INTERVENTION

摘要

The marquee outside Building 40 sizzled quietly in the late afternoon Californian sun, a touch of retro flair on a starkly modern building. In front of me in the queue for registration, a famous television cosmologist and a cheerful, bearded philosopher were animatedly comparing their recent flights and the number of time-zones they'd crossed, while the smiling but slightly pressured young organizers dished out name badges, ethically sourced cotton goodie bags and T-shirts emblazoned with the conference logo. "Hi John! Great to see you again!" Brian, grinning wildly, pumped my hand in welcome. "Bit warmer than London, isn't it? Let's find a drink." It was cooler inside the building, where the sun was filtered to a murky glow, and as we commandeered a nearby coffee pot I asked Brian if he really thought this was going to work. "Sure it will! You Brits worry way too much. Look, we've narrowed it down to about 20 people - everyone else is too well-known. If there's one here I reckon that these folk have to be our best shot."