Babylonian Times

PM4GM?
'Biotechnology products and processes have an increasingly important role to play in ensuring that the UK enhances its industrial competitiveness and is a leader in the race for world markets. [We] aim to anchor the benefits of publicly funded bioscience research in the UK.
Was this quote from 1. a Monsanto press release? 2. an Aventis corporate brochure? 3. The Department of Trade and Industry website? Makes you all warm and fuzzy to know your taxes are being spent to help swell the coffers of this hard-pressed industry.

Chocs Away
According to scientists the world's chocolate supplies are under serious threat. Scientists from the US department of Agriculture have announced a mission to save chocolate for the world. Coincidentally these are the same scientists who work for the Alternate Crops and Systems Laboratory. Yes you've guessed it - they're touting GM chocolate. Apparently intensive farming has made the crop more vulnerable. Hidebound primitivists might claim this as cause for a return to the traditional methods, but those bright boys and gals at the US Department of Agriculture have seen the light and know that the answer to problems caused by technology is, of course, more technology. What could possibly go wrong?

Organic Corporations
We don’t want to put you all off your cruelty-free eco-muesli, but here a few snippets of takeover news which might stop us from getting too excited by the whole organic thing as the solution to life, the universe and everything:

Rachels Dairy and Organic Matters BOUGHT BY HORIZON (American multinational)

Ecover BOUGHT BY GROUP FOUR (other interests include prison security, particularly Campsfield Immigration Detention Centre)

Go Organic foods BOUGHT BY UNILEVER (global multinational).

Seeds of Change is owned by Mars Incorporated (US Multinational)

Mum and Dad Inc.
'Head of corporate parenting. Ref 4816 In Birmingham we want our children looked after to have the opportunities any good parent would want for their children...your role will be implementing our corporate parenting pledge. You will lead for the division on key partnerships including Quality Protects. You will promote evidence based practice making significant improvements to the education and health outcomes for children looked after'. Job ad by Birmingham City Council, Guardian Society May 9 2001. Blimey, whatever happened to tender loving care?

What’s really going on?! www.spin-on-this.com

Crankshafting the Workers
‘Mr Manochehr Salek, chief executive of Scot-Track, Britain's most northerly vehicle manufacturer, says business is being killed off by high labour costs. “We have a joint venture with a Slovakian company. Their manufacturing costs are £5.00 an hour, against £25 here. Their chief engineer is on £5,000 while his counterpart here would be on at least £50,000. You can't compete with that”’. Financial Times 3 May 2001.

Once again we see that far from Britain being a ‘soft touch’ for Eastern Europeans - Eastern Europe turns out to be the real soft touch for global business.

Corporate Social Responsibility? Sod that...
‘The notion of corporate social responsibility coincides with the even stranger idea that activist groups represent “civil society”. Since elected governments are wrongly deemed powerless it is suggested that only concerted action by companies, activist groups and governments can achieve the global goals on what every right thinking person is supposed to agree...The role of well run companies is to make profits not save the planet. Let them not make the error of confusing the two.’ Martin Wolf, Financial Times 16 May.

How much easier life would be if all corporate capitalists were this honest. Just imagine the statements that might come out; Shell representatives would be giving interviews saying, ‘Nah, we never gave a damn about Ogoniland, we’re just in it for the money.’ Monsanto press releases would attempt to reassure the public, ‘We are deliberately releasing potentially dangerous genetically modified organisms, but the short-term financial prospects are fantastic.’ British Aerospace’s new slogan would be, ‘We kill for cash.’ Perhaps not.

Count me out
Hands up who's sent their census form back? Me neither. Hands up who assumed the information was confidential? Just me then.

A call to the Office of National Statistics Press Office confirms that as is usual practice, from the middle of next year information will be available to big business (just ring Customer Services!). ‘It's all anonymous’ explained a spokesman. Oh well, that's alright then. Except that information from this census will be available postcode by postcode - which can mean just a few households - or even one. OK, and what companies are making use of this information? ‘Sorry, can't tell you that - commercial confidentiality.’