Is the Day of Reckoning Near? Will Your Bank Fail Next?

Bruce’s Poor Man Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources!
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

In This Issue:

Is the Day of Reckoning Near?
Weekly freebies
Septic tank safeguards
Vulnerable banks
Save the economy by starting a sideline business
Seasoning & caring for your CI Cookware



The 4th Amendment-May it Rest in Peace!

How Far Off is our National Day of Reckoning?

The world has changed so drastically over the past 10-years:

1) The endless War on Terror and the rise of police states around the world
2) Elimination of financial privacy
3) The bursting of four major bubbles-- stocks, credit, derivatives, property
4) Developing nations' increasing economic dominance
5) The end of America's economic and diplomatic primacy
6) The greatest global economic decline since the Industrial Revolution
7) Rising world population coupled with food and water shortages
8) Loss of confidence in major institutions: government, banks, corporations
9) The growing, addict-like social dependency on technology
10) Central planning in the world's most "free" economies

When you throw a frog in a pot of boiling water, he immediately senses danger and jumps out. When you put him in cool water and slowly bring it to boil, the frog won't sense danger until it's too late.

Many would say the system has collapsed or is about to. There are a lot of people who still cling to it, who put their trust in their governments... they'll keep buying bonds, CD's, etc….however, even government workers are now feeling the pinch as we predicted.

Over the next 10-years as governments continue to put the squeeze on the middle class you can be certain things like rising taxes, capital controls, further erosion of financial privacy, increased regulation, will take place at an even faster pace.

I would suggest asking yourself one simple question: Will the paper currencies of the largest debtor nations in history continue to be reasonable stores of value?

Very unlikely and a complete loss of confidence is coming, and this will have hugely negative effects on your lifestyle. Although it seemed a 100 years ago, my political science professor to me that when enough people begin to ask such questions, we’re in trouble. When a country stops producing goods, it is in trouble and I believe we’re nearly there.

With the loss of jobs and confidence in the president & Congress, we can see that…

The number of people in the U.S. who are in poverty is on track for a record increase on President Barack Obama's watch, with the ranks of working-age poor approaching 1960s levels that led to the national war on poverty…which ultimately led to the war on the middle class by the Washington-Wall Street Cartel.

We know that at least 75% of the population is still employed in some fashion, usually at a lower wage and without benefits, than previously in this country…further, we know the recession won’t be over until people are making a living wage or have become income generators of sorts. Take a look at one of our reader’s resources, Dave Roman, to help you develop other sources of income-more at the end of this week’s letter.


"It is not the function of the government
to keep the citizen from falling into error;
it is the function of the citizen to keep
the government from falling into error."
-- Justice Robert H. Jackson
(1892-1954), U. S. Supreme Court Justice




Weekly Freebies & Tips



1. FREE CAR-REPAIR HELP
It won't fix your car free (darn), but RepairPal.com will help you find out whether your mechanic is quoting a fair price.
Enter your car's make, model and year, plus your zip code. Then choose among dozens of fixes to get a price range for the job at dealerships and independent shops in your area.
2. FREE TECH SUPPORT
If you're a member of Sam's Club or Costco, you can get free tech support -- even if you didn't buy the device at their store.
Or, for PC problems, anyone can head to TechGuy.org or 5starsupport.com for free help. You can search the forums for your computer's particular ailment or post a question to receive a timely response from the sites' groups of geek volunteers. And don't forget to try the manufacturer's Web site. Many post user manuals and FAQs to help you solve your dilemma.
3. FREE TREATS
Your favorite snack shop or fast-food restaurant may have an annual freebie day. Mark your calendar for free IHOP pancakes in February; free Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Rita's Italian ice, and a Starbucks pastry in March; free Pretzel Time pretzels and a Cinnabon treat in April; free Haagen Daas ice cream in May; a free Krispy Kreme doughnut, Sonic root-beer float and TCBY frozen yogurt in June; and a free Chick-Fil-A meal in July -- to name a few.
You can also sign up to score free food on your birthday from Famous Dave’s BBQ, Cold Stone Creamery, Denny’s and other eateries. Search the Web for "birthday freebies," or call your local restaurants to ask whether they offer such a deal.
4. FREE FINANCIAL APPS
There's a slew of free apps for your mobile phone that can simplify your financial tasks.
Among our favorites are apps from Mint.com to track your spending and investments, Allpoint and Moneypass to find surcharge-free ATMs nearby, Yowza for coupons on the go and CheckPlease Lite to easily calculate a tip or divide a restaurant check.
5. FREE BOOKS, MUSIC, MOVIES AND MORE
You'll find the mother lode of freebies at your public library. All the books, magazines, audio books, video games and CDs you can carry won't cost a cent. Many libraries also have free Wi-Fi, DVDs and e-books. You may be able to go online to place your order for materials and a librarian will have them waiting for you when you arrive.
And that's not all. Your library may host free book clubs, lectures, film screenings, children's story times, craft activities and other community events.
6. FREE DIAMOND-RING INSPECTION
One loose prong can weaken the setting on your diamond ring, risking the loss of your sparkler -- and thousands of dollars with it. Most jewelers will inspect your ring free of charge, especially if you purchased your jewelry from their shop. Many will even throw in a free cleaning.
It's a good idea to take advantage of this freebie at least once a year.
7. FREE COMPUTER PROTECTION
Is your computer vulnerable? You can download malware-protection services available free online.
We recommend PC Magazine's Editor's Choice: Panda Cloud Antivirus, AVG anti-virus or try Microsoft's Security Essentials, which PCWorld.com says renders subscription antivirus services unnecessary.

Read more: http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/fabulous-freebies-2010.html?kipad_id=x#ixzz0yrmuQtUG


"The history of government management of money has, except
for a few short happy periods, been one of incessant fraud
and deception." --Frederich on Hayek, Nobel Laureate


Free textbooks (aka open textbooks) written by scholars are a relatively new phenomenon. Below, find a meta list of 150 Free Textbooks, and check back often for new additions. Also see our online collection of Free Courses.
http://www.openculture.com/free_textbooks

Free Short Course-Broken Window Myth & No Free Lunch Economics-Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG3AKoL0vEs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmqoCHR14n8&feature=related



Cast Iron Cookware-Caring for it

Some of the best fried chicken I ever tasted was cooked in a cast iron skillet and these long lasting tools are good for outdoor or indoor cooking. This cookware heats slowly and evenly, and holds heat well - great for fried food, stews and soups (and even camp biscuits). The only drawback is that it rusts easily and needs to be ‘seasoned’ periodically prior to use.

Although I prefer the older Wagnerware to some of the new stuff I see on the market all of it should be pre-seasoned by scrubbing it thoroughly: coat the inside thinly and evenly with melted, unsalted shortening or vegetable oil (don’t use olive oil) and place into a pre-heated 350 oven for two hours. When finished, allow to cool and then wipe off the excess oil, rinse and dry it on a burner set at low heat (I would discourage doing this on a flat top electric range though for fear of potential damage).

After each use, wipe the utensil out with a towel and dry immediately. If food has burned on or stuck to it, scour with table salt.

Store in a dry area, leaving the lid off to prevent buildup of moisture; some place towels or paper towels in them. Never store food in them either. In my younger, restaurant days, we just dropped the cast iron skillet into the deep fat fryer to achieve this seasoning within a few minutes!



Safeguarding your Septic System tips…

Nothing worse than an overloaded or malfunctioning system…smells swell! Most people don’t give much thought to their system until a problem occurs and the longer you wait, the worse it gets. As a young man I got talked into digging out an old system by hand and brother, even though I was in terrific physical condition, it was hard work!

Keep in mind the following tips and hints:

Routine maintenance is required - it should be pumped out every two or three years depending on usage.
Keep the crap out (pun intended)-avoid putting such items as kitchen grease, kitty litter, sanitary products, cotton swabs or balls, etc. as it will block the lines.
Repair leaking pipes & fixtures asap as an excess amount of water will also damage your system
Use shorter showers and water miser shower heads (order them via our GreenIrene.com/Poorman site)
Direct rainwater away from the septic field - use rain barrels
Keep vehicles off the field and other heavy equipment
Remove trees and heavy shrubbery from the field to prevent roots from screwing up your drain lines. Remove roots using copper sulfate (2 lbs per 300 gallon tank capacity but no more than twice a year)
Do use baking soda or some yeast every so often in your toilet to keep the bacteria going - DON’t use bleach.

Your local health department or county extension office can provide useful assistance (see a link to every extension office at the PoorManSurvial.com DIY links section)…or watch the Red Green show for tips from his buddy, the ‘septic sucking service guy!”

What the Poor Man is reading this week (of course, that means you should too)!

Thomas Woods, New York Times bestselling author of 10 books, a senior fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute and author of "Nullification: How to resist federal tyranny in the 21st Century".
Professor Woods is a frequent critique of the abuse of power by the federal government and our nation's social decay and has spent years documenting the centralization of power. In today's episode, you'll discover:
The mechanism the founding fathers put in place for resisting abusive government
All the ammunition you need to fight back against angry liberals....and win
What it will (unfortunately) take before most people realize the extent of our problems
The one question to ask any politician to find out where their true loyalties are



Most Vulnerable Large U.S.
Banks and Thrifts
(with a Weiss Rating of D+ or lower and assets of $25 billion or more)
Institution Weiss Rating Bank of America D Citibank D Wells Fargo Bank D US Bank D PNC Bank D+ HSBC Bank USA NC D+ Suntrust Bank D- Regions Bank D- Capitol One D+ RBS Citizens D- KeyBank D- ING Bank FSB D Union Bank D+ Sovereign Bank D- Compass Bank D- Huntington National Bank D- M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank D- E*Trade Bank D- Wells Fargo Bank South Central D Bank of America California .



If our Trade be taxed, why not our Lands, or Produce in short, everything we possess? They tax us without having legal representation.
-- Samuel Adams
(1722-1803), was known as the "Father of the American Revolution."


A 15% Poverty Rate in America? Parting shots…

How to fix the economy…

You’ve probably seen the reports as to how number of taxpaying Americans are falling as poverty rates climb to as high as 15%...but we‘re now out of the recession…nearly half the households in America now get some sort of government assistance (Social Security, disability, food stamps, etc). I’m unsure why they include Social Security as a form of government assistance, after all, most folks pay into that and are entitled to it. Yet, we also see record amounts of cash being donated to various political groups and elected reps in Washington still taking pay raises, people still stand in line to buy the latest overpriced cell phone but are complaining they don’t have enough to buy school supplies! What’s wrong with this picture?

Even a blind man could see Washington and Wall Street are lying through their teeth…

Much of this is contradictory. We have two wars and no rationing at home as we did during WWII. No politician has given up their annual pay raise that I know of. We have no fiscal restraint in Washington, except when it comes to main street. We have a president who pushed for a national health care plan, which is great, but who can afford it when there are no jobs?

We face an essential takeover of retirement plans to cover the irresponsible spending of Congress, yet most US firms no longer even offer a pension. None of this makes sense to me.

Perhaps what we need is a return to the old homestead act which opened up with west to American settlement while offering a free plot of land to citizens willing to work that land and to build on it…reconfigured for the 21st century to perhaps include a better, fairer means of taxation, a better means of educating our young (not by simply throwing more money at it), a better means of keeping jobs in America vs. shipping them to other countries which does not benefit this country, a better means of equipping interested citizens in the ways and financing of entrepreneurship to create US jobs, etc.

America needs to fuel small business growth. In the Netherlands, citizens can opt out of getting unemployment and instead, use that money to start a business. The only thing that will save this country (beyond getting rid of politics as usual) is to foster job growth through small business - even if it’s on a sideline basis…and it provides a good tax reduction strategy. Here’s where my old friend Dave Roman can help you.

Dave has one of the longest running newsletters in the nation and has filtered through countless numbers of scams and featured only the good stuff…check out his book and be certain to use the discount code.

The book/manual normally sells for $39.95. If our readers go to the second page of the book web page (by clicking on the link on the bottom of the first book web page - the 7 techniques page) then they can go to the very bottom of that page to the "special offer" page. Clicking this link will take them to the special offer page where they can put your code in the offer box. The code is BD001. That way they will get the $29.95 price.

There is a bonus report that comes with the book. They get the names of 50 Mystery Shopping companies. I've mystery shopped many a restaurant in NE Ohio. The company pays for your meal. They will also get the updated version of the book when it's complete in about 3 months.

I have created two links to get to the book ad page and order info:
http://tiny.cc/profitable.ideas this link goes directly to the book web page
http://www.homebusinessguru.net this link goes to my home page. On this page, they have to click on the "7 Techniques" link to get to
the book page.

Something akin to the old biblical teaching - teach a person how to fish, give them the tools to fish, get out of their way and let them fish so they won’t go hungry!

Our goal is to help you become more self sufficient!

Yours for better living,
The Poor Man…your new director of the International Security Agency

Visit our sites. Find useful how-to information such as this terrific resource we first offered in 1999!

"Making the Best of Basics-Family Preparedness Handbook" is a literal treasure trove of information. You'll discover:
How to determine if you're emotionally and mentally prepared (Chapter 1, page 3)
The spiritual foundation you absolutely must have (Chapter 4, page 2)
What you should have in your 3 Day Survival Kit (Chapter 5, page 2)
Suggestions for organizing all your information (Chapter 6, page 3)
How to put together your personal in-home grocery store (Chapter 7, page 1)

And much more. For example, you'll learn:
How to manage your long-term storage
Locating, purifying and storing water
Step by Step guide to healthy kitchen gardening
The basics of wheat, sourdough and flour cookery
In home drying of fruits and vegetables

As well as the basics of preparing game meats, fish and fowl. There's so much more in "Making the Best of Basics-Family Preparedness Handbook" that I'd like to tell you about, but I just don't have the space in this email to cover everything. Rest assured that over the course of 28 chapters you'll learn how to put together a well-rounded preparedness plan that anyone can use to prepare for natural disasters, terrorist attacks, economic collapse, epidemic, martial law or even just a short-term disruption in normal life that might otherwise be catastrophic.
Just imagine how much more at peace you'll be with "Making the Best of Basics-Family Preparedness Handbook" in your household, available even for a child to read and learn from. The peace of mind you'll have knowing that you've got a proven, time-tested guide for preparing is invaluable.


Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics

http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com

A Shallow Planet Production

P.S. If you haven't already noticed, be prepared as commodity prices head up higher beginning this month. Things such as sugar, gold, etc. which means end products made from these will spike higher as well. Just look at what you're now paying for a 4lb bag of sugar – more than what you paid for a 5lb bag last year.