Cosmic Echoes…by Rich Fleetwood

Archive for the ‘Lifestyle’ Category

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Well, looks like it’s time for an update from yours truly on the CE blog. Lots of news, updates, software projects, business opportunities, and more…a virtual plethora of digital goodness.

Yet another school year has passed here at Central Wyoming College, and we’ve added yet another college graduate to our family, as my son Kenny earned his music degree. As an extra treat, he arranged and sang a duet right before commencement began on the stage of the Robert A. Peck Arts Center here in Riverton. What was really cool was that the entire commencement exercise was broadcast via Wyoming Public Television for the entire town to see on the college’s education access channel.

I’ve got a DVD of the events, and will create a Youtube video of Kenny’s performance for his blog at www.automaticboymusic.com. Kenny’s graduation brings the total number of degrees earned by our family in the last three years here at CWC to SEVEN college degrees. I am very humbled by my entire family working so hard for full and complete educations, and pursuing further college goals in the coming months.

I’ll be starting classes via the University of Wyoming this fall, and will continue working towards my bachelor’s degree over the next couple of years, while working on my home business project. I’ll keep you updated on any news associated with UWyo from this end.

In other family news, we’re going to taking care of our grandchildren for the summer (and possibly longer) so our time for summer fun and travel plans have been put on the back burner for a while.

The SurvivalRing website is undergoing a MASSIVE redesign over the next three months, with EVERY webpage, every documentn, and every download being upgraded to state of the art web design and content management systems. Once all editing is done, changes are tested by a host of SurvivalRing supporters, and hundreds of downloads are added and cataloged into a database tracking system, we’ll flip the switch and let you run with it. Wanna peek at the new design? Check it out at www.survivalring.org/sr to get just a taste of what is coming.

While we’re doing the long awaited update, I’ll also be finishing off some entire new sites that will be part of the *new* SurvivalRing. These new tools include a Product Reviews website for prep and survival gear, a complete EVERYTHING FALLOUT SHELTER site with all the documents I have put all in ONE place for ease of use (and using the www.myfalloutshelter.com domain), and some over yet to be released projects still in the planning stages.

Once nearly all projects are up to speed, the new homepage for SurvivalRing will be a portal into all areas of the entire SurvivalRing network, that loads fast, gives a short bio of each site section, and let’s you just jump right into the area you are most interested in, without having to jump through any hoops.

As SurvivalRing moves forward, and the major updates are done, we’ll be creating a series of podcasts, videos, and new ebooks (and possibly even hardcopy versions) on all areas of preparedness.

Our Podcasts, to be called SurvivalRing Radio, will start broadcasting in July, and will include news, alerts, threat analysis, prepping tips, interviews, reviews, and a whole lot more. I’ll be producing weekly 30 minute shows at first, but the long term goal, after things are all said and done (all major projects for the site are finished), is to have a daily one hour show, which if things work out, may go on broadcast radio through any of a number of web/on air broadcast organizations.

Our Video Projects, to be called SurvivalRingTV, will start appearing after the first of the year, and will feature hands on tips, outdoors adventure, survival how-to’s, preparedness tools and uses, and eventually a complete series on fallout shelter building, designs, systems, and use.

As all these creative outlets are being worked on, I’ll be building up the business side of SurvivalRing as well, to support upgrades to dedicated hosting of the entire SurvivalRing network, HD video cameras and tools, audio mixing systems and needs for live radio broadcasts from my home studio, and a variety of other tools to create unlimited potential for online education for all website visitors. The business at SurvivalRing consists of CD ROM publications, online digital media content, membership sections, our new forums system, advertising opportunties, home business creation packages for anyone needing extra income.

Finally, to round everything out, our long overdue SurvivalRing Newsletter will begin production again in June. Expect weekly updates, free download links, news, tools, and commentary on the world of survival and preparedness, from someone who’s spent a lifetime living it. Yep…me.

More to come later. Stay tuned. This is The Summer of SurvivalRing.

Rich

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After being offline for a few months, I have finally been able to replace our dead forum board, with a brand new state of the art forum system called the Invision Power Board.

We HAD been using IkonBoard 3.1.1, which suffered massive unfixable security issues, and upon trying to update many different ways to the latest version of 3.1.5, it promptly committed suicide. Hundreds of spams a day were being injected, and the Ikonforum team in the years since I had originally installed the software no longer existed or cared for full path upgrades. This was very disconcerting, and painful to loose so many useful posts.

I was able to save the data in a database, but attempts to salvage them coherently into the new software haven’t been fully successfull…yet.

But… the NEW board is COMPLETELY operational. I’ve already got two new moderators, and more to come.

Jump on over to the SRCC (SurvivalRing Community Center) and register a username and start posting away.

The more the merrier…

Rich
Founder – SurvivalRing

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Another media company has contacted me requesting help in finding folks who may be interested in adventure, travel, survival, and probably a little pain and worry.

I’ve taken a look at their website below and I’ve seen many of the shows they produce appear on the Discovery Channel.

While I will suggest that anyone interested in helping this reality series possibility pursue it with caution (all kinds of things happen when you let it all out on national TV…think of Survivor Winner Richard Hatch, who’s now in prison for tax fraud regarding his winnings), if you ARE up for a challenge, an adventure, and a chance to do something very few individuals ever get to, then send them an email at the address below.

I have. And I will report any updates here.

Rich

Below is the inquiry I received, and below that is the posting they want to share in their search for what I’ll term “meat”.

Hi there,

We’re a non-fiction TV production company looking for some survivalists for a show we have in development. Would mind if I posted an ad in the SurvivalRing forums? I understand many forums have issues with SpamBots, so I thought I’d just contact you first. I’ve included the text of the ad
below.

And here is the posting I’ll be sharing on my websites and other areas….

From Ms. P (name sanitized per request)
Morningstar Entertainment
Burbank, CA
www.morningstarentertainment.com

Are you able to survive in the most dangerous places and situations? We are
currently looking for media-savvy men and women to appear in a television
series about surviving the worst the world has to offer.

If you think you might fit the bill, please email a picture and a brief
letter about what qualifies you to be our survivor to:

morningstarentertainment1@yahoo.com

Check us out on the web:

http://www.morningstarentertainment.com

No calls, please.

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Two weekends ago, my wife and I took a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I was there to help Wyoming Public Television record an orchestra concert at the Grand Teton Music Festival. I was able bring Annie along for the trip, and we had a great time.

On the way home, we took a little detour through a couple of small local parks…

Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park, to be specific.

Want to see some pictures of some of nature’s most beautiful scenary? Take a peek here at my new flash based photo gallery.

Last weekend, my college hosted the annual Riverton Rendezvous hot air balloon rally. I got to take another trip into the wild blue yonder, hanging under a 40,000 cubic foot nylon envelope. You can view the gallery of dozens of great hot air balloons at the same link above.

Also, I’ve added some new tools to SurvivalRing. Check out the homepage for the latest addition…MyWeather.

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Every few months, some big wig in the media world knocks on my online door, asking for assistance in their quest to Market Survivalism To The World.

In nearly all cases, these “assistants” to the decision makers are looking for options, but almost always, when it comes to “Survivalism” and “Survivalists”…they are looking for that Main Stream Media version of Survivalists…you know the kind…camoflauge, guns, missing teeth, scorn of the government, etc, etc, etc.

I truly believe that FOX is looking for that flavor of individual..er, uhm…family…for TRADING SPOUSES…as the email below will show…

Give it a shot if you want. $50k is on the line for the LUCKY family selected for this “Wonderful Opportunity”.

As for me and my family…uhhh…we’re going to pass this time…yes, the money would be wonderful…but at what expense to our family and friends? Personally, I don’t think it balances out.

Ya’ll have fun!

Hello,

I am a casting associate for FOX’s hit show “Trading Spouses.” I was checking out your website and was hoping you could help me out in my search. I am looking for hardcore survivalists and their families to participate in the show which highlights the wealth of cultures and personalities from households across the country. The show requires that each family consist of at least one child between 6-18 years of age and have two parents within the home. At the end of the 7 day shoot, each family receives $50,000! If you are what we are looking for, or know another family that is, please contact me. If you have any questions regarding the show, check out the website at www.fox.com and click on the “Trading Spouses” icon.

Our deadline is approaching FAST and I would love for families to have this amazing opportunity. Thanks so much and I can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks a lot and take care,

Jason

Jason Eskin
Casting Assistant
Trading Spouses
Rocket Science Laboratories
323.802.0485
JasonE@rocketsciencelabs.com

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I don’t see how I missed it, but this article HAS to be the definitive report on WHY we’re seeing so many suicide bombings in the Middle East, and the world over. Kudoes to Mr. Rehov, for sharing his personal insight and research into this very important area.

Originally posted on The Counterterrorism Blog

Interview with Pierre Rehov, documentary filmmaker, on psychology behind suicide bombings

On July 15, I appeared on MSNBC’s “Connected” program to discuss the 7/7 London attacks (you can see video of the segment on the linked page). One of my fellow guests was Pierre Rehov, a French filmmaker who has filmed six documentaries on the intifada by going undercover in the Palestinian areas. Pierre’s upcoming film, “Suicide Killers,” is based on interviews that he conducted with the families of suicide bombers and would-be bombers in an attempt to find out why they do it. Pierre agreed to my request for a Q&A interview here about his work on the new film. Many thanks to Dean Draznin and Arlyn Riskind for helping to arrange this special interview.

What inspired you to produce “Suicide Killers,” your seventh film?

I started working with victims of suicide attacks to make a film on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) when I became fascinated with the personalities of those who had committed those crimes, as they were described again and again by their victims. Especially the fact that suicide bombers are all smiling one second before they blow themselves up.

Why is this film especially important?

People don’t understand the devastating culture behind this unbelievable phenomenon. My film is not politically correct because it addresses the real problem—showing the real face of Islam. It points the finger against a culture of hatred in which the uneducated are brainwashed to a level where their only solution in life becomes to kill themselves and kill others in the name of a God whose word, as transmitted by other men, has became their only certitude.

What insights did you gain from making this film? What do you know that other experts do not know?

I came to the conclusion that we are facing a neurosis at the level of an entire civilization. Most neuroses have in common a dramatic event, generally linked to an unacceptable sexual behavior. In this case, we are talking of kids living all their lives in pure frustration, with no opportunity to experience sex, love, tenderness or even understanding from the opposite sex. The separation between men and women in Islam is absolute. So is contempt toward women, who are totally dominated by men. This leads to a situation of pure anxiety, in which normal behavior is not possible. It is no coincidence that suicide killers are mostly young men dominated subconsciously by an overwhelming libido that they not only cannot satisfy but are afraid of, as if it is the work of the devil. Since Islam describes heaven as a place where everything on earth will finally be allowed, and promises 72 virgins to those frustrated kids, killing others and killing themselves to reach this redemption becomes their only solution.

What was it like to interview would-be suicide bombers, their families and survivors of suicide bombings?

It was a fascinating and a terrifying experience. You are dealing with seemingly normal people with very nice manners who have their own logic, which to a certain extent can make sense since they are so convinced that what they say is true. It is like dealing with pure craziness, like interviewing people in an asylum, since what they say, is for them, the absolute truth. I hear a mother saying “Thank God, my son is dead.” Her son had became a shaheed, a martyr, which for her was a greater source of pride than if he had became an engineer, a doctor or a winner of the Nobel Prize. This system of values works completely backwards since their interpretation of Islam worships death much more than life. You are facing people whose only dream, only achievement is to fulfill what they believe to be their destiny, namely to be a shaheed or the family of a shaheed. They don’t see the innocent being killed, they only see the impure that they have to destroy.

You say suicide bombers experience a moment of absolute power, beyond punishment. Is death the ultimate power?

Not death as an end, but death as a door open to the after life. They are seeking the reward that God has promised them. They work for God, the ultimate authority, above all human laws. They therefore experience this single delusional second of absolute power, where nothing bad can ever happen to them, since they become God’s sword.

Is there a suicide bomber personality profile? Describe the psychopathology.

Generally kids between 15 and 25 bearing a lot of complexes, generally inferiority complexes. They must have been fed with religion. They usually have a lack of developed personality. Usually they are impressionable idealists. In the western world they would easily have become drug addicts, but not criminals. Interestingly, they are not criminals since they don’t see good and evil the same way that we do. If they had been raised in an Occidental culture, they would have hated violence. But they constantly battle against their own death anxiety. The only solution to this deep-seated pathology is to be willing to die and be rewarded in the after life in Paradise.

Are suicide bombers principally motivated by religious conviction?

Yes, it is their only conviction. They don’t act to gain a territory or to find freedom or even dignity. They only follow Allah, the supreme judge, and what He tells them to do.

Do all Muslims interpret jihad and martyrdom in the same way?

All Muslim believers believe that, ultimately, Islam will prevail on earth. They believe this is the only true religion and their is no room, in their mind, for interpretation. The main difference between moderate Muslims and extremists is that moderate Muslims don’t think they will see the absolute victory of Islam during their life time, therefore they respect other beliefs. The extremists believe that the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Islam and ruling the entire world as described in the Koran, is for today. Each victory of Bin Laden convinces 20 million moderate Muslims to become extremists.

Describe the culture that manufactures suicide bombers.

Oppression, lack of freedom, brain washing, organized poverty, placing God in charge of daily life, total separation between men and women, forbidding sex, giving women no power whatsoever, and placing men in charge of family honor, which is mainly connected to their women’s behavior.

What socio-economic forces support the perpetuation of suicide bombings?

Muslim charity is usually a cover for supporting terrorist organizations. But one has also to look at countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are also supporting the same organizations through different networks. The ironic thing in the case of Palestinian suicide bombers is that most of the money comes through financial support from the Occidental world, donated to a culture that utterly hates and rejects the West (mainly symbolized by Israel).

Is there a financial support network for the families of the suicide bombers? If so, who is paying them and how does that affect the decision?

There used to be a financial incentive in the days of Saddam Hussein ($25,000 per family) and Yasser Arafat (smaller amounts), but these days are gone. It is a mistake to believe that these families would sacrifice their children for money. Although, the children themselves who are very attached to their families, might find in this financial support another reason to become suicide bombers. It is like buying a life insurance policy and then committing suicide.

Why are so many suicide bombers young men?

As discussed above, libido is paramount. Also ego, because this is a sure way to become a hero. The shaheeds are the cowboys or the firemen of Islam. Shaheed is a positively reinforced value in this culture. And what kid has never dreamed of becoming a cowboy or a fireman?

What role does the U.N. play in the terrorist equation?

The UN is in the hands of Arab countries and third world or ex-communists countries. Their hands are tied. The UN has condemned Israel more than any other country in the world, including the regime of Castro, Idi Amin or Kaddahfi. By behaving this way, the UN leaves a door open by not openly condemning terrorist organizations. In addition, through UNRWA, the UN is directly tied to terror organizations such as Hamas, representing 65 percent of their apparatus in the so-called Palestinian refugee camps. As a support to Arab countries, the UN has maintained Palestinians in camps with the hope to “return” into Israel for more than 50 years, therefore making it impossible to settle those populations, which still live in deplorable conditions. Four-hundred million dollars are spent every year, mainly financed by U.S. taxes, to support 23,000 employees of UNRWA, many of whom belong to terrorist organizations (see Congressman Eric Cantor on this subject, and in my film “Hostages of Hatred”).

You say that a suicide bomber is a ‘stupid bomb and a smart bomb’ simultaneously. Explain what you mean.

Unlike an electronic device, a suicide killer has until the last second the capacity to change his mind. In reality, he is nothing but a platform representing interests which are not his, but he doesn’t know it.

How can we put an end to the madness of suicide bombings and terrorism in general?

Stop being politically correct and stop believe that this culture is a victim of ours. Radical Islamism today is nothing but a new form of Nazism. Nobody was trying to justify or excuse Hitler in the 1930s. We had to defeat him in order to make peace one day with the German people.

Are these men traveling outside their native areas in large numbers? Based on your research, would you predict that we are beginning to see a new wave of suicide bombings outside the Middle East?

Every successful terror attack is considered a victory by the radical Islamists. Everywhere Islam is expands there is regional conflict. Right now, their are thousands of candidates for martyrdom lining up in training camps in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Pakistan. Inside Europe, hundreds of illegal mosques are preparing the next step of brain washing to lost young men who cannot find a satisfying identity in the Occidental world. Israel is much more prepared for this than the rest of the world will ever be. Yes, there will be more suicide killings in Europe and the U.S. Sadly, this is only the beginning.

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I’m sick. I had a one time part time job at the local Arapahoe Casino south of town yesterday, doing three hours of live radio broadcasts for the Casino, for their $40,000 pot of gold contest for the weekend. The broadcasts went fine, we gave away a ton of prizes, and it was over all too quickly.

Unfortunately, it was like every other casino I’ve ever been in (which in itself is another long story…suffice it to say, it was when I was driving cross country in 2000/2001, and only with my then-business partner when we were in the same town together, heading in for a load, or heading out from picking up one…he had a Very Bad gambling habit…and this was probably the major cause of this)…well, each and every casino in Vegas, Mesquite, Reno, Montana, New Mexico, etc., wreaked of second hand smoke, had clouds of smoke in them, and there seemed to be no escape from the smell when you were in one of those buildings.

This local casino, which has just been granted state aproval to build a class 3 gaming casino, has been creating an economic boom on the reservation for a select few, while unemployment still runs high. The local area around the reservation, including Riverton, has also seen the same boom.

But, back to the topic at hand. After being in the casino for over 4 hours, my head was pounding, my nose and sinuses were stopped up, and I just wanted to get out of there. After the broadcast was over, I went straight home. In my apartment, I still smelled that smoke. I immediately changed my clothes, and went to the laundry room here in the dorms to get them started in the washer.

Back home, I took a benadryl, and a sudafed, to see if I could get my head opened up to breath easier. No luck. I STILL smelled the smoke. Finally, I took a shower and scubbed the heck out of my face, washed my hair twice, and more. That seemed to help the most, but for the past 48 hours, I’ve still got a nasty hacking phlemghy cough, and my head still hurts…

So, we’re finally to the reason for this post. Should you take a job when you KNOW it’s going to physically affect you so much? When you KNOW that the area will open you up to deadly poisons that are KNOWN to cause death? When you have a LIFETIME of having been affected by those chemicals in negative ways?

Sure, folks do dangerous work all the time around the world…policemen, fireman, miners, soldiers, etc. BUT, we’re not saving the world with a live broadcast this time, are we?

As a life-time non smoker, whenever I visit a place that is literally “smoke filled” from a huge amount of smokers, I always suffer. It’s not really allergies. It’s not something against those individuals with the habit of lighting up cigarettes every other minute. It’s literally the poison that is contained within the tobacco that is affecting me.

Last semester here at my college campus, I was the chairman of a sub-committee for the student senate, tasked with doing the research, discussions, backgroup references, and visits with people all over campus about the topic of “campus smoking policy”. When I started, the original smoking policy was simply “outside”. Using two different full day voting polls, plus an open forum one afternoon, campus users, students, faculty and staff all had a chance to share their thoughts about keeping policy, or changing it.

Using their input, a new smoking policy change was drafted. The only change was to put a 20 foot buffer outside designated doors on every building on campus. This change to policy was brought before the board of trustees, and then turned over to the administration to make a final decision. They passed the policy change last month, and will put it into full effect starting July 1st.

The main idea was to give non-smokers the ability to enjoy their right to clean air, and not suffer second hand smoke, which is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. killing 38,000 to 65,000 nonsmokers every year.

On this campus, there is a huge amount of the campus population that smokes or uses tobacco in some form. Over 50% of adults on the nearby Wind River Reservation are tobacco users, according to the Fremont County Tobacco Coalition, of which I am a member, via my Young Adults Against Addiction project here in Riverton. The campus smokers that spoke up about the potential policy change, were downright rude, threatening, and vicious in their response. Why? Their right to smoke was only moved twenty feet from the door…not completely from the campus…or even the city, as some have done recently.

It became a personal issue for them…against me. A very sad, yet not completely unexpected outcome.