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Oculus, Facebook And Virtual Reality Book Author Set For Burbank Tech Talk Series

The recently released The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality will provide the backdrop for author Blake Harris and his conversation with tech entrepreneur Joe Chen, who was one of the first Oculus employees.

The discussion is presented in collaboration with the City of Burbank’s Tech Talk Series and will be held Thursday evening, February 28, at the Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Library.

Harris’ book talks about “how a teenager, Palmer Luckey, invented a more immersive and affordable VR device while living and working in a trailer that was parked in the driveway of his parents’ house in Long Beach,” explained Burbank Librarian Hubert Kozak.

Luckey named the VR device the Oculus Rift and a bidding war ensued for the new, accessible and affordable technology. Ultimately, Oculus was bought by Facebook, which has since released a series of the VR devices.

Original artwork for “The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality” by Bob Al-Greene. (Image courtesy Harper Collins)

“Industries in the gaming community were the first to spot the potential and were wowed by the device, tech financiers wanted to get in on the action as well, and a few years later the company Luckey founded was bought by Facebook for over 2 billion dollars,” explained Kozak.

“Gamers were the first consumers, but the device resuscitated and then galvanized VR technology and applications. VR is now being used in training simulations, medicine, therapies, virtual tours, all kinds of diagnostic applications and it’s use continues to expand.”

“This book is a look at how a new tech invention makes the journey from prototype to viable consumer product, a behind the scenes look at what it takes to do this, and it’s a story filled with a lot of drama and intrigue,” continued Kozak. “It follows a naive young tech inventor as he swims in the shark infested waters of big money and high stakes technology development.”

“Like most people who have tried a modern day virtual reality headset, my immediate thought after trying it for the first time was ‘Wow! I’ve just seen the future!'” commented Harris. “But, as we know, an exciting product doesn’t necessarily equal a successful product, so I was very interested in getting to know the folks behind the scenes at Oculus and looking at this story from a business standpoint – tracing the journey from idea to prototype to product.”

Author Blake Harris talks with tech entrepreneur Joe Chen at the Burbank Public Library about his book “The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality.” (Photo By Katie Warner, Courtesy Harper Collins.)

“That said, business stories can often be dry; so it was incredibly helpful to me as a writer to learn about (and then reveal to readers) the backstory and behind-the-scenes journey of Oculus founder, Palmer Luckey, whose rise from teenager dreamer to successful inventor/entrepreneur made for an incredible modern day ‘American Dream’ tale.”

“I like to write character-driven true life stories that can be accessible to anybody; meaning that even if you don’t know the first thing about VR, I still want the story to resonate with you,” Harris explained. “The key to that, I believe, is incredible access, and it took me about 14 months to gain the access from Oculus and Facebook to tell this story in the way that I had hoped.”

“That access began in February 2016 and continued until April 2018. So (spoiler alert!) Palmer Luckey was fired in the middle of that time; and, as readers will see, completely disrupted the story that I thought I was telling – but, in the end, made for a more interesting and urgent story (especially with how much of our digital lives are controlled by Facebook).”

“For the most part, I would say that the major players were forthcoming,” Harris also said. “Perhaps not so much initially at first; but, in the end, I spent 3.5 years working on this story and was able to develop a great rapport with many of those involved.”

“That said, I would note that after the unexpected firing of Palmer Luckey, many of the players who had been very forthright with me ended up changing their tune – either by speaking with me less; or, in some unfortunate cases, outright lying to me.”

Tech investor and entrepreneur Chen will interview Harris for the Burbank Tech Talk event. Chen has cofounded a new company, Anduril, with Luckey.

Image Courtesy Harper Collins

‘Throughout my writing the book, Joe was a constant source of inspiration, humor and fair-and-balanced perspective,” said Harris. “It also became clear to me, very early on, that Joe has a get-it-done-attitude that is so critical to helping a young startup thrive.”

What does Harris think of the current impact VR has had in the world and where does he see the technology going forward?

“I’ll be honest and say that when I started working on this book 3.5 years ago, I anticipated that virtual reality would be more successful than it is now,” Harris said. “Not by a lot – I always thought it would be a relatively slow adoption – but I thought there would still be strong hype for VR amongst consumers and increasing investment from content-makers.”

“Since the release of the major VR headers in 2016 (Oculus, HTC and Sony), the excitement and momentum around this technology has certainly slowed down. But I’m still very bullish about the long-term impact of virtual reality.”

“I believe it’ll still take 5-10 years to really reach a mainstream crowd, but in the meantime I think it’ll continue to do well with gamers and, in the interim, I think there will be great value in using VR for training simulations in the enterprise space (as well as, hopefully, the education space),” he added.

The Burbank Tech Talks Series is composed of networking events, speaker summits and series, including a Pitch Fest, explained Marissa Minor, Economic Development Analyst with the Community Development Department.

“Fostering the entrepreneurial community is a key component of our City’s Economic Development strategy as we seek to attract and engage new thinkers and innovators in Burbank,” she said. “The Burbank Tech Talk Series is one way that we support this innovative and growing community.”

Joe Chen, co-founder of Anduril, interviews Blake Harris at the Burbank Public Library on Thursday, February 28. (Photo Courtesy Anduril)

“Our goal is to ensure that our companies can compete in today’s marketplace, and we are hopeful that events like the Burbank Tech Talks will continue to provide businesses with insight and networking opportunities for the future,” Minor also said.

Harris and Chen discuss The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality on Thursday, February 28, at 7:00 p.m.

The Buena Vista Branch of the Burbank Public Library is located at 300 N. Buena Vista Street in Burbank. The program is free to the public and plenty of free parking is available on site.

“The Contest” Author Discusses Tumultuous 1968 Presidential Campaign

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Author Michael Schumacher talks about the tumultuous 1968 Presidential campaign, detailed in his newly-release book The Contest: The 1968 Presidential Election and the War for America’s Soul, at the Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Library on Wednesday evening, October 17.

“Readers might notice similarities between the 1968 and 2016 elections.,” commented Schumacher. “Both were very contentious. Both were extremely close when the final vote was tallied. The divisions within the country were deep and disturbing.”

Eugene McCarthy’s victory in the Oregon primary placed him back in contention for the Democratic nomination—but his loss to Robert Kennedy in California and RFK’s assassination in Los Angeles all but ended his hopes. (Photo Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society)

“Richard Nixon’s victory in 1968 signaled the end of the end of liberal politics dating back to Roosevelt, which later led to a much stronger turn to the right with Reagan. Many years passed between then and now, obviously, but this book might address the old saying that the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

“In 1968, the country was divided over the Vietnam War and these divisions eventually led to Johnson’s refusal to run for reelection; today, we’re fighting in Afghanistan, in a conflict that’s lasted longer than Vietnam,” Schumacher added. “George Wallace’s push for segregation and the organized xenohobia we’re seeing today… In 1968, law and order was a hotly debated topic, as it is today.”

“The question: what did we learn?”

In the lead-up to the election, Richard Nixon’s rigorously constructed campaign helped him erase his loser image among voters. (Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

“Two generations have grown up since 1968, and many of the events of that year are either unknown or barely known,” he continued. “These readers might find the book interesting in its reporting of history. Older readers will look back and remember.”

“I was 18 years old in 1968, and I was extremely interested in politics,” Schumacher also said. “I was amazed at how much I learned when researching the events reported in this book. Perhaps it will have that effect on others.”

1968 was a year when a lot of young people first got involved in the political process, said Burbank Librarian Hubert Kozak, who organized The Contest author event. “It was a time of greater activism and engagement in national affairs for all Americans than had occurred for some time.”

A powerful speaker, Hubert Humphrey combined dramatic messages with a homespun delivery that contributed a human touch to his speeches. (Photo Courtesy of the Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library)

“A lot of people thought they could make a difference, that their engagement in the process mattered,” Kozak added. “It was also a time when those running for office and those voting for them believed that a life in politics and public service could be an honorable profession.”

“For me what 1968 said is that you have got to be involved if you want democracy to work, and that decent and talented people need to engage in the process and be willing to serve. I know it seems like a lot to ask these days, but it just doesn’t seem that anything gets better by disengagement and withdrawal.”

Tired McCarthy youth. Pundits generally conceded the youth, intellectual, and suburban vote to Eugene McCarthy, but his popularity extended well beyond that. A grassroots candidate running in open opposition to the Vietnam War, he appealed to voters who were seeking an alternative to the old ways of government. (Photo Courtesy of the Minnesota Libraries, Special Collections and Rare Books)

“I thought that the 1968 election, which took place at a time when there were also deep divisions in the county, might have something to say about how we might deal with things in our own contentious times,” Kozak said. “My hope is this will be a helpful and, maybe even in some ways, a healing event, one that might occasion some civic minded thought and discussion.”

The Contest program begins at 7:00 p.m. After the presentation and discussion, the author will sign books, which will be available for purchase. The Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Library is located at 300 N. Buena Vista Street in Burbank. Plenty of free parking is available on site.

: Robert Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel on the night of the California Primary, June 5, 1968. (Photo Courtesy Julian Wasser, LIFE Magazine)

: Image Courtesy Burbank Public Library

: Eugene McCarthy’s victory in the Oregon primary placed him back in contention for the Democratic nomination—but his loss to Robert Kennedy in California and RFK’s assassination in Los Angeles all but ended his hopes. (Photo Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society)

: In the lead-up to the election, Richard Nixon’s rigorously constructed campaign helped him erase his loser image among voters. (Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

: An enraged Mayor Richard Daley, surrounded by the Illinois delegation, reacts to Senator Abraham Ribicoff’s critical remarks on August 28, 1968, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The violence in Chicago’s streets and parks ruined Daley’s plans to make the convention a showcase for his city and his rule over it. (Photograph Courtesy Warren K. Leffler/Library of Congress)

: Tired McCarthy youth. Pundits generally conceded the youth, intellectual, and suburban vote to Eugene McCarthy, but his popularity extended well beyond that. A grassroots candidate running in open opposition to the Vietnam War, he appealed to voters who were seeking an alternative to the old ways of government. (Photo Courtesy of the Minnesota Libraries, Special Collections and Rare Books)

: A powerful speaker, Hubert Humphrey combined dramatic messages with a homespun delivery that contributed a human touch to his speeches. (Photo Courtesy of the Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library)

: Robert Kennedy delivers news of Martin Luther King’s assassination at an inner-city campaign appearance in Indianapolis. Kennedy appealed for restraint in the aftermath of King’s death and for the first time in public spoke of his brother’s assassination nearly five years earlier. (Photo Courtesy of the Indianapolis Recorder Collection, Indiana Historical Society)

Burbank Library Program Looks At New Orion Deep Space Vessel

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NASA plans to put people on Mars in the 2030s with the Orion deep space vessel and Lockheed Martin Orion Integration Engineer Chris Nie will talk about the first missions of the Orion spacecraft, planned for 2019, at the Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Library on Wednesday, September 12.

“The talk will focus on giving a background of the major systems of the Orion spacecraft including its Launch Abort System, Crew Module and Service Module, as well as the first two missions for NASA’s human spaceflight architecture, subsequently called Exploration Mission-1 (an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft) and Exploration Mission-2 (the first crewed mission of Orion and will take humans farther from Earth than ever before),” explained Nie.

Orion display at the Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Libary. (Photo Courtesy Burbank Public Library)

“The aspect of the program I contribute to is the Environmental Control and Life Support Subsystem (or ECLSS for short) which is responsible for providing a livable environment for the crew in space and to keep them happy and healthy during their mission.”

“Designed to navigate, communicate and operate in a deep space environment, Orion will travel thousands of miles beyond the Moon, farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown,” commented Burbank Librarian Hubert Kozak. “It will eventually be used to return humans to the moon where an orbiting space platform will be built for the launch of future missions to Mars.”

“I wanted to do this event because Lockheed was such an important part of this community for so many years,” added Kozak. “There are many people still living in Burbank who were a part of building this company – who are a part of its tradition of innovation and technological achievement – and I thought they might like to see what the company they helped to build (now Lockheed Martin) is doing now. And it’s pretty exciting. Orion is central to the future of human space flight.”

Orion. (Image Courtesy NASA/Lockheed Martin)

“Chris is a young engineer who is doing this program for us because he is interested in inspiring youth to pursue careers in science and engineering. We hope to have a lot of students in our audience for this event.”

“The Orion program is incredibly exciting to work on for two main reasons; the folks I work with at NASA and Lockheed Martin are phenomenally talented and continuously provide me with challenges and opportunities to grow as an engineer, and secondly because nothing is more exciting to me than pushing the boundaries of the exploration of our solar system,” said Nie.

A graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a Master’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering and a focus in Bioastronautics, Nie has been named one of Aviation Week’s Twenty20s as a rising leader in Aerospace and Defense. For his work in STEM outreach, he has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award several times.

(Graphic Courtesy Burbank Public Library)

“I am very grateful to Hubert Kozak and the Burbank Library for giving us the opportunity to share our excitement and passion for the Orion program and human spaceflight,” he also said. “One of my favorite things about working in the space exploration field is that it has the power to bring people from all backgrounds together, this includes the public.”

“It is not just four crew members that will orbit the moon on Exploration Mission-2, the public is, and will be, a part of the mission.”

More information on the Orion deep space program can be found on NASA’s website here. The free presentation at the Burbank Public Library begins at 7:00 p.m. Plenty of free parking is available at the library, which is located at 300 N. Buena Vista Street.

The Marshall Space Flight Center loaned a model of the SLS (Space Launch System), the big rocket that will put Orion into space. It’s part of the display at the Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Libary. (Photo Courtesy Burbank Public Library)

Iconic Figure Harvey Milk Is Subject Of Burbank Library Presentation

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Distinguished historian and author Lillian Faderman reads from her most recent book, Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death at the Buena Vista Branch of the Burbank Public Library on Thursday evening, May 31.

“His impact and achievements seem so improbable from what was an inauspicious beginning (he actually worked on Wall Street in 1964 and got up early to hand out campaign literature for Barry Goldwater!),” commented Librarian Hubert Kozak. “This is a book in the Yale Jewish Lives series, and Faderman connects Milk’s Jewish upbringing to his ideals and activism.”

“Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death” author and distinguished historian Lillian Faderman talks about her most recent book at the Buena Vista Branch of the Burbank Public Library. (Image Courtesy Yale University Press)

“But I guess for me what is most interesting about this story is not that, or even that he led a gay movement, but rather the details Faderman gives about how he created a constituency and organized a community to claim political power.”

“This portrait of grass roots American democracy in action I thought was timely and made me hopeful about the chance for marginalized people to have their voices heard, that it is possible,” added Kozak.

“I wrote about Harvey Milk in my 2015 book, The Gay Revolution-but I had room in that huge history, which spanned the years 1948-2015, to spend only about a dozen pages on what made Harvey Milk such an iconic figure,” explained Faderman.

“But in my research and interviews for The Gay Revolution I had discovered so many wonderful, important things about his life that no one had yet written about.”

“So I was thrilled when Yale University Press came to me to ask if I could write a biography of him for Yale’s “Jewish Lives” series. (It took me 10 seconds to say “I’d love to!”) I wanted to create for the reader the Harvey that I came to know through my research—a man who was quite flawed and yet so touching in his desire to do good.”

“I came to see him as genuinely lovable because he was so capable of love-not just on a personal level and not just for his own “tribe,” but love for all those who were in need because they were poor or lost or suffered from prejudice or discrimination.”

“I was constantly being surprised by his personal letters,” commented Faderman. “They showed a man of such tender, romantic feelings. I think he kept wanting to re-do the difficult relationship he had with his own father, and to make it ‘come out right’ with the young men who were his lovers.”

Harvey (center), a numbers cruncher on Wall Street, c. 1964 (Courtesy of Harvey Milk-Scott Smith Collection, San Francisco Public Library)

“Yet sadly, despite his determination to make it ‘come out right,’ to give them his attention and his deep love, he failed because he was so caught up in wanting to accomplish great things and serve the public. Inevitably, his partners never felt they were getting enough of him.”

Faderman sees the complexities of Milk’s life and his various “lives” as something the public in general does not know about the iconic figure.

“He was a man of vast contradictions. I subtitled my book The Lives and Death of Harvey Milk because there were many different ‘Harveys’ before he finally became the iconic leader that the public knows,” she says. “He was a passionate opera lover from the time he was eleven years old, but he was also a jock in high school and college. (He played football, baseball, basketball. He ran track and was on the wrestling team. He was the sports writer for his college paper. In the Navy he was a deep-sea diver and trained sailors in diving.)”

In college, Harvey played football, soccer, volleyball, and basketball; and he competed in wrestling and track (Courtesy of Harvey Milk-Scott Smith Collection, San Francisco Public Library)

“At one point in his life he became a buttoned-down high school teacher. Then he became a securities analyst on Wall Street. Then he became a hippie, a gofer for a Broadway director and an actor. Then he became a small businessman.”

“Through all of these different iterations of Harvey Milk, he was learning new skills,” Faderman continues. “All those skills came together in the last five years of his life to create the Harvey Milk that the world knows best: he began running for office and finally succeeded in winning election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, which made him the first out gay man to hold a significant political office.”

Milk was shot and murdered in 1978 by another, homophobic, Supervisor at the age of 48. He was included on Time‘s list of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century in 1999.

The author will sign books after the presentation, and copies of Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death will be available for purchase on site. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. The Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Library is located at 300 N. Buena Vista Street in Burbank. Plenty of free parking is available.

James Webb Space Telescope Program Slated At Burbank Library

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The Burbank Public Library holds a program about “The James Webb Space Telescope: Seeing the End of the Dark Age” on Wednesday evening, May 2. Salem Emara, a JPL volunteer and active member of the NASA JPL Solar System Ambassadors Program, will give the presentation.

Emara will also hold a live demonstration of infrared technology, which is the wavelength the James Webb Space Telescope is designed to pick up.