Also back then a requirement you like the subject matter and its fans instead of hating them. So, the guy may be understanding his showing the managing editor he _could_ write, and also discussing some sports related stuff to prove facility with the domain.
Your greater thesis, I don't know. All the above in effect, including the HR lonhouse which enforces hatred of the domain (and women and cars???), see also the H-1B etc. scams.
For more discussion, which large companies do you see "randomly" collapsing? I'm not necessarily seeing much of that but my criteria may be different and you have a different viewpoint as a machinist. I do see a lot of partial collapses where a cash cow is most or all that's keeping one afloat.
Non-random examples, ones we understand in great detail the reasons for, include Boeing and Intel, the latter in really bad trouble, the former seems to be getting its critical commercial side back in gear, fighters in St. Louis doing really well after the F-47 award on top of enduring F-15 work. While other military/government stuff is ... ___bad,___ space, just don't ask.