Jeffrey Dunster

I recently learned a new term for a concept I have struggled to explain to people for some time. Connectivism.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie smolder in one of the most anticipated sizzling action films ever made. After five (or six) years of vanilla-wedded bliss ordinary suburbanites John and Jane Smith (Pitt and Jolie) are stuck in a rut the size of the Grand Canyon until the truth comes out! Unbeknownst to each other they are both coolly lethal highly paid assassins working for rival organizations.

asin: B000AP04FG binding: DVD list price: $19.98 USD amazon price: $14.99 USD

We just finished Mr. and Mrs. Smith and I was surprised by its humor—kind of like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I knew it would be an action movie, but I wasn't expecting the "battle of the sexes" and "his vs. hers", along with the clear girl-power vein running throughout. It was serious and silly too. The ending was, um, well, I wont give it away—it fit the super-human theme while making me think of Butch and the Kid again.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Widescreen Edition) asin: B000AP04FG

Each of them is one in a million. They number six thousand on a planet of six billion. They run our governments, our largest corporations, the powerhouses of international finance, the media, world religions, and, from the shadows, the world’s most dangerous criminal and terrorist organizations. They are the global superclass, and they are shaping the history of our time. Today’s superclass has achieved unprecedented levels of wealth and power. They have globalized more rapidly than any other group.

author: David Rothkopf asin: 0374272107 binding: Hardcover list price: $26.00 USD amazon price: $17.16 USD

Never before in the history of mankind have so few people had so much power over so many. The people at the top of the American national security establishment, the President and his principal advisors, the core team at the helm of the National Security Council, are without question the most powerful committee in the history of the world.Yet, in many respects, they are among the least understood.

author: David J. Rothkopf asin: B000MKYKWM binding: Hardcover list price: $27.50 USD amazon price: $6.99 USD

I subscribe to the netcast (iTunes link) of the Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar, provided by Stanford University.

First, watch the presentation. It's short, to the point, and effective.

This was a surprising find on TED. TED usually deals with social, economic, design and other touchy-feely topics. This presentation was how to wow investors and, in general, give a powerful presentation that influences your audience. I suspect that this was partially to help all the non-profit leaders in attendance as they seek donations.

How much do you trust your friends and family? Would you trust them enough to pick your major for you? How about your spouse? That may seem absurd to you, but we make many important decisions in our lives believing that they are ours alone. Are they? In practice, most of us consult friends and family, even strangers, about important decisions we must make. We are social creatures that depend extensively on each other.

I want to take a moment to share my philosophy of cultivating your social networks, learning how to trust them, and improving how you use them.