PM's Self Reliance Tools: Hyper Miling to Save Gas, Free Garden Software, Avoiding PI's

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. Hyper-miling (Fuel efficiency) Updates

2. Burn Note-Auto Destruct for emails

3. Avoiding private investigators

4. Why most Americans don’t prepare – for anything

5. Free Farm Planning software

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come
to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-- Ronald Reagan

Hyper-Miling Updates…

About a year ago I wrote about this and how you can increase your mileage and we’ve included some updates in this issue:

Experts say you can cut your fuel costs in half, or better. What's more, anyone can take advantage of hypermiling for virtually no additional cost. And you don't need to do anything crazy like install an extra fuel tank on your car or property, invest in expensive equipment, or buy a government-subsidized electric or flex fuel vehicle (unless you prefer).

In fact, hypermiling works perfectly well with traditional vehicles like minivans, RVs, and 4x4s!

Put simply, it's the use of driving techniques that maximize your fuel economy and cut down waste. Ingenious drivers combine these techniques and driving habits to squeeze every extra mile, from every gallon of fuel they can. And it works.

Fast and Easy Steps to Reap the Rewards of Hypermiling,
No Matter What You Drive –

One foundation is keeping your vehicle well maintained. If your car is in poor shape, the more advanced techniques won't make up for it...

Tire Pressure – Inflate your tires to what the tire manufacturer they should be... not what the automaker says. Properly inflated tires keep "rolling resistance" low, which makes your car more fuel efficient.

Align Your Wheels – A car that drives straight and doesn't consistently pull to one side saves fuel.

Use a Clean Air Filter and Spark Plugs – A dirty filter suffocates your engine and forces it to work harder. Dirty spark plugs don't properly burn fuel, they waste it.

Lose Weight – Many people use their trunks as a spare closet, that's a very expensive habit. Reports say 100 pounds of excess weight reduces fuel efficiency by 2% to 5%. Start removing nonessential things that add weight.

Some committed hypermilers who commute long distances even remove some of the seats. Some say aluminum wheels could weigh less than steel wheels. Extreme drivers even remove the spare tire (not recommended unless you have newer tires, drive only on well-maintained roads, and have emergency road service to get you out of any jam).

Another good tip is to wash away excess weight. One hypermiler says his truck easily collects 10 to 20 pounds of gunk and dry mud stuck underneath, especially around the spare tire.

Use Lighter-Weight Oil – Adjust based on your circumstances. A lighter (lower viscosity) oil helps your engine to work less.

Cut Out Wind Drag – Remove roof racks and other exterior items that produce wind resistance (this could even help cut down on weight). Some go as far as taping up or covering gaps to make smoother aerodynamics. Lowering the rear gate on your truck also significantly decreases wind resistance on most models.

Mind Your RPMs and Momentum – One hypermiler says, "Hypermilage is more about your engine RPM than anything else. The faster it revs (i.e the faster you go) the more air and fuel goes through the engine."

In other words, don't abuse your car or drive aggressively; this wastes gas. Gentle acceleration is best, and let momentum be your friend. Once you practice a bit, you'll find that you don't always need to press down on the accelerator to get around places like a parking lot, drive up to a red light, or drive downhill. Keep your foot off the gas pedal and use the car's natural momentum to your advantage.

Plan Your Trips Efficiently – Avoid heavy traffic by using the Internet, radio, or a good GPS to get current traffic reports, and use the best routes. Leave earlier so you're not in a rush, which helps you avoid a heavy foot and mental stress.

The Weather – Avoid inclement weather like heavy wind, rain, or snow. In the rain, drive higher up on the crown of the road where water puddles less. In snow, choose roads and travel lanes with less snow.

Use Cruise Control, Even on City Roads – Read your owner's manual for recommended speeds.

Keep strawberries for two weeks by washing them in a solution of 1 part vinegar and 10 parts water before storing. The vinegar will kill the mold spores that cause fruit to go bad.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

Burn Note lets you send messages that are deleted after they are read.

You can use Burn Note to send a password or have an off-the-record conversation with a friend.

https://burnnote.com/about

Learn How To Avoid Private Investigators – Followed By A Private Investigator

How is it that the most nutty character, Dory, in the movie Finding Nemo actually teaches a very valuable principle? Let me assure you, it is not how to speak whale, it is what to do when you realize that you are being followed by a private investigator. There are certain times when it is most likely that you will be the subject of an investigation, ways to recognize surveillance, and ways to avoid private investigators or “burn” the investigator.

The most likely reasons for investigation include when you have filed a claim with your insurance company for personal injuries, if you are involved in litigation, or for divorce or child support/custody issues. Essentially, there must be an incentive to discover some detail of your private life, such as breaching any sense of bank privacy you think you have, before you need to think about avoiding private investigators

http://www.howtovanish.com/2009/08/avoid-private-investigators/

Economic Blu Homes

Founded in 2007, Blu makes beautiful green homes suitable for a wide range of residential, commercial and institutional buyers. Blu’s breakthrough computer modeling, unique use of steel and wood and revolutionary folding technology makes beautifully designed homes more economical to ship and quicker to set up than other modern, green homes. Blu homes are healthy to live in and better for the environment because they are built with the highest green standards in mind and they are more energy efficient, quieter, better ventilated, create less waste, less destructive to the natural habitat and the open designs allow for spaces that feel larger than they are, resulting in a smaller carbon footprint.

http://www.bluhomes.com/about/

I’ve added additional gardening how-to reports to the site:

>Edible Landscaping

>Preserving Food: Drying Fruits & Vegetables

>Rain Garden Design & Installation

http://www.poormansurvival.com/Pages/urbangarden.aspx

CSA Farm Planning Software

Whether you are new at starting a CSA farm, or already have experience, this online planning software can help simplify your planning. The Fantastic Farm & Garden Calculator handles all the heavy thinking for you, and you only need to enter the basic info about your farm and your growing needs.

The farm and garden calculator will help you to determine:

Potential yields for a wide range of vegetables and herbs

The number of plants required

Row space required for each plant type

Planting and harvest dates for your area (by noting your last frost date)

Successive plantings

How many people or CSA members you can provide for

Retail sales calculator for market gardeners & farmers

http://www.poormansurvival.com/Pages/urbangarden.aspx

Keep deer away from your plants by scattering soap slivers on and around the plants.

The Nanny State Updates…

Arrested For Taking Pictures; Tortured For Being ‘A Teabagger’

Some local law enforcement need some SERIOUS discipline…let’s hope this woman sues these jerk offs…

Nancy Genovese was arrested in New York for taking pictures. She was imprisoned and tortured over several days to send a message to “Teabaggers.”

http://personalliberty.com/2012/05/16/arrested-for-taking-pictures-tortured-for-being-a-teabagger/

The principal of a high school in Walker, Mich., suspended 64 seniors on the final day of class... for riding their bicycles.
“Students say more than 100 classmates participated in a three-mile bike ride to school that included escorts by a Walker Police cruiser and the mayor,” reports MLive.com. “It was supposed to be a fun twist on the types of things that typically happen on senior prank day.”
But the humorless principal, one Katie Pennington, was not consulted in advance, and thus took offense. “I am glad they made it here safely. It was a safety risk,” she said. Even with a police escort, apparently.
Now the students are stuck rescheduling exams

The Parting Thought –

Why Many Americans do not Prepare for anything…

The number of preppers in the United States today is steadily increasing, but the vast majority of people out there still see no reason to start getting ready for "the end of the world as we know it". Most people just assume that things will always somehow get better or that they will somehow be immune to whatever calamities are heading our way. Most people always seem to have a "good excuse" for why they do not need to prepare.

The following are the top excuses for not prepping....

1. "The U.S. Economy Is The Greatest Economy On The Planet - There Is No Way That It Could Ever Collapse"

2. "Once Barack Obama Wins The Election Everything Will Be Better"

3. "Once Mitt Romney Wins The Election Everything Will Be Better"

4. "When Things Get Really Bad The Government Will Take Care Of Us"

5. "When Disaster Strikes I Will Just Steal From Everyone Else That Has Been Busy Preparing"

6. "The Rapture Will Be At Any Moment So I Don't Have To Worry About Prepping"

7. "The Economy Has Always Recovered After Every Recession In The Past And This Time Will Be No Different"

8. "The People That Are Running Things Are Very Highly Educated And They Know Exactly What They Are Doing"

9. "Wal-Mart Will Always Be There"

10. "Our Politicians Are Watching Out For Our Best Interests"

11. "The 2012 Apocalypse Is Almost Here And We Are All Doomed Anyway - So Why Even Try?"