Art and the Homeless

Every day when I get started—before I check the news—I say, “Please let today not be an apocalypse day.” Bombshell news is always a distraction. That's just how it has to be. I watched the attack on the World Trade Center, as it happened, from my workplace window. I shall never be the same. Today—luckily—was not a day of apocalypse. That is to say—to be exact—it was not a totally apocalyptic day. It was more like an half-an-apocalypse day. It was even a mildly funny day. Amid the other dire events of the morning only one stood-out; the whole (media) world got a good look at Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the (late) Ayatollah Khamenei.  I am going by the photo on his Wikipedia page because I lost the initial story. At first I brushed it off as less than apocalyptic and, therefore, not worthy of concern. Never-the-less, if you know me, I can't sleep at night because of a random scandal reported in the day's news. My day got as far as lunch when I had to go back and re-read the morn...

As I write this, the Jeffrey Epstein scandal is winding-down. The most shocking revelations are behind us, with less than a trickle of undiscovered associations being "revealed" in the day's news. The public's secondary reaction has only just begun. What is meant by that analogy is the absence of pain felt immediately upon sustaining a serious injury or burn. The pain is felt in the long, healing process, ahead. So it is with the Epstein files. And, after the bandages are removed, the unsightly scars will be a lasting reminder of the whole episode: the legacy of trauma.  I was not directly affected; but, believe me when I say, as former President Bill Clinton made famous the saying, “I feel your pain.” Thus, I come not to praise Caesar, but to bury him; Jeffrey Epstein, I mean. The closest exposure I got was having visited—briefly—the famous performing arts academy Interlochen, where Epstein plied his trade in seducing young women and powerful men. Epstein's crime...

... Iran Bombing Fuels Six Figure gains and $6 Million Loss on Polymarket Polymarket saw extreme financial swings following U.S.-Israel airstrikes on Iran, resulting in six-figure gains for some traders and a $6.5 million loss for one major participant.  <anoin123>, a trader who had built over $2 million in profits by betting against military strikes over two months, suffered a $6.5 million wipeout when the attacks occurred.  His position became worthless, turning prior gains into a $4.5 million net loss.  Six newly created wallets collectively earned nearly $1 million by placing "yes" bets on a U.S. strike before the operation.  The largest single profit was $494,375, achieved by a wallet that turned a $60,816 bet into over $499,000.  <Vivaldi007> earned $385,000 after consistently betting on an attack since February 8, absorbing prior losses before capitalizing on the strike.  A wallet named <Roeyha2026> made $96,800 after funding its ac...

... news headline states: "Machi Big Brother Hit With Repeated Liquidations" -what type of financial entity is Machi Big Brother? Machi Big Brother is a pseudonymous crypto trader and entrepreneur, widely known in digital asset markets.  His real name is Jeffrey Huang, a Taiwanese-American individual with a history in crypto startups, DeFi projects, and NFTs.  He is recognized as a highly leveraged trader, frequently taking aggressive long positions—especially on Ethereum (ETH)—using platforms like Hyperliquid.  His trading strategy, characterized by repeated use of extreme leverage (e.g., 25x or higher), has led to massive losses, including over $29 million in cumulative losses, culminating in full liquidation of his account in February 2026.  He has also been involved in launching meme coins (e.g., Boba Oppa) and has faced controversy over past project failures and allegations of fund mismanagement. ... published discussion of the individual reflects public controv...

... search news quote: "Blue Owl, a private credit fund company and financier of data centers, (is) halting redemptions" Blue Owl Capital has permanently restricted investor withdrawals from its retail-focused private credit fund, Blue Owl Capital Corp II (OBDC II), reversing an earlier plan to resume quarterly redemptions.  The move, announced on February 20, 2026, means investors will no longer be able to redeem shares on a scheduled basis. Instead, the company will return capital through periodic distributions funded by loan repayments, asset sales, and strategic transactions.  The decision follows a $1.4 billion sale of credit assets across three of its funds, including $600 million from OBDC II, sold at 99.7% of par value. Blue Owl stated that this capital will be used to return 30% of the fund’s net asset value to investors by March 31, a significant increase compared to the previous 5% quarterly redemption cap.  While Blue Owl co-President Craig Packer emphasized t...

... expand on news story quote, "gold gained 24% over the past five months as it benefited from the so-called debasement trade" Gold has gained 24% over the past five months, driven primarily by the "debasement trade" — a market trend where investors shift capital from fiat currencies and bonds into hard assets like gold to hedge against fears of currency devaluation, rising government debt, and persistent inflation.  This trade is fueled by concerns that central banks may continue expanding the money supply through policies like Quantitative Easing (QE) to finance growing fiscal deficits, eroding the purchasing power of fiat currencies. As real interest rates remain low or negative, gold becomes more attractive as a store of value.  Key drivers include: - Rising government debt levels, such as the Netherlands’ projected debt-to-GDP ratio of 126% by 2060.  - Persistent inflation and money supply growth, especially following pandemic-era stimulus.  - Geopolitical ten...