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Allegations against Dai Thao campaign reveal law's complexity
St. Paul City Council Member Dai Thao, pictured at a meeting in April.
— Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune
By Jessie Van Berkel and Eric Roper , Star Tribune staff writers
Investigators digging into allegations that St. Paul City Council member and mayoral candidate Dai Thao's campaign solicited a bribe are dealing with a hazy and seldom-prosecuted offense.
In the past five years, only one public official or employee was convicted under the state's law against soliciting or accepting a bribe, according to state court data. Bribery prosecutions are rare in Minnesota because the state's politics are relatively clean but also because bribery is hard to prove, said former Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, now in private practice.
"So much of it depends on not only what is said, and by whom, but what the context is, what nonverbal messages are being sent," Gaertner said. "It's very hard to reconstruct what happened."
The allegations against Thao and his campaign manager emerged Saturday. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is investigating a February meeting between Thao, lobbyist Sarah Clarke and some of her clients, where they discussed a packaging materials ban the city is considering.
At the meeting, Thao asked them not to take notes, Clarke said, and asked for "resources." It seemed clear he meant a campaign contribution, she said. Thao's campaign manager, Angela Marlow, later texted Clarke saying, "Dai asked me to see if I could get a donation from your clients or yourself for his mayor campaign? My understanding is that they are leaving tomorrow. We will certainly rethink this issue."
Thao declined to comment Tuesday. He has issued a statement saying he did not know of or sanction Marlow's solicitation — a statement she refutes.
Clarke has worked in state politics for 11 years. She said this is the first time she has encountered a situation like this.
"There is a broad misconception that this stuff happens all the time, and that is absolutely not true and not the case," said Clarke, who texted Marlow back saying the request could be "misperceived as a bribe."
Marlow said Monday she thought the situation was a "miscommunication." It was standard practice for her to ask for donations from people who asked for meetings related to issues in the mayoral race, Marlow said, and she didn't know Thao could be voting on the issue as a council member.
Lobbyists typically give campaign contributions for access to the candidate, said Tom Heffelfinger, who was U.S. attorney for Minnesota during the prosecution of several Minneapolis bribery cases in federal court in the early 2000s.
"There's a difference between access and quid pro quo, which is a promise," Heffelfinger said.
Other people who have met with Thao, like local developer Craig Cohen, said they did not feel pressured to donate.
"It was a great dialogue. Not one iota of any solicitation of anything," Cohen said.
Jeanne Weigum gave Thao $250 in January and said she has given to him in the past because he stands up for issues she cares about. She worked with him on a parkland cause and said in that case he was "a man of courage and principle."
He asked her for money this election, as have other candidates, Weigum said, but "it wasn't ever a quid pro quo."
State legislators are barred from accepting donations from lobbyists during the legislative session, which generally dampens broad-based fundraising solicitations.
"If you do it during [the] session it is a fine line between contributing in order to earn access and contributing in order to earn votes," Heffelfinger said.
But City Council members are in session all year.
Council Member Jane Prince said working as a council member and running a campaign is complicated. She was a legislative aide for former Council Member Jay Benanav when he ran for mayor. She worked on council issues during the day and fundraisers at night.
"It's challenging and you have to be super careful," Prince said. In Thao's case, "This is a group of people who don't have a lot of experience," she said
This is Marlow's first time managing a campaign, though she previously helped raise funds for a state representative. Thao became a council member in a 2013 special election to fill the spot left open by Melvin Carter, one of his opponents in the mayor's race. Carter left the City Council to work for Gov. Mark Dayton.
Six candidates are running in the hotly contested race to fill the seat Mayor Chris Coleman is vacating.
Some people have questioned the political timing of the allegations against Thao's campaign. Fox 9 first aired the text messages between Marlow and Clarke on Saturday evening during St. Paul's DFL caucuses. Thao came out of the caucuses with the second most delegates, behind Carter and ahead of Pat Harris.
Clarke said she did not want the texts between her and Marlow to get out, and she shared them with someone who leaked them.
Emily Weber, with Carter's campaign, said they did not send the texts to the press. "It doesn't help anyone. This sort of thing damages the public trust," Weber said.
Jessie Van Berkel • 612-673-4649
Jessie Van Berkel writes about Minnesota government and politics at the Star Tribune. She previously covered St. Paul City Hall and local government in the south metro.
Jessie.VanBerkel@startribune.com jessievanb
Eric Roper is a metro reporter covering urban affairs in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Since joining the Star Tribune in 2009, he has covered the city of Minneapolis, the state Legislature and Congress for the paper.
eric.roper@startribune.com 612-673-1732 StribRoper
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Obamacare and Medicare Advantage: How WellPoint Could Outperform
WellPoint is definitely improving under the care of new management
Stephen D. Simpson, Simpson,
(XMFWildWeasel)
Jul 3, 2014 at 1:42PM
Large managed care provider WellPoint (NYSE:ANTM) is proof positive that when you stop shooting yourself in the foot you will often have an easier time of walking. WellPoint's operational turnaround is still a work in progress, but there has definitely been progress and the Street has taken note – pushing the shares up almost 36% over the past year and making it one of the better-performing companies in the sector. With management now running a strong Medicaid business and turning its attention to Medicare Advantage while projecting profits from its public exchange business, things are looking up for the company.
Scale in Medicaid, work to do in Medicare
With the Amerigroup transaction fully integrated, WellPoint stands as the largest player in Medicaid – with an estimated 18% share in participating states. That's close to double UnitedHealth's (NYSE:UNH) share, and well ahead of Centene, Molina, and Aetna (NYSE:AET). It's also profitable business, contributing a low-to-mid teens percentage of the company's earnings. Between Medicaid expansion and ABD products, management believes it could still grow membership at a double-digit rate. It's also noteworthy that adopting Amerigroup's hub-and-spoke model (versus WellPoint's former centralized approach) has improved both proposal success rates and operational efficiency. On a more negative note, the head of this group (Dick Zoretic) is retiring, meaning that all of Amerigroup's top leadership has now left WellPoint.
Medicare Advantage, on the other hand, needs work. WellPoint has never prioritized this business the way UnitedHealth or Humana (NYSE:HUM) have and it shows. WellPoint has only about 4% share of the market (against 20% for UnitedHealth, 17% for Humana, and 7% for Aetna) and its STAR rating is frankly pathetic at 3.29 versus an industry average of 3.8 and Aetna's market-leading 4.05. Any turnaround is going to take time and management is prioritizing achieving 4-star quality ratings and improving its provider relationships.
Public exchanges still a sizable unknown
Due in part to a desire to maintain its Blue Cross Blue Shield brand value, WellPoint has been among the most active in public exchanges under the Affordable Care Act – participating in 14 exchanges and on the way to enrolling 700,000 lives. That's well ahead of Aetna's 450,000 estimate and due in part to the markets involved – Aetna is active in more exchanges (17), but WellPoint has a large presence in California (about one-third of enrollees), Virginia, and Georgia. By way of comparison, UnitedHealth, Cigna, and Health Net have only token presences in public exchanges, though UnitedHealth has commented on possibly getting more active for 2015 (and early filings indicate they will be substantially increasing their footprint).
While WellPoint has taken a big leap, management seems to have a better grasp on risk and costs. While most exchange participants are expecting breakeven to slightly negative margins for 2014, WellPoint has been consistent in projecting 3% to 5% margins. I would venture to speculate that a meaningful part of this could be coming from WellPoint's advantaged cost position (more in a moment).
WellPoint also ruffled some feathers months ago when it projected a double-digit increase in premiums for 2015 while the CBO was projecting low to mid single-digit increases. Management has since revised its guidance to a mid-to-high single-digit increase, but the fact remains that these companies are still in the dark as to how utilization and cost trends will evolve with these newly enrolled members.
Pushing cost advantages
A while back, during the company's investor day, management laid out a strong case for its cost management initiatives. Management believes it has a 5% unit cost advantage, a 10% overall cost of care advantage versus the industry, and cost leadership in over 70% of its markets. While UnitedHealth et al may quibble with the numbers, WellPoint has focused on building strong market share in core markets (an average of 30% share in its commercial business); by holding such strong local share, WellPoint can negotiate fiercely with providers on costs.
WellPoint has also been an active participant in accountable care organizations (ACOs), with 2.7 million members in 74 ACOs at the end of 2013. Management is looking to increase the number of members in ACOs by 50% by the end of 2014. Comparisons are complicated by different models, but Cigna has about 100 similar arrangements, Aetna is targeting 60 by year end, Humana has over 300 in-house clinics, and UnitedHealth has arrangements with over 600 hospitals and 1,200 medical groups.
Given UnitedHealth's recent operating stumbles, and the Street's overreaction to them, UnitedHealth looks cheaper on a going-forward basis but the level of expectations are different. Should WellPoint get its return on equity into the mid-teens (possibly harder to do as it lacks the high-margin technology and service offerings of UnitedHealth's Optum business), the potential returns would be significant. As is, WellPoint is back on track and still offers some moderate upside from today's level.
NYSE:ANTM
Switching Jobs? 5 Tips to Help You Adjust
Obamacare and Medicare Advantage: How WellPoint Could Outperform @themotleyfool #stocks $UNH $HUM $ANTM $AET Next Article

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Joseph G. Spinner
Hershey Restaurateur and Hotelier
Joseph G. Spinner, former chef/owner of Spinner's Inn & Restaurant died Christmas Day, he was 86.
The landmark Chocolate Avenue business in Hershey included both an inn and restaurant. The restaurant was originally known as Spinner's Parisian when opened by Joe's father in 1947. Joe, along with his wife Pat, operated Spinner's for 50 years until they retired in 1997.
Enlisting in the Army after graduation from Hershey High School in 1944, Joe attained the rank of Sergeant in the Ninth Traffic Regiment, Third Army and was an observer to the Nuremberg Trials, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of Nazi Germany.
As a teenager, Joe worked as bellman and was once a caddie for Ben Hogan at the Hotel Hershey.
Joe lived most of his life in Hershey, moving from Montclair, NJ with his family at the age of 3 in 1930. Known as someone who was never without a joke to tell, Joe was well known in the community and belonged to numerous organizations, including: SKOL International, PA Restaurant Association, Knights of Columbus (4th Degree), Hershey Historical Society and St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church. Joe was a skilled amateur cartoonist, and often produced cartoons for publication in his neighborhood association paper. Additionally, Joe enjoyed travel, coin and stamp collecting, reading and sports.
Joe was predeceased by his father, William Spinner and his mother Isabella Smyth Spinner. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Pat Spinner and their 5 children, Patrice (Philip) Young of Cornwall; Ann Spinner of Hershey; William (Catherine) Spinner of Larchmont, NY; Kathleen (Michael) Greenblatt of Lancaster; and Cynthia (Mark) Rice of Palmyra. Although known simply as Joe to most who knew him, as a devoted family man and grandfather, Joe was also affectionately known as Papa Joe, PePa, & Grandpa to 16 grandchildren: Madeline, Rebecca, Alex, Joseph, Hannah, Rebecca, Genevieve, Christina, Daniel, Alexander, Jayson, Megan, Alessandra, Eric, Caroline and Katarina.
Friends will be received on Monday, December 30th from 9:00 AM till 11:30 AM in the Hoover Funeral Home, Rt. 422 and Lucy Ave., Hershey followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in the St. Joan of Arc Church, 359, W. Areba Ave., Hershey at 12 noon. Interment will be private in the Hershey Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice or the Sacred Heart of Jesus Building Fund.
Share condolences with the family at www.hooverfuneralhome.com
www.pennlive.com/obits
Published by Patriot-News on Dec. 29, 2013.
How do you know Joseph G. Spinner? (Optional)
I first met Joe Spinner when I retired from the Air Force in 1974 and moved my family into the court-yard at 450 Chocolate Avenue - a location that we shared with the Spinners for about a year. That was a time when the country was trying to sort out the whole racial integration entanglement; so it was not common for housing units to be mixed-race. As it was, Joe and his famiy were adjusting to life after the fire which had only recently destroyed their business and they had temporary residence in the same court-yard. Even in their misery, Joe and Pat reached out to make us feel welcomed and comfortable.
We shall forever be indebted to Joe and his family for the courtesies they extended to my family and to me during that time of adjustment for all of us. He was a good man. A man whose memory I will always respect.
Someone once wrote, "The moving finger writes and, having writ, moves on...". Joe has written an indelible mark on our hearts which will linger forever. Thank goodness we had the opportunity to have met.
May his family find comfort and peace during this time of bereavement.
Eugene Allen, P.E.
Mr. Spinner drew the best picture of my dad, Punch Krause, entering into heaven. My family and I cherish that picture. Now Punch is greeting his friend Joe at those pearly gates and they are surly enjoying some good laughs together. Prayers and hugs to you all.
Lori Krause Renne
We still remember meeting Joe, Pat & all of the Spinner family when we moved to Hershey in 1974 & lived at Highgate. The Spinners were also living there as there had been a fire at their home. Our youngest son, Ian (age 2) mistakenly wandered into their apartment & Joe & Pat treated him just like one of the family! We will keep Joe & all of the Spinner Family in our thoughts & prayers. Ginny & John Callahan
Please except my condolences. I am very sorry for your loss. May the God of all comfort be with you during this difficult time. Lean on Him for support through prayer and reading his word the Bible daily.
Dear Pat and family,
You are in my thoughts and prayers at this time.
This fall I had the pleasure of attending the 69th Hershey H.S. reunion with my Dad. I was so happy to see Joe...his big smile, belly laugh, and jokes seemed like I was back in the kitchen at Spinner's when I was a child. I'll remember him with fond memories.
Betsy (Mengel) Sanford
Dear Pat and family, What can one say about a man who meant so much to my family and to me....whether visiting my father at Spinner's, working as a busboy, or entertaining a date there with Joe's cartoon on the menu, he was a great person and he will be missed by many...may God Bless...
Timothy Mark
Celebrating a life well lived. We will cherish the memories forever.
Schell Family


Bookmakers News: Irish bookies facing "annihilation"? 888Sport gets to the race track.
Bookmakers News: Irish bookies facing "annihilation"? 888Sport gets to the race track.
Irish bookmakers have warned they face "annihilation" after the country decided to double the betting tax it imposes upon operators. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe on Tuesday announced plans to increase the tax to 2 percent, a move that will take effect from January next year, while duty on the commission earned on exchanges like Betfair will shoot up to 25percent. "The entire sector is devastated, we've lost 450 shops in the last eight years, and now as it had just started to stabilise, this change to double the tax will wipe them out," said Sharon Byrne, spokeswoman for the Irish Bookmakers Association. "This will kill the industry, for a different type of service a localised service, they've just made it extinct. There is no preparing for this, this is the end, the end of our sector, we've fought very hard to prevent his, now we're in turmoil. It's a major blow." The Irish Examiner has more on Byrne's response to the news.
The boss of Ladbrokes Coral owner GVC has claimed that most bookmakers agree there are way too many gambling ads on TV and he called on the industry to collectively cut back. "We should make the changes collaboratively with the rest of the industry, which might be difficult, and ultimately it's up to the government to decide if they want to legislate or not," said Kenny Alexander. "Particularly around the watershed, the most vulnerable to gambling are the younger generation, those who can gamble as well as those who can't at the moment but will be able to in a year or two. It could affect business but if there's a level playing field then it will affect everybody in the same way." Read City AM for the full story.
Paddy Power staff will be allowed to gamble with the firm for the first time, although they will not be allowed to deposit more than €500 per month. They will not be able to place bets while on shift and they can only bet online, not in-store, but otherwise the long-standing ban has been lifted. Members of the trading team will still be banned from betting though. "Where possible, we want all staff to understand the products we are offering to customers, so that we can constantly improve the service we provide," said Paddy Power. Read The Times for more.
The Swedish gambling regulator has received more than 60 applications for licences to operate betting sites when the new regulated market begins life on January 1, 2019. The Lotteriinspektionen said that some applications are lacking required information and some operators have been requested to make comprehensive additions, so it will not be a straightforward process.


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Dead trees in a California forest in August 2016. U.S. Forest Service
Small Pests, Big Problems: The Global Spread of Bark Beetles
By Cheryl Katz • September 21, 2017
Warming temperatures are fueling the expansion of pine and spruce beetle outbreaks across North America, Europe, and Siberia, ravaging tens of thousands of square miles of woodlands. Scientists warn that some forest ecosystems may never recover.
First, mountain pine beetles devastated lodgepole and ponderosa pine trees across western North America. Then came spruce beetles, which have targeted high-elevation Engelmann spruce, spreading from New Mexico into Colorado and beyond. Altogether, with their advance fueled by climate change, bark beetles have ravaged 85,000 square miles of forest in the western United States — an area the size of Utah — since 2000. Pine beetles also have killed trees across roughly 65,000 square miles of forest in British Columbia, and in the southeastern U.S., they have caused millions of dollars of damage to the timber industry in states such as Alabama and Mississippi.
The beetles are now advancing up the Atlantic coast, reaching New York's Long Island in 2014 and Connecticut the following year. A new study projects they could begin moving into the twisting pitch pines of New England and the stately red pines of Canada's Maritime provinces by decade's end. Warming winters could push the beetles north into Canada's boreal forest within 60 years, climate scientists say.
And from Europe to Siberia, bark beetle outbreaks are erupting with increasing frequency in woodlands weakened by rising heat and drought. Switzerland is preparing for the eventual loss of spruce, its most important tree, as warmer weather fans conditions that will make it nearly impossible for all but those high in the Alps to survive. The Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and Slovakia are all experiencing intense beetle attacks on their Norway spruce. In Siberia, a related spruce beetle has helped another insect pest, the Siberian silk moth, damage more than 1,100 square miles of Siberian fir, pine, and spruce since 2014. That infestation is now spreading northward into historically outbreak-free boreal taiga stands.
"The amount of conifer mortality that we're seeing both here and in Europe is unprecedented historically," says one U.S. expert.
"The amount of conifer mortality that we're seeing both here and in Europe is unprecedented historically," says Jesse Morris, a geographer with the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Morris and other scientists are trying to determine the potential impacts, such as more intense wildfires, disrupted watersheds, destroyed habitats, and reduced carbon storage, as climate change spurs increasingly widespread and severe beetle outbreaks.
Bark beetles are a natural part of the conifer forest life cycle, regularly flaring and fading like fireworks. But the scope and intensity in the past two decades is anything but normal, scientists say, in large part because rising temperatures are preventing the widespread winter die-off of beetle larvae, while also enhancing the beetles' killing power. Not only are the insects expanding into new territory, they're also hatching earlier and reproducing more frequently. New infestations become full-blown with astonishing speed, and the sheer numbers of beetles exceeds anything forest experts have seen before. Morris says he's seen spruce beetle epidemics in Utah so intense that when the insects had killed all the trees, they began attacking telephone poles.
The spruce beetle (Ips Typographus) has expanded its range across Europe and Siberia. Shutterstock
Perhaps even more concerning is that beetles are beginning to target novel species, such as the jack pine — found across wide swaths of Canada — that had escaped assault until now.
"Bark beetles, I like to call them first responders, because they are so sensitive to change," says Diana Six, a forest entomologist at the University of Montana in Missoula. "It doesn't take a lot to really set them up, as we're seeing."
ALSO ON YALE E360
How science can help to halt the western bark beetle plague. Read more.
Take the southern pine beetle, which until recently was restricted to its native habitat in Central America and the southeastern U.S., because its larvae die when cold winter nights drop bark temperatures below 14 degrees F. The latitude of that lethal chilling limit has been creeping northward by about 40 miles a decade since 1980, the new study by Columbia University researchers finds. At the rate they're progressing, southern pine beetles could damage nearly 273,000 square miles of northern red and jack pine forests by 2080, says Corey Lesk, a Columbia University graduate student who has modeled the insects' advance.
Normally, infestations last for a few years until the beetles kill all their host trees or a cold spell kills the beetles. After that, the pine seeds that fell to the ground germinate, and the forest gradually regrows. Beetles won't attack young trees until they reach around 3 inches in diameter. But today's changing climate is stressing trees and making them more vulnerable to invading beetles at the same that it's making the beetles more potent. On top of that, in the U.S., decades of fire suppression have left forests unnaturally dense and uniform, facilitating the beetles' spread from tree to tree.
Increasingly long and intense droughts in recent years have weakened the defenses of trees.
The world's conifer forests have survived bark beetle attacks for thousands of years, thanks to the trees' effective defense mechanism. When beetles burrow into their bark, trees release a sap rich with volatile toxic chemicals to flush the insects and prevent them from sending pheromone signals mustering other beetles. But increasingly long and intense droughts of recent years have weakened the trees' defenses. Without sufficient water, trees can't produce enough sap. Hot temperatures cause further moisture loss. Trees weaken and become easier to overwhelm.
The ecological impacts of beetle mega-outbreaks aren't clear-cut. But there's a potential for some devastating consequences.
"It can affect just about anything we can measure," says Christopher Fettig, a research entomologist with the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station in Davis, California. "We see some really intricate things that we're just starting to understand."
One of the top concerns following severe outbreaks is wildfire. Fires have whipped through some beetle-kill areas with incredible intensity, such as the West Fork Complex fire that burned more than 100,000 acres in Colorado in 2013. Standing dead trees also make it much more difficult and dangerous to fight forest fires, because of the risk that these skeletons will fall.
Bark beetles have ravaged 85,000 square miles of forest in the western United States since 2000, including this area in California as seen in 2016. U.S. Forest Service
The relationship between wildfire and bark beetles is complicated, Fettig and other scientists say. The severity of a blaze depends on the timing and intensity of the beetle infestation. Fire risk is highest in the first few years, when the needles are still on the dead trees. After the needles drop, it's more difficult for fire to move from tree to tree, a phenomenon called "torching." However, when new growth sprouts, the fire risk could rise again. And in hot, dry conditions, essentially any forest can burn.
Another major toll is on the forest food web and wildlife habitats. Conifer seeds are a key source of food for numerous species of birds and animals. For instance, the whitebark pine, with its especially large and nutritious seeds, is a favorite meal for grizzly bears fattening up before hibernation. Beetle outbreaks around Yellowstone National Park in recent years have wiped out more than a million acres of whitebark stands, forcing the bears to move to lower elevations — and closer to humans — in search of food. Concerns about the decline of whitebark pine were a key reason Yellowstone grizzlies were on the endangered species list until this summer, when Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke lifted the bears' protection.
With the beetles now moving into tree species that haven't been attacked in the past and lack natural defenses, the potential for wildlife consequences has magnified. Scientists are especially concerned that southern and western pine beetles are making the jump into jack pines — which span parts of the northern U.S., as well as Canada from coast to coast — and could give the beetles a "land bridge" across the continent. That could potentially usher outbreaks through important bird breeding ranges and key wildlife food supplies as far north as the Canadian tundra.
"People now are really worried that this beetle is going to devastate the boreal forest," says one scientist.
"People now are really worried that this beetle is going to devastate the boreal forest, which is a really critical forest for wildlife, carbon sequestration, and so forth," says Six.
Already endangered species native to the jack pine forests, such as the Kirtland's warbler, could be pushed over the edge. The rare songbird only nests in a specific area of the Michigan jack pine forest, which could lie directly in the beetles' future path. "It's a good question whether they, or any conifer-nesting bird, can outpace the spread of the beetles once they get going," says bird field guide author Kenn Kaufman.
Beetle epidemics may also threaten water resources. In forested mountain watersheds such as in the Colorado River Basin, which is the main source of water for Western states, the bulk of the annual precipitation falls as snow. Without sheltering tree cover, the snowpack could melt earlier, sending much of it down the river weeks before the peak agricultural demands of summer.
Researchers have yet to detect major impacts on water resources from U.S. bark beetle outbreaks. But as beetles reach spruce trees at higher elevations, where more snowpack is stored, things could change.
"If we think about the Western forest being the water tower of the West, the spruce-fir zone is really the bulk of that water tower," says Jeff Lukas, a climate researcher with the Western Water Assessment.
Scientists say that the loss of large swaths of conifers could also turn forests from carbon sinks into carbon sources as infested stands of pine, spruce, and fir stop absorbing CO2, die, and rot, releasing stored carbon.
A forester in Poland's Bialowieza Forest points to larvae of spruce bark beetles. WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP/Getty Images
The beetle outbreak picture is somewhat different in Europe, where infestations tend to be managed much more closely than in the U.S., in large part because European nations have far smaller areas of forest to monitor. In Germany, for example, government foresters inspect each conifer stand in their district every two weeks for signs of beetles, according to Horst Delb, head of forest health for the FVA Forest Research Institute in Freiburg, Germany, which focuses on the renowned Black Forest.
"We know every tree personally," says Delb. When an infected tree is found, it is removed right away, before the brood can hatch and infect more trees. "So we don't have these huge areas of damaged trees," he says.
The vast public woodlands of the U.S. are mainly monitored by aerial surveys, which are conducted far less frequently. Beetle management options include forest thinning before an infestation takes hold, logging afterward, or leaving tree skeletons undisturbed.
What does the future hold for the world's conifers in the face of the bark beetle onslaught?
Most forests will recover to at least some degree, scientists say. Generally, conifer forests are resilient, and they eventually return following a beetle epidemic.
But with the scale of devastation today, many forests may never return to their former glory. And climate change could turn current forest knowledge on its head. "We're moving into a pretty big era of uncertainty," says Six.
In the Sierras, new approaches to protecting forests under stress. Read more.
Some forests already appear to be losing resilience. In parts of California's southern Sierra Nevada, beetles have killed nearly every low-elevation ponderosa pine. Scientists say those trees may not come back as droughts kill seedlings and changing climatic conditions drive the ecosystem beyond a tipping point. "I do think we'll see some conifer forests transition to oak woodlands," says Fettig. "Some will transition to shrublands or grasslands." Large pines and spruce may give way to smaller, scrubbier fir.
Forests have always been on the move, advancing into new territory as conditions become favorable, to be quickly followed by insect pests. But as the warming climate expands the reach of bark beetles, "there are some [tree] species that are just not going to have any place to move, especially at high elevations," says Barbara Bentz, a research entomologist with the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station in Logan, Utah. "So they're going to have to figure out how to adapt."
Cheryl Katz is an independent science writer covering climate change, energy, earth sciences, and environmental health. A former newspaper reporter, she has reported from Iceland to Africa on topics ranging from new geothermal technology to rapidly warming lakes. Her articles have appeared in Scientific American, National Geographic, and Hakai Magazine, among other publications. More about Cheryl Katz →
Join the conversation: Small Pests, Big Problems: The Global Spread of Bark Beetles Show comments →
By Fred Pearce
By Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar


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Q: How do I read a database while inserting data from another thread? I am trying to read an sqlite database while I insert data from another thread, but I get locked database error. I tried to create a new instance of the database when I try to read the content but I get the same error. If you have any resources or any idea of how to resolve this issue it will be a great help.
Here is the code I use to initiate the database:
- (id)initWithDB:(NSString*)dbName{

    if(self = [super init])
    {
            NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
            NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
            NSString *writableDBPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:dbName];

            if (sqlite3_open([writableDBPath UTF8String], &_database) != SQLITE_OK) {
                    NSLog(@"could not prepare statement: %s\n", sqlite3_errmsg(_database));
                    NSLog(@"Failed to open database!");
            }
    }
    return self;
}

A: Thanks to @CL I was able to resolve this issue by adding
sqlite3_exec(_database, "PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL;", 0, 0, 0);

after the sqlite3_open() function.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package com.datatorrent.stram.engine;

import com.datatorrent.api.Context;
import com.datatorrent.api.DefaultOutputPort;
import com.datatorrent.api.InputOperator;
import com.datatorrent.common.experimental.AppData;

public class TestAppDataQueryOperator implements InputOperator, AppData.ConnectionInfoProvider
{
  public final transient DefaultOutputPort<Object> outport = new DefaultOutputPort<>();

  private String appDataUrl;
  private String topic;

  @Override
  public void emitTuples()
  {
  }

  @Override
  public void beginWindow(long l)
  {
  }

  @Override
  public void endWindow()
  {
  }

  @Override
  public void setup(Context.OperatorContext cntxt)
  {
  }

  @Override
  public void teardown()
  {
  }

  public void setAppDataUrl(String appDataUrl)
  {
    this.appDataUrl = appDataUrl;
  }

  @Override
  public String getAppDataURL()
  {
    return appDataUrl;
  }

  public void setTopic(String topic)
  {
    this.topic = topic;
  }

  @Override
  public String getTopic()
  {
    return topic;
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Thoughts: I absolutely loved this long-lasting, all-day mascara! As soon as I put it on, it did just what it promised: instantly lengthened, thickened, and curled my short, straight lashes. There was no messy residue or annoying clumps, so it gave my lashes great volume that still looked natural. Plus, no matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, I managed to stay completely flake- and smudge-free all day! The lightweight formula made me feel like I wasn't wearing any mascara at all, and kept my upper and lower lashes from sticking together, a problem I've found with other products. But while I love how the mascara is water-resistant, it was especially difficult to remove, even with makeup remover.
Best for: Girls with naturally curly lashes of any length, since the curl doesn't last all day. And for those that want a subtle, natural look.


What effect does age have on a woman's fertility?
The perfect time for a woman to have children is between twenty-five and thirty years of age. But today, many couples decide to plan parenthood later in life, owing to changes in lifestyle. After the age of thirty-five, a woman's fertility drops because the egg quality and quantity deteriorates as age advances.
When should you seek medical help for infertility?
If you are a woman under 35 years of age and haven't conceived within 1 year of trying, then it is time to seek help from a fertility specialist. The timeline for women between 35 and 40 years of age is approximately 6 months of trying and for those above 40, it is approximately 3 months. In cases of PCOS, endometriosis, pelvic infections and any other hormonal issues, it is advisable to speak with us even earlier.
Is there currently a drop in fertility rates?
Currently there is a drop in fertility rates due to various reasons like late marriages and delaying childbearing, unhealthy lifestyle, obesity etc. leading to a deterioration in sperm and egg quality.
How do I book an appointment at Cocoon fertility?
To book an initial consultation, all you have to do is call + 91 9833 310310 or email info@cocoonfertility.com or fill our online form. We usually have short notice appointments available.


Please use the form below to submit one or more entries to our 2019 INCA Golds awards programme.
You can submit an entry to one or more of the eight categories. Each entry will be assessed by our panel of judges against the criteria for the category or categories in which it has been submitted, so please ensure that your submission clearly sets out how the project meets or exceeds the criteria.
You can nominate either an organisation, or - for the 'Outstanding Contribution by an Individual' category - you can nominate an individual. Please tell us which this nomination is for.
The name of the organisation or individual that you are nominating for an INCA Gold award.
You may nominate an organisation for more than one category if appropriate. Your submission should show clearly how the project addresses the issues and criteria for each category selected.
Please provide a brief 100 word summary of the project.
Please provide a detailed account of the project, including actions taken, any challenges encountered and how these were overcome, results achieved, and any other information you feel is relevant to show how the project meets the entry criteria. If nominating an individual, please detail why they should win the award, including any challenges overcome and results achieved over the last year. You should keep your submission to a limit of 500 words.
Please provide a modest amount (please be kind to our judges!) of key supporting evidence as appropriate (e.g. customer testimonial/test results/financial information/no. of premises passed/ maps/ images). Collate your evidence into a single PDF document and upload it.
We are keen to develop the use of video through the INCA Golds programme. If you have a short video (no more than 5 minutes in length) that highlights your nomination, you can enter the web address for the video here. We'll showcase the best videos on our Youtube channel.
We'll use the data you provide about yourself solely to communicate with you about your nomination.
I declare that all of the information submitted is accurate, and that permission has been given for this entry by all of the parties mentioned.
The data you submit through this form will be used by INCA and our panel of judges to assess the entries. In the event that we need any additional information, we'll be in touch with you.


Patrick Gallagher, confirmed last month as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, believes the agency he is taking over has become an economic enabler for a nation increasingly dependent on information technology and the ability to securely share and use information.
For evidence, Gallagher points to the growth of cybersecurity as a high profile issue during the past decade and it has become a primary concern of NIST's largest laboratory. New projects such as Smart Grid technology and health IT also have become priorities for sustainable economic development. Gallagher said this type of rapid development of technical capabilities will become more common as we increasingly depend on science and technology to solve our problems.
"By aggressively jumping in to address these issues we are creating positive economic conditions by establishing a standardized environment for growth," he said.
Gallagher, a physicist with a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, came to NIST in 1993 to work in the Center for Neutron Research. He became director of that center in 2004. He has been an agency representative on the National Science and Technology Council and became deputy director of NIST in 2008.
Gallagher will be overseeing an agency with 2,900 scientists, engineers, technicians and support staff in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo., with a total budget of more than $1.5 billion in fiscal 2009. The bulk of that, $819 million, comes from the agency's annual appropriation, with another $125 million coming in fees from other agencies. It also received $610 million from the economic stimulus law for building research facilities and doing work on high-priority programs such as the Smart Grid initiative and health IT.
Its importance is demonstrated by the strong reaction to a proposal earlier this year to reorganize NIST's IT Laboratory, distributing functions of the Computer Security Division through the lab. That division has produced standard encryption algorithms, guidance for complying with computer security requirements under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and established standards for government use of IT. Although the agency made it clear that the reorganization would not include any reduction in force and that the goal was to strengthen cybersecurity efforts, the proposal generated enough resistance that the agency chose to shelve it for now, he said.
Gallagher called this a "critical time in cybersecurity," as government responds to this year's review of cybersecurity efforts and a number of bills addressing requirements for both government and the private sector are pending in Congress.
NIST's job is primarily to establish technical standards and metrics, and its cybersecurity standards take a risk-based approach. But measuring risk and security performance has always been problematic.
Gallagher sees NIST's role as a catalyst for the application of technology to pressing environmental, economic and social concerns. One of the primary measures of success for NIST in the coming years will be its ability to help lay the groundwork for implementing key technologies such as the Smart Grid and health IT.
"We have to be nimble and resourceful," he said.


text:
Citizen of Nowhere.gblorb
Requires a Glulx interpreter. Visit IFWiki for download links.
Walkthrough and map
by David Welbourn
Citizen of Nowhere
by Luke A. Jones profile
The King, your father, is dead.
You have refused to take the crown and the land of Nowhere has instead evolved into a republic.
A simple invitation to the capital city of Lost sparks an epic quest as forces from Somewhere threaten war.
Venture through twisted landscapes with only your faithful dog, and a dry sense of humour, for company.
A puzzle parser in the classic style.
First Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Current Version: 3
Development System: Inform 7
Forgiveness Rating: Merciful
IFID: A2666B00-C25B-44DD-BC72-BE4E360E1B3E
TUID: k00m9tgvgdapesln
Sequel to The Bony King of Nowhere, by Luke A. Jones
55th Place - 25th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2019)
A cheerful and big game that needs some fixing up, October 8, 2019
Related reviews: about 2 hours
Luke Jones has released many games, and has a definite style. His games are whimsical, kind of roguish (with a foul-mouthed pigeon), sprawling, with a big cast of NPCs.
They are also a bit spare. When he started with Quest games, they were above average for Quest games in terms of implementation. Inform games (which this one is) generally have room for smoother programming, and this game could use a litte bit of polish, both in synonyms and in typos (especially the problems with stray punctuation that inform has).
This is a sequel to The Bony King of Nowhere, featuring the same map, just a few years older. I played with the walkthrough, as some puzzles I had great difficulty in guessing.
My favorite part about the game is the frank and friendly NPCs, like Donella or the Wizard of Ounces (Oz). I also liked the tie-in with other games by this author.
Large and inconsistent, December 27, 2019
by Stian
Citizen of Nowhere was not particularly engaging. The story is a hodgepodge of disparate elements and tropes not properly coming together to form a consistent and convincing world. While the map is large, descriptions are extremely sparse and the few details mentioned in the descriptions are rarely implemented as (scenery) objects. NPC's are equally limited; asking them about things they should know about provided usually either their default response or "You can't see any such thing."
Puzzles are a big part of the game, and while I had fun with a few of them, most were either very straightforward or bordering on unguessable. Synonyms are usually lacking. A crucial tip if you want to play the current IFComp version: you need to use the verb "attach".
In other words, there is room for significant improvement to Citizen of Nowhere. With sufficient polish, it could certainly become quite decent, but, considering the size of the map, a lot of work seems to remain.
If you enjoyed Citizen of Nowhere...
People who like Citizen of Nowhere also gave high ratings to these games:
80 DAYS, by inkle, Meg Jayanth
1872, with a steampunk twist. Phileas Fogg has wagered he can circumnavigate the world in just eighty days. Choose your own route around a 3D globe, travelling by airship, submarine, mechanical camel, steam-train and more, racing other...
Saint City Sinners, by dgallagher
Hey you! Yeah, you! You think you have what it takes to be a detective? I mean a real, steel-oats-eating kind of detective that names your fists and barely cries at the end of Marley and Me? If so, prepare for the adventure of your...
Black Sheep, by Nic Barkdull and Matt Borgard
In the future, robots cater to man's every want and need. That is, unless you're a lowly line cook like Irene Turnsole. After Irene travels to her late father's home, she discovers that her sister has gone missing and nobody is coming to...
Citizen of Nowhere appears in the following Recommended Lists:
New walkthroughs for November 2021 by David Welbourn
On Friday, November 26, 2021, I published new walkthroughs for the games and stories listed below! Some of these were paid for by my wonderful patrons at Patreon. Please consider supporting me to make even more new walkthroughs for works...
Citizen of Nowhere Web Site
Citizen of Nowhere at IF Wiki
This is version 7 of this page, edited by David Welbourn on 26 November 2021 at 9:19pm. - View Update History - Edit This Page - Add a News Item


A classic silhouette meets Hope & Ivy's signature floral flourish with a dress perfect for that special occasion. A beautiful ruffled statement open back and blouson sleeves are complemented by a classic A-line shape with a dramatic, full skirt. Pastel, floral prints contrast flawlessly against the soft, blue background adding a subtle dash of colour.


text:
U.S. COVID-19: Biometrics and Business Re-Opening
Other Posts by Mimi
Patrick DePoy
Other Posts by Patrick
Lauren Caisman
Other Posts by Lauren
Authored by: Mimi Moore, Patrick DePoy and Lauren Caisman
Now that wearing gloves has become the new normal because of the COVID-19 pandemic, biometric privacy litigation, which in recent years has centered on employers' use of finger-scan timekeeping technology, may ultimately shift in focus to the measures that businesses implement as employees return to the workplace and customers begin to frequent their favorite establishments. Body temperature checks, used to screen employees and visitors for a fever, are one such measure being considered as a first line of defense for public health.
To mount a defense against, or avoid altogether, biometric privacy class action litigation, businesses open to the public and employers must have a comprehensive understanding of the thermometer or thermal imaging technology selected—and the data it captures—before rolling out temperature screenings on a widespread basis. Among the technologies available are:
Non-contact infrared thermometers that use lasers to measure temperature from a distance;
Thermal imaging cameras that detect elevated skin temperatures compared against a sample of average temperature values;
Monitoring systems that use thermal and color visual imaging to detect fevers in high-volume pedestrian areas; and
"Wearables" that can use radiometric thermometry measuring electromagnetic wave emissions.
While temperature screening has been endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and various state and local governments, biometric privacy laws have not been suspended or amended. The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act ("BIPA") regulates the possession, collection, capture, purchase, receipt, and sale of "biometric identifiers" and "biometric information"—defined to include retina or iris
U.S. COVID-19: Workplace Temperature Screening: How To Develop and Implement A Screening Protocol
Christy Phanthavong
Other Posts by Christy
Authored by: Patrick DePoy, Mimi Moore and Christy Phanthavong
The notion that U.S. employers would engage in broad-scale temperature screening of employees would have once been essentially unthinkable. But the realities of COVID-19 are changing the workplace, as least for the time-being. With the encouragement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") and some state and local governments, and in light of the blessing of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC"), more employers are now considering the implementation of daily temperature screening[1] before employees enter the workplace.
In Part 1 of our two-part series on temperature screening, we addressed the question of whether employers may (or must) implement a temperature screening protocol. Here, in Part 2, we address the question of how to implement such a protocol, i.e. what procedures for temperature screening in the workplace should employers implement? Below are a number of issues for employers to consider:
Decide who will be screened. Some employers are screening only critical infrastructure workers who were or may have been exposed to a person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19. Other employers are screening all employees, and often are also screening any contract workers and visitors who enter the workplace, unless doing so would be virtually impossible (e.g., a grocery store screening all customers). Although deciding who will be screened is essentially a business decision, at all times, employers must ensure that employees are selected for screening on a nondiscriminatory basis.
Decide who will do the screening. The options for who will do the screening range
U.S. COVID-19: Employee Temperature Screening: What Employers Need To Consider When Deciding Whether To Implement a Screening Process
In light of concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus in the workplace, employers are confronting important questions pertaining to the screening of employees for COVID-19 symptoms, including as it pertains to taking employees' temperatures: May (or must) we screen employees for fevers, and if so, how should we implement such a practice?
In Part 1 of this two-part blog series, we address issues relating to the decision of whether employers may (or must) implement a temperature screening protocol. In Part 2, we will provide guidance on how to do so.
Non-Discriminatory Temperature Screening Is Permitted
Taking an employee's temperature is considered a medical exam under the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") and would normally be subject to strict restrictions. However, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") has expressly stated in updated guidance that employers are permitted to screen employees for fevers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some state agencies are following suit; for example, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing recently issued guidance indicating that temperature checks are permissible and non-discriminatory under the present circumstances, so long as they are conducted on all personnel entering a facility.
Federal Guidance Supports Temperature Screening In Certain Circumstances
At the federal level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") has advised all employers to consider "community level spread" of COVID-19 when determining appropriate workplace precautions, stating that workplaces in communities with minimal to moderate community spreading should, among other things, "[c]onsider regular health
Employers Have Until September 30, 2019 to Submit Pay Data to the EEOC
Lily Kurland
Other Posts by Lily
Marilyn Fish
Other Posts by Marilyn
Authored by: Lily Kurland, Marilyn Fish and Mimi Moore
Update to our April 11 article:
Earlier today, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered employers to submit worker pay data to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") by September 30, 2019. In so ruling, the Court rejected arguments from worker advocate groups who had sought to require the collection of pay data by May 31, 2019.
Pursuant to the Court's Order, employers must submit two years' worth of pay data to the EEOC. While data for 2018 must be included in an employer's September 30th submission, the EEOC is free to choose whether the second year of data will come from 2017 or 2019. If the EEOC elects to collect data from 2017, employers will be required to submit the 2017 pay data by September 30, 2019 as well. If the agency elects to collect data from 2019, employers will be required to submit the 2019 pay data in the spring of 2020. The EEOC has until May 3, 2019 to decide whether it will collect 2017 pay data or 2019 pay data.
If not already done, employers should immediately begin reviewing their collection processes to ensure that they are prepared to report the required pay data by September 30, 2019.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP has a team of knowledgeable lawyers and other professionals prepared to help employers review and comply with EEO-1 reporting obligations. If you or your organization would like more information or assistance in preparing EEO-1
EEOC Proposes September 30, 2019 Deadline for Employers to Submit Pay Data
In court documents filed on April 3, 2019, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") announced that employers may be required to submit pay data to the agency by September 30, 2019.
The filing was made after Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the EEOC to describe when and how it will comply with the Court's March 4th Order lifting the White House's Office of Management and Budget's August 2017 stay on the EEOC's collection of pay data.
Pay data has received much attention from employers and advocates alike since the Court's March 4th Order, but the EEOC has largely remained silent until this recent filing. For example, on March 18, 2019, when the EEOC opened its online portal for filing EEO-1 reports for 2018 (which are due by May 31, 2019), the portal did not include any request for pay data. Instead, the agency issued a statement that same day noting that it was "working diligently on next steps" regarding the collection of pay data.
In addition to identifying a date by when employers may need to submit pay data, the EEOC's April 3rd filing also proposes that employers only be required to submit pay data for 2018 (rather than 2017 and 2018) and describes the agency's plan to use a data and analytics contractor to develop a new reporting program to collect the data.
The September 30, 2019 deadline, however, is not set in stone. Worker advocates objected to the
Investigating Claims of Harassment: A Step-by-Step "How To" Part 6: Closing the Investigation and Additional Steps Thereafter
Authored by: Mimi Moore
This final installment of a six-part series on harassment investigations discusses how to close the investigation and steps to take after the investigation has been closed. As always, bear in mind that each harassment investigation is different and must be tailored to fit the particular circumstances.
Close the Investigation
Once the investigation has concluded, it is essential to close the investigation with the complainant, each witness, and the accused. It may also be prudent, in some circumstances, to follow-up with the entire workforce. All close-out meetings that are held should be documented. When closing the investigation with the complainant, and generally with each witness, here are the key points to tell each person:
We are closing our investigation based on the information as we know it now. (This allows you to reopen if you learn more later.)
The Company has a strong non-discrimination and non-harassment policy. (Consider providing or showing a copy of the policy.)
The Company takes claims of discrimination and harassment seriously and follows up to stop it, if we can conclude that inappropriate conduct occurred.
(If appropriate:) We have taken action on the complaint that we received, but we are not free to disclose any disciplinary action taken toward other employees. (It may be appropriate to tell the complainant more here, such as specific actions taken, in order to help reassure the complainant that reasonable steps have been taken to end the conduct and prevent its recurrence, and/or to inform the complainant of any limitations or
Investigating Claims of Harassment: A Step-by-Step "How To" Part 5: Other Sources of Evidence, Summarizing the Investigation, and Reaching a Conclusion
Before concluding a harassment investigation, the investigator should follow up with other possible sources of evidence, record and summarize the investigation, and reach a conclusion. This fifth part of a six-part series discusses these final steps in the investigation process. As always, bear in mind that each harassment investigation is different and must be tailored to fit the particular circumstances.
Follow Up With Other Possible Sources of Evidence
The investigator should consider whether any other sources of evidence exist that could aid in the investigation process and gather any such evidence. If the evidence is in the possession of either the complainant or the accused, the investigator should ask that the evidence be shared with him/her.
Some examples of physical evidence that may aid in the investigation process are:
Calendars or diaries
Telephone records
Expense reports
Notes, letters, cards, and/or handwriting samples
Emails, voice mails, and text messages
Computer files and computer log-in/log-out information
Security/surveillance video
Building entry/exit swipe information
Offensive material at issue (magazines, calendars, postings, etc.)
Timing of the incident (e.g., just before or after a performance appraisal or just before or after the accused is rejected by the complainant or vice versa)
Physical evidence, such as maps or relative locations of the parties or the areas in which the complainant and others work
Prior performance evaluations
Documents containing other complaints by the complainant, other complaints about the accused, prior investigations involving the same persons, recent adverse
Investigating Claims of Harassment: A Step-by-Step "How To" Part 4: Note-Taking Techniques and Tips for Assessing Witness Credibility
In any investigation of a harassment complaint, the investigator must interview people and take notes. This fourth part of a six-part series addresses techniques for note-taking and tips for assessing the credibility of witnesses. As always, bear in mind that each harassment investigation is different and must be tailored to fit the particular circumstances.
Helpful Witness Interview Note-Taking Techniques
Make sure that your notes are legible and that they are clear on who said and did what and which part of the story is according to whom.
Start a new page for each interview.
At the top of the page, state the names of those present at an interview, the date, time and place of the interview. Sign (or initial) and date the notes.
Although it is not necessary to write in complete sentences, the notes should be free from misspellings or grammatical errors so that the interviewer is not discredited in the course of litigation.
Take detailed notes, as close to verbatim as possible, during each interview. If necessary, ask the interviewee to speak more slowly, so that your notes will be as thorough and accurate as possible. Notes should provide enough information to understand, when reviewed later, what was asked and what information was provided.
Report matters asked of the interviewee as well as words spoken and facts provided by the interviewee. Document any refusal to share information.
Do not include your interpretations, beliefs, assumptions, conclusions, etc., about the facts stated. Rather than guess at reasons or intentions,
Investigating Claims of Harassment: A Step-by-Step "How To" Part 3: Interviewing the Accused and Other Witnesses
You have received a complaint of harassment and interviewed the complainant. In this third part of a six-part series, we discuss interviewing the accused and other witnesses. As always, bear in mind that each harassment investigation is different and must be tailored to fit the particular circumstances.
Interviewing the Accused
At the beginning of the meeting, the investigator should:
Explain that a complaint of sexual (racial, etc.) harassment has been brought against the accused; that the Company is conducting a prompt and thorough investigation to determine if inappropriate conduct has occurred; and that no conclusion has yet been reached.
Identify your role as investigator.
Tell the accused that the Company prohibits retaliation against a complainant, and anyone the accused suspects may have participated in any way in the investigation.
Explain that the accused must provide a truthful account of what occurred, and identify all evidence and witnesses who may have relevant knowledge.
Explain that efforts will be made to share information on a need-to-know basis only, but do not promise confidentiality.
Explain the expected investigation procedure and the expected time frame involved.
During the Interview, the investigator should:
Explain the details of the allegations against him/her (the investigator need not disclose the source of the information, but usually should disclose the allegations in enough detail so that the accused can respond). Ask about the alleged conduct/comments first, before identifying the complainant.
Obtain the accused's account of what occurred, as specifically as possible. (Depending on the circumstances, it
Investigating Claims of Harassment: A Step-by-Step "How To" Part 2: Interviewing the Complainant and Planning the Remainder of the Investigation
You have received a complaint of harassment. What next? In this second part of a six-part series, we focus on interviewing the complainant and planning the remainder of the investigation. As always, bear in mind that each harassment investigation is different and must be tailored to fit the particular circumstances.
The interview of the complainant is usually the first and most important interview that will be conducted, and therefore, should be carefully planned beforehand. This interview, and all others, should be conducted in a private, neutral meeting space at your location. The following provides an illustration of the areas that should be covered by the investigator during the interview of the complainant.
Identify his/her role as investigator (i.e., you are a neutral conducting an investigation on behalf of the Company).
Ask the complainant whether he/she is comfortable with the investigator as the investigator and believes that he/she can conduct an impartial investigation. If the complainant is not comfortable with the investigator or indicates a belief that the investigator cannot conduct an impartial investigation, the investigator should try to identify another person to conduct the investigation. If the investigator is having difficulty with this, an HR supervisor or the Company's attorney should be contacted.
Explain that the Company is conducting a prompt and thorough investigation to determine whether inappropriate conduct has occurred and, if it determines that it has, will take appropriate corrective action to stop it.
Assure the complainant that


New and higher taxes on luxury goods, including supercars, caused the Italians to give up on supercars; with a drop of more than 50% in the first quarter.
Ferrari sales in Italy plummeted by 51% in the first quarter of 2012 while those of its stablemate at Fiat, Maserati slumped by 70% according to the latest details. This slump is part of a new trend in Italy following new taxes on luxury goods, including supercars. The tax on supercars is now calculated according to the engine output. Above a threshold of 250hp, the taxes are dramatically high and the tax bill could be as much as $15,000 per year.
In the last few months Italy's new government also initiated a crackdown on tax evaders, among them numerous people in possession of luxury cars. The police raided a few lucrative sky resorts and cities particularly in the affluent north of the country, registered number plates and transferred them to the tax authorities. Drivers in luxury cars were also stopped by the Italian financial police in special barriers and were questioned about their income. As a result the Italian luxury car segment went into a free fall when people tried to get rid of their cars, selling them at huge losses.
On the other hand sales on new luxury cars dropped dramatically. In addition to Ferrari and Maserati, Lamborghini sales also slumped by more than 60%. Photos displayed are of the 2012 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible and 2012 Ferrari 458 Italia.


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Tag Archives: kenny
#8 – South Park: Mr. Hanky, The Christmas Poo
"Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo" (1997)
You can always count on South Park for something perverse, and it doesn't get much more perverse than a talking piece of Christmas shit. South Park has made quite a few holiday specials, and no holiday has received more attention than Christmas. South Park's Christmas specials contain some of the usual suspects like Jesus and Santa Claus, but creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker apparently felt they needed their own Christmas mascot so they created Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo.
Mr. Hankey is the star of the show's very first Christmas special which aired during the first season. Mr. Hankey is presented as a benevolent spirit of the holidays who packs more Christmas cheer into his tiny, little body than any man, woman, or child. Mr. Hankey is the star of the episode, but the plot centers around Kyle who feels left out at Christmas because he's apparently the only Jewish kid in town. His mother flips out at Mr. Garrison for casting Kyle as Joseph in the school Christmas pageant which snowballs on Garrison as everyone apparently has a problem with some aspect of Christmas. The Jews want to ditch the nativity, the Christians want Santa out, the hippies want to stop the slaughter of trees, and so on.
Mr. Hankey in Mr. Mackey's coffee is probably the best gag in the entire episode, or worst, depending on your point of view.
Meanwhile, Kyle views Mr. Hankey as the solution to the town's problem because he brings presents to all good girls and boys (so long as they eat their fiber), regardless of religion. It's just that few in town are willing to embrace a piece of crap as a new Christmas mascot. Kyle starts seeing Mr. Hankey everywhere as a personified dookie with a Santa hat, which leads to some disgusting but hilarious gags, while everyone else just sees a regular old mookie-stink. Kyle ends up getting committed, only for the kids to find out Chef believes in Mr. Hankey, and the special actually wraps up in a pretty typical Christmas special sort of way, when you ignore the talking poop.
It's funny, it's ridiculous, but South Park actually does a pretty nice job of highlighting how non-Christian kids must feel at Christmas time. There's a heart here, which is part of the humor as Parker and Stone prove to the viewer that we too can love a piece of poo. "Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo" can be found on the season one box set of South Park and also the "Christmas Time in South Park" DVD, which I reviewed previously. The special, along with every other South Park Christmas special, is almost certainly guaranteed to air on Comedy Central this year so check your local listings if you want to catch it. And lastly, every episode of South Park is available to stream on hulu if you want to watch it that way.
2 Comments | tags: cartman, christmas specials, comedy central, kenny, kyle, matt stone, mr. hankey, stan, trey parker | posted in Best of Christmas - TV, Television
Christmas Time in South Park
South Park famously began as a video Christmas card, so it should come as no surprise that the television series (which just concluded its 17th season) has spawned many Christmas specials of its own. Series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone actually haven't done a new one since 2004's Woodland Critter Christmas, but still have output seven Christmas specials which have been conveniently compiled for the DVD release Christmas Time in South Park. The first run of Christmas specials for the show actually felt connected to one another as they all explored the spirit of Christmas: what is it? What does Christmas mean? Of course, this being South Park, don't expect a lot of feel-good and overly sentimental holiday themes as is found in most Christmas specials, though surprisingly some of these episodes echo their tamer counterparts and some even have a good heart at the center of the story.
Lets talk about these episodes, and specifically, the DVD release of Christmas Time in South Park. The DVD case and menus echo those Little Golden Book releases you may remember from your childhood. The menus are animated and the characters will berate you for taking too long to select a feature. The cursor of your DVD player, naturally, is represented by a smear of Mr. Hankey leavings. All seven Christmas specials are featured in chronological order. Unfortunately, all seven are also censored like their season release counterparts (for South Park's older episodes, uncensored versions do not exist as no one anticipated there being a huge market for full seasons of TV shows) which means you'll be hearing beeps whenever the characters utter a colorful phrase. Also missing, is the short that started it all: The Spirit of Christmas. This seems like a huge and careless omission to me. Why go through the effort of putting out a compilation of Christmas specials and leave out the very first one? My only guess is that the studio felt that The Spirit of Christmas was too strong a selling point for releases like South Park: The Hits and its inclusion would harm other DVD sales. Quite possibly, it was just forgotten as this DVD was slapped together quickly to cash-in on the holiday season.
The first Christmas special, and the one that introduced Mr. Hankey to the world.
At least there are still seven, mostly excellent, Christmas episodes for your viewing pleasure. The first being Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo. This was South Park's first Christmas special and apparently Parker and Stone wanted to create a new Christmas icon for the world they created so they turned to a talking piece of shit. Parker and Stone hold nothing back when it comes to Mr. Hankey. He's disgusting, and they don't want you to forget that so we get bits of him leaving poo trails everywhere he goes and even bathing in Mr. Mackey's coffee, while he sips it. The framework of the episode is Kyle feeling excluded from all of the Christmas excitement on account of him being Jewish. Simultaneously, Kyle's mother (the Jewish community) is upset about the inclusion of the nativity in a school Christmas play. Her complaining to the mayor sets off a chain reaction where in response the devout Catholics in town demand to see Santa removed from the play, hippies want to get rid of Christmas trees, epileptics demand the removal of Christmas lights, and the virgins (presumably) want to get rid of mistletoe. The show is clearly poking fun at all of the people that get uptight over Christmas, and Mr. Hankey is called on to save the day. That the town needs to listen to crap in order to see the error of its ways is probably a commentary on something too. Everyone thinks Kyle is insane for seeing and believing in Mr. Hankey, until the boys find out Chef does as well. Once everyone believes, Mr. Hankey reminds everyone that Christmas is a time to be nice to one another, forget about all of the bad stuff in the world, and bake cookies. Kyle is released from the nut house, and Kenny lives to see the end credits for the first time. It's a wacky Christmas special, that may still be the show's best, with tons of gross-out and hilarious moments.
Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson! is the second season's Christmas special and it's subversive in a different way. Rather than try to be absurd and gross people out with singing poop, Parker and Stone decided to use an unlikely character and have him saved by Christmas. Enter mass-murderer Charlie Manson, faithfully depicted with a swastika tattooed on his forehead. Cartman and his mom are heading to Nebraska to visit family for Christmas, and the boys have been invited along. Kyle is allowed to go presumably because his family is Jewish and couldn't care less that it's Christmas while Kenny's family is sending him on a mission to bring back leftovers. Stan's mom is the only one who has a problem with her son being away from the family at Christmas, so Stan sneaks out and tells the Cartmans that his family is dead. When the boys get to Nebraska (after a long and torturous car ride full of singing) they find that a house full of Cartmans is a horrible place to be as all of them basically act just like their own Eric Cartman. They soon find out that Cartman has an incarcerated Uncle Howard, as he breaks out of jail and (stupidly) returns to hide-out in his parent's basement. He brings along his buddy, Charlie Manson, whom the boys are ignorant of. When no one will take them to the mall to see Mr. Hankey, Manson offers to do it himself to avoid sitting and watching Christmas specials all day. At the mall though, he watches a poop version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and begins to see the light. He gets his tattoo altered into a smiley face, and takes the kids home, but not before attracting the attention of the local police. They're soon all trapped in the house as Uncle Howard takes the family hostage. Manson, now full of Christmas spirit, convinces Howard to surrender and even reminds Stan that Christmas is a time for family. The episode ends with the characters from the episode in Manson's jail cell wishing him a merry Christmas, Charlie Brown style. As Stan reminds us, this is some pretty fucked up shit right here.
If you don't like his special, he has some balls you can suck.
Season Three's Christmas special is Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics. It's just a collection of songs, some traditional and some new, sung by the characters of South Park. It's kind of a love it or hate it episode, and one I'm not really fond of. However, Mr. Hankey instructs the audience during the intro that if we don't like it we can suck his tiny little balls. As small as they may be, I don't want to suck any poo balls so I'll cease to speak of this episode right here.
Season Four brings us A Very Crappy Christmas and it could basically be re-titled as The Story of South Park. That's because in it the boys actually create and animate The Spirit of Christmas just like their creators. Following the events of the first two Christmas specials, the people of South Park now understand that Christmas is a time for being merry and spending with one's family. The commercialism is gone, and the boys are pretty pissed off about not getting presents so they go looking for a strangely absent Mr. Hankey. They find their favorite piece of crap has been MIA because he now has a wife and turds of his own. As the boys lament the absence of what they perceive to be the Christmas spirit, they get the idea to make their very own Christmas special. The mayor, who needs the commercialism to spur the economy, agrees to fund their little project. Nothing goes right, but when Kyle channels his own inner Christmas spirit (and the Rankin/Bass feature Twas the Night Before Christmas) he gets everyone back on track. Most of the episode is a parody of Twas the Night Before Christmas while also containing numerous in-jokes for longtime South Park fans. In the end, they're able to show the town The Spirit of Christmas and everyone realizes that Christmas is about one thing: presents. Everyone starts shopping immediately and the town's economy is saved. Yay!
The Hankey family expands in A Very Crappy Christmas.
Season Five was the first to not feature a Christmas episode, but season six restored order with Red Sleigh Down, a parody of Black Hawk Down and the conclusion of what I see as the Christmas story started in season one. In it, Cartman desperately wants some slick new toy but realizes he's been far too naughty to hope to get anything from Santa so he goes all out to be nice at the last minute. His scheming leads him to believe that if he helps Santa bring Christmas to Iraq that will be enough, so he enlists the help of Stan and Kyle (Kenny's been dead all season) and eventually Mr. Hankey in order to do so. Mr. Hankey is thrilled at Cartman's Christmas spirit and agrees to help by taking the boys to the North Pole aboard the Poo-Choo Express (it's just as disgusting as you imagine). Santa agrees that Christmas should be brought to Iraq, and the boys watch from the North Pole as Santa's sleigh is shot down by an RPG over Iraq. Now feeling guilty and terrified by the prospects of no more Christmas presents, the boys enlist the help of the one man who can save Santa: Jesus. They all take Santa's back-up sleigh to Iraq where Jesus becomes a one-man death machine as he takes out numerous soldiers to save Santa. Their escape goes wrong when Jesus is shot from behind and dies in Santa's arms. They're able to escape, but not before a vengeful Claus does finally bring Christmas to Iraq. Back in South Park, the townspeople have been distracted by the speech impediment of Jimmy who's attempting to recite The Twelve Days of Christmas, an episode-long gag. Santa lights the town tree and addresses the crowd telling them that Christmas should be a day to reflect on the sacrifice one man-made to save Christmas: Jesus. And with that, the spirit of Christmas is modified once again in the South Park canon to be a day dedicated to Jesus.
Santa and Jesus team-up in Red Sleigh Down.
With the spirit of Christmas now fully defined, Parker and Stone decided to take the boys on a Christmas adventure to Canada, of all places. The new Canadian Prime Minister has decided that all Canadian born children be returned to Canada, which means Kyle's adopted brother Ike is required to go. Kyle enlists the help of his friends to go appeal to the Prime Minister, though they're all reluctant to risk missing Christmas. They go anyway, and in Canada they find a world not unlike Oz where the locals instruct them to "follow the only road." Just like The Wizard of Oz, the boys encounter other Canadian citizens looking to appeal to the Prime Minister about something, while the villainous Scott, from the Terence and Philip special, makes a return. In the end, they discover the new Prime Minister is actually Saddam Hussein in hiding, and his new laws are overturned while the boys do in fact miss Christmas. Cartman is unable to see the bright-side in Kyle getting his brother back, while Stan laments on missing out on a Christmas adventure, oblivious to what just happened. It's Christmas in Canada is not one of my favorites, and it's probably the weak link on this DVD, though I do know more than one person who finds the episode hilarious. I think I would like it more if it had more to do with Christmas. It's not really a Christmas special, just an episode that takes place during Christmas.
"It's Critter Christmas, dude, it sucks ass!"
This brings me to the last episode on the DVD, and so far, the last Christmas episode South Park has done: Woodland Critter Christmas. Seemingly out of ideas for a Christmas special, Parker and Stone decide to just completely subvert the idea of a Christmas special. In this episode we have an innocent sounding narrator tell the story of a boy trying to help a group of talking woodland critters so that they can have a merry Christmas. The critters are intentionally made to seem sterile and innocent while the episode is also intended to appear to be a cookie-cutter Christmas special with little thought or effort (the main character has no name, all of the animals names are just the name of the animal with a long "e" sound at the end, such as Deery the deer, Rabbity the rabbit, and so on). Of course, the catch is that these animals are trying to bring about the birth of their lord and saviour. Porcupinie has been impregnated by their god, but a mean old mountain lion wants to kill her, so the boy (Stan) is enlisted to help. He succeeds by killing the mountain lion, who also happened to be a mother to three cubs, only to find out the critters worship Satan and the porcupine is set to deliver the anti-christ. The tables are turned and soon Stan is left trying to prevent the coming of the anti-christ and he'll receive help from Santa and a little thing called abortion. Woodland Critter Christmas basically sets out to be the most obscene Christmas special one could dream up. It's almost as if Parker and Stone just wanted to top their prior specials in terms of shock-appeal and perhaps because they haven't thought up a way to top this one is why we haven't seen any new Christmas specials from South Park. If this is the type of thing you can laugh at, then Woodland Critter Christmas should do the trick. It's ridiculous, but also pretty damn hilarious.
These specials are a big part of my memories growing up, even into college. It seemed like each one was a topic of conversation when it originally aired because people generally couldn't believe what they just saw. South Park has had a lot of moments like that over the years, and for whatever reason, Christmas seems to bring out the best in it. I love the sappy, sentimental Christmas specials that dominate the air during this time of year, but sometimes it's nice to watch something that is decidedly less reverential towards the holiday season. South Park does the trick, and Christmas Time in South Park is a convenient release and a suitable way to get my laugh on during the month of December.
3 Comments | tags: animation, cart man, charles manson, comedy central, jesus, kenny, kyle, matt stone, mr. hanky, santa claus, stan, the spirit of christmas, trey parker, woodland critter christmas | posted in Television


Bonsai is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures. The Japanese tradition dates back over a thousand years, and has its own aesthetics and terminology.


How can i get job in government companies after MBA?
Should i go for MBA or ME/M.Tech after engineering to get government companies?
Which are the government sector companies after B.Tech?
Which option is better between M.Com and MBA after B.Com completion?
Re: How can i get job in government companies after MBA?
After MBA, you can very well secure jobs in government companies. Most of the government companies will publish notifications for jobs in their official websites, employment newspapers etc. You can apply for suitable job positions on the basis of available vacancies. As part of selection criteria for jobs you should appear for written examinations conducted by each company. Generally written examination will be aptitude based test which will include questions from subject areas like Reasoning, GK, language skills, Quantitative ability, subject or technical questions etc. If you get through written exam you should also attend GD and personal Interview also. You can apply for positions like Specialist Officer, Management Trainee, and Assistant Manager etc in reputed public sector companies like HAL, SAIL, BHEL, BEML etc. You can also apply for specialist officer positions in nationalized banks also.


Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have generated the first 3-D map of the cancer-associated protein DCLK1, revealing how it functions.
"By looking at the structure of the kinase domain at the atomic level, we can now understand the effect of cancer-associated mutations located in this region," she said. "These mutations can lead to a non-stop microtubule building by DCLK1, and consequently chaotic cell division that is a hallmark of cancer.


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Alec Connon
Alec Connon is the coordinator of the Stop the Money Pipeline coalition, a coalition of over 160 organizations working to stop the flow of money from Wall Street to the fossil fuel industry. He is also a writer. His first novel, The Activist, was published in 2016.
@alecconnon
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"It's been really good," Anneliese Troxell, owner of Tiptoz Dance Company said.
Troxell's home studio is in Council Grove, one she started managing five years ago with a partner when both were living in Europe. Troxell also has a studio in Herington.
The approach she used in Marion is one she hope she can use to build rural dance communities and a stream of dance teachers to keep them going.
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Professor Receives NEH Summer Stipend Research Grant
Monday, April 20, 2015, By Sarah Scalese
Amy Kallander, an associate professor of Middle East history in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences, has received a prestigious Summer Stipend Research Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). She will use the award to support her ongoing project, "Women, Family and the Modern Nation in Postcolonial Tunisia."
Amy Kallander
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Sarah Scalese


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Astrophysicist Gets Magnets Stuck Up Nose Inventing Device To Stop People Touching Their Faces
Daniel Reardon may look glum but he has achieved widespread appreciation for taking mocking in good humor after being hospitalized with powerful magnets stuck in his nose in the quest to get people to stop face touching in the pandemic. Daniel Reardon
Dr Daniel Reardon of Australia's Swinburne University was attempting to join the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. It didn't work, but he has earned massive respect for his self-deprecating tone after being hospitalized with powerful magnets stuck inside his nose.
Being an astrophysicist, not a microbiologist, Reardon wasn't likely to invent a new treatment. Nevertheless, following in the footsteps of the Australian radio astronomer who invented WiFi, he thought his skills might be transferable. Reardon imagined a device that sounds a warning alarm before you touch your face, thus preventing the most common form of infection of COVID-19, the respiratory illness known to transmit via droplets on surfaces, hands etc.
With a magnetic field detector and time on his hands while self-isolating Reardon bought some powerful neodymium magnets online and started to tinker, but his product came out backwards. "I accidentally invented a necklace that buzzes continuously unless you move your hand close to your face," he told the Guardian.
Reardon admitted to IFLScience this problem could have been solved with a NOT gate, but he didn't have one in the electronic equipment he was using, and had learned his magnetic field detector wasn't sensitive enough for the job anyway.
Like many an inventor upon encountering obstacles, Reardon started playing with his equipment, in this case the magnets, clipping them either side of his ears and then his nostrils, which was where things went wrong.
With two magnets inside his nostrils and two outside all was well, but when he removed the outside ones those inside stuck to each other on either side of his septum. Oblivious of advice regarding holes and digging cessation, Reardon tried to use the other two magnets to pull out the internal ones.
"At this point, my partner who works at a hospital was laughing at me," he said. "I was trying to pull them out but there is a ridge at the bottom of my nose you can't get past.
Like any good Millennial, Reardon googled the problem, but the solution required more magnets than he had. "As I was pulling downwards to try and remove the magnets, they clipped on to each other and I lost my grip. And those two magnets ended up in my left nostril while the other one was in my right. At this point I ran out of magnets," he told the Guardian. Metal pliers got magnetized, which made things worse, not better.
"My partner took me to the hospital that she works in because she wanted all her colleagues to laugh at me." Unsurprisingly, they did, saying things like, 'This is an injury due to self-isolation and boredom.'"
Reardon's discharge report combines medical precision with dry Australian humour. Daniel Reardon
Reardon, who has made a full recovery, told IFLScience he decided to give the story to the world, rather than hiding because "I thought people could do with a laugh at the moment."
Reardon's work, which he says is actually going quite well at the moment from home, involves collecting pulsar observations from radio telescopes across Australia and South Africa, including the famous Parkes Dish. He is participating in analyzing tiny changes in pulsar timing to detect gravitational waves and "explore fundamental physics in very dense environments." He's participating in the ongoing quest to verify General Relativity against competing theories. "These observations could also be used for interstellar space navigation," he told IFLScience.
The good humor with which he described his misadventures has won Reardon social media fame, at least locally, although he is probably yet to match Matt Agnew, the astrophysicist from the same department who was last year's Australian Bachelor.
Reardon told IFLScience he has not been game to play with the magnets again, but says anyone with better equipment is welcome to continue the quest to make his concept a reality.