Social Justice For Some?

I could go on about how horrible the concept of Social Justice is, but everything I have to say about it and those who forward it has already been said a thousand times.

One thing I will mention is that while they claim to stand up for victims, they seem to forget two groups: Jews and men.

Let’s get the argument about men out of the way: the narrative of Social Justice states that those who “suffer” from unequal outcomes deserve special treatment. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 93% percent of all inmates in 2015 were men. So, by Social Justice Warriors’ logic, the criminal justice system must be rigged against men. Yet do you ever hear about that from them? I haven’t.

This argument, in their heads, can be ignored because of all the other privileges men have had over the centuries.

Now to the longer, even less justifiable issue. I don’t see many Social Justice Warriors standing up for Israel, which faces daily threats from Islamists. Rockets fly over Israel every day, and no-one seems to be standing with them except about half of the world’s Jews and a handful of others. Everyone else seems to either support or abet Islamic extremists.

On a side note, you cannot say you support Jews but oppose Israel. Israel is a Jewish state, and if you oppose it and instead support Palestine – a Muslim state – you oppose Judaism. So, doesn’t this make Jews victims?

The latest attitude toward Jews from the Vatican is that since they are descended from Jews, Catholics have an obligation to support and protect them. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Charter calls for the mass extermination of the Jewish people. So, shouldn’t Social Justice Warriors be supporting Catholics and opposing Palestinians? Apparently not. Also, people seem to forget that Catholics do not make up the majority of Christians in America (according to a 2012 Gallup poll, 23.3% of Americans identify as Catholic, while 51.9% identify as Protestant). White Supremacists also exclude Catholics from their circle. The KKK didn’t just kill blacks back in the day – they killed Jews and, you guessed it, Catholics.

But I digress. Whenever you put a modifier before “justice”, it ceases to be justice. Social Justice Warriors and other radical leftists are ignorant, bigoted, hypocritical imbeciles who have been dragging down our country since Obama first started propping them up. Everyone from Bill Maher to Ben Shapiro acknowledges this. Sam Harris once made a great speech on how radical leftism and political correctness led to the rise of Trump, a compulsive liar and admitted fraud. Fortunately, at least for now, he has proven to be a moderate president and the country has benefited from his limited time in office. Of course, we’re only two months into his presidency, so only time will tell how history remembers him.

I might write something later on why I feel Trump’s presidency may be necessary for America, regardless as to how beneficial it may be.

Beauty and The Beast ramblings

Some folks have been calling this nonsense a controversy, so I said to myself “screw it, I’ll just ramble about it for a bit”.

Why does anyone care if LeFou is gay? I know Disney wants to pander to broader audiences to make more money, but frankly, I don’t understand why the demand is there in the first place (well, that’s not entirely true… I know a lot of people are entitled, identity politics-spewing, self-obsessed idiots who like taking advantage of the first amendment and trolling as many people as they possibly can with their stupidity). That may sound hypocritical considering I’m voicing a strong opinion, but the difference is I’m ACKNOWLEDGING that this is a mere opinion and I encourage those who disagree to come forward and voice their responses. Intellectual diversity is the only form of diversity that matters.

The origins of the story of Beauty and the Beast, which go back to the days of cave paintings, is really about understanding the three-dimensional nature of humanity. Villeneuve’s fairy tale specifically focuses on the idea that one who looks menacing may actually be kind at heart. In 1946, Jean Cocteau brought to contemporary culture the character of Avenant, who was the antithesis of the Beast – pretty at first glance but evil at heart. That love triangle was replicated in, among other works, the Disney version of the fairy tale in the form of Gaston.

Labeling the tale a story of acceptance is simply a shallow way to justify cheap corporate pandering.

Enough already!

I’m sick of people letting politics interfere with award shows, which every rational human being knows are just meaningless cash-grabs disguised as entertainment.

The Grammy’s are the latest example of this nonsense. Leftists are complaining that the results were racist and conservatives are complaining about leftists complaining that the results were racist. Give it a rest, damn it!

Maybe Adele won because her album sold more copies than Beyoncé’s. Maybe she won because the judges liked her music better. Maybe she won because people are sick and tired of fools hailing Beyoncé as some sort of goddess. Frankly, I couldn’t care less; I simply want people to calm down.

If you like a singer’s voice, listen to it. If you like an actor’s performances, watch them. If you have a preferred sports team, don’t demonize its opponents.

Regardless, performers are here to entertain you, not run your lives. Just because a couple of critics think one person is more talented than the one you favor doesn’t mean they are any worse people than you. And performers who make slightly less money and acquired slightly less fame than their counterparts have no right to complain about how terrible their lives are. I have no sympathy for the “plight” of anyone who makes enough money to buy the world twice over.

Alright I’m done ranting. If anyone wants to discuss this, feel free to leave a comment.

Suggestions for your Valentine’s Day Evening

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovebirds!

I realize most of you like to treat your significant others to a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant, but for those of you who enjoy cooking, I have a little idea that might make your lover smile:

Make a chocolate roll. A big one.

For those of you who do not know what that is, it’s a soft chocolate cake wrapped around whipped cream. My family has a great recipe that always brings a smile to our guests’ faces. Out of pride I will not share with you the recipe in its entirety, but I will give you two tips that you may not find online or in a recipe book.

1. Use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate (60% Cacao). I’ve tried a bunch of different brands from all over the world, but nothing quite compares to theirs.
2. Mix your favorite liqueur in the whipped cream; I prefer Grand Marnier. Remember: it’s strong and you’re not supposed to cook it, so be careful how much you put in.

I hope you all have a great evening with your loved ones. Or, if you’re by yourself, sit by your fireplace and enjoy a nice glass of G&T on the rocks (or whatever your favorite alcoholic beverage may be) while listening to some jazz or classical music. Maybe call some of your relatives, or invite your friends over for some savory crudités before going out to dinner. If you’re a night owl and live in a calm neighborhood, take a late night stroll and enjoy some fresh air; if you live near a forest, you might want to walk through it, given it’s safe to do so.

There are plenty of things to do alone, with friends and family, or with your significant other, so go and do something fun! I’m going to make myself sautéd chicken breasts with vodka tomato sauce… laced with a tablespoon of red pepper and a touch of Tabasco.

In-SAIN New Year’s Extravanganza 2016-2017 Notes Part 1

I’m still working on two other Sain-centric pieces that I meant to release yesterday, but until my writer’s block clears up I might as well release notes for the first two.

First off, the cover photo:

The idea originally was to just paste Sain’s face over a picture of Jesus, but when I saw a picture of Jesus and seven disciples, I realized I could include all six women Sain has support conversations with… and Kent. Because you can’t have Sain without Kent. Yes, I know Sain and Kent also have support conversations with each other.

I admit these pieces are not my finest works, but frankly they’re not meant to be. I wrote them for merely for fun as a way to ring in the new year. Is that such a problem.

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“Beauty And The Sain”

The fic takes little inspiration from “Beauty And The Beast”, but I thought the title worked nonetheless.

You were all expecting Sain to get his ass kicked, weren’t you? If that’s what you were hoping for, too bad.

My 25th fic special will most likely be Karel-centric.

If you look at the official art for every female character in FE7 from Sacae, and then from Lycia, you will know where Guy is coming from.

I mostly included Guy and Matthew because they are perfect sources for fun banter. In FE:CSR, they are both going to receive plenty of attention.

If you thought this was going to end in a kiss, Cormag, sorry to disappoint. I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

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“Committed”

Considering the fic COOKIECHEESEMAN wrote that this is the sequel to was called “Commitment” (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11070011/1/Commitment), I felt the title was appropriate.

You may have noticed this piece is a serious departure from my original style; this is because I was trying to imitate Cookie’s (with my own spin, of course).

Kent’s dream is based off of the single best Fire Emblem Fan Art I have ever seen. Here’s a link: https://wallpappercom.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/oyybafozq8callv3aannsktrbc0843.jpg

I don’t know what Cookie was thinking of when he wrote Lyn wearing a fancy, skin-tight, revealing dress, but I think of a teal version of what Sonia wears (http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/fireemblem/images/f/f1/Sonia.png/revision/latest?cb=20160622215548).

The part where Kent essentially breaks is a reference to a similar set of dialogue Sain shouted in “Commitment”, which was the first written line I had ever read that made me laugh.

The last sentence is a reference to the last sentence of “Commitment”.

Author’s Notes for Ancient Scholars Chapter 2

Well, this was a long time coming…

If you haven’t unlocked 19xx in FE7, I don’t expect you to have any clue as to what the hell Nergal is talking about. Don’t worry though, everything will be explained over the rest of the piece.

The dragon flashing white was a reference to the Fire Dragon’s critical animation from FE7, and Nergal taking him out so easily with a Luna spell was a reference to how OP Luna was back in the day. Seriously, Canas or Athos using Luna and getting a critical would kill the dragon in one hit. Meanwhile the Sol Katti was completely useless even if you maxed out Lyn’s stats.

Yes, I included Bantu. I figured it would be a nice little Easter Egg for those who have played the Akaneia games. I added the brief exposition about him for those who had never heard his name before.

And now we know how Arcadia was founded… at least partly. Next chapter will expand on what we all learned in FE7.

Author’s Notes for “Another Day, Another Adventure”

Well, here we are! I’m finally doing a fic starring my favorite crew in the whole franchise! I think it turned out well enough.

I admit, I may have taken some inspiration from Lord of The Rings here, albeit very little.

Oswin secretly enjoys everything here, though he would never admit it.

“What are all of the tutorial bosses doing here?” Well, considering how comically incompetent they were, I figured it would be funny to have them leading the bandit army.

“4 soldiers defeating an army? How much more OP can you make them?!” Clearly you haven’t read any self-inserts, but I digress. This is a COMEDY. It’s not intended to be a serious adventure containing realistic battles.

And we finish off with a nod to one of my favorite FE7 pairings, MatthewxLeila.

I’m probably going to do a lot more with these five.

AS is next, then ULD and PHK.

New Series Announcement

Time for a quick update!

Starting on Simchas Torah (this coming Tuesday), when the annual Torah reading cycle is complete, I will be presenting weekly Divrei Torah (biblical interpretations) for each chapter up until next year. I am not a Rabbi, but I hope you all find my insights interesting.

Preliminary notes for FE:CSR revisions

The main revisions I will be making are to Yosef, who was overpowered, given too much attention and far crueler than I intended. He was supposed to be an enigmatic character, scarred by an event (or series of events) in his past, which I will reveal sparsely, gradually, and in little detail over the rest of the arcs his character exists in. I will make him a much kinder, and less (openly) powerful figure, and he will participate in the plot far less.

I’ve drastically changed my plans for his backstory over time, going from a simple man with inexplicable power, to a descendant of a deity, to a powerful druid who worked in the shadows, to the Crown Prince of a forgotten land, and many places in between. I’m not going to tell you his finalized backstory yet, but I think you’ll all like it. It’s subdued, but powerful, and hopefully it make his character more sympathetic.

I will also be modifying the plot, which previously glossed over a few potential plot points, gave too many predictable hints to plot twists later in the publication, had WAY to many Dei ex Machinis (which I used to resolve situations I screwed up), and a failed experiment in chapter 3 that I will almost completely rewrite (only the flashbacks and characters involved will remain).

I’ll give you more details as I update each chapter.

The Vermouth Trick

It’s not really a “trick” per say, but it’s a tip I hope you all find useful.

Many people add white wine to some fish when they bake or broil them, as I’m sure many of you know. This helps cook and flavor the fish, and therefore is a very common supplement, or even replacement, for cooking oils. I certainly liked the taste, but I would seldom order whitefish with or without it.

Then I discovered an alcoholic beverage seemingly underappreciated in the world of cooking – Vermouth. Now, frankly I HATE the taste of Vermouth, dry or sweet (unless it’s in a Nigroni or a similar cocktail), but when you pour a mere tablespoon or two of it on a fish, the flavor all but disappears, especially if you add potent herbs. The pungent odor WILL fill your kitchen, but don’t be fooled – you won’t taste it on the fish.

“Hammerschlag, why would I add Vermouth if it smells up my kitchen and doesn’t add flavor? Wine really seems like the smarter choice!” Well, one thing wine DOESN’T seem to help with is holding the fish together. So often I used to order Salmon, Tilapia, Snapper or some other whitefish at a restaurant (or cook it myself), and it would always fall apart on my fork, that is if it miraculously remained intact after I cut a piece with my knife! In addition, I found the flaky texture to be very unappealing. Vermouth, on the other hand, keeps the fish silky smooth but holds it together, making it a more fulfilling experience and leaving less on your plate when you’re done.

“If the Vermouth helps keep the fish together, and the wine adds flavoring, why not use both?” Good question. Frankly, I don’t have an answer for you, as I’ve never bothered to try. If you have done that or wish to do that, please let me know in a comment how it turned out. I’d love to know!

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I hope you found this useful and convincing enough to try using Vermouth yourself, if you haven’t already. Please let me know what you think in the comments below.