Bill Gates – Christopher Wink

Great men are rarely good; good men are rarely great.

This perspective has long influenced my thinking, and it comes to mind again in the context of the longstanding rivalry between the late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.

I was always uncomfortable with people valorizing Jobs, because the track record seemed clear: he treated people very badly. Meanwhile, Bill Gates has done objective good with his wealth since. And yes, rehabilitating a reputation by investing in meaningful global health projects… that is a good.

But, though we don’t know the final word on the Epstein files, Gates’s relationship there does not look good, especially in light of a noncommittal interview done by his ex-wife Melinda.

Early this morning, I got home from a jam-packed, long weekend in Seattle, visiting my friend Matt Sheehan, who was receiving some treatment there.

Some of my favorite experiences:

Pike Place Market — The city’s very famous, very cool open-air market near to the. Going there during a weekday was key to seeing it live.
Space Needle — As depicted above, I made sure to get to the top of the famed Space Needle.
Halibut sandwich — With clam chowder and slaw for lunch, right in one of the stands at Pike Place. Photo here.
Nirvana — Yes, man, I listened to the 1990s grunge metal heads who originated here as much as I could.
Mass Transit— I rode the trolly — new one, not the old one — and the light rail line from the airport to the center city.
Starbucks — The first product I ever bought at any Starbucks was a latte at the original location, near Pike Place.
Great Alaskan Salmon sandwich — It might not look like much, but this meal, on a beautiful, little tourist island, was likely one of the best meals I ever had. The Salmon was so fresh, with so many tastes, and played so nicely with the slaw and a buttery ciabatti roll.
Eat and drink generally — I had lots of local beer and all the fresh fish I could get my hands on.
Iced Coffees — From lots of local places.
Sports arenas — Like mass transit, something I am always interested in seeing when visiting other U.S. cities are their altars for sport.
University of Washington — I walked the campus and ate on its main strip.
Walking, walking walking — It’s what I love to do. I was blessed with beautiful weather!

Continue reading Seattle: a long-weekend in the Pacific Northwest