Daily Ramble
The last time I wrote was Wednesday? How did that happen? It feels like a million years since we left Portland, arrived back at the farm, and are now holed up along the Umpqua River for a few days before trekking back to Portland to fly to the Central Coast of California to visit friends. So if you’re having trouble keeping up with my life, know you’re not alone — so do I.
Things change quickly in the Halliburton house, and what had been a set plan when we arrived in Portland has now turned into a day-by-day living situation. Of course, it has its downsides — like trying to schedule competing work events with my wife while juggling the kiddo — but it also has its upsides — like finding a beautiful swimming hole for our family to share with kingfishers and dragonflies. Plus, not having internet helped keep my head screwed on straight with the market-wide meltdown that just occurred.
Peru has also decided to start requiring COVID vaccines for all visitors entering the country to throw a little more gas on the fire of life. The COVID vaccine wall has not slammed shut yet, and we don’t know the exact date when it will, but it puts it a notch up in difficulty for us to cross the Peruvian border if the policy is put into place before we fly out. I could take a dig at the Peruvian government here for not only requiring vaccines but also requiring negative COVID tests from new arrivals, but I won’t. The pickings are too easy.
Instead, I want to talk about something every single person I’ve met in the US agrees upon: “healthcare” is a stupid word to use for the US western medical system. Why? No other system in the world spends more money and has worse outcomes while pretending to care about health. It’s disease-obsessed and health ignorant. If you’re American, let me prove it to you with a simple question: did you ever hear a mainstream conversation during the most significant health scare in 100 years speaking about health-promoting activities like diet, exercise, being outdoors, and socializing? No one I’ve talked to has either.
I suppose it would be odd not to hear about health-promoting activities if the nation cared about healthy citizens. Still, when 17% of GDP is spent on taking care of itself, it seems pretty clear that the US would prefer spending money than healing people. And if you think I’m exaggerating, check out the outcomes for spending all those resources on “healthcare.”
So where is all the money going? Filthy rich doctors and nurses just draining society are what I bet you’re thinking.
Nah. It’s just going into the pockets of the paper-pushing cohorts telling the doctors and nurses what can and can’t be done. I mean, why would we ever let the doctors and nurses run the show? That might mean less money for the administrative class pocketing the dough! And the US might end up like Japan which spends next to nothing on administrative costs and has the highest life expectancy.
No, no, no, we can’t have anything civilized and straightforward. Nor should we try and learn anything from the oldest civilizations living on the planet. So instead, let’s carry on and continue pretending that the US has healthcare when it doesn’t. I’m lying — it does. It just exists in the “alternative” realm of acupuncturists, herbalists, masseuses, and other mainstream misfits that try to cure what ails the human condition instead of encouraging the popping of pills.
So how do I deal with healthcare, asks the back row heckler? By frequenting healthcare providers unless I have an acute situation. Then I make my way to the sick system for immediate treatment and escape.
But just so you don’t accuse me of ranting during a ramble, here’s a horrible Norm MacDonald joke that will make you laugh.
Bitcoin Price Prediction
Today: $39.8k - $44k
Tomorrow: $39.8k - $44k
I’m not going to lie. My time out from writing couldn’t have been worse to guide readers through the sell-off we’ve just experienced. I’m deeply apologetic for that. We’ve seen the price of Bitcoin reach just shy of $49k two days ago, the fateful resistance, before sharply selling off amidst a global market sell-off. I’ve not got my head fully around the events of the last couple of days to offer a meaningful narrative, but it appears to be another Chinese-driven black-swan event.
Thus far, it’s been an 18% pullback, reaching as low as $40k as today’s session opened and is currently trading at $42.6k. We’re due for a bounce after the magnitude of the move, but I won’t say the pullback is over just yet. We need more information, and the market will need a few days to digest the sell-off before it can perk up. The best bet here is for the price to go sideways for the next day or two, which also is the most likely outcome.
Bitcoin Q & A
Q: Your last Corner pointed out how hostile the press on Bitcoin typically is. Where can I go to balance out the coverage?
Bitcoin Magazine is a publication started in 2012, making it the oldest dedicated resource for all things Bitcoin. While the journal is pro-Bitcoin, it does so through long-form, thought-provoking journalism. If you’re looking for a journalistic alternative to the mainstream media’s take on Bitcoin, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better resource.
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The worst part with the US heatlhcare system, is that you never know what it is going to cost you. no freakin' idea as insurance uses every excuse not to pay. It should be illegal! Its not far off to taking your car to a mechanic, them fixing it and then charging your credit card without ever discussing and agreeing upon the price. Should be ilegal!