text:
Our countdown of 10 principles for the stewardship of the public record last month asserted that digital stewardship is entirely consistent with long-codified values of government transparency.
That said, digital stewardship may remain more promise than practice, and there is much potentially controversial heavy lifting still to do:
5. A Digital Clean Sweep: A cable TV reality show forces packrats to sort the contents of their cluttered rooms into piles labeled: Keep, Sell or Toss. The simple technique of TLC's Clean Sweep has something to teach the public sector. Government has an uneven record when it comes to retaining records as required by the respective retention schedules. There is an equally serious problem that mirrors the first. Aided by cheap and robust storage technology and a risk-adverse bureaucratic culture, there is a tendency to save everything -- including tera- or peda-bytes of data that have outlived their operational usefulness and don't need to be retained by law.
4. Government Intelligence About Itself: The public sector also has been uneven in the secondary use of public records containing personally identifiable information. In most jurisdictions, secondary use is exception-based in their respective public records statutes. At the same time, the public sector has been slow to adopt what is unfortunately labeled "business intelligence." The simple and compelling idea is to interrogate the aggregated information the government holds about its own activities in order to monitor its own performance and contribute to data-driven planning and decisions.
3. Gotcha-Style Accountability: Technology now makes "100 percent auditing" possible. We can do it, but that begs old questions about whether we should. Is the public interest served by going after everything? Or is it better served by marshalling whatever resources we have to scrutinize those areas with the greatest potential for abuse? The former assumes the ghost of Boss Tweed is still influencing what we do, assuming that today's professional public service is no trustworthier than the Tammany Hall of old. Getting this one wrong has a chilling effect on public servants who act in good faith, who take seriously the direction to take risks, but could be excused for feeling at risk themselves.
2. SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) -Style Accountability: Digital public records are key to performance, accountability and compliance. No fewer than 16 states have sustained accountability programs. Most recently in Washington state, a citizen initiative granted the authority to the state auditor to conduct performance audits -- something the office had previously been prohibited from doing. Add the growing adoption of an internal controls framework from the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), which requires federal agencies to provide an assurance statement on the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting.
1. Secrets vs. Sunshine: According to the Information Security Oversight Office, there has been a 75 percent increase in the designation of classified records in the federal government -- from 9 million in 2001 to 16 million in 2004. In addition to making things secret, larger amounts of records are being removed from federal government Web sites and shielded from public view as "sensitive but unclassified" or "for official use only." The trade-off in the name of public trust is for states and localities to be more transparent with the rest of the public record -- even, and maybe especially, those documents about routine activities that may be embarrassing.
Where openness and transparency in government is concerned, the old conventional wisdom (erring on the side of release of public records) is better than the new (post-9/11) conventional wisdom.
After 9/11, we were told that as an open society our strength was our weakness. Five years on, it's time to re-exert the modest proposition that our strength is still our strength.


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Learn How to Make a Hard-Boiled Egg with Yolks on the Outside [Video]
We found a new cooking trick for you to learn this weekend.
Someone from Japan figured out how to create a reverse hard-boiled egg.
The video explains the key is to move the yolk while it's still inside the shell...

subset: commoncrawl


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Lilly, S.
A closer look at the President's proposal for changes in student assistance
Center for American Progress
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Examines President Bush's campaign promise to dramatically increase the size of Pell Grants, and the reality of his actual proposal to make only minimal changes to the Pell Grant.
This article examines President Bush's campaign promise to dramatically increase the size of Pell Grants, and the reality of his actual proposal to make only minimal changes to the Pell Grant.
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Lazaro Arbos Predicts His Elimination Tonight On American Idol
April 11, 2013 12:21 PM by Lisa Princ
Last night on American Idol, with only six contestants left, it was all or nothing. While the ladies did amazing, unfortunately, Lazaro Arbos, the last man standing gave us nothing and did not impress at all. Ironically, before his performances last night, Lazaro Arbos predicted that he will be the eliminated contestant tonight!
American Idol's top six were on fire last night – almost. Lazaro Arbos, the last guy standing had what most feel was his absolute worst performances ever. His first performance, The Carpenters' They Long To Be Close To You, was so boring it put most of us to sleep. While Mariah Carey tried to let Lazaro down easily, Randy Jackson was more blunt when he stated: "Your story inspires us all. But all I can say is, 'No, no, no NO. That was horrible!"
His second performance of Angels by Robbie Williams was not any better. The judges tried to sugar coat it, with Nicki even dismissing the opportunity to talk, telling Ryan Seacrest: "Let's just pretend I already gave my comment, or we'll be here until tomorrow." Even the audience, who usually tends to boo the judges when they make those types of comments, remained rather quiet, almost as if they agreed completely.
Ironically enough, while most of us sit here and wonder if Arbos will be the contestant sent packing tonight (Okay, we are hoping that's the case), Lazaro may already know his fate. Lazaro Arbos told Wetpaint last night before the performances even took place: "This week is my last week here." Premonition perhaps?
Do you think Lazaro Arbos should be eliminated tonight? We know you have an opinion and we want to hear it! Comment below to share your thoughts with us.
Want more? Follow our tweets on Twitter and like us on Facebook! Click here for more information about American Idol. For other great reality TV news, please feel free to check out SirLinksALot: American Idol.
Photo Credit: FOX
Topics: American Idol, FOX Reality TV Shows |
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19 Responses to "Lazaro Arbos Predicts His Elimination Tonight On American Idol"
Unbelievable Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
He's such a cutie but he is so far over his head that I almost feel sorry for him! Good luck Lazaro but you're time needs to be up.
LexieGurl Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 12:51 pm
Send him packing, he should have been sent home weeks ago.
laua Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
He should have nevr made it as far as he did. If he doesnt get the boot he just dismiss himsef , because he has no where near the talent that the others have . Burell should have not been voted off before Lzaro. please go home Lucy calling you home!
Kim Grussing Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:03 pm
I think it's sad the way we as Americans treat others. Lazaro has
so many hurdles to overcome, and yet we as a community/state.country can't even encourage him? Maybe he will
go home, but ALL of the judges and the twitter peeps could've been a little more compassionate. Very Sad!
JT Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:06 pm
It doesn't seem to matter what he does he stays alive, in fact in the final it could be him and Candace, because he has the disability, America just might make him the winner. This is even if he sings terribly because this contest is not about singing talent, it's about taking someone with a disability and pulling them up.
Elaine Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:08 pm
YES he should be eliminated several weeks ago…he cannot sing….he's a sweet kid but cannot sing….
pukeko m. kuto Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
the girl Jenele will be eliminated tonight & Arbos will remain there until next time. reason: all cuban in Florida will vote for Arbos and all cuban from Havana will vote for him, watch.
pukeko m. kuto Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:19 pm
at the end i suspect Angie Miller will be crown as the American Idol for this season. She's got the looks and i hope she smile sweetly without showing her teeth so much.
pukeko m. kuto Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Malkin and Hannity will make a good couple.
pukeko m. kuto Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:26 pm
just wondering why in Gods name Wynonna Judd chosen and ended up dancing at the DWTS. she's horrible looking hopeless creature to be dancing among the stars. she might be good singing at Grand Old Opry, dancing.. nah.
laura Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:46 pm
I think Lazaro has made it as far as he even thought he would. God bless him for trying and I wish he the best of luck in the future.
Margo Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
unfortunately it is time for him to leave, there are songs that he sings very well, but he does not have the knowledge to be able to pick them..I believe he need someone to help him, if he wants to have a singing career…
Tina Coulson Tyra Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Laz has a huge following because he is sweet and likeable. Based on talent alone, he would have been gone long before some of the others, but he has charisma and charm and is trying so hard. He's everyone's little brother and they are rooting for him. That said, it wouldn't be fair for anyone else to be eliminated tonight. If he isn't sent home, the judges will use their save for any of the ladies who all deserve to be there.
Cris Nosack Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Lazaro needs to go home…I am tired of watching true talent leave and he keeps staying because people like his story. He is lacking in talent, and style. I hope he goes home and puts us out of our misery and puts Lazaro out of his misery.
Andrea Mitchell Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 3:23 pm
I really hope this is the last night we see Lazaro, besides dressing like the "ice-cream" scooper he is, (clothes are terrible) He is so up and down with his voice it's awful..Needs a lot more lessons, and I'm sure he can control his stuttering much more then he does, enough sympathy already give us all a break..SEND HIM HOME..
baldomero Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 4:18 pm
To me Lazaro represents courage and determination. He deserves the first three slots of the American Idol. We know that this is not a singing competition all along. Vocally, he should be gone by now, but he survives elimination because singers like him are so hard to get these days. Either with a tattoo or metals on their faces. Yikes !!
Landis Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
If Lazaro is eliminated this evening, American Idol season 12 will die a slow and painful death.
They set Lazaro up for failure and they want a girl to win this season. I'm 67 and I have been watching American Idol since season 1…but I feel there is something not quite right and I don't think Idol will be renewed for another season. I believe they purposely gave Lazaro songs that he was unfamiliar with and the judges are just playing along with producers. They have been playing with his emotions, cutting him down every chance they could and jimmy….he wouldn't know talent if it were staring him in the face.
I have thousands of friends here in Las Vegas and we know entertainment…this is not entertainment, it's a travesity.
Gil Says:
April 11th, 2013 at 6:11 pm
Anne S Says:
April 13th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Horrible is right. So glad he is gone. He should be glad, too. I didn't see him as a "nice guy" or "sweet" or any of that other stuff. He has never been receptive to the judges comments even though they were trying to help him. He was dismissive and cut off judges when they were talking. When Randy said they wouldn't use the save on him, he said "Sure, sounds good" and gave them the thumbs up. Every other eliminated contestant was cordial and took the high road. Why is he an exception. I would never listen to him sing again, much less buy an album of his. Don't want to see him on Glee, either. I don't ever want to see or hear from him again.


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portion of the image is in focus. It's a very unique and beautiful effect
that's fun to experiment with. The holidays are a great time to experiment with Bokeh with all the fun festive lights hung up. Here are some tips on how to create a Bokeh
- Make sure the room you are
shooting is dark and not too bright to get a better effect.
- Turn off your flash (the
lightning bolt looking icon )
- Select the Macro setting
(the flower looking icon on your camera, see macro tutorial for more info.)
- Stand a few feet away from
some lights. (Any kind of Holiday lights work well)
- Hold your finger out in
front of your camera and hold the shutter button down halfway so your
finger is in focus. (Remember not to press the shutter button all the way down)
- Now your camera is focused on the object in front of
you and the lights are blurred in the back. Take your finger away from the
shot and press the shutter button all the way down.
Hint: After your pull your finger out of the frame, mess around with the zoom on your camera to play around with the size of the Bokeh. The more you zoom in the larger the circles will be.
Hint: After your pull your finger out of the frame, mess around with the zoom on your camera to play around with the size of the Bokeh. The more you zoom in the larger the circles will be.
SLR Cameras:
- Set your camera to AV mode.
- Select the smallest possible aperture. (f) number should be
- Place and object in the foreground and focus on that object
so the background of lights is blurred out.
- Press the shutter and voila you should see hexagonal shapes
on the background.
If you really want to experiment, try using cutout shapes
and taping it to the lens of your camera. Test shapes, hearts, stars, anything
you want to see in blurred lights.
39 Comments
PeikhimDecember 1, 2009
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SofiaJuly 8, 2010
I just don't understand the thing about to get different bokeh shapes like hearts and stuff like that. Should I really tape something on the lens?
BriannaJuly 9, 2010
This is reallllllllyyyy helpful; Thank you.
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ilovephotography.July 28, 2010
i love this type of thing.
i myself love photography and im only the age of 13
but im getting a new SLR camera soon and im looking foward to trying this one out.
my friend also takes pictures and has a picture or rain drops on a window with the Bokeh effect of the lights in the background. It is awsome and i appriciate this.
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I think that is a great article. I like it. very nice tips and great information which I found here want to try them myself.
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Terrific examples of how to get great photos of our holiday lights. And you've made it easy for someone like me with almost no photography knowledge to learn and understand.
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very nice post.. never thought of doing it that way
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Lookin good!
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Ready My Cyanide Capsule!: Space Invader IRL
Space Invaders: apparently they're not just really crappy 8-bit spaceships like I was hoping. They...are much, MUCH more terrifying. Not gonna lie, if it came down to having to fight these things to save earth I'd probably just say
"f*** it" "I'm way too drunk for this shit" and swallow my cyanide capsule. And speaking of space invaders -- there was this creeper on the bus the other day that kept inching closer and closer to me until we were actually touching butts. I MADE HIM MY BOYFRIEND.
3D Space Invaders Extreme Almost Looks TOO Real [obviouswinner]
Thanks to Killa Hertz, who has ZERO regard for personal space and WILL touch your hair without asking.


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By Sandy SherrillIMS Worldwide Market Manager On October 3, IBM announced more than 30 new and enhanced System z software products, including the IMS 13 Quality Partnership Program. 30 products in one announcement! What that number reflects to me is the nature of System z, and its foundation for ... [ + Read more ]


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The Kapuskasing Airport is located on Highway 11, 3 kilometres of downtown. It consists of a 5,500 ft runway, a modern terminal, fuelling amenities, maintenance facilities, customs services and car rental agencies.
Bearskin Airlines is Kapuskasing's main air transportation provider. It offers the community several connections to Air Canada. Including a mandatory stop in Timmins, the flight from Kapuskasing to Toronto takes approximately 2.5 hours. Bearskin Airlines also provides daily flights to Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay.
For airport fees & available land, click on the documents below.
For more information, contact:Rock RobitailleAirport Manager88 Riverside DriveKapuskasing, OntarioP5N 1B3Tel: 705-335-2611Fax: 705-337-1741Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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When Aniello Langella and Kyrtyna Moshenka, ITA, won bronze in last year's European, they might have surprised a few experts. Here in Marseille, they're certainly expected to win more precious medal.
By WDSF Communications on
27 March 2011 23:37
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Centerport Lions Club. Jamming Sessions will be held every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. Music starts at 5:30 p.m. All musicians welcome.
Senior Citizens Club of Hamburg. The Hamburg Seniors meet at 2 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month in the Hamburg Area Middle School cafeteria. If school is canceled on the meeting day because of bad weather, the meeting is canceled.
Hamburg Public Library Story Time: The Hamburg Public Library has story time on Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m. for ages 18 months through 3 years old. At 11 a.m. there is story time for preschoolers and home schooled early elementary. The schedule is available on the library�s website at www.berks.lib.pa.us/hamburgpl.
Hamburg Public Library Board Meetings: Library board meetings are held the second Tuesdays except July. Public encouraged to attend.
Chestnut Knoll Assisted Living, 120 W. Fifth Street, Boyertown, hosts a monthly family support group for those who are coping with Alzheimer�s disease. It is affiliated with the Alzheimer�s Association and is held on the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.
Berks Encore Hamburg lunch menu. To reserve a meal two days in advance, please call 610-562-4721.
Crime Watch Meetings
The Neighborhood Crime Watch is a return to the �old-fashioned� days when neighbors took care of neighbors and communicated with police. Watches mobilize residents of all ages to be the eyes and ears of the nieghborhood to help report crime in action or suspicious behavior to the police force, who can quickly act on tips. Meetings are held the 4th Monday from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Hamburg Municipal Center. The crime watch is open to ALL BOROUGH RESIDENTS and will cover the entire borough. Please join us for a meeting or contact Angela at Our Town Foundation to get on our contact list: 610-562-3106 / email@example.com.
Bethany United Methodist Church Young Children�s Choir
Ages 2-6 practicing 1st 3 Wednesday each month at 6:30 p.m. Singing at 10:15 Worship Service. Sunday after 3rd practice each month. Call Mary Sabas at 570-593-8744 or leave a message at 610-562-2861 for more information. Located at 321 Island Street, Hamburg.
Jan. 15
A Trip of a Lifetime Luncheon
The Christian Women�s Club I of Reading. At Riveredge Restaurant, 2017 Bernville Rd., Greenfields, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There is a cost. Special feature Boscov�s Travel, travel ideas by Cynthia Dewalt. Speacil speaker Sue Gannon shares how she stopped playing the comparing game. For reservations call Kathy at 610-603-9461.
Jan. 16
Step Into the New Year Brunch
The Christian Women�s Club II of Reading. At The Highlands, 2000 Cambridge Ave., Lincoln Park, from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. There is a cost. Speacil feature Shoes and Handbags Fashion Sho by Super Shoes. Special speaker Sue Gannon shares how she stopped playing the comparing game. For reservations call Gloria at 610-777-0580.
An Elegant Evening Dinner Party
Kutztown Women�s Connection. At Jannelle Restaurant, 360 Fleetwood Rd., Bowers, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There is a cost. Special feature �Accessorizing� Juanita Comer gives tips on bedazzling your shoes and purses. Special speaker Sue Gannon shares how she stopped playing the comparing game. For reservations call Cheryl at 610-683-7247.
Jan. 17
Mid-Winter Concert
At Schuylkill Valley High School auditorium. Program begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. The program will feature the concert bands from Fleetwood, Oley Valley, Schuylkill Valley and Tulpehocken High Schools. Each group will present a few musical selections of their own and the evening will conclude with grand musical finale featuring a mass band of more than 230 musicians.
Line Dancing
A country line dancing event, sponsored by the Shartlesville Lions Club, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. At the Shartlesville Grange, N. 4th St., Shartlesville. There is a cost. Benefits Shartlesville Lions Club. For more information call 610-488-5171.
Jan. 18
Spaghetti Supper
All-you-can-eat dinner with dessert included. From 4 to 7 p.m. at Vaux Masonic Temple, Rt. 61 and Zion�s Church Rd., Shoemakersville. There is a cost. Children 5 and under are free. Take-out available.
Hamburg Grange
Pomona Appreciation Banquet at Leesport Auction at 6:45 p.m.
Happy Bruise Year!
2014 season opern for Renegade Roller Derby. KSRR vs 7 Hills. At Hamburg Fieldhouse, 123 North 4th Street. Doors open at 5 p.m., game starts at 6 p.m. There is a cost for tickets. Kids 6 and under are free. For tickets call 610-914-0101 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. BYOB.
Jan. 19
Shartlesville Fire Company
Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at its Bingo Hall located on Main St./Old Rt. 22 Shartlesville. It is a full Breakfast Menu and all proceeds benefit the Fire Equipment Fund.
Jan. 20
Pretzel City Bear Den
Local branch of Good Bears of the World (GBW) an international club devoted to put teddys in the arms of the lonely and the traumatized meeting at 1 p.m. at 2649 Bernville Rd., Reading. For more information call 610-372-8945. Come join our den.
Jan. 21
Blue Mountain Shartlesville Senior Citizens
Meeting at Grange Hall, North Fourth St., Shartlesville. December meeting meal and program rescheduled. Business meeting. All welcome.
Jan. 23
Hamburg Book Club
Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Hamburg Public Library to review the book, �TEAM OF RIVALS: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.� Author: Doris Goodwin.
Hamburg Grange
Meeting at 7 p.m. at Hamburg Municipal Center, 61 North 3rd Street, Hamburg. Chinese New Year program.
Keystone Mountain Way
At the Grand Old Opry of Centerport sponsored by Central Berks Lions Club. Food is served from 4:30-8 p.m. Jamming begins at 5:30 p.m. Guest group performs at 7 p.m. Individual musicians are always welcome. Questions? Call Marilyn at 610-926-2627. Cancellations due to inclement weather will be announced on WEEU.
Jan. 24
�Be Our Guest�
Join us for our next FREE Community meal from 5 to 7 p.m. Everyone�s Birthday Party! Pelnty of food, fellowship and fun! At Bethany UMC, 3rd and Island Street, Hamburg.
Spaghetti Dinner
The Ontelaunee Junior Grange is hosting their 4th Annual Spaghetti Dinner from 5-8 p.m. at the Ontelaunee Grange Hall on Grange Road, Leesport. There is a cost, 2 & under are free. The cost includes All-You-Can Eat Spaghetti, salad and dessert. For more information, please contact Angela at 610-926-6639.


text:
Online Retailer Reviews of Merchants Who Carry Chicago Bears Big and Tall, Plus Size Apparel
The Chicago Bears made a big splash in free agency by acquiring Brandon Marshall. He is that legit #1 receiver that the Chicago Bears have been lacking. Bear fans are already licking their chops just thinking about the Jay Cutler / Brandon Marshall connection as they reunite in Chicago. Make sure that you have your Chicago Bears big and tall (or plus size) apparel for when it's Game Day..
Listed below are reviews of Online merchants who actually carry big and tall Chicago Bears t-shirts, jackets, sweatshirt hoodies, sweatpants, shorts, and pajamas. Sizes I found available are 2X,3X, 4X, 5X, 6X, XLT, 2XT, 3XT, and 4XT. Finally you won't have to search endlessly in frustration for those larger sizes that most merchants don't even carry! We have also reviewed merchants who carry Chicago Cubs big and and tall jerseys.
Big and Tall Chicago Bears Apparel – T-Shirts, Sweatshirt Hoodies, Jackets, Sweatpants, Pajamas
Big and Tall Chicago Bears Apparel
(Be sure click your size in the menu on the left hand side of the page on their website)
Reviews Of Merchants Who Carry Big and Tall Chicago Bears Apparel
Fans Edge Sports Company – ***** 5 Star Rating – The Chicago Bears must be one of the hot selling teams because Fans Edge has an excellent selection of big and tall and plus size Chicago Bears apparel products.
First I noticed that the only Chicago Bears big and tall jersey they had was a 5XL Walter Payton jersey. I'm hoping this will change as the season draws near. They have a nice selection of big and tall t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, and sweatpants for both men and women. Here are links that will take you to each section.
Big and Tall Sizes Available For Men
Shop Big and Tall Chicago Bears Apparel at Fans Edge Sports
Plus Sizes Available For Women
Women's Plus Size Chicago Bears Apparel
They also have a $4.99 flat rate shipping fee regardless of shipping size! I would also suggest checking out their clearance section. You probably won't find big and tall apparel in the clearance section but it's full of really cool marked down merchandise products that would make excellent gifts for a loved one.
NFL Shops – **** 4 Stars – The official online store of the NFL. So, why doesn't the official Online store of the NFL not have a 5 star rating? Simply because they don't seem to cater to big and tall or plus size Bear fans. You can't search by size which can be a bit of a pain with a lot of merchants, but it's not THAT bad on their site. What you have to do is click on the Bears section and then navigate to whatever piece of apparel you are interested in (jerseys, t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, sweatpants, etc…). If you get to the section a menu will appear on the left side of the page that lists the sizes they have available and how many items they have in each size. Click on your size and you will see what they have. Other than having to click on to each section and then click on your size they have an excellent selection. Shop Chicago Bears Big and Tall, Plus Size Apparel At NFL Shops (NFL's Official Online Store).
Another perk to shopping at NFL shops is that they have customized Chicago Bear jerseys up to 4X (they also have a 5X Brian Urlacher jersey). You can add the name of any Chicago Bear from the current roster! Julius Peppers, Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte, Jay Cutler, or even a third string player who just happens to be your favorite! However customized jerseys are more pricey. They cost $149.99 rather than $99 for a regular jersey. You can also add your own name to the back of the Bears jersey. You can even add a nickname. Customize it however you want!
3X, 4X Bears Jerseys available for Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher.
**Note about NFL Shops – They only carry 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X, XLT, and 2XT as far as big and tall sizes go. if you need 3XT or 4XT use Fans Edge sports (whom I reviewed above)
Sports Fanatics – **** 4 Star Rating – Fanatics has a nice selection of big and tall Chicago Bears apparel. Their only drawback is that you can't search for Bears apparel by size. You have to click on a t-shirt, jersey, jacket, or sweatshirt section and then you have to click on a drop down menu to filter by size. If you don't do this it will be like finding a needle in a haystack because everyone who needs big and tall apparel knows all too well the selection is sparse in comparison to what everyone else gets to choose from. They do have some nice licensed apparel that is worth looking at. Shop big and tall, plus Size Chicago Bears Apparel at Sports Fanatics.
Amazon *** 3 Star Rating – Nearly everyone has heard of Amazon and they are trusted by millions. After reviewing their big and tall Bears apparel I noticed that some of their selections qualify for free super saver shipping which is always nice.
I only gave Amazon a 3 star rating because you can't search by size. Also you get erratic search results when you search for plus size Chicago Bears apparel. I was finding floor mats, pillows, and beach towels in the search results. They also don't have a drop down menu to shop in one particular size. However, if you don't mind those inconveniences then Amazon is a top not retailer that you can trust. Shop Big and Tall Chicago Bears Apparel with Amazon. Shop Women's Plus Size Bear T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, etc..
- Please let me know if you have you think I should add any other merchants who carry big and tall professional sports apparel. I would love to add them to the list.


text:
"We Was Them Kids …" @ HVW8 GalleryNovember 3rd, 2011
Some great names in this show: Geoff McFetridge, Parra, Kevin Lyons, Matt Irving, Brent Rollins, and a bunch of other people of good style and talent. HVW8 Gallery, if you … Read More
Tags: Geoff McFetridge, hvw8 gallery, kevin lyons, Matt Irving, Parra
Posted in Headlines | No Comments »
"Celestial Beings" by Alvaro Ilizarbe / Freegums @ HVW8 GalleryAugust 19th, 2010
HVW8 Gallery just sent us a message that they have an Alvaro Ilizarbe / Freegums show at the gallery opening this Saturday night. Celestial Beings is the title of the … Read More
Tags: Alvaro Ilizarbe, celestial beings, freegums, HVW8, hvw8 gallery
Posted in Headlines | No Comments »
Bill McMullen "Checks Cashed" at HVW8 Gallery tonightJuly 30th, 2010
HVW8 Gallery just sent us a notice that Bill McMullen's Checks Cashed show is opening tonight in Los Angeles, California. The show runs from July 31, 2010, 7:00 pm – … Read More


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A fabric activity ball with many sensory features for baby to explore. Colorful patterns and different textures make this an interesting toy for all the senses. It is 6" big and has a reflective mirror, a pullout bear, crinkle, ribbons, rings and peek-a-boo flaps.
The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.
Age: Infants. Review Published: 0000-00-00 00:00:00. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio - All Rights Reserved. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Blue Chip Award are Registered Trademarks of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio.
Instructions for submitting product to the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio for review.
Contact the Toyportfolio by phone at (212) 598-0502 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Copyright 1995-2015
Products reviewed by the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio are provided by the manufacturer at their cost. The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio does not require or accept fees for reviewing products.


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"For everything you can say about BPD, the reverse is also true." Janice Cauwels.
"Psychiatry's struggle to define borderline personality disorder is similar to that of the Supreme Court justice with the definition of pornography: 'I know it when I see it.'" John V. Wylie, M.D.
In the last 15 years, I've done countless interviews with the media. And the question I dread the most always comes first: "What is borderline personality disorder?"
Given that the the average attention span is 60 seconds and borderline disorder may be the most complex mental disorder in the DSM-IV-TR, this is always a challenge. In this post, I'll attempt to give you a short, sweet, but broad-based picture of BPD in a real-life environment. This information comes from a combination of:
1) The psychiatric and mental health community
2) People with BPD (BPs) discussing themselves
3) The observations of several thousand friends and family members (non-BPs) over a 15-year period.
This chart illustrates the way The American Psychiatric Association defines the disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. It lists nine traits, five of which a person needs to have to be eligible for the BPD diagnosis. I've renumbered them, however, and split them into mostly three categories: those that involve thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Now let's take a closer look at some thoughts, feelings, and actions that are typical of people with BPD in general (not all will apply to your particular situation). These are all, of course, also common in people who don't have BPD.
A person with BPD might:
* Alternate between seeing others as completely for them or against them.
* Have a hard time recalling someone's love for them when they're not around.
* Change their opinions depending upon whom they're with.
* Alternate between idealizing people and devaluing them.
* Remember situations very differently than other people, or find themselves unable to recall them at all.
* Believe that others are responsible for their actions-or take too much responsibility for the actions of others.
* Seem unwilling to admit to a mistake-or feel that everything that they do is a mistake.
* Base their beliefs on feelings rather than facts.
* Not realize the effects of their behavior on others.
A person with BPD might:
* Feel abandoned at the slightest provocation.
* Have extreme moodiness that cycles very quickly (in minutes or hours).
* Have difficulty managing their emotions.
* Feel emotions so intensely that it's difficult to put others' needs, even those of their own children, ahead of their own.
* Feel distrustful and suspicious a great deal of the time.
* Feel anxious or irritable a great deal of the time.
* Feel empty or like they have no self a great deal of the time.
* Feel ignored when they are not the focus of attention.
* Express anger inappropriately or have difficulty expressing anger at all.
* Feel that they never can get enough love, affection, or attention.
* Frequently feel spacey, unreal, or out of it.
A person with BPD might:
* Have trouble observing their own and others' personal limits.
* Rush into relationships based on idealized fantasies of what they would like the other person or the relationship to be.
* Change their expectations in such a way that the other person feels they can never do anything right.
* Have frightening, unpredictable rages that make no logical sense-or have trouble expressing anger at all.
* Physically abuse others, such as slapping, kicking, and scratching them.
* Needlessly create crises or live a chaotic lifestyle.
* Act inconsistently or unpredictably.
* Alternately want to be close to others, then distance themselves.
* Cut people out of their life over issues that seem trivial or overblown.
* Act competent and controlled in some situations but extremely out of control in others.
* Verbally abuse others, criticizing and blaming them to a point where it undermines the other person's confidence in themselves.
* Act in what seems like extreme or controlling ways to get their own needs met.
* Accuse others of doing things they did not do, having feelings they do not feel, or believing things they do not believe.
Researchers have been struggling to describe the different ways BPD manifests itself for decades. So far, though, there seems to be no official consensus . The quotes at the beginning of this post reflect this struggle.
It's like of the oft-told tale about the blind men seeking to describe an elephant by touching just one part. According to the story, The blind man who feels a leg says the elephant is like a pillar. The one who feels the tail says the elephant is like a rope; the one who feels the trunk says the elephant is like a tree branch; and the one who feels the ear says the elephant is like a hand fan.
The story is used to indicate that reality may be viewed differently depending upon one's perspective. In a way, they are all right. And in a way, they are all wrong.
You can see how this applies to borderline disorder in my comments to my blog post, "Yes, Virginia, People with Borderline Disoder DO have empathy.
One person says, "Those of us who have suffered at the hands of someone with BPD know first hand if there is a fraction of empathy in someone with BPD that it is at a level so small that it can't be measured."
Someone who disagrees counters, "In my experience, the person I know with BP has TOO MUCH empathy and reflects too much about how others are feeling and can not deal with the overpowering emotions it brings out in her."
Professionals, too, are touching elephants. A clinician in an emergency department caring for suicidal and self-harming BPs is convinced that all BPs are looking for help. A man divorcing his borderline wife turns to folks in similar circumstances in online communities and is just as convinced that all BPs lie in court.
In the 15 years I've spent writing about BPD, I have had a unique viewpoint as a passenger in a helicopter high enough to see not only the entire elephant, but the short-sighted people with their hand on just one part sharing their findings to others. The people fall mostly into two group: those in the mental health field who interact with BPs part time under specific conditions, and family members who live with the borderline loved ones 24/7.
My own real-life observations shows that there are three types, which I describe in my post recent book, "The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder: New Tips and Tools to Stop Working on Eggshells"
This view, of course, is merely my own and I am sure I will revise it over time as I learn more. There are lots of elephants, and each one is different. There's always more to learn.
Thanks to the blog Merry Making for the picture used in this blog post, which was drawn by a five year old.
Copyright © 2015, Randi Kreger. This post (or any part of it) may not be reproduced without prior written permission.
Randi Kreger is the owner of BPDCentral.com and the Welcome to Oz online family community. You can find her books "The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder," "The Stop Walking on Eggshells Workbook," "Stop Walking on Eggshells," and "Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing a Borderline or Narcissist," at her store at BPDCentral.com.


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Big small-town vision
Again this year, WJI deserves your gift support
I'm assembling these thoughts in the editorial office of the Vandalia Leader-Union, the newspaper of record for Fayette County, Ill. Vandalia, you should know, was an early capital of Illinois, up until 1839. The old capitol building where Abraham Lincoln served as a state legislator is just a block north of the present newspaper office. Vandalia is 70 miles south, and a little west, of the current capital, Springfield. It is also just 70 miles east of St. Louis.
This is not a grandiose place. Vandalia's population is just 7,000. So even at its main intersection with the very busy Interstate 70, the only name-brand hotels are the Travelodge and a Days Inn. Two railroads used to crisscross here, but there's only one now, and while Amtrak blows through Vandalia, it doesn't stop.
But to say that Vandalia is not grandiose is not the same as saying it isn't important. Like maybe 2,500 other towns its size in our country, it is the hub of daily activity not just for its residents, but for two or three times that many more people in the countryside around. It is where most of them are born, where they go to school, where they see the doctor, where they worship, where they buy their groceries, where they check books out of the library, where they have their cars and combines repaired, and where they are finally buried.
That's why a big media company like Landmark Communications in Norfolk, Va., will spend substantial money to buy a newspaper like the Leader-Union, even in a relatively small market like Vandalia. People in communities like this take their newspapers seriously; a journalistic voice like the Leader-Union can do much to bind the hearts and minds of a community together.
Which is also why WORLD subscriber (and booster) David Bell finds it fulfilling to serve as publisher of the Leader-Union. "The people you write and editorialize about," he told me last week, "are the people you go to church with; they teach your kids in school. In a big city, you can swagger more and make pronouncements from on high with less accountability. Here, you're close. You'd better know your facts, because an hour after the paper comes out, you're likely to meet someone on the street who might set you straight if you don't."
All of which-in a very roundabout way-is to remind you again this week of the important role being played these days by the World Journalism Institute, a spinoff activity of WORLD magazine. First established in the summer of 1999, WJI has already exposed well over 100 college age students to one of the most demanding and effective journalism curricula available anywhere in the world.
Vandalia's David Bell is just one of more than 50 journalism professionals who will share their varied skills and experiences over the coming year with a hundred more eager students at WJI programs in New York City (in January), in Washington, D.C. (in May), in Los Angeles (in June), and at the WJI classroom in Asheville, N.C. (in July and August). Students will hear from staffers at papers like The Wall Street Journal-and their vision will be stretched to think about perhaps serving sometime in influential spots like that. But David Bell will also remind them that Christians can serve a salt-like role in less conspicuous places-maybe on the front lines in towns like Vandalia.
Already, in its first three years, WJI has placed more than 20 of its graduates in a variety of such posts. To give WJI students an added advantage, newspapers and other media organizations are also being challenged to sign up the very best WJI graduates for internships following their course work. Thanks to several generous gifts by WJI supporters, such internships carry with them comfortable stipends to cover living expenses.
Thoughtfully designed by WJI director Robert Case, this entire program operates efficiently on an annual budget of about $500,000. The full-time staff numbers 1.5 people! Because the WJI program is an add-on for many of the students, or takes away from their opportunity for summer earnings, scholarships are an important part of the financial picture.
None of this program would be possible apart from the generous support of WORLD readers like you. That's why I've tucked an envelope in the fold of this week's issue-so that you will consider making this important work part of your year-end giving. If full tax deductibility is important, be assured that WJI qualifies.
But the real vision I want to plant in your heart and mind is the opportunity to prepare several dozen more Christian young people this coming year with a top-notch exposure to professionals in the field-and then to launch them into careers in the nation's media. Could be David Bell in Vandalia might even be able to use one of them himself.


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Faculty Scholars are expected to attend 11 full-day sessions over the course of the academic calendar year. Two half days consist of educational content focused on curriculum and research design and nutrition. Another half day session occurs with the larger alumnae community of Faculty Scholars. Participating faculty receive two binders of materials that include reading and resource information.
Between monthly sessions, scholars are expected to complete assigned reading and to work on designing an individual curriculum, research or clinical service application project of their own passion related to integrative health. Scholars will be mentored on these projects by Integrative medicine program faculty.
FSP projects can consist of one of the following:
These fees includes materials and meals (breakfast and lunch) for 12 session days and CME credit which in the past year has been eligible for 77 AMA category 1 credit and 77.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.
For non-University of Michigan faculty/staff, receipt of payment is requested by August 15, 2016. We are sorry that will not be able to offer any tuition refunds once Scholars are accepted and agree to participate for the academic year.
Program payment may be made by personal check or through departmental account transfer before the first session begins in September, 2016. We are sorry that will not be able to offer any tuition refunds once Scholars are accepted and agree to participate for the academic year.


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The Canadian Chemical Producers' Association Codes of Practice: Research and Development
The member companies of the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association (CCPA) are committed, as a condition of membership, to the policy of "Responsible Care". This code governs member company actions in meeting the guiding principles of that policy as they relate to all aspects of the research and development, and initial use of new chemicals, chemical products, processes and equipment, as well as the development of new applications for existing chemicals and chemical products.
"Research and development" means technical work of an investigative nature which occurs at all stages of development of new chemicals, chemical products, processes, equipment and uses. It extends from initial approval of scientific research, through experimental development to the first full-scale operation of the process, or production of the chemical or chemical product and its introduction to the market. It is equally applicable when some of the stages are omitted; for example, experimental process change or development done on a full-scale plant, which is often not categorized as research.
Practice of this code is intended to result in:
Guiding Prinicples
The guiding principles of this code as they reflect those of the "Statement of Policy on Responsible Care" are:
i) make Responsible Care an early and integral part of the planning process leading to new chemicals, chemical products, processes, equipment or uses;
ii) increase the understanding of the hazards and associated risks of existing chemicals, chemical products, processes, equipment and their uses, and ensure that a thorough level of understanding of new chemicals, chemical products, processes, equipment and their uses and their potential hazards is achieved prior to and throughout commercial development;
iii) manage research and development operations in a manner which protects people and the environment from hazards;
iv) provide information about the hazards and associated risks of new chemicals, chemical products, processes and uses to customers, enabling them to use these and manage associated wastes in a responsible manner;
v) provide information about the hazards and associated risks of research and development operations to employees and other people on site, to contract laboratories, and to those in the community who have an interest;
vi) know the laws and regulations applicable to research and development, and meet or exceed them in letter and in spirit;
vii) be sensitive and responsive to community concerns about research and development operations;
viii) work actively to assist governments in developing public policies, legislation and regulations governing research and development operations.
Code of Practice
1. General
Each member company shall have written policies, and protocols and methodologies which govern all aspects of the research and development of new chemicals, chemical products, process, equipment and uses. Responsibility shall be clearly defined for generating, implementing, auditing and updating them, and for taking corrective action. These policies, protocols and methodologies shall meet or exceed all applicable laws and regulations in letter and in spirit.
Each member company shall have hiring standards and training criteria commensurate with responsible research and development requirements, take action to maintain employee competence and include code compliance in regular performance assessments.
The manager of a research and development site shall adhere to the requirements of the CAER code of practice.
Each member company shall site stand-alone facilities in a manner that conforms to the applicable requirements of section 3 of the manufacturing code of practice.
Each member company shall put in place security procedures and systems which protect the facilities and address possible security threats.
Each member company shall work actively, alone or through selected organizations, and, if possible, in consultation with other affected stakeholders, to assist governments in developing public policies, legislation and regulations governing research and development operations.
Each member company engaged in research and development agrees that responsibility and accountability for adhering to this code will be clearly assigned. Research and development operations will not occur unless they can be done in accordance with this code.
2. R&D Project Approval
Prior to initiating an R&D project, every member company conducting research and development of new chemicals and chemical products, processes, equipment or applications shall require that:
2.1 protocols and methodology are in place to ensure that health, safety and environmental hazards are identified and evaluated as early as possible, and standards for operations are defined. This procedure applies not only to the research phase but also to pilot plant operations, manufacturing and marketing as they progress. Particular attention is given early to long-term health and environmental effects related to chemicals, chemical products, processes and new uses and the management of associated wastes;
2.2 periodic reviews and checkpoints are established which dictate project continuance or termination dependent on performance versus such standards;
2.3 potential applications are defined and analysed for hazards both initially and as work proceeds;
2.4 the above principles apply wherever the work is done, including plants or contract laboratories.
3. Good Laboratory Practice
Member companies undertaking product, process or application research and development, whether performed in-house or by contract laboratories, shall establish written policies and standards to ensure good laboratory practice. These shall cover:
3.1 general laboratory health and safety;
3.2 hazard identification and communication, including regular employee training and education;
3.3 proper management of laboratory waste;
3.4 documentation and reporting of results in a scientifically accurate and ethical manner;
3.5 preparation of a data package on every new chemical, chemical product, process and application which clearly identifies potential hazards, including those of associated wastes.
Laboratory practice shall be audited and updated on a regular basis.
4. Transfer to Manufacturing
Every member company transferring a new chemical or chemical product, a new process or new equipment from research and development to manufacturing shall ensure that:
4.1 hazard and operability studies, or their equivalent, are an integral part of the design process;
4.2 standards for health and safety and environmental protection in the new process are clearly spelled out, and that it is the responsibility of the process design team to achieve them;
4.3 all operators are fully trained in the new or revised process before start-up, including procedures to be followed in an emergency;
4.4 material safety data sheets (MSDS) are available for all input, in-process and output materials, and proper procedures for packaging, handling and disposing of these materials, including by-products, are clearly identified;
4.5 the above principles are applied also to pilot or less-than-commercial scale plants, except that in this case certain standards, eg. those for durability of process equipment, may be less rigorous.
5. Market Introduction
Every member company introducing a new chemical, chemical product, process or application to the marketplace shall:
5.1 ensure that the requirements of all relevant legal and government regulations are met or exceeded in letter and in spirit;
5.2 educate employees and contract personnel to ensure responsible product handling and transportation;
5.3 provide potential customers with information about hazards and associated risks, and assistance to ensure responsible handling, use and waste management, including reduction/recycling/recovery/reuse opportunities where feasible;
5.4 subsequently check back to confirm that customers are following responsible handling, use and waste management practices. Each member company shall require, with due diligence, that customers follow responsible handling, use and waste management practice, if special requirements are determined to apply;
5.5 ensure that even for small-scale test marketing, the first three items in section 5 up to and including "waste management" in item three are in place before proceeding.
|Typical Elapsed Time from Start
|3 months
|6 months
|12 months
|15 months
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Mechanisms of Hematopoietic stem cell Specification and Self-Renewal
During an individual's lifetime, blood-forming cells in the bone marrow called hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) supply all the red and white blood cells needed to sustain life. These blood stem cells are unique because they can make an identical copy of themselves (self-renew). Disorders of the blood system can be terminal, but such diseases may be cured when patients are treated with a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, bone marrow is in short supply due to limited availability of donors, and it is not yet possible to expand HSCs outside of the human body; HSCs that are removed from their native environment, or niche, rapidly lose their ability to self-renew and thus cannot sustain hematopoiesis in a transplant recipient. Furthermore, attempts to make blood stem cells from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have also proved unsuccessful to date because these "tailored HSCs" are defective in self-renewal as well. These problems suggest that our understanding of the biology of HSCs is not sufficient to foster their maintenance or generation. To address this issue, we propose to study hematopoietic stem cells in the context of mammalian development; the entire complement of a person's HSCs is made in a very short time window during the first trimester of pregnancy. By increasing our understanding of how HSCs are made and acquire self-renewal in vivo, we hope to develop better methods of generating HSCs in vitro and learn to provide the missing cues to coax them into becoming fully functional, self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells. Specifically, we plan to investigate how the fate decision that delineates blood cells from their embryonic precursor, called specification, is maintained at the molecular level. Second, we are interested in what cell type human HSCs descend from so as to understand what precursor to look for when attempting to differentiate ESCs into blood stem cells. Finally, we plan to apply molecular analyses to the property of self-renewal by looking at cell populations that cover a spectrum with regards to self-renewal: HSCs, cultured HSCs (not self-renewing), HSC precursors (not self-renewing), and ESCs differentiated to non-self-renewing HSCs. These comparisons will help define the molecular regulation of self-renewal, and place ESC-derived progenitors on the spectrum of self-renewal. Through these studies, we hope to better understand blood stem cells as they are made and maintained during human development with the ultimate goal to provide wider access to stem cell-based therapies.
Funding of research to understand hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology offers rewards beyond the pursuit of knowledge. HSCs are responsible for providing all of the blood cells in the body, including both red cells that carry oxygen and white cells that mediate immunity. Inherited disorders affecting HSCs and their progeny are responsible for diseases such as sickle cell anemia, Severe Combined Immunity Disorder (SCID), and leukemia; these devastating ailments change the lives of thousands of people in California every year, and currently most are incurable without a bone marrow or cord blood transplant. Due to the limited availability of donors, other alternatives, such as differentiating embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into HSCs, are being explored. One critical fault of ESC-derived progenitors is their inability to "self-renew", i.e. produce more of themselves, thus eliminating their usefulness for transplantation. However, a deeper understanding of the developmental and molecular processes that create functional HSCs that can self-renew may ultimately make the goal of deriving HSCs from ESCs attainable. Research into the mechanisms of self-renewal may also improve treatments of cancers such as leukemia, as these diseases are a function of over-proliferation of cells caused by uncontrolled self-renewal; targeting genes or proteins involved in abnormal self-renewal programs may provide more specific cancer fighting drugs, and would likely foster collaborations with biotechnology companies. Furthermore, as all stem cells in the body have the ability to self-renew, a clear understanding of self-renewal mechanisms will benefit all stem cell research, and could have a positive effect in a wide range of biomedical specialties.
The goal of this grant is to investigate the cell intrinsic mechanisms that govern hematopoietic stem cell specification and self-renewal. During the second year of this award, we have further elucidated the regulatory mechanisms that dictate hematopoietic fate specification by validating the target genes that Scl/tal1 activates and represses in vivo (Aim 1). We have also shown that loss of Scl results not only results in loss of all blood cells, but also causes defective arterio-venous identity that precludes generation of hemogenic endothelium and hematopoietic stem cells. We have defined the phenotype of hemogenic endothelium and emerging HSCs in both mouse and human embryos (Aim 2), and identified novel markers that can be used to isolate developing HSCs at distinct stages, as well as to purify functional HSCs further (Aim 3). We have also established an inducible lentiviral based expression system that will now be used to test functionally candidate HSC regulators that were identified by comparing gene expression profiles between freshly isolated HSCs and dysfunctional HSCs that were expanded in culture or generated from human ES cells. We hope that these studies will provide better understanding of the key regulatory mechanisms that govern HSC properties, and ultimately lead to development of improved methods for generation of functional HSCs in culture.
Our work has focused on defining mechanisms that govern the specification and self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells during mouse and human development. Using gene targeted mouse ES cells and mouse embryos, we defined the transcriptional programs that are regulated by Scl, the master regulator for blood formation. We discovered that Scl not only establishes the transcriptional programs that are critical for specifying hemogenic endothelium and hematopoietic stem cells, but it also represses heart development. Strikingly, in the absence of Scl, hemogenic endothelium in embryonic hematopoietic tissues becomes converted to cardiogenic fate, and gives rise to fully functional, beating cardiomyocytes.
In order to define the key programs that distinguish self-renewing HSCs from their downstream progenitors or the compromised HSPCs (hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells) that were generated in vitro, we performed microarray analysis for human phenotypic HSCs from various sources. We identified novel markers for human HSCs that can be used to purify transplantable HSCs to a higher purity. We have identified key molecular defects in HSCs that are expanded in culture, or generated from human ES cells. We have further validated that dysregulation of certain Hox genes is a major bottleneck for generating functional HSCs from human ES cells. Future studies are focused on establishing methods that would allow correction of the compromised HSC regulatory networks in cultured HSCs.
We have defined key regulatory mechanisms that are required for generation and maintenance of blood forming stem cells. We showed that transcription factor Scl is critical for specifying hemogenic endothelium from where blood stem cells emerge, and moreover, we discovered and unexpected repressive function for Scl to suppress cardiomyogenesis; in the absence of Scl, the blood vessels in start to generate beating cardiomyocytes. We have also identified factors that are critical for blood stem cells to maintain the unique properties: to self-renew (make more of themselves) and engraft (interact with the niche cells that support them). We will now continue to define how these key regulators act so that we can design better strategies to generate blood stem cells as well as heart muscle precursors for therapeutic applications.
The goal of this grant was to define mechanisms that govern blood stem cell specification and self-renewal. We have completed the studies on hematopoietic fate specification by defining how Scl/tal1 establishes hemogenic endothelium. We documented that, in addition to Scl's critical function in activating blood cell regulators, Scl also has to repress heart factors to prevent the misspecification of blood precursors to heart muscle. We documented that Scl controls blood and heart regulators through enhancers that have been primed for activation prior to Scl action (Aim 1). We identified a new surface marker that is expressed in hemogenic endothelium and blood forming cells in the yolk sac (Lyve1), which provides new tools to investigate the origin of blood stem and progenitor cells during development (Aim 2). We identified GPI-80 as a novel marker for transplantable blood stem cells during human fetal development (Aim 2, 3). Taking advantage of this new marker for blood stem cells, we narrowed down the critical defects in the dysfunctional blood precursors that are generated from human ES cells, or expanded in culture from fetal liver blood stem cells (Aim 3). We showed that the inability to induce HOXA cluster genes and other novel blood stem cell regulators that cannot be sustained in culture hinder the generation of blood stem cells from pluripotent cells, and further validated these novel regulators using lentiviral knockdown and overexpression. These findings will now be used to develop novel strategies to generate blood stem cells in culture.
- PLoS One (2013) Expansion on stromal cells preserves the undifferentiated state of human hematopoietic stem cells despite compromised reconstitution ability. (PubMed: 23342037)
- Cell (2012) Scl represses cardiomyogenesis in prospective hemogenic endothelium and endocardium. (PubMed: 22863011)
- Nat Immunol (2012) Lymphoid priming in human bone marrow begins before expression of CD10 with upregulation of L-selectin. (PubMed: 22941246)
- Genes Dev (2011) Return to youth with Sox17. (PubMed: 21828265)
- Curr Opin Hematol (2010) Placenta as a newly identified source of hematopoietic stem cells. (PubMed: 20571394)
- Int J Dev Biol (2010) Hematopoietic stem cell development in the placenta. (PubMed: 20711986)
- Blood (2009) Mef2C is a lineage-restricted target of Scl/Tal1 and regulates megakaryopoiesis and B-cell homeostasis. (PubMed: 19211936)


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