Art and the Homeless

... 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...

... "Epstein's association with Interlochen dates back to 1967, when as a 14-year-old bassoon player, he attended the school's summer camp." Epstein's Interlochen Connection Jeffrey Epstein's association with Interlochen dates back to 1967, when he attended the school's summer camp as a 14-year-old bassoon player. He later reconnected with the institution in the 1990s, where Interlochen viewed him as a loyal alumnus and major benefactor. Epstein funded the construction of an on-campus lodge, established a scholarship fund, hosted alumni events, and even allowed the use of his private jet to bring renowned artists like Itzhak Perlman to campus. This financial support granted him access to the school’s open campus, where he and Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly used the environment to groom and recruit teenage girls. The school has since implemented stricter policies, including banning unsupervised contact between students and outside adults, following the exposur...

... update summary of death of Quentin Deranque Update on Quentin Deranque Death Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old French far-right activist and Catholic convert, died on February 14, 2026, from severe brain injuries sustained during a violent assault in Lyon. The attack occurred after a pro-Palestinian conference hosted by La France Insoumise (LFI) at Sciences Po Lyon, where Deranque was present with the far-right group Nemesis, which was protesting the event. An autopsy confirmed he suffered fatal head trauma from being beaten and kicked by at least six individuals. The Lyon prosecutor's office upgraded the investigation from aggravated manslaughter to voluntary homicide, citing a "methodically prepared ambush" by masked attackers. By February 18, 11 suspects had been arrested—eight men and three women, aged 21 to 25 (one woman in her 40s). Among them were two parliamentary assistants to LFI deputy Raphaël Arnault, one of whom was linked to the dissolved far-left militant...

... synopsis of novel by Lorrie Moore, I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home Lorrie Moore’s novel “I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home” (2023) weaves together three interlocking narratives centered on grief, memory, and the persistence of the past. The primary story follows Finn, a middle-aged high school history teacher in Illinois, who is suspended from his job after teaching math and defying school policy.  He travels to New York City to visit his dying brother, Max, in hospice in the Bronx, grappling with his own emotional unraveling and unresolved feelings for his ex-wife, Lily, who has recently died by suicide in a surreal, symbolic drowning. After discovering Lily’s body in her home, Finn becomes convinced she has returned—partially resurrected—and embarks on a bizarre, road-trip journey across the Midwest with her decomposing corpse, seeking to fulfill her final wishes and confront their shared past. Along the way, Finn checks into a decaying, gothic inn known as the South ...