Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
A Digest of Urban Survival Resources
ISSN 2161-5543
In This Issue:
1. Get your kids involved with 4-H
2. 101 Ways to Reduce Christmas spending
3. Checking the solvency of your bank
4. Your papers please…TSA Police State Expands
5. Smooth Quailing
Why should people go out and pay money to see bad
films when they can stay home and see bad television for nothing? --Samuel Goldwyn
4-H Good Group
to Get Involved with…
I grew up in the city and never heard of 4-H
until I got married. (I was an ardent Junior Achievement participant as a
teen) My wife, a horse nut, was involved
at an early age with 4-H and sings its praises.
4-H presents many opportunities for kids and adults alike.
If you have skills and
talents you’d like to share, explore becoming a volunteer. 4-H offers more than 150 project areas such
as foods and animal care to gardening, rocketry, home repair, crafts and
bicycles…more than I would have ever imagined.
The 4-H movement began
around the start of the 20th Century and revolutionized how science was taught
outside the classroom -- through practical, hands-on programs and experiences.
4-H was also one of the first organizations in America that taught young people
leadership skills and how to positively impact their communities
4-H prepares young
people to step up to the challenges in their community and the world. Using
research-based programming around positive youth development, 4-H youth get the
hands-on real world experience they need to become leaders.
Through America’s 109
land-grant universities and its Cooperative Extension System, 4-H reaches every
corner of our nation—from urban neighborhoods to suburban schoolyards to rural
farming communities. With a network of more than 6 million youth, 540,000
volunteers, 3,500 professionals, and more than 60 million alumni, 4-H helps
shape youth to move our country and the world forward in ways that no other
youth organization can.
Sweater boxes make great mini-composters for urban
dwellers throughout the winter months…also good for storing garden tools.
PM’s
Compendium of Useful Resources
Check to see
if your bank is in trouble…
You can never be too
cautious, so first check the safety of your bank through Veribanc (800/44-BANKS). They provide ratings on all U.S. federally-insured
financial institutions. Another source is Weiss
Ratings, which includes a
free list of the strongest- and weakest-rated banks in the nation.
101 frugal
Christmas present ideas…
The Consumer Reports
Holiday Shopping Poll found that 13.6 million Americans are still juggling debt
from last season after getting a little too into the gift-giving season.
Determined to spend
less on Christmas gifts this year? Why not vow to spend nothing at all? If you
start now, you can get all your Christmas gifts for free (really).
Ten Things to
Do Instead of Black Friday
Another way to
save this year…barter!
In today's shaky
economic environment saving every dollar counts. One way we save a substantial
amount of money is by bartering. I
frequently plug the idea of barter and use it extensively.
The first step to
developing an informal community bartering system is to find out who your
neighbors are and what needs and skills they have. We met most of our neighbors
individually but a great way to do it is to throw a block party. Invite all the
neighbors and get to know them. Later on, you can float the idea of ways you
can help each other. We feature plenty
of barter ‘how-to’ at our site. Go
to: http://poormansurvival.com/Barter.aspx
|
Smooth Quailing
By Carolyn Evans-Dean |
|
If you're looking
for an easy livestock addition for your backyard or homestead, you need look
no further than the Coturnix quail. They consume very little feed and require
very little care to produce healthy, gourmet-quality eggs and meat for your
family.
The recent surge in
urban farming is shining a new light on these fabulous little birds, though
they are equally suited to rural areas. First domesticated in Asia, quail
belong to the family of birds called the Phasianidae that include chickens,
pheasants and partridges.
Coturnix quail are
gentle birds that come in many varieties and are easily raised in small
spaces. Prized for their meat and egg production, they are considered to be
fully grown at six weeks and begin to produce eggs at eight weeks. Unlike
chicken roosters, the crow of a male quail is not as loud, nor does it carry
as far. This makes the quail a neighbor-friendly choice, even for those
living in the city. As with any livestock, you will want to check with your
local zoning office and the state to determine if a special permit is
required. In my home state of New York, it is illegal to raise or release
domestic game birds without a permit issued by the Department of
Environmental Conservation.
|
Out of masks when spray painting or facing other
chemicals? Use a coffee filter.
The Nanny
State Updates…
EPIC has
obtained, via a Freedom of Information Act request, documents
from the Department of Homeland Security about a secretive "pre-crime"
detection program.
Under the "Future Attribute Screening Technology" (FAST) program, the
DHS will collect and retain a set of "physiological and behavioral
signals" from individuals at large-scale venues. According to a 2008
Privacy Impact Assessment prepared by the agency, the DHS intends to
monitor and collect data including "video images, audio recordings,
cardiovascular signals, pheromones, electrodermal activity, and
respiratory measurements," in order to attempt to determine perceived
"mal-intent."
from the Department of Homeland Security about a secretive "pre-crime"
detection program.
Under the "Future Attribute Screening Technology" (FAST) program, the
DHS will collect and retain a set of "physiological and behavioral
signals" from individuals at large-scale venues. According to a 2008
Privacy Impact Assessment prepared by the agency, the DHS intends to
monitor and collect data including "video images, audio recordings,
cardiovascular signals, pheromones, electrodermal activity, and
respiratory measurements," in order to attempt to determine perceived
"mal-intent."
According to the documents obtained by EPIC, Homeland
Security is
considering the use of the device at conventions and sporting events.
The documents corroborate that a field test was conducted on the
public, as well as on DHS employee volunteers. DHS, however, failed to
comply with federal law when the agency neglected to do a privacy
impact assessment regarding the public testing.
considering the use of the device at conventions and sporting events.
The documents corroborate that a field test was conducted on the
public, as well as on DHS employee volunteers. DHS, however, failed to
comply with federal law when the agency neglected to do a privacy
impact assessment regarding the public testing.
.
Got green tomatoes? Pop them into a paper bag along with an
already ripe apple or two. They’ll ripen
those green maters in a flash due its ethylene gas.
The Parting Thought – Your Papers Please!
TSA Police
State Intensifies…per one of our readers.
We just returned from
a trip from the Twin Cities to Phoenix, and then Dallas, and then home -- over
4,000 miles. We drove because I did not want to deal with the TSA in the
airports. Well, guess what? I got stopped by the TSA in Texas. Yes, I didn't
have to get out of my car, but I saw people asked to get out ahead of me.
"We are living in a police state, and it is getting worse!
"We are living in a police state, and it is getting worse!
Dispatch from
Congressman Ron Paul:
"If you thought the 'Transportation Security
Administration' would limit itself to conducting unconstitutional searches at
airports, think again. The agency intends to assert jurisdiction over our
nation's highways, waterways and railroads as well. TSA launched a new campaign
of random checkpoints on Tennessee highways last week, complete with a sinister
military-style acronym -- VIP(E)R -- as a name for the program.”
The screeners wanted to know if Jeff was collecting them as a hobby...or as an investment.
Jeff told them that he was simply planning to cash the coins in to use on his vacation, instead of dipping into his bank account. He was allowed to pass after the agents got to inspect the coins.
"You may be under the impression that gold or silver coins could be mixed in with regular coinage and transported without knowledge by screeners, but a post on the TSA blog regarding an incident in St. Louis in March 2009 indicates that TSA agents are on the lookout for travelers who possess precious metals, especially if 'suspicious activity is suspected.'
Finally…a ‘Headline’ note of humor: In compromise, Republicans Allow Obama to Create One Part Time Job!
Yours for “what is
happening to our freedom”, the Poor Man
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