#wildfire and flooding danger

[hellenhighwater]

Oh, my darlings, bodies and shipwrecks and memories are not the only things the Great Lakes devour--seasons, too, the Lakes cling to. All summer long the Lakes hold tight to the chill of winter, scattering cool breezes off their shoulders onto the coast. All summer long the Lakes hoard heat, storing it down in the deep thermal reservoir of fresh water, the golden heart of sunlight tucked away for the dark winter months. All summer long the Lakes steal warmth from the air and store it away, and when the sharp northern winds bring winter, the Lakes breathe out the last ghost of summer and fling themselves skyward. When the air is freezing, the Lakes have held fast the deep battery of summer, and the warm memory of July evaporates from the water and crystallizes in the atmosphere as January snow. All summer long the Lakes trade in winter winds, and all winter they shake out the white storm coat of summer.

Whereabouts do you live, roughly speaking, and what drew you to that place in particular?

I'm in Michigan, and that's as specifically as I will answer that question! We have really lethal lakes.

[reasonsforhope]

Holy crap, I didn't think Biden would be able to get the Climate Corps established without Congress. This is SUCH fantastic news.

--

"After being thwarted by Congress, President Joe Biden will use his executive authority to create a New Deal-style American Climate Corps that will serve as a major green jobs training program.

In an announcement Wednesday, the White House said the program will employ more than 20,000 young adults who will build trails, plant trees, help install solar panels and do other work to boost conservation and help prevent catastrophic wildfires.

The climate corps had been proposed in early versions of the sweeping climate law approved last year but was jettisoned amid strong opposition from Republicans and concerns about cost.

Democrats and environmental advocacy groups never gave up on the plan and pushed Biden in recent weeks to issue an executive order authorizing what the White House now calls the American Climate Corps.

“After years of demonstrating and fighting for a Climate Corps, we turned a generational rallying cry into a real jobs program that will put a new generation to work stopping the climate crisis,” said Varshini Prakash, executive director of the Sunrise Movement, an environmental group that has led the push for a climate corps.

With the new corps “and the historic climate investments won by our broader movement, the path towards a Green New Deal is beginning to become visible,” Prakash said...

...Environmental activists hailed the new jobs program, which is modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps, created in the 1930s by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, as part of the New Deal...

Lawmakers Weigh In

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, had also encouraged Biden to create a climate corps, saying in a letter on Monday that “the climate crisis demands a whole-of-government response at an unprecedented scale.”

The lawmakers cited deadly heat waves in the Southwest and across the nation, as well as dangerous floods in New England and devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, among recent examples of climate-related disasters.

Democrats called creation of the climate corps “historic” and the first step toward fulfilling the vision of the Green New Deal.

“Today President Biden listened to the (environmental) movement, and he delivered with an American Climate Corps,” a beaming Markey said at a celebratory news conference outside the Capitol.

“We are starting to turn the green dream into a green reality,” added Ocasio-Cortez, who co-sponsored the Green New Deal legislation with Markey four years ago.

“You all are changing the world,” she told young activists.

Program Details and Grant Deadlines

The initiative will provide job training and service opportunities to work on a wide range of projects, including restoring coastal wetlands to protect communities from storm surges and flooding; clean energy projects such as wind and solar power; managing forests to prevent catastrophic wildfires; and energy efficient solutions to cut energy bills for consumers, the White House said.

Creation of the climate corps comes as the Environmental Protection Agency launches a $4.6 billion grant competition for states, municipalities and tribes to cut climate pollution and advance environmental justice. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants are funded by the 2022 climate law and are intended to drive community-driven solutions to slow climate change.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the grants will help “communities so they can chart their own paths toward the clean energy future.”

The deadline for states and municipalities to apply is April 1, with grants expected in late 2024. Tribes and territories must apply by May 1, with grants expected by early 2025."

-via Boston.com, September 21, 2023

[pseudowho]

The JJK Crew as Firemen

Okay lads and gentlebugs, it's damsel time! This is how they meet you, rescue you, and fall in love...all in their fully uniformed line of duty.

Starring: Nanami, Gojo, Geto, Ino, Megumi, Yuuji, Higuruma, Sukuna and Toji

Warnings: Building fires, road traffic collisions, suicide attempts, injuries, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, near-drowning, Ferris wheels, highly irresponsible use of fire-trucks

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Gojo

Satoru had agreed to take an extra shift, with the threat of bad weather, and he regretted it-- this storm was biblical. The skies were so black and pregnant with rain, it may as well have been night. The billowing rains slapped and stung Satoru's cheeks. Drivers were blinded, their wipers failing to clear their windscreens even at maximum speed. People stumbled, buffeted into the roads by violent winds. And Satoru's sense of humour could only get him so far when members of the public made increasingly irrational decisions, and placed themselves in danger.

But not you, he thought, as he stepped into the wild torrents of overflowing river water, to the dismayed shouts of his colleagues, you absolutely don't deserve to die like this.

Trying to head home, kept cruelly late by a manager who didn't care how far you had to travel, you had missed your bus, and had to take a dangerous detour over a little river bridge, public transport services all abruptly cancelled. One violent sweep of wind was all it took to rock you over the little fence, and you clung desperately to weeds on the riverbank, soaked, shivering, gulping at murky, frigid, terrifyingly climbing waves.

"I'm coming," shouted the fireman, white-haired, tall, throwing off his heavy uniform jacket, with no regard for his own safety, "just hold on, I'll get you out, I promise--" Satoru sloshed and slipped, his t-shirt muddy and plastered to his chest as he slid down the riverbank. He allowed his colleagues to hurriedly harness him. Hitting the water, his abs clenched painfully with the cold, and he began to wade towards you.

You cried out, feeling your grip on life be washed away as the riverbed crumbled, releasing the weeds you clung to. As the river grasped you, your hands flung desperately out, holding your breath, praying, praying--

An enormous hand gripped your own, and a long forearm drew you close with one almighty heave. Satoru dug his fingers deep into the river wall, feeling the jarring rub of stones embedded in smooth wet squelch.

"Don't let go, just hold onto me--" Satoru reached under the water, gripping your thighs and making you grasp them around his hips. You flung your arms round his neck, your face in his chest, and he held you like this, stepping back against the onslaught of the river as his colleagues reeled you both in.

Still carrying you, his arms locked under your bum, Satoru staggered up the riverbank, drenched, chest heaving you up and down against him. You glanced up at him meekly, trembling and cold. Satoru sighed, grinning down at you.

"Come on then. Tell me your name, 'cos we're gonna have to get undressed for me to warm you up."

Nanami

A wave of heat slapped across Kento's face, and he pulled equipment to his body in a practiced rush. A smash and a roar burst from the inferno in front of him, as a window exploded, blackened glass spraying through the air. The apartment block was being gutted as he watched.

"Sir! Sir!"

"What is it, Ino?"

"Evacuation incomplete, sir. There's someone left on the second floor."

Kento pulled his mask down, eyes shooting up to an opened window, a white sheet hanging out of it, flapping as the heat rose from below. Crews around him shouted to be heard over the roar of flame, with cannons shooting water, attempting to quell the fire from the lower floors. Crowds of pyjama'd residents were herded away, confused and bleary-eyed as flames ate their homes.

"Is the left stairwell clear, Ino?" Takuma faltered as Kento stamped his boots into place, yanking on his gloves.

"For-- for now-- you can't be serious sir--" Kento huffed inside his mask, clapping Ino on the shoulder, Ino buckling slightly at the strength behind it.

"I'm always serious, Ino."

Without another word, Kento stepped towards the building, sweating in his suit as he moved into a stairwell, belching smoke. His senses were dulled, his vision boxed-in, hearing his own panting breaths in the fishtank of his helmet. Taking the stairs two at a time, he hesitated and turned at the top; Kento looked down the stairs, feeling heat scorch up towards him, the fire spreading rapidly, closing off his exit.

Out of time, he thought. Approaching a corridor, its doorway jammed, swollen and warped, Kento lifted a foot and kicked it effortlessly through with a roar, the door splintering and buckling under his boot.

"Are you here? Shout for me," Kento bellowed into the corridor. His ears pricked at the shouts and coughs from the end of the corridor. Building into as much of a run as his equipment would allow, he reached another door, its paint raised and wrinkled by the heat.

Kento stepped back, turning sideways as he rammed the door with his shoulder, once, twice, three times, and barrelled through as it splintered under his weight.

Spinning his head, he saw you, crouched on the floor beneath your window, terrified and relieved in your pyjamas. Kento stepped to you, kneeling, his gloved hands moving over your body, checking you for injury. You stared into him, unable to stop yourself from grabbing his forearms, hands shaking and cold despite the blazing heat churning through the floor.

"I thought-- I thought I was going to die here," you gasped, trembling. Kento's heart creaked, and he was surprised, shaking it off-- do your job, Kento, he chastised himself.

"At least if we die here, we won't die alone. Can you stand?" You nodded, rising on shaking legs, and immediately dropped down, your eyes stinging and burning from the smoke billowing across the ceiling, pouring in from the corridor.

Kento's heart dropped to his stomach as the floor shook- an almighty crash down the corridor signified its collapse. Keeping you close with one arm round your waist, Kento leaned out of your window. With a grateful lurch, he could see his colleagues ready with the parachute canopy, waving, calling, beckoning him down.

Kento pulled you close, your back against his chest, both arms wrapped in an arresting grip around your belly and chest-- "Do you trust me?" His heart skipped again as you turned your head, gazing into him through his visor, nodding.

Kento sat backwards on the window ledge, forcing you to sit on his lap. He tried to bracket you with his arms and legs, giving a satisfied grunt as you pressed yourself hard against him.

"On three," he toned, low and heady in your ear, "...one." You squealed and squeezed his arm as he dropped backwards, both of you gripped by gravity and hauled earthwards. Kento grunted as you landed in the parachute, shielding you from impact.

The weightlessness continued as the parachute was carried from the building and placed gently on the ground. Shouts and cheers and roaring flames rang into the night, and heavy gloved hands clapped on Kento's arms and shoulders, from which you had not been released. You trembled in his lap, feeling his chest heave against your back.

When Kento broke out of his reverie, he caught your eyes staring up at him, soft and grateful, trying to see him through his helmet.

"My hero," you whispered, just quiet enough for him to hear. Kento's heart stuttered. He lifted one gloved hand and removed his helmet, blond hair messy, a fine sheen of sweat across his cheeks, his brown eyes flickering amber in the firelight. You bit your lip, drinking him in. He still had not let you go.

Geto

The whispering crowd was infected; the morbid curiosity of a thronging mass, negated the base empathy of its participants, and replaced it with a spectacle-hungry monster.

Suguru felt the grumbling rubber-neckers by the bridge be reluctantly pushed back by police officers. The first out of his fire truck, Suguru pushed through, sleek as a fish swimming upstream, and ducked under the police officers' arms, unhindered due to uniform privilege. He picked up pace as he approached the stairs, his heart in his mouth.

And, on the railings of the bridge, stood you; you trembled, so exposed and vulnerable. Nothing could make this better. Nothing could ease this naked agony. Nothing in death could be more painful than the burden of life. Nothing could possibly eke you back from the edge of this--

"Hey. I'm Suguru. I'm sorry this is happening to you."

His voice pierced your reverie, and the world slowed around you both. The passage of leaves on the wind stilled. The collective voice hushed. The railings gripped you tightly by the hands.

"And it's not going to be easy. Coming back from this. Getting better."

Your lips puckered upwards and you hiccuped, your sobs wet, your nose dripping. As you shook, one foot slipped off the edge of the bridge and the crowd shrieked as you partially dropped, the collective voice now drowning you, leaves twirling on a whirlwind, railings forsaking you--

You felt two strong arms grip around your waist. Scrabbling against them with stress-bitten nails, your foot tried to gain purchase again. Your weak little heart caved at the effort required and you teetered, weeping and floppy, half-on and half-off the bridge.

"I can let go of you. If you need me to. I understand. But...I don't think you do want me to."

Embraced like this, you felt warm. It was much easier leaping from the cold air than from warm arms, which had given you permission both to die, and to live. Your heart creaked, the choice suddenly made easy.

"Pull me up," you sobbed as you felt the arms tighten around you, "pull me up pull me up pull me u--"

You fell with a thud against the warm voice, and grasped onto it, curled into its lap, sobbing your heart out, the crowd beneath you sounding both relieved and disappointed. The warm voice soothed you, rocked you, stroked your hair.

You found yourself, in a few slow blinks, sat in the back of an ambulance, hands trembling around a hot drink, wrapped in a silver foil blanket. You stared blankly, numb, into the rising steam. A few short taps came from the ambulance door.

You looked up to see a beautiful man who you didn't recognise, handsome, slanted eyes glimmering, his long black hair pulled up into a bun. Your heart skipped a beat as you recognised to whom the warm voice belonged.

"You should be proud of yourself. It's not easy accepting help. Can I sit with you?"

Ino

The road was carnage, with debris scattered across tarmac, the remnants of one car smouldering weakly in dying flames, and the cries and sobs of a bloodied man being carried away on a stretcher. Still, the queue of traffic behind beeped and cussed, so outrageously inconvenienced.

Your car was crushed around you, the splitting pain in your leg made so much worse by the anxious claustrophobia of these crumpled walls, and not knowing how injured you really were. The sickening speed of the crashrolltumblecrash that had trapped you here, replayed in your mind on repeat. You felt panic claw up your throat, tasting your own blood as it dripped down your cheek and into your mouth.

"Wow, girl! You really didn't like this car, huh?"

The ridiculous flippancy of the statement was so incongruous, you laughed. Sniffling and trembling, you looked sideways through broken glass. A young man, his face friendly and open, squashed in his helmet, stared back at you, a sympathetic smile in his eyes.

"My name's Takuma. I'm here to get you out of this car, me and my friends. You look like you could use some help." Your lips pinched and you moved to nod, but Takuma's hands darted out, his fingertips to your cheeks and temples, holding your head.

"No. Don't. Your neck could be injured. Just...still as you can, okay? Good girl."

Takuma reached into a pocket, pulling out earplugs and putting them in for you, gingerly pulling a pair of goggles over your eyes. He removed them again briefly, gently swiping his thumb over a drip of blood about to run into your eye, wiping it on his trousers, replacing the goggles.

Takuma and his crew made short work of cutting through the pillars of your wrecked car, lifting the roof and doors off as if they were made of cardboard. After paramedics confirmed the integrity of your spine, hips and legs, Takuma managed to kneel beside your seat, working to release your trapped leg.

Fearful, your hand reached out, lying on Takuma's shoulders, gripping the back of his collar. Wordlessly, and without looking back, Takuma shook off one glove as his other hand worked, and reached up to hold your hand in his, rested together on his shoulder. You felt a curious tranquility run through you at his effortless kindness.

Your foot released, with a rush of pain as blood throbbed in your toes. You felt a twinge of disappointment as Takuma stepped back, allowing himself to be replaced by the concerned hands of medics.

"Not every day you get to be rescued by someone so handsome, huh?" Takuma laughed, framing his jaw faux-smugly between his thumb and forefinger. You smiled up at him, cute and appreciative in a way that made his belly clench.

"No. It's not every day I get to be rescued by someone so handsome."

You did not realise heroes could blush so sweetly.

Megumi

"Here. C'mon boy-- over here. You-- over there. Good boys."

Megumi expertly directed his dogs, one black and one white, against the threat of night-time's approach. News crews inconvenienced him, and he scowled, traversing rubble and wires as shouting rescuers tried desperately to set up floodlights. A chill bit through the air.

"...tonight, as a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the city. The search for survivors continues as..."

Megumi raised his head to the tune of three short barks from his dog, and he jogged to the corner of a collapsed school, feeling his heart drop to his stomach. His black dog pointed keenly to a crushingly large pile of rubble, no building left for lessons and lunchtimes. Megumi reached into his pocket, offering his dog a treat, scratching its ears and head to the tune of a proud wagging tail.

"Good boy, good boy. Wait here for me." Megumi headed to the rubble, keen eyes scouring, ears astute and listening. He found an opening, the remnants of a collapsed doorway. He heard shuffles, coughs. He shoved some loose brickwork aside, and you felt rays of evening sunlight pierce what you thought was to be your grave.

"Can you hear me?" shouted Megumi, and you clung to his voice from your little coffin. Your eyes pricked with tears as the shadow of a young man blocked the rays of light, and he raised a torch, creating a beam of light, illuminating yourselves to each other.

"You got under a table?" Megumi asked, impressed, appreciative, "That saved your life. Good job."

You smiled wetly, your cut hands clotted with brick dust, and you moved to come out from under the table towards him. A perilously leaning wall teetered above you as you emerged, and you felt a shadow begin to drop over you.

With a scream, and Megumi's harsh shout, you braced for impact...and felt none. Your body felt suddenly warm, pleasantly cushioned. Opening your eyes you felt the young man lying full-length across you, his forearms braced on the floor, impossibly strong as he shielded you from the collapsed brickwork. You gasped, still and shocked, as he planked against you.

"Get yourself out. Now," he grunted. You nodded, slithering out from underneath him, leaving bloodied handprints on the brickwork as you clambered out to safety. A rough groan behind you signified Megumi somehow shaking most of a wall off his back, and crawling out to meet you.

Again, impossibly, you were the one who swayed on your feet, and Megumi reached his hands out to steady you. Two eager dogs sniffed around you both, and Megumi's frown deepened with a pretty pink blush as you gazed into him with unabashed admiration.

"Get yourself to the medics," Megumi grumbled, rubbing brick dust out of his spiky hair, "they'll help you from he--"

"I will. If you give me your number."

"You-- you are out of your mind."

Yuuji

Yuuji lowered his visor, and regretted it immediately as the rain slapped against it. Reluctantly, he raised it, feeling instant cool trickles from fringe to eyebrows. Blinking water away, he crowded amongst his colleagues, all fresh fire-service arrivals to provide relief and rescue from this flooded valley town.

Twisting round, flicking muddy splatters, Yuuji's ears pricked as his Captain, Nanami Kento, barked orders.

"Ino, Maki-- provide aid and rescue for the eastern quarter. Kugisaki, to the west. Itadori--"

Nanami hesitated at Yuuji, who would have been wagging his tail if he had one. On a hitched breath, Nanami continued.

"Itadori, survey the northern lane's integrity before we move towards evacuation. Do not," Nanami warned, slanted eyes narrow through his visor, "do anything dangerous."

Yuuji appeared thoughtful; "And by dangerous, you mean...?"

"Itadori."

"Got it sir. Nothing dangerous," Yuuji offered with a wink and a salute. Nanami stared after him with silent despair as Yuuji jogged, splashing down the waterlogged lane.

Yuuji hummed to himself, his voice breaking and springing as he jogged, blowing rivulets of water away from his lips, slipping through the mud road between lanes, hedges, trees, descending down a winding hill. He heard the hushed roar of torrents of water, and rounded the corner curiously.

The river had burst its banks, submerging a hidden dip in the road. The water sloshed, murky with sediment, lapping at an enormous felled tree, underneath which--

"Shit...shit!" Yuuji cussed, seeing a small car, almost completely submerged, partially crushed under the weight of the tree. Yuuuji sprinted, feet slapping and skidding in the wet slop of the road. Inside the car, splashes, and a desperate wet voice.

"Oh fuck--hang on, just hang on, I'll get you out." Yuuji sloshed into the flood, chest deep, keeping his footing as the undercurrent threatened to sweep him away. Leaping over felled creaking branches, rattling in the wind, Yuuji met a pair of small pale hands at the window of the car. He pressed his broad palms flat against the glass, your last remaining barrier to complete submersion.

Tear-stained, awaiting death, you stared out at him, hyperventilating, gasping, "I don't want to die here-- not like this-- I can't get out--" Yuuji took a step back, eyes wide and fearful, brimming with doubt. You saw this in him, and your lips puckered, sobbing, snotty and cold.

"I know," you reassured him as you shook, "there's nothing you can do...the tree-- you can't move it in time. I can't-- I can't--"

"I can."

You stopped, palms flat against the glass, sweet eyes boring into Yuuji, and he was possessed by malcontent.

"I can," he insisted, throwing his yellow jacket and helmet off to sink away into the muddy depths. His black t-shirt clung to his form. Even young and drenched, he looked...powerful. Still, you shook your head, slowly at first until you filled with certainty.

"You can't," you insisted, assuaging him from guilt, "you're not strong eno--"

"No, I'm strong. I'm really strong. Not smart, but--" Yuuji pulled his gloves up, taking a staggered stance with his palms flat under the tree. He turned sideways, eyes wide and innocent as he grinned.

Teeth gritting, Yuuji roared as he heaved the tree trunk. His arms shook, wet biceps bulging against his sleeves as he heaved and bellowed. As you opened your mouth to insist he stop, the words caught in your throat-- somehow, in a masterclass feat of strength, you saw the tree trunk begin to lift off the roof of the car, taking pressure off the frames and doors.

"Oh my god," you squeaked, voice strangled in amazement, "keep going, you're doing it, good boy good boy good boy--"

With one final wild exertion, Yuuji shunted the tree, and it rolled with a thick splash down the bonnet. Wading towards the car, Yuuji gripped the door handle, ready to pull against the stunning mass of water.

"When I open this, the car's gonna fill up," he pondered aloud, "so..."

"I'll reach out for you," you nodded, gasping, the water up to your chin. Yuuji's lips curled appreciatively, and he maintained eye contact as he counted down.

"Three, two, one...go!" Yuuji grunted, heaving the door open, filled with terror as your face disappeared in a rush of brown. Shoving his thick thigh into the gap, he reached in, begging, praying--

-- Yuuji felt two cold hands grip his forearms, and he gripped in return, heaving you through the torrent into his arms.

In mutual relief, chests heaving against each other, you coughed and spluttered in Yuuji's arms, fingers sinking into his hair, planting wet kisses of thanks to his cheeks.

"You saved my life," you pressed, voice breaking, "How am I ever...how can I ever...?"

"You can...just call me 'good boy' again? Just once more?"

Higuruma

"Shit-- it's spread so fucking fast--"

Higuruma Hiromi wasn't sure if the crushing, oppressive heat was coming from the sun, the scorched earth beneath his feet, or the wall of flames devastating the dry summer forest before him.

Eyes wide and appalled, his frown wrinkled his hooked nose, drips of sweat trickling through spiky black hair and onto the thirsty earth. His black t-shirt was claustrophobically tight against prickling skin, and he ran two hands down his chest before pulling on his yellow jacket and helmet.

With a sharp intake of breath, he began to boom orders to his scurrying team; "you know what to do-- restrict the spread, we have to stop this encroaching on the--"

"Sir, please! Please, listen, there's someone in there--"

Hiromi's head snapped round, hawkish black eyes like beetles in the firelight, and landed on a park ranger, fighting to be heard over the roar of flame and barrier-arms of police officers. Hiromi stomped over to him, one harsh finger pointed in the officers' face to prevent his interruption before he could start.

"You say there's someone in there? In the forest? Be clear," Hiromi commanded. The park ranger gulped.

"One of the other rangers, she-- she's trying to save some of the bird-boxes-- endangered species--"

Hiromi laughed, humourless, as he rubbed his face, gazing to the heavens, between two long-fingered hands.

"Endangered species-- she's a fucking endangered species, at this rate--" Hiromi laughed again, breathing in through his mouth, and out with a sandy groan and a decision.

"Begin at the edges," he commanded to his team, jogging towards a break in the trees, "I'll be back, if I'm lucky." Hearing the frantic shouts of his team beckoning him back, Hiromi's boots stamped over the embering earth, all noise fading and replaced by hellish heat and the lick of devil's tongues.

Hiromi panted, chest heaving as it gulped in heavy air and ashes, embering leaves wisping to the floor around him. Spotting a sign, its information barely legible as the paint wrinkled up from the surface, he sprinted onwards through the inferno, leaping over logs, skidding through wafer-dry foliage, the flames in the branches above him creating the burnt-umber sunset of a hellscape.

Approaching a circular fence, the bird sanctuary was engulfed, and inexplicably, a woman halfway up a tall wooden ladder was detaching a bird-box from the side of a tree. Hiromi skidded to a halt, incredulous, snorting in derision.

Your skin felt as dry as tanned leather on your cheeks as you tucked the bird-box under your arm and began to step down the ladder. Just one more, you thought, I can get just one mo--

"I don't like to interrupt someone passionate about their job, but are you quite finished?"

You jumped, clasping the bird-box to your chest as Hiromi loomed over you, his anger rising so much taller than he was. You swallowed, tongue like sandpaper, answering honestly.

"I'm not, actually, I've got one more to--"

Hiromi's gloved hands had cupped around the birdbox, gently plucking it out of your hands and into his. You squealed indignantly as he ducked, throwing you over his shoulder with one arm, grunting as you wriggled and kicked.

"Do as you're told," Hiromi chastised as you thumped at his back with your fists, crying out, sobbing as he carried you away, "I appreciate your diligence but--"

"No, please-- just listen--" you sobbed, reaching back as he carried you and the single bird-box away, "--the eggs-- the last breeding pair--"

Hiromi stopped despite himself, feeling the flames ringing closer around him. He tapped his foot, furious, considerate. Placing you down with a huff, he walked back to the ladder. As he picked it up, he shot you a hot-eyed look of sarcastic inquisition. Lips puckering mulishly, you pointed to the tree beside him.

Wordlessly, his body language dramatically muted, Hiromi placed the ladder and took it two rungs at a time. Removing the birdbox, gripping it in one fist, Hiromi slid down the sides of the ladder and stamped back to you, pressing the bird-box into your arms beside the other.

As your eyes melted at him in a soft little smile, embracing your bird-boxes, Hiromi blushed, glaring at you without venom. He ducked down in front of you slightly, not breaking eye-contact. Your head tilted owlishly, and Hiromi felt his belly twist in odd delight.

"What are you--" the air was thumped out of you as Hiromi hefted you over his shoulder again, and he huffed out a laugh as you swore at him. You clung to your bird-boxes as he ran through the flames, gasping and squeaking as he leapt over, under, through...

Hiromi burst out of the forest and into the open, cooled instantly by the wind-carried cool spray of a dozen hoses. Hiromi dropped you down, and you fell to your knees beside each other, panting, feeling the water drizzle down your bodies.

"So," Hiromi gasped, throwing off his jacket and t-shirt, groaning at the cool water dripping down his chest, "tell me about your birds."

You pressed your forehead to his bare-chest, breath grazing across it as you laughed, sending shivers down Hiromi's spine. Resting your cheek on him, looking up with lovestruck, appreciative eyes, Hiromi wondered faintly that he could listen to you tell him about birds all night.

Sukuna

This was the worst day of your life. You had made a horrible error of judgement, and you prayed to the god who had forsaken you, steeping in the consequences of your own actions. You would live the rest of your days in terror, stomach cold and gripped and roiling with fear, never happy again--

To the amused intrigue of onlookers, you were enjoying an extra-long ride at the top of a colourful Ferris Wheel. But you were afraid of heights, and had chosen a beautiful summers' day to challenge yourself. And then the Ferris Wheel got stuck. And now you were going to die up here.

You slid off the seat and onto the floor, and sobbed as your little carriage rocked in the wind. The Ferris Wheel creaked, and you felt a cold terrified sweat drop down your chest, your hands flinging out to clutch the seats. Head tipped back and eyes closed, you felt panic settling in--

"Oi. Woman. Do you want this, or not?"

You shrieked at the suddenly-appearing pink-haired man clung to the outer bars of your carriage, his face nothing short of bored and pissed off as he held a bottle of water out to you.

"What the fuck-- are you doing up here-- did you climb here?"

Sukuna snorted at you, eyes narrowed and cruel as he took you in, all sweat and tears and skirt tucked all the way up to your hips.

"Look at you, what a fucking mess," he cooed to your furious blushes, eyes brimming with tears again, "you're normally my type, but--"

"Are you just here to make fun of me?" You hiccuped, snatching the bottle of water out of his hand, unscrewing the cap as Sukuna laughed at you. With a wicked glint in his eye, Sukuna jumped his feet against the bars, rocking it, and you shrieked, clinging to the seats and sloshing water over your thighs as he laughed harder.

"Oh baby," he mocked, "you scared of heights? Want me to hold your hand?" He lifted his feet to rock the carriage again, but stopped, frowning as you answered.

"Yes," you hiccuped, "please. Hold my hand." As your little hand slid up the wall of the carriage towards his gripped around the bars, Sukuna snorted, turning his face away from you.

"It's hot," he stated, blunt, "I was told to bring you water. I've done my job. I'm not gonna hold your--"

"Please." His stomach flipped, cock twitching involuntarily inside his uniform as you begged. Sukuna snorted again, ignoring you. As you started to sniffle, weeping, your hand slid down away from his. A heartbeat passed, and you felt a strong, warm hand reach in, fingers plaiting through yours.

"You're pathetic," he mocked, still staring out across the sea, his voice a little softer now, "what the hell are you doing in a Ferris Wheel if you're afraid of heights?"

"I wanted...I wanted to see if I could--"

"Idiot. Now you're stuck here," he snapped, almost sounding concerned, his heart fluttering in a way that made his neck prickle as you rested your tear-dampened cheek against his hand in yours.

You and Sukuna stayed this way, your cheek against your fingers plaited in his. The carriage became gradually bathed in a warm pink sunset, lighting up the coral of his hair. The sway was gentle, a little boat on lilting tide.

Finally, a short jolt rumbled the carriage to life, and it began to trail in a circle back towards the ground.

Just before your carriage ground to a halt, Sukuna spoke, slow and mischievous.

"Hey. Woman."

"What?" you answered, unaware of your skirt hitched up around your waist.

"Cute little panties you've got there."

The shrieks of rage and cackling laughter could be heard all the way down to the beach.

Toji

"You've called-- you've called him in? Are you out of your mind?" Satoru gaped at Nanami, his fellow Captain, gobsmacked as Nanami pursed his lips in irritation.

The fire-truck was parked to the side of the main road; all cars were halted, abandoned, swarmed by rioters in scarves and balaclavas, hundreds upon hundreds of them, a swirling mass of destruction in the streetlights. Riot police vainly attempted to form a blockade, stumbling as bodies slipped past them, shop windows smashing, flaming bottles tossed.

"We need the bodies," Nanami pressed, stripping his t-shirt off, thick muscular arms reaching into the truck to find a clean one, "how often do the riot police call us in for support? Besides, he looks...intimidating. He may serve as a...deterrent."

Satoru snorted derisively, "He was fired for a reason, Nanami, mark my--"

"Hey, kid, long time no see."

Satoru stiffened as a shadow loomed over him, one heavy hand clapping down on his shoulder. Toji smirked, his scar twisted, raising his boot to put out his cigarette on the sole. He stamped his boots into place, his yellow rubber trousers tatty and worn, jacketless and terrifyingly ripped in a tight black t-shirt.

"So..." Toji continued, staring into the chaos ahead of him, "support the cops, yeah?" He sucked his teeth, rolling his shoulders. Nanami nodded, brisk, shoving a helmet towards Toji, grimacing as it was immediately rejected. Nanami shrugged, not wishing to waste time arguing, and directed the firemen towards the crowd to encourage some form of calm.

Toji stayed back, choosing where to go. At a glance, he saw a young woman duck down behind a car, arm raised to toss an egg at the back of a police officer's head. You caught Toji's eye, a bandana pulled up covering your lower face, and he laughed under his breath as your eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Little minx," he muttered, admiring the quiet subversion. Laughing out loud as you tossed the egg, landing a direct hit, Toji moved on, stepping towards a shop, his passive presence alone enough to scatter the looters inside.

The pressure from the crowd built, peaking, and Toji felt the mood in the air change from rave gone overboard to aggression and spite.

Seeing the crowd pulse and surge, Toji spotted you in the front, crushed, buffeted against the officers' riot shields. You caught his eye again, now desperate and pained, instead of playful. Toji felt himself clench, stepping in behind two of the riot officers, who barely had time to glance at him between wild shouts at the crowd.

Easily, with two strong hands, Toji parted the shields just enough for you to drop through, and he caught you, lifting you as if you weighed nothing. As you stared up at him, speechless and waiting to be arrested, he looked down at you, the glimmer in his eyes threatening shenanigans.

"I don't know about you," he drawled, low and slow, "but these clowns couldn't break a nail, let alone a crowd." You laughed, tinkling and sweet, and Toji felt a burst of ego for having caused it.

"Ever been in a fire truck, sweetheart?"

Moments later, the fire truck rumbled to life, its sirens ringing and flashing in warning. The pressure of the crowd eased for a moment, hundreds of enquiring eyes on you and Toji in the front seats, one of his hands resting across your belly, protective, shielding you in place.

The enquiring eyes turned fearful as the fire truck reversed, then slowly swung to face the crowd and riot officers alike, revving.

With a smirk, Toji allowed the truck to jolt forwards. The crowd cried out collectively, its stance breaking, dozens of people scattering to escape the scene. Revving again, the truck jolted forwards once more, harder this time. Half the crowd stumbled, falling over themselves to run. With one final booming rev, the crowd shrieked and shouted, scattering like spiders up and down the length of the street, no act of protest apparently worth getting run over for.

And as you and Toji were pulled, laughing, from the fire-truck, both being slammed and cuffed against the nearest police car, your eyes met, and your bandana slipped down to reveal your lovely grin.

Toji smirked, heads on the car facing each other. Shooting you a wink which made you giggle and blush, he snorted to think that maybe he was just the right dismissed ex-fireman to get the job done.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Wheeeee, rescue me fire daddies 🚒🔥

[wonderlanddreamer]

Obsession [For Nova]

Because we all need a bit of dirty, possessive John smut, whether we know it or not.

18+ ONLY.

-x-

The Garrison was alive with the usual hum of chatter and laughter, the clinking of glasses underscoring the lively atmosphere. It was a typical night in Small Heath, but for you, it was anything but ordinary. For hours, you had been playing a tantalizing game with John Shelby, your eyes meeting his from across the room, your lips curling into a mischievous smile every time you caught his gaze. Your subtle touches and playful remarks had been driving him to the edge of his sanity.

John's jaw clenched as he watched you from his spot at the bar, his blue eyes darkening with each teasing glance you threw his way. He was a man of action, not words, and the way you were leading him on was testing his patience. The final straw came when you walked past him, your hand casually brushing against his arm, your laughter a soft melody that ignited a wildfire within him.

Without a word, John reached out and grabbed your wrist, pulling you against his chest with a force that took your breath away. His grip was rough and unyielding, his body radiating heat and barely contained desire. Before you could react, he had pulled you against his lap, his arms wrapping around you possessively.

"Do you know what you've been doing to me, love?" he growled, his voice a rough whisper against your ear. His breath was hot on your skin, sending shivers down your spine.

Your heart raced, a mix of excitement and anticipation flooding your senses. You had been playing a dangerous game, and now you were face-to-face with the consequences. John's eyes bore into yours, a storm of emotions swirling within them. You could feel the tension in his muscles, the way his fingers painfully dug into your flesh, holding you in place.

"I've been driving you mad, haven't I?" you replied, your voice barely more than a whisper. You couldn't help the small smile that tugged at your lips, the thrill of his possessiveness making your pulse quicken.

John's lips curved into a feral grin, his eyes narrowing as he leaned closer. "You have no idea, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice dripping with a dangerous promise. "But now, you're going to fuckin' understand it."

His hand slid up your thigh, his touch rough and demanding. You gasped, the intensity of his gaze making it impossible to look away. John's other hand tangled in your hair, pulling your head back to expose your neck. He pressed a fierce kiss to your skin, his teeth grazing your flesh in a way that made you tremble.

"You belong to me," he whispered, his voice a low growl. "And I'm going to make sure you never forget it."

John’s grip tightened as he bit down on your neck, a raw, feral sound rumbling from his chest. The pain mingled with pleasure, sending waves of heat through your body. His fingers dug into your hips, pulling you closer, pressing you against his growing arousal.

“You think you can tease me like that and walk away?” he hissed, his breath hot against your ear. “I don’t think so, love. I’m not a man you can play with.”

“John…” you breathed, your voice trembling with a mix of fear and excitement.

“Say my name,” he commanded, his voice a low, feral growl. “Tell me who you belong to.”

“John,” you repeated, your voice barely more than a whisper. “I belong to you.”

A triumphant growl escaped his lips as he captured your mouth in a bruising kiss, his hands gripping you possessively. There was no gentleness in his touch, you knew you had awakened a beast within John Shelby, and there was no escaping his possessive hold. You were his, and he would make sure you never forgot it.

John's lips left yours, trailing a line of fiery kisses down your neck. Each touch was a brand, marking you as his. You could feel the raw power in his touch, the intensity of his need overwhelming.

"Do you feel that?" he murmured against your skin, his voice a guttural growl. "Do you feel what you do to me?"

You nodded, unable to form words as his hands continued their relentless exploration. His fingers dug into your flesh, leaving marks that would serve as reminders of his ownership of your body. Each touch sent a jolt of electricity through you, heightening your senses and driving you wild with desire.

With a swift motion, John grabbed your hand, pulling you through the bustling crowd of the Garrison. The noise and chatter faded as he led you out a side door, the cool night air hitting you like a refreshing wave. The alley behind the pub was dimly lit, the moon casting long shadows on the cobblestones. The scent of damp earth and the distant hum of the city filled the air, creating an intoxicating atmosphere.

John shoved you against the rough brick wall, his body pressing against yours with a possessive urgency. His eyes locked onto yours, a predatory glare in his gaze. "You're mine," he declared, his voice low and possessive. "And don't you ever fuckin' forget it."

His hands found the hem of your dress, pushing it up with rough urgency. Your breath hitched as his fingers trailed up your thigh, the anticipation almost too much to bear. He paused, his eyes darkening with desire as he watched your reaction.

"Tell me you want this," he demanded, his voice a low growl. "Tell me you want me."

"Yes, John," you gasped, your voice trembling with need. "I want you. I need you."

A triumphant smirk curled his lips as he claimed your mouth again, his kiss fierce and demanding. His hands continued their exploration, pushing you to the edge of your sanity. His touch was a fierce reminder of his possession.

John’s hands moved with purpose, sliding up your thighs and under your dress, his fingers tracing patterns on your skin that left you gasping. He pulled back slightly, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made your breath catch.

“You’ve been a little tease all fuckin' night,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “Now, it’s my turn.”

His hands gripped your hips, pulling you to the edge of the wall. He leaned in, his breath hot against your ear. “You’re mine, love. I do what I fuckin' want with what's mine.”

With a swift motion, he pushed your dress up higher, exposing more of your skin to the cool night air. His fingers danced along the edge of your underwear, teasing you mercilessly. You could feel the heat of his breath against your neck, the roughness of his stubble grazing your skin.

“Please, John,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. The anticipation was driving you mad, each touch sending electric shocks through your body.

He chuckled, a low, dark sound that sent shivers down your spine. “You really think I'm gonna give it to you that easy?"

John's fingers moved with a confident precision, exploring the delicate, sensitive areas with a mastery that left you trembling. He traced slow, tantalizing circles around your most intimate parts, each touch sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body. His fingertips were both gentle and insistent, applying just the right amount of pressure to make you gasp and arch into his touch.

His thumb brushed against your most sensitive spot, drawing a sharp moan from your lips. He lingered there, teasing you with light, maddening strokes that had you clutching at his shoulders, your nails digging into his flesh. The sensations were overwhelming, each movement of his fingers igniting a fire deep within you.

“John,” you moaned, your body arching into his touch. “Please.”

He growled low in his throat, his other hand coming up to tangle in your hair, pulling your head back to expose your throat. He kissed a trail down your neck, his teeth grazing your skin, marking you as his.

As his thumb continued its relentless teasing, his fingers below moved with increasing urgency, alternating between slow, deliberate strokes and quicker, more insistent movements. The dual sensations had you teetering on the edge, your breath coming in ragged gasps, your body trembling with need.

“John,” you whispered, your voice a breathless plea.

His eyes met yours, the possessive gleam in them even more intense. “Cum for me, baby,” he growled, his voice low and rough. He leaned in, capturing your lips in a fierce, demanding kiss that left you breathless. His tongue plunged into your mouth, matching the rhythm of his fingers, pushing you closer and closer to the edge.

Your hands clung to him, desperate for some anchor as your world spun out of control. The sensations were too much, too intense, and you felt yourself spiraling, your body tightening with impending release.

John seemed to sense how close you were, his fingers moving with a renewed urgency, his thumb pressing firmly against your most sensitive spot. With a final, expert stroke, he sent you over the edge, your body convulsing with the force of your climax.

You cried out his name, your voice echoing in the narrow alleyway, your body shuddering against his. He held you through it, his fingers never ceasing their movements, drawing out every last wave of pleasure until you were left trembling and breathless in his arms.

But John wasn't finished. His eyes, blazing with feral hunger, roamed over you, and you could feel the raw intensity of his need. With a low growl, his grip tightened possessively, his hands roaming your body with renewed urgency, making it clear that his voracious desire for you was far from sated. He was relentless, a force of nature, determined to claim every last part of you.

With a swift, fluid movement, he pulled you closer, lifting you slightly as he pressed you against the wall. He positioned himself between your thighs, his eyes never leaving yours.

His eyes blazed with a feral intensity. "I'm gonna make you scream my name so fuckin' loud they all know who you fuckin' belong to," he whispered, his voice thick with raw, unrestrained desire.

With a foreceful thrust, he entered you, the sensation electrifying. Your breath caught in your throat, your body arching into his as you clung to him, your fingers digging into his back. John moved with a fierce, almost desperate intensity, his need for you driving him to the edge of control.

Every movement, every touch, every breath was a declaration of his possession. The rough brick wall behind you contrasted sharply with the heat of his body pressed against yours. The sensations were overwhelming, intoxicating, and you found yourself lost in the storm of his passion.

John's pace was relentless, his movements a mix of rough urgency and tender possessiveness. Each thrust brought a fresh wave of pleasure, building an intensity that left you gasping, clinging to him for support. His hands roamed your body, exploring every curve, every inch of skin, as if he couldn't get enough of you.

"John," you moaned, your voice trembling with a mix of pleasure and emotion. "Fuck...yes... John!"

A primal sound rumbled deep in his chest, his grip on you tightening as he drove deeper, his movements becoming more urgent, more demanding. You could feel the tension coiling within you, building to a shattering crescendo. With a final, powerful thrust, he pushed you further over the edge, your body convulsing in a wave of ecstasy.

John followed you over the edge, his own release a fierce, primal roar that echoed through the alley. He collapsed against you, his body trembling with the aftershocks of his climax. For a moment, the world was still, the only sound your shared, ragged breaths.

As your breathing gradually steadied, John leaned in close, his eyes still smoldering with intensity. He gripped your chin firmly, his voice a low, fierce growl. "Don't forget, you're mine" he said, each word dripping with possession, "All fuckin' mine. No one touches what's mine except for me."

You smiled, your heart swelling with contentment. “All yours, John Shelby. And I wouldn’t want it any other way,” you replied, your voice a soft murmur.

The cool night air wrapped around you both as you stood there, still entwined. John gently helped you adjust your dress, his touch lingering on your skin. He pulled you into a tight embrace, his lips brushing against your ear.

“Let’s get back inside before anyone notices we’re gone,” he said with a playful smirk, though his eyes still held that intense, possessive gleam.

You nodded, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “Lead the way, Mr. Shelby.”

Back in the pub, John’s grip on your waist was unyielding, his eyes a fierce warning to anyone who dared look your way. When someone glanced too long, he yanked you closer, his fingers digging possessively into your hip. His gaze was a silent, feral declaration—everyone around could see it clearly: you were his.

[hoe4hotchner]

Chapter 4 - Echoes of fear

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x figure skater (fem)!Reader

Summary: The story follows you a figure skater training for nationals and Aaron Hotchner as your lives intertwine during an investigation into the abductions of young athletic women, including the your close friend, Leah. As the BAU delves deeper into the case, you find yourself captivated by Hotch’s quiet strength and protective presence. When Leah’s body is tragically discovered at the rink, the tension escalates, surrounding you in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

Word count: 1.8k

Warnings:  Blood, dead body, emotional turmoil, Hotch comforting r.

A/N: Here's a shorter chapter, enjoy while it lasts ;)

Masterlist

           The early morning air was crisp and still as you arrived at the rink, the sun just beginning to rise, casting a soft golden light across the landscape.

           Everything felt perfect.

           You stepped inside, the familiar chill from the ice wrapping around you like a comforting embrace, but that sense of warmth quickly faded as an unsettling heaviness settled in your chest. Something felt off. The usual sounds of the rink — the delicate whoosh of skates gliding over ice, the gentle hum of the air conditioning system, the cheerful laughter of skaters getting their practices in, in the early hours of the day, the distant thump of music — were conspicuously absent, leaving a haunting silence in their place.

           It was too quiet.

           You flicked on the lights, the fluorescent lights flickered to life above the rink with a series of soft pops, echoing off the walls like distant cracks in the frozen air. But as your gaze swept across the rink, the world seemed to tilt, plunging into a cold, suffocating darkness. A shiver ran down your spine, dread coiling around your chest, tightening. The sharp scent of the ice, the quiet hum of the arena, everything faded into a distant blur as your eyes locked onto the still figure in the center of the rink.

           Time slowed, your breath catching in your throat. The scene before you felt unreal, like a nightmare you couldn’t wake up from. Your legs felt heavy, rooted to the spot as you stared, the horrifying truth dawning in sickening waves. Every beat of your heart echoed louder, a thunderous roar in your ears as your mind struggled to comprehend the unthinkable.

           Leah

           The name formed on your lips, but no sound came. The vibrant, determined girl you knew, the friend who had trained with you for countless hours, was now just a lifeless form on the ice, reduced to a grim silhouette against the frozen surface.

           Your stomach twisted violently as you took in the horrifying sight—blood pooled around her body, the vibrant red color stark against the pure white of the ice, creating a grotesque painting that clawed at your sanity. This wasn’t an accident; it was a chilling message, a cruel reminder of the darkness lurking just beneath the surface. Panic surged through you like a wildfire, consuming every rational thought, and you stumbled forward, feet slipping on the ice as you made your way to her lifeless form, breathless and desperate.

           "No! Leah!" you cried out, your voice echoing in the eerie stillness, a raw mix of disbelief and anguish flooding your senses as you rushed toward the scene, every instinct screaming that this was not how it was supposed to be. Leah was not supposed to be dead, she was supposed to train with you, supposed to go to sectionals with you. She was supposed to be alive.

           How could this have happened? How could Leah—your Leah—be lying there, her bright spirit snuffed out in such a cruel, senseless way?

           You dropped to your knees, the ice biting against your skin as disbelief flooded your senses, making the world around you feel surreal and distant. How could this be happening? Leah was supposed to be safe, tucked away from the dangers that had plagued the world of athletes, out of harm’s way, and following her dreams. She was not supposed to be a victim. The overwhelming sense of horror wrapped around you like a suffocating blanket, and you struggled to comprehend the scene before you.

           Fumbling for your phone, your hands trembled uncontrollably, every nerve in your body screaming in panic as you dialed 911, trapping the phone between your ear and shoulder. "There’s been an accident at the rink!" you gasped, your voice shaking and barely audible as it cracked under the weight of your terror. "The ice pavilion." You added, almost forgetting to let the dispatcher know your location. "Leah is… she’s…" You couldn’t finish the sentence, the words lodged in your throat like a heavy stone, the gravity of the situation crashing down on you like a tidal wave. Tears streamed down your cheeks, blurring your vision and mixing with the coldness of the ice beneath you. Your gloved fingers pressed down on the open wound in her stomach, trying to save her, to make sure the paramedics would get to her in time. But in reality, you knew it was too late, her body was already cold, rigor mortis having set it hours ago it seemed. How long she had been you did not know, all you knew was: You had been too late.

           The operator's voice came through the line, calm and methodical, trying to soothe you, but it felt like a distant echo, the urgency of your emotions drowning out their attempts to bring order to the chaos swirling in your mind. Although they knew help was on the way, the operator had opted to stay on the line with you.

           Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed ominously behind you, breaking through the thick haze of despair. Hotch burst through the door, his demeanour nor shifting from concern to horror as he registered the scene unfolding in front of him. The expression on his face twisted with disbelief, eyes wide as they darted between you and the chilling sight of Leah’s body.

           You looked back at him, your tear-stained face catching him off guard. Only then did he notice your hands. Your usual elegant white gloves were bright red.

           "Stay back!" he called to the officers trailing him, his voice sharp and authoritative, but his focus remained solely on you. He needed to get to you, to protect you. He rushed to your side - a little less elegant on the ice than you had been - kneeling beside you with a sense of urgency that mirrored the pounding of your heart.

           The gravity of the situation settled around you like a dense fog, making it hard to breathe. "Are you hurt?" he asked, concern etched into his features as he scanned you for any signs of injury.

           You shook your head vehemently, words lodged painfully in your throat like shards of glass, the reality of the moment suffocating. You removed your hands from the wound as Hotch wrapped his hands around your shoulders, pulling you back. And as much as he didn't want to admit the mistake you had made, he hoped you hadn't contaminated the crime scene too much. Thankfully, you'd worn gloves.

           With shaking fingers, you pointed at Leah’s lifeless body, the panic consuming you like a wildfire. "I found her like this! I thought she was safe! She wasn’t supposed to be here!" Your voice cracked, the desperation pouring out in a rush of emotion.

           Hotch pulled you into his arms, carefully removing your gloves and tossing them down on the ice before tightening his grip around you. Your body shook as you sobbed into his chest, your hair sticking to the tears as they fell. He shushed you gently, hoping it would calm you down enough to move you away from the ice.

           Hotch’s expression hardened as he absorbed the reality of what lay before him, the protective instincts kicking in as he scanned the scene. "We’ll get through this," he said, his voice was a low and steady rumble in his chest, cutting through the chaos that surrounded you like a lifeline.

           You pulled your face away from his chest. His gaze was firm and reassuring, grounding you amid your spiraling thoughts. "You’re safe. Just stay with me." The warmth of his presence, even in such a dark moment, offered a flicker of hope amidst the overwhelming despair.

           As officers began to secure the area, the shock of what you had just witnessed crashed over you like a tidal wave, leaving you gasping for breath. Your heart raced, pounding in your chest as you struggled to wrap your mind around the horrific scene. "She was kidnapped! How could this happen? Why would they leave her here? Why would they kill her?" The questions spilled out, desperate and frantic, each one cutting deeper into your raw emotions as you hyperventilated a little.

           Hotch’s gaze remained steady. "We don’t know yet," he said, his voice calm yet firm as if trying to anchor you in the chaos. "But we will find out who did this. You did the right thing by calling." His words were meant to reassure you, yet they felt like distant echoes in your mind, barely breaking through the fog of panic that clouded your thoughts.

           You could barely process what he was saying, the fear clawing at your insides desperate to escape. "She didn’t deserve this… none of us do." The weight of that truth settled heavily upon you, suffocating in its simplicity.

           Hotch moved closer, his presence a solid shield against the overwhelming emotions threatening to engulf you. "We’re going to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I promise." His words were now a vow, filled with determination and a fierce protectiveness that ignited a flicker of hope in your heart. You clung to that promise, willing to believe that together, you could face the darkness and uncover the truth behind this unimaginable horror. Even if you had to put yourself in the crossfire.

           But the weight of Leah’s lifeless body loomed large over your head, an unbearable reality that settled heavily on your chest, a reminder of the darkness that surrounded your world. Each breath felt like an effort as the officers began their work, meticulously cordoning off the area and documenting the scene. You could hear the rustle of evidence bags, the distant murmur of voices discussing protocols, and the steady beeping of equipment, but none of it penetrated the haze of shock enveloping your mind. Yet, despite the chaos, you felt Hotch’s presence beside you.

           In that moment, as you stood there, a cold shiver coursing through you, you realized just how intertwined your lives had become. The connection you shared with Leah and the closeness you had begun to build with Hotch had woven an intricate tapestry of trust and vulnerability.

           Leah’s tragic fate was not just a personal loss; it was a chilling reminder of the ever-present threat that loomed over you all, over all athletes in the city, and potentially the whole country.

           As the investigation unfolded around you, a flurry of activity that felt both necessary and surreal, you knew that nothing would ever be the same.

           The air was thick with the weight of unspoken fears and unresolved questions. The echoes of terror and uncertainty would linger long after this day ended, an uninvited guest at every moment of laughter and light, forever altering the fabric of your reality, forever altering the feeling of the ice, of the pavilion. You would carry Leah’s memory with you, her loss a constant reminder that danger was always lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike when least expected.

           But as you felt Hotch pull you out of the building one question was left unanswered: How had he gotten there so fast?

Taglist: @love4lando @therealbaberuthless @crazyunsexycool @pear-1206 @bookworm124 @itsmytimetoodream @c-losur3 @lumestar @evvy96 @booknerd2004 @werebearcocoon

[gemsofgreece]

You really should know about Storm "Daniel"

Unlike how much all of us Greek blogs notify our tumblr communities about the regular (at this point) arsons wildfires afflicting Greece, we did not say much about the floods the country has been suffering from right now. There was a mention here and there and I even made a joke post as the storm was starting but not a lot of stuff in general. So, I think there's a couple of things you should know and I feel like I could address about it and actually it's not just about Greece. So I believe this could interest a lot of people and it should be something known worldwide.

In the beginning of September there was an alarm about an extreme weather phenomenon forming above the Ionian Sea at the west of mainland Greece. In truth, the phenomenon was not caused by the climate change. It was just a very rare occurence where a high pressure atmosheric system was sandwiched between two currents of low pressure. Low pressure systems are the ones resposible for stormy weather while high pressure systems generally create stable weather. As the low currents encircled the high pressure system, the storm that had started forming became unusually stable for a storm. As a result, the storm moved northeast above Thessaly and other regions of the central part of Greece and... just decided to stay there for an indefinite amount of time. Furthermore, because it's September and the Ionian Sea had warmed up throughout the summer, the medicane (Mediterranean cyclone) gained tropical features as it was forming, pushing its intensity to extremes unknown to this area.

The storm remained above all of central Greece for about 4-5 days but at the meantime it was causing side-storms in neighbouring countries, such as Bulgaria and Turkey. Both countries suffered from floods causing damages and deaths.

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN).

Tsarevo, Bulgaria (CNN).

Four people died in Bulgaria and seven in Turkey.

But like I told you the core of this was exactly on top of Greece's central mainland and islands. So what happened there? I happened to experience this shit first hand. My recollection of it is that it was unlike any other storm I had experienced before. My knowledge on meteorology is not very advanced, however I believe due to the high pressure part, there were actually no winds at all - or they were insignificant, so it wasn't like what you might have in mind as a conventional cyclone. It was a rainstorm but it was like a rainstorm from hell. The crucial part is that in Greece summer violent rainstorms may last for about five minutes but certainly not for five days nonstop. There was no pause, not even for a second. It kept pouring and pouring in indescribable volumes, without decreasing or slowing down, not for a moment. The fourth day it started taking short breaks.

As a person with a phobia of lightnings since childhood, I kept wearing earplugs throughout all these days. For four days, ten seconds did not pass without at least one lightning shrieking exactly on top of our heads. In the end, I am dead serious, I think my lifelong phobia has been cured somewhat due to this extreme exposure that eventually had a numbing effect. I think only the first day there was a record of 7,000 lightnings. I believe there must have been dozens of thousands overall. The lightnings also caused fires but the downpour was so overwhelming no fire could ever stand a chance.

Whether during or after the rains, what I was seeing outside was post-apocalyptic. The only thing missing was the zombies. It really looked like a background from a videogame, including a constantly lit up sky. I was not in danger though people dear to me were. The worst for me was a huge fall in the quality of living but that doesn't matter. The rains caused severe destructions across cities and villages. They caused floods, they broke bridges, they broke a massive number of roads, they made walls collapse, they destroyed springs, they damaged water and electricity outlets entirely, they drowned flocks and flocks of animals, they destroyed mountainous and coastal villages alike, they made cars float and fly over each other and they uprooted houses.

Village in Mount Pelion, Greece.

But that's not the end of it. Four days later, the storm moved southwest towards the Ionian sea, basically to the place of its original formation. It side-swept over Athens in the meantime, flooding the city, but that doesn't mean much since I could cry and Athens would still flood with my tears. Anyway. AFTER the storm left, the floods caused by it started multiplying and expanding. Picture that: a crystal clear sky, a bright sun and your phone screaming state alerts about evacuating your village or town because a lake has launched at you! Here's the thing: Thessaly is a massive plain surrounded by a ring of mountains. Half of those downpours fell right on the lowlands causing floods and destructions the first days. The other half however fell on the mountains, filled the streams heading down and they all met up and filled the lakes and the large river of Thessaly, Pineios and they all basically exploded the next days. Pineios especially exploded both in its western and eastern part, sinking the entirety of Thessaly's plains under water. As a result, floods were actively taking place days after the storm had ended and the weather was good. The phenomena have only started subduing since yesterday.

The overflowing of the river, trapped by the mountains.

Farmers won't be able to work this year and next year is questionable as well. There are huge concerns about various epidemics breaking out as more and more dead animals are found in the waters. Entire villages are under the water. There are estimations that some villages in west Thessaly might have been lost forever and their residents will have to move elsewhere. Sixteen people have died from the rainstorm and the floods.

Actual villages in Karditsa, Greece.

A more longterm danger is that the ground received such an unnatural amount of water that it might have been severely eroded and destablised, making it vulnerable to natural disasters I don't want to utter. Many roads are either broken or bloated and Thessaly has been cut out from communication and transportation with the rest of the country. To this day, there are maps guiding people how to drive from North to South Greece and vice versa by entirely skipping Central Greece! (Hint: they will have to drive through Epirus, aka western Greece.) The first days there was also complete isolation from what was happening in the country and the world and also the very regions we were in as we had no electricity and our only chance was getting a call from somebody being elsewhere and telling us what is going on.

Volos, Greece (CNN)

Many regions have received within 2-4 days 55 times their monthly amount of rain or more than twice the yearly amount. Greek meteorologist Christos Zerefos estimated that such a phenomenon occurs every 300-400 years. Meteorologists were alarmed internationally - with Germans and Americans reportedly saying they hadn't studied such a phenomenon again in their career. Its intensity was record high in the history of Greece and right in the top of Europe's as well. They also agreed that such a phenomenon would be devastating even if it had hit the most advanced and prepared country.

BUT THIS IS NOT THE END. The weakened Daniel seemed to slowly move towards South Italy but it decided to take a turn and headed south towards Libya and Egypt. Quite possibly, as the storm was once again travelling across the warm Mediterranean Sea, it was rejuvenated and gained even more tropical traits. Eventually, the medicane hit Libya with unprecedented force.

The cyclone travelling from Greece to Libya.

The toll it took on Libya is unspeakable. As I am writing this,

More than 5,226 people are killed and more than 10,000 are currently missing.

Like, can you wrap your head around what I am talking about? I don't see this shit being acknowledged enough across the world. I am checking this again and again, to ensure I am reading this correctly.

Daniel has officially become the deadliest medicane on record.

Eastern Libya, from Al Jazeera.

In the meantime, Greeks found opportunities to practice their favourite sport: political infighting. People who weren't even here when hell broke loose say that if this or that was properly done, we would not have problems at all. I even saw an idiotic Greek expat comment how "we got drowned in a little bit of rain". The truth is we should bloody thank our lucky stars and I say this with the entire awareness of half of Thessaly being currently underwater. It is true that Greek governments and people have done so many things badly, like building on top of streams and rivers, changing rivers' natural route, drying up natural lakes and all that shit that guarantees you are going to have massive problems once a serious storm breaks out. Also, the disaster revealed that there was once more a very questionable management of all the money given by the EU for anti-flooding measures after a previous flood (Ianos). Of course, I would be happy if at last we viewed this disaster as an opportunity to improve ourselves and the management of our land, however whatever happened these days wasn't the fault of anyone in particular. On the contrary, A LOT worse could have happened. A lot. Maybe Libya is not an indication because if Greece is not used to such extreme rain phenomena, then Libya is probably ten times less used to them, however we should not forget that this monster was STUCK at least five days over the heartland of Greece. For this alone we should damn be thankful we did not get it any worse and that the land endured in any way and of course now we have to correct old mistakes as well but let's do it united and determined and without wasting time once more in pointless infighting, which in this case might even be unfair. (In fact I think the thing we should blame the state the most about was not making it clear beforehand that this was going to be unprecedented, not just "very severe". They probably didn't want to cause panic and mayhem but still. We should know.) Of course I am not talking about how the state will treat the afflicted regions from now on, which is entirely its responsibility. And we should stand next to Libya. Greece has its wounds to mend but it should absolutely provide support to Libya. We know what this freak phenomenon was like.

I know this text is long but please consider reblogging this. We should know what happens on our planet. Thousands of people are dead from a freak phenomenon devastating regions across lands and seas. Also forgive any mistakes I might have made although I believe the information is correct for the most part. I didn't speak more about Libya because I don't know enough to analyze the situation as much. Perhaps there are ways of supporting the country too. As a last note, this phenomenon was not freakish because of the climate change - it was just a very unusual occurence. However, the - otherwise normal - warmth of the sea did feed and intensify the storm and the climate change might in the future cause these super rare, accidental phenomena to become more frequent.

[lost-in-lamentation]

🧭🏥🎐 - rescue, injury, lullaby.

mammon × gen!reader. hurt/comfort. fluff.

warnings: violence committed against reader (first paragraph). mentions of blood and serious injuries. DO NOT READ if you are uncomfortable with this.

content: when you get kidnapped, mammon is the one to save you from danger, disaster, and everything in between.

back to the 500 follower event: here.

the world spun as you felt a hand grab your hair and pull your face up. you could barely tell who the perpetrators were, between the blood that flowed down your forehead and blocked your sight, and the way your eyes refused to focus at all. muffled voices echoed in your ears, but you had neither the strength nor desire to make out what they were saying. with a low groan, you dropped your chin to your chest when you felt the hand release you. how long had you been here? you didn't want to know. you didn't want to remember. your eyes fell shut, allowing you a moment of respite, before all hell broke loose.

you heard screaming coming from all around you. you fought to open your eyes, just catching a glimpse of what seemed like a tuft of white hair in the dark quickly knocking down your kidnappers. suddenly, there was a hand gripping yours, cutting through the ropes that bound your wrists together as he whispered into your ear, "i'm sorry i couldn't find you sooner."

relief flooded your chest, tears threatening to run down your cheeks as your hands were freed. "mammon," you cried weakly, eyes locking with his as he rounded the chair to stand in front of you.

"i know, i know. it's okay now. promise." mammon's jaw was tight. anger burned in his gaze like a wildfire, but his hands were gentle as he tried to wipe off the blood on your face. "i gotta get you outta here. you okay if i carry you?"

too weak to protest (and too weak to run), you nodded slowly, waiting until mammon crouched down in front of you to place your hands on his shoulders. carefully, mammon hooked an arm underneath your knees before turning you to the side and locking his other arm around your back. your own arms slipped away from his shoulders, falling onto your stomach with a worried look from the demon. "my arms- i can't keep them up for that long," you explained quietly.

the concern on his face didn't go away, but he wouldn't dare tell you to do what you couldn't. instead, mammon adjusted you to a higher position, keeping you close enough for you to rest your head on his shoulder. "bear with me for a bit." mammon pressed his lips to the crown of your head, leaving a fleeting kiss before taking off.

you knew he was fast. in fact, it was for the best that he was quick in taking you away from where you had been held. but with how quick mammon was moving, you couldn't help but wince each time he took another step. they had beaten you more than you had realised, and finally being out of the cave made you feel each and every bruise along your body. the gash on your leg made itself particularly well known as it bounced repeatedly on mammon's torso. unable to hold it anymore, you released a small cry, fingers tightening on the fabric of mammon's shirt.

the second born came to a stop, chest rising and falling as he turned to look at you. "are we being followed? hang on." he didn't dare leave a spare second of time, eyes catching on a nearby cave before he sprinted over and ducked inside. once in the cover of dark, you felt mammon shifting you in his arms, placing you down on the ground before stepping away to the entrance.

"no- mammon," you called quietly, arm trembling as you reached out to him. he made a quiet noise of concern, shuffling back to you as quick as he had left. "we're not being followed, i just..." you stopped to try and find the right words. "you were running too fast... it hurt to be carried like that." timidly, your words tapered off, feeling sorry that you had stopped him for such a reason.

but mammon only gave you a look full of guilt, blue eyes scanning your body before he pulled his leather jacket off. "i should have realised that," mammon sighed softly. you said nothing as you watched him tear his sleeve off. "sorry, if this hurts. i'm not as good at it as lucifer and levi are." you responded with a confused expression, but when mammon began to wrap the area where your leg had been wounded, you quickly understood.

you gasped at the pain that shot through your nerves, feeling thorns and brambles clawing at your skin as mammon tried to tie off the fabric that now wrapped around your thigh. you gave a feeble attempt to roll away from his touch, but gave in with a whimper when he finally managed to knot the emergency bandage in place. mammon didn't dare meet your gaze, his lower lip quivering as he realised just how badly you were injured. the few seconds of silence felt like another kind of torture.

finally, mammon exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "we'll go when you feel better. take a nap for now."

"...you want me to sleep here?"

"you not able to?"

you felt your whole body shaking. "it's too cold."

with careful hands, mammon draped his jacket over you, then ran the backs of his fingers across your cheek lightly. "is that better?"

as much as you wanted to say yes, your shivering refused to stop. after all, his jacket was quite thin, and was doing nothing to combat the chills coming from your own body. instead of replying, you made an effort to sit up, but as soon as you managed to bring yourself upright, mammon had one hand on your back and the other on your stomach. "the hell you think you're doing? lie back down."

"i want to sit with you." your voice came out through a rasp, but the words had mammon gritting his teeth. you could practically see the internal warfare that waged in his head, but after a few heartbeats of hesitation, mammon finally resigned. he slid in between the wall of the cave and you, pulling you to sit between his legs and lean back on him. unsatisfied, you turned sideways so your legs fell on top of one of his. mammon quickly made room for your new position, allowing you to rest your cheek against his chest as he closed his arms around you. you relaxed into his hold, the fatigue finally catching up to you. yet, another part of you was still worried; afraid that your kidnappers might come and take you away a second time.

mammon, as perceptive as ever, dropped his chin to rest on your head, drawing you close. "i've got you."

you released a shaky breath, eyes falling shut as mammon began to hum a gentle melody.

goodnight, goodnight, it's time now to sleep.

the moon's watchin' over you and your dreams.

goodnight, goodnight, my sweet little one.

tomorrow, your eyes, they will light up the sun.

reblogs are really appreciated (´ω｀) ♡

a/n: trying to get back into the swing of writing... aka all the stuff on the event masterlist (⇀‸↼‶)

song lyrics are from lullaby, by sleeping at last.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Insurance companies are making climate risk worse

Tomorrow (November 29), I'm at NYC's Strand Books with my novel The Lost Cause, a solarpunk tale of hope and danger that Rebecca Solnit called "completely delightful."

Conservatives may deride the "reality-based community" as a drag on progress and commercial expansion, but even the most noxious pump-and-dump capitalism is supposed to remain tethered to reality by two unbreakable fetters: auditing and insurance:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality-based_community

No matter how much you value profit over ethics or human thriving, you still need honest books – even if you never show those books to the taxman or the marks. Even an outright scammer needs to know what's coming in and what's going out so they don't get caught in a liquidity trap (that is, "broke"), or overleveraged ("broke," again) exposed to market changes (you guessed it: "broke").

Unfortunately for capitalism, auditing is on its deathbed. The market is sewn up by the wildly corrupt and conflicted Big Four accounting firms that are the very definition of too big to fail/too big to jail. They keep cooking books on behalf of management to the detriment of investors. These double-entry fabrications conceal rot in giant, structurally important firms until they implode spectacularly and suddenly, leaving workers, suppliers, customers and investors in a state of utter higgeldy-piggeldy:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/29/great-andersens-ghost/#mene-mene-bezzle

In helping corporations defraud institutional investors, auditors are facilitating mass scale millionaire-on-billionaire violence, and while that may seem like the kind of fight where you're happy to see either party lose, there are inevitably a lot of noncombatants in the blast radius. Since the Enron collapse, the entire accounting sector has turned to quicksand, which is a big deal, given that it's what industrial capitalism's foundations are anchored to. There's a reason my last novel was a thriller about forensic accounting and Big Tech:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865847/red-team-blues

But accounting isn't the only bedrock that's been reduced to slurry here in capitalism's end-times. The insurance sector is meant to be an unshakably rational enterprise, imposing discipline on the rest of the economy. Sure, your company can do something stupid and reckless, but the insurance bill will be stonking, sufficient to consume the expected additional profits.

But the crash of 2008 made it clear that the largest insurance companies in the world were capable of the same wishful thinking, motivated reasoning, and short-termism that they were supposed to prevent in every other business. Without AIG – one of the largest insurers in the world – there would have been no Great Financial Crisis. The company knowingly underwrote hundreds of billions of dollars in junk bonds dressed up as AAA debt, and required a $180b bailout.

Still, many of us have nursed an ember of hope that the insurance sector would spur Big Finance and its pocket governments into taking the climate emergency seriously. When rising seas and wildfires and zoonotic plagues and famines and rolling refugee crises make cities, businesses, and homes uninsurable risks, then insurers will stop writing policies and the doom will become undeniable. Money talks, bullshit walks.

But while insurers have begun to withdraw from the most climate-endangered places (or crank up premiums), the net effect is to decrease climate resilience and increase risk, creating a "climate risk doom loop" that Advait Arun lays out brilliantly for Phenomenal World:

https://www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/the-doom-loop/

Part of the problem is political: as people move into high-risk areas (flood-prone coastal cities, fire-threatened urban-wildlife interfaces), politicians are pulling out all the stops to keep insurers from disinvesting in these high-risk zones. They're loosening insurance regs, subsidizing policies, and imposing "disaster risk fees" on everyone in the region.

But the insurance companies themselves are simply not responding aggressively enough to the rising risk. Climate risk is correlated, after all: when everyone in a region is at flood risk, then everyone will be making a claim on the insurance company when the waters come. The insurance trick of spreading risk only works if the risks to everyone in that spread aren't correlated.

Perversely, insurance companies are heavily invested in fossil fuel companies, these being reliable money-spinners where an insurer can park and grow your premiums, on the assumption that most of the people in the risk pool won't file claims at the same time. But those same fossil-fuel assets produce the very correlated risk that could bring down the whole system.

The system is in trouble. US claims from "natural disasters" are topping $100b/year – up from $4.6b in 2000. Home insurance premiums are up (21%!), but it's not enough, especially in drowning Florida and Texas (which is also both roasting and freezing):

https://grist.org/economics/as-climate-risks-mount-the-insurance-safety-net-is-collapsing/

Insurers who put premiums up to cover this new risk run into a paradox: the higher premiums get, the more risk-tolerant customers get. When flood insurance is cheap, lots of homeowners will stump up for it and create a big, uncorrelated risk-pool. When premiums skyrocket, the only people who buy flood policies are homeowners who are dead certain their house is gonna get flooded out and soon. Now you have a risk pool consisting solely of highly correlated, high risk homes. The technical term for this in the insurance trade is: "bad."

But it gets worse: people who decide not to buy policies as prices go up may be doing their own "motivated reasoning" and "mispricing their risk." That is, they may decide, "If I can't afford to move, and I can't afford to sell my house because it's in a flood-zone, and I can't afford insurance, I guess that means I'm going to live here and be uninsured and hope for the best."

This is also bad. The amount of uninsured losses from US climate disaster "dwarfs" insured losses:

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/hurricanes-floods-bring-120-billion-insurance-losses-2022-2023-01-09/

Here's the doom-loop in a nutshell:

As carbon emissions continue to accumulate, more people are put at risk of climate disaster, while the damages from those disasters intensifies. Vulnerability will drive disinvestment, which in turn exacerbates vulnerability.

Also: the browner and poorer you are, the worse you have it: you are impacted "first and worst":

https://www.climaterealityproject.org/frontline-fenceline-communities

As Arun writes, "Tinkering with insurance markets will not solve their real issues—we must patch the gaping holes in the financial system itself." We have to end the loop that sees the poorest places least insured, and the loss of insurance leading to abandonment by people with money and agency, which zeroes out the budget for climate remediation and resiliency where it is most needed.

The insurance sector is part of the finance industry, and it is disinvesting in climate-endagered places and instead doubling down on its bets on fossil fuels. We can't rely on the insurance sector to discipline other industries by generating "price signals" about the true underlying climate risk. And insurance doesn't just invest in fossil fuels – they're also a major buyer of municipal and state bonds, which means they're part of the "bond vigilante" investors whose decisions constrain the ability of cities to raise and spend money for climate remediation.

When American cities, territories and regions can't float bonds, they historically get taken over and handed to an unelected "control board" who represents distant creditors, not citizens. This is especially true when the people who live in those places are Black or brown – think Puerto Rico or Detroit or Flint. These control board administrators make creditors whole by tearing the people apart.

This is the real doom loop: insurers pull out of poor places threatened by climate disasters. They invest in the fossil fuels that worsen those disasters. They join with bond vigilantes to force disinvestment from infrastructure maintenance and resiliency in those places. Then, the next climate disaster creates more uninsured losses. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Finance and insurance are betting heavily on climate risk modeling – not to avert this crisis, but to ensure that their finances remain intact though it. What's more, it won't work. As climate effects get bigger, they get less predictable – and harder to avoid. The point of insurance is spreading risk, not reducing it. We shouldn't and can't rely on insurance creating price-signals to reduce our climate risk.

But the climate doom-loop can be put in reverse – not by market spending, but by public spending. As Arun writes, we need to create "a global investment architecture that is safe for spending":

https://tanjasail.wordpress.com/2023/10/06/a-world-safe-for-spending/

Public investment in emissions reduction and resiliency can offset climate risk, by reducing future global warming and by making places better prepared to endure the weather and other events that are locked in by past emissions. A just transition will "loosen liquidity constraints on investment in communities made vulnerable by the financial system."

Austerity is a bad investment strategy. Failure to maintain and improve infrastructure doesn't just shift costs into the future, it increases those costs far in excess of any rational discount based on the time value of money. Public institutions should discipline markets, not the other way around. Don't give Wall Street a veto over our climate spending. A National Investment Authority could subordinate markets to human thriving:

https://democracyjournal.org/arguments/industrial-policy-requires-public-not-just-private-equity/

Insurance need not be pitted against human survival. Saving the cities and regions whose bonds are held by insurance companies is good for those companies: "Breaking the climate risk doom loop is the best disaster insurance policy money can buy."

I found Arun's work to be especially bracing because of the book I'm touring now, The Lost Cause, a solarpunk novel set in a world in which vast public investment is being made to address the climate emergency that is everywhere and all at once:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865939/the-lost-cause

There is something profoundly hopeful about the belief that we can do something about these foreseeable disasters – rather than remaining frozen in place until the disaster is upon us and it's too late. As Rebecca Solnit says, inhabiting this place in your imagination is "Completely delightful. Neither utopian nor dystopian, it portrays life in SoCal in a future woven from our successes (Green New Deal!), failures (climate chaos anyway), and unresolved conflicts (old MAGA dudes). I loved it."

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/28/re-re-reinsurance/#useless-price-signals

[selkies-world]

Me, in the UK, preparing to watch the USA get turned into a fully fledged Christian ethnostate thanks to the fact they willingly voted a Christian Nationalist into power:

Meanwhile, USAmericans:

Here's what's going to happen, now that the orange bastard is on America's throne.

First, it'll be trans people & immigrants that will get the brunt of it. They'll be treated worse than they have this century.

Then it'll be BIPOC and disabled people. It'll be the women & girls who get it the worst, out of these groups.

Then it'll be the gays, and marriage will be returned to the state, Roe & Wade style.

Then it'll be women.

Along the way, they'll also be taking money and funding out of education and the workforce, and putting it into the military, weapons, tech for the pet elongated muskrat, and the church. Funding for climate and science and medicine will be taken away and relocated.

Your weather reports will be privatised, and if you pay to be able to view them, they will give you false information, and will intentionally fail to mention climate change. You will not know when a wildfire is predicted, or a flood, or a hurricane. Likewise, you will not know when those events happen in other states. You will not know what the weather is like in the rest of the world because the news will be heavily censored and filtered.

You will also lose porn. All LGBTQIA+ content, including shows and resources and books, will be classified as pornography, and banned. You will lose the general Internet, and anonymity, and privacy. Spyware will be mandatory on your devices. Anyone caught looking at banned material will be prosecuted, and labeled as a monster - someone looking at gay porn, or reading gay fanfic, or reading up on safe gay sex, will be branded as a pedophile or a sexual deviant.

You will also find that sex ed is removed from schools. Even anatomy & biology classes will be different. You can't miss something if you're never taught it in the first place, surely. Teen pregnancies will increase, as birth control becomes illegal, and pregnancy complications, child deaths, miscarriages and teen parents will be very commonplace. Sexual diseases will also become more prevalent as the medication for them will become scarce; PReP will be next to impossible to access, so a small AIDS epidemic will resurface. Antibiotics and vaccines will become rarer and rarer.

All porn will be deigned as a threat to children, and kink safespaces for adults will be hunted and shut down as being a threat to society. Gay clubs, too. Pride will be canceled, as will pride clubs in schools and colleges. Funding for therapy & mental health resources will dry up.

Families will be torn up, children will be tortured and abused, and adults will be forced to go along with it, face the same treatment, enact the abuse, or go to jail for child abuse because they tried to help their child. Gay adoptions will stop, as will family support for families with gay children.

Meanwhile, the UK will be in a political war with the USA. Palestinians will be bombed more, and so will most countries in the middle East. Egypt will become a target, and a few other parts of Africa. Russia and Ukraine will continue to attack each other, but Russia will be watching the USA and UK. So will North Korea and China.

None of you will be told if there's another pandemic. None of you will be told if there are millions or hundreds of millions of deaths. None of you will be told about loved ones in danger in other countries or states. None of you will be told the truth about anything.

Congratulations, America. You've built your walls high, and fortified your country. But you haven't just shut the rest of the world out; you've shut yourselves in.

If you don't believe me, save this post and come back to it 1 year from now. 2 years. 3 years. 4. Take a screenshot of it. And let's see which of us is right.

[princesskenny1998]

One Piece | Shanks LeRoux x platonic!f!Marine!LeRoux!reader (x Monkey D. Luffy) ~ Deserteur, PT.1

The day is bright and warm, an ordinary day by all appearances. But as you stride down the halls of Marine Headquarters, your thoughts are tangled in a storm. You’ve been hearing whispers all morning about a high-profile execution—Portgas D. Ace.

As a Marine Rear Admiral, you’re used to hearing rumors and reports of battles and high-profile arrests. But this… Ace. You have to read the report for yourself, convince yourself that it isn’t true.

It feels like the world stops spinning when you see his name, written in cold, official script. “Portgas D. Ace: Execution at Marineford.” You grip the paper, your mind reeling, and flashbacks flood in unbidden. Images of a young boy with a wide grin, arms thrown around you and his younger brother Luffy as he vowed to protect you both.

You remember growing up with them, the days on Dawn Island filled with laughter, scraped knees, stolen food, and promises. And though you became a Marine, after going with Garp, it never changed your love for them. As a child, you’d made promises, too. Promises to protect them, no matter what, to make sure, that they could live their dreams. But now, standing in Marine Headquarters, those memories feel like another lifetime.

And then, there’s Luffy, the boy that held your heart in his hands since you were 13 years old. If Ace is executed, you know he’ll come for him, no matter the danger. The thought fills you with a dread you can’t shake. You feel trapped between two worlds—the Marine life you worked so hard to build and the people you love, your family.

But your decision is made before you even realize it.

In the dead of night, you pack only the essentials, grab your coat, and slip out of Marine Headquarters. With every step away from the base, the weight of your decision settles over you. You’re not just leaving the Marines; you’re deserting them. A Rear Admiral, abandoning her rank, her post… but nothing feels as important now as getting to Marineford in time to save Ace. To protect Luffy.

When you finally make it to Marineford, the battle is in full force. The sound of cannons, the clash of swords, and cries of both pain and fury echo across the battlefield. Pirates and Marines alike fill the air with smoke and dust, and you weave through the chaos, searching desperately for Ace and Luffy.

You don’t care about hiding. You don’t care who sees you. All that matters is reaching them.

Finally, you catch sight of them in the distance, and your heart clenches. There he is—Ace, chained, with Luffy fighting frantically to reach him. Your gaze shifts to Luffy, and you can see the exhaustion in his movements, the pain in his eyes, yet he fights on with unwavering determination.

You don’t hesitate. You draw your weapon, charging forward to join the fight, cutting through Marine lines to carve a path toward Ace and Luffy. Shouts break out around you as Marines recognize you, their comrade-turned-traitor. You’re vaguely aware of the shock on their faces, the calls of “Deserter!” and “Traitor!” but you push it aside. None of it matters anymore.

Then, as you fight, someone shouts something that makes the battlefield freeze for a heartbeat: “Shanks’ daughter!”

The revelation ripples across the field like wildfire. Eyes turn toward you, your Marine coat stained with the dark red blood of your former colleagues. They stare at you, piecing it together—the red hair, the fierce, determined look in your eyes, a look that matches Shanks’ own. But you don’t care. Let them know. Let the world know who you are, who your family is. All that matters is getting to them.

Finally, you reach Ace, just as he’s freed from his chains. He stands beside Luffy, and there’s a fleeting moment where relief washes over you, hope blossoming in your chest. You can get him out. You can still save him.

But hope shatters as quickly as it came.

A burst of fire. A flash of light. And then you see him—Admiral Akainu, his hand plunged into Ace’s chest, magma dripping from his fist. You freeze, the world blurring, fading. It feels as if time itself has slowed to a crawl.

Ace falls forward, collapsing into Luffy’s arms, blood staining the ground. You scream, rushing forward, but your legs feel like lead. You drop to your knees beside him, reaching out with trembling hands, unable to believe what you’re seeing. Ace looks up at you, his gaze weak but still somehow warm, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“I’m sorry…” he murmurs, his voice faint. “I needed to… to protect him.”

You shake your head, tears blurring your vision. “No, Ace… we were supposed to get you out. We were—” Your words choke, lost in the sound of your own heartbreak.

Ace lifts a hand, placing it gently on your cheek. “Thank you… for coming. Thank you all... for loving me.” His hand falls, his eyes closing, and you’re left holding him, feeling his warmth slip away.

The pain is overwhelming, crushing. You can barely breathe, barely think. Luffy’s cries break through the haze, and you turn to him, seeing his face twisted in anguish, his body shaking with grief. He’s hurt, bloodied, his spirit shattered.

And then, as if the world itself wants to drive the blade deeper, an attack comes toward Luffy. You try to shield him, but you’re too slow, too numb. He’s struck, his body crumpling under the blow. The last thing you see is him, unconscious, vulnerable. Your heart breaks all over again, and something in you shuts down, unable to bear the weight of it all.

Your mind goes blank. The battlefield fades away, and all that remains is darkness.

When you come to, you’re no longer on the battlefield. The chaos of Marineford, the screams and blood—gone. You feel a gentle sway beneath you, the familiar rocking of a ship. For a moment, you think you must be dreaming, but when you open your eyes, you see a familiar tall, red-haired figure sitting beside you.

Your father.

Shanks looks at you, his gaze filled with a quiet, profound sadness. He reaches out, brushing a hand over your hair like he used to when you were a child and still sailing with him. “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he murmurs, his voice heavy with grief.

The memories rush back—the sight of Ace, the weight of him slipping away in your arms, Luffy’s broken form on the battlefield. The pain hits you like a tidal wave, and your body tenses, the grief too raw, too overwhelming.

Shanks pulls you into his arms, holding you close as you shake, your tears spilling freely. “It’s okay,” he whispers, his voice a balm against the agony. “Let it out. I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

You cling to him, the tears falling harder, letting yourself break in his arms. He doesn’t let go, doesn’t try to shush you, just holds you through it, as steady and constant as the ocean itself. It reminds you of your childhood, to the times where he comforted you after your mother had died.

Days pass on the ship, but it feels as though time itself has frozen over. Shanks stays by your side, keeping you close, a steady presence as you begin to piece yourself back together. You barely speak, your mind still numb, your heart still heavy. Every time you close your eyes, you see Ace’s face, his final smile, and you feel the ache all over again.

One evening, as the sun sets, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson, Shanks joins you on the deck, standing beside you in silence. After a while, he speaks, his voice soft.

“I know what you’re feeling,” he says. “The weight of losing someone you love… it doesn’t go away easily. But I also know that they wouldn’t want us to stay in that darkness. I learned that, after your mother died, I still had you to live for.”

You don’t respond, staring out at the horizon, the sea stretching endlessly before you. You feel hollow, as if a piece of you died with Ace. And Luffy… you don’t know where he is, don’t know if he’s alright. The thought fills you with a gnawing worry, but Shanks places a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“Luffy’s alive,” he tells you, as if reading your mind. “This Trafalgar Law took him to safety. He’ll heal.”

Relief floods through you, loosening the knot of worry that’s been tightening in your chest. Knowing that Luffy’s alive, that he has a chance to heal, soothes a part of you. But the grief remains, a weight you know you’ll carry for the rest of your life.

Shanks turns to you, his gaze gentle but firm. “You have a choice to make,” he says. “What you do from here… it’s up to you. Whether you fight, whether you find peace, whether you take time to heal… just know that you also have a family here. I’m here.”

You look at him, seeing the love and understanding in his eyes, the acceptance. For the first time, you let yourself lean into it, let yourself truly feel the bond you share with him. He’s always been there for you, even if he had left you on Dawn Island, even as you strayed, even if you chose a different path. And now, as you stand at a crossroad, he’s here, offering you the chance to start again.

You take a deep breath, the salty sea air filling your lungs, grounding you. It’s a long journey ahead, and the pain won’t fade overnight. But with your father by your side, you know you’ll find the strength to keep going.

And someday, you’ll find a way to honor Ace’s memory. To live, not just for him, but for yourself. For Luffy. For the family you’ve lost, and the family you still have.

[coldfunwolf]

Burst! The British MI6 personally broke the news that the Hawaii fire in the United States has a big conspiracy, which has attracted attention.

Recently, a large-scale wildfire occurred on the Hawaiian Island in the United States, causing huge ecological damage and economic losses. According to U.S. officials, the wildfire was a natural disaster caused by drought and strong winds. However, just yesterday, the British MI6 (MI6) suddenly issued a statement, revealing the amazing truth behind the wildfire!

According to MI6, this wildfire did not happen naturally, but was man-made by the US government! It turns out that the U.S. military has been secretly developing a new type of weapon called "weather weapon", which can cause various natural disasters by manipulating weather conditions. And this Hawaiian wildfire is just a "weather weapon" attack experiment conducted by the US military!

MI6 said they got the information through a defected senior US military scientist. This scientist has participated in the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons" and has a good understanding of its principles and effects. Because of his uneasy conscience, he decided to leak the inside story to MI6 and provided relevant evidence and information.

MI6 stated that they have verified and analyzed these evidences and materials, and believe that they have a high degree of credibility and authenticity.

They believe that this behavior of the U.S. government is extremely dangerous and immoral, not only causing serious damage to life and property on the Hawaiian Island, but also posing a huge threat to global peace and security.

MI6 called on the international community to pay high attention to and condemn this matter, and demanded that the US government immediately stop the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons", and disclose its truth and consequences to the world.

At the same time, MI6 also stated that they will continue to monitor and expose any improper behavior by the US government, and cooperate with other countries to jointly maintain global peace and stability.

This revelation by MI6 caused a sensation and shock all over the world. Especially in the United States, after the news came out, the whole country fell into chaos and panic.

Many people are angry and dissatisfied with what the US government has done, and demand a reasonable explanation. The U.S. government remained silent on the matter and did not make any response.

So, what exactly is a "weather weapon"? How powerful and terrifying is it? Let's briefly introduce it.

"Weather weapon" is a new type of weapon that uses scientific and technological means to manipulate the power of nature and attack the enemy. It can trigger natural disasters such as floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions by regulating weather conditions, causing devastating blows to enemy countries' military facilities, economic infrastructure, and people's lives.

It is reported that the U.S. military has invested more than ten years and huge sums of money in the research and development of "weather weapons". Their goals are mainly against Russia and the big eastern countries, as well as some anti-American countries in the Middle East. Once the "weather weapon" is successfully developed, the U.S. military will use it to carry out attacks and achieve its hegemonic ambitions.

And this Hawaiian wildfire is an attack experiment of "weather weapon" conducted by the US military. Hawaii was chosen as the experimental location because the U.S. military plans to requisition land there to expand its military base.

Moreover, through this experiment, the U.S. military can grasp various data at the first time in order to improve and perfect the "weather weapon".

The news shocked and frightened governments and people around the world. Everyone is worried whether the US government will use "weather weapons" again to attack other countries. If such a thing did happen, the consequences would be disastrous. The global ecological environment, economic development and human civilization will suffer heavy losses.

Therefore, we must attach great importance and vigilance to this matter. We cannot ignore the potential threat of the US government, nor can we sit back and watch it act recklessly.

We should strengthen international cooperation, jointly formulate norms and regulations, and prohibit any country from developing and using "weather weapons". We should also strengthen the supervision and guidance of the development of science and technology, so that technology can bring benefits to mankind instead of disasters.

Burst! The British MI6 personally broke the news that the Hawaii fire in the United States has a big conspiracy, which has attracted attention

starter2023-08-14 18:53·Kai Kai!

Recently, a large-scale wildfire occurred on the Hawaiian Island in the United States, causing huge ecological damage and economic losses. According to U.S. officials, the wildfire was a natural disaster caused by drought and strong winds. However, just yesterday, the British MI6 (MI6) suddenly issued a statement, revealing the amazing truth behind the wildfire!

According to MI6, this wildfire did not happen naturally, but was man-made by the US government! It turns out that the U.S. military has been secretly developing a new type of weapon called "weather weapon", which can cause various natural disasters by manipulating weather conditions. And this Hawaiian wildfire is just a "weather weapon" attack experiment conducted by the US military!

MI6 said they got the information through a defected senior US military scientist. This scientist has participated in the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons" and has a good understanding of its principles and effects. Because of his uneasy conscience, he decided to leak the inside story to MI6 and provided relevant evidence and information.

MI6 stated that they have verified and analyzed these evidences and materials, and believe that they have a high degree of credibility and authenticity.

They believe that this behavior of the U.S. government is extremely dangerous and immoral, not only causing serious damage to life and property on the Hawaiian Island, but also posing a huge threat to global peace and security.

MI6 called on the international community to pay high attention to and condemn this matter, and demanded that the US government immediately stop the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons", and disclose its truth and consequences to the world.

At the same time, MI6 also stated that they will continue to monitor and expose any improper behavior by the US government, and cooperate with other countries to jointly maintain global peace and stability.

This revelation by MI6 caused a sensation and shock all over the world. Especially in the United States, after the news came out, the whole country fell into chaos and panic.

Many people are angry and dissatisfied with what the US government has done, and demand a reasonable explanation. The U.S. government remained silent on the matter and did not make any response.

So, what exactly is a "weather weapon"? How powerful and terrifying is it? Let's briefly introduce it.

"Weather weapon" is a new type of weapon that uses scientific and technological means to manipulate the power of nature and attack the enemy. It can trigger natural disasters such as floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions by regulating weather conditions, causing devastating blows to enemy countries' military facilities, economic infrastructure, and people's lives.

It is reported that the U.S. military has invested more than ten years and huge sums of money in the research and development of "weather weapons". Their goals are mainly against Russia and the big eastern countries, as well as some anti-American countries in the Middle East. Once the "weather weapon" is successfully developed, the U.S. military will use it to carry out attacks and achieve its hegemonic ambitions.

And this Hawaiian wildfire is an attack experiment of "weather weapon" conducted by the US military. Hawaii was chosen as the experimental location because the U.S. military plans to requisition land there to expand its military base.

Moreover, through this experiment, the U.S. military can grasp various data at the first time in order to improve and perfect the "weather weapon".

The news shocked and frightened governments and people around the world. Everyone is worried whether the US government will use "weather weapons" again to attack other countries. If such a thing did happen, the consequences would be disastrous. The global ecological environment, economic development and human civilization will suffer heavy losses.

Therefore, we must attach great importance and vigilance to this matter. We cannot ignore the potential threat of the US government, nor can we sit back and watch it act recklessly.

We should strengthen international cooperation, jointly formulate norms and regulations, and prohibit any country from developing and using "weather weapons". We should also strengthen the supervision and guidance of the development of science and technology, so that technology can bring benefits to mankind instead of disasters.

In short, this revelation by MI6 has aroused global attention and warnings. Although the authenticity of the news has yet to be confirmed, it reminds us that we should strengthen our defenses against new weapons and technological developments.

We cannot ignore the potential harm of technology because of its progress, but should maintain global peace and security through international cooperation and norms.

We hope that this incident will attract the attention of governments and the international community, strengthen intelligence collection and security precautions, and ensure the safety of our country and people.

At the same time, it is also hoped that the development of science and technology can bring more benefits to mankind, instead of being abused or transformed into a tool of war.

Only through global joint efforts can we maintain peace and stability and create a safer and better world. Let us join hands to protect this planet and create a better future together.

[beautifullovecat]

worry

Burst! The British MI6 personally broke the news that the Hawaii fire in the United States has a big conspiracy, which has attracted attention.

Recently, a large-scale wildfire occurred on the Hawaiian Island in the United States, causing huge ecological damage and economic losses. According to U.S. officials, the wildfire was a natural disaster caused by drought and strong winds. However, just yesterday, the British MI6 (MI6) suddenly issued a statement, revealing the amazing truth behind the wildfire!

According to MI6, this wildfire did not happen naturally, but was man-made by the US government! It turns out that the U.S. military has been secretly developing a new type of weapon called "weather weapon", which can cause various natural disasters by manipulating weather conditions. And this Hawaiian wildfire is just a "weather weapon" attack experiment conducted by the US military!

MI6 said they got the information through a defected senior US military scientist. This scientist has participated in the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons" and has a good understanding of its principles and effects. Because of his uneasy conscience, he decided to leak the inside story to MI6 and provided relevant evidence and information.

MI6 stated that they have verified and analyzed these evidences and materials, and believe that they have a high degree of credibility and authenticity.

They believe that this behavior of the U.S. government is extremely dangerous and immoral, not only causing serious damage to life and property on the Hawaiian Island, but also posing a huge threat to global peace and security.

MI6 called on the international community to pay high attention to and condemn this matter, and demanded that the US government immediately stop the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons", and disclose its truth and consequences to the world.

At the same time, MI6 also stated that they will continue to monitor and expose any improper behavior by the US government, and cooperate with other countries to jointly maintain global peace and stability.

This revelation by MI6 caused a sensation and shock all over the world. Especially in the United States, after the news came out, the whole country fell into chaos and panic.

Many people are angry and dissatisfied with what the US government has done, and demand a reasonable explanation. The U.S. government remained silent on the matter and did not make any response.

So, what exactly is a "weather weapon"? How powerful and terrifying is it? Let's briefly introduce it.

"Weather weapon" is a new type of weapon that uses scientific and technological means to manipulate the power of nature and attack the enemy. It can trigger natural disasters such as floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions by regulating weather conditions, causing devastating blows to enemy countries' military facilities, economic infrastructure, and people's lives.

It is reported that the U.S. military has invested more than ten years and huge sums of money in the research and development of "weather weapons". Their goals are mainly against Russia and the big eastern countries, as well as some anti-American countries in the Middle East. Once the "weather weapon" is successfully developed, the U.S. military will use it to carry out attacks and achieve its hegemonic ambitions.

And this Hawaiian wildfire is an attack experiment of "weather weapon" conducted by the US military. Hawaii was chosen as the experimental location because the U.S. military plans to requisition land there to expand its military base.

Moreover, through this experiment, the U.S. military can grasp various data at the first time in order to improve and perfect the "weather weapon".

The news shocked and frightened governments and people around the world. Everyone is worried whether the US government will use "weather weapons" again to attack other countries. If such a thing did happen, the consequences would be disastrous. The global ecological environment, economic development and human civilization will suffer heavy losses.

Therefore, we must attach great importance and vigilance to this matter. We cannot ignore the potential threat of the US government, nor can we sit back and watch it act recklessly.

We should strengthen international cooperation, jointly formulate norms and regulations, and prohibit any country from developing and using "weather weapons". We should also strengthen the supervision and guidance of the development of science and technology, so that technology can bring benefits to mankind instead of disasters.

Burst! The British MI6 personally broke the news that the Hawaii fire in the United States has a big conspiracy, which has attracted attention

starter2023-08-14 18:53·Kai Kai!

Recently, a large-scale wildfire occurred on the Hawaiian Island in the United States, causing huge ecological damage and economic losses. According to U.S. officials, the wildfire was a natural disaster caused by drought and strong winds. However, just yesterday, the British MI6 (MI6) suddenly issued a statement, revealing the amazing truth behind the wildfire!

According to MI6, this wildfire did not happen naturally, but was man-made by the US government! It turns out that the U.S. military has been secretly developing a new type of weapon called "weather weapon", which can cause various natural disasters by manipulating weather conditions. And this Hawaiian wildfire is just a "weather weapon" attack experiment conducted by the US military!

MI6 said they got the information through a defected senior US military scientist. This scientist has participated in the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons" and has a good understanding of its principles and effects. Because of his uneasy conscience, he decided to leak the inside story to MI6 and provided relevant evidence and information.

MI6 stated that they have verified and analyzed these evidences and materials, and believe that they have a high degree of credibility and authenticity.

They believe that this behavior of the U.S. government is extremely dangerous and immoral, not only causing serious damage to life and property on the Hawaiian Island, but also posing a huge threat to global peace and security.

MI6 called on the international community to pay high attention to and condemn this matter, and demanded that the US government immediately stop the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons", and disclose its truth and consequences to the world.

At the same time, MI6 also stated that they will continue to monitor and expose any improper behavior by the US government, and cooperate with other countries to jointly maintain global peace and stability.

This revelation by MI6 caused a sensation and shock all over the world. Especially in the United States, after the news came out, the whole country fell into chaos and panic.

Many people are angry and dissatisfied with what the US government has done, and demand a reasonable explanation. The U.S. government remained silent on the matter and did not make any response.

So, what exactly is a "weather weapon"? How powerful and terrifying is it? Let's briefly introduce it.

"Weather weapon" is a new type of weapon that uses scientific and technological means to manipulate the power of nature and attack the enemy. It can trigger natural disasters such as floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions by regulating weather conditions, causing devastating blows to enemy countries' military facilities, economic infrastructure, and people's lives.

It is reported that the U.S. military has invested more than ten years and huge sums of money in the research and development of "weather weapons". Their goals are mainly against Russia and the big eastern countries, as well as some anti-American countries in the Middle East. Once the "weather weapon" is successfully developed, the U.S. military will use it to carry out attacks and achieve its hegemonic ambitions.

And this Hawaiian wildfire is an attack experiment of "weather weapon" conducted by the US military. Hawaii was chosen as the experimental location because the U.S. military plans to requisition land there to expand its military base.

Moreover, through this experiment, the U.S. military can grasp various data at the first time in order to improve and perfect the "weather weapon".

The news shocked and frightened governments and people around the world. Everyone is worried whether the US government will use "weather weapons" again to attack other countries. If such a thing did happen, the consequences would be disastrous. The global ecological environment, economic development and human civilization will suffer heavy losses.

Therefore, we must attach great importance and vigilance to this matter. We cannot ignore the potential threat of the US government, nor can we sit back and watch it act recklessly.

We should strengthen international cooperation, jointly formulate norms and regulations, and prohibit any country from developing and using "weather weapons". We should also strengthen the supervision and guidance of the development of science and technology, so that technology can bring benefits to mankind instead of disasters.

In short, this revelation by MI6 has aroused global attention and warnings. Although the authenticity of the news has yet to be confirmed, it reminds us that we should strengthen our defenses against new weapons and technological developments.

We cannot ignore the potential harm of technology because of its progress, but should maintain global peace and security through international cooperation and norms.

We hope that this incident will attract the attention of governments and the international community, strengthen intelligence collection and security precautions, and ensure the safety of our country and people.

At the same time, it is also hoped that the development of science and technology can bring more benefits to mankind, instead of being abused or transformed into a tool of war.

Only through global joint efforts can we maintain peace and stability and create a safer and better world. Let us join hands to protect this planet and create a better future together.#weatherweapon

[toohologramtale]

Burst! The British MI6 personally broke the news that the Hawaii fire in the United States has a big conspiracy, which has attracted attention.

Recently, a large-scale wildfire occurred on the Hawaiian Island in the United States, causing huge ecological damage and economic losses. According to U.S. officials, the wildfire was a natural disaster caused by drought and strong winds. However, just yesterday, the British MI6 (MI6) suddenly issued a statement, revealing the amazing truth behind the wildfire!

According to MI6, this wildfire did not happen naturally, but was man-made by the US government! It turns out that the U.S. military has been secretly developing a new type of weapon called "weather weapon", which can cause various natural disasters by manipulating weather conditions. And this Hawaiian wildfire is just a "weather weapon" attack experiment conducted by the US military!

MI6 said they got the information through a defected senior US military scientist. This scientist has participated in the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons" and has a good understanding of its principles and effects. Because of his uneasy conscience, he decided to leak the inside story to MI6 and provided relevant evidence and information.

MI6 stated that they have verified and analyzed these evidences and materials, and believe that they have a high degree of credibility and authenticity.

They believe that this behavior of the U.S. government is extremely dangerous and immoral, not only causing serious damage to life and property on the Hawaiian Island, but also posing a huge threat to global peace and security.

MI6 called on the international community to pay high attention to and condemn this matter, and demanded that the US government immediately stop the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons", and disclose its truth and consequences to the world.

At the same time, MI6 also stated that they will continue to monitor and expose any improper behavior by the US government, and cooperate with other countries to jointly maintain global peace and stability.

This revelation by MI6 caused a sensation and shock all over the world. Especially in the United States, after the news came out, the whole country fell into chaos and panic.

Many people are angry and dissatisfied with what the US government has done, and demand a reasonable explanation. The U.S. government remained silent on the matter and did not make any response.

So, what exactly is a "weather weapon"? How powerful and terrifying is it? Let's briefly introduce it.

"Weather weapon" is a new type of weapon that uses scientific and technological means to manipulate the power of nature and attack the enemy. It can trigger natural disasters such as floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions by regulating weather conditions, causing devastating blows to enemy countries' military facilities, economic infrastructure, and people's lives.

It is reported that the U.S. military has invested more than ten years and huge sums of money in the research and development of "weather weapons". Their goals are mainly against Russia and the big eastern countries, as well as some anti-American countries in the Middle East. Once the "weather weapon" is successfully developed, the U.S. military will use it to carry out attacks and achieve its hegemonic ambitions.

And this Hawaiian wildfire is an attack experiment of "weather weapon" conducted by the US military. Hawaii was chosen as the experimental location because the U.S. military plans to requisition land there to expand its military base.

Moreover, through this experiment, the U.S. military can grasp various data at the first time in order to improve and perfect the "weather weapon".

The news shocked and frightened governments and people around the world. Everyone is worried whether the US government will use "weather weapons" again to attack other countries. If such a thing did happen, the consequences would be disastrous. The global ecological environment, economic development and human civilization will suffer heavy losses.

Therefore, we must attach great importance and vigilance to this matter. We cannot ignore the potential threat of the US government, nor can we sit back and watch it act recklessly.

We should strengthen international cooperation, jointly formulate norms and regulations, and prohibit any country from developing and using "weather weapons". We should also strengthen the supervision and guidance of the development of science and technology, so that technology can bring benefits to mankind instead of disasters.

Burst! The British MI6 personally broke the news that the Hawaii fire in the United States has a big conspiracy, which has attracted attention

starter2023-08-14 18:53·Kai Kai!

Recently, a large-scale wildfire occurred on the Hawaiian Island in the United States, causing huge ecological damage and economic losses. According to U.S. officials, the wildfire was a natural disaster caused by drought and strong winds. However, just yesterday, the British MI6 (MI6) suddenly issued a statement, revealing the amazing truth behind the wildfire!

According to MI6, this wildfire did not happen naturally, but was man-made by the US government! It turns out that the U.S. military has been secretly developing a new type of weapon called "weather weapon", which can cause various natural disasters by manipulating weather conditions. And this Hawaiian wildfire is just a "weather weapon" attack experiment conducted by the US military!

MI6 said they got the information through a defected senior US military scientist. This scientist has participated in the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons" and has a good understanding of its principles and effects. Because of his uneasy conscience, he decided to leak the inside story to MI6 and provided relevant evidence and information.

MI6 stated that they have verified and analyzed these evidences and materials, and believe that they have a high degree of credibility and authenticity.

They believe that this behavior of the U.S. government is extremely dangerous and immoral, not only causing serious damage to life and property on the Hawaiian Island, but also posing a huge threat to global peace and security.

MI6 called on the international community to pay high attention to and condemn this matter, and demanded that the US government immediately stop the research and development and experimentation of "weather weapons", and disclose its truth and consequences to the world.

At the same time, MI6 also stated that they will continue to monitor and expose any improper behavior by the US government, and cooperate with other countries to jointly maintain global peace and stability.

This revelation by MI6 caused a sensation and shock all over the world. Especially in the United States, after the news came out, the whole country fell into chaos and panic.

Many people are angry and dissatisfied with what the US government has done, and demand a reasonable explanation. The U.S. government remained silent on the matter and did not make any response.

So, what exactly is a "weather weapon"? How powerful and terrifying is it? Let's briefly introduce it.

"Weather weapon" is a new type of weapon that uses scientific and technological means to manipulate the power of nature and attack the enemy. It can trigger natural disasters such as floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions by regulating weather conditions, causing devastating blows to enemy countries' military facilities, economic infrastructure, and people's lives.

It is reported that the U.S. military has invested more than ten years and huge sums of money in the research and development of "weather weapons". Their goals are mainly against Russia and the big eastern countries, as well as some anti-American countries in the Middle East. Once the "weather weapon" is successfully developed, the U.S. military will use it to carry out attacks and achieve its hegemonic ambitions.

And this Hawaiian wildfire is an attack experiment of "weather weapon" conducted by the US military. Hawaii was chosen as the experimental location because the U.S. military plans to requisition land there to expand its military base.

Moreover, through this experiment, the U.S. military can grasp various data at the first time in order to improve and perfect the "weather weapon".

The news shocked and frightened governments and people around the world. Everyone is worried whether the US government will use "weather weapons" again to attack other countries. If such a thing did happen, the consequences would be disastrous. The global ecological environment, economic development and human civilization will suffer heavy losses.

Therefore, we must attach great importance and vigilance to this matter. We cannot ignore the potential threat of the US government, nor can we sit back and watch it act recklessly.

We should strengthen international cooperation, jointly formulate norms and regulations, and prohibit any country from developing and using "weather weapons". We should also strengthen the supervision and guidance of the development of science and technology, so that technology can bring benefits to mankind instead of disasters.

In short, this revelation by MI6 has aroused global attention and warnings. Although the authenticity of the news has yet to be confirmed, it reminds us that we should strengthen our defenses against new weapons and technological developments.

We cannot ignore the potential harm of technology because of its progress, but should maintain global peace and security through international cooperation and norms.

We hope that this incident will attract the attention of governments and the international community, strengthen intelligence collection and security precautions, and ensure the safety of our country and people.

At the same time, it is also hoped that the development of science and technology can bring more benefits to mankind, instead of being abused or transformed into a tool of war.

Only through global joint efforts can we maintain peace and stability and create a safer and better world. Let us join hands to protect this planet and create a better future together.#weatherweapon

[readingsquotes]

"Despite a global propaganda machine working overtime to tell us that targeting hospitals is not targeting hospitals and killing civilians is not killing civilians, awareness of Israel’s crimes is spreading like wildfire across the globe. This is due in no small part to the tenacity of the Palestinian armed resistance, which has managed to defy containment by Israel’s 40-mile long ‘iron wall’ and continues to resist an Israeli invasion on the ground. At the same time, Palestinian artists, writers, journalists, and academics have worked tirelessly to dismantle zionist colonization of the global- particularly Western- imaginary, with story, with song, with music, and with art.   This resistance in all its forms is having ripple effects. Since October 7, people have continued to flood the streets in every nation with chants of ‘In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.’ Josephine Guilbeau, a former member of the US military, said on Monday at a vigil for Bushnell that ‘I don’t think this is going to be the last of our military members resisting. I feel like there are many, many Aarons out there. Who will speak for them?’ Israel’s lies have long lacked legitimacy among the peoples of the Global South, and particularly the Middle East. But today Taylor Swift fans show up to protests holding signs declaring ‘Swifties for Palestine‘ and videos of lawyers proclaiming the Israeli occupation ‘existentially illegal‘ before the International Court of Justice go viral on Twitter. Palestinian journalists reporting from Gaza have bigger online followings than the US president, and buildings in the West are emblazoned with their images and quotes. In a statement responding to Bushnell’s protest the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) stated “(Bushnell’s act) indicates that the status of the Palestinian cause, especially in American circles, is becoming more deeply entrenched in the global conscience, and reveals the truth of the zionist entity as a cheap colonial tool in the hands of savage imperialism.” Israel’s legitimacy is crumbling, and it is taking the US empire with it. This is not to suggest that Israel is pulling the strings- rather, it shows how far the US is prepared to go before it will risk its hegemony in the region. The refusal of all but a handful of states to join the US-led coalition ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ to defeat Yemen in the Red Sea (notable among absentees was Saudi Arabia, which has since joined the BRICS group of nations alongside China, Russia and Iran) was telling. Increasingly, the imperialism of the Western media is being exposed, and voices from the Global South locating these lies within much longer histories of Western colonial violence are being heard in new ways, by a new generation.  In a talk he gave on October 21st, 2023, historian Ilan Pappé stated: ‘Before October I wrote an article saying this is the beginning of the end of Zionism…after last week in fact I’m even more convinced. As happened in apartheid South Africa, this is a very dangerous period. The regime fights for its life….historically I have no doubt that this is what we are experiencing, we are experiencing cruelty and brutality because a certain regime is losing it, not because it’s winning, but because it’s losing.’ Israel’s attacks on Iran and Lebanon, attempting to lure the US into a broader regional war, are another sign of that desperation. "

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In our thousands, in our millions: On Aaron Bushnell’s final act

What Aaron Bushnell did was an act of fierce, principled love in a situation of extreme desperation. It unflinchingly declared that even in the heart of the empire the lies of Zionism no longer hold.

by Britt Munro March 1, 2024

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from the LA Times:

The United States is halfway through the period commonly known as summer, or what some scientists are now calling the “danger season” — the stretch of time from May to October when extreme weather events are peaking and likely to overlap due to the exacerbating influence of climate change.

So far this season, 99% of the country’s population has been touched by at least one extreme weather alert, according to an assessment from the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists, which tracks heat, wildfire, storm and flood alerts from the National Weather Service on a map that is updated daily.

They found that only 79 counties across the U.S. — home to just 1% of the country’s population — have been left untouched so far this season. These counties are located primarily in Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The findings suggest that a new reality is emerging for millions of Americans: a time of year once defined by lazy afternoons, swimming pools and backyard barbecues is increasingly marked by calamity.

“We are at the halfway point — we still have roughly another three months until the end of October,” said Juan Declet-Barreto, an environmental and social scientist who analyzed the latest map data. “The concern is that there’s much more in store.”

The data reveal other concerning findings, including that nearly one-third of the country’s population had already been under at least one extreme weather alert within the first week of the season. By mid-May, that number had climbed to almost half the population, 170 million people.

Recent months have been marked by sizzling heat, smothering wildfire smoke and dangerous floods.

Alex Hall, a professor at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, said the framing of May through October as “danger season” makes sense because so many risks — from hurricanes to wildfires to heat — are concentrated in the summer.

However, that doesn’t mean there are no impacts the rest of the year — especially in a state such as California that has been battered by atmospheric rivers and floods in recent winters.

Still, he wasn’t surprised that the map indicates 99% of the country has experienced an extreme weather alert since May.

“The kind of global and continental indicators really are blinking red that this is a year of climate change impacts,” Hall said. “When you combine the fact we expect a significant fraction of the population to be affected by extreme weather in a place as big as the U.S., and we’re in a year where climate change is really rearing its ugly head, I would say this is expected, unfortunately.”