According to Mediaweek, Time Inc. gave pink slips to 27 employees in their consumer marketing division.  Now, I understand layoffs are a part of any re-organization; I’ve been on the receiving end of of those myself in the not-so-distant past.  However, I don’t understand why companies so often do this around the holidays.  Maybe — maybe – I can understand the rip-off-the-band-aid approach, but it just seems cruel on the part of Time to do this less than a week before Christmas.