Any members of Alpha Rubicon

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by fortunateson, Feb 1, 2010.


  1. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!

    I came across this site, http://www.alpharubicon.com

    Seems like more like a club than an info sharing board.

    Just wondering if anyone has joined.

    I can't even apply since I don't have a "home or office" email account. I'm an IT tech and never found a reason to be tied to an ISP for my email. Looks like living in the '90s disqualifies me...
     
  2. fmhuff

    fmhuff Monkey+++

    I'm not a member but you might want to look closer than to call it simply a club.
     
  3. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    They are quite "unique" and require quite a bit of participation, and consistency....Besides that....They have a member support and emergency contact system that is unrivaled....
     
  4. Byte

    Byte Monkey+++

    After a quick perusal of the site I stumble upon this gem... Thanks but no thanks. It's like the lefties calling the righties lunatics or vice-versa. [dunno]

    Guess I don't fall close enough to their side of the fringe.

    Byte
     
  5. regsur

    regsur Monkey+

    Just joined to make a comment on the Alpha Rubicon. As a "Rubie", I would admit to being biased toward the group so keep that in mind with what I am about to say.

    First and foremost, no group is for everyone. As has been mentioned, continual participation is required, especially in the beginning. Daily posts, whether they be original postings or responses are needed. The idea is simple, if you are just their to suck info, they aren't interested.

    After about a month or so probation, assuming they like your input and you stick with it, you are then offered full access to the Rubicon. This is where the truth wealth of being a member is to be found. There are gigabytes of info that is all searchable online. Full articles with diagrams and pictures. This wealth was created from years of members making original articles so it is your responsibility to contribute in kind once a month or so. Is there an article on raised bed gardens? So what, you may have an interesting take that gives new perspective or even contradicts a previous article.

    The group was started and is run by one individual. It's his house. If you are new to the group and you don't like it or he and the other admins don't like you, then you'll each go your seperate ways. Some have said it's a money making scheme. It costs $5 a month to be a member. Based on the memberhsip roles, there is more money to be made on welfare than this for the founder. And if you can't hack $5 a month, then you can't be serious about prepping. When I joined I never experienced a better-than-you mentality. But I always wear my big boy pants so some thinner skinned people may take someones bluntness to help you with arrogance. Whatever.

    As for personalities, they have it all. I like to think that I am bit more cultured than some, but at the end of the day we are all after the same thing. The membership ranges from doctors to mechanics and we can certainly agree that they think in different ways. But that doesn't mean that a trauma surgeon can't be polite to those unders his economic demographic. Alternatively, the mechanic that goes deer hunting needs to understand that a member that is an electical engineer may not know the first thing about field dressing a deer. And to be honest, if you've built up your food storage properly, you won't need to be at the mercy of a garden or wildlife for quite some time.

    It's what you take out of it. Many members have forged lifelong friendships out of the community. I myself have stayed more virtual in my relationships. I'm looking for knowledge not friends though I like and respect alot of the people their.

    The underlying principle of the Rubicon is "facts not words". Even if you never join, take that away. How many people buy a case of MRE's and then stick them in the closet for when TSHTF? Have you eaten any? I think it would be nice to know if your stomach was friendly with them or not. Do you have 5 assualt rifles but no way to purify water? You MAY need weapons, you WILL need water.

    That's what the Rubicon is like. Sign up. Not your thing? They won't feel bad and neither should you.

    Good luck with your preps.
     
  6. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    regsur-
    We are highly appreciative of your input, that is where this thread started looking for someone that knows. Thank you, and we wish your operation well for the long haul. You might have some recruits among the monkeys here.
    I am personally interested in what sort of retention figures you have experienced. To say, how much disaffection with the program has happened since inception?
    Thanks and regards
     
  7. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    The members I've met have been top-notch. Many people get their hackles up over 'private' clubs but sometimes you need to do some sorting before you can truly discuss and instruct/learn.
     
  8. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    I would have liked to be considered for a membership, but I can't always find the time to write, especially doing the full research and document everything....I appreciate their motto: "Facts not words"!
    Nice way of saying: talk is cheap, actions speak volumes!
    They have quite an interesting system, and it has it's advantages for sure....
    It's not a place for everyone, and everyone has their limitations as far as being a member to any societal club, or organization.
    It looks and sounds like a great place to be, but I can't make the grade so to speak, so why waste their time or mine.
     
  9. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!

    Eh... It's not that bad. We all know those types are out there. Though writing a full page tirade on the issue is a bit suspect.

    I'm more worried about the "bow before you enter" attitude. Smells like my old Karate school.
     
  10. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    In response to the 'gem" byte has shown, It is a tad out there I am afraid....
    So, survivalists/survivalism and preppers are NOT the same...but one is a lunatic fringe?
    Wow! Who'd a known huh?
    Good thing there was some GURU to point that out to everyone!
    I look at it like this:
    A Prepper is a person trying to prepare for whatever they sense that may happen and a way and means to overcome that specific set of scenario's....
    A survivalist, is more than apt to go further in their preps, and with the "long range" thought of outright survivability .
    But that's my thoughts on it.
    Both are equal in that they are doing what they feel is best, to prepare for something everyone seems to sense is just over the horizon....
    Neither is what I'd call a "hobbyist" or by no means a "lunatic fringe" type of individual.
    Good thread!
     
  11. Byte

    Byte Monkey+++

    regsur, thanks for your input. I do appreciate your point of view and am glad you came over to post it. I'm fairly new to this site and have seen all kinds pass through in the short time I've been here and I trust myself to make up my own mind about who I meet online and what info I come across. The open sharing of info here is greatly appreciated by those of us that aren't as able or apt to share on a regular basis.

    The page I linked to had the air and feel of having been written by exactly the type of person the author was describing. Of course, this is just my own opinion. Now I don't mean for this to be a personal attack against the writer but s/he and I aren't on the same path nor of a like mind.

    Byte
     
  12. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!


    I disagree actually. I don't think He is that guy, but is probably instrumental in creating that guy.

    If A/R has a lot of people who turn out to be "3 monthers" it's probably because they are just running people out. Setting up high expectations or frustrating their members. That "3 month" syndrome is just disillusionment. You see it in many clubs and jobs. The fact that A/R tries to prepare you with a "this won't be easy" speech is evidence of this.

    Like Ghrit, I wonder what their retention rate is.
     
    Yard Dart likes this.
  13. regsur

    regsur Monkey+

    I'm not sure of their retention numbers. The group was started in the late 90s so I am a relative newbie in the scheme of things. I would estimate current rolls at a few hundred though I am sure hundreds more have been members in the past.

    I get the impression that there are those that have been onboard and are very active for years, while people like me check the boards every couple of days or so and contribute and article once a month or so. I constantly see new names on the boards and these are not new members so for what that is worth...

    Active military does not have posting requirements and there are some that say they will be checking out if they are going RVing cross country or will be sailing to islands for the season.

    I can't tell you actual numbers because I don't know them and I wouldn't share exact details like this if I did but my own feelings are that I will be a productive member sharing and taking info until the point that I feel the requirements of staying a member are not worth the efforts.

    Another interesting part of A/R is that through the boards, they do have info re: current events that the average person never gets from the media or it is delivered in a distorted way or much later.

    I don't want to give the impression that every day nuggets of info like continuity of government plan updates or when Iran will be launching a rocket are given but there are some interesting things that come across that make membership worthwhile for this reason alone.

    At the end of the day it's a bunch of men and some women that have their individual reasons for prepping. Some of the people are pretty hard core "rubies", others like me are more relaxed. Not relaxed in our desire, but just outward enthusiasm. As I said in my first post, the key thing to take away and use are that you should rely on things that you know and can do, not those that are unproven. This works whether you think A/R people are "nuts" or "good guys". What makes A/R neat is the depth of articles that people write including photos, sometimes with updates a year or more later to show lessons learned on everything from gardening to alt energy to ham radio. This makes attaining the things you don't that much easier. Even simple questions like what I should look for in a roof mounted carrier will be met with other members telling you the good and bad of their experiences. Both as it relates to brands, wind noise, etc.

    The final thing is that because these people are usually still around, you can ask them more nuanced questions for your own situation.

    Whether A/R had a retention rate of 10% per annum or 100% would not be a consideration for me to see if the group was worth joining. It would be the experience and info that I received while being a member. I wonder what the average retention rate for a workout gym was? Logically it should be 100% because we all know that exercise works. Though looking at the scale you wouldn't think I know it!
     
  14. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

    Sounds like a good idea. Maybe we should divy up topics and do that here?
     
  15. fireplaceguy

    fireplaceguy Monkey+

    Wow - first I find the Colorado Springs thread and now this. Little vignettes from my past wherever I look! I belonged to alpharubicon for 9 months or so before being banned for what was essentially very mild dissent.

    You really have to pay your dues there - literally and figuratively - before you'll be accepted. I paid the money, but never got "FTF" or went camping with anyone who counted, which is the only way to really be accepted. I was berated more than once for having the nerve to post contradictory information purely on the basis of too few FTF's in my record.

    Political discussion is banned there. Really - banned. In the nine or so months I was there, all of which was leading up to the 2008 election, there were literally only a handful of posts talking about the candidates. Maybe half a dozen posts total, and most were slapped down immeditely? Surreal. Any mention of, say, a candidates past Marxist ties, etc., were strictly verboten, making the place useless as a source of information for what was obviously a critical election. I was (I kid you not) told I needed to go camping with them if I wanted to talk about that kind of stuff, where it could be discussed in person!

    While I was a member, they started a financial board, which I posted on fairly frequently at first. Later on, my interest waned - after all, when our monetary system is politically controlled (or more precisely, controls our politics) you really can't get to the heart of the problem without political speech. That's why participation on the financial board quickly dropped off.

    Someone eventually complained about the lack of activity and I pointed out why in a thoughtful and non-confrontational post. (I worked really hard on that post so it would be taken as constructive criticism.)

    I had just had an argument with "WAR" - the rubicon owner or manager or partner (whatever, conflicting info on that) over his adoration of Alan Greenspan, who he thought was just an okie dokie kind of guy. (Big mistake to point out that Greenspan et al were his economic masters!) War was quite nasty in that exchange, and I was already questioning whether I would even bother to pay my next three months dues. (You have to pay at least 3 months at a time - no refunds.)

    Then came my observation about the censorship of political speech making it impossible to have a meaningful discussion of our financial problems. Someone immediately nominated that for post of the month, but as soon as War noticed it and he slammed me again, and again quite dishonestly. I don't like having words put in my mouth, and I don't back down when that happens. Wham - I was gone. (OK, it was actually just a click! Wham's just a fun word...)

    A friend who was still a member showed me what War did after blocking me, and it was amazing - he carried on a lengthy one-sided conversation with me in which he ranted, raved and even accused me of sending copies of posts to someone else, which is yet another forbidden practice. He didn't tell the members he had banned me, so the absence of my replies made it look like I was afraid to stand up to the mighty War!

    Of course War had no clue who I was sending anything to, or for that matter, IF I was sending anything at all! Actually, I didn't send copies of the posts to anyone. I was saving them for myself, as War has a penchant for going back and changing what he said earlier, and then quoting his newly minted words in a dispute. (He has the power to edit his posts and anyone else's as well without the edit flag showing up!) And yes, Big Brother is really watching to see if you're copying anything over there!

    This behavior is pretty typical of AR members:
    That's for sure, but pointing that out up front is pretty suspect.

    I've never seen such slavish devotion, though, I'll give them that. Members will scurry around the web and cheer or defend the "rubicon" wherever it's mentioned. They must be running Google searches on a daily basis! (BTW, I use the same handle everywhere I go so they know exactly who I am. I'm fairly confident someone from AR will show up here shortly to tell everyone what an ogre I am. We'll see if they can help themselves...)

    And yes, Byte, you're spot on with this:
    That diatribe about preppers vs. survivalists was pretty typical of War. It's pretty revealing of his paranoia and isworth reading if you haven't. He has a massive ego and conjures up all sorts of effete distinctions like this, which are utter nonsense. Some of the details are telling - he once posted a lengthy article of self-praise, including a few dozen pictures of things as trivial as his Porsche Club membership card and his politically correct multiracial family. (And HE's the one pointing THAT out, not me. I saved that one for the humor value, and named the file "How Great War Art"!!!) Also pictured were his multiple solar arrays, extensive electronic home security system and various other toys.

    Gear is great, but an air of material superiority pervades that site. There were a lot of comments about how a true Rubie could continue to live exactly as before regardless of what disaster hit, which is incredibly vain. "Rubies" are the best, you see. The rest of the survivalists out there are just knaves. (Funny - over the years, I've known a few folks who were the real deal. None of them bragged like this. Not one. You might figure them out if you were paying attention, but they sure weren't running around beating their chests!)

    Anyway, that whole level of preparation is fine if one can afford it, but most can't. My whole experience at AR took place before the economic crash, but it was obvious (to me, anyway) that the crash was on it's way. I often wondered back then if all that bragging wouldn't discourage the people who sought information there.

    I would also point out that we're in a time of economic hardship, declining oil and food production, aging populations, ever more oppressive government, declining morals and increasing unrest. Things don't look that good for the near future, and it might be wise to live a little less conspicuously if you don't want to be a target.

    And this is spot on too:
    When they make it sound so special, one tends to have high expectations. When they censors one's speech one tends to have frustration. They say they only want experienced survivalists, but people with experience may not find much more value on the private side - but for a few interesting revelations by members, it's a lot like the public side.

    The news coverage was nothing special either. Anyone with a high speed connection and an hour every morning could do the same thing with a little practice. If I'd been home on a particular day, I often logged in around lunchtime only to discover that recent news wasn't even up yet. Since I wasn't on the news crew, I wasn't allowed to post it either.

    Anyone who can buy books (and read them) will do fine without that place. What you save on dues will get you several good books a year, and you can glean the rest at free sites like this. If you're new to survivalism, the basic info is priceless. Once you're in the mindset, most of the rest flows logically and you'll find yourself mentoring newbies surprisingly soon in the curve.

    I was there for about 9 months, and except for the train wreck called War when he was laid up in bed with his back maladies and ballistic on pain meds, I don't miss it at all. A number of "probies" came and went while I was there. Some stuck, but probably just as many fell away. I'd bet retention is higher at places like this where associations are voluntary and exchanges are more free. For most self reliant personalities, the "if it's not forbidden it's compulsory" schtick gets old fast.

    BTW, a lot of "Rubies" are (or at least claim to be) government, military and law enforcement. Many probably are, too, as there there are certainly survivalists among those demographics, and such people would already be accustomed to a stifling intellectual environment like AR. Beyond forbidding political speech, there was a notable and pervasive aversion to any criticism of government over there - low grade paranoia is the best description.

    I understand one can't bite the hand that feeds the family, but when that same hand is pushing the entire nation underwater and you're afraid to speak up, methinks you may have disqualified yourself as a source of good survival information.

    There was another weird undercurrent to the place, and now and then I wonder if I unknowingly flunked out of some undisclosed, unstated boot camp for the Skull and Bones Cub Scouts or the Bilderberg Auxilliary or something. Maybe the People's Temple Cemetery Grounds Crew? Whatever. Any group that tests/vets people without their knowledge is at least playing games, and more likely has motives that would make your skin crawl when they revealed themselves.

    No regrets or anger here, BTW. It was another interesting experience in a life blessed with interesting experiences. I did learn a bit - particularly in the area of group dynamics and leadership.

    I'd actually recommend joining up if you had the money to spare, as all experience is good experience when you're a survivalist. Beware of alliances, though. You're not forced to drink grape Flavor Aid on your way out, but when you're out, you're REALLY out. I'd guess that no friendship with an entrenched Rubie would survive your excommunication, and nothing that fickle can be called a friendship anyway. Having people like that know too much about you might not be the best idea.

    Enough. My observations, obviously. YMMV.
     
    kellory, Yard Dart and hank2222 like this.
  16. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Thanks for that. It substantiates the vibes I got when on the A/R home page.

    Some time ago, like a couple years, there was a posting string on this site of what asked for folks to join a "group" of survival minded couples. That one also gave me the heebie-jeebies. Even had I qualified by having a, uh, companion, I'd have steered well clear. It was clearly a control freak running the show.

    Shades of ego keep coming thru, like another website a lot of us were involved with before SM was up and running. "War" would not have been "Brian" in real life, would he?
     
  17. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!

    Fireplaceguy: WOW! That's pretty candid.

    Had a similar impression from what I read here and elsewhere.

    What's that all about? Is it limited to Google searches or is my mom and high school guidance counselor going to get a call?

    One other observation - they seem to be very sensitive to people "stripping" stuff from their site, or downloading more than they upload.
    To me, that goes hand in glove with being disillusioned. I've seen this on jobs I've worked. Someone realizes that they're getting the shaft, so what do they do? Take the place for all it's worth - long lunches, long distance phone calls, adding a few "perks"....

    Hope I'm wrong, but I'm getting past middle age now, and sadly, experience allows me to smell things from a mile away.
     
  18. TnAndy

    TnAndy Senior Member Founding Member

    Buddy of mine was in tight with Rubicon back in late 90's.....told me the honcho that runs it is a real Jim Jones kinda personality......and from what I see of the website, that fits. I have avoided the place base on his stories.
     
  19. fireplaceguy

    fireplaceguy Monkey+

    You need to take the entire paragraph in context. It was just an undercurrent and I'm clearly joking about it. Seriously, though, I could never figure out if there was some deep dark secret that I'd learn when I knew all the right handshakes or if they were just really paranoid about their board. (And who cares? If they're up to something deeper that they haven't let you in on, it makes you want to run the other way. If they're merely paranoid, it still makes you want to run the other way!)

    A a junior member you were constantly monitored and quickly reprimanded for straying from the herd. It was obvious that the senior members talked behind the scenes to organize the front they presented to people who dare stray from the herd.

    And no, your guidance counselor won't hear from them. Outsiders opinions don't count for anything with those folks...

    As I write this I'm remembering another amusing episode - also in a discussion of banking. I quoted Thomas Jefferson, whose dislike of central bankers is the stuff of legends. Someone else responded by attacking Jefferson personally as financially irresponsible. (True, he was deeply indebted, but let's just forget that the guy gave much of his adult life to our fledgling country without compensation! Let's just shoot the messenger...) I responded by quoting something Jeff Cooper used to say: "Superior minds are concerned with ideas. Average minds are concerned with events. Inferior minds are concerned with personalities." I suggested that attacking Jefferson personally was both a logical fallacy and to miss the point as well. The fur flew over that one too.

    I haven't thought about alpharubicon in a long while, and I'm starting to wonder what they have to say on their financial board these days. Is it possible, with their censorship of political speech, that they still haven't figured out what the Federal Reserve is and who authored this mess? Does War still think Greenspan was our friend?

    Guess I'll have to navigate around here, find the financial discussion and jump in!
     
  20. kevin

    kevin Monkey+

    I’ve been a member of the A/R for some time now, it is by far the best source of tested info on preparedness out there (IMHO of course). I remember fireplaceguy, I heard he kind of went off the rails, argued with administration and was booted... Whether that was justified or not I can’t say, however, in all the years I’ve been a member I have never seen someone kicked out who didn’t warrant it. They were stripping files and/or fighting with other members and the admins or simply not contributing. None of us want to deal with that BS, that’s why we are there. I must take issue with the characterizations of the Rubicon posted here though, especially those made by people who have not been there.. ‘Facta, Non Verba’ Is an apt motto.

    As with any organization, there are multiple personality types.. and in any preparedness/ survival minded organization those personalities can tend to be markedly more ‘strong minded,’ it comes with the territory I guess. But being able to temper ones disposition is an important part of disaster preparedness, especially in a group setting.. if you can’t keep yourself under control in a non disaster situation, why would anyone want you around when the SHTF? That goes for everyone on the Rubicon.

    <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" />
    As for political discussions: Politics is always a great way to start an argument, so verbose political discussion on the main boards was not encouraged. A new board has been in place for a while that is strictly for political discussion and so far the members have been able to avoid any debate denigrating into unproductive nastiness.


    Another point: There is no Jim Jones like character running things at the Rubicon, War owns the place other than that, there are no requirements that you read his postings or curtsy. The only requirements are that you not be a confrontational a-hole and that you participate; put in what you take out, trollers and lurkers are simply not welcome.To suggest that the members of the A/R are part of some paranoid cult bending to Wars will just shows the lack of knowledge about what truly constitutes the association. Fireplaceguys lengthy message denigrating the Rubicon and War simply sounds like sour grapes. I can assure you there is no secret testing or vetting of new members.. that seems to me a little paranoid.


    I have met many Rubicon members face to face, all are stand up folks, all top notch in the realm of preparedness and survivalism. It’s a private organization with some basic rules, if that’s not your bag then stay away.


    Deeds Not Words… if you don’t know for sure and have first hand information, you have nothing but rumor.

     
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