"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
Winston Churchill
"A confident, aggressive delivery style - often larded with jargon, clichés, and flowery phrases - makes up for the lack of substance and sincerity in their interactions with others ... they are masters of impression management; their insight into the psyche of others combined with a superficial - but convincing - verbal fluency allows them to change their personas skillfully as it suits the situation and their game plan."
Paul Babiak and Robert Hare, Snakes in Suits
"We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men... Do remember that dishonesty and cowardice always have to be paid for. Don't imagine that for years on end you can make yourself the boot-licking propagandist of any régime, and then suddenly return to mental decency. Once a whore, always a whore."
George Orwell
Sorry this is so late, but my service provider decided to take the night off. Why visit the Third World when you can experience it first hand.
We set a few records this week in the financial markets, none of them particularly life-enhancing for any but a few. You know who you are.
Stocks were utterly hammered this week. Hammered.
This is a direct result of the bloated and over-inflated condition that US stocks had reached, thanks in large part to the Fed, the Administration, and the usual suspects in the financial class.
The metals were beaten down today in a particularly vicious waterfall decline.
Yes, there was definitely liquidation selling for cash this weeek. But it would be naive at best to dismiss the adventuresome and opportunistic trading on the short side in the metals by that whacky gang of serial felons at the Banks.
So, is it all over?
If we can somehow manage to financialize the coronavirus, we can then no doubt provide the monetary means to manipulate it, control it, and bend it to our wills, as we do with most other things.
But alas, it has eluded our efforts so far.
So we hope for the best, but prepare for a range of eventualities, remaining skeptical in times of general deceit.
Especially between now and the end of summer.
I am not going to hazard any predictions and forecast in particular, except to say that you will know a tree by the fruit it bears.
I did take a brief trip to the market this evening to pick something up. And now they have cleaned out the produce section. Seriously? A run on onions and bananas?
My son's girlfriend and her family offered to put me up in China to weather the coronavirus. From what they have seen they are dealing with it, testing for it and controlling it, more effectively than we are. They were dead serious. You cannot make this stuff up.
Am I going? For fourteen hours in a flying petri dish? Home sweet, socially distanced but apparently
sans oignon, home.
Need little, want less, love more. For those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them.
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers (and sisters).
Have a pleasant weekend.
