#alaska symbols

[8cfc00]

obsessed w all the Mike Walters (species) who have place names like its SO interesting that in a world with instant travel geographic places are still important to certain characters' personal/ascribed identity, even when the Mike's stay in their respective location was temporary

[m87gallium]

A little Scooby Doo “fanart” thing heavily based off the following pic of Alaska y los pegamoides (a New Wave group from the early 80’s in Spain 😁😁😁). Retrospectively the staring at the camera reminded me of the intro shot in the original scooby doo where Velma is reading a book and is at the centre. :-)

[rabbitcruiser]

Canada Day

All those who celebrate Canada as their home and native land celebrate Canada Day on July 1st. The day commemorates the anniversary of the Constitution Act, which consolidated three territories into the single nation of Canada,  way back in 1867. That’s right — Canada celebrated its 150th birthday in 2017!

When is Canada Day 2024?

“O Canadaaa!” The country and all things Canada are celebrated on Canada Day on July 1.

History of Canada Day

Until 1982, Canada celebrated Dominion Day as their national holiday. The day was then renamed ‘Canada Day.’ The history of Canada isn’t splattered with a ton of wars and bloodshed, unlike many other countries. Throughout the mid-1800s, the possibility of unification between the British North American colonies was discussed. On July 1, 1867, the British Parliament brought the British North America Act into effect, leading to the creation of independent Canada. The territories within the dominion consisted of Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Through this act, Canada was divided into Quebec and Ontario, allowing provisions for neighboring colonies to join in the future. This is how present-day Canada came into formation. The British North America Act served as the constitution for Canada until 1982.

Dominion Day was established in 1879 but wasn’t celebrated by many Canadians, as they still identified themselves as British citizens. This changed on the 50th anniversary of the confederation in 1917, when Dominion Day started becoming more popular. A bill was forwarded in 1946 to rename Dominion Day, but the passing of the bill was stalled due to disagreement in the House of Commons over what the new name should be.

In 1967, on the 100th anniversary of the nation’s creation, there was an increasing interest in Canadian patriotism, and celebrations really took off. Even before it became official, citizens would refer to the holiday as Canada Day, and the name was finally adopted in 1982.

Canada Day timeline

1867 Canadian Independence

Britain grants Canada its national independence.

1879 Dominion Day

A federal law makes July 1 a statutory holiday as the ‘anniversary of Confederation,’ later renamed ‘Dominion Day.’

October 27, 1982 It’s Official

Dominion Day officially becomes Canada Day.

2017 Canada turns 150!

The 150th Anniversary of Confederation is celebrated jubilantly.

Traditions of the day

Is it possible to have a patriotic celebration without a grand parade? We think not. Big and small parades are held in villages and cities all over Canada. Other traditions include wearing the national flag colors, having outdoor picnics, sporting events, festivals, and fireworks.

Canada Day FAQs

Why is Canada Day celebrated?

Canada Day commemorates the anniversary of Confederation in 1867 when the British North America Act was passed.  

How old is Canada this year 2020?

Canada turned 153 years old in 2020.

Is Canada Day like the Fourth of July?

Similar to how Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, Canada Day celebrates the country’s independence and its unity.

Canada Day Activities

Bust out the Canadian flag!

Whip up some Canadian delicacies

Get out to a Parade

No Canada Day celebration is complete without the Canadian flag, be it hung from a window, draped from the shoulders, or painted on the face!

Canadians love to celebrate Canada Day with traditional Canadian foods, whether it be Poutine, Baklava, or beaver tails (deep fried bread dough with cinnamon and chili).

Many Canadian cities will hold Canada Day parades, complete with fireworks, street food, and full marching bands. There's nothing more Canadian than getting out and celebrating with your neighbors.

5 Unbelievably Cool Facts About Canada

Canada has more lakes than you think

Canada has the world’s longest coastline

Canada has an abundance of trees.

Quebec produces the most maple syrup.

Canada can get as cold as Mars!

The stereotypical thing associated with Canada is maple syrup, but the country has more surface area covered with lakes compared to any other country in the world combined.

If one were to walk the entire length of the Canadian coastline at a pace of 12 miles per day, it will take 30 years.

Canada boasts 30% of the world’s boreal forest and 10% of the world’s total forests.

Quebec supplies almost two-thirds of the world’s maple syrup.

A temperature of -63℃ (-81.4℉) was recorded in the small village of Snag on Feb. 3, 1947 — that’s colder than the average temperature on the surface of Mars!

Why We Love Canada Day

It coincides with personal freedom

It's the perfect excuse for a cold one

It kicks off History Week

Canada Day roughly correlates to America's Independence Day — but many Canadians get the additional gift of personal freedom, as most leases in La Belle province expire on July 1st.

British Columbia alone guzzles 1.2 million—yes, million—liters of beer over Canada Day weekend (all purchased from official government run liquor stores, of course).

From 2013 onwards, Canada Day has marked the beginning of Canada History Week—which encourages citizens to learn more about their nation by visiting museums, monuments, and memorials.

Source

[terracegallery]

Colorful Whales!

Two beautiful colorful killer whales! Orcas with native patterns and my signature Color Fusion collage style. Perfect for any home or office space. Great for the nature lover too! GET THIS ONE HERE! GET IT HERE!

[thejewishlink]

Alaska Man Sentenced for Posting Swastikas in Jewish Museum, Other Buildings

A man who spread swastikas on multiple buildings, including a Jewish museum, on two occasions in Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced to 18 months in jail, reports KTUU news. Luke Foster, 28, was found guilty of posting swastika stickers and carving the antisemitic symbols into eight buildings in May of 2021, which contained the message “we are everywhere,” according to a report released by the…

[pygmi-cygni]

writing tip - research

research is one of the pillars of writing. a poorly researched fic, essay, short story, novel, etc is immediately apparent because of several things:

lack of depth

stagnant plot or development

confusing or inconsistent setting

it doesn't matter what genre you write, if it's original or fiction, whatever. you need to research. depending on the relevance of your writing, the depth of research may vary, but it needs to happen. you do not know everything.

Fantasy

I see a lot of writers and authors use fantasy as an excuse to avoid research. Shut the fuck up. Every good fantasy is based on a real ocurrence or social dilemma. That's why we like it so much.

'but pygmi, fantasy is made up! it isn't real!'

SHUT UP. Even if you don't realize it, your story will have elements that readers are intimately familiar with. If you flub something, it will be noticed.

Besides, just because you make stuff up doesn't mean you can be inconsistent. You'll just have to fill in the cracks with made up stuff, which will even out to being about the same amount of effort. Pick your poison, either way you're gonna feel it.

Research is not everybody's favorite. I like it, personally, I think it's like going on little side quests for knowledge. But I understand if you wanna skip all the business and get to writing your baby. No shame.

Let me give you some pointers to make sure the time you spend researching is relevant and well spend.

Lists! God I love lists. after you have outlined your story and your characters and everything, make a list of all the things you need to have a deeper understanding of. This means determining priorities. - How important is The Thing? Will it majorly affect plot or character development? Is it a focal point of the setting? If the answer is yes to any of those questions, it's important. research.

Big picture, little picture. How important is The Thing (again)?. How much detail do you need to know? Especially when it comes to royalty or a hierarchal system, I see research being misguided. There are so many nuances to royal interactions that I could give a rat's ass. Big picture, general outline. I don't need to know everything, just basic courtesy, terms of address, appropriate convo. done. but if your MC is a coroner? might wanna put more detail into that; you'll be talking about the job a lot. determine how much the element will affect your story and go from there.

Don't fudge it for the plot. You'll have a preconceived notion of a certain job description, and then research it and think 'oh that's actually boring.' Don't muddle up the rules just to fit the aesthetic. It's sloppy, and your readers will notice.

To practice researching, pick your topic and after learning a bit about it, try teaching a powerpoint to your parents or friends. if you feel comfortable enough with that knowledge to do it successfully, I'd say you have a good enough understanding.

Setting

researching location is a big one that often gets overlooked. You don't always need to memorize maps, but get a general idea of the city/country layout so when you say "they drove 20 minutes from A to B" it makes sense, rather than having a reader think "Uh, A to B is closer to four hours, wtf?"

if you are making up your city, make a list of important streets and locations in relation to each other. This will help you keep it straight and organized in your head.

Get a feel for flora and fauna. Palm trees don't grow in Alaska. Don't write an Alaskan city with palm trees.

Weather? what's it like? Let me tell you, Portland doesn't get higher than 102F. rainy, cloudy, all that stuff.

Atmospheric details really add a lot, especially if your audience is from that location. It adds another layer of relatability. Also, use weather/plants/animals to your advantage! symbolism, possible curse, all that stuff.

Eras

Oh my god stop fucking this up. Baroque, Elizabethan, Edwardian, Middle Ages ARE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. STOP SLAPPING FANCY CLOTHES ON PEOPLE AND CALLING IT THE OLDEN DAYS.

get an idea of when electricity was widespread in homes. when was the refrigerator invented? did they use the word 'hella' in 1950? this kinda stuff is important for not breaking the illusion of a time difference. If you are writing a period piece and someone is chatting with a neighbor like it's 2015, we'll have some questions.

Unless it's doctor who. you guys can do literally whatever.

Plot and Character Development

If plot and characters are poorly researched, you are limiting the opportunities for growth. In researching your MC's occupation, you may discover a cool side effect that connects to a plot device. Stagnant, stale characters can be spruced up with a more developed backstory.

All in all, research is really important for your story. regardless of how professional it is, tumblr or the new york times. Do your research. As a writer, you are representing the community in your own way. Do us proud.

xox love you

[writingquestionsanswered]

how do i make my writing more ‘mature’? i always feel like no matter how sophisticated i write and no matter every which way i change it up it always has a sense of being childish or juvenile.

Making Writing Sound More Mature

1 - Better Plot and Story Structure - One of the telltale signs of juvenile writing is a story that meanders, has no obvious plot or structure, has no conflict or has a protagonist with no goal. So, make sure you have a well fleshed out plot, with a conflict, protagonist goal, and which hits the beats specific to your story's genre.

2 - Three-Dimensional Characters - If you're writing plot-driven fiction, make sure your main characters have a fleshed out personality, stakes, motivation, goal, and compelling relationships with other characters. If you're writing fully or partially character-driven fiction, do all of the above, but also make sure your main characters have a relevant internal conflict and a thoughtful character arc.

3 - Well-Developed Setting and World - One common hallmark of juvenile writing is a lack of "sense of place" and under-developed world building. So, make sure you put a lot of thought into where your story takes place... not just the immediate setting of each scene, but the overall world of the story, or at least the parts of it that are relevant.

4 - Incorporate Literary Devices - Juvenile writing tends to be lacking in the use of metaphor, simile, symbolism, irony, themes, and motifs. So, make sure to include those, but also take the time to make them relevant to your story.

5 - Include a Broad Range of Vocabulary - One common element of juvenile writing is a reliance on limited, simple vocabulary. Don't be afraid to use a thesaurus to find more interesting word choices--just be absolutely certain to crosscheck your choices with a dictionary to make sure they are the right choice. Online thesauruses in particular are bad about offering up bad suggestions. Also, make sure to learn and use special vocabulary that is relevant to your story, genre, or setting. For example, if your character is a retired police detective trying to solve a murder on his stalled cruise to Alaska, you need to make sure you know the proper investigative terminology, because he will definitely use it. And, by that same token, you'd want to make sure you know cruise ship lingo as well. And, part of this, too, is getting better at description and the inclusion of emotional and sensory detail.

6 - Use Varied Sentence Structure - This is a big one... juvenile writing tends to use repetitive sentence structure, such as simple sentences (she stood up, she went to the window, she waved at the man), lack of subordinate clauses (Tad Smith, who was a seasoned and retired investigator, had looked forward to this cruise his whole life...), repetitive starts (every sentence begins with a pronoun, for example), uniform length (all short sentences, for example.) So, make sure your sentences are varied. If you read them out loud, you don't want it to sound rhythmic, but more like a complex melody.

7 - Show, Don't Tell... Most of the Time - Telling definitely has its place, but most of the time you want to show rather than tell, meaning that instead of stating things simply and directly (the sun was shining) you want to paint a clear but indirect image (dappled sunlight shone through the trees.)

8 - Avoid Cliche Phrases - Human language is littered with everyday phrases like "to each their own" or "better late than never." Generally-speaking, you want to avoid these phrases in your story, especially in exposition. If you include them anywhere, they're best spoken as dialogue by a character who it makes sense would say something like that. Likewise, be careful of cliche genre or character-type phrases. For example, villains who say things like "we're not so different, you and I..." or "I finally have you right where I want you!" These overused phrases tend to make stories sound juvenile and unpolished.

9 - Avoid Cliche Tropes - Another type of cliche to avoid if you want more mature-sounding writing is cliches of various tropes. Tropes on their own are a good thing, but when tropes are used the same way over and over again in a genre or type of story, they become predictable. For example, the super gorgeous protagonist who everyone is in love with, but they view themselves as plain and not special. Or the broken/hopeless/addict mentor character. It's not that you can't use any cliche tropes at all, just make sure your story isn't riddled with them, and do what you can to put your own spin on the ones you do use.

10 - Read, Read, Read - And I can't stress this enough... the absolute best way to improve your writing style and take your writing from juvenile to polished is to make sure you're reading a lot of fiction, in a lot of genres, by a lot of authors. Audio books, short stories, and poetry count, too. The more you read, the more you begin to: understand plot and story structure, recognize well-developed characters, easily envision complex settings and worlds, learn vocabulary and literary devices, become attuned to varied sentence structure, and learn to recognize cliche phrases and tropes.

Happy writing!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[atlaculture]

Cultural Architecture: NWT Totem Poles - An Overview

In the Northern Water Tribe (NWT), totem poles are commonplace throughout the capitol city. According to Indigenous Foundations:

Totem poles are monuments created by First Nations [and Alaska Natives] of the Pacific Northwest to represent and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events... A totem pole typically features symbolic and stylized human, animal, and supernatural forms.

And the totem poles of the NWT are no different. The poles in the NWT are composed of different "segments" that likely represent animals and natural phenomenon of spiritual significance in their culture (totems).

The biggest difference between real-life totem poles and the ones depicted in ATLA are the materials used. Traditionally, real-life totem poles are carved from red cedar wood. Meanwhile, the totem poles depicted in ATLA appear to be carved/bent from ice. This makes perfect sense when considering the different resources available in the arctic versus the subarctic.

Along with bone chokers, totem poles are a type of Native American/Alaska Native/First Nation art that is well-known to most non-indigenous people, so it's not surprising that they were incorporated into the worldbuilding of the NWT.

In Part 2, I'll be covering the possible meaning/symbolism behind each of the totem pole's segments.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[mariacallous]

For 700 years, Moscow has expanded through relentless land grabs, growing into the largest country on Earth while subjugating countless nations.

In a recent video address, President Zelenskyy appeared wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “Make Russia Small Again.” But this isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s a call for historical justice and a reminder of Russia’s centuries-old imperial ambitions.

The T-shirt displays a map of the Grand Duchy of Moscow as it was in 1462, under the rule of Prince Ivan III, who sought to break free from the Golden Horde’s dominance. This era marked the beginning of Muscovy’s expansionist campaigns, during which it claimed lands beyond its borders. In the following years, neighboring principalities such as Yaroslavl, Tver, Ryazan, and Rostov were conquered—the same region that made headlines in August 2024 when Ukrainian forces advanced into it.

Even back then, Moscow employed methods that would become its standard practice for centuries—deportation. After conquering the Novgorod Republic, Moscow forcibly relocated its population to other regions. This move was designed to crush any resistance, as Novgorod had long been independent and a powerful rival to Moscow. By dismantling its center of influence, Moscow eliminated any hope for independence and silenced the potential for protest.

It was Ivan III who first declared himself “Tsar of All Rus,” even though he had never ruled over the lands of Kyivan Rus and merely aspired to conquer them. Over time, his ambitions extended to the northern territories of modern Ukraine—Siveria and Chernihiv regions.

The territory of Tatarstan, where the BRICS summit took place in Kazan in 2024, was conquered in the mid-16th century. These lands have never historically belonged to Russia.

In the following centuries, Moscow simultaneously pushed in all directions—deep into Siberia, south to the Caucasus, even waging war with modern-day Iran, while also advancing westward. The empire continuously grew, fueled by a desire to extend its global influence. When Peter I proclaimed the Russian Empire in the early 18th century, he claimed to be “reclaiming lands,” but in reality, it was a relentless campaign of conquest. Like every other empire, Russia’s expansion was built on the systematic expansion of its territories and subjugation of the peoples within them.

A particularly revealing example is Alaska. Russia sold the territory because it lacked the resources to maintain control, while the U.S. initially hesitated over whether it was worth purchasing.

Even in the 20th century, after the collapse of the Russian Empire and the rise of the Soviet Union, Russia continued its territorial conquests. In 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact—a secret agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union—was signed. This pact divided Poland and carved out spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, effectively igniting the start of World War II.

While global empires were letting go of their colonies and former vassals were gaining independence, the Kremlin remained focused on expanding its influence. Moscow backed the war in Korea, as well as numerous other military conflicts, particularly in Asia. Its socialist-communist reach extended well beyond Asia.

Russia is a vast prison of nations. Over centuries, it has conquered vast territories, and in doing so, has not only seized land but also sought to erase the identities of the peoples it subjugated—just as it did in Novgorod. Native inhabitants were deported and resettled elsewhere. Crimean Tatars were forcibly expelled from Crimea, while people from central Russia were relocated to Ukraine’s Donbas.

The “Make Russia Small Again” T-shirt symbolizes a call for historical justice: Moscow was a principality in 1462. The history of the territories beyond serves as a reminder that Russia’s big size is the result of imperial conquest, with many nations still trapped in a sprawling colony.

[salixsociety]

Juniper | Juniperus Communis

A summary of the magical, medicinal, ecological properties.

Other names: Common Juniper

Distribution: The common Juniper has the largest geographical range of any woody plant, with a complete circumpolar distribution across the temperate Northern Hemisphere. It can be found from the mountains in the arctic, all the way south to thirty degrees latitude in North America, Europe and Asia. Small populations can be found in the Atlas mountains of North Africa. In North America it can be found in all of Canada and Alaska, and much of the Northern US, as well as in smaller populations throughout the US West.

Description: Common Juniper can look an array of different ways depending on where it's found, as the location determines the subspecies. It can range from a creeping shrub to a tall conifer tree, so it's highly recommended to look up which subspecies is/are local to you. Almost all subspecies do have the following in common, though: the leaves are green, needlelike, usually in whorls of three, and feature a white stomatal band through the middle. Juniper is dioecious; male cones are yellow, about 3mm long, and fall in spring. The fruit are cones (often mistaken for and referred to as berries), they show green initially but ripen to a purple black or blue black. They usually consist of three or six fleshy scales, each with one seed.

Ecology: The plant propagates when birds eat the berries and pass the seeds through dropping. It prefers sandy, rocky, or otherwise well-draining soil. It's associated with a variety of conifers, especially pines and firs. It's an especially important food source for birds, but doesn't receive much use from larger wildlife.

Myth and Legend: Juniper doesn't have a particularly strong presence in ancient mythology, which is surprising, considering its widespread nature and uses in medicine. It was thought for a while that Junipers were mentioned on several occasions in the Old Testament, but they mostly proved to be different plants. The only exception is 1 Kings 19:5-18, where the prophet Elijah shelters under a juniper while in hiding. So what's left? There is a small amount of much more local folklore about Juniper. In Germanic and Celtic regions, Juniper had an ancient history as sacred tree, and therefore was though to be unlucky, a fate that many formerly holy trees experience. One was not to plant a Juniper next to another unlucky tree, nor bring Juniper inside, nor chop it down without permission, as it was sure to bring catastrophy to the family. In the Germanic regions Junipers were passively associated with dwarves, as they were sometimes thought to have much knowledge about them. The yellow spores of Juniper, which sometimes travel through the woods in big clouds, were seen as a blessing upon the woods. There's a lot of Christianized Juniper folklore as well. That Christ's cross was made of Juniper (which would have been impossible), that he rose to heaven from atop a Juniper, that the voice of God commanded Christians not to fell Junipers, that Judas hanged himself from one, etc. These are all indications of holy status in the pagan faiths, which translated into the Christian era. Juniper is also sometimes portrayed as a tree of death and resurrection in European fairytales.

Religion: The Juniper plays only a passive symbolic role in Christianity as a tree of protection from persecutors. We can deduce from how the Juniper has persisted throughout time that it was once a sacred tree to the Germanic peoples. We know it was also sacred to Mediterranean pagans, especially the Romans and Hellenics. They would often substitute burning rosemary for burning Juniper for all matters to do with the underworld, death, and cthonic deities, and carve idols out of Juniper wood. It was also used for communication or summoning of monsters. Medea, priestess of Hekate, is said to have used it.

Magical Application: Juniper is quite prickly to the touch, and enjoys a status as spirit/demon-repelling plant for that reason. It is also fairly aromatic, which was also associated with repelling spirits. It is among the most famous protective plants in Europe, because of its many traits that make it so suitable. Juniper hung from doorways and the like was said to repel witches, and enchanting oneself with it would help one recognize them. All in all, a very strong protective and repellant plant, suitable for everything concerning keeping spirits away, and curing curses. It was also used for fertility rituals, especially in the continental Germanic regions. The way in which it was done was not up to snuff in terms of modern ethics (it was used as switch to beat the subject of the spell with, primarily), but it could still lend itself exceptionally well to fertility magic of all kinds. Because the plant is so sacred, it can easily be used to bless things or devote them to your Gods. It was also used in divination at times. Gin and other drinks made with Juniper berries were believed to make one more capable of divination or give prophetic dreams.

Magical Healing and Medicine: Juniper berries are rich in terpenes, volatile oils, tannins, sap and bitter components. It works as a disinfectant and diuretic, the latter function of which is the most crucial in folk medicine. Juniper leaves also harbor fungi which are stronly anti-fungal, which are now FDA approved to treat fungal infections. Much less scientifically, both Native Americans and Europeans have long used Juniper berries as a contraceptive and abortaficent. Since antiquity it has been prescribed to tone the uterus, or, in larger doses, cause "births under the saving Juniper," a euphemism for an intentional miscarriage. As medicine, because it was so magically repellent, it was especially well used to treat illnesses of a magical sort, but it might also be used for your usual remedies against fevers, warts, etc. Transfer magic would likely work well on Juniper trees. Juniper has a long history as healing plant and medicinal herb, definitely worth exploring.

Practical Applications: Juniper wood lends itself very well to carving. The berries are used to make Gin and other Juniper-based drinks, and are used a lot in cuisine. They aren't very good to eat raw, as they are quite bitter, but dried and crushed they are frequently used to improve stews, gamey meat, etc. Do not consume more than the equivalent of about 15 Juniper berries a day, as it could have negative side effects and cause damage to internal organs.

**This is a shortened version of the pages I offer on my ko-fi. You can commission any custom research project, but this is an extremely simplified version of my herbarium page. Please consider commissioning me if you would like to receive a much longer portfolio like this, with a source list, many more images, and much more information! I do custom discounts for repeat customers.

[dailymothanon]

I been reading some amount about Yukon 🤨 I think he could be indigenous, maybe mixed. Mm yeha I did change his design, tho I still wanna think of him as quite stocky built, his hair is simply in ponytail cuz I wanted it to represent the Yukon River; also I wanted to put more emphasis on the fireweed flower for him n all that (territorial flower symbol, also cultural importance)

bonus sketch of him 😼 I realized Alaska and Yukon are much more similar to each other than I thought honestly! I mean I figured they were pretty similar, being neighbor buddies n all that but still

[decaffeinatedpartymuggoop]

Okay, we all know being a demigod is a shit position. Its scary and gets you killed in really nasty ways. But I feel like being a Big Three Kid has to be the shitiest position in all the shit positions.

Like, imagine being Thalia Grace. Your dad is king of the gods, lord of the skies. Led a war to get rid of a tyrant. And the only thing you get is his scorned wife AND brother, who both try to kill you (with one technically succeeding), a drunk of a mother, and brother who you thought was dead. Oh, wait, he’s not dead! No instead he was used as an offering to appease your dad’s wife and help fight in a war and prevent mass destruction.

Or maybe you can imagine being Percy. Son of the sea god, the stormbringer, the earthshaker. You get to live with a disgusting, abusive man for around 6 years. Who smells like literal shit. All because your scent as a demigod is too strong, BECAUSE of who your father is. You see things that you aren’t supposed to see and do things that people can’t do and go years thinking something is wrong with you. That your the problem. Then you get to the one place where you’re supposed to be save. But! Here is the kicker! You’re not! Your uncles hate you and you’ve been accused of stealing a symbol of power. A series of events that will kick off a war, and guess what. You’re a center point for it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood.

Mhm, but then there’s Hazel. Daughter Pluto, god of the underworld and riches. But that doesn’t really change anything does it? She’s still living in 1930s America, in a red state. One where confederate flags still hang if you go deep enough into the city. She go to a school where the kids are supposed to be just like her! They still don’t like her tho. She’s got no idea who your father is, only that he left her with a parting gift. Only it’s not really a gift. Sure, she can pull rubies and diamonds from the earth, all worth millions. But anyone who’s ever gonna touch it will die. She lives with her mother, a woman gone so mad with greed it kills her. And Hazel, by the way. Laying dead Alaska, inhaling oil. But it doesn’t end there! She can’t have her mother suffering for eternity, can she? The answer is no. Hazel gets to spend the next 70 years in the Fields of Asphodel. It still doesn’t end! Because when she’s brought back to life, she gets to fight in a war against giants, her sad story seemingly never ending.

Nico’s a son of one of the Big Three, one of the most ancient and most powerful. But most people look at him as something bad, something not worth taking a second glance at. Something too look away from, mostly. He’s from the 30s, spent years in a magical time casino with only his sister at his side. She doesn’t stay for long though, she dies soon after they discover their heritage. And he doesn’t remember his mother much, a name without a face. A face without a name. He survived an attempted assassination at 2, though it wouldn’t be the only time his was life was threatened. He clings to his sister, even though she’s dead. He’s the son of the god of the underworld, is he not? There had to be a way, and there is. Only she won’t talk to him, she seems more concerned with communicating with the guy who got her killed instead. She chooses rebirth, and he decides to lay it to rest. She’s not coming back, and he has a war to fight in. (He gets stuck in a jar and forcibly outed a few years later, but that’s a lot to get into for now.)

Jason Grace is a pillar of New Rome, their golden boy, their American boy. He’s a son of Jupiter, a natural born leader. He’s been at camp for as long as he can remember, he wants to be praetor soon. He’s had a rocky start, but maybe he’ll be one of the lucky ones. Retire a veteran and live a long life with Reyna in New Rome. Only that never happened. He has no idea where he is, there’s a girl holding his hand, and she’s cute but it feels wrong. They get attacked and people come in and call him a Greek demigod, familiar, yes, but still wrong. It doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t put things into perspective the way it does for Piper and Leo. He’s goes to a quest to rescue Hera, the name sounds wrong. He nearly dies but at least he remembers who he is. He spends the next 6 months trying to get back home, even though he isn’t too sure on where or what home is. He gets there, eventually, but it doesn’t stop there. He’s dragged on quests and battles and fights in the war but at least he survives it, he’s still there. Apollo needs help, he and Piper give him aid. He gets dumped. He doesn’t get to he a veteran in New Rome. Not with Reyna, not with Piper, not with anybody. He doesn’t get kids or grandkids. No, he gets shot down, another demigod buried.

You could be any one of them, really. Pick your poison, but I guarantee you won’t like any of them. Spending years trying to find a place where you belong, where you feel safe. Only for it to never come.

Percy, who, if you really look at the books, isn’t really all that well liked until he’s at least 2 years into camp. Only to then be sidelined because the courages, brave, fearless daughter of Zeus is back from the dead. Nico, the son of one of the most feared and hated gods. Who has death written all over him, who excludes it so much animals can smell it and humans can sense it, who’s been ostracized and pushed off to the side since he was 10. Hazel, who was treated like disease as soon as she stepped foot on camp soil. Who’s gone her whole life looked as something that’s cursed, that will only bring misfortune, a bad omen.

Shit positions, all of them.

[gremlins-hotel]

alfred rocking some different flight jackets (nerd stuff under cut)

The flight jacket, an iconic piece of any aviator's outerwear. Before they ever became symbols of fashion and the 'exalted' place that came with the occupation of pilot, the flight jacket as we know it was first made for function. Aircraft of World War I and the earliest designs were open cockpit machines, and many would remain that way in the Interbellum. All that to say this paramount paraphernalia's original purpose was to keep an aviator warm in the sky.

Keep in mind that the images above may not reflect every specimen of their type. Jackets differed in design by manufacturer, production block, and even by the military branch (Navy jackets also often have a different name) & unit ordering them. A great example is the wide range of looks for the quintessential B-3. My apologies in advance for them being all American designs. I would love to show off some of the British flight jackets, but I would rather do a little more research (and practice drawing Arthur more)!

A-1 (1927-1931) A thin leather jacket designed for lower altitudes and made with a flattering fit high on the waist, the A-1 was the kickstart to the wide variety the Army Air Corps would come to know. The A-1 had differing designs between the Navy and the infant Air Corps, and early A-1s are distinguished by having seven buttons and a knit collar, which later models did not keep. However, later models did retain the knit waistband and cuffs.

A-2 (1931-1943) The direct successor to the A-1, the A-2 quickly replaced its older brother. This is one of the more recognizable jackets from the States after becoming the standard for the Air Corps in the early 1930s. The quality of the jackets would fall due to wartime rationing, with early designs of horsehide and silk becoming goatskin and cotton, however, the general look remained. The A-2 was still primarily for open cockpit designs, lower altitudes, and warmer climes. Identifiable from the A-1 by its snap-down leather collar, zipper, and varying shapes and sizes of a hook-and-eye clasp at the collar to close it.

G-1 (1938-present) This looker would replace the A-2 in form and function during the 1940s, first becoming popular with the Army and Navy before being adopted by USAAF. Originally named the ANJ-3/AN-J-3 the jacket gained its new designation by the time the Air Corps caught on. The G-1 came with a mouton collar and a bi-swing back to allow for greater arm movement, meanwhile, it lacked the over-zipper 'wind flap' of its predecessors. A keen eye for pop culture might realize that this is the jacket from the 1986 hit Top Gun.

B-3 (1934-1943) Ah, the B-3! Commonly known simply as the "bomber jacket," the B-3 was made with a high-altitude bomber in mind, unlike previous designs. Incredibly bulky and lined with sheepskin the B-3 was made to keep crews at 25,000 feet above from freezing in their unpressurized cabins, with many such as the early B-17 Flying Fortresses possessing open waist gunner ports. The wide collar could be closed with two leather straps and the jacket did not come with the famous knit waistband or cuffs that others did. "The General" was a B-3 design made specifically for General George S. Patton, who popularized the B-3 outside of the Air Corps. (The B-3 had a slimmer cousin - the B-6 - designed as the 'quality of life' inside bombers improved, such as pressurized cabins.)

B-7 (1941-1942) Short-lived, the B-7 Parka was manufactured for pilots operating in the brutal cold of Alaska. However, not much is known of it due to its limited production. In fact, the B-7 was discontinued swiftly due to its high manufacturing cost. Either way, the B-7 is a funky one-off that is easily distinguishable from the lineup by its three-quarter length and coyote-lined hood.

B-15 (1944-1954) The infamous green flight jacket that many today typically know as the "bomber jacket". The B-15 quickly replaced its older brother, the B-10 (1943-1944). Like other designs it had many variations. Similar to the G-1, the B-15 shared the same pocket design and lack of a wind flap, yet the B-15 was cloth with a mouton collar and a knit waistband and cuffs. The shell was produced in a range of materials including nylon and cotton-rayon. It was lighter weight and far less warm than its sheepskin predecessors and spoke to the advancements in aviation technology. A quirk of its design that soon became standard was the designated pen pocket on the upper left arm.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[mur-art]

The “Fort Ross” Trio (Hawai’i, California, and Alaska), inspired by @sleepdeprivedsimp234’s HCs about them:

Alaska’s trying his best!!!

More rambling and details under the cut:

So in the course of this drawing I found myself wondering, “surely Alaska has some surfing with all that coastline!” And thus, I learned about Yakutat Bay, the surfing capitol of Alaska. So I think Alaska would at least be somewhat capable of surfing, albeit not as good as Surfer Bro Cali or Miss “I literally invented this” Hawai’i.

But hey, like I said, he’s trying his darn best!

Details of each of ‘em:

Please note, any inaccuracies in this portrayal of surfing is bc I know NOTHING about surfing. I feel like there’s all kinds of symbolism with the board designs and types of boards, etc, etc, that I would get into if I knew more about it!!

[clanborn]

How does starclan work in Alaska clans versus canon? In the same vein how to leader lives work, how many do each leader have currently?

Ah I’ve been waiting for this question and the answer is complicated and not fully developed yet but the vagueness is sort of inherent to the clans’ beliefs.

So the clans do not believe in a Starclan or any kind of specific afterlife. The question of what comes after death is a question entirely unknown to the cats of the clans, though naturally most cats have their own individual ideas regarding it.

Instead, the cats of the clans mainly worship a set of four patron gods, four large carnivores: a lynx, a bear, a sea lion, and a wolf.

Each god serves as a patron for each clan, as well as a patron of other natural phenomena.

- The Lynx: Patron god of all cats, of Iceclan, of death, winter, games, snow, and time

- The Bear: Patron god of Brookclan, life, spring, rivers, change, cycles

- The Wolf: Patron god of Stoneclan, wits, autumn, community, crafts, lakes

- The Sea Lion: Patron god of Oceanclan, the sea, summer, fortune, strength, and challenges

I refer to these gods in the singular, but the cats worship these animals as one unit. Any lynx would be considered The Lynx. The clan cats themselves view their own lives this way, each as an extension of a single conglomerate, of Catkin as a whole (though Oceanclan has some philosophical objection to this).

Along with this, any sort of creature is considered its own sort of deity, just as minor ones compared to the ones the cats follow. For example, the snowshoe hare is a creature of spiritual importance, a symbol of sacrifice and deference to the gods.

The leaders each receive nine lives like in the original series, a precedent set by the first clan cat/leader, Stonestar, who fought a lynx for nine lives (an origin story I need to finish soon). All of the original leaders of the four clans won favor with one of the patron gods, each earning nine lives in turn, and swearing fealty in return for the privilege to inhabit the Bay.

The lives the leaders receive may provide insight into the afterlife of catkin: when new leaders get their lives in the Moon Cave, each one appears to be a glimpse of a cat’s life lived before, suggesting some sort of cycle in play. And cycles are relevant to the beliefs of the clans, specifically a spiritual emphasis on water and its cycles.

As for how many lives each leader currently has, I haven’t really figured out specifics since it’s not super relevant to Event Horizon, but Sandstar definitely has the least due to his age and reckless nature, followed by Shalestar, who is also an older leader. Fogstar is very cautious and has not lost many lives despite her age, and Aspenstar still has many lives as well due to being the youngest, though she has lost several as a sacrifice while serving her clanmates.

This is only a bare bones overview of the clans’ religion but there’s a lot to cover and I wanted to make sure I answered your questions lol 😭

[frangipanilove]

"Hope is the North Star, Let it Guide You" ...to Green(e)land?

More on the North/bear/Arctic symbolism

So, the first non-spoiler reviews are out, and a couple of things REALLY stood out to me. This might be nothing, but it could be something, and I thought it was worth mentioning. Take it with a grain of salt because after all, it is wild speculation over scenes we haven’t seen yet.

According to this article from gamesradar.com, Carol and Ash will make a “bizarre” stopover in Greenland on their way to Europe. That tickled my TD brain immensely, because Greenland is another one of those references I’ve just been patiently waiting for for years:

Greenland is a large island located in the North Atlantic. It is autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, and most of it lies above the Arctic Circle. The capital city is Nuuk, formerly known by it’s Danish name Godthåb, which literally translates to “good hope”:

I’ve been writing about the North Star symbolism in many posts over the years. The TLDR of it is that it all ties into Beth through the DC spoon from 4x12 Still, the theory is that the spoon (literally a Little Dipper) is a metaphor for the Little Dipper, which is the star constellation where we find the North Star/Polaris, foreshadowing Beth reuniting with TF, and returning “home”. Keep in mind that the Latin names of the Big and Little Dipper are Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Greater and Lesser Bear. I’ll get back to it shortly.

At the crux of the North Star symbolism is finding “true north” a well known metaphor for finding your true direction in life, including finding true love.

We also saw this symbolism in full display in 7x2 The Well, when Carol was wheeled around in a wheelchair at the Kingdom, while a quote on the wall about the North Star featured prominently in the shot: “Hope is the North Star, Let it Guide You”.

The quote with the North Star reference foreshadowed Carol finding her “true north” at the Kingdom. She found love with Ezekiel, and perhaps more importantly, she found a son in Henry. She found her true purpose in life.

In TWDU, the North Star is symbolically synonymous with “home”, as in “home is where the heart is”, “home” is where your loved ones are. We saw Carl define the meaning of the North Star symbolism back in season 5: “If you get lost at night, find that star”.

The North Star will guide you home, it will reunite you with your family. It symbolizes "home", "family" and "reunion".

“Home” is where you belong. It’s a mental state, more than a geographical location, but in TWDU the symbolism is often represented by various expressions of “northern” stuff and thangs like snow, ice, polar bears, Alaska license plates etc.

I’ll quickly go through the main points of my hypothesis, because I’ve written so much about it in other posts. Just search for North Star on my blog and about a million posts should come up.

In 4x12 Still, we saw Beth pick up what has become known as the "DC spoon", literally a little dipper. We later realized it was symbolically synonymous with the Little Dipper, the constellation where the North Star is.

We know that “bear” symbolism on the show ties into the North Star symbolism because the Little Dipper, the constellation where we find the North Star/Polaris, is called Ursa Minor in Latin, which means Lesser Bear. So "bear" symbolism is synonymous with North Star symbolism, which, as mentioned above, means “home”.

We’ve seen other references to this symbolism through the various exemples of “north” symbolism on the show, such as the Alaska license plate in 5x16 Conquer, where you can see the Alaska state flag with the Big Dipper and North Star/Polaris:

Remember how one of the guys at the car shop that Carol ran into in TWDDD 1x6 was called Juno, a play on the name of the Alaska state capital Juneau. The other guy was conveniently called Grady... the symbolism of which should be self-explanatory…

In FTWD 6x3 Alaska, we follow Dwight and Althea on their quest of finding driver’s licenses from all 50 states, where Alaska and Hawaii proved to be the most difficult ones to find. And yet, in 6x3 they found an Alaska driver’s license. Dwight insisted it was a “good omen”.

Dwight was reunited with Sherri later that episode, the love of his life, his “true north”:

Seems like the North Star symbolism indeed is a good omen.

Alaska is obviously the northernmost state in the US, and is therefore a perfectly valid “north” reference in its own right, but in addition to that, and perhaps more interestingly, Alaska is (like Greenland), partly in the Arctic, meaning large parts of their territoty lies within the Arctic Circle.

And anyone familiar with my writing knows how much I love to explore the symbolism in TWDU from an etymological point of view, which rarely disappoints:

Yup, the word “Arctic” comes from Greek “arktos”, which means “bear”, and in this case it specifically refers to the bears in the sky, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the constellations otherwise known as the Big and Little Dipper, the same bears that Beth’s Little Dipper/DC spoon is a reference to.

And now that I’ve mentioned that, let’s check out the coat of arms of Greenland:

Further, the “north” symbolism ties into the symbolism we see around navigation and compasses. The whole point with navigating with a compass is to determine which direction is north, and from there decide where you need to go. Like Carl explained, just find the North Star and it will guide you home.

Or, as mentioned in King Ezekiel’s quote from the Kingdom proclaimed; “hope is the North Star, let it guide you”.

Or, as we saw with Henry's compass rose t-shirt. It was a representation of that for Carol, her true north was with her family at the Kingdom:

In TWD season 11 we came to know the Commonwealth, and while it wasn’t without its fair share of drama, it eventually came to be a peaceful home for TF, many of which found love there, started families, and settled down. That was foreshadowed by this massive compass rose on the floor of the former train station:

On compasses, the red needle always points north, and it therefore ties into the "red" symbolism which I’ve written about here and here, where the hypothesis is that the color red represents "the living color", or resurrection if you will. It's the color of circulating blood, which is a prerequisite for life. And keep this in mind because I'll revisit it shortly.

In 5x13 Alone, a broken compass was seen in the other storyline, the one parallel with Beth and Daryl's. A subtle hint of what was to come for Daryl and Beth later that episode? Where north/North Star/compass symbolism represents home/reunion, a broken compass perhaps represents the opposite; separation?

In TWDDD 1x5 Deux Amours, we saw a clock that bore a striking resemblance to Beth’s DC spoon from 4x12 Still, and in my opinion, it was a blatant callback to Beth:

It had the same type of detailed engravings, and interestingly, where Beth’s spoon was a metaphor for the Little Dipper/North Star/Polaris, the ultimate tool for navigation, a clock is actually also a perfect metaphor for a compass, which obviously also is an excellent tool for navigation:

Because yes; clocks can be used as compasses. I wrote a post about it here, along with all the reasons why I believe the clock was a callback to Beth's DC spoon.

And what did we see in TWD 5x9 WHAWGO, the episode directly after Beth had been "killed"?

We saw a blanket with a pattern of polar bears dressed in red scarves, red as in "the living color", and a clock where the hands pointed towards the "5" and the "8" and the "10".

Everyone knows that TD has "perfected" (lol) the art of interpreting clocks to the extent that we could probably publish a 10 part encyclopedia on clocks alone. Let me just go on a brief tangent on how I interpret this particular one:

One hand points to the 10 minute mark. "10" can be interpreted as Roman numeral "X", which can also be interpreted as a cross, symbolizing "death" and "resurrection". Beth's death and resurrection.

One hand points to the 5 hour mark. In my opinion, we can plausibly interpret that as a nod to the season in question, season 5, when Beth "died"

Then finally, the red hand points to the episode when she "died", episode 8 of season 5, or 5x8 Coda. But the fact that the hand is red, "the living color", reveals a plot twist. Beth's not really dead. She will resurrect in due time.

And when is this mythical "due time" going to arrive?

Well, other clues, such as the blanket with polar bears dressed in red scarves behind the clock, suggests that when we start to see symbolism that revolves around polar bears, is when we should start to pay attention.

Basically everything I've written in this post is about this particular "family" of symbolism. The North Star symbolism, the bear symbolism of Ursa Major and Minor, the fact that "Arctic" means "bear", the fact that the coat of arms of Greenland is a polar bear, the fact that the potentially resurrecting person in question's last name is Greene, and now we finally get a reference to Greenland...

All of these things and many others suggest that now might be the time to start paying attention.

And now, according to the review from gamesradar.com, we’re getting a Greenland reference! It's just what the doctor ordered! And according to the reviewer, it’s a “bizarre” little stop-over, which suggests it makes little sense in terms of the plot, which is usually an indication that it’s mostly included for symbolism reasons.

So, what does it mean? Is Beth on Greenland?

Probably not, in fact I believe that's highly unlikely. I think the "bizarre" Green(e)land stopover is just a little symbolic "snack" for us TD symbolism hunters. I believe that the big reveal will happen probably in season 3, in Spain, which I've outlined the reasons for in other posts, such as this one.

But remember the tagline for the season, "to find home is to find each other". Certain factions of the fandom interpret this as to mean Carol and Daryl are each others “home”. And sure, in a way they are. They’re very close best friends, family, actually, as we over the past few months have learned, through the most un-ambiguous, fiercly insistent friend-zoning PR-campaign ever seen in the history of the universe.

And as I've described in this post, the North Star symbolism is about finding your way home.

But they’re not each others "true north". That Carol, on her way to finding Daryl, randomly touches down on Green(e)land, of all places, is a clue about what Daryl’s “true north” is. She's not touching down on Peletier-land, or Carriere-land (as in Isabelle Carriere). She's specifically touching down on Green(e)land.