"Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."
W. B. Yeats, The Second Coming, 1919
"With the tools of democracy, democracy was murdered and lawlessness made ‘legal.’ Raw power ruled, and its only real goal was to destroy all other powers besides itself.”
Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer, April 2010
"All governments suffer a recurring problem: power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."
Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse Dune. March 1985
"You made this monster, and as long as things were going well you gave him whatever he wanted. You turned Germany over to this arch-criminal, you swore allegiance to him by every incredible oath he chose to put before you— you, officers of the Crown, all of you."
Friedrich Reck-Malleczewen, Diary of a Man in Despair, 1947
"The whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is the king, he who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, hosanna in the highest!’ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, silence your disciples!’
And Jesus said, ‘If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’"
Luke 19:36-40
Are you being duly respectful and obedient to the principalities and powers of darkness?
A conspiracy of silence in the face of despicable lies and crimes against humanity prevails.
“The real damage is done by those who don’t want their lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who don’t like to make waves—or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only stories."
Sophie Scholl
And at home, Congress, the universities, the professional class and the media sell themselves cheaply, and cover themselves with disgrace— the forswearing of oaths and obligations.
Empire, like slavery and plutocracy and sin, poisons the hearts and minds of those who pursue and embrace it.
It's a familiar story.
Stocks took around this morning from their lofty heights, and despite the encouraging words of the spokesmodels of the plutocracy, fell back a bit from setting another new high.
Gold and silver bounced a bit from their recent Comex option expiration smackdown.
There will be an FOMC rate decision tomorrow.
They are widely expected to hold rates. But who knows what they might say or do.
The pressure on them by the Economic Sophisticate is as strident as it is thoughtless.
VIX bounced up a bit from its slumber.
The clock is ticking.
The unsustainable will not be sustained.
Have a pleasant evening.