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We’ll party again next year

Good morning! Happy shortest day of the year, and hopefully the beginning of one of the shortest workweeks. This Monday, what's happening to the holiday party this year, what Ellen Pao learned in 2020 and SoftBank might finally raise a SPAC.
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The tech holiday party is a legendary thing. Remember Yahoo's "Wizard of Oz" party? Or Facebook's party, which included … the World Series trophy? From famous singers to outrageously fancy venues to champagne dresses (an unlikely holiday-party staple, but what can you do), the tradition is long and it is intense.
The holiday party is very different in 2020. Protocol's Biz Carson has been asking everyone what their pandemic holiday plans are, and the answer tends to be pretty much: Zoom calls. And maybe not even that.
Still, if you're looking for some last-minute inspiration, here's what a few companies told us:
As for the how of a virtual party? Zoom and Teams are the obvious choices, of course. But I've been hearing good things about Gather, which turns the whole thing into a video game, where you can wander around and join conversations like you might at an actual party. Like, with people. Remember that?
To mark the end of 2020, we've asked the same questions of some of the most interesting people in tech to find out what they've learned this year, how their work has changed and what's going to stick going forward. First up, Ellen Pao.
What was the biggest change to your personal work habits in 2020, outside all the obvious stuff like "more video calls?"
I use fewer hard deadlines when I am able to. We had a regular check-in that it was OK to cancel or not show up [to] if you weren't feeling up to it. At Project Include, we set priorities with general ideas of when we wanted things done and what had to be done in what order, but we've kept it pretty loose and flexible when it comes to dates. I jumped at the chance to work with Caroline Sinders and then McKensie Mack on a research project that I might not have done if I had stuck to pre-pandemic ways. I knew working closely on a team to do something meaningful — examining the problems of remote workplaces since COVID-19 and offering solutions — would motivate me, and it has.
Is there anything you wish you had done sooner (in 2020 or even before), knowing what we know now about how the world works?
I wish I had started the research sooner so we could get our learning out and get solutions out faster.
What's one thing that was new to you or your team in 2020 that you're definitely going to carry over in 2021?
I really enjoy the end-of-video-chat hand wave. I love that moment of transition to say goodbye and take care. Before 2020, endings were so abrupt as I went from call to call without thinking. The hand wave is a little more human and usually comes with a smile, and I hope to see lots of them in 2021.
What company or person have you been most impressed to watch this year?
Camille Hearst at Spotify is such a wonderful match. Camille is so talented in so many areas, and her experience at Apple, YouTube, Patreon and Kit make her a great champion for creators. I am so glad that Spotify has found a role that will let her shine.
What 2020 tech story are you most interested in following next year?
How do we make tech ethical? We've seen [that] tech company leaders do not want to hear the truth, much less do anything about it — Google's attempt to belittle and minimize Dr. Timnit Gebru's work is shameful. We know board members and investors are apathetic and value only financial returns. Are regulators willing to step up and forgo tech titan donations? Are we going to actually listen and respect workers who are speaking up and organizing around ethical issues? Will the press give long-term attention and context to the harms tech inflicts on marginalized groups and generally?
Bonus question: What's the best tech-related gift you've gotten or given recently?
I had to buy a lot of new technology for working from home. Most of it was from Apple and totally disappointing. But I did update from AirPort Express to AmpliFi wireless routers, based on recommendations on Twitter, and that has made a huge difference. It's been so good to have stable Wi-Fi through video calls.
At Micron, we see an opportunity to establish memory and storage platform capabilities that will unleash software developers to deliver solutions that speed insight and ultimately support emerging customer requirements. The data-centric era has ushered in a new opportunity to tap data for business growth, but many companies continue to struggle to transform mounting data stores into competitive advantage.
Bay Area-born companies have a responsibility to stay put if they can, Twilio's Jeff Lawson said:
Here's a name to know: Dina Srinivasan, the former ad exec who said she felt like she had to become part of the antitrust fight:
Russia was behind the SolarWinds hack, Mike Pompeo said:
Wondering why everyone was tweeting about carp this weekend? It's all thanks to @dm4uz3, who explains:
Congressional leaders made a new stimulus deal. The $900 billion package reportedly includes $1.9 billion to pay for small telecoms companies to replace Huawei and ZTE equipment, and $7 billion to increase broadband access. But many more details (and a vote) should come today.
Tesla joins the S&P 500 today, which likely means a boost to a stock that's already been setting the market alight. Could Elon Musk be the world's richest person when the closing bell rings?
SoftBank will file for its first SPAC today, Axios reports, jumping on the year's hottest trend at the last minute. It's reportedly aiming to raise $500 million to $600 million, and at least two more SPACs are in the works.
It's another week of our holiday recipe takeover! If you'd like to share yours, just shoot an email to akramer@protocol.com.
Today's recipe comes from Hayden Brown, the CEO of Upwork: "From my mom, Marcia Odell, who inspires me and nourishes me in every way. In our family, we eat this pie not just for dessert, but as a great breakfast or lunch food, too; after all, it's mostly apples! We also have a running debate about whether this pie tastes best fresh out of the oven or even better the next day — and a strong faction of folks who think it's best à la mode, versus the purists who would never taint it with even the best vanilla Häagen-Dazs."
You can find Hayden's family apple pie right here, if you'd like to try it yourself.
At Micron, we see an opportunity to establish memory and storage platform capabilities that will unleash software developers to deliver solutions that speed insight and ultimately support emerging customer requirements. The data-centric era has ushered in a new opportunity to tap data for business growth, but many companies continue to struggle to transform mounting data stores into competitive advantage.
Today's Source Code was written by David Pierce, with help from Anna Kramer and Shakeel Hashim. Thoughts, questions, tips? Send them to david@protocol.com, or our tips line, tips@protocol.com. Enjoy your day; see you tomorrow.
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