Bruce’s
Poor Man Survival Bulletin
A
digest of urban survival resources
ISSN 2161-5543
In
This Issue:
1.
$15,000 Give-away
2.
Traffic
tickets cost us dearly
3.
You
can’t buy American
4.
Why
our country needs tort reform
5.
Worldwide,
Freedom and Privacy are eroding
The moral and constitutional
obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty,
not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and
economic turmoil to our people.
-- Dr. Ron Paul
-- Dr. Ron Paul
Tort Reform…Why we need it!
One of the
reasons our country is in trouble is because we lack tort reform. Stupid lawsuits
cost all of us, yet, there are times when a lawsuit is in order.
Technically, a tort is any civil wrong in which a
damaged victim can seek legal redress from the individual who caused the harm.
In its political context, "tort reform" generally refers to proposals
to limit the prevalence of legal claims prosecuted with the assistance of
personal injury lawyers which are perceived to unfairly burden insurance policy
holders with exorbitant premiums. Tort law, like most of our legal system, is
traditionally a matter of state "common law" and legislation.
In reality, the "tort system" is part of an
overall system for compensating victims who suffer from accidental injuries.
Accidents are a part of our human experience. Studies indicate that over the
course of a year, approximately 20% of Americans suffer some type of accidental
injury and most of these require a doctor's attention. The vast majority of accidents causing
economic loss are either work-related or automobile-related. Many of these accidents do not involve potential liability of a third
party. The primary source of compensation for medical treatment of these
injuries is the victim's health insurance.
Facts About Tort Liability And Its Impact On
Consumers:
Overall Impact: The United States Economy
The cost of the U.S. tort system for 2003 was $246
billion, or $845 per citizen or $3,380 for a family of four.
U.S. tort costs increased 35.4 percent from 2000 to
2003.
The Growth of U.S. tort costs have exceeded the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) by 2-3 percentage points in the past 50 years.
The U.S. tort system is inefficient; it returns less
than 50 cents on the dollar and less than 22 cents for actual economic loss to
claimants.
One (of many) of the failings of Obama’s health care
strategy is because it failed to address tort reform as expensive lawsuits
contribute to high medical malpractice premiums and that cost is passed onto
the consumers.
(Another problem with the health care package is it
also failed to drop the need for small businesses to carry workman’s comp – an
expensive cost for businesses. If
universal healthcare were to help small businesses, that must be addressed as
well).
Get the 2011 Tort Reform Report here:
Pretzel sticks make a nice alternative to toothpicks for
spearing meatball appetizers.
Poor Man’s
‘Betty Schocker’ compendium of useful stuff
$15,000 GIVEAWAY FROM SETH GODIN / DOMINO PROJECT
Seth Godin, who gives great advice on marketing and self-actualization, and his Domino Project are giving away $15,000 in gift cards along with free eCopies of Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance.”
(While you’re there, you might sign up for Seth’s blog posts. Good stuff – Inspiring, original, and helps you stay focused and productive.)
For details, go to http://www.thedominoproject.com/ibex-tweet-sweepstakes
Seth Godin, who gives great advice on marketing and self-actualization, and his Domino Project are giving away $15,000 in gift cards along with free eCopies of Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance.”
(While you’re there, you might sign up for Seth’s blog posts. Good stuff – Inspiring, original, and helps you stay focused and productive.)
For details, go to http://www.thedominoproject.com/ibex-tweet-sweepstakes
Free eRecipe Cookbooks…get
their must have picnic recipes now
Our selection of free recipe eCookbooks is the
ultimate resource for cooking. Each eCookbook includes a collection of recipes
on a theme. Whether it's eating on a budget, chicken casserole recipes, restaurant copycat recipes, or
our favorite dessert recipes, RecipeLion.com has you covered. You can easily
download and print out each eCookbook for easy reference while cooking.
There is a new service called Yardsales.com where you type in your zip code and set a mileage number of how far to
search. You can search just in your zip code or up to 50 miles away. The basic
service is free. It’s free to post a yard sale and it’s free to look for one
near you.
Adding a sheet of tinfoil under the napkin in your
bread basket keeps the bread warm longer!
Got Iron? The Poor Man picked up an antique lidded cast iron dutch oven at an
auction last week for $1 but it was mighty rusty. These are great for outdoor and survival
cooking and retail online for $25 and up…I use that old standby for making this
useful by using Naval Jelly. Good stuff
and here are a few hints about its uses.
Naval Jelly
Recommended For
Use on iron railings, barbeque grills, automobiles,
patio furniture, tools, antiques, mailboxes, lawn mowers, bicycles & lamp
posts
Removing rust from metal surfaces made of iron or
steel
Not Recommended
For
Aluminum
Chrome
Fiberglass
Cement
Marble
Plastic
Create an Online Family History
Get a free account, then you and other family members
can upload documents, text, photos, video, etc. making it easy to preserve
family history.
Give seedlings a boost if you start them in a
window. Place a sheet of aluminum foil
behind them with the shiny side facing the seedlings - it will reflect the
light & illuminate the dark side so they will grow straighter and sturdier.
Start
small…over planting is a common mistake. Think about which vegetable varieties you
want, then pick the easiest to grow. Get
more guidance at: www.NIFA.usda.gov/Estension/index.html
Ramp-up your Job Search Skills: The
job search process can seem overwhelming, but you'll be amazed at how quickly
you can get up to speed if you spend just a few minutes each day learning the
"how-to" of the search. One of my favorite resources for daily job
search tips and strategies is the newsletter, Smart Brief on Your Career. It is
a quick-read that provides links to five or six articles on the job search and
other career related topics. Sign up at http://www.smartbrief.com/yourcareer/
to get updates delivered daily.
>>>
Use left over ice cube trays as a paint palette -
great for kids!
The Nanny State Updates…
Traffic Violation Tickets Cost Plenty
Consumers may know that their bad driving record will
raise their car insurance, but just how much will a single moving violation
cost them?
Plenty, according to a new analysis from Insurance.com. The website
looked at 32,000 of its auto insurance policies sold in 2010 and found that
those with zero moving violations on their driving record can expect to pay, on
average, $1,119 a year in premiums. However, as soon as a consumer had a moving
violation on record, the quotes skyrocketed. Their analysis found that:
• One violation led to an average annual premium cost
of $1,318, an 18% increase.
• Two violations lead to average annual premium cost
of $1,497, a 34% increase.
• Three violations lead to an average annual premium
cost of $1,713, a 53% increase.
In the first quarter of 2010, the pay earned by
private sector workers provided the smallest share of personal income, at 42%,
in US history. Public sector pay
continues to average higher than private sector…any wonder why local
governments are bankrupt?
If the US sold all of the gold that it holds in Fort Knox and elsewhere, at today's record high price of ~$1,500 an ounce, we would only get
enough money to pay about one-third of THIS YEAR'S budget shortfall.
If ALL of the gold mined in the history of the
world were ours to sell, we could pay off only about 60% of the U.S.A.'s
national debt.
No amount of increased
taxation can solve America's problems. We have spent $14 trillion that we don't
have, and our governments at every level keep spending more.
Big Brother Is Watching You: Overreaching law
enforcement puts privacy rights at risk.
In 1991, George Holliday filmed the LAPD's arrest and beating of Rodney King. The videotape provoked national controversy. If a similar incident happened today, it might provoke something else: the arrest of George Holliday. And as A. Barton Hinkle observes, the war on cameras isn't the only way overreaching law enforcement officials are now trampling individual rights. From warrantless searches to state-mandated cell phone alert systems, big brother is watching you…more at: http://reason.com/archives/2011/05/25/big-brother-is-watching-you
In 1991, George Holliday filmed the LAPD's arrest and beating of Rodney King. The videotape provoked national controversy. If a similar incident happened today, it might provoke something else: the arrest of George Holliday. And as A. Barton Hinkle observes, the war on cameras isn't the only way overreaching law enforcement officials are now trampling individual rights. From warrantless searches to state-mandated cell phone alert systems, big brother is watching you…more at: http://reason.com/archives/2011/05/25/big-brother-is-watching-you
Global politicians will give
speeches about liberty and freedom even as they undermine them at every turn. There
are very, very few nations on the planet where liberty and freedom are
increasing. Instead, almost everywhere you turn the "control grid" is
getting tighter. Governments don't want us gathering together and interacting
with one another. Instead, they want us to work our tails off to support the
system, they want us enslaved financially and constantly drowning in debt, and
they want us addicted to television and other forms of entertainment. Read more at: PoorManSurvival.com/ArticlesII.aspx
Natural First Aid
for an Insect Bite
for an Insect Bite
If you’re at a picnic and you get an insect bite or
sting, apply mustard to the area to help relieve the pain, itch and redness.
You can also use ice cubes or a paste made from table salt and water to bring
down the swelling
Parting Thoughts- You can’t buy American
The Poor Man
has reported previously about groups who have set up web sites that point out
American made products. As most of us
know and according to a TV report on ABC News, virtually no one can buy
made-strictly-in-America products. The
TV show asked families to leave their home while a crew got rid of every item
in their home which was not made in America.
Most came back to a nearly empty home. Even our autos are pieced out from
manufacturers around the globe.
This means no iPods, computers, diamond rings, cell
phones, stereos etc., would be gone.
Still, as pointed out in the last issue about Depression era economics,
adding higher tariffs to foreign made goods wouldn’t work either - if we
‘punish’ those countries, they would retaliate with higher prices on the goods
they sell to us.
Further, it would probably cut off our own
manufacturers who do business overseas such as Caterpillar and Boeing.
In either case, our economy, thanks to Washington, is
in trouble no matter how the deck is cut.
We’re headed for another debt ceiling and Washington continues its
‘sleight-of-hand’ accounting tricks to hide their stupidity. If we do default on our obligations, it could
mean several things…a one world ‘basket-style’ currency tied into several
national currencies, a complete loss of confidence in the US economic system
(higher prices for all of us on EVERYTHING), or worse.
However Washington manages
to prolong the situation or pull another rabbit out of the hat, it’s only a
matter of time before our fiscal nova or Armageddon hits us between the eyes.
Your contrarian curmudgeon,
the Poor Man.
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