I sat on my recently sterilized bed, waiting for the security warden to make his last rounds, finally the slot opens on my cell door and he spoke quietly, "Eat your dinner, starving yourself will not do anyone any favors, especially not for me." I saw in my mind how it was that he smiled in a odd way and gave me a calculating once over, but I wasn't in a giving or polite mood. To anyone else he might be a handsome man, but to me he was a personification of my imprisonment. "Of course," I thought, "Can't have me keeling over can you? That would be such a loss." The warden averted his eyes to the floor, hearing in his mind the words I projected into his conscious. He closed the slot, and went on to the next room, to check on the other "patient" beside of me.
Martha and I had become friends through a reinforced steel wall, I had never laid eyes on her, but we and a few others in this cell block could speak to each other through mind link telepathy; we had easier conversations when the facility was locked down for the night. I picked gingerly at the food on my tray, I hated the bland, tasteless meals they fed us, it was essentially prison grub, but it was food. Despite my reluctance to eat what was assuredly drugged food, I ate it anyways. The warden was right, me starving myself wouldn't do me any good, especially if I wanted to escape this loony bin of a research facility.
During the year of 2045, I was 10 when the Great Plague was unleashed on the world; humanity has since became nearly extinct, thanks to a military biological warfare experiment gone horribly wrong. It was now January 2055, and only pockets of humans still survived now, and many of us Mind Benders have died out during the plague. Seeing as the families of Mind Benders known to have such gifts were already far and few between, and whole families were decimated by the Great Plague, the precious few of us Mind Benders that were found to still exist, were routinely captured and placed in a maximum security holding facility, for supposed observation and research tests.
These "tests" include drug induced sleep studies, heavily sedated physical exams, intense rounds of brainwave testing, and a few other horridly graphic things I refuse to mention, because quite honestly it is just not something I want to remember or think about. Thinking about some of those things made me physically sick and I wasn't too keen on losing my only meal for the night.
Martha and I were the same age, and we had been in this madhouse for 10 years now, but after tonight we would be free. Down the hall, my hypersensitive ears picked up a faint maniacal giggling sound, that poor man down the opposite hall had been giggling like a lunatic for hours now, whatever Dr. Frankenstein had recently done to him, it had nearly broken him, and sent him into a abyss of which he maybe would not heal from, and now all he done for two days was giggle in a very disturbing way, and then start shrieking in terror. He didn't know this yet, but the last dose of "medicine" he was about to receive at dawn would be his last. From what I had picked from the minds of gossiping researchers, if we proved to be unfit for research purposes, we were euthanized like stray animals, and our bodies incinerated.
I was so far one of the luckier ones, because I had what the researchers called "exceptional abilities" seeing as thus far I had not cracked in my mind, nor broke down physically from the rounds of sick torture that they called "research and observation. " Martha was also like me, which was why we, and the others similar to us, were housed in the same cell block. The researchers knew some of us could telepathically communicate, and they were madly busy observing that phenomena, trying to unravel the complex brain structure required to use said ability.
We were being primed and honed to use as a weapon against our own species, the rest of humanity were told that we were being studied as a potential miracle cure for the plague that still ravaged our world. The lie that was told to the masses, was that they were working to develop a medication to combat the plague that was still rampant in certain populations, using the few test subjects that had thus far been proven to be immune to the virus. In fact, what they were really doing was planning to use us for was specially enhanced mercenaries, in exchange for our freedom, we were to be sent back out into the world, as biologically engineered disposal units.
Our supposed mission was to completely eradicate and destroy the sick and dying masses, in a twisted and warped version of the Bible's Revelations. Me and my friend next door had a plan made for when lock down time came, as we, and the rest of this block, were getting the hell out of Dodge. I spat the tiny pill out that I found hidden in the hamburger flavored tofu patty, these scientist were idiots, we weren't children anymore—you couldn't hide things in food, we would find it.
No sedative for me tonight, but I could definitely fake being doped up, shutting down my nervous system to mimic a sedated state wasn't hard. "Hey check your tofu patties, and eat carefully tonight, I just found a sedative pill in mine." I sent a telepathic broadcast over to my cell block mates, I heard a chorus of "OK's" from the ones that had the same abilities as myself.
I felt bad for the ones that maybe did not get the message, but I couldn't help them all. I heard more giggling down the hall, that peaked into a guttural screeching sound from Mr. Broken Mind, I hoped that his end would come soon, in a morbid way it would end up being a blessing. He did not deserve the suffering he was currently dealing with. I knew it wasn't my place to think of such things, but I willed that God and Goddess would have mercy on him, and ease his misery, even if permanently.
I chewed slowly and carefully through the rest of my disgusting food, being totally blind sometimes had it's disadvantages, so I had to use the other normal human senses, plus the extra abilities I had, to sense and navigate the world around me. The scientists and researchers, noticed that most of us had some sort of disability, and they noted that the disability seemed to correlate to whatever strongest extrasensory ability we had.
My other functioning normal senses were exceptionally acute, and my extrasensory abilities included being telepathic and telekinetic. I was also very empathetic, and clairvoyant, meaning that whatever I saw in my mind, heard, touched, smelt, or tasted was amplified tenfold. This worked both ways as I could both project and receive thoughts, emotions, and brainwave patterns. I also had very prophetic dreams and preemptive abilities. Since my eyes were blind, that did not mean I could not "see" in other ways.
I was always prepared daily for the things I went through in this research facility, I usually saw them coming, and could pick up on what the "specialists" were thinking and planning long before they made it to our cell block. I warned as many as I could about what was going to happen for that day's rounds of sensory and physical battery, so we were at least marginally prepared. Soon that would come to an end, we would no longer be their tortured lab rats, we would have our vengeance and their end times had finally come.
What bolstered my determination to escape was knowing that there would be a full moon tonight, and our powers are at their strongest during this time. We could combine our strengths as one unit, and finally ensure a successful break out and escape. There was also the fact that I had been recently been impregnated. I am around 10 weeks into the pregnancy.
This was the mortifying result of yet more "tests" designed to see if the gifts we possess are able to be recreated in a controlled environment, and our bodies and minds manipulated to see what would result. From what I understood from others in our cell block, some of the other girls were also expecting, and the co creator of these mad experiments was forced at gunpoint to become a stud service.
Perhaps it may have been detached or cruel, but I did not yet feel any bond or attachment to this child I am carrying. I was not a willing participant in its conception, it is not a child conceived of love, or out of any normal human interaction, but of a disturbing procedure that I was never willingly or even consciously a participant in.
I remember that day, weeks ago, waking up after being in a medically induced coma, being held in a observatory cell for a week, while extensive blood work and tests were done, and I was then suddenly prescribed a diet change and a range of specifically timed doses of medications and supplements that were similar in formulation to what a body builder would need. I had a keen idea of whose seed was used to help create my child in a test tube, and I strongly felt it had been the very same man that is the warden that patrols my cell block.
The idea that the other girls were also in my predicament, from the same people responsible, was nauseating. What if I held at the baby after it arrived, and I sensed something in the child that reminded me too strongly of all of the tests and procedures performed on me? Could I raise this child that was such a cruel reminder of the here and now? Perhaps as time went by, I might be able to form the motherly attachment that so many mothers get the joy of experiencing, and I was all but begging The Powers That Be to make this child look exactly like me, even if I never got to lay clear seeing eyes on it.
I heard the Warden's boots echoing back down towards my doorway; he was taking up our food trays, and doing one last check to ensure we are in fact in our beds with all lights turned off. I hear my door slot open, the tray being picked up, and then what sounded like something crinkle and hit the floor. His boots went clunking further down the hall, I waited until he was gone, and began padding silently towards the doorway, I felt about until I found it, as I suspected it was a piece of paper, what shocked me was that it had Braille characters printed on it; who would deliver a message especially to me?
Tears welled of a thousand emotions flowed from me, Eden Garden was originally where my family had came from. It was once a beautiful and thriving place. What and who was still there I did not know, but this man knew something about the place now, that he would have told me to take myself and my fellow cellmates there, and he had done so for the sake of what was admittedly his children. Perhaps in this hellish pit, there was one person that had few shreds of redeeming qualities and a ounce of morals.
I whispered a mind link message to my cell mates, "By grace and power of God and Goddess, we have been given the way to be free, at eleven we are to go to the south gate, where a unlikely savior awaits us." Gasps were heard ricocheting in my mind, and a few fervent prayers to the Powers for many thanks. This bolstered our determination and spirits a thousand fold, at the very least, a handful of us would taste freedom at last. I heard the wailing from Mr. Broken Mind start up again, and a pang of sorrow hit me, I wondered if just maybe he was lucid enough to take with us, maybe in Eden Village there was a healer that could try to help him?
I laid there, counting the minutes, at precisely ten thirty, I heard the metallic click of the door to my cell unlocking. The doors were remote controlled from the outside, and I felt a presence slip inside the door and Martha whispered, "Hurry, let's go!" I jumped from the bed, and slid out of my door, Martha, quietly said, "Shh, take my hand, and keep up." I did as she asked, and soon the other eleven of us that I knew were the ones with the same abilities as me and Martha, were creeping silently down the hall.
The door to Mr. Broken Mind's cell was also opened, and he lay curled in a corner whimpering. I heard someone grunt, as he was hoisted off the floor, and he was gently told to be quiet and that he was safe now. I heard more sniffling, and felt a sense of fear and hope mixed with a familiar feeling of fuzziness, for the moment he was sedated, and getting him out of here would not be such a challenge. I hoped that us saving him was going to really help him, and we could find someone to heal him.
Creeping down the hallway of the South Wing was surely the longest trip of my young life, I held Martha's hand, and listened acutely to everything that the others were telepathically telling me, the entire observatory was closed down for the night, and so weren't the testing facilities. There was only the South wing and guard tower that was being guarded and had the most lights on.
The other three sections of the observatory seemed to be almost too quiet, and then I heard a gasp come from Martha's mouth, "What is it?" I asked. horror and nausea were coming at me in waves from the others, as I heard, "The beds and rooms are empty, all of them…" This could only mean one thing that we few that were in the southern cell block, just might be the only ones left alive, it was a heavy thought to process, and suddenly the reasoning behind our warden's traitorous bid to release us all was a lot more clearer.
I heard a beeping sound, a door slid open and and I felt a warm rush of air, we were finally outside, and the smell and feel of real air and a normal temperature was a momentary shock. Nearby, we heard a huge popping sound, alarms were shrilling wildly, and then a rumbling explosion rattled the floor, that came from the Northern wing of the facility. That was where the testing facility was located. Our torture rooms would be no more, they were now surely on fire, and being blown to shrapnel.
I heard the sound of Warden's voice suddenly behind me, he spoke low and hurriedly, "Martha, ensure that Eve reaches Eden Garden unharmed and that the others receive sanctuary and the help they need. I sent word ahead of your arrival." I had questions buzzing in my head, who did he know there that would help us? I felt a warm hand cup my face, as he said "Soon I will see you all again, and I hope it is under much different circumstances." I could only nod, not trusting my voice to betray my emotions.
We walked for what seemed like hours, the Warden had given one of our group a pack laden with basic supplies, and a phone with the directions mapped out to get us safely to Eden Garden. Mr. Broken Mind, whose name we discovered was Joseph, had perked up considerably, as his sedative had worn off. He was more interactive and able to communicate better after he realized that he was no longer in his cell, and he was able to understand that we were really free and we were not going back.
We learned that Joseph was deaf, but he could use sign language and project conversation with telepathy. What had caused his shrieking and giggling was a extreme session of "therapy" in a attempt to cure his deafness, and it had drove him to a near psychotic meltdown. Aside from that he was actually ok, and with time he would heal inside and out. That was a huge relief to me, for I had thought he was permanently damaged and would never be normal again.
We hid in an abandoned small hotel complex for a bit, and dug out some food rations. It was not the greatest fare, but we managed, when you were hungry, even bland grub was better than nothing. Also inside the pack were meticulously folded sets of clean clothes, and amazingly the Warden had found some for all of thirteen of us and in our sizes.
One of our group chanced flicking a light switch and we were all amazed and very relieved to find the motel had at least basic functioning electricity. We also discovered that there was hot water in the taps, and Martha led me excitedly into a bathroom, and quickly stripped us both and hauled me and herself into a steaming shower. Some would have found this uncomfortable, but when you have known someone as long as we have each other, things like a shared shower were not so unusual, and considering where we came from, group showers were the norm.
After hurriedly washing , Martha dressed herself, and then came to help me into leggings and a long tunic. Real clothes were like a long awaited blessing, and the feel of the soft fabric on my skin was heavenly after 10 years of wearing a stiffly starched scrub suit and scuff shoes.
I could dress myself, but I allowed Martha to do what she felt was her place to do, and I didn't argue or protest. I didn't yet have a baby bump, but soon I would be showing. If the calendar was right and I had kept track of the gestation weeks, I was approaching the second trimester. Adam would be born sometime in the summer months. I laid a hand on my still flat belly, and felt a tiny flutter of hope, just maybe we would really be ok, and I could embrace and welcome this new life.
Myself and the twelve other refugees, decided that the abandoned restaurant would be suitable for the night, we were exhausted, and the expecting mothers, like myself, needed rest. Hard traveling under stressful conditions was not safe for any of us right then. Someone had managed to find linens in a storage closet, they were old, and had a musty scent from being stored so long, but they would suffice for one night.
I learned that this "abandoned" motel was more like a traveler's pit stop area, and somehow the place had managed to still have basic power, despite being in a plague ravaged slum. In the wake of death and destruction, the place had been left be, and the few wayward souls that came this way, had at least maintained the basics, so others could have respite as well. I felt like there was more likely someone, that came here periodically, to check that everything was still running.
Martha and I, along with the others, laid down our makeshift pallets, not trusting the old and dusty beds that were strewn about, who knew what vermin maybe crawling in them, and called it a night. We were fed, clean, and clothed, for now that was more than enough to be glad for. We all silently gave thanks to God and Goddess, and each laid down, dawn would come too soon, and we had many miles of walking ahead of us.
As I slept, visions of fields of flowers, fruit orchards, and laughing children filled my sleeping conscious. Scenery changed, and I saw myself, clad in robes of lavender and silver, I was older, and there was a girl beside me that was my mirror image, and a young man, that rivaled the Gods themselves in vigor and fine features. This scene melted into a candlelit room, with a marble and gilded fountain, there were beautiful koi swimming gracefully inside the pool, the room was full of robed students, reciting prayers and inscribing arcane words and symbols of power onto fine paper. I felt at peace, content, and whole inside.
I was now extremely uncertain, who was this Priestess, and where was I going? Martha was still holding my hand, and she firmly walked beside me, and projected words of comfort to me, this eased my discomfort somewhat, as I was led by the guard through several walkways where I heard much hustle and bustle of people, this place teemed with a lively energy, and the air was alive with a pulsing energy of many people, people just like us.
We were escorted behind a heavy set of doors, down a flight of stone steps, to a room where I heard what sounded like a waterfall bubbling and I could smell luxurious incense burning in the censer above my head. There was a deep sense of serenity, and I heard many hushed tones of conversations all around me, I recognized the sounds of the murmured words, they were chanted prayers in a language I had not heard for many years.
An overwhelming sense of familiarity hit me like a tidal wave. A distant memory clicked, this was the Oracle Temple, I knew this room, this was the room that my mother was once a healer and a diviner of fates. I had spent part of my childhood learning what she knew, before the Plague had hit and I was ripped away from her, and placed in the facility.
A gleeful shout reached my ears, and I heard the women's voices bursting into sobs of relief, "Praise Goddess, Praise God, she is spared and returned to us!" I was suddenly pulled away from Martha by a woman whose voice sounded older but familiar, who said, "My child, I have prayed and dreamed for this day to pass, to see your face again." I burst into tears and sobbed into her arms, my mother was alive, and I was finally home again.
Months after my escape, and I returned to Eden Village, I learned that in the time that I was gone, my mother had been made High Priestess of the Oracle Temple. She was now head healer and prophetess to what was now a thriving community of Mind Benders that were rescued and saved from other facilities.
Eden Garden had been renamed into New Eden, and had become a place of sanctuary and healing for those who lost their families from the Great Plague, and were seeking further training for their abilities. Many here were survivors of the Great Plague, or were recent escapees like us, sent in by Adam the Warden. He had been sneaking them out for years, saving them from the death that awaited them at the hands of Dr. Frankenstein and his scientists.
For indeed a New Earth had risen from the ash, all across the world, we learned that research facilities like Gene Tech were being closed down and destroyed, and the surviving inhabitants were being released, and were given aide to readjust to returning to society. This started to happen right when Adam was born.
While I never got to see his face with my own eyes, I was told he was remarkably beautiful, with ink black hair and sparkling green eyes, in my mind, I envisioned a genetically perfected image of myself and his biological donor. He was not blind, in fact he was very developmentally advanced, which I attributed partially to the fact that he was scientifically created in a lab.
Adam had the same gifts as me, which were astonishingly displayed at the tender age of six months old, he would pat my face and gurgle, and I was flooded with his projection filled with purest love that only a innocent child could give. The other children that were born consecutively after him, with Martha and myself having given birth on the same day, also displayed remarkably enhanced gifts at early ages. My mother said it was destined to be, despite how the beginning had come about. In all, ten children had been born from seven mothers, with three of the births being twins.
Adam the Warden, as he was now affectionately known, had struggled with the knowledge that he was the sire to ten artificially sired children, and how it was that he had been forced into becoming responsible for their being created. He poured herculean effort, into trying to form some sense of a bond with all of them, while working towards a path of redemption and atonement. He did not force himself on the women, or his children, he chose to allow them to come to him as they chose. He had taken up the duty of being the chief guard of New Eden. His sharp eyes scanning the horizons, ensuring that no harm came to any of us. He had avowed to spend his life protecting us, as atonement for his past.
The thirteen of us that had escaped Gene Tech had formed a unbreakable bond, forged out of the need to survive, and now it endured, built even more upon, as children were born, lives were reconstructed, and a sense of duty and purpose arose from what had once been a prison of pain and torture. Joseph and Martha had struck a deep bond, and even though she also bore one of Adam's children, a daughter, Joseph graciously overlooked this, and doted on the charming and exceptionally talented child as his own. I felt that by him doing so, was his means of finding a way to heal from his past.
Despite our past and his method of being created, I had learned to embrace and love Adam in the right way, as a mother, and that love healed a lot of my pain. I had learned to put my past behind me, and accept that the most beautiful of blessings, often came from the worst of tragedies.
Forgiveness and acceptance of the wrongs done to me were still sometimes a hard issue for me to process and learn. I had Martha, Adam, the Warden and my mother, I would be ok and I would heal in time. The others that had come with me, had done well so far, and each now had a place and a purpose in New Eden, The New Earth Project had begun, and with it, a new Era would rise from the ashes of death, a glorious phoenix of rebirth and change.
I turned my face towards the warm rays of a new day, a new dawn was cresting over the horizon, I heard the sounds of the villagers starting their day's chores, livestock and chickens were tended, children were called to morning meal, freshly washed linens snapped in the breeze, scenting the air with herbs and flowers, and the bell that hung in the Oracle Tower, pealed the hour, indicating that classes for the students of the Oracle Temple would begin in a hour's time.
I settled Adam onto my hip, and walked inside the Temple, I sat with him on my appointed chaise, and allowed him to nurse. Today, my new life would begin, for I was chosen as successor to my mother, as Priestess of the Oracle Temple. I touched the rounding mound of my stomach, and smiled, a sense of serenity flowed through me, as a vision of two beautiful identical daughters, manifested into my mind. In coming years, New Eden would be blessed with many children from Adam and Eve.
Serita Phillips is a published author , with 5 books published and counting. she is a student at Virginia College School of Business and Health, pursuing a AS in Business Management. She is the owner of Sacred Star Apothecary and Curios.


The combination of carfilzomib (Kyprolis), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone reduced the risk of death by 21% compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma following prior treatment with 1 to 3 regimens, according to the final analysis of the phase III ASPIRE trial.
The median overall survival (OS) with the carfilzomib combination was 48.3 months versus 40.4 months with lenalidomide/dexamethasone alone (HR, 0.79, 95% CI, 0.67-0.95). The OS benefit seen at the final analysis was consistent even in those who received prior treatment with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade). There was a 25% reduction in the risk of death with carfilzomib in those not treated with bortezomib versus a 16% reduction for those treated with the proteasome inhibitor.
A full analysis of the final ASPIRE trial data will be submitted for presentation at a future medical conference and for publication in a medical journal, according to Amgen, the developer of the carfilzomib. Moreover, the company noted that data from the final assessment of ASPIRE would be submitted to regulatory agencies for a potential label update.
"For multiple myeloma patients, the first relapse is usually the most devastating," ASPIRE investigator David S. Siegel, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Multiple Myeloma at John Theurer Cancer Center, said in a statement. "These data clearly show that the addition of Kyprolis – for just 18 cycles – to lenalidomide and dexamethasone at relapse gave patients a significantly improved chance of survival. With these results, this Kyprolis regimen should be considered a new standard of care."
The open-label phase III study enrolled 792 patients at a median age of 64 years who had received a median of two prior treatment regimens. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive the 3-drug carfilzomib regimen or lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone alone. In both groups of the trial, 66% of patients had received prior bortezomib and 20% had prior lenalidomide.
Lenalidomide was administered at 25 mg on days 1 to 21 and dexamethasone was administered at 40 mg on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of a 28-day cycle. Intravenous carfilzomib was administered on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 during cycles 1-12. On day 1 and 2 of the first cycle, carfilzomib was administered at 20 mg/m2 followed by 27 mg/m2 thereafter. Treatment with carfilzomib was not administered on days 8 and 9 during cycles 13-18 and was not administered beyond 18 cycles. However, median treatment exposure in the carfilzomib arm was 22 cycles.
At the 24-month interim analysis, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 73.3% of patients in the carfilzomib arm were alive versus 65% with the 2-drug regimen. The objective response rate was 87.4% versus 66.9% and the median duration of response was 28.6 months compared with 21.2 months with and without carfilzomib, respectively. Of patients who responded, the complete response rate was 17.7% with carfilzomib versus 5.1% without and the very good partial response rate was 70.4% with carfilzomib versus 40.7% in the control arm.
In addition to the ASPIRE trial, carfilzomib also showed an improvement in OS in the phase III ENDEAVOR study. In updated data presented in March 2017, at the 16th International Myeloma Workshop (IMW) in New Delhi, the median OS with carfilzomib plus dexamethasone was 47.6 months compared with 40.0 months for bortezomib and dexamethasone (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65-0.96).
"The ENDEAVOR study has already demonstrated that Kyprolis is the superior proteasome inhibitor versus Velcade," Sean E. Harper, MD, executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen, the company developing carfilzomib, said in a statement. "This overall survival benefit from the ASPIRE trial further supports the importance of proteasome inhibition and duration of treatment with Kyprolis in the treatment of relapsed multiple myeloma."
The FDA expanded the approval for carfilzomib in July 2015 to include patients with relapsed multiple myeloma who received at least 1 to 3 prior lines of therapy, based on results from the phase III ASPIRE trial. Carfilzomib had previously received an accelerated approval in July 2012 as a treatment for patients with multiple myeloma following at least 2 therapies, including bortezomib and an immunomodulatory agent.


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Goat Hill Pizza Celebrates 40 Years of Pies
Published on March, 2015 in News by Kimberly Gomes
Goat Hill Pizza has been satisfying Potrero Hill residents' cravings for peperoni, cheese, and a myriad of other pizzas since 1975. But more than pro-viding lunch and dinner, patrons and employees agree that the restaurant serves as an anchor of the community.
"It's a cornerstone of the neigh-borhood; kind of the headquarters of Potrero Hill. It's a really progressive San Francisco company," said Elena Neustadt, Goat Hill's general manager.
Founding owners Phil De Andrade, Karen and Mike Monley, Ruthann Dickinson, and Joel and Loris Lipski started the restaurant on a shoestring. The group of friends opened their first – and only, until 2009 – location on 18th and Connecticut streets. It took over a spot that had been occupied by Hollander, a ribs and burger joint. At the time Goat Hill Pizza was one of a handful of dining options in a neigh-borhood now filled with eateries.
Since its early days the family-friendly restaurant has followed three basic principles: good food, good service, good location. Known for its handmade sourdough crust, Goat Hill has fans throughout the City, but es-pecially on the Hill, South-of-Market, and in West Portal. Six years ago Goat Hill opened a SoMA location, to service deliveries. Four years later the restaurant expanded to West Portal.
De Andrade attributes some of Goat Hill's success to maintaining nearly the same menu the founders opened with in 1975: sourdough pizza, soup, salad, as well as meatball and veggie sandwiches. Yet the restaurant has evolved over the years. True to its name, Goat Hill Pizza once hosted goats. The young entrepreneurs pur-chased their mascot, Hilda, in Sonoma. Not long afterwards Hilda gave birth to two kids, Loretta and Bucky. For ten years the small family grazed the rocky pasture behind the restaurant. In 1985 the pizzeria built a rear dining room on top of the empty lot. The goats were relocated to Sonoma State Hospital, where they became amateur mascot therapists.
Over the years Goat Hill Pizza has supported a large number of communi-ty gatherings, including for Community in Solidarity with the People of El Sal-vador, and, more regularly, the Potrero Dogpatch Merchants Association. The restaurant has been a consistent supporter of San Francisco schools, hosting fundraisers and providing food for neighborhood gatherings.
"We've always tried to give back to support the community through food and finance. I think that's why it works," said De Andrade.
De Andrade noted that while Goat Hill's owners may be getting older, their commitment to remaining part of the community is steadfast. De Andrade, who lives on a houseboat anchored in Mission Creek, is a long stroll away from his Hill and SoMa locations.
"We have a neighborhood-oriented business, and a very neighborhood-oriented population to serve," he said. "I continue to love walking down the streets and being recognized as the pizza guy from Potrero Hill. It's a kind of rooting in San Francisco, which makes living in [here] so special."
Dickinson and Lipski passed away in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
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communities to have say in review of 10 years of emergency management reform
Have your say in IGEM's review of 10 years of emergency management reform
The Inspector-General for Emergency Management (IGEM) invites individuals and organisations to contribute to the review of 10 years of emergency management reform.
Over the last decade many changes to the emergency management arrangements have been introduced to improve the way Victoria prepares for, responds to and recovers from emergencies such as bushfire, flood, storm and heatwave.
Independent inquiries and reviews which have followed significant Victorian emergencies including the 2009 bushfires, the 2010–11 floods, the 2014 Hazelwood Coal Mine fire and 2016 thunderstorm asthma event have all aimed to improve our emergency management practices.
Inspector-General Tony Pearce is conducting a comprehensive review of the progress made in the emergency management sector since the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.
This review will not re-examine past emergencies, nor the findings or recommendations from independent inquiries and reviews such as the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.
The scope of this review is limited to reforms prior to March 2019.
The review recognises the emergency management sector is constantly evolving in its practices and approaches, including changes made in response to significant inquiries and reviews.
The review will examine if changes over the past 10 years are actually achieving better outcomes for Victorians – before, during and after emergencies.
This is an opportunity for communities to have their say on what they think is working well and what could be done better before, during and after emergencies.
The insights and experiences gathered from this consultation will be used to inform the review.
The primary goal of this review is to understand whether Victoria's emergency management reform strategy has achieved the outcomes it set out to achieve for the sector, and importantly Victorian communities.
The Inspector-General will provide his report to government by December 2019.
For more information on this review and to give your views go to engage.vic.gov.au/tenyearreview (External link)
Individuals and organisations can contribute their views until Friday 16 August 2019.
Media contact: 03 8684 0313


Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2013 May 15;187(10):1110-7. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201211-2145OC.
Widespread colonization of the lung by Tropheryma whipplei in HIV infection.
Lozupone C1, Cota-Gomez A, Palmer BE, Linderman DJ, Charlson ES, Sodergren E, Mitreva M, Abubucker S, Martin J, Yao G, Campbell TB, Flores SC, Ackerman G, Stombaugh J, Ursell L, Beck JM, Curtis JL, Young VB, Lynch SV, Huang L, Weinstock GM, Knox KS, Twigg H, Morris A, Ghedin E, Bushman FD, Collman RG, Knight R, Fontenot AP; Lung HIV Microbiome Project.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biofrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
Lung infections caused by opportunistic or virulent pathogens are a principal cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV infection. It is unknown whether HIV infection leads to changes in basal lung microflora, which may contribute to chronic pulmonary complications that increasingly are being recognized in individuals infected with HIV.
To determine whether the immunodeficiency associated with HIV infection resulted in alteration of the lung microbiota.
We used 16S ribosomal RNA targeted pyrosequencing and shotgun metagenomic sequencing to analyze bacterial gene sequences in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and mouths of 82 HIV-positive and 77 HIV-negative subjects.
Sequences representing Tropheryma whipplei, the etiologic agent of Whipple's disease, were significantly more frequent in BAL of HIV-positive compared with HIV-negative individuals. T. whipplei dominated the community (>50% of sequence reads) in 11 HIV-positive subjects, but only 1 HIV-negative individual (13.4 versus 1.3%; P = 0.0018). In 30 HIV-positive individuals sampled longitudinally, antiretroviral therapy resulted in a significantly reduced relative abundance of T. whipplei in the lung. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on eight BAL samples dominated by T. whipplei 16S ribosomal RNA. Whole genome assembly of pooled reads showed that uncultured lung-derived T. whipplei had similar gene content to two isolates obtained from subjects with Whipple's disease.
Asymptomatic subjects with HIV infection have unexpected colonization of the lung by T. whipplei, which is reduced by effective antiretroviral therapy and merits further study for a potential pathogenic role in chronic pulmonary complications of HIV infection.
Clustering of data from all study sites. The result of applying principal coordinate analysis to a matrix of unweighted UniFrac distances, showing the relationship between the overall collection of bacterial sequences detected in samples from all of the Lung HIV Microbiome Project (LHMP) cohorts, and that the overall pattern is not driven by methodological differences that existed across cohorts. (A) and (B) are the same plot, but the points are colored by sample type in (A) and by cohort in (B). The control group in (A) is a range of methodological controls, as detailed in the online supplement. PC = principal coordinate.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2013 May 15;187(10):1110-1117.
Quantitative PCR analysis with the hsp65 gene. (A) Representative PCR of Tropheryma whipplei–specific hsp65 showing a base pair amplicon for a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid sample (006–0006) from an individual with high T. whipplei relative abundance based on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in the Colorado–San Francisco (SF) cohort. (B) Copy numbers normalized to 16S rRNA expression in the Colorado, Indiana, and Pennsylvania cohorts is shown.
Longitudinal analysis of Tropheryma whipplei relative abundance in individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment. The relative abundance of T. whipplei is plotted for the six individuals in whom the T. whipplei phylotype exceeded 10% of the sequences in at least one sample. Columns denoted with "ND" had no data, either because the 3-year time point was not available or because the sample did not achieve a sequencing depth of at least 225 reads.
Gene content of lung Tropheryma whipplei strains deduced from metagenomic data. The outer ring shows the TW08/27 genome, the next inner circle shows the genes missing in Twist, followed by the genes missing in lung pooled assembly. The inner circle shows the 14 WiSP loci in the TW0827 reference. The gene content plot shows above-average regions in olive and the below-average regions in purple. The color code for the outer ring indicates functional categories for gene: dark blue, pathogenicity or adaptation; black, energy metabolism; red, information transfer; dark green, membranes or surface structures; cyan, degradation of macromolecules; purple, degradation of small molecules; yellow, central or intermediary metabolism; light blue, regulators; orange, conserved hypothetical; pale green, unknown; and brown, pseudogenes.


Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute, one of the largest facilities in the Toronto District School Board, offers strong academic courses, unique and special programs, and an exceptional range of co-curricular activities. In meeting the needs of a diverse, multicultural community, we strive to foster mutual respect, to encourage participation, and to develop life skills.
The school also has a large Extended French and French Immersion program. A wide selection of courses and co-curricular activities are offered in French. Students participate successfully in speech and writing competitions in French. They also are involved in exchanges to locations in Europe in senior years.
Cedarbrae has a tradition of excellence in core subject areas, including mathematics, English, science, languages, and social sciences. There is a complete range of business, and computer courses. We have a fine-arts program, including illustration, information design, drawing, painting and desktop publishing. Dramatic arts, instrumental music, including steel band and vocal music, are also available. Co-op education is available in almost every subject in the school. Cedarbrae has both ESL and LEAP programs. Cedarbrae offers a variety of technological education opportunities.


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integrityofscience
By ianhart on June 27, 2007.
Earlier this week we noted that the Bush administration is continuing its efforts to rewrite history with regard to its stance on global climate change. From E&ETV:
Monica Trauzzi: We've seen a change in tune of sorts from the president recently relating to climate change. Beyond this latest proposal, he also mentioned climate for the first time in this year's State of the Union address. Would you characterize this as a major shift in his position on climate change?
Jim Connaughton: No. I would characterize it as a continuing advancement of the president's strategy on climate change. He issued a very strong statement on climate change in June of 2001, reiterated it in July of 2001, and then launched our 10-year policy in June of 2002. I think the greater weight of the shift has been more of the public is actually paying attention to what it was the president laid down. (My emphasis)
Now this assertion has been refuted eight ways to Sunday. Interestingly, whoever's playbook the Administration is following, it's not that of conservative spinmeister Frank Luntz (of Luntz memo fame, among other things).
I'd almost forgotten about blogging on Salon's interview with Luntz just before this year's State of the Union address. Check out what he had to say back then:
(Salon) Bush plans to outline a global warming policy in his State of the Union address this week. The GOP spent years spreading doubt that there was consensus in the scientific community about global warming, but in recent years Bush has changed his position. So, considering the doubt that he's helped spread, how do you think that he should talk about it to get Americans engaged in the issue?
(Luntz) He has to be straightforward. Those on the left will condemn him for waiting so long, and those on the right will criticize him for selling out, and the answer is to stand up for your conviction and his beliefs. If his opinion has changed, say so.
So much for that advice. Perhaps Connaughton and the rest hope to avoid being nailed as flip-flopping by denying the initial flip. Sadly, too many news outlets continue to let the administration get away with this 'our opinion hasn't changed' newspeak.
Frank Luntz on Climate Change, State of the Union
Spinmeister Frank Luntz spoke with Salon recently, touching on a number of Washington buzz topics. If you're not familiar with him, check out the infamous Luntz memo, and you will understand why he is a chief enemy of transparent policy and scientific debate. At the end of the print interview, they…
The Global Warming Surge and Accelerate: Will Bush Use the State of the Union Address to Announce a "Kyoto-Like" Emissions Cap? Early Rumors Fit Pattern of Other Major Presidential Announcements
Tony Snow denies reports from sources close to UK prime minister Tony Blair that Bush will use next week's State of the Union address to announce plans for the US to adopt a "Kyoto-like" mandatory cap on emissions, part of the administration's move towards "more radical measures" on climate change…
Deceptive White House Climate Letter Still Making the Rounds
John Marburger, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and James Connaughton, chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality are still peddling their Feb. 7 Open Letter on the President's Position on Climate Change, a letter that plays fast-and-loose with the historical record.…
Nitpicking is afundamental primate bonding behavior.
In that spirit, I must ask:
"Who's" grammar book are you using?
The same one that published your spell-checker. Ed
By Hank Roberts (not verified) on 02 Aug 2007 #permalink
Female Bengalese finches have lifelong preference for their father's song to other birds'
Mayo Clinic study indicates age influences sex-related outcomes after heart attack
New antifungal compound from ant farms
Study shows how network of marine protected areas could help safeguard Antarctic penguins
Malinee is awarded the John E. Kinsella Prize in recognition of her outstanding graduate research dissertation
No investigation without wonder, no observation without joy, no understanding without humility. Today Malinee Sriariyanum was awarded the John E. Kinsella Prize for her work on isolation and characterization of the Ax21 pathogen associated molecular pattern. The joyful awardee and her proud mentors: Associate Dean Jan Hopmans, Malinee Sriariyanun, and myself
X-STEM Symposium Kicks-Off the USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo at the DC Convention Center; "TED-Style" Event Introduces Kids to Science Visionaries
By Shawn Flaherty The first ever X-STEM: Extreme STEM Symposium—presented by Northrop Grumman Foundation and MedImmune—kicks-off the 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo and Book Fair, hosted by founding and presenting sponsor Lockheed Martin. Being held on April 24th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC, X-STEM is a "TED-style" event for kids with talks by 50 of the…
Clean Energy Tipping Point
Investment in and development of clean energy seems to be undergoing a transition, and this is reflected in a number of items that came across my desk this morning. Without attempting any serious analysis, here's a brief summary. Clean Energy investments have fallen over the last couple of years, leading some to assert that the transition to non fossil sources of energy is in trouble. But there…


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Het judotoernooi in de klasse tot 81 kilogram voor mannen op de Olympische Zomerspelen 2012 vond plaats op dinsdag 31 juli 2012. Regerend olympisch kampioen was Ole Bischof uit Duitsland, die ditmaal genoegen moest nemen met de zilveren medaille. Goud ging naar de Zuid-Koreaan Kim Jae-bum. In totaal kwamen 34 judoka's uit 34 landen uit in de half-middengewichtklasse.

Programma
Alle tijden zijn  (UTC+1)

Toernooischema

Laatste 4

Herkansingen

Groep A

Groep B

Groep C

Groep D

Eindrangschikking

Mannen 081

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
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The arrangements for the meeting is the same as previous years. We will start on Monday at 08.30, which means that you have to arrive the day before. The meeting will end on Tuesday at 17.00 and for those who do not want to participate at the GIST session, the meeting will end at 14.00.
The program will be available at the website www.ssg-org.net when the agenda from the various subcommittees has been submitted. We will open up for registration in September and more information about the meeting will come.
The arrangements for the meeting is in a very intense period with preparation of a very interesting program, inviting speakers etc. We will present a draft program on the website www.ssg-org.net a.s.a.p. and more information about the meeting will come.


I really wanted to find a different backdrop for my pictures, gone are the days of taking them in my back garden. For one my garden is now more of a yard and others houses overlook it, not sure I want them seeing me posing in the garden. Secondly I've been looking at other blogs outfit posts and being a little bit jealous, as they look so good. I knew I had to go out and about to take more interesting outfit shots and to be more inspired.
So the last time I was in Leeds I took my camera along and my best friend kindly took some shots for me. This bridge goes over the River Aire and people have started to put padlocks on it a la Paris! I felt a million miles away from Paris but Leeds is my home town and I love it all the same.
The lovely people at Superdry were kind enough to get in touch with me about reviewing some of their products. Now I must admit Superdry isn't a place I've bought anything from before. I guess I associate them with fairly blatant branding and more casual clothes. The only time you'll see me in trackies is when I'm painting my house. When I looked at their website however I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did they have some really pretty pieces but they had things I wanted to own. For the purposes of this review I decided to split my review into a day and night look.
This playsuit is perfect for a casual daytime look, although I think it could be equally dressed up for the evening. It has lovely polka dot detailing all over and Broderie Anglais on the hem – I think this adds a little more interest to the piece. It has an exposed zip up the back which I thought was a great feature. The best thing for me though is that it has pockets, don't you just love something more when it comes with pockets? I got this in a size small and I'm a size 10/12 depending on where I shop, I usually have to go for a medium elsewhere so I was pleasantly surprised. I teamed it up with my leather jacket and leopard print slip-ons and I was ready for my day of shopping.
Have you bought something from a brand that surprised you?


"… an insider's look at the struggles of Teamster Local 574 and how the Local became a vigorous social force in the city. … Recommended for adult collections in public and academic libraries."—REFORMA newsletter, review of the Spanish edition.
Introduction by Jack Barnes, two 12-page photo sections and other photos.


STOCKTON, Calif. — The next time Hawai'i women's volleyball team visits Pacific, it won't be 100 degrees outside and fans won't be wearing shorts. The fog will have settled into the San Joaquin Valley by the time the Wahine show up for the Bankers Classic during Thanksgiving weekend.
Hawai'i's Kim Willoughby splits the Wisconsin block of Sherisa Livingston, left, and Lizzy Fitzgerald for one of her match-high 21 kills.
And by that time, Hawai'i will likely have a different look, too.
The fifth-ranked Wahine looked better on defense yesterday. They settled on setter Jennifer Carey and found a second offensive weapon in sophomore Maja Gustin to join Kim Willoughby. But that was not enough, as they dropped their second match of the State Farm Volleyball Classic, losing 30-22, 31-29, 30-26 to fourth-ranked Wisconsin at the Spanos Center.
Top-ranked Nebraska won the tournament title with a 30-21, 32-30, 27-30, 30-24 victory over No. 12 Pacific.
If the Wahine improved on their performance of Friday night when they were swept by Nebraska, it was just a baby step for this rebuilding team.
"We dug a lot more balls tonight, played better defense," coach Dave Shoji said. "We didn't make as many unforced errors in the hitting department. But we still have along way to go."
Specifically on offense, where Willoughby (21 kills) and Gustin (16) were the only players who made an impact.
"We got some offense tonight out of Kim and Maja, but we really need to get some kills out of our other three positions, which we intend to do," Shoji said. "We intend to work on that. We can't set two people all night and expect to beat a good team."
Not a team as solid as Wisconsin, which bounced back from its opening loss to host Pacific.
The Badgers reduced their hitting errors to 13 after committing 36 in a four-game loss to the Tigers, and took advantage of a limited Hawai'i attack. Wisconsin built a 4-1 lead in the first game and never trailed, scoring five consecutive points on Lisa Zukowski's serve for a 21-13 advantage.
Hawai'i was stymied by a .047 hitting percentage, but picked up its attack in the second game. The Wahine fought back from 28-25 to tie it at 28 on a Willoughby blast, then turned to the athletic outside hitter to tie again at 29. But Carey touched the net to give Wisconsin a 30-29 lead, and middle Lauren Duggins hit a shot out to end the game.
The third game was fairly close, although the Wahine found themselves battling back throughout. Wisconsin took a 27-22 lead, but Gustin prevented the Badgers from closing it out. She fired a shot that landed for a kill, saved a point by hitting down the line on a bad set, then put down another kill and served an ace to make the final score closer.
But the Badgers were determined.
"Since we lost last night we came back with a lot more fire," Zukowski said. "We changed some things and came out more aggressive."
Zukowski, for one, showed that aggression, drilling six of Wisconsin's eight aces with her jump serve.
"They got no service aces last night and they had eight today, so either their serving got a lot better or our passing is still very, very weak," Shoji noted.
Still, Carey was able to work with it more successfully than she had the night before when she gave way to Margaret Vakasausau for the final two games against Nebraska.
"Last night I got off to a rocky start and I wasn't able to pull myself out of it," Carey said. "Tonight I had a little bit better start, was a little more confident, and our passing was better. We were able to get the ball to more people, run some more plays."
She set Willoughby 46 times, Gustin 34 and outside hitter Tanja Nikolic 22.
Willougby, an all-tournament selection, was a threat for a second night and Gustin, who shared Western Athletic Conference Freshman-of-the-Year honors with Willoughby last season, established a presence in the second and third games..
"I thought, 'I need to do much, much more for my team,' " Gustin said. "I did a little bit today but not enough. I still need to do much, much more."
The Wahine all have more to do but learned valuable lessons as they return home 0-2.
"I think the tournament was really good for us because now we can see where we are, and now we can build our team on it," Gustin said. "It was a good experience. We'll take advantage from that, keep going and never give up. And we will see what happens at the end of the season."


"In 1920, the city created a new waterfront landmark when it opened the Washington Street Public Boat Landing Facility. This galvanized iron shelter, supported by 16 decorated steel columns, is very similar in appearance to the earlier iron pergola [in Pioneer Square]. Over the years this building has fulfilled a number of uses: as a landing for ferries and ocean-going ships, as the headquarters of the Seattle Harbor Patrol, and as the U.S. Navy's official shore-leave landing and departure point." - see the National Park Service website for more information.
A plaque at the pergola reads "Beneath your feet lies the wreckage of the pioneer sidewheel steamer Idaho, which served from 1900 until 1909 as Dr. Alexander De Soto's famous wayside mission hospital. Here Dr. De Soto ministered to the needs of seafarers and the destitute, donating his time and funds to their care." Similar plaques show historical points of interest nearby. Just south of the Washington Street Public Boat Landing is the site of Ballast Island, where vessels from ports all over the world dumped their ballast into the bay, including 40,000 tons of earth removed from San Francisco's Telegraph Hill. "The island, long a gathering place for Indians on their annual migrations, was covered in the 1890s by construction of Railroad Avenue (now called Alaskan Way)." A plaque just north of the park marks the site where, on January 26, 1856 the U.S. sloop of war Decatur defended a settlement from attack.


CLOGHER Valley Rugby Club firsts returned to the top of the Ulster Championship Division Two table with a bonus point victory over Ulster University Coleraine on Saturday.
Due to unavailability and injuries, Valley made three changes from the side that lost to Randalstown. Trotter/Cullen started at centre/wing with Fegan at blindside wing forward.
Valley started brightly on a mild autumnal day. The pre-match warm up had seen a host of dropped balls but when the game started in earnest it was a different story. Valley pack dominated against a larger UUC pack from the first minute.
The ball carrying abilities of the front five saw UUC under sustained pressure. Valley intent was clear when awarded a penalty on 10 minutes deep in UUC 22.
They opted for the scrum, Wilson picked up went blind and released Cullen who twisted over the line for a well worked try in the corner, 5-0 to Valley.
Valley continued to press but whilst the forwards were winning the collisions there was an absence of an ability to break the stout UUC defence.
UUC barely got out of their own half. The pressure was so great that any ball they did get was kicked away to a Valley back three who were happy to run the ball back to maintain the momentum.
Valley eventually broke through after 33 minutes. A lineout take on halfway saw a rolling maul advance into UUC 22.
With the referee signalling a penalty to Valley for an infringement, out-half Smyton took the 'Irish' free ball option and kicked to the corner where winger Coulter caught and scored. From the touchline Smyton's conversion hit the post and then the cross bar before dropping over for a 12-0 lead.
UUC hit back and had a period of pressure. Just on the stroke of half-time they kicked a penalty for the half time score of 12-3.
Valley started the second-half in the same fashion as the first. An excellent rolling maul was held up over the line as the referee was playing advantage. Going back for the penalty, Valley kicked to touch but the lineout failed to control the ball and UUC had a scrum in their 22.
The Valley drive forced the UUC scrum half to knock on, so the scrum was reset to Valley. As we have seen so often Wilson picked up and drove over for an unconverted try and a 17-3 lead after 47 minutes.
From the restart, Valley went to sleep and some poor tackling allowed the UUC right winger to run over from the Valley 10-metre line to make it 17-8.
Valley settled back into their rhythm and after 58 minutes had another five-metre scum. Wilson again picked up and drove over. Haire added the conversion and Valley had their bonus point and a 24-8 lead.
On 67 minutes the dominant Valley scrum - much improved from the Randalstown game - shoved UUC off their own ball on half way. As the ball bounced loose Wilson picked up and swatting defenders aside went over for his hat-trick. Haire converted and Valley's lead had stretched to 31-8.
Valley had already replaced prop Hopper with Mark McKenna and now Wilson was replaced by Dunwoody.
In the final minutes Valley started to throw the ball around but UUC continued to defend well and there were no further scores.
A workmanlike performance by Valley. What will please the coaches most is the fact that Valley conceded only eight penalties throughout the game.
The victory sees Valley return to the top of the table. Next week's top four game at Academy will again be a test of the progression being made.


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Gang of armed thugs lay claim to area
A GANG of 20-30 armed thugs have 'taken ownership' of a residential area in Ellesmere Port, according to a concerned councillor.
They target residents using the Thelwall Road community centre in Great Sutton, threatening them and even barricading them in.
Some patrons of the building have to be escorted out by police, and many others are too afraid to use it.
The disorderly conduct was outlined by borough councillor Diane Roberts in a letter to the council's community committee.
She called for funds to be urgently granted to buy a high, galvanised fence to protect both the building and those using it.
Cllr Roberts reminded the committee of the youth disorder highlighted in the Pioneer recently.
And she claimed this was one of the worst parts of the borough for youth nuisance.
Cllr Roberts added: 'This situation has now worsened, despite the best efforts of the police, the presence of a mobile CCTV camera and efforts by the council to address crucial features in the street scene which have been conducive to youth gatherings.
'The community centre is the main target of attack.
'Outside the entrance, paving slabs and brick planters have been demolished by the youths.
'The bricks and slabs are subsequently used as weapons of attack on anyone, young or old, who happens to be within sight.
'It isn't unusual for bricks to come crashing through the large plate glass windows, even when elderly groups are using the centre.
'On frequent occasions, users are barricaded in by youths or are simply too afraid to leave because of the menacing prospect of youths hurling both abuse and bricks, and often wielding baseball bats.
Cllr Roberts added: 'I'm afraid this community centre will cease to be the hub of community life in the not too distant future, if we don't address this problem now.
'At present, this gang has literally taken over ownership of the area.'
The committee decided to have a site visit, and get the police and youth service involved.
Committee members will debate the matter in further detail at their next meeting.


A design firm came on to campus the other day to begin conversations on the new School of Information and Library Science (SILS). Library Science has been one of the more interesting areas of IT in the last few years, as they are positioning themselves as the side of Information Technology (IT) not concerned with the bits and bytes, nor with the collection of data, but with delivery of information.
The Art of the Librarian has always been about the delivery of the right information in the right format at the right time. Google delivers vast amounts of references at your fingertips, each information set and document only a click away. Little Billy in the second grade asks the school Librarian for a book about frogs and his handed a book with lots of pictures and small words. Nine years later, William, now taking AP Biology, asks the school Librarian for a book about frogs and gets an entirely different set of volumes. Librarians know that context determines the correct information.
The design firm knows a little something about its audience, and they presented a pitch that the project use new approaches based information stewardship. New approaches can be a difficult sell to someone who has one chance once to build a building. Even so, it seems to me the Information Stewardship is a good line to take with Librarians.
Information Stewardship appears include keeping all design information on-line and electronically readable. All commissioning information will also be kept on line. Making a statement that speaks to me, the firm also asked that they have access to live operating data for at least a year, to make sure that the building delivers the energy and performance goals that are specified in the design.
This last point is particularly important. One of the worst failings of first generation LEEDS Green Buildings was their long term performance. Platinum building performance was never verified. Innovative designed were never adequately explained to maintenance and operations personnel. At last, that nettlesome vibration is solved putting a brick on the damper. At last, that noise in the duct is blocked by shoving a file cabinet in front of the oversized return. A year after delivery, the performance is poor.
Regular readers will recognize the goals of this project as being similar to those of the National Building Information Model Standard (NBIMS), now known as buildSmart. It is interesting that the design firm professed no awareness of NBIMS, and in particular, no awareness of the Common Operations Building Information Exchange (COBIE) which specifies the hand-off of information from design and construction to operations.
SILS has recently begun offering concentrations in Bioinformatics. There is some discussion about adding a concentration in Business Informatics. Perhaps, with the aid of Building Information Stewardship, we can begin the development of Building Informatics. If so, this could be the missing piece in developing the abstractions needed to develop truly responsive buildings for the transacted energy grid.
Is anyone else as confused as I about the differences between Informatics, Infomatics, and Analytics? They seem to be used interchangeably, but in different conversations. Please post if you can define the distinctions.


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Health and safety takes centre stage on our campuses. That's why we offer basic medical care and general dental care on and around campus. Our VUB hospital UZ Brussels offers (specialised) medical services and medical training, and we also provide medical and psychosocial services to our VUB community. We have a number of emergency services and safety procedures in place to ensure a safe campus.
What to do if in case of emergency?
Find all emergency numbers, information on first aid, emergency procedures, and help in case of a personal emergency.
Reporting centre for transgressive behaviour
Have you been a victim or witness of transgressive behaviour, or do you have any questions on the subject? Contact the reporting centre.
The best care on campus
Our GPs in Etterbeek and Jette offer basic medical assistance on and around our campuses. For emergencies you can contact a GP on call or a nearby emergency department.
Both campuses offer general dental care. In Etterbeek you can book an appointment with dentist Fabienne Craninx, in Jette with the Dental Clinic.
The VUB hospital UZ Brussels offers comprehensive medical care across various specialisations. The UZ is linked to the university's Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy.
On campus you can find physiotherapy, sports medical examinations or stress tests, help with an unplanned pregnancy, first-line psychological help...
Emergency services and security
At VUB, we have a number of emergency services and safety procedures for prevention, incidents and emergencies, and general requests for help.
We have an extensive offer for students.


Allows standard UK single gang plated products to be fixed to most European style back boxes (square and round variants).
Multiple variants available - options include single gang shallow (NCP23), single gang deep (NCP24), double gang shallow (NCP25) and double gang deep (NCP26).
Product dimensions (mm) External: 86 W x 86 H x D 25mm; Internal wiring depth 20mm.
Weight 63g (not including fixings or packaging).


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World • 16 April, 2020
Japan to declare nationwide state of emergency amid virus spread
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided to declare a nationwide state of emergency in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the new coronavirus in Japan, a government official said Thursday, Kyodo news says.
Abe has also instructed the ruling party to consider reworking a state budget to deliver 100,000 yen ($930) in cash to all citizens to help them weather the fallout from the pandemic, a government source said.
Abe acquiesced to Komeito, the coalition partner of the Liberal Democratic Party, which broached the idea of a blanket cash distribution plan and called for a rare review of an extra budget for fiscal 2020 that is already set to be submitted to parliament.
Currently, Tokyo, Osaka and five other prefectures are under a state of emergency.
The declaration, based on a revised law enacted last month, has given the governors of the seven prefectures the power to call for school and some business closures until this year's Golden Week holidays end on May 6.
Economists are saying Japan has entered a recession as stay-at-home requests by local authorities and business suspensions are dealing a blow to its economy already hurt by the 2 percent consumption tax hike in October last year.
The government stance has been to seek parliamentary approval next week for the extra budget -- a requisite for launching a scheme to give 300,000 yen to households whose income is deemed to have fallen sharply due to the virus outbreak.


Debenhams is to boost its own-label childrenswear offer and double its home accessories range.
The department store group – whose management was praised by City observers this week for performing well in a difficult market – is set to introduce an own-label, everyday childrenswear brand.
"There is an opportunity for us to make a quantum leap in childrenswear," Debenhams chief executive Rob Templeman told Retail Week. At present, Debenhams has a 2.6 per cent market share in the category.
The retailer will also double its Designers at Debenhams range of home accessories for spring/summer 2009. Templeman said the existing range was performing "strongly" and provides their customers witha point of "differentiation" from other, more commoditised homewares offers.
Debenhams is focusing on driving sales and guarding margins by implementing improvements to its own-brand product. "Product and ranging is at the heart of all our decision-making," said Templeman.
The department store group's full-year results revealed a 16 per cent fall in pre-tax profits to£110 million, in line with expectations.
Sales including concessions climbed 1.3 per cent to£2.3 billion, a like-for-like fall of 0.9 per cent. 72 per cent of sales during the year to August 30 were generated by Debenhams' own-labels.
The retailer, which halved its full-year dividend and outlined plans to slash its£994 million debt, will continue to spend on new stores.
Forty stores are yet to be refitted but the management plans to complete the programme within the next two to three years, depending on the economic climate.
Like-for-like sales fell further in the six weeks to October 11, when they slipped 4.2 per cent as worries about the economy frightened shoppers.


It looks like we're in store for more Expendables after all. Sylvester Stallone took to Instagram to tease that a fourth installment of The Expendables may be on its way.
The news is surprising seeing as though earlier last year, Stallone was singing a different tune in regards to the testosterone-driven all-star action hero team up. In March, Deadline exclusively reported that Stallone and Nu Image/Millennium chief Avi Lerner could not find common ground on a new director, on the script and on certain qualitative elements of the film.
This unofficial tease to The Expendables 4 comes amidst sexual assault allegations facing Stallone and days after the death of John Thompson at Millennium Films, who produced all three Expendables films. Stallone co-wrote the screenplay for the previous Expendables movies and directed the first installment. The last film, released in 2014, starred Stallone along with a who's who roster of the action movie universe from the past and present including Statham, Couture, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes and Ronda Rousey. It earned over $214 million at the global box office.


Az Zubaydat invites very few tourists to its land. This city is connected to many popular cities of Palestine. Az Zubaydat has a limited number of tourist attractions which one can visit. Below is the list of tourist cities which one can visit from Az Zubaydat, the distance between cities and time taken to travel from Az Zubaydat to other cities. Total population of Az Zubaydat is 1403. Add Az Zubaydat to your travel plan and view the virtual travel map being create on the right. Read some authentic reviews of Az Zubaydat and also share you experience of your stay.
Many cities are accessible from Az Zubaydat. We have selected the most popular tourist cities that you can visit after Az Zubaydat. Based on number of days in hand for vacation these cities have been listed and can be added to your travel itinerary by selecting "Add to Trip" displayed on the right of each city name.


A long time ago we had a judge come to talk to a meeting of magistrates. Her Honour Judge Suzanne Norwood was a grey haired lady in her sixties who wore a pork-pie type of hat and smoked cheroots. She used to put the fear of God into the barristers who appeared in front of her.
On one occasion counsel tried to mitigate for a burglar who had made his way to the victim's bedroom, based on the fact that his client had been very drunk indeed. Fixing the hapless lawyer with a terrifying glare, the Judge said "Young man: if a complete stranger is to enter my bedroom at night, I should prefer him to be sober."
Five years it was, then.