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.”

NCD cringelord meets actual veteran