Day of Samhain 2008

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 8:30am this morning. I made a quick stop at the Goodwill drop-off. Moms was home when I arrived. Moms and I made the usual rounds around Hawai'i Kai, including Longs® and Safeway® in Kuapa Kai, and Foodland in Koko Marina. Moms broiled a salmon steak for lunch along with lamp-baked chicken, fresh vegetables, and rice. For dessert, moms served up Foremost® coffee ice cream. I chatted with moms until 1:30pm.

I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Marina, parked in the parking structure, walked to the gym, did my usual workout, shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm where the dreaded laundry chores awaited my arrival. Obviously, nothing out of the ordinary occurred, even given that the Day of Samhain was upon us.

There is just so much evil in the world that the Day of Samhain is moot. Frankly, I am sick and tired of evil. Yet, I cannot fight it alone. The forces of evil transcend human existence. Evil goes against the Laws of the Universe, laws which I am certain were created by a greater power. In other words, evil is logical negation of the Laws of the Universe. The irony, of course, is that we cannot have free will and a freedom of choice without the option of evil. If there existed no greater power, then evil would simply be an alternative, innocuous and benign. There essentially would be no connotation of evil itself. Nonetheless, I want to be rid of evil altogether.

I am certainly glad that I no longer reside in Waikiki. Remember the Day of Samhain celebration last year? The whole place was reminiscent of a devil worshipping orgy. Incidentally, I have now resided in Slob Manor for exactly a year. Tomorrow commences my second year in the dump. To be honest, I did not expect to be here that long. Now, because the forces of evil have ransacked the financial "system," I may be stuck in the dump indefinitely.

Ubuntu Linux "Intrepid Ibex" (v8.10) was released yesterday. Right now, I do not plan to upgrade. "Hardy Heron" (v8.04) has long-term support, about three years, which is fine with me. I have ordered the free CD "distro." I will most likely run it in "Live CD" mode to see if there is any noteworthy improvement.

I was in a foul mood for the rest of the day. I suspect the the demons of Samhain were attempting to push me to the edge of sanity. The pagan Saturnalia season commences tomorrow, which is yet another Samhain production. The demons will be working at full strength, no doubt deriving their power from the masses of Saturnalia worshippers. I am not even certain about how I can effectively inoculate myself. Woe is me!

Grand Theft Larceny

"The expected rise in the unemployment rate, paired with the rising threat of deflation, presents a risk that the [Fed] will have to ease even further, perhaps all the way to a zero federal funds rate." -- Federal Reserve governor Laurence Meyer

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day was given its "walking papers." Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happened. The urban nomad has pushed the envelope of the status quo.

Something has really been bugging me lately, especially since I've noticed that my investment accounts are shrinking. Yes, I have already accepted the fact that I, like so many others, will be slowly robbed blind. That's a given. What bothers me is the Paulson-Brenanke so-called "bailout." The Fed has been doling out money like there's no tomorrow. So, why was it necessary to tap into tax revenues to fund the "bailout"? My guess is that the "bailout" was a test case for further grand theft larceny. The real purpose of the "bailout" was to begin the process of "privatizing" Social Security and Medicare. The "bailout" has already been forgotten by the very taxpayers who are paying for it. Imagine, then, that the future will call for more of the same. Oh, throw $700 billion here and $700 billion there, and soon we're talking about real money. There will be point of no return. Then, the austerity programs will be forced upon us.

The Fed will be lowing short-term interest rates to near-zero before the year is out. I've predicted as much many moons ago. Greenspan left short-term interest rates extremely low for over a year. Now that the situation is many times worse, we can expect the Fed to maintain near-zero rates for at least three years (coincident with my own prognostication of a housing recovery in 2012). With the amount of useless dollars being injected into the "system," we should expect an overshoot on the hyperinflation side. Right now, there is a partial overshoot of deflation partially due to "demand destruction."

Mind you, food prices have not come down, so we really do not have a deflation scenario. The stock market is gyrating even more wildly than in the last recession, which should be an indicator of the size of the problem that is being created by the interventionists. Should the Fed need to raise short-term interest rates, I predict that it can no longer rise above three percent and for a duration of no longer than six months.

The "system" is completely dependent on debt leveraging. Each "bubble" cycle will produce greater side effects. Eventually, the Fed will be forced to keep short-term rates at zero percent and pump endless amount of money into the "system." Finally, it will all collapse. Had the interventionists allowed the "system" to "correct" itself, there would have been a better chance for economic recovery and infrastructural changes. That's not going to happen now. We have passed "the point of no return."

Big Trouble in Little China

"Worse still, the policies that Paulson and Bernanke did implement at such staggering cost have only begun to do their full long-term damage, which will probably come in a round of even more serious inflation. Together, the Treasury and the Fed have spent or loaned over a trillion dollars in financial-sector aid. As set out by economist Brad Setser of the Council of Foreign Relations, besides steering $950 billion into the U.S. financial system ($500 billion sent over by the Treasury), the Fed has provided still another $450 billion of dollar liquidity to European central banks to spread around on that continent." -- Kevin Phillips

I did not sleep well at all last night. The Chinaman has apparently purchased a whole mess of video games. He now spends all day and night engaged in the most benign activity known to humanity. The Chinaman appears to have been laid off now for a month from his carpentry job. And, from what I can tell, he no longer has a car. What is most irritating is that the fool has the sound effects turned up full blast. Well, I am certain that he has been able to draw unemployment compensation. So, he's "good to go" for the six months.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Wednesday has come to pass. I followed the usual Wednesday itinerary. Sadly, I avoided Taco Bell® or any other avenues of wasting money. Speaking of wasting money, the Fed lowered short-term interest rates as to be expected. The stock market failed to rally because the cut wasn't big enough. Not to worry. The Fed will lower rates to near-zero percent before the end of the year, just as I predicted. Will another "bubble" finally inflate?

I have lost about $2,000 from my bond fund. I did not expect to see bonds go through the floor along with the stock market, but it did. And, I lost money. I did observe that my money market funds are still yielding over three percent. The latter is what the Fed is apparently attempting to bludgeon with its rate cuts. Yet, I foresee a backlash in the form of hyperinflation in the near future. The Fed believes that it has "elbow room" since the dollar gained over other currencies. There is also a faulty belief that we are experiencing asset and commodity price deflation. Thus, the Fed will flood the "system" with useless dollars causing an overshoot. That's when inflation will come back like a really bad sitcom. Can you say, "Big trouble in little China"?

Fun, A Subjective Concept

Another redundant urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... you know the drill. My only deviation from the laborious routine was my brief jaunt to the Institute of Hair Design to restore my infamous monk haircut. The same guy cut my hair again. So, I was spared any unpleasant surprises. The day, because of its innate redundancy, passed fairly quickly. How can I waste my life away like that? I don't have an answer. However, the real question is: What are the alternatives? Wage slavery? Rampant consumerism? The tube?

My evenings revolve around my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. I am pretty much glued to it from 6pm to 11pm every evening. I spend the time reading only a handful of alternative news sites. I no longer bother with politics. That's an even bigger waste of time than the tube. In fact, the presidential (s)election is eerily reminiscent of the Apple® versus Microsoft® battle. In real life, there are more than two operating systems, and the choice need not be restricted to the "lesser of two evils." Same with politics.

Anyway, I also spend much time playing with Ubuntu Linux. I have installed and uninstalled a number of application programs. I have noticed one irritating problem which involves the gconf database. Uninstalling application programs does not always purge the configuration files. They remain in the gconf database forever. The concept is only slightly parallel to the Windows® registry. The gconf database does not become bloated or affect system performance. And, if it becomes corrupted, the computer will still function. Alas, that's the kind of fun I'm having these days.

Rubric of Redundancy

Another Monday found moms and I and I making the rounds around Hawai'i Kai in my Nissan® Frontier truck. We patronized the usual places including Long® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. We ate local-style plate lunches at Loco Moco. When I refer to "local-style," I mean a lot of meat, mucho rice, and macaroni salad drowning in mayonnaise. As anyone can imagine, the meal is beyond filling. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. Then, I chatted with moms until 1pm.

I spent about an hour in Koko Head park. There were literally thousands of flies buzzing about. I was not able to enjoy my time. I was only too happy to depart for Koko Marina. I performed my usual cardio workout at the gym, shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) where the dreaded laundry chores awaited me.

Today was not a day that I concerned myself with much. Contemplation about the global financial collapse has made me fatigued. I can safely say that I am sitting back and waiting for the stock market to bottom out. I have a few worthless dollars idly waiting for the moment. All I want is to recover some of the losses that I will absorb or have absorbed from living in a predatory society.

Down & Out With Ubuntu

Net access at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) was restored a few minutes after I decided to mummify the day's "blog" entry. The cable modem black hole was breached. Not that it mattered. There is nothing much new to discuss. The "blog" has become redundant again, even though I have cut down on the crap. Well, at least I had a break from the "blog," eh? Sheesh!

I located a few hurdy-gurdy video files on DVD-ROM archives. I am not sure why I had archived them. I am already at the age where the Vienna Sausage is marginally operational. There is no need to maintain a hurdy-gurdy archive. Heck, an "emergency" hurdy-gurdy video is just a "torrent" download away. Incidentally, the site is finally operational again. Thus, in the name of simplicity, the hurdy-gurdy archive remnants must be divested.

I am rather sick and tired of the presidential (s)election hype. It's all pure nonsense. Frankly, I am now hoping that John McCain wins the (s)election. At least I will know that I won't be disappointed about the outcome of the empire in the next four years.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday was tainted by bad weather. I departed when the intermittent showers subsided. However, as the bus approached town, the rain intensified. I was wearing my usual urban nomad attire - board shorts, tank top, and slippers (read: slippahs). Fortunately, I had enough sense to carry my umbrella. After retrieving my mail from the Post Office, I performed my usual workout at the gym. I departed from town an hour earlier than usual. Thus, I decided to stop off at Foodland in the Aina Haina Shopping Center. When I finally arrived back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing), I was privy to see the sky clear up. Within a few minutes, I could see patches of blue behind the dissipating clouds. Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has passed.

The despicable "condotel" unit was short $300 of revenue last month, of which I will have to personally account for. From what I am to understand, the situation is going to get worse. There has been little news about the failing Hawai'i tourist industry. I have heard nothing about slowdowns, layoffs, or any other recessionary trends. As a matter of fact, I have never seen so many people indulging in rampant consumerism in what is supposed to be a bad time. I have no idea about what is going on. Speaking for myself, I can safely say that I am feeling the pinch. I have never gone through such trying times. With no income, I am still plagued with a variety of recurring and new expenses. Am I stressed out? You bet! However, I can no longer even afford the luxury of getting hammered. All I have is Ubuntu Linux.

Cable Modem Black Hole

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been shrink-wrapped for posterity. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary transpired, so I was able to remain steadfast with my usual urban nomad itinerary. You know the drill. The weather was not very nice. In fact, there were light showers throughout the day. Oddly, I was able to get around without getting wet. When I returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) at 3:30pm, I discovered that the dump's Net access was down yet again. Cable service is normally down daily for at least an hour. That's how shitty the Oceanic Cable Net service is. The tube, however, is always unaffected.

Today, the service has apparently been down for most of the afternoon and evening. No one seems to know why. I was able to connect marginally to one of the wireless networks nearby. The signal was weak, so data transmission was spotty. What I find odd is that other people in the surrounding area appear to have Net connections. If they have cable access, then their connections should also be down. We should essentially be sharing the same hub. Fortunately, there is nothing to discuss in the "blog." So, I will leave it at that.

Life in a Box (Reprise)

"Empires don't elect presidents, they select emperors. The Empire's Establishment picked up an unknown politician and made of him a star to save itself and control the masses with the American Democracy Show. Casting a handsome, charming black man (yes! the Establishment played the race card. Remember? Everything has to change so that nothing changes) to cover the ugly face of a bloody, ruthless Empire, the ruling class plans to rebuild the illusion of a respectable civilization, the stars and stripes mythology, the American way. The media -- owned by those who control the political process, the same people who control the economy and our lives -- played marvelously the game and another Hollywood movie is brainwashing the four corners of the planet." -- Gabriele Zamparini

Moms was home when I arrived at 9am this morning. Moms wanted to go shopping at Ala Moana Center, so we had to depart immediately. I parked my Nissan® Frontier truck in a nice shaded space in the new parking structure. Moms then shopped for shoes at Robins. Then, we ended up at Longs®. Then, we headed back to Hawai'i Kai.

Naturally, we stopped off at Koko Marina. Moms and I ate lunch at Zippy's. Subsequently, moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I chatted with moms until 12:50pm. I spent one hour at Koko Head Park, drove back to Koko Marina, found shaded parking, performed my usual workout at the gym, shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) where the dreaded laundry chores awaited.

I called the dentist office to make an appointment to replace my lower right molar with a crown. I inquired about the porcelain and gold material that will comprise the crown. I wanted be sure that I would not find myself with a gold tooth. I do not want any kind of "gangsta" look. Apparently, the crown will be a porcelain surface applied to a gold base. No wonder the cost is so high. With gold running at $731 per ounce, the crown is probably the bulk of the expense. Sheesh!

Well, I am not sure what to make of the economy. From what I can tell, the empire has not gone into the deflationary stage yet. Oil prices are down because of "demand destruction" and a dollar made stronger by other weakening currencies. Home prices are still falling. Stock prices would most likely fall without outside intervention. Even the price of gold has gone down. Wages are down, and unemployment is up. Food prices, however, are not going down. Hence, no deflation in sight. I am expecting the Fed to drop short-term interest rates below one percent next week.

Happy Pariah

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day was stricken from the record. Oh, what a life I lead! Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary occurred during the course of the day. I have opted to carry my Rubbermaid® container filled with Quaker® Granola in order to cut back on expenses. I had been carrying a variety of granola bars. However, the price of the latter commodity has skyrocketed beyond comprehension. I now take a break from my grueling routine in the inner courtyard of the library to eat my granola-based lunch under the coconut trees in the Capitol district. Of course, I still maintain my daily gym regimen.

The highlight of my day, of course, is when I get to spend time with my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. I have been fascinated with Ubuntu Linux, although the latter has been frustrating at times. I am finding that I need to use the command line more than ever. I am also beginning to wonder if I should downgrade to a lighter desktop manager such as Xfce. After all, simplicity is the key to happiness.

I neglected to mention that I John in Modesto sent an e-mail a few days ago. He has finally achieved licensing as an architect. Congratulations are certainly in order. I chuckled to myself as I realized how many of my close friends and associates over the years have been "late bloomers." I, myself, have always been a severe underachiever with an uncanny talent for avoiding an untimely demise. There are days that I wonder about how I would fare as a "normal" person. No matter how I broached the subject, there was no way for me to envision myself as such. I have been and always will be an anomaly, a pariah.

Rabble

"I went from being able to have virtually any toy I desired to having nothing but an old truck, a laptop and about $250 in a matter of weeks. It was an emotional struggle but surprisingly as I continued to survive without all the trimmings I began to appreciate that almost everything I had previously owned was excess baggage that weighed me down instead of making me more fit/powerful/happy. I began to rejoice in the freedom of not needing to carry all that weight." -- Peter Offerman

Another $139 disappeared at the dentist office this morning after I had my third and final cavity filled. I asked my dentist to inspect the troublesome lower right molar. Upon perusal, he found a fracture that runs the full height of the tooth. He proposed that the tooth be replaced with a crown sans root canal. The cost a whopping $918 and some change! That will bring my total dental expenses to well over $1,500 or so. I was flabbergasted.

I had parked my Nissan® Frontier truck in the parking structure at Kahala Mall. I walked back to the mall at 8:30am and walked around. I headed to Barnes & Noble® at 9am. I ordered a cup of decaffeinated coffee from the café and perused a few computer magazines to pass the time. I departed for Hawai'i Kai at 11:30am. I stopped off at Safeway® in Kuapa Kai to purchase a muffin for lunch.

I drove to Koko Head Park and spent about 1.5 hours there. I sat at one of the picnic tables and enjoyed the scenery. I was still perturbed by the exorbitant cost of my dental work. However, I will schedule an appointment soon to install the crown (and part ways with $918). If I wait too long, the fracture may deepen which would surely require a root canal and another $2,000 or more. While I sat and ruminated about such nonsense, I realized that I still had the luxury of affording dental care even as I remain unemployed. How many people are gainfully employed but do not have the same luxury? How many people have I seen on the bus who are missing teeth?

I ended up at Koko Marina to perform my usual workout at the gym. I sadly discovered that the Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos are no longer $1.09 each, so I purchased two Cheesy Double Beef Burritos instead. I prefer the former over the latter, so I will no longer patronize Taco Bell®. I shopped for a handful of groceries at Foodland and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing).

There is always a lot more to write about. Yet, why bother? There is only one legitimate reader of the "blog" each day. My only pressing statement for the day is this: I need at least $1 million in order to barely survive. Obviously, I possess nowhere near that much dough. So, I have been reduced to a level of poverty that can only be wished upon the most detestable scum. I have much in common with the author of the quote at the beginning.

When Will It End?

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been simmered on low heat. You know the drill. I have become weary of my rote itinerary. I have absolutely no purpose in life. I am a "useless eater." Yet, there is absolutely no way that I can find any meaning in a meaningless society. I have been reduced to mindless meandering in a desolate landscape transfixed by urban blight, filth, and debauchery. The good news is that I am not in despair over the latter. From my mind's eye, I am convinced that I have been unwittingly preparing for the inevitable collapse of society as we know it ... the secular Apocalypse.

It's really just a matter of time. The sad lot of humanity is that history keeps repeating itself over and over again. For example, with petrol prices down to $3.58 per gallon (lowest octane) in Hawai'i, the commuter traffic has increased greatly. There is just no end to the stupidity. Take the presidential (s)election as another case in point. An extremely large turnout of voters this year will participate in a meaningless process to choose the "lesser of the two evils." What is the purpose of choosing the "lesser of two evils"? If I had a choice of drinking two kinds of poisons, one not as fast-acting as the other, which would I choose? How about neither?

My only hope is that Ben Bernanke and "Big Bank Hank" Paulson are able to pull off another Greenspan-like "bubble" in the real estate sector. That would give me enough time to dump the "condotel" unit and free myself from debt slavery before the collapse of the "system." When it finally does collapse, it may take well over a decade to enjoy the slightest recovery. I want to be even more invisible and nomadic when that time comes.

Useless Possessions (Reprise)

Moms and I made the rounds around Hawai'i Kai this morning, including Longs® in Kuapa Kai, and Foodland in Koko Marina. Along the way, we ate lunch at Panda Express® in the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. Moms also shopped for produce at the Farmer's market. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I chatted with moms until 1pm.

I spent an uneventful hour in Koko Head Park. Then, I drove back to Koko Marina, found shaded parking, and walked to the gym to perform my usual cardio workout. I unexpectedly drove back to Kuapa Kai in order to purchase a $24 (on sale) Rubbermaid® cooler at Longs®. Then, I drove back to Koko Marina to shop for my groceries at Foodland. I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) where the dreaded laundry chores awaited me.

So, why did I spend so much dough on a Rubbermaid® cooler? I already have the small insulated lunch cooler. The rationale, of course, is that I need the cooler to keep most of the items that moms or I purchase from baking in the truck as we go from place to place. For example, moms purchases a lot of packages of candy to give away. I had to carry the package of candy with us when we ate lunch at Panda Express®. Otherwise, the candy would have been a molten ump when we returned. Moms often gives me perishables to take with me. I have to carry them with me to the gym, even though my truck is parked in the shade. The residual heat remains high for hours. The Rubbermaid® cooler will give me about two hours of protection time without any ice pack. The only drawback is that I have added one more item to my collection of worldly possessions.

Speaking of worldly possessions, I should comment on the state of the DeLonghi® "retro" contact grill and panini press. Alas, the unopened box is still sitting in the same Macy's® shopping bag and in the same place that I put it after I brought it home many moons ago. I have never even seen the appliance. So far, I have no target date for its debut. I have lost the will to cook, even though pressing a panini is a far cry from actually cooking. Heck, the manufacturer's warranty could have already expired. For the time being, it will continue to serve as a makeshift end table. Sheesh!

Metacity of Hope

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday has galavanted off to nowhere. The only exceptions to the usual routine of the past few Sundays included the rare appearance of the hottie gym trainer and no Foodland stopover (in the Aina Haina Shopping Center) this afternoon. I was back in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 3:45pm.

Well, with the endorsement of Barack Obama by Colin Powell, I am even more suspicious of this year's presidential (s)election. Since I am not part of the two-party Fascist "system," I am able to view all events objectively. What I am seeing is clearly "good cop, bad cop" theater at play. Because the stupidity has become more brazen, I have decided to mummify most of my "bookmarks" of alternative media. There has been too much fanfare and gloating about an Obama "progressive" victory. That's all hogwash. As the empire flounders, the need for the ruling elite (read: the moneychangers and powers-that-be) to put a friendly face forward to placate the masses is vital.

American Century sent several money market fund prospectus supplements to me by mail. The firm has decided to buy into the Treasury's protection fund, the fees of which will naturally be deducted from the measly dividends. With that, I realized just how tired I am of worrying about the money in my investment accounts. Sooner or later, the money will be transferred to the ruling elite. Concern over money is about as effective as concern over the (s)election. In other words, it's a farce.

I discovered that the Metacity (rhymes with "audacity") window manager in Ubuntu Linux is much faster than Compiz-Fusion. Of course, Metacity is devoid of any "special effects" frills. As far as I can tell, the desktop freezing that I have encountered is not specific to either window manager. I happen to like the "special effects" frills, so I will stay with Compiz-Fusion.

Galavanting Redux

I was on my way to Waikiki at 7:30am. I actually had a decent night's rest with no toothache. Ditto for the night before. Pseudo-professor Glenn was waiting when I arrived. He used his pass card to let me drive into the Fairway Villa parking structure. Within minutes, we were loading up my Nissan® Frontier truck with only the bare necessities that he would need for the remainder of his time in Hawai'i.

We unloaded everything at his son's condo in the Varsity district. I also helped to set up his computer. We were done by 10am. I drove to Kahala Mall and parked my truck in the parking structure. I thought that I would look around the mall for a while. Wrong-O! The mall was already crowded, so invoked "Plan B." I rode the bus to town to engage in the rote urban nomad ritual, albeit later than usual. While sitting in the inner courtyard of the library, I realized that I had neglected to connect Pseudo-professor Glenn's phone line to his computer, which was not surprising given the fact that his Fax machine, answering machine, and phone were to be connected to the same line. I walked to the gym an hour earlier than usual. I performed my usual workout. Then, I rode the bus back to Kahala Mall. The mall was so crowded that there was a traffic jam in the parking lot.

I drove back to Pseudo-professor Glenn's place, only to discover that he was not there. I left a note detailing the procedure to locate and connect the phone line to his computer. I stopped by Kahala Mall again but I could not find parking. Thus, I ended up at Foodland in the Aina Haina Shopping Center. I made the mistake of purchasing Ahi Poke with Limu. Thus, I had to choke down the expensive purchase during dinner. My tooth was acting up again, but not as much as two days ago. I have another appointment with the dentist this coming Wednesday to fill my last cavity. I will ask him to inspect the suspect tooth again. Oddly, the most recent x-ray about three weeks ago shows no problem with the tooth. There is an extremely large filling that is very close to a nerve, which is why the tooth has always been sensitive. The only explanation would be that I fractured the tooth, although that would seem impossible since I rarely chew on that particular side. Strange things.

Well, so far Ubuntu Linux appears to be working out fine. The two remaining issues (i.e., no headphone sound, desktop freezing) have not been solved. I have avoided the latest kernal upgrade because there have been recent reports of computers being reduced to doorstops. The new version of Ubuntu ("Intrepid Ibex" v8.10) will be shipping in about two weeks. I will most likely order the free CD, but I will not install it since it is not designated LTS (read: Long-Term Support).

My Poor Tooth

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 8:30am. Moms was home when I arrived. Moms and I only made the rounds in Koko Marina. We ate lunch at Yummy's Korean Barbeque. Then, moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Later moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I chatted with moms until 12:45pm.

The rest of the afternoon was formulaic urban nomad. I spent time in Koko Head Park before returning to Koko Marina. I performed my usual workout at the gym. Then, I shopped for my own groceries at Foodland. When I returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing), I completed the dreaded laundry chores. You know the drill.

My tooth was still bothering me. Although, I do not chew any food on the side of my mouth where the offending tooth resides, I was still privy to pain when the tooth made contact with the tooth above it. At the gym, I could feel the tooth throbbing while I was engaging in my cardio workout. My poor tooth. I just wish that the tooth would heal itself. We all know how far that's going to get me. I am certain that I am looking at a $2,000-plus root canal. That's in addition to the $600-plus dental work that I am getting done now.

I can really empathize with the myriad unfortunate victims of the greatest wealth transfer in history. We have been discarded by the "system" and left to be "nickel and dime'd" to extreme poverty just to stay alive. We must exist in "survival" mode, eat "rations," and use whatever money is left to pay the exorbitant medical and dental costs that results from a marginal life-style. In the last few weeks of the year, Ben Bernanke plans to lower short-term interest rates to near-zero percent. Those of us who are living on fixed incomes will begin to seriously draw down the principal of our various "nest egg" accounts. One by one, we will gradually succumb to homelessness and destitution.

Urban Nomad Blowback

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day relentlessly adhered to the same itinerary amidst an extreme toothache. While recuperating in the inner courtyard of the library, I was paid a visit by Pseudo-professor Glenn. He wanted to arrange a time on Saturday for me to assist him to move from the Fairway Villa in Waikiki to his son's vacant condo in the Varsity district. I reluctantly agreed to assist him, disguising my unwillingness by blaming my disposition on the toothache. After he departed, the guy sitting at the next table got up to leave. He handed me some religious literature, introduced himself, and left. That small act of kindness made me wonder about what kind of insensitive hermit I have become.

My sole goal for past two years has been to remain entirely self-sufficient. In following that course, I became a social recluse. Gradually, I came to despise most of humanity, but not without good reason. Humanity has degenerated into a cesspool of debauchery. Yet, in my campaign to become a hermit, I began to cultivate a caustic mindset, one that may eventually lead to my undoing. Thus, I have vowed to make the most of my Saturday morning when I assist Pseudo-professor Glenn. Soon, he will be moving to Texas, and I will probably never see him again.

I performed my usual workout at the gym, an increasingly empty task. My tooth continued to give me grief. Nonetheless, I soldiered on as only a true urban nomad would. I rode an extremely crowded bus back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I managed to remain oblivious to the typical inconsiderate transgressions of fellow members in the peon class.

Well, did you happen to watch the presidential debate? I could only tolerate no more than a few minutes. What a crock of shit! I seriously urge everyone to vote third-party or don't vote at all. It's time to put and end to the charade.

All Pain, But No Gain

I was able to visit with moms today. Our schedule was hectic. Our first stop was at Longs® in Kuapa Kai. We then made our way to the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. Moms purchased a small pillow at Ross®. We stopped by City Mill to see if we could find a composter. Nada. Our final stop was at Koko Marina. Moms and I ate lunch at Zippy's. Afterwards, moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I chatted with moms for only about ten minutes. The time was already past 1pm.

My Nissan® Frontier truck and I spent a little less than an hour in Koko Head Park. I then drove back to Koko Marina. Finding shaded parking was easy. I walked to the gym, performed my usual workout, and dropped my gym bag off in my truck. I shopped for my own groceries at Foodland before returning to Slob Manor (read: rental housing).

I was privy to another sleepless night again. The problem stemmed from an aching tooth. My left rear molar was giving me grief again. In fact, it was aching for most of the day as well. There is nothing that I can do short of a root canal. The latter option is unacceptable to me. No doubt, I will have to live with the pain for the rest of my life. Isn't old age grand?

Now, for more urban nomad stuff:

Smell is going to be a problem for you at first, but after a few weeks you won't mind, because you smell too, and so does everyone around you. If you want a break from the relentless olfactory fact of being around unwashed large mammals, sidle up to somebody who smokes. That's the one good thing about cigarettes, and it may be why losers all smoke. Don't smoke just for that, though. Cigarettes are insanely expensive and turn lots of poor people into cringing beggars.

That's an excerpt from an excellent article by John Dolan titled, "5 Pieces of Advice for the New Paupers," which appeared on the Alternet site.

Keratosis & Saturnalia

The small (about 1mm across) black scab-like anomalies have tainted the skin on the lower deltoid of my right arm for several years. I had previously discounted the painless blemishes as "old man spots." I cannot recollect whether I had discussed the skin lesions with my personal physician while I still had health insurance. Nonetheless, I noticed that the number of scab-like tumors has increased with time. The size of each lesion has not changed in size. Nor has there been any melanoma-like symptoms. Yet, I have reason to be concerned.

The last thing that I need right now is a bout with skin cancer. I performed pseudo-research on the Net and discovered that I may be suffering from Seborrhoeic Keratosis, which is essentially "old man spots." I had heard the prognosis before, so there is a high probability that I had discussed the matter with my (former) personal physician. He may have suggested the surgical removal of the tumors. However, my health insurance may not have covered the surgery because its purpose is "cosmetic." In any case, I will need to expedite the procurement of some kind of health plan very soon. I cannot continue to live in medical limbo forever.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day was marred by my concern about the skin anomalies. I did not sleep well at all last night. My itinerary was the same as always. You know the drill. The daily urban nomad routine is beginning to take a toll on my psyche. However, I am not yet ready to return to wage slavery.

Did you wonder where all the dinero for the worldwide bank bailout came from? Trillions in dollars, euros, yen, and so forth were injected into banks around the planet by their respective governments. I suspect that the money was "printed," which means that we are looking at world inflation on the horizon.

In empire, there is a frantic attempt to pump up the paper wealth of the minions and to establish new loans products for them as well. The Saturnalia shopping season is coming up. If the retail sector suffers a sharp decline, there will be ripples felt throughout the economy. There's no way around that fact given how consumer spending makes up over 70 percent of GDP. I am expecting next year to be the turning point for the gluttonous empire. With more mortgage resets coming up next year, there will be a reenactment of what we're currently experiencing. Sadly, the financial "system" will not have stabilized by then. For now, though, all eyes are on Saturnalia.

Nomadic Malaise

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day turned into a homeless guy emulation. Because of the quasi-holiday, I was not able to visit with moms. Instead, I followed a horrid itinerary that began at the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. I arrived there at 8:45am. My sole purpose to be there was to use the public restroom facilities. Then, I sat on one of the benches along with several other purposeless senior citizens.

Observing the myriad shoppers filing into the various stores was a nauseating sight. I noticed another urban nomad walking about. He is always riding the bus to various location. He dresses in black board shorts and a tattered old grey hooded sweatshirt, which match his worn out slippahs (read: slippers). He wears his hair in a longer Dutch-boy style. He happened to be sitting next to me on the bus yesterday. When an acquaintance of his boarded the bus, they ended up conversing. I discovered that his name is Reggie, and he is 36 years old. I had previously asked moms if she knew who he was. He apparently lives with his parents in Hawai'i Kai. He is unemployed, so I have no idea where his unlimited funding originates.

I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Safeway® in Kuapa Kai to purchase an overpriced ($1.49) muffin. I then drove to Koko Head Park, where I situated myself on a picnic bench. I also brought along my small Rubbermaid® container filled with Quaker® Granola. I spent over three hours in the park. I noticed an odd assortment of humanoids. Most of them drive to the park in their 4000-pound motorized chairs (read: automobiles). Then, they sit in their motorized chairs and smoke cigarettes.

I drove to Koko Marina at 2pm, I easily found shaded parking, although the sky was overcast. I performed my usual cardio workout at the gym. I then tempted fate by eating an early dinner (i.e., two Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos) at Taco Bell®. I did not experience any indigestion, which leads me to believe that the extra burrito and the enormous amount of Fire Taco Sauce is what really did me in. I made my final stop at Foodland before returning to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) where the dreaded laundry chores awaited my arrival.

Well, the stock market is back on track. The sky is the limit! Oh, happy days are hear again ... (sing-along). Errr, not exactly. Once again, the moneychangers and powers-that-be are attempting to prop up the "system." Note that the market gyrations are becoming wilder with each successive iteration. There's still a lot of wealth being transferred from the poor to the rich. My suggestion is to run the other way.

Ubuntu Linux is finally grating on my nerves. I have noticed that the touchpad is not very responsive. I must tap two or three times before the touchpad registers the transaction. I uninstalled the Brasero CD/DVD burning utility because it failed to work properly. I also gave up with the Totem media player. I uninstalled all of the so-called "dirty" codecs for it. I then installed VLC Player, although it is only slightly better (i.e., does not freeze the Gnome® desktop as often). However, I have already discarded the restore CDs for the "other" operating system, so there's no turning back.

Rock Bottom

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday was just like every Sunday so far. I am beginning to wonder if the homeless situation is approaching an epidemic here. This morning, a seemingly regular guy boarded the bus. He was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. He carried a backpack. Only when he walked past me did I notice the pungent odor. When he sat down, everyone around him moved to other seats. I then noticed that his shoes were scuffed with dirt. Upon closer scrutiny, I observed that his shirt was a brownish tint, also because of dirt.

When I alighted in Kaimuki this afternoon to transfer to another bus, there was a homeless guy sleeping on one of the benches. He had a shopping cart parked next to him. I have never seen any of the homeless in Kaimuki before. He wore tattered and soiled clothing. About ten minutes later, he woke up. He walked up to a small tree along the sidewalk and "drained the lizard." An obese chick in an SUV stopped several yards behind another vehicle waiting at the traffic signal, in fact just a few feet away from the homeless guy. The obese chick blared the horn of her SUV in an attempt to cause the homeless guy to cease and desist. Oblivious to the ruckus, the homeless guy completed his task and staggered back to the bench. He lit up a crudely rolled cigarette. Then, he sifted through his worldly possessions in a small tin box. The gusty wind blew most of the crap further down the sidewalk. The homeless guy seemed to care less.

I neglected to mention that I have been privy to several middle school panhandlers as of late. Mind you, those kids are from the affluent Hawai'i Kai area. Yet, they are walking around Koko Marina and soliciting various patrons for "bus fare." Whassup wi' dat? Are we hitting "rock bottom" because of the financial crisis?

Call to Homelessness

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... need I say more? Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary occurred during the course of the day. I followed the usual itinerary, returning to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) at 5:30pm. I cannot say that I was happy to be back in the dump.

I have been extremely fatigued as of late. The most likely culprit is the financial collapse of the empire, which is taking down the masses including the ol' lavahead. Sadly, I have not witnessed any despair amongst the masses. Life is literally going on as if nothing has transpired in the last two weeks. Fools are eagerly parting with their money. I can make no sense of it all. In the meantime, I have been looking at ways to save more money. All of the schemes will only save a dollar here and a dollar there. Yet, only a monthly basis, hundreds of dollars are fleeing my investment accounts. Who do I have to thank? Why, Ben Bernanke and "Big Bank Hank" Paulson, of course. I'd like to cold-cock them both just like what happened to Lehman Bro's arrogant CEO, "Dick" Fuld.

I have also been analyzing my proposal to become fully homeless. I thought of establishing a target date (i.e., January 1, 2009) in order to secure a timeline, but that alone may not be enough. There are clearly many disadvantages to the homeless option.

One primary concern is that I would remain homeless permanently after implementing the plan. I will certainly not be able to rent any housing after-the-fact, even with a stash of cash. Thus, homelessness is a one-way ticket to dereliction. In addition, my urban nomad itinerary would change to a true homeless guy itinerary.

I would need to put most of my possessions in a storage unit. I would also have to make a stop at the storage unit every day after I depart the homeless shelter. I will have to spend much more money for prepared food as well as patronize the local "soup kitchens." I would also have to purchase a smaller computer (Linux-based, of course!) to carry with me.

As for my Nissan® Frontier truck, I can probably just keep it parked on the side street near Slob Manor. No one would know the difference. My gym membership would have to be maintained, if only for the shower facilities. Am I prepared to do all of that and more?

Worst Case Scenario

As to be expected, I visited with moms this morning. Moms and I ate lunch at Zippy's in Koko Marina. Then, moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I then chatted with moms until 1pm.

I spent an hour in Koko Head Park. Then, I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Marina. After finding shaded parking, I walked to the gym. I did my usual workout, shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) where the dreaded laundry chores awaited my arrival.

The stock market apparently had a volatile day. I have been using my Palm® TX to access the news on the Net (as opposed to the long process of powering up my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer) in the morning. I was able to track the various stock indices.

From the graph, we can plainly see that we are at the tail end of the bulk of mortgage resets. However, there will be another wave of resets for each of the next three years. No stability will return to the housing market until the year 2012 as predicted. We can most likely expect the stock market to remain volatile until that time as well.

And what of the current crisis? According to Karl Denninger, the worst case scenario:

Again, for the second day, no OMO (Open Market Operations) at The Fed. Read this report carefully. Note that there are no Agencies and no Treasuries left on The Fed's balance sheet. All gone. All that is left is $80 billion of crappy MBS. Bluntly, without printing raw money,The Fed is out of Treasuries with which to lend into the market, and thus cannot perform OMO any more; they must do "other things" (like print money.) We are now officially into the twilight zone and Fed Solvency is an issue on the table. President Bush spoke again but none one word about forcing transparency among financial institutions. Raise cash now and be prepared for potential essential good and service disruptions as the supply pipelines could begin to go dry on these as soon as early next week.

You may be inclined to read his article titled, "Potential Economic Seizure Dead Ahead," which appeared on the Market Ticker "blog."

Doom & Gloom

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... you know the drill. The routine was the same with the exception that Pseudo-professor Glenn stopped by to visit me this morning in the inner courtyard of the library. From all indications, he and Nancy are planning to move to Texas by the end of the year. Nancy is planning to sell her Fairway Villa condo. Pseudo-professor Glenn was not able to purchase the Fairway Villa unit that he's renting because most of his money is locked up in commercial paper resets. Normally, the resets are liquid. However, the financial crisis has made it all but impossible for him to sell. He and Nancy are planning to move to Texas because their son Scott has already moved there. Scott owns a small condo in the university district that is also up for sale. As to be expected, I performed my usual workout at the gym before returning to Slob Manor for another exciting evening with my Ubuntu-enabled Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer.

The stock market took another major dive today. Yet, there is still more to go before stocks are at fair market value. I am personally looking at 8,000 for the Dow Industrials index. However, over at the Daily Reckoning, about 5,000 is the anticipated rock-bottom figure. I neglected to scrutinize my investment accounts, which resulted in my shock to realize that my bond funds are tanking as well. Already past the point of no return, I can now only wait out the rout.

There is widespread panic as the so-called "mainstream media" is claiming that trillions of dollars are simply disappearing from 401(k) and pension accounts. What a crock of shit! The money isn't disappearing. It is simply being transferred from the poor to the rich Fascists. A falling stock market indicates that there is massive selling of equities. Someone is apparently buying them up, though. The sellers, especially at or near the bottom of the selling trough, are taking an actual loss. Pension funds and 401(k) accounts only realize a paper loss for account holders. In other words, the loss does not accrue until a redemption is made. However, if the equities prices do not recover before any redemption, than an actual loss will be accrued. There is also the matter of lost potential earnings while the paper losses exist.

As for the economy, there is only one way that it can go ... down. As you may recall, at least 75 percent of GDP is based on consumption, that is, materialistic greed. Consumers have done everything from engaging in multiple wage slavery, racking up credit card debt, seeking personal loans, and extracting home equity in order to attain the so-called "American Dream." Obviously, it is debt, not personal savings, that drives the consumer-based economy. Unless there is a way to present consumers with more cheap loan consolidation schemes, the consumer-based economy is doomed. Once again, since 75 percent of the economy is based on consumption, there is little to fall back upon for a rapid recovery. All in all, we must remain vigilant during the doom and gloom. The secular Apocalypse my finally be upon us.

Incidentally, I considered the option of paying off the mortgage for the "condotel" unit outright. Unfortunately, that does not free me from the monthly condo maintenance fee, property taxes, and other costs. If I pay off the mortgage and my investment accounts disappear, then I will lose everything anyway. Well, at least I know that I won't be alone.

Fascist Smoothie

I was on my way to Kahala Mall by 7:30am this morning. I found shaded parking in the parking structure. Then, I made the long walk to the dentist office. I only had two teeth drilled this morning, both on the right side. The cost? A whopping $319 and some change. I opted for the more expensive composite filling for the lower right rear molar. I did not want to run risk of screwing up the tooth. My left rear molar will be a source of permanent pain for the rest of my life.

After the dental appointment, I purchased a smoothie for brunch at Jamba Juice® in order to maintain a soft diet while my filling sets. I spent some time at Barnes & Noble®. I also walked around the new Whole Foods Market® store. The place was packed with money-spending fools. I perused the exorbitantly high prices. How can those fools afford to buy that crap?

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at noon. As I approached Kuli'ou'ou, I noticed that all of the traffic signals were not functioning. When I arrived at Safeway® in Kuapa Kai, I discovered that there was a major power outage in the area. The emergency lights were on in the store and several checkout stations were still operational. I purchased a muffin for a snack. I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Head Park. I ate the muffin and decided that I would drive to Koko Marina immediately in the case that I would need to ride the bus to town in order to go to the gym. Because of the power outage, I was able to find shaded parking quickly.

I walked to the gym only to discover that it was closed. I then made my way to the bus stop. As I was standing there, I observed that the traffic lights were once again functional. The power was restored. I walked back to the gym and performed my usual workout. After a nice hot shower, I dropped my gym bag off in my truck. I ended up at Taco Bell® for dinner. Two Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos and one Cheesy Double Beef Burrito. I made one last stop at Foodland to purchase my groceries. While walking around, I felt my stomach cramp up. I had to make an emergency run to the restroom. I suspected food poisoning from Taco Bell®, obviously not a first occurrence. While I was putting the groceries in the truck, I had another stomach cramp. I had run back to Foodland to use the restroom again. I am now fairly certain that I will no longer eat at Taco Bell®. I finally made it back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 5pm.

Well, the Fed made an "emergency" rate cut. The short-term interest rate is now at 1.5 percent. By the end of the month, it should be at one percent. And, zero percent by the end of the year! Heck, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the Fascists are robbing us blind using the idiotic presidential (s)election as a diversion. What really gets to me is that the masses are so absorbed by partisan politics while the rug is literally being pulled out from under them. Neither the Fed or the Treasury is interested in relief for the masses. Both Fascist organs desperately want to rekindle asset price inflation in order to lock the masses into debt slavery. Low interest loans do not constitute any form of relief. Will the masses fall for the same ol' shit again? You be the judge.

Dry Scalp Economy

"You desire to discover new frontiers." -- from Panda Express® fortune cookie

An urban nomad kind-of-a-day remained stable amidst a tanking stock market. The only diversion from the usual routine was a trek to the new location of the Institute of Hair Design. I restored my monk haircut. The guy that cut my hair did an excellent job. He also warned me that my scalp is extremely dry. Thus, I must begin using some kind of medicated shampoo. Incidentally, the new location is quite an improvement over the old one.

Did you change your 401(k) or pension plan to a more conservative (i.e., non-stock) option as the ol' lavahead suggested? The stock market tanked again, yet it still has a long way to go before it represents fair market value. The same goes for home prices. Mind you, once the stock market and housing markets reach that point of fair market value, both will be ripe for another "bubble" re-inflation. In other words, nothing can curb the greed inherent in the "system." The Fed is also planning to drop short-term interest rates aggressively, once again just as the ol' lavahead predicted.

I happened to watch the "empty suit" presidential debate on the Net this evening. What a waste of time! Can so many words be spoken with nothing said? Apparently so. More evidence that we are now a Fascist state.

Rhythm of Deflation

Moms and I made the usual rounds around Hawai'i Kai ... Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. Moms and I ate lunch at Panda Express® in the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. Later, moms served up Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I chatted with moms until 1pm. I then spent an hour at Koko Head Park. I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Marina at 2pm. After finding shaded parking, I walked to the gym to perform my usual cardio workout. I shopped at Foodland before returning to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). After completing the dreaded laundry chores, I settled into the same benign end-of-the-day routine.

With the ushering in of the new era of Fascism, I was inspired to include a timeless photo of General Noriega as part of the celebration. Who better to represent a failed state? The stock market too another dive today, which caused pandemonium. However, we must be realistic. Stock prices are terribly overvalued. The Dow Industrials index needs to shave off another 2,000 points before some kind of parity is attained. Could we be witnessing the onslaught of deflation, I wonder. Petrol prices have decreased drastically in the past few weeks (along with home prices). Of course, the petrol prices could have been affected by recessionary demand destruction and the recent gains made by the dollar (actually the fall of other currencies). When food prices begin to fall, then I would assume that deflation has cursed the empire. Deflation, in itself, is not bad. Only for an empire living on extreme debt is it an anathema. Frankly, I look forward to deflation. So does General Noriega. Our life-styles are in tune to the rhythm of deflation.

Nothing New Redux

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday has "flown the coop," so to speak. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. I have been monitoring the Feedjit® Live Feed to observe reader traffic to the "blog." Apparently, the "blog" is down to one legitimate reader per day. The rest of the traffic are the result of Web searches for babe pictures. With that in mind, I plan to cut down the content of the "blog" even further. I have also jettisoned the message boards. Since ForumCo would not honor my request to eliminate the message boards, I took it upon myself to lock it up and throw away the key. I had to do the same thing for Sitemeter.

I heard from an old friend, Stan, whom I lost touch with over 30 years ago. I also heard from Pseudo-professor Glenn. He is planning to meet me at the library in town on Thursday. Aside from that, absolutely nothing new has transpired.

Goosestep to a Fascist Beat

"Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini

Last night, I transferred $1,700 from my investment accounts to my local bank in order to cover last month's expenses. During the transaction, I pondered whether I should transfer the entire balance. All in all, I attempted to remain objective about the unfolding financial crisis. Yet, I had to wonder what the bailout nightmare will have in store for us very soon. The bailout is law now. And, "Big Bank Hank" Paulson is the equivalent to a typical urinal flush mechanism. He will control the amount of funds that get flushed down the drain.

I must mention that I have read quite a few articles and commentaries about the idiotic bailout plan. Why is it referred to as "socialism"? Socialism is applicable to an entire society, not just one segment. What has effectively happened, as I stated for the past few days, is that the empire has become a Fascist state ... the United Fascist States of Empire (UFSE). Please refer to the definition of Fascism as posted a few days ago in the "blog." If only Benito Mussolini were here to see this débâcle for himself.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been goosestepped into Fascism. I spent 4.5 hours in the inner courtyard of the library. A record, by the way. Then, I performed my usual workout at the gym. I finally made it back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) at 5:30pm. Obviously, I endured a long day of essentially doing nothing. That's why I am an urban nomad. I'm just goosestepping to the Fascist beat. Sheesh!

Financial Apocalypse Now!

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 8:30am this morning. Moms was home when I arrived. We only made a trip to Foodland in Koko Marina. For lunch, moms served salmon steak and lamp-baked chicken, tofu, and fresh vegetables. After lunch, I chatted with moms briefly. There's something strange going on. Moms mentioned that I can sell my Nissan® Frontier truck if I want to, as moms can always ride the bus. There were other curious tidbits. I am beginning to sense that I am no longer welcome there, no doubt due to some pressure from my bro's family. Given the state of affairs, I am not certain if I care one way or another.

I drove to Koko Head park at 12:30pm. I spent 1.5 hours there. I pondered the idea of finally jettisoning my family ties. Perhaps that would be best. I thought about my options, particularly the prospect of becoming a full-fledged homeless person. I drove to Koko Marina at 2pm. Finding shaded parking immediately, I was off to the gym. After completing my usual workout, I shopped for groceries at Foodland. I was back in Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm, just in time to perform the dreaded laundry chores.

Well, we are officially a Fascist state as of this morning. The House couldn't pass the bailout quick enough. The corporate lobbyists were hard at work for past two days, no doubt. There's no sense discussing the matter much further. It's a done deal. What worries me is that there appears to be a major run on the banks, although there is little news coverage about the latter. Why else would be Fed be loaning $44 billion to the banks every day for the last few weeks? The big question, of course, is: where does one put the money after withdrawing all of it from the bank?

Nine Lives of the Bailout

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... exactly the same as it was on Tuesday. Once the redundant crap is eliminated, there is very little content for the "blog." I have been experiencing extreme fits of agitation, most likely due to a combination of sleep deprivation and Fascist apprehension. From all reports, the House is scheduled to embrace the "new" bailout package and pass it before going on vacation. Our collective nightmare will begin shortly afterward.

With no inclusion to assist current troubled homeowners, I am even more certain that the bailout is designed to re-inflate the so-called "housing bubble" with a fresh set of suckers and saps. Home prices still have about 20 percent to lose before bottoming out. In the meantime, the Fed is planning to drop short-term interest rates even further, regardless of whether the bailout passes or not. To kickstart the "housing bubble," the Fed will have to lower short-term interest rates to zero percent. Then, history will repeat itself, perhaps for the last time. Expect the same kind of shady mortgage options to be made available to the new suckers. Watch home prices rise because the Fed's low interest rate policy will fuel asset appreciation (i.e., hyperinflation). The masses care little about the effects of inflation when its primary source of wealth (i.e., houses) is appreciating in value. The "wealth effect" will drive rabid consumption and, hence, economic recovery.

Once the "toxic" debt is purchased by taxpayers (through more loans), the banks will be free to engage in the business of more loans. Banks will not be happy with one-time loans to long-term homeowners who buy in at the bottom. Banks need to make more and more money by turning over loans, which can only be accomplished by yet another "housing bubble." Banks do not want homeowners in affordable housing. Profitable loans come from financial overstretch, the essence of debt slavery. Banks do not want the rank-and-file peons to ever pay down any loans. Don't think that a bailout will change that fact.

The exodus may be coming soon. Given the final opportunity to divest myself of everything and breaking even, I will leap at the chance. The bottom line is that the bailout will buy time before the collapse comes. I do not think that the empire's economy can sustain another "bubble" after the next one collapses. The bailout will probably end up costing well over $1.5 trillion when all is said and done. The empire is bankrupt. It can only "print" more money or borrow it (from China, Japan, Russia, and the Middle Eastern sheikdoms). And, the empire is probably at the end of its credit line. My suggestion is to get out of Babylon. The secular Apocalypse is coming.

At the least, get out of debt. Pay off loans and mortgages expediently. Sell investment property once the "bubble" begins inflating again. Do not refinance or seek equity-line loans. Eliminate all credit cards. Divest from the stock market or stock mutual funds. Convert all 401(k) accounts to conservative (i.e., non-stock) investments. Save money regularly. Be prepared for the collapse. Welcome to the Fascist state!

Welcome to the Fascist State!

Welcome to United Fascist States of Empire (UFSE)! To celebrate this momentous occasion, I have included an image (not available) of the father of Fascism himself, Benito Mussolini (Il Duce). Denying the will of the rank-and-file peons, the Senate voted in favor of the same ridiculous bailout proposal defeated just a day earlier in the House. Mind you, both organs of government have now become dictatorial powers. And, yes, both are controlled by the despicable Democratic party, the laughable "party of the people." It boggles my mind to see the idiots in the rank-and-file peonage who are still fully supportive of the party's traitorous presidential candidate. Well, anyone who's been waiting for the "October Surprise," welcome to the UFSE!

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai in my Nissan® Frontier truck at 8:15am. Moms was home when I arrived. We left immediately for Ala Moana Center. Once there, I found shaded parking. Moms shopped at Longs®. While I dropped the stuff off in the truck, moms shopped for shoes. At 10am, moms walked to the dentist office. I decided to meander around the mall. I ended up at Barnes & Noble®. Moms met me near the Center Stage area afterward. We walked to Shirokiya to enjoy the usual bento-style lunch. We made a last stop at Foodland before returning to Hawai'i Kai. Moms served up Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. The time was past one o'clock, which is moms nap time.

I drove to Koko Head Park and spent 1.5 hours there. I might as well enjoy the freedom that I have before the Fascist infrastructure gels. In the future, I may spending my time goosestepping around in an internment camp. I drove to Koko Marina at 2:30pm. I walked to the gym and performed my usual workout. Afterward, I shopped at Foodland. Then, I immediately returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing).

Well, the House vote on the bailout will occur tomorrow. Can we expect to see a repeat of Monday's vote? I doubt it. Most likely, there will be a lot of coordinated goosestepping as the ruling elite (i.e., the moneychangers and powers-that-be) lay down the gauntlet. Once again, my friends, welcome to the United Fascist States of Empire!