Fisker Automotive Lays Off 75 Percent of Employees, Mulling ...

By Roy Choi | April 5, 2013

Fisker Automotive announced Friday that it is cutting about 75 percent of its workforce in an attempt to drastically cut costs and hopefully save the company from bankruptcy. In an official statement, Fisker described the action as ?a necessary step in our efforts to maximize the value of Fisker?s core assets.? ?In a Friday morning meeting, roughly 160 employees were told they were being terminated, while 53 senior managers and executives were asked to stay on to try and find buyers for the company?s assets.

Fisker Automotive, based in Anaheim, CA,?not too far our own offices, started off well raising $1.2 billion from investors and securing $529 million in U.S. Government loans.? All that good fortune started turning once the car company missed its quota, set by the U.S. Department of Energy.? The DOE then froze the remainder of the loan (Fisker had used $193 million prior to that point). Talks between Fisker and DOE have not resulted in any renegotiated loan terms. Fisker has had a hard time recently bringing in any money, they havent produced any vehicles since July and add to that pain the 300 Fisker Karmas, valued at $100,000 each, damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

Earlier this week, Fisker settled a claim with battery maker A123 Systems Inc. for $15 million, on a bill that was once worth $140 million. Cash flow seems to be bit of an issue with about $30 million in the bank, minus $15 million going to A123, and another $10 million loan due to the U.S. DOE on April 22, Fisker is draining cash very quickly.

While Fisker prefers to find strategic investors to inject funds into the company, they are pursuing other options, including selling off intellectual property and possibly pursuing bankruptcy measures.

Fisker currently is not fairing well, and has certainly fallen from its heyday in just a couple of years. While Fisker?s future may seem a bit troubling, plug-in vehicles have never been more popular. Plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles are more prevalent on our roads and we owe thanks to pioneers like Fisker for making the push for vehicles to innovate beyond conventional combustion engines.?

Statement of Fisker Automotive Inc., Friday, April 5, 2013

Over the last several months, Fisker Automotive Inc. has been considering strategic alternatives that would allow the Company work through its current financial challenges.

Throughout this process our primary goal has been to maximize the core value of the Fisker technology and the business that we have created.

Our efforts to secure a strategic alliance or partnership are continuing in earnest, but unfortunately we have reached a point where a significant reduction in our workforce has become necessary.

Today, Fisker met with a group of employees in our Southern California office to inform them that this is their last day with the company. Yesterday, we met with a core group of employees in Southern California to express our desire that they remain with the company while we continue to address the challenges before us. We expect that at the end of the day we will have retained approximately 25 percent of our workforce.

The Company regrets having to terminate any of its hardworking and talented people. But this was a necessary strategic step in our efforts to maximize the value of Fisker?s core assets.

Join the discussion

Source: http://www.technobuffalo.com/2013/04/05/fisker-automotive-layoff-possible-bankruptcy/

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These People Said The iPad Was Doomed - Business Insider

A website called iPad Death Watch keeps an ongoing collection of quotes from industry pundits who, at one point or another, predicted the doom of the iPad.

The iPad didn't tank. Instead it changed the world, giving consumers a new way to consume content and giving businesses a whole new way to work.

Since today is the iPad's three-year anniversary, let's look at some of the people who predicted the iPad's demise.

There are dozens of quotes on the Death Watch site. Here's a few of our favorites:

?You might want to tell me the difference between a large phone and a tablet.?
Eric Schmidt, Google, 10 January 2010

***

?The press weren?t cheering and whooping. I didn?t see anybody pee their pants ? Not one! The only people I saw cheering were the people who work at Apple down in the front two rows ? Al Gore was going crazy. I wanted to see more. It?s a big iPod. What is there to do there? Play a video game on a bigger screen? I thought it was ?paving the cow path?. I really thought it was underwhelming.?
Dan Lyons aka Fake Steve Jobs, 27 January 2010

***

?... the iPad is to the iPhone & iPod Touch as the MacBook Air is to the MacBook. In other words, a cool product with a devoted base of happy customers, but in relative terms, a niche product in Apple?s arsenal of rainmakers.?
Mark Sigal, O?Reilly Radar, 28 January 2011

***

It?s not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, ?Oh my God, Microsoft didn?t aim high enough.? It?s a nice reader, but there?s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, ?Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.??
Bill Gates, Microsoft, 10 February 2010

***

iPad Killer: Truly, Really, I mean It
I?m the first to admit that I fall victim to shiny objects at trade shows, and I regularly call every new tablet an iPad Killer. But now, really, I?ve found it. OK, it may sound like I?m the boy who cried wolf ? but Motorola?s new XOOM tablet is poised to become THE best non iPad tablet on the market when it ships later this year.?
Jim Louderback, Huffington Post, 6 January 2011

***

Android phones were like, ?What is that?? And now there are more Android phones than iPhones. I don?t see any reason why the same won?t occur with Android tablets.?
Michael Dell when asked by WSJ, ?Do you think Android tablets will outpace iPads moving forward??, Dell, 25 April 2011

***

?We have a really good opportunity to become No. 2 in tablets fairly quickly. Possibly No. 1.?
Jon Rubinstein, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Palm Global Business Unit, HP, 23 June 2011

***

?As for tablets , there simply aren?t any good Windows-based choices, so the iPad is a natural pick. But Windows 8 tablets are on the way, and there will be no need for iPads in the enterprise.?
Preston Gralla, Computerworld, 13 Feb 2012

***

To these naysayers, we say:

Apple has sold over 100 million iPads, and it's expected to sell 33 million more in 2013, plus another 55 million iPad minis.

How do you like them Apples?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/these-people-said-the-ipad-was-doomed-2013-4

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richard avedon fashion: It is true that plus size models are usually ...

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About plus size models still contains many contradictions and treated with neglect. Agnieszka Czerwi?ska, the owner of a modeling agency and models plus size - No Body's Perfect, tells the whole truth about the criteria to be met by potential feminist backlash candidates, where is the line between a typical model and model plus size, as well as the end of the anorexic beauty feminist backlash canon. feminist backlash
How did the idea to create a plus size modeling agency? - The idea was born five years ago, and it resulted from a desire to plus size market development in Poland. He also had a personal ground, namely, as a person with excess baggage wielokilogramowy then I wanted to be available in Poland, clothes feminist backlash in larger sizes, such as it is abroad.
How would you assess interest in models with fuller shapes in Poland? feminist backlash - As long as the media does not stop people encode feminist backlash the plus size model is neglected, feminist backlash obese woman, until this market will grow so slowly. We live in the belief that walking the streets of the same lean, the perfect woman. Meanwhile, there are no perfect people, and on our streets most women wearing sizes from 38 to 42 Fortunately, understand it stores, making more and more often they have in their range of larger sizes. As a result, an increased focus on plus size models to present a larger wardrobe.
Plus size models usually require fashion magazines, clothing companies and designers at fashion shows? - In the first place there are of linen and hosiery. This is a forum, the first in Poland, so strongly developed lines for larger sized women. feminist backlash Besides, other people praise and do not know her. Indigenous manufacturers of underwear are known and respected brands across Europe. Since January this year, a lot of women's magazines fashion shows for women in sizes 38-42, hence the growing interest in such models. At the end of a ranked fashion designers. I feel that closing in their studios do not see the needs of women higher than those we see at shows. Some do not want to hear, to design a line for plus size. It is a detriment or lack of ability to design clothes for the more problematic figures?
What criteria feminist backlash must meet the plus size model? - The difference between the model and the canons of plus size is only in the circuits of the body. Larger circuits proportional basis, the increase above 173 cm, photogenic, well groomed body hair. There is no mention of obesity own sake.
Where is the line between, feminist backlash traditional 'model, a plus size model? - Around the world, it is accepted that plus size models are considered over sized models that we see on the catwalks kanonowych, or from 38/40 to 44/46. I often read reviews Fri "I wear a size 38 and I'm not any plus size". The same applies to the term plus size models only. In modeling size 38 is plus size, and we all know that in this size we are dealing with a slim and attractive woman. feminist backlash Plus size has nothing to do with the fluffiness, obesity or even size XXL - which very often is interchangeably referred feminist backlash to a larger feminist backlash size.
Model, despite the curves, have a very firm body. How can I get this effect? - I recommend his modelkom firming feminist backlash exercises for the abdomen, buttocks and thighs. Also, an important issue is the proper hydration of the skin and hydration of the body. Drinking large quantities of water are beneficial to every cell in our body.
What should the diet plus size model? - Like any other, healthy feeding women. So meals five times a day, eliminating the white bread, processed and energetic. Reducing the amount of sugar and drink plenty of fluids. Exercise and the smile on his face.
It is true that plus size models are usually older than the lean female counterparts? - Only in Poland feminist backlash met with minor plus size model. Plus size model works with your body. Awareness of your body, sexuality, adult women have, so I can not imagine, for example fifteen she posed in her underwear. The oldest model in my agency is 63 years old and believe me, it comes in mini skirts and seething from her sex appeal.
You think the emaciated models eventually disappear from the catwalks? -

Source: http://richardavedonfaion.blogspot.com/2013/04/it-is-true-that-plus-size-models-are.html

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Facebook reveals Home launcher for Android?

Rosa Golijan , NBC News ? ? ? 4 hrs.

"Today we're finally gonna talk about that Facebook phone," said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, as he took the stage at his headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., to reveal Facebook Home, a new launcher that the social network will offer for Android phones.

The service ? available for download April 12 from Google Play ? is a launcher that works with apps that are already in your phone.

Tap your face and you can get options to go to the app menu, or straight to a messaging app, or to Facebook. The app launcher is customized, but includes apps that you got from Google Play (or sideloaded). These are not Facebook apps, like the games you'd play on the Facebook website.

"Cover feed" lets you scroll through updates, with huge, upright-oriented photos. If a post has comments, you can tap to see all of the comments, and respond to comments inline. There is also a notification pane, with SMS, messages and the most important posts appearing there.

"Chat heads" is a persistent messaging widget that appears in other apps. Facebook demonstrated a chat head over a New York Times app, and showed how a whole conversation can happen without leaving the app.

Some Android phones will have access to the free software, but HTC and AT&T will release the first phone with Home pre-installed, appropriately named the HTC First. It will go on sale April 12, and is available for preorder now from AT&T.

In the coming months, Home will also work on the HTC One X, HTC One X+, Samsung Galaxy S III and Samsung Galaxy Note II, as well as on the forthcoming HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 as well as on more devices.

Why didn't Facebook opt to build its own phone? "A great phone might sell 10 or 20 million units at best, but our community has over 1 billion people. Even if we built a really good phone, we'd only be serving 1 percent" of Facebook users, said Zuckerberg.

So Facebook is aiming at the home screen of every Android phone. "It sets the tone for your whole experience," he said.

"They have tried this before with little success," analyst Jeff Kagan said, pointing to previous smartphones with physical Facebook buttons.

Don't expect to see Facebook Home for Apple's iOS. Unlike Google, Apple does not allow launcher apps like Facebook Home.

With Home, Facebook is after the 750 million Android devices out there (actually, that number was released in March, odds are that there are significantly more activated Android devices at this point).

As long as the device has access to the Google Play store, it'll have the opportunity to become a "Facebook Phone."

And that's the catch: With so much functionality, will Facebook Home fly in the face of Google, by taking over the aspects of Android that Google ? the mobile operating system's lord protector ? tends to control?

"The reaction from Google will be interesting to see," mobile industry consultant Chetan Sharma told NBC News. "There's obviously overlap ... It seems to Google that it's underpinning their Google+ efforts. Longer term, I don't see them letting it go and letting other people do their work."

Additionally, Facebook doesn't just give Google+ a swift kick ? the social giant's gotta make some money, so odds are that it won't stop its invasion of Android with just the Facebook Home launcher.

Messaging, video chat, photos, these are services that Google may begrudgingly share with Facebook, because other software available in the Google Play store offers similar functionality.

But what happens when Facebook tries to push its own monetized apps ? Zynga games, for instance ? through the Facebook interface? That could prove to be the ultimate showdown with Google.

"Google takes their commitment to openness on Android seriously," Zuckerberg told reporters.

"Their operating system is designed from the ground up to support these things. It is theoretically possible that they will go back on [keeping it open], but I don't think this will happen. ? It would have to be a 180 (degree turn) on their philosophy."

You can view the entire Facebook Home presentation keynote here.

A demonstration of Facebook chat heads:

Facebook Home on the new HTC First:

Want more tech news or interesting links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2a57e357/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cgadgetbox0Cfacebook0Ereveals0Ehome0Elauncher0Eandroid0E1C9183842/story01.htm

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It's still the economy, not the environment

Allison Linn , NBC News ? ? ? 42 min.

Americans are still prioritizing getting green over going green, but the gap is narrowing.

A new Gallup poll finds that 48 percent of Americans think economic growth should be given priority even if the environment suffers somewhat. In contrast, 43 percent say the environment should get priority even at the risk of curbing economic growth.

The trend toward prioritizing the economy over the environment began in 2008, as the start of the Great Recession. At a high in 2011, 54 percent of Americans were favoring the economic growth over environmental protection.

The trend has since turned somewhat in favor of the environment. But Americans? attitudes about the environment are still a far cry from what they were in 2000, when two-thirds of Americans thought the environment should take priority over economic growth.

The more recent recession officially ended in July of 2009, but economic growth has been slow. Although new jobs are being created each month, the unemployment rate has remained relatively high and millions of Americans are still out of work. That has left many fretting more about bringing home a paycheck than saving the environment.

The poll of 1,022 Americans, which was conducted in early March, also found that 4 percent thought they should have equal priority while 5 percent had no opinion. The poll had a sampling margin of error of 4 percentage points.

Gallup did find that the issue divided along party lines. Republicans were much more likely to favor economic growth over environmental protection. For the first time since 2008, Democrats polled this year were more likely to favor environmental protection.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a4e052c/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Ceconomywatch0Cits0Estill0Eeconomy0Enot0Eenvironment0E1C920A2530A/story01.htm

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Gay christian cleric offers candy coated religion | Gay Christian ...

Judge for yourself. The lesbian minister from the Metropolitan Community Church talks as if religion and relationships are like picking what type of candy you like at the supermarket check out line. Maybe gay religion is like a box of chocolates?

All humor aside, is there anyway to qualify whether a relationship is good or bad? Does the scripture leave it up to the individual to decide what is ?natural? to them? Are Christians given the freedom to define what sexual relationship is acceptable and unacceptable? Standards exist in every facet of life: home, government, education, law, even the arts. Contestants can?t even remain on American Idol for long if a certain standard of entertainment ?and talent? isn?t maintained. Yet, the gay christian movement would have the church believe that homosexual relationships are somehow just?exempt. GCM Watch would like to issue a 7 day challenge any member of the gay christian movement to please submit a list of criteria whereby we may adequately judge the validity of homosexual relationships.

Gay theology is rooted in an old heresy. As we explained before, antinomianists argued their exemption from moral conduct and restrictions on the basis of grace. It allowed them to do whatever was ?natural? in their ideological habitat and still claim relationship with Christ. Antinomianists assert that salvation is based on faith in God and therefore obedience to God?s law is not necessary at any stage in a Christian?s life. Reportedly, it was the Christian reformer Martin Luther who first used this expression, antinomianism, to refer to the views of his friend, Johannes Agricola, in the sixteenth century. Agricola taught that the moral law of God was in no way binding upon those who are justified by faith alone. Johannes Agricola taught Christians are entirely free from the moral law of God. This is completely false and has no scriptural basis.

In fairness, antinomianism is not exclusive to gay christianity, but it is personified most in gay christianity. According to Christian theologian Dr J.I. Packer?s view of antinominianism, its adherents elevate following the ?spirit? above scripture thereby creating an easy out from moral restrictions.

?What matters is not what the Scripture tells me. I am a spiritual person, filled with the Holy Spirit. I am above the law of the Scripture. I am led by the Spirit, and the Spirit overrules the Scripture. The Spirit can even contradict the Scripture. I am a spiritual Christian, and I am led by the Spirit. I do what the Spirit tells me, and I don?t worry about the Holy Scriptures.?

Perhaps you remember the United Church of Christ?s ?God is still speaking? and ?dont place a period where God has placed a comma? mantra, which draws heavily from antinominic ideology.

Applicable scriptures: Judges 21:25, Romans 6:1, Titus 2:11, 1 John 3:4-7, Jude 4.

This story is a repost from June 2007 archives.

Source: http://www.gcmwatch.com/10014/gay-christian-cleric-offers-candy-coated-religion

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Forth Rode The King

Hey for anyone interested in medieval/political roleplay check it out. Story is slightly cliche i will have to be honest, i did not include very specific aspects of society letting other players to create the world as well.

The king is dead, bards and courtly minstrels sing of lands asunder. The Bastard Prince now sits on the throne favoured by the His Late Majesty. Again the Isles gradually descends into a violent loyalty and struggles for personal gain.

Choose one of the open characters. You will be playing one of the 'Wardens' equivalent to a Duke in real life. I've gotten questions about playing other roles, just need to fill up at least 3 of the Warden roles then other characters can be considered.

~www.roleplaygateway.com/roleplay/forth-rode-the-king~

(I cant post links yet)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/hWbCbNXKo1c/viewtopic.php

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