#Sample manager interview questions

[theflyingfeeling]

...🙃

[sixeyescurseuser]

Thinking about figure skater Gojo who tirelessly trains to qualify and compete at the next Olympic Games.

Gojo is such a legend in the skating world, very well known for his jaw-dropping, difficult performances, handsome looks, and charming personality! He was built for the spotlight.

Naturally, he has many global fans, fan accounts, and ordinary people who follow his career.

People who meet Gojo in-person after having only seen him on tv are shocked at how tall he is, yet manages to skate so well. All those triple and quad axels? And the amount of grace and power he skates with is insane considering his build. 

Once, an interviewer asks Gojo what other skaters he admires? Gojo talks about a few current big names, then sneaks in a mention of, “Oh, Suguru is also in my list , hehe.”

The interviewer chuckles alongside him, yet can’t help but ask, “Suguru…who?”

Later, Geto Suguru nearly spits out his water while watching the interview posted on Youtube. He doesn’t hesitate to text his boyfriend.

Geto: “Why do you keep bringing me up? I literally just skated in high school 😭”

Gojo sends back an old video of Geto’s skating routine from a regional competition: ❤️❤️

Geto: “WHY DO YOU STILL HAVE THIS?”

Gojo: “heyyy >:(“

Gojo: “It makes me happy 🥰 I loved watching you”

***

Growing up, Gojo and Geto skated at the same club.  But while Gojo continued skating as his professional career after, Geto dropped skating in order to focus on his academics in college.

Gojo often reminisces on the long practices they had where they would watch each other run through their routines and give each other feedback, when they would mess around and throw the craziest combinations just for shits and giggles.

He didn’t realize their time together on the rink would be so short in the long run, but they began dating when they were only sixteen, and have been going strong together since.

Gojo is still lucky to have Suguru to come home to after his long days at the rink.  

After college, Geto went on to become a marine biologist, where he does a lot of work in ocean wildlife conservation. He’s either on a boat collecting data for research or in the lab analyzing his sample results. 

Gojo is not only busy training in Japan, but he also frequently travels to train in different countries. Gojo receives lots of updates from Suguru in the form of selfies and blurry photos with ocean wildlife or results from the lab.

Suguru in the lab with his ppe (personal protection equipment). Suguru wearing his wet suit while investigating algae farms. Suguru smiling while holding a crab.  

Gojo makes the last one his lock screen. Suguru just looks so cute with his hair pulled back, and when Gojo holds his finger down on the live photo, he can hear Suguru’s voice talking in baby to the crab.

(Geto’s wallpaper is a selfie of them when they were teens.)

Geto gets super excited telling Gojo about his new findings, taking the time to explain different facts and technical terms. Gojo eagerly nods along on the phone and asks questions, commenting, “No way! The algae increased nearly double the amount with your XXX solution? That’s amazing!”

***

Gojo loves what he does, but it’s always a relief to come back home and find his comfort place in Suguru’s arms. 

Nothing beats taking a shower and raiding Suguru’s closet after, cooking dinner with his boyfriend, and then cuddles on the couch.

The first thing they see when they turn on the tv is a sports reporter announcing Gojo Satoru's third national championship title, and what it means for the road to the Olympics.

“Oh wow, this guy is on a roll. He should train for the Olympics or something,” Geto says.

Gojo simply buries face in Suguru’s neck and snickers: “Or something.”

***

Once, while getting ready to sleep one night, Gojo whispers in Geto’s: “Remember that one time you ripped your pants during the Junior Grand Prix?”

Geto doesn’t react at first.

Then, without warning, he tries to smother his boyfriend with his pillow.

***

One of the best memories is when Geto surprised Gojo by showing up in-person to one of the abroad competitions. 

In the middle of his post-win interview, still in his competition suit, makeup dewey and hair fluffy, Gojo suddenly spots a familiar face behind one of the paparazzi. 

Gojo is literally mid-answer when he locks in and SPRINTS to get his boyfriend in his arms.

“Suguru!!” Gojo shouts. He’s already leaping and oh, Suguru’s arms readily catch him. 

Geto laughs with his whole chest, squeezing tightly around Gojo’s middle.

“Hello, darling.”

Gojo has to finish the interview but he’s so bubbly now because teehee Suguru is right there and watching proudly. 

Gojo needs him in his bed immediately.

After the interview, Geto explains he got his lab assistants to cover their project for the next week so he could fly out and visit Gojo in Australia!

Gojo happily drags Geto back to his hotel room,  giggling and babbling about the plans they could have for the next week. The couple excitedly discuss outings to art and performance events, to the beach, even the zoo - which Geto is ecstatic for. 

Upon entering the hotel room, Geto quickly drops his luggage off in the corner. Gojo is still yapping when Geto suddenly walks him backwards to the bed. 

The back of Gojo’s knees hit the edge and he falls back with an “oof!”

Geto smoothly crawls on top to lay his whole body weight on his boyfriend’s. 

Gojo chuckles. He combs through Suguru’s hair and continues his talking, knowing Suguru is tired from traveling and this will help them both relax.

Gojo gradually runs out of things to say, and the soft breaths against his neck tell him yep, he unfortunately needs to poke his boyfriend awake so they can both shower and freshen up before bed.

Gojo pats Geto’s lower back. “Suguru, wakey wakey.”

No response.

Pat pat on the lower back again, then smoothing his hands up to pat the upper-back.

“Babyyy, wake up. We need to shower. And eat.”

Geto offers a protesting grunt, then nuzzles against Gojo’s neck.

This leaves Gojo no choice.

He sneaks a hand down to pinch Geto’s ass.

“Ouch- hey what the fuck?”

Gojo yelps when he feels Suguru pinch his nipple in retaliation, then rolls off Gojo’s body to head toward the bathroom.

Five minutes later, the couple shower together while casually recapping the results of the skating event.

“Any feedback for me today?” Gojo asks. Geto hums, more focused on massaging the shampoo into Gojo’s hair. He applies the perfect amount of pressure that makes Gojo moan in appreciation.

“The only feedback I have is that you look amazing out there, Satoru. All the hard work you put into training clearly pays off. I am so so proud of you,” Geto says, dropping a kiss to Gojo’s nape.

Gojo preens, and completely surrenders himself to his boyfriend's tender touches.

[songbirdseung]

moments / kim sunoo

synopsis: just random fluff moments with your favorite person

pairing: kim sunoo x reader

warnings: tooth rotting sweetness, written in 3rd person

wc: 2.9k

Here's to my sunoo stans who don't get the justive they deserve

"Is there any moments that are your favorite?" the interviewer asking sunoo, hoping to get any information on sunoo's relationship that was just announced to the public.

"I love every moment I get to have with yn but if I had to name a few..." that's when he started to go into his own little world and reminisce on the times he's had with you.

I. Questioning Your Relationship:

Yn sat on the grassy hill, the sun shining brightly overhead as a light breeze played with their hair. Lost in the melody of "Never Gonna Give You Up," they hummed the tune, unaware of Sunoo's approach until he sat down beside them.

"What was it that made me fall for you, again?" Sunoo asked, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

Yn paused their humming, turning to look at him with a grin. "My undeniable charm and dazzling wit, of course."

Sunoo chuckled, reaching over to intertwine their fingers. "I think it might've been your terrible taste in music."

Yn gasped in mock offense, nudging him playfully. "Hey, Rick Astley is a classic!"

"True," Sunoo conceded, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to Yn's cheek. "But I think I fell for you because of moments like this, just being together, enjoying the simple things."

Yn felt their heart swell with affection, leaning into his touch. "Well, get ready for a lifetime of terrible music and simple moments, because I'm never gonna give you up."

Sunoo laughed, pulling Yn closer. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

II. You Feel Like Home

On their anniversary, Yn decided to surprise Sunoo with a homemade dinner, despite their usual lack of culinary expertise.

In the kitchen, pots and pans clattered as Yn attempted to follow the instructions, occasionally pausing to consult their phone or taste-test a sauce with a dubious expression. Sunoo, sensing the chaos from the living room, couldn't resist peeking in to see what was happening.

"What's cookin', good lookin'?" Sunoo teased, leaning against the doorway with a grin.

Yn turned, a faint blush dusting their cheeks. "Just attempting to make us a fancy dinner for our anniversary," they admitted sheepishly.

Sunoo's eyes softened with affection as he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around Yn from behind. "You didn't have to go through all this trouble, you know. Just being with you is special enough for me."

Yn leaned back into his embrace, smiling at his reflection in the kitchen window. "I know, but I wanted to do something special for you. Besides, how hard can cooking be, right?"

As the evening progressed, the kitchen filled with the aroma of their culinary experiment. Despite a few mishaps along the way, they managed to put together a meal that, while not quite gourmet, was made with love.

Sitting down at the table adorned with candles and flowers, Yn and Sunoo shared a laugh as they sampled their creation. It might not have been perfect, but in that moment, surrounded by warmth and affection, it was the most delicious meal they had ever tasted.

III. Where It All Started

Yn had been harboring a massive crush on Sunoo for what felt like forever. Every time they were around him, their heart raced, their palms grew sweaty, and coherent sentences seemed to flee from their mind. But despite their best efforts to flirt, they couldn't seem to muster up the courage to confess their feelings.

Fortunately, Yn had a group of friends who were not only aware of their crush but were also massive shippers of the potential romance.

One day, as Yn sat with the Enhypen in their favorite café, they couldn't resist stealing glances at Sunoo, who was engrossed in a book at the opposite end of the table.

Jake, ever observant, nudged Yn with a mischievous grin. "You should totally ask him to join you for a movie night this weekend. It's the perfect opportunity to cozy up together."

Sunghoon chimed in, "And you can make sure to pick a romantic movie. You know, to set the mood."

Jay added with a wink, "And don't forget the popcorn. Extra butter."

Yn blushed furiously, but they couldn't deny the appeal of the plan. With a nod of determination, they resolved to follow their friends' advice.

That weekend, armed with a carefully curated movie selection and an abundance of popcorn, Yn nervously invited Sunoo over for a movie night. To their relief, he accepted with a smile, and soon they found themselves snuggled up on the couch, bathed in the glow of the TV screen.

As the movie played, Yn stole glances at Sunoo, heart pounding in their chest. And to their delight, they noticed him mirroring their actions, his gaze lingering a little longer than usual.

IV. I Love You

Yn's heart raced as they gathered the courage to speak the words they had been holding back for so long.

"You know I love you, right?" they finally confessed, their voice barely above a whisper.

Sunoo's eyes softened, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I hope so, otherwise this whole relationship will get really awkward," he replied, his tone teasing but filled with warmth.

With a contented sigh, they buried their face in the crook of Sunoo's neck, feeling a sense of peace settle over them.

V. My Support System

Sunoo sat hunched over his desk, the soft glow of his computer screen illuminating the darkened room. He had been up late, grappling with a particularly tricky melody for a new song, his thoughts a jumble of notes and lyrics.

Lost in his creative process, he was startled when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Yn standing there, a comforting smile on their face as they held out a steaming cup of tea.

"I thought you might need a little pick-me-up," Yn said softly, their eyes filled with concern. "Thank you," he murmured, touched by Yn's thoughtfulness.

With a tender kiss on the top of his head, Yn settled into the chair beside him, offering their support without a word. Together, they worked side by side, Yn offering encouragement and feedback as Sunoo poured his heart and soul into the music.

Finally, as the first light of dawn began to peek through the curtains, Sunoo played the final notes of his song, a sense of accomplishment flooding through him. Turning to Yn, he couldn't help but smile, grateful for their unwavering support.

"Couldn't have done it without you," he said softly, his voice filled with gratitude. Yn smiled back, their eyes sparkling with pride. "Anytime," they replied.

VI. Furniture Shopping

Sunoo sighed as he surveyed the sorry state of his dorm's couch, its once sturdy frame now marred by broken legs thanks to the mischievous antics of his fellow members. With a resigned shake of his head, he turned to Yn, who had volunteered to help him pick out a replacement.

"Well, I guess it's time to go furniture shopping," Sunoo said with a wry smile, trying to make light of the situation.

And so, armed with a list of furniture stores, Sunoo and Yn set out on their quest. They wandered through showroom after showroom, testing out various couches of all shapes and sizes. Some were too stiff, others too lumpy, but finally, they stumbled upon the perfect one.

It was love at first sit. The couch was plush and inviting, with cushions so soft that they seemed to envelop them in a warm embrace. Sunoo and Yn sank into its depths, letting out simultaneous sighs of contentment.

"This is it," Sunoo declared, a grin spreading across his face as he leaned back against the cushions.

Yn nodded in agreement, their smile mirroring Sunoo's. "Definitely. It's like sitting on a cloud." For a moment, they simply sat there, enjoying the comfort of the new couch and the quiet companionship of each other.

VII. Accidents

Yn winced as they shifted on the couch, their ankle throbbing with pain despite the comforting weight of the cast encasing it. They had been laid up with a sprained ankle for what felt like an eternity, forced to rely on crutches to get around and feeling more than a little frustrated with their immobility.

Sunoo, ever the supportive boyfriend, sat beside them, a sympathetic expression on his face as he watched Yn struggle with their discomfort. Determined to lift their spirits, he reached for a marker and carefully began to doodle little hearts on Yn's cast.

"What are you doing?" Yn asked, their curiosity piqued by Sunoo's sudden burst of creativity.

"Just trying to make your cast a little more stylish," Sunoo replied with a grin, his hand moving deftly as he added more hearts to the design.

Yn couldn't help but smile at his efforts, the simple gesture warming their heart despite the pain in their ankle. As Sunoo continued to doodle, they leaned against him, grateful for his presence and the comfort of his touch.

"Thanks," Yn murmured, their voice soft with appreciation.

Sunoo glanced up from his artwork, his eyes meeting Yn's with a tender gaze. "Anything for you," he replied, his tone filled with sincerity.

VII. YN To The Rescue

Yn slipped out of bed, determined to satisfy Sunoo's hunger pangs. They quickly threw on a hoodie and sneakers, grabbing their keys and wallet before heading out into the cool night air.

The streets were quiet and deserted as Yn made their way to the nearest convenience store, their steps quickening with each passing minute. Finally, they reached their destination and hurried inside, scanning the aisles until they found what they were looking for: tteokbokki, Sunoo's favorite late-night snack.

Grabbing a few packs of the spicy rice cakes, Yn made their way to the checkout counter, their heart racing with anticipation. They couldn't wait to see the look of delight on Sunoo's face when they presented him with his beloved treat.

Minutes later, Yn returned home, the warm glow of the streetlights casting long shadows as they unlocked the door and tiptoed inside.

With a smile, Yn crept into the kitchen, quietly preparing the tteokbokki before placing it on a plate and carrying it to the bedroom. They presented him with the steaming dish, his eyes lighting up with delight as he caught sight of his favorite snack.

"You didn't have to," Sunoo murmured, touched by Yn's thoughtfulness.

Yn simply shrugged, a fond smile playing on their lips. "Anything for you, especially when it comes to tteokbokki." And as they sat together in the dim light of the bedroom, sharing the spicy rice cakes and laughing softly.

IX. Stuck With You

Sunoo peered out the window, dismay written all over his face as he watched the rain pour down in sheets, drenching the streets outside. It was supposed to be the day of their long-awaited date, but Mother Nature had other plans.

With a sigh, he turned to Yn, who stood beside him, their disappointment palpable. "Looks like our plans are ruined," he said, a hint of regret in his voice.

Yn nodded, a small frown marring their features. "Yeah, I was really looking forward to it."

But Sunoo wasn't one to let a little rain dampen their spirits. With a mischievous grin, he grabbed Yn's hand, pulling them towards the couch. "Well, since we're stuck indoors anyway, why don't we make the most of it?"

And so, they spent the afternoon huddled together on the couch, surrounded by blankets and pillows as they delved into the depths of Sunoo's movie collection. Some were classics, others were so bad they were almost unwatchable, but they laughed and joked through them all, their spirits buoyed by each other's company.

As evening approached and the rain showed no signs of letting up, they snuggled closer together on the couch, content to stay cocooned in their little bubble of laughter and love.

X. Bad Decisions

Sunoo's eyes sparkled with excitement as he pointed towards the towering roller coaster, its loops and twists standing out against the vibrant backdrop of the amusement park. "Come on, Yn, let's go on that one!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

Yn hesitated for a moment, their stomach twisting with nerves at the sight of the formidable ride. Roller coasters were never their favorite, but they didn't want to disappoint Sunoo, who was practically bouncing with anticipation.

"Okay, let's do it," Yn agreed, forcing a smile as they tried to muster up some courage.

The safety bar clicked into place, trapping them in place as the coaster lurched forward, climbing higher and higher until they were soaring through the air.

Yn's heart pounded in their chest as the coaster hurtled down the first drop, their stomach dropping with it. They gripped the safety bar with white-knuckled intensity, their eyes squeezed shut as they tried to block out the sensation of freefalling.

Beside them, Sunoo whooped with excitement, his laughter mingling with the screams of the other riders. But as the coaster continued its wild journey, Yn's initial bravado began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of dread.

By the time the ride came to an end, Yn was a trembling mess, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they stumbled out of their seat. Sunoo looked over at them with concern, his excitement tempered by the realization that Yn hadn't enjoyed the ride as much as he had hoped.

"Are you okay?" Sunoo asked, his voice filled with worry as he reached out to steady Yn.

Yn nodded weakly, their legs feeling like jelly as they leaned against Sunoo for support. "I think I'll stick to the gentler rides from now on," they admitted sheepishly, a weak smile tugging at their lips.

Sunoo wrapped an arm around Yn's shoulders, pulling them close as they made their way out of the amusement park. "That's okay," he said gently, his voice filled with understanding. "As long as we're together, it doesn't matter what rides we go on."

XI. Concert Surprise

Sunoo stepped onto the stage, the roar of the crowd enveloping him like a warm embrace as he prepared to perform for his adoring fans. The energy in the air was palpable, crackling with excitement and anticipation.

Little did Sunoo know, amidst the sea of faces in the audience, Yn stood front and center, a banner clutched tightly in their hands, their heart pounding with nervous excitement. They had traveled for hours to be here, determined to surprise Sunoo and show him their unwavering support.

As the music filled the air and Sunoo began to sing, Yn's eyes never left him, their heart swelling with pride at the sight of their boyfriend commanding the stage with such confidence and charisma. They held up their banner high, the words "Sunoo, You're Our Star!" emblazoned across it in bold letters, hoping that Sunoo would catch a glimpse of it amidst the sea of fans.

And then, it happened. Sunoo's gaze flickered over the crowd, his eyes locking with Yn's as he spotted the banner waving proudly in the air. A smile spread across his face, his heart swelling with love and gratitude at the sight of Yn, their unwavering support shining bright in the dimly lit arena.

In that moment, Yn felt a rush of overwhelming joy wash over them as Sunoo sang his heart out, pouring his soul into every note. They cheered and applauded with the rest of the crowd, their voice hoarse from shouting Sunoo's name, but they didn't care. They were just happy to be here, to witness Sunoo's talent and passion firsthand, and to show him just how much he meant to them.

After the concert, as Sunoo made his way offstage, he spotted Yn waiting for him, their eyes shining with pride and adoration. Without hesitation, he made a beeline for them, pulling them into a tight embrace as he whispered words of thanks and love into their ear.

"Thank you for being here," Sunoo said softly, his voice filled with emotion.

Yn smiled up at him, their heart overflowing with love. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world," they replied, their voice filled with sincerity.

XII. Fake It Till You Make It

Sunoo and Yn lay in bed side by side, the glow of the TV casting eerie shadows across the room as they tried to shake off the lingering effects of the horror movie they had just watched. Despite their best efforts to appear unaffected, both knew that sleep would be elusive tonight.

"Pretty intense movie, huh?" Sunoo remarked casually, his voice carefully casual as he tried to gauge Yn's reaction.

Yn shrugged nonchalantly, their heart still racing from the adrenaline of the film. "Yeah, it was alright," they replied, their tone equally noncommittal.

Silence settled between them, punctuated only by the faint sounds of the night outside. But despite their attempts to play it cool, both Sunoo and Yn were acutely aware of the tension in the air, the lingering unease that the movie had left behind.

"Are you scared?" Sunoo asked suddenly, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.

Yn hesitated for a moment before shaking their head adamantly. "Of course not," they replied, their voice a little too forceful to be convincing.

Sunoo raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Me neither," he said, his voice teasing as he tried to mask his own unease.

But as the minutes stretched into hours and sleep continued to elude them, Sunoo and Yn found themselves drawing closer together, seeking comfort in each other's presence.

And as dawn began to break outside the window, casting a soft glow over the room, Sunoo and Yn finally allowed themselves to relax, the tension of the night slowly fading away.

[askbensolo]

YOOOOO GUYSSSSS GUESS WHAT YOUR BOY JUST GOT A RAISE AND A PROMOTION!!!!

Yeah, so, I’ve been at The Chommell Sector Daily for a year now. Started working here fresh out of graduation last summer. I’m sure I’ve sung you my bottom-rung blues—how writing a community article on the weekly farmers’ market for like the twenty-eighth time in a year is sooo not my life calling. But I toughed it out and managed to do my best in a position I didn’t love, and it’s finally paid off, because you’re no longer speaking to a

Junior Community Correspondent

but rather an

✨Advice Column Assistant Contributor✨

I applied internally and had my interview a couple weeks ago. I freaking put my blog on my resume and included some of my posts as writing samples. Because…is answering questions random people submit to me, not what I do during most my free time? I think I’m a pretty funny writer, too, with my own kind of distinct style, and it helps to have a personality. And hey, I think I give decent advice. I’ve been through a lot, anyway. Not that good advice is really what advice columns are about—it’s about the juice. And I know that, and embrace that.

It’s still not what I’d really like to be doing. I’d really love to be writing opinion pieces and short-form essays. But it’s a step up for sure, and ya can’t blame a guy for getting excited! My new position will start at the beginning of next month.

I came home and told Fannie and she told me she was proud of me and then we went out for dinner and got ice cream and then we came home and we ended up cuddling together on the couch and my brain actually decided we were okay with physical touch today and all in all it was a great day and dang it I’m thriving.

[smolwritingchick]

The Bangtan Gal Chapter 20- American Hustle Life Episode 3

Chapter Summary: Jennie talks about her passion for freestyle dancing as she and the guys are put to the test to prove their dancing skills. After being called out to dance, Jennie proves she doesn't need the guys to dance for her. Jen works alongside Suga in the dance competition. Jen and Jungkook are interviewed about their friendship

Words: 6,000+

Genre: Jennie and Yoongi fluff!! YoonJen! Also Jennie and Jungkook fluff! JenKook!

-----

'A new morning in LA starts'

'What is BTS' morning like?'

Jennie watched in amusement as Nate yelled for help when he tossed the BTS stuffed animals all over him, goofing off with Tae.

After goofing around, Jen and the rest of the members sit on the couch. Each member had on a white shirt with their name on it. "When I woke up in the morning, this was next to my head." Suga held his BTS doll in his hands, looking at it in confusion.

"What could this be?" J-Hope questioned, holding onto his.

"I think it's cute." Jennie looked at her doll, which had a cute smile on it.

"V-Pikachu!"

'Character Dolls that look exactly like BTS'

Everyone's attention turns to the screen when they hear the announcement, "BTS! Challenge to the real Hip-Hop dance!"

"This'll be fun." Jen spoke up in English.

"Why is it dancing again~" V whined.

"It's dancing!" J-Hope stood up, excited.

"Who's the best dancer here?" Nate asked.

"J-Hope." V pointed to him

"Show, show me! Show me!" Suga shook him

J-Hope sampled a little bit of Michael Jackson in his dancing. "We have a dance machine." Suga called out Jin.

"Ah, why do I come out." Jin stood up. "What do you want me to show?"

"Hip hop bounce!" V cheered.

Jin started bouncing up and down while Jen giggled. And then he started doing his trademark traffic dance.

"Rap Monster, everybody's a really, really good dancer. Everybody's good." Tony praised.

"Thank you!" V said in his cute English voice

"Anybody could win this competition. You could win this competition." Tony pointed to Jin.

"Who's ready to do a dance competition?"

"ME!" Rap Monster shouted.

"So eager!" Jennie laughed as they all got pumped up.

Jennie (I'm a little nervous about the dance competition because I really haven't showcased my dance skills. I do hope that whatever this competition is, I can do well)

'Whatever you guys are imagining, you will see past that expectation. BTS! You have confidence, right?'

'Arrived at the mission place, the dance studio!'

Jen had on a pair of ripped jeans and a black muscle shirt, exposing her arms, while the guys started goofing around. They all attempt to jump up to touch the ceiling.

"Let me try!" Jen ran up and jumped up, trying to touch the ceiling. She managed to grab onto it and jumped down. "Yeah! That was lit!" She high fived V.

After goofing around, they all sit down. "I personally hope that I'm able to start liking dancing through this experience," Suga spoke up.

"Hyung, you used to do some b-boying." J-Hope pointed out

"I did do it before."

"Hyung! Show us your true b-boying skills." V requested

"I haven't done b-boying in three years." Suga explained.

"It was only one year since you did this."

"I'll only do it three more years."

"If they ask for you to show your freestyle, show that." J-Hope added.

"I'm not bad at dancing." Suga asserted

"Did hyung just say he's not bad at dancing? Rapmon laughed

"I'm not bad, you guys are misunderstanding," Suga said, making Rap Monster laugh loudly.

"Don't tie me with you! It makes me feel bad"

"To be honest, Suga Hyung is too caught between the foam."

"I don't dance bad to the point where the attention would come to me." He retorted, earning a snort from Jennie as she tried to stiff a laugh.

"Hyung! When we prepared for comebacks before, didn't we practice over a hundred times just because of hyung?" V asked.

"But that wasn't just for 'Boy in Luv', that was for every album." Jimin teased while Suga just stared at them while Rap Monster and Jimin laugh

"You act like if someone saw you, they would think that you were at the level of Chris Brown or something." Suga laughed

"BTS!" A female voice called out, making them all look around. "Are you ready to play with me? BTS! Are you ready to play with me?"

"I'M READY!" They all yell

Hip hop music comes on and a girl appears, break dancing in front of them as they all cheer and clap for her. 

"Aye!" Jennie nodded.

'A special tutor who has appeared for this mission!'

'Whoa! Jenny Kita! A Japanese-American dancer who is one of the top dancers in America!'

'A dancer for famous artists such as PSY, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Jenny Kita!'

"Now that I can see what you could do as a group, I wanna see what you guys can do individually. I wanna see what style, what vibe you bring solo." Jenny said.

"Pants! My pants! Oh my God! Pants!" Jimin touched his jeans, trying to explain.

"So, does anyone wanna go first?" She asked.

"I'll go!" Jennie raised her hand

"All right! Ladies first!" Jenny smiled and clapped for her.

After freestyling, doing quick, random hip hop moves, everyone clapped for her.

"All right, who is next?" Jenny looked around.

"Let's avoid eye contact," Jin murmured

"Ok, how about...this one." She pointed to V as he grinned

One by one, the guys went on to show their dance tutor their dance moves.

"Oh snap! Okay! Okay!" Jennie hyped up Suga when he started B-Boying as the rest of the guys got hyped up, cheering him on and laughing.

"Nice!" Jenny clapped. "Now I'm going to split you all into groups."

"You're going to divide us" Jimin questioned.

'Going to divide them into dance units depending on their skills'

"Go ahead, and turn around." She requested as she picked out the groups. 

Jennie felt her grab her arm and make her go back with Jimin, Jungkook and J-Hope.

'What is the fate of the remaining lower dance students?'

Jenny decided to put Rap Monster with Jimin, and Jin with J-Hope. Then she decided to put Suga with Jennie.

"Yeah!" Suga happily cheered and high fived his partner.

Jen (I'll admit, I was so happy when she put me with Suga. I look up to him. I love his rapping, he's been a huge inspiration to me since I started in BTS. My weaknesses are his strengths, and my strengths are his weaknesses. Together, we'll work hard to try to beat the other guys. I believe we'll make a great team.)

'Dance hole in BTS?'

Jin (I danced every single day without missing a day. And that's my status now. Saying I need to move my body, need to follow the rhythm, things like that were so scary to me.)

Jimin and Rap Monster were called Team Swag, Jungkook and V were called Team Trouble, Jin and J-Hope were called Team Step Up, and Jennie and Suga were called Team Fierce.

'The next day'

Everyone headed back to the dance studio, stretching and randomly dancing. Jennie decided to keep stretching until Jenny arrived. Jennie wore sweatpants and a grey hoodie with sneakers and her hair was out in loose curls.

"What's up, guys? How do you guys feel?" Jenny greeted

"Great!" Jennie clapped.

"Feels good!" Jimin said in English

"I'm so good!" Suga followed suit

"Good! You guys did really well last time we danced together. I gave you some pointers, and some things to think about and to feel when you're dancing. So, we also picked the weakest link from each team, right? So we're gonna have each weakest link show me how you can improve, by battling it out with some special guest dancers."

"What!?" BTS and Jen shout, looking astonished.

Jen (Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha...WHAT!? HUH!?)

"It's hardening, his expression is hardening." J-Hope teased Jin who was looking nervous.

"Each of you are going to battle one by one with some special guest dancers that we have for you." Jenny revealed. "Win 4 rounds and go to the next level."

"How do we win?" Suga asked

"We can't win!" Rap Monster whined in English

"Confidence!" Jennie patted him on the shoulder.

"Let's just do it bluntly, be blunt." J-Hope advised.

"Worst case scenario would be all three of us losing in a row." Suga mentioned.

"If all three lose, then all of us will go out and dance together at the same time." Jimin suggested.

"Come out at the same time and beat them all, okay?"

"Get revenge on them, for us." Jin added

"This is funny." J-Hope giggled.

"This is funny? I'm serious right now." Jin exclaimed as the dancers started entering the room. A group of males and females walked in, standing before them, looking intimidating.

"Well...this should be fun." Jennie murmured.

'The dancers who will go against them in a dance battle have entered'

Jen (As soon as I saw them walk in, the butterflies in my stomach came out of nowhere. What if I'm called out to dance? And will I be able to deliver? I get critical about my dancing. I always feel like I can do better and better. And I will one day. I just hope if I am picked, I can win. Because I like to win and I'm very passionate about freestyle dancing. It's so fun and makes me feel so...alive, I guess, haha. Lack of a better word.)

Jin (How could we beat people who have good grooves since birth? Wait, not how we can win against them, but more like, what should we do about this? I only had thoughts about what I should do.)

"I feel like they'll be too good." J-Hope observed the dancers in front of him.

"Jennie, you all right? You haven't said anything. V put his hands on her shoulders from behind.

"Oh, I'm fine." She answered in a serious tone, analyzing each dancer in front of her.

Jen (I take freestyling more seriously than when I'm usually taught choreography at times because when it's time for a dance battle, I like to go all out. I used to do dance battles with friends and other people when I was back in America. After school, during recess, and dance classes, it was so fun. But I ended up losing, most of the time and it made me feel bummed. I felt like I wasn't good enough, y'know? But I should keep in mind, that the people I've battled danced longer than me, practiced more than me, and I can't be discouraged. I need to keep trying and learn more. So, I hope I'm on their level, whoever I may face. And learn from them.)

"They're real dancers." Suga pointed out, feeling intimidated.

"And so are we." Jennie replied. "We got this. Relax. Don't be intimidated. Trust your skills."

"Everyone's serious, right now." Jungkook adjusted his hat.

"Nice to meet you!" V said in English, waving at them.

"So this is a special little crew of dancers that I put together to battle you guys. This is BTS, they came to LA to learn about hip-hop culture." Jenny pointed out as the dancers nodded. "Okay, so who do we have first?"

"Suga!" Jen and the rest of the guys called out as he raised his hand.

"Aye! You got this!" Jennie fistbumped him. "Show em that we're Team Fierce!"

"I feel like I'm showing all my weak points and embarrassing sides after coming to America." Suga stood in the middle.

"Go Suga! Go Suga!" Jimin chanted in a deep voice

Suga shook hands with the male dancer in the red shirt as they met in the middle. 

"All right! Cue music!" Jenny announced.

Suga started b-boying again, confidently attacking first. His moves were fluid and smooth. He stepped up to the guy and put two of his fingers in front of his eyes and turned it to his before turning to the side and hip bumping against the guy.

"I cannot believe he just did that! Hahaha!" Jennie laughed as the guy leaned back, covering his mouth.

"First round, Suga!" Jenny announced.

"Yeah! Gimme some!" Jennie jumped up and hugged him. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Jennie (I'm so proud of him! Team Fierce, baby!)

Jimin (I think Suga hyung started off on a very good start.)

Suga (Rather than say I did well, I think I was just lucky)

Suga was in high spirits as he goofed around but then another guy jumped up in front of him, making him scurry back.

"Next round, BTS Member, Rap Monster!" Jenny announced.

"Oh my God." He looked up at the ceiling and stepped forward

"Go Rap Mon! Go Rap Mon!" Jimin cheered.

The dance team pushed forward a guy in a black clap as they cheered loudly for him.

Rap Monster (When I went in front, I couldn't think of anything. I just did what my body told me to do.)

The guy in the black cap started performing his skilled dance moves, making Jennie nod in approval. Suddenly the guy backfliped, as a chorus of ohs surrounded the room.

Jennie (*Throws arms up in the air* I'm DONE!)

Rap Monster started doing his goofy dance, while the guy just looked around, questioning what he was doing.

'Will win through his expressions rather than his dancing'

After they finish, Jenny points to the dancing team as the winners.

'Rap Mon loses'

'Bangtan:1, America:1. The victory is back to the starting point!'

"In my opinion, hyung could have totally won over that guy. I told you before hyung started, that you can win if you just do it calmly." Jimin addressed.

"I did do it, calmly." Rap Monster exclaimed.

"Hyung, couldn't show everything he has. I hope that when Jin hyung does it, he'll do it calmly."

"I will do all I can!" Jin replied.

"Onto the next round with Jin!" Jenny announced as Kris Kross' Jump came on. Jennie immediately began dancing to the beat, enjoying the nostalgia. Jin started off dancing first but got overshadowed by the guy's grinding on the floor.

Jennie (Oh...no.)

Jin started doing his trademark hip hop bounce as the guy followed his move.

'The dance team competitor who is drunk in his own feel'

"AHHHHH!" BTS yell while Jennie put her hands over her head, freaking out over Jin and his opponent going head to head in the traffic dance.

"Okay guys, that was really good. But I have to give it to this side." Jenny points to the dancer's side.

'Losing twice in a row!'

Jin (I was really provoked while doing it with that person. He was so drunk in his own feel that he didn't even look at me. I really disliked him.)

Jimin (If it went accordingly, I would think that Jin hyung would win, but well standards are different.)

"Alright, so good job guys! The results from that battle was that our special guest crew got two wins. Only two more to go." Jenny acknowledged

"I can't accept it!" Jimin exclaimed.

Jennie (I could just feel myself getting riled up. I always get like this when it comes to dance battles. Like I really don't want us to go out like this. I was tempted to ask if I could dance but J-Hope beat me to it. So, I'll continue to just watch)

"Let's step on them! Jimin-ah, let's step on them!" J-Hope suggested.

"Can another team from our side go out and battle it out?" Jimin requested.

"All right so who's going to go first from BTS?" Jenny asked.

"Shall I go out?" Jimin stepped forward.

"Jimin! Jiminie!" Suga shouted, clapping.

Jimin turned his attention to his opponent and said in English, "You! No dance. Listen to music, okay? Basics are important."

"Basics?" J-Hope looked on in confusion

"Come again?" Jennie raised a brow.

"Jimin doesn't have basics," Rapmon added.

Jennie (Jimin, what are you doing?)

"All right, ready? Cue music!" Jenny announced.

The guy in the black cap danced first and ended up pushing Jimin back when he started to dance.

A scoff came out of Jennie as she rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Unaware that a few girls in the dance crew were watching, whispering to each other.

Jen (No. Just no. Are you kidding me? Really?)

Jennie looked on in disapproval. "Why'd you have to touch him, though?" She called out.

J-Hope (My blood just started boiling)

Rap Monster (His bad manners were just too much.)

Jen (You see, I'm used to that, unlike the guys but I had to learn to understand what other cultures might think so I had to make sure to tone it down when I came to South Korea. So, when I saw him push Jimin, I got upset. Like, be mindful of others' cultures.)

The guy pushed Jimin again when he started dancing and Jenny called him out on it, shaking her head in disapproval. The guy backflipped while Jennie continued throwing shade at the guy with her facial expressions.

Jen (No. No honey, no. That's all I gotta say.)

"That round goes to Jimin because he has better musicality," Jenny said. "And precision with his like, body control. So! Give it up for Jimin, he did a great job."

Jennie (Two to two! Yeah boy!)

The next round was between Jungkook and another guy. "You got this, Kookie!" Jennie cheered.

Jungkook started B-Boying and went up to the guy who was shorter than him, and stepped up to him, using his height as an advantage.

"Oooooohhhhhh!"

Jennie (Haha, Ah...Jungkook. I love him! He's the best. That was funny.)

Out of nowhere, Jungkook flipped over but ended up tumbling down on the ground, hitting the floor hard as everyone around him oh'ed, loudly. Jennie cringed at the sight, covering her mouth with her right hand in shock.

After his fall, Jungkook's opponent began his attack of dance moves, dancing quickly, making smooth and effortless floor moves.

Suga (That person was...he had a different class. He was really a dancer.)

Jenny raised the guy's hand in victory as the dancing team had three points while BTS had two points.

"Don't do anything that you don't have. Like you did your flip. And you landed hard. That right there, you could get messed up." Odin, the dancer Jungkook just battled advised. "And the judge is gonna see that, "Oh, he didn't get it.' So I want you to do only what you have. Don't do anything you don't have in battle."

After listening to his words of wisdom, everyone clapped for him.

"Hey, the girl. The girl in the back." The black girl with the blue shirt called out, pointing to BTS.

"Jennie?" Jungkook pointed to her as the rest of the members revealed her standing behind. 

Loud ohs were heard from everyone as Jennie looked up. She looked around to see everyone staring at her.

Jimin (Ah...Jennie has been called out. I always wanted to see how she dances in America.)

"Huh? Me?" Looking like a deer caught in headlights, Jennie widened her eyes, not expecting to be called out.

"Yeah...you." The girl walked up to the middle, filled with confidence. "I saw your expressions. You face me. I want to see how good you are. Since you want to make those expressions, let's see if you can back up your dance skills."

Another round of oohs was heard around the room while Jen let out a short chuckle.

Jennie (Heh, heh...excuse me?)

"Remember to listen to the music, Jennie," Jimin advised.

"You got this, Jennie!" Jungkook cheered for her.

"Come on, you and me, one on one. Let's go. Unless you're scared~." The girl teased, motioning for her to step up. "Don't let the guys dance for you." She continued calling her out while everyone ooh'ed at her attack.

Jennie (Hahaha...this girl....)

"Okay. Okay." Jennie mumbled to herself as she took off her hoodie, revealing her muscle shirt.

She took off one of her black hair ties, putting her hair in a ponytail, earning oohs from the dancers as they joked around with the girl in the blue shirt that Jennie was about to get serious.

"All right, if you insist. Let's go." Jennie stepped up, to the middle while everyone started cheering. She faced off with the girl who was a few inches taller than her.

Jen (I was always nervous about dancing like I usually would dance in America because things are different in South Korea. But this is a competition and I want to win. So, whenever I'm in competitions, I tend to get even more extra. Like really extra. So, I am glad that I'm back home in America. I want my team to win. I don't want to let the guys down...so...hopefully they won't think I'm too crazy. Or Ghetto...I'm so nervous. Ah...what are they going to think? What am I going to do? She called me out, I'm not backing down.)

"Come on, Jen! You got this!" J-Hope cheered her on.

Jen (And of course it just HAD to be Missy Elliot's Lose Control. UGH! Now I gotta go in! Let's do this!)

Music make you lose control

Music make you lose control

As soon as the beat dropped, Jennie and the girl break it down, pumping their chests up and down to the beat along with their butts. Both of their teams started cheering for them, getting hyped up.

Jin (What is going on!? How is she moving her body like this!? I can't do that! Is her butt supposed to move like this!? Do we need to call 911!? What is going on!? Jennie! Wow!)

Rap Monster (We're men, uh, I cannot move my butt like that. Jennie, you got that, girl. She's killin' it.)

I got a cute face

Jennie pointed to her face, strutting forward to the girl.

Chubby waist

She ran her hands down to her waist

Thick legs in shape

Running her hands down to her thighs, she dropped down to the floor. She came back up and dropped down to the floor a couple of times while booty shaking effortlessly as the girl crossed her arms, looking on.

Rump shakin' both ways

Jennie stood up and looked both ways, pretending that she was surprised as 'Make you do a double take' was heard

Jennie (I'm back home! I'm gonna dance and shake what my mama gave me. What you got!? It's on, now!)

Exhaling, Jennie crossed her arms as she watched the girl try to one up her dance moves. They went even harder than they did the first few moments of the song.

Planet rocker, show stopper

Flow proper, head knocker

Beat scholar, tail dropper

Do my thang, motherfucker

My Rolls Royce, Lamborghini

Blue Madena, always beamin

Rag top, chrome pipes

Blue lights, outta sight

(Long weave) sewed in

(Say it again) sewed in

Make that money, throw it in

Booty bouncin, gone head

Having enough of watching her, Jennie started to dance again as they both slid side to side. Out of nowhere, the girl decided to get close and stand right in front of her before blowing right in her face, making everyone ooh.

Out of nowhere, Jennie clapped right in front of her face, making the girl stumble back out of shock. Taking advantage, she decided to krump with aggression.

"Go Jennie!" V cheered, jumping up and down.

"That's my dance partner! That's my dance partner!" Suga happily announced, pointing at her.

J-Hope (I was not aware that Jennie could dance like this. We need to have a talk. We need to dance together!)

Everybody here - get it out of control

Get your backs off the wall, cause Misdemeanor said so

As soon as the tone slowed down in the song, Jennie slowly moved her upper body before popping her chest to the beat and then moving her hips. 

Everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody

(Just throw your hands in the air!)

Everybody here - get it out of control

Get your backs off the wall, cause Misdemeanor said so

Everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody

(Just throw your hands in the air!)

Freestyling, Jen blew a kiss to her opponent before dropping down to the floor, dancing on her knees while the girl tried to copy.

"Great job! That was aggressive, from the both of you." Jenny looked impressed while the team clapped for the girls. Out of breath, and a little sweaty, Jennie was happy when Jenny announced her as the winner of the dance battle.

"Yeah!" BTS cheered as they ran up to her. Rap Monster and Jin picked her up, having a parade while she laughed.

Jennie (AYE~ I won~)

Jungkook (Jennie...she's so cool.)

Jimin (I never knew she could dance like that. She did really well)

Last up was J-Hope to attempted to win the battle for his team. "Think about the old days! Let's go!" Rapmon cheered.

'I am the hope of BTS' dance, J-Hope'

Effortlessly, J-Hope went back to his old dancing days and showed off his skills.

"Yas Hope!" Jennie clapped with enthusiasm.

"J-Hope please win!" Jimin cheered

The dancer danced modern dance as wiggle wiggle came on. J-Hope came out and danced around, playfully before getting serious.

"Aye! Aye! Aye! Aye!" Jennie clapped, nodding her head

"Hey, that was nice!" Jenny said as she held both of their hands to point out who the winner was. "I don't know..."

'Who is the final winner of the dance battle!?'

"The final round winner!" Jenny raised J-Hope's hand as BTS celebrated.

Jennie (That's my boy! I'm so happy)

J-Hope (I was able to feel the electricity and feelings that I haven't been able to feel in a while.)

V (He would only show popping on shows and never show his actual dancing. He would only dance like Hwibohwibohwibo hwimang hwimang hwimang hwimang~. If you look at videos, he's like that for all of them. They probably didn't know his skills were at this level.)

Jungkook (He was a dancer who did b-boying, but that person was really a pro. He was an opponent I just couldn't beat.)

After dancing, Jen and the guys eat lunch, taking a break from dancing. 

"Jennie! We didn't know you could dance like that! What else can you do?" Jimin teased.

"Ah...thanks. I'm always used to that type of dancing. I was just a little nervous about what you guys might think."

"Well that was badass, that's for sure." Rapmon complimented.

"Really? Thanks, guys."

"We need to dance together," J-Hope mentioned as she nodded in approval.

After eating they gather around to Jenny. "Welcome to your last challenge. This is called the D.I.Y Challenge."

"Do it yourself?" Rap Monster asked.

"Yep, do it yourself." Jennie nodded.

"Exactly!" Jenny said. "Okay, so each team is going to be given a song that you have to make your own choreography to. But I'm going to give you three moves or elements that you have to include in your routine. The first team, Trouble! So, your song is Michael Jackson's Love never felt so good."

Rapmon started jumping up and down in excitement. "Ah! I really like this song!"

Their three dance moves are the glide, air pose and 6 step. First Jenny demonstrated the glide dance.

'A dance move where you move your feet and slide across the floor as if you're slipping. Michael Jackson's moonwalk dance was created using this dance'

Jungkook decided to try it out and got a nod of approval from Jenny.

"Okay, next group. Your song is called Gifted and it's by N.A.S.A with Kanye West and Santigold." Jenny announced.

The three dance moves they will be doing are krumping, twerking and the kick move.

"Ah...they got krumping and twerking. Lucky!" Jennie sighed.

Jenny demonstrated twerking while the guys looked on, trying to figure out how in the world they'd be able to pull it off.

"Twerking like what Jennie did earlier?" Jimin questioned, pointing to her. "I can't move my butt like that! She has a butt, I hardly have one!" He whined, making the female member laugh.

"I can't do it, I can't, I can't do that." Rap Monster exclaimed

"Wow!" V looked on

'A dance that emphasizes the flexible movement of a female's pelvis and it's a popular dance in America as pop stars such as Miley Cyrus enjoys dancing it on stage'

Jimin walked up to Jenny. "We're males." He exclaimed.

"Excuse me, we're men." Rap Monster added

"It's not that bad! You'll be fine." She giggled. 

Jennie continued laughing at Rap Monster struggling and he tried to do the dance. Grabbing a bottle of water, she took a few sips.

"Wait, one second. Something keeps dangling." Rap Monster stood up

Spitting out her water, Jennie kneeled on the floor, laughing at his statement. "Oh, my God!!!"

The guys were uncontrollably loud, laughing with her.

"I didn't curse!" Rap Monster shouted. "This can be aired, right?"

"It can! It can!" V answered.

Rap Monster and Jimin try to attempt to twerk. Rap Monster's facial expressions looked a bit too racy as Jin called out.

"What are you doing?" Jennie looked on as she couldn't comprehend what was going on.

Jennie (Uh, Rapmon...you all right there buddy? You good?)

Jimin stuck his butt up in the air, trying to move his behind while Jennie continued to laugh. "His butt is angry, right now! Jimin's butt is angry!" Suga called out.

"Jimin's height is short!" V teased.

"Team step up, your song is by Pharrell and it's called Come Get It Bae." Jenny announced. Their dance moves are locking, popping, and wacking. After Jenny demonstrated, and showed them the dance moves.

"And lastly, Team Fierce, you two will be dancing to Pump It Up by Joe Budden."

Jennie (Throwback! Pump, pump, pump it up!)

The three dance moves they were chosen to do were the dougie, chest pop and stepping. After being demonstrated, Jennie and Suga attempt the moves. Suga had a bit more trouble but Jennie reassured him that they'll be fine.

"Okay so now you guys know what to do for your DIY challenge. You can separate into your teams and go choreograph your own routine using the three elements that I gave you. Good luck!" Jenny said.

Jennie and Suga decide to walk around town to find a spot. They decide to practice their dance in a vacant parking lot.

"First I'll teach you each of the dances so you can perfect them and then we'll come up with the choreography. I was thinking we should go into a dance battle and be in sync."

"Sounds good. Just bear with me." He chuckled.

"First let's start with the chest pump. Should be easy enough. All we're doing is going in and out." She pumped her chest out and brought it back a few times in a slow manner. Suga followed her movements with ease. "Okay let's do it faster. Five, six, seven, eight." They both pumped their chests out at a faster pace. "Ayeee, we got it."

Suga (Jennie, she's...very patient. I'm grateful for that. I thought she would be annoyed with me that I didn't get the dances quick enough. I enjoy dancing with her.)

After dancing and learning the choreography, they decide to play around, running back and forth to the end of the parking lot in a race. Then he grabbed her and proceeded to spin her around while she laughed. 

After their little break, Jennie continued to go over the dance with him to make sure he got it.

"Thanks for being patient with me," he spoke up softly.

"Yeah, no prob. And don't feel pressured. I don't care if we win or lose. I'm having fun either way with you."

"Me too. I'm starving. Can we eat?" He suggested.

"Yeah, let's walk around, and see if we can find a place." They exit the parking lot.

They decided to walk into the first restaurant they saw. Once they walk in, they see V and Jungkook sitting at a booth.

Jungkook looked up and instantly waved at them. "Jennie!" He happily shouted as they walked over to them. Standing up, he pulled her in for a big hug, making her laugh.

"I'm happy to see you, too!" She beamed.

Jennie (Oh? You want me to talk about Jungkook? *Smiles brightly*)

Jungkook (You want me to talk about Jennie?)

Jennie (Well...)

Jungkook (Well...*Chuckles nervously and looks down* She's my best friend.)

Jennie (Do you know those friendships where you don't even remember how you guys became such great friends? To be around someone who you click with so easily and that can make your day, that's how I feel about my bond with him.)

Jungkook (I feel so comfortable around her. She makes me feel at ease. Always rooting for me. I'm grateful for her support.)

Jennie (I dunno, he just...he makes me so...)

Jungkook (She's precious to BTS. She's easygoing. I enjoy being around her. She always makes me so happy.)

Jennie (He makes me so happy. I admire his passion for singing and dancing. He's so talented. He deserves to be called Golden Maknae. Hm...I wonder what my nickname should be...Cute Maknae? Wait no, because once I'm older, I don't want to be seen as cute. I want to be seen as fierce, beautiful and badass, y'know? ARMY, help me out here.)

Jungkook (She may seem like an innocent girl, but she's not. I still can't get over what she did to my white shirts...Maybe I should prank her and start a prank war when we go back to Korea.)

Jennie (He's such a goofball, he always beats me in video games, which I can't STAND. I hate it! How does this guy win everything? No, seriously, I've been practicing all the levels of Mario Cart, with all the characters, and he STILL finds a way to beat me. Like, dude, can I win once?)

Jungkook (Oh you really don't want to know the losing streak, Jennie has. Hahaha, it's so embarrassing)

Jennie (Wait...did he tell you about my losing streak? Oh God...)

Jungkook (So far, it's 26 in a row. Hehehe.)

Jennie (He told you didn't he...? I'm going to kill him.)

"Wow, I'm here too." Suga rolled his eyes and greeted V, completely ignored by Jungkook.

They all sit down. Suga sat next to V while Jennie sat next to Jungkook. 

"How's your choreography going?" Jennie asked.

"Eh...we did a little something. We just wanted to see the beach and check out the sights." V answered with a shrug.

"Wow, guys. So, productive. Shame on you, two." She looked at him and then Jungkook. Suga grabbed a menu and they all checked out the menu. 

"I want pizza. You guys wanna share?" Jennie suggested and they agreed.

"Uh...Linguwai...Bburotti-v...mommy?" Suga tried to read the menu.

"Dude, it says Linguine Frutti di Mare." She corrected him. "I believe it's Italian."

"Oh. Whatever you said." He scrolled down the menu to the pizza area. "Spicy Arrabbiata?" He questioned while V laughed at his struggle.

"I'll just order for you guys, how about that?" She suggested.

"Yes, please, thank you."

"These entries are virtually illegible," Jungkook mentioned.

The waiter came to take their order. "Linguerre...Bbureu ttwidi mare?" Suga struggled to read off the menu

"He meant that he wants the Linguine Frutti di Mare." Jennie smiled at the waiter.

"Okay, do you want that in small?" The waiter asked

"Extra large?" V suggested, making Jennie widen her eyes

"Omg, V! That'll be huge!"

"Large feeds 4-5 people. It's sort of big." The waiter warned

"Oh, small, then." Suga corrected.

"There's no medium?" V asked

"You and your appetite." Jennie giggled at him

She turned to see Jungkook grabbing the Mountain Dew and Coca Cola and drinking it at the same time. "That won't be a good mix. Tried it." She warned and laughed when she saw him make a puking sound and set the cups down. "Orange soda and ginger ale taste great together. I'll let you try it before we leave, America."

"I'll trust your judgment." He replied.

-----

'And onto the real hip hop dance mission that the members practiced for without sleep. Shall we move on to the location of the final face off?'

BTS and Jen meet up with the other dance choreographers and Jenny.

"How's it going?" Jenny greeted

"We choreographed till this morning," Jimin informed.

"We were gonna twerk but it was so difficult because I have no pelvis." Rap Monster added

"Alright, guys! Today's the final day for the DIY Challenge. I'm very proud of you guys; it takes a lot of hard work to get good at something. So, nothing's gonna be easy. Who do you think is gonna win?" Jenny asked as a few members raised their hands.

"Well just to let you know, the winner will get a special prize. So hopefully that'll give you some motivation. Okay, now that we're all warmed up, we're gonna start our final challenge."

First up was Rap Monster and Jimin and after they danced, Jenny asked, "What did you guys learn from this experience? How did you feel?"

"I felt that there's a lot of fun in working together to create something," Jimin answered

Next up was Team Trouble, who looked like their dance was too easy. 

"This is a joke. minimum effort, man, minimum effort." J-Hope said with disapproval.

"Next up is Team Fierce!"

Jennie started first, clapping, getting into the groove before pumping up her chest up and down with Suga. They danced like they were having fun, making sure to do all three dance moves they were assigned, putting in their own flavor.

Suga (I believe we did well. I didn't mess up. I'm thrilled about that.)

"Good job! Last up we have our last team, step up!" Jenny announced as everyone looked impressed at Jin's dancing.

"I think that Jin-hyung has greatly improved." Jimin pointed out.

"He did well. Our Jin-hyung did really well." J-Hope mentioned.

"Very. I see you, Jin. I see you." Jennie cheered him on, nodding in approval.

"I was reminded of how broad minded J-Hope is as a friend," Jin added

"There were some difficult parts but I'm rather grateful that Jin-hyung endured it well and pulled through," J-Hope said and patted him on the back

"I'm gonna get to the evaluation of each team. Rap Monster and Jimin. You guys did really good. Usually, I would've never known that you had a hard time working together. I feel like your swag makes up for it. So even though your dancing may not be the best, I feel like you can play it up because of your personality and swag." Jenny reviewed. "Okay Team Trouble, you guys looked like you had a lot of fun. However, I think the choreography was pretty easy and it wasn't very challenging. It looked like, um, just having fun. Kinda like comedy, kinda."

"Your dance was easy!" Jimin accused.

"You went sightseeing, huh? Sightseeing!" Rap Monster added.

"All right, Team Fierce. I enjoyed your dance. You two were in sync, you looked like you were having a lot of fun. I'm impressed. Good job." Jenny praises.

"All right, step up. You probably have the widest gap of skill level. So, I'm sure it was very hard for you. I'm impressed and very proud of you. Especially you Jin. And at first, I was worried about you guys but after watching I'm very impressed and you've come a long way." Jenny grins. "I can tell that you've practiced a lot. And that you tried really hard. All right, I'm gonna pick a winner. This is a very hard decision. But I'm gonna have to go with J-Hope and Jin. Jin really improved with his dancing" Jenny announced.

"I won by dance!" Jin cheered, looking excited. Jennie couldn't help but giggle at his enthusiasm.

Jennie (At the end of the day, we're all together, dancing, and learning. I'm happy with how things turned out. Everyone wants to win. But you can't win every time. But don't let that bring you down. Think about the fun you had. I had a blast today.)

'You guys were really the best! We congratulate you once again! It was impressive seeing you freely enjoy and express yourselves through dance. You've got us looking forward to more! Where can we find your limits? BTS! Good job!'

[sophietv]

The Multidimensions Of Taylor's Art

I wrote this piece on Twitter back in May when people were very loud about the fact that trying to attribute a song to a muse was disrecpectful and was diminishing Taylor's art.

I think today is a good day to repost it:

Taylor Swift's art is multidimensional. She said it herself and as we keep repeating over and over again, she's a Mastermind.

The message she conveys with one song is larger than just being a good song with beautifully written lyrics.

I see a lot of people talking recently about how when people talk about the muses of the song they are "reducing" Taylor's art to her muses. And how gaylorism was somewhat "better" before because the focus was less on this.

(I would like to differ on this, but it’s a whole other conversation). 

But Taylor's art is multidimensional and intentionally directed to her fans. ALL her fans.

In one song, she manages not only to create a masterpiece with incredible lyricism.

She also manages to include deep queer references, ingrained in queer history. 

She also managed multiple times to reference queer arts, books, poems, artists etc.

Acknowledging all of it and appreciating it is, yes, very important. I mean, it's the core of her art and a beautiful part of gaylorism.

Who hasn't learned a lot about our own history all thanks to Taylor?

But while this part is very true. Taylor also manages to make sure in every song that we can identify the muse.

It has always been an important part of her artistry. Remember liner notes from Debut to 1989?

She even decided that it was not enough, and starting with reputation, she started including Taymojies, making sure you knew very well who and what that song was about.

But she doesn't even stop there. For most of her songs starting with 1989 all the way to Midnights, she's also making sure that you can identify said muse through her lyrics.

Ever wonder why, for most of her songs there's parallels you can easily make with social media posts, articles, interviews, videos etc?

She's making sure that she references things in her songs that will point to the muse and that you'll be able to track back with some simple google search. 

All of this is very very clearly intentional.

She also uses the same imagery that she knows very well her fans can recognize since 1989 while talking about her muse.

Using recurring themes that she's well aware her fans (us) will associate with the person (Sun, gold, New York, daisies etc.)

But the depth of her work doesn't even stop there. She'll even use timestamps in her songs to communicate certain messages or references to certain persons. And this is when the length of the song is not simply intentionally referencing one person:

Ex Sweet Nothings: Karlie's birthday

And so much more…

This can clearly be qualified as pure genius. But she pushes it even farther. 

If we take Midnights for example she even samples her songs to older ones to help you identify the time, the event or the muse this song references.

Lavender Haze - I Think He Knows

Question…? - Out Of The Woods

Maroon - King Of My Heart

And it's not even the end of the massive amount of information that she manages to put out in a 3-4 minutes song.

This is simply astonishing. 

Her brain truly is amazing.

Her lyrics videos are made to help you identify what and who the song is about. With visual clues and very intentional uses of capital letters and comas.

For example: "Your Midas touch"

Making sure you know she's referencing king Midas who turned everything he touched into gold (gold again, interesting).

Or: "some name dropping sleaze tell me what are my Wordsworth"

From The Lakes, referencing the poet William Wordsworth.

And it still goes further. She will include small details in her songs that you'll pick up on if you pay attention but will fly right past most listeners. A sort of secret message for those who really pay attention.

Ex: in Getaway Car, when she sings.

"Ain't a circus, ain't a love story and now we're both sorry (we're both sorry)"

This is two girls singing "we're both sorry. Meaning the relationship she was trying to protect with this getaway car was with a girl. Once again pointing to the muse.

I already wrote a novel and I haven't even touched the music videos and tour visuals…

But her genius in songwriting doesn't even end there.

Because, if you don't know the muse or refuse to see it. She'll also manage to buy some plausible deniability in her songs so it kind of points to her PR relationships too.

Not much, just enough so that if you really want to believe those Hollywood stories, you can hold on to these lines/visuals and be happy.

But she manages to do so, while staying true to the real muse and not so much to the PR relationship.

A good example is Invisible String and the famous Yogourt shop line with the wrong shirt color.

If your life depends on Toe, it's enough to make you happy and you won't search much further.

However if you search a bit, you'll find out how she intentionally messed up the lyrics.

I could still go on and on about the depth, the genius and the complexity of her songwriting, but I think you see my point now.

She said it herself, her songwriting is painfully autobiographical. And she puts an immeasurable amount of effort in it to make sure you get the story right.

Dismissing the muse of the song to not reduce her work is just as bad as dismissing her queerness and all the references she does to it, to not "speculate" on her.

In both, of all the multidimensional approaches that she uses in her art. You are keeping yourself from enjoying and dismissing about 50% of her hard work. If not more when you include music videos.

Acknowledging her muses to the songs is not reducing anything but more embracing as much as you can the genius and hard work she puts behind every song and every artistic decision she makes.

And I'm not saying that you HAVE to acknowledge the muse or else you are not a true fan. Art is meant to be enjoyed differently by every person and at the end of the day you take what makes you happy, simple as that.

My point is to say that acknowledging the muse in her music is not reducing anything. Quite the contrary. 

[mariacallous]

The cartoon interviewer greets you onscreen. He looks a little young to be asking questions about a job—sort of a cartoon version of Harry Potter, with dark hair and glasses. You can choose other interviewers to speak with instead, representing various genders and races with names like Benjamin, Leslie, and Kristin. Alex, the name given to this AI interviewer, asks about your professional experience, theoretical questions about programming, and then gives out a coding exercise.

Alex is an AI interviewer developed by micro1, a US company that describes itself as an AI recruitment engine for engineers. The tech provides an “enjoyable, gamified, and less-biased interview process,” the company’s founder, Ali Ansari, claims in a demo video of the tech.

The use of AI tools in job hunting is becoming widespread. Career sites like Indeed and LinkedIn have incorporated generative AI tools for job seekers and recruiters into their platforms. There are interviewer chatbots companies can enable, as well as AI tools to help people practice for job interviews. But the use of AI in evaluating candidates has mixed reviews: Some HR tools have been caught making negative judgements on applicants who have Black-sounding names, giving preference to men, or skipping over candidates with employment gaps on résumés.

AI tools in hiring save companies money and time, but the long-term implications for workers have yet to be realized.

Ansari tells WIRED that this tool allows companies to “screen candidates in a much more efficient and accurate manner.” Micro1 splits its model into two formats: Companies can employ the software to interview candidates for specific roles, and rather than picking through a sample size of thousands of applicants, can screen endless masses of candidates with the AI interviewer. Or candidates can go through the process independently to be added to a marketplace of engineers. The internal marketplace has a talent pool of vetted engineers—from India, Argentina, Brazil, and other countries far from American tech hubs—who Ansari describes as “untapped but exceptional.” This, he says, may help diversify who gets to work in top tech jobs. “We become the way into Silicon Valley,” Ansari says.

More than 100,000 people have gone through micro1’s screenings with hopes of being added to its marketplace of engineers, and the company lists a number of tech companies, including DoNotPay (whose CEO has also invested in micro1) among those who have used its system to screen or hire engineers from its marketplace. Ansari says companies are using micro1 to screen as many as 30,000 candidates a month.

Asynchronous video interviews have become more common, with companies turning to prerecorded responses in automated systems to handle screening interviews. This task has become more onerous after a series of layoffs in the past two years have whittled down the number of positions available, and recruiters who post open roles on sites like LinkedIn can receive hundreds or thousands of applicants. And generative AI tools have made it easier for those seeking jobs to bulk apply, creating more applications for recruiters and hiring managers to review—some with little relevance to the role. But while AI is becoming more common on the hiring side, too, some recruiters are wary of the biases it may have, and have steered clear of employing the tools in their decisions.

Of course there’s still bias with AI tools, Ansari says. “Of course there’s also bias with humans. The goal with the AI system is to make it much less biased than humans.” With AI, Ansari explains, the AI interviewer on micro1 won’t pass or fail a candidate; instead, it places them into categories like inexperienced, mid-level, and senior. Then, Ansari says, it’s on the hiring manager or recruiter to decide if the candidate is a good fit for the role. They can also listen to audio recordings of the responses rather than relying solely on the AI interviewer to interpret them.

Zahira Jaser, an associate professor at the University of Sussex Business School, says a lot remains unknown about the impact of AI and asynchronous interviewing—including how the tech affects candidates. Recording oneself can be awkward, and there are no human cues to pick up on from an AI interviewer. After being told to act naturally and put their best foot forward in the already nerve-wracking process of human job interviews throughout their career, people may not know how to show their best self to a chatbot, particularly when they’re up against opaque, built-in biases of AI.

“In the real world, humans are biased. But there are techniques we can use to overcome this human bias,” Jaser says. “In an algorithm-driven bias, this is likely to be very systematic.” For example, some AI hiring tools are trained on profiles of past successful employees, raising concerns that they will repeat past biased hiring practices.

For now, these AI tools don’t have the final say in who gets hired. But they increasingly have sway over which applicants get face time with a real human, and that can have a massive impact on what the workforce looks like going forward.

But if you ask Ansari, there is an alternative path for interviews in the future: He believes job seekers may also use AI-driven avatars to interview for jobs with AI interviewers, relegating the painful, tedious parts of initial job searchers to computers entirely. AI could make “really good matches” between job seekers and companies, Ansari says. “And then the company and the candidate can spend their actual time on a Zoom call or in-person interview.”

[kevin33james-blog]

In today's rapidly improving technology industry, staying ahead and advancing in your career requires more than just technical skills. To thrive in this competitive field, individuals must continuously learn, adapt, and position themselves as valuable assets to potential employers.

In this blog post, we'll explore practical strategies and resources to boost your career in the technology industry.

We'll discuss the value of xml epg guide, provide career-boosting strategies, and offer tips on sharing helpful content to showcase your expertise.

The Power of EPG Guides Online

EPG (Electronic Program Guide) guides aren't just for TV programming; they can also serve as a valuable resource for job seekers in the technology industry.

EPG guides provide a centralized source of information to research and prepare for job opportunities. They offer insights into industry trends, emerging technologies, and the latest developments, ensuring you stay informed and ahead of the curve.

Career Boosting Strategies

To enhance your career prospects in the technology industry, consider these strategies:

Building a Strong Professional Network: Cultivate relationships with professionals in your field through networking events, online communities, and industry conferences. Establishing meaningful connections can lead to mentorship opportunities, job referrals, and valuable insights.

Developing In-demand Technical Skills: Continuously invest in upgrading and expanding your technical skills. Stay updated with emerging technologies and industry trends. Consider pursuing certifications or online courses to gain expertise in high-demand areas, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, or cybersecurity.

Crafting an Effective Resume and Cover Letter: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant skills and experiences. Showcase your accomplishments, projects, and impact in previous roles. Ensure that your application materials are concise, well-structured, and free from errors.

Acing Job Interviews: Prepare thoroughly for job interviews by researching the company, understanding the job requirements, and practicing common interview questions. Demonstrate your problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and a genuine passion for technology.

Sharing Helpful Content

Creating and sharing relevant, informative content is an effective way to demonstrate your expertise and increase visibility in the technology industry. Consider the following tips:

Start a Tech Blog: Share your knowledge, experiences, and insights through a personal tech blog. Write about industry trends, tutorials, or showcase your project work. Engage with the tech community by commenting on related blogs or participating in forums.

Active Social Media Presence: Utilize social media platforms, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and GitHub, to share relevant industry news, showcase your projects, and engage with industry professionals. Building an active and professional social media presence can increase your visibility and attract potential employers.

Online Portfolio/Projects: Create an online portfolio showcasing your technical projects, such as coding samples, applications, or website designs. Demonstrating your practical skills through tangible examples can pique the interest of hiring managers and give them an insight into your capabilities.

In the ever-rising technology industry, boosting your career requires a proactive approach. Utilize the power of xml epg guide to stay informed, adopt effective career-boosting strategies, and share helpful content to showcase your expertise.

By continuously investing in your professional development, building a robust network, and actively engaging with the tech community, you'll be well-positioned to advance your career and achieve your goals.

Remember, success in the technology industry requires not only technical proficiency but also a commitment to continuous learning, adaptability, and a passion for innovation.

[think-and-write]

Why Should We Hire You: 7 Best Answers to the Interview Question

A job interview is a stressful situation for all of us. You will be face-to-face with a prospective employer and have to answer various questions about your qualification, skills, and work experience. One of these questions may sound like this: “Why should we hire you?”.

In order not to fail the job interview, let’s look at the mistakes that you need to avoid:

Lack of preparation. To feel confident during an interview, you need to take some time and prepare. Try to find those 3-4 skills that you can tell the employer about, and present them as your advantages over other candidates.

Do not respond with typical, generalized phrases: “I am smart, skilled, and driven, and I want to get this job.” Your goal is to stand out from other job applicants. But everyone can answer with such a template phrase.

Modesty. An interview is not the time or place to be modest. Of course, this does not mean that you need to immediately declare that you are an ideal candidate. Just state the facts: I won this award, I achieved this, I have 10 years of experience, I got a promotion, I broke a sales record, etc. Or you can quote a manager or employer: “The boss said that I…“.

Don’t talk too much about yourself. It is enough to list a few basic skills that meet the requirements for the position. Read post “Tell Me About Yourself”: How to Introduce Yourself in a Job Interview, Sample Answers.”

When comparing yourself to other candidates, it is important not to praise yourself and not to look like a self-conceited boaster. 

Example Answers to the Interview Question” Why We Should Hire You?”

Answer #1

“I have all the necessary skills and work experience to cope with the project manager’s responsibilities.

In addition to my successful experience in managing and implementing projects, I also have excellent communication skills: I have always found a common language with customers, developers, and suppliers. Moreover, for me, this area of activity is not just a job, this is exactly what I like to do.” 

Answer #2

“After reading the job ad for a programmer, I realized that I meet all your requirements. 

I have four years of programming experience. At the same time, I have good communication skills. For a long time, I worked directly with senior executives. That is why I am 100% prepared to work on large interagency projects. I will join the work process on the first day, and will be very glad to have this opportunity."

Answer #3

"That's a good question! You have a slight advantage as you know exactly who you are looking for.

But from the vacancy announcement, I understand that you are looking for someone who can quickly and effectively solve customer problems.

In this case, I want to say that I am a great fit for this position. And in confirmation, I would like to say that I repeatedly faced difficult clients at my last job who were extremely categorical and wanted to immediately terminate the service contract.

But I was able not only to persuade them to stay but also to convince the client that we are the best on the market. Thanks to this, at my previous work, I have received the honorary title of "best employee" for two years in a row."

Answer #4

"Firstly, I have the necessary experience - this is 2 years of work on television. And, secondly, a great desire to try as a producer's assistant.

In the last years of study at University X, I began to undergo training at... Later I was invited to stay there to work. I am familiar with all the processes of TV production and even participated in the editing of several episodes. I have a reputation as an employee who can quickly complete any task, even with a smile.

I like this field of work, this is exactly what I want to do next.”

Why Should We Hire You? Answer #5

"As far as I understand, your company is looking for an experienced marketer to create an effective strategy for distributing and selling products at new market segments. 

While working at Company X, I was able to achieve a 25% increase in sales by implementing targeted advertising on social media.

I would like to help your company achieve the same results because I have the necessary knowledge and experience. I can analyze competitors, I can choose the right strategy for development and I can identify free niches for distributing your products.”

Answer #6

"The ad says you are looking for an employee who is patient, organized, and has excellent communication skills.

While volunteering for the National Paralympic Committee, I have learned to be patient, loyal, and kind to athletes and Paralympic participants. I organized and coordinated various events for athletes. It helped me to develop the communication and planning skills that are needed for the work at your company.”

Answer #7

"I think I'm suited for the position of Restaurant Manager. I have five years of experience. During this time I was able to increase profits for the restaurant owner by 27%, as well as optimize the purchase of products and, thus, reduce costs.

In addition, I am familiar with all the stages and processes that are somehow connected with the restaurant business. I went through several stages before becoming a manager: I started my career as a waiter, and after six months I was promoted to shift manager.”

[10-31-pm]

The Accursed Items by J. Robert Lennon

A bottle of pain reliever, brought along on a business trip, that proves, at the moment it is most needed, to be filled not with pain reliever, but with buttons.

Sneakers, hanging from the power line, with one half of a boy's broken glasses stuffed into each toe.

A Minnie Mouse doll, you found by the roadside, and brought home, intending to run it through the washer, and give it to your infant son, but which looked no less forlorn after washing, and was abandoned on a basement shelf, only to be found by your son eight years later, and mistaken for a once-loved toy that he himself had forsaken, leading to his first real experience of guilt and shame.

Love letters, seized by federal agents in an unsuccessful drug raid, tested in a lab for traces of cocaine, exhaustively read for references to drug contacts, sealed in a labeled plastic bag, and packed along with a plush bear holding a plastic red heart, into an unlabeled brown cardboard box, itself, loaded into a truck with hundreds of similar boxes, when the police headquarters was moved, and forever lost.

Nude polaroids of a fifteen-year-old female cousin.

An icicle, preserved in the freezer by a child, which, when discovered months later, is thought to be evidence of a problem with the appliance, leading to a costly and inconclusive diagnostic exam by a repairman.

A gay porno magazine, thrown onto a ball field from a car window, and perused with great interest by the adolescent members of both teams, two of whom meet in the woods some weeks later, to reproduce the tableaus they have seen, leading to a gradual realization that they are in fact gay, an incident, the memory of which causes one of the two, when he is well into a life that is disappointing emotionally, professionally, and sexually, to fling a gay porno magazine out his car window, as he passes an occupied ball field, on his way to what will be an unsuccessful job interview.

A biscuit, crushed into the slush of a Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot.

The orange tobbaggen, whisking her to her death.

A resume, that portrays its author as utterly unqualified for the position for which she has applied, but which, because it smells good, leads its reader, a desperate, experientially undernourished middle-manager at an internet-based retail corporation, to invite her into the office for an interview, which, although further portrays the applicant's complete unsuitability for the job, provides the middle-manager with a physical impression to complement the good smell, which impression is intensely exciting, forcing him to hire her as a supplemental secretary, much to the bafflement, chagrin, and eventual disgust of his extent secretary, who, during her employer's lunch hour, removes the resume in question from his files, and personally delivers it to the CEO, and is with the CEO when he barges into the middle-manager's office, and finds the unsuitable supplemental secretary standing beside him, crying silently with her dress half-off, while he sits in his reclining office chair, sweating profusely, and holding a plastic letter opener in a threatening manner.

The houseplant, that will not die.

Fifty pairs of old blue jeans, found at second-hand clothing stores, and brought at great expense, on a trip to eastern Europe and the former Soviet republics, where rumor had it, old blue jeans could be sold for a lot of money, but where this was no longer true, as so many previous visitors had heard the same rumor, and done the same thing, creating a glut of old blue jeans, which were not even all that stylish there anymore, and causing the entire trip to be ruined by the necessity of hauling around these huge suitcases full of other people's jeans, which smelled kind of bad, as if those other people were currently wearing them.

The urine sample, produced for the cancelled doctors appointment, and forgotten in the back of the fridge.

My eyeglasses, covered with a thickening layer of dust that I never seem to notice, and simply adjust to, until, at last, I clean them out of habit, and discover a new world, sharp and full of detail, whose novelty and clarity I forget about completely within fifteen minutes.

Your signature, rendered illegible by disease.

[silverfoxlou]

Will Rick Astley’s Yung Gravy Lawsuit Dampen Pop’s Nostalgia Kick?

Re-recording classic tracks has become more common for financial and creative reasons, but the "Betty (Get Money)" case may give producers pause.

Some say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but according to a new lawsuit, singer Rick Astleydisagrees.

Astley filed a lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles court claiming that while Yung Gravyand his collaborators secured rights to re-record the melody and lyrics of some of his 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” for their track “Betty (Get Money),” they recorded it too close to the original and infringed on his “right of publicity” by “flagrantly impersonat[ing]” Astley’s voice.

Recreating the magic of older songs in new hits is not unique to “Betty (Get Money).” It’s common for artists to secure the rights to use the underlying musical work, like Gravy’s team did with “Never Gonna Give You Up,” and re-record portions of the song’s melody, lyrics and more for use in a new song, a process called “interpolation.” Sometimes, this ends up sounding incredibly similar sounding to the original recording, and other times, the team will put its own spin on the old track.

By opting for an interpolation rather than a true sample, teams avoid the tedious and costly process of securing the rights to the original recording as well, a separate right from that of the musical work. With interpolations, only the songwriters and publishers involved in writing the song have to approve of the new use of their song, not the singer. Interpolations also have the added bonus of providing producers with more flexibility and creativity. But now Astley’s lawsuit has music executives questioning if it could “open the floodgates” to litigation or at least tamp down the practice.

To the average listener, the “Betty (Get Money)” intro hinges on what sounds like a direct sample of “Never Gonna Give You Up.” But, as Gravy told Billboard months ago, he and his collaborators instead “basically remade the whole song,” in the studio. “[We] had a different singer and instruments, but it was all really close because it makes it easier legally,” he said.

Similarly, “I Like It” by Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin is widely believed to include a sample of of “I Like It Like That (A Mi Me Gusta Asi)” by Pete Rodriguez, but the iconic-sounding recording is also a dupe. In an interview with The Verge, the song’s engineer, Leslie Brathwaite, explained that, “a lot of people think that’s the actual sample, but it was actually replayed. Craig [Kallman, chairman of Atlantic Records and one of the track’s producers] hired people to replay every aspect of that sample, and it turned out to be like, 60 tracks worth of stuff… because they didn’t want to clear the sample.”

Nick “Popnick” Seeley, the producer who recreated Rick Astley’s voice for “Betty (Get Money),” told Billboard in a previous interview that he was also part of the replay process for “I Like It” by Cardi B, along with “Dirty Iyanna” by Youngboy Never Broke Again (which replays “Dirty Diana” by Michael Jackson). “I have a knack for vintage stuff… this is a really cool way for me to participate in what’s going on in pop music right now,” he said in the past interview. (Seeley is named alongside Gravy, fellow collaborators Dillon Francis and David “dwilly” Wilson, and Republic Records as defendants in the lawsuit. He declined Billboard’s request for comment.)

Danielle Middleton, senior director of producer/songwriter management firm Page 1 and former A&R at Sony Music Publishing, notes that sampling and interpolation is bigger than ever. “Nostalgia is huge right now,” she says. With songs like “First Class” by Jack Harlow (which features a sample of “Glamorous” by Fergie), “I’m Good (Blue)” by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha (which interpolates “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” by Eiffel 65, Gabry Ponte), “Big Energy” by Latto (which borrows from “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club, which is also featured in “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey) and more dominating the Hot 100 in recent years, many artists are looking to quickly jump onto the trend by flipping familiar tunes into something new.

Music attorney Todd Rubenstein wagers that most music creators have likely not considered there could be any legal risk in creating closely imitated interpolations. Producer Marc “Fresh2Def” Soto, half of duo ClickNPress and has worked with J. Cole, Queen Naija, and Alessia Cara, says music execs have often encouraged him to convert samples into interpolations. “A record label will be like, ‘Hey we can’t get the clearance for the sample, but we can get an interpolation, would you be able to replay XYZ thing?’ I’ve been through that on several records with different labels.”

While Soto explains it’s not unheard of for a producer to strive for an exact dupe, far more commonly, he says, producers will make small changes to create distinction. Soto also says an exact imitation is often nearly impossible, anyway. Without access to the same studios and equipment as the creators of a track made decades ago did, re-recordings usually sound different from the original track, even if the attempt was to imitate. It’s most common to hear imitations of guitar parts, drum loops and other instrumentals. Vocals are more rare.

One publishing executive, who spoke to Billboard on the condition of anonymity, says they feel switching out a sample for a close interpolation is not just used to speed up licensing and save money. It’s also incredibly common for “creative reasons,” allowing the producers to control the parameters and tone of each individual element of the song.

In a previous story with Billboard, Primary Wave, the company that owns the rights to “Never Gonna Give You Up” songwriter Pete Waterman’s catalog, explained that the creation of “Betty (Get Money)” was part of a strategy the company has been working on for the past few years. In hopes of boosting the popularity and earnings of their catalog, the team will encourage artists and producers to interpolate or sample from songs they hold some or all rights to.

So far, the technique has been quite successful for Primary Wave. In addition to “Betty (Get Money),” this strategy has produced songs like “Just Can’t Get Enough” by Channel Tres (which sampled Teddy Pendergrass’s “The More I Get The More I Want”), “Thought It Was” by Iann Dior and Machine Gun Kelly (which interpolated the melody of Semisonic’s “Closing Time”) and “What a Night” by Flo Rida (which borrowed from Frankie Valli’s “Oh What A Night”). Primary Wave was not named in this lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, Astley’s lawyer claims the singer has been “looking to collaborate with another artist and/or producer to create something new with his voice from ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’,” but because of the “nearly indistinguishable” imitation of Astley in “Betty (Get Money),” his opportunities to do this have been “obliterated.”

While Milk & Honey founder Lucas Keller says the popularity of Yung Gravy’s tune with such a prominent interpolation of “Never Gonna Give You Up” may hinder opportunities for a major sample placement for Astley’s original tune in the short term, the other publishing executive adds that they believe the opposite is true long-term. “If you’d look at James Brown or Parliament Funkadelic or any number of people that are often sampled, I feel like statistically, the more your work is used, it means you’re more likely to get sampled again.”

As to the lawsuit, Keller, who manages a number of top producers, says it “could set creators back.” The publishing executive agrees, arguing the case could scare creators and hinder creativity in sampling, covering and interpolating.

Soto says this would not be the first time a lawsuit affected producers in recent years, citing the controversial Blurred Lines trial, which claimed the Hot 100-topping hit of that name by Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and T.I. plagiarized the composition “Got To Give It Up” by Marvin Gaye because some felt it centered on similar feels of the two songs — perhaps widening what elements are protected under copyright law. The same lawyer who represented the Gaye family in that trial, Richard Busch, is representing Astley in his lawsuit. With this case, Soto adds, “We might get to a place where things start to feel like, ‘Why am I interpolating anyways when I might get sued?’”

Even if Astley and Gravy settle out of court, Rubenstein believes we’re likely “going to see other lawsuits off the back of this lawsuit” from artists who feel emboldened to fight imitations or similar-sounding interpolations of their voices in songs they were not a part of. He says, “I could see older artists that had this happen to them in the past realize, ‘Hey, I have the same claim.’”

Busch, Republic Records, Primary Wave, and Gravy did not respond to Billboard‘s request for comment.

[warmglowofsurvival]

Interview: Twenty One Pilots by Jay Campbell

Some people will remember Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012 as Athens' first snowfall of the season. Others will fondly recall the date as their first exposure to Twenty One Pilots at the Union.

The band consists of Columbus, Ohio, natives Tyler Joseph (vocals/keyboards) and Josh Dun (drums). I caught up with the duo just before their show that night.

JC: When did you first meet, and did you think you’d end up performing with each other?

Josh: I met Tyler through the band's previous drummer, about two years ago. They said they needed me to play at a show for them and that’s when it all started.

Tyler: After the show, we talked about our dreams and goals, not only within music, but in life, and we just connected. We had the same amount of passion and it just worked out perfectly.

JC: What is the story and meaning behind the band name?

Tyler: Well, it goes back to when I was in college, studying theater at Ohio State University. We were studying All My Sons by Arthur Miller, and it was one of those books that just hit you. The main character made airplane parts for the war, and he found out that his parts were faulty and would fail if used. So he had to make a decision to spend his money trying to fix them, or to use the faulty parts. He decided to use the faulty parts, and due to his decision, 21 pilots died in flight. It showed me that every decision that you make will have great outcomes or dire consequences, and it’ll be something that will forever stick with me.

JC: Some websites label you as rock, electronic, pop or rap. But it's difficult to compare you to bands or musicians in those genres. If you had to create a new genre that would describe your music, what would it be called?

Josh: Wow, that's a tough question. It’s so hard for us to put ourselves in any genre. One of our goals as musicians was to break down the walls of musical genres and combine different aspects into our own. Our manager calls us "pop-rock-piano-rap," which fits us but is a mouthful. If you can think of one and send it to us, we'll roll with it.

JC: On your song "Time to Say Goodbye," you sample "Con te Partiró" by Andrea Bocelli and then rap over it. Could you explain what you were thinking when you did this?

Tyler: Well, I’m really tied to melody. I don’t care what genre it is, if it catches my ear, then there must be something good about it. And then listening to the lyrics, I connected to his message and combined it with mine.

JC: If you had to pick a trademark song–one that that everyone recognized–what would it be?

Josh: It would have to be "Holding Onto You" or "Ode to Sleep." "Holding Onto You" could easily be recognized with its unique rap combined with an emotional-yet-catchy bridge. And "Ode to Sleep" is the closest to us with its meaning; it's probably the most connected with us that any song could be.

JC: Are you currently signed with a label?

Josh: Currently, no. But that should change in the near future.

Tyler: We're not really interested in being signed for the most money possible. We are talking to people that will give us control of the music we make. That's the most important thing we want if we're going to sign with someone.

JC: One final question: What made you want to perform here in Athens?

Josh: Our first time here was last year at one of the fests, and at that time I wasn’t the drummer. I was called by Tyler to come and fill in because the previous drummer quit. So I quit my job and drove here straight from Wisconsin. So I got here in time for the show, and after one song, the fest was shut down by the police. I wanted to come back, redeem myself and have a successful show here.

Tyler: As he said. He quit his job for a show that got shut down after one song. So we both agreed that we would come back and perform without getting shut down. But Ohio University is a cool place all around, and we had to come back!

[coldcaseinvestigations]

Did Robert Napper Kill Claire Tiltman

16-year-old Claire Tiltman was murdered in 1993 but is the right man behind bars for the vicious killing?

Claire Tiltman was on her way to a friend’s house to study when she was brutally murdered by being stabbed nine times in an alleyway in her home town of Greenhithe, Kent, England. Claire had just turned 16. Her murder remained unsolved for some twenty-one years.

Alan Jackaman was the police officer who finally managed to grab Napper for the cruel murder of Rachel Nickell on 15th July 1992, on Wimbledon Common, London.

Rachel was stabbed 49 times whilst her terrified two-year-old son was left watching. The original murder investigation led to an innocent man, Colin Stagg being arrested and charged.

After that, the Rachel Nickell murder investigation went cold and it wasn’t until 2002 that Scotland Yard called on a cold case review team that used newly refined DNA techniques which enabled them to establish possible links to other cases. As part of the investigation, the team identified a male DNA sample that did not match Rachel’s boyfriend or son.

Whilst the stand-alone sample was not sufficient to identify a suspect, it was enough to rule out suspects.

In July 2006, the Scotland Yard team interviewed 40-year-old convicted killer, Robert Napper for two days at Broadmoor. He had been convicted of the murder of Samantha Bisset and her four-year-old daughter Jazmine in November 1993 and had been at Broadmoor for 10 years.

On 28 November 2007, Napper was finally charged with Nickell’s murder. He appeared at the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 4 December 2007, where he was ordered to remain at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital until another hearing on 20 December 2007.

Enter Colin Ash-Smith

After many years of the Claire Tiltman murder investigation being cold with no sign of a killer being found, suddenly on September 12th 2013 the former home of a convicted criminal, Colin Ash-Smith in Myrtle Place, Stone, near Dartford, Kent was searched by police as part of a cold case investigation.

Colin’s father, Aubrey still lived at the family home and during the raid, several bags were taken away, presumably containing potential evidence yet Ash-Smith was not interviewed about the Tiltman murder.

Eventually, Colin Ash-Smith was charged with the killing and taken before the courts, despite pleading not guilty he was convicted in December 2014 and sentenced to serve a minimum of 21 years for the murder of Claire Tiltman.

He had served nineteen years in prison, including periods of assessment at Broadmoor secure hospital and a specialist treatment facility, HMP Whatton. He had been deemed suitable to be considered for parole, but that all came changed when he was charged with murdering Claire. Why had the police not seen him and dealt with him in regard to the Tiltman investigation during the 19 years that he was in custody?

Mr Jackaman says that the police simply dismissed Robert Napper from the Tillman murder enquiry as he lived in South East London, not in Kent but it is only a short, four-stop train journey, just 21 minutes in duration.

He has the nicknames, ‘The Plumstead Ripper’ and ‘The Green Chain Rapist’ and it seems highly likely that he could have been responsible for two more killings and maybe over a hundred rapes, yet he was not worthy of consideration for the killing of Claire.

Robert Napper has been diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger’s syndrome. His first conviction was a relatively minor crime involving possession of an air rifle but then began his much more serious offending when he allegedly raped a 30-year-old woman in front of her children in a house that backed onto Plumstead Common, not far from his home.

He had admitted the offence to his mother but, despite her having contacted the police the claim did not fit any cases on police record at the time.

Summing up

Do I agree with Mr Jackaman on his opinion that Napper should be questioned and a new investigation launched into the Claire Tiltman murder? Yes I do

Do I believe that Colin Ash-Smith is innocent and was made a scapegoat of in order to stop him from getting parole and being released? Having met Colin, my answer is, yes I absolutely do!

I absolutely agree with Mr Jackaman that a man is serving time in prison for a murder that he did not commit and I fully support any application to get the Claire Tiltman case reviewed.

So what do you think? I would love to know your feelings on this case, so please leave me a comment or even drop me an email at:

Coldcaseinvestigations@proton.me

I have not so far charged anyone to read my work or created “hidden extras” behind paywalls, so if you appreciate my work then please do me a small favour and “buy me a coffee” by clicking here

I really do appreciate your feedback and I am of course available for; Cold case investigation, Criminal case research, Writing, Investigation/research for podcasts & documentaries and consultancy work.

You can find me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/adams_jarad

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coldcaseinvestigations/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarad-adams-8360751b4/

[startle]

💐, 🌾 and 🍄 for both of the kiddos you mention in your tags ^_^

🠂 OC interview questions: nature !!

cut for length & discussion of substances:

bouquet: if you could send your OC a bouquet, what flowers would make it up and what is the overall message?

OH LORD OH MAN .. floriography makes me clinically insane & as such, i spent an UNHEALTHYYYYYYYY amount of time searching for the best realized list of flower meanings & such that i could ..

.. (supplementary list in question,)

wyne's bouquet: ambrosias, forget-me-nots, aloe leaves, weeping willows, xeranthemums, wood sorrels, olive flowers, guelder roses, rudbeckias, anemones. symbolizes love & grief as a necessary symbiosis, alongside hope & love always promising a person closure, regardless of truth or memory.

kinu's bouquet: carolina roses, maiden blush roses, creeping cereus, wolfsbanes, venus' traps, brambles, rosebay rhododenrons, laburnums, swallow-worts, lichen. symbolizes their self-fulfilling cycle of chasing danger & toxicity within others, for acceptance & to fill their inner void, to the point of their irreparable undoing.

rice sheaf: how picky is your OC with food? what will & won't they eat?

whilst wyne is much more quickly culinarily manageable & open-minded. not having any particular diet or harsh dislikes, she has a soft spot for anything dried, aged, naturally preserved in any way that is foot-travel-friendly. at the end of all things though, not having a strictly corporeal body equates to not having a consistent need for, or relationship to food. graham crackers are her go-to for comfort eating.

kinu on the other hand, is a walking trashcan. unlike a good chunk of their different vampiric brethren, consumption of human food isn't a problem for their digestive system - though, it's about as nutritious to them as distilled water is for someone's hydration. being a stoner since their human teenagehood & taking complete advantage of their flexible gut, they opt for a faithful diet of processed & intensely flavored/spiced/seasoned/marinated/etc. foods, that'd otherwise run someone into chronic disease quickly. when the actual feeding time is inevitable, kinu prefers the modernized medical-blood-bag method - they don't mind drinking from live people, but the semantics of non-fatal hunting simply make it easier, for them anyway, to preserve their energy wherever possible.

mushroom: how likely is your OC to eat random berries/mushrooms they find?

wyne's career entails the occasional partaking of lethal doses across different plants & medicines alike; having firsthand knowledge of these types of plants in question & just generally being much more warmly encouraging towards making good, smart decisions - when not on the clock, she only samples things that're safe for consumption beyond any reasonable doubt.

kinu, whom is similarly acclaimed in their own respective scientific accolades albeit VERY intentionally reckless, just blindly samples what intrigues them in real-time, & rides out whatever consequence befalls them. sometimes, they even combine them with other .. recreational activities, whenever the whole vampirism thing dulls down that " buzz " they're looking for.

[nigthbreed]

What’s In a Fingerprint?

On the afternoon of June 28, 1984, between 1-2 p.m., Jack Vincow proceeded to his mother’s apartment in Glassell Park. He found her lying on her bed with her throat slashed, covered with a blanket. The apartment had been broken into and ransacked. The window next to the front door was open, and the door was unlocked. Law enforcement collected evidence from the crime scene consisting of blood from areas in the living room, bedroom, bathroom, and a portable car top carrier in a bedroom closet. They collected blood samples from a bathroom sink. Blood smudges were also found on a table lamp. Fingerprints were found on a window screen. Per the coroner’s report, it was estimated, based on liver temperature, that Vincow had been killed within 2-3 hours of when her body was discovered. Jack Vincow told law enforcement he had last seen his mother alive the previous day between 1-2 p.m.

The Vincow murder was unlike any of the other crimes attributed to the so-called Nightstalker. Jennie Vincow was an elderly woman that lived alone and was killed in the middle of the day. She lived in an apartment building surrounded by numerous other tenants. In fact, her son Jack lived in the same building. Nothing had been stolen from her apartment.

Chapman Street, the site of the Vincow Murder, in Glassell Park in Northeast Los Angeles

For over a year, this crime would go unsolved. Only in September of 1985, after arresting Richard Ramirez for the Nightstalker crimes, did LAPD decide they had “discovered” the individual who had murdered 79-year-old Jennie Vincow.

  Jennie Vincow had two sons, Manny and Jack. Her son, Manny, had been hospitalized multiple times for mental health disturbances and was rumored to have been both physically and emotionally abusive to his mother. Jack Vincow testified that he initially thought his brother might have been responsible for their mother’s death. Witnesses reported seeing a man that resembled Jack in Jennie Vincow’s apartment before her body was discovered. Per Jack, his brother Manny bore a strong resemblance to him. Jack Vincow engaged in some odd behaviors after the death of his mother. After discovering his mother had been brutally murdered in her apartment, Jack took the time to open the curtains and the windows in the living room and the kitchen before having the apartment manager call the police. He was asked to take a lie detector test by LAPD, which he refused. Law enforcement tried to interview him several times, and he was uncooperative, leaving in the middle of one interview. Even Gil Carrillo thought Jack’s behavior was suspicious, prompting him to follow Jack in his vehicle on one occasion. So why did Jack Vincow refuse a lie detector test, and why did he appear to not want to cooperate with law enforcement and help track down his mother’s killer?

Questions that have never been addressed but that are beyond the scope of this article. What I do want to address is the so-called evidence that led to Richard’s conviction of the Vincow crime. Back to those fingerprints on the window screen.

For as long as I can remember, I was taught no two fingerprints are alike, that they are distinct, like DNA. Well, that’s not quite accurate. Fingerprinting is not an exact science, and contrary to widespread belief, not every set of fingerprints is unique. The so-called science of fingerprinting varies from one law enforcement agency to the next, and each agency determines its own protocols for examining fingerprint evidence. The science of fingerprint evidence is based on two key assumptions: That fingerprint reading is objective and that every person has completely unique fingerprints. Neither of these assumptions is 100 percent correct. To be considered scientifically valid, an instrument or testing procedure must be proven beyond a reasonable degree of scientific certainty to be accurate, valid, and replicable. Unlike DNA testing, the fingerprint industry is not held to these standards. Since 1911, when prosecutors first introduced them as evidence, U.S. courts have consistently accepted fingerprints, and juries have considered them incontrovertible evidence. But unlike DNA evidence, fingerprinting was adopted before the United States Supreme Court decided attorneys and expert witnesses must prove that evidence is scientific and reliable. Matches become even more difficult when law enforcement finds only a partial fingerprint.

  Let’s examine the fingerprint evidence used to convict Richard of the Vincow murder. Fingerprints were found on a sole window screen. This window screen had been removed and placed inside of the apartment so there was no way to tell if the fingerprints were on the inside or outside of the screen. There was also no way to tell how long the fingerprints had been on the screen or when they were put there. There were other prints on the screen that were unidentifiable. Yet, allegedly, amongst the many unidentifiable fingerprints found on the screen, a partial print was discernible, and this partial fingerprint belonged to Richard.

But did it really? While prosecutors rely heavily on fingerprint evidence in criminal cases, and juries often take fingerprint evidence as proof beyond a reasonable doubt of a defendant’s guilt, fingerprint evidence has been known to implicate the wrong person. And this is because matching fingerprints is not an exact science.

Fingerprint comparison is highly subjective, and even proficient forensic scientists can make mistakes when it comes to reading and comparing fingerprints. As such, it’s important for a jury to understand that not all fingerprint evidence is reliable, and a competent attorney should know how to cast doubt on fingerprint evidence so the jury realizes it’s not foolproof.

A prime example of fingerprint misidentification occurred after the train bombings in Madrid in 2004. Spanish authorities found fingerprints on a bag that held explosives. They sent the fingerprint evidence to international authorities for further comparison. Three FBI experts matched the prints to Brandon Mayfield, an Oregon lawyer. The FBI claimed the match was 100 percent accurate, and Mayfield was detained by federal authorities. Spanish authorities eventually found that Mayfield had not left the United States for several years and the fingerprints matched an Algerian national. So how is it that supposedly infallible fingerprint evidence can incriminate a man who hadn’t left the country in a terrorist attack halfway across the world? 

Unfortunately, many people may receive wrongful convictions based on unreliable fingerprint evidence if they don’t have a defense attorney handling their case that knows how to successfully dispute fingerprint evidence. Unfortunately for Richard, the Hernandez’s must have been absent from law school the day they taught “how to dispute and cast doubt on fingerprint evidence” because they failed to challenge the only piece of physical evidence linking Richard to this crime: The partial fingerprint on the window screen.

Not only did they fail to challenge the reliability of partial fingerprint comparison, but they also did not present any evidence that could have absolved Richard of this crime based on the presence of other unidentifiable prints on the same window screen. In fact, the Hernandez’s did not bother with presenting any expert testimony about fingerprint evidence. Instead, they conceded the fingerprint evidence and argued that the jury should acquit Richard of the Vincow charge because his fingerprints were not found inside the apartment. They could have easily disputed the evidence and cast reasonable doubt by calling out the presence of other unidentifiable fingerprints and the fact that only a partial print was discernible.

If this wasn’t bad enough, the prosecution didn’t trouble themselves with preserving the evidence of the unidentifiable prints on the window screen. A negligent act for which they were not sanctioned. Nor did the Hernandez’s concern themselves with objecting to the prosecutor’s misconduct for “losing” the fingerprint evidence. During deliberations, the jury questioned the unidentifiable fingerprints and posed this question to the court:

“What is the legal definition of an unidentifiable fingerprint? Is it because there is not enough of a print to make an I.D. or because the print is not a part of the records the police have with which to make a comparison?” From 2008 federal writ of habeas corpus petition

This was another opportunity for the defense to explain to the jury the significance of unidentifiable prints and argue that the partial fingerprint was not Richard’s. By challenging the partial fingerprint evidence, the Hernandez’s could have shown reasonable doubt existed. But like with so many other things in this case, they didn’t inconvenience themselves by defending their client.

In 2008, fingerprint examiner Ron Smith was retained by federal habeas attorneys to review the fingerprint evidence introduced against Richard at his LA trial; however, the state refused to release the fingerprint exhibits. What were they afraid of? What don’t they want us to know? If the state’s evidence is valid and reliable, then why do they not want anyone else to examine it? Is it because they know their so-called evidence will not hold up to scientific scrutiny? Do they fear if a competent, independent fingerprint examiner looks at the evidence, it will quickly crumble, showing substantial reasonable doubt?

A young man’s life and liberty depended on the authenticity of this so-called evidence. Yet, the Hernandez’s didn’t bother with contesting it, the state lost the unidentifiable prints and would not release the “partial print” for independent analysis. Am I the only one that thinks this all sounds a bit dubious?

The bottom line is there is no legitimate proof Richard killed Jennie Vincow. Or that he was ever inside her home, for that matter. There was no other evidence linking him with this crime. No infamous Avia prints, no blood, no hair, no murder weapon. And this crime fit no pattern. Just how do we make the leap from the alleged discovery of a partial fingerprint to a murder conviction? An unbiased, objective jury would have seen that making a connection between a partial fingerprint and a murder conviction is quite a stretch of the imagination.

Kaycee

Full article

[mayaduffphleb]

Open Your Future: Top Phlebotomist Jobs in Houston, TX-- Apply Today!

Unlock⁣ Your⁢ Future: Top Phlebotomist Jobs in Houston, TX – Apply Today!

Are you ⁣looking to jumpstart your career in ‍the healthcare field? As the demand for skilled healthcare professionals continues to grow, phlebotomy offers a rewarding pathway. In Houston, TX, a vibrant city known for its diverse medical community, excellent opportunities abound. This comprehensive guide will explore the ⁢top⁣ phlebotomist jobs available ⁣in Houston, the‍ benefits of⁣ working in this field, practical‍ tips for applying,⁣ and ⁢personal experiences from those⁤ who have successfully navigated this career path. Let’s ‌get ‌started!

Understanding the Role of a Phlebotomist

Phlebotomists play ‍a ⁢crucial role in healthcare by ⁤performing blood draws, ensuring patient safety,​ and maintaining the highest standards of hygiene. Their responsibilities ‍typically include:

Collecting blood samples from patients accurately.

Labeling⁣ and storing specimens for testing.

Maintaining​ clean and safe work environments.

Interacting compassionately with patients to ease⁣ their concerns.

Top Phlebotomist ‌Jobs in Houston, TX

Houston offers numerous phlebotomy job opportunities across healthcare facilities, including ⁤hospitals, laboratories, and‍ clinics. Here’s ⁤a look at some of the top⁣ employers and positions⁢ available:

Job Title

Employer

Location

Salary Range

Phlebotomist

Houston Medical ⁤Center

Houston, TX

$35,000 ⁣- $45,000

Senior Phlebotomist

Texas Children’s Hospital

Houston, TX

$40,000 – $55,000

Mobile⁣ Phlebotomist

LabCorp

Houston, TX

$45,000 – $55,000

Lead Phlebotomist

HCA ⁤Houston Healthcare

Houston, TX

$50,000 – $65,000

Benefits of Being a Phlebotomist

Choosing a career as ⁣a phlebotomist comes with⁤ numerous advantages:

Job Stability: With⁣ healthcare jobs ​on the rise, phlebotomy offers excellent job security.

Flexible ⁣Schedule: Many phlebotomy roles‍ allow for part-time opportunities and flexible hours.

Career Advancement: Phlebotomists can further their careers by specializing ⁢in ‌areas like laboratory science or healthcare management.

Making a Difference: Your work directly impacts patient care and outcomes, providing ⁢a meaningful career.

How to Apply for ⁣Phlebotomist⁤ Jobs in Houston

Ready to take the​ first step towards a rewarding phlebotomist role? Here are some ‍practical tips to enhance ⁣your application:

Update Your Resume: Tailor your resume to showcase relevant education and certifications⁤ in phlebotomy.

Network: Connect with professionals on LinkedIn and attend local healthcare job fairs.

Follow Application Instructions: ⁢ Carefully read job postings‍ and ⁤follow all application guidelines.

Prepare for Interviews: Practice‌ common interview questions and be‌ ready to discuss your clinical ​experience.

Personal Experiences: Real Stories from⁣ Phlebotomists in Houston

Hearing⁤ from current phlebotomists provides ​invaluable insights into the profession. ⁢Here⁣ are ⁢a ⁢few first-hand experiences:

Maria’s Journey

“I started‍ as a phlebotomist right after​ I‍ completed ⁤my​ certification. The experience⁤ has been ‍incredible!‌ I love interacting with patients and helping them‌ feel comfortable during blood ⁢draws, which can be⁣ daunting for some. I’ve even moved into a senior position at‌ my ​clinic!”

James’s Experience

“Becoming a mobile ‍phlebotomist allowed me to ‌have​ a ‍flexible ‌schedule that suits ⁤my ‍family life.​ I get to ⁢travel around the city and meet diverse groups of people. It’s rewarding to know that I make healthcare more accessible.”

Case Studies: Success in Phlebotomy

Many individuals have found success⁤ in their phlebotomy careers, contributing to both⁣ their professional growth ‍and the healthcare community. Here are ⁢a few ⁢notable case studies:

Case ‌Study 1: From Student to Senior

A⁣ recent graduate completed a 1-year internship at a local hospital, gaining hands-on ⁤experience. After graduation, she secured a⁤ full-time role as a senior phlebotomist, where she now mentors new interns.

Case ​Study 2: Specialization⁢ in ‍Pediatric Phlebotomy

After working​ as ​a general phlebotomist for several years,⁤ an individual pursued additional training to specialize in ‌pediatric ‍phlebotomy. She now works at a children’s hospital, where⁢ her gentle approach has garnered praise from both parents‌ and staff.

Conclusion

The future looks ​bright‍ for aspiring phlebotomists in Houston, TX, with numerous job opportunities and pathways for professional growth. By following the tips​ outlined above, ⁤you can unlock the door to a fulfilling career in this critical⁢ healthcare role. Whether you’re ⁤just ⁢starting or looking to advance, the vibrant medical community⁣ in Houston is⁤ the perfect‍ place to grow your skills ⁢and make a difference. ⁣Don’t wait—apply today and step confidently ⁢into your future as a phlebotomist!

https://phlebotomyclassesonline.net/open-your-future-top-phlebotomist-jobs-in-houston-tx-apply-today/