As our name suggests, we at RentFoodBroke are very aware of the precariousness of our current situation. There are many in our city who, for a myriad of reasons, do not have homes. Recently, we were lucky enough to spend some time with Tina Hovsepian, inventor and founder of Cardborigami. An architect, Tina developed a temporary, portable shelter to try and provide some respite for those without permanent structures. She generously agreed to share some of her thoughts and experiences in downtown's Skid Row. The following is what she shared:

Happy Halloween everyone! We hope you're planning on doing something fun (and cheap) tonight. Maybe check out the West Hollywood Carnaval or Booo-tiful Downtown Burbank? October 31st can be a lot of fun, but we're actually more excited about November 1. There are some pretty cool month-long events that kick off tomorrow like NaNoWriMo and Movember.

Perhaps one of the greatest shifts in the past ten years is the amount of information we share with strangers. Though networks like Facebook and LinkedIn are based around the concept of knowing those accessing your data, run a quick Google search on anyone and you’ll find a wealth of details. However, these facts, figures, and pictures do not always provide insights into people’s deepest selves. There are a number of people who have re-embraced the potential for anonymity in exchange for deeper sharing. Read on to discover a few compelling projects.

We hear about the perils of disenfranchisement all the time. MTV is out there trying to "Rock the Vote" and Obama-nation did a darn good job of utilizing social media to bring out voters, but one of the big underlying issues is cluelessness about what is at stake. It is a bit embarrassing to admit on November 1 that one really has no clue about tomorrow's election issues, though many of us are. Sure, blanketing ad campaigns have assured us that both candidates for governor are lame and that legalizing pot will be both beneficial and extremely dangerous (for whom? btw). But, honestly, this bum is still confused about even showing up at the polls. Here's some info on the issues and why your vote matters.

The school of life usually teaches you a lot, but it’s not always appropriate for cocktail parties or nerd-tastic meet-ups. There’s quite a lot of information out there, so it’s easier to focus on one area at a time. Thus, if you want to hang with the English professors or just sound like the most well-educated kid on the block (and community college just didn’t quite prepare you), check out these ways to expand your knowledge base.

You may have slept in late this morning, but did you stop to wonder why? What is this whole Independence Day celebration about? Sure, throwing out "1776" and "Constitution" and "former British colony" may win you some points at a cocktail party, but what is America (and specifically the United States) all about? Here are our selections for a quick brush up on the roots of the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Yeah, yeah, so we took off Memorial Day. We know we're a bunch of bums! Even so, we weren't going to leave you waiting 'til Thursday for your RFB fix; here goes:

We love us some cute animals, but we like 'em on the BBQ too. Lately, it seems like a lot of our friends are saying no to our meatfest invitations and opting for the portabello burger. Now, these aren't your average tree-hugging, peace protesters (not that there's anything wrong with activism), so why the trend? We had to ask: What gives?

V-day may be over, but we're betting you didn't get enough action. Though you may be alone, you can get hot and heavy under the covers with some of these reads. Some may call romances trashy, but there's a lot to be learned from this unsung genre. Grab a pint of ice cream or some leftover chocolates and curl up under the covers with these historically-based fantasies.

Need a last minute gift and a subtle way to tell loved ones they spend way too darn much moola? RFB has a present for you. Check out this excerpt from Bargain Junkie by Annie Korzen, of Seinfield and Transformers fame, and learn why we love it: