The last days have seen the world convulse in a series of condemnations, proclamations and threats of violence. America’s economic and financial state have pleaded guilty and been damned. Bernard Maddoff has accepted responsibility for his actions in the largest Ponzi scheme in history, stating that he intends to plead guilty in the case brought against him, the maximum sentence he may be given would be 150 years. Meanwhile Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s Mad Money has finally confronted Jon Stewart on The Daily Show and the veteran comedian dropped his usual schtick and took it to Cramer straight, condemning the contemptuous actions perpetuated by many in the advising community and the media who ignored real market factors in pursuit of a cheap buck.

Outside of the United States but not far from the neo-liberal market model which America has perpetuated for over two decades, Muntadher al-Zaidi, the man who threw his shoes at President Bush, has been sentenced to just over three years in jail for attempted assault on a visiting head of state. Many in the arab world see Mr. al-Zaidi as a hero who was expressing frustration with a nation that invaded without reason and stayed without welcome.

Meanwhile in Israel, the judicial system is actually doing its state a service, the Attorney General has stated that former President Moshe Katsav, who has been brought forward on multiple sexual assault and rape charges will be indited. Katsav lashed out on Thursday bemoaning the state and claiming that this was an arrangement by his political enemies and that he in fact was innocent.

Continuing with the topic of judgement being passed, the United States has continued to do just that because as we all know, President Barack Obama has restored the moral legitimacy of America on the world stage. Meanwhile, the President has seen fit to renew sanctions for another year against Iran, as he speaks of opening talks with the nation and broadening relations with the arab world, whilst his defence staff continue to inform the press of the threat of a ’soon to be’ nuclear armed Iran. Furthermore the United States has expressed fears through the House of Representatives that the ongoing wars of drug cartels and gangs in Mexico will spill over the undefended border into the United States, the proposed solution to the problem is to post an already thinned out and overstretched National Guard, many of whom have been sent on tours overseas, to defend the border against threat of violence from these non state actors in Mexico.

In another broken state, Sudan, members of Doctors Without Borders have been abducted, this has resulted in the remaing arms of the international aid agency to withdraw from the region.

Finally, in Afghanistan, NATO is calling for an increase in troops leading up to the August elections, while they plan to hand over security of the capital Kabul to Afghani security forces. Outside of the capital the Taliban has control of much of the countryside and have upsurged in recent months, assassinating members of government in their offices inside the capital itself.

In a world awash in an economic meltdown, with a bewildered America attempting to steer what increasingly seems to be a rudderless ship, it’s good to see at least the lawyers are still working. At least someone has employment, and as long as people keep killing, raping and abducting in the third world and stealing the life savings of thousands in the first, the world will keep turning, and the courts will keep passing judgement on the guilty and the damned.

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