Monday, May 13, 2024

"The All-Important Doorman"

"The All-Important Doorman"
by Jeff Thomas

"Picture this: A tribal leader from a distant country visits the US. He’s brought to a large apartment building in New York City. When he gets out of the car, he looks up at the great building and is quite impressed. A uniformed doorman exits the foyer and comes out on the sidewalk. The tribesman sees the gold braiding and brass buttons of his coat and immediately decides that this is a very important person. Again he looks up at the building and says to the doorman, “This is a very great home you have. You must be very important indeed.”

Of course, if we were present, we might chuckle at the tribesman’s naiveté. The owners of such a great building would never greet people at the entrance. They leave such trivial tasks to hired servants, whilst they run the real business without ever needing any direct contact with visitors as they enter the building. And, in addition, doormen come and go – they are, after all, disposable. The owners – those who control what happens in the building – retain their positions over the long term… and may remain anonymous, if they so choose.

We find this simple concept easy enough to understand, and yet we chronically have difficulty in understanding that, in most countries, the president, or prime minister, is not by any means the man who makes the big decisions in the running of the country.

We assume that, because we were allowed to vote for our leader, he must actually be our leader. But, as Mark Twain has at times been credited as saying, “If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.”

Similarly, the man whose family took over the financing of Europe, Meyer Rothschild, said, “Permit me to issue and control the money of a nation and I care not who makes its laws.” His family has been calling the shots for centuries, but like the owners of the apartment building, they keep a low profile. Remarkably, most people will nod their heads at the above quotes, yet somehow still imagine their elected leader to be in charge.

Most anyone will accept that the voting system in their country has been corrupted in one way or another and it’s even more likely that they’ll acknowledge that the central banks control the flow of money. Yet, they persist in believing that, even if elections are financed by the big banks, the military industrial complex, Big Pharma, etc., somehow, those who are elected remain loyal to the voters, not to those who paid for their election. And, they imagine these elected members to be running the show. Further, whilst they often acknowledge that the political party that they oppose is bought and paid for, they prefer to think that the one they favor is not.

At this point, both the EU and the US are run by the Deep State. In Europe it’s a bit more obvious, as the EU is a visible, unelected body that holds sway over all of the most significant developments in Europe. In the US, it’s a bit less obvious, but it’s generally understood that the CIA, FBI and other similar organizations run independently of the president. (He has the power to fire a Director, but does not have the power to eliminate these organizations or change their agenda.)

The US is run as a corporatist body – joint rule by big business and the state. The elected members are, like doormen, temporary. They are, of course, highly visible, which they’re intended to be, as they’re meant to distract the public eye away from those who are truly in charge. And, like doormen, they’re disposable. They can be unelected at four-year intervals and the agenda continues as planned. They are, in fact, largely irrelevant to the direction that the country takes.

The president in particular falls into this category. There have been quite a few presidents who rose to that post with little or no previous experience in elected office. Their election is a result of popularity. If they do a better job of creating campaign-promises than their opponents, they emerge as the winners, even if they have no political ties, associations with other legislators, or previous experience in the job. And yet, we somehow assume that those who really pull the strings would spend hundreds of millions of dollars on elections, then tolerate a newly-elected outsider to wash away their investment by actually taking charge.

To be sure, there have been presidents who have bucked the Deep State, but they tend to change their tune rather quickly and get back into line. Those who have refused have sometimes found themselves on the business end of a bullet, although, more recently, the preferred tactic has been to invent accusations of corruption and indecency, then to produce questionable witnesses to discredit the leader. (A leader who has been forced out in disgrace is just as gone as one that’s been assassinated.)

But, almost invariably, the “leader” sees that it’s in his interest to cave in to the Deep State, as, perennially, they hold the real power. Campaign promises are tossed into the dustbin and it’s back to the previous, ongoing agenda. This we’ve witnessed time after time.

Does this mean that the president is only a mouthpiece for the Deep State? Well, no, it’s actually advantageous for him to express his own opinions, ruffle the public’s feathers and push his pet projects. It adds to the distraction that he’s in charge. However, the larger issues – particularly the flow of tax dollars into the pockets of corporations, continue exactly as planned, regardless of who’s in office. Bankers continue to receive absurdly large bailouts when they’ve grossly mismanaged their banks. The military industrial complex continues to enjoy perpetual warfare, so that they can supply armaments to the government for unnecessary conflicts. Big Pharma enjoys legislation that forces people to be vaccinated against their will and accept outrageously high prices for medications that are generally inexpensive to produce.

But, yes, as long as a president remains the spokesman to explain why such policies are not only tolerable, but essential, he may be allowed to occupy the oval office until the voters tire of him. But, if this is true, why do people so quickly and so readily accept the “leader” to actually be unilaterally responsible for every facet of every governmental policy and action?

Well actually, nothing could be easier. It’s human nature to want to put a face to our praise and/or criticism. We can’t muster the same focus if we’re advised that we’re being ruled by a faceless group. We tend to respond more readily and more intensely to a single individual – a face we can conjure up immediately. “People desire certainty,” Doug Casey once observed to me, when discussing a related subject, and that’s exactly so. If we’re uncertain during troubled times, we’ll instantly jump at the opportunity to put a single face to the problem, to blame one individual for whatever is troubling us.

This is evidenced by the presentation of photos of Lee Harvey Oswald and Osama bin Laden, mere hours after major events, as the certain culprits. They were immediately accepted, without any question, by a people desperately seeking certainty. Therefore, as soon as one leader is out and another takes his place, we’re able to immediately transfer our devotion or hatred to the replacement.

The concept of providing a single face to the public is one that was understood by George Orwell, who created the character of “Big Brother,” who would be on the video screens incessantly, as the face of the government. But, in stating all of the above, it may seem that I’ve portrayed the doorman as insignificant and this is not the case. He does play quite an important role.

He’s absolutely essential, as he, more than any other legislator, creates a suitable distraction from those who really run the show. He’s in front of the microphone, does interviews, is filmed almost on a daily basis, and is constantly credited by the media as being either the savior or the devil, depending upon which media outlet is providing the portrayal. And the shakier an economy, and the greater the problems of a country, the more essential it is that the “leader” be visible. After all, when things go badly awry, someone has to serve as the fall guy.

When this occurs, he is, of course, disposable. He leaves in disgrace or is voted out and a new puppet is voted in whose loyalty is again to the Deep State, not to the voters. And, most importantly, the real agenda continues, as planned, regardless of whatever new campaign promises got him elected. (This is not at all new. In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt introduced the Emergency Banking Act the day after his inauguration speech, in which he had assured the country that he would not mess with the currency.)

Campaign promises are dumped wholesale; the demeanour of the new leader may change dramatically, and the new leader’s very principles may suddenly evaporate after election day. However, the ongoing agenda does not. Regardless of who’s elected, or what party he professes to represent, we witness a continuation of the previous directions taken by those who truly hold the power.

What’s important to recognize is that, no matter how large the apartment building may be, no matter how impressive the presentation of the doorman may be, he is just that. He is only the front man, and he is disposable. The Deep State runs the show. Their presence is permanent and their agenda is both ongoing and impervious to the whims of the voting public."

Dan, I Allegedly, "Millions Living on Credit Cards"

Full screen recommended.
Dan, I Allegedly AM 5/13/24
"Millions Living on Credit Cards"
"Credit card debt is climbing we just got the numbers and the average credit card debt is growing. People are using their credit cards to pay for every day expenses Are you struggling with credit card debt or know someone who is? You're not alone. As we navigate these financial waters, remember that understanding and discussing these issues is the first step toward change."
Comments here:

Gregory Mannarino, "Banks Are Going To Fall Like Dominos!"

Gregory Mannarino, AM 5/13/24
"Banks Are Going To Fall Like Dominos!"
Comments here:

Bill Bonner, "The Best And The Brightest"

"The Best And The Brightest"
The fantasy of American democracy is that the election process weeds out the dopes, jackasses and frauds. A single visit to the Capitol when Congress is in session is enough to dispel that myth.
by Bill Bonner

Dublin, Ireland - "It was a beautiful weekend in Ireland, the first warm and sunny weekend of the year. The flowers are in bloom. The grass is green and high. The sea sparkles in the distance and the cows mosey across the fields. “This has been the rainiest winter and spring I can remember,” says a neighbor. But yesterday, it all seemed worthwhile. Nowhere is prettier than Ireland on a sunny day.

“Enjoy it while you can,” the neighbor adds. “Gather ye rosebuds, and all that. Joie de beaver... heh heh.” (It took us a while to understand that last remark, a bawdy corruption of the French, ‘joie de vivre’... or joy of living.)

The tone in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Youghal was more serious. “We don’t control the weather. We don’t vote on whether we breathe or not. There are some things we’re better off not deciding for ourselves,” the priest explained. He was commenting on a section of the Bible (Acts of the Apostles) where it tells us how the apostles replaced Jesus after he was crucified: And they cast lots... and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles. “It might be better if we chose our political leaders that way too,” he continued, “rather than have to listen to all the election news every day.” The gist of today’s comment: He was right.

Compared to the US, elections in Ireland are fairly dignified and civilized. Ireland is smaller. The issues are more readily understood. And the Irish still have faith in their leaders, more or less.

Fools and Knaves: ​But in America elections have become vicious contests, often between fools and knaves... cutthroats and cads. All the voters can do is to try to decide which one is worse. A national lottery, choosing our politicians as Matthias was chosen - on the basis of chance, rather than fraud - would almost certainly be better.

Here at Bonner Private Research, we steer clear of politics. But politics doesn’t steer clear of us. Joe Biden will raise taxes. Forbes: "Under Biden Tax Plan, Capital Gains Tax Will Exceed 50% In 11 States."

He’s also planning to spike up tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Bloomberg: "President Joe Biden will quadruple tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and sharply increase levies for other key industries this week, unveiling the measures at a White House event framed as a defense of American workers, people familiar with the matter said."

Not only will Americans pay more for their wheels, the US auto industry – protected by the feds – will become even less competitive. David Fickling: "Like birds on isolated islands, America’s carmakers are evolving to suit an oddly congenial environment - one where they can grow big and bloated in the absence of competition from hungry rivals. Gradually, they’ll lose the ability to fly. Consumers who’d like to get their hands on affordable, clean and innovative cars will be the ones to lose out."

Donald Trump, meanwhile, says will increase tariffs on all Chinese-made goods... thus raising prices on almost everything. He also says he will cut taxes. Bloomberg: “Instead of a Biden tax hike, I’ll give you a Trump middle class, upper class, lower class, business class big tax cut,” Trump said at a rally Saturday in Wildwood on the New Jersey shore."  Lower rates and lower taxes were Trump’s formula for his first term, but as we’ve seen, without spending cuts they will simply increase debt and end up imposing the worst tax of all - the ‘inflation tax.’

​​Neither candidate seems concerned by the big challenges facing the country - too much debt and too much war. And at least part of the explanation is the election process itself. Candidates court big money sponsors by promising a good return on investment to their donors. And the big money doesn’t take chances. It invests in both leading candidates... making sure the government continues to waste taxpayers’ money in the desired way. ​

The fantasy of American democracy is that the election process weeds out the dopes, jackasses and frauds. A single visit to the Capitol when Congress is in session is enough to dispel that myth. nstead of raising up the best and brightest, it does the very opposite. It elevates the big mouths and mountebanks... those most willing to peddle influence in exchange for campaign money.

A lottery would be more honest. It would spare the nation the cost of elections... and crescendo of BS that goes along with them. And almost any citizen, chosen at random, and not beholden to the Established Elite, would probably do less damage.

But wait. There is another candidate in the presidential derby. RFK, Jr. Is he really better than random? A reformed drug addict. Former brain worm victim. Is he seriously aiming for the White House? Or is he really just a spoiler? If so, for whom? Biden? Trump? And what if he fractures the electoral college vote... so that the election ends with no clear winner? Tune in tomorrow..."

"How It Really Is"

 

"Dare..."

 

"It Is Our Fate..."

"Well, it is our fate to live in a time of crisis. To live in a time when all forms and values are being challenged. In other and more easy times, it was not, perhaps, necessary for the individual to confront himself with a clear question: What is it that you really believe? What is it that you really cherish? What is it for which you might, actually, in a showdown, be willing to die? I say, with all the reticence which such large, pathetic words evoke, that one cannot exist today as a person – one cannot exist in full consciousness – without having to have a showdown with one’s self, without having to define what it is that one lives by, without being clear in one’s mind what matters and what does not matter.”
- Dorothy Thompson

Jim Kunstler, "Monster Mash-up"

"Monster Mash-up"
By Jim Kunstler

“My take is that the US is incredibly unstable right now, and could go in almost any
 imaginable direction between now and the election, as well as some unimaginable ones.” 
- John Michael Greer

"Did you notice that it took just a little bit of internal chaos to alert the Party of Chaos that maybe chaos wasn’t the greatest thing to be the party of? Something went awry the past two weeks when thousands of creamy coeds on every campus across America donned the keffiyeh and, in effect, demanded submission to history’s most notorious misogynist cult. It struck a most cacophonous chord among progressives, like Kumbaya as orchestrated by Karlheinz Stockhausen. To awaken from Wokery, you see, is a brutal shock to the brain.

And so, over the weekend every big dog in the Democratic Party’s doghouse came out barking against the current direction of the Democratic Party - that is, over an electoral cliff, lemming-style. Bill Clinton lamented at the Milken Conference that “the political rewards of grievance politics and name-calling and being negative have been so immense that nobody could give ’em up. That’s what this whole shebang has come down to now.”

James Carville had a veritable nervous breakdown on X: “It’s going the wrong way, it’s not working. Everything we’re throwing is spaghetti at a wall, and none of it is sticking, me included.” Fareed Zakaria over on CNN confessed that “None of this is playing out the way I thought it would.” Gee, really?

None of them could bring themselves to actually name the doddering donkey in the room, “Joe Biden.” Nor did they dare call out the stage manager behind the old Joe-from-Scranton show, Barack Obama, not exactly coasting into his fourth term, as expected. They’re all surprised the way things are turning out. And, of course, “JB” himself did not come out of his Rehoboth Beach hidey-hole after declaring no more bullets and missiles for you, Israel, which landed amongst the Party’s donor class like a tear-gas bomb.

Hillary Clinton popped up on the Morning Joe show wearing royal purple to remind the audience that Donald Trump is another Hitler, threatening “the sanctity of the Constitution” and adding “maybe this will be our last election.” If she’s putting herself up as possible last-minute replacement for the ever more ghostly “Joe Biden,” she was not so crass as to say so. The party will have to come pleading to her on its knees, hoping she can once again muster the legions of indignant women to oppose the wicked Golden Golem of Greatness - who was, that very day, on display in a Manhattan courtroom having to endure the jibes of the paradigmatic wronged woman, porn-star Stormy Daniels.

What else have they got, really? Gavin Newsom? If Mr. Trump is Hitler, then think of Mr. Newsom as Godzilla with hair gel. Imagine what he could do to the whole USA after trashing California, as he has managed to do. Sorry to tell you, but in an election contest between Hitler and Godzilla, Hitler would probably win. It’s a rock-paper-scissors deal. Any other ringers they might throw in? The only name that ever comes up is Illinois governor JB Pritzker, who actually looks a bit like King Kong, and has certainly done a Kong-job on Chicago. And, by the way, that’s where the Democrats’ convention will happen in August. Wouldn’t it be something to see King Kong versus Godzilla there?

All of which is to say that something beyond desperation has set in amongst the Democrats, an emotion so dire that Elizabeth Kubler Ross couldn’t find a word for it on her transect of grief. They don’t know what to do at this point. They have only a few months to figure it out and there is more at stake than a mere turnover in administrative duties. The shadow of the gibbet looms in their nightmares. Their lawfare schtick was one thing, a kind of fun-and-games compared to what’s coming at them: the actual law, trials for more serious crimes than mere book-keeping errors and mis-pricing real estate valuations. Think: sedition, treason, bribery and tack on conspiracy to commit all the above.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump provided a further shock to the awakening Woke with a Saturday evening fan meetup down-the-shore in Wildwood, New Jersey. Somewhere between eighty to a hundred-thousand voters showed up in what is said to be among the bluest states in the country. Bruce Springsteen must have been weeping into his avocado toast over in Red Bank. Then, across the Sunday morning news digests there was talk about “a landslide win,” and even more amazed chatter about RINOs and Never-Trumpers returning to the folds of the Golden Golem’s heavenly garment, as though Mr. Trump had virtually Jeezified himself through a year of tribulation.

Will the Democrats just go through the motions the next six months, awaiting execution? Naw. One way or another, they are going to jam Hillary into this psychodrama. Stay tuned for a couple of medical emergencies. First, Kamala Harris will resign on account of a sudden “health problem” that prevents her from attending to her duties. Cancer will be implied but not spelled out. “Joe Biden” will appoint HRC of the Purple Pantsuit as veep. Three weeks later, “JB” will submit his resignation for medical reasons, and nobody will need to ask why. Voila! The first woman president, she-whose-turn-has-finally-come, flies triumphantly out of the Democratic Convention in her hometown, Chicago, like Rodan the Flying Reptile emerging from the mythic volcano, cawing her battle-cry across the land. The Golden Golem answers with a roar. The great re-match is on!"

The full name of Kunstler's website is SO accurate...

"Geopolitical Paradigm Shifts And Coping With Psychopaths" (Excerpt)

"Geopolitical Paradigm Shifts 
And Coping With Psychopaths"
by Tariq Marzbaan and Nora Hoppe

Excerpt: "Tariq Marzbaan and Nora Hoppe interview Professor Karaganov from Russia's leading public foreign policy organization, conversing with him on an array of issues, including Western escalation against Russia, the war in Ukraine, colonialism, and the genocide in Gaza.

It is clear that the Anglo-Saxon industrial-military-media complex, with the help of its vassals, intends to preserve its global hegemony and its colonialist conquests at all costs. The Hegemon cannot accept the paradigm shift of an emerging Multipolar World. Any discussion of peace, diplomacy, or negotiations regarding the wars it has started is out of the question. Western populations, whose minds are contaminated with neoliberalism and Russophobia, are currently terrified of an "imminent Russian invasion." Mass delirium is preventing REASON from returning to the West. How can the rest of the world cope with this madness? And what can the rest of the world hope for?"
Full article here:

"In 219 days, 35,034 killed, 78,755 injured by 'Israel' in Gaza"

"In 219 days, 35,034 killed,
78,755 injured by 'Israel' in Gaza"
by Al Mayadeen

"The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Wednesday that the number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing Israeli genocide in the Strip since October 7 has now reached 35,034, with 78,755 injured as the war marks its 219th day. The Ministry also reported that the Israeli occupation carried out eight massacres against families in the past 24 hours in the Strip, killing 63 people and injuring 114.


Thousands of victims of the aggression remain trapped under the rubble and roads remain inaccessible to ambulance and civil defense crews, as the occupation continues to prevent rescue teams from reaching them, the ministry added.

In this context, the Ministry confirmed the death of 500 medical staff and 138 nurses as a result of the Israeli bombing of the Strip so far, calling on the international community to protect medical teams and healthcare institutions in Gaza, and to press for the opening of the crossings to bring medical aid into the Strip.

Earlier this week, the Government Media Office in Gaza said that the Israeli occupation has committed 3,094 massacres during the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, resulting in a toll of 44,844 martyrs and missing persons. The number of children killed by the occupation has reached 15,002, the office said, adding that 30 others died due to the famine brought on by the Israeli siege and blockade.

With the ongoing Israeli invasion of Rafah launched on Monday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated that approximately 300,000 people have been forcibly displaced from the city of over 1.3 million residents, emphasizing the lack of safe havens within the Strip.


In conjunction with the Israeli ground offensive on Rafah, the Israeli occupation army announced launching a new operation targeting areas across northern Gaza, due to failure in "eliminating" the Resistance there despite seven months of a brutal war unprecedented in recent history.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported on Sunday that occupation vehicles are advancing eastward from the Jabalia camp towards al-Sikka Street, extending to Mazaya Street amid heavy confrontations with Resistance fighters. Additionally, vehicles are stationed west of Mazaya Street in the Riad al-Salheen area. He also noted that the Israeli incursion into the northern regions was accompanied by intense artillery fire, along with support from helicopters and Quadcopter drones.

In Jabalia, the re-intensified Israeli aggression forced the displacement of thousands of Palestinians, now looking for shelter among the rubble of destroyed schools and any standing facility."
o
"Truth is incontrovertible, ignorance can deride it, 
panic may resent it, malice may destroy it, but there it is."
- Winston Churchill
o
A Comment: Are you proud, Americans? Hang your head in shame and disgrace! YOU paid for every bomb, every bullet, every tank, every weapon, every single thing these psychopathically degenerate genocidal monsters are using to slaughter all these people, whom these ZioNazis openly call "human animals"! 15,000 CHILDREN murdered! Don't pretend you don't see, don't know! The entire world can now see what these creatures really are, what rabidly vicious mad dogs they are and always have been. So what do you do with a mad dog? Stipendium peccati mors est, Israel...Inshallah, so be it... - CP

Travelling with Russell, "Travelling On A Brand New Russian Train: IVolga 4.0"

Full screen recommended.
Travelling with Russell, 5/12/24
"Travelling On A Brand New Russian Train: IVolga 4.0"
Comments here:

I'm always fascinated by what a sane, sober, civilized society can accomplish.
Unlike certain others...

Adventures With Danno, "Aldi Is Dropping Prices On 250 Products!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FgCjrSMSd4&t=78s
Adventures With Danno, 5/12/24
"Aldi Is Dropping Prices On 250 Products!"
"Aldi is cutting prices on 250 products to 
help people save money on groceries!"
Comments here:
o
Full screen recommended.
WCPO 9, 5/12/24
"Aldi Lowering Prices On 250 Items,
 But Is There A  Catch?"
"Aldi has just announced that it is cutting prices on 250 grocery items for the summer, which will mean $100 million in savings to consumers. The promotion runs from now until Labor Day at Aldi's 2,300 locations in the US."
Comments here:
o
Full screen recommended.
Svetlana from Russia, 5/12/24
"Grocery Prices In Russia After Sanctions"
Comments here:

Comment: @citygirl7025: "She forgets to mention that in Russia medical care is free, hospital is free, university & schools are free. In America you only get food stamps & medicaid if you're poor, poor, poor and living on the street."

"Economic Market Snapshot 5/13/24"

"Economic Market Snapshot 5/13/24"
Down the rabbit hole of psychopathic greed and insanity...
Only the consequences are real - to you!
"It's a Big Club, and you ain't in it. 
You and I are not in the Big Club."
- George Carlin
o
Market Data Center, Live Updates:
Comprehensive, essential truth.
Financial Stress Index

"The OFR Financial Stress Index (OFR FSI) is a daily market-based snapshot of stress in global financial markets. It is constructed from 33 financial market variables, such as yield spreads, valuation measures, and interest rates. The OFR FSI is positive when stress levels are above average, and negative when stress levels are below average. The OFR FSI incorporates five categories of indicators: creditequity valuationfunding, safe assets and volatility. The FSI shows stress contributions by three regions: United Statesother advanced economies, and emerging markets."
Job cuts and much more.
Commentary, highly recommended:
"The more I see of the monied classes,
the better I understand the guillotine."
- George Bernard Shaw
Oh yeah... beyond words. Any I know anyway...
And now... The End Game...
o

Sunday, May 12, 2024

"The Credit Card Endgame; McDonald's Ominous Sign Of A Collapsing Economy; Americans Go Broke"

Jeremiah Babe, 5/12/24
"The Credit Card Endgame; McDonald's Ominous 
Sign Of A Collapsing Economy; Americans Go Broke"
Comments here:

"Credit Crisis Hits Worst Level Since Great Recession As Millions Of Americans Go Bankrupt"

Full screen recommended.
Epic Economist, 5/12/24
"Credit Crisis Hits Worst Level Since Great Recession 
As Millions Of Americans Go Bankrupt"

"Bankruptcies are hitting average American families, and U.S. businesses really hard in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Courts. Higher consumer prices are making Americans take on massive loads of debt just to get by, while businesses are being impacted by decreased sales and falling profits at a time costs continue to climb. The credit crisis is now reaching levels last seen during the Great Recession, with big banks tightening their lending standards to prevent further losses and more failures in the months ahead.

In fact, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System reported that bank credit levels have fallen for three quarters in a row, marking the first sustained contraction since 2010. This is only the second such decline in more than half a century. The last one was witnessed during the years of 2008 and 2009, when the world was grappling with the repercussions of the Global Financial Crisis.

The extended slump in bank lending comes as many Wall Street analysts continue to project a pessimistic outlook for the U.S. economy. "Bank credit is contracting for only the 2nd time in 50 years," stressed Tilo Marotz, head of liquid assets at German insurer Continentale Versicherungsverbund. The credit contraction means that companies and consumers will have to borrow less, with higher interest rates making it more expensive to take out loans, he explained.

When it's harder to raise debt, businesses are less likely to go on with spending projects, and consumers are forced to delay big purchases, including cars and homes, which can further drag on economic growth. Record-high interest rates only add assault to injury. Still, the central bank has signaled that it'll not start loosening monetary policy until it reaches its 2% target. Until then, it will be tougher for households and businesses to access credit, experts say.

Late last month, the Federal Reserve's Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey revealed that most banks in the U.S. tightened their lending standards during the past quarter. For businesses, 51% of banks tightened their lending standards for commercial and industrial loans to large and middle market firms, while 68% tightened standards for commercial real estate loans. Since February, commercial real estate loans held by banks have declined by $33 billion due to rising delinquency rates and high exposure to the sector's ongoing crisis."
Comments here:

Musical Interlude: Neil H., "Along the High Ridges"

Neil H., "Along the High Ridges"

"A Look to the Heavens"

"The most distant object easily visible to the eye is M31, the great Andromeda Galaxy some two and a half million light-years away. But without a telescope, even this immense spiral galaxy - spanning over 200,000 light years - appears as a faint, nebulous cloud in the constellation Andromeda. In contrast, details of a bright yellow nucleus and dark winding dust lanes, are revealed in this digital telescopic image. 
Click image for very large size.
Narrow band image data recording emission from hydrogen atoms, shows off the reddish star-forming regions dotting gorgeous blue spiral arms and young star clusters. While even casual skygazers are now inspired by the knowledge that there are many distant galaxies like M31, astronomers seriously debated this fundamental concept in the 20th century. Were these "spiral nebulae" simply outlying components of our own Milky Way Galaxy or were they instead "island universes" - distant systems of stars comparable to the Milky Way itself? This question was central to the famous Shapley-Curtis debate of 1920, which was later resolved by observations of M31 in favor of Andromeda, island universe.”

"Acceptance..."

"Acceptance is a crucial step forward for those who prefer the idea of living this life over simply existing within it. Accept all that you've said and what you've done, because you cannot change your past. Accept the idea of the unknown, because the future is the unknown waiting patiently to reveal itself. Accept the person you have become thus far in your journey, because you are the only person who will be there with you when you finish it. Do all of this so that you may never find yourself having to accept regret that haunts you at two a.m., leaving you sweaty and broken hearted. All you have is this minute; not this hour, or this day, or this year. Live in this minute so that you won't get stuck simply existing with your guilty past, or with nothing but anxiety for the future."
- Margaret E. Rise

Scott Ritter, "Israelis Need to Wake Up"

Scott Ritter, 5/12/24
"Israelis Need to Wake Up"
Comments here:

"Anyway..."

"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power."
- P. J. O'Rourke

"How Far We Have Not Come..."

"If you want to see how far we have not come from the cave and the woods, from the lonely and dangerous days of the prairie or the plain, witness the reaction of a modern suburban family, nearly ready for bed, when the doorbell rings or the door is rattled. They will stop where they stand, or sit bolt upright in their beds, as if a streak of pure lightning has passed through the house. Eyes wide, voices fearful, they will whisper to each other, "There's someone at the door," in a way that might make you believe they have always feared and anticipated this moment  - that they have spent their lives being stalked."
- Alice McDermott

The Daily "Near You?"

Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg City, Russian Federation.
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"Standing Up When It’s Too Late"

"Standing Up When It’s Too Late"
By JR Nyquist

"This article is a comparison between America and another great empire faced with rot in high office and a decline of the state - Rome. The writer, JR Nyquist, artfully points out it’s not the big events that sink an empire but many seemingly little ones. You could call what is happening to the U.S. “death by a thousand cuts.” Except in this story, people are not really aware how deep the cuts are and exactly who is doing the cutting. I loved this piece, and I hope you do as well." - Greg Hunter
"There is a letter by Marcus Tullius Cicero, dated 18 December 50 B.C. This letter was written to his friend Atticus on the eve of the Roman Civil War. He wrote as follows: “The political situation alarms me deeply, and so far I have found scarcely anybody who is not for giving Caesar what he demands rather than fighting it out.” To explain the situation in brief, G. Julius Caesar had demanded the right to circumvent the Roman constitution, to break laws with impunity, to extend his command over a large army by using that army to threaten the Senate of Rome. “And why should we start standing up to him now?” asked Cicero. The next day he wrote to Atticus: “We should have stood up to him [Caesar] when he was weak, and that would have been easy. Now we have to deal with eleven legions…” Though he hated the idea of civil war, the only course, said Cicero, was to follow “the honest men or whoever may be called such, even if they plunge.”

And who were these “honest men”? “I don’t know of any,” wrote Cicero in the same letter. “There are honest individuals, but there are no honest groups.” Then he asked rhetorically if the Senate was honest, or the tax farmers, or the capitalists. None were frightened of living under an autocracy, he lamented. The capitalists, especially, “never have objected to that, so long as they were left in peace.” But civil war occurred nonetheless, because people are not free to be dishonest forever. They must admit to certain responsibilities, and oppose the advance of evil. The previous inclination to look away, to do nothing, to shrug off responsibility, proves in the end to be no more than a delaying tactic. They attempted to put off calamity, Cicero suggested, and made it all the more calamitous. That is all.

Why did the Roman Senate suddenly stand up to Caesar? What triggered their resistance? As with all free people, they began with policies of procrastination and appeasement. They hoped that the problem (i.e., Caesar) would go away. In the end, however, they discovered their mistake. Everyone still hoped for peace, though none believed it was possible. Everyone wanted to avoid war, but nobody saw a way out. Pompey stood before the Senate and gave voice to what everyone thought. “If we give Caesar the consulship, it will mean the subversion of the constitution.” In other words, it would mean the end of Rome, the end of the republic, the destruction of their country.

In a fitting preface to John Dickinson’s "Death of a Republic," George L. Haskins wrote, “that the history of Rome is the history of the world, that, as all roads lead to Rome, so all history ends or begins with Rome.” Why do free people fall into complacency? Why are threats ignored until the eleventh hour?

“Surely,” wrote Cicero at the end of Caesar’s dictatorship, “our present sufferings are all too well deserved. For had we not allowed outrages to go unpunished on all sides, it would never have been possible for a single individual to seize tyrannical power.” Caesar’s cause was not right, but evil, Cicero explained. “Mere confiscations of the property of individual citizens were far from enough to satisfy him. Whole provinces and countries succumbed to his onslaught, in one comprehensive universal catastrophe…” As for the city of Rome, Cicero lamented, “nothing is left- only the lifeless walls of houses. And even they look afraid that some further terrifying attack may be imminent. The real Rome is gone forever.”

Republics are slow to defend themselves against enemies that advance, like Caesar, under camouflage. But make no mistake, republics always defend. Groups and categories of men may not be honest or brave, but when they are finally confronted with the truth - as individuals - they see no other course. They stand up and fight. We should not be surprised, therefore, that Caesar was struck down in the Senate and killed by thrusting daggers.

It is all too true, of course. “We should have stood up to him when he was weak,” Cicero lamented. The problem with republican government is its tardiness; or rather, tardiness in the face of danger. As Machiavelli wrote, "The institutions normally used by republics are slow in functioning. No assembly or magistrate can do everything alone. In many cases, they have to consult with one another, and to reconcile their diverse views takes time. Where there is a question of remedying a situation that will not brook delay, such a procedure is dangerous."

Machiavelli concluded, therefore, “that republics in imminent danger, having no recourse to dictatorship, will always be ruined when some grave misfortune befalls them.” This is the weakness of republican government. Here is the ground on which it dies. An obvious threat, like 9/11 or Pearl Harbor is not the greatest danger. It is the subtle, camouflaged threat, that creeps up from behind. It is this camouflage that gives reluctant men a way out. “We need not fight. We need not make a fuss. There is nothing to fear.”

When this is the prevailing view, people who understand a given threat may ask: “What is to be done?” As long as we are isolated individuals, there is nothing to do. The individual may be honest with himself, but groups are not honest. What prevails overall is an optimistic dismissal. “The threat isn’t real.” This is how Hitler got so far. This is how Communism took over so many countries, and continues today under camouflage. There is nothing the individual can do that will sway the crowd. And as we are a republic, our political system operates according to the psychology of a crowd. The majority are caught up in the fads and media trends of the moment. Cynical and empty publicity characterizes much of our public discourse. But one day the country will awaken. Then, and only then, Americans will stop going along as if nothing serious hangs over them. Will it be too late? Perhaps it will be too late to save the republic. But it will not be too late to save the country."

"We Deserve Better..."

"We are the world. We are the people and we deserve better, not because we're 
worth it, but because no worth can be put on the incalculable, on the infinite, on life."
- Nick Mancuso

“The Wit and Wisdom of Will Rogers”

“The Wit and Wisdom of Will Rogers”
by Tom Purcell

"Things are mighty heated these days. Tempers are flaring and minds are closed. Here’s the solution: the wit and wisdom of Will Rogers.

“The short memory of voters is what keeps our politicians in office.”

“We’ve got the best politicians that money can buy.”

“A fool and his money are soon elected.”

Rogers spoke these words during the Great Depression, but they’re just as true today. With 24-hour news channels, our memories are shorter than ever. And in the mass-media age, the politician who can afford the most airtime frequently wins.

“Things in our country run in spite of government, not by aid of it.”

“Alexander Hamilton started the U.S. Treasury with nothing. 
That was the closest our country has ever been to being even.”

“Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.”

Today, unfortunately, we’re getting more government than we’re paying for. We cover the difference by borrowing billions every year. As the king of the velvet-tipped barb, Rogers never intended to be mean, but to bring us to our senses. One of his favorite subjects was to remind the political class that it worked for us, not the other way around.

“When Congress makes a joke it’s a law, and when they make a law, it’s a joke.”

“You can’t hardly find a law school in the country that don’t,
through some inherent weakness, turn out a senator or congressman from time to time…
if their rating is real low, even a president.”

“The more you observe politics, 
the more you’ve got to admit that each party is worse than the other.”

That’s for certain. Rogers’ thinking on American foreign policy really hits home today:

“Diplomacy is the art of saying ‘Nice doggie’ until you can find a rock.”

“Diplomats are just as essential to starting a war as soldiers are for finishing it. 
You take diplomacy out of war, and the thing would fall flat in a week.”

“Liberty doesn’t work as well in practice as it does in speeches.”

Rogers was born and raised on a farm in Oklahoma. His wit reflected the heart of America — the horse sense, square dealing and honesty that were the bedrock of our success:

“When a fellow ain’t got much of a mind, it don’t take him long to make it up.”

“This country is not where it is today on account of any one man. 
It’s here on account of the real common sense of the Big Normal Majority.”

Franklin Roosevelt, a frequent target of Rogers’ barbs, understood how valuable Rogers’ sensibility was during the years of the Depression: “I doubt there is among us a more useful citizen than the one who holds the secret of banishing gloom… of supplanting desolation and despair with hope and courage. Above all things, Will Rogers brought his countrymen back to a sense of proportion.”

A sense of proportion is clearly what we’re lacking right now. We need to get it back quickly. What we need now more than ever is the calm, clear perspective of Will Rogers. He offered some sound advice on how we can get started: “If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?”
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