The internet apologizes

In a well-intentioned initiative gone wrong, current and former employees at Wells Fargo have come forward with details on how the bank carried out its diversity and inclusion efforts: fake interviews . Joe Bruno, a former executive at Wells Fargo, is one of seven individuals who have spoken up about a troubling system wherein they were instructed by direct bosses or HR managers to hold interviews for “ diverse ” candidates — which the bank defined as women and people of color — for positions that had already been filled. The individuals who have spoken out were either told to give the interviews, aware of the practice or helped arrange it. The practice seemed to be a vehicle to record diversity efforts on paper, rather than carrying them out in reality. Bruno, who has since been fired from the bank, told The New York Times that he shared his concerns about the system with his superiors, stating that the practice was “inappropriate, morally wrong, ethically wrong.” … [Read more...] about Fake Job Interviews: The Dark Side of Wells Fargo’s ‘Diversity’ Efforts

Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Getty Images On Wednesday, the Washington Post ’s Taylor Lorenz reported on the disastrous rollout of the Department of Homeland Security’s Disinformation Governance Board. Announced on April 27 with a hazy remit to “coordinate countering misinformation related to homeland security,” the initiative generated immediate fierce backlash from conservative pundits and politicians who compared it to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s 1984 . The expert tapped to lead the board, Nina Jankowicz , faced a wave of ferocious, viral, and often personal attacks online as well as scrutiny over her past statements seeming to betray her partisan sympathies. Now, just three weeks later, the Disinformation Governance Board is no more, and Jankowicz has resigned. According to Lorenz and her sources (other disinformation researchers, as well as staffers in DHS and on the Hill), Jankowicz was taken down “by the very forces she dedicated her … [Read more...] about The Liberal Obsession With ‘Disinformation’ Is Not Helping

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — One of the largest tech conferences in the country is underway in Minneapolis. About 10,000 people from around the world are gathering in U.S. Bank Stadium for VeeCon. Dozens gathered outside the stadium Friday morning as early as 2:40 a.m. to get their hands on limited edition merchandise available to the public at 8 a.m. RELATED: VeeCon Brings Thousands, Including Some Big Celebs, To Downtown Minneapolis The conference brings people together to talk about the future of technology, specifically about NFTs or non-fungible tokens, the blockchain and the world of cryptocurrency. Well-known artists, entrepreneurs and celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Pharrell and Spike Lee will be at the conference to talk about how NFTs are changing their respective industries. There was an event Thursday night to showcase Minnesota entrepreneurs, everything from local food, beer and wine. Greater MSP said this conference is the perfect way to show off the best of what … [Read more...] about Large Tech Conference, VeeCon, Underway In Minneapolis

Click here to read the full article. Right now, the name Chris Rock is synonymous with one thing: The Slap at the March 27 Oscars. However, Rock’s career is a lot more varied than that one incident, though there are several clues in his work leading up to that moment. May 20 marks the 35th anniversary of his movie debut as a parking valet in the 1987 “Beverly Hills Cop 2.” More from Variety Chris Rock Shares Controversial Take on Depp-Heard Trial: 'Believe All Women Except Amber Heard' Not So Fast Will Smith, Chris Rock and the Academy: There Are More People Who Deserve Apologies (Column) Ricky Gervais Defends Chris Rock's Oscars Joke by Mocking Alopecia: My Hair's 'Going Thin, So I'm Disabled' Variety ’s review described it as “noisy, numbing, unimaginative” and didn’t mention Rock. A year later, however, he got a shout-out in the Dec. 9, 1988, review of “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” with Variety enthusing, “Chris Rock turns a walk-on into a … [Read more...] about The Big Break: Chris Rock Made Film Debut in ‘Beverly Hills Cop 2’ 35 Years Ago

The actor who played the Red Power Ranger in the hit ‘90s TV series has been charged for his alleged role in a fraud scheme that raked in $3.5 million meant for businesses struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Justice announced. Austin St. John, whose legal name is Jason Lawrence Geiger, 47, was indicted last week in Texas, charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was one of 18 people indicted in the scheme which allegedly defrauded lenders and the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to receive loans they used for personal expenses, according to the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s office's news release Wednesday. Billions in pandemic relief funds lost to fraud March 28, 2022 03:47 All were arrested or summoned for a court appearance, the release said. Altogether the group is accused of fraudulently obtaining 16 loans totaling at least $3.5 million, officials … [Read more...] about Red Power Ranger actor charged in multimillion-dollar PPP Covid relief fraud scheme

An assignment depicting Barack Obama, the nation's first Black president, next to monkeys and other animals prompted a private school in Michigan to place a teacher on leave. The incident occurred at The Roeper School, which advertises itself as a school for gifted students from throughout the region. The school has campuses in Bloomfield Hills, which is about 25 miles northwest of Detroit, and another in nearby Birmingham. The teacher works at the Birmingham campus, the school said Friday in a statement to NBC News. NBC affiliate WDIV of Detroit reported the teacher, who was not named, asked students in an assignment: “Which of the following are primates?" The evolution schoolwork depicted Obama alongside several animals including monkeys. “On behalf of Roeper School’s leadership, we want to acknowledge the disturbing racial offense contained in an assignment with an upper school class last week. The choice to use this piece of curriculum was completely inconsistent … [Read more...] about Assignment that depicts Barack Obama next to monkeys prompts school to place teacher on leave