text:
What is GMERP?
The Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program (GMERP) is an incentive program sponsored by a $1 billion state bond measure passed by voters in 2006. The program partners the Air Resources Board (ARB) and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to offer assistance to owners and operators of on-road heavy-duty vehicles with the purchase of new equipment and technologies. The goal of the program is to improve public health by reducing pollution associated with diesel emissions from goods movement throughout the state of California.
Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program Status
Main Grant Year 4:
Preliminary 1st Solicitation Ranked List (PDF)
Preliminary 2nd Solicitation Ranked List (PDF)
ARB approved approximately $7.4 million for applicants in the Sacramento Region in 2014 with new truck purchase grants of up to $50,000 to replace heavy-duty diesel trucks (GVWR over 19,500 lbs.) with engine models years 2006 and older for fleets in compliance with the 2014 requirements of the ARB Truck & Bus Regulation.
2nd Solicitation:
Applications are accepted beginning 8:00 AM Friday October 11, 2013 through 5:00 PM Thursday December 12, 2013.
Small Fleets (1 to 3 trucks) Can Apply for Prop. 1B Grants
We are holding a priority solicitation for eligible small fleets (1 to 3 trucks) that participate in goods movement.
Large fleets may also apply.
- ARB has issued a regulatory advisory to provide guidance on how it will handle compliance for fleets that make good faith efforts to comply with the Truck and Bus Regulation deadline.
- We are expanding this solicitation to allow funding for all engine model years that are 2006 and older.
- The District will accept applications from 8:00 AM October 11 through 5:00 pm December 12, 2013.
- All applicants must meet the eligibility requirements in the 2013 Guidelines for the Proposition 1B Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program. Basic eligibility requirements are:
- Own and operate a Class 6, 7, or 8 diesel truck;
- Move goods as part of a sales transaction;
- 75% operation within California for the past 2 years;
- Commit to at least 50% travel within the four California trade corridors;
- Commit to 90% or 100% operation in California;
- Drayage trucks (including dray-off trucks) are NOT eligible;
- More Eligibility and Funding Information can be found here (PDF).
- The District will rank all eligible projects, based on the following prioritization:
- Zero-emission trucks;
- Small fleets;
- Large fleet
Within each prioritization category, the District will rank all projects competitively based on the calculated emission reductions.
Within each prioritization category, the District will rank all projects competitively based on the calculated emission reductions.
- Grant funding will be provided in 2014 and all projects must be completed by December 31, 2014.
Other important documents are available below:
August 21, 2013 Applicant Workshop Presentation (PDF)
ARB Revised Heavy Duty Diesel Trucks Equipment Project Specifications (PDF)
Eligible Engines for Medium Heavy Duty Class 7 Trucks (PDF)
Eligible Engines for Heavy Heavy Duty Class 7 & Class 8 Trucks (PDF)
Air District Contacts
Pat Robinson
(916) 874-6276
Kristian Damkier
(916) 874-4892


text:
Every time his agent convinced him to join a new team, he'd always ended up wanting to kick the man in the balls by the end of the first practice. It had always seemed as if that idiot went out of his way to find the biggest assholes in the league to stick him with.
This bunch had seemed to be no different, but they had some real skills on the ice. That Eustass guy in particular was a helluva power forward; it almost seemed as if he had an unnatural pull over where the puck went. His boy Killer, as if his name fit like a glove, showed no mercy in the game but seemed to be a little more calculating and aloof than his friend; in addition to being one of the quickest playmakers he'd ever seen. The rest of the team seemed to follow their orders to a fault, so Zoro had mostly just observed them for the first session to see where he would fall in as the new shutdown. The only other new addition, Usopp, had been mouthy as hell while they'd been suiting up, bragging something about having eight thousand fans or whatever, and then had seemed absolutely stricken in the warm ups, but the green-haired man and half of the other players had gaped at his pinpoint accuracy when the sniper had displayed his adeptness with the puck.
It gave him chills that had nothing to do with the ice beneath his feet to think that this ragtag group might very well prove to be playoff material.
After all the other players had vacated, he decided to stay back and take a few practice shots to get a little better accustomed to his new home. He'd only planned on sticking around for a short time, but it had been a while since he'd gotten in some quality time on his blades, so he ended up meandering between the boards for well over an hour.
It was only when he heard the Zamboni making its way onto the ice that he realized just how long he'd been at it. He gathered up the extra pucks he'd tossed about, and made his way over to where he'd left his stick against the penalty box. When he turned around, he spotted the resurfacer at work, and nodded to the driver politely only receive the nastiest scowl he'd ever seen.
A little taken aback and more than a bit perturbed, he decided to see what the hell he'd done to piss off the guy. After all, it was only his first day and he sure as hell didn't want it to end with a case of stink eye. He couldn't see much of the man's face he realized as he got closer, as he had his cap pulled low over the blonde mop that already obscured half of his features. He noticed the foul-tempered blonde grit his teeth around the cigarette that hung from his lips as he got closer, but the other man was obviously trying not to acknowledge Zoro's presence.
It wasn't doing much good.
"Oi, Blondie!" he shouted over the machine's engine, skating slowly alongside but maintaining a safe distance, "Who put a bee in your bonnet?!"
The blonde shot him a dark look from beneath the fringe, but finally opened his mouth, "How 'bout you buzz off! Nobody's allowed on the ice while I'm out, asshole!"
Zoro laughed at the snide comment and shrugged his acquiescence as he fell behind, vacating the rink but watching the machine work its magic.
In no time at all, he saw the man drive out of the arena and decided to mess with him.
He stepped out onto the freshly resurfaced ice and could have moaned in pleasure at the smoothness; despite his prickly attitude the blonde knew how to shave. He had removed his pads while he had been waiting, so it was a bit colder but the breeze felt nice on his heated skin.
The player didn't have long to wait before the blonde was back, this time with a palpable fury.
"HEY JACKASS!" he yelled from the sidelines, "Who the hell gave you permission to fuck up my ice?!"
Zoro's face broke into a shit-eating grin as he circled back over to the other man, completing his sixth figure eight on the frozen surface.
"Since when did the Zamboni driver own the rink?" he mocked.
It was the blonde's turn to laugh, the dark chuckle bubbling up in a way that made Zoro slow to a stop about ten feet from him. He raised a quizzical brow as the blonde removed his hat and swept his hair to the side and smiled smugly at him.
"Since my father gave it to me, shithead."
Zoro's jaw dropped, the man couldn't have been older than he was, but there was no questioning his claim. It was definitely the team owner's son standing before him, if the pictures he'd seen in Zeff's office had been any indication. But the photos had done nothing to justify the man's looks; he was a total bombshell. Tight muscles ran beneath the taught fabric of the zipped up workman's onesie he wore, seemingly purchased a size too small to them show off. The fringe of golden hair fell to the side to reveal a bright blue eye nestled beneath a sleepy eyelid that was just achingly sexy. He had full lips that were torture around that still-lit cigarette, not to mention the fact that he had legs for days…
He floundered for something to say for a moment before the blonde continued, "The old man only bought the team because I spent so much time here, so he pretty much leaves everything up to me… In fact, you could say that I'm the one who holds your contract, Marimo."
The green-haired man paled at the obvious power he had over him, but the odd moniker brought Zoro around in a hurry, "Marimo?"
"You are Japanese, right?" he said plainly, as if talking to a child, "That fuzzball on top of your head makes me think you belong in a lake, not on top of one."
He indicated the ice Zoro was still fouling up with his blades, huffing out a frustrated cloud of smoke.
"If you don't want me to go upstairs and rip up your papers now, Moss-head, you better get the hell off my ice."
The threat seemed valid enough, so Zoro glided forward and took a step off the frozen field.
Only to be kicked in the head.
"Ow! What the fuck, asshole!?"
"That's for fucking up my work!" came the reply, but as he faced the other man he realized he was smiling, "But it was nice to meet ya, anyway. I don't usually get to meet my guys since Zeff's the official owner and we're usually at our restaurant."
He remembered the Black's gaining international acclaim for their world-famous cuisine, resulting in the fortune that gained them the team and Zoro's subsequent employment, but found it odd that they still ran their own restaurant themselves. Now he also wondered to himself why the blonde famous for being the Prince of the culinary world was part-timing as an ice resurfacer.
He didn't get to voice his query before the blonde was clapping him on the shoulder reassuringly, laughing at the perplexed look on his face.
"I was just screwing with you, you won't get fired dumbass," he said, his dark mood a distant memory, "But if you fuck up my ice on purpose again I'll have your balls…"
Zoro laughed lightly at the warning, finally smiling again as the threat over his career was dismissed. He didn't know how to deal with this guy at all, but he was sure enough of the fact that he could definitely get used to the snarky bastard.
Especially considering how easy on the eyes he was.
He found his voice, and his sarcasm, again just as the blonde was turning to go retrieve the Zamboni for round two, "Did Daddy buy you the Barbie dream car too, Princess?"
The other man paused, and turned around to raise an eyebrow at him, which Zoro noticed was slightly curled at the end. The charming feature quirked at him before the blonde let loose a short laugh.
"Ya know, you're one shitty asshole, but I think I like that," he chuckled.
Zoro felt a bit light headed at the deep teasing tone in the blonde's voice, it played hell with his heartbeat.
"Yeah, the Zamboni's mine, but I've driven her for years before we owned the place," he said, putting his hands in his jump suit's pockets, "I don't trust anybody else to get it that smooth, so I still come by after you idiots tear it up."
Zoro smiled in embarrassment, but shrugged, "It's what you pay us to do, numbnuts."
He smirked and pulled the cigarette from his lips, "I suppose it is, heh. But that doesn't mean you get to mess up what I've fixed, you shitty puck-head." He made to leave again but waved over his shoulder, "Now go hit the showers, Roronoa."
The blonde stopped again and looked back at him curiously.
"You can call me Zoro, Princess."
The blonde's face scrunched up at the teasing nickname, "It's Sanji, Marimo."
"Whatever you say, Curly."
Sanji let out an irritated huff, but continued walking away, giving the hockey player ample opportunity to admire the ass that was outlined perfectly by the tight grey fabric.
Good god was he gonna love this gig.
It was nearly a week later before he ran into the blonde again, a week full of the most hellish practices of his career.
He and the other new blood Usopp had fallen in pretty well with the other guys, even striking up a friendship with the weird kid that wouldn't leave off his worn out straw hat for anything. But they had come to find out that Kidd was brutal as a Captain. Zoro didn't question the results the red-head's methods got, but the long nosed sniper was the whiniest sportsman he'd ever met. After day seven of "I can't go out on the ice of hell disease" the green-haired man had nearly wanted to wring his neck. Killer had voiced the concern that he needed to de-stress before the scrimmage the next weekend, so he had been told to take a breather in the office.
As he sat meditating on the floor he heard the door open and a pair of what sounded like dress shoes enter.
"Great," he thought to himself, "They called in the damn team counselor."
When he opened his eyes, however, he was greeted by a smirking Sanji in a very flattering designer suit.
"What's up, Marimo, you get put in time-out?"
"Nah, just waiting for someone to kill that idiotic long-nose," he said before he could stop himself.
"Oh, haha, him? He's a bit of a coward, but he knows how to shoot."
Sanji sat down in the chair across from Zoro after removing his jacket and draping it across the desk, which the green-haired man now assumed to be his. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the blonde watching him meditate before he finally decided to speak again.
"So you like the team so far?"
Zoro's eyes opened again, focusing on the other presence he'd been desperately trying to ignore lest his furious heartbeat return. He was supposed to be calming down, dammit.
"Yeah, you know to pick 'em. They're all crazy a hell, but we'll give everybody a run for their money for sure."
Sanji hummed thoughtfully, as if he couldn't believe the seemingly bristly player had paid him that small compliment.
"You know you should include yourself in with the 'crazy' ones right?" Zoro frowned at him, but allowed his explanation, "Not many guys would keep playing after getting that deep of a cut from somebody's blades, let alone that time you nearly lost your legs. You're practically a legend for winning that game."
Zoro pulled completely out of his position and crossed his arms over his chest, fully aware of the scarring beneath his jersey and pads.
"A legend that was a damn bench duster practically all last season," he laughed bitterly.
"From what I heard, that was because they were waiting for you to fully heal…" Sanji offered, again sounding as if he were talking to a petulant child, "Is that why you transferred?"
"I wasn't going to sit around forever, I want to earn my keep."
Sanji laughed again, and Zoro was temporarily distracted by the musicality in the silky baritone.
"Well, whatever, I was just happy you were up for signing again, I've had an eye on you for a while."
He knew what the blonde meant, but it didn't stop the flurry in his stomach and chest or the tinge of pink that dashed across his face.
"That pink looks interesting with your hair, moss-head, maybe you oughta try a different shade~"
Sanji rose from the chair behind the desk and sat cross-legged next to his coat, grinning as Zoro flushed deeper as if on cue.
"Not sure I like that one though, it kinda clashes…"
"Shut up," Zoro griped, eyes darting to the attractive smile curved around the smoking stick.
He could tell that the blonde wasn't one to give up so easily once he got under someone's skin, so he decided to distract him, "Don't you have something to burn, shit-cook, or did your Daddy finally kick you outta the kitchen?"
Sanji's eyes narrowed and he frowned slightly, but his posture was still relaxed, "Oi, don't mock my cooking shit-head, you haven't even tried it yet."
"Yet? Like I'd agree to eat that crap," he simpered.
"Oh now you've got to try it, jackass. I've got a reputation to keep and I'm not gonna let you fuck it up with misinformation."
"Since when did the boss cook for his employees?"
"I'll make an exception just to see the look on your shitty face!"
"So it's a date then?"
Sanji seemed startled as Zoro grinned at him from the floor, opening and closing his mouth for a few seconds before a knowing smile ghosted over his features.
"Smooth, Marimo, very smooth…" he shook his head in disbelief as the green-haired man stood and dusted himself off, the three dangling earrings in his left ear tinkling at the movement and catching the light in a diverting way.
Zoro made to leave but paused in the doorway to smirk at the blonde once again, "You have my number, Princess."
"That I do," Sanji agreed, shaking his head again as the moss-head left the office and wondering how it was possible that he found the athlete so charming.
Zoro meanwhile, was practically dancing onto the ice, prompting the Captain to question if he needed a skirt for his new figure skating career. He laughed and brushed it off, his dark mood from earlier nowhere in sight. Luffy noticed his good humor and asked if he had had a snack while he'd been gone, and Zoro couldn't help himself.
"No, but I have a feeling that I'm going to be eating like a damn king pretty soon."
Despite Luffy's jealous probing for more, Zoro refused to open his mouth further and completed the rest of the practice from cloud nine.
He had finally changed and gotten back to his car when he realized that he had forgotten his phone in his gym bag, making him dash back inside before the maintenance crew closed up behind him. He fished the device from the old denim material of the bag his mom had once sewn together from a couple pairs of his dad's old jeans; smiling at the notification on his screen. His heart leapt into his throat when he opened the text from the unknown number.
"I'm pretty sure you know where the restaurant is, shit-head, so be there at 7:30. Dress Nice."
He laughed at the bolded text, knowing full well that the five-star establishment wouldn't let him in if he wasn't dressed to the nines.
The rest of the day was spent getting cleaned up and selecting an outfit that wasn't too uncomfortable but would pass for classy, the last hour before he left his penthouse mostly just wearing a rut into his floor in his restlessness. He had forgone the suit jacket until the last second, just in case he got too hot in his pacing, marching around the spacious living room in trim black pants and a hunter green vest that had golden clasps and matched his ever-present earrings. The tie that hung loose about his neck also matched, but the paisley patterns in the gold colored silk brought a little 'something extra' to the outfit, as Nami had informed over the skype call he'd been forced into when he informed her of the date. Not that he minded the abnormal bit of free advice the witch woman had offered, it had been ages since he had last been this occupied by someone, let alone this nervous.
She had insisted that he call her tomorrow to tell her how it went.
"After breakfast, of course," she teased, "He'll probably feed you in bed~"
He had clicked the call end button as his all-but-blood little sister laughed from across town at his reddened cheeks.
Zoro had to calm himself with a few breathing exercises before he got out of his car when he arrived at the establishment. The valet had been nice enough, but he had apparently been a fan and nearly hyperventilated when the athlete took the vehicle reserve number from him, begging for an autograph when the man came back to retrieve his keys.
"Yeah, sure," he had promised, a little embarrassed at the kid's display.
By the time he had finally gotten inside, he wasn't even early anymore so he felt a little grateful that the eager boy had helped him refrain from seeming desperate.
"Welcome to the Baratie, Sir," he was greeted by a disembodied voice before a certain leggy blonde made his way into view, "Oh it's just you…"
"What, you aren't happy to see me?" Zoro groused sardonically, earning a smirk from his host.
"No, I just hate addressing plant life so formally."
Zoro rolled his eyes, but locked onto the man's form as he removed his staff apron, fully appreciating the striped vest that hugged his body perfectly. Thinking back on Nami's teasing, he truly hoped that he could wake up to that someday soon.
"Hey, Patty, he's here! Take over will ya!" he yelled over his shoulder to a large bearded man with a mug that could only be loved by a very open-minded mother.
"So, umm, shall we?"
Sanji led him to a secluded corner near the bar before going behind the counter and pouring a couple drinks.
"I take you to be more of a meat 'n potatoes kinda guy, so I already had our stuff cooking, I hope you don't mind," he handed over a glass of top-shelf bourbon.
"That's fine, I wouldn't know what to order anyway, so I'd just as soon leave it up to somebody that knows what you guys have."
Zoro took a drink and could have swooned at the perfection in the burn as it ran down his throat. Trust a connoisseur of cuisine to know his alcohol.
"Yeah, well, someone should be bringing it out, I was just up front to make sure you had dressed right and that asshole Patty didn't turn you away at the door."
"I do have some idea of how fancy joints like this work, Princess."
Sanji's head snapped up and he glowered at a man with sunglasses that held their tray, "Carne, I thought I told you guys to stay outta this."
Zoro smiled behind his glass as the other cook laughed and placed their food in front of them, his mind suddenly fogged by the heavenly aroma that wafted up from the table.
"It's just that little San-chan never brings friends around anymore…" the man sang teasingly, obviously not effected in the slightest by the death glare Sanji had fixed him with.
Zoro laughed at the honorific and Sanji sent a little bit of the heat his way, but the green-haired man only laughed again, making the embarrassed blonde miss the other chef slinking away while he was distracted.
"Great, now they'll have ammo for days, Marimo," he pouted, picking up a fork and twisting his linguine around it.
"You're quite welcome, Dart-" anything else he would've said was cut off in a delighted groan as he tasted the magnificent pork fillet he'd been presented with.
"Shit cook, huh?"
Sanji smirked at him as he dug into his food, knowing full well that Zoro was eating his own words.
"Can you cook for me forever?" the player finally said after polishing off the rest of his plate in record time, his voice full of wonder that could only be attributed to being practically struck dumb.
"Little early to be proposing, dumbass," the blonde joked, laughing at the dusting of red that overtook the other man's features, burning even his gold-adorned ear.
"Har, har, shit-head."
"Oh, I don't mind," Sanji said, taking a sip of the wine he'd poured himself, "You seem like you be a wonderful trophy wife."
"A trophy wife that wins you trophies?"
"The best kind… But you haven't won a trophy yet, cocky bastard."
Zoro laughed, just happy that Sanji took the embarrassing slip so well. Who the hell says that kind of thing on a first date?! He could've smacked himself.
"Gimme a season, you'll be sippin' Powerade in style," he sing-songed as he took a drink to punctuate his statement.
"Lucky me."
They traded little bits of idle banter as Sanji finished eating and he and Zoro eventually nursed drink after drink, sitting in their little corner of the restaurant until the wee hours.
They both found each other's company to be not only comfortable, but equally exciting; a challenging experience one only had when they met their match.
Eventually the wine helped the blonde let slip the fact that he had never learned to skate himself, only that he had always enjoyed the sport.
"Oh come on, cook! You can't tell me that you've never tried."
"Well, if you mean, have I fallen on my ass half a dozen times, then yes, I have," he sneered into his newest refill.
"You do realize that this means we have to go, right?"
Sanji fixed him with a wide-eyed stare that was soon covered with an incredulous smirk, "You have got to be kidding."
Zoro's smug smile was just enough to tell him that, no, no he wasn't.
As drunk as he was, it didn't take much convincing before they were back at the arena, clumsily tying on some old spare skates and staggering onto the ice (with Sanji doing the majority of the fumbling.)
Zoro led him, giggling like an idiot as he fell against the more confident skater, along the walls of the rink coaching him and catching his arms when he stumbled. Despite his higher tolerance for alcohol, Sanji's good humor was increasingly infectious; soon Zoro began laughing and carrying on, making his own little mistakes, even catching his toe pick once and causing Sanji to fall face first into his chest.
The blonde's hand tightened on his as he looked up into Zoro's face, their breath coming in visible puffs in the chilled arena air. Sanji smiled slowly and leaned farther into the other man as his arms instinctually came around him, a warm feeling trickling down Zoro's spine as he saw the half-lidded eye that watched him through the haze of inebriation.
Sanji seemed to fit into his every inch like a glove, as if he had been meant to be right there in his grasp from the start. His boss or not, he was beginning to feel as if the other man had a power over him that was downright innate. He hummed softly in approval when Zoro's hands came to rest on his hips and tried to shift even farther into the embrace, and subsequently overbalanced the both of them, sending them sprawling onto the frozen floor.
Sanji was the first to laugh, the disbelieving chortle coming in little bursts as he raised himself onto his elbows on top of Zoro's chest. They had landed in a mess of tangled limbs, with Zoro crushed beneath the full weight of the practically wasted cook with his face rapidly becoming a rosy shade that had nothing to do with the bourbon. The blushing athlete waited, transfixed, as the wiggling blonde finally found his composure again and looked down at him from his perch.
"Hmm," he sighed against him as he rested a cheek on the breast pocket of Zoro's shirt, now exposed after he had removed the stifling jacket, vest and tie when they'd arrived.
He toyed with the open collar of the garment, a mischievous curl to his lips that set the marimo's heart racing under his feathered touch. Sanji's eyes raised to his face once more, not breaking contact as he grew closer. Zoro had the brief but very distinct impression that the man above him had become predatorial, his other arm locking the man underneath him as he fingers trailed up his jaw line and made his earrings chime softly when they worked into the hair behind his ear.
He felt the warm but alcohol laden breath ghost over his lips when Sanji sat poised above him, a tingle buzzing through his skin wear they barely touched his own as he spoke, "Oi, shitty moss, do I have to send you an invitation?"
Zoro smirked, but angled his head, pressing a tentative kiss onto the full lips that had been captivating him in the car as the blonde had smoked out his passenger window.
The first taste was withdrawn and hesitant, but full of the smoky notes from the man's indulgence in tobacco. There was a sweetness on his lips, most likely from the wine at dinner and a warmth that had only to do with the silent request to deepen the contact. A tongue prodded his lips, and Zoro let out an approving sound as he opened for the chef, their mouths working together and bringing his body temperature up. His arms came around Sanji once again, and he ran his hands down the lithe back, feeling the musculature that seemed almost too perfect to not be an athlete's. He made a mental note somewhere beneath his preoccupation to ask the cook how he had gotten so fit sometime later.
It was when Sanji moaned into his mouth from the sensations on his lower back that he drew away, panting and wanting, to view the enraptured marimo beneath him.
The man was built, as most players were, but there was a softness in his gaze that had captured his attention immediately when he had seen the first interview with him. A spark of something that he only saw in the most exceptional men that provoked him to employ the athlete, no matter the cost, when he was finally, finally up for signing. He hadn't expected that spark to trigger an immediate attraction upon actually meeting the man, despite his attitude when he'd discovered a player on his ice when the Zamboni was out or the mess he'd made of his resurfacing job. Let alone having in no way expected Zoro to be interested as well.
And if the player's hockey stick was anything to go by, interested didn't even begin to cover it.
Sanji laughed softly, pressing a soft kiss to the reddened lips on the tanned Asian's dazed face before sitting back on his lap. The telltale bulge he felt under him made him smirk, but he knew that it was much too late and he was much too drunk to try anything right now. Besides, he didn't want to seem easy.
"Mr. Roronoa, if you would be so kind as to take me home," he said politely, dismounting from the moss-head's waist and grabbing his hand, "I believe I'm tiny bit too intoxicated to continue our lesson."
Zoro was a little stunned and embarrassed by his state of arousal, but now that the sexually frustrating blonde had stopped squirming on top of him and the ice had begun to seep into his system he could feel his head clearing. Nami's teasing was fresh on his mind once again and he had to berate himself for jumping the gun. It was only the first date, dammit, and he would be damned if this was a one-night stand.
"Too bad, it seems like you still need practice, Mr. Black," he purred, slipping a little sarcasm into his silken words, "I thought that princesses were supposed to be full of grace and poise?"
He stood and brought Sanji up with him, the grin on the slighter man's face mirroring his own, "It's unfortunate for you that I'm no princess… But who's to say that I can't be graceful?" He drew one of his long legs up around Zoro's waist, careful not to spear him with the bladed boot, and hung his arms from his neck as he whispered upon his lips, "This just isn't my element."
Zoro swallowed, hyper-aware of the body molded against his own, "So what is your element?"
"Well, they say that 'if you can't take the heat, stay outta the kitchen'," he winked, disentangling himself once more and dropping his hand back into Zoro's more tanned one.
The cook's fiery eye burned into his, the blue an almost molten sapphire. Zoro could still feel a tingle in his fingertips as he drew the blonde along the ice, heading for the rink's exit.
"But," Sanji continued when they got to their things, waiting for Zoro to put on his outer clothing, "I am looking forward to our next lesson…"
"Next lesson?"
"Of course. I will need to pay you for your services however, so you may have to stop by the Baratie more often," Sanji alluded as they walked out and locked the arena doors.
Zoro eyes grew wide as he smiled at him, a little bit of childlike wonder creeping into his ebony gaze. They hadn't let go of each other's hands since they'd left the building and the larger man still hadn't responded.
"If that's okay with you," Sanji eventually laughed, watching the green-haired man glance furtively up at his face and bob his head slightly in his flushed silence.
"I'll teach you whatever the hell you want if you're gonna cook for me…"
They had gotten into Zoro's car by the time he was finally able to respond, and Sanji paused in his seatbelt buckling to look up at the driver dubiously.
"Oh really, is that a promise?" his voice dropped to a sinfully sexy tone. He leaned over to rest his chin on Zoro's right shoulder and crooned into his ear, "Then I'm really looking forward to learning how to score."

subset: commoncrawl


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Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) shares declined 28.76 percent to close at $4.93 a share Monday. The stock traded between $4.80 and $6.70 on volume of 12.67 million shares traded. The company announced that it has received a delisting letter from NASDAQ, effective at the open of business on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. Shares of Avid Technology are down approximately 40.0 percent year-to-date.
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Palo Alto Networks Inc. (NYSE: PANW) shares spiked 4.29 percent to close at $77.05 a share Monday. The stock traded between $76.56 and $79.99 on volume of 3.81 million shares traded. The company reported revenues were a record $141.1 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2014, an increase of 46.0 percent when compared to a year ago. Shares of Palo Alto Networks are up approximately 33.0 percent year-to-date.
Get more information on Palo Alto Networks and free access to the in-depth equity report at: www.FiveStarEquities.com/PANW
SINA Corp. (NASDAQ: SINA) shares jumped 4.29 percent to close at $76.08 a share Monday. The stock traded between $74.60 and $78.49 on volume 6.34 million shares traded. It has been reported that the company is planning a U.S. initial public offering of its Weibo social-media service. Shares of SINA are down approximately 10.0 percent year-to-date.
Get more information on SINA and free access to the in-depth equity report at: www.FiveStarEquities.com/SINA
Trex Company, Inc. (NYSE: TREX) shares surged 20.73 percent to close at $82.58 a share Monday. The stock traded between $75.00 and $86.85 on volume 1.41 million shares traded. The company reported net sales were $63.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 38.0 percent when compared to a year ago. Shares of Trex are up approximately 4.0 percent year-to-date.
Get more information on Trex free access to the in-depth equity report at: www.FiveStarEquities.com/TREX
Disclaimer: Information, opinions and analysis contained herein are based on sources believed to be reliable, but no representation, expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. The opinions contained herein reflect our current judgment and are subject to change without notice. We accept no liability for any losses arising from an investor's reliance on or use of this report. This report is for information purposes only, and is neither a solicitation to buy nor an offer to sell securities. Certain information included herein is forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements concerning manufacturing, marketing, growth, and expansion. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could affect actual results and cause them to differ materially from expectations expressed herein. Five Star Equities has no financial relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this release.
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I always LOVE Christmas, I love the whole season, the lights, the shopping, the music, all of it. Usually by this time I've started Christmas shopping & am all into it.
This year I do have the decorations out & I've started listening to the music, I love looking at the lights, etc but feel almost like I'm just going through the motions. I haven't started any shopping whatsoever, in fact I haven't even thought about what to get anyone.
I'm so focused on the baby, getting the nursery done, & impatiently waiting for March to get here that I feel like Christmas is just another thing to get out of the way before the baby can come. So weird because I look forward to Christmas pretty much all year.
Anyone else having a hard time getting it in gear this year?
Completely understand- usually my biggest thing is spending a lot of time finding the perfect/thoughtful/meaningful gifts for friends and loved ones. I LOVE giving gifts. This year they will be lucky if they get a tin of cookies. I am all ready for Christmas season where my DH and I are concerned, but definitely being an Ebeneezer Scrooge about sharing
So I'm a weirdo and I'm totally being a Buddy the Elf this Christmas.
I'm already done shopping. Tree is up, I've watched Buddy the Elf and Home Alone already. I've made all my crafts for the hand-made presents I'm giving out. And I bought a Swarovski annual ornament and I'm going to start collecting them every year so some day I can give them to my daughter and tell her I started when I was pregnant with her. I am just so excited that after trying and hoping and dreaming for so long, I'm FINALLY going to have a LO for all this fun Christmas stuff next year.
December PAL Siggy Challenge;
Meanwhile, In Canada
I knew everything would be over shadowed by the baby, so I actually implemented a "25 days of Christmas" thing with my husband. Both of us LOVE christmas time, so I know it's special to him too. We took alternating days (I got odd days, he got even) and either wrote down a holiday thing to do, or we got one "buy" day per week-where we could just write something sweet to the other person (with the understanding that since he isn't as good of thinking of things as I am he got to schedule looking at christmas lights, wrapping presents, and looking at light sLOL). then every day from Dec 1-Dec 25 whoever didn't write that day gets to read the card.
Since we did that, i'm now pretty excited about the season because there's something different to do every weekend, and some week nights.
Im right with you! We are closing on our house new in mid Jan. I dont want to buy any gifts. I dont felt like the hustle of Christmas and I love Christmas. I dont want to listen to music or watch my two favorite Christmas movies Four Christmas and Elf.
bah! humbug!
wittyschaffy:but then it hit me that I'd probably be the one cleaning up after it, crawling under it to water it, keeping the dog's happy butt away, etc. still put most of that stuff out but if it needs to be watered or treated carefully, it is staying in the basement this year. :-P
Ha! We will be "decorating" a plug in 8" tree my parents got me as a joke for the very reasons you mentioned.
I'm in the same boat...mainly because of our finances.
We put our tree up last weekend and have put up some decorations. I've purchased all of the stocking stuffers we need for my step kids. And I think we know what we're getting for our parents. But other than that, I'm feeling like I'm in a slump.
We've always sent a holiday photo and letter out to friends and family but I'm feeling very overwhelmed to do that this year (we usually send out approx. 80 a year). I can't come up with any creative ideas for a holiday photo and I just don't feel like writing a letter. Nevermind the cost of printing off the photos and the stamps for the letters really add up.
I also like to do a bunch of baking to give to friends as presents over the holidays. I like to bake and I would love to spend a day or weekend doing so, but I don't feel like doling out a bunch of money on ingredients.
I think I'm just worried about the fact that we've barely made any baby purchases and we really should start doing that instead of spending money on Christmas. I know Christmas shouldn't be about money...but it's hard for me to do the things I like to regularly do for the holidays without spending money. :S
I'm also not really looking forward to the holidays because we're spending it away from my family for the third year in a row. The last two years we spent Christmas with our friends in the city in which my step kids' mom lives so that we could split Christmas with her (since she's not willing to alternate Christmases with us). Once again, we are supposed to be splitting Christmas with her this year. However, our friends will be spending their holidays elsewhere this year so we're likely going to be spending Christmas with my MIL. Not looking forward to that at all.


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Creamy shrimp fettucine
Cooking time: 30 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the flour and continue stirring for about one minute. Add the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.
Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions. Toss the drained pasta with the sauce until the pasta is well coated. Keep warm.
Put the water in a microwaveable bowl and add the broccoli. Cover with microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap (leave a little vent for steam to escape) and microwave for 5 minutes until the broccoli is tender yet crisp. Drain the water from the broccoli. Heat the shrimp in a microwaveable bowl for one minute. To serve the pasta, divide it among six plates. Top with broccoli, shrimp, tomato, and parsley.
Yield: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving:
Disclaimer of Medical Advice:You understand that the blogs posts and comments to such blog posts (whether posted by us, our agents, bloggers, or by users) do not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind and you should not rely on any information contained on such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs. The opinions and other information contained in the blog posts and comments do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Site Proprietor.


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Archive highlights
Search Harry Burton's excavation photographs
Horeau paintings
Hector Horeau's watercolours of Egypt made in 1838
Petrie journals
Read Petrie's journal for 1880-1881
The Griffith Institute - University of Oxford
The Griffith Institute has been at the heart of Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford for seventy-five years.
It is home to two major research projects, the Topographical Bibliography (Porter & Moss) and the Online Egyptological Bibliography (OEB). The Griffith Institute also houses an archive of 'wonderful things' containing the collective memory and life work of some of Egyptology's greatest scholars, including its founder Francis Llewellyn Griffith, as well as Sir Alan Gardiner and Jaroslav Černý. Perhaps the most famous are the records of Howard Carter whose name is synonymous with the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. The Griffith Institute provides vital resources for the study of the history and culture of ancient Egypt and the Near East, which may be accessed directly, or online.
Griffith latest news
Terence DuQuesne's papersThree months ago, on the 17th of April, the British Egyptologist Terence DuQuesne passed away. He very generously bequeathed his research papers to the Griffith Institute, where they will be soon available for consultation. See more.
The Digital Topographical Bibliography
We have now launched test cases for the new Digital
Topographical Bibliography. Alongside searchable PDFs of the current print
version, vols. 1-7, this website presents the new framework of
the project and samples of new data focusing on three case-studies (Tuna
el-Gebel, Tell el-Farʿun and royal statues of provenance not known).
We would welcome feedback from users on the general appearance and style, ease of access and navigation within the case-studies, as well as thoughts and comments on any aspect of the presentation and content. See more.
Topographical Bibliography vols I-VII available to download
As part of the digitization of the Topographical Bibliography, the first seven volumes have been scanned and made freely available as searchable PDFs. We are very pleased to offer them to the research community as a digital legacy to those who intensively worked on this project for over a century. See more.
Jac. J. Janssen's papers
Two years ago on the 23rd of August 2011, Professor Jac. J. Janssen passed away. In his memory, we are pleased to announce that his papers will be soon available for consultation at the Griffith Institute. See more.
Pietro Bracci's 'lost' manuscript
To celebrate Pietro Bracci's birthday in the month of June, we present here scans of some individual pages of an unpublished manuscript on Egyptian hieroglyphs which was believed to be lost.
Amelia Edwards new sketch album
A previously unknown album of drawings by Amelia Edwards has recently been identified in the Archive. To celebrate her birthday on June 6th, we have the pleasure to publish it online here.
DonateIf you would like to make a gift to the Griffith Institute as part of the 'Oxford Thinking' campaign see our online giving website
Purchase Art Prints
From the Griffith Archives


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Get RBC Rewards Bonus When You Switch to Select RBC Royal Bank Accounts
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You'll find detailed information on the merits and limitations of each account or product by clicking on the individual account or product description on this page. The amount of the RBC Rewards points bonus varies by account/product, here's how it breaks down:
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The Lighter Side of Thanksgiving: Dishes Inspired by MyPlate
MyPlate is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) current food guide, which empowers consumers to learn about and maintain diets rich in the five necessary food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. Here we take a look at MyPlate-inspired recipes for Thanksgiving dinner.
Delish is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDAs MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit choosemyplate.gov. Find recipes at pinterest.com/MyPlateRecipes.
Butternut Squash Soup
Creamy and decadent, this smooth soup is ideal for fall, with butternut squash and Gala apples simmered in chicken broth with onion, ginger, apple cider, and heavy cream, and served with small Gruyère toasts.
Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup


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Ridge Racer Unbounded make some noise trailer
Put your hands together and make some noise for a new Ridge Racer Unbounded developer diary.
Ridge Racer Unbounded Dominate behind the scenes trailer
Head behind the scenes of Ridge Racer Unbounded as Bugbear Entertainment hits the racetrack once more to get a feel for the road.
Ridge Racer Unbounded gameplay trailer
Witness first-hand the awesome power awaiting you in Ridge Racer Unbounded with some new gameplay footage.
Ridge Racer Unbounded environments 3 trailer
Get ready for the third environments trailer, showing off dramatic neon scenery and urban sprawl for Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Ridge Racer Unbounded map editor trailer
Create your own maps and environments to challenge your skills in Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Ridge Racer Unbounded drive behind the scenes trailer
How does driving a real sports car compare with driving in Ridge Racer Unbounded? Bugbear Entertainment takes up the issue in this behind the scenes trailer.
Ridge Racer Unbounded environments trailer
Take on the treacherous urban racing environments even Hiro Protagonist would be leery of in Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Ridge Racer Unbounded pre-order trailer
Get access to several exclusive bonus cars, including the El Mariachi, The Hearse, The Gallows, the Ridge Racer 7 Machine, the Ridge Racer 1 Machine, and the Ridge Racer Type 4 Machine, by pre-ordering Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Ridge Racer Unbounded 'Create or destroy' Trailer
Create magnificient architectural masterpieces, or turn cities to rubble, with the Create mode in Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Ridge Racer Unbounded 'E3 2011' Trailer
Join the Unbounded street racing gang, lead by Kara Shindo, and test your driving skills against rivals in every street and alley of Shatter Bay. Prove your worth, get respect and expand your turf.
Ridge Racer Unbounded crashes the E3 2011 events with this trailer.
Ridge Racer Unbounded 'Teaser' Trailer
BugBear Studios aims for a gritty urban racing experience with Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Ridge Racer Unbounded 'Announcement' Trailer
The announcement trailer for Bugbear's Ridge Racer Unbounded. That honestly is what it's named.
Gameplay Movies
There are no Gameplay Movies for this title right now.


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Pebble grain leather double gusset briefcase with top handle and steel A.Testoni dial lock. 2 interior pockets, 1 security pockets, phone and pen holder. 17" long x 12" tall x 4½" wide.
Material: Leather
Brand: testoni BASIC
Origin: Italy
Born in 1905, founder Amedeo Testoni mastered his craft in Bologna, Italy, a historic center of leather-working and shoemaking. Today his line of footwear has expanded to include belts, briefcases, and handbags crafted from top quality leathers as well as more exotic materials such as ostrich, crocodile, and shark. Elaborate punching, invisible stitching, and antique-like finishing all add to the unmistakable quality and commitment that goes into each masterful piece from A. Testoni.


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Prespectives from "HIV is Not A Crime" Conference
A Snapshot of Voices and Perspectives from Grinnell
This week, from June 2-5, the HIV is Not a Crime Conference took place in Grinnell College in Iowa. Advocates from across the country came together to brainstorm and share their perspectives and experiences in connection with HIV criminalization – the use of criminal law to prosecute and penalize people living with HIV for conduct that would be legal if they did not get tested or know their status.
Since many people, including members of the Positive Justice Project, a national campaign to end HIV criminalization, were not able to travel to Iowa for the conference, I want to share a snapshot of the conversations that took place among advocates and community members at the conference. The themes represented here are not exhaustive, but they form a powerful and inspiring platform for action, movement-building, and social change over the next year.
1) HIV Criminalization is Part of Broader Criminal Justice and Social Justice Struggles
Advocates expressed broad consensus that HIV criminalization laws are rooted in homophobia, racism, and other forms of social injustice, and that HIV-phobia is a proxy for homophobia, racism, and sexism. The laws provide police with additional ammunition to target and control people of color, LGBT folks, and immigrants.
Many advocates expressed deep frustration at the lack of racial justice, economic justice, and reproductive justice analysis in the HIV movement.
To fight HIV criminalization, advocates are eager to incorporate an intersectional lens that recognizes the connection between HIV criminalization and broader criminal justice issues, including the problem of overcriminalization across the United States, police profiling, and stop-and-frisk programs targeting people of color, immigrants, queer youth, and transgender people.
There was strong interest in pursuing strategies that place HIV criminalization laws within a broader context of police targeting, surveillance, and persecution of vulnerable individuals and marginalized communities, including people of color, LGBT folks, immigrants, and sex workers.
The unifying thread is the importance of ending the use of the criminal justice system to target, control, and contain members of our communities who are feared or disliked on the basis of stigmatized identity.
Advocates expressed that the failure to recognize these broader connections weakens and divides us – particularly, when we fail to incorporate the perspectives and experiences of marginalized people in our advocacy, outreach, collaborations and compromises.
2) HIV Criminalization Laws Undermine Public Health
Since HIV criminalization laws are, in large part, rooted in homophobia and stigma, advocates expressed a strong interest in using medical/scientific (evidence-based) and public health lenses to talk about HIV criminalization. This approach focuses on describing the actual routes, relative risks and consequences of transmission to our communities, policymakers, elected officials, and representatives. HIV is not a crime and should be addressed from a public health perspective.
3) Our Work, Outreach and Collaborations Should Reflect the Nuances and Diversity of our Vibrant Communities and Life Experiences
Since our communities and life experiences are diverse, advocates are eager to cast a broad and inclusive net. For example, although having LGBT support is important for advancing HIV campaigns, a constant theme in the conference was the need to make HIV criminalization more than just a "gay issue." Advocates stressed that we cannot forget about other communities.
To broaden the base of support, advocates suggest focusing on collaborations across communities and across social justice movements. Cross-pollination in an intersectional fashion is critical for success.
As advocates noted, to effectively carry out this work, it is important to understand HIV, race, economic justice, reproductive justice, immigration, and the prison industrial complex.
In light of the changing nature of identity-politics – folks now identify across movements and communities – instead of identity-based alliances, coalitions and messaging, it likely is more effective and powerful to use a values-based approach.
4) Tackling Tough Compromises Through Inclusion
Advocates expressed a strong interest in making well-informed decisions and compromises that recognize the diversity, varying needs, and nuances in our communities and lived experiences.
Even in Iowa, where advocates successfully pushed for change, there is more work to do to improve the HIV criminalization law. Advocates at the conference acknowledged that hard choices often have to be made in legislative campaigns. Some advocates noted that Iowa is instructive in looking at ways to organize and advocate, but Iowa is not a model law – difficult compromises were be made, and when the bill passed unanimously it made some advocates wonder whether too many compromises were made and too much was left at the table.
Advocates noted that every state is different. We need multiple legislative options and strategies that reflect the unique needs and dynamics of each state. Many recognized that there is no single path for HIV de-criminalization. Legislative campaigns and efforts all require compromises that reflect diverse state-specific needs. Our movement, goals, asks, and compromises must reflect our communities and diverse needs. But our anti-criminalization work and de-criminalization efforts should not end up criminalizing, marginalizing, or stigmatizing someone else.
When making compromises, we should consider: who is sitting at the table and participating in the conversation? Who is making these decisions, and who will be affected by them?
Advocates urged: nothing about us without us! Nothing about an affected community without representation from that community.
5) Collaboration and Coordination is Key for Collective Impact
The conference stressed a powerful and inspiring theme of interconnectedness. We are all one family of advocates working together to abolish the criminalization, discrimination, oppression, persecution, and dehumanization of people living with HIV, our families, and our communities.
Advocates expressed an interest in exploring meaningful collaborations grounded on mutual respect and based on commonalities and shared values.
Advocates are eager to coordinate work stream and align initiatives with friends, colleagues, and peers across the movement against HIV criminalization, across the broader HIV movement, and across other social justice movements. There was widespread recognition that we can complement each other's work for collective impact.
Looking for HIV Criminalization Resources?
In anticipation of this conference, The Center for HIV Law and Policy gathered a selection of HIV criminalization resources for advocates and organizations, including This is How We Win: A Toolkit for Community Advocates, and HIV criminalization palm cards in English and Spanish. We provide free, unlimited access to substantive resources to support and increase the advocacy power and expertise of attorneys, community members, service providers, and all people living with HIV.
Si Se Puede!
Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, Esq.
Legal Director
The Center for HIV Law & Policy
65 Broadway, Suite 832
New York, NY 10006
Telephone: 212-430-6733
Fax: 212-430-6734
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Why Now Is a Terrible Time to Disrupt Care for Women Living With HIV
Why Now Is a Terrible Time to Disrupt Care for Women Living With HIV
Olivia Ford
by Olivia Ford, Positive Women's Network – USA
May 16, 2014
A significant source of care for women, infants, children, and youth living with HIV is under attack.
With many thanks to Gina Brown, Positive Women's Network – USA board member, for contributing significantly to the development of this article.
May 11-17 marks National Women's Health Week, when the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Women's Health encourages women to get checkups and health screenings and build relationships with their health-care providers. Meanwhile, a significant source of care for women, infants, children, and youth living with HIV is under attack.
This March, when President Obama's proposed budget for 2015 was released, we at Positive Women's Network-USA, a national advocacy network of women living with HIV, were shocked to see the line item for Part D of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program zeroed out. The Ryan White Program ensures that more than half a million underinsured and low-income people living with HIV each year receive high-quality care and services. Part D-funded programs specifically serve women, infants, children, youth and families living with HIV—not only with medical care, but by providing medical and non-medical case management, peer-based programming, transportation, housing, child care, mental health and substance use services, food vouchers, and many other vital services.
These services aren't extra; for many women living with HIV, who are disproportionately African American, Latina, and/or living below the poverty line, they are a lifeline to getting in and staying in HIV care, and maintaining a high quality of life.
While not all women living with HIV are eligible to receive care through Part D, more than 90,000 women, young people, and family members access Part D services each year, according to a recent report by the AIDS Alliance for Women, Infants, Children, Youth and Families, which has also criticized the proposed cuts. These programs are often entry points into care—for women living with HIV as well as for youth, the fastest growing population living with HIV in the United States.
Under the president's proposed 2015 budget, Ryan White Part C (which funds medical and early intervention services for people living with HIV) would absorb Part D-allocated funds and receive a $4 million increase—but it's unclear what portion of these dollars would fund services for women, children, and youth, and what range of services would be covered.
When Gina Brown was diagnosed with HIV while pregnant with her daughter, in 1994, she was terrified. "I thought I was going to die," said Brown. "But I was fortunate to find the Pediatric AIDS Program, a Part D program in my area of New Orleans. It was there that I learned about HIV and got the counseling I needed for me and my son to keep us both healthy, and for my daughter to be born HIV negative. That care saved my life."
Part D's leading role in the drastic reduction of perinatal HIV transmission rates in the United States—from roughly 25 percent by the early 1990s to less than 2 percent today—has been cited by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)'s HIV/AIDS Bureau as key to the decision to eliminate Part D. That success was made possible, in large part, through proactive outreach to and coordinated care for pregnant women living with HIV and their families, of the kind that Brown received during her pregnancy.
Also during March, news that a second infant born with HIV had become HIV-negative through aggressive treatment soon after birth rocked the headlines. This exciting news recalled the story of the first "cured baby," whose HIV remission was widely reported in early 2013. Less often reported was the fact that both discoveries were made possible because the infants' mothers, who are women living with HIV, were not effectively retained in care.
Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 41 percent of women living with HIV nationally are retained in care, 77 percent of female Ryan White Program clients (37 percent of whom receive care through Part D) stay engaged in care, according to another recent federal report. This kind of success is right in line with the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy—the United States' blueprint for addressing the domestic HIV epidemic—which are to help people with HIV stay in care, improve health outcomes, and reduce HIV-related health disparities. President Obama issued an executive order in 2013 to rigorously address persistent gaps in care—purportedly to assure that programs shown to work in achieving that goal would be maintained and expanded, not eliminated, when the puzzle of keeping people living with HIV connected to quality care is far from solved.
A significant piece of that puzzle for women (and another concern President Obama has devoted resources to addressing) may lie in the epidemics of violence and trauma, which affect women with HIV at alarming rates. Women with HIV experience intimate partner violence at more than twice the rate of the general population of U.S. women, and post-traumatic stress disorder at more than five times the national rate, according to data released in 2012. Women with HIV, including transgender women, who reported recent trauma were four times more likely to have their HIV treatment fail than those who did not. These numbers indicate a connection between unaddressed trauma and poor health outcomes for women living with HIV. Another study released in 2012 showed women with HIV reporting trauma in the past 30 days were 42 percent more likely to die than women who didn't. However, clinical care environments for women with HIV do not currently provide consistent screening or referrals for trauma.
"The failure to systemically address the ongoing effects of lifetime trauma and violence may be the missing ingredient in improving care for women living with HIV," said Brown, who has worked in two Part D programs in addition to her past experiences as a client.
Last September, the newly created White House Interagency Federal Working Group on the Intersection of HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Women and Girls, and Gender-Related Health Disparities released a set of promising recommendations to break the cycle of trauma and HIV among women. Among them: additional research into the prevalence of violence and trauma, co-screening for intimate partner violence and HIV, and developing trauma-informed care and service models for women with HIV.
Advocates believe that federal support for these powerful recommendations and for closing gaps in the HIV care continuum, coupled with the proposed elimination of Part D, a federal source of women-focused HIV services, sends a dangerously conflicting message.
Last month, the 30 for 30 Campaign, a national coalition of organizations working to ensure that the needs of women are addressed in the national HIV response, held a meeting with HRSA officials to discuss the proposed changes to Ryan White Part D. Women living with HIV from throughout the nation attended the meeting to express their concerns. "How can women and youth living with HIV, and their providers, trust that Part C will be able to learn, and implement, the kind of care we've fought for more than 17 years for Part D to be able to provide for women and youth?" asked Linda Scruggs, who is living with HIV and is the former deputy director of AIDS Alliance for Women, Infants, Children, Youth and Families.
At a critical moment when the Affordable Care Act is already changing health-care delivery for people living with HIV, the Ryan White Program needs to remain stable, not be taken apart. Professional associations of medical providers, including the Ryan White Medical Providers Coalition and the HIV Medicine Association, have expressed grave concern about this change—and said so in a statement which outlined a number of reasons for keeping Ryan White still, and keeping Part D whole, at current levels while we as a community and a nation realize the full effects of ACA implementation.
The budget is not set in stone—it is still a proposal, and it still must get through Congress before it is approved. HRSA is asking for feedback at firstname.lastname@example.com. But no matter what happens to Part D, women with HIV will need more gender-sensitive, culturally relevant, and community-based care, not less. "Far too many women do not seek or will fall out of care simply because programming does not provide a comprehensive, welcoming environment free of judgment, and one that addresses their specific needs," another Positive Women's Network-USA member, Margot Kirkland-Isaac, wrote in a recent blog entry. These kinds of environments must become and remain the norm not just in Part D programs, but in all places where women living with HIV receive care.
The Principle of Awareness
Awareness undergirds excellence. This is true in all areas of endeavor. The principle of awareness calls for the leader to be aware of the elements that contribute to excellent performance and constantly measure his or her own performance against the standards of excellence he or she has set for themselves. Awareness is the keystone in the arch of leadership. Knock out the keystone, and the arch, which consists of leadership princples, come crashing down.
The leader is aware of his or her own leadership role. He or she knows they are in charge. They are aware of the impact and influence they have on other people's lives. They enjoy the the privileges and bear the awesome responsibilities that go with giving direction to a group's future.
The leader is aware of the meaning of leadership. Leadership is the discipline of deliberately exrting special influence within a group to move it toward goals of beneficial permanence that fulfill the group's real needs. The leader knows each component of that meaning and how the components interact with each other.
The leader is aware of the principles of leadership:
1. The Principle of Vision
2. The Principle of Goal Setting
3. The Principle of Love
4. The Principle of Humility
5. The Principle of Self-Control
6. The Principle of Communication
7. The Principle of Investment
8. The Principle of Opportunity
9. The Principle of Energy
10. The Principle of Staying Power
11. The Principle of Authority
12. The Principle of Awareness
Adapted from Lead On, by John Edmund Haggai
AIDSWatch 2014
Washington D.C • April 28-29, 2014
Join us for the largest annual national constituent-based advocacy event focused on HIV and AIDS in the United States. A partnership of Treatment Access Expansion Project, AIDS United and the US People Living with HIV Caucus, AIDSWatch draws hundreds of HIV-positive advocates and their allies to Washington DC to educate Members of Congress and their staff about HIV/AIDS. All participants are provided with training on current science, legislative agendas, and conducting effective meetings with their elected representation.
Training will take place on Monday, April 28 at FHI 360 Conference Center, 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC
Meetings with Congressional offices will take place throughout the day on Tuesday, April 29, and will be scheduled by regional/state coordinators.
Services for Women are Not Disposable! PWN-USA Responds to the President's Budget Proposal to Eliminate Ryan White Part D
Contact: Olivia Ford, email@example.com / 510.333.4262
March 26, 2014, New Orleans, LA
Just a few weeks ago, President Obama's budget for 2015 was released, proposing the elimination of Part D of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which provides family-centered medical care and supportive services to women, infants, children and youth (WICY) living with HIV. Positive Women's Network – USA is deeply concerned about this proposal and demands to see the evidence that drove this decision. Within the Ryan White Program, and across the spectrum of care for people living with HIV, services and care designed to meet women's needs are not disposable.
Part D-funded programs provide coordinated care and support services to women living with HIV who may be juggling caregiving responsibilities to family members and children. While not all women living with HIV are eligible to receive care through Part D, more than 90,000 WICY access Part D services each year, according to a recent report by the AIDS Alliance for Women, Infants, Children, Youth and Families, which has criticized the proposed cuts. These programs are often entry points into care for underinsured women living with HIV — and for youth, the fastest growing population living with HIV in the U.S.
"As a woman living with HIV, it appears as if the unique, coordinated care and services provided by Part D programs are of little concern to the President and his Administration, when the reality is that these services are vital to our survival," says Janet Kitchen, a member of PWN-USA who accessed case management and women's health services through Part D early in her diagnosis, and now serves as a consumer quality advisor to a Part D program in Florida.
Under the President's proposed 2015 budget, Ryan White Part C, which funds medical and early intervention services, would absorb Part D-allocated funds and receive a $4 million-dollar increase — but it's unclear what portion of these dollars would fund services for WICY populations, and what range of services would be covered.
"There are usually specific gender-related experiences for women living with HIV that create unique barriers to accessing and remaining in care," explains Susan Rodriguez, a woman living with HIV and founding director of SMART in New York City, which provides services to women and youth impacted by HIV. "These barriers are addressed in part through supportive services such as peer-based programming, transportation, housing, childcare, nutritional support and non-medical case management. These services are not extras — they are
essential for many women to be able to receive consistent, high-quality health care."
Programs delivering these services to women through Part D are precisely those at risk of being cut under the proposed elimination. Professional associations of medical providers, including the Ryan White Medical Providers Coalition and the HIV Medicine Association, have expressed grave concern about this change.
"Part D services helped me to save my life, and enabled me to be a leader in my community and a healthy mother to my children," says Evany Turk, an Illinois-based PWN-USA member who works with University of Chicago's Care 2 Prevent Program. Part D's success in helping to drastically reduce rates of perinatal HIV transmission was made possible, in part, through coordinated care for pregnant women living with HIV and their families.
"When I was pregnant, a small agency funded by Part D sent a community worker to my home to help me learn how to take my meds so my baby would be free from HIV," Turk recalls. "That same agency came out to help me give my baby HIV meds the first six weeks of his life to be certain he had no chance of contracting HIV. Eliminating these important Part D-funded outreach services will make it harder to retain women in care."
Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s HIV care continuum illustrates that only 41% of women living with HIV nationally are retained in care, 77% of female Ryan White Program clients stay in care, according to a recent report by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). These successes must be maintained and expanded if the U.S. is to reach the National HIV/AIDS Strategy's goals of increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV.
At a critical moment when the Affordable Care Act is already changing health care delivery for people living with HIV, the Ryan White Program needs to remain stable, not be taken apart. To that end, the 30 for 30 Campaign — a coalition of leaders working to ensure that the unique needs of women are addressed in the national HIV response — sent a letter last week to Dr. Laura Cheever, associate administrator of HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau, requesting an explanation of the Administration's rationale for the change, as well as the data which drove this decision.
"When I was pregnant and diagnosed with HIV, in 1991, there were no supportive services for women as well as their families," says Margot Kirkland-Isaac, a Maryland-based PWN-USA member and past Part D program client. "I was admonished and advised to abort my daughter, and even threatened with the removal of my other children. Meanwhile, women in similar positions to mine would take the food they got from the food pantry for themselves and give it to their babies, and would literally starve to death. Twenty-three years later, we're still fighting for the same thing.
"Far too many women do not seek or will fall out of care simply because programming does not provide a comprehensive, welcoming environment free of judgment, and one that addresses their specific needs," says Kirkland-Isaac. These kinds of environments must become and remain the norm not just in Part D programs, but in all places where women living with HIV receive care.
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; March 10th, 2014
If I Were HIV+ … I'd Still Be Me:
Colorado Hosts National HIV/AIDS Anti-Stigma Event
Eye-Catching T-Shirts Are Central Conversation-Starter in Community Education and Awareness Campaign
How would you complete the phrase "If I Were HIV+ …"?
An education campaign to challenge HIV-related stigma will return to Colorado Saturday March 8th through Monday March 10th.
The event, called "IF I WERE HIV+…", uses eye-catching T-shirts as tools to spark community-wide discussion and action in honor of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on March 10. As the HIV epidemic advances through its fourth decade, stigma and discrimination against HIV+ people persist as the greatest barriers to testing and treatment for the more than 1.1 million people living with HIV in the U.S. — and HIV activists cannot fight this stigma alone.
In 2014, women represent a larger share of new HIV infections compared to earlier in the epidemic. Today, at least 25% of HIV-positive people are women, which equals roughly 280,000 women currently living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 16% of women living with HIV don't know it.
As HIV infection continues to affect approximately 1 out of every 139 American women, stigma and misconceptions about HIV persist. Those who report a personal connection with HIV+ people has decreased. 41% say they know someone who has AIDS, is HIV+ or has died of AIDS. This decrease creates additional challenges to acceptance of people living with HIV. 45% of those surveyed by the Kaiser Family Foundation state they would be uncomfortable having their food prepared by someone who is HIV+. One third of Americans surveyed by the Kaiser Family Foundation believe one of the following popular misconceptions about transmission is true: that they can be infected from sharing a glass (25%) , from a toilet seat (16%) or swimming in a pool with someone who is positive (12%). We need to continue educating our nation and community about HIV.
To increase awareness, the Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP) joins with Positive Women's Network–United States of America (PWN-USA) and the Colorado regional group- PWN CO for the fifth annual "IF I WERE HIV+…" community awareness and education campaign. Activists and allies will go about their regular days sporting bright pink tee shirts emblazoned with the slogan "IF I WERE HIV+…" and the frank invitation: "LET'S TALK". The campaign invites community members to step into the shoes of a person living with HIV, get informed, and ask themselves how they can be part of fighting stigma and improving the lives of women living with HIV.
There are 15,156 people estimated to be living with HIV in Colorado, 12% of whom are women. That percentage, which includes those who haven't been diagnosed, adds up to about 1,819 individual women. That's why the activists behind the campaign are looking to gather 181 allies to wear a campaign T-shirt leading up to National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day — nearly twice the number that sported the shirts in 2013.
Each person wearing a T-shirt will represent 10 women living with HIV in our state — members of our communities whose experience with HIV is often invisible. Organizers look forward to the "aha moments" and conversations this boldly visual campaign will incite among community members and their families.
"Surprisingly, the most common reaction was for people to read the shirt, and look away," commented a Kari Hartel, a past participant in the campaign. "Hopefully those who didn't join us will take a moment to wonder, would it be so awful if someone thought I could be HIV+?"
Participating community members will share their stories, thoughts and photos during the day at our Facebook group IF I WERE HIV+… as they educate other community members about HIV risks, stigma and the experience of being HIV+. If you'd like to wear a T-shirt to help the campaign reach 181 participants.
If you are interested please send Barb an email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
I Am My Brother's and Sister's Keeper. Fight HIV/AIDS!
I Am My Brother's and Sister's Keeper. Fight HIV/AIDS!
By Gina Brown, Program Manager, AIDS United
"I Am My Brother's and Sister's Keeper. Fight HIV/AIDS!" This is the 2014 theme for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which is February 7th, 2014, was first observed in 1999, and since then, advocates, allies and people living with HIV/AIDS in the Black community have worked hard to be "Our Brother's and Sister's Keeper". We've organized, united, strategized, articulated and advocated for the need to be our brother's and sister's keeper, as we remain dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS in the Black community.
HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately affect Black America. Currently, three in five Black Americans know someone living with or who has died from HIV/AIDS. Although we account for less than 14% of the U.S. population, Black America represented 44% of all new HIV infections in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Men who have sex with Men (MSM) remain the group most heavily affected by HIV, while young Black MSM continue to account for more than half of new infections among young MSM. The CDC reports a 21% decline in new HIV infections among women overall, however the new data shows that black women continue to be far more affected by HIV than women of other races/ethnicities. Of all the women living with HIV in the United States, approximately 66% are African American.
According to the Southern AIDS Strategy Initiative (SASI), in 2010, 46% of all new diagnosis of HIV infection occurred in the South. Compared to other regions, a higher percentage of diagnoses in the South were among women (23.8%), Blacks/African Americans (57.2%). With numbers this high, it is crucial to expand Medicaid in the South, since Medicaid Expansion would allow greater access to care and treatment for HIV positive individuals.
What does it mean to be "Our Brother's and Sister's Keeper?" One way this can be interpreted is that a sister or brother takes responsibility for the others behavior. It means taking care of them and not ignoring their problem, it also means being concerned with someone else besides you. You keep him or her from harm. As a woman living with HIV, the way I do my sisterly duty is by speaking for those women who have yet to find their voices. I take this charge seriously because I AM my Sister's Keeper!
So looking forward, how do we take greater responsibility for one another in the Black community, as we recommit to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic? First, EVERY Black American must know his or her HIV status. Second, every person who tests HIV positive must have access and be linked to care, which helps to improve their health outcomes. Third, partners and allies must work to ensure that all groups and individuals who are challenged by social determinants work to keep the Black community within reach of access to opportunities that limit poverty and social exclusion. This focus is critical as we work together to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since its inception, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day provides a heightened opportunity for Black Americans to come together for education, testing, involvement and treatment, if necessary.
As our Brother's and Sister's Keeper in the Black community, on this National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we are dedicated to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic in America.
Living with HIV: One Woman's Inspiring Story
Living with HIV: One Woman's Inspiring Story
In honor of AIDS Awareness Month in December, we spoke to HIV/AIDS activist Penny DeNoble, who takes a brave stand against the virus—and inspires others to do the same.
Read more: http://spryliving.com/articles/living-with-hiv/#ixzz2pBWB2qf9
World AIDS Day; December 1st, 2013
What is World AIDS Day?
World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988.
Why is World AIDS Day important?
Around 1.5 million are currently living with HIV in the U.S. and globally an estimated 34 million people have HIV. More than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 have died from the virus, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.
Today, many scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. But despite this, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from HIV, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV. World AIDS Day is important as it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.
What should I do on World AIDS Day?
World AIDS Day is an opportunity for you to learn the facts about HIV and put your knowledge into action. Find out how much you know by taking our online quiz: Are you HIV aware? Test your knowledge and awareness by taking the quiz and act aware by passing the quiz on and sharing it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook.
If you understand how HIV is transmitted, how it can be prevented, and the reality of living with HIV today – you can use this knowledge to take care of your own health and the health of others, and ensure you treat everyone living with HIV fairly, and with respect and understanding. Click here to find out the facts.
You can also show your support for people living with HIV on World AIDS Day by wearing a red ribbon, the international symbol of HIV awareness and support.
World AIDS Day is also a great opportunity to raise money for NAT (National AIDS Trust) and show your support for people living with HIV. If you feel inspired to hold an event, bake sale or simply sell red ribbons, click here to get started. If you'd like to see what other events are taking place — click here and find out more.
But what about after World AIDS Day?
Although World AIDS Day is a great opportunity to get the public talking about HIV and fundraise, we need to remember the importance of raising awareness of HIV all year round. That's why NAT has launched HIVaware — a fun, interactive website which provides all the information everyone should know about HIV. Why not use what you have learnt on World AIDS Day to Act Aware throughout the year and remember, you can fundraise at any time of year too — NAT is always here to give you suggestions and ideas.
Penny DeNoble and The Issue of Blood Outreach Recognized in POZ Magazine, as "POZ 100 Unsung Heroes", November 2013 Edition
Planning Council and Community Members:
I am very honored to send out this email notice to recognize the work of our very own DHRPC member Penny DeNoble!
For this year's POZ 100, we asked individuals and organizations like you to nominate an HIV-positive person in their community who is an unsung hero in the fight against AIDS. The individuals on this year's list may not consider themselves to be heroes, but we do. Each person—in his or her own way—is taking a brave stand against the virus. They are fighting back. They do so, not because they're seeking glory or accolades, but because fighting back is a means to their survival.
Congrats to Denver's Penny DeNoble!!!!
Penny DeNoble
Founder and Director
The Issue of Blood
Denver, Colorado
Positive since 1986
Penny DeNoble has been an educator, community activist and HIV advocate for 15 years. Her organization, The Issue of Blood, is an outreach and consulting service that aims to bring awareness, education and information about the prevention of HIV and other STIs and unplanned pregnancies. She collaborates with other AIDS organizations in the Denver area, and she sits on the board of The Greater Denver Interfaith Initiative and is the vice-chair of the Denver HIV Resources Planning Council. Penny is a member of the 2020 Leading Women's Society, The White House Project's MAC AIDS Fund Advisory Committee, Positive Women's Network, Treatment Advocacy Group and AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families. Her goal is to help HIV-positive women reach their communities through education, leadership development and advocacy.
On behalf of the DHRPC we want to thank you Penny for all the volunteer time and energy you have given, your contribution is invaluable.
Congratulations! In recognition for your work in the HIV community, you have been selected for the POZ 100!
Here's a link to the article and full list on POZ.com:
Thank you again for all that you do. POZ is thrilled to be able to honor you and your work on the POZ 100 this year.
Kind regards,
POZ Staff


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After shampooing, squeeze a small amount into your palm. Smooth through your hair, concentrating on the ends. Rinse out and voila, youre done!
$9.95 - $32.95
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This product does not contain animal products of any kind.
This product does not contain animal products of any kind.
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Vegan conditioner for fine hair
Vegans and fine haired folks around the world rejoice! Veganese is our lightest, conditioner that takes hair without volume and makes it go va-va-VOOM! The majority of LUSH products are vegan, but making a vegan conditioner without lanolin took us a few years to perfect. It was worth the wait. We use agar seaweed gel as a natural hair softener instead of lanolin, and blend in generous helpings of lemon oil to create the perfect vegan conditioner to leave you with tons of gloss and shine. We also added in the scalp soothing effects of lavender and rosemary to keep you sorted on top.
- Vegan alternative: Our lightest conditioner is suited for fine, limp hair and conditions without weighing it down.
- Light and lanolin-free: Seaweed gel acts as the softening agent in place of lanolin
- Soothing for sore tops: Lavender infusion creates a soothing liquid that gently cares for scalps.
Customer Review
from Lush Addict
"I swim a lot and this particular conditioner helps keep my hair in check. After a nice long swim, I use this in my hair, let it sit a little, then I fully wash it out."
Fresh ingredients
= Natural ingredients = Safe syntheticsLavender Flower Infusion (Lavendula hybrida) , Rosemary Infusion (Rosmarinus officinalis) , Agar Infusion (Gelidium cartilagineum) , Cetearyl Alcohol , Propylene Glycol , Cetearyl Alcohol and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate , Cetrimonium Bromide , Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum) , Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax benzoin) , Fresh Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum) , *Citral , *Limonene , Perfume , Methylparaben
- How to use
Customers who like this item also like:
(9)$13.95 - $39.95
- Customer Reviews
- Questions & Answers


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a-ma-zing ylang ylang/jasmine scent. i normally dont care for jasmine at all because i find it too heady and indole-y. lush manages to get the scent right. its not overpowering or unpleasant. (for those of you who normally cant stand jasmine, you know what i mean. give this one a try.) its the same jasmine scent as in flying fox shower gel, and the ylang ylang is the same as the scent in figs and leaves soap (my absolute fave.) they combine together to make a comforting floral.
the bath bomb is pretty strongly scented, so i break it in two along the seam by giving it a good whack on the edge of the tub while its still in the bag. half is enough to scent the water in my large tub. the scent is lingering on the skin for a few hours. it scents up the bathroom well into the next day. continued >>
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No
LOVE!!!!!!! love love love. i loved the pink bath, and the nice, feminine smell. i will surely be repurchasing!
Ok, I see how this smell can be sexy to some but I found it WAY overpowering and heady. (I only used half the bomb). Both my bathroom and myself reeked like a cheap motel room for hours, my skin was left quite dry and I had a headache because of the stench. Did I mention that gooey excuse for a rose. Not my favorite.
I really liked this bath bomb. It was my first time to try Lush products and I was impressed. It made my bath water a pretty rose color and it smelled great. When the bomb stops fizzing, there is a cute rose left behind. I want to try other bath bombs in the future, it was a very relaxing experience.
This is an example of clever naming to sell a product, much like NARS orgasm blush. The water was pink, smelled ok at first, and then...it turned a bit unpleasant. The ring around the tub wasn't bad at all. My skin was quite dry afterwards and I'm not one who soaks often.
I'm a sucker for anything pink and girly, so it's easy to see why I like this. It turns the water a darker pink than Think Pink, and the scent is stronger. I usually prefer foody to floral scents, but it's tolerable.
I'm puzzled by the great reviews! "Sex Bomb" is a nice marketing ploy of a name to sell the product, but has nothing to do with the scent. OK, so maybe Joan Rivers may feel sexy and alluring after using it, but I didn't! Stong cheap old-lady perfumy smell. I used it in the early afternoon on my day off. My husband came home from work that evening and asked me why I had put on so much perfume. The lasting power of the scent was, sadly, incredible (indestructable?). Even the bright cloudy pink the bath water turns was a bit too much for me. And the rice paper rose was cute at first, but quickly turns into a shapeless floating blob, so the effect was lost on me. Think-Pink is much better!
One of my favorite Lush Bath Bombs- second only to the beautiful Youki-Hi. This bomb makes me feel unbelieveably sexy and sultry with the gorgeous water color and the intoxicating smell. This is perfection! I love this and I plan on buying many more by the truckload!
Definitely NOT worth the money. I was initially attracted by the "home made cosmetics" label assuming that the product is made from natural components. WRONG! It smells cheap and is nothing close to being organic. It did nothing to my skin. The water WAS pink and that would have probably gotten me a little more excited if I were in my early teens, but now...
I have to admit that watching the Bomb in action was kinda fun, but I am not paying $5 for this ever again.
Love the Sex Bomb. The water turns this wonderful creamy pink & the scent is very intoxicating & sexy. Plus it has lasting power & took forever to fizz away. The rice paper rose is an extra special treat that gave me something to play with while I laid there enjoying the smell & look of my bath. This bomb isn't for everyone though. It is pretty perfumey & some people get grossed out by the rose. It was a departure for me as well to what I normally get. But it was a well-made, fun & ultimatly enjoyable bomb.


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A Brief History of the Submarine
From retrofitted rowboats to amphibious drones, we delve deep into the history of the sub.
By Amanda Green
The French Plongeur is propelled by a compressed-air engine, not human power. The ship's size (due to 23 internal air tanks) limits dives to 33 feet.


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Sirius, Activision, RIM: Tech Premarket (Update 1)
Sirius XM, RIM, Activision and Groupon have been added to this story, along with updated share prices.
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Satellite radio giant Sirius XM (SIRI) was a big gainer in premarket trading on Friday, rising 2.27% to $3.15. The New York-based firm was also the most active premarket Nasdaq stock on share volume of 684,249.
Research In Motion (RIMM), which will unveil its eagerly anticipated BlackBerry 10 technology later this month, was another active stock, climbing 1.48% to $11.64 on share volume 56,280.
Activision Blizzard (ATVI) climbed 1.82% to $11.21 before market open on Friday, after gaining 0.59% on Thursday.Groupon (GRPN) was another gainer, rising 1.56% to $5.20 to continue its recent momentum. Shares of the daily deals site rose 3.23% on Thursday. Shares of tech giant IBM (IBM) dipped in premarket trading on Friday, slipping 0.19% to $194.9. IBM's shares ended Thursday's session down 0.55%. Red Hat (RHT) was another laggard, dipping 0.43% to $53.68 before market open. Shares of the open source software specialist were off 1.26% by Thursday's close. Shares of Apple (AAPL), however, crept up 0.29% to $543.65 in premarket trading on Friday. The stock closed down 1.26% on Thursday. Facebook (FB) was another modest premarket gainer, rising 0.65% to $27.95; it lost 0.82% during the prior day's trading. Software behemoth Microsoft (MSFT) also followed this trend, rising 0.18% to $27.30 after closing down 1.34% on Thursday. Google (GOOG), which has reached a deal with the Federal Trade Commission to end the agency's nearly two-year antitrust probe, gained 0.44% to reach $726.86 in premarket trading. --Written by James Rogers in New York. Follow @jamesjrogers >To submit a news tip, send an email to: email@example.com.
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