hurricane helene is being described as catastrophic and deadly. it is rapidly intensifying and expected to have major, widespread, life-threatening effects across the southeastern and eastern united states. it is expected to make landfall as a category 4.

if you live anywhere near this storm's path, take it VERY seriously.

make a plan, follow that plan, stay safe, stay alive. check on those around you. make sure you have some way to get weather alerts if your power goes out.

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO GET TO SAFETY!

The NWS did actually describe the storm surge in some coastal areas as "unsurvivable 20 foot storm surge",

NWS Atlanta just put out a forecast of 75-80mph winds in the metro area.

This would be like a "destructive" tagged severe thunderstorm that lasts for several hours. Destructive tagged severe thunderstorms are very dangerous.

Holy shit please do not do this. This is the most disorganised disaster I’ve ever seen and all they’re going to do is get vulnerable people fired. Do not go on strike as an individual. Do not do not do not. The point of a strike is collective action to show the collective power of workers.

It is not enough to say that the NLRB has made vague gestures at showing that a non-union strike is theoretically possible. If you get fired illegally and you’re not part of a union, who’s going to pay for your employment tribunal? You? Unless you’re aware of how expensive tribunals can be and have that money set to the side, you’re opening yourself up to a world of hurt.

This is genuinely the most dangerous, nonsensical thing I’ve seen on this website in a long, long time. Do not do this. Do not mistake masturbatory individualistic action for a collective movement.

If you would like to find a way to seriously stick it to your bosses, speak to your coworkers, organise an actual union in your workplace (if you need pointers on this, don’t be afraid to reach out — I’ve done it before and would be happy to share pointers!). If you want public healthcare, get involved in any of the myriad campaigns for single payer going on. But do not, do not welcome unnecessary risk into your life like this.

Seriously, this is so incredibly sus. You do not just organize a general strike on a national scale by sending out a tweet and slapping together a website with no relevant information. At best, this is a well-intentioned but dangerously misguided social media activism move. At worst, this is an intentional disinformation campaign to undermine the labor movement. Do your research and learn your history before getting involved in stuff like this- the consequences are very real

I’m not passing around blame but this feels like a consequence of social media activism misunderstood as organizing. It rarely if ever is. Social media can be introductory, informative, and discursive, but you can’t organize workers by announcing what they should be doing

Trust me on this one: it's a total shit show. It's Dashcon levels of shit show. I wrote a post expanding on what I found on 7/19/21 and since then the people running this thing have had two massive shakeups.

The coordinators are changing usernames and profile pictures to shake off the negative screenshots. The oldest coordinator at the present moment is 23 and I don't think any of them have any experience organizing anything.

There are no unions backing this. They don't have any money for legal funds or compensation if you lose your job.

These people aren't bad, but they are young and have no experience.

Also when ppl ask about how they will specifically support poc/LGBT+/disabled ppl who would be more vulnerable in this strike, they just get v combative and defensive for no reason and say they only accept constructive criticism.

They have links for donations but have no plan for where those funds would be going specifically, in terms of like legal funds, living expenses support, etc.

The only time I've heard of where a general strike like this worked was in Iceland when all the women went on strike from paying jobs and housework. But there are obvious differences between that and this.

if you lose your job because you decided to participate in an unorganized general strike that wasn’t backed by a union just because you saw it on twitter; good luck charlie

these are the people who are attempting to run your october 15 strike

don’t give these people your money if they ask

This is so obviously a scam.

Seriously, work with the fucking orgs that have been doing this for decades.

hey ladies! if you're tucking, remember to give yourself a break! you look absolutely stunning today and i hope you remember that i love you!

hey gentlemen! if you're binding, remember to take it off and stretch! you look so handsome today and i hope you remember that i care for you!

hey everyone! if you are binding or tucking or anything else, remember to take a breather! you look extraordinary today and i hope you remember that i think you're wonderful!

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

This heatwave is starting to get terrifying:

Tagging: @politicsofcanada​

For all Americans keeping track 50c is around 123f i think. It’s what the summer temps in Arizona and New Mexico are like usually.

And for anyone who would like to say “lol that’s just summer here, nbd,” these are places where homes and most businesses do not generally have air conditioning. It doesn’t get hot enough during the summer to have a/c. Care homes might not have a/c in individual rooms. People are going to die from this. Forests are going to burn because of this.

Texan here.

Put foil on your windows and block with heavy blankets or curtains to keep sunlight out, that’s where the majority of your cool air leaves.

If you can’t get a hold of fans buy ice packs and stuff the freezer with em, you can place wrap them in towels and place them on pulse points on your body to keep you cool and avoid heat stroke.

If you do have a fan place a bowl of ice behind it to spread that cold air around the room

Wear your lightest clothing both in fabric and color WEAR LONG SLEEVES IN A LOOSE LIGHTWEIGHT FABRIC IT TRAPS SWEAT AND IT KEEPS YOU COOL, heat is attracted to dark colors.

Drink water no matter how thirsty you are, mix in gatorade to keep electrolytes up. Try to avoid ice cold though because it causes your body to heat up even more.

I hope this helps any of my Canadian followers. Some of us Texans still suffer so help these tips we use down here help ya’ll up there.

So it IS true that “this is just summer” where I am, but that means I know survival things you don’t and y’all were very kind to Texans during the polar vortex so from an Arizonan to all my overheating Canadians:

1) strip down to nothing. Pick out a light shirt and pants. (I like pajama pants for this.) Put them on. NO UNDERWEAR, it’ll make the next step suck. Now go get in a cool shower. Yes, with your clothes on. You can sit on a towel when you get out if you have cloth furniture. If you have long hair, use this opportunity to braid and bun it. It’ll stay wet longer, and keep you cooler.

2) stay indoors as much as possible.

3) If you have box fans, put a tub of ice water behind each one and aim it toward the ceiling on a 45-degree angle. Cool air sinks, so this will help circulation in your space and keep it cooler.

4) try to sleep during the day, if you can—body temperature automatically lowers during sleep. Dampen your top sheet and sleep under only that, in the nude if your living situation allows.

5) NO SODA. NO COFFEE. NO TEA. If you must drink these things, keep it to a minimum. In extremely hot weather, they can dehydrate you (especially soda).

6) find a friend or family member you can check in with at least once a day. Extreme heat can make you sluggish and disoriented even if you’re not in danger of overheating. Having someone to touch base with can help keep you engaged.

7) plan cold meals and do any necessary cooking at night. If you can stay awake this long, 2-3am will be the coolest part of the night and the most ideal for cooking. You’ll want lots of things like sandwiches, cut fruit, meat and veg that you like when they’re cold. Cooking during the day will heat up the house and you won’t want what you’ve made because it’s warm.

8) in the same vein, plan on 5-6 small meals rather than three moderate-to-large ones. You’ll find that you’re not actually all that hungry, and it’ll be easier to have a sandwich now and another in two hours than to eat a soup and sandwich and fruit right now. If you have an eating disorder and eating this way concerns you for your recovery, find a buddy to check in with, and remember: THIS IS HEALING. This is allowing your body to digest small amounts at a time so it’s not overwhelmed by unusual heat. You are eating the same amount overall, just in smaller bits.

9) buckle your seatbelts when you get out of the car, and if you have to park outside, leave your windows open by a couple of centimeters. This will prevent heat buildup (the hottest I’ve ever registered the inside of my car was 142 degrees—about 61C). If you have access to a piece of cardboard, put it inside your windshield to block out the sun. It really does help.

Stay safe, friends. Take care.

as a fellow Arizonan, i turn nocturnal in the summer. Legit the only way to survive in mid-summer.

Temperature wise- 3-6am is the good time to be outside, 11pm-3am is okay but not great, like 7-11am is okay.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, GO OUTSDE BETWEEN 1-5PM. This is the HOTTEST part of the day. You don’t want to be outside then, unless you have to be. Or you’re swimming. If you’re swiming- PUT ON SUNSCREEN. It doesn’t matter if you sunburn or not, you put on sunscreen. Typically sunscreen lasts an hour, so be aware of that and try and stay in the shade anyways.

Anyways it was 113° earlier and the wind feels like it’s from an oven, rn it’s 110° but we’re managing to keep the house 79° + fans

All of this is useful, but I want to mention that the further north you are the hottest part of the day may be later. I was in London, UK during a heatwave one summer and was always caught off guard by the timing of the heat. I’m from a place where it always gets hot in the summer and the hottest part of the day is between 12 - 4 pm. In London, the hottest part of the day didn’t start until 4pm.

Do all the things listed above, but be aware of your location and how it might affect the timing of the day’s heat.

Another Arizonan here!

Put your feet in water and/or get your hands wet. Even with room temperature water, it will help cool your body down.

If you do have to go outside for any reason, try and find some shade. It may not feel like it, but it does make a difference. And if you are outside for swimming, WEAR SUNSCREEN. I cannot stress how important this is. Make sure you drink some water while you are swimming too. You can still get dehydrated.

If you do get a sunburn, crush and dissolve some aspirin in some water and use a cotton ball or something like that to put it on your burn skin. Aloe is also a good solution. It is EXTRA important that you stay hydrated when you have a sunburn. You need to keep your skin hydrated so it doesn’t crack and peel as much. And your body is already trying to get rid of heat and it takes water to do that.

Something you can do to stay cool if you don’t have ac is getting towels and/or washcloths wet and freeze them. You can sit on them or use them as a cooling pack of you get overheated. Make sure you aren’t putting frozen things directly against your skin for long periods of time.

If you start to feel dizzy and you start to loose your bearings, like your vision going dark or your heartbeat rising in your ears and not being able to hear anything, GET WATER IMMEDIATELY. You are overheating and your body is shutting down systems in order to keep the important stuff working. If you can, rest until you feel well again. Maybe eat some food as well.

Air circulation is important. If you don’t have ac, keep a steady air flow through your house. Open windows and doors if you can. It might still be hot air, but having a steady air flow is much cooler than sitting air.

If you live/work in a building that is multiple stories, stay on the lower floors. Heat rises.

That’s all I have for now but stay safe everyone!!

Arizona, coming through with the advice!

I FORGOT ONE. AN IMPORTANT ONE.

THE PEE GAUGE.

You should be going pee every 2-3 hours. This keeps your kidneys healthy. Healthy pee should be clear (it MIGHT be cloudy or bright yellow if you have excess amounts of vitamins, this is a feature not a bug) and smell quite mild.

If you aren’t peeing all that often, or your pee is dark yellow and has a strong smell, YOU AREN’T DRINKING ENOUGH. If three hours have passed and you have no urge to pee, go drink a glass of water immediately. You have no idea how much water you’re sweating out (it’s more than you think, A LOT more), and if your body doesn’t have enough water left to make pee, that’s a problem.

Just to clarify one thing:

“For all Americans keeping track 50c is around 123f i think. It’s what the summer temps in Arizona and New Mexico are like usually.”

50 C is 122 F, which is the all-time record high temperature in Phoenix. This kind of heat isn’t normal even down here in the desert.

How to Stay Cool Without A/C

A lot of Northerners were very kind during the freeze in Texas this winter with tips on how to stay warm for people who had lost heat. This is an attempt to repay that favor for people in the Pacific Northwest and other northerly locations who are facing dangerous heatwaves without built-in A/C. My qualifications to give this advice are that I was a summer camp attendee and counselor with no A/C for many summers in humid-ass central Texas with highs over 100F basically every day. Hopefully some of it will be of use to somebody who isn’t used to the heat.

1) PUT ICE WATER IN YOUR BODY. Ice water is your best friend and the #1 way to drop your body temp. Drink more than you think you need (like, at least a half-gallon a day and closer to a gallon or more if you have to be outside doing manual work all day) to cool your insides down and stay hydrated. Have some bananas, trail mix, or a sports drink to help replace the electrolytes you’re sweating out and keep you from getting cramps, but try to have most of your fluid intake be water. I used to take a giant water bottle, fill it part way with water, and freeze it on its side so the ice would slowly melt over the course of the day and my water would stay cold longer.

2) PUT ICE WATER ON YOUR BODY. Cold water, ice, or a damp rag on your head and neck, the backs of your knees, the insides of your elbows, and under your armpits will help you cool down the best, because your blood runs close to the surface in those places. Cold packs designed for injuries or lunchboxes, bags of frozen vegetables, etc. can substitute for ice water as well. Even room-temp water will pull heat away from your body better than body-temp sweat will, especially if it’s humid, so if you don’t have enough ice, the sink, bathtub, or hose will do fine. Dipping your feet into cool water helps a ton as well if you have to sit and work and don’t want your clothes to be wet.

3) WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO GET SO MUCH ICE?  To make sure you have enough ice to last you the weekend, especially through a potential power failure, I recommend getting a cooler (even one of the cheap styrofoam ones is fine in a pinch) and ~10lbs of ice from the big coolers at most gas stations, drug stores, or grocery stores. Try to do this now, before anybody loses power, and store as much in your freezer as you have space for to keep it from melting. You can use it for drinking or to keep your food cold in a power failure. You can use it for a party later if you don’t end up needing it during the heat wave, but you will probably be very happy you had it.

4) AIR FLOW. Being inside a room with the windows closed is the worst possible place to be if you don’t have A/C, because glass windows create a greenhouse effect and the hot air can’t escape. If at all possible, find a shaded place outside where you can catch any possible breeze. If not, open all your windows and, if it’s safe, doors so you can get a cross-breeze. Hopefully you have window screens to keep pets and kids in and bugs out. If not, you’re gonna have to do your own risk assessment. Fans of all sizes and descriptions are your friend; ceiling fans should be set to spin counterclockwise in summer. Even if you have A/C, finding or making a handheld fan will be worthwhile for when you have to venture outside. If you aren’t in a situation where you need to conserve ice, blowing air over a cooler full of ice will give you a makeshift A/C. 

5) SHADE. You will probably immediately notice that direct sunlight is a miserable place to be when it’s super hot. Find or make a shaded location, and don’t be afraid to move around to avoid the sun as the day goes on. Stay on the shady side of the sidewalk whenever you walk someplace. Try to shade your windows as best you can without obstructing airflow using blinds, curtains, shutters, etc. especially if they’re directly in the path of the sun. Do not be a jerk to your neighbors if their shade solutions are ugly. If you can get a shade for your car windshield, I highly recommend it, as the steering wheel, dashboard, seatbelts, and even seats can quickly become too hot to touch in a sealed car and will hold that heat for a long time.

6) CLOTHING. Light-colored, loose clothing that is as close to 100% cotton or linen as you can find is your friend. It doesn’t necessarily have to be short as long as it’s breathable. You will sweat through anything you wear, so I personally prefer only wearing machine-washable stuff. Sun hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, aloe gel for sunburns, mosquito repellent, anti-chafing supplies, etc are all worth looking into if you aren’t used to spending time in the heat.

7) TIMING. Try to stay out of the sun and avoid doing anything strenuous in the middle of the day when the heat is the worst. If you have a choice, plan to be more active early in the morning and late at night when the temperature is more bearable, and take a break in the middle of the afternoon.

Here’s a graphic from the CDC about how to recognize heat-related illnesses and what to do about them. I will add to this that if it’s hot and you stop sweating, you are getting to a dangerous level of dehydration and need to drink something BEFORE you start having more serious problems.

for my heat wave friends

Just saw an 11 year old on Tumblr with her whole name and info in her bio and like-

Listen i know there are lots of kids here under the age of 14 and you want to be on internet and have fun too and it's all good just be safe?? Don't tell your full name, where you live, your age (to random strangers) and especially your photos. I know I sound annoying and "old fashioned" but it is important dude, there are lot of people on the internet waiting to take advantage of you, i am not saying everyone is bad most people are amazing but some are not good? Don't disclose your information, idk if schools and parents have stopped teaching these things but you have to know internet safety, I know how much you wanna ignore and "break the rules" I was just like you but for god sake keep yourself safe please.

^^^ pls don't doxx yourself

hey remember how awhile back i mentioned that tiktok has a whole trend where people mix cleaning supplies well i redownloaded tiktok so im finally able to show you what i mean

I put my bare hands in this sink and get a chemical burn so bad it oozes and bubbles nonstop for days

i have GREAT news for you

potion of cough up blood

people are so fucking stupid oh my god

Cleaning TikTok: We’ve mixed the perfect cleaning solution! 

Everyone Else: You’ve created mustard gas is what you’ve done. Your lungs look like you’ve just returned from the Western Front. 

Jesus fucking christ. One time I accidentally mixed an ammonia scrub and a bleach spray and gave myself a migraine in 15 minutes how the fuck are they even still standing.

Time for a health and safety lesson.

See below for a chart on what household cleaners to NEVER EVER MIX EVER OR YOU CAN (AND WILL PROBABLY) DIE OR OTHERWISE BECOME EXTREMELY FUCKED UP AND NOT IN A FUN WAY BUT IN THE HOSPITAL AND/OR GRAVEYARD WAY:

The above is not a complete list, but these are extremely common in most households and therefore are the most likely chemical fuck-ups to occur. 

DO NOT MIX HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS. 

DO NOT MIX CLEANING AGENTS.

DO NOT MIX CERTAIN ASTRINGENTS. (HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IS OFTEN IN FIRST AID KITS OR WOUND SPRAYS AND CAN CAUSE A REACTION IN SMALL AMOUNTS IF MIXED WITH THINGS IT SHOULD NOT BE MIXED WITH EVEN ACCIDENTALLY ON A SURFACE ETC.) 

DO NOT MIX ANY CHEMICALS THAT YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE ARE SAFE TO MIX. (SPOILER: MOST THINGS ARE NOT REALLY SAFE TO MIX AND SOMETIMES COMBINING SAFE ONES ACTUALLY MAKES THEM LESS EFFECTIVE ANYWAY, SO JUST DON’T COMBINE THIS KIND OF SHIT!) 

YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT A CHEMIST. PLEASE DO NOT TURN YOUR KITCHEN/BATHROOM/HOME INTO A LAB ACCIDENT. 

IF YOU ARE A CHEMIST, YOU SHOULD STILL NOT FUCK AROUND. MANY OF YOU DO NOT RELIABLY USE YOUR SAFETY GOGGLES OR THE CORRECT TYPE OF SAFETY GOGGLES. (IF YOU’RE THE TYPE OF CHEMIST WHO DOESN’T ENSURE ADEQUATE VENTILATION IN YOUR WORK AREA, I WILL NOT TRUST YOU WITH BLEACH. COMPLACENCY KILLS.) 

CONCLUSION: STOP MIXING CHEMICALS! 

YOU ARE NOT PROFESSOR X, AND YOU WILL NOT END UP CREATING THE POWERPUFF GIRLS. 

YOU WILL ONLY CREATE A NEW INVOICE FOR YOUR LOCAL FUNERAL HOME. 

I AM YELLING AT YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU AND WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.

TO ANY DUMBASS TEENAGERS OUT THERE, I WANT YOU TO SURVIVE LONG ENOUGH TO BECOME DUMBASS ADULTS. 

PLEASE DO NOT DIE.

The fumes from this vid burned all the hair off my body,melted my skin, and then killed me t.f

I feel like the “may cause death” part on that chart needs to be majorly bigger. The descriptions of the first two sound like they’d be unpleasant, but “unpleasant” doesn’t cut it. Needs to have a way bigger “THIS IS HOW THEY KILLED PEOPLE IN WARS BEFORE IT WAS OUTLAWED” warning. 

^^^ the horror I felt watching this just kept growing each second

Oh this is ON

Heres what I need in terms of supplies:

Obviously not all of these are 100% necessary but it would all make our goals a lot easier

Heres what you can do if you cant provide resources:

Reblogging this to here because I have an OKAY amount of followers here. Please don’t scroll past and reblog to help if you aren’t able to do much /: I know it sucks feeling useless with this stuff, but spreading it so people show up is important

I don't live anywhere near there and I have no money, but boosting!

Another thing to consider: wear blackblock clothes and use a black shirt as a mask to conceal your face (there are various online tutorials). If everyone is wearing black, it makes it much harder for their defence to target individuals, to identify anyone who isn't caught even if they're on camera, and to discern what individuals are actually doing/following any one person's movements

Hey, please stay safe

SIGNAL BOOST

Small account but my followers might have big accounts, idk so spread the word

I don’t care about your damn feed. re-fucking-blog this to save a life.

As a model myself, I really want to warn people big time about this.

Large name brands will never recruit via Instagram or social media, they will contact your agency to book you!

If you get any DM’s from big brands like this especially if they don’t have a checkmark by their name (but don’t count on that either) they are scammers trying to take your money or even worse lead you into sex trafficking.

Stay safe and follow your gut! Never trust any unofficial recruiters!

!!!

U tampons by Kortex are being recalled because of a fault meaning they’re leaving pieces of tampon in the body after they’ve been removed. It’s mainly affecting people in the US and Canada, and people who bought products before 16th October 2018.

Please if you use this product check the box for the serial number (block of numbers on the same face as the barcode):

Find out more info on their official website here

Stay safe and please share this so other people don’t continue to buy faulty tampons!

heads up to my underage followers

don’t join mastodon. the lax nature of regulations makes it an extremely popular platform for maps and pedophiles.

there are always alternatives to tumblr but mastodon is Not a trustworthy or good one

WARNING!!!!

People, please be careful. There are also people tracking children and people and putting bids on them based on their profile pictures on whatsapp, tracking and kidnapping them. Especially young children, so please be cautious, especially parents who have their children as their profile pictures.

Please pass this on to everyone so that they are aware of the danger. I don’t how it is all around the world but I know it can’t just be here so please please spread the word. Thank you.

I keep getting these like twice a week. Please reblog! 

I get these constantly good to know my instinct to block them were good ones

Bitch I’ve gotten these

Omg I’ve gotten one of these before…

Everyone be careful please!

WARNING!!!!

People, please be careful. There are also people tracking children and people and putting bids on them based on their profile pictures on whatsapp, tracking and kidnapping them. Especially young children, so please be cautious, especially parents who have their children as their profile pictures.

Please pass this on to everyone so that they are aware of the danger. I don’t how it is all around the world but I know it can’t just be here so please please spread the word. Thank you.

oh my god

I HAVE BEEN GETTING THIS TEXT REGULARLY FOR WEEKS

HOLY SHIT THANK GOD I DIDN’T

I’ve gotten a few of these. Never ever click a link from an unknown number!!!

never click a link from an unknown number, but this link is not connected to sex trafficking. i’m all for boosting smart technology uses & being cautious about links & messages like this, but this is 100% false information that started getting spread after a viral tweet. the irl app itself is very sketchy, but opening this link won’t do anything to your phone aside from bring you to download the irl app.

a few sources: here & here

A nurse has heart attack and describes what she felt like when having one

I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I have ever heard. 

 FEMALE HEART ATTACKS 

 I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is description is so incredibly visceral that I feel like I have an entire new understanding of what it feels like to be living the symptoms on the inside. Women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have… you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor the we see in movies. Here is the story of one woman’s experience with a heart attack: 

 "I had a heart attack at about 10:30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, ‘A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up. A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you’ve been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you’ve swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn’t have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation–the only trouble was that I hadn’t taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m. 

After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR). This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. ‘AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening – we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven’t we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, Dear God, I think I’m having a heart attack! I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, If this is a heart attack, I shouldn’t be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else… but, on the other hand, if I don’t, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in a moment. 

I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics… I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn’t feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in. I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don’t remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like ‘Have you taken any medications?’) but I couldn’t make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side by side stints to hold open my right coronary artery. 

I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stents. Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand. 

1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body, not the usual men’s symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn’t know they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, hoping they’ll feel better in the morning when they wake up… which doesn’t happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you’ve not felt before. It is better to have a ‘false alarm’ visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be! 2. Note that I said ‘Call the Paramedics.’ And if you can take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road. Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what’s happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call your doctor – he doesn’t know where you live and if it’s at night you won’t reach him anyway, and if it’s daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn’t carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later. 3. Don’t assume it couldn’t be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it’s unbelievably high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure). MIs are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive to tell the tale.“

Reblog, repost, Facebook, tweet, pin, email, morse code, fucking carrier pigeon this to save a life! I wish I knew who the author was. I’m definitely not the OP, actually think it might be an old chain email or even letter from back in the day. The version I saw floating around Facebook ended with “my cardiologist says mail this to 10 friends, maybe you’ll save one!” And knew this was way too interesting not to pass on.

snopes.com says this one’s true.

Save a life–Reblog.

Female heart attacks are much different, and most people don’t know it!

This is so much more helpful than the fucking lists that basically describe everything that happens during a really nasty panic attack and then tell you to go seek help as if you don’t have an anxiety disorder that does this to you on a regular basis and can afford to go to the emergency room.

Auto-reblog.

Many women have silent heart attacks as well, where there are no symptoms at all until BAM! Then it happens.

Reblogging to add nausea and vomiting as a major symptom for female heart attacks - my mother had a major one a few years ago and that, pain and muscle weakness, and sweating were her major symptoms.

I also want to say that being an advocate for yourself (if you’re able) can be very important. She (my mom) suspected a week prior that she might be having one and was brushed off after a few tests at the hospital, likely because women’s heart attacks present so differently than men’s.

Stay safe, all. ❤

srsly tho this is absolutely a thing that dudes do all the f***ing time

like where if he knows a girl doesn’t necessarily want to give him a hug, he will trap her in this position in front of witnesses where she has 2 options- both of which are undesirable for her, while simultaneously desirable for him

if she doesn’t want to hug him, whatever she does, it will suck for her.

she can 1. say nah and be the fucking asshole in front of other ppl or 2. forsake her corporeal boundaries and allow unwanted intimate contact

it’s a f***ing trap

F***ing hate dudes forreal.

too many f***ing times ugh

Story time. One day I was on the MAX (basically a giant street car that goes all over the metro area) on my way to meet up with a few friends. I didn’t look at anyone, I didn’t speak to anyone, I just stood to the side on my phone making sure I wasn’t going to be late to my meeting. Out of no where, this guy comes up to me and starts to chat me up. Me, being who I am, am absolutely terrified to tell this guy to f*** off. He was at least half a foot taller than me, and was way too bulky for me to fight back. So I suck it up at humor him, say hello. Before introducing himself or asking me for my name, he asks me out on a date. Not wanting to piss him off I try to make light of the situation and I laugh, telling him that my boyfriend wouldn’t like the idea, but thank you for the offer. He just shrugs and says, “He doesn’t need to know.” At this point I’m scared out of my mind. There’s this guy who, after seeing me run two blocks to catch the train, comes up to me and has made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t going to leave without getting something out of me. I deny him a second time, saying, “I don’t even know you’re name. We’re strangers, I don’t know you.” He finally introduces himself and asks me for my phone number. I tell him I don’t give my number out to people I’ve just met and he says, “Fine, but at least take mine so we can meet up later.” So he watches me plug his number into my phone (which I deleted as soon as I knew I was safe and away from him) as we’re pulling up to my stop. I tell him I need to leave and switch trains and he tells me, “Oh, I’ll wait with you. I don’t have any plans, so I’m in no rush.” It’s important to note what at this point he had previously told me that he was late to a job interview, but he has all the time in the world because he still hasn’t gotten what he wanted from me; a yes. I get off of the train and he follows me, and waits at the platform with me for over ten minutes until my train arrives, asking me all sorts of personal questions about where I live and where I was going that day. As soon as the train pulls up he grabs for me and says, “Do I at least get a hug before you go?” I was terrified. I was embarrassed. This dude, who before even asking me for my name asks me out on a date and then continues to harass me after I tell him I have a boyfriend, asks me for a hug only fifteen minutes after meeting. People around us were staring at me, as if I was being rude for denying him, and every inch of me was mortified. I wanted to run, but I felt like if I had done that he would have chased after me and things would have gotten worse. So I did, and he squeezed me so tight I felt like I was going to burst. It took me a good ten seconds to get him to let go and I ran to the train car just as the doors were closing. He was trying to get me to miss my train so I would have to wait with him even longer. I would have been stuck there for over a half an hour until the next train came by, and the platform (aside from the few buses coming by) was now COMPLETELY EMPTY. He knew EXACTLY what he was doing and he knew EXACTLY how to get me alone with him. People, if you are in a situation like this do not feel obligated to give in. If someone is making you uncomfortable and asks to touch you in any way, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SAY YES. Make excuses, be blunt, just straight up say ‘no’. If possible, go to someone else near by who you think can help you and ask them to help you. It’s important for guys to learn that they can’t get what they want just by asking over and over again. I got lucky. But not everyone does. Please, everyone, Be Safe.

SECOND STORY TIME

So I was on the transit bus alone one time. This was my first time riding, and so already I was PETRIFIED. I sit down, pull out my ipod, and begin to play some games. This guy sits down next to me, and begins trying to have a conversation. I don’t really respond, I don’t even look at him, just give half-hearted “mhm”s and “oh”s, as I don’t want to be rude if he was just striking up a friendly conversation. He then asks me on a date.

Now, as I stated before, I already was absolutely petrified. My heart stopped and I didn’t know how to answer. So I just didn’t. He didn’t let up and I could feel his eyes on me. I quietly stammer out a “no thanks” and my stop HAPPENS to be coming up, so I pull the string thing to let the driver know I want to stop there, and once we stop and the doors open I get up and he asks me, “Well, can I at least have a hug before you go if you won’t go on a date with me?” 

This makes me break. There are now people staring, as we are the only people standing up and not getting off… So I just start crying. Hell, I am bawling almost instantly. He looks so fucking freaked out and people are now getting up to come over and comfort me/question him. I don’t stop crying, and he keeps trying to comfort me by touching me, and people are yelling at him for that. 

AND THEN. AND. FUCKING. THEN. THE GOD DAMN BUS DRIVER. A VERY EASILY 6 FOOT BURLY MAN. COMES OVER TO US. PULLS THE GUY AWAY. AND KNEELS DOWN. HE THEN ASKS, IN THE MOST CALM VOICE, “Did you request the stop?” I very slowly and shakily nod, as I am still crying my eyes out. He then asks, “Do you want to get off?” I give a quiet “mhm” and nod once again, and he offers me his hand. I take it, he stands up, and he escorts me off the bus. He asks me questions such as where I was going next, if I was going to meet someone shortly, if I was going to transfer buses from there. He was very polite and waited for me to answer the entire time, and my friend (who I was going to be meeting there) showed up. He asked me if this was someone I knew, I said yes, and he said alright, have a good day. He then told me- and this is something stuck in my mind forever, so it is word for word-

“If some guy EVER starts harassing you like that again, do exactly what you did there. Cry. Cry and scream and have a temper tantrum. Not only will it throw him off, but it will get others to notice. They might not interfere, they might, but you will have gotten their attention and if you happen to go missing the next day the search for you will be a hell of a lot easier because everyone in that location will have seen you screaming and crying with a guy now very awkward with his actions. They will know. That is what my daughter did, and three days after she went missing she was back in my arms. I pray for you and every other person like you who has this done. You stay safe now, okay?” And after I began blubbering again, I nodded and he left.

So this is the second lesson for yall. If you can not have the courage to say no or make an excuse, cry. Let out those sobs and tears and cry your heart out. Because it is going to make people notice and make people aware.

Reblogging for that second story. This might save a life.

I just wanna note that bus drivers can be really amazing and good ones do look out for their riders.

Also, as an additional tip (in case you cannot cry on command or such), you can say, “No, because you’re creepy/creeping me out” and if he persists or tries to laugh it off, say “I do not want to be touched” and look at one of the strangers/persons that is watching.

It: 1. Gives them a sense of urgency in the situation, as the eye contact is a way to make them feel as though you are personally asking for their help and it is now their obligation to help. 2. Contains words so that if you’re in a public place but people aren’t necessarily watching, then they (as natural evesdroppers) can overhear the attention-grabbing words and then notice the situation. Note, this does NOT mean that they will come for help, but you might be able to look someone in the eye (as previously mentioned) or just get some people’s attention. 3. It shows that you have fight in you. As with rapists, those who are physically aggressive (ie. these huggers) choose women they see as an easy target. The moment you show them you are going/willing to fight them, they are less likely to continue. Sadly, this is not always the case, but every little bit helps.

Hopes this also helps, guys, and I’m so sad that this has to even be a post we need.

Dudes who follow me: 1) reblog this 2) don’t be the creepy guy who asks random women for hugs 3) be aware of your friends or random creepy dudes and call them out if they act gross towards girls/womem

Ok, I wasn’t going to comment about this, because there was no way of doing it without talking about a part of my life I really didn’t want to. But fuck that, there be young girls out there who need a hand.

So I used to be hot when I was young. I mean, model hot, because I actually used to model. Even now, I’ve let myself go on purpose because I was tired of the harassment. But I fit a UK size 6 with a pert ass from volleyball and a cup c breast. As you can imagine, I couldn’t wear anything or go ANYWHERE without being harassed. I sometimes even happened in church.

Anyway, I’m not a shrinking lily, and when I get angry enough I can do some crazy shit. So here are some of my coping mechanisms:

1) find a matronly looking lady, run up to her with ‘aunt may! I haven’t seen you in ages! ’ then whisper ‘please help he’s harassing me!’. 99.9 times out of 100, she will be scandalised and help you anyway even if she’s annoyed or in a hurry. If no older lady is available, find a younger one, or a nun, or a trans lady. We of the sisterhood know what it is to be harnessed, and I guarantee if you look frightened enough, they will help.

2) If you are out alone at night, and someone is following you, spot a house or apartment where the lights are on and knock, asking ‘mum’ or ‘dad’ or ‘john’ to let you in. Even if the people inside are annoyed, odds are they won’t turn you away, and you can phone someone to pick you up, or phone the police from a safe space

3) Make noise. Cry and scream loudly, call them out ‘i don’t know you and you are terrifying me! Please get away from me!’ if there are people around. Even if they don’t help directly for fear of their own safety, someone around you is calling security or 911.

4) speak a foreign language. If you know it, speak the language to them fast and incessantly, like you have just met someone you knew and you’re just giving the best performance rant of why your OTP is the best OTP. Make yourself ANNOYING. Think about what would be awkward and annoying to you and make it what you do to them. If you make them think YOU are something to get away from they will leave you in peace.

Now beware, the following ones are the CRAZY ones and may not always work. But they are a valid last resort:

5) stare at them. Stare at them like you’re hungry and they are a hapless deer you’re going to tear to pieces. Like yours the girl from the ring emerging from the TV to kill them. Don’t smile, don’t change your expression. DON’T BLINK. Hold their state like you’re Wednesday Adams about to do unspeakable things to a spider, and they are the spider. Even the most courageous of stalkers balk at this, but if they don’t…

6) Use the Hannibal Lector. After staring at them for and extended period of time (imagine all the things that have made you scared, imagine you could get revenge on them for putting you here, that’s the thought you need to have), if they are getting closer to you, whisper something like ‘i would fry your liver in garlic’. Even the hardiest ones will be taken aback, but keep it up while making sure you don’t let the others hear you. Things like, occult star readings requiring blood, wondering whether he is the offering the spirits sent. If you’re on this site you’ve read some weird shit at least once. Tell him that. Tell him you would like him to meet your lord, Vlad the Impaler, who requires much blood to be appeased. Be a stereotypical ‘crazy bitch’ like they see in the movies. Believe it or not, this has worked for me twice.

Above all, banish the notion that you have to be polite.

They were impolite by approaching you. If you can, ignore them. If you are not alone, pointedly put headphones in your ear, and don’t make eye contact, wait for them to realise that ‘youre a bitch anyway’ and move away. If you are alone, evade and find places and ways to fix that as soon as POSSIBLE.

And if all else fails, summon Satan.

Something I have learned at work:

Never underestimate the power of a good “EXCUSE me????”

Legit. It makes people STOP IN THEIR TRACKS. This is the one I whip out when people start swearing at me over the headset and always, without fail, they stop what they’re saying, shocked.

Go for offended, and go for loud. Not yelling loud, but giving-your-best-presentation loud. “EXCUSE me??? You approached me two minutes ago, I don’t even know your name, and you want WHAT? Creep.”

For one, the presentation will shock them. For another, that indignant tone? EVERYONE AROUND YOU IS GOING TO WANT TO LISTEN TO THIS JUICY SHIT.

Now the second key here is, DON’T LET HIM JADE (justify, argue, defend, explain). He smiles and goes “I just wanted–” FUCKING INTERRUPT HIM. Firmly. Irritably. “I heard what you wanted, and I’ve already declined once. Maybe you should go back to kindergarten where they teach you no means no.” Run right over the fucker. He’s not respecting your words, you don’t need to respect his.

A further note: if you’re an iPhone user, you can use Siri to call 911. (I know Android has a similar function, but I don’t know what it is–play with your AI and find out.) If you’re in a secluded area, this works well; I used to walk home from work at 2am and had to do it twice. Make eye contact with your harasser, activate Siri, and loudly, firmly say “Siri, call 911.” Siri will immediately reply “calling emergency services.” (It actually takes five seconds to activate, but there’s a Call Now button if you need it.) Almost ALWAYS the person harassing you would rather take off than wait for you to get a dispatcher on the line.

As they say on the podcast, My Favorite Murder:

Fuck Politeness.

This is NOT the kind of thing I usually post on here, but this is something that every female [or, every person honestly, harrassment isnt a one way street]needs to see. This is a fairly active blog, so I hope to see numerous reblogs.

Who cares that this isn’t Harry Potter it’s important

college is starting and rape culture is still extremely prominent and men can be fuckin gross so I’m here to let y’all know Amazon is selling pepper spray for only $8.

over 50% of college sexual assaults happen within the first month of college.

to my fellow freshman girlies out there, go parties in groups, don’t walk alone late at night, and if you sense some shady shit going on don’t hesitate to interfere. trust your gut. people are getting sicker by the minute and nothing seems to be changing anytime soon.

PS: CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS REGARDING WEAPON PURCHASING

I’m not lying fuck men omfg

If you don't wanna support Amazon, lots of stores like hardware chain stores and similar also will have pepper spray. I even got a spring assisted knife (within the legal length and width limits) in the utility knife, camping, and hunting section.