Google is Evil!

Google has banned Cheap-Ass-Living from its search engine. I was starting to get a significant amount of traffic through Google by people looking for info related to frugality and cheap living. In fact the page views to Cheap-Ass-Living were starting to surpass 500 a day. I’m not even counting the time last month when Blogger farted and changed the style of the blog to “mosaic”. Page views then surpassed 1800 but I knew I was only getting more views per individual and not more individuals finding their way here. And since I liked the original style better I changed it back.

Now I think that 500+ page views per day is not too bad considering the fact this is a relatively new blog and considering the fact that I haven’t been posting on a regular basis. All this changed about a week ago. Page views went from more than 500 a day to less than 400 the next and about 200 views the day after that. I knew something was amiss so I checked to see what the problem was. That’s when I realized I was getting absolutely NO TRAFFIC from Google. That seemed rather odd so I went to Google search and typed in Cheap –Ass-Living. And this blog was nowhere to be found.

I have spent the last week trying to rectify the problem but to no avail. Not only did I not receive any notice from Google that I had been banished to the wilderness but numerous emails by me to Google officials have gone unanswered. Google is the 800 pound Gorilla in the room when it comes to the internet and to be excommunicated from their search engine is a serious blow to anyone with a blog or other web site. I was hoping that I could somehow still figure out what the problem was and fix it. This morning however I received this email from Google regarding my Google AdSense account.

Hello,

We continually review all publishers according to our program policies ( https://www.google.com/support/adsense/bin/answer.py?answer=48182&stc=aspe-3pp-en ) and Terms and Conditions ( https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?&stc=aspe-3tc-en ). During a recent review of your account, our specialists found that it was not in compliance with our policies.

WEBMASTER GUIDELINES: Publishers may not place Google ads on pages that violate Google’s webmaster quality guidelines (http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769#quality). While we've included the following excerpts from these guidelines, we recommend that you take the time to review them in their entirety.

* Make pages for users, not for search engines.
* Don't employ cloaking or sneaky redirects.
* Don't load pages with irrelevant words.
* Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.
* Don't participate in link schemes designed to increase your site's ranking or PageRank.
* Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
* Avoid tricks intended to improve search engine rankings. A good rule of thumb is whether you'd feel comfortable explaining what you've done to a website that competes with you. Another useful test is to ask, "Does this help my users? Would I do this if search engines didn't exist?"
* If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.

As a result, your AdSense account has been disabled.


Additionally, as stated in our Terms and Conditions, publishers who have breached this agreement may not receive further payment. The earnings on your account will be returned to the affected advertisers. Please note that this step was taken in an effort to protect the interests of our AdWords advertisers, and to maintain the quality of the AdSense program.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

WELL FUCK YOU GOOGLE!!!!

I have gone over the webmasters guidelines to find out if I did something to violate the terms of service and have not been able to figure out what the problem is. I have made repeated attempt to get an explanation from SCROOGLE thugs and have been met with silence. Not only have I been totally removed from Google search results and had my AdSense account revoked but Google will not release any money made from the account to me. It wasn’t much ( about $85.00) but still that pisses me off. This blog wasn’t really making anything but it was nice to get a little pocket change every now and then for my efforts.

Since this blog is hosted by Blogger on Google servers I fully expect it to be completely removed from the internet by Google soon. I will leave it up until that time if anyone wants to save an article. I suggest you do it now however while the getting is still good. I don’t know where I will go from here. I might start another blog using a different platform other that blogger but I haven’t decided yet.

 I have been working on a manuscript about cheap living. In fact it is the reason I started this blog in the first place. I was hoping to have a “built in” audience for it if and when I finish it. Before I started Cheap-Ass-Living I sent a few “sample” chapters of the manuscript along with an outline of the proposed book to a publisher and they sent a letter saying they were “intrigued” by it and wanted to see more. I have been working on it little by little (which is one of the reasons I haven’t posted as much as I have) so now might be a good time to go ahead and finish it. The Manuscript is called “NO MONEY?  NO PROBLEM!”, Subtitled, ‘how to live the good life on little more than pocket change.” Kind of catchy don’t you think?

Anyway it’s been fun and remember, even though SCROOGLES unofficial motto is “Don’t be evil” these bastard ARE pure fucking evil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tex Dakota

Smoke em if you got em

Let’s just go ahead and say it right now; Smoking is a filthy habit. It stinks up your clothing, it stinks up your home if you smoke inside the house, and it causes health issues like lung cancer, emphysema, and a host of other issues with long term use. The average lifespan for smokers is about ten years shorter than for those who do not smoke at all!

Also, a pack of name brand smokes, where I live, will cost you in the neighborhood of $7.00 thanks to all of the federal and state tobacco taxes. It’s clear; the best way to save money in this area is to never start smoking in the first place. If you already use tobacco then you should quite now and not only will you improve your overall health but you will save a ton of money in the process.

But this is not an article dedicated to the “anti-tobacco-smokers are bad” movement. You get enough of that crap on television with the “occupy types” who are on a mission to bash the greedy tobacco companies for trying to make a buck. You might be a smoker who has tried numerous times to kick the habit without success. Or maybe you just enjoy a good smoke and don’t have any intention of giving them up.

Either way, if you have limited funds to live on then you need to find ways to keep the government parasites out of your wallet. The same politicians who claim to be champions of the poor and the middle class are the same ones picking your pockets. After all, the majority of money spent on a pack of cigarettes goes directly into government coffers and since smokers are more likely to be in the lower income brackets, the taxes you pay on tobacco are basically just Taxes on the poor!

If you only spend $5.00 a day for a pack of cigarettes you are spending $1825 a year! That’s a hell of a lot of money to be shelling out just to put yourself into an early grave. Surely you can kill yourself much cheaper than this. If you were to switch to a cheaper brand that cost just $3.50 a pack you would be spending $1,277 annually. A savings of $547! I know that most no name cigarettes don’t taste as good as a Marlboro but with so many different generic brands out there today you can probably find one that you enjoy nearly as much.

If you want to cut the cost of your nicotine addiction even further then consider rolling your own. Buy tobacco in bulk and buy the boxes of cigarette “tubes” with filters already attached. You can have a smoke that is nearly as good as any ‘tailor made” cigarette you can buy for about $2.00 a pack or less. About $750 a year if you choose this route but you will still need a Rolling machine to assemble your smokes. This will cost you about $10.00 or so at any tobacco shop. Make sure you buy the kind specifically for the cigarette “tubes”. I’ve had several over the years that were pretty useless but the one made by Bugler works pretty good. Experiment with different types of tobacco and different tubes until you find a combination you like.

To reduce the costs of smoking even further consider growing your own tobacco. If you spent money on nothing but cigarette papers or filtered tubes then you could cut the cost of smoking to less than a $100 a year! Not quite as cheap as giving up the habit entirely but pretty damn close. Of course you would have to have the space available to grow a year’s supply of tobacco but maybe you can do some “gorilla” gardening. Most people probably wouldn’t know a tobacco plant from an eggplant so you wouldn’t have to worry much about Thieves stealing your crops. Grow a few plants in the vacant lot next to your home or on the edge of the creek running through town; use your imagination.

People looking for a good commodity to wheel and deal with after the economic crash should consider growing tobacco as it will be like gold. There’s still going to be nicotine addicts in the world and when hyperinflation kicks in, a pack “Camel mild’s “may sell for more than a hundred dollars! Anyone with a good supply of “gray market “cigs will be someone to know for those who still smoke. For anyone who is interested in growing tobacco for personal use or to use as a barter commodity after "Obama and friends" are through wrecking the economy should check out Howtogrowtobacco.com. I just discovered this forum the other day but there’s a lot of good info related to the subject. Good luck  

Tex Dakota

This Blog is insane

I don't know what the hell happened here but the blog has flipped out. Maybe the server had a brain fart or maybe I did something inadvertently. Whatever it was it has completely changed the style of the blog. I tried to create a certain look and style and now that has gone out the window.

But the good news is that the number of page views has shot through the roof! Before the hiccup Cheap-Ass-Living was up to about 450 page views per day. That was just a couple days ago. Yesterday I received 1466 page views. Today page views are already past 1600 and there are a couple hours to go. This all seams pretty crazy but I'm going to leave it like it is for now.

I'm not really sure if I like the Mosaic style or not however, but we'll see how it goes for a few days. Please let me know what you think. Do you like this style better or the old style. I think the old style was a bit hard on the eyes with white fonts on a black background but I really liked it. This one is kind of interesting but I'm not sure it suites my taste. Please give me your feedback before I try and change it back. 

Tex Dakota

The List (part 5)

Welcome to the fifth and last installment of the poor man’s survival list. There are fewer items in part five but the things listed here are the “fun” things every person concerned about surviving TEOTWAWKI will want to have. Okay, the machete is one of the fun things and it’s already been listed but anyway let’s get started.

27.    Maps and compass. When the apocalypse finally gets up off it’s lazy ass and decides to come calling you won’t be able to use the GPS function on your smart phone to find your way back home. Learn to navigate the old fashioned way with a map and compass. A compass is pretty damn cheap and you can get maps (right now) off of the internet for just about any area you can think of. Shure you know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west but that won’t help you when the sun isn’t shining. Spend a few bucks on a compass and practice using it.

 28.      Binoculars. It’s most certainly a good idea to see the zombies and cannibals before they see you. A decent pair of binoculars will allow you to observe the enemy up close without actually being up close. I’ve seen binoculars selling for as little as $13.00 and I’ve seen binoculars costing hundreds. I don’t think you should necessarily get the cheapest pair you can find but don’t go out and spend a week’s paycheck on a pair either. Buy a pair that is rugged and compact, and one that has a decent magnification.

29.      Knives. Of course you need knives around the house to cook and eat with but I’m talking about good solid knives you will need in a survival situation. A sturdy, dependable lock blade knife that is compact and concealable is extremely important and might save your life even before the world descends into complete chaos. I spent $15.00 a few weeks ago and bought a really nice blade that is spring loaded. It’s not a “switch blade “type of knife, which I believe is illegal  in most places, but with just a slight push with my thumb it snaps open and locks into place. A fixed blade survival knife that you can wear on your belt is pretty useful as well. Not just for defensive purposes but for skinning any critters you manage to trap or kill.

30.      Pepper spray. A small can of zombie repellant that you keep on your keychain is a good idea. Having this item on hand may prevent you from having to whip out your blade at all. At least it will buy you a few seconds to do so, which could mean the difference between life or death. Buy the strongest one you can find or you’ll just piss off any zombie attackers you encounter. Sabre red has good reviews on Amazon and is supposedly the brand police use.

31.      First aid kit. If you cut your thumb off while trying to skin an armadillo after TSHTF you won’t be able to run down to the emergency room. So it’s pretty important to have a good first aid kit on hand. You can buy a basic kit for less than ten dollars but one this cheap isn’t likely to be very useful. If you spend about twenty of thirty bucks for one you’ll have a much better kit. Don’t forget to buy a good first aid manual along with your kit so you’ll know basic first aid skills.

32.      Firearms. This is the last item on the list but certainly not the least important. If you do not currently own any firearms I would suggest that you get them now while the getting is still good. The gun grabbers are exploiting the tragedy in Connecticut for all it’s worth, and are trying to take away people’s right to defend themselves. I won’t get into the types of firearms you should own for several reasons. I will say this however.  You might not necessarily need enough guns to supply a militia but you should at least think about acquiring a good shotgun, a hunting rifle, and a decent handgun with some stopping power. And with the current atmosphere in Amerika regarding firearms It might not be a bad idea to purchase “back-ups”, which are not on any Government gun grabbing registration list, and Cache them away in a safe place. Don’t forget Ammunition! Get bullets-lots and lots of bullets. Firearms are worthless if you have no ammo for them. To anyone who is afraid of firearms all I can say is; don’t be such a pussy. Some day you might need a gun for your family’s protection but won’t be able to acquire one because you supported the gun grabbers.

Some final thoughts. This list is certainly not the “be all, end all” list of survival supplies. I could have easily created  one that’s 10 times as long. But in taking inventory of my personal level of preparedness these were some of the most important to me and my situation. Many of the items on my list I already  have and others I still need to acquire or add to. When creating your own survival list keep it as short as you can or else you’ll end up with a whole notebook full of stuff and you won’t know where to begin. Have an A list of the most critical supplies you feel you will need and a B list of things that would be nice but not absolutely essential.  Good luck!

Tex Dakota

The List (part 4)

27.Boots/shoes. Most people don’t really put a whole lot of thought into footwear but you will likely be spending a good portion of your time on your feet in a SHTF situation so give some serious thought to it right now! A good pair of boots that are comfortable and durable is highly recommended. They won’t be cheap but a pair of high quality boots should last you several years. Also keep a couple of pairs of good sneakers around for backup. When the economy finally takes a big stinking dump on society you won’t have to worry about footwear for some time.

28.Sewing kit. This little item will set you back about one whole dollar. Let’s face it, the dollar is pretty damn worthless today but having the means to mend your clothing and make it last as long as possible is invaluable. A buck spent on a sewing kit from the dollar store is money well spent. In fact get two or three. When hyperinflation kicks in (and IT WILL kick in sooner or later because we are now past the point of no return) you won’t have to worry much about spending $100 on a shirt or $200 for a pair of pants. At least you won’t for several years. Hopefully by then prices and wages will stabilize.

29.Manuel clothes washing equipment. If you are still able to keep your clothing in good repair come doomsday then you will be ahead of the game but how the hell are you going to keep them reasonably clean and free from offending odors? Without preplanning you will either stink to high heaven or you will be down at the river all day beating your clothing on rocks. Neither is a good option after the hammer falls so consider what the hell you are going to do. A wash tub and a scrub board will do the trick or you can build you a “hillbilly washing machine” out of a five gallon bucket and a (new) toilet plunger. A mop wringer will get most of the water out of your laundry for you. Don’t forget cloths lines and clothes pins.

30.Personal hygiene items. Be sure to stockpile plenty of soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. You won’t be able to visit a doctor or dentist when all hell breaks loose so try to stay as clean as you can and avoid any infections. A bad tooth will either kill you or make you wish you were dead so take care of them. Also think about toilet paper, which brings us to our next item

31.Emergency toilet. If the water is off you might not be able to flush the crapper. A five gallon bucket with a toilet seat attached to it can be used if needed. To eliminate any odors some people suggest covering your waste with sawdust each time you finish your business. Kitty litter will probably to the trick if you can’t locate enough sawdust in your particular area. Of course you should locate your emergency crapper in a shed or other out building if at all possible.

32.  Rain gear. While not an absolute necessity to keep you alive, rain gear (coat, hat, and boots) will keep you dry if you ever need to get the hell out of Dodge during bad weather. I bought a cheap rain “poncho”, and hat a few years ago for less than five bucks. Surely you can find decent rain gear, including boots for 20 or 30 dollars. If you are really poor then stash back a few garbage bags for this purpose.

33.Entertainments items. When the apocalypse finally arrives you may find yourself cooped up in the house waiting for the zombies to cannibalize each other and die off. This will probably be pretty boring. What are you going to do to pass the time? Make sure you have plenty of crap on hand like a deck of cards, your favorite board games, Crayons and coloring books for small kids, etc. Buy used paperback books from flea markets, yard sales, and thrift stores and you will not only have plenty of reading material for the apocalypse but plenty of paper to wipe your ass on once the supply of Toilet paper runs out.

Well that’s it for today boys and girls but I’ll be back soon with “The List” part 5.

Tex Dakota