Only fascinating stories

Nicholas Carlson, December 2, 2022   Hello, Insiders. Hiring freezes and layoffs keep happening, but at least one place is hiring: New York City. And that role? A "bloodthirsty" rat czar.   In a cheeky job posting, the city announced it’s hiring a director of rodent migration to keep “the city’s rats in check and on notice.” And it comes with a good paycheck – the salary range is listed between $120,000 and $170,000.   The ideal candidate, apparently, has a "killer instinct needed to fight the real enemy" (rats) and a “swashbuckling attitude." So if that sounds like you, then godspeed — here’s the posting. My fellow New Yorkers and I thank you. Because as that viral saying that’s all over TikTok goes: “The rats don’t run this city, we do.” If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The latest Elon Musk has suspended Kanye West from Twitter. Here’s what happened.  Trump Org. lawyers closed out the Manhattan fraud trial with a clueless Donald Trump and a big little loophole. More here. Scores of high-profile guests attended President Biden's first state dinner, including Stephen Colbert and Apple CEO Tim Cook. See pics from the gathering.

The big story Tara Anand for Insider   Noom sells psychology-driven weight loss — but former employees say they were unprepared for and overwhelmed by users' eating disorders, depression, and trauma.   The popular weight loss app pitches itself as using psychology to address the root causes of weight gain, helping users reframe their thinking around food and eating habits.   According to interviews with more than 30 people, Noom attracted users who appeared to be suffering from psychological problems. And while Noom doesn't advertise therapeutic services or eating disorder treatment, its emphasis on psychology can make it hard to tell the difference.   Noom's coaches lacked the qualifications, preparation, and training to be psychological counselors — but still often found themselves working with clients who exhibited complex and sometimes frightening behaviors.   "Working there truly hurt my mental and physical health, even though that's what the company preaches," one former coach said. "All I could think about is the messages from people who desperately need support piling up."   Read the full report here.

Top reads Paul Biris, Getty Images "I worked from the beach in Mexico for a week without telling my boss.” The freedom of remote work has led some workers to go abroad. Insider spoke to an advertising employee who went to Mexico but chose not to tell their coworkers, and ended up having to fake 2 a.m. video calls. They said they'd never do it again — here’s why. Instagram creators are getting whiplash. Instagram keeps making unpredictable changes in how creators can make money — leaving creators feeling exhausted, with some even leaning away from the platform. One micro influencer told us: “I have trust issues with Instagram.” Here’s the full story. CNN gave its staff 24 hours to worry about looming layoffs. That may actually be the right thing to do. HR experts told Insider that giving staff advance notice shows compassion and transparency, and offers them time to emotionally prepare. Read what else experts said. A bride shared her “nightmare” custom wedding dress on TikTok. Two months before her wedding, 25-year-old Josephine Pepa had a final fitting for her $7,000 custom bridal gown — and described a "horrific" dress that didn't match her expectations. See the dress here. “I traveled to every country in the world in 558 days. These are my top 10 travel tips.” Cassie De Pecol completed her trip in just over 18 months. From her favorite airlines to how to stay safe as a solo traveler, read her best advice before your next trip.