This week I have seen lots of people and companies being accused of virtue signalling, and this is something I really hate. So what is virtue signalling, well the dictionary defines it as:-

the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.

Oxford Dictionary

So why do I dislike it when people accuse others of doing it, well because it’s used as a weapon to try and silence people who speak out against bigotry, racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia etc.

It’s an attempt to attach a badge of shame to anyone who dares to speak up and say, hey this isn’t ok.

Yeah there are certainly going to be people out there that would meet the negative definition of virtue signalling that people accuse others of doing, I am looking at most politicians here. But the vast majority of people, when they speak out against something, it’s not because they want to look right on, it’s because they genuinely believe in what they are saying.

Why would we want to stigmatise compassion and tolerance, and frankly it’s lazy, instead of defending a position, which usually is not a good position to defend, people think that they can dismiss people by saying all they are doing is virtue signalling.

People should be altruistic, they should stand up to injustices and have concern for others, they should be filled with moral outrage at some of the horrors that go on in the world.

And yet more people are keeping it to themselves because they fear being labelled as a virtue signaller.

Personally I don’t care if you think I am a virtue signaller, I don’t think it’s wrong to hold and express beliefs about the problems faced by others.

And if brands want to stand up and start saying that they are outraged by the situation right now, then I back them.

Sometimes all the action that some of us can do is to be outraged and express our outrage, others can do more, but every little thing we do can and could help even if it’s as simple as helping getting something trending on Twitter.

In short, if you are upset or outraged by something, or you see a situation that is unjust, then speak up and ignore the idiots who are too lazy to think of anything to say other than accuse you of virtue signalling.

What I Am Modelling

I started the week by finishing off the Retributors and Knight-Vexillor I had started last week.

This completes the original Age of Sigmar starter set I got five years ago at long last!

And then I moved on to painting four Grey Hunters Pack Leaders for my Space Wolves, along with an Iron Priest and a Repulsor.

I finished the Wolf Guard Pack Leaders first. Reason I have made these models is because in 8th Edition, Space Wolves packs must have a Pack Leader, unlike in 7th where you could take a Wolf Guard instead.

I then painted the Iron Priest, I had wanted to finish the Repulsor too, but I was running short of Leadbelcher.

Then I put the Blood Ravens Chaplains on the table, five of them in fact. I finished three of them on Friday, the MKIV, Terminator and Primaris ones, I had kinda concentrated on these three because of the robes/capes, not sure what it’s just the way my mind worked

I got a delivery of paints so was then able to concentrate on the Repulsor and get that finished, which I did so on Saturday, lovely model and I have two of them for the Blood Ravens coming up to paint.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBHG2ddH-bJ/?igshid=12s45m323gc9b

The next day I painted a Chaplain on foot and one with a Jump Pack, I had painted the Jump Pack one many years ago when I first got back into the hobby, but when I stripped it, I found I had put on the paint so thick it just wouldn’t come off without damaging the resin. So I bought a new one a couple of years ago and only just got round to painting it.

I then moved onto my next 40 strong Chainrasp Horde, the second of three I have to paint, these are being painted in a scheme found in the White Dwarf of December 2019.

Whilst various washes and technical paints are drying on them, I picked up a few other bits to do on the side, specifically a Sons of Horus Contemptor Dreadnought and Centurion with Early Crusade Honours.

And I also painted a Quake Cannon for a Warlord Titan for Adeptus Titanicus as well, this is the second one I got and I made this up for the left hand side of a Warlord Titan.

The Chainrasps just need thier based finishing, but I had to get to bed so they will be finished tomorrow.


So how does this leave my painting plan for the near future?

  1. Chainrasp Horde x 40
  2. T’au Ethereal on a Hover Drone x 2
  3. Blood Ravens Intercessors x 10
  4. Death Guard Sabre Strike Tanks
  5. Stormcast Eternals Sequitors
  6. Blood Ravens Repulsor x 2
  7. Death Korps of Krieg Ogryns
  8. Chainrasp Horde x 40
  9. T’au Pathfinders x 10, Darkstrider & Devilfish
  10. Death Korps of Krieg Infantry Squad x 10

What I Am Reading

Reading The Founding still and enjoying it

I finished Cadian Honour, which was very enjoyable, although the narrator kept calling the Leman Russ tank a Lemon Russ which was a bit weird. Loved the continued use of the Geordie accent for Cadians.

I have also listened to the Blackstone Fortress audiobook which is most enjoyable, and the only thing is disliked is that we didn’t get much more than a cameo from UR-025.

What I Am Playing

Sadly the girls haven’t wanted to play anything this week.

What I Am Backing

We have gone in on Chai: High Tea to get the $79 level which gets use the deluxe version of Chai and the High Tea Expansion.

What I Am Cooking

On Friday nights during lockdown we have been having wing night and we have been trying various different ways to cook chicken wings.

So this Friday I made the infant, which were slow cooked General Tso’s Chicken Wings. Lindsay and Megan made the sides which were Chinese Fried Green Beans and Soy Sauce Noodles.

They were absolutely beautiful and the meat just melted in your mouth!

And on Saturday I made some Tangy BBQ Pit Beans, this is a variation of the recipe I tried a few weeks ago, we replaced the beans and sausages with smoked sausage and one time of baked beans with black eyed beans, the bacon was grilled and then broken up and we added an extra pepper.

What I Am Spending

To keep supporting Battle Bunker I spent some money with them and bought myself a Valkyrie for my Millitarium Tempestus, been after one of these for a while, and never had the money.

So when the chance arose to get one, I took it.

I also picked up some paint from Games Workshop along with some Aeronautica Imperialis tokens to stock up for the month, for some reason they split the order into four shipments, three of which were dispatched on Tuesday, the other apparently on Friday and arrived the same day, the other three arrived on Saturday.

I also made rather a large order on Saturday with Element Games when Aeronautica Imperialis Skies of Fire was released. I ordered that set, plus a few brushes, couple of paints, the Taros Area of Engagment, both the T’au and Imperial Navy Dice plus I got Prophecy of the Wolf as well for Ragnar and Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka.

Hopefully this will arrive next weekend, if not early next week.