America for Sale-Budget Time Bomb is Ticking

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




In This Issue:

5 Places where you can get free land
Top Holiday spending predictions/trends
Free Photoshop alternative
Deficit time bomb is ticking faster
Top 100 Things which will disappear in a panic revisited
EBay continues to lose, PayPal makes up for it
Clever ideas worth knowing



In a democracy, every little wrong idea may grow up to become national policy.
--A. Brilliant


America for sale…

As most of us already know, the government has been selling US securities for years to finance its mammoth spending and debt policies. This puts other countries such as China and Japan in a position of ownership of US assets and dilutes the value of our dollar and reduces our lifestyle.

The result is easy to predict. Our sovereignty is being compromised. Our standard of living is being compromised in the process too. US workers continually come out on the short end of the stick as a result and this next election will not make one bit of difference. Multi-national firms and globalists will continue their bottom feeding strategies to extract the cheapest labor leaving an ever widening gap between the ’haves and have nots.’

This is one of the reasons why our government has never truly addressed the illegal immigration problem - those who pull the strings want cheap labor and they do not care if average Americans can afford their products…the globalists desire the same situation that now exists in Europe. A single currency, a single passport system, etc. America is simply next in line.

Americans have proven to be a gullible bunch, willing to swallow all this free trade nonsense the government has fed us using the premise that it will create more jobs…as we know, NAFTA cost more than 600,000 US jobs! This is but one step the globalists have used on the march to domination and the elimination of our sovereignty.

Whether Obama will admit it or not, the US is already bankrupt, unable to meet its current or future obligations, no matter what tax rate they employ…we’ve been sold out!

As I’ve publicly stated and written since the 1980s, burger flippers can’t afford $40K cars. I was probably one of the few in the business press to suggest NAFTA, GATT & related schemes by the government, was not in the best interest of our country. At the time, the Wall Street Journal responded to an editorial I had written saying my fears were unfounded…guess they were wrong.

Fire sale anyone?

Suggested reading: America for Sale by Jerome Corsi/2009 Simon & Schuster


This week’s goodies


Access the stuff on your computers from almost anywhere
With Windows Live Mesh and the Devices website, you can finally stop emailing files to yourself, carrying them around on a USB drive, or worrying whether the version you have with you is the latest. Good on Win7 mostly.
http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mesh?os=other


eBay Offers Trade-In Program Powered by CExchange

eBay launched a program called eBay Instant Sale in which
consumers can trade-in their old consumer electronics and gadgets
for money in their PayPal account. The program is currently
powered by CExchange LLC (alltechwholesale on eBay).
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y10/m10/i25/s02

Looking for a free alternative to Photoshop? Well then you should give GIMP a try. It’s an image editing program that allows you to create and edit images, as well as touch up photographs. And best of all it’s free!

The thing I love about GIMP is that you can get free tutorials right on the same site where you'll find the download. Just scroll to the very bottom of the page and click Tutorials. The reason I love it is they have broken the tutorials into many levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert, Photo Editing, Web, and Scripting.
http://www.gimp.org

I don't think there is a free computer program any place on the internet for trappers, except for this one
http://www.rb59.com/trapping/

Got toys or action figures? (the poor man’s wife tried selling her un-action figure husband here) Sell them at PlanetForce…they buy one or a thousand. Send email:
PlanetForce@aol.com or call them at: 843-815-7785

Check this site out for all your Halloween recipe needs, you won't be disappointed.
http://www.halloweenrecipes101.com/halloween-recipes.html


Five places where land is free

In the spirit of settling the wild, wild West, some communities are giving away free land lots. What's the catch? You have to agree to build a house (or park a mobile home) and live in it. For the most part, the places doing this are rural communities without much in the way of work opportunities. But there are definitely some upsides and we can think of worse places to wait out the recession than near a mountain stream in Alaska. Besides, doesn't the whole world work virtually now, or is that just my hemisphere? More at:
http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/10/19/click-here-for-free-land-five-places-where-land-is-free/

Top ten holiday trends for 2010
According to our first holiday survey, Americans plan to spend an average of $688.87 on holiday-related shopping, a slight rise from last year’s $681.83. But those numbers just tell a fraction of the story. Here are some of the most interesting trends and nuggets I found when digging through the full report of data, provided by our partners at BIGresearch.

#1: Americans [still] aren’t ready to declare an end to the recession. Sound familiar? Yes, this trend was resurrected from the 2009 vault and our predictions last year. Unfortunately, there’s been no magical turnaround in consumer sentiment, meaning the trend is still sticking around. According to the survey, 61.7% of holiday shoppers say the economy will impact their spending plans this year. (That is down from 65.3% last year, which is certainly a good sign.) While many people who say they’ll be impacted will simply spend less (81.5%), others will compensate by shopping for sales more often (54.1%), using coupons more frequently (40.6%) and comparison shopping online (30.9%). If the recession really is over, somebody might want to clue in the American shopper. They’re not buying it. Read the rest of the predictions at:
http://blog.nrf.com/2010/10/20/top-ten-holiday-trends-for-2010/



I’m in favor of self reliance…so long as it prevents others from relying on me!



CLEVER IDEAS WORTH KNOWING

> Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster..
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

> Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
Spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in
double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty
frosting.

> Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste
Of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of
garlic.

> Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat
to med-low and heat till warm.
This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza I saw this on the cooking
channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken
up.
Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly,
cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg.
Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

> Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet
newspapers,
Put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and for-
Get about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not
Get through wet newspapers.

> Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box
of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser. Works better than a
cloth.

> Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving
cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up
the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.


Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,'
can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it
rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small
children being harmed!

INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer. The gentleman that fixes things
around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he
went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I
always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us
that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink and
ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material .. I'm
sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well ..... the hot
water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told
us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the
heating unit.
It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free ... that nice
fragrance too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the
box .... well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen.
This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down
with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very longtime
(and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash
it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush at least
every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as
long!
Note: I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it. The
water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the
mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had
it done in 30 seconds. --Thanks Jim for sharing these tips!

<<<>>>



I would argue the most serious threat to the US is not someone hiding in a cave in Afghanistan, but our own fiscal irresponsibility.
--David Walker, former head of the GAO
In a 2008 interview on 60 Minutes


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In response to a question asking when the crap will hit the fan from one of our readers, I thought it may prove beneficial to repeat the following…

If you've followed our weekly newsletter during the past six weeks or so, we've featured a few estimates ranging from six to 18 months before the crash but much will depend on the coming election.

According to the Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, the US projected debt to GDP ratio, thanks to Obama’s economic stimulus programs and our Social Security problems (there is no lock-box, no reserves thanks to Congressional looting) could reach 100% by 2030! The GDP is already at 60-65% this year so the time bomb is ticking.

As we've stated too, we feel it will more of gradual thing, like the loss of our rights and privacy. Our best estimate, regardless of election is 18 months. Several factors might accelerate this such as:
1. Another major war with Korea, Iraq or perhaps even some kind of armed conflict involving Mexico
2. If OPEC dumps the dollar as the currency of choice.
3. If nation's such as China & Russia create an alternative currency which becomes accepted by major trading partners.
With our country essentially bankrupt and major obligations coming due within six months (debts to foreign nations, for instance...the demise of the tax base which supports Social Security, Medicare, etc.) I'm not sure Washington (in reality, the Fed) will have any other choice except to pump more worthless dollars into the system (as are other countries)...this will prolong the inevitable for only so long. If I knew for certain, I'd be rich.
Keep in mind, it's unlikely to occur as a complete crash, but a slow erosion of living standards due to dollar devaluation, a growing class of unemployed, the growing inability for state and local governments to keep up with high pension costs, etc.
You can already see this taking place & even mainstream media are now reporting on such and I was surprised to see ABC news report about higher commodity prices (as we reported weeks ago...guess we scooped them) such as butter, sugar, coffee etc. due to lousy wheat crops in Russia, etc.

Here's a link to the "100 Things Which Will Vanish." Hope this helps...stay alert and prepared…you never know which type of calamity may befall us either man made or natural disaster.
http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm
NOTE: Feel free to send your questions to me & I will do my best to respond within 24-hours. Send to: poormansurvivor@yahoo.com

Read the following to gain more perspective on potential future predictions…

Seven years ago, Robert Prechter wrote down 100+ forecasts of what would happen as collective psychology turned from positive and bullish to negative and bearish. Three particularly relevant predictions are: No. 21 -- Politics will become far more polarized, splintered and radical. No. 86 -- Third parties will gain political clout and win local elections ... and probably at least one state government. No. 87 -- At least one of the two major parties will disappear or re-form. See which forecasts have already played out, which did not go according to plan and which are still to come -- all in this brilliant three-part series. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

http://www.elliottwave.com/freeupdates/archives/2010/10/15/100-Forecasts-that-are-Materializing-Now-Part-1.aspx



Online auctions and e-commerce pioneer eBay remains one of the strongest properties on the Web, but its balance of power is changing. Only a small percentage of eBay’s third-quarter growth can be attributed to its auction site, with PayPal easily accounting for the healthiest stream of revenue.
The online payment system, which eBay acquired in 2002, has become the company’s central business focus over the past two years. And a thriving one at that, earning nearly $800 million in revenues in the just-ended third quarter of 2010 – up 23 percent since this time last year.
In comparison, eBay’s auction site was up just 3 percent compared to last year’s third quarter. The site continues to produce enormous revenues, but eBay has clearly shifted its strategy toward the continued success of PayPal’s operations.
With the mobile explosion upon us, PayPal figures to play a major role in the future development of the payments industry – which it has already greatly impacted thus far. For its part, eBay’s auction site has helped create the e-commerce industry that we know today.
But online auctions have been losing ground to marketplaces such as Amazon for several years now. Amazon, in fact, continues to widen the gap since it officially surpassed eBay’s overall traffic numbers back in 2009.

>>>


U.S. slips to historic low in global corruption index

The United States has dropped out of the "top 20" in a global league table of least corrupt nations, tarnished by financial scandals and the influence of money in politics, Transparency International said on Tuesday. More at:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/US-slips-to-historic-low-in-rb-3603521040.html?x=0



Parting shots…

Am I missing something? We’re still working on completing our cabin/mobile structure and of course, it will cost more than we initially thought, mainly due to plumbing-electrical supplies and inspections. I checked online with eBay to see if there were any coupons or gift cards available.

Plenty of gift cards available but I was aghast at what idiots were bidding for them. Using a round number of $100, most fools were at 96% of the value! Why on earth waste your time for that niggardly discount? You can sign yourself up at the Home Depot site to get coupons, so why bother with eBay purchases…dumb and dumber.

One of the items we did get at Home Depot was a low flow toilet for less than $60 & it even included the wax ring…such a deal. FYI, the world’s first porcelain toilet was built in 1885 & flushable toilets have been found in ancient Scotland dating to 3100BC. When I visited Great Britain I saw some examples of early Roman bath houses, including their toilet facilities featuring running water…rather impressive!

In Conspiracy Theory 2012, with Jesse Ventura, we learned that the U.S. government is still engaged in the building of massive underground bunker systems. According to Ventura, one of the largest has been built under the new Denver airport. In fact, the US government is reportedly building so fast and so widespread, that private contractors in the bunker business are having a difficult time obtaining necessary equipment and supplies to continue their developments.

According to some, but denied by many, FEMA has even built refugee camps to deal with millions of people who may be displaced in large scale emergencies or during a declaration of martial law.
Anecdotal reports over the years suggest that the largest buyer of freeze dried goods from major freeze dried food manufacturers is none other than the U.S. government.

The issue, however, is that the government may be spending billions, but they cannot possibly prepare for widescale, total collapse situations where millions of lives are at risk. It is simply not possible.

Our government, even if they tried, would not be able to stock enough food and resources for the entire population of the United States. They can’t possibly respond to widespread catastrophes that may include simultaneous nuclear, biological or chemical attacks on multiple U.S. cities, or an electromagnetic pulse threat from a rogue nation, or even a solar flare that threatens our power grid infrastructure.

The takeaway from understanding that the government is preparing for disasters is to acknowledge that, in an emergency, you and your family may be left floating up the creek without a paddle. The FEMA web site makes an effort to inform people that each individual should be preparing for emergencies themselves, though most Americans have ignored this, or are simply unaware that these recommendations exist.

In Food and Water in an Emergency (pdf) FEMA makes it clear that they may not be able to provide assistance. “If an earthquake, hurricane, winter storm, or other disaster strikes your community, you might not have access to food, water, and electricity for days or even weeks,” warns the report. However, as my friend Bob always tells me, most Americans are still asleep at the wheel!

The PoorMan site provides a complete link to FEMA (free) reports…take advantage.


That’s it for this week folks!
Bruce ‘the contrarian poor man”

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

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