Doug -
Just to add fuel to your fire, Bechtel Corp was estimated to have $27B
in revenues in 2010, by now they may also be $50B though without their
cronies running the (top levels) of the gov't, maybe their revenues are
down. Couldn't find a current estimate and of course, they are a
privately held corp so no disclosures required!
Aside from "owning" the US nuclear complex (via contracts and
partnerships), and having a huge presence in petroleum and military
engineering, it isn't clear they have any vision or "technical" agenda
except to make money. In fact, I think Stephen Bechtel was quoted
saying almost exactly that during the competition for the LANL
contract. For better or worse.
Saudi Aramco is roughly 10 times Google in Revenue ($500Bish?) but is
also a *state-owned* corporation in a state which is essentially owned
by a royal family... hmm... Bechtel corp is owned pretty much by a
single family... and controls much of the energy (and weapons?) of a
nation... hmmm...?
- Steve
What is Google? It is a $50 billion company. That's what it is.
Who gets 96% of its revenue from advertising... which makes it
abundantly NOTHING like any other company in the game at that scale?
Clear channel owns a lot of billboards... radio stations, XM, etc...
but at $6B revenue and no active founder(s) and no significant
technology corner?
Amazon is maybe the closest thing to compare to Google @ $62B revenue,
no bricks and mortar, and only a few years older, still run by it's
founder?
Virgin Records/Atlantic/Galactic might be nearly as *eclectic* if a
bit lower in revenue? I don't know what Branson's role is... beyond
being the token Knight with a flambouyant reputation? I assume he
calls the shots around Galactic if not Atlantic. Records has long
since gotten folded into Capitol... I"m sure he's still making money
from there, but not calling any shots?
Apple, of course, while Jobs was still alive, had a tiny bit of the
same breadth/depth/focus. $150B?
Microsoft? Lumbering beast, getting bogged down by it's own (former)
leadership. Who would have thought Apple would ever exceed MS in
revenues? $75B?
Apologies if I fumbled any numbers or facts here... it was a quick
scan... I'm just not ready to sweep Google's behaviour, presence,
circumstance under the carpet of "big corporation can't help itself".
- Steve
- Steve
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