tourist trapped

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• User reviews

Tourist Trapped

• Episode aired Jun 15, 2012

After finding a strange book in the forest, Dipper begins to learn about the dark side of Gravity Falls, and suspects that Mabel's new boyfriend is a zombie. After finding a strange book in the forest, Dipper begins to learn about the dark side of Gravity Falls, and suspects that Mabel's new boyfriend is a zombie. After finding a strange book in the forest, Dipper begins to learn about the dark side of Gravity Falls, and suspects that Mabel's new boyfriend is a zombie.

• John Aoshima
• Alex Hirsch
• Kristen Schaal
• Jason Ritter
• 13 User reviews
• 1 Critic review

• Mabel Pines

• Dipper Pines
• (as Jason Morgan)

• Grunkle Stan

• Wendy Corduroy
• Additional Voices

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia The secret code at the end translates to "Welcome to Gravity Falls".
• Goofs When Mabel shows Dipper her hickey, it's on her right cheek. But in her flashback of how she really got it -- kissing a leaf blower in vacuum mode -- the leaf blower is stuck directly over her mouth.

Soos : My wisdom is both a blessing and a curse.

• Connections Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Creepy Gravity Falls Monsters (2018)

User reviews 13

• GravityLoudHouseLover1
• Jul 5, 2015
• June 15, 2012 (United States)
• United States
• Seattle, Washington, USA
• Disney Television Animation
• Plano a Plano
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 22 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Gravity Falls : “Tourist Trapped”/“The Legend Of The Gobblewonker”

In interviews promoting Gravity Falls, creator Alex Hirsch cited shows such as The X-Files , Twin Peaks , and The Simpsons   as influences on his new Disney Channel cartoon. Those are some awfully big shoes to fill, so it’s to the show’s great credit that its first two episodes make comparisons to past classics seem completely reasonable. The setting of Gravity Falls, Oregon is a wonderfully strange place, full of paranormal creatures that need investigating and eccentric townspeople with their own deeply buried secrets. More importantly, this is a very funny show, one with a sense of humor that often makes you forget you’re watching what is ostensibly a kids show.

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Gravity Falls follows 12-year-old twins Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal), who are sent to the tiny town in the wilds of Oregon to spend the summer with their great-uncle, “Grunkle” Stan (Alex Hirsch). Stan is the proudly sleazy owner of a tourist trap known as the Mystery Shack, which trades on the town’s paranormal reputation by charging suckers to look at various fake oddities like Rock-That-Looks-Like-A-Face Rock, which should be stressed is not an actual face. His two main employees are Soos (also Hirsch), an overgrown man-child who is occasionally smarter than he looks, and bored high schooler Wendy ( Freaks And Geeks ’ Linda Cardellini), who doesn’t get much to do in these first two episodes but I’m confidently informed will be Dipper’s big crush. In the first episode, “Tourist Trapped,” Dipper discovers a mysterious book that catalogues all the crazy creatures of Gravity Falls and leads him to think the boy-crazy Mabel (emphasis on “crazy”) is actually dating a zombie. He’s half-right, insofar as her boyfriend Norman isn’t human—but he’s not a zombie, he’s actually five gnomes standing on top of each other, and they want to make Mabel their new gnome queen. In the second episode, “The Legend Of The Gobblewonker”, Grunkle Stan’s admittedly terrible attempt to bond with the twins over a fishing trip is interrupted when Dipper and Mabel go off searching for a lake monster with Soos.

It should come as no surprise to fans of Bob’s Burgers   that Kristen Schaal completely steals the show in these first two episodes. Mabel Pines shares the same gleeful lack of restraint and propensity for violence (at least when it comes to punching gnomes) that Schaal brings to Louise Belcher, with the crucial difference being that she’s not a complete sociopath. (Or complete psychopath, I’m willing to hear some debate on how best to armchair diagnose the littlest Belcher.) Whereas Schaal plays Louise with a kind of lunatic frenzy, Mabel’s ignorance of boundaries is just part of being a goofy, happy-go-lucky preteen. The character’s unabashed enthusiasm sells a lot of the episodes’ best gags, including a quick shot of her celebrating rolling through the grass, her string of ill-advised pick-up lines to various prospective boyfriends, and her dear wish that Norman will reveal himself to be a vampire—because who wouldn’t want a vampire for a boyfriend? What I really love about Schaal’s performance is that she taps into an actual 12-year-old mindset—her delivery of the rejoinder, “You guys are butt-faces!” made me think, “Yes, that is what a 12-year-old girl would say if a bunch of gnomes kidnapped her and tried to make her their eternal queen.”

The rest of the voice cast is fine, though none of them sell their performances the way Schaal does. As Dipper, Jason Ritter doesn’t sound much like a 12-year-old—which isn’t shocking, but it takes some getting used to hearing Ritter’s clearly 32-year-old voice coming out of a cute little kid. It also doesn’t help that Ritter has to deliver a lot of plot-heavy voiceover narration, which I’m sure is useful in communicating the finer plot points to the younger audience but doesn’t exactly play to his strengths as an actor. What he does do very well is bring across Dipper’s high-strung, panicky reactions to the increasingly strange world around him, not to mention his cynical but entirely justified suspicions about whatever Grunkle Stan has planned next—and he hasn’t even discovered Stan’s hidden lair behind the vending machines. Since Wendy only gets a grand total of two lines in the first episode and doesn’t appear at all in the second, there’s not much to say yet about Linda Cardellini’s performance, but come on: It’s Linda Cardellini we’re talking about here. She’ll be great.

Hirsch has a lot of fun as Grunkle Stan and Soos, but after the first episode, these roles look like they’ll be vessels for non sequiturs and riffs, which are decently funny but feel overused on kids shows like this. Indeed, if the show has any major comedic weakness so far, it’s an over-reliance on random humor—like Mabel literally spilling a tin of beans and then going, “Beans!”—and some rambling digressions, of which the gnome leader was most guilty (I’m thinking of his “matri-gnomy” gag in particular).

The second episode, however, does a much better job of fleshing out Stan and Soos as characters. Stan’s B-plot, in which he grumpily deals with the twins abandoning him and spectacularly fails at making any new friends, is the best example of this. But it’s the revelation that Grunkle Stan’s previous attempt at bonding with the kids—a low-rent counterfeiting operation—left all three in country jail that proves the character’s a keeper. (Mabel’s haunting remembrance that jail was “so, so cold” helps.) It’s an unexpected joke for kicking off an episode of a Disney Channel cartoon; the final pre-credits joke involving the twins cheering about being blindfolded and taken to an unknown location is similarly surprising. That’s edgy material for Disney, but it’s not there just to be shocking—it’s there because it’s really funny.

Still, Gravity Falls isn’t as hyperactive and gleefully psychotic as its Disney Channel stablemate Phineas And Ferb , and it’s probably skewing a bit older in its target kid demographic. Partially because each episode is a full 22-minute story rather than a pair of shorter segments, the show feels closer to a juvenile version of a network animated comedy. That isn’t surprising, given the creative team backing up Alex Hirsch. For example, the story editor is Dan McGrath, a longtime TV animation writer who penned a pair of golden age Simpsons episodes, “Boy-Scoutz ’N The Hood” and “Bart Of Darkness.” Series director John Aoshima started as a layout artist on Futurama and latter-day Simpsons before directing 16 American Dad   episodes.

Then there’s the show’s fantasy and paranormal elements. The first two episodes give us a lot more X-Files than Twin Peaks , partially because we still haven’t really met any of the townsfolk beyond the five people working at the Mystery Shack. The cryptic warnings in Dipper’s book and the final scene of “Tourist Trapped” hint at a complex mythology behind what’s going on in the town, with Grunkle Stan likely right at the center of it. The previews suggest the world will open up and incorporate a bunch more of weird recurring characters, and Mabel and Dipper seem like the perfect pair of supernatural investigators, but this element of the show is very much in the developing stages.

One thing the show has done well is mine its paranormal side for comedy, especially in some fun pop-culture gags. Mabel’s earnest wish for Norman to turn out to be a vampire is the first funny Twilight riff I’ve seen in ages, in large part because the joke is about Mabel’s preteen romanticism rather than the show just shouting, “Hey! We’re parodying Twlight now!” The animation of Mabel’s expression coupled with Schaal’s “Please be a vampire! Please be a vampire!” also helps sell the gag, not to mention the wonderfully absurd reveal that Norman is neither a vampire nor a zombie, but rather five gnomes. The end of the second episode nearly veers into a hoary old Scooby-Doo homage, but it sidesteps direct parody in favor of tying the crazy old man’s obsession with communicating with his loved ones through giant robotic rampages to Stan’s hurt feelings at being left alone. It’s a daffy way to state the episode’s message of being considerate to one’s elders, but it totally gets away with being painfully on the nose. Plus, “The Legend Of The Gobblewonker” gets a ton of mileage out of monster-hunters’ notorious inability to get a clear shot of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster with Dipper’s foolproof plan to bring 17 cameras along. The extended bit where Mabel and Soos break a bunch of the cameras for no coherent reason is one of the funniest sustained gags of the night.

The show’s animation style is also worthy of praise. The character design is all about soft edges and rounded curves, which helps make Mabel and Dipper look damn adorable. Of course, that same style also helps make Stan, Soos, and the slovenly tourists look… well, they don’t look adorable, certainly. Aoshima’s direction helps sell a bunch of the jokes—in particular, the crazed expressions and googly eyes he gives Mabel in certain scenes are the perfect fit for Kristen Schaal’s line readings, bringing out the idea that, yes, Mabel is more than a little bonkers.

If there’s anything that doesn’t work, it’s the giant gnome monster. The animators don’t attempt to make the giant monster look like a bunch of gnomes smashed together. It’s understandable, since it would probably be impossible to animate, especially on a TV budget—but it’s still a bit jarring when switching from long shots to close-ups of Jake the gnome leader. Even so, this is one of the more visual striking cartoons I’ve seen in a good while, something that’s helped by all those gorgeous woodland backdrops.

Gravity Falls is already an excellent kids show, and it’s not going to have to do much more to hoist itself into the top tier of youth programming occupied by Phineas And Ferb , Adventure Time , and, yes, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic . (For the record, I don’t consider The Legend Of Korra   and Young Justice   to be kids shows in the same way as these other series.) What’s exciting about Gravity Falls is its potential to go from a kids show that older viewers can enjoy watching to a show that’s enjoyable for older viewers, period. This is a show trying to combine The X-Files , Twin Peaks , and The Simpsons : The results are already impressive, but I’m excited to see what happens when Hirsch, Schaal, and company really get cooking.

Stray observations:

• In what I can only assume is an attempt to create an instant bloc of reruns, Disney is airing a third episode this Saturday at 9:25 p.m. After that, the show settles into its regular timeslot: Fridays at 9:30 p.m.
• My favorite exchange of the night, non-Kristen Schaal division: “What you reading there, slick?” “Oh, uh, I was just catching up on … Gold Chains For Old Men Magazine !?” “That’s a good issue!”

An Episode in Review: "Tourist Trapped"

Introduction [ ]

Hello, Gravity Falls fandom! My name is Katapultman! I'm a long-time fan of the show and I’ve recently picked up writing about my all of my favourite series, so I decided to pay my respects to “ Gravity Falls ,” a show that needs not explaining as to why it’s so beloved, but I desire to reaffirm this mutual love in the form of “ An Episode in Review. ” As the title suggests, this will hopefully turn out to be a series of articles covering each of the episodes in the show and the characters along the way. I’ll try my best to delve into every intricacy of the episode in order to bring you a well-thought-out and finished analysis, so without further ado, let us begin!

The Episode [ ]

Look at this TOTALLY ordinary town! No monsters here, no sir-ee!

Is there any better way to kick off the supernatural feel of a show than by sending the protagonists to an isolated town that just screams “MYSTERIES” to live with their creepy relative? Not sure, but in this case, let’s say that’s true. “ Tourist Trapped ” opens up with narration over imagery from one of our main protagonists, Dipper . He ponders with us, the audience, on what he sees fit as the typical summer vacation, and then, in a surprising turn in storytelling, he directs us to the action-packed climax of the episode. Along with providing well-placed exposition to clue in the audience, this segue is also extremely important to setting up the general theme of adventure in the show and points at its soon to be confirmed extreme variety of supernatural oddities. After Dipper reassures us of his "perfectly logical" explanation for the giant monster chasing them, the show's intro (which is a beautiful one that deserves its own article) plays, enticing an adventurous, yet mysterious atmosphere due to the amount of clues hidden in it. We then retread back a little along with Dipper and we get our first (proper) introductions to our major characters, with one of them being Grunkle Stan , a character I'll tackle a lot in the more poignant episodes, but as of this episode he's only prominent for one obvious thing , which I'll go off on at the end. As of right now, though, let us delve into the actual plot of “Tourist Trapped.”

The series would've ended very quickly had this not been torn out

The plot revolves around two major devices and the two subsequent (mis)adventures that stem from them, those being the Journal and, in this episode's case, Norman (or NORMAL MAN ,) with the discovery of the former attributed to Dipper and the latter to Mabel . The Journal itself is a nice way for the writers to link their ideas with the characters’ understandings of the world around them, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding its discovery, along with its contents, instantly ignites interest from both the characters and the viewers. What makes the episodes in the show work is when you see these two plot devices intertwine with one another to create conflict between the major characters. We see that after Dipper discovers the Journal and instantly starts being infatuated with the supernatural beings described in the said journal, along with starting to adhere to the author's message of “TRUST NO ONE” which makes him wary of Norman and his suspicious demeanour right off the bat. After Dipper starts to feel paranoid, he confides with the Journal and this is when we get our first glimpse of one of the most prominent side characters of the show: Soos , the go-to nerdy comedic relief for the show that doesn’t really shine here, along with Stan, but nonetheless his short inclusion outlines most of his charming characteristics, successfully setting him up for future episodes. What transpires next is a humorous montage of Dipper filming Norman's every move in order to catch him in the act, which is comically shoved back into his face by putting Norman's innocuous gestures under the guise of suspicious ones and in the process proving their complete innocence.

Oh, the foreshadowing..

After gathering what he perceives is a sufficient amount of evidence, he confronts Mabel about the whole affair. This scene is our first taste of the constant conflicts that revolve around the two, whether they be for mundane things such as this, or.. the world. Nonetheless, it succeeds in raising the stakes for what is an otherwise comedic episode and putting the theme of distrust in their current relationship. After the argument, we shift to Dipper reviewing the evidence, when, in a moment of desperation, he begins to doubt himself and the Journal's tellings, but as he proceeds to give up, he sees Norman’s hand falling off in some of the footage and that's Dipper’s go signal. I’d like to stop and mention that this is a great and early little character moment for Dipper where his seemed neurosis gets the best of him. Anyway, for a first episode, the stakes are surprisingly high, albeit the overall tone of the episode and the music suggest otherwise. With that, we again enter the grand resolution of the episode (that is accompanied with the shocking reveal of the gnomes’ scheme,) which brings out the first documented (by the Journal) paranormal creature in the show. During the fluid chase scene, we get a nice exchange of jabs amongst Dipper and Mabel while they barely manage to run away from the Gnome Colossus. As they reach the Mystery Shack and notice that Grunkle Stan is up to his usual shenanigans, they find themselves in a conundrum in regards to said colossus that gave chase after them only seconds before.

And away he goes!

Now here is where the element of distrust that was built up previously in their strained relationship makes a reappearance - Mabel urges Dipper to trust her at least this one time and he reluctantly agrees, betting everything - the Shack, his life, his sister’s life itself on her sheer competence alone and, fortunately for us and much to Dipper's surprise, Mabel does execute her quite creative plan and comes out on top, beating the gnomes with the most unexpected enemy of all: leaf blowers. After the hard-fought battle concludes and Dipper goes back to the Shack, Mabel stops him in his tracks, and here is where we get our heartwarming ending. What is so beautiful is that this sequence, although brief, expresses an array of different emotional overtones - at first, we have both of our protagonists experiencing inside of themselves a fair share of blame for what has occurred, which puts them in a predetermined awkward position when they eventually confront each other about it. Then, it quickly progresses into them apologising to each other for the common harm caused, which is shown by Mabel stopping Dipper to explain herself and Dipper's expose of empathy, and finally it reverts back to mutual appreciation and forgiveness, which is cemented by the touching “Awkward Sibling Hug”.

Ironically, this hug is sincere, but they themselves just made it awkward.

This quick change in their dynamic is a masterful way to enthral the viewer in your characters. You first see that they have a seemingly average (or above-average) brother-sister relationship, with both parties appreciating each other, but then it regresses to them being divided and in seemingly constant turmoil, and only now, at the end do you see that they’re as strong as they can ever be if they work together. Throughout the show, especially in Season 1 , they overcome every barrier that is ahead of them, making their special bond be retained and even strengthened throughout the series. All of that is all accomplished by utilising a single detail of their relationship, in the case of this episode that being the wave of distrust , and twisting it to create conflict. This entire sequence is, in reality, an archetype for an ending (showcased the most blatant form) that becomes commonplace in the coming episodes and persists through Season 1, following in the footsteps of the protagonists' misfortunes.

As the ending kicks in, we see Dipper and Mabel pick out their signature items from Stan’s gift shop - items that will have a symbolic meaning later on (well, one of them, at least,) but now only serve to reinforce their defining physical characteristics (and merch.) As we sit back from this wild adventure, we listen to the narration that first introduced us into the episode yet again, but this

Not What He Seems.

time we hear it from a much more confident and certain person, or one that has grown, per se. Dipper writes us off by dismissing the Author’s message - that not all people are untrustworthy and that when you’ve fought side-by-side with a person your whole life, whether that be metaphorically or literally, he could never stab you in the back . This is especially well tied in after the entire conclusion is contradicted by Stan with his cliffhanger at the very end, all the while the show uses this opportunity to set up intrigue for the viewer to, at the very least, have some incentive to surely watch more.

Overall, “Tourist Trapped” is an amazing episode that details every one of our important characters, puts forth a good message and leaves us wanting more. It incorporates all of the elements that the show will carry later on in its lifespan; from the creatures, to the characters, visuals and the music, this is obviously the best episode to present to a newcomer of the show.

Notes/Thoughts

Holy moley! This was really hard to write and I experienced a lot of delays. If you want to really know, the entire article took me about three weeks, so that’s something. I hit a lot of writer’s blocks, which stalled the entire process. Anyway, if you liked my work and have some thoughts on the matter of hand, be sure to leave a comment down there! Cheers!

• Gravity Falls

Tourist Trapped

Come Undone

Two fraternal twins, Dipper and Mabel Pines, arrive at the remote town of Gravity Falls to spend their summer break with their great uncle Stan, but a mysterious journal hidden in the forest found by Dipper reveals the town’s strange and uncanny secrets to the duo, and Dipper tries to save Mabel from her strange new boyfriend who appears to be a zombie, but is actually something much stranger.

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/GravityFallsS1E1TouristTrapped

Recap / Gravity Falls S1 E1 "Tourist Trapped"

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It seems like an average summer day in a small town called Gravity Falls, Oregon. Cookouts are held, children are playing, everybody is having fun. That is, except for the two kids in a golf cart being chased by a giant monster. "My name is Dipper . The girl about to puke is my sister Mabel ."

We then go to a flashback that takes over most of the episode. It turns out that the two are staying in Gravity Falls for the summer with their cheapskate great-uncle, or "Grunkle", Stan. Mabel looks at it as a positive experience ("Yay! Grass!"), while Dipper is more skeptical, and irritated at living in Stan's ramshackle house. The place doubles as a local tourist trap, the "Mystery Shack", a Museum of the Strange and Unusual full of such dubious attractions as "Sas-crotch" and Rock-That-Looks-Like-A-Face Rock, and Stan occasionally forces Dipper and Mabel to help out.

When Stan's employees Soos and Wendy refuse to hang up signs in the spooky woods around the Shack one day, he shanghais Dipper into doing it. Out in the forest, Dipper comes across a fake tree, and within it he finds controls to a secret panel containing a mysterious journal, which contains pages of information on the monsters and other strange phenomena in Gravity Falls, as well as a dire warning from the anonymous Author: "TRUST NO ONE."

Meanwhile, Mabel is trying to get her big summer romance, and meets a boy named Norman. Mabel is head over heels, but Dipper is suspicious, especially as he reads the book. Based on Norman's pale skin, stiff movements, and mysterious bleeding, Dipper comes to the conclusion that Norman is... a zombie !

Soos inspires Dipper to investigate and get further proof that Norman is a zombie. Mabel refuses to listen, thinking her brother is just being paranoid, and leaves to go on a date with Norman. When Dipper notices he has footage of Norman's hand falling off, he rushes off to warn Mabel. Dipper gets Wendy to toss him the keys to the cart ("Try not to hit any pedestrians"), and Soos gives him a shovel (for the zombies) and a baseball bat ("In case you run into a piñata").

However, Norman outs himself... as a bunch of gnomes. They're looking for a new queen, and want Mabel to join them in "holy matri-gnomey". A stunned Mabel decides to break off the relationship... only for the gnomes to kidnap her anyway. Dipper arrives just in time to help Mabel escape the gnomes, and the two flee. The gnomes combine into a giant "Super Gnome" and give chase, bringing this episode full circle.

They arrive at the Mystery Shack, but end up cornered. Fortunately, Mabel has a plan: she tricks the gnomes into thinking she'll surrender, and then attacks them with the leaf blower she'd earlier used for kissing practice. As the battered twins go back inside, Stan lets them take a piece of merchandise from the store each for free .

Tropes in this episode:

• 2D Visuals, 3D Effects : Used for the golf cart.
• Accidental Pun : "Will you join us in holy matri-gnomey? Matri— matri mony ! Blah, I can't talk today."
• Accidental Truth : Dipper accidentally shows Mabel the journal's page on gnomes while trying to convince her Norman's a zombie.
• Advertised Extra : Sort of, that zombie Mabel befriended in some early trailers? He turned out to be a bunch of gnomes in disguise.
• And Now You Must Marry Me : The gnomes kidnap Mabel and try to force her into marrying all of them so that she can become their new queen.
• And This Is for... : "That's for lying to me, that's for breaking my heart, and this is for messing with my brother!"
• Bait-and-Switch : After the gnomes reveal themselves, Mabel comments that it wouldn't work out between them. Jeff then says "We understand. We're never gonna forget you, Mabel", making it sound like the gnomes accept her decision. Then Jeff adds " Because we're gonna kidnap you ".
• Batman Gambit : Done by Mabel of all people!
• Batter Up! : "And this is in case you see a piñata ."
• Big Damn Heroes : Dipper immediately comes to Mabel's rescue after she's been kidnapped by gnomes.
• Big, Stupid Doodoo-Head : Mabel tells the gnomes "You guys are all butt-faces!"
• Big "WHAT?!" : Dipper screams this when he rewinds his recording and sees Norman's hand drops off and he hastily reattaches it.
• But Thou Must! : Mabel gets a guy to read a note asking if he likes her. The only responses she provides are "Yes", "Definitely" and "Absolutely!!!". Mabel: I rigged it!
• Chekhov's Gun : The leaf blower that Mabel uses for kissing practice is used to defeat the gnomes.
• Crazy-Prepared : Soos hands Dipper a shovel for the pinatas, and a baseball bat in case he sees a pinata.
• Crying Wolf : It's implied Dipper believed in and investigated the paranormal long before he encountered real cases in Gravity Falls. As a result, Mabel doesn't believe him when he claims Norman's a zombie.
• Early-Installment Weirdness : Dipper narrates in the episode about his experiences, and writes a bit in the journal by the end. These elements never show up again after this episode. However, Gravity Falls: Journal 3 has entries written by Dipper and Mabel throughout the series, so apparently they've just been doing it offscreen.
• Establishing Series Moment : The first few minutes of the episode consist of Mabel and Dipper fleeing from a strange, mysterious monster. The reveal that Norman's not a zombie but a bunch of gnomes also sets up the weirdness.
• Dipper first makes his discovery that Norman is apparently a zombie in a room with some noticeable pyramid and eyeball imagery similar to the Illuminati symbol. This would become significant to the remainder of the series.
• When Dipper shows Mabel what he suspects Norman is, at first he opens the book on the gnomes article by accident.
• Mabel grabs Norman's arm (covered by his sleeve) and admires his muscle, which she regards as a pleasant surprise. There's a surprise in there, alright.
• At the end of the episode, Grunkle Stan enters a secret passageway behind the vending machine , the meaning of which is a major mystery throughout the series.
• Grappling-Hook Pistol : Mabel gets one at the end of the episode.
• Gulliver Tie-Down : Mabel is a victim to this, courtesy of the gnomes.
• How We Got Here : The episode opens with Dipper and Mabel fleeing an unseen giant monster.
• Laugh of Love : After Mabel flirts with a boy whom she has a crush on and inadvertently knocks him over, she laughs happily.
• Let's Get Dangerous! : Mabel defeating the gnomes with a leaf blower.
• Literal Metaphor : When Mabel decides to 'spill the beans' on her having a boyfriend, she knocks over a can of beans.
• Mars Needs Women : G-rated version: The gnomes wanted Mabel to become their queen by marriage.
• Non Human Lover Reveal : Parodied; Mabel's new boyfriend is more than a bit strange, and Dipper, newly-armed with the journal, quickly becomes convinced that he's a zombie. Eventually, "Norman" takes Mabel into the woods to make a confession, and she's thrilled by the idea that he might be a vampire . He removes his hoodie to reveal...a bunch of gnomes performing a Totem Pole Trench .
• Odd Name Out : The gnomes whom were disguised as Norman are named Jeff, Carson, Steve, Jason, and Shmebulock.
• Pet the Dog : Grunkle Stan gets a moment like this after feeling guilty for mocking Dipper and Mabel, and lets each of them take anything they want from the Mystery Shack. In true Grunkle Stan fashion, he tells them to do it before he changes his mind .
• Push Polling : Mabel secretly gives a boy a quiz in an attempt to gain a boyfriend, with all three choices being positive responses. Boy: Um, "Do you like me? Yes. Definitely. Absolutely!!!" Mabel: I rigged it.
• Rainbow Puke : When Dipper knocks one of the gnomes off of Mabel, he ends up puking up rainbow goop. During The Stinger , it's shown again, in greater length.
• Rise from Your Grave : Spoofed when Norman falls into an open grave.
• Romantic Vampire Boy : Mabel expects that Norman could be a vampire after Dipper suggested there's something fishy about him, and when Norman tells her he wants to confess something: Mabel: Oh Norman, you can tell me anything . (thinking) Please, be a vampire! Please, be a vampire!
• Running Gag : There's a different cryptogram in the ending credits of each episode. This episode's cryptogram reads "ZHOFRPH WR JUDYLWB IDOOV." Once decoded, it reads "WELCOME TO GRAVITY FALLS."
• Sequel Hook : The ending with Stan entering a secret passage behind the vending machine not only tells us there are even greater mysteries of Gravity Falls, but that Stan has some Hidden Depths .
• Shovel Strike : Soos gives Dipper a shovel to use to save Mabel.
• Synchronized Swarming : The giant creature chasing Dipper and Mabel in the opening turns out to be this, when the pack of gnomes form one giant gnome to capture them. Norman: Gnomes of the forest! ASSEMBLE!
• Totem Pole Trench : Five gnomes make up one Norman.
• Unwanted Assistance : When Dipper and Mabel are running from the gnomes, one of them leaps onto Dipper's face. Mabel attempts to help him by punching the gnome off, but ends up bruising Dipper as well.
• Vomit Indiscretion Shot : Dipper kicks the gnome named Steve in the stomach, whereupon he barfs a rainbow.
• We Will Meet Again : Jeff as he flies into the distance. Jeff : I'll get you back for this!
• Wham Line : Jeff : We'll never forget you, Mabel...because we're going to kidnap you.
• Dipper noticing Norm's hand dropping and he quickly attaches itself.
• Norm not being a zombie, but a collection of gnomes.
• The Worm That Walks : Hundreds of gnomes makes up one giant gnome monster.

Video Example(s):

Do you like Mabel?

Mabel gives a cute boy a poll to see if he likes her, but the options are obviously biased.

Example of: Push Polling

Gnomes Puke Rai...

Norman/Gnomes

Tourist Trapped

GRAPPLING HOOK!

• Recap/Gravity Falls
• Gravity Falls S1 E2 "The Legend of the Gobblewonker"

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TOURIST TRAPPED

22nd jun 2014 | 1 note.

One Time World’s Longest Cigar- Stockholm, Sweden

The Tobacco & Match Museum located within the Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm was once home to the world’s longest cigar, a record that is now held by the La Triada shop in Havanna, Cuba. Measuring 18.37 feet and weighing just over 247 pounds, the Swedish cigar was constructed in the early months of 1990 using the standard methods of cigar manufacturing. Although no longer the record holder, it is still quite a sight to see for both cigar aficionados and tourist trap seekers alike. 

3rd Sep 2013 | 3 notes

Wonderland Amusement Park- Beijing, China

Officially Abandoned and Destroyed in May 2013

An urban explorers dream! An eerie look at Wonderland which was planned to be the largest amusement park in all of Asia. Financial problems were to blame for the parks abandonment and eventual ruin. 

20th Aug 2013 | 2 notes

Ether Monument- Boston, Massachusetts

The Ether Monument, located on the Arlington Street side of the Boston Public Garden, commemorates the first use of ether as an anesthetic in 1846. This momentous event in medical history occurred at what is now called the Ether Dome at Massachusetts General Hospital which is within short walking distance from the monument. This monument and fountain, also called “The Good Samaritan”, is the oldest monument in the Garden and depicts a Moorish doctor holding a naked man in a pose rather similar to Michelangelo’s Pietà. The monument was designed by William Robert Ware and sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward.

9th Aug 2013 | 1 note

Boothe Memorial Park and Museum- Stratford, Connecticut

Situated on 32-acres in the in the southwest corner of Connecticut lies one of the most unique tourist spots I’ve seen in quite awhile. In 1914, two brothers, David and Stephen Boothe, established a museum park that held a unique array of buildings on a sprawling expanse of land. Included in the park is a blacksmith shop, clock tower, lighthouse, a non-denominational chapel, observatory, and trolley station among other architecturally different buildings. A model train exhibit is on site, as well as displays of early farm life- including an unexplained chicken coop. Perhaps the most interesting display is of the last standing toll booth plaza in Connecticut before they were abolished statewide. The log cabin like structure was located in Milford, CT along the Merritt Parkway from 1940-1988 before its removal. 

The Booth Memorial Park also lays claim to the “Oldest Homestead in America.” The current home, built in 1840, sits atop a foundation from a 1663 home and has been continuously occupied since that time.

5th Aug 2013 | 1 note

Oneida Football Club Marker- Boston, Massachusetts

On Boston Common, from 1862-1865, a variant of football and rugby was played on the fields near Beacon Street- the first kind of football to ever be played in the United States. This variant is an oft forgotten albeit important precursor to organized American Football. The game played during this time was referred to as the “Boston Game”. In 1925, this marker was put in place by the living members of the undefeated Oneida Football Club to commemorate the significance of the event in sports history.

22nd Jul 2013 | 1 note

Ernest Borgnine Park- Hamden, Connecticut

Actor Ernest Borgnine, born in Hamden in 1917, is well deserving of a park– however, not this one. Located at the corner of Putnam and Dixwell Avenue, Ernest Borgnine Park is a small expanse of land next to a shopping center. Besides the sign with the name of the park, no explanation is given as to why a park dedicated to Ernest Borgnine is located in Hamden in the first place. Dedicated in 2005, Mr. Borgnine had seven years before his death in July of 2012 to wonder why his birthplace would dedicate a park to him in such an unfortunate area. 

11th Jul 2013 | 4 notes

Salem Willows- Salem, Massachusetts

Salem is a treasure trove of tourist traps yet Salem Willows is one for the locals. In 1801, white willow trees were planted along an oceanfront spot near a smallpox hospital. Patients could walk along shaded paths while convalescing. The area became a public park in 1858 after the closing of the hospital. In its early days, the area was well known for its food and its convenience for city dwellers looking to get away. Streetcars to the area were torn down in the mid 20th century and all the restaurants closed in the 60’s.Today the area is chock full of arcade games- skeeball anyone?-take out stands, and kiddies rides. Nonetheless, the area is still worth a visit for the ocean views.

10th Jul 2013

Small Pox Memorial- Milford, Connecticut

In 1777 a British ship carrying Revolutionary War prisoners dumped nearly 200 Continental soldiers infected with small pox on the Connecticut shore. 46 of those men died and were buried in a mass grave. The monument, which dates back to 1852, is a brownstone obelisk that lists the names of those who died. To the one soldier that could not be named, a separate marker exists to “An Unknown American Soldier”. The marker has since become a monument to all those in Milford who died in the Revolutionary War. This monument elicits strong patriotism to any who visit and is less a tourist trap then an American icon.

9th Jul 2013 | 2 notes

Pez Visitor Center- Orange, Connecticut

Whether you are a plastic toy enthusiast or just someone who enjoys learning about small sugary candies, the Pez Visitor Center is the roadside attraction for you. With just a small five dollar admission fee (which includes a two dollar store credit- enough to buy a dispenser of your very own) visitors enter the world of Pez. Along the walls, one can learn about the history of Pez while museum-ish glass cases display the many different types of dispensers created through the years. On certain days, the factory is in operation and one can see the production center of the small candies.  

12th May 2013 | 14 notes

Thorvald’s Rock, AD 1004– Hampton, New Hampshire

Playing off the “rock in a hole” theme, Thorvald’s Rock is quite a gem. Located at the Tuck Museum in Hampton, this rock supposedly marks the grave site of Thorvald, brother of famous Viking, Leif Eriksson and son of Erik the Red. Although this claim has been disputed for many years, tourists from all over came to chip away at the rock until it was finally put in a hole and surrounded by concrete walls and iron bars. Whatever your opinion, Thorvald’s Rock is worth a view!

8th Apr 2013 | 9 notes

Goody Cole Monument- Hampton, New Hampshire

Eunice “Goody” Cole was the only woman convicted of witchcraft in the state of New Hampshire; imprisoned until her death in 1680. Upon her death, Goody Cole was buried in an unmarked grave, its whereabouts still unknown to this day. In 1937, the townspeople of Hampton began efforts to clear Goody Cole’s name including burning all court documents accusing her of witchcraft and reinstating her place as a citizen. In 1963, the Goody Cole memorial stone, a rather unimpressive stone carving, was dedicated to her life and placed among other stone structures at the Tuck Museum. 

22nd Mar 2013 | 21 notes

Bound Rock- Seabrook, New Hampshire

Bound Rock is one of the oldest boundary markers in the United States, originally separating the towns of Salisbury, Massachusetts and Hampton, New Hampshire. Later, in 1768, the rock marked the boundary between Seabrook, New Hampshire and Hampton. For many years, the rock was located in the middle of the Hampton River, but as the river changed its course, so did the rocks location, often disappearing for years on end. In 1937, the rock was found in a sand dune and a concrete wall was placed around it to protect this piece of New Hampshire history. In 1962, a steel grate was put on top of the concrete enclosure meaning the rock, in all its glory, is nearly impossible to see. 

23rd Feb 2013 | 1 note

Mark Twain’s Grave- Elmira, New York

Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, New York is the final resting place for one of the greatest authors in American history- Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. Signs in the cemetery direct visitors through the sprawling expanse to Twain's grave site where he is buried along side his wife and daughter, Clara. Clara’s husband, Ossip Grabrilowitsch, a popular pianist  conductor and composer of the time, is also buried on the plot; his likeness appearing on the monument alongside Twain. Other notable burials at Woodlawn include Ernie Davis and Hal Roach.

20th Feb 2013

Fantasy of Flight- Polk City, Florida

Opened in 1995, Fantasy of Flight is an aviation themed attraction that offers daily aerial demonstrations to visitors. Fantasy of Flight offers interesting “immersion experiences” that give visitors the opportunity to enter into a WWII era aircraft, complete with sound, and a darkened room that is made to look like an English airfield. Although I am not much interested in the history of aviation, I consider this attraction a must see!

10th Feb 2013

There might be nothing prettier than Beacon Hill after a blizzard…

Ghosts can time travel and get trapped in places where evil has happened, expert says

P aranormal author and podcaster Jim Harold believes that ghosts can time travel and become trapped in locations where evil events have occurred .

In his latest book, True Ghost Stories: Jim Harold's Campfire Volume Six, he delves into spine-chilling stories of ghosts, UFOs, and eerie creatures . Jim states: "It appears humans have this ability to transcend physical constraints of geography when the chips are down."

He further adds: "I believe it speaks to the amazing properties of the human spirit and that our consciousness is not simply a brain in a skull but something that can tap into a universal consciousness of some sort."

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The Stone Tape Theory, first proposed by scientist Charles Babbage in 1837, suggests that energies can linger in places long after the physical body has departed.

Jim, who resides in Ohio, USA, with his wife and two daughters, and holds a master's degree in applied communication theory and methodology, says: "I believe there can be sentient ghosts but also that energy can saturate a space that causes a replay of sorts."

He continues: "This can result in replays of people who were in a space centuries before."

He cites the 41st story in his book, A Breathtaking Apartment, which explores a distressing feeling in a place with bad energy; an apartment linked to serial killer Ted Bundy.

"We see this in our everyday lives when we walk into a room after an argument the fight may have ended but the bad energy remains. If it's intense enough it can last for decades or more."

Dr Callum Cooper, a boffin from the University of Northampton, suggests communicating with spirits through a medium as a way to deal with grief.

Jim states: "Most humans have some psychic ability but there are legitimate superstars the David Beckhams and Eric Claptons of the psychic world who are born with a natural talent to sense and interface with the supernatural."

"In the 27th story Crisis Apparition from my book, a woman sees her father in her bedroom at the same moment he is in real physical danger hundreds of miles away while scaling a mountain top."

"This phenomenon of spirits transcending the physical limitations of space and time during moments of distress is similar to the 'Third Man Factor', where people in physical distress report seeing or talking with a person who isn't there and helps them."

In a world fraught with war, climate change worries and cost-of-living crisis, it's not surprising that the curiosity about what might be waiting for us after death has surged in popularity.

After launching The Paranormal Podcast in 2005 and his Campfire podcast four years later, Jim has accumulated over 65 million downloads and believes that scientific evidence is not necessary to validate the existence of paranormal activity.

He remarks: "I'm a great respecter of science, I couldn't do my books or podcasts without it, however history is full of examples where science was wrong or had a blind spot."

' Alien technology handed down by the builders of the pyramids ' is being used by the US Army, claims conspiracy theorist

"Science did not know about DNA until the 1860s and did not figure out its structure until the fifties, however it was there all along."

"Just because science doesn't acknowledge a phenomena does not mean it is untrue or a hoax. I think most sensible humans have a healthy respect for science AND the unknown. That doesn't mean every ghost story is true, but I believe some very much are."

"Sometimes we see what might be considered to be ghosts or doppelgangers from other dimensions, other times, and the ghost is just as shocked as the person seeing the apparition."

True Ghost Stories: Jim Harold's Camp-fire Volume Six is available now. For more details, visit jimharold.com.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .

• Travel Updates

US authorities demolish part of Baltimore’s collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge

Demolition experts have been called in to help free a cargo ship that’s been trapped under a US bridge since a deadly collapse in March. Watch how it happened here.

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Demolition experts used explosives to remove a part of a collapsed bridge in Baltimore and finally free a cargo ship that had been trapped since she rammed into the structure in March.

The demolition, which took place on Tuesday morning East Australian time is hoped to eventually allow workers to remove the nearly 300m Dali container vessel, which has almost entirely blocked access to one of America’s biggest ports for the past six weeks.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a major transit route, was destroyed in seconds when the Singapore-flagged ship lost power and ploughed into a support column, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six construction workers.

Last month, President Joe Biden pledged to rebuild the bridge and open a new channel for shipping traffic by the end of May.

Last week, authorities located the sixth and final victim who was killed in the incident while working as part of an eight-man construction crew on the bridge when it was struck.

Construction workers, Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, Jose Mynor Lopez, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, and Carlos Daniel Hernández, all died in the March 26 collapse.

The men worked for an independent, Maryland-based contracting company called Brawner Builders.

All six men were immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, and had moved to the US in search of greater opportunity.

The demolition, carried out around 5.00pm Monday local time, produced a large plume of grey smoke before parts of the structure fell into the water.

Lead authority, the Key Bridge Response Unified Command, said the smaller parts would be lifted out by cranes, allowing the Dali to be removed from the channel.

A 6,000-foot (1,829m) “noise radius” requiring people to wear hearing protection was set up around the blast site, which included state and federal agencies, including the US Coast Guard.

Those outside the radius were expected to hear a sound “no louder than a standard fireworks show” lasting two to five seconds.

Authorities have been working non-stop to clear the collapsed bridge and reopen the waterway, which has become impassable due to the extensive wreckage.

Four temporary channels have been opened so far to allow a trickle of maritime traffic in and out of Baltimore.

The port in Maryland’s largest city said Monday that the first “RoRo” ship – designed to carry roll-on, roll-off cargo such as cars and trucks – had arrived since the collapse on March 26.

According to state figures, the port is a key hub for the auto industry, handling almost 850,000 autos and light trucks last year – more than any other US ports.

More Coverage

In April, the FBI launched a criminal probe targeting the container ship that crashed into the bridge, with its agents boarding the Dali as part of the investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board also opened an investigation into the disaster.

– With AFP

A 15-year-old ballerina was killed after a boat collided with her while she was waterskiing, and then proceeded to flee the scene.

The hero pilot who saved lives on a malfunctioning plane without any landing gear has revealed exactly what happened.

A man who went overboard on a cruise ship last week has been identified, as his brother revealed what happened before the tragedy.

UFO-inspired tourist attraction destroyed in fire

BOWMAN, S.C. ( WIS /Gray News) - An out-of-this-world tourist attraction in South Carolina was destroyed Thursday morning.

The UFO Welcome Center caught fire and burned to the ground, according to The Times and Democrat . Firefighters from several fire departments responded to the scene and were seen putting out hot spots at around 9 a.m.

The UFO Welcome Center was built by Jody Pendarvis, a resident of Bowman and is based on the classic silver “flying saucer” designs from the 1950s. Constructed from about eight tons of plywood and boards, the structure was two stories, 16 feet tall and 39 feet in diameter, according to T&D.

It quickly became a tourist curiosity, appearing on the Comedy Central Daily Show several times as well as the Roseanne Barr talk show.

Copyright 2024 WIS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

‘Please pray for ... our sweet Asher’: Family shares update on boy swept into storm drain

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High school coach rescues 12-year-old boys trapped by floodwaters

SPENCER, Iowa (KTIV/Gray News) - An Iowa high school tennis coach rescued two 12-year-old boys left stranded by floodwaters while riding their bikes.

“If not me, then who?” was running through the mind of Evan Scheck, the Spencer High School girls tennis coach, when he turned hero to help two middle school boys during what began as a normal day of practice Thursday, KTIV reports .

The nearby floodwaters on the Little Sioux River in Spencer appeared calm on the surface but concealed a fast-moving current that left the boys stranded in the water while riding their bikes. One boy made it out by himself, but the other was clinging to a utility pole.

Scheck, who heard the boys’ calls for help, took quick action to rescue the second boy.

“At the first moment, I told the kid, ‘You’re going to hop on my back, and I’m going to swim to shore. I’m going to get you safe.’ That moment I put him on piggy back, we both sunk, and I felt the current take us. I said, ‘All right.’ I put him back onto the post, and I said, ‘We have to find a different route to take this,’” Scheck said.

The coach says he left his fear on the shore, knowing he didn’t have time to wait for first responders.

Bob Schlaeger, also a Spencer High girls tennis coach, describes Scheck as an “amazing person.”

“He doesn’t even think twice. He just gets in there. That’s the type of person he is... As a coach, you always use sports to try to teach life lessons, and in this case here, the girls were able to live a life lesson. To me, that was pretty profound that they can always remember,” Schlaeger said.

Once first responders arrived, they threw a rope with a floatation device to Scheck and the boy, who were then pulled back to the shore. Thankfully, everyone was OK.

Police later determined the boys had attempted to cross a flooded walking trail while on their bikes. The current swept them downstream.

The day after the rescue, Scheck’s tennis team went on to win the first two rounds of their district play.

Copyright 2024 KTIV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Why is Israel forcing the evacuation of part of Rafah, Gaza’s last refuge?

Israel argues its security depends on disbanding Hamas battalions in Rafah as it calls on 100,000 people there to evacuate.

Israel says it will launch a partial offensive on eastern Rafah, an operation that risks exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe brought on by Israel’s devastating war on the Gaza Strip.

It has threatened to invade the city in southern Gaza for weeks, irrespective of whether a ceasefire and captive exchange deal is agreed with Hamas, arguing that its security depends on defeating Hamas in Rafah and near the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt.

Keep reading

Israel orders rafah evacuation as gaza truce talks stall, israel orders rafah evacuation after night of intense bombardment, al jazeera vows to continue coverage of gaza war despite israeli ban, a eurovision like no other: israel’s war on gaza takes centre stage.

Israel has made similar assertions at different points in its seven-month assault on Gaza, which has killed nearly 35,000 people and injured more than 70,000.

But its allies have signalled that they would not support an operation that disproportionately hurts the civilian population, but Israel is moving ahead .

Here’s all you need to know about what is happening in Rafah:

Where is Rafah and how many people live there?

Rafah is Gaza’s southernmost city and governorate, bordering Egypt.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNWRA) estimated there are 1.4 million people sheltering there, half of them children.

Before the war, Rafah had a population of about 275,000.

How many people are being evacuated?

An Israeli army spokesperson said it is evacuating about 100,000 people from eastern Rafah.

“Although one area has received an evacuation order, it has caused a ripple effect across Rafah as people in fear now look to find safety where there is none,” UNWRA spokesperson Lousie Wateridge told Al Jazeera.

How big is eastern Rafah?

It has an area of about 30sq km (11.6sq miles).

Why does Israel plan to invade eastern Rafah?

Israel says it will attack after Hamas fired rockets from eastern Rafah on Tuesday, killing four Israeli soldiers.

An attack would cut off the Karem Abu Salam (Kerem Shalom in Hebrew) border crossing with Israel in southeastern Gaza, which aid groups say is an indispensable lifeline for starving civilians.

Israel is unlikely to have political or military backing from the United States for an “all-out ground invasion”, Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said.

She added that Israel might be trying this limited operation to exert more pressure on Hamas in the talks.

However, after Hamas effectively accepted the most recent ceasefire proposal despite not giving Israel a formal answer, “Israel is creating the appearance of a Hamas rejection, which actually hasn’t happened,” Zonszein told Al Jazeera.

“I think Netanyahu is sensing that this deal could go through, so he’s looking to avert it.”

Where have Palestinians been told to go?

Israeli forces have told Palestinians to flee to al-Mawasi, claiming that the displacement will be “temporary”.

Airdropped leaflets state: “To all residents and those currently sheltering in the Rafah Camp, the Brazil Camp and the neighbourhoods of Al-Shabura and Al-Zohour. Remaining in these areas puts your lives in danger.”

Ibrahim Nabil, a Palestinian volunteering at a hospital in Rafah, said the Israeli army told all residents that the western corridor of Gaza is the only “safe” area.

He added that Palestinians may also be able to flee to nearby districts such as Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah, Maghazi and az-Zawayda.

What is al-Mawasi?

Al-Mawasi is on the western coast of the Gaza Strip, running the length of Rafah and Khan Younis. According to aid agencies, it lacks the infrastructure needed for an influx of people and is not any safer than other areas.

The IDF has expanded the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi to accommodate the increased levels of aid flowing into Gaza. This expanded humanitarian area includes field hospitals, tents and increased amounts of food, water, medication and additional supplies. In accordance with the… pic.twitter.com/si47k9FCCz — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 6, 2024

“Al Mawasi has been designated a so-called ‘safe humanitarian zone’ but it is not safe,” Islamic Relief said in a statement.

“Civilians sheltering there say they continue to face attacks and severe shortages of food, water and other vital aid. Forcing more people there will make the humanitarian crisis even worse.”

According to Wateridge, aid agencies in Rafah were already struggling to provide basic needs, a feat infinitely more difficult anywhere else in Gaza.

“In Mawasi, there is a severe lack of sufficient infrastructure, including water, … and it is not feasible to support tens of thousands of displaced people there,” she said.

How were people told to evacuate?

Besides leaflets, the Israeli army has been calling displaced Palestinians.

Sarah Aljamal said her mother received a call from the Israeli army on Monday morning, urging the family to evacuate to al-Mawasi.

“I’m crying,” she said, explaining that her family is at a loss of what to do, having been displaced multiple times throughout the war.

Khader Al Belbesy received an airdropped leaflet in Arabic detailing “the expansion of the humanitarian zone in Gaza”.

“My mind is confused, and I am looking for a place. There is no transportation. I will leave without luggage,” the father of three told Al Jazeera.

The Israeli army also said on X it is sending its evacuation announcement through SMS messages and media broadcasts in Arabic.

How has the Israeli army been preparing for the offensive?

About 40,000 large tents , each accommodating 12 people, were built in the Khan Younis area ostensibly for people evacuating from Rafah, according to Omar Ashour, professor of security and military studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

Israel also withdrew the Nahal Brigade from the Netzarim Corridor – which cuts across Gaza, dividing it into northern and southern sections – and is redeploying about six brigades (with about 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers each) to a base near Rafah, Ashour told Al Jazeera.

“This is not a limited operation but a two-division, multidomain, combined-arms offensive on Rafah,” he said.

The operation will be conducted with artillery, air and naval support plus electromagnetic and intelligence operations and will likely last months, he added.

The slider below shows recent Israeli military equipment amassment north of the Amitai military base near the Karem Abu Salem crossing.

What is international opinion on a Rafah offensive?

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said a ground assault on Rafah would “put the final nail in the coffin”.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned of more suffering and death.

US President Joe Biden and other US officials have repeatedly warned against a Rafah offensive unless adequate provisions are made to evacuate civilians.

Twenty-six EU foreign ministers said it would “worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian situation”.

What could be the consequences of such an offensive?

According to Wateridge, humanitarian aid, already insufficient, would be severely impacted.

“The crossing points of Rafah and [Karem Abu Salem] are the main entry points for the humanitarian supplies and commercial goods in Gaza,” she said.

Hunger is “going to get a lot worse if the supply routes are interrupted as they will be with any military operations”.

Islamic Relief warned that “people will inevitably die as a result of the evacuation”.

“The sick and wounded, elderly people, newborn infants and people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable and often cannot evacuate without support.”

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Mumbai weather: Dust storm, rain in Mumbai, massive billboard falls, flights and trains affected

Times of India TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated : May 13, 2024, 21:08 IST

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Mumbai faced a dramatic dust storm and heavy rains, causing disruptions in traffic and operations at the airport. NDRF assisted trapped individuals, and casualties were reported. The city grapples with the aftermath of the storm.

Mumbai faced a dramatic dust storm and heavy rains, causing disruptions in traffic and operations at the airport. NDRF assisted trapped individuals, and casualties were reported. The city grapples with the aftermath of the storm. Read less

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#6ETravelAdvisory : The dust storm has returned, this time over #Mumbai . Potential air traffic congestion is expected, so keep a tab on your flight status https://t.co/rpnOvAOxQl Plan your journey to the airport accordingly and have a safe trip. — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) May 13, 2024

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Mumbai faced a dramatic dust storm and heavy rains, causing disruptions in traffic and operations at the airport. NDRF assisted trapped individuals, and casualties were reported. The city grapples wit...