Category: Uncategorized

Suspicions confirmed

The Chief Justice is no conservative:

A divided Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics, reasserting a commitment to abortion rights over fierce opposition from dissenting conservative justices in the first big abortion case of the Trump era.

Chief Justice John Roberts and his four more liberal colleagues ruled that the law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals violates abortion rights the court first announced in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

The outcome is not the last word on the decades-long fight over abortion with dozens of state-imposed restrictions winding their way through the courts. But the decision was a surprising defeat for abortion opponents, who thought that a new conservative majority with two of President Donald Trump’s appointees on board would start chipping away at abortion access.

Roberts is proving to be the most treacherous Chief Justice since Earl Warren. And he is confirming, once more, that no one is going to be voting their way out of this one.

Another day, another scandal

Today’s scandal du jour wafting out of the fetid freakshow that used to be called science fiction and fantasy stars two overrated mediocrities, Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch:

I was groomed and abused by Scott Lynch and Elizabeth Bear for several years.

For a long time, I never wanted to talk about this in public. I didn’t want anybody to know about this. I only began rethinking yesterday and I was still considering what to do about it, but… apparently I don’t have that luxury anymore. Additionally, I’ve recently heard some new  information about their abusive behavior towards other people–young women, usually baby writers who do not have established careers, girls they had mentorship relationships with–and frankly SOMEBODY has to be brave enough to speak up first, or these young women will continue to be hurt and intimidated into silence, just as I was.

This is terrifying to write. I’m afraid of career repercussions, for one. I’m also alarmed at the potential threat to my physical safety: Lynch and Bear live 15mins away & know how to get to my house. I spoke to my roommate about comfort levels with me speaking out, and we have prepared for the possibility that they could confront me in person.

It goes on and on and on without ever saying very much of significance, which tends to prove her claims of having been mentored by Bear and Lynch. On the plus side, however, it does explain why mainstream science fiction and fantasy are all but unreadable these days.

Scott Lynch’s response is pretty much guaranteed to get his book contracts canceled, despite his having dutifully performed all the required ritual genuflections before the SF-SJWs.

I have read the June 25 statement made by Alex Rowland on their website, and while it contains much that I would consider merely heavily edited, it also contains statements that I consider to be outright lies and defamation.

I will be responding in more detail as promptly as I possibly can, and I will also be inviting them to back, modify, or delete the statements that I consider actionable.

It’s really not that hard. The more enthusiastic the fan, the further you should keep them away from you and everyone you know. And that goes double for any female fan who shows any signs of being attracted to you.

Palestinian Lives Matter

And in a blink of an eye, all that massive funding for Black Lives Matter suddenly began to disappear:

UK Jewish activists have lashed out at the British chapter of Black Lives Matter over its pro-Palestinian tweets. They say the anti-racist movement’s criticism had anti-Semitic undertones.

BLM UK posted a series of tweets on Sunday, criticizing Israel over its plans to annex occupied Palestinian territories and calling for solidarity with the Palestinian cause. One of the earlier posts stated that “mainstream British politics is gagged of the right to critique Zionism, and Israel’s settler colonial pursuits”.

As Israel moves forward with the annexation of the West Bank, and mainstream British politics is gagged of the right to critique Zionism, and Israel’s settler colonial pursuits, we loudly and clearly stand beside our Palestinian comrades. FREE PALESTINE.
#BlackLivesMatterUK

That particular part prompted a furious backlash from the British NGO Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA). “Zionism is the movement for the self-determination of Jews,” CAA tweeted in response. “So-called ‘anti-Zionism’ exclusively denies Jews that universal right and is therefore anti-Semitic.”

Notice the way the juxtaposition of their definitions exposes their word spells:

  • Denying Americans the universal right of self-determination = anti-racism.
  • Denying Jews the universal right of self-determination = anti-Semitism
  • The movement for the self-determination of Jews = Zionism
  • The movement for the self-determination of Americans = White Supremacy

The Etiquette of Evil

The fourth and final episode of Midnight’s War, Arkhaven’s entry in the Webtoons Short Story contest, is now available. It is called THE ETIQUETTE OF EVIL and I think you will find that it more than makes up for the lack of action in the previous episode.

As for any resemblances to any real-life figures that one may observe or imagine in this episode, rest assured that I gave absolutely no instructions to the illustrator in that regard. It would appear he has a rather puckish sense of humor.

The entire series comes in four parts:

  1. Not Even the Wicked Dead
  2. They Also Serve
  3. The Blood Must Flow
  4. The Etiquette of Evil

Why they name names

I once asked a reporter known for writing hit pieces why journalists always write “X, real name Y,” when writing about people they don’t like while simply using the pen and stage names of those of whom they approve. She explained that it was for the same reason every statement by the target of the hit piece “claims” something even when it is a statement confirmed to be factual, to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the targeted individual.

Apparently the New York Times is now taking a similarly one-sided approach to the anonymity of sources:

A prominent pseudonymous blogger has shut down his site after a New York Times reporter refused to conceal his identity in a forthcoming piece, putting his livelihood and life in danger.

Psychiatrist Scott Alexander (his first and middle, but not last, name) has worked for years to cultivate a small but thriving intellectual community through his blog Slate Star Codex. That came to a halt Monday evening, however, when Alexander deleted the blog, replacing it with a post entitled “NYT Is Threatening My Safety By Revealing My Real Name, So I Am Deleting The Blog.”

The deletion was the culmination of a week of buzz that a Times reporter, Cade Metz, was reporting a story on Alexander’s site and the community it spawned, prompting widespread fears that Alexander would be the next figure “canceled” by a media exposé, possibly as retribution for his criticisms of modern progressivism.

Neither Metz nor his editor Pui-Wing Tam responded to a request for comment. Times vice president for communications Danielle Rhoades Ha told the Washington Free Beacon, “we do not comment on what we may or may not publish in the future. But when we report on newsworthy or influential figures, our goal is always to give readers all the accurate and relevant information we can.”

Alexander and others interviewed by Metz told the Free Beacon that they do not believe Metz wanted to write a “hit piece.” But Metz did insist that Times guidelines compelled him to disclose Alexander’s real name, derailing an interview with the blogger.

There is little evidence that such a policy exists at the Times, which has granted anonymity or pseudonymity to an Apple news executive, a left-wing podcaster, and even other subjects of Metz’s story.

The media is now wholly weaponized against America and against Western civilization, the Good, the Beautiful, and the True. And there is no excuse for still falling for the same lies reporters have been telling people for decades.

When Metz reached out, Alexander says, he wanted to discuss not these controversies, but the community SSC had built, in a largely positive way.

Sure he did. They use the same set of tricks every time. “I just want to let you tell you side of the story. I just want to understand this new thing that you’re the expert on. I just want to discuss this success that you’ve had.” First the bait, then the switch.

Most people are like toddlers being offered candy when it comes to the prospect of media attention. Perhaps it may help to keep this in mind: if it was going to benefit you, they would charge you for it.

Daily Beast interview about Patreon

William Sommer of the Daily Beast interviewed Owen Benjamin about the Patreon lawsuit against the Bears last week.

Patreon says you urged your fans to file claims against Patreon to punish the site, through arbitration costs, for ending your account? Do you think that’s a fair account of what happened? 

Not at all. Patreon violated their rights just as it violated my rights when it tortiously interfered with the separate legal contract between me and them. They are exercising their right to legal redress, which Patreon mandated be done through arbitration, just as I am. It’s not their fault, or my fault, that Patreon’s lawyers were dumb enough to impose a legal structure on its users that literally guarantees its own bankruptcy.

Did your fans realize, when they filed the arbitration complaints, that they could potentially get sued? It strikes me that some of these people might not have realized their names and locations would be outed. In that way, do you think this plan backfired?

No. Nor did I, because they shouldn’t be getting sued in the first place, much less sued in a group action. The only reason Patreon brought the lawsuit now is to try to dox and harass them into withdrawing, because it has been losing every decision related to my arbitration and their arbitrations for the last six months. But I guess if you’re going bankrupt, you might as well go down swinging.

Do you have plans to cover your fans’ legal fees or expenses?


Of course. And we’ll set up a legal defense fund if that turns out to be necessary, which it probably won’t. Remember, the Patreon Terms of Use specifically bar group actions, and what Patreon filed is a group action.

Feel free to add anything else on the case you’d like to share.

Your readers may not be fans of mine, but they should be aware that Patreon has repeatedly attempted to strip the California consumer protections from ALL of its creators and is also trying to strip legal rights from all four million of its users. The lawsuit isn’t the first time they’ve doxxed people either; they sent me the complete account information for 2,700 complete strangers – someone else’s patrons – as a result of a data breach.

The real story here is that there probably won’t be a Patreon by the time this is over.  Their CEO openly admits that their business model isn’t sustainable, their numbers reported on Graphtreon suggest they’re losing something like $1.5 million every month, and I’ve been told they have already received hundreds of notices of arbitrations unrelated to my situation. I think this lawsuit is mostly their outside counsel trying to keep the checks coming in for a little while longer.

You’ve been described as “alt right” and engaging in “Holocaust denial” in articles, including Bethany Mandel’s in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Do you think those are accurate descriptions?



I raise goats, I tell jokes, and I voted for Obama. I don’t know who Bethany Mandel is, but since I am a history major, I’ll bet I know a lot more about World War II history than she does. You know perfectly well those are not accurate descriptions.

Later today, the lawyers for the Bears will file their response to Patreon’s request for an emergency injunction. Also, one thing that Owen didn’t mention in the interview is that Patreon brought a cross-complaint against him in the arbitration last week seeking compensation for the costs they have incurred in fighting the other arbitrations. This is a fascinating decision on their part for several reasons, including this one.

“A party shall file a cross-complaint against any of the parties who filed the complaint or cross-complaint against him or her before or at the same time as the answer to the complaint or cross-complaint.” Code Civ. Proc., § 428.50 (a)

A skinsuit cannot survive

The fact that a Christian American country survived unrest in the past says nothing whatsoever about the ability of a post-Christian, post-American state to do so now:

America has survived unrest before, but that was a different country. It had a white, Christian super-majority and a shared history. It had at least a theoretical chance of working out a modus vivendi with its black minority. The language was English and, most of the time, we played by a set of rules to which everyone—liberal conservative, Democrat or Republican—agreed. Elections were not winner-take-all apocalyptic events. Nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court did not occasion brutal, partisan, ideological war. No longer.

If we bank solely on electoral politics, we will lose, especially as the demographic ring closes. The winners will show no quarter.

Political life as we knew it in America is over. Again, the America we grew up in and loved is dead.

The irony here is that the author quotes Sun Tzu about the importance of knowing one’s enemy, but never once dares to utter the name of that enemy. Which tends to underline why Americans lost their country and why other European nations are now at risk of losing theirs; as long even the most die-hard right-wing conservatives still give lip service to “judeo-christianity” and “civic nationalism”, there is no chance of ever winning any battle.

For Sun Tzu also says:“If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

That being said, while we can, and should, mourn the civilized society that was lost, we should not be surprised that it did not last. It could not last. For as another Chinese sage observed: “The empire, long united, must divide.”

Catching up with Castalia Library

First, this is the mockup for the Castalia Library edition of AWAKE IN THE NIGHT LAND by John C. Wright. Unlike the other Library books, the pages are silvered rather than gilded, in keeping with the style and theme of Mr. Wright’s modern science fiction classic.

Second, if and only if you’re a subscriber, please note that we’re going to do things a little differently going forward, starting today. Instead of making multiple catchup payments to acquire earlier books that you missed, now you can make a single payment for that specific book. In the case of AWAKE IN THE NIGHT LAND, you can make a single payment of $100 if you happened to subscribe after April 30, 2020.

This change will help us keep track of exactly what you want instead of having to contact you via email or hope that you remembered to add a comment to your order. The only reasons to purchase a subscription catchup now are 1) if you happen to subscribe on the second month of any book or 2) if you run into a problem with your credit card.

The same holds true for Libraria Castalia subscribers, although there are a very limited number of books still available. You can see the various options now available to you here. We are rapidly approaching the end of the Book 4 subscription period, so if you’re interested in THE DIVINE COMEDY by Dante Alighieri, you’ll need to subscribe and make one subscription catchup payment before the end of Tuesday.

If there are still books available after the new subscribers get their shot at them, we will consider making them available for sale at the retail prices of $199 and $499.

Below is a preview of the title page. The next book in the subscription, Book 5, will be LIVES OF THE NOBLE GREEKS AND ROMANS, Vol. I by Plutarch.

Parler may be a trap

While it’s possible that some of these restrictions are in place to deal with the inevitable SJW infiltrators and activists, I would not utilize it based on the dichotomy between its public free speech posturing and its Terms of Use. It’s founder’s statements about fighting badthink are also a significant red flag.

14. You agree to defend and indemnify Parler, as well as any of its o cers, directors, employees, and agents, from and against any and all claims, actions, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs or debt, and expenses (including but not limited to all attorneys fees) arising from or relating to your access to and use of the Services. Parler will have the right to conduct its own defense, at your expense, in any action or proceeding covered by this indemnity.

Parler’s claim to be pro-free speech also appears to be somewhat overstated:

9. Parler may remove any content and terminate your access to the Services at anytime and for any reason or no reason, although Parler endeavors to allow all free speech that is lawful and does not infringe the legal rights of others. 

Don’t forget that Twitter and Facebook both used to cloak themselves in free speech rhetoric before unmasking their social justice faces. Parler also mandates AAA arbitration while banning group action, but lacks the California consumer protection laws.

I’m not saying this because we intend SG to compete with the likes of Twitter, Parler, and Gab – we don’t. At best, Parler is for the cons and civnats who are being banished from the SJWsphere. It strikes me as the Breitbart of social media, a gatekeeping action meant to keep conservatives in the corral and ineffectual.

The core problem is that mass social media is now little more than an involuntary resignation machine.

Barnes & Noble in freefall

It’s not looking great for the mainstream literary and comics publishers either:

Barnes & Noble has laid off many of its buyers and plans to reconfigure its buying approach in the Waterstones’ style, which shifted to a more centralized model last year, Shelf Awareness has learned. Other headquarters staff and “some” store employees have apparently also been let go.

The B&N buyers, many or all of whom have been furloughed since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., include such longtime employees as literary fiction buyer Sessalee Hensley, who had been with B&N about 35 years; SF/fantasy and graphics novel buyer James Killen, who had been with B&N 41 years; buyer David Garber, a 25-year veteran; and Lisa Echenthal, a 28-year veteran.

This, of course, is almost certainly good for us, since our books are barely carried by the mainstream. As Amazon takes control of mainstream publishing, more and more people are going to opt out of their feeding trough model.