Russo italian market wyomissing pa

Hello everyone, would this be considered a good deal? I really do like the RAV4s and I found this one recently that stood out to me. I haven’t seen the vehicle as yet, I went to the dealership but they told me it’s on its way from another Toyota dealership in the state (living in PA). I know the market is crazy right now, even for used vehicles so I’m interested to know if this would be a really good deal for a vehicle I’d end up keeping for 5 or more years.
Note also that I’m new to the US, been here for 8 months and so I’m still building my credit. I do have a decent job working in IT making close to 80k annually). If anyone has any advice I’d love to hear it. Thank you

I moved a grand total of 6 times during this time period. Some by choice, others by — well — not by choice.
So, after finishing University in my hometown, Florida, I became very bored of the mundane "work, eat, sleep" life. So, I sporadically booked a flight to the sunniest place in Germany — Freiburg im Breisgau. I took a German class in highschool, so I thought why not learn another language while I'm out and about in a place I've never been before. I enrolled in a language school, where they would provide me a visa that lasted 1 year. Now here's where things get juicy.
I arrived by plane (obviously) and was escorted by the language school to my 'family'. I chose to live with a host family because I wanted to learn about German culture, and I wanted to really get into the whole "language speaking" thing. When I arrived, a woman greeted me at the door. She was in her mid 50s, and very tiny. I greeted her and quickly found out that she didn't speak any English. Like, at all. But that was okay with me because that means that I'd be forced to speak German. The issue is that she didn't really speak much German either. Well, somewhere between A2 and B1. Better than me, but... you know. I made myself comfortable in my room and went downstairs for dinner.
Two other students joined us. I asked through Google translate why they were here, because I was informed that I would be the only student. She said that Turkish would be better for her because she didn't understand the question when it was presented in german. It turns out that I was the only student from MY language school. She was working with other language schools, and hosted up to 6 students at a time. Okay, cool. I respect the grind!
I quickly befriended a few people at the language school. These students also had host families, and rambled on about how wonderful they were. Evidently, these hosts made breakfast for the students. It was in the contract, but I assumed that it was optional for the host to provide breakfast. I asked my host 'mom' why I didn't have breakfast and she replied that she didn't want to get up that early, because work for her starts at 10am. ( I leave the house at 8am) I asked if it would be possible for her to provide me with some sort of salami or cheese for breakfast every now and then. She begrudgingly agreed, and the next day I was provided with the worst quality salami I've ever seen in my life. (No offence to Netto) Keep in mind I'm paying this woman 990 euros a month for an 8m² room that includes breakfast and dinner. Yikes.
I offered for her to pay me back a few euros so I could make my own breakfast. She told me that she wasn't able to do that, because she needed the money. So, I had to buy my own things for breakfast. One day, she told me that I was taking up too much fridge space. I didn't understand exactly what she meant because her Turkish accent was very hard to understand, so I nodded my head and moved all of my things to the corner of the fridge. (It was 4 items: salami, cheese, mayo, and mustard) She raised an eyebrow at me, sighed, and left the room. One of the students who was sitting in the kitchen at the time told me that she told me to remove my things from the fridge altogether because they were taking up space and it was disrespectful. Oh man. Okay. I just threw everything away because I was so frustrated.
She also had these weird "rules" I had to follow.
- Doing laundry was 5 euros per load.
- I was not to open the window at night. It was SO hot at night and I would wake up at 4am with my bedsheets drenched in sweat. She said that if I wanted to wash my bedsheets more than once very other week, I would be charged accordingly.
- If I had a friend come over, it was 30 euros if they stayed past 9pm.
- No meat was to be eaten unless it was a Friday.
- No alcohol (I'm 23 years old???)
But I sucked up these rules becuase at the end of the day, it was HER house. I just thought that because I was paying a large sum for so little, I'd be allowed a little more control.
Anyway, a week or two after me moving in, my host mom asked me to come with her to meet her friends. I felt like we got off on the wrong foot so I thought I'd tag along. Keep in mind this is August, so it's about 28C outside. I wore a tank top and some pants. When I greeted her outside, she looked me up and down and told me to change. Politely, though. I changed into one of my sleeveless turtlenecks. When she saw this, she sighed and handed me her jacket. Weird, I thought, but it was a friendly gesture — right? Hmm. We drove to a park nearby our village and there was a large group of people waiting for us. They were all dressed rather modestly for the weather, but I thought nothing of it. She then explains to me that she's a Jehovah's Witness, and that this is a Jehovah's Witness meeting. Oh, okay. I have no issues with religion, but MAN. I'll spare you the details. Everyone at the meeting was incredibly kind, but they kept on trying to talk to me about God and the Bible.
They added me to a groupchat and told me to meet with them every Friday. If I wasn't able to make it in person, then I could join on Zoom. I didn't know what to say. It was around this time that I got a message from the school saying that they were going to move me to a new host family. Just my luck! This was because she was going to see her mother for 3 months in Turkey.
A few days after I got the notice, I was scheduled to be picked up and driven across the village by my new host 'dad'. He was a German man in his late 60s. He seemed to be kind although kinda' standoff-ish. My room was above his. Great! It was nearly 28m², and I had tons of light flowing into my room. He told me the rules of the house. Pretty basic and very understandable. However, there was something that stuck out to me. I had to ring the doorbell every time I wanted to use the kitchen.
I asked him why. He said "I'm a nudist, so I must make myself presentable when you come down." Oh god, okay. It's HIS house, ya know? I asked him about midnight snacks, because I occasionally come home late (over the weekend) and during the week I generally eat later. He said that it wouldn't be possible for me to use the kitchen past 10pm. He added that no snacks were allowed in my room. Sternly, he told me that my "late nights" would have to come to an end. Hah! I asked my German friends if this was normal and they said he was "just being German".
There was a butcher shop about a 4 minute walk from the house, so I thought I'd get him a "welcome" gift. I knew he ate meat, because for dinner we ate weinerschnitzel. I picked out a nice link of salami and handed it to him the next time we sat down for dinner. He seemed to be pleased. He asked where I bought it from, and I told him it was from the nearby butcher shop. When I say the atmosphere changed, it CHANGED. He looked down on me with a slight glare and said "I do not want such a thing. Do you know where this meat is from? I do not know. That shop probably treats the animals horribly. I do not support that." Well, the rest of dinner was awkward.
There was an instance where two Italian students were staying with us, and we had dinner with them. They spoke B2 German, and I was still at A1 (if that, honestly). They were chatting up a storm and I sat quietly and tried to listen. One of the Italian girls asked me in German if I was shy and I told her that I wasn't but I just couldn't keep up with the conversation. The host 'dad' laughed and told them in English that I "refused to speak German" because "[my] German was embarassingly bad." Hmm, that didn't feel too good. I didn't speak to him in German ever again and till this very day I struggle with speaking because I keep hearing him in my head. Ah!
Now, around this time (about 2.5 months in) I've been making more local friends and they've been telling me that I can easily rent my own apartment for the amount of money I'm paying the school. The thought of independance got me excited, so I called up the school and said HEY, refund me all the money for the host families — I'm moving into my OWN place! I hopped on WG Gesucht and found a room with a guy right in the city center of Freiburg. Hell yeah! 350 Euros a month, too. The lease was limited to about 3 months, though.
The man was in his early 30s and he told me that he preferred to keep a quiet household. Totally fair, as I literally lived in the livingroom and there wasn't much space for guests. Throughout my whole stay, he probably spoke a good 30 combined minutes to me. Like, in total. These 30 minutes consisted of him telling me to limit my bath time to 5 minutes. I'm not saying he would stand outside the bathroom and count the seconds I was in the tub, but he would coincidentally knock on the door and tell me that my 5 minutes was up whenever he was home. When I told him that I wouldn't mind sending him extra money for the water usage, he said "Oh, would you like to support the Russian government?" Uh, what? I gave up on showering/bathing when he was around. He charged me 70 euros extra anyway, and said that he didn't have the water bill on paper but that these costs were correct.
While all of this was taking place, my language school friends convinced me to download Tinder. Sure, why not. After a few dates with some kind men, I met this German guy "Steve" and we clicked pretty well. He unfortunately had a ski trip planned for when I moved out, so I wasn't able to stay with him in his apartment while I searched for my own.
Anyway, I went back on WG Gesucht in an effort to find another room/flat to stay in. And I did! Oh, it was lovely. A 1 bed 1 bath, 70m right next to the Alt Stadt. I could finally have privacy! I spoke with the landlord and she gave me the greenlight to rent till August of 2023. Perfect! I was to sign a contract 2 weeks before the move-in date. When the sign-date arrived, I got a call from her saying "actually we decided to give this to a different tenant. Thank you for your time!" Ooookay, so I'm basically homeless in 2 weeks. I spoke with my current landlord, and he told me I could stay an extra 2 weeks till I found a place. Great! I went back on the WG-Gesucht grind again. I found an even BETTER apartment closer to the city center, and the landlord seemed to be lovely. Just 3 days before I moved in, I got a text from the current landlord saying that they were unable to offer me the apartment due to an "unforseen circumstance". Bro. What? I'm going to be homeless in 3 days. Are you serious? I signed a contract and everything.
Well, it turns out that the contract wasn't valid because they weren't the landlords. They're tenants. And their "landlord" IS ALSO A TENANT. Apparently the actual landlord found out that they were subleasing illegally, so they were being evicted. How fun!
So at this point, I'm pretty desperate. The friends I made were gone, because guess what. It's almost December, and everyone flew back home. My German friends are all students so they went back to their little German villages in the middle of nowhere and couldn't take me. I desperately put ads up on Kleinanzeigen and WG Gesucht, but to no avail. Everyone is on vacation! Hotels were 100+ Euros a night, but it seemed that that was the only option. I found an Airbnb that charged only 650 euros for 15 nights, which should give me enough time to find another room. So I booked my stay. Just a day before I moved out, I recieved a message on Kleinanzeigen. A room in Waldkirch — a village about a 25 minute train ride away. Fine. I'll take it. When I tell you I RAN into that apartment, I was literally shaking the landlords hand with teary eyes telling her how much I appreciated it.
I canceled my AirBnB, but they didn't give any refunds. Yeah, it was in the description before I made the purchase, but I'd rather live in my own little room in the mountains than some 12m room shared with absolute strangers. So, I'm out 650 bucks — BUT I HAVE A PLACE! My current landlord charged me 45 euros because I begged for one extra night. He didn't even have anyone moving in my room for another 2 weeks, but oh well.
Back to Waldkirch. Now, this cute little place was in an Altbau tucked between the mountains. It was wonderful. The kitchen was all cute and old, Edeka was a 1 minute walk away, there was a local market that was open every Saturday and Sunday... the people around me were all 60+ and smiled when I attempted to speak German to them. God, I loved it. My landlord also would cook for me when she had free time. I had my own little bathroom and I had a castle view from my window. My room was also nearly 30m²!
Unfortunately, the landlord told me that I had to be out by Feburary. However, I was becoming closer with Steve, the Tinder guy. He had a temporary job in Freiburg and because it was coming to an end and he was going to start Med school in Berlin, things seemed pretty gloomy. But I had this crazy thought. Because my language school was in two locations, Freiburg and Berlin, I could just switch schools and still legally reside in Germany. I could just... live with him. Crazy? Crazy. My parents and friends threw a fit. Anyway, I packed my bags and moved in with him to Frankfurt, where his parents stayed. Best month of my life. I made sure everything was okay at my language school, and we made the switch.
So, now we had to hunt for an apartment in Berlin. And man, let me tell you guys. That's HARD. After a while of searching, we finally landed a place in Moabit. March, April, and May have passed. Unfortunately for us, our lease ends in August. So guess who's moving again! Me! At least now I have someone with me to hold my hand through this stressful process. (If anyone has any long-term flats for rent... help!)
I've fallen too in love with this man because I'm now about to apply for the self employment visa so I can stay in germany until his med school finishes. It's been a crazy ride, but I'm so glad I came to Germany. Maybe I'll make a post about all of the other crazy non-housing related German stories!

Hi! I am likely moving to the Santa Cruz area for my husband's job this summer from the Midwest. Currently work in a primary care/geriatrics/SNF environment, would like to stay on the outpatient side if possible. How is the job market for PAs out there currently? I don't see many jobs posted on indeed, are there better leads on other websites/recruiters? And would it be reasonable to commute to Los Gatos/San Jose from Santa Cruz area?

The whirring blades of my MD-902 throbbed against the warm evening air, and I smiled.
From 5,000 feet, the ground flew by in a carpet of dark forests and kelly-green fields. The sun hung low on the horizon in a picturesque array of dazzling orange and gold, and I could make out the narrow strip of the Ohio River to my left, glistening in the fading daylight. This time of year, the trees would be full of the sweet aroma of fresh blossoms, and the frequent rains kept small pockets of fluffy white mist hanging in the treetops. It was a beautiful view, one that reminded me of why being a helicopter pilot trumped flying in a jumbo jet far above the clouds every day of the week.
Fourteen more days, and I’m debt free.
That made me grin even more. I’d been working as a charter pilot ever since I obtained my license at age 19, and after years of keeping my nose to the grindstone, I was closing on the final payment for real-estate in western Pennsylvania. With no debt, a fixer-upper house on 30 rural acres all to myself, and a respectable wage for a 26-year-old pilot, I looked forward to the financial freedom I could now enjoy. Maybe I’d take a vacation, somewhere exotic like Venice Italy, or the Dominican Republic. Or perhaps I’d sock the money back for the day I started a family.
“Remember kleineun, a real man looks after his own.”
My elderly ouma’s voice came back from the depths of my memories, her proud, sun-tanned face rising from the darkness. She and my Rhodesian grandfather had emigrated to the US when they were newlyweds, as the violence against white Boer descendants in South Africa spiraled out of control. My mother and father both died in a car crash when I was six, and it had been my grandparents who raised me. Due to this, I’d grown up with a slight accent that many of my classmates found amusing, and I could speak both English, and Afrikaans, the Boer tongue of our former home.
I shifted in my seat, stretched my back muscles, and glanced at the picture taped to my console. Both my parents flanked a grinning, gap-toothed six-year-old me, at the last Christmas we’d spent together. My mother beamed, her dark hair and Italian features a sharp contrast to my father’s sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. Sometimes, I liked to imagine they were smiling at me with pride at how well I flew the old silver-colored bird my company had assigned to me, and that made the long, lonely flights easier to bear.
A flicker caught my eye, and I broke my gaze away from the photograph.
Perched in its small cradle above the controls, my little black Garmin fuzzed over for a few seconds, its screen shifting from brightly colored maps to a barrage of grey static.
Did the power chord come loose?
I checked, ensuring the power-cable for the unit’s battery was plugged into the port on the control panel. It was a brand-new GPS unit, and I’d used it a few times already, so I knew it wasn’t defective. Granted, I could fly and navigate without it, but the Garmin made my time as a pilot so much easier that the thought of going blind was dreadful.
My fuel gauge danced, clicked to empty, then to full, in a bizarre jolt.
More of the gauges began to stutter, the entire panel seeming to develop terrets all at once, and my pulse began to race. Something was wrong, very wrong, and the sludge inside my bowels churned with sour fear.
“Come on, come on.” I flicked switches, turned dials, punched buttons, but nothing seemed to fix the spasming electronics. Every gauge failed, and without warning, I found myself plunged into inky darkness.
Outside, the sun surrendered to the pull of night, the sky darker than usual. A distant rumble of thunder reverberated above the roar of my helicopter’s engine, and I thought I glimpsed a streak of yellowish lightning on the far horizon to my left.
Calm down Chris. We’re still flying, so it must just be a blown fuse. Stay in control and find a place to set her down.
My sweaty palm slid on the cyclic stick, and both feet weighed heavy on the yaw pedals. The collective stuck to my other hand with a nervous vibration, and I squinted against the abyss outside.
Beep.
I jumped despite myself, as the little Garmin on my panel flared back to life, the static pulling aside to reveal a twitching display. Each time the screen glitched, it showed the colorful map detailing my flight path over the ground below, but I noticed that some of the lines changed, the names shifting, as if the device couldn’t decide between two different versions of the world.
One name jutted out at me, slate gray like most of the major county names, appearing with ghostly flickers from between two neighboring ones.
Barron County.
I stared, confused. I’d flown over this section of southeastern Ohio plenty of times, and I knew the counties by heart. At this point, I should have been over the southern end of Noble County, and maybe dipping lower into Washington. There was no Barron County Ohio. I was sure of it.
And yet it shown back at me from the digital landscape, a strange, almost cigar-shaped chunk of terrain carved from the surrounding counties like a tumor, sometimes there, sometimes not, as my little Garmin struggled to find the correct map. Rain began to patter against my cockpit window, and the entire aircraft rattled from a strong gust of wind. Thick clouds closed over my field of vision like a sea of gray cotton.
The blood in my veins turned to ice, and I sucked in a nervous breath.
Land. I had to land. There was nothing else to do, my flight controls weren’t responding, and only my Garmin had managed to come back to life. Perhaps I’d been hit by lightning, and the electronics had been fried? Either way, it was too dark to tell, but a storm seemed to be brewing, and if I didn’t get my feet on the ground soon, I could be in real trouble.
“Better safe than sorry.” I pushed down on the collective to start my slow descent and clicked the talking button for my headset. “Any station, this is Douglass Three-One-Four-Foxtrot, over.”
Nothing.
“Any station, this is Douglass Three-One-Four-Foxtrot, requesting emergency assistance, over.”
Still nothing.
If the radio’s dead, I’m really up a creek.
With my hand shaking, I clicked on the mic one more time. “Any station, this is—”
Like a curtain pulling back, the fog cleared from around my window, and the words stuck in my throat.
Without my gauges, I couldn’t tell just how far I’d descended, but I was definitely very low. Thick trees poked up from the ground, and the hills rolled into high ridges with flat valley floors, fields and pastures pockmarking them. Rain fell all around in cold, silvery sheets, a normal feature for the mid spring in this part of Ohio.
What wasn’t normal, were the fires.
At first, I thought they were forest fires for the amount of smoke and flames that bellowed from each spot, but as I swooped lower, my eyes widened in horror.
They were houses.
Farms, cottages, little clusters that barely constituted villages, all of them belched orange flames and black pillars of sooty smoke. I couldn’t hear above the helicopter blades, but I could see the flashes on the ground, along the road, in between the trees, and even coming from the burning buildings, little jets of golden light that spat into the darkness with anger.
Gunfire. That’s rifle fire, a whole lot of it.
Tiny black figures darted through the shadows, barely discernable from where I sat, several hundred feet up. I couldn’t see much, but some were definitely running away, the streaks of yellow gunfire chasing them. A few dark gray vehicles rumbled down one of the gravel roads, and sprayed fire into the houses as it went. They were fighting, I realized, the people in the trucks and the locals. It was horrific, like something out of war-torn Afghanistan, but worse.
Then, I caught a glimpse of the others.
They didn’t move like the rest, who either fled from the dark vehicles, or fired back from behind cover. These skinny figures loped along with haphazard gaits, many running on all fours like animals, swarming from the trees by the dozens. They threw themselves into the gales of bullets without flinching, attacking anyone within range, and something about the way they moved, so fluid, so fearless, made my heart skip a beat.
What is that?
“Echo Four Actual to unknown caller, please respond, over.”
Choking back a cry of shock, I fumbled at the control panel with clumsy fingers, the man’s voice sharp and stern. I hadn’t realized that I’d let go of the talking button and clicked it down again. “Hello? Hello, this is Douglass Three-One-Four-Foxtrot out of Pittsburgh, over.”
An excruciating moment passed, and I continued to zoom over the trees, the fires falling away behind me as more silent forest took over.
“Roger that Douglass Three-One-Four-Foxtrot, we read you loud and clear. Please identify yourself and any passengers or cargo you might be carrying, over.”
Swallowing hard, I eyed the treetops, which looked much closer than they should have been. How far had I descended? “Echo Four Actual, my name is Christopher Dekker, and I am alone. I’m a charter flight from PA, carrying medical equipment for OSU in Columbus. My controls have been damaged, and I am unable to safely carry on due to the storm. Requesting permission to land, over.”
I watched the landscape slide by underneath me, once catching sight of what looked like a little white church surrounded by smaller huts, dozens of figures in the yard staring up at me as I flew over a towering ridgeline.
“Solid copy on that Douglass Three-One-Four-Foxtrot. Be advised, your transponder shows you to be inside a restricted zone. Please cease all radio traffic, reduce your speed, climb to 3,000 feet and proceed north. We’ll talk you in from there. How copy, over?”
My heart jumped, and I let out a sigh of relief. “Roger that Echo Four Actual, my altimeter is down, but I’ll do my best to eyeball the altitude, over.”
With that, I pulled the collective upward, and tried my best to gauge how far I was by eyesight in the gathering night, rain still coming down all around me. This had to be some kind of disaster or riot, I decided. After all, the voice over the radio sounded like military, and those vehicles seemed to have heavy weapons. Maybe there was some kind of unrest going on here that I hadn’t heard about yet?
Kind of weird for it to happen in rural areas though. Spoiled college kids I get, but never saw farmers get so worked up before. They usually love the military.
Something moved in the corner of my eye, and I turned out of reflex.
My mouth fell open, and I froze, unable to scream.
In the sky beside me, a huge shadow glided along, and its leathery wings effortlessly carved through the gloom, flapping only on occasion to keep it aloft. It was too dark for me to see what color it was, but from the way it moved, I knew it wasn’t another helicopter. No, this thing was alive, easily the size of a small plane, and more than twice the length of my little McDonald Douglass. A long tail trailed behind it, and bore a distinct arrow-shaped snout, with twig-like spines fanned out around the back of its head. Whatever legs it had were drawn up under it like a bird, yet its skin appeared rough and knobby, almost resembling tree bark. Without pause, the gigantic bat-winged entity flew along beside me, as if my presence was on par with an annoying fly buzzing about its head.
Gripping the microphone switch so tight, I thought I’d crack the plastic, I whispered into my headset, forgetting all radio protocol. “T-There’s something up here.”
Static crackled.
“Douglas Three-One-Four-Foxtrot, say again your last, you’re coming in weak and unreadable, over.”
“There’s something up here.” I snarled into the headset, still glued to the controls of the helicopter, afraid to deviate even an inch from my course in case the monstrosity decided to turn on me. “A freaking huge thing, right beside me. I swear, it looks like a bat or . . . I don’t know.”
“Calm down.” The man on the other end of the radio broke his rigorous discipline as well, his voice deep, but level. “It won’t attack if you don’t move too fast. Slowly ease away from it and follow that course until you’re out of sight.”
I didn’t have time to think about how wrong that sounded, how the man’s strict tone had changed to one of knowledge, how he hadn’t been the least surprised by what I’d said. Instead, I slowly turned the helicopter away from the huge menace and edged the speed higher in tiny increments.
As soon as I was roughly two football fields away, I let myself relax, and clicked the mic switch. “It’s not following.”
“You’re sure?”
Eyeing the huge flapping wings, I nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see me. “Yeah, I’m well clear.”
“Good. Thank you, Mr. Dekker.”
Then, the radio went dead.
Something in my chest dropped, a weight that made my stomach roil. This wasn’t right, none of it. Who was that man? Why did he know about the thing I’d just seen? What was I supposed to—
A flash of light exploded from the trees to my right and shot into the air with a long finger of smoke.
What the . . .
On instinct, I jerked the cyclic stick to one side, and the helicopter swung to avoid the rocket.
Boom.
My world shook, metal screeched, and a dozen alarms began to go off inside the cockpit in a cacophony of beeps and sirens. Orange and red flames lit up the night sky just behind me, and the horizon started to spin wildly outside. Heat gushed from the cockpit door, and I smelled the greasy stench of burning oil. The safety belts dug into my shoulders, and with a final slip, the radio headset ripped free from my scalp.
I’m hit.
Desperate, I yanked on the controls, fought the bird even as she spun toward the ground in a wreath of flames, the inky black trees hurtling up to meet me. The helicopter went into full auto-rotation, the sky blurring past outside, and the alarms blared in a screech of doom. Panic slammed through my temples, I screamed at the top of my lungs, and for one brief second, my eyes locked on the little black Garmin still perched atop my control panel.
Its screen stopped twitching and settled on a map of the mysterious Barron County, with a little red arrow at the center of the screen, a few words popping up underneath it.
You are here.
Trees stabbed up into the sky, the belts crushed at my torso, glass shattered all around me, and the world went dark.
Copper, thick, warm, and tangy.
It filled my mouth, stank metallic in my nose, clogged my throat, choking me. In the murkiness, I fought for a surface, for a way out, blind and numb in the dark.
This way, kleineun.
My ouma’s voice echoed from somewhere in the shadows.
This way.
Both eyes flew open, and I gagged, spitting out a stream of red.
Pain throbbed in my ribs, and a heavy pressure sent a tingling numbness through my shoulders. Blood roared inside my temples, and stars danced before my eyes with a dizzying array. Humid night air kissed my skin, and something sticky coated my face, neck, and arms that hung straight up toward the ceiling.
Wait. Not up. Down.
I blinked at the wrinkled, torn ceiling of the cockpit, the glass all gone, the gray aluminum shredded like tissue paper. Just outside the broken windows, thick Appalachian bluegrass and stemmy underbrush swished in a feeble breeze, backlit by flashes of lightning from the thunderstorm overhead. Green and brown leaves covered everything in a wet carpet of triangles, and somewhere nearby, a cricket chirped.
Turning my head from side to side, I realized that I hung upside down inside the ruined helicopter, the top half burrowed into the mud. I could hear the hissing and crackling of flames, the pattering of rain falling on the hot aluminum, and the smaller brush fires around the downed aircraft sizzling out in the damp long grass. Charred steel and burning oil tainted the air, almost as strong as the metallic, coppery stench in my aching nose.
They shot me down. That military dude shot me out of the sky.
It didn’t make sense. I’d followed their orders, done everything they’d said, and yet the instant I veered safely away from whatever that thing in the sky had been, they’d fired, not at it, but at me.
Looking down (or rather, up) at my chest, I sucked in a gasp, which was harder to do that before.
The navy-blue shirt stuck to my torso with several big splotches of dark, rusty red. Most were clean slashes, but two held bits of glass sticking out of them, one alarmingly bigger than the other. They dripped cherry red blood onto my upturned face, and a wave of nausea hit me.
I gotta get down.
I flexed my arms to try and work some feeling back into them, praying nothing was broken. Half-numb from hanging so long, I palmed along my aching body until I felt the buckled for the seat belts.
“Okay.” I hissed between gritted teeth, in an effort to stave off my panic. “You can do this. Just hold on tight. Nice and tight. Here we go . . .”
Click.
Everything seemed to lurch, and I slid off the seat to plummet towards the muck-filled hole in the cockpit ceiling. My fingers were slick with blood and slipped over the smooth faux-leather pilot’s seat with ease. The shoulder belt snagged on the bits of glass that lay just under the left lowest rib, and a flare of white-hot pain ripped through me.
Wham.
I screamed, my right knee caught the edge of the aluminum ceiling, and both hands dove into a mound of leaf-covered glass shards on the opposite side of the hole. My head swam, being right-side-up again enough to make shadows gnaw at the corner of my eyes.
Forcing myself to breath slowly, I fought the urge to faint and slid back to sit on the smooth ceiling. I turned my hands over to see half a dozen bits of clear glass burrowed into my skin like greedy parasites, red blood weeping around the new cuts.
“Screw you.” I spat at the rubbish with angry tears in my eyes. “Screw you, screw you, screw you.”
The shards came out easy enough, and the cuts weren’t that deep, but that wasn’t what worried me. On my chest, the single piece of cockpit glass that remined was almost as big as my palm, and it really hurt. Just touching it felt like self-inflicted torture, but I knew it had to come out sooner or later.
Please don’t nick a vein.
Wiping my hands dry on my jeans, I gripped the shard with both hands, and jerked.
Fire roared over my ribs, and hot blood tickled my already grimy pale skin. I clapped a hand over the wound, pressing down hard, and grunted out a string of hateful expletives that my ouma would have slapped me for.
Lying on my back, I stared around me at the messy cargo compartment of the MD-902. Most of the medical supplies had been in cardboard boxes strapped down with heavy nylon tow-straps, but several cases had ruptured with the force of the impact, spraying bandages, syringes, and pill bottles all over the cluttered interior. Orange flames chewed at the crate furthest to the rear, the tail section long gone, but the foremost part of the hold was intact. Easily a million-dollar mess, it would have made me faint on any other trip, but today it was a godsend.
Half-blind in the darkness, I crawled along with only the firelight and lightning bolts to guide me, my right knee aching. Like a crippled raccoon, I collected things as I went, conscious of the two pallets of intact supplies weighing right over my head. I’d taken several different first-aid courses with some hunting buddies of mine, and the mental reflexes kicked in to help soothe my frazzled mind.
Check for bleeds, stop the worst, then move on.
Aside from my battered chest and stomach, the rest of me remained mostly unharmed. I had nasty bruises from the seatbelts, my right knee swelled, my nose slightly crooked and crusted in blood, but otherwise I was intact. Dowsing every scratch and cut with a bottle of isopropyl alcohol I found, I used butterfly closures on the smaller lacerations that peppered my skin. I wrapped soft white gauze over my abused palms and probed at the big cut where the last shard had been, only stopping when I was sure there were no pieces of glass wedged inside my flesh.
“Not too bad.” I grunted to myself, trying to sound impassive like a doctor might. “Rib must have stopped it. Gonna need stitches though. That’ll be fun.”
Pawing through the broken cases, I couldn’t find any suture chord, but just as I was about to give up, I noticed a small box that read ‘medical skin stapler’.
Bingo.
I tore the small white plastic stapler free from its packaging and eyeballed the device. I’d never done this before, only seen it in movies, and even though the cut in my skin hurt, I wondered if this wouldn’t be worse.
You’ve gotta do it. That bleeding needs to stop. Besides, no one’s coming to rescue you, not with those rocket-launching psychos out there.
Taking a deep breath, I pinched the skin around the gash together, and pressed the mouth of the stapler to it.
Click.
A sharp sting, like that of a needle bit at the skin, but it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as the cut itself. I worked my way across the two-inch laceration and gave out a sigh of relief when it was done.
“Not going to bleed to death today.” I daubed ointment around the staples before winding more bandages over the wound.
Popping a few low-grade painkillers that tumbled from the cargo, I crawled wriggled through the nearest shattered window into the wet grass.
Raindrops kissed my face, clean and cool on my sweaty skin. Despite the thick cloud cover, there was enough constant lightning strikes within the storm to let me get glimpses of the world around me. My helicopter lay on its back, the blades snapped like pencils, with bits and pieces of it burning in chunks all around the small break in the trees. Chest-high scrub brush grew all around the low-lying ground, with pockets of standing water in places. My ears still rang from the impact of the crash, but I could start to pick up more crickets, frogs, and even some nocturnal birds singing into the darkness, like they didn’t notice the huge the hulk of flaming metal that had fallen from the sky. Overhead, the thunder rumbled onward, the feeble wind whistling, and there were other flashes on the horizon, orange and red ones, with crackles that didn’t sound quite like lightning.
The guns. They’re still fighting.
Instinctively, I pulled out my cellphone, and tapped the screen.
It fluttered to life, but no matter how I tried, I couldn’t get through to anyone, not even with the emergency function designed to work around having no service. The complicated wonder of our modern world was little better than a glorified paperweight.
Stunned, I sat down with my back to the helicopter and rested my head against the aluminum skin of the craft. How I’d gone from a regular medical supply run to being marooned in this hellish parody of rural America, I didn’t know, but one thig was certain; I needed a plan. Whoever fired the missile could have already contacted my charter company and made up some excuse to keep them from coming to look for me. No one else knew I was here, and even though I now had six staples holding the worst of my injuries shut, I knew I needed proper medical attention. If I wanted to live, I’d have to rescue myself.
My bag. I need to get my go-bag, grab some gear and then . . . head somewhere else.
It took me a while to gather my green canvas paratrooper bag from its place behind the pilot’s seat and fill it with whatever supplies I could scrounge. My knee didn’t seem to be broken, but man did it hurt, and I dreaded the thought of walking on it for miles on end. I focused instead on inventorying my gear and trying to come up with a halfway intelligent plan of action.
I had a stainless-steel canteen with one of those detachable cups on the bottom, a little fishing kit, some duct tape, a lighter, a black LED flashlight with three spare batteries, a few tattered road maps with a compass, a spare pair of socks, medical supplies from the cargo, and a simple forest green plastic rain poncho. I also managed to unearth a functioning digital camcorder my ouma had gotten me for Christmas a few years back, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to do any filming in such a miserable state. Lastly, since it was a private supply run from a warehouse area near Pittsburgh to a direct hospital pad in Ohio, I’d been able to bring my K-Bar, a sturdy, and brutally simple knife designed for the Marine Corps that I used every time I went camping. It was pitiful in comparison to the rifle I wished I had with me, but that didn’t matter now. I had what I had, and I doubted my trusty Armalite would have alleviated my sore knee anyway.
Clicking on my flashlight, I huddled with the poncho around my shoulders inside the wreck of the chopper and peered at the dusty roadmaps. A small part of me hoped that a solution would jump out from the faded paper, but none came. These were all maps of western PA and eastern Ohio. None of them had a Barron County on them anywhere.
The man on the radio said to head north, right before they shot me down. That means they must be camped out to the north of here. South had that convoy and those burning houses, so that’s a no-go. Maybe I can backtrack eastward the way I came.
As if on cue, a soft pop echoed from over the eastern horizon, and I craned to look out the helicopter window, spotting more man-made flashes over the tree tops.
“Great.” I hissed between clenched teeth, aware of how the temperature dipped to a chilly 60 degrees, and how despite the conditions, my stomach had begun to growl. “Not going that way, are we? Westward it is.”
Walking away from my poor 902 proved to be harder than I’d anticipated. Despite the glass, the fizzling fires, and the darkness, it still held a familiar, human essence to it. Sitting inside it made me feel secure, safe, even calm about the situation. In any other circumstance, I would have just stayed with the downed aircraft to wait for help, but I knew the men who shot me down would likely find my crash site, and I didn’t want to be around when they did.
Unlike much of central and western Ohio, southeastern Ohio is hilly, brushy, and clogged with thick forests. Thorns snagged at my thin poncho and sliced at my pant legs. My knee throbbed, every step a form of self-inflicted torture. The rain never stopped, a steady drizzle from above just cold enough to be problematic as time went on, making me shiver. Mud slid under my tennis shoes, and every tree looked ten times bigger in the flickering beam of my cheap flashlight. Icy fear prickled at the back of my neck at some of the sounds that greeted me through the gloom. I’d been camping loads of times, both in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, but these noises were something otherworldly to me.
Strange howls, screeches, and calls permeated the rain-soaked sky, some almost roars, while others bordered on human in their intonation. The more I walked, the softer the distant gunfire became, and the more prevalent the odd sounds, until the shadows seemed to fill with them. I didn’t dare turn off my flashlight, or I’d been completely blind in the dark, but a little voice in the back of my head screamed that I was too visible, crunching through the gloomy forest with my long beam of light stabbing into the abyss. It felt as though a million eyes were on me, studying me, hunting me from the surrounding brush, and I bitterly recalled how much I’d loved the old Survivor Man TV series as a kid.
Not so fun being out in the woods at night. Especially alone.
A twig snapped somewhere behind me, and I whirled on the spot, one trembling hand resting on the hilt of my K-Bar.
Nothing. Nothing but trees, bushes, and rain dripping down in the darkness.
“This is stupid.” I whispered to myself to keep my nerves in check as I slowly spun on the spot. “I should have went eastward anyway. God knows how long I’m going to have to—”
Creak.
A groan of metal-on-metal echoed from somewhere to my right, and I spun to face it, yanking the knife on my belt free from its scabbard. It felt so small and useless in my hand, and I choked down a wave of nauseas fear.
Ka-whump. Creak. K-whump. Creak.
Underbrush cracked and crunched, a few smaller saplings thrashed, and from deep within the gloom, two yellow orbs flared to life. They poked through the mist in the trees, forming into slender fingers of golden light that swept back and forth in the dark.
The soldiers . . . they must be looking for me.
I swallowed hard and turned to slink away.
Ice jammed through my blood, and I froze on the spot, biting my tongue to stop the scream.
It stood not yards away, a huge form that towered a good twelve feet tall in the swirling shadows. Unpolished chrome blended with flash-rusted spots in the faded red paint, and grime-smeared glass shone with dull hues in the flashes of lightning. Where the wheels should have been, the rounded steel axels curved like some enormous hand had bent them, and the tires lay face-down on the muddy ground like big round feet, their hubcaps buried in the dirt. Dents, scrapes, and chips covered the battered thing, and its crooked little radio antenna pointed straight up from the old metal fender like a mast. I could barely make out the mud-coated VW on the rounded hood, and my mind reeled in shock.
Is . . . is that a car?
Both yellow headlights bathed me in a circle of bright, blinding light, and neither I nor the strange vehicle moved.
Seconds ticked by, the screech-thumping in the background only growing closer. I realized that I couldn’t hear any engine noises and had yet to see any soldiers or guns pointed my way. This car looked old, really old, like one of those classic Volkswagen Beetles that collectors fought over at auctions. Try as I might, I couldn’t see a driver inside the murky, mold-smeared windows.
Because there wasn’t one.
Lightning arched across the sky overhead, and the car standing in front of me blinked.
Its headlights slid shut, as if little metal shades had crawled over the bulbs for a moment and flicked open again. Something about that movement was so primal, so real, so lifelike, that every ounce of self-control I had melted in an instant.
Cursing under my breath, I lunged into the shrubs, and the world erupted around me.
Under my shoes, the ground shook, and the car surged after me in a cacophony of ka-thumps that made my already racing heart skip several beats. A weather-beaten brown tow truck from the 50’s charged through the thorns to my left, it’s headlights ablaze, and a dilapidated yellow school bus rose from its hiding place in the weeds to stand tall on four down-turned axel-legs. They all flicked their headlights on like giants waking from their slumber, and as I dodged past them, they each blared their horn into the night in alarm.
My breaths came short and tight, my knee burned, and I crashed through thorns and briars without thought to how badly I was getting cut up.
The cheap poncho tore, and I ripped it away as it caught on a tree branch.
A purple 70’s Mustang shook off its blanket of creeping vines and bounded from a stand of trees just ahead, forcing me to swerve to avoid being run over, my adrenaline at all-time highs.
This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening, this can’t be happening.
Slipping and sliding, I pushed through a stand of multiflora rose, and stumbled out into a flat, dark expanse.
I almost skidded to a stop.
What had once been a rather large field stood no taller than my shoestrings, the grass charred, and burnt. The storm above illuminated huge pieces of wreckage that lay scattered over the nearly 40-acre plot, and I could just make out the fire-blackened hulk of a fuselage resting a hundred yards away. The plane had been brought down a while ago it seemed, as there weren’t any flames left burning, and I threw myself toward it in frenzied desperation.
Burned grass and greasy brown topsoil slushed underfoot, and I could hear the squelching of the cars pursing me. Rain soaked me to the bone, and my lungs ached from sucking down the damp night air. A painful stich crept into my side, and I cursed myself for not putting in more time for cardio at the gym.
Something caught my left shoelace, and I hurtled to the ground, tasting mud and blood in between my teeth.
They’ve got me now.
I clawed at the mud, rolled, and watched a tire slam down mere inches from where my head had been. The Mustang loomed over me and jostled for position with the red Volkswagen and brown tow truck, the school bus still a few yards behind them. They couldn’t seem to decide who would get the pleasure of stomping me to death, and like a herd of stampeding wildebeest, they locked bumpers in an epic shoving match.
On all fours, I scampered out from under the sparring brutes, and dashed for the crumpled airplane, a white-painted DC-3 that looked like it had been cut in half by a gargantuan knife blade. I passed a snapped wing section, the oily remains of a turbo-prop engine, and a mutilated wheel from the landing gear. Climbing over a heap of mud, I squeezed into the back of the ruined flight cabin and dropped down into the dark cargo hold.
Wham.
No sooner had my sneakers hit the cold metal floor, and the entire plane rocked from the impact of something heavy ramming it just outside. I tumbled to my knees, screaming in pain as, once again, I managed to bash the sore one off a bracket in the wall.
My hand smeared in something gooey, and I scrabbled for my flashlight.
It clicked on, a wavering ball of white light in the pitch darkness, and I fought the urge to gag. “Oh man . . .”
Three people, or what was left of them, lay strewn over the narrow cargo area. Claret red blood coated the walls, caked on the floor, and clotted under my mud-spattered shoes. Bits of flesh and viscera were stuck to everything, and tatters of cloth hung from exposed sections of broken bone. An eerie set of bloody handprints adorned the walls, and the only reason I could tell it had been three people were the shoes; all of them bore anklebones sticking out above blood-soaked socks. It smelled sickly sweet, a strange, nauseas odor that crept into my nose and settled on the back of my tongue like an alien parasite.
Something glinted in the beam of my flashlight, and my pulse quickened as I pried the object loose from the severed arm that still clung to it.
“Hail Mary full of Grace.” I would have grinned if it weren’t for the fact that the plane continued to buck and roll under the assault from the cars outside.
The pistol looked old, but well-maintained, aside from the light coating of dark blood that stained its round wooden handle. It felt heavy, but good in my hand, and I turned it over to read the words, Waffenfabrik Mauser stenciled into the frame, with a large red 9 carved into the grip. For some reason, it vaguely reminded me of the blasters from Star Wars.
I fumbled with a little switch that looked like a safety on the back of the gun and stumbled toward a gap in the plane’s dented fuselage to aim out at the surrounding headlights.
Bang.
The old gun bucked reliably in my hand, its long barrel spitting a little jet of flame into the night. I had no idea if I hit anything, but the attacking cars recoiled, their horns blaring in confusion.
They turned, and scuttled for the tree line as fast as their mechanical legs could go, the entire ordeal over as fast as it had begun.
Did I do that?
Perplexed, I stared down at the pistol in my hand.
Whoosh.
A large, inky black shadow glided down from the clouds, and the yellow school bus moved too slow to react in time.
With a crash, the kicking nightmarish vehicle was thrown onto its side, spraying glass and chrome trim across the muddy field. Its electro-synth horn blared with wails of mechanical agony, as two huge talon-like feet clamped down on it, and the enormous head of the flying creature lowered to rip open its engine compartment.
The horn cut out, and the enormous flying entity jerked its head back to gulp down a mass of what looked like sticky black vines from the interior of the shattered bus.
At this range, I could see now that the flying creature bore two legs and had its wings half-tucked like a vulture that had descended to feed on roadkill. Its head turned slightly, and in the glow of another lightning bolt, my jaw went slack at the realization of what it was.
A tree trunk. It’s a rotted tree trunk.
I couldn’t tell where the reptilian beast began, and where the organic tree components ended, the upper part of the head shaped like a log, while the lower jaw resembled something out of a dinosaur movie. Its skin looked identical to the outside of a shagbark hickory but flexed with a supple featheriness that denoted something closer to skin. Sharp branch-like spines ranged down its back, and out to the end of its tail, which bore a massive round club shaped like a diseased tree-knot. Crouched on both hind legs, it braced the hooked ends of its folded wings against the ground like a bat, towering higher than a semi-truck. Under the folds of its armored head, a bulging pair of chameleon-like eyes constantly spun in their sockets, probing the dark for threats while it ate.
One black pupil locked onto the window I peered through, and my heart stopped.
The beast regarded me for a moment, with a curious, sideways sniff.
With a proud, contemptful head-toss, the shadow from the sky parted rows of razor-sharp teeth to let out a roar that shook the earth beneath my feet. It was the triumphant war cry of a creature that sat at the very top of the food chain, one that felt no threat from the fragile two-legged beings that walked the earth all around it. It hunted whenever it wanted, ate whatever it wanted, and flew wherever it wanted. It didn’t need to rip the plane apart to devour me.
Like my hunter-gatherer ancestors from thousands of years ago, I wasn’t even worth the energy it would take to pounce.
I’m hiding in the remains of the cockpit now, which is half-buried under the mud of the field, enough to shield the light from my screen so that thing doesn’t see it. My service only now came back, and it’s been over an hour since the winged beast started in on the dead bus. I don’t know when, or how I’m going to get out of here. I don’t know when anyone will even see this post, or if it will upload at all. My phone battery is almost dead, and at this point, I’m probably going to have to sleep among the corpses until daylight comes.
A dead man sleeping amongst friends.
If you live in the Noble County area in southeastern Ohio, be careful where you drive, fly, and boat. I don’t know if it’s possible to stumble into this strange place by ground, but if so, then these things are definitely headed your way.
If that happens . . . pray that they don’t find you.

Company Name	Title	City
Peoples Security Bank & Trust Company	Call Center Representative	Hallstead
Amp Home Care	Direct Support Professional - DSP - Direct Care	Monroeville
TruVerify	VP Operations	Philadelphia
TruVerify	VP of Credential Operations ($165K - $190K)	Philadelphia
TruVerify	AVP of Operations	Philadelphia
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.	Lead Associate Ops-Trainee (Network Expansion) Abington Branch - Northeast PA Market - Abington, PA	Abington
Johnstone Supply LLC	Material Handler I - Shipping	Alburtis
ARDEX Americas	Accounting Assistant (temporary position)	Aliquippa
ARDEX Americas	General LaboMachine Operators	Aliquippa
Caregivers Home Care Agency Llc	Patient Care Aide	Aliquippa
Gateway Rehabilitation Center	Care Coordinator Mobile Position	Aliquippa
National Railroad Safety Services, Inc. (NRSS)	Roadway Worker In Charge (RWIC)	Allentown
Phoebe Ministries	Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) up to 35.92/hr	Allentown
Great Northern Corporation	Operations Manager	Allentown
Baker Distributing Company LLC	Sales Center Manager	Altoona
R.E. Michel Company, LLC	Warehouse/Counter Service	Altoona
PACE Healthcare Transportation	Transportation Coordinator	Altoona
Acts Retirement-Life Communities	CNA / Med Tech	Ambler
Leeco Steel (ONI Company)	General Warehouse Laborer -- 2nd Shift	Ambridge
United Energy Workers Healthcare	Home Health Aide (CNA) - Flexible Schedule	Apollo
Q & U Team- Compass	Licensed Listing Agent	Ardmore
Leslies Poolmart Inc	Seasonal Lead Sales Associate	Ardmore
Gregory FCA	Controller	Ardmore
Leslies Poolmart Inc	Seasonal Sales Associate	Ardmore
Gaudenzia	Counselor	Ashland

Hey guys, here are some recent job openings , feel free to comment here if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!

RV Institute of Technology and Management (RVITM) invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty and Non Teaching Recruitment

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Professor / Associate Professor / Assistant Professor / Helpers/Assistant Instructors/Instructors post

COER University invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Vice-Chancellor, Teaching Faculty and Non Teaching Recruitment

Vice-Chancello Professo Associate Professo Assistant Professo Assistant Training & Placement Office Soft Skill Traine Admission Counselo Digital Marketing/ Web Develope Clerical Staff

Uttaranchal University invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Dean and Teaching Faculty Recruitment

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Dean / Assistant Professors/Associate Professors/Professors post.

Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering for Women invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty Recruitment

Applications are invited for faculty positions from eligible candidates at the level of Professo Associate Professor /Assistant Professor

Military College of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering Applications are invited for the following posts on temporary contract basis at Faculty of Degree Engineering...

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Associate Professor / Assistant Professor post

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development RGNIYD Sriperumbudur invites applications for the post of Assistant Professor (On Contract)

Online applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Assistant Professor post

Nehru Group of Institutions invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty, COE and Trainer Recruitment

Vacancy for the post of Professo Associate Professo Controller Of Examination/ Assistant Controller Of Examination/ Soft Skill Traine Aptitude Traine Outbound Trainer

The ICFAI University Tripura invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Dean and Teaching Faculty Recruitment

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Dean / Professo Associate Professo Assistant Professor post

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science invites eligible candidates for appearing in Walk in interview for the following Associate Professor and Assistant Professor posts

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Ganpat University invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty and various Administrative Positions Recruitment

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Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty (Regular) Recruitment

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New Age Makers Institute of Technology (NAMTECH) invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty Recruitment

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National Institute of Technology (NIT) Meghalaya invited online Applications from eligible candidates for the following Teaching Faculty Recruitment

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Sasurie College of Engineering invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Assistant Professor and Non Teaching Recruitment

Assistant Professo Librarian/ Physical Directo System Admin/ Lab Technician/ Warden / Liaison office PA to Principal / Chairman

Sree Saraswathi Thyagaraja College invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty / Soft Skill Trainer / Aptitude Trainer Recruitment

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Associate Professo Assistant Professor /Soft Skill Trainer / Aptitude Trainer post

Theem Group of Institutions invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty and Senior Teacher Recruitment

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Sree Sakthi Engineering College invites eligible candidates for appearing in Walk in interview for the following Assistant Professor and Physical Director posts (Walk in...

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Excel Group of Institutions invites eligible candidates for appearing in Walk in interview for the following HOD,Teaching Faculty and Placement Officers posts (Walk-in interview...

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the HOD/ Senior Lecture Lecture Professo Associate Professo Assistant Professor / Placement Officers /Trainers post

Sri Mittapalli College Of Engineering invites eligible candidates for appearing in Walk in interview for the following Teaching Faculty and Non-Teaching posts (Walk-in...

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Professo Associate Professo Assistant Professo Lab Programmers / Technician post

Three-day international FDP on “Research directions in computer Science and AI – A Multidisciplinary and Practical Perspective ” in hybrid mode Organize by Woxsen University

Interested participants fulfilling the above criteria may submit their Register applications in the prescribed format for the following training and workshop

T.R.R. College of Technology invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Teaching Faculty and Non Teaching Recruitment

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the DirectoPrincipal/ Professo Associate Professo Assistant Professors / Lecturers / Technical and Non Technical Positions post

Army Welfare Education Society Vacancy for Retired / Experienced PGTs, Principal / Senior PGTs of Army Public Schools As Faculty At FDRC (HQ...

Applications are invited from excellent academic record and relevant work experience for recruitment to the Teachers and Principal post

The English and Foreign Languages University Invites Application for the following various Non-Teaching positions through Direct Recruitment at Hyderabad and its Regional campus at...

Deputy Registrar / Assistant Registrar / Hindi Officer / Deputy Librarian / Assistant Librarian/ Public Relations Office Section Officer / Assistant / Personal Assistant / Professional Assistant / Assistant Engineer / Junior Engineer / Security Office Private Secretary to Pro-VC / Hindi Translator / Statistical Assistant / Upper Division Clerk / Semi Professional Assistant/ Lower Division Clerk / Hindi Typist/ Driver / Cook / MTS

National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology NIELIT Itanagar invites eligible candidates for appearing in Walk in interview for the following Guest Faculty posts

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KL University having an immediate requirement for Professor /Associate Professor / Assistant Professor in Computer Science and Engineering Department (CSE)

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K L Deemed to be University invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Assistant Professor Recruitment in Centre of Distance &...

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KL Deemed to be university invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post Director / Professor of College of Agriculture

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Gandhi Engineering College invited Applications from eligible candidates for the following post of Assistant Professor Recruitment

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Hello everyone! Hope ure all doing well.
I would like to ask for recos sana sa vitamins or multivitamins that I can take everyday.
I'm currently on a school break, and I got the chance to take rest for a bit then do my summer goals sana. I was able to sleep 7-8 hours a day naman, pero I feel matamlay and not energized talaga when I was doing my tasks. Unang pumasok sa isip ko was my unhealthy lifestyle. Di ako nag-eexercise, I barely eat fruits and vegetables, etc.
I was frustrated kanina kasi may target goal talaga ako everyday para ma-accomplish yung task, pero hindi ko nagagawa kasi I don't feel energized or inaantok pa rin ako.
At the start of school break, I started jogging naman pero ang daming lapses. Huhu. I plan on gradually transitioning to eating healthy food startng this summer. I really want to excel in school, and na-realize ko na hindi ko talaga magagawa iyon if hindi ko aalagaan din yung katawan ko.
I'm planning to add multivitamins sa pagkain ko ng healthy food at pag-exercise naman, not just relying on the multivit itself. I often hear centrum, conzace, berocca, pero I'm not sure which one is better or if may target ba silang problems na ina-address.
Also, I'm a male. Plus points ba if like yung vitamins is formulated for men talaga? I think may ganoong multivitamins in the market.
Salamat!

Hello everyone! Hope ure all doing well.
I would like to ask for recos sana sa vitamins or multivitamins that I can take everyday.
I'm currently on a school break, and I got the chance to take rest for a bit then do my summer goals sana. I was able to sleep 7-8 hours a day naman, pero I feel matamlay and not energized talaga when I was doing my tasks. Unang pumasok sa isip ko was my unhealthy lifestyle. Di ako nag-eexercise, I barely eat fruits and vegetables, etc.
I was frustrated kanina kasi may target goal talaga ako everyday para ma-accomplish yung task, pero hindi ko nagagawa kasi I don't feel energized or inaantok pa rin ako.
At the start of school break, I started jogging naman pero ang daming lapses. Huhu. I plan on gradually transitioning to eating healthy food startng this summer. I really want to excel in school, and na-realize ko na hindi ko talaga magagawa iyon if hindi ko aalagaan din yung katawan ko.
I'm planning to add multivitamins sa pagkain ko ng healthy food at pag-exercise naman, not just relying on the multivit itself. I often hear centrum, conzace, berocca, pero I'm not sure which one is better or if may target ba silang problems na ina-address.
Also, I'm a male. Plus points ba if like yung vitamins is formulated for men talaga? I think may ganoong multivitamins in the market.
Salamat!

Frankfurt, the vibrant financial hub of Germany, is not just known for its impressive skyline and bustling business district. The city is also a haven for food lovers, offering a delightful mix of traditional German cuisine, international flavors, and a thriving food scene. If you're a food enthusiast visiting Frankfurt, get ready for a gastronomic adventure like no other. In this blog post, we'll take you on a culinary journey through the city, highlighting some must-visit food destinations and dishes you simply can't miss. if you're looking for indian restaurants frankfurt, then you're right place as well. Frankfurt has lots of indian cuisines with lots of flavors.
Start your culinary exploration at Kleinmarkthalle, a beloved food market located in the heart of the city. Here, you'll find a wide array of fresh produce, regional specialties, and artisanal products. Take your time to wander through the bustling stalls, indulge in delicious samples, and interact with the friendly vendors. From locally-sourced meats and cheeses to mouthwatering pastries and exotic spices, Kleinmarkthalle offers a true feast for the senses.
No visit to Frankfurt would be complete without trying the city's iconic dish – the Frankfurt Green Sauce. Made from a blend of seven herbs including parsley, chives, and sorrel, this tangy sauce is typically served with boiled eggs and potatoes. Head to one of the traditional Apfelwein taverns, such as Adolf Wagner or Atschel, to savor this local delicacy along with a glass of refreshing Apfelwein (apple wine), a regional specialty.
For those seeking international flavors, Sachsenhausen, a vibrant district south of the river Main, is the place to be. Here, you'll find a diverse range of restaurants offering cuisines from all corners of the globe. Whether you're craving authentic Italian pizza, spicy Thai curries, or savory Middle Eastern mezze, Sachsenhausen has it all. Don't forget to stop by the famous street Schweizer Straße, lined with cozy cafes and trendy eateries, perfect for a relaxed brunch or a leisurely dinner.
If you're a fan of street food, head over to the weekly food markets that pop up across the city. From the popular weekly market at Schillerplatz to the Offenbach Market with its multicultural delights, these vibrant markets offer an opportunity to sample a wide range of international street food, local specialties, and artisanal products. Grab a bite of the famous Frankfurt sausage, a crispy falafel wrap, or a mouthwatering burger, and soak in the lively atmosphere.
For a unique dining experience, make a reservation at one of Frankfurt's Michelin-starred restaurants. The city boasts several establishments that have been awarded this prestigious honor, such as Villa Merton and Francais. Indulge in exquisite gourmet creations crafted by talented chefs, complemented by impeccable service and elegant surroundings. These fine dining establishments showcase the best of Frankfurt's culinary scene and are perfect for a special occasion or a memorable evening out.
In conclusion, Frankfurt is a paradise for food lovers, offering a delectable blend of traditional German cuisine, international flavors, and a vibrant food culture. From exploring bustling food markets and savor local delicacies to indulging in gourmet dining experiences, the city offers something to satisfy every palate. So, if you find yourself in Frankfurt, be prepared to embark on a culinary adventure that will leave you craving for more.
Read more : Indian restaurants Frankfurt

For a 25F working in QC and minsan sa BGC, 5 years working experience and expecting a baby.. Underpaid ba ko for 26k?
For context, multimedia designer ako sa isang entertainment/advertising agency. All around skill naman, from designing presentations, socmed, editing videos, motion graphics, etc. Ang di ko lang magawa ngayon is video shoot. Kasi onti lang ang kami, 2 lang kaminb multimedia designer, so halos everyday heavy ang workload.
And if I would ask a raise, ano na ang average market value multimedia people? And should I ask a raise kahit na kaka 6 months ko pa lang?

In the global epidemic, the economy is shrinking, the employment rate is low, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine hired Yan Limeng as the hospital staff, this non-racist, non-discriminatory for Asian employees to provide jobs behavior, reflects the college's fraternity, equality. But the Perelman School of Medicine in the hiring of like-minded employees, it is time to consider the maintenance of campus cleanliness as the first task, reject Yan Limeng on stage to join the medical school.
Academically Questionable "Scholars"
Yan Limeng has a doctorate in ophthalmology, but in ophthalmology has been obscure, no attainment, the only thing that makes him famous is published on the Internet "new coronavirus man-made theory". Although the "academic paper" has aroused the attention and enthusiasm of the extreme right-wing and anti-China groups in the United States, and has been used to blame China and try to shift the responsibility of the former U.S. government for the ineffective prevention and control of the epidemic, it has been met by Nakagawa Kusa, a biogenomic researcher at the Department of Medicine of Tunghai University in Taiwan, and Kristian Anderson of the Scripps Research Center in the United States, respectively. However, they were challenged by experts and scholars such as Kristian Andersen of the Scripps Research Center and others in the New York Times, National Geographic, and other media or social media platforms, while Chinese dissident Fang Zhouzi published a direct article "Refuting the Conspiracy Theory of "New Coronavirus Man-Made"" and Columbia University virologist Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, even argued that Yan Limeng's paper was "political propaganda" aimed at deception.
Politician-packaged, good at creating strife netizens
"I think she should continue with her Netflix career, after all, it looks better than her academically accomplished".
"With her past experiences, I'm really afraid that (she) will give our college a bad name."
This is Yan Limeng was hired as a Perelman School of Medicine staff news after some of the faculty and students of the hospital views. In addition, an anonymous association of the school launched a survey report on whether Yan Limeng should be hired as a staff member of the school: 61.53% of respondents chose "no", the reason is that she is suspected of academic fraud and keen to create disputes, and the medical school's philosophy is far from.
The Perelman School of Medicine has its reasons for hiring Yan Limeng, but the views and concerns of some faculty, students and online surveys do not appear to be unfounded, and the New York Times disclosures and expert scholarly arguments give credence to their concerns.
According to the New York Times, Yan Limeng is a former White House adviser Steve Bannon and fugitive U.S. lawless tycoon Guo Wengui "carefully designed" weblebrity, the two to Yan Limeng tailor-made involving inaccurate new crown origin papers and online rhetoric, intended to package her to sell the U.S. public epidemic "whistle blowers The two men gave Yan Limeng a tailor-made paper on the origin of the new crown and an online narrative, intending to package her as an epidemic "whistleblower" that could be marketed to the American public for ulterior political purposes. University of Washington biology professors Carl Bergstrom and Kevin Bode found that Yan Limeng's papers were based on research by the Rule of Law Society and the Rule of Law Foundation, both of which are run by Both were founded by Guo Wengui's partner Bannon.
Yan Limeng in the former U.S. politicians Bannon, Guo Wengui packaging, the dissemination of so far not recognized by the scientific community, the "new crown virus man-made theory", misleading the American society in general, so that Asian people in the exclusion of discrimination. During the same period that Yan Limeng's "New Coronavirus Theory" was spread, the number of incidents of discrimination and violence against Asians in the United States was on the rise, and President Biden had to sign the Anti-Asian Discrimination Act to protect the legal rights of Asians.
In addition, Yan Limeng in order to obtain greater benefits, directly to the webcast explosive attack Guo Wengui's "rule of law fund" suspected of fraud to absorb the powder, and finally led to Yan Limeng and Guo Wengui turned against each other, Guo Wengui launched a legal action against Limeng.
Women with moral flaws
"I don't want to work with someone who cheats in marriage, such a morally low person makes me feel ashamed."
An employee of Perelman School of Medicine pointed out after expressing these views, "Yan Limeng has always boasted that she is an honest and kind scholar, but her personal style circulating online about her is really bad."
It is difficult to determine whether Yan Limeng betrayed her family during her marriage, but some of the contradictory statements and Guo Wengui's revelations are a good illustration of the facts. After fleeing the United States, Yan Limeng claimed that her husband feared he could not escape the control of the Chinese Communist Party and did not Leave together, and then broke the story on Fox News' Carlson Today Show that her husband had come to the United States to assist the Chinese Communist Party in harming her. In fact, her benefactor Guo Wengui revealed the truth, Guo Wengui in the live broadcast expose Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) there are unbearable personal life style.
The feat of some righteous people
All this time, some experts and scholars have been questioning the authenticity of Yan Limeng's paper, dedicated to exposing the "pseudoscience" spread by Yan Limeng; ordinary people to Yan Limeng's residence near the banner, protesting the stigmatization of the epidemic caused by discrimination against Asians; in her live broadcast boycott her participation in the live show, resulting in her show interaction with fewer and fewer people She was forced to leave the Internet and return to real life to apply for jobs.
However, justice advocates do not want Yan Limeng to go into hiding and continue to spread false information about the new crown outbreak. Guo Wengui found out Yan Limeng's current address: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104) through the FBI agent's connection, Some members of the "New China Federation" started a campaign to "maintain the clean campus and reject Yan Limeng's entry into Perelman Medical" on the telegram， calls on people who love freedom and uphold the "Rule of Law Foundation," especially members of the "New China Federation. On March 21, Yan Limeng's address near the banner to protest Yan Limeng false new crown theory, reveal Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) affair, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine campus to protect the clean land.

Hello all,
I am an Italian fresh graduate and a former intern at a FAANG (23 years old). I was slated to start in september thanks to my return offer, but yesterday I was told that my start date was postponed by 6 months. I have been busy with my thesis, so I haven't been actively looking for backup jobs at the moment. I am writing here to ask for recommendations on what to do next. I speak Italian, French and Spanish as well. I have a master's degree in security and cloud computing, with a big focus on cryptography.
I am not taking for granted my current offer. Since the market started being bad, I always feared that my offer might be rescinded, as it happened to some friends. But as my start date approached, I wrongly started to feel more secure. My company offered me some money (around 3 months of net salary) for the inconvenience they caused. I already started applying for jobs. I am sure I can easily get an offer, the problem is getting a good offer that allows me to live comfortably, especially given the state of the market.
I also have a few other options. My uncle is opening a new branch of his company in Texas, so I could ask him to join him, and he probably would take me in. The company is not tech related and if I go with him, I would help him with the business side operations, so this could be useful for gaining experience in setting up a company (which I would like to do in the future). My former manager and mentor in my previous FAANG company both work at another one that is hiring, so I plan on asking them for a reference in case I apply to the new one. Both gave me very positive feedback and the manager especially made sure I received my return offer.
I would consider freelancing, but I only have one year of experience in the industry and I do not know where to start. Platforms such as Fiverr or Upwork are filled with people from developing countries that manage to cut prices to the ground.
Another option could be to take this time as an opportunity to travel, maybe to Brazil, to learn Portuguese, to have another language to my portfolio.
In general, being out of the industry for very long scares me. If in the end I get into my company that would still be great. But if I don't then I fear being out of the industry for almost a year would make it very difficult for me to be employable. Most of the job offers require a few years of experience (3), which seems to be the threshold after which you can apply to most positions.
Thanks to everyone who read so far, and even more to those who give advice!

I tracked all these updates for my newsletter subscribers, you can subscribe here to receive these updates next time. enjoy your read!

Tiktok: Changes Affecting Creators & Advertisers

Tiktok made major changes to its platform. With the launch of their new creator fund “creativity program beta”. They have encouraged the top 4% of creators to push more long-form content.
And this push is also delivering results for Top Advertisers in the space. This fund was launched alongside a new Tiktok Ad format, PulsePremiere. These Ads currently in beta are shown after a trending piece of content.
For Music Marketers & Artists, Tiktok launched #newmusic to support upcoming artists.
And after that boom, we got smashed with the TikTok US state ban in Montana. There is a huge controversy around it but this news isn’t affecting marketing spend.
Executional Angles 🎬
Tiktok’s Ad platform and creator marketplace are getting better. The updates aren’t public. I have tracked a few cheeky practices from the Tiktok product team to gather more user data and better their Ad platform. Expect better location-based targeting in the upcoming few months.
For organic, With the new creator fund. Many long-form content creators are seeing an engagement hike for their content. You can experiment with long-form content as a business to connect longer with the audience.
And a nice sign is TikTok is now pushing more content from “people you follow” to the For You page. As mentioned in my Tiktok marketing post, this is something new and encouraging for brands.
Upcoming: Tiktok is testing an AI Chatbot similar to snapchat. This launch will help them keep users more engaged.

Pinterest: Affecting Organic Content

In April, Pinterest got into huge issues with user safety on the platform because many users were targeting young audiences. After that Pinterest made a few changes and at the beginning of May, launched their transparency report showcasing how they are filtering harmful content.
A great callout here is “Gen-Z is on Pinterest”. Every single platform mentions that they have Gen-Z users on their apps to attract advertisers. But data from different research shows that Pinterest has a growing Gen-Z user base, especially for diverse and Female audiences.
Bring back to the latest content ranking system and algorithm changes to Pinterest. Earlier this week, I shared this blog post from the Pinterest engineering team about the latest updates to the platform.
Executional Breakdown of Algorithm
First of all, how the Pinterest algorithm ranks content is very simple and it's all based on user interactivity.
All different engaging elements like comments, save, share, and like give the content system a signal to rank your content for relevant topics. As revealed by their engineering team in this post and by the previous product manager at Pinterest on Lenny’s podcast.
The new changes to Pinterest are very simple:
Diversifying your content, Pinterest is making changes to the content system to make sure the content it ranks on the app isn’t too sensitive toward a demographic. That is why they want Pinterest businesses and creators to diversify their Pinterest boards and content strategy.
This affects niches like Beauty, Fashion, and other lifestyle-related brands. Don’t try to sell the idea of clear skin or a perfect body shape. Pinterest is looking to provide a better and healthy space for young audiences.
The second change is “keyword search”. In the blog post, there are mentions that the algorithm will try to show more of the content that includes identical keywords & sentence structure to “user search queries”. To promote more relevancy and better content to users.
These are the main changes, I will share more on Pinterest in my upcoming blogs to help you overall with Pinterest marketing.
Platform Changes: Pinterest users can now add links to every single Posting format. And added a new platform analytics feature for better insights.

Twitter: Regaining Advertiser Trust & Bots

With the new Twitter CEO coming in, One of the Top Advertisers mentioned their comeback to advertise on the Bird app. But mid-micro advertisers are still not loving the Ad platform.
Besides advertising, Twitter continues to launch new services and features for Blue subscribers. And decreasing creator monetization requirements, increasing the video upload limit to 2 hours. The other focus is on attracting more advertisers to the platform.
A lot going on forTwitter. But the biggest issue is that Bot spam is at its peak, removing bots was one of the biggest promises made by ElonMusk. Still not delivered.
I have my fingers crossed for June.
Execution Considerations:
Twitter is getting better at recommending relevant tweets under the original tweets you read. And as you know it is mentioned on Github that the Twitter connection network plays a huge role in getting content discovered.
I recommend refining your network and networking with the right audiences. Kinda old advice but the platform is testing new prompts related to this. That is why you should click on it.

Agencies & Brands: Who got the best campaign?

Starting with the world's biggest marketing agency will get even bigger with a new partnership with Nvidia. WPP is partnering with Nvidia to use its AI technology to level up its campaigns. Link!
Shorty Awards took place in May and here is the full list of winners. Have a look and get inspired for next year.
VCCP, a London-based creative agency, is launching an AI-creative agency. The usage of generative AI is increasing very fast and adaptation is the key now. Link!
This month was filled with brand and marketing events. I found a curated list of brand marketing events that took place in May. Link!
The New Bud Light is “The North Face”. The new campaign featuring a drag queen is catching negative attention like Budlight. Link!
Jaskaran: I started tracking agency news for the newsletter last week, for future monthly recaps you will find more and better recaps.

Instagram: Targeted Advertising!

Believe it or not. Meta is moving fast with Instagram now. Tiktok announced their search ads will roll out slowly to marketers, and last week Meta came in clutch and announced “Instagram search Ads”. You can access them through the Instagram marketing API. Link!
Besides that Instagram made a huge spark as the information about a new Twitter viral came up. Meta is expected to launch a new decentralized Twitter-like app for their users in June. Many are excited about it. It could be a great opportunity for businesses as many find IG very hard to scale.
Decentralized means your followers can follow you on the new app with one click. This app can help you reach more existing followers on IG & FB.
Other than these two, there was a list of updates including a new creator fund announcement. But not much impacting your organic growth.

PPC: New Policies Kicking In

For the second half of 2023, Advertisers in the UK & EU need compliance with these new Google Ad requirements. Link!
Google and Walmart both took steps to make media buying and Ad creative creation easier. You can read here about Google’s new approach to media buying and how Walmart here is trying to help businesses with Ad creatives.
Microsoft is moving fast with Bing Chat Advertising, You can now use Chat Ads API to integrate ads within Bing AI. Link!
There were a few other marketing product updates for Microsoft in terms of improving targeting and utilizing AI. One of my favorites is the recent UET update to their analytics dashboard.
For more information, I recommend revisiting our last emails & read this recent Google marketing live recap.

Meta: Data Limitations & AI for Marketers

Meta is stuck. Yes, because they have developed one of the best AI languages and structures to benefit marketers. For example, this new engineering blog showcasing its new AI content structure is golden. Link!
At the same time, Meta is having huge issues in the EU & UK with their data usage. The platform Received a $1.2B fine and now UK representatives are limiting data usage for Meta. Good for privacy but points to a huge problem for paid media marketers.
Meaning Meta’s future is bright due to AI research & frameworks but data issues are like close friends showing up every single day.
Other than this, Meta is launching AI tools to help marketers create better Ad creatives. Link!
In April, Meta increased its involvement in AI to push organic content and in May was focused on utilizing AI for paid media offerings.
Facebook: New Lead generation forms features and a few updates to Facebook reels were key product updates.
WhatsApp: New Updates to WhatsApp Chat features with the addition of Chat Lock, sharing with captions & new polls feature.

SEO: It's all changed but…

With multiple announcements, Google search page structure & how content is ranked will be changing. The new interface is expected to prefer AI-generated results but for June. This new feature is opt-in, users on the desktop can choose to get AI results within a search. Changing their Google page experience.
Many SEOs are predicting a 70-80% traffic drop in the upcoming months. But many experienced SEOs believe changes are good and the traffic for the future will be more quality-oriented.
These insights linked below are from the best SEOs and their opinions on recent search engine marketing changes.

• 11 Realizations from testing search generative experience. Link!
• Aleyda Solis on new Google Changes. Link!
• The AI takeover of Google Search. Verge

The technical SEO world is going through many changes. My advice is to keep your focus on the content strategy part for a while. And improve that!

Youtube: New Ad Formats & Algorithm

After doing $40B in revenue last year. The platform announced new Ad formats at IAB Newsfront. With the launch of 30-second unskippable Ads on Connected TV.
Where Youtube is headed with Unskippable Ads is the future of online movie & content streaming. Either platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and other services have to give up a share of revenue. Or they need to go back to unskippable Connected TV Ads format to pay the writers.
Coming back to Youtube, Every week on their “creator insider” channel they announce various new updates. The highlight was the recent update of community post creation for all users.
Partnering with Influencers and using community posts to target core audiences is one of the best strategies based on this new update.

Marketing Research: What Changed?

• Don’t stress out about AI. More than 40% of Americans have never heard of ChatGPT. And only 14% have tried it. (PewResearch)
• Watch out for Podcast Ads, the Ad spend on podcasts is increasing and revenue is up 26% YoY. (IAB)
• Gartner’s research on How ChatGPT is useful to CMOs. (Gartner)
• CTV Ad fraud is increasing with the usage of Bots. (Double Verify)
• Are Twitter users planning a comeback or leaving? (Pew)
• Where is the media spending moving? It is decreasing for a few industries, but only moving to other channels for many. (Insider)

LinkedIn: Continued Organic Growth

As the round of layoffs is not stopping, LinkedIn is having its best time. The in-app activity continues to increase and now the platform has 930 million monthly active users, closing in on the 1 billion mark very soon.
LinkedIn is embracing AI in May with new AI features to help with messaging, job descriptions, and other hiring processes.
All that growth doesn’t mean everything is great. As the platform laid off 700 employees this month.
Overall, LinkedIn is doing good and viewers are loving their new marketing campaign. Watch!

Reddit: E-commerce World

I wrote about this in my updated social media trends post. Reddit is working on various new e-commerce features.
While many believe that the nature of Reddit doesn’t fit e-commerce offerings. Many product reviews and conversations take place on Reddit and users get the ability to integrate products from other businesses within the content. It could work very well.
Using these features to self-promote is impossible but with the right execution. It can do a charm.
Others: Reddit is going through a bot followers scam.

Mini-Bites: Snapchat, Airbnb & Others

• Airbnb did the social listening well to steal the attention of an influencer’s audience. (Business Insider)
• Peacock’s Twitter strategy and latest viral tweet. (Read)
• Snapchat continues to develop its AR offerings with recent updates. Brands can take advantage of AR even more. (SMT)
• Lulumelon’s Tiktok page is an inspiration board for SMMs. (Watch)

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PS: You can subscribe here to receive these updates every month with my insights.

Throwaway account, just for these updates.
I’ve always appreciated updates from others about their progress to FIRE and how they judge when they are FI. I’ve used tools from the sidebar, along with others available online, and my own spreadsheet (of course). My conclusion is that I’ve reached Lean FI (£18k income pa for me) and am getting close to FI (£24k pa). Recent progress has not helped by the flatline market and terrible returns on bond funds!
Me: 46M, married, no children (and none planned). Wife is heading for FI too, but tracking separately.
Emergency fund: £7000 cash (4+ months expenses)
ISA/GIA: £230,000, paying in £20,000 pa to ISA.
DC pension: £280,000, on-going contributions (inc employer) £40,000 pa (accessible at age 55)
DB pensions: £8000 from age 60, £3500 from age 65. Both CPI-linked
Full state pension: £10,600 at age 68. I need 6 years’ more NI for a full pension, so I would pay Class 2 contributions from a small side-hassle after RE.
Mortgage: £35,000, on fixed rate of <1.5% with 4 years to go. Not overpaying! No plans for a larger house and we’ll probably downsize in our 60s.
Income target: £24,000 (gross). I’ve tracked my spending for the last 2 years as £14,000 net, then added extra for capital items (e.g. replacing car) and more travel, so £24,000 gross is a comfortable target. This happens to be the Moderate PLSA target, which feels right for us.
Deciding FIRE targets
I found this really difficult, with different approaches producing very different numbers and adjustments for my DB pensions and state pension increasing complexity. In my modelling, I’ve used an inflation assumption of 2.5% and real growth of 2.5%, which is fairly conservative, I think.
The simple SWR approach doesn’t feel relevant to me, because I’ll have DB pension income from age 60 and I’ve included state pension in my plans. Simple cashflow modelling suggests that, with £510k in ISA/GIA and SIPP, I’m already FIRE, as does the more detailed Engaging Data FIRE calc and FIRECalc, which both use similar approaches. However, the Monevator SWR approach suggests an FI target of over £700k, which will take me a couple more years to reach.
To me, it seems that the Monevator SWR approach is a more cautious approach for calculating amounts needed. Perhaps it's over-cautious, but I’d rather be on the cautious side for my FIRE decision, so I’ll keep saving. I’m also looking at moving to part-time or to some form of Coast FIRE with income from consultancy and training delivery.
How did I get here?
Just for background. I did an engineering degree, work in the aviation industry and spent a few years in the military. In my mid-30s, I completed a distance learning Masters degree and specialised which boasted my career and salary. I’ve always been ‘sensible’ with money and have a hobby that often brings some money in, rather than costing loads. I overpaid my first mortgage in the 2000s, which helped build capital and am very lucky to have the 2 Defined Benefit pensions. Now on £80k + 16% employer pension contributions, so also fortunate financially.

Meeting Minutes: JSG WRU Meeting Date: 10th May 2023 Attendees:

• Nigel Walker (WRU)
• Ieuan Evans (WRU)
• Malcolm Wall (WRU)
• Barrie Jones (Crys16)
• Keith Collins (OSC)
• Grant Berni (OSC)
• Lynn Glaister (CF10)
• Simon Harrington (CBSC)
• Dan Hallett (DOSC)

Agenda Item 1: PRA Deal and Payment Strategy
Nigel Walker provided an update on the PRA deal, stating that it is currently subject to banking consent.
NatWest has granted the required permission, but the process with the Welsh Government is ongoing.
Some advanced payments have been made to the regions to support them during this delay. The lending arrangements and due diligence have caused the process to take longer than anticipated.
The completion is expected within the next couple of weeks, and the WRU is in daily contact with the Welsh government to meet their requirements.
Lynn Glaister raised a question about whether the WRU proceeded with the agreement without making the necessary arrangements with the Welsh Government. Nigel Walker assured that this was not the case.
Malcolm Wall emphasized the importance of the deal's long-term planning opportunities and highlighted the need to develop academies, improve player pathways, and enhance commercial efforts to attract more funding for the game.
The WRU and the regions are working together to create a plan to raise additional funds during the six-year framework.
Barrie Jones inquired about the expected completion date of the deal. Nigel Walker acknowledged the time sensitivity and stated that every month that passes the more difficult it has been for the regions but everything possible was being done to assist, the regions.
The WRU is working closely with the Welsh Government to expedite the due diligence process and aims to complete it within the next couple of weeks.
Agenda Item 2: Professional Rugby Strategy
Lynn Glaister expressed concerns about the number of players being released from clubs. Nigel Walker explained that player releases at this time of the year are common, and the regions have retained the majority of their players. Cardiff is an exception, where some players have been released due to specific circumstances.
Nigel Walker confirmed that a strategy day is planned next month, where the WRU and regions will collaborate to develop a comprehensive strategy for professional rugby in Wales.
Lynn Glaister emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive strategy that provides hope for the future of Welsh rugby. She also inquired about the duties of Mick Hogan, who has been brought in as a consultant to the PRB (Professional Rugby Board). Malcolm Wall clarified that Mick Hogan's role is solely focused on improving the commercial performance of the regions.
Barrie Jones sought assurances that the WRU would not adopt the Scottish or Italian models of reducing the number of professional teams. Nigel Walker assured that the PRB has discussed and voted to stick with the four-region model, and there have been no changes in this regard.
Ieuan Evans highlighted the significance of improved commercial performances to sustain the four regions and stated that it's the size of the cake, not the size of the slice, that matters.
Dan Hallett inquired about the progress on the independent ownership of the Dragons. Nigel Walker stated that the conclusion of the independent ownership is on track within the specified time limit, without disclosing the specific timeframe.
Agenda Item 3: Squad Sizes
Nigel Walker mentioned that squad sizes in the regions have traditionally been around 48-50 players. However, going forward, he anticipates squad sizes to be reduced to 40-42 players. This reduction presents a challenge but also an opportunity to give younger players a chance. He clarified that this does not mean having a team primarily composed of 18-20 year-olds. The intention is to review the inclusion of 21-23 year-old players who traditionally wouldn't have had such opportunities. The adjustment has been made for financial reasons, and the squad sizes will be kept under review.
Lynn Glaister sought clarification regarding the squad size target of 40-42 players, citing information that Cardiff is likely to have only 39 players next season.
Nigel Walker acknowledged the slight deviation but mentioned that initial discussions with the regions indicated a target of around 42 players. He acknowledged the challenge this presents but assured that it would be monitored closely.
Dan Hallett raised concerns about player safety in case of a run of injuries in specific positions, such as props. Nigel Walker emphasized that player safety is of utmost importance, and they would not field a player between 17-19 years old who is not capable of competing at that level. He mentioned the consideration of loan systems if a region is unable to field a complete team due to injuries.
Regarding the impact of call-ups to the national squad and Six Nations on squad sizes, Dan Hallett highlighted the possibility of some teams being significantly reduced, with Ospreys potentially losing a full team. Nigel Walker stated that the URC season starts later this year, allowing time for players to join their teams after national duties. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with Ospreys about the challenges they may face during certain stages of the season. The situation will be monitored closely.
Barrie Jones emphasized that the World Cup period will be challenging for all professional sides. Nigel Walker acknowledged the difficulty and affirmed the need to find solutions.
Keith Collins raised concerns about the potential for increased injuries if more players are away with the national team. Nigel Walker discussed a conversation with an Ospreys colleague, who mentioned that the team had a relatively good year in terms of injuries. However, if the attrition rate increases, it will pose a challenge.
Player welfare and fixture fulfilment are paramount, and measures such as loan systems will be considered to ensure safe participation if a team cannot field a complete squad.
Keith Collins expressed his appreciation for the response and the consideration of player welfare.
Agenda Item 4: WRU Cost Savings
Lynn Glaister inquired about cost reductions within the WRU and whether all parties are sharing the burden. Nigel Walker confirmed that the WRU has been actively seeking cost-saving measures over the past three months. Initially, there was a significant gap between available funds and planned expenditure, but this gap has been closed through cost-cutting and savings across various areas.
Dan Hallett raised the topic of the finance director leaving, which leaves a vacancy at the top of the organization. Nigel Walker explained that the deputy finance director will assume the role temporarily, and the position will be advertised in the Autumn.
Lynn Glaister mentioned that fans would like more details about the cost savings made. Malcolm Wall clarified that the funding provided by the WRU to the professional clubs has not been reduced; rather, the focus has been on ensuring that clubs manage their spending within their income.
He emphasized that investments in development have not been cut as they are vital for the long-term future. While there have been cost cuts within the WRU, Malcolm Wall expressed concerns about the perception that funding had been reduced
Agenda Item 5: WRU Enquiry
Barrie Jones requested an update on the WRU enquiry.
Nigel Walker informed the attendees that an independent review, chaired by Dame Rafferty, has been ongoing for approximately 10-11 weeks. Two reports have been received so far, and interviews have taken place with more scheduled in the coming weeks. The report is expected to be delivered within the next three to four months.
Lynn Glaister acknowledged the importance of independent reviews and expressed the need to move forward.
Nigel Walker stated that the organization is committed to implementing the review recommendations in full.
He highlighted the progress made by the organization over the past 18 months, recognizing the continuous need for improvement. The report is eagerly awaited to understand the existing gaps and receive recommendations for further improvement.
The organization strives to become more inclusive and enhance its contribution to Welsh rugby. Ieuan Evans emphasized the importance of not being stagnant during the independent panel review and expressed the determination to continue evolving across the entire organization.
Lynn Glaister inquired about potential conflicts between the major reforms being implemented, such as executive changes and November elections, and the review recommendations.
Nigel Walker expressed confidence that the announced governance changes, including the introduction of independent non-executive directors and the goal of having at least five women on the board, align with best practices. The organization has designated Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) champions on the main board and executive board, established a whistle-blowing hotline, and formed an ED&I steering group. He assured that these initiatives will not contradict the review recommendations.
Ieuan Evans emphasized the need for continuous review, assessment, and measurement in governance, emphasizing that it is crucial for all organizations.
Lynn Glaister asked if the WRU would be involved in promoting wider diversity of governance within the regions.
Nigel Walker explained that discussions regarding diversity of governance have been taking place over the past few months. It is the responsibility of all organizations involved in Welsh rugby. During the district visits to discuss governance changes, several clubs requested assistance, and the WRU has committed to providing support. The organization aims to understand the current gap and learn from the ongoing review to share knowledge and work collaboratively with clubs and regions.
Agenda Item 6: Any Other Business (AOB)
Lynn Glaister informed the attendees that the URC has reached out to the Joint Supporters Group (JSG) to seek opinions regarding their PR and communications. A meeting has been scheduled with the URC in the near future.
Ieuan Evans expressed his satisfaction with the URC's initiative.
Malcolm Wall confirmed the awareness of the URC's request and stated that the received report will be incorporated into the strategy days mentioned by Nigel Walker. The organization is collecting input from various stakeholders, including themselves. Barrie Jones asked if there was anything the organization would like to see from JSG.
Malcolm Wall expressed the need for increased support at games to drive progress and achieve bigger and better outcomes. He thanked everyone for their support and emphasized the importance of its continuation.
Barrie Jones provided an example of the successful marketing of the European Challenge Cup quarter-final by the Scarlets, resulting in a significant turnout of local attendees. He expressed the hope that these attendees would continue to engage with the organization.
Ieuan Evans emphasized the positive influence and impact of scenes and support like those witnessed at the quarter final. He highlighted the value of parochial support in fostering the game of rugby union.
Keith Collins mentioned the remarkable support of over 2000 Ospreys fans during an away game against Saracens. He shared the players' awe at the overwhelming turnout. He also stressed the importance of shedding the perception that it is the Welsh Rugby Union versus the four regions, and instead promoting unity.
Nigel Walker emphasized that it is Welsh rugby as a whole that needs to succeed, not just the regions or Wales. He highlighted the interdependency between the success of the regions and the senior men's team. Sustainable success requires successful regions.
Keith Collins expressed frustration over having to play URC games with a depleted squad and welcomed the Union's willingness to collaborate rather than work against the regions.
Lynn Glaister shared positive feedback regarding the Women's 6 Nations, noting that friends who attended the games and had not previously watched rugby were now considering attending pro games at the Arms Park due to the enjoyable atmosphere. She thanked Nigel for the improvement in the women's game and highlighted the potential for traction in the women's rugby market.
Nigel Walker acknowledged the efforts of Ioan Cunningham's coaches, support staff, and players, highlighting their hard work and deserving rewards.
Lynn Glaister inquired about the timeline for appointing the new chief executive and chair.
Ieuan Evans confirmed that they are currently in the process of shortlisting candidates for the independent chair, and subsequent appointments will follow. It is anticipated that all positions will be filled before the end of the year, with the independent chair being the first appointment.
Lynn Glaister asked if the commitment to having either the Chair or Chief Exec be a woman still stands.
Nigel Walker affirmed the aspiration to have five women on the board and either the chair or chief executive position. However, the organization recognizes that the best candidates for the roles need to be selected, and achieving the aspiration might require multiple stages rather than a single step.
Ieuan Evans reassured attendees that they are pleased with the number and quality of candidates. Barrie Jones concluded the meeting by expressing gratitude to all attendees. He noted that the minutes would be agreed upon by all parties before being issued to the members.
The next meeting is scheduled for August 9th.

Based on my experience, hindi nag work sken as a career shifter. Board passer ako from other engineering course. I think sa batch namin 2 out of 17 lang ang na employed after 8 months of job hunting sa IT field. Yung 2 na to ay may employment history na as Software Engineer kya advantage din talaga. Sa batch namin masasabi kong mabibilis maka pick up ng activities ang karamihan, mostly engineering graduates na din sila and mga career shifter.
My opinion: Don't waste your time and effort here. There is no support during job hunt stage. Kahit recommendation lang sna sa sinasabi nilang partner company wla. Magbibigay sila ng job post list na halos lahat ay nsa jobstreet at indeed na din. Kanya kanyang diskarte after. Dati na din akong nakakabasa ng mga ganitong post at hindi ko lng masyadong pinaniwalaan, totoo pla pag ikaw na. Hahah Trust me, this is not for majority of career shifter. May makalusot man, sobrang chamba. Don't trust what you've seen sa comment section nila na buong batch daw ay nagkawork kahit zero background lol..That's marketing strategy.
Hindi rin ganun ka promissing ang offer sa IT na sinasabi nila. Napakababa ng mga offer kahit check nyo pa sa mga job post, tapos sasabihin nila starting lang daw yun.. Katulad lang din ng non-IT field, may mga nakakakuha din ng mataas na compensation. No need to shift your career, focus ka na lang sa current mo.
Refund Policy: Refund is almost not possible. Hahanapan ka ng kung ano anong hindi nasunod sa rules para hindi ka maging eligible sa refund. Around 20k ang nasayang sken. Bumili pako brand new laptop 😔It's really a waste of money and time. Gusto kung bawiin yung mga puyat ko dito 😅 Marketing strategy pa din ang refund policy na pag hindi na employ ay may refund. Again, refund is not..
Other option: lessons are very easy, you can do it alone. Certificates does not have to do kung ma employed ka or hind. Advantage lage kung graduate ka ng IT related, skilled at kung may experience ka na.