Okay so the Headline is old news, but earlier I was reading a story that tried to suggest that she was the victim of Gender Bias.....Please!
How can there be gender bias when the final appointment was another woman? Ms. Kennedy was simply in way over her head, and she had none of the necessary qualifications for the position....
To Me she had other problems as well, and I'm not so sure that she is truly as grounded or stable as she would have us believe. Just listening to her speak was enough to tell me that her medicine cabinet is quite possibly chock full of chemical candy.....a veritable pharmacopia. No one can be that inept with their own thoughts without medication.
She was trading on the Kennedy name pure and simple. Had she gotten the appointment I think we can all envision the train wreck that would have been in the senate. She is a walking filibuster.
The fact that she used the same "problems" that plague Geithner as a reason to withdraw tells me that even her handlers can't create an independent thought......
I'm just glad it's over so we can get back to scrutinizing the train wreck we have in the economy and how the bubbleheads actually serving in Washington plan to make it worse with their various proposals for "stimulus".....
Good Day!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Microsoft cutting jobs.....Benevolent liberal corporate masters? I guess not.....
The story courtesy of Reuters, commentary is mine!
Microsoft expected to cut jobs as profit weakens
By Franklin Paul and Jim Finkle Franklin Paul And Jim Finkle Tue Jan 20, 4:50 pm ET
NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) –
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is expected to post a quarterly profit that misses its own target and announce thousands of job cuts this week as the global economic slump hurts even the technology industry's biggest players.
When the leading software maker reports fiscal second quarter results on Thursday, investors are likely to press for comments on its outlook and on Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O), whose search business has been the object of Microsoft's desires.
The report comes against a backdrop of a wounded global economy that has stifled demand for everything from personal computers to business software and video games, all markets in which Microsoft is a significant player.
"All eyes are on the forecast," said Jefferies & Co analyst Katherine Egbert. "Expectations for the guidance are pretty low."
Analysts on average put Microsoft's profit at 49 cents a share for the quarter ended December 31, which includes a U.S. holiday shopping season that has been called the worst in at least four decades. The Redmond, Washington-based company had forecast a per-share profit of 51 cents to 53 cents for the quarter.
Wall Street is looking for quarterly revenue of $17.1 billion, according to Reuters Estimates, also short of Microsoft's own target of $17.3 billion to $17.8 billion.
Egbert says she expects Microsoft to report sales of its Windows software for PCs and laptops to drop 3 percent from a year earlier, making it the toughest quarter in eight years. She blames the shortfall on weak consumer sales, noting that businesses have yet to cut back as much as retail shoppers.
Wall Street's expectations for Microsoft's performance for its fiscal year ending in June 2009 have declined since it last reported results three months ago.
Analyst forecasts for full-year net income have dropped 10 percent to $17.77 billion, while revenue projections are down 4.4 percent at $63.68 billion, according to Reuters Estimates.
POSSIBLE JOB CUTS
With an eye on reducing costs, Microsoft is widely expected to announce that it will cut jobs, following similar moves by other tech firms, including AT&T Inc (T.N), Dell Inc (DELL.O), Motorola Inc (MOT.N) and Advance Micro Devices Inc (AMD.N).
"Checks indicate that Microsoft is likely to engage in headcount reductions to the tune of 6,000 to 8,000 employees or 6 percent to 8 percent of its 95,000 workforce," said McAdams Wright Ragen analyst Sid Parakh. "Our checks also revealed some speculation over the potential for a second round of cuts in some groups sometime later in the year."
Other analysts suggest the cost reductions may occur in the next few weeks and could also include more targeted cutbacks and attrition, rather than the big number of layoffs that some have speculated.
Microsoft has declined to comment on any likelihood of job cuts. Its shares have dropped 41 percent over the past year, while shares in another technology bellwether, IBM (IBM.N), have lost 16 percent. The S&P 500 Index (.SPX) has dropped 38 percent during the same period.
Analysts are also expected to pepper Chief Executive Steve Ballmer with questions about the status of the company's relationship with Yahoo, now that the Internet company has named Diane Bartz as its new CEO.
Bartz told employees earlier this week that she had a phone conversation with Ballmer, who has repeatedly said he remains interested in pursuing a search partnership with Yahoo but does not intend to renew an offer for the whole company.
Microsoft made a bid for Yahoo last year, but walked away after they disagreed on price. Investors have been skeptical about whether the software company can win online advertising revenue away from Google (GOOG.O) and Yahoo, which are both stronger than Microsoft in the Internet search market.
Commentary below......
We know that microsoft pays it's people very well, but there is no way you can convince me that they are unable to absorb $1.5 billion in payroll (based on $100,000 a year average salary plus benefits and payroll taxes on those 8,000 people for a full year) for calender year 2009 when they are going to post a profit for 2008 in excess of $17 Billion, and they have about $40 Billion in Cash reserves......
Microsoft execs. had no problem flying THEIR Corporate Jet to the inauguration.....but apparently they don't have the money to keep employees working.....
Why no outrage from the liberals on this? Why no cries for a windfall profits tax on Microsoft? Maybe because Microsoft is a primary bastion of liberalism from it's management on down.....at least it was, until management discovered that they couldn't ride the economic storm for a little while because those pesky "extra" employees would take just 10% of their profits....
Good day!
Microsoft expected to cut jobs as profit weakens
By Franklin Paul and Jim Finkle Franklin Paul And Jim Finkle Tue Jan 20, 4:50 pm ET
NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) –
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is expected to post a quarterly profit that misses its own target and announce thousands of job cuts this week as the global economic slump hurts even the technology industry's biggest players.
When the leading software maker reports fiscal second quarter results on Thursday, investors are likely to press for comments on its outlook and on Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O), whose search business has been the object of Microsoft's desires.
The report comes against a backdrop of a wounded global economy that has stifled demand for everything from personal computers to business software and video games, all markets in which Microsoft is a significant player.
"All eyes are on the forecast," said Jefferies & Co analyst Katherine Egbert. "Expectations for the guidance are pretty low."
Analysts on average put Microsoft's profit at 49 cents a share for the quarter ended December 31, which includes a U.S. holiday shopping season that has been called the worst in at least four decades. The Redmond, Washington-based company had forecast a per-share profit of 51 cents to 53 cents for the quarter.
Wall Street is looking for quarterly revenue of $17.1 billion, according to Reuters Estimates, also short of Microsoft's own target of $17.3 billion to $17.8 billion.
Egbert says she expects Microsoft to report sales of its Windows software for PCs and laptops to drop 3 percent from a year earlier, making it the toughest quarter in eight years. She blames the shortfall on weak consumer sales, noting that businesses have yet to cut back as much as retail shoppers.
Wall Street's expectations for Microsoft's performance for its fiscal year ending in June 2009 have declined since it last reported results three months ago.
Analyst forecasts for full-year net income have dropped 10 percent to $17.77 billion, while revenue projections are down 4.4 percent at $63.68 billion, according to Reuters Estimates.
POSSIBLE JOB CUTS
With an eye on reducing costs, Microsoft is widely expected to announce that it will cut jobs, following similar moves by other tech firms, including AT&T Inc (T.N), Dell Inc (DELL.O), Motorola Inc (MOT.N) and Advance Micro Devices Inc (AMD.N).
"Checks indicate that Microsoft is likely to engage in headcount reductions to the tune of 6,000 to 8,000 employees or 6 percent to 8 percent of its 95,000 workforce," said McAdams Wright Ragen analyst Sid Parakh. "Our checks also revealed some speculation over the potential for a second round of cuts in some groups sometime later in the year."
Other analysts suggest the cost reductions may occur in the next few weeks and could also include more targeted cutbacks and attrition, rather than the big number of layoffs that some have speculated.
Microsoft has declined to comment on any likelihood of job cuts. Its shares have dropped 41 percent over the past year, while shares in another technology bellwether, IBM (IBM.N), have lost 16 percent. The S&P 500 Index (.SPX) has dropped 38 percent during the same period.
Analysts are also expected to pepper Chief Executive Steve Ballmer with questions about the status of the company's relationship with Yahoo, now that the Internet company has named Diane Bartz as its new CEO.
Bartz told employees earlier this week that she had a phone conversation with Ballmer, who has repeatedly said he remains interested in pursuing a search partnership with Yahoo but does not intend to renew an offer for the whole company.
Microsoft made a bid for Yahoo last year, but walked away after they disagreed on price. Investors have been skeptical about whether the software company can win online advertising revenue away from Google (GOOG.O) and Yahoo, which are both stronger than Microsoft in the Internet search market.
Commentary below......
We know that microsoft pays it's people very well, but there is no way you can convince me that they are unable to absorb $1.5 billion in payroll (based on $100,000 a year average salary plus benefits and payroll taxes on those 8,000 people for a full year) for calender year 2009 when they are going to post a profit for 2008 in excess of $17 Billion, and they have about $40 Billion in Cash reserves......
Microsoft execs. had no problem flying THEIR Corporate Jet to the inauguration.....but apparently they don't have the money to keep employees working.....
Why no outrage from the liberals on this? Why no cries for a windfall profits tax on Microsoft? Maybe because Microsoft is a primary bastion of liberalism from it's management on down.....at least it was, until management discovered that they couldn't ride the economic storm for a little while because those pesky "extra" employees would take just 10% of their profits....
Good day!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Let the Comedy of Errors Begin
It's been awhile since I've posted here, but I think for the next 4 years I'll have plenty of fodder to make people laugh, cry, and perhaps maybe just THINK a little bit.....Normally I wouldn't print a story from the mainstream press to get started, but this was just too rich to pass up. After the story I'll have a little bit of commentary.....Enjoy!
{{{WASHINGTON (AFP) – Barack Obama will call on Americans to replace the "anything goes" culture of recent years with a new "era of responsibility" in his inaugural address on Tuesday, top aides said Sunday.
The president-elect penned most of the historic speech just a week ago, crafting an address that will be "heavily infused with this notion of responsibility and getting our country back on track," spokesman Robert Gibbs told "Fox News Sunday."
Rahm Emanuel, Obama's selection as chief of staff, said the inaugural address of the first African-American president, would stress the need to create "an era of responsibility" in the place of what has too long "been a culture of anything goes."
"We need that culture of responsibility, not just to be asked of the American people, but its leaders must also lead by example," Emanuel said on NBC's'"Meet the Press" program.
He said Obama would call on Americans to "once again restore a value system that respects and honors fiscal responsibility, and we all have something to give to our country and have an obligation to do that to return it to its greatness."
Obama will give his inaugural address around noon (1700 GMT) Tuesday just after taking the oath of office as the 44th US president.}}}
Let's just do this paragraph by paragraph.....Because this is just the beginning of the biggest load of bullshit we've ever had thrown at us.
Paragraph One: "Era Of Responsibility" Nice.....We get a new "buzz phrase".....and if you look at the acronym carefully you get EOR.....who might not have been a democrat, but he was an ass all the same.....(yes I know Winnie the Pooh's Eeyore is spelled differently but the comparison was too good to pass up.)
Paragraph Two: "Heavily infused with this notion of responsibility" I read that as bend over, more taxes......
Paragraph Three: "We need to create an era of responsibility to replace the anything goes mentality......" This from Rahm Emanuel who is up to his eyeballs in Blagojevich's pay for play scandal???? Cool.....I'm really impressed now......
Paragraph Four: Emanuel cont....."not just to be asked of the people but it's leaders must also lead by example"......And this from an incoming administration whose nominee for Sec. Tres. "forgot to pay his taxes" and another nominee withdrew because of a criminal investigation into corruption.....and let's not mention the deeds of the president's buddies Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, Jeremiah Wright, and the rest of the looney or criminal lot.
Paragraph Five: "respects and honors fiscal responsibility" TOO MUCH!!!!! I have no debt, work my ass off, and do the best I can to give my family a good life.....The Federal Government will have a $2 trillion debt this year and he has the nerve to talk about fiscal responsibility? His new "stimulus package" does nothing more than bloat an already out of control Federal budget, and the very people who caused the whole financial mess are in his party.
Paragraph Six: And this is where we learn the truth about Obama....."We all have something to give to our country and have an OBLIGATION to do that to restore our country to greatness." There it is.....in unmistakable black and white.....Taxes are going up.....
So this is what we have to look forward to.....More taxes.....A deeper burden on the people who already give up too much in the way of happiness to fund people who made bad choices in life. A further loss of freedom because of the rampant left wing lunacy in Congress and the White House.....
It's going to be a fun four years.....Hope I can survive it.....
Good Day!
{{{WASHINGTON (AFP) – Barack Obama will call on Americans to replace the "anything goes" culture of recent years with a new "era of responsibility" in his inaugural address on Tuesday, top aides said Sunday.
The president-elect penned most of the historic speech just a week ago, crafting an address that will be "heavily infused with this notion of responsibility and getting our country back on track," spokesman Robert Gibbs told "Fox News Sunday."
Rahm Emanuel, Obama's selection as chief of staff, said the inaugural address of the first African-American president, would stress the need to create "an era of responsibility" in the place of what has too long "been a culture of anything goes."
"We need that culture of responsibility, not just to be asked of the American people, but its leaders must also lead by example," Emanuel said on NBC's'"Meet the Press" program.
He said Obama would call on Americans to "once again restore a value system that respects and honors fiscal responsibility, and we all have something to give to our country and have an obligation to do that to return it to its greatness."
Obama will give his inaugural address around noon (1700 GMT) Tuesday just after taking the oath of office as the 44th US president.}}}
Let's just do this paragraph by paragraph.....Because this is just the beginning of the biggest load of bullshit we've ever had thrown at us.
Paragraph One: "Era Of Responsibility" Nice.....We get a new "buzz phrase".....and if you look at the acronym carefully you get EOR.....who might not have been a democrat, but he was an ass all the same.....(yes I know Winnie the Pooh's Eeyore is spelled differently but the comparison was too good to pass up.)
Paragraph Two: "Heavily infused with this notion of responsibility" I read that as bend over, more taxes......
Paragraph Three: "We need to create an era of responsibility to replace the anything goes mentality......" This from Rahm Emanuel who is up to his eyeballs in Blagojevich's pay for play scandal???? Cool.....I'm really impressed now......
Paragraph Four: Emanuel cont....."not just to be asked of the people but it's leaders must also lead by example"......And this from an incoming administration whose nominee for Sec. Tres. "forgot to pay his taxes" and another nominee withdrew because of a criminal investigation into corruption.....and let's not mention the deeds of the president's buddies Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, Jeremiah Wright, and the rest of the looney or criminal lot.
Paragraph Five: "respects and honors fiscal responsibility" TOO MUCH!!!!! I have no debt, work my ass off, and do the best I can to give my family a good life.....The Federal Government will have a $2 trillion debt this year and he has the nerve to talk about fiscal responsibility? His new "stimulus package" does nothing more than bloat an already out of control Federal budget, and the very people who caused the whole financial mess are in his party.
Paragraph Six: And this is where we learn the truth about Obama....."We all have something to give to our country and have an OBLIGATION to do that to restore our country to greatness." There it is.....in unmistakable black and white.....Taxes are going up.....
So this is what we have to look forward to.....More taxes.....A deeper burden on the people who already give up too much in the way of happiness to fund people who made bad choices in life. A further loss of freedom because of the rampant left wing lunacy in Congress and the White House.....
It's going to be a fun four years.....Hope I can survive it.....
Good Day!
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