghostly Swim 2'

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In 2014, surprising artistic collaborations have become the norm in popular music. But the record label Ghostly International and the TV network Adult Swim were ahead of the curve: they worked together for the first time back in 2008, creating Ghostly Swim, a compilation album full of "exploratory dance and pop music." To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the label, the two creative entities are connecting again for Ghostly Swim 2.Today, Billboard is exclusively premiering a song from the album, Shigeto's "Tide Pools." Listen below.

Sam Valenti, who founded Ghostly International, says "the collaboration with Adult Swim came naturally. Being a giant Tim and Eric fan the bumps on Adult Swim were part of my psyche." After the success of Ghostly Swim, Valenti would "meet fans at shows, [and] many would say that it was their introduction to electronic music." That made him think a second volume would be well-received.

"For this one," he tells Billboard, "I wanted to focus on the internal, finding a meditative and reflective sound. The artists chosen included weren't on Ghostly Swim, and we sought out some new faces... like harpist Mary Lattimore from Buffalo and Swim Team's AceMo, plus newer Ghostly singings like Lord Raja."

Fitting with Valenti's plan for a more "meditative and reflective sound," the press material accompanying Swim 2 reaches back to Brian Eno, the English musician and producer credited as the primary pioneer of ambient music. That means listeners should prepare for soothing textures, loops, and subtle changes, which Shigeto's "Tide Pools" provides in spades. But the song also has a clear pulse: A gentle, pleasantly glitchy rhythm with chimes and soft bells that drift and wash.

As for Shigeto, he remembers the impact the first edition of Ghostly Swim had on him. "I had brought it home from the Ghostly office," he tells Billboard. "I had it on rotation in my car for years, literally years, so many good tracks on there." At the time, he was interning at the label. "I lasted three days," he jokes. "I could probably type 15 words a minute, and my only reason for being there was to pester them to put my music out." But the combination of his pestering and his production talent paid off, and he's "proud to be a part of a project from two platforms I respect so much."

The compilation Ghostly Swim 2 arrives Dec. 23. Check out the track list below.

1. Pascal - Holo 2. Shigeto - Tide Pools 3. Anenon - Grapevine 4. Heathered Pearls - Supra 5. Babe Rainbow - Don't Tell Me I'm Wrong 6. Dauwd - Kolido 7. Patricia - Spotting 8. Lord RAJA - Spilt Out In Cursive 9. CFCF - Oil 10. Feral - Mirror 11. Mary Lattimore & Jeff Zeigler - I Only Have Eyes for You 12. AceMo - Futurism 13. Nautiluss - Lonely Planet

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Exclusive: Shigeto Premieres 'Tide Pools' From 'Ghostly Swim 2'

Don’t Let Sydney Siege Claim Your Freedom: Russell Brand The Trews (E212) – Video

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Don #39;t Let Sydney Siege Claim Your Freedom: Russell Brand The Trews (E212)
Russell Brand The Trews (E212). Analysis of the media and government #39;s reaction to the siege in Sydney, as a lone gunman seized dozens of hostages on Monday. Subscribe Here Now: ...

By: Russell Brand

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Don't Let Sydney Siege Claim Your Freedom: Russell Brand The Trews (E212) - Video

Press Freedom – Mogherini: "It is in the Turkish interest to be consistent with its commitments" – Video

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Press Freedom - Mogherini: "It is in the Turkish interest to be consistent with its commitments"
EN - Foreign Affairs Council - Press Conference by High Representative Federica Mogherini - Questions and Answers (extract) - 15.12.2014 - Brussels. David Carretta, Radio Radicale: "And if...

By: Frdrick Moulin

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Press Freedom - Mogherini: "It is in the Turkish interest to be consistent with its commitments" - Video

Freedom Industries owners indicted, charged in chemical leak

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Four owners and managers of Freedom Industries have been indicted and charged with federal violations of the Clean Water Act for failing to operate the company in an environmentally sound manner, resulting in the chemical leak that contaminated the drinking water of 300,000 people in January.

Dennis P. Farrell, William E. Tis, Charles E. Herzing and Gary L. Southern are each charged with three counts of violating the Clean Water Act.

Each man is charged with failing to meet a reasonable standard of care in running the company.

Their negligence resulted in and caused the discharge of a pollutant, that is, MCHM, from point sources into the Elk River, according to the indictment, unsealed today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley.

The second count against each man is for unlawful discharge of refuse matter, and the third count is for negligent violation of permit condition.

Farrell, an owner of Freedom, is charged for his involvement with the company from Feb. 2002 to Jan. 9, 2014, the day of the spill.

Tis and Herzing, also owners, are charged for their involvement in the company from 2004 through at least Dec. 6, 2013.

Southern, the former chief operating officer of Freedom, is charged for his involvement with the company from May 2009 through Jan. 9, 2014.

In addition to the environmental charges, Southern also faces charges related to allegedly false statements he made to a federal bankruptcy court after the leak, as well as wire fraud and trying to conceal assets from the bankruptcy court.

Farrell, Tis, Herzing, and Southern failed to exercise their authority to ensure that Freedom operated the Etowah Facility in a reasonable and environmentally-sound manner when they knew or should have known of the facts and circumstances constituting Freedoms negligence, the indictment unsealed today says.

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Freedom Industries owners indicted, charged in chemical leak

Arrests of Turkish journalists widely condemned across the world

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Ekrem Dumanli, editor-in-chief of the Zaman newspaper, waves to staff as he is arrested. Photograph: Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images

The arrests of journalists in Turkey have been deplored by international human rights organisations, press freedom groups and UK journalists bodies.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the arrests will harm media freedom and chill free speech. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) called it a brazen assault on press freedom and Turkish democracy.

The New York-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) described the heavy-handed actions as smacking of political vengeance. The Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) saw the arrests as part of a trend by Turkeys government in recent years to use terrorism accusations to bring its critics to heel.

English PEN, in company with PEN International, PEN America and PEN Turkey, registered its deep concern at the detention of the five journalists and six screenwriters. Jo Glanville, director of English PEN, said: Authoritarian tactics will only serve to erode the governments standing, the freedom of its citizens and Turkeys international reputation.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) spoke of animosity towards the media and an exercise of political pressure on journalism by the Turkish authorities.

Britains National Union of Journalists (NUJ) joined in the chorus of condemnation by deploring the arrests. Journalists must have the freedom to write and report without the fear of arrest and detention, it said.

But Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, has rejected all such condemnation, including that from the European Union. He argues that the 23 people detained in orchestrated raids on Sunday have close ties with a US-based Islamic cleric, Fethullah Glen, whom he accuses of establishing a parallel organisation inside Turkey.

Glen, who lives in self-imposed exile, was formerly an ally of Erdoan. Now Erdoan claims that Glen has created an influential network within the media, police and judiciary that is seeking to overthrow his government and his political party, AKP.

According to a statement issued by the Istanbul public prosecutors office, the people under arrest have engaged in forgery and slander against the elected government.

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Arrests of Turkish journalists widely condemned across the world

The War on Drugs Was Born 100 Years Ago

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When I went to the Oxford Union debates this past summer I was told by a veteran of the debates that I must have a joke in order to win over the audience. My attempt to win over the British audience was a success, but unfortunately my opening remarks are too close to the truth and in retrospect, are really not that funny:

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for the opportunity to debate the War on Drugs in this forum. Mr. Chairman, as you probably know, the War on Drugs was not a response to calls from experts, it was not in response to recommendations from the medical community, or even the law enforcement community. Mr. Chairman, the War on Drugs was started by the agitation of racists, bigots, religious fanatics, believers in eugenics, extremist politicians, and power hungry diplomats. In other words, Mr. Chairman, the average ordinary American.

The War on Drugs was initiated by legislation that was passed not to help drug addicts and protect the innocent, but rather was designed to control and marginalize minority groups and to push the United States into a leadership role in world diplomatic affairs.

The War on Drugs is 100 years old today. It kills thousands of people, destroys untold number of lives, and wastes hundreds of billions of dollars every year. Plus it prevents us from using three of the most miraculous plants on the planet, even for their legitimate uses.

As written, the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914 was legislation that established a tax and registration requirement on narcotics and cocaine. Politicians and journalists openly targeted Chinese immigrants, Southern blacks, and Mexicans with outrageous propaganda. The real priority of the legislation, however, was to comply with the first international drug control treaty, the International Opium Convention of 1912.

As implemented, the legislation quickly evolved into an outright prohibition. Enforcement bureaucrats argued that doctors prescribing narcotics for drug addiction was an illegitimate medical practice. The courts ruled in their favor and addict-maintenance medical practices and addiction clinics were forced to close.

Marijuana prohibition went national with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. It too quickly changed from a measure to tax and regulate into an outright prohibition. Even hemp, the non-intoxicating form of cannabis was banned! When propaganda claiming that marijuana was deadly and caused insanity, violence, and criminal behavior was debunked (aka Reefer Madness), the gateway theory was born to fill the void. The gateway theory posits that while marijuana might not be addictive or dangerous, it would lead the user to try the hard drugs, such as heroin. This theory became the prevailing view in the second half of the twentieth century.

In my dissertation, I showed that the gateway theory did not explain the movement toward harder drugs. This research was subsequently published in The Economics of Prohibition. I showed that it was actually prohibition enforcement itself that created incentives for suppliers to make drugs more potent e.g., more potent marijuana, and to switch to more potent drug types e.g., smuggling cocaine instead of marijuana.

It was the case that the markets for narcotics, cocaine, and marijuana had problems and concerns, but as Mises Institute Summer Fellow Audrey Redford has shown, it was also the case that these markets were already impacted by numerous state and local regulations and prohibitions, by heavy tariffs, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, and by a host of state and local alcohol prohibitions and restrictions.

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The War on Drugs Was Born 100 Years Ago