Goldman Sachs' Continuing Blight - Corporations Take Over! A Quarter of A Million Afghanis Homeless Due to US Bombing & E. Coli Intentionally Spread?

Back to the main story in a moment, but have you been wondering from whence that E. coli plague spread? (You just keep recognizing the "Thanks!" you need to give daily to the Cheney/Bush regime, don't you? Such thoughtful leaders!)

The scope that this HUGE, multi national, multi agenda, multi tasking company* has is astounding. SODEXO is a supplier of personnel, food, catering, facility services, and distribution channels for U.S. prisons, university cafeteria and campus maintenance, coast to coast retirement centers , U.S. military overseas and domestic, [for soldiers and contractors prepared, processed, and raw food distribution]. RAW VEGETABLES are also ENORMOUSLY channeled throughout Europe via the SODEXO FOOD CHAIN. The Library of Congress has all of its food distribution run by Sodexo, vending machine and cafeterias included, in Washington DC. Sodexo is even more extensive in Europe via the French and old Belgium mother offices. Sodexo is also in the farming business as well!! FROM HERE: LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) has today announced that French food services multinational Sodexo, has joined the charity as a corporate member, the first of its kind from the food and facilities management sector. The LEAF Marque is a very tangible way Sodexo can demonstrate to their clients and customers that they really do care about the food they serve and the environment. LEAF Marque certification will also help their suppliers to demonstrate their environmental credentials. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with Sodexo.”

More? Yes, Virginia. They have incorporated a company to take over every public function that you've paid your taxes into for your whole life and think you can depend on being around for a very long time. And no matter what they call themselves, they are not Liberals.

Who Is Sodexho? Jun 19, 2002 Along with hospital closures and deep cuts in health care services, privatization is a key element of the Campbell Liberals’ attack on public Medicare. As part of their ideological agenda, the Liberals have earmarked $700 million in health care services to be turned over to the private sector. It’s a move that even the government’s own documents admit won’t save money. And with huge chunks of our health care system for sale, corporate interests are circling like vultures trying to cash in. One of those companies is a French multinational called Sodexho Inc.

Continuing wisdom erupts at The Sideshow:

Everyone, including the Republican rank and file, knows that small business is where the jobs really come from. So what does it mean when: "Nearly nine months after its formation, a $30 billion government fund to foster small-business lending has yet to pay out a single dime, even as the nation struggles with traumatic levels of unemployment." It means they don't want you to have jobs.

New Report : How Private Prisons Game the System:

"The Justice Policy Institute has released a new report on how private prisons game the system, creating a perceived need for their services. How they do it: Lots of money spent on lobbying and campaign contributions."

"The day the drug war really started."

It would be foolish to underestimate the damage Nixon did on that front, but something has been happening in the last 30 years that has made fighting against the drug war seem harder than ever - and people who should know better seem to be on the other side. Jonathan Easley argues that the death of a basketball star at my alma mater is the moment when it all got much, much worse. But there's no pretending that the drug war "works", so why do we have it? We have it because someone has to fill the prisons.

I'm guessing our work is done here, so we can remove a few troops for appearance's sake.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 250,000 Afghans Driven From Homes by US Raids A quarter of a million Afghans have been displaced from their homes in the last 2 years. A report by Refugees International is especially critical of home raids and air strikes, both of which have displaced tens of thousands of Afghan civilians. Some leave because their homes are destroyed, others because they no longer feel safe in their villages. "In Faryab province [alone], heavy bombardments by ISAF and [Afghan forces] targeting the Taliban displaced nearly 10,000 people in January and more than 12,000 in May 2011," the report states. Both have also caused deep resentment among Afghans. Karzai has demanded that NATO forces stop raiding homes and air attacks. But NATO has actually increased its air strikes since Karzai's ultimatum - it carries out around 12 per day - and home raids continue as well. Full report linked here.

Making war against helpless people. It's good business. And you keep wondering why no one at Goldman Sachs has been charged yet (other than that teenager who was charged with stealing their program the year before and is already back at it now)? Not even a Madoff-type arrest for good press. (Anyone else thinking "sociopaths?")

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Goldman Sachs and Urban Blight

Lack of empathy characterizes those who greedily obtain wealth by taking advantage of others. Goldman Sachs had a big appetite for obtaining subprime mortgages in order to securitize them and sell them to investors and at the same time bet against the mortgage market to make humungous amounts of money when the mortgage market failed. They helped the market fail and made money off that failure! Goldman Sachs conveniently places itself outside the world described above as they managed to get rid of their loans before the meltdown occurred, but they still participated in actions that made foreclosures a certainly and urban blight a consequence. Read the memorandum from Levin and Coburn of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Exhibit #1a page 5 on [after intro page 17]. There are two examples there of Goldman Sachs as "an active participant in the mortgage market, particularly in the area of securitization." Janet Tavakoli illustrates the problems that evolved from foreclosures and securitization, including the death of communities, because of the actions of banks like Goldman Sachs and servicing companies like Litton Loan Servicing which GS once owned.

This Dredd Blog discussion on the reality of the dangers of corporations ruling the world is an important one for people who want to take back some control of their lives. The Dredd Blog:

follows their evolution from once tiny, temporary, local constructs that would cease to exist upon completion of some public service, into their current manifestation as gigantic, world affecting multinational monsters. During the discussion we couldn't help but comment on the revisionist historical propaganda which the neoCon self-righties have created out of whole cloth in an attempt to cover the past and future trail for their corporate agenda. The corporations that now control the federal and state governments "from the sidelines" are in the epidemic phase of the disease which now focuses (in terms of foreign policy) primarily on the oil wars. The blurring, conflating, and morphing of government with corporations, which those on the right call "privatizing", is little more than the expansion of the realm of "servitude" of the people, defined clearly and well in advance by the father of our Constitution:

Our founders were well aware of the question and the answer hundreds of years ago. They spoke of it with unmistakable words and with certain clarity:

Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended; its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied : and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force, of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and in the degeneracy of manners and of morals, engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare. Those truths are well established.

(James Madison, emphasis added). The visionary who made that statement was the 4th President of the United States, Bill of Rights author, Congressman, Cabinet Member, who was also called the "Father of the U.S. Constitution".

Have you wondered what (or whom) exactly was implicated in the spreading around of the E. coli in a sprout menace guise? So unlikely to be innocently achieved. My buddy A13 over at the 13th Monkey has. (And once you follow its logic, it will become almost crystal clear why all those "leader" types give in to the powers-that-be once they reach the apex of DC.)

*German authority said on Friday first case of human spreading deadly E. coli is detected, as death toll increases to 39 worldwide.

A woman working in a kitchen of a catering company was infected by E. coli from sprouts, though she didn't fall ill immediately, said Harald Kehlborn, a spokesman for the consumer protection ministry of German state Hesse. Then she spread E. coli unconsciously to another 20 people through the food she prepared, said Kehlborn."

And interestingly, at the outset of the outbreak in Germany there was mentioned a "canteen" outbreak. This "canteen" was located inside a jail, and run by SODEXO. From HERE Concern Over ‘Scary’ German Poison Outbreak A leading international caterer, Sodexo, has confirmed that some of its clients have been affected. “What happened was, employees of a Sodexo client in Frankfurt got ill. It was discovered that the reason for their illness was the EHEC-virus. We reacted by informing the health authorities. We have closed canteens as a precautionary measure,” said Sodexo spokesman Stephan Dürholt. Reports say two canteens in Frankfurt have been shut down. " On the Sodexo International website there is this little article HERE Sodexo takes action in response to E. coli outbreak in Germany Sodexo has taken a series of actions in response to an outbreak of infection caused by E. coli bacteria (E.coli enterohemorrhagic) that has occurred in Germany during the last several days, particularly in the north of the country.

In response to the epidemiological alert, Sodexo mobilized its teams throughout its foodservices activities in Germany to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of infection.

Sodexo also provides continuous information to its employees and its clients regarding the bacteria and symptoms of the disease it causes as well as the behaviors to reduce risk of infection in and outside of the workplace" (end snip) from their website we see that: "Sodexo employs over 355,000 people in over 80 countries with the aim of improving the quality of the everyday life of customers. In Australia, Sodexo's people are improving the quality of daily life at more than 300 client locations. From remote sites to corporations, from primary schools to aged care villages, from healthcare to military . . . Sodexo is there." There is much money to be made for these contract "services". There is also much opportunity to participate in a certain agenda. They are also VERY accessable having offices across the entire world And VERY PROFITABLE. "Global Fortune 500 rank: 456

Net Income: €363 Million

Total revenue: €13,385 Million "

Let's just see what else Serco Sodexo, their other name . . . The DEFENCE CONTRACTORS do. From here we see that: "During times of increased activity or crisis, the Australian Defence Force often requires an immediate and urgent response from SSDS to supply additional services. For more than a decade, SSDS has successfully supported major military exercises and deployment including, East Timor, Bougainville, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan. They have also provided natural disaster assistance in Australia, South East Asia after the 2004 tsunami and humanitarian relief during the Bosnian refugee crisis. SSDS capabilities include:

• Comprehensive asset and infrastructure management and maintenance
• Hospitality, catering and mess management services
• Physical security services afloat and ashore
• Accommodation management booking and allocations
• Open space and grounds maintenance
• Weapon ranges and training area management and operations
• Road Transport, fire and emergency services
• Equipment maintenance repair and overhaul
• Clerical and administrative provision and management services

They are involved FROM RUNNING IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTRES and PRISONER TRANSPORT In Australia. WOW..they do everything except pull the trigger so to speak. See here . . . WORLDWIDE SUPPORT . . . Plus much much more.. "Serco supports the armed forces of a number of countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, United States, Germany and Australia, working across land, sea, air, nuclear and space environments. Our mission is to deliver affordable defence capability and support to the armed forces. And THEN THERE IS THIS: Serco manages the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) as part of a consortium with Lockheed Martin and Jacobs. AWE is one of the most advanced research, design and production facilities in the world, developing the sophisticated materials, quantum physics and computer modelling vital to the safe and effective maintenance of the UK's nuclear deterrent" "We provide facilities and information systems support to the MoD's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the UK government's leading defence research establishment" "Serco provides extensive engineering and maintenance support to UK military aviation, including to the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force, working on over 16 military aircraft types, in addition to the logistical support services at RAF bases across the country" "Our space and security specialists provide spacecraft operation and in-theatre support to the Skynet 5 secure military satellite communications network; we maintain the UK's anti-ballistic missile warning system at RAF Fylingdales and support the UK Air Surveillance and Control System (ASACS); Serco also supports the intelligence mission of the MoD and US Department of Defence at RAF Menwith Hill." "Serco is a world leader in managing and supporting public sector research organisations that address economic, social and environmental challenges through science and innovation. Operating leading research and development organisations We are responsible for some of the UK's most important national science assets, employing thousands of graduate and PhD-qualified scientists and engineers who work to strengthen the country's security, sustainability and prosperity." So obviously they are much more than a commercial catering and facilities management service... Privy to information and LOCATIONS that are highly classified. In numerous countries worldwide. Serving Those Who Serve Yes, but who is serving who?? The scope that this HUGE, multi national, multi agenda, multi tasking company has is astounding. SODEXO is a supplier of personnel, food, catering, facility services, and distribution channels for U.S. prisons, university cafeteria and campus maintenance, coast to coast retirement centers , U.S. military overseas and domestic, [for soldiers and contractors prepared, processed, and raw food distribution]. RAW VEGETABLES are also ENORMOUSLY channeled throughout Europe via the SODEXO FOOD CHAIN. The Library of Congress has all of its food distribution run by Sodexo, vending machine and cafeterias included, in Washington DC. Sodexo is even more extensive in Europe via the French and old Belgium mother offices. Sodexo is also in the farming business as well!! From here: LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) has today announced that French food services multinational Sodexo, has joined the charity as a corporate member, the first of its kind from the food and facilities management sector. The LEAF Marque is a very tangible way Sodexo can demonstrate to their clients and customers that they really do care about the food they serve and the environment. LEAF Marque certification will also help their suppliers to demonstrate their environmental credentials. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with Sodexo.”(end snip) It gets really interesting now doesn't it? PLUS: Here "Inside Fair Trade at Sodexo: Learn about how Sodexo's partnership with TransFair USA is benefiting farming communities throughout the developing world" And From Here we see: "Sodexho is predominantly a food service provider feeding millions of people every day. It has a huge responsibility not only towards food safety, but also food quality and high nutritional levels. Sourcing such vast amounts of food, Sodexho also has a responsibility to its suppliers, and ultimately the impact it has on farming and the environment worldwide." Please also see HERE for a full list of directors and much more information on this HUGE "company".. I will be checking that creepy Bilderberg attendees list again i think. :) INNOCUOUS? or what? And After All . . . They have been Complicit BEFORE.

Talk about "going green!" Makes you hungry, doesn't it? Does the above make you rethink (even just a little bit) the end of WWII and the resettlement of all those national-security significant Nazis by our OSS? Or was that already the new CIA? And since I hate ending a weekend essay on a sour note, how about them statistics for what's happened to working people over the last, oh, 30-some years? Now there's some figures to admire! (I remember in my own working life (in the aerospace engineering industry in the 80's) when it became clear that the employees' (workers') well being was being ignored in favor of longer hours and shorter delivery schedules (which I as a lower-level manager had to enforce), which guaranteed bonuses to those at the top and ultimately layoffs to the ones accomplishing the tasks at the bottom. When I mentioned to my bosses that it wasn't something that those at the bottom hadn't noticed or rebelled against, and how did they think we could maintain quality with that type of work environment in the future, I was told "Let them quit or fire them.") Problem solved! Oh, and I almost forgot when in the early '80s (the timing ringing a bell yet with you?) the company-guaranteed pensions were replaced overnight with the market-driven company stock/investments self-administered IRA. I'll bet the Tea Partyers remember those Reagan-flavored goodies warmly along with all the other free-market party favors.

Overworked America: 12 Charts that Will Make Your Blood Boil

Why "efficiency" and "productivity" really mean more profits for corporations and less sanity for you. By Dave Gilson

July/August 2011 Issue

In the past 20 years, the US economy has grown nearly 60 percent. This huge increase in productivity is partly due to automation, the internet, and other improvements in efficiency. But it's also the result of Americans working harder — often without a big boost to their bottom lines. Oh, and meanwhile, corporate profits are up 20 percent. (Also read our essay on the great speedup and harrowing first-person tales of overwork.)

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR GAINS! Productivity has surged, but income and wages have stagnated for most Americans. If the median household income had kept pace with the economy since 1970, it would now be nearly $92,000, not $50,000.

Please go read this whole essay for the sordid truths about your work life today. (And get organized, dammit!) __________________________