The Irreplaceable Michelle Obama

The following comment was sent to us by a loyal tKC reader by way of Voxday.

Some employees are simply irreplaceable. Take Michelle Obama: The University of Chicago Medical Center hired her in 2002 to run "programs for community relations, neighborhood outreach, volunteer recruitment, staff diversity and minority contracting." In 2005, the hospital raised her salary from $120,000 to $317,000 -- nearly twice what her husband made as a US senator.

Oh, did we mention that he had just become a US senator? He sure had. Requested a $1 million earmark for the UC Medical Center, in fact. Way to network, Michelle!

But now that Mrs. Obama has resigned, the hospital says her position will remain unfilled. How can that be, if the work she did was vital enough to be worth $317,000?

We can think of only one explanation: Sen. Roland Burris' wife wasn't interested.

EXCLUSIVE: Time Warner Cable to Announce Massive Layoffs

Our tipsters are at it again. Time Warner Cable will announce it's fourth quarter numbers tomorrow. The cable monopoly is expected to disclose massive losses resulting from poor investment and lackluster growth.

On the heels of the announcement, Time Warner Cable will also announce major layoffs across the country. Locally, the cable giant's regional VP has sent a statement to TWC employees warning them of the pending cuts.

TWC's Kansas City division is expected to be hit especially hard.