THIS ISSUE'S THEME -- CORPORATE TECHNOLOGIES
There is no such thing as abstract, neutral 'technology', only existing, actual 'technologies'. These always interact with power and social structures, and usually act to support the status quo -- corporate power. In this issue, we take a look at some of the ways in which various technologies are being used by corporations.

MORE NEWS...

GEEKS WITH GUNS
QinetiQ was formed in July 2001 when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) split its Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) in two. The smaller portion of DERA, which engaged with the more ‘sensitive’ military research, including running Porton Down, was rebranded DSTL and remains part of the MoD. The larger part of DERA, including most of the MoD's non-nuclear testing and evaluation establishments, was renamed QinetiQ and prepared for privatisation. The company became a public private partnership in 2002 with the purchase of a stake by US based private equity company the Carlyle Group.

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2065


TERMINATOR: THE RETURN
Terminator technology is not yesterday’s news – it is a serious and immediate threat to crop diversity and food sovereignty worldwide. Governments are drafting proposals to permit the field-testing and commercialisation of Terminator seeds. The International Seed Federation now openly endorses Terminator and is working hand-in-hand with industry-friendly governments to dismantle the United Nations’ de facto moratorium. An all-out ban is the only defence against suicide seeds.

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2074


THE UK NANOTECH INDUSTRY
The first generation of commercial nanotechnology companies -- those whose business is based on manufactured nanoparticles -- is already with us. Here is a quick overview of the cast of characters that make up this first wave of the nanotechnology industry in the UK.

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2066


IN DEPTH ANALYSIS: CORPORATE TECHNOLOGIES
The current state of technology is not a naturally occurring phenomenon, but an effect and a reinforcement of existing power structures, meaning that changing power structures and changes to technologies go hand in hand. For one thing, there is no such thing as an abstract, neutral 'technology', only existing, actual 'technologies'. These always interact with power and social structures, and usually act to support the status quo -- corporate power.

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2067



UP THE INJUNCTION
Since coming to power, it would appear that New Labour has a terrible fear of any form of protest, due to the number of laws and changes it keeps bringing in with regord to public order situations. Some of these laws are fairly straightforward, to criminalise various popular activities such as office occupations or Parliament Square demos. Others seek to suppress successful campaigns such as Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs. Several have the purpose of giving the police much wider powers of arrest to suppress protest on the day without necessarily ending up with mass charges. Many increase the punishments available to the courts for various actions.

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2068



CAN'T SEE THE EMISSIONS FOR THE TREES
It's tempting to think that we can all continue to live our high-consumption lifestyles, and climate change will go away if we just stick a bit of cash in the right direction. Keep your fingers crossed, someone will invent the technofix to save all our skins. We hope. This is certainly the response encouraged by The CarbonNeutral Company (formerly Future Forests) and Climate Care, the two UK companies pioneering carbon offsetting, the practice of planting trees or funding energy efficiency projects to 'neutralise' the burning of fossil fuels.

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2069


FEEDING OUR CHILDREN THE CORPORATE WAY
Jamie Oliver's TV series of early 2005 drew people's attention to theimportance of school meals. Even though, Jamie, as 'the face of Sainsbury,' is no enemy of corporate influence in food production and health, it is true that low spending on ingredients and labour by the private companies that run school dinners has a major impact on children's health.

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2070


LOBBY AND PR GROUPS GO FOR NANO HONEYPOT
Rising public concern -- over the potential environmental, health and societal hazards of nanotechnology -- threatens to make the issue into a repeat of the GM debate. Potentially trillions of pounds are thus at stake for the many diverse industries involved in the new technology. The PR agency flies, who so spectacularly failed to save GM crops, are beginning to buzz around this new honeypot, sensing a very lucrative feast. They are offering their clients assistance with two key objectives: to maintain governments' evident enthusiasm for nanotech and to win public acceptance of it

Read more:  http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2077.


DIARY
 http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2064


BABYLONIAN TIMES
'Those who genuinely want to help the movement should study the rich and powerful, not the poor and powerless... The poor and powerless already know what is wrong with their lives and those who want to help them should analyse the forces that keep them where they are.' (Susan George, 2004, p.211).
 http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=2071