tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79461733478497732062024-02-19T10:06:24.011-05:00The Gauntlet of Balthazar Welcome to the Gauntlet of Balthazar - a prosaic and diverse blog featuring screenwriting critique, political analysis, music uploads, reviews, sculpture, art, design, photography, created lexicon, and the shameless self-promotion of the film and writing projects of the creator. Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-48999386229701769462023-10-22T22:29:00.006-04:002023-10-22T22:36:06.441-04:00From the Recording Studio: Stubborn God Productions YouTube Channel Update<p>Greetings all - welcome to, or back to, the mighty Gauntlet of Balthazar.</p><p></p><p>I have to admit right upfront that I've been finding that no matter how much I promise myself, it just seems harder and harder to find the time to post pretty much anything here since 2021. Frankly speaking this is probably because I've made a concerted effort to intentionally pull away from social media - which in my opinion is a fairly toxic influence on culture in general, and personally, I also find it a wonderful time-thief that just takes away from my various artistic endeavors. </p><p>Anyway, the writing aside from here is going well, art is being made, and music is being worked on - which is fulfilling in various respects. I know that I've mentioned here before that I would be putting more attention to evolving Stubborn God Productions presence on Youtube, and as a result I have indeed placed a number of new official music videos to that channel. </p><p>However, I thought I'd take the time today to mention the newest video featured on that channel, which is a piece of live modal guitar music called "Terrible Beauty 01". While most of the other videos thus far have been industrial-electronic, soundtrack, or acoustic guitar-driven singer-songwriter folk-rock tunes, this track stands out as something different.</p><p></p><p>I mean, I'm no guitar mad aficionado who can't get enough of some dude churning out break-neck wanky chops littered with "hammer ons", whammy bar, and that same old sound that everyone else imitates. I am also not a music theory purist, nor a gear head addict. I'm just an artist who happens to play a number of instruments, largely intuitively, and thus, I kind of know what I'm doing most of the time, even if have to think about it to define it. </p><p>Regardless, this track is what I think is a fairly catchy modal solo with some interesting turns and surprises played on my classic Fender American Heritage Stratocaster through a Roland Guitar Synth and Peavey Amp, with a capo and wooden pick. My style itself is a weird combination of slides, bends, plucks and once and a while some motivic development or sudden modulation. I perceive this piece as Prog Rock meets World Music meets Metal, but if you feel otherwise, let me know. </p><p>Ironically, though I was more involved in the Punk and Industrial Music scenes, I've always held a place in my heart for classic Progressive Rock guitarists such as Robert Fripp, Phil Manzanera, and Dave Gilmour, and who knows, maybe this is a bit of a tribute to that side of my musical influences. </p><p>So, enjoy, and if you'd like - subscribe to the Stubborn God Productions YouTube Channel and like, comment, and share. Because that would be nice!</p><p>Till next time</p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZWtUXvIRbHg?si=CrQIoBnBdOx6pNto" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-71721297539084359632023-03-28T15:05:00.000-04:002023-03-28T15:05:19.503-04:00From the Recording Studio: New Release Tuesday - Amalia Rose "You're A Doll" Single<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF56bR7VIGAoXhxSpWFwBboOfFj3QzaAK0DkMX6KRv3xY746QEi2Io2I9DkcFxkgzUiyTdS23O1o4Wc2C5ECTzZiNnIEAFH4b95ZrqHASJ44ZKpFko2Cclcj28N1i4X4VJccbhH4pO13z_DhbLvQX2dX0cvoBqZBq8rzrwFu4WiujaGYhtfLFnp0FLw/s1548/Amalia%20Rose%2003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="1548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF56bR7VIGAoXhxSpWFwBboOfFj3QzaAK0DkMX6KRv3xY746QEi2Io2I9DkcFxkgzUiyTdS23O1o4Wc2C5ECTzZiNnIEAFH4b95ZrqHASJ44ZKpFko2Cclcj28N1i4X4VJccbhH4pO13z_DhbLvQX2dX0cvoBqZBq8rzrwFu4WiujaGYhtfLFnp0FLw/s320/Amalia%20Rose%2003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the insipid yet zesty <a href="http://www.gauntletofbalthazar.com/" target="_blank">Gauntlet of Balthazar</a> for another post celebrating the larger Gauntlet network - in this case the debut single by my daughter, Amalia. <p></p><p>We collaborated on the track in December and released it around New Year on the <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/amalia-rose-youre-a-doll-2022-single" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea's Bandcamp</a> page and her new <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6SRnRXwl48dG9otS2PpCpy" target="_blank">Spotify account</a>. </p><p>The writing of the song was done over just a few hours one weekend and both the music and the singing were first take recordings. After a modicum of post-production fiddling the piece was deemed a decent demo, and was issued under the name "Amalia Rose". </p><p>Needless to say she intends to record and release more songs in the future, and has mentioned re-doing this number. Likewise, I can't imagine that I might take the Gauntlet off and come up with some weird remix of the song, or something.</p><p>Anyway, the embed is below, and please feel free to visit her <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6SRnRXwl48dG9otS2PpCpy" target="_blank">Spotify page</a>, as well as the rapidly expanded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe_vd1iTNqaga49PpZ2O4Zw" target="_blank">Stubborn God Productions YouTube Channel</a>.</p><p>Thanks as always, Gauntletarians. Till next time.</p><p><br /></p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=121057875/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 200px; width: 600px;"><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/amalia-rose-youre-a-doll-2022-single">Amalia Rose - You're a Doll (2022 Single) by Amalia Rose</a></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-60754823891427821792023-03-26T15:04:00.000-04:002023-03-26T15:04:01.851-04:00Online Autism (ASD) Personal Coaching Sessions for Parents/Caregivers<p>Greetings everyone and welcome to, or back to, the mighty Gauntlet of Balthazar for a self-promotion focused post, or rather, a not so much "self"-promotion, but that of a Gauntlet family / network member.</p><p>While I'm usually quite shameless about pushing my own literary, artistic, film, and music projects, in this outing I'd like to instead focus on Michelle Rott Rosenblum's (MS, MSed) YouTube presence and her recent announcement offering online coaching sessions for the parents and caregivers of those on the Autism Spectrum.</p><p>To quote her in her own words: <i><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>"<span class="yt-core-attributed-string yt-core-attributed-string--white-space-pre-wrap">Looking forward to helping you see the light at the end of the tunnel!
There are always new things we can do to help our child to have a better
life and I’m here to offer many ideas that I’ve gained from both being a
teacher/guidance counselor and mom to my beautiful son on the spectrum.
</span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string yt-core-attributed-string--white-space-pre-wrap">
I’m also here to give ideas for taking better care of yourself and your
other children who often take a backseat to their ASD sibling.
Can’t wait to get started!" </span></b></span></i> </p><p><span class="yt-core-attributed-string yt-core-attributed-string--white-space-pre-wrap">For more information about and / or scheduling a personal coaching session with Michelle (in English only, sorry), please email:
Mrosabum@aol.com</span></p><p><span class="yt-core-attributed-string yt-core-attributed-string--white-space-pre-wrap">Below is her video featuring the announcement. Till next time.<br /></span></p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4x5YI4dtHs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-16613341001639426322022-11-18T12:29:00.005-05:002023-03-26T15:06:50.927-04:00From the Writer's Studio: The Artistic Struggle, Celebrating the 86,000th Gauntlet Page Visit, and Youtube Representation<p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJzzyM4_FV-dcd0wf7k17Wv0DlSbJIFcCdZNT1Ffm8ZleD05crUkX8sivyyjVLdp5nIxsIF8dUrBajOdGura1gQ_9lqZcYB7ZZBDWu-qYDJIHPtlI0DLqW5OmTxg2Fb5EzphAfXHhm2uIPjlnD2tq0KNn2MRENOvSCzA_TCt_nChHnuvxQlyWKv1y_Q/s1592/bottle%20pop.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJzzyM4_FV-dcd0wf7k17Wv0DlSbJIFcCdZNT1Ffm8ZleD05crUkX8sivyyjVLdp5nIxsIF8dUrBajOdGura1gQ_9lqZcYB7ZZBDWu-qYDJIHPtlI0DLqW5OmTxg2Fb5EzphAfXHhm2uIPjlnD2tq0KNn2MRENOvSCzA_TCt_nChHnuvxQlyWKv1y_Q/w400-h400/bottle%20pop.png" width="400" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the wicked yet angelic Gauntlet of Balthazar for a brief artistic update of sorts, and a quiet celebration of the 86,000th page visits this blog has experienced since its debut way back in October 2016. <br /><p></p><p>Clearly updates here have become few and far between, and regardless of how many promises I've made that there will be more, it seems that I would need more than one Gauntlet (or more than two arms) just to keep up with how many projects are in the works at the moment. So I figured, why not divulge what's cooking in the kitchen, and what media is being manifested in tandem to this blog.</p><p></p><p>Generally speaking, pretty much all of the creative content and online media I've created, or have been a part of creating, has only come to fruition due to one overarching premise, which is: Put as many pokers into as many fires as possible, 'cuz there's no way of knowing which script, film project, promo, piece of music / music video, website, industry membership, or Youtube channel, will be the one that reels in that one powerful "white knight" who is capable of discerning the artistic gold mine of merit and marketability which has remained untapped, and that they can be the "tapper". </p><p></p><p>Obviously I had recorded music and written short stories and articles going back to late childhood and though the 1980's, but I believe this process started in earnest in the early-to-mid-1990's as I settled into post-college life on the Upper West Side of New York City. At that time (and in addition to my day job), I was attempting to start a multi-media brick-and-mortar live international music performance venue while at the same time being part of a trio that was writing what I would later call "my first script". My interest in graphic art as well as playing and recording my own music (btw, I do have degrees in both art and music) was being further pushed to the background as these pursuits took its place, and so, like any other artist who is comfortable wearing too many hats but lacks the time, I embraced the process.</p><p>While the first couple of scripts ended up not being bought by Paramount, and the venue didn't come into existence, I quickly pivoted and convinced myself that my real best destiny was to write the next great American novel. But being who I am, this novel soon became a series of novels, and that became two series of novels which accounted for fifteen distinct books and novellas, and no shock - there were other books in the works as well. And so, around 2008 I started marketing my fiction writing, but once again to no avail, and after thousands of pitch letters to literary agents and publishers I still failed to establish that "golden relationship".</p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lCl96yhdM8ASc1cPB0U8Y04BpcD0LQI-8QiaCKb65NP_-j-eu_mvlK3b_Zp42W4Zle7CblAu3B1mspEjy2Mdc_KmFadngW9hxtmCXHewmCHvLWeMq68tcTqQy_aqipQgct2Mp9rsBemeTj8iEL3RUt3kRJgXyuGPYTpWUFlLo0XcOYWo5UksBtKUrg/s1592/f%20it%20all.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lCl96yhdM8ASc1cPB0U8Y04BpcD0LQI-8QiaCKb65NP_-j-eu_mvlK3b_Zp42W4Zle7CblAu3B1mspEjy2Mdc_KmFadngW9hxtmCXHewmCHvLWeMq68tcTqQy_aqipQgct2Mp9rsBemeTj8iEL3RUt3kRJgXyuGPYTpWUFlLo0XcOYWo5UksBtKUrg/w400-h400/f%20it%20all.png" width="400" /></a>I must admit it was extremely frustrating putting the finishing touches on a book only have it just sit in my computer hard drive for only a few close friends and family members to read. But I convinced myself that this was no different than other businesses I had attempted to create not getting off the ground. It must have been that I was out of sync with the market, or that the market was out of sync with me. Perhaps I was a visionary - too far ahead, or maybe lagging behind what people were looking for "in the now". Perhaps I was too intellectual, or too moralistic, in a era defined by a general dumbing down and a pathological fear of judgment. But, this happened repeatedly.</p><p>For example, I would write an Epic Fantasy, and then Game of Thrones suddenly became a big hit, or even more disturbing, I would write about a global pandemic that isolated people emotionally, and then years later we would experienced an actual viral pandemic which isolated people emotionally in real life. Likewise a number of other ideas, and even the names of characters I created would suddenly be in a product in the marketplace - as if we were all channeling into the same God-Art source. Hmm. Still, no agents, producers, or distributors, were barking up my / our proverbial tree.<br /></p><p>Starting in 2011-2012 the intellectual property company I co-founded - <a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises</a>, started cranking out series and feature film scripts, and as a "proof of concept" we entered a number of them into screenplay competitions on global film festival circuit. I'm still very proud to say that in the 2015-2016 season we received over twenty winning and placing awards in such diverse genres as adapted drama, crime, suspense, spec scripts, and science-fiction. It felt good to know that we were competing not with the thousands who entered along with us, but really only the top 35%. Nonetheless, this confirmation bias feather in our cap once again failed to propel our holistically developed projects onto the big and small screen.</p><p>Thus, I realized, it must be my utter incompetence at marketing that was to blame. The "powers-that-be" just didn't know that I even existed, and I could not fathom how to change that paradigm. Hell, I still don't. <br /></p><p>Not possessing the resources to hire a great public relations firm, a marketing manager, or even dedicated employees, I ramped up the screenplay writing, but also increased my music output - which had come back around as we started creating short films as vehicles to feature our award-winning writing. After all, they needed score, right? Likewise, I pushed ahead by creating the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHF2thzCZKXUxIGr5qEgLag" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises Youtube Channel</a>, <a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari's website</a>, and this blog, the <a href="http://www.gauntletofbalthazar.com/" target="_blank">Gauntlet of Balthazar</a> - its name taken from an odd piece of "magical" technology featured in a Nevekari series called "<a href="http://nevekari.com/Steam.html" target="_blank">Steam</a>".</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-PkoDWPZ-IDUHEWdyjJe8xanIfCaKG4A4uEn2QBYEGno1k3Q4C4CjSBZMrp1aiio8BmPTk774ZszUR1RnnLuPMN8h3Cb_UWYmwV2nXEV_-2DzZlhEE-MY6WNU1l-SSfeiB6Da9IpMwjkyuzjUqOu_na3KF-Gc1jkP5oBRiS2rI-In2dalaYoBkkcJg/s1592/keyboard%20smash.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-PkoDWPZ-IDUHEWdyjJe8xanIfCaKG4A4uEn2QBYEGno1k3Q4C4CjSBZMrp1aiio8BmPTk774ZszUR1RnnLuPMN8h3Cb_UWYmwV2nXEV_-2DzZlhEE-MY6WNU1l-SSfeiB6Da9IpMwjkyuzjUqOu_na3KF-Gc1jkP5oBRiS2rI-In2dalaYoBkkcJg/w400-h400/keyboard%20smash.png" width="400" /></a>Anyway, older websites fell by the wayside, and content filled these outlets, never to gain amazing traction. I guess I just had to face it - no multiple million views or listens were coming our way anytime soon, and so at the very end of 2019, I kind of imploded. I had spent months editing a short film that even now has less than a thousand views on Youtube. I have to say that I find it incredible painful to know now first-hand that a huge percentage of able creators spend months or even years working on a project tirelessly, only to have viewers and listeners not even make it all the way through a short film or song without skipping ahead or bailing. Thanks Google Analytics. Ironically, I hear people complain all the time that the "big companies" have too much control of media and aren't doing a good job, but then they don't support the "little guy". It's the same with people talking a big game about supporting small American businesses, as they shop at Costco and order Chinese goods online. So much for patriotism.</p><p>Anyway, I digress...</p><p>Happily (I guess) my psychological implosion came just before I caught what I can only assume was the first wave of CoVid-19, and the lock-down's began. I must say that (aside from being ill for a couple of weeks) I was very happy at that time. It allowed me to take a break, hunker down and re-group, and bonus - no one would judge a lack of new content because everyone was on "pause". But, this couldn't go on forever, and soon I immersed myself in new projects, both in writing and music. This amounted to the release of nine digital albums, EP's, and singles on <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea's Bandcamp page </a>between October 2020 and October 2022. In addition to some script doctoring it also meant that fully developed Nevekari series such as the biblical drama-comedy "Abraham's Brother", the military sci-fi "Alpha One", and the hard sci-fi epic <a href="http://nevekari.com/Sovereignty.html" target="_blank">"Sovereignty"</a> were either created or elaborated on with a number of episode scripts, series bibles, and pitch decks added to (if I do say so myself) their awesome pilots. </p><p>With the completion of the series bible and fourth episode script of "Abraham's Brother" as well as the release of the 391 & the Army of Astraea Six-Track <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/whiteface-2022-ep" target="_blank">"Whiteface EP" </a>that pretty much brings us up to today. However, this sadly brought me back to online representation. One might assume correctly that this blog might have benefited from some new content, or that the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHF2thzCZKXUxIGr5qEgLag" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises' Youtube channel</a>, or Facebook page, or official website could have promoted some new content, but instead I looked to new projects, and soon came up with a Youtube Gaming channel - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7S-VZuNkqhoC1cjVeeR6g" target="_blank">Traditionalist Gaming</a> (featured here just in September), as well as revising <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe_vd1iTNqaga49PpZ2O4Zw" target="_blank">Stubborn God Production's Youtube</a> presence. The latter channel had been up for about six years with only minimal content, so I took it upon myself to to revise the page and add some new stuff, including Official Audio and Live Videos. I expect to continue adding content continuously from now on. <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8Loigtk-DMDrNasm1xTJ9nvyACBh-0Z56oR3E5nt4-ybgVIJY0lIM0lmD0fJB0eD6t-tbmyUPx4_V-hIOfSd7j0CGN98AXEPYb47pTCp6wKGUdyviOhsesTDEutM8BhqTqw9VdxyUT3Zx1-P3oviM0MmNgtXVTUc0F8u7kvQ7ljqg1qTQeAnStnwWg/s2402/Screen-Shot-2020-03-14-at-8.17.23-PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2402" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8Loigtk-DMDrNasm1xTJ9nvyACBh-0Z56oR3E5nt4-ybgVIJY0lIM0lmD0fJB0eD6t-tbmyUPx4_V-hIOfSd7j0CGN98AXEPYb47pTCp6wKGUdyviOhsesTDEutM8BhqTqw9VdxyUT3Zx1-P3oviM0MmNgtXVTUc0F8u7kvQ7ljqg1qTQeAnStnwWg/w654-h489/Screen-Shot-2020-03-14-at-8.17.23-PM.png" width="654" /></a>So what's coming up next? Well, new media avenues include one of my fantasy novellas; "The Song of Umeztad", landing as a print-on-demand / kindle product on Amazon (hopefully before the year ends), as well as the positioning of a 391 & the Army of Astraea Spotify Channel. These new endeavors by no means should be seen as a cause to diminish any new film and series scripts, or new and back-catalogue music releases - quite the contrary. I'm kinda in this for the long haul. <br /></p><p>I know this foray into the trials and tribulations of a "starving artist" might just be a little too dear and lengthy for some, and bonus - I offer no clear solutions, or even the usual tips on how to improve in your writing, but if you're weary of formulaic music churned out by what remains of the major labels and are equally revolted by films whose authors and producers are more interested in lecturing the audience instead of engaging them in meaningful ideas and compelling drama, I can't encourage you enough to support the work featured (or linked to) here.</p><p>So please visit the sites and pages via the links embedded below, and check out the slowly growing playlists, subscribe, hit notifications, like, and comment.</p><p>I really appreciate the support and interaction, and if you're an equally frustrated writer or film maker wrestling with the creativity vs. marketing quandary please share your feelings in a response. </p><p>Also, my son has started his own gaming channel called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXpoX0tMQ68ybzD-mfqi4zA" target="_blank">Hellchange War Robots Gaming</a>. It features similar content to my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7S-VZuNkqhoC1cjVeeR6g" target="_blank">Traditionalist Gaming</a> channel (same game), but as a young man with special needs I feel this might be a good outlet for him to explore, and who knows, maybe it could even be a career of sorts for him, so please check out his channel as well, and of course, like and subscribe. It would mean a lot. <br /></p><p>I will hopefully be back here soon with a writing / media review of Disney's Star Wars: Andor, which (spoiler alert) I quite like, so stay tuned, and as always - Till next time. </p>
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Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-62641317800229233792022-10-11T11:00:00.002-04:002023-03-26T15:07:11.961-04:00From the Recording Studio: "Whiteface EP" on New Release Tuesday 10/11/2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_Qr8sy3CKrwxie4WEEPNw4D5qcK38T077jyxePshkp4t8WL6PNNaPq0S_8W9GHO9wrvU4AxPN6KOFpB3hhK_aFCTKvfHu-rQlCSTaVGwe-6NjeACm9mEp7M5_VDnrrLuR059MJA7zpCho8pooMr--toDYWnDoaw1ynJNhjFH7wN67CTF_-AwnJ0_2Q/s1400/WHITEFACE%2005.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_Qr8sy3CKrwxie4WEEPNw4D5qcK38T077jyxePshkp4t8WL6PNNaPq0S_8W9GHO9wrvU4AxPN6KOFpB3hhK_aFCTKvfHu-rQlCSTaVGwe-6NjeACm9mEp7M5_VDnrrLuR059MJA7zpCho8pooMr--toDYWnDoaw1ynJNhjFH7wN67CTF_-AwnJ0_2Q/w410-h410/WHITEFACE%2005.jpg" width="410" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the meek yet mighty Gauntlet of Balthazar for yet another New Release Tuesday featuring a <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea</a> audio release in the "From the Recording Studio" category.<p></p><p>Today's issue is a six-track Instrumental Extended Play "Maxi-Single" that has been asininely titled <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/whiteface-2022-ep" target="_blank">"Whiteface" </a>(featuring, btw, a rare personal cover image - artistic though it might be). Musically the recordings combine Industrial (<i>Whiteface Introduction</i>), Classical Crossover (<i>Whiteface Microsonata</i>), Middle Eastern Modes (<i>Bronze Age Collapse</i>), Electronic (<i>Tiger Lily</i>), Jazz-Tinged Progressive Rock (<i>The Day Before the Day After</i>), and Italian Folk (<i>Tarantella Opus 14 Number 8</i>). Overall, it was written, recorded, and mixed, very swiftly over the end of summer, and particularly after the release of the last <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea</a> full-length album, "<a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/five-year-plan-2022-album">Five Year Plan</a>". <br /></p><p>Thematically, the content was mainly inspired by the uncomfortable history of
objectifying (and often contradictory) notions of race and culture as
presented in past and contemporary popular media. Obviously, "whiteface" is the inverse of the turn of the 20th century vaudevillian "blackface" phase of media-race history, yet, the fact that "whiteface" is a surreal concept, or could be thought of as far more "acceptable" than blackface, should be explored.</p><p>Likewise, the tracks address the simplicity of the black-white duality, as well as where "whiteness" ends, and ergo, is "whiteness" a cultural mask which so-called "off-white" people (i.e. Jews, other Middle Easterners, Italians, etc., and even sometimes Far-Eastern Asians), have been encouraged to don? This phenomena can be seen in images promoted in popular media such as shifting standards of beauty and the dominance of certain rhythms in musical trends. So, nose jobs, lip size, skin shade, and of course, the "africanization" of global popular music starting in the late nineteenth century.
</p><p>Admittedly, it seems like most of the recent Gauntlet posts have been music oriented, with not so much other content lately. But it takes a lot of time to conceive of new series and pen numerous scripts, in addition to working on music. But to summarize politics: Biden still is the corrupt figurehead of a party and people with good intentions who have no actual plan of how to make their internal notions of utopia manifest in reality without destroying the world (and villainizing their political opponents). Please people, do some math before you try to replace fossil fuel overnight! The ends do not justify the means if millions of people around the world freeze to death this winter. Likewise, supporting Ukrainian independence is not worth nuclear war, and we all know that. </p><p>Anyway, I hope you give "<a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/whiteface-2022-ep" target="_blank">Whiteface</a>" a listen (the embed is below), and if you can, please follow <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea on Bandcamp</a>, check out previous releases, and share it with others who you feel might appreciate such fare.</p><p>Take care and stay free. Till next time.<br /></p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=69239266/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 720px; width: 416px;"><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/whiteface-2022-ep">Whiteface (2022 EP) by 391 & the Army of Astraea</a></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-3182920996792404032022-09-06T08:30:00.000-04:002022-09-06T08:30:09.873-04:00From the Recording Studio: "Five Year Plan" on New Release Tuesday 09/06/2022<p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVjR3NKLorxJuWh_97oIDz_hR3ENcMLXYeGS6WXTdhBbsyiu-y3UKMNJgfRKOpgtNAX6jZjcQLU5Qye0TZGei-VTywRm3OK8Dg8irG5eI2x3R5xR5763tiBkSTaaGUC5WC-c44-hdmqvbOJU1i__GauoiUD0oOvZLN9N8lHuGqP3ghAi-cxr7hsRNQw/s1475/FiveYear%20Plan%20Cover%20Art.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1475" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVjR3NKLorxJuWh_97oIDz_hR3ENcMLXYeGS6WXTdhBbsyiu-y3UKMNJgfRKOpgtNAX6jZjcQLU5Qye0TZGei-VTywRm3OK8Dg8irG5eI2x3R5xR5763tiBkSTaaGUC5WC-c44-hdmqvbOJU1i__GauoiUD0oOvZLN9N8lHuGqP3ghAi-cxr7hsRNQw/w400-h400/FiveYear%20Plan%20Cover%20Art.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Hello...hello all, and welcome to, or back to, the cantankerous yet demure mighty
Gauntlet of Balthazar for a very, very, special (and frankly long-time coming) “New Release Tuesday”, for, well, a
new release in the “From the Recording Studio”, as well as the “Electronic Music
Give-Away of the Day” categories here on the Gauntlet. <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Today’s full-length album release is a 391 & the Army of Astraea recording titled “Five Year
Plan”, and I feel that I would be remiss if I didn’t mention up front that the album took
from start to finish just short of three years to record and mix (not that it was the only artistic project
being undertaken in that same time period). In synopsis I'd say that overall the twenty-one tracks contained on the album thematically and, heh, heh, "collectively",
address the unbridled authoritarianism of the former Soviet Union,
and by extension, all things Communist, Marxist, Socialist, and Totalitarian. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Admittedly, if you’ve even cursorily peered into the mysterious workings
of the Gauntlet previously I’m sure you’ve noticed the anti-Marxist and anti-Far-Leftist bent of the site
to be quite overt, but perhaps you assumed this bias was unfounded, or was based on an ignorance of those beliefs or their application. Well, let me address those errant contentions from the get-go. You see, aside from the fact that in my youth I was extremely enamored with the beautiful dream of a
Socialist utopia before "waking up" in my early twenties, “Five Year Plan” endeavors to take a comprehensive (albeit musical) look at the totality of Bolshevik history – from the purge of the
Mensheviks to the slaughter of the Romanov children...from the imprisonment of dissidents in arctic “re-education” camps to the deportation of the
Kalmyks...from ethnic and religious bigotry
being disguised as “revolutionary” to the
invasive surveillance of the secret services...from top-down dictatorial rule to cold war politics and proxy wars, and from the premeditated causation of famine to government appropriation of
private property, etc., etc., etc. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But this collection of tracks is more than just a
philosophic testament to the "opposition stance" and the moral and economic insights of the likes of John Locke, Adam Smith, the Federalists, the Whigs,
the Jeffersonian Republicans, other Classical Liberals of the Enlightenment, Anarcho-Libertarian Tea Party patriots, social-religious Conservatives, or even knee-jerk "Americanism". It is rather a musically diverse work that incorporates
faux-classical, third-stream jazz, folk-traditional-world music elements, occasional improvisation, rampant mellotron use, dissonant tonalities and loping rhythms, film score elements, and perhaps an over-abundance of arpeggios, into
an experimental, or avant-garde, industrial-electronic music infrastructure. From a
title track which morphs into variant versions over the course of the album, to the haunting singer-songwriter tune "Utopia" - facetiously written from the perspective of a “true believer”, to a cold war-tinged Russian Tango, recurring Georgian Choral motifs,
as well as ethno-typical Jewish and Karelian melodies - these elements all arrive at a quiet place where hints of the subtle influence of composers like Jerry Goldsmith, Modest Mussorgsky, and Russian Cabaret icon Alexander Vertinski, poke around in the underbrush. All in all, “Five Year Plan” just might be the most complex, diverse - yet unified, 391
& the Army of Astraea recording yet - barring the absence of a few more rock-based
vocal songs (which I’m pretty sure will be forthcoming shortly – more on that
later).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, if you do give “Five Year Plan” a try (the embed is directly below) I hope you
find some enjoyment and elucidation in it, and if you do; I emphatically encourage you to
support this cost-free aspect of the Gauntlet's art by listening through and following 391 & the Army
of Astraea on Bandcamp, Though of course if you find it in your heart to download and donate to the cause that is very nice as well. Regardless, if you can, please share the page with others who you
feel might appreciate it, and if you do head over to Bandcamp you can also find comprehensive liner notes for each track. So there's that. <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Also, if you generally like what you see here, feel free to hit the Gauntlet follow
button to the top right of the main page, and hold on patiently - there’s a lot more content
(art, media and screenwriting critique, music, politics and philosophy) coming here soon, or kind of
soon, and as always, till next time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p>
<p></p><iframe style="border: 0; width: 366px; height: 800px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=327546001/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/five-year-plan-2022-album">Five Year Plan (2022 Album) by 391 & the Army of Astraea</a></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-28169023366059162022-09-01T15:55:00.000-04:002022-09-01T15:55:52.869-04:00New YouTube Gaming Channel <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFV1Q1jv7EAYvKWH9anujjxcVSDdeqR7J_4eKlbAqyFZDUboarRNxxpisRQB1R7LVCvBsDQwn40qUfLpyl3FPa3daeXiSuIAT4Om_bRyFM0iBOchX4Xo7eJTNeLJtp32LRY3HOBQ5-bWgU1IiRbVLQsWzaebO96_2x4pZzEz8Rpnvf3GUFoX-_rCKkw/s3840/BANNER%205.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFV1Q1jv7EAYvKWH9anujjxcVSDdeqR7J_4eKlbAqyFZDUboarRNxxpisRQB1R7LVCvBsDQwn40qUfLpyl3FPa3daeXiSuIAT4Om_bRyFM0iBOchX4Xo7eJTNeLJtp32LRY3HOBQ5-bWgU1IiRbVLQsWzaebO96_2x4pZzEz8Rpnvf3GUFoX-_rCKkw/w628-h353/BANNER%205.jpg" width="628" /></a></div>Hello everyone, and welcome back to the tech-saavy, yet luddite-inclined mighty Gauntlet of Balthazar. I know its been quite a long time since the last post here, but what can I say, the Gauntlet has been firmly stuck in the "on" position for the entire summer. However, as a result <a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises</a> has a forthcoming new comedy series added to its burgeoning roster (scripts, series bible, and pitch deck - more on that later), and <a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Stubborn God Productions </a>has a new full-length <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea</a> album (coming out next Tuesday). So yeah, there's that.<br /><p></p><p>But, as a well-documented glutton for punishment, I recently revisited a very old idea of starting a YouTube channel dedicated to my love of the online third-person shooter multi-player video game "War Robots". Now, I've been playing the game in my free time for the last few years, and as I've risen in the ranks, I thought it might be nice (particularly as a marketing "experiment") to see how a channel like that might perform, especially in contrast to the existing media that my various companies, including the Gauntlet, have thrown willy-nilly into the media landscape. </p><p>The appeal of the game, at least initially, for my Gauntlet-ensconced fist, was that it was fun in a destructive way, yet there was no human-on-human violence like so many other games out there at present (such as Fortnite, etc.), and as crazy as it might be, I sort of feel that humans killing other humans, even in animated avatar form, is a symptom of a malfunctioning culture. Over time I was sucked into the in-game "arms race" of procuring newer, stronger robots, their pilots, updated weapons, additional armor, power modules, drones, Titans (Mega-Robots), orbital mother-ships all for the purpose of "maxing" them all out and leveling up through the leagues while learning the specific skills associated with each bot. <br /></p><p>Anyway, the name I've chosen for the channel is "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7S-VZuNkqhoC1cjVeeR6g" target="_blank">Traditionalist Gaming</a>", ('cuz I've been gaming since all there was to play was Atari's "Pong" console). I'm not sure if the content of the page will diversify over time, and at this point it's designed to only present War Robots game-play. On the channel itself the "about" description reads: <i>"Traditionalist Gaming focuses on content generated from selected
game-play of the War Robots Multi-Player Third-Person Shooter Video
Game. Narration details the specifics of combat as well as making
commentary regarding various aspects of the game such as robot
attributes and abilities, their weaponry, game tactics, up-leveling, and
general advice." </i></p><p>So, if you have any interest in this sort of content I must emphatically encourage you to proceed to the channel page <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7S-VZuNkqhoC1cjVeeR6g" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>, and if you see it fit - subscribe, click on notifications, like, share, and maybe even post in the comment section.</p><p>The channel trailer is embedded below. Enjoy! And as always - Till Next Time. <br /></p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rumUH70P_i4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-26988253671159939812022-05-24T13:42:00.001-04:002022-06-15T15:26:03.304-04:00From the Recording Studio: An Archival Release<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMn660J3u_dbrC1c0JCCrvUxi0zS1OQx99qM7Yt7CZgclDG7c0i2rpTwrJ-3cURTtPEY4dOEA7ynrxk3N3tHhgy0Q27Tm3Fblvd4Jou5wGyZInmDc7sxjOh9LVb-7ZHyCgAPcD7ediDEEu8i6YOEJxj8nWy--DB-w8m4p-csoXfSOOXno8FYtiIN41Q/s1400/391%20&%20THE%20ARMY%20OF%20ASTRAEA.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMn660J3u_dbrC1c0JCCrvUxi0zS1OQx99qM7Yt7CZgclDG7c0i2rpTwrJ-3cURTtPEY4dOEA7ynrxk3N3tHhgy0Q27Tm3Fblvd4Jou5wGyZInmDc7sxjOh9LVb-7ZHyCgAPcD7ediDEEu8i6YOEJxj8nWy--DB-w8m4p-csoXfSOOXno8FYtiIN41Q/w400-h400/391%20&%20THE%20ARMY%20OF%20ASTRAEA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Well hello there everyone out in Gauntlet-land, I know its been quite a while but, you know, life and stuff, and apparently screenwriting and mixing three albums at the same time takes up a bunch of time. But I digress...<br /><p></p><p>Anyway, the Gauntlet has gone back on in order to announce a very special new release Tuesday, which features the first of three full-length <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea</a> albums set to debut on <a href="https://bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> over the summer of 2022. </p><p>Two of these issues are archival in nature, and this one, <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/lost-tracks-found-demo-recordings-1984-1996-2022-album" target="_blank">"Lost Tracks Found - Demo Recordings 1984-1996"</a> is the first. It is a clear companion to <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/stubborn-god-productions-working-backwards-84-96-2020-compilation-album" target="_blank">"Stubborn God Productions - Working Backwards '84-'96"</a>; which chronicled group and duet recordings made in the same period. But what makes this album distinct is that it features "solo performer" guitar & voice driven songs and instrumentals rather than electronics. </p><p>Obviously these are era specific and much had to be done to create a uniform sound quality for the collection. Within reason the Gauntlet would describe the pieces as falling in the Post-Punk, Alternative-Rock, Folk-Rock, and Industrial-Rock genres. </p><p>As always the player is embedded below, so, listen, enjoy, share if you can, and please follow <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea on Bandcamp</a> (and the Gauntlet here of course). </p><p>Thanks so very, very much for supporting this aspect of my / our varied creative endeavors.</p><p>Till next time. </p><p> </p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1823892563/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 800px; width: 364px;"><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/lost-tracks-found-demo-recordings-1984-1996-2022-album">Lost Tracks Found [Demo Recordings 1984-1996] (2022 Album) by 391 & the Army of Astraea</a></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-9593580384936121592022-03-18T16:58:00.001-04:002022-03-25T17:18:59.011-04:00Borders, Biden, Regional Wars, and the Coming Economic Upheaval<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRFTRDeB_0tseEHIrWizoSwHTjnRvg0lv-MGv7MgW-1AvWyXKpwg48yPLGbn65MHgNnl-yHf1-iX7tqby6rG5axzVz185AYh8bv7vrOmluVA5OjNS2ad-MXCbIPwajLZhS2D4kWTPpqQ_7YlO1opRGa7k_8zs434fWx3JS840DrRh0yYhYR7g_3rgEg/s2100/BLM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2100" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRFTRDeB_0tseEHIrWizoSwHTjnRvg0lv-MGv7MgW-1AvWyXKpwg48yPLGbn65MHgNnl-yHf1-iX7tqby6rG5axzVz185AYh8bv7vrOmluVA5OjNS2ad-MXCbIPwajLZhS2D4kWTPpqQ_7YlO1opRGa7k_8zs434fWx3JS840DrRh0yYhYR7g_3rgEg/w732-h474/BLM.jpg" width="732" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the intoxicating yet sober Gauntlet of Balthazar for some recent observations in the spheres of global politics and economics. <p></p><p>Indeed, the Gauntlet has been (mostly) silent regarding the installation of former Vice-President Joseph R. Biden to the executive branch of the U.S. government in the wake of the 2020 elections. The Gauntlet made no statements regarding the hypocrisy of DNC media mouth-pieces framing a handful of unarmed Coors-light-drinking yahoos (cajoled by undercover Fed agents no less) as a legitimate threat to the nation after turning a blind eye...no, strike that, an encouraging eye, to month after month of literal urban chaos, dozens of deaths, and billions in property damage and theft - all in the name of so-called "racial equity", otherwise known as Marxism. Even to the most casual and uninformed this seemed exceedingly rich coming from a political party that was founded on a pro-slavery platform and standing against the largely abolitionist Republicans, and never balked from encouraging a good riot, even calling them "patriotic".</p><p>You might find it interesting to note that since the Democrat's emergence in 1832, almost every race and / or political riot that has ever occurred in the United States involved Democrats or their partners on the left and far left, and this went into high gear starting with the 1968 Democratic convention and hasn't stopped since. I'm pretty sure that it is exceedingly rare, unicorn rare, to find a Registered Republican involved in the Watts, L.A., Antifa, or any other acts of civil violence in the history of America. But I digress.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPI5dfmtGV9wxWQmArk00Xq_eP8YTxLg9kpwyalbYHQ0N5AJW2zJZoK2Szw3ZXnz_OeDzz3qG_F6n7c407-pHJsBp1jHWgG1S9hhs72fT-cx7pRYMt598t7G1-hO6RJ-OpbUUwO85Su0ROA3prRm8zEzW-pOMVnoLs2Z1sJISWqw7JCTUJpfQlXt3DA/s1140/Biden%20McCain.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1140" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPI5dfmtGV9wxWQmArk00Xq_eP8YTxLg9kpwyalbYHQ0N5AJW2zJZoK2Szw3ZXnz_OeDzz3qG_F6n7c407-pHJsBp1jHWgG1S9hhs72fT-cx7pRYMt598t7G1-hO6RJ-OpbUUwO85Su0ROA3prRm8zEzW-pOMVnoLs2Z1sJISWqw7JCTUJpfQlXt3DA/w601-h314/Biden%20McCain.jpg" width="601" /></a> This might have been mentioned here before, but as a child I was raised with two very simple maxims that my late father repeated fairly frequently. He would say, with a pause implying a colon; Joe Biden: the stupidest man in America. This was inevitably always followed by, John McCain: the evilest man in America. While the first statement is very clear, the second goes on to frame the problem within the Republican Party, and that is, the existence of Neo-Con's. </p><p>The left, which has just moved further to the left in the period of their cultural hegemony (revving up in the 1960's, dipping into Neo-Lib kleptocracy in the 1980's, and arriving with the dial turned up to "11" in the last few years), were quite content with Republicans who they could walk over and who generally agreed with them. They were, and are, amazingly unaware of the various factions at play on the right, and as the Gauntlet has propounded many times on this blog, the philosophic tension of U.S. political parties has always been an intra-party struggle on the right with the left-right conflict only supplying a media circus in D.C.</p><p>The debate goes back to 1789, when the law-and-order Federalist's under Adams and Hamilton came to blows with Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans and their libertarian leanings. Many current Democrats attempt to look to Jefferson for the philosophic antecedent of their party, but the Jeffersonian Republicans fragmented and many joined John Quincey Adam's Whig party. Eventually these sides of the same coin re-minted themselves the National Republican Party, and then the G.O.P., under Lincoln. <br /></p><p>Over time the Democrats glomed ideas from all over the political spectrum, including the early Socialists, globalists, Eugenicists, Malthusians, and even some Republican thought, and after their debacle of starting a brutal Civil War that they lost, their operatives in the north desperately looked around for new constituencies. They found these eager voters in the ranks of Blacks who had moved out of the south and in "off-white" immigrant groups such as the Jews, Italians, Irish, Latinos, Asians, etc., and the party took on a Janus-like two face of representing racist Southern Democrats until the 1980's as well as Northern Democrats who positioned themselves as "White Knights" to protect minorities from "the man".</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihj58pEr9XdEfnLTA56O4NZoVFDmyLv0kmhUHUHPfr9VlsTRu5llcP5ecf2n3eBBu3s4o6vfjRN0qvAkhLp7P6krWCsgsjmOXJobwpFZ94OA6GHRHwzuwYiRqmfd7F6RPjbOULERiIWKFYy4x4JgLzixxpuR08W7eayZ30r2dY2UHYkSkIiPvS7ndiBw/s624/Burr%20Hamilton.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="624" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihj58pEr9XdEfnLTA56O4NZoVFDmyLv0kmhUHUHPfr9VlsTRu5llcP5ecf2n3eBBu3s4o6vfjRN0qvAkhLp7P6krWCsgsjmOXJobwpFZ94OA6GHRHwzuwYiRqmfd7F6RPjbOULERiIWKFYy4x4JgLzixxpuR08W7eayZ30r2dY2UHYkSkIiPvS7ndiBw/w401-h226/Burr%20Hamilton.jpg" width="401" /></a>Yes, "the man". Who was this man? Surely this was a Waspy white boogie-man, but he was also a corporate overlord...a horrible capitalist who clearly exploited the down-trodden working class. And yes, in the 1980's I think we all (both left and right) kinda hated "the man". But, professional politicians quickly realized that by kissing up to "the man" this brought them lots and lots of money, and so the Liberals morphed into Neo-Lib kleptocrats, and the Conservatives became war-hawk Neo-Con's. Both embraced the deep state, and sold out American interests to foreign entities and Mega-Corps, and did their damnedest to keep the U.S. in so-called "endless wars". </p><p>This situation might have gone on forever were it not for the emergence of the Tea Party and men like Andrew Breitbart; who reminded Conservatives about their roots in the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, and Whig Parties. The Republican Party started to change, kinda, but as the Republican base changed Neo-Con's like Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush (and his whole family), Liz Chaney, and a host of others, lost ground to Libertarian-Republicans like Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and of course, Donald Trump. </p><p>Even the most staunch anti-Trump liberal, or never-Trumper Neo-Con traitor, must now admit that aside from his "mean tweets", and an all-out media attack that lasted his entire term, the crap that is happening now would have never gone down on his watch. We now have an administration in power that controls the Executive branch as well as the House and Senate, and they have absolutely no idea of what they are doing, or maybe they do, and just don't care about the collateral damage they're inviting on the road to their liberal utopia. </p><p>So let's look at just what is going on. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqC8JHjL_pNkZTX8iiiwj_pbwiLQ9ATRqlouqSCW9pLMJzdwZURmKYvyAU36YCICboA7O67Qw1TqKAZgyHg5H2JzZbZej2ygjN4D8OkltKq8eig-6wQnrXeSpRd3ZdXjzhw56s643QntGky1b_-yY4uguh9vFRx0vOIxlqG2yqB5PKTdrPz1uHxqF_w/s640/Trump-Tea-Party-Carolyn-KasterAP-640x480.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqC8JHjL_pNkZTX8iiiwj_pbwiLQ9ATRqlouqSCW9pLMJzdwZURmKYvyAU36YCICboA7O67Qw1TqKAZgyHg5H2JzZbZej2ygjN4D8OkltKq8eig-6wQnrXeSpRd3ZdXjzhw56s643QntGky1b_-yY4uguh9vFRx0vOIxlqG2yqB5PKTdrPz1uHxqF_w/w378-h278/Trump-Tea-Party-Carolyn-KasterAP-640x480.jpg" width="378" /></a></div>Let's not even get into Biden's botched Afghanistan withdrawal, his shitty fascistic Co-vid mandates, or the endless flood of illegals (and drugs) that cross the southern border every day, and let's just focus on the biggest problem - the U.S. dollar. You see, Biden has allowed the Federal Reserve to print money like it's going out of style. In fact something like two-thirds of all currency in circulation right now has been printed just in the last year. While that alone is a terrifying fact, debasing a currency only has one inevitable economic effect, and that is inflation. Currently the inflation rate is at 8%, and some analysts believe we will see double-digit inflation before long. This will bring gasoline to nine dollars a gallon, if not higher, and as Mr. Biden is convinced that we shouldn't have fossil fuel at all, he went out of his way to destroy the energy independence we possessed only two years ago. <p></p><p>Ironically, since we don't possess the technology to fully replace the fuel economy, he now has begged OPEC, Venezuela, and his friends in Iran for oil rather than have U.S. companies pump it out of our own soil. While voters on the left turned a blind eye to his stupidity, his creepy touching of little girls, and his increasing senility, they wanted "kind grandpa" over "mean tweet orange-man", and voted a complete incompetent (and his equally incompetent friends) into office. I mean really, does anyone actual believe that this bozo got more of the Black vote than Obama did, twice. Yeah, let's go with that. </p><p>Needless to say, the leaders of these countries won't even take his calls (how embarrassing!), and more over , Iran launched a missile at the U.S. embassy in Iraq, and the Prince of Saudi Arabia stated that he was considering selling oil to China in Yuan. Mind you, the last two leaders who suggested bumping the petro-dollar for some other currency were Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, and we know what happened there. </p><p>Even though the U.S. accounts for almost a third of the Gross World Product, at this point the dollar is only holding on because it is the reserve currency of the world and oil is traded in petro-dollar. If that goes, it will go into a free-fall regardless of how many interest rate hikes the Fed puts into effect. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtK_UGIeU7L2jxAvxrK8PcPpIeCTtZ50Iwry0ofV2qjccMzor2ikvDVr48SKOs8WeIeGBJoCtzDBC4-J_Ywa4bsoPzRzWGUMwdb04zDpAmqCuOu3qV7_6kz2dgXawFtUNXRzrW3teX5zWoM1OqAWkOoISBv2PkSO9dZnkur6uKaDEjhN4vphwTeO9Zw/s948/printing-money-948x640.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="948" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtK_UGIeU7L2jxAvxrK8PcPpIeCTtZ50Iwry0ofV2qjccMzor2ikvDVr48SKOs8WeIeGBJoCtzDBC4-J_Ywa4bsoPzRzWGUMwdb04zDpAmqCuOu3qV7_6kz2dgXawFtUNXRzrW3teX5zWoM1OqAWkOoISBv2PkSO9dZnkur6uKaDEjhN4vphwTeO9Zw/w380-h241/printing-money-948x640.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>Of course, these heads of state would never have tried this under a President like Trump, which of course brings us to what is going on in Ukraine and China. You see, the roots of Russia's invasion of Ukraine go back to the 2014 revolution in that nation which was backed by the Obama White House (and yes, Biden was the point man on Ukraine and shook them down for money), and even troops and missiles were placed in eastern Poland to Mau-Mau Putin at that time. The deal was simple all along, Russia wanted their Soviet-period nukes back, and the world promised Ukraine that if they disarmed we would back them up. As any proponent of the second amendment of the U.S. constitution would tell you, you don't give up your weapon and then discuss terms. The Armenians and Jews found this out the hard way. But once again, I digress.<p></p><p>Anyway, with the election of Zelenskyy the Ukraine started to make overtures to the west, and this made Russia very, very nervous. They had a hard enough time dealing with the fact of Ukraine not being part of their Empire, or Federation, or whatever, as it had been for a thousand years, but to have NATO troops a few miles from Moscow. No way. So, Putin's invasion was thoroughly expected. He clearly waited for Trump to leave office and for Co-vid to die down before he made his move. </p><p>I should state here that I don't really have a dog in this fight, but obviously, if Ukraine could have remained an independent sovereign republic with no one dying that would have been ideal, but I can't help but feel that this was completely avoidable if managed properly. Spilled milk, I guess.<br /></p><p>Many people were very concerned that the U.S. would go to war over this, but the Gauntlet knew that in the event of an invasion, Joe Biden would send a very pithily worded e-mail at best. And that is what he did. Putin was prepared for sanctions, and even the one's that went into effect don't really hit Russia where it hurts. Of course, China is standing by watching all this, fidgeting with their notion of taking Taiwan. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpjW6-APQ8C1EFxXdnuReljAGLDZJzImIWGu0v1bD5STKZbCHCLLrA3WlgPBtgWxsteA01Hyg4pIOKuQkEqMsRYWiGVxkx8wH4r72f2uogscpdmaW3Uyoyh9arq8NNEq3Byd_tKsZm1fAjIHvWxElhrmFYrErFL_kAENFjAgJDFFa2dntkdEno81YFA/s999/Putin%20Xi.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="999" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpjW6-APQ8C1EFxXdnuReljAGLDZJzImIWGu0v1bD5STKZbCHCLLrA3WlgPBtgWxsteA01Hyg4pIOKuQkEqMsRYWiGVxkx8wH4r72f2uogscpdmaW3Uyoyh9arq8NNEq3Byd_tKsZm1fAjIHvWxElhrmFYrErFL_kAENFjAgJDFFa2dntkdEno81YFA/w454-h294/Putin%20Xi.jpeg" width="454" /></a></div>With Trump's hands hog-tied by the House he could only help Hong Kong so much, but even so, Republicans were on the right side of the issues - backing up Hong Kong protestors, Uiyger concentration camp internees, and religious minority persecution in China, while the left...they kissed Chi-Comm ass via their "woke" corporate connections to Nike, Apple, Disney, and Amazon.<p></p><p>They have never expressed a concern that all of our essential goods - such as computer chips, energy transformers, and antibiotics, are all being exclusively produced in the east. Just imagine what would happen to the U.S. if the supply chain stopped and these items were unavailable. All the more reason to manufacture in America - which Trump was also pumping up and Joseph "Hey, man, I got an idea - let's give the technology to China" Biden is in the process of beating down. </p><p>The correct response the day after the invasion should have been to move aircraft carriers into the South China Sea, and maybe knock out a missile installation in Iran, or perhaps flatten a site where they're working on nukes. But, with geniuses in charge like this, none of that happened.</p><p>I fully expect that Biden will further embolden Iran, and this will force Israel's hand to do something about it, ironically moving Israel and Saudi Arabia closer together. I mean, is it an accident that Trump had three Arab Gulf states sign historic peace accords with Israel - a fact that Jewish Democrat politicians should have some cognitive dissonance in acknowledging, if they weren't so possessed by ideological indoctrination and Trump Derangement Syndrome. </p><p>When they're good and ready, China will probably attempt to take Taiwan, with some difficulty, and the world will look on as "influencers" change their social media emojis to the Taiwanese flag, and latte liberals spend time telling each other that they "care, so very, very, much" about "the kids", as they cringe-chant "USA, USA" - lifted from actual patriots. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRITIIHSIprljqolM-VgHHEARWU8nWQ14VFziT_NE_kBiP23tImKnOUyr29ICjgDlm0eEHsdhlI2o7nVy308KIkPq6kVaFGWtl_2ifwuILIPaf73cmtYkpZur0RDbpVvIapFLq1jNvzk_pP_95YdvxyH3CKJUk8P4bWBfJb_x156EYGRyW2KjrDDiNZA/s1200/M3G7VLLKZ5F7DKNTREOSANBWIE.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRITIIHSIprljqolM-VgHHEARWU8nWQ14VFziT_NE_kBiP23tImKnOUyr29ICjgDlm0eEHsdhlI2o7nVy308KIkPq6kVaFGWtl_2ifwuILIPaf73cmtYkpZur0RDbpVvIapFLq1jNvzk_pP_95YdvxyH3CKJUk8P4bWBfJb_x156EYGRyW2KjrDDiNZA/w435-h289/M3G7VLLKZ5F7DKNTREOSANBWIE.webp" width="435" /></a>Unless the U.S. pivots quickly we're in for a hell of a ride, but if I might take the Gauntlet off for a moment I would add that I see America as being in the throes of a cultural shift from the sixty-some-odd year domination of liberalism over our culture to a neo-traditionalist wave that will force the U.S. to "toughen up". History is cyclical and often the laxest times can lead the way to a more reserved culture. It happened in the shift from the Enlightenment to the Victorian Age in England, and it happened in the evolution of the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire.</p><p>Don't fool yourself that it can't happen to the currently "soft" west.</p><p>In the end, if America is brought low, and manufacturing shrinks and the economy is devastated, we might very well end up like Russia (a gas station with nukes) for while, but this will inevitably lead to a more aggressive phase of our history in which our descendants will be forced to more pro-actively carve a niche out of the global order, by influence if possible, and by force if necessary. </p><p>So, in that potential far, or near future, look out Venezuela. And Canada. And Greenland. And Northern Mexico. And Iran. And so on...</p><p>Till next time.</p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-3425691512674968302022-02-03T00:30:00.004-05:002022-02-04T12:39:21.021-05:00From the Recording Studio: An Upcoming New Music Release Announcement <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOqqke1oiCEMzPZFb1o3PJH45LmKLLD0wKR9w1pfBX6uy56fZ7MIlb44KsXRQ2q2SEEiG1lEeg3br2y4fhzs46quLT2STAHOR4PcHM4sY_rS6AsU0bSiC6g0QGkmOMsW4xiKXrcbOJCaswvz47bVTQBFk8nUgmq6qAci6lxA3SpfHubASldRsnMa-ilA=s1475" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1475" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOqqke1oiCEMzPZFb1o3PJH45LmKLLD0wKR9w1pfBX6uy56fZ7MIlb44KsXRQ2q2SEEiG1lEeg3br2y4fhzs46quLT2STAHOR4PcHM4sY_rS6AsU0bSiC6g0QGkmOMsW4xiKXrcbOJCaswvz47bVTQBFk8nUgmq6qAci6lxA3SpfHubASldRsnMa-ilA=w397-h397" width="397" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the redolent yet malodorous Gauntlet of Balthazar, for a brief announcement regarding the forthcoming release of a new full-length concept album by <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea</a>.<p></p><p>"Five Year Plan" (yes, that's the name of the record) has been in the works for the last couple of years, being attended to piece-meal in the spare time between other recordings, screenplay writing, and regular life "stuff". It features, Industrial, Electronic, Classical and Jazz-Influenced Soundtrack work, a Tango, various ethnic influences, and even Folk-Inspired songwriting elements that within reason kind of all work with each other. In all there are 21 Tracks, with most being instrumental. </p><p>I guess it could be described as a "political album", in that the theme of the record is the authoritarian abuses of the former Soviet Union (circa 1917-1989), and in general, serves as an attack on the related concepts of Globalism, Marxism, Socialism, and Communism. With snippets of Stalin's speeches, some oddly dissonant melodic progressions, and many, many arpeggios, it is a suiting release to mark a period in which the doubling down on failed utopian policies, errant Malthusian reasoning, big-tech speech censorship, misplaced inter-sectional reverse racism, and the misunderstanding of sound economic and scientific thought is finally being diminished after many, many years of the far left's multi-generational cultural hegemony over academia, the media, and of course, Hollywood.</p><p>A decision hasn't been made yet as to the actual release date of this recording, but I assume it will be sometime later in February 2022, or maybe even March. Theoretically it should be followed by a single version of the one vocal track on the album, "Utopia", paired with a yet to be written or recorded "B-Side". As always these recordings will be available on <a href="https://bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>, and will be linked here, but I suspect there will come a day when some kind of purchase-for-download system will have to be applied. </p><p>Anyway, I hope you all, or at least some of you, listen up when the day comes that it finally does get released. </p><p>Till next time.</p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-43989310009420525432022-01-16T18:34:00.000-05:002022-01-16T18:34:26.497-05:00From the Writer's Studio: "I Am Charon" - A Collection of Short Stories <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0i0LEm8W3GOSoilK-aLgd2yH2ft6BoKe3mpC7fXqkY8Hq7ImQYCDzfIiRDSgIY0qV8lpJu_H4aN-M0CzB-j_oWBv9gt2hVhaNo4vHuCuU0vKPDVxH4HD_CNZselUJhc34PomjcNx3vZ4MND3y1LN7JwT362NZy-Eb_l0DUys6EAdNvXDOgdyfxfHn2g=s2250" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="1410" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0i0LEm8W3GOSoilK-aLgd2yH2ft6BoKe3mpC7fXqkY8Hq7ImQYCDzfIiRDSgIY0qV8lpJu_H4aN-M0CzB-j_oWBv9gt2hVhaNo4vHuCuU0vKPDVxH4HD_CNZselUJhc34PomjcNx3vZ4MND3y1LN7JwT362NZy-Eb_l0DUys6EAdNvXDOgdyfxfHn2g=w402-h640" width="402" /></a></div>Hey everyone, welcome to, or back to, the impecunious yet opulent Gauntlet of Balthazar, for a brief announcement regarding a new literary outing that will be uploaded piece-meal to Wattpad. <p></p><p>The book in question is titled <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/298267618-i-am-charon-a-collection-of-short-stories-by-ira" target="_blank">"I Am Charon" - A Collection of Short Stories by Ira Aron Rosenblum</a>. The first tale was posted on Friday, January 14th, 2022, and will be followed by additional stories every Friday, as opposed to other works - which will drop on Tuesdays. I imagine that when I run out of back catalogue it may encourage me to pen some new stories just to keep the project growing. But we'll see. <br /></p><p>Anyway, the "Story Detail" Page on Wattpad describes the book as: <span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><i>"I Am Charon" is a collection of Dystopian, Horror, Science-Fiction, and other short stories penned by multi-nominated and award-winning screenplay writer Ira Aron Rosenblum. A number of the tales included in this collection date back well over twenty years, and many have been utilized as the narrative voice in short films while others have surfaced in series episode scripts that have been developed by Nevekari Enterprises. The first post is The Dark Wood which became a Nevekari Enterprise's Short Film in 2017, and it will be followed by other tales which address such issues as: liberty, freedom, conformity, collectivism, cultural memory, isolation, surveillance, sovereignty, authoritarianism, and of course, death.</i></b></span></p><p>Please enjoy and share, and comment here or at <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/iraaronrosenblum" target="_blank">my profile page on Wattpad. </a></p><p>Till next time. <br /></p><p><br /> </p><p><br /></p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-65886711023621523072022-01-10T15:12:00.002-05:002022-01-21T18:05:07.446-05:00From the Writer's Studio: How to be a "Re-Constructionist" Screenwriter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC1CBK4kQHT00hXqz1SVyBP1L7S9sJckLdBiteCjwRNA3Pw_S2GyPj77X9bqrCtMbhp5H-eqXQTaSELZJaXZp_zPNGJyvmwfYfFdYmY1szxWuY4K-RczjVCFofVTbstFmtmpLyIZcxzSrbkWipqODeIuA4MptKqfoVZiODWa4VsdfC0oyZxjLwC7ftSg=s398" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC1CBK4kQHT00hXqz1SVyBP1L7S9sJckLdBiteCjwRNA3Pw_S2GyPj77X9bqrCtMbhp5H-eqXQTaSELZJaXZp_zPNGJyvmwfYfFdYmY1szxWuY4K-RczjVCFofVTbstFmtmpLyIZcxzSrbkWipqODeIuA4MptKqfoVZiODWa4VsdfC0oyZxjLwC7ftSg=w361-h361" width="361" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, another installment of the "From the Writer's Studio" feature here on the Gauntlet of Balthazar. <p></p><p>Obviously, whether or not you are a writer, and if you've checked out posts in this category, you might have noticed that we often tackle dissecting a specific piece of media (or a franchise), and occasionally, we look at a singular aspect of screenwriting such as the story, dialog, etc., etc. Most of the time failings such as unsatisfying arc resolutions or plot inconsistencies are highlighted, and more often than not these attributes are hashed out by looking at projects where substance and architecture have been sadly sacrificed in preference for social messaging. News flash: even if making a point is your most important motivator, you might want to make a better project, so that the message will be received.<br /></p><p>A good example of this phenomena is when the Gauntlet took a long look at <a href="http://www.gauntletofbalthazar.com/2020/02/from-writers-studio-sexual-politics-of_14.html" target="_blank">Toy Story 4</a> and noted that for all of the inclusion of cardboard cutout feminist attributes of outspokenness and capability (which btw can also be male attributes), the writers conversely omitted giving their supposedly strong female protagonist (Little Bo Peep) an actual story arc to parallel that of her male co-star (Woody the Cowboy). The Gauntlet interpreted this as "feminist screenwriting" (regardless of whether it is created by a man or a woman) in opposition to "egalitarian screenwriting", which in philosophic premise designs to present all characters as equally valuable and essential parts of the overall story.</p><p>I think that this is what feminism (at least the first wave) was all about in the first place - equal representation and validity, rather than some kind of global Freaky Friday gender role reversal. </p><p>Regardless, over time this problem has persisted and virtue signalling reboots molded into cringe-worthy lectures are still glutting the media marketplace. In fact, who doesn't expect the worst when you hear that something like an American version of the gritty and moralistic Korean series "Squid Game" is on the agenda. Yeah, sure, they'll make the thing, but you can be fairly certain that they'll remove all the realism from it. Every comment characters made - which in their circumstances were totally apropos in the original will be excised in the name of fear of offending a few delicate snowflakes out there. In the original the male characters often worry about having a female on their team since they don't know if the next game will be strength based. Well, that will just have to go, 'cuz the narrative is that women are just as strong, hell, even stronger than men, and to suggest otherwise is just so sexist. Newsflash, in a life or death contest, and forgoing the fact that it is only in rare instances that a woman turns out to be physically stronger than a man, this is exactly the concern those characters might have. The question becomes: do you want to write realistically, or are you writing as part of some external social post-modernist subjective agenda. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHjg33D3JgQok8vPZbeTiRrrhA45bnaeebukfa-MS4DxUDlldWWP-LGn-V3KhlvgRwH3hcVNwfjNIaqZYsN9yW1RB_eG092XGdLxzFmAFw4Yp9M8xKzHZjbJlj3o9HKpN6fU2U4SQunVxxspva77kSDjawZ_aZenezkJ2SHfoL496w-TwtRO4GErISvg=s398" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHjg33D3JgQok8vPZbeTiRrrhA45bnaeebukfa-MS4DxUDlldWWP-LGn-V3KhlvgRwH3hcVNwfjNIaqZYsN9yW1RB_eG092XGdLxzFmAFw4Yp9M8xKzHZjbJlj3o9HKpN6fU2U4SQunVxxspva77kSDjawZ_aZenezkJ2SHfoL496w-TwtRO4GErISvg=w337-h337" width="337" /></a></div>Now, clearly there are reasons to write in line with a dominant narrative. One; people that share the same narrative will relate to the writing, and two; if you are perceived as all being on the same "team" its not hard to imagine that more work will easily come your way. After all, pushing against a consensus can get you into trouble, and for all the talk we hear from celebrities "standing up, taking a chance, and being brave", we all know it when they are merely parroting an approved party line.<p></p><p>I personally believe that most folk, even the gatekeepers who run and work at the major distribution studios, don't really think about this sort of stuff, and are far too busy keeping their head down as to not run afoul of their own Human Resources departments, their cocktail party (and political party) associates, and of course, the mob on Twitter. <br /></p><p></p><p>In general, here's a rule of thumb - while a vocal minority might appear larger and more powerful than it actually is, these people are not really your audience. They only tune in to find some issue they can crucify a project with on social media, and poof, they're gone. </p><p>So what are the options for you as an artist if you want to create quality work that transcends ever-shifting narrative-influenced screenplay writing. Well, over the last few years I've begun gravitating to the description "Re-Constructionist" Screenwriter for myself.</p><p>What does that mean? You ask. Well, let me explain. </p><p>One can easily look at all writing prior to the early twentieth century as "traditional". From Gilgamesh, to the Bible, to the Ancient Greeks and Romans, to Shakespeare, and even the realists and moralists of the 19th Century, these works present their very, very different narratives and stick to that style. They all understood character and story arc, even when promoting an agenda, and these works held to format so much at times that we can see Freytag's Pyramid and the Hero's Journey embodied in them to the point that you can mathematically see the plot elements fulfilling that criteria step by step. </p><p>But, then de-construction came along. Spearheaded by the Dadaists, abstraction in story structure broke the previous synthesis and followed painting and poetry into screenplay writing and film making. While many of these films from the pre-code Silent Era to the French New Wave are wonderful experiments, they reflect a film school ethos that was heavily influenced by Marxist Critical Theory, and any "artiste" worth his or her salt was a deconstructionist - not some corporate capitalist hack. While this was all fine and good for the art students, starting in the 1980's, as the neo-liberals moved from the counter-culture to the board room, this penchant for deconstructionism was dragged along, and the quest became how to play ball with the money boys while still signalling that you had "street cred", or at least art cred. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ2hSZzw0C9fXwe4vQWsq9MzQ0C5ThEGCFtkHkrdEaMCEFoVcHNu05dSbgFEvr3M17vdMQhjV7r_fpEN5C14VFR8y_EFsksbjSDsHqaUAwicRinqJpOjQ7SZwm-A4_5j86xhFL-UelAw6RjBLQkhsQLcTtBkoZQQSzWgb-SwJhu4Q7QK0XZVnTm_z1Sw=s398" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ2hSZzw0C9fXwe4vQWsq9MzQ0C5ThEGCFtkHkrdEaMCEFoVcHNu05dSbgFEvr3M17vdMQhjV7r_fpEN5C14VFR8y_EFsksbjSDsHqaUAwicRinqJpOjQ7SZwm-A4_5j86xhFL-UelAw6RjBLQkhsQLcTtBkoZQQSzWgb-SwJhu4Q7QK0XZVnTm_z1Sw=w335-h335" width="335" /></a></div>Thus, commercial Hollywood film makers who self-consciously addressed their work through this de-constructionist lens such as Paul Verhoeven, and later, the Wachowski's and Quentin Tarantino (among many others), where hailed as "smart" and "edgy", and were precursors of what we now call "meta" - the acute self-awareness of process versus suspension-of-disbelief. However, as time progressed and Marxist-inspired virtue signalling ramped up its "critical" rhetoric as social capitol, it became clear that embedding elements of identity politics in media was crucial in securing screenwriting accolades from the "powers-that-be". Therefore, placing verbally abusive dialogue in the mouth of a so-called "marginalized" character, say, a black, gay, handicapped one against say, a white, straight, non-handicapped character, became not the statement made by the character, but rather by the writer and filmmaker as an indictment of the general society. Hence, this is why a typical critique of modern entertainment over the last few years has been that the audience complains that they feel like they are being lectured to. Well, guess what? They are.<br /><p></p><p>Now obviously this can't go on forever, since regardless of political narrative, art is a business - the music Business, the art Business, the writing Business, the film Business, and businesses need to eventually make money, or really, what is the point? For a while it might be okay to take a hit to propel some narrative the company wants to get behind, but eventually the checks need to be signed. Likewise, narratives change as society changes, and with western culture being effectively driven primarily by classical liberal thought since the 1960's, by leftists starting in the 1980's, and far leftists in the 2000's, this period could easily come to a close shortly and be replaced by a neo-traditionalist wave. </p><p>I personally think it is a very good place to be, or will be soon, for a "Re-Constructionist" writer. You can be critical, you can be philosophic, you can be meta, you can present diverse characters, and you can be wholly egalitarian, yet, you will know above all else that the story is more important. You will know that you are telling a good tale, with sound act structure, with complete story and character arcs, and realistic dialogue, working together to form something of true merit. The antagonists you will design will present philosophic polarities to your protagonists rather than just pitting your hero against "space" or "climate change", as seen in so many recent Science-Fiction outings, where the inherent dangers of an environment are in effect the villain of the piece. You will have your diverse cast, but it will be a manifestation of the story, not based on some kind of grand victim "checklist" that some twitter goon demanded. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVs6YLzYiDw_6ig310CyjYrE0POTjw31PNhX2mo9qt3YCXa2U6W5HTYAPQniFrHW7TPTjHmZfchBn7IKYDP1nYkPIxAoatxazZ5Dir3s1KOhi-F2wOti5KKBQDoxIWdijl17Cq76RrQyhl-utLaGXEWjBc6dLFBEGpEfkzF6Us3gC5AHfu-NCKgnkYcQ=s398" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVs6YLzYiDw_6ig310CyjYrE0POTjw31PNhX2mo9qt3YCXa2U6W5HTYAPQniFrHW7TPTjHmZfchBn7IKYDP1nYkPIxAoatxazZ5Dir3s1KOhi-F2wOti5KKBQDoxIWdijl17Cq76RrQyhl-utLaGXEWjBc6dLFBEGpEfkzF6Us3gC5AHfu-NCKgnkYcQ=w317-h317" width="317" /></a></div>As a "Re-Constructionist" you will see the universality of motifs within multiple forms of literature and it will enable you to forge more complex adult material based on theatrical ideas that go back thousands of years. Mind you, at the start of the Dada period modern art painters like Picasso were fully capable of rendering Renaissance-like realism, but chose not to, and this was dedication to experimentation. The problem is that I doubt that many contemporary abstract artists possess the capability to produce such works, and overly rely on deconstruction to supply the infrastructure for their painting. I see this paralleled in popular music, with atonal hip-hop leading the way, and in screenwriting with preachy virtue-signalling scripts being pushed to the fore.<p></p><p>Don't misunderstand, what I'm proposing here isn't for a functional artist to just imitate the master works of Van Gogh, The Beatles, or a film like Casablanca, but to create work that indeed experiments, indeed has something to say, and yet, retains sound traditional structural elements. So, break down your act and scene structure dispassionately, see if you are (within reason) following Freytag's Pyramid and the Hero's Journey structure. Imbue your characters with "real" and evolving (yes, that's an arc) personalities that have something to teach the audience as they drive them toward catharsis. And don't let notions of using characters to deliver someone else's messages dictate your art.</p><p>Do all this and you too can be a "Re-Constructionist Screenwriter". I tend to think this is one of the reasons my company, <a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises</a>, has won so many nominations and awards for our scripts. But hey, what do I know?<br /></p><p>Anyway, that's about all for now. Till next time. </p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-68193572250085993162022-01-02T16:15:00.000-05:002022-01-02T16:15:05.990-05:00Mixology: Introducing the "Ahsoka Tano"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheg4vImZ1DgcIAdki7gdEXh7_hHq3mkqBMEWQ9vnwLy11WcnEptYL6lhaIZXpbc-JIf0d2oR9Lx3Tjjxe7C6lke1YNwyI8mhutNWC8vOD_e4L0MMGI9xvYdNHxCrTtzTAAPyBsewNOj_CQ_r4qu258YCT81C__rMv8ftinZJiCH7-xZb0uzOHOIzYPNg=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="1836" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheg4vImZ1DgcIAdki7gdEXh7_hHq3mkqBMEWQ9vnwLy11WcnEptYL6lhaIZXpbc-JIf0d2oR9Lx3Tjjxe7C6lke1YNwyI8mhutNWC8vOD_e4L0MMGI9xvYdNHxCrTtzTAAPyBsewNOj_CQ_r4qu258YCT81C__rMv8ftinZJiCH7-xZb0uzOHOIzYPNg=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the mighty Gauntlet of Balthazar for another brief foray into creative mixology.<p></p><p>Today's cocktail is "the Ahsoka Tano" (named for the Star Wars character of the same name) and it was originally invented shortly after "the Darth Vader" in April 2021. It was obviously designed to be part of an ongoing theme, but silly me, the original recipe was lost. Regardless, I decided to post it with as much of an approximation as possible, so here it goes: <br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">3 ounces of Hero Apricot Nectar</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">I ounce of Ketel One or Tito's Vodka</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">1 ounce of <span class="js-about-item-abstr">Cuarenta y Tres liquor </span></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">I ounce of Simple Syrup</span></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">2 Tablespoons of Original Cool Whip</span> </span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Shake and Serve in a Martini / Cocktail glass</span></b> </p><p>I have to say it is quite good, and man does it look like the character it was created as a homage to.</p><p>Anyway, enjoy, and as always, till next time. <br /></p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-81226986474917395192021-12-25T15:30:00.000-05:002021-12-25T15:30:07.528-05:00The Gauntlet Celebrates its 75,000th Page Visit Post<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi69WZKU3zozIfSgcciD9QBBfFZH8OZJa6HB3fWNFRiCRTEd8-HydTEGnpUxSFgO2UFnQYBODOZVAB6H6DFOd0EkkT6_WQcbk3GVJwp4rxdX8CVthQ60hpbTkabJpMdXUKtpP3_VtiAUWZb4D3dxHXLZvI7itGdS8prgy_spU2itITkYK8go0KZxGKHkQ=s398" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi69WZKU3zozIfSgcciD9QBBfFZH8OZJa6HB3fWNFRiCRTEd8-HydTEGnpUxSFgO2UFnQYBODOZVAB6H6DFOd0EkkT6_WQcbk3GVJwp4rxdX8CVthQ60hpbTkabJpMdXUKtpP3_VtiAUWZb4D3dxHXLZvI7itGdS8prgy_spU2itITkYK8go0KZxGKHkQ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div>Welcome to the Gauntlet of Balthazar for a brief post celebrating 75,000 unique visitors to the site. <p></p><p>From the meager beginnings and low traffic of the earliest posts at the end of 2016 through the boosts and subsequent "drop off" of readers based in Hong Kong, we have slowly amassed an audience that has arrived here for a wide variety of reasons. Some of you might have stumbled upon the page accidentally - never to return, while others come back regularly. Others were attracted by a social media "share" that spiked their interest in a specific post, while others "page down" over the gambit. Some people come for the political commentary, while others comb the media reviews and screenwriting observations. Some check out the music uploads, while others take in the other arts, and maybe, just maybe, there are a few of you out there who like find a new drink recipe once in a while.</p><p>Regardless of the cause, we have slowly marched on with periods of frequent uploads, and just as much, by phases defined by a relative famine of material. This has mostly been due to a variety of personal and business concerns, not the least of which has been finding the time to hammer out the sometimes very lengthy articles. But still...<br /></p><p>There are some big reveals coming up here; such as a new full-length album, story uploads, and hopefully the trailer for a new scripting project, but it's probably better to hold off and just release them as they are completed. </p><p>Anyway, thank you all, and I hope you continue to find some interesting fare here on the Gauntlet, and as always...till next time.<br /></p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-60851169233431693942021-12-08T00:07:00.003-05:002022-03-05T17:12:01.408-05:00From the Writer's Studio: New Release Tuesday Upload Schedule<p>Hey out there!</p><p>As you might have noticed a few posts ago, my first still unpublished novel (at least by traditional channels) - The Forest Kingdom of Drisnia; Book One: The Spell of Forgetting (from 2008) is now in the process of being uploaded online chapter, by chapter, by chapter. Be that as it may, I thought that it might be an opportune juncture at which to take the time to blog-out a release schedule of what's gone before and what's to come. Likewise, I'd additional like to promote some other forthcoming literary outings that are also set to be hosted by Wattpad in the near future, so see those near the bottom of this post. Anyway, here's the release schedule:<br /></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VMHVnxpwVFJN32Q2nbb4ykrRm0wfHIYBT5xpk26z2UuO-LUKHBngOACEphJ4HFQa-5ly4d4fLxq44aI0p3MI1MMfc77mOaJinh3xOSZx7Xe-jO0MxugL7aXiIwhhJbLVWMYDuBwM11T7/s1345/Drisnia+01+The+Spell+of+Forgetting.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="969" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VMHVnxpwVFJN32Q2nbb4ykrRm0wfHIYBT5xpk26z2UuO-LUKHBngOACEphJ4HFQa-5ly4d4fLxq44aI0p3MI1MMfc77mOaJinh3xOSZx7Xe-jO0MxugL7aXiIwhhJbLVWMYDuBwM11T7/w347-h481/Drisnia+01+The+Spell+of+Forgetting.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Preface (September 28th, 2021)<br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Effluvium - Chapter I: "The Syrup Harvester" (October 5th, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Effluvium - Chapter II: "Foggad and Routhuni" (October 12th, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Effluvium - Chapter III: "The Sainonix" (October 19th, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Effluvium - Chapter IV: "In Royal Chambers" (October 26th, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Prince and the Wizard of Doren - Chapter I: "Departure" (November 2nd, 2021)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Prince and the Wizard of Doren - Chapter II: "Morning on the Aldapix" (November 9th, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Prince and the Wizard of Doren - Chapter III: "Lehenia and the Zhorigix" (November 16th, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Prince and the Wizard of Doren - Chapter IV: "Tailarechask" (November 23rd, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Prince and the Wizard of Doren - Chapter V: "Journey to the Mishketaan" (November 30th, 2021)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Oracle of Sheshlu - Chapter I: "The Audience" (December 7th, 2021)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Oracle of Sheshlu - Chapter II: "The Oracle's Bargain" (December 14th, 2021)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Oracle of Sheshlu - Chapter III: "Keh'dadach" (December 21st, 2021)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Oracle of Sheshlu - Chapter IV: "The Fallen of the Oroigix" (December 28th, 2021)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Oracle of Sheshlu - Chapter V: "The Battle at Erofir" (January 4th, 2022)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Oracle of Sheshlu - Chapter VI: "The River Rem'biokah" (January 11th, 2022)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter I: "Soritir"(January 18th, 2022)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter II: "The Report" (January 25th, 2022)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter III: "Laguxigh" (February 1st, 2022)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter IV: "Reunion" (February 8th, 2022)<br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter V: "The Alterer and the Horseman" (February 15th, 2022) <br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter VI: "Life and Death in the Land of Doren - Part One" (February 22nd, 2022)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter VII: "Life and Death in the Land of Doren - Part Two" (March 1st, 2022)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Vanquishing Reflection - Chapter VIII: "Aftermath" </span></b><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">(March 8th, 2022)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Addendum / Biographic Glossary / Geographic Glossary / Linguistic Glossary (March 15th, 2022)</span></b> <br /></p><p>As you can see it takes quite some time to put out an entire multi-hundred page book in this way, but then again, doing it like this means that the manuscript will at least benefit from yet another fresh revision before the general public lays eyes on it.</p><p>Upon completion I'm fairly certain that the first Drisnia Series novella; "The Song of Umeztad" will follow immediately after, as it was written as the abbreviated follow-up to the sizable novel and features events that pick up from where the main story-line leaves off. One of the distinguishing factors of the novella is that it features the solitary tale of a secondary character (Umeztad) coming into his own. Personally it's my favorite work in the series, and if you like very nuanced and psychological adult Epic Fantasy I urge you to give it a whirl. </p><p>Also set to go up on Wattpad (with dates still forthcoming) will be a number of Short Stories turned Film Scripts (I think at least three), as well as an actual copy of a Nevekari Enterprises Spec Script for an Existing Series that won a minor screenwriting award. The latter script was penned as a sample episode of the then hit Sci-Fi-Tech-Crime-Thriller Series "Person of Interest", and obviously, now that the show is off-the-air it can pretty much just serve as an example of scripting prowess, or maybe high-level fan-fiction.</p><p>Anyway, I hope some of you out there click on over, and if you're more interested in the Gauntlet's take on Media, Culture, Politics, a new drink recipe, or are waiting for a new music release - never fear those are not far behind.</p><p>Till next time.</p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-69014034714386887812021-11-24T10:30:00.000-05:002021-11-24T10:30:35.239-05:00A Sad Day in the Politics of Fear<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4dgXAeIFoNDXCipVLJFT3dkF4WcqGDpHhSn6sR53KdGnkGadGGb2dUNtPYo2b_J5Af0rONHPTI0BuFNEsj6DEkZ4KPocytAEBHQgjb_Kw05Akz-H6WnHR3gJ9NbrYOshz91_KywxiSnT/s626/scared-woman-wearing-hygienic-protective-mask_167689-76.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="626" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4dgXAeIFoNDXCipVLJFT3dkF4WcqGDpHhSn6sR53KdGnkGadGGb2dUNtPYo2b_J5Af0rONHPTI0BuFNEsj6DEkZ4KPocytAEBHQgjb_Kw05Akz-H6WnHR3gJ9NbrYOshz91_KywxiSnT/w493-h321/scared-woman-wearing-hygienic-protective-mask_167689-76.webp" width="493" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the stalwart yet pusillanimous Gauntlet of Balthazar, for some riffing on a theme that's been addressed here frequently as of late (or at least when I bother to get off my gauntlet-wearing ass and comment) - and that is the theme of fear being used as a political weapon. Fear of disease, fear of race, fear of surveillance, fear of non-compliance, fear of interacting with society, and the fear of incorrectly defining sexual identity or partaking in sex, are all plied in the targeted quest for power that is highlighted by "cancellation" and the routine Orwellian re-working of our language and thereby our societal psyche.<br /><p></p><p>One might think that some of the thoughts I'll be addressing in this post are unrelated, but what inspired me down this path was the removal of the iconic statue of the U.S.'s third President; Thomas Jefferson, from the vestibule of the New York City Hall Council Chambers just a few days ago after resting on its pedestal there for over 187 years. </p><p>As you may know if you are an American, or even as a citizen of another nation, is that far leftist activists across the USA have pitched hard for the removal of a plethora of historical statues over the last few years. Of course, they first directed their ire toward those works of art that even many of those on the right had a hard time arguing represented paragons of past virtue. </p><p>As a historian (yes, I have a degree), I object in premise to the removal of pretty much any monuments (yes, even a Stalin in post-Soviet period Russia), for in my opinion, and in most respects, I believe that doing so does not succeed in removing bad events from the past, but turns a blind eye to such mob-born initiatives and generally opens the door to societal anarchic chaos which can only lead to further acts of random destruction and civil unrest. So yeah, it's a slippery slope. As an old Punker / Post-Punker, on some level I appreciate the anarchic impulse as an unbridled form of liberty, but as Jefferson himself reminded, liberty must be coupled with civic responsibility in order to create a safe environment in which one can pursue happiness. The French didn't quite get this lesson right in their revolution and, voila, their zeal and intemperance led to guillotines, the reign of terror, book burning, etc., etc.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1fJxZF2ZQ2RtE0qXwc-I-ZZPF_R2yMzMIopLLtUEC95ior4Z4jmmpe6IpQzNVCh8aMRbxejyvcZ3r5d3eWwreDU8jZld4jgrbR3JbWOyrXvv2scnXQGAZvqeJTh3ElhOzH6_mzzMmYsr/s2048/153406020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1fJxZF2ZQ2RtE0qXwc-I-ZZPF_R2yMzMIopLLtUEC95ior4Z4jmmpe6IpQzNVCh8aMRbxejyvcZ3r5d3eWwreDU8jZld4jgrbR3JbWOyrXvv2scnXQGAZvqeJTh3ElhOzH6_mzzMmYsr/w426-h297/153406020.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Case in point, I found it ridiculously idiotic, if not wholly tragic, when the Taliban...rather than accept cash for the transfer of a giant statue of the Buddha located in a public park to a museum in the west, felt that the object must be destroyed as an offense against Islam. I should remind you here that there had not been a single practicing Buddhist in Afghanistan for literally a thousand years, and that this statue reflected a period in the nation's history prior to the arrival of Islam. Anyway, they blew up the ancient statue leaving piles of rubble where it once stood. Why would they do this, you might ask? Well, the answer is simple - it's fear. Firstly, by leaving the statue it would have undermined the retroactive Muslim notion that Islam preexisted, well, everything, even though it occurs in history after Judaism and Islam. Secondly, by leaving the statue as is, it would have served as a de facto acknowledgement that there are competing belief systems out there in the wider world, and thus, both of these notions are based in the fear that Islam will not appear as all-encompassing and as normative as it "should", even when it is a numerical fact that many billions of other humans don't practice that faith. If the members of the Taliban were actually strong in their faith, they wouldn't be afraid of an old statue "luring" Muslims from their faith, nor would they be afraid of acknowledging the actual history of their nation, instead of a fantasy. But it is these sort of fantasies, subjective truths, utopian quests, and internal constructs, that we see riddling the west, and the east, and often stand-in for actual facts, science, logic, and well, reality. <br /><p></p><p>But back to the U.S....</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NtlNkmIduidau85nEwjFJs7d0q6wQ5HylO9KfjgrJQQ762FzNQBQ01LhT09wBQd2XUzMC6TwlqUFMxA8uXs7-r4tBSRWqGGlyiXpPPAEsyV9gP6x8FT_oPWXSh7ePy9VawBsTgmQ4jlR/s500/iuxyp9sjgfq51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="500" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NtlNkmIduidau85nEwjFJs7d0q6wQ5HylO9KfjgrJQQ762FzNQBQ01LhT09wBQd2XUzMC6TwlqUFMxA8uXs7-r4tBSRWqGGlyiXpPPAEsyV9gP6x8FT_oPWXSh7ePy9VawBsTgmQ4jlR/w315-h189/iuxyp9sjgfq51.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>During the civil unrest that was spurred on by George Soros and DNC-backed operatives of Antifa and the deceptively named BLM, many a historic statues were dragged off their pedestals. At first the premise seemed to be that they wanted to remove Confederate War monuments as they virtue signaled their so-called "anti-racism", but I knew the minute it began that their scope would not remain limited to just that.<p></p><p>In fact, I would propose that the best thing you can do with a monument dedicated to even with a thoroughly despicable historical figure is to leave it standing, erect an explanatory plaque that explains the context of why, when, and the bad and good things about the figure, and have teachers use this as an educational tool for young school children. What's the worst thing that could happen? A kid learns about person and walks away saying: "What a douche that guy was!" To me that sounds like the reaction the statue-burners actually want, isn't it? If it's just deleted from sight there is no example to learn from, just ignorance.<br /></p><p>Anyway, before long statues of Abraham Lincoln were under assault, and pardon me, but while Lincoln might have possessed a few flaws he is generally viewed as literally the best President in US history; ending slavery, preserving the Union, etc., etc. Obviously, if your premise is not just to destroy selected parts of history, but all of it, in a Pol Pot Year Zero Utopia thinking, then hell, damn the torpedoes and take it all down, man.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks432AdQN45bwlj5zpNeuIjc0DJ4ZM42TXCDiO5rN8uRbjMKOVISNt15yPIwLjyb09JIjsKF01135YegJJpSgMo0i-9x7bIjwaTCbyMmC4SEOBrHpJpWRbBM9psF9f-47h_MipG77xZBV/s1280/thomas-jefferson-statue-to-be-mo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks432AdQN45bwlj5zpNeuIjc0DJ4ZM42TXCDiO5rN8uRbjMKOVISNt15yPIwLjyb09JIjsKF01135YegJJpSgMo0i-9x7bIjwaTCbyMmC4SEOBrHpJpWRbBM9psF9f-47h_MipG77xZBV/w640-h360/thomas-jefferson-statue-to-be-mo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>So, when they came for Jefferson a few days ago, it only made sense. Of course these modern day iconoclasts only know one thing about T.J., and that is that he owned slaves. Sure, that's not an ideal look, but if you study him in general, you find a man who was born into that institution from birth, and did most everything in his power to aid in the demise of slavery. Aside from penning the Declaration of Independence, upon being elected President Jefferson almost immediately banned the importation of slaves, effectively ending the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. We know he was in a long-term romantic relationship with one of his family's servants, Sally Hemmings; who was technically also his cousin. On other fronts he fought the Barbary pirates in order to stop the enslavement of Europeans and Americans, and was the ultimate champion of a multi-religion, multi-ethnic, civil state. Hell, he even designed the office chairs million of people sit on every day. Lastly, as the statue grabbers might not remember, he eventually freed all of his slaves. "Why didn't he do it earlier?" they would ask, and I'll tell you why. Picture that you are born into a family which held such human property at the time. Let me guess, you imagine that three-year-old you would have the power to do just what? Beat up papa and tell them to run off? Okay, let's say that was possible. What happens to the slaves you say you care so much about after they run off? Simple, they are grabbed by another planter a few miles up the road who treats them far worse than the gentle environment offered at your estate, which by the way, was loaded with slaves, many of whom were only 1/16th African after multiple generations of cross-breeding with the family. Regardless if these relationships were either on the up-and-up or had some nefarious origin, the fact remains that even back in the 1770's a person who is only 1/16th African visual appears in most cases as "not black". Indeed many writers in the period who visited Monticello specifically commented that the distinction between the Jefferson family and their servants was very hard to discern.<p></p><p>On a related note, when they come for statues of George Washington - who will be next, someone should probably point out that Washington held both black and white slaves (not related to him), and was know for having them killed (regardless of race) if they attempted to run away. So I guess the question is - is this about the time period, the institution, the character or acts of a specific person, or about race now? I mean, old George was a tough guy, big on military executions at Valley Forge too, but it is his refutation of a kingship and his status as a non-partisan leader was an essential factor in the creation of the republic.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWmoIN2BNuKZrHYaebzLZU7KFDqdM92OYCcQi7ctaYYNqCVSy01fGkDM1vXTfUMe4gcem2dXW8vXN0pLYrUl0bvEcPWbXxYXy3RrJrpbX_N-_UG1us_IvpuoF7mTXHTjod238avr6yD39/s1920/US-NEWS-NYC-ROOSEVELT-STATUE-NY-scaled-e1637679427648.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1920" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWmoIN2BNuKZrHYaebzLZU7KFDqdM92OYCcQi7ctaYYNqCVSy01fGkDM1vXTfUMe4gcem2dXW8vXN0pLYrUl0bvEcPWbXxYXy3RrJrpbX_N-_UG1us_IvpuoF7mTXHTjod238avr6yD39/w640-h369/US-NEWS-NYC-ROOSEVELT-STATUE-NY-scaled-e1637679427648.webp" width="640" /></a></div>As far as I understand it the next statue to be removed in NYC is that of Teddy Roosevelt's monument outside of the Museum of Natural History. As a turn of the 20th Century Progressive Republican he was a pivotal figure in the establishment of the Conservation movement (i.e. we call that "Green" now), he was a crusader for labor unions and racial equality, an advocate for children, busted on big banking, and established important Federal bureaus such as the FDA and the EPA in order to safeguard the public. It seems almost ridiculous, but the racist powers-that-wish-they-were are now attempting to depict T.R. as a racist, while only the contrary stands as evidence. Face it, they don't like this particular statue because he sits on his horse "above" a Native American and an African, and it is their own internal race narrative that works on the assumption that even this is "White Superiority". Hey, here's an idea - why not think of this image as T.R. being an advocate for these groups in a time when almost no one else was. In removing this tribute they should be ashamed of themselves. But this is the same destructive impulse that dis-empowers non-whites and encourages them to depict themselves as eternal victims in a sick, ongoing "story".<p></p><p>This is why "Schindler's List' is considered the most notable "Jewish Film" made by Hollywood. Nothing against Mr. Spielberg, and his many fine films, but that work upholds the Jewish victim narrative no less than how African-Americans have inculcated such initiatives as Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" program; which frankly dis-empowered their communities and destroyed urban areas for numerous generations. This was done by literally enfeebling traditional black family structure, creating dependence on the state, and enforcing the idea that only the state could help the community. <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKig9ODMym92gu-xAmruSuQjptnvmw3EG27_nZy_9qgx1MoSttxeK7YlPBNXhYq18PewHimQXnZF7eZgOKvSte6LlmXd7QrE4hSL-kRX6oRVjqNz0FQ3H3WEbVLKaOFIaeqcPIujzjiuWc/s940/d11f7b62-a79d-44fc-bc44-787ef4dc65f6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="940" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKig9ODMym92gu-xAmruSuQjptnvmw3EG27_nZy_9qgx1MoSttxeK7YlPBNXhYq18PewHimQXnZF7eZgOKvSte6LlmXd7QrE4hSL-kRX6oRVjqNz0FQ3H3WEbVLKaOFIaeqcPIujzjiuWc/w408-h297/d11f7b62-a79d-44fc-bc44-787ef4dc65f6.jpg" width="408" /></a>By utilizing fear as a tool to gain power, and redistributing economic dominance to specific entities, the globalist manipulators have forged a generation of young people who are afraid to stand up for themselves. They are afraid to pursue wealth, to have relationships, and to reproduce. Hence the up-swell in the number of young men who admit to "not having regular sex" and a great mass of youth suddenly describing themselves as being part of the "LGBT" spectrum, simply because they are so sexually under-powered that they believe that they are "Asexuals". This, friends, is not another "gender". Even if you accept the semantics of switching the perfectly fine "sexual identity" for an established biological term, Orwell. Ace (Asexual or Aromantic) people like to say that they are "not broken", but clearly, they have been "sexually retarded" by the powers-that-shouldn't-be. This massive flood of people identifying in this way should come as no shock, what with food additives and the like helping to cause widespread erectile dysfunction and "frigidity". This, plus the destruction of all gender norms through a wing of Marxist Class, Race, and Gender revisionism has contributed to the rise of disinterested men and unhappy, cat-ensconced women with jobs they are really invested in, but in eschewing all traditional norms are riddled with depression because they can't find a man to be in a relationship with, and probably don't even want to have kids 'cuz that would be hard work and interfere with their ability to watch Netflix undisturbed. Then again, these sort of folks truly believe that the sun monster (climate change) will end life on Earth in just a couple of years from now, when it certainly will not.</p><p>Well, news flash, if you are afraid to leave your house, if your gender is so confused that it can only be explained by an elaborate psychological construct, if you are afraid to take off your mask-muzzle regardless of "The" science, if you prefer to use the robot checkout machine in the supermarket instead of, gasp, having to interact and say hello to the cashier, and when you only date by swiping on an app and through text messaging with no intention of really forging a relationship with a future (i.e. kids), then you know what buttercup? You're not going to find it, and eventually, you'll end up wallowing in the failure of a selfish life, invested in what the social media platforms, the state, and the globalists at Davos want you to be instead of what you could be. For me, the idea of being dependent on the government, any government, is an utterly repugnant notion, and giving control of anything to such unimpressive people as politicians is quite terrifying. I mean these are ego-maniacal, power-drunk, world class idiots, and we all used to know it. What the hell happened? </p><p>So, fake-immunized mutants, confused modern eunuchs, misguided iconoclasts, utopian zealots, and supporters of the nanny state, rise up and shake off your cloth muzzles (and cowardly balaclavas) and act like you're actually alive in the real world. This is not a video game, and life is actually quite dangerous. But if you look at it only like that, you should never drive a car for fear of an accident, you should never take a shower for fear of slipping, and most definitely, you should never, ever date. I mean you're risking both germs AND a broken heart, right?</p><p>Anyway, have a Happy Thanksgiving and Hanukah if you celebrate either, or both. Oh, and of course - Let's Go Brandon!, and as always, till next time.</p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-26310334845876066782021-10-12T11:04:00.000-04:002021-10-12T11:04:40.275-04:00Double New Release Tuesday: From the Writer's Studio and Electronic Music Album of the Day <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VMHVnxpwVFJN32Q2nbb4ykrRm0wfHIYBT5xpk26z2UuO-LUKHBngOACEphJ4HFQa-5ly4d4fLxq44aI0p3MI1MMfc77mOaJinh3xOSZx7Xe-jO0MxugL7aXiIwhhJbLVWMYDuBwM11T7/s1345/Drisnia+01+The+Spell+of+Forgetting.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="969" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VMHVnxpwVFJN32Q2nbb4ykrRm0wfHIYBT5xpk26z2UuO-LUKHBngOACEphJ4HFQa-5ly4d4fLxq44aI0p3MI1MMfc77mOaJinh3xOSZx7Xe-jO0MxugL7aXiIwhhJbLVWMYDuBwM11T7/w231-h320/Drisnia+01+The+Spell+of+Forgetting.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the puzzling and yet puzzled Gauntlet of Balthazar for a Tuesday smack jammed with new releases. <p></p><p>Firstly, in the Writer's Studio, the second chapter of my previously unpublished 2008 epic fantasy book, <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/286660062-the-forest-kingdom-of-drisnia-book-one-the-spell" target="_blank">"The Forest Kingdom of Drisnia; Book One: The Spell of Forgetting"</a> has now posted to <a href="https://www.wattpad.com" target="_blank">Wattpad</a>, joining the preface and first chapter. It's a psychologically complex yarn that's extremely prosaic and even though it's fantasy / "sword & sorcery", it's by no means designed with little kids in mind as the main reader demographic. Succeeding chapters will continue to post every Tuesday morning for the foreseeable future, and shortly, I expect that some other hidden tomes, as well as a few short stories will probably start to appear there as well. So please take a look, and of course, enjoy and share!<br /></p><p>Secondly, in the music zone, today marks the release of a <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea</a> full-length album titled <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/fuaim-redux-2021-album" target="_blank">"Fuaim Redux"</a>. With the original instrumental tracks recorded between 2014-2016, these pieces were either remixed or re-imagined over the last few months...hence "Redux".
Featuring guitar, bass, and live drums, in addition to synthesizers and
rhythm programming, these tunes capture a transition between the analogue and digital phases of
<a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea's</a> evolution. It should also be mentioned that many of the tracks included
on this album have appeared in films and promotional videos created by
<a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises</a>, or were inspired by Nevekari script treatments.Thus, the writing tie in!</p><p>Anyway, enjoy the book and the record, and share if you can. The embed is below as usual.</p><p>Thanks, and as always - till next time.<br /></p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1271417160/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 786px; width: 350px;"><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/fuaim-redux-2021-album">Fuaim Redux (2021 Album) by 391 & the Army of Astraea</a></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-69274431015426414372021-09-30T16:40:00.007-04:002021-09-30T16:42:06.854-04:00From the Writer's Studio: Introducing...Yes, it's a Book...an Entire Book - One Chapter at a Time!<p>Welcome to, or back to, the prosaic yet often verbose Gauntlet of Balthazar for a post long in coming. If you've visited here before you may have noticed that aside from the politics and philosophy, there has always been an abundance of like links to music, embedded art images, and usually, videos or web pages related to script & film projects that originated with Nevekari Enterprises - the award-winning and multi-nominated screenwriting and creative content producing entity that I'm a part of. However, today I'd like to slip on the Gauntlet and introduce an earlier solo work in the form of a manuscript that was completed in in late 2008 - yet has remained unpublished, till now. So as I opt into the digital world, please excuse any shameless self-promotion from this point on.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazo4QjcPZNS-DwGTPVbaBZQyfXyR0uKZ5mTZ4jJ1XxUaJ9EKAN-HdlnPdUiXGK1cUIAHRNuiISaXkRcUF8sOpdg4vmxLBu72QD-yGChlXC8tEaEQHXokKXr-iocrraENgIUJqd-G-whiJ/s1345/Drisnia+01+The+Spell+of+Forgetting.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="969" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazo4QjcPZNS-DwGTPVbaBZQyfXyR0uKZ5mTZ4jJ1XxUaJ9EKAN-HdlnPdUiXGK1cUIAHRNuiISaXkRcUF8sOpdg4vmxLBu72QD-yGChlXC8tEaEQHXokKXr-iocrraENgIUJqd-G-whiJ/w462-h640/Drisnia+01+The+Spell+of+Forgetting.jpg" width="462" /></a></div>"The Forest Kingdom of Drisnia; Book One: The Spell of Forgetting" is the first in a series of six epic-fantasy novels (and accompanying Novellas) which chronicle the inter-generational saga of a royal family and it's closest intimates. A pervasively visceral tale, it is set in a hypo- thetical alternative history that introduces an ensemble cast of characters, who, through their navigation of a series of internal and external conflicts are tested and in the end overcome adversity and evolve into heroic archetypes. Written in a style laced with alliterative prose and psychological nuance, this literary novel stands reminiscent of such classics as Virgil's Aeneid, Mallory's L'Morte D'Arthur, and Tolkien's Ring Trilogy. <br /><br />Featuring the Prince of Drisnia and his intended; the Princess of Lyndium, the tale relates how the Kingdom is beset by a mysterious and amorphous magical being referred to only as "The Effluvium". Imparting a dreadful form of amnesia to all those who come into contact with it, this is symbolic of the denial psychology of the main character, and the destruction the creature causes spurs the story into action. With that premise established, the ensemble moves through a series of harrowing adventures, historically accurate incidences of martial arts in the western tradition, tragic losses, uneasy alliances, and eventually come to the capitol of their ascribed enemy, where the Prince finds that many of his deepest long-held assumptions have been incorrect.<br /><br />Based on the author's strict adherence to a limited Nostratic theory of languages, and the mytho-folkloric Euhemeristic philosophy of history, The Spell of Forgetting is told in a restricted third person omniscient style of narration, and is presented as being ostensibly written by an association of court scribes who have been employed to encapsulate the events therein in order to preserve their innate historicity for posterity. <p></p><p>I've chosen Wattpad as the host, but so far only my profile page, a detail page for the book (where most of the descriptive above is from), the preface, as well as the cover art and a map graphic are up. However, the first chapter will be coming October 5th, and from that point on, a new chapter will appear every Tuesday until its available for a read in its entirety. </p><p>Of course if you think Epic Fantasy influenced by the likes of Yeats and Joyce might be up your alley, please feel free to take a look, and / or to share it with others who you suspect might appreciate it. Oh, and here's the link: <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/286660062-the-forest-kingdom-of-drisnia-book-one-the-spell">https://www.wattpad.com/story/286660062-the-forest-kingdom-of-drisnia-book-one-the-spell</a> </p><p>Thank you all for any support you can offer! And as usual - till next time. <br /></p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-52971270641475135252021-09-08T13:08:00.100-04:002021-10-12T10:12:37.463-04:00Covid, and Palsy, and Myocarditus, Oh My! - And Why you Probably Shouldn't Mutate your RNA.<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaBnFbFYr-tHwk4f-P_ujUM00QMNXn3aV2CMo6c82zjJ0qj3RncsN1h8u_gWeQXI9q6qFgAIUP1I4Q2eWkb-GqOBhCapCQUyMfhNCTb0-VQqxGR57uGOqA92GQJxmXWk4_9D7o4WnW2RA/s900/planet-earth-wearing-gas-mask-victor-habbick-visionsscience-photo-library.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="648" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaBnFbFYr-tHwk4f-P_ujUM00QMNXn3aV2CMo6c82zjJ0qj3RncsN1h8u_gWeQXI9q6qFgAIUP1I4Q2eWkb-GqOBhCapCQUyMfhNCTb0-VQqxGR57uGOqA92GQJxmXWk4_9D7o4WnW2RA/w283-h352/planet-earth-wearing-gas-mask-victor-habbick-visionsscience-photo-library.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the omnipresent, yet absentee,
Gauntlet of Balthazar for a post regarding the global pandemic.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you may have noticed, the Gauntlet has been extremely
silent for quite a while regarding Covid-19, and not just because of the legitimate
fear of social media / governmental censorship for posting any notion that
varied from the establishment’s consensus de jour, but more so because the hope
remained that sensible Gauntleterians would eventually see through
the often contradictory and decidedly un-sciency dictates that have cascaded
across the world over the last two years, and get off their knees and wake up.
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hey, remember when they told us they needed just fifteen
days to slow the spread? Hilarious.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps also humorously bittersweet, we now finally have
confirmation of taxpayer-funded N.I.H. gain-of-function research at the Wuhan
Virology Research
Center, thereby verifying what many
of us already suspected - that Covid’s genes were manipulated by the hand of
man, and this was not some random happenstance of bat-to-human
transmission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But, I digress... </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p>Now, as a disclaimer I should mention that I am neither a scientist
nor a medical doctor, and there are many who will probably assume that because
I predominately veer to the right politically that I am “anti-science”. As a note I should insert that historically Republicans in the U.S. have far and away bankrolled
endeavors like space exploration much more than Democrats, who have always been more
interested financing race and gender issues, as well as climate alarmism. That being
said, those topics have much more to do socio-psychological issues than anything actually
fully concrete. Unless, that is, you’re talking about divisiveness,
micro-identitarianism, and the politics of fear.</p><p>Anyway, just to put things in perspective, let’s step back in
time to and era before the Gauntlet was the Gauntlet. To a time where there once was a young
lad who was fascinated by all things science-fiction (and fantasy) in the
halcyon days of the 1970’s (yes, I’m dating myself). This young fellow was well-known in his predilection, and consumed films and
series, book and comic books, and yes, he even joined his high school science
club. The boy soon became a man, and as such, he worked with computers
extensively, downing cup after cup of coffee (or tea) while trying to figure
out artificial gravity on endless scraps of paper. His writing and
screenwriting advanced too, and his science-fiction occasionally became hard-sci-fi as
he created synthetic languages, and devised hypothetical formulas for illicit
drugs, fuels, and yes, diseases. While designing the latter the Gauntlet just
so happened to study how viral structures worked, genetically.
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawL3yAdK1Bh2IA-wiMGsMuU_sD3Y9GUC-lNlCTrfudAgXy38-TIaZOnUgy6mxZdVv_N9ip93bB5qOVRYdYwKc3nqA54Kqp4clT0jo3NPI3R45mbW6vla0oIRN061KieoWAewV7es-UPhS/s650/covid1622011635.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="650" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawL3yAdK1Bh2IA-wiMGsMuU_sD3Y9GUC-lNlCTrfudAgXy38-TIaZOnUgy6mxZdVv_N9ip93bB5qOVRYdYwKc3nqA54Kqp4clT0jo3NPI3R45mbW6vla0oIRN061KieoWAewV7es-UPhS/w450-h282/covid1622011635.jpg" width="450" /></a>Perhaps you are unaware, or don’t recall, but for many,
many, years the medical establishment routinely encouraged doctors around the
world to prescribe less and less antibiotics to sick patients, out of the fear
that viruses would adapt and make treatment less effective over time. They
proposed a gambit of diminishing returns, where our own natural immunity would
be replaced by a reliance on prescription drugs that could only cause Big Pharma
to dream. They told us that this would undermine our “herd immunity” and
weaken us, as a species.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fair enough. This only made sense, since once you’d had an
illness, most of the time your body learned how to beat it, or in the case of
something like chicken pox, it just sort of stayed with you, forever. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But, people forgot this simple paradigm, and played into the
fear that the powers-that-be were peddling, and started to get annual flu
shots, shingles vaccines, and injections for whatever illness they were told might
possibly kill them, cause them pain, or even make them uncomfortably unhappy. The
fear of imminent death caused by some lurking viral agent soon came to pervade
our popular culture, and zombie-themed films and series proliferated hand-in-hand
with the delusion that the earth would most, most definitely not be an
environment fit for human life in just decades to come. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Like the Protestant millenarian preachers of the early
twentieth century who believed that the rapture was imminent and encouraged their
flocks to sell off their worldly goods in preparation for the end, the climate
extremists likewise oriented, predicting one event or the other as the
benchmark of environmental apocalypse – all of which never came to pass, except
for a fractional increase of one percent of the earth’s average annual
temperature. Even now, a few towns flooding in the northeast brings out every dingbat
available. These brainiac’s assume that torrential downpours are a new thing,
even when the amount of annual rainfall in the region is the same or less on
the aggregate. But, hey, I’ll bet they were too busy running for class
president than actually working out weird sciency stuff. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpVxnV9axD4mANguzxkHyUacrzbZNbYU3Krf5F8fdLvvzD1z-OzkA9MePKPEy_vHheMv77tvmx18Nh5OMnNsnCEhVvkJPTrTig7V4jk9HwDUwvS6Z_yqpCuc5Et72_d_tEFlW5jNWGEr6/s553/malthus.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="391" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpVxnV9axD4mANguzxkHyUacrzbZNbYU3Krf5F8fdLvvzD1z-OzkA9MePKPEy_vHheMv77tvmx18Nh5OMnNsnCEhVvkJPTrTig7V4jk9HwDUwvS6Z_yqpCuc5Et72_d_tEFlW5jNWGEr6/w272-h380/malthus.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>Philosophically, thinkers like Thomas Malthus, Karl Marx, and
apparently Thanos, and the simpletons-meets-psychos who follow them see certain environmental,
social, economic, and political outcomes as inevitable, with little to no
capacity for allowing variables such as math or inventions to rise to the
occasion and solve specific problems. Food production is a perfect case in
point: where Malthus hypothesized that humanity would soon go extinct from
starvation due to the exponential growth in global population, today less and
less farmers feed more and more people each and every year. Old Tom was apparently
incapable of foreseeing advancements in agricultural technology. What a genius! To sum up - Thomas Malthus was wrong, is wrong, and always will be wrong. The same for "scientific" Karl. <br /><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Leftist thinking on the gun control issue is similar. When
asked, the average gun-grabber not only doesn’t understand the actual wording
of the second amendment, they truly think that confiscating legal weapons will stop
crime, when something like 97% of almost all criminal violence is statistically
engaged in with illegal weapons. In the rare happenstance when a legal weapon
is utilized in a criminal act, I’d wager that in a huge amount of those cases the
gun was “borrowed” from the licensed owner, probably a close relative. They
also imagine that the Founding Fathers could not envision, or were not aware of, advancements in firearm technology. Little do they realize that there were
multi-fire weapons even in the 1770’s, and while they themselves are capable of
picturing the future creation of phasers and lasers, they actually think that
the founders – the smartest men of their generation, some of whom were quite
impressive inventors, were incapable of envisioning the future of
weaponry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, will there be wars fought over water in the coming years?
Maybe. But it’s just as likely that two countries with a contentious issue
might instead finance shared desalinization projects. I know that seems like a
glass-half-full coming from the often pessimistic Gauntlet, but if two nations spend their time
pitting army against army with no immediate concrete water-territory gain, I
don’t really think that war will last very long. People can only live without water
for five days max after all. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, back to viruses. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEogTvJzWF-tij9hHCkTVXu3AcbBxwCdcDVz7rvO5V6oMqJZpFw9F58obiQqcZgd9FI2dkLFwdU4YQNQA0wWDf0qeC9SPXK3F5DnAf8TDWdXqnssTUuzGujeyMcwYJi9NSHyazAjZ87D8/s460/Bill-Gates-at-Davos-007.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="460" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEogTvJzWF-tij9hHCkTVXu3AcbBxwCdcDVz7rvO5V6oMqJZpFw9F58obiQqcZgd9FI2dkLFwdU4YQNQA0wWDf0qeC9SPXK3F5DnAf8TDWdXqnssTUuzGujeyMcwYJi9NSHyazAjZ87D8/w479-h284/Bill-Gates-at-Davos-007.jpg" width="479" /></a>As you may not remember, the brain trust at the World
Economic Forum at Davos at the start of the Plan-demic waxed rhapsodic about
the wonderful opportunity a viral outbreak WOULD (yes, they talked about it
even before January 2020) be for the “global reset” that they proposed.
The “reset” of course was their way of referring to forcing the world into the
mold of utopian globalism that they envision. This is a
Kleptocratic-Marxist-Globalism that will eventually install a one world
currency (preferably intangible), one world government (run through an urban,
probably European Bureaucracy), and hold complete social control (Credit Scores
/ Big Tech) over a “diminished human population” (as Bill Gates likes to say),
of ideally about 500 million. Sounds kinda like the Hunger Games, huh?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And so, the race was on. Gates and Davos with John Hopkins popped
out hypothetical pandemic film scenarios such as “Event 201” - feigning
concerned preparedness as their motive, when it is obvious what they’d prefer
as the outcome. The W.E.F. now cries wolf that the pandemic has led to
"de-globalization", when it has only encouraged governmental controls and
oligarchic wealth. Just ask Jeff Bezos how his company has fared in the pandemic.
In fact, low-and-behold, the top ten biggest companies and the richest men in
the world have skyrocketed in earnings over the last two years. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Even their language is deceptive. Oh no, “de-globalization”
– that sounds terrible, ‘cuz like were a global world, MAN! News flash: you can
accept or believe in globalization with out believing in the demented faith
known as globalism. This is a similar ploy to the one BLM engages in. By naming
their movement after the agreeable sentiment that black peoples lives are as important as
non-black peoples lives, they obscure the fact that they are a horrible Marxist
organization with a fairly horrific agenda that goes far past simply being an
African-American civil rights movement. It’s sort of like if the Gauntlet started a
non-profit called “Unicorns fart Love”, but we were actually were a cult of
weirdos who proposed the genocide of some ethnic group or the other. One could say that sort of tactic is a tad disingenuous, in my opinion.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibItYKoIbYcGr3wGyH0T50JcROmV_ymPjhQdWKg3R_OfqzrdEv3flFbkr2rNvEX82bqtSYPJKCVZmRpia5HtcCop-85iJ4YR9zQRbbz3A_NjsGMdMxWbOVUI6_gD43zA7BAQXkFpTI3BH9/s1280/heartjnl-2020-August-106-15-1115-F3.large.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1280" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibItYKoIbYcGr3wGyH0T50JcROmV_ymPjhQdWKg3R_OfqzrdEv3flFbkr2rNvEX82bqtSYPJKCVZmRpia5HtcCop-85iJ4YR9zQRbbz3A_NjsGMdMxWbOVUI6_gD43zA7BAQXkFpTI3BH9/w480-h305/heartjnl-2020-August-106-15-1115-F3.large.jpg" width="480" /></a>So as CNN and their ilk do a bait-and-switch and shift from
displaying a running Covid death count to a running case count, we are told that
99% of people who are hospitalized for Covid are unvaccinated, when this is a
blatant lie. 60% of people don’t even display symptoms, and the lion’s share of
death is still among the very old and unhealthy who possess multiple
co-morbidities. The survival rate of those who display symptoms - hospitalized
or not, vaccinated or not, varies only within the 99 percent range. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Regardless, some 3 million people have died from Covid and
that is indeed very sad, but in a world with a population roughly 8 billion, that
doesn’t seem like a whole lot. Likewise in the U.S.
there have been just over 300 deaths among the very young. While losing kids is
a particularly tragic thing, mind you we are a nation of 325 million or so, which makes
those sad losses account for about 0.000000001% of the population.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are told that vaccines are safe when thousands have died
from them (about 6000), or then immediately came down with hospital grade Covid. Many others have developed
Bell’s Palsy, Guillaume Barre Syndrome, Myocarditus, Pericarditus,
abnormalities in women’s menses, and a host of other symptoms that belie the problem of
undercutting natural immunity with over medication.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The most onerous news outlets now tout that "fully one-third" of those hospitalized for Covid are not vaccinated, playing a psychotic word game attempting to not describe the same situation as that two-thirds of hospitalizations are of people who ARE VACCINATED! As an aside it should be mentioned that there are some subsidiary issues as well. These include the fact that in recent tests children under the age of four have dropped on average
22 I.Q. points over the last two years. This is due to them suffering from inhibited social interaction
and their inability to see faces due to universal mask covering. News flash - apparently
humans are social creatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36n5vTc6WwzawyHWBKyXaDjPJ_VeES2oF2zEUB7OBqBhKNj5Ihw2oV3aiu1aR7kbC8WDtTluZhpGKLqc93IY5KgMz94VERtoM32PeGEAtgBulTL7E0WESKzJ-p3thG039sgUXBgyH7bTL/s2048/0a2c3cbb7622af2bea8bab7d603ed97cfb10c307.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36n5vTc6WwzawyHWBKyXaDjPJ_VeES2oF2zEUB7OBqBhKNj5Ihw2oV3aiu1aR7kbC8WDtTluZhpGKLqc93IY5KgMz94VERtoM32PeGEAtgBulTL7E0WESKzJ-p3thG039sgUXBgyH7bTL/w495-h324/0a2c3cbb7622af2bea8bab7d603ed97cfb10c307.jpeg" width="495" /></a>All of the vaccines, regardless of their manufacturer, have in common that they are RNA based -
meaning that the genes in the lining of the Mitochondria take on a mutation in order to learn how to manage and dispose of the new virus. Mutations
are what define our evolution, but these changes are meant to occur naturally over
time. We’re not the X-Men. So, important note here – probably not a good idea
to allow a thoroughly unimpressive President, an entrenched shadow government, a complicit media, and IPO-driven Big Pharma to mutate your genome.</p><p class="MsoNormal">In fact, mutations to the Mitochondria (instituted by vaccines, environmental factors, and genetic inheritance, or the interaction of all three) are believed to the causal factor in a number of increasingly common diseases and conditions, such as autism, which has risen steadily in incidence over the last forty years.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But hey, don’t worry, while those crawling on their brainwashed knees will
still fret about the unmasked being within six feet of them, and wring their hands at the imminent danger of…well, LIFE, we normal folk will be the “bigger men” and I promise we won’t judge you
for the mutant freaks you’ve become. I just hope it doesn’t come back and bite you on
the ass.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p>Till next time.</p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-64608039468371688672021-07-28T12:06:00.000-04:002021-07-28T12:06:17.552-04:00Electronic Music Piece of the Day Give-Away / New Release Tuesday, uh, Wednesday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T_J8mbans2AeA-y34g89sDQMVRF3omfn6WMAR3IJL0YApwkFVfmLfsalUQsCCTRTN0UxKbMimHZKqWKvZhyi-2ECfICtaFGb_uW8ZgMR3rPqK61pyu1-pO-A1tWm64nGk9sK6pgRm0-n/s1400/391+%2526+the+Army+of+Astraea+Rain+Will+Be+Flood+Blue+Final.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T_J8mbans2AeA-y34g89sDQMVRF3omfn6WMAR3IJL0YApwkFVfmLfsalUQsCCTRTN0UxKbMimHZKqWKvZhyi-2ECfICtaFGb_uW8ZgMR3rPqK61pyu1-pO-A1tWm64nGk9sK6pgRm0-n/w349-h349/391+%2526+the+Army+of+Astraea+Rain+Will+Be+Flood+Blue+Final.jpg" width="349" /></a></div>Welcome back to the <a href="http://www.gauntletofbalthazar.com/">Gauntlet of Balthazar</a> for a slightly delayed "new" release Tuesday by <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea</a>. Between the lazy days of summer, a number of unfortunate distractions, and juggling far too many projects, it's clearly been fairly slim pickings around here, but nonetheless, voila, a music upload.<br /><p></p><p>Today's track/s are packaged as an A & B side of a single updated from their original and unreleased mixes - extracted from a 2015 six-track demo EP. As such, these two moody pieces, <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/rain-will-be-flood-blizzard-of-scallions-2015-single" target="_blank">"Rain Will Be Flood" and "Blizzard of Scallions"</a>, have been updated in order to "fill the gaps" in the Army of Astraea's back-catalogue.</p><p>As far as the tracks go, <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/track/rain-will-be-flood-2021-mix" target="_blank">"Rain Will Be Flood" </a>is broken into three distinct parts and attempts to
aurally capture the "feel" of an impending rain / thunder storm, moving
from lackadaisical moodiness to aggressive persistence and finally to
the manually triggered percussion solo that makes up the last
minute-and-a-half, or so. On the other hand, <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/track/blizzard-of-scallions-2021-mix" target="_blank">"Blizzard of Scallions" </a>was partly inspired by my late father, as well as
(probably) early 1970's Pink Floyd. It was part of the soundtrack to
the 2018 documentary video; "<a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari</a> Talks: The Supplicant" - an
interview reel that promoted the award-winning script of the same name.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grQy5CfWY5E" rel="nofollow ugc">www.youtube.com/watch?v=grQy5CfWY5E</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grQy5CfWY5E" target="_blank"> </a></p><p>The cover art is in the same vein as several other 391 releases, such as the <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/false-flag-2019-extended-play-re-mix-single" target="_blank">"False Flag"</a> and <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/space-force-2019-extended-play-single" target="_blank">"Space Force"</a> EP's, and features similarly augmented vintage Soviet propaganda poster art presented in an ironic manner. <br /></p><p>Anyway, the embed is below, so please do enjoy, share, and follow <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea on Bandcamp</a> and <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-536699715" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StubbornGod" target="_blank">Stubborn God Productions Page on Facebook</a>. Heck, you might want to visit the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GauntletofBalthazar" target="_blank">Gauntlet's Page on Facebook</a> as well. Till next time. </p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3206497238/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 522px; width: 350px;"><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/rain-will-be-flood-blizzard-of-scallions-2015-single">Rain Will Be Flood / Blizzard of Scallions (2015 Single) by 391 & the Army of Astraea</a></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-19865904969794544282021-06-27T13:57:00.000-04:002021-06-27T13:57:14.846-04:00An Abbreviated User's Guide to the US Presidents: What’s to Like, and Dislike, About Each? (Part One of Three – the First 15)<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6fDQnznDaK8zYHXvgO17xD4fBD1V4hscRSZhC_Gh5y2ygV3jhawwhz5Ksgs3CojaaK0RV6p82gWwOKcUI6YC68s66MZ50ZZGwTAwcg6Qih5t8MXS7xjYMvZMjSmx74PMwcPVcJOYEJMb/s1280/1+-+Washington.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="800" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6fDQnznDaK8zYHXvgO17xD4fBD1V4hscRSZhC_Gh5y2ygV3jhawwhz5Ksgs3CojaaK0RV6p82gWwOKcUI6YC68s66MZ50ZZGwTAwcg6Qih5t8MXS7xjYMvZMjSmx74PMwcPVcJOYEJMb/w253-h408/1+-+Washington.jpg" width="253" /></a>Welcome to, or back to, the mighty, and often verbose, Gauntlet of Balthazar,
for a review of sorts – in anticipation of the 245<sup>th</sup> Independence
Day of the United States of America from Great Britain.
So, uh, patriotic, I guess.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Obviously, there are occasional flurries of political
content here on the Gauntlet, but having previously examined the social and philosophical
evolution of the various political parties over time (yes, I know, that series
isn’t complete yet), it seemed like it might be a good idea to simplify the matter by
compiling a list of all the Presidents, and giving a brief take on each - looking at 15 at a time in 3 neat installments. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For those of you who like your history simple, this just
might do it for you. But disclaimer: I’m clearly biased, and this is pure
opinion. However, I think it’s part of an historian’s duty to look at each
man’s legacy in retrospect, or in the present case, to forecast with as much perspective as possible, how
the person will be perceived after time has passed.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you’ve visited here before you probably have seen the
description “Neo-Whig” thrown around as a general synonym for the right-leaning
Libertarian inclination, but the original Whigs get no special quarter in this
review. Likewise, Republicans and Democrats do not lose points just due to
their party affiliation, but because of their support of bad policies, or other
failings. To be fair, it should be noted that the Gauntlet considers Globalism,
Socialism, Elitism, Ethno-Nationalism and / or Racism, Neo-Liberalism, and
Neo-Conservatism, Kleptocracy and Corruption as part-and-parcel of bad policies
and failings.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The rating system is more intuitive than data driven, but
positive accomplishments; such as the passage of sound and enduring laws, economic prosperity,
effectiveness in war, infrastructure development, and overall growth, are the key components. Since
the United States has
rarely been at a complete state of peace since the founding, it’s
probably not a fair litmus, but domestic tranquility could mean something. Then again, that
has been in short supply since the late 1960’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So let’s begin at the obvious place – with the first 15
Presidents, who collectively held office from 1789 to 1861. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1. George Washington (1789-1797) – George was not the
greatest General, made some questionable decisions, and was known for his self-motivated business savvy. I guess it is somehow fair that he held both black, and white slaves, but, ugh. However, he was wise enough to turn down a kingship, and smart enough
to grasp that the new nation required a symbolic figure to bind disparate voices together, and that figure might as well be him. Thus, he very rightly would
not back either the Adams or Jefferson camp's, and stood as a true Independent as well as a staunch isolationist – both essential stances for that embryonic period. Oh, and wonderful public relations and media influencing. Gauntlet Rating: 8.5 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUe6lFx-r7mzomGBCwxAF0KxBMy42aJJzXYut-BC-2Ab64vsyhL2YHlJzRUDHaWOCrkSZ71GS6i8PD6kBSqADu3rBiBjizRRNwfy5CDaqS2RLaWSqsp0ID5flXjZsWRE3_tfZMwCRrPQz/s800/2+-+Adams.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUe6lFx-r7mzomGBCwxAF0KxBMy42aJJzXYut-BC-2Ab64vsyhL2YHlJzRUDHaWOCrkSZ71GS6i8PD6kBSqADu3rBiBjizRRNwfy5CDaqS2RLaWSqsp0ID5flXjZsWRE3_tfZMwCRrPQz/w50-h61/2+-+Adams.jpg" width="50" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o7SvumE2FsnbLBbSl4Men9CmTovAyHdGepiYhCzCmbqZgcIdrQWI4vA2WqweYnEG3JH5ptPXCzwjf2bHNKG8ppT3tD7KJrIGWRGuazMQRcUOWDcRSMUeQNFIsex-XSRDXSTcq68YetMj/s800/3+-+Jefferson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="671" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o7SvumE2FsnbLBbSl4Men9CmTovAyHdGepiYhCzCmbqZgcIdrQWI4vA2WqweYnEG3JH5ptPXCzwjf2bHNKG8ppT3tD7KJrIGWRGuazMQRcUOWDcRSMUeQNFIsex-XSRDXSTcq68YetMj/w50-h60/3+-+Jefferson.jpg" width="50" /></a>2. John Adams (1797-1801) – for all of his seeming lack of
social grace, John was instrumental in setting up how the Republic was to work.
As the founder of the Federalist Party, he was a rule of law sort of guy, who
required justice (admittedly, the Alien & Sedition Act went a tad too far), philosophic accord, and felt that the American people were at heart moral and good. His
belief system was the starting point of the various threads that would lead to the formation of
the Republican Party. Oh, and it's definitely weird that both he and Jefferson died on the same day - July 4th, 1826. Gauntlet Rating: 8.25 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI5IcmeROF1nokgBcTzcH2u0qYJEk6vgNU4zIhrArPma13xhOsPywGc57ShPqTPjUCDhr9Uh76KC01ytraVO66iv-uO2DHVcsjrwxShVo0T7wbaDhKUkZzYft9506WF1gZhLFTFLqKM1H/s800/4+-+Madison.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="676" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI5IcmeROF1nokgBcTzcH2u0qYJEk6vgNU4zIhrArPma13xhOsPywGc57ShPqTPjUCDhr9Uh76KC01ytraVO66iv-uO2DHVcsjrwxShVo0T7wbaDhKUkZzYft9506WF1gZhLFTFLqKM1H/w50-h61/4+-+Madison.jpg" width="50" /></a>3. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) – Jefferson
was a stone cold genius (for goodness sake, he designed the office chair and
edited his own version of the Bible), who penned the Declaration of
Independence, the Freedom of Religion Act, and Banned the Importation of
Slaves. Bonus – the Louisiana Purchase more than doubled
the size of the nation. Jefferson was also the first
President to tackle injustice abroad by giving the North African Barbary
pirates a solid beat down. Given, his reason was that they had taken Americans
and Europeans as slaves, and he did not want to pay ransom, and did not free his
own slaves till he was on his deathbed, but still, his unbridled support of liberty
with civic responsibility can be seen as the foundation stone of Libertarianism. Gauntlet Rating: 9 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pxPHzUGQF0oQs52szY2nGLzvVZAXl8JiXI2YcA8u7k6skFsMrF0Y9mt5x49150CtZnPgWaMo0xBqID1nsptKTBD5SO1rEQLP_RX5Yds4THldTqXQPZ3Gui_hm03wDqry9UVYXGmt03kW/s800/5+-+Monroe.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="663" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pxPHzUGQF0oQs52szY2nGLzvVZAXl8JiXI2YcA8u7k6skFsMrF0Y9mt5x49150CtZnPgWaMo0xBqID1nsptKTBD5SO1rEQLP_RX5Yds4THldTqXQPZ3Gui_hm03wDqry9UVYXGmt03kW/w51-h62/5+-+Monroe.jpg" width="51" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>4. James Madison (1809-1817) – Old Jimmy was the “Father of
the Constitution”, and saw the United States
through the War of 1812. ‘Nuff said.
Gauntlet Rating: 8.5 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzX1qyJh12vCteQyYunQk27lYCscrpB7IqhyphenhyphenyfNrqkA5-abMv5NBRqKKTH80e0lh6yJtRNRPtWiYKZf9BHj7Z-BMJAcnRtFHmWEWU5e3X9WKFaogJJJQCuNUQ7h0kfEBnW1SZkiCVeVXM/s800/6+-+JQ+Adams.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="610" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzX1qyJh12vCteQyYunQk27lYCscrpB7IqhyphenhyphenyfNrqkA5-abMv5NBRqKKTH80e0lh6yJtRNRPtWiYKZf9BHj7Z-BMJAcnRtFHmWEWU5e3X9WKFaogJJJQCuNUQ7h0kfEBnW1SZkiCVeVXM/w50-h67/6+-+JQ+Adams.jpg" width="50" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3QE8gXPdEJooS9AitDuxq3UcdWvRVJL1cibALZQozmHkV2cG-EI6_pY-Q9LnaCUKrP43gvAFCDVnWXzREH8_BJpuRzYn1N7I67Gd_8wChs91GU8gl0gI8kp2AbuPCjnaT85kn6FIzPMq/s800/7+-+Jackson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="660" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3QE8gXPdEJooS9AitDuxq3UcdWvRVJL1cibALZQozmHkV2cG-EI6_pY-Q9LnaCUKrP43gvAFCDVnWXzREH8_BJpuRzYn1N7I67Gd_8wChs91GU8gl0gI8kp2AbuPCjnaT85kn6FIzPMq/w52-h65/7+-+Jackson.jpg" width="52" /></a>5. James Monroe (1817-1825) – Well, this is the first shaky
one. Monroe signed the Missouri
Compromise, which admitted Missouri
as a slave state, and thus, appeased the growing pro-slavery block that
eventually led to the Civil War, even though he was theoretically against
slavery. The Monroe Doctrine was a
good potential starting point for New World unity, but generally, Monroe
is a mixed bag. He was allied with Aaron Burr, so against Hamilton,
and by extension, Adams, so, blah. Then again Hamilton
was a tad prickly. I guess his support of free slaves colonizing Liberia
was something. Gauntlet Rating: 6.25 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmL-oAHgnIWfj4ee7N2D2wtGP2agFkIY-A9cjWG7GzFlaxe0A2Drf04o0PaqVQABrXdQ6FFUl826wnaV20k8vOikg9Sz0HYFyZK4i1EhhOI9EQi3-z5HKKnPu8xMZst6h3Pt_BznqF1KY/s800/8+-+Van+Buren.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="601" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmL-oAHgnIWfj4ee7N2D2wtGP2agFkIY-A9cjWG7GzFlaxe0A2Drf04o0PaqVQABrXdQ6FFUl826wnaV20k8vOikg9Sz0HYFyZK4i1EhhOI9EQi3-z5HKKnPu8xMZst6h3Pt_BznqF1KY/w51-h68/8+-+Van+Buren.jpg" width="51" /></a>6. John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) – the son of John Adams,
and the first, non-founding father to serve as President, the best thing about
old J.Q.A was that he co-founded the Whig Party (though he was not elected as a
Whig). Later the Whigs (named for the wigs the founders wore), absorbed not only most of the Federalists, but the Jeffersonian
Republicans as well, into one party that was on one side Conservative and on the other
side Liberty based. While Northern and Southern Whigs had some variant ideas
about how to oppose (or ignore) the institution of slavery, they eventually founded the National
Republican Party, which under Lincoln
re-minted itself the "GOP". Gauntlet Rating: 6.75 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3uXXxKKn5HRg5QuVr_HllUt4g1a_LLeeN2EknJp0obkCktVVv23Bc1HbC7g3sh1WtmZcNhU4UH7oFCWz7W77PG3TK5SWrGpf31LFTN3akFgfsJ1yN1ZbluD0GySg3mMlPX8v3IXFDxQX/s800/9+-+Harrison.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="664" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3uXXxKKn5HRg5QuVr_HllUt4g1a_LLeeN2EknJp0obkCktVVv23Bc1HbC7g3sh1WtmZcNhU4UH7oFCWz7W77PG3TK5SWrGpf31LFTN3akFgfsJ1yN1ZbluD0GySg3mMlPX8v3IXFDxQX/w52-h64/9+-+Harrison.jpg" width="52" /></a></p><p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK3XeIRJn7LtO2bM6W2SkZDyONkYx8sSMoLz3hqC-DFcReL7HOeVovX2x6eb-f3F63eOjn1p6ROA-9VzZ_Zc1YPpAnjou-Ugo6l5Eaby4oXEJp8cMrHPElltrxKp-1QLfn5UFWcBRWW7b/s800/10+-+Tyler.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="607" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK3XeIRJn7LtO2bM6W2SkZDyONkYx8sSMoLz3hqC-DFcReL7HOeVovX2x6eb-f3F63eOjn1p6ROA-9VzZ_Zc1YPpAnjou-Ugo6l5Eaby4oXEJp8cMrHPElltrxKp-1QLfn5UFWcBRWW7b/w52-h68/10+-+Tyler.jpg" width="52" /></a>7. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) – Oh, Andrew, there are so
many good things, and so many bad. Such spirit! Such force of will! The first populist
President - the will of the people had spoken, and they wanted a no-nonsense war
hero, who opposed the power of banks, and particularly, the creation a national
private bank like the Federal Reserve. Under Jackson
the budget was balanced and we had almost no debt. But, the Democratic Party,
created to ferry Jackson into
office, was firmly founded on a pro-slavery platform. So there’s that. Jackson
also killed the hell out of the Native Americans. Gauntlet Rating: 7 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei-tDvlKQG9_L2mDuHBIzjG24rVxpjWtuC8ClIMRv7gV22Igf47cTRkjyBrg6MYrc_gi8ivgI-xgNx51VQJLcyLO_YiIGvvruZo5dn8Qlhmmg4cT_nutjC3dVsIqDnBk6AMSZe3rwoCOF/s800/11+-+Polk.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="607" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei-tDvlKQG9_L2mDuHBIzjG24rVxpjWtuC8ClIMRv7gV22Igf47cTRkjyBrg6MYrc_gi8ivgI-xgNx51VQJLcyLO_YiIGvvruZo5dn8Qlhmmg4cT_nutjC3dVsIqDnBk6AMSZe3rwoCOF/w53-h69/11+-+Polk.jpg" width="53" /></a>8. Martin Van Buren (1837-1841) – Marty baby, as a native
New Yorker I hate to be against the first President hailing from our shared
birth state, but his policies where more or less a continuation of Jackson’s,
including a ton of Indian Removals. His best moment seems to be his opposition
to admitting Texas to the union
as a slave state, which in retrospect was a middle-of-the-road stall. While his
positions angered many, including Southern Democrats, Martin did eventually
support Abolitionism and President Lincoln. Gauntlet Rating: 5 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSXe4OAJjCiR0r8erwfmVz7eLtdj1-484z2u5dbjyh2HX_cwYCIjcg7tGC1SebDCpryk7mZFb1sgPTem0jjCGUpKFgGxbGqb6ZxZiw8ofZYt_boxjBfT-TITJYAkpSt-9U6GuECttO5F4/s800/12+-+Taylor.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="622" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSXe4OAJjCiR0r8erwfmVz7eLtdj1-484z2u5dbjyh2HX_cwYCIjcg7tGC1SebDCpryk7mZFb1sgPTem0jjCGUpKFgGxbGqb6ZxZiw8ofZYt_boxjBfT-TITJYAkpSt-9U6GuECttO5F4/w55-h72/12+-+Taylor.jpg" width="55" /></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">9. William Henry Harrison (1841) – This Whig candidate
designed to oust Van Buren didn’t fair so well as a President, and died of
pneumonia just 31 days after his inauguration. Thus, it’s hard to have an
opinion of W.H.H. Gauntlet Rating: 1.25 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaz8_UM3T7bDPxUimgFaqJ01dg4Yv007cs555KihU8r5P10ETZ9KrcQNg4jR0Q7fVFjgbdfxISsZ2ySWreJkqGr7fTVTwKHFlg7iAhmWArzckplkv_pBMT3654OYnpIEJrCOXyL7Cz6t3N/s800/13+-+Fillmore.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="497" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaz8_UM3T7bDPxUimgFaqJ01dg4Yv007cs555KihU8r5P10ETZ9KrcQNg4jR0Q7fVFjgbdfxISsZ2ySWreJkqGr7fTVTwKHFlg7iAhmWArzckplkv_pBMT3654OYnpIEJrCOXyL7Cz6t3N/w53-h73/13+-+Fillmore.jpg" width="53" /></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">10. John Tyler (1841-1845) – John Tyler was W.H.H.’s
Vice-President, and was inaugurated after his sudden demise. Unlike many
pre-Civil War administrations, Tyler
was part of the same party as his former boss and was a Whig. He was initially
a Virginia Democrat, but opposed Andrew Jackson, and moved on. Tyler
was a full Nationalist, a proponent of State Rights, and a firm believer in
Manifest Destiny, which led him to later side with Confederacy. The general
take: all-in-all a just above average prez. Gauntlet Rating: 4.75 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUVvxo7GJRkh1kIcx1Bk8QQbmejV6bgo4S3gyC6xfg7e9itJ5e7NTSX7_CJXxVBDen86NGz-skO8i0XjtQ1Kk-GwKvyyuiI6dW_NY9cvcrURmvDxBDjnoGnIs0f0SELXHo0r9lg6HbpPt/s800/14+-+Pierce.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="611" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUVvxo7GJRkh1kIcx1Bk8QQbmejV6bgo4S3gyC6xfg7e9itJ5e7NTSX7_CJXxVBDen86NGz-skO8i0XjtQ1Kk-GwKvyyuiI6dW_NY9cvcrURmvDxBDjnoGnIs0f0SELXHo0r9lg6HbpPt/w54-h70/14+-+Pierce.jpg" width="54" /></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXehuipyWKDSde41CMV-1EIE2GCTyY5S4eCUZzfIr8TeY_h382vQo7ha2afbKk9RRDHvmHT7fqF_lTKcZfLlvdseX8t2JmQKyHeYUUNQGslB-9BynCfiBIFFjiYcSkF5lMMMEZt0qybSLC/s800/15+-+Buchanan.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="586" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXehuipyWKDSde41CMV-1EIE2GCTyY5S4eCUZzfIr8TeY_h382vQo7ha2afbKk9RRDHvmHT7fqF_lTKcZfLlvdseX8t2JmQKyHeYUUNQGslB-9BynCfiBIFFjiYcSkF5lMMMEZt0qybSLC/w54-h73/15+-+Buchanan.jpg" width="54" /></a>11. James K. Polk (1845-1849) – A disciple of Jackson and a
Southern Democrat, Polk was another pro-slavery Democrat (what a shock!), and
is chiefly remembered for his victory in the Mexican-American War, which added
more states to the union. Somehow this guy beat Henry Clay, (the Whig Party
founder), for the Presidency. Most historians rank him fairly highly for the
amount of achievements he tallied in his one term. But, he's another "shouldn’t have
been", might be a better assessment. Gauntlet Rating: 5 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">12. Zachary Taylor (1849-1850) – A Taylor
after a Tyler? What are they trying
to do? Confuse us? Anyway, another military man, and a Southern Whig, he was in
office for just over a year, and died of some kind of stomach infection. The
Gauntlet’s take: all in all, totally forgettable. Gauntlet Rating: 3.25 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>13. Millard Fillmore (1850-1853) – Weird name, and the
second New Yorker on the list (well, at least from rural upstate), Millard Fillmore, Like John
Tyler, was a Vice-President who finished out a term of a President who passed
away unexpectedly. Sounds like something in the works right now, huh?
Regardless, he was a member of the Anti-Masonic Party, and was favorable
inclined to the Mormons, (though not a Mormon himself), so let’s just assume a nineteenth century conspiracy theorist. He passed
the not very nice Fugitive Slave Act, which is weird (and uncharacteristic) for a Northern
Whig, but on the good side of the ledger he opened friendly diplomatic relations with a number of up-and-coming Far Asian nations. Gauntlet Rating: 4.25 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.<p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">14. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857) – Franky, Franky, Franky,
between Whigs trying to sweep slavery under the rug, and Democrats decidedly
defending it, the Presidency had been dominated by the South for years.
Increasingly, the Republicans (or, okay National Republicans) and Abolitionism
were becoming one-and-the-same. Saying that, though born in the north, Franklin
Pierce was decidedly anti-Abolitionist in his leanings. A drunk, he is
remembered, or not remembered, as one of the least impressive Presidents. Gauntlet Rating: 2.5 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">15. James Buchanan (1857-1861) – An absolute puppet of the slavers, this
douche was thoroughly unbearable, and it’s no surprise that he was the last President
before the Civil War. Gauntlet Rating: 1 Raised Gauntlet’s out of 10.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">Well, that's about all for now. I hope you enjoyed this brief bio-based post. Stay tuned for Part Two - the next 15, from Lincoln to Hoover. </p><p>Till next time.</p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-45516272544581986082021-05-25T14:06:00.000-04:002021-05-25T14:06:01.145-04:00New Release Tuesday: 391 & the Army of Astraea's "Music Inspired by Primordial Insects & Extremophiles Sampler EP"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2oT11bWvTPcr2jEjhLDiwkHFOAMtQirEvz3jNUfelBFPLSnTjeJmYRehnztZljJH_z_tyXGMMImAMb1AyJj9z_LN4so889DwImX4e2pBKPdiLLriR7VpbiacIxHkK_IsZ0hcjk0l7162/s1400/Extracts+from+_Music+Inspired+by+Primordial+Insects+%2526+Extremeophiles_+Tardigrade+Cheirurus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2oT11bWvTPcr2jEjhLDiwkHFOAMtQirEvz3jNUfelBFPLSnTjeJmYRehnztZljJH_z_tyXGMMImAMb1AyJj9z_LN4so889DwImX4e2pBKPdiLLriR7VpbiacIxHkK_IsZ0hcjk0l7162/w398-h398/Extracts+from+_Music+Inspired+by+Primordial+Insects+%2526+Extremeophiles_+Tardigrade+Cheirurus.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>Good morning, or afternoon, or evening, depending where you are, or um, when you're reading this, oh hopefully recurring visitor to the Gauntlet's little den of iniquity. Regardless, I'd like to welcome you to yet another Tuesday record release. 'Cuz Tuesday is the right day! <br /><p></p><p>Today's issue is a part of a recent, and I suspect forthcoming, effort to retroactively release a number of recordings that were completed a number of years ago, but are just sitting there, like a lazy, lazy dog. While many of these recordings are fully "archival" - in that they were made far too many years ago than I'd like to admit to (such as <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/stubborn-god-productions-working-backwards-84-96-2020-compilation-album" target="_blank">"Stubborn God Productions: Working Backwards '84-'96"</a>), the others are from just a few years ago, like today's collection.</p><p>The first issue in this phase started with the release on <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> in November 2020 of the "<a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/partisan-earth-soundtrack-sampler-ep-2012-2020" target="_blank">Partisan Earth Soundtrack Sampler EP</a>". First recorded in 2012, the Partisan Earth DVD / CD soundtrack originally came in at 22 tracks, and so, rather than re-issue the full album, four pieces were selected and remixed as a Sampler EP. Likewise, 2014's "Music Inspired by Primordial Insects & Extremophiles" also boasted 22 tracks, but for the sake of the sampler I've picked just four of the tracks and remixed them for this release. Whether or not the four tracks I've selected are a perfect
representation of the diversity of the original album is left to be seen, but in general, I
think they go together and follow each other well. </p><p>I must admit that a good chunk of the original recordings are fairly atonal, and as the name implies this is an extremely experimental concept piece of industrial-electronic music that goes in some very eclectic directions. While they are definitely heavy on synth & rhythm programming, there are good amounts of guitar (sometimes de-tuned) and bass present as well, and influences jump from dreamy nursery rhymes to Throbbing Gristle, and from classical music to Robert Fripp and Brian Eno.</p><p>Anyway, I hope that at least some of you appreciate this small glimpse into another project resurrected from the oblivion of computer storage. Obviously if you do, please feel free to share, and follow <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea on Bandcamp</a>, or on <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-536699715" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a>, and to like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StubbornGod" target="_blank">Stubborn God Productions Facebook page</a>. </p><p>The player is embedded below so you can listen here, but if you go to <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>, you can download the "<a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/music-inspired-by-primordial-insects-extremophiles-sampler-ep-2014-2021" target="_blank">Music Inspired by Primordial Insects & Extremophiles Sampler EP</a>", or other recordings, and even donate to the cause if you so choose to.</p><p>Anyway that's about all for now. Till next time.</p><iframe style="border: 0; width: 400px; height: 640px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2516643640/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/music-inspired-by-primordial-insects-extremophiles-sampler-ep-2014-2021">Music Inspired by Primordial Insects & Extremophiles Sampler EP (2014 / 2021) by 391 & the Army of Astraea</a></iframe>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-75757499164261675462021-04-28T00:00:00.003-04:002021-04-28T16:18:54.304-04:00From the Graphic Design Studio: Algorithm Assisted Art - Ancient Judean Portraits<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMSxRSU48Fyi4kTlJ6VjxnsN0ugLPsFSICTfBRZLEXPNaCXGstwcqIjGN2GYGSGXTe4laZV73R0R7zAG9sJbgXw53z9jVgym2RPKNVmv3gLr0QOpQelYUZPtDJyvldNhYSQNFbQpcoJ_k/s512/Josephus+02.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMSxRSU48Fyi4kTlJ6VjxnsN0ugLPsFSICTfBRZLEXPNaCXGstwcqIjGN2GYGSGXTe4laZV73R0R7zAG9sJbgXw53z9jVgym2RPKNVmv3gLr0QOpQelYUZPtDJyvldNhYSQNFbQpcoJ_k/w369-h370/Josephus+02.jpeg" width="369" /></a></div>Welcome to, or back to, the so very wicked, yet surprisingly do-gooding, Gauntlet of Balthazar. <p></p><p>Today I'd like to address a recent fascination I've discovered - Algorithm Assisted Portraiture. Initially I explored these sort of programs as a tool to help coalesce pre-production visual design for characters featured in the scripts and projects my company, <a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises</a>, had / has been holistically developing.</p><p>While this is only half "art" (meaning not from scratch), I soon realized that the programs (such as Artbreeder) could be applied to historical personalities and the like. Of course, as a fairly Zionistic chap, I always bemoaned the fact that the Jews of ancient times held to a strict human images=idolatry policy, and thus, rarely depicted themselves in the graphic arts, with the exception starting with the stylized figures found in the Dura-Europos Synagogue mosaics from 3rd century C.E. Parthian Syria. </p><p>But, what of the Judean homeland before the devastating occupation, enslavement, genocides, and dispersal of the First (66-73 C.E.) and Second (132-135 C.E.) Roman-Jewish Wars? While there are human figures represented on coinage found in the Levant in the period, it almost exclusively depicts notable Greek and Roman religious icons or political figures, or in the case of Nabatean silver, their very, very stylized monarchs. </p><p>So, being left only with Roman busts of prominent Jews who assimilated into Roman culture, I looked to see if the algorithms could assist me in creating what amounts to as more or less real life portraits of Judeans of the First Century C.E. Obviously two portraits do not a diverse population make, but I think these are pretty good representations of a general "look". Heck, if DNA extracted from Galilean skeletons is any evidence, there was a fair amount of genetic homogeneity in the region as the result of prolonged intra-cultural endogamy. <br /></p><p>The two personalities that stood out the most were the Jewish General turned historian Yosef ben Matiyahu - otherwise known as Titus Flavius Josephus, or simply Josephus (above left), and the other was the Hasmonean King Herod the First, otherwise known as Herod the Great (below right). Ethnically it should be pointed out that Josephus was purely Judean, and a Kohen (priestly caste) at that, descended from Jonathan Apphus - the brother of Judah the Maccabee, and by extension through a long pedigree to Phinehas, the grandson of Aron, of Exodus fame.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79B9tCYBFjVAFjI8GMKC5zXcyeiAIygcmvhyphenhyphenkJKjBNRuPi5TOiJReNkw46OBDNT9dnxapVv4I2Rk8Sg2V4200CTjDbCX8jtcqVcm3B1bpMkkuLnWIixuHWaXU22xV_jIaBwnZP2QwXd2j/s512/Herod+the+Great.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79B9tCYBFjVAFjI8GMKC5zXcyeiAIygcmvhyphenhyphenkJKjBNRuPi5TOiJReNkw46OBDNT9dnxapVv4I2Rk8Sg2V4200CTjDbCX8jtcqVcm3B1bpMkkuLnWIixuHWaXU22xV_jIaBwnZP2QwXd2j/w369-h374/Herod+the+Great.jpeg" width="369" /></a>King Herod on the other hand was the son of Antipater - a high-ranking official from Idumea (around Beersheva), whose mother was a Nabatean Arab woman named Cypros (probably from the other side of the Jordan River). The Idumeans were an ethnologically very closely related people to the Judeans (i.e. descended from Esau), who do not appear to be linguistically or physically that distinct from Judeans, Galileans, or Samaritans, and prior to Herod's birth, the tribe was en masse in the process of being absorbed into mainstream Judean culture. At times this acculturation was consensual, but at other times the less compromising zealots of Judaism would sort of, well, force the issue, with swords and stuff. The Nabateans (who wrote their language in Aramaic characters) were a "Judean-friendly" pagan Arab tribe, and who for the most part eventually opted for their own version of Christianity, before being absorbed into Islam. Their genetic descendants are today any Arabs affiliated with the Al-Azd tribe - which is spread throughout the middle east. While this technically makes Herod a convert to Judaism - and a Hellenized one at that, rather than an ethnically "pure" Judean, it should be pointed out that great numbers of Idumeans fought and died alongside ethnic Judeans in the Roman War, and were from all reports more or less indistinct from one another (at least, I suspect, from a foreign perspective). Overall Idumeans played an important role in the evolution of First Century C.E. Jewish culture and Judaism, and supplied such stellar visionaries as Akiva ben Yosef, otherwise known as Rabbi Akiva - one the key contributors to the Mishnah, or Rabbinic law.</p><p>All in all I think the two portraits came out fairly well, but if you are interested in the reference material of the original statuary it's easily available through a quick web search of Josephus or Herod. Some other images I looked at were Nabatean coins bearing the image of King Malichos II from 40-70 C.E., as well as a Neolithic mask found in the Judean desert that dates from about 9000 B.C.E. Neither is exactly Judean, but the latter does shine some light on what the folk who lived at Jericho in pre-biblical times might have looked like.</p><p>I'm fully interested going even more forensic in building out features from period skulls excavated in the region. And hey, some Philistine faces would be quite nice to recover.<br /></p><p>Anyway, that's about it for now. </p><p>Till next time.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN70LXl1PjkeCg-jqOy9MDj1duVDnVXFBptqNzuEXOALohpVOrA_hCFJ6nbBr_Bwi3tNO5xZjwqZbR67cmKlZS6kPI8byQ_4zeEuKOid3wl3hbksQOc_p5QDio4s7u4HAbhv94pvJIAH1W/s500/josephus_bust.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-23004103145795755932021-04-25T21:10:00.012-04:002021-04-26T01:11:21.105-04:00The Gauntlet Speaks: The Return of John Galt?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDAjz49giwJwqSMfN3YjrOpZSvklQnhl-ipoaIUXG5dqXSvKngSKv1ZYiL87Brhvos2Jxm_YvkXVtMCMHvl0Ch5pk3EygHjg1YM5JYkYV9yC-vImARTso16tST9QBq-2xwt-CkxLveVxq/s1050/11parler-facebookJumbo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1050" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDAjz49giwJwqSMfN3YjrOpZSvklQnhl-ipoaIUXG5dqXSvKngSKv1ZYiL87Brhvos2Jxm_YvkXVtMCMHvl0Ch5pk3EygHjg1YM5JYkYV9yC-vImARTso16tST9QBq-2xwt-CkxLveVxq/w607-h276/11parler-facebookJumbo.jpg" width="607" /></a></div>Welcome back to the quaintly out-going yet introverted Gauntlet of Balthazar for more of the usual musings and minutia.<p></p><p>If you've frequented the Gauntlet before you may have noticed that there haven't been very many posts of late, and certainly not as many opinion pieces as there were when visceral civil unrest was more upfront in the U.S., the E.U., the U.K., and elsewhere, over the last couple of years.</p><p>Yes, yes, the Gauntlet had been donned, and had much to say about such complex subjects as Brexit, China's clampdown on Hong Kong, Catalonian Independence (and Spanish statism), Kurdish nationalism, Israel and the Palestinians, and of course the overarching triple threat of Neo-Marxism, Post-Modernism, and Corporatist-Globalism, as well as their unwitting but all too willing facilitators in the mainstream media and corporate sphere. </p><p>Surely, these were, and are, arenas where philosophic combat could, and can, be waged in print against these otherwise wonky "religions", but in the end it's a very hard nut to crack in freeing people's minds who are thoroughly convinced that the beliefs they hold near and dear are homegrown, especially when they themselves don't really fully grasp the history of the ideas they are so earnestly espousing. As genius economist / philosopher Thomas Sowell once rightly stated - "being Democrat in the U.S. is the default position", and no matter how much the Gauntlet has gone out of its way to illuminate the long, dirty, hypocritical history of the party of race and the myriad failures of the far left, this battle has long been a defensive one - with the fate of our shared culture hanging in the balance. This slow fall of our republic has led to the civic virtues and the principles of the American founding fathers as embodied in John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, as well as the political parties derived from them - the Federalists and Whigs, and their offspring - the Republicans, serving as whimpering bastion of largely complacent facilitators of those who would wield power with no hesitation, let alone moral qualms or remorse. In fact, it is quite the opposite, and those power hungry statists generally label those who defend the basis of our nation as socially weird outliers, collaborators with foreign powers, hateful racists, conspiracy theorists, what have you. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1d_D5HrQpRHm0zt1818pkuTG_NyNrZG7MmToXh0sDlgI5yB9-DmMW4MCuM9XqYQIdEBiS16GeOdyxIRWf3TcRDChSAoIoYA9EUYBM01rusCx59jyYm3ETXi5NMf7oRpCBRQrMlXNhTKqT/s1515/Screenshot_2021-04-12+Rasmussen+Reports+on+Twitter.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="1495" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1d_D5HrQpRHm0zt1818pkuTG_NyNrZG7MmToXh0sDlgI5yB9-DmMW4MCuM9XqYQIdEBiS16GeOdyxIRWf3TcRDChSAoIoYA9EUYBM01rusCx59jyYm3ETXi5NMf7oRpCBRQrMlXNhTKqT/w406-h318/Screenshot_2021-04-12+Rasmussen+Reports+on+Twitter.png" width="406" /></a></div>Sadly, the so-called "right wing" long ago ceded the moral high ground to an opponent who debates if there even is such a thing as subjective morality, and with the shift of 1960's radicals easing into the endemic kleptocracy of the 1990's, the so-called small L "liberals" soon supplied the lions share of the entrenched political class (Deep State), as well as the corporate elite (Woke Capital), adding those spheres to an arsenal which already included the arts, the press, and academia. At this point they've even co-opted many traditional religious institutions, imparting "woke" ideology to a bevy of well-meaning reverends, priests, and rabbis, not to mention the current Pope, who I suspect is a tad more Communist than he lets on. <p></p><p>Generally, when an election is lost, regardless of suspicions of foul play, Republicans, Right-Leaning Libertarians, Conservatives, etc., tend to take it well, and usually just pick up their ball and go home, yearning for their next time up at bat. They picture a return to sitting around grumbling complaints with their chums over a cup of tea for four, maybe eight, years max. But our most recent past election presented a new phenomena in the history of American politics. The aftermath was a skirmish of revenge, which included not only a change in the dominant political party, but one in which one side clearly viewed their "victory" as carte blanche to undo what had been done, as well as an opportunity to entrench their party's power indefinitely, and to alter society to match their utopian vision of the future.</p><p>You gotta admit, it is indeed a wonderful vision, filled with ideas lifted from the likes of Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, Saul Alinsky, the World Economic Forum at Davos, Progressives going back to the vexing Woodrow Wilson, and even some ideas borrowed from Republicans like Teddy Roosevelt. Sadly, their goal is to install these ideas, many of which are racist by the way (yes, read about Wilson), regardless of how much they doth protest. In the guise of corporate human resource managers paying aggrieved, generally Socialist, "NPO" guest speakers (out of our tax dollars) to lecture employees about "inclusion", "equity", and other really nice sounding buzz words that de facto promote race, class, and gender warfare, and are cut from the pages of any old street corner Communist shouting at the bourgeois passerby. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGmLBIlNfQWuSxy9WRpzNzCF4ntDONszstukDkw_LBmczOyuF9f-uPx4eNoSAhNd38ri1XGJXIrNjfTya3_vo_oG6MTSpdHxfAaAEXk00hvEQYZhUQYBRVpj7z2UzFkR2l89GbA46hdM9/s1484/Biden+02.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1484" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGmLBIlNfQWuSxy9WRpzNzCF4ntDONszstukDkw_LBmczOyuF9f-uPx4eNoSAhNd38ri1XGJXIrNjfTya3_vo_oG6MTSpdHxfAaAEXk00hvEQYZhUQYBRVpj7z2UzFkR2l89GbA46hdM9/w407-h303/Biden+02.jpg" width="407" /></a></div>I have to admit that when I saw the Capitol incident on television I was initially tickled pink, as the words of Thomas Jefferson rattled through my head - "A government should be afraid of its people and not the other way around". But even at that moment I knew that this event would be soon weaponized by the DNC (and their allies) as a ready tool to destroy those that they deemed fit to be "cancelled". The fact that Republicans from their start have never been part of a riot, while Democrats had been having them since 1832, ramped them up starting in 1968, and topped them off with the BLM / Antifa-fests of the summer of 2020, meant nothing - 'cuz, what's good for the goose is good for the, uh, goose.<p></p><p>Nonetheless the result was to be expected. Algorithms suddenly changed, content de-ranking was rampant, videos were "age restricted", YouTube channels and legit social media platforms such as Parler were suddenly offline (but hey, I'm sure they were horrible 'cuz, you know, "they" said so), monetization dried up, as the empty suit know as Joe Biden took the White House as the most popular elected Democrat IN HISTORY. Yes, historians will marvel at this in the future - a man everyone took for at best a too touchy-feely non-entity, received a larger number and larger percentage of the vote, and even more of the Black vote than Barack Obama. (Honk!, Honk!) Sure he did. What's that you say? How can that be if Trump took more of the Black Male vote away from Democrats than any Republican in over sixty years? Yeah, somehow Blacks just had to come out and give Awesome Joe a hand. Wow, what a powerhouse! <br /></p><p>Anyway, I digress, but as I've always contended, this was never about Trump versus Biden, or the prior's "personality", this was / is a about a point in history where the left reached "critical mass" and said, "it's now or never". They needed to push their agenda through, get rid of even good things that always worked, they needed to tear down the past with regressive glee, and "reset" society using the Covid-19 psy-op fear-demic as their cudgel. Trump, and any Conservative who were / are a threat to the left, and punched back, were on the enemies list - because only those that they sanctioned would be allowed to speak. We (everyone who isn't them) are just supposed to stand there and take it. Hey, maybe even apologize, like all the media personalities who we've become used to watching race to save their careers with useless excuses after they get trounced on by twitter demons just before their corporate masters turf them out to the unemployment line. <br /></p><p>Just a note to everyone out there who might fall into one of their sticky traps. When tangling with a liberal mob, never, never, ever, apologize - for anything. The only viable tactic is the turnabout. A swift punch back, followed by inverting the narrative that it is they who function as the racists and fascists that they oh, so profess are their arch-enemies. As the old saying goes: Scratch a liberal and you find underneath an elitist, or a self-hating aristocrat. Scratch a Conservative and you'll find a person who is frightened of change. We don't need to change, but as any descent General would tell you, tactics must be adjusted to fit the circumstances. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30n_AXHzNlgQBynZmSkyBIgSytb5CQZC9Jxxf8SCNkwsGJQTPy679SYDVHr2XHNpQkkqZPCcVBptDiKP0r9yYi_smubzD5kZdi1ep1MlHhtv9e8o9mtbIH0MFyshHdbbEl5xU3rJlUKES/s787/Biden+01.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="787" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30n_AXHzNlgQBynZmSkyBIgSytb5CQZC9Jxxf8SCNkwsGJQTPy679SYDVHr2XHNpQkkqZPCcVBptDiKP0r9yYi_smubzD5kZdi1ep1MlHhtv9e8o9mtbIH0MFyshHdbbEl5xU3rJlUKES/w628-h377/Biden+01.png" width="628" /></a></div>On the upside - in the end the leftists will inevitably fail, as is their nature. They confuse the egalitarianism of the Classical Liberalism of the enlightenment with anarchy and licentiousness. They conflate well-meaning intentions for virtues, and generally don't grasp the distinction between liberty and equality. They claim to be the party of science, while spouting contradictory and decidedly un-sciency statements. Their progressive antecedents did the same thing when they endorsed phrenology and eugenics in the WWI period. They even used this sort of highly questionable "science" in the 19th century when they defended the institution of slavery, as well as the implementation of wide-spread abortion under Margaret Sanger, whose goals for her organization Planned Parenthood was to limit the number of Black, Jewish, Italian, and poor white babies from entering the gene pool. Race science was even promoted in the de-segregation era of the early 1960's, and frankly, the current inter-sectional racial equity gambit is loaded with heaps of race science quackery and social science theories that more often than not flat out ignore demographic and statistical data. Is it a surprise that many green activists talk about limiting population growth to save the earth - as if they're demented parrots of Thomas Malthus! <br /><p></p><p>While I'm no fan of Neo-Cons or Neo-Libs, at least traditional moderate liberals could get some things done. Sadly, as the far leftists have become dominant, the co-opted liberals have clearly entered a phase in which they form a notion with no means to move it to next step, let alone see it to its ultimate outcome. Intentions and objective are blurred. As Nick Fury says to Loki in the first Avenger's film: "Yeah, you say Freedom, but I think you mean the other thing."</p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVXyYguKf0WzHkbYUPBb8S3O2Rl25aJSWXJm1gNFZZ3fzL_crrJ8roQbUAqaBEflZnXX_eRM6IiqDL-dYkf_K61R7jKNv5Rtb_OUFodctKBajGGHZ9VJZmX4ZZ12HaguhjUmnk5nSKQuT/s1400/Atlas-Shrugged-Part-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1400" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVXyYguKf0WzHkbYUPBb8S3O2Rl25aJSWXJm1gNFZZ3fzL_crrJ8roQbUAqaBEflZnXX_eRM6IiqDL-dYkf_K61R7jKNv5Rtb_OUFodctKBajGGHZ9VJZmX4ZZ12HaguhjUmnk5nSKQuT/w415-h294/Atlas-Shrugged-Part-1.jpg" width="415" /></a></div>With Biden's election the leftist puppet media touted "a return to normalcy" and "reconciliation". But this is a lie. Their normalcy is just another version of "their way or the highway" and vilifying their opponents. Their "reconciliation" is endless witch trials. While Conservatives burn pandemic masks in protest, they ban and burn books that have fallen out of their favor. These are the worst sort of people and I shudder for the Republic, and all republics everywhere. <p></p><p>In the long run, their attacks will just create a stronger counter-reaction, and the more they suppress dissent, the more extreme the reprisal will be later. I imagine if things keep going the way they are that you might hear a leftist say one day, "Hey that Trump guy wasn't so bad...not like this new guy...what a monster!"</p><p>But, for the time being we can build and prepare, while they rest on their very plush, and self-assured laurels. While it is best that we do not hide, we must be aware that the playing field is neither even, nor fair, and that while we accept that those to our left have the right to believe what they believe, the same quarter is not extended to us. In fact, not only do they not understand the why and what we believe, they have no interest in debate, and go out of their way to incorrectly characterize, suppress, and mock our arguments before the fact. </p><p></p>Thus, at least from where I sit - this is the return of John Galt - the patient, elusive, symbolic, Conservative-Libertarian "protagonist" of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". Building alternative platforms and conduits, and sharing our notions only with trusted friends, while we sadly hold our tongues around those who are rest assured to strike back upon the realization that we have another viewpoint. And then, when the moment comes we must hold our leaders responsible to not betray the principles that define us. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0prOdkonpkdakhr5nI9BsdB3lBxPDPeIIb-DyPnHHH-K1DsDRn6OgKO8i-VsBoyBaQzY5LSsGy2jSZReykAShclxZLpad7u53UsMBtiOZzrNVlvIIjsPFGh6RItxGPw4mh99dxQTWzI3g/s398/78b5051de19e644e3ceb241417299c832bb8216819895a5009eb32f16aeb19c7.0.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0prOdkonpkdakhr5nI9BsdB3lBxPDPeIIb-DyPnHHH-K1DsDRn6OgKO8i-VsBoyBaQzY5LSsGy2jSZReykAShclxZLpad7u53UsMBtiOZzrNVlvIIjsPFGh6RItxGPw4mh99dxQTWzI3g/w325-h321/78b5051de19e644e3ceb241417299c832bb8216819895a5009eb32f16aeb19c7.0.png" width="325" /></a></div>First things first, of course we must stand by our beliefs, speak the truth, but in policy I suggest that when we are in the position to do so we move to change the classification of internet social media platforms to that of regulated public utilities rather than private businesses who regardless maintain biased publishing and editorial oversight over their users. Secondly, we need to move to nationalize specific server farms, so someone like Jeff Bezos can't just decide at a moments notice to purge anyone he doesn't like without a trace.<p></p><p>This is not to say remove ownership and private property - quite the opposite. These are measures that are no different than how we as users interact with out telephone service providers. Sprint doesn't cut into my phone calls and tell me that I can't say something they don't like. Obviously, calls to violence and the like should be monitored, but I think these measures would be a good start, and maybe when there's at least some semblance of a level playing field, actual civility may return to our public discourse.<br /></p><p>So I guess that what I'm saying is that I've been laying in wait, surveying the lay of the land while I continue focusing on my artistic endeavors. A break, or if you will, a cease fire, at least for me - though I can't imagine the other side ever relenting. </p><p>As previously mentioned, there's more content on the way, but that's about it for now.</p><p>Till next time.</p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7946173347849773206.post-11429271665107417002021-04-20T22:54:00.016-04:002021-04-21T16:56:36.612-04:00New Release Tuesday: 391 & the Army of Astraea's "I'm Not Van Gogh" Extended Play Single<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8v_SCoCVEdlm-98EeQegcRZgPgrATeZYru7Dl7TpOmNxyfN_8uaOGTLD4ZCo6FP2B3OLge7jPrg-K4eljkPYV2xBtt2HubOvAtkCl2_HLshgViuDuH1re978yfTQqmCMaV7nfj5scAQrw/s1400/391+%2526+the+Army+of+Astraea+INVG+_+LNL+%252B+TTL+Single.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8v_SCoCVEdlm-98EeQegcRZgPgrATeZYru7Dl7TpOmNxyfN_8uaOGTLD4ZCo6FP2B3OLge7jPrg-K4eljkPYV2xBtt2HubOvAtkCl2_HLshgViuDuH1re978yfTQqmCMaV7nfj5scAQrw/w400-h400/391+%2526+the+Army+of+Astraea+INVG+_+LNL+%252B+TTL+Single.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Hello my fellow Gauntletarians, I know it's been quite a while, and as such I've been working on a very wordy sociopolitical post as well as a mixology installment to upload really soon. But in the meantime, it just so happens that I recently finished mixing (at least as much as I can stand it) a new <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/im-not-van-gogh-2021-extended-play-single" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea three song Extended Play Single.</a> <p></p><p>Unlike many of 391's earlier digital releases this single is not Industrial-Electronic or Soundtrack work, but instead is in the Alternative Folk-Rock / Singer-Songwriter vein of things. Titled <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/track/im-not-van-gogh" target="_blank">"I'm Not Van Gogh"</a> / <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/track/love-not-lost-live" target="_blank">"Love Not Lost (Live)"</a> + <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/track/the-tattooed-lady-dreamland-park-mix" target="_blank">"The Tattooed Lady (Dreamland Park Mix</a>)", this vocals & guitar-driven trio of ditties have been in the works for quite a while, and contains elements that reach as far back as 1988. </p><p>Interestingly, all three cuts on this extended play are composites of either old lyrics with new music, or new lyrics with old music, or additional tracks added to existing recordings made a couple of years ago. Thematically they're also all over the place, with the title track standing as a lyrical coping mechanism for the vagaries of the writing process, the second track lodged in the middle as a lovelorn ballad, and the last tune noticeably summoned from 1920's retro-kitsch.</p><p>Anyway, I hope you enjoy these songs, and hopefully those to come. Feel free to let me know what you think (hopefully nicely), and obviously, you are very welcome to follow the <a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">391 & the Army of Astraea page on Bandcamp</a> and / or the <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-536699715" target="_blank">Stubborn God Productions page on Soundcloud</a>, and to like and subscribe to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHF2thzCZKXUxIGr5qEgLag" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises YouTube channel</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GauntletofBalthazar" target="_blank">Gauntlet of Balthazar</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StubbornGod" target="_blank">Stubborn God Productions</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nevekari" target="_blank">Nevekari Enterprises</a> pages on Facebook, and of course, <a href="http://www.nevekari.com/" target="_blank">Nevekari's home page</a>. <br /></p><p>Thanks as always. Till next time. </p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></p><p> <iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3498726673/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=e99708/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 605px; width: 400px;"><a href="https://391armyofastraea.bandcamp.com/album/im-not-van-gogh-2021-extended-play-single">I'm Not Van Gogh (2021 Extended Play Single) by 391 & the Army of Astraea</a></iframe></p>Ira Rosenblumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768133128840207030noreply@blogger.com1