Bertie’s deep-pocket sponsors lost no time putting the squeeze on shorts with market-moving news. For one, there was the rumor that the U.S., Canada and the Philippines used bitcoin to pay ransom to the hackers who briefly shut down air travel in those countries.  The felons were likely trained and sponsored by China or North Korea, making bitcoin seem not merely useful, but even a little respectable as the currency of choice for highly sophisticated criminals. Also providing artificial lift for the cryptos was a perfectly timed announcement that FTX, the exchange bankrupted by Sam Bankman Fried, might be resurrected. If the cabal driving bitcoin higher can vault the 25,203 point ‘C’ high of the pattern shown (inset) — an even bet right now, in my estimation — they’ll have an unimpeded shot at 30,000-plus.