Via Gawker: Considering the profound social unrest surrounding just about every aspect of their entire existence, AIG disseminated the following memo to their staffers to help them avoid getting hoisted by their necktie the nearest lamppost.
I’m not sure this list was entirely comprehensive. Feel free to add your additional suggestions to AIG employees in the comments.
AIG Corporate Security’s Tips for Surviving an Angry Mob [Gawker]
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i’d like to add one, AIG employees:
quit, and steal the place blind. it’s the least they deserve.
Ever see office space? that kind of steal it blind.
Wait, hold on … people still work at AIG?
@valor77
Are you crazy?
I’m outraged by the ‘legal behavior’ of AIG, and resent very much the fact that this company is picking my pocket. However, neither I or any other sane Democrat or Republican would resort to violence against AIG employees. Slandering Democrats because you lack reason and integrity is a cheap tactic of your weak mind.
You are an idiot.
Security tip for AIG workers: Wear coveralls advertising a local janitorial services company to work – preferably with a name patch that says “Billy” or “Sue Ann” – over your business attire. Carrying a damp mop is optional. HINT: be sure to carry your bespoke wingtips and/or designer pumps in a brown paper lunch bag until you are INSIDE the building; they are a dead giveaway.
Based on a lot of the comments stating surprise or wonder that they are taking precautions leads me to believe people aren’t following what is going on in the news with AIG. Don’t get me wrong, I have no sympathy for a company that is sucking us dry at the moment and it was certainly not an accident, they knew exactly what they were doing but they they have been getting death threats. A couple were read to congress by Edward Liddy recently. We need to pay a lot more attention to this. They are going to rob us blind if we let them.
They should be afraid.
My suggestion would be to call a press conference with their congressperson to sign back their bonus check…and then move to France.
AIG insignia?! Really? That makes it sound so militaristic. Ever heard of logos?
razremytuxbuddy said: “The only different advice in this memo is to refrain from wearing the AIG logo. And right now, that advice is probably unnecessary.”
(Replying manually, the replies aren’t working for me)
It might not just be the logo, but let’s say there is some altercation (AIG employee bumps into someone else on the subway, the guy wearing the AIG hat is unapologetic or moody or whatever), seeing the AIG logo could escalate the issue from “You’re a douche who bumped into me” to “You’re a douche who bumped into me, and has stolen millions of dollars from hard working taxpayers like me!”
Never underestimate the ability of money to cause emotions to run high and people to be unreasonable. As someone else mentioned, people have been killed for less.
Those pieces of s%$# should be worried, maybe they should spend their bonuses on extra security.
I love that they plan to rename the company, because AIG is now so hated. They should also plan to pay for everyone in America to get a lobotomy, because it’s the only way we will forget what greedy, incompetent a-holes they are.
Seriously, if people started getting the crap beaten out of them outside of AIG “facilities”, would that be so bad? I really don’t know anymore. Apparently the government’s reaction is only to keep on handing them more of my tax money so they can afford the extra security they need to protect them from angry mobs.
Some really wrong-headed policy is being born out of the politicians’ desire to keep donor funds flowing into their campaign coffers while appearing to do something. It’s the classic cal lof the bill pusher: “We have to do something! THIS is something – let’s do it!”
Why are the same committee heads who failed the gut check for regulation their entire careers now are tasked with dispensing cash to their donors?
When you have companies that have been allowed, through deregulation of the market, to get “too big to fail”, THAT is the problem, not the fact that their capital is too low.
Just stop giving the companies money to hoard to prop up their failed monopolies – trusts should be busted. When a company burns the American people like that, you don’t reward it – you carve it up into smaller companies that have to compete with each other like real capitalism, not this state-sanctioned dictatorship of the insolvent.
The problem is rampant, unrestrained profit-taking by entrenched industries coupled with collusion which stifles competition and, therefore, innovation.
Then again, this is the same government that gave American Airlines 12 billion after 9/11 to reward them for the lax security procedures that led to their equipment being used to kill American civilians.
This is also the government that allowed Ma Bell to reconstitute itself in exchange for their complicity in illegal domestic wiretaps of American citizens at home and abroad.
The free ride is over for the monocle-wearing set. If the government is too cowardly to punish the crooks who lamed the nation, there are plenty of out of work Americans who will be more than happy to take up the slack.
I love how the response to the bad press AIG is getting is “we’ve got to change our name”. Not a bad idea, I suppose – it worked for Altria and Xe, not to mention every foreign-owned mom and pop computer store ever. You know the ones that are called “Lucky Computer” now but was “Dan’s Computer” last month. Do these companies really think they can just steal money and then change their identity to escape the consequences?
Xe is supposedly back in Iraq, Lucky Computer is still in business, so maybe the American people’s attention span is too short for them to put all this together on their own.
You’re welcome.
From my husband, a self-described survivor of difficult times.
Never sit with your back to a window or a door.
You should be very clear on the benefits AIG brings to the community, while not discussing the company in public.
Stay away from dark doorways, cars with people in them, and dark, empty streets.
Find a way to stop and turn around now and then to see what is in back of you.
When approaching someone in a public space, observe their face and hands for signs of hostility and weapons.
Identify and cultivate individuals who you can trust to help you if your life is in danger.
Points they failed to include but perhaps should have:
- do not attempt to put out any flaming bags with your Italian leather loafers
- wear a mask to conceal your identity
- consider purchasing a bullet-proof vest
- instead of business shoes, wear sneakers for an easier getaway once you’ve been made
- runflat tires are a wise investment of your “bonus”
Here is a list of AIG companies that I will refuse to do business with:
21st Century Casualty Co
21st Century Insurance Co
AIG American General Life Companies
AIG Annuity Insurance Co
AIG Casualty Co
AIG Centennial Insurance Co.
AIG Financial Advisors
AIG Financial Products
AIG Global Real Estate Investment
AIG Hawaii Insurance Co
AIG Highstar Capital
AIG Investments
AIG Premier Insurance Co
AIG Retirement Services, Inc.
AIG Sun American Life Assurance Co
AIG UK Ltd.
AIG/Lincoln
AIU Insurance Co.
American General Finance Inc.
American General Indemnity Co.
American Home Assurance Co.
American International Insurance Co. of California Inc
American Life Insurance Co
Birmingham Fire Insurance Co. of Pennsylvania
Brazos Capitol Management
Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC)
Commerce And Industry Insurance Co
GE Auto & Home Assurance Co.
GE Indemnity Insurance Co.
Granite State Insurance Co.
Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co.
HSB Group
Insurance Co. of the State of Pennsylvania
International Lease Finance Co.
Landmark Insurance Co
Lexington Insurance Co
Lincoln Properties
Marine Terminals Corporation
National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh
New Hampshire Insurance Co
Ocean Finance
P&O Ports North America
Pacific Assurance
Putnam Reinsurance Co
Stowe Mountain Resort
Sun America Ventures Inc.
The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Co
Transatlantic Holdings, Inc
Transatlantic Re (Brazil) Ltda.
Transatlantic Reinsurance Co
United Guaranty Commercial Insurance Co. of North Carolina
United Guaranty Corp
United Guaranty Credit Insurance Co
United Guaranty Residential Insurance Co
Yosemite Insurance Co
deadspork said: “razremytuxbuddy said: “The only different advice in this memo is to refrain from wearing the AIG logo. And right now, that advice is probably unnecessary.”
(Replying manually, the replies aren’t working for me)
It might not just be the logo, but let’s say there is some altercation (AIG employee bumps into someone else on the subway, the guy wearing the AIG hat is unapologetic or moody or whatever), seeing the AIG logo could escalate the issue from “You’re a douche who bumped into me” to “You’re a douche who bumped into me, and has stolen millions of dollars from hard working taxpayers like me!”
Never underestimate the ability of money to cause emotions to run high and people to be unreasonable. As someone else mentioned, people have been killed for less.”
Hi deadspork. My point was that AIG employees are probably too embarrassed to wear anything identifying them with the company, so that part of the advice memo would be moot. My comment was an attempt at humor, but also partly true, I assume. Otherwise, I agree with your scenario.
@ SudhamayiKabong: Now, of these “damned” comments, am I to believe that a comment such as:
“Seriously, if people started getting the crap beaten out of them outside of AIG “facilities”, would that be so bad?”
is of the same mind as me?
Or maybe the one who called people who still work at AIG “boneheads”? Now of course these are just two comments, and I’m cherrypicking here, but…
just checking..
This is a complete load of crap, its just smoke a mirrors. The Democrats in Congress and President Obama signed the bill giving these bonuses. Why would AIG get so much money from Congress? Who do you think handles Representatives and Senators retirement funds? Take a wild guess and do a little research. The government wants the lynch mob mentality. It takes Americas minds off other things going on.
Up for auction is a (XL) very gently used “AIG, Manchester United” soccer jersey. The measurements are listed below..Please contact if you need additional information.
“CHECK OUT MY OTHER .99 AUCTIONS!”
[cgi.ebay.com]
Are these left over from the sales booths in the Capital Building? 99 cents is pretty hefty nowadays.
(Sorry for the double post)
Well, naturally the next step is to install biometric access control systems in all AIG facilities. Along with all the IDs being smart cards. They’ll need to reconfigure several vital network services over the weekend, Kerberos will be down for a bit… I think I can quote them a couple million. Why not make money too? I’m Suze Orman biotch!
So it’s bad that these people are living in fear? It’s about time.
This company played a role in destroying our economy.
How about the fear the unemployed face everyday, because of AIGs actions? How about the fear retirees face as they watch their retirement investments become worthless because of AIGs actions? How about the fear the small businessperson faces when the bank shuts off their line of credit because of AIGs actions? How about the fear so many Americans face, living from paycheck to paycheck while AIG executives get taxpayer funded bonuses?
Am I sympathetic to the people at AIG? No way. I’m glad they’re afraid. They now know what the rest of us feel, in part BECAUSE OF THEIR ACTIONS.
AIG probably has a no firearms policy on it’s properties, virtually ensuring a bloodbath when the eventual media stirred up commie-lib nut starts shooting up the place.
I recently failed in my business venture and am afraid I will have to go to my local Social Services office and apply for welfare assistance. My problem is, that I have a one year employment contract with my maid. Would it be out of line to ask the welfare office to include an additional $4500. a month so that I can continue paying her without breaking this contract?
So basically…they watched 007 while pissing away our $$$?
Th fct tht mplys f cmpny hv t fr fr thr sfty whn ll thy r dng s wht th gvrnmnt tld thm t d (th S cngrss hd N prblm wth ths bnss whn thy bld t G) shws hw rbd, ncmptnt, vcs, nt-cptlst Dmcrt prty cn trn vrg ctzns nt bd ppl. Cngrss hs lrdy dfd cnstttnl lw t strp ths ppl f thr cntrctlly rnd py, nw thy hv t wrry bt physcl vlnc nd thrts t thmslvs nd thr fmls? vn Bn Ppkn’s ln, “hstd by thr nckt frm th nrst lmppst” shws tht h thnks ths knd f mb mntlty my b jstfd. Smthng s vry wrng n mrc…
“the US congress had NO problem with these bonuses when they bailed out AIG”
The US Congress didn’t bail out AIG. George W. Bush did.
@djsyndrome: Yup, Bush did it all by himself. He used his evil Republican fairy dust to bypass the Congress altogether and create and sign his very own TARP bill.
@djsyndrome: The Congress very well did bailout out AIG and it was controlled by Democrats.
AIG execs should be jailed for fraud. ANd forced to give back every cent. This smacks of collusion.
The bailout was forced onto Congress and the people in a rush job that was largely unjustified and unexplained. The previous administration used terrorist tactics—this time economic terrorism– to shove through the bailout with absolutely no restraints or common sense restrictions, much like they manipulated the truth and started “WMD” hysteria to get us into the Iraq war.
There’s no getting around the fact that Congress should have been vigilant in their review of this program. But “reelection” is a stronger motivation than sticking to principles, as we all know. The Bush Puppet Show fanned the media “economic disaster” flame so that anyone who did not rubber stamp the AIG bailout would automatically be labeled “unpatriotic” and it was election time.
Typical Karl Rovian tactics. Rove may have disappeared from the radar so he could try and pull another “moral majoriy” hijinx in the 2008 election—which he failed to do, thank God– but his tactics live on.
Bottom line here is that what AIG EXECS did was beyond shameful: to take advantage of Americans already suffering from a devastated economy, robbing the good will proffered by those who would pull AIG back from the brink of bankruptcy resulting from its OWN incompetent performance.
I don’t think “some” of the money should be returned…I think ALL of the money should be returned…with interest. And all suspicions of fraud be prosecuted to the FULLEST extent of the law.
@valor77:
“Democrat Party”
That right there makes me not willing to listen to anything you just said.
@Russell Miller: You got it – bury your head in the sand. Ignore the facts and let your emotions drive you.
Republicans -> Republican Party
Democrats -> Democrat Party
I guess I’ll start calling them Democratics from now on so you’ll read my posts.
@valor77:
No, Democrats => Democratic party.
Problem is, the only people who seem to make that particular error tend to be the hard right ideologues. Which is why that particular turn of phrase makes me skeptical of anything you might say. Your response, of course, was not helpful in reversing that impression.
@Russell Miller: Somehow I doubt your impression would be reversed by anything I said.
@Trai_Dep: My standards are backing up my assertions with facts, not personal attacks. Are you saying it requires low standards to give out the Medal of Honor to valiant troops in the line of duty? You should be ashamed.
@Secret Agent Man: I said nothing about the President. If you’ll actually read AND comprehend my post, you’ll notice I was talking about the Pelosi-and-Reid controlled Congress. Let me walk you through the timeline:
1) AIG creates bonus contracts that reward employees for objective results.
2) A bursting housing bubble and an abundance of sub-prime mortgage defaults cause AIGs over-valued mortgage-backed securities to loose virtually all of their value.
3) For the “good of the country”, the TARP bill gives AIG a multi-billion dollar loan to keep the company afloat. No limiting of contracted bonuses was in the bill.
4) The Congress acts outraged that the contractually-obligated bonuses would be paid – when they themselves could have stopped it legislatively.
5) The Congress uses the tax code and anti-corporate populist sentiment to deny the bonuses, and stokes so much anti-AIG sentiment that regular employees have to fear for their safety.
Sound about right?
@valor77: Do those rhetorical dodges actually work on your friends? Really?!
So, Conservatives in the WH & Congress blocked bonus restrictions, and TARP was on the docket for the second time, after McCain rushed to Washington to save it. (snicker). Conservatives said they’d veto and/or block the bill with these restrictions in it.
Lehman had collapsed and nearly took out the global economy with it (Thanks, Paulson!). The US stock market tanked – lost about 40%, right – and our financial system was paralyzed over the abyss. The world economy froze, waiting to see what would come out of Washington that day. Literally.
Are you really going to say, like a nine-year-old, petulant boy, that everything should have been let go? Shutter ‘em all up and roll the dice? Really?!
@Russell Miller: The threadjacking by people like Valor gets really tiresome.
@bohemian: Dude, I didn’t threadjack. The AIG security memo was a direct result of the anti-AIG fervor stirred up by the Congress. My posts are directly related to the topic. Maybe you don’t know what threadjacking is, or maybe you just disagree with me. Hopefully the former.
@valor77: I had a communications position at Planned Parenthood for a short period in the 90s. We didn’t have fire drills; we had bomb drills. Did the GOP turn average citizens into bad people?
AIG can suck it up and deal with it.
@valor77:
So public outrage at a company essentially owned by the taxpayers paying hundreds of millions of dollars in ‘retention bonuses’ as unemployment climbs and the credit markets freeze is somehow attributable to A democratic president who has been in office for 60 days?
If you honestly believe that the outrage (not the threats of violence) at AIG is anything other than justified, than I don’t think that you are capable of listening to any logic that is not ‘brought to you buy the EIB network.’
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how to fix the economy by letting companies pay off executives complicit in the meltdown of the economy with millions of dollars in bonuses.
@valor77: You’re right. In fact, they should get the Medal of Honor for their sterling service to America.
Perhaps of GW Bush isn’t busy, and if he hasn’t already given out his quota, he could do the honors? I recall his standards are almost as low as yours are.
@valor77: Congress added the bonus language to avoid litigating the contracted bonuses at an even greater taxpayer expense. Fact of the matter is these bonuses were based either on retention or performance and in either case who among them could possibly deserve a bonus for either performance or to be retained.
@hilltop_sniper: That’s a good point. However, do you think AIG, knowing the public outcry that would follow, would give retention and performance-based bonuses to employees if they weren’t contractually (and therefore, legally) obligated to do so?
@valor77:
I think the key phrase in your response is “knowing the public outcry that would follow”.
You see, I’m sure the executives running AIG did not know that there would be such a public outcry. Already, they are pretty disconnected from the reality that the common people of America have to deal with on a day to say basis. And months ago, when the initial bailout was provided to them, government transparency was as it is now with the current executive branch. Their self-reward system of bonuses has gone unchecked for probably several years and they seemed to think they could continue this behavior, even after the government rescued them, evidenced by that fact that last year they were being reported on for continuing their lavish executive retreats after receiving bailout money. The bonuses were just the tipping point. This ire and resentment towards AIG has been building for months and months because of their frivolously pissing away the money that the American taxpayers have given them.
As for blaming the Democrats, let’s be clear here. Even now, the Democrats don’t control Congress, it’s break-even at best. The fault is shared by both parties in Congress. The Republicans don’t get to walk away from this one blame free.
@hilltop_sniper: AIG could have fired them all before the bonuses were to be paid out. Plenty of other companies have done similar and far worse crappy tactics to their staff.
@valor77: By the gods, all of you guys follow a predictable arc.
To cut to the chase, I’ll pull out the juicy quotes from the cite that Justin Larson supplied, below. Prominent Republicans, from both Congress and the Executive Branch, not only defended the bonuses but fought removing them. Many of the GOP Congressmen are (of course) now the loudest critics of – wait for it – bonuses paid to TARP recipants:
Paulson said that while he was upset with the levels of salary afforded to top executives, any cap on such would dissuade companies from participating in the TARP. “If we design it so it’s punitive and so institutions aren’t going to participate, this won’t work the way we need it to work.”
Senator Richard Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee: “It should be up to the board of directors of a private corporation to set the compensation of an executive; it shouldn’t be Congress’s role.”
Senator Mel Martinez: “While it is very appealing to think about executive compensation as being a part of this, one of the drawbacks to that is perhaps that we would have fewer entities participate in what is essentially a voluntary act.”
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, “outraged” over AIG’s issuance of $165 million in bonuses, said he was not in favor of “the federal government be[ing] able to set salaries across the board.”
The issue extended to when the Obama administration was tasked with writing its own version of the TARP.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, “dismayed” over AIG’s bonuses this past week, said back in early February that while he was “appalled” at some of the perks executives had received: “I don’t want the government to take over these businesses and start telling them everything about what they can do.”
Again and again and again, Conservatives say one thing then do the opposite. In fact, the louder they complain about something, the more likely they are to be deeply enmeshed in whatever it is they’re decrying. Which the reality-based community finds wryly, predictably, amusing.
What I don’t get is, How many drunken weekends in a row to you need to get roughly, firmly and thoroughly rogered by a randy roommate before you realize that perhaps it’s not the alcohol’s fault, that perhaps it’s something deep within you*.
* Do you see what I did there?
@Trai_Dep: ***applause*** you brought tears to my eyes…well put, sir
@Trai_Dep: I’d like to edit one part of my comment where I said “Also, using the Huffington Post to back up your argument would be like the OP using a quote from Sean Hannity to make his point.” That was me being rash and subjective and I apologize. The criticism for the metaphor still stands.
@valor77: You brought up a good topic, but the blame falls on both sides i.e. politicians in general.
@Trai_Dep: EVERY SINGLE POLITICIAN who is afraid of not being re-elected and getting sweet, sweet lobbyist cash is following the public windsock. They realize that the American public is pissed, and so they decide to do what is best for their image and give those gosh darn Fat Cats what for.
I applaud you, though, for the irrelevant metaphor involving anal sex. Also, using the Huffington Post to back up your argument would be like the OP using a quote from Sean Hannity to make his point.
@djsyndrome: Both parties had a hand in this.
@Secret Agent Man: The outrage against AIG is justified, but Congress deserves more of our anger. They didn’t bother to take any time to make stipulations to their financial sector buddies, and now they should receive their comeuppance.
@Trai_Dep: Boy, that Bush-bashing must really get those nipples hard for you, eh?
@spittingangels: Ah, the soothing words of someone with common sense and objectivity.
@Russell Miller: If you can’t add anything to further the discussion, just don’t even bother posting anything.
My thoughts? This is why I hate politics. Everyone acts like it’s a sporting event, and they’re only happy if their team wins. I simply do not understand why more people cannot be more objective, especially when it comes to something as important as the political process. All this subjectivity simply leads to points that essentially read like this: “HARF HARF HARF REPOOPLICANS LUV BUTTSECHS WIT DUDEZ” or “HARF HARF HARF BARACK OSAMA HATES AMURRICA”.
Finally, anybody who tries to pigeon-hole me into a specific party is going to get a stern “Go fuck yourself” comment.
I hope you all choke.
@John Israel:
“@Russell Miller: If you can’t add anything to further the discussion, just don’t even bother posting anything.”
Great advice. I wish you and what’s-his-name would take it.
No, I was making a point. I am not a political person, myself, in that I am neither a Democrat nor Republican. But I can’t in good conscience allow someone to say something so obviously partisan (and you can bet he knows it’s partisan) without saying something. Bush also used to call the Democratic party the “Democrat Party”, and it’s become a way to insult Democrats without actually insulting Democrats. It’s the same thing as calling them “Rethuglicans”. It’s childish and immature and needs to be called out.
That said, you’re right in that there’s not much more point in contributing to this thread, so I shan’t anymore.
@Russell Miller: Fair enough. I apologize for being a hypocrite and criticizing you for what I freely did. That was a little bit of righteous indignation sneaking out of me.
Maybe I’m alone in this, but both democrats and republicans are to blame for this entire mess. you guys can keep bickering like school children if you want to though. It’s been that way for years, you might as well continue. As an independent though, it’s pretty silly and it’s not helpful at all.
Considering how they screwed me over when I was injured on the job (My ex-employer carried AIG coverage), I call this whole scenario rather karmic.
They must have burned a lot of people to store up the amount of bad karma it took to tank the entire company…and a good chunk of the world’s economy.
I can sort of feel bad for the lower-level employees, but the managers of AIG had better watch themselves. There’s a lot of really upset people out there (rightfully so, IMHO) and it only takes one or two nutcases to decide to go vigilante on them…
@coan_net
For some reason I like your idea… I have student loans that need to get paid off… lol
I think this was a wise decision (one of only a few) for AIG.
Their lower level employees shouldn’t have to be at risk for physical danger just because their upper management is a bunch of inept asses.
How long before an employee files a suit against AIG claiming pain and suffering caused by simply being an employee?
Total Republican. = )
Waiting for my stern comeback…(Im a glutton for punishment, it’s why I keep voting democrat)
If you have a Facebook Account, don’t mention in your profile that you work for AIG.
There are a lot of people working in that building who will never see a 6 figure salary or a bonus. Most of the FP folks are actually up in Connecticut, and most of the really bad actors were in the London office. I am as pissed off as anyone at the money poured into AIG to rescue from its insane writing of CDSs – but I don’t want to see innocent people getting hurt because of manufactured outrage by tax cheats like Rangel.
My wife works at AIG. Her life is in danger and that of my children because she works for a company with unscrupulous execs. She has done nothing wrong, nor has anyone on her team. They process annuities. They don’t get bonuses. They work long hours and get no glory. But, thanks largely to the media, politicians, and stupid execs, easily manipulated people are striking at the innocent. No one should be afraid to go to work or have to check their rear-view mirror constantly when going home to make sure they weren’t followed. No one should have to quit their mediocre paying job to enter a recession slashed job market, because of the decisions of people so far out of touch with them that they do not even realize they are there. AIG employs over 100000 people worldwide. Out of that 100000 employees, way less than 0.75% got a bonus coming out to about $185 million. The majority of those were to the execs. Congress has latched on to this as has the media as if it is the source of the economies problems, taking a lot of the the heat off the BILLIONS paid in tax payer financed bonuses by Merrill Lynch. This makes me feel like the intent is to protect the billionaires and put the attention elsewhere. In doing so, my family has been put at risk as have several thousand other families. I am by no means making excuses for the greedy execs, but the media, politicians, and AIG Execs had better get this crap in order before anyone in my family gets hurt by it.