Bruce’s Poor Man’s Recession Bulletin
Your choice for usable Urban Survival Resources
In This Issue:
· Mythbusters – No right to privacy? Green Tech Myths
· New Auction Site Launched
· Another Congressional Internet Scheme in works
When the wheels are coming off, it doesn’t do much good to change the driver.
— Norman Solomon, “From Great Man to Great Screwup: Behind
the McChrystal Uproar” [June 24, 2010]
Revenge of the Poor Man
Coming to a theatre near you soon…maybe
Just as gamblers are vanishing in Las Vegas, so is a vibrant economy and it still seems odd to me that Republicans squashed the recent bill to extend unemployment benefits and other portions of the bill complaining it might add to the deficit…no sh__t! Funny, you didn’t seem to have a problem adding to the deficit when the bailouts began for Wall Street under President Bush and then continuing under Obama, nor did you seem to have a big problem in allowing a health care bill to pass when it too will add to the our financial problems.
Both parties have been crucifying the middle class for 30-years which is why the Poor Man for 20 years has been telling anyone who would listen that we don’t need another election, we need another revolution!
Stay tuned…literally.
Everything video has become the national pastime as reading has become too challenging for many…The Poor Man routinely receives dozens of offers weekly from so-called marketing gurus promising to make me an online millionaire. They all want me to watch their video and a few conned me into it…what a waste. Most of these videos are boring, poorly done and take too long to get to the point.
Few of you know that Google owns YouTube and will probably begin charging a fee to upload videos…they’ll start with businesses and eventually start charging everyone else.
Well, not because I really want to but I broke down and purchased a video camera which seems easy to operate…it will probably take me a century or so to learn how to upload a video to my computer and edit it…my first effort will be directed at showing folks how the Poor Man saved so much cash on his utilities around the homestead. That’s what allowed me to afford a camera!
Resources & News You Can Use
Water your lawn one shower at a time…
The first residential water recycling system to capture water from the shower & bath, washing machine, etc. and channel it to the yard or garden for irrigation – find more about the flotender at:
www.flotender.com
Break the bottled water habit-save money & the environment through approved recycled refillable bottles from GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan or check out the Bobble which cleans tap water on the spot. As you drink the water, it passes through a carbon filter in the neck, which traps impurities – cost is about $10 & good for 300 refills.
www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
www.waterbobble.com
Better eBay Searching
In most cases I always find a good deal on eBay compared to most local retailers including WalMart…if a seller has made a spelling error in the title of their listing, it becomes tougher to find and the final selling price usually remains low. You can take advantage of this by using sites which scan eBay for what you’re seeking including typos. Here are a few free sites you can use.
www.auctionbloopers.com
www.fatfingers.com
www.typobuddy.com
…speaking of eBay as a good place to find bargains, if you hate to spend the big bucks on Microsoft products or Adobe Photoshop, try this site to find free or cheaper alternatives.
http://Alternativeto.net
Money Blogs to save money
Live large on a small budget at: wisebread.com
Reduce credit card debt & risk at: frugaldad.com
How a mother gets out of debt at: the centsiblelife.com
Social Security Number Safety
Linda Foley
Identity Theft Resource Center
Keep your Social Security number’s last four digits secret. You are only legally required to give out your Social Security number (SSN) when applying for new financial accounts, to an employer or for governmental purposes. The last four digits combined with your name and address could be used to obtain a wealth of information.
Safety: Ask why a company would need your SSN -- if you are not comfortable with the answer, seek an alternative company or use another means of ID. Why do you think the Poor Man calls it the socialist slave number?
Linda Foley, founder, Identity Theft Resource Center, San Diego, www.idtheftcenter.org.
"Could you survive for a few days...
or weeks without electricity or a trip to the grocery store?"
Share this Bulletin with a friend!
“Giving society cheap, abundant energy would be the equivalent of giving an idiot child a machine gun.” — Prof Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University
The News Roundup
BooCoo Auction Site Launches with Newspaper Partnerships
BooCoo.com launched on Monday with a unique model - it has
entered into exclusive deals with over 280 newspapers around the
country that will advertise the new auction site in return for a
cut of the revenue.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y10/m06/i22/s01
Green Technology Myths -- Learn the Truth
Blindly following green technology myths is bad for the environment
Americans are trusting souls so when it comes to green technology, we often believe everything we're told. If your goal is to become eco-friendly and to make a smaller impact on the environment, learn the truth about these three myths…more at:
http://www.mythbusters.com/green-technology-myths----learn-the-truth.html
>>>>>>>
Poor Man’s Political Roundup
No Constitutional Right to Privacy? That's A Myth That Must Be Busted!
Most Americans believe in a constitutional right to privacy -- but does it really exist? The answer is yes, but it's not as clear-cut as most people think.
In early 2003, Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania announced his belief that no American has a Constitutional right to privacy, a shocking assertion to hear from a high government official. Because this was inserted as an aside in a more controversial statement, it was mostly overlooked -- but not entirely.
Pundits have been weighing in the subject sporadically ever since. The dismaying fact is, Santorum was right -- to a certain extent. There's no specific mention of the word "privacy" anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. But that doesn't mean that the subject isn't covered there, and it's time that myth was busted.
Continue reading No Constitutional Right to Privacy? That's A Myth That Must Be Busted!.
>>><<<
Bubbl.us
What is Bubbl.us? That’s what I wanted to know too! So I clicked into the site and was delighted to find that it was a free web application that allows its users to brainstorm online.
Since we’re all new users go ahead and the Start Brainstorming button which will whisk you away to the application. Once it’s loaded click the Start Here button in the center of the page. This will open up the text so you can type something there. For example type in computers, and then press the enter key. Now you have the center of your brainstorming diagram, and another button should have appeared. Click that button and type in newsletters, then hit enter and another button will appear.
^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539
Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less. http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy
Terrific site for resources and green, eco-friendly goods http://www.growandmake.com?ref=71
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Congress comes up with another brain dead scheme
Ignorant people, after all, are easier to control.
What would you think about the Internet having a kill switch? One Senator has introduced legislation, which would allow Homeland Security to issue emergency orders to broadband providers, search engines and software companies, essentially allowing HLS to order the turn-off or enact government control of the Internet in the United States.
Senator Joe Leiberman told everyone to do Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union with Candy Crowley.
Crowley asked about the Kill Switch bill Leiberman co-sponsors with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) that would allow the President to shut down the Internet in a time of emergency.
The President will never take over the Internet, Leiberman—with a warm smile—assured the audience. The government shouldn’t take over the internet. The president would only do that in catastrophic times. Not going to do it every day. It’s only for national security. Relax.
At the moment, the proposed legislation is supported by several Senators, but it is expected to gain major opposition from the technology industry and Net Neutrality organizations.
Find this and related information at:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Network_neutrality_legislation
http://www.savetheinternet.com/
Parting Shot from the Poor Man
With more than a $12 Trillion debt looming (more than our combined first 200 years) is another financial meltdown headed our way? That is the consensus of many investment research firms, political analysts and the Poor Man. Two weeks ago I suggested we have two to five years tops before the crap hits the fan…unless some miracle rabbit is pulled out of the hat.
Too many Americans have their head buried in the sand and are unprepared to last more than a couple of weeks.
Over the past few decades both political parties have screwed us with their selfish, money-grubbing, serve the special-interest-only supporters and have bankrupted the country. Their short sightedness has allowed the US to become a 3rd world debtor nation who feeds its mid-east enemies via the oil pipeline.
Our government has become a bloated old man over the past decades feeding non-stop wars and borrowing beyond the hilt to become the nanny state all the while creating policies which have fostered the loss of middle class jobs (and thus tax revenues to state governments)…simply put, we have too much government meddling in our lives and overstepping its Constitutional authority and the mandates set forth by our founding fathers.
The more our government spends, especially on wars, the more we borrow and the less each dollar is worth. The US is near the end of its credit limit.
Republicans recently quashed an extension of unemployment benefits for millions of Americans and refused to bailout state governments under the guise of too much debt, but where was that sentiment when it came to bailing out banks and Wall Street? Unemployment is leveling off but many jobs will never return and food stamp recipients have set new records…what does that tell you about the recovery?
When interest rates rise and taxes rise and inflation destroys our currency things will get mighty tough and lifestyles will plummet…like a family without credit cards, the US government will eventually be forced to live within its means.
Although I just finished nearly 40 hours of Eco makeover training from Green Irene, I’m wondering if I should add blacksmithing to my skill set?
For the Unprepared, 'Trouble is Not Just Knocking at the Door; It's About to Kick It In'
That’s it for this issue and as our friend Red Green always says, “Guys, if the women don’t find you handsome, at least let them find you handy.”
Bruce “The Poor Man”
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com
A Shallow Planet Production
Our Mission: To protect and promote your freedom, civil rights, financial well being and overall self reliance in these turbulent times.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
What is Freganism? The Cheapskate Next Door and more.
Bruce’s Poor Man Recession Bulletin
Your choice for usable Urban Survival Resources
In This Issue:
· Freeganism-we all want it for nothing!
· Creative Governing-Drones to spy on citizens
· Unemployed need not bother apply
· Fire hydrant can save your life in more ways than one
· The cheapskate next door
· Prudent Poor Man Tip-shut off home electric hogs from anywhere
History has witnessed the failure of many endeavors to impose peace by war, cooperation by coercion, unanimity by slaughtering dissidents.... A lasting order cannot be established by bayonets. — Ludwig von Mises, Omnipotent Government [1944]
The Poor Man Wants Your Help – No Money Required
Although you could send money, that’s not what I’m asking for. I’ve been tweaking my site for the past few days and of course, it’s trial and error for people like myself. Indeed, I accidentally closed the site down for awhile by putting hidden html coding on top of each other to satisfy some google ranking parameters…
Our site is expanding in the near future with the addition of ‘expert’ interviews and by adding video. I personally dislike much of the video out there, but most people want something they don’t have to read (too much brain drain?) so we got a camera and we’re working on learning how to use, edit, post, etc.
What I am seeking are experts – perhaps authors or non-profit group directors- that I can interview and post to this Bulletin and the site. Areas of interest include alternative energy DIY, green related (recycling, energy reduction, etc.), and others who have something useful to share with our readers. Sooooooo….ask and ye shall find, right! Ask your friends to contact me at: bedavid@yahoo.com
Got a report, which suggests obesity is affecting our national security (the lack of border security in Mexico is a worse threat). After visiting a local flea market over the weekend it is pretty evident…I’ve never seen so many young women so fat…even the nightly news when it airs police reports, it shows many female officers to be the size of a blimp!
How do they get on the force? One in three American children are obese and this report says 27% of Americans of recruitment age are too fat to fight in our military.
Finally, my wife has discovered a new source of free energy (no, it’s not her husband…though some of my musical fruit flatulence might be tapped)…if we can figure how to tap her hot flashes – any suggestions?
What is Freeganism:
Freeganism is an anti-consumerist movement. It takes issue with society's focus on buying new and throwing away old (but still useful) items. In the simplest terms, freeganism is a reaction against the waste of resources. Participants, known as "freegans," have two main goals: to buy as little as possible and to use only what they need.
Learn More at: http://frugalliving.about.com/od/bargainshopping/p/Freegan.htm
>>>>>>>>>
7 websites that Consumer Reports suggests to get free stuff.
StartSampling.com offers samples of everything from quit smoking patches to skin lotion.
"It was just really easy to understand," said Laura. She ordered free hair conditioner but to get it, had to give up her e-mail address and date of birth.
Procter and Gamble's site, P&G Everyday Solutions, features coupons for its products and free samples.
Next up, Freebies4Mom.com where the free samples are geared toward moms. It features everything from diapers to popcorn. Some are actually coupons so you can pick up a free item at a store.
Then, there's FreeStuffTimes.com which Laura really liked because it offers a lot. She also liked it because it tells you when the offers expire and what other websites you'll be directed to.
"This one was probably one of the most straightforward ones," said Laura.
But when she tried to order a magazine, she was asked her job title. When entered 'homemaker', she was told she didn't qualify.
FreeMania.net offers free product samples such as cereal but also free services. However, Laura found a drawback. "This one had lots and lots of questions," explained Laura. "If I had tons of time on my hands, maybe I would do it, but I really don't."
Coupons.com allows you to print coupons to take the store.
Finally, there's Thunderfap.com, which took a while to load on several computers, but once it did, there were offers for everything from lotion to cologne.
Laura found a couple of downsides to these sites in general. For instance, some offers require a lot of personal information.
"They wanted to know phone numbers, they wanted to know addresses and birthdates. One even asked for income range," said Laura. But overall, she said, "It's worth checking out."
One more downside; Laura says she's received a lot of junk e-mails so you might want to set up a special e-mail account just for your freebie site searches.
the prudent Poor Man…
· Airfares & extras continue to rise at the airlines…try knocking them down with coupon codes for booking sites such as Orbitz and Travelocity by going to: www.Retailmeno.com/coupons/airlines
· Gold prices continue to rise so think about making your vacation pay for itself by panning for gold. All you need is a ridged pan and a plastic squeeze bottle then find a gold camp at: www.GoldMinersHQ.com/vacations/goldcam.htm or at www.family-vacations-oldwest.html
· Win $50,000 by casting your ballot for M&Ms favorite brand color – go to www.MMs.com
A free, easy means
of generating extra cash-could prove to be a nice sideline biz
www.InstantPayPalCash.com
Don’t pitch those cheese scraps…Easy recipe to take those scraps and turn them into fromage fort. Gather the scraps of any variety (about a half-pound works well) and put into a food processor along with a couple of cloves of garlic, ¼ cup white wine and season with pepper to taste. Blend until smooth & creamy. Makes a great topping for crusty French bread or crackers.
Duct tape MPG Boosted Car-fun modifications to your car – good guy site
www.EcoModder.com
Prudent Poor Man Tip – Turn off Energy Hogs from anywhere. Forget to turn off electrical goods when you left the house today? No problem – get a WI FI enabled system and Picco Watt web page and with a few clicks you can manage your home energy consumption – Cost: $80
www.tenrehte.com
"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of
circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of
attitudes." -- Hugh Downs
>>>
^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539
Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less. http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy
Terrific site for resources and green, eco-friendly goods http://www.growandmake.com?ref=71
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The Cheapskate Next Door
This narrative largely neglected the Americans best equipped to speak to the simple life: the people who have always lived frugally. In his new book, "The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means," author Jeff Yeager gives voice to the sensible folks who spent the boom years quietly paying down their mortgages and making their kids earn their allowances (if they got one at all).
Yeager surveyed and interviewed more than 300 fellow cheapskates -- traveling the country on his bicycle and crashing on the couches of his thrifty brethren. He quickly discovered a group of people who bore little resemblance to the stereotypical tightwad. Not only do Yeager's cheapskates donate more money to charity than the general population, they also have lower divorce rates and higher education levels. Although their politics and religious views span the spectrum -- from Christian conservative to hippie freegan -- they're united in their rejection of consumer culture, excessive borrowing and waste. They also believe the cheap life is the happiest.
I talked to Yeager on the eve of his second bicycle/couch-surfing book tour about the joys of thrift, the sorrows of spending and why your grandmother is greener than you are.
How do you define a cheapskate?
A cheapskate is someone who lives almost exclusively debt-free with the possible exception of a home mortgage, and even then about 85 percent of the people I polled said they had paid off their mortgage early or planned to. These were the folks that during the heyday of the economy and real estate boom were doing the absolute unsexiest thing: paying down their mortgage. Which meant they could lose a job but not lose everything else. But it goes deeper than that: These were people who never relied on money to make them happy.
Get the rest at:
http://www.salon.com/life/pinched/2010/06/15/cheapskate_next_door
“$600 million annually – amount feds and states spend on care & feeding of illegals.”
Headline News Roundup
Out-of-work job applicants told unemployed need not apply
The last thing someone who is unemployed needs to be told is that they shouldn't even apply for the limited number of job openings that are available. But some companies and recruiters are doing just that.
Employment experts say they believe companies are increasingly interested only in applicants who already have a job.
"I think it is more prevalent than it used to be," said Rich Thompson, vice president of learning and performance for Adecco Group North America, the world's largest staffing firm. "I don't have hard numbers, but three out of the last four conversations I've had about openings, this requirement was brought up."
Some job postings include restrictions such as "unemployed candidates will not be considered" or "must be currently employed." Those explicit limitations have occasionally been removed from listings when an employer or recruiter is questioned by the media though.
My opinion-despicable and those firms should be boycotted by consumers!
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Outofwork-job-applicants-told-cnnm-3498252371.html?x=0
>>>>
Drug Raid Madness-SWAT Teams now used routinely to invade homes
Ninja police raids mayors home by accident, kills his dogs. Becoming routine and without oversight or apology. 100 raids occur each day, no-knock-warrants often result in innocent people being tired and killed by law enforcement.
Police seldom apologize or even allow the freedom of information act to expose guilty government officials.
There are 20,000 laws on the books trying to curb your gun ownership rights alone…we should not need ‘permission’ from the government to own a weapon unless we’re medically insane.
Our constitutional rights are being abridged by the government at an alarming rate, and the protections our Founding Fathers envisioned (armed citizens among them) are increasingly irrelevant in an age where no single citizen stands a chance against local police (where military training and weapons are now commonplace).
Watch the John Stossel, FOX News Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1nWKyJF45I&feature=player_embedded
Emergency or Crisis Water Available at your…
A fire hydrant could save your life. The only tool you will need is a hydrant wrench, which can easily be ordered online (for now). You may also need a length of 1" galvanized pipe to help with leverage if your fire hydrant is rusted or overly tight.
The key is to identify the lowest elevation hydrants in your neighborhood or area. This can be done in most places by simply taking a walk and noting which hydrants are at the lowest points. For areas that are relatively flat, researching the topography of your neighborhood with the help of Google Earth could prove useful.
So how can hydrants possibly be the solution? Even when the power grid is down or the local water tower is empty, the water lines that feed your neighborhood hydrants are very likely still full of water. For illustration purposes, an eight-inch water line will hold about 2 gallons of water per linear foot, and twelve-inch lines will hold about 6 gallons of water per linear foot.
If you happen to live near an industrial area, chances are that those water lines are even larger. The reason to identify the lowest elevation hydrant is to ensure that there is some downward pressure to help push the water out. The full force of a pressurized line is not necessary because all that is needed to push the water out can be as little as 3 pounds per square inch or about as much pressure from a simple water fountain.
When the need arises, slowly open the hydrant with your wrench and collect the water into five gallon buckets for transportation. When you get home, transfer the water into clean, one gallon milk jugs and close them tight. One word of warning here: do not attempt to collect water from any pipe system or hydrant that is painted purple; this water is not potable. You'll probably want to fill your 5-gallon buckets far in advance in order to experiment with the best way to transport them from the hydrant to your home.
Throughout history, major wars have often been triggered by financial crises. So the question is: Will today's great financial crisis — the worst since the 1930s Depression — lead to World War III? And if so, when?
Creative Governing-Parting Shot
Years ago there was a TV show called SeaQuest. Its opening premier showed actor Roy Scheider, speeding through town on a motorcycle when he’s zapped by a traffic monitor which reads his license plate, automatically finding him guilty of speeding and then debiting his bank account of the fine.
Now, the FAA has been asked by many to allow use of unmanned Predator drones in the US to track criminals, oil pipeline leaks and so on. Folks, there is a reason they are called “Predators.” The government always wants something with an excuse of ‘the greater good’ used to justify the expense and the curtailment of liberties…we keep marching to ever expanding frontiers of Big Brother.
Remember when the Social Security number (aka: socialist slave number) was first issued? It stated on the card that it was not intended to be “used for identification purposes.” Today, every nosy bastard around wants that damned number, even if they’re not entitled to it. Is it any wonder identity theft has become a major crime?
When it comes to the government always beware and remember the old adage of “give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.” Unhappily for the populace, they demonstrate this time after time and we all get suckered into the pot of boiling water! Finally…
The New York Times reports that "Gov. David A. Paterson and legislative leaders have tentatively agreed to allow the state and municipalities to borrow nearly $6 billion to help them make their required annual payments to the state pension fund.
"And, in classic budgetary sleight-of-hand, they will borrow the money to make the payments to the pension fund — from the same pension fund."
Can you believe it? Of course you can. It's nothing more than a variation of the Obama bail-out plan in which money is manufactured out of thin air - although this scheme seems to go one better. You just borrow money from yourself and pay it back, with interest, starting in 2013.
That’s what I call another example of ‘creative governing.’
Yours for better living,
Bruce “The Poor Man”
Remember to share this with you friends or add a link to your site or social networking site. Remember, we add all the fat & twice the salt!
www.PoorManSurvival.com
www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
www.OldBookNook.com
A Shallow Planet Production
Your choice for usable Urban Survival Resources
In This Issue:
· Freeganism-we all want it for nothing!
· Creative Governing-Drones to spy on citizens
· Unemployed need not bother apply
· Fire hydrant can save your life in more ways than one
· The cheapskate next door
· Prudent Poor Man Tip-shut off home electric hogs from anywhere
History has witnessed the failure of many endeavors to impose peace by war, cooperation by coercion, unanimity by slaughtering dissidents.... A lasting order cannot be established by bayonets. — Ludwig von Mises, Omnipotent Government [1944]
The Poor Man Wants Your Help – No Money Required
Although you could send money, that’s not what I’m asking for. I’ve been tweaking my site for the past few days and of course, it’s trial and error for people like myself. Indeed, I accidentally closed the site down for awhile by putting hidden html coding on top of each other to satisfy some google ranking parameters…
Our site is expanding in the near future with the addition of ‘expert’ interviews and by adding video. I personally dislike much of the video out there, but most people want something they don’t have to read (too much brain drain?) so we got a camera and we’re working on learning how to use, edit, post, etc.
What I am seeking are experts – perhaps authors or non-profit group directors- that I can interview and post to this Bulletin and the site. Areas of interest include alternative energy DIY, green related (recycling, energy reduction, etc.), and others who have something useful to share with our readers. Sooooooo….ask and ye shall find, right! Ask your friends to contact me at: bedavid@yahoo.com
Got a report, which suggests obesity is affecting our national security (the lack of border security in Mexico is a worse threat). After visiting a local flea market over the weekend it is pretty evident…I’ve never seen so many young women so fat…even the nightly news when it airs police reports, it shows many female officers to be the size of a blimp!
How do they get on the force? One in three American children are obese and this report says 27% of Americans of recruitment age are too fat to fight in our military.
Finally, my wife has discovered a new source of free energy (no, it’s not her husband…though some of my musical fruit flatulence might be tapped)…if we can figure how to tap her hot flashes – any suggestions?
What is Freeganism:
Freeganism is an anti-consumerist movement. It takes issue with society's focus on buying new and throwing away old (but still useful) items. In the simplest terms, freeganism is a reaction against the waste of resources. Participants, known as "freegans," have two main goals: to buy as little as possible and to use only what they need.
Learn More at: http://frugalliving.about.com/od/bargainshopping/p/Freegan.htm
>>>>>>>>>
7 websites that Consumer Reports suggests to get free stuff.
StartSampling.com offers samples of everything from quit smoking patches to skin lotion.
"It was just really easy to understand," said Laura. She ordered free hair conditioner but to get it, had to give up her e-mail address and date of birth.
Procter and Gamble's site, P&G Everyday Solutions, features coupons for its products and free samples.
Next up, Freebies4Mom.com where the free samples are geared toward moms. It features everything from diapers to popcorn. Some are actually coupons so you can pick up a free item at a store.
Then, there's FreeStuffTimes.com which Laura really liked because it offers a lot. She also liked it because it tells you when the offers expire and what other websites you'll be directed to.
"This one was probably one of the most straightforward ones," said Laura.
But when she tried to order a magazine, she was asked her job title. When entered 'homemaker', she was told she didn't qualify.
FreeMania.net offers free product samples such as cereal but also free services. However, Laura found a drawback. "This one had lots and lots of questions," explained Laura. "If I had tons of time on my hands, maybe I would do it, but I really don't."
Coupons.com allows you to print coupons to take the store.
Finally, there's Thunderfap.com, which took a while to load on several computers, but once it did, there were offers for everything from lotion to cologne.
Laura found a couple of downsides to these sites in general. For instance, some offers require a lot of personal information.
"They wanted to know phone numbers, they wanted to know addresses and birthdates. One even asked for income range," said Laura. But overall, she said, "It's worth checking out."
One more downside; Laura says she's received a lot of junk e-mails so you might want to set up a special e-mail account just for your freebie site searches.
the prudent Poor Man…
· Airfares & extras continue to rise at the airlines…try knocking them down with coupon codes for booking sites such as Orbitz and Travelocity by going to: www.Retailmeno.com/coupons/airlines
· Gold prices continue to rise so think about making your vacation pay for itself by panning for gold. All you need is a ridged pan and a plastic squeeze bottle then find a gold camp at: www.GoldMinersHQ.com/vacations/goldcam.htm or at www.family-vacations-oldwest.html
· Win $50,000 by casting your ballot for M&Ms favorite brand color – go to www.MMs.com
A free, easy means
of generating extra cash-could prove to be a nice sideline biz
www.InstantPayPalCash.com
Don’t pitch those cheese scraps…Easy recipe to take those scraps and turn them into fromage fort. Gather the scraps of any variety (about a half-pound works well) and put into a food processor along with a couple of cloves of garlic, ¼ cup white wine and season with pepper to taste. Blend until smooth & creamy. Makes a great topping for crusty French bread or crackers.
Duct tape MPG Boosted Car-fun modifications to your car – good guy site
www.EcoModder.com
Prudent Poor Man Tip – Turn off Energy Hogs from anywhere. Forget to turn off electrical goods when you left the house today? No problem – get a WI FI enabled system and Picco Watt web page and with a few clicks you can manage your home energy consumption – Cost: $80
www.tenrehte.com
"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of
circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of
attitudes." -- Hugh Downs
>>>
^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539
Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less. http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy
Terrific site for resources and green, eco-friendly goods http://www.growandmake.com?ref=71
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The Cheapskate Next Door
This narrative largely neglected the Americans best equipped to speak to the simple life: the people who have always lived frugally. In his new book, "The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means," author Jeff Yeager gives voice to the sensible folks who spent the boom years quietly paying down their mortgages and making their kids earn their allowances (if they got one at all).
Yeager surveyed and interviewed more than 300 fellow cheapskates -- traveling the country on his bicycle and crashing on the couches of his thrifty brethren. He quickly discovered a group of people who bore little resemblance to the stereotypical tightwad. Not only do Yeager's cheapskates donate more money to charity than the general population, they also have lower divorce rates and higher education levels. Although their politics and religious views span the spectrum -- from Christian conservative to hippie freegan -- they're united in their rejection of consumer culture, excessive borrowing and waste. They also believe the cheap life is the happiest.
I talked to Yeager on the eve of his second bicycle/couch-surfing book tour about the joys of thrift, the sorrows of spending and why your grandmother is greener than you are.
How do you define a cheapskate?
A cheapskate is someone who lives almost exclusively debt-free with the possible exception of a home mortgage, and even then about 85 percent of the people I polled said they had paid off their mortgage early or planned to. These were the folks that during the heyday of the economy and real estate boom were doing the absolute unsexiest thing: paying down their mortgage. Which meant they could lose a job but not lose everything else. But it goes deeper than that: These were people who never relied on money to make them happy.
Get the rest at:
http://www.salon.com/life/pinched/2010/06/15/cheapskate_next_door
“$600 million annually – amount feds and states spend on care & feeding of illegals.”
Headline News Roundup
Out-of-work job applicants told unemployed need not apply
The last thing someone who is unemployed needs to be told is that they shouldn't even apply for the limited number of job openings that are available. But some companies and recruiters are doing just that.
Employment experts say they believe companies are increasingly interested only in applicants who already have a job.
"I think it is more prevalent than it used to be," said Rich Thompson, vice president of learning and performance for Adecco Group North America, the world's largest staffing firm. "I don't have hard numbers, but three out of the last four conversations I've had about openings, this requirement was brought up."
Some job postings include restrictions such as "unemployed candidates will not be considered" or "must be currently employed." Those explicit limitations have occasionally been removed from listings when an employer or recruiter is questioned by the media though.
My opinion-despicable and those firms should be boycotted by consumers!
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Outofwork-job-applicants-told-cnnm-3498252371.html?x=0
>>>>
Drug Raid Madness-SWAT Teams now used routinely to invade homes
Ninja police raids mayors home by accident, kills his dogs. Becoming routine and without oversight or apology. 100 raids occur each day, no-knock-warrants often result in innocent people being tired and killed by law enforcement.
Police seldom apologize or even allow the freedom of information act to expose guilty government officials.
There are 20,000 laws on the books trying to curb your gun ownership rights alone…we should not need ‘permission’ from the government to own a weapon unless we’re medically insane.
Our constitutional rights are being abridged by the government at an alarming rate, and the protections our Founding Fathers envisioned (armed citizens among them) are increasingly irrelevant in an age where no single citizen stands a chance against local police (where military training and weapons are now commonplace).
Watch the John Stossel, FOX News Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1nWKyJF45I&feature=player_embedded
Emergency or Crisis Water Available at your…
A fire hydrant could save your life. The only tool you will need is a hydrant wrench, which can easily be ordered online (for now). You may also need a length of 1" galvanized pipe to help with leverage if your fire hydrant is rusted or overly tight.
The key is to identify the lowest elevation hydrants in your neighborhood or area. This can be done in most places by simply taking a walk and noting which hydrants are at the lowest points. For areas that are relatively flat, researching the topography of your neighborhood with the help of Google Earth could prove useful.
So how can hydrants possibly be the solution? Even when the power grid is down or the local water tower is empty, the water lines that feed your neighborhood hydrants are very likely still full of water. For illustration purposes, an eight-inch water line will hold about 2 gallons of water per linear foot, and twelve-inch lines will hold about 6 gallons of water per linear foot.
If you happen to live near an industrial area, chances are that those water lines are even larger. The reason to identify the lowest elevation hydrant is to ensure that there is some downward pressure to help push the water out. The full force of a pressurized line is not necessary because all that is needed to push the water out can be as little as 3 pounds per square inch or about as much pressure from a simple water fountain.
When the need arises, slowly open the hydrant with your wrench and collect the water into five gallon buckets for transportation. When you get home, transfer the water into clean, one gallon milk jugs and close them tight. One word of warning here: do not attempt to collect water from any pipe system or hydrant that is painted purple; this water is not potable. You'll probably want to fill your 5-gallon buckets far in advance in order to experiment with the best way to transport them from the hydrant to your home.
Throughout history, major wars have often been triggered by financial crises. So the question is: Will today's great financial crisis — the worst since the 1930s Depression — lead to World War III? And if so, when?
Creative Governing-Parting Shot
Years ago there was a TV show called SeaQuest. Its opening premier showed actor Roy Scheider, speeding through town on a motorcycle when he’s zapped by a traffic monitor which reads his license plate, automatically finding him guilty of speeding and then debiting his bank account of the fine.
Now, the FAA has been asked by many to allow use of unmanned Predator drones in the US to track criminals, oil pipeline leaks and so on. Folks, there is a reason they are called “Predators.” The government always wants something with an excuse of ‘the greater good’ used to justify the expense and the curtailment of liberties…we keep marching to ever expanding frontiers of Big Brother.
Remember when the Social Security number (aka: socialist slave number) was first issued? It stated on the card that it was not intended to be “used for identification purposes.” Today, every nosy bastard around wants that damned number, even if they’re not entitled to it. Is it any wonder identity theft has become a major crime?
When it comes to the government always beware and remember the old adage of “give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.” Unhappily for the populace, they demonstrate this time after time and we all get suckered into the pot of boiling water! Finally…
The New York Times reports that "Gov. David A. Paterson and legislative leaders have tentatively agreed to allow the state and municipalities to borrow nearly $6 billion to help them make their required annual payments to the state pension fund.
"And, in classic budgetary sleight-of-hand, they will borrow the money to make the payments to the pension fund — from the same pension fund."
Can you believe it? Of course you can. It's nothing more than a variation of the Obama bail-out plan in which money is manufactured out of thin air - although this scheme seems to go one better. You just borrow money from yourself and pay it back, with interest, starting in 2013.
That’s what I call another example of ‘creative governing.’
Yours for better living,
Bruce “The Poor Man”
Remember to share this with you friends or add a link to your site or social networking site. Remember, we add all the fat & twice the salt!
www.PoorManSurvival.com
www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
www.OldBookNook.com
A Shallow Planet Production
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Free MGM Movies for Father's Day+Free Yogurt+Free Resources
I know many of you will be busy over Father’s Day weekend, so this week’s Bulletin is a tad bit early – enjoy & be sure to share it with friends.
Bruce’s Poor Man Recession Bulletin
Your choice for usable Urban Survival Resources
In This Issue:
· 10 things we can’t live without-despite a recession
· Save fuel with hypermiling
· Politically Incorrect film fest online
· Shattered illusions-job security. Free ebook
· Happy Father’s Day-Free TCBY
"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." --Samuel Adams
Happy Father’s Day
Father’s Day was first celebrated in 1910. Upon hearing about the newly created Mother’s Day, a grateful daughter, Sonora Dodd, lobbied to establish a similar day to honor fathers. She suggested her own father’s birthday, June 5th as the date but as we know, that day is now officially on the 3rd Sunday of June.
It’s not just Mothers who get free stuff either…Dad’s can grab a free cone or cup of their favorite flavor of frozen yogurt from TCBY (find a location at their site: TCBY.Com)
Here’s a Father’s Day BBQ tip…cooking marinated meat is healthier. Most marinades contain natural acidic ingredients such as vinegar, wine, tomatoes and fruit juices which tenderize meat and keep harmful bacteria in check and they’re rich in antioxidants…the biggest benefit, however, is that marinating prior to grilling is that it blocks the production of cancer causing substances (HCAs) – according to the American Inst. For Cancer Research!
Be sure to see the link below for some free movies only Dad will appreciate from MGM! It’s our Poor Man way of saluting Dad!
“Increasingly, the land of the free is the land of the fettered. Although a vestige of entrepreneurial dynamism continues to operate within the American economic system, this dynamism faces a growing number of impediments and antagonistic forces. The familiar anti- entrepreneurial elements - like punitive tax laws and debilitating regulations - are not only multiplying, they are combining into a toxic brew of hostile economic policies and attitudes.”
Money Making-Saving Resources
Overlooked supermarket savings – look for items with a peel-off sticker right on the product…60% of folks forget to use it. Also, another source for savings and to find what’s on sale before you leave home and visit your local stores – enter your zip code at:
www.MyGroceryDeals.com
No longer believe in the tooth fairy or the shattered illusion of job security-Get this
FREE report - 31 pages called How to Have a Great Life and a Great Business (Especially if You're not the "Business" Type) and is part of a new program that Brian Clark has put together called Lateral Action
http://lateralaction.com/smart-business/
Turn your car into a rolling billboard-Get paid for it
If you have a clean driving record, insurance and are willing to get a GPS installed into your car, this might be for you. You need to be over 18 and have a valid drivers permit as well and you can make as much as $1000 a month. Check these two sites for info.
www.drivenmediaonline.com
www.FreeCarMedia.com
Online Greeting Cards are still free at (send a Father’s Day card)
www.123Greetings.com
Find more coupon outlets online at Twitter and on blogs…many match manufacturers coupons with store coupons and sales and several offer online promo codes, free samples. Here are a few to try:
www.coupongeek.net
www.thefrugalgirls.com
www.commonsensewithmoney.com
Six Things You Can Make Out of Scrap
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/6/six-ingenious-things-to-make-from-scraps.html
Stop throwing money away!
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/138/stop-throwing-money-away.html
>>>>>><<<<<<< “The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this:
You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.”
Interesting Videos to Watch…Beats TV
Pass a lazy weekend with a cold one & free video!
Interesting, patriotic video shared by one of our subscribers-watch it!
A link that needs to played to our communist in chief even if he doesn't want to hear it. He needs to be tied to the chair made to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVAhr4hZDJE
Here’s another worth watching about Big Brother – Everything is OK – Go to Sleep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIoY-SLcm8Q
The Original, 1984, BBC Live Version-still chilling as it is an accurate forecast of the US
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hATC_2I1wZE
Have you read the law? Cute clip showing AZ senators & others who condemn the AZ immigration law, but confess they’ve never read it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6qEQ-KnitQ&feature=player_embedded
Free online movies from MGM – No sign in required either and the offer some of their best such as “Gas Pump Girls,” and “Beast w/ a Million Eyes.” They do have some worth watching for the family too!
http://www.mgm.com/watchnow
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it
will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
-- Herm Albright
Things We Can’t Live Without Despite the Recession-10 Essentials
…Americans have cut back on porn!
Nearly everything had to go. A few months after losing her administrative job in the summer of 2008, 23-year-old Brianna Karp got rid of her furniture, a beloved piano, and most of her books so she could move back in with her parents. When that didn't work out, she moved into an old trailer a relative had left her, settling into an informal homeless community in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Brea, Calif. By the summer of 2009, she was living without electricity, regular showers, home-cooked food, and most basic conveniences.
Karp held tight to one appurtenance, however: her laptop computer. She spent hours at a nearby Starbucks, using the wireless network to surf for jobs. A friend suggested she start a blog about her life on the edge, which she called the Girl's Guide to Homelessness. It generated attention that helped land a part-time magazine internship. Then came an offer to write a book about her ordeal, which is due out in 2011--and might get turned into a movie.
With some money from a book advance, Karp has upgraded to a better trailer, on a friend's property, and she's eyeing a Victorian fixer-upper she'd like to make her permanent home. Yet she craves few of the material things she's given up, while cherishing the friends and opportunities she's discovered online. "When you're in survival mode, you slash everything," Karp says. "That makes the online community that much more important. Online, somebody will always be there for me.
The grueling recession that began in 2007 has upended American priorities, with frugality now considered a virtue for the first time in decades. Despite recent upticks in spending, retail sales remain lower than they were three years ago. Sales of homes, cars, and appliances have plunged. Shoppers have cut back on toilet paper and cigarettes, once thought recession-proof. Even porn sales are down. Thrift, it seems, has no boundaries.
More at: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-Things-We-Cant-Live-usnews-3617536316.html?x=0
I like to be in America, Okay by me in America.
Everything free in America, For a small fee in America.
---West Side Story Lyric
Every Gallon Counts: Save Gas With Hypermiling
From Mother Earth News, by Monica O'Rourke
Gas-saving driving habits, called hypermiling, can help you achieve up to 40 percent more miles per gallon (mpg) than your car’s official fuel economy estimate. Take, for example, a 2005 Honda Accord, a bestselling sedan with an mpg rating of 24 (21 city, 31 highway). According to Wayne Gerdes — who coined the term “hypermiling” and is considered by many to be its leading expert and trainer — an Accord driver who is savvy to hypermiling can expect to get about 35 mpg. Dedicated hypermilers can achieve 50 percent or better improvement over their vehicles’ estimated mpg figures. Last year, Gerdes set a world record for distance in a gas — powered, midsized sedan by driving 1,445 miles on a single tank of fuel in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. That’s 81 mpg — more than double the vehicle’s Environmental Protection Agency rating of 39 mpg.
In 2006, Gerdes started an online community for hypermiling enthusiasts, out of a desire to lessen the United States’ reliance on foreign oil and show us all how to save gas.
“The world has experienced fuel economy tips and tricks, snake — oil magic elixirs, and eco — driving tips for well over two decades,” Gerdes says. “But what did we get? Broken promises and shattered dreams. Hypermiling not only makes you a more aware driver, but it also produces fuel savings that few other methods or practices ever will.”
While Gerdes and his experienced team used advanced hypermiling methods to achieve the extraordinary results in the Fusion Hybrid, it’s possible to significantly improve gas mileage in everyday driving with simple hypermiling techniques.
Some of the following gas-saving tips may sound familiar — you’ve probably been hypermiling without even realizing it.
Basic Hypermiling Techniques
Slow Down. When it comes to even minimally improving gas mileage, this an easy and effective technique. Speed increases wind resistance, which ultimately reduces gas mileage. Lower speeds lead to less gas consumption. Observe the speed limit and stick to the right — hand lane.
Brake Less. Excess braking can reduce gas mileage by as much as 33 percent at highway speeds. Avoid tailgating, which is not only dangerous, but leads to frequent braking. Every time you brake, you waste some of the gas that was burned during acceleration.
Lighten the Load. Gone are the days of towing cargo trailers, of loading the trunk with sandbags for traction, or of leaving cargo racks stored on top of your vehicle. And put those beach/lawn chairs back in the garage. All optional weight decreases your car’s gas mileage.
Minimize Air Conditioning. Running the air conditioner can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 25 percent. Instead, increase airflow by cracking the driver’s window and rear passenger’s window on the opposite side. When driving at high speeds, close your windows and use the ventilation fan to reduce aerodynamic drag.
Ongoing Maintenance. You’ll burn less fuel if you keep your engine clean and running well. A dirty air filter can decrease the fuel economy of older cars with carbureted engines.
Avoid Excessive Idling. Turn the engine off if you’re not going anywhere in 30 seconds or more. A modern fuel injected engine consumes only about five seconds worth of fuel to restart.
Intermediate Hypermiling Techniques
According to Gerdes, it’s wise to first practice more advanced hypermiling methods on a low — traffic country road to get a feel for your vehicle’s limitations (as well as your own).
Drive Without Brakes. This technique is not as dangerous as it may sound; you simply drive as if you’ve lost your brakes, even though you still have full use of them. The idea is to anticipate stops and to decelerate by simply taking your foot off the gas — coasting to a stop rather than speeding toward it.
Alternate Routes. Choose routes that are less — traveled and thus allow more flexibility to employ a wider range of hypermiling techniques than if you were surrounded by other vehicles. Leave early and try not to rush.
Smart Braking. Brake early to avoid starting again from a dead stop, especially when facing an uphill climb (the worst scenario for gas mileage). If you can avoid a complete stop by slowing early to allow a pedestrian, turning vehicle or other impediment ahead to clear, you’ll conserve fuel.
Rabbit Timing. This technique works at traffic lights with sensors. When approaching a “stale” red light (one that has been red a long time and will soon turn green), slow down early and let the other traffic around you (“the rabbits”) trip the light’s sensor as they race ahead and then stop. They may cause the light to go green, so you may not have to stop at all.
Perhaps best of all, any of these strategies will help teach you how different driving habits affect gas mileage. While the techniques listed only scratch the surface of the available mileage stretching methods, with time, whatever degree of hypermiling you’re comfortable with can become second nature. You’ll have numbers to be proud of, both in mpg and in savings at the gas pump. To learn more about hypermiling and engage with a community of mpg — thrifty drivers, visit www.cleanmpg.com.
Excerpted from Mother Earth News, the Original Guide to Living Wisely. To read more articles from Mother Earth News, please visit www.MotherEarthNews.com or call 800-234-3368 to subscribe. Copyright 2009 by Ogden Publications Inc.
“Medicare, Medicaid…the full freight of the federal gov’t constitutes a Ponzi scheme in plain sight. Income is recycled to pay benefits; no new wealth is created.”
--Editorial in Barron’s
Parting shots of wisdom and; observations
As we reported two issues ago, slowly but surely, the government is tightening its vice on international travel, overseas investments, etc. You may have read how our government threatened American Express to reveal the names of all its US citizens who owned off-shore credit cards and accounts or how the IRS and Treasury Department extorted Switzerland to reveal the names of US citizens holding offshore accounts…
Here’s another…postal authorities no longer allow you to ship items via Priority Mail to most countries packages which include gold, silver, coins, currency, precious gems, traveler’s checks, jewelry and other precious items.
Our government, much like the Nazi government, does not want its citizens getting assets out of the country. If you need me to paint the rest of the picture of what this means, email me directly.
In the past dozen years, we've already seen three bubbles — the tech bubble and wreck ... the housing bubble and bust ... and now the sovereign debt explosion and implosion.
Austerity.
Austerity can come in many forms: Governments may impose austerity strictly in reaction to market-driven forces ... or by pro-actively taking the lead. Austerity may come with wild inflation ... or without. It could trigger deep social upheaval ... or merely sporadic protests.
But regardless of how austerity finally arrives, it cannot happen without across-the-board cutbacks in government payrolls, severe reductions in unemployment benefits, massive cuts in pensions, big hits to social welfare programs, and invariably, NO MORE ECONOMIC STIMULUS! Obama is already asking Congress for another $50 billion to bailout state governments to help halt local government layoffs.
According to the New York Times,
"At a moment when many economists warn that the American economic recovery is likely to be imperiled by prolonged high unemployment and slow growth, President Obama is discovering that the tools available to him last year — a big economic stimulus and action by the Federal Reserve — are both now politically untenable.
"The mood in both parties of Congress has turned decidedly anti-deficit, meaning that the job-creation programs once favored by the White House and Democratic leaders in Congress have been cut back, then cut again.
"It is a measure of the mood that Mr. Obama on Tuesday hailed an initiative by his administration to cut the budgets of most major government agencies by 5 percent, at a time when conventional theory would call for more government spending to lift the economy."
That’s your message of enlightenment for this week pardners! Feel free to email me with your fondest dreams and desires or to share an idea or resource!
Bruce “The Poor Man”
http://PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.Com
A Shallow Planet Production
Bruce’s Poor Man Recession Bulletin
Your choice for usable Urban Survival Resources
In This Issue:
· 10 things we can’t live without-despite a recession
· Save fuel with hypermiling
· Politically Incorrect film fest online
· Shattered illusions-job security. Free ebook
· Happy Father’s Day-Free TCBY
"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." --Samuel Adams
Happy Father’s Day
Father’s Day was first celebrated in 1910. Upon hearing about the newly created Mother’s Day, a grateful daughter, Sonora Dodd, lobbied to establish a similar day to honor fathers. She suggested her own father’s birthday, June 5th as the date but as we know, that day is now officially on the 3rd Sunday of June.
It’s not just Mothers who get free stuff either…Dad’s can grab a free cone or cup of their favorite flavor of frozen yogurt from TCBY (find a location at their site: TCBY.Com)
Here’s a Father’s Day BBQ tip…cooking marinated meat is healthier. Most marinades contain natural acidic ingredients such as vinegar, wine, tomatoes and fruit juices which tenderize meat and keep harmful bacteria in check and they’re rich in antioxidants…the biggest benefit, however, is that marinating prior to grilling is that it blocks the production of cancer causing substances (HCAs) – according to the American Inst. For Cancer Research!
Be sure to see the link below for some free movies only Dad will appreciate from MGM! It’s our Poor Man way of saluting Dad!
“Increasingly, the land of the free is the land of the fettered. Although a vestige of entrepreneurial dynamism continues to operate within the American economic system, this dynamism faces a growing number of impediments and antagonistic forces. The familiar anti- entrepreneurial elements - like punitive tax laws and debilitating regulations - are not only multiplying, they are combining into a toxic brew of hostile economic policies and attitudes.”
Money Making-Saving Resources
Overlooked supermarket savings – look for items with a peel-off sticker right on the product…60% of folks forget to use it. Also, another source for savings and to find what’s on sale before you leave home and visit your local stores – enter your zip code at:
www.MyGroceryDeals.com
No longer believe in the tooth fairy or the shattered illusion of job security-Get this
FREE report - 31 pages called How to Have a Great Life and a Great Business (Especially if You're not the "Business" Type) and is part of a new program that Brian Clark has put together called Lateral Action
http://lateralaction.com/smart-business/
Turn your car into a rolling billboard-Get paid for it
If you have a clean driving record, insurance and are willing to get a GPS installed into your car, this might be for you. You need to be over 18 and have a valid drivers permit as well and you can make as much as $1000 a month. Check these two sites for info.
www.drivenmediaonline.com
www.FreeCarMedia.com
Online Greeting Cards are still free at (send a Father’s Day card)
www.123Greetings.com
Find more coupon outlets online at Twitter and on blogs…many match manufacturers coupons with store coupons and sales and several offer online promo codes, free samples. Here are a few to try:
www.coupongeek.net
www.thefrugalgirls.com
www.commonsensewithmoney.com
Six Things You Can Make Out of Scrap
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/6/six-ingenious-things-to-make-from-scraps.html
Stop throwing money away!
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/138/stop-throwing-money-away.html
>>>>>><<<<<<< “The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this:
You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.”
Interesting Videos to Watch…Beats TV
Pass a lazy weekend with a cold one & free video!
Interesting, patriotic video shared by one of our subscribers-watch it!
A link that needs to played to our communist in chief even if he doesn't want to hear it. He needs to be tied to the chair made to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVAhr4hZDJE
Here’s another worth watching about Big Brother – Everything is OK – Go to Sleep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIoY-SLcm8Q
The Original, 1984, BBC Live Version-still chilling as it is an accurate forecast of the US
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hATC_2I1wZE
Have you read the law? Cute clip showing AZ senators & others who condemn the AZ immigration law, but confess they’ve never read it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6qEQ-KnitQ&feature=player_embedded
Free online movies from MGM – No sign in required either and the offer some of their best such as “Gas Pump Girls,” and “Beast w/ a Million Eyes.” They do have some worth watching for the family too!
http://www.mgm.com/watchnow
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it
will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
-- Herm Albright
Things We Can’t Live Without Despite the Recession-10 Essentials
…Americans have cut back on porn!
Nearly everything had to go. A few months after losing her administrative job in the summer of 2008, 23-year-old Brianna Karp got rid of her furniture, a beloved piano, and most of her books so she could move back in with her parents. When that didn't work out, she moved into an old trailer a relative had left her, settling into an informal homeless community in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Brea, Calif. By the summer of 2009, she was living without electricity, regular showers, home-cooked food, and most basic conveniences.
Karp held tight to one appurtenance, however: her laptop computer. She spent hours at a nearby Starbucks, using the wireless network to surf for jobs. A friend suggested she start a blog about her life on the edge, which she called the Girl's Guide to Homelessness. It generated attention that helped land a part-time magazine internship. Then came an offer to write a book about her ordeal, which is due out in 2011--and might get turned into a movie.
With some money from a book advance, Karp has upgraded to a better trailer, on a friend's property, and she's eyeing a Victorian fixer-upper she'd like to make her permanent home. Yet she craves few of the material things she's given up, while cherishing the friends and opportunities she's discovered online. "When you're in survival mode, you slash everything," Karp says. "That makes the online community that much more important. Online, somebody will always be there for me.
The grueling recession that began in 2007 has upended American priorities, with frugality now considered a virtue for the first time in decades. Despite recent upticks in spending, retail sales remain lower than they were three years ago. Sales of homes, cars, and appliances have plunged. Shoppers have cut back on toilet paper and cigarettes, once thought recession-proof. Even porn sales are down. Thrift, it seems, has no boundaries.
More at: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-Things-We-Cant-Live-usnews-3617536316.html?x=0
I like to be in America, Okay by me in America.
Everything free in America, For a small fee in America.
---West Side Story Lyric
Every Gallon Counts: Save Gas With Hypermiling
From Mother Earth News, by Monica O'Rourke
Gas-saving driving habits, called hypermiling, can help you achieve up to 40 percent more miles per gallon (mpg) than your car’s official fuel economy estimate. Take, for example, a 2005 Honda Accord, a bestselling sedan with an mpg rating of 24 (21 city, 31 highway). According to Wayne Gerdes — who coined the term “hypermiling” and is considered by many to be its leading expert and trainer — an Accord driver who is savvy to hypermiling can expect to get about 35 mpg. Dedicated hypermilers can achieve 50 percent or better improvement over their vehicles’ estimated mpg figures. Last year, Gerdes set a world record for distance in a gas — powered, midsized sedan by driving 1,445 miles on a single tank of fuel in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. That’s 81 mpg — more than double the vehicle’s Environmental Protection Agency rating of 39 mpg.
In 2006, Gerdes started an online community for hypermiling enthusiasts, out of a desire to lessen the United States’ reliance on foreign oil and show us all how to save gas.
“The world has experienced fuel economy tips and tricks, snake — oil magic elixirs, and eco — driving tips for well over two decades,” Gerdes says. “But what did we get? Broken promises and shattered dreams. Hypermiling not only makes you a more aware driver, but it also produces fuel savings that few other methods or practices ever will.”
While Gerdes and his experienced team used advanced hypermiling methods to achieve the extraordinary results in the Fusion Hybrid, it’s possible to significantly improve gas mileage in everyday driving with simple hypermiling techniques.
Some of the following gas-saving tips may sound familiar — you’ve probably been hypermiling without even realizing it.
Basic Hypermiling Techniques
Slow Down. When it comes to even minimally improving gas mileage, this an easy and effective technique. Speed increases wind resistance, which ultimately reduces gas mileage. Lower speeds lead to less gas consumption. Observe the speed limit and stick to the right — hand lane.
Brake Less. Excess braking can reduce gas mileage by as much as 33 percent at highway speeds. Avoid tailgating, which is not only dangerous, but leads to frequent braking. Every time you brake, you waste some of the gas that was burned during acceleration.
Lighten the Load. Gone are the days of towing cargo trailers, of loading the trunk with sandbags for traction, or of leaving cargo racks stored on top of your vehicle. And put those beach/lawn chairs back in the garage. All optional weight decreases your car’s gas mileage.
Minimize Air Conditioning. Running the air conditioner can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 25 percent. Instead, increase airflow by cracking the driver’s window and rear passenger’s window on the opposite side. When driving at high speeds, close your windows and use the ventilation fan to reduce aerodynamic drag.
Ongoing Maintenance. You’ll burn less fuel if you keep your engine clean and running well. A dirty air filter can decrease the fuel economy of older cars with carbureted engines.
Avoid Excessive Idling. Turn the engine off if you’re not going anywhere in 30 seconds or more. A modern fuel injected engine consumes only about five seconds worth of fuel to restart.
Intermediate Hypermiling Techniques
According to Gerdes, it’s wise to first practice more advanced hypermiling methods on a low — traffic country road to get a feel for your vehicle’s limitations (as well as your own).
Drive Without Brakes. This technique is not as dangerous as it may sound; you simply drive as if you’ve lost your brakes, even though you still have full use of them. The idea is to anticipate stops and to decelerate by simply taking your foot off the gas — coasting to a stop rather than speeding toward it.
Alternate Routes. Choose routes that are less — traveled and thus allow more flexibility to employ a wider range of hypermiling techniques than if you were surrounded by other vehicles. Leave early and try not to rush.
Smart Braking. Brake early to avoid starting again from a dead stop, especially when facing an uphill climb (the worst scenario for gas mileage). If you can avoid a complete stop by slowing early to allow a pedestrian, turning vehicle or other impediment ahead to clear, you’ll conserve fuel.
Rabbit Timing. This technique works at traffic lights with sensors. When approaching a “stale” red light (one that has been red a long time and will soon turn green), slow down early and let the other traffic around you (“the rabbits”) trip the light’s sensor as they race ahead and then stop. They may cause the light to go green, so you may not have to stop at all.
Perhaps best of all, any of these strategies will help teach you how different driving habits affect gas mileage. While the techniques listed only scratch the surface of the available mileage stretching methods, with time, whatever degree of hypermiling you’re comfortable with can become second nature. You’ll have numbers to be proud of, both in mpg and in savings at the gas pump. To learn more about hypermiling and engage with a community of mpg — thrifty drivers, visit www.cleanmpg.com.
Excerpted from Mother Earth News, the Original Guide to Living Wisely. To read more articles from Mother Earth News, please visit www.MotherEarthNews.com or call 800-234-3368 to subscribe. Copyright 2009 by Ogden Publications Inc.
“Medicare, Medicaid…the full freight of the federal gov’t constitutes a Ponzi scheme in plain sight. Income is recycled to pay benefits; no new wealth is created.”
--Editorial in Barron’s
Parting shots of wisdom and; observations
As we reported two issues ago, slowly but surely, the government is tightening its vice on international travel, overseas investments, etc. You may have read how our government threatened American Express to reveal the names of all its US citizens who owned off-shore credit cards and accounts or how the IRS and Treasury Department extorted Switzerland to reveal the names of US citizens holding offshore accounts…
Here’s another…postal authorities no longer allow you to ship items via Priority Mail to most countries packages which include gold, silver, coins, currency, precious gems, traveler’s checks, jewelry and other precious items.
Our government, much like the Nazi government, does not want its citizens getting assets out of the country. If you need me to paint the rest of the picture of what this means, email me directly.
In the past dozen years, we've already seen three bubbles — the tech bubble and wreck ... the housing bubble and bust ... and now the sovereign debt explosion and implosion.
Austerity.
Austerity can come in many forms: Governments may impose austerity strictly in reaction to market-driven forces ... or by pro-actively taking the lead. Austerity may come with wild inflation ... or without. It could trigger deep social upheaval ... or merely sporadic protests.
But regardless of how austerity finally arrives, it cannot happen without across-the-board cutbacks in government payrolls, severe reductions in unemployment benefits, massive cuts in pensions, big hits to social welfare programs, and invariably, NO MORE ECONOMIC STIMULUS! Obama is already asking Congress for another $50 billion to bailout state governments to help halt local government layoffs.
According to the New York Times,
"At a moment when many economists warn that the American economic recovery is likely to be imperiled by prolonged high unemployment and slow growth, President Obama is discovering that the tools available to him last year — a big economic stimulus and action by the Federal Reserve — are both now politically untenable.
"The mood in both parties of Congress has turned decidedly anti-deficit, meaning that the job-creation programs once favored by the White House and Democratic leaders in Congress have been cut back, then cut again.
"It is a measure of the mood that Mr. Obama on Tuesday hailed an initiative by his administration to cut the budgets of most major government agencies by 5 percent, at a time when conventional theory would call for more government spending to lift the economy."
That’s your message of enlightenment for this week pardners! Feel free to email me with your fondest dreams and desires or to share an idea or resource!
Bruce “The Poor Man”
http://PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.Com
A Shallow Planet Production
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Lay Away Makes a Comeback, Free Chicken Coop Plans & More
Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
Your choice for usable Urban Survival information
Inside this issue:
· Build your own chicken coop-many plans to choose from
· Become a recycling hero-learn about low energy lighting
· Dr. Doom’s prediction for the economy
· Make a smoker from a trash can
· PM Quick Guide to alternative magazines
“Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children.” --Kenyan Proverb
Lay Away Makes a Comeback
Something I thought had gone the way of party lines (some of you might wonder – what’s a ‘party line?’ If you need to, ask someone over 55) is the layaway plan, a once popular way of making a purchase when you didn’t have the money and easy credit wasn’t available.
Layaway plans set aside your item while you pay for it gradually, usually up to 13 months and with usually a slight finance fee. Sort of like the old Christmas Club accounts at banks…do you need to ask?
As our nation becomes more frugal and credit averse, layaway is making a comeback as a payment option. Appliances, clothing, furniture, electronics and more are all being sold in this fashion again. Merchants such as Best Buy, Sears, Kmart, Home Depot and even travel agencies are offering this buying option.
Check these sites:
http://www.layaway-travel.com/
http://www.elayaway.com/
Finally, another way to save some money….in upgrading the eco friendly ways to cut utility costs, we lowered our hot water thermostat and put a energy saving wrap around it and along all of the pipes. We also changed all the filters in the furnace but was in for a shock when I pulled the humidifier filter out. It was very obvious it had never been changed and looked pretty well shot.
Of course, no one in our town carried a replacement filter and those online wanted an average of $20 for a new one. An overnight soak in CLR and a high-pressure hose to clean it off worked wonders and at no cost!
One more thing…using the same plan outlined in our free Poor Man’s Eco report, and using products from GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan, we cut out electric bill in half within 30 days of making a few changes and saved more than $75 this month! Have you taken advantage of our money saving ideas in this free report?
According to a recent survey by the Mercer Co. – not one US city made it into their top 30 ‘Quality of Life’ cities. Vancouver, Auckland, NZ were in the top five.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Save Money!
Many free DIY online videos to save energy & money
http://www.realworldgreen.com/
How to Make a Smoker from a Trash Can
Mighty easy do-it-yourself plans can be found at:
http://www.cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/elecsmoker.html
Ed Begley Jr.talk with the CEO of Enviro-Energies Jim Rowan about the benefits of wind turbines at the Los Angeles Heartbeat News Studio with William Shatner and Doug Llewellyn of "People's Court". Here's a portion of the interview online that aired on the Heartbeat of America National Television Show today. Hope you enjoy it!
http://heartbeatofamerica.tv/EnviroEnergies/index.html
Oh, you can send the Discovery Channel a message telling them you’d like to see the Poor Man do a show on cheap ways to construct DIY alternate energy projects for the home.
http://corporate.discovery.com/contact/viewer-relations/
Nearly 2/3rds of Americans cannot name a single member of the Supreme Court
>>>>
Free Chicken Coop Plans
CHICKEN COOPS GENERAL INFORMATION
So you're thinking about building a chicken coop but don't want to spend a fortune on
coop plans and building materials? This was my thought when I built my own coop a
few years ago. I've read that the average person spends $300.00 to build their coop
and I didn't want to spend that much - I scoured the internet to find free (or cheap)
but well made chicken coop designs that I could either build myself or buy.
I've included the links to FREE coop designs on the left side of the page.
The links contain plans to big or small chicken coops, depending on your needs. I've
also added some ideas for cheap or free chicken coop supplies i.e. building
materials, chicken feeders, chicken water containers, chicken nest boxes, chicken
roosts, and a few recommended books on how to care for chickens.
http://www.freechickencoopplans.com/
5 Tips to Becoming a Recycling Superhero
Tip #1 - Break Bad Habits - Your first step to becoming a super recycler is to break old habits. Begin paying attention to your trash and what you're throwing away that should be recycled.
Tip #2 - Review Recycling Rules - Every city has the ability to recycle different items. Check with your city and get a list of every item you can recycle. You're probably throwing away items you should have recycled.
More at: http://www.consumersavvytips.org/5_tips_to_becoming_a_recycling_superhero.html
Related Sidebar:
Like most kids Jared Mann enjoys playing with bubble wrap. Thanks in part to his ingenuity and the Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventor’s, Jared is also the creator of an energy-saving device made using bubble wrap.
Jared was awarded second place in the Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventor’s, and received a $5,000 savings bond for inventing the “Fridge Guard”.
The invention uses sheets of bubble wrap to help trap cold air inside the refrigerator whenever you open the door. By keeping the cold air inside, the fridge uses less energy.
Jared’s father says they use the invention in their own home, and have seen a savings in their monthly power bill.
Low energy lighting…CFL or LED?
By now, most of us have gotten the word that compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are much more energy-efficient than incandescent light bulbs. That's very true; they use about a tenth of the electricity. They also last about 5,000 hours, which is 5-8 times longer than an incandescent.
But if you really want to save on electricity, buy one of those newfangled LED bulbs. Admittedly, they cost at least 50 times more than an incandescent bulb (for the moment), but they also last at least 50 times longer--and use only 5%-10 of the electricity.
Ferret out phantom loads
Believe it or not, you can install low-energy bulbs and do else everything right, and still end up with a high electrical bill. Assuming your electric company didn't raise rates suddenly (always a possibility), you may be getting hit by phantom power loads.
You see, some appliances and electronics chow down even when powered down. Power draw during "sleep" cycles, or even when a device is completely turned off, can account for up to 40% of a home's energy use every month.
To avoid this, you can physically unplug each and every appliance, computer, charger, TV, DVD player, etc. when you're finished using them, but this can get old real fast. Instead, connect them to a power strip and switch it off when the item's not in use. That will cut off the flow of electricity completely.
See our Green Irene site for more information.
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
Self Sufficiency-Not Dependency!
^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation
http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539
Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less.
http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy
Terrific sites for resources and green, eco-friendly goods:
http://www.growandmake.com/?ref=71
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
<<<>>>
Quick Guide to “Alternative” Magazines
Mother Earth News
Mother Earth News is “the original guide to living wisely”. Its content leans left, and includes articles on subjects such as renewable energy, green homes, organic gardening, green transportation, and sustainable farming. I knew its founder, John Shuttleworth, who passed away last year.
The Mother Earth News website is polished and filled with content, with stories on:
· How to cut your food bill in half
· Keeping the stimulus bill green
· raising chickens and building a chicken a coop
BackHome
BackHome is “your hands-on guide to sustainable living”. It covers topics like owner-built homes, backyard livestock, rural heritage, green building, and country skills.
The BackHome website offers a taste of the magazine. You can see the table of contents from the most recent issue, and view PDF versions of articles like:
· Mortgage-free building
· Edible weeds
· Biodiesel
Backwoods Home
Backwoods Home, is like the first two publications in this list — but with guns. Backwoods Home leans right (or libertarian), and offers “practical ideas for self-reliant living”. Offers how-to articles on owner-built housing, independent energy, self-employment, and country living. And there’s a regular column on gun ownership.
The Backwoods Home website is packed with useful information, including articles on:
· City gardening
· Growing fruit trees
· Kicking the credit-card habit
· Ways to make money on your land
· Chickens: the most valuable animal on the homestead
· Build your own home in two years.
Small Farm Today
Small Farm Today is “the original how-to magazine of alternative and traditional crops and livestock”.
Hobby Farms
Hobby Farms is a magazine about “rural living for pleasure and profit”. Its marketing copy says that it “embraces the growing segment of population that is returning to farm life in search of a more meaningful existence”.
The Hobby Farms website includes plenty of useful stuff, including:
· The basics of beekeeping
· A useful article on planning your vegetable garden
· How to grow and sell heirloom tomatoes
· How to build raised beds
· Another article on building chicken coops
Countryside
Countryside & Small Stock Journal is “the magazine of modern homesteading”. It features articles on constructing a homestead, the homestead as a business, the country kitchen, and self-reliance and survival.
· Marketing your crafts
· Stocking your emergency food pantry
Raising your own backyard pig
If you know of another good online resource, drop us a line.
“You’re better off knowing what the rules are before you try breaking them”
--Stephen King
<<<>>>
Economy adds 431K jobs but few in private sector
WASHINGTON – A wave of census hiring lifted payrolls by 431,000 in May, but job creation by private companies grew at the slowest pace since the start of the year. The unemployment rate dipped to 9.7 percent as people gave up searching for work.
The Labor Department's new employment snapshot released Friday suggested that outside of the burst of hiring of temporary census workers by the federal government many private employers are wary of bulking up their work forces.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_economy
Washington's "bought and paid for" economic recovery is stalling out as the easy money effect wears off.
Just consider what we've learned in the past several days ...
• Building permits for single and multifamily homes tanked 11.5 percent in April. That left permits at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 606,000, the lowest since last October.
Builders pull permits before they begin projects. So this leading indicator of construction activity is pointing to a renewed slump in the coming months.
• Initial jobless claims stopped declining in February. After hitting 439,000; they've begun a gradual upward climb again.
• Almost 4.7 million Americans are now stuck on the jobless rolls, with little prospect of finding gainful employment. That's roughly two million above average.
• Durable goods orders outside of the volatile transportation sector fell 1 percent in April. A key indicator of business investment in the report slumped 2.4 percent.
• First-quarter Gross Domestic Product growth fell to 3 percent from 5.6 percent at the end of 2009.
• Personal spending growth? Same story. It dropped from 0.6 percent in March to nil in April.
• To top it all off, a benchmark gauge of manufacturing activity lost steam in May, while purchase mortgage applications just fell to the lowest level in more than 13 years.
Still think the economy is improving and you won’t need the Poor Man Resources? Read on!
Lowered Expectations - Shattered Dreams
You’re probably screwed no matter what you do regarding job losses in the US as most are not coming back.
…a roundup from Yahoo news groups
PROSPER, Texas – Advised by a Walgreens superior that a promotion was "very highly likely" if he transferred to the drugstore chain's Dallas division, Chris Cummings uprooted his family and bought a spacious house in this hopefully named suburb.
"The sky's the limit," he was told.
But instead of a promotion, the company for which Cummings had been an assistant manager three and a half years cut his hours so drastically that he had to take a second job. In March, he was laid off, and his part-time second job became full-time.
And so that is how a 40-year-old father of four with a master's in business administration from the University of Notre Dame finds himself bagging groceries at Sprouts, a local health-food store.
"I never thought I'd be here with the education that I have and that I'd worked hard on," Cummings said before a recent shift in the checkout lane at the Sprouts in nearby Frisco. "Probably where the frustration comes most is when I get the alumni magazine and I see what my classmates are doing. And that's not a good feeling."
The federal government says the "Great Recession" is over ” has been for months now and that we're well into the recovery. But don't tell that to Cummings, who has seen his income cut by three-quarters and can't afford health insurance for his family.
Or Af Shirinzadeh, who went from a $100-an-hour chiropractic job to part-time work as a docent in an Atlanta museum that features plasticized human cadavers…(my wife says this display is rather amazing)!
In the previous issue I provided several links for virtual jobs…how many of you took advantage? My eldest son decided to return to college – I told him he might as well enlist in the Coast Guard for the ‘duration.’ At least he’d get fed and get medical insurance with other benefits thrown in that he probably won’t find in the private sector.
That’s it for this edition of your eagerly awaited fountain of knowledge and inspiration!
Bruce “The Poor Man”
http://www.PoorManSurvival.Com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com
Please share this with a friend or on a social network.
A Shallow Planet Production
Your choice for usable Urban Survival information
Inside this issue:
· Build your own chicken coop-many plans to choose from
· Become a recycling hero-learn about low energy lighting
· Dr. Doom’s prediction for the economy
· Make a smoker from a trash can
· PM Quick Guide to alternative magazines
“Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children.” --Kenyan Proverb
Lay Away Makes a Comeback
Something I thought had gone the way of party lines (some of you might wonder – what’s a ‘party line?’ If you need to, ask someone over 55) is the layaway plan, a once popular way of making a purchase when you didn’t have the money and easy credit wasn’t available.
Layaway plans set aside your item while you pay for it gradually, usually up to 13 months and with usually a slight finance fee. Sort of like the old Christmas Club accounts at banks…do you need to ask?
As our nation becomes more frugal and credit averse, layaway is making a comeback as a payment option. Appliances, clothing, furniture, electronics and more are all being sold in this fashion again. Merchants such as Best Buy, Sears, Kmart, Home Depot and even travel agencies are offering this buying option.
Check these sites:
http://www.layaway-travel.com/
http://www.elayaway.com/
Finally, another way to save some money….in upgrading the eco friendly ways to cut utility costs, we lowered our hot water thermostat and put a energy saving wrap around it and along all of the pipes. We also changed all the filters in the furnace but was in for a shock when I pulled the humidifier filter out. It was very obvious it had never been changed and looked pretty well shot.
Of course, no one in our town carried a replacement filter and those online wanted an average of $20 for a new one. An overnight soak in CLR and a high-pressure hose to clean it off worked wonders and at no cost!
One more thing…using the same plan outlined in our free Poor Man’s Eco report, and using products from GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan, we cut out electric bill in half within 30 days of making a few changes and saved more than $75 this month! Have you taken advantage of our money saving ideas in this free report?
According to a recent survey by the Mercer Co. – not one US city made it into their top 30 ‘Quality of Life’ cities. Vancouver, Auckland, NZ were in the top five.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Save Money!
Many free DIY online videos to save energy & money
http://www.realworldgreen.com/
How to Make a Smoker from a Trash Can
Mighty easy do-it-yourself plans can be found at:
http://www.cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/elecsmoker.html
Ed Begley Jr.talk with the CEO of Enviro-Energies Jim Rowan about the benefits of wind turbines at the Los Angeles Heartbeat News Studio with William Shatner and Doug Llewellyn of "People's Court". Here's a portion of the interview online that aired on the Heartbeat of America National Television Show today. Hope you enjoy it!
http://heartbeatofamerica.tv/EnviroEnergies/index.html
Oh, you can send the Discovery Channel a message telling them you’d like to see the Poor Man do a show on cheap ways to construct DIY alternate energy projects for the home.
http://corporate.discovery.com/contact/viewer-relations/
Nearly 2/3rds of Americans cannot name a single member of the Supreme Court
>>>>
Free Chicken Coop Plans
CHICKEN COOPS GENERAL INFORMATION
So you're thinking about building a chicken coop but don't want to spend a fortune on
coop plans and building materials? This was my thought when I built my own coop a
few years ago. I've read that the average person spends $300.00 to build their coop
and I didn't want to spend that much - I scoured the internet to find free (or cheap)
but well made chicken coop designs that I could either build myself or buy.
I've included the links to FREE coop designs on the left side of the page.
The links contain plans to big or small chicken coops, depending on your needs. I've
also added some ideas for cheap or free chicken coop supplies i.e. building
materials, chicken feeders, chicken water containers, chicken nest boxes, chicken
roosts, and a few recommended books on how to care for chickens.
http://www.freechickencoopplans.com/
5 Tips to Becoming a Recycling Superhero
Tip #1 - Break Bad Habits - Your first step to becoming a super recycler is to break old habits. Begin paying attention to your trash and what you're throwing away that should be recycled.
Tip #2 - Review Recycling Rules - Every city has the ability to recycle different items. Check with your city and get a list of every item you can recycle. You're probably throwing away items you should have recycled.
More at: http://www.consumersavvytips.org/5_tips_to_becoming_a_recycling_superhero.html
Related Sidebar:
Like most kids Jared Mann enjoys playing with bubble wrap. Thanks in part to his ingenuity and the Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventor’s, Jared is also the creator of an energy-saving device made using bubble wrap.
Jared was awarded second place in the Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventor’s, and received a $5,000 savings bond for inventing the “Fridge Guard”.
The invention uses sheets of bubble wrap to help trap cold air inside the refrigerator whenever you open the door. By keeping the cold air inside, the fridge uses less energy.
Jared’s father says they use the invention in their own home, and have seen a savings in their monthly power bill.
Low energy lighting…CFL or LED?
By now, most of us have gotten the word that compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are much more energy-efficient than incandescent light bulbs. That's very true; they use about a tenth of the electricity. They also last about 5,000 hours, which is 5-8 times longer than an incandescent.
But if you really want to save on electricity, buy one of those newfangled LED bulbs. Admittedly, they cost at least 50 times more than an incandescent bulb (for the moment), but they also last at least 50 times longer--and use only 5%-10 of the electricity.
Ferret out phantom loads
Believe it or not, you can install low-energy bulbs and do else everything right, and still end up with a high electrical bill. Assuming your electric company didn't raise rates suddenly (always a possibility), you may be getting hit by phantom power loads.
You see, some appliances and electronics chow down even when powered down. Power draw during "sleep" cycles, or even when a device is completely turned off, can account for up to 40% of a home's energy use every month.
To avoid this, you can physically unplug each and every appliance, computer, charger, TV, DVD player, etc. when you're finished using them, but this can get old real fast. Instead, connect them to a power strip and switch it off when the item's not in use. That will cut off the flow of electricity completely.
See our Green Irene site for more information.
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
Self Sufficiency-Not Dependency!
^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation
http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539
Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less.
http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy
Terrific sites for resources and green, eco-friendly goods:
http://www.growandmake.com/?ref=71
http://www.GreenIrene.Com/PoorMan
Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
<<<>>>
Quick Guide to “Alternative” Magazines
Mother Earth News
Mother Earth News is “the original guide to living wisely”. Its content leans left, and includes articles on subjects such as renewable energy, green homes, organic gardening, green transportation, and sustainable farming. I knew its founder, John Shuttleworth, who passed away last year.
The Mother Earth News website is polished and filled with content, with stories on:
· How to cut your food bill in half
· Keeping the stimulus bill green
· raising chickens and building a chicken a coop
BackHome
BackHome is “your hands-on guide to sustainable living”. It covers topics like owner-built homes, backyard livestock, rural heritage, green building, and country skills.
The BackHome website offers a taste of the magazine. You can see the table of contents from the most recent issue, and view PDF versions of articles like:
· Mortgage-free building
· Edible weeds
· Biodiesel
Backwoods Home
Backwoods Home, is like the first two publications in this list — but with guns. Backwoods Home leans right (or libertarian), and offers “practical ideas for self-reliant living”. Offers how-to articles on owner-built housing, independent energy, self-employment, and country living. And there’s a regular column on gun ownership.
The Backwoods Home website is packed with useful information, including articles on:
· City gardening
· Growing fruit trees
· Kicking the credit-card habit
· Ways to make money on your land
· Chickens: the most valuable animal on the homestead
· Build your own home in two years.
Small Farm Today
Small Farm Today is “the original how-to magazine of alternative and traditional crops and livestock”.
Hobby Farms
Hobby Farms is a magazine about “rural living for pleasure and profit”. Its marketing copy says that it “embraces the growing segment of population that is returning to farm life in search of a more meaningful existence”.
The Hobby Farms website includes plenty of useful stuff, including:
· The basics of beekeeping
· A useful article on planning your vegetable garden
· How to grow and sell heirloom tomatoes
· How to build raised beds
· Another article on building chicken coops
Countryside
Countryside & Small Stock Journal is “the magazine of modern homesteading”. It features articles on constructing a homestead, the homestead as a business, the country kitchen, and self-reliance and survival.
· Marketing your crafts
· Stocking your emergency food pantry
Raising your own backyard pig
If you know of another good online resource, drop us a line.
“You’re better off knowing what the rules are before you try breaking them”
--Stephen King
<<<>>>
Economy adds 431K jobs but few in private sector
WASHINGTON – A wave of census hiring lifted payrolls by 431,000 in May, but job creation by private companies grew at the slowest pace since the start of the year. The unemployment rate dipped to 9.7 percent as people gave up searching for work.
The Labor Department's new employment snapshot released Friday suggested that outside of the burst of hiring of temporary census workers by the federal government many private employers are wary of bulking up their work forces.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_economy
Washington's "bought and paid for" economic recovery is stalling out as the easy money effect wears off.
Just consider what we've learned in the past several days ...
• Building permits for single and multifamily homes tanked 11.5 percent in April. That left permits at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 606,000, the lowest since last October.
Builders pull permits before they begin projects. So this leading indicator of construction activity is pointing to a renewed slump in the coming months.
• Initial jobless claims stopped declining in February. After hitting 439,000; they've begun a gradual upward climb again.
• Almost 4.7 million Americans are now stuck on the jobless rolls, with little prospect of finding gainful employment. That's roughly two million above average.
• Durable goods orders outside of the volatile transportation sector fell 1 percent in April. A key indicator of business investment in the report slumped 2.4 percent.
• First-quarter Gross Domestic Product growth fell to 3 percent from 5.6 percent at the end of 2009.
• Personal spending growth? Same story. It dropped from 0.6 percent in March to nil in April.
• To top it all off, a benchmark gauge of manufacturing activity lost steam in May, while purchase mortgage applications just fell to the lowest level in more than 13 years.
Still think the economy is improving and you won’t need the Poor Man Resources? Read on!
Lowered Expectations - Shattered Dreams
You’re probably screwed no matter what you do regarding job losses in the US as most are not coming back.
…a roundup from Yahoo news groups
PROSPER, Texas – Advised by a Walgreens superior that a promotion was "very highly likely" if he transferred to the drugstore chain's Dallas division, Chris Cummings uprooted his family and bought a spacious house in this hopefully named suburb.
"The sky's the limit," he was told.
But instead of a promotion, the company for which Cummings had been an assistant manager three and a half years cut his hours so drastically that he had to take a second job. In March, he was laid off, and his part-time second job became full-time.
And so that is how a 40-year-old father of four with a master's in business administration from the University of Notre Dame finds himself bagging groceries at Sprouts, a local health-food store.
"I never thought I'd be here with the education that I have and that I'd worked hard on," Cummings said before a recent shift in the checkout lane at the Sprouts in nearby Frisco. "Probably where the frustration comes most is when I get the alumni magazine and I see what my classmates are doing. And that's not a good feeling."
The federal government says the "Great Recession" is over ” has been for months now and that we're well into the recovery. But don't tell that to Cummings, who has seen his income cut by three-quarters and can't afford health insurance for his family.
Or Af Shirinzadeh, who went from a $100-an-hour chiropractic job to part-time work as a docent in an Atlanta museum that features plasticized human cadavers…(my wife says this display is rather amazing)!
In the previous issue I provided several links for virtual jobs…how many of you took advantage? My eldest son decided to return to college – I told him he might as well enlist in the Coast Guard for the ‘duration.’ At least he’d get fed and get medical insurance with other benefits thrown in that he probably won’t find in the private sector.
That’s it for this edition of your eagerly awaited fountain of knowledge and inspiration!
Bruce “The Poor Man”
http://www.PoorManSurvival.Com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com
Please share this with a friend or on a social network.
A Shallow Planet Production
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Virtual Work Resources, Why You Won't Survive Next Recession-II
Bruce’s Poor Man Recession Bulletin
Your Choice for usable information!
The Urban Survivalist
In this issue:
· Why you won’t survive the next Recession-Part II
· Update on 2nd passports; more rights trampled
· Useful sideline income resources
· Myths about gasoline consumption
· Iron Baby Video-Cute!
· Box stores vs. clubs, which is better?
· A thought for BP Oil to stop the leak…
Corporations don’t have to lobby the government anymore.
They are the government!
--Jim Hightower
Inflation?
Ford’s last Model T rolled off the assembly line this month in 1927. No other car was ever produced in such numbers until 1972, when the original Volkswagen Beetle surpassed it.
Ford’s auto cost about $600 and the VW in 1972 cost about $1800; today we’re looking at $19,000 and up for such a vehicle. One cannot purchase a decent lawn tractor for $1800 anymore!
The world economy is shaky as witnessed by the bailout of Greece. Yet, few in America realize that California’s debt is four times worse than Greece.
In this issue is our Part II Why You Won’t Survive the Next Recession…how can that be you ask? The answer is easy. The same thieves that brought us the recession of ’08 are still in charge…how long do we have? Three to five years tops is my guess, so keep stockpiling the silver, gold, and food…get our Poor Man III for the most comprehensive self sufficiency material out there – available at our site or at our ebay storefront.
Okay…I know I said I wasn’t going to post any more recipes. But with all the company I had last week I baked up a storm of fruit breads and cookies. Peanut butter cookies aren’t my favorite, but these were darn good & oh so easy to make. Thanks to one of our new subscribers for the recipe.
Ingredients
--1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)
--1 egg
--1 tsp. baking soda
--1 cup of sugar
Beat all the ingredients and spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Yield is about 12 cookies.
Finally…a thought for BP on how to stop the oil leak. Use that expanding insulating foam. Works great on everything I’ve tried it on!
Useful Resources
Get Group Discounts-Even without the group. Check these sites for daily updates:
www.8Coupons.com
www.couponcabin.com
Award Winning, Non-Profit Tree Site Gives Free Advice
www.TreePeople.Org
Like to type? Make Money at it with this free how-to booklet on the world of virtual word-processing
www.VirtualWordPublishing.com
Other Virtual work sites include:
www.HireMyMom.com
www.TigerFish.com
www.AliceDarling.com
Become a customer service agent at home-visit these firms
www.LiveOpps.com
www.West.com
www.WorkingSolutions.com
www.OverflowUsa.com
www.JetBlue.com
www.ACDDirect.com
www.AlpineAccess.com
Serve on a Virtual Jury – law firms sometimes use folks to provide feedback
www.eJury.com
www.OnlineVerdict.com
www.TrialPractice.com
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Reader question…I read a blurb that suggested one can make money recycling precious metals from computers & other electronics. Is this true & is it a viable means of making some cash? --Jeremy from Wichita
Poor Man Answer: Being the infinite oracle that I am I can tell you that this process requires a lot of work, for very little money…not worth your time. The exception would be if you’re already in the recycling business…that’s why so much of this used stuff is shipped to China (and then resold to Americans).
<<<<<<<<<<<<< Myths About Gas Consumption
"The expectations of American consumers are reasonable and achievable," Gillis said in a conference call." CFA says that Asian carmakers, compared to the U.S. competition, are offering twice as many vehicles with 30 mpg or better. "It's shocking that so few of today's cars get more than 30 mpg," he said.
Mark Cooper, CFA's research director, noted that in five years of the group's polling, the public's views have stayed remarkably consistent: Americans want less dependence on Middle Eastern oil and higher fuel-economy standards.
People care about fuel economy, but they're misinformed about how to actually achieve it. The federal government's fueleconomy.gov site (very useful to check cars' mpg) just published the "Top 10 Misconceptions About Fuel Economy."
Get the rest of the story at: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_driving/62/six-gas-mileage-myths.html
>>>>
Save some water & money by knowing when to water your lawn.
Not sure when your lawn needs water…push a screwdriver hard (six inches) into the soil. If it’s a lot of work, it needs water. Sidenote: We filled four 55-gal. rain barrels this week alone after some all day rain – this will save some cash when it comes to watering the garden.
Another update to the Poor Man site…we’ve added some more resources and information to our Lower Your Property Taxes section. Check it out.
<<<>>>
Free Family Preparedness Video from Red Cross
http://www.monkeysee.com/play/6719-building-an-emergency-kit-food-and-water
>>><<< Compare eBay & Amazon prices and save some time & Money at:
www.Q-Compare.com
Speaking of Amazon I just got this press release from Amazon about AmazonWireless and thought I should share it…could prove a profitable niche for one of our readers.
Amazon is excited to announce AmazonWireless – a new website by Amazon specializing in cell phones and wireless service plans. Starting today until August 31, 2010, Associates can now earn $65 per unit in advertising fees on AmazonWireless cell phone with service purchases—with no limit to the number of items on which advertising fees are earned. AmazonWireless offers more than 140 bestselling phones from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless—with more carriers and additional features coming soon.
AmazonWireless is a new website by Amazon.com that offers cell phones and wireless plans, easy shopping without rebate hassles, and FREE two-day shipping.
AmazonWireless makes it easy for customers to upgrade their phone if they already have a plan, or if they want to establish new cell phone service, has tried to make it simple to find the right phone, service plan, and options.
Customers can shop for phones by carrier, phone feature, price, color, and brand. The site’s shopping cart will guide them through each stage of the purchase process, including all of the familiar Amazon features like bestseller lists, detailed product descriptions, and customer reviews.
AmazonWireless is owned and operated by Amazon.com. Customers can shop securely with their Amazon.com account on AmazonWireless, and benefit from Amazon’s world-class service and security.
>>><<< Shopping in a Big Way: Warehouse vs. Big Box
Despite longer lines and a membership fee…it might be right for you.
Americans love discounts. This is the land of the two-for-one dinner special and double supermarket coupons. It's also home to a thriving warehouse-club industry, where consumers pay nominal membership fees for the privilege of filling huge grocery carts with everyday products sold in bulk.
Warehouse-club sales in the U.S. grew to $113.3 billion in 2009 from $91.3 billion in 2005, according to Michael Clayman, publisher of Warehouse Club Focus, an industry trade journal. He anticipates continued increases in sales since consumers are penny-pinching in the soft economy and the club companies have plans to add more locations. He says warehouse-club pricing is often 50% less than a regular retailer's and up to 25% less than nonclub big-box stores. "Warehouse stores do save you quite a bit," he says.
More at: http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-109675-5378-3-shopping-in-bulk-warehouse-vs-big-box?ywaad=ad0035
NOTE: Buried in a recent Department of Labor announcement were the details of the stunning rise in food prices this year. Food prices, in March, rose 2.4%, the largest increase in more than 25 years…better consider using these clubs to stock up now!
<<<>>>
A wise person once said “Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.”
<<<>>>
My Politically Incorrect Commentary on the current state of affairs!
Trouble is not just knocking on the door; it's about to kick it in.
US Government Kills its own Economy or…
Why you won’t survive the next recession – Part II
>>>Last issue we pointed out the Feds will no longer be able to print more money out of thin air as there is No Way we can recover from the current deficit. Are Americans so stupid that they cannot see this?
During the past couple of years as we have tried to fight our way through the recession, we have all been aware of the unemployment sky rocketing. What some of you may not know is just how many are actually unemployed long-term as well as the groups (mostly men & over 50) that it is most effecting.
Moody’s Investor’s Service recently warned that the exploding US debt could result in a downgrade of Treasury Bonds…nice to know.
Small Business Labs posted an article recently regarding this very information. Surprisingly there is a huge increase in long-term unemployment. Long-term is classified as anything over 6 consecutive months. Given that fact, the long-term unemployment has jumped to an extreme high of around 6 million.
Men make up 60% of the long-term unemployed with women ages 45-64 coming in as a close second to the long-term unemployment numbers…
USA Today Reports:
“Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in US history during the first quarter of this year, a USA Today analysis of government data finds.
“At the same time, government-provided benefits – from Social Security, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs – rose to a record high during the first three months of 2010.
“Those records reflect a long-term trend accelerated by the recession and the federal stimulus program to counteract the downturn. The result is a major shift in the source of personal income from private wages to government programs.
“The trend is not sustainable, says University of Michigan economist Donald Grimes. Reason: The federal government depends on private wages to generate income taxes to pay for its ever-more-expensive programs. Government-generated income is taxed at lower rates or not at all, he says. ‘This is really important,’ Grimes says. “
>>><<< An Update to the Poor Man Survival Kit-Part 1
Your Freedom continues to come under attack
There’s a section included on the CD ROM about obtaining 2nd passports. It’s getting harder and more expensive to accomplish this feat. As we predicted in the early 1990s, our government will continue to make its moves on restricting your right to travel within US borders and to other countries.
For example, you now need a passport to travel to Mexico and Canada, supposedly in order to help screen out terrorists. It’s also a tool for controlling non-criminal and non-terrorist activity such as child support enforcement, collecting back taxes, school loan payments and other areas where our government chooses to trample your Constitutional rights when it comes to travel. Of course, none of us ever voted on any of these provisions or were even aware of them in most cases…the government likes to hide things from its citizens.
For updated 2nd passport info, try this: http://www.isla-offshore.com/
Also, in response to another recent question from a subscriber – NO, you cannot obtain a passport from the United Nations. They do not offer any kind of travel document unless you’re in a special envoy.
A related issue deals with Free Speech Zones designated during political protests. Although such zones were in use by the 1960s and 1970 due to the Vietnam-era protests, they were not widely reported in the media. However, the controversy over their use has resurfaced strongly due to the 2001-2008 Bush presidency. In essence, Free Speech Zones prevent a person from having complete mobility as a consequence of their exercising their right to speak freely. Citizens are restricted from traveling (without being subject to arrest) due to their political communication, although the Constitution permits free speech anywhere on U.S. territory.
A number of constitutional scholars and advocates for family law reform strongly oppose restricting the human right to travel to a person who has committed no crime, and assert that the practice violates basic constitutional rights.
The government is worried about folks leaving the country as it doesn’t want to give up any possible revenue source. The US is the only nation which taxes its expatriated citizens. According to several polls, the US no longer ranks as the freeest country – Canada ranks ahead of us, for example.
As we know, our government isn’t keen on keeping with our Constitution and our rights are crumbling ever so slowly. I still predict our new national healthcare system is merely a pretext and prelude to a national ID program.
Waste Not, Recycle it!
<<<<>>>
^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539
Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less. http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy
Terrific site for resources and green, eco-friendly goods http://www.growandmake.com?ref=71
Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Save Money, Save the Environment: http://greenirene.com/PoorMan
<<<>>>
Finally…something cute – the Iron Baby video (takeoff on Iron Man)
http://holykaw.alltop.com/iron-man-who-all-hail-iron-baby-video
Yours for better living,
Your Politically Incorrect Ally on the War Against the Middle Class
Bruce “The Poor Man”
Our sites include:
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
Http://www.Oldbooknook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
P.S. If you have a garage sale, remember to put up legible signs AND remember to take them down once the sale has ended.
A Shallow Planet Production
The Urban Survivalist
Your Choice for usable information!
The Urban Survivalist
In this issue:
· Why you won’t survive the next Recession-Part II
· Update on 2nd passports; more rights trampled
· Useful sideline income resources
· Myths about gasoline consumption
· Iron Baby Video-Cute!
· Box stores vs. clubs, which is better?
· A thought for BP Oil to stop the leak…
Corporations don’t have to lobby the government anymore.
They are the government!
--Jim Hightower
Inflation?
Ford’s last Model T rolled off the assembly line this month in 1927. No other car was ever produced in such numbers until 1972, when the original Volkswagen Beetle surpassed it.
Ford’s auto cost about $600 and the VW in 1972 cost about $1800; today we’re looking at $19,000 and up for such a vehicle. One cannot purchase a decent lawn tractor for $1800 anymore!
The world economy is shaky as witnessed by the bailout of Greece. Yet, few in America realize that California’s debt is four times worse than Greece.
In this issue is our Part II Why You Won’t Survive the Next Recession…how can that be you ask? The answer is easy. The same thieves that brought us the recession of ’08 are still in charge…how long do we have? Three to five years tops is my guess, so keep stockpiling the silver, gold, and food…get our Poor Man III for the most comprehensive self sufficiency material out there – available at our site or at our ebay storefront.
Okay…I know I said I wasn’t going to post any more recipes. But with all the company I had last week I baked up a storm of fruit breads and cookies. Peanut butter cookies aren’t my favorite, but these were darn good & oh so easy to make. Thanks to one of our new subscribers for the recipe.
Ingredients
--1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)
--1 egg
--1 tsp. baking soda
--1 cup of sugar
Beat all the ingredients and spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Yield is about 12 cookies.
Finally…a thought for BP on how to stop the oil leak. Use that expanding insulating foam. Works great on everything I’ve tried it on!
Useful Resources
Get Group Discounts-Even without the group. Check these sites for daily updates:
www.8Coupons.com
www.couponcabin.com
Award Winning, Non-Profit Tree Site Gives Free Advice
www.TreePeople.Org
Like to type? Make Money at it with this free how-to booklet on the world of virtual word-processing
www.VirtualWordPublishing.com
Other Virtual work sites include:
www.HireMyMom.com
www.TigerFish.com
www.AliceDarling.com
Become a customer service agent at home-visit these firms
www.LiveOpps.com
www.West.com
www.WorkingSolutions.com
www.OverflowUsa.com
www.JetBlue.com
www.ACDDirect.com
www.AlpineAccess.com
Serve on a Virtual Jury – law firms sometimes use folks to provide feedback
www.eJury.com
www.OnlineVerdict.com
www.TrialPractice.com
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Reader question…I read a blurb that suggested one can make money recycling precious metals from computers & other electronics. Is this true & is it a viable means of making some cash? --Jeremy from Wichita
Poor Man Answer: Being the infinite oracle that I am I can tell you that this process requires a lot of work, for very little money…not worth your time. The exception would be if you’re already in the recycling business…that’s why so much of this used stuff is shipped to China (and then resold to Americans).
<<<<<<<<<<<<< Myths About Gas Consumption
"The expectations of American consumers are reasonable and achievable," Gillis said in a conference call." CFA says that Asian carmakers, compared to the U.S. competition, are offering twice as many vehicles with 30 mpg or better. "It's shocking that so few of today's cars get more than 30 mpg," he said.
Mark Cooper, CFA's research director, noted that in five years of the group's polling, the public's views have stayed remarkably consistent: Americans want less dependence on Middle Eastern oil and higher fuel-economy standards.
People care about fuel economy, but they're misinformed about how to actually achieve it. The federal government's fueleconomy.gov site (very useful to check cars' mpg) just published the "Top 10 Misconceptions About Fuel Economy."
Get the rest of the story at: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_driving/62/six-gas-mileage-myths.html
>>>>
Save some water & money by knowing when to water your lawn.
Not sure when your lawn needs water…push a screwdriver hard (six inches) into the soil. If it’s a lot of work, it needs water. Sidenote: We filled four 55-gal. rain barrels this week alone after some all day rain – this will save some cash when it comes to watering the garden.
Another update to the Poor Man site…we’ve added some more resources and information to our Lower Your Property Taxes section. Check it out.
<<<>>>
Free Family Preparedness Video from Red Cross
http://www.monkeysee.com/play/6719-building-an-emergency-kit-food-and-water
>>><<< Compare eBay & Amazon prices and save some time & Money at:
www.Q-Compare.com
Speaking of Amazon I just got this press release from Amazon about AmazonWireless and thought I should share it…could prove a profitable niche for one of our readers.
Amazon is excited to announce AmazonWireless – a new website by Amazon specializing in cell phones and wireless service plans. Starting today until August 31, 2010, Associates can now earn $65 per unit in advertising fees on AmazonWireless cell phone with service purchases—with no limit to the number of items on which advertising fees are earned. AmazonWireless offers more than 140 bestselling phones from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless—with more carriers and additional features coming soon.
AmazonWireless is a new website by Amazon.com that offers cell phones and wireless plans, easy shopping without rebate hassles, and FREE two-day shipping.
AmazonWireless makes it easy for customers to upgrade their phone if they already have a plan, or if they want to establish new cell phone service, has tried to make it simple to find the right phone, service plan, and options.
Customers can shop for phones by carrier, phone feature, price, color, and brand. The site’s shopping cart will guide them through each stage of the purchase process, including all of the familiar Amazon features like bestseller lists, detailed product descriptions, and customer reviews.
AmazonWireless is owned and operated by Amazon.com. Customers can shop securely with their Amazon.com account on AmazonWireless, and benefit from Amazon’s world-class service and security.
>>><<< Shopping in a Big Way: Warehouse vs. Big Box
Despite longer lines and a membership fee…it might be right for you.
Americans love discounts. This is the land of the two-for-one dinner special and double supermarket coupons. It's also home to a thriving warehouse-club industry, where consumers pay nominal membership fees for the privilege of filling huge grocery carts with everyday products sold in bulk.
Warehouse-club sales in the U.S. grew to $113.3 billion in 2009 from $91.3 billion in 2005, according to Michael Clayman, publisher of Warehouse Club Focus, an industry trade journal. He anticipates continued increases in sales since consumers are penny-pinching in the soft economy and the club companies have plans to add more locations. He says warehouse-club pricing is often 50% less than a regular retailer's and up to 25% less than nonclub big-box stores. "Warehouse stores do save you quite a bit," he says.
More at: http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-109675-5378-3-shopping-in-bulk-warehouse-vs-big-box?ywaad=ad0035
NOTE: Buried in a recent Department of Labor announcement were the details of the stunning rise in food prices this year. Food prices, in March, rose 2.4%, the largest increase in more than 25 years…better consider using these clubs to stock up now!
<<<>>>
A wise person once said “Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.”
<<<>>>
My Politically Incorrect Commentary on the current state of affairs!
Trouble is not just knocking on the door; it's about to kick it in.
US Government Kills its own Economy or…
Why you won’t survive the next recession – Part II
>>>Last issue we pointed out the Feds will no longer be able to print more money out of thin air as there is No Way we can recover from the current deficit. Are Americans so stupid that they cannot see this?
During the past couple of years as we have tried to fight our way through the recession, we have all been aware of the unemployment sky rocketing. What some of you may not know is just how many are actually unemployed long-term as well as the groups (mostly men & over 50) that it is most effecting.
Moody’s Investor’s Service recently warned that the exploding US debt could result in a downgrade of Treasury Bonds…nice to know.
Small Business Labs posted an article recently regarding this very information. Surprisingly there is a huge increase in long-term unemployment. Long-term is classified as anything over 6 consecutive months. Given that fact, the long-term unemployment has jumped to an extreme high of around 6 million.
Men make up 60% of the long-term unemployed with women ages 45-64 coming in as a close second to the long-term unemployment numbers…
USA Today Reports:
“Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in US history during the first quarter of this year, a USA Today analysis of government data finds.
“At the same time, government-provided benefits – from Social Security, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs – rose to a record high during the first three months of 2010.
“Those records reflect a long-term trend accelerated by the recession and the federal stimulus program to counteract the downturn. The result is a major shift in the source of personal income from private wages to government programs.
“The trend is not sustainable, says University of Michigan economist Donald Grimes. Reason: The federal government depends on private wages to generate income taxes to pay for its ever-more-expensive programs. Government-generated income is taxed at lower rates or not at all, he says. ‘This is really important,’ Grimes says. “
>>><<< An Update to the Poor Man Survival Kit-Part 1
Your Freedom continues to come under attack
There’s a section included on the CD ROM about obtaining 2nd passports. It’s getting harder and more expensive to accomplish this feat. As we predicted in the early 1990s, our government will continue to make its moves on restricting your right to travel within US borders and to other countries.
For example, you now need a passport to travel to Mexico and Canada, supposedly in order to help screen out terrorists. It’s also a tool for controlling non-criminal and non-terrorist activity such as child support enforcement, collecting back taxes, school loan payments and other areas where our government chooses to trample your Constitutional rights when it comes to travel. Of course, none of us ever voted on any of these provisions or were even aware of them in most cases…the government likes to hide things from its citizens.
For updated 2nd passport info, try this: http://www.isla-offshore.com/
Also, in response to another recent question from a subscriber – NO, you cannot obtain a passport from the United Nations. They do not offer any kind of travel document unless you’re in a special envoy.
A related issue deals with Free Speech Zones designated during political protests. Although such zones were in use by the 1960s and 1970 due to the Vietnam-era protests, they were not widely reported in the media. However, the controversy over their use has resurfaced strongly due to the 2001-2008 Bush presidency. In essence, Free Speech Zones prevent a person from having complete mobility as a consequence of their exercising their right to speak freely. Citizens are restricted from traveling (without being subject to arrest) due to their political communication, although the Constitution permits free speech anywhere on U.S. territory.
A number of constitutional scholars and advocates for family law reform strongly oppose restricting the human right to travel to a person who has committed no crime, and assert that the practice violates basic constitutional rights.
The government is worried about folks leaving the country as it doesn’t want to give up any possible revenue source. The US is the only nation which taxes its expatriated citizens. According to several polls, the US no longer ranks as the freeest country – Canada ranks ahead of us, for example.
As we know, our government isn’t keen on keeping with our Constitution and our rights are crumbling ever so slowly. I still predict our new national healthcare system is merely a pretext and prelude to a national ID program.
Waste Not, Recycle it!
<<<<>>>
^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539
Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less. http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy
Terrific site for resources and green, eco-friendly goods http://www.growandmake.com?ref=71
Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Save Money, Save the Environment: http://greenirene.com/PoorMan
<<<>>>
Finally…something cute – the Iron Baby video (takeoff on Iron Man)
http://holykaw.alltop.com/iron-man-who-all-hail-iron-baby-video
Yours for better living,
Your Politically Incorrect Ally on the War Against the Middle Class
Bruce “The Poor Man”
Our sites include:
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
Http://www.Oldbooknook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
P.S. If you have a garage sale, remember to put up legible signs AND remember to take them down once the sale has ended.
A Shallow Planet Production
The Urban Survivalist
Friday, June 4, 2010
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