The Fountain Of Youth?

ThePope · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:39 am Post subject: The Fountain Of Youth?

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Brooke Greenberg is the size of an infant, with the mental capacity of a toddler.

She turned 16 in January.

Brooke hasn't aged in the conventional sense. Dr. Richard Walker of the University of South Florida College of Medicine, in Tampa, says Brooke's body is not developing as a coordinated unit, but as independent parts that are out of sync. She has never been diagnosed with any known genetic syndrome or chromosomal abnormality that would help explain why.

In a recent paper for the journal "Mechanisms of Ageing and Development," Walker and his co-authors, who include Pakula and All Children's Hospital (St. Petersburg, Fla.) geneticist Maxine Sutcliffe chronicled a baffling range of inconsistencies in Brooke's aging process. She still has baby teeth at 16, for instance. And her bone age is estimated to be more like 10 years old.

"There've been very minimal changes in Brooke's brain," Walker said. "Various parts of her body, rather than all being at the same stage, seem to be disconnected."

In her first six years, Brooke went through a series of medical emergencies from which she recovered, often without explanation. She survived surgery for seven perforated stomach ulcers. She suffered a brain seizure followed by what was diagnosed as a stroke that weeks later left no apparent damage.

At 4, she fell into a lethargy that caused her to sleep for 14 days. Then, doctors diagnosed a brain tumor, and the Greenbergs bought a casket for her.

"We were preparing for our child to die," Howard Greenberg said. "We were saying goodbye. And, then, we got a call that there was some change; that Brooke had opened her eyes and she was fine. There was no tumor. She overcomes every obstacle that is thrown her way."

Brooke's doctor said the source of her sudden illnesses remains a mystery.

Doctors recommended growth hormone therapy early in Brooke's life, but the treatment produced no results.

Howard Greenberg recalled the follow-up visit to the endocrinologist. "We took her back in six months, and the doctor looked at us and said, 'Why didn't you give Brooke the growth hormones?' And I said, 'We gave Brooke the growth hormones. We gave her everything you told us to do.' And Brooke didn't put on a pound, an ounce; she didn't grow an inch."

To try to determine why Brooke's aging process has been so irregular -- and what it means to the understanding of our genetic makeup -- Walker and Sutcliffe have studied samples of Brooke's cells and DNA to look for what they think may be a genetic mutation never seen before that has affected the way she ages.

Walker, of the University of South Florida, believes that if the gene can be isolated, it may provide clues to questions about why we age and die.

If the gene -- or complex of genes -- is identified, Walker plans to test laboratory animals to determine whether the gene can be switched off and, if so, whether it will cause the animal's aging to slow.

In the long term, the idea that the aging process might somehow be manipulated raises serious questions about what human beings might do with that knowledge.

The Greenbergs are fascinated by the promise that a scientific breakthrough may stem from Brooke, whose own life is governed by the most basic elements: food and shelter; a family's love; and their ability to see in her far more than meets the eye, having come to terms with the prospect that she will never grow up.

Interesting... Think

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ShaSha · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:52 am Post subject:

Very very interesting story. Thank you.

ThePope · Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:56 am Post subject:

Beonaam · Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:41 am Post subject:

Reminds me of Bean from the Ender's Game saga...

EJHJohn · Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:42 pm Post subject:

This was very interesting thanks for posting get. Got my unbored. lol Smile

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ThePope · Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:44 am Post subject:

GodsTwin · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:38 am Post subject:

Interesting read.
I'm just wondering if her life expectancy would still be relatively the same. Her telomeres should still shorten at the same rate.
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ThePope · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:00 am Post subject:

telo-whut? Think

Elaborate Pedobear, and just go ahead and pretend you're talking to a 9 y/o.
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How to piss off an atheist

GodsTwin · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:13 am Post subject:

ThePope · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:56 am Post subject:

Thanks GodsTwin Very Happy

I wish I would've had at least one teacher who could explain something so complicated in such an easy way, I tried reading the wiki article about it but to me it looked something like this:

T̸̮̻̖̻̦̭̬͕̘͇̥ͯ̈̾ͧͮͨ̏͆ͮ͞ͅͅͅé̡̨̻̹͚͇̝̦͈̘͔̤͓͚͔̤̰͈̪̾ͪ̓̀͗̒ͣ̑ͩͣͪͪͬ͋͢l̴̵̩̱͖͈̝̙̱ͧ̐̋͛̌ͭ͐͒̾̅̄̽́̕ǫ̡̞̫̙̜̖͋̒̅͐̈́ͣͦ̃͐̽ͪ̿͐̀͞m̴̙̜͍̪̻̣͚̦̞̰̥ͣͮ͆͋ͫ̀ͪ͛ͪ͛́ͣ̐ͮ͒͢͢ę̴̪̗͎͚̼̿͐̃ͫͤ̔̇̚r͆ͫ̿ͥͯ̀̓̇ͩ͠҉͢҉̦̠͇̙̬̜͠ͅͅȩ̜͈̫̝̤̻̼ͮ̿ͧ̒ͨ͑͂͑ͦ͂̚͝ͅs̷̝̠̠͍͙̞̻̱̖͔̟͍͙̣͍̬̞̥̳͒ͪ̒͌̈́͐̄͆ͨ͐ͩ̒̊̀͟͠͞ ̩͔̣̝̂̔̉ͫ̅̿̿͌̄ͨ́́̀̕̕ả̴̢͎̬̦͈̜̖͎͇̰͌͆̇͡ͅṟ̷̢̱̲̞̮̟̠͍̥̠̗̲̩̩̻̰̗ͯ́̐̉̉̎̆̍̏̊ͫͤ̅̀́ȩ̸͇͈̠̯̮̹͇͇̠̅̋͊̎̉ͤ̀ ̵̶͇̻̹̝̥̙͓͓̤͙̺̬͉̖͒͐ͭ̇͐̐ͯ̐ͧ̚̕͢͡r̭͚̫͎͉͕̟̠̺̮̙̪͓̲̩̮͉͔ͭͩ̄̈̇ͤ̑ͪ̈ͮͩ́̊̽ͣ͗ͭ͘͘͞͠e̸̴̘͇͔͚̗̼͉͉̜̪͉̙͖̪͈̩̭ͤ͛̇ͧͮ̎ͣͨ̀͛̎́pͥ͋̉͊ͭͤ͆̋̈́̆ͬͪ̂͑̑͋̐̚͘͏̢̞̰̟͍͈͎̪̲̬̳ḛ̛͎̹̲͕̝͍̱͈̱̮̭͛͌̈́̉̔̒ͧ̌͟t̨̡̖̙̠͖̤͋͂͒ͩ̋͑̈́ͦ͋̀͘͠ͅį͎̟̰̩̟̙͔́̈͐ͫ́͡t͋ͨ͌ͯ̀ͤ͜҉̱̠̘͇̘̣͖͓̱̯̝͘i͗ͨ͆ͯ̊͌̈́ͧ̌́҉̷̴͉̜͓̻̞̤͖̹̩͙͕̫͓͖̠͠v̸̵̧̡̜̭̙̱͔̬̲̤̝̣̂̿̀ͪ͊̊ͨ̾̈͆̍͋̀̾̇́ḛ̡͍̻̳̯̳̂͂̓͑̔̾̈̑̇̅̀́ ̢̨̲͈̗͕̩̺̬͉͖̠̖̹̟͔̻̉͆͆͋̒̃̏͒̊̀́ͅD̹͖̤͙̟̰̳̦̩͖̭͉͓̹̼̭͉̠̜͒ͫͤ̂̇̋ͬ͋̈͛̈́̇͗̕̕͟N͍͉̠̼̖͚̹͑́͑̀͋ͮ̕͟͜͡Â̡̡̛̩̺͓ͮ̐̇ͭ ̴̨̳̬͎͕̜̞̻̺̗̽̏̒̆ͮͭ͞s̴͐ͩ̀̅̉ͫͫ́͢͝͏̲͍̙̩̼̦͕͎ế̶͍̼͙̮̖̲͔̖̫̣̯̃͌̇̀̎͐̍͊̊̏͝q̷̧̬̫͎̤͈͔̺̠͔̼̹̘̤̭̼̭ͮͯ͊́̆ͪͥͭͨ̍̈̂ͫu̸̷̹̩͎̻̭͖ͣ̏ͤ͗̄ͬ͛̈̀ͤ̓ͧ̔͝͠e̴̵̯̙̱̻̲̪͕̤͍͉̙͕͖̭ͯ͂͆͊ͮͭn̈̍̈̌̆̎͑ͤ̆ͫͦ͜͏̗͔̪̥̗͍̮̥̺̣͍̪͎͈̟̤͚c̊̔̅̓̉̃ͯ̈́̔ͯ̅̌̿̔̾́͆̾͢͠͏̪̱͔̫̘̙͓̝͙̥̳͕͚̹͈͇̺̹ͅȩ̴̡̱̺̗̣͍͇̟̰̰̩͉͕̰̠̻̋̆͋͊̎̀ͅs̥̼̥͚̘̥͖̝̦̱̮̮ͭ̆͊ͨͮ͒͛̋͋ͦͥ̑ͫͪ̎̐́́͠ͅͅ ̾ͦ̇ͬͣͯ̊͒͋ͨ̒̚҉̶̭͚͈͖͘͟l̷̢̛̩͈̣͖̲̜͓̘̝̮̞̯̬̪̞̱ͤ̈́͒̇̀̇̋̂́̾̆͑̈́ͫͯ͛͗̚o̶͉̥̞̮̦̾ͥ͑ͭ̉́̀͌̉̂ͮ̐̆̂ͩͩ͠c̵̶̮̰̫̦̘̭̿͊̍̎ͮ̋̈́ͤ̋̚̕a̷̴̤̱͔̼̩̝͉̫̞͔̓͑ͩ̑̔t͖̦̤͇͚̭̖̎̓̄̉̀͞ẻ̅̌̀ͯ͛̈́ͤ̾̾͛ͬͫ͝͏͎͉̯̲̯̦̝̲̟̳͖̩͕͓̺̱̬d̵̨̜̗̱̱̗͉͉̱͆͊̔ͨͦ͋ͫͫ͋ͭͦͮ̈́̚͠͝͝ ̓͂ͮ͆ͭ̈́͏̷̸̯͙̥̞̤̰̱͙͇̜̜͉̪̜̞̲͕͖â̸͉̻̰̣̭̞̠̣̱̺̥̗̰̬͕̦̈̀ͨͯͭ̈́̃̾ͤ̊̅̑̆ͪ͑ͅt̸ͥ́̃̆̌̅̌̆̿͆̆͌̋̇ͮͯ͝҉̡͔̯̞̥̗͕ ̙̺͇̪͚͖̻̞̤̲̥̩̘̬͓͒̐̾̔͛ͪ̃̅̕ͅt̝̮̠̦͋ͮ̂̋ͦ͛͂ͫ̀̚̕͞ẖ̸̨̩̮̰̱̣̲̅̏͐̈́̈̃ͥ̒ͬ̉ͮ̌̿ͧ̌̈́̚͟e̢̪̞̣͈̟͈͇͚͙̖̲̯͔̟̫̅ͭ̄ͫ̎͟ ̢̛̹͍͉̥̥͍̹̖͙ͭ̑̄ͫͪͭ̉̄̐̆͛̋̓ͬ̕t̶̗̩̠̭̩͍̱̣ͦ͌͛̀͟͢ê̶͚̹͈̫͙͚͉̬̝ͮ̃ͥ̾̽̓̍̌͜r͍̻̼̟̗̟̫̭̲̘̹͈ͫͪ̇͒̂͘ͅͅͅm̧̉̌͋͆ͤͥ̎ͧͥ͒̎̏̚҉̸̣͍̥͇͈̳̲͎̝͚͡ī̈́͒̓ͪ͒͗̑͆̈͛ͤ̕҉͕͓̥͓͖n̴̸̢̡̝̞̬̙̼̙͉͇̰̦̠͓̫̜ͪ͛ͨͭ͜ͅį̴̛͉͎̰̮̟̥̭͈̜̀̄͑̐ͯͤ̒̍̽̎ͨ̍̇̾͛͜ ͂̒ͭ̉̇ͫ̃̉̓̓̀҉̲̬̬̙̞̦̩̦̬͎̫͜o̵̴̡̯̤̪̳̩͈̝͎̙͓̳̝̻ͨ͑͊͂ͅf̢̜̯͓̩͔̖̾͋̆ͩ̋͂ͧ̔͋̏̈́͋̍̎̒͜ͅ ̸̘̺͙̬̤̩͉̺̼̤̠͍̝̐͒̊͐̂̈́ͧͭ̍͗̃ͮ̇̀̚̕ļ̨̞̯̳͖̺̳͙̟̫͎͚̱̖̗̞̤͚͒̅ͨͮ̀͠i̷̶̞̪̜̠̙̯̪͑̊̀ͧn̢̤̗̭̰̬̹̣̺̱̼̖̳̖̬͉̮ͭ͛͑͑̐̂͗ͩͦ͆͒ͭ͂͋́͞ȅ̄́̑͛͗ͨ͛͗ͬ̐̓ͯͥ̏̎̚͘҉̰͙͉̖̱͇̟̥̭͓̱̪͍͚a̸̡ͭͫ͋ͤ͘͏̡̯̬̱̼͕̜̙ṙͨͪ͂̽̿͋ͨͮ̌͒̚҉̢͏̵̼̲͚̞̤͓̕ ̢̡ͧ̈́̅̑̌͂͐̂ͧ̑̉̇͡͏̸̜̣̼̯̙̘͉ͅc̷̙̤̼̣̘̱̫̪̪̯͕̥͉ͩ̓̊̆̽ͮ͐͌ͨ̽̍͡͞ḥ̡̛̥͔̂̑ͭͧͨ͡r̛̩̗͎̬͉̮̭̬̙͖̺̜̗̖̦̟͚̪̞͊̆ͣ͗̈́ͮ́͘͜͠o̵̶̷̮̟͉̰͚̥̎ͫ̃̀m̴̸̧̤͉̙̯̝͖̮̰͙͎̯͎̞͙̥̹̹̤͙ͪ̉̑̉͒͋̅ͭ͊ͯͥ̏͒̊͊͠o̳̞̞̜̦̹̱̭̍͌̐̐ͪ͌͐̽ͣ̐̓̋̀͢͜s̢̼͖̻̬̪̖̩̖̠͔͓̼͖̱̲̹̐ͥ̉̀͗̚͞ơ̪̹̦̳͕̩͖̺̭̪̏͐̌͗̆̐́̕͝ͅmͮ̆̀̓ͧͣ̎̾ͥͧͦ̈̌͂̅̒̊͘͏̨̬͕̘͔̙̯̖̯̩̬̟̙̬̞͎͜e̓̃ͮ͏̜̖̞̭̱̱̬͚s̜͔͓̞̯͙̭̼͐̃͗̒ͦ̅̀ͦ͆̀͘ ̧̟̦̼̲̹̰̰̞̜̦̫̈̈́͐̆̈ͨͬ͊͂̏̈ͫ̍ͣͥ͜͞͞o̗̞̟̥̥ͪ̈́̀ͣ̾ͧ̽ͥͫ̒ͦ͛͑̄͋̄̕͟͜͞f̃ͫ̋̓̒͐̈́͑̓̾̇́̑̏̉̉̽͛͐͝҉̴̦̣̠̗̪͉̙͉͉͞ ̵̧̪̰̳̩̭͉̙̮̦̮̈̋͆͛͌̋̉ͬ̇̆ͦ̉ͦͯ̚͝m̵̵͍̫̗̮̤̣̪͈̤̼͚̗̻̬ͦ̂ͥͩ͂ͤͣͧͯͯͤ͜ͅͅo͂̋̌̂ͯ̄͐̒̓̃̇͘͢͝͏̖̦̙̹͎̻͍͍͕̥̭s̛̟̦̲̝̠̹̪̝̹̭̳̩̳̮̪͎̠̥͓ͦ̓̈̌̋͛͘͞t̶͍͈͎̺̦̙̼͕͕̺̮͖̬̦̱͛͆̽̄̒̈ͨ̅͗̃͊ ̰̟̭̼̰͓̼ͣ͆̐̆ͯ̅̌̈́͂͊̑̋ͩ̇̍̍ͯ͟͞e̶̺̱̳͎͒̒ͣ̽ͨͩ͗̏̎̐͛̃̔̄͑͘͢ͅǔ̶̝̳̰̰̥͕̲̻ͮ̀̃̆̋̄̄́̚͢͡͞k̢̘̟͎̤̘̦ͬ̄̓̍ͩ̈́ͨͭ̐͗̐̎̅̀̀̕̕ă̷̢̻̣͍͇̟͈̭̹͕͉̪̤ͨ͛͛̂ͫ̾̚͠ͅȑ̶̢̙̠̜̞̗͚̙͛́̽̓͐̎̊͠y̶̛̦̱̺̫̖̯̺̳̯̩͍ͯͨͮ̌̀ͮ͟ͅơ̴̸̷̬̩̫̝̪̦͔̩̯͙̖̗̩͙̲̰͙̦͌͑̒ͧ̐̀̇̇̅̅̍͑ͥ̐̈̀̚t̨ͦͬ̀̅̚͏̮̲͇̙̺͚̣̥͈͕̻̼i̷̝̮̣̰͖͈̪̹͚̼̞̜̒̄͂̈͠c̢̪͓̦͉ͯ́͛͊ͦͣ̍̅̇̆̕ ̷̴̩̤̜̯̪̲̱͙͈̯̇͂̽͌̊͂͗̈́̊ͭ̄̍͂̽̎ͤ͐͝ỏ̷̢͖̗͔̰̮̝̮͚̼ͧ̓̑͋͡ͅr̸̷̨̡̛̮̟̥̱̫̦̥̞̹̥͍̬̺̱͇̫͕̬̳ͪ̐̊̿̑ģ̶̦̼̮̲̅͋ͨ̎͌̄̊̃̂͊̄̐͊́a̡̩̠̱̪̰̯̥͉͙̮̫̖̙̳̖̪̻ͨ̓̓ͩ̈̉͂ͣ̈́̽̀ͣ̑͞͡ñ̜͓̞̑̉̋̄͂̑ͮ̚͜͜͢į̪͖̠̪̦̠͖̲̜̦̖̱̙͔̈̆ͫͭͩͬ̈́̅̓̈ͩ͝s̓̿͂ͧͩͧͮ̈́͋̈ͪ̊͌̆͋̽̽҉̷̦͎̥̤̬̮͇̺͍͖̱͍͕̳̱̞͍͕͘͘m̧̯͔̞̮̟͍̻̒͋͊́ͥ͒͑̆ͬ͑̋̏̏̉ͣ̀͘̕s̡̢̠̟̬̥͉͇͔̙̝̭̱̿̏ͬ̽̈́̆̽̌̆̈́̚,̒ͫ̓̋̌ͬͭ̊̌͊͆͆̔҉̶͘͏̹̖̞͇̦̩͚̣̱̞͎ ̅̄͐̓̀̎̇͑͐̔̊͊̓̚͏̛͙̠̩̦͝ą̴̛͔̟͇̙͇̻̪̺̹̖̖̿ͥ̓̌ͯ̔͛̿ͯ͋̓̚͘͘ͅn̶͎̯̪͎̮͎̠̖̱̜̼̯̫̫̭͉ͥ͂ͮ̀͆̔̀̒͋̀̌͒͜͞ͅͅď̃̐͋ͫ͒ͮͭͩ͌̇̃ͮ҉̷̡͇̩͉̱̪͔͙̠̞ ̡̨̰̥̠̠̞̹̪̥̜͓̮̟̪̤̲͚̙́̏̾̍̐̀̕͠a̡̗̘̜̜͚͉͖̳̩͈͐͂ͦ̈ͭ͛̽̀͡ͅ ̨̼͇͓̥̭̦̠͕͖̦͎̤̭̣̯͇̦̑̓̀͒́̂͋͋͊̏̇ͫͫ͒ͮ͛̍͜f̓̊̑̉̾ͩ̾̎͑͟͏̯͈̤̫̠͚̞͙̤̟̯͓̮̫̩̦̹e̛̛͑̊̐ͦ̂̈͛ͧ͆͆ͤ͆̿̀͏̞̱̜̞̰̭̤̻̗̻ͅw̵̨̻̱̥͕͖̦̜̲ͩ͑̉ͫ̕͟ ̴̸̰͓̙̥̖͕̱̠̝̳̳̗̪̱̪̅̑̿ͮ̐ͤͭ̂̇̕P̴̡̖̭̞̲̱̞̻̝̦͈̱̣̠̜̗͕̰̎ͬ͋͋̏͒͒̔̋̔̚̕͢ȑ̉̍̓̒ͩ̒̓̓̓̾́̊́ͬ̆̚͢͞͏̦̜͕͈̬̼͎̣̭͍̺̗̖̪̲̰͚̳ǫ̷̹̮̳͉͇̥̣̥̯̭͚̣̺ͪ̂ͩ̓ͩ̂ͥ̅͗̔ͭ͛͂̑ͥ͆ͦ̚͘k̡̛̗͍͙̼̲̘̜̹̩̖̥̤̙͕̙̪̜̅̇̎͛ͫ͑̒̆ͮ̔̐ͭ̿̈̚͞͝ą͚͚̥͚̫̽̇ͪͯ̋ͮ̎ͪ͊̏̑̌ͣ̎ͬ͑̇̎ͥ̀͟͞r̎͑̓̽̾͌̉̃ͬ͗͏҉̶̷̰͕̘̗̣̬̯̙̥̜̪̯̪̬̥͓̝͎̻ỵ̸̨̘̬̹̣͓͍̩̝̭̾ͩ̆͗̌ͯ͠ͅo̶̶̒ͭͬͩͧ̽ͩ̕͏̺͉̲͍̥͙͕͓̹̗̹͖͎̻̯̻͔ͅͅt̛͕̯̮̣͓̬̭̟̜͙̝̦̞̹̮̮̄̈̽̒͋̊́̆ͥ̀̐͞ę̸̛̣̖̟̰͎̯̫̝̫̹̪̙̻̠̜̫͉̄̑͋̎ͮ̒ͩ̄ͧ̈̅ͮ̆ͣ̀̕s̡̨̖̩͈̥͈̱̦͚̮̟̤͎̦͇̉̒ͬ̿͌͡.͆͆ͨ̽͌͂̂҉̷̧̛̖͓͚̯̘͈̲̠͎#845;̥͙͕͓̹̗̹͖͎̻̯̻͔ͅͅt̛͕̯̮̣͓̬̭̟̜͙̝̦̞̹̮̮̄̈̽̒͋̊́̆ͥ̀̐͞ę̸̛̣̖̟̰͎̯̫̝̫̹̪̙̻̠̜̫͉̄̑͋̎ͮ̒ͩ̄ͧ̈̅ͮ̆ͣ̀̕s̡̨̖̩͈̥͈̱̦͚̮̟̤͎̦͇̉̒ͬ̿͌͡.͆͆ͨ̽͌͂̂҉̷̧̛̖͓͚̯̘͈̲̠͎

It sure is a very interesting question, so when somebody has an aging disorder like this one, does it modifies the telomeres length or the cellular "replication" speed? Think

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Encyclopedia Dramatica / Atheist

How to piss off an atheist

Geneboy · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:30 am Post subject:

ThePope · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:30 am Post subject:

AMindlessBrain · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:48 am Post subject:

I am having such molecular biology flashbacks.

Geneboy · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:44 am Post subject:

The overly simplistic explanation is insufficient to describe what's going on. I would even go further and say that my description, even though more detailed is lacking in several areas. However I believe that it is more representative of the process.

I doubt anyone here lacks the capacity to understand this stuff, it's hardly rocket science.
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- Math my dear boy, is nothing more than the lesbian sister of Biology.

ThePope · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject:

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