Poorly Kept Secrets in Santa Clara

By now everyone in the world except the guys in the Polaris subs sitting on the bottom in the Barents Sea watching the Russians know that Intel is set to lay off a huge number of people next week-rumors have it between 10 and 20 thousand pink slips will be handed out in an effort to do something or other. Speculation's rampant at this point.

It is also said that Intel has ramped up hiring in the past few years, and this round of cuts may bring it back to the pre hiring binge levels of 2003. Intel's also been taking a few hits in the price department from its feisty rival Advanced Micro Devices. Well, nevermind. The glory days may be over, just as they were for IBM in Armonk a number of years ago.

One thing's for sure-they know how to spoil holiday barbecues on a grand scale in the land of silicon.