Task Rabbit-Putting you to work; The Forever Recession & Coming Revolution

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

ISSN 2161-5543

In This Issue:

1.       Community supported agriculture resources

2.      Buy bulk products online to save

3.      TaskRabbit-Make extra cash

4.      Freedom is about taking risks

5.      Prepping for the worst case scenario

"You need to know that a member of Congress who refuses to allow the minimum wage to come up for a vote made more money during last year's one-month government shutdown than a minimum wage worker makes in an entire year."
—William Jefferson Clinton

According to an ABC news report…Americans pay the highest premiums in the world!

The cost of a health insurance policy for the average American family rose by a whopping 9 percent last year. According to a report put out by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust, the average family health insurance policy now costs over $15,000 a year.

How in the world can most families afford that? Yes, in many cases employers are paying for at least a portion of that, but still that seems absolutely outrageous.

The median yearly wage in the United States is just $26,261, but the average American household is carrying $75,600 in debt.

Last year, 2.6 million more Americans dropped into poverty. That was the largest increase that we have seen since the U.S. government began keeping statistics on this back in 1959.

The housing crisis continues to worsen.  In Detroit alone there are more than 33,000 homes which have been abandoned outright.

As I indicted in the previous issue, more adult children are returning home to live with their parents.  Perhaps communes will make a comeback in this country?!

According to a Yahoo News article, minimum wage jobs generate only about $22,000 annually, the poverty level.  After taxes and household expenses, not to mention any extras such as auto repairs or medical emergencies, there’s nothing left for these families.

One thing that keeps many families going is their religion but even that is under assault in this country.  During a Congressional hearing earlier this year, U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee warned that "Christian militants" might try to "bring down the country" and that such groups need to be investigated.

 According to a shocking FBI document obtained by Oath Keepers, the FBI definition of "suspicious activity" now includes making "extreme religious statements" and believing in "radical theology".

Is it any wonder why so many Americans are giving up hope?  Do you think there is justification to be worried about the future?  What would you do if you were the President?

Your bug-out kit should also include area maps…your smart phone may not operate in the event of emergencies.

PM’s Compendium of Useful Resources  

TaskRabbit: Putting Americans Back to Work, One Odd Job at a Time

Great idea for earning extra money - as seen on ABC news…

TaskRabbit gets you in touch with friendly, reliable people who can help you get just about anything you need done, and put some free time back into your life.

Currently Tasking in Boston, SF Bay Area, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Orange County… more coming soon!  http://www.taskrabbit.com/

Related Story:  "Job creation is a false idol. The future is about gigs and assets and art and an ever-shifting series of partnerships and projects. It will change the fabric of our society along the way. No one is demanding that we like the change, but the sooner we see it and set out to become an irreplaceable linchpin, the faster the pain will fade, as we get down to the work that needs to be (and now can be) done." --Seth Godin

The forever recession (and the coming revolution)

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/09/the-forever-recession.html

 Community Supported Agriculture

Look for a nearby CSA that works with a number of family farms. This way you have a variety of products from which to choose. For instance, Abundant Harvest Organics' basic box contains seasonal fruit and vegetables. However, you can select "add-ons" such as organic almonds, grass-fed beef, open-range chicken and eggs, gourmet cheese, honey, and more.

To find a local CSA, search online. Use the term CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture/Fishery/Dairy/etc. And include the name of your town. Or, you can look over these related web portals.

www.localharvest.org

www.csacenter.org

www.eatwellguide.org

https://namanet.org

 Buy Products in Bulk Online

Buy a case of the same product and save.  If you find it cheaper elsewhere, this firm will pay the price difference and give you an extra 5 percent. 

Stockngo.com

Southface is a nonprofit organization that for more than 30 years has promoted energy-, water- and resource-efficient workplaces, homes and communities throughout the Southeast

Southface.org - site with articles and resources for environmental living.

5-in-1 Portable Power Dome

Interesting device I ran across in a catalog (I might just order this)…compact rechargeable battery providing emergency AC and DC power, auto jump starter, 260psi air compressor, and a built in utility light.  Provides 400 watts of power.  Priced at $150 plus shipping from WhateverWorks.com or 800-499-6757

Prepping for the Worst Case Scenario
What would you and your family do if the economy were to completely collapse? The idea of total economic collapse is very frightening. However, if you are prepared for it, you should be able to survive for years. So how do you make sure you are prepared for the worst case scenario?

Don’t Rely On Other People

If the economy collapses, you cannot rely on the government or anyone else to help you out. In that situation, you will only have yourself and your family to fall back on. Other people will be focused on their own survival. Hence you will have to make sure that you and your loved ones have the skills needed to survive. You will also have to make certain preparations. Suggested Reading:

The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse. By Fernando Aguirre

The book is based on his first-hand experience of the 2001 economic collapse in Argentina - available on Amazon.com

Save the Dream – Slay the Dragon

All of us will be affected by the fiscal crisis our country faces, especially our young people.  Heritage.Org has a new, free download which encourages students learn about the problems with its Slay the Beast:  How you can save us from our massive debt.

Heritage.org/Slaythebeast

When assembling a bug out kit, include a 3-day supply of non-perishable items for the whole family such as non-refrigerated cheese and crackers, high calorie nutrition drinks, pop-topped canned items and pet food.

The Nanny State Updates…

Pepper-Spraying Cop in RNC Lawsuit

Anthony Bologna, a New York City police officer who was accused of pepper-spraying women during the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstrations last week, is still involved in pending legal action for his role in the 2004 demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Eighteen hundred protesters were arrested for protests during the 2004 convention. One of the protesters accused Bologna of false arrest and civil-rights violations, and filed suit against him; the case is expected to be heard next year. After the pepper-spray incident, the hacking group Anonymous claimed responsibility for releasing Bologna’s name to the public, saying, "You know who the innocent women were; now they will have the chance to know who you are. Before you commit atrocities against innocent people, think twice. WE ARE WATCHING!!! Expect Us!"

Artistic License
Mark Chase got a federal court order allowing him to paint on Ocean City, Maryland's boardwalk without a license. That didn't impress Baltimore police, who arrested him for painting at the Inner Harbor without a permit. When Chase complained that the permit requirements violated his constitutional rights, and officer told him "Your constitutional rights have nothing to do with the law."

Barack Obama continues to run around the country talking about "infrastructure jobs", but according to ABC News, thousands upon thousands of those jobs are actually going to Chinese workers....

In New York there is a $400 million renovation project on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

In California, there is a $7.2 billion project to rebuild the Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland.

In Alaska, there is a proposal for a $190 million bridge project.

These projects sound like steps in the right direction, but much of the work is going to Chinese government-owned firms.

Emergency radios, either windup or battery powered are good items to have.  The Red Cross offers a Microlink FR 160 emergency radio (about $35) at:  Redcrossstore.org – they also offer Emergency First Aid kits for about $15

The Parting Thought – Freedom is about taking risks

 Since the 1960s, it has become a given not only that the government should be more involved in areas like health care and poverty, but that these problems remain intractable because the government has not gotten more involved.

A competitive party system ensures the legitimacy of opposition to government, promotes public debate about policy options, and gets citizens involved in the public sphere. The two-party system never does these things perfectly, but it does them well enough. Without it our system would collapse overnight, leaving gridlock and hyperpluralism--or so most political scientists think.

In his 1973 “Libertarian Manifesto,” the late Murray Rothbard argued that the biggest obstacle in the road out of serfdom was “status quo bias.”

It’s always been my contention that government is too involved in every aspect of our lives along with having its greedy hand in our collective pockets.  In many respects, voting Republican or Democratic has proven itself dangerous to the American citizen.

Neither party has proven itself good stewards of the public trust or treasury, especially in the last 30-years where greed and public corruption among government officials and elected leaders seems rampant.

Yet, most Americans seem satisfied with maintaining the status quo, constantly re-electing the same people to office, despite its poor results.  Third parties rarely succeed in this country.  Various explanations from political scientists are offered, but I feel the most logical explanation is that few Americans are educated enough to understand how our two-party system works to exclude third parties and the party in power manages to influence popular media (a manner of brainwashing the electorate).

With the government insisting on inserting itself into the business world more and more, there will be more financial flops that we, the taxpayers, will be forced finance. With government's hand ever more in our pockets, it becomes imperative that we find more and better ways to live independently .

Politicians spend more time currying favor and raising campaign funds than they do tackling the problems our country faces.  Oh, they try to put on a good face for the public, but they are deceptive.  Many of the problems we face, such as energy, and stupid tax system have plagued us for years, yet nothing meaningful is ever done.  Incompetence, or simply a matter of maintaining the status quo?

Oh what the hell, I guess we’re all happy with letting Washington destroy our way of life!

Yours in freedom, the Poor Man.

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 A Shallow Planet Production

Virtual Work Resources, Why You Won't Survive Next Recession-II

Bruce’s Poor Man Recession Bulletin
Your Choice for usable information!
The Urban Survivalist


In this issue:

· Why you won’t survive the next Recession-Part II
· Update on 2nd passports; more rights trampled
· Useful sideline income resources
· Myths about gasoline consumption
· Iron Baby Video-Cute!
· Box stores vs. clubs, which is better?
· A thought for BP Oil to stop the leak…




Corporations don’t have to lobby the government anymore.
They are the government!
--Jim Hightower

Inflation?

Ford’s last Model T rolled off the assembly line this month in 1927. No other car was ever produced in such numbers until 1972, when the original Volkswagen Beetle surpassed it.

Ford’s auto cost about $600 and the VW in 1972 cost about $1800; today we’re looking at $19,000 and up for such a vehicle. One cannot purchase a decent lawn tractor for $1800 anymore!

The world economy is shaky as witnessed by the bailout of Greece. Yet, few in America realize that California’s debt is four times worse than Greece.

In this issue is our Part II Why You Won’t Survive the Next Recession…how can that be you ask? The answer is easy. The same thieves that brought us the recession of ’08 are still in charge…how long do we have? Three to five years tops is my guess, so keep stockpiling the silver, gold, and food…get our Poor Man III for the most comprehensive self sufficiency material out there – available at our site or at our ebay storefront.

Okay…I know I said I wasn’t going to post any more recipes. But with all the company I had last week I baked up a storm of fruit breads and cookies. Peanut butter cookies aren’t my favorite, but these were darn good & oh so easy to make. Thanks to one of our new subscribers for the recipe.

Ingredients

--1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)
--1 egg
--1 tsp. baking soda
--1 cup of sugar

Beat all the ingredients and spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Yield is about 12 cookies.

Finally…a thought for BP on how to stop the oil leak. Use that expanding insulating foam. Works great on everything I’ve tried it on!


Useful Resources


Get Group Discounts-Even without the group. Check these sites for daily updates:
www.8Coupons.com
www.couponcabin.com

Award Winning, Non-Profit Tree Site Gives Free Advice
www.TreePeople.Org

Like to type? Make Money at it with this free how-to booklet on the world of virtual word-processing
www.VirtualWordPublishing.com

Other Virtual work sites include:
www.HireMyMom.com
www.TigerFish.com
www.AliceDarling.com

Become a customer service agent at home-visit these firms
www.LiveOpps.com
www.West.com
www.WorkingSolutions.com
www.OverflowUsa.com
www.JetBlue.com
www.ACDDirect.com
www.AlpineAccess.com


Serve on a Virtual Jury – law firms sometimes use folks to provide feedback
www.eJury.com
www.OnlineVerdict.com
www.TrialPractice.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Reader question…I read a blurb that suggested one can make money recycling precious metals from computers & other electronics. Is this true & is it a viable means of making some cash? --Jeremy from Wichita

Poor Man Answer: Being the infinite oracle that I am I can tell you that this process requires a lot of work, for very little money…not worth your time. The exception would be if you’re already in the recycling business…that’s why so much of this used stuff is shipped to China (and then resold to Americans).

<<<<<<<<<<<<< Myths About Gas Consumption
"The expectations of American consumers are reasonable and achievable," Gillis said in a conference call." CFA says that Asian carmakers, compared to the U.S. competition, are offering twice as many vehicles with 30 mpg or better. "It's shocking that so few of today's cars get more than 30 mpg," he said.

Mark Cooper, CFA's research director, noted that in five years of the group's polling, the public's views have stayed remarkably consistent: Americans want less dependence on Middle Eastern oil and higher fuel-economy standards.
People care about fuel economy, but they're misinformed about how to actually achieve it. The federal government's fueleconomy.gov site (very useful to check cars' mpg) just published the "Top 10 Misconceptions About Fuel Economy."
Get the rest of the story at: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_driving/62/six-gas-mileage-myths.html

>>>>

Save some water & money by knowing when to water your lawn.
Not sure when your lawn needs water…push a screwdriver hard (six inches) into the soil. If it’s a lot of work, it needs water. Sidenote: We filled four 55-gal. rain barrels this week alone after some all day rain – this will save some cash when it comes to watering the garden.


Another update to the Poor Man site…we’ve added some more resources and information to our Lower Your Property Taxes section. Check it out.

<<<>>>

Free Family Preparedness Video from Red Cross
http://www.monkeysee.com/play/6719-building-an-emergency-kit-food-and-water

>>><<< Compare eBay & Amazon prices and save some time & Money at:
www.Q-Compare.com

Speaking of Amazon I just got this press release from Amazon about AmazonWireless and thought I should share it…could prove a profitable niche for one of our readers.

Amazon is excited to announce AmazonWireless – a new website by Amazon specializing in cell phones and wireless service plans. Starting today until August 31, 2010, Associates can now earn $65 per unit in advertising fees on AmazonWireless cell phone with service purchases—with no limit to the number of items on which advertising fees are earned. AmazonWireless offers more than 140 bestselling phones from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless—with more carriers and additional features coming soon.

AmazonWireless is a new website by Amazon.com that offers cell phones and wireless plans, easy shopping without rebate hassles, and FREE two-day shipping.
AmazonWireless makes it easy for customers to upgrade their phone if they already have a plan, or if they want to establish new cell phone service, has tried to make it simple to find the right phone, service plan, and options.

Customers can shop for phones by carrier, phone feature, price, color, and brand. The site’s shopping cart will guide them through each stage of the purchase process, including all of the familiar Amazon features like bestseller lists, detailed product descriptions, and customer reviews.

AmazonWireless is owned and operated by Amazon.com. Customers can shop securely with their Amazon.com account on AmazonWireless, and benefit from Amazon’s world-class service and security.
>>><<< Shopping in a Big Way: Warehouse vs. Big Box
Despite longer lines and a membership fee…it might be right for you.
Americans love discounts. This is the land of the two-for-one dinner special and double supermarket coupons. It's also home to a thriving warehouse-club industry, where consumers pay nominal membership fees for the privilege of filling huge grocery carts with everyday products sold in bulk.

Warehouse-club sales in the U.S. grew to $113.3 billion in 2009 from $91.3 billion in 2005, according to Michael Clayman, publisher of Warehouse Club Focus, an industry trade journal. He anticipates continued increases in sales since consumers are penny-pinching in the soft economy and the club companies have plans to add more locations. He says warehouse-club pricing is often 50% less than a regular retailer's and up to 25% less than nonclub big-box stores. "Warehouse stores do save you quite a bit," he says.
More at: http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-109675-5378-3-shopping-in-bulk-warehouse-vs-big-box?ywaad=ad0035

NOTE: Buried in a recent Department of Labor announcement were the details of the stunning rise in food prices this year. Food prices, in March, rose 2.4%, the largest increase in more than 25 years…better consider using these clubs to stock up now!

<<<>>>

A wise person once said “Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.”

<<<>>>

My Politically Incorrect Commentary on the current state of affairs!

Trouble is not just knocking on the door; it's about to kick it in.

US Government Kills its own Economy or…
Why you won’t survive the next recession – Part II

>>>Last issue we pointed out the Feds will no longer be able to print more money out of thin air as there is No Way we can recover from the current deficit. Are Americans so stupid that they cannot see this?

During the past couple of years as we have tried to fight our way through the recession, we have all been aware of the unemployment sky rocketing. What some of you may not know is just how many are actually unemployed long-term as well as the groups (mostly men & over 50) that it is most effecting.

Moody’s Investor’s Service recently warned that the exploding US debt could result in a downgrade of Treasury Bonds…nice to know.

Small Business Labs posted an article recently regarding this very information. Surprisingly there is a huge increase in long-term unemployment. Long-term is classified as anything over 6 consecutive months. Given that fact, the long-term unemployment has jumped to an extreme high of around 6 million.
Men make up 60% of the long-term unemployed with women ages 45-64 coming in as a close second to the long-term unemployment numbers…

USA Today Reports:

“Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in US history during the first quarter of this year, a USA Today analysis of government data finds.

“At the same time, government-provided benefits – from Social Security, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs – rose to a record high during the first three months of 2010.

“Those records reflect a long-term trend accelerated by the recession and the federal stimulus program to counteract the downturn. The result is a major shift in the source of personal income from private wages to government programs.
“The trend is not sustainable, says University of Michigan economist Donald Grimes. Reason: The federal government depends on private wages to generate income taxes to pay for its ever-more-expensive programs. Government-generated income is taxed at lower rates or not at all, he says. ‘This is really important,’ Grimes says. “

>>><<< An Update to the Poor Man Survival Kit-Part 1

Your Freedom continues to come under attack
There’s a section included on the CD ROM about obtaining 2nd passports. It’s getting harder and more expensive to accomplish this feat. As we predicted in the early 1990s, our government will continue to make its moves on restricting your right to travel within US borders and to other countries.

For example, you now need a passport to travel to Mexico and Canada, supposedly in order to help screen out terrorists. It’s also a tool for controlling non-criminal and non-terrorist activity such as child support enforcement, collecting back taxes, school loan payments and other areas where our government chooses to trample your Constitutional rights when it comes to travel. Of course, none of us ever voted on any of these provisions or were even aware of them in most cases…the government likes to hide things from its citizens.
For updated 2nd passport info, try this: http://www.isla-offshore.com/

Also, in response to another recent question from a subscriber – NO, you cannot obtain a passport from the United Nations. They do not offer any kind of travel document unless you’re in a special envoy.

A related issue deals with Free Speech Zones designated during political protests. Although such zones were in use by the 1960s and 1970 due to the Vietnam-era protests, they were not widely reported in the media. However, the controversy over their use has resurfaced strongly due to the 2001-2008 Bush presidency. In essence, Free Speech Zones prevent a person from having complete mobility as a consequence of their exercising their right to speak freely. Citizens are restricted from traveling (without being subject to arrest) due to their political communication, although the Constitution permits free speech anywhere on U.S. territory.

A number of constitutional scholars and advocates for family law reform strongly oppose restricting the human right to travel to a person who has committed no crime, and assert that the practice violates basic constitutional rights.
The government is worried about folks leaving the country as it doesn’t want to give up any possible revenue source. The US is the only nation which taxes its expatriated citizens. According to several polls, the US no longer ranks as the freeest country – Canada ranks ahead of us, for example.

As we know, our government isn’t keen on keeping with our Constitution and our rights are crumbling ever so slowly. I still predict our new national healthcare system is merely a pretext and prelude to a national ID program.

Waste Not, Recycle it!

<<<<>>>

^^^^SPONSORS^^^^
Resources for Stockpiling and Disaster Preparation http://www.tbotech.com/cmd.asp?af=1126539

Make Your Own Energy
Step-by-step guide reveals how to
make your own energy for $100 or less. http://tinyurl.com/PMEnergy

Terrific site for resources and green, eco-friendly goods http://www.growandmake.com?ref=71

Don’t Get Caught With Your Pantry Down – the all time best book on family preparedness has been updated & now includes an online video segment as well. Highly recommended 11th Edition. http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Save Money, Save the Environment: http://greenirene.com/PoorMan
<<<>>>
Finally…something cute – the Iron Baby video (takeoff on Iron Man)
http://holykaw.alltop.com/iron-man-who-all-hail-iron-baby-video


Yours for better living,
Your Politically Incorrect Ally on the War Against the Middle Class
Bruce “The Poor Man”

Our sites include:
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
Http://www.Oldbooknook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan

P.S. If you have a garage sale, remember to put up legible signs AND remember to take them down once the sale has ended.

A Shallow Planet Production
The Urban Survivalist