Moonfruit & Other Spare Income Resources-Your Plan 'B'

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.       Spare cash opportunities, legitimate at-home jobs

2.      Moonfruit targets US w/ Free web store sites

3.      For a Good Time – Go to these sites…

4.      New Consumer Bureau targets its first industries

5.      Challenges to new (lack of) privacy policies at Google

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it. --Henry Ford

Studies show that in a crisis, eight out of ten people will remain passive, relying on someone else to take charge. One out of ten will panic and endanger others in the process.

And only one out of the ten will take swift, decisive action to improve their situation. (When they do, they immediately increase their chances of survival.)

In regard to extreme prepping (the TV show & our last issue), a reader sent this:

'Panic is what we'll see from those remaining 99% of Americans who have failed to take measures to protect themselves from the coming devastation.'

"I don't see that happening. What will be seen is determination. Determination to remember who they know that prepared, determination to find them, and determination to "take" what they need to survive. Them and their families.

"Unless the "preparers" have enough to feed the entire area, they will have to defend (most likely with deadly force) their preparations. The family, friends, and neighbors will not prepare, but they will remember. And because of the present day 'entitlement' mentality, they will expect to be helped. And if the 'preparers' aren't willing to 'share', they will attack in mass with whatever they can get a hold of. If need be, it will be with shovels and pitchforks.

"To those folks that have gone on the National Geographic series 'Doomsday Preppers', good luck. You have just painted a huge bulls eye on yourselves and your families. It tempts me to watch it to find out if there are any resources in my area. If that thought came to me, I'm sure it did to others too.

"Every person helped will want to bring their family and friends, and so on and so on. If we get the chaos that has happened in other parts of the world, the best defense will be to look like you don't have anything. And to mount a strong enough defense to make the attackers go to easier pickings.

What do you think?

Winter is pruning time for shade and fruit trees and most blooming trees and shrubs.  Aim to

remove all crossing or touching branches, dead or damaged limbs, suckers and water sprouts.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

Public Administration education website called http://www.mpaprograms.org.
This site is a personal project of subscriber Allison that will help inform
students about which schools across the country are currently offering an MPA
program.

More Sites to Check for Generating Spare Cash

Be a Poll Worker - Elections take place three to five times a year as office seekers run for races in local, state and national elections.  If you’re over 18 and a registered voter, you can earn $80-$300 to work on election day plus get paid for training.

Contact the office for your county’s Supervisor of Election (check the Blue government pages in your telephone directory).

Focus Groups - Typical earnings range from $10 to $250 for trying a product or service and providing your opinion.  Some require participation in person, others offer online programs.  Check this site for information:

www.FindFocusGroups.com

Food Sample Rep - Have you ever had ‘lunch’ while shopping Costco?  What I mean, of course, every weekend dozens of food samples can be tried there and at other retailers.  The folks which staff those kiosks are called Brand Ambassadors.  Here are two sites to explore:

www.ASMnet.com

www.Crossmark.jobs

Find legitimate at-home-jobs at our site:

http://poormansurvival.com/JobResources.aspx

Worldwide Economic Downturn - What Is Your Plan B?

Good video to get you thinking about developing a sideline income…

Here’s a rule to remember. It’s NEVER as easy as you expect it to be when you’re starting out. It will take more time and more money than you budget for it. And it requires consistent FOCUS to get the results you’re looking for.

We’ve mentioned several times, eBay is a good way to start an online business.  Almost zero cost but it will get your feet wet, so to speak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFC6TlQa1aw

Consumer Bureau Names First Targets

The Obama administration’s new consumer protection bureau has outlined its first targets for tougher oversight: large debt collectors and credit reporting companies, both of which have largely escaped federal scrutiny. The agency proposed a draft rule to begin oversight, which it hopes to finalize by July. Director Richard Cordray said the rule would treat debt collectors and credit reporting agencies the same way as banks.

We love this: Hospitals in Texas are building farmers' markets inside their facilities (prescribing carrots instead of pharma drugs :)

Moonfruit Targets US Consumer Sellers with DIY Storefront Builder
UK firm Moonfruit is targeting U.S. consumer- and micro-sellers
with a do-it-yourself storefront builder that makes it easy to
sell online, on Facebook and on the mobile web.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y12/m02/i16/s01

For a good time (call…):

For a variety of work-at-home job leads, SimplyHired.com.

 For news on emerging trends, Springwise.

 For writing and related leads, JournalismJobs.com.

 For tech jobs, AuthenticJobs.com.

For green news, Treehugger.

For a good (free) computer system cleaner, Piriform's CCleaner.

For the cheapest gas in your area, MSN's Gas Prices search page.

The U.S. national debt on Jan. 1, 1791, was just $75 million dollars. Today, the U.S. national debt rises by that amount about once an hour.

The Nanny State Updates…

If you are not able to produce "your papers", there is a good chance that you will get thrown into prison in America. For example, a 21-year-old college student named Samantha Zucker was recently arrested and put in a New York City jail for 36 hours just because she could not produce any identification for police.

It’s not terrorism that will destroy our country but cultural and political sabotage as we are seduced by the wine of ‘safety’ promised by Washington.  --The Poor Man

"Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people."

Henry Kissinger in a recent British tabloid story on the likelihood of another war…

Mr. Kissinger then added: "If you are an ordinary person, then you can prepare yourself for war by moving to the countryside and building a farm, but you must take guns with you, as the hordes of starving will be roaming. Also, even though the elite will have their safe havens and specialist shelters, they must be just as careful during the war as the ordinary civilians, because their shelters can still be compromised…more at:

http://www.dailysquib.co.uk/world/3089-henry-kissinger-if-you-can-t-hear-the-drums-of-war-you-must-be-deaf.html

"Of all contrivances for cheating the laboring classes of mankind, none
has been more effective than that which deludes them with paper money."
-- Daniel Webster
(1782-1852), US Senator

The Parting Thought – Another blow to online privacy?

Google's upcoming changes to their privacy policies are causing an uproar…

Focusing on how Google offers up your private online activities to the feds and other governments around the world.

Sitesell.com founder Dr. Ken Evoy wrote a terse letter to Google regarding its upcoming changes. His gripe is Google is not being clear on how its new privacy policies affect the typical Google consumer. Therefore, Google is forcing the consumer to accept a new contract without properly informed consent.

Google's Transparency Report on Government Requests shows that in just a six month period in 2011 the U.S. government made 5,950 requests covering 11,057 specific accounts. Google complied 93% of the time

For the tracing and recording of your activity to work, you must be logged into Google's services. Make sure to log-off from all your Google services if it doesn't require you to be logged-in to use it. For example, you don't need to be logged into YouTube to watch videos.

 Set your Google services to the maximum security available. For instance, Google's browser, Chrome, can be set to Incognito Mode to give you a bit more privacy. Simply strike Shift-Control-N while in Google Chrome to open a new window in Incognito Mode. Look over Google privacy tools for further directions.

Online Search Alternatives to Google – Ixquick (https://www.ixquick.com/) is a privacy conscious search engine. It doesn't record your IP address when you search, and it has additional privacy tools like a proxy server to look at search results anonymously

More online security…Stalk Yourself

Google can still be used to help you manage your digital identity.  Go to google.com/alerts to be alerts when new information goes online about you or your business.  Use Pipl.com to get a better handle on the information that’s already out there.

“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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Check our Resources

New self sufficiency books added weekly

http://www.OldBookNook.com

A Shallow Planet Production

Earn Cash at GigWalker, Zaarly, Free Firewood, Privacy Ideas

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

ISSN 2161-5543

In This Issue:

1.       Use GigWalker and Zaarly to make money

2.      Free Firewood

3.      Protecting your identity

4.      Americans continue to get hammered

5.      Judges for sale – guess who is buying?

“Only when the human spirit is allowed to invent and create, only when individuals are given a personal stake in deciding economic policies and benefiting from their success -- only then can societies remain economically alive, dynamic, prosperous, progressive and free."
-- Ronald Reagan
(1911-2004) 40th US President

Average Americans continue to get hammered…

The ranks of America's poorest poor have climbed to a record high — 1 in 15 people.

American’s standard of living has fallen longer and more steeply over the past three years than at any time since the government began keeping records 50 years ago.  The average person had $1,315 less in disposable income now than in 2008.

Older workers are gloomier about the economy now than they were last year.

Nearly two thirds of workers older than 50 first surveyed by AARP's Public Policy Institute in 2010 said things had gotten worse by the time the senior lobbying powerhouse followed up in August. Fewer than one in 10 said their view of the economy had improved. The rest said things had stayed the same.

At the same time, government spending continues to rise. 

In 1950 spending for social programs was only one percent of the total Federal Budget. As the economy grew, social programs expanded to include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Unemployment Compensation, Supplemental Security for the Disabled, and educational programs. In 1983 as the United States pulled out of an ugly recession and brought inflation under control, social programs consumed 26% of the budget. In fiscal year 2012, they’ll eat up an estimated 57% of the budget.

Meanwhile the art of corporate tax dodging in the US continues to grow.  Proctor & Gamble, for example makes use of some clever tax dodges and it paid no taxes on several major deals over the past decade by using loopholes.  Although legal, they are convoluted.  P&G made $6 billion when it unloaded several of its brands including Crisco, Folgers and Pringles, which would have normally triggered a $2 billion federal tax bill.

As I reported previously, a study of 43,000 transnational companies reveals that just 147 companies control 40 percent of the entire global wealth in the world economy.  Of course, these multi-national firms buy and sell elected officials at will which is why I termed it the Washington-Wall Street Cartel.

http://news.yahoo.com/poorest-poor-us-hits-record-1-15-people-040233161.html

Get a fire started quickly by filling an empty glass jar with rubbing alcohol and a few wine corks.  Seal and store.  Place a cork or two under the kindling and light as usual.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

GOT AN IPHONE? MAKE EXTRA BUCKS AS A GIGWALKER

If you have an iPhone 3, 3GS, or 4, and you’d like to earn some extra bucks with miscellaneous gigs, check out Gigwalk. (Accepting applications in many major US cities.)

According to the site, gigs pay between $3 and $50+, and might include

Verifying local business information like hours of operation

Taking pictures of local businesses

Verifying street level information for mapping companies

For more, see their FAQ page here.
http://gigwalk.com/support

SELL STUFF (OR BUY IT) QUICKLY WITH ZAARLY

Another startup, Zaarly, lets you sell stuff -- or buy it -- rapidly by connecting buyers and sellers who live nearby.

To sell something, just search through what people are looking for (or sign up for new listings), chat with the buyer and get paid by credit card.

For more, click here.

http://www.zaarly.com/browse/#/browse

A heat-producing fire could cost you nothing!

Free Fireplace Logs

There is a primeval feeling about a fire on a cold day that makes you feel empowered. Close your eyes and you will see visions of primitive men dancing and chanting in front of a blazing campfire, with drums beating in the background. Ancient man knew the value of fire; in the modern world, we are not as dependent on an open flame for warmth.

There is nothing like a nice warm fire to warm up on a cold day. Sitting next to a wood-burning stove curled up with a hot drink of your choice and a good book is a pleasant way to spend a snowy afternoon.

With the current price of wood, it takes some of the enjoyment out. You might as well burn dollar bills. I have found a way to take some of the stress off. Everyone has newspapers as well as other types of paper lying around. The landfills are so full that some places are asking you to delay bringing any more.

My solution is to make fire logs. This not only takes care of excess paper, but it also saves money and keeps the home fires burning at the same time. Rest of the story at:

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/11/11oct31d.cfm?STT

More Top Tips for Protecting Your Identity

1) Alter your phone book listing. Phone books still exist (even though they're not as prevalent as before). Call your local phone company and limit the information they publish about you in the phone book or ask to be completely removed from it.

2) Subscribe to a credit-monitoring service. Not all services are alike. Most will monitor your credit report and notify you when new data is found. Some will help you clean up the damage if your identity is stolen. Some reputable options to look into are I.D. Theft Shield (from Pre-Paid Legal), iSekurity, CSIdentity, and Debix.

3) Beware of Internet phishing scams. In this scam, a crook sends you a fake email pretending to be from a known company (your bank, eBay, IRS, your state lottery, etc.) with some kind of urgent message saying you "need" to fill-in your private account details. Bottom line: If you don't trust the email or if it "feels" fishy – do NOT click on any of the links. If you're concerned that it may be important, use a "proven" phone number (NOT the phone number on the suspicious email) and call the company direct. Chances are if you feel unsure about the email, you'll find out it is in fact a fraudulent email.

4) Own a cross-cut shredder. Shred everything that has any identifying information, even if it's just your name, I.D. thieves can piece together your profile over time, like putting together a puzzle. Sometimes, all they need is one piece of information

5) Encrypt email. A great stopgap to begin encrypting email on your end is to use Hushmail.com. This is a free web-based email service, just like Gmail or Hotmail. (Note: Hushmail keeps a copy of the encryption keys within the corporation, which means if asked by authorities to open your emails, they have the ability to do so.) Their free service option comes with a small 2 MB storage size, which is the size of the old 2-inch diskettes. One trick is to use the free version for sensitive email – bank, health insurance, doctor, broker, etc. Of course, you can buy a membership to increase your storage capacity.

Find the rest of these tips at:

http://poormansurvival.com/ScamWatch.aspx

Revive an old broom whose bristles are beginning to splay by dampening it with a paper towel and slip a medium-sized rubber band around them and let it sit overnight.

The Nanny State Updates…

Judges for Sale - And Special Interests are Buying!

The Occupy Wall Street movement is shining a spotlight on how much influence big-money interests have with the White House and Congress. But people are not talking about how big money is also increasingly getting its way with the courts, which is too bad. It's a scandal that needs more attention. A blistering new report details how big business and corporate lobbyists are pouring money into state judicial elections across the country and packing the courts with judges who put special interests ahead of the public interest.

http://news.yahoo.com/judges-sale-special-interests-buying-100500006.html

FACTOID:  Roughly 335 unarmed citizens have died from police tasers as of 2011

Like glue…Knox unflavored gelatin is made from cattle bone chips and pork skin and when mixed with a little water, becomes a good glue to use on hides and other surfaces…simply heat in a pan of water to keep soluble.

The Parting Thought – The Debt Zone

The U.S. national debt grows by more than 2 million dollars every single minute…

What is happening in Greece is just the beginning. A bunch of other eurozone nations are also rapidly approaching a date with destiny. At some point the United States is going to experience massive problems as well.

The epicenter for the financial collapse of 2008 was the United States.

The epicenter for the next financial collapse will almost certainly be Europe.

When Europe goes down, the rest of the world will be dragged down with them.

The next wave of the economic collapse is coming.

So why should those of us living in the United States care about all of this?

Well, it is because a financial collapse in the EU could plunge the entire globe into a horrific economic nightmare.

Today, the EU actually has a larger economy and a larger population than the United States does. The EU also has more Fortune 500 companies that the United States does.

 Back in 2001, Gallup began asking Americans about how they feel about the state of their own personal finances. In October, Gallup once again asked this question, and 22 percent of the respondents rated their personal financial situations as "poor". That is the highest number that Gallup has ever seen. In addition, the gap between the number of Americans that said that their finances were "getting worse" and the number of Americans that said their finances were "getting better" was also the largest that Gallup has ever seen.

The financial crisis in Europe just seems to get worse by the day. The United States is already teetering on the edge of an economic disaster, and if Europe experiences a big time financial crash it seems extremely unlikely that we would be able to avoid another major recession.

Yours for “how do we get out of this mess”, the Poor Man

Follow us on Facebook

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 Twitter

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 Keep our services free, visit our sites…

Check our Resources

New self sufficiency books added weekly

http://www.OldBookNook.com

 A Shallow Planet Production