(3089/898) Observations, big and little

2356) Scientific research has its own geography, with well-explored continents and treacherous peaks. Although individuals are familiar with their own fields, no one can fit it all together.

That's why a technique for visualizing such research holds such promise. Developed at Sandia National Laboratories, the algorithms will soon analyze connections between three million papers. The data is them represented as a three-dimensional landscape, where a mountain range signifying hot research issues in biology may connect to an area in physics by a narrow ridge.

What might we learn from such a map? "Connections that were previously hidden," suggests Chuck Meyers, project manager at Sandia. At the very least, a map of all research would function like a world map: it would give us a sense of perspective.

Steve G. Steinberg
"Mapping Science" in the
"Electric World" section of
Wired (1/1997)

2357) Imagine having to publish a story the way films are made. The publisher does the outline, then turns it over to you, the "writer," and says, "OK, write the story." You write it, but once you've written [it] there's no such thing as being able to take words out and change them around. Then you turn it over to me, the editor. The editor says, "Now, I'm going to put it in my word processor. I'm going to move everything around.," and he does. You get to check in once in a while and say, "No, no, that's not what I meant. I meant this." "Oh, really, I had no idea that's what you were talking about. OK, I'll put that." And then you turn it over to the printer, the printer retypes it however he wants, and then prints it that way. Then you say, "But you can't do that!" That is the way it's done in movies. [...]

The film business is designed in a kind of industrial way, vaguely the way buildings are built. The architect does the blueprint and turns it over to the contractor. The contractor then follows the instructions, and if nobody is there to say. "wait, wait, wait," and if nobody goes in and makes those change orders - which, of course, nobody wants to do because it's very expensive - you end up with a building that's only sort of interesting. I'm of a carpenter mentality. I have a rough idea of what I want to do, but I'm going to start hammering, and then when I get along here, I'll take a look at it and say, "We should move this wall here, and it would be even better." A lot of Victorian houses were built that way.... If you are a good craftsman, you really know what to do, and you understand the structure, you can build a very nice building, but it's very organic. It feels better than something that someone who had a set of plans bolted together.

George Lucas
interviewed by Kevin Kelly and Paula Parisi in
"Beyond Star Wars: What's Next for George Lucas" in
Wired (2/1997)

2358) I am an ardent subscriber to the belief that people should own their own image, that you shouldn't be allowed to take anybody's picture without their permission. In the film business, that's the way it is. If I come here with my Panavision camera, and I take pictures of you guys and then put it in my movie without getting your permission, it's against the law. Now ABC News isn't any more or less commercial than a Paramount picture, but if I come in here with the same camera, do the same thing, and give it to ABC News, I can do it. My feeling is that we should simply make it all the same: nobody is allowed to use anybody's image unless they give them permission. It's not a matter of freedom of the press, because you can still write about people. You can still tell stories. It just means you can't use their image, and if they want you to use their image, then they'll give you permission. [...] That people should own their own images, which is true in primitive cultures, is something we've given away. It's become a cultural
thing.

George Lucas
interviewed by Kevin Kelly and Paula Parisi in
"Beyond Star Wars: What's Next for George Lucas" in
Wired (2/1997)

2359) Almost every religion has a faction that leans toward the baroque. Whether Jewish Cabalism or Tantric Hinduism, these groups share an affection for complex explanations, the supernatural, and arcane rituals. This same pattern exists in pop music. Almost every pop genre periodically turns to the over orchestrated sounds and pretentious lyrics of progressive rock. Currently there is a full-scale revival. The Orb sound like Pink Floyd, while Smashing Pumpkins imitates King Crimson. A sign of fin de millenium, or just bad taste?

Steve Steinberg
"Hype List" column in
Wired (3/1997)