This weekend, Hangzhou, a Chinese city famous for the Alibaba headquarters, kites and silk products, will host the latest G20 Summit.
The hope is that the decisions made at the meeting will send the global economy soaring like those kites for which the city is known. But with geopolitical tensions and terrorist attacks still threatening to blow things off course, leaders will have their work cut out.
To make things tougher, the starting point is not great. Global trade has plateaued . Export volumes have dropped in emerging Asia, Japan and the United States. And FDI flows are expected to decline in what's left of 2016.
Whether or not it can be achieved will largely depend on if and how leaders can pick up and strengthen their work and commitment in trade and investment cooperation, in addition to two existing pillars of fiscal and finance cooperation. So what must they do?
They should start by endorsing the terms of reference of the G20 trade and investment working group (TIWG), and define it as a sustainable platform for trade and investment cooperation.
Trade and investment have been two important engines of global economic growth. But throughout G20 history, trade and investment cooperation has been rather ad hoc and intermittent – surprising given its significance to the world economy.
There are positive signs. For example, all G20 members have actively participated in three TIWG meetings over the past seven months, with support from the B20 and T20, as well as key international organizations. Thanks to the TIWG's preparation work, G20 trade ministers made a joint statement in July – the first trade ministers' official statement in G20 history – which encompassed three policy documents on global trade growth strategy, investment policy principles and working mechanism, and two consensuses about supporting multilateral trading system and strengthening inclusive global value chains.
Active participation of G20 members in the TIWG shows the existence of a consensus on the value and potential of a trade and investment working mechanism. This has also proven to be effective in helping trade ministers reach agreements on various important issues.
Leaders should recognize this consensus and instruct members to sustain this TIWG working scheme to promote trade and investment cooperation as a key pillar for the G20 in the future.
As a second step, leaders at the G20 Summit should inject a stronger political impetus for trade and investment cooperation by highlighting a few key principles and frameworks.
Trade ministers have made progress in agreeing on a couple of substantial issues, including plans to combat trade restrictive measures, to increase the coherence of trade and investment policies, and to enhance the transparency of regional trade agreements. If leaders could give further signals in some of these important areas, it will make a positive contribution to invigorating global economic growth and employment.
It is worth noting here that the G20 has for the first time agreed on a set of principles for investment policy. From the very beginning, there was a big gap in this area among members. Developed economies called for policies that included open, transparent and non-discriminatory principles. Developing countries put more weight on the development dimension of investment policies, insisting on a bigger domestic policy space.
After more than 10 rounds of negotiations, trade ministers reached an agreement on nine principles for investment policy. Although the work done towards these non-binding norms may look like baby steps, it lays a good foundation for future cooperation on investment. More importantly, it shows the G20 is a valuable framework that can facilitate consensus-building and deliver forward-looking outcomes.
Leaders can also draw lessons from the TIWG achievements and bring these into future G20 presidencies.
One important lesson will be to ensure there are regular interactions between G20 officials and independent, specialized experts. According to a comment made by a senior official, many TIWG outcomes have stemmed from the G20 representatives who participated in a workshop organized by ICTSD and T20 in Nanjing in April 2016 prior to the second TIWG meeting.
There are two main advantages of such interactions between G20 officials and independent experts. The first is that they bring and generate independent and global views. Participating officials and experts do not represent their countries or institutions; instead, they are global citizens discussing possible trade and investment cooperation under the G20 in a free and non-negotiating environment. This helps G20 officials prepare for the TIWG with a clear global picture in addition to their own countries' perspective.
The second advantage is that these interactions provide specialized expertise. There have been so many new developments in such a short space of time in the area of trade and investment, which means there's a real need for a safe space for mutual learning between officials and experts. The experience in Nanjing shows that peer learning not only sharpens participants' own saws, but also builds synergies that lead to some positive proposals. In short, regular interactive dialogues among G20 representatives and independent experts could help the depth and length of trade and investment cooperation.
The G20 is at a critical moment: it is in the process of transforming itself from a crisis management scheme to a system for long-term economic governance. There has therefore never been a more important time for a sustainable platform for trade and investment cooperation.
If G20 leaders at Hangzhou can endorse this trade and investment working group, send a clear political signal of support for some of the key principles, and encourage regular dialogue between G20 officials and independent experts, it will stabilize the trembling kite that is the world economy, ensuring it can fly high.


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Causation Science Really Does Matter In NY Toxic Tort Litigation
William A. Ruskin's Toxic Tort Litigtion Blog Posted on December 8, 2018 by William A. Ruskin December 8, 2018
In what may arguably be the most terse "landmark decision" to be published by the New York Court of Appeals (68 words/two sentences), New York's highest court affirmed a trial court order setting aside an $11m jury verdict holding Ford Motor Company liable for a former auto mechanic's mesothelioma, alleged to have been caused by 25 years of exposure to asbestos while servicing Ford vehicles.
The tweet-length decision in Juni v. A.O. Smith Water Products, was a re-affirmation by the New York Court of Appeals of its reasoning in two prior key decisions, Parker v. Mobil Oil, 7 NY3d 434 [2006] and Cornell v 360 W. 51st St. Realty, LLC, 22 NY3d 762 [2014] that it is not enough for a plaintiff to merely allege, with the support of an expert, that he was exposed to a toxic substance, and that this exposure resulted in the illness alleged. To prevail, the plaintiff must raise a triable issue of fact as to his exposure to a specific toxin, quantify the level of exposure to some degree, and posit that such level of exposure was sufficient to produce the alleged injuries. In Juni, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, the court determined that the evidence was insufficient as a matter of law to establish that Ford Motor Company's conduct was a proximate cause of the decedent's injuries.
At trial, plaintiff's expert's opinion testimony was found to fly in the face of the Parker standard, which requires that a toxic tort plaintiff provide some specific evidence concerning the amount, duration and frequency of exposure. The trial judge, Justice Barbara Jaffe, correctly held that Parker and Cornell required plaintiff to offer more than merely as "association" between asbestos exposure and decedent's illness. Legal causation requires, not just an association, but rather "whether a particular defendant may be held liable" for causing a person's mesothelioma. In issuing her ruling, Justice Jaffee demonstrated a measure of judicial independence that appeared to be at odds with much of NYCAL's lackadaisical scrutiny of expert testimony. The majority of NYCAL jurists do not dispute plaintiff's theory that a "single fiber" of asbestos causes disease cumulatively and,therefore, becomes a substantial factor in causing illness. Although"single-fiber" advocacy has been increasingly rejected by appellate courts outside New York, the traditional acceptance of this theory of liability in NYCAL accounts, in part, for the over-sized settlements made by corporate defendants only marginally connected to a plaintiff's asbestos exposure.
The most important take-away from Juni is that the decision will likely have a greater impact in New York toxic tort litigation that does not involve asbestos than it will in downstate asbestos jurisprudence. The Juni ruling emerged from deep within the primordial machinery of the New York County Asbestos Litigation (or "NYCAL").
Juni, Juni, Juni!!
Although Juni will no doubt become the rallying cry of the NYCAL defense bar in 2019, and may even result in the odd asbestos case getting dismissed now and then, no one in NYCAL truly believes that a mere Court of Appeals decision will cause the gears of the plaintiff asbestos juggernaut to grind to a halt, let alone slow. NYCAL Justice Joan Madden has already signalled that Juni will be constructed narrowly in the days ahead. In her recent decision in Robaey v. Air and Liquid Systems, et al (NYCAL index No. 190276/13), Justice Madden ruled that Juni was not applicable to a different kind of asbestos exposure case, such as one involving testimony that there was "visible dust" with respect to exposure to asbestos in automotive gaskets. In Robaey, she reasoned that, unlike dust generated from working with gaskets, 99% of the dust generated from working with automobile brakes did not contain asbestos. Therefore, she ruled, Juni was not directly applicable in a gasket case. She also noted that plaintiff's expert in Juni equivocated on the witness stand in discussing proximate cause.
Therefore, it is likely that plaintiff's counsel in NYCAL will continue to ask the questions that are often found sufficient in NYCAL trial courts to get a meso case in front of a jury.
Q. Was there dust? A. Yes.
Q. Did you inhale that dust? A. Yes.
Justice Rivera, in his dissenting opinion in Juni, blasted the Majority's opinion in a strongly worded dissent that will likely become the "text book" for the NYCAL plaintiff bar going forward in seeking to uphold NYCAL juries' plaintiff verdicts. Justice Rivera could not support the Majority's opinion because he was unable to conclude that the jury's verdict was "utterly irrational". Considering what he viewed as damning internal Ford documents obtained in discovery, and introduced at trial, it is unlikely that any lack of scientific rigor or uncertaintly on the part of plaintiff's experts in Juni would have changed his mind.
Although Frye, the standard that governs the admissibility of expert testimony in New York, may not be as nimble a standard as Daubert, the New York Court of Appeals had issued, before Juni, three major decisions that provide a road map for defense practitioners seeking to lay the evidentiary foundation of a Frye challenge to adversary experts' scientific opinions and methodologies. This triumvirate consists of Parker v. Mobil Oil, 7 N.Y. 3d 434 (2006); Cornell v. 360 W. 51st St. Realty, 22 N.Y. 3d 762 (2014); and Sean R. v. BMW of N. Am., 26 N.Y. 3d 801 (2016). Both the high court's decisions and the lower court holdings that lay the groundwork for the high court's decisions are required reading for the toxic tort practitioner. Given its brevity, Juni does not break any new ground, but it is an important decision not least because it represents a wake-up call to a complacent NYCAL judiciary.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged asbestos, Cornell v 360 W. 51st St. Realty, Juni v. A.O. Smith Water Products, NYCAL, Parker v. Mobil Oil, single-fiber permalink
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


On the search for specific, professional, and printable private lease agreement samples? We can help you hasten your work. We here provide you with an array of downloadable private lease templates that are high-quality, well-researched, and updated samples.
Lease agreements are one of the many legal tools used in a civilized society so that people will not take justice in their own hands. It is part and parcel of the foundations of democracy and public policy. The agreement must genuinely reflect the true intention of the parties in order to avoid confusion and conflict. It can be a technical endeavor for some. That is where we are planning to intervene and help you with your work with the help of our collections of Agreement Templates. So feel free to scroll down and check them out.
Details of the contracting parties. It will lay out the backgrounds and basic details of the contracting parties. On the part of the lessee, he or she will be able to know details about the lessor in order to know how to keep in touch with him or her. It is a good way of showing that both parties lay all their cards down in order to establish trust and confidence.
Provide a stipulation as to the rights and obligations of the parties. The provisions of the lease agreement will help the contracting parties understand the nature of the agreement. The defense of lack of knowledge cannot then be invoked because at the outset the agreement was mutually agreed upon by the parties. The obligations must be performed in good faith.
Provide a description of the subject property. The lease will not be possible without a property to speak of. It is the object of the contract. The agreement is for the property's safekeeping. In terms of conflict and damages that may occur either intentional or unintentional, the agreement will surely help shed light on that matter.
You can also check out our other Lease Agreement and Rental Lease Agreement templates.
What Are the Points to Avoid in Drafting Lease Agreements?
No broad and vague statements. Always write your agreement in a specific manner. This is so in order to avoid confusion and conflict in the future. When the tone of your agreement is specific, there is nothing to construe or interpret. The language of the agreement itself must reveal the intention of the contracting parties.
Avoid being verbose. Be concise in your provisions and stipulations. When it is brief, it will not be subject to multiple interpretations. It will also save you more time and effort.
These are just some points you need to take into account particularly in drafting your agreement. You can also check out more Rental Agreements if you couldn't find the templates you were looking for here.


This crowd pleasing film centers on the overlooked stories of women of color whose mathematical work contributed the first successful launch of a human being into orbit. We discuss how the film both illustrated the racial divide in America while showcasing the work & struggle of African American women. Though we all have some criticism of the work, in the end it may be the representation of strong, smart black women that matters the most.
To listen to the Price Projection Room discussion of Hidden Figures click the orange arrow in the Soundcloud player at the top of this post. Or download and subscribe through iTunes, Soundcloud, or Google Play.
This entry was posted in Price Projection Room and tagged Alessandro Ago, Anita Dashiell-Sparks, Civil Rights, Erroll Southers, film, gender, Hidden Figures, history, Lt. Col. Olivia Nelson, mathematics, Podcast, Race, representation, science, Soviet, space race, US - Soviet relations, US History. Bookmark the permalink.


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Lisa Ann Allen
Lisa Ann is an American pornstar. She is a well-known pornstar in the United States, particularly in English-speaking countries. She was born May 9, 1972. Her body is an hourglass shape. She also loves sports and likes to have sex with athletes. However, before she became a porn star, she had a very different career.
Lisa Ann Pornstar, an American pornstar
Lisa Ann is a famous pornstar, who has received many accolades for her career. She has been named one of the world's top porn actresses. After parodying Sarah Palin, a US politician, she became mainstream after the video "Sarah Palin's Political Career". She was also inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame and XRCO Hall of Fame. She is also the host of a popular talk show called "Strippertown" on Sirius satellite radio.
Lisa Ann is not only a star in porn movies, but she also has many interracial projects. These include "When Lisa Met Kortney", (2011) and "Summer Love", (2013). Her solo sex scenes include "The Hundreds Girl", and "Tasty" (2014). She has released "Lisa Ann Chronicles" (for Brazzers) and "Evil Angels" for Naughty America.
Lisa Ann is a porn industry veteran who has been an inspiration to younger performers. As a talent agent at LA Direct Models she saw that older performers weren't represented well. To remedy this, she launched her own talent management company in 2006, which she later renamed "Lisa Ann's Talent Management" and merged with Adam Glasser's Lighthouse Agency in 2007.
She started her career as a stripper in high school, and then moved to California. She starred in a parody of Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, which helped propel her career. She is now considered one of the most successful porn actors in history. She is also a prolific producer of comedy DVDs and porn parodies.
She is an avid sports fan.
Lisa Ann, despite leaving the adult film industry over five years ago is still the most sought-after pornstar on Pornhub. But she's no longer just a pornstar; she's now an avid sports enthusiast. The Life is her memoir that details her journey from pornstar into a sports enthusiast.
One time, she revealed that she loves watching basketball and to see NBA games on TV. She often creates a list of potential athletes she would like to share a bed with when the NBA draft approaches. Although it may seem odd that Lisa Ann is interested in athletes, she explains that her only concern is the best.
Athletes are often contacted by Lisa Ann, and it's believed that she has up to 100 athletes communicating with her at any given time. Despite the large number of requests, she only meets about a quarter of them. She says she's happy to meet with people.
Lisa Ann Cocks
Lisa Ann Website


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In the Midst of Life….
A few days ago, the daughter of one of our nicest choir members was born with her umbilical cord wrapped far too tightly around her neck. I've heard that her grieving father was able to reach a priest and get her baptized; her parents also were comforted by many, many of the staff at the hospital who very kindly stopped by while they were given the time to hold her. Somehow, this baby's death was as blessed and comforting as it was sad and wrenching. We forget that there really can be such a thing as a happy and blessed death — and then it happens again, and we remember how humans were meant to live and die, before we first sinned.
(We say these things are extraordinary, but really, they happen all the time yet are always something unexpected. We don't know why some people receive certain consolations in special ways; why others are comforted by God through more mundane channels; or why others suffer like Christ, mostly alone. Some day we will know, but not yet.)
Just yesterday, Robert L. Asprin (funny and controversial author, musician, songwriter, co-creator of the Thieves' World shared world anthologies, creator of the Mythadventures, and founder of the Dorsai Irregulars, the Klingon Diplomatic Corps, and the SCA's Great Dark Horde) passed away at his home in New Orleans. He was fine earlier that afternoon; he was dead by the time a friend arrived to give him a ride to the airport to be Guest of Honor at Marcon in Columbus. He died reading a Terry Pratchett book — and surely, that's a little sign of God's grace to him.
I only met him once or twice. Sure, I've heard lots about the bad stuff he did. But my friends and acquaintances in the Horde and Dorsai have enriched my life, and so have his songs and stories. He was good and bad; but he was never indifferent. So farewell, Yang the Nauseating, Commander Kras of the KDC, and all the rest.
In the midst of life, we are in death. This Memorial Day, we will remember and pray for our gallant dead. Please add to your prayers and thoughts a moment to remember an old pro and a tiny young girl — to pray for their friends and family as well — and to remember that you too must die.
Will you and I make as much of a difference as he did? Or as she?
UPDATE: A portrait of Bob Asprin by Kaja Foglio.
Filed under Church, fandom
Geography Quiz: Snarkers Wrong.
Which state is closer to Arkansas' borders: Kentucky or Illinois?
If you are Glenn Reynolds or The Corner at the National Review, or even Ann Althouse, you don't bother to look at a real map or measure distances; you just shoot off your mouth. I know that's tempting, but it's a bad idea when it comes to matters of fact.
So yes, Illinois' borders look like they go further West than Kentucky's — but Illinois borders Missouri, not Arkansas. Kentucky and Illinois meet at the north of Kentucky, whereas Kentucky gets pretty darned close to Arkansas further south. My mapreading skills and straight-edge, zooming in on an official US government map, show that border bits of Kentucky are at least a good thirty miles closer to border bits of Arkansas than any bit of Illinois is. (As the crow flies, not as the road drives.)
I don't like Obama or his political positions. His comment was stupid in many ways.
But geez, people. Shouldn't anybody in opposition to a person try to have a higher standard of accuracy than him?
What Would Mary Wear? She Might Wear — a Hat!!!
This blog has pointed folks before to statues of Mary and the Child Jesus dressed as shepherds and as pilgrims, so we've seen Mary wearing hats before. And of course, a crowned Mary is wearing not a veil but a hat, or both a veil and a hat.
But now… this blog is delighted to present the perfect way to defend hats from those who advocate veils alone. (Or as we might like to call it, sola mantilla. Ancient Romans would advocate sola stola.)
Direct from Spain, the home of the REAL mantilla, we present Mary in a chic May hat! Her lovely ensemble also includes rings on all her fingers, dangly earrings, and an eentsy-beentsy daisy barrette. (Click on the photo to enlarge it and get all the details. Honestly, that is one cute Mary statue. I love all the May flowers.)
So… QED for one argument. My next step is to find pictures of Mary in pants. Possibly out in a rice paddy somewhere, or riding a horse with the Baby Jesus in her arms. Surely there must be images of Our Lady of Mongolia?
Judge Dee Strikes Back!
Heh! Judge Dee will not stay in the shadow of Judge Bao forever! There are now two Judge Dee TV series out. A third (The Legendary Ren Jie) is currently in production, and will air in the fall. Finally, the famous director Tsui Hark (Chinese Ghost Story) is going to make a Judge Dee movie for 2009. Mwahaha!
The Chinese series apparently came out on DVD recently but aired from 2004-2006. It's called The Detective Di Ren Jie.
Judge Dee with wuxia fighting and swords and cool stuff! I guess Trang Sang Giang Nam: Di Ren Jie III is a Vietnamese TV series — actually, the third season of a series. You can watch all the episodes here, but they don't have any subtitles and I don't know Vietnamese.
OTOH, I never thought I'd be worrying about getting access to any Vietnamese TV show. Much less one based on a European mystery writer's tales of a real life historical Chinese detective. We live in a very odd world!
Fun with Translation: Distiches on Baptism by Pope St. Leo the Great
On St. Venantius' Day, Fr. Z posted some distiches (couplets) written by Pope St. Leo the Great, in the man's pre-papal days. Fr. Z then challenged his readers to translate them.
My Latin isn't good, so I leaned on the translations provided. Inevitably, this meant I messed up. Here's a revised version of my translation.
From seed the Holy Spirit's sown,
A nation springs to be His Own —
Bound for the Heavens. God's Breath sighed
On waters, and they fructified.
Our Mother Church, still virgin, there
Children conceived by Him does bear.
All you reborn within this spring,
Hope for the Reign of Heaven's King!
The happy life is not for those
Born only once. The spring arose
To wash the world and wet what's dried
With water from Christ's wounded side.
O sinner who'd be purified,
Plunge underneath the sacred tide!
It takes the old man, makes him new.
If you'd be innocent, then do
Be washed in this bath from your sin
And from your father's deep within!
Those reborn know no parting wall —
Font, faith, and Spirit same for all —
So in their union, they're made one,
And none need fear their sins, no, none
Despite their count or kind. Don't faint!
Who's born in this flood is a saint!
Filed under Church, History, Translations
May 8, 2008 · 7:26 am
"Zappari Wakaranai."
I've been watching fansubs of a Japanese mystery series. (Live action, not anime!) Galileo is a really good show, well-produced, with really good mysteries and gimmicks and a very winning soundtrack. Of course, the detectives are the best part: an awkward but determined rookie female police detective, Utsumi, and an impossibly Spocky physics professor, Yukawa. The first season was only 10 episodes long. So I've almost worked my way through it, and am very sad there's no more. However, a movie and a new season of shows are supposed to be coming out for fall… so there's something to hope for.
As always with a foreign show, there's a certain fascination in watching things happen that would never happen in an American show — or not in the same way.
There's a certain importance in Japanese to the use of certain pronouns for certain people, for instance. So when the professor told someone that he couldn't talk because he had plans with "her" (kanojo) — meaning Utsumi — the obvious implication is that Utsumi is a woman of special significance to him. You usually hear "kanojo" only in reference to a wife or girlfriend — sorta like an Irishman referring to "Herself".
But Professor Yukawa being Professor Yukawa (doing things his own way, and regarding most of the world's common usages as illogical), it is of course possible that he just means to use the literal meaning of the pronoun. So… another kind of mystery.
One thing that you'll notice with all Japanese mystery shows, though — the characters tend to give up very meekly when caught. Part of this is Japanese social theory and social pressures, both in real life and in their ideas of a good story. But part of it is apparently that, in real life, the Japanese police feel that a bad attitude on the part of arrested people (ie, not admitting guilt right away) is good reason to give them a hard time back in the cells. This comes up in news stories. (And yes, it's not a good thing to be erroneously arrested. Most Japanese in this situation confess, too.)
Naturally, it never comes up in the genteel mystery shows I watch, or with a good cop like Utsumi. But since it seems a bit unrealistic to non-Japanese, I thought I'd better explain.
Anyway, it's a fun show even if you're not used to watching Japanese shows and aren't interested in intuiting romance between characters. And I'm not kidding about the cool gimmicks. Any show that teaches me a fun new home use for Sharpies is my kind of show!


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Home Opinion Students Frustrated Over Lack of Labor Day Break
Students Frustrated Over Lack of Labor Day Break
by The Sower Staff - Sep 9, 2021
by Miriam Wolf
Students are not the first thing that comes to mind when most people consider Labor Day. This is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, Labor Day was created as a day to recognize the hard work done by all American workers who make our lives better.
However, Labor Day has a deeper impact on students and school communities than one may initially think.
Educating takes a lot of work and effort. Teachers need to plan lessons, buy supplies, and create assignments, not to mention grade papers and tests, provide additional help for struggling students, and balance their private lives.
That, to me, sounds a lot like Labor Day. Teachers invest a lot of time into their jobs and their students, and Concordia University is known for having professors who are attentive and caring. These professors deserve to have a day off in thanks for all of the hard work they do for us and for the university as a whole.
Professors are not the only people who would benefit from having Labor Day off. Many students also work, sometimes several jobs, on top of school, extra-curriculars, faith life, and social life. Though students are rarely working full time jobs, the time spent working can still take a toll when work adds to the ever-growing pile of assignments and due dates. Student workers would also gain rest and relaxation from having Labor Day off from classes.
Furthermore, students yearn to be able to spend even one more day off of school. A poll showed that 83% of students believed that we should have Labor Day off. When asked why, responses varied from catching up on homework or sleep, going to the lake, celebrating birthdays, and upholding family camping traditions. By not observing Labor Day, we run the risk of forcing students to miss out on important events or even a simple day of rest.
Students also commented on how Labor Day functions outside of Concordia.
"The whole point of Concordia is preparing students to teach, serve, and lead in the church and world." said senior Brandon Timoney. "I think part of that involves making a school as business-like as possible."
Senior RJ Acomb said "It makes me very sad. I feel like I'm being forced to labor on a day that's all about taking a break from labor."
Of course, not everybody agrees with that statement. Senior Brett Mueller said "I like school, so I'm happy."
Dr. Laurie Zum Hoffe noted that she would rather have the full week of Thanksgiving off instead of Labor Day.
According to the Concordia University Nebraska Instagram page, leisure is not the intended labor of Labor Day. Instead, it is a day that should be taken to honor various workers for what they do. In response to that, I ask- how do you expect your staff to feel honored when you won't even give them a day off?
Student Mail Delivery Changes Over Summer
Defending Runner-Up Sweeps Bulldogs
Sower Advisor Shares Own 9/11 Story
by The Sower Staff - Sep 11, 2021
Words of Advice to the Class of 2025
Latest Opinion Posts
Gierke Reviews: DC Underwhelms with Latest Wonder Woman Installment
by The Sower Staff - Feb 5, 2021
■Blog
Dot' Dish #9: Quick Myth Busters
Gierke Reviews: Why the Shining is Still Relevant Today
Dot's Dish #8: Productivity
Dot's Dish #7
Dot's Dish #4: When Life Gives You Rotten Lemons
Dot's Dish #3: Adulting
by The Sower Staff - Oct 5, 2020


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Q: RStudio Viewer Pane not working? I have been trying to learn R to work on some network analysis.  I found the networkD3 package and ran their example code (below) to get acquainted.  It would switch to the "Viewer" tab on the right side of the console, but it would appear blank.  If I used the "Export -> Save As Web Page..." then I could open that saved html document in my browser and see what I expected to see.
I've tried a couple other things I think would open in that Viewer pane but it launches a tab in my browser.  I've even tried the rstudio::viewer("document.html") approach and it still goes to my browser.  Any ideas?
# Create fake data
src <- c("A", "A", "A", "A", "B", "B", "C", "C", "D")
target <- c("B", "C", "D", "J", "E", "F", "G", "H", "I")
networkData <- data.frame(src, target)

# Plot
simpleNetwork(networkData)

A: It appears that in order for the internal viewer to work, your source documents must actually reside in "the session temporary directory" - as stated in the support document. Thus - assuming you have a file test.html in your home directory - the following will open the file in your default browser ...
myViewer <- getOption("viewer")
myViewer("~/test.html")

... but to open it in the internal viewer pane you need this:
file.copy("~/test.html", file.path(tempdir(), "test.html"))
myViewer(file.path(tempdir(), "test.html"))

This also works with .jpg but not with .pdf (.pdf's open in your default pdf viewer.) Incidentally, file.show() has related functionality: it will open .html and .jpg files in the edit pane - but not .pdf either.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Muddy paw prints? They're welcome in the ultra-chic homes of these top interior designers.
You'd think that dogs and interior designers would find it impossible to share a stylish life together, because, practically speaking, a French Regency chair upholstered in silk, and a few muddy paw prints would seem like a bad mix.
Yet I can't think of a group that embraces the often crazy and chaotic canine world more. Why? Because interior designers, of all people, understand that beautiful rooms aren't beautiful at all if they lack soul. And what's more soulful than the sight of your dog joyously greeting you at the front door with its tail wagging furiously, or soothingly curled up at the foot of your bed? Dogs can make your home feel more complete than the most chic carpet or curtain ever could. Designers know this as surely as they choose between a solid and a stripe.
You won't see precious purebred lapdogs on these pages. Instead, you'll meet dogs of all pedigrees and personalities, often rescued from shelters, living large (no matter how small) at home. They snooze, feast, romp, cuddle (and, yes, sometimes have accidents) in some of the most stylish rooms in the world.
When I sent out a letter inviting some of the world's best designers to participate in my book At Home With Dogs and their Designers, I heard back from all of them within the hour (some just minutes) with a resounding 'Yes!' If I'd asked them to feature in a book called The Most Chic Rooms Ever, I doubt they'd have jumped so quickly. I think that because, as exciting as it is to have work published, deep down we all want to share and celebrate our love for family even more.
And it is important to remember that there are still so many deserving dogs who haven't yet found a home. I hope the amazing images on these pages inspire you to make a home for one of the thousands of dogs already out there who are waiting to give love – and rescue us in return.
Avoid fabrics that attract pet fur such as velvet, mohair and velour – opt for smoother ones such as leather and synthetic fibres. Invest in quality textiles to withstand the test of time and claws. Designer Kelly Wearstler recommends working with the dog. For example, if they shed hair frequently, the upholstery and bed covers should match their coat colour.
Hardwood floors stain, dent and scratch quickly. They also require rapid cleaning should a puddle appear. Laminate, stone or ceramic floorings are best for pets as they are more hard-wearing. If you have your heart set on wood, however, choose mahogany or oak.
Interior designer Jonathan Adler keeps his dog's toys in shallow baskets dotted around the house, so that they are accessible by dogs and humans alike; habitat.co.uk sells a wide selection of storage boxes.
Hanging leads on high hooks keeps them out of the way and from getting tangled. Mary McDonald also recommends choosing the right weight and length of lead for your breed of dog.
Think about the wall finish. A highly textured wall will attract pet fur, even if your four-legged friend isn't rubbing up against it. Go for a satin or semi-gloss finish as it makes it easier to scrub off unwanted stains.
Interior designer Mark D Sikes advises matching dog beds to existing decorating schemes for style coordination. For example, if you have a striped rug or a certain colour of paint on the walls, buy a dog bed in the same colour or pattern.
This one sounds obvious, but wash your pet regularly. Dirt removed through grooming is dirt that isn't trailed around the house. However, pet shampoo can be harsh if used too frequently; after walks, quick wash-downs with plain water are better. Use a dark towel for drying.
Fabrics and furnishings can be treated with nontoxic protective sprays and coatings that repel watermarks and stains and provide easy cleaning of even the most delicate of materials, advises designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard.


text:
var webpack = require('webpack');

module.exports = {
  devtool: 'source-map',
  entry: [
    'webpack-dev-server/client?http://localhost:3000',
    'webpack/hot/only-dev-server',
    './src/index.jsx'
  ],
  output: {
    path: __dirname + '/dist',
    filename: 'bundle.js',
    publicPath: '/static/'
  },
  plugins: [
    new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin()
  ],
  module: {
    loaders: [
      { test: /\.jsx?$/, exclude: /node_modules/, loaders: ['react-hot', 'babel?presets[]=es2015&presets[]=react'] },
      { test: /(\.scss)|(\.sass)$/, loader: 'style!css?sourceMap!sass?outputStyle=expanded&sourceMap&sourceMapContents' },
    ]
  },
  resolve: ["", ".js"]
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Over the past year a growing number of companies have launched on top of the Facebook Ads application programming interface, enabling larger advertisers to scale their Facebook advertising campaigns. Today, XA.net entered the market with the launch of optim.al, a multivariate ad platform.
Over the past year, a growing number of companies have launched on top of the Facebook ads application programming interface, enabling larger advertisers to scale their Facebook advertising campaigns. Today, XA.net entered the market with the launch of optim.al, a multivariate ad platform.
The company is claiming that this is the first solution to enable advertisers to "test Facebook ad variations, find the right audience and leverage unique data via one interface." However I'm not sure what that claim is based on.
Regardless, XA.net has been around since 2008 and is focused on the real-time bidding space. Just like many of the other solutions out there, Optim.al enables advertisers to create tens of thousands of variations per advertisement to determine which ones perform the best.
The result is a decreased cost for the advertiser. While we know little about the core product functionality, we're hoping to get screenshots in an update to this post. In the mean time, you can head on over to the optim.al website to learn more.


text:
Kansas City United States Kansas City Royals AL Central American League Major League Baseball Jorge Soler Carlos Santana Danny Duffy Dayton Moore Hunter Dozier Salvador Perez Michael A. Taylor Andrew Benintendi Sports Professional baseball Baseball Men's sports Coronavirus Infectious diseases Diseases and conditions Health Lung disease COVID-19 pandemic MLB baseball MLB Spring Training Athlete contracts Sports transactions Sports business
Royals make official Dozier deal for $25 million, four years
By DAVE SKRETTA - Mar. 01, 2021 02:30 PM EST
Kansas City Royals' Hunter Dozier gets ready to bat during spring training baseball practice Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Surprise, Ariz. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals made official their $25 million, four-year contract with third baseman Hunter Dozier on Monday, ensuring that another member of their young foundation is under club control for the foreseeable future.
Kansas City has gone through several down years after back-to-back World Series runs culminated with a championship in 2015. The small-market club was forced to watch players such as Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas depart for larger deals in other places, then begin the slow and often painful process of rebuilding from within.
Dozier, the eighth overall pick in the 2013 amateur draft, always figured into those plans.
He had a breakout season in 2019, when he hit 26 homers and led the American League with 10 triples while driving in 84 runs. And while his numbers regressed slightly last season, when he missed the start with COVID-19 and wound up hitting just .228 with six homers in 44 games, the Royals believe his best seasons are still to come.
"As I've said many times, it's our goal to keep as many of our talented players here together as long as we possibly can," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "Continuity and togetherness is crucial if we're going to win and have long-term success, but it takes players like Hunter as well, sacrificing some things as well in this process."
All but four players expected to be major contributors to the Royals this season are under club control through 2022: left-hander Danny Duffy, outfielder Michael Taylor, catcher Salvador Perez and outfielder Jorge Soler. And in the case of Perez and Soler, they already have expressed interest in new deals for two of the power bats in their lineup.
As for the pitching staff? Most of them are 20-somethings that won't even sniff free agency for several more years.
"Like I've told all our players from the very beginning, we have no agenda," Moore said. "We understand they have a very small window of opportunity to reach their financial goals in this game. They've earned certain things and we want them to reap the rewards of the financial aspect of Major League Baseball. And we want that to happen in Kansas City."
Dozier's deal replaces a $2.72 million, one-year contract he agreed to on Dec. 2.
He gets a $1 million signing bonus and will earn $2.25 million this year, $4.5 million in 2022, $7.25 million in 2023 and $9 million in 2024. The Royals have a $10 million option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout.
Dozier's deal includes an escalator of $1.5 million for his 2024 salary if he reaches 1,575 plate appearances from 2021-23, and his option price would escalate by $1.5 million if he reaches 2,100 plate appearances from 2021-24 — two important considerations given Dozier's history of injuries.
The 29-year-old Dozier made his big league debut in 2016, but he missed most of the following season with an oblique injury and a broken bone in his wrist. Dozier also missed time during the 2019 season with tightness in his side, and he has yet to play more than 139 games in a season.
Still, his defensive versatility — Dozier can play first base, third base and the outfielder — combined with his power, base-running ability and overall upside means he probably could have commanded more money on the open market.
"I think the biggest thing for me was security for my family," he said. "I'm a family guy and I always think of them first. That was a big thing for me and my wife and my kids. Trusting my agent, Joe (Gaza), listening to him, knowing if I could chose I would be a Royal for life — it was a very easy decision for me. I want to be here. I want to win here."
He knows "here" will be primarily third base in Kansas City next season.
The Royals signed former Indians slugger Carlos Santana to a $17.5 million, two-year deal as a free agent, then traded with the Red Sox and Mets to land outfielder Andrew Benintendi. Santana is expected to be the primary baseman and occasional designated hitter, and Benintendi will handle one of the corner outfield spots, freeing Dozier up to play third base.
"We've always looked at Hunter as a player that not only has the ability to play multiple positions but is willing to play multiple positions," Moore said. "In today's game it's really important to have that versatility and that winning mindset.
"Hunter is willing to do whatever is necessary to help the team win," Moore added. "We've known for a long period of time that Hunter's a foundational piece for our organization. He's a foundational player, person, and he represents all the things we desire in baseball players and people to represent our community."


text:
Q: HTMLAgilityPack Skip HTML table caption I have an html table like below:

Table 2

hd1	hd2

val01	val02

Subtable 2

subval01	subval02

EDIT
Here is my code:
            foreach (HtmlNode rows in htmltable.SelectNodes("tr"))
            {
                DataRow dr = dt.NewRow();
                int iRow = 0;
                if (!rows.InnerHtml.Contains("
"))
                {
                    foreach (HtmlNode cell in rows.SelectNodes("td"))
                    {
                        iRow++;
                        dr[iRow] = cell.InnerText;
                    }
                }
                dt.Rows.Add(dr);
            }

My code recognizing
 as row and selecting it as well.
I don't get how to skip caption while parsing. So I can parse ONLY the rows.Skip(1) method is not working for me.

A: If I understand this correctly, you want to skip
 having descendant node
 (the last
 within outer
 tag). In this case we can use XPath to select only
 that doesn't have
 like so :
foreach (HtmlNode rows in htmltable.SelectNodes("tr[not(.//caption)]"))
{
    DataRow dr = dt.NewRow();
    .....
    .....
    dt.Rows.Add(dr);
}


Submissions, questions, comments and feedback should be posted here.
I added more details to Iori's specials, and added top banner image. I plan to write up on his supers and neomax, and more about his safejump setups.
Not sure who is chief of the flamori wiki page, but I've done a variation of nostock HD combo for an improved damage 2 meter combo: j.C, s.C, f+A, [HD] s.C, f+A, (qcb+C [HDC], dp+C (2) [HDC], hcb~f+P, far D)x3, far C, qcf~hcb+P, qcfx4+P = 765 damage, which is an improvement over the 2 that are currently on the page, and gives the player time to decide to do a nostock/1stock variation (I haven't tested the dmg for the one stock version yet).
Also for a 3 meter combo: j.C, s.C, f+A, [HD] s.C, f+A, qcf+P, [SC] qcf~hcb+P, [MC] qcb~hcf+P = 840 dmg, and it's one of the easiest things you can conceivably do.
I'm just starting to learn his big combos, so I'm sure he can get more, but it's just something that I had found.
Yup, HDB stands for hyperdrive bypass.
You are almost always going to do less damage but you trade it for easy of use.
There only several specific situations that I've found it useful is: aerial command grab activations (such as Shen's Ex hcb~f+ABC), Duo Lon's Ex teleport bypass (very sneaky), Chin's Ex hcf BCD aerial bypass, Athena's f+BC after command grab in the corner and K''s air Ex Minute spike are the ones that comes to mind.
If there are any others I've missed, feel free to add your own with your description.
Just that adding a cr.B makes qcf+A whiff, though that may not be all that important. But the ones you listed are only ones I really use. That's probably all we need.
The parentheses are blocked hits right? If so, we should add a few more j.4B (taco) blockstring mixups?
Yeah, I meant blocked, though I may have made it a bit confusing, I meant it as j.C *or* j.4B. Regardless, I think that'd it'd be a good idea to. Especially so newer players can get a good idea how to use it.
A blocked j.C (mainly hopped) then a taco is a pretty old (but useful) mix-up since players like to block low after the j.C while the taco just crosses them up and hits them. Then when they wise up to the taco and start stand blocking, then you can add a cl.B or cr.B. Mainly putting together a mix-up option flowchart or whatever...if people are down for that of course.
Been meaning to "extract" (translate) these combos over for many months now, Evo training kinda got in the way... but the combos here are way too cool not discussed.
One of the last combos shown here is very practical, damaging and stylish (IMO). It's a 3 stock 1 drive near corner combo and easier to time than the last combo in the video. Damage is 615 but 661 if you add a jump in.
j.C, s.C, f A, qcb P x2, Empty Cancel, dp C (2 hits), [DC] Ex qcb AC x2, Empty Cancel, f B, DM, DM follow up.
It's impressive to watch but even more impressive if you know what type of execution is required to do the combo.


text:
Q: How can I get an encoded string from NSData in Cocoa? In .NET, I can use Encoding.UTF8.GetString(string str) or any other flavor of Encoding, to get the string representation of a byte array. Does Cocoa contain similar functionality out-of-the-box, or do I need to write some stuff to make the conversions myself?

A: You use initWithData:encoding.  E.g.:
[[NSString alloc] initWithData: dataObj encoding: NSUTF8StringEncoding]


Blogging is the key to driving new traffic to your website and new leads into your business. With every blog post, you're essentially creating a new point-of-entry into your website. But in order to really get great results with blogging, you've got to become an aggressive blog post promoter.
1. Announce every post on your top social media networks.
Every single blog post you write is an asset. You spent the time and energy (or money, if you've hired a blogger) to produce that content, so you should do everything possible to get as much mileage as you can out of every post.
Social media marketing is all about sharing content. That's why you want to be sure you "announce" every post you write on your most important social media networks. If you're a B2B company, for example, you'll probably want to stick with Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you're in a more visual space (especially retail, e-commerce, and travel businesses) then consider a Facebook + Pinterest approach. Google Plus has proven SEO benefits, so regardless of your business type you'll want to promote just about every post there as well.
2. Create unique headlines for every announcement.
Here's the key -- make every "announcement" interesting and compelling. Put your copywriting skills to work crafting unique headlines for every social post. You don't want to simply throw up the title of the blog post and a link. Be clever. Think about your audience. Try multiple approaches, using something unique for each social network.
3. Share every blog post multiple times.
If you're using software like HootSuite, this is super easy. Let's say your publishing your new blog post today. You'll also want to get some juice out of that same blog post a few weeks and even a few months down the road. So this is the perfect opportunity to schedule additional announcements of this same post well into the future.
Remember: much of social media is about what's happening right NOW. Regardless of how large of a social following you might have, you're still only going to capture so many people with each social post. Don't be afraid to promote posts multiple times. If you've never done this, now is a good time to start digging through your blog archive.
I'd also recommend featuring those uber popular blog posts even more. Once you begin to identify your "top 10" most popular or most converting posts, you can continue to share them on your social networks. Just be careful not to inundate your social audiences too much with repetitive content.
4. Build a comment network.
I remember the good ol' days of blogging. You know, back when it was sort of "rare" and almost "strange" to have a blog about anything (let alone for your business!). Blogging really pre-dates all social networks. It truly was the first form of online social networking.
Think about it -- in those days, you would publish a new blog post, then go out and leave comments on other bloggers posts, and they would reciprocate. I made many contacts and uncovered many new prospects using that simple system.
It baffles me how so few bloggers are doing this today -- especially business blogs. Do it! Start commenting on related blogs in your marketplace and begin building connections. It takes time, but soon you'll see the results rolling in.
5. Include blog posts in weekly or monthly email newsletters.
Don't forget to promote your blog posts to your existing list of email subscribers. Many of these folks are probably not reading your blog every day, so don't hesitate to share 2 or 3 of your "top posts" each month by email.
There are a number of ways to pull this off, but I recommend a monthly dispatch email that includes a wide range of content in one email. For many of your email subscribers, a lot of this content will be very valuable to them. Remember: just because they're not clicking through to your blog each week doesn't mean they're not interested in the content you're publishing.
Promoting your blog posts is really about getting every post in front of as many people as possible. Follow these simple strategies and watch the blog traffic start rolling in!


TJ Service Inc. and Charles City Electronics in Charles City, IA is an authorized dealer of LG Products. LG's vision is to deliver innovative digital products and services that make their customers' lives better, easier and happier through increased functionality and fun. LG's brand identity focuses on self-expression and a promise of satisfaction to its customers. Since its founding in 1958, LG has led the way to an ever more advanced digital era. LG plays an active role in world markets with its assertive global business policy. LG has established key associative relationships with many leaders of industry in a variety of fields worldwide.
So if you are looking for LG products in Charles City, Floyd, Osage, Riceville, Greene, New Hampton, Rockford, Rudd, Nashua, Marble Rock and Ionia, or if you have any questions about LG products, please feel free to call us at (641) 228-1521 or simply stop by TJ Service Inc. and Charles City Electronics at any time and we would be glad to help you.


The crowds are parting, giving Neil Hope-Collins a wide berth. He's clearing the path for the combatants behind him, as they make their way slowly up the hill.
Stuart Hought is leading in the white jersey with his famous star motif, closely followed by Jimmy Green in his now familiar grey jersey (or did he just mix his whites with his coloureds in the wash?).
David Burnop in his highly experimental headwear is making the most of it's aerodynamic properties as he closes on the front runners. He pauses for a quick swig of his own recipe medicinal brew to help him on his way.
Andy Carter in the black jersey with the gold trim isn't pushing at all, almost ambling along, laid back in his signature sunglasses. Sydney Roper in his long white jersey and cap follows next, sharing good natured banter with the public as the group pass by.
The young blood of the group Rowan Carter is vying for position, his red jersey flashing in the sunlight. Tailing, last but definitely not least, is the ladies' favourite Dean Gash, pausing to entertain the crowd as the group weave up the hill narrowly avoiding a bus. What's this you say? Le Tour has arrived early? No, of course not. This is the traditional procession of Heptonstall Pace Eggers making their way to their next performance in Weaver's Square this Good Friday.
They would welcome your attendance, especially if you also weave up the hill to Heptonstall by foot or public transport. Or yes, for the fittest amongst you, even by bike!
Please avoid bringing your horseless carriage, parking is very limited.
This year collection will be for: McMillan Nurses and Calder Valley Search & Rescue Team. Members of the search and rescue team will be collecting.


PLAINVILLE — A group home for young women has a fresh new look after volunteers recently completed some painting and landscaping.
"It's pretty amazing, I think, that it gives you almost goose bumps knowing that there's so many people that are in this community… willing to give so much of their time and energy and efforts into helping this specific population," said Christina Cicero, program director for the home, which is run by Lisa Inc.
A group of around 10 volunteers from Team Depot, Home Depot's community service initiative, visited the home Wednesday to create a new garden, add mulch and decorative stones around shrubs, and paint a recreation and meeting room.
"A lot of times they were in positions where they didn't have nice things or they didn't have anything, so giving them the best that we can possibly give them has been and will always be my mission," Cicero said.
"It's more than the aesthetic work at the end of the day — it's that home feel," said Elizabeth Hyatt, associate director of development at Lisa Inc.
Bill Kiely, a community captain with Team Depot, visited the home in March to assess its needs and help staff apply for a grant from the Home Depot Foundation. The home received $2,000, which went towards buying paint, walkway lights, mulch and stones, and other supplies.
Erin Trotman, who works with the group home's residents, said the girls are coming into transitional living for the first time.
"They say, 'wow, this is like home,'" she said.
It's also important for the girls to see that there is community support, Cicero said.
"The community is what drives us, the community is what's going to hire our girls, the community is what's going to be taking them to the doctor's appointments, or providing support for mental health," she said.


Whew! That was a very looooooong break. I'll just say "I'm sorry" and move on to the latest and greatest.
Most importantly, let's catch up on the cats! My trio of gatos: Delilah, Monkey (a/k/a Pepper), and Macy.
Monkey is a fierce hunter at night and a lovebug in the morning. She's a real talker too.
Macy is just too sweet for words. Also begs to be let "out" into our garage.
I've not totally abandoned my crafting. During the holidays, I knitted a bunch of hats, based on a super easy (and free!) but oh so cute knit pattern (Slouched Tuva Hat). Easily one of my all time favorite patterns and definitely a go-to for gift giving.
I also started focusing on crochet. I made a granny square project bag, which I use to cart around my current crochet project (African flower blanket - more later). I love the completed bag so much, even with all of its flaws (my lining/sewing skills are less than average). I started a second bag, but it's been abandoned for now.
I have moved onto the African flower motif (to be sewn together as a blanket). Why do I choose colors that I think are fabulous in the store, only to start working on them and find that they are pedestrian and retro (not in the good way) together. The project is coming together nicely and I should be able to finish it within the next month.
The only thing in my way of needlecrafting is my job. My life is consumed by work. I am miserable. I am doing the worst thing possible, catching myself saying things like "if I can just make it through this month" and "if I can just get through this next deal, then..." I am always putting off living my life. I'm not doing anything proactive to change things. I'm a negotiator and a procrastinator, so in my mind, I'm working on the solution, while still getting through my day. However, when I really examine what my life is and how things actually are, you know, in the real world, then I cannot' really argue with that truth.
This rationalization is the way I convince myself that things are fine; I compare it to looking in the mirror. I look in the mirror every day, while I brush my teeth, put on makeup, do my hair. I see myself but I am never looking that closely or with a critical eye. So I can tell you superfluous items about how I look (maybe I'm wearing lip gloss, maybe I'm wearing my tortoiseshell glasses, etc.) but I will not tell you or admit to you that my clothes are fitting too tight or my makeup line is visible. That's too much information; too much to process or control or fix in whatever time I have. I just ignore and persevere. This is a stupid way to live. I think I'm fooling myself. But I'm really heading for a crash.