HP and Autonomy: A Clash of Cultures

 

If you cut Mike Lynch, the ousted CEO of Autonomy, the U.K.’s largest software company, he would probably bleed numbers. He studied engineering at Cambridge University and obtained a PhD in mathematical computing. He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the author of a number of academic papers on the subject of Pattern Recognition and Signal Processing. The man replacing him, Bill Veghte, has of Bachelor of Arts in East Asian studies. Between graduating from Harvard and now he included two decades at Microsoft, where he was Senior Vice President for the Windows business, and was responsible for the business strategy, sales and marketing across Windows. News that Mr. Lynch is to leave the company that he founded in 2005 and sold to Hewlett Packard in 2011 for $10.2 billion has shocked some, but even the most cursory glance at HP’s past shows it isn’t a company famous for the longevity of its CEOs. They are the high-tech embodiment of Lady Bracknell. “To lose one CEO may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose six looks like carelessness,” as she might have said. Indeed, HP CEO Meg Whitman (CEO #6 since 2005) said at the analyst call where Mr. Lynch’s departure was announced, said, “This is a movie I have seen before.” The obvious question is, what movie? Dawn of the Living Dead? If you look at the four of its last five acquisitions, including Autonomy, the incumbent CEO hasn’t lasted very long. HP acquired Fortify, a security software company in September 2010. On Apr. 4, 2012, AlienVault, another security company, announced the appointment of “Former President and CEO of HP Fortify” John M. Jack to its board. In May 2011 HP bought Printelligent. Rob Wellman, who was CEO from January 2008, left in October 2011. Vertica, a real-time analytics platform, was bought by HP on Feb. 14 2011. CEO Chris Lynch left in March 2102. HP’s most recent acquisition, the Aachen-based Hiflex, was run by Stefan Reichhart. He now runs the marketing department. Famously, HP also bought Palm for $1.2 billion in April 2010.  In December 2011 it effectively shuttered the company, putting Palm’s operating system, WebOS, into the open source community and triggering a fire sale when it sold off Palm’s $300 tablet for as low as $99. “It’s very common and very natural for entrepreneurs to move on following an acquisition, particularly when the day to day operations of the business become a bigger factor.,” an HP spokesman said. So what made Mr. Lynch think it was going to be any different? In an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal Europe at the time of the acquisition, Mr. Lynch said that the reason he allowed the company he co-founded to be acquired by HP was because of “an alignment of values” between him and the then CEO of HP (CEO #5 since 2005) Leo Apotheker, the former CEO of Germany’s SAP. “Autonomy is a highly profitable and globally respected software company, with a well-regarded management team and talented, dedicated employees,” Mr. Apotheker said at the time of the acquisition. After his 11-month tenure, how did Mr. Apotheker’s replacement, Ms. Whitman view that team? It is hard to know, but it isn’t too hard to guess what that team thought of their new boss. Sushovan Hussein (President), Steve Chamberlain (CFO), Pete Menell (CTO), Nicole Eagan (CMO), Andy Kanter (COO) and Martina King (head of Aurasma) all left the company. According to people familiar with the matter, “there was a clash of cultures. Mike was not acquired by Meg [Whitman]. The panorama for them was very different. The premise was to ring-fence autonomy. It was only when HP’s mastodon processes came into play it became increasingly harder and harder to maneuver.” A spokesman for HP wouldn’t comment on the resignations nor on whether Mr. Lynch was offered any other position within HP, nor would he comment on the lack of a valedictory message from Ms. Whitman. What next for Mike Lynch and Autonomy? It is alleged—he wouldn’t confirm it— that his personal take on the acquisition was around $800 million, so he isn’t going to be signing on at the unemployment office. The HP spokesman said that Autonomy was a key part of HP’s future strategy. “We are very bullish about Autonomy,” he said. He wasn’t able to say if the personnel cull that was taking place across HP (27,000 employees, or 8% of its workforce) would also affect Autonomy. At heart there are two problems. The first, that all-too-familiar story of a large company buying a much smaller one and then finding it hard to keep the entrepreneurial flame alive; and secondly, HP’s struggle to find a role. According to John Madden, principal analyst at Ovum: “So as of now we’ve seen the major pieces of Meg Whitman’s restructuring and operations plan – the key missing piece is her long-term company vision and strategy, which hopefully will be revealed to an anxious customer base soon. “Even with this restructuring, the question still remains: Just what kind of company does HP want to be next year, three years, five years from now?”

Showbiznest: Kansas TV Stabbing Incident

 

It is incredibly strange that this man did this. He actually called the station's news director on the lobby phone. During the phone call he complained that Department of Veterans Affairs mishandled his case. What this has to do with the TV station is hard to know, but perhaps the man wanted to bring media attention to his case by getting it on TV. Of course, what he did next went way too far. He threw a lamp through the glass doors, and ran down the halls of the station brandishing a knife as employees ran from him. Unfortunately, he was able to stab two employees, but they were not seriously injured, which is good news. While this man may have wanted to bring attention to his problems with the VA, a TV station stabbing was not the best way to do it. Now he will be in trouble, and have legal problems to deal with in addition to whatever is going on with the VA. It must have been scary inside WIBW-TV on Wednesday morning. Thank goodness employees were able to hold this man down until police arrived to arrest him because more people could have been injured or killed during the stabbing if it had gone on longer without the employees stepping in to stop him.

 

 

 

'Dark Knight Rises' TV Spots: A Lighter Side Of Batman -

 

As the "Dark Knight" prepares to rise, two new TV spots that hit the Web on Thursday (May 24) let us in on the lighter side of the series closer, which, until now, has been deathly serious. Christopher Nolan's Batman films have never been all doom and gloom. Though they are known for their gritty tone and dark aesthetic, Nolan has never been afraid to throw in some humor (albeit dark humor) to lighten the mood. The first two TV spots for "The Dark Knight Rises" pack in a few of those familiar moments, including one of Catwoman doing what she does best: burgling. The first 30-second commercial focuses primarily on Bruce Wayne's return. After going on the run because of the events surrounding Harvey Dent's death, Wayne needs to resurrect the Batman, and he reaches out to the man who made all his bat-gadgetry possible, Lucius Fox, with Morgan Freeman making a welcome return. Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman), portrayed by Anne Hathaway, holds the spotlight in the second spot, which plays up the teasing dynamic between the famous cat burglar and the Batman. Having talked and danced briefly at the masquerade ball we've already seen in a few trailers, Bruce goes to fetch his Lamborghini from the valet. Unfortunately, Wayne's "wife" got to it first. Additionally, a handful of hi-res stills from the film have appeared over at Batman-News.com, featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake and an interesting look at Batman, Catwoman and Bane in an industrial complex, presumably before a fight seen in the trailer. With a little less than two months to go until the film's release, "The Dark Knight Rises" is shaping up to be a movie not only worthy of its series, but one that deserves a fever pitch of anticipation. Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises."

memorial day, fantasia, neil diamond,etan patz,fleet week,sixers,gi joe retaliation,jillian michaels,facebook stock 15, chernobyl diaries 16

 

6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 

Warren gets frustrated with press asking her to prove heritage

 

One thing is clear: embattled Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren isn’t happy that she is still being asked about her claimed Native American heritage. It’s the fourth week in a row that the press in Boston has been pressing Warren for answers. In a video captured by Fox 25 on Thursday, Warren appeared frustrated that reporters in Brookline asked her for proof of her minority claims. It was her first public appearance in more than a week. She tried dodging the questions at first. Asked to put the Native American heritage questions to rest, Warren responded: “Middle class families are getting hammered.” But when pressed about why she once claimed minority status but doesn’t identify that way anymore, she responded: “I have answered these questions. I am going to talk about what’s happening to America’s families.” “Scott Brown has hammered on my family, at the same time that… middle class families are also getting hammered,” she said. Warren has struggled to prove her claims of American Indian ancestry, other than saying she knows of it through family lore. Critics have accused her of claiming minority status in the past to gain an unfair advantage when applying for jobs.

The Happiest Countries in the World - Yahoo! Finance

 

For the second year in a row, 24/7 Wall St. examined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s report on life satisfaction in the developed world. Economic prosperity, health and a strong social support network continue to correspond highly with happiness. Once again, the United States fails to make the top 10 happiest nations in the world, while countries like Australia, Israel and all of the Scandinavian nations do. The OECD measured more than 30 sets of data in 11 different categories, including education, health and employment. The study also asked residents of each country to rank, on a scale of 1 to 10, their general satisfaction with their lives. 24/7 Wall St. examined the 10 countries with the highest life satisfaction scores to find the strongest factors related to happiness. [More from 24/7 Wall St.: The 10 Most Educated Countries in the World] Economic prosperity appears to be one of the strongest factors that relates to overall life satisfaction. Of the 10 countries with the highest levels of happiness, nine have personal incomes that are higher than the OECD average. Eight of them have among the highest disposable incomes among developed nations. In addition, the overall regional economies of these 10 nations appear to be doing exceptionally well. Government debt as a percentage of gross domestic product in these countries is either among the smallest in the developed world, or these nations are actually running a surplus. Norway, which has the second-highest satisfaction score, has a government surplus of 162.5% of its GDP. Employment is one of the most obvious causes of satisfaction, according to Matthias Rumpf, OECD’s chief media officer, especially long-term employment and job stability. Of the 10 countries with the highest job satisfaction rates, nine are among the 15 with the lowest long-term unemployment rates — the percentage of the population that has been unemployed for more than a year. “Those who are unemployed are generally not very happy,” Rumpf says. And long-term unemployment is even worse, he explains. While being between jobs can affect a person, “the longer you are unemployed, the worse it gets.” [Related: 7 Guaranteed Ways to Be Happier Right Now] After economic stability, physical and social well-being are the largest determinants for happiness. When it comes to self-reported health, eight of the 10 countries have a higher rate of citizens reporting good health than the OECD average of 70%. All but one have a higher life expectancy than the OECD average of 79.8 years. When it comes to having a strong social support network, seven of the countries have among the largest percentage of residents reporting having a friend or relative they could rely on in a case of need. Not surprisingly, having enough leisure time affects a person’s mental health and strongly impacts happiness. According to the report, while data is incomplete, the majority of the countries with a strong sense of well-being have more leisure time each day than the OECD average of 14.76 hours (this includes sleep). The citizens of Denmark, the happiest country, have the most leisure time available per day, at 16.06 hours. The U.S. ranks 11th in life satisfaction, just missing the top 10. This suggests that while some of these categories may impact happiness, they do not guarantee it. Despite its above-average score, the U.S. has the highest rate of disposable income in the OECD and an extremely high rate of self-reported good health. Meanwhile, the U.S. has a particularly low life expectancy for developed nations, which at 78.7 years is worse than 26 other developed nations. The U.S. also has a low job security rate and a relatively high long-term unemployment rate. [More from 24/7 Wall St.: America’s Most Miserable States] Examining 34 separate member nations, a number of emerging economies, and two additional participating countries — Brazil and Russia — the OECD’s 2012 Better Life Index report measured more than 30 indices in 11 separate categories: housing, income, jobs, community, education, the environment, civic engagement, health, life satisfaction, safety and work-life balance. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 10 countries in which residents reported personal well-being at an average of 7.2 out of 10 or better. These are the happiest countries in the world. 1. Denmark > Life satisfaction score: 7.8 > Employment rate: 73% (6th highest) > Self-reported good health: 71% (17th highest) > Employees working long hours: 1.92% (4th lowest) > Disposable income: $23,213 (15th lowest) > Educational attainment: 76% (18th lowest) > Life expectancy: 79.3 (11th lowest) Denmark tops the OECD ranking as the country with the most satisfied citizens among the countries studied by the OECD. At first glance, the reason is not obvious. Denmark ranks no higher than fourth in any of the categories that appear to correlate strongly with overall satisfaction. Yet, in addition to the OECD, organizations such as the World Map of Happiness and the World Database of Happiness have consistently put Denmark at the top of their list of the world’s happiest countries. A high employment rate of 73% and a low percentage of 1.92% of employees working long hours contribute to high satisfaction levels. But overall, it is hard to pin down why those Danes are so darn happy. [Related: The Happiest Companies for Young Professionals] 2. Norway > Life satisfaction score: 7.6 > Employment rate: 75% (4th highest) > Self-reported good health: 80% (8th highest) > Employees working long hours: 2.66% (5th lowest) > Disposable income: $30,465 (3rd highest) > Educational attainment: 81% (tied - 15th highest) > Life expectancy:81.2 (10th highest) Of all the nations examined in the OECD’s report, Norway is among the most financially secure. Of working-age adults, 75% are employed — the fourth-best rate. Also, the average household disposable income is $30,645, the third highest among OECD nations. Norway also significantly outspends almost all other surveyed nations on health care, allocating $5,003 per person per year. This is well above the average for OECD nations of $3,060 per person per year. Norway also has one of the healthiest populations, with a life expectancy of 81.2 years and 80% claiming to be in “good” or “very good” health. Showcasing its economic strength, Norway is able to provide quality public health and education services while maintaining a budget surplus of 162.5% of GDP and an AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s Rating Services. 3. Netherlands > Life satisfaction score: 7.5 > Employment rate: 75% (tied - 3rd highest) > Self-reported good health: 77% (11th highest) > Employees working long hours: 0.68% (2nd lowest) > Disposable income: $25,740 (13th highest) > Educational attainment: 73% (15th lowest) > Life expectancy: 80.8 (14th highest) The Dutch government is heavily involved in internal economic affairs, playing a “significant role … pertaining to almost every aspect of economic activity,” according to the U.S. Department of State. Judging by Netherlands’ 75% employment rate — the third highest among those surveyed — this regulated, monitored economy has thrived in recent years. Of those employed, only 0.68% work longer than 50 hours a week — the second-lowest percentage among those surveyed. By contrast, 10.86% of U.S. workers eclipse the 50 hour mark. The Dutch also rank among the top 15 in self-reported good health, life expectancy and disposable income.

Syria says sanctions have cost country $4 billion - Yahoo! News

 

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's oil minister blamed international sanctions Wednesday for shortages of cooking gas and other basic goods, saying the measures have bled $4 billion from the nation's ailing economy. President Bashar Assad's regime must strike a delicate balance toward the U.S. and EU sanctions as it confronts a 15-month-old uprising against its rule, acknowledging their heavy toll while denying the regime's grip on power is in any way shaken. Sufian Allaw said the punitive measures were to blame for the shortages that have left Syrians across the country standing in long lines to pay inflated prices for cooking gas, fuel, sugar and other staples. The U.S. ambassador to Damascus denied that the international sanctions are to blame for the shortages facing Syrians. "Our sanctions purposefully do not target oil and diesel imports, because we know that the Syrian people need both for their day-to-day lives," Ambassador Robert Ford wrote on the embassy's Facebook page. Ford said the government is using fuel imports for its tanks. "If the Assad regime decided to cut its military expenditures, more diesel and oil would be available for the Syrian people to use," he said. Before the Syrian uprising began in March 2011, the oil sector was a pillar of Syria's economy, with oil exports — mostly to Europe — bringing in $7-8 million per day. This income was key to maintaining the $17 billion in foreign reserves that the government had at the start of the uprising. Speaking to reporters in Damascus Wednesday, Allaw said sanctions had cost Syria's oil sector about $4 billion. Prices for a tank of cooking gas have spiraled to some $25 as shortages have spread across the country. Allaw said Syria's gas production covers only half of the country's needs. Officials are seeking imports from countries not party to the sanctions. A Venezuelan tanker carrying 35,000 tons of fuel docked in Syria on Tuesday, Allaw said. Another is supposed to follow. He said officials were seeking to arrange further gas imports from Algeria and Iran. Syria's uprising began with mostly peaceful calls for reform, but the government's brutal crackdown on dissent led many in the opposition to take up arms. The U.N. estimates more than 9,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians. Violence in Syria also has spilled over into Lebanon, and Russia warned on Wednesday that greater violence in Syria's neighbor to the west was "a tangible threat" that "could end very badly." Syria and Lebanon share a complex web of political and sectarian ties and rivalries, often causing events on one side of the border to echo on the other. The arrest earlier this month of an outspoken Lebanese critic of Syria led to gunbattles in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli that killed at least eight people and wounded many more. And Syria's state news agency said armed gunmen had kidnapped 11 Lebanese Shiite pilgrims in Syria on Tuesday, setting off protests in Beirut's Shiite-dominated southern suburbs where residents burned tires and blocked roads. Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri told reporters in Beirut on Wednesday that the captives "will be with their families today or tomorrow." He gave no further information on where they are or who is holding them. Syria's state news agency blamed rebels for the kidnapping. It said the Lebanese group was on its way home from a religious pilgrimage in Iran when rebels intercepted their vehicles and abducted the 11 men and their Syrian driver. Lebanese security officials confirmed the kidnapping. World powers have pinned their hopes for an end to the Syrian crisis on a peace plan brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan that calls for a cease-fire by all sides to allow for dialogue on a political solution. But that plan is under strain. A cease-fire between government troops and rebels that was supposed to start last month has never really taken hold. A bomb planted under a military bus exploded Wednesday near the Damascus airport, killing one soldier and wounding 23 others, a military official at the site said on condition of anonymity under army rules. Anti-regime activist reported government rocket attacks on parts of the central city of Homs and clashes between rebels and government troops in the central town of Rastan, outside of Damascus and elsewhere. The prospects for talks between the regime and those seeking to topple it appear as distant as ever. Assad's government dismisses the opposition as "armed terrorists." For their part, opposition leaders say the regime has killed too many civilians to play a role in the conflict's solution. An Arab League official said that Arab Foreign Ministers will hold an emergency meeting at the Arab League's Cairo headquarters on June 2 to discuss Syria. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to brief the media, said ministers will discuss Annan's peace mission. ___ Hubbard reported from Beirut.