The $2800 in bankruptcy, as I recall, included some income that was either dubious at the time or has since been attenuated to damn near zilch--the Paracast, Tech Nite Owl and see forth. The recent figure is $1700 of SSI. That fits with just barely scraping by in fleabag motels and the pattern of what one might think looks like neurotic, senile begging patterns. I would guess there is still a rusty trickle coming out of the ol' grift pipe, and a ha' penny from ad revenue.
Basically, he's just riding' it on down; at least that's my guess. He could make another plan; he lives in AZ where there are thousands of retirees living--not well off--decent, dignified lives on that kind of dough ($1700/mo). But he doesn't want that for whatever reason. So, a slow moving train wreck; could it be he relishes our watching?
He could live on his social security if he reined in his spending. Spending $700 per month on a car is complete insanity when you are homeless. Goodness only knows how much he spends on food given that he has admitted himself that both he and Barbara only eat out in restaurants for all their meals.
When times are difficult for most people they start cutting back on things.
Gene does the exact opposite - as someone else said he actually took out a lease on a new car during a previous period he was complaining about imminent eviction and desperately begging everyone - whenever this is pointed out to him he tends to become very hostile and give his usual retort of it being nobody else's business.
It's also strange how he was unable to pay rent on an apartment and got evicted yet can pay more (on what he claims is a daily basis) to live in a motel. He has been saying he can't afford it on almost a daily basis for nearly a year and then somehow, magically, he manages to pay it every time. As someone has said before he seems to be able to win heads on a coin toss hundreds of times in a row.
It seems he wants to overspend and doesn't like anyone ever questioning it. This would also explain why he refuses to take any government or state assistance. They would definitely ask to look at his finances and maybe even take money directly out of his social security thus preventing him from doing silly things like buying new cars and iphones and the like.
None of it really adds up unless we presume that Gene likes the current situation he is in. He doesn't seem to consider being in a motel to be homeless but he knows other people would not like it so he uses it as a means of begging.
I get the feeling that even even if Gene received $10k a month he would be struggling. Doesn't matter how much money you get if you can't budget and spend within your means you will end up in trouble. Think of all those people who make fortunes and then lose it all because they can't control their spending. If the $44K he swindled from Torsen changed nothing I doubt any amount will.
Personally I think the only thing that might make him change is if he does end up on the street. That might give him the kick up the backside he needs although it is also possible that he will be trying to run the Paracast and beg out of a cardboard box. His mind seems to be that warped.
For now as long as he can stay holed up in the motel, watching Netflix and presiding over his forum like a king he will keep begging and avoiding real work. He chooses this situation and I think he must enjoy or derive at least some level of satisfaction from it.
I feel sorry for the dog because it must be a miserable existence for him.