Odds 'n Ends from the Bear Den

A few notes and finds...

For the start of this beautiful sunny week (at least here, finally, in southern Oregon), I have a few miscellaneous items for you.

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My next Opportunity Alert

I plan to have my next Opportunity Alert published this Thursday, February 13th. Longtime readers of mine (especially those who were part of our M4 Research brand) may recognize the resource I’ll be unveiling.

It’s a guy who, for the past 15 years, has been solving the mysteries of financial newsletter "teasers." No need to get sucked into the pitches like, “This little-known company could unlock 1,000% gains!” or “The #1 stock to rule the AI boom…” when you can utilize the gent in my coming alert to decode them for you. Stay tuned.

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A Super Bowl Halftime Show Nobody Asked For

On Sunday evening, right after the halftime show fiasco, I had a bit of a social media moment. Over 420 likes on a single Facebook comment—my personal record since joining the platform in 2008.

The spark? A post from UnWoke Americans about the Super Bowl halftime show:

"I’d rather watch paint dry than watch that Super Bowl halftime show!"

To which I replied:

And judging by the reaction, I’m not the only one who felt that way.

Here’s the thing: the halftime show organizers clearly didn’t get the memo. They must have missed last week’s Bulletin, "The Great Unwokening"—a deep dive into the shifting cultural tides of our nation. Because if they had read it, they might have realized (at the last minute, to be fair) that their idea of a halftime spectacle is about as in-touch with modern America as a Blockbuster rental card.

Let’s be real: the new cultural America is tired of being spoon-fed the same glossy, out-of-touch entertainment that’s more about virtue-signaling than actual artistry. We don’t want another overhyped production with more pyrotechnics than substance. We want singers back like Prince, Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, or even The Rolling Stones—people who could command the stage with raw talent, soul, and the kind of energy that makes you forget you’re even watching a football game.

But hey, maybe next year they’ll listen. Or maybe we’ll just keep watching paint dry. Either way, the message is clear: THAT wasn’t it.

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The Mattress Shortcut You Didn’t Know You Needed

Let’s talk mattresses. Specifically, the soul-crushing, time-sucking black hole that is shopping for one. If you’ve ever tried to buy a mattress online, you know exactly what I mean—endless options, conflicting reviews, and the nagging question: Do I really want to spend $2,000 on something I haven’t even laid down on?

Well, friends, let me save you from that particular nightmare. Just as I was about to pull the trigger on a ‘Beauty Rest Silver’ from Costco (thanks to my algorithm overlords who know everything I’m shopping for), along came this almost-too-good-to-be-true resource called NapLab.com.

These guys have pretty much tested and ranked every mattress under the sun—or should I say, under the ceiling fan in your bedroom. They’ve done all the heavy lifting: side-by-side comparisons, comfort ratings, price breakdowns, and even those weird categories like “best for hot sleepers” or “best for couples who move too damn much.”

And here’s the best part: NapLap.com cuts through the BS. No fluff, no jargon, just straightforward rankings that make you feel like you actually know what you’re doing. I’m not saying they’re mind readers, but they’ll save you a shitload of time and probably save you some cash, too.

(And, no, I’m not being paid to write all this. I simply want to share what I found a few days ago).

So, if you’re in the market for a new mattress—or if your current one feels more like a medieval torture device than a bed—check out NapLab.com. Trust me, your spine will thank you.

Side Note: Based upon the short Mattress Finder Quiz they have, it turns out the offerings from Brooklyn Bedding will be better suited for our personal needs. You never know. You may be surprised to find something, like us, you’ve never considered. Just go here and input your individual needs, preferences, body weight, budget, and other mattress quiz answers…. And you’ll get back a mattress recommendation perfectly suited to you!

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Solid State—A Thriller That Hits Home

Alright, my fellow grizzlies, sharpen those claws. This one’s a must-read for anyone who’s ready to sink their teeth into a suspenseful, near-future thriller.

It’s a novel by my friend Tim Knight—yes, that Tim Knight of SlopeofHope.com fame. The guy’s already a wizard with trading charts, but now he’s gone and written a near-future thriller called SOLID STATE. And let me tell you, it’s got teeth.

Picture this: The San Francisco Bay Area—land of Teslas, overpriced lattes, and tech overlords—is suddenly stripped of all the essentials. No food. No water. No power. Why? Because a terrorist group decides to pull the plug on eight million people. Sound far-fetched? Yeah, I’d like to think so too… but let’s be honest, we’re one bad day away from this kind of chaos.

The book’s protagonist, Thomas Peterson, is the kind of guy you want in your corner when the world goes sideways. Think of him as a modern-day Jack Ryan meets John Galt, with just enough grit and smarts to make you believe he could actually take on the shadowy forces behind this mess. And oh, those forces? Let’s just say they might remind you of a certain WEF crowd (ahem Klaus Schwab types). You know the ones—the “you’ll own nothing and be happy” brigade. Yeah, they’re here, pulling strings and causing mayhem.

Tim’s writing is sharp, fast-paced, and loaded with the kind of “oh sh*t” moments that’ll keep you turning pages. It’s a story that doesn’t just entertain—it pokes at the cracks in our oh-so-fragile, tech-dependent society. And if you’ve ever wondered how close we are to that kind of collapse, this book will make you think twice the next time your Wi-Fi goes out.

So do yourself a favor: Grab a copy of SOLID STATE. You can check it out the digital version for FREE here, via Solid State's Substack. Or, you can purchase a physical copy here. Or, you can get a signed copy, sent to you via Priority Mail, by clicking here.

Pour yourself something strong, and dive in. Just don’t blame me if it keeps you up at night. Oh, and one last thing: If you’re into sinister plots, sociopathic power grabs, and the kind of villains that make Davos look like a Sunday picnic, this one’s for you.

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Are We Steering, or Just Along for the Ride?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why things happen the way they do? Is life a cosmic game of dominoes set up by a higher power, or is it just… chaos? Take a moment to think about it: Are we passengers on a preordained ride, as comedian Bill Hicks once suggested, or are we the ones steering—consciously or unconsciously—by the choices we make… and… the energy we give out?

In the 90-second clip, embedded below, from Ozark (Season 1, Episode 8), Marty Byrde (played by Jason Bateman) challenges the comforting notion that "everything happens for a reason." He flips it on its head with a blunt, thought-provoking question: What if things simply happen because we—or someone else—set them in motion? And if that's true, how much control do we really have over the snowball effect of our decisions?

As you watch, I invite you to ask yourself: Where do you land on this spectrum of belief? Is the universe whispering in your ear, "trust the process," or is it just watching us roll the dice? Maybe there's a middle ground—where our attention and energy shape the world around us, like ripples in a pond. Or maybe, as Marty suggests, shit just happens.

Let’s dive in, and see what you think:

6 /
collateralized BTC Loans - Addition

Just a quick FYI: Under the collateralized Loan section of this Pro post (for paid-up subscribers): Bitcoin in Action: 8 Unique Ways to Use Your "Money!

… I added another provider worth checking out.

A reminder: Don’t sell your Bitcoin. Seriously. Why would you sell the goose when it’s laying golden eggs? Instead, consider taking a loan against it—but only if you have a solid plan for the funds. And by solid, I mean putting that money into something that either grows in value (think an appreciating asset) or generates cash flow (like a business or rental property).

Here’s why: when you sell your BTC, you’re not just parting with your hard-earned sats—you’re also cutting yourself off from their future potential. And let’s be honest, Bitcoin has a habit of proving doubters wrong when it comes to long-term growth.

By using a collateralized loan, you can tap into the value of your Bitcoin today without sacrificing what it could be worth tomorrow. It’s like eating your cake and still keeping the whole bakery—except the cake is Bitcoin, and it’s busy trying to moon.

But remember, this isn’t about funding vacations, gadgets, or anything that doesn’t pay you back. Loans come with risks, and you want to make sure the borrowed funds are working harder for you than the interest you’re paying on them.

So, if you’ve got a smart investment in mind, HODL on, borrow strategically, and let your Bitcoin keep doing its thing: being the hardest, most future-proof perfect money the world has ever seen.

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Until I write again, tomorrow…

Your Partner in the Quest for
Living a Life Without Limits,

Barry “Bear” Goss

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