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Art Pope knows his business like the back of his hand. He knows the people he sells to have few choices, as do the people he employs. He exploits that position each and every day, profiting from the poor and then using those profits to exploit them even more.
Many have tried to initiate boycotts against Variety Wholesalers stores over the years, including yours truly. Maybe those efforts will be more successful now that Art Pope's North Carolina has attracted so much national attention.
Ooh, that smell. Can't you smell that smell...
In the later days of July, I tried to get versions of the following published by the NY Times, Washington Post and the N&O, among others. None saw it fit for ink. Now that the heat is turning up on Boss Pope, maybe it'll gain some traction now...
When it comes to immorality, Art Pope, who prefers to fly under the radar as an unpretentious philanthropist, stands in a class all by himself. On it's web site, The John W. Pope Foundation, proudly boasts its roughly $10 million a year in grants supporting public policy, education, cultural, and humanitarian efforts. The private 501(c)(3) grant-making foundation, chaired by Pope, is sustained almost exclusively through private donations by family members and profits generated by, Variety Wholesalers, Inc., the business Pope inherited from his father.
Sounds noble enough on the surface, but, drilling deeper into the self-aggrandizement of the foundations' web site, it turns out that roughly 80 percent of the grant money goes to conservative advocacy groups like Americans for Prosperity, Civitas Institute and the John Locke Foundation. All designed to further conservative and free market ideas. And all of which aggressively lobby North Carolina elected officials to further Art Pope's polarizing ideology. As for the other roughly 20 percent, it seems that the more conservative-leaning the cultural or humanitarian organization, the more grant money it'll net.
Among other restrictions, 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from supporting political candidates, and are subject to limits on lobbying. We hear time and again, how some of these organizations sidle up to the very edges of the law. Should one get caught crossing the line, high-priced attorneys are retained to back-flip the charges out the door. By strictest letter of the law, Pope's attorneys could argue that there is no wrongdoing – that the John W. Pope Foundation operates in full compliance.
But, Art Pope's fingers are on practically every one of the political organizations receiving those grants. Actively pulling the strings. And when the absurd amounts of his personal and business contributions are factored in, the homegrown political machine Pope cobbled together over the past decade or so, gets smellier yet.
His back-room power brokering has been fishy enough, but Pope's appointment to the unelected office of NC State Budget Director, by a Governor, who, along with the General Assembly, have plenty to thank him for, sent impropriety skyrocketing over the top. Hoisting the Jolly Roger high atop the State Capitol Building couldn't have sent a clearer message.
Thanks in large part to the Moral Monday movement, the rotten fruit of Pope's political skulduggery has finally caught the attention of the national media. And whether or not he thinks he is somehow above it all, Pope will eventually be held accountable.
In one of their final acts of cowardice this legislative session, the General Assembly managed to attach an amendment to yet another totally unrelated bill, giving them the authority to intervene in cases involving constitutional challenges to state law. Justifiably afraid that the Democrat currently holding the office of State Attorney General wouldn't stoop so low as to defend their blatant contempt for our democracy, the outlaws on Jones Street have unilaterally declared themselves the new Sheriff in town.
Officially unburdened by the lunacy of the legislative branch of our government, Attorney General Roy Cooper is now freed to actively uphold the sections of our Constitution left unsullied. For starters, Mr. Cooper still is empowered to launch a thorough investigation into Art Pope's institutionalized racketeering lying at the very core of our legislative nightmare. Particular focus on the transactional interactivity between the moving parts of Pope's machine could, hopefully, land him in federal prison. And Mr. Cooper ought to strike while the iron is hot.
Perhaps most egregious of all, though, is Art Pope's blatant misanthropy toward the very souls who fill his coffers in the first place. If you live in the Southeast or mid-Atlantic region, in an area where the median household income is $40,000 or less, and, with a minimum 25 percent African-American population living within five miles, you'll likely find a Roses or Maxway store nearby. Offering low quality, low overhead merchandise, at prices some residents still might barely afford, your community fits the demographic targeted by Pope's business model.
Each time one of his underpaid employees rings a cash register, I imagine Pope laughing hysterically as one hand tallies the money streaming in, while the other feeds his political machine yet another oppressive piece of legislation designed to perpetuate the depressed economic conditions that keep his hapless North Carolinian victims locked in the cross-hairs of his reprehensible greed.
Given Pope's proven shrewdness as a dyed-in-the-wool free-marketeer, it is entirely plausible that deep beneath his purported devotion to the life-support of his dying political party, profit, lies at the root of his true motivation. Upward mobility is extremely bad news for Pope's bottom-line. And to all of his apologists among Romney's 47 percent who've been so pitifully duped by the "trickle down" nonsense spewing from Pope's so-called think-tanks, you are not immune. Sorry, there is no pot-of-gold for you – not even a pretty rainbow.
One of Governor Pat McCrory's early denunciations of the Moral Monday movement is that it's name infers that one of the sides in the dispute is immoral. Well, he need not look any further than the privileged egoists, like Art Pope, who think their silver spoon DNA entitles them to buy and sell pandering politicians like commodities they truly are.
A multitude of my fellow North Carolinians are already trapped in the hole dug for them by Art Pope's malfeasance, and simply cannot escape. And as the rest of us feel the mounting pain his henchmen on Jones Street viciously inflicted this session, more of us will surely join the ranks. McCrory is right about one thing, though, North Carolina surely is open for business. The less disposable income the poor and middle-class have to spend on quality for their families, means more store openings for James Arthur Pope!
"Let's not be too rough on our own ignorance; it's what makes America great!" - Frank Zappa (6/29/1988)
So very well put
Deserves it's own frontpage post.
This is...
...some of the finest writing I have seen in a long time.
It deserves ink in one or more major papers. Are they really that afraid of Art?
"I will have a priority on building relationships with the minority caucus. I want to put substance behind those campaign speeches." -- Thom Tillis, Nov. 5, 2014
Why Yes, They Fear Him Greatly
I found an article from 1990s on Pope being against government financing of elections in any way - he finally got his revenge. This is a great article which should be put out there all over the place. I have studied Pope for 15 years or more. He is a cancer on this state and nation. What surprises me is that it did not cost a really big bunch of money to capture and purchase the legislature, and he did. Now his clowns, like Joe Coletti from Locke propaganda mill is ensconced in a govt job, and we will never get rid of him and cockroaches he is putting into state government. They will thwart us for another 30 years.
Wait, what?
Where can the article be found? Does Coletti technically have a government job now? If not, to what extent is he embedded?
"Let's not be too rough on our own ignorance; it's what makes America great!" - Frank Zappa (6/29/1988)
K. I. S. S.: Don't buy from Art Pope
So don't buy at:
"Popes," "Eagles," "Super Dollar," "Bill's Dollar Stores," "Super 10," "Roses" and "Maxway"
Martha Brock


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President Barack Obama has called upon friend Magic Johnson to help people #getcovered under the Affordable Healthcare Act aka "Obamacare."
The NBA legend has shot a video encouraging people, mainly young people, who think they're "invincible," to get covered under the health insurance plan. "Good healthcare is important to me because everyone deserves to have good healthcare." Johnson says.
"Early detection can save people's live and I'm living proof of that" he says in the PSA. "I would not be where I am without a good healthcare plan." Johnson details getting a physical and discovering the diagnosis. Free yearly preventive exams have been a strong argument in Obama's campaign and induction of the Affordable Care Act.
Johnson encourages young athletes to consider injuries and how sports will affect their health in the long run. "As an athlete, I understood the value of my health insurance. I knew that in my profession, injuries were common and could happen at any time," he explains.
Johnson has been a strong supporter of Obama. He and wife Cookie Johnson opened their home in November 2013 for a presidential fundraiser.
"Magic has become a prime example of somebody who was blessed with incredible fame and fortune from a sports career and understood his next step is to build institutions and businesses and employ people and go into communities that folks said weren't worth anything and find that they're worth a whole lot if somebody's willing to invest in them," Obama said at the fundraiser.

subset: commoncrawl


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Is the New Testament Anti-Semitic?
January 7th, 2013
For centuries, Jewish scholars and leaders have touted the B'rit Hadashah (the New Testament) as anti-Semitic. Recently I came across an internet article (link here) attributed to Shmuel Golding, which states:
While it is clear that historically there have been members of the Church who have done this, it would be extremely erroneous to say that they were "bible-intoxicated." The vast majority of these persecutors of Jewish people, far from being intoxicated with the Bible, had hardly imbibed the Bible at all. That is not to say that there were not some Christians who knew the B'rit Hadashah (New Testament) and yet were foolishly anti-Semitic, but for the most part, the principle sources of anti-Semitism throughout the ages were an ignorance of Scriptures and the agendas of wrong-thinking religious and political leaders.
Historically, much of this anti-Semitism came about after Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. Often Jewish critics conveniently forget the anti-Christianity of Judaism that went on before that time. I, myself, have been on the receiving side of such hatred, and primarily because I'm a Jew (a new form of anti-Semitism). In the end, these hatreds have everything to do with the weaknesses of humankind and its rebelliousness against God (i.e. sin) and nothing to do with Scriptures.
While modern Jewish rhetoric is quick to point out the perpetrators of anti-Semitism throughout the ages, they do not speak to the many Christians throughout history who have stood up for the Jewish people, and spoken out against hatred of them, including many church leaders in the Middle Ages. It is interesting to me that the tendency in the Evangelical Church since the 19th Century to care about the Jewish people and, more recently, about the State of Israel, has come at a time when Scriptural literacy in the church is on the increase.
A fair reading of the B'rit Hadashah would show that Yeshua (Jesus) and the writers of the B'rit Hadashah (all of whom were Jewish) cared about their Jewish people, just as the prophets in the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament) did.
The dispute Yeshua and his disciples had with the Jewish leaders of the day was an internally Jewish one. While a remnant of the Jewish people believed in Messiah Yeshua (including many leaders – see Acts 6:7) and entered into the New Covenant promised by God (see Jeremiah 31:31-34), most did not. The same can be said of the Gentile world. In the end the B'rit Hadashah points out that all can be saved to eternal life, through Messiah's sacrifice on the cross, and all are condemned if they do not, regardless of whether they are Jewish or Gentile.
The B'rit Hadashah is not anti-Semitic. It speaks of the fulfillment of God's promises in the Tanakh by the one whom God promised, who himself was God as promised in the Tanakh (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 52:10-53:12). Won't you come to him and have eternal life? If you would like to know how or want to know more, please contact us.
Posted in Daniel Muller, Jesus and Israel, Jewish Identity, Jewish Objections to Jesus, Jewish Tradition, Jews and Christianity, Messiah, Messiah in the Tanach, Salvation, The Bible
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Medical Definition of Phonosurgery
Phonosurgery: Surgical procedures that maintain, restore, or enhance the human voice. Phonosurgery includes phonomicrosurgery (microsurgery of the vocal folds done through an endoscope), laryngoplastic phonosurgery (open-neck surgery that restructures the cartilaginous framework of the larynx and the soft tissues), laryngeal injection (injection into the larynx of medications as well as synthetic and organic biologic substances), and reinnervation (restoration of the nerve supply) of the larynx. The term "phonosurgery" was coined in the early 1960s.
Last Editorial Review: 6/9/2016
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A small sticker on Kerner's door, printed by the Oregon-based CrimethInc Ex-Workers' Collective, warns: "Community Watch Area—Police Not Welcome."
"You know that's the first thing they saw when they put the flashlight up to the door," Lester says.
Granted, throwing a loud party with an anarchist slogan on your door is like speeding down the freeway in a VW van with a giant pot leaf painted on the side. But in court papers, Officer Jaime Bisagna writes that he was simply responding to a noise complaint at Kerner's address.
Bisagna's report glosses over how he first entered the home. He writes: "I parked in front of [a neighboring house] and continued to hear the music. Most everyone inside the party was compliant and followed our instructions."
Most everyone except Kerner, locked in her bedroom. "I smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the area of the bedroom door," Bisagna writes.
He knocked on the door—"Open up!"
"Get the fuck out of my house, you domestic terrorists!" Kerner replied.
At which point, Bisagna writes, the entire party broke out in cheers.
With Officer McCord watching approximately 30 people, and Kerner "exciting a crowd that could have easily got out of control," Bisagna felt "officer safety" required he open the door.
Bisagna knocked again. Kerner quickly opened the door, he says—then shut it on his foot. The officer "forced" his way in and told Kerner to calm down. "I used a calm voice and told her to just relax so we could figure things out." Kerner swore at him again, Bisagna writes, "and then pushed me in the chest."
As Bisagna moved to arrest her, she assumed a fetal position. He had trouble handcuffing her. The whole time, Bisagna writes, Kerner screamed so loud that someone in the area called emergency dispatch to report it.
As Bisagna carried Kerner to his car, he writes, "She reached behind with one of her hands and forcefully squeezed my genitals so hard it caused me to collapse."
Finally, having returned to the bedroom "to locate a missing leather keeper from my duty belt," Bisagna found a large Z-shaped bong full of warm water in Kerner's closet.
As an institution, CSF hasn't always welcomed the police.
It's part of a tricky balance many colleges maintain. Administrators need to stay on good terms with the police. At the same time—because nervous parents sign so many tuition checks—they'd prefer to handle matters quietly, if and when students break the law.
"I'm not saying [the] college has ignored us," SFPD Deputy Chief Aric Wheeler says. "But we have other entities—for example, the public schools—saying, 'Hey guys, we want your help.'"
Police and college officials met in October and November, when relations were most tense, to hash out how they'd deal with one another in the future. Now both parties—tipped off weeks ago that SFR was planning this story—call those meetings positive and productive.
But it's not clear what results, exactly, they produced. Police want CSF to create a neighborhood watch to keep them abreast of any problems, rather than handling problems internally. Dean Fitzpatrick, however, writes there have been "no changes to policy, procedure, or training recently."
That may change. In the coming year, Wheeler says, administrators will give police full access to campus so officers can document its layout and be prepared in case of a Virginia Tech-style rampage.
That's a sensible precaution. But the department's focus on CSF is somewhat puzzling given that most of the violent crime in Santa Fe lately has occurred outside the college's adobe gates.
The night of Oct. 20, one night after a 16-year-old boy shot another teenager outside JC Penney, Security Director Ardis sent another campus-wide e-mail, noting that SFPD would be performing "saturation patrols"—meaning two or three patrol cars per hour—on campus. This was supposedly in "response to gang violence" at the shopping center, four miles away.
If such patrols are meant to inspire a sense of safety, for some students, they've had the opposite effect.
"No one's really sure of if they leave campus if they're being targeted or not," Plaza says. "So I guess they did their job, in keeping underage people from drinking."
And maybe it's for the best that fewer students will be shouting, "Fuck you, bacon."
"To be perfectly honest, if I were a cop, I'd probably have a little distrust for college kids, too," Zerkin says. "Because of the liberal-radical nature of this school, people are really quick to say, 'The police, the pigs, are coming to get us.' There's probably some truth to that. But some of the students could do a better job of taking accountability for their actions."
Two months after her release from jail, Kerner, who is estranged from her family, has only recently found a lawyer: Santiago Juarez of Española. Juarez didn't return a message left with his secretary, but Lester and Kerner say he may file a lawsuit on Kerner's behalf, on the grounds that police unlawfully entered Kerner's home.
Unlike a lot of students, Lester isn't rushing to transfer from CSF. He plans to stick it out through the spring. After that, who knows? He'd like to go some place "with real people power"—maybe Cuba.
On Dec. 8, Kerner had a date with First Judicial District Court Judge Stephen Pfeffer. With Lester in the courtroom for moral support, she pleaded not guilty to her felony charge.
Since the bust, her house has been "deserted." By most accounts, the party scene—on and off campus—has quieted as well.
After the arrests, the ongoing patrols, the alleged rape and fears about the college's future—which won't go away for weeks, at least—students have heard little more than vague reassurances from the administration.
"I think they were worried about bad publicity, but they couldn't really have any worse publicity right now," Kerner says. "A lot of us feel like this is it—this is the school's last hurrah." SFR


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I've been ordering my boxes, cello, etc. from PaperMart. They are awesome! I just priced out their ribbon -- 100 yards of 3/8" grosgrain (solid colors) ribbon is $3.98/roll! I was shopping Hobby Lobby during their 50% off sales and getting 5 yards for $1.
Their shipping for heavier items is expensive, but I would think if you live on the West Coast, it would be a lot cheaper to ship. (They are located outside LA.)


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The current eight-episode third season of the ABC Family series Make It Or Break It will be its last. The writing has pretty much been on the wall for the gymnastics drama, which first faced cancellation last summer following its second 20-episode season, which was down from the 20-epsiode Season 1. But last September, the network renewed the series for eight episodes "in time to ignite Olympic fever," as ABC Family president Michael Riley put it. The timing does make sense as the premise of the series was following several elite female teen gymnasts dreaming of competing at the upcoming summer 2012 Olympics in London. The current abbreviated third season chronicles the final leg of the race to the Olympics, with the May 14 finale revealing who of the three girls will make the U.S. team for the games. ABC Family this week began promoting the May 14 closer as the series finale, with Make It Or Break It creator Holly Sorenson chiming in on Twitter. "We are, very sadly, three weeks away from the series finale of MIOBI," she wrote Monday. ABC Family has three new series on tap for this summer: drama Bunheads, comedy Baby Daddy and docuseries Beverly Hills Nannies.
ABC Family's 'Make It Or Break It' To End
56 Comments
If I were still 15, I would have been all over this show. Cute girls in tight outfits doing gymnastics would have been a nice change seeing how the grunge look was the in thing back then. Thanks a lot, Cobain, for convincing the hottest girls in school that dumpy flannels and oversized jeans was "cool." Shmuck.
You should captiolize on the fact that this is the year of the olympics this is what the show was working up to for the girls to go and compete. There is still plenty of things for the writers to write about. This is a very stupid move on the part of ABC family you want to leave a show like THe life of a american teenager on instead of Make it or Break It which is more postive. You people need to open your eyes.
I totally agree nothing like a bunch of pregnant teenagers instead of ones fighting for their life long dream! Because the Secret Life Characters are such great role models for other teenagers. NOT!!!!
So sad to see this show go, but I'm totally excited for the new nannies show that's going to be crazy fun!
I figured with the renewal of Jane by Design and The Lying Game this was toast.
The show had a good first season but went downhill when the lead actress got pregnant and was written out. Not her fault but the storylines just got ridiculous after that. The show wasn't the same.
NO! I AM SO DEPRESSED! This was the only good show left on ABC Family. Its all downhill once this is off the air. Jane By Design is total shit, Pretty Little Liars used to be good but is now shit, The Lying Game is too similar to pretty little liars and is just boring, and The Secret Life of The American Teenager is like a shitty produced soap opera with no character development and seriously lacks a plot. Im sorry to say that now that MIOBI is done I will no longer be watching ABC Family. You guys screwed up BIG TIME!
THIS IS RIDICULOUS! make it or break it is my favorite show in the whole world and for 3 years i've been dying to know who is going to win the olympics. now i'll NEVER know. I was devastated when I found out this was going to happen. there is NO excuse they should leave us at a cliffhanger like that.
not surprised, this a great show.
I want to know what happpened to Emily and Damen. Aslo Kelly Parker, what about her, These people should show up in the last few sode' and close the loop on this very good show. the other shows like Jane by design is a carbor copy of other shows, and thus not worth the effort to watch. this is why people have We away from Reg tv. the good stuff gets killed and trash takes it's place
I know I wanna know what happened to Damon and Emily as well. I just started watching the first and second season and starting on the third and now it's ending. That's crap!
Yeah I completely agree, MIOBI was one of the few shows left on ABCFamily that is worth staying on the channel. As soon as Pretty Little Liars went to far into the unrealistic, it lost all of its suspension of disbelief (cough cough complicated storylines that you can't follow…). Lying Game never had much worth to begin with and a completely unrealistic plot, albeit the character work is good but doesn't redeem. Jane by Design WAS good until they went into the Secret Life territory. And I'm not even going to get started on Secret Life, I have never watched anything but the commercials and that turned me away big time. The first sentence about the show goes roughly along the lines of "questions about sex." Enough said about all of these shows. MIOBI's cancellation makes absolutely no sense to begin with and I'm starting to think chimpanzees are in charge of ABCFamily. Actually, on a second thought, chimps would do better than the brick-brained people in charge of the network.
Seriously I love this show sooo much I would do anything to save it! I think they are making a big mistake canceling it so sad:(
The show peaked in its first season for sure. Back then it was a pretty good drama about the ups and downs of this sport.
The current third season is better than the second, because it's focusing more on the sport again. But it's still not the level the first season had.
But… I'm still bitter over the fact that ABC Family didn't pick up "Intercept". That show sounded like something that could have been great.
I hope it reveals more than who makes the US team! I was pretty sure season 3 would be the last even before the debacle with renewal at the end of 2 but surely they have to reveal how they go at the olympics or else why bother?
Television executives have no idea sometimes.
This show sunk when the writers wrote the main character Emily off with ridiculous story lines because she got pregnant in real life. Then they had the nerve not to bring her back for Season 3? This new season is hollow without her in it. Not surprised fans jumped ship.
She really got pregnant in real life? WOW.
I'm so bummed they cancel this show. I love watching it every Monday. Also I live in Colorado so I loved how it was based out of co. Man wish it didn't have to end
So we'll not see them at the Olympic games? :O
I decided agianstwatching season 3 of MIOBI after the producers opted not to bring Chelsea Hobbs back.I view it as a terrible move on Holly Soreson's part.
She was the one that decided not to come back since she was actually pregnant with her second child!
The fans and the media are all saying this is the best season of the show and I must agree. It is actually amazing to be doing anything after being kept off the air for a year and really not promoted at all. It's a very nice thing the show is going out on such a high note creatively and production wise.
I love MIOBI. If this is the last season of only 8 episodes why introduce new characters in depth and get rid of old ones…… It is a great show and could definitely finish out through the Olympics! I have to say I am disappointed with ABCFAM decision to take it off the air.
If this is the last season of only 8 episodes why introduce new characters in depth and get rid of old ones…… It is a great show and could definitely finish out through the Olympics! I have to say I am disappointed with ABCFAM decision to take it off the air.
Wtf this show is freakin amazing! How could you cancel a show with so much drama and a awesome sport for something that's total crap? BIG mistake ABC Family!!
I Hate the show coming to a end I love this show been with from day one I will miss this show so much.=(
I think it's very stupid to take the show off the air and not show the girl's in the Olympic games and even what happens aftre the games . You reg ending a show with no real ending , everything is up in the air . BIG MISTAKE ON YOUR PART . I hate to say I would end the secret life befor i would end MIOBI , secret life is just going in circles and there is alot more story to tell in MIOBI .
I ABSOLUTLEY LOVE THIS SHOW!! My friend and I watch it every Monday.. We cried when we heard it was the series finally and rewinded the tv five time to make sure we were hearing it right… I'm going to miss this show soooooooooo much
Very sad to see this show go, I think it's a good one…once again.something "clean" and not a stupid reality show has to be taken off the air. What a shame.
This is so screwed up. Just because they aren't a bunch of pot smoking, whoring, baby & drama making teenagers, or killing people and keeping it a secret, they aren't good enough to keep. To ABC "Family", drugs, sex, & partying isn't exactly "family" material. How do you lead people on for 3 years & then 'whoops, 1.4 million viewers isn't enough, CUT!' Of course a series is going to have a ton of viewers at first, its fresh & new, people are gonna be curious & check it out. Some people find that it isn't their cup of tea & quit it, but the remainder of us have been faithful viewers, don't punish us for that. Screw Jane by design, Secret Life, PLL, The Lying Game & any other crap show you're continuing…MIOBI is the only good thing y'all had left. I will never again watch ABC so called Family.
This is because it is Disney. They are ruining a lot of good shows to put on reality television that people are getting tired of and do not want anymore. But, these programs are cheaper to produce and make. So, guess what the good, family shows are taken off for the stupid cheap shows. I hate this too and wish that they would keep it on the air because I want to see these girls attend the olympics.
This sucks. I love this show. All this time I have been waiting and wondering who would get the gold, and they just do away with it. There is nothing good left on ABC Family. As an athlete this show is inspiration not only to me and my team (we all watch every monday), but young athletes everywhere looking for something to inspire a dream in them.
I love make it or break it why does it end so early I wish it wasn't leaving abc family I am true fan. Are we not going to see them in the olympics then. Yeah I wish they put more gymnastics into the show too. Is laruen going to back I hope she is it be great. You should cancel the show either you do many fans everybody is upset and sad.
Based on the ratings it doubtful on seeing them compete at the Olympics if they do make the cut.
I meant you shouldn't cancel the show because you have so many fans
I have to say this was a very bad decision of ABC family. Once they cancel make it or break it they will have no more good shows. I am going to stop watching ABC family after the last episode it was honestly a very bad move to cancel this show. It has gotten so much better since season 1, and to sum the movie up and not even show the Olympics is horrible. The whole show is about training for the Olympics and now we wont even see that ! That is ridiculous !
I'm sad because I love this show, but I understand why it's ending. It has always been about the girls training for the olympics and this is where it's at now. However, I do think they should have kept it going through the olympics, not just to who goes, so all who enjoy this show can see who wins the gold!


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Severely infected cyst.
Today sucked, we tried Monday night to cut it out and my wife said the words I feared "There's too much, I can't do it" I went to work Tuesday and it just got worse, this morning my wife was "Your going to the ER" ....damn I hate that place.
It was a lump for ten years, my wife is a nurse and she always said "you should get that thing cut out" and I always thought "Cut out!!! f-that!"
-stupid stupid stupid
Well it decided a week ago it was coming out regardless and it's been a horrible experience man, excruciating pain while they were digging pieces of the infection out, they had big ass forceps pushed into my arm all the way down to the clasp and the doctor was just yanking it open and closed, open and closed, literally tearing the skin away from muscle to give way for the infection to come out.
They gave me some type of drug i can't recall now that didn't do a damn thing, then three different intravenous shots of morphine at 5mg each and two syringes of lanacane around the area and I swear it didn't make a damn bit of difference, now it's packed with gas(sp?) under the skin we have to go back tomorrow to "access the situation". Moral of the story, LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE or even your moms for that matter or whatever ladybit having loved one you have, just do what they say.
Ouch! That looks painful.
That is nasty. Get well, and print this thread off and hand it to your wife. Tell her to put it in a safe place and bring it out whenever necessary. ;)
Have a full, and speedy, recovery Wiebel!
Thats nasty and lools painful. At least it didnt mess up your ink lol.
Ouch man. Youve got a hole in ur back!!!! I've got a small cyst on back I've been neglecting .... I guess I should take care of it
Effin OUCH! Get well and thanks for the tips!
Get your blood sugar checked ! I struggled with such plagues for two years. Then I got the news I had type 2 diabetes. As soon as I got my blood sugar under control the plague went away. Just something to think about. Good luck, I feel for you brother.
Now put your man pants on and deal with the pain of not listening to good advice. Heh. Hope you heal up without too much muscle damage.
I work in a rehab hospital ive seen people that have lost limbs from cysts that got infected and left to fester for years like that... not trying to scare you but follow all doctor orders on treatment!!
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Share Your Photography Blog
One thing that we did last year that was really fun was a post for everyone to share their photo blog. It was great to see everyone's work and the wide variety of styles that you all have. There are some talented photographers that visit this site and one thing I love about blogs is the mix of professional and personal work along with reading a little bit about you. So many of you have such great blogs, your posts are witty, fun and of course great images! I have been blogging for my studio for about 6 years now and do enjoy sharing my work with my clients. It also gives you a great way to market to new clients and lets people get to know you before they even step in the door. From a marketing perspective I think blogging for your photography business can be one of the best marketing tools out there. As an artist I always get a little nervous every time I hit the publish button on my blog, there is this fear that nobody is going to read the post, or people will hate the images, all these things go through my mind when I press that publish button. But I do love blogging, it gives me a great way to share some of my favorite images with my clients and post some personal things about myself so they can get to know me better, when I have that perfect shot that I capture I want to share it with the whole world. We are all so passionate about our art so our blog can be a great way to communicate and share that passion. Although I don't have the time to write a post every day like I would like, I do try and keep it updated at least twice a week.
I know we have some readers out there with pretty amazing blogs and images. So here is your chance to share your work! Just leave your blog address in the comments below. If you are on Facebook you can use the Facebook comment feature to quickly leave a comment, if not then just use the comments section below that. Also make sure to visit some of the blogs that are listed here and if you love something about a post remember to leave that photographer a comment, blogs should be about community and feedback not just a one way street so leave some comment love !
Have a great day everyone,
If you like our articles remember to share them on Facebook, Twitter or +1 them on Google. I appreciate you spreading the word to your photo friends! Also remember to always start a conversation by leaving a Facebook comment at the bottom of the page. I love to hear from you.


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tampa bay rentals tagged posts
Rent to Own home in Wesley Chapel – Lease Option Homes
By Dave Overholser
Rent to Own this beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath and 3 car garage home in Wesley Chapel. High ceiling,
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This rent to own home is available right away. 2 year lease with option to buy, Rent is
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the 2 years of your lease agreement. A great option for someone that needs to
get credit issues resolved and other issues as well. Call for more info and
Get it while you can…call now 813-856-6400
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Perks of Getting Older
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of going to the wedding for one of my childhood best friend's daughter. This was my first wedding for a peer's child and I guess it is just another milestone to indicate I am getting older.
Does getting old stink? I guess in some ways it might, but in other ways there are some perks.
As our kids get older (Jake 15, Olivia 13, Isabella 12) they need dad less every day. It really hit me last year when my baby, Isabella, moved on to junior high and no longer needed me to give her a ride to school. I miss that special time I had with her on those short car rides. The perk is now I go to work earlier (I've become an early riser) and finish my day earlier.
Last summer, the kids discovered that riding bikes gave them a sense of freedom and allowed them to cover more ground than walking and this summer they are riding all the time. Soni and I are no longer full-time unpaid/unappreciated chauffeur's. We are part-time until they are driving themselves.
This spring, I passed the coaching baseball baton to my son's high school coaches and H. S. travel team coaches. The free time I have now is more than I can fill mentally and physically as I devoted quite a bit of my free time to everything involved in running a full-time highly competitive travel team. I'd rather be coaching than not and while I'm golfing more (weather permitting) I have not yet figured out what to do with this extra time.
The whole idea of not being needed as much and eventually leading to being empty nester's (7 years and they will all be out of high school) will present a different challenge compared to being the parent of a young child.
How will we spend our free time?
The greatest perk of all is a rediscovery of one's self, not being defined by our children's needs or schedule. Soni and I have already slowly began the adjustment phase by taking more time for "us". We are going on more dates and even taking the dog for nightly walks "together" as the kids don't need one of us to stay behind.
One of my perks of getting older is that I feel more certain of my personal financial plan. The fear of not having enough money for my kid's college bills has greatly subsided because I have had a disciplined automatic college savings program for years. Since I'm ahead of schedule, I may save a little less and buy myself a nice new car next year. I cannot imagine how we will redirect the monthly money we put into college savings in a few years, but it will be fun.
Is it a "perk" that I seem to need less sleep? I enjoy waking up early much more than I did when I was younger.
The only thing missing for me right now is an instruction manual on how to parent my teenagers. Most of my peers have expressed difficulty with this as well, which is somewhat comforting.
Any suggestions from those that have been through this?
I suppose I feel that getting older is a good thing, because I really don't feel older. One of my favorite questions is
How old would you be, if you didn't know how old you were?
Right now, my answer is 35. Coincidentally, that was the last year that I cared to celebrate my birthday.
Getting old has plenty of perks, what do you think some of the "perks" of getting older are?
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text: Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking StatementsThis release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding CommScope and its subsidiaries and the initial public offering of CommScope's common stock. All of these statements are based on management's expectations as well as estimates and assumptions prepared by management that, although they believe to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of CommScope's control that may cause its business, industry, strategy, financing activities or actual results to differ materially. CommScope undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the forward looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The pricing information presented herein has been provided for indicative purposes only, is an estimate and remains subject to change.


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2013-06-14 / Faith
Trial by fire molds pastor's message
A faith that hasn't been tested is a faith that cannot be trusted, says David Johnston, who established a new church in Calabasas last month to spread God's word and redeeming powers.
The father of three boys who've all battled heroin addiction, Johnston knows firsthand what tribulations are and how personal difficulties can strengthen a Christian soul.
"One thing that God showed me is the question is not 'why' but 'what.' What does God want to teach me? He cares more about my character than he does my comfort," he said.
The new Calvary Chapel Calabasas is affiliated with Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, a Biblebased congregation founded by Chuck Smith in the 1960s.
The path to ministry
The son of a preacher, Johnston was called to the pulpit 25 years ago.
He began his ministry as an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel of Antelope Valley and Calvary Chapel of San Jose, and was senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Cruz from 2000 to 2010.
Under Johnston's leadership, the church in Santa Cruz grew from a dozen people to several hundred. His father, Johnny, is an assistant pastor for the same congregation.
Trial by fire
Calvary Chapel Santa Cruz was thriving in 2009 and had just moved to a larger facility when Johnston became gravely ill after a minor surgery to remove gallstones.
After the surgeon punctured Johnston's pancreas during the procedure, the preacher went into a coma for 17 days. He was in and out of the hospital for a variety of health problems for eight months.
"They didn't know if I was going to live. I ended up having almost 60 surgeries," said Johnston, adding that the ordeal was particularly difficult for his sons, who were teenagers at the time.
"My boys had already started to make some bad choices. . . . When I got sick and got shipped to the hospital in San Francisco and almost died, that's when my oldest son really went sideways," he said.
Johnston and his wife, Lynette, have four children, including a daughter, Ashley, 24, who is married to a youth pastor.
Their sons, Johnny, David and Mark, all turned to drugs, including heroin, while their father was ill.
The younger David Johnston was high on a variety of substances when he and a fellow user robbed the home of an acquaintance to get money for drugs.
In 2010, less than a month before high school graduation and with no previous criminal record, the teen, who had ties to the church and dreams of football stardom, was convicted of firstdegree residential burglary and sentenced to a year in county jail.
The arrest, which made front page news in Santa Cruz, occurred on the day David Johnston Sr. returned home after a series of hospitalizations.
It prompted Johnston to step down from his post as senior pastor in Santa Cruz and, later, move his family away.
"I know if I brought them back to the same environment and surrounded with the same friends, we would have the same problems," Johnston said, adding that the challenges were a lesson in humility and empathy.
The family found refuge at Calvary Chapel GodSpeak in Newbury Park, where its pastor, Rob McCoy—an old friend of Johnston's—gave them an opportunity to start anew.
"That church was an oasis for my family. When we came down, I had almost died, we were wiped out financially and (two of) my sons had been in jail. That church has welcomed us and loved us," Johnston said.
Johnston's sons are all on a path of recovery, he said.
David, 21, is in Bible College in Santa Barbara and is involved with the children's ministry at Calvary Chapel Calabasas.
Mark, 19, recently returned from discipleship school in Maine and is also serving at the local church. Johnny, 22, who has served time in jail, is completing a rehabilitation program at U-Turn for Christ in Riverside County.
"Your test becomes your testimony," Johnston said. "God allows us to go through suffering that he may comfort us in our suffering that we may then comfort others in the comfort we have received."
A new start in Calabasas
Calvary Chapel Calabasas will be the fruit of the Newbury Park chapel, preaching the word and loving the people without compromise.
"Too many churches today are preaching a man-centered gospel, taking the word of God and watering it down to make man comfortable," said Johnston, who has maintained a full-time job selling advertising for AT&T's Yellow Pages through most of his ministering career.
The new congregation in Calabasas meets at 6 p.m. every Sunday at the Agoura Hills/ Calabasas Community Center on Malibu Hills Road in Calabasas.
Child care and children's ministry are provided at Sunday meetings, and Johnston is working to establish a midweek Bible study program focusing on the Old Testament.
McCoy said Calabasas and the Conejo Valley are blessed to have one of the finest "expositors of Scripture in the country."
"In a world where people are going through real life struggles, David is a man who can relate to them and minister to them," McCoy said, "and we're talking struggles of the highest caliber.
"He's very simplistic in his teachings, but it's also very profound. If I wasn't a pastor of a church I would attend his church."
For more information, visit www.cccalabasas.com.


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PowerShares DB Silver Fund (DBS)
It's the hottest commodity play around, so it should come as no surprise that an ETF pegged to the spot price of silver has shone over the past month. The PowerShares DB Silver Fund (NYSE: DBS) has spiked 15.6% over the past four weeks, and this sky-high rise in the value of DBS can clearly be seen in the four-week chart of this peak-performing precious metal ETF.
If investors keep embracing the metals sector, look out for even more shine in DBS.


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When in need of a crane and budgetary limitations are in force, a rational choice is to buy a used one. When you have discovered what you should be looking for, you will be in a good position to make the cleverest choice. If for any reason you still feel unsure, there is a choice of getting a crane inspector to be on the safe side. Nonetheless, should you determine that you're capable of making the call yourself the following suggestions should prove to be helpful.
Check out the cables carefully
Damaged strands or even flat spots in the cables can indicate wear that can make operation dangerous. The degree of wear that you notice will become a matter of judgement on its potential lifespan.
Check out the cables cautiously
Damaged strands or even flat spots in the cables can indicate wear that can make operation risky. The level of wear that you observe will become a matter of judgement on its potential lifespan.
History and age
Check out regarding the age of the crane and its history. You'll want to make sure that this equipment has not been abused and that it has been correctly cared for and maintained. In case the crane was used in an environment that placed it in constant contact with salt water, check for corrosion. While you're at it, check the outriggers to see if they are bent as this can be an signal of previous abuse.
Hydraulic system
The packing seals around the cylinders ought to be free of leaks. Hoses should also be looked over for damage or wear. Are you currently attempting to get more facts on sjh used plant machinery specialists? You'll find loads of pertinent information and facts over here sjh plant sales.
Give the crane a test run
Check for smooth operation and the manner in which the crane is able to fully extend. If there is any type of binding, bending of the tube is suspected as the cause. Also, while you are running the crane, double check the rotation for tightness in operation and movement in the base pedestal while fully extended.
Check out other signs of a bent tube
These can include wear in ladder rungs, in the main tube as well as signs of wear in the first slider.Base plate and also mountings
Ensure that each mounting bolt is firmly secured. Any loose hardware can lead to damage to the base plate.
After you've looked at all of the belts and bearings you have completed your inspection. If you want more ideas on used machinery there is also a considerably more specifics listed over here plant machinery for sale uk.Evaluating the fair market price of the crane
If you feel confident with making this evaluation, keep on. If not, call upon the expertise of a crane appraiser to get a precise and fair price of the equipment you are thinking about.
There is a great deal more facts on plant sale on this site access equipment hire. According to the information you've gathered you can evaluate a rough estimate of any repairs that the crane may need. This allows you to determine if it is a fair buy for the asking price.
The purchase of a used crane has the possibility to be an outstanding purchase if the equipment is in decent repair and hasn't been subjected to extreme use and abuse.


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06 October 2011
And for the first time in months, I am now excited to start this hockey season. I'm not sure if the Pensblog writers felt this way about the beginning of the season after they had lost to Detroit in the SCF, but it took a while to care about hockey.
Can the Canucks do what they did last year? Impossible to predict and also unlikely to happen. So let's move on from what happened last year, and enjoy the beginning of the season for what it is. Hockey is back, be grateful, because if we have a lock-out next year, you won't get the joy of feeling like today is Christmas.
Head over to the boys at The Pensblog for your opposition blog coverage. I might be jumping on their pre-game podcast, so if you want to give it a listen. I'm sure I'll get ripped in their c-blog for my podcast appearance.
No Crosby is not playing, but I wanted to use the photo
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Hands up those of you who used to dick about with their mates down some version of a 'wreck'? Hands up those of you who used to do it on bikes? And hands up those of you who built ramps to jump over stuff? If I'm counting correctly – and I rarely do – I […]Continue reading
Galvanic Corrosion of Stainless Steel with Other Metallic Materials
Wikipedia's overview as to what galvanic corrosion is comes in the form of the following: Dissimilar metals and alloys have different electrode potentials and when two or more come into contact in an electrolyte a galvanic couple is set up. A galvanic couple can also be set up on a single metal or alloy due […]Continue reading
Twitter Links You May Find of Interest
Here's a round-up of tweets and posts from the past month or so that you may or may not find of any interest: UK launches a competition to design pylons of the future http://zite.to/lqPsXj # Detroit DIYer cooks up stronger, lighter steel, shames scientists http://t.co/rj30UaB via @engadget #fb # Regions hope industry clusters will draw […]Continue reading
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-05-15
No Longer Used for Evil, Oil Barrels Remade into Sweet Cabinets http://zite.to/jGyBBq # The United States will be competitive with China in Manufacturing costs in 2015 http://zite.to/j4b8C4 # How To: Make Your Own (fake aluminium) Mid-Century Modern House Numbers http://zite.to/jOaqhm # How to make a cookie cutter / food shaper http://zite.to/keCiJ3 #fb # 3D printing […]Continue reading


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Dunoon, United Kingdom
18 February 2012
"Fantastic, couldn't have been better."
The cottage is in the perfect location, traanquil and surrounded by beautiful hills yet a short walk to the local pub, serving delicious food and great ales. The village of Broughton is only a 5 minute drive away and has all the facilities you would want for a relaxing break.
Nestling in The Lickle Valley, Broughton Mills, 3 miles from Broughton-in-Furness, and just six miles from Coniston, are three unique warm and inviting self-catering holiday cottages, Swallows Nest a spacious three bedroomed cottage sleeping 1-8 people, Lind End Cottage and Hobkin Cottage both sleeping 1-2 people + cot.
Swallows Nest is wheelchair accessible and has a groundfloor bedroom with en-suite wetroom, fully equipped kitchen, dining area, comfortable lounge with leather sofas, television, real log fire and underfloor heating. Two further family bedrooms to first floor with bathroom. Outdoor seating.
Lind End Cottage is a modern one bedroomed barn conversion, lounge, kitchen,dining room, with bespoke double bedroom, shower, toilet and wash hand basin. Heated by air-source heat pump. Seating to the front of cottage.
Hobkin Cottage is part of a 17C farmhouse and is groundfloor accommodation, lounge with real log fire, fully equipped kitchen, shower room and double bedroom. Electric heating throughout. Garden and summerhouse.
The cottages are an excellent base from which to walk, cycle or explore the lakes and coast.
Wi-Fi available in the cottages. All have off road parking with rural views. Sorry no pets.
Nearby the well know Blacksmiths Arms provides good food and real ale.
Children welcome from any age.
Hobkin Ground Farm,
Broughton Mills,
01229 716338
Hobkin Ground Farm,
Broughton Mills,
Leave Broughton-In-Furness on A593 Coniston road, 1 mile turning to left for Broughton Mills. Follow road and after passing Blacksmiths Arms take 2nd right for Torver. Lind End Farm Cottage 1 mile up this road.
- Children welcome
- Radio
- Television
- Ironing facilities
- Private parking
- Dogs/pets NOT accepted
- Disabled facilities
- Central heating
- Laundry facilities
- Freezer
- Microwave cooker
- Dishwasher
- Linen provided
- Working farm
- DVD player
- CD player
- Hairdryer
- High chairs available
- Cots available
- Real log/coal fires
- Drying facilities
- Washing machine
Children welcome from any age.
Self-Assessed Accessibility Details
- Parking for Single unit properties:
- Parking space provided
- Within 50 metres approx. of entrance
- Parking for Multiple unit properties:
- Within 50 metres approx. of entrance
- Designated parking space provided for guests with disabilities
- Drop-off point for guests outside entrance
- Surface of the car park and pathway leading to entrance:
- Solid ie tarmac / concrete etc
- Route from the parking area to the entrance:
- Flat (i.e. without steps)
Bed/ Bathrooms
- Bedroom furniture can be re-arranged if requested by guest
- Bedrooms available with non-allergic bedding (ie non-feather pillows)
- Bedrooms available with no fitted carpets
- Bathrooms available with:
- Bath with shower
- Bath
- Wet room
- Separate shower unit with support handrails available
- Separate shower unit with fixed shower seat or shower chair available
- W.C. fitted with handrails available
- Taps in bathroom with lever handles available
- Bathrooms available that have been specially adapted for wheelchair user
- Level access (no steps/thresholds) or access by ramp or lift to:
- One or more bedrooms
- Kitchen
- Dining room
- Good contrast between the floor and walls
- Service dogs not accepted:
no pets due to farm animals.


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Bikok Classifieds Free Ads Cameroon. Free classifieds online advertising in Bikok Browse or post new local Bikok classified ads for .Businessrays.com is a free classifieds website to buy or sell used and new cars, motorbikes, used stuff, Automobiles,Auto Spare Parts,Bicycle, Boats,Campervans & Caravans,Farm Machinery,Mopeds, Motorbikes & Scooters, Tractors,Used Cars,Vans, Trucks & Bus, Apparels, Art Antiques and Collectibles,Audio & MP3,Baby & Kids Stuff,Business & Industrial items,Cameras & Accessories,CDs, DVDs & Books,Clothes, Footwear & Accessories,Computers & Gaming,Electronics,Farm Animals,Health & Beauty Products,Home & Garden Items,House Clearance,Jewellery and Ornaments, Laptops,Medical,Miscellaneous Goods,Mobile Phone Deals,Mobile Phone Insurance,Mobile Phones,Mobile Phones Accessories,Music & Instruments,Office Furniture & Equipment,Solar Panels,Solar System,Sports & Travel,Tablets For Sale,Tickets,TV & DVDs, Pets, real estates, for sale and rent properties, houses, flats, apartments, condos, vacation rentals, hotels, lands for sale and Watches classified ads in . To advertise in job classifieds ads Companies and recruiters can advertise their job opennings free of cost. and local businesses can post classified ads to buy and sell businesses and also can advertise their classifieds for business services globally and locally in . Businessrays.com is a global top free classified ads site & it is not associated with any other Bikok Classifieds Free Ads in Cameroon classifieds websites e.g. Craigslist, OLX, Kijiji, Quikr, Locanto, Gumtree, Dubizzle, etc.


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Indybay FeatureRelated Categories: California | East Bay | Police State and Prisons | Racial Justice
Locke High School Students in Watts Rally for Justice for Oscar Grant: photos
Shortly after the first hearing in downtown Los Angeles in the trial of BART police officer Johannes Mehserle for the murder of Oscar Grant, students at Locke High School in Watts held an on-campus rally for justice for Oscar Grant and other victims of police violence.
The campus is walled off on all sides with a ten-foot-high iron fence lined with impassable steel mesh, and the entire demonstration took place within that space. To gain access to the school to witness the rally, non-student supporters had to sign in with an armed security guard and be escorted by the Vice Principal who was in support of the students becoming active in the struggle for civil rights and against police violence.
Locke High School, once a single Los Angeles public school, is now a collection of charter schools, the buildings and facilities within the fenced area having been divided into several separate high schools, each focusing on different specialties for students who must apply for admission.
Having arrived at about 11:30am just as students were leaving the class room where they had been preparing banners and signs, students pictured above are heading for the senior quad where the rally would be held.
A number of students who came around to see what was happening were capppin' and clownin' on those standing on the platform, not sure what to make of the novelty of this demonstration. Those speaking and holding signs were not deterred. A number of conversations began with those who wandered up about who Oscar Grant was and what the case was all about. Some said they knew people who had been abused or killed by police. In a county where over 310 people have been killed by police since 1999, at least 27 in just 2008 for example, this was not surprising. It didn't take long for bystanders to begin to get what the demonstration was about.
LA Coalition for Justice Rises Up at First LA Mehserle Hearing, 1/8/09: photos and video
LA Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant Press Conference, 1/8/09: photos and full audio
Oscar Grant Family Press Conference After Mehserle Hearing in Los Angeles, 1/8/09: photos
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Our Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
Medical Definition of Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive
Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive: An early-onset disorder that is characterized by the presence of innumerable cysts in the kidneys and enlarged kidneys that can usually be detected via ultrasound before birth or in the neonatal period. Some cases are diagnosed later in childhood. The gene for the disease is on chromosome 6. Also known as infantile polycystic kidney disease.
Last Editorial Review: 9/14/2016
Back to MedTerms online medical dictionary A-Z List
Need help identifying pills and medications?


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Website Flash Intro
Budget $20-100 USD
We are looking for someone to design a flash site intro for our Dallas Cowboys related website. Something that users will see when the come to our site, with a "skip intro" feature. We would like it to be between 30 and 40 seconds long...Something like this:
A flashback of great highlights from our history...and while this is going on you are hearing historic soundbites from our past...I would want Tom Landry speaking,Jerry talking at his news conference when he bought the team, Barry Switzer's "We did it our way baby!"...also ending with Jimmy Johnson's "How bout them Cowboys"
maybe some play by play clips of announcers calling big plays in cowboy games
At the very end...you see the Stadium and you are rotating around it....and then above it...and then zooming into the hole in the roof.....this to me gives the theme that we are DallasCowboysCentral....
41 freelance ont fait une offre moyenne de 91 $ pour ce travail
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Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment are joining forces to develop a remake of John Carpenter's 1982 horror flick "The Thing."
The outer-space creature finally makes its return after more than two decades. Yes, Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment are set to work hand in hand to develop "The Thing", a horror film remake of John Carpenter's picture of the same title.
Intended to be more "a companion piece" to the Carpenter film than a note-for-note remake, the project has already had "Battlestar Galactica" writer Ronald D. Moore onboard to pen the script. Meanwhile Marc Abraham and Eric Newman will both serve as producers with original film producer David Foster executive producing.
The original version, released in 1982, actually was a continuation to the Howard Hawks-directed "The Thing from Another World." It depicted the terror spread by the shape-shifting creature toward a team who is sent to an Army radar station in Antarctica.


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This 3 star hotel is located in the city centre of Los Angeles and was established in 1989. It is close to the Disney Hall, Music Center and the nearest station is Civic Center. The Hotel has a coffee shop. All 174 rooms are equipped with hairdryer, safe, ironing set and air conditioning.
101 Freeway South, Exit at Los Angels Street, Trurn right at Los Angeles then left onto 1st street. 110 Freeway North, Exit at 4th Street, Make a left turn on Olive, a righ turn on 1st street. 110 Freeway South, Take the 110 South, stay in the left most lane and exit Hill Street, Make a left turan at 1st street.
Pets are allowed


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The Board of Nursing is on the side of the public, and has the right to investigate any nurse who may have violated the practice act
By Taralynn R. Mackay, JD, RN
As new grads, most of you have probably only thought about your state's Board of Nursing when you obtained your nursing license. However, the board is involved with more than just licensing. While most nurses worry and plan around avoiding lawsuits, they give little thought to which actions or omissions might attract the board's attention.
Even though lawsuits affect a nurse's wallet, the bigger concern is the impact the board can have on a nurse's ability to practice nursing. When most nurses think about relinquishing their nursing license, they assume it will be due to a voluntary action like retiring or winning lottery millions. But, few nurses expect to have to give up their ability to earn money as a nurse because the board suspends or revokes their license or forces the nurse to surrender the license. Even if the board chooses not to revoke a license, it can still impose restrictions on the nurse's license that can adversely affect a nurse's employment.
At this point, many nurses may be tempted to stop reading. After all, "good" nurses do not end up in front of the board and will never need the information contained in this article. Right? Well, a large number of nurses facing the board are "good" nurses who may have made an error, or maybe were not aware of the laws governing their practice, or perhaps failed to document adequately. Perhaps the nurse is innocent, but still had a complaint filed with the board.
The one consistent fact about nurses who come under investigation by the board is that they never expected their nursing practice to be under scrutiny. "Good" nurses can be investigated by the board, and "good" nurses can be disciplined by the board and have their nursing practice restricted.
What It Is & What It Does
What exactly is the Board of Nursing, and how can it restrict a nurse's license? Each state's legislature enacts laws, the Nurse Practice Act, governing nursing practice. The executive branch of government enforces the practice act through the state's regulatory agency, the Board of Nursing. The board may be independent or part of a larger regulatory entity such as a professional registration board or licensing board. The board is comprised of nurses, public members and/or physicians. The board members do not work for the board full time, and they are not usually involved in its daily activities. To perform day-to-day work, the board employs paid staff members.
The board is vested with immense power to regulate nursing. The board is charged by the state's legislature with the regulation of nursing practice. Regulation includes licensing, monitoring continued competency (continuing education, practice hours requirements), investigating complaints and the imposition of discipline for violations of the Nurse Practice Act.
It's important to note that the Board was not established to be the guardian and protector of nurses in their particular state. This is a surprise to many nurses, who often misinterpret the board as their advocate. The job of advocating for nurses is performed by professional organizations, such as the state or national nursing association. Boards are entrusted to protect the public, not nurses.
Think of the board as the "nurse police" or nursing regulators and a better understanding of their role emerges. The board is on the side of the public, and has the right to investigate the behavior of any nurse who may have violated the practice act.
Protect Yourself
To protect themselves, nurses must be diligent. They must know the laws, rules and regulations that govern nursing practice, and they must practice good risk management. There are several practice areas that cause the most problems for nurses.
Protect Your Career
Nurses must protect their career by knowing who to enlist to help them. Just as nurses should not try to represent themselves in a malpractice lawsuit, nurses should not try to represent themselves before the Board of Nursing. The board works for the state protecting the public and is not required to be concerned about a nurse's career or protecting his or her rights and interests. The board has attorneys who will aggressively protect the board/public's interests. Nurses need protection during any adverse interaction with the board, which is why they should hire an experienced attorney.
Based on personal experience as an attorney for a regulatory board and as a defense attorney for nurses, I have found that nurses who are represented by an attorney have a greater chance of obtaining a better outcome from a board matter than unrepresented defendants. Nurses not only have to hire a lawyer, they need the right lawyer. Nurses should thoroughly question any attorney they are considering to ensure that the attorney has the proper experience and knowledge to practice before the board.
The area of law involving regulatory agencies like the Board of Nursing is called administrative law. Nurses should look for an attorney who is board certified in administrative law and who frequently represents nurses before the board. Nurses should not assume that every attorney has the knowledge or experience to adequately represent them.
Malpractice Insurance
Nurses also should protect themselves by purchasing their own malpractice insurance with administrative/regulatory board coverage. Nursing associations recommend that all nurses carry insurance even if they think they are covered under an employer's insurance.
There are many reasons why nurses do not purchase this inexpensive protection. Some nurses believe an employer's insurance will take care of any problems. However, the employer's insurance may not completely cover the damages, and it usually does not cover actions before the board. Furthermore, in a situation where the employer reports the nurse to the board, the employer is not going to spend money defending the nurse.
It is also a common misconception that having insurance draws malpractice lawsuits. There are multiple reasons why a malpractice suit is filed against a nurse, and whether you have malpractice insurance does not alter those reasons. Nursing malpractice insurance provides protection when it is most needed. When a nurse receives notice that he or she is being investigated before the board, it is a great relief to know that malpractice insurance will cover the cost of an attorney.
The Boards of Nursing are getting busier every year and their regulatory powers are likewise increasing. It is crucial that nurses understand the seriousness of a board investigation. Just as the state will close a restaurant because of a public health risk, the state, through the Board of Nursing, will stop a nurse from practicing if he or she is a risk to the health of the public. Nurses need to be cautious and prudent in order to protect themselves from possible adverse actions.
Taralynn R. Mackay is a partner in the Austin, TX, law firm of McDonald, Mackay & Weitz, LLP, where her practice focus is administrative/regulatory law, healthcare law and professional licensing issues.
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To identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying variation in bone size, we conducted a whole-genome linkage scan in 53 pedigrees with 630 subjects using 380 microsatellite markers. Lumbar area 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the spine, femoral neck, trochanter, intertrochanter areas at the hip, ultradistal, mid-distal, and one-third distal areas at the wrist were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and adjusted for age, height, weight, and sex. Two-point and multipoint linkage analyses were performed for skeletal bone size at each site and their composite measurements using the SOLAR package. Two chromosomal regions (1q22 and 10q21) were identified with significant evidence of linkage (LOD > 4.32) to one-third distal area, and three were identified with suggestive evidence of linkage (LOD > 2.93) to bone size in one skeletal site. Our results indicated that the low power of QTLs mapping for composite phenotypic measurements may result from genetic heterogeneity of complex traits.
- osteoporosis
- linkage
- quantitative trait loci
osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture (10). According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO) for osteoporosis, established osteoporosis affects 30% of postmenopausal white women in the United States, and the proportion rises to 70% in women over the age of 80 yr (39). The most common clinical outcomes of osteoporosis are fracture of the spine, hip, and wrist. Of these, hip fractures are the most severe, leading to a 12–20% reduction of expected survival (49). The direct cost for hip fracture was around $13.8 billion in the United States in 1995 (46) and £942 million in the United Kingdom in 1998 (51). With rapid economic development and aging of the population, the worldwide health and economic burden of osteoporosis will rise further in the future.
Bone strength is the ultimate determinant of resistance to fracture. In clinical practice it is measured mainly as bone density [estimated as "areal" bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)], bone size, and bone quality. As BMD contributes substantially to bone strength and can be practically measured with marked sensitivity and precision, the evaluation of BMD is the most commonly used method for predicting fracture risk in humans. Therefore, BMD is often used as a surrogate phenotype in the search for osteoporosis genes (13, 15, 18, 28, 33, 40, 44, 50). However, since BMD does not take into account the geometrical and material characteristics of bone that also contribute to bone strength, low BMD is not the only important risk factor for osteoporotic fractures (17, 27, 38, 55). Bone size per se is also an important determinant of osteoporotic fractures. First, larger bone size and higher BMD values are both independently associated with stronger bone (38). Patients with spine fractures on average have reduced bone size (24, 37, 53). The deficit in bone size may partly account for the increased bone fragility, more so when accompanied by a deficit in bone mineral content and BMD compared with age-matched controls (17). Second, spinal BMD in females is comparable with that in males; however, females suffer a higher incidence of spine fractures than males (39). This is partially attributable to the fact that female spine bone sizes are 20–25% smaller than male spines after adjusting for body size differences (21). Third, it is known that while a decrease in bone mass may result in a loss of bone strength, the loss may be offset, at least in part, by an increase in bone size, tending to preserve bone strength (11, 48). Identification and characterization of specific loci or genes involved in determining bone-related phenotypes such as bone size not only contribute to a greater understanding of the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, but also lead to the development of better diagnostic, prevention, and treatment strategies for the disease.
Compared with BMD, genetic studies of bone size have been rather rare so far, even though the genetic determination of bone size (heritability) has been characterized as high (14, 20, 42). The heritability of bone size at the spine, hip, and wrist is over 50% (14). In support of this, alleles of the vitamin D receptor gene were shown to be associated with variation in bone size (43), and a whole genome linkage scan in 309 randomly ascertained Caucasian sister pairs have identified a few chromosomal regions (5q, 4q, 17q, 3q, 7q, 9q, and 19p) with significant or suggestive evidence of linkage to femoral structure variation (33).
To identify chromosomal regions contributing to bone size variation, we conducted a whole genome scan in 53 pedigrees each ascertained through a proband having a BMD Z-score less than or equal to −1.28 at the hip or spine. Herein we report results of a genome-wide linkage scan with the spine bone size, hip bone size, wrist bone size, and 10 refined components (lumbar 1 area, lumbar 2 area, lumbar 3 area, lumbar 4 area, femoral neck area, trochanter area, intertrochanter area, ultradistal radius area, mid-distal area, and one-third distal area). These linkage results are an important first step in localizing and identifying the genes influencing bone size.
The study subjects came from an expanding database being created to search for genes underlying osteoporosis risk that is underway in the Osteoporosis Research Center of Creighton University. All study subjects were whites of European origin. Fifty-three pedigrees with 630 subjects (248 males and 382 females) from two to four generations were analyzed. The pedigrees range from 3 to 99 individuals, with a mean (SE) of 11.7 (2.4). In total, there were 1,249 sibling pairs, 1,098 grandparent-grandchild pairs, and 2,589 first cousin pairs. Each pedigree was identified through a proband having a BMD Z-score less than or equal to −1.28 at the hip or spine. Only healthy people were included in the analysis. The exclusion criteria (any disease, treatment, or condition that would be a nongenetic cause of low bone mass) are detailed in Deng et al. (14). About 5.1% of the total people screened were excluded from our study sample and were not counted in the 53 pedigrees and total of relative pairs. The study was approved by the Creighton University Institutional Review Board. All of the study subjects signed consent documents before entering the project.
Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood using Puregene DNA isolation kits (Gentra Systems, Minneapolis, MN). The 400 dinucleotide markers we used are commercially available through Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems (ABI Prism Linkage Mapping Sets Version 2). We successfully genotyped 380 markers (including 362 on autosomes). These markers have an average population heterozygosity of ∼0.79 and are spaced, on average, ∼8.6 cM. PCR cycling conditions followed those suggested in the ABI Prism Linkage Mapping Sets Version 2. PCRs for each marker were performed separately, and products were combined before gel electrophoresis. Genotyping was performed using Applied Biosystems automated DNA sequencing systems (models 377 and 310; Perkin Elmer-ABI, Foster City, CA) running the GeneScan and Genotyper software programs for allele identification and sizing. GenoDB, a genetic database management system developed by us (35), was employed to manage the phenotype and genotype data for linkage analyses. GenoDB is also employed for allele binning (including setting up allele bining criteria and converting allele sizes to distinct allele numbers), data quality control, and data formatting for PedCheck (45) and linkage analyses by SOLAR ("sequential oligogenic linkage analysis routines") (3). Marker data for each pedigree were checked for Mendelian inheritance. Mendelian inconsistencies were detected and eliminated by using the PedCheck program (http://watson.hgen.pitt.edu/register/soft_doc.html). The genotyping error and missing rate, determined by the procedures described earlier (25), was about 0.3%. All reported family relationships have been confirmed with the genotyping results. The chromosomal orders and the intervals of markers were obtained from the ABI Prism Linkage Mapping Sets Version 2, which was based on the 1996 Genethon map (16).
Lumbar areas 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the spine; femoral neck, trochanter, and intertrochanter areas at the hip; and ultradistal, mid-distal, and one-third distal areas at the wrist were measured chiefly by a Hologic 1000, 2000+, or 4500 scanner (Hologic, Waltham, MA). Some data obtained from different machines (105 from Lunar, and 32 from Norland) are transformed to a compatible measurement using the transformation formula described in Ref. 22, which was based on linear regression rules and was demonstrated to be reliable and efficient to calibrate bone measurements by different DXAs in our previous study (47). Members of the same pedigree were usually measured on the same type of machine. The spine bone size was expressed as the combined projected bone area of lumbar 1–4. The hip bone size was expressed as the combined projected bone area of the femoral neck, trochanter, and intertrochanteric area. The wrist bone size was expressed as the sum of the projected bone area of the ultradistal radius, mid-distal, and one-third distal radius. All DXA machines report bone size as area measurements in units of square centimeters. Usually, for the hip and wrist, the nondominant body side was measured. The coefficients of variation (CV) of the bone size measurement on the Hologic 4500 were 2.49, 2.26, 2.68, 2.32, 3.25, 4.37, 6.42, 2.36, 1.29, and 1.88%, respectively, at the lumbar areas 1, 2, 3, and 4, the femoral neck, trochanter, intertrochanter, ultradistal radius, and mid-distal and one-third distal areas, respectively. Height and weight were measured on the visit at which the bone size measurements were taken.
Statistical analyses.
The variance component linkage analysis for quantitative traits was utilized (3–5). The program employed was SOLAR (http://www.sfbr.org/solar/). Although the analysis assumed joint multivariate normality of phenotypic values, the variance-component analyses implemented in SOLAR are generally robust to reasonable distributional violations (1, 26). Bone size, or their composite phenotypic measurements (spine, hip, and wrist bone size) at 10 sites, had skewness coefficients of −0.23 to +0.73 and kurtosis coefficients of −0.52 to +0.76. Age, sex, weight, and height were used as covariates to adjust for bone size values in linkage analysis. Two-point and multipoint linkage analyses were performed for bone size at each skeletal site. According to the criteria of Lander and Kruglyak (34), the categories of significant and suggestive linkage correspond to LOD scores of at least 3.3 and 1.9, respectively. Empirical P values for single trait were estimated by simulation, using the procedure lodadj implemented in SOLAR (8). This approach samples the null distribution (the distribution of LOD scores obtained under the no linkage hypothesis) so that a sorted array of LOD scores is obtained and the proportion of LOD scores greater than the observed LOD score is the empirical P value. A total of 10,000 replicate samples were generated. Because 10 bone sizes that are highly correlated were analyzed, correcting for multiple analysis was performed as described by Camp and Farnham (9). First, we estimated the number of effectively independent analyses. Second, we established the genome-wide thresholds of "significant" and "suggestive" evidence for linkage for 10 traits, which were LOD scores of 4.32 and 2.93, respectively. The thresholds were conservative compared with those that were determined by performing simulations (9).
The pairwise phenotypic correlations among bone size at 10 skeletal sites, their composite measurements, and their heritabilities are summarized in Table 1. The correlation coefficient between femoral neck area at the hip and one-third distal area at the wrist is 0.349, and others are over 0.5. The square of the phenotypic correlation that approximates the proportion of variation of one trait that can be attributable to the other is in the range of 12–78%. Heritabilities of bone size at 10 skeletal sites and their composite measurements range from 29% (lumbar 4 area) to 76% (one-third distal area), indicating that a substantial portion of the variation in bone size is attributable to additive genetic factors. Results for the chromosomes giving maximum LOD > 2.93 in multipoint linkage analyses at any one of the 10 skeletal sites or their composite phenotypic measurements are shown in Table 2. Results for chromosomes giving significant evidence of linkage (LOD > 4.32) in multipoint linkage analyses at any one of the 10 skeletal sites are presented in Fig. 1.
Spine bone size.
For lumbar 1 area, suggestive evidence of linkage was observed on 2p25 (multipoint LOD = 2.98 at 22 cM, empirical P = 0.0002). In addition, a multipoint LOD score of 1.9 was achieved at 134 cM on 1p13–21. For lumbar 2 area, 4q22–23 achieved a multipoint LOD score of 1.92 at 104 cM. For lumbar 3 area, suggestive evidence of linkage was found on 11p15 (multipoint LOD = 3.68 at 2 cM, empirical P < 0.0001). Additionally, a multipoint LOD score of 2.11 was achieved at 13 cM on 7p21. For lumbar 4 area, 20p13 achieved a multipoint LOD score of 2.12 at 0 cM. For the spine bone size L1–4, only 2p21 achieved a multipoint LOD score of 1.54 at 31 cM.
Hip bone size.
For femoral neck area, a multipoint LOD score of 2.53 was achieved at 35 cM on 7p14–15 and a multipoint LOD score of 1.89 at 38 cM on 2p24. For trochanter area, a multipoint LOD score of 2.85 was observed at 0 cM on 5p15 (empirical P = 0.0001). For intertrochanter area, a multipoint LOD score of 2.75 was found at 15 cM on 14p11 (empirical P = 0.00013). Additionally, 19p11–13 attained a multipoint LOD score of 2.34 at 38 cM. For hip bone size, 19p12 achieved a multipoint LOD score of 2.83 at 38 cM (empirical P = 0.0004).
Wrist bone size.
For ultradistal radius area, suggestive evidence of linkage was detected on 17q23 (multipoint LOD = 3.01 at 77 cM, empirical P = 0.0005). In addition, a multipoint LOD score of 2.28 was achieved at 263 cM on 2q37 and a multipoint LOD score of 2.23 at 63 cM on 9q21. For one-third distal area, significant evidence for linkage was observed for two loci, 1q22 and 10q21. On chromosome 1q, a multipoint LOD score of 4.78 (empirical P = 0.0006) was achieved at 176 cM. Five markers spanning 38.7 cM between D1S196 and D1S2726 yielded two-point LOD scores greater than 2.3. On chromosome 10q, a multipoint LOD score of 4.9 (empirical P = 0.0005) was achieved at 83 cM. Other noteworthy chromosomal regions include 11q13–14 (multipoint LOD = 2.57 at 92 cM), 14p11 (multipoint LOD = 2.42 at 34 cM), 20q11–13 (multipoint LOD = 2.24 at 39 cM), and 18q21 (multipoint LOD = 2.2 at 97 cM). For wrist bone size, 19q11 attained a multipoint LOD score of 1.55 at 42 cM.
Genome-wide searches for loci influencing complex human traits and diseases such as bone size and osteoporosis are often plagued by low power and interpretive difficulties (2). One approach to remedy these difficulties is to subdivide phenotypes into intermediate phenotypes. In the present study, we conducted a genome scan for QTLs underlying bone size variation in 53 pedigrees ascertained through a proband having BMD Z-scores less than or equal to −1.28 at the hip or spine. We analyzed the refined components (lumbar areas 1, 2, 3, and 4, femoral neck, trochanter, and intertrochanter areas; ultradistal, mid-distal, and one-third distal areas) and composite phenotypic measurements (spine bone size, hip bone size, and wrist bone size) separately. For the refined components, we identified two chromosomal regions (1q22 and 10q21) with significant evidence of linkage and three chromosomal regions with suggestive evidence of linkage. It seems that QTL mapping for composite phenotypic measurements has low power compared with the refined components (Table 2). Substantial increases in power to map loci (dissection of a novel locus and increase in LOD score) can be obtained by phenotype refinement.
An important finding of our study was genetic heterogeneity of bone size among spine, hip, and wrist sites, as well as within spine, hip, and wrist sites, which may reflect differences in their developmental and genetic control. One classic example is "short fingeredness," a heritable trait caused by a dominant mutation in a single gene. A defect in this one gene reduces the second bone of the second finger, which means that the normal gene controls the size and shape of just this one bone (see figure 1.1 in Ref. 21). Recently, genes affecting osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation have been identified (54). Different QTLs identified here may influence bone size at the refined skeletal sites by upregulating or downregulating the expression of these genes. Previous studies have indicated that high phenotypic correlations do not mean high genetic correlations. Deng et al. (12) have shown that although there exists significant phenotypic correlation between BMD and osteoporotic fractures, the genetic correlation between them is low and not significant. Significant phenotypic correlations are largely due to environmental correlations. Although there exists significant correlation between the skeletal sizes, whether there exist significant genetic correlations between them is unknown. Even at the phenotypic level, the square of the phenotypic correlation that approximates the proportion of variation of one trait that can be attributable to the other is in the range of 12–78% from the data in Table 1. Genetic heterogeneity of bone size at refined skeletal sites may at least partially explain the low power of QTL mapping of composite phenotypic measurements and difficulties in replication of genome scan linkage results observed in mapping complex disease.
In the search for genes underlying complex traits, the researcher is faced with the problem of how to set up the significant level. In our study, many markers and correlated phenotypes have been tested. To control the genome-wide false-positive rate, we employed the method of Camp and Farnham (9) to get the genome-wide P value for all the traits (experiment wide). Our results indicated that the rate of false positives for 10 phenotypes in a whole genome scan was ∼0.01–0.9 per genome scan at regions with LOD scores greater than 2.93 in multipoint analyses for bone size variation.
The strongest evidence for linkage in our sample was to chromosomes 1q22 (multipoint LOD = 4.78) and 10q21 (multipoint LOD = 4.9) with one-third distal area. The region of linkage on chromosome 1q extends over an ∼40-cM interval between D1S196 and D1S2726, where consistent evidence for linkage across multiple markers was obtained in the two-point analyses (data not shown, Fig. 1). The region homologous to human 1q21–23 was implicated in BMD variation in the mouse (6, 7). Chromosome 10q includes a variety of plausible candidate genes, bone morphogenetic protein receptor, type 1A (BMPR1A), fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2), nuclear factor κB, subunit 2 (NFKB2), and collagen type Vα3 (COLUMBAR13A1) (Table 2). Klein et al. (30, 31) reported two QTLs for whole body BMD in the mouse in regions homologous to human 10q21–24 (P < 0.0007) and 10q23–26 (P < 0.0093). Beamer et al. (7) also reported a QTL for L5 with a LOD score of 5.01 in mice in the regions homologous to human 10q25–26.
Chromosome 11p15, which showed suggestive evidence of linkage with lumbar 3 area, is of particular interest because it includes several well-known candidate genes, insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), parathyroid hormone (PTH), P57, and calcitonin (CALCA), which have previously been associated with BMD or osteoporotic fracture (18, 41, 52). The region 17q23, where we observed suggestive evidence for linkage to the ultradistal radius area (multipoint LOD = 3.01), contains several interesting candidate genes. These include type 1 collagen (COL1A1), chondroadherin, and HOXB (Table 2). The gene COL1A1 is the only gene for which there is convincing evidence to suggest it plays a role in the determination of bone density and fracture risk (19, 36). Chondroadherin is involved in cartilage formation and maintenance (29). HOX genes have been implicated in the control of patterns of growth and body structure in numerous animal systems (21). Koller et al. (33) have also reported significant linkage of this region with femur head width (LOD = 3.6). Region 2p25 showed suggestive evidence of linkage with lumbar 1 area (multipoint LOD = 2.98) and some signals of linkage with femoral neck area (multipoint LOD = 1.89). Beamer et al. (7) detected a QTL for femur BMD (LOD = 2.89) in mice in the regions homologous to human 2p22–25. More importantly, Devoto et al. (15) reported a multipoint LOD score of 2.25 for 2p23–24 for spinal BMD, and Niu and colleagues (44) found linkage evidence of 2p23–24 with forearm BMD with a LOD score of 2.15 in a Chinese population. The candidate genes in this region include serine threonine kinase (STK) and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC).
Several other regions deserve mention. 4q22–23 showed some signals of linkage to lumbar 2 area (multipoint LOD = 1.92). Koller et al. (33) also reported evidence of linkage of chromosome 4q with femur neck axis length (LOD = 3.9) and with the midshaft femur width (LOD = 3.5). Additionally, 19p11–13 and 9q21 that showed some signals of linkage to the intertrochanter and ultradistal radius areas, respectively, correspond to regions identified by Koller et al. (33).
In summary, we have identified two chromosomal regions with significant evidence of linkage and three chromosomal regions with suggestive evidence of linkage to bone size or their composite phenotypic measurements (spine, hip, and wrist bone size) at 10 sites, and we have demonstrated the genetic heterogeneity of complex traits. Furthermore, we found some interesting overlaps between our QTL linkage results and results from Koller et al. (33). We have targeted these regions for further replication, fine mapping, and gene-identification studies. Bone size is an important risk factor for osteoporosis. Identification of QTLs underlying bone size variation represents our effort in searching for osteoporosis genes using various relevant phenotypes (including osteoporotic fractures per se). We believe that this sort of multipronged approach is useful in identifying genes underlying osteoporosis or any complex genetic disease.
Investigators of this work are partially supported by grants from Health Future Foundation, National Institutes of Health Grants (K01-AR-02170-01, R01-AR-45349-01, R01-GM-60402-01A1, P01-DC-01813-07), grants from State of Nebraska Cancer and Smoking Related Disease Research Program (LB592) and Tobacco Settlement Fund (LB692), US Department of Energy Grant DE-FG03-00ER63000/A00, Creighton University, grants (30025025, 30170504) from National Science Foundation of China, a Seed Fund (25000106) and a key grant from the Ministry of Education of P. R. China, a grant from Huo-Ying Dong Education Foundation, and a grant (25000612) from Hunan Normal University.
We acknowledge the generous cooperation of participating families. We thank Hai-Tao Zhang, Jian Chen, Qiang-Hua Xia, Jian Li, Xuan Zhang, Xu-Tao Deng, Dong-Bin Lai, and Yan Zhou for involvement in the genotyping effort. We thank technicians in the osteoporosis research center for assistance in DNA extraction.
Present address of Q.-Y. Huang: College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China.
Article published online before print. See web site for date of publication (http://physiolgenomics.physiology.org).
Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: H.-W. Deng, Osteoporosis Research Center, Creighton Univ., 601 N. 30th St., Suite 6787, Omaha, NE 68131 (E-mail: deng{at}creighton.edu).
- Copyright © 2004 the American Physiological Society