# Liberty Movement > Grassroots Central > Remembrance >  Tom lives off-grid    [Rest in Peace]

## Suzu

Tom is a fellow Constitutionalist and Ron Paul supporter who lives in southwestern Colorado. He knew my ex for 15 years before I met him in 1988 - which means I've known him for 20 years now, but I knew *of* him for much longer.

He lived in Santa Fe, in a small house owned by his father, who had willed the house to him. Somehow - I no longer remember details - after his father died, Tom's sister managed to claim the house, and she put Tom out on the street. Eventually he was able to buy a building lot near Pagosa Springs, where he now lives in a tiny trailer. He gets his water from a hand-dug well and uses a laptop powered by the sun, as he is too far out for the grid.

Tom is in trouble now. He is 67, lives alone on a small fixed income that barely covers routine expenses, and can no longer afford to supplement his old storage batteries with a gas-powered generator, as his car's engine has failed!

I told him about ModestNeeds.org (the group that helped me replace my old dying refrigerator last month) and helped him apply for a grant there. His request - for a large deep-cycle battery - has yet to receive any "Modest Needs Points", so I thought maybe if I post it here, someone might want to help by kicking in $5 or so. I plan on doing so myself, in a week or so when I get some cash.

If anyone else would consider helping Tom, I'm sure he would be eternally grateful. I'm trying to get him to join this forum. Perhaps he will put in an appearance and fill you in on his situation....

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## sluggo

Chipped in 10 bucks. One stipulation though: he needs to sign up for Downsize DC's email list and start using their system.

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## Suzu

He's been forwarding Downsize DC emails to me for a long time - even though I'm on their list too! Thanks, sluggo!! I'm still pestering him daily to sign up for this forum....

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## Suzu

I just heard from Tom that he's registered here but has yet to figure out how to post or reply. I sent some advice and screenshots.

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## Kotin

i put in 15. i hope he gets what he requires

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## Suzu

Kotin, I nominate you for "Angel of the Day".

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## boggie08

> I just heard from Tom that he's registered here but has yet to figure out how to post or reply. I sent some advice and screenshots.


I guess we'll have to chock this up to extreme age.

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## Suzu

He tried, but until an administrator activates his account, it doesn't work. He can read only.

I had forgotten the process here. When I joined the forum almost a year ago, all you had to do was click a link in an email message to confirm your address. It's different now, apparently. And I have no idea when the admins check this kind of thing.

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## SL89

I wish I could help but, I am a little behind myself. While we need nothing; I want to thank you for sharing this site. I know some people that could use a helping hand. Thanks for sharing.

P.S. When work picks up again, I plan on supporting this organization.

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## Suzu

They've been able to fund 54.7% of this year's accepted requests. I feel very blessed that mine was funded, and will be contributing what I can to their general fund each month. But I wanted to do something for Tom. I tried to give him a small car two years ago and he wouldn't take it so I sold it, and now he's got no wheels  so I hope he is at least able to get this battery that he needs. Once he gets started posting on RPF I think it will be clear what a gem he is.

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## driller80545

He might just need to log in to post.

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## Suzu

> He might just need to log in to post.


I think you're right! I logged out and registered for a new "test account" and got the same message. Then I tried logging in with the new account, and it worked. I've notified Tom.

It seems odd that things would be set up this way.... I bet there are a LOT of people who signed up for forum accounts and are still waiting for that "activation email". Have you noticed that on the home page near the bottom, in the Statistics section, it says (right now) "Members: 18,461, Active Members: 3,256". I wonder if this means that of the 18,461 people who've registered for accounts here, 15,205 got the same message as Tom and don't know that they can "just log in"?

I sent messages to both forum owners about this and got no replies. At least one of them was online here last night, and they usually respond quickly. Then again, I haven't had occasion to contact them for a long time....

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## FRANCESCO

I just returned from a successful early morning hitchhike into town. One ride straight in, and one ride straight back, retrieving five gallons of propane, and two gallons of gasoline, from the dead car (which rests at the local mechanic, awaiting disposition). That means I can probably keep cooking until I get things back to "normal," and have enough gasoline to run the generator at night, if necessary. The prospect for a replacement for the car looks good, but is not confirmed yet. 

By the way, for those who might need to rely on a small generator at some time, my experience with the Yamaha EF1000 has been very positive. It is quiet, and has an economy feature that gives 12 hours of low-amp power for a gallon of fuel. Unless one is using power tools, this works very well. Adequate for the computer and lights. When I first moved out here, I had a Coleman "Pulse 1800" from Home Depot, which screamed loudly all the time, annoying even distant neighbors, and tended to tear itself apart. It cost half as much as the Yamaha, but was a waste of money in the long run. Nobody hears the Yamaha, which purrs softly like a humming bird.

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## Kotin

> I just returned from a successful early morning hitchhike into town. One ride straight in, and one ride straight back, retrieving five gallons of propane, and two gallons of gasoline, from the dead car (which rests at the local mechanic, awaiting disposition). That means I can probably keep cooking until I get things back to "normal," and have enough gasoline to run the generator at night, if necessary. The prospect for a replacement for the car looks good, but is not confirmed yet. 
> 
> By the way, for those who might need to rely on a small generator at some time, my experience with the Yamaha EF1000 has been very positive. It is quiet, and has an economy feature that gives 12 hours of low-amp power for a gallon of fuel. Unless one is using power tools, this works very well. Adequate for the computer and lights. When I first moved out here, I had a Coleman "Pulse 1800" from Home Depot, which screamed loudly all the time, annoying even distant neighbors, and tended to tear itself apart. It cost half as much as the Yamaha, but was a waste of money in the long run. Nobody hears the Yamaha, which purrs softly like a humming bird.



thats great!

i am looking into getting a generator and a manuel pump for my well. i live on 100 acres in central texas. and our well water is untouched by the government, the city tried to steal it from us but we were able to keep it.

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## Suzu

> I just returned from a successful early morning hitchhike into town.


Hi Tom! Welcome to RPFs - finally!

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## FRANCESCO

> thats great!
> 
> i am looking into getting a generator and a manuel pump for my well. i live on 100 acres in central texas. and our well water is untouched by the government, the city tried to steal it from us but we were able to keep it.


Water underground is definitely good. My spot is one and two thirds acres, a so-called "cabin lot" close to the Rio Blanco, which runs into the San Juan river a couple of miles further downstream. The man who sold me my little travel trailer used his back hoe to show me now near the water is to the surface, and I just use that same hole as my permanent water source. It had to be dug deeper by hand in dry seasons, and at the lowest, the mountain runoff was trickling in about eight feet down. The snow this winter was five feet deep, the most I've seen since i moved here, and that brought the water level up to two feet from the surface. I have made a cement block lining that keeps the mud from filling in during high water periods, and get by quite nicely with a 12 volt rv pump, although it is hard water, okay for cooking, but not the greatest for making good tea. I figure this gives me half a chance at surviving in case civilization takes a big hit.

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## Suzu

Tom, I'm tracking your posts, and liking the start you've made here:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showpos...&postcount=870

Were you ever able to find "innocents Betrayed" viewable online?

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## Suzu

Tom's grant is 35% funded already, woohoo!

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## Suzu

I just got notified from Modest Needs that Tom's grant has been fully funded! I don't know when he'll make it back to RPFs to thank the people here who helped him, as he's had problems making sense of how the forum works and is very short on time, but he did post a "thank you" note on the Modest Needs website, and everyone who chipped in toward the battery and chose to receive testimonials by email will get a copy of the message below, which contains the note from Tom.

_________________

Recently, you suggested that Modest Needs fund application number 76106, "Battery To Run My Home", which came to us from a person living in Pagosa Springs, CO.  

Today, it is my pleasure to tell you that at your direction, and thanks to your generosity, Modest Needs has sent a check in the amount of $629.99 directly to the vendor named in this applicant's documentation packet.

In response to your kindness, this applicant has forwarded the following 'Thank you' note to Modest Needs, which we wanted to share with you - one of the people who made it possible for us to fund this very special request for help:

"To the supporters of Modest Needs:  Together with the wildlife who live along the Rio  Blanco in Colorado, I wish to thank all of you who  contributed to the purchase of this battery for my  solar-powered trailer home. Although the little Yamaha generator I use is very efficient, and puts out less poisonous exhaust than most others, all of us eventually get a trace of it, just as when the cars pass by. Now we can all breathe a little easier on cloudy days and at night, especially during winter. You may be interested to know that some effective writing will be taking place, especially in the 'wee hours' when clear thinking is at its peak, and the old batteries are at their weakest. There is a purpose in my refusal to abandon my share of humanity's work in favor of a more lucrative but less positive way of life. Less motor noise and cleaner air will serve the  purpose even more.     Thanks again!  "

On behalf of this person whose life you've changed, thank you so very much for your ongoing support of Modest Needs.  Without you, these miracles would not be possible.

My very best,

Dr. Keith P. Taylor
President / Executive Director
Modest Needs Foundation
http://www.modestneeds.org
'Small Change:  A World of Difference'
(212) 463-7042, x 14

=================================================

All contents (C) Modest Needs Foundation. 
http://www.modestneeds.org/

"Small Change:  A World of Difference"
All Rights Reserved

You are receiving this letter because you elected to receive testimonials by email when you registered with Modest Needs.

We hope that you enjoy reading the testimonials of persons you've helped to assist and hope that you'll forward these notes to friends and family members who may be interested in the work we're doing together at Modest Needs.  

To unsubscribe from 'Testimonials by Email,' simply visit http://www.modestneeds.org and log in.  From your Personal Page, click 'Update My Profile,' select 'No' for the preference 'Receive Testimonials by Email.'  Click submit, and  you will instantly be unsubscribed from this portion of our program.

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## Kotin

> I just got notified from Modest Needs that Tom's grant has been fully funded! I don't know when he'll make it back to RPFs to thank the people here who helped him, as he's had problems making sense of how the forum works and is very short on time, but he did post a "thank you" note on the Modest Needs website, and everyone who chipped in toward the battery and chose to receive testimonials by email will get a copy of the message below, which contains the note from Tom.
> 
> _________________
> 
> Recently, you suggested that Modest Needs fund application number 76106, "Battery To Run My Home", which came to us from a person living in Pagosa Springs, CO.  
> 
> Today, it is my pleasure to tell you that at your direction, and thanks to your generosity, Modest Needs has sent a check in the amount of $629.99 directly to the vendor named in this applicant's documentation packet.
> 
> In response to your kindness, this applicant has forwarded the following 'Thank you' note to Modest Needs, which we wanted to share with you - one of the people who made it possible for us to fund this very special request for help:
> ...


that is great!!!


im so happy he got it.

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## Suzu

I few days ago I found out that my old friend Tom, a.k.a. "FRANCESCO", was found dead on his property on June 16th. It was a neighbor who found him, after seeing his bicycle left at the end of his driveway all day. No autopsy was done, and I am assuming that he was out riding his bike when he started feeling strange, so he headed for home... made it as far as the driveway at which point he must have felt too woozy to continue riding and left the bike to go on foot up the driveway to the house. Meanwhile his brain was bleeding... and he never made it to the phone to call for help. The sheriff found his body near the dwelling (I don't think it could be called a house yet) as if he had collapsed while trying to get to the door.

Tom was 81.5 years old and in very good health. He rode his bicycle daily, went swimming several times a week, practiced martial arts and ate a very healthy diet. He did not smoke (ever) and only drank an occasional beer. I knew him for nearly 45 years and had been trying to make a trip to visit him for the last ten years or so. I almost made it a couple of times.... We talked on the phone for many hundreds of hours and exchanged close to 10,000 emails since about 1999. He was a one-in-a-billion type of guy. He used to tell me that he felt more like 18 than 81 and believed he would live to be at least 100. I really thought he would live quite a few more years, too.

My life will not be the same with Tom gone.

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## Bryan

> My life will not be the same with Tom gone.


Thanks for sharing, Suzu. I'm very sorry to hear of the loss.

I have moved this thread to our Remembrance area.

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## donnay

RIP.

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