PM's Self Reliance Tools: February 2012

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Your Problems Solved-$1.50, Found Money, Using Thumbtack

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

For Independent Minded People!

ISSN 2161-5543

In This Issue:

1. Starting your own Time Bank

2. Use Thumbtack so customers can find you

3. Illegal Everything-How many laws did you break today?

4. The conundrum of Free Enterprise

5. Found Money-Find cash for emergencies, Free ebook

"The best of all government is that which teaches us to govern ourselves."
-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Conundrum of Free Enterprise

Frequently, I see ads and news stories exclaiming how China is stealing our jobs. I’m not convinced this is an accurate statement. We willingly give our jobs away. In a capitalistic system, we look for the three Cs - cheap labor, cheap raw materials and cheap capital.

Manufacturers from western countries have always looked for the cheapest labor, so it’s little wonder contracts go to the lowest bidder, usually China. If Americans didn’t gobble up the latest tech devices, regardless of cost it would seem, China would fail as a manufacturing country…other countries would be found more suitable.

Since the 1980s I have written about off-shoring of US jobs. My mantra has been “Burger flippers can’t afford $40K autos.” It’s easy to see how this has come true in America. Most Fortune 500 firms see their growth elsewhere, not in America and they really don’t give a rats ass about unemployment here (there are a few exceptions, of course). Most don’t pay any meaningful US taxes either, so they have the best of both worlds.

Washington policies have long favored such shenanigans so it pays to ‘contribute’ to reelection campaigns.

Much propaganda has been tendered about how off-shore manufacturing keeps our retail prices low. This isn’t always the case and who would mind paying a few more bucks if it meant preserving jobs in this country?

Regardless of the employment picture here, Americans will stand in line for hours to purchase the latest iPod, iPad, or other iTouchYourWallet scheme.

Folks in many parts of the country are already paying $5 a gallon to fuel their SUVs (I heard it’s $6 in parts of FL) despite ample domestic supplies…US fuel producers are selling oil to China now which is why we’re paying more. That’s free enterprise at work.

Stick to the safest gas pumps due to the spike in scammers who place skimming devices at the pump. Use pumps which are in full view of the station attendant.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

8-year-old girl will solve your everyday problems for a small price

Eve Hobsbawm from London is a life coach like no other — she's only eight years old. While most kids her age make money by selling cookies or doing chores, she solves everyday problems mostly for adults who need to see through the untainted eyes of a child. She even has a website —where she adorably calls herself Miss Evie Mouse — that advertises her consulting services.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/8-old-girl-solve-everyday-problems-small-price-182136358.html

City Chickens

Urbanites nationwide have been successfully challenging short-sight city ordinances regarding raising chickens on private home property. The hobby has become mainstream for many urban dwellers despite city restrictions.

If you keep coops clean, they don’t stink or spread disease. Let us know if you’ve experienced challenges from cities where you live.

Join or Create Your Own Time Bank

The Poor Man has touched on this topic in the past and you’ll find a Community Money section at our site. These cash-free currency exchanges have been growing in popularity during these cash-strapped times.

Perhaps the best known is TimeBanks USA, a non-profit with a long history of helping others launch their own time bank. At its site you’ll also find links to time banks nationwide and other resources.

Community Weaver 2.0, an open-source software tool for recording time-credit balances is another useful resource. To succeed, new time banks should have both an online hub and a quid pro quo spirit.

According to Kim Hodge, founder of the Michigan Alliance of Timebanks, “the sooner fledgling members make their first transaction, the more likely they’ll forge a commitment.”

www.TimeBanks.org

http://www.mitimebanks.org/

DO YOU OFFER A SERVICE? THUMBTACK LETS LOCAL CUSTOMERS FIND LOCAL VENDORS

From our research, Thumbtack.com lets you list your service so local customers can find you. Check 'em out here. Per the site, "More than 200,000 small businesses and independent professionals have listed their skills on Thumbtack."

How to generate cash in an emergency - Free ebook

http://ebookdirectory.com/dl/Found-Money.pdf

Fresh berries are just starting to hit farmers markets. Here’s how to keep them fresh!
Wash them with Vinegar.
When you get your Berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple
cider work best) and ten parts water.
Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around.
Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can't taste the vinegar,)
and pop in the fridge.
The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface.

Find the Cheapest Prescription Drugs

Simply type the name of your drug and your location into this site, and it will instantly list the price at all the drugstores in your neighborhood.

www.GoodRx.com

37 percent of all U.S. households that are led by someone under the age of 35 have a net worth of zero or less than zero.

The Nanny State Updates…

A secret blueprint for US global domination reveals that President Bush and
his cabinet were planning a premeditated attack on Iraq to secure regime change
even before he took power in January 2001… It has been called a secret
blueprint for US global domination. … A small group of people with a plan to
remove Saddam Hussein long before George W. Bush was elected president. … And
9/11 provided the opportunity to set it in motion. Not since Mein Kampf has a
geopolitical punch been so blatantly telegraphed years ahead of the blow."
-- Ted Koppel
(1940-) British-American broadcast journalist
Source: Nightline, 5 March 2003

Prohibitionist County Commissioner Arrested for Drug Trafficking

El Paso, Texas County Commissioner Willie Gandara Jr. was arrested late Wednesday on federal drug-trafficking charges. Few details have been released, but according to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spokeswoman, the investigation involves multiple agencies.

Obama unveils Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights

President promises privacy legislation and says Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and AOL are committed to working with Do Not Track technology in browsers.
The Obama administration plans to work with Congress to enact legislation to protect peoples' online privacy based on a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights being unveiled tomorrow.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-57383300-245/obama-unveils-consumer-privacy-bill-of-rights/#ixzz1nEhZBP4b

If the federal government began right at this moment to repay the U.S. national debt at a rate of one dollar per second, it would take over 440,000 years to pay off the national debt.

The Parting Thought – How many laws did you break today?

ILLEGAL EVERYTHING – Or, What’s Wrong with Government Today

Just because something is a law does not mean it is fair, ethical or right.

John Stossel argues that America has become a country where no one can know what is legal.

Kids who open lemonade stands are now shut down by police. Stossel tries to open a lemonade stand legally in NYC. That was quite an adventure. It takes 65 days to get permission from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

With government adding 80,000 pages of rules and regulations every year, it's no surprise that regular people break laws without even trying. In 1970 there were 100 million laws on the books; that number has tripled today and no one can keep up. USA Today once ran a story indicating every American breaks an average of 21 laws a week, usually without knowing.

God help you if want to open a small business. The red tape created by government hurdles makes this a daunting task and it’s little wonder why hiring is so low.

A small businessman spent 6 years in federal prison for breaking Honduran regulations (and, to make it worse, the Honduran government said he didn't). A family in Idaho can't build a home on their land because the EPA says it's a wetland-but it only resembles a wetland because a government drain malfunctioned and flooded it.

Even though the courts ruled against the EPA for this family, the burden of legal challenges has bankrupted the family and the government still won’t give up harassing them. Our government will spend your tax dollars pursuing innocent people without regard to the morality of their stand.

Also read Three Felonies a Day, which brings home how individual liberty is threatened by zealous crusades from the Department of Justice. Even the most intelligent and informed citizen (including lawyers and judges, for that matter) cannot predict with any reasonable assurance whether a wide range of seemingly ordinary activities might be regarded by federal prosecutors as felonies.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/stossel/blog/2012/02/23/i-tried-open-lemonade-stand-illegal-everything-airs-tonight-9pm-fox-news-channel#disqus_thread

http://www.harveysilverglate.com/Books/ThreeFeloniesaDay.aspx

“Until the next revolution”, the Poor Man

Remember, remember the 4^th of November…

Get your “We don’t need another election” Protest T-Shirt Now

http://poormansurvival.com/RevolutionTShirt.aspx

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A Shallow Planet Production

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Odd Ways to 'Beat the System', Survival Gun Smithing, More

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

For Independent Minded People!

ISSN 2161-5543

In This Issue:

1. Odd ways to ‘Beat the System’

2. Breaking up with your bank-Ridding yourself of debt

3. Survival gunsmithing anyone can do

4. Guide to online government auctions

5. More on the growing gap of the haves & have-nots

If hard work is the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock.
funny Claude McDonald quotes

We love auctions and have written previously about storage unit auctions as a means of making extra money. We frequently get questions regarding government auctions. Our government seizes billions of dollars of cash and goods every year. While living in Arizona, I used to auction off such items for the Phoenix police, the IRS and the Sheriff’s department, local school systems and more.

These auctions represent huge windfalls for the government. However, their gain can also be your gain.

THE NATIONS LARGEST ONLINE RESOURCE OF:

Confiscated, government seized property by the POLICE, DEA, FBI, ATF, IRS, U.S. COAST GUARD, U.S. CUSTOMS, other GOVERNMENT AGENCIES and many more...

Vehicles from $25.00 and up (red tagged - abandoned); thousands of cars, boats, vessels, jet ski's, motorcycles, motor homes, ATV's, aircraft, farm equipment, etc...

Computer equipment, electronics, jewelry, fine clothing, antiques, furniture, appliances, tools, building materials, and much - much more...

DIRECT INSTANT ACCESS TO MOST EVERY POLICE AGENCY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES including state law enforcement agencies and resources, county sheriff and county police agencies, city police, university police, college police, and other Law Enforcement agencies for Upcoming auction EVENTS IN YOUR AREA including the Date, Time and a brief or full list of items WHEN AVAILABLE! Even "Early Bird" preview times...

>Unclaimed money and unclaimed property from most every state in the Union...

>Airline and airport auctions including lost & unclaimed Luggage, Bid for a wide range of tickets, rooms, vacations and more all On-Line...

>Over 25,000+ foreclosures including, HUD's, VA's, FMA's... Updated weekly.

>Hundreds and Thousands of FSBO, Conventional, and REO Listings...

http://www.deaauctions.com/About.htm

Most state governments hold annual auctions for unclaimed assets. Items can include valuables from safety deposit boxes which are unclaimed (usually due to death), items seized by state police and more. Get more information by going to your state treasurer’s web site.

Find a luggage auction. The largest luggage auction in the United States is at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Alabama. While no directory of luggage auctions exists, an Internet search can reveal other luggage auctions closer to your home.
http://unclaimedbaggage.com/

Using those blow dryers to dry hands in public restrooms is not good. According to researchers, you should use paper towels to stop the spread of germs.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

Green America’s-Break up with Your Mega Bank - better options include credit unions and more.

http://www.breakupwithyourmegabank.org/find-community-investments

For many of you the only thing standing in the way of
living a better life is your mountain of debt.

Find out how Les & Jane got rid of $43,000 in debt in just over 3 years

http://www.off-grid-living.com/debt-free-living-guide-living-off-the-grid-2011.pdf

Some Strange Ways to Beat the System…without getting caught!

20 Ways to Live on Almost Nothing

The adage that it takes money to make money doesn’t mean much to people who have none to spare, but it also takes (some) money to live on little-to-no money if you want to do it well. Mostly it requires nothing more than a different way of approaching life, and a willingness to choose the less-traveled road

http://www.shoestringbudget.org/20-ways-to-live-on-almost-nothing/

Beating the IRS. About 49B% of people in the United States do not pay income tax. These include millions of illegal aliens as well, citizens who claim incomes that are below the poverty line, and the very rich, who exploit loopholes in the system. Sill others pay only minimal income tax. They run cash businesses such as Laundromats, grocery stores, and massage parlors and may earn $200,000 a year, but they only claim $10,000 (the amount paid with credit cards or checks).

http://www.taxdefensenetwork.com/ebook/Tax_Secrets_Revealed.pdf

Beating Homeland Security. Millions of immigrants either come to the USA illegally or they come with a visitor's visa and they stay in the country after the visa expires. While their visa is still valid they get a social security number. Alternately they can enter illegally and buy a perfectly legitimate SS number from a person working in the SS office-the last I heard it cost about $250.00. The next step is to buy a really good fake green card / work permit / birth certificate. If you have enough money you can even buy a real US passport with your own name. Homeland Security is lax in finding illegals.

Beating The Drug Test System
(Useful information for recruiters, parole officers, etc.)

Due to fear of losing a job, of being disqualified for employment, of losing privileges or freedoms, of losing child custody, or fear of other implication due to a positive drug test result, many people who use drugs find ways to "beat" the drug test system. This is especially advantageous to those who use/abuse drugs currently or regularly, who must test negative for drugs quickly. The following information explains how the drug test system can currently be defeated.

http://www.toxassociates.com/beating.htm

How to Beat a Traffic Ticket in Court

Frequently Asked Questions. State Point System. State DMV Search. State Traffic Laws ... Discount Radar Detectors The best way to beat a speeding ticket is not to get one in the first place.

www.trafficticketsecrets.com

Here’s an odd book that sparked today’s issue…

Cheaters always prosper - 50 ways to beat the system without getting caught

http://www.4shared.com/office/_f1ms1vt/anarchy_-__-_Cheaters_Always_P.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3606299/anarchy-Cheaters-Always-Prosper-50-Ways-to-Beat-the-System-Without-Getting-Caught

Survival Gunsmithing anyone can do…

To the casual firearms owner, some simple gunsmithing may appear a little more intimidating or difficult than it really is. In reality, if you have a little skill with your hands and a few dollars to spend, there are several projects that you can do to fix up that old beater or to personalize that favorite shooter. Of course, a small set of tools will be necessary, and the...
continue reading...

http://www.offthegridnews.com/2012/02/20/survival-gunsmithing-anyone-can-do/

Cut back on canned soup. One can a day will increase your BPA levels 1,200% in five days. Make your own soup in large batches and freeze leftovers.

The Nanny State Updates…

Mind reading of air travelers? That's right – we're in for another goofy technology created with lavish Department of Homeland Security grants to its favored high-tech companies...

brain-mapping technology is a real and growing field…The feds are already rapidly expanding the use of new surveillance methods.

Foxnews.com says, "The system sought... would fuse together everything from Web searches to Wikipedia edits to traffic webcams to 'beat the news' by predicting major events ranging from economic turmoil to disease outbreaks."

At 161 airports nationwide, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) has already rolled out its "behavior detection" screeners to monitor the traveling public. Essentially, these agents act as 'greeters' while actually eavesdropping on you and studying your facial expressions and intonations.

Here's how the behavior monitoring program works: a screener chit-chats with you, signaling friendly intentions. If you exhibit "suspicious" physiological or psychological signs, you get singled out for more intensive harassment regardless of being a U.S. citizen who possesses required travel documents. You and your belongings would face extra scanning and invasive, hands-on screening.

So far, this one specific TSA program has already cost over half a billion dollars. And it's estimated to cost an additional $1.2 billion over the next five years! Friends of Congress are getting mighty rich over spying on citizens.

Online shopping soars during bad weather according to report. Since folks are stuck indoors, time your eBay listings during those days.

The Parting Thought – Gap widens between haves & have-nots

99 to 1: How Wealth Inequality Is Wrecking the World and What We Can Do about It?, a new book by Chuck Collins.

The Poor Man has written often about this disturbing trend and it’s why I renamed our middle class as the Whittled Class.

From the occupations springing up in cities across the country to the media frenzy surrounding Mitt Romney’s gaffs about poverty, inequality has taken over our national conversation.

That’s why we are so excited about the upcoming publication of this new book, based on years of research and advocacy, but created in the wake of the 99 Percent Movement that the Occupy protests have kicked into high gear.

The timing is perfect for explaining inequality to the wider audience now hungry for a deeper understanding. It’s also perfect timing to help set an agenda for engaging our communities and preparing us all to take action. http://www.amazon.com/99-Wealth-Inequality-Wrecking-World/dp/1609945921