Ode to Lindsay Meadows

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day pressed onward in spite of the continued gale force winds and cold temperatures. Over a week has passed and the winds are getting stronger while the temperature continues to dip. Global climate change? The only change in itinerary was the restoration of my monk haircut at the Institute of Hair Design. A slightly thick hottie cut my hair today. Baby was wearing a tight low-cut top that revealed her ample wares. Ho boy! I had debated about whether to wait until next week to cut my hair. However, the gale force winds turned the inner courtyard of the library into a wind tunnel. So, my mind was made up for me. The highlight of my gym experience was the lukewarm shower at the end.

My appetite continues to decline. I could hardly choke down my pathetic veggie "rations" meal this evening. If I had my way, I would have consumed a whole half-gallon of ice cream for dinner. That's about all that I seem to crave these days. Sheesh!

I have refrained from commenting on the state of current affairs as I had promised. The situation appears to going from bad to worse. I am simply waiting for the secular Apocalypse to arrive. The economic crisis appears to approaching critical mass. I read the comments of some "pundit" who claimed that these are great times. With the massive layoffs and surging unemployment, the "pundit" was surprised and happy to see that the masses were still shopping like crazy at Wal-Mart® with their cell phones and music players in hand. We'll be heading to a recovery in not time, the happy "pundit" added. I was so perturbed that I neglected to glean the name of the "pundit."

I also heard a tidbit on NPR News that 94 percent of "Americans" feel that they fulfill an important role in society-at-large. Yeah, right. Like flies on shit? The empire's citizens certainly have an inflated self-worth, eh? Part of the problem stems from the belief that the empire is "God's chosen nation." Another aspect of the psychopathology is the pervasiveness of "entitlement" thinking in the empire. No wonder we are in deep crap.

According to the Feedjit® Live Feed, about 99 percent of the visitors to the "blog" are searching for babe pictures. And, out of that number, the majority are looking for Lindsay Meadows images. I can't say that I blame them. Lindsay Meadows is a total hottie. If it weren't for Lindsay, there would be no visitors to the "blog." Thanks, Lindsay!

Prophetic Pandemonium

Friday usually finds the ol' lavahead and his Nissan® Frontier truck out in Hawai'i Kai, and today was no exception. I briefly made a stop at Longs® in Kuapa Kai and at mylocal bank. Moms and I only made the rounds in Koko Marina, notably Foodland and Zippy's (for lunch). Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. If that wasn't enough, moms also gave me a slice of Tutu's Pumpkin Pie that was procured at Foodland.

I spent a little time at Koko Head Park, although the experience was made less than tolerable due to the gale force winds. As to be expected, I ended up at the gym in Koko Marina to perform my usual workout at the usual time. I also shopped at Foodland before returning to Slob Manor (read: rental housing).

Food shopping has become a nightmare for me. I spend almost an hour in the store, yet I can find absolutely nothing worthy to eat. I am put off by most of the food that I peruse. In fact, I have become quite disturbed that I currently use sliced turkey laced with sodium nitrate for my panini creations. Knowing that I am consuming poison is not very comforting.

Another night with my crippled Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer is in store for the ol' lavahead. Woe is he! Tentatively, he has decided to salvage the computer by ordering a new "compatible" LCD screen. He will wait a few more days until the new month commences in order to shift the expense to that month. Sheesh! Will the expenditure pan out? Who knows?

While I did not spend any time reading the Good Book, I should mention that there are quite a few topics that have sparked interest since I commenced the reading project. However, I am not certain whether I will take the time to delineate upon them in the "blog." With less than one legitimate reader per day (sometimes in many days), the effort is just not worth the time. I will list some of them nonetheless:

• Recurrence of numbers and numeric patterns
• Patriarchal and familial roles
• Birthright and the "firstborn"
• Hair and beards
• Right thumb, right earlobe, and right big toe
• Free will and predestination
• Circumcision

I will, however, briefly discuss recurring themes. One in particular, the end of humanity, intrigues me. The first episode, of course, was in Noah's day. We are speaking of the great flood that wiped out almost all of humanity. The second episode has not yet arrived. However, the destruction of Israel (Jerusalem) and Judah (Samaria) are somewhat allegorical with respect to the upcoming second episode. The curious point of departure is that the Almighty chose to destroy His own "chosen nation."

The ramifications are nonetheless clear. "Chosen nation" status or not, the wrath of the Almighty is all but guaranteed in the face of widespread sin and debauchery. The "prophetic" books (Ezekiel, for example) detailed how unjust and corrupt the Israelite society had become. The present day irony is that the empire implicitly believes that it is the current "chosen nation." Its various anthems, pledges, and currency make constant reference to "God." Sworn oaths are made using the Good Book. Churches of all denominations of Christendom¹ dot the landscape. Yet, for all the "smoke and mirrors," the empire is about as seedy as Sodom and Gomorrah. Do the prophesies apply to the empire as well?

¹Christendom, a grouping of apostate religious sects claiming to be Christian.

Days of Future Past

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day, gale force winds and all, proved to be yet another urban nomad kind-of-a-day. With little cloud cover, the sun was shining brightly amidst the azure sky. Just that alone made for an above-mediocre experience.

I continued my reading of the Good Book (using the inaccurate New Living Translation). I am now deep into the "prophetic" account of Ezekiel. In all honesty, I have been experiencing melancholia and grief. The Good Book is filled with a fairly depressing historical overview of "God's chosen nation." The history of the Israelites is filled with non-stop debauchery, violence, agony, pain, and suffering. The "prophetic" books pound the point of the destruction of Israel and Judah almost endlessly. The "wrath of God" was clearly pronounced. The details of the "sins" of Israel and Judah were also mind-numbing (and only made profoundly clear in the "prophetic" books). Yet, I cannot help but believe that the Good Book is an accurate chronicle of the struggle of humanity at the very least.

As I mentioned prior, the laws that should govern a just society are plainly stated. There are no philosophical equivocations that debate moral clarity or evolutionary ethical issues. There are no human rationalizations offered. The law has simply always existed. Our role was not to water down the law or to verbally obfuscate it with banter. We were tasked with reviewing, contemplating, and complying with the law. Constant review and contemplation were necessary to avoid falling into "sin," which makes absolute sense.

The second mention of the evil entity, Satan, occurred in the account of Job. Curiously, there has been no further mention of the evil nemesis. There has also been no reference to the "Messiah" except a possible obtuse reference by Isaiah about the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace" (and possibly "Immanuel"). The tie-in with the "Messiah" will be of utmost importance as I come to complete the Hebrew Scriptures (oddly called "Old Testament").

Well, petrol prices are rising again after falling to a low of $2.19 per gallon (lowest octane) back in December of last year. Current price is $2.39 per gallon (lowest octane). I can hardly wait for price to go above $4 per gallon again. Then, we're going to see some real fun!

Tourism numbers are dropping every month, consecutively for the last eleven months. It's so low now that I am baffled how all of the hotels are staying in business. What's even more stupid is that more and more hotels are being built, the latest is the upcoming Disney® resort in Ko'olina. Target® is also opening three huge stores in Hawai'i. Frankly, I am not understanding any of that nonsense. New construction is now growing at pace faster than when the "bubble" economy was booming. What exactly is sustaining the economy?

Macrocosmic

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day withstood gale force winds and cold temperatures to produce another mediocre experience. The itinerary? Same ol' shit. In fact, I could almost swear that today was yesterday (with the exception that I had to perform the dreaded laundry chores). There is barely anything to differentiate the days anymore.

I am, of course, continuing my reading of the Good Book (New Living Translation). I have just about completed Jeremiah, the second of the "prophetic" books. The Good Book, by the way, does not go into metaphysical or philosophical diatribe. Essentially, the core of the Good Book is the set of laws which create a just society. The theme of the Good Book is that of human redemption, a struggle that transcends our pithy earthly existence on toward the spiritual realm. Obviously, many "intellectuals" would not be impressed with the poverty of "substance" (i.e., useless blather).

I have also been contemplating the origin of the universe. By the Law of Conservation of Energy, the universe would either have to had appeared instantaneously at some point in time or have existed forever with no origin. Energy can neither be created or destroyed, according to laws of physics. There is no possible way that the universe could have existed without any beginning. That makes absolutely no sense. The universe could not have instantaneously appeared on its own either. Where would the initial energy have come from?

The concept of creation and the existence of a Creator opens up a whole new horizon of thought. Could the entire physical universe not have existed at all at one point? Was a non-physical being of incredible power able to create the physical universe? Do we realize that the concept of time would be moot without the physical universe? If there were no matter and no space, there would be no time.

Then, there is the peculiarity of life itself. All biological species are composed of the same elements as inanimate objects. Yet, there is some kind of "soul" within all species which make each a lifeform. Alas, I am getting a little ahead of myself.

Misplaced Worship Redux

"For more than a century, ideological extremists at either end of the political spectrum have seized upon well-publicized incidents to attack the Rockefeller family for the inordinate influence they claim we wield over American political and economic institutions. Some even believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as 'internationalists' and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure - one world, if you will. If that's the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it." -- David Rockefeller, Memoirs

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... no further details are necessary. The weather has been a little cold for the past week or so. However, that has not impeded the urban nomad from embarking on his daily journey to nowhere.

I have made no decision concerning my crippled Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. I did, however, discover that I can make a one-time purchase on eBay® without an account. I do not want any more useless on-line memberships or accounts. And, my Palm® TX as music player has been a welcome addition to the urban nomad family. I plan to add a few more House Music mixes to my Palm® library.

I have commenced the reading of the "prophetic" books in the Good Book (New Living Translation). Actually, I have already completed Isaiah. So far, so good. There has been little ambiguity. In fact, there's been a lot more clarity, moral clarity, over the issues covered in the previous books. Right now, I am struggling with the concept of worship. What is worship? Devoid of rituals (e.g., fasting, sacrifices, offerings, singing, chanting, or other rituals), what activity constitutes worship? Yes, I am assuming that rituals are part of worship but do not fully define the act itself. One of the most grievous sins, according to the Good Book, is idol worship. Once a dungy idol (e.g., Molech) is created, how does one worship it? Place it in a shrine? Look at it? Talk to it? Perform rituals in front of it?

I am sure that many people today would scoff at the idea of idol worship, yet they are fully entrenched in the latter activity. How many venerate the (pagan) cross or the myriad facsimile statues of Mary or Jesus? How about celebrity worship? Humans have a unique desire to worship something, anything, such that their veneration is often misplaced. Of course, knowing that humans possess an innate desire to worship, the question now is one of whether humans were specifically placed on Earth to primarily serve and worship the Creator. From all indications, the answer is affirmative. If that is so, then the whole future outlook for humanity must be reevaluated.

Horrors of Technology

"Or perhaps you want to start a community health clinic, so that you can provide some relief to people who wouldn’t otherwise have any health care. You don’t dare call yourself a doctor, because these people are suspicious of doctors, because doctors were always trying to rob them of their life’s savings. But suppose you have some medical training that you got in, say, Cuba, and you are quite able to handle a Caesarean or an appendectomy, to suture wounds, to treat infections, to set bones and so on. You also want to be able to distribute opiates that your friends in Afghanistan periodically send you, to ease the pain of hard post-collapse life. Well, going through the various licensing boards and getting the certifications and the permits and the malpractice insurance is all completely unnecessary, provided you can surround yourself with a lot of well-armed, well-trained, mentally unstable friends." -- Dmitry Orlov

I am always impressed and entertained by Dmitry Orlov's articles. The quote above is from an article (or talk) that appeared at the Energy Bulletin site, and is no exception. All I can say is that the article is a must read.

Another Monday brought me and my Nissan® Frontier truck to Hawai'i Kai for another visit with moms. The agenda was essentially the same. Moms and I made the usual rounds ... Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. We ate lunch at Yummy's. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I kept moms company until 1:30pm.

I spent about 45 minutes at Koko Head park before returning to Koko Marina. I performed my usual workout at the gym. Then, I shopped at Foodland before driving back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing).I had hoped to find a nice hot meal (i.e., local-style bento) for dinner. Nada. I ended up grilling a couple of panini on my DeLonghi® "retro" contact grill and panini press right on the floor of my squalid room.

What is so stupid is that I really did not want to go through the trouble to make panini. The whole process takes only a few minutes. I can put together the panini in about four minutes. Then, grilling time takes only another four minutes. I can grill two panini simultaneously. How difficult is that?

My Palm® TX is also apparently falling apart. The LCD screen is fine however. I happened to download a one-hour House Music mix by Deep House Cat to my crippled Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. I transferred the file to the Palm®'s 1 Gbyte SD® card. Using pTunes and my Sony® earbud headphones, my Palm® TX is now a music player. Tonight, I downloaded several more House Music mixes and installed them on the SD® card.

With my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer lying in pieces, I began to wonder whether any further expenses to fix the latter would only be throwing money down the drain. The computer is 1.5 years old. Aside from the defective LCD panel, the hard drive has reached half of its useful life. There's also no telling how long the motherboard will continue to function. I can purchase a brand new Acer® notebook computer for $349 today at Best Buy®. Mind you, we are talking about a cheap computer by every definition of the term "cheap." I can, of course, just continue to use my crippled computer "as is." I have plenty of screen real estate. I have also terminated my eBay® account, so I would have to set up another one just to purchase the new LCD panel. Is it worth it? Well, my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer will remain disassembled until a decision comes through.

There are also some ridiculous and serious issues concerning the purchase of another computer. What happens to the old computer? Will it end up in a landfill since it is basically a doorstop? What about the new computer? How will I reconcile paying another licensing fee for Windows® Vista? Oh, the horror!

Logistics

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday was only made pleasant by the appearance of the hottie gym trainer at the gym. Baby was looking mighty fine. I was feeling fatigued during my workout. However, the mere appearance of baby gave me a testosterone surge. I felt ten years younger. Imagine what would happen if baby would come around. Baha! Ha! Ha! Haaaa!

The buses were extremely crowded this afternoon. In fact, all of the Route 1 buses were not on schedule. I suppose that people (e.g., bus passengers) have a newfound confidence in their consumer skills now that the so-called "stimulus" package has passed. I, too, am becoming confident that we will go through yet another "bubble." The fools are waiting to pounce, and so am I.

When I finally returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing), I performed the dreaded laundry chores. Then, I perused my crippled Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. I was finally able to loosen the four screws that hold the LCD panel in its support frame. I was not able to loosen the screws last night. I feared that I would have to spend more dough to purchase a special screwdriver just to remove the irritating non-standard Phillips screws used in imported electronics gear. I torqued down on the screws with my one-and-only small Phillips-head screwdriver. Then, I twisted them loose without stripping the heads. I am essentially ready to replace the LCD panel.

From all indications, the LCD panel appears to be defective. There is, however, the possibility that the connecting cable between the motherboard and the LCD panel has either a short (or open) circuit. There is no way for me to know. The wiring is well protected with a durable cloth-like tape wrapped around it. I have wiggled the cable at the hinge (i.e.,most vulnerable point), but there were no intermittent symptoms.

Upon further investigation, I dscovered that the LCD display problem seems to be isolated to the LG® Philips® models. My Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer has an LG® Philips® LCD panel. I believe that we have whittled down the possibilities, eh?

Cheapest Possible Way

Last night, I attempted to disassemble my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. Sadly, I was not able to remove the bottom panel to access the motherboard. I attempted a few other rookie maneuvers, but the white vertical bar still appeared on the LCD screen. Later, I discovered a tidbit on the Ask Laptop Freak site. Apparently, the issue is much more common than I had previously thought. In fact, a Web search found similar postings at various sites. I was particularly surprised at the number of Apple® notebook computers that suffered the same fate. From what I can ascertain, the problem is most likely either a bad LCD screen or a bad cable connection from the motherboard to the LCD screen. The inverter board is an unlikely culprit since it only provides power for the backlight fluorescent tube. My agenda, then, will be to disassemble the LCD screen and check the cable connection. Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has passed, although I was in a distinctly sour mood. And, why not? My Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer is on its last leg. I haven't even owned the piece of shit for two years yet. My patience was at an all-time low. Fortunately, I did not have to deal with any dickheads. I read the Good Book in the inner courtyard of the library. Then, I performed my usual workout at the gym. A somewhat annoying bus ride brought me back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) in time for my veggie "rations" dinner.

I cannot say that I have had any kind of appetite lately. I only eat to subsist. Even food that I would normally consider tasty has been reduced to the equivalence of cardboard. Too many issues are bringing me down. Primarily, the problem is my finances. I have been reduced to a pauper with no income, yet my expenses are skyrocketing. My latest computer problems will be the "straw that breaks the camel's back." In the old days, I would be sloppy ass drunk on cheap booze by now. However, cheap booze is no longer in the budget.

By 6:30pm, I had partially loosened the front bezel of the LCD screen of my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. I used a butter knife to pry the bezel, not even caring whether I scratched the plastic or not. In fact, I caused moderate cosmetic damage to the computer that I had prior taken great care of. I also removed all relevant data and priceless hurdy-gurdy "torrents" from the computer. If I inadvertently disable the entire LCD display, then I will not be able to salvage the data.

At this point in time, I am not sure if I will ever purchase another notebook computer again. I am probably better off with a cheap desktop unit because I can replace individual components easily. If I do purchase another notebook computer, it will be the cheapest one that I can find. I was a fool to spend more than $400 on a notebook computer. I am also considering one of those tiny "netbooks," but the latter must have a Linux-based operating system. Nothing more, nothing less. The real disadvantage of a "netbook" is that it does not have an internal optical drive.

Foolish as it may seem, I disassembled the LCD display of my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer (while it was running, no less) with minor damage to the plastic bezel. I inspected the cable assembly. There is just no way that there is a loose connection either to the LCD display unit or the motherboard. The construction of the LCD display unit is actually quite excellent. My guess is that the LCD display itself has gone bad. A new display will cost about $300 or so from the various on-line suppliers for an OEM replacement. However, eBay® has a few sources with displays available from $110 or so for new "compatible" units. If I choose to repair the computer, I will go the cheapest possible way.

More Computer Woes (Reprise)

Another visit in Hawai'i Kai was on the agenda for the day. Moms and I only made the rounds in Koko Marina ... lunch at Zippy's and shopping at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® vanilla ice cream for dessert. I kept moms company until 1am.

I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Head Park and spent about 30 minutes there. The park was cold and windy. The rest of the afternoon followed the usual format ... work out at the gym, shop at Foodland, return to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I was able to procure a hot meal (i.e., local-style bento) at Foodland for $2 ... a real deal for half of a lamp-baked chicken and rice.

The evening was supposedly to be the same routine. However, when I booted up my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer, I discovered that there is a 1.25-inch wide vertical bar about an inch-and-a-half from the right side of the display. The problem is possibly somewhere on the video card because the white bar is visible even in the BIOS setup screen. My guess is that a sugar ant crawled into the computer and shorted out portions of the video card. Of course, another computer problem has arisen at the most inopportune time. I cannot afford to purchase another computer at this time. My Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer has a 17-inch display. So, there is adequate screen real estate still available. I attempted to take a screenshot, but the vertical bar does not appear. So, my guess is that the graphics processor is fine. The sugar ant is probably shorting the output circuitry. Even if I open the computer to clear the sugar ant from the circuitry, I doubt that the problem will be cured. I will have to keep using the computer until it breaks down.

The sinister kahuna has been working overtime to bring the ol' lavahead down to his knees. Perhaps my discussion yesterday about "righteousness" irked the evil nemesis. There's really nothing much that I can do, eh?

Conundrum

Yes, another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has vanished into the Twilight Zone. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary occurred. The itinerary was the same as always. Soon enough, I found myself back in Slob Manor (read: rental housing) to commence my evening ritual.

In my reading of the Good Book (New Living Translation), I have finally passed the halfway mark. I am currently reading Proverbs. So far, I have not encountered much difficulty in either comprehension or interpretation. Everything has been fairly straightforward. An issue that has surfaced is the matter of "righteousness." The issue came to light when I pondered about how Abraham and Noah (two examples) were considered "righteous" men. And, why would they desire to be "righteous"?

A definition of "righteous" is in order first. I believe we have two possibilities:

• Righteous in one's own eyes (i.e., self-righteousness, arrogance)
• "Righteous" in the eyes of the Creator

The first definition can be negated because it is a self-serving form of conceit. Abraham and Noah lived clean and moral lives. They did so because it was "right," and it served to glorify the Creator. Yet, what would compel them to do so?

I bring up the issue because one of the theses discussed in the book, "The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts," by Finkelstein and Silberman is that the Israelites had edited the Scriptures over time to integrate what the authors call "legends and myths" in the original texts in order rally the Israelites around their own deity. Cynically speaking, then, the Good Book was simply a public relations ploy to increase the spiritual commitment of the Israelites.

That's all fine and good. However, the preceding thesis does not explain why anyone would desire to be "righteous" in the first place. By all accounts in the Good Book, the same kinds of debauchery that we witness today was present back then in full force. In living a modest, mendicant, and honest life-style, a person would be giving up on all that the world had to offer, albeit debaucherous. We see the same issue in modern society. Obviously, very few people seek the path of "righteousness," if at all.

In my own time, I had often lamented that I could never regain lost innocence. I've mentioned that personal quagmire in the old journal. In retrospect, I may have really been alluding to a quest to attain "righteousness." Many of the Scriptures refer to meditation of the laws, decrees, and regulations of the Almighty. I contemplated the various laws, decrees, and regulations. Then, I wondered about what exactly needed meditation. The laws, decrees, and regulations are straightforward. There's no ambiguity. Then, I realized the folly of my error.

Meditation is necessary because of the treachery of the human heart. I surmised that one of the primary steps to "righteousness" would be a serious review of the laws, decrees, and regulations of the Almighty prior to making a crucial decision or taking any kind of vital action in our day-to-day affairs. If we do not follow such a course of action, then we would easily succumb to temptation or impulse.

The thought of attaining and maintaining "righteousness" in our times seems ludicrous. Why give up all the fun and excitement? After all, we only have a handful of years to live out our wildest fantasies. Why spend the time pondering outmoded laws and ideas? I venture to guess that both Abraham and Noah were confronted with the same conundrum. Yet, they chose to remain "righteous." Can I accomplish the same goal?

Oh, the Mundanity!

I was finally able to visit with moms in Hawai'i Kai. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred, so there really isn't much to discuss. The itinerary was the same as usual, so there's no need to delineate upon it. I wasn't really in the mood to perform my usual workout at the gym. However, I forced myself to do so. Shopping at Foodland in Koko Marina for my own groceries was a nightmare as usual. I simply cannot find anything remotely edible. I would have purchased another hot meal (i.e., local-style bento), but I was still quite filled from lunch.

After all was said and done, I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I parked along the side street as usual. When I set foot in my squalid room, I immediately commenced the dreaded laundry chores. That, of course, wraps up another day for the urban nomad. The evening routine is already chiseled in stone. We all know the drill.

A downpour ensued within a few minutes of my arrival at the dump. The rain certainly befits my mood as of late. To be quite frank, I have been overcome by feelings of hopelessness and grief. For some strange reason, I keep reading the various news sources. Why can't I stop the latter benign activity and live in ignorance? The more I read, the worse it gets. First, I feel anger. Then, anger fades to despair. Why do humans wish to inflict so much pain on other humans? What exactly is the purpose? Why has greed become so all-pervasive? Accumulating immense wealth simply deprives others of their fair share. Our lives are so short that greed makes no sense. Just how much does one need for the seventy or so years of living on the planet?

Global Geopolitical Dislocation

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... how I have longed to scribble that phrase again! There is a certain ring to it, eh? Well, no need to go any further (refer to the "blog" of February 8th). As you may have guessed, nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Thank goodness.

There's been a lot of babbling on the alternative sites about the global financial crisis and the empire's so-called "stimulus" package. I'm tired of the crap, so I'm not going there. My only comment is that there are only two possible outcomes:

• Complete financial collapse
• Return to the "bubble" economy status quo

Frankly, I would like the "bubble" economy to come back one more time so I can divest my "condotel" unit at a profit. Then, I will make the final exodus from society.

To be perfectly honest, I am not expecting a recovery (refer to article, "Beginning of Phase 5 of the global systemic crisis: phase of global geopolitical dislocation," on the Europe 2020 site). The only way out of the current mess will be a global war (i.e., global geopolitical dislocation). We are so deep in fascism now that there is no other recourse. I would say that now is a good time to sit down and review some history.

In further pondering the book, "The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts," by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman, I found humor in the fact that two Jewish scholars were attempting to discredit the Hebrew Scriptures. I don't place a lot of faith in archaeology or the Carbon-14 dating method. Has any altar of Molech been unearthed? I place even less faith in documents of past empires. Why would we believe that any (ancient or current) empire's documents would be untainted and unbiased?

Paradox

I followed the alternative urban nomad itinerary, just as I did on Saturday. The only deviation was that I washed my Nissan® Frontier truck instead of spending time at Koko Head Park. I cleaned the interior with my Dirt Devil® Quick Power® handheld vacuum cleaner. Then, I scrubbed the bed of my truck for the first time in months.

I was able to procure a hot meal (i.e., local-style bento) for dinner at Foodland in Koko Marina. I was famished after my mediocre workout at the gym. Sadly, my dinnertime ambiance was disturbed by a number of sugar ants roaming for food in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing). Upon closer scrutiny, I discovered that a major ant infestation was under way. Hundreds of sugar ants were moving in a long line to the food debris lying around in the second floor common area. The kitchen was also overrun by sugar ants. Dirty dishes and food debris are the cause. Once an infestation of that magnitude occurs, then the ants will be scouting around in every nook and cranny.

I happened to peruse the book, "The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts," by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman when I was at Barnes & Noble®. The authors purport to dismiss the various accounts of the Hebrew Scriptures in the Good Book using extensive archaeological data. I would assume that most worldly readers would subsequently chuck the Good Book out the door. In fact, I might have done the same thing had I not realized the futility and limitations of human knowledge.

For me, I have no doubts that there is an intelligent source behind the origins of the universe and the makings of Universal Law. Humans simply cannot understand such concepts. Take the universe itself, and ponder the paradox of an infinite and boundless space populated by finite objects. Imagine the power that equals the sum of the universe's components. Then, in our own microcosm, we fail to unravel the essence of life itself. We don't know why it exists, and why there is a harmonious synchronization of all life forms and their respective life cycles. Humans alone are an anomaly that cannot be explained. We are, by far, the oddest creatures on the planet.

Given that an intelligent source exists, then that source would have to make itself known to its most sentient offspring. In other words, if there is a deity, it would insure that we humans knew of its existence. That would be even more so given the fact that we alone have the faculties to ponder questions of meaning and purpose. One of the key points that keeps me going in the direction of the Good Book is that it describes a deity who is not represented by any dungy idols (e.g., Molech) and who actually forbids the latter. A true spirit being would not have a physical shape or form.

I am at the point in life where I can look back and see where I have been, and look forward to see where I might be going. So far, I have not seen anything purposeful and meaningful. And, given the context of my mortality, I can further see the futility in almost any worldly pursuit. I believe that the chronology in the Good Book serves to display the futility of all human pursuits on a grand scale. We are lost and confused until we can connect with the source of our being. That is also why we reconnect with our parents in the later years, after we are done with our trivial pursuits.

The "blog" itself is a chronicle, albeit a foolish one, of my own coming to terms with mortality and meaninglessness. My only joy now is to look around me and see the Creation. Even when I am about to eat an orange, I peruse the whole fruit for a few minutes. I revel in its marvelous construction. In fact, every life form in my periphery ... every plant, every bird, every tree, even the detestable sugar ants ... I must peruse and contemplate the miracle of their being.

Squalid Sunday (Reprise)

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday was nearly a carbon copy of last Sunday. You know the drill. An almost perfect day was ruined when a chunky older babe (term used loosely) threw her humongous carcass into the seat next to mine on the bus this afternoon. At one point, I was inadvertently used as a cushion for the blob's awkward landing. Immediately, I opened Lou's School of Etiquette for matriculation.

Yes, the same ol' shit was the order of the day. I stopped off at Foodland in the Aina Haina Shopping Center to procure a pint of Dreyer's® ice cream. I ate the sumptuous snack at the bus stop. Upon my return to Slob Manor (read: rental housing), I performed the dreaded laundry chores and other mundane tasks.

The library has been closed all weekend and will also be closed tomorrow. Hence, the deviation from the urban nomad itinerary yesterday. The urban nomad as well as the myriad homeless depend on the library. It is the only place that offers shelter from the elements, a quiet reading environment, and clean restroom facilities to the destitute.

The gale force winds continue. Ubuntu Linux is still giving me grief. Slob Manor is still a total dump. The empire's "stimulus" package is a joke. What more can I say?

Stonehead Tidbits

I rode the bus to Kahala Mall at 8:45am this morning. I arrived shortly after Barnes & Noble® had opened. I procured a small cup of decaffeinated coffee. I sat and read a few computer nerd magazines of the Linux variety. I also perused a few books. I walked out to the bus stop at 11:40am. Within a couple of minutes, the bus arrived, and I was on my way back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing).

Once back in my squalid room, I gathered my gym bag. I departed for Hawai'i Kai at 12:30pm. I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Head Park. The gale force winds were blowing through the park at full force. At one point, a downpour ensued. The gale force winds have been continuous for over four days. I ran for shelter in the recreation center complex. As I passed the ceramics studio, I saw the Kawaikui Beach Park maintenance guy in there. I stayed at the park until 1:30pm.

I drove to Koko Marina and found shaded parking immediately. I walked to the gym and performed my usual workout without having to wait for any machines, which was unusual. I was actually surprised how well the day was going, that is, until I went shopping at Foodland. I ran into a series of inconsiderate asswipes throughout the store. I had to open Lou's School of Etiquette for matriculation. I was, at the least, able to find a decent hot meal (i.e., local-style bento) ... Kalua Pig and rice. The rest of the daily routine was predictable once I arrived back at Slob Manor.

By the way, I had sent e-mail to former Pseudo-professor Glenn the other day, since I had not heard from him in a while. I received a reply sometime today. Apparently, he had experienced a stroke at the beginning of January (ten days before he was to move to Texas). He has been in three medical facilities since that time. He was released today. Scott, his son, has moved back to Hawai'i. So, along with Nancy, they are renting a three bedroom apartment in Honolulu. I will make an attempt to visit him once he is up and around.

Well, since V-day is upon us, I should briefly discuss the babe situation. When I say "brief," I mean brief. The babe situation is a done deal and has been now for over a decade. I had a few brief moments of stupidity, but I came to my senses fairly quickly. Babes simply are not interested in the ol' lavahead. And, frankly, the ol' lavahead has nothing to offer any babe. In addition, the old fool is now a senior citizen. If anything, Spankwire, or Tube8 sites can provide temporary relief for the aging Vienna Sausage. Sheesh!

Exodus Update

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... can you believe it? There is absolutely nothing to report in the "blog" about the day's itinerary. All I can say is that I have become totally engrossed in the reading of the Good Book (New Living Translation). I have found one oddity so far. In the 2nd of Samuel, King David takes a census of his people. According to the New Living Translation, the Almighty gave him the order. Yet, by doing so, David committed a gross sin. Yet, in the 1st of Chronicles, the origin of the census idea was attributed to Satan. In checking another more reliable, albeit literal, translation, I discovered that the rendering of the text in question in the 2nd of Samuel did not attribute the census idea to the Almighty. Incidentally, the attribution of Satan in the 1st of Chronicles is the only time so far that the evil entity has been mentioned since the obtuse reference to the "serpent" in Genesis. Of course, Molech is mentioned many times over.

I will be spending another evening locked in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing), just as I do every night these days. I even prepare and eat my dinner in my squalid room. Fortunately, I have seemingly been cured of my chronic claustrophobia. There was a time not so long ago that I could not handle being in a closed small room for very long. In fact, I used to keep the door of my squalid room open during my waking hours for that very reason. Well, as I have mentioned prior, I have no social life. I have absolutely no close friends to "hang out" with. I have made no attempt to meet new people either. Frankly, I avoid any social contact with anyone, if at all possible. That's another reason why I am always in my squalid room at night. Obviously, some aspects of the exodus have progressed much further than other parts.

Aside from that, the exodus is not going as planned. The empire's economic meltdown will certainly continue to impede my progress. I am already beginning to wonder if I will be sucked into the vortex of ruination just like all of the other saps around me. To be perfectlyhonest, I hope that the empire goes down this year. It's time to put an end to the charade. Better for it to go down now, then to go through another hellish "bubble" and face complete devastation later.

Rubric of Redundancy Redux

I arrived in Hawai'i Kai at 9am this morning. Moms was home, and so was my sister-in-law. Moms and I departed immediately for Ala Moana Center. My sister-in-law, in a last minute change of plans, stayed to wait for the termite treatment crew to arrive. The house would be "tented" and fumigated for one day, so everyone had to evacuate the premises.

Once at Ala Moana, moms took a package to the Post Office to send to my aunt in Reedley. Then, moms shopped at Sears®. I purchased a small cup of decaffeinated coffee at Starbuck's®. I walked around the store with moms. We happened to run into Aunty Maria. Moms and I later joined Aunty Maria and her German friends at Zippy's. My aunt meets with her friends there every week.

At noon, moms and I walked to Shirokiya and ate bento lunches there. Afterward, moms wanted to view the koi in artificial koi pond. At 1:15pm, moms and I departed. I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to the Pagoda Hotel. As we walked into the lobby, I saw my sister-in-law standing at the front desk. Moms was able to check in early. My sister-in-law drove back to Hawai'i Kai to pick up my nephew from school.

I helped moms carry her stuff up to her room. I chatted with moms for a few minutes. Moms will be returning to Hawai'i Kai sometime late tomorrow morning. She will ride along with my sister-in-law. However, my bro and sister-in-law are going to sign some mortgage refinancing paperwork tomorrow morning. I do not know the details, but I hope that they had consulted with an accountant first.

Then, I drove back to Hawai'i Kai. I found shaded parking at Koko Marina, walked to the gym, performed my usual workout, shopped at Foodland, and drove back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). The evening? Same ol' shit.

The whole day may seem familiar, and that is true. My bro had the house "tented" back in August. Apparently, just a few short weeks afterward, there were termite droppings visible around the house. So, the fumigation company offered to "tent" the house again at no charge.

Misplaced Worship

"We all have gods, Martin Luther said, it is just a question of which ones. And in American society, our gods are often celebrities. Religious belief and practice are commonly transferred to the adoration of celebrities. Our celebrity culture builds reliquaries and shrines to celebrities the way Romans built them for divine emperors, ancestors and household gods. We are a de facto polytheistic society. We engage in shamanism." -- Chris Hedges (Truthdig site)

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... need I say more? I usually eat my pathetic lunch (i.e., cup of granola) in the small coconut tree grove in the Capitol district. Sadly, I am privy to the horrendous traffic along King Street. I simply try to imagine that none of that crap exists. I look at the trees and the the birds that are milling around me for a handout. This afternoon, when I walked back into the inner courtyard of the library, I noticed that my chair was gone. At the next able, two chicks (term used loosely) were sitting with three additional chairs. I looked over at the pair and shook my head. "Sorry, We didn't mean to take your chair," one of the dolts said. Then, why did she take it? It was obvious that I was using it. "That's okay," I replied. "It's not my chair." I retrieved another chair. Then, I sat down and continued to read the Good Book.

A few minutes later, three more chicks (term used loosely) arrived. They greeted the pair who were already there. Then, they all sat down. The older blond babe is apparently the leader of a so-called "Bible Study" group. She runs the session daily. She began with a prayer asking for the "Holy Spirit" to come upon them. Ten minutes of idle talk ensued, most likely to get the one new member comfortable. The "Bible Study" itself was about ten minutes with several cited Scriptures and associated loose interpretations offered by the blond babe. They ended the session with another prayer tended by one of the other regulars. When they stood up, they surrounded the new member and put their hands on her body. The blond babe led some kind of convocation ceremony. I was seriously hoping that I would not hear the name "Molech" uttered.

I am still suffering from the same abdominal pains that commenced on Monday. I am beginning to wonder if I have some kind of serious condition. Perhaps the stress of the economic crisis has gotten to me. I don't know for sure. I cannot say that I have been sleeping well. I have plagued with a variety of odd dreams every night.

Well, here's another quote from Chris Hedges' commentary:

Neal Gabler writes in “Life: the Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality” that the power of celebrity culture means we often seek to enact the movies that play inside our heads. We become celebrities, at least privately, to ourselves. Celebrity culture is so ubiquitous that it has established perverse interior personal scripts and modes of speech through which our relationship with the world is often constructed. Gabler argues that celebrity culture is not a convergence between consumer culture and religion but instead is a hostile takeover of religion by celebrity culture. Commodities and celebrity culture alone define what it means to belong to American society, how we recognize our place in society and how we determine our spiritual life. Celebrity culture is about the denial of death. It is about the illusion of immortality. The portal to Valhalla is through the celebrity.

The ol' lavahead had a similar commentary in the "blog of January 29th.

In effect, we can easily determine the human need to worship and the ease with which the focus of such worship is misplaced. Hence, the creation of fraudulent deities and their dungy idol likenesses (e.g., Molech) are not very far-fetched. I do not, however, believe that the innate human desire to worship is derived from evolutionary patterns of attempted social insight. Rather, the desire is programed deep within our psyche. Our need for such spirituality will be met one way or the other, debauched or not.

Go Away, Molech!

"On average, one American consumes as much energy as two Japanese, six Mexicans, 13 Chinese, 31 Indians, 128 Bangladeshis, 280 Haitians, and 307 Tanzanians." -- Mickey Z

An extremely sleepless night left me fatigued this morning. I suffered from moderate abdominal pains, most likely due to the Spam® Musubi that I consumed for dinner last night. I was certain that an episode of Montezuma's Revenge would plague me before morning. Fortunately, I was spared the agony. Oh well.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... well, that was discussed two days ago in the "blog." No deviation today, from what I could detect. As I have mentioned prior, my reading time is now totally devoted to the Good Book (New Living Translation). Even when I am not reading the Good Book, my mind is usually locked in contemplation about its content. In actuality, once I started reading the Good Book, I had a difficult time putting it down. Obviously, the Scriptures are not at all similar to contemporary literature. The New Living Translation, albeit inaccurate, tends to facilitate easier reading.

I am not certain about whether I will discuss my findings and opinions about the Scriptures in the "blog." Why bother? The "blog" is on its "last leg," so to speak. There are close to zero readers. No one wants to read about a loser's life, especially one as redundant as mine. There's no adventure and no romance. Every day, same ol' shit over and over again. The world is primarily made up of satanic gargoyles, people who have converted to the worship of Molech. Their interests and life-style are diametrically opposed to my own. So, I am not going to be swinging the incense lantern at the altar of Molech anytime soon. These are troubled times, my friends. Do not underestimate the power of the Molech-like sinister forces. Once ensnared, there's no return.

Talk to the Hand (Reprise)

Monday has come and gone, and the ol' lavahead made his usual trek out to Hawai'i Kai. The itinerary was all too familiar. Yes, moms and I made the usual rounds ... Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. We ate lunch at Panda Express® in the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. Later, for dessert, moms served Foremost® vanilla ice cream. I kept moms company until 1:30pm.

I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Head Park. I spent about 45 minutes there, although I really was not in the mood. Finally, I drove to Koko Marina, found shaded parking, and walked to the gym. While I was performing my usual workout, I ran into the guy who maintains Kawaikui Beach Park. He apparently is a gym member. Afterward, I shopped at Foodland. I was in quandary about what I should procure for dinner. There were no hot meals (i.e., local-style bento) available. So, I purchased a couple of Spam® Musubis.

Driving back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing), I encountered the usual myriad dickheads out on the road. They were speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, even amidst a sizable traffic accident along Kalani'ana'ole Highway. When I finally returned to my squalid room, I was ambivalent about life in general. What can I say? Looking at the trash and rotting food sitting around the dump does little to generate much enthusiasm.

I was even more perturbed by what I had read in the Advertiser while waiting for moms to get ready. The City & County of Honolulu and State governments have decided that they are going to raise sewer and water rates. Property taxes are also going to increase. The petrol tax and vehicle registration fee are really going up. All that to make up for the budget shortfall. The punchline, of course, is that these plans are based upon the guranteed assurance that the empire's economy will rebound and infinite growth will be sustained. In another article, petrol consumption in the islands (mostly O'ahu) has spiked 27 percent since petrol prices went down. My anecdotal evidence that driving increased dramatically has proven true. All in all, what we are witnessing is a kind of selfish madness that will almost certainly doom us all. The sheer level of stupidity and arrogance is astonishing.

Now comes the real absurdity. I finally collected all the figures that I needed to figure my income taxes for last year. I ran them in my spreadsheet, only to discover:

• The "condotel" unit actually made a profit of $1,600 over the year
• The amount owed for both Federal and State income taxes is $900 and some change

Yeah, more money is headed out the door in the middle of the month of April. I will only clarify why the "condotel" appeared to make a profit. I have a 15-year fixed interest rate (at 7.99 percent per annum) mortgage on the dump. Thus, I have been actually paying down the principal by at least $300 every month since its inception. Thus, the "losses" that I have claimed to absorb each month has been negated by the reduction in the outstanding balance. The amortization on a 15-year mortgage is much faster than a 30-year mortgage. In a 30-year mortgage, I would barely pay down any of the outstanding balance in the first ten years.

Well, it seems that everyone has factored in the next boom cycle in their plans. For them, the issue is not a matter of if but when. They know in their greedy little hearts that the recovery is coming, and it will be stronger than ever. The fools have been offering up human sacrifices and swinging their incense lanterns at the altar of Molech. The "end of days" is surely coming.

Writing for Nobody

Given the sorry state of affairs these day, one would think that the ol' lavahead would be more inclined to tax his creativity and compose prose worthy of reading. Obviously, that is not the case. He is neither inspired or inclined to move beyond the redundant and mundane. So, he must initiate the current "blog" in its timeless form ... another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... what exactly is an urban nomad kind-of-a-day.

Well, an urban nomad kind-of-a-day only involves two destination points, the library (if it's open) and the gym. If the gym is closed, then we're not talking about an urban nomad kind-of-a-day. I have already mentioned that my itinerary is only a small step above the homeless guy itinerary. Poverty is the common denominator. Social pecking order is the exclusionary policy rider. Boredom is the great equalizer.

Of course, on Sunday, we have the urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday in which I commence the day by checking the mail in my box at the Post Office. I am usually greeted by a host of junk mail. I salvage the postage-paid envelopes and use them as disposable wallets. Lately, I have been receiving all of my tax return information. Aside from that, the only real mail that I receive is from the AARP®, if that is any consolation.

I had expected the bus to be a little less crowded today because of the idiotic Pro Bowl. The gym certainly wasn't very crowded. Even the hottie gym trainer was conspicuously absent. I should have known, though, that bus riders cannot afford tickets to the Pro Bowl. They only have the option to shop at Wal-Mart®. By the way, this is one of the last years for the Pro Bowl in Hawai'i. Apparently, the concession is moving on to Florida. The tourist industry is in an uproar, no doubt because the latter is another blow to an already comatose tourist industry. Not that it matters. Everyone is waiting for the "recovery."

My own eyes tell me that the rank-and-file peons do not take the current economic depression to be very serious. There are little, if any, attempts to modify consumption patterns. The "hope" is that the economy will recover very soon. No one believes that it may never recover. After all, we are just going through another down cycle. There is so much pressure to return to the status quo. I would not be surprised if the satanic gargoyles are offering up human sacrifices to Molech.

Two punks were sitting in the back of the bus this afternoon on one of the two seats that face each other. One of the punks stretched his legs and rested his feet on the other facing seat, effectively blocking the aisle. When I stood up to alight the bus, the punk didn't budge. I yelled out, "Eh!" I gave the asswipe all of two seconds to move his legs, or I would have ramrodded them. The two punks gave me the "stink eye," but I did not bother to pummel them.

I stopped off at Foodland in the aina Haina Shopping Center to specifically purchase four boxes of Quaker® Granola on sale for $5 per box (i.e., a savings of over $2 per box). I also purchased a pint of Dreyer's® Cookie Dough ice cream. I consumed the whole pint while I waited for the next bus.

I performed the dreaded laundry chores once I arrived back in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I will spend the rest of the day and evening holed up in my squalid room. I will compose my redundant "blog" to satisfy ... who exactly? There is now less than one legitimate reader per day. Some days, there are none. Oh well.

Slob Manor Tidbits

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has passed with only one deviation ... restoration my monk haircut at the Institute of Hair Design. I was planning to wait a few more days, but the grown out mess was driving me crazy. My hair was not actually very long. As the days go on, I seem to be moving toward the preference for a shaved head. The guy who cut my hair did an excellent job. In fact, he used a razor to fine tune the cut. I was impressed.

The downtown gym ran out of liquid soap a few days ago. Yesterday, I noticed a substitute white-colored liquid soap in the dispensers. At first, I thought that the liquid soap that smells like toilet bowl cleaner was back. However, the new liquid soap is pretty good. Incidentally, as a poverty-stricken pauper, I can no longer be choosy.

Do I need to restate the urban nomad itinerary? I didn't think so. Last night at Slob Manor (read: rental housing), I heard a lot of hammering going on downstairs for an extended period of time. I finally decided to see what was up. Two of the other Slob Manor residents were standing around and watching the Chinaman hammering away at his door. Apparently, he locked himself out. So, he chiseled the doorknob off and was trying to force the latch to release.

Someone at Slob Manor has been attempting to take the trash and recycling bins out to the curb. Good try, but wrong days. Sheesh! We have two recycling bins for green waste and for paper and plastics. The pickup alternates biweekly on Wednesday. The trash is picked up once per week on Saturday. I have been putting the trash bin out on the correct day each week, although I vowed not to do so anymore. However, I do not return the bin to its storage location. I may or may not put the recycling bins out by the curb on collection days, depending on how I feel. I already have other chores such as vacuuming the second floor common area and the stairwell every week. I also routinely spray down the bathroom fixtures with chlorine bleah. I am doing way too much. Sheesh!

Empire of Idiocy Revisited

"If America were to follow Japan’s example, it would have to leave its interest rates near zero for the next decade…and add about $10 TRILLION to its public debt. And if it got the same results, you’ll be able to sell your house in 2026 for the same price you paid in 1992." -- Bill Bonner from the Daily Reckoning site

I was off to Kahala in my Nissan® Frontier truck at 7:30am this morning. I managed to find shaded parking at Kahala Mall, not exactly difficult when the stores open at 9am. I walked to the dentist office. My poor tooth was cleaned and a permanent filling put in place. The porcelain crown was polished down a bit to alleviate the constant impact with the upper molar. My payment for the visit today (as well as the visit prior to the root canal work) amounted to $24 total. I suspect that the dentist gave me the "kama'aina" rate for which I will be eternally grateful.

Rather than rush off to Hawai'i Kai, I waited until Barnes & Noble® opened. I purchased a small cup of decaffeinated coffee. I sat and read a magazine for a few minutes. Kahala Mall was fairly busy even before the majority of stores opened. There is a huge senior citizen exercise class that is held in the center of the mall. Senior citizens also walk the perimeter of the mall for exercise.

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 9:30am. Moms was home when I arrived. Moms and I only made the trip to Foodland in Koko Marina. For lunch, moms served up hot dogs with fresh vegetables. For dessert, moms served Foremost® vanilla ice cream. I kept moms company until 1am.

I drove to Koko Head Park, although I only spent about 20 minutes there. Feeling restless, I ventured back to Koko Marina. I was able to find shaded parking. Then, I walked to the gym. I was not really in the mood, but I performed my usual workout. Before taking a shower, I was greeted by a makeshift sign that read, "No hot water." Afterward, I shopped at Foodland. I was really in no mood to shop for food. Sadly, there were no hot meals (i.e., local-style bento). So, I had no choice but to go through the motions of food shopping. I was back in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm. As for the rest of the day and evening, we all know the drill.

Not much to comment on these days. Same ol' shit. The moneychangers and powers-that-be are up to their old tricks again. They are working in concert to bring back the status quo. And, the myriad peons are licking thier chops for that day to come as well. It's the same old paradigm ... unlimited growth, rampant consumerism, increasing debt, greed, corruption ... oh brother. Even the rank-and-file peons want their 401(k) accounts and their home assessments to reach for the sky. The only way that will happen ... you guessed it ... same ol' shit.

How many more wealth transfers (read: thefts) must the fools experience before they get a clue? According to what constitutes the "news," unemployment is increasing by the day. Yet, the same "news" sources claim that personal savings have jumped up to five percent and is rising. Does that make sense? What can anyone save when unemployed? I certainly am not saving anything. In fact, I am being robbed blind. Money in my accounts is disappearing without my participation.

The somewhat scary news is that gun sales are up in the empire. The sad part is that the morons will end up shooting each other when the "shit hits the fan." Since I am being robbed blind, I do not have the option of acquiring a "nine" (read: 9mm). Thus, I will end up being one of the hapless victims when all hell breaks loose. Lord, have mercy!

Byblos Binge Redux

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... have you seen Godot? The urban nomad routine is obviously getting the best of the oversized cranium. So far, three days of uninterrupted urban nomad redundancy has elapsed. And, no moronic incidents to report.

I have not found any new books worthy of reading, so my reading time is now solely devoted to the Good Book (New Living Translation). The burning question, of course, is whether the Scriptures are really the inspirational works of the Creator. So far, I have completed everything up to the 2nd of Samuel. I am one-fourth of the way through the Scriptures. Right now, I would be making premature comments. So, I will continue to read and ponder.

Godot Arrives?

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... who knew? When I boarded the bus this morning, I saw moms sitting way in the back. Moms was on her way to Aina Haina, and then to Kahala Mall. As usual, I followed the exact same urban nomad itinerary as yesterday (and every urban nomad kind-of-a-day). Nothing out of the ordinary occurred. I was back at Slob Manor by 5pm, just in time to perform the dreaded laundry chores (one day early). And, once again, I grilled a couple of Turkey, Monterrey Jack Cheese, and Pesto Panini on my DeLonghi® "retro" contact grill and panini press right on the floor of my squalid room. The evening? Same ol' shit.

Later, I will be transferring $2,120 from my non-yielding investment accounts to my local bank in order to cover the horrendous debt that I have accrued (mostly because of dental work). I should also recommend another interesting article titled, "Here It Comes," that appeared on the Market Ticker "blog." If anyone is a serious student of the upcoming collapse of the "system," then the article is a priority read.

Incidentally, my investment accounts have lost about $2,000 in the last two days. I have nothing in stock mutual funds, so I assume that the losses are in the bond funds. The Market Ticker article that I previously cited included an interesting discussion about the future of bonds and equities. A massive wealth transfer is happening right now before our very eyes. No investment is safe. Are we finally witnessing the beginning of the secular Apocalypse?

Tidbits & Tidbits Revisited

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... same ol' shit despite cold temperatures and gusty winds. The itinerary remained the same with the exception that I have not been to Kawaikui Beach Park for a quite a few days.

Let me recap my latest reading projects while I sit in the inner courtyard of the library. I just completed reading the book, "The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation," by Philip Shenon. Currently, I am reading a small paperback titled, "Amerika Psycho: Behind Uncle Sam's Mask of Insanity," by Richard Neville. In addition, I am moving along with my reading of the New Living Translation.

My workouts at the gym remain exactly the same since my last reorganization effort. I can safely say that I am not pushing the envelope when it comes to fitness. Even my cardio workout is much more leisurely than it has been in the past. Of course, I still maintain a seven-day per week regimen.

This evening, my latest dinner concoction (i.e., Turkey, Monterrey Jack Cheese, and Pesto Panini) made its debut. I grilled it on my DeLonghi® "retro" contact grill and panini press right on the floor of my squalid room. I can only say that my creations are awfully bland. There's no question in my mind that eating healthy means food must taste no better than cardboard.

Truth Be Known

Another visit to Hawai'i Kai found moms, myself, and my Nissan® Frontier truck making the usual rounds ... Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. Moms served up barbeque chicken and beef teriyaki sticks, along with lamp-baked chicken courtesy Foodland, fresh vegetables, homemade macaroni salad, and rice. For dessert, moms served Foremost® vanilla ice cream. I kept moms company until 1:30pm.

I only spent about 20 minutes at Koko Head Park. The park was very quiet, perhaps because of the intermittent showers. A more likely cause, perhaps, was the tragedy that occurred yesterday. A crazed derelict went on a stabbing rampage along the Koko Crater trail leaving two people seriously wounded. I wondered why I heard so many emergency vehicles along Kalani'ana'ole Highway with their siren blaring after I had returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) in the afternoon. The psycho was apprehended and is now in custody.

I drove to Koko Marina at 2pm. I found shaded parking, walked to the gym, performed my usual workout, shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor. I was so full from lunch that I really did not feel like eating much for dinner.

As usual, I will spend all evening locked in my squalid room. My only source of entertainment, diversion, or enlightenment is my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer with its not-ready-for-prime-time Ubuntu Linux operating system. I read only a small handful of acceptable alternative news sites. The Global Research site is an invaluable source of information. I should mention a recent article by Krassimir Petrov titled, "Worse than the Great Depression." In it, we can find the answer to where all of the money has gone, that is, all of the money that has been injected into the world's banking "system." Only a dunce would not see that there has been another huge transfer of wealth. I suppose that most people could care less. They buy into the spoon-fed crap from the "mainstream" media. They place their hopes on benign foolery to restore the status quo. The truth of the matter is ... it's not going to happen, or it will not last very long until we find ourselves in an even worse predicament. My final reading suggestion for today is an article titled, "It's Not Going to be OK," by Chris Hedges that appeared on the Truthdig site. It's a worthy read and a somber prediction of what might come about.

Otherwise, I would say that now is a good time to perform mass hurdy-gurdy "torrent" downloading from the Pure T 'n A site. There's no doubt that such a collection will be valuable once the "system" goes down.

Benign Foolishness

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday has been cast to the wind. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred. I was able to ride to town on the bus, retrieve my mail, perform my usual workout at the gym, and return to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) with little to no idiocy. Later, I performed the dreaded laundry chores and prepared for another even of benign foolishness.

Well, the financial downhill slide begins from this point forward. One look at the pathetic $569 in dividends (see below) that all of my investments made last month is a strong indication that I will be drawing down my savings at a rapid pace. That amount does not even cover the rent for Slob Manor. Fortunately, I no longer have any student loans to pay. However, the "condotel" unit is still accumulating losses. Last month, the loss amounted to $300 and some change. It could have been less, but the condo maintenance fee had gone up over 30 percent.

I am not certain about how anyone else is surviving. All I see are satanic gargoyles spending money like there's no tomorrow. I suppose that being engaged in wage slavery gives the beholder a sense of invincibility. No one ever imagines that involuntary emancipation from wage slavery can happen at any time, which is exactly what happened to the ol' lavahead.

I have intentionally put off my return to wage slavery for a variety of reasons. For one thing, I do not qualify for much beyond a minimum wage peon job. Even then, I am simply worried about getting caught up in the mindset that plagues most people. I am talking about the satanic gargoyle mindset. When I was making a decent wage, I was tempted (and eventually succumbed to) the faulty "American Dream." I saw a lot of money slipping out of my hands through taxes. Therefore, I forfeited my soul to participate in the so-called "ownership society." And, now, here I am ... in the worst possible quandary a poor fool could himself in.

Obviously, that's not the end of the story. The "system" will suck every last dime out me, just like it's doing to countless other hapless fools. I did not have to find myself in this predicament. Had I made the exodus at the opportune moment, I would have been doing fine now. That's the gamble that we must take in order to get ahead. Too stupid, and too foolish.

The situation is not going to get better. The Fed will keep interest rates at zero percent indefinitely. It can never raise interest rates beyond one or two percent unless hyperinflation goes totally out of control. Even then, the maximum window the Fed has is another one percent. Anything else will fast-crash the economy. The plan is all too obvious. The Fed wants to create another "bubble." There are only two choices: a stock market or a housing "bubble," at least insofar as luring more rank-and-file suckers into the consumer spending pyramid scheme. Creating fast "bubble" wealth is what makes fools part with their money even fast, a necessity for economic "growth." Creating jobs is a useless endeavor insofar as any "stimulus" is concerned. The wages will never be high enough for the rank-and-file peons to qualify for high credit lines, another necessity for economic "growth." Only artificially inflated assets will do the trick.

The Fed is going to aggressively push for asset price inflation (read: hyperinflation). Theoretically, everyone who counts will attain some kind of "bubble" wealth, so they won't notice the high prices for everything. The truth of the matter is that the plan is unsustainable. Once global demand for oil returns, then oil prices will rise exponentially in line with the Peak Oil paradigm that has been preempted by the recession. My only concern is that the plan works long enough for me to "get out of Babylon." There won't be a "next time" after that.