Beginning Gourmet Cooking Techniques | Tuesday, period 1

[sharp_as_knives]

They were back in the Danger Shop again today, and Hannibal nodded at the students and waved them over to his counter at the front.

"Next week, we'll discuss what are called the 'mother sauces'; the basic sauces from which most others are developed. This week, we'll cover ( some of the basics )

Subcultures 101, Tuesday, Period 3

[living_endless]

"Welcome back," Didi said, from her desktop perch. "I hope everybody enjoyed the break and the 21st century's not too much of a culture shock after Cyseal."

She nodded to the projector screen at the front of the room. "Anyhow, it feels like a movie day to me, and we're watching a documentary about the Hells Angels biker gang. This is probably the most famous motorcycle club in the world. They started around 60 years ago in San Francisco, and they say they now have a hundred or so chapters over 29 countries. Their image is that of outlaws; they actually block anybody who's even applied to be a police officer from membership.

"There's a fair amount of violence and criminal activity in this particular subculture, and I think the documentary sensationalizes that. But for the most part, bikers are like punks or teenyboppers or any of the other subcultures we've talked about -- they're just people trying to find a place where they fit in the world. And you can't deny the call of the open road, even if you don't want to get on a Harley and ride off into the sunset yourself."

And with that, she hit play.

101 Ways To Survive In The Field, Tuesday

[suitably_heroic]

"So we've been talking about extreme cold a lot," Atton said.

They were in the Danger Shop. His desk was currently perched in the sand of a very nice beach. "But as some of you learned last week, in the field, you're just as likely to deal with extreme heat, and not every world has helpful potions to get you through it." He sat back on the desk. "Next week, we'll be looking into how to treat burns on the go, but right now, we're looking at the basics. When it's hot, you've got to fear heat stroke, heat exhaustion. Watch for the signs: both usually start off when you stop sweating. Then you get confused, dizzy. Your head starts hurting, you feel nauseous, maybe you get seizures. If this happens, you need to cool yourself off as soon as possible, or you're gonna die. Ice packs, sponge bath, jump in a tub, I don't care, cool yourself down."

He nodded towards the changing booths. "As per usual, it starts with the clothes. Dressing for hot weather is a little more complicated than dressing for cold, in its own way," he said. "The trick is to find something that won't make you shrivel up with the heat, but also won't expose much skin to the sun. Any, if you can manage it. Light, airy fabrics are important, but hats? Hats are lifesaver. And please don't be stupid and put on something black. You know who you are."

"Heat can destroy you painfully," he said. "Of course, in the context of this class, you probably won't be able to avoid exercise, so the key is to move fast, and spend as much time in the shadows as you possibly can. Always pack water. No, your own pee isn't a good substitute. It's not as sterile as it's cracked up to be, nevermind being completely disgusting." Beat. "Which reminds me, never pour it on a jellyfish sting or anything like it. That's an easy way to make the pain worse and introduce all kinds of bacteria into your body."

He cleared his throat. "But enough about pee." Yes. "You'll want whatever rations you take with you to be light. Don't eat anything heavy. Keep drinking water, even when you're not thirsty, and make sure it's cool, not cold or you'll give yourself brain freeze. If you know you're going into this situation, it's best to train your body to be used to it. Spend a couple of weeks in hot weather, and I promise you, everything's going to shift and adjust, widen your blood vessels, etcetera. Just be careful when it's humid. You still sweat when it's humid, but it doesn't cool you off."

He nodded at the class. "Now dress up and do two laps on the sand," he said. "After that, do what you like."