GeekWire reports on the Technology Alliance “State of Technology” luncheon:
“If you’re a squirrel, make sure you stay well clear of Rich Barton. The founder of Expedia and Zillow on Wednesday offered some key advice from his dad: a driving lesson from the road that he’s used in business to this day.
“My dad used to say: ‘kill the squirrel,” noted Barton. In other words, don’t swerve out of the way or change course just because a pesky little creature gets in your way …
“That was just one nugget of wisdom from Barton as he spoke during a Q&A discussion with University of Washington computer science professor Ed Lazowska at the annual Tech Alliance luncheon in downtown Seattle. In the wide-ranging talk, Barton touched on everything from the disruption in online education to the lack of women in computer science to why he supports a statewide income tax — a political statement that drew very light applause.” [Note: Washington has the most regressive tax system in the nation. God bless Rich, and others such as Nick Hanauer and Bill Gates Sr., for speaking up in favor of a more equitable and compassionate path. And – while admitting that government, unlike businesses and individuals, may not always make optimal spending decisions – god help those who think that their success is due solely to their personal effort, and thus they should get to keep it all.]
Read more from GeekWire here.