Our Mission: To protect and promote your freedom, civil rights, financial well being and overall self reliance in these turbulent times.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Beating High Cost Traffic Tickets
Bruce’s Poor Man Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In this issue:
Beat a traffic ticket
Favorite hiding spots for cash, etc.
10 Green moves to save cash & the planet
Guest editorial from Mort Z-America's 'Public Servants'
Ethan Harris, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist says of the recovery: “We were waiting for the second stage of the rocket, and it just fizzled out” ...
Top 10 “industries” which will never come back…
The Wall Street Journal featured a story this week announcing which industries will never recover and at the top of the list were city and state government workers. The Poor Man has always stated the “G” in government stood for two things - Gouge the citizen and Growth Industry.
We’ve reported several times that government workers make more than private sector employees for some time now and many studies have verified this…but “government” was never supposed to be an industry!
With the exception of Hamilton, our founding fathers warned us repeatedly about the central government becoming too strong. Of course, leftists, socialists and other democrats have long ignored that and in many cases, so have the republicans. Both parties have proven themselves a danger to the national trust and interest and have imperiled our nation. The feds have routinely ignored the Constitution or have bent it to suit their purposes and few objected to these traitorous actions and now we’re all paying the price for their greed and folly.
Local government too have grown beyond its responsibility and cost communities dearly. If you follow us on Facebook you have seen our reports on local government folly such as the one community which fined a resident $5000 for growing too many vegetables on his 10 acres! What arrogance - these local politicos need to be tarred & feathered.
Also, as we reported at the beginning of the year, the feds will be targeting your retirement accounts soon to cover their debts (not our debt).
Standard and Poor's, a top rater of debt instruments, issued a statement in August “that Congress must act soon to control its spending in order to protect the government's so-called "AAA-rating" status. If the U.S is downgraded to a "AA" credit rating, attracting bond buyers will be an even dicier proposition.”
The London-based office of Morgan Stanley flashed a warning on August 24 that government debt defaults are all but inevitable…
"The sovereign debt crisis is global, and is not over," noted a top Stanley Morgan official. While Stanley Morgan soft-peddled Uncle Scam's financial dilemma, the warning was clearly aimed at the United States Congress and the Obama Administration. "We don't think these political decisions on tackling the public finances can be put off forever," their spokesman said sheepishly.
In concert with the Labor and Treasury Departments' joint initiative on retirement nationalization, Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-MN) and John Kerry (D-MA) introduced legislation on August 5. Their bill, S. 3760, would impose mandatory IRAs on the employees of most companies in America, requiring them to deposit 3% of employee earnings into government-approved "investments" unless those employees specifically opt out. (And their wages would be automatically sunk into "principal preservation investments," which is French for government bonds.)
On the table is the subject of new regulations governing how 401(k) and IRA fund managers and account holders invest their funds, with bureaucrats searching for ways to "encourage" or outright mandate purchase of government bonds or annuities (fixed-income instruments which hold government bonds).
Meanwhile, it is anticipated the threat of revoking tax-advantages of 401(k)s and IRAs will be used as a tool to impose the potential new rules.
Wall Street Journal pulled no punches this morning. It said: “Hopes of a U.S.-led recovery have faded as American consumers retrench. Bursts of growth in Japan and Germany are waning or expected to do so. China and other big developing nations are still growing strongly, but at a slower rate than they were not long ago.”
Help keep your septic system fresh by flushing a cup of baking soda down the toilet ever so often
...we also put a few small packets of baking yeast down too.
Favorite Hiding Spots for Cash
WalletPop recently did a story about favorite places folks hid there money…usually from a significant other vs. burglar. In our Poor Man’s Guide to Homestead Protection we have an entire PDF devoted to that as compiled by the DEA & other government snoops and I won’t tell you where we hide our millions but…here are a few of the favorites.
Inside fake or real potted plants
In the toilet paper roll - the spare one most folks put on the tank
Inside the Tampon box - guys gotta love that one as we’d never think of it!
Inside old purses hanging in the closet
My favorite…inside fake PVC plumbing pipes set up to look like the real deal
Actually, using PVC pipe to store foodstocks, ammo, cash, etc and bury them on your property isn’t a bad idea as most often it will fool metal detectors and offers good, long-lasting protection from the elements.
Road sign seen while entering the nation’s capitol “Welcome to Washington DC -’damn the citizen’
The number of unique visitors (shoppers) to eBay have dropped from this
time last year.
Let's look at the numbers.
In July 2009, there were 33.7 million listings on eBay. (source: medved)
In July 2010, there were 133 million listings on eBay .
In July 2009, there were 73 million unique visitors on eBay (source: compete)
In July 2010, there were 68 million unique visitors on eBay
>>>Find a Kennel Fast if you're leaving for a quick trip and are unable to find someone to watch your pet at:
www.KennelFinder.com
If you're worried about the environment, here are 10 "green" moves you can make that also have a payback—they'll help the earth and your wallet.
1. Stop the energy leaks from your home. Just over a fifth of U.S. energy consumption happens at people's homes, says the Department of Energy. That costs the average homeowner $2,400 a year. Half of that goes to heating and cooling, much of which is pure waste. Insulate ceilings and walls. Seal cracks and gaps. "Often people have so many small leaks around the home that it's the equivalent of having a three-foot by three-foot window wide open," says Kateri Callahan, president of the Washington-based nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy. More at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703431604575468132402883368.html?mod=WSJ_PersonalFinance_PF5
Store brands vs. name brands
In our latest taste-off, store-brand foods were often at least as good
Any smart supermarket shopper knows that buying store-brand products instead of big names can save big bucks. In our latest price study, filling a shopping cart with store brands saved us an average of 30 percent. If you spend $100 a week on groceries, those savings add up to more than $1,500 a year. Source: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/october/shopping/store-brands-vs-name-brands/overview/index.htm
This Week’s Video Clips (something I include periodically. Our PM videos have already received more than 1200 views)!
Gerald Celente’s prediction-Greece was the canary in the economic mineshaft; the bubble is bursting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdxgWQWqsS4&feature=player_embedded#!
Cute song about our leaders in Washington-When you’re holding the hammer, everything looks like a nail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfH46DTAkxo&feature=player_embedded#!
As you probably already know, Liberty.com recently finished building a state-of-the-art, high-definition online TV studio in our Las Vegas headquarters.
We're currently in the process of developing five different channels of content, and we've partnered with TeaPartyHD.com to feed their content through our sites as well.
Remember when Ronald Reagan was president, we also had Bob Hope and Johnny Cash still with us...
Now we have Obama... and -no Hope- and -no Cash-!
Tips for beating a traffic ticket…
Government at every level is desperate for your cash and are stepping up enforcement of what I’ve always called “create-a-crime” rules in order to collect more cash-fines are now at abnormally high rates and no longer fit the ‘crime.’
If you do get pulled over, remember these tips:
Don't admit guilt. It's the police officer's duty to tell you what you did wrong. If he asks a question like, "Do you know how fast you were going?" he's only giving you rope with which to hang yourself. Instead, simply state that you believe you were driving safely.
Be polite and cooperative. Don't start antagonizing the officer. If he questions you, don't be sarcastic or condescending. Police have tremendous discretion, and being polite may result in you being cut some slack. If you end up in traffic court, testimony that you were belligerent won't earn you any sympathy from the judge either. Just remember that you have to walk a thin line. Be courteous but brief, not volunteering any information unnecessarily. Generally, keep your mouth shut and let the officer do the talking.
You Can Beat the Traffic Nannies
If you're given a ticket, you have a right to defend yourself in a courtroom. Most people opt to avoid the hassle and simply pay the ticket, which is exactly what the greedy town bureaucrats want to happen. If you have the time and think you have a case, take your ticket to court.
First, there is a reasonable chance the police officer won't show up in the first place. Cops are busy on their beats during the day and sometimes don't have time to attend traffic trials. If the officer is not present in court and you are, the ticket automatically gets dropped.
Most states technically view traffic infractions as criminal matters, rather than civil. This means that the burden of proof is higher – requiring your guilt to be established "beyond a reasonable doubt."
If the traffic violation is a civil matter in your jurisdiction, you are innocent until proven guilty by "a preponderance of the evidence." In either case, your goal is not necessarily to establish your total and undeniable innocence, but to show why the evidence presented against you is inaccurate, unreliable, or insufficient to establish your guilt.
Regardless of which standard of proof applies to your case, here are a few pointers:
Don't rely on your word alone. Against the word of a law enforcement officer, the judge will side against you virtually every time absent any documents, photographs, witnesses, or other evidence to corroborate your testimony.
Request a copy of the radar gun manual. Most speeding tickets are issued with help from a radar gun. Fortunately, these instruments are unreliable. Inside the manual will be a list of things that can cause inaccurate readings, such as wind and metal railings. Use this to further muddy the waters.
Check the speed written on the ticket. Sometimes the officer will write a lower speed on the ticket than the speed at which he clocked you. This is often done to compensate for faulty radar guns, which are sometimes calibrated too high. If you can credibly suggest the information on the ticket is inaccurate, you could win the case.
Consult with an attorney if you're confused about the law. Although the fine imposed by a traffic citation might be relatively small, the negative impact on your driving record and future insurance rates can be significant. Having a lawyer on your side improves your odds of defeating or reducing a costly ticket.
If you are convicted, attend driving school if it is presented as an option. While it may be a hassle, it could not only reduce the fine, but also save you hundreds of dollars in higher car insurance costs over time.
Avoid plastering your car with bumper stickers of any sort
Don't assume it's safe to follow a cop, especially if they're speeding
Don't hit the brakes when you see a cop; instead slow down naturally-keep an eye on traffic ahead of you for brake lights which often indicate a speed trap
For more information, check out the National Motorists Association (www.motorists.org). The NMA provides a directory of traffic attorneys and other valuable benefits. It will charge you $35 per year ($45 for your family) for membership.
Once upon a time, a college education in America was a one-way ticket to a high-paying job and a lofty socio-economic status. Part of its value derived from the fact that a college education was relatively rare. In 1950, only about 5% of all Americans held a bachelor's degree…now it’s a one-ticket to hefty debt and living at home again as the value of a degree is now questionable. Only 20% of graduate got a job offer last year.
America's public servants are now its masters
By Mort Zuckerman
There really are two Americas, but they are not captured by the standard class warfare speeches that dramatise the gulf between the rich and the poor. Of the new divisions, one is the gap between employed and unemployed that President Barack Obama seeks to close with yet another $50bn stimulus programme. Another is between workers in the private and public sectors. No guesses which are the more protected. A recent study by the Mayo Research Institute found that "private-sector workers were nearly three times more likely to be jobless than public- sector workers".
Political tension is bound to grow when jobs disappear faster in the private than the public sector, just as compensation in the former is squeezed more. There was a time when government work offered lower salaries than comparable jobs in the private sector, a difference for which the public sector compensated by providing more security and better benefits. No longer. These days, government employees are better off in almost every area: pay, benefits, time off and security, on top of working fewer hours. Public workers have become a privileged class - an elite who live better than their private-sector counterparts. Public servants have become the public's masters.
Take federal employees. For nine years in a row, they have been awarded bigger average pay and benefit increases than private-sector workers. In 2008, the average wage for 1.9m federal civilian workers was more than $79,000, against an average of about $50,000 for the nation's 108m private-sector workers, measured in full-time equivalents. Ninety per cent of government employees receive lifetime pension benefits versus 18 per cent of private employees. Public service employees continue to gain annual salary increases; they retire earlier with instant, guaranteed benefits paid for with the taxes of those very same private- sector workers.
Read the rest of this at our site under the Guest Column tab-PoorManSurvival.com
Parting thoughts…
Where will you get your food in the event of a collapse?
A reader wrote to let me know he’s new to self sufficiency practices and lives in an apartment, has limited income, lots of debt…where does he begin?
Most folks will look to stockpiled food supplies initially in the event of a complete collapse and this will work well for many who have taken the time put aside dehydrated and canned foods…but that will typically last about a year for most as expiration dates and supplies will dwindle.
Of course, you can and should begin to look at growing a garden - even if it is a container garden and perhaps raise a few rabbits or chickens. Stockpile items you can barter with such first aid supplies, liquor and ammunition. But I always ask…
What would you do if your sole source of income dried up tomorrow?
Would you be prepared? Do you have a plan?
In these times, many income sources that were considered 'stable' in the old system will be at risk; this includes retirement pensions, investment income, salaries and wages, and small business profits.
For example, retirees living on company pensions could easily see their monthly stipends fall due to corporate bankruptcies. And while public pensions like Social Security are unlikely to change in the short-term, this broken system will undoubtedly see massive restructuring in the next decade.
Meanwhile, many small business owners and self-employed professionals may suffer reduced revenue as market conditions and consumer priorities shift; this has already happened to many businesses in the retail and real estate sectors.
For salaried workers, we live in a rather bizarre time when corporate profits are surging, yet revenue growth is lackluster. Companies are cutting back on expenses by reducing their headcounts and squeezing every ounce of productivity out of a smaller workforce.
Millions of people are now unemployed and without a backup plan. Politicians make empty speeches about hope and better times ahead, but they offer little more than hot air and higher deficits.
The thing is, there is a way out... self-reliance is the way to survive and …
At the end of the day, we only have ourselves to rely on, and our own livelihood and that of our families hinges on this fact. As such, it's critical to declare economic independence by seeking alternate sources of income.
In a down economy, it's not like all economic activity stops; unemployment may be 10%+, underemployment may be 20%+, but there is still 80% of the workforce that is getting paid and allocating their income towards purchases each and every month.
The critical difference is that their priorities have shifted. In general, people are no longer looking to spend their money on useless trinkets or expensive consumables. But they will gladly spend on the things that they actually need.
That’s it for now from that damnable citizen, the Poor Man!
Feel free to send your tips and suggestions to us at: PoorManSurvivor@yahoo.com
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBooknook.com
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In this issue:
Beat a traffic ticket
Favorite hiding spots for cash, etc.
10 Green moves to save cash & the planet
Guest editorial from Mort Z-America's 'Public Servants'
Ethan Harris, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist says of the recovery: “We were waiting for the second stage of the rocket, and it just fizzled out” ...
Top 10 “industries” which will never come back…
The Wall Street Journal featured a story this week announcing which industries will never recover and at the top of the list were city and state government workers. The Poor Man has always stated the “G” in government stood for two things - Gouge the citizen and Growth Industry.
We’ve reported several times that government workers make more than private sector employees for some time now and many studies have verified this…but “government” was never supposed to be an industry!
With the exception of Hamilton, our founding fathers warned us repeatedly about the central government becoming too strong. Of course, leftists, socialists and other democrats have long ignored that and in many cases, so have the republicans. Both parties have proven themselves a danger to the national trust and interest and have imperiled our nation. The feds have routinely ignored the Constitution or have bent it to suit their purposes and few objected to these traitorous actions and now we’re all paying the price for their greed and folly.
Local government too have grown beyond its responsibility and cost communities dearly. If you follow us on Facebook you have seen our reports on local government folly such as the one community which fined a resident $5000 for growing too many vegetables on his 10 acres! What arrogance - these local politicos need to be tarred & feathered.
Also, as we reported at the beginning of the year, the feds will be targeting your retirement accounts soon to cover their debts (not our debt).
Standard and Poor's, a top rater of debt instruments, issued a statement in August “that Congress must act soon to control its spending in order to protect the government's so-called "AAA-rating" status. If the U.S is downgraded to a "AA" credit rating, attracting bond buyers will be an even dicier proposition.”
The London-based office of Morgan Stanley flashed a warning on August 24 that government debt defaults are all but inevitable…
"The sovereign debt crisis is global, and is not over," noted a top Stanley Morgan official. While Stanley Morgan soft-peddled Uncle Scam's financial dilemma, the warning was clearly aimed at the United States Congress and the Obama Administration. "We don't think these political decisions on tackling the public finances can be put off forever," their spokesman said sheepishly.
In concert with the Labor and Treasury Departments' joint initiative on retirement nationalization, Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-MN) and John Kerry (D-MA) introduced legislation on August 5. Their bill, S. 3760, would impose mandatory IRAs on the employees of most companies in America, requiring them to deposit 3% of employee earnings into government-approved "investments" unless those employees specifically opt out. (And their wages would be automatically sunk into "principal preservation investments," which is French for government bonds.)
On the table is the subject of new regulations governing how 401(k) and IRA fund managers and account holders invest their funds, with bureaucrats searching for ways to "encourage" or outright mandate purchase of government bonds or annuities (fixed-income instruments which hold government bonds).
Meanwhile, it is anticipated the threat of revoking tax-advantages of 401(k)s and IRAs will be used as a tool to impose the potential new rules.
Wall Street Journal pulled no punches this morning. It said: “Hopes of a U.S.-led recovery have faded as American consumers retrench. Bursts of growth in Japan and Germany are waning or expected to do so. China and other big developing nations are still growing strongly, but at a slower rate than they were not long ago.”
Help keep your septic system fresh by flushing a cup of baking soda down the toilet ever so often
...we also put a few small packets of baking yeast down too.
Favorite Hiding Spots for Cash
WalletPop recently did a story about favorite places folks hid there money…usually from a significant other vs. burglar. In our Poor Man’s Guide to Homestead Protection we have an entire PDF devoted to that as compiled by the DEA & other government snoops and I won’t tell you where we hide our millions but…here are a few of the favorites.
Inside fake or real potted plants
In the toilet paper roll - the spare one most folks put on the tank
Inside the Tampon box - guys gotta love that one as we’d never think of it!
Inside old purses hanging in the closet
My favorite…inside fake PVC plumbing pipes set up to look like the real deal
Actually, using PVC pipe to store foodstocks, ammo, cash, etc and bury them on your property isn’t a bad idea as most often it will fool metal detectors and offers good, long-lasting protection from the elements.
Road sign seen while entering the nation’s capitol “Welcome to Washington DC -’damn the citizen’
The number of unique visitors (shoppers) to eBay have dropped from this
time last year.
Let's look at the numbers.
In July 2009, there were 33.7 million listings on eBay. (source: medved)
In July 2010, there were 133 million listings on eBay .
In July 2009, there were 73 million unique visitors on eBay (source: compete)
In July 2010, there were 68 million unique visitors on eBay
>>>Find a Kennel Fast if you're leaving for a quick trip and are unable to find someone to watch your pet at:
www.KennelFinder.com
If you're worried about the environment, here are 10 "green" moves you can make that also have a payback—they'll help the earth and your wallet.
1. Stop the energy leaks from your home. Just over a fifth of U.S. energy consumption happens at people's homes, says the Department of Energy. That costs the average homeowner $2,400 a year. Half of that goes to heating and cooling, much of which is pure waste. Insulate ceilings and walls. Seal cracks and gaps. "Often people have so many small leaks around the home that it's the equivalent of having a three-foot by three-foot window wide open," says Kateri Callahan, president of the Washington-based nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy. More at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703431604575468132402883368.html?mod=WSJ_PersonalFinance_PF5
Store brands vs. name brands
In our latest taste-off, store-brand foods were often at least as good
Any smart supermarket shopper knows that buying store-brand products instead of big names can save big bucks. In our latest price study, filling a shopping cart with store brands saved us an average of 30 percent. If you spend $100 a week on groceries, those savings add up to more than $1,500 a year. Source: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/october/shopping/store-brands-vs-name-brands/overview/index.htm
This Week’s Video Clips (something I include periodically. Our PM videos have already received more than 1200 views)!
Gerald Celente’s prediction-Greece was the canary in the economic mineshaft; the bubble is bursting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdxgWQWqsS4&feature=player_embedded#!
Cute song about our leaders in Washington-When you’re holding the hammer, everything looks like a nail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfH46DTAkxo&feature=player_embedded#!
As you probably already know, Liberty.com recently finished building a state-of-the-art, high-definition online TV studio in our Las Vegas headquarters.
We're currently in the process of developing five different channels of content, and we've partnered with TeaPartyHD.com to feed their content through our sites as well.
Remember when Ronald Reagan was president, we also had Bob Hope and Johnny Cash still with us...
Now we have Obama... and -no Hope- and -no Cash-!
Tips for beating a traffic ticket…
Government at every level is desperate for your cash and are stepping up enforcement of what I’ve always called “create-a-crime” rules in order to collect more cash-fines are now at abnormally high rates and no longer fit the ‘crime.’
If you do get pulled over, remember these tips:
Don't admit guilt. It's the police officer's duty to tell you what you did wrong. If he asks a question like, "Do you know how fast you were going?" he's only giving you rope with which to hang yourself. Instead, simply state that you believe you were driving safely.
Be polite and cooperative. Don't start antagonizing the officer. If he questions you, don't be sarcastic or condescending. Police have tremendous discretion, and being polite may result in you being cut some slack. If you end up in traffic court, testimony that you were belligerent won't earn you any sympathy from the judge either. Just remember that you have to walk a thin line. Be courteous but brief, not volunteering any information unnecessarily. Generally, keep your mouth shut and let the officer do the talking.
You Can Beat the Traffic Nannies
If you're given a ticket, you have a right to defend yourself in a courtroom. Most people opt to avoid the hassle and simply pay the ticket, which is exactly what the greedy town bureaucrats want to happen. If you have the time and think you have a case, take your ticket to court.
First, there is a reasonable chance the police officer won't show up in the first place. Cops are busy on their beats during the day and sometimes don't have time to attend traffic trials. If the officer is not present in court and you are, the ticket automatically gets dropped.
Most states technically view traffic infractions as criminal matters, rather than civil. This means that the burden of proof is higher – requiring your guilt to be established "beyond a reasonable doubt."
If the traffic violation is a civil matter in your jurisdiction, you are innocent until proven guilty by "a preponderance of the evidence." In either case, your goal is not necessarily to establish your total and undeniable innocence, but to show why the evidence presented against you is inaccurate, unreliable, or insufficient to establish your guilt.
Regardless of which standard of proof applies to your case, here are a few pointers:
Don't rely on your word alone. Against the word of a law enforcement officer, the judge will side against you virtually every time absent any documents, photographs, witnesses, or other evidence to corroborate your testimony.
Request a copy of the radar gun manual. Most speeding tickets are issued with help from a radar gun. Fortunately, these instruments are unreliable. Inside the manual will be a list of things that can cause inaccurate readings, such as wind and metal railings. Use this to further muddy the waters.
Check the speed written on the ticket. Sometimes the officer will write a lower speed on the ticket than the speed at which he clocked you. This is often done to compensate for faulty radar guns, which are sometimes calibrated too high. If you can credibly suggest the information on the ticket is inaccurate, you could win the case.
Consult with an attorney if you're confused about the law. Although the fine imposed by a traffic citation might be relatively small, the negative impact on your driving record and future insurance rates can be significant. Having a lawyer on your side improves your odds of defeating or reducing a costly ticket.
If you are convicted, attend driving school if it is presented as an option. While it may be a hassle, it could not only reduce the fine, but also save you hundreds of dollars in higher car insurance costs over time.
Avoid plastering your car with bumper stickers of any sort
Don't assume it's safe to follow a cop, especially if they're speeding
Don't hit the brakes when you see a cop; instead slow down naturally-keep an eye on traffic ahead of you for brake lights which often indicate a speed trap
For more information, check out the National Motorists Association (www.motorists.org). The NMA provides a directory of traffic attorneys and other valuable benefits. It will charge you $35 per year ($45 for your family) for membership.
Once upon a time, a college education in America was a one-way ticket to a high-paying job and a lofty socio-economic status. Part of its value derived from the fact that a college education was relatively rare. In 1950, only about 5% of all Americans held a bachelor's degree…now it’s a one-ticket to hefty debt and living at home again as the value of a degree is now questionable. Only 20% of graduate got a job offer last year.
America's public servants are now its masters
By Mort Zuckerman
There really are two Americas, but they are not captured by the standard class warfare speeches that dramatise the gulf between the rich and the poor. Of the new divisions, one is the gap between employed and unemployed that President Barack Obama seeks to close with yet another $50bn stimulus programme. Another is between workers in the private and public sectors. No guesses which are the more protected. A recent study by the Mayo Research Institute found that "private-sector workers were nearly three times more likely to be jobless than public- sector workers".
Political tension is bound to grow when jobs disappear faster in the private than the public sector, just as compensation in the former is squeezed more. There was a time when government work offered lower salaries than comparable jobs in the private sector, a difference for which the public sector compensated by providing more security and better benefits. No longer. These days, government employees are better off in almost every area: pay, benefits, time off and security, on top of working fewer hours. Public workers have become a privileged class - an elite who live better than their private-sector counterparts. Public servants have become the public's masters.
Take federal employees. For nine years in a row, they have been awarded bigger average pay and benefit increases than private-sector workers. In 2008, the average wage for 1.9m federal civilian workers was more than $79,000, against an average of about $50,000 for the nation's 108m private-sector workers, measured in full-time equivalents. Ninety per cent of government employees receive lifetime pension benefits versus 18 per cent of private employees. Public service employees continue to gain annual salary increases; they retire earlier with instant, guaranteed benefits paid for with the taxes of those very same private- sector workers.
Read the rest of this at our site under the Guest Column tab-PoorManSurvival.com
Parting thoughts…
Where will you get your food in the event of a collapse?
A reader wrote to let me know he’s new to self sufficiency practices and lives in an apartment, has limited income, lots of debt…where does he begin?
Most folks will look to stockpiled food supplies initially in the event of a complete collapse and this will work well for many who have taken the time put aside dehydrated and canned foods…but that will typically last about a year for most as expiration dates and supplies will dwindle.
Of course, you can and should begin to look at growing a garden - even if it is a container garden and perhaps raise a few rabbits or chickens. Stockpile items you can barter with such first aid supplies, liquor and ammunition. But I always ask…
What would you do if your sole source of income dried up tomorrow?
Would you be prepared? Do you have a plan?
In these times, many income sources that were considered 'stable' in the old system will be at risk; this includes retirement pensions, investment income, salaries and wages, and small business profits.
For example, retirees living on company pensions could easily see their monthly stipends fall due to corporate bankruptcies. And while public pensions like Social Security are unlikely to change in the short-term, this broken system will undoubtedly see massive restructuring in the next decade.
Meanwhile, many small business owners and self-employed professionals may suffer reduced revenue as market conditions and consumer priorities shift; this has already happened to many businesses in the retail and real estate sectors.
For salaried workers, we live in a rather bizarre time when corporate profits are surging, yet revenue growth is lackluster. Companies are cutting back on expenses by reducing their headcounts and squeezing every ounce of productivity out of a smaller workforce.
Millions of people are now unemployed and without a backup plan. Politicians make empty speeches about hope and better times ahead, but they offer little more than hot air and higher deficits.
The thing is, there is a way out... self-reliance is the way to survive and …
At the end of the day, we only have ourselves to rely on, and our own livelihood and that of our families hinges on this fact. As such, it's critical to declare economic independence by seeking alternate sources of income.
In a down economy, it's not like all economic activity stops; unemployment may be 10%+, underemployment may be 20%+, but there is still 80% of the workforce that is getting paid and allocating their income towards purchases each and every month.
The critical difference is that their priorities have shifted. In general, people are no longer looking to spend their money on useless trinkets or expensive consumables. But they will gladly spend on the things that they actually need.
That’s it for now from that damnable citizen, the Poor Man!
Feel free to send your tips and suggestions to us at: PoorManSurvivor@yahoo.com
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBooknook.com
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Winter Disaster Preventionn Tips, Pemmican Recipes & More Tips
Bruce's Poor Man Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources!
Http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
Inside this issue:
Don't worry-be happy
New free resources-Unlocking the Code
End of season tomato recipe
Winter Weather Disaster Proofing Tips
Pemmican recipe
Senator Ernest Hollings, pointed out: "Obviously the first way to save social security is to stop looting it."
Don't Worry-Be happy! FEMA Coffins?
As many of you already know, our government is a master of manipulation, bender of the truth, princes of propaganda and what's left of mainstream media can no longer be relied upon to report the unbiased facts. Indeed, the challenge for any journalist is to sift through the many conspiracy theories in the search for truth.
Before he passed away, Ed, my longtime friend and CPA warned me against trusting the government and it took a long time for me to swallow that advice. But as many of us have discovered over the years, the government is organized crime and they have stolen the American Dream.
It hasn't been to tough to see how our fiat currency and its purchasing power has been diluted during my lifetime. When I was in high school our neighbor predicted houses would eventually cost $200,000 and everyone thought he was crazy. A brand new VW cost $1700 then – try to find a good sized lawn tractor for that today!
As we all know, the government is solely responsible for this decline in our standard of living...or was it you?
Recently, a new subscriber sent me websites showing FEMA coffins (which look like human-sized plastic totes) stacked up in a warehouse and with it a videotaped interview of two workers who spoke of the FEMA camps set up for dissident citizens and how the coffins were short term, used for body storage only until they were transported to a crematorium. Is there any basis of truth for this? I simply do not know. Rumors and urban legends all have some basis in truth which is how they are spread about the planet.
Some of the great government lies include the income tax, which when 'passed' the American public was told “this will never affect more than the top one percent of income earners in the country,” and everyone cheered! After all, we all want to 'stick it to the rich' until we become rich.
Another favorite was the great tobacco settlement done with the cooperation of all state governments and some legal vultures. The states made solemn promises to the public that all the money would be put into educating the young about the evils of smoking. Well, after all the lawyers made their millions and the states got their cash, guess what happened? Only one state lived up to their promise and the others promptly blew the money on pet projects until they were broke again – giving credence to that old saying about spending like drunken politicians!
Like the proverbial frog placed in a pot of cold water set to boil, none of us notice the Gestapo like methods and rules forced upon us in the name of protection or freedom (how much 1984 government double-speak can you take)?
So it's no wonder I take anything the government tells us with a grain of salt as like Native Americans are fond of saying...they “speak with forked tongues,” and that's not a conspiracy theory!
...excerpted from my forthcoming book, Lies My Government Told Me
“Our 4th Amendment & Constitution – May it rest in peace”
This week's resources, freebies & money saving ideas...
Extras for creative learning-good resource for teachers. Site redistributes excess inventory, outdated stock, overruns or seconds to artists, teachers, group leaders, etc.
www.EXCLRecyles.org
Team EcoEtsy...members share eco-news, eco-tips, member features and how-to's-good resource for reducing, reusing and recycling.
Www.Blog.EcoEtsy.com
Find healthcare coverage fast
Researching health care coverage can be a lot of work. Here's a new government resource designed to make things easier (I've not checked it out). Find the right policy by logging on, select your state, answer a few questions, etc.
www.HealthCare.gov
At our recent family reunion many attendees remarked they disliked using facebook to share details of their lives with the entire universe (you know those aliens are watching)...here's a site that is free and provides a way to share news, events, photos, etc.
www.ChatterTree.com
Sneaky bankers want your cash...despite new laws designed to protect consumers from fees that gouge, banking lawyers are paid the big bucks to figure out new ways to continue fat banking profits at your expense. That means services such as free checking will likely vanish...be sure to double check your statements for sneaky fees as they will not be announced boldly.
A code which unlocks big savings. Sunday newspaper circulars still provide a bountiful harvest of coupons and you can use their online sites for added savings. For instance, at www.RedPlum.com, you normally type in your zip code to instantly get coupons. Here's the secret...enter a different zip code and get a whole new set of coupons.
Quick fix for dull scissors...I learned this from my late mother (she should have written her own book). Make a few cuts through a sheet of sandpaper...works every time!
...here's another I learned from her: kill those annoying weeds which grown between sidewalk cracks with common table salt (apply to base of plant) and they will soon die. Cheaper than commercial sprays.
“Can you say 'quantitative easing?'
---2025 Government Theft Chapter from the Controlled Collapse Chronicles
End of season tomatoes...
Our crop was darn good n tasty this year but everyone always ends up with a final crop which can be canned in order to enjoy over the winter. Canning is a lot of work so here's a recipe which can be frozen...quick n easy gazpacho.
In a blender, mix 4 whole tomatoes-chopped
2 cucumbers,chopped
1 bell pepper-stemmed, seeded & chopped
1 large onion-chopped
1 bunch of cilantro
2 cloves of garlic and splash of red wine vinegar.
Blend till somewhat soupy but chunky and add salt and/or pepper to taste
Freeze in ziploc or other containers-thaw by placing in the fridge overnight.
Save $$$ on home repairs...leaky faucet, jammed window or other problem? Try the easy repair instructions at:
www.FixitClub.com
Need Parts for that car or truck but unwilling to buy them new? It's been reported that using parts from a store to build a car from the ground up would cost 10-30 times higher than off the showroom floor! Try the largest online USA recycling directory at:
www.junkyardjeffs.com
Hamburger Pemmican Bars
The Poor Man first tried pemmican while in the Boy Scouts – yech! This food bar started with the Native Americans who used mostly buffalo meat. It was a staple item among Indians and fur traders and some camping supply places sell it too. For this recipe it's recommended that some of the fat can be eliminated by tilting the pan when heat drying and pouring it off. You can add some berries for flavor or a crushed vitamin C tablet to prevent scurvy. Here you go:
1lb lean hamburger
¼ tsp black pepper, 1tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp salt, 1tsp honey, 1 vitamin C tablet powdered
1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp liquid smoke or soy, some red wine to soak
Soak all ingredients overnight in fridge, flatten on a cookie sheet and place in low over (300); tilt pan to collect melted fat and pour it off, then slice into bars and complete by air drying.
Thanks Sam for this recipe. I met Sam at the Woods n Water Expo in MI this weekend-a well attended outdoors festival where I also met many more like-minded folks, some of which I'll be writing about in future issues (especially about the S510 so-called food bill which threatens your right to grow food).
3/2010...Rasmussen Report Shows 59% of Americans
believe states should opt out of unconstitutional federal programs.
56% favor getting out of Obamacare!
Disaster Proofing Tips-Winter Weather
In this part of the world it seemed as if summer ended and autumn started overnight. Winter can bring on a new set of challenges during emergencies as snow and ice storms can paralyze entire regions as we witnessed last season in the north east and Atlantic seaboard states. Power outages can last for days and it's important to have backup power supplies as we wrote about a few issues back in regard to choosing a generator.
Long-lasting cold can burst your water pipes, so prepare your home by shutting off the water supply at the source; then open the lowest faucet and drain your pipes...be sure to save some water for drinking and cooking and cleaning. Remember: eating snow is a dangerous way to hydrate and can lead to hypothermia.
Stay home during storms. Nearly 70% of winter fatalities occur in cars...so stay indoors and off the road! That's why it is important to stockpile extra food – this helps you avoid dangerous trips to the grocer. Camp out in your living room if you don't have a generator, it will keep the family warmer.
If your toilet freezes or you want to prevent it from freezing, pour some RV grade anti-freeze into it or in a pinch, some vodka.
Remember to clean your gutters before winter hits so they don't back up and freeze.
Recent large-scale blackouts/power outages have lasted as long as three weeks and can happen anywhere, anytime due to our aging power grid. It's important to keep a generator or other means of power, crank-style radio, flashlights and batteries, candles, emergency food supply on hand. Landlines and cell phones may not always work. A useful and free service called “I'm OK” can create an emergency contact list for you which will allow a single text message to get out. Go to: www.imokapp.appspot.com
You're always ahead of the game by making weatherization improvements to your home before winter arrives. Have your furnace, wood stove, sump pump, etc. checked beforehand and make necessary adjustments.
Keep a supply of candles, oil lamps & lamp oil on hand and board games and books to occupy yourself and family during power outages. DIY video on lighting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUS6oBcI1h8&feature=related or this site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgDWjESSuLk&feature=related
Most folks, especially retirees, opt for keeping money in the bank as opposed to making simple home improvements and other damage preventing tasks...most think damages only happen to others and are willing to gamble against natural disasters such as winter storms, hurricanes, floods, and the like. You can't protect your home and family while the damn wind is blowing over your home as it is too late then. Don't be one of those fighting over the last bag of Frito-Lays at the grocery store, take steps now to assess the range of threats you might face in your neck of the woods.
On the general side of preparedness, experts suggest that families plan out escape routes, have an emergency 'get-away' kit always packed (see PM issue from three weeks ago), create a plan for contacting family members during a crisis. Contact your local Red Cross for more information on such planning or visit the Poor Man site for additional resources.
Government workers don't pay taxes-they consume them!
Parting thoughts-gems of wisdom
I recently read of a study performed on the fate of lottery winners in Florida...kind of interesting and its matches other studies I've heard about. The majority of them had declared bankruptcy in the 5th year and had few or no assets to speak of.
Few schools teach money management or even how to balance a checkbook; they do teach you how to graduate college with a useless degree and tens of thousands of dollars of debt as a means of starting out in life. The study concluded that many of these lottery winners typified many of us during the go-go years in that we all needed to join Spendthrifts Anonymous. Many had wasted their winnings on depreciating assets such as cars, boats, jewelry and other baubles and toys.
Others looked to instant gratification, buying friendships and other status enhancing items to blow their funds. Few had a home to show for their efforts, though some might say how homes have lost their value too and that is true...if you have a mortgage, this would not be a good thing.
I've been poor and I've been rich. In a previous life I learned the richer I became, the faster my former spouse would blow our money on many of the above items...none of it ever made her happier as there was always something else she wanted. If and when she got that next 'thing' she'd be happy – for about a minute and then she'd begin plotting her next 'gotta have it' purchase.
My basic rule of thumb for purchases falls into the following categories:
Buy for resale – buy cheap, sell for more>>basic business
Buy to make my business run better, faster, cheaper, make more money
Buy assets that will increase in value (generally not the stock market)
Invest in learning new skills to improve my life or business
After I sold my business and got divorced, losing a half million or more in the process, I managed (through creative financing) to purchase an 18,000 sq ft mansion where I was able continue selling my seminar and marketing services and a how to manual I had written...boy, did that piss off the ex! The point is...you should always be looking to acquire new skills for yourself and/or upgrade old skills and your network of contacts. When the publishing business was lost and newspapers in general began their decline, I had already developed other skill sets to keep afloat – and some months, that was all I could do!
I had managed to hang onto an extensive coin collection, something the ex knew nothing about, otherwise that too would have become hers. Cashing that in became somewhat of a salvation as it gave me the working capital I needed at the time.
The point is even during tough times, rough real estate markets and so on, opportunities exist. If I were a younger man, now would be the time for instance, to snatch up bargain properties. Fix them up and rent them out – even to Section 8 renters...at least you know you'd get a rent check each month and if you maintain or improve the property, some equity is built and you could eventually sell them. I have done this after the divorce and poured sweat equity into the homes and due to a bad economy then, I sold them all on a special lease-option program that I adapted from some how-to courses I had taken!
Living frugally even during good times allows you to live well. When you subscribed to this letter did you take advantage of our Eco Guide to Saving Money on Utilities? The money you save is like having it in the bank as opposed to making the utility company wealthier.
The Profits I generated allowed me and my current wife to live well without an income for nearly two years...what opportunities are you overlooking?
Finally, you've probably seen the national news regarding the 7-year-old Oregon girl who faced up to $500 in fines for selling lemonade due to some government creep; she was eventually given a reprieve after a public outcry but it smacks of Gestapo like action.
I keep getting reports regarding the coming war with Iran and how it will sink our economy and it wouldn't surprise me...as I reported last week, Israel now has a flight corridor open to them straight to Iran...won't surprise me if that country takes out Iran soon as it has performed similar actions in the past.
See the Voice of Reason to learn how our economy has become socialistic
http://www.voiceofreason.ws/
Yours for better living – your patriot poor man!
Patronize and share out sites...
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
http://www.OldBookNook.com
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
A Shallow Planet Production*
*NOTE: we're no longer mailing the Poor Man Guide to Homestead Protection & BoobyTraps
... available now as a download only (you get it faster and we now include other bonuses too)
Your choice for urban survival resources!
Http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
Inside this issue:
Don't worry-be happy
New free resources-Unlocking the Code
End of season tomato recipe
Winter Weather Disaster Proofing Tips
Pemmican recipe
Senator Ernest Hollings, pointed out: "Obviously the first way to save social security is to stop looting it."
Don't Worry-Be happy! FEMA Coffins?
As many of you already know, our government is a master of manipulation, bender of the truth, princes of propaganda and what's left of mainstream media can no longer be relied upon to report the unbiased facts. Indeed, the challenge for any journalist is to sift through the many conspiracy theories in the search for truth.
Before he passed away, Ed, my longtime friend and CPA warned me against trusting the government and it took a long time for me to swallow that advice. But as many of us have discovered over the years, the government is organized crime and they have stolen the American Dream.
It hasn't been to tough to see how our fiat currency and its purchasing power has been diluted during my lifetime. When I was in high school our neighbor predicted houses would eventually cost $200,000 and everyone thought he was crazy. A brand new VW cost $1700 then – try to find a good sized lawn tractor for that today!
As we all know, the government is solely responsible for this decline in our standard of living...or was it you?
Recently, a new subscriber sent me websites showing FEMA coffins (which look like human-sized plastic totes) stacked up in a warehouse and with it a videotaped interview of two workers who spoke of the FEMA camps set up for dissident citizens and how the coffins were short term, used for body storage only until they were transported to a crematorium. Is there any basis of truth for this? I simply do not know. Rumors and urban legends all have some basis in truth which is how they are spread about the planet.
Some of the great government lies include the income tax, which when 'passed' the American public was told “this will never affect more than the top one percent of income earners in the country,” and everyone cheered! After all, we all want to 'stick it to the rich' until we become rich.
Another favorite was the great tobacco settlement done with the cooperation of all state governments and some legal vultures. The states made solemn promises to the public that all the money would be put into educating the young about the evils of smoking. Well, after all the lawyers made their millions and the states got their cash, guess what happened? Only one state lived up to their promise and the others promptly blew the money on pet projects until they were broke again – giving credence to that old saying about spending like drunken politicians!
Like the proverbial frog placed in a pot of cold water set to boil, none of us notice the Gestapo like methods and rules forced upon us in the name of protection or freedom (how much 1984 government double-speak can you take)?
So it's no wonder I take anything the government tells us with a grain of salt as like Native Americans are fond of saying...they “speak with forked tongues,” and that's not a conspiracy theory!
...excerpted from my forthcoming book, Lies My Government Told Me
“Our 4th Amendment & Constitution – May it rest in peace”
This week's resources, freebies & money saving ideas...
Extras for creative learning-good resource for teachers. Site redistributes excess inventory, outdated stock, overruns or seconds to artists, teachers, group leaders, etc.
www.EXCLRecyles.org
Team EcoEtsy...members share eco-news, eco-tips, member features and how-to's-good resource for reducing, reusing and recycling.
Www.Blog.EcoEtsy.com
Find healthcare coverage fast
Researching health care coverage can be a lot of work. Here's a new government resource designed to make things easier (I've not checked it out). Find the right policy by logging on, select your state, answer a few questions, etc.
www.HealthCare.gov
At our recent family reunion many attendees remarked they disliked using facebook to share details of their lives with the entire universe (you know those aliens are watching)...here's a site that is free and provides a way to share news, events, photos, etc.
www.ChatterTree.com
Sneaky bankers want your cash...despite new laws designed to protect consumers from fees that gouge, banking lawyers are paid the big bucks to figure out new ways to continue fat banking profits at your expense. That means services such as free checking will likely vanish...be sure to double check your statements for sneaky fees as they will not be announced boldly.
A code which unlocks big savings. Sunday newspaper circulars still provide a bountiful harvest of coupons and you can use their online sites for added savings. For instance, at www.RedPlum.com, you normally type in your zip code to instantly get coupons. Here's the secret...enter a different zip code and get a whole new set of coupons.
Quick fix for dull scissors...I learned this from my late mother (she should have written her own book). Make a few cuts through a sheet of sandpaper...works every time!
...here's another I learned from her: kill those annoying weeds which grown between sidewalk cracks with common table salt (apply to base of plant) and they will soon die. Cheaper than commercial sprays.
“Can you say 'quantitative easing?'
---2025 Government Theft Chapter from the Controlled Collapse Chronicles
End of season tomatoes...
Our crop was darn good n tasty this year but everyone always ends up with a final crop which can be canned in order to enjoy over the winter. Canning is a lot of work so here's a recipe which can be frozen...quick n easy gazpacho.
In a blender, mix 4 whole tomatoes-chopped
2 cucumbers,chopped
1 bell pepper-stemmed, seeded & chopped
1 large onion-chopped
1 bunch of cilantro
2 cloves of garlic and splash of red wine vinegar.
Blend till somewhat soupy but chunky and add salt and/or pepper to taste
Freeze in ziploc or other containers-thaw by placing in the fridge overnight.
Save $$$ on home repairs...leaky faucet, jammed window or other problem? Try the easy repair instructions at:
www.FixitClub.com
Need Parts for that car or truck but unwilling to buy them new? It's been reported that using parts from a store to build a car from the ground up would cost 10-30 times higher than off the showroom floor! Try the largest online USA recycling directory at:
www.junkyardjeffs.com
Hamburger Pemmican Bars
The Poor Man first tried pemmican while in the Boy Scouts – yech! This food bar started with the Native Americans who used mostly buffalo meat. It was a staple item among Indians and fur traders and some camping supply places sell it too. For this recipe it's recommended that some of the fat can be eliminated by tilting the pan when heat drying and pouring it off. You can add some berries for flavor or a crushed vitamin C tablet to prevent scurvy. Here you go:
1lb lean hamburger
¼ tsp black pepper, 1tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp salt, 1tsp honey, 1 vitamin C tablet powdered
1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp liquid smoke or soy, some red wine to soak
Soak all ingredients overnight in fridge, flatten on a cookie sheet and place in low over (300); tilt pan to collect melted fat and pour it off, then slice into bars and complete by air drying.
Thanks Sam for this recipe. I met Sam at the Woods n Water Expo in MI this weekend-a well attended outdoors festival where I also met many more like-minded folks, some of which I'll be writing about in future issues (especially about the S510 so-called food bill which threatens your right to grow food).
3/2010...Rasmussen Report Shows 59% of Americans
believe states should opt out of unconstitutional federal programs.
56% favor getting out of Obamacare!
Disaster Proofing Tips-Winter Weather
In this part of the world it seemed as if summer ended and autumn started overnight. Winter can bring on a new set of challenges during emergencies as snow and ice storms can paralyze entire regions as we witnessed last season in the north east and Atlantic seaboard states. Power outages can last for days and it's important to have backup power supplies as we wrote about a few issues back in regard to choosing a generator.
Long-lasting cold can burst your water pipes, so prepare your home by shutting off the water supply at the source; then open the lowest faucet and drain your pipes...be sure to save some water for drinking and cooking and cleaning. Remember: eating snow is a dangerous way to hydrate and can lead to hypothermia.
Stay home during storms. Nearly 70% of winter fatalities occur in cars...so stay indoors and off the road! That's why it is important to stockpile extra food – this helps you avoid dangerous trips to the grocer. Camp out in your living room if you don't have a generator, it will keep the family warmer.
If your toilet freezes or you want to prevent it from freezing, pour some RV grade anti-freeze into it or in a pinch, some vodka.
Remember to clean your gutters before winter hits so they don't back up and freeze.
Recent large-scale blackouts/power outages have lasted as long as three weeks and can happen anywhere, anytime due to our aging power grid. It's important to keep a generator or other means of power, crank-style radio, flashlights and batteries, candles, emergency food supply on hand. Landlines and cell phones may not always work. A useful and free service called “I'm OK” can create an emergency contact list for you which will allow a single text message to get out. Go to: www.imokapp.appspot.com
You're always ahead of the game by making weatherization improvements to your home before winter arrives. Have your furnace, wood stove, sump pump, etc. checked beforehand and make necessary adjustments.
Keep a supply of candles, oil lamps & lamp oil on hand and board games and books to occupy yourself and family during power outages. DIY video on lighting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUS6oBcI1h8&feature=related or this site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgDWjESSuLk&feature=related
Most folks, especially retirees, opt for keeping money in the bank as opposed to making simple home improvements and other damage preventing tasks...most think damages only happen to others and are willing to gamble against natural disasters such as winter storms, hurricanes, floods, and the like. You can't protect your home and family while the damn wind is blowing over your home as it is too late then. Don't be one of those fighting over the last bag of Frito-Lays at the grocery store, take steps now to assess the range of threats you might face in your neck of the woods.
On the general side of preparedness, experts suggest that families plan out escape routes, have an emergency 'get-away' kit always packed (see PM issue from three weeks ago), create a plan for contacting family members during a crisis. Contact your local Red Cross for more information on such planning or visit the Poor Man site for additional resources.
Government workers don't pay taxes-they consume them!
Parting thoughts-gems of wisdom
I recently read of a study performed on the fate of lottery winners in Florida...kind of interesting and its matches other studies I've heard about. The majority of them had declared bankruptcy in the 5th year and had few or no assets to speak of.
Few schools teach money management or even how to balance a checkbook; they do teach you how to graduate college with a useless degree and tens of thousands of dollars of debt as a means of starting out in life. The study concluded that many of these lottery winners typified many of us during the go-go years in that we all needed to join Spendthrifts Anonymous. Many had wasted their winnings on depreciating assets such as cars, boats, jewelry and other baubles and toys.
Others looked to instant gratification, buying friendships and other status enhancing items to blow their funds. Few had a home to show for their efforts, though some might say how homes have lost their value too and that is true...if you have a mortgage, this would not be a good thing.
I've been poor and I've been rich. In a previous life I learned the richer I became, the faster my former spouse would blow our money on many of the above items...none of it ever made her happier as there was always something else she wanted. If and when she got that next 'thing' she'd be happy – for about a minute and then she'd begin plotting her next 'gotta have it' purchase.
My basic rule of thumb for purchases falls into the following categories:
Buy for resale – buy cheap, sell for more>>basic business
Buy to make my business run better, faster, cheaper, make more money
Buy assets that will increase in value (generally not the stock market)
Invest in learning new skills to improve my life or business
After I sold my business and got divorced, losing a half million or more in the process, I managed (through creative financing) to purchase an 18,000 sq ft mansion where I was able continue selling my seminar and marketing services and a how to manual I had written...boy, did that piss off the ex! The point is...you should always be looking to acquire new skills for yourself and/or upgrade old skills and your network of contacts. When the publishing business was lost and newspapers in general began their decline, I had already developed other skill sets to keep afloat – and some months, that was all I could do!
I had managed to hang onto an extensive coin collection, something the ex knew nothing about, otherwise that too would have become hers. Cashing that in became somewhat of a salvation as it gave me the working capital I needed at the time.
The point is even during tough times, rough real estate markets and so on, opportunities exist. If I were a younger man, now would be the time for instance, to snatch up bargain properties. Fix them up and rent them out – even to Section 8 renters...at least you know you'd get a rent check each month and if you maintain or improve the property, some equity is built and you could eventually sell them. I have done this after the divorce and poured sweat equity into the homes and due to a bad economy then, I sold them all on a special lease-option program that I adapted from some how-to courses I had taken!
Living frugally even during good times allows you to live well. When you subscribed to this letter did you take advantage of our Eco Guide to Saving Money on Utilities? The money you save is like having it in the bank as opposed to making the utility company wealthier.
The Profits I generated allowed me and my current wife to live well without an income for nearly two years...what opportunities are you overlooking?
Finally, you've probably seen the national news regarding the 7-year-old Oregon girl who faced up to $500 in fines for selling lemonade due to some government creep; she was eventually given a reprieve after a public outcry but it smacks of Gestapo like action.
I keep getting reports regarding the coming war with Iran and how it will sink our economy and it wouldn't surprise me...as I reported last week, Israel now has a flight corridor open to them straight to Iran...won't surprise me if that country takes out Iran soon as it has performed similar actions in the past.
See the Voice of Reason to learn how our economy has become socialistic
http://www.voiceofreason.ws/
Yours for better living – your patriot poor man!
Patronize and share out sites...
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
http://www.OldBookNook.com
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
A Shallow Planet Production*
*NOTE: we're no longer mailing the Poor Man Guide to Homestead Protection & BoobyTraps
... available now as a download only (you get it faster and we now include other bonuses too)
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Bruce's Poor Man Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
Inside this issue:
•Big Government Gets Bigger
•Top 10 Tips for Surviving Simply
•Farewell from Journalist, Charlie Rose
•This week's freebies & resources
"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." --Samuel Adams
Many more comments from new subscribers this week including one wondering if the FBI is keeping tabs on me since I am so direct in my disgust with government...you never know but keep in mind, I never advocate violence.
Apparently many are finding the Poor Man YouTube movies and signing up as fans...we're already seeing comments on Facebook and other sites....
Bill Clinton once said: "It's not acceptable for an American to love his country and not respect its government."
What strange logic! Of course you can love your country and dislike the government that runs it, that's what a democracy is all about !
Like Thomas Paine and other Patriots of the Revolution, I consider myself more a pamphleteer, something the founders often did anonymously. Unlike them however, I do not advocate the overthrow of the government but rather a return to what made this country great...a small government that didn't interject itself into every aspect of our lives; one the respects the Bill of Rights.
When I attended journalism school there were more than 200 media firms in this country but we're down to five major, mega-corporations which rule and the media has gone from watchdog to lapdog, serving up their corporate masters.
That's one of the reasons the internet has become so popular, though filled with mis-information, it has become a valuable tool and often reports corporate and political shenanigans before mainstream media can blink.
September 17th is Constitution Day, something many in Congress have forgotten about. Check out a new book and website that offers a game plan for restoring a Constitutional government at: http://restorethebalance.us
>>>
I invite you to read the Charlie Rose's farewell article below sent to us by subscriber Jim to see why I feel patriotic, but why I find Washington's lack of feeling for the common person so terrible. It also makes me recall the three boxes of freedom:
•The Soap Box
•The Ballot Box
•The Ammo Box
As I mentioned last week, September is also National Preparedness Month and you will find loads of useful resources on our site under the Citizen Preparedness section. I was looking through the new Emergency Essentials catalog and they feature a variety of books on getting prepared – all in the $12.95-$18.95 range plus shipping...nothing wrong with that but it reminds me of what a bargain the Poor Man CDs are at only $4.95 and they contain two to five times as much information! Our Poor Man III has over 270 files alone. We offer the largest amount of info on the net at the best price and consistently receive positive feedback on eBay and from our site.
I just started reading Jim Marrs book Trillion Dollar Conspiracy: how the new world order, man-made diseases, and zombie banks are destroying America.
I've read some of his other books including Rule by Secrecy and feel his work is always well researched and dovetails my own. Of course, all of us enjoy it when someone else provides additional veracity for our material...get your own copy today.
"I never let schooling interfere with my education"
--Mark Twain
This Week's Resource Roundup & Money Saving Tips
Go to the Crime Doctor for personal safety videos-free
www.crimedoctor.com
NOTE: Many have used the Poor Man's Guide to Home Defense CD which sells for only $4.95+$2.25 shipping – or save on shipping by getting the download link. Available at our site using PayPal or by emailing Poormansurvivor@gmail.com
Get Free Medical Care
A week in the IC unit once cost me $165,000 and I didn't have insurance so I wish I had known about these resources then...you can qualify for assistance even if your income is double the poverty level or if your account has been turned over for collection. Try these:
www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/compliance-recovery.htm or call 800-638-0742
National Inst. Of Health (medical research you may qualify for)
www.cc.nih.gov or call 800-411-1222
DIY Animal Repellent Spray
Probably not good to mix around young children as hot pepper sauce is the main ingredient. Effective against cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, and deer. You can use spreader to apply.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce such as Trappey's Red Devil
1 tablespoon commercial spreader such as Dragon or Science or ½ cup nondetergent soap
1 gallon water
Yield=1 gallon
Test a leaf before using.
Useful financial blogs to save some bacon
--One guy's efforts to save a buck by cutting grocery costs & more.
Http://www.fivecentnickel.com
Best Practical Advice from several sources:
www.tipd.com
Inspiring blog according to Money magazine
www.GetRichSlowly.org
Save on car insurance if you're out of work or...
--Driving less could save you anywhere from 5%-15%...call your insurer and ask. Also, consider dropping coverage to liability only if your car is worth less than $3500 or so. If you're retired and drive less, ask for a better rate and...never drop coverage if you're, for instance, out of the country for several months. Insurers look at your coverage history (among a dozen other things) so if coverage lapses it could cost you more to get insurance again. If you don't need coverage for an extended period of time, drop it to liability only.
Finally, if you can, pay your premium annually or semi-annually which often reflect a savings over $2 a month billing fees!
Thinking of a new, 'greener' vehicle?
Consider getting a diesel which are considered greener than hybrids. Modern diesels that run on low sulfur fuel are very clean and get nearly the same mileage AND they don't require disposal of non-recyclable battery packs...also, they're dependable and more easily serviced.
Quick n Easy Portable Root Cellar
Although we were mighty pleased with our first year garden, one crop failed and it looked as if it were due to some kind of fungus – our corn was crap...everything else was great...here's an easy way to make a portable root cellar.
Store your carrots, for instance, in an unglazed flower pot filled with clean sand. Cover the roots, and pick them out as you need them and keep the pot in a dry, cool, dark spot. We'll be experimenting with a larger garden in the coming year with the log house area.
Saving money with junk mail.
This is an easy one, even for those not accustomed to negotiating. When you get coupon mailers or other advertisements in your mailbox, check out offers made by competitors for such services as cell phones, TV, etc. When a better deal arrives, call your current provider and read them the offer – many will match or beat that deal!
>>>>
Charlie's Farewell Address to the American People
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations
and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the President,
can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can
pass it over his veto if they agree to.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that
what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red ..
If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's
because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan...
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement
plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they
hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice
they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from
whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the
belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy,"
"inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what
they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power..
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.
Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
---thanks for submitting this Jim!
The late, great comedian George Carlin once said, "I have certain rules I live by. My first rule: I don't believe anything the government tells me."
Big government getting bigger
by Donna Parrey
Filed under: Government spending, Private sector, public sector, Tax dollars, Federal budget
Nowhere is America's obesity epidemic more apparent than in our own government. We've already pointed out the decade-long trend in public sector job growth, but the underpinnings of that growth go beyond the simple addition of more jobs; it's indicative of the burgeoning infrastructure of government itself.
We examined the U.S. Census Bureau's "Census of Governments," which is conducted every five years and counts the number of "governments" in the country (federal, state, local). In total, it identified 89,527 governments in its latest published census from 2007 (the 2012 census has not yet been conducted). Keep in mind that our federal government accounts for "1" of these governments and our 50 state governments account for another "50" of this number. The huge remainder represents counties, municipalities, towns/townships, special districts and school districts. We found that in the decade from 1992 to 2002, the number of "governments" rose from 85,006 to 87,576, an increase of 2,570 entities requiring staffing and, of course, taxpayer support. Then in just half that time, from 2002 to 2007, the government count rose by another 1,951 entities! For more of the story, go to:
http://www.thefreeenterprisenation.org/blog/FEN-Blog/July-2010/Big-government-getting-bigger.aspx
"Guys like Clinton & Obama have never had a real job, never created a product or service, were never responsible for a payroll, they've primarily fed themselves at the public trough."
New Orleans TV Broadcast Showing Martial Law Fears-Helped by Clergy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK2g0TGaAZA&feature=related
Mother Earth News Fair in Pittsburgh, PA – Sept 25-26
http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/home.aspx?utm_content=GRT+eNEWS+09.03.10&utm_campaign=E-+Newsletters&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email
>>>
Ten Top Tips For Surviving Simply
In today's shattered economy, there has never been a better time to emulate the Amish a bit more...the Poor Man has written extensively about the Amish in previous issues. Ironically, we're working with an Amish carpenter to construct our cabin foundation.
•Food preservation. To survive in a crisis, you may need your food to last as long as possible. Canning can preserve your food for up to a year or more. Basic fruit canning is so simple that all you need are vacuum jars (like those glass ones you see in your grocery store) and a big pot. Low-acid foods, such as meats, fish, and vegetables, need to be prepared in a pressure canner like one sold by Lehman's which comes with a 100% bacteria-kill guarantee. Make sure you store all canned foods in a dark, damp location, such as a basement.
•Illumination. One of the first things you'll need in any emergency is light. The Amish have many traditional solutions such as a Roman-type olive oil jar-lamp, and a Victorian kerosene lamp. But they also use solar-power (remember they're not anti-science, they're just anti dependence). If you're using gas or oil – be careful! There's always a spike in house fires during a power outage. You can even obtain a solar-powered attic fan – a boon if your house loses air conditioning during a summer storm or power outage!
•Water. One of your biggest survival problems will be finding clean water. Then you have to ask the question: Do you purify or filter? Fortunately you can find items to meet all your needs (including how to sink a pump in your yard!) For on the move, or short-term needs, try emergency water purification tablets. Each one cleanses a quart of water and takes only four hours to work its magic. Colloidal Silver Generators are also fantastic for purifying water. NASA even uses silver to purify spacecraft systems!
•Composting toilet. If water shortages become more widespread, you'll need a safe and clean way to go to the bathroom. A composting toilet is the perfect way to go. (Make sure you keep a fan nearby to provide a good draft as well.) For emergency, non-permanent use, you can obtain a portable toilet that works with plastic sacks and sanitary gel. (It's also useful for camping and RV trips.)
•Gas refrigerator/freezer. This is a great alternative to electricity for storing food and drink. The Amish use versions powered by either gas or kerosene. (Make sure you stock up on wicks.) .
Tip: Another essential emergency tool you should consider is a treadle (pedal) sewing machine. Not only is it useful for your own needs – it could even provide a source of barter/income in a pinch.)
•Laundry. A hand washer is a great way to get your clothes clean without electric power. Some even have a wringer to squeeze excess water from the fabric and speed up drying time.
Tip: Consider getting some clothesline and clothespins for the drying process as well.
•Coffee. You're going to need a pick me up, but forget the electric grinder – you're going old school. Hand-cranked items like a coffee mill (and grain mill for making your own bread), ice-cream maker, butter churner, and even a hand-wound clock will make difficult days when you're literally powerless, much, much nicer.
I urge you to consider the items above. Perhaps you can share the costs with neighbors of like mind? Just like the Amish, preparedness and pulling together may be key to our survival in the coming years.
Take a look and begin familiarizing yourself with these options at the Amish informational shopping website: http://www.lehmans.com
Parting Shots...We need a working press
Due to a little known, unpublicized quirk in the law dating to 2006, the IRS may revoke the nonprofit status of nearly one in five organizations this week...if they hadn't filed an 8-question 'postcard' return. The exception would be churches but this stupid law affects nearly everyone else from 4-H groups to Amvets.
It used to be those groups with less than $25,000 in revenues would not be affected but that changed too as the IRS wants more information from these organizations. (The Poor Man sits on the board of a not-for-profit group which was not affected).
Most groups claim they've never heard of this new requirement despite the IRS mailing of more than 650,000 notices. I see two problems with this government crap.
•Where was the mainstream press on all of this? Have they relinquished their role as a watchdog of government? Of course they have. The media in this country is now owned by only five corporations...when I taught marketing at CSU that number was over 150 so it's apparent profits of corporate/Washington masters is the only thing that matters.
•Who comes up with these invasive, stupid laws and rules? Why aren't these people properly identified to the public so they my be properly vilified? The one exception was the MN Congressman who came up with the idiotic No Tobacco to Military law...his site has been swamped with angry emails to the point where he cut all contact off with non-residents.
No person or entity can logically keep up with the massive amount of laws and rules created each week at the federal and state level making everyone a lawbreaker of some sort and I believe that is what they want.
A reader sent me this thought upon hearing of the pullout of troops in Iraq...."The fighting for US troops isn't truly over with. After all, we still have 50,000 there...but the rest will probably be deployed to Iran as global sentiment builds to attack that country. All middle eastern & Gulf leaders want Iran taken out of the nuclear arms business & they know sanctions won't work."
Thanks Paul for your input and nothing would surprise me...basic military practice is to plan for all scenarios.
Finally, as I've been saying for some time, feebay has some expensive and nutty policies so I finally launched my Amazon account and sold a book within 24-hours. The entire process was mighty easy and there are no upfront listing fees. At one point, the Poor Man had over 10,000 books to in his personal library and through donations and sales, that number has been whittled down quite a bit and just in time...as of 2011 the IRS will stick its far-reaching nose into your business even further. Anyone who has sales exceeding $20,000 or more than 200 transactions in a single year will see PayPal providing that info to the feds...you need to practice what the Romans called "cervuslacessitus leo," or the stag at bay becomes a lion.
Until next time...I remain your contrarian, muck-raking Poor Man!
Please visit our sites in order to support our efforts!
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
A Shallow Planet Production
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
Inside this issue:
•Big Government Gets Bigger
•Top 10 Tips for Surviving Simply
•Farewell from Journalist, Charlie Rose
•This week's freebies & resources
"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." --Samuel Adams
Many more comments from new subscribers this week including one wondering if the FBI is keeping tabs on me since I am so direct in my disgust with government...you never know but keep in mind, I never advocate violence.
Apparently many are finding the Poor Man YouTube movies and signing up as fans...we're already seeing comments on Facebook and other sites....
Bill Clinton once said: "It's not acceptable for an American to love his country and not respect its government."
What strange logic! Of course you can love your country and dislike the government that runs it, that's what a democracy is all about !
Like Thomas Paine and other Patriots of the Revolution, I consider myself more a pamphleteer, something the founders often did anonymously. Unlike them however, I do not advocate the overthrow of the government but rather a return to what made this country great...a small government that didn't interject itself into every aspect of our lives; one the respects the Bill of Rights.
When I attended journalism school there were more than 200 media firms in this country but we're down to five major, mega-corporations which rule and the media has gone from watchdog to lapdog, serving up their corporate masters.
That's one of the reasons the internet has become so popular, though filled with mis-information, it has become a valuable tool and often reports corporate and political shenanigans before mainstream media can blink.
September 17th is Constitution Day, something many in Congress have forgotten about. Check out a new book and website that offers a game plan for restoring a Constitutional government at: http://restorethebalance.us
>>>
I invite you to read the Charlie Rose's farewell article below sent to us by subscriber Jim to see why I feel patriotic, but why I find Washington's lack of feeling for the common person so terrible. It also makes me recall the three boxes of freedom:
•The Soap Box
•The Ballot Box
•The Ammo Box
As I mentioned last week, September is also National Preparedness Month and you will find loads of useful resources on our site under the Citizen Preparedness section. I was looking through the new Emergency Essentials catalog and they feature a variety of books on getting prepared – all in the $12.95-$18.95 range plus shipping...nothing wrong with that but it reminds me of what a bargain the Poor Man CDs are at only $4.95 and they contain two to five times as much information! Our Poor Man III has over 270 files alone. We offer the largest amount of info on the net at the best price and consistently receive positive feedback on eBay and from our site.
I just started reading Jim Marrs book Trillion Dollar Conspiracy: how the new world order, man-made diseases, and zombie banks are destroying America.
I've read some of his other books including Rule by Secrecy and feel his work is always well researched and dovetails my own. Of course, all of us enjoy it when someone else provides additional veracity for our material...get your own copy today.
"I never let schooling interfere with my education"
--Mark Twain
This Week's Resource Roundup & Money Saving Tips
Go to the Crime Doctor for personal safety videos-free
www.crimedoctor.com
NOTE: Many have used the Poor Man's Guide to Home Defense CD which sells for only $4.95+$2.25 shipping – or save on shipping by getting the download link. Available at our site using PayPal or by emailing Poormansurvivor@gmail.com
Get Free Medical Care
A week in the IC unit once cost me $165,000 and I didn't have insurance so I wish I had known about these resources then...you can qualify for assistance even if your income is double the poverty level or if your account has been turned over for collection. Try these:
www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/compliance-recovery.htm or call 800-638-0742
National Inst. Of Health (medical research you may qualify for)
www.cc.nih.gov or call 800-411-1222
DIY Animal Repellent Spray
Probably not good to mix around young children as hot pepper sauce is the main ingredient. Effective against cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, and deer. You can use spreader to apply.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce such as Trappey's Red Devil
1 tablespoon commercial spreader such as Dragon or Science or ½ cup nondetergent soap
1 gallon water
Yield=1 gallon
Test a leaf before using.
Useful financial blogs to save some bacon
--One guy's efforts to save a buck by cutting grocery costs & more.
Http://www.fivecentnickel.com
Best Practical Advice from several sources:
www.tipd.com
Inspiring blog according to Money magazine
www.GetRichSlowly.org
Save on car insurance if you're out of work or...
--Driving less could save you anywhere from 5%-15%...call your insurer and ask. Also, consider dropping coverage to liability only if your car is worth less than $3500 or so. If you're retired and drive less, ask for a better rate and...never drop coverage if you're, for instance, out of the country for several months. Insurers look at your coverage history (among a dozen other things) so if coverage lapses it could cost you more to get insurance again. If you don't need coverage for an extended period of time, drop it to liability only.
Finally, if you can, pay your premium annually or semi-annually which often reflect a savings over $2 a month billing fees!
Thinking of a new, 'greener' vehicle?
Consider getting a diesel which are considered greener than hybrids. Modern diesels that run on low sulfur fuel are very clean and get nearly the same mileage AND they don't require disposal of non-recyclable battery packs...also, they're dependable and more easily serviced.
Quick n Easy Portable Root Cellar
Although we were mighty pleased with our first year garden, one crop failed and it looked as if it were due to some kind of fungus – our corn was crap...everything else was great...here's an easy way to make a portable root cellar.
Store your carrots, for instance, in an unglazed flower pot filled with clean sand. Cover the roots, and pick them out as you need them and keep the pot in a dry, cool, dark spot. We'll be experimenting with a larger garden in the coming year with the log house area.
Saving money with junk mail.
This is an easy one, even for those not accustomed to negotiating. When you get coupon mailers or other advertisements in your mailbox, check out offers made by competitors for such services as cell phones, TV, etc. When a better deal arrives, call your current provider and read them the offer – many will match or beat that deal!
>>>>
Charlie's Farewell Address to the American People
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations
and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the President,
can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can
pass it over his veto if they agree to.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that
what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red ..
If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's
because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan...
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement
plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they
hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice
they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from
whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the
belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy,"
"inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what
they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power..
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.
Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
---thanks for submitting this Jim!
The late, great comedian George Carlin once said, "I have certain rules I live by. My first rule: I don't believe anything the government tells me."
Big government getting bigger
by Donna Parrey
Filed under: Government spending, Private sector, public sector, Tax dollars, Federal budget
Nowhere is America's obesity epidemic more apparent than in our own government. We've already pointed out the decade-long trend in public sector job growth, but the underpinnings of that growth go beyond the simple addition of more jobs; it's indicative of the burgeoning infrastructure of government itself.
We examined the U.S. Census Bureau's "Census of Governments," which is conducted every five years and counts the number of "governments" in the country (federal, state, local). In total, it identified 89,527 governments in its latest published census from 2007 (the 2012 census has not yet been conducted). Keep in mind that our federal government accounts for "1" of these governments and our 50 state governments account for another "50" of this number. The huge remainder represents counties, municipalities, towns/townships, special districts and school districts. We found that in the decade from 1992 to 2002, the number of "governments" rose from 85,006 to 87,576, an increase of 2,570 entities requiring staffing and, of course, taxpayer support. Then in just half that time, from 2002 to 2007, the government count rose by another 1,951 entities! For more of the story, go to:
http://www.thefreeenterprisenation.org/blog/FEN-Blog/July-2010/Big-government-getting-bigger.aspx
"Guys like Clinton & Obama have never had a real job, never created a product or service, were never responsible for a payroll, they've primarily fed themselves at the public trough."
New Orleans TV Broadcast Showing Martial Law Fears-Helped by Clergy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK2g0TGaAZA&feature=related
Mother Earth News Fair in Pittsburgh, PA – Sept 25-26
http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/home.aspx?utm_content=GRT+eNEWS+09.03.10&utm_campaign=E-+Newsletters&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email
>>>
Ten Top Tips For Surviving Simply
In today's shattered economy, there has never been a better time to emulate the Amish a bit more...the Poor Man has written extensively about the Amish in previous issues. Ironically, we're working with an Amish carpenter to construct our cabin foundation.
•Food preservation. To survive in a crisis, you may need your food to last as long as possible. Canning can preserve your food for up to a year or more. Basic fruit canning is so simple that all you need are vacuum jars (like those glass ones you see in your grocery store) and a big pot. Low-acid foods, such as meats, fish, and vegetables, need to be prepared in a pressure canner like one sold by Lehman's which comes with a 100% bacteria-kill guarantee. Make sure you store all canned foods in a dark, damp location, such as a basement.
•Illumination. One of the first things you'll need in any emergency is light. The Amish have many traditional solutions such as a Roman-type olive oil jar-lamp, and a Victorian kerosene lamp. But they also use solar-power (remember they're not anti-science, they're just anti dependence). If you're using gas or oil – be careful! There's always a spike in house fires during a power outage. You can even obtain a solar-powered attic fan – a boon if your house loses air conditioning during a summer storm or power outage!
•Water. One of your biggest survival problems will be finding clean water. Then you have to ask the question: Do you purify or filter? Fortunately you can find items to meet all your needs (including how to sink a pump in your yard!) For on the move, or short-term needs, try emergency water purification tablets. Each one cleanses a quart of water and takes only four hours to work its magic. Colloidal Silver Generators are also fantastic for purifying water. NASA even uses silver to purify spacecraft systems!
•Composting toilet. If water shortages become more widespread, you'll need a safe and clean way to go to the bathroom. A composting toilet is the perfect way to go. (Make sure you keep a fan nearby to provide a good draft as well.) For emergency, non-permanent use, you can obtain a portable toilet that works with plastic sacks and sanitary gel. (It's also useful for camping and RV trips.)
•Gas refrigerator/freezer. This is a great alternative to electricity for storing food and drink. The Amish use versions powered by either gas or kerosene. (Make sure you stock up on wicks.) .
Tip: Another essential emergency tool you should consider is a treadle (pedal) sewing machine. Not only is it useful for your own needs – it could even provide a source of barter/income in a pinch.)
•Laundry. A hand washer is a great way to get your clothes clean without electric power. Some even have a wringer to squeeze excess water from the fabric and speed up drying time.
Tip: Consider getting some clothesline and clothespins for the drying process as well.
•Coffee. You're going to need a pick me up, but forget the electric grinder – you're going old school. Hand-cranked items like a coffee mill (and grain mill for making your own bread), ice-cream maker, butter churner, and even a hand-wound clock will make difficult days when you're literally powerless, much, much nicer.
I urge you to consider the items above. Perhaps you can share the costs with neighbors of like mind? Just like the Amish, preparedness and pulling together may be key to our survival in the coming years.
Take a look and begin familiarizing yourself with these options at the Amish informational shopping website: http://www.lehmans.com
Parting Shots...We need a working press
Due to a little known, unpublicized quirk in the law dating to 2006, the IRS may revoke the nonprofit status of nearly one in five organizations this week...if they hadn't filed an 8-question 'postcard' return. The exception would be churches but this stupid law affects nearly everyone else from 4-H groups to Amvets.
It used to be those groups with less than $25,000 in revenues would not be affected but that changed too as the IRS wants more information from these organizations. (The Poor Man sits on the board of a not-for-profit group which was not affected).
Most groups claim they've never heard of this new requirement despite the IRS mailing of more than 650,000 notices. I see two problems with this government crap.
•Where was the mainstream press on all of this? Have they relinquished their role as a watchdog of government? Of course they have. The media in this country is now owned by only five corporations...when I taught marketing at CSU that number was over 150 so it's apparent profits of corporate/Washington masters is the only thing that matters.
•Who comes up with these invasive, stupid laws and rules? Why aren't these people properly identified to the public so they my be properly vilified? The one exception was the MN Congressman who came up with the idiotic No Tobacco to Military law...his site has been swamped with angry emails to the point where he cut all contact off with non-residents.
No person or entity can logically keep up with the massive amount of laws and rules created each week at the federal and state level making everyone a lawbreaker of some sort and I believe that is what they want.
A reader sent me this thought upon hearing of the pullout of troops in Iraq...."The fighting for US troops isn't truly over with. After all, we still have 50,000 there...but the rest will probably be deployed to Iran as global sentiment builds to attack that country. All middle eastern & Gulf leaders want Iran taken out of the nuclear arms business & they know sanctions won't work."
Thanks Paul for your input and nothing would surprise me...basic military practice is to plan for all scenarios.
Finally, as I've been saying for some time, feebay has some expensive and nutty policies so I finally launched my Amazon account and sold a book within 24-hours. The entire process was mighty easy and there are no upfront listing fees. At one point, the Poor Man had over 10,000 books to in his personal library and through donations and sales, that number has been whittled down quite a bit and just in time...as of 2011 the IRS will stick its far-reaching nose into your business even further. Anyone who has sales exceeding $20,000 or more than 200 transactions in a single year will see PayPal providing that info to the feds...you need to practice what the Romans called "cervuslacessitus leo," or the stag at bay becomes a lion.
Until next time...I remain your contrarian, muck-raking Poor Man!
Please visit our sites in order to support our efforts!
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
A Shallow Planet Production
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Nat'l Preparedness Month, eBay Follies, Hi Tech Spy on US
Bruce's Poor Man Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
Secrets of living debt free
Can we sue the government
How to save cash-weekly freebies & tips
More '1984' style high technology
More eBay stupidity
Preparedness checklist
Happy Labor Day!
September is National Preparedness Month
"[R]eal charity doesn’t mean giving away someone else’s money."
-- Doug Bandow
Can we sue the government?
Governments at every level are famous for exempting themselves from lawsuits but are quick to marshal their nearly unlimited resources on some hapless citizen, after they've frozen his assets first of course.
News reports from the GAO and other sources tell us we've blown billions of taxpayer dollars in Iraq and they found at least $1 billion was squandered (and untold amounts were pirated away by dishonest contractors and Iraq government officials and/or unaccounted for).
All too frequently, government accounting practices are shady at best and if practiced by the common folk, it would land a citizen in jail.
The result is the American public is cheated, again and again and without any recourse. It's no wonder that politics in this country has become a “we vs. them”scenario and the public almost always comes out on the short end of the stick. Government fraud and waste has become an epidemic during the past 30 years and few ever seem to pay for their sins against the country. The same applies to their corporate masters. Contribute enough tribute to the various parties and even if you're caught, as the case of the recent Wall Street financial fiasco and no one lands in jail.
Several years ago I had what I thought was an honest case against the government and challenged the ACLU to go to court as they had done so in similar situations but they refused to fight the government on something which they felt would take them 50 years to win and would eat up their resources.
The government knows this and applies this strategy routinely. Also, most federal judges are essentially in the pocket of their superiors so it's a losing battle all the way around.
This is one of the reasons we now push for jury nullification.
Lastly, we're in the final stages of choosing a supplier for our log cabin and will videotape the erection of structure and post it on our site along with an evaluation of the process. At this point, ZookCabins of PA is the top contender...should make a decision within the week and then we'll have to ensure the foundation is set up properly and once erected, all the plumbing and electrical will be installed. Even with so much DIY, the project will still cost about $50,000 (no mortgage involved at least) and will be partially off-the-grid to begin with.
35.5% of Americans' garbage is now recycled
This week's free resources & money-savers
Save Cash on OTCs by skipping the drugstore
1. If you have a 99cent store or DollarTree in your neighborhood, visit them first to purchase aspirin and other OTC medications and save a ton of bucks over Walgreen's
2. Walmart and even Target offer OTC & vitamins cheaper
3. For prescription drugs, it's hard to beat Walmart's $4 prices or Costco (you don't have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy)
Learn Self Massage
Nothing beats a good massage for health and relaxation. Revive yourself by going here to learn how.
Www.Ehow.com/videos-on_3998_do-therapeuticself-massage.html
September is National Sewing Month-get free patterns at:
www.sewing.org
Winter is coming & start now to prevent heating bill surprises
Begin now while weather is nice to asses your caulking and window sealing needs. Contact your local utility provider as you may be able to lock in a favorable rate now with fuel oil or natural gas.
Have your heating ductwork checked if you live in an older home. Those which leak can increase your bill 30%...hire a contractor to perform a pressure test to locate leaks and then have them sealed.
Consider starting or joining a fuel cooperative to cut costs. Check your phone book or put an ad on Craigslist.
Get gift certificates for less
Use this site to get coupons and gift certificates for eateries...blowout sales now offer $25 certs for only $2. Go to: www.Restaurant.com or to www.TravelZoo.com
More great weekly grocery coupons – get 'em while they last
http://couponmom.coupons.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=WOOX5QMOGEYUM
Don't pitch your old towels...
Instead, donate them to animal shelters or use them as rags around the home instead of paper towels. Roll them up and tuck into doorways to prevent drafts.
"If the jurors feels that the statute (law) involved in any criminal offence is unfair, all that it infringes upon the defendant's natural God-given unalienable or Constitutional Rights, then it is his duty to affirm that the offending statute is really no law at all and that the violation of it is no crime at all - for no-one is found to obey an unjust law".
-- Harlan F. Stone
12th Chief Justice U.S. Supreme Court
New uses for old things - Forks
Long before I realized it was a tenant of green living, I loved finding new uses for old things. I drank my juice out of jelly jars in the morning, used old T-shirts as household rags, and made stock from veggie scraps that would otherwise go to waste.
It excites me when I can give new life to an item that might otherwise have wound up in a landfill.
With summer upon us, I was wondering what could be done with the amazing cherries I have been bringing home from the farmer’s market. I thought about baking a cherry pie from scratch, but the idea of pitting all of those cherries felt overwhelming.
That’s when I came across this video by chef Stephen Gibbs. Gibbs is the executive chef and co-founder of Hands on Gourmet, a San Francisco Bay Area company that offers culinary team-building events and private cooking parties. http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecomii_healthy_living/113/new-uses-for-old-things-forks.html
10 ways to repurpose an old picture frame
Art is only art when it is synonymous with living." Mid-century designer Alexander Girard said this and he is the inspiration for this DIY project.
I recently went up in the attic looking for a sun-faced poster that I had as a kid. It was a popular '60s design by Girard. While I was digging around in the dust, I spied some pictures leaning next to old wood frames.
Many were handed down in our families, some of them ornate and gilded. They just don't work with our decorating style now. I'm not bringing the pictures back into circulation, but those frames possess untapped potential. http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/39/10-ways-to-repurpose-an-old-picture-frame.html
During times of scarcity, the quantity of ammo will become more important than the quality of your weapons. The guns you treasure the most may have little value if ammo is not available.
Another word of warning for people wanting to grow their own food--have a garden, etc. There is a bill, S510, that will make it illegal to do anything like that anymore (goes after Farmer's Markets, too). It's called a food safety bill but it's not - it's a food CONTROL bill, pure and simple. Puts the FDA in charge of all of this so it cuts out our elected representatives and no longer gives us a voice on what they are doing. Same for the animal ID using the USDA to implement and enforce it with outrageous fines and jail time for non-compliance. S510 needs to be STOPPED immediately! We tried to stop it in the House in July 2009, but they pulled some illegal shenanigans after the first vote (and they lost) and voted on it again the next day and it got through by one vote - and then they scrammed for summer break. The Senate made some changes and made it even WORSE. It may be the most dangerous bill to date that we've ever seen. New Subscriber...
Anita M.
Six Things to do when disaster strikes..
It's scary to think about natural disasters, but the fact of the matter is, they happen--no matter where you live. The devastating floods in Nashville are a good reminder of that. With hurricane and storm season right around the corner, NOW is the time to take action to prepare your family for an emergency. Those who follow the old Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared" will do much better in a disaster than the people who bury their heads in the sand and hope for the best...get the rest from the Dolans at:
http://www.dolans.com/article/57897/Are-You-Prepared-Should-Disaster-Strike-/;jsessionid=49FD78C3792171C67983C7EA30EA4E32
"Fascism will come wrapped in a flag and carrying a bible."
-- Sinclair Lewis
More 1984 Hi Tech from Big Brother
What Constitution?
The 4th Amendment has been under assault before in our nation’s history. And that has been chronicled in other articles on this site. But now that right, guaranteed by our Constitution, is as dead as a hammer.
The most recent major assault on the 4th Amendment came in the wake of 9/11 when President George W. Bush proposed and Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act, which was most unpatriotic.
“The right of the people to be secure in the persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The bill gives government investigators almost unlimited power to conduct wire taps, eavesdrop, access and search records and enter homes in an effort to root out those it considers terrorists. The bill was couched in a way that led Americans to believe it was to be used only in the war on terror but, like all other government powers, it has been abused and used against Americans. In fact, some Americans have been charged with terrorism-related offenses through the Act even though their “crimes” involved nothing more than making innocuous threats, taking or possessing photographs or drawing pictures.
Here’s what really killed the 4th Amendment. Technology and government have taken the next logical step beyond airport scanners. American Science and Engineering, Inc., one of the manufacturers of the backscatter radiation machines now being employed at airports, has made the backscatter radiation system portable.
The Z Backscatter Van™ allows law enforcement to look inside vehicles, buildings and homes just like the airport backscatter scanners allow agents from the Transportation and Security Administration to peer beneath your clothes.
The company’s main contractor — not surprisingly — was the Department of Defense, where the trucks were deployed in war zones. But the vans and trucks have been sold to other government entities — including states and municipalities — as well.
That means that, right now, ZBVs and Mobile Search HEs are prowling around our streets and towns looking into our cars, homes and businesses searching for something — anything — the heavy hand of government finds “suspicious.”
No longer are you secure in your “persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Government agents can peer into your car, home and business and you will never know it until they show up on your doorstep flashing a warrant based on something they saw through the walls.
And not only are you no longer secure in your home, your thoughts — or future thoughts — are being probed as well. A University of Pennsylvania professor has developed software that the developer says can predict which individuals on probation or parole are most likely to murder or be murdered.
According to ABC News, if the software proves successful it could influence sentencing recommendations and bail amounts. It is being used in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
They call it the Halls of Justice because the only place to get justice is in the halls.
--Lenny Bruce
September is also National Preparedness Month, an annual campaign to encourage individuals, businesses and communities to prepare for emergencies. Ready.gov, a Website produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offers tips on how to handle disasters such as fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.
All Americans are encouraged to prepare for emergency situations by creating a basic emergency supply kit. Recommended items include:
* water
* non-perishable food
* a first aid kit
* a can opener
* a cell phone
* a flashlight with extra batteries
* a battery-powered radio
* a list of emergency contacts
Depending on your situation, the site also suggests keeping the following items on hand:
* prescription medications
* baby food and diapers
* pet food and extra water
* important papers (insurance, wills, passports, etc.)
* matches
* a fire extinguisher
* a complete change of clothing
* cash
Parting thoughts, observation & words of wisdom
If stupidity were a disease, the CDC would declare an epidemic in America. Nothing frosts my cajones more than petty censorship and eBay takes the cake for being the self appointed arbiter of taste and moral authority.
Because your listing MIGHT promote illegal behavior, we have pulled your auction. Anyone who has used feebay for any length of time already knows it bows to pressure from certain elements in this country to disallow many kinds of listings ranging from animal parts (ivory – but you can list bone) to anything Nazi or gun parts of any kind – not even pellet guns.
I've had original editions of Hitler's Mein Kampf pulled from ebay because it was in the original German. Listing editions in English is fine. (Most don't know that this book continues to generate royalties for Hitlers descendants of which many live in this country under assumed names).
Although I've sold a dozen or so on feebay already, they recently yanked a listing for a how-to book on growing marijuana...that evil weed our government has spent billions trying to eradicate without success. Keep in mind, pot for medical purposes is becoming the norm in many states, though local municipalities are often in a tizzy over how to implement such laws.
Indeed, one county in CA, where feebay is based, generates $22 million in annual tax revenues...and many states are looking at medical pot as another revenue source. It is amazing how quickly such activities like gambling, become OK once the state is making money off the deal!
FeeBay, like many government agencies is now in the business of predicting potential illegal behavior...next they'll pull books on skydiving because it is potentially dangerous behavior. Watch the 2002 Tom Cruise movie Minority Report for a taste of what MIGHT come!
That's it for this week pardners...keep the good stuff coming!
Yours for better living,
Bruce 'The PoorMan'
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com
A Shallow Planet Production
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
Secrets of living debt free
Can we sue the government
How to save cash-weekly freebies & tips
More '1984' style high technology
More eBay stupidity
Preparedness checklist
Happy Labor Day!
September is National Preparedness Month
"[R]eal charity doesn’t mean giving away someone else’s money."
-- Doug Bandow
Can we sue the government?
Governments at every level are famous for exempting themselves from lawsuits but are quick to marshal their nearly unlimited resources on some hapless citizen, after they've frozen his assets first of course.
News reports from the GAO and other sources tell us we've blown billions of taxpayer dollars in Iraq and they found at least $1 billion was squandered (and untold amounts were pirated away by dishonest contractors and Iraq government officials and/or unaccounted for).
All too frequently, government accounting practices are shady at best and if practiced by the common folk, it would land a citizen in jail.
The result is the American public is cheated, again and again and without any recourse. It's no wonder that politics in this country has become a “we vs. them”scenario and the public almost always comes out on the short end of the stick. Government fraud and waste has become an epidemic during the past 30 years and few ever seem to pay for their sins against the country. The same applies to their corporate masters. Contribute enough tribute to the various parties and even if you're caught, as the case of the recent Wall Street financial fiasco and no one lands in jail.
Several years ago I had what I thought was an honest case against the government and challenged the ACLU to go to court as they had done so in similar situations but they refused to fight the government on something which they felt would take them 50 years to win and would eat up their resources.
The government knows this and applies this strategy routinely. Also, most federal judges are essentially in the pocket of their superiors so it's a losing battle all the way around.
This is one of the reasons we now push for jury nullification.
Lastly, we're in the final stages of choosing a supplier for our log cabin and will videotape the erection of structure and post it on our site along with an evaluation of the process. At this point, ZookCabins of PA is the top contender...should make a decision within the week and then we'll have to ensure the foundation is set up properly and once erected, all the plumbing and electrical will be installed. Even with so much DIY, the project will still cost about $50,000 (no mortgage involved at least) and will be partially off-the-grid to begin with.
35.5% of Americans' garbage is now recycled
This week's free resources & money-savers
Save Cash on OTCs by skipping the drugstore
1. If you have a 99cent store or DollarTree in your neighborhood, visit them first to purchase aspirin and other OTC medications and save a ton of bucks over Walgreen's
2. Walmart and even Target offer OTC & vitamins cheaper
3. For prescription drugs, it's hard to beat Walmart's $4 prices or Costco (you don't have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy)
Learn Self Massage
Nothing beats a good massage for health and relaxation. Revive yourself by going here to learn how.
Www.Ehow.com/videos-on_3998_do-therapeuticself-massage.html
September is National Sewing Month-get free patterns at:
www.sewing.org
Winter is coming & start now to prevent heating bill surprises
Begin now while weather is nice to asses your caulking and window sealing needs. Contact your local utility provider as you may be able to lock in a favorable rate now with fuel oil or natural gas.
Have your heating ductwork checked if you live in an older home. Those which leak can increase your bill 30%...hire a contractor to perform a pressure test to locate leaks and then have them sealed.
Consider starting or joining a fuel cooperative to cut costs. Check your phone book or put an ad on Craigslist.
Get gift certificates for less
Use this site to get coupons and gift certificates for eateries...blowout sales now offer $25 certs for only $2. Go to: www.Restaurant.com or to www.TravelZoo.com
More great weekly grocery coupons – get 'em while they last
http://couponmom.coupons.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=WOOX5QMOGEYUM
Don't pitch your old towels...
Instead, donate them to animal shelters or use them as rags around the home instead of paper towels. Roll them up and tuck into doorways to prevent drafts.
"If the jurors feels that the statute (law) involved in any criminal offence is unfair, all that it infringes upon the defendant's natural God-given unalienable or Constitutional Rights, then it is his duty to affirm that the offending statute is really no law at all and that the violation of it is no crime at all - for no-one is found to obey an unjust law".
-- Harlan F. Stone
12th Chief Justice U.S. Supreme Court
New uses for old things - Forks
Long before I realized it was a tenant of green living, I loved finding new uses for old things. I drank my juice out of jelly jars in the morning, used old T-shirts as household rags, and made stock from veggie scraps that would otherwise go to waste.
It excites me when I can give new life to an item that might otherwise have wound up in a landfill.
With summer upon us, I was wondering what could be done with the amazing cherries I have been bringing home from the farmer’s market. I thought about baking a cherry pie from scratch, but the idea of pitting all of those cherries felt overwhelming.
That’s when I came across this video by chef Stephen Gibbs. Gibbs is the executive chef and co-founder of Hands on Gourmet, a San Francisco Bay Area company that offers culinary team-building events and private cooking parties. http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecomii_healthy_living/113/new-uses-for-old-things-forks.html
10 ways to repurpose an old picture frame
Art is only art when it is synonymous with living." Mid-century designer Alexander Girard said this and he is the inspiration for this DIY project.
I recently went up in the attic looking for a sun-faced poster that I had as a kid. It was a popular '60s design by Girard. While I was digging around in the dust, I spied some pictures leaning next to old wood frames.
Many were handed down in our families, some of them ornate and gilded. They just don't work with our decorating style now. I'm not bringing the pictures back into circulation, but those frames possess untapped potential. http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/39/10-ways-to-repurpose-an-old-picture-frame.html
During times of scarcity, the quantity of ammo will become more important than the quality of your weapons. The guns you treasure the most may have little value if ammo is not available.
Another word of warning for people wanting to grow their own food--have a garden, etc. There is a bill, S510, that will make it illegal to do anything like that anymore (goes after Farmer's Markets, too). It's called a food safety bill but it's not - it's a food CONTROL bill, pure and simple. Puts the FDA in charge of all of this so it cuts out our elected representatives and no longer gives us a voice on what they are doing. Same for the animal ID using the USDA to implement and enforce it with outrageous fines and jail time for non-compliance. S510 needs to be STOPPED immediately! We tried to stop it in the House in July 2009, but they pulled some illegal shenanigans after the first vote (and they lost) and voted on it again the next day and it got through by one vote - and then they scrammed for summer break. The Senate made some changes and made it even WORSE. It may be the most dangerous bill to date that we've ever seen. New Subscriber...
Anita M.
Six Things to do when disaster strikes..
It's scary to think about natural disasters, but the fact of the matter is, they happen--no matter where you live. The devastating floods in Nashville are a good reminder of that. With hurricane and storm season right around the corner, NOW is the time to take action to prepare your family for an emergency. Those who follow the old Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared" will do much better in a disaster than the people who bury their heads in the sand and hope for the best...get the rest from the Dolans at:
http://www.dolans.com/article/57897/Are-You-Prepared-Should-Disaster-Strike-/;jsessionid=49FD78C3792171C67983C7EA30EA4E32
"Fascism will come wrapped in a flag and carrying a bible."
-- Sinclair Lewis
More 1984 Hi Tech from Big Brother
What Constitution?
The 4th Amendment has been under assault before in our nation’s history. And that has been chronicled in other articles on this site. But now that right, guaranteed by our Constitution, is as dead as a hammer.
The most recent major assault on the 4th Amendment came in the wake of 9/11 when President George W. Bush proposed and Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act, which was most unpatriotic.
“The right of the people to be secure in the persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The bill gives government investigators almost unlimited power to conduct wire taps, eavesdrop, access and search records and enter homes in an effort to root out those it considers terrorists. The bill was couched in a way that led Americans to believe it was to be used only in the war on terror but, like all other government powers, it has been abused and used against Americans. In fact, some Americans have been charged with terrorism-related offenses through the Act even though their “crimes” involved nothing more than making innocuous threats, taking or possessing photographs or drawing pictures.
Here’s what really killed the 4th Amendment. Technology and government have taken the next logical step beyond airport scanners. American Science and Engineering, Inc., one of the manufacturers of the backscatter radiation machines now being employed at airports, has made the backscatter radiation system portable.
The Z Backscatter Van™ allows law enforcement to look inside vehicles, buildings and homes just like the airport backscatter scanners allow agents from the Transportation and Security Administration to peer beneath your clothes.
The company’s main contractor — not surprisingly — was the Department of Defense, where the trucks were deployed in war zones. But the vans and trucks have been sold to other government entities — including states and municipalities — as well.
That means that, right now, ZBVs and Mobile Search HEs are prowling around our streets and towns looking into our cars, homes and businesses searching for something — anything — the heavy hand of government finds “suspicious.”
No longer are you secure in your “persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Government agents can peer into your car, home and business and you will never know it until they show up on your doorstep flashing a warrant based on something they saw through the walls.
And not only are you no longer secure in your home, your thoughts — or future thoughts — are being probed as well. A University of Pennsylvania professor has developed software that the developer says can predict which individuals on probation or parole are most likely to murder or be murdered.
According to ABC News, if the software proves successful it could influence sentencing recommendations and bail amounts. It is being used in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
They call it the Halls of Justice because the only place to get justice is in the halls.
--Lenny Bruce
September is also National Preparedness Month, an annual campaign to encourage individuals, businesses and communities to prepare for emergencies. Ready.gov, a Website produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offers tips on how to handle disasters such as fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.
All Americans are encouraged to prepare for emergency situations by creating a basic emergency supply kit. Recommended items include:
* water
* non-perishable food
* a first aid kit
* a can opener
* a cell phone
* a flashlight with extra batteries
* a battery-powered radio
* a list of emergency contacts
Depending on your situation, the site also suggests keeping the following items on hand:
* prescription medications
* baby food and diapers
* pet food and extra water
* important papers (insurance, wills, passports, etc.)
* matches
* a fire extinguisher
* a complete change of clothing
* cash
Parting thoughts, observation & words of wisdom
If stupidity were a disease, the CDC would declare an epidemic in America. Nothing frosts my cajones more than petty censorship and eBay takes the cake for being the self appointed arbiter of taste and moral authority.
Because your listing MIGHT promote illegal behavior, we have pulled your auction. Anyone who has used feebay for any length of time already knows it bows to pressure from certain elements in this country to disallow many kinds of listings ranging from animal parts (ivory – but you can list bone) to anything Nazi or gun parts of any kind – not even pellet guns.
I've had original editions of Hitler's Mein Kampf pulled from ebay because it was in the original German. Listing editions in English is fine. (Most don't know that this book continues to generate royalties for Hitlers descendants of which many live in this country under assumed names).
Although I've sold a dozen or so on feebay already, they recently yanked a listing for a how-to book on growing marijuana...that evil weed our government has spent billions trying to eradicate without success. Keep in mind, pot for medical purposes is becoming the norm in many states, though local municipalities are often in a tizzy over how to implement such laws.
Indeed, one county in CA, where feebay is based, generates $22 million in annual tax revenues...and many states are looking at medical pot as another revenue source. It is amazing how quickly such activities like gambling, become OK once the state is making money off the deal!
FeeBay, like many government agencies is now in the business of predicting potential illegal behavior...next they'll pull books on skydiving because it is potentially dangerous behavior. Watch the 2002 Tom Cruise movie Minority Report for a taste of what MIGHT come!
That's it for this week pardners...keep the good stuff coming!
Yours for better living,
Bruce 'The PoorMan'
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan
http://www.OldBookNook.com
A Shallow Planet Production
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