August 15, 2015
Today's Special
Encourage learning opportunities & industry certifications [Hack #063]
One of the best ways to win the War for Talent is showing that you're interested in your staffs’ continual improvement. This is easily done by facilitating additional education and certifications.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
People can be funny and no more so than athletes who are done competing and can finally release the tension of competition. Here are a couple of videos that show the humorous side of athletes.
Let’s start with the Irish brothers that won Olympic Silver in rowing. In an interview for the ages, these two lads make it clear why Irish Eyes Are Smilling with their unfiltered and totally genuine responses. You may have to listen twice to hear the full content of their responses, but we promise it’ll be worth it. You can watch the video here.
In a story that could only happen in Texas, professional cowboy Lathan Crump chose to ride his horse into the Taco Bell in Commerce, TX because the drive-thru was “out of order.” He has just finished competing at a local rodeo event and it appears his hunger and funny bone overtook any judgement he had.
CRIMINAL [Song]
Why it’s important to you: Boy, all the fears about this Olympics seem justified now.
While no one wants to hear an, “I told you so”, it’s clear the Rio Olympic Committee needs to at least acknowledge they are having real trouble. The Australians have been particularly affected by the dangers of these Olympics. So much so that the Australian Olympic Committee is barring their athletes from going onto the Rio beaches after dark. This was in response to a report that two Aussie rowing coaches were robbed on Ipanema Beach. This coupled with what happened to four US swimmers made it clear that the AOC needed to take action.
What do you do when the police pull over your taxi after a night of partying and celebration of winning gold medals? This happened to Ryan Lochte and three teammates early on Sunday morning. Men claiming to be police stopped their cab on its way back to the Olympic Village and showed a badge. Lochte being the classic American hero refused to lay face down at the direction of the “cop.” However, he acquiesced when the man produced his gun and put it to Lochte’s forehead. All’s well that ends well and none of the US Swimmers were injured, although they did lose their wallets and maybe some of their dignity.
SAY WHAT YOU WANT BUT YOU NEVER SAY IT WITH VIOLENCE – NEIL GAIMAN
Why it’s important to you: Unrest and instability are bad for business.
A scene that has played out in cities like Ferguson, MO; Baltimore, MD; Staten Island, NY; and Cleveland, OH is now happening in Milwaukee, WI. Police shot a black city resident, Sylville Smith, over the weekend in a traffic stop. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barret claimed the body camera demonstrates that Smith was armed and would not relinquish his weapon, forcing police to fire their weapons. Smith later died at a local hospital and that’s when the riots erupted.
On Saturday, a gas station was burned as protesters massed near Sherman Park where the shooting took place. Everyone is condemning the response with both local leaders and the Milwaukee Police Association releasing statements pleading with people to stay calm. But Milwaukee is a community that is more segregated than most, and these protests appear to be an expression of the frustration felt by area African American residents. Brian Rothgery, an activist explained, “This is the heart of the black city, and it's been hit so hard with deindustrialization, unemployment and institutionalized racism."
All totaled, one police officer was hit by a brick thrown through his cruiser window and three other officers were injured. Two police cars were totaled and six businesses damaged. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has called in the WI National Guard to support police in keeping the peace. There will be no winners here if the government can’t de-escalate the situation.
IN YOUTH WE LEARN; IN AGE WE UNDERSTAND
Why it’s important to you: Millennials will likely elect the next President of the United States.
The surging influence of the millennial generation is being felt over this election cycle. It started with Bernie Sanders unlikely success as the next ruling-generation flocked to his candidacy. As Bernie’s star faded, he asked his supporters to join Hillary Clinton in her quest to block Donald Trump from the White House. This is an important distinction because while millennials are overwhelmingly supporting HRC it is NOT her policies that are at stake, but truly the choice of lesser evils.
Currently Clinton enjoys a 32% lead over Trump in this increasingly important demographic with 72% of Sanders’ supporters migrating to her. When Barak Obama won his first election in 2008, he also overwhelmingly attracted millennials, but it was more for his message than to stop another candidate’s progress. The irony is that millennial men are more focused on supporting Hillary Clinton than women with 58% of millennial men on her side versus only 53% of women. No matter who wins this election, it has at least cemented the role of the millennial generation and it sure appears they are leaning left.