People today seem perplexed as civilisation as we know it plummets into the abyss. Yet, in the broad sense, the future is entirely predicable. The much lauded system of economic rationalism has resulted in huge disparities in wealth comparable to ancient societies; the wealth of Pharaoh-God-Kings of the past was staggering and in stark contrast to the wealth of their subjects. The peoples’ living standards were maintained at ‘adequate‘ levels to ensure a fit work/slave force for their rulers – remind you of anything, are you able to draw any comparisons today? In fact ancient Egypt (utilising modern poverty statistics) would have fared better in the social sense than most of today’s societies. So much for economic rationalism and laissez-faire capitalism! The inequity of today’s economic reality is far from mysterious; however, one mystery remains, the masses of today tolerate far greater inequities than the masses of yesterday.

Many articles have been written on the tactic of pervasive and continuous debt as a form of economic social management. However, few financial ‘wizards’ and politicians understood the ramifications of such a tactic. To meet regular needs average people have been forced to borrow at rates never before seen. As a result of the created necessity to borrow large amounts and the ease of obtaining large loans, a rapid increase in loan defaults is occurring. Perhaps statistical information on the ‘spike’ in long term debt servicing and mortgagee defaults highlights the failure of the debt strategy. Hailed at the time as the optimum method of economic and social management, today it is proving to be just another strategy of big business appropriating more at the expense of EVERYTHING and everyone else.

The title refers to the band on the ‘Titanic’ playing until the ship sank beneath the icy waters. Metaphor or allegory for the assault on free speech and democracy, judge for yourself but don’t forget to remain passive, servile and fearful in the face of all assaults on hard won freedoms and civil liberties – liberties your fathers died in wars to protect!

Few even know her name but she was responsible for the Roman Empire enduring for another fifteen hundred years as a theological empire. Most people and historical texts mistakenly refer to the Roman Emperor Constantine as the person who transformed the militaristic Roman Empire into the Holy Roman Empire, however, he was only a manipulated mommy’s boy.

The person/s (activists, perhaps assassins) the agencies seek in relation to the approaching APEC summit may be known to the activist and broader political community; it is therefore with extreme prejudice that we cite government failures in relation to security and policing matters. The APEC summit may become the greatest security failure in Australian history. Infiltration/undercover operations are a two-edged sword; however, that sword has been broken by anti-corruption zealots in NSW. The State now faces gaping inefficiencies and a lack of urgently required expertise.

As the Middle East explodes in factional and sectarian conflict the neo-cons gloat, John Bolton and Condi Rice revealed U.S. policy during the South Lebanon conflict, their non-interventionist policy encouraged the slaughter of children and civilians by Israeli forces – peace is clearly of no use to American interests! What does it matter if most of the Middle East tears itself apart, America stands to gain from the mayhem and bloodshed.

Two events in particular typify the modern age, the exploitation or rather the reduction of poor, exploited and victimised humans as body part suppliers — kidneys in particular — and the vacuous, worthless celebrity of a no-talent, mindless, American rich girl whose presence in the mass media is constant. While millions suffer injustices, tortures and hardships, Paris Hilton is served for mass consumption; coverage of the horrific trade in living human body parts is avoided for obvious and shameful reasons!

Republican president Bush follows Democrat president Clinton’s course in the Balkans; oil pipelines and gas supplies take precedence over every other consideration including international law and the sanctity of human life. Bush has challenged Russia, Serbia and International Law by announcing during his recent visit to Albania that Kosovo, a Serbian province, would become independent in the near future, negotiations must result in “certain independence … that’s what’s important to know”, he said! Bush’s grammatically woeful statements beg the question, why the need for negotiation if the Texan president insists that independence is “certain” for Kosovo — which remains Serbian sovereign territory?