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Education

Job recruiter is surprised when candidate put 671-day streak for Japanese Duolingo on his resume

Clever idea? Or just resume fluff?

duolingo, duolingo japanese, duolingo on resume, skills to have on resume
@bllshfrv/Reddit, Wikipedia

Nearly two years of learning a language…something's had to have stuck.

In the age of algorithms and keywords and incredibly steep competition, people have to be more strategic and creative than ever to secure a good job. Especially when it comes to drafting a resume that stands out amongst hundreds of others.

Recently, one job recruiter was so impressed by one job seeker’s clever idea of listing their 671-day Duolingo streak—alongside a fluency in English and limited American Sign Language —under the "languages" section in their resume that he decided to share it online.

According to Newsweek, the job recruiter, named Bilal Ashrafov, was pleasantly surprised, and had even considered including something similar on his own resume, “but wasn't sure if it would come across as professional.”

“Seeing someone take that first step made me reflect on its relevance,” he said, noting that “a long-standing Duolingo streak can demonstrate dedication and continuous learning,” even if the popular app only requires a minute of practice a day.

After sharing the resume onto Reddit, others seemed to agree, and commended the potential employee for their innovative approach.

Someone sent a resume with their Duolingo streak under ‘Languages’
byu/bllshrfv induolingo

"Imagine explaining that in an interview—'I'm not just consistent, I'm Duolingo consistent!'" one viewer quipped.

Another commented, "If I was hiring, I would definitely interview this person."

Still another said, "It got noticed, didn't it? Sounds like not too bad of an idea."

Considering that there are a few ways folks can keep their Duolingo streak intact without truly getting proficient in a language, like continuing to purchase streak freezes, this idea might never take on as the new resume must-have. But, on a much broader scale, this story highlights the need to bring a bit of ourselves to our resumes. As the concept of portfolio careers, or a career that includes multiple income streams, rather than a single job title, becomes more and more mainstream, we’ve seen people find great success in listing what they uniquely bring to the table, professional or otherwise.

When it comes to adding resume items that pop, and offer a true reflection for who you really are, think about including:

Soft skills:

These are personal qualities that describe how you work and interact with others, such as conflict resolution or time management, and they are not only gaining importance across the workforce, but are highly transferable across different types of work.

Personal projects:

Whether you got paid for these isn’t paramount here. If you led a community initiative your passionate about, or even have a long-standing blog about something that interests you, this could be included.

Technical skills beyond the job description:

Do you have a proficiency in certain programs, like coding languages, data visualization, project management, etc? Even if a job doesn’t specifically ask for these skills, they could be helpful additions.

Creative or unique hobbies:

You never know what interesting conversations your oddball pastime might inspire, if anything else. So don’t be embarrassed if you’re a wiz a Photoshopping old-timey puppy portraits or engage in recreating Scandinavian folk tunes with GarageBand.

Community involvement:

This can be your volunteering roles, and mentorship programs you might have participated in, or even charities you have close ties to.

Academic achievements:

Include relevant published research papers or presentations, and awards or honors you received during your studies, or any significant contributions you might have made to a research project

These are just a few suggestions to get you started. Include a few, or perhaps your own impressive Duolingo streak, or something else. Just remember, sometimes it pays to think outside the box.

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Pop Culture

Mom leaves a 'heartbreaking' gift to flight passengers sitting next to her baby

"That's a mom trying so hard."

@callmebelly/TikTok

An excellent reminder to show kindness and patience.

Listening to a baby cry during a flight might be aggravating, but it’s nothing compared to the moans, groans, and eyerolls that the baby's parents must endure from other passengers when it happens. No matter what tips and tricks are used to try to soothe a little one’s temperament while 30,000 miles in the air, crying is almost inevitable. So, while having to ease their own child’s anxiety, moms and dads also must suffer being the pariah of the trip. What a nightmare.

Recently, one mom was apparently trying so hard to avoid upsetting her fellow flight members that she went above and beyond to essentially apologize ahead of time if her baby began to cry on its first flight. It was a gesture that, while thoughtful, had folks really feeling for how stressed that poor mom must be.

In a clip posted to his TikTok, one of the passengers—Elliot—explained that the mom handed out small care packages to those nearby.

“She’s already so busy and took the time to make these bags for everyone,” Elliot said, before panning the camera to reveal a Ziplock bag full of candy, along with a note that made him “want to cry.”

The note read: “It’s my first flight. I made a deal to be on my best behaviour—but I can’t make any guarantees. I might cry if I get scared or if my ears start to hurt. Here are some treats to make your flight enjoyable. Thank you for being patient with us. Have a great flight.”

@callmebelly♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Billie Eilish

Like Elliot, those who watched the video felt some ambivalence at the well intentioned act. Many felt remorse that she would feel the need to appease people in this way.

“This is so sweet but also … kind of breaks my heart that we live in a world in which parents feel the need to do that.”

“Because jerk people have shamed parents into believing that they need to apologize for their kids' absolutely normal behavior. What a gem of a mom.”

“You know that sweet mom worried about this trip so much.”

“That poor mom probably spent nights awake … nervous about that flight, thinking of ways to keep strangers happy.”

"That's a mom trying so hard."

Many rallied behind the mom, arguing that making others feel more comfortable with her child being on board was in no way her responsibility.

“No mom should be apologizing. Adults can control their emotions … babies not …. Hugging this mom from a distance.”

“Dear new parents: no you don’t have to do this. Your babies have the right to exist. We all know babies cry. We know you try your best.”

Luckily, there are just as many stories of fellow passengers being completely compassionate towards parents with small children—from simply choosing to throw on their headphones during a tantrum (instead of throwing one themselves) to going out of their way to comfort a baby (and taking the load of a parent in the process). These little acts of kindness make more of an impact than we probably realize. Perhaps if we incorporated more of this “it takes a village” mindset, flying could be a little bit more pleasant for everyone involved.

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Woman listens to Cowboy Carter to prove it didn't deserve to win Grammy. She changes her mind.

“Y’all saying Beyoncé deserved to win I’ll happily listen to every single song and give you my honest opinion on them.”

Photo of surprised woman Canva/ Beyoncé photo by Blair Caldwell via Beyoncé Press

Woman listens to 'Cowboy Carter' after bashing Grammy win

Beyoncé winning a Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Country Album became the talk of social media with many upset that the multi-platinum star won the coveted award. There were conspiracy theories floating about saying everything from Jay-Z paid $1,000 to each Grammy voter to people saying the artist sold her soul. The critiques were abundant and mostly centered around people thinking the album wasn't country enough to be country or not good enough to be Album of the Year.

Many of the critiques mention her hit song Texas Hold 'Em as proof of their claims about the album not fitting into the country genre. From my observation of the discourse that dominated social media in the days after the Grammys was that most people were upset that their favorite singers didn't win. Dayshnae was one of those people visibly upset when Beyoncé won Album of the Year instead of Taylor Swift, who has won the award four times previously.

Dayshnae recorded herself watching the results and uploaded it to social media. In the short 37 second clip you hear the award announced and she immediately responds, "oh my god you've got to be kidding me. Nobody even listens to the album."

@dayshh_nae My reaction to the Grammys Album of the year announcement. #grammys2025 #albumoftheyear ♬ original sound - Dayshhnae ✨

After it was discovered that the music lover had never actually listened to the album she was sure didn't deserve a Grammy, people encouraged her to give it a listen. Instead of being upset and doubling down on her critique of music she never heard, Dayshnae decided to not only accept the challenge but to record her raw reaction to each song.

The thing about Beyoncé's most recent albums is the songs tell a story as a collection each building from the one before. Listeners can't simply pluck out one song to get a feel for the entire album since it's designed to be listened to in order to get the full effect of the story being told. Dayshnae gave it a listen and immediately was not a fan of the first song on the album. She rated the song a 4 out of 10 but she was not deterred.

@dayshh_nae Replying to @Matthew Day 1! Reaction is around 1:37. #cowboycarter #albumreaction ♬ original sound - Dayshhnae ✨

But commenters insisted that before she moved too far into the album she needed the backstory on why Beyoncé created a country album in the first place to have a deeper understanding of the lyrics. The new Beyoncé listener was floored after learning of the harsh treatment Beyoncé received at the 2016 CMAs when she was invited to sing with The Chicks. As she moves through the album she becomes visibly emotional when she gets to "16 Carriages," a song that seemingly details the struggle Beyoncé went through as a child star and her cold reception from the country music world.

"Oh. My. Heavens...I know some of you love track one and track two but track three just sold me. That was so powerful, intimate, emotional, raw. I'm listening to that again. I'm listening to that multiple times. Who was she talking about at the end? Wow. Wow," the new listener says.

@dayshh_nae Replying to @Ellis Reese I tried to post this yesterday. I had no idea about the 2016 CMAs. #cowboycarter #albumreview ♬ original sound - Dayshhnae ✨

Dayshnae's reaction to Willie Nelson's interlude left her with her mouth agape. Pushing through to the next songs, it didn't take long for her to appreciate the album even more. She explains in the beginning of one video that she originally stopped listening to Beyoncé a few years ago when her own music taste changed but diving back into the new album style the musician creates is requiring a bit more from her.

"Now what I've quickly realized is that it was way more than just simply seeing if I liked the album. There is history to unpack in this and that's what I've been learning along the way. What I'm going to dive into today before we listen to 'Protector' is that country music derived from enslaved African Americans, and derived from blues and gospel that the ancestors would sing while they were enslaved," Dayshnae reveals.

@dayshh_nae Replying to @Anna this is my favorite so far. Although with how much I have learned, I need to listen to track 1 &2 again! #cowboycarter #albumreview #dayswithdayshh #lifewithdayshh ♬ original sound - Dayshhnae ✨

The series is still going as the Cowboy Carter album has 27 songs and Dayshnae didn't start the series until a few days after the Grammy's in early February. She's currently listening to one song per day and giving a breakdown of what she thinks along with what she has learned. Her tune about Beyoncé's win has completely changed as she continues to make her way through the storybook-like album. People can't seem to get enough over her genuine openness to listening to the album and possibly changing her opinion.

"This is a fascinating journey to observe. Thank you for taking this exploration so seriously and respectfully," one person writes.

"LOVE THIS SO MUCH. Thank you for seeking to understand," another says.

@dayshh_nae Protector
♬ original sound - Dayshhnae ✨

"I’m so invested in your journey! Reliving my first time listening to Cowboy Carter through you rn," someone else shares.

"Arriving at the HISTORY of country music by song 4 is monumental! I am so impressed. No words. You’re becoming a country music aficionado," another person chimes in.

"I personally am enjoying you doing these videos and taking the time to learn something new and expand your knowledge. So, good for you. The album is really rich. I’m still learning from it a year on," someone adds.

@dayshh_nae♬ original sound - Dayshhnae ✨

While Beyoncé may not be everyone's favorite artist, it's clear that there was a lot of thought and vulnerability that went into this album. Commenters also pointed out how she used Cowboy Carter to spotlight the work of Black country artists that were not getting airtime on country radio stations like Shaboozy and Tanner Adell. Since Dayshnae isn't finished with the album, it's not clear what her overall rating will be but the journey is a wholesome one and an example of what it means to be open to changing your mind.

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Science

Innovative farm in Virginia can grow 4 million pounds of strawberries on less than one acre

This method uses 97 percent less land and up to 90 percent less water than conventional farming.

Photo credit: Canva

A new way to grow strawberries with less land, less water, and more berries.

Strawberry farm harvests aren't something most of us calculate on a regular basis (or ever at all), but the numbers from a strawberry farm in Richmond, Virginia, are staggering enough to make it worth an old-school word problem. If the average American eats 8 pounds of strawberries a year, and an average strawberry farm yields approximately 20,000 pounds of berries per acre, how many people could a 200-acre strawberry field feed?

I won't make you do the math. The answer is 500,000 people. But what if a crop that size, providing enough strawberries for half a million people, could be grown on just one acre instead of 200? It's possible. You just have to go—or rather grow—up, up, up.

Indoor vertical farm company Plenty Unlimited knows a lot about growing up. In fact, it's their entire business model. Instead of the sprawling fields that traditional farming methods require, vertical farms have a much smaller land footprint, utilizing proprietary towers for growing. Plenty has used vertical farming methods to grow greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach and more for years, but now it boasts a vertical berry farm that can yield a whopping 4 million pounds of strawberries on a little less than an acre.

Growing indoors means not being at the mercy of weather or climate inpredictability (barring a storm taking out your building), which is wise in the era of climate change. Unlike a traditional greenhouse which still uses the sun for light, Plenty's indoor vertical farms make use of the latest technology and research on light, pinpointing the wavelengths plants need from the sun to thrive and recreating them with LED lights. Plenty farms also don't use soil, as what plants really need is water and nutrients, which can be provided without soil (and with a lot less water than soil requires). Being able to carefully control water and nutrients means you can more easily control the size, taste and uniformity of the berries you’re growing.

If that sounds like a lot of control, it is. And that idea might freak people out. But when a highly controlled environment means not having to use pesticides and using up to 90% less water than traditional farming, it starts to sound like a solid, sustainable farming innovation.

Plenty even uses AI in its strawberry farm, according to its website:

“Every element of the Plenty Richmond Farm–including temperature, light and humidity–is precisely controlled through proprietary software to create the perfect environment for the strawberry plants to thrive. The farm uses AI to analyze more than 10 million data points each day across its 12 grow rooms, adapting each grow room’s environment to the evolving needs of the plants – creating the perfect environment for Driscoll’s proprietary plants to thrive and optimizing the strawberries’ flavor, texture and size.”

Plenty even has its own patent-pending method of pollinating the strawberry flowers that doesn’t require bees. Even just the fact that this enormous crop of strawberries will be coming from Virginia is notable, since the vast majority of strawberries in the U.S. are grown in California.

strawberry fieldTraditional strawberry farming takes up a lot of land.Photo credit: Canva

Plenty's Richmond farm is currently growing strawberries exclusively for Driscoll’s.

“Partnering with Plenty for the launch of the Richmond Farm allows us to bring our premium strawberries closer to consumers in the Northeast, the largest berry consumption region in the U.S.,” Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn said in a press release. “By combining our 100 years of farming expertise and proprietary varieties along with Plenty’s cutting-edge technology, we can deliver the same consistent flavor and quality our customers love — now grown locally. This new innovative farm is a powerful step forward in continuing to drive category growth in new ways for our customers and consumers.”

Is Plenty’s model the farm of the future? Perhaps it’s one option, at least. The more we grapple with the impact of climate change and outdated, unsustainable farming practices, the more innovative ideas we’ll need to feed the masses. If they can get 4 million pounds of strawberries out of an acre of land, what else is possible?

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Pets

This couple has the clingiest cat on Earth and people can't get enough of his cute demands

There are clingy cats—and then there's Chase.

@dontstopmeowing/TikTok

Chase might just be the clingiest cat ever.

Cats are quirky. We all know this.

But those of us who have had multiple cats throughout our lives know that some cats are quirkier than others. Maybe they like to sleep with their face in a shoe (true story). Maybe they won't stop tearing into bags of Styrofoam packing peanuts and eating them, necessitating a shipping business to switch to cornstarch-based packaging (also true story). Maybe they can catch a crumpled-up piece of paper you toss into the air with their paws and bring it to you in their mouth like a dog playing fetch (awww, I miss that cat).

Or maybe their unique quirk is that they have to be velcroed to someone's body every minute of every day.

That's Chase the cat in a nutshell—super sweet, but super clingy.

Chase belongs to Kareem and Fifi of the TikTok channel @dontstopmeowing. The couple have become Internet famous for their three very chill cats. Their "spaw day" videos showing how their cats—Chase, Skye, and Millie—get pampered went viral in 2021, and they've gained a huge following sharing life with their cats.

All three are adorable, but Chase—oh, Chase is a special one. I've seen some clingy cats before, but nothing like this.

Watch:

@dontstopmeowing

Same Cat, Diff Day #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

Literally clingy, as in "won't stop clinging to the human." How many cats like to be carried around like a baby? Not many, I'd guess.

@dontstopmeowing

Not exactly your average kitty #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

When Chase wants Mommy, chase wants Mommy.

@dontstopmeowing

Where did he learn to be so clingy? 😭 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

Of course, Chase doesn't always want Mommy. Sometimes it's Daddy's turn for all the lovin'.

@dontstopmeowing

😔💔 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

Fifi shares videos of her attempting to train the clinginess out of Chase, which are hilarious. This one has been viewed 57 million times.

@dontstopmeowing

This is why he rips my clothes 😭 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

She even dubbed the viral audio of a toddler video—"I just a baby!"—that fits perfectly with Chase's huggy antics.

@dontstopmeowing

He really thinks he’s a baby #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

Oh Chase. You're just too much.

@dontstopmeowing

I can’t stop laughing 😭 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

And just because it's so dang cute, check out this video of Chase meeting a baby for the first time. (Warning: Wicked adorable baby giggles incoming. Hold onto your ovaries if you have 'em.)

@dontstopmeowing

Who’s reaction was your favorite? #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

The couple welcomed their first human baby, Taj, in January 2024 and Chase certainly had a hard time adjusting.


@dontstopmeowing

That guilty face at the end..#fyp #forypu #foryoupage

But today, it looks like Kareem, Fifi, Taj, Chase, Skye, and Millie are all one big happy family.

@dontstopmeowing

Not him parking his car 😭 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

Keep up with the family on their TikTok and YouTube.


This article originally appeared three years ago.

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Pop Culture

Keanu Reeves shocks a small-town pub by stopping in for a pint and taking photos with the staff

“So today we had a surprise visitor for lunch. What a lovely man he was, too."

via Wikimedia Commons

Keanu Reeves in São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.

Who doesn't love Keanu Reeves? He has a well-deserved reputation as one of Hollywood’s nicest celebrities. Recently, he cheered up an 80-year-old fan who had a crush on him by calling her on the phone. He’s also bought an ice cream cone for a fan to give an autograph on the receipt and crashed a wedding to take photos with the bride and groom. He’s also an incredible humanitarian who gave up a big chunk of his money from The Matrix to a cancer charity.

The John Wick star was his usual gracious self over a random weekend in 2023 when he and a friend walked into The Robin Hood pub in Tring, Hertfordshire, about 30 miles outside of London.

The employees at the pub in the picturesque, small market town with a population of 12,000 were shocked to see such a high-profile celebrity walk through its doors—especially one who is known for being such a humble, likable guy.

Pub staff posted a photo of chef Scott Valentine, 18, and The Matrix star on The Robin Hood’s Facebook page.

“So today we had a surprise visitor for lunch,” they shared. “What a lovely man he was too. Laura asked if he would be ok with taking photos with the kitchen lads. He marched into the kitchen shook their hands, and praised them for the food they had prepared. Suffice to say he made their days!!!”

According to the staff at the restaurant, Reeves ordered traditional English fare. "He came to the bar and ordered a beer (Seafarers Ale) and just walked over to the corner. He ordered fish and chips and Nat's shepherd's pie,” Laura Rolfe told The Mirror.

Valentine told the BBC he was scared to cook for such a big star. But Reeves was appreciative of the staff and liked the food.

"It was a bit worrying because I had to cook for him, but we took it out to him and he said thank you and was really nice," said Valentine. “He came into the kitchen, shook our hands and said the food was lovely."

The folks at The Robin Hood aren’t sure why Reeves was hanging out in Tring, but The Mirror speculated he was working on a Disney Plus docuseries about Formula 1.

In 2022, it was announced that Reeves was producing a documentary about Jenson Button’s unlikely victory for Brawn GP in 2009. “Our story is about Honda withdrawing from F1 and Ross Brawn who had joined Honda a year and a half earlier,” Reeves said according to TalkSport.

“How did they race a world championship? It’s certainly a people story. It’s about passion,” Reeves added.

Whatever the reason that Reeves was in a small town pub, it’s great that everyone who met him came away with warm feelings about the man. Reeves clearly knows that by being a humble, nice guy to people, he can make someone else’s day and give them a great story to tell forever. Kudos to Reeves for using his fame to touch other people’s lives. With all the stories we’ve reported about him being cool to fans, it seems like he never lets anybody down.


This article originally appeared two years ago.

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