Bits Blog: Larry Page Gets Personal at Google’s Conference

Jim Wilson/The New York Times Larry Page, Google’s chief executive, made wide-ranging remarks at the company’s developers conference.

Google’s I/O developers conference was light on major announcements. But the company’s chief executive, Larry Page, made news with a surprise appearance on stage, during which he took questions from software developers in the audience.

Mr. Page’s remarks ranged from the need to encourage children to pursue computer science to competition and negativity in the technology industry and people’s resistance to technological change.

“Computer science has a marketing problem,” he said, after waxing nostalgic about how his father got him interested in technology when he drove him across the country as a child to attend a robotics conference.

Making computer science cool, he said, is the reason that Google agreed to participate in “The Internship,” a movie scheduled to come out in June, starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as Google interns.

Another problem slowing technological progress, he said, is needless competition among tech companies and the media’s thirst for reporting on it.

“In every story I read about Google, it’s us versus some other company or some stupid thing, and I just don’t find that very interesting,” he said. “We should be building great things that don’t exist. Being negative is not how we make progress, and the most important things are not zero sum.”

Nonetheless, Mr. Page proceeded to take shots at two of Google’s rivals.

In a conversation about developing for Web platforms, he said, “We certainly struggle with people like Microsoft.” In response to a question about the Android operating system and Oracle’s Java, he said, “We’ve had a difficult relationship with Oracle, including having to appear in court.” He added, “I think money is more important to them than having any collaboration.”

A day after revealing that his soft, nasally voice is caused by a medical problem with his vocal cords, Mr. Page said he wished that he had told the full story sooner. For a year, since skipping public events because of his voice, he had refused to explain the problem.

“I had this notion that this stuff should be very private, and I think at least in my case, I should’ve done it sooner,” he said. He veered into a broader statement on the need for health care reform. People keep their medical history private, he said, because they are worried about being denied insurance. “That makes no sense,” he said. “We should change the rules around insurance so they have to insure people.”

He acknowledged that new technologies and technological change make many people uncomfortable, and he lamented that there is not an easier way to test things in the real world. He showed a bit of his hippie side, saying he wished for a Burning Man type of environment for new technology, where people felt safe trying things.

“In tech, we should have some safe places where we can try out some new things and figure out what is the effect on society and what is the effect on people, without having to deploy them in the whole world,” Mr. Page said.

Overall, his message seemed to be that technology and the developers to whom he was speaking have the ability to make vast changes in the world. He revealed a bit about his leadership strategy when he said companies should step outside their comfort zones and focus less on incremental progress.

There should be no reason that computers haven’t yet solved problems like world hunger, he said.

“As an engineer, a technologist, go to first principles and say, ‘What is the real issue around our power grids?’ or ‘What is the real issue around manufacturing?’ ” he said. “I think people don’t usually answer those questions, and as a result, most of the work done is very incremental and we don’t make the progress we need to.”

Coverage of the annual Google I/O conference for developers, May 15-16, 2013.

Bits Blog: Larry Page Says Vocal Cord Paralysis Causes His Voice Problems

Emmanuel Dunand/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Both of Larry Page’s vocal cords were paralyzed after virus infections.

5:28 p.m. | Updated to clarify that one of Mr. Page’s vocal cords has limited movement but is not paralyzed.

Larry Page, Google’s chief executive, said Tuesday that he has a rare and chronic health problem that forces him to speak hoarsely and constricts his breathing.

The announcement is the first time that Mr. Page has explained his voice troubles. It comes nearly a year after Google said that he would avoid public speaking for a time because he had lost his voice. Since then, he has spoken publicly, but with a weak and raspy voice.

One of Mr. Page’s vocal cords was paralyzed after a viral infection 14 years ago, and the second was left with limited movement after a cold last summer. Voice specialists said that it was extremely rare for a patient to experience paralysis or limited movement in both vocal cords, and that as of now, it cannot be reversed.

“Thankfully, after some initial recovery I’m fully able to do all I need to at home and at work, though my voice is softer than before,” Mr. Page wrote in a post on Google Plus.

“And Sergey says I’m probably a better C.E.O. because I choose my words more carefully,” he added, referring to Sergey Brin, who founded Google with Mr. Page.

The condition can become life-threatening, doctors say, when it inhibits breathing. Mr. Page addressed that in his post.

“Vocal cord nerve issues can also affect your breathing, so my ability to exercise at peak aerobic capacity is somewhat reduced,” he wrote. “That said, my friends still think I have way more stamina than them when we go kitesurfing!”

Mr. Page also said that in 2003, he had been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an inflammatory thyroid condition that he said caused him no problems. He said it was unclear whether it was related to his vocal cord paralysis.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder that is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States, particularly among middle-age women, and can cause fatigue, hoarseness, pain and stiffness, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is treated with hormone replacement drugs, though doctors often delay treatment if the thyroid is functioning normally.

Mr. Page’s health had raised concerns among Google shareholders, particularly after the death of Steve Jobs, Apple’s former chief executive, and questions about an executive’s responsibility to reveal health problems. Google had refused to give any details on Mr. Page’s condition, until now.

The condition is not life-threatening and doctors have ruled out cancer, according to a person briefed on Mr. Page’s health who was not authorized to speak publicly. He speaks regularly in meetings and has continued to run daily operations at Google, the person said.

Mr. Page also said Tuesday that he had given a personal grant to the Voice Health Institute, a group founded in 2003, for a research program on improving vocal cord nerve function. The research will be led by Dr. Steven Zeitels, a laryngeal surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center, one of several doctors who treated Mr. Page.

“The Pages’ generosity will enable us to help steward a new era of pioneering surgical, medical and engineering innovations that will provide new solutions for the millions of individuals suffering from voice loss and breathing problems in the upper airway,” said a statement from John L. Ward, president of the Voice Health Institute. Well-known singers like Julie Andrews, Steven Tyler and Lionel Richie are on the institute’s board.

To begin, the group has asked people with a similar condition to Mr. Page’s to complete a survey about their symptoms.

A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that both of Mr. Page’s vocal cords were paralyzed. One is paralyzed, but the other has limited movement.

Larry Johnson — Charged with Felony Domestic Violence

Larry Johnson
Charged
Felony Domestic Violence
Former NFL star Larry Johnson has been charged with felony domestic violence after allegedly strangling an ex-gf in Vegas last week, TMZ has learned.

According to the Clark County D.A., Larry was charged with one count of felony domestic battery stemming from the incident.

He faces a max of 5 years in prison and a $15,000 fine. FYI -- the fine for non-strangulation felony domestic battery is only $10,000.

As we previously reported, 32-year-old Johnson -- who once signed a $45 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs -- was arrested last week for the alleged attack inside the Bellagio hotel.

Johnson has denied the allegations.

Larry Johnson Police Report — ‘I’ll Rip Your F**king Vocal Cords Out’

Larry Johnson Police Report
'I'll Rip Your F**king Vocal Cords Out'

Former NFL superstar Larry Johnson threatened a hotel security guard who responded to a domestic violence incident -- telling the guy, "I'll rip your f*cking vocal cords out" ... this according to the police report obtained by TMZ.

According to the report, the alleged victim identifies herself as Johnson's ex-girlfriend -- and told police LJ beat the crap out of her and strangled her until she blacked out early Friday morning inside of a room at the Bellagio Hotel.

The GF told police ... while Johnson was strangling her, she told him, "If you are going to kill me squeeze harder and just do it."

The GF says she then blacked out and lost consciousness.

As for why he attacked her in the first place, the woman told police she and Johnson had been partying and drinking together when they went up to his room to "catch up." But the GF claims LJ became enraged when they started talking about his daughter. She claims LJ snapped and began to "beat her and throw her around the room" and eventually choked her out.

According to the report, the GF told police she regained consciousness in a hotel hallway while dressed only in her underwear and a see-through blouse. The GF says she banged on doors until someone called for help.

Cops say the GF claims Johnson had attacked her multiple times in the past ... including a recent incident at the Wynn Hotel in Vegas.

According to the report, security quickly made contact with Johnson and brought him to the security office.

One of the security guards told police ... while he was in the office, Johnson bragged about being released from charges "last time" ... and then told one of the guards that he was going to "rip your f*cking vocal cords out."

According to the report, officers say the GF had multiple marks on her face and neck ... and Johnson had a small cut on his cheek and one on his lip.

LJ was eventually arrested for battery with strangulation. He is still in custody and is scheduled to be released at 5pm.

Larry David's HBO Movie Lands a Slew of Talent

Back in August during the TCA press tour, it was announced that Larry David was working on a new feature film for HBO, with Michael Keaton and Jon Hamm attached to co-star. Since then, that's about all we'd heard on the subject -- until now.

The movie, now titled Clear History, will also include Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Philip Baker Hall, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, Amy Ryan, as well as David's Curb Your Enthusiasm co-star, J.B. Smoove.

The Hollywood Reporter describes the film, which centers on Nathan Flomm (David), a former marketing executive who loses his fortune and is publicly humiliated following a petty argument with his boss (Hamm). Ten years later, Nathan's reputation is in shambles, and he now lives on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts under the alias Rolly DaVore. However, when his former boss shows up to renovate his summer mansion, Nathan sees the perfect opportunity to seek his revenge.

Hader will play Rags, the henchman to a local quarry owner (Hall) who agrees to help Nathan settle the old debt, with Keaton as the eccentric quarry operator. Hudson is taking on the role of Hamm's character's wife. McBride will play the best-buddy role to Nathan. Mendes is on board as an island local who takes an off-handed suggestion from Nathan a bit too seriously; Smoove is set to play her ex-boyfriend. Ryan will portray Nathan's ex-girlfriend, who's hiding an explicit secret.

Greg Mottola (Superbad, The Newsroom) will direct the pic from a screenplay that David co-wrote with Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love on Twitter and IGN.