Be a Compliant Citizen: Domestic Spying Increases



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.       Fight back against unfair debt collectors

2.      Interrogation resistance techniques, more civil liberty resources

3.      Bucky Box-help for organic farmers

4.      Domestic spying on citizens increases-Be a compliant citizen

The art of government consists of taking as much money as
possible from one party of citizens to give to the other."
-- Voltaire

DON'T BE A CONSUMER - HERE'S WHY

Ever wonder why the mainstream media refers to us as "consumers"? Because it's run by advertisers.

The goal of advertisers is to sell. (Can't blame them for that; the merchant in the souk shouts his wares. That's business.) If you can be convinced that your core identity is "consumer" - an organism that buys stuff - game over. You're now the servant of the vendors, open to endless manipulation.

What does this mean, in practice?

>A lifetime of debt. (Hey, your job is to buy, not save. If they wanted you to save, they'd call you a "saver." Ever wonder why you hear that word so rarely?)

>Bad credit, because your buying decisions are no longer your own. Bad credit reduces job prospects (employers increasingly run credit checks on applicants), amps stress, wreaks lifestyle havoc.

>Environmental degradation: Produce, consume, throw "away." ("Away" is also called "here.") Repeat.

But you're not a "consumer," you're a Boss. (That's just one example of a better noun, of course. In my opinion, the essence of creatures large and small surpasses all the labels in all the languages ever invented, including this meager sentence.)

Bosses boss. They kick butt. They slap wimps. They tell other people what to do. They're in control, in charge, at the top of the pyramid.

Be a Boss, not a "consumer." There isn't a single wealthy person on this planet
who's trying to get by on a single income stream.
Why are you?  Visit our idea-starter section at: http://www.poormansurvival.com/Pages/bootstrapbiz.aspx

Think outside the box (literally) to boost creativity.  Published in Psychological Science, participants in less confined spaces performed better on creativity tests, so get outside and go for a stroll and let your mind roam free.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources

How to Survive a Police Interrogation

In response to last week’s issue on police violations of civil rights, here are additional resources to make use of…

Finding yourself on the wrong side of the interrogation table can be a nightmare. Fear can work to turn even the most honest person into a basket case. Constant questions from intense interrogators can cause panic in the most self-assured person. Learn to survive an interrogation without falling into common traps

Read more: How to Survive Interrogation | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4510328_survive-interrogation.html#ixzz23KQNy7Qm

Judicial Watch -  www.JudicialWatch.org

http://changingminds.org/techniques/interrogation/interrogation.htm

Software firm focuses on helping small organic farms

New Zealand-based Bucky Box is a software provider targeting small-scale farms. With easy-to-use software that automates orders, billing and logistics, the company aims to help propel the emerging decentralized food system

Whether it’s the new bicycle culture, the DIY trend or the organic farming movement, someone has to support the ventures that make these social changes happen. IT entrepreneurs: could that be you?

Website: www.buckybox.com

France, the United States and G20 president Mexico will hold a conference call at the end of August to discuss whether an emergency international meeting is required to tackle soaring grain prices caused by the worst U.S. drought in half a century.

Smallknot helps neighborhood enterprises to create their own funding projects, with reward packages for pledgers

There are now numerous crowdfunding platforms helping new and small businesses to find the capital they need, and we’ve seen hyper-local one-project-a-week efforts before in the shape of Lucky Ant. With a similar objective, Smallknot helps neighborhood enterprises to create their own funding projects, with reward packages for pledgers.

Taking its inspiration from the popular Kickstarter crowdfunding site, businesses can upload details about a project they are looking to undertake, as well as set the funding goal and time limit for backers to place a donation. Smallknot aims to help local businesses connect with fans and gain new custom by offering products or services in return for providing financial support. For example, a USD 25 investment in a local bar in Brooklyn currently rewards backers with USD 35 bar tab and a free bowl of pretzels as a thank you, while a USD 250 pledge gains donors a party for eight people. An extra incentive to get involved is provided through the fact that support translates into improvement in their neighborhood. Projects are funded providing they have reached their target by the end date of the campaign.

The site aims to be a nationwide service in the US but currently only features projects in New York and South Carolina. One to replicate in your part of the world?

Website: www.smallknot.com

Fight Back Against Unfair Debt Collectors

 Abused by a Debt Collector? Get a Free Lawyer. It details how you can sometimes get free legal assistance when dealing with collection agencies. The lawyers aren’t actually working gratis: They’re getting paid by settling with collection agencies that violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and are required to pay damages, including attorney fees.

While not all collection agencies break the law, many do. The FTC details a litany of potential violations, from “misrepresenting the amount you owe” (thought I signed an agreement for a total of 18,000) to “repeatedly using the phone to annoy someone.” (They are now calling us between 6-10 times a day.)

What people in trouble need to do is find a consumer lawyer. They should lay out their case and ask for advice. If the collection agencies violated the law, they may get it free.

Switch banks – something 1 in 5 banking customers have considered in the past year, a new Consumers Union survey reveals.

Not everyone switches because of mergers or failures, of course. When asked their top reasons why they’d consider switching, the most common responses from the 1,157 people surveyed were…

unexpected fee increases (43 percent)

better terms elsewhere (38 percent)

poor service (26 percent)

So far this year, 39 banks have failed.

Love lemons?  Instead of adding vinegar to veggies, squeeze in a tablespoon of juice.

The Nanny State Updates…

Foreign Government Control over Our 2nd Amendment

Currently, the U.N. is actively piecing together the U.N. Small Arms Treaty. Contributing writer to Forbes magazine, Larry Bell, suggests this treaty will:

"Enact tougher licensing requirements, creating additional bureaucratic red tape for legal firearms ownership.

"Confiscate and destroy all "unauthorized" civilian firearms (exempting those owned by our government of course).

"Ban the trade, sale, and private ownership of all semi-automatic weapons (any that have magazines even though they still operate in the same one trigger pull – one single 'bang' manner as revolvers, a simple fact the ant-gun media never seem to grasp).

"Create an international gun registry, clearly setting the stage for full-scale gun confiscation.

"In short, overriding our national sovereignty, and in the process, providing license for the federal government to assert preemptive powers over state regulatory powers guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment in addition to our Second Amendment rights."

Public opinion is moving to support responsible and trained gun rights!

As the saying goes, "when you have only seconds, the police are just minutes away."

A Pew Research Center poll from April of 2012, found 49% of the population favors protecting the rights of gun owners, while 45% favor more gun control. This is almost the exact opposite from the last presidential election in 2008;

The National Sporting Goods Association says about 47% more women are shooting today than a decade ago;

A Gallup poll shows 23% of American women now own at least one gun

The public understands the facts. The good guys need guns to defend against the bad guys and help the police. As the saying goes, "when you have only seconds, the police are just minutes away."

The Parting Thought- Domestic Spy (on citizens) Programs Increase

Know your role as an obedient, compliant citizen…

“Fusion center” is a generic term for entities which are designed to integrate federal intelligence efforts with the state and local authorities. As of July 2009, there are 72 fusion centers around the country and one in nearly every state.¹ These entities work under the auspices of local law enforcement, often integrating with the state’s police force, Department of Justice, or Office of Emergency Management.

The fusion center integrates law enforcement intelligence activities throughout the jurisdiction, providing federal authorities access to local information and databases, while simultaneously allowing federal agencies to disseminate intelligence materials to local authorities.

There are often federal representatives present in local fusion centers, either from civilian or military sources.

 The Department of Homeland Security lists 36 active field representatives as of July 2009 and a number of fusion centers are integrated with their state’s National Guard through “liaison officers.

Part of domestic surveillance system that incorporates private contractors, federal government, military, and local law enforcement.

Communities Against Terrorism, is what the Justice Department calls these programs while it trains retail managers and employees (such as coffee shops, hotels, and internet cafes) to become FBI informants…turning in customers, who for instance, who are overly concerned about privacy or who always pay with cash, who go online with their own secure connection vs. public Wi-Fi and so on.

 Originally organized by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice Provide federal authorities with access to local databases and legally protected information concerning law-abiding citizens Often function with military liaisons and integrate with National Guard Often at undisclosed locations listing only post office boxes as physical addresses As of July 2009, approximately 72 fusion centers exist nationwide…damned if those government types aren’t worried about us poor citizens and what might be done to them when all hell breaks loose!

http://publicintelligence.net/intelligence-fusion-centers/

http://www.it.ojp.gov/default.aspx?area=nationalInitiatives&page=1181

 “Until the next revolution”, the Poor Man

Help us promote the Gospel according to the Poor Man at Self Reliance Expos this Fall

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A Shallow Planet Production

Start your own currency program, More tyranny in America, Credit Scores

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin

A digest of urban survival resources

http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

ISSN 2161-5543

In This Issue:

1.       Start your own community currency-end state controlled money

2.      The real scoop on your credit report

3.      Money for your creative project

4.      A glimmer of common sense on the ‘drug war’

5.      More useful prepper downloads – free, Drones to spy on Americans

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first." --Unknown

Surly & Sour: the rise in rude and uncivil behavior

We're More Rude Than Ever, Poll Finds... 'It's about the daily assault of selfish, inconsiderate behavior that gets under people's skin on the highways, in the office, on TV, in stores and the myriad other settings where they encounter fellow Americans.'" (ABCNEWS.com)

In the study mentioned above, nearly eight in 10 respondents said lack of respect and courtesy is a serious national problem; 61% agreed that there was more rude behavior than in the past; people blamed parents for not instilling courtesy in their children, and popular culture for encouraging rude behavior

During the past 30 years we’ve all seen the weekly reports of rude behavior on air flights, among politicians and bureaucrats, among young children and youth, and adults alike – equal opportunity lunatics.

 

Our teacher friends, all report a rise in unruly, ill-mannered, boorish behavior among students. School bullying has become the target of national concern.

No matter who does the study, the results seem to be the same. Here, 79% feel people are ruder to each other now than just 10 years ago; 42% say they encounter rude behavior every day (Apr. 2002 Good Housekeeping)

What’s going on? We’re rude and we’re mean: there’s road rage, air rage, cellphone rage, checkout rage, bike rage, sports rage, parking rage, rail rage, bank rage, roller rage, boat rage, desk rage, car alarm rage, and drivers who even honk at people on crutches. And according to one expert, there’s also "funeral rage" – people actually flip the bird and cut off funeral processions (Dr. Frank Farley, former president, American Psychological Association)

Statistics prove that more than 8 in 10 of us, both with kids and without kids, agree that bad parenting -- the failure to instill good behavior in kids -- is the major cause of bad manners.

A new Census Bureau stat shows 47% of households are now made up of single parent families.  I firmly believe this trend began after WWII and was pushed along by Hollywood celebrities who popularized having children out of wedlock.  It takes a lot of work to raise children.  The crap on TV is another handicap to social morals.

Teachers often speak of how rude and poorly behaved students have become over the years and the ‘Do-Gooders’ have made discipline virtually impossible.  What do you think?

Tomatoes help prevent sunburn.  People who eat 5 tbs daily are 33% less likely to get sunburn.

PM’s ‘Betty Shocker’ Compendium of useful information…

The Real Scoop on your credit report

Even though there are ways to get estimated FICO scores and alternative credit scores for free, there are only two places to obtain your true FICO score, and neither is free...

Fair Isaac, which compiles the FICO score (800-319-4433, www.MyFICO.com. $19.95).

Equifax (866-493-9788, www.Equifax.com, select "Equifax Products," click the "Single Use Products" tab, then select "Complete Report." $39.95).

In May 2010, the US Senate approved an amendment to a financial industry overhaul bill that would give consumers a free look at their credit scores when they are rejected for a loan, credit card, insurance rate or apartment based on their scores.

Meanwhile, several free online credit score estimator tools can give you a reasonable idea where your score likely stands, including...

Bankrate.com (www.Bankrate.com/calculators.aspx, select "FICO Score Estimator" from the "Credit Card Calculators" section).

SmartCredit.com (www.SmartCredit.com, select "Smart Credit Report").

Quizzle.com (www.Quizzle.com).

Be skeptical of "free credit score" offers. Many of these contain hidden costs... and the score provided is unlikely to be a FICO credit score. Each of us is entitled to receive a free copy of a credit report (which does not include a credit score but does give details of your credit history) each year from AnnualCreditReport.com. To protect yourself from identity theft and incorrect information, scan your report for listings that you don’t recognize or that don’t seem accurate.

A Chemical-Free
Weed Killer

The following solution is a safe, environmentally friendly weed killer...

In a spray bottle, combine 1 quart of water and either 1 ounce of distilled white vinegar or 1 ounce of gin, plus 1 capful of baby shampoo. Spray the weeds until they’re soaking wet. After a day or so, the weeds will turn brown, shrivel up and then die.

CAUTION: When using any type of weed killer, be certain to spray only the weeds, not any of the plants you want to keep.

More useful prepper guides – free downloads

OPM - A Federal Employee's Family Preparedness Guide http://www.opm.gov/emergency/pdf/NationalFamilyGuide.pdf

FEMA - Preparing Makes Sense. Get Ready Now

http://www.ready.gov/america/_downloads/Ready_Brochure_Screen_EN_20040129.pdf

FEMA - Ready.gov

http://www.ready.gov/

FEMA - Are You Ready? http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/areyouready_full.pdf

WANT TO FIND MONEY FOR YOUR CREATIVE PROJECT? KICKSTARTER HELPS

Kickstarter has an interesting idea of its own for funding creative projects: Post them to its site and let funders small or large decide who gets money.

“Kickstarter is the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world. Every month, tens of thousands of amazing people pledge millions of dollars to projects from the worlds of music, film, art, technology, design, food, publishing and other creative fields," its website says.

I haven’t tried it yet (I have no ideas; I just type), but check it out at http://www.kickstarter.com/ . With thanks to www.Sprouter.com for the tip.

Alternative or Community Currencies

   The dollar is not just in decline - it’s a mess!

As the Poor Man has reported, several states are now accepting or in the process of accepting gold and silver rather than Federal Reserve Notes due to their inflation-prone status.

According to the US Treasury, the Coinage Act of 1965, there is no statute mandating a private business must accept currency or coins for payment of goods and service.

Currently, there are more than 150 alternative currencies being accepted around the country.  In some states, retailers now have signs in place announcing they accept the Euro, the Loon or even the Peso.

In some foreign countries such as China, place a limit on the amount of US currency which can be exchanged.  India has announced they will no longer accept US dollars and Amsterdam severely limits where one can exchange US dollars.  Even the Chicago Mercantile Exchange now accepts gold to settle futures contracts.

The United Nations is warning that the U.S. dollar could collapse. The following is a brief excerpt from a recent news report put out by Reuters....

The United Nations warned on Wednesday of a possible crisis of confidence in, and even a “collapse” of, the U.S. dollar if its value against other currencies continued to decline.

In a mid-year review of the world economy, the UN economic division said such a development, stemming from the falling value of foreign dollar holdings, would imperil the global financial system.

BerkShares (www.berkshares.org) BerkShares are a local currency for the Berkshire region. Dubbed a "great economic experiment" by the New York Times, BerkShares are a tool for community empowerment, enabling merchants and consumers to plant the seeds for an alternative economic future for their communities. Launched in the fall of 2006, BerkShares had a robust initiation, with over one million BerkShares having been circulated in the first nine months and over two million to date. View television coverage of BerkShares by clicking here, and other international, national, and regional news coverage by clicking here.

http://www.berkshares.org/about/index.htm

Reason.tv: Bitcoin & the End of State-Controlled Money
Bitcoin is the world's first fully decentralized, peer-to-peer (p2p) virtual currency. It allows users to make anonymous and untraceable cash transactions anywhere in the world without any sort of real-world intermediary. So unlike PayPal and other online services, it can't be squeezed in the same way by governments or other control agents. Just how revolutionary is Bitcoin? Reason.tv sat down with Mercatus Senior Research Fellow Jerry Brito to learn how Bitcoin operates and what the implications are for traditional state-based fiat currencies. "Whether Bitcoin succeeds or fails is neither here nor there," says Brito, who predicts that currencies in the future will almost certainly be deregulated and decentralized - with or without governments' consent.

"Advocates of a small but fast-growing digital currency network called bitcoin think they've found the answer (or, at the very least, an answer). If it is successful, claim its adherents, this totally- decentralized, peer-to-peer (P2P) currency could supplant the world's central bank-issued money, potentially providing savvy speculators with an opportunity to cash in on the greatest politically motivated market distortion of our time."

http://youtu.be/yYTqvYqXRbY

For every $10 the typical household earns before taxes, almost a full dollar now goes toward gas, a 40 percent bigger bite than normal.

Households spent an average of $369 on gas last month. In April 2009, they spent just $201. ---USA Today

The Nanny State Updates…

Tyranny in America – why we need a revolution…

A rural MO fellow got fined $90,000 (by the US Dept of Agriculture) for selling rabbits without a license.  His net profit was only $200.  Utter nonsense.  In the 1950s only one in twenty professions required a license, now it’s one in three!  Red tape and government bullcrap is killing this country and defies common sense and proof to other countries (which are laughing at our stupidity) that we’re no longer a free people.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is spending huge amounts of money to install surveillance cameras in the cafeterias of public schools so that government control freaks can closely monitor what our children are eating.

The Florida State Department of Juvenile Justice has announced that it will begin using analysis software to predict crime by young delinquents and will place "potential offenders" in specific prevention and education programs.

17 year-old honor student in North Carolina named Ashley Smithwick accidentally took her father's lunch with her to school. It contained a small paring knife which he would use to slice up apples. So what happened to this standout student when the school discovered this? The school suspended her for the rest of the year and the police charged her with a misdemeanor

Do you remember how much was made of the "Misery Index" during the presidency of Jimmy Carter? At that time, the "Misery Index" was constantly making headlines in newspapers all across the country. Well, according to John Williams of Shadow Government Statistics, if we calculated unemployment and inflation the same way that we did back during the Carter administration, then the Misery Index today would actually be higher than at any point during the presidency of Jimmy Carter.

Big Brother already has access to our permanent records, and soon he might literally be capable of looking over our shoulders…with unmanned drones.

The T-Hawk is a flying robot small enough to fit in your backpack and able to hover deftly, observe its surroundings, and pursue a target. The Draganflyer X6 is an ultraquiet miniature helicopter that weighs less than three pounds and can stealthily photograph subjects wherever they are—indoors or out. Unmanned

Read more: http://www.utne.com/Science-Technology/Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicles-Drones-Police-Surveillance.aspx#ixzz1ODZIRoDl

Most Americans don't realize how much the U.S. dollar has been devalued over the years. An item that cost $20.00 in 1970 would cost you $115.93 today. An item that cost $20.00 in 1913 would cost you $454.36 today.

The Parting Shot…The Fed is scuttling America

The United Nations warned on Wednesday of a possible crisis of confidence in, and even a “collapse” of, the U.S. dollar if its value against other currencies continued to decline.

In a mid-year review of the world economy, the UN economic division said such a development, stemming from the falling value of foreign dollar holdings, would imperil the global financial system.

Recently, U.S. Representative Ron Paul gave a speech on "The Patriot Act" on the floor of the House of Representatives. The following is a brief except from that speech....

Our Presidents can now, on their own:

*Order assassinations, including American citizens,
*Operate secret military tribunals,
*Engage in torture,
*Enforce indefinite imprisonment without due process,
*Order searches and seizures without proper warrants, gutting the 4th Amendment,
*Ignore the 60 day rule for reporting to the Congress the nature of any military operations as required by the War Power Resolution,
*Continue the Patriot Act abuses without oversight,
*Wage war at will,
*Treat all Americans as suspected terrorists at airports with TSA groping and nude x-raying.

And the Federal Reserve accommodates by counterfeiting the funds needed and not paid for by taxation and borrowing, permitting runaway spending, endless debt, and special interest bail-outs.

Finally, perhaps a return to some common sense?!

A slew of big-name former politicians are endorsing a report that says the war on drugs is not working and that drug enforcement policy needs to fundamentally change. The Global Commission on Drug Policy will urge a "paradigm shift" that emphasizes public health over criminalization tomorrow at a meeting in New York City, The Guardian reports.

Those backing the report include former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and former Fed Chair Paul Volcker. Former elected leaders of Greece, Brazil and Colombia have also signed on.

Keep in mind, most government policies don’t work…

"The right to be let alone – the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men." – Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, Olmstead v. U.S., 277 U.S. 438 (1928)

That’s it from your ‘Guardian’ – the Poor Man

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