Known globally for its strong influence on the media and entertainment industry, Walt Disney, and more specifically CEO Bob Iger, recently took Musk’s criticism of the company’s content and approach to diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI).
Musk ironically shared his excitement over his “new role” in a post yesterday, on the occasion of International Joke Day.
Excited to join @Disney as their Chief DEI Officer.
Can’t wait to work with Bob Iger & Kathleen Kennedy to make their content MORE woke!
Even the linguini.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 1, 2024
“Excited to join @Disney as their Chief DEI Officer. Can’t wait to work with Bob Iger & Kathleen Kennedy to make their content MORE woke! Even the linguini”, wrote Musk in X.
In less than a day, the tweet garnered hundreds of thousands of likes and comments.
]]>Web application testing, desktop and mobile QA are more common areas for QA professionals, while game testing, security and automation are more narrowly focused. Regardless of the direction you want to take, each path has its unique requirements, although many of the skills overlap.
Today, we’re going to cover the most important tips for getting started as a QA professional, according to Master Born.
1. Know the basics that QA professionals use
Before you embark on this career adventure, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with what others will want from you as a QA professional.
– SQL Fundamentals – Regardless of which position you choose, you should know the SQL basics, which are a must for everyone. The ability to extract data from a structured database is essential to verify that a piece of code is secure and stable.
– Knowledge of SDLC – As someone who is just starting their career or transitioning from another, different job, you need to know the software development life cycle or SLDC. Knowing the difference between Waterfall and Agile, as well as some of the Agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, can win you your dream job during an interview.
– GIT Basics – GIT is a version control system that you can use to share code with your team. GitHub, GitLab, and BitBucket are the programs that are used in most of the industry. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the basic commands and gain insight into the software.
– Soft Skills – Non-technical skills are just as important as technical skills. Highly skilled candidates who cannot work in a team face a lot of competition from less experienced candidates who can, however, work in a team. Among the most sought-after soft skills are: communication, willingness to learn, ability to prioritize, and time management.
2. Know the responsibilities of the QA specialist
A QA specialist ensures software quality before its launch. Beyond testing for bugs, they often spend up to half their time on tasks like documentation, reporting, and process improvement. Understanding test documentation terms like test case, scenario, run, cycle, and plan is crucial. Bug reporting basics are essential too, covered in certification courses. Learning tools like BrowserStack simplifies testing across various devices.
3. Information sources
Let’s not forget that the technological world is one of the fastest growing and the knowledge we have today may not be relevant tomorrow. To build a successful career as a QA professional you need to read constantly and use different but reliable sources of information. This could be different YouTube channels where there are a number of podcasts and videos on QA topics. Other sources of information include ChatGPT and Udemy, which offers several courses for testers to increase their working knowledge, which we think is worth it. There is a lot of valuable knowledge in them that are organized very well.
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Sam Altman
Today we will introduce you to the path and story of Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI and also a venture capitalist. You will find out who he really is and how it all begins.
Who is Sam Altman?
Sam Altman is an American entrepreneur and investor. From a young age, he was fascinated by computers and programming. A curious fact is that at the age of 8, he already knows how to write code and disassemble computers, reported The New Yorker.
Career path
Sam Altman started his career as an app developer. Enrolled to study Computer Science at Stanford University. Drops out of university just before receiving his degree. The reason for this is his goal to create his company together with his colleagues. A little later, he managed to realize this venture of his.
First steps in entrepreneurship and the technological world
The first startup he created was Loopt. This application skyrockets his career. Loopt was created in 2005 and allowed smartphone owners to share their location with other users of their choice. However, in 2012, the founders sold the company to Green Dot Corporation for $43.4 million.
For a period of time, Sam Altman gave up running technology companies and ventured into the management of a venture capital company that finances startups.
It is interesting that the famous programmer and entrepreneur who co-founded Y Combinator, Paul Graham, chose Sam Altman as his successor in 2014. The move puts Altman on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list. Y Combinator invests in companies like Airbnb, (which is valued at $105.82 billion) and Dropbox, (which is valued at $8.31 billion).
Creation of OpenAI, purpose and goals of the company
The young entrepreneur stepped down as a president of Y Combinator to focus his efforts entirely on OpenAI. An interesting fact is that the company, established in 2015, was originally a non-profit research center. It was later transformed into a “capped profit company”.
It is curious that Microsoft invested more than $10 billion dollars in the company led by Altman.
OpenAI aims to create artificial general intelligence (AGI) that is either equal to human intelligence or smarter than humans. However, this decision is sparking wide-ranging discussions among experts, tech industry leaders, politicians, investors, and citizens alike, as it raises the question of how AI might be regulated.
AI regulation
The American entrepreneur calls for a worldwide systemic regulation of AI, saying that the regulation of this field is still in the initial stage of discussions, and it is time to move on to actions.
“We think that regulatory intervention by governments will be critical to mitigate the risks of increasingly powerful models”, Sam Altman told the Senate Oversight Committee.
According to the CEO, AI will affect all of us, so world leaders need to come together and start taking steps towards regulating this area.
“A misaligned superintelligent AGI could cause grievous harm to the world”, added the founder of Open AI.
In conclusion, Sam Altman considers that education is one of the key areas where AI can be useful. He believes strongly in the idea that everyone will be able to improve the quality of their lives thanks to the limitless possibilities that AI provides.
]]>In a clip shared on X, Zuckerberg and Chan are seen complimenting the groom-to-be on the watch he wears on his wrist.
Mark Zuckerberg & his wife Priscilla was surprised to see Anant Ambani's watch. Anant was seen carrying beautiful audemars piguet royal oak open worked skeleton worth INR 14 crore. 🤑#AnantRadhikaWedding | #AnantAmbani pic.twitter.com/DEql5XFWUA
— Radhika Chaudhary (@Radhika8057) March 3, 2024
“This watch is fantastic,” Chan said, and shortly afterwards Zuckerberg added, “I know, I already told him.”
Zuckerberg then explains that although he’s not a fan of watches, Ambani’s has changed his mind.
This weekend, the CEO and his better half shared beautiful footage on Instagram from the three-day pre-wedding celebration. The couple shared a few behind-the-scenes shots of their outfits.
In the picture, Zuckerberg is seen wearing a blazer with gold dragonfly embellishments and a Sunderbans Tigress shirt by Rahul Mishra Couture. Priscilla Chan opted for a black dress with gold flowers that accentuated her figure.
“Love an Indian wedding. Congrats to Anant and Radhika!”, wrote Zuckerberg under the photo.
The couple changed several outfits during the celebration. In a subsequent post of the Meta founder, he wore a wildlife-patterned shirt and crisp white trousers, while his wife opted for a long, snake-print role again.
Other guests in attendance include the names of Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, Hillary Clinton, members of the royal family of Bhutan and more.
Read more:
1. From Crazy School Dream to Reality, The Inspiring Story of Melanie Perkins
2. How to Burst the Toxic Bubble in Work IT Culture?
3. ChatGPT Now Reads Cooking Recipes While Walking Around the Kitchen
Every one of us has been in toxic environments in both our personal and professional lives. Toxic partners, toxic friends, toxic colleagues, and why not toxic relatives. Toxicity is poison. A poison that slowly kills our mood, our productivity and our desire for anything. Breaking away from this environment and setting boundaries may be the lifeline you need. And although it seems so simple in words, the truth is that it takes a lot of courage and determination to say “END”.
But how and when to say “NO” to things and people that don’t make us happy, but on the contrary – make us feel bad. To those who drink the last drop of energy from us?
Yes, life is not rosy, although some look at it through rose-colored glasses from time to time to make it seem less complicated than it actually is. Every one of us experiences ups and downs. We go through difficult moments, but we also experience many beautiful and happy ones.
And even though finding your dream job and the perfect partner are very outdated clichés that a sober-minded person wouldn’t believe or wait for, that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to find “The One” and be happy.
But is it possible that we love our work but the toxic atmosphere and culture of the workplace makes us feel nervous, anxious, stressed, and unproductive? To have your heart clench as you commute to work and begin to experience constant feelings of depression and anxiety that you carry home? When is it time to burst the toxic work atmosphere bubble before it becomes the norm?
Stay tuned because today we’re going to look at the TOP 5 signs of a toxic work atmosphere and culture and how to deal with them according to career consultant Ellie Bohemond.
Lack of boundaries at work
According to Eli Bohemond, toxic cultures often make it normal and glorify a lack of healthy boundaries, pushing you to prioritize work over everything else. However, this leads to a very serious burnout and severe consequences afterwards. In some companies, employees are often expected to stay after work to finish some tasks or answer emails over the weekend.
People don’t trust each other
In a toxic work environment, the lack of trust between colleagues is palpable. Bohemond gives the example of an organization in which the management team’s offices face the desks of employees, allowing them to monitor each employee’s activities. Or a work environment in which managers are constantly calling people on the team to check in on what they are doing.
The interpersonal relationships between employees
The dynamics between people are lacking in vitality and this is clearly evident from observing interactions in the workplace, says Bohemond. He suggests that one can recognize emotional well-being in the workplace by observing how people interact with each other. Are they exchanging smiles and pleasant conversations as they make their morning coffee, or do most people seem indifferent, eyes glued to their phone screens. Do they share humor and memes on Slack, or do their messages carry an undercurrent of disdain? “The overall atmosphere and body language of people convey the atmosphere of the workplace,” he notes.
There is no support for employee development
According to Bohemond, many people in toxic jobs have to fend for themselves because there is no mentoring or support to help them develop. This particularly affects entry-level employees – who are left alone in such a workplace, leading to demotivation and frustration – as well as employees from marginalized communities, who typically receive very little support to turn their potential into growth opportunities anyway.
No room for mistakes
It’s human to make mistakes, especially when you’re new and inexperienced. However, there are companies where it is strictly forbidden to make mistakes, whether you are a senior or junior employee. In such an environment, people start doing everything they can to avoid being blamed and to get ahead of their colleagues – for example, not sharing work-related information with teammates or passing the blame to colleagues if something goes wrong.
This type of culture can be particularly toxic. A constant sense of superiority and perfection would lead to nothing good except more stressful situations and depressed employees.
Now that you know what the basic signs of a work culture are, it’s time to share with you how to burst that toxic bubble and move forward without more stress and depression.
In broad terms, you’re faced with two possibilities: endure the toxic environment or depart. While it might seem straightforward, the reality is staying may be necessary, at least for a time, for various reasons. Perhaps an immediate departure isn’t feasible due to financial constraints, or alternative opportunities in your field are scarce. Additionally, your current company might provide unique benefits—such as remote work in an industry slow to adopt it, or a significant childcare subsidy essential for your family’s financial stability—that add complexity to the decision-making process.
Bohemond recommends looking inward and asking yourself questions like:
How do I react when confronted with toxic behavior?
What role can I play to change the situation?
What is preventing me from leaving?
If you still don’t want to quit because, despite the environment, you like the job and the conditions are good, then take a sabbatical and rest for a while. During this time you can indulge in time with friends and family, walks in nature and do the things that distract and give you pleasure. It’s also a good idea to talk to a psychologist about your condition, it can be very helpful.
Remember that the power lies within and the best is yet to come!
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Melanie Perkins
Have you ever wondered what is the history of the very popular platform in our country that we often use in our daily life to create designs, namely – Canva? Today we will tell you where the idea for creating this tool came from.
Melanie Perkins is a 36-year-old tech entrepreneur from Australia and one of the CEOs of the free-to-use platform.
The Idea
Perkins founded the company in 2013 with the goal of making design as accessible and easy to the audience as possible. With a few clicks, anyone can quickly create a presentation, logo, resume, business card or social media post.
“Our goal was to integrate the entire design ecosystem into one page and then make it available to the whole world,” commented the founder.
How does it all begin?
Interestingly, even at the age of 19, she understood that platforms like Microsoft and Adobe offer design tools that are extremely difficult to work with. It takes months for trainees to get used to working with these tools.
Melanie realized she could make an income teaching design to students, doing everything she could to make the process as easy as possible.
Together with his partner, Cliff Obrecht, they decided to start a small business creating yearbooks for schools. They call it Fusion Books.
“My mom’s living room became my office, and my friend became my business partner, and we started enabling schools to create their yearbooks quickly and easily,” explains Perkins.
This business remains active to this day. This turns out to be the first successful step of the young girl. Then she embarks on the bigger challenge of searching for investors.
Fate meets the young lady with Bill Tye, an investor from Silicon Valley, who invites Perkins to present his idea in San Francisco. The meeting was a success because he was impressed with her idea and began connecting her with other potential investors.
A curious fact is that making contacts does not seem so easy for the young founder. Bill Tye happens to be an avid kitesurfer and wants to introduce Perkins and Obrecht to his place for investors and kitesurfing enthusiasts.
Therefore, the young couple has to start practicing this sport in order to have the chance to create some business contacts.
The new adventure with kitesurfing, however, reflected favorably, because Perkins and Obrecht found investors and managed to build the design platform “Canva”.
A year later, the site allows users to create their own designs online for free.
Entrepreneurial spirit with a noble heart
In 2021, the value of the entire company is estimated at 40 billion dollars, Forbes writes.
Perkins and Obrecht each own 18% of the company. They make a noble decision, sharing that they are transferring 80% of their shares to the foundation for charitable causes they founded “CANVA FOUNDATION LIMITED”.
In addition, the platform attracts 60 million users per month. 500,000 of those are from companies like Intel and Zoom, which pay to use the freemium software the platform offers. Also “Canva” is used in 190 countries around the world in over 100 languages.
Melanie Perkins’ Plan for Success
“If it was all about building wealth, that would be the most uninspiring thing I can imagine,” says Melanie Perkins.
The strategy for success that the young lady shares with everyone consists of two points. First, build one of the most valuable companies in the world, and second: Do as much good as possible for the world.
Read more:
1. ServiceNow, Hugging Face and NVIDIA Release StarCoder2 for Developers
2. The GitHub Version of Copilot Enterprise is Now Available
3. Mark Zuckerberg Met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
“Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!”
—
John Bogle
Books are among the best sources of information, in whose pages there is gathered valuable knowledge and advice that would be of great help to us – both in our personal lives and at work. Regardless of which field we want to develop in, it is always a good idea to add books as part of the path of growth, personal self-improvement and the key “weapons” that would launch us to the top of our career.
And if we choose to immerse ourselves in the world of finance, when it comes to understanding it, rest assured that few solutions are easier, cheaper or more impactful than educating ourselves with the help of a great investing book. Money affects everything we do, so learning how to invest properly early on can make a huge difference in your ultimate success.
It’s important to learn investment terminology. You’ll want to understand the difference between a stock and a bond, how cryptocurrency works, how inflation affects investments, the role of risk tolerance, and how tax efficiency can increase portfolio returns.
Equally important is understanding what money does and doesn’t do for a person seeking to maximize their wealth for future life events. This includes how we interact with money, how family experiences can shape our investment outlook, and how significant debt can be a barrier to achieving our life goals.
Today, we’ll look at a list of the TOP 5 books on investing to read right now.
“The Intelligent Investor”
Author: Benjamin Graham
Originally published in 1949, The Intelligent Investor was long considered the only book you should read to learn the principles of investing. Topics in the book include the concepts of long-term investing and Graham’s philosophy of value investing, giving it a place on every serious investor’s bookshelf. Graham is known not only for his status as the father of value investing, but also for his guidance to the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Warren Buffett, who used Graham’s principles to become arguably the best investor of all time.
“Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger”
Author: Charles T. Munger
Charles Munger, better known as Charlie Munger, may not be familiar to most investors, but his longtime friend and business partner Warren Buffett should be. For decades, Munger was Buffett’s right-hand man, running the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate and holding company. Considered one of the sharpest business minds of the 20th and 21st centuries. This book is based on 11 lectures Munger gave between 1986 and 2007.
“The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns”
Author: John C. Bogle
Bogle was the late founder of The Vanguard Group and creator of the first index mutual fund. He is known for his principle of investing with purpose, maintaining a long-term goal and reducing internal fees as much as possible. He was also a proponent of dollar cost averaging, a method of consistent and patient investing. Through his book, the reader will understand the differences between prudent investing and speculation. It should come as no surprise that one of the overarching conclusions is that low-cost index funds – Vanguard’s specialty – are a sensible move for most investors.
“A Beginner’s Guide to the Stock Market: Everything You Need to Start Making Money Today”
Author: Matthew R. Kratter
Released in 2019, this book provides a guide for those embarking on their investment journey. Delve into the process of setting up a brokerage account and making your inaugural investment. Authored by Kratter, a former hedge fund manager with firsthand experience of the 2008 market crash. The book equips readers with insights crucial for navigating contemporary market turbulence. It particularly shines in illuminating common pitfalls encountered by beginners.
“Rich Dad Poor Dad”
Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki
For over 25 years, “Rich Dad Poor Dad” has dominated the bestseller lists, narrating Robert Kiyosaki’s personal journey with his two father figures: his own father, portrayed as the “poor dad,” and his friend’s father, the “rich dad.” Through these contrasting experiences, Kiyosaki elucidates strategies for wealth accumulation. The book emphasizes the notion that wealth isn’t solely about affluence but rather about making your money work effectively for you, regardless of your starting point.
If you found this article interesting, stay tuned on Thursday when we will present PART TWO of the best books on investing.
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2. Microsoft Graph Toolkit 4.0 Now Available
3. Top 8 Best C++ Books for Beginners
On December 30 last year, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, posted a video on X to announce that his latest video was available on YouTube.
Donaldson had uploaded a 20-minute video to YouTube describing how he spent a week in solitary confinement. Similar videos in which Donaldson challenges himself or some person to an extreme task are the culprits he has gained worldwide fame.
MrBeast earned around $82 million in 2023 and has over 225 million subscribers on his main channel, making him the biggest name on the platform.
It’s no secret that Musk has been trying to get users interested in videos on the platform for quite some time now.
His attempts included a media partnership with Paris Hilton – which has since been terminated, as well as streaming shows from people like former Fox star Tucker Carlson.
Elon Musk, in collaboration with CEO Linda Iaccarino, aims to enhance revenue by introducing premium subscription services on the platform. These services, among other features, grant users the ability to display a “verified” status and send direct messages to other accounts.
These measures were implemented in response to the departure of several advertisers from the platform due to concerns about their brands being associated with unregulated content.
In an effort to include MrBeast’s content on the platform, Musk’s proposal, not limited to exclusivity, was turned down by the creator. Donaldson responded courteously to Musk, explaining that his videos require significant investment, and even if they were to garner a billion views on X, it wouldn’t cover a fraction of the production costs. However, he expressed a willingness to explore options once monetization proves to be successful.
This gracious response stands in contrast to Donaldson’s previous keen interest in Twitter. Interestingly, his bio still identifies him as the “X Super Official CEO,” a nod to earlier speculation about who would assume the day-to-day management of the platform amid Musk’s busy schedule.
]]>7 recommendations from Dale Carnegie for high-performing TECH teams
Establish a Clear Purpose and Vision
To ensure team members comprehend how their skills and tasks contribute to the broader objectives, teams must define a clear purpose and vision. Dale Carnegie suggests breaking down overarching goals into smaller milestones, facilitating progress tracking, discussions, and performance enhancements.
Bridge Perception Gaps in Productivity, Satisfaction, and Culture
Highlighting a Microsoft report, the study reveals a significant perception gap—87% of employees feel productive, whereas only 12% of CEOs share this belief. To address this disparity, the recommendation is to enhance leaders’ understanding of individual employee experiences. Closing this gap is crucial, as leaders may overlook improvement opportunities and neglect genuine team needs.
Comprehend Factors Contributing to Team Satisfaction
The report underscores the correlation between satisfaction and high performance. Eighty-nine percent of high-performing teams express being “very or extremely satisfied,” compared to 65% among non-high performers. Key drivers of team satisfaction include collaboration, group participation, and trust. Notably, growth opportunities, cooperation, and the ability to share ideas stand out as differentiators between higher and lower-performing teams.
Promote Effective Team Communication
Effectively communicating a clear purpose and vision across the organization is essential for fostering teamwork. The report emphasizes that a collective understanding through effective communication helps teams align with the purpose and vision, offering additional motivation during high-stress situations or heavy workloads, ultimately bolstering resilience.
Embrace Adaptability
Adaptability enables teams to navigate ongoing workplace changes successfully. The report highlights that 74% of teams surpassing their goals attribute their success to good access to training and development materials. The organizational culture should integrate a commitment to continuous development, emphasizing empowerment. Team members should feel equipped with the necessary skills and empowered to contribute productively to their work and collaborate with colleagues.
Foster Collaboration and Cross-Functionality
Dale Carnegie posits that successful teams thrive on coworkers who share a positive attitude and understand each other’s roles. The research indicates that as team interaction frequency decreases, so does the likelihood of being a high-performing team. In the evolving landscape of flexible work models like fractional work, role sharing, and matrixed teams, the importance of collaboration and cross-functionality becomes even more pronounced.
Culture Remains Irreplaceable by Technology
With the integration of tools such as generative AI, natural language processing, and VR/AR into the workplace, teams should bear in mind that “technology plays a supportive role in shaping and empowering high-performing teams, rather than a primary one.”
Dale Carnegie suggests that while exploring the implications of these new technologies within a team, there should also be a parallel consideration of opportunities to enhance the team’s culture.
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“Creative teams have toiled hard all year to deliver break-through holiday campaigns and tap into consumers’ heightened intent to purchase. Sadly, the impact of their work is minimised by the last executional leg of the journey: adapting creative assets to align them to the digital media environments they’re intended for” said Anastasia Leng, founder and CEO of CreativeX.
“These small tweaks increase an ad’s Creative Quality Score and media effectiveness, and during a year of heightened budget scrutiny, it may just give marketing teams something to be joyful about”, she continued.
The analysis, which estimates more than 3.9 million ads from 2021-2022 from more than 400 brands across 10 different industries, including retail, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods, found that brands spent more than $600 million globally on ads that are not digitally relevant during the critical time of year for marketers.
It predicts that more than $73 billion will be spent on digitally sub-optimal ads in the fourth quarter of 2023.
A previous study conducted by CreativeX found that in 2020 and 2021, more than 50% of digital ad spend will be invested in image and video ads that are not optimized for the digital environment ($700 million out of $1.2 million). A year later, almost as much budget was spent in the fourth quarter alone.
For many bros, the last quarter of the year represents more than 50% of their annual revenue and a disproportionate share of their annual media budget (approximately 30% of total global ad spend). This is a crucial opportunity for brands to attract consumers as purchase intent peaks during the Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas holidays.
Considerable sums are allocated to ads that lack branding in the crucial first three to five seconds—the average viewing duration of a digital video. Additionally, these ads are frequently formatted incorrectly and neglect essential features such as subtitles or supers. In an environment where over 90% of videos are watched without sound, these are basic creative quality criteria proven to enhance performance on digital platforms.
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