I knew times were bad, but damn! Two of Tech's Big Three jettison staff, plants

Microsoft and Intel Corps. are announcing plant closings and massive layoffs. I never thought I'd see either of those two corporate behemoths be forced to this extreme, as pervasive as their technologies have become in all our lives. Our economy must really be tanking; guess high-tech toys are now among the big-ticket purchases consumers are putting off as more lose jobs and income. Or maybe not all: Apple Inc. is doing just fine, thanks, and so is IBM, with sales and profits up at both firms.

Memo to Pres. Obama and the Congress: get that new stimulus package passed PDQ, guys. And give Steve Jobs and Sam Palmisano each a call while you're at it to find out what they know that Steve Ballmer and Paul Otellini don't.

Today's Meme™: Thankful Thursday

Gratefully grabbed from several on my f-list, what I'm thankful for this eve of the weekend:

• That I have a wonderful, talented, deeply decent woman for a girlfriend who loves me and puts up with my baggage and crap, even if she does choose to live and work half a world away. Hi, Songbird! I love you and miss you, both hugely.
• That I have now for a full year had a fairly secure and decent job (even if it does drive me batshit at times) with union pay and benefits and good people to work with.
• That I am reasonably healthy and able to stay warm this dark, frigid, depressing time of year.
• That I am finally getting to see a new doctor tomorrow morning and a prescription for my head-meds again after months of doing without.
• That we have a brand-new President and Vice President who actually seem to know WTF they are doing, for the first time in at least eight years.
• That the weekend starts tomorrow night...and so does Chattacon, if I choose to make the two-hour drive and can pay the freight. (What do y'all think—worth the trip, trouble and cash, or not? Anyone been? UPDATE: They have filkertom coming down to be Toastmaster. Given he couldn't make GAFilk a couple weeks ago, now I may have to go!)
• That the annual Southeastern Flower Show starts next week (even if they did decide to move out to Cobb County this time) to bring some life and color and the promise of approaching spring into the dead of a Georgia winter.
• That I have a number of very good and kind friends who also put up with my crap and still think me worth knowing...some of whom are here in LJ-land and actually read my rants and ruminations on a regular basis. Thank you all most sincerely.

What are you thankful for today?