Focus, Focus, . . .

As I and my student enjoy this spring break, I get to catch up on some reading. In the news I notice the theme of not overreaching and trying to do too much. This morning, eBay makes the front page of the Wall Street Journal (usually when companies make the first page it is for the wrong reasons). eBay has been struggling lately because consumer preferences have changed and becasue, according to the article, eBay has strayed from its roots of being an online marketplace for used and clearance stuff. Over the last few years, eBay has tried to expand into retailing and internet telephony only to see this be a drain on profits.

Politically, President Obama is facing his own crisis of overreach. In the last week high profile business leaders and supporters such as Warren Buffett and Andrew Grove have made this exact point. Buffet says "Job 1 is to win the war, the economic war. Job 2 is to win the economic war — and Job 3 . . ." Grove in a more academic tone (he is a successful businessman who likes to play professor) says to change things one at a time--and fixing the financial crisis comes first. The message as today's article from Time suggests is that Obama is trying to do too much; better to focus on just a few things. Of course Obama has the challenge of trying to placate numerous interest groups who helped elect him.

Which leads me to myself -- I have too many things on my to do list this week from too many different realms such as grading for my courses, scholarly writing, tasks I can't put off any longer, taking care of family obligations like getting passports done for my family (and figuring out how to get the pictures the right size for the application!!). Of course, eBay can sell off its extraneous assets but not so easy to get rid of these tasks except to do them. But I am not complaining -- it is spring break.