Topic: Xe

The emergence of the COVID-19 XE variant, a hybrid of Omicron and BA.2, is being monitored by health officials like Dr. Jen Ashton. Austin City Councilwoman Mackenzie Kelly proposed $10 million for vaccine promotion over five years, signaling a long-term public health strategy. Medical experts are shifting the narrative toward "living with the virus" through annual vaccinations and treatments like Pfizer's Paxlovid.

Despite previous campaign promises by Hillary Clinton to cut ties with Blackwater, the company (now operating as International Development Solutions) received a portion of a $10 billion State Department contract. The hosts point out the rebranding of the private security firm and the continuation of government funding despite public scrutiny.

John C. Dvorak recounts a conversation with a hedge fund investor regarding the private military company Blackwater, now known as Xe Services. The investor claims the name change to "Xe" was a deliberate search engine optimization (SEO) strategy intended to make the company harder to find in search results. The discussion also touches on the company's alleged activities in Pakistan.

In a July 2010 CNBC interview, Blackwater founder Eric Prince discusses the sale of his company and the logistical challenges of the war in Afghanistan. Prince argues that the U.S. must rely on private sector efficiency to sustain military operations and criticizes the "proctology exam" his company faced from Congress and military lawyers.

Two whistleblowers have accused Blackwater (now Xe Services) of defrauding the U.S. government by billing for unauthorized expenses, including a prostitute in Kabul and a barbecue pit. The court papers allege the company generated false invoices for travel and categorized illicit expenses as "morale welfare recreation." The hosts question the culture of corruption within private security contractors.

The lack of criminal prosecution for corporations is contrasted with the harsh treatment of individuals, with the hosts suggesting that entire boards of directors should face prison for corporate fraud. Meanwhile, Xe Services (formerly Blackwater) is reportedly bidding on a $1 billion Pentagon contract for aviation services in Afghanistan. The hosts characterize the company's rebranding as a persistent "money grab."

Triple Canopy, a Chicago-based security firm, is set to take over the State Department's security contract in Iraq from Xe Services (formerly Blackwater). The company's website lists services including homeland defense, crisis management, and security analysis. The hosts mock the corporate branding and the transition of private military contractors into "consultant" roles.

Private security firm Blackwater has rebranded itself as XE Services (pronounced "Z"). The name change is characterized as an attempt to distance the company from the "bad mojo" associated with the Blackwater brand, though the new name is jokingly compared to Zoroastrian gods or noble gases.