Posts — Page 55

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So here's some tea from the Seattle tech scene. Apparently Arun Ulag's org at Microsoft (plus a few other Azure orgs) is cutting vendors by ~50% with the goal of going fully vendor-free within a year. Lines up with The Information's reporting today about 20% cost cuts in Azure's software org to pay for the AI data center buildout. The shops that survive on Microsoft staffing contracts are getting absolutely crushed. Big one I've been hearing about: Quadrant Resource. Redmond-based, Microsoft Gold partner, founded back in 2004 by Ram Paluri, Vamsi Reddy Kancharakuntla, and Bhaskar Gangipamula. Word is the business is badly hit and they're trying to sell. Founder is apparently under massive stress and moving to Dallas to do something outside tech altogether. And here's the part that should make everyone angry: from what I hear, tons of their engineers are just parked on bench — no client work, just sitting. But the visa machine keeps running. People who've interviewed at these body shops know the drill: the "interview" is theater. They already know who they're hiring (usually someone who needs the sponsorship), the posting exists just to check the PERM recruitment box, and qualified US candidates get a courtesy call and a rejection. Oldest trick in the book. This is exactly why the current crackdown matters — DOL froze PERM labor certifications for 8 firms this month (Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini). But the mid-size body shops in Redmond and Bellevue running the same playbook are still flying under the radar. An H-1B audit of these vendors is long overdue. Anyone else in Seattle seeing the vendor bloodbath? Which shops are next?

So here's some tea from the Seattle tech scene. Apparently Arun Ulag's org at Microsoft (plus a few other Azure orgs) is cutting vendors by ~50% with the goal of going fully vendor-free within a year. Lines up with The Information's reporting today about 20% cost cuts in Azure's software org to pay for the AI data center buildout. The shops that survive on Microsoft staffing contracts are getting absolutely crushed. Big one I've been hearing about: Quadrant Resource. Redmond-based, Microsoft Gold partner, founded back in 2004 by Ram Paluri, Vamsi Reddy Kancharakuntla, and Bhaskar Gangipamula. Word is the business is badly hit and they're trying to sell. Founder is apparently under massive stress and moving to Dallas to do something outside tech altogether. And here's the part that should make everyone angry: from what I hear, tons of their engineers are just parked on bench — no client work, just sitting. But the visa machine keeps running. People who've interviewed at these body shops know the drill: the "interview" is theater. They already know who they're hiring (usually someone who needs the sponsorship), the posting exists just to check the PERM recruitment box, and qualified US candidates get a courtesy call and a rejection. Oldest trick in the book. This is exactly why the current crackdown matters — DOL froze PERM labor certifications for 8 firms this month (Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini). But the mid-size body shops in Redmond and Bellevue running the same playbook are still flying under the radar. An H-1B audit of these vendors is long overdue. Anyone else in Seattle seeing the vendor bloodbath? Which shops are next?

Does anyone know anywhere in Seattle that has a thermal laminator for public or membership use? I believe that Common Area Maintenance has one, any other places?

Potentially moving to Seattle this year. Aiming for downtown/belltown area. Anyone had a positive experience and would recommend their person?

Is it normal for KC metro bus driver to stop in the middle of main road (lake city way) for more than 5 minutes and leave all the passengers waiting?

Something you only really get after living here for a while. I would say mine is the rainy weather.

Does anyone have recommendations for dog sitting? I am looking for someone to stay at my home for dog sitting, one golden retriever who is well behaved. I would just like to avoid boarding but i am looking for any leads or recommendations for people or reputable boarding places.

The exodus of Columbia Bank executives began with CEO Clint Stein, who sold his Auburn home (for $2.45 million in September) to relocate to Arizona permanently. According to The Puget Sound Business Journal, the company said new Washington taxes are costing it approximately $8 million a year, prompting the decision to move most executive roles to Arizona.

I visited Fremont yesterday on the 12th. It was a very pretty day. :D