Half of a Century Conducting Technology Pre-Anniversary
Disclaimer:
Everything below is a mix of what I observed and heard during the event. The goal isn’t to pinpoint "who exactly said what," but to share (usually) an outsider's view and overall perspective on these industries. I’m not here to act as a definitive firsthand source—readers should do their own research. I hope this inspires you to attend events, explore new industries, and hear what leaders are presenting. These notes combine my observations with thoughts on how things could run smoother and how ideas connect (IMO). I’m not an expert, you know? Just hanging out in the room with them. Enjoy!Topics Covered: Technology, Public Relations, Innovation, Global Economy, Alumni, Narratives, ‘Climate Change’, Environmental Wellbeing, Human Rights, Protests, Freedom of Speech, Ending Wars
For the record, i’ve never spent more time working on the writing section of a single blog, than this one. It’s a huge company and I have an unpopular opinion of them. I never will talk about the directly, cause that’s not my goal at the moment. My goal is to see how well they hosted an event and what did they talk about? For me… I’m not an expert on this company, but not a huge fan of what I’ve heard as I learn more here and there. So, this event was in a venue I’d never been to and I figured to attend and see what topics they brought up. (Like the time I saw them at an event, it was really crazy to me (and a bit surreal/confusing/upsetting??) they said they’re now in charge of validating whether deepfakes are real or not… especially involving interactions with kids and famous people. It’s their job solely. They get to officially decide which are real and aren’t - it’s up to them. Just seems like… monopolizing and when their representative brought it up in a speech, it was out of nowhere, at this policy event I as attending.) No way they’re going to repeat that same topics again, right?? (spoiler alert: they didn’t)… So, what will they focus on at this event? I was curious to hear their narrative and perspective… just their focuses and stories to tell.
Why Attend: This event hosted the top leaders of this tech company (if not THE top leaders) to speak so it seemed like good people to hear from and take a temperature of what’s really going on. I honestly don’t know too many details about their company either, but I know vaguely a number of things about them. For the most part, on the surface, I thought liked them… but, when I learn more, I see corners being cut and lack of accountability in their projects overseas especially (but idk!! these days its so hard to tell what’s real and not and who to belive and everything!!!) So it’s part of why I am doing this ‘job’ and attending/reporting on events. I want to step away from my phone and the internet to learn information IRL at events from real speakers (ahahahah and then put it back onto the internet, okay? okay!)
Event Review: Venue (4/5), Food (1.5/5), Speaker Content (3/5), Networking (1.5/5), Likeliness to Return (1/5)… (more below)
Photo Collage and Commentary:
Event Notes:
Arrival:
There are protests outside the event. It’s not too surprising since it’s Town Hall, so I at first wonder if it’s related to this event/company or something else and this happens often (I don’t walk by Town Hall extremely often, so I wondered how rare this is).
The protestors are yelling (convenient to block traffic too, i’ll say…): Stop funding genocide. Everyone (almost everyone) is masked and faces covered. It’s even raining all day. They hand out flyers. The flyers say that a certain company is partners with this company hosting the event. And the two of them are supplying machinery to one side of the war… Basically, they’re saying “you’re helping fund and profit from the war overseas.”
I feel like whoever is their partner’s company’s COMPETITOR would be interested in this protest, because they feature that competing company as the bad guy so boldly on their flyer, alongside the one hosting this event. Feels like Pepsi vs. Coke, it’s an attack on the company (and the evil things they’re doing) by their #1 competitor? idk. Maybe!
I will say that I am glad that noise is being made about the war… is this the best way to do it? Obviously it doesn’t really work, but its not the worst I guess? idk. I want the wars to end. We need to find resolution and peace.
I went into the building at first a bit quickly. But after checking in, I wanted to go back outside to hear what they were saying. What their points were in these protest. I didn’t hear anything more than just the short phrases?
They yelled at me at first for standing back outside, facing them. They were yelling at me, thinking I worked for the hosting company. They were saying I work for a company that kills children, supports genocide, etc… but I calmly said to one girl, yelling into my face, I don’t like this company and I’m there to listen and write about what they say in their speech soon. I told her it’s good they’re out there protesting and sharing these ideas - right? Then she walked away.
I didn’t want to draw attention to myself that much, butI didn’t want to keep being yelled at either. Also, again - if their accusations are true, it’s good they’re standing up for more accountability? Idk! No clue.
If they’re really doing some of these alleged crimes against humanity that the people inside would not agree with if they know the truth, of course they should have opportunities to be exposed and have an explanation… maybe even be encouraged to work towards alternative solutions and resolutions. That’s my thinking… or, the audience will l ignore it/be frustrated by it. Or, the’ll think protests are all nonsense and actually harmful or whatever. Idk - it's just people react to things, but I don’t think it’s bad to have protests disrupting huge corporations…
It’d be cool if you could see protest of people excited to hype up corporations for being brave and doing so much good hahah. Is that possible? I’m sure it is! (I see it now in at least one or two companies of 2025 + beyond) If some of these companies could turn their business models around just a little, make some changes that might hurt the wallet but improve condition for even more people, I think there would be a lot of celebration.
I stayed and listened to what they said for a while. It was lots of chanting and someone even took a picture of the crowd from their side while I was standing there observing - I kinda wanted to add a disclaimer, lol, but also who cares, you know? It doesn’t matter and if someone looks me up or whatever, they may even find this!! And see what I was doing. They can easily assume I work for that company though and supported the event. But, actually I wanted to attend this to see how much lined up with the last presentation they gave - cause so much they said was surreal… and I was like, no way they’d say that again! And I wanna hear what their focuses are.
So, back to the protest. I didnt take notes then when I was outside observing, but later when I went back inside got some water, I realized you could hear them perfectly, cause the doors were left open for peopel to come in. It was an interesting choice to leave the doors open…. You know? Someone could have not done that.
But you could hear them perfectly. The protesters are super super loud. Even when you’re standing in the back of the inside of the venue.
It’s so awkward, but not in the worst way? Whether they’re 100% right or wrong, it’s fair to figure out what is going on and ask why about some things. Encourage discussion. Are they right about some things? Idk!! I haven’t even learned much about this war to be honest. Not the details - not as much as other stuff (but i’ve learned a good place to start is to follow the money).... I have seen a lot of sources admitting that related money is totally wasted and laundered, so I’m like - gimme a break. You know? It’s want it to stop and I think it can all stop soon. And we can be smarter and kind.
Some staff looks uncomfortable while the protests go on yelling.
Some are behind the check-in table, dancing to the beating of the chanting, kinda smiling and shaking their hips as everyone yells at a rhythm.
“Stop funding genocide now. Stop bombing right now. Stop funding war now. You have blood on your hands too. How many children have you killed? How do support genocide?”
Things like this. Over and over and over again. They say this chanting. It’s probably 30 people outside, as the guest continue to come in.
The whole downstairs of this event is flooded with the sound of the protestors, so I assume everyone must be upstairs. I was disappointed to see no food was here either. Only desserts. I thought there would be dinner or snacks!! We paid for this event haha. But, you know. Idk. Maybe it had that info in the write up or something?
BTW - I wondered a tiny bit if the protestors were planted there, or truly there to fight it from their hearts. Idk. But - spoiler alert - they didn’t stay till the end… I kinda feel like if your heart was in it ,you’d have the motivation to stay until the end to really make sure people hear it. At least one or two people out of the crowd? Idk - maybe not - it was raining and the security wouldn’t let them stand under the awning. But we’re so used to performative activism that even real rage can feel suspicious.
Then, I heard bells ring for just like one or two gongs. (I thought it was from the church outside at first, but I think it was from the speakers and part of the official event) and they make an announcement that the speech will begin. Please find your way upstairs to sit.
LAY OF THE LAND:
As I walked to sit down upstairs, I wanted to find somewhere that was discrete to write on my laptop. It looked like a church inside (actually, I forgot it was a the city hall and thought it was a church at the time) cause of how the seats were and were arranged + permanent. The building itself is/was really beautiful. Nice acoustics, but the walls were thin enough to let in noise from the protests outside, even upstairs. I wondered if they’d be quieted down during the speeches or not.
There was a team back at the back doing recording and audio, I was considering to ask them if I could charge my phone, but then saw a place to charge in the back (also “the back” is a good place to sit while taking notes and not distracting others). I asked the security guards if it was okay for me to charge my phone there and they said it was fine, then I sat down there. I noticed a number of security guards walking around. Actually, I thought one was just a random guy who was looking to sit down and was annoyed with the place I’d chosen to sit (at first) but then later realized he was a security guard.
At the time, I thought to myself, geeze!! I need to scoot in more next time at something like this hahaha. But no, he only stood there a bit.
The stage totally reminded me of the stages from improv theater classes/shows in Chicago. I did that for a few years (love it) and attended a billion shows… still love theater shows. It had a nice stage, then a door backstage to the left that people kept coming in and out of over the show. Different presenters and guests.
I took my seats and took out my computer and started taking some notes.
PRESENTATIONS BEGINS:
The hosts of the event are two guys. They are so excited for this event and for a number of decades they’ve covered events and success stories in Seattle.
“It’s been a lot of fun… at times ‘just a little challenging’,” he jokes.
Maybe this is making light of the protests outside. You can still hear them in the background from my seat. The audience liked his joke too.
The audience matches their festive and excited vibe. The cheering takes over. It’s like a big nostalgic party, woo hoo!!
-”Tonight is about bringing you that story on stage.” the hosts say.
I was curious how literal they’d be about that… would they now tell us a legit timeline from the past few decades?… and also, of course, how they’d choose to tell the story. What to keep in and leave out? Or is it just a metaphor?
-They mention the sponsors, the alumni network, and the “fun buttons” that they gave away to desognate which era you worked there
Felt like a pin was a bit of a cheap gift hahaha. Even if you name it “fun”. But, still, its is kinda fun for alumni I’m sure. Fun to check out how you get to identify yourself and get special pins and see others in different pins and be excited about it haha. Maybe if it was something I was a part of I’d be hyped, but as an outsider its funny to describe.
TRIVIA ON SCREEN
- The trivia shows up on screen a few times for audience interaction. They each have four answers. I didn’t take many notes on each but they just had “fun facts” about the different famous people who’d worked at the company/lead/founded it.
It’s showing an equation showing like a situation and talking about a guy who was a leader of this big company. The question was along the lines of which situation did he have to pull strings or something?
“ He brought tech equipment with him to his first judicial clerkship at the lower Manhattan courthouse.”…
And then everyone laughs at matrix printers” as an incorrect answer. I don’t get it hahaha. But it’s sorta a funny answer ‘not to get’.
But the answer was IBM PC Jr or something.
The slide went by too fast. lol.
FIRST SPEAKER WELCOMED:
Okay now this guy has been here since the early 90’s.
“Instrumental in addressing Ai, cyber security, and digital security. “
Now everyone’s so extremely happy to wave this guy on. He’s so extremely happy.
It looks like he’s wearing sunscreen a bit. Just lite sunscreen on his face.
Probably just a lotion or a makeup artist’s smallest mistake or something.
He’s really bashful, full of gestures, and giddy to be on stage. It’s the current president of the company.
Okay, let’s see what they’re saying:
“What’s the secret to your company’s longevity and relevance in the world?”
3 things: The people who matter the most are those who design and build the products, which has never been me. I’ve had the great opportunity to work with the people who built the products. SO I have been a part of a lot of things.
When you look back at this company it has the ability to survive. That’s not typical of a tech company. But we also are at the frontier of technology. It’s safe to say w’re in a safe place today.
Secondly: the role of our company has played in democratizing technology. For those guys, getting a computer on every desk and every home, it was their goal. The notion to take devices and make them useful, available and affordable to everyone
(YOU CAN HEAR The protests: Stop funding bombs!! Stop funding bombs!! Stop funding bombs!!)
Empowering organizations to achieve. I’ve never put social media in the catergory of enabling people.
“If you want to be cool, you should go work for them. If you want to make other people cool, l you should come work for us.”
Everyone claps, an audience member says, “that was really cool”
It’s just like this feel-good story for everyone to enjoy… but what does “cool” mean to them?
All 3 embody a common attribute that I have found to be in most great leaders in most fields and that’s curiosity. Curiosity is well known for devouring books and reading spreadsheets. Findings insights in pictures and learn, talking with people, reading numbers.
Overseas in Finland we were going to meet the president. We were in the van and 10 minutes early, parked half a mile away. We turned to a local guy in the car and asked who the greatest poet is from the history of Finland? How do the fins thing of their history with Russia? And what’s happening with commercial real estate prices?
“I was so amazed this poor fellow had decent answers.”
““If you asked me about Seattle I’d give up!!”
WHAT!? !?!? HOW IS SOMEONE IN THIS PLACE OF LEADERSHIP SO UNEDUCATED ABOUT THE HISTORY HE’S BUILDING UPON - AND OPEN TO ADMIT IT SO CASUALLY!?!?!? surreal hahaha. Guess it doesn’t matter??? Geeze. Wild to me. Reminds me of how I found out most cities around here, all their government jobs are contracted outttt!!! No one cares about their home anymore lol. Where is the accountability?? 👀
Is there a moment or two you’d look back on as the toughest moments. Situation you look back and say I’m glad we got through that and I learned a lot from that.
Fro the work I was involved in, we had a 8 year period to get the antitrust challenges to close.
The guys each played complimentary roles. Steve looked to Bill to make sure they didn’t give away anything so crazy it’d put the company at risk.
With Steve we actually had to go make peace…
The protest chants continue to be heard from outside in the background!! I wonder if they have any idea how loud they are.
They haven’t acknowledged it.
Suddenly a guy stands up and yells, “YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE!!!” The guy on stage smiles (I wrote that note but idk which one I was talking about and can’t remember)
It seems one of the protestors broke into this event and stood up and yelled right when they mentioned philanthropy.
Then he yells many things at him:
Yelling, “700 people killed in the last 7 days alone My people have been killed. How dare you talk about philanthropy. How dare you talk about philanthropy when you are killing my people. You have blood on your hands.”
(then he repeats a few lines again that I won’t write here. The final lines he said over and over I’ve heard online a few times and seen protests about)
It’s like… I agree with A LOT of what they have to say… but I feel like their approach isn’t the best. And I know a number of people “follow” don’t love this specific group, though they still also have a lot of good messages and good points like almost everyone can agree with… idk. It’s so complicated, you know?
Then the guy sitting two rows in front of me (the row in front of me was empty) stands up from his date and goes to stop this protestor. To go ‘deal with it himself since no one else will’. That doesn’t do much, but the security guards come over then, too and then he’s taken to the right of me, down the stairs, escourted out.
Now he, the president on stage says: Every day, I am thankful that we live in a country where people can stand up for themselves.
Everyone cheers. Everyone cheers a lot.
Was the guy sitting in front of me a plant? LOL - you never know hahah. But the way he reacts the rest of hte event, I dont’ think so. I think he jsut got hyped and stood up and wanted to stop the rowdiness, standing up for the company. (He did just think what was said earlier was “so cool” so he was in it!! lol)
The president comments again,
Look at the 80% of our employees who donate money and donate time. Even to the cause they were upset about. And the other side of the war too.
I’m over here realizing and thinking about what just happened… that protesting guy had on an OVERSIZED REBELIOUS/DIRTY-ISH GRAFFITI JACKET AND A MASK ON!!! 😂. He was sitting like front and center, too!!? He doesn’t blend into this crowd (most people were in suits, jeans, fancy clothes or business casual). No clue. This made me think he may be a suspect for planting… but, idk. That’s wild to do at an event like this.
The guys on stage continue to talk, “80% of our employees give moeny to the causes they’re passion about which includes people within conflict zones.”
Everyone claps.
He kept talk about how every day, one aspect that is part of his job is to make sure that give all of the turmoil in the world and the strife, we work hard as a company to be thoughtful, to be principled, to drive lines, and strip to be not eh right sides of those lines. I’ll never say that we did everything right, but i’ll always say that we work hard to try to get it right.
IMO he looks really nervous on stage. Idk if that was planted or not. I just known that some extreme protesting movements can be staged… or real. And it’s really complicated. But I get the impression it’s so extreme that maybe it’s funded. Or maybe just legit!! So idk.
Thisis a company that’s helped create scohlarships, help homelessness, we’ve advocated for higher taxes to open the door for people to grow up here to find a better life in the middle income or better.
But I’ve frankly never been more worried about the future of the tech sector in Washington state as I am today. In part cause the proposal that came today, tomorrow, next week.
Then at this part, I didn’t take the best notes and/or he slung some sloppy stats, but here’s what I wrote… hahah, looking back i’m like, ummm:
- After increasing spending 40% after the past 4 years.
-But today the senate proposed tax increases that will increase revenue.
- Most families are not ready to spend an extra 15% - we can’t do that, we do 8% year over years.
The state is seeking to increase its spending at a faster pace than basically any other part of the economy.
If the revenue were coming in then that would be a wonderful conversation to hve. But the only way to bring that revenue in is to propose the two largest tax increases in the history of WA state.
One would tax jobs. Appled to the rest of the state. A 5% payroll tax. If you make your job more expensive it becomes harder to keep jobs or make jobs here.
The other piece is a carbon copy of a French wealth tax that the French government adopted in 1982. A tax on intangible assets.
I lived in France under this tax and I saw what it did to the peopel who lived there. I saw what the peopel of France saw. Its caused wealthy individuals to move. Brussels is an okay place, but it ain’t Paris.
He drops this fact and all of these facts about Brussels and Paris and the outcomes of these taxes, as if they’re things everyone if familiar with. I’m gettin lost in his jargon, but it’s only cause I’m not cultured enough.
It reminds me of an episode of Parks and Recreation from (a) decade(s) back where For an episode or two, Leslie (the main character) dates a guy… I forget where they met, but she works in the government. Wherever they are, he’s always telling all of these stories of all of his amazing adventures and work and etc etc. Leslie both, can’t believe he’s dating her, but also wants more of his attention and just feels the relationship is always off. One night she’s having a house party and he’s got a crowd standing around him as he’s telling a great story about a trip to Europe or something and she’s in another part of the room watching, a little confused. Her friend/mentor, Ron says to her someting along the lines of, “he’s a tourist”. He visits, he has a great time, and he carries on. It was something like that, (probably the real version is different… let’s look it up and see how well I remembered it…)
Here we go: ChatGPT:
In the Parks and Recreation Season 2 episode "Galentine's Day," Ron Swanson offers Leslie Knope insight into her boyfriend Justin's behavior, saying:
"He's a tourist. He vacations in people's lives, takes pictures, puts them in his scrapbook, and moves on. All he's interested in are stories." This quote reflects Ron's observation that Justin is more focused on collecting experiences than forming meaningful connections.
I think of this episode sometimes. It’s not always spot on, but interesting.
Is Seattle Paris or Brussels? Jk. I get it, he’s saying we’re luxurious here and we don’t want peopel to leave, right!? So agree! :)
So when people started moving from Paris to Brussels that was a big statement. It caused entrepreneurs to set up companies in other places.
This is an argument I’ve heard a lot… I heard it at the event about Hydrogen/Fusion Energy and how Washington is heading towards being the first state to produce hydrogen energy locally, and then keep it here… so we can keep up with energy demand.
I know that people in this group on stage are also interested in fission energy {though maybe fusion too}, and invest in it… so, it’s why I like to keep learning about both and forming my opinion! :)
The French president finally said this has not been good and they abolished it.
Why is what failed in France is being proposed for Washington? I think the bottom line is this: these proposals if adopoted will increase cost and reduce jobs. These proposals will weaken the tech sector in this state. Frankly, in a way that will do stating damage to this startup economy here
(Do they really care about empowering other companies? About startups espeically? Or just use them for ideas?)
Thank goodness we have a governor who has called for what I’d call as a more thoughtful approach.
What about “thank goodness we have customers who love us and we work hard for them/this planet AND the governor” blah blah blah. Let’s not lean on the governor so much, eh? Or is that not how it works? Haha. Idk!! Just an idea
I’d just ask people to think about what this will mean for our economy.
You can’t have a healthy company without a company economy. But you can’t have a healthy economy without a healthy business.
What are the key issues on your mind now nationally?
The Chinese curse: we live in intersting time
LOL! I’m like, why is everyone always throwing china as a fear!! It’s a classic move right 101. They just did this as a few events yesterday and recently (of course it’s a fear - or not - idk… it’s just often said, is my point) What else? China is pretty cool!! I lived there for almost 5 years and they have amazing transportation and parks, cool places. Lots of problems of course - but it’s a great place!! Let’s work together not just say “ohhhh wwoooooo be scared of the Chinese Curse” as your KEY ISSUE!!!
If that’s a curse, we’re living up to those intersting times.
We are navigating a lot of domestic issues like eveybody. A lot of wondering what comes next.
That’s not entirely unusual in the first months of a new administration.
But belive me, when we open the papers or our laptops, or our phones we don’t know what’s going to be there in the morning
Everyone laughs in the crowd.
Yes, the protesting can still be heard outside.
We need to continue to grow and invest in the USA. We’re spending 80B on capital expansion, more than half in the USA.
But we need to grow around the world, support the world, provide cyber security protection for companies around the world.
Create economic tools for competitiveness for countries around the world. That somthing I do, advancing that.
I was in Warsaw with leaders in Poland, then leaders in Ireland, then leaders in South Africa,
I’m like omg, this guy is name dropping everywhere! (I notice it cause I feel FOMO each time he mentions things I’ve never done/been to hahahah).
Now people are looking at the USA and they have questions.
Interestingly enough, it’s important for us to take this time to show up and say “South Africa, this company has been here for 32 years cause we support the people of South Africa. We’ve been teh fundamental piece of a great technology hub in Europe… we will be a source off stability even in what can sometimes feel like an unstable time.”
LOL _ i’m like… okay “source of stability” for who? And whose fault is it that we’re in an unstable time that now you need to stabilize? Lolllll. okay?
We do this in a way that matters to people in those countries
And we still talk with the Whitehouse, the commerce, those departments… they understand that aspect.
It’s an interesting set of issues to navigate. We’re navigating them and will continue to.
NEXT QUESTION: Looking at the global stage, Ai, and China - how do you strike the balance to keep competitive and keep your company in mind?
In a way that would have been hard to imagine a decade ago, these tech issues are really top tier at some international relations issues.
One does need … (then I get distracted)
A random woman even came over and congratulated the guy who’d stood up.
She came and sat in front of me, to congratulate him. She brought her stuff in the process and then stayed there, which obstructed my view almost the rest of the event, haha.
She sat with him and his boyfriend to congratulate them for his bravery and just hang out in their presence. They chatted a lot from here on out.
And then a woman, in front of him, who had a lot to drink, joined in on the chatter with her friends. And they all became a merry little group in the pews among this event.
They had a lot of chatter that I couldn’t really hear (and didn’t try to) but, since it wasn’t on a microphone, it was easy enough to listen to the audio that was on microphone: the speakers on stage…
Though you can still dimly hear the protests in the background.
Back to the chats:
You’re going to have to choose: you can either bet on China for your digital tech or you can bet on the USA.
Then the UAE wanted to choose the United States. The US Gov doesn’t create this tech, but the us private sector does.
lol he is bff with them! 4 real!
He’s laughing, keeps talking - then we found ourselves last week in Abu Dhabi, basically auditioning for a part in play that we didn’t even know ws assign produced. Because what the government had to decide is if they are going to bet on a company they’d have to bet on a country.
This makes no sense to me. They were bluffing to Abu Dhabi investors who were betting on the government/country? I was just there btw, a few weeks ago! It’s extremely extremely bright there. You need to wear a hat! But at night it’s easier to see your surroundings. Cool place. I would go back! Yes. Now, I’m place-dropping.
They’d ask you to change your schedule to meet with the crown prince for lunch… well, I supposed - can you delay your light and meet with the deputy ruler.
He namedrops nonstop! lol.
We would like to bet on you - they say. I go, “That’s great, for what?”
Everyone laughs
Then he says they want to bet on our technology, and he says “we got it”
“It’s a fascinating time and we play a significant part in the world and that’s a wonderful thing. “
I’m just wondering “significant in what way???”
How should the world, how will you judge or measure your progress in the next 5-10 years of business, techongoy, and the world.
We the same challenge for every year. You have to win a year at a time.
You need a longterm plan, but you can never take anything for granted. The frontier of tech keeps moving forward. You need a huge amount of intensity and hustle even day.
Moving forward how? To what?
It’s very clear thisis an Ai era. It’s going to redefine in multiple ways, the world of digital techonology. We have to stay at the forefront and do what we’ve always done.
Have an important partner network, partner deeply with customers.
There is a broad society issue… people need to adapt their skillbase to Ai.
The jobs in this country are going to shift.
We’re soon going to start talking about one of our forward looking products. Let’s not just get together and talk back about the past 50 years, let’s talk about where our tech is going.
For me, personally, it’ll be a very emotional moment. The only the 2nd time in the company’s history, these leaders, each have done a good job, standing next to each other side by side on the same stage. There’s lots of things that have been unique or very unusual about this company. But oh my goodness. This leadership, its makes all the difference.
Eruption of cheering.
They shake his hand.
NEW Speaker: their sponsor, a PR COMPANY
She says sh’s nervous cause one of the former ceos is front row as she speaks, she says
(I’m like, how was that protestor like 5th row center when that ceo is there?? of this huge company? Was he a plant idea from this PR group? If not, how did they leave him so exposed like that!?! They were so close 😅)
CEO’s presence shouldn’t spook a PR pro—unless stakes are weirdly high. (said Ai, lol!)
More dubious distinction getting lost while we were trying to buy magazines and we drove through sthree states to get to New Hampshire. (I didn’t do the best job writing down what she said, but let’s try below)
I’ll tell a story. Something outrageous at the time was a computer on ever desk and at evey home. The world was just beginning to grasp this trremedous work of computer - being able to tell super complex things and stories and helping peopel understand those things.
We even recently relaunched our brand, which shouts out our strategy: we humanize complexity to realize progress. We’ve had the great fortune to work alongside all of you for decades and decades. YOu’ve lead the way advancing society for all of those years. It’s been not only thrilling, not only the need to earn the business even day, but also for us one of the most rewarding things.
As I finish up, what I love is that the executives cared so veraciously what the editors were saying’s why took the time to hear from those editors. It’s’ why they’re so well known and influential and successful. Her’s to Microsoft, cheers for making the impossible possible. I can’t wait to see what is next.
Her speech is over.
She goes to hand the guys the microphone and then jsut point to the back door. It was a tiny bit awkward. I feel like they could have made it more easygoing, taken the mic, shook her hand, or something. But tehy just let her be the butt of the joke!!! and/or what? Not know what to do the with mic, like any normal person on stage.
Lol. That’s just like, the stage person + actress experience in me + experience managing theater / music shows… I can’t help but notice these things! 😂
Now they show an interview on the screen that is prerecorded with a famous guy and one of the hosts.
We want to know how to hire people, get better tools and do all kinds off software.
Many of our competitors were doing great companies.
One company is the 123 company and had the amazing word processor
We just write software we’re global
Till certain companies, there’s really not a horizontal company that’s thinking of company in this very very broad way.
By the late 90s we were so successful that even I can say we may not make a few mistake or disappear. I was always running scared until about 98 or 99, then yeah we’re in good shape.
This event is draining me. I’ll go get a tea or something and come back -
Teh trivia answer is that “this famous guy is a bayesian” I wonder what that means.
NEW Speaker: Paleontology + Cuisine
The next speaker coming up is interested in paleontology, cuisine, the CEO of these companies, used to work in this comapny
I was about to to leave but this guy has the most random background
He talks about Bayesian, (my exact question) saying Tomas base was a clergyman who came up with a theory so there are many baysians… They move on (I don't get it)
Ai? What does “Baysian” mean?
Bayesian stuff’s all about probability—smart guessing that gets sharper as you pile on evidence. Think of it like this: you’re betting on rain. You start with “eh, maybe 50% chance,” then see dark clouds—bump it to 70%. Wind picks up—90%. It’s not just gut; it’s updating your hunch with what you see. That’s Bayesian—methodical, nerdy, evidence-driven.
“Means he’s into this vibe—loves data, tweaking plans as new info rolls in. Fits his “nerd-king” rep—dude’s all about stats, optimization, control (think AI, energy gambles from your fission blog). In the interview, it’s a flex—famous guy’s saying, “We’re not just coding; we’re thinking deep.”
For the People: Imagine you’re picking a winning team. You guess based on vibes—Bayesian’s checking stats, last games, injuries, tweaking the odds each step.
Okay - let me go get a snack then come back.
OMG they put away all the drinks and snacks. RUDE.
How is there no dinner here? Lol. I want to leave.
But the protesters are still outside.
Lol and I just don’t want to be yelled at and it’s raining and I dont want to explain myself again and the subway is far.
I’ll just go take more notes upstairs
They’re talking
So, the famous founder, they say, he had the idea to make a software factory.
Don’t be as wed to your products, just make the next product, and the next, and the next.
Computers used to be impersonal, programmed by a very small set of peopel. We had to harness the power so it becomes soemtihng LOTS of people want to do. Like with Word, Excel, making spreadsheets. All of that was a greenfield opportunity for our industry. Microsoft was very successful at addressing those things.
Tell us your favorite memory with the famous guy.
There are calculated things..
In 1987 I told him this company would be the biggest company and he’d be the richest man in the world world, I told him it’d take 10 but it only took 3.
It only took 3 for an intersting world cause I didn’t think Sam Walton would die.
BTW his math is off cause Walton died in 1992.
He was of a different generation and it wouldn’t last forever.
He also mentions how Walmart is a fantastic company.
I told him that a 1T market cap was very reasonable. I looked at the most comparable period. I took teh market cap of US steel as a percentage of the stock exchange and a trillion was easily possible its probably more of that cause the economy will grow.
He told me I’m new here and so he’d forgive the stupidity of his remark.
But I thought to myself: but I bet I’m right.
For along time almost became a running joke. I’d say “another personal best, how do I keep doing it?” As he called my predictions stupid.
After he went to the foundation he tried to stop saying that.
I’m sitting over with another guy, someone says something that was just incredibly stupid.
The famous guy wants to say it, we try to egg him on.
In some of his meetings in his advisory roles they let him do this as his greatest hits.
But the company is at 3T now.
You’ve been looking ahead, in energy, theoretical physicas, quantum, let’s talk a little bit about Ai. What’ your take on Ai today and where it’s headed. How it plays out it eh context of the computer sincere that you’ve done in your career?
People overestimate the short term and underestimate the longterm.
It’s a good pitch if you’re trying to pitch your company and so forth. Even companies compete to say more outrageous things like that.
But in the long run, I’d put Ai today a lot like personal computers in the 1980’s.
I think its potential is enormously higher. That will require a whole lot of work by a whole lot of folks.
I’m almost entirely heartened. There’s a class of human ideas that peopel jsut one having and they have a history of always being wrong, but that never stops the next person from having that idea. The notion that progress is going to destroy us has come through time and time again in history.
The luggites in England were upset about a stocking frame, a frame that was used to make stockings. They thought it’d destroy England, but it didnt happen. People were destroying the frames, tehy made it dealt penalty if you damaged frames.
Then only six peopel were killed, and all sent to Australia. It worked out pretty good for them.
But it seems peopel were worried about the jobs, not literally dying from them…
The host goes, so… Ai?
The audience cracks up, cause he got off topic.
He goes, oh! Yeah! Ai. What’s amazing is that fairly simple techniques and tremendous amounts of computing power actualyl achieve sometihng that has able to mimic most parts of human languages.
They shoudl give a Nobel prize for this thing. The idea that the richness of human language can be done in a simple model that teaches itself so long as you feed iti every book on earth.
None of us here learned to do anything ut reading every book on earth. It’s largely cause we have the ailbity to generate new obstructions on the fly. You’ll know I’m referring to to that.
The staff guy who was dancing to the beat of the genocide chants comes and sits done. I recognize him. His shift must be done and finally he can come here the speeches.
Ai has to be trained, by having every example you can possibly imagine of different combinations of words. We’ll get there but that’s a miracle we need to be achieved.
That could happen tomorrow, tonight, or it could take another 10 years. That, and even more important than that than most peopel, is the work of using that power to do something for you.
When you can move bits around on the screen, then word can put letters together with fonts and documents and presentations.. all of this allows us basically ailbity to do some tasks.
If you want to write limerick, there’s no better way than Ai.
Ask for ashakesperean sone to sound like a sonnet, it’s shocking! I dont’ mean to trivialize it, but harnessing that, we’ve only scratched the surface.
So we’re 3-5 miracles away from Ai that’s as powerful or intelligent as humans?
Yes
Everyone wants to know when things will happen, but you couldn’t guess two years ago what would happen today. People at this company believed a crazy idea that only would happen if we poured billions and billions of dollars to get there.
People have been trying to fund Ai since the 1060’s and it’s not been successful. But thats the risk you have to take. It’s how we got in this position cause we were able to make that and have grit.
In all of this company’sresearch, it exists today cause you made the case for it internally. But you barely mentioned Ai. But Ai has gone through cycles of being in and out of fashion, like clothes do that, but Ai would have a boom cycle where etheyre’d be a minor breakthrough… but you’d know when every product - no matter how dumb, had Ai technology.
Then there is a crash where everyone sees Ai is bullshit.
During the crash Ai would work, a new strategy, but then they announced it with a new name.
Callign it “ai” woudl be negative sometimes, you need to brand it. Machine learning is called that, it’s from the eras that “ai” was out of fashion.
How do you view the Open Ai partnership ned the pragmatic bet they’ve made to fuel … idk?
We say, “we’ll never hire all of the smart people on earth, there will always be someone outside the company who has a better idea than us.”
We need to keep our ear to the ground and figure out when someone else has a better idea and how we can learn from that. Do business deals even.
The time they first did the big deal with openAi, tehy had 40 employees, while we had over 1000 working on some aspect of Ai. Then they gave billions to these other companies, it was a caluclated risk that makes sense
Are you worried about Ai and human existence? Humans love having really scary nasty villains that aren’t actually real. Soon, okay? None of us eat personally threatened by soon. The night king? They’tre not going to get us either.
When people conjure these stories of Ai overloads, it’s a story to get excited about, frightened… but we all know we’re going to go home and no Ai overlord is going to get us.
What about Ai, nuclear.?
Me and other alumni from this company are chairman of an energy company. I’m the vice in teh company.
(I just heard from them earlier today!! Lol. too random and/or they’re promoting a lot lately)
HEre’s an einterested perspctive: Americans use about 12kw of energy. It’s like you have 12 toasters running constantly. That’s all the energy. That’s in your car, the lights.
Take all that energy and Ade d it up.
The average in the world is 2,500…but all those people want to do 12,00 -
and we even want to go higher.
No one would have ever said that data centers are a major part of utility English, they’ll be even more going forward
You have to think of a world where the energy demand grows by ta factor of 5-10.. so if someone sys we sold do 10% efficiency here and there, that’s great, but but it won’t solve the problem.
The poor world wants to get rich and the rich wants more power.
If we don’t find good ways to build energy supply we’ll really be in trouble. That’s why we invented a new type of reactors, I’m one of the inventors.
We have a deal to build one (well, two) in Wyoming. We’re designing it right now.
We need to both replace what we already have and grow the world’s energy supply by a large factor. In parts, a lot of the world can have teh lifestyle like we have today and part is so we can do better.
What’s new in your world? Are you applying Ai in paleontology or any of your work?
I do a lot of stuff… I’m writing a really big 2,500 book on pastry.
This last week I said to someone I’m writing on pastry, and they said: it must be hard writing on pastry. I didnt know if they were puling my leg or what.
We use ai for that project. We’ve got a collective database for thousands of recipes. For chocolate companies we have so many recipes. We look at “why” What would the best one be like? How do tehy differ?
I do quite a big of research, math research these days. Paleontology. I use it quite a bit in research. Il’l ask it about something and I’ll say here’s how this is all done and I’ll say one assumptions aren’t necessary. Then Chat GPT always says, “Wow you’re absolutely right!” And Chat GPT has learned how to butter me up.
Where do you see its strengths and weaknesses in this emerging world? What are you going to be watching most closely?
These guys have nonstop ‘cock shame’ hahah I think of rivleno’s account on X hahaha. Sorry, that’s so rude but I can’t stop noticing it on all these speakers!!
One things that caused me to sell my company to those guys is they’d admit when they were wrong. It’s hard for some people, especially CEO - and then have a junior person say it’s wrong and then admit it. But if you’re like that guy, you find it more embarrassing to not admit so he would.
We hired people from lots of backgrounds. Those values are still fundamentally in the company. That’s what’s allowed this company to stay relevant.
Lots of companies who are competitors, they’re almost all gone. Even companies that 10 years or 15 years ago people thought they’d eclipse us, they’ve stalled out. We’ve continued to innovated and we’ve needed to innovate for the local and global economy. IT means our company will absolutely have a mandate for the next 50 years.
They thank him and clap him off the stage. I want to leave hahaha.
Let’s see - is it over? I think so.
Oh no, another video interview video on the screen with the famous guy.
Lots of people in the audience are leaving. Many left after the first speaker, now more.
Probably everyone is hungry. It’s like at least 40% of the people left.
That one lady is super drunk in the crowd hugging and kissing on everyone hahaha. She was talking about how she’s one of the oldest peopel here, but I don’t think she is.
Interview Video:
It’s a great thrill that many of my companies are doing really well. It’s a great thrill for me.
I didn’t even take many notes from that. Wasn’t inspired and dint hear much amaizng/surprising, etc.
Now another sponsor is the alumni network for 30 years of being here.
Now they have “a new oral history project to collect information from the past workers. “
Now different peopel in the audience are featured on this video saying what they love about this company in this quirky testimonial video. Passion for technology.
“This company gave a purpese for people to use things.”
Responsible for millions and millions of jobs. This main has been able to bring that power not only to our computer but to do business in a way that benefitted a lot of people.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to build something from scratch. It’s hard to understand that 50 years go the idea that computing power should be accessible, affordable to everyone - that was not in the atmosphere. So much innovation and invention started with this idea that they’re shoudl be computer in every pocket horse, every wall, all the glasses… that change of thinking has transformed the world.
The audio if this video is weird - it is just so loud at the end with the music compared to the people being interviewed. Like tehy never tested it on loud speakers with the person who made it.
Someone goes, “damn thats good”.
This host is reading a speech off a screen in the front its so awkward hahahaha. But at least he has no cock shame. He’s excited about this event and proud - lol 😂
Okay, now three sponsors are on stage. “A legacy of leading in reinvention.” (Let’s see what tehy have say.)
These three guys all have the same hair/haircut. but work for the same companies?? no wayyyy hahahaha.
They made systems and named them all off of beers. Local beers and beers in Japan. He found it hard to not stand up as part of the group that was a employee of this group, worked there so long, a huge part of it, a partner on the account in 2000
(idk what is he talking about just the beer thing caught my attention.
Seems like a lazy - or creative - way to name something. College style. You gotta do it somehow. But, focused around an additiction that also poisons and embarasses you when you overdo it (alcohol)… and not the healthiest? Risky.
Launch of window 2000, this company was going really big in the enterprise.
I’m proud of this company, he says.
It’s an honor to be here for the 50th anniversary and the important role we’ve all played int he journey. Half a century is pretty incredible when you think about it. The mission has always been big and bold. How do we make this real for our customers? Real for the world? When we think about this partnership, customer partner. First and best customer first and best partner.
When we look at the potential of Ai, its partnerships like this that will make it possible.
We’re figuring out how to make what was impossible tomorrow possible today.
We live and breathe this company, that’s all we do. We do this for a living. When we think about what’s next, the best is yet to come.
The next 5 years we’ll still be doing large enterprise accounts. We’re expanding into the meat market, thousands of partnerships making the best capabilities and engineers.
We’re bringing 50,000 people/employees in the prepackaged industry solutions for the meat markets.
WTF!! GET OUT OF MY MEAT!! lol.
Very fascinating as this company pushes the boundaries for Ai. We’re in a position to equip it and impact this market and companies of all size.
What the fuck is he talking about? Get your hands out of my meat, sponsor/partner of this company, right? Do we trust you? Wtf meat??!! Right? lol.
Last speaker/trivia.
(Do I stay????) Meat packaging? The longer I stay the more I uncover. It’s like omg. I guess so…
Last speaker??? Wait, no - they realize this is the ending(?). The hosts aren’t clear.
So they need one more moment of audience participation, then teh final speaker, the first manager and second CEO. Heart and soul of the company. Welcome with a tribute to his iconic moments. Everyoen stand up. Clap with me as a start then we have a slow clap and you know what to say - then everyone cheers a word and idk what he says.
Oh... his last name.
Then he comes onto the stage like he’s professional fighter and he yells “you got me!!!”
He askes if he can do audience participation, if I was ever in a meeting with you or lunch, stand up - if I was ever mean to you, keep standing.
I apologize to all standing parties.
One guy stays standing a long time trying to make eye contact with the guy on stage, hoping for some closure even maybe. But he doesn’t see him. Eventually sits down. Lol.
Hm….
You remain this company’s biggest shareholder even after a decade away from the company. It’s a remarkable story about this business. Your tenure and relationship. What do you love this company so much?
Today’s it’s an interesting question
When I was there, I love what we did, the people we hired, not everybody - there are some exceptions, but I loved the people, the impact, the success of the business, and I felt real heart and passion.
I’ve been gone a number of years and so I’ve had to ask myself: what is it I still love? The leadership - who I know well - the notion of forward momentum.
I don’t care what people say about culture change, but cultures don’t change totally and the notion of being hardcore and pushing forward and diving is part of this company.
I did a piece of math the other day. My guess is 10% of people working there today worked when I was there, it is 200,000 people. Was 80,000 when I left.
I say to myself, do I even know the company? Only sorta - but I love what the company does. I love the mission. Il love the people I know, and - uh. So I’, a guy who holds onto my shares except when we give them away. I”m pointing to my wife on that. And that’s a good thing.
Diamond handed ape? Lol.
I find myself liking that speech a bit… but also, he doesn’t know what they do so well? I wonder if he were more tuned in would he love it so much?
What are your memories of a certain guy’s contribution to the company?
He cries and tears up. He goes, “You got me with that one.”
He left quickly with his disease. He was an amazingly curious person. Amazingly. When I think about the things that really made the company kinda the germs and the ideas, the thing that really constituted the company, I think of him. He cheered me on. Nothing was happening without another guy, but him cheering him on.
The other guy said we’re not hardware guys, we’re software guys.
But when the first PC was on the magazine, he came to the other guy and said: okay, let’s go write the software of everything this thing will ever need.
You can take that to an extreme, there were things we tried to write and we shoudl have stayed away from we weren’t enough in.
When it came time to push us to do application software, he pushed us. He was my friend.
He, in my current life, he was incredibly meaningful. He’s the one who encouraged e to buy a basketball team for 25 years. But we never went to a game together when our two teams played. We were scheduled to go to one but he, he wasn’t feeling well. We all had our superstitions about when we were playing and who could go watch it.
BTW I taught a kid a class on taxes and then her mom bought 3 more week so I had to expand and I ended up learning a lot about taxes, and it turns out that one way to really avoid taxes is by buying a sports team.
Without his genius and spush and insight there’s no company.
The crowd erupts in cheers
Your genuine interest and care stands out. Of course there were times your were counterpoint. But what was it like when you and and the famous guy were at your best as a leadership duo. What made your working relatunship with I’m work?
There were phases: phase 1, idk anything, I work for him and I’m a sponge. That’s great, probably the first 6/7 years.
Then I was little kid and great up a little bit. Could consult with the famous guy.
Yes, I ran software and was the development manager for a big program, the first edition.. I take no credit fr it being late.
Then we worked almost apart the I was running sales with the famous guy on Epcot. We talked with a different kind of relationship.
Now I’m trying to learn and lead my own projects.
When I was CEO, that was hard. I think probably everyone read about it and knows it. We went a whole year without speaking from 2000-2001 but finally our wives cracked our heads and our wives made us have dinner. We didnt’ know how to switch our relationship. I knew how to work for him or be a team, but he didn’t know how to work for me. It took us a while to get that done.
Yes we were talking, but it probably took us 4 years. Probably some of the worst years, those early 2000’s. We may have made maybe the biggest mistake cause it tied up so man resources of things we ultimately missed.
What was the famous guy’simpact on this company?
- He is a genius. TO this dyy he’s the smartest guy I’ve ever known
He could take ideas, generate them too, outline the clearly, see a clear path forward
That’s an amazing skill.
His brain is a brain that simplifies things. That’s an amazing skill
Everyone who met with him, he has a way to take any problem, see a picture, ask the famous 10 questions. I always wish he could stop and paint the mental model he’d developed… teach us
He was able to see things in that way which was incredible powerful. He’s incredibly competitive. I mean that in all the best of ways. You can pretend as a leader that it doesn’t’ matter, but it matters. You’ve gotta compete. He doesnt’ compete as much any more, but he has competitive strategy. He has a lot of energy and put in a lot of hard work
SUDDENLY A PROTESTOR STANDS UP AND CRIES OUT:
“THE FAMOUS GUY IS A WAR CRIMINAL!!”
Everyone starts moaning and groaning. A girl stands up and is speaking so quickly and we can’t even heard her with her mask. You can’t even hear what she says. Most about children being attacked, but most of what she said it muted by her face mask. She yells out the phrase everyone in her group has been saying. How these leaders are war criminials.
They had two security guards covering the protesters even more prompt than ever before. The people standing up.
She yells time to time on her way from her seat, behind the people, sorta towards out/down the stairs (but never yells while going down the stairs!)
Many people groan in the audience, like “oh no, not more of this”
Then, on stage, they acknowledge that it’s so great these people are expressing free speech - then move on.
Now the drukn lady is laughing and sloppy, cause the guy went again to try to stop these protestors. Then the lady moved back - the woman who moved here originally to sit with them after he tried to settle the first protestor. That got me to stand up and move too. I wanted a change of scenery, if nothing else. SO I moved closer to my phone charging hahaha. Still towards the back
That business guy is an azmaing talent and achievement - we have a business partnership that lead to a lot of good thinsgs
They show a picture of him hyped about his basketball team and everyone cheering. “That’s a cool picture” he says about his pic of himself.
I respect people who are intense, with purpose, hardcore, with purpose. When you get to know peopel like this and they’re fund to spend time with, I call them a friend.
ANOTHER PROTESTOR STANDS UP AND CRIES OUT:
YOU’RE KILLING CHILDREN!!!!!
She stands up and frantically yells out more accusations and facts, right to the face of the guy on stage.
I didn’t write down what she said, but it was making sense. She was really upset and crying desperately about the kids and families.
And then she says the same line again and again, that her whole group was chanting.
Some guy in the audience is pissed off and yells out like, “oh, c’mon!”
Like he’s pissed off about a commercial interrupting the big game suddenly.
The protestor is escorted out of the place, for the third time. She casually yells out simply “her catch phrase” a few times on her way out the door. Not while going down the stairs.
Then the guest on stage makes a joke about an alumni and then everyone laughs.
Hmmmm. So weird. I just know ‘they’ plant people sometimes for protests.
And these peopel keep just saying “their catch phrase”, these protestors, so many times in their interruptions (and protests). So idk if they’re legit or just paid. I know that sometimes they pay homeless or random people a few bucks to go dress up and stand around and protest. Did someone do it here?
Doesnt’ that stink I’m sitting here wondering this?
I’d be awesome if more progress was happening in the world. Where we saw problems, stood up for them, and created more immediate resolutions.
I don’t like how we’re lke, “hey!! are those protests about killing kids real?” - then, “Idk!! Welp, anyway, back to the show. And, did I forget to meantion… thank GOODNESS for FREE SPEECH!!”
(okay this is the part I was still trying to debate to myself if they’re plants or not.. it doesn’t all make crystal clear sense in my notes, but still, valid:)
- Again, I know this is all extremely complicated, but if they’re being a like a fake and planted cause this is so highly reported on? NO way they’d plant all these peopel? It’s hard to say.Idk they may though. Even so, maybe this company needs to confront something? That’s what I think is the priroirt of this all. Of life!! It’s taking the time to make choices that help others. I feel like a hypocrite typing it out, cause it’s so hard to accomplish, but you should work to do this, and often you can’t cut corners without that exposing itself, as well.
Especially as a business, where you have so many peopel involved and eyes… I feel like this goal could be achieved easier though. If you make your goals clear, everyone keeps each other in check.
If you goal is not to harm humans, make sure you’re achieving it. If that isn’t your goal - why? What’s it worth? They’re skipping this part of the conversation.
I MEAN!!!! Their main sponsor is a PR company!! That’s just a fact that they shared at THIS EVENT.
SO they may really be pushing this right now to make peopel feel afraid or something?
And extra anti-protest? Or thinking protest and this group is so out of control?
If not, what’s the PR strategy? Oof. I don’t even want to know. You know? hahahah. I’m over this company even more than before.
Idk. SO weird on like a 4D chess level.
A security guard gives a thumbs up to another security guard after a while.
They seem to be saying, like, that girl is taking care of and we’re doing great
(and, what? The plants are over -hahaha. Just kidding. idk. I feel like 3 protestors interrupting are a lot, but I’m kinda prepared for more at this point. What’s going to happen next!? haha. No dinner, a million speeches, this place is crazy.)
What are you proud of?
Moving to the cloud.
why?
I could go back and list things I like, how I did them. Things I don’t like how I did .
But without building blocks it doesn’t happen. It think back of all the different potholes.
why? what? what was your story of going to the cloud? What of this did you like and not like?
We had the Dotcom bubble and everyone was unhappy. We had stock options and no one felt in then. No one felt we had to do that. We had to deal with something we felt was free.
Thet was a new concept. We have to compete with free things. We have to survive. We have to move to the cloud.
Just like everyone else, we did whatever it took to survive? That’s what he’s saying ? And he doesn’t like how he got there, but it was building blocks and he’s glad they did it? haha. okay. Gaps missing but okay.
Everything else was fighting action and taking care of what needs to be taken care of.
If you could go back what would you do different?
I’d stop the Cairo project 3 or 4 years earlier. It had the wrong vision, the execution wasn’t very good… it was like the emperor had no clothes and they weren’t willing to talk about it. With hindsight that’s the thing I most regret.
Most other things I regret may have been a lot better. There was a lot of talent. In the modern area we havd a team of thousands tied up for years.
That doesn’t’ sound very good…
Yeah!! You asked!!! I ADMITTED IT!!! Cause everything else, phone - I can point to. But SHIT we lost 20,000 mad - who does that and serviced it? And we managed to get on a good path.
idk what he’s even talk about exactly here.
You gotta have a little leniency too.
I thought you were gonna say “yahoo” - if we’d bought it we would have made a lot of money, if we hadn’t bough tit - we saved a lot of moeny.
We might or might not have still gotten that help with search.
Let’s talk with you as a shareholder now. Looking ahead, I know you really look at the innovative health and profit group of the company. What are ht indicators you do? Do you listen to earning calls?
No, my folks at work listen for me but I join the quarterly investor call
I just ask questions about what’s going to happen next quarter.
Why aren’’t you spending more on R&D? What are you doing?
Are you investin enough?
Are you drilling enough wells to get your next big things?
Right now I feel like they are?
There are things they missed and yet - somebody might say, if I was at this company, someone may say why weren’t we the first ones do to LLMs? We pivoted later and got it right.
You gotta ask if you’re doing everything you can do to get in front of some of these things.
You gotta be asking if that innovation machine is really working.
They’re smart and doing great stuff.
2 important questions about broad work. Development of the new basketball home end the dome, you have the stamp of your innovation. You thought of the wall - how does the new arena building reflect your thoughts own innovation in history?
Can I brag? We’re dong things with USA facts, published government data.
omg makes me think of “The Infinite Jest” and “1984” hahaha.
The other is we just got named one of the most 25 innovative companies in the world. I’m more about what I wanted in that area than anything i’ve ever seen involved with. But this I know what I want as a fan.
There are two teams in LA, two teams in the market and everything is weird.
People love the sonics, hate the sonics, want them back - but everyone is about the same team. W e said let’s be hardcore about basketball - there are not enough places to lounge and watch the game..no!!!
We want you in your seat, cheering, vibrating with energy. Your fundamental product is just a bowl- what is going to go in the bowl? The people sitting!
Dude. His energy (I mean, it’s everyone with sports) just makes me think of that old saying about like bread and circuses. Keep them entertained with sports, music, hobbies… then they’re distracted.
The first product is the team on the floor -that we work on a littel different. But we decided we want it to feel intimate, tight, steep… student section. We designed the thing around that.
They said what ifthey do a scoreboard around the building instead of the middle. The scoreboard is half an acre on each side. It’s nutty but it works out great.
Freethrower shooters from opposing teams shoot worse in our than any other. That’s home court advantage.
We put in toilets, LOTS of toilets, cause I don’t want anyone waiting in line.
What about the eco-efficiency of this? And his energy company he co-runs? So… when it’s basketball, who cares about energy use? They’re eco-friendly toilets? But with energy providing and energy companies, that’s where we draw the line?
Hey! We’re the ones making the energy, anyway. Bring on the toilets, it’s the big game!!!
I do not want tech as a key part of this thing. NO tech!! We’re not doing any of that.
Wait. what do you mean no tech?
But we did find some cool aplication software tech.
Completely frictionless - you log in with your face. Every market has teh camera in teh ceiling. G rave it - scans your face, grab stuff sit , go, back to your seat.
We can tell to the seat level how many decibels wyou were putting out at any time.
We have cops in every seat and know when you’re in your seat and not in your seat.
I think he said a different word but ‘cops’ is what it sounded like
Just wait till they put these in schools! lol. or officeessss omg.
We have seating control to the seat level. Electric power in every seat, lights in every seat. A mini video game controller in every seat. Then you can interact with the board without taking out your phones.
We ended up with a lot of tech but the goal is to be a Mecca of basketball. The greatest place to go watch basketball part to none. Then we’ll even have all the Olympics in our budding in 2028. Sorry that was long winded but I got a lot of juice for that.
DUDE! THIS IS SO BIG BROTHER TECH SPOOKY HHAHAHA. ITS LIEK THE MOST TECH FREAKY ARENA. I DIDNT Know even that stuff like this is possible.
Also, what about us here now with no food or drinks? lol.
You made a philanthropic group - both nonprofit group reporting on government data. You posted about important about gov providing data for factual date
This current administration like to reinvent the truth
Lol what!? That’s a bold thing to say. And.. just my opinion, I’m not sure. I think we’ve been told a lot of lies in the popular world. So maybe some of this new administration is addressing things. Why things have been so weird, from history to the stock market exchange. Why all of this money is caught gone completely to waste. Maybe they’re revealing truth? But idk. I know this is the total time of an information warfare.
So who is more truthful than who? It’s not sure. This guy even said he doesn’t keep with the details.
His biggest worry is about the stadium, while everyone’s saying this company is killing kids.
It’s a very rich company, but they’re taking over the industry and dominating…
I just don’t know how long this type of dynamic can last. Seems that information, the internet, proof of alternatives working… I hope that some change and direction can come to this company. Some accountability.
Yeah, we take a very nonpartisan approach. I have things I care about, I vote. That part is not important.
Lol, so personally he doesn’t agree with actions. But when it comes to business, things must be done? That’s business? No!! As I said above, a business is an even better chance/way to make the tough choices in a good way.
There are issues care about. It’s important to udnresatnd our government by the numbers. Nubmers are the least partisan thing you can have. Adjectives can make things sound big and small… numbers ware what they are.
Numbers are not forecast or causality
Governments need do be producing numbers, revenue from who? It’s not about P&L so what outcomes are we getting? That requires the production of data.
Even the constitution called for the state of the union. They realized the quote from Madison is like a popular democracy without widely available information is the means to get into.a prelude to a Tragedy or worse.
OMG I just dont like the idea of these random people without storng values now being in charge of preserving data hahah. And storing government data. But I guess that’s how it’s always been. Ignorance is bliss, right? And knowledge is power.
We get the data, published it, get over 100 different databases
Some things change underarm administration.
But my point is that there are plenty of things we don’t need. Surveys that no one belives in anyway, so why pay for them.
bahahahah omg. geezeeee. Okay? Says who?
Right now with the department of education or whatever we need the statistics on test scores, kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade English performances, department of education tasks to compare states… student/teacher ratio. That kind of stuff is important.
If you want to be, in any case, efficient and effectiveness can not be turned around. Everyone can decide what you think its he best thing for our government to do - what to optimize and where to spend money
But once the government in power says “this is what we care about”, okay, that’s who we’re going to measure effectiveness. Efficeinty meaning the least amount of money to get your objectives.
DUDE!!! BUT AT THE AGRICULURE EVENT, THEY SAID THE GOVERNMENT ONLY CARES ABOUT CORN AND SOY..> NOT BROCOOLI, CAULIFLOWER, SPINIACH, KALE!! SO WAHT? NOW WE DELETE ALL THE DATA ON THOSE CROPS OR WHATEVER?
NO!!! THIS IS CRAZY LOGIC!! lol.
Politics, this dminsitration, that, if we lose information, I’m not going to chatastrophize it until we see evidence there is problem -b ut we move forward.
LOL I just did it above!! hahah. It’s not the smartest move for humanity imo. we have STORAGE GALORE. WHY ARE YOU ON A MISSION TO DELETE INFORMATION!?
I started asking what we love about this company. We have an extraordinary group of people in this company. I jsut want to ask you as a conclusion through would you want to leave this group as you reflect not h fist 50 years:
I told myself I wouldn’t tear up, lemme try
He cries anyway… I have a great time at this company and I see faces of people who are meaning fun to me. I worked with them , I remember them so fondly.
So many peopel I saw and I think aw - seeing these people and I’m so happy to see them. I see these guys, I see all of you the names and names) - all these people. And I have just such wonderful memories. Good times, bad times, tough things, easy thinsg… it’s a reminder to me (he cries a lot more).
Every claps… “of just how cool I was to stop work together and I think you for that”.
Then eveyone gives him a standing ovation and cheers so loud for him and he walks off stage crying hahahahah omg.
Emotional. Emotional night. All levels.
“Big thanks to everyone for joining us tonight.”
The audience I rushing out of here as tehy wrap it up. It’s gone over 30 minutes past planned.
They thank the sponsors, but like everyone jis just walking out. Lol. As they’re still talking, everyone is over it.
“Keep readingthe series and we look forward to seeing you at our next event - the awards. Thanks. Goodnight everyone. “
LOL - okay!! There we go. Event overrrr!! Wow.
Event Review and Reflection Elaborated:
Venue (4/5): This place is extremely beautiful - but… okay, let’s be technical… it can’t keep out external sounds well. So, if you were the event planner, you should consider outside noises (firetrucks, protests). I mean, for the sake of my ‘story/coverage’ of this event, sure, that adds to it and would maybe bump it up. Plus the place is super beautiful, no complaints about it really… but… the venue didn’t work as a protector from noise (of course while the doors were open the noise came in) but even upstairs during presentations, the venue didn’t do its job in providing a quiet place for presentations to be held. And as I’ve said, was that a good thing or a bad thing for this event as a whole? Depends on your perspective.
Food (1.5/5): It was hosted around dinner time, for more than 2 hours, for/semi-by the most rich company in Seattle-ish, with PAID tickets… can’t they get a meal or something for people? some hor’derves? I think it’s why people were so drunk in the audience. Cause they expected at least a little bit of snacks or something. Instead it was only cookies. Not healthy (and not particularly amazing, though there was some variety, it’s why they get “0.5” extra. I’d just really expect more. AND THE ONLY NON ALCOHOLIC DRINK EASY TO SERVE YOURSELF? WATER!! I mean, it’s the biggest tech company on Earth-ish and their 50th.. even if they were the guest/co-host, can’t they contribute some budget to their GUESTS EATING FOOD hahahah. Especailly since most peopel there were alumni!? hahah. geeze Louise. Anyway :)
Speaker Content (3/5): I mean, interesting group. Though, I will say it was very suspicious that one moment after the protestor stood up, they' introduced their biggest sponsor - a PR company lol!! I’m like, okay guys.. I”ve been to the Blue Man Group, I’ve been to a Magic Show… I’ve been an actress even and heard of breaking the fourth wall… I think you guys have some PR ideas here. So, idk hahaha. Just felt like the sponsors speaking threw things off, felt like commercials - and felt like weird timing right after a protestor stood up. 3 did!! Idk if they were real or fake. But, they interrupted things and didnt really have a lot to say except kept repeating their catch phrase and key points. Some of the points were super severe though and I really agree with. Like the goals of keeping children safe and ending wars/unncessary pain for people. I want to see all the wars end. Let’s use negotiation and reason and compromise. It must be possible.
Networking (2/5): Super focused on alumni. Also, the protests made it so it was hard to talk to others during the beginning (unless you went upstairs, I’d assume, but even then it was loud I bet… cause during the speeches it was loud). Also, no efforts were really made for you to network except putting a sticker on your name tag as an alumni.
Likeliness to Return (1/5): Been there, done that. Unless some great amazing news comes out that I really agree with, I don’t see any reason to keep digging into this company more than needed. I’d like to see them prove me wrong and align with my values sooner than later. Let’s see. That’s why it’s not 0/5. They’re right here, I’m in their city… so, let’s see what time has in store. Companies are/aren’t people and people are/aren’t companies….
Until next time, I wish you the motivation and success to search for opportunities around your area. Search and explore: Who is out there giving talks? There are new things happening all of the time.
Find relatable or interesting topics you like and check them out! Maybe even something hosted at a cool venue, if there’s no other reason to go. Let’s see what you can learn and discover not too far from home. 😊
