Sunday, October 4, 2009

“Fareed Zakaria: 'We Must Stop Exaggerating The Iranian Threat' - Huffingtonpost.com” plus 4 more

“Fareed Zakaria: 'We Must Stop Exaggerating The Iranian Threat' - Huffingtonpost.com” plus 4 more

Fareed Zakaria: 'We Must Stop Exaggerating The Iranian Threat' - Huffingtonpost.com

Posted: 04 Oct 2009 02:02 PM PDT

Newsweek:

It is time to clarify the debate over Iran and its nuclear program. It's easy to criticize the current course adopted by the United States and its allies, to huff and puff about Iranian mendacity, to point out that Russia and China won't agree to tougher measures against Tehran, and to detail the leaks in the sanctions already in place. But what, then, should the United States do? The critics are eager to denounce the administration from the sidelines for being weak but rarely detail what they would do to be "tough." Would they attack Iran today? If not, then what should we do? It is time to put up or shut up on Iran.

There are three basic options that the United States and its allies have regarding Iran's nuclear program. We can bomb Iran, engage it diplomatically, or contain and deter the threat it poses. Let me outline what each would entail and then explain why I favor containment and deterrence.

Read the whole story: Newsweek

Nuggets, Avalanche Owner Kroenke Inching Closer To Buying Storied ... - Huffingtonpost.com

Posted: 04 Oct 2009 02:02 PM PDT

LONDON — MLS commissioner Don Garber says Stan Kroenke would be a positive addition for Arsenal if the American businessman completes his buyout of the Premier League club.

Kroenke, who owns the Colorado Rapids, increased his stake in the Gunners to 28.7 percent last week, 1.2 percent short of the threshold that instigates a mandatory offer for the remaining shares.

While the 62-year-old famously guards his privacy, earning the nickname "Silent Stan," Garber said he talked to Kroenke about his plans for Arsenal.

"Stan Kroenke is very, very bright and a capable sports man – with his NBA teams, NHL teams and Major League Soccer team – and I think he will be a good owner of Arsenal," Garber said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "He's a strong silent type, and I think that's not necessarily the worst thing when it comes to sports team owners."

Kroenke also owns the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche.

"He's very loyal. He's a very quiet and a strategic thinker," Garber said. "He doesn't make rash decisions, and I think fans will be really pleased at whatever role he and his people decide to take with Arsenal."

While Kroenke is already a director at the north London club, the next largest shareholder – Uzbekistan-born billionaire Alisher Usmanov – is not on the club board despite owning just over 25 percent of the Gunners.

Garber said Kroenke's soccer philosophy jells with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has prioritized bringing in young players.

"He's very passionate about football, very much so," Garber said of Kroenke. "He loves professional sports and loves his teams. He built one of the great stadium complexes in Major League Soccer, he has a complex in Denver that also has 24 youth fields around it that hundreds of thousands, millions of youngsters play on.

"It's part of his understanding of the vertical nature of soccer from youth up to professionals, but also shows his deep commitment to the sport."

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, who worked under Garber in the MLS, has hailed Kroenke as a "model owner."

"He will have a great relationship with Ivan and hopefully play a role to build the reputation and image of Arsenal as one of the top clubs in the world," Garber said.

If Kroenke became Arsenal owner he would be the latest American to run a Premier League club, following Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. at Liverpool, Randy Lerner at Aston Villa, Ellis Short at Sunderland and Malcolm Glazer at Manchester United.

More Information - Sacramento Bee

Posted: 04 Oct 2009 02:09 PM PDT

SANTA CLARA - The "Greatest Show on Turf" is officially dead.

Sure, the bell started to toll four years ago when Mike Martz left St. Louis. But the last vestige of what was once the most exciting and dangerous offense in the league disappeared in the offseason when the Rams didn't re-sign wide receiver Torry Holt and he became a Jacksonville Jaguar.

Holt and Isaac Bruce once terrorized defensive backs, and the 49ers would spend their offseasons trying to acquire cornerbacks who could keep pace. Today, the Rams' starting wide receivers will be second-year players Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton.

Neither has even 10 catches on the season. Also, today's starting quarterback is a former Raven, Kyle Boller, and the leading touchdown maker is 272-pound tight end Daniel Fells. The UC Davis product has been in the end zone twice.

Ten years ago, the Rams had the most awesome aerial attack in the league, one that routinely used four wide receivers. Today they are known as a - gasp! - running team.

"It's definitely more run-oriented," said linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, who has been facing the Rams since 2000. "It's personnel-driven. You've got a running back who is probably top three in the NFL right now. When you've got a guy that is that talented, you've got to feed him the ball."

Indeed, the Rams' offense revolves around Steven Jackson the way the 49ers' goes through - when he's healthy - Frank Gore. Jackson is averaging 96.0 rushing yards a game and ranks third on the team with nine receptions.

In fact, the Rams are looking an awful lot like the 49ers, even signing meat-and-potatoes blocking tight end Billy Bajema away from San Francisco in free agency.

After offensive-minded coaches - Dick Vermeil, Martz and Scott Linehan - ran the operation for nine years, St. Louis hired a former defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, to resurrect the franchise in the offseason. Spagnuolo was an Eagles defensive assistant under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson for eight years before joining the Giants in 2007. That year, he engineered a defensive front that is credited with halting the Patriots' vaunted offense in Super Bowl XLII.

"When you think of Spagnuolo coming from Philadelphia and the background that he has there and going to the Giants, that whole division is a physical division," coach Mike Singletary said. "So you'd expect nothing less than for him to create a team that's a physical team and to come out and hustle to the ball and play hard for four quarters."

Like Singletary, Spagnuolo also spent his first offseason as head coach setting a physical tone. Even the first-string players went through full-contact practices in training camp, a rare occurrence in the modern NFL.

"We really needed to learn about our team," Spagnuolo said. "It is a physical game, it's a hitting game, and the only way you really learn what guys can do is to put them in those situations."

The results have been mixed. Spagnuolo said he has liked the effort from his team, especially on defense, but the Rams have yet to win. After three games, the St. Louis offense ranks 28th in the league - one slot behind the 49ers - while the defense is 29th.

"I think the guys on defense, especially up front, have given us every ounce of what they have," Spagnuolo said. "The effort's been terrific."

Read Matthew Barrows' archives and blogs at www.sacbee.com/sf49ers.

Yoshikami: Take a Tip from GE and Shake Things Up - CNBC

Posted: 04 Oct 2009 02:52 PM PDT

It's been an unprecedented 18 months in the markets and economy. It's impacted just about every company and caused leadership to rethink current business models.

Some companies will continue to do business as usual and stagnate, some will take action.

General Electric [GE  Loading...      ()   ] is an example of a company making changes based on a dramatic shift in the environment.

That says something about the company's leadership culture and gives hope that they will exit this downturn ready to capture share in the new economic world.  And it's a lesson to investors about adjust investing strategies. You must adjust when the environment changes. You must.

GE Chief Executive Officer Jeff Immelt has been very focused on repositioning the company for the new economic environment. Despite the company's size, action has been taken to shed non-core businesses and to focus on segments that will participate in the global recovery (and that will occur).

More from CNBC.com

The recent press reports about possible moves related options for NBC Universal continue to show a willingness to take action. They are adjusting to the environment. And as you invest your portfolio you should also embrace change when needed. (CNBC is part of NBC Universal)

It's not easy for a large company to take substantial action that can affect the bottom line and overall nature of the business. Change is hard. But as Chrysler and the auto industry showed, not adapting to the shifting environment can have significant negative consequences.

Look at Google [GOOG  Loading...      ()   ]. They took advantage of Microsoft's [MSFT  Loading...      ()   ]complacency and are now a dominant player in the technology space. Change is required to stay competitive as the status quo eventually fades away. And your investment strategy must change as well to embrace the shifting future. Don't continue to cling to an irrelevant strategy.

To be sure, GE made its share of mistakes. But to let these missteps overshadow the dramatic action occurring would be ignoring positive progress. In the future, being global, focusing on core competencies, having lots of cash for strategic acquisitions, and taking decisive action will be the hallmarks of winning global powerhouses. GE is moving in this direction. Watch for other companies that embrace this corporate proactive perspective.
 
They could be wise additions to your portfolio.

I don't work for General Electric. YCMNET is an investment manager looking for companies with leadership that are willing to take smart action in changing circumstances. And GE is doing a lot of things right in a difficult environment.

Look at your portfolio and ask if the companies you hold embrace a proactive philosophy. Those businesses will be the winners over the next 10 years. And importantly, be like visionary companies; make changes as needed in your portfolio.

Don't be afraid to admit mistakes and correct them. That's the strategy that is necessary for the new time that has already arrived.

___________________

Michael A. Yoshikami, Ph.D., CFP®, is Founder, President, and Chief Investment Strategist of YCMNET Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisory firm (www.ycmnet.com). He oversees all investment and research activities of YCMNET. He is a respected lecturer speaking frequently on market issues, tactical asset allocation, and investment strategy. Michael and YCMNET were ranked as one of the top investment 100 advisors in the United States for 2009 by Barrons. He appears regularly on CNBC and CNBC Asia and can be reached directly at .

Ithaca College prevails in aerial show - Sun and Press

Posted: 04 Oct 2009 02:16 PM PDT

(2 of 3)

"I just had to make the right reads, not turn the ball over, not do anything stupid," Grastorf said. "We've been striving as an offense to try and close out the game, and I think we did a great job on that drive, getting a couple first downs and working the clock down."

Grastorf's counterpart was not quite as sharp, and that proved costly.

Radley was picked off four times, three in Ithaca territory. Gilfedder intercepted a pass in the end zone in the second quarter, with Ithaca (4-1, 2-0 E8) holding a 14-6 lead. Middle linebacker Ryan Clarke intercepted a deflected pass earlier in the quarter, and cornerback Spence White deftly snagged the fourth one on Hartwick's final offensive snap.

Ithaca (4-1, 2-0 E8) leads the Empire 8 with 13 interceptions, and has a plus-12 turnover margin through five games. The Bombers' bend-but-don't-break philosophy once again ensured a win.

"Their defense stuck in there today," said Hartwick tailback Tosh DeMulder, a Unadilla native, who racked up 210 all-purpose yards. "We were moving the ball, but when it came down to it in the red zone, they pretty much stopped us."

Trailing 17-6 at halftime, Hartwick (4-1, 0-1) opened the third quarter with a swift scoring drive, needing just eight plays to chew up 77 yards. Noah Koreman hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass to cap the possession, which pumped adrenaline back into the overflow Homecoming crowd of 1,703.

Behind Grastorf, Ithaca answered immediately.

The steady senior led a seven-play, 57-yard drive over the next 3:47 to put Ithaca up 24-13. A 35-yard completion to Ruffrage set up a 5-yard TD pass to Higgins.

Two possessions later, Radley tossed a 40-yard strike to tight end Keith Geraldsen, who made a great grab over White's head and dove over the right-side pylon to pull the Hawks within four points with seven seconds left in the third quarter.

That set up a series of intense defensive stops over the final 15 minutes. None topped Gilfedder's timely interception, aided by pressure applied from blitzing linebacker Pat Scott.
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