The seventh annual US Cost of a Data Breach report, conducted by Ponemon Institute and Symantec Research, shows that the cost of individual data breaches is actually decreasing. And, not just by a small amount.

The average cost of a breach dropped a whopping 24% from $7.2 million in 2010 to $5.5 million in 2011

This is the first time that researchers have ever seen a decline.

Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers promised major changes when he announced his restructuring plans. Cisco, maker of advanced networking equipment and phone systems, is cutting 6,500 jobs – 2,100 of those via a voluntary early retirement program.  These layoffs account for about nine percent of Cisco’s total workforce.

This is the time of year when all satellite services, including cable television, suffer from sun outages.  In brief summary, the Sun outages occur twice a year, generally around spring and fall equinox when the Sun is in direct alignment with satellites.

The 8:00 to 5:00 workday may be coming to an end, thanks to major advancements in telecommuting technology.  A recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee shows that telecommuting makes employees more satisfied with their jobs, leading to higher productivity.