2026-04-06 21:01:04
The Latest Blows to Iran's Leadership (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/world/middleeast/killings-iran-leadership.html
http://www.memeorandum.com/260406/p72#a260406p72
The Latest Blows to Iran's Leadership (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/world/middleeast/killings-iran-leadership.html
http://www.memeorandum.com/260406/p72#a260406p72
Memo: Xbox CEO Asha Sharma overhauls the group's leadership, including bringing over executives from Microsoft's CoreAI engineering unit where she worked before (Jordan Novet/CNBC)
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/05/microsoft-xbox-ceo-asha-sharma-e…
Wow, I'd vote for this man as President of Europe. Touching all the important subjects from clean energy, climate, sovereignty and the future of the EU..
Fantastic episode of Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change: Europe Needs Clean Tech More Than Ever | Ep 255: Thomas Pellerin-Carlin
Episode webpage: https://cleaning-up-leadership-in-the-age-of-climate-change.simplecast.com/episodes/europe-needs-clean-tech-more-than-ever-thomas-pellerin-carlin-wRuC7BTZ
Media file: https://cdn.simplecast.com/media/audio/transcoded/1796ff5d-0d22-4966-9fd8-da0df0f428ed/eb655335-db6e-4db4-a129-f0caea91093d/episodes/audio/group/d14bfb1a-ca7f-4d6e-a42c-4d65f2c8ee54/group-item/aacee0b0-135e-4002-ab59-dfa5923c7832/128_default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=j3au6_cC
Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that he wanted to make acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche’s leadership of the Department of Justice permanent.
The president said he thought the confirmation of his onetime personal defense attorney would go “very quickly,” according to a video posted from the dinner.
But early indications suggest that the process could be anything but.
Blanche, who assumed his current role after Trump fired former Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi in April, has been the …
Some CNN staffers are worried about mismanagement, along with political interference, if CBS News' current leadership takes control following Paramount takeover (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/04/05/trump-cnn-at…
"In Iran, social etiquette - Taarof - is the backbone of society, built on mutual respect and the absolute avoidance of public shame. When Trump stooped to gutter-level profanity, he wasn't talking tough. He’s proving to the Iranian leadership, and the Iranian people, that he is a man of no character."
Trump may have signed his own death sentence with this imbecilic outburst - Raw Story
https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/trump-iran-allah/
Kolton Miller's Leadership Going Long Way in Raiders' New System https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi/las-vegas-kolton-miller-leadership-going-long-way-new-system
After grantee reveals data center’s influence campaign in Pennsylvania, local officials oust town leadership - The Fund for Investigative Journalism https://fij.org/after-grantee-reveals-data-centers-influence-campaign-in-…
Well-Led Schools
Covering all things teacher wellbeing, school leadership and culture building - you'll walk away with ideas and recommendations on ways to evolve your leadership, create a mentally healthy workplace and ultimately influence the lives and learning of our students...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://…
“Instead of assuming the worst, it’s important to recognize the pain and fear that might be behind someone’s decision to stay silent or speak loudly. Honoring each other’s need for safety helps build a conversation on shared humanity rather than tension.”
—Lauren Maxwell ‘25 M.Div, ‘26 S.T.M. in this Yale News article on the university’s Cultivating Conversation program.
When I got in to tech, things felt fragile. After years of trying to fix things, I spent more years feeling as though the information apocalypse was immanent. Everywhere I turned, something was broken horribly. I can't even count the number of times I've just had to be like, "oh fuck. That's really bad. I knew it was bad, but like... oh fuck."
We have *all* had our identity stolen. I don't even know how many times my social security number has been in a data breach. How many of my medical records are on the market? But yeah, sure, let's accelerate that.
The problem was never that we couldn't find problems. The problem has always been "leadership" being unwilling to invest in fixing them. The problem has always been this mind-set of growth-at-any-cost.
I tuck these things away in my brain, and they sit there gnawing on my sanity, like little RFK worms.
Friday Links 26-18
Again a few good podcasts, I especially liked the one about The Pre-Training Wall and the Mythical Man Month.
https://christof.damian.net/2026/06/friday-links-26-18.html
White House is expected to shake up more leadership roles at Justice Department, sources say (Sarah N. Lynch/CBS News)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-shake-up-more-leadership-roles-justice-department/
http://www.memeorandum.com/260404/p51#a260404p51
4 models, 5 years, 8 institutes, 20 coauthors under the brilliant leadership of @drgilbz.bsky.social @hofsteengemarte.bsky.social @… Abraham Torres Alavez: The
evaluation of the #polarRES Antarctic climate model ensemble is finally published Great working with you all team!
And now for the Arctic...
https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/20/2629/2026/
In war, rhetoric matters. The violence of Trump’s language represents a consistent and central aspect of his approach to international relations.
The White House seems to believe that hostile and threatening language,
paired with the use of overwhelming force,
represents an effective approach to global leadership, one that will force other countries to bend to the United States’ will.
The reality, however, is that while threats can sometimes get results,
Trump’s l…
"Every system has exactly one constraint. One bottleneck. The throughput of your entire system is determined by the throughput of that bottleneck. Nothing else matters until you fix the bottleneck.
That's the part most people get. Here's the part they don't, and it's the part that should scare you:
When you optimise a step that is not the bottleneck, you don't get a faster system. You get a more broken one."
Professor Victor Chang Named Cybersecurity Professional of the Year
<https://www.avantgardenews.com/news/professor-victor-chang-wins-top-cybersecurity-award-20260504>
"… for his leadership in responsible AI. The award r…
You should have seen this coming. Once you start excluding, the in-group tends to shrink.
Pentagon Good Friday Service Excluding Catholics Sparks Religious Bias Concerns Amid Broader Criticism Over Leadership Purge https://ground.news/article/huffposts-attempt-to-create-a-good-friday-outrage-cycle-about-pete-hegseth-is-bad-even-for-them
RE: https://c.im/@cdarwin/116678323538277138
If you follow me on Bluesky you know that I rant about the leadership of that site all the time, but blaming users for preferring that site isn’t a winning strategy to convince them to try other sites (like Mastodon)
Source: YC owns ~0.6% of OpenAI, which was seeded by a YC offshoot called YC Research in 2016; at OpenAI's current $852B valuation, the stake is worth $5B (John Gruber/Daring Fireball)
https://daringfireball.net/2026/05/y_combinators_stake_in_openai
Police chiefs failed to tackle racism due to lack of leadership, watchdog finds | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/01/police-chiefs-failed-to-tackle-racism-due-to-lack-of-leadership-watchdog-fi…
NASA Says Farewell to MAVEN Mars Mission, Hosts Media Call Today: #MAVEN mission leadership and experts to provide an update to mission operation's at Mars and discuss the mission's accomplishments at 18:00 UTC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WALToxcMjo
Raiders' Rob Leonard 'Going To Do It His Way' https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi/las-vegas-rob-leonard-going-do-his-way
Ranking NFL's 12 new coach-QB duos: Where do Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson rank with new coaches?
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-coach-quarterback-rankings-2026/
"AI and Digital Leadership: Transforming Libraries, Archives, and Museums for the Future": Interview-Podcast mit der Autorin: https://newbooksnetwork.com/ai-and-digital-leadership
Das Buch "explores how galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs) are na…
Source: CBS News fired Scott Pelley hours after he met Tuesday with Bari Weiss, Nick Bilton, Tom Cibrowski, and CBS HR over his criticism of new leadership (Brian Stelter/CNN)
http://www.cnn.com/2026/06/02/media/scott-pelley-60-minutes-cbs-…
Leadership Matters
Join Prime Ministers, CEOs, and industry pioneers as they reveal their personal struggles and leadership triumphs...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.greataustralianpods.com/leadership-matters/
Totally normal Presidential leadership.
✅ Trump to Netanyahu in call on Israel striking Lebanon: "You're fucking crazy"
https://www.axios.com/2026/06/01/trump-netanyahu-israel-lebanon-call
I'm a humanities scholar. I got into this racket to read and write and every once in a while geek out with other loners. FFS, the goal was never "leadership opportunities."
Raiders' Rob Leonard 'Going To Do It His Way' https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi/las-vegas-rob-leonard-going-do-his-way
30.000 people laid off...to build datacenters...
"The layoffs are directly tied to Oracle’s aggressive and debt-heavy expansion into artificial intelligence infrastructure. According to analysis from TD Cowen, the job cuts are expected to free up between $8 billion and $10 billion in cash flow — money the company urgently needs to fund a massive buildout of AI data centers."
The US under the leadership of Darth #Trump has lost the war against Iran; worse still, it has also lost its sphere of influence in the Middle East; just as, due to its naive friendship with #Putin, it is in the process of completely squandering its sphere of influence in Europe and NATO.
In the end, the
Brave Feminine Leadership
Sharing stories from amazing leaders just like you and me. Breaking down myths of leadership, imposter syndrome and helping us all be braver...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.greataustralianpods.com/brave-feminine-lead…
Patrick Fischer ist ziemlich ungeeignet, über Leadership Reden zu halten. Sein Vergehen hat viel damit zu tun, wie wichtig er sich selbst und wie wenig wichtig ihm die Gesundheit seines Teams war. Disqualifiziert.
https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/patrick-fischer-ex-nationaltrainer-spricht-nach-entlassung-795206581568
I will be speaking on Sunday at BSides on "Power Dynamics in Security Leadership: a legato leitmotif lullaby on leading lightly and luminously"
Sunday 4:25pm, AMC Theatre 12
#BSidesSF
I largely dismiss claims like this from NYT:
https://bsky.app/profile/nytimespr.bsky.social/post/3mi2n44glbk2y
…given reporting showing its leadership has pushed an anti-trans agenda:
“'A Directive From Above': Former NYT Editor Lays Out How Th…
Well, Jings.
#Starmer has chosen today of all days to send TWENTY SIX more toffs to the House of Lords.
OK, it seems that this bunch of chancers are 'procedural'. but... Read the room, man, read the room.
@… I think the question remains: Have the needs of GitHub and MS leadership aligned?
I fear not.
US Image Declines in Many Nations Amid Low Confidence in Trump | Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/06/11/us-image-declines-in-many-nations-amid-low-confidence-in-trump/
Wow, Pepsi signed-off on "Heil Hitler"? That's some bold corporate synergy.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/mar/31/wireless-festival-london-kanye-west-ye-to-headline-jewish
I really should be sleeping, but I'm a little fired up by @… 's NDP Party Leadership acceptance speech. As @… shared: great speech.
There's important work to be done in Canada. This must be the time. Carney was a necessary step, bu…
Secretary of State, National Security Advisor Secretary of Defense, Vice President, Attorney General and President of the United States mere hours after what no one could say wasn’t a decapitation strike on the US (attack meant to remove the leadership of a country all at once) are optionally all within 20 feet of each other during a war because the US Secret Service is inexplicably behaving as if the threat has passed.
Because they planned it? Or they’re horrifyingly reckless?
…
Sources and documents detail Satya Nadella's effort to revamp Microsoft's senior leadership, creating a startup-style operating model to compete in the AI race (Ashley Stewart/Business Insider)
https://www.businessinsider.com/satya-nadella-microsoft…
the way of the Shambhala Warrior — #philosophy
This makes me think about the ‘good old days’ of Mini MSFT. We need a new MiniMSFT. Maybe a MacroMSFT? MicroMSFT? Someone to spill the corporate gossip with insights and conjecture.
https://www.geekwire.com/2026/mary-jo-foley-what-the-heck-is-goin…
The US succeeds at regime change in Iran as Khamenei replaces Khamenei.
165 dead schoolgirls is sometimes the price you have to pay for such things.
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/3/8/who-is-mojtaba-khamenei-a-conte…
Dak Prescott’s Caleb Downs Statement a Big Signal for Cowboys Defense https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/dak-prescott-caleb-downs/
'Divided us with a smile': GOP groaning over Mike Johnson reaches a fever pitch (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/01/mike-johnson-leadership-complaints-00902390
http://www.memeorandum.com/260501/p12#a260501p12
Joel Webbon says God punishes rebellious nations by putting women in political leadership
because "nothing hurts more."
https://www.peoplefor.org/rightwingwatch/joel-webbon-says-women-political-leadership-sign-gods-judgm…
They are almost burning leadership positions and shareholder value at the same rate as they are burning the planet.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/bp-removes-chairman-albert-manifold-2026-05-26/
Sean Plankey pulled his CISA nomination after more than a year of Senate limbo.
Behind the delay: unexplained resistance, disputed allegations, and a cybersecurity agency drifting without confirmed leadership during the Iran war.
Check out my latest CSO piece.
https://www.
An internal BBC survey: 34% of workers said they had confidence in the executive leadership, down from 46% in 2025; 43% were "excited" about the BBC's future (Jake Kanter/Deadline)
https://deadline.com/2026/04/bbc-staff-confidence…
Top Raiders receiver Tre Tucker embracing leadership role, early bedtime https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/raiders/top-raiders-receiver-tre-tucker-embracing-leadership-role-early-bedtime-3830518/
RE: https://infosec.exchange/@hex_m_hell/116671066403398988
This is another one for folks employed in the security industry. If you're close to "leadership," this may help you think about what your program looks like. But even if you're not, there are still things here that may help you think about what you do and how you do it.
I'm focused on my own paid work, but this should also be helpful to open source projects or other groups producing things that need security support.
Christine Fréchette is Quebec’s next premier after winning CAQ leadership
Fréchette beats out Bernard Drainville to become leader of the governing party
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-new-premier-leadership-race-caq-9.7157880
"Librarian Leadership in the Age of AI"
https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v45i1.17659
"Librarians have managed and lived through many seismic shifts brought by technology. How should librarian leaders approach the coming anticipated AI workforce disruption?"
Disney's incoming president Dana Walden unveils new Disney Entertainment leadership, including elevating Debra OConnell as chairman of Entertainment TV (Nellie Andreeva/Deadline)
https://deadline.com/2026/03/dana-walden-disney-entertain…
Things. Reasons: The Independent Show For Australian IT leaders (AI, Tech & IT Leadership)
We unpack what is actually driving change in Australian IT — cloud strategy, AI, cybersecurity, managed services, and vendor dynamics...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.greataustralianpods.co…
In a policy paper, Anthropic urges the US and allies to enforce export controls, curb distillation attacks, and export US AI to hold the lead over China by 2028 (Anthropic)
https://www.anthropic.com/research/2028-ai-leadership
Former attorney general Pam Bondi is testifying before the US House oversight and reform committee this morning to answer questions about the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epsteininvestigation and its release of the Epstein files under her leadership.
Saying that she “delegated oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche”.
“The team of professionals who reviewed all of the materials that we collected assured me the only materials that were …
Opinion | Mamdani’s Long Hours Are What Millennial Leadership Looks Like - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/opinion/zohran-mamdani-work-gen-z-millennial.html
GOP senators losing confidence in Hegseth amid Pentagon turmoil (Alexander Bolton/The Hill)
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5848160-senate-republicans-doubt-hegseth-leadership/
http://www.memeorandum.com/260427/p95#a260427p95
Andrew Luck and Bruce Arians weren’t expected to win together. Here’s how they did anyway https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7195812/2026/04/15/andrew-luck-bruce-arians-leadership-colts/
Cowboys CB has blunt message for anyone saying Dak Prescott isn't top 5 https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/dallas-cowboys/news/cowboys-josh-butler-dak-prescott-top-5/dfac900cc7083900a1d6ac20
Friday Links 26-12
Two weeks of links. A lot of AI related articles again. I liked the paper about using chatbots in leadership, and the one about the YAML of the mind.
If you want a podcast, check out the one about night trains.
https://christof.damian.net/2026/04/fri…
Ukraine's energy revolution is being powered by women leaders and local communities. Through initiatives like 100 Solar Schools and 50 Solar Hospitals, the country is building resilience with decentralized renewable systems—solar panels and batteries that keep critical infrastructure running even during conflict. This shift toward energy independence shows how sustainable power can be a security strategy.
Donald Darth #Trump leaves behind a weak nation, a disgraced military and a state that has lost its leading position in the world. Many people in the US realise that their lives have worsened under his leadership, and there is inflation and cuts to Medicare. His policies have caused suffering and death for many people around the world.
Trump is the perfect example of egotistical incompetence and
Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza Shares Tom Brady’s Private Leadership Formula https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/tom-brady-private-leadership-formula-raiders-fernando-mendoza/
Future Fit Leadership
A podcast for emerging and experienced leaders to learn, grow and become future fit...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.greataustralianpods.com/future-fit-leadership/
'Jarring disconnect': Maine voters at odds with Democratic leadership in high-stakes Senate primary (NBC News)
https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/-jarring-disconnect-maine-voters-at-odds-with-democratic-leadership-in-high-stakes-senate-primary-261737541537
http://www.memeorandum.com/260420/p157#a260420p157
Field staff at the federal agency that enforces civil rights laws in the workplace
say they are under intense pressure from leadership to bring in cases that fit the Trump administration’s priorities,
i.e. charges of discrimination against white men and charges of antisemitism on college campuses.
That pressure has led investigators and lawyers at the agency,
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
to focus its thin resources on pursuing and fast-tracking c…
Jermod McCoy, the NFL draft's ultimate mystery, is participating — in part — at minicamp https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7250701/2026/05/04/jermod-mccoy-raiders-rookie-minicamp-knee-injury/
Friday Links 26-13
I caught up with my YouTube, two good videos from NotJustBikes about cars and oil being bad.
I really liked all the links in leadership this week, all highly recommended.
https://christof.damian.net/2026/04/friday-links-26-13.html
Mailbag: Downs’ high expectations a worry? https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mailbag-downs-high-expectations-a-worry
Raiders O-line revamp puts added emphasis on Kolton Miller’s leadership https://www.raiders.com/news/kolton-miller-leadership-raiders-offensive-line-tyler-linderbaum-nfl-2026-otas
Raiders O-line revamp puts added emphasis on Kolton Miller’s leadership https://www.raiders.com/news/kolton-miller-leadership-raiders-offensive-line-tyler-linderbaum-nfl-2026-otas
Leaked memo: Meta's Reality Labs is reorganizing staff into AI-native "pods" focused on specific outcomes, flattening the organization's leadership structure (Charles Rollet/Business Insider)
https://www.businessinsider.com/metas-real
Mailbag: Downs’ high expectations a worry? https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mailbag-downs-high-expectations-a-worry
Fourteen months after
Robert F Kennedy Jr was sworn in
as US health secretary,
the country’s prime public health agency over which he presides
is in a state of disarray.
Eighty per cent of the top director positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stand vacant,
with no permanent leader to drive policies affecting the health of millions of Americans.
No one is in place to coordinate the agency’s day-to-day work fighting infecti…
Amplify Our Voices: Conversations From Regional Australia
Recorded in the Clarence Valley, bringing real stories into the light. We explore leadership, equality, business, culture and the structural forces shaping women's lives in regional communities...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.
Calls to Impeach Trump Collide With Reluctant Democratic Leadership (Time)
https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/calls-to-impeach-trump-collide-with-reluctant-democratic-leadership/
http://www.memeorandum.com/260410/p36#a260410p36
“This workforce has been fundamentally traumatized in the way that this leadership team said that they intended to do at the outset,”
Max Stier, Partnership for Public Service’s CEO, told Government Executive.
“That’s not good for anyone. It’s bad for the workforce, it’s fundamentally bad for the American people, and it will lead to us to be less safe, healthy and prosperous as a society.
The things that we want and need from government are not what we’ll get.”
The su…
‘This is home now’: Raiders’ Eric Stokes excited to embrace leadership role https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/raiders/this-is-home-now-raiders-eric-stokes-excited-to-embrace-leadership-role-3826914/
"We’re not just talking about potential spikes in food prices …
but also potentially key shortages in the commodities that are necessary to produce food, like fertilizers,”
says Adam Hanieh, director of the SOAS Middle East Institute at the University of London.
“Many of the countries that are going to be most potentially impacted by this are already in conditions of famine or near famine.”
Israel Is Hunting Down Iranian Regime Members in Their Hideouts, One by One (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-iran-leadership-528c6114?st=YoQu1w
http://www.memeorandum.com/260318/p29#a260318p29
Fernando Mendoza Gets Surprise Comparison Amid Raiders Link https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/fernando-mendoza-peyton-manning-comparison/
Health In Focus Podcast
Discover the latest interviews, thought leadership and analysis in health and policy...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: https://www.greataustralianpods.com/health-in-focus/
Space Force guardians provided critical support during high-profile U.S. military operations in Iran and Venezuela
— experience that underscores the need for additional resources to prepare the service for future conflicts,
a senior official told DefenseScoop in an exclusive interview Friday.
Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Absolute Resolve were carried out by the joint force in June 2025 and January 2026, respectively.
Pentagon leadership have touted the rai…
A remarkable thing has happened on the world’s battlefields. Ukraine
— a nation that was supposed to dissolve within days of a Russian invasion
— has fought Russia to a stalemate,
revolutionizing land warfare in the process.
It has become an indispensable security partner in the western alliance, including in the war against Iran.
Now, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, is taking the next step,
one that would have been unthinkable even as recently a…
Alabama on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to allow it to use a congressional map favoring Republicans in this year’s elections
-- despite a lower court’s rulingthat the redistricting plan intentionally discriminates against Black people.
The state’s Republican leadership filed an emergency appeal with the justices a day after a three-judge court refused to let the state use a map it adopted three years ago that has a majority Black population in just one of its seven congressio…
Fernando Mendoza Gets Blunt About Pro Day With Raiders Watching https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/fernando-mendoza-gets-blunt-pro-day/
Raiders' Quest To Become More Competitive Begins Within https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi/las-vegas-quest-become-more-competitive-begins-within
Raiders' Quest To Become More Competitive Begins Within https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi/las-vegas-quest-become-more-competitive-begins-within