6/26/2010

All major countries but the US are moving in the right direction

The Hill: U.S. isolated on spending at G-20

By Ian Swanson - 06/23/10 08:34 PM ET

The U.S. will be isolated at the G-20 summit on the subject of stimulus spending.

In the days ahead of this weekend’s summit, President Barack Obama and his economic team have pressed Europe and Congress alike on the need for more spending to drive economic growth.

But huge gaps have emerged between the Obama administration and allies in Europe.

Germany, France and Great Britain have all launched austerity campaigns designed to reduce public debt. They’re motivated in part by the Greek debt crisis, which continues to scare countries across Europe.

“In the run-up to the summit, a clear plurality of G-20 countries has come up on the side of fiscal consolidation and not stimulus spending,” said Dan Price, a senior partner at Sidley Austin and former President George W. Bush’s “sherpa” for G-20 summits.

Japan has also introduced a strategy to reduce its budget deficit, while Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is hosting the summit in Toronto, has challenged G-20 members to cut their deficits in half.

The motivation for the Obama administration is different. In less than five months, voters will elect a new House and Senate, and Democrats are in danger of losing their majority in the House.

Higher unemployment figures this summer will hurt the Democratic case this fall, which makes it tougher to argue against spending that could increase employment.

So much for the fools who insist that the US is "the last fortress standing."

We're the ones who are trying to bring everybody else down!

6/25/2010

It isn't a revival of the Russian Empire we need to worry about...

...it's a de facto revival of the Turkish Empire.

EU, Turkey, and the Islamization of Europe

Buying from HP means exporting America's last few IT jobs

HP Services to cut costs by automation and offshore delivery

Its India delivery center may see an increase in staff, even as the company is cutting services staff overall

By John Ribeiro, IDG News Service
June 23, 2010 10:22 AM ET

Hewlett-Packard's Enterprise Services business is counting on automation of its services and an expansion of its strategy to move work to low-cost offshore locations like India, to help cut costs and get more efficient, an executive of the company said on Wednesday.

The roll out of automation is also likely to be more efficient at the company's large offshore centers, said Robb Rasmussen, vice president and general manager for Best Shore Delivery of HP Enterprise Services on Wednesday.

HP said earlier this month that it was cutting 9,000 jobs over three years as it restructures its enterprise services business and automates the services it offers enterprise customers.

HP said it would invest US$1 billion in this connection, while also hiring 6,000 staff for the new services initiative, including some in services delivery.

In some offshore locations, including India, HP may however see net additions to the number of staff, Rasmussen said. The company is still hiring in India and some other offshore locations, and does not plan a reduction in staff in these countries, he added.

India is already the second largest location for HP's services business in terms of number of staff.

HP also has a majority-owned services subsidiary in Bangalore, called MphasiS, which became part of the company after its 2008 acquisition of Electronic Data Systems.

As its business grows, HP's enterprise services is having an increasing number of staff in offshore locations, Rasmussen said. The company has 14 offshore services centers across Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Customers are increasingly opting for an "India plus one" offshore delivery model, which includes near-shore delivery from locations in the customer's time zone, in addition to delivery from India, he added.

Automation will further drive down costs, as key services like applications management will be done with fewer people, Rasmussen said.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.

6/24/2010

Alarmed smiley eating popcorn

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