– Arthur Schopenhauer [1]
Cannibals in White Shoes creates an interesting visual, doesn’t it?
When we think of cannibals, we conjure images of shoeless, primitive, unkempt and substantially uneducated savages relegated to the deep recesses of jungles, with a frighteningly disturbing diet featuring the consumption of human flesh. In stark contrast, during the early 20th century, white shoes (typically oxford deck shoes) were regularly worn with a palpable sense of pride by wealthy, distinguished, impeccably dressed, and highly educated titans of industry, often while on holiday or otherwise during their leisure, serving as ostentatious status symbols and representative hallmarks of the most privileged.
The Title
In explaining the title, we’ll first address “cannibalism”,[2] albeit metaphorically – in this case, this is a story of how a “too big to fail” bank routinely (as a manifestation of its decidedly cutthroat Machiavellian culture) turns on its own, be they employees, former employees or in some cases, clients who don’t play by its rules, and often does so in the most diabolical, maliciously personal and utterly unimaginable ways. In fact, this three-part story has so many incredulous elements of cannibalism to it, if it were fiction, it would not be viable, as it would seem simply too far-fetched to be accepted as credible.
The “white shoes” element in the title requires more of an explanation, along with historical context. Before the Great Depression that began in 1929 and the passage of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1932 [3] and the Banking Act of 1933,[4] which represented the U.S. Congressional response to it, JPMorgan experienced unprecedented prosperity in commercial, merchant and investment banking throughout the United States and Europe. At the time, JPMorgan & Co. was a closely-held partnership, and its senior banking partners often enjoyed the spoils of their near monopolistic labors by yachting together, where the dress code for such social events included the donning of white oxford deck shoes (see pictures below).
Such outings included prodigal jocund fetes on the water, expressly held for the benefit of valued banking clients, as a consummate memorable gesture of appreciation for their business. And with it, a reputation as “the white shoe firm” [5] was born. But there’s more to this story.
Through the enactment of Glass-Steagall, its implementation required The House of Morgan[6] to be effectively split up into three firms: (1) The U.S. commercial banking operations remained with JPMorgan & Co., (as Morgan Guaranty) which later merged with Chase Manhattan Bank to form today’s JPMorgan Chase; (2) The U.S. investment banking arm which issued and traded in securities and invested on its own account was spun off to a newly formed entity, Morgan Stanley; and (3) the European banking operations (represented by its Morgan Grenfell entity) were also spun off and later acquired by the behemoth German financial institution, Deutsche Bank. Of these three “houses”, it was Morgan Stanley that has embodied and perpetuated the reputation as “the white shoe firm”, and this reputational inheritance was particularly apropos, as the separate mergers of other two “houses” effectively eradicated this cultural element through organizational dilution.
Next in line for explanation is the banner subtitle christening this Trilogy – to wit: The MorganStanleyGate Exposé.
The Subtitle
While it seems any scandalous wrongdoing automatically gets tagged with a “Gate” suffix, the agglomeration of opprobrious wrongdoings by Morgan Stanley certainly merits such a moniker due to its sharing many analogous elements with the notorious Watergate[7] scandal, as follows:
- Initial Crime– The initial transgression pales to those that followed;
- Cover-Up– Criminal activities were employed in the cover-up;
- “Deep Throat” – An inside source secretly provided vital information;
- Wire-Tapping– Many forms of privacy invasion were employed;
- Above the Law– The unlawful acts were known, perpetrated or otherwise endorsed by senior executives and public officials and brazenly executed as if they were immune from legal consequence;
- Resignation– Some of those culpable in this scandal have already resigned in disgrace and if justice indeed exists in America, many others will follow; due in part to an unrelenting . . .
- Quest for the Truth – Through the efforts of those with fortitude, valor, and a discerning understanding of the difference between right and wrong, the “Truth” will no doubt prevail. To this end, you will note reference is made to a Latin aphorism: Magna Est Veritas Et Praevalebit (“The Truth is Mighty and Shall Prevail”), and adorns the official logo for this scandal, the image of which ensues.
As an exposé, this literary work is abounding with revelations cogently presented in a readily verifiable manner, including a comprehensive corroborating Appendix for each chapter, which should be viewed as an “as needed” reference source for those who wish to drill down to additional information. This exposé brings to light the realities of shockingly shameful business practices that have heretofore not been exposed, and which those who were responsible for perpetrating, most certainly wish to remain hidden and unexplored. Now let’s briefly cover what is meant by A “StorySagaQuestMore” About Greed, Deceit and Ruthlessness.
The Tagline
This is NOT just a story of yet untold wrongdoing by a “too-big-to-fail” bank. It is NOT merely a saga of maliciously manifested woe left in the wake of this wrongdoing. It represents NOT only an unwavering quest for justice. It is more than that. It is an amalgam of these elements, about unbridled greed giving rise to profound deceit and delivered with vicious ruthlessness. Simply put, this is about an assault on the American way of life.
The Volume
As the first volume in a trilogy, the foundation by which to evaluate the ensuing content is established. This includes historical perspective to some of mankind’s dark proclivities, as well as dichotomous examples of virtuous acts, which have been personally inspirational.
I candidly share salient events in my upbringing, education, career pursuits and in raising a family, so you have an appreciation for what is to follow, which in this volume are the early stages of a scandal, the significance of which will surprise you.
Association with Major News Events
This a story of unconscionable banking abuse from a unique duality of perspectives, to wit: (1) as a “Wall Street insider” who saw one of his staff subjected to unrelenting personal attacks (which became national news); and later as (2) “a targeted outsider”, who became the undeserving prey of libertine wrath doled out by banking, judicial and municipal knaves, all of whom were united by a formidable combination of avarice and fear.
Especially noteworthy are the number of major news events that have already exploded on the national scene, which are remarkably ALL linked to MorganStanleyGate in some manner. And yet such associations have been maintained as well-kept secrets from the public through what can only be described as extensive and outlandish cover-up efforts . . . that is UNTIL NOW – for instance:
- The Subprime Mortgage Crisis[8]and ensuing Great Recession[9];
- The DukeMen’s Lacrosse Scandal[10];
- The Facebook IPOFiasco[11];
- The Occupy Wall StreetMovement[12];
- Revelations of NSA Snooping[13], with a distinct corporatocracytwist; and even the
- ObamaCare Website Debacle[14].
Moreover, there have been other newsworthy events and trends associated with or are otherwise indicative of the wrongdoings that pervade MorganStanleyGate, which warrant public attention because they signify what remains so very wrong with America today. Examples include:
- The worst bank foreclosure fraud in U.S. history;
- Growing police brutalityand militarization;
- Widespread judicial corruption;
- Continued erosion of Constitutional rights;
- Ongoing assault on American civil liberties;
- Selective censorshipand news media misinformation;
- Maliciously orchestrated smear campaigns; along with other
- Rigged systemsof oppression.
Why I Wrote This
Exposing ALL the elements that comprise MorganStanleyGate will shed light on many issues that plague America. And should this Trilogy be widely embraced and its revelations shared virally with others, I surmise those who have been similarly victimized by just one of the elements of wrongdoing, may realize they are not alone and have the opportunity to meaningfully do something about the injustices that have perhaps held them hostage.
Another motivation is deeply personal, and I surmise those who read this book would do likewise if they experienced the same, which is a level of suffering I would honestly not wish upon ANYONE.
What could such an experience be?
Think of it this way. Suppose you were subjected to an outlandish fraud that turned your world upside-down and was predicated on undermining everything you were taught, including the notion of rewarding productive achievement, rigorous training and honest hard work. Then this initial shock is followed by an unremitting array of increasingly outrageous and pernicious frauds, intended to further beat you down, while also serving to cover-up the prefacing assaults.
And these instances of outrageous prevarication persist in growing magnitude over a period of more than a decade, with seemingly no end in sight. This dire situation is then compounded by being let down by those with whom you vested your trust to protect you, your loves ones and your interests (as they were hired to do, or otherwise had an obligation to do, such as privately engaged attorneys and public officials who took an oath to uphold the Constitution). However, instead of having trusted allies by your side, you’re serially blind-sided as they succumb to corrupt influence.
Thus, everything that was important to you (family, friends, career, livelihood, reputation, wealth and financial security) and frankly just about everything for which you diligently worked your entire life toward building, was suddenly destroyed or otherwise taken away through entirely unjust and unlawful means. And this disastrous grand larceny represented contradictions to everything you were taught and understood to be the moral distinctions between right and wrong, and in turn wreaked havoc on your long-held belief in America as “the land of opportunity”.
Would you say “thank you, it was a good run while it lasted” and then curl yourself into a fetal position in the corner of a darkened dank room and hope to die? If your answer is “yes” then you should read no further. However, if your response is “Hell NO!” then THIS TRILOGY’S FOR YOU.
Who else is this for?
The Intended Audience
The storyline touches on many elements of wrongdoing, and seeks large-scale redress for what has been an unrelenting surreptitious assault on American values and way of life as intended by our forefathers. Accordingly, the intended audience is rather large, notably diverse, and represented by some of the following demographics:
Activists supportive of civil rights, banking reform, rooting out corruption and reinstating confidence in the U.S. Judicial System;
Attorneys with the ethical fortitude to prosecute criminal and civil claims against wayward banks, law firms, municipalities and individuals involved;
Business Associates who became collateral damage, so they will understand “what really happened”, and perhaps join in seeking restitution;
Capital Providers for short term liquidity, working capital, reclamation of property, and innovative long term investment;
Celebrities willing to lend their support toward one or more of the activist causes, most notably in response to addressing large scale foreclosure fraud, judicial corruption and police brutality;
Charitable Organizations whose mandates coincide with addressing the many injustices described throughout all three volumes;
Disciplinary Organizations responsible for policing professionals, (such as State Bars) and banks (e.g., FINRA), although the inherent conflicts of interest would likely render such support a “pipe dream”;
Family & Friends who were not only targeted, but transformed into unwitting pawns in nefarious schemes, with the hope that the revelations contained herein will lead to a long-overdue healing process;
Fiduciaries such as the Boards of Directors of those banks involved, Management Committees of those law firms implicated of wrongdoing, and representatives of the municipalities whose officials are culpable;
Film Makers, particularly those with documentary expertise and a penchant toward aggressive investigation;
Former Employees who have been similarly victimized by Morgan Stanley or another financial institution;
Law Enforcement responsible for investigation of criminal activities and abuse of rights granted to all U.S. citizens;
News Reporters to break important yet-to-be-told stories, and elevate their coverage as a matter of national interest;
Public Relations Consultants who will implement strategies to reverse the effects of the smear campaigns described herein;
Regulatory Agencies, particularly those responsible for regulating financial institutions at both the Federal and State level; and
White Knights, anyone with the requisite valor and ability to help.
Is that all?
Although this intended audience list is indeed lengthy, it is in no way exhaustive, because the abundance of injustices recounted throughout all three volumes of Cannibals in White Shoes: The MorganStanleyGate Exposé are sadly representative of what goes on all the time – you just don’t hear about it, and that is indicative of dangerously entrenched rigged systems of oppression that threaten the American way of life.
As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so eloquently articulated on this subject . . .
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”
Before wrapping up these prefacing remarks, allow me to indulge you with an expanded explanation of what is meant by a . . .
“StorySagaQuestMore”
As previously indicated, this is not merely a story of yet-untold banking abuses motivated by unbridled greed. It is not just a saga recounting unimaginable assaults on “the American way of life” and their resultant carnage. And it is not only a quest for justice. It is much more than that.
“What more?”, you may ask.
There are additional elements comprising this story, saga and quest. First of all, the amount of content is substantial, which is one of the reasons why this literary endeavor was split up into a trilogy, and even then, in physical book form, the sheer girth of each volume may appear intimidating. And in electronic form, irrespective of the font size available, there will no doubt appear to be a daunting number of pages. This is because there are roughly 350,000 words comprising each volume, and thus there are about a million words making up this Trilogy.
Now let’s put these one million or so words in the Cannibals in White Shoes trilogy in perspective.
We’ll begin by covering some bestsellers you may have read, and which I have personally enjoyed. For instance, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace has about 560,000 words, E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has roughly 450,000 words, and the books in J. K. Rowling’s seven-book Harry Potter series average about 160,000 words each, and thus translate to 1.1 million words in aggregate.
Ayn Rand’s two epic novels promoting her philosophy on objectivism, Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, are collectively 1,000,000 words. And on the nonfiction front, The House of Morgan by Ron Chernow is 350,000 words, while John Adams by David McCullough is about 325,000 words.
Now while I have read some Stephen King novels, it is likely I will not read all of them. This is because his novels average about 170,000 words and as of this writing he’s written 54 of them – that’s more than 9 million words! Some of his lengthier ones are: The Stand (472,000 words), IT (444,000 words) and Under the Dome (334,000 words).
Now considering the average reading speed for adults is 300 words per minute, and assuming one hour per day is allocated to reading, that means it would take a month to read War and Peace, and 3 ½ weeks to read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. It would take roughly two months to read the Ayn Rand novels and the same time commitment would apply to the Harry Potter series. The House of Morgan and John Adams can each be read in less than 3 weeks, and to read every Stephen King novel, about a year and a half.
But the one million words in the Cannibals in White Shoes trilogy still requires a substantial commitment, doesn’t it?
Au contraire mon ami. The second additional element in this StorySagaQuestMore is that most of its content is supplemental or otherwise corroborating information contained in a relatively voluminous set of appendices – in other words, there is a separate appendix supporting each chapter. This means the “real meat” of this book resides in the front sections and twenty or so chapters of each volume, representing a very manageable 125,000 words. That’s less than HALF the number of words in Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix and roughly ONE-THIRD of those contained in the referenced nonfiction books.
What does that really mean?
It means if you read any book in the Cannibals in White Shoes trilogy for an hour a day, and started on a Monday, you’ll be done by Sunday.
Nevertheless, you may find the information contained in the appendices of keen interest, and you may therefore choose to invest more of your time, but for a comprehensive understanding of this Trilogy, you need only read the front sections (i.e., Foreword, Preface, Acknowledgements and Introduction) and chapters that comprise each of the books.
There is third additional element of this StorySagaQuestMore that may pique your interest. It resides in the appendices, and is comprised of relevant accompanying multimedia. You will note there are numerous embedded or otherwise referenced videos in the Appendices (principally YouTube) that are as entertaining as they are informative. With but a few exceptions, they are short in duration, and are of a decidedly diverse mix. For example, there are movie clips, music videos, news clips, comedy skits, documentary segments, sports highlights, instructional summaries, significant speeches, a symphonic performance, and even an animated cartoon.
Each Appendix for the chapters and front sections of the book (except the Foreword) have at least two and as many as nine videos to supplement and enhance the reading experience – in aggregate, there are 101 videos.
Is that all?
Of course not. The fourth additional element is contained in “the meat” with frequent references to and analogies with classic literary works and important historical events. And while the recounted events are generally well-known, the details pertaining to those events will be shocking to many.
Now you may be thinking that’s already an impressive supplementary set of attributes, but I’ve saved the best for last.
The fifth additional element in this StorySagaQuestMore pertains to the underlying intent of this Trilogy – namely to spur YOU to action, which may take one of two forms:
- Common Victimization– If you, or someone you know has been victimized in a similar manner (e.g., bank foreclosure fraud, judicial corruption, police brutality) as described in this Trilogy (and believe me, there is much to choose from), I would like to hear from YOU. Simply go to http://CannibalsInWhiteShoes.com and click on the “Contact Us” tab at the top; and/or
- Problem Resolution– There are also many opportunities whereby YOU can play a role in resolving some of the injustices described herein, and be rewarded (perhaps handsomely so, since there is a great deal of money involved) with little effort required on your part. Visit the above referenced website and click on the tab labeled “Toward a Solution” for more information.
Closing Thoughts
If I am successful, this “StorySagaQuestMore” will inaugurate an innovative, entertaining and action-based genre for literary works of an exposé ilk. One that is predicated on not merely exposing wrongdoing, but inciting meaningful unified action by disenfranchised others who have been subjected to similar injustices and have heretofore been thwarted by rigged systems designed to protect the interests of an undeserving few at the expense of an oppressed many. In light of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election results, I submit this is potentially a VERY large and significant demographic.
In other words, this Trilogy is intended to help those who simply don’t know where to turn to correct an injustice, as they have been made to feel marginalized, as though they are invisible and simply don’t matter. Well I have news for those who feel this way – you are NOT alone, you ARE plainly visible to those who care about others, and you DO matter.
So there you have it. A StorySagaQuestMore is not only a story of wrongdoing, it is not merely a saga of woe, and it is not just a quest for justice. It is much more than that. Among other things, it is a compilation of revelations, one or more of which may provoke responses such as “wow, I can’t believe that happened” or “that’s incredible, I did NOT know that” or perhaps “YES, that ALSO happened to me (or my cousin, or my sister, or my uncle, or my brother-in-law, etc.)” and hopefully with it, the realization that you can not only do something about it by taking-action, but also be rewarded for doing so . . . perhaps richly so.
And the mechanism by which you can be rewarded for “taking-action” is based on an adaptation of a large-scale problem-solving paradigm developed by a post-doctoral team of social scientists at M.I.T., who are introduced in the next section, Acknowledgements.
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Cannibals In White Shoes 