text:
Mplus Home
Last Day
Last 3 Days
Last Week
Tree View
Edit Profile
FIML vs MI
Mplus Discussion
Missing Data Modeling
Laura Pierce
posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 5:58 pm
I have complex survey data (N =678), with some extensive missingness (67% at the worst). I am wondering what is best to use - FIML or Multiple Imputation? Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks you.
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 11:35 am
The two methods are asymptotically equivalent. In both cases, with that much missing data, you will be relying too much on model assumption rather than the data. I don't one approach is better than the other in this situation.
Laura Pierce
posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - 7:28 am
Thank you Linda!
posted on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 - 12:04 pm
Hello Drs. Muthen -
Do either of you have any suggestions for sources comparing FIML and Multiple Imputation?
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 - 2:55 pm
See papers by John Graham in Psych Methods in recent years.
posted on Friday, March 04, 2011 - 2:10 pm
Dear Drs. Muthen,
IN CFA, when Estimator = WLSMV, Parameterization = THETA, and Listwise = OFF, what is the default method that Mplus (version 5) uses to deal with missing data, FIML, or MI?
Specifically, is it possible to have WLSMV and FIML simultaneously in a single model given that the former is a least-square procedure that requires pairwise deletion while the latter is a maximum likelihood procedure that uses all possible information? Please clarify, thanks.
Thank you very much.
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Friday, March 04, 2011 - 3:21 pm
With WLSMV, the method used when the model has no covariates is pairwise present. One can use ML with categorical outcomes and obtain FIML. The problem is each factor requires one dimension of integration when the factor indicators are categorical. Or one can impute data and use WLSMV with the imputed data sets.
posted on Monday, March 07, 2011 - 8:57 am
Hello Linda,
Thanks a lot for your prompt helps.
Yes, actually I am running a MIMIC model, i.e., CFA with covariates. There are quite a few factors that have indicators (outcome variables) as a combination of continuous variables and categorical ones, and that's why I chose WLSMV estimator. Also, there are about 15% participants had missing values on at lease one of the indicators. The MIMIC model was run on both of the complete data only (about 85% participants) and the whole sample in order to assess if missing value is an issue. Then I am facing this question: under the situation as specified above and in my previous post, what method Mplus (version 5) is using to address missing values, Multiple Imputation, or, FIML? If I understand your response correctly, it should be MI, but I would rather ask for your kind confirmation. Thanks.
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Monday, March 07, 2011 - 4:03 pm
With WLSMV, Mplus uses neither multiple imputation or FIML. Without covariates, it uses pairwise present. With covariates, missingness is allowed to be a function of the observed covariates but not the observed outcomes.
What I suggest above is to use multiple imputation in Mplus to generate imputed data sets and then analyze these imputed data sets using WLSMV.
Sarah Ryan
posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2011 - 1:02 pm
I am running a mediation model using a large federal data set- my N=8,000- using data from both parents and students. On student-level data, missingness is below 7% for all variables- but on parents, it ranges between 10% and 20%. In trying to decide between using MI and FIML, I've read Asparouhov & Muthen (2010) who write:
"When the data set contains a large number of variables but we are interested in modeling a small subsets of variables it is useful to impute the data from the
entire set and then use the imputed data sets with the subset of variables. This way we don't have to worry about excluding an important missing data predictor" (p. 23).
If I understand correctly, this reason would apply in my research (there are several hundred student and parent variables in the data set).
Here's my dilemma, however. My understanding from Graham's work is that FIML and MI are only asymptotically equivalent when ALL of the same variables are used with both. Further, Graham recommends appx. 100 imputed data sets in order to achieve such equivalence.
MI with so many variables for this many data sets would be extremely intensive computationally- but to include only a subset of predictors seems to miss the point being made by A & M.
Any direction/advice would be appreciated...
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2011 - 6:13 pm
I would use the variables in your model plus any key variables beyond that which you think might be related to missingness. Most variables are not.
Sarah Ryan
posted on Thursday, March 10, 2011 - 1:33 pm
Okay, thank you. Also, I should clarify that I will be using FIML in Mplus to estimate the full model- at this point, I'm just trying to figure out how best to approach missingness. I've also considered using auxilliary variables to assist in dealing with missingness using FIML. If the auxilliary variables were the same variables I would use as missing data predictors in MI, then the two approaches should be equivalent, is that correct?
This is for my dissertation work, so this is new territory for me. Thanks for your response.
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Thursday, March 10, 2011 - 1:56 pm
They would be similar in large samples, yes.
You may want to take a look at Craig Enders 2010 missing data book (Guilford) if you haven't already.
Sarah Ryan
posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 2:23 pm
Hello Again,
Following up here on the post above. I did go ahead and read Enders' book, which helped my understanding of MI immensely. I remain undecided. I have a rather complex model- several covariates (missingness on some, one reason making MI attractive), two latent exogenous constructs, several manifest exogenous measures, a latent mediator and continuous outcome. I will also use multiple group invariance testing. This is complex survey data and I'm using data from both parents and students. Student missingness ranges from 0% to 11%, but parent missingness ranges from 0% to 28% (16%-20% missingness on most parent-level varbs).
I know I would need to run MI for the full sample (includes all race/eth groups) as well as for each of the two subgroups of comparison (race-level comp). I also gather from reading on these boards that it would be best to fix parameter estimates for one of the MI sets (for full sample, and each subgroup) at the pooled imputation average AND THEN run the analysis model using FIML.
I'm wondering if, given the high levels of parent-missing and some missing on covariates, using MI would produce more accurate analysis model parameter estimates.
Do you have a stronger (convince me, please!) argument for why staying within the FIML framework (which would be simpler) would likely still produce just as accurate estimates even giving missingness issues?
Craig Enders
posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 4:42 pm
In my mind, the answer to your question largely depends on the scaling of your variables, particularly the covariates. My post is a bit long, so I have to split it into separate chunks.
First, suppose that all of your variables are continuously scaled, or approximately so. In this case, I think that the choice of FIML vs. MI is personal preference. Theoretically, there is no reason to expect noticeable performance differences (FIML might have slightly smaller SEs because MI uses a more complex saturated model to deal with missing data, but this difference is usually negligible). There are a couple nuances here. With FIML, you will need to take care of the missing data on the covariates (you seem to be aware of this issue). Suppose you have two covariates, X1 and X2. You would do this as follows:
X1 with X2;
As I understand it, explicitly listing X1 and X2 effectively makes the covariates single indicators of a latent construct -- a programming trick that converts the Xs to Ys while still maintaining the exogenous status of the variables in the model. The missing data on your outcomes would be automatically handled by FIML.
Craig Enders
posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 4:43 pm
Same situation -- continuous variables. Turning to MI, the imputation process is a bit simpler than you describe. You would impute the data separately for your ethnic groups -- there is NO need to then impute the data for the whole sample. Separate-group imputation automatically fills in the missing values in a way that preserves mean differences among the ethnic groups and all group by variable interactions in the data. Said differently, you would have filled in the data using the most general model possible, and the set of imputations that you get from this procedure would be appropriate for all your analyses (the imputation routine would need to include all covariates, outcomes, etc.). I'm not sure what you are referring to when you talk about fixing the estimates at the pooled average, then running the model using FIML. I *think* you might be describing the method for pooling likelihood ratio tests, but that would not be necessary -- Mplus reports the pooled chi-square. On my website (appliedmissingdata.com)I have an example of separate-group imputation in Mplus 6.
Craig Enders
posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 4:45 pm
Next, suppose that one of your covariates is binary. I think that the situation becomes murkier here. Take that programming trick that lists the variances of the X variables and their covariances. Again, as I understand it, this would make the covariate a single indicator of a latent construct. However, it isn't so clear to me that this is appropriate with a binary covariate, because you would be assuming normality for the covariate, and employing a linear factor model to convert the X to a pseudo Y might cause problems. The first problem is more conceptual; the programming trick does not produce a model that is a one to one translation of the complete-data analysis. Whether this introduces bias, I don't know. Second, I could imagine that Mplus would issue a warning about the standard errors because the mean and the variance of the binary variable are linearly dependent when you use the linear factor model to handle the missing data. I'm not sure that either of the problems are substantial ...
MI would provide a useful alternative. Mplus allows you to specify variables as categorical or continuous in the imputation model. In the case of an incomplete categorical covariate, imputation would use a logistic regression to fill in plausible values. The MI procedure would be identical to what I describe above (impute separately for each ethnic group). You would simply use the (c) option to denote categorical variables.
Craig Enders
posted on Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 4:48 pm
Continuing on ... Finally, if your outcomes/indicators are not continuous -- say Likert items -- then the choice isn't all that clear to me. FIML would assume multivariate normality, as you know. The missing data handling probably won't behave any differently than complete-data ML. With MI, you have two options: (a) use linear regression to impute the incomplete variables, or (b) use logistic regression to impute. The former assumes normality and would produce fractional imputed values (not a problem beyond aesthetics, you would not want to round these). The latter does not assume normality and would produce discrete imputations. I know of no studies that have compared these two imputation approaches, but I suspect that the logistic imputation might lead to larger SEs because the multinomial model would have more parameters than a linear model. I would probably still go with FIML and MLR standard errors , but the choice isn't so clear cut.
The other thing to consider is your model testing procedures. It sounds like you plan to perform likelihood ratio tests. FIML is probably going to be easier to deal with here. Mplus computes pooled LR tests, but I'm not sure if there is a way to automate the computation of these tests when you are comparing fit between models from two separate analysis runs (e.g., your invariance tests). If you have to compute the LR tests by brute force, it would be time consuming.
Brondeel Ruben
posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 12:11 am
Thanks Craig. I believe this post was interesting and useful for many of us.
Sarah Ryan
posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 9:58 am
Dr. Enders,
I am more appreciative than you could know for your response above, and the time you took to offer some insight. Let me add some thoughts on a few of your points.
Sep. group imputation: The full sample includes four racia/ethnic groups, but I will test for model invariance between only two of those groups. Is it still the case, then, that I would not need to impute for the full sample?
Fixing estimates at pooled average: In the discussion board on "MODEL INDIRECT and MISSING," Linda Muthen offers this advice if one is trying to examine indirect effects with imputed data (from what I understand, this is advised because otherwise Mplus will not provide indirect effects with imputed data):
"With multiple imputation, you can fix all parameters at the average value given in the imputation run and them run the analysis with MODEL INDIRECT using one of the imputation data sets and no IMPUTATION. It does not matter which data set because nothing is estimated."
(See next post for the rest of my message)
Sarah Ryan
posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 10:20 am
Varb. scaling: None of the covariates with missingness are binary, but some are categorical (ordinal, with 3 to 7 levels). This is true of many of the model variables (ordinal, although those with 5+ levels could perhaps be treated as continuous). What I understand from a response I got from L. Muthen on choice of estimator is that I can use MLR with binary/categorical variables as long as there are four or fewer factors in the model (because numerical integration is required to estimate the logistic regressions, which becomes unwieldy with more than four factors). So, with any categorical covariates, ML would use logistic regression to estimate the single-indicator latent construct (the "programming trick").
Model testing: Yes, I do plan to use LR tests. Sounds like the model invariance testing would be pretty intensive if I went with MI.
Finally, from your response, I'm inferring that % missingness on any given variable is not as critical as the factors you discussed when deciding between FIML and MI as one's approach to missing data in an analysis model similar to mine. If that is the case, then, weighing all of this, FIML is looking like the way to go here.
EIher way, reading your 2010 book has left me feeling much more confident in my knowledge about MI and how I would go about it- if not in the dissertation, in the future.
Craig Enders
posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 11:57 am
I might have misunderstood your original description when you were referring to imputing the entire sample. I thought you were referring to a situation where you (a) impute without regard to ethnicity, then (b) re-impute separately by ethnicity. This is what you would want to avoid because you could not compare analysis models that differ with respect to the imputation model. In terms of separate-group imputation, I would still impute separately within each of your four groups, even though you only plan to compare two groups in your invariance analyses (assuming a sufficient N within each group). This would allow each group to have its own mean vector and covariance matrix. There is nothing lost by imputing the data using a richer set of variables/associations than what you have in the subsequent analyses. Doing it this way would give you imputations that could serve for all of your subsequent analyses.
Craig Enders
posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 12:03 pm
Continued ... The mediation effect. To get around the lack of MODEL INDIRECT with imputed data, why don't you instead use the MODEL CONSTRAINT command, as follows:
m on x (a);
y on m (b);
y on x (cprime);
ab = a*b;
Provided that your a and b paths are linear regressions, this would give you what you want. I'm not sure I completely understand the constraint part that you were describing, but you would want to estimate the mediated effect, then average the m estimates. The MODEL CONSTRAINT option would give you that.
Craig Enders
posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 12:22 pm
Finally, the percentage of missing data would have no bearing on your decision. All things being equal, MI and ML are asymptotically equivalent. MI uses Monte Carlo simulation to average across a distribution of plausible replacement values for the missing data, whereas ML essentially uses calculus to do the same thing analytically. Although the procedures look very different, they are in fact doing the same thing. MI uses a saturated model (typically, although not necessarily) to handle the missing data, whereas ML uses a more parsimonious model that doesn't spend all the degrees of freedom (at least in your example). This might produce tiny differences in SEs, but there is no other reason to expect ML and MI to differ.
The model testing part certainly favors ML. The pooled LR test in MI is a bit of an unknown because simulation studies have not thoroughly assessed its performance. It's probably safe to say that most of what is known about the LR test in complete-data ML allows applies to missing data.
Sarah Ryan
posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 2:52 pm
Dr. Enders,
No, you did understand about group imputation...I didn't, at first! Now it makes sense. I also looked at the examples and code you give in the 2011 article in SEM journal on SGI, which made it even more clear.
Thanks also for the MODEL CONSTRAINT advice. That's quite helpful.
It seems like the reseach on how/when FIML and MI differ in approaching missing data is still emerging. I'm also learning that one has to weigh many different factors about the analysis model and data when deciding between the two. In trying to wrap my head around this, I've done a lot of reading. Some authors have strong convictions about always using one (or the other) to deal with missingness. My sense now is that it's not that simple, and that the researcher needs to make that decision based on the investigation at hand.
Thank you, again.
Jared K Harpole
posted on Monday, March 19, 2012 - 7:32 pm
What method does Mplus use to impute categorical data when we specify:
Impute = var1-var5(c);
What is this doing exactly? Do you have a reference for what it is doing? Is it imputing variables from a multinomial distribution?
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Monday, March 19, 2012 - 9:49 pm
This is described in the paper
Asparouhov, T. & Muth�n, B. (2010). Multiple imputation with Mplus. Technical Report. Version 2.
which you find on our website under Papers, Bayesian analysis.
Elina Dale
posted on Wednesday, October 09, 2013 - 5:59 pm
Dear Dr. Muthen,
Just to make sure I understood it correctly, the current version of MPlus (v7) does not use FIML for imputation when the estimator is WLSMV, i.e. when factor indicators are categorical variables?
So, does it do listwise deletion?
In the following model:
USEVARIABLE = y1-y20;
CATEGORICAL = y1-y20;
CLUSTER = clus;
MISSING = all (-9999);
I have missing values on my factor indicators (y1-y20). Since these are categorical variables, the default estimator is WLSMV. Thus, what happens to observations with missing y's?
Thank you,
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, October 10, 2013 - 6:27 am
WLSMV uses pairwise present when the model does not have covariates.
Elina Dale
posted on Thursday, October 10, 2013 - 8:21 am
Sorry, but what does it mean in practice? If I have 4 factor indicators and one of them (y1) has missing values. Does pairrwise present look at missing values between y1 and y2, y1 and y3 etc? If y1 is then missing some obs, but y2 is not, it imputes y1? Thank you!
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, October 10, 2013 - 8:29 am
This has nothing to do with imputing anything. It means that the correlations in the matrix that is analyzed are computed using the number of people who do not have missing data on the variables involved.
Elina Dale
posted on Thursday, October 10, 2013 - 4:53 pm
So, if they are not imputed, does it mean that if person A has a missing value for y1, which is one of the four observed factor indicators, his response to y2-y4 will also be deleted?
Thus, if my original sample had 200 people, and 10 of them had missing values on just 1 out of 4 items of the factor, my CFA model will have 190 observations only?
This sounds like listwise deletion and I though MPlus was better at handling missing values in item scales or factor indicators.
Thank you!
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Friday, October 11, 2013 - 6:22 am
It is not listwise deletion. Missing data is looked at for pairs of variables -- pairwise present. So if 50 people have non-missing values for y1 and y2, 50 observations are used to compute the correlation between y1 and y2. If 70 people have non-missing values for y1 and y3, 70 observations will be used to compute the correlation between y1 and y3. Etc.
For FIML use maximum likelihood estimators.
Elina Dale
posted on Friday, October 11, 2013 - 11:37 am
Thank you so much!!! Now I understand it.
What about when we have covariates, but our items are still categorical variables? So, we still use WLSMV estimator.
In MPlus Guide, it says "For censored and categorical outcomes using weighted least squares estimation, missingness is allowed to be a function of the observed covariates but not the observed outcomes."
So, does it mean that when we have covariates, for example sex and age, MPlus imputes the missing values for scale items based on these two variables?
I am not sure I understand what does "is allowed to be a function" mean?
For ex, we have 100 observations. In a scale for anxiety with four items (y1-y4), y1 is missing 10 values but there are no missing values for sex and age which are used in the model to predict anxiety as measured by y1-y4. Does it mean the n for the model will be 100?
I apologize for these questions and I really appreciate your guidance!
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Saturday, October 12, 2013 - 9:45 am
It means what you say conceptually but values are not explicitly imputed.
Yes, the sample size is 100.
Aurelie Lange
posted on Monday, January 05, 2015 - 4:25 am
Dear Dr Muthen and Muthen,
I would like to know what approach MLR is using with missing data. In my output, all cases are being used since the number of observations is similar to the total number of cases, yet MLR is not the same as FIML, is it? How does the approach of MLR compare to FIML or multiple imputation?
Thank you for your kindness!
Kind regards,
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Monday, January 05, 2015 - 5:39 am
All maximum likelihood estimators use what people refer to as FIML for missing data. FIML and multiple imputation are asymptotically similar techniques.
Nara Jang
posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 - 6:58 pm
Dear Prof. Muthen,
I used FIML imputation(i.e., !listwise=on; & !missing = all(999);) for both CFA and SEM with interaction involving a latent variable (i.e., testing moderator) analyses and descriptive statistics.
Regarding the results of descriptive statistics, the estimated variance values of all continuous variable including missing were influenced of 999 marked as missing data. In addition, the maximum values were 999 for all continuous variables with missing data. Followings are my questions. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
First, would you tell me if it is correct to use FIML imputation (i.e., !Listwise=on; & !missing=all(999);) for descriptive statistics.
Second, if it is correct, would you tell me how to report the variance and maximum values of continuous variables with missing data.
Third, would you tell me if there is a way to identify the replaced values instead of using missing data.
Forth, would you tell me how to report the descriptive statistics when using FIML imputation in SEM analyses.
I deeply appreciate for your great help in advance!
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 9:02 am
FIML needs you to tell the program which values designate missing - so don't comment out that line.
Nara Jang
posted on Friday, February 27, 2015 - 8:58 pm
Thank you so much, Prof. Muthen!!
Back to top
Add Your Message Here
Posting Information:
This is a private posting area. Only registered users and moderators may post messages here.
Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Tree View
Program Credits


text:
Kristen Stewart: 'Breaking Dawn' UK Premiere with Robert Pattinson & Taylor Lautner
Kristen Stewart gets lacy as she arrives at the premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 held at the Odeon Leicester Square on Wednesday night (November 14) in London, England.
The 22-year-old actress wore a Zuhair Murad jumpsuit and Christian Louboutin heels for the big premiere and was joined by leading men Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Kristen Stewart
Just a few nights ago, the Twilight trio stepped out at the Los Angeles premiere for the movie with the rest of their cast mates.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 opens THIS Friday, November 16th!
FYI: Taylor wore a Z Zegna suit with an Alternative Apparel shirt and Rob was in Burberry.
15+ pics inside…
Posted to: Breaking Dawn, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner

subset: commoncrawl


text:
ReleasesBack to
Kenny Burrell
For his first session as a leader for Blue Note, trumpeter Thad Jones ran through five songs with a small group which also included fellow Detroiters pianist Tommy Flanagan and guitarist Kenny Burrell as well as part-time Detroiter tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell. Jones' time with Debut certainly broke him in, and he is thoroughly professional on this record. Compared to its predecessor, The Fabulous Thad Jones, and its successor, The Magnificent Thad Jones, Detroit-New York Junction pales slightly, but it's nevertheless an excellent set of driving hard bop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine


text: When it comes to this season's styles, the less-is-more approach is the way to go with flats. Ballet flats have long been a style staple for women. Over time, this classic style has evolved in many ways. What's on trend now? This season's women's ballet flats come in array of colors and edgy designs including silver ballet flats and styles with embellished accents and perforated details. We have a great collection of flat-out fabulous styles including wide ballet flats that are sure to keep you on trend this season and move you comfortably throughout the day. For everyday elegance with ease, keep your look stress-free and understated with minimal and comfortable ballet flats.


text:
Product Description
These crash protectors feature our stylish, aerodynamic Aero Bobbins and are available in black. Suitable for the KTM 690 Enduro '08 and 690SMC '08.
R&G Aero Bobbins are a stylish, aerodynamic, teardrop shaped bobbin improving on the original good looks of our highly successful and popular standard round bobbins. Fitted with a removable end cap which hides the bobbins fittings, this sleek new design looks superb and is a winner on road and track!
R&G Aero Bobbins from R&G Racing - the market leaders in crash protection and the only insurance approved crash protectors on the market. As used by some of the worlds top race teams, what better endorsement do you need! R&G Racing â innovation not imitation!
What our customer's say
Don't just take our word for it, read our customer reviews
December 7 17
Delayed deliveryI ordered 2 items on Saturday 2nd Dec. I've just learned that the items were posted on Wednesday 7th Dec. It was the date I sent an email to find out why the items were not delivered yet so I assume they were posted only when I chased Brumersbikes. I choose 2nd class delivery by post so I didn't expect my items to be delivered withing 1-2 days but it took Brumersbikes 5 days (3 working days) to post them. Way too long I think. The good thing is they replied to my email but so far it is the only positive comment I can make. Update on my comment: Brumersbikers apparently cancelled my order without even notifying me about this. Although they return my money to my account I lost over 10 days waiting for my item, not being aware the order had been cancelled with no reason given or any notification. I believe it was done as a 'punishment' for my initial comment. I also received an email from Brumersbikers, after posting my initial comment, where they criticised me for posting an honest and factual comment. I live a decision to fellow customers whether to use Brumersbikers service...Maciej


text:
About love she was all wrong,
the old capitalist, patron saint
of the self-made rich. How well
she misunderstood the paradox deep
as mothers' grief: that finding our self
requires losing it, that love and loss
make one truth, not two. Objective
as granite in relationships, her hero
never collapses into cancer with a wife,
never drops into death with a brother.
No, Howard Roark, fountainhead
among architects, never really suffers
because he never truly loves. He relates
in a Randian arithmetic of negation:
one self living for another self equals
no self. Devoted to one ego alone, his
will is rigid as the steel girders he
sketches across the vast unknown. I
turn another tedious page, count
what's left to read, then gaze
out the window to worry
what my wife's biopsy will mean.
Beside me since sunrise, our daughter Mary
sets aside a limp issue of People,
ruffles my hair, then pours me coffee,
strong, steaming—just as John Donne
in slippers hustles his IV pole
down the corridor, his free hand clutching
the breezy back of a worn hospital gown. He
hurries to our chairs, bows to Mary
with metaphysical flourish, then whispers
through a painful grimace to me,
"Look, son: for your wife's sake
lose that damned book!" Ducking
behind a lush fern to avoid his nurse,
the ailing Dean of Meditation 17
grabs my sagging shoulders, leans
in that long English face to declare,
"Now listen, you: Ayn Rand's all wrong.
Got that? No man's an island. Period.
And you can take that to the bloody bank."
Mark Hiskes teaches English at Holland Christian High School in Holland, Michigan.
Image: Hospital chairs, chungking / Shutterstock.com


text:
Katie Holmes to Star in ABC Drama Pilot
Mar 7, 2014 1:57 PM EST
Katie Holmes could be returning to TV! The Dawson's Creek alum will star in the untitled ABC drama from Beautiful Creatures writer Richard LaGravanese, TVGuide.com has confirmed. The project, set in New York City, is abo… Read more


text:
0 Items (Empty)
Recently Viewed Items
You have not viewed any items recently.
Your Shopping Cart
Your shopping cart is currently empty. If you would like to make a purchase today, add items to your shopping cart.
Your Statutory rights are not affected by any of the following store policies.
Ordering Online with us is safe and secure!
We employ a method of interaction with our visitors that does not compromise credit card information. This online system is 100% secure.
A note about the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this act, your bank limits your total loss and cannot hold you liable for more than fifty dollars of reported fraudulent charges. In the event your card is used in a fraudulent manner, you must notify your bank or card issuer immediately and in accordance with its reporting rules and procedures.
We encourage you to feel comfortable using your credit card to conduct commerce on our site. If you wish, you may also send us a U.S. Postal Money Order (only) or a personal check. Personal checks will delay your order as we must wait for your funds to clear before we ship any merchandise.
Please allow an additional 7-10 business days for shipping of your merchandise if paid by personal check. To order by check, just print the order form with your shopping cart contents from the order confirmation page and complete the necessary fields, then mail the form to the address below.
Outdoor Rec Warehouse
2809 Blue Lake Ct, Suite 200
Williamsburg, VA 23185-3275
2809 Blue Lake Ct, Suite 200
Williamsburg, VA 23185-3275
Outdoor Rec Warehouse (ORW) is committed to its customers and will do its best to always ensure high-quality shipping transactions. ORW stands by the quality and craftmanship of all available merchandise and we will work with our customers to the best of our ability regarding any merchandise returns and/or shipping concerns.
Because ORW works with many manufacturers and international sources, delivery time and shipment availability may vary from one product to the next. However, the vast majority of our merchandise is shipped via UPS or FedEx Ground within THREE TO FIVE BUSINESS DAYS of ORDER PLACEMENT.
Shipping costs for UPS or FedEx Ground shipments are calculated on a per-product basis based on weight and the location being shipped to and are retrieved by placing the item in the shopping cart and proceeding to checkout. You do not need to actually place an order during this step. Please make note of the delivery charges associated with each item. The shipping prices are for the 50 United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. For faster shipping, please request as needed at firstname.lastname@example.com and we will provide appropriate quotes prior to any order being placed. NOTE: You may only request faster UPS or FedEx methods, not USPS Priority Mail.
FREE SHIPPING offers are valid only for deliveries inside the 48 contiguous United States. Costs will still apply for deliveries to Alaska and Hawaii. To determine these costs, please send an inquiry to email@example.com
International Shipping Now Available!
We have partnered with Bongo International to service our customers Worldwide!
Bongo International provides our customers with their very own US address. Once you have a US address, you will be able to make purchases with us as well as other US based online retailers. Bongo receives your purchases and logs them into their online system which you can use to view your items and consolidate them with multiple orders.
International customers can save up to 82% off typical international shipping rates by following these four easy steps:
|Register with Bongo and receive a U.S. shipping address.
|Enter the Bongo address as both your billing and shipping address.
|Use the credit card that you have on file with Bongo as the payment method.
|Once the order arrives at Bongo, log into your account to forward to your country.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Bongo through live chat or by e-mail. They will be glad to assist you.
Click on the Bongo logo in the corner to get started!
Note: We are unable to ship ghillie gear, ghillie accessories or sports optics / night vision internationally due to laws and regulations.
Any and all returns must be authorized by ORW within 14 days from the original invoice date. Shipping and Handling charges are non-refundable. ORW shall accept no returns without prior authorization. The Return Authorization (RA) number issued by ORW must be clearly marked on the outside of the package. Customer is responsible for any and all return shipping charges. ORW recommends the use of one of our approved carriers with proof of delivery for any return shipments. RA numbers issued by ORW are good for a period of 15 days. Returns must be received at ORW within the RA return period. RA numbers will only be issued within 14 days from the original invoice date. Opened products may be returned within 14 days of original invoice date with a valid RA number and carefully repackaged in ALL the original packaging. Please contact customer service at email@example.com for further information. Please allow 60 to 90 days for processing of return.
Please do NOT ship back unauthorized returns. Otherwise, the return claim may be automatically rejected and ORW customer will be responsible for return shipping costs.
Every item we sell is carefully inspected before it is shipped. We will exchange items if they are faulty on delivery to you and we are notified within 48 hours of the customer's receipt of the product.
As a reminder, all damaged, missing, or mistakenly shipped products must be reported to ORW within 48 hours of package delivery.
All claims associated with damaged package/product in transit will result in a call tag merchandise pickup arranged by ORW through its shipping carrier (i.e. UPS, FedEx, etc).
Damage claims must be filed within 48 hours after order delivery date; NO exceptions.
All return claims involving allegedly defective (non-damaged) or mis-shipped merchandise will result in the following action: ORW will provide a (prepaid) return shipping label to be affixed by the end customer for shipment back to ORW and/or its vendor partners. Once received, the merchandise will be inspected to determine whether the order was either mis-shipped or product was defective. ORW is responsible for return shipping cost if the return claim qualifies for product replacement. However, if order was correctly shipped and returned product is deemed non-defective, ORW customer is responsible for original return shipping costs incurred by ORW and any additional shipping costs required to re-ship said merchandise to the ORW customer location.
Exclusions: All oversized/flat rate shipping merchandise return shipping costs must be originally incurred by the ORW customer, with financial reimbursement by ORW if merchandise is found to be defective.
If non-defective merchandise received by ORW does not qualify for replacement, ORW customer is fully responsible for all shipping transit costs. ORW reserves the right to take ownership of said non-defective merchandise if ORW customer does not reimburse return shipping costs and outbound re-ship fees within 60 days. ORW will not offer financial reimbursement for returned non-defective products.
For most merchandise, items are warranted by the manufacturer for a minimum of 1 year. Hand-signed sports memorabilia may not be returned after 14 days under any circumstances. All return merchandise claims filed after 48 hours of original delivery date are strictly defined as a manufacturer warranty issue. During the warranty period should the customer require assistance with a warranty related issue the customer will address all warranty related issues direct with the manufacturer's customer service department and not with ORW directly. ORW customers are fully responsible for return shipping costs, regardless of whether merchandise is found to be defective. Abusive wear and tear of products may not necessarily qualify a returned product for warranty coverage. Certain merchandise may not qualify for return claim authorization after 14 days of delivery receipt (see above).
Goods are charged at price shown on the product pages on the date the customer places the order and are exclusive of VAT. Prices are correct at time of publication. Errors and omissions are accepted. Orders will be processed at our published prices; otherwise, in the case of any unexpected change in price, you will be informed and asked if you wish to reconsider your order before proceeding.
If we should receive a complaint about any part of our service, by phone, fax, e-mail or letter, then it will be dealt with promptly (we will reply within 5 working days). It will then be dealt with confidentially, and effectively.


text:
- OECD (2008), Going for Growth: Economic Policy Reforms–Structural policy, Indicators, Priorities and Analysis, Paris
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from the OECD by signing up for our e-newsletter :
To receive your exclusive paper editions delivered to you directly
NOTE: All signed articles in the OECD Observer express the opinions of the authors
and do not necessarily represent the official views of OECD member countries.
All rights reserved. OECD 2019


text:
The phrase "sex crime" is a generic term applied to any criminal allegation involving sexual activity such as rape, child molestation, sexual abuse, sexual battery, indecent exposure, prostitution, and lewd or lascivious conduct. Being accused of a sex crime in Florida could ruin every aspect of one's life. A sex crime charge will affect your reputation, your liberty, where you live, who you talk to, how you travel – literally every aspect of your life. Because of the publicity of past cases involving sex related offenses, especially those involving children, a person facing charges will more than likely face potential prejudice and discrimination from law enforcement, the jury and even court personnel.
The general designation of "sex crime" also includes allegations of attempted sexual misconduct arising out of an internet sex "sting" that don't actually involve real people. Increasingly law enforcement officers are taking to the internet on web-sites like Craigslist and Backpages advertising to meet individual interested in sexual activity. These "sting" operations often begin with online advertisements that purport to involve adults, but ultimately, in a bait and switch, turn into the police pretending to be the guardian of a child or a child interested in sexual activity. Criminal charges related to such cases include soliciting a child to engage in sexual activity, traveling to meet a minor for unlawful sexual activity or soliciting a parent or legal guardian to allow a child to engage in sexual activity.
All states, including Florida, have severe penalties in place for felony sex crime convictions. Penalties for some sex offenses range up to and include a mandatory minimum life prison sentence. If convicted of most sex offenses, one will have to register with a national and/or state sex offender registry, which usually includes having ones photograph posted on the internet.
Whenever you face criminal charges, you should talk to a lawyer before you say anything to police. At no time is this more important than when you are accused of a sex crime. Law enforcement investigators are lawfully permitted to misrepresent the "facts" when questioning a suspect or witness in any criminal investigation, including sex offense investigations. It is imperative that one seek legal advice before being questioned by law enforcement and utilize the constitutional right that every American has to seek legal counsel before answering questions in any criminal investigation. Contacting an attorney early on is critical.
Do not contact the victim or his/her family. Contacting the alleged victim can make your situation worse and it may appear that you are trying to influence a witness leading to additional charges.
When facing a charge for a sex offense, the most typical reaction is shame and embarrassment. At the criminal defense firm of DeThomasis & Buchanan, we provide clients with respectful, confidential, and non-judgmental representation while defending you against sex crime charges to preserve your rights and freedom. The successful resolution of a sex crime case requires a combination of effective legal counsel and thorough investigative techniques. Each attorney at the DeThomasis & Buchanan law firm has more than twenty-five years experience representing individuals charged with sex crimes. Each lawyer at the DeThomasis & Buchanan PA law firm has actual jury trial experience litigating sex crime charges. You can rest assured that any and all options will be pursued to secure the best possible outcome. This includes plea negotiations, trial defense, and alternative sentencing.
If you are accused of a Florida sex offense or if you are being investigated for one, you should speak to an attorney immediately to learn about your rights, your defense and the legal system. A competent sex crime lawyer can make a difference. If you or another member of your family is suspected for or has been accused of a sex crime, contact a Gainesville Sex Crime Attorney at DeThomasis & Buchanan for a legal consultation about your rights.


text:
So I have an email from Clifford Anthony Paiva, Missile Defense Physicist whose resume lists his education at the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School.
His claim: Noah's Ark EXACT Coordinates are at 39°42'33.07" N / 44°18'1.26" E and that imagery by National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) and Google Earth / Digital Globe is falsified and this constitutes THEFT of the heritage of the world by the US Government Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency.
He is enlisting help for an international reclamation effort for the reclamation and preservation of Noah's Ark.
Did I mention he found sea serpents in the San Francisco Bay?
Sound pretty legit to me!


text:
Hanshin Department Store in Umeda, Osaka for their Whisky World Fair (February 6-19, 2013) but is now available, while stocks last, in their regular liquor section. The Hanshin department store liquor section was nothing to write home about up until recently, but the fact that they made this - the first ever single cask from Eigashima - happen, may be a sign that things are changing in the basement there.
|Hanshin Whisky World Fair 2013


text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
New Publication Focuses on Frequently Asked Questions from Employers and Employees
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today issued a comprehensive question-and-answer guide addressing how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to a wide variety of performance and conduct issues. The document is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov/facts/performance-conduct.html.
"The EEOC continues to receive numerous questions on these topics from employers and from individuals with disabilities," said Commission Chair Naomi C. Earp, "indicating that there is still a high level of uncertainty about how the ADA affects these fundamental personnel issues. This document will serve a critical need and enhance compliance with the ADA."
The new guide makes clear that employers can apply the same performance standards to all employees, including those with disabilities, and emphasizes that the ADA does not affect an employer's right to hold all employees to basic conduct standards. At the same time, however, employers must make reasonable accommodations that enable individuals with disabilities to meet performance and conduct standards.
The guide reviews relevant ADA requirements and explains how they govern performance and conduct standards as applied to employees with disabilities. Through examples based on actual cases and specific scenarios that the EEOC has learned about from employers and individuals with disabilities, this guide explains when and how performance and conduct standards should be applied and the appropriate role of reasonable accommodation. The guide explains how and when employees should request accommodations to help them meet performance requirements and comply with conduct rules, and how an employer should handle such requests.
Other topics addressed include issues related to attendance, dress codes, and drug and alcohol use, and the circumstances in which employers can ask questions about an employee's disability when performance or conduct problems occur.
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


text:
Benefits will you get from Comodo SSL:
- No monthly or annual volume commitments
- Fast and easy management system which provides reporting and real time order tracking
- Dedicated account manager and full technical support provided by Comodo
- Immediate access to resell Comodo's entire range of security products and services at discounted rates
Many of your customers are required to have SSL on their websites, make sure they purchase them from you.
Comodo's partner programs let you easily generate long-term revenues by enhancing your service offerings with SSL Certificates. Our reseller interfaces allow you to control the entire SSL certificate issuance process on behalf your customers and feature full reporting and order management capabilities.
Our dedicated account managers have worked with thousands of partners over the years to make sure SSL Certificates become a reliable revenue stream for their businesses. Partnering with Comodo means embarking on a relationship with a partner that realizes your business is unique and one that has the expertise and technical knowledge to ensure you achieve your goals.


text:
When it comes to events like the recent school shooting in Newtown, Conn., there are knowns, unknowns and, already, mis-knowns. A photograph of Ryan Lanza circulated asserting he was the shooter, when in fact it was his brother, Adam Lanza. Their mother, Nancy Lanza, whom Adam killed, was reported to have been a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary, where the other shootings took place -- but she was not. The story of what happened Friday when 20 children and seven adults were killed has been written and rewritten, and it probably will be rewritten again.
Much can be learned from journalist Dave Cullen's illuminating 2009 book "Columbine," a deeply researched history of the 1999 Colorado shootings that proved much of what we thought we knew about them was wrong.
When two teenagers at Columbine High School killed 12 other students, a teacher and themselves, Cullen was among the first wave of reporters who rushed there to begin telling the story. "I ran with the journalistic pack that created the myths we are still living with," he wrote in an op-ed this summer after shootings at a Colorado movie theater left 12 dead. "We created those myths for one reason: We were trying to answer the burning question of why, and we were trying to answer it way too soon."
In "Columbine," Cullen admitted, "I was among the guilty parties." The narrative that was created in the moment was nearly indelible, yet not entirely correct. Cullen spent nine years researching the story of the survivors and the killers; David L. Ulin reviewed the book for The Times in 2009.
"Forget everything you thought you knew," Ulin wrote. "The girl who professed her faith in God before being gunned down in the library. The Trenchcoat Mafia and the feud between the goths and jocks. The idea that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold -- the two Columbine High School seniors who, on April 20, 1999, killed 12 of their fellow students and one teacher in what was, at the time, the worst school shooting in the history of the United States -- were disaffected, unpopular, motivated by resentment or revenge. Even the fact that the killings took place on Adolf Hitler's birthday was a coincidence: The boys had planned to do it a day earlier but hadn't been able to get the ammunition in time.
"All of this, Dave Cullen notes in 'Columbine,' his comprehensive account of the tragedy and its aftermath, is the story we've been given, the mythic version, the one that (if anything can) aspires to make a kind of sense. It's a rendering in which the pieces fit together and the terror of the day is mitigated by small moments of redemption, whispers of epiphany and grace.
"The problem, however, is that none of it happened -- or more accurately, none of it happened exactly like that. Instead, Cullen points out, the Columbine story was obscured from the outset: first, by the misperceptions of the witnesses, and then, almost immediately, by the misreporting of the media, which at its worst resembled nothing so much as an enormous game of telephone. 'The Columbine situation played out slowly,' Cullen writes, 'with the cameras rolling. Or at least it appeared that way: the cameras offered the illusion we were witnessing the event. But the cameras arrived too late. . . . We saw fragments. What the cameras showed us was misleading. . . . The data was correct; the conclusions were wrong.'"
Cullen's book was a finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize, won the Edgar Award for nonfiction, made bestseller lists and racked up a string of other accolades. "Indeed, if Cullen's book offers any overarching lesson," Ulin wrote, "it's that some stories can only be demystified by taking the long view -- especially a story as troublesome and complicated as this."
Following the Newtown tragedy, Cullen's perspective has been much in demand. He was on "The Rachel Maddow Show" on Friday and appeared on Katie Couric's show Monday.


text:
Music Together is a delightful, joyous approach to music-making with your child. Offered in three twelve-week sessions per year, Music Together offers families with children ages birth through seven an opportunity to sing, dance and play instruments in a relaxed, playful, non-performance-oriented setting. Our weekly classes are specifically designed to accommodate the unique learning style of the very young while being highly engaging to their adult companions.
The program nourishes parents' efforts to create a rich musical environment at home, regardless of their own musical abilities. In addition to the fun you will have in class, you will receive two professionally recorded CDs and a beautifully-illustrated songbook so you can continue the music-making fun at home. Families new to Music Together will also receive our parent DVD, "Music Together at Home: Helping Your Child Grow Musically."
Since 1987, Music Together has brought music into the lives of hundreds of thousands of families. Big Apple Music Together offers the classic Music Together mixed-age class for children newborn to age five, "Big Kids" classes for five-, six-, and seven-year-olds, and an introductory class for babies up to nine months.
Music Together is based on the philosophy that all children are musical. You may be surprised to find that you are, too! Call us to learn about visiting a class near you.
Music Together – Tot Music
Empire State Karate, 86 Terry Rd., Smithtown
Emilia's Dance Studio, 6090 Jericho Turnpike, Commack
Mills Pond House, 660 RT-25A, St James
Childbearing Family Alliance (CFA), 359 RT-111, Smithtown
Dix Hills United Methodist Church, 400 Deer Park Rd., Dix Hills
What Mamas are saying about Music Together:
The [Music Together] class time gives us an opportunity to share precious time together, since I, unfortunately, must work and be away from him during the workweek. Matthew is an only child, so the interaction with the other children has added to his socialization skills. Best of all, it has encouraged music as part of his life. –Sue, Music Together Parent
My husband teases me because whenever I mention Music Together to anyone he always pipes up my next line, which is "best money we ever spent." I truly mean it. Kudos to Ken and Lilli for a program that outshines any other I have seen around and these days there are many of them. Thanks again!
– Kim, Music Together Parent


text: Seller: lampdoctor32 (3,926) 100%, Location: Brooklyn, New York, Ships to: US & many other countries, Item: 401768364991 DescriptionPictured is an antique vintage pendant chandelier circa the 1940's. Original canopy ,chains suspend to brass ornaments that frame the glass shade which is white with a gold pattern at the top. Original patina ,rewired.Chandelier measures approximately 32 inches high and 9 inches wide. Chain can be shortened. Overseas sales are subject to your country's duties, fees, and taxes. So please know we are not responsible for these extra expenses. Check Us Out On Our Ebay AboutMe Page! Got any Questions? Contact us between 9am and 6pm Eastern Time Zone 7 Days a Week IMPORTANT ? PLEASE NOTE ? Policies - Vintage chandeliers include original canopy when canopy is shown in the pictures. When original canopy is not shown, a UL approved canopy will be provided. Decorative medallion on the ceiling in some photos is not included. Check Us Out On Our Ebay AboutMe Page! Got any Questions? Contact us via Ebay between 9am and 6pm Eastern Time Zone 7 Days a Week. All sales are final, so please ask any and all questions before buying or bidding. All Items will be partially disassembled and crystals removed as necessary for their safety in shipping. Assembly is the responsibility of the purchaser. Instructions and our phone number will be included in the box. Please ask all questions prior to purchasing. Items are vintage/antique and previously used. They may show signs of wear consistent with age, which only add to their charm and character. We photograph and describe all items to the best of our ability. All of our items are in good working order as shown in the photographs. These beautiful fixtures and chandeliers are vintage/antique and were designed many years ago. Drilled holes in the bobeches, cups, and various places in the body of the chandelier were made so that a designer or buyer could create a beautiful pattern of their choosing. Not every hole was meant to be filled with a crystal. Your chandelier will be delivered to you with the crystals pictured. ENJOY! We ship UPS ground insured. International packages ship directly through Ebay?s International Shipping Program. Items marked free shipping apply only to the lower 48 states.********** Condition: Professionally cleaned and rewired. Ready to hang., Room: dining room living room bedroom entrance, Size: Small, Decade: 1940s, Material: Brass, Original/Reproduction: Antique Original, Color: Gold, Style:: classic traditional


text:
The new PowerV Duo induction charger is just what you need to save your self the hassle of untangling wires, when your devices have finished charging.
The new PowerV Duo, from Konnet Technologies, is an induction charging dock that fits two Wiimotes and two USB devices and charges them simultaniously. All you need to do is place the Wiimotes on the PowerV Duo, with or without the Motion Plus and silicone casing, and wait for them to finish charging.
The PowerV Duo detects the remotes as soon as they're placed on it, and begins charging, according to its rechargeable battery strength. The LED indicator is red during the charging process and turns blue, once it has completed. To avoid unnecessary power wastage, the PowerV Duo stops charging as soon as the devices are fully charged.
You can get your very own PowerV Duo induction charger, from Konnet, for $35.
via TechChee


text:
With her 18th goal of the season, Daly broke Cristin Burtis' 1994 record for most goals in a single season.
"Rachel setting the record is phenomenal. I remember Cristin Burtis setting the record in 1994 and she was an unbelievable player," head coach Ian Stone commented. "You never think it is going to happen again. Their type of play is eerily similar, they both score big goals in multiple ways."
The Red Storm jumped to 9-4-2 (3-3-2) on the season in a crucial conference win at Belson Stadium in front of a season-high 974 fans on Saturday evening.
St. John's hosted a Score for the Cure event at the match which raised $367 for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
For the third consecutive game at Belson Stadium, the Red Storm and its opponent entered halftime with a 0-0 score.
In the 33rd minute the Pirates threatened to score on a breakaway down the line but Poulin charged to the top of the box to make a sliding save taking any chance at the long range shot away from Seton Hall.
Amy Marron recorded two shots on goal in the closing five minutes of the first half but Pirate keeper Jennifer Pettigrew was able to make consecutive saves to hold the Red Storm scoreless.
The Red Storm's first shot of the second half came from Lara Pederson who dashed inside the box and drilled the ball from the right side of the congested box.
Pederson's shot dinged off the crossbar and sailed towards Daly who was anxiously fighting off Seton Hall defenders on the far side of the box. The Big East's leading scorer connected on a header as she leaped over her opponents and scored the game-winner at 73:27.
Pederson was credited with the first assist of her career in Daly's record-setting goal.
"I'm speechless. It is a feeling I never thought I would feel, especially in my first season," Daly stated. "I'm a very determined player but if it wasn't for my teammates I wouldn't have scored the goals."
Following St. John's go-ahead goal, the two squads continued to exchange possession but saw no real chances at the net.
The Red Storm closes out the regular season at home on Saturday, Nov. 2, when St. John's welcomes DePaul for an 8 p.m. match.


text:
GCSurplus has just introduced a new commodity entitled "Rail car and rail relate...
This sale is subject to all applicable federal and provincial sales taxes. Taxes are in addition to your bid price.
Microwave Digestion System
Shipping Dimensions & Weight:
Inspection and Pick-up
All sales are final. No purchased Goods may be returned and no requests for reimbursement in whole or in part will be accepted.


text:
In my last post, Function over Form: understanding the TCP encoding philosophy, I provided insights into the markup behind TCP texts, and discussed the philosophy behind why certain textual elements are captured and some are not.
This post is primarily concerned with the discovery of a potentially unique version of a poem, found in one of our texts. However, because this poem was a handwritten addition it is necessary to first revisit the TCP encoding philosophy, and provide an overview of TCP's approach to dealing with handwriting in text. Readmore »


text:
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provide valuable information on chemicals as well as procedures for handling and working with a substance safely. The SDS includes information such as physical data (boiling point, flash point, etc.), health effects, toxicity, first aid, storage, disposal, personal protective equipment, and spill/leak procedures.
© The University of Texas at San Antonio | One UTSA Circle, San Antonio TX 78249 | Information: 210-458-4011 | UTSA Police: 210-458-4242


text:
By Matt Windsor • Illustrations by Tim Rocks and Jessica Huffstutler
In some ways, America's obesity problem has the simplest of solutions. If we could reduce the calories in our diets and increase the time we spend exercising, we could virtually guarantee ourselves longer lives and billions in health-care savings.
But that's a big "if." Despite persistent public health messages, physicians' warnings, and other outreach efforts in recent years, Americans are heavier than ever. Fresh ideas are desperately needed. Dozens of UAB research teams are engaged in the search for answers, exploring everything from new motivational techniques to a field-ready tool for measuring body fat. Learn more about four of these investigators and their big ideas:
A Better Way for Weight Loss?
Muscle Is Medicine in "Gain to Lose" Approach
Kevin Fontaine, Ph.D., has an idea for a better way to lose weight, and the professor in UAB's Department of Health Behavior already has a catchy title: Gain to Lose. He also has some seed funds to develop his idea thanks to the Back of the Envelope Awards, a program in the UAB School of Public Health that acts like a venture capital fund for innovative research proposals.
The conventional approach to losing weight is to "restrict how much you eat and exercise more," Fontaine says. The problem with that, he notes, "is you tend to get indiscriminate weight loss—you lose muscle and other lean tissue along with the fat."
Losing lean tissue compromises metabolism. That could be one reason why many people who do lose weight can't seem to keep off the pounds in the long term. "The question we're trying to answer with Gain to Lose is, can you produce discriminated weight loss?" says Fontaine. "We want to focus on losing body fat, not just weight."
Gain to Lose doesn't start with diet, but with increasing muscle mass. "Muscle is medicine," Fontaine says. "It burns calories, stokes metabolism, and enhances overall physical functioning."
The initial stages of Gain to Lose will "focus on exercise to promote a mild increase in muscle and lean tissue," Fontaine says. This muscle will act like a bank account for when the dieting begins. "You're trying to increase savings so that when you start withdrawing, you will be ahead of the game," he explains.
Just any old exercise won't do. "Aerobic exercise, like running or walking, certainly has its place, but I want to focus on the particular types of exercise that promote or enhance muscle," Fontaine says. That includes things like weight training, he notes. "But I'd like to eventually develop a protocol where people wouldn't need to go to a gym—they could do the exercises using their own body weight," such as sit-ups, chin-ups, or pull-ups.
In the diet phase of his plan, Fontaine will focus on restricting carbohydrates such as sugary snacks, bread, and pasta. "These create an increase in insulin, which promotes fat storage," he says. "We'll have people gradually decrease carbs, which should produce fat loss but preserve or at least slow muscle loss at the same time."
The first step will be to hold small trials to "flesh out the protocol" in preparation for a large, randomly controlled study in the future, says Fontaine. His goal is to keep the plan slim and trim, emphasizing things people can do on their own. "I'm in public health," he says. "I always want to think how we can make interventions simple so that they can be available to and used by as many people as possible."
Fitness to Go
Need some coaching on fitness and nutrition? The UAB Campus Recreation Center brings experts, classes and more to groups and workplaces across the Birmingham area through its Wellness Catering program. Learn more about the initiative and discover five ways to stay active at the office.
Snap Fat
Photobody Study Examines High-Tech Replacement for BMI
The old saying in Hollywood is that the camera adds 10 pounds. But UAB obesity researcher Olivia Affuso, Ph.D., thinks that the right software could transform even a basic digital camera into a very accurate judge of body fatness.
Her study, appropriately named Photobody, is funded by the National Institutes of Health. The country's research heavyweight is seeking an inexpensive, portable, and simple way to measure body fat in large-scale epidemiological research studies. Affuso, along with co-investigators David Allison, Ph.D., and Chengcui Zhang, Ph.D., is developing just such a solution.
Body fat is a crucial measure of a patient's health, or the effectiveness of a treatment. Most studies use body mass index (BMI) as a proxy for body fat because it has several advantages. For one, it's a fairly simple calculation that only requires two inputs: a participant's weight and height. Research also shows that BMI is a good gauge of a person's risk for everything from heart disease to breathing issues and some cancers. But "BMI has its limitations," Affuso explains. "If you are very muscular, you can fall into the overweight category even if you are normal weight. Or it can underestimate body fat in people who are normal weight but have low muscle mass."
To get more accurate readings, investigators at UAB and elsewhere turn to DXA (pronounced dexa) scanners. "The problem is that a DXA scanner is well over $100,000, so not many places outside of major universities actually have one—and it is not portable without a truck," Affuso says.
But trained body composition assessors are often able to guess a person's body fat with a high level of accuracy just by looking at them, Affuso explains. That gave the UAB researchers an idea. "We're using techniques with foundations in photogrammetry, as well as some topography, to train a computer to recognize body fat," says Affuso. In her lab/photo studio at the UAB School of Public Health, Affuso's team takes three pictures of volunteers aged 6 to 80. Advanced computer algorithms designed by Zhang then analyze the photos and spit out an assessment of the person's body fat percentage and compares that information to the DXA. The system is now covered by a patent.
The goal is to "come up with an easy, portable, inexpensive, easily replicated way to assess body composition," Affuso says. Researchers could take the system into the field—to do long-term evaluations of body fat for an obesity intervention at a school, for example, "instead of bringing all the participants in here, as we have to do now."
The technology also has clinical applications, Affuso adds. "This would be a great way for physicians to help their patients look at weight change over time."
Feedback Loop
Social Networking for Behavior Change
Nefertiti Durant, M.D., wanted to know how the Internet could help young African-American women lose weight. To find out, the UAB adolescent medicine physician is taking an approach straight out of Silicon Valley: crowdsourcing.
In a series of studies, Durant is refining a Web-based, culturally relevant tool to help participants—African-American women ages 19 to 30—stick with a moderate walking program. Her site lets participants track their diets and physical activity, find healthy recipes, and discuss their successes and setbacks on message boards.
"We had very good findings in phase 1," says Durant. "We showed an increase in moderate physical activity of 81 minutes," along with an increase in HDL, the "good" cholesterol. The biggest problem was "keeping the young women in the study," Durant says. Almost half of the original participants dropped out during the six-month project. "But of those who did stay in, 85 percent enjoyed the tool and the program in general."
Styles Matter
Durant set about revamping the project for a second phase, using her original participants as a focus group. Hair turned out to be a major exercise obstacle for the young women, Durant says. The sweat from a workout can quickly destroy a salon-fresh style, especially chemical-intensive "relaxed" hair. "Everyone wants to look nice, particularly women at this age," Durant says.
Durant added a blog on hair care advice, including entries on special headbands and shampoos to preserve hairstyles. She also addressed another concern: photos. The original study site featured pictures of trim women exercising. "They wanted to see women of more diverse shapes and hairstyles," Durant says. "They said, 'We want to see people like us, not models.'" She scheduled a photo shoot at Birmingham's Railroad Park and added images of a wide range of women working out. She also optimized the site for viewing on smartphones—a must-have feature for this age group, Durant says.
Preliminary data indicates the changes made a big difference. "We again saw a significant increase in moderate physical activity, but this time we had 80 percent retention," Durant says. "We also saw increases in participants' reported social support."
The participants were outspoken in support of Durant's requirement that they connect by blogging and posting messages about their experiences. "They had formed real bonds," Durant says. "Some posted messages several times a day. They would write some very touching things. It was a safe space to tell their story with people who understand." The redesigned website is now open to the public at www.loveyourheartaha.com.
Tell It Like It Is
In a new project, tentatively titled Fit Heart Narratives, Durant is exploring the power of storytelling as a motivational tool. She plans to create a series of videos in which participants tell their stories of battling obesity.
The idea builds on a successful project led by former UAB faculty member Jeroan Allison, M.D., who filmed patients with hypertension talking about their successes and failures in keeping their blood pressure under control. Patients who saw the videos in addition to their usual doctor's visit had better outcomes than those who spoke to a doctor alone, Durant says. The concept is now being adopted nationwide.
"People always talk about the successes," Durant says. "That's what you hear in the weight-loss ads on TV. But our participants have said, 'We want to hear the beginning, the middle, and the end. We want to hear it all, not just the good stuff. We want to know how you overcame the struggles.'"
Text This, Not That
One of Durant's colleagues in the Department of Preventive Medicine, Jasmine Pagan, M.D., is studying text messaging as a motivational tool. Several women in Durant's original study agreed to brainstorm texts that could help peers push through obstacles to working out. "They each wrote the messages they would like to hear," Durant says. "Then my staff texted them out over a couple of weeks, and the girls re-rated them." After several iterations, "we now have a bank of messages that address shame, hair problems, feeling like you don't have enough time to work out, and more," Durant says. She and Pagan plan to keep the writing and review process going with future groups.
Durant hopes to combine all of these insights into a single study in a large population. Her goal is to create a research-tested tool she can use in her own practice to connect with patients—and connect them with each other. "They know what they need to do," she says. "We just have to find a way to nudge them."
Pump It Up
Bringing Multisite Trials to Exercise Medicine
Marcas Bamman, Ph.D., wants to take exercise research to a whole new level. "While we all know that some exercise is good for us, there are a number of scientific questions that have yet to be answered," says Bamman, director of the UAB Center for Exercise Medicine (UCEM). "What's the right exercise dose for a patient with heart disease versus someone with Alzheimer's, or a patient who has just had a joint replacement? How often should they exercise, and at what intensity?"
Studies to answer those questions are already under way at UCEM, Bamman says, but no single site can generate the data needed to make definitive recommendations for every type of patient. Bamman illustrates his point by citing a recent UCEM study, in which investigators tested a hybrid workout regimen for patients with Parkinson's disease. "Two things are happening in Parkinson's that we haven't much of an answer to before," Bamman says. First, patients have an "increased perception of fatigue—they just don't want to do much," he explains. Second, their mitochondria—the powerhouses of the cell—have reduced capacity, not just in the brain but "all over the body."
Bamman's team designed a workout that would improve patients' mitochondrial capacity while reducing their perception of fatigue. "It combines strength training with high-intensity intervals so that patients rest very little during the exercise sessions," which last about 45 minutes, Bamman says. By the time fatigue takes over, the sessions are done. In a pilot study, Bamman notes, "we had really good responses."
But what if there was something about the participants' ethnicity or genetic makeup that skewed the results? It's possible that the UAB investigators just know how to push patients to perform harder, where other, less-experienced instructors might fail. "Not everyone responds the same way to certain drugs or devices, and exercise falls into that same category," Bamman says.
To get truly definitive results, Bamman continues, exercise researchers need to follow the standard practice for drug treatments and expand into collaborative multisite research. He's leading the way by founding a national exercise clinical trials network known as NExTNet, with UAB as the coordinating center. NExTNet already has 48 member institutions, and a first meeting is scheduled to take place at UAB in February 2014.
Adding more patients, and therefore more statistical power to the results, is one benefit of such a network, Bamman says. "But another major one is that you can standardize the conduct of the treatment itself," he adds. "Today, one site will prescribe a three-day-per-week exercise regimen, with a very particular intensity or type of equipment." And even though on the surface the regimens seem the same, "another site may define a very different intensity, or use different equipment," potentially skewing the results, says Bamman. "Just like any trial, the first step is to make sure we collect data the same way."
Bamman's UAB team recently submitted a two-site exercise trial with a group from the University of Kentucky, which will take advantage of the NExTNet infrastructure. "We have visited each other's facilities and have matched equipment and testing procedures, so we're not combining apples and oranges," Bamman says. "Our goal for the network is to stimulate interactions that will catapult this field forward into the treatment realm with definitive exercise prescriptions."
Pioneering a Team-Based Approach to Weight Loss
Experts from the UAB Health System, School of Medicine, and School of Health Professions have joined forces in a new, team-based approach to address Alabama's obesity crisis. The UAB Weight Loss Medicine program, the only one of its kind in the Southeast, builds on UAB's successful EatRight approach, which includes physicians, dietitians, behaviorists, and exercise trainers to help participants achieve a goal weight. The program will also work with patients to prevent excessive weight gain during post-injury rehabilitation, breast cancer treatment, and other high-risk conditions. Learn more at www.uabmedicine.org/weightloss.
Get Involved
• See if you are eligible to participate in a UAB clinical trial.
• Give something and change everything for UAB exercise and weight-loss research.


text:
Add Your Review
PowerSensor saves up to 80% energy costsPowerSensor is a built-in 'people sensor' that transmits and receives harmless infrared signals to determine if user is present and automatically reduces monitor brightness when user steps away from the desk, cutting energy costs by up to 80 percent and prolonging monitor lifeAMVA LED for wide-view super-high contrast, vivid imagesPhilips AMVA LED display uses an advanced multi-domain vertical alignment technology which gives you super-high static contrast ratios for extra vivid and bright images. While standard office applications are handled with ease, it is especially suitable for photos, web-browsing, movies, gaming, and demanding graphical applications. It's optimized pixel management technology gives you 178/178 degree extra wide viewing angle, resulting in crisp images even in 90 degree pivot modeSmartErgoBase enables people-friendly ergonomic adjustmentsThe SmartErgoBase is a monitor base that delivers ergonomic display comfort and provides cable management. The base's people-friendly height, swivel, tilt and rotation angle adjustments position the monitor for maximum comfort that can ease the physical strains of a long workday; cable management reduces cable clutter and keeps the workspace neat and professional.HDMI ensures universal digital connectivityAn HDMI-ready device has all the required hardware to accept High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input. A HDMI cable enables high-quality digital video and audio all transmitted over a single cable from a PC or any number of AV sources (including set-top boxes, DVD players, A/V receivers and video cameras).Low bezel-to-table height for maximum reading comfortThe Philips monitor, thanks to its advanced SmartErgoBase, can be lowered down almost to desk level for a comfortable viewing angle. Low bezel-to-table height is the perfect solution if you use bifocals, trifocals or progressive lens glasses for your computing work. Additionally, it allows for users with greatly different heights to use the monitor in their preferred angle and height settings, helping them reduce fatigue and strain.Webcam to connect and collaborateEmbedded webcam and microphone enables you to view and communicate with your colleagues and clients. This simple solution allows you to collaborate and share, saving precious time and travel related costs.DisplayPort offers audio and video over a single, long cableDisplayPort is a digital link from PC to Monitor without any conversion. With higher capabilities than DVI standard, it is fully capable to support up to 15meter cables and 10.8 Gbps/sec data transfer. With this high performance and zero latency, you get the fastest imaging and refresh rates - making DisplayPort the best choice for not only general office or home use, but also for the demanding gaming and movies, video editing and more. It also keeps interoperability in mind via use of various adapters.USB Hub with 3 ports for easy connectionsUSB Hub allows user to conveniently connect their plug and play multimedia devices such as USB memory devices, camera, portable HDD, Web camera, PDA, Printer and many other devices which has USB connection available. The conveniently located USB 2.0 Hub on the monitor allows USB 2.0 signals to pass thru to the computer. Note that many devices like cameras and HDD may need to be powered On independently, as they have higher power requirements than the monitor USB Hub can provide.Built-in stereo speakers for multimediaA pair of high quality stereo speakers built into a display device. It can be visible front firing, or invisible down firing, top firing, rear firing, etc depending on model and design.65% post consumer recycled plastics with TCO EdgeTCO Edge certification is given to products which go beyond existing eco-labeling programs. Over and above standard TCO requirements, it further mandates that the product uses minimum 65% of post consumer recycled plastics, is energy efficient, uses minimal hazardous materials, has 100% recyclable packaging, and is designed for easy recycling amongst other requirements. You can rest assured that this Philips monitor is a cutting edge technology product which is best in class ICT, benefitting you and the planet while helping you make a responsible green IT purchase!PVC-BFR free housingThis Philips monitor housing is free from brominated flame retardant and polyvinyl chloride (PVC-BFR free)
Brand: PhilipsSpeaker Stereo: 2x 2WPanel Type: AMVA LEDResolution: 1920 x 1080Contrast RatioTypical: 5000:1SmartContrast: 20,000,000:1Panel Size: 27" (68.6cm)Response Time: SmartResponse: 6ms (grey to grey)Brightness: 300 cd/m²I/O Ports:DisplayPortHDMIDVI-D (digital, HDCP)VGA (Analog)USB2.0 x 3Audio InHeadphone OutDimension:With Stand: 639 x 580 x 242mm Without Stand: 639 x 405 x 64mmPower Consumption:Eco Mode: 23WStandard Mode: 27.7WStandby Mode: 0.3W
Be the first to review this product
Only registered users can write reviews. Please, log in or register
© 2013-2017 Able Home & Office. All rights reserved.
Accepted Payment Method


text:
Loading Map....
Date(s) - 09/24/2018
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The Friendly Community Center
Enjoy all of the benefits of yoga with the support of a chair. Learn common chair yoga poses and breathing techniques while increasing strength and flexibility.
Time: Mondays 3 – 4 PM
Instructor: Kimberly Matthew
Membership: Basic ( Free)
Reservations"**You should have received your log in information via email after registering for your first program or event.
Reservations are closed for this event.


text:
Simmons is the vice-chairman and co-founder of Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, an organization that gives disadvantaged urban youth exposure and access to the arts. It also provides under-represented artists and artists of color opportunities to exhibit their work.
The 20-member NYSCA promotes all fields of the arts as a State cultural resource and gives grants-in-aid to nonprofit cultural organizations.
"Danny and his Foundation staff have helped expose youth from my Senate District to the visual and cultural arts," said Montgomery.
Simmons has worked with and supported youth through organizations such as the Brooklyn Museum, Pratt Institute, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Simmons' appointment follows Governor David Paterson's proposal to cut the 2009-10 state budget spending for the arts by $8.3 million, an action that will impact 55 cultural institutions in Brooklyn, according to the New York State Alliance for the Arts.
Simmons praised Montgomery for backing the arts in Brooklyn.
"Brooklyn is fast becoming the 'go to' place in New York State for cutting edge arts and culture, and your support of the arts has paved the way for this to happen," said Simmons.


text:
Deal of the Day
Up To
Incentives Available: $1,000 Dealer Discount Or Special Financing
Incentives Available: $1,000 Dealer Discount Or Special Financing Or Special Lease
World Toyota is home to an extensive selection of new Toyota models. Our lot features models like the Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Highlander. For those who need the capability of a pickup truck, we have the Toyota Tacoma. You can also find popular sedans, such as the Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla, in our inventory. If you're looking for a Toyota, Atlanta drivers will be pleased to step onto our lot.
If you're looking for the reliability of Toyota, Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Alpharetta, GA drivers will be pleased to visit World Toyota. Browse our inventory online or check it out in person today.
* Dealer Doc Fee: $599 and Electronic Fee: $98 are included in pricing. Dealer retains all Toyota incentives. All vehicle prices are plus tax, title, and plate. The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, finance charges, and any other fees required by law. We attempt to update this inventory on a regular basis. However, there can be a delay between the sale of a vehicle and the update of the inventory. Pricing and availability may vary based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to options, specials, fees, and financing qualifications. The estimated selling price that appears after calculating dealer offers is for informational purposes only. You may not qualify for the offers, incentives, discounts, or financing. Dealer and Toyota offers, incentives, discounts, or financing are subject to expiration and other restrictions. See dealer for qualifications and complete details. All advertised vehicles are subject to actual dealer availability. Certain vehicles listed may not be available, or may have different prices. All vehicle prices are plus tax, title, and plate. The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, finance charges, and any other fees required by law. Vehicle option and pricing are subject to change. Pricing and availability varies by dealership. Please check with your dealer for more information. Prices do not include dealer charges, such as advertising, that can vary by manufacturer or region, or costs for selling, preparing, displaying or financing the vehicle. Images displayed may not be representative of the actual trim level, optional equipment, or color of a vehicle. Colors shown are the most accurate representations available. However, due to the limitations of web and monitor color display, we cannot guarantee that the colors depicted will exactly match the color of the car. Information provided is believed accurate, but all specifications, pricing, and availability must be confirmed in writing (directly) with the dealer to be binding. Neither the Dealer nor Autofusion is responsible for any inaccuracies contained herein and by using this application you the customer acknowledge the foregoing and accept such terms.
Service writer Matthew was cordial, informative and did not appear too pushy. Work was done quickly, correctly and not overpriced. Very pleasant experience. Highly recommended.


text:
To any viewer who thinks "Sons of Anarchy" is too violent, consider the bright side: At least the castration scene got … um … deleted.
Kurt Sutter, creator of the drama about a California motorcycle gang, presented the idea of showing a character getting the unkindest cut early in the run of the show, now FX's highest-rated. But he backed off after the network's chief objected.
"I have no filters," Sutter said with a laugh. "I just assume everyone feels the way I do about things."
In the wake of December's Connecticut school shootings, TV violence has moved back into the policy debate. The head of the National Rifle Assn. controversially attacked the entertainment industry — including music videos and video games — for portraying "murder as a way of life."
The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the broadcast networks, has rules meant to curb language and sex on TV, but despite the persistent debate over real-life violence, it has no specific prohibitions on media violence. So the networks attempt to govern themselves through so-called standards and practices departments that read every script and watch every episode on the lookout for violence as well as sex and language deemed excessive. The departments typically have around 10 full-time staffers, many of whom are lawyers or have legal training.
Networks have long preferred to keep the process shrouded in mystery, perhaps to avoid laying down public precedents that could then be challenged. None of the four major broadcasters would allow a standards and practices official to talk on the record for this article, although some executives did not want to speak on the record.
While some show runners complain that the rules are arbitrary and amorphous, some critics argue that the "S and P" units aren't doing their jobs at all. Some of the most popular series on TV right now are also among the most violent, including AMC's "The Walking Dead," Showtime's "Dexter," CBS' "Criminal Minds" and Fox's new hit "The Following." ABC's terrorism thriller "Scandal" recently drew criticism with a lengthy torture scene. Network chiefs were put on the defensive last month as reporters asked about the many serial-killer shows slashing their way through prime time, including an upcoming NBC drama based on fictional murderer Hannibal Lecter.
Some networks seem to be more permissive than others. A recent study by the Parents Television Council, a lobbying group and frequent entertainment-industry critic, examined prime-time programming on all five broadcast networks for two weeks this year. Heavily dependent on crime hits such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "NCIS," CBS was deemed the most violent network, with 33 scenes with violent gunplay during the period. It was trailed by ABC (14), Fox (nine) and NBC (four). CW had no violent scenes during the period. The study did not look at FX and other cable networks, which are not regulated by the FCC and where the standards tend to be much more permissive.
"If you were to ask the average viewer on the street, I think they would be surprised to hear that networks still have standards and practices departments at all," said Melissa Henson, the group's director of communications and public education. "They have this reputation of coming down all the time, but they really don't do much" to stem violence on TV.
But networks say they rely on viewers to tell them where the boundaries are — and in any case, no definitive evidence proves that violent depictions cause real-life violence. (Some studies, however, have suggested that TV violence can desensitize certain viewers, especially young children.)
"I don't think you can make the leap of shows about serial killers causing the violence that we have in our country," NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt recently said, in the kind of demurral typical in the industry. TV veterans like to point out that onstage violence far predates the invention of their medium.
Network executives say they are constantly weighing how much violence they can show — despite what some skeptics might think. That is especially true when a mass shooting such as the one at Sandy Hook Elementary casts an unwelcome spotlight on the subject. "This has come up repeatedly, usually once a decade or so," said Tim Brooks, a TV historian and former research executive for Lifetime and USA cable networks.
But producers complain that the rules are always changing so it's often hard to know where the boundaries are. "For me the frustration is that it's so arbitrary, and it changes from season to season," Sutter said.
Still, there are some lines. Neal Baer, the former show runner of NBC's "Law & Order: SVU," said CBS has a prohibition against showing a bullet entering the human body, although showing the aftermath of a shooting is fine. (CBS declined to comment.) NBC's Hannibal Lecter series will reportedly follow a similar path: Lots of bodies, but not many killings shown.
CBS will air Baer's next show, "Under the Dome," an adaptation of the sci-fi novel by Stephen King about the social breakdown of a small town cut off from the outside world. The Sandy Hook shootings have made him think hard about how violence will be depicted, but Baer said he hasn't changed anything because of the tragedy. "We're thinking about the social ramifications and how do we present that in a compelling way," he said.
Brooks said the networks' S and P offices have wielded power since the early 1960s, after a public uproar over the now-forgotten series "Bus Stop." Critics were outraged that the pop idol Fabian played a psychopathic serial killer, arguing that it presented the wrong image to teenagers. Congress responded with the "'Bus Stop' hearings" designed to stem TV violence. Spooked, the networks decided to regulate themselves and began pulling back on the gritty stuff.
But as any viewer today knows, violence has come back bigger than ever, especially as cable programming has exploded over the past decade. The antihero of "Dexter" dreams up ever-more-chilling ways to dispatch his bad-guy victims. Zombies munch on human flesh in "Walking Dead." Even on CBS — the most-watched network and also the oldest-skewing — the "CSI" franchise is built around the up-close autopsies of crime victims.
Although viewers sometimes complain about violence, they tend to get more irked by raw language or sexuality. Often they rationalize violence as long as it's familiar to a genre, such as horror, or has a moralistic message attached. Brooks recalls a focus group 20 years ago when he worked for USA Network. Some parents talked about how much they liked the show "Walker, Texas Ranger," which featured Chuck Norris as a crime fighter who took out the bad guys with martial-arts moves.
When the moderator pointed out that research had determined "Walker" was one of the most violent shows on TV, the room fell silent. Then one woman piped up and said that might be true, but it was OK because Norris played a good guy who helped people in trouble.
Sutter said that principle applies even on "Sons of Anarchy," where the boundaries between good and evil are much murkier than on "Walker."Still, he is astonished by what he sees as hypocrisy over on-screen violence.
"I'm amazed sometimes at the level of violence we get away with on my show," he said. "Yeah, it's OK to watch a girl burn to death, but God forbid I show a piece of her nipple. The sex boundaries are much more delineated and adhered to than the violence."


text:
Official cheerleading aside, many think China is going to struggle to meet that 7.5% growth goal this year.
Try less than half, said contrarian investor Marc Faber, who thinks real and current growth for the Godzilla economy is around 4%. But the author of The Gloom, Doom and Boom report said investors should be thanking their lucky stars that the economy is not zipping along as fast as officials are saying it is.
"I'm not saying that 4% is as good as 8%, but it would be better to grow at 4% without a credit bubble than at 8% with a colossal credit bubble that will lead down the road to even larger problems," Faber told CNBC late Wednesday, adding that what's going on in China right now is not just a credit bubble but a "gigantic credit bubble."
It's better for everyone and pares back on that credit risk if China's economy grows at a slower rate, he said.
Chinese bubble fears have been boiling over this week, triggered by disastrous trade data over the weekend and fresh worries that yet another Chinese company is headed for a bond default. Dr. Copper, which gets its nickname from the commodity's perceived ability to predict turning points in the global economy, has been in the ICU. On Thursday, copper prices were looking at a third session of trading at levels not seen since July 2010.
Faber says investors don't need to read any tea leaves to guess what's going on.
"...why is the China stock market doing so badly if everything is so great? Why is the price of iron ore collapsing and copper prices going down if everything is so great?" he asked. "If you look at the import figures of the trading partners of China, they are all actually showing that exports of China are hardly growing."
China officials put their best Laker Girl impression on Thursday, rolling out Premier Li Keqiang's news conference to mark the end of the country's annual legislative session. The Shanghai Composite duly rallied (though maybe that's because those stocks duly tanked the day prior) after he said the government stands by its 7.5% growth target.
Li said the economy has "great potential and resilience" and is capable of meeting that target. And while they're also closely monitoring the economy to ensure there are no "regional and systemic financial risks," some defaults may be inevitable. But Li was overshadowed a bit by disappointing industrial-production and retail-sales growth readings that came out Thursday, though some downplayed the data.
Maybe Faber is a contrarian, but he's not the only one out there who isn't buying China's growth story. Saxo Bank's Steen Jakobsen says he agrees, and long-term growth for China is more in the region of 4% to 6%. But he says it's not like we haven't seen this before. Japan's economy grew 8% to 12% in the 1950s, and then 5% to 8% in the 1970s and early 1980s, then 0% for the rest. It's part of the industrial cycle and planned economy that produces bubbles at times based on bad allocation of resources and capital, he says.
China's a "good story," but investors should be looking for value over falling in love with a good narrative. "There is NO VALUE right now in Asia -- it is overleveraged and in dire need of a new business model ... but people in 'love' continue to buy the 7.5%," says Jakobsen.
Faber did end that interview on a cheery note. The China juggernaut will probably not even crash and burn like everyone thinks, because the Fed is likely to come to the rescue with its money-printing machine. If China keeps performing badly and the global economy grinds to a halt, then that will be one more excuse for the "clowns at the Fed" to delay tapering, said Faber.
-- Barbara Kollmeyer writes for MarketWatch. Follow her on @bkollmeyer
More must-reads from MarketWatch:
Copper prices may have hit the bottom, next move up: Barclays
Iron-ore prices decline may slow as banks take control


text:
- A stun-gun that looks like a Playtex tampon? If only finding a tampon in the bottom of our bags wasn't so goddamn difficult, we'd actually be into this. [Feministing]
- A travel industry is sprouting up around the new trend of couples who go on vacations specifically to conceive. Guess alcohol is out of the question. [ABCNews]
- Speaking of babies, mothers nowadays are telling their daughters to focus on their careers before having children. Hey, considering the news about a possible new anti-menopause pill, that might actually be a pretty realistic suggestion! [Telegraph]