Meanwhile, Mach employees struggled with Thorton’s cavalier leadership style and puerile sense of humor. At one point, a TV in the Austin headquarters’ main foyer displayed a timer called “Time until Taiwan Invasion” which, according to one photo seen by Forbes, estimated a Chinese attack would occur in 1800 days — the time by which Mach must be ready to deploy its product. “I was in the Taiwan Strait while there was civil unrest in 2008, and he was probably still in middle school,” said McManus. “I found it very offensive.”

countdown xibe-check

also lol @ the 'middle school' thing. no dude, he wasn't even in school, back in 2008 he was 4. pre-school at best

[–] VILenin@hexbear.net 37 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Doesn’t seem like the genius dudebro in question ever truly left preschool:

The tests that did happen did not go well. During a jet propulsion test last year, Thornton attempted to hold a drone down with his hands while it was at full throttle to help steady it for launch, according to interviews with multiple people who were present. Senior employees were dismayed; among many risks, the drone could have tipped over and effectively become a projectile, endangering everyone on the test range, three ex-staffers told Forbes. Range administrators shut the test down, they said.

“Mach Industries” is the world’s most expensive adult daycare with only one attendee.

The 53763737th talentless mediocre techbro dropout somehow wound up with a few hundred million dollars to find new ways to get himself killed with.

And exactly what are this guy’s qualifications? What has he ever actually accomplished himself? Does he have literally any experience? Why is he at the top calling the shots considering he wouldn’t even qualify for a Research Assistant position? Has he had a single actual job in his entire life? He’s literally just your average STEMlord except he couldn’t even get halfway through school.

he borrowed $200 from his parents in high school to build a rudimentary gas gun using “deer feeder batteries and an electrolyzer.” After a stint as a mechanic in high school, he attended MIT, where, he claimed to TechCrunch, he assembled a team of undergrads and tested a “large, mounted gun under the railroad tracks near Charles River.”

Oh I guess he did some stuff that maybe would’ve won 4th place in a Middle School science fair. A real brain genius here

During his time at MIT, he convinced a team of hydrogen experts led by Erik Limpaecher from the school’s military laboratory Lincoln Labs, to leave their posts to work on his vision of replacing gunpowder, founding the company as Trident Industries at the end of 2022.

How? How did some random dipshit undergrad convince “a team of hydrogen experts” with cushy gigs to drop everything to join his babykilling startup? How did he even get them to respond to the inquiries of some random dipshit undergrad?

Thornton, who was named a 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 and Thiel Fellow last year

Oh I see it now. Thiel 100% made this guy one of his blood boys in exchange for a couple million and a team of slaves to help him blow himself up in a looney tunes industrial accident. Wouldn’t be surprised if this is how he dies:

[–] ShimmeringKoi@hexbear.net 23 points 2 months ago (1 children)

your average STEMlord except he couldn’t even get halfway through school.

STEMlad

[–] techpeakedin1991@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 months ago

STEMesquire

[–] neo@hexbear.net 22 points 2 months ago

after reading the selected quotes, my conclusion is it would be funny and just if he killed himself with a potato launcher backfiring his ribcage open

[–] fox@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

30 under 30 to early grave or prison pipeline

[–] TraschcanOfIdeology@hexbear.net 21 points 2 months ago

also lol @ the 'middle school' thing. no dude, he wasn't even in school, back in 2008 he was 4. pre-school at best

He's a troop, if he knew how to count he wouldn't have been in the Taiwan strait in 2008.