#fire nation paradise

[roninkairi]

So...it finally happened...

I am officially on Archive of Our Own.

It was something I had put off doing for some time now, but what finally got me to do it was thanks to a panel at NYCC this past October, which dealt with the (unabridged) history of fanfiction. And after a good hour of so of discussions, recollections and the realization that people have been shipping Kirk and Spock since the entire fucking 60s*, I made the decision to start uploading the bulk of all my stuff to the site.

Yes, even THOSE STORIES.

Ember: He's looking right at us when he's saying that...

Sam: Yes. Yes he is.

Ty Lee: That's a good thing, right?

Katara, Suki: (intense blushing)

So to anyone who has ever read my stuff at Fanfiction.net or other places** you have now been put on notice. Rejoice or scream in terror.

*OK maybe not quite the entire decade, but yeah, it's true. It's damn true

** Yes, Ok, some of these stories were also written for the WWOEC Forum and are ero-ero. Look, I was experimenting, one thing lead to another and a whole new generation is about to know more about "Fire Nation Paradise" so I will not be held responsible for anything that goes down when it eventually hits!

[roseworth]

donna troy i love you with all my heart but i wish you had a less confusing backstory

[sayruq]

Close to four months since the conflict between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas began on Oct. 7, 2023, participants in the demonstration in Hiroshima's Naka Ward called to "free Palestine." More than 50 people, including members of a citizens' group that stands daily in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome demanding an end to bloodshed and attacks, walked down Hondori street shouting "Stop the massacre" and "Ceasefire now" among other slogans. They then held a rally in front of the A-bomb Dome.

A farmer in his 30s from the Hiroshima Prefecture city of Shobara commented, "No matter how hard a day I have (here in Japan), it would probably seem like paradise to the people of Gaza. We must take action beyond calling for a cease-fire, to bring the occupation to an end." A woman from Algeria, which was under French colonial rule for 132 years from 1830, said she came to the event because she felt that Palestine was suffering the same fate as her country. Participants also voiced anger and questions about the Japanese government's decision to suspend funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Hiroshima City Council's lack of resolutions regarding a cease-fire and other issues.

[best-overplayed-song]

Best Overplayed Song Bracket (part two) - round one

full playlist here

side A

dreams (fleetwood mac) vs here comes the sun

yesterday vs the sound of silence

old town road vs jolene

it’s tricky vs low

despacito vs smooth

some nights vs take me to church

stolen dance vs cigarette daydreams

every breath you take vs billie jean

tiny dancer vs hey jude

what’s up? vs dreams (the cranberries)

drops of jupiter vs over my head (cable car)

wake me up when september ends vs wonderwall

welcome to the black parade vs all the small things

somebody to love vs killer queen

californication vs santeria

escape (the pina colada song) vs margaritaville

roxanne vs brown eyed girl

sweet home alabama vs free fallin’

edge of seventeen vs you spin me round

american pie vs life is a highway

freebird vs stairway to heaven

everybody wants to rule the world vs don’t fear the reaper

we didn’t start the fire vs don’t stop me now

stacy’s mom vs we built this city

the chain vs we will rock you

immigrant song vs seven nation army

the final countdown vs eye of the tiger

sweet child o’ mine vs highway to hell

livin’ on a prayer vs i love rock n’ roll

one way or another vs zombie

side B

bubbly vs unwritten

careless whisper vs time after time

dancing queen vs september

everywhere vs little lies

get lucky vs boom, boom, boom, boom!!

hey, soul sister vs best day of my life

a thousand miles vs i’m like a bird

i want it that way vs oops!... i did it again

bad romance vs toxic

wake me up vs stronger (what doesn’t kill you)

before he cheats vs love song

firework vs born this way

i write sins not tragedies vs dynamite

poker face vs tik tok

tongue tied vs truth hurts

payphone vs fireflies

just dance vs ...baby one more time

like a prayer vs running up that hill

sugar, we’re goin’ down vs dog days are over

rolling in the deep vs ironic

pompeii vs centuries

thnks fr th mmrs vs ain’t it fun

love shack vs video killed the radio star

mr. blue sky vs hooked on a feeling

viva la vida vs paradise

total eclipse of the heart vs in the air tonight

feel it still vs pumped up kicks

YMCA vs 867-5309/jenny

blinding lights vs take on me

africa vs more than a feeling

View previous bracket here

[creativepromptsforwriting]

Fic Titles: Song Edition

Part I

Softly we tremble tonight - Cat and Mouse, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

We're so happy (we could die) - Blood & Glitter, Lord of the Lost

There′s no remedy for memory - Dark Paradise, Lana del Rey

Love is the warmest colour - Nara, alt-J

We gotta stop pretending who we are - Don't speak, No Doubt

A force more powerful than gravity - Satellite, Lena Meyer-Landrut

They turned to dust (all that I adored) - Things we lost in the fire, Bastille

Lose all sense of time - Coastline, Hollow Caves

Sometimes quiet is violent - Car Radio, Twenty One Pilots

I′ll show you mine (if you show me yours first) - Swing Life Away, Rise Against

So beautiful and wild - Tonight, Reamonn

See your face lit by starlight - Colorado Sunrise, 3OH!3

Misunderstandings and words unspoken - Don't waste my time, Victor Lundberg

When we stole the night - Another heart calls, The All-American Rejects

The way that we love (like it's forever) - Happy Ending, Mika

But it's home to me - Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Green Day

Like memories of dying days - Savior, Rise Against

Electricity between both of us - Landfill, Daughter

I slept in last night's clothes and tomorrow′s dreams - Uma Thurman, Fall Out Boy

There'll be a riot (cause I know you) - Robbers, The 1975

All of your flaws and all of my flaws - Flaws, Bastille

Crossing all the lines - Girls Like Girls, Hayley Kiyoko

Misery's your master - She's the blade, Sugarcult

But we go where we want to - Lane Boy, Twenty One Pilots

Between the lines of fear and blame - How to save a life, The Fray

There's a heavy cloud inside my head - Lemon Tree, Fool's Garden

A very common crisis - Fluorescent Adolescent, Arctic Monkeys

Turn the light out, say goodnight - Fake Empire, The National

Let′s write a song that we can dance to - Jersey, Mayday Parade

There′s strangers everywhere - This isn't everything you are, Snow Patrol

More titles!

[katakaluptastrophy]

It's easy to focus on what was going on with John and his friends in their lab and forget about the huge encampment of well-armed conspiracy theorists outside...

John describes there being a "shantytown" of "thousands" outside the lab when he first reveals his powers. When he puts up the cow wall, it covers two acres. That's about two football fields. (He later laments that he didn't make the wall out of the conspiracy theorists, as people would have been less upset about that than cows).

After he starts a cult, they're up to "a couple thousand" and the situation is apparently so concerning that UN Peacekeepers are flown in again the wishes of the government.

The deaths that make John realise he can eat death energy happen because the authorities exchange fire with armed would-be cultists outside.

When he kills everyone with a gun outside of the cow wall in a kilometre radius, there are over 100 of them - which suggests the scale of what they were facing in John's compound.

And by the time things hit the crunch point, John's followers turn on him:

you’ve got to keep in mind is that we’ve got hundreds of cultists on both sides of the cow wall, and quite a lot of these guys are One Nation nutbars who think they’re going to see out the end of the world in a bunker and live to build a beautiful paradise that looks a hell of a lot like The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. And those guys have illegal semiautomatics. We’ve still got Wi-Fi, more’s the fucking pity, and those guys are talking to their people on the outside, and they flip. So while me and the others are having this massive fight, we get the message that a hundred of these guys have changed their minds about us, and they’ve surrounded the inner building with guns and we’re going down. They’ve taken a hell of a lot of the other cultists hostage, so if I start killing anyone the hostages are dead meat.

Apparently it took John until then to realise that being a popular online personality with a trendy red meat diet might attract a crowd who are not interested in your forthcoming paper on 'phthinergy'. And thus the lab gets stormed by several hundred ex-cultists, who break through into the building with molotov cocktails (this is around the point that John suggests that the "next cult" should be teenage girls), and proceed to shoot most of John's friends in front of him.

[rosielefay]

Hetalia Appearance Headcannons ʚɞ

England:

His pretty eyes, almond and upturned, with thick, long lashes. Always looking up at people through them, like peeking through the blinds, wary of the stranger in its town - and there are so many strangers, so few friends. Soft lips and pale skin, so easy to colour a pretty pink. Freckles if one looks close enough, hiding under the eyes, often lost under the natural blush of the cheeks.

He has long fingers and sharp cheeks and pronounced collarbones. Green eyes, green of old English rainforests, and reeds below the endless sea, and greed, endless, infinite greed. He's skinny, all bones and sharp edges. He eats no mortal food. The green eyed demon, devourer of souls and people and nations. Those awful eyes always dry, always itching, he has a quirk for rubbing them when anxious. Trying to scratch away the demon within them, that unsatiable greed he suffers from.

He's a small man, but has a large presence. An undeniable bravery, a fierce intellect, a cleverness so tricky and brilliant. Yet a tentativeness, a strong feeling of otherness plagues him. The outsider of Europe, the youngest child of Rome - a terrifying, unexpected thing that ate the whole world in an attempt to taste the nectar of the Gods. Unchosen one. Defier of fate. Wretched thing. It crawls its way through the earth into the garden of paradise. Green eyed viper, corrupter of man and nature. With him comes fire and steel and blood.

The youngest, the smallest, the runt of the litter. A terrible boy with something to prove. Godless heathen, he tears the Gods in two to embellish his own crown. His pride will be the death of them all.

The English lion and the shiny golden God, the laser upon the wall. Always chasing, unable to stop itself from trying to grasp it in its claws. A shadow in the cave of Plato or the light of salvation. In the realm of the heart where its great intelligence cannot pierce, those lovely eyes so blind and unsure.

[sweetiecutie]

141 x Eastern European reader relationships hc’s

Warnings: some cussing, stereotypical behavior, pretty much safe, not meant for russians - just scroll past

A/n: I was heavily inspired by this post by amazing @kivino, absolutely go and check it out!!

Pretty much all of 141 were in Eastern Europe with missions - Ghost and Price were with missions in Ukraine, Soap, Gaz and Price were to russia.

All of them worked with Eastern Europeans, so boys are generally acquainted with Slav traditions and superstitions - not to whistle within a building, for example, or not to pass things through the threshold. But working with Eastern European for a few weeks and having a romantic relationship with one - completely different things.

So here are some headcanons of how Task Force 141 deals with their Slavic lover<3

Simon “Ghost” Riley

Starting off - Simon loves your culture. He finds many national quirks amusing; his favorite one tho, is how boisterous and bossy Eastern European women are. Usually people tend to be scared of him due to his intimidating stance and quiet behavior. But these ladies who are barely over 160 cm? They can beat the living shit out of him with a single slipper, and he both respects and slightly fears them for it.

For some strange reason Ghost can’t learn a word you teach him, but all the swearings that accidentally slip off your tongue throughout the day? Ghost knows all of them by heart. And he can’t hide a small smile of amusement whenever he hears you cussing angrily over spilled tea or shattered mug. And his favorites so far are ‘kurwa’ and ‘blyat’

Simon is a huge fan of your country’s cuisine! He’s a big man, so he requires proper nutrition. And all the delicious meals your mom cooks? He’s nomming everything to the last crumb! Simon is especially fascinated with a godly meal called “shashlik” - he is definitely a meat eater, Riley loves him a juicy steak freshly off the fire. And eating a meal that consists purely out of roasted meat - a paradise for him.

Captain John Price

Now, this man is most acquainted with all Slavic traditions of all 141 since he works closely with Nikolai, so throwing him off wouldn’t be that easy. But still, having an Eastern European partner does give him some unexpected experiences. For example, John is really surprised by how easily and lightheartedly you and your family joke about dark topics as death, physical traumas or alcoholism. And while everyone is rolling with laughter Price is like “What the fuck is wrong with you guys🧍🏻‍♂️”

If some of your relatives happened to speak English, John will do his absolute best to speak slowly and reduce his accent to minimum, so that they can understand him better. I think it’s just so sweet of him 🥺

What never fails to impress Price is that how much Eastern Europeans care about their appearance. In UK people don’t bother much about their looks, preferring clothes that are comfortable rather than fashionable. And seeing all these people on the streets wearing luxury brand stuff, women with full on glam makeup, their hair made elegantly - it makes him wonder just how much time and effort these people put into their looks. (He soon learn just how expensive and tedious that is once you two start dating)

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

I’m pretty sure many Eastern European countries have this magnificent dish - meat jelly. Looks and sounds terrifying, true cultural shock for Kyle’s poor British soul. Or soup called Okroshka - even tho I grew up eating it, I still question its existence, no wonders Kyle gets absolutely weirded out by it.

Many Eastern Europeans, especially in small towns and villages, are very unfamiliar with people of color. It’s not because they mean ill, no, but simply because it’s very rare to see foreigners in such places. So, when Kyle came over to your home for the first time, all neighborhood was quite literally gawking at him. And Garrick, being more closed-off and shy person, was really unnerved by it. What especially set him off was when some random grandmas on the streets asked him “Whose are you?”😭

Oh and he loves, loves, loves when you spill the tea about your family members, sometimes even in front of this exact person bc they can’t speak any English. Sounds mean to do so, but Kyle is very eager to hear about all the drama, glancing discreetly at relative in question. Everyone thinks it’s so cute, watching you two cooing at each other in soft voices in a faraway corner, but in reality you two are just talking shit about everyone in the room😂

John “Soap” MacTavish

What Johnny likes the most about Eastern Europeans is just how generous they are, how they treat all guests with such kindness and hospitality. Usually, when Scottish/British/Irish person invites you for some tea - you do have tea and some sweets. In Eastern Europe though, if you are invited for some tea, you will be having a three meal course of delicious national dishes with incredibly tasty bakery for a dessert, and, of course, tea as promised. And afterwards they will also give you some food in a plastic container so you can take it home. Johnny was genuinely surprised by such warm treatment.

He remembers a lot of random words you say: names of different objects and foods or whole sentences like “turn on the lights” etc in your mother tongue. Johnny likes listening to you talking on the phone with your relatives, his ears perk up slightly whenever he catches a familiar word. But can he actually spell or write these words down? Not really. And if your language uses Cyrillic alphabet? Absolutely no. (This thought came to me based off @kivino’s hc’s)

When Johnny visited your home for the first time, he was actually surprised to see this stereotypical picture: a bratz doll gf and her shreck bf. He was also surprised by how unattractive most Eastern European men are, especially those in their 40s.

Likes, reblogs and comments are highly appreciated! Feedback is very important for writers, give us some love and appreciation<3

[roseeycreates-blog]

Imagine Tenzin, consumed by grief after Lin's passing, deciding to follow her into the afterlife.

After reading the bittersweet fanfic "Meant To Be" by @risingsoleil (check her ao3 page if you are a linzin fan. She's an amazing writer. I love her works!), an idea came to me: what if Tenzin journeyed through the 9 circles of Hell before reuniting with Lin in Paradise? Drawing from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, specifically Dante's Inferno, Tenzin would confront his deepest fears and regrets in each circle, leading to a powerful and emotional reunion with Lin in the afterlife.

So here's Tenzin:

(Sorry about the arrow, I just added that detail because Picrew doesn't have that option.)

I chose a red arrow instead of blue to symbolize that he took his own life, which is why he's in Hell (all life is sacred). I dressed him in a red robe and added a golden choker. Finally, he has an earring with Lin's eye color, given to him by his guide.

His guide, Iroh:

In this story, He is Tenzin's Virgil, guiding him through the 9 circles of Hell. Lin asks Iroh to help Tenzin on his journey and gives him the earring that Tenzin wears. It's a symbol of Lin's presence with him throughout the journey.

Lastly, Lin:

(Can I just say she looks so pretty, I also added the scars)

Tenzin's Beatrice is waiting for him in Paradise. he’s also wearing an earring with Tenzin’s eye color, showing that she’s waiting for him on the other side.

( Picrew link male | female )

9 Circles of Hell:

The First Circle: Limbo

He comes across an unborn child and learns that Lin had a miscarriage after they broke up. He then sees a vision of what their life might have been if the child had lived. When he snaps out of this illusion, he finds himself holding a deformed baby.

The Second Circle: Lust

He reflects on his own desires and the complicated nature of his love for Lin. Temptations hit hard with visions of women pampering him, including an illusion of Pema. Just as he's about to give in, he sees Lin watching him, which snaps him back to his true goal: to be with her.

The Third Circle: Gluttony

He witnesses wealthy high-ranking figures, some from the Earth Kingdom, being devoured by beasts. They endlessly heal and suffer, showing the impact of their excessive wealth on others. This makes him rethink his own lifestyle.

The Fourth Circle: Greed

He sees greedy souls, including mercenaries and assassins like the combustion bender who hunted his parents, being crushed by boulders of gold. This makes him reflect on his own struggles—not for money, but the selfishness that came from the pressure to repopulate the Air Nation after his father’s death.

The Fifth Circle: Wrath

He encounters fallen soldiers from endless wars, especially Fire Nation armies from the Hundred Year War, stuck in muddy rivers that act like quicksand. This scene stirs up memories of the conflicts he and Lin faced before their breakup.

The Sixth Circle: Heresy

He sees people consumed by evil spirits. Unalaq is burning in a fiery tomb as punishment for his dark deeds. It makes him think about whether his own followers, who idolize airbenders, might end up suffering the same way.

The Seventh Circle: Violence

He sees the spirits of Fire Nation leaders who committed violence against innocents. One of them is the person who killed his grandmother. He realizes he belongs in this circle too, as he committed violence by taking his own life.

The Eighth Circle: Fraud

He sees scammers, manipulators, and impostors who deceive others for their gain. Hama, the first bloodbender, pretends to be a helpless old woman to trick people like Katara into helping her get revenge. He also sees an illusion of himself saying he's a fraud, struggling to be himself while trying to meet others’ expectations.

The Ninth Circle: Treachery

Finally, he sees betrayers, including Firelord Sozin and Ozai, frozen in icy pits. One of them accuses him, saying, “You also betrayed Lin—remember, you cheated!” The crowd roars, but as he’s overwhelmed by darkness, the earring starts to glow. Iroh steps in to guide him to the exit.

Reaching Paradise:

After everything that happened, Lin hugged him tightly. They stood there for a moment, just holding each other, overwhelmed by the joy of being reunited. Their smiles said it all—despite the pain and challenges, they were together again, and that made everything worthwhile.

"I died," Lin said quietly. "And you weren’t there."

"I know," he replied, looking down. "I heard from Akna about your last words..."

"Shhh," Lin cut him off gently, her voice softening. "No need to dwell on that."

"But I came here," he said earnestly, his eyes meeting hers.

"You came to find me," Lin said, her eyes shining with happiness.

"Of course I did," he said with a tender smile. "I couldn’t do anything else."

Then Lin gave him a bit of a lecture about his actions.

(lines from Castlevania)

[lbulldesigns]

Zaun (AITAH Arcane AU Mood board)

The City of Iron and Glass, and revitalisation

Seventy years ago, Zaun, still going by the moniker of the Undercity, was in a constant state of desperation.

The mining colony turned city, was no stranger to hardships. From unsafe mining conditions to unsafe working conditions within the factories jammed packed within the city, to unsafe living conditions due to poor maintenance to residental structure and over pollution brought on my the factories and the toxic gases from the deep mines being compressed within the underground city.

All of this was due to the conscious negligence of Piltover. Whose one and only concern was image and wealth. To them Zaun was an eyesore but they refused to acknowledge that this was due to them.

They preferred the image of being righteous and a city of academics and kept their well-shoed foot to Zaun's throat by unleashing their Enforcers upon them who dealt their "justice" in brutal fashion.

This continuous abuse and oppression had to come to an abrupt end, however.

In 1954 Piltover and its Enforcers had stepped on Zaun and Janna's (Goddess of the Wind) final nerve.

When during an arrest of a factory worker voicing his outrage for being unfairly fired, an officer took liberation to bludgeon a 12-year-old girl who had stepped in to beg her father's release before shooting dead the distraught father.

In this moment something snapped within the people witnessing the scene and every Zaun citizen present attacked the Enforcers without conern for their own lives. This attack would go on to inspire more within the city to take up arms and riots broke out everywhere, with the intention to put as many Enforcers down.

Janna tried to protect as many innocent lives caught in the crossfire as she could, but the death toll was climbing with her people dying in droves.

When Piltover took to trying to blow the bridges and starve the residents in Zaun, Janna had reached her limit and decided something more drastic had to be done.

For a month, the Goddess of Wisdom and Harmony became an unyielding and unrelenting, furious storm.

She took the fight straight to Piltover and wrecked havoc upon the city. Gleaming, unblemished structures that reached to the sky came crumbling down as if they were sandcastles within the oceans reach.

She dispersed her followers to ransack the city of the progress of food, clean water, and medicine. And kept the Enforcers secluded to Zaun, without backup and provisions and many beaten Zaunites looking for their own pound of flesh.

After a month of nonstop terror from the Goddess and many injured and homeless within Piltover, its Council flew up a white flag and begged for an audience.

Upon the Bridge of Progress, Janna stood mighty, if not unproud of her destruction, and yet resolute in her decision. She was done watching the mindless cruelty and violence to her people and would be ruling over them from then on.

An accord was struck that day.

Zaun would be its own nation from then on, and Piltover would pay compensation to the people for their negligence, in the form of money, technology, healthcare, and education.

An accord, that Piltover had no other choice but to agree to.

And this is how we come to Zaun today, under Janna's rule.

A city crushed by oppression and poverty, now turned metropolis of renewed vigor and spirit.

Zaun has transformed within the past seventy years into a technological paradise, built of off science and magic.

Its once toxic air has been dissipated by the trees that now grow within and upon every building, sustained by the HexTech-empowered artificial sun bolted to the cavern ceiling, and scheduled rainy days using the sprinkler system stretched out throughout the city. Water filtration has drastically improved drinkable water, and botany has become an essential subject in every school.

Zaun is now the cultural hotspot in Runeterra, with many coming from all over the world to visit or call Zaun its home.

You'll now find many cultures thriving within the city, as well as old structures standing proud against the tides of time.

One such building is a bar/pub called The Last Drop.

Religions of all caliber operate in Zaun, but none hold a candle to the temples of the Wind Goddess.

Mages with elemental talent, are often in high demand as they assist in the evironmental stability of the city.

And although Enforcers do still operate within the city, their presence holds neither respect nor true authority. Many Zaunites will opt to seek the services of private security firms, such as The Eye Of Zaun or the newly formed Firelights flying through the city on their chem tech-powered hoverboards; invented by 15-year-old Ekko Bennet in 2015, making him one of Zaun's first adolescent millionaires.

However, Enforcers have been reported to tiptoe on the boundaries of the two cities accordance.

With reports of Zaun civilians being killed just on the outskirts of the city, and more than a few being assaulted and/or killed within back alleys of Zaun. It is not difficult to discern what is happening.

The Enforcers are either trying to return to their old ways, or someone is looking to profit of off a potential war.

Either way, Zaun will be ready for what comes at it.

It vows to not wait for their gentle Goddess to bloody her hands again for them, they are the warriors who built this town.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil's Pantanal, a treasure trove of biodiversity, has already fallen prey to flames

Thousands of fires have broken out since the beginning of the year in this important wetland area in west-central Brazil. NGOs and authorities fear that the dry season, which has only just begun, could lead to even bigger fires than in 2020.

The respite was short-lived. Devastated by massive fires in 2020, the Pantanal is once again ravaged by flames. According to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, the area has seen more than 2,500 fires since the start of 2024, a catastrophic 1,776% increase on the same period in 2023, just as the dry season is beginning.

At least 372,000 hectares (equivalent to the size of the French department of Vaucluse) have already been destroyed by the flames, mainly in Mato Grosso do Sul, one of the two regions, along with Mato Grosso, that are home to this fragile ecosystem. The Pantanal, the largest wetland on the planet and a paradise for jaguars and caimans, extends over 200,000 square kilometers in South America, three-quarters of it in Brazil.

Images from the region show firefighters battling the blaze. Almost all the fires are on private property which is more difficult for the Prevfogo brigades deployed by the environmental police to access than public land. In this swampy area, travel is difficult. It can take up to seven hours to reach the areas most affected by the fires.

The devastation is all the more worrying as it affects a Pantanal that is in the process of recovery. In 2020, fires on an unprecedented scale claimed the lives of 17 million vertebrates and consumed 40,000 square kilometers of vegetation – a quarter of the ecosystem. In addition, it strikes a Brazil stunned by the proliferation of all kinds of natural disasters on its soil, from record heat waves in Rio de Janeiro to drought in the Amazon and deadly floods in Rio Grande do Sul, which have already claimed 177 lives.

Continue reading.

[theplottdump]

Johann: Rangers- 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦. Welcome to our little slice of Paradise. My personal 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙞-𝙡𝙖- my 𝙓𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙙𝙪.

Johann: Come in, come in, sit awhile. Meditate on the greater meaning with me. Kate: No thank you. Vera: I take it you're the owner of this establishment? 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻 𝗩𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿, correct? Johann: Ah Yes, in a past life perhaps- but please, call me Shepherd.

Johann: Now, tell me- to what honor do I owe my present company? I can assure you all my papers are filed properly.

Johann: Check with the other rangers; but you'll find that I own this lot. I am allowed to set up my permanent residence on it year round.

It is quite unlike the park service to bother me all the way out here for no reason.

Johann: In fact, I don't think I've seen you two around the park at all before. Vera: We're new recruits. Johann: Ah, yes, of course. That would explain it- your uniforms, are a creative choice.

Not that I'm complaining. Young people have so much spirit.

Kate: Sir, you do realize that summer is an extremely high risk wildfire season? Johann: Ah, I see you've noticed our little campfire circle.

Vera: Sir unless you have a permit, or access to an actual marked government fire ring- I'm afraid I'm going to have to tell you that the park service just can't allow any unregulated fires of that size going up this deep in the national park. Johann: I see.

Johann: And tell me ladies, what did you say your names were again?

[girlactionfigure]

Post-Shabbat update:

👉 One of the most senior terrorist commanders in Jenin was eliminated in an overnight Israeli air strike on the northern Samaria city. The IDF rarely uses Air Force strikes against targets in the so-called "West Bank."

👉 At least 21 Hamas and allied terrorists were eliminated since this morning in expanded IDF operations in northern and southern Gaza.

👉 Iron Dome intercepted 5 Gaza rockets fired at the coastal city of Ashkelon.

---

One-by-one: The IDF targeted another senior Hezbollah official on the Lebanon-Syria border. His fate is still unknown.

Under siege: Hezbollah launched a number of attack on the Israeli border region, though the intensity was less than in previous days.

No horizon:American mediators informed Lebanon that they would not return in the short-term as there was little point in negotiating with Hezbollah at this time.

---

Trouble in paradise: War Cabinet minister Benny Gantz will give an urgent press conference this evening. He's expected to set firm red lines to his continued participation in Netanyahu's government.

End the war? Opposition leader Yair Lapid is urging Gantz to quit Bibi's government immediately. And that would mean the government falls, and the war ends in line with the current American policy of seeking a long-term truce and hostage-prisoner exchange.

Huge victory: On Arab social media, there's rampant talk of the imminent fall of Netanyahu's gov't and an end to the war, resulting in a "huge victory" for the Palestinians.

‼️ Were the war to end today under present circumstances, that would indeed be perceived, and perhaps even constitute a victory for Palestinian terrorism.

💥 And that would in turn make all but inevitable the next terrorist invasion of Israel.

War Cabinet minister Benny Gantz has given Netanyahu three weeks (until June 😍 to present a workable plan and that will meet the following goals:

1️⃣ Return all the hostages.

2️⃣ Topple Hamas and ensure Israeli security control in Gaza.

3️⃣ Along with maintaining Israeli security control, establish an American-European-Arab-Palestinian administration that will manage civilian affairs in Gaza and lay the foundation for a future government that is not Hamas or Abbas.

4️⃣ Return the residents of the north to their homes by September 1 and rehabilitate the Western Negev.

5️⃣ Promote normalization with Saudi Arabia as part of a comprehensive move that will create an alliance with the free world and the Arab world against Iran.

6️⃣ Advance legislation that would compel all Israelis to serve the state and contribute to the national effort - ie. military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Netanyahu responds harshly to Gantz for causing a political rift in the middle of a war, and asks three pointed questions:

1️⃣ Is he ready to complete the operation in Rafah to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions, and if so, how is it possible that he is threatening to dismantle the emergency unity government in the middle of the operation?

2️⃣ Is he opposed to Palestinian Authority rule in Gaza, even without Mahmoud Abbas?

3️⃣ Is he ready to accept a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza as part of the normalization process with Saudi Arabia?

---

Netanyahu goes on to stress that his own position on all three critical issues is already clear:

👉 He is determined at all costs to destroy Hamas; 

👉 He opposes the entry of the Palestinian Authority into Gaza; and

👉 He rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state that will inevitably become a terrorist haven (even for the sake of normalization with Saudi Arabia).

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from the New York Times:

Fast-moving flames engulfed several homes and vehicles in Northern California as 26,000 people evacuated their homes this week, according to a local official, fleeing a wildfire that burned through a region scarred by previous blazes.

The official, Mayor David Pittman of Oroville, said emergency shelters in the region had filled up by Wednesday afternoon as the fire continued to spread. It had burned more than 3,000 acres by early Wednesday, officials said.

Oroville, where many of the residents were told to evacuate, is the seat of Butte County, about 20 miles south of Paradise, where 85 people were killed and nearly the entire town was destroyed six years ago in one of the worst wildfires in American history.

California’s firefighting agency, Cal Fire, said that the wildfire began on Tuesday morning, and that its cause was under investigation. It was not clear how many structures had been damaged by the blaze, called the Thompson fire. No fatalities had been reported as of Wednesday morning.

Several state water facilities were affected by the evacuation orders, but there was no risk to Oroville Dam, which is the tallest dam in the United States, the California Department of Water Resources said on Tuesday night. Oroville, about 68 miles north of Sacramento, has a population of about 20,000 people.

The fire risk in Northern California has been made worse this week by low humidity and gusty winds, which can cause fires to rapidly spread. Red flag fire warnings, meaning that the risk for wildfires is heightened by weather conditions, were in place in more than a dozen counties on Tuesday and Wednesday.

There is also a dangerous heat wave in Northern California, with temperatures on Wednesday were expected to reach 110 and higher in cities including Sacramento, Chico and Redding. The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning that affects most of Northern California, including Oroville.

[obsolescent]

This Side of Paradise - Part Two

Part One

Pairing: Kyle ‘Gaz’ Garrick x GN!Reader

Summary: The events that happened after the fire. Unspoken words are finally out in the open and true feelings are revealed. There’s some truth to “when you have today, say all that you have to say.” 

Category/Prompt: Two-part series | “I’ll take care of you.”

Song: This Side of Paradise - Coyote Theory

Author’s Notes: Thank you for your support with part one! I’m so glad that so many of you enjoyed it! Once again, thank you @glitterypirateduck  for putting this event together, I’ve enjoyed participating! Gaz is the best guy, let’s go Gaz Nation!

Content Warnings: Non-descriptive vomiting, injuries from the fall, fluff, protective Kyle just wanting the best for you.

Word Count: 1,730

A myriad of colors and lights are what welcome you when you resurface from unconsciousness. Softened voices are heard, unable to pinpoint the location of chatter, like they’re echoing through your head. A heat like molten lava begins to spread from your feet upwards, consuming your flesh. ‘Did I not survive the fire? Did I just imagine I leapt from that window?’ Nausea soon joins that boiling feeling, your heart rate spiking. ‘I’m going to vomit. Can I even puke when I’m dead?’ Foolish questions aside, your upper body lurches forward anyways, beginning to empty what remains in your stomach.

A pressure is felt against your shoulder, something held out in front of you. A distant, “Easy, love,” You’re able to make out. ‘Well, it seems like I’m in good company in the great yonder.’ Groaning, that hand guides you back to the surface you had been laying against, soothing you with gentle rubs to your arm. You muster all the strength you can garner, willing your eyes to open. A tiled ceiling is what you’re first met with, when movement from your left is caught in your field of vision. 

“Ask me why my heart's inside my throat I've never been in love, I've been alone Feel like I've been living life asleep Love so strong it makes me feel so weak”

Kyle’s eyes crinkled, a grin creating a domino effect across his face that lights up his features. “Oh, so glad to see those pretty eyes of yours, love. How are you feeling?” His voice light with relief and jubilation at seeing your gaze upon him. You begin to move your arm, trying to feel something solid, like him, when there’s resistance. You glance down, confusion fading into realization once you see your arm encased in plaster. 

“Had a bit of a nasty fall there. A bit banged up, but you’re alright, yeah? You were so brave, dear. I’m proud of you.” A hand begins stroking your hair. “Thought I was dead,” you rasped, wincing at the ache in your throat. A ‘here’ and Kyle is offering you water through a straw. Taking a small sip to–literally–test the waters, you begin to drink more, confident there’ll be no bouts of nausea rising again. “Reminded me a bit of myself there, with what you pulled,” He chuckled, scooting his chair closer to your bed after you’ve had your fill of the drink. You gave him what you hoped to be an odd look, wondering what he’s gotten up to in his past. He shook his head with a smile, “I’ll tell you about it later, okay?” 

The doctor entered not long after, going into detail about what happened. An electrical fire broke out on the second floor of the apartments and it had been contained to just that floor, no damages to the structure of the building. Just some cosmetic work for them to tackle. Your estimate had been right, the fall had been around twenty feet. Thankfully you walked (limped) away with nothing more than a broken forearm and a sprained ankle. They had to use general anesthesia, hence the vomiting, to reset the bone. Undergoing surgery to insert screws and a rod. You had been out for a full day. They planned to keep you in the hospital for one more day, for observation. 

You notified your family, reassuring them you were alright and that everything was okay. They were relieved to hear from you, wanting any more updates about the situation as they came up. You also informed your work and university about what happened, both wishing you a full recovery and to take some time for yourself, thankful to have people understanding for a situation like this. Kyle stays for the final day, worrying over you. It’s funny, seeing him fussing about you reaching for something almost out of reach that he could easily grab for you. You obliged, letting him be a helpful hand to you, secretly savoring the attention he was showering you with. ‘Oh. That’s a new feeling.’ 

“Are you lonely? (Are you lonely?) Our fingers dancing when they meet You seem so lonely (are you lonely?) I'll be the only dream you seek So if you're lonely, no need to show me If you're lonely, come be lonely with me”

From the hospital room to the front door of your “flat”, Kyle was there for you. He even picked you up and carried you inside from the car, a squeak leaving you at his close proximity. Once inside, he laid you down gently on the couch. “You don’t have to do this much–” “Nonsense. Now, are you hungry? I could make you some soup, or anything you want. Well, if your stomach is still upset, maybe not anything…” He trailed off, looking at your flushed face, thinking it’s from queasiness. He gave a gentle smile, “I’ll go with something light then, yeah?” 

He makes soup, a simple broth with veggies and protein, serving yours with some crackers–sorry–water biscuits? You definitely won’t be using that term for them. You thank him for the meal, sitting beside each other on the sofa while the telly plays a documentary. “Kyle, can I ask you something?” You asked after a stretch of silence, him giving a hum, signifying yes. “Why are you doing this? I mean, I’m real appreciative of it, but you got other things to do, don’t you? I don’t wanna burden you,” You finished, looking off while fiddling with your hands, suddenly nervous at what his response will be.

“Lonely (are you lonely?) Passion is crashing as we speak You seem so lonely (are you lonely?) You're the ground my feet won't reach So if you're lonely, darling you're glowing If you're lonely, come be lonely with me”

Warmth envelopes your right hand. You whip your head around to see he’s holding your one hand with both of his. You meet his warm brown eyes, a serious look on his face. “Have you considered that I have let my responsibilities know, like you had, that I will be busy for the foreseeable future, helping my flat–roommate–out after a quite traumatic experience? You don’t need to be alone this time, love. I’ll take care of you, yeah? Would you let me do that for you?” He asked, gently squeezing your hand between his, a reassuring gesture. 

Red blooms across your face, now unable to meet his gaze. You stare at your interlocked hands. “I…I, I don’t know how to let you take care of me? Haven’t really let someone other than family do that before…” You mumbled out, feeling small, with a tinge of embarrassment at your lack of socialization. He moves one of his hands away, cupping your cheek, angling your face upwards to meet his eyes once again, saying your name. “Hey, it’s alright, look at me. I won’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with. I just want you to have the best recovery possible, to keep you safe, I…Care for you. When I got the alert for the fire, I didn’t know what to think. I called you as soon as I saw it, and when I heard you were still inside, I…Immediately drove here, hoping I could reach you before…” He took a deep breath before continuing, “I tried to talk you through everything, tried to be there for you as much as I could. I’m so glad you jumped out of that window. When I saw you on the ground, passed out, I was relieved, because then I knew I could take over, do what I do best. Didn’t wait for the bloody ambulance to show up, drove you to hospital myself.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, seeming bashful. 

“Kyle,” You start, tears prickled at your eyes. “I care for you, too. I don’t know exactly what you do with your job, but back at the hospital when you hinted at some of the situations you’d been in, I began to worry even more than I usually do. You say it’s what you do best but, could I take care of you, too? You know, once I’m better,” You giggled, “But, I want us to be there for each other, okay?” You finished, biting your lip. He grinned, leaning down to kiss your forehead. “Alright, yeah. We’ll take care of each other.” He begins to pull away, your hand reaching out to mimic his earlier, cupping his cheek. He stops, before slowly leaning forward again, watching your face for any sign of discomfort. “This alright?” he whispered, lips hovering, barely grazing yours. “Yes, please.” He closes the distance, his hand moving up to hold the back of your neck, deepening the kiss. 

His other hand holds you at your waist, rubbing circles. That feeling from before coming back, you delve into it. You melt against him, sighing. You feel the smile that forms against your lips, before he pulls away, leaving a peck on your cheek. “Been wantin’ to do that for a while,” He admitted, grinning at your surprised expression. He grabs a blanket to put over the both of you, pulling you close to him. He buries his face into your hair, sighing. “Guess we can make up for lost time, yeah?” He asked, giving your hand another squeeze. “Let me do it right, take you on a proper date once you’re up for it, yeah?” You hum, nodding in agreement, beaming at him. His heart rate quickens, looking at your wonderful face whenever he would get home from deployment had to be his favorite pastime. “Alright, lovely.” 

You’ve been alone for the most part of your life, save your family. But with Kyle, everything feels so natural, so right. He makes you feel secure and warm. You trust he’ll take his promise seriously, keeping you out of harm’s way as much as he can. You’re so glad to have met him, not knowing that one conversation would lead to so many possibilities in your life. Eager to see what the future holds for you both, you leaned your head against his shoulder, his head soon resting against yours.

“Are you lonely? Passion is crashing as we speak You seem so lonely You're the ground my feet won't reach So if you're lonely Darling, you're glowing If you're lonely, come be lonely with me”

Tags: @sofasoap

[mountrainiernps]

Are you thinking of visiting a national park like Mount Rainier this winter?

 Perhaps take a scenic drive and partake in some recreation like snowshoeing?

 While planning for time in the park, you’ll pack your 10 Essentials; navigation (map and compass, GPS), sun protection, insulation, illumination, first aid supplies, fire (emergencies only), repair tool, food, water (and water purification) and emergency shelter.

Winter has firmly gripped the upper elevations of Mount Rainier. If you’re planning on recreating in the park and away from the roads, there are some seasonal essentials to bring along for winter. A few items to help you handle the extra challenges of winter weather.

Winter 10 Essentials

Snow Shovel (compact) – for digging snow caves, etc.

Full Length Insulated Sleeping Pad -even when sitting down for a break, it’s good to be insulated from the cold snow.

Stove and Fuel – to melt snow or ice into water.

Heat Packs

Goggles and Wool/Pile Hat – for staying warm and protecting exposed skin and eyes is important.

Gloves (base/mid/shell layers) – for staying warm and protecting your skin from frostbite and low temperatures.

Avalanche Transceiver – wear one with fully charged batteries and train to use it.

Avalanche Probe – keeping one on you and training to use it are key.

Ability to assess mountain weather and avalanche hazards – educating yourself about winter weather and hazards can help you keep your adventure fun.

Map, compass & GPS (with extra batteries) – knowing how to navigate even with low visibility is a good skill to build and keep sharp. Bringing extra batteries can help when winter cold saps your battery power.

Carrying these winter 10 essentials when you snowshoe, ski or hike in the national park in winter can go a long ways towards having a positive experience. Making memories of your time in the wilderness that you can treasure for days and years to come.

Are there any other things you consider essential for winter recreation?

What is your favorite item to bring on your winter Mount Rainier adventure?

Park information on winter safety can be found here https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/winter-safety.htm  Park information on winter travel can be found here https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/winter-travel.htm 

These photos are from years past and do not reflect current conditions. NPS/S. Redman Photo. Snow covered evergreens with dark clouds obscuring the sun. December, 2010. NPS Photo. View from a roadside pull-out on the road to Paradise of forested hills and mountains leading up to Mount Rainier. January, 2022. NPS Photo. View from the Paradise lower parking lot looking west at smaller mountains on the southern flank of Mount Rainier. Snow covers trees and mountains. January, 2020.