#interview questions on load balancer​

[acetechinterview]

The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Scalability and Load Balancin

In today’s digital landscape, ensuring your application can handle growing traffic while maintaining performance is crucial. Scalability and load balancing are foundational concepts for achieving this. This guide explains these concepts, their importance, and how they work together to create robust systems. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Scalability

Scalability is a system’s ability to manage increased demand without sacrificing speed or reliability. Imagine a coffee shop that can serve more customers by adding baristas or opening new locations. In tech, scalability ensures an application can support more users, process larger data volumes, or handle traffic spikes.

There are two primary approaches to scalability:

Vertical Scalability (Scaling Up): This involves boosting a server’s capacity by adding more CPU, RAM, or storage. It’s like upgrading a single machine to do more work. While simple, it has limits due to hardware constraints.

Horizontal Scalability (Scaling Out): It refers to adding additional servers to evenly handle the workload. It’s akin to opening multiple branches to serve more customers. This method is often more flexible and cost-effective for large systems.

Scalability is vital for delivering consistent performance, minimizing downtime, and supporting growth.

What is Load Balancing?

Load balancing spreads incoming traffic across several servers to ensure no single server gets overloaded. Think of it as a traffic controller directing cars to open lanes on a highway to avoid congestion. A load balancer ensures efficient resource use, faster response times, and system reliability.

Load balancers use algorithms like:

Round Robin: Distributes requests sequentially across servers for even load sharing.

Least Connections: Directs traffic to the server with the least number of active connections, making it suitable for handling uneven workloads.

IP Hash: Assigns requests based on the user’s IP address, ensuring consistent server assignment.

Load balancers can be hardware-based or software-based, often integrated into cloud platforms. They also monitor server health, rerouting traffic from failing servers to maintain uptime.

Why Scalability and Load Balancing Are Essential

As user bases grow, systems face increased pressure. Without scalability, applications may slow down or crash during peak usage, frustrating users and impacting revenue. Load balancing enhances scalability by evenly distributing workloads, optimizing performance, and ensuring high availability. Together, they create systems that can handle growth while delivering a seamless user experience.

Benefits of Scalability and Load Balancing

Enhanced Performance: Faster response times improve user satisfaction.

Reliability: Redundant servers and load balancing reduce downtime risks.

Cost Efficiency: Horizontal scaling enables gradual addition of resources, helping you avoid unnecessary upfront investment.

Adaptability: Systems are capable of managing unexpected traffic spikes, such as those caused by promotions or viral events.

Tips for Effective Scalability and Load Balancing

Design for Scale: Build systems with future growth in mind to avoid costly redesigns.

Leverage Cloud Tools: Cloud platforms offer built-in scalability and load balancing solutions.

Monitor Metrics: Track performance indicators to spot and resolve bottlenecks early.

Optimize Code: Efficient application and database design reduces server strain.

Test Under Stress: Simulate high-traffic scenarios to ensure system resilience.

Conclusion

Scalability and load balancing are critical for creating reliable, high-performing systems. By scaling up or out and using load balancing to distribute traffic, you can ensure your application remains fast, accessible, and ready for growth. Whether managing a small website or a global platform, mastering these concepts is key to thriving in a digital-first world. If you're preparing for technical roles, a well-structured Scalability and load balancing interview questions guide can help you understand and articulate these principles effectively.

[some-programming-pearls]

How can we handle a performance bottleneck in a microservice architecture?

A specific microservice becomes a performance bottleneck i.e this particular service is significantly slower or less efficient compared to the rest of the system, affecting the overall responsiveness of the system. Solution: Introduce load balancing to distribute incoming requests evenly across multiple instances of the microservice. Optimize the bottlenecked microservice by reviewing and…

[sevsevteen]

The set was all soft lights and fake laughter.

You sat between Mingyu and Joshua, smiling on cue, answering questions about the group’s upcoming tour. The interviewer - elegant, poised, all teeth and charisma - nodded along enthusiastically.

“Oh, it must be so hard keeping up with thirteen boys, right?” she said sweetly. “They must carry a lot of your weight.”

You laughed politely. “Actually, we all pull our own. They’ve taught me a lot.”

The cameras loved that.

Flash. Cut. Cue applause. Wrap.

But once the red light on the camera faded, so did the interviewer’s mask.

She barely waited for the director to call cut before twisting in her chair, speaking low to her assistant just behind her - but just loud enough.

“God, finally. If I hear the word teamwork one more time, I’ll throw up.”

You froze.

Mingyu’s jaw tightened beside her.

“All that rehearsed ‘we’re a family’ crap. Please. Half the group barely talks during breaks,” she scoffed, tossing her cue cards aside.

The assistant awkwardly tried to whisper something, but the interviewer waved her off.

“She’s cute, I’ll give her that,” the interviewer motioned her chin lazily toward you, not even trying to lower her voice now. “Pretty face, decent voice. But clearly riding on their tails.”

The room fell still.

Wonwoo, who had been grabbing water bottles, paused mid-step. Hoshi’s smile dropped. Even Vernon looked up from his phone.

The assistant gave a nervous laugh. “They were trending, though. Their last album—”

“Because of the other producers behind it,” she cut in coldly. “Not because of them. I mean, let’s be real - if they were really that good, they’d be solo by now.”

That was it.

“Excuse me?” Mingyu said sharply, standing.

The room turned.

The interviewer blinked up, all innocent now. “Oh? Did you hear that?”

“Loud and clear,” Hoshi said, voice low with fury. “You don't get to disrespect our achievements like that.”

“Oh, come on,” she laughed. “Don’t get so emotional. I’m just being honest. I figured someone needed to say it.”

Then she stood - heels clicking on the floor - and added with a smirk, “Besides, what are you gonna do? Hit me? You can’t. I’m a girl.”

And then - a shove.

A bold push to Hoshi’s chest.

He stepped back in stunned silence, fists clenching. He didn’t retaliate - of course he didn’t - but the tension in the room sparked like lightning.

And that was when you stood up.

Calm. Controlled.

Until–

“Ah!”

A hard shove right back into the interviewer’s shoulder. Not aggressive. But firm.

Balanced.

Equal.

“I think you're forgetting that I’m a girl too,” you said, stepping between them and the woman. “I have just as much right to speak up when someone crosses a line.”

“You!” The interviewer lunged with her hands up.

Wonwoo was by your side in a second, pushing you behind himself. His arm half-shielding, gaze trained on the woman like a loaded weapon.

Seungcheol was on his feet a second later, stepping forward to catch her wrist in mid-air.

The interviewer staggered slightly, stunned for a beat too long.

“Try me again.” You threatened, gaze unwavering as you pushed Wonwoo aside lightly.

The interviewer opened her mouth - but before another word could leave her lips,

Wonwoo stood beside, voice cold as stone. “Say one more thing about her. See if your mic is the only thing that cuts out.”

“That’s enough,” Seungcheol thundered, voice like steel. “We came here as professionals. And we expect the same in return.”

The interviewer scoffed, brushing herself off. “You idols think you’re invincible.”

“And you think hiding behind your gender gives you immunity,” Wonwoo said, voice like ice. “But harassment is harassment. If anyone touched her the way you just touched Hoshi, we’d be calling security.”

The assistant was already tugging her away, murmuring apologies. The woman huffed, storming off, heels clicking violently against the studio floor.

No one spoke.

The staff were frozen.

You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding.

“This interview’s over,” Jeonghan said coolly, stepping in. “Thank you for your hard work, we’ll be taking our leave now.”

The team walked out together - you at the center, flanked by members who barely blinked now without checking if you were okay.

“Hey,” Mingyu said, nudging your hand gently. “That was a legendary move.”

You nodded. “Yeah. I just… I couldn’t let her say that.”

Jeonghan placed a gentle hand on your back. “You handled it better than any of us could.”

You cracked a tiny smile. “My hand’s still shaking.”

“It should,” Seungkwan said. “You could’ve sent her flying.”

“She should be glad it wasn’t Seungcheol-hyung,” Hoshi muttered.

From the side, Seungcheol cleared his throat, clearly hiding a proud smile.

You met his eyes and smiled - tired, but fierce.

With a reckless action like that, you knew you were in for a lecture when everyone got into the van.

But for now, you knew your members would have your back no matter what - and so would you.

--

[dessarchive]

FAME DR. VOGUE INTERVIEW.

on monday morning, jo cameron sat down with vogue in her father’s diner, luke’s, in downtown woodstock, new york to discuss her what goes through her mind when creating an outfit, current favorite pieces, accessories, comfort, and her future fashion plans.

jo joined us today wearing a dark blue long sleeve t-shirt with a denim skirt, navy adidas handball spezial shoes, diamond earrings that sparkle as the sun shone through the window we sat by and rings that decorated her fingers.

while we waited for our food we started asking jo questions to get you the best look into her closet.

EVERYDAY COMFY & CUTE

when looking for an everyday outfit, what is going through your mind and do the seasons effect that?

yes, the seasons definitely effect what i’m thinking about when picking an outfit for the day, but i’m always wanting to be comfortable while keeping it cute. comfortableness is the most important thing to me because if i’m not comfortable i’ll probably be annoyed throughout the day and i hate having a sour mood. i love having a cute outfit, of course, and right now i’m really into smaller/tighter tops with baggy bottoms since it’s getting warmer. during colder months i really like layering up, i think finding the right layers can make an outfit really pop. during summer, i really like loose-fit pieces that are easy to move around in and keep a bikini underneath because i love swimming. for fall i usually keep it simple and comfortable with light sweaters, sweatpants or jeans, and a hoodie. hoodies are one of my favorite pieces ever and i have loads of them.

when accessorizing, what are you typically grabbing these days?

lately i’m in love with hoop earrings and a lot of rings. i think they really add to the look and give it a nice touch. i really love layering on bracelets too. bags are key to any outfit and i love matching them to a certain color in my outfit so i have many bags.

what about shoes? heels seem to be your signature.

i wear whatever feels right and once again, comfortable. i do wear heels often and people assume that’s where i draw the line at comfortableness, but that’s not true. a good pair of heels should always be comfortable, but other shoes i usually wear are new balances 530, uggs, and boots, heeled or not, and the classic converse.

WORKOUT SWEATS OR SWEATING?

paparazzi seem to love capturing photos of you leaving the gym and fans adore your outfits! how do you pick them?

it’s similar to picking any outfit. like i said earlier, i always wanting to be comfortable and cute and i think matching sets really suit both of those. when working out you always need something that’s easy to move around in as well and that’s really crucial for a good workout so whether it’s more tight-fitting or loose-fit, i always strive for comfort and flexibility.

what is your favorite piece of athletic wear?

i really love the shorts with pockets on the side or built in the waist band. it allows me to keep my phone nearby in case someone calls or just because i don’t like sitting it somewhere that i can’t reach. i also love a good pair of sneakers. i feel like i’m starting to become a shoe collector.

LOUNGEWEAR LOOSE & BREATHABLE

when you get home after a long day, what do you typically change into?

something very loose that i could easily sleep in. i don’t usually change right into my pajamas when i get home as most times i still have work to do. whether that be around the house or hopping on a zoom call with my manager or casting directors but if i end up falling asleep i’ll still be comfortable. i also hate outside clothes on furniture especially on my bed, it’s always been something i’m picky about.

what are you usually doing after a long day?

journaling, reading, or watching tv. i’ve been obsessed with sex and the city lately so i’ll usually sit on the couch eating something until my boyfriend comes home then we will watch it together or cook dinner together.

FORMAL/EVENTS SLEEK & SPARKLY

when you attend events, you usually have lots of details whether it be the jewels, the design, or the overall look. what part is your favorite about choosing your look for events such as the met gala?

probably being able to make my own little changes to it or adding something of my own. i love working with designers and pulling things out of archive, but adding my own little touch means the world to me. it reminds me of when i was a little girl playing dress up with my sisters in my moms closet.

what’s your mindset going into something like these events? there’s hundreds of eyes and cameras on you at all times while you’re attending. does it make you nervous?

i’m always nervous going to these big events but i don’t let it stop me. i take it easy days before and on the day of, i only let people around me that will calm my nerves instead of making them worse. i don’t go on my phone unless i’m watching something to distract myself while getting my hair and makeup done or i’m doing a meditation to calm my nerves while in the car. when i get on the carpet or to the event, i steady my breathing and remind myself i’ll be okay. these events can be overwhelming for anyone even fans. when the event starts i find my friends and i feel loads better. the days following, i get myself back into rhythm. i know there’s going to be talk, good or bad, so i try to avoid social media afterwards and stick to my normal schedule.

what’s your favorite look so far?

probably the first dress on the third row. it’s such a beautiful dress and it was quite comfortable. i loved the designs on the dress and the jewelry paired with it was to die for. i got to tell the stylist how i wanted my hair to look and i’m so glad fans loved it as much as i did.

now for our last question, what are your plans for fashion in the future?

i really want to go outside of my bubble. i want to layer more and put pieces together that many think wouldn’t usually go together. i want crazy colors and unique accessories. i really adore people who are already doing that and hope i can do the same soon.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Riddle, Vil: A Family Affair

Riddle’s vignettes are so… interesting?? We can see how he’s trying to take small steps to have more agency. I like to think that, very slowly, he’s coming into his own as a young man, an entity separate from his mother.

It’s nice that Riddle’s Groovy shows him in a fun pose. You’d think that someone as strict as him wouldn’t want to fly abnormally, but you can tell it's a manner that's unique to him. Riddle may be upside down like Floyd is in his own Broomquet Groovy, but you can tell that there is a marked difference between the two. Riddle’s holding bis broom in a much more secure way, which is reflective of his personality, whereas Floyd is much more precarious in his pose. It reflects their personalities well!

And now we wait for Jamil’s Birthday Platinum Jacket SSR… 👀

A Boy in Bloom, and his Flowering Future.

“What do you want to do in the coming year?”

Riddle cleared his throat and stood straight as he provided his reply. He was the model student, interviewee... and, of course, birthday boy. "I would like to expand my culinary knowledge."

Vil arched a perfectly sculpted brow. "Judging by your prompt response, I take it that you studied the interview questions and prepared suitable answers for them in advance. How like you--but what a surprise that you have a goal that isn't related to school. You're infamous for your tenacity in that regard."

"I-I am capable outside of the realm of academics too!" Riddle hastily said with a frown. “… Though I admit I may be lacking in some departments. That is precisely why I would like to dedicate time and energy to strengthening my areas of weakness.”

"Oh, please. You can't possibly be as nightmarish at cooking as..." Vil paused, shuddering, "Lilia is."

The birthday boy paled at the mention of his senior. Lilia, who left kitchens looking like a natural disaster had torn through an active warzone. Lilia, who tossed in everything under the sink and then some. Lilia, who was known across campus for all manner of food borne illnesses and poisonings.

"Surely not!!" Riddle insisted. "I know how to read and follow a recipe! The issue lies in flexibility. Trey is able to make an entire meal just from leftovers, but I wouldn't be able to do the same."

"My, if you're concerned about food waste, couldn't you simply ask Trey to teach you? I'm certain he wouldn't refuse you. That man is too nice for his own good."

"Perhaps that's true. But even so... this is a skill I'd like to learn for myself. I don't want to become overly reliant on others' strength. What I must cultivate first and foremost is my own. To that end, I plan on enrolling in more Master Chef courses during my time at NRC. There are many styles of cooking I've yet to master. For example, Trey prepares meals that are very different from that of my mother."

"How so?"

"Well..." Riddle hesitated. The way he gnawed at his lower lip reminded Vil of an anxious rabbit--a far cry from the self-assured dorm leader he knew Riddle as.

"Mother cooks with nutrition as her priority. She is very health conscious and goes out of her way to ensure that I am eating what I need. When I am studying at home, she brews tea to drink. It's rare that my entire family comes together for a meal, given that we're all busy.

"Meanwhile, Trey's food is... I can't quite put a finger on it, but it's flavorful and fun, yet balanced. The experiences are unique from my time at home. Sometimes it's something warm, hearty, and comforting like hamburger steak. Sometimes it's something hopelessly indulgent and loaded with sugar, like tarts decorated with jewel-like fruits."

"Your eyes are shining." Vil smirked. "You enjoy his cooking that much?"

"I don't understand it myself," Riddle replied, scrunching his brows. "When Trey cooks, people are lured by the smell and gather around the table, wanting to join for the meal. It happened the other day when I was to eat with him and Cater. Ace and Deuce barged in on us, and... well, I suppose it wasn't all bad. We had a delightful conversation over lunch. There's something magical about that."

"There is a different feeling to eating with others than alone," Vil agreed with a slight nod. "My father and I can hardly align our schedules, so it's rare that we can sit down and eat together. Then again, maybe it's that rarity that makes us appreciate those moments all the more."

"That's right. It's a special spell that I realized I can't reproduce. Just memorizing the recipes and recreating them... that alone isn't enough."

"Fufufu, so you want to master that kind of 'magic'. That's surprisingly cute of you."

"N-No, you're mistaken! While it's true that cooking would come in handy for entertaining guests, it'd primarily be for self-sufficiency. After all, it's not as though I can always ask Trey or my mother to cook for me." Riddle shifted from one foot to another. "Someday, I'll have to move out of my dorm as well as my house, and live independently as a fine adult."

"Yes, cooking is an essential skill for that distant future. Have you already started on making those arrangements?"

"Er, not yet. I've been looking into it, but to actually take those first physical steps is... that is, I don't know how my mother would react."

"She sounds very stern from what you've told me of her. However, every mother must let her child go eventually."

"Maybe so, but I have never known my mother to back down from her beliefs. She's... not a woman you want to challenge." Riddle's voice strained at the final word. It was the lightest way he could put it, too afraid to acknowledge the whole truth. "I've tried to get her to hear me out, but..."

"If you can't draw that line in the sand now, then when? It will only make things more difficult for you when you start live alone."

"I'm fully aware of that." He couldn't bring himself to say more.

Vil sighed, bringing a hand to his temple. "... Listen, Riddle. Think of life as a stage, and you as the actor upon it. Worried about how the audience will react to your performance, working tirelessly to hone your craft.

“When the lights dim and the cameras turn off, the staff and the audience leave the theatre. You’ll be left only with your own thoughts. The onlookers may have one impression of you—but when the curtains fall, so long as you are proud of who you are away from the public eye, that, I think, is a sign of true maturity.

“If it’s courage and confidence that you seek, then you must work toward it. Never let your eyes stray from it. Even should the world deprive you of a happy ending, you must claw for it, believing that, someday, it will be yours.”

“Vil-senpai… Is this your way of encouraging me to see my goals through to the very end?”

His upperclassman scoffed. Thin, soft—like a rose petal, almost imperceptible as it passed upon a breeze.

“Think of it what your will. I merely speak from my own experience,” Vil replied. “We are both prideful NRC students at our very cores. Standing strong on our own two feet is something we all desire. That we can one day recognize that dream… It goes for us all.”

“Recognizing a dream, hm?”

How curious. I wondered not too long ago if it was really possible. Now, here I am, taking those first, small baby steps. A world where I can think for myself, live by my own rules… It sounds like a wonderland within my reach.

Soon, but not yet.

“… One day,” Riddle whispered to himself. “One day, I’ll be the person I want to be.”

Not the person I’m told to be.

A palm came against his back—a pat from Vil. “Really, I thought the dorm leader of Heartslabyul would know better than to mumble. You’re usually so good at barking at your card soldiers. Do remember to speak up—now, and forevermore.”

“I don’t recall asking for your advice.” Riddle brushed off his touch, stepping forward with his broom at the ready. Still, he chuckled. “… But yes, I will work on gathering my courage so that I may be comfortable leaving the nest. Thank you for your concern, senpai.”

“Ara, what cheek.” Vil tossed his golden locks. “If I’m to share the stage with you, then of course your skills must be on par with mine. Don’t you dare disappoint me, understood?”

“Hmph, when have I ever been the type to fall short of meeting expectations? Observe.”

Riddle confidently mounted his broom, assuming the position he had practiced many times over. There was a diagram of this exact pose in the mountain of textbooks he had in his dorm room. Straddling the handle between the legs, arms straight and steady, one hand gripped over the other, elbows locked.

He could have been the textbook diagram himself.

When Riddle looked up, he saw the vast sky, sunlight spilling across the sea that surrounded the island. Sunset on its way to soon paint the day with darkness.

The sky… It connects many different places and people. The future is stretching out before me, chalk full of possibilities.

Then… I can try, can I? To soar, to break free. Just this once…!!

Riddle’s hold on his broom tightened.

He called forth his magic, letting it pool around him in a shower of scarlet sparkles. The power collected, coalescing as a tingling warmth dancing across his skin, until he at last unleashed it in one burst. Like a cap popped off on a bottle.

Riddle buckled off, propelling into the air in a corkscrew motion. Rose petals fell free from his bouquet, perfuming the summer sky with them.

“Whew…!”

He stopped spinning, flying forward upside down. The world shifted, shapes and colors rearranging into a new perspective. His head and vision spun, seemingly colliding all of his senses against one another.

A moment or two later, and they had rattled neatly into place.

Riddle looked again, taking it all in. Rich gold dappling the grand spires of Night Raven College, the honeyed aroma of roses, the wind from on high tickling his lashes. The delicious freedom of flying freely.

“… Hah.”

Who knew it could taste so sweet?

[thevindicativevordan]

Why do you believe Gunn will pull through?

I’ve enjoyed everything he’s done since GOTG 1.

His casting choices draw no complaints from me, I’m only upset about what characters he chose. Getting a fleshed out Daily Planet crew is incredibly promising.

From what we’ve seen being filmed it seems like Gunn has found a balance between “feel good” (Superman hugging the kids, rescuing a cat) and serious (Superman being arrested by the military). Despite fearmongering it sure doesn’t appear to be a drama less comedy.

If we’re getting Lex again I at least can be reasonably confident that Gunn will give us the best live action Lex, given he’s already done a similar character in High Evolutionary.

His retrofuture approach to Metropolis at least promises to be an upgrade over the drab “realistic” approach of Snyder.

From his interviews it seems like he actually has a core storyline for Superman that the average human being can relate to, as opposed to Routh and Cavill’s struggle to be Space Jesus. Routh asked the question of “is Superman still relevant?” while Cavill went the route of “if God (Superman) is real, what does that mean for humanity?”. Both alienated the audience from Superman because regular human beings don’t care about the second and if you have to ask the question for the first, the answer is no. Gunn managed to get people to bond with a talking raccoon and tree, Superman shouldn’t be harder.

We’re getting Krypto and a Fortress that is (possibly) more than barren hallways!

Right now I think this movie is going to be like MAWS. It will nail Clark and his supporting cast, but struggle with the villains. Right now I feel like I will walk out of the theater and give it a B, it will be enough to repair Superman’s toxic brand, but I don’t see it performing spectacularly well. It will be hurt by F4 offering more in the spectacle department, Gunn loading the movie with Gluppos to set up his wider DCU, and the general audience not being enthused at yet another Superman movie with Lex and a villain with Superman’s powers as the bad guy.

$500-600 million is the ceiling for this film if it gets good reviews. They need to treat this like Batman Begins and be ok with a smaller box office that has good WOM. That’s not how Zaslav operates though, which means Gunn’s overeagerness to use Superman to get to his C-Listers could end up sinking his DCU. At this moment with no trailer, that’s how I feel. Regardless if the Superman movie succeeds, they better not leave him on the bench like Gunn has done with Bloodsport. Use Corenswet! If he’s not in the Authority movie, put him in! I’m looking at the trailer views for Creature Commandos and Gunn is insane if he thinks he can ignore the big brands for long. Right now DC simply can’t afford to do a GOTG film with the entire League bar Batman currently in the dumpster.

[newlabournewromantics]

okay so i'm not british (i'm just a teenage girl hungry for knowledge 😔✊) but i watched one video and as a result i've been consuming an insane amount of new labour media for the past week even though i've never been interested in uk politics besides keeping up with global news LMAO i genuinely wanna know more so where do you think i should start with books films etc 😭

hiii!! excellent question id be more than happy to help! this will be sort of an overview with general recs for newlab beginners (why am I treating this like its a profession omg) so just lmk if you want more specific recs + I've highlighted my favs

books (from the outside)

(by from the outside I mean written by people not directly involved in newlab, so historians/journalists etc)

the two classic newlab texts are servants of the people and the end of the party, both by andrew rawnsley from the observer. provide nice, extensive but not overly fussy histories of newlab from opposition to 2010. good balance of gossip and actual information!

my personal favourite is rivals by james naughtie (bbc reporter), I find the prose in it far more compelling than any other book on this list.

brown's britain (robert peston) is also very good!

you've mentioned that you're not from the UK, so I really really really would recommend reading a book/a few articles on the broader history of the British Labour Party, just so you can understand why newlab was so revolutionary. I quite like keeping the red flag flying

autobiographies/diaries/books from ppl directly involved:

(these will inevitably be more biased)

the new machiavelli by jonathan powell is my absolute favourite self-written newlab book - and you might learn some stuff ant machiavelli whilst ur at it so this is an essential imo

my life our times by gordon brown is another one I really enjoyed, although it's less gossipy than some of the other books on this list. admittedly I do agree with basically everything gordon brown has ever said so this is a very biased review, but I would give it a go!

obviously alastair campbell wrote a load of diaries. I would be careful with which volumes you choose to get - go for the ones published 2010 and onwards bc he made the choice to omit stuff from the first few volumes he published so that it wouldn't' hurt gordon's premiership. also, they're really long and really extensive, so pick which volumes you want to read based on which specific period of newlab you find yourself drawn to!

as a comms/polling fan (boo) I really liked unfinished revolution by philip gould, but this might not be the best book to start with.

damian mcbride's power trip (more diaries) is also interesting

big fan of point of departure by robin cook asw!

I found tony's books excruciating to read but that's bc im crazy and think I know the inside of his mind like its my own so they might be good for you. his new book is FASCINATING but only in the sense of it exposing how big his messiah complex is. don't read any of his books if you're not down to hear about sex and/or technology.

oh a note: mandelson has written books but I don't like him so im not going to recommend them <3

tv/film

tony and gordon aren't really all that into big heartfelt chats about newlab, esp not together, but a few good docs have been made

blair and brown: the new labour revolution (bbc, 2021) - this is a classic, it's where I got my newlab start as a tender sixteen year old politics student u can't beat it! watch this one first

the blair years (bbc 2007)

out of the shadows and we are the treasury (here and here)

blair's thousand days (1 2)

if you're into tbgb, please please please watch the deal. I don't like much of the michael sheen as blair content, but the deal (2003) is so good.

if you want me to rec bits of tv from the newlab years that I think r cool and worth watching then send another ask and ill tell u! but obv theyre not much use if you're just getting into newlab :)

alastair did interviews with tony and ed miliband 6/7 years ago. not all about newlab, but very interesting to watch and observe the dynamics!

podcasts

matt forde of the political party has done interviews with a lot of newlab figures, from tony all the way to the more junior spads. I especially like the joint one he did with ed balls and alastair campbell, and the first tony one. these r less good for actually learning facts about newlab but really like listening to them as a way to sort of get into these ppls heads and observe them in a more casual setting. also a gordon interview asw !

if you can bear listening to george osborne talk (I can but others r more sensible) then political currency is also a good place to get lil tidbits of newlab gossip, bc ed balls is one of the hosts and he's super messy he loves chatting abt gordon.

ideology/boring stuff etc!

ok u can ignore this section if you want but these r some books about the ideology that underpinned newlab - I think it's fascinating!

the third way by giddens (literally the newlab bible and I think the only theory that blair took seriously)

crosland’s the future of socialism!! influenced gb and caused so much internal labour drama so evidently its excellent

if you want a really interesting essay on Iraq I recommend this

podcast on centrism that touches a lot on clinton/newlab/blair etc

oh and just for fun!!!!! here's a playlist of all the songs written canonically actually irl about tony blair.

lmk if you want any other recs!!!!!

[rikeijo]

Today’s translation #877

Animage 2017/2, Otsuka Manabu interview

Part 4.

-- Tell us, please, what amazed you in Director Yamamoto? [a very loaded question 😂]

Otsuka: A lot of things, but the thing that amazed me the most was how much attention she pays to details in everything. For example, it is good manners not to take out horizontal banners to support a skater during the skater's performance, and it's something that is obvious to figure skating fans, but I had no idea that it was the case, as I've ever only seen skating on TV. So, now I can say it - sometimes, I was worried if all this attention to details would be appreciated by normal people, like me. But the Director's unwillingness to comprise and how much she cared about every detail in production was what gave this show so much realism. It was one of the main reason, why you could feel as if it was just reality, and such skaters really existed.

-- Indeed, you're watching an anime, but it feels as if you were watching an actual figure skating competitions - it feels so real, like you're actually there, with the characters.

Otsuka: Speaking about figure skating scenes, I think it was also possible to make those scene in more anime-like way. Like, using still images, or making the skaters spin in a crazy way, or be airborne for longer than possible. Or make the skating scenes short, and use the time for more drama between the skaters instead - you can think about a lot of different ways of solving this. I personally tend to drift towards those methods that are less labor-intensive for people at the studio, but the Director didn't care for showing those scenes in anime-like way, and thanks to this, I think we have achieved an exquisite balance in this show.

[tsims]

Howdy! I love your style of play and the way your domestic units evolve, I would like to ask you a few questions if it's not too much trouble since I haven't played enough of the sims 3, how do you make the game rotational? Do you follow some set of rules or do you balance it with a mod? And, one more, the game runs smoothly on your laptop, don't you need something like the smooth patch from lazyduchess?Thanks, and sorry for so many questions >u<

Hello! It's not too much trouble at all.

For how I make sims 3 rotational. I use the "sims 2 aging" option in Ani's Mod of randomness. This way my sims only age when I play them. I also have story progression off, and use a mod that prevents random go steady (boyfriend/girlfriend), marriage, and divorce --- it's on sim asylum if I remember and should be easy to hunt down with a google search.

It's a lot more easy for me to keep track of and doesn't need any extra work on my end, however many sims 3 players prefer to use Nraas Caste System for a rotational system. Also, with Nraas you can pause a pregnancy (a pregnancy will keep progressing even if you leave a household with Ani's mod so I tend to play a household until a sim gives birth to stop age discrepancy.

For rules, I have a few like giving a sim a "one true career", and they keep interviewing until they get it. That way I get to play with the job hunting mod, and it's a lot of fun! I tax all my sims every Friday, and I only have sims get pregnant when they wish for it --- I have a mod by migos that means sims aren't fertile all the time, and the mod also comes with birth control and the possibly of being infertile. I only give them pets when they're asked for too. I put all my sims with "bad traits" in therapy of some kind, and follow Pleasant sims sims 2 hobby system for my sims with some tweaks (so I'm forced to play with more skills etc)

Something else I do is use real life population stats to determine how many sims can get a degree, be LGBT+, and how many sims are religious.

The save runs well on my computer, but honestly I think a big part of it is having Nraa's/Ea's story progression off, and instead playing rotationally, sims 3 lag is mostly routing errors, so sims having to age up every other day around town is hectic. Smooth patch helps with load times in cas/buildbuy etc, and mods like OhRudi's mods that make interactions take less space, and Nraa's overwatch that reset stuck sims helps the game run pretty well! Also, I have a routing fix mod that allows sims and pets interact on slopes, I'm sure that's on mod the sims.

[pynkhues]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but the filming has brought me back from my long sleep beneath the earth and now I have a question.

I’ve seen a fair amount of handwringing about how Rolin will manage to leave behind the unreliable narrator theme that dominated series one and two (which he’s said he wants to). Loads of people seem scared that this won’t help and no one will believe anything Lestat says - especially if it contradicts Louis’ or Claudia’s versions of the story.

But now Daniel’s a vampire isn’t the obvious answer to this that Lestat will just show him what happened directly rather than tell him? It’s not a power they’ve shown in the show yet, but it’s used all the time in the books. And Armand hasn’t been able to tamper with memories for Lestat so would that be a neat workaround for it? I would personally enjoy not having to hear constant discourse about if “any of this really happened that way”.

Welcome back! And yeah, it's definitely an interesting one to consider! Lestat certainly could show Daniel, but you could argue that how a character remembers something happening is still ultimately subjective, so I don't know if it would entirely stop the arguments around Lestat's reliability as a narrator. You also run into the problem where Daniel's not writing a book this time around, he's interviewing Lestat for a documentary, which makes Lestat talking about it pretty important. Given it looks like maybe Louis' going to be there for at least parts of the interview now too, there's the additional narrative pressure there in the fact that Lestat can't just show him in the way he could Daniel because they can't use the mind gift with each other.

I do think that power will come up in the season though. I think Lestat might use it a little with Daniel, and I definitely think we'll see Marius use it with Lestat. I also think we'll see Armand pulling Lestat's history from his head like he does in the book when they meet, and I actually even wonder if we might retrospectively see him do it with Louis too, and how that might recontextualise some of Louis and Armand's relationship.

I think there are ways though to explore truth in a way that doesn't lean as hard on the unreliability of memory (although I actually think regardless of what Rolin says, that will always partially be there in the recounting of the past). Like, gosh, I think the show actually balanced that really well with the trial, especially given it never actually said Louis' version of events was a lie - they were fundamentally true - it was just that there was more happening sometimes than Louis was initially able or willing to admit.

The premise though is different. Louis sought out Daniel and the interview wanting to disentangle everythingbecause he wanted to remember, whereas if they stick to the book motivation, Lestat's in no small part doling out his past as a bit of a fuck you to Louis, haha, but also broader vampiric lore ultimately to protect him. That sense of interrogating memory is central to Louis' arc, but I don't think it will be for Lestat. The show's depicted already that Lestat's reluctant to share his past and can be withholding of the truth sometimes, but with the exception of Antoinette, he's not actually been much of a liar, and I think they'll underscore that. There are things he has talked about through Louis already after all - the church and his father and brothers with Paul in the first episode, he'd clearly talked to Louis and Claudia both about Nicki, the Magnus of it all, the brief mention of Akasha. In a lot of ways I think those beats being revisited won't only emphasise Lestat's reliability in telling his story, but will actually reaffirm Louis' too because after all, those are things that he remembered honestly enough to tell Daniel too.

I don't know though. I think there will always be some discourse about it unfortunately, and I'm not really sure there's much of a way around it, particularly with a fandom like this one.

[withering-sunflower-dust]

A bit more conversation/interviews from the esmp actor cast!

Question; what are their favorite blooper scenes?

Celestia/Gem's actor;

Celestia; we have bloopers all the time, I'd say a lot of the bloopers are so funny especially since the scenes are supposed to be serious

Interviewer; can we hear one of these bloopers perhaps?

Celestia; of course you can! Okay so like we were filming the Gem and Sausage fight where she was supposed to break sausage out possession, we have to do like five different take for that because Sammy{sausage's actor} kept laughing and swearing and also kept tripping off the edge!

Interviewer; I am ready hear how many times Sammy caused the cast to have to retake a scene today!

Celestia; totally should cuz there's going to be so many!

Cris/Fwhip's actor

Cris; oh that's a hard one cuz I have so many bloopers in mind for like a favourite, but personally I think one of my favorite ones are just like Carson laughing while he was in a scene with ash (Xornoth's/Bratwurst's actor) like they could not look into each other's eyes and play it seriously we'd have to like redo that scene at least 10 or so times until they properly do it cuz every time they look at each other they just straight up start laughing out loud like not even laugh they would fall to their knees laughing and crying on the floor those two are brother-in-law's and I have respect for that but that also means we have to redo the scene like 15 times unusual basis when those two have a scene together

Interviewer; that is an absolute nightmare to live through having to redo 15 takes

Cris; it is, it takes so long o film the cuz those two would lay on the ground and laugh for a solid 20 minutes

Sammy/Sausage's actor

Sammy; uuhh, honestly I'd say season 2 when Shelby and supreme meet and they have this elaborate plan to trap Joey but my favorite bloopers were when they were flying in

Interviewer; now why is that?

Sammy; every time we would start the flying scene they would straight up get tangled even after we untangled them when they started to take they got tangled again somehow, so like we had to retake that one 10 second flying motion for like I think it was like 7 or 8 times we had to retake it

Interviewer; unless they did it on purpose they were spitting around in the air

Sammy; that's probably what they did

Ash/Bratwurst's/Xornoth's actor

Ash; there are a load of funny ones, if you're talking personal favorites, then it was when we were setting up ice for Carson's Elsa arc and when he got on the ice he literally slipped face first

Interviewer; he didn't know how to skate?!

Ash; Ironic right?

Dianna/Pearl's actor;

Dianna; Favourite blooper was when we were trying to film an angel sausage scene and things didn't go quite to plan, needless to say we almost put set on fire

Interviewer; well now how that happened!?

Dianna; we were messing with the lights

Carson/Scott's actor;

Carson; this isn't a blooper scene but I think Id count it as one, we were doing like a technical fighting scene and then someone bumped into Cris and accidentally fell hit ash and then they kissed on the floor, like watching that back over and over is so funny the two of them were completely stunned by it were you curious ones out there it was nether fight scene

Interviewer; wither husband was trending ship for a while, maybe that's why!

Shelly/Shubble's actor

Shelly; My favourite blooper of all time is most likely Like the wedding scene where Xornoth was like hiding from the crowd like ash kept falling and losing balance at the ledge he was trying to so hard to balance he swore when he finally did it he swore while filming and we had to retake it again!

Interviewer; now that, was an epic fail!

Kathliana/Katharine'sactor

Kath; it's a very specific one, you know how season 1 Scott has messenger owl? Yea while we were filming the owl moved and Carson jumped and screamed, he thought those were remote controlled so like he didn't expect it to move to him

Interviewer; they were real?

Kath; yea, one of the writers had trained owls as a pet and brought them in for plot no one knew expect for Sammy cuz he was part of the writers crew for a bit

Sebastian/Joey's actor

Seb; This is really unclosed info don't tell anyone I said this, but my favorite blooper was when Sean was trying to set up the candles then then rolled on one making him fall in the fountain

Interviewer; I am sworn to secrecy!

Sean/pixl's actor

Sean; probably when cole was pulled into the ponds by actual cods, that wasn't a joke we had like couple hundred cod's on set

Interviewer; now that would be a feast!

Cole/Jimmy's actor

Cole; this isn't a blooper it's more a behind the scenes, but I love how like every Sunday Sammy would bring soda and empanadas, they were homemade and f______ delicious!

Interviewer; woah now! You can't say that word were on live television!

Louise/Lizzie's actor

Louise; I'd say Dianna screaming on the tops of the lungs when she saw ash, she had no idea Sammy had a twin

Interviewer; You have the most straightforward answer of everyone

Louise; and yet I'm still not straight

Joey/Joel's actor

Joey; personal favorite was when anyone trips and fall over the corrupted vines

Interviewer; I'm guessing that happens a lot?

Joey; more than you may think

Sahara/False's actor

Sahara; everytime cris would fall while he was crouch walking Trying to reach his hight requirements

Interviewer; so he was actually crouching?

Sahara; Yea and it was hilarious seeing him struggle with it

Liam/Oli's actor

Liam; I have a particular one in mind, It was when the Lammas wouldn't stop spitting on Owen while filming, they hated him for some reason

Interviewer; I guess they just hate the special guests!

Liam; soo true

_________

If there's anything you wanna ask abt the actor au shoot me an ask! And if you have questions for the cast then also shoot me an ask!

[transthadymacdermot]

Tagged for an in-character oc interview by @coarsely! we will be interviewing Eoin O'Donnell, an obviously undiagnosed but extremely autistic Irish Catholic Defender leader who constantly swings between well-liked and proverbially hunted for sport by the local community depending on the day.

Are you named after anyone?

After thinking for a long time, he finally comes up with, "I dunno."

When was the last time you cried?

"I shouldn't like to speak on it."

Do you have kids?

"Ha, none that you can prove are mine. Folk whisper about Sarah's Tommy, and of course everyone suspects about the neighbour's daughter who looks suspiciously little like her wee brothers and sisters, but you didn't hear nothing from me."

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

"Jesus, I can't abide sarcasm. Never know what folk are saying when they wrap it up like that. I would only ever do that to a man if I wanted him to know how mad I was at him."

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

"Something about the way they stand. Where they put their feet on the ground and how they balance. I do be avoiding their faces but I do declare, I get just as much out of looking at their feet as I would should I be forced to look at their eyes."

What’s your eye colour?

"Are you looking to create a description of me? I'll say brown." His eyes are grey.

Scary movies or happy endings?

"What is a 'movie?' Be it a sort of dance?" Upon the explanation being given, he nods enthusiastically. "Like a play. I seen some of The Rivals at the Big House last month when I went up with Thady*. It was-- well. All fiction does my head in. Waste of my damn time."

*His brother-in-law who he lives with

Any special talents?

"There's no one born within a hundred leagues as good with bones as I am. Man, beast, what-have-you, I can tell you what bone it is and where it came from and how long the creature's been dead and loads of other stuff depending on how good the condition is. Dictated half of the placards in the Marquess'* hall of curiosities so I did. He'd no idea, ha!"

*a local aristocrat with a large victorian-style cabinet of curiosities in his house. Charles' uncle, also

Where were you born?

"County Armagh. You won't know the exact place."

Do you have any pets?

"Well, none that are living. Do you count skeletal remains for this one, or-- you don't? More's the pity. I don't, then."

What sort of sports do you play?

He is visibly uncomfortable. "The-- the thing they do with the sticks. Obviously. Ha. Of course I do. Why shouldn't I? Nothing I love more than a bit of sport. Obviously. Next question. Please."

How tall are you?

"I dunno. Tall."

What was your favorite subject in school?

Once again, he seems extremely uncomfortable at the question. "I shouldn't like to talk on that either. The boys at school didn't like me. Go on."

What is your dream job?

"I-- I wish the Marquess would take me on permanently to sort of manage his hall of curiosities. Or if I could be an anatomist. I don't know. Sort of foolish." He seems embarrassed. "'Tis very well to just be a cottier of course. I don't mean to say-- well. In any case."

Tagging without pressure @orphanheirs @fortunatetragedy @chiropteracupola @olimpias and anyone else who would like to take part!!!

[some-programming-pearls]

Can Round Robin which is a static load balancing algorithm be implemented in a dynamic way?

Yes, you’re correct that the Round Robin load balancing algorithm is typically considered static in its traditional implementation, where requests are evenly circularly distributed to servers without considering real-time factors like server load or response time. However, it can indeed be enhanced to incorporate dynamic behavior by considering real-time server conditions. Dynamic Round Robin…

[k00320717]

Primary Research

Tracy Fahey-Interview Questions 

What does goth mean to you?  Goth to Tracey Fahey is the Gothic movement and Goth in 1700s.  Tracey explained a lot of the characteristics of Goth come from this period.  In her opinion Goth today is defined as a subculture from the 1970s post punk movement to the music that is still relatively popular today as well as neo goth and the architectures.   Goth to Tracey is loads of things from the literature, architecture to music. I also asked what she thought of the old ways of goth fashion.  Tracey prefers the old ways of goth fashion.  The old ways of Goth clothing included getting creative with recycling old clothes and shopping at thrift clothes.  An interesting point Tracey made was that it gives a sense of achievement when we create clothes from our own design. 

Are there any places in Limerick you would associate Gothic with?  Places in Limerick that Tracey associates with Goth aren't gothic to look at. When we think of a Gothic place, we think of something that is dark or has architecture. To Tracey Fahey what makes a place Gothic is the folklore and history that surrounds it.  Interesting way of looking at place.   Tracey listed off a couple of places in Limerick she associates as being Gothic.  These include: The Shannon River area with loads of tales, Thomond Bridge know for tales of Hauntings and Black dog of Thomond gate. 

What were your gothic influences in relation to literacy and arts?  Tracey Fahey's Gothic influences in relation to literacy are classical writers such as Edgar Allen Poe and Ray Bradbury.   One being Gothic while the other (Ray Bradberry) is on the sci fi spectrum.  Tracey explained some of Ray Bradbury early works were a big influence on her short stories.  From a young age Tracey Fahey has read many short stories, drawn particularly to ones with history.  Wuthern Heights was one of Tracey's inspirational works.   (It had prompted me to ask about some of the first Gothic writers such as Walpole one of the first gothic writers).  Tracey shared her opinion, saying ‘Walpole is a hilarious read’.  Gothic novels are very female influenced one of the first known gothic female writer is Anne Radcliffe, her novels gained female audience in the Gothic genre. 

What inspired you to write your gothic short stories such as ‘The Unheimlich Manoeuvre’ ? I particularly like the short story Coming back, can you tell me about how you developed this character.   Tracey Fahey explained writing had always been one of her passions and that she loves reading short stories.  Most particularly being able to create her own fictional world in capsule form.   When Tracey writes her aim in Gothic fiction is to keep an ambiguous story that makes readers question is the story taking place in the characters head or is this a supernatural story.

How did you start with this writing style?  Tracey Fahey naturally writes in gothic/ supernatural style.  Everything Tracey Fahey writes reflects her love for Gothic style.  For Tracey it was through the Gothic music that helped her find her style.  

How do you balance creating suspense and maintaining the eerie atmosphere?  How Tracey Fahey achieves balance in relation to creating eerie atmosphere during her writing process, is that she firstly sets her stories in unnatural Gothic settings.  Tracey infuses the unnatural Gothic setting with creepy uneasy themes.  Tracey explained that she does not rely on setting too much.  Tracey instead builds tension from her characters.  Tracey starts off by asking herself what if? Then slowly builds tension throughout.  Tracey shared that she always knows how her story will end.    

What role do you believe setting plays in a Gothic story?  In Tracey opinion the role setting plays in a short story allows the story to be more broad.   Tracey writes a lot of contemporary stories, sometimes there is more than one setting.  Tracey explained in some of her short stories that she sometimes has a setting that takes place in the past and in the present.  Tracey way of developing or creating a setting is to carry a notebook with her particularly when she travels to a new place.   This way if she is ever unsure of where to set her stories, she will read through her notebook for ideas.  Tracey top tip for writing is to always carry a notebook and a pen. 

Are there any recurring themes you find yourself returning to in your stories?  Recurring themes Tracey finds herself returning to in her short stories are Home, Body, and Folklore.  Tracey explains she could classify everything she has written under those three themes.  The body is the sight of unease or haunting, ‘home’ a place where we should feel safe but is undermined.  Folklore is a fascinating theme; Tracey believes the theme of Folklore can transform the most wounding setting into the most frightening.  Sometimes, starting with the smallest bit of folklore research can change the way we see things.  To be more specific, Folk-gothic is Tracey main theme.  This theme it allows Tracey to incorporate the horror elements with folklore tales that can terrify readers.

How do you approach the use of symbolism and metaphors? Tracey Fahey is normally very distinctive when she is writing. During the writing process Tracey explained ‘I don’t think too much about the forms.  Regarding metaphors Tracey includes them to ‘unpack an idea’ in an unusual way.  Metaphors to Tracey are a great way to make a reader think deeply about a story or its theme/emotion.  The metaphors can distance a reader from the narrative and draw their focus onto something specific in the short story.  As well as for the writer, Tracey also finds that metaphors make her stop and think about what she is really trying to explain in the story.   While Tracey may not include much symbolism within her own short stories, however she equally loves to read a story with good use of symbolism.   Metaphors would be used commonly in Gothic literature as Tracey explained, Gothic literature conjures up layering in story through metaphors. 

How do you develop your characters?  Tracey Fahey shared how she creates characters and develops them throughout short stories.  When Tracey creates her characters, they have to want something.   The character needs to change in some way, generally for Tracey, her characters are created through her vivid imagery.  In first person narratives ‘Let the character possess me’ Tracey must see picturise the character and try to see the characters perspective.  This way Tracey can analyse her characters, what they want and what will change.  Once Tracey inhabits the character and has a good understanding of her characters, then she can begin writing her character.   

How do you distinguish the supernatural elements from other genres?  How Tracey distinguishes supernatural genres when writing, will depend on what she is commissioned to write she explained. Tracey Fahey looks at the larger theme.   When she writes with both a theme and genre Tracey distinguishes the two by writing from point of view of character in her short stories.  Tracey finds that by writing from character perspective allows her to share the aftermath of something dramatic for example and maintain supernatural theme. 

Do you have any tips for an aspiring gothic writer? Reading and writing in Gothic literature style is very important.   Publish your work ‘no one going to come knocking at your day, heard you got an amazing manuscript’.  Tracey advice is to find your voice and if you write what you love you can’t go wrong.   By reading lots, you will get an idea of a genre that moves you or one that you love or frightens you.  When writing in Gothic style, Tracey's advice is to embrace the darkness in yourself.   The stories you write now will stand to you in the future.  The terrible and beautiful thing is writing from experience.   

I met with lecturer Tracey Fahey to discuss Goth and some of her Gothic short stories.   I enjoyed talking about Goth with Tracey we had much to discuss and shared common interest in gothic art and literature. 

[jssc007]

So this is where I am in my job search process:

Place 1

Pros: Interesting product; Strong investor backing; Good domain for career growth;

Cons: Questionable marketing strategy; Flexible working doesn't look that flexible;

Status: Made it to the final stage;

Place 2

Pros: Massive brand; Very strong performance; Would look great on CV; Loads of chances to learn;

Cons: Rumors of toxic culture; Very male-dominant; High pressure with potential low work-life balance;

Status: Completed 2nd stage today - waiting for feedback;

Place 3

Pros: Cool brand; Mission-oriented; Great benefits (probably the best of all of them); Great office; Strong investor banking;

Cons: Domain could become boring and a bit limiting; Very niche market;

Status: Made it to the final stage;

Place 4

Pros: Big brand; Great culture; Would look great on CV; Strong performance; A product I actually use;

Cons: Potentially too "corporate" and similar to current job; Too many decision-making layers;

Status: Was supposed to move to 2nd round but Recruiter sort of ghosted me these last few days lol;

Place 5

Pros: Cool brand; Interesting product; A product I actually use; Good Domain for career growth;

Cons: Unsure about benefits;

Status: 1st interview soon;

[janaawrites2024]

Week 13 Writeup #1: Non-fiction Writing

Shohei Ohtani’s Championship Game: A Moment of History and Hall of Fame Glory

by Nike

In a game that seemed destined for the history books, Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the most defining performances of his illustrious career, securing his place in baseball lore. The crowd at the stadium was electric as Ohtani, already a transcendent force in the game, took the field for what would be his final championship appearance of the season. With his spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame hanging in the balance—on the cusp of being voted into the 50/50 club—every pitch, every swing, was a statement of greatness. Image credit: Spectrum Sportsnet

The atmosphere was thick with anticipation. Ohtani, the two-way phenom who has redefined what is possible in the sport, faced the culmination of a season that has left fans in awe. His dual-threat abilities as a pitcher and hitter make him a rare breed in modern baseball. But tonight, the question wasn't whether he would continue to be a superstar—it was whether his career could be elevated to the ultimate level of immortality in Cooperstown.

As the game unfolded, Ohtani was every bit the superstar fans had hoped for. On the mound, he displayed the poise and power that has become his trademark. His fastball, touching the high 90s, was complemented by his devastating splitter that had batters swinging helplessly. He struck out 10 hitters in a masterful 7-inning performance, controlling the pace and rhythm of the game. His pitching alone was a performance worthy of recognition, but Ohtani was far from finished.

At the plate, Ohtani delivered a swing that fans would talk about for years. In the third inning, with the game tied and the bases loaded, he crushed a ball deep into the left-center field stands for a grand slam—his first of the season in this pivotal moment. The crowd erupted, and the entire stadium seemed to vibrate with the energy of the home run. It was a moment that encapsulated his power, his presence, and his unmatched versatility.

With his team cruising to victory, 8-2, Ohtani’s legacy was no longer just about a single season or a single game. This was the epitome of a career in progress—a career that has seen the 29-year-old rewrite the record books, combining elite pitching and hitting in a way that may never be duplicated again. His name is already synonymous with greatness, and as he walked off the field to a standing ovation, the whispers began: "Is this enough for the Hall of Fame?"

The answer, at least for now, is "yes." Following the game, Ohtani was officially placed on the 50/50 list, a distinction given to players who have exhibited extraordinary excellence in both hitting and pitching. It's a rare honor—one that only the most legendary players in history can claim. And for Ohtani, it’s another milestone in what promises to be one of the greatest careers in the sport's history.

“I’m just honored to play the game I love,” Ohtani said in his post-game interview, a humble response to a night that felt like the final stamp on his Hall of Fame credentials. “This is a team sport, and I’m just happy we were able to come out on top and win together. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”

As Ohtani’s team celebrated their championship victory, the baseball world took a collective pause to reflect on what this moment meant. It was more than just a win—it was the realization that we are witnessing a player whose impact on the game transcends numbers, moments, and records. Shohei Ohtani is not just a two-way player; he is a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon whose place in Cooperstown is now all but assured.

That night, Shohei Ohtani cemented his legacy—not just as a championship winner, but as one of the greatest to ever play the game.