#oil fire expanded universe

[eleemosynecdoche]

Iizunamaru Megumu contemplates her desk. The open expanse of it. Neatly sorted. In and out trays thoroughly browbeaten. Two subordinates sit on the other side. They look at her without looking at her. She whistles tunelessly. "What the fuck is a Gundam?" she asks.

The one on the left says, "I think it's an Outside thing."

"An Outside human thing," the one on the right adds.

"That goes without saying," the one on the left says. "How many tengu do you think are left out there? How many kappa?"

"What would you know? You only go out on those trashy hunting expeditions," the one on the right says.

"If you two even think about touching each other, let alone sucking face," Megumu cuts in, "You will both go with me to karaoke in the morning, and you will both sing until you puke." She looks them in the eyes, first left, then right. "Now. Who would know things about the outside?"

They remain silent. Hands folded. Sneaking glances at each other. Megumu grinds her teeth. "Shameimaru. She's useless. Bottom of the barrel. Surely she knows something about outsider things." They nod, cautiously.

"Well, go get her!" Iizunamaru's voice rises only a hair in volume. The two stare at her, and she realizes the question that must be bubbling up in their mind. "You won't need a wolf, just go tell her to come see me. She's docile. Compliant. Towards me."

They run off, indecently fast. Her other direct reports are quietly pretending to work, but keep glancing at her. She ignores them, takes an obsolete memo and a pair of scissors from a drawer. Snip. Snip.

By the time Shameimaru Aya arrives, flanked by the tengu twosome, Megumu has produced a little flurry of makeshift monochrome confetti, and something that looks vaguely like a lace doily. Megumu beckons for Shameimaru to take a seat.

She wastes no time. "Gundam. What is it?"

Shameimaru stares at her like she was an otter in disguise. "How should I know?"

"You sell your newspaper to the humans," Megumu says. "You sell it to that halfyoukai who collects things from the Outside. Haven't you learned from them?" She sighs. "Didn't you try to get close to the Moriya shrine maiden, too? She's an outsider as well."

"That doesn't mean I ask them about every single detail of outside life! They say "Gundam", they say "Royal Host", they say "gachapon", the, uh, 'esper' who dreams her way in talks about "gacha" without the "pon"... do I ask for more details? Only if it's relevant to the article!" Shameimaru's chest is puffed up in a kind of pride.

Megumu looks at her. It's precisely the right thing to say, but she's read Bunbunmaru for years. She's seen Aya interviewing. She looks heavenward. She looks to Hell. No answers manifest through the ceiling, no guidance rises from the floor. "Who might know about Gundam?"

Shameimaru shrugs. "Himekaidou might. She looks like a younger woman to humans, outsider girls or the Moriya shrine maiden might have shared more freely with her." She smiles beatifically.

Megumu considers what she's heard about Himekaidou Hatate and Shameimaru Aya and their relationship. "Get Himekaidou," she tells her underlings. "You stay here," she tells Shameimaru, who's beginning to edge towards the door with them.

"I wasn't going anywhere," Aya says, taking a seat and adjusting her tokin primly.

Himekaidou arrives soon after, looking disagreeably pouty and youthful and vibrant to Megumu's eyes. She snaps, before Himekaidou can offer pleasantries. "Gundam. Explain it."

Hatate squawks. Caws. Finally gets out, "It's a human anime thing, I only know about it because the Moriya shrine maiden asked if I was a 'Newtype' when she read the Kakashi Spirit News for the first time, and then she explained Newtypes for several hours to me... funnels were involved."

Megumu is taking notes. "So it's a human anime. That would explain the DVDs. But she said-"

"Who said?" Aya asks, cheerfully. "Why not get the details from her?"

"Nobody said. Nothing was asked. Do not share your thoughts on this subject with me any further," Megumu snaps. Aya continues to smile, but Megumu continues, "She said something about... models. What would those be?"

Hatate shrugs. "I have no idea."

"You know who might know, though?" Aya says, casually.

Every pair of eyes locks onto her.

"Inubashiri. The chief watchdog. She's a shogi fanatic, she edits the shogi problems column in Bunbunmaru." Aya yawns politely. "Not that I ever read it. But she's into nerd shit."

"Neither of you go anywhere," Megumu orders, picking up the phone and dialing the extension for the daitengu in charge of the wolves.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Aya says.

"Misery loves company, huh?" Hatate mutters under her breath.

A few calls, a few minutes, a dismissal of her two immediate subordinates, whose smiles are moving from "forced" to "nonexistent", (they run off indecently fast, and Megumu thinks to herself that it's depressing how sex-crazed the crows are these days) and Inubashiri Momiji is standing in front of the desk, Hatate having graciously moved against the opposite wall from Aya.

"Gundam? Models? Could you write that first one out, please?" Inubashiri looked tired at first, but she's brightening up rapidly.

"No," Megumu says.

"Well," Momiji says, "About, ohhh, thirty years ago, blink of an eye really, we started seeing these things in the usual spots for Outside objects to come through. Cardboard boxes with lots of plastic pieces inside-"

She has to stop and explain what plastic is to Megumu. She then picks it up. "Now, we've been seeing things ike it since around the time the weird shogi-"

"The horny shogi?" Aya asks. "Do the tiles have naked ladies on them?"

"-the weird shogi in the cardboard boxes started coming through. But these were different. You didn't need to glue them together, they just snapped in place, and you could pose them like a ball-joint doll, and I actually submitted four separate proposals to Manufacturing on how we could learn from the engineering." She pauses for breath. "With drawings," she adds.

"But what are these... models... of?" Megumu is hanging onto every word. She can feel the smirks on Himekaidou and Shameimaru's faces. No matter. She's close. She can feel it. She can see those ears twitching, feel her hands around that tail again.

Inubashiri shrugs. "Some kinda idol. They come with weird weapons, maybe they're new dharma protectors the humans made up."

Megumu stands up. "You three," she says, "Are now members of the Gundam Knowledge and Acquisition Committee. Your first project- there is a subordinate component of this Gundam thing called 'Gundam XX'. We must develop our knowledge of Gundam XX, and acquire a..." she struggles with the unfamiliar words.

"Take your time," Inubashiri says, still somehow smiling.

"A complete boxset," Megumu gets out. "This will only be the first project. There will be others as we develop our knowledge of Gundam and eventually deploy tengu mastery over it as well. You will work on this project in addition to your normal responsibilities. Inubashiri, I will secure your temporary seconding to my unit for this project, so don't think your daitengu will protect you."

Now all three look properly stricken. "Meeting dismissed," Megumu says, triumphantly. "Let's set up a progress report for a week from today, shall we?"

The three of them get up and leave, Megumu holding back a smile at the way their wings and tail droop. Then one of them says, stage-whispering, "If you think what's on TV sucks, you have the power to change that," and they're gone, even as her face turns purple.

"I hate Gundam," Megumu says. "Hate it."

[elenilag]

Each of us may feel a natural pull toward certain elements, and this connection often guides our practice. When you resonate strongly with an element, it can shape the tools you gravitate toward, the spells or rituals you prefer, and even the types of energy you seek to harness. For example, I feel a strong connection to Earth, which makes me more drawn to working with plants, stones, and natural items. I collect them, study their properties, and use them more frequently in my practice than divination tools, oils, or other magical items.

Those connected to Earth often feel drawn to plants, herbs, crystals, and other materials from nature. They may focus on grounding rituals, protective spells, and practical magic. Earthy individuals might enjoy crafting, creating physical talismans, and cultivating spaces of peace and stability. The sensory experience of touch can be powerful, and the connection to growth, endurance, and healing feels deeply meaningful.

Those drawn to Water may find themselves called to emotional healing, dream work, and intuitive practices. They may feel a natural inclination toward using cups, bowls, or other vessels in rituals, as well as focusing on purification and fluidity. Water-affinity can lead to using oils, creating spell baths, or crafting potions. Many Water-oriented practitioners find the realm of feelings and intuition a key component of their work.

Those connected to Fire are drawn to transformative magic, courage, and passion. They might enjoy working with candles, incense, or sigils that involve burning, as well as channeling energy into fast, powerful spells. Fire can be intimidating; it’s unpredictable and demands respect. But Fire is also a teacher, showing how to harness strength and will with balance and control.

People drawn to Air often find meaning in ideas, symbols, and the realm of thought. They may work heavily with spoken or written spells, divination tools like tarot or runes, and enjoy working in open spaces. Air brings clarity and movement, perfect for spells that involve insight, knowledge, and communication. Many Air-oriented practitioners feel empowered through visualization and meditation, connecting deeply with the mind and spirit.

Spirit (or Ether): Those resonating with Spirit often feel connected to a sense of unity and intuition that goes beyond the physical. They may be interested in connecting with ancestors, exploring astral work, or developing their inner vision. Spirit is the element that unites the other four, bringing balance and harmony, and often calls for practices that embrace the unseen or the mystical.

And while we may feel comfortable with certain elements, there are often others that feel mysterious, intimidating, or even unpredictable. I still feel uneasy around fire—the first time I made incense, I ended up with ashes and half-burned ingredients everywhere. These elements might represent areas of growth in our practice. By gradually working with these, we can expand our understanding and find new strengths.

Each person’s connection to the elements is unique. Some may feel strongly drawn to one element, while others resonate with a combination, all of them, or even none at all in the traditional sense. This variation reflects our individual ways of perceiving and interacting with the world. Each path is valid and personal, shaped by how we experience and understand these forces.

For instance, someone might feel equally drawn to both Earth and Water, finding a balance between grounding energies and emotional depth in their practice. Another may feel an affinity with all elements, seeing them as interconnected aspects of nature and life itself. Others may not feel a direct pull toward any single element but instead feel a connection to a universal energy beyond the traditional categories.

Honoring your own alignment with the elements—or lack thereof—is a core part of developing a practice that feels authentic. Whether we see ourselves in a single element, a mix, or beyond them all, these connections guide us, influencing how we interact with energy, the tools we choose, and the type of magic we are called to explore.

[revenantlore]

well. i somehow wrote over two thousand words today, which is especially impressive considering most of the day was spent as an anxious and exhausted heap in bed. 1366 of it was of an alternate universe scenario that could never happen in canon, but we must self-indulge sometimes, for the happy brain chemicals

here’re a few new words from neon bloodlust, detroit’s pov

Haskel vanishes from the screen as a window opens, pulling into view an alleyway lit up in neon. Standing against the wall is Vex, who looks out of sorts. Pale and irritated, something off about the way he’s holding his head. Detroit leans closer to his screen, pinches and expands his thumb and index finger to zoom in closer.

Something on his neck stands out but Detroit’s opportunity to scrutinize it further is stolen by a tuft of pink and blue hair glimpsed at the edges of the screen. A delicate hand embedded with circuitry and outlined in glowing ink settles over Vex’s chest.

Intimately rings through Detroit’s head until he shakes it loose and focuses on the voice that follows: “He’s a little busy, actually. Ain’t that right, doll?”

Betrayal spills down Detroit’s spine in a cold flush of oil designed to imitate dread and he’s never hated it more than he does now. His hands tighten over the counter’s edge as Vex continues speaking, and then just … ends the call.

Blank screen. Silence.

“Well, D3TR0-17,” Haskel says, her face filling the screen once more. “now that you’ve seen for yourself, maybe you’d like to go collect that dumbass before I march down there myself and fire him.”

[too-much-tma-stuff]

For the fic requests

May i have some Doorkeay angst pleas 👉👈

Doorkeay is one of my otps tbh so thank you for this!

--------

it was impossible to know when Michael would come to visit Gerry, as an immortal being now time got away from it. Besides it resisted being known so keeping to a schedule was completely antithetical to its nature. Gerry had accepted that, there were a lot of little things one had to accept when loving a monster like that, but that didn't mean he didn't worry or miss Michael when he wasn't around for a while.

The Distortion was as good as immortal but Michael itself could be hurt, or even replaced as the face of the distortion and the next face probably wouldn't love Gerry. So when it had been a couple weeks, like now, Gerry started to wonder if their last meeting would be their last ever. He would occasionally knock on walls or call out for Michael hoping the creature would hear him. He hated that he knew this was the longest they'd gone without seeing each other since they became partially official.

So he was thrilled when finally on the sixteenth day a door finally appeared, not suddenly there as usual, but sketched slowly slowly through the drywall with an invisible claw. He was wondering about the difference when the door finally creaked open and instead of Michael stepping through an almost formless shape fell through. Gerry gasped and took a step back as the thing glitched into maddening, multidimensional forms that made him smell an electrical fire.

He didn't realize it was Michael until it managed to pull itself together somewhat, enough to speak. "Gerry?" He asked and even though the voice was double tones and didn't quite align but he recognized it anyway, he also noticed that there was something dripping on the floor, a multicolored oil slick of viscus liquid that Gerry realized after a blank moment that it was blood!

"Oh my god, Michael what happened!?" Gerry gasped, rushing closer, resting his hands on what he thought where Michael's shoulders, ignoring the current that shot up his arms.

"Desolation," Michael hissed, "Was hunting you, you didn't notice but I, I didn't know how much damage they could do inside," it hissed. Gerry puzzled it out, realizing a agent of the ravening burn must have been following him and Michael had taken them into its halls to save him and it had burned him from the inside.

"Are they still in there!?" He asked, clutching Michael a little tighter, it shook what might generously be called it's head.

"Finally killed her," It confirmed, had he been fighting for his life this entire time!?

"You should have let me handle it, or at least help!" Gerry flared, anger dying immediately when Michael gave a pained whine. "Okay, okay, can you pull yourself together for me? If you can I'll help look after the burns," He promised, stroking Michael's hair. As an entity it didn't strictly need care, but dream logic, care would still help and besides Gerry Needed to feel like he was doing something! The helplessness of something like Michael being so badly injured would drive him crazy.

Micheal's form expanded and contracted a few times like it might have been taking deep breaths and pulls himself back in to a more recognizable form. Gerry's breath caught in his throat when he saw the mottled blotches littering his skin, shifting and distorting, like holes in the universe, patches where the skin, the layer of sense containing to distortion, had been burned away. It hurt to look at but Gerry ignored his own pain.

He ducked under one of Michael's arms and carefully stood, helping Michael over to the couch, pausing to kiss the monster's forehead before rushing to the bathroom for his well stocked first aid kit. Rushing back to Michael's side. He didn't think he could actually clean the wounds so he just sort of went through the motions, Michael's little whimpers stabbing into his mind.

It calmed down a little once he had covered the burns with bandages, relaxing back against the couch he gently pulled Michael against him. It folded in on itself a bit and snuggled into his chest so Gerry could play with his hair.

"Please tell me next time, I could help. I know I'm human but I do know about all this, and I missed you." Gerry said softly, feeling Michael nod against his chest, long arms sliding around his waist despite there being no room between his back and chair.

"Missed you too. I'll be okay." Michael said, and Gerry couldn't help but wonder which part of that was a lie.

[foreverlogical]

As the Midwestern and Eastern U.S. braced for what could be the longest heatwave in decades for some locations, a wildfire near Los Angeles forced more than 1,000 people to evacuate over Father's Day weekend.

The climate crisis caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels is making both heatwaves and wildfires more frequent and extreme, and politicians and environmental advocates pointed out the role that state and national policy can play in fueling extreme weather.

"Each of the last 12 months have been the hottest on record," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote on social media on Sunday. "This week, cities across the country will see record-high temperatures. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote to surrender the fight against the devastation of climate change. We cannot let that happen."

"Politicians making bad policy decisions (like killing congestion pricing) is the number one cause of climate change, which makes heatwaves like this one worse."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly told oil and gas executives this spring that donating $1 billion to his campaign would be a "deal" for them because he would dismantle the Biden administration's climate regulations.

Sanders' remarks came as the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center forecast that "record-breaking heat" would "expand from the Midwest and Great Lakes to the Northeast this week, potentially lingering through early next week."

NWS said the heatwave would be the "first significant" heatwave of the season and could break daily temperature records and some monthly June temperature records for the portion of the country stretching from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast between Monday and next Saturday.

"The longevity of dangerous heat forecasted for some locations has not been experienced in decades," NWS said.

The heat index could come close to 105°F in many places, and nighttime temperatures of around 75°F mean that those without cooling infrastructure will see "little to no relief."

The high temperatures could impact millions of people from Michigan to Maine. As of Saturday, 22.6 million people were under extreme heat warnings, watches, or advisories, according toThe New York Times.

University of California, Los Angeles, climate scientist Daniel Swain told the Times that the heat would "affect a bunch of highly populated areas where there hasn't been quite as many stories about extreme heat recently," adding, "Now, it's New England's turn."

The NWS warned, "With the intense heat and high humidity it is important to take precautions to protect one's health, particularly those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a warning on social media on Saturday, pointing out that extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the U.S.

However, climate advocates criticized Hochul for exacerbating the root cause of more extreme heatwaves with her last-minute cancellation of a New York City congestion pricing plan earlier this month.

"Politicians making bad policy decisions (like killing congestion pricing) is the number one cause of climate change, which makes heatwaves like this one worse," the Sunrise Movement wrote in response to Hochul's post.

Long-time climate advocate and author Bill McKibben said: "This governor just blocked congestion pricing, one of the most important climate policy advances possible. She's redefining trolling."

Climate Central noted that, "while heatwaves are common in summer, this early season excessive, likely record-breaking heat is made as much as two times to five times MORE likely to occur in mid-June due to human-caused climate change (particularly overnight warmth)."

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the Post Fire ignited at around 1:45 pm on Saturday local time in Los Angeles County, California, about 65 miles from downtown Los Angeles, The Washington Post reported.

As of Sunday afternoon, it had spread 12,265 acres and was 2% contained, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Fire officials said the blaze was fanned by heat, low humidity, and wind and had damaged two structures.

"Currently crews are working to construct perimeter fire lines around the flakes of the fire. Aircraft are working to stop forward progress but have limited visibility," Cal Fire wrote on Sunday, adding that "the fire is pushing up into Hungry Valley Park. California State Park Services have evacuated 1,200 people from Hungry Valley Park. Pyramid Lake is closed because of the threat of the Post Fire."

One of those evacuated was 33-year-old Oscar Flores, who was visiting Hungry Valley Park with his 12-year-old son on Saturday.

"It looked like it was the last day of the world," Flores told the Los Angeles Times. "People were loading quickly and merging out, driving fast. The ranger said you have 10 minutes [to get] whatever you can pack."

[inklingofadream]

Ink's 2023 Fic

It’s the end of another year, and you know what that means! Or you joined me this year and don’t, one of the two. At the end of every year I post a list of everything I wrote to become my blog’s pinned post for the upcoming year. However, this year, it’s a bit different. We’ll get to that in a minute.

According to my AO3 stats, I posted 709,908 words of fic in 2023, across 8 fandoms and spread over 64 individual works. That’s a 765.784% increase in word count from last year! I’m unwell!

Normally, I post everything I wrote, split up by fandom and in chronological order, with basic stats and descriptions that vary between synopsis, liner notes, excerpts, or all of the above. However, 45 of those 64 works were written for Whumptober this year. Since they’re mostly for The Magnus Archives (dominating the list as usual) and many of them are very short, I’m not going to list all the TMA fics. I’ll list my favorites and ones I think got less attention than they deserved, as well as all fics for other fandoms, and since that’s my most popular stuff I’m listing it last/under the cut. Wordcount and relationships (romantic or platonic, healthy or not) are listed, but check the AO3 tags, warnings, and notes, as I won’t be including the content warnings here.

Batman

Mom’s Been On a Parenting Kick Lately- 9k, WIP, Talia/Bruce, Talia & Batkids;This is still getting off the ground (I need to get back to it), but I’m excited about the future of this fic! It’s my take on Jason’s post-resurrection time with the League of Assassins, but with timelines turned into spaghetti to facilitate bonding. Talia is currently in possession of 3 batkids, but she isn’t done stealing Bruce’s kids yet :)

i'd walk a wire, jump through a fire for you- 800, complete; literally just just shy of 1k about Dick have feelings about falling and parents

The Locked Tomb

lyin’ on our backs and countin’ the stars- 900, complete, John&Gideon; I’m actually shocked there aren’t way more John and Gideon “bonding” fics out there. This one also has a backstory for Gideon and Ianthe’s friendship bracelets!

The Adventure Zone- Balance

old worn out suit and shoes- 600, complete, Taako&Lup; Post-finale nightmares for Taako, now that he can remember he has a sister to lose

Malevolent

Please Come Back To Me- 2.9k, complete, Parker&Arthur; Parker lives and goes to hunt down and kill whatever used Arthur to try to kill him.

You’re here. That’s all I need to know.- 300 complete; Arthur finds Faroe in the bath.

Living, Dead, or Undecided?- 1.7k, complete; Arthur is sacrificed to the King in Yellow as punishment for what happened to Faroe.

His head and limbs were heavy with ornaments, much of his flesh left unprotected from the elements. It was far too mild a summer evening for that; he deserved to freeze or burn at the freedom of open air. His thoughts were fuzzy with the overpowering cacophony of scented oils and chanting. He was deposited at the top of the hill, too gentle in slope to burn at his atrophied muscles, on a stone slab. They chained him in place, the seeping stone finally sapping enough warmth from his bones to feel appropriate.

Dracula

i still see your ghost- 200, complete, Jonathan/Mina; Some fill-in angst about Jonathan seeing Dracula on September 22… which I did actually write on September 22.

Hannibal

I can’t remember if I cried- 1.7k, complete, Abigail/Marissa; This is actually a concept I came up with in high school lol. Hopefully, someday I’ll write a fic expanding on the shipping kernel of the concept.

Hench

The Kind of World Where We Belong- 1k, complete, Anna/Quantum; AU where Leviathan dies and femslash ensues.

The Magnus Archives

The Vampire Saga- 68k, 6 works, Jon/Martin; The first of several shared universes with @suttttton on this list. Vampire!Elias snacks on Jon until Vampire!Martin gets hold of him instead, fluff and romance ensue. The new works this year both feature Gerry!

The Vampire Saga Route 2- 38k, 7 works, Jon/Martin, Jon/Elias, Jon/suffering; Shares a few fics with its predecessor, up to Martin entering the picture, this is the darker version. Fic this year mostly focuses on Jon meeting Tim and Sasha, and the gang rescuing Danny from the Circus. And the aftermath thereof. I’m really proud of the Circus stuff I wrote!

Bird-Verse- 37k, 7 works, Jon/Beholding, Jon/Martin;Spin-off of cult au, also with Sutton, featuring a happier resolution to many of Jon’s problems, so he gets to live with all his friends and marry Martin. Except for how this year’s additions are about him dealing with the lingering cult intrusions and trauma :)

Indent AU- 50k, 2 works, Jon/everyone;My first foray into writing smut. I’m very proud of it, and I’d say it deserved more love than it got, but I’m realistic about the content being very much not for everyone.

Cult AU Bad Ending- 9k, 2 works, Jon/Beholding, Jon/Jonah; This is a good time to mention that, as I have 10,000 Cult AU derivatives, they have their own AO3 Collection now. This one is a far future fic where Jon is immortal with Jonah and sad about it. It’s a crier.

Interesting- 3.7k, complete, Jon/Elias, Jon/Martin; This is an old fic of Jon and Elias in the Panopticon that got a new chapter for Whumptober! It took about 2 years to get that draft to publication…

restless soul who always skips town- 900, complete, Jon/Peter; This is the one I most wish got more attention. Peter keeps Jon in the Lonely.

When Peter comes, it's wonderful. Peter is a person in a way the Archivist isn't and, he knows, Peter even sometimes leaves the fog. He knows it because Peter gives him journals that are red and gold and violet, so different from the limited palette of the fog and the Archivist and Peter that they make the Archivist's eyes hurt.

dead if they knew- 6k, complete, Elias/Jon/Tim; I had SO much fun fiddling to differentiate the four POVs from each other!

Familiar AU- 16k, 4 works, complete; Jon is kidnapped by Elias and turned into his familiar; for Sasha, Tim, and Martin, it’s a long, hard road to rescuing him.

no beat, no melody- 600, complete; Canon-compliant fic in between Jon getting the tape of the birthday party from MAG161 and the episode itself, hanging around the safehouse in the Depression Zone.

welcomed you with open doors- 1.6k, complete, Martin/Jon; Spiral!Martin in a role reversal au that swaps him and Michael. Martin is much more proactive as the Distortion (and more liable to fall in love with nearby Archivists)

save some face (you know you’ve only got one)- 1.4k, complete; Sasha is altered by the NotThem instead of killed. Half body horror, half giving her my fibromyalgia, all bad times!

somebody once broke me- 2.7k, complete, Jon&Gerry; Gerry lives! Visibly monstery Avatars! Jon gets kidnapped from a kidnapping! It’s all the hits for my body of work ;)

remember this moment- 3.8k, complete, Jon&Daisy; I initially planned this fic for, I think, Februwhump 2021. It’s been slated for every Februwhump and Whumptober since, and FINALLY finished!

Take Me Through the Darkness- 15k, complete; Superhero AU, ft. epistolary interludes! Several more of my greatest hits! (And also Jon getting kidnapped from another kidnapping.) My personal favorite is Jon thinking Tim is a hallucination and crying.

look upon your greatness (and she’ll send the call out)- 8k, complete; Cult AU AU where Georgie tracks Jon down a few months after his kidnapping.

The chances of Jon being abducted, held somewhere, and still alive are so narrow that they might as well not exist. Checking the resources the charity sent, Georgie realized it's even grimmer than that. She struggles to picture Jon doing anything to appease his captors. It's extremely easy, however, to picture him literally or figuratively daring them to kill him.

Something Wretched About This- 2.9k, complete, Jon&Tim; Jon returns from the Circus without vocal cords, and he and Tim have a moment of peace, if not reconciliation.

just like a real-life thelma and louise- 6.6k, complete, Sasha/Annabelle; Sasha and Annabelle have superpowers and escape from the lab experimenting on them.

Kinky Polychives AU- 70k, 2 works, WIP, Polychives; My second, much fluffier smut verse. I tagged Jon as “horny for predicaments instead of people” and I think it’s the thing that’s been commented on specifically by the most people lol

til the veins run red and blue- 200, complete, Jon/Martin; I really like the Lonely, and I don’t know why I don’t write it more. This one is a little Somewhere Else coda with Jmart

come home (to my heart)- 8.7k, complete, Jon&Gerry; a fusion of Little Archive and cult au where Jon is the specialest boy in the whole Cult of Beholding, and Gerry grew up with Mary. If anything I wrote this year gets a sequel, I think it’s this. The fic is all Gerry POV, but I had a chunk written in Jon POV I cut, ft. Jon convincing Beholding that he can definitely wander London solo and it’s FINE, he won’t disappear in the house of a murderer or anything… ;)

Extras- 18k, Jon/Martin; My fae au is complete, but this is a bunch of little bits that inspired me beyond the bounds of the main story, like meeting Melanie, Martin proposing, and so on.

sitting pretty on the throne, nothing more i want (except to be alone)- 217k, WIP, Jon/Beholding; Cult au wraps up another year! Hopefully, by this time next year, it’ll be complete at LAST!

Beneath the Stains of Time- 98k, WIP; Also a contender for longfic that I hope to finish in 2024! This year, we FINALLY got to the gang figuring out Jon’s identity and now it’s all unraveling…

Little Archive- 85k, WIP; Last but certainly not least! I’ve been so happy to see the warm reception for Cecile and Anika this year 💗

[zarvasace]

PROGRESS POST

(12/18/23)

If you're interested in what I've done recently, the state of my projects, and what I plan on doing in the new year, read on! :)

By Fandom

Linked Universe Projects

Shatterproof: I have more backstories cooking, and a half-finished fic or two, but that's about it. I plan on updating a story at least once before January

Council (1931 AU): backburner, haven't really had inspiration. Still on my radar though, and it spins through my head on occasion!

Marvelous Misadventures: been plucking away at this! I recently had an epiphany regarding the next part of the plot, so hopefully that gets me more excited to work on it

Considering expanding the coloring pages I made into a whole series, that could be cool

Misc stuff includes a couple half-abandoned oneshots, a few drawing ideas, and a major art project that probably won't happen because I'm trying not to burn myself out 😅

Four Swords Projects

Fairytale AU: recently gained fire for this again. Reread and organized all my existing material, edited the outline, and I desperately want to finish it soon. Hesitantly scheduling for before the new year. Draft currently maybe about 30% of the way, at 8k.

Isekai AU: I don't think I've mentioned this to anyone outside discord, but ta da I'm deep in this. I'm probably 90% done, about 30k. This will be a Christmas fic, I hope!!

Vampire lords AU: rambly vampire plot is going. Somewhat slowly. I've been trying to not overload myself with too much, so this has been demoted slightly. :) Bite fics happen spontaneously, though, and there might be another coming.

Rinthia AU: my original world, the one seen in Nothing New Under the Sun. This is kind of a passing thought, definitely in planning stages, but I would kind of like to expand this—see where the other characters are, give y'all some answers, because the answers are there

Non-fandom

I want to do more traditional art, graphite and watercolors mostly, and that usually means using photos or life instead of fandom stuff. Makes it a bit less exciting, but maybe I can find a way of doing that. I miss my lil oil paint studio area but I can work with what I have

I'm crafting a few Christmas presents instead of buying them because I do not have much money. That is something I need to spend like, this next week doing

Sanderson merch: I have a goal of getting a booth at Dragonsteel next December, and selling some small souvenir stuff. My plans involve making more pins (I ordered a couple already, and they're very nice), drawing some coloring pages, and maybe advertising here a little once I actually have some stuff I'm proud of up. This will ideally take a year to get together, though, so no rush.

By Month

November

I spent most of November working on The Worst Thing About Earth, kind of an impulse fic that spiraled out of control. I think I burned myself out a little on this, so I've been taking it slowly. Trying to, anyway.

December

So far, I've mostly worked on holiday gift exchanges and some backburner stuff. Like I said, I've been taking it kind of gently. I plan on finishing the FS isekai AU this month, and getting most of the way through the fairytale AU. Getting those off my plate will free me up to think about other things, I think. I also plan on maybe one more bite fic and one more LU disability AU thing before the new year.

January On

I'm not sure what the next month will bring! Ideally, I'll be wrapping up the fairytale AU and intermittently posting a few little things. I'm hoping to return to a couple of my older projects soon, mostly Marvelous Misadventures, because I've left that thing unfinished for LONG ENOUGH.

This next year, I want to try to devote more time to doing things for myself that aren't fandom things. I'd like to reread Stormlight Archive before #5 comes out in December, play more video games, and do more painting. I would like to establish a better habit of making and eating food. I want to play board games a little more often.

Still, the muse can be fickle, and as you probably know by now, I am very good at chasing my inspiration!!

[blackvahana]

NSFW warning. Explicitly detailing gorey sex. Thanks.

I get a night with him, finally, where I can be myself and play hard. I am overwhelming, I am Death, I AM - thanks phone - I am Destruction, I always have to restrain myself. I keep returning to a form lately of being laughing crows, bordering on scream-laughing. When I made that weapon of mine I felt so giddy and crows heads writhed and pierced out from my head and I was laughing. Laughing. Red has been scream-laughing over battlefields before in red slaughter and I feel it in my blood. No, I feel it in my skin, my hands. This is no past tense. I am that. My energy boils with piercing, violent laughter in a thousand voices. All I can do is laugh.

Here, though. He was sat wiping blood from the trishula I used to spear myself and... More. Oh. Finally. We dance around gore, just like there's a fine line between BDSM and abuse, there is one between Astral goreplay and outright violence. We know that line. We know what it's like to be the Carrion Crow eating bodies, we know where the line lays between that and lovers inside each other's bodies.

Pierced, penetrated, stabbed with his tendrils thick and black. My body gives way like clay around him, blood licks him, organs are eyes which watch him and from which tendrils of sight trace his form. Not the cold steel of swords but the colder flesh of abyssal aquatic life. "Deep" no longer describes it, he doesn't go "deep" he fully leaves the other side, through like a machine cutting holes and stitching flesh - and yet so smooth, so laced with organic suggestions. His coding speaks to mine, even in externally violent action every bit of his form tells mine at every moment that this is intimate, this is not the cold detachment, this is being alone on the long Irish beach in autumn. He tells me at every point that he is answering my call.

Penetration. Every hole you have has it's own feeling, every place you fuck receives it in its own way. Vagina, anus, mouth, all have different feelings. The guts don't differ. Sentimental almost, the feeling of being grabbed from inside, almost drowned out by the overwhelming that comes from any other place so thoroughly explored... It brings organic self-states to the surface. My own form, my own self, I'm learning my languages: eyes bubble forth from my organs and I am what they call eldritch, my mind is the beach, eldritch is where metaphor becomes indistinguishable from reality, where vision becomes manifest self. I am not playing pretend. The incomprehensible gathering of eyes and tendrils and wings and hands are mere metaphor for what I am, because metaphor has to stand between reality and my truth. The Almadia keeps being shown in masks as if it was exactly like what is shown, because even God wonders what I look like.

My own body is an excitable oil lamp, pierce it with enough displacing strength and the fire will flow into the oil, it will catch fire, it will explode. I grab with the gore exposed now to him, abstracted, like a painter took a portrait of my human form and tore it open to reveal layers and layers of deep red clays. I grab, I am extensions of my own viscera. I hold each and every tendrils pierced into me, pull it closer, push, twist, grab.

I asked him whether what I was seeing was what he was seeing, he showed me. Oh, I know, I felt it. My own guts and blood turned to tendrils-cum-tongues-cum-intestines, some obscure and unknown sort of flesh manifestation of ancient non-carbon-lifeform. I was strangling him almost, run up and down him in flower-petal arrays of some kind of...

But none of this touches on what I want to talk about. Just kidding, all of it does. In a space between, the Mental, we fight-play, but in the Astral the Almadia expands into the maths of the universe. Untold doors open, boats are sent to the shores far and wide. Emanations happen. The Mental here and now is the people outside the cave and the Astral is the shadows on the wall, what I do in the Mental, the intense sex of opening bodies is a ritual of opening gates. Its violence-love is the shadow on the way for I move when I am unseen; I distract God with the revelation of my body splayed and displayed while I take his Trident-Key to the Locks and alter my reality with my own hands. Time waits for no man, but I have been early.

[mariacallous]

In the millennia that humans have roamed the earth, the world has cycled through a number of obscure, even unusual, currencies. The ancient Mayans are believed to have used chocolate as money; traders in the Solomon Islands favored dolphin teeth. Yap islanders, at least those with strong backs, tended toward massive stones. The British pound, the oldest global currency still used today, anchored the global economy, until its fall in the early, mid, and late 20th century.

Today, it is the dollar that reigns supreme. The world’s biggest economy (probably) can print greenbacks at will. The dollar is the world’s most widely held reserve currency and also dominates global trade. Oil, no matter how many times Saudi Arabia and China hold their breath, is still priced in the dollar. Most other major commodities are, too. As is pretty much everything else.

Yet talk of de-dollarization is in the air. Fueled by fears of U.S. sanctions, Russia and China appear to be ramping up efforts, yet again, to use the renminbi (RMB) in trade with partners, while BRICS countries are weighing a new common currency as yet another alternative. 

“Every night I ask myself why all countries have to base their trade on the dollar,” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva lamented last month. “Who was it that decided that the dollar was the currency after the disappearance of the gold standard?”

First of all, gold bugs, dollar dominance came first. And second, don’t believe the hype about the demise of the dollar.

Wait, back up. What even is de-dollarization? 

De-dollarization refers to a country’s effort to become less dependent on the dollar, whether by using another currency to settle cross-border trade or diversifying reserves away from the dollar by turning to gold, the Chinese yuan, or bitcoin. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the greenback has become less vital for that country’s economy—or that its reign is over. (Especially when the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decisions on interest rates mark the tune that nearly every other country dances to.)

“To me, de-dollarization just means a government’s ability to reduce its dependence or reliance on the dollar,” said Daniel McDowell, a professor of political science at Syracuse University. “I think the key thing here is to try to distinguish or separate the concept of de-dollarization from the end of dollar dominance. I don’t think those two things have to go together.”

What’s with all of the hype now? 

Much of the current attention is driven by Russia, which has ramped up its use of the yuan to cope with sweeping Western sanctions. After the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the G-7 hit back with a spate of punishing economic measures. That strangled the Russian economy—and forced Moscow to rapidly seek alternatives to both the dollar and euro.

“There’s no doubt that the Russians have been forced to de-dollarize and also de-euroize their trade,” said Brad Setser, a former senior advisor to the U.S. trade representative during the Biden administration, now at the Council on Foreign Relations. “There is evidence that Russia in particular is making greater use of the yuan, and it’s also clear that the Chinese and others are looking for opportunities to expand the use of the yuan in trade settlement.”

China’s recent efforts have only added fuel to the fire. As part of China’s bid to internationalize its currency, a number of countries beyond Russia—including Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, India, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, Iraq, and Bolivia—have recently either traded in the yuan or expressed their willingness to do so in the future. They are spinning their tires: Cross-border transactions denominated in RMB are still a tiny fraction of business done in the dollar or the euro. 

Why are they so desperate to diversify away from the dollar? 

As Western nations levy harsh sanctions against Moscow, Beijing is worried that it could be next. Given the current fraught geopolitical climate, China hopes that reducing its reliance on the dollar will help act as a buffer against the threat of U.S. sanctions. 

“I don’t think that any Chinese economists believe that they can actually supplant the dollar globally,” said Gerard DiPippo, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Their goals are more modest. It’s about mitigating Chinese banks’ sanctions exposure, which is very hard to do.”

It’s not just the threat of sanctions that’s prompting these moves, either. For some countries, it’s out of necessity; they have to turn to the yuan, or other forms of currency, when they are unable to access dollars. Argentina, for instance, announced that it would use the yuan to purchase Chinese goods as it grapples with shrinking dollar reserves. 

Countries that are economically dependent on China may also be attempting to curry favor with Beijing, which has been encouraging the internationalization of the yuan. “It could just be about trying to signal to China that we’re on your team and we want to help you there,” McDowell said. “So some of it’s political and symbolic.” 

Is this new? 

No, this has been underway for years. China’s efforts to internationalize the yuan date back to at least the 2008 global financial crisis, when American banks stopped lending and Beijing was left in the lurch. Ever since, China has worked to build up its resilience and expand the use of the yuan in trade, including by striking a spate of bilateral currency swap deals and establishing the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS).

“It’s really nothing new,” said Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a fellow for international political economy at the Council on Foreign Relations and FP columnist. “It’s not that China has just recently been doing it, or they just suddenly decided this is a good idea. They have been doing this for a while.” 

But China and Washington don’t get along. What has given impetus to the latest push is broader dissatisfaction with America’s economic stewardship, starting with a spray-and-pray approach to economic sanctions and ending, or just beginning, with the current debt ceiling crisis. 

“Geopolitical concerns have become a bigger driver of the push in interest in internationalizing the currency,” McDowell said. “I think Chinese policymakers are concerned about being sort of facing similar kinds of financial pressures that Russia has faced at some point in the future.”

Can these efforts threaten the dollar’s dominance? 

Not anytime soon. Even though the yuan has been increasingly used in international payments for bilateral trade, the “actual share is tiny” in comparison to the dollar, said Paola Subacchi, a professor at Queen Mary, University of London. 

For both trade financing and reserves, China’s long-standing efforts to expand the use of the yuan have failed to make much of a dent. In March, the dollar accounted for 41.7 percent of global payments—just slightly eclipsing the yuan’s share of 2.4 percent, according to data from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. Similarly, last year, 58 percent of the world’s foreign exchange reserves were held in dollars, compared to just 2.7 percent in Chinese yuan. It’s hard to replace the dollar when one doesn’t allow free convertibility, which severely limits the yuan’s international appeal.

“The numbers are still showing that the dollar is still the dominant currency,” Subacchi said. 

Beijing will keep trying, and keep failing. The yuan’s not convertible, the government controls capital flows, and even its value is manipulated by Beijing. You can’t do business with IOUs, but you can always do business with a bushel of greenbacks.

“I think there will be incremental moves to make greater use of the yuan to denominate China’s trade with commodity-exporting countries,” Setser said. “And then I think China will discover that it is difficult to fully go much further and to really radically change the structure of how it settles its trade, because it still wants to sell to the U.S., still wants to sell to Europe. Its economy doesn’t balance without significant exports.”

[eleemosynecdoche]

Iizunamaru Megumu stares at the phone on her desk. Her geta clack against the floor awkwardly. Dare she? Dare she not? The number is right there. She can press "Call" at any time. She frowns. She can hear a pair of her underlings- two crows, probably- having an argument at the group printer. A kind of argument everyone knows the contours of. There's a light thud as one shoves the other against the wall, cawing as they break away from making out to snap at each other-

Her finger jabs the phone. Tenkyuu picks up on the third ring. "Hey," Megumu begins. And then pauses. "I know," she says, "that things didn't work out for us. We needed some space, some breathing room"- another thud from outside- "but we agreed nothing had to be final." A click. Tenkyuu has hung up.

She lowers the phone and stares with an expression indescribable in human language, emotions fusing together like they've been put into a tokamak reactor with the magnetic fields fired up.

She scrolls down to Himemushi. Presses "Call". Himemushi picks up. "Listen. I know we didn't-" her voice catches. "I know it didn't work out, I know, OK? But maybe we can keep it casual, light and free and-"

Momoyo interrupts. "I didn't believe it."

"What?" Megumu's face is a portrait of pure confusion.

"I didn't believe that you'd lost your girltwink to the Moriya's shrine maiden." She chuckles. Megumu can feel the knuckle-cracking that surely must be accompanying it, the stretching. "And then you come running to me, now that you've lost that tight ass and that thin-lipped mouth and that sycophantic river pouring from her lips."

"This has nothing to do with Kudamaki," Megumu says. "It's about us. You and me. What we could have together."

A pause. Momoyo's voice is awkwardly gentle when she speaks again. "Iizunamaru... you're not a bad fuck, OK? The problem's never been with what you can do to someone, what someone can do to you. Physically." She takes a deep breath. "But lately I've been getting kinda tired of trying to eat women out at arm's-length, ya know? Not just you, not only you, but... I'm not gonna go for a casual lay unless she's gonna cuddle afterwards without thinking about it."

Megumu's hand trembles. "Iizunamaru... Megumu. Are you OK? I'm not telling you, 'absolutely not', all right? It ain't a good time, that's all, and I'm sorry you're frustrated, even if it's kinda funny to think about your little tube fox getting collared by the Kochiya girl..." Momoyo's compassionate, or as close to it as she can sound. There's something grotesque about that to Megumu.

"I'm completely fine. Have a very nice day, Himemushi." Click. Phone down on the desk.

"Shit." She mutters to herself. "Shit, shit, fuck, fuck, what now, what now." Possibilities loom. Terrible, but among them- she pulls the phone back up and scrolls around some more. Finds the number. Calls.

"Komakusa? Yeah, hi, Iizunamaru Megumu, I helped you dodge any problems with your business operations a little while back, very grateful to you for keeping my girls happy- listen. I have a favor to ask. Do you arrange tricks?" There are no tears. There is a light smile on her face. Her geta are beating into the floor like Raijin guides them.

[hapalopus]

He did though.

2021:

Cancel Keystone Pipeline

Reverse Trump's Muslim ban

Require masks on federal property

Rejoins the Paris Climate agreement

Extend Student Loan payment freeze

Extend eviction freeze

Ends funding for Border wall

Orders agencies to reunite families separated at border by Trump

Orders strengthening of DACA

Rejoins The World Health Organization

Rescinds Trump's 1776 Commission and directs agencies to review actions to ensure racial equity

Provide funding to local and state officials to create vaccination sites

Ends transgender military ban

Ends Federal Contracts With Private Prisons

Restores Aid To Palestinians

Suspends new leases for oil & natural gas development on federal land

Restores access to healthcare.gov

Extends fair housing protections to include LGBTQ Americans

Ends support for Saudi Arabia led campaign in Yemen

Withdraws UN sanctions on Iran

Extends universal free school lunch through 2022

Commits to cutting U.S. emissions in half by 2030 as part of Paris climate pact

Reverses Trump's Anti-Trans Shelter Rule

Officially recognizes massacre of Armenians in World War I as genocide

Raises Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors and Federal Employees to $15

Restores Transgender Health Protections

Suspends oil and gas leases in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Reinstalls rules removed by Trump limiting methane emissions from leaks and flares in oil and gas wells

Lifts abortion referral ban on family planning clinics

Passes largest infrastructure improvement bill in history

Ban goods made by Uyghur slave labor

Aside from one Afghanistan strike early on, Biden has ended drone strikes

Formally ends combat mission in Iraq

Achieves historic 45% reduction of poverty levels in first six months

Achieves historic 61% reduction of child poverty in first six months

2022:

Makes sexual harassment in the military a crime

Limits the release of mercury from coal-burning power plants

Ends asylum restrictions for children traveling alone

Reauthorizes and strengthens the Violence Against Women Act

Makes lynching a federal crime

Rescinds Trump-era policy allowing rapid expulsion of migrants at border and blocks them from seeking asylum

Overhauled the US Postal Service's finances to allow the agency to modernize its service

Establishes national registry of police officers who are fired for misconduct

Lifts sanctions on the Rojava and other opposition-held territory in Syria

Tightens restrictions on chokeholds, no-knock warrants, and transfer of military equipment to police departments

Requires all federal Law enforcement officers to wear body cameras

$265 million for South Florida reservoir, key component of Everglades restoration

Major wind farm project off West coast to provide electricity for 1.5 million homes

Prohibits private possession of big cats and prohibits exhibitors from allowing direct contact with cubs

Appointed more black women to the court than any president in history

Allocates funds to federal agencies to counter 300-plus anti-LGBTQ laws by state lawmakers this year alone

Expands access to emergency contraception and long-acting reversible contraception

Prevents states from banning Mifepristone -- a medication used to end early pregnancy that has FDA approval

Steps to ensure the safety of those seeking and providing abortion care, including by protecting mobile clinics

Protecting privacy, safety and security of patients, providers and clinics

Safeguards access to health care, including the right to choose and contraception

Ends Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy

Executive order protecting travel for abortion

Reunites 900 migrant families separated under Trump

Codifies DACA into law, allowing children of immigrants born in US to work and stay in US

Pardons thousands for simple possession of marijuana

Puts new limits on drone strikes including requiring the presidential approval

Brokered deal between Israel and Lebanon ending maritime boundary dispute and establish a permanent maritime boundary between them

Ensures US is not funding or participating in human trafficking of 3rd world-country workers through our contracts overseas

Codifies Gay Marriage into law - Protects Same-Sex and Interracial Marriage

Stops the forcing out of pregnant workers, or denying reasonable accommodations

2023:

Got republicans to publicly take Social Security and Medicare cuts off the table

$197 million for 100 communities across our nation to invest in wildfire resilience

Safeguard mature and old-growth forests on federal lands, in a science-based approach to reduce wildfire risk

Strengthen reforestation partnerships to support local economies and retain forest ecosystems and sustainable supplies of forest products for years to come

Combat global deforestation to deliver on key COP26 commitments

Rail companies grant paid sick days after administration pressure in win for unions

Invests $11 billion for renewable energy in rural areas

Executive order to guarantee women access to contraception - (more will need to be done to make it permanent)

Eliminates US stockpile of chemical weapons

$800 Million to Strengthen Rural Infrastructure and Create Jobs

Suspends Trump-era authorization to ship natural gas by rail

Cancels oil and gas leases in Alaskan wildlife refuge that were allowed by Trump administration

Restores power of states and tribes to review projects to protect waterways

Creates new office of gun violence prevention

Commits $200 million to reintroduce salmon in Columbia River

Visits Israel and convinces them allow humanitarian aid to Gaza

Establishes White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research

Child poverty rates fall from 12.6% to 5.8% due to Biden's Expanded Child Tax Credits. 2.9 million kids escape poverty

Delivered the largest infrastructure plan since Eisenhower

Delivered with Obama the second-largest healthcare bill since Johnson

Delivered the largest climate change bill in history

Brokers ceasefire between Congo and Rwanda, averting major humanitarian crisis

Pardons thousands who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands

Provides summer grocery money to 21 million kids

Largest one year decline in homicides in 50 years

Majority of Biden’s appointed judges are women, racial or ethnic minorities – a first for any president

2024:

Black unemployment rate lower under Biden than any other administration (4.7%) - Compared to black unemployment under Trump was 2nd worst number in history, reaching over 16%

Rescinds Trump-era "Denial of Care" rule that allowed health care workers to deny medical care to patients because of their personal religious or moral belief

$5.8 billion to clean up nation’s drinking water and upgrade infrastructure

$500 million to combat wildfire and improve resilience

$1 billion deal with Oregon, Washington, and 4 Columbia River tribes to revive Northwest salmon population

$1.7 billion package to fund initiatives aimed at ending hunger across the United States by 2030

$28 billion towards substance abuse treatment

Allows student loan borrowers to repay based on income providing affordable payments and eventual student loan forgiveness

Bans asbestos

Commits $6B to cut emissions from high-carbon industries

Restores threatened species protections dropped by Trump

Blocks mining on more than 221,000 acres of federal land in Colorado

Adds Title IX protections for LGBT students, forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity

Prohibits federally funded health providers & insurers from discriminating on basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

Shields millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness from drilling and mining

Reinstates net neutrality

In 2021 only three states supplied 12 months of post partum care - Three years later 46 states now do

$16 billion investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Enacts plan to end Parkinson’s disease

Codifies same-sex and interracial marriage

So far, the total student loan forgiveness approved by the Biden-Harris Administration is $168.5 billion for 4.76 million Americans.

I know I've been posting more about politics lately, and it's caused me to lose a chunk of followers.

But I'm a queer person with a degree in political science and its an election year. I'm old friends with several of my city council members. I've been to trainings on how to run elections. I spent my college years working for nonprofits (and being the world's worst canvasser). I'm close with more than one person who works for unions, and I have family members who work for government agencies.

I think about politics in a very pragmatic "I know how the sausage is made" kind of way. We're in a vice press, and there's only one way to release the pressure.

The revolution ain't coming. There is no one to save us but us.

So yeah, I'm going to be pissed if your answer is "let them tighten the vice -- there's no way out of the vice, it doesn't matter if they loosen or tighten it."

There's a difference, and anyone telling you otherwise is likely a psyop or someone who fell for a psyop. This literally happened before, and it's happening again.

Stop falling for it.

[blog-ipcs23]

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 Address: 3rd Floor, Rialto Building, Thana, Kannur, Kerala 670012

Phone: 096453 96641

kannur-ipcs-global

[dankusner]

A First Look At Taylor Sheridan’s Landman TV Series — Jon Hamm, Demi Moore

We now know that the final season of the Yellowstone franchise (spinning off prequels like 1883 and 1923) is scheduled to finally air on November 10.

As Taylor Sheridan has reassembled the power cast of Yellowstone (sans Kevin Costner) to film the final episodes of that mega-hit series in Montana (in June) other news from Sheridan-world has emerged.

Yes, there are a few other irons in the fire. Landman is on the horizon as well.

Over the past few months, Fort Worth locals have caught a few peeks of superstars filming in and around town, but as of today, Paramount+ is announcing the newest original drama series, Landman, will premiere on Sunday, November 17.

Our DVR is set. Looks like there will be some quality couch time for everyone this fall.

They’ve also dropped the first set of images from the upcoming series, which will launch with two episodes, followed by new episodes airing weekly on Sundays, for this 10-episode-long first season.

That’s right. They said the first season ― hint, hint.

Created by local rancher and Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan, Landman is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, and Sheridan’s own Bosque Ranch Productions exclusively for Paramount+.

The series is the latest addition to Sheridan’s growing slate, including 1923, 1883, Lioness, Mayor Of Kingstown, Tulsa King, and  Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Hamm square off in “Landman.”

Landman Casts Fort Worth In a Supporting Role

Starring Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton, the A-list cast has continued to unfold, adding heavyweights including Demi Moore, Jon Hamm (who will star in a recurring guest role) and Andy Garcia  (another special guest star).

The rest of the cast includes Ali Larter (The Last Victim), Michelle Randolph (1923), Jacob Lofland (Joker 2), Kayla Wallace (When Calls the Heart), James Jordan (Yellowstone), Mark Collie (Nashville), Paulina Chávez (The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia), and Michael Peña (End of Watch).

“Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs,” according to a release.

“Based on the notable 11-part podcast “Boomtown,” the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy, and our geopolitics.”

From the newly released stills alone we see that Fort Worth legends and community will also have minor roles to play.

Texas Christian University will have a cameo moment of its own. We see evidence of purple and white.

And, the fictitious M-Tex Oil we can only assume is a nod to the legacy of Moncrief Oil’s Montex Drilling as one of Fort Worth’s most illustrious oil drilling families.

Fort Worth can’t wait to see what other locations we’ll recognize and just how close to home Landman will hit when it premieres this November.

[warningsine]

The world has enough fossil fuel projects planned to meet global energy demand forecasts to 2050 and governments should stop issuing new oil, gas and coal licences, according to a large study aimed at political leaders.

If governments deliver the changes promised in order to keep the world from breaching its climate targets no new fossil fuel projects will be needed, researchers at University College London and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) said on Thursday.

The data offered what they said was “a rigorous scientific basis” for global governments to ban new fossil fuel projects and begin a managed decline of the fossil fuel industry, while encouraging investment in clean energy alternatives.

By establishing a “clear and immediate demand” political leaders would be able to set a new norm around the future of fossil fuels, against which the industry could be held “immediately accountable”, the researchers said.

Published in the journal Science, the paper analysed global energy demand forecasts for oil and gas, as well as coal- and gas-fired electricity, using a broad range of scenarios compiled for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that limited global heating to within 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

It found that in addition to not needing new fossil fuel extraction, no new coal- and gas-fired power generation was needed in a net zero future.

The paper is expected to reignite criticism of the UK’s Conservative government, which has promised to offer hundreds of oil and gas exploration licenses to boost the North Sea industry, a policy that has emerged as a key dividing line with the opposition Labour party before the 4 July general election.

Labour has vowed to put an end to new North Sea licences if it comes to power, and also plans to increase taxes on the profits made by existing oil and gas fields to help fund investments in green energy projects through a new government-owned company, Great British Energy.

Dr Steve Pye, a co-author of the report from the UCL Energy Institute, said: “Importantly, our research establishes that there is a rigorous scientific basis for the proposed norm by showing that there is no need for new fossil fuel projects.”

“The clarity that this norm brings should help focus policy on targeting the required ambitious scaling of renewable and clean energy investment, whilst managing the decline of fossil fuel infrastructure in an equitable and just way,” Pye said.

The report expanded on work by the International Energy Agency (IEA) which has warned in recent years that no new fossil fuel projects were compatible with the global goal to build a net zero energy system.

The IEA ruled out any new investment in long-lead time fossil fuel projects, but acknowledged that continued investment would be required in existing oil and gas assets and already approved projects.

Dr Fergus Green, from the department of political science at UCL, said: “Our research draws lessons from past shifts in global ethical norms, such as slavery and the testing of nuclear weapons. These cases show that norms resonate when they carry simple demands to which powerful actors can be held immediately accountable.

“Complex, long-term goals like ‘net zero emissions by 2050’ lack these features, but ‘no new fossil fuel projects’ is a clear and immediate demand, against which all current governments, and the fossil fuel industry, can rightly be judged.”

The outgoing head of the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, Chris Stark, said last month that the concept of net zero had become a political slogan used to start a “dangerous” culture war over the climate, and may be better dropped.

“If it is only a slogan, if it is seen as a sort of holding pen for a whole host of cultural issues, then I’m intensely relaxed about dropping it,” Stark said. “We keep it as a scientific target, but we don’t need to use it as a badge that we keep on every programme.”

Green said a political stance on supporting new fossil fuel projects should “serve as a litmus test” on whether a government was serious about tackling the climate crisis. “If they’re allowing new fossil fuel projects, then they’re not serious,” he added.

[kammartinez]

By David Gelles and Mike Baker

A group of young people in Montana won a landmark lawsuit on Monday when a judge ruled that the state’s failure to consider climate change when approving fossil fuel projects was unconstitutional.

The decision in the suit, Held v. Montana, coming during a summer of record heat and deadly wildfires, marks a victory in the expanding fight against government support for oil, gas and coal, the burning of which has rapidly warmed the planet.

“As fires rage in the West, fueled by fossil fuel pollution, today’s ruling in Montana is a game-changer that marks a turning point in this generation’s efforts to save the planet from the devastating effects of human-caused climate chaos,” said Julia Olson, the founder of Our Children’s Trust, a legal nonprofit group that brought the case on behalf of the young people. “This is a huge win for Montana, for youth, for democracy, and for our climate. More rulings like this will certainly come.”

The ruling means that Montana, a major coal and gas producing state that gets one-third of its energy by burning coal, must consider climate change when deciding whether to approve or renew fossil fuel projects.

The Montana attorney general’s office said the state would appeal, which would send the case to the state Supreme Court.

“This ruling is absurd, but not surprising from a judge who let the plaintiffs’ attorneys put on a weeklong taxpayer-funded publicity stunt that was supposed to be a trial,” Emily Flower, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, Austin Knudsen, said in a statement. “Montanans can’t be blamed for changing the climate.”

The case is part of a wave of litigation related to climate change that is targeting companies and governments around the globe. States and cities are suing companies like Exxon, Chevron and Shell, seeking damages from climate disasters and claiming that the companies have known for decades that their products were responsible for global warming. And individuals are now suing state and federal governments, claiming that they have enabled the fossil fuel industry and failed to protect their citizenry.

Michael Burger, executive director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Litigation at Columbia University, said the Montana case would reverberate around the country.

“This was climate science on trial, and what the court has found as a matter of fact is that the science is right,” Mr. Burger said. “Emissions contribute to climate change, climate harms are real, people can experience climate harms individually, and every ton of greenhouse gas emissions matters. These are important factual findings, and other courts in the U.S. and around the world will look to this decision.”

The Montana case revolved around language in the state Constitution that guarantees residents “the right to a clean and healthful environment,” and stipulates that the state and individuals are responsible for maintaining and improving the environment “for present and future generations.”

A handful of other states have similar guarantees, and young people in Hawaii, Utah and Virginia have filed lawsuits that are slowly winding their way through courts. A federal case brought by young people, which had been stalled for years, is once again moving, heading toward a June trial in Oregon.

“It’s monumental,” said Badge Busse, 15, one of the Montana plaintiffs. “It’s a completely beautiful thing. Hopefully this will continue this upward trend of positivity.”

The Montana case, brought by plaintiffs ranging in age from 5 to 22, was the first of its kind to go to trial in the United States. While the state contended that Montana’s emissions are minuscule when considered against the rest of the globe’s, the plaintiffs argued that the state must do more to consider how emissions are contributing to droughts, wildfires and other growing risks to a state that cherishes a pristine outdoors.

Since 2011, state law has prevented officials from weighing “actual or potential impacts that are regional, national, or global in nature” when conducting environmental reviews of large projects. In May, while the case was pending, the Legislature updated the law to be even more explicit, blocking the state from “an evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions and corresponding impacts to the climate in the state or beyond the state’s borders” when deciding whether to approve new projects.

Montana has 5,000 gas wells, 4,000 oil wells, four oil refineries and six coal mines. The state is a “major emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, in absolute terms, in per person terms, and historically,” Judge Kathy Seeley of Montana District Court wrote. Adding up the amount of fossil fuels extracted, burned, processed and exported by the state, the court found that Montana is responsible for as much carbon dioxide as produced by Argentina, the Netherlands or Pakistan.

In her ruling, the judge found that the state’s emissions “have been proven to be a substantial factor” in affecting the climate. Laws that limited the ability of regulators to consider climate effects were unconstitutional, she ruled.

She added that Montanans “have a fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, which includes climate as part of the environmental life-support system.”

The trial, which took place in June, involved testimony from climate scientists who detailed how increases in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of human activity were already causing health and environmental damage, and how those effects were likely to accelerate unless action was taken.

Many of the young plaintiffs testified about effects they had witnessed — extreme weather events that threaten family ranching, warmed rivers and streams that harm fish, wildfire smoke that worsens asthma and disruptions to nature that interfere with Indigenous traditions. They also spoke of the toll on their mental health, and the anguish they felt as they considered a future dimmed by environmental collapse.

The government, which was given one week to present its defense, rested after just one day and did not call its main expert witness, surprising many legal experts.

While Montana has a long history of mining and oil, gas and coal interests carry sway in Helena, the state also has deep environmental traditions. In 1972, when Montana adopted a new Constitution, a provision was included to say that the state should “maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.”

The origins of the case stretch back nearly a decade. In 2011, Our Children’s Trust petitioned the Montana Supreme Court to rule that the state has a duty to address climate change. The court declined to weigh in, effectively telling the group to start in the lower courts. The lawyers at Our Children’s Trust identified potential plaintiffs, cataloged the ways in which Montana was being impacted by climate change and documented the state’s extensive support for the fossil fuel industry, which includes permitting, subsidies and favorable regulations.

“The legal community has been fearful that judges won’t understand these cases, and she blew that out of the water,” Ms. Olson said of Judge Seeley’s decision. “It was digestible, she understood it, and the findings were beautiful.”

[kamreadsandrecs]

By David Gelles and Mike Baker

A group of young people in Montana won a landmark lawsuit on Monday when a judge ruled that the state’s failure to consider climate change when approving fossil fuel projects was unconstitutional.

The decision in the suit, Held v. Montana, coming during a summer of record heat and deadly wildfires, marks a victory in the expanding fight against government support for oil, gas and coal, the burning of which has rapidly warmed the planet.

“As fires rage in the West, fueled by fossil fuel pollution, today’s ruling in Montana is a game-changer that marks a turning point in this generation’s efforts to save the planet from the devastating effects of human-caused climate chaos,” said Julia Olson, the founder of Our Children’s Trust, a legal nonprofit group that brought the case on behalf of the young people. “This is a huge win for Montana, for youth, for democracy, and for our climate. More rulings like this will certainly come.”

The ruling means that Montana, a major coal and gas producing state that gets one-third of its energy by burning coal, must consider climate change when deciding whether to approve or renew fossil fuel projects.

The Montana attorney general’s office said the state would appeal, which would send the case to the state Supreme Court.

“This ruling is absurd, but not surprising from a judge who let the plaintiffs’ attorneys put on a weeklong taxpayer-funded publicity stunt that was supposed to be a trial,” Emily Flower, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, Austin Knudsen, said in a statement. “Montanans can’t be blamed for changing the climate.”

The case is part of a wave of litigation related to climate change that is targeting companies and governments around the globe. States and cities are suing companies like Exxon, Chevron and Shell, seeking damages from climate disasters and claiming that the companies have known for decades that their products were responsible for global warming. And individuals are now suing state and federal governments, claiming that they have enabled the fossil fuel industry and failed to protect their citizenry.

Michael Burger, executive director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Litigation at Columbia University, said the Montana case would reverberate around the country.

“This was climate science on trial, and what the court has found as a matter of fact is that the science is right,” Mr. Burger said. “Emissions contribute to climate change, climate harms are real, people can experience climate harms individually, and every ton of greenhouse gas emissions matters. These are important factual findings, and other courts in the U.S. and around the world will look to this decision.”

The Montana case revolved around language in the state Constitution that guarantees residents “the right to a clean and healthful environment,” and stipulates that the state and individuals are responsible for maintaining and improving the environment “for present and future generations.”

A handful of other states have similar guarantees, and young people in Hawaii, Utah and Virginia have filed lawsuits that are slowly winding their way through courts. A federal case brought by young people, which had been stalled for years, is once again moving, heading toward a June trial in Oregon.

“It’s monumental,” said Badge Busse, 15, one of the Montana plaintiffs. “It’s a completely beautiful thing. Hopefully this will continue this upward trend of positivity.”

The Montana case, brought by plaintiffs ranging in age from 5 to 22, was the first of its kind to go to trial in the United States. While the state contended that Montana’s emissions are minuscule when considered against the rest of the globe’s, the plaintiffs argued that the state must do more to consider how emissions are contributing to droughts, wildfires and other growing risks to a state that cherishes a pristine outdoors.

Since 2011, state law has prevented officials from weighing “actual or potential impacts that are regional, national, or global in nature” when conducting environmental reviews of large projects. In May, while the case was pending, the Legislature updated the law to be even more explicit, blocking the state from “an evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions and corresponding impacts to the climate in the state or beyond the state’s borders” when deciding whether to approve new projects.

Montana has 5,000 gas wells, 4,000 oil wells, four oil refineries and six coal mines. The state is a “major emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, in absolute terms, in per person terms, and historically,” Judge Kathy Seeley of Montana District Court wrote. Adding up the amount of fossil fuels extracted, burned, processed and exported by the state, the court found that Montana is responsible for as much carbon dioxide as produced by Argentina, the Netherlands or Pakistan.

In her ruling, the judge found that the state’s emissions “have been proven to be a substantial factor” in affecting the climate. Laws that limited the ability of regulators to consider climate effects were unconstitutional, she ruled.

She added that Montanans “have a fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, which includes climate as part of the environmental life-support system.”

The trial, which took place in June, involved testimony from climate scientists who detailed how increases in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of human activity were already causing health and environmental damage, and how those effects were likely to accelerate unless action was taken.

Many of the young plaintiffs testified about effects they had witnessed — extreme weather events that threaten family ranching, warmed rivers and streams that harm fish, wildfire smoke that worsens asthma and disruptions to nature that interfere with Indigenous traditions. They also spoke of the toll on their mental health, and the anguish they felt as they considered a future dimmed by environmental collapse.

The government, which was given one week to present its defense, rested after just one day and did not call its main expert witness, surprising many legal experts.

While Montana has a long history of mining and oil, gas and coal interests carry sway in Helena, the state also has deep environmental traditions. In 1972, when Montana adopted a new Constitution, a provision was included to say that the state should “maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.”

The origins of the case stretch back nearly a decade. In 2011, Our Children’s Trust petitioned the Montana Supreme Court to rule that the state has a duty to address climate change. The court declined to weigh in, effectively telling the group to start in the lower courts. The lawyers at Our Children’s Trust identified potential plaintiffs, cataloged the ways in which Montana was being impacted by climate change and documented the state’s extensive support for the fossil fuel industry, which includes permitting, subsidies and favorable regulations.

“The legal community has been fearful that judges won’t understand these cases, and she blew that out of the water,” Ms. Olson said of Judge Seeley’s decision. “It was digestible, she understood it, and the findings were beautiful.”