This Week

This last week was an interesting one. Like a colossal chessboard with all the pieces in play the tangled web of our modern world forms a mosaic of breathtaking proportions. The hyper consumers are seeing their world of excess fray at its edges whilst the rest reel and squeal under the oppressive authority of the former. People on both sides of the divide are beginning to perceive the impermanence of the status quo and dreaming desperately about what shall come next. The omnipotent and uncompromising environment of our earth is no longer the endlessly exploitable ally that we have grown so accustomed to, and is now reacting to our flurry of activity. In the flowing phantasmagoria that is our collective reality the scientific proverb that energy can neither be created nor destroyed seems perfectly personified in our actions. Although the game is far along, its outcome remains undefined as the generations break upon the rocks of ruthless reality. Still we seem forever in the gentle embrace of the universe which holds us with the loving arms of an eternal mother.
Asia- India and Pakistan both suffer from the temerity of terrorists. Playing people like a microphone, as the bodies pile up, the meaning of their death becomes nothing but a continuation of the cacaphony of senseless human suffering that has sadly been the history of our species. A massive attack upon the Marriott hotel in Islamabad and a story that the Pakistani military fired upon US helicopters that entered its airspace from Afghanistan shows that the situation is escalating daily. The density of population that Asia has attained has become a liability that seems to alter all aspects of inhabitation. The incalcubale scope of what is occuring in this vast scene makes the rest of humanity pale in comparison. In China a large scale tainted milk scandal once more undermines the ruling Communist Party (Four children have died and about 13,000 remain in hospital). The 1.2 billion Chinese are starting to accert their right to think on an ever increasing scale; as often happens with the growth of a powerful middle class. North Korea has commenced working on its nuclear program again despite promises to stop. Rumors are once more circulating of Iran efforts to become a nuclear power, with a report claiming that they have altered a ballistic missle to carry a nuclear payload.

Europe- As the Large Hadron Collider built by CERN runs its tests meant to ascertain the building blocks of nature it seems as though the Old Country is becoming an island of introspection with its low birth rates, high standard of livng and complex history. Since Nato is still actively involved in various conflicts Europe remains very much on the side of the US led world order.

North America- The recently conquered continents people spend another week witnessing the sad spectacle that has become the campaign for president. Cynicism and idealism fuse into one indistinguishable mass with the American public tragically misinformed and manipulated personify the problems and folly of our approach to life. Deepening economic turmoil leads to the largest governmental intervention in the market seen since the Depression. As the Americans continue to export the orthodoxy of Friedman style capitalism upon much of the rest of the planet, the hypocracy is reaching astral heights. Meanwhile, the investment bank model, that has been a cornerstone of Wallstreet for decades is now being abandoned en masse with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley both closing shop and switching over to being a regular bank. In a telling move the short selling of stock on about 800 financial institutions was banned until October 2nd, showing the severity of the crises now taking hold at the nexus of the modern market economy.

South America- The political passion that has long distinguished this mixed and virulent land as a poeticly painful performance is in full swing. Economic trouble when added the centuries old conflict between land owner and peasant, have and have not, continues to define the mentality of Latin America. Like a symphony of sweet surrender and bitter struggle the region continues to be a shinning example of the resiliance of hope against our cold and cruel age of excess and exploitation.

Africa- MEND has launched an all out assault against the oil industry in the Niger Delta that promises to prevent a large portion the areas petroleum to ever reach the lucrative markets of the industrialized world. Mbeki was deposed as South Africa's president leaving the leadership of the country in flux. The birthplace of mankind struggles under the intervention of the outside world to reap the land of resources.