Pls go to website for time to time update
http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/17/layoff-tracker-unemployement-lead-cx_kk_1118tracker.html?partner=popstories

Pink Slips

Layoff Tracker

Compiled by Klaus Kneale, 01.28.09, 07:12 PM EST

Starbucks fires 7,000, Target cuts 600 and AOL cans 700.

Number of layoffs since Nov. 1, 2008, at America's 500 largest public companies*:

350,725

Latest layoffs:

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Jan. 28: Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) increases previously announced layoffs--bringing total to 10,000 workers, or 6% of the company’s workforce.

Jan. 28: Starbucks (nasdaq: SBUX - news - people ) organizes closings at 900 stores worldwide and fires 6,700 in the process.

Jan. 28: Target (nyse: TGT - news - people ) cuts 400 open positions and 600 employees on sagging sales.

Jan. 27: Time Warner’s (nyse: TWX - news - people ) AOL reduces workforce by 10% (700 workers) as it fights declining ad revenue.

Jan. 27: Cabinet company Merillat--a subsidiary of Masco (nyse: MAS - news - people )--cuts 20% of workforce (70 workers).

Hitachi faces loss due to Renesas

http://www.eetimes.com/rss/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212900878&cid=RSSfeed_eetimes_newsRSS



Reuters
EE Times
(01/15/2009 11:12 PM EST)


TOKYO, Jan 16 -- Hitachi Ltd., Japan's biggest electronics maker, now faces an annual net loss of more than $1.1 billion instead of a previously forecast profit, hurt by a sharp decline in microchip sales, sources said on Friday.

A growing number of major Japanese electronics makers are expected to suffer big losses for the year ending in March, as the global economy visibly contracts.

A source said this week that Sony Corp would likely post an annual operating loss of $1.1 billion, its first such loss in 14 years, while media and analysts say rival Toshiba Corp is also headed for a big loss.

Hitachi now eyes a net loss of more than 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion) for the year to March -- its third year of losses -- due to a large loss at Renesas Technology Corp, a chipmaking joint venture of Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric Corp, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Renesas, the world's No.7 maker of semiconductors, is expected to book a net loss of about 200 billion yen, as usage rates halved on equipment used to make chips, said a Renesas source who declined to be named because the numbers are not yet public.

Renesas, which makes chips used in cars, TVs, cameras and hard drives, will also shoulder restructuring costs and a write-down of tax-related assets, reversing an earlier projection for a 9.5 billion yen net profit.

A spokesman at Hitachi, which owns 55 percent of Renesas, declined to comment on the report.

Hitachi, the world's No. 3 maker of hard drives, has already cut its annual net profit forecast to 15 billion yen from an initial estimate of 40 billion yen, when it reported half-year results in October.

That compares with an average forecast of a 2.3 billion yen net loss in a poll of 11 analysts by Reuters Estimates.

Hitachi, which has been restructuring its hard drive business and gaining profit in its nuclear and thermal power plants, is also suffering from halting orders for automotive equipment and sluggish sales in its flat-panel TVs and other electronics, a Hitachi source said.

Shutoku Watanabe, head of Hitachi's consumer business group, told Reuters this month that the company's annual LCD TV sales would likely be as much as 10 percent below target as consumers hold off on off big-ticket purchases.

Hitachi had already cut its LCD TV sales forecast for the year to end-March to 850,000 units from 1.2 million.

Shares of Hitachi were trading down 0.6 percent against the benchmark Nikkei average, which was up 1.5 percent. (Additional reporting by Taiga Uranaka and Ted Kerr; Editing by Chris Gallagher)


By: Mayumi Negishi and Kentaro Hamada
Copyright 2009 Reuters.

AMD cuts 900 additional jobs

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=UIHN1FSMSEUQEQSNDLSCKHA?articleID=212901009
Dylan McGrath
EE Times
(01/16/2009 1:30 PM EST)

SAN FRANCISCO — Advanced Micro Devices Inc. plans to cut an additional 900 jobs during the first quarter of 2009 as part of a series of moves designed to reduce the chip maker's workforce by about 9 percent, AMD said Friday (Jan. 16).

AMD (Sunnyvale, Calif.) will shed another 200 jobs through a combination of attrition and the previously announced divestiture of its handheld business, the company said.

AMD had two major rounds of layoffs in 2008. Late last year, AMD reduced its workforce by about 600 employees. Last July, it announced the layoff of 10 percent of its workers.

Other cost control measures announced Friday included temporarily reducing employee base pay and suspending some benefits programs. Executive chairman Hector Ruiz and CEO Dirk Meyer will be taking temporary reductions in base salary totaling 20 percent, AMD said.

AMD also said it will cut executive pay in the U.S. and Canada by 15 percent. All other North American employees ineligible for overtime will face a 10 percent salary reduction, the company added.

Outside North America, AMD said it would implement "voluntary pay reduction measures consistent with local policies and regulations."

In a statement, AMD said it had determined to take "difficult, but prudent" actions to reduce costs as the result of the continuing economic downturn.

A spokesperson for AMD said the job cuts would occur across all regions AMD operates in and span all levels of employees.

On Thursday, AMD rival Intel Corp. said its fourth quarter 2008 revenue fell to $8.2 billion, down $10.7 billion from the same period of 2007. But the shortfall was widely expected after Intel cut its guidance for the quarter twice. Despite rumors, Intel has yet to announce any large scale job cuts.

AMD is scheduled to report fourth quarter earnings next week (Jan. 22).

AMD is a distant second to Intel in the microprocessor market. The company made waves a couple of years ago by biting into the No. 1 chip vendor's market share, but has since lost surrendered the gains. AMD said in November it would not make chips for mobile internet devices and smart phones that would compete with Intel's popular Atom chip.

In a landmark move last October, AMD announced it would split into two parts, spinning off its fabs into a separate company backed by the government of Abu Dhabi.

Other large U.S. chip makers are also expected to announced job cuts in the coming days.

Why UMNO defeat in Kuala Terengganu by-election

My personal view the cause is still the same why BN defeat in 8 March 08. And BN didn't change and improve since than.....
You will not improve if you didn't improve and don't know what wrong.
Will not cure if you not able diagnose your problem.
What you think?
Pls give your comment....

Intel claims limited visibility, offers no Q1 forecast

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=RYINNH0X50YHKQSNDLSCKHA?articleID=212900824


Intel claims limited visibility, offers no Q1 forecast
Fourth quarter profit, sales tumble as economy softens

Bolaji Ojo
EE Times
(01/15/2009 5:02 PM EST)

Intel Corp. said it cannot "predict product demand" for the first quarter and has therefore declined to offer its typical revenue and profit forecast but instead will work off a temporary number that calls for a 15 percent sequential sales decline on top of the 19 percent drop from the third quarter of 2008.
The world's biggest semiconductor company is considered the bellwether for the rest of the chip market and its lackluster fourth quarter performance coupled with its unwillingness to offer guidance for the ongoing quarter indicates the industry might be headed for one of its worst recessions in decades.

Intel said fourth quarter 2008 net income fell to $234 million, or 4 cents per share, hit hard by a $1.2 billion loss on equity investments related to its interest in Clearwire Corp.

In the year-ago comparable quarter Intel posted net profit of $2.3 billion, or 38 cents per share. Revenue in the three months ended Dec. 27, 2008 sank to $8.2 billion, down 23 percent as previously predicted, from $10.7 billion in the comparable 2007 quarter.

"The economy and the industry are in the process of resetting to a new baseline from which growth will resume," said Paul Otellini, Intel's president and CEO in a statement announcing the results. "While the environment is uncertain, our fundamental business strategies are more focused than ever."

Intel will need all the weapons in its arsenal to pull through the coming recession. It's not typical, even in the most distressing market environment, for Intel to decline to offer investors and analysts a clear idea of how it expects to perform in a particular reporting period.

By refusing to provide even a wide sales forecast range this time, Intel is basically indicating demand has stalled and visibility into OEM component requirements has fogged up completely.

"Due to economic uncertainty and limited visibility, Intel is not providing a revenue outlook at this time," the company said. "For internal purposes, the company is currently planning for revenue in the vicinity of $7 billion."

What's clear is that Intel's capacity utilization has fallen very sharply and won't recover immediately. The company said first quarter gross profit margin "is expected to decline to the low 40s primarily due to higher underutilization charges and 32 nanometer start-up costs."

Intel's fourth quarter 2008 gross profit margin fell as expected to 53.1 percent, from 58.1 percent in the 2007 comparable quarter. The company whittled down R&D as well as other operating costs during the recently ended quarter continuing a trend analysts expect will accelerate in the current difficult environment.

For 2009, Intel said it expects R&D and marketing, general and administrative charges will be between $10.4 billion and $10.6 billion. Capital spending is "expected to be flat to slightly down from 2008," Intel said.

Spansion exploring sale, halts interest payments

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10143577-64.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Posted by Brooke Crothers


Spansion said Thursday that it is exploring a merger or sale, as the flash memory chip company delays interest payments on notes.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company announced that it has been "exploring strategic alternatives, including, but not limited to, opportunities to merge with or sell to similar U.S. or foreign businesses."
Spansion, one of the largest flash memory suppliers, was formed by the integration of Advanced Micro Devices' and Fujitsu's flash memory operations in 2003. The company has posted a long string of losses as it has struggled to turn a profit in the fickle NOR flash memory business.
NOR flash is used in set-top boxes and cell phones but addresses a much different market than its better-known cousin, NAND flash. NOR is typically used to store and run computer code, while NAND is used for large-capacity storage, just like hard disk drives.
Spansion received a lukewarm response to its IPO in 2005.
The company said Thursday that it has engaged Barclays Capital "to assist the company in exploring these strategic alternatives," the company said.
In connection with this, Spansion has initiated discussions to begin an "organized process of potential balance sheet restructuring opportunities" and will delay making the interest payment on its outstanding 11.25 percent senior notes due 2016, which is due January 15, the company said.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Thursday lowered its corporate credit rating on Spansion to "D" from "CCC" and the issue-level rating on the company's 11.25 percent senior unsecured notes due 2016 to "D" from "CC."
After a string of quarterly losses, Spansion, according to reports, is also considering Chapter 11 protection.

全球经济不景延伸 大年2电子厂裁119人

全球经济不景延伸　大年2电子厂裁119人

二零零九年一月十四日 凌晨十二时五分



（双溪大年13日讯）双溪大年工业领域吹裁员风。这个月份有2家从事电子领域行业的工厂分别裁退99人及20人，总数达到119人。

人力资源局副高级董事莫哈末惹吉斯阿都拉今天在双溪大年办事处对媒体透露，这2家分别在双溪大年工业区设厂的台资商，经裁退119名员工。

此外，他说，GREEN POINT PERCISIOUS除了在本月9日裁退99名员工外，也将在这个月杪裁退另外226名本地员工，这样一来，该公司裁退的员工高达325名。

这家公司总共有1223名员工，其中789名为本地员工，其余434名为外劳，而2天前裁退的99名员工属于主管级、技术人员以及行政管理人员等，而即将裁退的226名员工则为操作员，他们是属于公司合约承包商所聘请的员工。

不过，被裁退的99名员工也获得公司的赔偿，公司总共付出总额高达53万3102令吉48仙的赔偿金。

由于这家台资商在裁退员工时没有根据劳工法令行事，因此，他说，人力资源局将采取行动追究此事，必要时将在1955年劳工法令第63（1）条文下提控雇主，罪成可被罚款最高1万令吉。

此外，他说，另外1家裁退20名员工的厂商为FEITI METAL。

此前，他说，该局也经接获双溪大年6名雇主依合法程序在今年1月份裁退165名员工，其中156名为本地员工，另外9名为外劳。

而在暂停生产方面，有4个雇主经向该局报备，所涉及的员工高达507名，其中22名为外劳。

与此同时，他说，从去年10月迄今，人力资源局经为80名失业的员工找到新工作。

因此，他呼吁那些被裁退的员工，无论是主管或技术人员或蓝领阶级者都可到人力资源局登记，以便该局安排合适的就业机会。

此外，那些失业的员工也可通过网上查询，以寻找工作机会，有关网页为www.jobsmalaysia.gov.my。

未依据劳工法令条文裁员　人力局追究3厂商

人力资源局副高级董事莫哈末惹吉斯阿都拉指出，该局将对3家厂商在没有依据劳工法令的条文下裁退员工一事展开追究。

他说，该局接获这3家公司的员工投诉，指有关雇主没有给予足够时间的通知，就裁退他们。

因此，他表示，该局将对此展开调查，一旦调查结果显示雇主违约，将依法提控。

他今天在双溪大年人力资源局办事处召开记者会对媒体公布这项讯息。

另外，他说，该局也接获投诉指位于吉中马莫1家生产纤维的外资厂商在2个星期前裁退45名本地员工。

他说，这家从事纤维的工厂是在去年12月中在没有预先通知的情况下裁退45名员工。

有关公司共有323名员工，据了解管理层接下来将大幅度裁员，不过人力资源局经

2009 CNY Marketing Survey (Sunshne, Tesco, Jusco, Carrefour, Giant)

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=p4eSO_O-NKuebiUv8ZfZiPQ

Pls click on the link to see the spreadsheet.
Contain price comparison for Sunshine, Tesco, Jusco, Carrefour, Giant
The price is for reference only, subjected to change by the store.

Motorola To Cut 4,000 Jobs

http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212900618&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News

Motorola To Cut 4,000 Jobs

The workforce reduction will take place primarily in the ailing handset division, and it comes on top of 3,000 layoffs announced late last year.
By Marin Perez
InformationWeek
January 14, 2009 06:47 PM

Struggling Motorola (NYSE: MOT) said it would reduce its workforce by about 4,000 in a cost-savings measure.
The majority of the cuts will come from the Mobile Devices business, which has been steadily losing market share to Apple, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM), and Samsung. The division has lost more than $2.7 billion since the start of 2007, and the cuts come in addition to the previously announced reduction of 3,000 jobs.

More Mobility InsightsWhite PapersNuStar Mobile Users Get Tech Support, Training Remotely Company Finds Right IT Support Rx for Wireless Devices WebcastsReal-time Visibility of Mobile Inventory, Assets, and Field-Based Employees using RFIDImproving Business Processes with WAN AccelerationReportsLTE Vs. WiMaxWhere In The World Is IPv6?Videos

The Arrival of Dual Mode Handsets
"The actions we are taking today in our Mobile Devices business will allow us to further reduce our cost structure and positions us for improved financial performance in 2009," said co-CEO Sanjay Jha in a statement. "Together with these actions and the announcements made in the fourth quarter, the Mobile Devices business expects to recognize annual cost savings of approximately $1.2 billion in 2009."
Just a few years ago, Motorola's Razr was a desirable and profitable phone, and it sold more than 110 million units. But the company hasn't brought many innovative cell phones or smartphones to market since then, and its portfolio of handsets is widely seen as stale.

The handset maker fell to fourth place in the global cell phone market last year, and most analysts and mobile phone companies are expecting the market to contract. The Mobile Devices unit became so much of a drag on the company that it was going to be spun off into a separate company.

The spin-off has been put on hold by Jha as the company tries to focus on creating consumer-friendly handsets. Motorola is making a big bet on Google (NSDQ: GOOG)'s Android operating system for a social network-centric smartphone, but that device isn't expected until the second half of 2009.

Seagate Cuts 6% of Jobs Globally, Reduces CEO Pay 25% (Update2)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=avvnIJfxpLdI&refer=us

By Katie Hoffmann

Jan. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Seagate Technology, the biggest maker of hard-disk drives, said it will cut 6 percent of its global workforce as profit falls in the global recession.

The company will eliminate 2,950 positions, which includes the about 800 U.S. job cuts announced this week, according to a regulatory filing today. Seagate said it will reduce its chief executive officer’s salary by 25 percent and also cut some other managers’ pay.

Profit at Seagate, which replaced its CEO two days ago, has slid for two quarters as the recession crimps personal-computer demand, causing orders for storage products to sag. Competitor Western Digital Corp. said last month it would cut 5 percent of its workforce. Seagate has higher operating costs as a percentage of revenue than Western Digital so it may have to make more cuts, said Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst Jayson Noland.

“They’re arguably less efficient,” said San Francisco- based Noland, who has a “neutral” rating on Seagate shares and doesn’t own any. “I wouldn’t be shocked to see another cut, just given the uncertainty at Seagate right now.”

Seagate estimates the job cuts will save it $130 million a year, and the lower salaries will reduce costs by $80 million.

Seagate, based in George Town, Grand Cayman, fell 30 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $4.28 at 9:52 a.m. in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. It fell 83 percent last year.

The company this week named Chairman Stephen Luczo as CEO, replacing William Watkins. The change gave Luczo back the reins of a company he ran for six years, from 1998 to 2004.

Seagate, operated from Scotts Valley, California, had 54,000 employees at the end of June.

To contact the reporter on this story: Katie Hoffmann in New York at khoffmann4@bloomberg.net

Gmail is more than just mail

IF YOU signed up for Google's e-mail service, you can use its Google alk network to send instant messages to people on your Gmail address book.
You may have already noticed the Chat area in the Gmail window when checking your messages on the Web.
You can write message to people in your contact list right there in the browser and even save your transcripts to your Gmail account.
Windows users can also download stand-alone Google Talk instant-message software, which lets you transfer larger files between computers, make free PC-to-PC voice calls over the Internet and even leave mail for friends on your contacts list.
Mac and Linux users have other choices as well. There is a Flash-based version of the program called the Google Talk Gadget that works on most systems.
Mac OS X users can also connect and gab with Apple's iChat instant messenger program. Google has a page devoted to getting started with Google Talk at www.google.com/talk/about.html; there's also a link to a list of other IM programs that work with the system.
Because Gllgle Talk uses the Jabber network (www.jabber.org), your instant messagers don't go through the same network and servers used by chat sessions in the Microsoft Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! or other instant messaging services.
It is possible to chat with people on other IM networks, usually by using IM software that link the different systemsl Psi, Adium and Trillian Pro are some of these "interperable" instant-messaging programs. - New York Times Special Features

Motorola Reportedly Close To Major Restructuring

http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/business/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212900311&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News

Motorola Reportedly Close To Major Restructuring

The handset division is reportedly set to lay off nearly half its workers, and the smartphone line will focus on Google's Android platform.

By Marin Perez
InformationWeek
January 13, 2009 07:41 PM

Motorola (NYSE: MOT) has been steadily losing market share to Apple, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), and Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM), and the company may be making massive cuts to its workforce to stem costs, according to a report from Phone Scoop.

"Phone Scoop has learned that Motorola's handset division is expecting a large round of layoffs as soon as this week, according to someone familiar with Motorola's plans," the site said. "The layoffs are confirmed to be significant and may amount to 50% of the entire handset operation. Motorola's set-top box, networking equipment, and enterprise device businesses would not be affected."

The company responded to press inquiries regarding the cuts, saying it does not respond to rumors. But it's no secret that the handset division has been ailing, as it has lost nearly $2.8 billion since the start of 2007. The company has previously made worker reductions and it has trimmed benefits to prepare for an economic downturn.

Motorola is still struggling to find a replacement for its massively popular Razr cell phone, which sold more than 110 million units around the world. But since that iconic device, the company is largely seen as having a stagnant portfolio of handsets. It recently brought in Sanjay Jha to help resurrect the handset division, and Jha has said the company can recover by streamlining its portfolio and producing desirable products.

"Motorola is prepared to trim the number of new phones it brings to market down to just a dozen per year, and the only smartphones it will produce will be based on Google's Android platform," the report said.

The company did not confirm this aspect of the report either, as it remained committed to its previous announcement that it would use Android for midtier devices and use Windows Mobile for high-end smartphones. Motorola's Android handset is expected to have heavy social networking integration, and Jha said it should come out in the second quarter of 2009.

ve heavysocial networking integration, and Jha said it should come out in the second quarter of 2009.

New Features Added

RSS Feed added for

InformationWeek News

EETimes

at the right column.

Lorry burning near Jalan Tengah (Exclusive)

This picture is taken in front of Caltex Petrol Station. 13 Jan 2009 6PM. I believe the lorry is in fire before.

Cash in hand concern for Spansion

http://www.fabtech.org/news/_a/cash_in_hand_concern_for_spansion/


Loss making NOR flash memory market leader, Spansion Inc is facing growing concerns over its liquidity status with credit ratings specialist, Fitch Ratings, lowering its view on approximately US$1.3 billion of debt to a ‘negative’ outlook. Fitch noted that Spansion’s total debts were US$1.6 billion.

Rumours have circulated that the NOR flash manufacturer is considering bankruptcy and is claimed to have extended a production shutdown at its 200mm fab in Austin, Texas to preserve cash and reduce inventories.

Fitch said that it expects Spansion to post lower gross profits in 2009 that keep the company in the red, despite its aggressive cost cutting measures, highlighting the need to raise funds as well as renegotiate loan agreements.

Regarding insolvency, Fitch currently believes that creditors would be better served if Spansion went into receivership as a going concern rather than entered liquidation under a distressed scenario. However, Fitch saw the difference between the two scenarios for creditors as diminishing.

Fitch, calculates that Spansion has approximately US$152 million of cash and cash equivalents and approximately US$100 million of availability under various credit facilities at the end of the third quarter, 2008. Spansion has approximately US$125 million of debt amortization and approximately US$60 million in capital leases that would need to be paid, through the end of 2009.

Coupled to estimated cash burn and the possible downward revision to revenue as market conditions could worsen, Fitch didn’t rule out further credit rating cuts on Spansion.

The clock is ticking for Spansion

http://www.eetindia.co.in/ART_8800559602_1800007_NT_a47192dd.HTM

The clock is ticking for Spansion

Posted: 13 Jan 2009


Is time running out on Spansion Inc.?
Amid a string of losses, declining funds and a major economic downturn, NOR-flash leader Spansion has implemented another round of cost-cutting measures. Rumors are also running rampant that Spansion is mulling a plan to file Chapter 11 protection of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Regarding the possiblity of filing Chapter 11, a spokeswoman for Spansion said: ''We do not comment or speculate on rumours.''

At one time, there were other rumours about Spansion, including a report that Japan's Toshiba Corp. would acquire the company. Sources believe that Spansion and Toshiba were close to signing a deal, but the acquisition was reportedly put on the back burner.

Indeed, it's been a rough time for Spansion, the world's leading supplier of NOR flash memory. Recently, Spansion reported a loss for the third quarter of Rs.593.93 crore ($118.7 million) on revenue of Rs.3,157.30 crore ($631 million). During the third quarter, the company imposed salary reductions, cut capital spending, frooze headcount and cut research and development projects.

In November, the company became the latest semiconductor supplier to issue a warning about revenue in the current quarter, saying it expected fourth quarter net sales to be down about 20 per cent sequentially. Last month, Spansion closed its fab in Austin, Texas, for two weeks during the fourth quarter in anticipation of a weak holiday season and deteriorating macroeconomics,

Faced with an uncertain future, Spansion confirmed that it is also implementing another round of cost-cutting moves. Pay was cut 20 per cent across the board in December; hours were cut 20 per cent as well, sources said.

''Varying degrees of salary reductions were implemented as early as October 2008. Schedule changes were implemented beginning the first pay period of 2009. These actions have been implemented as part of a larger global cost cutting strategy to help better position Spansion to weather the storm during the economic downturn,'' the spokeswoman said.

Still, employees were called to tell them they were furlowed for this week without pay. Today, the furlow was extended for another 2 weeks—mandatory—without pay.

''We realise this comes at a difficult time, but Spansion has decided to extend its furlough through January across parts of the company. This decision is part of a part of a broader initiative to reduce operating expenses and help align manufacturing output with customer demand,'' the spokeswoman said.

Spansion is also telling employees it has enough product for customers to last for three weeks. As a result, manufacturing runs have halted at the firm.

''As a result of the continuing deterioration of the macroeconomic environment, which has resulted in decreased customer demand for flash memory, Spansion has decided to temporarily shutdown its manufacturing facilities for periods in January. This decision is part of a larger strategy to help align manufacturing output with customer demand,'' the spokeswoman said.

Bas Kilang/ Van Kilang ....

News Link  http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2009/01/13/2.html

What happen in Jalan Tengah, Bayan Lepas 12-Jan 09 a Bas Kilang hit 6 bike and a car.... one person get kill...

This thing just waiting to happen with most of the bas kilang driver attitude, which always cut queue, think that they are king on the road.

Added polling for what your impression for Bas Kilang Driver...

Test your RAM

MEMTEST86+ (www.memtest.org/#downiso) is a free memory testing application that you cab download and use to put your computer's RAM through a thorough test.
Download one of the pre-compiled bootable packages and copy or burn it to whichever media you canboot your PC from other than hard drive.
Packages for CD-ROM, USB key, and floppy are available. Once started, Memtest86+ will run exhaustive tests on your RAM to determine wether any errors exist. -dpa

Intro for Chapter 11

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapter_11

Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Chapter 11)

Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to anybusiness, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most prominently used by corporate entities. In contrast, Chapter 7 governs the process of a liquidation bankruptcy, while Chapter 13 provides a reorganization process for the majority of private individuals with unsecured debts of less than $336,900.00 and secured debts of less than $1,010,650.00 as of April 1, 2007.[edit]

Procedure

When a business is unable to service its debt or pay its creditors, the business or its creditors can file with a federal bankruptcy court for protection under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 11. In Chapter 7, the business ceases operations and a trustee sells all of its assets and distributes the proceeds to its creditors. In Chapter 11, in most instances the debtor remains in control of its business operations as a "debtor in possession", and is subject to the oversight and jurisdiction of the court.^[1] The court can grant complete or partial relief from most of the company's debts and its contracts. Sometimes, if the business's debts exceed its assets, then at the completion of bankruptcy the company's owners all end up without anything; all their rights and interests are ended and the company's creditors are left with ownership of the newly reorganized company.

Opt for better image organisers

MOST digital cameras come with a CD of their own programs, but you can usually do better by setting that aside. Why? Your computer should recognize the camera when you plug it in without needing any extra software, and you can usually find better applications to organise and edit pictures than what's waiting on that disc.
That Particularly true on a Mac, where Apple's iPhoto outclasses pretty much everything else for consumer use. In Windows XP, try Google's free Picasa (http://picasa.com); in Windows Vista, you can stick with the Photo Gallery program included with Vista, download Picasa or try Microsoft's new, free Windows Live Photo Gallery (http://get.live.com/betas) which adds more editing features to Vista's built-in software. LAT-WP

Electronic Firms News Update

Intel cuts earnings estimates

Expects to do worse that it said it might

By Paul Hales

Wednesday, 7 January 2009, 19:03

INTEL HAS CONFESSED that it expects its fourth-quarter revenue to drop by 23 per cent compared to last year - down to a measly  $8.2 billion.

The outfit blamed "further weakness in end demand and inventory reductions by its customers in the global PC supply chain".

We can't say we've noticed a drop in demand for ends around these parts but the chip-making monolith says it'll also make less profit that it previously said it would, so shareholders will be grumbling.

The preliminary estimate of gross margin for the fourth quarter is at the bottom of the previous expectation of 55 per cent, plus or minus a couple of points, the firm said.

The firm also said it  "will impair the value of its investment" in Clearwire, resulting in a non-cash charge to fourth-quarter earnings of approximately $950 million.

This means it'll make between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion loss in its investments compared with a previous expectation of a loss of approximately $50 million.

The firm has cut R&D spending a bit it said, but things are still looking a bit sticky. Imagine if it had some proper competition.

Intel shares were down around four per cent when we last checked.

中国联想集团宣佈全球裁员

（中国‧北京）2005年收购IBM个人电脑业务的中国联想集团今日（週四，1月8日）宣佈將会裁减2500个职位，约佔此集团全球11%的人手。

联想发表公告指，有关裁员计划將可为公司到2010年3月节省3亿美元（约马幣10.6亿令吉）。

公告称，联想集团从2008年9月30日到12月31日的3个月可能面临重大亏损。董事会相信，潜在亏损主要是由於全球正面对的前所未有的经济挑战，造成个人电脑及相关產品需求下降所致。

联想集团董事会宣佈將启动一项资源调配计划，包括削减员工岗位、削减行政人员薪酬、合併中国及亚太区组织成立新的亚太及俄罗斯区，並將位於加拿大多伦多的客户服务中心调整到北卡罗来纳州。（法新社）

星洲互动‧2009.01.08

IBM將大裁1.6万人

• 即时新闻
• 国际財经

 2009-01-07 21:14

（美国‧纽约）依据非官方职员网站IBM employee.com指出，美国科技业巨人IBM 1月可能宣佈裁员消息，规模恐高达1万6000人，相当於全球总人力的4%。

据悉，IBM员工已耳闻1月下旬的裁员消息，其规模估计为2002年来最大的一波。近期，网站发佈了诸多类似预测消息。许多消息称，IBM设在美国佛蒙特州伯林顿的半导体工厂受到的影响可能尤为严重。

受到全球经济衰退的影响，企业纷纷缩减科技支出，使IBM业绩大受衝击。根据分析师预估，IBM去年第4季度营收可能下滑1.6%至284亿美元。IBM发言人考利表示："长久以来，公司都在调整內部人力，並持续投资具成长潜力的领域"。

当问到裁员流言时，他则婉拒发表评论。过去几年，IBM確实持续刪减人力，2007年5月与6月即分別裁员1570、450人。

根据IBM网站公佈的数据，这间公司全球员工总数超过38.6万人。如果传言的裁员1.6万人数字准確，裁员幅度將为其员工总数的4%左右。

IBM发言人麦克尼斯週一（1月5日）称，这间公司"不会对传言和猜测发表评论"。

IBM员工公会全国协调员康拉德说："我们还未得到实质性消息，但是，当特定消息来源开始传出许多传言时，基本上就八九不离十了。我们非常担忧这可能成为现实"。

据康拉德称，IBM员工公会仍处於组织阶段，尚未得到IBM的承认，目前拥有大约6000名成员，包括现有员工和退休人员。他指出，由於该工会尚未与IBM签署僱用合同，除了提醒大家对此注意外並不能做甚么。

週二（1月6日）收盘，IBM报89.23元，涨2.41元，或2.78%。（纽约明报）

 

飛索美光財務告急 衝擊我業者       【經濟日報╱記者周志恆、陳碧珠、何易霖／台北報導】 2008.12.31 03:09 am   金融海嘯效應大舉衝擊國際半導體大廠的營運資金周轉，外電傳出，全球最大NOR Flash（編碼型快閃記憶體）製造廠飛索（Spnaion）遭銀行團抽銀根，放款授信額度大減七成；另外，美國DRAM大廠美光（Micron）也傳出首季現金部位大減，引發華爾街分析師與國內業者的高度關注。 飛索與台積電、日月光、南茂等國內晶圓和封測廠合作關係密切，美光則與台塑集團的南科、華亞科策略聯盟，飛索、美光財務相繼告急，恐引發一連串後續效應，美光與台塑集團間的DRAM合作關係更備受考驗。不過，台積電、日月光、南科等並未受到這些訊息影響，昨天伴隨台股大漲多以上揚收盤。 日月光原計劃今年底前與飛索完成大陸蘇州廠合資建廠協議，不過礙於全球景氣衰退，加上飛索財務不穩，這項合資建廠案已出現延宕。 日月光發言人劉詩亮昨（30）日表示，合資案仍持續進行中，原計畫年底前完成，不過目前看來已不可能，雙方仍就協議內容繼續協調，公司也將密切觀察飛索財務狀況，一旦其財務資金調度出現問題，不排除中止合資案。 飛索下單量約占南茂三成營運比重，南茂財務長陳壽康表示，南茂與飛索財務往來目前仍然正常，飛索昨天才給付一筆630萬美元的款項給南茂。不司，南茂會密切注意飛索營運動向。 台積電原是飛索的代工廠，不過雙方已在年中逐漸結束合作關係。目前飛索相關晶圓訂單已轉給大陸的中芯國際代工，因此飛索財務吃緊，台積電應該不受影響。 外電報導，飛索是在29日交給美國證券管理委員會（SEC）的文件中宣布，美國銀行（Bank of America）與其他金融機構決定降低先前提供飛索的放款額度，由先前最多1.75億美元下修至最多4,500萬美元。此外，放款條件也增列飛索必須達成最低現金部位、稅前息前折舊攤銷前盈餘（EBITDA）限度。 市場認為，飛索遭大幅限縮信用額度，等同被抽銀根，飛索29日大跌10.45%，收0.197美元。飛索上周盤後曾發布新聞稿宣布，受客戶看淡年底買氣紛紛減產的衝擊，本季（10月到12月）營收預估將季減20%至5.05億美元，低於市場分析師平均預估的6.16億美元。 無獨有偶，市場也傳出美光手中現金部位大減，引發華爾街分析師關注。外電報導，美光目前持有現金部位在第一季度（9月到11月）下滑4.74億美元，第一季底現金與短期投資部位僅10.3億美元，負債則達29億美元。 分析師已預期，美光可能在未來兩至三季募集現金。但市場認為，目前金融市場疲弱不堪，加上記憶體景氣混沌不明，美光未來能否順利募資，仍須觀察。 市場憂心一旦美光財務吃緊，可能影響其與台塑集團間的DRAM合作關係。南科發言人白培霖昨天對此表示，目前南科與美光合作關係一切順利，也並未感受到美光有迫切的資金問題，市場應不用過度擔心。 【2008/12/31 經濟日報】@ http://udn.com/