May 10, 2026 · 1 hr 24 min
UFO Stories, Area 51 & the Dysfunctional Elevator
Brothers Joe and Michael, and cousin Justin kick off the Rivers Die Podcast with family UFO stories, Area 51 lore, and military flybys before diving deep into the dysfunctional elevator industry. They expose Big Four contractors, lazy union dynamics, proprietary equipment traps, and decade-long maintenance contracts that screw building owners. The conversation sparks practical disruption ideas: AI-powered monitoring and logging tools, digital twins, robotic installation, Flipper Zero diagnostics, and better data tracking. They also riff on humanoid robots, distributed AI, crypto realities, and wild elevator safety horror stories — including the legendary 1945 Empire State Building B-25 crash survivor. Funny, unfiltered, and packed with real business insights and tech brainstorming.