Free Republic

Hewlett-Packard shocked Wall Street Thursday by announcing disappointing sales and profits even as some of its top competitors are thriving. HP Chief Executive Carly Fiorina blamed a series of internal missteps for the shortfall, which she called ``unacceptable.'' She immediately fired three top executives. But some analysts said the poor performance reflected deeper problems raised by HP's $19 billion purchase of Compaq Computer two years ago. In a conference call with investors, Fiorina said, ``Execution issues cost us and therefore we are making immediate management changes.'' The financial bombshell came a week before the company was scheduled to release its...

<p>Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will visit San Jose next week to meet privately with about 20 local corporate executives and discuss solutions to what they view as the key problems facing the valley, according to those who plan to attend.</p> <p>The Feb. 5 meeting -- arranged by the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group in conjunction with the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce and the American Electronics Association -- is scheduled to be held at Adobe Systems' downtown headquarters.</p>

TOKYO (AP) -- It takes tough managers to succeed in Japan's cutthroat instant noodles business, and one company wants to ensure it has the toughest - through ramen noodle boot camp. Newly promoted managers at Nissin Food Products need to survive three days on a tiny, uninhabited island where they will dig their own toilets, make fire from dry leaves, catch their own fish and even carve their chopsticks from local bamboo. The plan is to promote team spirit, perseverance, creativity and an appreciation for the product, said Masanaga Oguchi, spokesman for the Osaka-based ramen noodle maker. "In our daily...