The Next big Wave of Layoffs is Sony. (9,000 workers)

In a report from Engadget, there seems to be more Layoffs going on.   One such one is Sony.  Here is what Engadget said:

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The bad news from the Japanese consumer electronics industry continues. Sony just announced plans to cut about 8,000 global jobs from its beleaguered electronics business while making unspecified reductions to its seasonal and temporary workforce. The move, as Sony explains it, comes “in response to the sudden and rapid changes in the global economic environment.” Ominously, it looks like Sony will also be raising prices in the countries where “Sony makes significant sales” (read: US and Europe) if we’re reading this statement correctly:

[Via Engadget]

[ad#ad2-left]In Today’s economy, you need to be prepared.  So I thought I bring back some old Favorites of mine and talk about them.  To see the other layoffs that I’ve talked about CLICK HERE.   If you wanted to know what you can do to be prepared here are some great resources for people who are worried about there jobs:

If you have any others you would like to suggest please leave a comment and let everyone know.   These are hard economic times and we all could use the help.

Microsoft issues Vista patches out of Monthly Patch Cycle!

KB957321,KB959108,KB959130


Microsoft issues Out of cycle patch for Vista.   These patches are as Followed:
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Kb957321

An update rollup is available for the Microsoft Windows Imaging Component (WIC) in Windows Vista or in Windows Server 2008. This update rollup resolves the problems that are documented in the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

954708 An update to add support for the serialization of complex Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) data types in the Windows Imaging Component

945060 There may be inconsistencies in the Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) and Exchangeable Image File (EXIF) values for an image file in Windows Vista and in Windows XP

The Windows Portable Device (WPD) API collects and transfers Software Quality Metrics (SQM) data to Microsoft servers. The SQM data is collected only on an opt-in basis through the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program. An update is available that disables the collection and transfer of SQL data to Microsoft servers.

This update affects Windows Vista-based computers, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)-based computers, and Windows Server 2008-based computers that are in the Microsoft Windows Media Player Customer Experience Improvement Program.

On a Windows Vista-based computer or on a Windows Server 2008-based computer, you install a third-party Web browser. You set the third-party Web browser as the default Web browser. Then, you run the Connect to the Internet Wizard. However, if you select the Browse the Internet now option, Windows Internet Explorer starts instead of the third-party Web browser that you set as the default Web browser.


[ad#ad2-right]This seems to be not so important.  All of these are not really security related but it does surprise me that Microsoft wanted to release these out of Cycle.   If your planning on using your Vista laptop during the holidays you might want to update your vista machine before you go.  I don’t think there is going to be any major issues with this but if there is, you can always remove these updates later.

Blog Offline with Google Gears at Blog.gears

Inspiration for great blog posts can be fleeting, but a lack of internet access can leave ideas in the dust. Webapp Blog.gears uses Google Gears to synchronize with a Blogger account to bridge that gap. Blog.gears allows Blogger authors to create new posts and edit older ones and synchronizes the data upon connection. The offline editor doesn’t offer any of the rich text features as the online site, but it could work great for ideas you don’t want to forget about later. Blog.gears requires a free Blogger account and Google Gears, and runs wherever Internet Explorer or Firefox do.

Blog.gears [via Google Operating System]

It’s not bad if you have need to write stuff for the blog but I do hope they come up with ways to upload pictures and links and all that fun stuff that blogging has become!!