The key ingredient

Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt describing Tom Brady:

"He's real good at improvising," Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt said. "A play breaks down, don't panic. He won't even throw it away, he'll slide in the pocket, tell his receiver move this way, move that way and he'll make the throw. So yeah, he's definitely one of the best in the game if not the best."

Recession???? Why do we give the doomsayers so much attention when reality says otherwise??

In Plague-Filled August, American Consumers Shopped Like Champs

By Daniel Gross, economics editor at Yahoo! Finance

(Abridged version)
August was a plague month for the American economy. It started with the U.S. debt-ceiling crisis, continued with nausea-inducing market volatility, and closed with a small earthquake and a massive hurricane — all with a steady drumbeat of European instability in the background.

But when the going got tough, the tough went shopping. Or at least that's what the data that has poured in on Thursday indicates.
First, news from the nation's single largest retail sector: automobile. Sales were generally up sharply from a year ago, and up from July. GM sold 218,479 cars in August, up 18 percent from August 2010 (and up 1.7 percent from July 2011). (Interesting note: the Cruze alone accounts for about 10 percent of GM's sales). Ford's sales in August, at 175,220, were up 11 percent from August 2010 (though down a bit from July 2011). Rounding out what used to be known as the Big Three, Chrysler reported August sales of 130,119 vehicles, up 31 percent from the year-before, but also up 16 percent, from July sales. Want more? Nissan North America, up 19.2 percent from August 2010. Volkswagen, up 10 percent from last August. Toyota and Honda, which report later in the day on Thursday, are likely to report sharp declines, due to lingering inventory problems related to the earthquake/tsunami in those companies' home country.

Next, look at the news on non-automotive retailing. As Reuters reported: "Many top U.S. retailers reported better-than-expected August sales, withstanding Hurricane Irene and sagging consumer confidence." Among the trains tracked by Retail Metrics, same-store sales rose 5.5 percent in August from last year, as the Financial Times reported. The International Council of Shopping Centers said same-store sales in the chains it tracks rose 4.6 percent in August 2011 from August 2010. Check out some of the individual chains: Macy's, same-store sales up 5 percent from August 2010; Target, same-store sales up 5.4 percent from the year before; Limited Brands, same-store sales up 11 percent; Saks, up 6.1 percent. At Costco, U.S. comparable sales were up 9 percent from the year before; excluding the higher price of gasoline from a year ago, same-store sales were up 6 percent.

Despite the rising chorus of doomsayers and double-dippers, the third quarter is looking like it will be stronger than the second quarter. Macroeconomic Advisers, which updates its projections in real time, pegs growth in the current quarter at about 2 percent. While that's nothing to write home about, it's twice the rate of second quarter growth. What's more, payroll jobs, which help drive spending, continue to grow at the (anemic) pace of about 25,000 per week. The savings rate remains high, and many signs of stress — credit card delinquencies — continue to trend down. On aggregate, Americans are in a better position today than they were a year ago to do what they like to do: buy stuff.

The overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. aren't watching CNBC, reading Politico.com, harrumphing about the latest outrage from the European Central Bank, or digging out from the ravages of Hurricane Irene. As New Yorkers and beltway types were in full freak-out mode over the S&P downgrade, the locals were generally going about their business — going to work in their Priuses, eating natural foods, and shopping.

World Number 1 player Novak Djokovic on having fun

“It is all in good spirit and trying to have a good time and enjoy myself. Tennis is a difficult game and we have a long year and a lot of traveling and matches so it is nice to keep things relaxed sometimes.

“When you are relaxed you have more energy and it is good for your mentality. If you are happy and having fun then you have a chance to play your best tennis. People shouldn’t think that having fun and laughing mean I am not serious about tennis, if they underestimate me like that it is a mistake.”

 “I am playing the best tennis of my life,” Djokovic said. “I think everything in general just came together. Progress can be a slow process and it takes a while to really understand the game, understand the life that I’m having, and you learn from your mistakes obviously.

“You try to get better as a person and as a player each day you wake up. I think it’s really important as well to carry yourself off the court in a good way. I am aware of the responsibility that I have as a present No. 1 to represent the sport as well in some ways off the court. So I need to do that in the best possible way.”

Skyping

In 2005, eBay under the stewardship of Meg Whitman bought Skype for $3 Billion.  Out came the experts, know-it-all's, critics and 2nd guessers from all circles questioning her sanity.  In 2011, eBay sold Skype to Microsoft for $8 Billion. 

She was recently quoted in an interview regarding the outcome of the acquisition:  "I always had great confidence in the Skype acquisition.  It was incredible technology that changed everything about the way we communicate with each other.  That's what leadership is: you do what you think is in the best interest of the company and shareholders, and sometimes it takes a little while for the entire story to be told.  Sometimes in life you don't get recognition easily."

Culture does matter

The Krafts (Robert and Myra) laid the foundation for how the New England Patriots do business. While there are sometimes disagreements, there is always a level of respect. “You have to respect everyone in your business and everyone you do business with,” said Kraft, gesturing toward a woman who pushed a cart through the cafeteria. “From this woman doing that job all the way up to the players, you have to respect them.”

Since Kraft bought the Patriots in 1994, the team has compiled the best record in the league, won three Super Bowls and appeared in five (with a 5th round draft choice as QB, retread veterans, and a coach nobody wanted prior to arriving in New England). By contrast, the Cincinnati Bengals, despite being run by the son of NFL Hall of Famer Paul Brown, have amassed one of the worst records in the league over that time and made the playoffs only twice (losing the first game each time).

“The difference is everything,” Chad Ochocinco said. “It’s not just what you see on the field. I saw it in the first meeting. I was like, ‘Yeah, this is how a team is supposed to be run. Finally, I get to really be part of that.’ ”

The success continues at...Google (What a surprise)

6 years later after acquiring Android, Fortune writes:  "Rubin (Android's founder) and his team thrived in Google's engineering-driven culture, which encouraged innovation by letting Android release less-than-perfect versions that it would continually upgrade.  Google also embraced Rubin's vision of giving the operating system away-a gambit, enabled by Google's broader ad-based business model, that stoked adoption of the platform."  Results:  expected 2011 forecast of 206 million Android Smartphones!!!  Tipping Point:  when I get one.

Couldn't have said it any better

"One of the most important things in life is to be around people that have great energy and great enthusiasm. I don't want to be around anyone at this point in my life that's an energy drainer, because they're not a lot of fun to be around, and pretty soon you're at ... their level."

Jerry West, Golden State Warriors Advisor

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/02/SPAL1K5IOO.DTL#ixzz1R9o98rrX