Healthcare & Ants

"Wall Street and the big insurers got the message. The day after the [Obama] speech, share prices for health insurers surged: UnitedHealth by 17 cents to $28.57; WellPoint by 96 cents to $53.80; Aetna by 59 cents to $29.84; and Humana by $1.12 to $39.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average extended its five-day rally, closing at its highest level since October." -- Jerry White ([deleted] site)

The routine is always the same. Need I say more? I neglected to mention that I am concurrently reading the book, "The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God," by Lee Strobel along with, "The Spiritual Brain," by Beauregard & O'leary.. Previously, I had decided to mummify the reading of the Strobel's book, but later changed my mind. The book is published by Zondervan, a religious publishing house, which was the main reason for initial mummification.

My workouts at the gym have become increasingly laborious. However, I continue with the regimen. After all, that's my healthcare insurance. Incidentally, very few people seem to understand the gist of the so-called "healthcare reform." Here's is a capsule summary provided by the [deleted] site:

A market of private insurers will be set up to offer substandard health plans. Individuals will be required to buy insurance and potentially will be fined thousands of dollars if they do not, thus providing a massive boondoggle for the insurance companies. Employers will find it easier to ditch employer-provided health coverage, thus boosting corporate profits. At the same time, the ultimate aim is to phase out or cut government spending on entitlement programs (particularly Medicare, which, under the pretext of eliminating "waste" and "inefficiencies," will be subject to immediate cuts).

Sounds great, doesn't it? That's "change you can believe in."

Once back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing), I walked the two blocks to where my Nissan® Frontier truck is parked. No sign of vandalism, thank goodness. There were three or four ants roaming about. Naturally, I had to squish their tiny heads. Perhaps my strategy has been successful. I have cut off both food and water from the ant colonies. I was foolish not to realize that the Slob Manor trash can (about three feet from where the truck was parked in the driveway) was the source of food. The ants had sought shelter to nest and store food, the choice being the truck. Let's see what happens in the next day or so.

Ant Farm (Reprise)

"Christ is coming soon." -- José Flores, religious fanatic who attempted to hijack Flight 576 AeroMexico jetliner

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai in my ant-infested Nissan® Frontier truck at 8:15am this morning. Moms had an appointment at Queen's Hospital again. On our return trip, moms and I stopped off at Longs® in Kuapa Kai and Foodland in Koko Marina. Moms served lamp-baked chicken, fresh ahi sashimi, fresh vegetables, and rice for lunch. For dessert, moms served Foremost® coffee and vanilla ice cream. I kept moms company until 2pm.

I followed the mundane urban nomad routine (i.e., gym, shop for food) after that. Then, I returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). We all know the drill already.

The ant infestation in my truck has continued to increase even though I performed an initial "ant flush" with water the other day. I repeated the process again this afternoon, doing a more thorough job. Within minutes, I observed several ants crawling around. By chance, I discovered two thick trails of ants that led straight to the front and rear tires of my truck. In retrospect, I realized that the ant infestation probably commenced when a palm frond landed on the hood a few months ago. I had observed millions of ants using the the palm frond as a bridge from the ground to my truck. Obviously, there is no way for me to stop the infestation.

In desperation, I moved my Nissan® Frontier truck back onto the street. I am now parked about two blocks away from Slob Manor. The truck is once again an open target for vandalism. There is also no guarantee that the ant infestation will decrease. For all I know, the ants living on the truck will recruit other ants from that area in da 'hood. I could have a worse situation on my hands.

Protein Soup

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... we all knew that already, though. At the library, I completed reading Schroeder's book, "The Hidden Face of God." I thoroughly enjoyed the book, especially the topics dealing with biology and molecular biology. In fact, I have been somewhat mesmerized all day. Clearly, there is a lifeforce that guides all cellular functions. Cells have no brain or organs, and no protein soup concoction could replicate complex cell functions. I am now beyond convinced that there is a Creator. So, I have commenced reading the book, "The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist's Case for the Existence of the Soul," by Mario Beauregard and Denyse O'leary. Not much else to report, I'm afraid.

Slave Labor Day 2009

I departed for Kahala Mall on the bus at 7:45am this morning. I brought two muffins from Liliha Bakery that moms had given me. I ate the muffins for breakfast in the air-conditioned comfort of the mall. I ended up at Barnes & Noble® as expected. I enjoyed a cup of real coffee and perused the usual genre of books and magazines.

I was back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 12:30pm. I decided to give my Nissan® Frontier truck a sponge bath because of the water residue from the "ant flush" that I performed yesterday. I also observed that the number of ants has been multiplying. Obviously, the ants have nested somewhere inside the truck.

After cleaning up, I departed for Hawai'i Kai. I wanted to purchase a can of rust remover from the auto parts store, but the dump was closed. So, I looked around City Mill. I was able to find a can of Rustoleum® Rust Reformer for $7 and some change. I then drove to Koko Marina, found shaded parking, performed my usual workout at the gym, and shopped at Foodland. I was not able to purchase a decent bento, so I had to settle for four greasy Reser's® burritos.

Prior to departing Koko Marina for Slob Manor, I spent some time spraying Rustoleum® Rust Reformer on all of the hidden rusted area of my truck. I have neglected the completion of this task for so long that the rust has increased. As I was spraying the rusted areas, I observed a number of sugar ants crawling around. I had to squish their tiny heads. I was slightly bothered by the fact that each ant possesses a generic soul (which I extinguished).

Back at Slob Manor, I continued to treat the rusted areas of my truck, all the while enduring countless attacks by myriad mosquitoes. More and more ants began appearing. Naturally, I crushed each of their tiny heads. As darkness descended, I opted to eat all four of the greasy Reser's® burritos for dinner. Needless to say, my stomach was a little queasy afterward. Another urban nomad kind-of-an-evening awaits me. Well, that's my exciting Slave Labor Day adventure.

Inspiration

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday was hampered by rain. Yes, rain. The sky looked ominous before I departed for town on the bus. However, I voted against bringing my umbrella. Once in town, I was privy to frolic in a downpour. Really? Not really. I decided to forsake the jaunt to check my mail and headed straight for the gym. I was quite fatigued, so my workout did not go well. In addition, I only ate four Kellogg's® Fiber Plus® granola bars. So, I was hungry as well.

The rain had stopped before I exited the gym. Once again, I followed the circuitous bus route through Ala Moana Center on the way back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I purchased a bento, a banana, and a $2 chocolate chip muffin at Foodland. I ate the banana and the muffin while I waited at the bus stop.

When I alighted the bus near Kawaikui Beach Park, I felt raindrops. While I waited to cross the street, a downpour commenced. I was sopping wet when I set foot in my squalid room. Since I was already wet, I decided that I would wash my Nissan® Frontier truck. Well, not exactly. Instead of washing the truck, I sprayed out the engine compartment, the windshield drainage ducts, the undercarriage, and every nook and cranny that might be hospitable to sugar ants. After going through all that crap, I discovered several ants still crawling around on the truck. Sheesh!

I neglected to mention that I found something puzzling in Gerald Schroeder's book, "The Hidden Face of God." Schroeder cited an example of a woman who was in a bad traffic accident. She suffered head trauma that resulted in the loss of her long-term memory. She essentially did not know who she was. Neither could she recognize her own daughter. In time, Schroeder stated, the woman developed a new personality and a new life. If there were the possibility of a resurrection, which persona would be restored?

With the "blog" of August 15th, I began to state my intuitive ideas concerning the Creation and whats in store for all of us. Although humans are an advanced creature, there is no reason to believe that the Creator has made provisions for resurrection or eternal life. The anecdote cited previously supports my thesis. My guess is that the soul in all creatures is generic, much like the kernel of a computer operating system. The kernel can do nothing on its own. However, with software drivers, it can interface with computer hardware. Then, additional application software provides the computer's ultimate functionality. The generic soul is what is placed in all living creatures, but the extent of the creature's faculties is entirely dependent on the type of physical brain it interfaces with. Yes, the soul that I have is mine, but my self-awareness is only made possible by the complexity of my human brain.

Obviously, none of what I just discussed is comforting to me. Frankly, the idea that this life is all that I have is truly disconcerting. And, I suppose that our distant ancestors were also quite perturbed by the same realization. That's when God (of Judaism, Christianity, Paulinity, and Islam) came into existence. The great religious thinkers of days long gone worked themselves into a tizzy to explain human life. Perhaps they drove themselves to the brink of insanity in that quest.

Although the Good Book states that "God sits above the circle of the earth" (Book of Isaiah) and "the earth hangs on nothing" (Book of Job), there is no evidence to confirm that all of the authors of the "canon" were not "flat earth" believers. "Heaven" is above the earth. Sheol, Hades, the fiery Gehenna, and "hell" are below the earth. In between is the "flat earth," also known as "Purgatory." In fact, the Apostle Paul mentioned in one of his letters that an acquaintance of his had seen the third level of "Heaven." The idea that "Heaven" had seven levels was formulated during the volatile Intertestimental Period of Judaism, much as the other questionable doctrines that eventually seeped into Pauline Christianity. I surmise that Sheol, Hades, a fiery Gehenna, and "hell" were empirically determined most likely by observations of live volcanoes. Hot magma flowing from the lavahead was probably the inspiration. Lavahead? Get it? Baha! Ha! Ha! Haaaa!

There is also a big problem with evolutionists. Their "faith" in evolution is much the same as experienced in religious fanaticism. There are no existing intermediate forms (i.e., "missing links") between apes and humans. Only very small questionable fossil fragments have been used to "reconstruct" entire skeletal structures. There is no "missing link." Much of the Creation had to occur concurrently. Otherwise, all species of life would never have survived. There is a Creator. Unfortunately, the Creator is not God (of Judaism, Christianity, Paulinity, and Islam).

Rampant Stupidity

I departed for Kahala Mall on the bus at 7:45am this morning. Obviously, I left pretty damned early. I stopped off at Longs® to see if I could find something worthy of calling breakfast. Nada. I then perused the selection at Whole Foods®. However, the prices were way too high for a peon like myself. So, I ended up at Times, specifically the Saint Germain Bakery concession in the store. I purchased two small muffins for $3 and some change. I walked back to Kahala Mall and ate my paltry breakfast in air-conditioned comfort.

As to be expected, I ended up at Barnes & Noble®. I sat in the café and sipped on real coffee while I perused my favorite Linux magazines. I also perused a few books that will be added to my library reading list. I departed the mall at 11:52am. I had to wait for the bus, so I finally returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) at 12:30pm.

I had to decide whether I wanted to got to the gym in town or in Hawai'i Kai. Since Hawai'i Kai is closer, I opted to go there. I am not certain why my memory seems to fail me, but the wait at the bus stop and the ride to Hawai'i Kai on the bus takes about as long as the trip to town. I did my usual workout at the gym. Then, I purchased a banana and a box of Kellogg's® Fiber Plus® granola bars. The box states, "Taste Better than Fiber One®!" I can confirm that the latter claim is very true. I actually wanted to purchase a bento, but that was not meant to be.

I had to wait 30 minutes for the bus. So, I finally arrived back at Slob Manor at 4:45pm. I had deep regrets about not going to town instead. I piddled around for the rest of the afternoon. I spent about an hour committing mass genocide upon the myriad sugar ants that have nested in my Nissan® Frontier truck. Obviously, that is proving to be a fruitless endeavor.

Another urban nomad kind-of-an-evening awaits me. Oh, the horror! Many thanks to Urban Coyote for sending me tips on how to end the ant infestation. However, I do not know how I will be able to set boric acid traps in my truck. Mr. Bumpy also advised me to not divest the 51-year-old booklet, "Adventures of a Pebble." The copy is worth close to a C-note. Unbelievable!

By the way, the furor over the limp healthcare reform is actually rooted in Christian religious quackery. The reason that many of the rank-and-file idiots are opposed to any kind of reform is not because of the fear of "socialism." Rather, they are hard-wired to believe the statement, "God only helps those who help themselves." The fools-in-question believe that the latter quote came from the Good Book while, in actuality, the source is Ben Franklin (not a patriarch of the Good Book).

Christian religious quackery is also the reason why there is little opposition to the empire's carnage in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The empire, the United Fascist States of Empire (USFE), is a Holy Christian Empire. It is waging a war against Islam (which shares the exact same God). Yes, Pakistan is a Muslim state, a result of its separation from India (a Hindu state). Christian religious quackery is also why the empire is firmly behind Israel. The third temple must be constructed in Jerusalem, and the various sacrifices must commence immediately afterward by Levitical priests, in order to bring about the "second coming of Jesus" and Armageddon. Believe it or not, this is the real world that we live in. And, everything is becoming more stupid with each passing day.

A Bridge Too Near

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai in my ant-infested Nissan®; Frontier truck at 8:15am this morning. Moms had an appointment at Queen's Hospital for her hearing aid check-up. Then, we had to drive back to Liliha so that moms could pick up her new eyeglasses. Afterward, moms and I visited Liliha Bakery. Moms purchased all kinds of delicious baked goods. The place was packed with people. According to moms, Liliha Bakery is the best bakery in the islands.

We stopped off at Koko Marina to eat lunch at Zippy's. After lunch, moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. We finished our long excursion at 1:30pm. Of course, the day would not be complete without Foremost® ice cream for dessert. I kept moms company until 2:15pm. Then, I commenced my usual urban nomad routine. No further details are necessary.

New Paradigm

"However, at this point, five stocks (yes only five) account for 40% of the trading volume on the market. Those five stocks: Citigroup, CIT Group, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG. Think about that, five stocks out of several thousand, are accounting for 40% of ALL trading." -- Graham Summers from the article, "Crooks, Computers, and the Coming Crash," on the Kitco® site

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day ... say it ain't so! At the library, I continued to read Gerald Schroeder's book, "The Hidden Face of God." Aside from the sparse references to the Creator being God (of Judaism, Christianity, Paulinity, and Islam), the book has been an excellent read. In fact, most of the content has been mind-boggling. I have been locked in an internal debate about metaphysics since first opening the book.

I do not know why the Creator is always identified as God (of Judaism, Christianity, Paulinity, and Islam) by default. If the latter were true, then I would also have to accept the various inaccuracies, anachronisms, problems of theodicy, and unfulfilled prophesies of the Good Book as well. The Almighty of the Good Book is omniscient as well. He is able to see into the future because His existence transcends all time. From what we can observe, the actual Creator does not appear to have such powers. And, it certainly does not appear that human life was created with any kind of resurrection in mind.

Even Schroeder's discussion about the human brain seems to indicate that the soul is intimately tied to the physical brain itself. Our memories, our emotions, our personality, as well as all of our human functions are deeply rooted in the biological (and chemical) processes of the brain. Memory seems to be the antecedent for all behavior, good or bad. Thus, in the course of a human lifetime, the collected experiences become part of a vast database in the physical brain. Hence, I am less inclined to believe that humans inherited "sin" from the Garden of Eden incident. In fact, I am beginning to realize a whole different perception of the Creator, the existence of humanity, and the purpose of the universe.

Invisibility

I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 8:35am this morning. Moms was home when I arrived. However, since moms was busy, I drove to Koko Head Park. I gave my Nissan® Frontier truck a sponge bath and subsequently waxed the exterior. I had originally planned to accomplish the wax job sometime during the upcoming Slave Labor Day weekend. Later, moms served hot dogs and fresh vegetables for lunch. As always, Foremost® ice cream was served up for dessert. I kept moms company until 1:30pm. Then, I drove to Koko Marina to complete my urban nomad kind-of-a-day.

After a less than stellar workout at the gym, I was able to procure a $3.50 hot meal (local-style bento) consisting of Hamburger Curry and rice at Foodland. Greasy, but delicious. Much better than the Reser's® frozen burritos that were my first choice.

Moms is very excited about an upcoming assembly and an international convention being convened by her church. The international convention will be held at the Hawai'i Convention Center in Waikiki. I really don't say much when moms is discussing religion, particularly the doctrines of the church. I have already been able to identify the gross deviation from Pauline Christianity when I read the Good Book. However, since I am almost certain that the Good Book is not what it proclaims to be, the issue is moot.

At this point in time, I have become very detached (i.e., disconnected) from humanity. I am no longer concerned about much, not even the mundane or the spiritual. I am certain that the "blog" reflects my affect. In a sense, I may have made an unwitting quantum leap toward exiting society. I am still chained to my useless possessions and the despicable "condotel" unit, but my psyche has attained freedom. Obviously, I have no passion for anything. Yet, is that really so bad? I have, in essence, become the non-entity that I have always aspired to be. Aside from moms, no one knows or cares who I am. I have no obligation or attachment to anyone. Of course, being a non-entity is somewhat disconcerting at first. After a while, though, the freedom brought on by invisibility become priceless.

"Fishy" Nonsense

Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day? You bet! Anything noteworthy to report? Nada. Just the way we like it. Sheesh! At the library, I commenced reading the book titled, "The Hidden Face of God: How Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth," by Gerald Schroeder. Don't be fooled by the misleading title. The book is actuality quite interesting. Schroeder avoids proselytizing or using religious dogma to substantiate his thesis.

My investment accounts are yielding next to nothing. In actuality, my one IRA bond fund account is producing most of the dividend income, and there is only $29,000 in it. I was planning to move the bulk of my IRA money market account into the bond fund, but something "fishy" is going on in the markets. Bond fund NAVs (read: net asset values) usually go down when the stock market surges. However, bond fund NAVs and yields have been going up as well. Something is clearly wrong with the stock market rally. Well, wrong is right.