MEG's Editorial Rants - circa: RMSG
4 February 2009
Eulogy; a final lesson learned: My cat, my sole, faithful companion of 14 years, died in my arms this morning at 6:24 a.m. This one's for you,
Kat Meowser . . . thanks for the memories.
2nd Amendment & the Right to Keep & Bear Arms :
Obviously, a rant about the right to keep and bear arms.
Hard Choices - Site Location & The Morality of Survival :
The Morality of survival? This is one area of
survivalism that few people ever touch upon. It isn't so much a question of
whether it is "right" to survive - we all have the right to defend and
facilitate our continued individual existence - but at what cost?
My Country 'Tis of Thee -
Independence: Town in Missouri : I’m not going to preach to you folks.
I figure that most of you who read
this (from these sites) already know the origin and meaning of our greatest
national holiday. But I thought it was time to post & review the documents
that relate to this holiday and comment on their particular applicability,
today.
Survivalism Gets a Bad Rap : These
days, anyone professing an interest in "survivalism" does so at their own
risk. Odd looks, scoffing remarks, and suspicion bordering on hysteria are
the mildest reactions one might expect. Mention survivalism and some folks
will automatically equate it with terrorists, paramilitary groups, white
racists & separatists, religious occultism and UniBomber madmen - all intent
on destroying "civilization as we know it."
What is Survivalism? : Survivalism
is a philosophy - a way of life – and it is as varied in its methodology as
the worlds’ religious or political theories. The primary goal of
survivalism, by any method chosen, is to increase the odds for the continued
existence of its followers, when faced with a threatening situation.
Contrary to popular opinion, it is not an "activist" tautology. Most
survivalists are reserved and quiet individuals who have lost faith in
society’s ability to protect its own, and who have taken steps to lessen
their dependence upon society for aid in an emergency situation.
Work Ethics? : When you take a
person's (or a corporation's) money to do a job, you've agreed to do the job
to the best of your abilities. You knew what you were going to be paid when
you signed up. There was no negotiation over the "degree of effort" you
would put into the job for a particular rate of pay. The duties and
responsibilities were explained during the hiring process and you agreed to
do it. Is it unnatural to assume that this means you have agreed to do it to
the best of your ability?
Firearms & Survivalism : Firearms & survivalism: The two often seem to go together, and rarely is the
latter ever spoken of without reference to the first. But I often wonder
about the necessity (and practicality) of firearms being involved in the
process of survival and survivalism at all. Are they necessary, or
merely convenient tools? Are they tools, or more of a psychological crutch -
"I have my guns..."being the mantra used to ward off the fears of
having to cope with a difficult situation?
Crisis? What Crisis? : Is it just
me – or do we seem to be experiencing some sort of societal meltdown? Are we
now, as a global society, finally approaching that critical mass experienced
by all earlier ages of mankind who sought to unite the "known" world under a
single dominant world government or philosophy?
Paranoia, Suspicion & Government Infiltration :
One of the acquired skills of the self-reliant
survivalist is an awareness of his surroundings with an attention to detail
a bit more developed than the average Joe. This is a very valuable survival
tool – provided it is coupled with an equally developed ability to
discriminate and evaluate the details we perceive. Automatically equating
every coincidental occurrence as a threat is counter productive, and a
little pathological. Survivalists develop their skills in order to operate
efficiently in any manner of situation. Sustaining a constant state of
paranoia/emergency is not exactly efficient.
Us & Them : Let’s talk about
Cops. You know, the boys (and girls) in blue – the ones with the T.V. show,
the catchy theme song, the video tape cruisers. The ones everybody keeps
telling me are crooked, bigoted, heavy handed enforcers for the state...
"Iraq, The USA & The World" :
While I am naturally inclined to doubt pretty
much any established government and, having served in the US Army as a
combat medic (3/87th Infantry), have an equal distaste for military action
on foreign soil - I really don't see what all the great debate is about. The
situation in Iraq needs to be resolved. It needs to be resolved now - before
the madman who controls that country through fear and force has the chance
to do something (else) seriously stupid.
New Rants & Raves Coming Soon!
MEG's New Editorial Rants:
Freedom Is Just Another Word...:
It's not too late to be Free. It's never too late to remedy the error of our
ways. This is the way of society and civilization - any student of history must
agree: The average lifespan of a nation is less than 400 years (before it
succumbs to revolutionary change). The United States is 221 years old
(Constitutionally) on September 17, 2008. This places us quite clearly on the
downside of the national lifespan. If we are to survive as a Nation, efforts
must be taken shortly to prune our societal tree. If we do not soon weed out the
dead weight and prop up the productive members of society, the future of our
democratic republic is bleak, indeed.
Top World Threat Today : Many
people have very little or absolutely no idea of just how weird things have
gotten. This article is my attempt at enlightening them. The optimist in me
believes that it may do some good. The darker side of my nature figures
"What the hell - it couldn't hurt much worse than it already does…"
What in HELL is going on?!? : Lest you
berate or admonish me for the language, I'd like to point out that this is
(for this page) the CORRECT & INTENDED usage of the term "in Hell." I
truly believe that, if not actually in the realm of spiritually Satanic,
something of PURE EVIL is taking place in our Nation that is corrupting our
Citizens, our Leaders, and our way of life...
Self
Respect, Self-Responsibility and The Responsibilities of a Citizen:
The largest problem in America today is the complete refusal of the majority of
Citizens to accept responsibility for themselves, their actions, their children,
their parents, their... anything! In the "entitlement" society that has emerged
today, everything that goes wrong, and everything that is not right with your
life is "somebody else's fault."
Aaaack!
(Or, "Why I started this website")
The internet is a great place to find information - right? Yeah, sure, if
you've got a millennium or two to sift through all the obnoxious and totally
useless flotsam & jetsam. Search engines are designed to frustrate even the
most patient and intrepid electronic explorers while deluging him with
unsolicited advertisements and distractions. Many a brave soul has been lost
in this teeming sea of crass commercialism, lured to obscurity by purposely
misleading and overstated promises of intellectual reward and stimulation.
There should be a "truth in advertising" law concerning site descriptions -
or maybe a "commercial site blocker" installed as a toggle in the latest web
browser versions.
For years I have considered myself an information junkie and the "promised
land" of the internet seemed like paradise itself. Then I got a computer and
a modem and, God help me, an AOL account. The internet isn't paradise - its
a chaotic and diabolic informational hell bent on the destruction of the
human intellect! Not to mention our eyesight, our backs, our carpal tunnels
. . .
Um - sorry about that.
The reason I started this web site (getting back to the point) is because I
was getting so frustrated with not finding what I wanted when it seemed so
obvious and straightforward a task. There is good information out there, but
the "search & weed" process was just too distracting to concentrate on any
one given subject. I was constantly being sidetracked into other topics of
interest or led down blind alleys by cruel and devious (albeit, inventive)
merchants. There was no cohesiveness, no follow through, and hence no
substantial return for countless hours in front of my second generation
idiot box. A near total waste of time.
So, in an effort to condense the vital from the pulp, I decided to create a
web site that pre-screens the information and displays only those pages and
files that can add to the whole. Finding the "right stuff" still requires
the mind-numbing exercise of surfing the net - sessions from which I often
emerge a near-total babbling idiot, wasted and drooling. Surfing the net is
similar to being kept in thrall, drawn ever on by the siren song of more,
more, more. I do not attempt to assimilate the useful information during my
erratic and rambling odysseys (impossible!), but concentrate on making note
of its location with a brief description of its content.
Originally, I had attempted to print or screen capture the stuff into
thousands of pitiful little files. In my dreams I heard the anguished cries
of countless ghostly forests and their tiny, homeless critters accusing me
of wanton pillage. I often found myself perusing computer store ads for
bigger and faster hard drives. This had to STOP! Nobody could print or save
all the tidbits of information on the net in one computer! It was sheer
madness!
. . . But what about the links? What if I simply collected the sublinks -
not to the web sites, but directly to whatever useful information they might
contain? Web sites, I have found, are like modern CD's - plenty of songs
(pages), but only one or two worth listening to - if that. What if I were to
bypass all the filler material and went straight to the core? Like editing
an entire album collection onto a single tape with nothing but favorites? I
wouldn't need reams of paper impossible to search through or banks of 7gb
hard drives and supplemental power sources. Let other folks carry the share
of information! Let them carry the weight of the gold - leaving myself
unencumbered and free to spend it!
Well, I tried it for myself and saw that it would work. Not long after that
I began to feel a bit uncomfortable about hoarding all this knowledge, this
informational gold, for myself. Surely there were others out there who felt
as I did and were ready to spend a little themselves, on themselves. So I
ripped out my non-performing commercial site and dropped this one in it's
place (hence the confusing address)!
I am providing this site free of charge and open to all of my fellow
self-reliant friends - most of whom I have never met and probably never
will. Have a ball, guys and gals, and good luck to you! This old world of
ours is becoming an increasingly complex and confusing place - and we all
need a little help now and then. All I ask from you is that you point out
the occasional helpful file or informative site via email to me. If I've
forgotten something that you think is vital, let me know (email) and I'll
try to correct the oversight.
If you want to help out with the financial aspects of keeping this site
current and online, KEEP IT SMALL!!! Donations over $25.00 will not be
accepted from any individual. Cash, checks or money orders are o.k., but I
don't take credit cards because I'm not selling anything. I don't accept
advertisements or banners or cash from service or goods providers and I
cannot be bought or coerced into linking to a site that I haven't approved
by finding something on it worth the visit.
Have fun, be nice, live long and prosper. . . .
- Meg Raven
circa 1996
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Studies Institute (SSRsi), All Rights Reserved
Site conceptualized, designed, created & maintained by MEG Raven
Snail Mail: SSRsi, PO Box 2572 Dillon, CO. 80435-2572