Author | Lightnews

Kenneth Flakes

@kennethflakes.bsky.social

260 followers 830 following 860 posts

Building a brighter future through engineering, exploration, and empowering the next generation of leaders. Discover more ways to connect, learn, and grow at kennethflakes.com/subscribe. Let's connect! 🔗 #ProfessionalPlus #STEM #Travel #Sports

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Nov 19

Elevate your mind and career! Subscribe to Kenneth Flakes Professional Plus and follow our social media for career advice, insightful cultural perspectives, and fresh takes on trending topics.

#ProfessionalPlus #career #InvestInYourself

www.kennethflakes.com/subscribe

Subscribe | Kenneth Flakes

Stay informed and connected! Subscribe to Kenneth Flakes Professional Plus and follow me on social media for the latest career insights and inspiration.

www.kennethflakes.com

1 2

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 29

Aaron Judge didn’t just bet on himself. He made history in 2025.

🔹 3rd player ever with 50+ HR and a batting title
🔹 Tallest batting champ at 6'7"

His 2022 story is a masterclass in discipline and belief. Read how Judge turned excellence into $150M and how you can, too.

#MLBSky #baseball

Aaron Judge Bet on Himself and Gained $150M. You Too Can Win Big Like Judge with These 4 Tips.

Aaron Judge bet big on himself this season, and his huge gamble paid off greatly. In Judge’s “walk year,” the year immediately before becoming a free agent in baseball, he declined a seven-year, $213....

kennethflakes.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 27

As a regular viewer, I caught the full hour. I apprecited the perspectives and commentary.

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 23

This is a 14-minute read, but a great read. #HistorySky

Are We Witnessing the Fall of the American Empire?

Mike Duncan has covered the rise and fall of empires on his podcasts The History of Rome and Revolutions, and he knows what it looks like when things fall apart

www.yahoo.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 20

What is mind-boggling to me is that people want to hold regular Americans to a higher standard than the President of the United States.

Can someone please make it make sense❓️

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 18

We need to eliminate the stereotypes about being labeled a "STEM person." Especially in the Black community, we need more examples of Blacks in STEM regularly on television shows. #BlackSky #STEM #BlackInSTEM

The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · Sep 17

Kids who see themselves as “STEM people” are far more likely to pursue STEM careers, and new research shows caregivers play a key role in shaping that identity (or not).

buff.ly/TnWJFQP

Identifying as a ‘STEM person’ makes you more likely to pursue a STEM job – and caregivers may unknowingly shape kids’ self-identity

STEM jobs – ranging from software engineer to physicist, to plumber – tend to be well paid. And women tend to be underrepresented in these fields. New research suggests one reason starts in kids’…

theconversation.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 8

This Wall Street Journal story stood out to me today: Big Oil has leaned heavily into Trump-era policy wins, but the market hasn’t exactly followed suit.

Is this energy dominance, or a strategic gamble with uncertain returns❓

#EnergySky #BusinessSky #OilandGas

Oil Tycoons Bet Big on Trump. It’s Paying Off.

The Trump administration has opened land to drilling and is moving to roll back environmental restrictions and hobble renewable energy. But crude prices have dropped.

www.wsj.com

1 4

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 8

In today's "what if": What if President Barack Obama spoke to Caitlin Collins the way that President Trump spoke to Yamiche Alcindor today?

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 7

First Sunday of the NFL season — A perfect moment to reflect on leadership beyond the gootball field.

From C.J. Stroud’s quiet grit to Russell Wilson’s empathy, the game teaches resilience, bold choices, and legacy.

I unpack six lessons in this Professional Plus edition. #NFL #NFLSky #SkyNFL

Kickoff to Success: Leadership Lessons from the NFL

The NFL season is here, bringing with it not just thrilling games but also powerful lessons in leadership and personal growth. From the gridiron to the boardroom, the qualities that define great athle...

www.linkedin.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 6

Amid continued volatility in the oil and gas sector, Halliburton has executed a series of layoffs over several weeks per sources directly involved but not authorized to speak publicly.

The sources reported that at least 3 business units experienced workforce reductions ranging from 20% to 40%.

Halliburton reduces workforce as oil activity slumps, sources say

U.S. oilfield services provider Halliburton has been cutting staff in recent weeks, according to two sources familiar with the matter, marking the latest workforce reduction in the U.S. oil industry as it faces rising costs and a period of lower prices and volatility.

www.reuters.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 6

Disappointing news here in Houston: ConocoPhillips has confirmed plans to lay off up to 25% of its workforce, potentially affecting over 3K roles.

ConocoPhillips cites operational efficiency as a driver, with automation and AI increasingly replacing traditional roles.

www.khou.com/article/news...

Houston-based ConocoPhillips to lay off up to 25% of its workforce, impacting thousands of jobs

JUST IN: Houston-based oil giant ConocoPhillips is planning to lay off up to a quarter of its workforce.

www.khou.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 6

Is this $1B rebrand truly worth the cost? For a leader who campaigned on ending wars, renaming it the Department of War feels not just ironic but deeply contradictory.

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 4

In 2023, Black unemployment hit a historic low (4.8%), and the gap with white unemployment was the smallest on record.

The reversal to 7.2% — the highest since 2021 — threatens to erase progress in wage growth, representation, and economic mobility.

#jobs #BlackSky #economy

Black Americans Are Losing Jobs in a Warning for the Economy

Unemployment among Black people reaches highest level since 2021. “I am in the fight of my life.”

www.wsj.com

1 1

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 4

I take no enjoyment in saying this, but does anyone see a Blue Alliance creation along with a Red Alliance creation? The divide is deepening.

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 3

This insightful WSJ piece explores how China’s vision for AI diverges from Western models: prioritizing state-led integration and long-term planning, as compared to the more decentralized, market-driven approaches often seen in the West #AI #artificialintelligence #STEM #SkySTEM #SkyScience #science

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · Sep 1

The U.S. is spending billions of dollars in a rush to beat China to the next evolutionary leap in artificial intelligence. China is running a different race.

China Has a Different Vision for AI. It Might Be Smarter.

Xi Jinping is pushing the country’s tech industry to build practical, low-cost tools that boost the country’s efficiency and can be marketed easily.

on.wsj.com

1 1

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 3

The Wall Street Journal just published a piece on the quiet disappearance of middle management and it resonated with me because it confirms what many of us have been sensing in real time.

If Peter Drucker were alive today, he'd be greatly disappointed in management theory today.

#jobs #management

Your Boss Doesn’t Have Time to Talk to You

Amazon wants bigger teams. Bank of America is flattening. Corporate America is shedding managers, and the workplace is changing radically.

www.wsj.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 3

Disappointing news here in Houston: ConocoPhillips has confirmed plans to lay off up to 25% of its global workforce, potentially affecting over 3,000 roles. This move follows its merger with Marathon Oil and signals deeper shifts across the energy sector. #energy #oilandgas #jobs #business

Houston-based ConocoPhillips to lay off up to 25% of its workforce, impacting thousands of jobs

Estimated cuts would impact between 2,600 and 3,250 workers.

www.khou.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Sep 3

Initially, I thought this was a joke, but then I did a quick Google search....

Why It Happens:

The process is driven by a focus on corporate greed and a lack of competition or regulation, which allow platforms to worsen the user experience and increase profits without fear of losing customers.

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · Sep 3

enshittification | noun | when a digital platform is made worse for users, in order to increase profits

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 25

A quick search confirms: WWII ended with the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan. The troubling part? Misinformation and disinformation spread faster than truth, and correcting it is often harder than spotting it.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Aug 24

JD Vance: "This is how wars ultimately get settled. If you go back to World War 2, if you go back to every major conflict in human history, they all end with some kind of negotiation."

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 25

Elections have consequences. Some more costly than others. If the current administration continues to stall solar and wind development, I hope they have a serious plan to address the rising cost of electricity. #solar #wind #renewables #energy #electricity

Solar executives warn that Trump attack on renewables will lead to power crunch that spikes electricity prices

Renewable power executives say difficulty getting permits, rising costs due to tariffs and the end of key tax credits are making it tough to plan.

www.cnbc.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 22

Grateful to stand alongside two rising stars from the University of Houston's Black Male Engineering Mentoring Network (BMEN) and their dedicated advisor.

BMEN was founded to confront a powerful truth: fewer than 3% of engineering graduates are Black men.

#BlackInSTEM #STEMsky

3 5

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 22

Great read. Target scrapped what made people stick around, and it backfired, cost the CEO, and hit their stock price hard.

The Quiet Part Out Loud: Target Ditching DEI Cost The CEO His Job And Investors $12 Billion

It’s time to say the quiet part out loud. Eliminating DEI was very bad for Target's business - costing investors billions and the CEO his job. Here is how it happened.

www.forbes.com

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 18

Stepping back into the world of Bridgerton at the 2025 NSBE Annual Fundraising Gala this past July.

What an incredible night at the Crystal Ballroom at The Rice, surrounded by amazing people — and what an honor to be recognized among such amazing company!

#NSBE #ProfessionalPlus #STEM #Excellence

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 18

Yeah, I'm sure Lebron is devastated 💔 lol

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 17

Grateful for thoughtful exchanges and familiar faces at the UH Engineering Alumni Association Annual Meeting. @uhengineering.bsky.social #GoCoogs #STEM #leadership #networking #EngineeredForWhatsNext

Kenneth Flakes stands with folded arms, attentively listening to a fellow UH Engineering alum during the Annual Meeting & Networking Social. Both are engaged in conversation, surrounded by the warm atmosphere of the event.

Kenneth Flakes @kennethflakes.bsky.social · Aug 17

Is work-life balance a myth❓

From President Obama’s family dinners to Mark Cuban’s “no balance” stance, five high achievers share how they navigate ambition vs. fulfillment.

Read our latest newsletter📰

#worklife #success #career #leadership #ProfessionalPlus

Is Work-Life Balance a Myth? What 5 High Achievers Say

Discover how President Obama, Mark Cuban and other high achievers define work-life balance—and the trade-offs that fuel success and fulfillment.