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FiRe 2019 Speaker Spotlight Kim Stanley Robinson is no ordinary New York Times-bestselling science fiction writer. Author of 19 novels, Stan, as his friends affectionately call him, has a special talent for merging multifaceted characters and compelling storylines with the day's most pressing geopolitical issues. New York: 2140 took readers on a thrill ride through a surprisingly resilient Manhattan - much soggier, yes, but in no way decimated by rising sea levels. (Fun fact: It also name-checked Future in Review with a nod to the "Anderson Carbon Trifecta" concept.) Red Moon, which came out in October, tangles an international thriller with political unrest in China and warring tensions between international moon bases. WIRED called it "Robinson's attempt to untangle what a spacefaring future will be like when China is at a peak of its new ascendance." So those who have been to FiRe will have no problem understanding what a perfect fit Robinson is. We're delighted to welcome him back for Future in Review 2019, where he'll be taking the stage to discuss the science fiction future of China's latest moves. FiRe 2019 will take place October 8-11 in La Jolla, California. Learn more about FiRe and register here.
Publisher's Note: Everyone knows about bitcoin, and all are at least aware of the technology called "blockchain." But few people have taken the deep dive necessary to gain a forward view of which business, government, or personal doors this tech may open sometime soon. And while the concept of cryptocurrencies and hackable storage sites may leave many of our members cold, the potential for freedom from Russian election interference, for provable truths, for trusted transactions and personal privacy and ID, should all be of great interest. As members will see in this week's issue, we may even get to take back the net from the many scoundrels who today call it home. - mra
While most of the news cycle has been dominated by discussion of financial regulation, Bill Soward, CEO, Titan Seal; Steve Hopkins, COO & General Counsel, Medici Ventures; and Christophe Jospe, Chief Development Officer, Nori Moderated by Jason Preston, Co-Founder, Dent FiRe 2018 Conference Photos © 2018 Kris Krug and Future in Review Jason Preston: Basically, when we were talking about this panel beforehand, we thought we would explore the implications of blockchain beyond cryptocurrency. But just to get a sense of the room, I kind of want to understand: how many people here feel like they understand blockchain well enough that they could, like, explain it to other people? Okay, so a little less than half. Okay, good. That kind of gives us a barometer for where to talk. I want to start by just opening the conversation by asking ... Blockchain has come up alongside bitcoin as a cryptocurrency. Bitcoin is the flag bearer, right? It's this currency, and we all understand that at this point. But what, in your opinions, is the critical innovation behind blockchain? What is it that makes that interesting? Anyone can start.
L-R: Jason Preston, Bill Soward, Steve Hopkins, and Christophe Jospe |
