The Don Sullivan Show

Young athletes rarely consider the long-term bodily consequences of their pursuits. Don interviews his University of Virginia teammate from the early 1980s to discuss their early and later athletic careers. The physical toll of pushing the human body is profound, yet the experiences are exhilarating. Listen as Don and Leon, the Bionic Man, reflect on the fourth quarter of their lives.

Lake Clark National Park is a rarely visited National Park in south central Alaska, but at 55 miles long and over 1,000-feet deep - encircled by hundreds of mountains - it is a place of perfect serenity. Bears of all types, moose, mountain goats - they all surround the lake where sockeye salmon desperately desperately fight the waters to find their spawning grounds. Don spent 12 days on a catamaran sailing every part of this wonderous environment and describes it all in this episode!

Over the last 150 years, ocean travel has transformed from what was primarily a form of long distance transportation to the ultimate vacation experience. This modern vacation paradigm offers both a luxury getaway and an opportunity for adventure seekers to discover new and exotic locations. What is most amazing, however, are the ships themselves. Some are big enough to house and feed 10,000 passengers and crew for weeks - all while providing both safety and countless amenities and extravagances. Join Don as he travels to Alaska aboard the Caribbean Princess.

Nature is able to create landscape scenery that both settles the anxious mind and creates a sense of wonder and awe at the same time. Please listen to Don climb to 12,000 feet in central Colorado through Herman Gulch, an area of spectacular wildflower growth and be inspired to go there and learn about nature's ability to create the greatest tapestries in existence.

Today, Don describes the most daunting and popular hobby in the state of Colorado: climbing mountains. Colorado has 58 peaks at a altitude greater than 14,000 feet and Don will be hiking Mt Bierstadt while making the recording. Please listen to the episode to see if Don can "Bag the Peak".

American history has been driven by transportation. Bicycles, automobiles, airplanes and -- of course -- railroads allowed commerce to fuel the development of history's greatest economic dynamo. Rails were standardized hundreds of years ago, but the standard gauge, or any other gauge, wasn't effective in the mountains of the American West. So, in this episode, we take a ride on the Durango-Silverton historic railroad and talk to the engineers, guides, and experts about why and how this innovative technology was created and how its short but glorious lifespan effected the conquering of the American West.

Western Colorado is an amazingly diversified place with a rich history. So Don, who is going solo with this episode, discusses two tremendously disparate subjects that are innately connected through the tiny town of Fruita, Colorado. First, Don discusses the Dinosaur Diamond where America's rich cache of Jurassic Period Dinosaur fossils are discovered as well as the amazingly sad, but hopeful history of agricultural fruit production in the town Fruita.

Throughout modern history computing has driven the exponential expansion of the economic dynamos of western civilization. Throughout this history there are patterns. Some of those patterns set a path to repetitive success. Some of those patterns result in uncontrollable havoc. Most are in-between. Please listen to this important discussion about patterns in computing history with the ever sage Gina Rosenthal.

Timekeeping is a functional need as as old as civilization, and the creation of beautiful timepieces is an art older than the magnificent paintings and sculptures of the Renaissance. In this episode, Don and Steve talk with Jason Hahn, horology and industry expert, about both the art and technology behind today's timepieces -- from your basic wrist watches and smart watches to exquisitely-crafted, mechanical marvels that cost more than a private plane.

Once home to dinosaurs (fossils are still embedded in the rocks) and then the Ute tribe, Red Rocks has provided an unparalleled acoustic experience for both listeners and the many performers that have graced this famous concert venue for more than a century. Jersey Steve pilgrimages to Colorado to meet up with Don to examine its storied background and attend a Sting show. In the process, the team talks to the staff of Red Rocks, meets a man visiting from Eritrea, eats corn dogs and (thankfully) does not get hailed on.

Science has no conscience. However, humanity must consider the consequences of any action of discovery. This is never more true than today in modern computing -- specifically AI. The team discusses the ethical considerations of this brave new world with Marian Newsome, ethics expert and founder of "Ethical Tech Matters."

The depth of AI in terms of potential applications is unlimited. Today, the Don Sullivan Show welcomes Frederic Van Haren of HighFens Inc to discuss how some of those applications, specifically Speech Recognition, have advanced enormously over the past few years. Fredrick is a Silicon Valley pioneer and, as a founder of HighFens, understands the enormous value as well as the possible perils of AI. So, the team spends a little more time than usual with what is hopefully Frederic's first of many appearances on the show!

In the 1970s, it was considered science fiction that a single computer program could be responsible for comprehensive management of a major company's business systems and operations. However, in the early 1990s, the systems that would become known as Enterprise Resource Planning -- most prominently, SAP -- became commonplace throughout all industries. Don and Steve discuss the history and future of ERP with industry veteran and former US Marine Andre Kemp all the way from Melbourne, Australia.

Taking a turn towards the deeply human side of science, The Don Sullivan Show team welcomes Silicon Valley veteran systems engineer and architect Anoop Jalan to discuss his deeply personal journey through grief. This subject has been studied from the earliest days of human thought through the landmark steps explained by Dr. Elizabeth Kupler Ross. It is, however, very different when it's happening to you or a dear friend. Listen in to this amazingly courageous and profound story and be forever enlightened.

The variety of experiences you can have outdoors is limited only by the span of the earth itself and the limits of your resources and personal tolerances. Winter exploration not only challenges an individual's endurance, but also a person's openness to a world mostly lost to our ancestors. Don interviews renowned winter camping instructor Wayne Howell to discuss sleeping outdoors in the snow -- the merits of taking excursions in the colder months, how to stay safe, and gain brand new experiences.

Erwin Kollegger is an incredible human being by any measure, but listening to the stories of his adventures conquering the world's most ominous mountain peaks for 60 years is only exceeded by hearing about his future aspirations after 75 years of age. Don and Steve talk to Erwin about these unbelievable feats and the determination and humility required to overcome whatever mountains life throws your way. Remember, you heard it here first before they turn this story into a Hollywood movie!

When do we have enough security on our networks? Never. Jeff Francis, the network and security expert, is sought by companies all over Silicon Valley and the world to provide consulting and advice. Legend has it that when Jeff agrees to consult on a network problem and enters the room, the network just starts reflexively behaving. Genius has it perks and today the team talks with a genius about the current state of encryption.

America is saturated with sports. People spend significant portions of their day watching and playing their favorite sports -- baseball, football, hockey, basketball, golf and the list goes on. If you thought there was no room for another, you'd be wrong. We now have a new sport to obsess over. Don and the team talk with Silicon Valley icon and long-time golfer Mike Adams about his transition to the amazing new world of Pickleball. Tune in to learn how it started, how you play, and why folks (including sports stars) are getting their dink on.

As the third decade of the 21st Century flies by at a rate comparable to a graphical processing unit, it is very difficult for the average American to stay current on the capabilities of our technology. The Don Sullivan Show is fortunate to have a number of computing industry superstars as friends who will appear as regular guests. Tony Foster, like Gina Rosenthal a few weeks ago, is an expert on all things modern computing. Tune in and listen to Tony update Don on the latest developments in AI and the hardware needed to make these computing miracles happen. Listen to the end and get a sneak peak on future episodes delving into the coming wonders of Quantum Computing.

The Southwest of the United States particularly the area known as the Four Corners includes some of the most imagination bending areas that the human mind can endure. From the Grand Canyon in Arizona to the Grand Staircase in Utah the Earth's mysteries are on full dramatic display. Join Don and his tour guide as he travels through a lesser known but possibly the most soul warping area of them all, the Vermillion Cliffs.

Why are Americans unhealthy? There are many hypotheses, and the debate has never been more pertinent -- both from the perspective of the American experience and contemporary politics. Don talks with renowned Washington, DC internist Dr. Theo Hodge about the state of America's health, why we are getting sicker and what can be done to reverse this disturbing trend.

It's an open world in Silicon Valley, at least in some places. Some people would claim that the open nature of software development allowed for modern technology to develop at a rate unparalleled by anything in human history. Come listen to Andy Nelson explain the history of "Open Source" software, and Don challenges him as to what that means for recent and future events in AI.

Why is music a cultural universal? Why does that one song "take you back"? And how is it evolving? Don sits down with Howard Ostrow to peel back the history of music, why music impacts humans and animals, its connection to physics, including quantum principles, what drives major periods of innovation and evolution like in the 60s, and how social change, drugs, and commercialization influence music. Plus, the impact of AI on the future of music.

Marketing hype, glorified guessing machines, world-changing breakthroughs, or a mix of all the above? Is AI nothing more than the next step of machine learning with more powerful processors, infinite amounts of data run through simple arithmetic algorithms? Extrapolation, iteration, and interpolation are simple ideas too, but is there more to all this? Don dives into the current AI revolution with Gina Rosenthal. From the key technologies that paved the road to the rise of the public AI chatbots and their substantial benefits in business and our personal lives to the dangers of stochastic parrots and the need for guardrails. Don also laments that he does not have a Jetson's-like housekeeper...yet.

Don traverses the exhibit floor of the flagship NVIDIA conference, GTC, at the beautiful San Jose Convention Center. While there, he finds an old colleague, gets surrounded by robots, and has deep conversations with a variety of GTC participants on current trends. Come ride along!

Less than 1% of all businesses in the US reach the $10M annual revenue mark. Don talks with serial tech entrepreneur Dr. Michael Corey about the ins and outs of succeeding with a tech startup — from identifying opportunities and raising venture capital to attracting talent and surviving the “valley of death.” Plus, a random meeting with Chubby Checker.

Since World War 2, when America's youth were in great shape, the focus on physical education in primary and secondary schools has diminished precipitously. Why are most kids so out of shape nowadays? Don sits down with "Coach Sparo" to talk about the plight of PE in 2025. Hint, this isn't gym class.

Let's talk about data and how data relates to data. Welcome to the world of databases. Don gets the skinny on the evolution of how we store and manage data from Oracle expert Sudhir Balasubramanian who is also a heavy metal expert. Because databases rock, you know?

How does the internet work? How is everything connected and what does the future hold in store? Don talks with industry expert Oleg Ulyanov who sounds like a bond villain. If you've never listened to a Russian who's climbed 25,000 foot mountains in Tajikistan talk about networking, this is your shot.

We are the media now. This is your primer on the Don Sullivan Show before things get too heavy. Why are we doing this? Well, listen up.