• LEADING AND MANAGING MILLENNIALS EFFECTIVELY has become a major challenge for companies and organizations. Surveys suggest that up to a third of millennials contend they experience work-related anxiety – at least double the level attributable to older generations. “The behavior associated with anxiety includes stress, depression, withdrawal and/or lack of focus, which unaware Managers and HR personnel often react to in ways that exacerbate the problem and are counterproductive, resulting in missed work, increased attrition and decreased productivity.” DCG can help develop strategies which bridge the perspective gap between millennials and both younger & older generations.  [INTERCHANGE-GROUP – 9/5/19]
  • WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR DATA CLOUD GOES DOWN? “Hackers have become so prevalent and sophisticated, that it’s not a matter of if but when an outage will occur… so advance planning is critical to staying as productive as possible until service is restored.” Priority protection steps are: (1) Have a ‘disaster recovery’ contingency plan for ‘mission critical’ data; (2) Have secondary Backup for most vital data, maintained OFF the Cloud, preferably offsite; (3) Consider business continuity insurance; (4) Confirm that your provider has written security procedures, policies & credentials – since “software that was designed for the Cloud is more secure than software built in-house and moved to the Cloud later on,” DCG affiliates can help. [JRNL OF ACCOUNTANCY – 8/30/19]
  • ‘STRATOSPHERIC’ DRONES MAY SOON BECOME A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL SATELLITES, with easier maneuverability, quicker deployment and lower costs. Airbus, Boeing and Softbank are all testing solar-powered drones with 80 foot wingspans weighing around 165 pounds, which can fly at some 75,000 feet altitude, travel 1,100 miles daily, and remain aloft unaided for months at a time. The light weight and long wingspan is a challenging hazard in turbulent weather, but designers contend that “there is no substantial center of mass to do serious damage in a collision – probably like being struck by a pigeon.”  [WALL STREET JRNL – 8/26/19]
  • SNOWFLAKE UPDATE: (1) After assaults on County Courthouse employees & Jurors, including being “slammed against a wall, punched & spat on,” complaints from Judges to do something about “safety and the stench of excrement & urine” were rejected by the Seattle City Council. Arguments included concern that “the idea of power-washing the sidewalks brought back images of the use of hoses against civil rights activists.” [SEATTLE TIMES – 8/27/19]  (2) The flyers & educational displays for a recent ‘Consent Carnival’ at George Mason University informed students that “Not all people with vaginas are women; That genitalia is not an indicator of gender; How the labia comes in different colors; There are 8000 nerve endings on the clitoris; and offered tastings of various lubricants (cupcake, watermelon & green apple), along with a Penis Ring Toss & Vagina Bean Bag Toss.” [ZEROHEDGE.COM – 9/11/19]
  • THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:  ‘AMERICAN PIE’ was the name of the plane in which three singer idols – Buddy Holly, Richie Valens & The Big Bopper – were killed when it crashed in 1958, and Don McClean’s tribute song ‘Bye Bye American Pie’ has become an American classic. For those born in the 50s & 60s, this video collage will bring back some powerful memories and perspectivehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhX3b1h7GQw&feature=youtu.be