Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... no heart palpitations! I celebrated by doing absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.At the library, I have also commenced reading the book, "The Hidden Scrolls," by Neil Silberman (one of the authors of, "The Bible Unearthed"). And, of course, the cardio portion of my workout is the top priority for me at the gym.
My religious research has obviously taken me to the topic of the Dead Sea Scrolls. And, believe me, it is proving to be quite interesting. The scrolls have previously been attributed to a small monastic sect of Judaism known as the Essenes. However, there is convincing evidence to the contrary. One tidbit that I have gleened so far is that the act of baptism by water immersion was a formal procedure of the Dead Sea Scrolls sect (for lack of a better name). Was John the Baptist a member of the sect?
There seems to be a lot of evidence that the Intertestamental Period was a time of radical changes for Judaism. Of course, that was also the period of severe civil unrest because of the tyranny of the Roman Empire. It is becoming quite apparent to me that the apocalyptic themes, the character development of Satan, performance of baptism by water immersion, messianic anticipation, and various gnostic or dualistic ideas had roots in Judaism during this period and directly fed into what eventually became Christianity. I will be perusing the translated Dead Sea Scrolls very soon. Then, there will be more commentary, I am sure.
I sat in the shade by the Chinatown Gateway Plaza this afternoon while I waited for the bus. I decided to not walk all the way into Chinatown because I had a run-in with a cigarette smoker yesterday at the hot and stuffy bus stop. When the bus arrived, the driver said, "I was looking for you at the other stop." I told him that I had to sit in the shade. The heatwave has been non-stop now for over a week. As for the evening? Same ol' shit.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Power Source
We're back to the urban nomad routine. Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day was parsed from the mundane. At the library, I completed reading the book, "The Origin of Satan," by Elaine Pagels. I am currently reading the book by Norman Golb titled, "Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?" I logged only 63 minutes of cardio time at the gym. I plan to remain vigilant about my cardio workout. In fact, the latter might be paying off already. Believe or not, I did not experience any heart palpitations at all today. Were my prayers to the Creator answered?
I neglected to mention that moms made an attempt to proselytize to me yesterday. Moms brought up the allegation that Satan is the "ruler of the world." I avoided the discussion. What would moms say if I had mentioned that Satan was simply "hassatan" (Hebrew for accuser or adversary) prior to his meteoric rise as the cosmic villain in the Christian Greek Scriptures (so-called "New Testament")? Of course, much of the character development of Satan occurred during the Intertestimental Period when Judaism became entrenched in apocalyptic traditions. Even Molech was considered an incarnation of Satan. Had I engaged in a such a discussion, moms would have concluded that I was "demon possessed."
That, of course, brings me hastily to a topic that I have been pondering ... the existence of spirit creatures (i.e., angels, archangels, seraphim, cherubim). In the Good Book, spirit beings were created by the Almighty and exist in the spirit realm (i.e., "Heaven"). The spirit realm supposedly transcends the physical realm. In other words, the spirit realm is not limited by space-time (where "space" is defined as "displacement") constraints. In my previous discussion in the "blog" of May 26th about outer space (or deep space), I made the assertion that the latter is such a realm. If we remove the stars, planets, space debris, cosmic gasses, and all physical matter, then we will be left with nothing ... an infinite, dimensionless, timeless, and dark void. Is the physical universe sitting inside the spirit realm? I believe so.
I do not know whether spirit creatures actually exist because I do not know whether the Creator is also the God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Oddly, we humans have a desire to develop "spirituality." We wish to commune with some higher power in the spirit realm. I am not even certain if that is at all possible. I had often thought that we have a life force, or soul, within us. My prior assumption, along with various religious fanatics, is that the soul has the potential to surpass the physical realm. However, unlike the dispensationalists, I do not assume the soul to be immortal. Frankly, what I am understanding is that the soul is intimately tied to our physical bodies, primarily the brain. Any damage to the brain (i.e., physical or psychological trauma) will severely alter the characteristics of our soul (e.g., memory, language, senses, thinking processes, etc.). Thus, the logic of the soul being kindred to the spirit is seemingly nonsensical.
Humans have attempted to become more "spiritual" through a variety of rituals. Mendicance, poverty, and punishment are the means which foolish humans have attempted to strip themselves of all aspects of the material and physical world in order to better commune with the spiritual world. We are subconsciously attempting to return to nothing, the same nothing that comprises deep space. Yet, that time certainly comes quick enough as we grow older and without much effort. We came from nothing, and we will return to nothing.
I am now wondering whether we are really capable of attaining the elusive spirituality that we seek. After all, we are physical beings who were placed in a physical world. The Creator insured that we were given everything to survive and thrive. Denying ourselves of our physical and material needs makes no sense. And, we were not given extraordinary powers to transcend human consciousness. Is the search for spirituality just a "wild goose chase"?
And, what of the soul itself? I am beginning to believe that our souls are unrecoverable once we pass on. Our awareness and consciousness appears to derive from a combination of our sensory experiences, our memory, our emotions, and our language ... all of which are intimately tied to the physical world and our physiology. That is the way the Creator made us.
Most likely, our spirituality must encompass our earthly existence. We have an internal moral code in the form of our conscience. Thus, spirituality deals with our deeds and actions during our short tenure. We can only answer to ourselves. Obviously, we would have our hands full just trying to make our paltry lives worthwhile and fruitful. Perhaps that is all the Creator intended for us.
I neglected to mention that moms made an attempt to proselytize to me yesterday. Moms brought up the allegation that Satan is the "ruler of the world." I avoided the discussion. What would moms say if I had mentioned that Satan was simply "hassatan" (Hebrew for accuser or adversary) prior to his meteoric rise as the cosmic villain in the Christian Greek Scriptures (so-called "New Testament")? Of course, much of the character development of Satan occurred during the Intertestimental Period when Judaism became entrenched in apocalyptic traditions. Even Molech was considered an incarnation of Satan. Had I engaged in a such a discussion, moms would have concluded that I was "demon possessed."
That, of course, brings me hastily to a topic that I have been pondering ... the existence of spirit creatures (i.e., angels, archangels, seraphim, cherubim). In the Good Book, spirit beings were created by the Almighty and exist in the spirit realm (i.e., "Heaven"). The spirit realm supposedly transcends the physical realm. In other words, the spirit realm is not limited by space-time (where "space" is defined as "displacement") constraints. In my previous discussion in the "blog" of May 26th about outer space (or deep space), I made the assertion that the latter is such a realm. If we remove the stars, planets, space debris, cosmic gasses, and all physical matter, then we will be left with nothing ... an infinite, dimensionless, timeless, and dark void. Is the physical universe sitting inside the spirit realm? I believe so.
I do not know whether spirit creatures actually exist because I do not know whether the Creator is also the God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Oddly, we humans have a desire to develop "spirituality." We wish to commune with some higher power in the spirit realm. I am not even certain if that is at all possible. I had often thought that we have a life force, or soul, within us. My prior assumption, along with various religious fanatics, is that the soul has the potential to surpass the physical realm. However, unlike the dispensationalists, I do not assume the soul to be immortal. Frankly, what I am understanding is that the soul is intimately tied to our physical bodies, primarily the brain. Any damage to the brain (i.e., physical or psychological trauma) will severely alter the characteristics of our soul (e.g., memory, language, senses, thinking processes, etc.). Thus, the logic of the soul being kindred to the spirit is seemingly nonsensical.
Humans have attempted to become more "spiritual" through a variety of rituals. Mendicance, poverty, and punishment are the means which foolish humans have attempted to strip themselves of all aspects of the material and physical world in order to better commune with the spiritual world. We are subconsciously attempting to return to nothing, the same nothing that comprises deep space. Yet, that time certainly comes quick enough as we grow older and without much effort. We came from nothing, and we will return to nothing.
I am now wondering whether we are really capable of attaining the elusive spirituality that we seek. After all, we are physical beings who were placed in a physical world. The Creator insured that we were given everything to survive and thrive. Denying ourselves of our physical and material needs makes no sense. And, we were not given extraordinary powers to transcend human consciousness. Is the search for spirituality just a "wild goose chase"?
And, what of the soul itself? I am beginning to believe that our souls are unrecoverable once we pass on. Our awareness and consciousness appears to derive from a combination of our sensory experiences, our memory, our emotions, and our language ... all of which are intimately tied to the physical world and our physiology. That is the way the Creator made us.
Most likely, our spirituality must encompass our earthly existence. We have an internal moral code in the form of our conscience. Thus, spirituality deals with our deeds and actions during our short tenure. We can only answer to ourselves. Obviously, we would have our hands full just trying to make our paltry lives worthwhile and fruitful. Perhaps that is all the Creator intended for us.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Soft Reset
Another day in Hawai'i Kai ... moms and I made the usual rounds at Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. For lunch, moms served lamp-baked chicken, ahi sashimi, fresh vegetables, and rice. For dessert, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream. Needless to say, I was stuffed.
I kept moms company until 1:30pm. Then, I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck back to Koko Marina, but I could not find shaded parking. So, I was off to Koko Head Park. At 2:15pm, I returned to Koko Marina. I finally found shaded parking and walked to the gym. I logged 75 minutes of cardio time. Then, I shopped at Foodland. Since I was still full from lunch, my dinner consisted of lettuce salad mix (with no dressing, naturally), a banana, an orange, and a small package of Nabisco® Teddy Grahams®.
Moms had mentioned that my bro has been somewhat cranky lately. He's been giving everyone a hard time, especially his wife. I told moms that my bro is probably stressed out. When my bro and I used to talk with each more often (right after pops passed on), he often told me that he was suffering from stress. Well, he has hella more gray hair than I do, and he's ten years younger. Sheesh! "If he's cranky now, wait until he's my age," I said to moms. To his credit, my bro is not prone to explosive violence like the ol' lavahead. Neither is he suffering from heart palpitations.
I kept moms company until 1:30pm. Then, I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck back to Koko Marina, but I could not find shaded parking. So, I was off to Koko Head Park. At 2:15pm, I returned to Koko Marina. I finally found shaded parking and walked to the gym. I logged 75 minutes of cardio time. Then, I shopped at Foodland. Since I was still full from lunch, my dinner consisted of lettuce salad mix (with no dressing, naturally), a banana, an orange, and a small package of Nabisco® Teddy Grahams®.
Moms had mentioned that my bro has been somewhat cranky lately. He's been giving everyone a hard time, especially his wife. I told moms that my bro is probably stressed out. When my bro and I used to talk with each more often (right after pops passed on), he often told me that he was suffering from stress. Well, he has hella more gray hair than I do, and he's ten years younger. Sheesh! "If he's cranky now, wait until he's my age," I said to moms. To his credit, my bro is not prone to explosive violence like the ol' lavahead. Neither is he suffering from heart palpitations.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Dung Heap
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday was relegated to the dung heap. The routine was the same. The highlight of the day occurred when I espied the hottie gym trainer. Baby has not been seen at the gym for many weeks. Was baby looking hot? Does the ol' lavahead have an oversized cranium? Once again, I increased my cardio workout to 70 minutes. However, I have not seen any decrease in heart palpitations.
My return to Slob Manor at 4:15pm was uneventful. My usual ordeal with riding mass transportation is not worthy of mention, at least for today. As soon as I set foot in my squalid room, I opted to perform the dreaded laundry chores with no interference from any kind of foolishness. I piddled around for the rest of the afternoon. I was looking for things that I could destroy and discard. Nada. However, I happened to find some low fat, low cholesterol dietary information given to me by my former doctor (under my defunct healthcare plan). Whoa! Almost everything that I eat for food is actually prohibited. And, I am not simply eating junk food. As you may recall, I have a high cholesterol problem. I am just wondering about how much damage I have done in the last few years. I may have made quite a mess (i.e., dung heap) of my health regardless of my gym tenure.
My return to Slob Manor at 4:15pm was uneventful. My usual ordeal with riding mass transportation is not worthy of mention, at least for today. As soon as I set foot in my squalid room, I opted to perform the dreaded laundry chores with no interference from any kind of foolishness. I piddled around for the rest of the afternoon. I was looking for things that I could destroy and discard. Nada. However, I happened to find some low fat, low cholesterol dietary information given to me by my former doctor (under my defunct healthcare plan). Whoa! Almost everything that I eat for food is actually prohibited. And, I am not simply eating junk food. As you may recall, I have a high cholesterol problem. I am just wondering about how much damage I have done in the last few years. I may have made quite a mess (i.e., dung heap) of my health regardless of my gym tenure.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Rampage: Aftermath
Last night, my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer was giving me grief. Well, I should say that Ubuntu Linux was giving me grief. I came very close to thrashing the computer as I did my Rubbermaid® cooler. I am quite sick and tired of my useless possessions. For example, I have a whole plastic bag full of battery chargers, adapters, and connecting cables for my crappy Nokia® cell phone and my Palm® TX. Sometimes I just want to dump it all in the trash can.
My latent hostility to materialism stems from my own foolish foray into the realm of the "ownership" society. I had a very good opportunity to get out cleanly after I sold the townhouse (i.e., Chez Loser) in Kane'ohe. Instead, I made the dumbest move in my lifetime. Yes, I invested in the "condotel" unit, although I was fully aware that I was moving into uncharted territory (i.e., pending economic collapse). I was not ignorant, mind you. I had a decent plan, but that plan fell apart.
Of course, what can I say? A mendicant life is simply futile in a God-less world. If the Almighty does not exist, then there is no purpose in pursuing any "virtues." This is a material, physical world. Without the existence of Divine Will, we are free to pursue our material desires to any extent. There's no need to "store treasures in Heaven" if the place does not exist. I am sure that the actual Creator (not the Almighty) realized all of that. Why else would humans have been created in a material world?
For some reason, I am an enigma of the Creation. I do not want to indulge in materialism. I do not want to be dependent on crap that I do not need. I do not want to be buried in paperwork in order to maintain my "ownership" status. I also do not care to be socially engaged. I have no need for friends, a babe, or any other human relationships. I can deal with informal acquaintanceships. That's it. Thus, I will have no obligation to anyone, and vice versa. I do not have to deal with trust issues either.
Renunciation of both material and social contexts places me in the middle of an unnerving conundrum. Exactly why am I here? What kind of spirituality can I attain if the Almighty does not exist and the Creator refuses to communicate? Should I waste my time with useless human philosophy? What purpose would that serve, other than obfuscate that which I seek?
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day, another day of endless heart palpitations. The routine was the same nonetheless. At the gym, I opted to increase my cardio time from 45 minutes to a whopping 70 minutes. I am still not getting my heart rate above 130 bpm. However, that's probably fine. I don't really need to experience a cardiac event while I am at the gym. Sheesh! Because I spent more time at the gym, I arrived back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) about 30 minutes later than usual.
Another urban nomad kind-of-an-evening awaits me. I have been trying to relax by listening to my favorite Deep House Cat mixes on my Palm® TX. Just before I go to sleep in my pathetic sleeping bag on my squalid bed, I usually devote at least 30 minutes exclusively just to listen to music. That's about the only time in the whole day when I have some semblance of peace of mind. Sadly, though, the rubber hinge for the leather screen cover on my Palm® TX had deteriorated. Because I was still affected by the rampage of yesterday, I forcefully tore off the screen cover and threw it in the trash can. My Palm® TX, however, survived unscathed.
My latent hostility to materialism stems from my own foolish foray into the realm of the "ownership" society. I had a very good opportunity to get out cleanly after I sold the townhouse (i.e., Chez Loser) in Kane'ohe. Instead, I made the dumbest move in my lifetime. Yes, I invested in the "condotel" unit, although I was fully aware that I was moving into uncharted territory (i.e., pending economic collapse). I was not ignorant, mind you. I had a decent plan, but that plan fell apart.
Of course, what can I say? A mendicant life is simply futile in a God-less world. If the Almighty does not exist, then there is no purpose in pursuing any "virtues." This is a material, physical world. Without the existence of Divine Will, we are free to pursue our material desires to any extent. There's no need to "store treasures in Heaven" if the place does not exist. I am sure that the actual Creator (not the Almighty) realized all of that. Why else would humans have been created in a material world?
For some reason, I am an enigma of the Creation. I do not want to indulge in materialism. I do not want to be dependent on crap that I do not need. I do not want to be buried in paperwork in order to maintain my "ownership" status. I also do not care to be socially engaged. I have no need for friends, a babe, or any other human relationships. I can deal with informal acquaintanceships. That's it. Thus, I will have no obligation to anyone, and vice versa. I do not have to deal with trust issues either.
Renunciation of both material and social contexts places me in the middle of an unnerving conundrum. Exactly why am I here? What kind of spirituality can I attain if the Almighty does not exist and the Creator refuses to communicate? Should I waste my time with useless human philosophy? What purpose would that serve, other than obfuscate that which I seek?
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day, another day of endless heart palpitations. The routine was the same nonetheless. At the gym, I opted to increase my cardio time from 45 minutes to a whopping 70 minutes. I am still not getting my heart rate above 130 bpm. However, that's probably fine. I don't really need to experience a cardiac event while I am at the gym. Sheesh! Because I spent more time at the gym, I arrived back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) about 30 minutes later than usual.
Another urban nomad kind-of-an-evening awaits me. I have been trying to relax by listening to my favorite Deep House Cat mixes on my Palm® TX. Just before I go to sleep in my pathetic sleeping bag on my squalid bed, I usually devote at least 30 minutes exclusively just to listen to music. That's about the only time in the whole day when I have some semblance of peace of mind. Sadly, though, the rubber hinge for the leather screen cover on my Palm® TX had deteriorated. Because I was still affected by the rampage of yesterday, I forcefully tore off the screen cover and threw it in the trash can. My Palm® TX, however, survived unscathed.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Rampage
I neglected to mention that I transferred $1,700 from my investment accounts to my local bank to cover last month's expenses. That pretty much ruined my urban nomad kind-of-an-evening. The stock market is soaring, but I refuse to invest any money in it. I am, however, planning to transfer some of my IRA money market fund balance to my IRA diversified bond account.
I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 9am this morning in my Nissan® Frontier truck. I brought my beloved Rubbermaid® cooler with me. Moms was home when I arrived. Moms and I only made the rounds in Koko Marina ... lunch at Yummy's and grocery shopping at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee and vanilla ice cream for dessert. I kept moms company until 1:15pm.
I drove straight to Koko Marina, found shaded parking, walked to the gym, performed more than my usual workout (despite recurring heart palpitations), shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). When I opened the rear cab door of my truck, my $25 Rubbermaid® cooler fell onto the driveway. I perused the cooler to find that a small section of the cover was bruised by the concrete. However, I erupted in a fit of rage that bordered on insanity. I destroyed the cooler by repeatedly throwing it to the ground. Then, I tore apart the cracked cooler with my bare hands. I am surprised that I did not experience a cardiac event given the recurring heart palpitations during the state of rampage.
Later, I wanted to break down and weep because I destroyed my beloved Rubbermaid® cooler. I took very good care of the cooler. I also stored a few dry food items in the cooler. Now, the food is lying on the floor in my squalid room. I won't be replacing the cooler. I cannot afford another one. Believe it or not, I had intrusive thoughts about destroying all of my other useless possessions. I wanted to break everything apart and throw all of the junk into the trash can. I even wanted to take a sledgehammer to my Nissan® Frontier truck. Frankly, I have a feeling that I will end up launching into an extremely destructive tirade within the coming months or weeks. I shudder to even think about it.
I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 9am this morning in my Nissan® Frontier truck. I brought my beloved Rubbermaid® cooler with me. Moms was home when I arrived. Moms and I only made the rounds in Koko Marina ... lunch at Yummy's and grocery shopping at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee and vanilla ice cream for dessert. I kept moms company until 1:15pm.
I drove straight to Koko Marina, found shaded parking, walked to the gym, performed more than my usual workout (despite recurring heart palpitations), shopped at Foodland, and returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). When I opened the rear cab door of my truck, my $25 Rubbermaid® cooler fell onto the driveway. I perused the cooler to find that a small section of the cover was bruised by the concrete. However, I erupted in a fit of rage that bordered on insanity. I destroyed the cooler by repeatedly throwing it to the ground. Then, I tore apart the cracked cooler with my bare hands. I am surprised that I did not experience a cardiac event given the recurring heart palpitations during the state of rampage.
Later, I wanted to break down and weep because I destroyed my beloved Rubbermaid® cooler. I took very good care of the cooler. I also stored a few dry food items in the cooler. Now, the food is lying on the floor in my squalid room. I won't be replacing the cooler. I cannot afford another one. Believe it or not, I had intrusive thoughts about destroying all of my other useless possessions. I wanted to break everything apart and throw all of the junk into the trash can. I even wanted to take a sledgehammer to my Nissan® Frontier truck. Frankly, I have a feeling that I will end up launching into an extremely destructive tirade within the coming months or weeks. I shudder to even think about it.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Stress & Palpitations
Oh man, can you believe that I endured another urban nomad kind-of-a-day? And, I did not "keel over" despite the continuing heart palpitation problem. I am beginning to suspect that stress is at the bottom of my recent cardiac issues. Diet is, of course, secondary. However, stress is what usually causes a person to assume unhealthy diets.
And, what is causing stress for most people (i.e., peons) today? Money. Dinero. Cabbage. Mullah. Need I say more? Thanks to that asswipe Bernanke at the Fed, dickhead Geitner at Treasury, and the rest of Obama's merry band of thieves, the rank-and-file peons are being robbed blind. Ever since my emancipation from wage slavery, I was supposed to be leading the life of the quintessential AARP® member. Instead, I am on the verge of becoming homeless and eating canned cat food to survive. I am about ready to go on a homicidal rampage, but I won't be targeting abortion clinic doctors or same-sex union advocates.
My religious research could also be the source of undue duress. In the course of four months, I have covered a lot of material, much of it being quite disillusioning. Imagine if I had been a religious fanatic and discovered all of the inconsistencies in the Good Book. In fact, I may have to take a brief hiatus from my research. Or, I will have to slow down the pace in order to remain sane.
Once again, at the gym, I maintained my usual workout. I have increased the intensity of my cardio workouts. Yet, I was still not able to get my heart rate above 130 bpm. After a quick mental calculation, I realized that 130 bpm is in the "safe" target heart rate range for my age. I'm not a Spring Chicken anymore. I cannot "push the envelope" to 180+ bpm as I did in the good ol' days.
Since there is nothing else to discuss, I will include a reprise of one of our all-time Persian favorites, Aylar Lie. I am too fatigued to search for new hottie image files, what with the heart palpitations and all. Sheesh!
And, what is causing stress for most people (i.e., peons) today? Money. Dinero. Cabbage. Mullah. Need I say more? Thanks to that asswipe Bernanke at the Fed, dickhead Geitner at Treasury, and the rest of Obama's merry band of thieves, the rank-and-file peons are being robbed blind. Ever since my emancipation from wage slavery, I was supposed to be leading the life of the quintessential AARP® member. Instead, I am on the verge of becoming homeless and eating canned cat food to survive. I am about ready to go on a homicidal rampage, but I won't be targeting abortion clinic doctors or same-sex union advocates.
My religious research could also be the source of undue duress. In the course of four months, I have covered a lot of material, much of it being quite disillusioning. Imagine if I had been a religious fanatic and discovered all of the inconsistencies in the Good Book. In fact, I may have to take a brief hiatus from my research. Or, I will have to slow down the pace in order to remain sane.
Once again, at the gym, I maintained my usual workout. I have increased the intensity of my cardio workouts. Yet, I was still not able to get my heart rate above 130 bpm. After a quick mental calculation, I realized that 130 bpm is in the "safe" target heart rate range for my age. I'm not a Spring Chicken anymore. I cannot "push the envelope" to 180+ bpm as I did in the good ol' days.
Since there is nothing else to discuss, I will include a reprise of one of our all-time Persian favorites, Aylar Lie. I am too fatigued to search for new hottie image files, what with the heart palpitations and all. Sheesh!
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Palpitations
"Kim Jong-il has picked his time well. Iraq is heating up again. At least fifty thousand US troops are slated to remain there at least until 2011. The war in Afghanistan and now Pakistan – or Afpak – is going very badly for the US, which is rushing more troops there. Washington has provoked a volcanic upheaval in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province. The US is bankrupt and living on borrowed money. What better time to show who is really boss on the Korean Peninsula." -- Eric Margolis (Information Clearinghouse site)Yet another hot urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... same ol' shit. Nothing eventful occurred. I was able to restore my monk haircut at the Institute of Hair Design. That's about as good as it gets. So far, no cardiac event has besieged me, even though the heart palpitations continued almost non-stop all day. Even at the gym, I continue to perform my usual workouts with little regard for the possibility that I could "keel over" at any moment.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Hot & Blasé
Another hot and stuffy urban nomad kind-of-a-day has come to pass. Nothing unusual occurred. No deviation from the standard itinerary happened. No cardiac event transpired even amidst almost non-stop heart palpitations all day.
At the library, I completed reading the book, "The Birth of Satan," by Wray & Mobley. I have commenced reading, "The Origin of Satan," by Elaine Pagels. Let me just preface any future commentary by stating that, from the Scriptural evidence alone, the personification of Satan is most likely a big farce.
I had an interesting ride home (term used loosely) on the Route 1L bus. The afternoon bus has been packed with idiots ever since petrol prices skyrocketed to $2.79 per gallon (for lowest octane), now the highest price in the empire. Two scrubby characters sat next to me on the long bench seat at the rear of the bus. They were talking about the police and other such matters, which confirmed their scrubbiness. One of them alighted just past Kahala. The other guy then started chatting with me. He even offered me a swig of his bottle of vodka. I politely refused. After giving me a couple of "fist bumps1," he said farewell as he staggered off the bus at the Aina Haina Shopping Center. Another passenger turned to me and said, "That guy is really hammered. You must have had a fun ride with them." I told him that his buddy had kept him company for most of the ride. He added, "They just got out of jail. Did you hear them?" Yeah, I said, it looks like they are dying to go back in. We both laughed. Blasé is as blasé does.
1Fist bump, an alternative to a "high five" or handshake, according to the Urban Dictionary site.
At the library, I completed reading the book, "The Birth of Satan," by Wray & Mobley. I have commenced reading, "The Origin of Satan," by Elaine Pagels. Let me just preface any future commentary by stating that, from the Scriptural evidence alone, the personification of Satan is most likely a big farce.
I had an interesting ride home (term used loosely) on the Route 1L bus. The afternoon bus has been packed with idiots ever since petrol prices skyrocketed to $2.79 per gallon (for lowest octane), now the highest price in the empire. Two scrubby characters sat next to me on the long bench seat at the rear of the bus. They were talking about the police and other such matters, which confirmed their scrubbiness. One of them alighted just past Kahala. The other guy then started chatting with me. He even offered me a swig of his bottle of vodka. I politely refused. After giving me a couple of "fist bumps1," he said farewell as he staggered off the bus at the Aina Haina Shopping Center. Another passenger turned to me and said, "That guy is really hammered. You must have had a fun ride with them." I told him that his buddy had kept him company for most of the ride. He added, "They just got out of jail. Did you hear them?" Yeah, I said, it looks like they are dying to go back in. We both laughed. Blasé is as blasé does.
1Fist bump, an alternative to a "high five" or handshake, according to the Urban Dictionary site.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Temerity
I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai in my Nissan® Frontier truck at 9am this morning. Moms was home when I arrived. The itinerary was the same as last Friday except that moms and I ate lunch at Zippy's. Since we all know the drill already, I won't repeat the mundane details.
Moms mentioned that Aunty Maria was stricken by a bad bout pneumonia recently. Aunty Maria had to call Uncle Take and Aunty Jane to assist her. Apparently, Uncle Take and Aunty Jane had to carry Aunty Maria downstairs from her townhouse and drive her to the hospital. Aunty Maria is 80 years old, according to moms.
Incidentally, I have been experiencing the same heart palpitations that last appeared over four years ago. The details are in the old journal. You may recall that I had to wear a Holter heart monitor and, after a screw-up of unusual proportions, I was never contacted or told about the test results. Since then, I have lost my mediocre healthcare benefits. Presently, the heart palpitations seem to occur only when my heartbeat is accelerated above the baseline. I have monitored my pulse at my wrist and noticed that, during the palpitations, there is no heartbeat. I have also observed that my blood circulation is worsening. I often experience either numbness or a tingling sensation in my arms and legs if I am sitting or lying down for a period of time. Of course, my diet has worsened over the last four years, too. My exercise regimen, particularly cardio, is not as strenuous as it used to be. I have been asking for trouble, and I may have gotten my wish.
I have neglected to mention my day-to-day run-ins with morons and fools and my invocation of Lou's School of Etiquette as a response. Believe me, I have had several such incidents daily. My view of general stupidity and troglodyte behavior is changing in almost direct proportion to the dwindling credibility of the Good Book. The issue, of course, is still theodicy. The main problem, after discounting "good" and "evil," is to identify what was the Creator's real purpose for humans. If Satan was merely the Israelite priest-prophet's way of assigning the causes of "evil" to another entity outside of God, then "evil" must be revisited for what it is ... one of the states of nature of the human mind. I am not really buying into the latter idea easily. After all, "evil" is both synergistic and mortally damaging. There is a lot of pain and suffering that results from "evil." Sometimes that pain and suffering cascades in an avalanche-like fashion, consuming everyone and everything in sight. To say that "evil" is merely one of the bipolar states of human nature is essentially morally repugnant.
I am enjoying the comments on the now-autonomous message boards. I am personally refraining from joining the discussions because that would ruin the "conversation." I did not foresee the return of the message boards, by the way. After several attempts to terminate the ForumCo account, I discovered that account termination is impossible.
I read with interest Urban Coyote's comments in the message boards about my emancipation from wage slavery. Sadly, almost daily, I am confronted with the pathetic realization that I will be forced to return to wage slavery ... minimum wage slavery at that ... in order to survive. The moneychangers and powers-that-be have accomplished their nefarous goal to enslave us all. My investment accounts are slowly yielding close to nothing each month (see Financial Report below). Before the year is over, I believe that money will be deducted from the principal balance as a result of negative interest rates. That's right, I will be paying my investment bank to hold my money and rob me at the same time. Will I end up like Lester Burnham1?
What really gets to me, by the way, is how these typical "American" morons and fools get their ire up over an abortion clinic doctor. Then, the psychos actually devote the time and energy to assassinate the target of their hatred. Yet, the moneychangers are robbing us blind, the warmongers prosecute the same filthy wars abroad, the politicians tell the same insidious lies, but they are no one's target. All the anger of these patriotic "Americans" is focused on abortion and same-sex marriages. Typical "church" thinking is the problem. These are the same moronic Christians who tell me that I need to repent, accept Jesus as my Savior, and I will be "saved." The God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam should have intervened a long time ago to put an end to that farce. What does that tell you?
1Lester Burnham, main character from the film, "American Beauty."
Moms mentioned that Aunty Maria was stricken by a bad bout pneumonia recently. Aunty Maria had to call Uncle Take and Aunty Jane to assist her. Apparently, Uncle Take and Aunty Jane had to carry Aunty Maria downstairs from her townhouse and drive her to the hospital. Aunty Maria is 80 years old, according to moms.
Incidentally, I have been experiencing the same heart palpitations that last appeared over four years ago. The details are in the old journal. You may recall that I had to wear a Holter heart monitor and, after a screw-up of unusual proportions, I was never contacted or told about the test results. Since then, I have lost my mediocre healthcare benefits. Presently, the heart palpitations seem to occur only when my heartbeat is accelerated above the baseline. I have monitored my pulse at my wrist and noticed that, during the palpitations, there is no heartbeat. I have also observed that my blood circulation is worsening. I often experience either numbness or a tingling sensation in my arms and legs if I am sitting or lying down for a period of time. Of course, my diet has worsened over the last four years, too. My exercise regimen, particularly cardio, is not as strenuous as it used to be. I have been asking for trouble, and I may have gotten my wish.
I have neglected to mention my day-to-day run-ins with morons and fools and my invocation of Lou's School of Etiquette as a response. Believe me, I have had several such incidents daily. My view of general stupidity and troglodyte behavior is changing in almost direct proportion to the dwindling credibility of the Good Book. The issue, of course, is still theodicy. The main problem, after discounting "good" and "evil," is to identify what was the Creator's real purpose for humans. If Satan was merely the Israelite priest-prophet's way of assigning the causes of "evil" to another entity outside of God, then "evil" must be revisited for what it is ... one of the states of nature of the human mind. I am not really buying into the latter idea easily. After all, "evil" is both synergistic and mortally damaging. There is a lot of pain and suffering that results from "evil." Sometimes that pain and suffering cascades in an avalanche-like fashion, consuming everyone and everything in sight. To say that "evil" is merely one of the bipolar states of human nature is essentially morally repugnant.
I am enjoying the comments on the now-autonomous message boards. I am personally refraining from joining the discussions because that would ruin the "conversation." I did not foresee the return of the message boards, by the way. After several attempts to terminate the ForumCo account, I discovered that account termination is impossible.
I read with interest Urban Coyote's comments in the message boards about my emancipation from wage slavery. Sadly, almost daily, I am confronted with the pathetic realization that I will be forced to return to wage slavery ... minimum wage slavery at that ... in order to survive. The moneychangers and powers-that-be have accomplished their nefarous goal to enslave us all. My investment accounts are slowly yielding close to nothing each month (see Financial Report below). Before the year is over, I believe that money will be deducted from the principal balance as a result of negative interest rates. That's right, I will be paying my investment bank to hold my money and rob me at the same time. Will I end up like Lester Burnham1?
What really gets to me, by the way, is how these typical "American" morons and fools get their ire up over an abortion clinic doctor. Then, the psychos actually devote the time and energy to assassinate the target of their hatred. Yet, the moneychangers are robbing us blind, the warmongers prosecute the same filthy wars abroad, the politicians tell the same insidious lies, but they are no one's target. All the anger of these patriotic "Americans" is focused on abortion and same-sex marriages. Typical "church" thinking is the problem. These are the same moronic Christians who tell me that I need to repent, accept Jesus as my Savior, and I will be "saved." The God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam should have intervened a long time ago to put an end to that farce. What does that tell you?
1Lester Burnham, main character from the film, "American Beauty."
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