U.S., Australia, and China

The New York Times is running an article entitled, "U.S. Expands Military Ties to Australia, Irritating China." The article begins, "President Obama announced Wednesday that the United States planned to deploy 2,500 Marines in Australia to shore up alliances in Asia, but the move prompted a sharp response from Beijing, which accused Mr. Obama of escalating military tensions in the region."

Questions

1. What is the difference between a country's ally and a person's friend? Should countries treat one another in the same way that people should treat their friends? Why or why not? (Give specific examples as to how friends and allies are similar and specific examples as to how they are different.)

2. What three questions would you ask in order to better understand the relationship between China and the United States as it relates to the Pacific Rim? Why do you think that these questions would improve your understanding of the relationship?

3. Do you think that the United States of America should try and develop relationships with Pacific nations with which China may not be pleased? Why or why not? Should the self interests of China matter to the United States? Why or why not?

4. What benefits might come to the United States as a result of having soldiers stationed overseas? What disadvantages might come to the United States as a result of having soldiers stationed overseas? If you had to develop one rule for deciding whether or not the U.S. should station soldiers in specific places what would the rule be? Why?

Gotcha!!

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, "On Libya, Herman Cain has his own ‘oops’ moment." The article begins, "This time the subject was Libya. The candidate was Herman Cain. The question was whether he agreed with the way President Obama handled the matter. The answer, drawn out over more than five awkward minutes, produced another “oops” moment in the race for the Republican presidential nomination."

Questions for Discussion

1. Do you think that the President of the United States should know the name of every world leader? (There are almost 200 members of the United Nations.) Why or why not? Do you think that you should know the name of every world leader? Why or why not?

2. Do you think that it is important for a presidential candidate to remember specific components of every policy proposal that he includes in his platform, or set of ideas explaining why he should be President? Why or why not?

3. Can you think of one common fact that it is important for all people to know? How many such facts can you think of? (What about common facts that all people living in your country should know?) Why do you think that these facts are so important?

4. What kinds of strategies do you think make it easier to remember things? (For example, when I fill up two cups with pop, for example from a self-serve machine, I never want to confuse whose cup is who. So, I tell myself that I am always right and keep my cup in my right hand. (I'm really not so arrogant in real life.)

The Innovator's Innovation

The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Google's Lab of Wildest Dreams." The article begins, "In a top-secret lab in an undisclosed Bay Area location where robots run free, the future is being imagined." It continues, "It’s a place where your refrigerator could be connected to the Internet, so it could order groceries when they ran low. Your dinner plate could post to a social network what you’re eating. Your robot could go to the office while you stay home in your pajamas. And you could, perhaps, take an elevator to outer space."

Questions for Discussion:

1. Do you think that it is more important to think about the past, the present, or the future? Why? Is it important to think about each of these time periods or just one or two? Explain!

2. If you could invent just one product to make your life easier, a product not mentioned in this article, what would you invent? Why?

3. If you were investing in a company what three characteristics would you consider the most important predictors of success? Do you think that a company must think about futuristic ideas in order to be successful? Do you think that a company must be innovative to be successful?

4. What is the difference between a bad idea and a good idea? Can one idea be both bad and good? What is the best idea that you have ever heard of in your life?

Wilson Ramos: Kidnapped and Rescued

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, "Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos says police, kidnappers exchanged heavy gunfire in dramatic rescue." According to the article, Ramos said, "For a few moments...I thought I would never see my family and that was something painful, super painful.”

Questions for Discussion:

1. What is the most important thing about a family? Do you think that you can ever replace a family with friends? Why or why not?

2. If you had been in Wilson Ramos' place, what would you have been thinking on a moment by moment basis as you were driven from your home to the hideout? Would time have flown by or stood still? Explain!

3. The socialist country of Venezuela does not have warm relations with the United States. It's leader Hugo Chavez is not liked by the U.S. government. What questions would you ask to learn more about the relationship between Venezuela and the United States? Do you think that this event could prompt better relationships? Why or why not?

4. What strategies do you have for dealing with pressure when it is at its worst? Are there strategies for dealing with pressure that you would like to implement but find it very difficult to do so? Why do you find these strategies difficult to implement? Explain!!

Cain's Changing Plan

Do you think that the changes that Herman Cain made to his 9-9-9 plan are a sign of weakness, a sign of strength or neither? Why?

Muammar Gaddafi

Do you think that the Lybian resistance should have captured Gaddaffi alive if at all possible? Why or why not?

The Pride of an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs share many common experiences, that I would imagine non-entrepreneurs cannot experience. Recently I have been thinking about one of my favorite experiences as an entrepreneur - providing other people with work.

At the present time, about 35 people work with A Pass Educational Group. This means that over the course of a month, I write about 35 checks to employees and freelancers. Every time I write a check I have a good feeling. I am making a difference. People who work for me count on their financial compensation, just as I count on their productive output. (I really hope that this does not sound arrogant, but it feels good to provide others with work and compensation.) Of course, I need money, as well. Without my associates I would not be able to make money either.

Sometimes I stop and think about the backgrounds of some of the people who work with me - stay at home mothers; recent college graduates; more mature people towards the end of their careers; etc. Without the money that these people are making they would not be able to live in the ways that they do live.

Interestingly, as an entrepreneur I also make decisions that affect my entire business. These decisions can either provide my associates with more work or less work. Several days ago I had the opportunity to make just such a decision. A client of mine asked if we would like to develop 10 courses for her institution. I accepted the work several hours later and hours later heard back from the client. Another vendor had communicated with this client before me. Consequently, the client had awarded the other vendor half of the work. She wanted to know if we were still interested in doing half the work.

This situation upset me. Of course, I thought about the situation from my own perspective as opposed to that of anybody else's. Earlier in my life I would have made a very quick decision in this scenario. I would likely have responded "no thank you." I would have explained that I thought I was wronged and that since we couldn't trust the client we weren't going to do work with her. (Needless to say, I am building a successful company now and I didn't build one earlier in my life.)

Though I was initially upset, I recognized that the client was still offering me a significant amount of work. This work would obviously allow me to earn extra money. It also would have provided additional work for my associates. Rather than rejecting the work, I sent back a note that we would love to do the work. I explained that I viewed this work as an initial opportunity together and that hopefully our work together would expand and last a long time. I made this decision because I was not only thinking about myself. I was thinking about people who work with me.

(Interestingly and tangentially, my client's decision makes a lot more sense to me today than it did several days ago. After all, how would I have felt if I had been the second vendor? While I interpreted the client's initial letter as offering me work, it is possible that she did not interpret it in this way?)

As an entrepreneur I have the opportunity to provide other people with work. But, in order to do this successfully, I must make decisions that while not feeling good in the moment, are ultimately the right decisions.