Martin Gruenberg, chairman of the FDIC, faced scrutiny at a congressional hearing following an investigation by the Wall Street Journal into allegations of harassment, sexism and racial discrimination that resulted in women leaving the agency. Gruenberg, who himself was the subject of a 2008 inquiry regarding his behavior in the workplace, said the agency doesn't tolerate discrimination or harassment and that a full assessment would be conducted by an independent company. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (11/16)
Recruiting & Retention
Initial jobless claims rise 13K to 231K Initial jobless claims climbed for the third straight week, gaining 13,000 to reach a seasonally adjusted tally of 231,000, according to the Labor Department. Meanwhile, continuing claims increased to 1.87 million, nearing a two-year high. Full Story: Reuters (11/16),BNN Bloomberg (Canada) (11/16)
Building a more neuroinclusive workplace Tracy Powell-Rudy, vice president of corporate engagement at Integrate, discusses neurodiversity in the workplace and how companies can promote greater levels of inclusion, as well as the benefits of doing so. Powell-Rudy notes that "clearly companies who are neuroinclusive see benefits in productivity and retention across the organization." Full Story: Nareit (11/16)
The best compliments feature two elements: the praise and evidence of sincerity, writes sales and leadership consultant Steve Keating. Sincerity comes through specificity, and "[i]f you can't be specific, you're leaving the door to doubt open in the mind of the person you're complimenting," Keating says. Full Story: LeadToday (11/16)
Workplace Chatter
Hawaiian pond turns Barbie pink, drawing visitors A pond at Hawaii's Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge has turned a bright Barbie pink thanks to archaea -- a type of single-celled organism that increases salt levels, causing discoloration. The coming rainy season will likely wash the pink away, says refuge manager Bret Wolfe, but in the meantime, the pond has become a tourist attraction, drawing more than 11,000 visitors last weekend, one even sporting pink hair. Full Story: Atlas Obscura (11/15)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
A yellow residue was all that was left in imported jars found in the tomb of the Egyptian king Scorpion I. What did researchers believe the residue to be evidence of?
I spent my childhood summers on Maui, where my mom is from and where I was born. We stayed with my grandparents; they lived in Lahaina. Our annual trips included visits to popular sites such as Iao Needle, Haleakala and Hana. My favorite spot in Hana were the caves at Wai’anapanapa. I was fascinated with the legend of the place. As the story goes, a powerful warrior chief named Kakae married a young, beautiful chieftess named Popoalaea. Over time, Kakae became jealous and suspicious that his wife was being unfaithful to him. He became cruel to Popoalaea and she fled his abuse. Popoalaea and one of her maids hid in a cave at Wai’anapanapa, on a ledge just inside the entrance. The maid was fanning Popoalaea when Kakae found them; he saw their reflection in the water. Enraged, he killed both women. To this day, small red shrimp appear at certain times of the year, causing the water to look red. It’s said that the red water is a reminder of the blood shed by the beautiful princess. I thought of those caves when I read today’s Chatter story about the hot pink water in the pond at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, in Kihei, Hawaii. Scientists attribute the phenomenon to halobacteria, which “thrive in super salty water…and they tend to dominate once the salinity gets so high that not much else can thrive there,” writes Hannah Seo. As the halobacteria take over, the waters turn pink and red. Marine microbiologist Ed DeLong with the University of Hawaii at Manoa says the pink and red are, in fact, “the color of the cells -- that’s the halobacteria’s pigment.” I’m enthralled with nature, even as I don’t understand the science behind its phenomena. Do you have any favorite spots in nature? Any interesting local legends to explain them? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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