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The RAND Blog
>Health Care Innovation: The Challenge Ahead
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Health Care Innovation: The Challenge Ahead
(The RAND Blog)
by Jeffrey Wasserman
Americans thrive on ingenuity. The drive to innovate has always been a national obsession—and a source of pride. Innovation is in our DNA.
We often think of products that have made our lives easier and more enjoyable as the most important innovations—the Model T, dishwashers, and big-screen TVs. A culture of innovation has also led to national programs and policies aimed at solving complex problems, from fighting wars abroad to attacking poverty at home.
Health care reform is arguably our toughest domestic problem, so it seems an obvious candidate on which to focus the laser of our innovative talents. For decades, the growth in health care expenditures has produced reactions ranging from expressions of concern to statements of alarm. We can be justly proud of the ways in which innovation has led to unimaginable technological achievements that have extended lives and alleviated pain and suffering. However, it has also produced many expensive drugs and medical devices that provide little—and in some cases no—added benefit over existing drugs and technology. In this way, innovation has been contributing to the steady rise in health care costs.
Over the last four decades, RAND Health researchers have conducted thousands of analyses of health care issues. Many of these assessments have explored innovative ways to improve health care quality, increase access to health care services, and reduce health care costs.
In conducting this work, we cast a wide net and considered innovations ranging from the impact of individual technologies to alternative means of organizing and delivering care. For example, in a recent study, RAND researchers found that the use of dedicated anesthesia providers for routine gastrointestinal procedures is medically necessary only for high-risk patients. Eliminating these services for low-risk patients would reduce costs by $1.2 billion per year.
In fact, the anesthesiology analysis highlights exactly the kinds of undesirable effects of perverse incentives on costs analyzed in one of RAND's most recent studies of health technology. With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, some of my RAND colleagues examined how innovation can help to decrease health care spending and increase health care value. More specifically, their work focused on identifying promising policy options that could be used to spur invention and adoption of medical technologies—primarily drugs and devices—that would help reduce total health care spending and/or produce substantial health benefits.
It will surprise no one that here, as is the case with most areas of public policy, there are no panaceas. The study's authors concluded, however, that substantial progress could be made toward the goals of reducing spending and increasing value by altering the financial incentives faced by inventors, investors, payers, providers, and patients. So rather than focusing on how health care costs might be controlled by changing how existing medical technologies are used, the RAND team took a different perspective, focusing on policies that could help change the mix of technologies developed in the first place.
Drawing in particular on interviews with more than 50 national experts who were especially knowledgeable about different aspects of medical innovation, the authors argue that policymakers should consider how best to reshape financial incentives to meet five basic objectives. These include: increasing basic scientific knowledge by allocating research funds to encourage more creativity and risk-taking; reducing the costs and risks associated with obtaining Food and Drug Administration approval for drugs and devices that would help decrease spending; increasing the demand for products that can be expected to lower spending—for example, by changing how providers are paid. They also should consider ways to reduce the prevalence of "treatment creep," whereby medical products shown to benefit one group of patients are used to treat other groups where the benefits are minimal; and limiting/attenuating the "medical arms race."
There is no shortage of innovative proposals for making the health care system more efficient and more effective, and the path to success necessarily involves a prolonged process of experimentation and evaluation. Along the way, we need to be cognizant of the power of appropriate financial incentives that can be applied creatively and with an eye towards reducing costs and increasing value. Yet another challenge for American ingenuity to embrace.
Jeffrey Wasserman is vice president and director of RAND Health.
Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
Healing Medical Product Innovation
Steven Garber, Susan M. Gates, et al.
Eliminating Discretionary Use of Anesthesia Providers During Gastroenterology Procedures Could Generate $1.1 Billion in Savings per Year
Harry H. Liu, Daniel A. Waxman, et al.


My love of Middle Eastern inspired food is not something I ever shy away from talking about, in fact, I will often try and drive a conversation towards it where possible. And today, I don't have to try and subtly change the subject, I can very blatantly exclaim about my latest feat – black limes.
Black limes; also known as dried limes or limoo amani, originate from the Persian Gulf and are often used to add a depth of flavour to stews and soups or as an alternative to spices when seasoning meat.
The traditional method of preparing black limes is to blanch them whole in hot, salty water and then leave them to dry in the sun until their skin darkens and their flesh becomes dark and brittle. I had to be a bit more resourceful with my drying technique because I don't live in a city anywhere near as hot or as dry as the Iranian dessert – even in the middle of June!
The internet was obviously a very helpful tool in my investigation of possible methods; I don't have a dehydrator so that one was out of the question. The idea of drying them in the oven did seem the most practical, but on further research it was likely that the oven would actually burn the limes instead of drying them, and I didn't like the idea of having the oven on for three days!
My chosen method was in a slow cooker. A slow cooker on the lowest setting – on my one it is 'warm' – is the closest way of emulating the warm baking on the Middle Eastern sun. Because it is not so much a setting for cooking anything, there isn't the risk of burning the limes and the gentle warmth is just enough to dry them out nice any evenly.
Begin by placing your limes in a large saucepan with a teaspoon of salt per lime. The kind of salt you use doesn't particularly matter; I used rock salt but table salt would suffice. Next pour boiling water over top until the limes are just covered. The salt will dissolve in the water creating a lovely warm brine. Leave the limes to soak for at least 5 minutes. The reasoning behind blanching the fruit first, instead of drying them from the get-go, is to remove some of the bitterness from the rind and pith.
The limes that I had acquired were larger than the ones usually used so I sliced mine into 1cm thick rondelles. If you happen to have smaller limes then this method will work just as well when keeping them whole or even just slicing them in half. Arrange them along the bottom of the slow cooker, if you have cut them up; arrange them evenly so they are all touching the bottom on the pot. Cover and leave them for about 3 days, or until they become crisp and light ebony-coloured. I turned mine twice a day for a consistent dryness and drained any juice that collected once a day to avoid soggy, poached limes.
When I use my dried limes, like any of my dried citrus that I have curated, I usually drop it into a sauce or stew, it soaks up the liquid; becoming soft and edible, while infusing the sauce with its deep, rich and slightly tangy flavours. You can also crush it up in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to combine with oil or vinegar as a chicken marinade, or with flour and breadcrumbs as a crunchy coating for pan-fried fish.


After the madness of a 4 Day Inca Trail, seeing Machu Picchu and having Christmas Lunch together in a town called Aguas Calientes, it was time to head back to Cuzco. Some of the others had wanted to meet me in "Big Brother Bar" in Aguas Calientes but couldn't find it. Hardly a surprise given that it doesn't even bear it's own name above the bar, and only is mentioned on a small flier I got given.
So after going to the hot springs, it was a nice Christmas coincidence to find them all drinking in the next bar, Chayna Bar. They had some beer left over so I donated 4 Soles and grabbed a final glass of Cusquena as a toast and final salute to the Inca Trail.
A couple of night time shots of the pretty streets of Aguas Calientes after it turned dark. Christmas Day was going on forever and I couldn't quite believe what I had bunged into one day. But we were all booked on a 7.24 pm train out of the murky waters of Aguas Calientes on route to Ollantaytambo (the town where it all began…). After that there would be another bus back to Cuzco.
However there was still 2 more problems to address before I could find a bed for the night. Firstly, my train ticket was for the day after, it had Boxing Day's date printed on it, but the same time as tonight's train. So I decided to walk alone to the train station, up a hill and through a still open market, I managed to get past the first ticket check no problem, the guy obviously didn't check the date on my ticket.
Aguas Calientes station was packed. On Christmas Day. There was probably no space on the train, so I'd have to chance my arm to get on board. I had the added advantage that it was Christmas Night and people (even strict Peruvian security guards) would be more lenient.
I'm not sure why there was confusion over the tickets, most of the others had a ticket for 25th December, mine said 26th on it, as did Shie's ticket (one of the Taiwanese ladies on the tour) and another Inca Trail comrade was Milka whose company had even forgot to print her a train ticket. After seeing Machu Picchu, nobody seemed bothered and I actually enjoyed having to use my brain and charm to get onto the train, which I knew I'd be fine.
I got to the train entrance and there was another ticket check. Elegant blue attired train conductors wore blue Santa hats and raised a smile when they saw my red Santa hat, and let me on immediately. However my seat for the following night was booked on Christmas night by a Canadian lady and so no sooner had I sat down than I got up again.
I was asked to leave the train because they noticed my ticket was for the wrong day. Luckily my Spanish was good enough for them to understand it wasn't my mistake and they sent me to the ticket office and then to Coach B, where my Inca Trail colleagues were sat and they got me a seat, without further ado.
And I sat down and relaxed. It was nice to be leaving Machu Picchu on Christmas Day and with only good things to say about the excellent staff at Peru Rail, who could easily have made me spend Christmas Night in Aguas Calientes. That wouldn't have been the end of the world, but I started this hike with my buddies and planned to leave with them before my wandering heart would lead me out of Peru and into Ecuador.
More surprises and happiness were in store. As I sipped my water and looked through my photos and planned my trip onwards, a waiter arrived with well priced local beer, so I bought a bottle. As did Stan, my tent mate from the first night. From the Netherlands.
Then we were treated to free food and a drink. The food was grissini sticks and Christmas Cake, wrapped up. That in essence was the only Christmas present I was to open in 2010. And the cup of tea went down well as I chatted to Dave and Sheryl sat opposite.
The train took a wee while and was fairly slow which was a nice time to reflect. We exited the train at Ollantaytambo without an onward ticket for the supposed bus we would get to Cuzco. Nobody, myself included seemed worried in the slightest that we may not in fact find our bus in the darkening deep Peru skylight. This was all part of the epic madness attached to the Inca Trail.
It had been one hell of a day and it was a case of finding our bus from Ollantaytambo back to Cuzco, the nearest big city to Machu Picchu.
It didn't take long to find, and neither Mirka or myself were actually booked on the bus, but we bunged our way in. Everyone seemed to find a seat as I drifted into iPod land (my iPod still having some battery despite not being charged in 5 days).
This entry was posted in Aguas Calientes, Cuzco, Ollantaytambo, Peru. Bookmark the permalink.


Launched in 2015, partly funded by a USAID & aims to bridge the ICT skill gap between graduates and employers.
The mission of the JSSO is to bridge the skills gap between the supply of universities' graduates and the requirements of the employers in Jordan by setting and maintaining skills and occupational standards, enabling the quality development of ICT talent, and increasing sector and labor market transparency and intelligence.
Int@j launched Occupational Profile Prepared by an international consultant of IFC, and reviewed & approved by DTI – JCP USAID & accredited by HEAC.
3 curriculums changed accordingly in University of Philadelphia.
2 curriculums changed accordingly in JUST.
Signing MoU with universities: Jordan University for Science and Technology, Al Balqa Applied University, Philadelphia University, PSUT university , German Jordan university.


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Q: Colouring vertices of a cube
Consider the cube whose vertices are the $8$ points $(x,y,z)$ for which each of $x$, $y$ or $z$ is $0$ or $1$. Find the number of ways to colour the vertices white or black such that, for any vertex, if all its neighbours are the same colour, then it is also of the same colour.(Two vertices are neighbours if they are the endpoints of some edge of the cube)

My solution: Divide the 8 vertices into 2 sets P and Q, such that each set contains 4 vertices, any two of which are diagonally adjacent across a face of the cube. We shall do case work based on the number of vertices of each colour in set P. Let 'B' denote black and 'W' white.
Case 1: 4B. All vertices in set Q must be Black. So $1$ possible colouring here.
Case 2: 4W. Same as above. So $1$ possible colouring here.
Case 3: 3B,1W. The white vertex in set P can be choosen in ${4 \choose 1}=4$ ways. One of the vertex in set Q surrounded by three Black must also be Black, and the other 3 colours could be in any configuration except all of them being Black.
So $4*(2^3-1)=28$ possible colourings here.
Case 4: 3W+1B. Same as above. So $28$ possible colourings here.
Case 5: 2W+2B. The white vertex in set P can be choosen in ${4 \choose 2}=6$ ways. We cannot have all black vertices in set Q surrounding any of these two white vertices in set P. Also, all 4 vertices in set Q cannot be of the same colour. These account to all possible forbidden cases.
So a total of $6*(2^4-(2+2)-2)=60$ possible colourings here.
So the total possible ways to colour the cube is $2*(1+28)+60=118$.
Is there any other way to do this question?

A: It was a good move to consider the two tetrahedra $P=\{(0,0,0),(1,1,0),(1,0,1),(0,1,1)\}$ and $Q$. I also agree with your cases and the handling of the first four cases. In case ${\bf 5}$ I would argue as follows, with the same result:
Case ${\bf 5}$: 2W+2B.$\ $ The two white vertices of $P$ can be chosen in ${4\choose2}=6$ ways. The resulting coloring of $P$ does not contain a monochromatic  triangle, hence $Q$ could be colored arbitrarily in $2^4$ ways. But the coloring of $Q$ must not contain a monochromatic triangle encircling a differently colored vertex of $P$. This excludes the monochrome colorings of $Q$ and $4$ colorings of type $3/1$, one for each vertex of $P$. It follows that there are $16-2-4=10$ admissible colorings of $Q$.
The final number then is $118$.

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Nostalgia and Music
Geezer Music Club
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REVIEW: Frank Rosolino & Carl Fontana – Trombone Heaven: Vancouver 1978
February 13, 2008 December 13, 2017 by BG, posted in Big Band, Boomers, Jazz, Music, Nostalgia, Retirement, Review, Seniors
When reviewing a new album, I usually give some background about the musical history of the artist, but I seldom dig too deeply into other aspects of their life. However, Trombone Heaven – Vancouver 1978, a new release from Uptown Records that showcases a live performance by trombone masters Frank Rosolino and Carl Fontana, has an association that would be tough to ignore. That being said, it's probably best to get it out of the way right now.
Rosolino was a talented fixture in many of the big bands beginning in the post-war years, with a résumé that included service with Glen Gray, Gene Krupa, and Stan Kenton, among others. Working with Kenton led to many other high profile musical associations over the next couple of decades, until his death in late 1978 — shortly after recording the contents of this album.
Deeply troubled for years, Rosolino had already experienced the suicide of his third wife a few years earlier, but his friends were nonetheless shocked when he shot himself to death in November of 1978 — after first shooting his two young sons. One died and the other was blinded for life, adding more layers to what was already a tragedy.
Thankfully, the other half of the duo, Carl Fontana, had a long and successful career until his death of natural causes in 2003. He too started with the big bands, but didn't get much notice until the 1950's and his appearances with Woody Herman. Later he joined Stan Kenton and also spent some time in Kai Winding's trombone band, further building his name.
But let's get to the music. It was recorded in August of 1978 at the Bayside Room in Vancouver, B.C., and in addition to the two stars, featured Elmer Gill on piano, bassist Torban Oxbol, and drummer George Ursan. There are only six tracks on the album but all are extended pieces so total time is something like 79 minutes. The tunes offered are all standards, but in each case the musicians turn them into jam sessions, with sparkling improvisations the order of the day.
At that time these guys were two of the best trombonists around, accomplished veterans with the confidence to play to their strengths. Rosolino was the ultimate technician, with the ability to play quick and crisp, dazzling listeners with his skill. Fontana was every bit his equal but was more subdued and soulful. As unlikely as it might seem, they meshed perfectly.
The first track is a medley on "Here's That Rainy Day/Stardust," and it's a perfect example of how to open an album. It presents the listener with Rosolino's rip-roaring trip through the early part, followed by Fontana soothingly taking over in the late stages, a microcosm of the album as a whole.
I also enjoyed the medley on "Laura/Embraceable You," which features Fontana first, in a smooth and soft version of "Laura" that rivals the classic J.J. Johnson sound, while Rosolino takes over the second part with his energetic notes. Another good listen was Dizzy Gillispie's "Ow," which closes the album by featuring the two stars playing off each other while taking some risks.
Two masters of an instrument that's been a part of jazz history for generations, and although there are still solo practitioners around, there's little doubt that the golden age of the trombone is long gone. If you'd like to hear what it once was, this is the album for you.
1 Here's That Rainy Day/Stardust 11:07
2 Well, You Needn't 16:31
3 All Blues 15:33
4 Just Friends 13:10
5 Laura/Embraceable You 9:33
6 Ow 13:13
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2 thoughts on "REVIEW: Frank Rosolino & Carl Fontana – Trombone Heaven: Vancouver 1978"
gimpojones says:
find an LP of this set?
I'm not sure if one is available — you might try Ebay!
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Q: Why does java AudioSystem.getTargetEncodings( AudioFormat ) return different Encoding than the encoding of the AudioFormat we provide? I have an AudioInputStream audioInput which the object itself has encoding as ULAW
System.out.println( audioInput.getFormat().getEncoding() );

Which return ULAW encoding in the console.
ULAW

However, when I use AudioSystem.getTargetEncodings( audioInput ) it return a different set of Encoding
    Encoding availableEncoding[] =  AudioSystem.getTargetEncodings( audioIn.getFormat() );
    for ( Encoding encode : availableEncoding )
    {
        System.out.println( encode );
    }

which return :
PCM_SIGNED

The thing is, I have to work with a lot of these files, where the encoding of the object and and target encoding doesn't match. These audio files cannot be opened by AudioSystem clip and throw an exception
Clip audioClip = AudioSystem.getClip();
audioClip.open( audioInput );
// this throws error javax.sound.sampled.LineUnavailableException: line with format ULAW 8000.0 Hz, 8 bit, mono, 1 bytes/frame,  not supported.

However, if I convert the audio to one of the target encoding
audioInput = AudioSystem.getAudioInputStream( Encoding.PCM_SIGNED , audioInput);
audioClip.open( audioInput );  //it works !!

Although this approach seem to work for all the sound file to work with, I barely have sufficient knowledge of what I am doing. According to the java doc, the  AudioSystem.getTargetEncodings description is ( in case it might help ) :
"Obtains the encodings that the system can obtain from an audio input stream with the specified format using the set of installed format converters."

Sorry for the long detail but here are my questions :

*

*Why does java AudioSystem.getTargetEncodings( AudioFormat ) return different result than the encoding of the AudioFormat we provide we provide in the parameter ?

*So does this mean, in my case, that the system can perceive and process the file only with PCM_SIGNED encoding even though the encoding of the file itself is ULAW ?

*Is my solution legit ? It really bug me a lot to have a solution that seems to work without a good reason

A: According to what I've learned so far:

*

*Java is looking at the default setup for playback for your system's configuration, not at the format of the audio file. Many (most?) computer systems are set up to play back PCM_SIGNED.

*Depends what you mean by "only." There are probably ways to change your system's playback preferences, but I have always just gone with the default, or one of the "supported" options.

*The solution is totally legit! The streaming conversions were written for just this circumstance: many audio file types, system that is set up to play a limited subset. They also help if you wish to programmatically convert and save files in a new format.
But for my audio uses (SF/X for game cues--I come across files of different types), I tend to convert them all, externally, using Audacity, prior to packaging them with the game, so as not to have to do any conversion during the game.


At Denhams we have a team of professionals that specialise in rethreading pearls and beads. It is possible to rethread pearls and beads at home, however you risk causing more damage to the piece of jewellery.
Knotting is traditionally used to protect pearls from rubbing against each other and to keep them from flying everywhere if the strand breaks - it also makes for an interesting design element. Knotting can be done with almost any type of bead in a thread that matches the colour of your beads, or a contrasting color.
Visit your nearest Denhams branch, where our staff will be able to examine your Pearls or Beads and give you a verbal estimation of the amount of work and time it will take to complete the repair.


text:
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Greta Kline is so accessible that you can co-write an album with her. Yes, you!…
Album Review: Aan "Losing My Shadow"
Deftly detailed in production and mixing, Aan's newest album, "Losing My Shadow," presents itself as a piece of aural craft.
Album Review: Bleached "Don't You Think You've Had Enough?"
The Clavin sisters channel confidence and clarity with catchiness in their new commitment to sobriety and each other.
by Eric Swanson
Album Review: Yuna "Rogue"
Rogue, the newest release by Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna, is a summer album for the brokenhearted.
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Mal Blum's "Pity Boy" hits home with pop-punk style guitar chords, gentle folk-like riffs, and a catchy indie pop structure.
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text:
European Platform for Democratic Elections
Election Reports
Policy Papers and Alerts
Biased Observation
Studies / Researches/Handbooks
Recommendations on Electoral Reform
Policy Alert
Electoral code amended, concerns about further changes remain
Source: nytimes.com (Adam Berry/Getty Images)
Ahead of the upcoming 2022 parliamentary elections, the Hungarian governing coalition passed an amendment to the country's electoral code introducing stricter conditions for parties to register national lists in the elections, which in practical terms seems to be forcing the parties of the democratic opposition to run on one joint party list. While adjustments to the electoral map were anticipated and are slowly overdue, the governing parties voted against the politically neutral proposal filed by the opposition that addressed the issue. This raises concerns about prospective gerrymandering.
Post-Election political standstill, flawed electoral complaint practices, and the one-party parliament
Source: REUTERS /Irakli Gedenidze
The second round of elections cemented the victory of the Georgian Dream (GD). Despite the opposition boycotting the elections, violations persisted. The first session of the Parliament convened in absence of the opposition and parties saw some annulling of their mandates. The DG pledge for an early election if there was one percent deviation in its favour, did not go forward. The statistical analysis corroborated some of the observers' findings, highlighting trends of discrepancies. The court practices also indicated political bias and undue consideration of complaints and appeals.
Final observation report shows electoral process did not comply with international standards
Belarusian Helsinki Committee / Human Rights Center "Viasna"
The electoral process at all its stages did not comply with a number of basic international standards for holding democratic and fair elections and was accompanied by numerous violations of these principles and provisions of national legislation. Significant violations, including the deprivation of observers of the opportunity to observe the counting of voting results, does not give grounds to trust the election results announced by the CEC.
Election Alert
Foreign agents law expanded ahead of 2021 State Duma election
Source: hrw.org (Reuters)
Recently proposed amendments to the 'foreign agents' law in Russia would increase the number of organizations at risk of being labelled as 'foreign agents' and would force election candidates who received funding or other resources from an organization or person registered as a 'foreign agent' to also label themselves as a 'foreign agent'. There is serious reason to assume that the recent proposed amendments target specific individuals and organizations and have been drawn up at least in part with a view to the 2021 State Duma election.
EPDE Publication
Controversial 'International Observation' of the 'All-Russian Voting' on Amendments to the Constitution in Russia and Russia-Annexed Crimea
Source: Twitter account Lechanteux
The "all-Russian voting" on President Putin's proposed constitutional amendments, which would allow him to stay in power until 2036, was held between 25 June and 1 Jul 2020. Since the "all-Russian voting" lacked legal provisions and a constitutional status, a new legal framework was created, which, among others, did not foresee any international monitoring. However, "international experts" were invited to effectively endorse the "all-Russian voting".
Money and politics – need for new rules of the game
In recent years, election experts observed significant increase of spending on election campaigns. The transparency of party and campaign financing became one of the key requirements to ensure the integrity of today's election processes. To raise awareness about the urgent need to increase transparency, our newest comparative study analyzes the regulation and oversight of political party and campaign financing in the EU - Eastern Partnership and Russian Federation.
2nd round election day report
Promo-LEX
Moldova's presidential election runoff had a high voter engagement. During voting day, certain polling stations abroad ran out of ballots and thus did not allow voters to cast their vote. Organized transportation of voters from Transnistria and intimidation of election observers was also again present during the second round of the election. Promo-LEX's parallel vote count largely correlated with the official results announced by the CEC and the vote count was conducted in a quick and calm manner.
Concerns over Hungary's pending electoral code amendment
Source: dailynewshungary.com (MTI)
Ahead of Hungary's next parliamentary elections scheduled for 2022, the Orbán-government submitted a new amendment to the electoral code on 10 November 2020. Along with a series of technical adjustments, the amendment seeks to change the conditions under which parties can register national lists for the election. The proposal comes as the main opposition parties are in negotiations about their strategy for 2022 and, if passed, would limit their current options for cooperation.
Presidential election only 'partially correct and free'
Source: kyivpost.com (AFP)
The Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections in Moldova, to which EPDE member Promo-LEX contributes its election observation findings, has stated that the presidential elections of 1 and 15 November were "partially correct and free". This coalition of Moldovan CSOs and media organizations further state that several voters were unable to exercise their right to vote; the election campaigns was marked by hate speech and disinformation, as well as an unbalanced media coverage.
Moldova before the runoff elections: smear campaigning, disinformation, and accusations of voter fraud
Source: politico.eu
The presidential election result in Moldova was greatly influenced by voters living outside of the Republic of Moldova, with two completely divergent election results emerged from this voter group, with voters in Transnistria overwhelmingly supporting Igor Dodon (74,24%), while only 4% of diaspora abroad voted for the incumbent. The run-off campaign was overshadowed by an unprecedented smear and disinformation campaign against Maya Sandu, and anti-civil society campaigns were also launched.
7. Interim report: worrying incidents ahead of run-off presidential election
Ahead of this Sunday's run-off presidential election in Moldova, Promo-LEX observers underline the lack of explicit and exhaustive legal provisions in the Electoral Code to regulate the conduct of the second round of elections. Promo-LEX recorded cases of misuse of state resources, involvement of religious groups in election campaigning, use of undeclared finances, and violations against anti-COVID restrictions during campaigning.
Public outcry and excessive use of force amid flawed Parliamentary Elections
Source: euractiv.com [Zurab Kurtsikidze/EPA/EFE]
In our latest policy alert, we analyse how District Election Commissions failed to adequately respond to the substantive violations detected in the summary protocols aggravating public distrust over the electoral process. This, and other recorded violations sparked a public outcry calling for the resignation of the Chairman of the Central Election Commission and snap elections. Amidst these developments the Georgian authorities have unlawfully dispersed crowds using water cannons, amounting to an excessive use of force.
Final report on first round of presidential election
Ahead of this weekend's run-off between incumbent President Dodon and Maia Sandu for the presidency, Promo-LEX published its final report on the conduct of the first round of the presidential election in Moldova. Promo-LEX's parallel vote tabulation and analysis of almost all Vote Counting Protocols across Moldova do not show any significant discrepancies with the official data reported by the Central Election Commission. However, Promo-LEX expresses its concern over several recorded incidents.
5. Interim observation mission report: on the eve of elections
In the final monitoring report before presidential elections on this Sunday, 1 November, Promo-LEX reports on misuse of state resources, intimidation and presence of hate speech and incitement to discrimination in the contenders' messages, electoral gifts, as well as the involvement of religious groups in the election campaign of a candidate. Promo-LEX observers also found deceased persons and wrong addresses in voter lists.
Georgia to investigate physical attacks and intimidation of political party candidates, women, and journalists
Souce: Twitter of Anna Dolidze
Georgia's 2020 Parliamentary pre-election period is marked with high polarization amid constantly emerging allegations of physical violence and intimidation against political party candidates and its supporters. Orchestrated attacks include threats against journalists, who are being unlawfully prevented from doing their job, and intimidation of female candidates disproportionately targeted based on their gender.
Video observation of the voting process - a threat or a solution for transparent elections?
Ahead of the presidential election in Moldova, election observers have again called on the CEC to ensure that video observation of polling stations will be operational on the whole of Election Day. Due to continued restricted travel and other anti-COVID restrictions in place, it is impossible to conduct a full observation of all polling stations domestically or abroad, which has prompted a renewed debate about video cameras in polling stations to ensure the transparency of elections.
Preliminary report on local elections
OPORA
Opora reports that according to preliminary results, local elections were highly competitive and generally complied with legislation. Violations were specific to certain communities and could have an impact on the results there but were not centrally planned. However, massive violations and incidents of non-compliance of election and campaign procedures, attempts to bribe voters, misuse of administrative resources, and abuse of the procedure for changing one's electoral address have been recorded.
Key conclusions from election day
CVU
Image source: facebook.com/cvu.ngo
The Committee of Voters of Ukraine reports that the most serious problem by the end of voting yesterday was voter bribery. Bribing of voters to change their address to vote in a specific constituency was also reported, as well as instances of bussing voters to constituencies. The second major problem of Election Day were instances of falsifying the vote, including instances where voters were forced to vote, ballots went missing, or ballot papers having already been filled in before being issued to voters.
Local elections in Ukraine - a challenging context and a test for Zelensky's party
Photo: unian.info (REUTERS)
The upcoming local elections in Ukraine will take place in a very challenging context: newly introduced electoral legislation with little time for participants in the election to familiarize themselves with it, lacking clarity on COVID19 measures and funding for equipment may pose a threat to the election process, cancelled elections in constituencies in Donetsk and Luhansk have left voters disenfranchised. For President Zelensky, this election is key to win back some popular support lost since his election.
On the eve of local elections: agitation violations, voter bribery, unequal application of anti-COVID measures in the regions
OPORA announced in its press conference on the eve of local elections that despite unequal distribution of anti-COVID provisions to polling stations and election commissions, there is still time for local authorities to fully comply with the standards set to counteract COVID19 during the elections. The last few days before the election was accompanied by typical abuses and violations, and incidents of foreign interference were investigated by OPORA and other experts.
Basic problems before the voting day - results from long-term monitoring
The Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU) presented results of its long-term monitoring two days before the local elections. Main issues identified were use of shadow funds; black PR and violence against candidates; electoral tourism; lack of state funding for personal protective equipment of precinct election commission members. CVU also recommended that voters decide before going to the polling station who they wish to vote for to reduce the time spent there.
4. Interim observation mission report
Two weeks ahead of the presidential election, Promo-LEX reports increasingly more cases that can qualify as use of administrative resources, and an increase by 2.6 times in cases involving hate speech and incitement to discrimination. During the monitoring period (30 September – 13 October), there has been an upsurge in electoral events, as well as in cases where the restrictions imposed by the Extraordinary Territorial Commissions of Public Health were not observed.
Parliamentary elections
Fourth interim report of pre-election monitoring
ISFED
ISFED stated in their fourth monitoring report of the election campaign that intimidation, harassment, and interference with participants in the election remain to be the greatest challenge. Unauthorized individuals have participated in election campaigning and possible cases of use of administrative resources and vote-buying have been identified. During the formation of PECs ISFED observed that these were done mostly pro forma and opposition requests were ignored.
Second interim report: legal uncertainty, illegal campaigning, and confusion over procedures
Photo: unian.info
Continuous amendments to the Election Code during an ongoing election go against Venice Commission recommendations and cause legal uncertainty for the local elections in Ukraine. Illegal campaigning was recorded as the most common electoral misconduct in the past month and unclear explanations by the Central Election Commission on new procedures may cause confusion and threaten the election result. More on this in OPORA's second interim monitoring report of the local elections.
The process of setting up polling stations (PS) abroad (outside of diplomatic mission premises) was contested and conducted without any public consultations, but now, for the first time, this was based on a clear mechanism for establishing the PS' number and location. The formula used to determine PS abroad is based on a recommendation by election observers and civil society. Promo-LEX discussed this and many other aspects of the election campaign in their third interim report.
Polling stations abroad – a controversial and non-transparent process
Image source: ipn.md
On November 1, 2020 Moldova will hold the first round of presidential elections. Like in 2016, the final election results will considerably depend on the voting of two groups of constituents – Moldovan diaspora and Moldovan citizens residing in the Transnistrian region. The undue increase of polling stations especially in the Russian Federation, as proposed recently by the Central Election Commission, raises concerns over its independence.
Policy Alert #5 - Armenia's Stable Majority Constitutional Provisions Under Review
Photo: vestnikkavkaza.net
The 2015 Constitution promised that Armenia would move toward a fully proportional parliamentary model. However, a number of other provisions serve to distort the translation of votes to seats in practice. They include provisions for various bonus seats and the exclusion of political parties from campaigning if no government can be formed and a "second round" vote is held.
How to organize local elections during the pandemic
Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU) co-published this report with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on how to organize elections safely during the pandemic with specific recommendations for the local elections in Ukraine.
Belarus Election Alert #7
Photo: Viasna
A volunteer coordinator of EPDE's member organization, the Human Rights Center "Viasna", as well as her husband were detained yesterday over charges of causing mass riots. Meanwhile, her husband has been released. There is a growing pressure on civil society in the country as authorities' repressions continue. Human rights organizations as well as the European Parliament and UN experts call for a cessation of violence by authorities against protestors and for the release of now over 80 political prisoners in the country.
Third interim report of pre-election monitoring
According to ISFED, signs of possible vote buying and use of administrative resources during the reporting period continues to be the main challenge of the election environment. ISFED found use of administrative resources in involvement of the ruling party's majoritarian candidates in events funded by the State and local budgets. It appears that the ruling Georgian Dream party is trying to use all available administrative resources for electoral purposes.
Promo-LEX's second interim report includes the following key observations: there is an uneven increase in the number of voters, unequal opportunities for potential candidates and for certain categories of voters, unreported campaign expenses amounting to at least MDL 735,021 (37,456 EURO), and contestants taking credit for activities funded by public money. The live broadcast of the press conference presenting this report is available with English interpretation here.
Election Alert #6 - Trend against established parties. Candidates under undue pressure.
Photo: dw.com
Last weekend's regional and local elections in Russia represented a final rehearsal ahead of next year's federal parliamentary elections. This was also the last election to be managed by the acting composition of the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) and its chairperson, Ella Pamfilova, whose term in office is to expire in March next year. According to independent election observers, the elections displayed two strongly conflicting trends.
Election Alert #5 - Unlevel playing field in regional and local elections
Photo: news.sky.com
The regional and local elections scheduled on 13 September 2020 are to be the first major electoral campaign in Russia to take place following the passing of the Constitutional amendments and the introduction of the epidemiological restrictions. A total of 9071 campaigns are taking place incl. State Duma by-elections in four districts, elections of 18 regional heads (governors), 11 regional parliaments and 22 city councils in administrative centres. More than 78 thousand deputy mandates and elected positions are to be filled.
Local & regional elections
Pre-election campaign Russia Single Voting Day 2020
Photo: edition.cnn.com
During the election campaign period, a level playing field for candidates has not been secured. Candidates who were supported by the authorities could also count on support from local authorities, courts, and electoral authorities and often did not have to face the restrictions associated with the Covid 19 pandemic when conducting their campaigns. State controlled media dominated the public sphere and manipulated public opinion in the mass media by obstructing opposition candidates and creating advantages for "administrative" candidates.
Legal aspects of the 13th September Russian Single Voting Day 2020
Analyzing the legal framework of the elections, domestic election experts conclude that the current legal conditions are the worst in the last 25 years. Recent changes to the electoral law on the federal level as well as short-term amendments to the regional election campaign regulations have been introduced to further restrict the electoral rights of citizens, limit the opportunities for citizen election observers and the overall public control over elections.
Summary of the nomination and registration of candidates for the 13th September 2020 elections
The analysis of the process of candidates' registration in self-government elections shows an unproportionally high dropout rate of opposition candidates. In the main elections to regional parliaments and councils, parties supported by the authorities could nominate 98 % of their candidates, self-nominated candidates could register in over 60 % of cases, and parties without "administrative support" were rejected in almost 90% of cases.
Briefly about the course of the candidate registration SVD 2020
The main features of the 18 gubernatorial races held on the Single Voting Day were the restricted access for opposition candidates to the elections and the replacement of promising candidates by "technical" sparring-partners nominated by new "technical" parties which have been created with strong support of the authorities. Even candidates of parliamentary parties were massively excluded from gubernatorial elections, while candidates with low approval ratings from "United Russia" began to run as self-nominated candidates.
Opora issued their first interim report of the pre-election campaign period for the local elections. Officially, election campaigning began 05 September, however, political parties, their local organizations, and potential candidates de facto already launched their active campaigning in August. This stage of early campaigning is unregulated by any electoral legal framework and there are no controls over campaign spending. The uncontrolled spending on political ads on social media is also a concern highlighted in the report available on OPORA's website here.
Promo-LEX issued its first election observation report for the presidential election, which will be held on 1 November 2020. They report the following during the pre-election period - party switching, especially within parliamentary parties, indicating a lack of an institutionalized party system; a lack of a stable and constant parliamentary majority; a noticeable impact of the pandemic on the effectiveness of governmental policies; geopolitical issues feature in the electoral agenda.
EPDE Alert
EPDE calls for authorities to refrain from interfering in the activities of the CEC ahead of local elections
Image source: RBK-Ukraine
In recent days there have been reports that officials from the President's Office in Ukraine insisted that members of the Central Election Commission resign. EPDE, OPORA, and CVU are concerned about such efforts by the President's Office to threaten CEC members and interfere with the work of the CEC and call on authorities to refrain from exerting pressure on the CEC and ensure the independent and effective working of election management bodies.
Second interim report of pre-election monitoring
ISFED identified 8 cases of alleged vote buying; cases of dismissal based on possible political motive in 5 municipalities; 5 cases of intimidation/harassment based on possible political motive; 2 cases of possible use of administrative resources; 2 cases of withholding social assistance based on possible political discrimination; 1 case of intimidation of ISFED observer; 1 case of interference in political activities and in pre-election campaigning by the Church; and 1 case of creating obstacles for registration of a political party.
Preliminary report on the presidential election
The Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections state in their preliminary report on the conduct of the presidential election that the electoral process at all of its stages did not comply with a number of basic international standards for democratic and fair elections and was accompanied by numerous violations of these principles and requirements of national legislation. Full report now available.
Photo: www.newsabc.net
Following the presidential election on August 9 and the declaration of Lukashenka's victory, protests broke out across Belarus. They were dispersed violently by law enforcement agencies, resulting in numerous injuries, at least one casualty, and thousands of arrests. In this post-election edition Election Alert, we share the preliminary report and post E-Day statements of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections and of other election monitors and experts.
Weekly Report - early voting
From the first days of early voting, observers from various civic initiatives faced obstacles from PEC members and police officers. Numerous observers were removed from polling stations, deprived of accreditation, and even detained. The restrictions imposed by the CEC on the number of observers at polling stations during early voting made this electoral phase completely non-transparent for independent citizen observation. These restrictions were aimed at disrupting independent observation of this stage, rather than pursuing the declared medical safety measures in connection with the pandemic.
Photo: Sergei Gapon / AFP
On August 9, 2020, presidential elections take place in Belarus, in which the incumbent Aleksander Lukashenka is standing for the sixth time. Early voting took place from August 4 to August 8. Election observers complain about criminal and administrative prosecution of opposition politicians and their supporters, pressure on voters to cast their votes ahead of time and the massive restrictions on independent election observation.
Weekly Report - election campaigning
In their latest report Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections state that the election campaign took place in unequal conditions. By abandoning official campaigning, the incumbent made an extensive use of the administrative and propaganda resources of the power vertical, pro-government NGOs and the media. Moreover, the incentive measures taken on the initiative of the incumbent, including an increase in pension rates and their early payment, were in essence bribery of voters and manifestations of the use of administrative resources.
Weekly Report - accreditation of observers and the start of early voting observation
On August 4, early voting in the presidential election was launched to continue until August 8. According to "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections", most pro-government observers were registered immediately after the formation of the PECs in June. As a result, only observers from pro-government organisations and political parties will observe the election, administered by the election commissions, which mostly consist of the members representing the same organisations.
Television & Social Media Media Monitoring - Interim report
MEMO98
President Lukashenko has tried to play down the upcoming election as an unnecessary distraction from business, but an active social media movement has shown that the public is no longer prepared to go along with an alternate reality. Here you can read the findings of the interim report, produced by MEMO 98, EAST Center and Linking Media, which examines media and social media in Belarus from the end of April until 23rd June.
2020 Parliamentary elections - first interim report of pre-election monitoring
During the reporting period, ISFED identified 19 cases of possible vote buying, including 16 by majoritarian members of the Georgian Parliament and 3 by the Movement for Future, 2 cases of possible use of state resources, 1 case of exerting pressure on ISFED observer, 2 cases of interference in political activities and one case of political pressure/intimidation.
Evaluation of the pre-election environment for the 2020 Parliamentary elections
This report evaluates the political and media landscape in the country ahead of the 2020 Parliamentary elections. Although the adoption of constitutional amendments on the electoral system avoided further tension and protests, political polarization remains as a challenge. The media environment, as well as political environment, is very polarized and continues to face challenges related to media freedom and pluralism. It is likely that these factors will also influence pre-election campaigning.
Dossier: Impact of COVID-19 on election processes in the EaP and Russia
COVID-19 spread rapidly across the world in early 2020, with most governments instituting far-reaching pandemic mitigation measures, including nationwide lockdowns. This dossier compares the lockdown regimes and extraordinary measures taken in response to COVID-19 and how these have impacted election processes in the Eastern Partnership countries and the Russian Federation.
Weekly Report - nomination and signature collection phase
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections (HRDs) stated in their latest report on the entire nomination and signature collection phase of the election campaign that this was marred by serious violations of the standards of free and democratic elections. The nomination groups of some candidates were subjected to significant pressure from law enforcement agencies and the verification of signatures by the Central Election Commission (CEC) was not transparent.
The CEC has declined to register Viktar Babaryka and Valery Tsapkala, making two of Aliaksandr Lukashenka's key rivals ineligible to run for President. Following this decision, protests broke out across Belarus which were accompanied by a wave of arrests. Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections (HRDs), now the only independent observers of this election, report on this and the entire nomination and registration phase of the election campaign.
Amendments to election law risk undermining conduct of free and fair elections
A draft law to amend electoral legislation, which election experts and observers have criticised for including provisions that could restrict both voter rights and activities of election observers, is likely to be adopted at breakneck speed, barely a month passing between its registration and likely adoption during its second reading in parliament this week.
Source: tellerreport.com
The Central Election Commission has until 14 July to complete the registration process of candidates for the presidential race. Observers from the "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" campaign report that further measures were taken to disadvantage rival candidates in recent days: locations where election activities can lawfully take place have been restricted, further members of campaign teams have been detained, and nearly all opposition nominees to PECs were blocked.
European politicians to legitimize constitutional changes in Russia
Kremlin-friendly foreign politicians, journalists, lobbyists and activists have once again been invited to praise the disputed "all-Russian voting" on the constitutional amendments proposed by President Putin. The main motivation behind inviting foreign politically biased observers to the "voting", which has no basis in Russian legislation, is to provide a semblance of international legitimacy to constitutional amendments that have already been approved by the Russian parliament.
Weekly Report - formation of precinct election commissions
On June 24 authorities completed the formation of Precinct Election Commissions (PECs) which are an important element of the electoral process directly engaged in the administration of voting and counting of votes. Observers note that the formation of PECs clearly discriminated against representatives of opposition parties: 1.1% of the total number of elected nominees are from opposition parties while 96.7% are from pro-government parties.
Source: tut.by
Lukashenka attempts to eliminate his competition. The end of the signature collection phase for contenders seeking to be nominated as a Presidential candidate was accompanied by a wave of further detentions of candidates last week. Presidential election being held "in an atmosphere of fear, constant threats and intimidation" - Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections.
Weekly Report - end of signature collection and further arrests of candidates
The end of the signature collection phase for contenders seeking to be nominated as a Presidential candidate was accompanied by a wave of further detentions, this time targeting the perhaps most popular participant of the election, ex-banker Viktar Babaryka. Observers also report on abuse of administrative resources in Lukashenka's campaign and that TECs have refused observers to observe signature verification procedures.
Source: rferl.org
The Belarusian Presidential election is gearing up to be an exciting race with mass public engagement and protests across the country against the incumbent President. EPDE cooperates with the joint election observation campaign, the "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections". Until the election day on August 9, EPDE will share reports from this observation campaign along with information from other sources in biweekly Election Alerts to inform you about the ongoing election campaign.
Weekly Report - mass arrests and detentions of opposition activists
In this weekly report, observers from HRDFE report that mass arrests and detentions of opposition activists, including members of Tsikhanouskaya's nomination group, took place in different cities of the country during the week. Observers also note that the CEC interpreted electoral law selectively in the favor of certain candidates, e.g. complaints filed against Lukashenka's nomination group for abuse of administrative resources in the collection of his signatures were rejected.
Weekly Report - crackdowns and discrimination against opposition
This week's observation report states that this year's campaign is marked by an increase in election-related protests, triggered also by public discontent over the handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Crackdowns and provocations by authorities against activists and members of other candidates' nomination groups have continued, and observers report an abuse of administrative resources in collecting signatures in support of incumbent President Lukashenka.
Georgia's electoral system agreement should be implemented without further delay
Image: Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock
COVID-19 and the subsequent state of emergency has halted the process of constitutional amendments to introduce a new mixed electoral system ahead of the 2020 Parliamentary election in Georgia. However, now that the state of emergency has been lifted and some of the opposition leaders have been released, which was an important condition of the opposition to support any constitutional amendments to change the electoral system, amendments should move forward.
Armenia explores alternative to referendum on Constitutional Court
Photo: massispost.com
Armenia was supposed to hold a referendum on April 5, 2020, on whether to replace 7 of its 9 Constitutional Court judges. The referendum was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now seen as too great a risk to public health to go ahead. Instead of terminating the 7 judges immediately, the government is now considering waiving their exemption to the current 12-year term limit and has applied to the Venice Commission for an official Opinion on the modified approach.
Report on the formation of territorial election commissions
Observers were unable to attend meetings on the establishment of territorial election commissions (TECs), which were livestreamed in response to COVID-19, but were still difficult for observers to monitor due to the poor quality of some of the livestreams. Most TEC nominees represent six pro-government parties and compared to the previous Presidential election the number of opposition representatives in TECs has decreased by 15 times and the 'success rate' to be selected has halved.
Report on the registration of nomination groups
The CEC has registered 15 groups formed to support the nominations of future presidential candidates. However, it came under attack after it turned down 40 applications, mostly by opposition activists associated with former political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich. Well-known blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski, was arrested and thus deprived of the opportunity to apply for the registration of his nomination group.
Weekly report: Human rights situation deteriorating ahed of election
The Presidential election is scheduled for August 9 in Belarus and so far, authorities have ignored proposals to amend electoral procedures to minimize risks relating to COVID-19. Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections found that basic civil and political freedoms are hampered by significant legislative restrictions and report that the general human rights situation has deteriorated shortly before the election.
Armenia to expand proportional representation to municipal elections with tri-partisan bill
Photo: emerging-europe.com
MPs from all three parliamentary factions have sponsored a bill that seeks to change how municipal councils and mayors are elected. Specifically, mayors in the largest cities and towns will no longer be directly elected but chosen by city councils, who will also be given the power to remove them mid-term. The closed party list proportional representation system used in the three largest cities in Armenia would be expanded to all communities with more than 4000 registered voters.
High-speed changes to electoral law disregard international norms
Photo: Arkadiusz Stankiewicz/Agencja Gazeta/Reuters
A new draft law has been approved that provides for postal voting to be the only means for all eligible citizens to cast their vote and will replace existing electoral commissions with new ones. Experts indicate that the bill contains loopholes, inconsistencies, and legislative errors. Conducting presidential elections on its basis would not meet a number of democratic standards and would violate the universality, integrity, and secrecy of the vote.
An early balance of emergency measures
Photo: Sean Gallup / Getty images
In response to COVID-19, the Orbán-government has introduced measures that are neither temporary nor proportional. In this analysis, election expert Zsuzsanna Végh argues that the government is using the pandemic as a distraction to further introduce restrictions on democratic rights and freedoms in Hungary.
Changes to Armenia's Political Party Regulation: toward more transparent party financing
Photo: gmfus.com
Prior to the COVID-19 state of emergency disrupting ongoing reform processes and the scheduled constitutional referendum, a new law on political parties was supposed to be amended and passed by June 2020. Most of the new provisions were welcomed by international experts. The draft law includes provisions that would make state funding for parties contingent on their adherence to stricter transparency rules on party finances and a 40% gender quota.
Parliamentary by-elections
Final observation mission report on parliamentary by-elections
PromoLex notes in its final report on the by-elections in Hincesti raion that there are still several legislative gaps that must be addressed concerning the need for clear regulation of indirect campaign financing by parties not registered to compete in this election. PromoLex also reports on procedural errors in the consideration and resolution of complaints by the CEC.
Election Alert #4 - How corona thwarts Putin's plan to change the constitution
The pandemic has interrupted Putin's fast-track constitutional amendment project that would have allowed him to stay in power beyond 2024. An understanding that his popular support may be waning was likely behind the haste. What started as a fail-proof political project is now an uncertain race against a natural calamity. Whenever the vote will take place it will be happening in a post-crisis Russia and the government's effectiveness in fighting the pandemic will surely be factored into the voters' decisions.
Problematic International Observation of the Azerbaijani 2020 Parliamentary Elections
In this latest EPDE report, Anton Shekhovtsov investigates how politically biased international election observers were used by Azerbaijani authorities to relativize critical findings of the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) to the early parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.
Fake election observation as Russia's tool of election interference: The Case of AFRIC
In this report, Anton Shekhovtsov analyzes how the structures of "Putin's Chef" Yevgeniy Prigozhin interfere in electoral processes in African countries with the help of fake election observation. This report focuses on the Association for Free Research and International Cooperation (AFRIC), an organization that Shekhovtsov has previously investigated and found to be involved in politically biased election observation and pro-Kremlin efforts, and is linked to Prigozhin.
Russia election alert #3
On January 20, 2020, the president of Russia submitted to the State Duma a draft law on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. To pass these amendments, authorities have also proposed to call an "all-Russian vote". These attempts to amend the constitution by calling such a vote instead of through existing legal procedures like a referendum raise serious concerns among Russian election experts about the legality of the constitutional change.
Early Parliamentary Elections
Preliminary report on 9 February 2020 early Parliamentary Elections
EMDS
EMDS recorded similar violations on E-Day that have occurred in previous elections - one person voting multiple times, bussing of voters, ballot-box stuffing, and voting without registration. These violations were widespread and deliberate. Turnout figures counted by observers were significantly lower than the figures the CEC officially released on their website throughout E-Day. EMDS believes that violations recorded during all stages of these elections made it impossible for the elections to be fair and free.
2nd Interim report of 9 February 2020 early Parliamentary Elections
EMDS notes that there have been cases of pressure against civil society, political activists, candidates, and their relatives in both stages of the Parliamentary elections. The government failed to demonstrate any political will to release more than 100 people who are in jail with politically motivated charges as a result of increased political repression over the last few years.
Interim report of 9 February 2020 early Parliamentary Elections
(Parliament of Azerbaijan) Source: European Parliament, Flickr
EMDS observed during its LTO that restrictions on political freedoms and the freedom of speech continue ahead of the 9 February 2020 early Parliamentary Elections and that the current Election Code does not provide for a genuine competitive environment. Numerous violations concerning the nomination and registration of candidates, predominantly against opposition candidates, were also observed.


Hello Everyone. I am Suraj Sandeep. I am a big boy as tomorrow I will start my new School. I will now go to a Nursery. Today I am going to tell you all about my Papa. I call him Acha, Pappa or Achu depending on my mood. If I have to generally enquire about him (which is normally every 10 mins or sometimes 5 minutes) I call him Achoo.
So let us now come back to my Story about my Papa/Achoo.
He is very tall and strong but not stronger than me. I have bigger muscles and I beat him at every boxing match that we play at night. (I do not know when the bed will break but I am kid, so I am not responsible for it). My Achoo takes care of me very much so he brings me new toys and sometimes he himself turns into a toy for me. He usually becomes a swing or a slide for me. I sit on top of his tummy and sing Row Row Row your boat.
I like it when he comes home early and takes me out in a car at the beach. I am a good boy so I also give him a nice massage when he comes home. Sometimes he would also take me to school in Car. My Achoo also allows me to drive our Car. He never shouts at me and always takes me out to see JCB, Dumper Truck and Crane.
My Papa/Achoo is a very handsome man after all he is my father, he got his good looks from me. He sometimes, no most of the times copies my dressing style. He has now started buying T shirts same like me. We both have Minion T Shirts and even Red Cap, which is always kept in the car, though my Red Cap is cute as it has two ears.
He also teaches me. When you come to my house, I will show you what all he has taught me. My Achoo also dances with me sometimes. Now enough said, I have the best papa in the World and I love him because he knowingly or unknowingly takes care of me and I also know that he loves me the most in the world.


If you're like most people, by the end of January you had also probably given up, fallen behind, lapsed, reverted back, or even failed on most of your resolutions. The real tragedy is not that people fail on their resolutions but rather that year after year of failure causes people to stop dreaming, stop resolving, and stop hoping. Each year's failure takes one more bite out of their self-image, self-esteem, and self confidence.
You can achieve your resolutions.
But changing requires following certain guidelines. The key to success is being smart; it means having S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for five qualities of an effective goal. Let's look at each quality.
1. Specific – One of the most important qualities of an effective goal is that it's specific. Specific means you know exactly what you want to accomplish. The more specific you make your goal, the more "magnetic attraction" it pulls toward becoming reality. The mind is very much like a computer: garbage in – garbage out. Specific goals in – specific results out. Just like a computer, your mind can work only with what you feed into it. The key is in the programming.
One simple action you can take to make your goals more specific is to write them down. By writing them down in "black and white," you will see more clearly where your goal is specific and where it isn't.
2. Measurable – Next, your goal must be measurable. Measurable means quantifiable. You must know accurately where you stand at any given point. You must be able to quantify how much you have left. It's a matter of keeping score. Can you imagine two basketball teams playing in front of thousands of fans but not turning on the scoreboard or the game clock – just playing until they felt like quitting? If your goals aren't measurable, you're playing without a scoreboard or game clock. You don't know if you're winning or losing, if you're ahead or behind, or if you're growing or dying.
To make your goals measurable, set up a way to track them. Use a graph or a daily, weekly, or monthly progress report. By always knowing where you stand, you will always know what to do next.
3. Attainable – For your goals to be attainable, they must be within the realm of the possible. They can't violate any physical laws. They also shouldn't violate any legal or ethical laws. In other words, your goals should be both possible and worthwhile.
4. Realistic – Realistic goals are different for different people. Realistic goals are based on who you are today. If you've never exercised a day in your life, it's unrealistic to set a goal to run a marathon this weekend. However, if you've been training rigorously and have run in marathons before, it's probably a realistic goal. It depends on where you stand.
The key to having realistic goals is having a thorough understanding of yourself. It means knowing who you are and where you stand. To do this, start by writing your own personal history. In other words, write out your life story. Include a complete character description of yourself. Only by knowing yourself can you set realistic goals.
5. Tangible – The one quality that will turbo-charge your goals more than anything else is to make your goals tangible. Most people don't know how to make their goals tangible. For a goal to be tangible, you must be able to experience it "in advance." In other words, you must be able to feel and sense what it will be like when your goal is accomplished.
When you make your goal specific, you're usually able to "see it." But to truly make your goal tangible, you must also be able to hear it, smell it, taste it, feel it, and experience it emotionally. It's only when you're able to add one more of these senses that you're able to experience your goals "in advance." And only when you can experience your goals will they have sufficient "pull" to help you overcome your present behavior patterns.
When you make your goals S.M.A.R.T., you put the odds in your favor. You will finally be playing a game that you can actually win!


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After the paddle pressure spring buckle, two upper and lower blades angle is fixed to 30°. With its flexible two-stage design, new paddlers can move freely, no matter where they go. The high-strength fiberglass paddles with lightweight materials to save your energy for the long-distance rowing.
Q2.Can i order different types kayak into one container9 A2.Yes,you can choose interest type and packing together. Q4.Which color you can make9 A4.We can make any color as customer demand,only need you send pic or color number to us is ok. Q5.How to keep the quality9 A5.EK kayak have special QC for check kayaks after finish hull and before delivery.
Welcome to Visit >> Hangzhou Msee Outdoor Product Co. Q: What's your payment term9 - TT, LC, Paypal etc Q: Could we visit your factory9 - Yes, warming welcome, hope to meet you asap. Welcome to Visit >> Hangzhou Msee Outdoor Product Co.
We will satisfy with our clients as our promise by our action. Rinse your boat and hardware thoroughly after paddling in saltwater as well as brackish or polluted water. There will be a label on the outside with your product code visible as customer's request.
It will be the best choice to use Begreen Transparent Clear Kayak Canoes. Serve as survival stand-by boat for vessel or yacht. etc. Particulate matter is what leads to scratches.
Alibaba.com offers 503 glass kayak products. About 36% of these are rowing boats.
A wide variety of glass kayak options are available to you, such as free samples, paid samples.
There are 497 glass kayak suppliers, mainly located in Asia. The top supplying countries are China (Mainland), Turkey, and Pakistan, which supply 97%, 1%, and 1% of glass kayak respectively.
Glass kayak products are most popular in North America, Western Europe, and Southern Europe.
You can ensure product safety by selecting from certified suppliers, including 53 with ISO9001, 31 with Other, and 9 with ISO14001 certification.


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Home / Mosques in Ashtamudi
Mosques in Ashtamudi
Blue skies, azure seas, serene backwaters, emerald vegetation all add to the mystic of Kollam, a land peppered by ancient Hindu temples, mystical churches and mosques, and a hospitality industry that's always in top gear to pamper the thousands of travelers who throng Kollam and its surrounding Ashtamudi Lake every year.
The beauty and serenity surrounding the Ashtamudi Lake have inspired many a poet and artist in an attempt to capture its essence. But don't take their word for it, as nothing can make up for going and seeing it for yourself. The placid waters, the verdant green surroundings and the deep silence and stillness felt there is only broken by birdsong or the sudden chatter of startled water birds as they take to the skies. The coconut groves and swaying palm trees all add to the beauty of the peaceful surroundings as the water gently laps on the sides of the banks.
The historical port city of Kollam, located in southern Kerala state, is based on the right side of the lake and bears testimony to visits from travelers from the Arabian Peninsula, the cradle of Islam, from as far back as the times of Prophet Mohammed. Early travelers from Portugal, Netherlands, and Britain as well as China from south-eastern Asia also left their stamp on the culture and religion of the people of Kerala, a state in southern India. Trade was a major factor in bringing Christianity and Islam to Kollam, and Kerala as a whole. The main religions found here are Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, and all are found to live in harmony and mutual respect, unlike in the northern provinces of India. There are locations where churches, mosques, as well as temples, share the same small neighborhood, yet they are able to coexist in harmony, a testimony to the peaceful nature of the inhabitants of Kerala.
History has it that a Chera King from Kerala converted to Islam and visited Mecca; on his return trip, he was accompanied by many Islamic religious leaders who eventually settled down in Kodungallur, and built their first mosque in Kerala. Although the mosque has been renovated repeatedly to preserve it, traces of the original architectural design can still be seen in the forms of the plinth, the columns and the roof, which are all in the traditional design of Hindu temples of that era. By the twelfth century AD, there were at least ten Muslim settlements starting from Kollam in the south and Mangalore in the northern part of Kerala. This was due to the accommodating and permissive cultural set-up of the people of Kerala. Their primacy in trade as well as experience of the sea made these Muslims a prominent class and dear to the rulers of that bygone era.
The construction of mosques was done mainly by Hindu artisans under the supervision of Muslim religious heads and is one of the reasons why earlier mosques weren't of the Arabic style. In the eighteenth century, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan are credited to have introduced the Arabic style of mosque building to Kerala, where a large number of temples were converted into mosques.
The general plan of the mosque included a large prayer hall, a mihrab facing Mecca and a covered verandah running around the entire structure. The basement is generally tall, similar to the Brahmanical temples and the columns have a square or octagonal section, as seen in Hindu temple pillars. The pulpit in the mosque has amazing wooden carvings. As Kerala is blessed with abundant forests, wood is used extensively for the construction of the ceiling and roof. It's covered with plates of copper in many cases to protect it from the heavy monsoons experienced in this area. Some of the earlier mosques also have finials along the roof, while the Jama Masjid mosque at Tan ur even has an entrance gate designed in the typical way of Kerala Hindu temples. The Cheraman Mosque, which is the world's second and the sub-continents first mosque, was initially built in the traditional Kerala style. It has recently been renovated to give it the Arabic touch.
The unique combination of the simple and austere Arabic tradition with the indigenous elaborate construction techniques of Kerala gave rise to a style not seen anywhere else in the world. These architectural features are however now in the process of being replaced by Islamic architecture and domes and minarets are now the norm of the day for new mosques.
One of the oldest and most important mosques here is the Chinnakkada Palli. Other important Mosques in and around Ashtamudi include Valiyapalli, Juma-atrh-palli, Jumma-ath_masjid, Muslim jumma-ath-palli, Kalamala palli, Muthirapparambu palli and Siyavathummodu palli.
These cultural and religious symbols add to the beauty of Ashtamudi and the district of Kollam. Kollam is well connected by road, rail and air and easy to get to by the inquisitive traveler. Trivandrum airport is located about a 70km scenic drive away while the railways connect Kollam to other cities at the Kollam Junction railway station. The NH 47 highway offers road access to Kollam, so all a traveler has to do is fix the date to enjoy all the cultural beauty on offer.


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LISP List Processing Programming Language - LISP is a general purpose programming language accommodating powerful facilities for Symbol Manipulation. The LISP takes its name from "LIST Processor". Symbol Manipulation is something which is similar as working with words and sentences. Lisp is a family of computer programming language, which was designed in 1960 by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Language was developed by Steve Russell, Timothy P Hart and Mike Levin. McCarthy published its design in a paper in communications of the ACM in 1960. Lisp is the second oldest High level Programming Language after FORTRAN. Many of the concepts are incorporated in Computer Science like Tree data structure, automatic storage management, dynamic typing, higher order functions, recursion etc.
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It is used in research development applications like Artificial Intelligence.
A LISP program uses symbolic expressions to ease the work with data and procedures. The syntax of LISP is relatively very simple. LISP is normally used as an interpreter. Lisp is closely related to Artificial Intelligence Research communities like PDS – 10 System. Lisp contains some tool which are capable to solve some the most difficult problems in the world of computing. Lisp is one of the most important programming language that is used in artificial intelligence. LISP List Processing Programming Language.
What are the Features of LISP Programming Language?
It uses uniform syntax through the program – Lisp contains data and codes which are represented uniformly.
It consists of Standard Macros. In this language variable declaration is rare.
It really works on Interactive environment. The feature of recursion make it most popular in Artificial Intelligence.
LISP uses a very simple notation in which operators and their operands are given in a parenthesized list.
List are surrounded by parenthesis. Ex – (), (()), ((a, b, c)) etc.
The interchangeability of code and data promote lisp instantly recognizable syntax.
LISP 1.5 – It was the first widely distributed version of LISP.
Stanford LISP – It was the successor of LISP 1.5, rendered by Maclisp and Interlisp.
Many other versions was released after Standard LISP containing special features, these are MACLISP, InterLisp, Franz Lisp, Standard Lisp, Zeta Lisp, Common Lisp, Dylan, ANSI Common Lisp etc.
Clojure – It is a recent Lisp version which compiles to the Java virtual Machine.
Computers What are the Application areas of LISP Programming?
Labels: Computers What are the Application areas of LISP Programming?