PM's Self Reliance Tools: July 2012

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Drought-Proof Your Grocery Budget, Earn Cash

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. Drought-Proof your grocery budget

2. Earn cash from being a virtual assistant

3. ACLU provides free app to videotape police

4. UN Gun treaty to ban guns

“He who lives by the crystal ball soon learns to eat ground glass.”
Edgar R. Fiedler Quotes

Common Ground Among People

The Poor Man has been to a lot of countries and has visited ¾’s of the United States. There are a few things I’ve learned along the way.

First, wars are seldom started by the common person; they’re usually started by ego-driven leaders/politicians who want something the other guy has (land, gold, oil, etc.) and the common man gets dragged into costly conflicts.

Second, the majority of people share a core desire…to create a better life for them and their families and to be left alone (from each other and the government). It’s unfortunate that governments won’t leave people alone. They all seem to have a need to micro-manage our lives while picking our pockets to accomplish that goal.

I thought the internet would have liberated people from the chains of government. It has to a degree, but it sure hasn’t stopped the Nanny State from working in overdrive in its quest for control.

This is why I am a libertarian.

My primary philosophy in life is to do no harm to others during my efforts at becoming self reliant. My secondary philosophy, and the reason I continue publishing this newsletter, is to help others to become more self sufficient. I believe we now offer one of the best resource-filled sites on the planet and perhaps that’s why we’re considered to be among the Top 50 Best such sites out there.

I often struggle, juggle and puzzle with the various tasks which face me and I am constantly learning new things. I have no staff or part time help as do many other bigger sites.

Therefore, I am always open to your suggestions and feedback.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors-Building more self-reliant communities through International Homesteading Education Month, a joint effort between Mother Earth News and Grit magazines kicks off in September. Anyone interested in sharing their homesteading skills can be listed in its Speaker Finder section. This is fitting as September is also National Preparedness Month. Learn about other Survival Shows coming up throughout the country too…

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

Get free trees – just Google ‘shade tree program’ and the name of your town to find out if the government will provide you with free saplings to plan to shade your home.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

Drought-Proof Your Grocery Budget

Here's information about which foods are likely to be affected by the drought, plus steps that you can take to avoid the anticipated price increases.

55% of the continental U.S. is now under drought conditions 1,297 counties have been declared national disaster areas 88% of the corn crop is located in areas impacted by the drought 87% of the soybean crop is located in areas impacted by the drought There hasn't been a worse drought in the U.S. since the 1950's

What to Stockpile Due to the Drought

Most of the price increases aren't expected to hit until 2013, so stock up on these items now, while they're still cheap.

http://frugalliving.about.com/b/2012/07/23/drought-proof-your-grocery-budget.htm?nl=1

Virtual Assistant

The work: Ten years ago, this job didn’t exist. Today, however, demand is booming. You provide general assistance—administrative, scheduling, bookkeeping, even event planning—from your home office.

What you bring to the table: Administrative experience; excellent organizational and time-management skills so you can juggle a multitude of tasks; a pleasant phone manner

Expect to earn: About $10 per hour at a staffing agency; up to $30 per hour if you work directly with clients

Sign on: To find work on your own, check out homewiththekids.com, which lists companies that hire assistants, or sign on with an online staffing agency, like Team Double-Click or VIPdesk, to get contract jobs.

ACLU app discreetly videotapes interactions with police

“Police Tape” is a free app that lets users securely and discreetly record interactions with police, with an option to post the resulting footage on the ACLU’s own servers. READ MORE...

Website: www.aclu-nj.org

Make your own dryer sheets by soaking a washcloth in your favorite fabric softener and letting it dry out. Then, throw it into the dryer and use it over and over again.

The Nanny State Updates…

Leaked UN Gun Treaty Does Ban Guns

The text of the anticipated and hotly-contested United Nations Arms Trade Treaty has been leaked, with the treaty itself set to be adopted and signed by member States as early as tomorrow, July 27. President Obama, today joining the chorus for gun control inside the United States in the wake of the Batman massacre, has previously indicated that he would sign the treaty, which would then have to be ratified by the Senate.

Masked behind the language of promoting peace in an international world by preventing genocide, the UN has unleashed a great Trojan Horse that calls upon States to enact national legislation sufficient to meet the minimum goals outlined in this treaty– including gun registries, background checks, import/export controls and more for arms of all types, including small & conventional weapons. “Each State Party shall adopt national legislation or other appropriate national measures regulations and policies as may be necessary to implement the obligations of this Treaty,” the treaty text states in part.

In one of the most shocking articles that the New York Times has ever put out, a New York Times reporter has openly admitted that virtually every major mainstream news organization allows government bureaucrats and campaign officials to censor their stories.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/us/politics/latest-word-on-the-campaign-trail-i-take-it-back.html?_r=4&pagewanted=all

De-weed on the cheap by spraying white vinegar in sidewalk cracks or between bricks; growth will die within a few hours.

The Parting Thought-Your privacy has been breached

In his keynote speech on the first day of Black Hat in Las Vegas, Henry laid out five lessons the FBI and other intelligence agencies learned from when dealing with hostage situations in the real world.

The actual tactics used to launch the attacks may be different, but the theory is the same, he said.

Assume you've been breached.
Companies are accepting they can't keep out intruders, so they are shifting their focus on minimizing the amount of time the adversary spends in the network. The goal is to quickly spot intrusions and quickly respond, Henry said.

Counter-surveillance manufacturer Ensure Privacy says,

"Many people believe surveillance devices are myths; however surveillance devices are easily purchased on the open market. Bugging devices and telephone taps are an effective means of stalking [you]. Body-Wires and room transmitters are unethical yet common practice. Professional burglars are using vehicle tracking systems to know when and where you are. Understanding that surveillance devices are real and they can be obtained easily for not a lot of money is why counter-surveillance equipment is necessary."

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Prepper Sites for Special Needs People, Extra Cash for Moms

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. User friendly emergency kit

2. Extra cash for Moms

3. Prepper sites for Special Needs People

4. Where is the line for Revolution?

Strength is not the absence of weakness, but how we wrestle with our weaknesses.
- Noah Benshea

I recently watched an American Red Cross video that actress Jamie Lee Curtis made last year called “What’s In My Kit”. (see below). In the two-minute spot, Curtis shows how she has personalized her emergency kit to “make it more user friendly.

We need to be prepared, too. The Department of Homeland Security’s Ready America program says we should be able to sustain ourselves for at least three days after an emergency, whether that’s a hundred-year storm or a civil insurrection.
How ready are you?

Wheeled garbage cans with seal tight lids make great emergency storage units.

* Create your own personalized list. You may not need everything included in “ready made” kits and there may be additional items you need based on your personal situation.

* Budget emergency preparedness items as a “normal” expense. Even $20.00 a month can go a long way to helping you be ready. Buy one preparedness item each time you go to the grocery store.

* Request preparedness items as gifts. We all receive gifts we don’t need or use. What if your friends and family members gave you gifts that could save your life? Don’t forget to protect them by sending preparedness gifts their way, too.

* If you are prepared, you may be able to help friends and neighbors who need assistance. By sharing preparedness supplies, you can help each other.

* Trade one night out to fund your 72-hour kit. Taking a family of four to the movies can cost upwards of $80-$100. Just one night of sacrifice could fund a 72-hour ready kit.

Find many supplies such as first aid items at dollar stores - huge savings over drugstores.

http://youtu.be/Qp9C9capzbw

Also, check out this video on Pilot Bread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV8trwYJbUA

Give plants a boost by dissolving a pack of unflavored gelatin in 1 cup of warm water, then add 3 more cups of water and pour mixture over plants. Gives them a nitrogen boost.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

Earn Extra Cash if You’re a Mom

Love sharing information with other moms? Sign up to be a rep for Miles of Marketing. Once approved, you’ll be given marketing projects, such as putting a magnetic sign on your car to promote events, passing out coupons, etc. Each project pays $50-$100...effective if you know lots of other Moms. Learn more at:

MilesofMarketing.com

Special Needs Populations Preparedness Websites

nod.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=1564 –National Organization For The Disabled’s Emergency Preparedness Initiative

ready.gov/america/getakit/seniors.html — Ready.Gov Seniors

hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/resources/disaster_preparedness_for_pets.html — Humane Society’s Disaster Preparedness For Pets

aspca.org/pet-care/disaster-preparedness — ASPCA Animal Disaster Preparedness

disaster.ifas.ufl.edu/default.htm — The Disaster Handbook, University of Florida IFAS Extension

Quick, DIY tooth whitener: take a tablespoon of baking soda, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and enough mouthwash for flavoring to make a paste. Apply to brush and clean your teeth a few times a week until whitened.

The Nanny State Updates…

“Over the past five years,” reports the Toronto Globe and Mail, “net worth per Canadian household has exceeded net worth per American household (total combined value of liquid and real estate assets minus debt) for the first time.”

The percentage of Americans living in poverty is about to hit its highest level since the 1960s, according to a new survey by the Associated Press.

The latest Census numbers won't be released until the fall, but economists surveyed by the AP project that the poverty rate will climb from 2010's 15.1% and reach a level as high as 15.7%. This will mean that more Americans are poorer than at any time since 1965.

The Parting Thought – the line in the sand is growing

Where Is The Line For Revolution?

The subject of revolution is a touchy one. It's not a word that should be thrown around lightly, and when it is uttered at all, it elicits a chaotic jumble of opinions and debates from know-it-alls the world over. The "R" word has been persona non grata for quite some time in America, and until recently, was met with jeers and knee-jerk belligerence.

However, let's face it; today, the idea is not so far fetched. We have a global banking system that is feeding like a tapeworm in the stagnant guts of our economy. We suffer an election system so fraudulent BOTH sides of the political spectrum now represent a hyper-rich minority while the rest of us are simply expected to play along and enjoy the illusion of choice. We have a judicial body that has gone out of its way to whittle down our civil liberties and to marginalize our Constitution as some kind of "outdated relic".

We have an executive branch that issues special orders like monarchical edicts every month, each new order even more invasive and oppressive than the last. And, we have an establishment system that now believes it has the right to surveil the citizenry en masse and on the slightest whim without any consideration for 4th Amendment protections.

There are plenty of pessimists out there who would assert that Americans are totally oblivious to these developments

The real question is; where is the tipping point? What causes a population to tolerate or ignore certain crimes by governments, but not others? Where is the line in the sand that if crossed, turns an apprehensively meek citizen into an "enemy of the state" ready to lay down his life against the very system he was born into?

Revolution takes time...

As difficult as it is to rationally gauge the exact moment or circumstance that triggers revolt, the intensity or build up to conflict can certainly be felt. That pressure is tactile in America today, and is becoming difficult to ignore. The reasons are obvious. In the past 10 years alone elements of our government have cemented into place the "legal" framework to:

1) Detain U.S. citizens indefinitely without trial under the guise of enemy combatant status.

2) Assassinate U.S. citizens without trial and without due process under the law, including the very clear requirements of the treason clause.

3) Confiscate resources, including your private property, in the name of national security and preparedness.

4) Take control of or eliminate all communications networks including phone, radio, television, cell, internet, etc. in the name of national security.

5) Unleash a swarm of unmanned Predator Drones over our homes and towns to make mass surveillance of the public easier. All without probable cause or the protections of the 4th Amendment.

6) Capture, collate, and monitor the communications of millions of citizens without probable cause or a warrant under the FISA domestic spy bill.

7) Declare martial law without congressional oversight and embed active serving military amongst the populace in a law enforcement capacity. This includes the institution of Northcom, which is a standing military presence in the U.S. whose primary mission is to quell domestic dissent.

Most of the laws and executive orders that qualify this behavior from our government have been tested, at least in a limited capacity. These abuses of power have already galvanized a groundswell of activists across the country, and I believe that if implemented in a broader manner, will instigate revolution. Where is the line? I believe the line will be drawn with these trespasses:

1) Any action that involves the standardization of indefinite detainment or rendition against American citizens will result in rebellion. The second due process is thrown out the window and the right to a trial by jury is revoked, there is not much left for a population to do but fight back. This includes pre-emptive assassination as well. The more often enemy combatant status is applied to get around Constitutional protections, the more exponential public anger and fury will be. Black bagging people will lead to war.

2) Economic mismanagement or deliberate derailment by banks has been accomplished with the aid and collusion of government. This has been made abundantly clear by numerous instances of exposed fraud, including the Libor Scandal, in which the private Federal Reserve and agencies within our own system have openly admitted to hiding the precarious nature of our financial situation. Any further implosion of the overall economy will be blamed on this fraud by a considerable portion of the public. When people's wallets and bellies become empty, it's amazing how quickly they will get off their couches to solve a crisis. If they can't find justice within the system, history has shown that they will look for justice outside of it.

3) The institution of checkpoints, invasive technology like naked body scanners, and exaggerated law enforcement presence on a wide scale, will invariably lead to revolt. Dealing with TSA thugs in an airport is one thing; people fly voluntarily, and when they do it often involves a particular level of fear and anxiety, which can be used as rationalization for extreme security measures. Dealing with blue-shirts on the streets near your home, at the bus stop, or on the highway, on the other hand, is not going to go over too well. These tactics have already been experimented with on a small scale. I don't care how sheepish the American people appear to be in this era; start invading their personal space on a regular basis and many will eventually respond with fists instead of shrugged shoulders.

Finally, as apathetic as many people seem, they still do not l ike to feel bullied or subjugated. Being surrounded by armed troops at every turn with the executive granted legal authority to detain or kill without verifiable cause would make any man a little perturbed. I do not believe many in the U.S. will quietly accept a martial law scenario, regardless of the excuse given by government (terrorism, economic disaster, foreign war, etc.). A move towards military administration of domestic affairs will lead to revolution.

“Until the next revolution”, the Poor Man

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