Free How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew by Erin Bried Page B

about it not affecting you. Every vote matters in a very real way. You should know where you stand.
    Step 2: Find balance. Just because a news channel calls itself “fair and balanced” or “most trusted” doesn’t mean it’s actually true. But how would you know any different if that’s the only viewpoint you ever hear? Get your information from as many different newspapers, TV shows, radio programs, and websites as possible. If you’re watching Glenn Beck every night, turn to Rachel Maddow every once in a while for a new perspective. Getting your news from the “right” and “left” doesn’t make you disloyal to your party, but it does prove that you’re an independent thinker, not a puppet. Consider all sides to every story before making up your mind on how you feel about it.
    Step 3: Check facts. Never parrot things you hear or read without first checking the source, and then checking the facts. (A great resource: www.factcheck.org .) Before you repeat what you heard on talk radio or at the local pub, first ask yourself: What does this person have invested in making this statement? Does it financially benefit him in some way? Does she have a personal bias? Is it really about something else? Nothing will make you look more foolish than repeating false statements or passing on vitriol when you don’t know the facts.
    Step 4: Honor difference. While everyone claims they know the founders’ intent, one thing is indisputable: This country wasn’t founded on just one idea from one person. We came together from all different places and backgrounds to form a union, and our differences are what make us strong. Appreciate one another, listen, put forth ideas (not accusations), and we’ll all be better off for it.
    More Handy Tips
Just because you can talk about politics doesn’t mean you should do it all the time. While there is often room for healthy debate between friends, there’s a time and place for everything.
Name-calling and ridiculing say much more about you than they do anyone else. Always be respectful of your fellow citizens, and never ever resort to violence.
To find out exactly what the federal government is up to, visit www.gpoaccess.gov . There you can find the Congressional Record, the full text of all laws, bills, and budgets.

Keep Safe
•  •  •
“First, you have to be able to take care of yourself. Then you can take care of your family. Intelligence will get you further than anything else.”
—A NGEL R ODRIGUEZ
    H OW TO P ROTECT Y OUR H OME
    Step 1: Befriend your neighbors. Having a couple of extra sets of friendly eyes on your home may help secure it better than any high-tech burglar alarm. Get to know the people in your neighborhood and look out for one another. Collect one another’s mail when you’re on vacation, and be mindful of any funny business, like a dodgy fella parked outside. It takes more than one person to make a safe neighborhood.
    Step 2: Vary your schedule. The more predictable your days and nights, the easier a target you are. Even if your home is empty from nine to five every day and for the entire month of August when you stay at your in-laws’ lake cottage, make it look like someone is home all the time. Keep your garage door closed and set your lights on a timer.
    Step 3: Secure doors and windows. Make sure they’re properly installed and always locked. And install a light outside (motion detector lights work best) so you can see what’s going on if necessary.
    Step 4: Live modestly. If you’ve worked hard and have the savings, there’s nothing wrong with buying and having nice things. Just don’t brag about it by positioning all your bling—your Bose speakers, your new iPad, your flat-screen TV—so it’s viewable from the street. That may only invite ne’er-do-wells.
    More Handy Tips
Keep your whereabouts private. Don’t post a note on your front door announcing to your postman (and potential burglars) that you’ll be gone through next week.