The layoffs continue as economic realities take the wind out of a lot of companies’ sails. Or should I say sales?Microsoft announced they will be laying off 5,000 over the next eighteen months. IBM announced layoffs. Warner Studios yesterday said they were releasing 800 this year and Clear Channel Communications put the word out that 1800 were on the chopping block.
According to government statisticians who track all these things the third quarter of 2008 was pretty serious with 1,330 extended mass layoff events resulting in 218,158 jobs lost. That was nothing compared to fourth quarter, which saw 2,328 mass layoff events impacting 224,079 workers in November alone.
No one likes to see lives disrupted, but at the end of the day some layoffs have been a long time coming. For years the Internet has been making inroads into the magazine and newspaper industries, chewing up subscriber renewals as info-consumers adopt new ways of following events, gathering info or finding distraction. The same applies to radio. In our town there just seems to be too many radio stations to be supported by so few advertisers. Sooner or later, and it is usually during hard times, the weak become the prey of the strong.
In radio, for example, the efficiencies of a large distribution network like Clear Channel can become its Achilles heel. They produce a programming that has all the excitement of beige house paint, because what’s created in St. Louis (or wherever) is used across the country. It is a mass media mindset that doesn’t feel connected to the communities it serves. That’s my opinion only, mind you. I like more control over the sounds I surround myself with as I commute, whether audio books, lectures or music.
Microsoft’s woes may well be their own making as well. I know no one who “loves” Microsoft other than the many employees who have worked for the company and become millionaires thereby. This “Comment” at the end of a ZD Net news story on the layoffs pretty much sums up a lot of peoples’ sentiments.
I'm sad for the employees but I can't hide my Schadenfreude concerning the misery of low quality software we are all subjected to. Every day I lose time because my Windows and Vista computers in the office take so long to start up and so many times they crash. In 20 years Microsoft has not managed to get a DOS operating system that is beyond beta level. The only thing Microsoft got right is building a monopoly for it's shoddy disk operations systems. There are 2 things I ask a DOS to be perfect at: 1) access data on disk/storage 2) find data rapidly. MS fails at both. Consistently. Since about 20 years, since DOS 3.2 the last stable version.... Fortunately at home I have Macs and don't have to work on computers with Windows/Vista-impediments as I do in the office..... I hope the fired employees will find jobs in companies making reliable products that are beneficial to users AND stockholders... sorry guys...
In radio, for example, the efficiencies of a large distribution network like Clear Channel can become its Achilles heel. They produce a programming that has all the excitement of beige house paint, because what’s created in St. Louis (or wherever) is used across the country. It is a mass media mindset that doesn’t feel connected to the communities it serves. That’s my opinion only, mind you. I like more control over the sounds I surround myself with as I commute, whether audio books, lectures or music.Microsoft’s woes may well be their own making as well. I know no one who “loves” Microsoft other than the many employees who have worked for the company and become millionaires thereby. This “Comment” at the end of a ZD Net news story on the layoffs pretty much sums up a lot of peoples’ sentiments.
I'm sad for the employees but I can't hide my Schadenfreude concerning the misery of low quality software we are all subjected to. Every day I lose time because my Windows and Vista computers in the office take so long to start up and so many times they crash. In 20 years Microsoft has not managed to get a DOS operating system that is beyond beta level. The only thing Microsoft got right is building a monopoly for it's shoddy disk operations systems. There are 2 things I ask a DOS to be perfect at: 1) access data on disk/storage 2) find data rapidly. MS fails at both. Consistently. Since about 20 years, since DOS 3.2 the last stable version.... Fortunately at home I have Macs and don't have to work on computers with Windows/Vista-impediments as I do in the office..... I hope the fired employees will find jobs in companies making reliable products that are beneficial to users AND stockholders... sorry guys...
~ Vivifiant, Ohio
In other news, Britney Spears landed a 13 or 14 million dollar book contract this week to write her story. I guess her publisher knows what’s important. Good luck. In two years you’ll probably be able to buy them on Amazon.com for a quarter and use them as doorstops. Or buy four to prop up a claw foot bathtub with a missing leg.
In other news, Britney Spears landed a 13 or 14 million dollar book contract this week to write her story. I guess her publisher knows what’s important. Good luck. In two years you’ll probably be able to buy them on Amazon.com for a quarter and use them as doorstops. Or buy four to prop up a claw foot bathtub with a missing leg.
Am I mistaken or is something wrong with this picture?
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