* * * * *

                 The desert does strange things to the mind …

And speaking of living on the road [1] …

> Of course, I am not truly “homeless” in the purest sense. I have a car
> (currently a rental), and I have the resources to rent some storage units
> in town. I have a basic medical plan. I shower at a health club, and if I
> am overwhelmed with hunger, I can always check into one of our fine casino
> buffets. I have a cell phone and wireless internet access.
>
> I am not without resources, only without a dedicated place to spend the
> night. I am not an alcoholic or drug addict and have no known mental health
> issues. I don't stand at freeway off-ramps with a sign, “Please help.” I do
> not believe I smell too bad, at least as far as I can smell myself.
>
> My only luxury is a rental car, which is a relatively cheap commodity in
> Las Vegas. Since my own car blew up, I have seen no need to buy a new one.
> Now, I get a nearly new car every two weeks, use it intensely, get it quite
> messy, then turn it in for another. The cost compares favorably to the
> payments on a new car, but without any obligations. There are also no
> maintenance or insurances costs. (Insurance is covered by my credit card
> for rentals of up to 15 days, hence my two-week cycle.) Having a car for
> only two weeks forces me to “clean house” periodically, which I otherwise
> might not do.
>
> Las Vegas has the ideal climate for homelessness. The temperature rarely
> falls below freezing and rain is uncommon. Contrary to what you might
> think, summer is the most comfortable season. Highs of 110° in the day
> translate into nighttime lows in the 80s, at least outside the city. I
> sleep out in the open in the Mojave desert. I use an air mattress but
> rarely a tent. In the desert, there are almost no insects except after a
> rain. In the summer, it is like sleeping in a nice comfortable bath,
> looking up at the stars.
>

“The Virtues of Homelessness [2]”

He certainly has an interesting idea about car ownership; it might be
interesting to actually look into perpetually renting a car to see how it
works out financially, although in his case, it's probably a moot point since
his car (for various values of “his”) is his home, so he comes out ahead
financially anyway.

* * * * *

[Everything you wanted to know about a place that doesn't exist] [3] [4]The
person in question is Glenn Campbell [5], not to be confused with Glen
Campbell [6], the country singer, and I first became aware of Glenn-not-the-
singer while researching Area 51 [7]. He [8] and Bob [9] Lazar [10] did more
to bring Area 51 [11] to the forefront of our culture in the 90s than just
about any one else.

He ran the Area 51 Research Center out in Rachel, Nevada [12]. By the time
Hoade and I visited Rachel [13], the place was only open on the weekends (so
we missed meeting him by two days). Today, the place doesn't even exist
anymore.

[1] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2008/07/14.1
[2] http://www.familycourtchronicles.com/philosophy/homeless/
[3] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2008/07/14/thumb-area51-research-center.jpg
[4] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2008/07/14/area51-research-center.jpg
[5] http://www.familycourtchronicles.com/people/campbell/adventures/resume/
[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Campbell
[7] http://www.ufomind.com/area51/
[8] http://www.ufomind.com/area51/people/campbell/source/biog.shtml
[9] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar
[10] http://www.ufomind.com/area51/people/lazar/
[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51
[12] http://www.rachel-nevada.com/
[13] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2006/07/18.1

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