Bill Gates tests plant-based meat | Layoffs looming at Expedia?

Judge blocks Microsoft from working on JEDI ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES As part of a wide-ranging and candid discussion with analysts on an earnings call Thursday, [Expedia Chairman Barry Diller described the travel giant as a “bloated organization”]( and explained that the company plans to simplify and streamline operations. Expedia stopped short of using the word layoffs, but [its fourth quarter earnings report]( and annual filing [point to a significant restructuring on a level that would typically include job cuts](. The company moved its headquarters from Bellevue, Wash., to a large campus on the Seattle waterfront (above) last year, less than two weeks before a major shakeup in its executive suite. In a victory for Amazon, [a federal judge has paused work on a hotly contested cloud contract]( that the Defense Department awarded to Microsoft in November. Amazon is asking the court to re-open bidding for JEDI, the $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure project that the Seattle tech titans are warring over. Bill Gates knows burgers, and he’s focusing heavily on sustainability. That’s what made him a perfect person [to test plant-based burgers and other meat alternatives on Mark Rober’s show](. Side note: Any longtime Seattle residents may be offended by Rober’s remark about Dick’s Drive-In, a mainstay of our culinary scene. Microsoft-owned LinkedIn plans to pull the plug next month on a Chrome browser extension that lets Gmail and GSuite users [find accurate contact information and details about decision-makers]( as they pursue leads and new deals. Just two weeks after the meltdown of the Iowa Democratic Party’s caucuses because of a mobile app, [election security is in the news again]( this time with a Pacific Northwest angle. Happy Valentine’s Day! [Even the robots are feeling romantic this week](. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend, and see all our headlines below. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper,taylor@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Without the right talent it’s hard to achieve your startup’s vision]( Mercer wants you to help them understand what it looks like when startups get the talent growth equation right. With their “Building Hypergrowth Workplaces” research, they are seeking to understand how the most innovative, hypergrowth startups create a differentiated employee experience while maintaining a focus on scaling quickly. Your responses will remain anonymous and takes 15 minutes. [Bring your unique perspective to Mercer’s startup-focused research.]( LATEST HEADLINES [Layoffs looming at Expedia? Diller looks to simplify ‘bloated’ company, aiming to save up to $500M]( [LinkedIn cites ‘low adoption’ for decision to end Sales Navigator integration with Gmail]( [Hamburger expert Bill Gates tests plant-based meat, with Dick’s burgers as a scientific control]( [Seattle insurance tech startup n2uitive raises $1.3M]( [Barry’s back: Expedia chairman Barry Diller opens up on hour-long earnings call — here’s what he said]( SPONSORED: GEEK HOME OF THE DAY [New Luxury Farmhouse in West Bellevue]( [Security experts raise alarm over mobile app planned for Oregon and Washington elections]( [NASA picks missions to Venus, Triton and Io as finalists for Discovery funding]( [Expedia stock rises 10% as travel giant cites focus on core operations following executive shuffle]( [Judge blocks Microsoft from working on Pentagon’s $10B JEDI contract pending Amazon’s lawsuit]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [Stripe: Support Specialist]( - [ALLEN INSTITUTE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI2): CTO-in-Residence // Co-Founder]( - [ALLEN INSTITUTE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI2): Technical Co-Founder // CTO (Stealth Startup)]( - [Copper: Sr. Product Designer for well funded startup]( - [PATH: Senior Engagement Associate, Center of Digital and Data Excellence (9791)]( - [ALLEN INSTITUTE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI2): Deep Learning Engineer // Co-Founder]( - [GeekWire: GeekWire Technology and Business Reporter]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2020 GeekWire LLC, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted to receive emails from GeekWire LLC.  Our mailing address is: GeekWire LLC 123 NW 36th St, Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98107  [change email frequency or address]( | [unsubscribe](