Episode-696- Listener Calls for 7-1-11
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Well it is Friday and I imagine everyone is getting ready for a long and hopefully enjoyable 4th of July weekend. Of course since it is Friday it is time for another round of your calls to 866-65-THINK, today we have great calls on subjects like, rebuilding cars, the secondary education system, veteran’s gardening, handling tax issues, livestock and saving money.
Join me today as I take your calls on…
- Becoming a “shade tree mechanic”
- Growing plants on a septic leach field
- When is it time to dump your stocks
- Getting aggressive with business tax deductions
- An employer that gets education right
- More on veterans and how gardening helps with healing
- Dealing with the degree required reality for some jobs
- Using nitrogen fixing trees, bushes and shrubs
- Controlling flies on the cheap
- Gardening options for those who move frequently
Resources for today’s show…
- Members Support Brigade
- Join Our Forum
- The Berkey Guy – (sponsor of the day)
- Fortress Defense Consultants – (sponsor of the day)
- Win a Harvest 72 From Shelf Reliance
- Ron Hood’s Survival.com Magazine
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.
@Jack,
Good points about education again today. In regards to the pushback–absolutely. I commented on this a few days ago. I’ve begun seeing articles popping up attempting to refute the reality that the whole “Higher education” requirement is based on false information, and is not economically viable in many cases.
Your caller who brought up the fact that he’s simply had to get a qualification is very common of course. This is nothing less than economic blackmail.
Your point about the “educators” themselves being responsible for this propaganda campaign is also correct, but (as you noted) they can’t do it alone–they have willing accomplices in corporations.
You mentioned that a small business man starting up probably won’t be as concerned with that. True–he’s interested in reality, because its all he can do to handle that without dealing with a bunch of nonsense. Oddly, you’d think that someone with less resources would WANT to depend on something like a college degree to insure he’s got a qualified person. That not being the case is yet additional evidence that this requirement is bogus, and the fact that someone has a piece of paper has little to do with their actual skills or value as an employee.
Anyway…please keep talking about this, because as a practical matter, our education system is in dire need for true reform, and breaking the “higher education” scam is key in accomplishing that.
KAM
Here in OKC, we have a place called The Shade Tree where you can use their tools and repair your own vehicle. I’m not at all mechanically inclined but it seems like it would be a good business model for someone who likes cars and is wanting to start a business. This is just an idea if someone wanted to start working on a car but didn’t have the money for all the expensive equipment.
There are a lot of facilities like that, shame on me for not mentioning about checking into them. Thanks for covering my six on this one.
Can anyone tell me what the name of that website is? I’m referring to the guy with the business tax information question.
Thanks.
Hi Jack, I’ve been listening to your show since last August when I found you on Youtube and you’ve honestly changed my life. I’m 23 and I’m a student, luckily I know what I want to do with my degree and I need to go to school to do the career I want to do.
Anyway the way you changed my life is that I learned that I don’t need to be in debt to have what I want, it’s harder but everything that I own is mine and it doesn’t belong to a credit card company or a bank. I’ve been paying for my own education (I’ve never owned a credit card! I was going to get one to help me with school but I found your show first, thank goodness).
One last thing gardening has been a godsend, and I’ve learned that where there is a will there is a way. I live in a small apartment and it doesn’t even have a porch just a small 3×3 entrance, but I have a tomato plant some peppers and even radishes, and an aloe that has giving me 3 little aloes. Not much but it’s a start for when I get my own house outside of the city. And I just can’t explain the feeling I get when I’m watering my plants and just see my tomato plant flourishing and all the stress of going to work full time and school full time goes away.
Jack thank you for your show, it’s been helpful, I’m glad I found you before I got lost in debt. And I feel like I have a chance of having a stress free, debt free life; my American dream.
Sandy
@Sandy, that is so awesome, hearing stories like yours really make me a very happy man.
Planting over the drain field ok here is my take NEVER do it!! I personally don’t worry to much about contamination concern a little. The problem I have had is our well got contaminated we had to bleach it out. The well the pipes hose bibs the whole system. Now all that bleach water went into the septic out the drain field and needless to say bleach water garden soil plants very bad combo. We only had one run under one small corner of a garden bed. I thought I had missed it didn’t. So now I have moved the entire garden to a new location. Big pain and set back on growing time. Total I have lost 3 years of production.
It can take a few years for a garden to really get up and running so ask yourself do you really want to take the risk. The garden itself could cause a problem in your drainfield. That would be a major expense to fix. Down the road would you want to have to destroy your garden if you ever had to have work done on your drain field?
This time around my garden is in the front yard. not as much sun but it’s not over any pipes wires cables or near any thing that may have to be dug out years from now.
I have set it up with the idea I can work it when I am 90 even if I am in a wheel chair. Long term investment. Viewing it as a permanent structure.
If the only place you have to plant is over the drain field I would use container gardening. Little kiddy plastic wadding pools. You can get them for $7-12 and grow tons of stuff in them. Maybe set them on pallets if you would need better drainage. Plus then you could move them with a fork lift if needed. Drilling holes in the bottom for draining. Also I would drill hole in the lip edge to make pvc pipe or rebar for supports vertical growing or covering with plastic sheeting cold frame green house effect. Just my 2 cents
We have a spring well (8ft deep in a cistern) which produces excellent water. Being a spring it is technically ground water. Thus we bleach it out a couple times a year, even though we have a whole-house filtration system with UV light.
We have never had a problem with the bleach water going into the drain field. Granted the drain field is not under our garden, but it does have a good amount of grass growing on it.
I would not have a problem putting a garden on top of my drain field. I would probably do raised beds and bring in soil rather than try to till up what is there. I doubt seasonal vegetables could reach their roots deep enough to get to the drain area.
Our ground also perks very well, and we are located on a hillside. Drain field liquids don’t hang around, they drain away.
I think the bottom line is each situation is different.
Can you tell me what you used for the UV filter? I’m exploring getting something like that and haven’t found much that is satisfactory.
Forget the filter, I want to know about the Flux Capacitor! How did Doc get the DeLorean to run on compost?
Would just like to clarify on the legume discussion from today that Acacias are not only tropical. Here in Australia, where we have hundreds of Acacia species to choose from – there are many frost hardy Acacias for those in cool temperate climates – and I have seen them in areas that receive snow (but have not researched how many are that hardy).
Thank you for telling us about Muscovies. They have greatly reduced the population of biting insects at a local homestead to the point where repellant is not needed at all! It used to be intolerable. Unfortunately, the USDA decreed that they “intend to disallow private possession of muscovy ducks, except to raise them to be sold as food.” (As if the Federal government has any right or authority to allow us what we can or cannot possess, especially within the States).
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/RegulationsPolicies/reg2010/Muscovy%20Duck%20Final%20Rule%201%20March%202010.pdf
So, on your homesteads, be sure that it is obvious that these are being raised for food. (A breeder of heirloom birds told me that they are the Cadillac of poultry.) Homesteaders should also acquire theirs as soon as possible before the USDA starts enforcing the permit requirements and breeders become aware of this regulation. Practice OPSEC and avoid leaving a paper trail. Call them by alternate names. The USDA fined a family $4 Million for selling rabbits as a hobby! This would have been a complete prohibition had the poultry and homesteading communities not caught wind of it and protested. The way the USDA created the regulation and claimed that it is not a taking and won’t harm the economy is outrageous. We need a revolution! I’m afraid that there will not be many more Independence Days beyond this one, so enjoy it while you still can!
I have to say this is a huge pile of shit! I guess this may be why I am starting to see different ducks at city parks. Un freaking believable!
Note it says they must be “raised to be sold for food”, so raising them to consume yourself would not comply with the regulations.
Did this actually pass or is it still a proposal?
Answered my own question, here you go directly from US Fish and Game.
“To control the spread of Muscovy Ducks in areas outside their natural range, the Service also published a Control Order (50 CFR 21.54) that allows control of feral Muscovy Ducks, their nests, and eggs in areas outside their natural range (50 CFR 21.54). Other regulations finalized at the same time as the listing and Control Order that restrict possession of Muscovy Ducks and require a permit to sell captive-bred Muscovy Ducks for food will not be administered at this time because the Service plans to revise those regulations in the near future.”
So the answer is not yet. Got any ideas for making a stink about this?
What really pisses me off is the US Fish and Wildlife service only has the authority to do this because now native muscovys have naturally extended their habitat into southern Texas.
Ideas -let’s save the feathers and heat up some tar for when the goons poke around… Just kidding- tar & feathering is really a horrific form of torture and I oppose all forms of torture, for whatever the reason! Regarding fighting back – I think that we can draw from the successes in the Raw Milk movement and the rabbitry fine to show the abusrditidy of it all. So, they “protecting” Muscovies by anhilating them???
The USDA is concerned that Muscovy ducks will disrupt the native waterfowl populations. This is a real concern if the ducks become feral. The best way to prevent this is to only have free range females to prevent uncontrolled breeding. Also, other duck species are good insect eaters and would also help keep the fly populations down.
@Mark, It is a totally bullshit argument. Muscovies have been kept in what is currently the US for over three hundred years with little to no disruption of natural habitat. Waterfowl populations are the highest in the US in over 150 years right now, honestly to the point of nuisance in some areas.
The only way they are even able to do this is based on a tiny migration of actual wild muscovy ducks into south Texas so they now consider them a “federal migratory game bird”. Don’t defend such asshattery!
Jack-I think you meant to direct your comment towards Mark, not me! I was going to respond as well and point out that Muscovies now have been raised for food for close to 5 centuries in Europe, Asia and Africa- they are now raised in every continent (except Antarctica) without problems. They do not compete for the same resources as other ducks. Why is the USDA concerned about this now? Why aren’t they concerned about escaped GMOs? Why do this now when there are 1 in 7 on food stamps and the government is broke??? The reg is not about protecting animals. It is about power, money and control! The USDA is evil, unconstitutional and must be abolished!
@Agorculture, you are correct, sorry I will edit the comment.
No worries! 600+ emails and comments and forums and projects, it’s bound to happen! Thanks for the correction!
The question regarding planting on a drain field I found interesting. I have three apple trees planted near my drain field. My drain field is a mound and the trees are planted along the side to help screen it. They are at the bottom of the mound with the closest one to the field being about 25? away. Is this safe?
In my opinion absolutely, my only concern are the roots damaging the field but if they are close to it, not on top of it I can’t see any problems.
Just a few comments on the sideline business and taxes.
I’ve been pretty much fulltime employed my entire working life, but have always done some consulting on the side. Assuming you’re talking about performing the same kind of work year in and year out, then your deductions shouldn’t change all that much from year to year. I’ve run the business and in fact all of my taxes using TurboTax, which regardless of what the Treasury Secretary implies, is a good solid program. What I did however when starting this business, was to pay a CPA for a few hours of his time, during which he helped me set up my accounts, and discuss the most likely deductions I would be allowed to take for the business plan I was using. Obviously, any major changes to this plan would require another trip to discuss and plan the changes.
Since you’re working a steady job, another way that will help with taxes vs. filing quarterly, is to have an additional amount taken from your paycheck each pay. Don’t attempt to fool around with deductions, just have your payroll department take out an extra fixed amount. If you’re talking about $1500 extra in taxes per year and you are paid every 2 weeks, have them take out $100 on the W-4which will get your withholding well within the required amount to avoid penalties, without filing quarterly statements, which are a pain in the butt for small amounts. The loss of income will also make you appreciate what the true cost of taxes, FICA and the FICA match really mean.
I’m putting Muscovy ducks on the must have list for the homestead which is 1-2 years out, can’t wait! If they’re not outlawed by then that is.
To the caller about older vehicles to work on – think 80’s chevy or gmc pickups. They’re tough as nails and almost everything is interchangeable with other models and years. And parts are readily available. Lots of space under the hood and pretty easy to work on. I’ve had 3- an ’82, a ’73 and an ’80, loved them all and that’s he direction I’m leaning for a bug out vehicle.
I agree about looking in junkyards to determine parts availability. One really good tool for this is car-parts.com. It’s a junkyard search engine where participating junkyards from all around the country list their inventory. It makes checking for availability really easy.
I am going to have to disagree about something, though. Just because something isn’t available in junkyards doesn’t mean it’s bad, and just because it is, doesn’t mean it’s good. I suppose that would hold true if all cars stayed in their stock configuration, but there are crazy guys like me who swap stuff around.
I’ll use a couple examples from Jeeps because that’s what I’m familiar with. From 1987-mid 1989 both the YJ and Cherokee used a Peugot BA-10 manual transmission. They are garbage, worth more as scrap metal than as a transmission. Still, you find a lot of them in junkyards because there were tons of them made and nobody wants them.
Most people who take their Jeep offroad will replace it with an AX-15 from a later model, or just not buy a Jeep with that transmission in the first place.
On the other end of the spectrum is the NVG 3550. This is also a five speed manual but it only came in the Cherokees and only in 2000 and 2001. It’s a rare find in junkyards but it’s a great transmission. A lot of guys will snatch them out of junkyards, not to replace a broken 3550, but to upgrade to this transmission!
The same thing happens with early Ford Bronco and International Harvester Scout Dana 44 axles, as well as Toyota solid front axles. They’re good stuff and a lot of people want them for putting a solid axle under a vehicle that had independent front suspension from the factory.
All I’m saying is that you need to find out why it’s not available. It could be that it’s a disaster waiting to happen or it could be that you have a real gem on your hands.
@Daniel, I think you didn’t listen to my entire comment on this, I said when the vehicle is in high quantity in junk yards but a major component isn’t, there is a problem with the component.
Now in rare circumstances, say a “Muncy Stone Crusher” it may be due to demand but when a motor core for a common vehicle isn’t available but the other option for the same vehicle is highly available, trust me it generally means the component is a POS.
When in the rare cases it is because the component is in high demand by gear heads, classic car nuts, etc. you will generally know it. But I will concede perhaps I feel that way because I am familiar with a lot of the quality components like the stuff you mention.
I think it was in this show you mentioned about tax deductions and not claiming too many to avoid an audit. Now one of the points of modern survivalism is tax is theft. What is more important pay only what you have too and risk in audit or pay what you have to avoid an audit?
@Ben,
This is what happens when you don’t fully listen. What I said was not to claim to much in any one expense category. So if you have what might appear as excessive in one category (again many software programs automatically point this out) you break those expenses into multiple categories.
So if you have to much in “software services” you break that into “software services” and “programming services” or what ever applies.
You don’t ever not claim your expenses you just need to be smart and avoid tripping any red flags. This is also not about cheating the system but using it as it is designed. I am talking about real defensible deductions here, stuff that will survive and audit. The key is if I can avoid and audit, I want to.
The words I hate above all else are, “Hi, I’m from the government and I am here to help you.”
I have never been through a personal audit but two businesses I was part of were. We were proven correct both times but cost in man hours and disruption were massive. Turns out even when you are right you can’t bill the IRS for the time they waste so trust me avoid an audit trigger if you can. It isn’t a lot of work to break up a large expense category into 2-3 smaller ones, dealing with Ira Ramone Sancia chief mobster for the US Government is.
Thanks Jack for the quick reply. I had listened to all that, but I was just wondering as I had filed my taxes late, (they don’t care because they owe me money,) but because I just finished school and have charitable donations I get pretty much all of my money back. I don’t think they will like that, so I am expecting an audit, because they will want to keep it, and in Canada when you electronically file you don’t send in your receipts.
Thanks for the show Jack, always interested in your opinion.