My Way

 

     I am doing my best to find something to write about other than Covid, and the Vaccines. Its tough to do, because its everywhere you look. Its simply amazing  the number of people who willingly roll up their sleeves, for an untested vaccine (which offers no immunity) to fight a virus which has a survival rate of 99.76% - same as the flu. The thought process of most adults has been corrupted, no doubt.  My guess is the educational system is largely to blame. So lets discuss them & leave the Covid out of it. 

   Bagholder has always believed public schools are not there to teach, but rather they are there to familiarize and condition the young to the ways of institution, eliminating any bit of independent thought or self awareness along the way. As far back as I could remember, it was:

Covid - by the numbers

 First some indisputable facts both sides can agree on ...

1. The Virus is Real

2. The "vaccine" appears to help in combating the Virus should you get it, but is not without risk

3. Approximately 1.6% (1 in 60) of people who have tested positive with Covid have died (36mil US cases, 600k deaths - grossly exaggerated number, but lets use it)

4. There is risk present both in taking the Vaccine and NOT taking the Vaccine

5. According to the CDC  82% of the Deaths Have been in people over 65, and 95.2% of deaths have been people over 50

   The real Question here is what are the risks, exactly ..... Lets consider the math first ....

  In a country of 350 million people with 600k deaths, The overall chances of Death are 1 in 584. 

 There are roughly 54 million aged 65 and older in this country, Leaving 296 million under the age 65. 

  600k deaths x 82%  Yields 492,000 deaths from over 65, leaving 108,000 deaths from the under 65.  

  Meaning if you are over 65, actual chances of death (492k out of 54 mil) are about 1 in 112 

  For people under 65, the same math (296 mil/108,000 deaths) yields a result of 1 in 2740. 

  For people under 50, the same math (236mil/29230 deaths) yields a result of 1 in 8073.

    Now, couple those numbers with the March 19th study by the University of Chicago showing 82.2% of people testing positive for Covid are Vitamin D deficient, while 17.8% are not Vitamin D deficient.

 People whose vitamin D levels are good & over 65, the odds of getting Covid AND dying from it can now be adjusted as follows: 112/.178 = 1 in 629

 People whose vitamin D levels are good & under 65, the odds of getting Covid and dying from it can now be adjusted as follows: 2740/.178 = 1 in 15,397

 People whose vitamin D levels are good & under 50, the odds of getting Covid and dying from it can now be adjusted as follows: 8073/.178 = 1 in 45,353

Fun fact for those in the under 65 group:   You have a better chance of being struck by lightning (1 in 15,300 - google it) than dying from Covid.

  For the record, Bagholder finds it despicable the World has been turned upside down for a Virus killing one healthy person in every 15,397 people under 65. 

  Even more reprehensible, is a country which injects its young with an experimental vaccine highly likely to fail. 

*********************************************************************************

  And now lets consider some facts about the Vaccine .....

- No clinical trials

- No Double blind studies

- No phase 3 testing

-The mRna Vaccines are altering both the Structure (at the ACE 2 receptor) AND function (to start producing spike proteins) of every cell in your Body

- Another fun fact... Do you know what else alters the structure & function of your cells?  I'll save you the trouble of research - the answer is Cancer

 As if all that is not bad enough, there is this:

- According to VAERS (the vaccine adverse reaction office of the CDC) as of 7/16/21 there have been 9125 deaths in the US reported attributable to the VACCINE, and over 110,000 Reactions so severe they required Hospitalization.  Unlike the 600k Covid deaths where hospitals were incentivized with cash payments to report, there is no cash payment for the 9125 Vaccine deaths. So it is safe to assume the 9125 deaths the CDC admits to, is LOW - but lets use it. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Just over 124 million Americans are now fully Vaccinated. If you divide 9125 by 124 million that gives you a Vaccine death rate of 1 in 13,589.

So in conclusion, The Virus is killing 1 in 45,353 people under age 50 who are not Vitamin D deficient - while the Vaccine is killing 1 in 13,589.  

 In Other words, without even considering the long term side effects .......

The VACCINE is 3.5x deadlier than the VIRUS. 

Bagholder will take his chances with the Virus.

Unscripted Excellence

 Yesterday was one of those days for Golf fans, that just don't come along very often. The two best golfers  (Mickelson & Tiger) of the last 20 years paired together on the last day at one of golfs most cherished venues.  The tournament was on the line Sunday at Pebble Beach,  a course they have both "owned" earlier in their careers.  What an unexpected treat. It was a matchup for the ages.  The 30 foot putt Mickey made after Tiger's chip-in, is proof enough, this universe has balance. 

   Congratulations are due Phil Mickelson, who won going away. It is the best I have seen him play in quite a while, giving credence to the argument he may yet have a Major or two left in him.  As people go, Mickelson just oozes class.  Always has. The first decade of his career he was known as the best player never to win a major. It was branded on him, like a scarlet letter. He took it like a man. When he finally got that monkey off his back  at the 2004 Masters with an array of Birdies & Eagles in the final round, well,  it brought tears to Bagholder's eyes. Yesterday, he again had the whole package on display. He was striping drives, his irons were precise, and he was making 30-footers like they were tap-ins. He, unlike his opponent, was master of his domain - nuance intended.  We here at Mytwocent$ could not be happier for Mickelson. 

  As for his opponent, Tiger, many would claim he is broken man. Tiger is an  exposed fraud, with the removed veneer leaving him a mental cripple, or so the argument goes.  Consequently, most believe his days of dominating the PGA tour are over. I disagree. As an investor in greatness, I am going long Tiger Woods right here. He simply has too much talent & he is the best clutch putter I have ever seen.  Anyone who understands what it takes to play Golf at the highest level would tell you, the game is a mental one.  Yet, Tiger was able dominate the tour while living a duplicitous life.  Juggling multiple women is hardly a recipe for a clear head. In fact, it would have to be a living hell. His career golf accomplishments are staggering, when you consider he did it while his inner demons were running the show.

  I suspect, Tiger has spent the last couple years with some of the best shrinks money can buy. Hopefully, his spiritual healing has taken root and he is no longer on the road to Dante's 8th level of hell where a gilded lead suit awaits him. High priced psychiatry makes it likely he will be teeing it up in the future with a lot fewer personal issues. When you combine the best natural talent WITH a healthy psyche, there is no limit to what can be accomplished. With that in mind,  Bagholder is now on record as stating he  believes Tiger has a minimum of 6 more Majors in his career & will again dominate the tour.  

 Of course, I have been wrong before…In that vein, congratulations are also due the New York football Giants.  They were the better team last Sunday, Sorry Patriot fans…..

Rocky Mountain High!!

   Winners. They are easy to spot.  They just do things differently than the rest. They make the extraordinary look routine, while others struggle to make the ordinary look routine. Winners live in the present, always thinking in terms of "I am or I will". Others are often consumed by their vision of the future - or in some cases, live in the past - but rarely in the now, like winners do. "I could & I did" is the mantra of also-rans. The fact winners live in the moment is what allows them to produce when the stakes are the highest.

   In sports (just like in life), you would think the winners would be the most naturally gifted.  Those who can run the fastest, think the quickest, or throw the hardest should produce more than their quota of winners. Yet for some reason, when you look at winners as a group - the most physically gifted rarely make the cut. Wilt Chamberlain is a perfect example. Many would consider him the most physically gifted player to ever lace  up sneakers. Yet, few would describe him as a winner.   While he had all the physical tools, he was lacking more important qualities -  like heart, dedication, and a killer instinct. Those traits as well as an uncanny sense of timing is what produces winners. 

This past Sundays  Bronco/Steeler playoff tilt - Tim Tebow,  with his usual flare for the dramatic rallied his team in overtime to win another big game.  As a 40 year follower of NFL Football, and a lifetime Bears fan, believe me, I have seen plenty of bad  quarterback talent. I can safely say as far as Tebow in concerned - I have never seen a worse throwing motion on any quarterback ever.  Not only does he have the slowest release I have ever seen - he throws closer to sidearm than overhand. There has never been a quarterback who gets more done with less talent than Tebow. When you combine the fact he has a very hard nosed style of play and a complete lack of talent - its tough to believe he will thrive in the league long term.  Having said that, I cannot believe what I have seen from him this year already. He has engineered multiple late-game winning drives. Its one thing to see experienced Quarterbacks do that, its something altogether different to watch a Rookie do it. Peyton manning won only 3 games all season as a rookie. Rookie quarterbacks, no matter how talented, simply do not win in the NFL. The fact he is winning is what makes Tebow so fascinating to watch. He is doing it, as a rookie, in  an unconventional way, with little talent, on the biggest stage (NFL Playoffs) in a clutch manner. Stated another way - he produces when it counts the most. In Bagholders book, that makes Tebow a winner.

   It will be some compelling drama this weekend when Tebow takes his show on the road against the Brady bunch. Bagholder believes Tebows magical season will come to an end. Brady, a winner in his own right, is also the stuff of greatness. Greatness is an entirely different beast - we will save that for another blog.  In the mean time, Patriots on the money line - like Tebow -  is a winner!!

Poems Everybody, Poems

Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history. - Plato

  Bagholder has always had an affinity for Poetry. Expressing complex thoughts, with a bare minimum of well chosen words can be one of life's great pleasures to behold. Some of the best poets of the last half century have utilized their talents writing lyrics for music. Rocknroll, rap, country - they all have their share of poets. A good poem, just like a good piece of Art, is subjective. The best works speak differently to different people, depending upon what they choose to see.  Todays blog will discuss one of Bagholder's favorite (because of its elegance & simplicity) obscure rocknroll tunes from the 1980's, along with some of the many plausible interpretations. 

There is unrest in the forest, There is trouble with the trees, For the maples want more sunlight And the oaks ignore their please. The trouble with the maples, (And they're quite convinced they're right) They say the oaks are just too lofty And they grab up all the light. But the oaks can't help their feelings If they like the way they're made. And they wonder why the maples Can't be happy in their shade. There is trouble in the forest, And the creatures all have fled, As the maples scream "Oppression!" And the oaks just shake their heads So the maples formed a union And demanded equal rights. "The oaks are just too greedy; We will make them give us light." Now there's no more oak oppression, For they passed a noble law, And the trees are all kept equal By hatchet, axe, and saw.

 Could this be a statement on Republicans (Oaks) who have it all, taking advantage of the poor underprivileged Democrats (Maples)?  The analogy seems perfect when you consider that maple trees need shade to survive, whereas with uninterrupted direct sunlight (which they clamor for) they would die. Life is no different, as Democrats aren't happy unless they are taxing those who produce; and heaven forbid  they ever get the complete control they clamor for, it would literally - kill the country……Or  

 There are a lot of parallels to the feminist movement of the 1970's. Women (maples) scream for equality, while men (oaks) can't understand why women jus don't accept their role - and "be happy in their shade".  The feminist movement, like the maples,  was screaming for something they really didn't need/want.  They fought for the right to abandon their traditional role of stay at home & raise kids, in favor of slaving 40 hours a week for some green paper.   It is difficult imagining any rational group of people wanting to make that trade, let alone marching on DC to get it done……Or

  Could this be a statement on civil rights and the whites (oaks) oppression of the Black (Maples) searching for equality (light). The civil rights movement was a "noble" one, was it not?  The hatchet, axe & saw are the implements of equality in our poem. In the real world, the tool of implementation is  Affirmative action. While the intent was noble, you cannot legislate morality.  Consequently, society (the forest) as a whole is worse off……Or   

 Is this poem an allegory on the failures of communism's never-ending quest to ensure equality for all? History has shown repeatedly, any efforts to create equality where none exists naturally  is destructive for all involved.  True to marxist dogma, the trees are made equal by cutting down the strong. As a result, there is no more rich in the forest, only poor. 

  While republican/democrat, male/female, black/white, rich/poor are all reasonable interpretations of the oaks & maples.  We here at Mytwocent$ believe these are all  false dichotomies created for the sole purpose of shifting focus away from the real enemies, on to false ones.   In every case the two combatants have more in common with each other than they dare admit, all the while the real threat goes unnoticed. It is textbook divide & conquer strategy executed perfectly by the kleptocrats running this country. They keep the masses squabbling over petty differences, as they go unnoticed pillaging the planet. It truly is, poetry in motion. 

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

It is well known in Literary circles that Baum's masterpiece The Wizard of Oz is an allegory for monetary reform cleverly disguised as a children's fictional tale. Oz was written in the late 1890's when the single biggest political issue, by far, was monetary reform. Baum himself, placed a disclaimer in the introduction of the book stating "OZ" was just a children's tale. Thinking logically, why put a disclaimer in the book at all, unless its known, in advance, people will perceive the story to be something more than a fictional tale. The characters & the symbolism within are much too dead-on to be a mere coincidence. It speaks to Baum's Genius that he could condense the political/monetary landscape as well as all the players of the 1890's, into a fictional tale to which anyone could relate. His genius is further evidenced by the timelessness of "Oz". While the present political landscape is certainly different than the 1890's; The players and the lessons to be learned are even more applicable today.  

   The great and powerful Wizard of Oz himself, is the symbolic representation of Government (Gman). In todays world, Gman is looked to for answers to everybody's problems - just like the Wizard of Oz. He is seemingly all-powerful, unless you are fortunate enough to get a peek behind the curtain - where Gmans deceptions and ineptitude are made obvious. Truth is Oz, just like Gman today, has no answers. Gman is little more than a giant complex wealth re-distribution machine created to mislead people into believing the cure for what ails them requires looking to Gman, instead of an inward looking examination of self. This was a minor problem in the 1890's, today its an epidemic. 

 Then we have the Wicked Witch representing the interests of the Paper Aristocracy. They seek to control people - plain & simple.  The Witch used flying monkeys to further her cause, today's Paper Aristocracy uses the MainStream-Media (granted, they don't fly, but they are monkeys none-the-less). The Witch used a crystal ball for clairvoyance, todays Paper Aristocracy simply make the headlines. The Witch used fear as her chief instrument of control. Today's Paper Aristocracy has gathered most every form of human frailty known including fear, greed, vanity, power, and ignorance; and forged them into the finest instrument of control mankind has ever seen - paper money.   

  Dorothy symbolizes the will of the people, the electorate. As a group - they are not particularly savvy - but they do have common sense. Dorothy, like the US electorate is not perfect, as her reasoning is easily swayed by emotion, distraction, and specious tales of woe. Dorothy was a lost soul looking only for a way back home, to a simpler more black and white world.  She buys into the proffered nirvana of the Emerald city (read: green paper) just as the US electorate bought into the Bankers pitch of fiat paper money.  Dorthy and her companions obsession with the Emerald city (and its supposed answers to their problems) is no different than peoples blinding obsession with paper money today. Just think how many folks you know who would tell you their lives would be so much better if they just had more, green paper. The victims come from all walks of life too. Farmers (scarecrows), industrial kings (lions),  workers (Tin men), and munchkins (poor) all have their share of wretched souls lost beneath a sea of paper money.

Once Dorothy gets to the Emerald city, she realizes immediately the system is fraudulent. She and her companions discover they held the answers to their problems, all along. In her case the Ruby slippers, which are not Ruby at all. Hollywood made them Ruby red to stand out on screen, taking advantage of the fact Wizard of Oz was among the first color films ever made.  In the book they are silver slippers which gave Dorothy the means to go where she wanted. In other words, to be free. Free people, by definition are not controlled, which explains why the silver slippers were so coveted by the witch. The key to Dorothy's freedom was silver. In today's world, buying physical silver is the only way to unlock and remove the shackles of paper money. Slaves keep their money in paper, free men keep theirs in Silver. 

   In Oz, the yellow brick road is the path to nirvana. Everybody knows it, but until Dorothy comes along - nobody follows it. Is Gold really any different today? History is clear, a Gold standard is the answer to todays economic woes. Just like the munchkins of Oz who wouldn't follow the yellow-brick road, the masses today continue to play the rigged games (stock, bond, and money markets) of the paper aristocracy, becoming more impoverished every day. Gold was the path in the 1890's, it is the path today. The Paper Aristocracy (just like the wicked witch) is doing all they can to push people off the Gold path. They know Gold is the anecdote to the paper disease they spread. 

  Perhaps the best lesson to be taken from Oz is While the yellow brick road may have led into the Emerald city, it also led out. Emerald city, like paper money, is one giant con. It has only the power we give it. Real power, the power to change the way things are, lies within. You are not obligated to play the fiat money game, any more than Dorothy and her companions were required to stay in the Emerald city. You have the power to buy precious metals and take control away from the Paper Aristocracy.  Dorothy needed the Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin man to make her journey. In like manner, you need  brains, heart, and courage to recognize Gold for what it is - the only way out of the FIAT paper hell.

 Remenber, In Oz, the yellow brick road was not without scare.  In today's world, we have msm monkeys screaming "bubble" on every Gold rally & "popped bubble" on every pull back, hoping to push the lost souls off the yellow brick road!! Do not be fooled, this is a clear cut case of life needing to imitate art. Follow the yellow brick road!! Follow follow follow follow follow the yellow brick road!!

The great and powerful Bagholder, hath spoken. 

One of the Greats....

      History was made today as Major league Baseball has a new all time Saves leader.  The title now belongs to Mariano Rivera. As a closer, The guy has been absolutely lights out for a decade and a half.  602 saves is an amazing record, even more so when you consider Mariano has only 38 career blown saves. Thats 94% success rate. He is a surefire first ballot hall of famer. 

   Bagholder has never been much of a Yankee fan. In fact, in my Bookie days - I had several clients who religiously pounded the Yankees. I can't begin to describe the psychological pain of having money against the Yankees, then watching Mariano take the hill with a Yankee lead late in the game. It meant the game was over, before it was over - and everybody involved knew it.  The outs were just a formality.   

    One of the things that separates the good from the great is how they perform when it matters the most. In Playoffs, Mariano has 49 wins & saves against only One loss. Look it up. Bagholder has been a lifelong Cubs/Dbacks fan, which means we don't get post season games where I come from very often.  In my lifetime, the Cubs have not been to a world series while the Diamondbacks have only been to one. As fate would have it, the one was in 2001 against Mariano & the Yankees. 

    Bagholder was blessed to have attended Game 7.  A couple of greats in their own right started that day, Curt Schilling went for the Dbacks, Roger Clemens started for the Yankees. Pitchers duel the whole way until Alfonso Soriano hit a Home run giving the Yankees the lead late in the Game. The silence in the stadium after that home run, was the eeriest moment of my life. 50,000 Dback fans were gutted with one swing. Morale was non-existent as we  all knew Rivera was going to pitch the ninth.  

 In one of lifes little ironies, Bagholder had no financial interest in the game that day. I was however, emotionally invested, as a Dback fan. The pain of watching him take the mound in the ninth was worse than the pain of the Countless times I was on the wrong side of his saves as a bookie. When you are a fan, and your team loses a big one - it takes a little piece of your soul, leaving behind this small empty place, filled with what could have been.  Losing money pales in comparison.

   At that point in his career Mariano had NEVER lost a post season game. In storybook fashion, that Dback team came back in the bottom of the ninth to beat Mariano & the Yankees. It is the only post-season loss of his stellar career and Bagholder is one of only 50,000 people who saw it live.   Hard to believe its been ten years already.  

   Mariano looks the same today as the day he came in the league. Virtually un-hittable. Absolute money, when it counts. Our hats are off To Mariano, to give credit where credit is due. He is the best the game has ever seen. It would be a pleasure to see him deal for many more years. 

I, for one, won't bet against him. 

The Worm gets his due

"I'm not one of those leeching sons of bitches. I want to earn everything I get."  Dennis Rodman  This weekend the NBA is inducting the "Worm" - aka Dennis Rodman into the NBA Hall of Fame. As a 30 year fan of NBA Basketball, we here at mytwocent$ would say Rodman is the best rebounder to have played the game in the last 3 decades. In fact, there really isn't another name in the conversation for best rebounder - thats how far he is ahead of the competition.     Rodman was very undersized relative to most NBA rebounding greats. The reason he succeeded in the land of the giants was because he had the heart of a champion, a nonstop motor, a very high basketball IQ, and a desire to do the dirty work.  Not only was he a world class rebounder, but he was a versatile defender who routinely shut down some of the games best frontcourt players. We also believe putting him on the court with MJ & Pippen, is the best three headed defensive monster the NBA has ever seen.  Rodman gave 110% effort every time he was on the court, while his off the court persona, left a little to be desired. The tattoos, piercings, and tantrums were about as rebellious as could be back then. Of course he never did anything half-way - that is part of what made him successful in the NBA. We are of the opinion, his efforts on the court were more than enough to punch his ticket into the hall. As for his escapades off the court, well lets just say - He is living proof, image isn't everything.

"For five years I've felt like the best prostitute in a high-class whorehouse. But all the other girls get paid more than I do."  Dennis Rodman

What a catch....

Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. - Heller

 We here at mytwocent$ always like to acknowledge greatness. The truest measure of greatness is of course the test of time. You know time - the eternal fire in which we all burn:)   It was 50 years ago one of the most influential books ever written, was published - Joseph Heller's Catch-22. While it was, admittedly, dark in tone, the ideas within were pure unadulterated genius. The expression "catch 22" has come to mean a no win situation, a situation where all choices are poor. The novel though is really more a statement on bureaucratic ineptitude and the circular logic that rules those type institutions - like Government for example. 


  The moral dilemmas raised in the novel were very intriguing - a sort of prisoners dilemma - where working with others yields a payday but selling them out yields an even bigger payday - thus the dilemma - for some of us anyway. The structure of the book was interesting as well. Its very similar to a Quentin Tarantino film in that single events are told from multiple points of view. As for that test of time, when you consider the issues raised in the novel in the context of today's current real-life events, its obvious this book is best in class.

Dr. Jack - truly a man ahead of his time .....

 The passing of Dr. Jack Kevorkian is sure to fill more than a few seconds of the nightly news. While many knew him as Dr.Death - his MSM pseudonym - nothing could be further from the truth. Many would have you believe he was a crusader for physician assisted suicides. While there is some truth to that, his life and what he stould for are far more important than euthanasia. He was on the front lines of a much bigger war; namely personal freedom vs government control. The real issue at stake is whether we as individuals have the right to do what we want with our lives - or do those choices belong to gman? Sad Truth is with gman making the decisions, we are NOT free people.

  Dr. Jack really was not given a fair shake. Gman (arbitrarily) decided the people of this country were not capable of making life choices - so they opted to step in and make those choices for them. I could understand the prosecutions if there were existing laws on the books that he violated - but there were none. That is why it took multiple trials to stop him. Gman was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Gman, being the bloated oversized beached whale it is, eventually forced that peg. It mattered little that Dr. Jack was right or that his so called victims weren't victims as they all died by their own hand. What did matter was the obtuse vanity of the people who run this country. Gman simply could not have an individual thumbing their nose at them - that was his real crime. To me he is no different than the Tienamen square Soldier standing in front of the tanks - same reason - different circumstance - and most importantly different result.

  While most in the MSM will lament his passing as a loss for those who believe in assisted suicides, he was really much more a living-breathing statement on the limits of government. It is a sad day for those (like me) who champion individual rights. Those on the other side of that coin, who want more obtrusive government - will paint him in a negative light with slanderous names like "Dr. Death", because thats all they have. With them, It's always about the messenger, never about the message. This is evidenced by the rules of his parole where in this free country he was not allowed to speak publically about the assisted suicide issue after his release. What a farce. His message was one of freedom, personal choice, and limiting the reach of Gman. For that, he should be remembered as a crusader. Godspeed Jack.