Great Depression 2008 Style

Moms and I made the rounds in Hawai'i Kai with my Nissan® Frontier truck as we usually do on Monday, including Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. We ate lunch at Yummy's Korean Barbeque. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. Moms showed me an article in the Sunday Advertiser about Uncle T's former home near Niu Valley. It's actually just a a stone's throw from Slob Manor (read: rental housing). The house was unique because it had a natural pond right below it. The living room had glass floors in order to view the pond. Unfortunately, the aquifer for the pond was destroyed by the construction crew involved in widening Kalani'ana'ole Highway. I have linked the on-line version of the article. I chatted with moms until 1:30pm.

I drove back to Koko Marina, found shaded parking, walked to the gym, performed my usual cardio workout, shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor where the dreaded laundry chores awaited me. Yes, the same ol' drill. I have been devising strategies to consolidate my necessities in order to further cut down on costs and clutter. Either that, or I am losing my mind. As an example, I plan to eliminate the need for hair shampoo by purchasing Dial® Hair + Body Wash. The gym in town already provides the latter in its shower dispensers. Once my remaining stock of shampoo is gone, I will not replace it. I will detail my other money-saving tips later.

Petrol prices have finally fallen below $3 per gallon (lowest octane) in Honolulu. However, food prices appear to be increasing. We are not yet experiencing true deflation. However, we are in a recession, so to speak. We've been in one for months even though the doctored-up statistics presented to us disagrees. Let's ask the millions of people who are unemployed or who are facing mortgage default. They would beg to differ. My guess is that we have already entered a protracted depression. The worst is yet to come.

Paper Wings Redux

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday has been cataloged for eternity. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happened. On the way back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) on the bus, I happened to observe that the Kahala Mall parking lot was completely full. The Saturnalia shopping season has commenced. Booyah!

Well, there are still myriad visitors to the "blog" who are solely seeking babe images. In fact, the problem is getting worse. Thus, I must continue to bait them and coerce them to go elsewhere. Baha! Ha! Ha! Haaa!

Guinness® Overload

Hard to believe that the ol' lavahead was torqued over the shitty laundry etiquette on the part of another Slob Manor (read: rental housing) resident and the loss of 25 cents because of a squat Asian ho' working at Foodland. Those fools are incidental to greater scheme of the Creation. Most humans are too stupid to realize just how incidental they are. The ol' lavahead, on the other hand, knows how insignificant he is. He also knows that other humans look down upon him, even though they are greater fools than he.

The ol' lavahead polished off the whole $8 four-pack of Guinness® brewskis, even though there was really no need to imbibe in the first place. Even he is beginning to suspect that he is only looking for the feeblest excuse to drown his sorrows. Fortunately, he did not invest in a bottle of cheap vino. Otherwise, he would have been completely hammered instead simply being bloated. Why didn't he just tune into the Pure House Music site and listen to his favorite House mixes? A good question indeed.

Or, why doesn't the old fool piddle around with Ubuntu Linux? Well, actually, he has been doing so. The other night, he set Rhythmbox to tune into DI.FM House channel. He also reads the Ubuntu Forums every night to keep abreast of the latest developments.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... dragged down by the Guinness® brewskis. Sheesh! Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary occurred. That's a good thing, isn't it?

Put a Cap in Dat Ass

Moms was not home when I arrived in Hawai'i Kai this morning at 9am. There was a note on the door stating that moms would be back by 11am. I piddled around the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center and Kuapa Kai to pass the time. Sadly, there is not much to do unless rampant consumerism is the desired activity. Eventually, I caught up with moms. We made the rounds in Hawai'i Kai, including Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. Moms and I ate local-style plate lunches at Zippy's. Later, moms served Best Yet® vanilla ice cream for dessert. I chatted with moms until 1:30pm.

I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck directly to Koko Marina. I found shaded parking, walked to the gym, performed my usual workout, shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). Although the dreaded laundry chores awaited me, I was delayed by the inconsiderate nature of one of the housemates. His laundry sat in the washer for over an hour. I used the other washer that is outside the house (for use by the tenants of the studio in the back). However, I discovered that the dryer required 50 cents. I had no change. By then, the inconsiderate housemate, the music student, had moved his laundry to the dryer and started another load in the washer. I knew that he would tie up both machines for the rest of the night. Naturally, it started to rain. I decided to drive to the Aina Haina Shopping Center to obtain some change at Foodland. Naturally, I had to procure a four-pack of Guinness® brewskis. The cashier , a squat Asian ho', had an extremely bad attitude. When I asked for change, the ho' looked at me as though I was scum. Later, back at Slob Manor, I realized that the trollop shortchanged me by 25 cents. What a fuckin' bitch!

My whole evening was ruined from that point forward. Frankly, I am getting sick and tired of living in Slob Manor. We have five grown guys, four of whom are like children who require constant supervision. Of course, the whole of society has degenerated into a swamp of reptilian fools. There really is no hope for humanity. Anyone in a proper frame of mind should readily see that. The real problem is that no one gives a shit about anything or anyone but him/herself. There is a proliferation of super-entitlement thinking. The so-called "American" culture breeds the idea of the one-man reality show. Thus, everyone is a celebrity. I am really sad that I had spent all of my Glock® funds on dental work. I really need the "nine." When society collapses, I will need to "put a cap in dat ass" of a few of these fools.

Glock® Vanity (Reprise)

Last night, I began the tedious task of removing links and RSS feeds of so-called "progressive" sites that suffered from Obamamania from my Web portal and the "blog." I can no longer tolerate the reading of that crap. I clearly recall the hysteria of the 2006 Democratic sweep. Subsequently, I recall the disappointment and outrage as the Democrats bought into and supported the Shrub empire. Even after being victimized by the traitors, the fools came back with "hope" for "change" from the same political party that let them down. Isn't that masochism? I was once an ignorant Democrat. Now, I am an informed Socialist.

On the local front, the heated Honolulu mayor's race ended with incumbent Mufi Hanneman retaining his office. Hanneman is beholden to the labor unions which are drooling over Hanneman's proposed light rail system. The rail system was put to a vote and, naturally, it was passed by the myriad idiots. The proposed rail system is an albatross. The whole island of O'ahu is already being taxed to pay for it. And, the punchline is that it will only serve the interests of the Kapolei area. The route will run from Kapolei to the UH via downtown and Ala Moana. The costs are already going beyond the initial assumptions. One look at a map of the island will reveal the stupidity of the plan.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... well, you know the drill. Sheesh! Nothing out of the ordinary occurred. I maintained a low profile for the whole day. While in a semi-comatose state, I fantasized that I could have purchased at least two Glock® 9mm (read: the "nine") weapons for the cumulative cost of my recent dental work. In fact, I could have purchased a really nice computer as well. When I came to, I realized that my priorities are screwed up. I seem to have an easier time plunking down the dough to purchase shiny objects rather than spending the money on my physical care. Did I really give much thought to handing over $25,400 in cash to purchase my Nissan® Frontier truck? Not really.

Save for a Rainy Day

Well, the good news since the (s)election is over is that all of the alternative sites can shut down for good. Their savior has been (s)elected. Happy days are here again! As part of the celebration, I will be removing most of the links to those sites come January (or earlier). Any remaining links will be ones which I deem to be relevant post-Shrub, but devoid of Obamamania.

I have had much difficulty in accepting the increased living expenses that I have taken on as of late. For example, I have spent $1,500 on dental work over the period of a month. However, I seem to be forgetting that I have always had a policy of maintaining some kind of savings for a "rainy day." The truth of the matter is that I never expected that "rainy day" to come. Even now, I cannot seem to accept the fact that the "rainy day" is here, and I have to tap into my savings. And, I find it much more difficult to do so given that I see no one around me suffering the same affliction.

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day survived the (s)election unscathed. The routine, as usual, was the same. I happened to run into Pseudo-professor Lee at the gym. We chatted for a few minutes. I asked if he knew anything about the situation concerning Professor Darwin. As to be expected, the details have been sequestered by the powers-that-be at the Diploma Mill. All that awaited me when I arrived back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) was the task to pay my $187 automobile insurance premium on-line. Sheesh!

(S)election Day 2008

(S)election Day is a holiday in Hawai'i, which is why I scheduled my dentist appointment for today. I had nothing else to do since the library was closed. So, I was off to Kahala Mall at 8:30am. I spent about 40 minutes in the Barnes & Noble Café. Then, I walked to the dentist office.

The procedure took about 45 minutes. My tooth was shaved down and a temporary plastic crown was placed over it. I parted with $917 and left. I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I was able to wash my truck before departing for Hawai'i Kai.

As usual, I made an appearance at the gym. Dinner was courtesy Taco Bell®. Yes, I broke down and treated myself to two Cheesy Double Beef Burritos. Then, I shopped for groceries before returning to Slob Manor. I immediately transferred $900 to my local bank from my investment accounts. I was able to catch the coverage that Barack Obama is the new President, which immediately made me nauseous. There also appears to be a Democratic sweep in other elections.

To be honest, I was more moved by John McCain's concession speech than I was by Obama's victory speech. My friends, we are beginning the perilous journey into unknown territory. The "good cop, bad cop" theater has dropped the curtain on yet another act. A new face has been put on the old empire. Millions of peons have been given the impression that they were empowered to bring "change." The election of a junior senator from a disenfranchised ethnic group will serve as a subterfuge to the greater agenda of the ruling elite. Something smells wrong here. I must wait patiently. When "change" never comes, what will happen then?

The strategy of the ruling elite must be exposed. With the rift between the poor and the rich classes growing by the day, the poorest being disenfranchised ethnic groups, the (s)election of an African-American President may specifically serve to appease the poor and preempt a violent social uprising. Then again, there may be a significant backlash from the "redneck" community. The real issues will be lost in noise of racial discourse. The wealth transfer will continue unabated. The wars of aggression by the empire will continue unabated. The big difference is that there will be nowhere to point fingers.

I was amazed at how mesmerized the audience was while Obama rambled on using the words "hope" and "change" over and over again. Mesmerized and hypnotized ... the herd mentality in action. I can only agree overwhelmingly with Chris Hedges in his article titled, "Only Nader Is Right on the Issues," that appeared on the Truthdig site. A long excerpt:

Those on the left who back Obama, although they disagree with much of what he promotes, believe they are choosing the practical over the moral. They see themselves as political realists. They fear John McCain and the Republicans. They believe Obama is better for the country. They are right. Obama is better. He is not John McCain. There will be under Obama marginal improvements for some Americans although the corporate state, as Obama knows, will remain our shadow government and the working class will continue to descend into poverty. Democratic administrations have, at least until Bill Clinton, been more receptive to social programs that provide benefits, better working conditions and higher wages. An Obama presidency, however, will make no difference to those in the Middle East.

I can’t join the practical. I spent two decades of my life witnessing the suffering of those on the receiving end of American power. I have stood over the rows of bodies, including women and children, butchered by Ronald Reagan’s Contra forces in Nicaragua. I have inspected the mutilated corpses dumped in pits outside San Salvador by the death squads. I have crouched in a concrete hovel as American-made F-16 fighter jets, piloted by Israelis, dropped 500- and 1,000-pound iron-fragmentation bombs on Gaza City.

I can’t join the practical because I do not see myself exclusively as an American. The narrow, provincial and national lines that divide cultures and races blurred and evaporated during the years I spent in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Balkans. I built friendships around a shared morality, not a common language, religion, history or tradition. I cannot support any candidate who does not call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan and an end to Israeli abuse of Palestinians. We have no moral or legal right to debate the terms of the occupation. And we will recover our sanity as a nation only when our troops have left Iraq and our president flies to Baghdad, kneels before a monument to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi war dead and asks for forgiveness.

Amen.

Algorithm of a Controlled Life (Reprise)

Moms and I were on our way to Liliha this morning at 8:45pm. Moms had an appointment with the opthamologist. Later, moms and I made the usual round in Hawai'i Kai, including Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. We ate lunch at Panda Express® in the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. When all was said and done, the time was 1:30pm. I chatted briefly with moms and left before 2pm.

Given how late it was, I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck directly to Koko Marina. After finding shaded parking, I walked to the gym and performed my usual workout. Then, I shopped for my own groceries at Foodland. I returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4pm, just in time to engage in the dreaded laundry chores.

I was somewhat fatigued for most of the day. The chinaman was playing his Chinese video games at full volume last night. At 1am, I finally knocked on his door and asked him to turn the noise down. Are people that stupid and inconsiderate? Yes, they are.

Lori had apparently tried to contact me a couple of days ago. From what I am to understand, she is now in the process of a divorce. She has already moved out of Hawai'i Kai and is staying at friends' places for the time being. In a week or so, she is moving to the North Shore where she claims to be opening up a bike shop. Lots of strange stuff going on these days.

Think Stupidity

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday ... same ol' shit. I happened to catch a glimpse of the hottie gym trainer while doing my workout at the gym. I ran into Professor Dan as I was leaving. He was also working out, but I did not see him earlier. We chatted for a few minutes. Before we parted ways, he mentioned that he had heard a rumor that Professor Darwin was terminated from the Diploma Mill very recently (as in the middle of the term).

About two hours of time was required for me to transport myself by bus from town to the Aina Haina Shopping Center. No need for details. Just think stupidity. I made a brief stop at Foodland before returning to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) at 4pm.

I was able to confirm that Professor Darwin has indeed been completely "erased" from the Diploma Mill site, much as I was completely "erased" about 1.5 years ago. Professor Darwin is a straight-up kind-of-a-guy. He was well liked by his students. I can only surmise that he was the victim of the intense political struggle that is on-going at the dump. There are many backstabbing fools at the Diploma Mill who will eventually reap what they sow. Unfortunately, I will not be there to witness their fall.

I neglected to mention that Ralph, a dean at HCC, said that he received a request from the sociopathic buddy for some kind of reference for rental housing. What happened to the sociopathic buddy's place? I have not heard from the sociopathic buddy, so I am no longer privy to his sleazy adventures.

You Know the Drill

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... you know the drill. Ralph, a dean at HCC, happened to stroll into the library while I was there. We ended up chatting for about 20 minutes. Aside from that, the routine was the same as usual. Who knew?