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RATING: RELIABLE

The above is from this article from The Guardian. The images are from MYA Network. The caption on their website reads:

Source: ‘When a sperm and egg get together, the body creates tissue in order to support the developing pregnancy. Here are photos of that tissue from 5-9 week pregnancies. This is called the gestational sac, and it’s like the “house” for the pregnancy. Inside this sac there are cells that have the potential to become a fetus but there is no visible embryo at this stage. We rinsed off the blood and menstrual lining (decidua) for these photographs.’

The published images sparked a lot of debate, leading to the story being picked up by other news outlets. For example:

Source: ‘Last week, the Guardian published images of pregnancy tissue after abortions in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. The small size and appearance of the tissue were shocking to many. We have all absorbed, knowingly and unknowingly, the pervasive anti-abortion narrative that a pregnancy resembles a tiny baby starting in the earliest weeks. Though an early embryo can be seen under the magnification of ultrasound, it can take months for it to be perceptible to the naked eye.’

Source: ‘People have responded in disbelief, citing the (magnified) images they’ve seen on ultrasounds. […] ”Think of the illustrations on pregnancy and medical websites. The Mayo Clinic, one of the preeminent medical organizations in the country, shows week-by-week illustrations of embryonic and fetal development without any context of scale, like the rulers in the MYA photos.’

As stated in the article, whilst people talk about a ‘heartbeat’ at 6 weeks, there is no heart developed at this stage - only a group of cells that will become part of the heart.

Source: ‘But what exactly do we mean when we talk about a “fetal heartbeat” at six weeks of pregnancy? Although some people might picture a heart-shaped organ beating inside a fetus, this is not the case. Rather, at six weeks of pregnancy, an ultrasound can detect “a little flutter in the area that will become the future heart of the baby,” said Dr. Saima Aftab, medical director of the Fetal Care Center at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. This flutter happens because the group of cells that will become the future “pacemaker” of the heart gain the capacity to fire electrical signals, she said.’

It should also be noted that the images show an embryo, not a fetus, until the 9th week.

Source: ‘In human pregnancies, a baby-to-be isn’t considered a fetus until the 9th week after conception, or week 11 after your last menstrual period (LMP).’

The co-founders of the MYA Network responded in a New York Times article.

Source: ‘Many people, even those who support abortion rights, did not believe the photos were accurate. Some insisted we had deliberately removed the embryos before taking the photos. The images weren’t consistent with those often seen in embryological textbooks, magnified on ultrasounds or used in anti-abortion propaganda; these enlarged images are not what you see with the naked eye after an abortion. A Stanford gynecologic pathologist has validated our photos, but many people could not believe the pictures were presented unaltered.

fidgetbloom

Beginning with raw brass wire and beads, to a multi-purpose fidget toy. Please enjoy this full demonstration of how Fidget Bloom is made. Got q’s? Just ask. ☺️

I use mine as a sensory regulation tool, whether I’m on the phone or watching TV, I fidget with Fidget Bloom to help me feel calm, and focused.

This Stress Balls item by MerakiSphere has 13513 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Canada. Listed on 10 Mar, 2023

Do you use a dedicated fidget tool for self-regulation?

YES

Voting ended onMar 18, 2023

All my pieces and handmade as shown in the video above. I do custom orders upon request. Thank you for taking the time to visit my shop and browse my work. ❤️

hellyeahscarleteen

Self-managed abortion (SMA) with pills is very medically safe and effective throughout early pregnancy, but there is a significant risk of criminalization in many U.S. states. While it is impossible to fully eliminate the risk of criminalization when having or planning to have an abortion at home, t

kickerofelves

Leave no online footprint of searches or purchases. Digital Defense Fund’s abortion privacy guide is your go-to resource for this. Using private browsers, two-factor authentication, encrypted messaging, strong passwords, etc. is critical. Google searches have been presented as evidence in an SMA trial before. Do not leave a digital trail.

Use the medications properly to prevent interactions with healthcare providers. The pills are very effective, but they have to be used right. Carefully follow the instructions provided on the How to Use Abortion Pill website. Note that misoprostol tablets should always be taken by dissolving them under the tongue. Do NOT insert misoprostol vaginally if you are self-managing an abortion. While this is medically safe, it can leave incriminating pill remnants that can be detected in the vagina during a pelvic exam if you end up needing to seek medical care.

If it’s not an emergency but you need expert health advice, use a free calling service like Google Voice to call or text the Miscarriage + Abortion Hotline at 1-833-246-2632. Medical complications are very uncommon with abortion pills, but they’re not impossible. The M+A Hotline is safe to use and is staffed by trustworthy clinicians who volunteer their time to help those who choose SMA. Do not use your own phone number to call as this will create a record that is visible to your cell service provider.

Don’t disclose any information about SMA to emergency room staff if you do need to seek medical care. This is how most people who are arrested for SMA are reported. Healthcare providers are almost always who calls the police in cases of SMA criminalization. Contrary to popular belief, HIPAA does not protect your private health information from being shared with police if you are suspected of doing something that could be considered a crime. If you believe you need to seek urgent medical care, do not hesitate to go. Say “I think I’m having a miscarriage” and provide your symptoms. Do not mention any use of or purchase of abortion pills. There is no widely available test to detect misoprostol in your bloodstream. If you do not disclose it, there is no way for a medical provider to tell the difference between a medication abortion and a spontaneous miscarriage.

Do not talk to the cops. Period. Do. Not. Talk. To. The. Cops. If you are questioned by police you should state, “I am exercising my right to remain silent, and I wish to speak with an attorney.” Do not speak again or nod in response to a question. Contact the Repro Legal Helpline as soon as possible for expert legal advice: 1-844-868-2812. Do not agree to questioning or speak to any law enforcement official without a lawyer present.

sabertoothwalrus

I’m not going to explain myself

sabertoothwalrus

this image feels appropriate to put here

covetingace

He was about to show the reason why people called him howl

sabertoothwalrus

happy 1st birthday Howl Pegging Comic ❤️

sabertoothwalrus

HAPPY 200K HOWL PEGGING COMIC 😭👏 jesus christ

gayteensupreme

im literally forever obsessed with this because it implies the following:

The Rapture, as described by Christian Evangelicals, has happened

Parents witnessed their son disappear during The Rapture, but remained atheists anyway (based)

Instead of sinners and nonbelievers going to hell or getting killed, they just... stay on Earth.

quasi-normalcy

The idea that this miracle chair bares the last impression of their son before he was called away from the physical world by God Himself, but they're getting rid of it because it doesn't match their new carpet

tiktoks-we-like

lackadaisycats

hello! as someone new to ur blog, i wanted to ask, to grasp the full story do i have to read the whole webcomic? (i see ur archive goes as far as 2008) or have there been any recaps/reboots? basically where do i start to get the current story

Hello! Welcome! No recaps or reboots, but the volume of canon Lackadaisy material to date is probably not insurmountable if you care to read it. Here are places where you find it if you're interested:

Lackadaisy on the official website (original format)

Lackadaisy side comics and artwork collection

Lackdaisy on Webtoon (mobile format)

The books are also scheduled for reprint later this year!

The upcoming animated film will not require prior knowledge of the comic story. We tried to make it as accessible as possible. (Reading the comic will provide some added context for what's happening in the film, though.)

dndsettingsinfo

Wind Hill Inn (Dwarven Family Brewery) by Morvold Press

leave-her-a-tome

(source)

Unsplash - photography, illustration, and art

Pixabay - same as unsplash

Pexels - stock photos and videos

Stockvault.net - stock photos

freepngimg - icons, pictures and clipart

Veceezy - vectors and clipart

Kissclipart and kissPNG - more vectors and clipart (often transparent!)

Getdrawings - simplistic images and drawing tutorials

Gumroad - photoshop brushes (and more)

Canva - needs login but has lots of templates

Library of Congress - historical posters and photos

NASA - you guessed it

Creative Commons - all kinds of stuff, homie

Even Adobe has some free images

There are so many ways to make moodboards, bookcovers, and icons without infringing copyright! As artists, authors, and other creatives, we need to be especially careful not to use someone else’s work and pass it off as our own.

Please add on if you know any more sites for free images <3

theperksofbeingahugefuckingcunt

Okay I’m currently furious that migraines are often so blindly easy to treat and I had to find this out myself at the age of 26 when I’ve been to a neurologist since I was 11 lol so I’m about to teach you two neat and fast little tricks to deal with pain!

The first is the sternocleidomastoid muscle, or the SCM muscle.

This big red section is responsible for pain around the eye, cheekbone, and jaw, as well as some temple pain. Literally all you have to do is angle your head down a little, angle it away from the side that hurts, and then you can gently pinch and rub that muscle. I find it best to start at the bottom and travel upwards. The relief is so immediate! You can increase pressure as you feel comfortable doing so.

Here is a short and easy video showing this in action

The second is a fast and easy stretch that soothes your vagus nerve, which is the nerve responsible for calming you down. The vagus nerve, for those unfamiliar, is stimulated by deep breathing such as yawning, sighing, singing, or taking a deep breath to calm your anger in a tense situation.

You can stretch this out by sitting up as straight as possible (this does not have to be perfect to work) and interlacing your fingers. Put your hands on the back of your head with your thumbs going down the sides of your neck and, while keeping your face forward, look all the way to one side with just your eyes. Hold that until you feel the urge to breathe deeply or yawn, or until you can tell there’s a change. Then do the same thing on the other side. When you put your arms down, you should clearly be able to turn your head farther in both directions. If the first session doesn’t get rid of your migraine, rest and repeat as many times as necessary. I even get a little fancy with it and roll my eyes up and down along the outer edge sometimes to stretch as much as I can.

If you need a visual here’s a good video on it. I know some of the language they use seems questionable but this is real and simple science and should not be discarded because it’s been adopted by the trendy wellness crowd!

I seriously cannot believe I didn’t hear a word of this from any doctor in my life. Additionally, if you get frequent recurring migraines, you may want to see a dietician. Migraines can be caused by foods containing histamines, lectin, etc. and can also be caused by high blood pressure in specific situations such as exercise, stress, and even sex.

If any of this information helps you I’d love to hear it btw! It’s so so fast and easy to do. Good luck!

jawsstone

When summer offers peaceful evenings...

Two original characters I created last holiday when I made a short comic. They've both changed since, but most notably the horned woman. I think her name will be Sage. The woman with the flower crown is called Colette.

PS: They are _not_ a couple.

thydungeongal

My one "you are playing the game wrong" with regard to D&D is that way too many GMs ask for ability checks when a character hasn't actually done anything or a player asks for an ability check without describing what their character is doing

"You open the door and see what is clearly a dimly lit dining room, you can make a Perception check," no, Steve, I can't make a Perception check, you just finished describing the room and I haven't said I'm doing anything to look at the room in more detail, shut the fuck up

"Can I make a Persuasion check," Steve what the fuck we've been through this, describe what you're doing and then if the GM thinks it warrants a check they'll tell you to make a check

(Having said that a lot of these problems do arise from 5e having very little guidance as to how to actually run it and leaves a hell of a lot up to GM judgement, for good examples of games that run on the "to do it, do it" principle see pretty much any PbtA game where moves have clear fictional triggers that don't require GM judgement)

thydungeongal

Also D&D style knowledge checks have always been hard to resolve with the "to do it, do it" principle because what is the fictional trigger for rolling an Intelligence (Arcana) check? Is it your character flexing their brain meats or getting out their big book of Arcana and trying to find the right entry? It even begs the question whether most knowledge skills should be treated as things to be rolled or whether they should be passives like Perception

The Study action from One D&D's playtest feels like some kind of attempt at mechanizing it and it does even provide a brief description of what it actually represents, but I feel it might be too little too late

thydungeongal

Another part of the problem is that the bulk of D&D's rules are combat rules. The combat rules are heavily structured so each type of activity you might do has a type of Action for it. Of course the above principle should still apply, like you should describe your character attacking and everyone should intuitively know that's the Attack action but a lot of the time people will default to talking with the action names simply because the action economy demands it ("Okay I move and then I do this thing as a bonus action which means I can still do this other thing as...")

So you've got a game that wants to be run using the "to do it, do it" principle combined with a combat system that requires a lot of technical jargon and a very specific action economy so of course there's going to be tension. And since combat is the most mechanically structured part of the system it's no wonder if some of the combat system "bleeds into" other parts of the game

thydungeongal

Yeah I can see that, and like I can absolutely see where this comes from and understand why people do it, so it's not actually something where I'll call out people for doing the game wrong, it's just a thing where I feel it goes against the spirit of the game.

And I need to clear things up: when I rail against the "role-playing vs. roll-playing" dichotomy my objection arises from the often elitist and dismissive idea that engaging with mechanics is somehow worse than some kind of "pure roleplay." Mechanics are great. But RPGs are more than just mechanics: the mechanics are there to resolve the fiction. And the fiction owns.

So like, I'm extremely PbtA poisoned at this point, but the optimal flow of a tabletop RPG is fiction -> mechanics -> fiction. Players describe what they're doing, if there's no mechanics needed to resolve this then it leads straight into what happens, but if mechanics are needed to resolve the situation then they should actually arise from the fiction. As I've said before, it doesn't need to be a lengthy description, it can be just a brief question implying an action ("Can I see something weird about this room?" implies that the character is looking at the room more intently) or a third person description of the action ("I ask the guard if he can let us through.")

They don't need to be described in minute detail, but there needs to be some trigger in the fiction instead of jumping straight into mechanics. That's not only like half the point of RPGs but I can also rules lawyer argue that in the context of D&D the "to do it, do it" principle is Rules As Written.

thydungeongal

Going back to the "GM asks players to make Perception checks upon entering the room," I've seen it happen a lot of times, sometimes it's to spot a hidden clue, sometimes it's to see the ambush, sometimes it's to see if there's a trap: there's a bunch of flaws to this approach which is why D&D actually has Passive Perception (which is something I rarely see used!?), but I digress.

The very act of calling for a Perception check clues the players in on the fact that there's something hidden to be found. If the check was to see if they noticed the ghouls lying in wait, ready to ambush, now you've clued the players in on the fact that there's something wrong here. There's obviously multiple ways to build tension and uncertainty in any type of scenario, sometimes the tension between player knowledge and character knowledge can be great, but in many situations cluing players in on something hidden without their input isn't great for player engagement or actually getting them to engage with exploration.

Calling for checks without player input isn't great for player agency and can make players passive. If players learn that the GM will eventually ask for Perception checks regardless of their input then what's the point of actually taking action?

(And one more addendum: role-play and mechanics are not two ends of a spectrum I will keep shouting this at the top of my lungs. You can have zero mechanics and, like, a hundred role-play, or vice versa, but it's not a zero sum game where more mechanics = less role-play or vice versa.)

thydungeongal

I just realized that part of the problem is that D&D wants to work on the "to do it, do it" principle but a lot of its rules don't mesh with that playstyle.

The basic rules describe that the game SHOULD be played in a "players describes what they're doing, GM calls for roll if necessary, GM describes outcome" way, but the actual mechanics make that type of play all but impossible in the core activity of the game, i.e. combat

Cause suddenly in combat there's a detailed action economy and very specific things you can do with an action. Suddenly asking for the player to act as a referee who tells you what to roll based on a description goes out the window and asking the GM to remember every exception on every player's character sheet would be impossible.

So we instead default to a tactical mode of play where each player is in charge of the rules governing their individual piece.

This is not to say that D&D is in some way dysfunctional, it's just that it has two very clearly delineated modes of play with very little overlap in terms of how they should work and be run.

And as PbtA and FitD games show us, there's no need for such a strict division between combat and other modes of play, it just seems to be the default in RPGs.

thydungeongal

Strangely enough, Pathfinder 2e is... extremely coherent in terms of this division between modes of play.

When I first took a look at PF2e my initial reaction was "God why can't I just make a roll a Diplomacy check, why do I need to take the Make an Impression action which has a Diplomacy check nested inside it" but it's exactly because PF2e wants to have combat and other modes of play on a relatively level playing field when it comes to how structured they are.

Pathfinder 2e is doing the same thing as Blades in the Dark in terms of how different modes of play are represented mechanically, but whereas Blades in the Dark goes for simplicity and one unified resolution mechanic in all modes of play Pathfinder 2e goes for granularity and as many different specific ways of resolving each specific action as possible to make each mode of play have as much mechanical weight.

And Pathfinder 2e's actions can be pretty much read as PbtA style moves with clearly determined triggers meaning that you don't even need the GM to act as a referee who makes judgement calls when a check can happen.

It's really weird but kind of cool.

thydungeongal

Oh, and one more important note: sometimes these additional little details I often see gated beyond rolling a high enough Perception check don't need to be gated beyond Perception checks. Like, the procedure is "player describes what they do, GM asks for a roll if necessary, GM describes what happens"

But you don't want to reveal all of it in one go so as to not overload your players with information

Think of it like this: when your players enter the room the description contains all the interactables in the room like painting, table, chair, ghoul, then if a player expresses interest in one particular interactable in the room that's them typing "look at ghoul" in the parser and then you give them a more detailed description

So you start with the big picture and fill it in as players investigate individual elements, supplementing the description with extra details with Perception checks if needed (but mostly for hidden and hard to see details)

thydungeongal

And like, as a corollary of the previous point: you shouldn't skip straight into the "can I make a roll" step because sometimes a roll isn't even warranted! Using the "I ask the guard if I can get through" example sometimes the guard will be like "oh yeah sure go ahead" without needing any kind of check, and other times the guard will be like "nay, to get through thou must roll me a Charisma (Persuasion) check!" and that's when you roll

dailyadventureprompts

"There are two different games, one is combat the other is exploration" is actually a really great way to think about it, though it does paint in stark contrast how overfed d&d's combat game is in comparison to its exploration game, both in terms of mechanics, and how little space is given over to actually teaching people to play/run the exploration game.

Hypothetically, you could think of designing for the exploration game like building an escape room, a series of connected chambers occupied by seemingly innocuous details. By poking and prodding and experimenting we get what we need to move forward while picking up clues about future challenges and the world around us. The trick is learning to not only design these sorts of spaces, but present them to our players in the most clear and efficient way possible. Escape rooms are challenging enough without having to do so blindfolded and relying on another person's description in order to navigate them.

senkkeidraws

the things i would imagine running alongside the car when i was a kid

neolithicsheep

This is gorgeous and I need a pack of them so we could run through the woods together hunting.

probablyfunrpgideas

The Runalongs are rare in worlds without fast transportation. It seems they are brought into being when someone, bored by a journey, looks out to watch the countryside go by. They daydream of a creature that follows their path (guarding? Or hunting?) and suddenly, without fanfare, it appears.

Runalongs have little in the way of ecology, but they are known to eat other dreams. Sometimes if the one who called them is particularly lonely or afraid they will get closer and even speak in humming voices without opening their mouths. But the second you stop moving, the creatures turn and vanish behind themselves, disappearing to wherever fantasies come from.

A Runalong can also have other forms; a humanoid figure (without distinct features) is common, and these may also ride things that are supposed to be horses. If only we were better at imagining, then they might not look so terrifying.

drmapzo

Hello, everyone!

A ship that still holds the souls of its damned crew is said to still be sailing the dark waters of the ocean. Your players have just learned about it and they’re ready to steal the cursed treasure!

Once they’re able to find it they will have to have fierce battles with the ghostly crew that will try to steal the party’s souls. They better act fast or they will be trapped in there forever!

The creature tokens for this map are a Dragon Turtle, a Ghost Captain and a Ghost Pirate. Emerald tier gets the Dragon Turtle while Diamond tier gets all three. In addition, Sapphire tier gets extra creature token variants.

You can see a preview of all of this week’s Patreon content here.

Thank you very much for taking a look and be sure to check out my Patreon where you can pledge for gridless version, alternate map versions as well as the tokens pertaining to this map.

shamebats

Obsessed with this year's grand prize winner of the Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

2022 Grand Prize Winner

"I knew she was trouble the second she walked into my 24-hour deli, laundromat, and detective agency, and after dropping a load of unmentionables in one of the heavy-duty machines (a mistake that would soon turn deadly) she turned to me, asking for two things: find her missing husband and make her a salami on rye with spicy mustard, breaking into tears when I told her I couldn't help—I was fresh out of salami."

shamebats

Since 1982 the Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest has challenged participants to write an atrocious opening sentence to the worst novel never written. Our whimsical literary competition honors Sir Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, whose 1830 novel Paul Clifford begins with “It was a dark and stormy night.”

shamebats

My personal all-time favorite is the grand prize winner of 2019:

Space Fleet Commander Brad Brad sat in silence, surrounded by a slowly dissipating cloud of smoke, maintaining the same forlorn frown that had been fixed upon his face since he’d accidentally destroyed the phenomenon known as time, thirteen inches ago.

- Maxwell Archer, Mt Pleasant, Ontario, Canada

the-oricami-curio

Abishai Skin Cloaks

Very Rare, Wonderous Item

(Requires Attunement)

Defeating an Abishai is no simple task, but many adventurers seek such fiends for more than just a thrilling battle. One skilled with a small blade and a stead hand, can turn their Abishai quarry into a fashion statement, useful armor, or a hefty payday.

The full skin of an Abishai retains much of its original magical qualities. Whether you wish to scare townsfolk with your new horrifying visage, or have taken a calculated detour before fighting that ancient dragon, an Abishai cloak is a great addition to any adventurer’s gear.

Devilish Resistance. While wearing this cloak, you gain resistance to the damage type that corresponds to the color of the Abishai’s skin.

Hellish Resistance. Once per day, when you are forced to make a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on the save.

Assimilation. While wearing the cloak, you can cast the spell Disguise Self, at will, to take on the appearance of the Abishai who’s skin you’re wearing.

dndsettingsinfo

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