#most of our team interviewed and made up most candidates

[artemisbarnowl]

So my bestie in Cyber (a different section of the same org) who is a team leader gave me some excellent goss (he gets regular intel from their big boss, and their team is so much smaller so the gap between position levels is much smaller. He also just loves to share internal politics) about the hiring process behind the round i was just a part of and i dont even know how to spill because its so public service you wouldnt believe.

[thatbadadvice]

Help! I'm a Perfect Genius, but This Potential Employer Asked Me a Boring Interview Question!

Ask A Manager, 13 Feb 2024:

I was rejected from a role for not answering an interview question. I had all the skills they asked for, and the recruiter and hiring manager loved me. I had a final round of interviews — a peer on the hiring team, a peer from another team that I would work closely with, the director of both teams (so my would-be grandboss, which I thought was weird), and then finally a technical test with the hiring manager I had already spoken to. (I don’t know if it matters but I’m male and everyone I interviewed with was female.) The interviews went great, except the grandboss. I asked why she was interviewing me since it was a technical position and she was clearly some kind of middle manager. She told me she had a technical background (although she had been in management 10 years so it’s not like her experience was even relevant), but that she was interviewing for things like communication, ability to prioritize, and soft skills. I still thought it was weird to interview with my boss’s boss. She asked pretty standard (and boring) questions, which I aced. But then she asked me to tell her about the biggest mistake I’ve made in my career and how I handled it. I told her I’m a professional and I don’t make mistakes, and she argued with me! She said everyone makes mistakes, but what matters is how you handle them and prevent the same mistake from happening in the future. I told her maybe she made mistakes as a developer but since I actually went to school for it, I didn’t have that problem. She seemed fine with it and we moved on with the interview. A couple days later, the recruiter emailed me to say they had decided to go with someone else. I asked for feedback on why I wasn’t chosen and she said there were other candidates who were stronger. I wrote back and asked if the grandboss had been the reason I didn’t get the job, and she just told me again that the hiring panel made the decision to hire someone else. I looked the grandboss up on LinkedIn after the rejection and she was a developer at two industry leaders and then an executive at a third. She was also connected to a number of well-known C-level people in our city and industry. I’m thinking of mailing her on LinkedIn to explain why her question was wrong and asking if she’ll consider me for future positions at her company but my wife says it’s a bad idea. What do you think about me mailing her to try to explain?

Sir,

You have been wronged in the most grievous of ways by a coven of retaliatory, self-aggrandizing women who have failed in the extreme to recognize your brilliance, your talent, and above all, your general superiority.

Of course you should mail this mediocre "grandboss" on LinkedIn to inform her of the deep offense she caused you by interviewing you in the first place, let alone doing so using a boring question — indeed, you have a moral and professional obligation to do so in order to preserve your honor and the honor of scores of men like you who have never done a single solitary thing wrong in their lives, ever.

But I beg you to consider doing more. A single, private message to one incompetent bitch may not convey to the necessary parties the depth and breadth of the situation. Many, many people have important lessons to learn from your experience, and I encourage you to share it widely. Consider making a public LinkedIn post, and ensure that it is shareable across platforms. Depending on your financial resources, a billboard with your name, professional headshot, and contact information could go a long way toward ensuring that everyone in your industry who needs to know just how you handled the way these women treated you, does know about it. I hope that in your continuing job search, you are able to connect with potential employers who have a much better grasp of all you bring to the table.

[theroyalsims]

BREAKING: "YES, I'VE BEEN IN LOVE... ONCE" - ANYA OPENS UP AND GRACES COVER OF SOGUE MAGAZINE'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Strike a pose! Covergirl Crown Princess Anya`stuns on the cover of Brindleton Sogue's special 150th anniversary issue.

The issue has been kept hush-hush until its release today. The swanky publication is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary, and what better way to mark such a milestone than to have the future Queen grace the cover... again. This is the second time that HRH has featured on the cover of the posh magazine.

The voluminous issue also includes wonderful new photos of the Crown Princess, taken in various picturesque locations around Brindleton. Her Royal Highness also very noticeably let down her natural curls and wore very few pieces of jewellery and minimal make-up for the feature. Crown Princess Anya's "stripped bare" hair and make-up are in stark contrast with the dramatic ballgowns she wore for the shoot.

Perhaps more importantly, however, Her Royal Highness sat down with the magazine's editor-in-chief for a very intimate conversation. The interview is said to be Anya's most honest and candid interview to date, and that's saying a lot, considering that the royals very rarely agree to be interviewed. The Crown Princess answered questions on her family, her work, and finding love. Snippets of the article are reproduced and translated below:

Your Royal Highness, for what seems like years now, there have been speculations on certain, shall we say, disagreements between you and some members of the Family. The... discord... has caused multiple speculations, and some would even argue that it has affected the public's trust on the monarchy. How are things now within the Family?

At the core of it all, we are a family - much like yours and everyone else's. Perhaps what sets my family apart is the fact that we live under constant scrutiny, and with that, the tiniest things are magnified to the point of being ridiculous.

Yes, there have been arguments, and yes there have been fights but at the end of the day, we all take a step back and remind ourselves that we are a family, and much importantly, we owe it to the people to ensure that the monarchy is in safe hands. We're good. We're solid. We're very much a team. I love my parents, and I love my siblings. It's not always as dramatic as everyone sets it out to be.

So I suppose it's safe to say that all is well with The Harvelles?

What exactly is "well?" *laughs* They seem very happy with their lives, and I'm quite content with mine. I wish them, to use your word, "well." Really, I do. They have a lovely little daughter, and I'm quite certain I'm the least of their worries. I'm sure they'd rather spend time with each other that concern themselves with what other people are saying about my relationship with them.

Speaking of, YRH, have you seen your niece? Have you met her?

Of course... during the odd family gatherings and dinners, when we all come over to the big house. I find it quite entertaining how everyone's painting me out to be the evil aunt. I think she's a darling little girl. And of course, I've met her, yes.

You're to take on a very massive challenge next year, vying for gold at the World Sports Festival. How are the preparations going?

I'd like to think it's going quite swimmingly, and I hope my coach doesn't disagree. *laughs* I won't be taking a leave of absence for training; I don't think the current workload allows it, but I do make sure to free up some time to get on the saddle. I love horses, and I've been riding since I was a child, so my training - gruelling as it may be on certain days - isn't really that much of a hardship for me. I enjoy it, really.

I also love training with the rest of the Brindleton Team. I've made lots of new friends and I'm very proud to see so many gifted young athletes represent our country.

It's been a while since you last completed professionally, what made you decide to compete again?

It's alway been a dream to bag the gold at the Festival and bring it home to Brindleton. So for me, it's now or never. I'm not getting any younger, and I realised that if I want to try and achieve that dream, I should get my act together and get back on the horse, figuratively and literally.

Since you brought it up, I hope you don't mind my asking, YRH, but there has been much speculation about your, shall I say, lack of prospects, and those write-ups came right after your birthday. Does that affect you in anyway?

When did I bring this up? *laughs* Ah, yes. I've heard about that. Mostly, I laugh it off. I know I'm no spring chicken *laughs* but these things... they can't be rushed, you know? Do I wish people would stop talking about my private life? Yes. Do I expect them to? No.

I know my place and I am very much aware that it's part of the job. This role, this life I'm born into... it's...well, I know what it entails. Let's just leave it at that.

Since I'm being so bold, I'll take my chances - have you ever been in love?

My, my. That is bold. They warned me about you. *laughs* Yes. Of course. Yes, I've been in love... once. But it was ages ago. It feels like a lifetime ago. It was beautiful and glorious, and most importantly, it was mine, ours. But you know, life happens, things change. You grow up. It is, however, something I look back very fondly on. I feel lucky to have experienced that.

And now? Are you looking for love?

No. Not actively anyway. I'd love to, but I can't afford to. And I promise you not every man who crosses my path fancies me. *laughs*

No, I... I believe things will fall into place when it's supposed to. Gosh, I sound like such a sap. *laughs* No... it's just that... I had it once... and you know, I grew up surrounded by love, by two people who are very much in love. So if it's not like what my mum and dad has, I don't want it.

That's fair enough.

Isn't it? I feel like that's a very small and reasonable demand. *laughs*

Finally, Your Royal Highness, What do you think shall be seen as your greatest legacy Crown Princess of Brindleton?

I really don't know. That's a very difficult question to answer, but if I were to free to hope, I hope it's my work with the youth. It's very important that we give our children, our teenagers - girls, especially - a fair and equal chance in life. And I'd like to think I've made an impact on that regard. I am very passionate about supporting children's well-being with a focus on their mental health, especially our teens because it's a very crucial point in one's life.

Don't you just love how Anya and her siblings call the palace "the big house"? And for once, it's refreshing to not speculate about something that our royals did or did not do! Case in point: Anya HAS met her niece, contrary to the ongoing rumour that she has been snubbing poor little Lady Ella.

However, we can't help but wonder who exactly was The Crown Princess' one true love? Could it be Mario? Or Dr. Greg? Maybe even tennis pro Sterling? But then again, she did mention that it was a while back... so it couldn't possible be her footballer ex. Curiouser and curiouser... Leave it to Anya to actually share her secrets and yet leave us wanting more!

The issue has been selling incredibly fast, and major retailers have already reportedly sold out. And it's no wonder! It's so rare that we get to hear directly from our royals (especially notoriously tight-lipped Anya), so this issue is, indeed, a must-have and a must-read for all royal fans out there!

[castlebyersafterdark]

I find the way they both interact with the concept of byler to be very interesting,sometimes eye brow raising, and even complicated in Noah’s case since he said playing Will essentially made him realize/accept (however he framed it) his own sexuality…

Wholeheartedly agree with vinny's response here as the mature and practical way to look at the strange vocation of acting. Its a very strange mix of professional AND personal - and this, i think, is what creates tension in the is RPF morally acceptable? debate. because if we're talking literal speculation about whether two people have the hots for each other... name a less groundbreaking pastime lmao. imagine the saucy gossip that would have been spreading through the roman baths in like... 78 BC lol. human love and connection have ALWAYS interested people.

but for some reason there is disapproval about discussing chemistry and potential attraction when it comes to actors who also portray fictional characters. you don't see frowns when people pair actors together in regular celeb gossip columns; it's only through the lens of 'fandom shipping', where fictional blends with real, that it gets hate. perhapss most see it as an extrapolation with no grounds, a crossing of boundaries? but for me, its a question of your emotional intelligence as an audience member: can you separate fiction from reality in a mature way while also acknowledging that you see something sparkling in the reality? it's not NOT possible. but are you being honest with yourself about the origin of the chemistry? for me, noah and finn have it in spades, and i dont need them to officially start a relationship to prove it, because that, for me, is not the only sign of two people having true feelings for each other.

and even though professionalism should be top priority on a film set - on s5 of ST - let's not discount the fact that actors are human first and foremost, and not only that, but creatives, storytellers, performers, who are most likely more sensitive and emotionally affected than most 'regular' non-creative folk. sure, noah and finn started acting as kids, so perhaps they're not passionate about the craft like someone who chose the career later in life might be. but in a way, that's MORE telling? because their authentic selves would have been spilling out accidentally on red carpets and in interviews as they grew, no matter how much media training they had. there are unique circumstances that mirror their real lives and the show; growing up together, noah's queerness. it's not like two middle aged actors who barely know each other, portraying a totally fictive romance where their chemistry is the only similarity.

anyway, no amount of professionalism is going to prevent real feelings potentially arising. having feelings is not unprofessional; it's about how you deal with those feelings. and their behaviour is very, very interesting.

Noah is very intense, and candid about his intensity, especially re: byler. I think his tweets are certainly marketing in some ways, but you can't deny that he's not exactly, to put it bluntly... cool about it haha! He's not a nerd like finn is a nerd, but he's not cool and collected, you know? He is clearly comfortable having a public image (whether fabricated or not) of being someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. He and his team have clearly chosen to go down the route of: 'this actor is a bubbly young man who has no filter'. Even without the many times he's accidentally spoiled the show (lmao), it seems to me like Noah's passion IS authentic precisely BECAUSE being a young male actor these days often IS about being too cool for school, and Noah exhibits many traits that do not fit our society's idea of a cool young guy.

He's clumsy. He says things that could be seen as cringe. He is passionate and open. He admits to crying a lot. He makes tiktok lives naked shirtless from his bed. He gushes about Harry Styles. He does silly dances on social media. He gushes about byler. None of these things are objectively uncool - that's not a thing - and tiktok dances are popular, sure, but it's the WAY he does them. If he and his team wanted to craft a different persona that might have launched him into higher echelons of the A-List cool list, they could have. But I personally love how authentic noah feels. He is living life for himself, going to college, speaking honestly, being totally real. I respect that a lot.

And I think Finn does too, even though they might have clashed as younger teens, because he speaks highly of noah's coming out especially, and Finn also lives life for himself. My eyebrows have raised many many times seeing how Noah handles byler, and quite honestly, I wonder if Finn was/is more than a little intimidated playing opposite this rambunctious, passionate guy who is most likely going to kiss him within an inch of his life when they finally get to the s5 byler scenes lmao.

Then we have Mr Wolfhard. Finn, Finn, Finn. This year during filming, he seems... calm. Happy, glowing. My instincts tell me that he's, at the very least, enjoying this season and getting artistic satiation from it, whether that's reuniting a final time with the gang, pure nostalgia, gratitude, or enjoying filming byler. Probably all of the above. Viewing his behaviour through the lens of his disgruntlement with mileven in prior seasons' press, however, is hilarious - because whereas at one time it could have seemed like he was a teen boy who was embarrassed to talk romance, it's now looking more and more Mike Wheeler-esque. He was a young guy who was sick to death of hearing 'mileven mileven mileven' non-stop, perhaps without really knowing why. Honestly, if Finn's life ends up echoing Mike's in the way Noah's has with Will's, it'd be so coincidental that it's almost ludicrous, yet so so beautiful; and no wonder they'd both be reeling from it for a very long time. We're only just in the midst of filming - perhaps the most telling events have yet to come?

I will agree that Finn's s4 interviews were very telling re: whether byler will happen - the giggling, as you mentioned, because eyes and smiles don't lie, even on actors when they're off the clock. Finn's responses, if will's romance storyline was going to be tragic, were nonsensical. As for a kiss, I think they have already filmed one. If not, their giggles were certainly anticipatory, and there's definitely a similarity between finn's gigglyness and noah's glee at byler, isn't there? Whether that's thrill at good storytelling, or a hint to Finn's queerness, or both... you decide! Because being passionate about a story is one thing, but being reduced to self-conscious giggles, especially at age 19 or so? When portraying a romance at a younger age did NOT make you giggly during press...??? Very interesting.

For me, it's the other aspects of Finn's personality that prevent people from seeing foah as a possibility. Finn is too cool for school, reserved and private. Half of his press responses to byler HAVE mirrored his one's for mileven - 'why would I ship my own show?' etc. But there's that cheeky other half of the time, where he giggles or looks discreetly right down the camera, as if he's trying to silently tell us something. Even if he just adores byler, I find that very endearing.

And let's not forget that they're both totally adorable. At the very least I expect s5 press where they respond to questions portraying this romance. Noah laughing and saying "I wasn't exactly complaining" on Jimmy Fallon or something. "I mean, look at him" as Finn points to a magazine cover with Noah splashed on the front for s5 promo.

Lastly, noah's storyline/real life convergence is impactful. There's no way that this isn't something that influences the rest of his life. And, seeing as he was a teenager growing up with Will, I can't see how he could have entirely separated finn from mike, will's love from his own feelings, whether they were an actual crush, or simply the love and trust that comes from a genuine transformative friendship. The crazy thing is that noah has admitted in interviews that he looks at finn and sees Mike - so, with regard to what I said about about noah having no filter, take that as you will. If this is what he is saying publicly, what on earth is going on inside that head of his?

They are both endlessly fascinating and for me, this doesn't simply feel like RPF but studying the human condition, love and connection itself. Ha! I have nothing but love and respect for the two of them, so I dont feel like my 'shipping' is a bad thing. I think vinny would agree, being the romantic sap he is <3

Posting this one because this says it all, what a thorough read and reflection on these two. Thank you for sharing, I have very little to add, right on right on. So I'll let this one stand alone as a good read!! ❤️❤️❤️

[boysplanetrecaps]

Build Up, Episode 5: First Eliminations

Welcome back to the recap series that’s never early: BPR Recaps MNET’s Build Up! In the previous one, we covered the four performances that MNET chose not to cover. In this one, we’ll cover the elimination that took place in the middle of episode 5 and give some love to the ten eliminated contestants. Let's do it!

Here we see all our candidates for elimination. 

Top row: Donghyun, Sunyoul; Neon, Seunghwan from CIX; Bitsaeon from M.O.N.T., Jay; Seokhwa from WEi, Woong from AB6IX; Kim Sungjung the musical actor and Lee Gwangseok the freelance model.

Bottom row: Hong Sungjeong, Kim Seohyung; Taehwan from Vanner and Hong Sungwon; Trainee Park Joohee and Kwon Euibin; KNK’s Jeong Inseong and FAVE1’s Hyukjin; and Hwanhee from Up10tion and soldier Jo Hwanji.

The other 20 are safe. 

Of those twenty, if I could keep 10, I’d keep:

Jay

Bitsaeon from M.O.N.T.

Woong from AB6IX

Taehwan from Vanner

Neon

Hong Sungwon

Kwon Euibin

Jeong Inseong from KNK

Lee Hwanhee from Up10tion

Kim Seohyung

I don’t like having to choose though, and my heart would want to keep all of them. But those are the ten I’d pick if push came to shove. I’d especially feel sad about losing Donghun, Sunyoul, Seokhwa, and Hyukjin, because I’m worried about Donghun’s mental health, because Sunyoul and Seokhwa are super lovable dudes, and because Hyukjin’s path as an idol is extremely heartbreaking. But I just chose based on whose singing I want to hear again the most. 

So, this whole time, I’ve been wondering, how will the surviving 10 be chosen from those 20? I assumed that the fan voting would matter in some way, but nope, apparently, it’s the judges. Yeesh. Why is voting happening again, then? 

VCG, who is apparently the head judge, says that they’ve taken the situation seriously and discussed it carefully amongst themselves before they made a decision. Well, I should hope so.

The first survivor is someone who the judges say has an unfairly good voice, a different vibe, and a nice physique. That’s obviously Jay.

Everyone is just like, well, yeah, obviously. It would be pretty unfair if Jay was sent home after that performance, especially when his team outscored every other team except for the team they went up against.

Jay interviews, “I showed that I can sing pop music well, but next time I want to show them proper Korean style singing.” I mean, if you must.

Correctly, the judges also save Neon and Bitsaeon, both of whom did really well. And I’m not that mad that they also save Seunghun from CIX, especially since the fan vote for him is strong. But I'd have saved someone else when there are limited spots.

Bitsaeon interviews, “It wasn’t just Jay – I thought I also showed something in that performance.” You did, Bit, don't worry. Jay interviews that Bitsaeon also being chosen to survive lifted a weight off his shoulders. 

The next person they’re going to save is someone who made a mistake, but Solar says that the judges wanted to hear his voice again anyway. They tease us that it might be Seokhwa...

... but of course it isn't. Who else could it be but wild horse Lee Gwangseok? I just knew the judges would save him. They also save Park Joohee, despite his crying moment. 

Musical actor and Best Sweater winner Hong Sungwon interviews that as the names are being called (and his isn’t,) he feels like he’s being shot. “One person, bang. Second person, bang.”

The next two people the judges are saving are (1) someone with a unique voice and (2) someone else with a pretty low-pitched voice: Sunyoul and Kim Seohyung. I can’t be mad at them saving Sunyoul, as he also has a great voice and I find him particularly lovable. And I had Seohyung on my list too, so again, decent choice. 

Neither of them can believe it.

Sunyoul interviews that it’s hard to be happy since Donghun’s name hasn’t been called. (No loyalty to Hwanhee? I don't notice the two of them interacting much.)  But then the ninth name is called, and it’s Donghun! Again, I’m not mad at it – Donghun also has a great voice.

As for the tenth survivor, they say it’s someone who hasn’t shown his talent yet, so they’ve decided to give him another chance. We see the judges discussing it, and Solar says, “Regardless of the skill level, there are people who attract the audience.” Oh, so we’re picking an idol, I guess? VCG wonders what would happen if this person teamed up with a different guy? (Throughout, the translation says “friend” because they’re saying “chingoo”, but a better translation would be “guy” instead of "friend".)

And I mean, it’s obviously Woong. For one thing, the previews have shown him in the next portion of the show, and for another, the description fits really well – a popular idol who has more talent than what he’s shown and should be teamed up with different people. And sure enough, they call Woong. 

I'm glad, because I actually really like Woong's singing voice a lot and agree with the judges that he hasn't really shown it yet. He bows to everyone and vows to do his best.

So, here are the ten survivors.

So, the ten eliminated guys are still great vocalists and took the time to be on your show and do their best, so obviously the least MNET could do is give them a chance to give a brief goodbye speech.

Oh, wait, sorry, I'm getting word that... no. No, MNET is not doing that. No, instead they've decided to... what's that? oh yes, I understand now. They're just going to NEVER SHOW THE OTHER TEN GUYS EVER AGAIN.

So we lost Seokhwa, our leaping lizard Kim Seongjeong, Hong Seongjun from BDC, smiley Taehwan from Vanner, Hong Sungwon of the ombre blue sweater, Kwon Euibin, Jeong Inseong from KNK, Hyukjin from Fave1, Lee Hwanhee from Up10tion, and Jo Hwanji the soldier.

Ok, let’s talk some math for a bit. A few “ifs” to explore…

If...

they had just chosen the top fifteen teams based on scores, rather than having this rivalry thing, then the ten eliminated candidates would have been (and I’ll put the ones who didn’t really get eliminated in bold):

Lim Junhyeok and Yeo One

Taehwan from Vanner and Sungwon of the blue sweater

Hyukjin and Inseong

Hwanhee and Hwanji

Seokhwa and Woong 

This would have meant keeping the following guys who we didn’t actually get to keep:

Kim Seongjung, the leaping lizard

Hong Seongjun from BDC

Kwon Euibin

I would have been sad to lose Woong, but it would have been worth it to keep Kwon Euibin, and I think both Kim Seongjung and Hong Seongjun are stronger singers than either Lim Junhyeok or Yeo One. 

If...

they had decided the rounds based on average score, throwing out one high score and one low score, then Taehwan and Sungwon would have won their round. (All other results would have been the same.) 

If....

Team Hwan-hee-ji had challenged Seokhwa and Woong, and the maknae had gone up against Sanghyun and Taewoo, then team Hwanheeji would have won and the maknae would have lost. 

Ok, that's enough "ifs" for now.

It’s a bummer that any of them have to go home. It’s especially galling that Inseong, Hyukjin, Hwanhee, and Jo Hwanji not only get sent home like this, but also didn’t get to have their performance really shown. I hope that the experience of being on the show was ok for all of them, and that every one of them finds a nice soft place to land. And let’s all try to support them in whatever they do next, ok?

I’m really going to miss Taehwan’s smile, but luckily I can watch Vanner MVs any time I want. Here is Vanner performing Adore U (my favorite song by Seventeen) live in Busan. Their mics are ON. 

If you’d like to give Hyukjin a stream, his group’s latest single has only 4,733 views at time of writing. The video was shot on (I assume) an Iphone 5, at a warehouse near a train station (I assume). Let’s all give him a stream or two, ok? If everyone who reads my recaps watches their video, we could get that total up to maybe 4,740 or something. That’d be awesome! And here's Hyukjin's Instagram.

If you want to check out KNK to support Inseong, here's the song of theirs I remember hearing a few times in the past -- Sunset. It's full on house music, if you like that kind of thing. I do.

If you want to check out BDC to support Hong Seongjun -- I mean, the group is basically disbanded (I think they might still perform in Japan?) but he might get residuals -- my favorite song of theirs is Moon Rider.

If you want to check out WEi to support Seokhwa, my favorite song of theirs is Spray.

If you want to check out Up10tion, I will again say that I really like their song Spin Off. And here is Hwanhee's instagram -- at least, I think it's his. It has a blue check.

Here's a performance of Kwon Euibin on a previous show. He talks 10x more on this show than he does on Build Up. Turns out he used to be a baseball player, but he kept getting injured and got interested in music while he was rehabbing.  Then he sings Tomboy by Hyukoh, the same song that was done in the Pre-4 mission round of Build Up. He sounds great! And here's his Instagram, teasing an upcoming single.

Here's a performance of Jo Hwanji singing a year ago or so. He's wearing a military outfit here too, and singing to a group of soldiers. His MyDrama List page has this photo of him with longer hair, which blows my mind for some reason.

I found what I think is his Spotify page if you want to check it out.

Kim Sungjung and Hong Sungwon are both musical actors, meaning that they perform in live theater in Korea, and I couldn't find any social media or anything for them. If you find some, let me know!

So, that's it for now. In the next one, I'm going to award some BRAPPIES! Something to look forward to. See you soon!

[gusty-wind]

Michael Lewis: Sam Bankman-Fried Donated Multi-Millions To McConnell's List Of Anti-Trump Republicans

Michael Lewis, author of the new book "Going Infinite" about disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, told "60 Minutes" that the former finance CEO met with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell ahead of the 2022 election to help pick "Republican candidates at odds with Donald Trump" to fund.

Watch the full interview here via "60 Minutes."

"The subtext of this dinner is Sam is gonna write tens of millions of dollars of checks to a super PAC that Mitch McConnell is then gonna use to get elected people who are not hostile to democracy," Lewis said.

MICHAEL LEWIS: Sam Bankman-Fried ends up with a portfolio heavily concentrated in two things. Pandemic prevention, because there really are things the government should be doing. And the other thing that made his list that was so interesting was Donald Trump. He took the view that all the big existential problems are gonna require the United States government to be involved to solve them.

And if the democracy is undermined, it like, we don't have our democracy anymore, all these problems are less likely to be solved. And he saw Trump trying to undermine the democracy, and he thought, "Trump is belongs on the list of existential risks."

60 MINUTES: To that end, Lewis writes that in 2022, Bankman-Fried met with the most unlikely of allies, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. According to Lewis, Bankman-Fried wanted to help McConnell fund Republican candidates at odds with Donald Trump.

JON WERTHEIM, 60 MINUTES: You're flying with Sam and he tells you about a meeting he's gonna have with Mitch McConnell.

MICHAEL LEWIS: Well, the interesting thing starts before we even get on the plane. I meet him at the airport, and he comes tumbling out of a car. And he's in his cargo shorts and his T-shirt. And he's got, balled up in his hand it takes me a while to see what it is, but it's a blue suit. It's got more wrinkles than any blue suit ever had. It's been just jammed into this little ball. (laughs) And a shoe, like, falls out of the pile that he's got in his arms. And I said, like, "What why you have the suit?" And he says (laughs) he says, "Mi Mitch McConnell really cares what you wear when you (laughs) when you meet with him." And he's having dinner in six hours with Mitch McConnell. And I I said, "Well, you got the suit. Is there you got a belt?" He goes, "No. I don't have a belt." I said, "You got you have a shirt?" He goes, "No. No shirt," "and the suit, you really can't really wear that suit." And he goes, "Yeah. But they told me to bring a suit."

60 MINUTES: According to Lewis, Bankman-Fried wanted to help McConnell fund Republican candidates at odds with Donald Trump…

MICHAEL LEWIS: What is the subtext of this dinner, is Sam is gonna write tens of millions of dollars of checks to a super PAC that Mitch McConnell is then gonna use to get elected people who are not "hostile to democracy."

JON WERTHEIM, 60 MINUTES: Wait. So, Mitch McConnell has a list of Republican candidates who are, sort of, on the playing field for democracy versus what he deemed outside?

MICHAEL LEWIS: He and his team had done the work to distinguish between actual deep Trumpers and people who were just seeming to approve of Donald Trump but we actually willing to govern.

60 MINUTES: Bankman-Fried ended up giving multi-millions in support of the Republican candidates. Back in 2020, Bankman-Fried had ranked among Joe Biden's biggest donors. As 2024 approached, he planned on spending more, albeit in the most unconventional way.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2023/10/01/michael_lewis_sam_bankman-fried_donated_multi-millions_to_mcconnells_list_of_anti-trump_republicans.html

[thesmilingfish]

In today's edition of my boss is a dumbass...

She had 17 applicants for one, possibly two, part time positions. She wanted me to call them all, do a short interview on the phone and if I thought they were good enough then schedule them to come in to interview with her.

I am the fucking Freight Supervisor. This is not my area of responsibility. I have so many other things that I have to get done as well as running the sales floor but she's got this thing about 'everyone doing everything' which is just managing to piss 'everyone off about everything.'

Anyway, I told her I would call them and I would set up interviews and double-check their availability but I was not going to do interviews on the phone about their past work experience because... well, seriously why put people through all that for a part-time minimum wage job. I made a slight concession and did leave her little notes on what I thought of the folks I talked to - all of them but two were great.

When I was done she said she'd never asked me what I looked for in a good candidate. I was completely honest when I said they have to be someone who can have a conversation with me. Most of any retail job when you come right down to it is being able to talk to and interact with strangers comfortably. It's a skill you can learn, but I just have to have a vibe that you're open to it during the interview. I've hired some of the shyest people in interviews who turned out to be fantastic at their jobs and then went on to do other fantastic things in their work lives at other places. That's the goal. This part-time retail position should never be their be-all end-all. We're a stepping stone for a majority of our team and we shouldn't ever lose sight of that. We're here to help them on their journey while they're helping us by being on our team. She just stared at me with a blank look on her face when I finished.

In the best possible news, I don't have to see her again until Monday because our schedules do not mesh up. She'll still send me shit to do through Teams but at least I won't have to see her.

[introvertedlass]

I have a job interview on Monday, but I'm unsure about it. The position is for instructional aide(Teacher Aide ) for elementary school for the Behavioral Modification Unit. It's basically a unit for students with severe behavior issues. I need a job, I love working in education, I haven't earned my Bachelors degree yet, and this job would hopefully get my foot in the door with the school district, but I really don't like the idea of working with these type of students. Thanks for letting vent.

Anon, sorry I just read this ask now. I know you just want to vent but I thought I'd give some unsolicited advice.

I understand your apprehension about taking this job as it can be a challenge working with students with severe behaviour issues. But, I will give you another way to look at it.

You likely know this but many students with behavioural issues also have academic struggles. They often go hand in hand. When I started teaching, my first placement was working with students with behavioural and learning challenges. I'm not going to lie and say it was a piece of cake because it sure wasn't. I was stressed, cried driving home and often thought of quitting. However, it ended up being the best decision for me ever for a variety of reasons.

ALL kids deserve teachers who want the best for them and that believe they have the right to an education.

There are many factors that lead students to act out and lack of support, structure and access to education are some of the biggest contributing ones.

It showed me I can do anything despite the difficulties.

It gave me a real life look at what teaching is actually like. It's not like the movies.

I learned to be flexible and teach in the moment.

I absolutely believe it made me a better teacher

It showed I could be a team player which is the only way schools work well, particularly with our students who struggle. It was good to be part of team.

I firmly believe that all teachers and teacher candidates should have to work in a variety of learning settings, particularly dealing with behaviour.

Most of these students need the support more than anyone. It can be incredibly rewarding.

It will get you noticed in your district as it is not easy to find staff willing to work in these environments.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do because you know yourself and what you can handle. I just thought I'd give you another perspective.

Be well.

[batboyblog]

My objection is not so much that it took him so long, as.... he's doing what every "good"/establishment/normal order whatever term you want to use for them Republican does when faced with Trump flavored fascism, quits. They make a big speech or whatever right after saying "and I give up". Mittens is gonna be replaced by some MAGA Mike Lee clone who's WAY worse than Romney is and no does not believe in Democracy, the rule of Law, or the Constitution. And Romney will shrug and go "oh well not my problem". Mitt might politely refuse to endorse this person though likely he will but he even if he doesn't endorse another vote for crowning Trump king of America forever, he won't campaign against them either.

Hell even in his "I'm quitting" interview He put in a dig at President Biden

because Biden being old is somehow equal to Trump being old and also a fascist pig. Ah yes the only issue is our leaders are old not that one of them is a rapist who tried to overthrow the US government. Joe Biden is the hero who ran for President and saved America from fascism and Mitt is out here like "lol quit flop". And thats the thing, in most of America Mittens is a no body, but in Utah, in Mormon country he is or was basically their JFK (and as boring as Mormon JFK sounds) and where was he in 2020? was he heading up "Republicans for Joe"? nope, did he quit the GOP is he quitting it now to sit as an indie? nope. Maybe he didn't fully understand till there were racist rioters in the halls of Congress screaming they were gonna kill elected officials, okay sure that'd be a wake up call. Mitt himself had a particularly close call on Jan6 so I can see that being a wake up.

in 2022, LAST YEAR, Utah's other Senator, Mike Lee was up for re-election. Lee is one of the MOST extreme Senate Republicans. Lee is ALL in for Trump. Lee worked super closely with the Trump team to overturn the 2020 elections, he was one of the stars of the Jan6 Committee report. So Mitt Romney believes his party doesn't believe in the Constitution? Mike Lee surely has to be a prime example of what he's talking about. Mitt Romney is the OTHER Senator from Utah, so he has weight, indeed people thought he had a serious chance of re-election so it's not like he's burned out in Utah. Back to 2022, a coalition of Democrats and independents hoping to pull in moderate pro-Democracy Republicans supported an independent candidate, Evan McMullin to unseat Lee. Again Lee is about as pro-Trump as any US Senator. So did Mitt endorse McMullin? campaign for him? publicly say he was gonna vote for him? nope. Again Mitt politely didn't endorse any one and sat out the race. Lee won pretty overwhelmingly but lost 15 points off his 2016 election.

Hell this year there's gonna be a special election to fill an open Congressional seat in Utah's 2nd District. In the GOP Primary there was a moderate Republican, Becky Edwards, who has been highly critical of Trump and publicly voted for Biden in 2020 (she also lead an effort that made Utah the only Red State to pass a resolution recognizing climate change as real). Did Romney endorse her? campaign for her? nope, she lost 33% to 38% against a standard Republican.

So Mittens will politely sit out the GOP primary to replace him most likely, and when some MAGA hat fascist who puts Ted Cruz and Mike Lee to shame gets the nomination Mitt will be politely quiet, he won't get involved. 2024 reporters might manage to corner him and ask who he's voting for and he'll say things like "I'd rather not say" or "I'll make my mind up when I'm in there" or a best "I'm gonna write it (name dead Republican)"

I'm not a US Senator, I'm not worth millions of dollars, I'm not a member of a Legacy political family, I'm not important to a cultural/religious voting bloc, I'm no body. But since 2015 I have knocked SO many doors, made SO many phone calls, gone to SO many political meetings. All of which I hate, I'm an autistic homebody who hates socializing and wants to be home doing nothing. But my country is on the line, its do everything I can do, make myself literally sick with social anxiety, knock on doors till my hands and feet bleed (over 2000 doors in 2022) because if I don't fascism will win. So my resentment is this, Mitt Romney thinks this is enough, that he can get credit for stating what the rest of us already knew and doing nothing to stop it.

People hold Mitt Romney in a high regard he doesn’t deserve, and a lot of the “tell-all” memoirs/biographies of politicians that come out are a waste of time, but that excerpt from the new Romney biography going around really grabbed my attention. There’s a lot of interesting things going on in there, not the least of which is that Romney has now become personally obsessed with the potential downfall of US civilization at the hands of the political party he’s spent his entire life supporting

Very easy to mock someone for only realizing this recently, but for a guy like Romney I really do believe that the full scale of this fact has hit him only in the last few years

[beyondtheboardroom]

Consistency vs. Fairness: The Balancing Act of Life and Leadership

It’s a question I find myself coming back to in both my personal and professional life: Is it better to be consistent or fair? At first, the answer seems simple—why not both? But the deeper I go, the more I realize that balancing consistency and fairness is one of the hardest parts of decision-making, especially when other people’s expectations are involved.

Consistency means staying steady, predictable, and reliable. In a professional context, it’s the glue that holds teams and projects together. Being consistent gives people a sense of security because they know what to expect, which can reduce stress and allow for better planning. But then there’s fairness, the principle of treating each situation uniquely and judging based on individual circumstances. Fairness is about seeing the bigger picture and considering what’s best in each unique case.

One experience stands out. I was managing a project with a team that had diverse backgrounds, skill levels, and needs. To stay consistent, I held everyone to the same standards and deadlines. But it wasn’t long before I realized this approach wasn't entirely fair. Some team members had more obstacles to overcome and others had more experience. Sticking rigidly to consistency felt like I was setting up certain people for failure. So, I made adjustments—extending deadlines for those who needed them, providing extra support, and setting varied expectations based on the individual’s situation.

Was that "fair"? Maybe. But was it consistent? Not exactly. And that’s where I think the balancing act becomes tricky. I learned that there’s no perfect formula here. Sometimes, being fair means veering from consistency, and sometimes, being consistent means compromising on fairness.

Interestingly, during an interview, a candidate offered a perspective that resonated with me: “It’s better to be consistently fair.” This idea of "consistent fairness" brought clarity to my own thinking. It means applying fairness as a standard but doing so in a way that’s consistently understood and accepted by everyone involved. It’s a commitment to communicate transparently and to apply the same empathetic, individualized approach each time.

In the end, I’ve come to believe that consistency builds trust, but fairness builds respect. If we can aim to be transparent with our intentions, listen to the needs of others, and remain flexible, we can find a balance that incorporates both values. Leadership, after all, isn’t about choosing one over the other—it’s about knowing when each one matters most.

The leader we choose to follow is the leader we become.

[sa7abnews]

Time's up on the Harris basement strategy. Liberal media minions need to do their jobs

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/12/times-up-on-the-harris-basement-strategy-liberal-media-minions-need-to-do-their-jobs/

Time's up on the Harris basement strategy. Liberal media minions need to do their jobs

It has now been over three weeks since Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party, and in that time, she has not deigned to give a single interview or hold a single press conference, aside from answering two questions on a tarmac Thursday. We have gone from Biden-Harris to Hidin’ Harris. It is unacceptable, it is dangerous, and it’s time for the fawning members of America’s liberal news media aka defacto members of the Harris-Walz team to step up and demand better.HARRIS MOCKED FOR TAKING LESS THAN 2 MINUTES OF QUESTIONS AFTER 18 DAYS: ‘THIS IS THE BEST KAMALA COULD DO?’Less than two weeks from now, our unremarkable vice president is set to accept the nomination in Chicago. For the first time in modern American history, she will not only have received no votes this cycle but may well not do one interview as a candidate for president.Instead of actually hearing from the person vying to be the most powerful leader in the world, we get campaign officials and surrogates, mouthpieces for a candidate in hiding who cannot speak without them, but that should stop now.The progressive lapdogs in our gaslighting media should stiffen their spines and demand that Harris stop hiding behind surrogates and speak for herself. Anything less from her campaign is just a trial balloon that can be walked back while they throw spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks.Just Thursday, Harris campaign advisor Phil Gordon took to X to state that his candidate does support an arms embargo against Israel after reporting in the New York Times suggested it was being discussed. Sorry, Phil, we can’t just accept your word for it. Harris has to say it. KAMALA HARRIS FINALLY FIELDS QUESTIONS FROM PRESS AFTER DODGING MEDIA FOR 18 DAYS SINCE BECOMING DEM NOMINEELet’s say a campaign spokesperson like Jen O’Malley Dillon goes on a Sunday show and says Harris would allow fracking for the next 25 years, sunsetting it after. If Republicans get traction saying, “see, she wants to ban fracking,” or if leftists gain traction saying this is too much fracking, Harris can simply say, “Jen misspoke as to my position,” and change it. Our liberal media is under no obligation to enable this obfuscation. In fact, Americans would respect them more if they started to do their jobs. It is time to demand that the campaign give us the actual candidate, the person who can’t claim words or a position were taken out of context. After all, there are questions that need answers amid the most unorthodox presidential election most people alive have ever seen. For instance:*When did you realize Biden was incapable of running for a second term?*Why wasn’t this decision made earlier to allow a fulsome process to choose a candidate that gave voters a voice?*Is President Biden making the decisions today? *Do you regret helping to raise bail money for criminals who burned down parts of Minneapolis under your running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s watch? *You say in speeches that on day one you will start fighting inflation, but why isn’t the Biden-Harris administration already doing that? CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION*Even if your border portfolio was dealing with the “root causes” of mass illegal immigration, do you bear any responsibility for the Americans murdered under your administration by illegal immigrants?You get the idea. It is not a short list of questions. And at this point, asking them of campaign officials does more harm than good. They can’t actually answer them. All they are doing is using the news media as their own private polling firm.It is time for Kamala Harris to get out of the basement. She now says she’s working to schedule an interview by the end of the month, three weeks from now, and only schedule one, not do one.It is absurd, there is no reason on Earth why somebody who wants to be president needs a month and a half to prepare for one interview, If elected, it is Harris who will get the 3 AM phone call, and she won’t have 45 days to respond.It is time to demand that Harris speak for herself. The American voters deserve nothing less. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS

[john-carle123]

AI-Powered Recruitment: Leveraging Technology to Find the Right IT Talent

As I settle into my home office chair, sipping my morning coffee and firing up my laptop, I can't help but marvel at how much the recruitment landscape has changed. It's 2024, and the way we find and hire IT talent has undergone a seismic shift. Gone are the days of sifting through endless resumes and hoping for the best. Welcome to the era of AI-powered recruitment, where finding the perfect candidate feels less like searching for a needle in a haystack and more like having a super-smart assistant do the heavy lifting for you.

I remember when I first started in HR, fresh-faced and armed with nothing but a stack of resumes and a gut feeling. How times have changed! Now, as I log into our AI-driven recruitment platform, I'm reminded of just how far we've come – and how exciting the future of talent acquisition looks.

The AI Revolution in Recruitment

Let me tell you, the integration of AI into our recruitment process wasn't smooth sailing from the get-go. I recall the skepticism from some of my colleagues when we first proposed implementing an AI-powered system. "But how can a machine understand the nuances of human potential?" they asked. It's a valid question, and one that I grappled with myself.

But then I met Sarah, a brilliant data scientist who opened my eyes to the possibilities. "Think of AI as your super-powered assistant," she explained, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "It can process vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make predictions that would take humans weeks or even months to figure out."

And you know what? She was right. Once we took the plunge and integrated AI into our recruitment process, the results were nothing short of astounding.

The Game-Changers: AI-Powered Tools Reshaping Recruitment

1. Predictive Analytics: Crystal Ball for Hiring

One of the most impressive features of our AI recruitment system is its predictive analytics capability. It's like having a crystal ball for hiring! 

Just last month, we were struggling to fill a particularly challenging DevOps position. The AI analyzed our historical hiring data, current market trends, and even factored in things like local tech events and university graduation dates. It predicted that we'd have the best chance of finding suitable candidates if we ramped up our search efforts in the next two weeks. Lo and behold, we found our perfect match within 10 days!

2. Natural Language Processing: Reading Between the Lines

Remember the days of keyword matching on resumes? Well, those are long gone. Our AI system uses advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand the context and nuances in candidate applications.

I was skeptical at first, but then I witnessed its magic firsthand. We had a candidate whose resume didn't tick all the traditional boxes for a cybersecurity role. But the AI flagged them as a strong potential fit. Curious, I dug deeper. It turns out the system had identified relevant projects and skills buried in the candidate's experience that a human recruiter might have missed. We ended up hiring them, and they've been an absolute star performer!

3. Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: 24/7 Candidate Engagement

One of my favorite AI tools is our recruitment chatbot, affectionately named "Robo-Recruiter" by the team. This little wonder has transformed our candidate engagement process.

Just the other day, I was talking to Mark, a software engineer we recently hired. "You know what really impressed me?" he said. "I had a question about the job at 2 AM, and your chatbot was there to help. It made me feel valued right from the start."

It's moments like these that remind me of the human touch AI can bring to the recruitment process. Ironic, isn't it?

4. Video Interview Analysis: Beyond the Surface

Video interviews have become the norm, especially for initial screenings. But our AI takes it a step further. It analyzes candidates' facial expressions, tone of voice, and even the words they choose to use.

I was initially concerned about the ethical implications of this. Aren't we invading privacy? But then I spoke with Dr. Chen, an AI ethics expert. "The key is transparency," she advised. "As long as candidates are aware and consent to the analysis, it can provide valuable insights that complement human judgment."

We've since implemented clear disclosure policies, and the results have been fascinating. The AI has helped us identify candidates with strong communication skills and cultural fit that might not have been apparent on paper.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

Now, it hasn't all been smooth sailing. We've faced our fair share of challenges and ethical dilemmas along the way.

One of the biggest hurdles was addressing bias in AI algorithms. I remember the day we realized our AI was subtly favoring candidates from certain universities. It was a wake-up call. We worked closely with our data science team to retrain the model and implement rigorous fairness checks.

There's also the question of data privacy. With AI processing so much personal information, how do we ensure we're respecting candidates' privacy? It's a constant balancing act, but one that's crucial to get right.

The Human Touch in an AI World

As amazing as our AI tools are, I'm a firm believer that they should augment, not replace, human recruiters. There's still no substitute for human intuition and emotional intelligence in the hiring process.

I love telling the story of how we hired our current CTO. On paper, she wasn't the most qualified candidate. But during the interview, she displayed a level of passion and innovative thinking that our human recruiters picked up on immediately. The AI had ranked her lower in the initial screening, but the human element made all the difference.

It's a powerful reminder that the future of recruitment isn't about AI versus humans – it's about AI and humans working together to find the best talent.

Looking to the Future

As I wrap up my workday and shut down my laptop, I can't help but feel excited about what the future holds for AI in recruitment. We're already experimenting with VR for remote assessments and AI-driven onboarding processes.

But more than the technology itself, I'm thrilled about the possibilities it opens up. By automating the time-consuming parts of recruitment, we're freeing up HR professionals to focus on what really matters – building relationships, fostering company culture, and ensuring we're not just hiring skills, but building teams.

So, as we navigate this brave new world of AI-powered recruitment, let's embrace the technology, but never lose sight of the human element. After all, at its core, recruitment is about people – and that's something no AI can fully replicate.

Here's to finding the perfect blend of artificial intelligence and human intuition in our quest for top IT talent. The future of recruitment is here, and it's more exciting than ever!

[redwineconversation]

Joe Montemurro Le Progres Interview (July 10, 2024)

Me: yeah yeah I will totally catch up on all outstanding interviews before the Olympics start

Also me: *is drowning in work since unlike some I am both actually employed and intend on keeping my job*

Anyway, quick thoughts about Montemurro before getting into this translation (there will be a bigger post on him later). Montemurro was not my top choice, he wasn't even in my top 5 choices. But I would have picked a janitor over another academy focused coach. Montemurro also has coached "bigger" teams than Amandine Miquel has, and has experienced strong personalities in the locker room. Big players are handled differently than young promising players. It is what it is.

Now, do I think there is a possibility, borderline probability, that Montemurro will drive the (now dodgy) Maserati straight into the wall? Yes, I do. But even I have to concede that right now he is saying the right things. The question is whether he can deliver on the pitch. He talks a lot about Lyon playing pretty football again, and even the most hardcore fan will have to admit that Lyon wasn't playing good football towards the end of Bompastor's tenure. But talking about something and executing it are two different things. You can say whatever you want, it's what the score reflects after 90 minutes that matters.

Blah blah standard disclaimers apply; @OL Comms Dept please please pay for a bottle of wine or my AC bill, whichever you feel like chipping in for; banning stans from stadiums would solve a lot of problems real quick; it's summer for the love of god would some of you please go outside and get some fresh air; y'all know the speech by now.

Note: this was done before the Cascarino to San Diego Wave bomb shell and Lyon being interested in Katie McCabe, the latter of which impressively managed to put both fanbases on suicide watch for the same reason.

JOE MONTEMURRO LE PROGRES INTERVIEW

Olympique Lyonnais Féminin: for the new head coach Joe Montemurro, "the challenge will be to win everything while playing beautiful football"

Having just set foot in Lyon where he has met with a handful of players and his staff, Australian head coach Joe Montemurro, under contract with Olympique lyonnais until 2026, opens up about his ambitions with his new club. A "fantastic" team he can't wait to work with and leave his mark. with an attractive and seductive style of play.

How did the first contacts with Lyon go?

There were some intermediate contacts with my agents for several months. From the start it was very clear this would take some time. Then everything happened very quickly, within a week. We got in contact, we talked about the possibility of becoming head coach of Olympique Lyonnais Feminin and here I am.

Rumors go, you did really well in the interviews...

Maybe you can judge for yourself since you're asking me questions (laughter). On a more serious note, we talked about the huge quality of players and the ambitions for the team. It was nice because I immediately felt a good connection.

There were a lot of candidates, do you know what made the difference?

A lot of coaches would like to coach Lyon: it's a great team with an incredible institution so it's normal for the club to take its time and study the candidates to make the right choice. What might have made a difference is our mutual desire to reach new heights in terms of the internationalism and development for Olympique Lyonnais Feminin. It worked.

Did those close to you encourage or discourage you to take part in this project?

I'm never been afraid of a challenge. This is a big one, and it's especially exciting because it means working with fantastic athletes in a club which is already established as one of the best. There was no apprehension on my part nor from my family, who have always supported me throughout my career.

Is this your biggest challenge you've faced since you started coaching?

I've already experienced big challenges. But I come from Australia, where the football culture is different. Coaching in Europe is a dream. Being the head coach at Lyon, it's incredible. I'm lucky to work each day in football. It might come across as cliche to say it but it's a real privilege and honor to be in charge of this incredible team.

You said you were impressed when you came here, in how was it different from your experiences?

It's different in terms of expectation. We ask ourselves "they have accomplished so many things, what else can we do?" [apparently have very questionable taste in players] That's the challenge for me: bring Lyon to another level.

You said you wanted to put in a place an attractive style of play, what does that mean?

The football I like, it's like what I did at Melbourne City, Arsenal or Juventus, it's dominate the possession, be proactive with the ball and control the tempo. I don't know any other way to play and I want to bring that to this great team.

To bring fans to the stadium, is it necessary to play attractive football?

Absolutely. We often focus on the development of women's football and not on its ability to produce fantastic football. If that's the case, the public will come to the games. It's as simple as that. It's my job to bring people to games and that when they're at the stadium, they say "woah, what a football game!" and they come back. Now be careful, I'm not saying that Lyon's style of play wasn't attractive until now. But we need to make it so that each game is a real show, and that it's up to expectations. That's the reality of football today.

What objectives did Michele Kang fix you?

Win everything. Even if it goes without saying because winning is part of the Lyon DNA. The objective is therefore to win everything while playing beautiful football.

Were you following Lyon's end of season and the UWCL final loss to Barcelona?

Yes. Barcelona controlled the tempo better than yon. But just by getting to the final shows that Lynn is a team who is always at the top.

Have you already identified which sectors of play need to be worked on?

[I think he misunderstood the questions]

My philosophy, it's to focus on my team rather than worry about others. Obviously we will study our opponents, but we need to focus on our own style of play. We know the strengths and weaknesses of Barcelona or PSG. But if we're solid and confident in the game play and we show courage, we will able to handle the change in tempo of the game. That's the most important thing.

What is this team's greatest strength?

To always want more, to never be satisfied with the number of wins, to always to learn how to be even better.

What sort of head coach are you, is there a Montemurro method?

For me, football is not just about winning, it's winning with style. The first ting we will judge is the performance. I am a coach who gives control and solutions to my players without stopping them from being innovative or creative. I like bringing out the best in myself taff and players, so that everyone comes to work each day saying "woohoo, another great day at practice [ahead]".

Have you ever been in charge of a team with so many stars in the locker room?

I've known similar situations. At Juventus, the team was composed of the best players in Italy, they all played on the National Team. At Arsenal and Melbourne City, there were also a lot of top level players. The most important thing as a coach is to understand the team to establish good relations because you can have all the talent you want, if there's no cohesion and communication with the team, it's not going to work.

There are some strong personalities in this locker room... [@Hegerberg and Renard, Le Progres is referring to you]

I'm discovering some of the personalities in the team as the days go by, it's exciting and I'm eager to get to know the rest of the group. Dialogue is something that's important to me. I told the players and staff that my door is always open. We want to all work together and learn from each other on how to be better. For that, there needs to be collaboration and communication. It's essential to know the players beyond football: to know what their family life is like, what they enjoy in life, what they want to accomplish ... Because certain players can have problems outside the club. And I want it to be so that when they come to Lyon, it's a safe space for them where they are free to talk.

At Lyon, the players are very demanding and -

(interrupting) I am as well. Having high standards, it's positive because it means we want to be better. I love that desire to always want to improve and being curious. Because if you ask me, the biggest performances come from people who are curious, who want to understand.

What memories do you have of Lyon who you played against several times in the UWCL when you were head coach at Juventus, and whom you always caused problems for?

Thank you for saying that! There were some very good games against Lyon who we managed to beat once (2-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinals in the 2021-2022 season). But at Juventus, it was a different project: the goal was to grow on the European scene and become part of the Top 8 in Europe. When I arrived, the club was ranked 33rd according to UEFA, and it was 8th or 9th when I left.

What do you think about the French league?

It's a league we need to respect. Like we say in English, it's the "bread and butter", it's our livelihood, the core of our work. We have to respect all the teams and be competitive each game. We know that a big majority of teams we will play against will sit back and play with a low block against us. This is where we need to be intelligent and work on that spect. But if you ask me, it's as much a mental challenge as it is a football one.

A lot of people say the English league, which you've experienced, is better. What do you think?

In terms of appearance it might seem better because it attracts more people. The English [teams] play in big stadiums and maybe the marketing and commercial aspect are more advanced, and give more exposure compared to France. But I am sure that the French Federation is moving in the right direction to make up for lost time. Regarding the level of the teams, it's really hard to answer the question and make a comparison, especially regarding the level of the smallest teams of the two leagues.

How will you approach this weird start of the season with the Olympics and the absence of numerous international players?

It's not the first time I have been in this situation. When there are lot of players away with their national teams, that implies you have to manage their return. It's not the physical aspect which is the most complicated, it's the mental aspect. Maybe they experienced a euphoric high, or the contrary, a huge disappointment. And that can take more or less time to digest. It's really important to communicate with the players. We need to be very vigilant with regards to their well-being. It's very important because in women's football, there isn't a lot of down time to reset. We need to make sure the international players have a good break to be ready and fresh when the season begins.

Have you planned any friendlies?

Yes, we will have some. We are in the process of putting the plans in place. We have a lot of time. We have a week to get to know and work with the staff. It's perfect to put everything in place in terms of organization.

Have you met with the players who came back for preseason on July 8?

Yes, we've done some [training] sessions with the players who aren't going to the Olympics [and Euro qualifiers] and there was a lot of smiles and excitement at the idea of starting a new exercise with a new organization. We also called up some academy players to the current group, which is a good opportunity for them. There is a really good feeling. It's really a great group.

"A big team needs a big roster" The transfer window has just opened but Joe Montemurro is perfectly aware of the quality of his team: "it's very strong and solid. We might look in a few areas, but we will evaluate that as the need arises as time goes by." And when we asked him about the "stacked" front line, especially after the arrival fo Tabitha Chawinga, the new Lyon coach thinks that that arrival is not one too many. Even if Delphine Cascarino, who has not yet extended with her club, decides to stay: "the forward line is powerful but if we want to score goals and be prolific, there has to be an important number of forwards. There will be only three on the field but there will be close to 50 games to play ... Without counting the games with the national teams. So there will need to be solid rotation because to play at their top level, the professional players can't play that many games. Football has changed and the competition is getting tougher. Intensity is the most important thing so the players don't recover as well as they did before. You have to manage the team. And a big team needs a big roster."

[dankusner]

Molly Cook Makes History as the First Openly LGBTQ Texas Senator

Molly Cook, a 32-year-old emergency room nurse and community organizer, has made history as the first openly LGBTQ member of the Texas Senate.

A sixth-generation Texan, Cook’s achievement marks a significant milestone for representation in the Texas Legislature.

“Today, we get to celebrate our fantastic, well-deserved, historic win,” Sen. Cook said the morning of May 29 after securing her Democratic primary win in Texas State District 15, a seat that has been blue for decades.

“Winning a Texas Senate seat is a big deal, and it tastes extra-sweet because it is borne of sheer grit, determination, and teamwork. We have organized for years, stayed true to our values, and built momentum that extends beyond this election. Thank you to the team, donors, voters, and volunteers. Let’s take a moment to root ourselves in gratitude and bask in our community—and let’s get to work.”

Cook is the incumbent senator after having won the special election on May 4 to fill the remainder of John Whitmire’s term.

The long-time senator resigned in December of 2023 after winning the Houston Mayor’s seat.

Now that Sen. Cook is the Democratic candidate for the November general election, she will most likely spend the next four years in Austin.

A native Houstonian with a bachelor’s degree from UT in Austin and a graduate degree in nursing and public health from Johns Hopkins University, she plays the harp, practices yoga, and has a senior Chihuahua.

And she’s a grassroots specialist.

“Today, we get to celebrate our fantastic, well-deserved, historic win. Winning a Texas Senate seat is a big deal, and it tastes extra-sweet because it is borne of sheer grit, determination, and teamwork.” — Senator Molly Cook

Cook volunteered with Fair for Houston, a group that helped pass Prop. B to restructure the Houston-Galveston Area Council Board, and also worked on Beto O’Rourke’s gubernatorial campaign.

She joined Stop TxDOT I-45 (a grassroots organization promoting equitable, sustainable transportation in Houston, Harris County, and Texas) to fight TxDOT’s planned expansion of I-45.

Her many responsibilities as a volunteer included implementing communication and advocacy strategies, developing volunteer management systems, coordinating phone banks and door-knocking, disseminating information to the public, advocating through interviews with the media, running the bi-weekly general meetings, training and on-boarding new members, and event planning.

She also frequently delivered public comments before Houston City Council, Harris County Commissioner’s Court, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the Texas Transportation Commission, and the Texas Legislature.

“My favorite part of working with Stop TxDOT 1-45 was the opportunity to grow relationships with community members, advocacy organizations, and elected officials,” she says.

That experience served her well when she ran for the senate seat the first time against Whitmire, who had already announced his run for mayor of Houston, in 2022.

She lost that race by 58 percent to 42 percent—the biggest opponent Whitmire had faced in decades.

When the open seat came up for the Democratic primary election on March 5 of this year, she placed second in a six-candidate field to State Representative Jarvis Johnson with 21 percent of the vote to his 36 percent.

Jarvis blamed low voter turnout for his loss in the special election.

Houston’s spring storm season has not slowed her down.

After being sworn in by Judge Steve Duble at 5:30 p.m. on May 16 to fill Whitmire’s unexpired term, a rare derecho blew through Houston with torrential rains and straight-line winds up to 100 miles per hour, wreaking havoc on the Heights and downtown, causing power outages to almost a million customers, downing power lines and trees, and causing seven deaths.

“It was a whirlwind first few hours,” Cook said of her first day as a state senator.

And on the afternoon of the Democratic runoff, another freak thunderstorm blew in, shutting down power to hundreds of thousands and closing one election site early.

She still won the race, drawing 50.2 percent of the vote to Johnson’s 49.8 percent.

But with a low turnout of just 18,782 voters, she won by less than 80 votes.

Still, it was an historic win for the LGBTQ community.

“Senator Molly Cook’s win last night in the primary runoff was not just a win for her campaign, but a win for our entire community,” said Austin Davis Ruiz, president of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus.

“She first made herstory earlier this month by becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to the Texas Senate, and we know she is going to be a champion for all communities in Austin. In a time when we’re seeing increased attacks on the LGBTQ+ community—specifically, on the trans community—this win is a reaffirmation that LGBTQ+ Texans matter; that we are powerful. As a community, we will continue fighting against draconian laws that seek to limit our rights and that seek to legislate us from existence. But let us be clear: we are not going anywhere. We want to congratulate Senator Cook on a hard-fought campaign, and we look forward to supporting her re-election campaign come November.”

[mariacallous]

When European Union vice president Věra Jourová met with YouTube CEO Neal Mohan in California last week, they fell to talking about the long-running conspiracy theory that the moon landings were fake. YouTube has faced calls from some users and advocacy groups to remove videos that question the historic missions. Like other videos denying accepted science, they have been booted from recommendations and have a Wikipedia link added to direct viewers to debunking context.

But as Mohan spoke about those measures, Jourová made something clear: Fighting lunar lunatics or flat-earthers shouldn't be a priority. “If the people want to believe it, let them do,” she said. As the official charged with protecting Europe’s democratic values, she thinks it’s more important to make sure YouTube and other big platforms don’t spare a euro that could be invested in fact-checking or product changes to curb false or misleading content that threatens the EU’s security.

“We are focusing on the narratives which have the potential to mislead voters, which could create big harm to society,” Jourová tells WIRED in an interview. Unless conspiracy theories could lead to deaths, violence, or pogroms, she says, don’t expect the EU to be demanding action against them. Content like the recent fake news report announcing that Poland is mobilizing its troops in the middle of an election? That better not catch on as truth online.

In Jourová’s view, her conversation with Mohan and similar discussions she held last week with the CEOs of TikTok, X, and Meta show how the EU is helping companies understand what it takes to counter disinformation, as is now required under the bloc’s tough new Digital Services Act. Its requirements include that starting this year the internet’s biggest platforms, including YouTube, have to take steps to combat disinformation or risk fines up to 6 percent of their global sales.

Civil liberties activists have been concerned that the DSA ultimately could enable censorship by the bloc’s more authoritarian regimes. A strong showing by far-right candidates in the EU’s parliamentary elections taking place later this week also could lead to its uneven enforcement.

YouTube spokesperson Nicole Bell says the company is aligned with Jourová on preventing egregious real-world harm and also removing content that misleads voters on how to vote or encourages interference in the democratic processes. “Our teams will continue to work around the clock,” Bell says of monitoring problematic videos about this week’s EU elections.

Jourová, who expects her five year term to end later this year, in part because her Czech political party, ANO, is no longer in power at home in Czechia to renominate her, contends that the DSA is not meant to enable anything more than appropriate moderation of the most egregious content. She doesn’t expect Mohan or any other tech executive to go a centimeter beyond what the law prescribes. “Overusage, overshooting on the basis of the EU legislation would be a big failure and a big danger,” she says.

On the other hand, she acknowledges that if the companies aren’t seen to be stepping up to mitigate disinformation, then some influential politicians have threatened to seek stiffer rules that could border on outright censorship. “I hate this idea,” she says. “We don't want this to happen.”

But with the DSA offering guidelines more than bright lines, how are platforms to know when to act? Jourova’s “democracy tour” in Silicon Valley, as she calls it, is part of facilitating a dialog on policy. And she expects social media researchers, experts, and the press to all contribute to figuring out the fuzzy borders between free expression and destructive disinformation. She jokes that she doesn’t want to be seen as the “European Minister of the Truth,” as tempting as that title may be. Leaving it to politicians alone to define what’s acceptable online “would pave the way to hell,” she says.

Jourová does have some clear preferences, though. “We should do everything to guarantee that lies are not the easiest way to get political positions,” she says. “If politicians are lying, there should be somebody to say immediately, ‘Guy, you are lying.’ Using clear lies, especially of the nature that increases the hostility and proliferates hate, should be stopped.”

Political candidates around the world have continued to turn to new technologies and social media to spread potentially misleading content. She says local researchers identified 70 cases of deepfakes ahead of recent elections in Slovakia. Though the impact they had on the vote has not been assessed, some audio deepfakes on the eve of the vote targeted a pro-Ukraine candidate who lost a bid to run the country to a pro-Russian opponent. WIRED has cataloged so far about 50 cases of deepfakes across elections globally this year.

Western governments and researchers have attributed some of the deepfake surge to Russia. But though Jourová is concerned about the alleged interference, she also takes it as evidence that democracy is working. There aren’t enough fellow autocrats in Europe for Putin to call up to win favor with the EU, she reasons, and so instead, he has to seed lies and hope they sway electorates towards installing leaders who support him. That’s an expensive strategy for a country in economic straits, Jourová says, and she anticipates it becoming more expensive still for the Kremlin if tech platforms successfully crack down on disinformation.

The DSA includes measures aimed at making it clear to officials and the public what action platforms are taking. Companies are required to share data and commentaries on their work on limiting disinformation such as political deepfakes. So far, the platforms’ compliance under that provision of both the DSA and the EU’s related voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation has been variable, making it difficult to draw comparisons to assemble an overall picture of harmful untruths across the internet.

YouTube has told the EU that in the second half of last year 112 deepfake videos each received over 10,000 views before being taken down. By contrast, Meta offered no comparable data and declined to comment to WIRED on its different approach to reporting.

“It's a bit still moving in the darkness,” Jourová says of monitoring compliance. But she insists that will change. “Comparable data in a structured way” is the goal, she says. Or else big fines—and the crippling of democracy—could follow.

[christian-perspectives]

The Lord Reigns Forever

But the Lord reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne. He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness. Psalm 9:7-8 Nothing on the earth will last forever. According to the Bible, the earth itself won't last forever. I find it interesting how the popularity of influential people quickly fades away. I would have to think hard to recall all the presidents who have served during my lifetime. And don't even ask me who won the Superbowl last year because I don't remember. David, the author of Psalm 9, clearly communicated God's majesty. The Lord isn't an influence we will quickly forget because He reigns forever. Unlike the political or personal agendas of presidents, prime ministers, kings, or dictators, God reigns with fairness. The Lord reigns with justice over His entire creation. Another difference between God and world leaders rests on the fact of accessibility. The Lord has made it easy for anyone to come into His presence with needs or concerns. The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. Psalm 9:9-10 The Lord reigns in both our hearts and lives. He guides our steps and lights our path through this life. All our praise belongs to Him, and He fills us with joy. I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. And I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2

A Personal Testimony

I occasionally serve on a team that interviews candidates seeking ministry credentials. A few years ago, we had the opportunity to interview some graduating college students. One of the young men who sat before us said something startling. He told us that he would get alone and yell at God when things didn't go right for him. I asked him why he felt he had the right to yell at the Lord. He responded by saying the Lord wants us to let our frustrations out. In pursuing his strange opinion, I continued by asking him if he yells at his parents. He said no! Then I asked, but you feel it's ok to yell at the creator of the universe? Before he could answer, I added, the one who has made everything you can see? I then asked the one who will give you your next breath? I didn't intend to back him into a corner, but he did try to defend his position. He said that David, in the Psalms, made his feelings known. David did ask God many questions, but we don't see where he disrespected Him. David sat on Israel's throne and understood the respect his authority demanded. As king, he couldn't tolerate disrespect aimed in his direction. Therefore, as the reigning king, he found disrespecting the Lord, who reigns forever, unacceptable.

We can Approach the Lord who Reigns Forever

We have the freedom to go boldly and fearfully to God with our needs and concerns. Peter, in his first epistle, addressed how we should approach God. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 1 Peter 5:5-6 Humbly relating to one another serves as the best way to practice humility towards God. Peter also encouraged us to take our needs to God. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 Then the apostle said, be strong in your faith and stay alert! The devil prowls around like a roaring lion and seeks to devour God's children. But God has better plans for you. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. 1 Peter 5:10 Peter said, even though things don't go well for you now, hang on. They will only last a short time. Keep your eyes on the Lord, the one with all power and who reigns forever. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11 The words that Peter wrote, "All power to Him forever," ring throughout all of heaven. Even while God executes justice from His throne, the following words can be heard.

The Lord is Worthy

"You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased." Revelation 4:11 In our verse for today, David told us the Lord will judge the world with justice. God's justice system, however, differs immensely from what we call justice here on earth. The Lord only has two judgments for humans: the Judgement Seat of Christ and the White Throne Judgement. Jesus gave a simple illustration of who goes to which judgment. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn. Matthew 13:30 In this illustration, the barn refers to heaven, making the fire self-explanatory. Those who have accepted Christ as their Savior go to the barn. The bundles represent those not saved. Those whom Jesus referred to as the wheat will meet with Him to go to heaven. Jesus will judge their works. This is called the Judgement Seat of Christ. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 2 Corinthians 5:10 No one who stands before God at the White Throne Judgement will enter heaven. Everyone at one time or another had a chance to turn to Jesus, but they didn't. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15

The Lord Reigns Forever

If anyone feels that God's justice system isn't fair, it's because they are comparing it with their own system. Remember, the Lord reigns. He always has and always will. Lord, the Psalmist said that you execute judgment from your throne. No other power reigns, Lord, but you. Help us to tell others about your justice system. Check out these other related Posts from select Psalms - His Faithful Love Endures Forever - Enjoying The Benefits Of Living A Godly Life - Victory Comes From The Lord Read the full article