#candidate sourcing tool

[official-superworks]

Candidate Sourcing Tools | Best Sourcing Tools for Recruiters | Candidate Sourcing Strategies | Superworks

Unable to source the right candidates? Don’t worry, we’ll help you!

With the help of the Candidate Sourcing Tool, you will never have to waste time and energy on finding candidates all over the internet.

Candidate Sourcing Tools for Recruiters utilize various techniques and technologies to search, identify, and engage with individuals who possess the desired skills, qualifications, and experience.

Streamline the Recruitment Process and Find Ideal Candidates for your Organisation with the help of a Powerful Candidate Sourcing Tool. Read the full article to know how!

[hrtechnology25]

AI-powered talent acquisition is transforming HRTech by streamlining recruitment processes, enhancing candidate experience, and improving hiring decisions. Here are some ways AI is revolutionizing talent acquisition:

Automated Resume Screening: AI algorithms can quickly scan and evaluate resumes, identifying the most suitable candidates based on predefined criteria. This reduces the time spent by HR professionals on manual screening and ensures a more objective evaluation process.

Enhanced Candidate Sourcing: AI tools can search through various online platforms, databases, and social networks to identify potential candidates. These tools use machine learning to predict which candidates are likely to be a good fit for the organization, even if they are not actively looking for a job.

Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: AI-powered chatbots can handle initial candidate interactions, answer frequently asked questions, and guide applicants through the application process.

[kaushalkumar1711]

Hiring Made Easy: Exploring Candidate Sourcing Tools 

In today’s competitive job market, finding the right talent can be a daunting task for companies of all sizes. Traditional hiring methods often fall short, leading to prolonged vacancies and increased recruitment costs. To streamline the hiring process and ensure that organizations can attract the best candidates, leveraging candidate sourcing tools has become essential. 

 The Importance of Candidate Sourcing 

Candidate sourcing is the proactive search for qualified job candidates for current or planned open positions. This process is crucial for building a robust talent pipeline, reducing time-to-hire, and ensuring that businesses have access to a diverse and skilled workforce. Effective candidate sourcing goes beyond posting job ads and waiting for applications; it involves using a variety of tools and strategies to identify and engage potential candidates. 

 Top Tools for Sourcing Candidates 

1. LinkedIn Recruiter: LinkedIn Recruiter is a social network for recruiters. It gives them access to tools that make finding and hiring candidates quicker and more efficient. 

Features: 

Advanced Search Filters: Allows recruiters to search for candidates based on industry, experience, skills, location, and more. 

InMail Messaging: Enables direct communication with potential candidates. 

Talent Insights: Provides data-driven insights to improve sourcing strategies. 

Benefits 

Broad Talent Pool: Access to over 700 million professionals. 

Enhanced Engagement: Personalized messaging and interaction. 

Data-Driven Decisions: Leverage insights to refine searches and strategies. 

LinkedIn Recruiter is a powerful tool for sourcing passive candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities but are open to hearing about potential roles. 

2. Indeed, Smart sourcing: Indeed, smart sourcing is an AI-powered tool that makes hiring quicker by matching people with the right jobs.   Features: 

Resume Database: Access to millions of resumes from various industries. 

Advanced Filters: Search resumes based on criteria like job title, location, skills, and experience. 

Candidate Alerts: Receive notifications when new resumes matching your criteria are uploaded. 

Benefits: 

Comprehensive Database: Extensive collection of resumes, including active and passive candidates. 

Efficiency: Quickly find candidates that meet specific job requirements. 

Automated Alerts: Stay updated with new potential candidates. 

Indeed Resume is particularly useful for filling positions quickly and efficiently by tapping into a vast database of active job seekers. 

3. ZOHO RECRUIT: Zoho recruit is a candidate sourcing platform that combines ATS and CRM to help recruiters fill vacancies quickly and efficiently. 

Features:   

Comprehensive sourcing: Quickly find candidates from multiple sources such as job boards, social networks and referral programs. 

Resume parsing: The powerful resume analysis tool quick extracts information about candidates from resumes. 

Recruitment automation: Automates the entire hiring process right from start to end. 

Benefits 

Improved candidate experience: Seamless and transparent recruitment process. 

Better team collaboration: Multiple team members can collaborate and share feedback about candidates during the hiring process. 

Data security: Encryption, role-based access and GDPR compliance ensure candidate data protection 

In the digital age, the competition for candidates is fierce, so staying ahead of the competition is important. By utilizing a candidate sourcing platform, you can gain a competitive advantage as it drastically improves your recruitment efforts, ensuring you attract the top talent for your organization. 

Is your recruitment team facing challenges in sourcing and hiring the right candidates? Contact Talent pool. Their comprehensive candidate sourcing platform not only streamlines the different hiring processes but also automates routine administrative tasks, ensuring a seamless recruitment experience for both recruiters and candidates. 

[hammadchauhdary]

Best 6 Employee Retention Strategies for Long-term Success

One of your top priorities as a business owner or manager is to build a team of talented and dedicated individuals through employee retention strategies who will contribute to the long-term success of your organization. This team of individuals could be found by diversity recruiting and passive candidate sourcing. However, hiring the right employees is only the first step. Continuing these valuable team members is equally important, as high employee turnover can have a harmful impact on productivity, spirit, and the overall success of your business.

In this article, I will explore the importance of employee retention, the costs associated with turnover, common challenges faced by employers, and most importantly, proven strategies to boost employee engagement and retention for the long shipment.

Importance of Employee Retention

Employee retention is the process of retaining valuable employees within an organization for an extended period. It goes beyond simply mastering the art of onboarding; it emphasizes raising a positive work environment that encourages loyalty, satisfaction, and commitment. Investing in employee retention is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, it saves your organization from the costly consequences of high turnover rates. Additionally, employee engagement and retention promote continuity and stability, which are essential for long-term success. Moreover, solid employee retention strategies can enhance your employer brand and position your company as an employer of choice, attracting top talent.

Employee Turnover Costs

Employee turnover can cost a company a lot of money. When people leave their jobs, it is not just a matter of saying goodbye to them. It also means the company has to spend money on finding and training new employees. While new employees are learning, work might slow down a bit. Plus, when someone leaves, they take with them all the knowledge they have about how things work at the company. 

Candidate sourcing strategies are quite different than employee retention strategies. In candidate sourcing strategies you have only source a candidate but in employee retention strategies you must have to follow strategies to retain the employee to do work on peak. This can make it harder for the team to work well together, and it might make everyone feel less happy. If a lot of people leave at the same time, the people who stay might have to work harder, which can make them feel tired and less productive. So, understanding how much it costs when people leave can help us see why it is really important to make sure people want to stay in their jobs.

Challenges in Employee Retention

While employee retention is undoubtedly important, it is not without its challenges. One of the most common challenges is competition from other employers. In today’s job market, skilled employees have numerous opportunities, and if they are not satisfied with their current employer, they will likely seek employment elsewhere. Another challenge is poor management and leadership.

Employees who do not feel valued or supported by their supervisors are more likely to leave. Lack of growth and development opportunities is also a significant challenge as employees want to continuously learn and advance in their careers. Finally, work-life balance is a growing concern for many employees who seek flexibility and a healthy integration of their personal and professional lives. We can do passive candidate sourcing with the help of candidate sourcing tools but it is a challenge to retain employees.

Keys to Satisfy Employees

Before we dive into the detailed employee retention strategies, it’s crucial to grasp the fundamental elements that contribute to their happiness. While what makes each person happy may vary, several common factors tend to connect with most individuals. These include cultivating a positive and supportive work environment, ensuring fair salaries and attractive benefits packages, providing opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement, recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. 

By prioritizing these aspects, we can create an environment that not only develops employee satisfaction but also grows a sense of loyalty and commitment. When employees feel valued, respected, and fulfilled in their roles, they are more likely to remain with the company for the long term, contributing to its success and growth.

Employee Retention Strategies:

1. Building a Positive Company Culture

Creating a positive work environment is crucial for employee engagement and retention. It’s about fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and respected. To achieve this, begin by clearly defining your company’s mission, vision, and values. Make sure these are communicated effectively to all employees and are reflected in daily operations.

Encourage open communication and collaboration among team members. Provide opportunities for growth and development, and recognize employees for their contributions. Additionally, promoting work-life balance and inclusivity is important for ensuring that everyone feels supported and appreciated. When employees feel connected to the company’s values and goals, and when they feel respected and valued, they are more likely to stay with the organization for the long term, contributing to its success and growth.

2. Offering Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Having competitive compensation and benefits is important if you want to attract and keep the best people on your team. It is all about making sure you pay your employees fairly compared to other companies in your industry and area. You can do this by researching to see what other companies are offering and making sure your salary and benefits are on balance with theirs.

It is also a good idea to think about giving your employees some extra benefits, like flexible work hours, the option to work from home, or programs to help them stay healthy which is one of the best employee retention strategies. Make sure you regularly check to see if your pay and benefits are still competitive and adjust them if needed. When employees feel like they’re being paid fairly and appreciated for their hard work, they’re more likely to stick around

3. Providing Opportunities to employees

Employees want chances to learn, get better at what they do, and move up in their careers. So, it is super important to have employee retention strategies. These strategies do not just help employees learn new things, they also show that you are serious about helping them grow in their careers. You can do this by setting up mentorship programs, where more experienced employees help newer ones learn and grow.

Also, think about letting employees try out different jobs or tasks to broaden their skills. It’s also a good idea to sponsor employees to go to conferences or workshops where they can learn new things. Make sure you sit down with each employee and make a plan for how they can grow in their job. And do not forget to give them feedback and coaching along the way to help them reach their goals. When you invest in your employees like this, it shows them that you care about them and want to help them succeed.

4. Recognizing and Rewarding Employee Achievements

Recognizing and rewarding employees is a big deal when it comes to keeping them happy and sticking around. So, it’s important to have a solid program in place that lets employees know you appreciate them. This can be as simple as saying “Great job!” or giving them a shout-out in front of the team which is one of the best employee retention strategies.

But it can also mean giving them something tangible, like a bonus or a gift card, to show your appreciation for their hard work. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on how well your recognition program is working and update it regularly to make sure it is still doing employee retention strategies. When you recognize and reward your employees, it creates a culture where everyone feels appreciated and valued. And when employees feel like their efforts are noticed and appreciated, they are more likely to stick around and keep doing great work for your company.

5. Creating a Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance has become increasingly important in today’s fast-paced work environment. Ensure that your employees have the flexibility and support they need to balance their personal and professional lives. Offer flexible work hours, remote work options, and giving vacation and leave policies. Employee engagement and retention take breaks and prioritize self-care. Lead by example and create a culture that values work-life balance. When employees feel that their personal lives are respected and valued, they are more likely to stay with your organization for the long term which is one of the good employee retention strategies.

6. Implementing Effective Communication Channels

Open and effective communication is vital for employee engagement and retention. Establish clear communication channels that facilitate regular feedback, dialogue, and information sharing. Encourage an open-door policy where employees feel comfortable expressing their concerns or providing suggestions. Provide transparent updates on company news, changes, and goals. Using technology to streamline communication processes and ensure that all employees have access to the information they need. By providing a culture of communication and clarity, you build employee engagement, and retention, leading to higher employee retention rates due to employee retention strategies.

Benefits of Employee Retention Strategies

Implementing employee retention strategies is not a one-time effort; it requires ongoing evaluation and measurement. Regularly assess the effectiveness of your retention strategies by tracking key metrics such as employee turnover rates, employee satisfaction surveys, and exit interview feedback. Analyze the data to identify trends, areas for improvement, and potential red flags. Use this information to refine and adjust your employee retention strategies as needed. Additionally, seek feedback from your employees through regular pulse surveys or focus groups. Their input is invaluable in understanding what is working and what needs improvement.

Conclusion:

Employee retention is a critical aspect of building a thriving organization. By implementing employee retention strategies, you can create a positive work environment, promote employee satisfaction, and decrease turnover rates. Building a positive company culture, offering competitive compensation and benefits, providing opportunities for growth and development, recognizing and rewarding employee achievements, creating a work-life balance, and implementing effective communication channels are all key elements of successful employee retention strategies. Remember, investing in your employees is an investment in the long-term success of your organization.

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[humming-fly]

If you live in the US, STOP SCROLLING

This is your reminder to make a Voting Plan!

Step 1: Check your Registration

Registered already? Go to Step 3!

Step 2: Register to Vote

Step 3: Learn about your state's Early Voting Options

Like early voting and have that option? Skip to Step 5!

Step 4: Explore your Day-Of Voting Options

Step 5: Research Candidates

Step 6: Share your Plans

Detailed sample down below!

Step 1: I'm in California, so I clicked here at https://www.vote411.org/check-registration

Clicking on that took me to my state's registration check page, where I filled out in those fun black squares with my info...

...and there's my confirmation! This also provides info on where I'm currently registered to vote, which is good to know when looking up ballot drop-off locations.

Step 2: Since I already am registered I could skip this, but just to show it off here's what the online tool at https://www.vote411.org/register looks like!

The site asks you to put in your name and mailing address, and then sends you off to your own state's voter registration page to finish it up!

Step 3: Since I'm in California, I went to https://www.vote411.org/select-state and selected that state to bring up CA's voting information page.

And here's what my info looks like! The top of the page gives a quick overview of registration deadlines...

...and scrolling down reveals a bunch of additional info for any further questions! I've selected Early Voting on the lefthand tab to bring that up here.

Skimming this, it looks like California offers voting by mail, which is what I want to do.

Scrolling further down the lefthand menu I pulled up the Vote by Mail tab to learn more...

...and based on the information there I went to find the tab that would tell me about Drop Boxes in California!

Following that link brings me to California's early voting drop-off page.

For now let's just use Disneyland as our address to see where we can drop things off. Entering the county and city information we get this list:

Checking the box to Display Results on Map, it looks like there's a drop off location right by Disney that is open 24 hours! I went ahead and screenshotted the address on my computer, and opened it in google maps so that I could keep track of where it was.

Perfect, I now have a plan for dropping off my mail-in ballot!

Finally, I want to know where my mail-in ballot is. Assuming you live in a state with mail-in ballots but haven't seen yours yet, you can usually track them or request new ones if your address has recently changed.

I just googled "California mail in ballot tracking" and wound up on this page.

Filling out the little form at the Where'sMyBallot link (name and date of birth), I can see that my ballot has been sent out and is en route!

Since it was sent on October 7th, I suspect it's already arrived, and lo and behold checking my mailbox there it is buried under all the political mailers!

Step 4: Since I will be voting by mail, I will skip Step 4 for now (though vote411.org lists traditional voting areas/what I'd need to bring so that's where I'd get that info if needed!)

Step 5: When doing research I started with https://www.vote411.org/ballot, since it gives a preview image of all of the items that will be on my ballot based on my address.

I can click on any of these to see the candidate options, and their statements if they've been provided. However for many of these options on vote411.org there aren't too many additional details, so I want to do my own research looking at neutral voting summaries and candidate endorsements by groups I align with politically!

For the election summary, I started with the General Election Official Voter Information Guide booklet that was mailed to my address a few weeks ago. This is the best source of unbiased voting information in my opinion, especially when it comes to state and local propositions since it will summarize them and also include opinion pieces written for and against each one. You can also access it online, as shown below!

To find it, I googled "California Official Voter Information Guide", and made sure it was sourced from my local government.

Another good source of information I used is npr.org, or National Public Radio. NPR provides news that is free to read and listen to, and is one of my personal favorite ways to stay informed. There's also local branches of the station for every state, and each one will usually have a voting guide with side-by-side comparisons that makes it easy to read.

To find mine, I googled "California NPR Voting Guide"

Finally if there was anything on the ballot where I wasn't convinced one way or the other on certain candidates or initiatives, I checked out some political endorsements!

A few of the ones I looked at are Planned Parenthood (women's health and abortion access), the Sunrise Movement (climate activism), the Sierra Club (climate change, national park preservation). I found these by googling "[Name of org] voting guide california".

Since I'm voting by mail I could keep these webpages opened as I filled out my ballot.

For voting in person, I'd recommend writing candidates down as a cheat sheet to bring into the poll so you can remember what you want to vote for! https://www.vote411.org/ballot will let you arrange that cheat sheet real easily.

Now that my ballot is filled out I'll just drop it off at the address I found in Step 3 - setting a time for myself, I'll plan to drop it off when I go for a walk this afternoon! 👍

Step 6:

After I finished up I went ahead and posted on facebook and to my friends in discord on how I'd made a voting plan, to help encourage friends/family to do the same!

You can be as public or as personal as you want here, but sharing can help encourage others to put a plan together too - if you made it this far it can even be as simple as reblogging this post with a message saying "I Made a Voting Plan"!

[emilianadarling]

The Pennsylvania Senate race is still too close to call.

While it's unlikely to affect the presidential race, I hope Americans are aware that the NBC decision desk (pictured above) and New York Times decision desk have not yet called the Pennsylvania Senate race between McCormick (R) and Casey (D), deeming it still too close to call. The AP called the race for McCormick on Wednesday November 7, citing a 30,000 vote margin between the candidates with an estimated 91,000 votes remaining to count -- the rationale being that there were not enough potential votes left in areas favouring Casey to make a difference.

Since then:

The number of estimated votes left to count has been updated by PA from 91,000 to at least 100,000 per a Thursday announcement from the PA Secretary of State, including provisional, military, overseas, and some Election Day votes;

McCormick has filed multiple lawsuits in an attempt to prevent or limit continue counting of provisional ballots, some of which have now by Friday been withdrawn or dismissed;

Efforts from a group called "PA Fair Elections" to challenge 4,000 mail-in ballots (mostly from overseas or military voters) have now all been withdrawn or dismissed. A number of these challenges had previously been flagged both by the media and by individual voters. (Screenshots of these challenge emails being circulated on tumblr alongside accusations of 'cheating' -- in the end these challenges were made in bad faith, but technically made and ultimately dismissed through legal means.)

This DOES NOT MEAN that the Pennsylvania Senate seat is in any way guaranteed to flip once all the remaining votes are counted. The race is extremely close -- enough so that the AP is confident standing by its call.

What it DOES mean is that the votes have not yet finished being counted, and that it is not yet truly known who will have the most votes in the end. Although McCormick has already declared victory, Casey (in my view very reasonably and wisely) has not yet conceded and is calling for all votes to be counted.

By Pennsylvania law, a recount must occur if the race is within 0.5%. It's looking likely that this will occur. While recounts rarely change the outcome unless results are truly within the main of a handful of votes, they are an important tool for ensuring confidence in the final results.

I know that people are grieving and demoralized right now, but these tight margin races are CRITICAL for determining how large the margin of victory will be for Democrats to flip the Senate in future elections. (Assuming future electing aren't subverted or dismantled somehow by a second Trump administration, but we have to hold out hope for institutional residence here.) The outcome of this and other right Senate and House races may have enormous consequences in a few years, and it would be agonizing to look back and realize that the window of opportunity to ensure a fair outcome had been squandered.

So -- what can Americans do?

Send a note to Bob Casey and his team via his campaign website in support of his efforts to ensure all votes are counted (particularly given the legal challenges from the Republican candidate and Republican-aligned groups) and decision to wait to concede until all votes are counted. The man is getting dragged in Conservative media in particular for 'refusing to concede'; add your voice to the people validating that decision as both reasonable and moral.

Keep an eye on this race as the counting (and potential recounting) proceeds, including any further legal challenges attempting to prevent or limit the counting of all ballots. Regardless of the outcome, all eligible votes MUST BE COUNTED. To do otherwise would be both subversion if democracy and an stoicism legal precedent for future elections.

Watch for other legal challenges, particularly in battleground states or right races, seeking to disqualify or prevent the counting of ballots. Look for credible sources, especially local ones. Make noise about them with cited sources if you think there is a risk they may be missed. Notify groups like Democracy Docket or the American Civil Liberties Union if you have concerns. Shared truth and shared confidence in the legitimacy of election results -- including that all eligible votes are counted -- is essential for democracy to function.

Push back on claims that the election results are fully known or finalized. With multiple House races still undecided and a few razor-thin margin Senate races with ballots remaining to be counted, those kind of statements are simply not true. And state-level race are inherently more likely to not make it onto people's radar than the presidential race if candidates try to make it so certain ballots aren't counted or contesting the results if a tight race flips.

There is only a very small window post-election to ensure things like outstanding legal challenges over whether certain ballots can be included in the count are resolved. Please stay alert and do not let that window close without doing all you can to ensure every eligible ballot is counted -- particularly in those tight, tight down-ballot races. 🙏

Note: This post should be accurate as of the end of day on Friday, November 9. Once the results of the PA Senate race are known and truly final, I will update this pay with the results.

UPDATE: As of November 22, Bob Casey (D) has now officially conceded the Pennsylvania Senate race to Dave McCormick (R).

:(

[pinkeoni]

candid tfs spoiler discussion below

So the AIDS thing is like, really on the nose isn't it. Like really really on the nose. Powers made through blood infection that is spread through blood transfusion and propagated by the US Government. Way to be subtle guys 😂 But it does make me a little excited knowing that reading the show through the AIDS lens was correct, even if they are gonna be obnoxious about it.

Will definitely has powers which I knew before but the origin is something that I got wrong, and tbf I knew I was definitely missing pieces and a lot of my assumptions about where his powers came from was, admittedly, me projecting the story that I wanted to happen rather than what the story was showing. If the show is using an over the top AIDS metaphor then it makes a lot more sense that Will's powers were inflicted on him rather than born naturally with him (even though HIV is something that can be passed on through childbirth, but it makes more sense to be inflicted in this particular case with Will)

And granted I have not seen the show with my own two eyes, and this is all taking things from bullet points that have been filtered through the experience of someone else. Honestly until I see a slime tutorial of the show myself then I won't have the full context, so take that for what you will. And I definitely need to read more into some of these spoilers.

But what I'm thinking right now for Will (because I only ever think about him and make everything about him okay!!) is that whether or not he was targeted specifically to be kidnapped or if he happened to be taken into the Upside Down (my money is still on he was targeted) I do think that Brenner and the lab had to tools to go in and get him but they decided to let him cook in there. The reason being because Brenner wanted another blood source. El herself could also be used for this, but maybe he wanted something tainted from the original original source??????? And what I'm also thinking is that Brenner had plans to "Adam and Eve" them essentially.

But all that is just me rattling off thoughts, and again, I'm taking this all through filtered spoilers from a stage play I haven't seen yet.

[legacieswcrp]

Welcome to Legacies!

Legacies is a dice-powered, semi-casual WCRP inspired by the Better Bones AU for players age 18 and up that focuses on player-driven plot, worldbuilding, and collaborative in-universe cultural development. Loosely set in a valley in the Scottish highlands, this RP centers around StormClan, born out of a union of expatriates from all five lake Clans, and the cats and factions they encounter in their new northern home. If you want to know more about the RP, you're in the right spot!

Choose a legacy! All characters enter RP with at least one connection (familial, ideological, or otherwise) to a notorious cat from the established history of the Tallrock territories, setting them up for built-in connections with other characters and special roles in story events.

Semi-literate expectations with an emphasis on the semi - 3 sentences minimum, 2 messages maximum; Legacies values quality over quantity.

Simple monthly activity checks with no minimum RP requirement and a forgiving hiatus system - with provisions for absence accommodations for both active and absent players.

Open auditioning system for limited ranks; submit any active character to the pool of future rank candidates at any time.

(Mostly) Optional lightweight rolling system derived from Powered by the Apocalypse and White Wolf's Storyteller system - no stats, no exp tracking, just roll to your goals and look out for surprises!

A flexible approach to worldbuilding that allows for alternative tangible faiths and lasting changes to the setting through player plot - faction changes, supernatural events, new legacies, and more!

An approach to Clan culture and the supernatural derived from the fanworks of bonefall, including (but not limited to) gods, tool use, cooking, differing rank structures and meanings, and an adjusted look at the history and impact of the warrior code.

A nuanced and mature RP environment; Legacies does not and will not shy away from the heavier topics discussed and referenced in the source material, but maintains a higher standard for critical thinking skills and compassionate writing.

Multiple factions in an evolving world - we begin with StormClan, contending with their recently-returned mysterious weaponsmithing neighbors, the Fallen, in the wake of an arson incident that grew wildly out of control.

Legacies is currently still under construction, but accepting pregame questions on this blog! You can also follow for lore, trivia, and artwork about the RP, as well as for plot and event updates once RP has started.

This blog is run by @mumbleberry , server owner and RP creator.

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk just dragged ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence programs into the Trump crosshairs by repeating his warning that current AI models are too “woke” and “politically correct.”

“A lot of the AIs that are being trained in the San Francisco Bay Area, they take on the philosophy of people around them,” Musk said at the Future Investment Initiative, a Saudi Arabia government–backed event held in Riyadh this week. “So you have a woke, nihilistic—in my opinion—philosophy that is being built into these AIs.”

Although Musk is himself a polarizing figure, he is right about AI systems harboring political biases. The issue, however, is far from one-sided, and Musk’s framing may help further his own interests due to his ties to Trump. Musk runs xAI, a competitor to OpenAI, Google, and Meta that could benefit if those companies become government targets.

“Musk clearly has a close, close relationship with the Trump campaign, and any comment that he’s making will hold a big influence,” says Matt Mittelsteadt, a research fellow at George Mason University. “At a maximum he could have some sort of seat in a potential Trump administration, and his views could actually be enacted into some sort of policy.”

Musk has previously accused both OpenAI and Google of being infected with “the woke mind virus.” When Google’s Gemini chatbot produced historically inaccurate images, including black Nazis and Vikings, in February, Musk saw it as proof of Google using AI to spread an absurdly woke outlook.

Musk is clearly no fan of government regulation, but he backed a proposed AI bill in California that would have required companies to make their AI models available for vetting.

The first Trump administration also targeted perceived bias at Big Tech companies with an executive order that sought to hold platforms such as Twitter, Google, and Facebook accountable for censoring information for political reasons. The pressure had a tangible impact, with Meta ultimately abandoning plans for a dedicated news section on Facebook.

Mittelsteadt notes that Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance, has also talked of reining in Big Tech companies and gone as far as to call Google “one of the most dangerous companies in the world.”

Mittelsteadt adds that Trump could punish companies in a variety of ways. He cites, for example, the way the Trump government canceled a major federal contract with Amazon Web Services, a decision likely influenced by the former president’s view of the Washington Post and its owner, Jeff Bezos.

It would not be hard for policymakers to point to evidence of political bias in AI models, even if it cuts both ways.

A 2023 study by researchers at the University of Washington, Carnegie Mellon University, and Xi’an Jiaotong University found a range of political leanings in different large language models. It also showed how this bias may affect the performance of hate speech or misinformation detection systems.

Another study, conducted by researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, found bias in several open source AI models on polarizing issues such as immigration, reproductive rights, and climate change. Yejin Bang, a PhD candidate involved with the work, says that most models tend to lean liberal and US-centric, but that the same models can express a variety of liberal or conservative biases depending on the topic.

AI models capture political biases because they are trained on swaths of internet data that inevitably includes all sorts of perspectives. Most users may not be aware of any bias in the tools they use because models incorporate guardrails that restrict them from generating certain harmful or biased content. These biases can leak out subtly though, and the additional training that models receive to restrict their output can introduce further partisanship. “Developers could ensure that models are exposed to multiple perspectives on divisive topics, allowing them to respond with a balanced viewpoint,” Bang says.

The issue may become worse as AI systems become more pervasive, says Ashique KhudaBukhsh, an computer scientist at the Rochester Institute of Technology who developed a tool called the Toxicity Rabbit Hole Framework, which teases out the different societal biases of large language models. “We fear that a vicious cycle is about to start as new generations of LLMs will increasingly be trained on data contaminated by AI-generated content,” he says.

“I’m convinced that that bias within LLMs is already an issue and will most likely be an even bigger one in the future,” says Luca Rettenberger, a postdoctoral researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology who conducted an analysis of LLMs for biases related to German politics.

Rettenberger suggests that political groups may also seek to influence LLMs in order to promote their own views above those of others. “If someone is very ambitious and has malicious intentions it could be possible to manipulate LLMs into certain directions,” he says. “I see the manipulation of training data as a real danger.”

There have already been some efforts to shift the balance of bias in AI models. Last March, one programmer developed a more right-leaning chatbot in an effort to highlight the subtle biases he saw in tools like ChatGPT. Musk has himself promised to make Grok, the AI chatbot built by xAI, “maximally truth-seeking” and less biased than other AI tools, although in practice it also hedges when it comes to tricky political questions. (A staunch Trump supporter and immigration hawk, Musk’s own view of “less biased” may also translate into more right-leaning results.)

Next week’s election in the United States is hardly likely to heal the discord between Democrats and Republicans, but if Trump wins, talk of anti-woke AI could get a lot louder.

Musk offered an apocalyptic take on the issue at this week’s event, referring to an incident when Google’s Gemini said that nuclear war would be preferable to misgendering Caitlyn Jenner. “If you have an AI that’s programmed for things like that, it could conclude that the best way to ensure nobody is misgendered is to annihilate all humans, thus making the probability of a future misgendering zero,” he said.

[walks-the-ages]

So as a shorter post that is rebloggable:

I cannot find anywhere that verifies Jasmine Sherman (they/them) 's 48-state ballot access claim, that is stated explicitly on their website as:

ID + link: "Jasmine is on the ballot under the Unicorn Party."

In fact, every website I have found that lists out Ballot Access for the 2024 election, including the one Jasmine Sherman's website links to refutes the 48-state claim and only shows them on Florida's ballot, while other sources state they are only on Alaska's ballot, which is one of the 2 states on the official website they're not listed on!

There's also the part of Jasmine Sherman's policy where they explicitly support the Death Penalty and have only "changed their stance" in an unspecified way due to it going against the Green Party's platform.

They have not changed the page for the Death Penalty Policy other than to add a note above that they're "preserving it for transparency", instead of listing what their actual planned policy is.

Jasmine Sherman supports the Death Penalty via Morphine Overdose or Firing Squad, with just one year for "due process"

So yeah, until anyone can actually independantly verify that Jasmine Sherman has 48 states with ballot access , I would take that entire website with a huge grain of skepticism.

As it stands, Jill Stein is independently verified multiple places to have Ballot Access in at least 21 states with more pending certification -- all of the links above that show Jasmine Sherman's ballot access (or rather, lackthereof) will also verify Jill Stein's ballot access, along with a whole host of other, smaller candidates.

If you were also planning on supporting Jasmine Sherman and their website says they are on your state's ballot, see if you are able to independently confirm that, and let me know in the reblogs!

you can use Ballot Ready, Ballotpedia and Vote.org to register to vote / check your registration, as well as get previews of your state' ballot once they're released closer to the election, so you can research all of your options before voting day!

if you're anxious about what America will be like in 2025, you can start making the world a better place locally by making connections, getting active in your community in any way you can, such as:

Join Local Facebook groups are abundant and a great way to get to know the people in your area! See if you've been missing out on great community opportunities, and see if you can start arranging your own!

Start or join a community garden.

Even if you don't have a lawn, if you can get a bucket with some holes in the bottom filled with dirt from the dollar store, you can grow your own food, as easily as keeping that core of seeds next time you chop up colored bell peppers or tomatoes or eggplant for dinner.

Volunteer at the local library or food bank.

Organize block parties.

Start a book club, and build some Free Little Libraries if you're handy with tools.

Turn your neighborhood into a community that works together and supports one-another!

[plain text: Turn your neighborhood into a community that works together and supports one-another!]

[itsbansheebitch]

Voting (USA)

Register (about two minutes)

Vote by Mail

Who's on your ballot (if info isn't available they help you find an email to contact to get a list)

Under 18

Felon ("...up to 18 million Americans with past convictions can vote RIGHT NOW – they just don’t know it")

Overseas & Military

[whinlatter]

If you could save any of the characters in the hp books who died, who would you save and why?

Ah, this is such an interesting question!

Honestly, I think the most pointless death is Fred's, and if I could save him, I would. I could write essays on it, honestly. I think it's one of the cheapest emotional shots taken in the series.

Fred's death is kind of gratuitous. It's not well foregrounded, it's not a particularly good scene or a murder that's carried out by a character with any significance or symbolism (Rookwood? Really?) But neither is Fred's death used to be a particularly sophisticated comment on the randomness of death in war or make a broader point about the nature of the conflict at hand. It's as if the Weasley twins' position as a comedic device and a source of laughter throughout the series made them prime candidates for JKR to batter them, in order to hammer home an already hammered-home point that war is tragic and costly and terrible lol (like, already in the same book, George gets his ear blasted off! Why keep coming back for shots at the twins?)

You can almost imagine JKR going down the list of Weasleys like, ok, well Bill's already been mauled, killing Charlie wouldn't do enough damage because he's such a side character, Percy needs his redemption arc, killing Ron is a bridge too far and she's already had him poisoned, killing Ginny would be plot repetitive and would polish Harry off, she'd already decided to nearly kill then save Arthur, and Molly needs her boss bitch moment - oops sorry guess it's a twin that's getting it! Why not kill one and not the other for maximum devastation! It's not like JKR was even very attentive to the twins' emotional life or made any real effort to characterise the twins separately from one another, other than giving Fred more lines than George throughout the series. So for the reader, the death of one of the twins is this horrendous awful blow, but the reader also is left with no directed tools for how to think about his death or conceptualise what this character was for the series arc. Also to end a series knowing you just robbed this beloved family of a son and a brother - robbing George of his twin - and then make no attempt to think about the impact of that death on your characters, and write an epilogue that says all was well, is just extremely poor plot detonation, imo.

I say this also because I think there are deaths in the series that are awful and tragic, but which are still narratively and symbolically important, either as ways of propelling the plot forwards or offering a kind of narrative symbolism or arc that has some payoff for the reader. James and Lily have to die to set in motion this huge plot arc for the entire series. Cedric's death is a powerful watershed moment both for the reader - things are getting serious now - and for Harry. Sirius' death, while completing devastating, does at least make some sense to strip away from this central character an important protector as he steps towards a fate no-one can shield him from. Dumbledore's death was a masterstroke, and I actually (sorry) think Hedwig and Dobby's deaths make a ton of sense, as characters that represent innocence and the uncomplicated warm friendship of childhood friends (also I think Harry digging Dobby's grave is one of the most powerful images in the series). Even Remus and Tonks' deaths do something for the arc of the series, offering the symbolism of both another baby orphaned by war, and for Harry beginning the next chapter of his life as the godfather to that orphaned child (I'm typing that out very grudgingly because obviously those deaths are horrendous). But Fred, it's like, ok, well, the only possible point for this is to make sure you see it's a war and deaths will happen and to make sure the Weasleys are grieving for the rest of their lives. Great, cool, fine! But I think it's cheap storytelling. Anyway there's my piece!

[askagamedev]

A friend of mine wants to become a game designer without learning any other disciplines in game dev, he seems very sure this is possible but his confidence comes off as "idea guy" to me. I like thinking about design as well and how it could all fit together cohesively but I'm worried he's setting himself up for failure by not learning another discipline to go along with it. Am I correct in this thought or am I being an jerk?

It mostly depends on what kind of design career your friend wishes to pursue. Generally speaking, having at least some understanding of other disciplines is very helpful for a designer. If a designer doesn't understand the technical and asset constraints she's working with, it can make for a lot of wasted work. My grand idea of a huge battle between massive armies is mostly impossible if the engine can only handle 12 models animating on screen before the frame rate drops.

If he wants a career in AAA games, he will need specialized expertise. That might mean working on combat, quests, cinematics, narrative, itemization, UX, enemies, levels/environments, or any of a number of other specialties. These specializations don't necessarily require external disciplines like programming or artistic skills, but they do require some pretty specific skills all their own. A cinematic designer doesn't need to understand how to code but does need to learn how to use tools like Source Filmmaker to stage and block cinematics. A level designer doesn't need to create the individual assets, but will need a rock-solid understanding of how the placement of objects and division of space can create places that are intuitive for players to navigate.

If he wants to go into the indie space and work with an extremely small team, he's going to need to wear a lot of hats. Indie devs can't just come up with the ideas for the rest of the team to build them out; there just aren't enough people to handle that kind of workload. At the very least he'll need to create his own assets and/or write his own code. Small teams generally can't afford to have single-discipline specialists, so multidisciplinary generalists tend to succeed in this space. If you look at any indie game, you'll generally see a small team of a handful of devs who are each responsible for a huge amount of different kinds of work.

If your friend is looking at a career in game design, he only needs to be multidisciplinary if he's going the indie/small team route. There's just too much work to be done without enough hands to do it within a small team. If he wants to work in AAA game dev, he will need to demonstrate that he has significant expertise in his chosen design specialty in order to put himself ahead of the hundreds of other candidates competing for the same job. In both cases, employers will want to see examples, either professional or amateur, of game design work that the candidate has done. I wish him (and you) the best of luck.

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[hammadchauhdary]

Best 10 Talent Sourcing Trends in 2024

We are in the modern era of Human Resource (HR) with the presence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Recruiting. There are 8 stages in the recruitment process, as talent sourcing has become a crucial aspect of recruitment for organizations looking to attract and retain top talent. As a talent acquisition professional, I understand the importance of staying ahead of the curve when it comes to talent sourcing trends. By being aware of the latest 10 talent sourcing trends and incorporating them into our recruitment strategies, we can ensure that we are attracting the best candidates for our organizations.

What are Talent Sourcing Trends?

Instructions are used for talent sourcing and these instructions lead towards talent sourcing trends. Finding the right people to work for a company is really important, but it’s not always easy. Things are always changing, and companies need to keep up with the latest ways to find good employees. This blog is going to talk about some of the most important ways companies are finding new employees right now. It will look at things like how more people are working from home, how technology is helping with the hiring process and other important trends.

Modern Talent Sourcing Trends

One of the most significant modern talent sourcing trends is the use of technology, online platforms, and AI in Recruiting. With the rise of social media and professional networking sites, recruiters now have access to a huge pool of talent. Platforms like LinkedIn allow recruiters to search for candidates based on specific criteria such as skills, experience, and location. Additionally, organizations can use data analytics to gain visions into candidate behavior and preferences, enabling them to adapt their recruitment strategies accordingly.

Another rising method of talent sourcing trends is the focus on hiring candidates without traditional degrees or standard credentials. Many organizations are recognizing the value of skills and experience over formal qualifications. By expanding their search to include candidates who may not have a traditional educational background but possess relevant skills, organizations can tap into a wider talent pool and bring in candidates with unique perspectives and experiences.

1. Conducting Market Research

To stay ahead of the curve in talent sourcing, it is crucial to conduct market research. By understanding the current talent sourcing trends, including demand for specific skills and emerging job roles, recruiters can align their talent acquisition strategies accordingly. Market research also helps identify potential competitors and determine what sets your organization apart. This knowledge can guide the development of effective employer branding and recruitment campaigns, ensuring that you attract top talent.

2. Mapping Talent Future Pipelines

Mapping talent future pipelines involves identifying potential candidates who may be a good fit for your organization in the future. By working relationships with these individuals and keeping them engaged, you can build a pipeline of qualified candidates who are ready to step into key roles when the time comes. This proactive approach to talent sourcing ensures a continuous supply of talent and reduces the time and resources spent on traditional recruitment methods.

3. Hiring for Projects vs. a Specific Opportunity

In today’s gig economy, hiring for projects has become an increasingly popular trend. Many professionals are opting for freelance or contract work, offering organizations the opportunity to tap into a diverse pool of talent for specific projects. By holding this trend, organizations can access specialized skills and talent without the long-term commitment of hiring a full-time employee. This flexible approach to talent sourcing can be particularly beneficial for organizations that experience fluctuations in workload or require special skills for short-term projects.

4. Finding Prospects Online

In the digital age, finding prospects online has become an integral part of talent sourcing. Social media platforms, professional networking sites, and online communities provide a wealth of opportunities to connect with potential candidates. Recruiters can provide these platforms to showcase their organization’s culture, values, and job opportunities, allowing candidates to gain visions of what it is like to work for your organization. Building an online presence and engaging with prospects through targeted content and meaningful interactions can significantly improve your talent sourcing efforts.

5. Hiring Candidates Without Degrees or Standard Credentials

As mentioned earlier, the focus on hiring candidates without traditional degrees or standard credentials is increasing strength. Many organizations are recognizing that skills and experience are often more valuable indicators of a candidate’s potential than formal qualifications alone. By adopting a skills-based approach to talent sourcing, organizations can tap into a diverse talent pool and bring in candidates who may have acquired valuable skills through non-traditional paths. This trend promotes equity and provides opportunities for individuals who may have been overlooked in traditional recruitment processes.

6. Implementing Personalized Recruiting

Personalized recruiting involves tailoring your recruitment strategies to meet the individual needs and preferences of candidates. This approach recognizes that each candidate is unique and requires a personalized experience throughout the recruitment process. By taking the time to understand a candidate’s motivations, career goals, and values, organizations can create a highly personalized recruitment journey that resonates with candidates on a deeper level. This not only enhances the candidate experience but also increases the likelihood of attracting and retaining top talent.

7. Valuing Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are skills that can be applied across different industries and job roles. Recognizing the value of transferable skills in talent sourcing allows organizations to cast a wider net and consider candidates who may not have direct experience in a particular field but possess the skills necessary to excel in the role. By focusing on transferable skills, organizations can bring in candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences, enriching their talent pool and promoting innovation.

8. Identifying Philanthropic Efforts

Many candidates today are looking for more than just a job; they want to work for an organization that aligns with their values and makes a positive impact on society. Identifying philanthropic efforts and involving them in your talent sourcing strategies can help attract candidates who are passionate about making a difference. Whether it is through corporate social responsibility openings or partnerships with nonprofit organizations, establishing a commitment to social good can be a powerful tool in talent sourcing.

9. Virtual recruitment events

Virtual recruitment events are online gatherings where employers and job seekers interact in a digital environment, offering accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. These events enable companies to reach a broader audience of potential candidates while saving on expenses related to venue rental and travel. With interactive features such as live chat and video conferencing, virtual platforms facilitate real-time engagement and copy the social interaction of personal events.

Additionally, organizers can provide data analytics to track attendance and engagement assessments, making data-driven decisions for future recruitment strategies. Particularly valuable during crises, virtual recruitment events provide continuity in recruitment activities while ensuring the safety and well-being of participants, aligning with corporate social responsibility goals, and enhancing the candidate experience through integration with recruitment technology.

10. Networking

Networking has always been a critical aspect of talent sourcing, and it continues to be relevant in the digital age. Building and maintaining professional relationships can open doors to new opportunities and connections. Attending industry events, joining professional associations, and engaging with online communities can help recruiters expand their network and gain access to a broader pool of talent. By raising these relationships and staying connected, recruiters can tap into a valuable source of referrals and recommendations.

The Role of Technology in Talent Sourcing Trends

Technology has revolutionized talent sourcing, making it easier and more efficient than ever before. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data analytics have transformed the way recruiters identify and engage with candidates. AI-powered algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data to match candidates with job opportunities, saving recruiters time and effort. Technology also enables recruiters to change continual tasks, allowing them to focus on building relationships and providing a more personalized experience for candidates.

Retaining Top Talent: Strategies and Best Practices

To ensure the effectiveness of talent sourcing trends and strategies, it is essential to measure their success. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as time-to-fill, quality of hire, and candidate satisfaction can provide valuable visions into the impact of your talent sourcing trends. By regularly evaluating and analyzing these metrics, recruiters can identify areas for improvement and make analytical decisions to optimize their talent acquisition strategies.

While talent sourcing is crucial for attracting candidates, it is equally important to focus on retaining top talent once they are onboard. Employee retention strategies and best practices play a vital role in creating a positive work environment and raising employee engagement. Providing opportunities for growth and development, offering competitive compensation and benefits, and promoting work-life balance are just a few examples of effective retention strategies. By investing in the professional and personal growth of employees, organizations can create a culture that attracts and retains top talent.

Conclusion

Staying ahead of the curve in talent sourcing is essential for organizations looking to attract and retain top talent. By holding the latest talent sourcing trends and incorporating them into recruitment strategies, organizations can gain a competitive edge in the job market. From providing technology and personalized recruiting to valuing transferable skills and identifying philanthropic efforts, there are numerous opportunities to enhance talent sourcing trends. By continuously evolving and adapting to changing trends, organizations can build a strong talent pipeline and ensure long-term success in attracting the best candidates for their organizations.

To learn more about the latest talent sourcing trends and how they can benefit your organization, subscribe to our newsletter today or follow us on social media for timely updates on our forthcoming articles.

Visit our website to read latest articles:  https://workonpeak.org/blogs/

[themalhambird]

UK ELECTION 2024: WHO'S LEADING THE FOUR MAJOR PARTIES?

The Conservatives currently have a majority in Parliament and form the Government. The Labour Party, with the second highest number of seats, leads the opposition. The SNP (Scottish National Party) are the second largest opposition party, and the Liberal Democrats are the third. Who's leading them?

This is, as far as possible, a non-partisan guide. The information is chiefly summarised or otherwise pulled directly from the candidate's respective Wikipedia pages. Any other sources will also be linked.

Click below to keep reading, and all that jazz.

Rishi Sunak, Leader of the Conservative Party. Current Prime Minister; Member for Richmond.

Rishi Sunak was born in Hampshire in 1980. His father is a GP for the NHS and his mother was a pharmacist who owned her own pharmacy. Sunak became head boy during his time as a day pupil at Winchester College, and worked as a waiter in a restaurant during summer holiday. He read philosophy, politics and business at Lincoln College, Oxford, and during the course of his degree undertook an internship at Conservative Campaign Headquarters. 

Sunak’s pre-Westminster career was in banking. He worked as an analyst for Goldman-Sachs before moving to work for a hedgefund management firm. He later became a partner in this firm, , and spent a couple of years as Director of an Investment firm owned by his father in law: In 2009 he married Akshata Murthy, an heiress; business woman; fashion designer; and venture capitalist in her own right. The couple have two daughters, aged 13 and 11. 

Sunak first became an MP in 2015. He campaigned in favour of Brexit in 2016. He became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2020  whilst Boris Johnson was Prime Minister, and shot to popularity after the COVID furlough scheme was implemented. His Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which was designed to boost the hospitality sector during COVID  by offering a 50% discount on eligible meals, is thought to have contributed massively to the need for a second COVID lockdown. In April 2022 Sunak was issued with a fixed penalty notice by Police as part of the investigation into Downing Street breaches of their own COVID rules (this is commonly referred to as The Party Gate Scandal). 

Sunak became Prime Minister in October 2022 after his predecessor, Liz Truss, crashed and burned rather spectacularly. 

Kier Starmer K.C., Leader of the Labour Party. Current Leader of the Opposition. Member for Holbourn and St. Pancress.

Kier Starmer was born in Southwark, 1962, and raised in Surrey- the second of four children. His father was a tool maker; his mother was a nurse. Both were active in the Labour Party and Starmer was named after Labour’s first leader, Keir Hardie. As a teenager, Starmer was a member of the Labour Party Young Socialists. Starmer was the first member of his family to attend university, studying Law at the University of Leeds and graduating with first class honours. He completed his Post-Graduate studies at Oxford, during which time he served as the editor of a Trotskyiest radical magazine, Socialist Alternatives. 

Starmer’s  pre-Westminster career was in law. He became a barrister in 1987, undertaking legal aid work, including pro bono cases: he was instructed by Arthur Scargill during the Miners’ Strike of the Thatcher years.

Starmer worked primarily on Human Rights issues, including defending people facing the death penalty. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2002 and became joint head of the Doughty Street Chambers that same year. He was Human Rights Advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, and he marched and wrote legal opinions against the Iraq War. 

Starmer became head of the Crown Prosecution Service and Director of Public Prosecutions in 2008 and served in the position until 2013. Noteworthy incidents during his tenure include:

In 2009, Conservative MP David Davies calling for Starmer to be dismissed after Starmer  vocally opposed the Conservative Government’s proposal to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998 

In 2010, Starmer prosecuting MPs and a Member of the House of Lords for false accounting in the aftermath of the Parliamentary Expenses Scandal. 

In 2013, Starmer published a study demonstrating that false reports of rape are rare, and started an enquiry into the reduction of rape and domestic violence reports being made to the police. 

Starmer was knighted for services to law and criminal justice in 2014 and became a Labour MP in 2015. He was opposed to Brexit and  advocated for a second referendum. He replaced Jeremy Corbyn as leader of Labour Party in 2019, when Corbyn stepped down after Labour suffered their worst electoral defeat in roughly 80 years. 

In 2007 Starmer married Victoria Alexander, who was previously a solicitor and is now an Occupational Health Worker for the NHS. The pair have a 15 year old son and a 13 year old daughter. 

Stephen Flynn, Leader of the Scottish National Party* in the House of Commons. Member for Aberdeen South.

*Perhaps obviously, The Scottish National Party only stands candidates in Scotland. Flynn is therefore unlikely to be the next Leader of the Opposition, though the SNP will probably remain a major voting bloc in Westminster.

Stephen Flynn was born in Dundee in 1988. He studied History and Politics at the University of Dundee. He was elected to Aberdeen City Council in 2015, leading the SNP group in the Council. He was elected to Parliament in 2019. He replaced Ian Blackford as Leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons in December 2023. 

Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Member for Kingston and Surbiton.

Ed Davey was born in Nottingham  in 1965. By the time he was fifteen he had lost both his parents and was being raised by his maternal grandparents. He studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Oxford. In 1989 he became an economics researcher for the Liberal Democrats, and was elected to Parliament in 1997. During the coalition Government he served as Undersecretary of State for Business (2010-2012), and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (2012-2015). He lost his seat in 2015, a disastrous election in general for the Lib Dems, but was knighted the same year for political and public services. He regained his seat in 2017 and became leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2019. He married Emily Gasson, also a Liberal Democrat Politician, in 2007. The couple have one son. 

***

Additions to this post are welcome, but please stick to facts and not personal opinion. Provide sources where possible. Do NOT attack or otherwise insult anybody mentioned in this post based on physical appearance or other similar traits. The UK election will be on July 4th 2024. You can register to vote here.

[angelwheat]

The Mundane and the Magic

༻ a codz x reader story ༺

➶ Origins // ❝ Becoming One With Madness, A Chaos To Embrace ❞

➶ Chapter One , 1853 words

Clouds blackened the sky, stripping away the land of all its colour and life when a raging storm brewed overhead. Rainfall battered the land with vengeance, falling so heavily in a blink of an eye, appearing misty to see through when the raging winds swept in. Bolts of lightning blazed the sky, illuminating the grounds like a blinding strobe, as simultaneously, clashes of booming thunder rattled the wilting bunker walls.

The trenches, muddied and puddling with streams of water flowing through deep grooves of tank tracks, soaked the battlefield something dire. Each step taken would leave boots squelching and dripping in murky rainwater up to the ankles, trekking it over paths constructed of wooden planks, only for them to be engulfed in the sea of mud when vehicles rolled through.

A trio of enormous steel mechanisms, bodied as humanistic robots that stood as tall as skyscrapers, patrolled the treacherous lands in sync. The stalked in jagged ways. Their grappled hands swing by their sides, so cryptic as the embodied natural human motions. When its corrugated mechanical foot stomped its route, flattening anything that dared stand in its way, to trek over the crumbling bunkers, they had the power to provoke a sudden earthquake that could bounce items that lay on tabletops. When gazed upon from the ground view, the fearsome giants were truly a fright to behold.

Yet, one could question how a man could be so tame in the conditions he was surrounded by. Normally, a man would shudder in fear when he looked up to see a robot standing so tall that it’s helmet clad head was lost in the clouds. Nor could anyone averagely watch in wonder when soldiers fell right before their eyes, only to mutate into a ravaging creature with a dire need to devour flesh and bones.

No. Not him... Not Edward Richtofen.

A man best known for his divine intellect. He calls himself a man of medicine. A German scientist like no other. That was rightly true.

Working in the medical field had always been his lifelong destiny; his soul purpose only righteous of a path consisting of surgeons tools and test tubes. Since just a young boy, his interest lied in the study of the human body. Unlike the average teenage boy, Edward enrolled himself further in education constantly, later on expanding his interests in the scientific field, where he would learn and want to test the limitations of the human body.

Edward rightfully believed that his study of science and medicine would only prove to best histories discoveries. To which it had. But when he was approached by, what he unknowingly thought was a reputable source, and praised greatly for his intelligence by men of power, little did he know that he would fall under the command of men ranked high up in the German army.

Apparently his vast knowledge in the medical field, and unsolicited will to carry out experiments that would certainly be harrowing to the faint of heart, proved him to be the perfect candidate to conduct study when the Germans made the discovery of element 115 during the world war.

Despite working alongside and shadowing many elder scientists during his time spent in science labs, Edward grew fond of working with a man in particular, named Dr. Maxis. When he proved himself worthy, their compatibility was certified amicable from the very beginning. With their combined intellect, experiments ranged from making useful discoveries that would better aid the German army’s advantage at winning the war, to very abruptly, their somewhat reputable line of work took a twisted path southwards when they unleashed an atrocity; that was an army of ravaging undead soldiers. That was solely an experiment gone wrong.

At present time, Edward and Dr. Maxis are stationed in Northern France where they would continue to work and better their studies.

In a bunker, ruptured by the swarms of undead creatures tearing gaping holes from what were but only cracks and crevices, Edward stands before a tattered workbench.

His stare wavers from hand-to-hand, blankly looking through the bloodstains embedded into the creases on his palms. He gulps, tilting his head down to see the carcass of an elder man, his limbs roped to the table, an unruly rigid saw splattered with blood placed beside the man’s head that remained cleanly uncapped, his brain void in the rightful space it should be in the centre of his skull; instead preserved in a cylinder glass container nearby.

Dr. Maxis...

Had he committed a murder in cold blood? Had he just saved the decomposing state of the universe? Despite his blank expression, Edward’s mind rattled with questions. None of which he could answer himself. But whatever may be the correct question to ask, he believed that the preserving his co-worker’s brain was a righteous answer nonetheless.

Edward pressed his hands to the table and hunched, a juddered sigh slipping into the winter air creating a small cloud of mist. His eyes clamped shut when flashes of painful memory reminded him just how the man, now lying dead with his mouth agape and unhinged in front of him, thrashed and resisted Edward’s fight to revoke and rob him of the rest of his life.

“It’s all for the betterment of the universe.” Edward mentally assured himself, “The Kronorium said so.”

Ah, the Kronorium, Better known as a sick and twisted novel entailing details of threatened chaos and despair that will most certainly bestow upon the entire universe, written by god knows who.

For a book that seemed to magically appear on his workbench prior to the day he killed Dr. Maxis, Edward was eager to flip the leather cover and read it without questioning just where it came from. He was hooked the second he read the details of the first few pages, for it resonated with him in a strangely familiar sense when it told a back-story of a boy just like himself. That’s when he discovered that it wasn’t just a regular old fairytale novel. No...

It was a book that foretold the prophecies of the entire universe. A story that he alone must set in motion, no matter how catastrophic the consequences. Supposedly, alternate time-lines and dimensions that he would only theorise existed just like the one he was apart of presently. It taught him names of unfamiliar people. Others he had never met before in his life. Yet somehow they were associates in this story.  

Edward couldn’t be convinced that the book was realistic in what it preached. However, after stewing on what he had read, the story wasn’t sitting right with him if he just ignored it. It was oddly precise with commands and instructions, written in a way that would sound like a regular story book to anyone that would listen.

Edward felt compelled to endure every aspect scripted in that book, even if he didn’t rightfully agree. Almost like it was his calling to pursue such an honourable duty, to ensure the universe would remain in tact. After all, he had already committed to something so heinous.

Why stop now?

That’s how he ended up in the current situation with his co-scientist dead and decomposing before his eyes. Edward believed he was going mad, but he kept repeating a specific phrase.

“This is what you have to do.”

A familiar sound of routinely thundering footsteps emitted faintly from the distance. One from the trio of monstrous robots was making its typical patrol across the outskirts and soon through the battlefield. Each time it marched across the land, the route programmed for it to take would make sure it step directly on top of the bunker Richtofen stationed himself in. With each hourly patrol, the bunker was weakening and being burrowed under the crushing weight of the giant machine. The ceiling had already somewhat caved in and crumbled in the centre. It was certain that the rest was to collapse at any moment.

Yet Edward made no hasty attempt to get to a safer location before such an event occurs. Although, no where was safe. An undead army had overrun the land within minutes of exposure to element 115. He was outnumbered, for sure.

Part of him urged him to go down with the book in hand, to never let the chaos unroll by destroying it and himself simultaneously. On the contrary, his curiosity was his worst enemy. He wanted to know just how the story would pan out, but he questioned everything.

Will it all go to plan? Will it fuck up somewhere along the way?

With his eyes still closed, Edward breathed deeply, his shoulders rising and falling once he exhaled. Edward knew that book was just one workbench over from him, and all he could think about was reading the next chapter of cleverly told instructions.

A cluster of sounds hit his ears at once. Rustling of heavy gear shifting on a persons being as they moved in swift motions, to be precise. Footsteps stalked closer in an uneven pattern. The weighted sound of multiple pairs of boots crushing fallen blocks of concrete on the ground indicated that it was not a singular person in the room with him, and judging by the lack of hissing and groaning, it was certainly not a stray zombie clambering in to tear him apart.

His head remained bowed until the sound of movement ceased, and the click of a gun being cocked turned his attention up to meet a narrow barrel of a vintage pistol pointed directly between his eyes, held in the gloved hands of a brawny, dark haired foreign man on the opposite side of the table.

On either side of the man in the middle, stood another man. To the left, one clad in winter attire and a bullet proof vest, a hefty shotgun clutched in his hands. To the right, one welding a samurai sword, majestically in a defensive stance, his jet black hair slicked back in a neat bun.

The trio of narrow stares looked him up and down, each feeling uneasy with the horrifying sight they behold on the table, but each making an immediate conclusion that they had stumbled across the man they had each been sent for.

“You’re Doctor Richtofen, right?” The man in the middle spoke, his accent distinctively American. “I’m taking you out of here.”

Edward never shuddered. Never flinched. Nor felt a measly pang of fear when three foreign soldiers invaded his quarters with weapons cocked and raised, ready to fire at him if he so much as twitched.

A gun clicked behind the tall man in the middle. Edward noticed the two men standing either side had instantly averted their attention to an unfamiliar source, apparently right behind the American that he was confronted with.

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?”