Pixar Animation Studios has produced 10 consecutive smash hits, representing "a standard of consistent excellence with few historical precedents," in the words of Slate film critic Christopher Orr. This spectacular success can be traced to its succinct set of operating principles. The first two — "everyone must have the freedom to communicate with anyone" and "it must be safe for everyone to offer ideas" — foster a relaxed corporate culture and encourage creative thinking. But we at Miller-McCune are particularly drawn to the company's third and final principle: "We must stay close to ... Read More
Counterinsurgency Training by ‘Virtual Human’
June 16, 2010 • By • 1 Comment
The path to Bill Swartout's office hints that he's involved in something very ... high-concept. The ground-floor reception area, the elevator and the hallway leading to his office are decorated in a combination of brushed metal and sleek curves that seems to have both futuristic and retro influences. When I ask about the techno-deco look, Swartout mentions matter-of-factly that the interiors here were designed by Herman Zimmerman, a production designer who worked on Star Trek. The office itself sits atop a six-story building in Marina del Rey and has a killer view over Los Angeles; on the ... Read More
The Value of Dead Bird Watching
June 15, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment
In a truly free state, citizens do everything with their own hands... — Rousseau, The Social Contract The smell makes my eyes water, but that doesn't stop Jane Dolliver from plopping down and digging the carcass out of the sand. She is not wearing gloves. Stefanie Porter, who is, stands off to the side, wincing a bit. Slowly, a shape appears: a long bill, a billowy fleshy pouch, thin bedraggled wings, large webbed feet — a juvenile brown pelican. From the general decay and the size of the maggots and, of course, the stink, Dolliver guesses that it has been dead for several days. She ... Read More
The Real Science Gap
June 14, 2010 • By • 111 Comments
For many decades, and especially since the United States attained undisputed pre-eminence in science during World War II, a parade of cutting-edge technologies has accounted for much of America's economic growth. Countless good jobs now ride on whether the Next Big Thing — and the several things after that — will be developed in America and not, as many fear, in China, India, the European Union, Japan, Korea or another of the powers now producing large numbers of scientists and engineers. Brilliant advances and the industries they foster come from brilliant minds, and for generations ... Read More
World Cup Soccer Hooligans Analyzed
June 11, 2010 • By • 2 Comments
To those who aren't fans of the game — and some who are — soccer is indelibly associated with hooligans, the British tabloids' term of choice for young male fans who engage in rowdy, violent behavior. This phenomenon has been studied extensively, but one research report stands out as particularly vivid. Writing in the British Journal of Social Psychology, a trio of researchers led by the University of Liverpool's Clifford Stott reported that during the 1998 World Cup finals in Marseilles, fans of the English team got into numerous brawls, while fans of the Scottish team managed to ... Read More