fiction – Page 2 – Baron thoughts

Wrestling Coverage Whatever #1: Alianza Universal De Lucha Libre

Flamita & Azteca spent a good chunk of time working as a team. I initially went into this rooting for Flamita but Rey Leon is quite good too. The Flamita-Azteca alliance seems to be getting bumpy now.

Flamita eliminates Azteca by pinfall. Whenever I see a lucha mask get torn, it creates a reaction from me. Things like that are so important. Wrestling in general needs to revive that feeling. Rey Leon’s face now exposed somewhat. But Rey Leon managed to comeback, and win the match. Retaining his championship. Great storytelling here. 10/10

Mi Espanol no es bueno. But I’d like to change that so I can provide better coverage. AAA is basically the only game in town. Lucha Libre doesn’t get the same treatment that Puroesu does.

Japan gets the Meltzer treatment, and the “Elite” do the same. Mas Lucha uploads events from plenty of companies. CMLL, IWRG, Galli, Big Lucha, WWC, and IWA Puerto Rico are all on YouTube. Very accessible for the international community. One thing that might help is an option for English captions on videos.

You can’t invade an abandoned space

Reacting to review comments on Pathfinder 2nd edition

“It’s politically correct”

“Woke BS”

Plenty of people commenting this on there. But the truth is the leftist leanings in entertainment are your fault. At least to some extent anyway.

You abandoned comics, and games as you grew up. When you decided to come back to your old favorites. You found out that Woke folks took it over.

How many of you took the time to develop creative writing skills? Someone with those talents wouldn’t care. They’d either rework the lore a bit for a homebrew or make their own ttrpg. But that takes time, and effort. Something you didn’t want to do.

You could’ve also supported alternatives or looked for like-minded communities.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sympathetic to your outrage. I wrote a response to Jacobin about it.

But you can’t complain about it, and expect change. Will you support lesser known projects, and creators? Will you make your own? I’ll help you find what your looking for.

Just follow my blog, and buy my e-book when I finally publish it. As a way of thanking me in the future. I discuss crypto, independent wrestling, lucha, and politics here.

Comics:

Ethan Van Sciver

His Indiegogo page

Randy Siplon’s Kill Reaver

Dale Keown

These will most likely be more your style. Fits with your preferences. I’m definitely sure of that.

TTRPG:

Lamentations of the flame princess

Dungeon Crawl Classics

White Box

Basic Fantasy

Tunnels & Trolls

More Tunnels & Trolls

This blog for you truly old school DND RW bros

All of these would most likely appeal to people with moderate or right wing ideals. It’s out there for you to enjoy. You just choose not to get involved with it.

I plan on writing my own short story & campaign setting that could fit into any game. Will I try to appeal to as many people as possible? Yes. Am I going to pander to score social points? No.

The simple truth is culture, and entertainment is the way it is. Because there wasn’t any resistance to change. But change isn’t necessarily bad either. It depends.

My first year in crypto

I managed to learn quite a bit with my miniscule day trades in my first year in crypto. Managed to earn around 300 dollars. But I was being too reckless, and impulsive.

I’ll be doing a more conservative strategy going forward. My investments going forward will be in cryptos that can generate passive income. Less stress, and more money is ideal.

1. Algorand

2. Bancor Network

These two will be my primary investments.

Dear Caleb Maupin,

Jason’s video on Caleb’s recent piece for an in depth breakdown of Caleb’s statement about paganism. It’s actually quite laughable but unfortunately expected. But it’d seem that he’s basically same as Nick Fuentes, Catholic Twitter reactionaries.

Caleb’s article

The thing is I politically differ from the both of you on plenty. But in terms of economics, and nationalism we are similar. Yes, I’m using the naughty word! You’re a nationalist, Mister Maupin.

I’d describe my politics as a mixture of classical anarchism, and elective monarchism. Truly the pinnacle of meme philosophy indeed. But let’s talk about you, and your movement.

You call yourselves “Patriotic Marxists” correct?

There’s actually an existing movement called National Bolshevism already. Ernst Niekisch, and Eduard Limonov would love to chat with you. For that I am most certain. There’s another movement that’s quite similar to yours.

Oswald Spengler was involved with it actually. The German Conservative Revolution that was crushed by Hitler, and the nazis.

So basically what I’m asking is that you open up about your plans. What sort of movement that you desire, and so on. Because I know what you what even if you don’t fully understand it yet.

You want Protestant National Bolshevism.

Why else would you state such ahistorical bullshit about European polytheism? I’ve been observing political circles for quite awhile. Even though I am fairly young. I’ve seen your type before.

One could also say that you want Falangism with Protestant American Characteristics.

I highly doubt you’ll see this at all. But feel free to respond to this, and the other fine articles I’ve written. One of them I wrote because of an Infrared video. I even cited you in a positive way in the piece. Also check out this one since you want to talk about religion.

Fan’s perspective: How to save Impact Wrestling

An article discussing Impact Wrestling’s ratings

I started regularly watching Impact Wrestling in 2008, and stopped in 2017. 3 years prior to that I stopped watching WWE completely. Even though I had been watching that since I was two years old. I’d try to give Impact a chance occasionally until some point in 2019.

There was a time when Impact was consistently getting better numbers than AEW Dynamite. 1 million to 1.4 million on Spike TV. We all know what led to the current ratings. So, I’ll skip the recap.

1. Use the YouTube intelligently

Impact Wrestling has 4 million subscribers, and Impact’s also got a great track record with women’s wrestling. The Knockout’s division laid the foundation for the WWE Evolution PPV. You can thank Gail Kim, Taryn Terrell, Awesome Kong, and many others.

Impact Wrestling took Women seriously, while WWE had them compete for a barbie belt.

AEW has two FREE shows on their YouTube. AEW Dark, and AEW Dark Elevation. Impact Wrestling needs to have a free 1 hour weekly program for the women’s division on YouTube. The commentary team can promote the main TV show on AXS throughout the program. Similar to how they’d promote Bellator or Schitt’s creek.

Currently there isn’t a major company with a 1 hour weekly program that’s exclusively women’s wrestling. That’s a niche that Impact Wrestling could fill.

Free 1 hour weekly Knockouts YouTube show is one way to use the channel properly.

The next would be a free 1 hour X division YouTube program. Same thing applies here when it comes to promoting the main TV show. X division, and Knockouts have been Impact’s strong points. Use them to generate interest with free YouTube programming. BTI isn’t doing shit to help the promotion.

2. Cross-promotional Partnerships

Cross-promotional Partnerships are a great way to improve the product. But you’ve got to pick the right partners or it won’t work. The AEW partnership could’ve work. If Impact was making the right moves. But they weren’t as usual. I’ll list off some promotions, and give reasons why for each.

For potential partners from Japan. It’s Pro wrestling NOAH, AJPW, Stardom, Sendai Girls, WWPW Diana, and BJW. For Mexico I’d go with Crash Lucha Libre or IWRG. WWC from Puerto Rico would be another solid pick. Progress Wrestling, Preston City Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling EVE from the United Kingdom.

Before I get to my explanations for all these there’s just 3 countries left. To make Impact Wrestling a truly global force in the business. United States, Canada, and South Africa. I’ll just explain my reasoning for the Canada, and Southeast Asia picks now. Limited exposure in the American wrestling media.

US exposure = $$$ for them.

We’re going to go with International Wrestling Syndicate, and Border City Wrestling. BCW was founded by someone that’s involved with Impact. IWS had stars like Kevin Steen aka Kevin Owens. These Canadian promotions just make sense.

We’re going to go with Singapore Pro Wrestling, and Philippine Wrestling Revolution. SPW has gotten some international attention. Thanks to some of their talent briefly appearing in WWE. Impact Wrestling could build a relationship, and give Southeast Asian wrestlers a genuine platform.

Finally we’ve got the United States, and I’ve got the perfect partner for the job. The United Wrestling Network. When you sign a cross-promotional deal with them. You’re getting access to a whole territorial network. CW Hollywood, CW Arizona, CW Memphis, CW Atlanta, and more. You get access to new, and upcoming talent. Your champions can defend their gold against UWN talent, and compete for their championships.

This is the final potential partner, and it’s the one that stole CZW’s thunder. GAME CHANGER WRESTLING! G C FUCKING W! They’re in the news a lot. This is the hot independent promotion that 18-25’s absolutely love. I have to be honest with you, potential Impact executive reading this. Impact has more to gain from dealing with GCW than GCW does dealing with you. GCW doesn’t need partners. But it’s an intelligent business move for you! GCW has hardcore, shoot style wrestling, and more.

Now let’s get to explaining my picks for Mexico, Japan, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. I’m familiar with many of the luchadores that Crash Lucha books. Even though the MLW-Crash partnership was my only exposure to them. Their star is rising in Mexico, and Spanish speaking fans are diehard fans. Whereas English speaking fans are kind of fickle.

I admittedly know very little about IWRG but they’ve been around for a bit. A partner that’s managed to last a good chunk of time is valuable. I plan on trying to find IWRG wrestling content to watch. They’ve dealt with CMLL, AAA, and Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Puerto Rico’s WWC has a very long, and rich history in the wrestling world. However Puerto Rican Lucha Libre gets very little recognition stateside. Impact Wrestling can change that.

Progress Wrestling, Preston City Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling EVE are great UK choices. A partnership with them could get Impact would be great talent wise. The next Walter , Becky Lynch, and Finn Balor could be coming soon.

This’ll either be really quick or really long depending on how this goes. We’re talking about Japan now. AJPW is the long time competitor for NJPW, and it’s a shadow of it’s former self. Kind of like Impact Wrestling. Impact Wrestling currently has Joe Doering on the roster. This man was a top guy in AJPW.

If AJPW & Impact worked together that could lead to stars rising together. Something Impact Wrestling needs desperately right now is momentum.

Pro Wrestling NOAH has an excellent roster just like NJPW. Except NOAH doesn’t currently have the international reach yet. Another promotion for Impact Wrestling to grow with. YO-HEY, Hayata, Kenoh, and Los Perros del Mal de Japón would be great for American TV.

BJW much like GCW does both Hardcore & Strong/Shoot wrestling. Because Impact does have it’s own hardcore crew signed. It’s only logical to work with BJW. Wrestlers like Abdullah Kobayashi, Masashi Takeda, Ryota Hama, and Takuya Nomura.

Finally that leaves us with Stardom, Sendai Girls, and WWPW Diana. Ladies like Asuka/Kana, Kairi Sane, Io Shirai, and Hikaru Shida would be a great asset. Impact Wrestling needs to build a relationship with the Joshi wrestling scene. So, that they come to Impact Wrestling to be seen.

It’s a well known fact that Impact Wrestling does a great job with women’s matches. Tony Khan, and WWE can fight for the credit for lifting up Women’s wrestling. But the true champion has been Impact. Give Dixie her due, Folks. The KO division was great, and still is. Impact Wrestling is a solid alternative for women in the business.

3. People that should be signed immediately

Killer Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, Taya Valkyrie, Windham Rotunda, Erick Rowan, Salina de la Renta, Richard Holliday, Danhausen, Warhorse, and Isaiah Scott aka Shane Strickland. All of these people have talent that a sensible promoter would regret losing.

Salina de la Renta is probably my favorite example of this. She basically made MLW Fusion in order own thing. Salina was the face of the company for awhile. Even if Court Bauer won’t admit it. Most of the interesting things happening in MLW were centered around her. The feud with Konnan, and the dealings with Contra.

The other thing that made MLW interesting was the Dynasty. But without MJF it isn’t the same as before. Richard Holliday would actually be better off going solo. Hammerstone is the top dog in MLW. They’re treating him right.

Killer Kross, Scarlett, and Taya wasted time going to WWE. Sure it might’ve seemed promising at first. But look what they did to Kross in his RAW debut. That’s almost as bad as jobbing to everyone like EC3 did. I’ll give Taya credit for giving it a try. But Impact Wrestling, and AAA are probably better for her.

Windham Rotunda, and Erick Rowan would be an excellent tag team in Impact Wrestling. They’d generate a crazy amount of attention to the company. The fans will follow the buzzards.

Shane Strickland is another great talent from MLW that went to WWE, and didn’t get much. Salina put a bounty on this man in order to get the championship belt. Low Ki was the man that cashed in. An excellent story went on there.

Danhausen & Warhorse are very entertaining independent wrestlers. Now that ROH is six feet under. Impact Wrestling can be home for Danhausen. Just watch his promos on YouTube it’s quality stuff. Warhorse rules ass, and did great in AEW. But chose not to sign with them. However that doesn’t mean he’d be against a rejuvenated Impact Wrestling.

4. Accept cryptocurrency for payment, and sell Impact NFTs

The 3 cryptos I’d recommend are Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Solana. Bitcoin is gold, and Litecoin is silver. Solana is the wave of the future.

Solana isn’t just a cryptocurrency. It’s also a blockchain ecosystem that you can develop on. Solana has an NFT marketplace as well. Where you could sell digital posters, and clips of memorable moments. The wrestling industry hasn’t gotten involved with crypto yet.

Be the first to do it, and watch the profits rise.

This would bring Impact Wrestling back from the dead. Follow this to the best of your ability, and there will be an Impact.

Crypto & NFT needs political clout

Source for the Picture

Wall Street, and real estate has an excellent relationship with politicians. This asset community needs to start getting serious. Getting rich is great, and that’s the goal. But we need power too.

Make their policies work for us. Push for lower taxes on crypto, and NFTs. Use our influence to push for things that we want in society. Kind of like how people like Warren Buffett, and Elon Musk want to shape society.

Politicians need to be in the crypto community’s pocket.

Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Communists, and Independents. All of them need to have ties to us.

They’ll continue to be restrictive the longer we stay out.

Post-USA map construction 1: New England Federation

They say the average empire lasts 250 years, and the United States is 245 years old. So, if the United States isn’t the exception to the rule. We should start planning new hypothetical nations.

Government type: Elective Monarchism or Diarchic Republic

Economic system: Bismarckian-Roosevelt economics

Territories: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode island, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

Capital: Saratoga springs or Boston

The New England Federation would strengthen ties with the existing monarchies. United Kingdom, Oman, Thailand, and so on. It’d also build up a relationship with Russia.

State religion: Up for debate

Recognized religions: Paganism, Catholicism, and Islam, and Judaism

Let’s do a long march through the CPUSA

Infrared’s video on the out of touch CPUSA.

The Communist Party sounds like the DSA, Jacobin, and Democrats. It’s not communist, it’s red liberalism. Patriotic people with economic populist views should join the party. Take it over at the local level, and recreate it.

I’ve created a platform that could bring the CPUSA, and American Populism into a new era. The GOP, and Democratic party represent the wealthy. The Libertarian, and Green parties are extensions of those parties. The Communist Party can be transformed by a grassroots effort.

The communists, and socialists of yesteryear wouldn’t recognize the CPUSA. Because they have more in common with the conservative patriotic Marxists like Haz. The Russian Communist Party is conservative. The Chinese Communist Party is conservative. The CPUSA is Angela Merkel mixed with Bernie Sanders, and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.

The CPUSA is progressive liberalism with red paint. But we can create a retro-futuristic communism with American characteristics. Traditional Marxism-Leninism is definitely a solid option for the party. But my platform idea might be very useful as well.

Jacobin is right about DND

Link

Capitalism did destroy the tabletop hobby in an effort to bring more people in. Wizards of the coast alienated their core fanbase in order to attract casual players. The kind of people that once mocked, and bullied tabletop hobbyists.

The Pathfinder franchise owes it’s entire existence to this change in direction. The OSR ttrpg community wouldn’t exist without it either. But this was bound to happen anyway.

Once a form of entertainment gets too popular. It begins to dilute, and change form. The presence of profit only accelerates this. Some say that the core fans should just get over it, and adapt.

But for many people these hobbies were the only source of community they had. Because they were pushed out of everything else or simply didn’t fit in anywhere else. No one wants to acknowledge a simple truth.

Gaming got gentrified by normal, and popular people. The last refuge of the nerd was stripped away. Capitalism pushes for cultural homogenization.

There is no diversity of culture in a capitalist society. The nerd has every right to be upset that their community is gone. Socialism also enforces it’s own cultural homogeneity. Depending on what form it takes. Some brands of socialism are better than others.

Cultural appropriation, gentrification, and the stripping away of uniqueness is an integral part of liberal capitalism. You can’t retain cultural uniqueness in a universalist for profit system.

Decisions have to be made.

The purpose of monotheism

The primary purpose of monotheism as I can tell is the centralization of power. It is more advantageous for the ruling class to have the commoners observe only one deity. Even if the ruling class chooses to worship an entire pantheon in private.

Truthfully, I do believe that we could’ve seen an Imperial Egypt under Atenism. But that experiment was squashed before it got tested. Zoroastrianism is the oldest example of monotheism. Persians have enjoyed imperial prominence since the days of Cyrus the Great. From Cyrus the Great to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi that’s quite the imperial streak.

The introduction of Islam did wonders in terms of extending their imperial existence. Another source of great power came from the Ottomans, and other Turkic peoples. All of which benefited greatly from the conversion to Islam. The belief in the concept of Tawhid, and the powerful religious fervor pushed them forward.

It made converting, and commanding the masses much easier. Islam was at it’s best during the times of significant Turkic, and Persian influence. Plenty of innovation going on. Although the fruits of the Islamic Golden Age can be disputed. Depending on how you look at it, and who you ask.

Some might point out that Eastern Roman & Persian cultural content laid the foundation. As well as that plenty of intellectuals likely converted to keep themselves alive. But it’s like that old saying “To the winner goes the spoils” .

Which means the Islamic powers in the region at the time still receive the credit. Islam no longer enjoys the same level of potency it once had. It’s still in an objectively better position than Christianity. That’s something that cannot be debated by any serious person.

Christianity began it’s reign over the West because of Constantine. However it’s rise required syncretism along with conversion by the sword. Nobles converting for beneficial relationships also occurred. Outright denial of violent conversion by Christians is a propaganda move. Atheists, and Polytheists aren’t making the claim that it was 100% by force. However you’ll see Christians act like that is what is being said.

It wouldn’t be too long before there’d be troubles in Christendom. The heart of the European is polytheist to the core. The start of the great fracturing came with Rome’s split from the rest of Christianity. Giving birth to the Catholic Church. They’d incorporate celebrations like Yule, and Saturnalia into the faith. Goddesses like Brigid were given Sainthood.

Eventually another significant fracturing began with Martin Luther. Plenty of wars between Catholics, and Protestants after that. There was King Henry Viii as well. He founded Anglicanism in order to divorce his Wife. There’s been a sect explosion since the Luther nailed his statement to a church door.

There’s 3 prominent, and lively sects of Christianity today. Evangelicalism, Mormonism, and Western Atheism. Western Atheism is Christianity without Yahweh or Jesus Christ. Mormonism is a mysterious sect with plenty of controversy. Traditional Mormonism promises you multiple wives in this life, and a planet of your own in the next. Mainstream Mormonism is probably good for public, and private sector networking.

The Evangelicals are the weakest of the trio. But they’re my favorite to pick on in an article like this. We’re all familiar with Joel Osteen, 700 club, and Kanye West by now. Evangelicalism is probably the 2nd most Christo-Pagan sect in Christendom. Prosperity gospel is literally manifestation, and money spells. It’s literally witchcraft, Guys.

The fastest growing religious belief system among people in my age demographic is polytheism. Plenty of people who are 25 & under are Old Gods or No Gods. The rise of Witchtok, and Tumblr witch communities hint at this. Here’s some articles on this. One, Two, Three.

Emperor Julian the Great tried to bring his empire back to Hellenism. But unfortunately he died early. A reformed paganism probably would’ve been better in my opinion. Another valid choice would’ve been Mithraism. Mithraism was very popular with the soliders that fought for Rome.

This probably could’ve set up an imperial direction no one expected. Christianity’s time at the top is over. It’ll always be a big religion but it’s influence is waning. When you can’t keep influence within your own domain. That’s a clear indicator that you’ve lost the mandate of heaven.

Christianity was always a monolatric faith that tried to be monotheistic. The Europeans that developed it into what we recognize today failed for one good reason. They couldn’t break the spirit of the European individual. Ungovernable, and dominant like a Barbarian taking what he likes.

The stories of Prometheus, and Icarus accurately explain the European personality. Islam in it’s current state actually has zero chance of incorporating the West into Dar Al Islam. The words of the Salafi clerics only appeal to the disenfranchised low value Western men. Saudi Arabia will not be able to bring the West into Islam.

The sort of Islam that’d appeal to the Western World would be considered pretty fringe or fully haram. Depending on how it takes form. Out of the existing sects of Islam I can think of two that might be compatible. The Ahmadiyya, and Sufi sects of Islam. Otherwise it’d have to be a more dualistic or monolatric version of Islam. Something with similarities to Catholicism, and Zoroastrianism.

However I believe trying to bring us into Islam would be a fatal error. Because you might get an Islamic Earth, but there’ll be a great sectarian fracturing like nothing you’ve seen before. Which means sectarian warfare in a “united” world. I personally want the Western Civilization to revert to polytheism.

South Korea, Japan, and J.K. Rowling have presented the model for spreading it. Entertainment, and commerce is the gateway to Western heart. Turkic & Persian influenced Islam would honestly have a decent success rate in the West. Islam under the guidance of Saudi Arabia just doesn’t speak to Westerners.

K-pop, anime, and Hogwarts that’s what’s big in the West. Gaining ground in the West requires bread, and circuses. You’ve got to be fun in order to win here. Restrictions on lifestyle choices are understandable up to a point. But handing a Westerner a list of things he can no longer do is a bad marketing move.

You can create a traditional, and wholesome society without being so controlling. One size fits all doesn’t work here. But good luck to you.

Religious, and political organizations of ALL kinds should take my advice. The dominance of Christianity is uncertain. Western liberalism is becoming more authoritarian to maintain itself. The winds are changing.

The battle for the West’s identity is here.

Neither Christianity or Islam were successful in the Indian subcontinent or East Asia. However Islam left a greater footprint in the subcontinent than Christianity did. The only force to change China was Mao’s army. Southeast Asia is still very Buddhist. Japan is a mix of Shinto, Buddhism, and secular belief. South Korea actually has a decent sized Christian minority. But the majority of South Koreans don’t adhere to a religion.

Things get really interesting in Latin America, and the Caribbean. The Catholic Church was forced to reluctantly tolerate certain folk beliefs. There may been condemnations but they are too weak to actually do anything.

Which means those flowers get to grow!

One horse is weak, and another horse is strong. A third horse is getting stronger in the distance after a long period of illness. The future belongs to two of these horses. Can you guess which?

If you enjoyed this article please like, and share with your friends. Also invest in yourself by starting a Coinbase account. Solana, Polkadot, and Ankr are excellent choices for someone getting started.