Its Good to be King

I've got Spring time on the brain... and I am looking forward to working in my garden the way my late dog T-Bone used to look forward to her morning walk... I am practically running in place.  Here's a shot of peach blossom's on my farm from a couple Spring's past...

TPTB must be sitting back in AWE of how well the last couple of years turned out. In F&*&ing AWE!!

Even with Oil knocking on the door, and the bond market taking a dump...  The fact is that the U.S financial system was literally near death, and not only did these guys pull it out, but the US$ has not been terribly harmed.  This is the primary benefit of having the world's largest military enforcing US$ hegemony (and no viable alternative).  Look, I am no fan of empire, because I think in the long run it is a really, really bad idea... but you gotta "give the devil his due".  I know things are bad for a lot of folks... but things really could have been much, much worse.

Housing can still put the U.S. back in recession, but not as long as we run 10% of GDP deficits and nobody sells the US$.  You know that Animal Planet show "I'm Alive"? The U.S. economy should be a headline story.

How long will the world tolerate U.S. 10% Deficit to GDP? I can't imagine much longer.... but just to have gotten here is far beyond the expectations of even those running the joint down at the Fed.

It is ALL about Oil, once again.

Actually, no. That's not true. It is all about Oil and healthcare and military spending.

Read this article. I have no medical training (unless you consider some first-responder courses I took 30 years ago) but I do understand statistical and data analysis as well as the next self-educated-white-trash sort... there is so much that can be unwound from our silly make-you-sick industry that it really might not be all that hard to do. Excepting, maybe, the politics.

Back surgery? No help. Prostate surgery? Even less help. Statins? No better than baby aspirin statistically. Cancer treatments? Hundreds and hundreds of other people's $$$$ spent per patient to extend lives by days and weeks... and so sick you wish you were among the dearly departed.  I wouldn't buy a healthcare stock at gun point.  These guys are freaking doomed. Medical school, once a sure thing, might become a very, very chancy bet.

As the data comes in and we find out that most medical treatments advanced since the discovery of sulfa drugs and anti-biotics (in the 1930's) did not extend lives very much, if at all, we (read government) are going to be under pressure to make some serious adjustments.

In the micro, people that walk 4 miles per day as fast as they possibly can and eat a well balanced diet are making a much better investment over working at a desk and commuting in exchange for "health benefits"(and dying before their time)... real health benefits will turn out to be the time to walk/exercise and to cook at home.

But that doesn't sell drugs, pay physicians, and collect taxes.

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The disgusting way in which the Left tried to sabotage the Tea Party has still failed to come up with one racist or violent incident.... but not for lack of trying.

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Lest you thought those links I provided recently about Law Enforcement personnel here in South Florida were statistical "one off's".... and in each case, these guys come away with much better penal outcomes than non LEO's.  Simply a disgrace.