text:
SFist alerts you to the risk of "sport-caught shellfish" from Santa Cruz county carrying a neurotoxin called domoic acid, which causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). Of course, the key is that most shellfish people buy in stores or eat in restaurant is commercially caught, and thus "subject to frequent and mandatory testing."
Domoic acid buildup in shellfish is caused by certain algal blooms. ASP can cause brain damage in humans, and seizures in marine mammals. Sounds awesome.
Remember when everybody made a big stink about Michelle Obama's organic vegetable garden? Remember how tons of progressive yuppies thought it was, like, the coolest thing ever? Well, evidently, just because the Obamas don't want their arugula drenched with hormone-altering chemicals and toxic sludge doesn't mean that they give a shit about what farmers are allowed to spray on yours.
As Mother Jones (ugh, I know, they're crazy) reports, Obama has nominated a former high-level lobbyist for the pesticide industry for a key agricultural post. In fact, the nominee hails from the very same organization that launched a series of ridiculous and kind of vicious attacks on Michelle's little garden. (And the same organization that, under his watch, engaged in secret talks with the EPA to test pesticides on children. I will repeat that: test pesticides on children.
Not like Barack Obama has a stellar record on nominating progressives to key positions dealing with either the environment or food production, but this recent bit of news is especially WTF?!
The lobbyist (oh hey, remember Obama's campaign promise not to fill key posts with lobbyists?) is expected to be confirmed without any problems. But with a name like "Islam 'Isi' Siddiqui," there's always a chance that the birthers and Lou Dobbs could unite to run this guy out of Washington. Fingers crossed.
From Ben, who stole it from this girl he has a crush on.
Green Fest is in San Francisco this weekend; let Vegansaurus guide you through it.
Win a copy of 500 Vegan Recipes! Hurry up and do it by Tuesday, Nov. 17!
The clever fuckers at the California Milk Advisory Board will be filming their latest "Happy Cows come from California" commercials in New Zealand. Torture the local cows, but don't let the state benefit from production fees: such lovely people they are.
Local chefs discover that tofu is not an abomination against haute cuisine. Color us shocked. And hungry for samples!
Another poor review of Eating Animals, from another Gawker associate. Shut up, Joshua David Stein, you are much too pleased with yourself and your criticism.
For the strong-stomached, the birth of an elephant. Miracles: kinda gross! This goes for every human who records the births of their own young as well.
And in New Zealand, a shark gave birth to four live sharklets, thanks to the intervention of another shark? Freaky, gross, amazing.
Oh delicious: a recipe for Czech fruit dumplings! Yes PLEASE.
Filling closets with clothes for yourself is acceptable human behavior; filling a closet with matching clothes for your cat is NOT. I recognize we're all guilty of anthropomorphism to some degree, but this not OK.
Watch out, sickies: you can pass on the swine flu to your companion animals.
Remember Nicolette Hahn Niman's ridiculous op-ed renouncing her ranch's responsibility for carbon emissions? Peter Singer gives her brief, precise what-for.
King of Jerkoffs A. Bourdain says humans are allowed to eat animals because they are "smaller and stupider" than us. Ari Solomon says, intelligence is as intelligence does, bright boy. (Although we should note, Mr. Solomon, that "stupider" is an inflected comparative and most certainly a word.) (Grammarsaurus!)
More meat and more dairy makes Jack an angrier, more hostile and depressed boy; more carbs and less meat and dairy makes him happier and peaceful.
Friend-of-Vegansaurus Graciela has a new blog in which she explores urban gardening in L.A. We are so envious of all her lovely greens!
Check it out, another E. coli outbreak in ground beef!
Kind of pretty, kind of disgusting: your internal organs rendered in produce.
Genetically engineered apples that stay crispy without refrigeration!
Congratulations Ike's, winner of Peta's best vegetarian meatballs! Enjoy them in a (vegan) Meatless Mike or a Not-So-Sloppy Ike.
An interview with our hero Deborah Madison, vegetarian chef and cookbook author extraordinaire!
Last year's fascinating story "Morality bites," by the Chicago Tribune's Monica Eng, is included in Best Food Writing 2009.
Publisher's Weekly selects this year's best food books; titles include the bizarro Almost Meatless ("almost"? come the hell on), the revolting Lobel's Meat Bible, and two books Vegansaurus wouldn't mind unwrapping this holiday season: Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking, and Salt to Taste: The Key to Confident, Delicious Cooking. Neither is vegan, but both seem extremely useful.
Revolting, slightly terrifying tale of a food writer's giving in to a murderous impulse and shooting a baboon, and the global fallout.
Ours friends at Veg-Table are looking for writers for their city guides. GET ON IT, YOU WRITERLY PERSON.
A lot of you are probably planning on attending because you're a bunch of g-d liberal hippies. All the info you need is here, but basically, it's all day Friday (that's TODAY!), Saturday, and Sunday. It's at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center and it's $15 per day but there are various deals for bike riders and seniors (go on, people on wheels!).
There are definitely some great exhibitors like PCRM, VegNews (also a partner! go vegans!), Compassionate Cooks, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and more. There are also some lame exhibitors but I won't go in to details because I'm not feeling particularly mean today but let's just say the happy-meat-eating Prius crowd will be there IN FULL EFFECT. Guard your loins! I don't know why I said that, just love the expression. Also, don't procreate with those people. Also, I've noticed a bizarre amount of organic baby clothing for sale at these events. Probably has to do with the thing above.
Speakers include the usual hippies and visionaries and sometimes-crazy-people-with-a-point. Oh also, A QUEEN. Except not in the traditional sense but this is Green Fest, what's traditional about it? Hey, guess what, I'm a Hobbit Wizard!
It's pretty much a good time, LOTS of people giving stuff away, some good vegan food being sold, and good people watching. I'll be there so if you see me, DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT. I'm hella crazy. Also, say hi! WHAT TO DO!?
Eat Pastry Cookie Dough is the S-H-I-Z (that is slang for something very delicious: e.g., "this shiz is delicious"). I'm not about to be coy or shy about the amount of this cookie dough that I ate. I ate a lot. I ate enough that if you were to lay these (beautifully designed) tubs filled with (g-d amazing) cookie dough side-by-side, that shit would wrap around the earth five times. I ate so much cookie dough that your mama is so fat and she could not eat as much cookie dough as I did. I ate so much cookie dough that you cannot recognize my scent as that of a human, only that of cookie dough. I ate so much cookie dough that YOU GET THE IDEA.
Eat Pastry is a small company that you might remember hearing about on Vegansaurus. They showed up on one of the design blogs Jonas reads because their design is super cute and fucking awesome. (It says adorable little things all over the package, like "made by two chefs who met in pastry school and have been in love ever since" and "let fully cool before you devour (we mean savor)") So then we posted about them and dreamed of cookie dough but nothing happened. THEN, I was visiting the offices of the Republic of the Best Place on Earth, VegNews, and they freaking had Eat Pastry Cookie Dough!!! We sampled (read: gorged ourselves on it) one day after lunch and an incredible, insatiable crush was born. The kind of crush you can only stop by eating the person/cookie dough. Eat Pastry's "website" is sadly missing really any content but with a little sleuthing, I was able to contact them and ask for some delicious dough. WELL BITCHES DELICIOUS DOUGH THEY SENT. Five different types, to be exact: Chocolate Chunk (my fave), Chocoholic Chunk (brownie in a tub, my fave), Cinnamon Ginger Spice (Christmas in a tub, my fave), Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip (HOLY CRAP, my fave), and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip (my other fave).
YOU GUYS. This is the kind of stuff that dreams are made. Literally, my dreams are made of little cookie dough-shaped people. You were there last night, Ginger Spice. You too, Chocolate Chunk. Eat it straight out of the tub and you know that your shit can't get salmonella. OR WORSE. Bake it up and know that you have Perfect Cookies. Like Stepford Wives perfect. I wish I were like them, their lives are so great! (By the way, I've only seen the first 30 minutes of that movie.) This is the kind of product that you want to throw a parade for. It's like Daiya, but for cookie dough. I know that the phrase, "it's so good you can't tell it's vegan!" gets waaaaaay overused but seriously, it is painfully, deliciously true when it comes to Eat Pastry Cookie Dough. YOU CANNOT TELL IT IS ISN'T VEGAN. OR I MEAN IS VEGAN SEE HOW IT IS FUCKING WITH ME.
Anyway, it's currently available in some Whole Foods in San Diego (for the first time in my life, I am jealous of San Diego OH SNAP) and Mother's Markets. I am assured that they are expanding their reach to Northern California very soon and so we can all get it on it. SO PLEASE, whenever you're in Whole Foods here, fill out one of those customer comment cards and ask for Eat Pastry Vegan Cookie Dough! And Basu's Homestyle! And Daiya! And also, ask at Rainbow too. Let's do this, vegans. Activism has never been so delicious. Except for that one kind of activism that involves sex workers.
But only as a friend.
No, seriously. Vegansaurus is looking to expand and take over the world and dominate in every way possible. We're looking for writers.
Specifically, we're looking for people who are way into vegan food. We are especially interested in people who are really into cooking, baking, and creating amazing recipes. Also, someone with a good eye for current events, especially (obviously) vegan news. Certainly being a witty genius is a plus because we need more of that. this could be one person. or it could be two. You don't have to be in San Francisco as we're looking to expand our reach. But we need people who can contribute two to three times per week.
If you're interested, send a couple samples of your writing to laura @ vegansaurus dot com, even if it's just your blog or some scanned-in poetry. Actually not that second thing. Please god.
Vegans, vegetarians, and yes, even omnivores are invited to apply. And maybe your dog too if he can use a computer.
First, let's appease the FTC by noting that we received a copy of this book for free, for reviewing purposes. Second, let's appease the critics by noting that as Lisa Jervis is a founder of Bitch magazine, we are predisposed to love her. Third, I don't have any photos of the food I made because I don't have a functioning camera, so you're just going to have to imagine how wonderful everything looked, OK? Fourthly, let's write this.
Cook Food is a little, no-frills book that is crammed full of useful information. It's written by a (seemingly) very practical person for the very pragmatic cooks among us, by which I mean she takes a very "do the best you can with what you have" approach, with her recipes functioning more as inspiration than rules to strictly follow. This, I dig; often I want to make dish but cannot find one of the ingredients, and do not have the opportunity and/or inclination to go get it. It's rare to find a cookbook author who encourages you to wing it. This is all right.
I tried out three recipes from Cook Food, all of which I tried to follow to the letter but none of which I did, exactly. The first was Rosemary Mustard Tofu; lazily, I didn't press the tofu at all, but I did let it sit in the marinade for a good long time. Per the author's notes, the leftovers did make a good sandwich the next day. I accidentally put too much dijon mustard in the sauce, because I have trouble with tasks like measuring, but it wasn't a big deal, really.
Next I made Lentils with Wine, which I loved and will definitely make again. For a dish with so few ingredients, it has a lot of flavor, full-bodied and rich and just really delicious. Red wine, red onion and green lentils are apparently the perfect combination.
Lastly, I tried out her version of peanut sauce, which, as she warned, was not at all like the Thai-style peanut sauce I had sort of wanted (despite having read the recipe before deciding to prepare it). This one I fiddled with, a little; I found it quite salty and, I don't know, off somehow, so I added a lot of white balsamic vinegar and a couple splashes of plain soy milk, and that seemed to mend it for me. Then I ate it on everything; on Trader Joe's vegetable gyoza; over cold mixed lettuces and hot rice (DELICIOUS, my goodness); as a dip for baby carrots and steamed broccoli. It turned out to be a very versatile sauce.
Cook Food wasn't written by a vegan; it's a vegan cookbook because Lisa Jervis believes that eating mostly organically and locally grown produce is healthiest for us and our environment (and she's right, duh). It's plainspoken without being obvious, and pragmatic without condescending. It'd make a wonderful first cookbook for new vegans—much better than those "Vegan Recipes for College Students" that teach you how to boil pasta or whatever—but once your skills have improved beyond "beginner" you'll still find it useful.
Plus, like I said, it's Lisa Jervis, and everything she creates is of very high quality.
If you've got the money, I've got the time KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN GREAT NEITHER DO I.
If you are so inclined/filthy rich, you could spend Thanksgiving doing it up at Millennium. Oh go for it, you have no family who loves you anyway. I mean in the Bay Area! I'm not that mean! OR AM I, PERSON WITH NO FAMILY WHO LOVES YOU?? IN THE BAY AREA. Dang, paranoid!
OH ALSO SPEAKING OF THAT…if there are any stragglers around for the holidays who can't afford Millennium, you're welcome to come with me to my parents' house. It's seriously a blast. First, we will eat hella mashed potatoes, then we'll hear my dad lecture about raquetball and/or aliens, then my four-year-old niece will feel you up, and THEN we'll watch a movie! Probably something with an end-of-the-world or Strawberry Shortcake theme. It's actually tons of fun, email me!
If you can't/refuse to make it to either event, you can always recreate the Eric Tucker Experience with his pumpkin pie recipe (Thanks, VegNews!). I'd share mine but basically it's exactly his only I came up with it first um yes that's the ticket.
Manzanita Shangri-La Vegan is the place to go when you're sick of feeling like a big fat greasy intoxicated pig and need to feel cleansed, which is obviously not good for all occasions but certainly has its place. It's organic, vegan, macrobiotic food FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. I know that just made half of you go, "oooh…tell me more" and it made the other half (the smarter half, some might say) go, "DISGUSTING I HATE YOU LAURA I HOPE THIS BLOG BURNS TO THE GROUND." However, I would ask you to reserve judgment as I am so often unwilling to do. Manzanita Shangri-La Vegan is actually quite fantastic. Be prepared to be surrounded by white people with dreads who might step outside for a delightful mid-meal game of hacky sack (but you're used to that by now, aren't you). Just go with it. If you can't handle a woman coming up for some fresh air after an invigorating partner yoga session to openly breastfeed her seven-year-old, what can you handle!? JESUS, GROW A PAIR.
Things that are especially delicious: the salad dressings, the kale (I don't know what they do but MAGIC!), and actually pretty much everything is really good. Except the vegan baked goods. As you might have guessed, I'm a junk food vegan so I know how hard it is to get the baked goods right, but come on. You've got time and a kitchen, let's get to practicing! Less time making daisy chains and sexing in communal hot tubs (SHUDDER) and more time in the kitchen! ALL SAID, this place sounds way more hippy-dippy than it actually is (lie) and the food is way worth a visit (truth).
Let's be real: the only thing that matters about Thanksgiving is the pie. When everyone else has forsaken you, you can always turn to pie. Unfortunately, we're short on pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan pies here in the Bay Area, but maybe next year!? All I know is, we gots to ask for what we want so if you want these types of pies, email your favorite pie place and ASK FOR THEM! Come on vegans! This is three-minute activism, you can do it!! Okay, enough of the patronizing, let's pie this!
Alameda Pie has got you covered with vegan apple pie. They'll be delivering all over the Bay Area but get your orders in, stat!
Mission Pie has an Apple Brandy Raisin pie for the vegans. Get your orders in on the double. Pick up at their store.
Bike Basket Pies is gonna hook you up with several variations on apple and pear pies, including apple-cranberry and pear-ginger. THEY MIGHT ALSO HAVE A PUMPKIN PIE. No word yet but perhaps if enough vegans requested it, WHO KNOWS!? Pick up in the mission.
In The Mood For Food Vegan Catering has a vegan pumpkin pie! Woohoo! They also have apple-walnut tarts, pear-pecan tarts, apple pies, pear pies, PECAN PIES, brownies & carrot-oat cookies! In fact, they have a full on vegan Thanksgiving catering menu so check it out & get your orders in ASAPly! Oh, and they DELIVER.
Rainbow is selling several vegan pies, including some new stuff from Sugar Plum Vegan, including a gluten-free chai spice sweet potato pie and a pumpkin cheezecake. You gotta head to the store to see what their selection is.
Whole Foods will definitely have vegan pies. Sure, they'll be boring but you know, you gots to takes what you can gets NOW GO EMAIL SOME PLACES.
Oh and yeah, I'm sure any of our local vegan bakeries (sugar beat sweets, violet sweet shoppe, fat bottom bakery, cinnaholic, sugar plum vegan, idle hands baking company, ETC ETC - google them for more info because girrrrl, I gots a job I gotta get back to!) would be stoked to help cater all your holiday pie needs, so don't forget about them!!
ONE LAST THING: You can always get a vegan ice cream cake (pumpkin ice cream YES PLEASE) from Maggie Mudd! Bonus point: all ice cream cakes are 20 percent off in November!!!
ONE MORE LAST THING: Perhaps you choose to keep it super-fancy and want to bake one yourself. OH YOU ARE SO FANCY AND BETTER THAN THE REST OF US.
Here is how it went down:
Honestly, both Hazel and Jonas are lucky they're still alive. DEEP FRYING IS HELLA FUN.
I also will provide two quick recipes:
And remember, you can do this and feel not truly awful about it because A) FAT PEOPLE RULE and B) Since all your deep-frying is animal-free, it means its cholesterol-free! THAT'S RIGHT. I believe that means you can deep-fry with impunity. So do it up, you're hella skin-and-bones, anyway. The only person that's attractive on is LFB and you know it.
AND YES, that is a Wii Fit in the background of that picture. We use it when we run out of table room for fry.
There was the Worldwide Vegan Bakesale, SF in June and the first SF Vegan Bakesale in October and they were both such insane successes (a total of $5,600 raised for awesome animal groups!) that we're BACK! And we is better than ever!
Our next sale will raise money for Food Empowerment Project, who work with youth and low-income populations to make healthier, more informed food choices AND SaveABunny, who saves the shit out of the CUTEST BUNNIES EVER. Added bonus, we'll have adoptable bunnies on the scene (!!!) and ready to go home with loving, awesome homes.
Check it out Saturday, December 5th, in front of Ike's Place (3506 16th St. at oh come on you know where Ike's is fine it's Sanchez can't you go anywhere without Google Maps?), 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
We badly need volunteers, eaters, bakers, paper plates, compostable to-go containers & flatware, and hella publicity to make this awesome so mobilize, vegan (pacifist) army and email firstname.lastname@example.com if you can/want to/feel obligated to pitch in! Let's make this happen!!!
Oh, we also have a twitter set up! FOLLOW US!
** The SF Vegan Bakesale is officially sponsored by VegNews Magazine, Veg-Table.net, & Vegansaurus! **
This past Friday, the SFPD raided the beloved, the delicious, THE BENIGN Brassica Supperclub and forced them to shut down. OH HELL NO. Aren't there real crimes going on in this city to focus on? Like rapings and beatings and shiz? A VEGAN SUPPERCLUB. Ain't nobody getting sick from some cabbage, fools.
The weirdest part, some guests overheard one of the police say that they were vegetarian and that they wanted to stay and eat but couldn't! I mean, how is that for bizarre? Oh and the cops MADE A RESERVATION. Way to infiltrate, po-po! This is more sophisticated shit than The Wire!
Anyway, not to get all Free Murat on your asses but, is there anything we can do??
The American is a new grilled cheese restaurant opening in South Park (January-ish, we gather?), and we have heard through the grapevine that some vegan options may be included in the final menu. Currently, vegan grilled cheese is only available in SF at Ike's Place.
Follow them on Twitter to stay apprised for now!
TODAY! That's Friday, Nov. 6: Jonathan Safran Foer is having a book signing at UC Berkeley at 7 p.m. in the Multicultural Center! Woo!!
On Sunday, Nov. 8 at noon King of Ughs David Chang and Ubuntu's vegetarian betrayer Jeremy Fox will appear in conversation with each other at Omnivore Books (3885 Cesar Chavez St. at Church Street). New York Times columnist (and co-author of His Majesty of Shut Up, David Chang's new book) Peter Meehan will moderate.
JSF makes a modern Modest Proposal to omnivores: how about some delicious dog? One of your Vegansaurs' first solid foods was dog soup. This was not a major factor in his/her decision to go vegan (GUESS WHOSE), as it only happened once, during toddlerhood; the point is, duh, all meat is equally reprehensible.
This one time, in August, Emperor David Chang of Saying Idiotic Things made a vegetarian meal, at the behest of the James Beard Foundation. Color Vegansaurus unimpressed; we've had at least as fancy at Brassica.
Miss Vegan Drinks? Of course you do! Thank goodness for the East Bay, who've been doing their thing on non-holiday Tuesdays and want to see you at their next meeting! Mix and mingle on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kona Club, at 4401 Piedmont Ave. at Pleasant Valley Avenue in Oakland! Details here.
Hey, Science: "Because such monkey torture will not lead to improved human health, you don't need to be an animal rights advocate to wonder if an ethical cost-benefit analysis might conclude that the ends don't justify the means."
Nicolette Hahn Niman doesn't want you to blame her ranch for the environmental problems caused by raising animals for food; after all, she says, "Singling out meat is misleading and unhelpful, especially since few people are likely to entirely abandon animal-based foods." And anyway, "avoiding soy from deforested croplands may be more difficult…. Brazilian soy is common (and unlabeled) in tofu and soymilk sold in American supermarkets," so shut up and eat your Bill-Niman-de-and-renounced "happy" beef, already. JESUS LADY.
Adult Dungeness crabs are few and far between for the second consecutive year, but that won't stop most fishermen from going out to catch as many as they (legally) can. Fishing in a "down" season makes perfect sense, hooray people.
CHOW honors local hero Bryant Terry and Queen of Vegetables Deborah Madison in its first annual awards, the CHOW 13. Too bad they have to tell us how much they looooove Ryan "literally all of the pig" Farr as well, boo.
Congratulations to friend-of-Vegansaurus Celine of Have Cake, Will Travel: her very first cookbook is out today!
For reasons as yet unknown, all the female spectacled bears in the Leipzig (Germany) Zoo have lost nearly all of their hair. They look incredibly pathetic without their usual "fluffy dark brown" fur coats.
Oh delicious, sumptuous, vegan cuisine literally good enough for the Queen: a luncheon at Windsor Castle, part of a "Celebration of Faiths and the Environment," satisfied all the participants' dietary requirements by eliminating all animal products from the menu! An "autumnal roasted pear salad" with "deeply savory…toasted [Kentish] cobnuts"? Yes, please!
Yobie Benjamin analyzes the most recent reviews of and data on San Francisco's public school lunches, and determines that, duh, it can be done better, for cheaper. The notable part here is that he includes veg options in his price breakdowns. It's not more expensive to eat vegan! OK?!!
How revolting: a guy in Cleveland had very poorly hidden the bodies of six women—who had been raped and murdered—"in and around" his house, which is next door to a sausage factory, which some people blamed for the stench. Rotting carcasses stink, be they human or other animal.
In fucked-up and depressing animal news, there's still one organization associated with the veal calf slaughterhouse exposé that apparently supports the obscene treatment of those baby cows. Unregulated free markets always arrive at the best solutions, right?
The SF Bay Guardian makes a giant effort and reviews Greens. Revelation: it still makes good food. Your omnivorous friends will not complain (too much) about being denied their meat for one meal. Like we were saying, a new restaurant critic with some imagination re: veg food, please.
Our pals at CSA Delivery blog have been killing it with their vegan recipes lately: dolmas with caramelized leek hummus; chard and chickpea burgers with quick pickled veggies; vegetable curry; soft chili tofu. UGH SO HUNGRY.
On Saturday, Nov. 21, friends-of-Vegansaurus Farm Sanctuary are hosting a Celebration for the Turkeys dinner, "designed" by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau! Tickets cost $75 for adults and $35 for children, and are on sale now. Unless you are also a famous vegan cookbook author, this is guaranteed to be a lot tastier than your Thanksgiving dinner, so you might as well go. Plus it supports farm animals, instead of crazy relatives who drink too much/not enough; a pig will never ask you when you're going to give it grandchildren or if you've put on weight.
A what? An Animal Protection Liaison, as proposed by the Humane Society of the United States, would "work with the executive agencies and Congress to advance animal protection policies." Simple, right? Yes!
HSUS has already written a Change Agenda for Animals, a set of 100
guidelines for improving the lives of our nation's animals, both domesticated and wild; the APL would help ensure those guidelines are followed.
Look, this puppy gets the best care ever, I mean, he has damn hell ass Secret Service agents to protect him. And he is ONE SMALLISH DOG. What about dogs born in puppy mills? What about cows on feedlots? What about endangered animals? They need someone to protect them. All you have to do is sign this itsy bitsy little petition—it is one brief form—and HSUS will forward it to the president or whomever in his administration is in charge of receiving such things. Easy-peasy.
Just because Halloween is past us, doesn't mean it's time to put the pumpkin away just yet. After all, it's still decorative gourd season! Here are just a few of the seasonally available pumpkin-flavored goods you can be sure of enjoying until January at least.
UPDATE: Scrooge came early this year! Against our better judgment, we believed the word of a Starbucks employee and didn't examine the ingredients label for ourselves. The PSL is not vegan, even with soy milk—we are very bummed! Mea maxima culpa. SOLUTION: Make your own with this easily veganizable recipe.
Peet's Coffee also has a pumpkin-flavored latte available, but it's not as good as Starbucks' version. Consider it the lesser of the two. Unlike Starbucks, however, these are definitely vegan.
Clif Bar features a "Spiced Pumpkin Pie" flavor as one of three seasonally available flavors. The others, just so you know, are "Spiced Gingerbread" and "Cranberry Orange Nut Bread." I can't vouch for cranberry yet (it's new), but the others are delicious (for Clif bars). AND they will give you vitamins and energy to keep you going on the…trail…or whatever.
For those marginally more inclined towards making something themselves, Trader Joe's brings us their Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix. This stuff is the shit. We've already shown you how to hack their bread mixes. The important takeaway is: substitute 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin for the eggs! After all, why would you want to dilute your bread with anything that's not MORE pumpkin?
Now available at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's is Buffalo Bill's pumpkin ale. This is a relatively decent beer which earns unaccountably low marks from sites such as Beer Advocate. They must know something I don't! Side note: Buffalo Bill's brewery is located just over in Hayward, and their menu actually has a vegan pizza listed. Granted, it's just veggies and no cheese, and it's the only vegan item they have, but still! They might be getting a visit from me soon!
Superior to Buffalo Bill's by all accounts (including mine) is Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale. This is for "real" beer drinkers only, and comes with a price tag to match. Available at Whole Foods and City Beer Store, this is what I'll be pouring over my head in between Pumpkin Spice Silk rinses, all holiday season.
What's your favorite vegan pumpkin food product? Seriously, I would love to know: I won't be happy until I'm eating nothing but pumpkin in its various forms.
The SF Weekly recently laid off its restaurant critic, and is searching for a new one. Want the job? We want you to have it! Obviously, we can't; that's why we have Vegansaurus, right? Right. But you, careful, considerate omnivores who for whatever reasons haven't given up your animal-unfriendly diets yet, certainly could!
I know, it sounds insane, vegans encouraging you to eat meat. Well, we're not, exactly; what we're thinking is, we need more mainstream restaurant critics who enjoy vegan food, and understand that you can eat very well without animal products. If you're going to have to review new dead-cow and dead-fish restaurants, you could try the veg options at those places, or at least note if there are any. I tend to skip the reviews in publications of all sizes, not just because they almost never review vegetarian or vegan restaurants, but because they usually don't even address the concept of not eating animal products. People like us are left to figure everything out for ourselves, which is ridiculous; if you want to increase your audience (I'd say "sell more papers" but the Weekly is free), broaden your range. Include us. Our demographic spends a lot of money on food; we're interested in what's new and delicious, and we love to read good food writing. How about throwing us something other than a bone?
So omnivorous readers, and readers with omnivorous friends, what do you say? An actual writing job has opened up at an actual publication; all you eligible people should apply, already.
The New York Times highlights fall's best new cookbooks
Hear that, you guys? "Real" Americans don't want universal healthcare, live in major cities, or have domestic arrangements other than marrying someone of the opposite sex and making babies, and they especially aren't fucking vegetarians.
This is rich coming from the New York goddamn Times, you know?
You might be thinking, "What a boring product to review. I am so tired of looking at Amy's frozen foods in my local boutique grocery freezer case. I don't even eat frozen foods; I only eat meals prepared from farmer's market ingredients and Veganomicon recipes." Nice life, snob. Also, marry me.
What I'm saying is that for regular people with busy lives, desk jobs and no money, frozen food happens and Amy's is generally one of your better options. Specifically, the Black Bean Vegetable Burrito is where it's at. I ate these twice a day in college, and have recently rediscovered them as the perfect food, after a long (sad) accidental hiatus.
This delicious creation is made with a whole wheat tortilla, a bunch of organic vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, it's totally vegan, and it tastes like one of those junk food refried bean Taco Bell burritos from the '80s that tasted SO GOOD when you were a kid and never allowed to eat them. Actually, I wasn't allowed to eat them so I could be remembering that incorrectly, but you know what I mean? The delicious taste of junk food chemically engineered to addict your brain?
(OOH speaking of that, Eric Schlosser was at Herbst Theater last night and I would totally have gone if I could! He's not talking about fast food though, he's talking about our fucked prison system. Still very interesting.)
Anyway, to recap, Amy's black bean burrito is full of good stuff but it tastes conventionally delicious. Also it's about $3 and rocking 9 grams of protein and no cholesterol, so I recommend you keep several in your office freezer. Find it in the freezer case at your local spot (if you live in San Francisco or a comparable city where your vernacular grocery markets are full of things like organic produce and the Hain-Celestial family of products.)
Berkeley, get going: tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Boalt Hall Animal Law Society will show Food, Inc. Be in room 100 in Boalt Hall on the UC Berkeley campus by 5:30 p.m. for the screening, which is free for everyone! Awesome! The film runs about 90 minutes, and is supposed to be very good. Or at least worth no money!
OK, so when I first heard about Ubuntu starting to serve meat on special Tuesdays or whatever I was all, WTF UBUNTU?!?! Then I realized, hey the economy and all that BS, and I am totally supportive of any and everything Ubuntu tries to do (and if you haven't tried their Marcona almonds with lavender sea salt then you are missing out on ECSTACY, YES THE DRUG I LOVE TRIPPING ON E I MEAN ALMONDS TOUCH ME PLEASE) so if Ubuntu needs to make a quick buck by serving meat like every other Napa restaurant then so be it, 'cause I will WIN THIS by GOING ON WEDNESDAY, HUZZAH!
But THEN I heard that it's gonna involve lame-ass "guest chefs" or something else equally as 'tarded, and that it's gonna involve David Chang, and I'm like WTF all over again.
David Chang owns 97 Momofuku-branded craptacular restaurants in Manhattan and let me tell you something: he's totally mean; and also, homie, your food ain't all that, y'hear? And notwithstanding the stupid "figs on a plate I hate you San Francisco and vegetarians BLAH BLAH BLAH" comments he said, we already have a David Chang here and his name is Charles Phan and in SF HE AIN'T ALL THAT. Slanted Door is one of the hardest restaurants to get a reservation to but I think if you ask any foodie what they think about Slanted Door, they'd be all, Yeah it's all right, but it's way too expensive and I'd only go there on an expense account. Because in reality what we have here is a Chinese dude smiling at you letting you know that you shouldn't be scared to eat Chinese food because THIS Chinese food is different because it's Niman Ranch, but then you look all around you and IT'S ALL WHITE PEOPLE IN COLLARED SHIRTS, because Chinese people know what the real shit is all about and don't need to be comforted knowing their own cuisine and don't get me started on stupid yuppies co-opting street food because at the end of the day it's just yuppie white folks not wanting to feel guilty about their discomfort with other cultures. And yes this was the longest sentence in the history of sentences but I think we all know what I'm getting at here, right?!?
I rant, yes, but at the end of the day, Momofuku and all its 1,598 incarnations just aren't good. And to Ubuntu I say, Go on with your bad self, and make hella money, but dude, why you gotta throw David Chang a bone? Stop trying to make me love you less!
This rant is brought to you by Omnivore Ed. Let it be known that Vegansaurus also thinks David Chang is a shithead and his cult-like following is definitely goofy. I mean, what? Does his food give you a bigger penis or cause you to sprout wings? NO? SHUT. UP. Also, we ask you this: IS IT COINCIDENCE THAT "CHANG" RHYMES WITH "DUMBASS OVERRATED CHEFLEBRITY"??? RIDDLE ME THAT!


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The Design Public Conclave, which opens at the National Museum this Friday, will explore the role of innovation to enhance delivery of services to citizens
Many European countries have government-supported design conglomerations for the purposes of enhancing business and the government's interface with the public.
Design Council in the UK not only works to create public identities but also helps formulate national design strategies that help the United Kingdom to differentiate its national brand and achieve broad national benefits. Elsewhere in the UK, a private organization, Think Public, and various governmental agencies, are working through a consultative approach with citizens to better target governmental services so as to maximize citizen benefits.
In Denmark, three national ministries came together to establish an internal innovation center called Mind Lab, which seeks to discover and implement new and improved means for the delivery of social and welfare services to its citizens.
In the context of public health, the first major public health information system has been built in Canada, and in many ways it may serve as a reference and benchmark for other countries around the world. The first deployment of a public health information system in developing country contexts is in Ghana, where a specialized Resource Center is even now being conceived to enable the support and further development of this new system.
In India, early innovation research and concept development activities by the Center for Knowledge Societies for the Gates Foundation has shown promising results in terms of new opportunities to enhance the quality of health care delivery through a pilot project in Bihar, using the tools and techniques of ethnography, design, and user experience enhancement.
CKS has hosted innovation workshops with international health experts, public officials and other stakeholders to envision new kinds of technologies and solutions for improving public health delivery. At the same time, it learnt more about how governments change and how they acquire new skills, values, aptitudes and ways of working.
In the Indian context most of the social, economic and even technological change over the past two years has come about through the efforts of the private sector. Consequently, government in India has come to expect to be changed by the private sector.
If governments in India or other regions of South Asia or the wider emerging economy world are to become more innovation oriented and innovation focused, this will only occur due thanks to new kinds of consortia and public-private-social partnerships, which together bring a new kind of culture of innovation into being.
But none of this can happen without a more widespread transformation of India into a society that welcomes innovation, believes in the possibility of social change, and approaches difficult challenges with a light optimism and spirit of collaboration.
One of the most important lessons, through the first edition of Design Public, was that the creativity and innovativeness of governments is directly linked to the society and economy within which they are situated. One cannot have innovative government without a broader economic and social context which supports, rewards and therefore reinforces the virtuous cycle of innovation.
The Bihar innovation
One approach which has recently emerged from this process is represented by the Bihar Innovation Lab, an initiative of the Center for Knowledge Societies with support from the Gates Foundation and the Government of Bihar. This lab is founded not in conventional approaches to fundamental science and technology research, but in ethnography, design, and user-experience modelling, the building blocks of true innovation.
The goals of the Bihar Innovation Lab are three-fold: to develop new technologies that can save the lives of mothers and children in rural areas, to identify new needs and therefore new opportunities for innovation, and finally to train government and social sector health cadres in what innovation is, how it works and how they too can do it. That is the kind of inclusive, participatory and trust-based approach that can really change how society and government work, and work together.
In the absence of trust and participation in public life, India cannot emerge as an innovation society. Preceding editions of Design Public have led to this insight. Friday's event will try to explore ways to create a culture of trust as well as new channels for participation and interaction between government, industry and society.
(Aditya Dev Sood is convenor of the Design Public Conclave. He runs the consultancy Center for Knowledge Societies.)
Keywords: design, Bihar Innovation Lab, Design Lab, Design Public Conclave

subset: commoncrawl


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Be inspired, make new contacts and exchange ideas at many events across the world with the opportunity to attend pharmacy conferences, events and exhibitions. Involvement in the BPSA provides a fantastic opportunity to attend these events and further your professional development and educational knowledge.
As a future pharmacist, your continuing professional development is of high value and these networking opportunities can help you build a group of professional contacts who can act as a useful resource in the years to come. Networking opportunities are available to everyone both locally and online. Keep up to date with the latest updates and issues that may impact you, and develop yourself as a pharmacy professional. There's something for everyone, and the more you get involved, the more you will get out.
Networking with the BPSA
Attendance at BPSA Area Conferences allows the opportunity to network with people across all the pharmacy schools in the UK, as well as speakers from specialist areas. The BPSA's Annual Conference is the flagship event of the year that provides a fantastic opportunity to network with the key individuals of the pharmacy profession. Furthermore involvement in the BPSA provides the opportunity to obtain entry into other pharmacy conferences and events, often at a discounted price.
Networking with the RPS
Additionally, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Local Practice Forums (LPFs) bring together the national providers of pharmacy learning (CPPE, Welsh CPPE and NHS Education for Scotland) with primary care organisations, local pharmaceutical committees, schools of pharmacy, pharmacy employers and the Society's former local branches. In so doing, they ensure that local education and training is joined up. Attendance at these LPFs is free and BPSA members are strongly encouraged to attend. Visit the RPS website for more information on LPFs and to find your local area.
The RPS online groups have been created to allow members with similar specialities to interact with each other, share interests and exchange news, post event details and ideas. For more information, visit the RPS website.
|Click here to go to the Pharmacy Student Online Network on the RPS website.
|Click here to go to the Preregistration trainee Network on the RPS website.
|Click here to go to find your RPS Local Practice Forum and see when the meetings are.


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This Biotech's Cystic Fibrosis Treatments Could Catapult It To Profitability
Leo is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder that affects the lungs, the pancreas, liver, and intestine, is the second most common inherited disorder in the United States, after sickle cell anemia. More than 30,000 Americans are currently diagnosed with CF, and an average of 1,000 new cases surface annually. One in 3,700 births is believed to have the defective CF gene, and it is estimated that more than 10 million Americans are carriers.
Since CF primarily affects the lungs first, it is usually treated through antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medicines, bronchodilators and mucus-thinning medicines. Oxygen treatment and chest physical therapy (CPT) are also common treatments. However, there is no cure for the disorder.
4% is better than nothing
That's why Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX) captured Wall Street's attention with the first approved CF treatment in the world, Kalydeco, which directly treats the underlying disease rather than the symptoms. Kalydeco was approved by the FDA in January 2012, and targets a specific gene mutation that affects only 4% of CF patients, or approximately 1,200 patients in the U.S.
However, 4% is certainly a major improvement from zero, and further research from combining Kalydeco with other drugs could increase that percentage to 30%, according to the company. Due to the rarity of the mutation that Kalydeco targets, however, the drug is priced at $307,000 per year, making it one of the most expensive drugs on the market today.
In April, Vertex announced that a Phase II study of its cystic fibrosis treatment VX-661 (which can be taken alone or with Kalydeco) showed statistically significant improvements in the lung function of adults afflicted with the most common mutation of the CF gene, supporting the theory that its CF treatments could soon reach well beyond the 4% of CF patients that can be treated only by Kalydeco. That statement sent shares surging 55% on April 19, and the stock hasn't looked back since.
Kalydeco opens up a new pipeline as an old one dries up
Prior to Kalydeco's approval, Vertex relied heavily on its hepatitis C (HCV) treatment, Incivek. Although Incivek was once Vertex's blockbuster HCV treatment, generating $1 billion in annual sales after its approval in May 2011, more advanced treatments such as Gilead Sciences' (NASDAQ: GILD) sofosbuvir and ledipasvir (currently entering Phase III trials) now threaten to completely replace it. Although both Incivek and Gilead's treatments are orally administered, Incivek contains peginterferon alfa, which causes the flu-like symptoms that Gilead treatments are designed to avoid.
In an attempt to compete with Gilead and another major competitor, AbbVie, Vertex attempted to produce an experimental oral hepatitis drug, VX-135, which was placed under a partial clinical hold by the FDA during its Phase II study, which revealed the potential risk for liver damage.
However, there is still hope for Vertex's HCV treatments. In April, the company signed a nonexclusive agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) to conduct mid-stage studies for new hepatitis C treatments. This is Bristol-Myers Squibb's attempt to get back in the HCV race, after a promising study of an experimental HCV drug was halted last August after serious safety concerns arose.
Vertex also signed similar HCV partnerships with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and GlaxoSmithKline last November to develop orally-administered HCV combo treatments.
Second quarter earnings and outlook
For its second quarter, Vertex reported a net loss of $0.26 per share, or $57.2 million, a slight improvement from the loss of $0.31 per share, or $65 million, it reported in the prior year quarter. Revenue declined 25.7% year-on-year to $310.8 million. Although Vertex's growth was mediocre, it still topped the consensus estimate on both the top and bottom lines.
Therefore, faced with gradually declining revenue from Incivek, Kalydeco's top line weight could increase throughout 2013. Vertex expects $345 million to $360 million of its $1.175 billion in projected annual revenue to be generated by Kalydeco. The remainder of the revenue is expected to come from Incivek sales, and its associated royalties and collaboration revenue.
Only two eggs in Vertex's basket
Looking ahead, most of the company's future is pegged to the future of Kalydeco. If Vertex can expand its line of CF drugs, with Kalydeco holding down the core, this company will take off very fast. However, if these variant combinations get hit by other safety concerns, the stock could give up its gains pretty quickly.
It's clear that Vertex is aware of the risk of being exposed to only two drugs - one that is fading fast and another one that could become an industry-altering blockbuster. Therefore, the company is spending heavily to diversify its pipeline into other treatments, most notably influenza with its experimental drug VX-787.
A prime takeover target
With a potential blockbuster drug in its portfolio, Vertex is often cited as a prime takeover target for larger pharmaceutical companies. Last year, a rumor circulated that Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead Sciences were all interested in acquiring the company.
Many analysts, such as those from Credit Suisse, believed that Johnson & Johnson was the most realistic suitor, since the two companies partnered up back in 2006 to develop and market Incivek in Europe and other markets. As part of that deal, Johnson & Johnson paid Vertex an initial payment of $165 million and followed it up with further licensing and milestone payments. Those continuing payments could be negated if Johnson & Johnson acquires Vertex.
However, considering that Incivek sales are expected to drastically decline over the next few years, that dated argument doesn't seem to carry much weight. Moreover, Vertex is already locked in a partnership with Johnson & Johnson in its aforementioned HCV research partnership.
Gilead and Bristol-Myers Squibb, on the other hand, could still be interested, considering that Vertex still has a key foothold in the experimental HCV market.
The Foolish Bottom Line
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is an exciting company to follow. It stands at a crossroads, and its treatments for cystic fibrosis could change the world. In addition, declining sales of Incivek can still contribute to its top line and buy it some more time to increase its CF research, and other experimental treatments.
Although Vertex is unlikely to achieve profitability anytime soon, investors are still expecting big things from the company - that's why the stock has risen 65% over the past twelve months even though it lacks any real fundamental scaffolding.
Obamacare will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects. The Motley Fool's new free report, "Everything You Need to Know About Obamacare," lets you know how your health insurance, your taxes, and your portfolio could be impacted. Click here to read more.
Leo Sun has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool owns shares of Johnson & Johnson. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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The new launch configuration of the UML to Java generator has just been contributed on Github. I believe that with this new launch configuration, the generator feels way more "professional" and it's easier to manipulate. I am still unsure about the new design to let users customize the generated types so I have not integrated it in the "Type" tab yet.
There are still some improvements that need to be made to the generation, the non-regression tests have to be updated and the documentation must be polished after that the generator will be ready for its 2.0 release.


text: Princess Cruises Quick Specs Princess CruisesOCG Class: MainstreamNewest Ship: Regal PrincessNumber of Ships: 18Toll-Free (US): 800-PRINCESSwww.princess.com ShipsSailings & ScheduleDestinationsLine Review Princess Cruises Ships Part of Carnival Corp. since 2003, Princess Cruises operates nearly 20 vessels based around the world in North and South America, Europe, the western Pacific and Australia. Despite its strong international presence and past reputation as a premium line, the Princess now caters primarily to middle-market American cruisers looking for a dependable and affordable experience. Caribbean PrincessYear Built: 2004Refurbished: 2009Passengers: 3,100Decks: 19Size: 113,000 tonsCoral PrincessYear Built: 2002Refurbished: 2009Passengers: 1,970Decks: 16Size: 92,000 tonsCrown PrincessYear Built: 2006Passengers: 3,080Decks: 15Size: 113,000 tonsDawn PrincessYear Built: 1997Passengers: 1,990Decks: 14Size: 77,000 tonsDiamond PrincessYear Built: 2004Passengers: 2,670Decks: 18Size: 115,875 tonsEmerald PrincessYear Built: 2007Passengers: 3,080Decks: 15Size: 113,000 tonsGolden PrincessYear Built: 2001Refurbished: 2009Passengers: 2,600Decks: 18Size: 109,000 tonsGrand PrincessYear Built: 1998Refurbished: 2011Passengers: 2,600Decks: 18Size: 109,000 tonsIsland PrincessYear Built: 2003Passengers: 1,970Decks: 16Size: 91,627 tonsOcean PrincessYear Built: 1999Refurbished: 2009Passengers: 670Decks: 11Size: 30,200 tonsPacific PrincessYear Built: 1999Refurbished: 2003Passengers: 802Decks: 11Size: 30,277 tonsRegal PrincessYear Built: 2014Passengers: 3,600Decks: 15Size: 141,000 tonsRoyal PrincessYear Built: 2013Passengers: 3,600Decks: 15Size: 141,000 tonsRuby PrincessYear Built: 2008Passengers: 3,080Decks: 19Size: 113,561 tonsSapphire PrincessYear Built: 2004Refurbished: 2012Passengers: 2,670Decks: 18Size: 115,875 tonsSea PrincessYear Built: 1998Refurbished: 2011Passengers: 2,015Decks: 14Size: 77,000 tonsStar PrincessYear Built: 2002Passengers: 2,600Decks: 18Size: 109,000 tonsSun PrincessYear Built: 1995Passengers: 1,950Decks: 14Size: 77,000 tons Princess Cruises Cruise Sailing Schedule At a Glance Use the Princess Cruises cruise schedule calendar below to find a Princess Cruises cruise sailing by destination, departure port, or on a certain Princess Cruises cruise ship. Click on the lowest cruise price under a month to see all cruises schedules and sailings for that cruising date and the destination, port of call, or ship. View Cruises by: Destination | Departure Port | Ship next month ›‹ prev month AreaAllMonthsSep2014Oct2014Nov2014Dec2014Jan2015Feb2015Mar2015Apr2015May2015Jun2015Jul2015Aug2015Sep2015Oct2015 By Month$44$159$169$249$299$399$272$249$199$259$943$249$79view Africa$6,599 $8,999$6,999$6,599 Alaska$448$1,249 $449$448$849$949$829$749 Australia & New Zealand$249$1,399$499$1,599$699$699$1,399$272$299 $259$2,500$249$2,227 Caribbean$199$199$199$229$249$449$479$479$299 Caribbean Eastern$499 $599$499$499$499$599$749$749 Caribbean Southern$1,099 $1,099$1,299$1,199$1,249$1,249 Caribbean Western$449 $499$449$449$499$599$749$749 Central America & Panama Canal$799$1,699$799$799$899$999$1,299$1,599$1,599 $2,499 Eastern Seaboard$999$1,099$999 European Inland Waterways$899$1,699$1,099$899 $2,999$3,199$1,249$1,299$1,349$1,249$1,249 Hawaii$799$799$1,499$1,399$1,499$1,499$1,499$1,699$1,699 $1,649 Mediterranean Eastern$1,199 $1,499 $1,199$1,349$1,349$1,299$1,249 Mediterranean Western$1,699$2,659$2,599 $2,049$2,099$2,199$1,699$2,449 Mexico$549 $749$579$549$549$599$749$749 $1,099 Middle East$2,399$2,799 $2,399 Oceania & South Pacific$420$1,799$420$799$1,099$1,699$1,686$1,251$2,039$1,272$1,299$1,349$999$1,409 Scandinavia & Northern Europe$1,349 $1,349$2,299$1,449$1,449$2,199 South America$1,199 $1,199$1,499$1,699$1,599 The Orient$439$767$823$734$899$439$439$1,999$1,125$791$658$943$1,753$1,239 Transatlantic$1,299 $1,499$3,599$1,999 $1,799$1,299 $2,999$1,649 West Coast$44$44$159$169 $299$399$299$249$199 $79 World$16,999 $16,999 view Prices represent the lowest available price for a given sailing date, area, and/or month. All prices USD. Terms and Conditions:The prices listed are representative of actual prices provided by various cruise vendors and are not offered by TravelAgeWest.com or Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Price listed does not constitute a contract of services, implied or written. TravelAgeWest.com provides no cruise booking or purchase features. Prices are provided as a comparison tool only. Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy and do include port taxes. Prices do not include taxes, fuel surcharges, gratuities, or airfare unless otherwise noted. Actual prices and fees are subject to vendor policies and are subject to availability, are capacity-controlled, and are subject to change without notice. Special amenities, prices, offers, and upgrades are based on select dates, ships, sailings, stateroom categories, and select fare codes. Cancellation penalties, blackout dates, and other restrictions may apply. All prices and dates may not be available at time of booking. Princess Cruises Cruising Destinations Princess Cruises offers a wide variety of sailing schedules allowing passengers to visit destinations and ports of call around the world. Popular Princess Cruises itneraries include cruises sailing to Africa, Alaska, Australia & New Zealand, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, U.S Eastern Seaboard, European river cruises, Hawaii, the Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, The Orient, the U.S Westcoast, and more. AfricaAlaskaAustralia & New ZealandCaribbeanCaribbean EasternCaribbean SouthernCaribbean WesternCentral America & Panama CanalEastern SeaboardEuropean Inland WaterwaysHawaiiMediterranean EasternMediterranean WesternMexicoMiddle EastOceania & South PacificScandinavia & Northern EuropeSouth AmericaThe OrientTransatlanticWest CoastWorld Find Princess Cruises Cruises By Departure Port Auckland, New ZealandBarcelona, SpainBerlin, GermanyBrisbane, Queensland, AustraliaBuenos Aires, ArgentinaCape Town, South AfricaCivitavecchia, ItalyCopenhagen, DenmarkDover, EnglandDubai, United Arab EmiratesFort Lauderdale, FLHong Kong, Hong KongHonolulu, HI Houston, TXIstanbul, TurkeyKobe, JapanLos Angeles, CAMelbourne, Victoria, AustraliaNew York, NYOtaru, Hokkaido Island, JapanPapeete, Society Islands, French PolynesiaPerth, Western Australia, AustraliaPiraeus, GreecePusan, South KoreaQuebec, PQRio de Janeiro, Brazil San Francisco, CASeattle, WAShanghai, ChinaSingapore, SingaporeSouthampton, EnglandSt Petersburg, RussiaSydney, New South Wales, AustraliaValparaiso, ChileVancouver, BCVenice, ItalyWhittier, AKXingang, ChinaYokohama, Japan travel42 Professional Review for Princess Cruises Want to read the full Princess Cruises travel42 Review? travel42 features professionally written reviews of more than 300 cruise ships, 78 cruise lines and more than 3,000 hotels in nearly 200 popular cruise embarkation ports worldwide, plus 7,000 additional destination hotels. Visit www.travel-42.com or call 1.866.566.8136 to learn more about subscribing. Started in 1965 on the West Coast with one old ship chartered during the winter months, Princess grew to be a ship-owning company, was bought out by P&O of London in 1974, then absorbed Sitmar in the late 1980s. An American company became British-owned, then added an Italian flavor to include ships with Italian officers and maitre d'hotels and Italian menu items. British officers are in command of some ships, and on those registered in Hamilton, Bermuda, and Great Britain, the captains are able to perform marriages. Subscribe to travel42 to read the full review » Copyright (c) 2014 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. travel42.


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Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS)Speaker Series
- The Center offers a Travel, Study, Learn opportunity each January for health care professionals who wish to begin or refine Spanish language skills and learn about Mexican culture and health firsthand. Brochure
- A Medical Spanish for beginners course: "Nursing Communication with Spanish-Speaking Clients" is offered upon request.
- "Enhancing Nursing Practice and Safety with Hispanic Patients Through Better Communication: Medical Spanish"
- Evaluation of Content Validity and Reliability of the Institutional Self Assessment (ISA) and the Healthcare Professional Professions Self Assessment (PSA).
- 3rd Endowed Lecture -"Diversity: The cornerstone of health" was held October 15, 2010.
- 2nd Annual Endowed Hispanic Lectureship – was held October 4, 2007. Lectureship theme: Social Justice and Issues of Health of Hispanics.
- Endowed Hispanic Lectureship in Nursing and Health was held Monday, October 2, 2006 more information
- 4th International "Crossing Borders" Conference – Globilization: Unexpected Health Consequences was held April 8-9, 2005 – Fort Worth, TX
- 3rd "Crossing Borders" Conference – 2002 – Emerging Knowledge in Culture and Health: Caring for Hispanic Populations. Disseminated in July 2003 issue of Journal of TransCultural Nursing.
- 2nd "Crossing Borders" Conference – 2001 – International Partnerships in Culture and Health Care: Caring for Mexican Immigrant Populations. Disseminated in Summer 2002 Journal of Multicultural Nursing & Health
- 1st "Crossing Borders" Conference – 2000 – Implementing and Evaluating Cultural Competence in the Health Workforce: Disseminated in a Monograph – University of Texas at Arlington


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When you're starting to feel better following a bout with a stomach bug, ease back into your normal daily carbohydrate intake; base your food choices on what you feel your stomach can tolerate.
How to help your sick child
Keeping calm may be the best thing you can do for your child when he's sick, and having a written sick-day plan can help you to stay calm. Talk to your child's pediatrician, endocrinologist, and dietitian about formulating a personal sick-day plan and a sick-day tool kit — complete with some comfort items such as a comic book, coloring book, or even a get-well card — for your child with diabetes.
When you're sick and pregnant
Recommendations for sick-day care during pregnancy are generally the same as those for people who are not pregnant. However, check with your obstetrician before taking any over-the-counter medicines, and increase your fluid intake to stay hydrated. Since tight blood glucose control is extremely important during pregnancy for the health of both mother and baby, check your blood glucose level and ketones at least every two hours.
Unless you live in a bubble, it's natural that you will get sick once in a while. But you can keep yourself from getting sick more often than necessary.
Wash your hands frequently, especially after coming into contact with other sick people or objects that others have touched (such as shopping cart handles or escalator handrails). To remove as many germs as possible, use soap and warm water, and rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice). Use a clean paper towel to turn the handle on the faucet and to open the door of public restrooms. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth unless you've just washed your hands.
Getting a yearly flu shot is extremely important because having diabetes puts you at an increased risk for developing complications of the flu, such as pneumonia. Getting a flu shot is not a 100% guarantee against getting the flu, but it will make it more difficult for you to contract the illness for about six months. It may be wise for those you live with to also get a flu shot for your protection. If the people around you are healthy, it's more likely that you'll stay healthy, too.
Scheduling regular checkups with your primary-care physician, endocrinologist, and others on your health-care team will help you stay on top of your diabetes, which will help you fend off sickness. Eating well and getting enough sleep are important, too, for staying healthy.
Furthermore, reducing your stress level can be a key to remaining healthy. Be realistic about the load you carry at home and work. If you're overwhelmed, say so and ask for help. Keep in mind that perfect blood glucose control doesn't exist, even when you're in perfect health. Regular exercise and enjoying hobbies are other great ways to keep your body and mind healthy.
Also in this article:
Diabetes Sick-Day Kit


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Welcome to my Graphic Gallery!
I will feature graphics of mine that I really like so everyone can see them without the hassle of scrolling page by page through my banner shop.
I'll also post stocks that I come across and other little titbits which may or may not be graphic related.
My Banner Shop to place an order.
Credit is required for anything that you snag!!
Views: 5559
Ooh, let me know when you post it!
How excited are you for Thursday?
Team Klaroline!!
Same here!
I've been reading so many Klaroline fanfics to get my fill until Thursday!
I read them on fanfiction.net. I recommend
Gravity by AddriannaDestiny (I was blown away by how incredible it was, its completed and their is a sequel)
Lead Us Into Temptation by Anastasia Dreams(I adore this)
Timeless by Cicadaa (this is a must read)
Your Hopes Your Dreams by JavaJunkie110
Return and Remember by Sci-fi Christian
You Showed Me The Way by MidnightAngel30
Motives by Silent Impacts
A Persistant Lover by misselizathornton
I watched it!!!
The Vampire Diaries returns Thursday and I can't contain how excited I am for the season premiere!!
I got this in my email and I just have to post it! This season's cast poster is darker than the previous ones so maybe this season episodes will have some even more darker themes .
JoMo is looking as sexy as ever and Candice is so pretty!!
I'm so excited for Thursday!!!
Klaroline!!! *SQUEEEEEE*
I knew you would!!
Thursday is here!! WOOHOO!!
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Washington has made a mess of our health care system. The federal government's decades-long intrusion into health care culminated in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka "Obamacare."
Cancelled insurance policies, higher premiums, deductibles, co-payments, wasteful and confusing mandates and uncertain coverage status are hurting our constituents. And this is just the beginning. The human toll of Obamacare is great and growing.
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We hate to say we told you so, but … as soon as Obamacare was passed in 2010, we knew that a centralized health care system run out of Washington, DC was bound to fail. Trying to come up with a one-size-fits-all solution to a problem created by the one-size-fits-all mentality of the District of Columbia is madness.
The good news is we took steps to prepare for Obamacare's failure. Utah joined seven other states and approved the Health Care Compact, legislation that allows states to take control of health care regulation and funding – and opt-out of Obamacare. The US Constitution gives states the right to form interstate compacts and move control from the federal government to the states. There are now over 200 interstate compacts approved by states and Congress.
When Utah passed the Health Care Compact, opponents said the federal government could do a better job than states at handling health care. Well, we see how wrong they were. The federal government has proven utterly incapable of managing a health care system that serves current insurance policyholders, much less provide for all 330 million Americans.
The governor and the majority of my colleagues in the state Legislature representing the people of our state believe Utah should be free to come up with the approach that best reflects the needs and wants of our citizens, no matter what a group of "experts" in Washington, D.C. — whether liberal or conservative, progressive or libertarian — wants to impose on the entire country.
Since 95 percent of health care is provided and consumed within a state, it's better to turn the problem of regulating health care over to the states, which can customize the solution for their citizens based on real-world constraints rather than theoretical models.
The Health Care Compact won't deliver a single set of mandates that apply to all, from sea to shining sea. Instead, the structure of the health care system will vary from state to state. Some states will choose to push market-oriented mechanisms. Others could remain in the federal program at their option.
All states would be free to experiment with the approach they feel best suits their needs based on different demographics, different provider networks, different insurance companies and different voter preferences. That ability to pursue local variations is a positive aspect of the Health Care Compact, not a negative.
Utah is ready, willing, and able to clean up the mess created by Washington, D.C. Now it is up to our congressional delegation to take the next step.
Congress needs to give its consent, and allow Utah and the other states that have joined the Health Care Compact with us to take control of health care regulation and funding within our states.
Utah's delegation in Washington can introduce the enacting legislation and lead the way.
Then we will be able to turn a Washington failure into an American success.
Stuart Adams is a Utah state senator representing Layton.
Copyright 2014 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Willamette National Forest
Contact Information
Willamette National Forest Supervisor's Office
3106 Pierce Parkway
Suite D
Springfield, OR 97477
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From the Blue River access: Hike through old growth 1.2 miles to the jct with the Gold Hill Trail #3370. Turn left and go .5 miles to the jct with trail #3398. Turn left again and go .25 mile up a steep grade to the top where a lookout once stood.
From the Sweet Home access: Hike through a young forest along a ridge and then through mature true fir forests for 1.65 miles to the top of Tidbits Mtn. A concrete pad and some yew wood posts are all that remain of the old Tidbits Lookout. There's a great view of the Cascade Range from this 5185 ft perch.
Access #1: From Blue River proceed east for 3 miles on Hwy 126; turn north on Rd 15 and follow it up for 4.5 miles to Rd 1509. Take Forest Road 1509 for 8.5 miles to Forest Road 1509-877. Steep road to parking area.
Access #2: Alternate access to Tidbits Mountain is from the north on trail #3398. From Sweet Home travel east on Highway 20 for 14.2 miles and turn right on Road 2022 (Canyon Creek Rd). Turn right on Road 2026 and travel 7.6 miles to Road 335. Turn left and travel 3.1 miles to the trailhead on the right.
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By FOX 2 News Staff
DETROIT (WJBK) -- Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette was in court today asking that seven members of the Detroit Board of Education be removed from their positions. Schuette says the board members are holding office illegally because they were voted in by district, not at-large. State law requires school board members in communities with fewer than 100,000 students to be elected at-large.Lawyers for the school board were also present during Thursday morning's hearing in front of Wayne Circuit Judge John Gillis Jr.FOX 2 legal analyst Charlie Langton says Schuette is willing and ready to take his fight all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.Click the video player to get more from FOX 2's Roop Raj.
FOX 13 / WTVT-TV3213 West Kennedy Blvd.Tampa, Florida 33609Main: (813) 876-1313Newsroom: (813) 870-9630Fax: (813) 871-3135


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Buy Into Gold's Pullback
Ryan is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Gold recently had its biggest quarterly loss since 1974 -- dropping by more than 20% from April to the end of June. The price of gold (and precious metals in general) plummeted because rising interest rates and an improved US economy make other investment vehicles look more attractive and lessen demand. Based on a cursory analysis of July, a month where gold is up slightly so far, it looks like the price of gold and other commodities have stabilized. After all, gold is up a few percentage points for the month.
Fiscal and monetary policies
Fear over US fiscal and monetary policies -- high deficit spending and low interest rates -- made gold an attractive alternative to investments that were not keeping up with inflation. Over the past couple of months, however, the Fed has signaled that interest rates may increase. When interest rates are 2% higher than inflation, gold prices tend to decrease.
Why gold won't plummet -- and why it might get a nice pop
First, gold prices are currently below the amount that it costs many miners to get it out of the ground, process it, and make a profit. When companies cannot make a profit, mines sit idle and expansion plans are delayed. Supplies tighten and prices either stabilize or increase to meet demand. And tighter supplies cause speculators to think twice on betting on lower prices.
Second, I know a lot of people who buy gold and silver bullion and they all have described a strange phenomenon: the price differential between spot and what these precious metals are actually selling at is the largest that they have ever seen. A few years ago, for instance, they could walk into any one of the stores that sell bullion and purchase minted bullion for 50 cents to $1 over the spot price of an ounce of silver and $20 over the spot price of an ounce of gold. Today, though, that differential appears to have roughly doubled.
Third, another interesting phenomenon is happening with the Shanghai Gold exchange where gold is reportedly selling for about $30 an ounce more than the London Benchmark.
Fourth, buyers in China and India, the two countries where demand in precious metals has sharply increased over the past decade, dramatically increased consumption of gold in April, after the price of gold fell sharply by more than $200 an ounce. That type of purchasing behavior will help to establish a price floor and may result in a nice pop in the price of gold.
Fifth, historically gold has owned the 3rd quarter. That is because refiners and fabricators increase production in preparation for jewelry and gift purchases in anticipation of the holidays in the United States, Europe and China and the wedding season in India. In fact, since 2000 gold prices have risen on average by approximately 6% during the July through September time period. Traders are aware of this phenomenon and speculation should result in gold getting a nice pop.
Sixth, over the next few days I expect that some of the largest gold miners will write-down their assets when they report their quarterly earnings. Those will be in addition to the $17 billion announced in write-downs announced through July 1st. That will signal to investors what many of us already intuitively know: that the supply of gold is contracting and that a bottom is very imminent.
China debt argument
For the past several years, we have been receiving goods from China in exchange for paper. After all, if the price of gold rises to $4,000 an ounce, then we might have enough gold to pay back our debt to China! Inflating away our debt is an alternative.
How to buy gold and silver
You can purchase shares of iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV) or iShares Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: IAU). These investments seek to reflect the price of silver or gold owned by the trust less the trust's expenses and liabilities -- which are somewhere around 0.25%. These funds are intended to constitute a simple and cost-effective means of making an investment similar to an investment in silver or gold. You can also purchase SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT: GLD) or even companies like Randgold Resources ADR or Silver Wheaton that mine gold and silver. Or you can purchase shares in one of the largest mining companies, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold.
3 factors to consider when investing in precious metals
1. Supply and Demand. The expectation for tighter supplies and rising demand should not only establish a price floor but also result in a nice pop for gold and silver.
2. Volatility. Gold and silver have always been -- and will continue to be – susceptible to big moves. When the Federal Reserve, for instance, signaled that its easy-money policies were coming to an end, the price of gold plummeted. Then the Fed went back and said that the economy would require easy money for some time and gold prices popped.
3. Uncertainty. Gold and silver prices tend to increase when there is global uncertainty, market declines, growing national debt, inflation, war and unrest.
My foolish take
I believe that gold and many other precious metals will bottom out over the next few weeks as companies write-down their assets and then have a nice run in the double digits during the August/September time period. Whether that rebound will stick, however, will depend on whether or not the Federal Reserve makes a dramatic move. I recommend considering only those companies that have scale (market cap of at least $1 billion) and investment vehicles that seek to reflect the price of gold or silver.
Ryan Peckyno has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


text: Topics: Barack Obama VIDEO: President Obama awards Medal of Honor to 24 veterans By Lisa Ruhl | March 18, 2014 | 12:00 am Topics: Local Barack Obama Video Medal of Honor Local,Barack Obama,Lisa Ruhl,Video,Medal of Honor President Obama honored 24 Army veterans, all but three posthumously, saying the honor was "long overdue." Sign Up for the Politics Today newsletter! Please enter your email address below to begin receiving the Politics Today newsletter. You must enter a valid email address in the field above! Thank you for signing up for the Politics Today newsletter! You should receive your first newsletter very soon. We're sorry, there was an error processing your newsletter signup. Please click here to visit our Newsletter Signup Center to register for this newsletter. Web URL: http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2545881 Share this article on Facebook or Twitter Print this article View article comments Leave a comment Author: Lisa Ruhl Video Journalist The Washington Examiner More from this author VIDEO: Bobby Jindal calls Obama administration 'science deniers' By LISA RUHL | 09/16/14 02:18 PM VIDEO: Obama to announce plan to fight Ebola By LISA RUHL | 09/16/14 09:41 AM


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Pacman Jones has been charged with assault for punching a woman at a bar in Cincinnati last week, but the Bengals cornerback is claiming that he acted in self-defense.
ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati obtained security footage of the incident, which allows us to review what happened.
It's hard to tell exactly what was going on, but it looks like Pacman was walking along the sidewalk next to the bar's outdoor patio. He stops to talk to a few people seated on the patio. As he's talking with them, a woman who was standing against the wall of the bar approaches him and they begin to talk (or argue). Pacman leans over the rail to talk with the woman and points his finger at her. The woman then reaches out and sticks her beer bottle in Pacman's face, almost like she wanted to pour it on him (screencap below).


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Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > Learn to Fly
Learn to Fly - 116 Reviews
Sequel to Fly Away, Dance on the Milky Way. Over a year has passed, and Gerard is reunited with his daughter Gia. She has a lot to hide, and Gerard finds that she has grown up and changed.
Chapter 11: Heartbreaker
Gia stumbled downstairs, still all tired out by the previous day when she had been welcomed back to New Jersey by her family. Everyone had stayed over very late, and they didn't leave until Cherry and Lily woke up to demand their rights to get into their own cribs.
Seeing everyone again had been not only emotionally exhausting, but also physically, as she was the one who kept Bandit company, and she also had to keep Frank entertained. It was really no wonder she slept as late as she did.
It was already way past noon, so she knew she was alone in the house. It was Saturday, but Gerard had to work and Bandit and Lindsey had a play date to attend to. So, Gia had the house to herself for the day. Her plans consisted of nothing more than sitting around in front of the computer and eating whatever she could find in the kitchen that wasn't already claimed by Bandit.
Yawning and stretching her arms, Gia ventured down to the kitchen to get some coffee. She missed the days when she didn't need four cups of that delicious black teeth-coloring poison every morning. Unfortunately there was no going back, and she found herself cursing the coffee-addict genes that had decided to show up.
When she was filling the coffeemaker with water in order to satisfy her caffeine addiction, the doorbell rang.
Not even caring that she was only wearing underwear and one of her dad's oversized band shirts which covered her up only so-and-so, and the pink glittery unicorn slippers Mikey bought her for her last birthday. She assumed it'd be only Frank who sneaked out of work when no one was looking, and came by to continue the greetings from where they left off yesterday.
However, once she opened the front door and saw the boy standing there, Gia instantly wished that she had had the sense to at least comb her hair and put on some pants. Suddenly she was very glad that she hadn't bothered to wash off the makeup last night, so the purple and yellow bruise on her face wasn't visible.
"Hi," Gia said to him, feeling her heart start beating so fast that it was nearly painful. She hadn't expected to see him, and now that she did, she nearly couldn't believe her eyes.
Lucas looked nervous to say the least. He hadn't changed much at all, except that his black hair was now somewhat shorter, he was taller and his previously scrawny frame had gotten more muscle. But to Gia, it was like only yesterday that she had last seen him, and in her eyes he was still the same boy who moments before she left for over a year, swore to her that they'll be together, somehow, some day.
He didn't speak, only stared at her, so she asked: "What are you doing here?"
"Uh… I ran into Hazel… She told me you were here… Back, you know…"
Gia could tell he was nervous by how he rambled and how his voice was slightly shaky. "Do you want to come in?" she asked.
Lucas nodded, and stepped into the house. Gia closed the door, and they stood awkwardly in the hall. The gap between them seemed to be miles long, which made the situation even more awkward than it already was. But still, looking at him after all this time, Gia felt all those old feelings come crashing back to her. Suddenly she had never even left, Sean no longer existed, and Lucas was the only one who mattered. But at the same time, she realized that it wasn't reality. It had been a long time, they had both moved on. He wasn't her boyfriend, not even her best friend anymore.
It was an odd situation, not at all similar to how it had been when Gia met up with Hazel. Then again, Lucas and Hazel played very different roles in her life.
"I don't know why I came," Lucas admitted, obviously as confused as she was by his motives.
Gia nodded, understanding how he felt. She had dreaded seeing him, but at the same time, her thoughts had circled around him ever since she returned to Belleville.
"I would've brought Jersey but I didn't know if you were home. I wasn't even sure if you still lived here," he explained.
"That's okay, I'll see him later. How is he?"
"He's good. And… How are you?"
"I'm okay," Gia said, shrugging. "I'm sorry I'm not all that presentable right now, you know… With the lack of pants and all."
"Good. I mean, you look good. I mean… You're…"
Lucas gulped, and his eyes looked straight into hers. The tension between them got thicker, and Gia's breathing got heavier when she realized what he was about to do, what she actually wanted to do more than anything.
"Uh… Is there anyone else here?"
Gia shook her head, knowing where he was getting at. "No. They'll be gone for hours."
He clearly hesitated for a moment, until he apparently didn't care anymore. Only a short moment later Gia felt him push her against the wall and his lips press harshly against hers. Her arms went around his neck, her other hand gripping on the hair on the back of his head as the kiss got deeper and more passionate. Gia gasped in surprise when his cold hands went to her back, under her shirt, and the shivers the coldness produced shook her whole body.
Lucas picked her up, her legs wrapped around his waist, but they never broke the kiss. He carried her to the living room where the contact was finally broken when he dropped her on the couch.
Gia bit her bottom lip and looked up at him as he got rid of his hoodie and shirt. He threw them on the floor and without hesitating, climbed on top of her. His face lingered above hers for a moment before he closed the gap, pressing his lips on hers. He felt intoxicated by the scent of her perfume which was mixed with the familiar scent that he remembered all too well. She still used the strawberry shampoo she had favored even before she left, and the scent of it had stayed in his brain all this time.
Gia's legs once again wrapped around his waist as their bodies melded together. His warming hands under her shirt produced vibrations, and she couldn't explain why she felt this way. But it felt good, and it brought a sense of belonging to her, like he was the one she was meant to be with.
Lucas' lips trailed down to her jaw, and to her neck. When he found her shirt to be in the way as he proceeded to her shoulder, he rose a bit so she could pull it off. Gia was left only in her underwear, and had Lucas slowed down even for a moment, he would've wondered about the fading bruise she had on her ribcage. But at that moment his mind was infected with lust.
Gia's fingers quickly undid the belt buckle and the zipper of his jeans, and she tugged at the denim so he'd remove it.
Lucas took his pants off in a hurry and then proceeded to remove his boxers. He went back to kissing Gia, his hands going to her back, trying to get her bra off. After he had fumbled around with the hooks for a little too long, Gia smacked his hands away and took it off herself.
Lucas pushed her back so she was lying on the couch again and deepened the kiss before descending down her neck and to her now exposed chest. He bit her right nipple and Gia softly moaned as Lucas got bored and moved to take off her underwear. His finger gently grazed her thighs, making her shiver.
Their minds were completely filled with the old feelings that had come crashing back, and it didn't even occur to them that they were in a relatively dangerous place. It was unlikely that someone would come home at this hour, but there was still a risk. Gia felt herself sink deeper and deeper into that place in her mind which was poisoned by the only thing she felt. Lucas was the only other person in the world, all she cared about. And she needed him.
Lucas panted heavily as he looked at her in the eyes. Gia gasped when she felt him slowly thrust into her, the familiar feeling of pleasure washing over her. It made her back arch and her toes curl, and her nails dug into the bare skin of Lucas' back.
Lucas started to rhythmically thrust, going faster and harder. Gia bit her bottom lip to keep herself from screaming. Lucas however wasn't so subtle, he let out a very audible groan as he moved his hips. Her eyes closed as a feeling of pleasure spread over her like a warm wave, and Lucas kept moving, pushing down with more force, going deeper and deeper.
Nothing coherent or rational went through their minds as the sensation had completely taken over the two of them. They lost track of time, and Gia could no longer resist moaning out loud. She felt his whole body stiffen, indicating that he couldn't take it anymore, and Gia let herself give in as well. Her nails dug in deeper into his back as they came in an explosion of heat and noise.
Lucas was fatigued, and his arms gave out. He fell on her, and she heard his heavy breathing as his head was right next to hers. He didn't move for a while. Gia's fingers rested on his sides, feeling the places where her nails had left marks. She was sure they were going to stay there for a while. When his upper body finally rose, she pulled his face closer to hers and kissed him.
"I missed you so much," Lucas said after they broke the kiss.
"I missed you too," Gia answered. She wasn't sure what was going to happen next, and her mind still wasn't working properly.
"What happened to your eye?" Lucas then asked, only now noticing the bruise under the makeup.
Gia didn't particularly feel talking about it with him, especially when she felt so good for once. "Do you want to talk or do you want to go again?"
Lucas grinned, and with no difficulty chose the second option. There'll be time for talking later.
"But first, I have to get some water," Gia announced. Lucas frowned, clearly displeased when she pushed him off of her and picked up her shirt from the floor. The frown was replaced by a small smile as he watched her pull the shirt on. "What?" she asked, noticing the smile.
"I really did miss you."
"Are you going to cry?"
"I won't if you take that shirt off right now", he grinned, and grabbed her hand, swiftly pulling her on top of him. She sat on his waist, legs on each side of him. She placed her hands on his bare chest and he rose to sit up, and kissed her more gently than before.
Both of them were still recovering from the previous body-shaking experience, but ready for another round, when all of their worst nightmares came true.
They hadn't heard anyone come in, and for sure they hadn't expected anyone to. It wasn't until the person cleared their throat that Gia and Lucas noticed him standing there.
Frank stood at the living room entrance, his mouth wide open in shock. Gia's eyes widened as she realized what was going on, and she screamed. Getting over the initial shock, Frank screamed as well.
"Oh my god! My eyes!" Frank shouted in agony, slamming a hand on top of his eyes. Gia quickly rose off of Lucas who quickly grabbed a pillow to cover himself up.
"Okay, I'm just going to not look. I suggest you two put some clothes on and Lucas, you better go home. Gia, I'll be in the kitchen," Frank announced and pointed to the direction in which he thought the kitchen was. His eyes were still covered, so he had no idea where to go.
"Frank, the kitchen is the other way," Gia said, but she was too late. Frank had already crashed against a wall.
"I knew that. I'll just… go over there."
Gia was so confused that she didn't really even understand the situation. Frank was gone, but he was waiting for her in the kitchen and she didn't particularly feel like following him there. Lucas however grasped the gravity of the situation perfectly, and freaked out.
"Oh fuck no," he groaned, grabbing his boxers from the floor and pulling them on. "I am so dead."
"What?" Gia asked, not really following.
"He's gonna tell your dad and then he's gonna kill me and – Oh no."
"What now?"
Lucas simply shook his head. His face was now pale as a ghost's, and there was obviously something bugging him other than the fact that her father might actually murder him. He was pulling on his jeans when Gia picked up her underwear from the floor and slipped it on.
Only a few moments ago it had been like they were under a spell. Now that the moment was broken, their minds began to clear up. The passion and the lust were replaced by confusion, and eventually even shame to some extent. Gia didn't even dare to glance at him as she waited for him to leave, and Lucas stood there awkwardly, already fully clothed.
"Look, I'm sorry," he finally choked out. "I have to go. Good luck with, you know…"
Gia knew what he meant. She'll be the one who has to face Frank. Gia found herself praying that a meteor crashes on the house and she dies, just so she doesn't have to look at him in the eyes.


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Ticklists: ROCKFAX Western Grit: Top 50, Lancashire's Finest, ROCKFAX Western Grit Grade List, Ultimate E2 ticklist.
Photo: Think Millstone x 2, splitter cracks & an esoteric slant...... © Rich Kirby
Submit a new photo of this climb.
Led first pitch (HS 4b), Paul led second pitch. James seconded. erictant - AltLd O/S - 30/Jun/13 with Paul
cox - Lead O/S - 13/Jun/13 with tom
Not putting this one down as an easy E2, whatever anybody says! Keeps the outcome in doubt right the way up to the final finger-locks. Found it a bit fluttery for the first half and then just brilliant all the way to the top. Cleaned a few carcasses etc off it but it was basically clean after the first ten feet which we had to avoid on the right. Brilliant, satisfying route. Like doing "Suspense" with "Embankment 4" on top. Classic.chrishedgehog - Lead O/S - 09/Aug/12 with Kieran Myles
Brilliant!!!Graeme Hammond - Lead O/S - 15/Jul/12 with Jim
Jim Slater - 2nd O/S - 15/Jul/12 with Graeme
andi turner - Lead - 25/Aug/11 with John Perry
One 5c move but everything after that's 5b! Had to fight for it at the top. Ace route.Dave Foster - Lead O/S - 22/Aug/11 with Si 2
Hidden - Lead β - 22/Aug/11
Very hard if you're very short!! Totally failed to make it to the ledge below the crack/overhang due to inability to reach any of the holds.climbingpixie - 2nd dnf - 21/Aug/11 with Andy
Hidden - Lead dnf - 21/Aug/11
Hidden - Lead O/S - 20/Aug/11
melonmike - 2nd O/S - 19/Aug/11 with Luke Hunt
lukehunt - Lead O/S - 19/Aug/11 with Mikey
Hidden - Lead O/S - 03/Aug/11
John Postlethwaite - 2nd O/S - 03/Aug/11 with liam
Rich Kirby - Lead O/S - 31/Jul/11 with Hugh
Hidden - Lead O/S - 30/Jul/11
As with others. Still dirty but awesome!akhughes - Lead O/S - 26/Jul/11
Hidden - 2nd dog - 14/Jul/11
Excellent, one of the best big pitches on gritstone. Very clean, thanks to the work of Colin and his team : ) Felt more E1 5b petegunn - Lead - 14/Jul/11 with Davina
Hidden - 2nd - 27/Jun/10
Seymore Butt - 2009
With Mike pulling plants out of the crack on the way middlevern - 2nd - Jul/06 with Mike Blood
Rik Dawes - Lead O/S - 2005
neilh - 1994
mattnuttall - Lead O/S - 23/Jun/92 with Alan Holden
Hidden - Lead - 18/Jun/92
Hidden - 2nd - 11/Jun/92
mik1miller - Lead O/S - 1992 with paul roby
whispering nic - Solo - 29/May/91 with noj
GordonHart - TR O/S - 1982
Hammy - AltLd - 19/May/81 with Rob Lawson
Mark Kemball - 2nd - 05/Apr/81 with Paul Clark
Hidden - AltLd - 1976
Dave Westby - 1966 with Phil Caley
Users with this climb on their wishlist are:
ashtond6, Hidden, hutchay, Owen W-G, Hidden, Dan Geh, Calder, Hidden, Hidden, dr_botnik, Hidden, Hidden, Hidden, Rocktart, Dr Fran (Vagabond MC)