Bruce’s Poor Man’s Recession Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
1. Flat Broke in America-an Economic Education Series
2. Turn what you know into dough
3. Basic Emergency Preparations
4. Rich Dad, Poor Dad Video
5. 20 Things you’ll need to survive the collapse
6. The Caretaker Gazette
7. Can a Monkey do Your Job?-Humor Video from the 50s
No one party can fool all the people all of the time.
That’s why we have two parties.
--Bob Hope
While government derails America…
Few of us still believe the propaganda spewed forth from Washington about our national debt and out of control spending. The market for gold and silver speaks volumes to how the economy is truly working and how China is taking the premier lead internationally on many fronts.
Oh sure, there a promising signs everywhere. The stock market has ticked upward and the jobs picture is ‘improving’ according to mainstream news. However, for main street, they are still waiting for the ‘chicken in every pot and a Ford in every driveway.’
Only 27% of US citizens believe America is still the top dog in the world.
But most of us have noticed how much the price of fuel has gone up recently. It’s ironic however, our Dept. of Energy came into being during the Carter years with the promise of getting us off our foreign oil addition. Back then we imported 28% of our oil, now it’s 70%…how’s that for an impressive agency record?
Many are predicting $150 oil barrel prices before the end of the year. Not so good for retailers, good for online sellers.
As the buying power of our dollar continues to shrink, the cost of everything will continue to rise.
Like many of our area farmers, you could consider buying an above-ground fuel storage tank. A 200-gallon size goes anywhere from $500 used to $1200 new and they can even be found on eBay. The Poor Man owns several 5-gallon sized containers and I use Sta-bil to keep the fuel fresh. http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/sta-bil.htm
You might consider checking this resource (I haven’t used it as of yet) to lock in today’s prices for gasoline at www.MoreGallons.com or call them at: 800-410-1877. They enable you to buy 100s of gallons of fuel in advance at a fixed price, whenever you want. The downside is their $79 membership fee and a small fee for each gallon you consume.
In this issue you’ll find a variety of educational videos about being broke in America (and in Australia) and some ways to better understand how the economy works. I started this issue with a bit of humor on the 18 signs you’re flat broke!
18 Signs You're Flat Broke
1. American Express calls and says: "Leave home without it!"
2. Your idea of a 7-course meal is taking a deep breath outside a restaurant.
3. You're formulating a plan to rob the food bank.
4. You've rolled so many pennies, you've formed a psychic bond with Abe Lincoln.
5. Long distance companies don't call you to switch anymore.
5. You look at your roommate and see a large fried chicken in tennis shoes.
6. Your rob Peter... and then rob Paul.
7. You finally clean your house, hoping to find change.
8. You think of a lottery ticket as an investment.
9. You give blood everyday... just for the orange juice.
10. McDonald's supplies you with all your kitchen condiments.
11. At communion you go back for seconds.
12. You wash your toilet paper.
13. You have to save up to be poor.
14. You're in college.
15. On thanksgiving your dad would bring home a picture of a thanksgiving meal.
16. You owe yourself money.
17. You are sterilizing your urine for re-consumption.
18. Your imaginary friend has more money than you.
Get some real help when you find yourself in a dire financial situation
http://www.youngmoney.com/credit_debt/flat-broke-find-help-for-rent-food-heat-and-more/
Watch the 20/20 news clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcsKi2hNuUw
Debt Land-How an Australian went from a house to living in a garage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGaXnAAAZXA&feature=related
Finally, view this 5-part series Money as Debt from Lifeboat News. Would be a good series to share with all family members as most citizens haven’t a clue how money works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVkFb26u9g8
John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil, believes that American consumers will likely be paying 5 dollars for a gallon of gas by the time 2012 rolls around.
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Quick business startup ideas Courtesy of Bottom Line Inc.
Turn what you know into dough
If you want more cash, consider starting a part-time business. Almost everyone has the skills and time needed to launch a business that’s capable of generating an extra $500 to $1,000 per month.
With a part-time business, the smart strategy is to get it up and running within a week or two for no more than a few hundred dollars. How to do it...
LOW-COST BUSINESS IDEAS
Identify skills that you already possess that could be turned into a service-oriented business. Possibilities...
Tutoring. Tutor students or help high school students prepare for their SATs or ACTs. Teachers, former teachers, professors and those with degrees from prestigious universities are particularly likely to attract clients.
Auto care/repair. If you’re good with cars, offer auto-maintenance and basic repair services.
Computer. Provide tech support to individuals or small businesses. Set up computer networks, solve problems, optimize computer performance or create and manage Web sites.
Foreign language. If you’re fluent in a foreign language, tutor those who want to learn it or students struggling with their foreign language classes.
Handyman. Home maintenance and repair services always are in demand.
Music/acting. Tight budgets are forcing many public schools to cut back on music and theater programs, creating openings for private tutors.
Photography. Offer portrait or wedding photography services.
Sewing/alterations. Alterations are on the rise as people choose to repair, not replace, clothing.
Sports. Help promising young athletes hone their abilities. Those who played a sport professionally or for a prestigious college program are most likely to attract clients.
Woodworking. High-quality handcrafted wooden bowls and other carved kitchen items can fetch attractive prices in boutiques and at arts and crafts fairs.
If you do not have a particular skill that is likely to be in demand, there are service businesses that do not require extensive training or skills (though experience is, of course, helpful). Possibilities include...
In-home elder care
Child care/day care
Lawn and garden care
Carpooling/driving services
Pet walking/pet sitting
Housesitting
Housecleaning
BUSINESSES TO AVOID
Certain businesses are best avoided by people seeking to earn extra cash with little risk...
Retail stores. Retailing typically requires an expensive inventory, long hours, employees and leased commercial property. Retailers must compete with Internet sellers and massive chains.
Franchises. Profitable franchises charge big up-front franchise fees that part-time business people typically cannot afford.
"New idea" businesses. It takes lots of time and marketing dollars to convince consumers to spend their money on something that they’ve never spent it on before. The failure rate for such businesses is very high. More than 485,000 applications for US patents were filed in 2008 -- only a few of these will be successful. It is better to offer a service that people already understand.
MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS
The most cost-effective marketing tool is word of mouth...
Visit local businesses that offer related but not overlapping services. Tell the owners or managers of these businesses what your business does. Ask if you can post a flyer in their windows or leave a stack of flyers on the counter.
Examples: Someone starting a house-sitting or lawn-care business could contact real estate agents.
Consider sharing a storefront location. Ask area businesses that are in some way related to your intended field if they have extra space that they are willing to sublet to you. This can be much cheaper than renting your own space, and you’ll have an inside track on that existing business’s customers.
Example: Someone starting a sewing and alterations business could sublet space at a dry cleaner.
Contact organizations that work with your intended customer base.
Example: If you intend to provide tutoring or music lessons to kids, contact local schools and youth clubs.
Volunteer your services to local nonprofits. It’s a good way to make contacts and show off your skills.
Offer satisfied customers a discount on their next purchase if they refer someone who also becomes a customer.
TAXES, LICENSES AND INSURANCE
Don’t worry about taxes at first. New businesses typically have 90 days from the date they start taking in money to get tax payments squared away. It’s best not to get bogged down in such details sooner than necessary, but do ask your accountant if you need to charge tax on any of your goods and/or services. Don’t worry about hiring a lawyer or incorporating your business until your business is up and running.
A few details do need to be sorted out before your business gets going...
Contact your town or county offices to find out if you need any licenses or permits.
Set up a separate checking account for business expenses and receipts.
Ask your insurance agent about professional liability insurance, particularly if your business involves anything that could cause injury or trigger a lawsuit.
Contact your auto insurance provider if you plan to use your personal vehicle for business. Your existing policy is unlikely to cover business use.
Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Loral Langemeier, CEO of Live Out Loud, Inc., a coaching and seminar company with offices in Nevada and California. She regularly appears on the Dr. Phil show as a money expert and is author of many books on finance, including the bestseller The Millionaire Maker (McGraw-Hill) and, most recently, Put More Cash in Your Pocket (Harper). www.liveoutloud.com.
<<<>>>
Well known financial guru provides home biz info-Worth watching Rich Dad
Robert Kiyosaki - How to start a Legitimate Home Based Business Legitimate Home Based Business Opportunity A legitimate home based business opportunity in a very well established company with all the training, support systems and marketing tools necessary to .. Business Ideas on a Budget - 10 Legitimate Businesses You Can ... Business Ideas on a Budget. 10 Legitimate Businesses You Can Start for Under $20 .... Home-based business ideas that won't break the bank. Home Business: Getting Started FAQ Stay-at-Home Parents. http://kiyosaki-blog.blogspot.com/2011/01/robert-kiyosaki-how-to-start-legitimate.html
Jim Daniels, one of the pioneers of creating a business online offers sage advice
http://www.bizweb2000.com/incomeplan.html
Get Leslie's friendly resources from her site
Helping You Work At Home Since 1998
Work-At-Home Success
http://www.workathomesuccess.com
THE CARETAKER GAZETTE is a unique newsletter containing property caretaking and house sitting jobs, advice, and information for property caretakers, housesitters, and landowners. Published since 1983, it's the only publication in the world dedicated to the property caretaking field. Another potential avenue to explore for employment.
http://www.caretaker.org/
http://www.caretaker-jobs.com/caretaker_benefits.cfm
http://www.escapeartist.com/efam31/rentfree.html
Top 11 New Business Opportunity Predictions of ‘11
http://www.springwise.com/businessideas2011/
MLM and small business opportunities, you’ll get a hoot from this cartoon explaining network marketing. On paper, this way of doing business makes perfect sense. In reality, I’m uncertain as my few experiences have not proven favorable…might be due to the preconceived overall negative impressions most folks have.
http://kiyosaki-blog.blogspot.com/2011/01/network-marketing-cartoon-explained.html
Hey PM.-us ‘poor folk’ here in Ohio appreciate your useful newsletter. We need all the help we can get and we suggest your stuff to everyone! --CJ, Toledo
HSN To Sell Gadgets From Quirky
If you have an idea that you feel would make the perfect invention but you don’t really want to do the work to bring it to fruition, Quirky is the website to visit. For $10, would-be inventors are able to pitch their idea for consideration. People, known as “influencers,” pick over the idea. [...]
World food prices rose to a record in December on higher sugar, grain and oilseed costs, the United Nations said, exceeding levels reached in 2008 that sparked deadly riots from Haiti to Egypt.
Basic Preparations for an Emergency
Start by creating an action plan for your family and rehearse it a few times.
8. Follow the 3-day rule. Have on enough food, water & first aid items to last at least three days. Don’t forget pet foods too if applicable. Other items to have on hand is a good flash light, candles, wind up radio, and we keep a pair of two-mile radius 2-way radios along with a supply of batteries.
9. Get everyone involved. Have a family meeting to decide how you will communicate (a spare, fully charged cell phone works well). Decide where everyone might meet in an emergency. Get more tips at: 72hours.org
10. Keep your cell phone charged or carry a spare battery. Program an “In Case of Emergency” number into it and sign up for your town’s Mobile Alert Service if they have one.
Get more information at our PoorManSurvival.com site by clicking on the Preparedness Tab.
Thanks Mr. Green for sharing this resource!
What To Do If A Nuclear Disaster Is Imminent!
KI4U Nuke Prep Expertise & Solutions!
If you do nothing else here, read our myth-busting expose...
http://www.ki4u.com
Another potential job finding resource to consider...
www.CareerBliss.com
Don’t forget to rotate stock in your food storage pantry. Although most canned goods are good for up to a year beyond their expiration date, they do lose much of their nutrient value.
Weekly news roundup
How to Live on Nothing (practically)-the how-to video
Plus...humorous look at how to beg for money (hint: dump the wine bottle)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBd6r9d-kyc&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvDzu69PIUk
Ingenious Hiding Spot:Place a fake electrical box on your wall near your existing breaker box and add warning stickers (available online & hardware stores) reading DANGER: High Voltage...few with mess it!
According to Gallup, the unemployment rate actually rose to 9.6% at the end of December. This was a significant increase from 9.3% in mid-December and 8.8% at the end of November.
*Not only that, but Gallup also says that the underemployment rate is moving up dramatically. According to Gallup, the underemployment rate in the United States increased to 19.0% during December, which was up substantially from 18.5% in mid-December and 17.2% at the end of November.
*The percentage of Americans participating in the labor force is now the lowest it has been since the early 1980s. In December, the Labor Force Participation Rate fell to 64.3%. Over the last twenty years, the Labor Force Participation Rate has usually been around 66 or 67 percent. So do less Americans want jobs today? Of course not. What has happened is that millions of Americans have become so discouraged about the lack of jobs that they aren't even actively searching anymore.
*The number of Americans working part-time for "economic reasons" continues to hover around all-time highs.
Speaking of part time…Although I’ve never advertised this fact, the PM picked up some ‘pin money’ this week by writing two blogs for another business. The fellow happened upon my site and liked what he read. Another time I was approached by one of those Pay day loan places to write something positive about their business. I couldn’t think of anything positive, so I declined. In the previous issue I mentioned that during the American Revolution, pins were hard to come by & became valuable as a barter item, hence the term ‘pin money.’
There are many businesses which will pay you to write about them, write content for their site, blog or company newsletter. If writing is something you do well, consider elance.com…
Outsource to expert programmers, designers, writers, translators, marketers, researchers and admin contractors with tested skills.
>>>
Learn more about optimizing your health & making extra money
www.Symmetrydirect.com/Optimum
7 Techniques for Creating a Profitable Business Idea
http://www.homebusinessguru.net/7techniques.htm
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The ever expanding Nanny State restricts our rights & job growth…
Fiction is becoming reality in America as gov’t seeks to control everything. If you still believe in freedom and individual rights, see the John Stossel series about Ayn Rand-very enlightening 6-part series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNk45cqkiyk&feature=related
The Rumor Mill: Number one topic spoke about at recent investor & economic conferences held-the decline of American dominance and its decline in its economy & society…but despite our high unemployment, falling educational standards, etc., no palpable signs of deflation. Prices, except for real estate, remain the same. US debt levels/GDP ratios will exceed 100% in 2011. Watch for gold & silver prices continue upward.
The state of IL is going to raise income tax by 66% to cover its deficits. Other states are overjoyed! Guess those hapless citizens are stuck (literally).
In light of all the snow which has fallen across the nation, one enterprising person posted a sign on his front lawn that read “Unassembled Snowmen for Sale-Cheap.”
From the US Department of Humor—Can a Monkey Do your job?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQeqGffK7LA&feature=related
Vegetable seeds will be scarce. Go to: www.sustainablegardensupply.com to order.
Parting shots…
Little different format this week. I like to shake it up a bit so you never quite know what to expect from PM, except we always strive to provide useful information & resources!
Our country has been successful due to the freedoms and opportunities afforded entrepreneurs. Since the 1960s government red tape and stupidity has slowly choked a lot of that small business spirit, depriving America of jobs and its leadership role.
Sadly, in the months and years to come millions more working American families will be pushed into poverty-like conditions by rising inflation.
Already we are seeing huge numbers of American families that are working as hard as they can not being able to afford the basics.
A year-end survey conducted by Pew Research found the following....
*51% of Americans say that it is difficult to afford health care.
*48% of Americans say that it is difficult to pay their home heating and electric bills.
*29% of Americans say that it is difficult to afford food.
It can be really depressing to search for a decent job month after month after month when there doesn't seem to be any out there.
The best thing government can do is to get out of the way!
Until next time, I remain…
Your lonely defender of “truth, justice & fair play” the ‘Poor Man’
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.OldBookNook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Free Money assistance for women, businesses, more.
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
A Shallow Planet Production
Our Mission: To protect and promote your freedom, civil rights, financial well being and overall self reliance in these turbulent times.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Dumpster Diving, Houseboats for Cheap Living, Best Flea Markets
Bruce’s Poor Man Survivor Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
1. 5 Golden Rules of Dumpster Diving
2. Living cheap on a houseboat
3. Survival Tips from the Rich Dad
4. When the crap hit’s the fan, what we do know
5. Best flea markets in the US
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than
sincere ignorance and conscious stupidity."
-- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Living the cheap life on a houseboat
As a kid I grew up around the water as my grandfather owned a cottage on a big lake and owned several boats. We did a lot of fishing back then, mostly perch which in those days, there was virtually no limit on what you could catch. Plenty of fish scaling and yanking out the innards-and tons of flies swarming about on those hot summer days.
Later in life, we had a family owned condo in Ocean City, MD and would frequently rent a houseboat too. Lots of fun and we were able to put down nets smeared with chicken fat and haul up a load of great tasting crabs for the evening meal. (Nothing like fresh crab sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning along with ice cold beer on a hot, muggy night).
I’ve always considered living on the water, especially on a houseboat. Pretty inexpensive, no permanent address, eat what you catch, pick up and move to another location when you like. With the advent of solar and small wind turbines and internet via satellite, it continues to look attractive to me, but…
The Poor Man’s wife doesn’t have sea legs and unlike the Poor Man who learned to dive while serving in the Navy, she has no interest, beside, a horse would never fit onboard easily. The cats, maybe.
Other folks prefer a land roaming lifestyle using a big RV. That can be nice and some of the 5th wheels I’ve seen are pretty cozy…but they cost a lot to buy and even more to drive or tow around the country. Then there are the RV park fees. There was a time when you could sort of drop anchor in the middle of nowhere but as governments and landowners became more greedy, those are getting tough to find except for some remote desert and mountain locations out west.
I always recall a TV show called the Rockford Files with Jim Garner. He lived in a cheap trailer on a beachfront hideaway. Then there was Jack Klugman who played a role on Quincy. He lived on a large sailboat. Oh well, those guys were all single.
In any event, if you have sense of adventure and don’t want the ‘advantage’ of being tracked by the Census Bureau’s GPS system, ex-spouses and bill collectors, this might a way to consider. There are houseboats for sale on eBay and you can use the sites listed here to learn more about this kind of lifestyle.
Houseboats are a different and exciting way to live. There are multiple brands and sizes of them. There are simple houseboats and huge luxurious houseboats. But for most of us, the first thing we look at when purchasing a houseboat is the price.
Our Poor Man cabin progress was slowed due to local inspectors who proved inept and costly to our financial well-being. We’ll finish up the plumbing and outbuilding in the spring and hope to begin planting our small area of crops. You can see more photos on our site under the Cheap Housing tab.
Tons of useful and mostly free information on houseboat living including a free magazine and free classified ads and other resources.
http://www.all-about-houseboats.com/houseboat-magazine.html
http://www.livingonahouseboat.com/cheap_houseboats.htm
Get rid of water rings from wood tables by dabbing on a non-gel toothpaste with a damp cloth & gently massage the mark until it’s gone, then wipe with a clean cloth.
Reminder to New & Existing Subscribers
All subscribers can take advantage of the built-in free classifieds under our YahooGroups page…feel free to place an ad with your offers, wants, etc. Many have taken advantage of this as we encourage a sharing community.
For example, here in IC, MI we have the Grocery Outlet where you can find many bargains, especially on canned goods. Recently, we purchased 2lb cans of beef stew for $1.50, 6oz bottles of pure honey for $1 and small jars of freeze dried coffee for a buck…all those items are good for barter as well. Here’s a quick link.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BruceBulletin/app/forsale/view/list
Politicians and other patriotic types like to declare that the Europeans came to America seeking freedom. The claim is at best a half-truth. In the colonial era, most Europeans arrived in North America bound in some form of indentured servitude, many of them children or convicts put out to work. Disregarding such servants, one finds that the free colonists sought mainly to improve their economic well-being.
Weekly round up of useful stuff
Got unused presents? Sell them at these sites:
www.Lifesta.com
www.Cardwoo.com
www.GiftCardRescue.com
www.PlasticJungle.com
My wife & I just finished looking through your site & our first newsletter. She says you have an important message for the American people & you should have your own Fox TV show!
For a number of years I’ve heard about the Free State Project. I thought it had died, but it is alive and well and something freedom loving folks might find interesting. They chose New Hampshire-find out why here.
http://freestateproject.org/
Get a well report-prior to sealing the deal on a rural property, ask for a well construction report. It should include date of construction, depth & size of casing and pump capacity. A water test is a good idea also. The more shallow your well, the more ‘local’ your supply!
Ritz Mock Apple Pie-How Mom made it!
The classic pie, featuring Ritz crackers baked in a golden crust,
is perfect for the holidays.
Pastry for two-crust 9-inch pie
36 RITZ Crackers, coarsely broken (about 1 3/4 cups crumbs)
1 3/4 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Grated peel of one lemon
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Roll out half the pastry and line a 9-inch pie plate. Place
cracker crumbs in prepared crust; set aside.
2. Heat water, sugar and cream of tartar to a boil in saucepan
over high heat; simmer for 15 minutes. Add lemon juice and peel;
cool.
3. Pour syrup over cracker crumbs. Dot with margarine or butter;
sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll out remaining pastry; place over pie.
Trim, seal and flute edges. Slit top crust to allow steam to escape.
4. Bake at 425 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is crisp
and golden. Cool completely.
Makes 10 servings
Find out about jobs & freebies first. Get alerts via email with this free service which scours postings on Craiglist.
www.NotiFinder.com
Get paid for your empty printer cartridges at these sites-$5 to $20-print their free shipping label and send it off for cash
www.FreeRecycling.com
www.TonerBuyer.com
www.AdvantageCartridge.com
Extreme How-To Magazine offers a free do-it-yourself building guide for a 2'x4' lean-to shed. As do-it-yourself projects go, this is a fairly simple one. And, this little shed won't take up a lot of space in your backyard. It's designed to nestle next to a wall of your house or garage.
Read more, see a photo and get the illustrated, step by step building guide and and a material list >>>
( http://www.todaysplans.net/use-extremehowto-2x4-tool-shed-building-guide.html )
Find more small DIY shed plans and shed building kits >>>
( http://www.backroadhome.net/backyard-sheds-diy.html )
Best of luck.
Cut sticky foods by rubbing butter on your knife before cutting which acts like a lubricant.
Reminders not to spend: Consumer Websites of the Week
Tempted by a big-ticket treat but not sure it's worth it? If you need a little more incentive to keep you from spending too much as you start the new year, here are two websites discovered via Consumerist that will help you put those costs in perspective.
Plug the relevant data about yourself into DaystoPay and find out how many days you'd have to work to earn the money to purchase that flat-screen TV or e-reader.
And if you're considering putting it on a credit card, use TheRealDamage.com to calculate how much that additional purchase will cost you if you're already carrying a balance.
Clean salt stains off your shoes by mixing 10 parts water to one part vinegar. Moisten a sponge and dab firmly on the white stains and they’ll lift off.
When the Crap hits the fan…What we do know!
In a discussion with like-minded friends this past week we all agreed on a few primary concepts.
6. No one knows when a bankrupt USA will finally dissolve or when martial law, rioting etc. will take place.
7. We do know the price of everything is going up right now, food & fuel in particular.
8. We do know middle class jobs are not coming back in any meaningful way during the next five years or more.
9. We do know our government is becoming more oppressive & invasive.
10. We do know the potential for several current world events pose a threat should they occur…N Korea, Iran, Terrorism, natural disasters, etc.
11. We do know it never hurts to stockpile food and items which can be used for barter such as food, 1st aid items, tools, vegetable seeds, booze, ammo and the like.
12. Gold & silver stockpiling is nice, silver is probably the more useful, especially if US coins are used as opposed to bullion. Gold is more difficult to work with.
13. Storing fuel is a good idea too but long term storage (beyond 100 days is difficult)
14. Keeping a library of how-to materials is a solid idea
15. Developing a plan for your family in the event of an emergency is essential.
So is there any hope that we can turn all of this around?
Unfortunately, the massive amount of debt that we have piled up as a society over the last several decades has made that impossible.
If you add up all forms of debt (government debt, business debt, individual debt), it comes to approximately 360 percent of GDP. It is the biggest debt bubble in the history of the world…our advice: continue to prepare!
The Plain truth-we never know when a catastrophe will occur, man-made or natural!
In June of this past year a White Paper issued by Sentinel Intelligence Service advised:
“Prepare for another economic storm, even larger than what we’ve seen so far. Prepare, with neighbors, to band together to provide for one another…prepare yourself emotionally for rough days ahead and experiences foreign to the American way of life…”
Thomas Jefferson said the following....
I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government to the genuine principles of its Constitution; I mean an additional article, taking from the federal government the power of borrowing.
About Cash Passport ™
In a previous issue we reported on how Americans can get foreign currency through AAA travelers checks…here’s an even better method of obtaining foreign currency to have in a worst case scenario…we suggest Canadian or Swiss currency for now…
Cash Passport will change the way you think about your money when traveling. With all the convenience of travelers cheques, but without the hassle, it allows you to pre-load your travel budget for smart and convenient use in millions of ATMs, shops, and restaurants where Euros and Pounds are used. You can load your Cash Passport with a choice of two currencies, € Euro and £ GBP.
Smart
The Cash Passport is not connected to your bank account. It is PIN and signature protected and has 24/7 Global Emergency Assistance.
Prepaid Convenience
Withdraw local currency at millions of MasterCard® ATMs worldwide, or pay directly where MasterCard is accepted.
http://www.us.travelex.com/US/Products/Cash-Passport/
The Rich Dad Offers Tips to Survive
An all out currency war has begun - governments around the world are devaluing their currencies in order to have cheap exports - and are destroying the middle class.
The irony is pretty soon, food prices will triple, gas will double, and the CPI will still say we're running at 2-3% inflation annually.
People are going to by paying so much for what they need, that they will stop shopping, as soon as they do, prices for many goods will start to fall but only for the sake of increasing consumption.
And I haven’t even mentioned the next wave of housing foreclosures that will occur in 2011.
Its going to be a very bumpy road the next few years...
You can stock up all you want. The last great depression lasted for over 10 years. Can you stock up enough food to last 10 years? Will your silver get you through 10 years?
http://kiyosaki-blog.blogspot.com/2011/01/robert-kiyosaki-explains-real-value-of.html
Use rubbing alcohol (not de-natured) to clean computer screens, keyboards, TV screens, bathroom fixtures, dissolve windshield frost (use a spray bottle to apply), your phone.
The federal government is poised for the first time to make public thousands of complaints it receives each year about safety problems with various products, from power tools to piggy banks.
The compilation of consumer complaints, set to be launched online in March by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has been hailed by consumer advocates as a resource that will revolutionize the way people make buying decisions…not everyone is happy with this…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/09/AR2011010902730.html?wpisrc=nl_fed
Get your hands really clean by washing them with soap & a teaspoon of sugar.
Best flea markets in the US
We’ve always enjoyed what I believe is one of the last bastions of free enterprise in America. You never know what you’ll find and haggling has become second nature.
National Sunday newspaper supplement's travel writer, Everett Potter, recently named the Daytona Flea and Farmer's Market year-round emporium among America's top five flea markets, joining an elite group including the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, Calif., the Kane County Flea Market in St. Charles, Ill., and the Austin Country Flea Market in Texas. The greatest American flea market, Potter reported, was in Brimfield, Mass., with 5,000 dealers in 21 fields. While the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market is one-fifth that size, at peak times up to 50,000 patrons travel its 3 1/2 miles of aisles packed with merchandise mounds, produce piles, clothing collections, antiques, jewelry and eclectic stuff, like lucky bamboo and dreamcatchers.
Forget the Austin Country Flea Market- Whoever said that was a great Flea Market has never been here. Its all "New" crap from China. It has very little used "flea market" items. Bussey's in San Antonio is 1000x better.
Well, if you are in the CHICAGO area, WOLFF'S FLEA MARKET is great! They are open 6-3 Sundays April-October starting April 25, 2010 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. It's huge! 700 vendors with new items, old, antique, vintage, junk, produce, tools, sports memorabilia, gourmet food, bikes, clothing and more. Also indoors Sat & Sun 8-4 at 1775 N. Rand Rd., Palatine, IL at least through March 2011
Side Note: Garage sales became popular shortly after WWII and have become increasingly sophisticated with electronic ad postings, offering bags, cookies & refreshments, holding neighborhood sales, etc. As America became affluent, our garages became warehouses for items we seldom or rarely used.
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_are_the_best_flea_markets_in_US#ixzz1AdCfs2HT
http://fleamarket.about.com/od/findafleamarket/a/Top-10-Flea-Markets.htm
Relieve rough hands & sore feet by rinsing in a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water…then massage them with olive oil and dab dry with a cloth.
Garbage Picking , Dumpster Diving Adventures- Parting Thoughts
When I was a young kid my friends and I looked forward to Tuesdays. That was trash day in our neighborhood and a small gang of us would pull my red wagon around the neighborhood on our weekly treasure hunt.
You never what good stuff you might run across. We always managed to discover castoff toys and odds and ends that fascinated young boys (including some old men’s magazines). My mother never objected as sometimes we found items even she got a kick out of and my mom was the queen of ‘making do.’
We had some competition though. Old Man Charlie, as we called him, was the neighborhood bum who went around the street with a bag of cookies and a beer along with his grinding wheel hoisted on his back. Charlie made money by offering his knife sharpening services to housewives, charging only a few bucks which were scarce among the mostly stay-at-home mothers. When he finished his rounds, he randomly chose a porch to sit on so he could consume his ’snack.’ Of course, most of the women shooed him away. No one was actually afraid of Charlie, but he sure looked like a hobo.
Charlie lived in a ramshackle home on the next block, his yard filled with the treasures he had picked up over the years. When Charlie died the fire department went to his house to dispose of his junk. Guess they figured his property was a fire hazard. Turns out old Charlie died a millionaire. The fire department guys found a ton of cash in the house and Charlie’s sister, who had all but shunned him over the years, became instantly wealthy.
I haven’t done much garbage picking in my adult years, but my wife once spotted a nice old Depression-era desk sticking out of a dumpster once. We loaded it up and with a bit of repair, sold it for $100!
Recently, we attended a storage unit auction in hopes of finding some treasure. Even though it was about 18 degrees outside, apparently many others came in search of treasure too, there were about 75 people who braved the cold that day only to find what even I thought looked mainly like trash. Still, each unit sold for a higher than I would have paid price.
I guess many of those folks read the Poor Man bulletin issue regarding Storage Wars!
I do scour thrift shops searching for old books and oddities but those finds are becoming more scarce as fewer people read or perhaps sell them on their own via eBay? Most thrift stores today offer over priced junk, but each store has seen a growth in customers over the years who search for treasures too.
In the ‘old’ days dumpster diving could prove lucrative and rumor has it that some of the richest people around are the weekly garbage guys who find all kinds of stuff. Waste removal has become another big business with corporations like Waste Management doing over a billion dollars annually.
Supermarkets today, for instance, rarely dispose of their goods in a fashion which allow for dumpster diving. Most other businesses too now shred or lock their waste bins to prevent folks from pilfering through their trash. I’m told college campuses are still good places to hunt, especially at summer break time.
In biblical times, it was called gleaning—the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after the harvest is over—what the farmer didn't think was worth picking up was fair game for the poor and hungry. The Bible even instructed farmers to leave a bit of grain in the corners of the fields and fallen fruit.
Learn the 5 Golden Rules of Dumpster Diving with these fun resources - take a peak, it won’t hurt you!
http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=the+art+of+dumpster+diving
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/extreme-recycling-dumpster-diving.html
http://eco-chick.com/2008/04/1077/the-art-of-dumpster-diving/
Post Script…the Tuscon shooting
The tragedy in Tuscon has brought on the usual round of gun control commentary. Tuscon is one of more lovely ‘big’ cities in AZ & this has impaled the locals with anger and emotional backlash…as it should.
This fellow appears to be a lone nut case and try as we might, we cannot legislate morality or idiocy. Gun bans in England and Australia should be proof that bad guys still get guns. Depriving folks of a driving permit doesn’t stop some people from driving, making all travel require a passport doesn’t stop people from entering a country illegally, drug laws don’t stop drug use but they do encourage drug cartel violence.
It should be apparent to all by now that government and academia do not have a monopoly on stupidity…
So when will we all learn? Never.
That’s all for this issue…remember to share!
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.OldBookNook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Free Money assistance for women, businesses, more.
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
A Shallow Planet Production
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Beating Traffic Tickets, Food Storage Analyzer
Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
Sweet Deals from RedPlum
Analyze your food storage needs calculator
Concerns of EMP attacks
Every Way to Make Money site
How to Disappear
Phantom Alert-Beat traffic tickets
This week’s rumor mill
Limit all US politicians to two terms.
One in office
One in prison
Mini-Survival/Bug Out Kit
Longtime readers know I experiment and test ideas for new products on eBay…maybe that’s why I get in trouble with them and sometimes customers (had another one frustrated that many of our PM products are now provided as downloads vs. CD ROMs).
Well as many of you know, prepackaged bug out kits are convenient but costly. Most often you can build your kit from local suppliers at a substantial savings. Power bars, instant soups and freeze dried meals are easily packed along with some cash, clothes, a knife, ammo and more.
Always the idea guy, I came up with a package that should prove useful to hunters, campers, and everyday folk…the Poor Man’s Min-Bug Out kit. It includes a small first aid kit, a survival whistle with lanyard/compass, signal mirror & waterproof storage compartment for matches, fish hooks, etc. It also includes an 11-function survival tool (flat & includes case) plus one of those folding multi-tool devices with pliers, screw driver, etc…all of which come in handy.
I also included some of our Poor Man II preparedness items and an offer to subscribe to this bulletin to get even more bonus reports…all at a cost of $22.95 and that includes Priority shipping. I don’t think this is a bad price but we’ll see how they go. If they do well, I’ll order more inventory.
I share this with you not only to alert you to our new offers, but also to give your brain a whack. No doubt many of you have ideas as to how you might re-package something and could sell it at a profit. My advice, buy cheap (many, many wholesalers out there) and come up with a good offer, then test it on eBay or elsewhere before investing a lot of loot in inventory.
You can always visit my eBay storefront to see our inventory of sufficiency books and other items. Go to: www.OldBookNook.com
Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.
The Weekly Roundup (of rabbits)?
Meat Rabbits
Raising rabbits for meat is a great, cost-effective way to keep your freezer full. Also, rabbit meat is very lean and healthy for those who are trying to cut fatty foods from their diets. Since raising rabbits doesn't take up a whole lot of space, you don't need to live on a farm to do it. People in the city who have a decent-sized garage can join the program and get a little taste of the country life. There are a few things that everyone should know before getting - read the rest at:
http://www.offthegridnews.com/2011/01/03/raising-meat-rabbits-from-the-country-to-the-big-city/
Balm for broken blisters... to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.
Two new websites from subscriber Steve I‘m sure you‘ll find useful.
http://www.everywaytomakemoney.com
That's a big claim in the name, impossible to fulfill even, but there are hundreds of pages on the site and you'll find some truly interesting and useful content there. I have personally written over half of the pages, and I found a good researcher/writer to do the others. There will be a hundred more "ways" (pages) added in the coming months.
The other new site is all mine (so far--but I may hire a writer). It's about using what you have to get ahead in life. More specifically it is about using what you have in new and creative ways which you may not have thought of. You can just look down the list on the home page, pick out something you have, and then click through to see a list of different ways you can use it. The site has the name you might expect:
http://www.usingwhatyouhave.com
New way to beat traffic tickets…drivers helping drivers with-
http://www.phantomalert.com/
"The basic test of freedom is perhaps less in what we are free to do than in
what we are free not to do."
-- Eric Hoffer
Organize & Analyze your food storage free from Emergency Essentials
www.BePrepared.com/Analyzer
Kills fleas instantly... Dawn Dishwashing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas. (use Dawn straight from the bottle and massage in for 10 minutes, works wonders )
Something free to encourage your children to read
Welcome to Read.gov - a site dedicated to encouraging reading by people of all ages. On the left hand side of the page, you'll find links that break up the site by age level: Kids, Teens, Adults, and then Educators & Parents. That is a great way to get started browsing. Beneath those categories you'll find even more categories under resources
http://www.read.gov/
eBay Falls off List of Top-visited Websites in 2010
eBay dropped off the list of Experian Hitwise's top-ten most
visited websites in 2010, but remained among the top-10 most
searched terms for the year.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y11/m01/i04/s01
Protecting your wireless network
Many would like to have a secured network, however most have no inclination as to how they would accomplish such a goal. What they may not be aware of, is that there is two major layers of security to a network that protect computers against attacks. Each individual layer adds additional protection to stop people from gaining access to your network. More importantly, it prevents them from having access to your personal computer and sensitive information.
http://www.worldstart.com/secure-your-wireless-network/
Freebies, coupons, promo codes & more at Redplum
www.RedPlum.com/sweetfinds
Product sourcing-get inventory for auction, flea market sales. Returned electronics, designer handbags, and more. Buy by the pallet load or smaller quantities. Years ago when the PM first started selling online, this was a source we used.
www.liquidation.com
Concerns are rising about the threat of an EMP (ElectroMagnetic Pulse) attack, aimed at destroying our electronic guts. What if our computers and other electronics didn't work? What if electronic records of your bank account were immobilized? What would happen to our technology—dependent transportation, financial, and production systems?
America's vulnerability to EMP (ElectroMagnetic Pulse) attack looms large in the minds of many. Public attention was focused on the topic by the release in 2005 of a government—sponsored study by the congressional Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack. The results were further publicized by Frank J. Gaffney in a widely—read article, 'EMP: America's Achilles' Heel',� and was also featured in his recent book, War Footing —10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World.
Abstract: Most Americans—whether members of the public or politicians in Congress—ignore or are unaware of the very real threat of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. A nuclear device detonated high in the atmosphere above the American mainland can easily disable the country’s electrical grid—shutting down nearly all communications, transportation, and service systems. Overnight, daily life as Americans know it will be a thing of the past. There are ways to prevent devastation from an EMP — and the U.S. must invest in them now before it is too late. Two of the country’s preeminent national security experts explain how to prevent the worst
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/11/EMP-Attacks-What-the-US-Must-Do-Now
During the American Revolution, pins were used as barter items as
They were in short supply since England cut off shipments to America.
How To Disappear
Your own interesting times may require that you disappear and start a new life. I certainly don't want to encourage any criminal behavior here, but there are plenty of scenarios possible (including escaping criminals) where adopting a new identity is justified. This is a large subject, though, and the treatment here is just a quick outline, so get a book on the subject if necessary. (Poor Man I contains a lot of this info)
Your New Identity
There are a couple basic ways to get the paperwork necessary to establish a new identity. The first is to simply get fake papers. This is the fastest and easiest way. If you have no idea who to ask for help with this, become friends with illegal aliens. They often need this kind of service, and should know who can help you and roughly what it will cost.
The problem with this approach is that it tends to be a temporary fix. Since the drivers license you get is not real, it will not be in the records of the state. That can cause some trouble for you if you are stopped by police at some point.
Since the social security card you get has a fake number on it, you will run into problems with employers too. You might get by for a few months by...
(Continued in Chapter Nine of A Survival Guide for Interesting Times)
Get your copy here: http://www.thesecretinformationsite.com
I seldom advocate violence, the government does enough of that on its own.
More government folly-your tax dollars at “work”
Armed agents raid on raw milk plant
This summer armed government agents raided Rawesome Foods, a Venice, California health food co-op. What were the agents after? Unpasteurized milk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioN0ehlyyXI&feature=player_embedded#!
Jury Nullification
The discombobulated deputy attorney of Missoula County, Montana, called it “mutiny.” The quiet courtroom insurrection was sparked by the prosecution of a man accused of possessing 1/16th of an ounce of marijuana. One of the 27 potential jurors asked why taxpayer money was being wasted in such a manner; thereupon the judge polled the entire jury pool. Most of them affirmed their refusal to convict on such a minor possession. Earlier, other potential jurors had been excused over “philosophical objections
http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/jury-nullification-remedy-or-danger/
The Week Ahead" Has A Stunning Look At The National Debt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4POrM_PqChs
Are We Really Less Free Today?
Interview with the Freeman editor about the state of liberty today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0tD6_EOqTI&NR=1
Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns? ( and bee stings )
Reader Comment…
I got your How to Save Money on Utilities report. Good stuff & I followed many of your recommendations but my water bill, which had gone down, now went up even though we’re using less water?
A: We experienced the same thing where we live as the city, which provides water here, jacked up their rates to shore up city finances. We use less water, but pay more. We even tried having a well dug but too deep to justify the cost…as we’ve reported, all cities & states are creating new ways to extort money from its citizens ranging from traffic fines, to new ‘user’ fees.
Time Magazine just reported:
“A combination of rising food and energy prices could ignite a repeat of the food riots that spread across the world in 2007 and 2008, provoking violent clashes from Haiti to Cameroon to Bangladesh.”
The National Debt Relief Amendment. Learn more about this group at:
http://www.restoringfreedom.org/
The Rumor Mill…A second unidentified missile was spotted over Padre Island, TX on the 2nd of Jan-just like the recent unexplained missile sighting over the CA coast. Rumor has it that it must be a Chinese missile (China just announced its stealth fighter program) or it might be our own government?!
Got young kids, tell their financial future lies in either internet security and spying or in artificial intelligence development…don’t waste those college funds on liberal arts.
The stock market might actually do well this year, especially for those with foreign investments in the portfolio as growth in the US will be slight.
Food price index, according to the UN set new high levels and are expected to go higher.
…highly unlikely ObamaCare will be repealed, big changes in it? Maybe.
More proof the US is becoming a Marxist Nation
http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/freedom-watch/index.html?%2Fv%2F4460997%2Fis-the-us-turning-marxist%2F%3Fplaylist_id=157991#/v/4460997/is-the-us-turning-marxist/?playlist_id=157991
*An episode of Jim Cramer’s popular TV show, Mad Money, touted Police State stocks such as FLIR, a provider of thermal imaging systems as the “ultimate police state stock” in America!
The University of Michigan's latest poll showed that U.S. residents expect prices to rise at an annual rate of 3 percent over the next year. That has almost doubled in the past two years. The Fed may not see inflation pressures building, but the average man or woman on the street clearly does.
Parting thoughts on our continuing destruction
…despite some positive signs, most of us don’t feel the economic situation is better
As the U.S. is being stripped of industry and is being deindustrialized, the American middle class is being absolutely devastated. Since the year 2000, we have lost 10% of our middle class jobs. In the year 2000 there were about 72 million middle class jobs in the United States but today there are only about 65 million middle class jobs. Sadly, the millions of jobs that have been sent overseas are never coming back.
Meanwhile, our national wealth is being drained from our bank accounts. Back in 1985, the U.S. trade deficit with China was just 6 million dollars for the entire year. But for this past August alone, the trade deficit with that same nation was over 28 billion dollars.
In other words, the U.S. trade deficit with that one Asian nation in August was more than 4,600 times larger than the U.S. trade deficit with that Asian nation was for the entire year of 1985.
Our national economic infrastructure is being absolutely ripped to shreds....
*Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs in the United States were manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9 percent of the jobs in the United States are manufacturing jobs.
*The United States has lost a staggering 32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
*Since 2001, over 42,000 U.S. factories have closed down for good.
*As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time that less than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941.
*Manufacturing employment in the U.S. computer industry was actually lower in 2010 than it was in 1975.
The latest issue of Money magazine is warning of a significant trend for the coming year — the Federal Reserve will reinflate the economy, spurring significant inflation.
Our government has chosen to respond by further eroding our rights. For example:
It’s becoming illegal to record the police in several US states, Canada, and the UK. You know, we used to be able to rely on the mainstream media to keep governments in check... but these days they've become shills and cheerleaders.
Example of injustice-A NJ court sentenced Brian Aitken to seven years in prison for legally owned weapons. He had just moved from CO to NJ and within days was arrested for having a locked, unloaded pistol in his trunk. No criminal record but he had failed to register them in NJ quickly enough. The perfect storm of governments violation the Constitution.
Fortunately, the Internet is a great equalizer, and videos abound of illegal police actions and the like which show the absurd lengths that police forces and government agents will go to intimidate and subordinate the masses.
There have already been arrests, charges filed, and lawsuits pending against citizens who have recorded the police and posted it online... You know governments will pass laws which legally prohibit such action.
A quick note - your materials and newsletter exceeded my expectations. No fluff or puff! --RufRider,CA
Now for the fun stuff…delightful, once banned Betty Boop -or how ObamaCare works!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q2T_9UCTiI&feature=related
That’s it for this issue from the Minister of Truth-The Poor Man
Feel free to share this with your friends!
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.OldBookNook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Free Money assistance for women, businesses, more.
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
A Shallow Planet Production
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
Sweet Deals from RedPlum
Analyze your food storage needs calculator
Concerns of EMP attacks
Every Way to Make Money site
How to Disappear
Phantom Alert-Beat traffic tickets
This week’s rumor mill
Limit all US politicians to two terms.
One in office
One in prison
Mini-Survival/Bug Out Kit
Longtime readers know I experiment and test ideas for new products on eBay…maybe that’s why I get in trouble with them and sometimes customers (had another one frustrated that many of our PM products are now provided as downloads vs. CD ROMs).
Well as many of you know, prepackaged bug out kits are convenient but costly. Most often you can build your kit from local suppliers at a substantial savings. Power bars, instant soups and freeze dried meals are easily packed along with some cash, clothes, a knife, ammo and more.
Always the idea guy, I came up with a package that should prove useful to hunters, campers, and everyday folk…the Poor Man’s Min-Bug Out kit. It includes a small first aid kit, a survival whistle with lanyard/compass, signal mirror & waterproof storage compartment for matches, fish hooks, etc. It also includes an 11-function survival tool (flat & includes case) plus one of those folding multi-tool devices with pliers, screw driver, etc…all of which come in handy.
I also included some of our Poor Man II preparedness items and an offer to subscribe to this bulletin to get even more bonus reports…all at a cost of $22.95 and that includes Priority shipping. I don’t think this is a bad price but we’ll see how they go. If they do well, I’ll order more inventory.
I share this with you not only to alert you to our new offers, but also to give your brain a whack. No doubt many of you have ideas as to how you might re-package something and could sell it at a profit. My advice, buy cheap (many, many wholesalers out there) and come up with a good offer, then test it on eBay or elsewhere before investing a lot of loot in inventory.
You can always visit my eBay storefront to see our inventory of sufficiency books and other items. Go to: www.OldBookNook.com
Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.
The Weekly Roundup (of rabbits)?
Meat Rabbits
Raising rabbits for meat is a great, cost-effective way to keep your freezer full. Also, rabbit meat is very lean and healthy for those who are trying to cut fatty foods from their diets. Since raising rabbits doesn't take up a whole lot of space, you don't need to live on a farm to do it. People in the city who have a decent-sized garage can join the program and get a little taste of the country life. There are a few things that everyone should know before getting - read the rest at:
http://www.offthegridnews.com/2011/01/03/raising-meat-rabbits-from-the-country-to-the-big-city/
Balm for broken blisters... to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.
Two new websites from subscriber Steve I‘m sure you‘ll find useful.
http://www.everywaytomakemoney.com
That's a big claim in the name, impossible to fulfill even, but there are hundreds of pages on the site and you'll find some truly interesting and useful content there. I have personally written over half of the pages, and I found a good researcher/writer to do the others. There will be a hundred more "ways" (pages) added in the coming months.
The other new site is all mine (so far--but I may hire a writer). It's about using what you have to get ahead in life. More specifically it is about using what you have in new and creative ways which you may not have thought of. You can just look down the list on the home page, pick out something you have, and then click through to see a list of different ways you can use it. The site has the name you might expect:
http://www.usingwhatyouhave.com
New way to beat traffic tickets…drivers helping drivers with-
http://www.phantomalert.com/
"The basic test of freedom is perhaps less in what we are free to do than in
what we are free not to do."
-- Eric Hoffer
Organize & Analyze your food storage free from Emergency Essentials
www.BePrepared.com/Analyzer
Kills fleas instantly... Dawn Dishwashing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas. (use Dawn straight from the bottle and massage in for 10 minutes, works wonders )
Something free to encourage your children to read
Welcome to Read.gov - a site dedicated to encouraging reading by people of all ages. On the left hand side of the page, you'll find links that break up the site by age level: Kids, Teens, Adults, and then Educators & Parents. That is a great way to get started browsing. Beneath those categories you'll find even more categories under resources
http://www.read.gov/
eBay Falls off List of Top-visited Websites in 2010
eBay dropped off the list of Experian Hitwise's top-ten most
visited websites in 2010, but remained among the top-10 most
searched terms for the year.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y11/m01/i04/s01
Protecting your wireless network
Many would like to have a secured network, however most have no inclination as to how they would accomplish such a goal. What they may not be aware of, is that there is two major layers of security to a network that protect computers against attacks. Each individual layer adds additional protection to stop people from gaining access to your network. More importantly, it prevents them from having access to your personal computer and sensitive information.
http://www.worldstart.com/secure-your-wireless-network/
Freebies, coupons, promo codes & more at Redplum
www.RedPlum.com/sweetfinds
Product sourcing-get inventory for auction, flea market sales. Returned electronics, designer handbags, and more. Buy by the pallet load or smaller quantities. Years ago when the PM first started selling online, this was a source we used.
www.liquidation.com
Concerns are rising about the threat of an EMP (ElectroMagnetic Pulse) attack, aimed at destroying our electronic guts. What if our computers and other electronics didn't work? What if electronic records of your bank account were immobilized? What would happen to our technology—dependent transportation, financial, and production systems?
America's vulnerability to EMP (ElectroMagnetic Pulse) attack looms large in the minds of many. Public attention was focused on the topic by the release in 2005 of a government—sponsored study by the congressional Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack. The results were further publicized by Frank J. Gaffney in a widely—read article, 'EMP: America's Achilles' Heel',� and was also featured in his recent book, War Footing —10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World.
Abstract: Most Americans—whether members of the public or politicians in Congress—ignore or are unaware of the very real threat of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. A nuclear device detonated high in the atmosphere above the American mainland can easily disable the country’s electrical grid—shutting down nearly all communications, transportation, and service systems. Overnight, daily life as Americans know it will be a thing of the past. There are ways to prevent devastation from an EMP — and the U.S. must invest in them now before it is too late. Two of the country’s preeminent national security experts explain how to prevent the worst
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/11/EMP-Attacks-What-the-US-Must-Do-Now
During the American Revolution, pins were used as barter items as
They were in short supply since England cut off shipments to America.
How To Disappear
Your own interesting times may require that you disappear and start a new life. I certainly don't want to encourage any criminal behavior here, but there are plenty of scenarios possible (including escaping criminals) where adopting a new identity is justified. This is a large subject, though, and the treatment here is just a quick outline, so get a book on the subject if necessary. (Poor Man I contains a lot of this info)
Your New Identity
There are a couple basic ways to get the paperwork necessary to establish a new identity. The first is to simply get fake papers. This is the fastest and easiest way. If you have no idea who to ask for help with this, become friends with illegal aliens. They often need this kind of service, and should know who can help you and roughly what it will cost.
The problem with this approach is that it tends to be a temporary fix. Since the drivers license you get is not real, it will not be in the records of the state. That can cause some trouble for you if you are stopped by police at some point.
Since the social security card you get has a fake number on it, you will run into problems with employers too. You might get by for a few months by...
(Continued in Chapter Nine of A Survival Guide for Interesting Times)
Get your copy here: http://www.thesecretinformationsite.com
I seldom advocate violence, the government does enough of that on its own.
More government folly-your tax dollars at “work”
Armed agents raid on raw milk plant
This summer armed government agents raided Rawesome Foods, a Venice, California health food co-op. What were the agents after? Unpasteurized milk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioN0ehlyyXI&feature=player_embedded#!
Jury Nullification
The discombobulated deputy attorney of Missoula County, Montana, called it “mutiny.” The quiet courtroom insurrection was sparked by the prosecution of a man accused of possessing 1/16th of an ounce of marijuana. One of the 27 potential jurors asked why taxpayer money was being wasted in such a manner; thereupon the judge polled the entire jury pool. Most of them affirmed their refusal to convict on such a minor possession. Earlier, other potential jurors had been excused over “philosophical objections
http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/jury-nullification-remedy-or-danger/
The Week Ahead" Has A Stunning Look At The National Debt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4POrM_PqChs
Are We Really Less Free Today?
Interview with the Freeman editor about the state of liberty today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0tD6_EOqTI&NR=1
Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns? ( and bee stings )
Reader Comment…
I got your How to Save Money on Utilities report. Good stuff & I followed many of your recommendations but my water bill, which had gone down, now went up even though we’re using less water?
A: We experienced the same thing where we live as the city, which provides water here, jacked up their rates to shore up city finances. We use less water, but pay more. We even tried having a well dug but too deep to justify the cost…as we’ve reported, all cities & states are creating new ways to extort money from its citizens ranging from traffic fines, to new ‘user’ fees.
Time Magazine just reported:
“A combination of rising food and energy prices could ignite a repeat of the food riots that spread across the world in 2007 and 2008, provoking violent clashes from Haiti to Cameroon to Bangladesh.”
The National Debt Relief Amendment. Learn more about this group at:
http://www.restoringfreedom.org/
The Rumor Mill…A second unidentified missile was spotted over Padre Island, TX on the 2nd of Jan-just like the recent unexplained missile sighting over the CA coast. Rumor has it that it must be a Chinese missile (China just announced its stealth fighter program) or it might be our own government?!
Got young kids, tell their financial future lies in either internet security and spying or in artificial intelligence development…don’t waste those college funds on liberal arts.
The stock market might actually do well this year, especially for those with foreign investments in the portfolio as growth in the US will be slight.
Food price index, according to the UN set new high levels and are expected to go higher.
…highly unlikely ObamaCare will be repealed, big changes in it? Maybe.
More proof the US is becoming a Marxist Nation
http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/freedom-watch/index.html?%2Fv%2F4460997%2Fis-the-us-turning-marxist%2F%3Fplaylist_id=157991#/v/4460997/is-the-us-turning-marxist/?playlist_id=157991
*An episode of Jim Cramer’s popular TV show, Mad Money, touted Police State stocks such as FLIR, a provider of thermal imaging systems as the “ultimate police state stock” in America!
The University of Michigan's latest poll showed that U.S. residents expect prices to rise at an annual rate of 3 percent over the next year. That has almost doubled in the past two years. The Fed may not see inflation pressures building, but the average man or woman on the street clearly does.
Parting thoughts on our continuing destruction
…despite some positive signs, most of us don’t feel the economic situation is better
As the U.S. is being stripped of industry and is being deindustrialized, the American middle class is being absolutely devastated. Since the year 2000, we have lost 10% of our middle class jobs. In the year 2000 there were about 72 million middle class jobs in the United States but today there are only about 65 million middle class jobs. Sadly, the millions of jobs that have been sent overseas are never coming back.
Meanwhile, our national wealth is being drained from our bank accounts. Back in 1985, the U.S. trade deficit with China was just 6 million dollars for the entire year. But for this past August alone, the trade deficit with that same nation was over 28 billion dollars.
In other words, the U.S. trade deficit with that one Asian nation in August was more than 4,600 times larger than the U.S. trade deficit with that Asian nation was for the entire year of 1985.
Our national economic infrastructure is being absolutely ripped to shreds....
*Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs in the United States were manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9 percent of the jobs in the United States are manufacturing jobs.
*The United States has lost a staggering 32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
*Since 2001, over 42,000 U.S. factories have closed down for good.
*As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time that less than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941.
*Manufacturing employment in the U.S. computer industry was actually lower in 2010 than it was in 1975.
The latest issue of Money magazine is warning of a significant trend for the coming year — the Federal Reserve will reinflate the economy, spurring significant inflation.
Our government has chosen to respond by further eroding our rights. For example:
It’s becoming illegal to record the police in several US states, Canada, and the UK. You know, we used to be able to rely on the mainstream media to keep governments in check... but these days they've become shills and cheerleaders.
Example of injustice-A NJ court sentenced Brian Aitken to seven years in prison for legally owned weapons. He had just moved from CO to NJ and within days was arrested for having a locked, unloaded pistol in his trunk. No criminal record but he had failed to register them in NJ quickly enough. The perfect storm of governments violation the Constitution.
Fortunately, the Internet is a great equalizer, and videos abound of illegal police actions and the like which show the absurd lengths that police forces and government agents will go to intimidate and subordinate the masses.
There have already been arrests, charges filed, and lawsuits pending against citizens who have recorded the police and posted it online... You know governments will pass laws which legally prohibit such action.
A quick note - your materials and newsletter exceeded my expectations. No fluff or puff! --RufRider,CA
Now for the fun stuff…delightful, once banned Betty Boop -or how ObamaCare works!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q2T_9UCTiI&feature=related
That’s it for this issue from the Minister of Truth-The Poor Man
Feel free to share this with your friends!
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.OldBookNook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Free Money assistance for women, businesses, more.
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
A Shallow Planet Production
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Three Liars of Society
Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
In This Issue:
Surviving the Three Liars of Society
PM’s Health Concoction
Finance is the new warfare & Chinese are winning
McAlvany Intelligence Advisor
Free ebooks for Kindle Readers
Legitimate ways to check your credit score
Emergency water purification methods
Top Money Savers in 2011
Unnecessary laws are not good laws, but traps for money.
--Thomas Hobbes
The Three Liars of Society
There is no longer any stability in our legal system. Once our nation shifted from Natural and Common Law ideals to those of Political Law, no one can predict from one administration to the next what is permissible and what is not. Most recently, this, along with our uncertain tax laws has caused uncertainty among business leaders which prevents them from hiring.
Most larger businesses know doing business in America is a joke due to its constant court ordered mandates, unlegislated bureaucratic rules and other constant changes. In short, we’re always in a state of flux which causes turmoil in the markets.
Political law has also kept our God given rights in a state of flux. The government seems to think they grant us permission to travel, to do business, to write publish or speak. Government at levels is quick to deny those rights on the slightest, unfounded whim since 911 and the creation of the unPatriot Act.
America is the most heavily regulated society on earth and it’s been reported state lawmakers issue some 200 million laws every ten years. Collectively, we have more than 500 million laws, something no rational society can keep up with, but then again, our government is no longer rational. As I write this a MI prosecutor has filed charges again a man for looking at his wife’s email without her permission. If convicted of this non-crime, he faces up to five years in prison and the flatworm of a prosecutor will get on TV in her indignant manner and chastise anyone who dare dream of performing this felonious act.
The legal system has ruined this country and discouraged business and job growth. There are many firms who will not do business in America because of our out of control legal system. No doubt you recall the time when all the states got together with a big law firm to sue Big Tobacco with the promise the proceeds would benefit children’s education. With one exception, the state government lied to the world and of course, the lawyers got rich and the states blew their ill-gotten gains on pork projects. You cannot trust a government based on political law.
What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes
In any new branch of commerce when he knows not
That his plans may be rendered unlawful before they
Can be executed? --James Madison
The American Trial Lawyers Association is a very successful lobbying group. As a result of their efforts, we are the only country in the world which does not have tort reform, a very costly mistake for American jobs.
When in doubt…Sue! The American National Motto
In the previous issue I wrote there are two basic laws. Allow me to remind what they are:
Do all you have agreed to do.
Do not encroach on other persons or their property
Since the 1930s America has been falling into the Dark Ages of law. Laws vacillate in the wind, according to the whim of whichever party is in office. Politicians of both parties have sought to make us more of a democracy rather than a republic and this is something our founders absolutely warned against as majority rule is dangerous. Any sociologist will tell of the bandwagon factor which influences how people vote. Rarely does the individual look at the long term effect of any law and its true cost to society. Marijuana laws are a good example. No one ever got ‘juiced up’ on pot and went on a crime binge. History is filled with examples of folks who got drunk and committed crime, yet pot is bad and offenders fill our jails and penalize our community resources.
The Three Liars of Society include >Legislators >Lawyers and >Lobbyists. No other group in history has done more damage to our Bill of Rights and Constitution.
As far as I’m concerned, Washington has sold our Liberty Bell for scrap. Instead of common sense or common law, prosecutors and politicians now use the blackjack approach to hijacking our rights and undermining our system.
Protection of the innocent is no longer a concern. The law is strictly a punitive tool to enforce whichever behavior is no longer in vogue. In recent years just about everything has come under attack, from gun ownership and tobacco use to wearing a seat belt. Most of the time, it’s not for public safety, it’s to put more cash in government coffers.
As citizens, these government agencies and prosecutors are supposed to be working for us. When they don’t perform, they need to be removed from office. Most of them seem to have forgotten they took an oath, perhaps they need a strong reminder.
Natural law and common law are superior to political law and was made famous prior our American Revolution by Rev. Jonathan Mayhew. Political law is arbitrary.
The vigor of Mayhew’s sermons established his reputation. It was published not only in Boston, but also in London in 1752 and again in 1767. In Boston, John Adams remembered long afterward that Mayhew’s sermon, “was read by everybody.” Some would say later that this sermon was the first volley of the American Revolution, setting forth the intellectual and scriptural justification for rebellion against the Crown.
Natural law or the law of nature has been described as a law whose content is set by nature and that therefore has validity everywhere. As classically used, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior.
If our country were under external attack, we’d all race to the rescue. Why aren’t we defending our freedom and rights from these domestic political terrorists?
In the US the sanctimonious maxim that “Ignorance of the law is no excuse’ puts every citizen at risk. This notion may have been a sound rule in simpler times, when the catalog of offenses was limited to traditional offenses…but it’s a sinister joke when applied to the 6 foot shelf of criminal codes at the federal and state level. Moreover, no one today can rely on a straightforward meaning of the law as they have become twisted, subject to the whims of whichever prosecutor is in office becoming utterly arbitrary and deliberately unclear! In many respects, these prosecutors would be considered traitors under Colonial law.
I’ve included a link below to legal resources that are either free or low cost and which cover many areas of law. Although geared primarily to MI contacts, many of the resources lend themselves to folks in any state…use it as a starting point.
http://julieslist.homestead.com/LegalResources.html
…This is part of an ongoing series of the Poor Man’s take on how our political system has been corrupted.
This n That…
PM’s New Year’s Health concoction
My wife won’t go near this, but I find it healthful and a good way to begin a healthier New Year. I have been drinking this each morning for about eight days and already feel the benefits of rejuvenation. Remember, all recipes are merely guides. Feel free to experiment with other ingredients. I use a blender to make a large cup of this each day.
1 tbs of apple cider vinegar
4-5 ounces of cranberry-pomegranate juice
1 chopped apple, ½ banana, 1 fresh pineapple slice
1 ounce sesame oil
1 ounce blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon flax seed
¼ cucumber
Bunch of fresh spinach
Small slice of fresh ginger root
The sesame oil gives it a nutty flavor and the ginger root gives it a flavor boost too. This plus a couple of slices of raisin toast and coffee carry me through most of the day-try it!
PM is on a health kick this month…this might prove useful to many of you!
You can figure out which foods your body is efficient at digesting, your eating becomes much more efficient. Also, many raw foods contain some of the natural enzymes required to digest them. When you cook them, you kill some/all of the enzymes and put more of the stress of digestion on your gut and causing you to get fewer net calories. One free tool you can use to figure out the foods that are best for you is from, Dr. Joe Mercola. You can use it by going to: http://nutritionaltyping.mercola.com/PreTest.aspx
Weekly Roundup of Useful Stuff
How to Purify Drinking Water in an emergency
http://www.prepare-for-emergency.com/purify-water.htm
*Something I often neglect to mention about preparedness…keep an extra tank or three of LP gas filled at all times. Your BBQ can be used for cooking & these tanks are usable for other devices such as heaters and stoves.
Free ebooks for Kindle Readers
This Christmas, I noticed a trend among the gifts my friends and family received. A lot of them were now owners of a Kindle. Here’s a source of free e-books to put on their e-readers.
This site is the best of a ton of them that I looked at because the books are 100% free with no hidden membership costs.
http://manybooks.net/
Amazon Launches Kindle eBook Lending, BN.com's Nook Is a Bestseller
Amazon.com is now allowing owners of its Kindle eBook reading
devices to lend eBooks to others through the Kindle Book Lending
program. Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble said its Nook eBook reader is
its most popular product ever, and said it now sells more digital
books than physical books on BN.com
Atomic Mall Launches Auctions Very Different from eBay-Style Listings
Online marketplace AtomicMall.com launched its anticipated
auction format on Saturday. The sealed-bid auctions are designed
to eliminate the shortcomings of the traditional online auction
format found on sites like eBay. Atomic Mall founder Mike Shannon
tells AuctionBytes he launched auctions to attract unique items,
and believes product diversity will be a powerful force for
attracting buyers to the site.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y11/m01/i03/s01
Gift Cards Are Out
After nine consecutive years of gains, gift cards are on the wane. Sales of gift cards are expected to drop to $86.2 billion, an 11% decline from their peak in 2007, according to CardHub.com. Shoppers want to avoid pitfalls like expiration dates and inactivity fees that can quickly erode a card's value, says Kwame Kuadey, chief executive of GiftCardRescue.com, which buys and sells gift cards. Even if you use a portion of the gift card, these inactivity fees can kick in if the rest of the card remains unused for at least 12 months. However, the Card Act eliminated other loopholes, including extending expiration dates to at least five years after the gift card is issued. Before, expiration dates could kick in at any time and often did within one year.
The first goal of any off grid electrical system is to reduce the electrical usage of your household as much as possible.
How to do that you say?
Non-electric or hybrid appliances. Let's talk possibilities, starting with refrigeration.
With a propane refrigerator you get a lot less for you money in terms of size and luxuries than you do with an electric unit. It's the price you pay for refrigeration where there isn't any electricity. But let's face it, a cold drink, ice, and preserved food are worth it.
http://www.realgoods.com/product/home-o ... gerator.do
End of Days starts May 21st according a group of Christian groups going about the country to warn the rest of us. Guess that ties into the Mayan Calendar prediction?!
Libertarian Party to participate in "Stripping of Freedom" TSA conference
WASHINGTON - Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict will join Ralph Nader and Cato Institute information policy expert Jim Harper this Thursday, January 6, as a panelist at a public conference examining TSA security procedures.
The conference is sponsored by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and titled "The Stripping of Freedom: A Careful Scan of TSA Security Procedures." It is open to the press and public. (Advance registration is preferred.)
Benedict commented, "TSA agents strip-scan and grope us when we want to take an airline flight. We need to treat their security theater with just as much scrutiny. Terrorists win by tricking us into letting government trample on our rights."
Top 15 Money Saving Tips for 2011
"Every year, ShopSmart publishes hundreds of tips to help consumers slash their bills," said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart. "So to help them kick off 2011 right, we pulled together our best cost-cutting measures that could save hundreds of dollars."
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shopsmarts-top-15-money-saving-tips-for-2011-111821089.html
>>Use vegetable spray as a quick lubricant on squeaky doors, bike chains, etc.<< As the Poor Man recently reported but for new subscribers… For those of you who don’t know, the DHS has started launching a campaign, as of yesterday, encouraging people everywhere that if you see “something suspicious or out of the ordinary” then “say something” to local authorities—or even your local retail store Manager! They are looping this warning video in hundreds of Wal-Mart stores across the U.S. and will soon have them at bus stations, the Mall of America, and other key gathering locations such as sports venues, concerts, etc American Nazis at it again.. Recently an everyday Mom who also is a faithful blogger who believed in self-reliance and would frequently voice her concerns about the world around her—had her child subjected to extensive questioning while at school—illegally of course. These questions were about whether or not her mother owned any guns, took the kids camping, stored food, or has remodeled her home? Who dared to ask a child these questions while she was at school? Nope, it wasn’t the Nazi’s, the KGB, or the CIA. It was an even more intimidating foe that tends to believe they are outside of the reach of the law and justice—the Child Protection Services division of Georgia. They then proceeded to charge the mother with child endangerment, based on the faulty theory that the mother blogged 20 hours a day and thus must be neglecting her daughter. (See http://sherriequestioningall.blogspot.com/2010/12/is-govt-trying-to-find-out-who-has-what.html) >>>Legitimate ways of checking your credit score. Even if you no longer use credit, a bad score can hurt your chances at a job and will affect premium prices paid for auto insurance (which makes no sense whatsoever but our anti-consumer gov’t allows them this unfair practice…guess that’s why they call it ‘free enterprise.’)
None of these services are free >>>>
True FICO Score @ Fair Isaac 800-319-4433 or MyFICO.com
Equifax @ 866-493-9788 or Equifax.com
Transunion @ 800-888-4213 or TransUnionCS.com
Beginner’s Guide to Investing in Silver-Free
http://silver-shortage.blogspot.com/
PMs Political Hacking…
Get links to our intelligence services, preparedness checklists & more at Don McAlvany’s Intelligence Advisor. Don has been around a long time and has always provided useful content (hey, he’s a Phx boy)!
http://miatoday.com/today.asp
Will Congress order changes at the U.S. Postal Service?
Postal reform could be the sleeper issue of the year -- and a politically tricky one. (Which lawmaker wants to become the champion of closing post offices?) But make no mistake: This is the year the Postal Service will really run out of money -- unless Congress seriously addresses postal reform. Pensions are ballooning, mail volume and revenues are plummeting and -- most perilous of all -- a $15 billion line of credit with the U.S. Treasury dries up this year. Two substantive legislative proposals are on the table and after years of avoiding the issue, it appears Congress will have to deliver a serious solution in 2011.
Use a coffee filter to hold a taco or hot dog or other messy food-they make a sleeve!
Most wealthy simply do not pay income taxes. Today, it is estimated that a third of all the wealth in the world is held in offshore banks. So why is so much of the wealth of the globe located in places such as Monaco, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the Isle of Man? It isn't because those are fun places to visit. It is to avoid taxes. The super wealthy and the international banking elite think that it is really funny that our paychecks are constantly being drained by federal taxes, state taxes and Social Security taxes while they literally pay nothing at all. These incredibly rich elitists make a ton of money doing business in wealthy western nations and then they transfer virtually all of their profits offshore where they don't have to contribute any of it in taxes. It works out really great for them, but it sucks for the rest of us.
It is estimated that approximately $1.4 trillion is held in offshore banks in the Cayman Islands alone. According to an article in Forbes magazine, there is a total of approximately 15 trillion to 20 trillion dollars in offshore bank accounts, brokerage accounts and hedge fund portfolios.
A recent article in the Guardian stated that a third of all the wealth on the entire globe is held in offshore banks and that the vast majority of international banking transactions take place in these tax havens....
On a conservative estimate, a third of the world's wealth is held offshore, with 80% of international banking transactions taking place there. More than half the capital in the world's stock exchanges is "parked" offshore at some point.
All of the biggest banks in the world are involved in playing this game.
>>>Help abused animals at www.TheAnimalRescueSite.com - become a sponsor or donate!<<< <<>>
PM’s Rumor Mill>>>Italy will be the next European nation requiring a bailout!
Our country no longer hold the international respect it once did, Asia is the new empire. Even street vendors in Switzerland are trying to dump the dollar. Even the Euro is likely to fall within two years, as is the US dollar. Asia has far fewer job killing bureaucratic regulations than the west. With strong encouragement from the Chinese government, their people are buying up gold. Paper dollars lost 16% of their value at the end of 2010. Asians are laughing at what they perceive as “dumbed-down Americans,” and plan to have their gold-back currency become the world currency within a few years. Despite this, many are saying the dollar will remain strong throughout 2011. Are we laughing yet? Finance is the new form of warfare.
<<>>
"Coercion by government, the main fear of our founding fathers, is now its most common attribute."
-- Philip K. Howard
New York attorney
Wanted to say thanks. You obviously put some thought and research into your site and your weekly newsletter. I pay for other publications which aren’t nearly as good or on target! --Dave of TN
>>Buy American-Each time you go to a store, ask where the ‘made in USA’ aisle is. If they don’t have any, say thanks & let them know you’ll go elsewhere. Go to TV star (Cheers) John Ratzenberger’s site: www.Ratzenberger.com to find US made products.<< The Parting Shots… It's mind-boggling the blinders our politicians have. I mean, surely that must be the reason. No sane person acts as fiscally irresponsible as they do. If not blinders, then they are deliberately running this country off a cliff and it's criminal at the least. Treasonous is more like it. This financial debacle we're in affects not only the jobs we do or do not have, it affects everything else as well, including energy infrastructure and our food supply. This country is the basis and standard of all the currencies in the world, and we're being run like a banana republic. Given that this train wreck we call a government is still intentionally driving us over a cliff, what can one do? Stop the Police State in America-Ron Paul http://peterschiffchannel.blogspot.com/2011/01/ron-paul-stop-police-state-repeal.html Too many Americans have been ‘dumbed down’ as the Chinese believe (actually, many Asians have felt that way about America since WWII). We’ve been scorned and admired at the same time for our freedoms (which are evaporating) and lifestyle. Consider that Nine out of Ten Americans are hurting financially… More Americans are on food stamps than are enrolled in college Home foreclosure notices were issued at the rate of 322 per hour in 2010 There are 5.5 job seekers for every job & most US jobs pay a fraction of what they used to…dropping significantly from the 80s More than $7 trillion in US household wealth-lost since the Recession began The number of laws that confiscate property and new fines by cities and states (aka: traffic offenses) has jumped 23% …laws such as anti-smoking, no texting, seat belt laws, etc….all in an effort to squeeze more revenue from citizens. Every single month tens of billions of dollars of our national wealth is transferred to the rest of the world. We buy far more from the rest of the globe than they buy from us, and this difference is called a trade deficit. Most Americans don't even think about the trade deficit, but the truth is that it represents a transfer of wealth that is almost unimaginable. Every month when the oil-exporting nations of the Middle East send us oil, what do we send to them? Our dollars of course. So we burn up their oil in our vehicles and end up with nothing at the end of the month, and they end up with a big pile of our money. So what happens the next month? The exact same process repeats again. But it is not just oil-exporting nations that we are transferring our national wealth to. Back in 1985, the U.S. trade deficit with China was 6 million dollars for the entire year. For this past August alone, the trade deficit with China was over 28 billion. Why Rich People are Leaving http://kiyosaki-blog.blogspot.com/2011/01/donald-trump-rich-people-are-leaving.html In other words, the U.S. trade deficit with China in August 2010 was more than 4,600 times larger than the U.S. trade deficit with China was for the entire year of 1985. That is why China has so much money to lend back to us - we have been transferring tens of billions of dollars of our national wealth to them month after month after month. Just think of we saw in 2010: - The TSA 'tip of the spear' enforcing subordination to government authority - Canada's government authorizing its agents to search homes without a warrant - Gold hitting all-time nominal highs due to unprecedented monetary inflation - Governments around the world raising taxes with immediate effect - Homeland Security began seizing domains without due process - The beginning of the end of the Eurozone - World governments engaging in mutually assured destruction currency wars - FBI raiding the homes of war protestors - Passage of the HIRE Act in the United States, a precursor to capital controls - Political heavyweights openly calling for the assassination of Julian Assange - Switzerland settling with the US government - Panama caving to pressure and signing a Tax Information Exchange Agreement - Homeland Security encouraging US citizens to spy on each other at Wal Mart Barron's: US Will See Run on Treasurys, Hyperinflation Investors in U.S. debt around the world are worryingly near a "psychological breaking point" that could force a "run on the bank" against Treasuries. If that happens, hyperinflation quickly follows and gold will soar much, much higher from its now record-setting levels, argues author and longtime trader Victor Sperandeo in the latest issue of Barron's. It’s our hope the Poor Man bulletin, web site, special reports and CDs have given you some means of preparation. You should always be stockpiling cans of oil, ammo, liquor, food, silver coins (I know, they go up weekly), batteries, toiletries, etc. for use in barter and for your family. Soon, your $20 bill might be worth a whole lot less. Please, please, please…share this with your friends and family who may not have stockpiled anything. I know, there are still many who don’t believe. Better off being a Boy Scout. Final shot…if you are an entrepreneur who desires more, learn from one of the best marketers on the planet, Jay Abraham on this 26 minute live video. http://jeffwalker.com/eben-pagan-jay-abraham/ Happy trails till next issue! --the Poor Man
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.OldBookNook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Free Money assistance for women, businesses, more.
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
A Shallow Planet Production
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
11 Predictions for '11
Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
1. Interview with Elizabeth Warren
2. Why has the war on terror become a war on our freedom?
3. Remember when using Time Warp
4. What new tax laws mean to online sellers
5. New-free reports now available/Happy New Year!
6. Austerity cuts in Europe-a harbinger of things to come here?
7. 11 Predictions for the coming year-Gas Prices to Rise is #12
"When you have made evil the means of survival, do not expect men to remain good. Do not expect them to stay moral and lose their lives for the purpose of becoming the fodder of the immoral. Do not expect them to produce, when production is punished and looting rewarded. Do not ask, 'Who is destroying the world?' You are."
-- Ayn Rand
(1905-1982) Author
Source: Atlas Shrugged.
Americans of our Revolutionary War Period were better educated than most college grads of today
Nearly a half million copies of Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet were sold in the years leading up to our American Revolution. Although most folks were self-educated or home schooled in those years, most were better read than today's college graduate. Natural Law and human rights had a very real value and respect then, lawyers were actually respected and common law was considered to be a science.
Most of our common laws were derived over the centuries and judges found their roots in the clergy. In its early years common law was a private legal system, independent of government. Because law had no connection with government, judges would instruct offenders to make restitution to the victim (unlike today where fines are paid to the government instead of the victim).
If the offender refused, the judge used a procedure called outlawry, meaning if the criminal chose not to obey or to act outside the law, their legal status was reduced to that of a wild animal and this fact was publicized so that anyone could hunt that person down (the origin of bounty hunting) and kill him or enslave him.
Under Clovis, founder of the Frankish kingdom, a book of laws were compiled called Lex Salica, with its main premise is the criminal's first liability was to the victim, not the state. A range of offenses and fines were listed in this book and restitutions were split 50-50 between the victim and the state.
Common Law became so logical and sensible, that most colonists studied and understood it. In fact, the British stateman, Edmund Burke observed “In no country in the world, is law so general a study.”
Essentially, there are two laws. They are universally understood in ALL religions and little argued (though sadly ignored today by the US legal/political system which has become one and the same). They are:
>> Do all that you have agreed to do
>>Do not encroach on other persons or their property
The basic precepts of common law are no longer understood by our citizens or practiced in our legal system. Essentially we are left we political law which is constantly subject to change, challenge and twisting by politicians and bureaucrats who ignore the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Learn more at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_law
NOTE: Our newest free report, How the Washington-Wall Street Cartel is Robbing America contains new & pieces previously published. Additional new how-to reports are included in this file for downloading and represents our ongoing effort at providing our readers useable information. Feel free to share these files -- my way of saying Happy New Year!
Be sure to see the 11 trends forecast from our friend Gerald Celente at the bottom of this week’s edition. Normally, I provide such predictions, but Gerald hit pretty much all that I had come up with on the head…not a pretty site.
As governments become corrupt, they have need of more laws to dominate its citizens.
The Weekly Round up
Make your shower self cleaning with daily use of this MIY cleaner. Combine 1/3 cup rubbing alcohol and 1 cup water into a spray bottle. Spray walls and tub after each shower…the alcohol will dissolve shower grime & evaporates quickly!
Profile-Interview with Ms. Warren-New Consumer Chief
If Elizabeth Warren offers you a cup of tea, don’t accept. I’ve been known to pinch a penny myself, but when President Obama’s choice to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau pulls a rumpled gray object with a tail out of her desk drawer, even I blanch. It looks more like a dead mouse than a used tea bag.
“I know,” she says, laughing, when I express surprise. “But I just can’t stand the waste of throwing out a tea bag after one use. It’s like a knife in the gut for me.”http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/elizabeth-warren-held-to-account/
Minimum Wage rises for some in 2011-PM maintains that by not taxing the first $25K of income would give everyone a much needed boost!
The , a New York-based advocate for workers, estimates that about 647,000 people will see their paychecks go up in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont and Washington
Retail clerk Kimberly Bobian of Denver agreed. Bobian stopped by a corner grocery to pick up a can of tomato sauce and said it's hard to keep her pantry stocked on the .
"It's going up 11 cents? That's a big deal, definitely," she said. "Food prices are going up, everything goes up, so any little bit helps
State-by-state minimum wage laws: http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm
What the New Tax Law Means to Online Sellers
Just before the Congress adjourned, the Tax Relief, Unemployment
Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 was signed into
law. Barbara Weltman explains what it means to self-employed and
small businesses, including online sellers.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y10/m12/i27/s01
Upcoming UPS and USPS rate changes -- review your shipping costs-PM tried getting the new rates but they weren’t yet available so check them.
Carrier rates are changing, effective January 3 for UPS and January 2 for USPS (check USPS.com in January for rates).
eBay's top-selling items in 2010 include iPhones, Barbie dolls
and military jackets, according to its just-released ''Top Shopped'' report.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y10/m12/i29/s02
How the Washington-Wall Street Cartel is
Selling your children into slavery, mortgaging & destroying
Your future…and what you can do to
Restore your freedom.
If you’re happy with TSA pat downs, no knock warrants in the middle of the night, diminishing property rights, no middle class jobs, over-paid government bureaucrats, unfair tax laws, a once prosperous country now bankrupt, a Congress bought and paid for, government spying on your email, finances & more…then read no further.
This ‘serious-as-a-heart attack,’ jaw clenching report will reveal how Americans are being financially raped and terrorized by a government which is supposed to protect us…mostly in the name of ‘keeping us free’ from terrorism.
You’ll also find some other reports here including how to Do Your Own Pig Roast, Basics of Plumbing, Coping w/ Farm Emergencies, 3-Day Emergency Food Supply & more.
http://tinyurl.com/GovCartel or go to www.PoorManSurvival.com and click on the Citizen Preparedness tab.
45 Tons of CDs & DVDs wind up in landfills each month. AbundaTrade.com refurbishes & re-circulates used discs. Enter the UPC code for a price quote, then swap them for cash or gift cards, ipods, etc.-or donate them to DiscsforDogs.org-benefits SPCA!
To save money when dining out, book a reservation in advance online through DinnerBroker.com or OpenTable.com. You will get discounts and points that can be turned in for cash -- exact amounts depend on the restaurant and time of reservation. Also, clip coupons from Sunday newspapers, mailbox coupon packs and free penny-saving publications. Restaurants often offer discounts this way. The Entertainment Book (about $30*) offers a wide variety of restaurant discounts -- using just two or three discounts pays for the book (888-231-7283, www.entertainment.com). If you like a specific restaurant, sign up for its reward program -- you will get special deals by E-mail. Watch for promotions, such as Kids Eat Free or Early-Bird Specials.
Government mandated costs have all gone up (our state has among the highest in the US). We got our property taxes, water bill and auto insurance all in December…put a real strain on our holiday finances. It also virtually eliminated our charitable donations this year as we had to feed the government instead! --Margaret
Nonprofits getting first shot at bank foreclosures
Rebuilding Together obtained the home for free from ., the bank that foreclosed on its previous owner. Honeywell International Inc. provided the labor to renovate it and $25,000 cash for the materials.
In a market hot with speculators snapping up cheap foreclosures, Rebuilding Together's program is one of many that give a leg up to nonprofits and redevelopment agencies trying to stabilize neighborhoods dotted with vacant houses.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_foreclosures_families_first
http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/section/about/
It's not who wins or loses, but who gets to control the wreckage
The $20K Pet-High Vet Bill Under Scrutiny
Vet bills are increasing and many Americans can no longer afford treatment for fido – Read more at: http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/health-care/the-20000-pet-1292884111206/
People have more to fear from governments than from terrorists. Terrorists come and go but power-hungry politicians will always be with us. We must ensure that each new debacle caused by government incompetence is not converted into another coffin nail for individual freedom as has happened in the United States.
Remember when:
When it was assumed the next generation would have it better than their parents
When most high school kids could read and knew American history
When poverty was declining
When home ownership was a viable step up
When a middle class family could exist on one paycheck
When income taxes were almost an afterthought & didn’t require CPAs
When good jobs were commonplace
Speaking of ‘Remember When’ here’s a free site that will whisk you back as far as 1900 and it let’s you peek at what life was like during each decade, even what kind of toys kids played with. For a good description of what all you might find on this site you may want to check out the Time-Warp Project button at the top of the page. The Research button yields some great information too. Just scroll down and check out the timeline.
http://www.time-warp.org/
How it works in the US workplace...no health insurance, no first aid kit – it's cheaper to simply replace the worker!
Parting thoughts...
Why has the war on terror become a war on freedom?
How many people is a government allowed to kill accidentally?
A number of years ago when I owned a chain of newspapers, we tried to find out how many people were killed accidentally by police. No one would provide us with that information. No knock 'shock and awe’ style SWAT break ins to the wrong home have killed countless people such a retired minister in Philadelphia who was reading his Bible when police broke down his door screaming at him to get on the ground. He died of a heart attack. Oh, an informant had given them the wrong address.
Last year in Detroit, police SWAT killed a young child when they entered the wrong home and a police firearm went off. Indeed, statistics show more Americans are killed accidentally by police than terrorists.
In most years since the 1990s, Americans were at far greater risk of being gunned down by local, state, and federal law enforcement agents than from international terrorists. In 2001, the Washington Post reported, for example, that Prince George police (MD) shot 122 persons, killing 47 – half of those citizens were unarmed.
A Human Rights Watch report observed “police officers engage in unjustified shootings, severe beatings, fatal chokings, and unnecessary roughness in cities all across America, while their superiors fail to act or even to record the problems.”
The FBI killed 80 men, women and children in Waco after dousing the buildings for six hours with flammable gas and prevented fire trucks from approaching the inferno. If this had been carried out my Muslim fanatics, it would be classified as one of the worst terrorist acts in history...instead, Attorney General Janet Reno was treated like a hero!
Between 1980 and 2000 governments around the world killed more than 10 million people. In the 20th century, governments were responsible for killing more than 120 million people, while wars only accounted for 35 million deaths. Year in and year out, governments kill 100 times more people than terrorists.
In Serbia US & allied war planes killed between 500 and 2000 civilians and even more in Afghanistan...but when government kills it doesn't count and it usually gets white washed as the government investigates its own incidents. Many would agree that any action done by a private citizen that would be considered terrorism should also be considered terrorism if done by government agents.
The notion put forth by our “Department of Justice” that governments cannot be terrorists (unless of course, our government says another government is a terrorist) doesn't hold a lot of water by those on the receiving end. US sponsored torture, using other countries at our behest, makes us hypocritical in the eyes of the world.
One of the reasons why our government is so often despised in other countries is due to our need to not only control US citizens, but to also stick our nose into the business of foreign citizens acting as the policeman to the world. We just can't seem to get enough of our addiction to control or to act as big brother to the world. Noted in this recent story...
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Drug Enforcement Administration has grown into a global intelligence organization whose reach extends far beyond international drug trafficking, The New York Times reported.
Citing documents from the whistleblower website WikiLeaks, the newspaper said the DEA's operations had become so expansive the agency has had to fend off foreign politicians who want to use it against their political enemies.
One August 2009 cable reported Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli as having sent an urgent BlackBerry message to the US ambassador asking the DEA go after his political enemies. Speaking of Panama, I always found it odd that our country could ethically invade (we called it extradition) another country simply to nab someone (Pres. Noriega) it no longer liked and the rest of the world said nothing.
Too bad our politicians didn’t lean more toward the advice George Washington gave us in his farewell speech about avoiding entangling alliances and foreign intrigues…guess we can learn from history.
Finally, are the austerity cuts & protests witnessed across Europe a harbinger of things to come in the USA? Remember, it doesn’t take much to get a populace angry and many Americans are becoming fed up with the direction this country is headed toward as well.
http://geraldcelentechannel.blogspot.com/2010/12/revolt-2011-coming-dark-ages-2010.html
Also, check out Gerald’s 11 predictions for the coming year…not pretty & don’t forget as the Poor Man has been saying, oil will rise, meaning gasoline will rise, meaning in turn, food prices will rise. Costs will be passed onto consumers for a variety of items in addition to food.
http://geraldcelentechannel.blogspot.com/2010/12/gerald-celente-top-predictions-for-2011.html
Yours for better living in ‘11--the Poor Man,
"Congressman is the trivialist distinction for a full grown man."
-- Mark Twain
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.OldBookNook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Free Money assistance for women, businesses, more.
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
A Shallow Planet Production
Your choice for urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
In This Issue:
1. Interview with Elizabeth Warren
2. Why has the war on terror become a war on our freedom?
3. Remember when using Time Warp
4. What new tax laws mean to online sellers
5. New-free reports now available/Happy New Year!
6. Austerity cuts in Europe-a harbinger of things to come here?
7. 11 Predictions for the coming year-Gas Prices to Rise is #12
"When you have made evil the means of survival, do not expect men to remain good. Do not expect them to stay moral and lose their lives for the purpose of becoming the fodder of the immoral. Do not expect them to produce, when production is punished and looting rewarded. Do not ask, 'Who is destroying the world?' You are."
-- Ayn Rand
(1905-1982) Author
Source: Atlas Shrugged.
Americans of our Revolutionary War Period were better educated than most college grads of today
Nearly a half million copies of Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet were sold in the years leading up to our American Revolution. Although most folks were self-educated or home schooled in those years, most were better read than today's college graduate. Natural Law and human rights had a very real value and respect then, lawyers were actually respected and common law was considered to be a science.
Most of our common laws were derived over the centuries and judges found their roots in the clergy. In its early years common law was a private legal system, independent of government. Because law had no connection with government, judges would instruct offenders to make restitution to the victim (unlike today where fines are paid to the government instead of the victim).
If the offender refused, the judge used a procedure called outlawry, meaning if the criminal chose not to obey or to act outside the law, their legal status was reduced to that of a wild animal and this fact was publicized so that anyone could hunt that person down (the origin of bounty hunting) and kill him or enslave him.
Under Clovis, founder of the Frankish kingdom, a book of laws were compiled called Lex Salica, with its main premise is the criminal's first liability was to the victim, not the state. A range of offenses and fines were listed in this book and restitutions were split 50-50 between the victim and the state.
Common Law became so logical and sensible, that most colonists studied and understood it. In fact, the British stateman, Edmund Burke observed “In no country in the world, is law so general a study.”
Essentially, there are two laws. They are universally understood in ALL religions and little argued (though sadly ignored today by the US legal/political system which has become one and the same). They are:
>> Do all that you have agreed to do
>>Do not encroach on other persons or their property
The basic precepts of common law are no longer understood by our citizens or practiced in our legal system. Essentially we are left we political law which is constantly subject to change, challenge and twisting by politicians and bureaucrats who ignore the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Learn more at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_law
NOTE: Our newest free report, How the Washington-Wall Street Cartel is Robbing America contains new & pieces previously published. Additional new how-to reports are included in this file for downloading and represents our ongoing effort at providing our readers useable information. Feel free to share these files -- my way of saying Happy New Year!
Be sure to see the 11 trends forecast from our friend Gerald Celente at the bottom of this week’s edition. Normally, I provide such predictions, but Gerald hit pretty much all that I had come up with on the head…not a pretty site.
As governments become corrupt, they have need of more laws to dominate its citizens.
The Weekly Round up
Make your shower self cleaning with daily use of this MIY cleaner. Combine 1/3 cup rubbing alcohol and 1 cup water into a spray bottle. Spray walls and tub after each shower…the alcohol will dissolve shower grime & evaporates quickly!
Profile-Interview with Ms. Warren-New Consumer Chief
If Elizabeth Warren offers you a cup of tea, don’t accept. I’ve been known to pinch a penny myself, but when President Obama’s choice to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau pulls a rumpled gray object with a tail out of her desk drawer, even I blanch. It looks more like a dead mouse than a used tea bag.
“I know,” she says, laughing, when I express surprise. “But I just can’t stand the waste of throwing out a tea bag after one use. It’s like a knife in the gut for me.”http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/elizabeth-warren-held-to-account/
Minimum Wage rises for some in 2011-PM maintains that by not taxing the first $25K of income would give everyone a much needed boost!
The , a New York-based advocate for workers, estimates that about 647,000 people will see their paychecks go up in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont and Washington
Retail clerk Kimberly Bobian of Denver agreed. Bobian stopped by a corner grocery to pick up a can of tomato sauce and said it's hard to keep her pantry stocked on the .
"It's going up 11 cents? That's a big deal, definitely," she said. "Food prices are going up, everything goes up, so any little bit helps
State-by-state minimum wage laws: http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm
What the New Tax Law Means to Online Sellers
Just before the Congress adjourned, the Tax Relief, Unemployment
Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 was signed into
law. Barbara Weltman explains what it means to self-employed and
small businesses, including online sellers.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y10/m12/i27/s01
Upcoming UPS and USPS rate changes -- review your shipping costs-PM tried getting the new rates but they weren’t yet available so check them.
Carrier rates are changing, effective January 3 for UPS and January 2 for USPS (check USPS.com in January for rates).
eBay's top-selling items in 2010 include iPhones, Barbie dolls
and military jackets, according to its just-released ''Top Shopped'' report.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y10/m12/i29/s02
How the Washington-Wall Street Cartel is
Selling your children into slavery, mortgaging & destroying
Your future…and what you can do to
Restore your freedom.
If you’re happy with TSA pat downs, no knock warrants in the middle of the night, diminishing property rights, no middle class jobs, over-paid government bureaucrats, unfair tax laws, a once prosperous country now bankrupt, a Congress bought and paid for, government spying on your email, finances & more…then read no further.
This ‘serious-as-a-heart attack,’ jaw clenching report will reveal how Americans are being financially raped and terrorized by a government which is supposed to protect us…mostly in the name of ‘keeping us free’ from terrorism.
You’ll also find some other reports here including how to Do Your Own Pig Roast, Basics of Plumbing, Coping w/ Farm Emergencies, 3-Day Emergency Food Supply & more.
http://tinyurl.com/GovCartel or go to www.PoorManSurvival.com and click on the Citizen Preparedness tab.
45 Tons of CDs & DVDs wind up in landfills each month. AbundaTrade.com refurbishes & re-circulates used discs. Enter the UPC code for a price quote, then swap them for cash or gift cards, ipods, etc.-or donate them to DiscsforDogs.org-benefits SPCA!
To save money when dining out, book a reservation in advance online through DinnerBroker.com or OpenTable.com. You will get discounts and points that can be turned in for cash -- exact amounts depend on the restaurant and time of reservation. Also, clip coupons from Sunday newspapers, mailbox coupon packs and free penny-saving publications. Restaurants often offer discounts this way. The Entertainment Book (about $30*) offers a wide variety of restaurant discounts -- using just two or three discounts pays for the book (888-231-7283, www.entertainment.com). If you like a specific restaurant, sign up for its reward program -- you will get special deals by E-mail. Watch for promotions, such as Kids Eat Free or Early-Bird Specials.
Government mandated costs have all gone up (our state has among the highest in the US). We got our property taxes, water bill and auto insurance all in December…put a real strain on our holiday finances. It also virtually eliminated our charitable donations this year as we had to feed the government instead! --Margaret
Nonprofits getting first shot at bank foreclosures
Rebuilding Together obtained the home for free from ., the bank that foreclosed on its previous owner. Honeywell International Inc. provided the labor to renovate it and $25,000 cash for the materials.
In a market hot with speculators snapping up cheap foreclosures, Rebuilding Together's program is one of many that give a leg up to nonprofits and redevelopment agencies trying to stabilize neighborhoods dotted with vacant houses.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_foreclosures_families_first
http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/section/about/
It's not who wins or loses, but who gets to control the wreckage
The $20K Pet-High Vet Bill Under Scrutiny
Vet bills are increasing and many Americans can no longer afford treatment for fido – Read more at: http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/health-care/the-20000-pet-1292884111206/
People have more to fear from governments than from terrorists. Terrorists come and go but power-hungry politicians will always be with us. We must ensure that each new debacle caused by government incompetence is not converted into another coffin nail for individual freedom as has happened in the United States.
Remember when:
When it was assumed the next generation would have it better than their parents
When most high school kids could read and knew American history
When poverty was declining
When home ownership was a viable step up
When a middle class family could exist on one paycheck
When income taxes were almost an afterthought & didn’t require CPAs
When good jobs were commonplace
Speaking of ‘Remember When’ here’s a free site that will whisk you back as far as 1900 and it let’s you peek at what life was like during each decade, even what kind of toys kids played with. For a good description of what all you might find on this site you may want to check out the Time-Warp Project button at the top of the page. The Research button yields some great information too. Just scroll down and check out the timeline.
http://www.time-warp.org/
How it works in the US workplace...no health insurance, no first aid kit – it's cheaper to simply replace the worker!
Parting thoughts...
Why has the war on terror become a war on freedom?
How many people is a government allowed to kill accidentally?
A number of years ago when I owned a chain of newspapers, we tried to find out how many people were killed accidentally by police. No one would provide us with that information. No knock 'shock and awe’ style SWAT break ins to the wrong home have killed countless people such a retired minister in Philadelphia who was reading his Bible when police broke down his door screaming at him to get on the ground. He died of a heart attack. Oh, an informant had given them the wrong address.
Last year in Detroit, police SWAT killed a young child when they entered the wrong home and a police firearm went off. Indeed, statistics show more Americans are killed accidentally by police than terrorists.
In most years since the 1990s, Americans were at far greater risk of being gunned down by local, state, and federal law enforcement agents than from international terrorists. In 2001, the Washington Post reported, for example, that Prince George police (MD) shot 122 persons, killing 47 – half of those citizens were unarmed.
A Human Rights Watch report observed “police officers engage in unjustified shootings, severe beatings, fatal chokings, and unnecessary roughness in cities all across America, while their superiors fail to act or even to record the problems.”
The FBI killed 80 men, women and children in Waco after dousing the buildings for six hours with flammable gas and prevented fire trucks from approaching the inferno. If this had been carried out my Muslim fanatics, it would be classified as one of the worst terrorist acts in history...instead, Attorney General Janet Reno was treated like a hero!
Between 1980 and 2000 governments around the world killed more than 10 million people. In the 20th century, governments were responsible for killing more than 120 million people, while wars only accounted for 35 million deaths. Year in and year out, governments kill 100 times more people than terrorists.
In Serbia US & allied war planes killed between 500 and 2000 civilians and even more in Afghanistan...but when government kills it doesn't count and it usually gets white washed as the government investigates its own incidents. Many would agree that any action done by a private citizen that would be considered terrorism should also be considered terrorism if done by government agents.
The notion put forth by our “Department of Justice” that governments cannot be terrorists (unless of course, our government says another government is a terrorist) doesn't hold a lot of water by those on the receiving end. US sponsored torture, using other countries at our behest, makes us hypocritical in the eyes of the world.
One of the reasons why our government is so often despised in other countries is due to our need to not only control US citizens, but to also stick our nose into the business of foreign citizens acting as the policeman to the world. We just can't seem to get enough of our addiction to control or to act as big brother to the world. Noted in this recent story...
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Drug Enforcement Administration has grown into a global intelligence organization whose reach extends far beyond international drug trafficking, The New York Times reported.
Citing documents from the whistleblower website WikiLeaks, the newspaper said the DEA's operations had become so expansive the agency has had to fend off foreign politicians who want to use it against their political enemies.
One August 2009 cable reported Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli as having sent an urgent BlackBerry message to the US ambassador asking the DEA go after his political enemies. Speaking of Panama, I always found it odd that our country could ethically invade (we called it extradition) another country simply to nab someone (Pres. Noriega) it no longer liked and the rest of the world said nothing.
Too bad our politicians didn’t lean more toward the advice George Washington gave us in his farewell speech about avoiding entangling alliances and foreign intrigues…guess we can learn from history.
Finally, are the austerity cuts & protests witnessed across Europe a harbinger of things to come in the USA? Remember, it doesn’t take much to get a populace angry and many Americans are becoming fed up with the direction this country is headed toward as well.
http://geraldcelentechannel.blogspot.com/2010/12/revolt-2011-coming-dark-ages-2010.html
Also, check out Gerald’s 11 predictions for the coming year…not pretty & don’t forget as the Poor Man has been saying, oil will rise, meaning gasoline will rise, meaning in turn, food prices will rise. Costs will be passed onto consumers for a variety of items in addition to food.
http://geraldcelentechannel.blogspot.com/2010/12/gerald-celente-top-predictions-for-2011.html
Yours for better living in ‘11--the Poor Man,
"Congressman is the trivialist distinction for a full grown man."
-- Mark Twain
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com
http://www.OldBookNook.com
http://www.GreenIrene.com/Poorman
Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down-New 11th Ed.
http://tinyurl.com/PMBasics
Free Money assistance for women, businesses, more.
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
A Shallow Planet Production
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