Editor's Note: I recently had interaction with the medical community, something I've managed to avoid most of my 72 years on planet earth. While this time it turned out that I did need some medical attention, the condition is already being resolved, thanks to a realistic, savvy doctor at my clinic and no thanks to doctors at the local hospital. My interaction opened my eyes about the U.S. medical complex, Big Pharma firms, and hospital practices that routinely defraud patients, insurance providers and the government. I'll likely be sounding off about American medicine practices more often in this space. -- Fearless Rick
How is this even possible?
Nearly half of U.S. adults today have high blood pressure (48.1%, 119.9 million). This is defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 80 mm Hg or are taking medication for high blood pressure.
Either half of the U.S. adult population is sick or the medical community has changed their methodology and benchmarks. It's the latter, and there's proof. Get together with a few friends. Look around. Which half of your group suffers from hypertension. According to rational analysis, in a group of 10 adults aged 25-65, less than three of them would be categorized as "ill."
High blood pressure, or, more accurately, stage 2 hypertension is commonly defined as a life-threatening condition. If you're one of those people who believe what doctors funded by Phizer, Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Ely Lilly or other pharmaceutical producers tell you, you're almost certain to become sicker and poorer taking their medicines.
Historical Blood Pressure Standards
According to a co-pilot AI search, During the 1960s, physicians often tolerated higher blood pressure readings than today. A reading that modern medicine classifies as Stage 2 hypertension, such as 160/100 mm Hg, was commonly accepted, especially in older adults, and treatment was usually reserved for more severe cases. Mild elevations, like 140/90 mmHg, were often labeled “high normal” or considered a natural consequence of aging, reflecting the belief that moderately elevated pressure could be beneficial for maintaining adequate blood flow.
Source: scienceinsights.org
A widely used clinical rule suggested that systolic pressure could be estimated as “100 plus age”, meaning a 60-year-old with a systolic pressure of 160 mmHg was not automatically treated. This approach contributed to the perception of “benign essential hypertension,” where moderately high blood pressure was thought to be compensatory rather than harmful.
(Editors Note: On Tuesday, my blood pressure was measured at 134/78. I'm 72, so the "age+100" rule suggests I'd be healthy at 172 over whatever. Some quacks doctors are telling me I'm diabetic because 130/80 is some kind of benchmark (It was lowered from 140/80 recently). They are, as my grandfather and father might have opined if they were alive today, FOS. My cousin Joyce calls doctors "professional guessers." BTW, I smoke, drink, and chase dangerous women. -- FR)
Here in 2026, stage 1 hypertension is defined as a blood pressure consistently between 130–139 mm Hg systolic or 80–89 mm Hg diastolic and is highly manageable with lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication.
Stage 2 hypertension occurs when systolic blood pressure is 140 mmHg or higher, or diastolic pressure is 90 mmHg or higher, with only one of these numbers needing to be elevated to qualify (e.g., 145/82 mmHg counts as stage 2).
The medical community - famous for the "safe and effective" COVID vaccine which killed and injured millions - like all other government-big business-related entities, push a narrative designed to put as many people as possible on Big Pharma drugs when they actually don't need them. The same applies, in spades, for diabetes, the latest boogeyman disease that seldom shows symptoms until doctors get ahold of your blood and perform their voodoo tests.
If quality of life is important to you, avoid doctors and hospitals, eat a healthy diet, get some exercise and be your own doctor. Your body will tell when you're sick better than nay tests or doctors ever will.
The CDC has the gall to publish things like this:
Total diabetes: 40.1 million Estimated number of people with diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes in the United States, 202312.0%: Estimated percentage of the U.S. population with diabetes
Diagnosed diabetes: 29.1 million Estimated number of people with diagnosed diabetes in the United States, including 28.8 million adults aged ≥18 years
Undiagnosed diabetes: 27.6% Estimated percentage of adults aged ≥18 years with diabetes who are undiagnosed, representing 11.0 million people
Prediabetes: 115.2 million Estimated number of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years with prediabetes
See the problem here? It's in that Undiagnosed diabetes reference of 27.6%. If 11.0 million people are 27.6% of the population over 18, that means the total adult population is 39.86 million, which is obviously wrong and makes a laughingstock of the assertion that 115.2 million (out of 39.86 million!) have Pre-diabetes, whatever that is. One would assume these are people that Big Pharma would like to be fully diabetic and eligible to buy their drugs.
Or, maybe the "total diabetes of 40.1 million, which is referenced as 12% of the U.S. population, is correct? That appears to be closer to the truth, about 334 million. adding it all up, 155.3 million, about 46.5% of all U.S. population falls into one of these categories.
With numbers as skewed and obviously incorrect as these, how can te CDC have any credibility at all? Like hypertension, diabetes is arcing toward 50% of the population. In a few years, it will be 60%, then higher, until almost everybody is on some kind of medication.
It's kind of insane. The U.S. medical system is broken. Most doctors and nurses with a conscience will tell you so.
The preceding monologue does not constitute medical advice. Everybody is different. When modern medicine practitioners recognize that fact of life, health care in the U.S. can begin to be reformed.
Getting on to stocks and money...
The Shiller PE ratio (CAPE) stands at 41.83, closing fast on the all-time record high of 44.19 (December 1999). Beyond bubble territory. There's almost no way to accurately describe the level of price/value dislocation.
Earnings reports continue to roll out at a slowed pace.
Walt Disney (DIS) reported Wednesday morning, prior to the open. Strong results for the first quarter of 2026 sent the stock soaring from 100.51 to close the session at 108.03, a gain of more than seven percent. The massive gains seen in many stocks upon earnings reports or news flow points up the gamey nature of U.S. markets. Just because a company has a solid quarter or launches some exciting, fresh venture, doesn't automatically make it more valuable, though in the "take no prisoners" current environment, with everybody chasing momentum and yield, these kinds of gains have become normalized. Stock buyback programs and heavy insider buying (and selling) also emulate a market that is highly compressed and triggered by headlines.
After Wednesday's close Applovin (APP), Snap Inc. (SNAP), Beyond Meat (BYND), Dutch Bros. (BROS), and Coinbase (COIN) reported. Of those, Snap Inc. saw the biggest decline, losing more than eight percent in pre-market trading. The stock is close to an all-time low around $6 per share, down from a high of $83 in 2021.
Beyond Meat (BYND) is now a $1 stock and will soon be in danger of delisting, losing 11% pre-market. It was briefly a $150 stock back in 2021. Apparently, Americans prefer real beef, even if it costs them $20 or $30 a pound.
Coffee chain Dutch Bros (BROS) is headed down more than six percent even after beating Street estimates.
Thursday, before the open, McDonald's (MCD) reported, and the outlook is not good. Despite an earnings beat, the stock is wallowing around one percent to the downside.
The Middle East situation continues to evolve in myriad ways. Iran continues to hold out for better terms regarding an end to the conflict. Meanwhile, the duopoly of Iran's guarding of the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. naval blockade in the Indian Ocean continue to keep oil flows at a trickle. Traders, however, are confident a solution is near, sending WTI crude down more than five percent to $90 a barrel.
Maverick entrepreneur and founder of CNN, Ted Turner, has passed away at the age of 87.
Stocks look to be headed even higher Thursday as futures are up across the board. Silver is up sharply, at $81.17 an ounce. Spot gold is at $4,738.90.
At the Close, Wednesday, May 6, 2026:
Dow: 49,910.59, +612.34 (+1.24%)
NASDAQ: 25,838.94, +512.82 (+2.02%)
S&P 500: 7,365.12, +105.90 (+1.46%)
NYSE Composite: 23,284.39, +275.72 (+1.20%)
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