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Home/News/Bollywood in Dubrovnik: Movie 'Fan' will bring Croatia closer to India
Bollywood in Dubrovnik: Movie 'Fan' will bring Croatia closer to India
Shooting of the Bollywood hit film 'Fan' with the 'Indian Tom Cruise', Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role, has come to its end. Actor, producers, directors and others will gather their equipment and leave for India soon. They will leave, but millions of tourists from their homeland will soon visit our country.
'After you recorded the Game of Thrones and similar TV series, the whole world knew that Croatia is doing a good job and that Croatia and Dubrovnik can offer a lot to the movie world. How did we establish this cooperation between India and Croatia? Well, Boris Dmitrovic has been trying to get one big project for years. And you know how the old saying goes 'seek, and you will find what you are looking for,' Hrvoje Hribar, the director of Croatian audio visual center said.
The greatest benefit we will have from this cooperation is that soon enough Croatia and scenes filmed in Dubrovnik will be shown in millions of homes all over India. Furthermore, next year we will certainly see a lot of new tourists and fans here. Just the same like we experienced with the Game of Thrones', said Hribar.
Boris Dmitrovic from Formula added to this: 'Croatia recently became very interesting to all foreign production companies. Colleagues from India visited Dubrovnik one year ago. We were waiting for this project for many years.'
'It was very exciting to shoot here in Dubrovnik, and we look forward to enjoying what we have done here' said the producer of the YRF team. 'Croatia is a place of incredible beauty and great atmosphere. We are very glad that we have recorded this action thriller with lots of very exciting scenes here. For those who are interested in the movie, it is about a fan of the Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh Khan plays his own fan', the producer discovered.
According to him, Indian audience is very interested in Dubrovnik. That is why the next autumn will be filled with great excitement. Namely, the movie is due to be screened then.
For the production of the movie Yash Raj Films (YRF) and its Croatian partner, Formula Film hired more than 600 extras. During the nine days of filming in Croatia Yash Raj Films spent around 1.1 million euros (8.6 million kuna). The project was realized through incentives of Croatian Audiovisual Centre. Since their introduction in 2012, they have achieved a growth rate of almost 100% in consumption of international productions every year. After European and American productions, these measures have now invited big Bollywood productions to Croatia.
In 2014, eight international productions from France, Sweden, Great Britain, Netherlands, Germany, the US and Switzerland have filmed in Croatia. They all spent around 83 million euros on Croatian products and services.
Video & Photo Gallery: Moments From the 70th Dubrovnik Summer Festival Opening


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Home » 2008 Case Study: The Albuquerque Convention Center's Roof Gets a "Cool" New Look
2008 Case Study: The Albuquerque Convention Center's Roof Gets a "Cool" New Look
For more than 15 years, the Albuquerque Convention Center has been the home of major concert events and conventions in the heart of downtown Albuquerque, N.M. Built in the early 1990s, the east section of the building's original roofing system was a 215,919-square-foot 60-mil fully adhered Firestone RubberGard EPDM system with a five-year warranty.
For more than 15 years, the Albuquerque Convention Center has been the home of major concert events and conventions in the heart of downtown Albuquerque, N.M. Built in the early 1990s, the east section of the building's original roofing system was a 215,919-square-foot 60-mil fully adhered Firestone RubberGard EPDM system with a five-year warranty. Although the roof performed well and the EPDM membrane remained in good shape 10 years after the warranty expired, some leaks occurred due to lack of preventative maintenance.
The city and convention center officials took a proactive approach to correct the problem by seeking out different options, from installing a new roof to making repairs to the original system. After careful consideration, they decided that repairing the existing system was the most cost effective option and a sound investment for the future of the roof.
Firestone technical representatives inspected the roof and determined that with some minor repairs and upgrades, they could issue a new five-year Red Shield warranty. The project was bid and awarded to National Roofing Company Inc., located in Albuquerque.
The repairs included stripping the seams as needed; reinstalling the base tie-ins; replacing all damaged sections of the roof with new 60-mil RubberGard EPDM and two-inch Firestone ISO 95+ insulation; repairing walls and curbs; repairing or reinstalling all flashing, as required, along with new walkways; wrapping six foot walls with EPDM; and installing Firestone pre-finished metal coping.
Firestone AcryliTop coating was applied to the convention center's roof membrane to enhance the investment and extend the life of the roof. AcryliTop coating provides energy savings and protection on dark-colored rooftops where temperatures can reach more than 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius). The white coating on the convention center's roof will help in the reduction of the urban "heat island" effect caused by the building's existing dark membrane.
The new roof will provide long-term cost savings to the city of Albuquerque in cooling and energy costs. Additionally, the immediate environmental impact of repairing the roof rather than tearing it off saved labor and energy costs of hauling more than 140,000 pounds of waste material into the city's landfill and eliminated thousands of dollars, which would have been needed for diesel fuel and disposal fees. The cost savings to taxpayers to do a restoration, rather than a reroof, was almost $1 million.
"We are very pleased with the professionalism and overall experience with Firestone Building Products and National Roofing," said Harry Gordon, director of operations, Albuquerque Convention Center. "The convention center's roof has not only been fixed, it has been enhanced with a white coating to protect it from the New Mexico sun and its damaging effects."
As with any roofing system, pro-active maintenance and care will protect your investment and ensure that it lasts for years to come. Also, be sure to check the status of your roof's warranty and stay in contact with your local contractor for required inspections and maintenance.
For more information, visitwww.firestonebpco.com.
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This engagement with the Festival dei Due Mondi brings Mr. Conlon full circle, as the festival was where he conducted his first opera, at age 21, while still a student at Juilliard. Mr. Conlon's first visit to Europe was in 1970 when the Juilliard Orchestra was engaged to play for the festival. The following year he returned as assistant conductor and led a single performance of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, marking his first public appearance conducting an opera.
For further information visit the festival's website here.
Earlier this spring, Mr. Conlon conducted a trilogy of operas inspired by the works of French playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais as part of LA Opera's community-wide project titled Figaro Unbound: Culture, Power, and Revolution at Play, which included talks, seminars and exhibits. The Figaro trilogy featured John Corigliano's The Ghost of Versailles, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, as well as two performances of Giovanni Paisielllo's Barbiere, written in 1782 and which held the stage even after the premiere of Rossini's work in 1816.
All three operas in the Beaumarchais trilogy conducted by Mr. Conlon were met with considerable praise.
Fresh from a European guest conducting tour during which he led the NDR Sinfonieorchester, the Orchestre de Paris in the new Philharmonie and at the Mariinsky Theatre both in concert and Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina, Mr. Conlon, Music Director of the Cincinnati May Festival for 36 years, returns to "The Queen City" for the 2015 May Festival. Mr. Conlon will lead the May Festival Chorus, Cincinnati Symphony and internationally renowned soloists in two weekends of concerts that exemplify the festival's grand choral tradition including Haydn's Creation, Berlioz's Requiem, and an all-Russian program with works by Shostakovich, Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky.
The 2015 Cincinnati May Festival opens Friday, May 22 and continues through Saturday, May 30.
This summer, Mr. Conlon marks his final season as music director of the Ravinia Festival, summer home of the Chicago Symphony, with concerts that reflect and celebrate the breadth of his 11-year tenure, highlights of which have included Mahler, Mozart, and Shostakovich cycles, numerous works by composers suppressed by the Nazi regime as part of his Breaking the Silence series, and annual opera-in-concert presentations.
During the 2015 festival, Mr. Conlon conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 1 and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, K. 488 with Garrick Ohlsson (July 22); Mussorgsky's Three Pieces from Khovanshchina, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Lise de la Salle and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 (July 23); Zemlinsky's The Mermaid (Die Seejungfrau) and Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Jorge Federico Osorio (July 29); an all-Tchaikovsky concert featuring the Violin Concerto in D Major with Maxim Vengerov, the Nutcracker Suite and the "1812" Festival Overture (August 1); and an opera-in-concert performance of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman (August 15).
For further information visit the Cincinnati May Festival website here and the Ravinia Festival website here.


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Marshall v. Ascension Health
STACY MARSHALL, Plaintiff,
ASCENSION HEALTH, et al. Defendants.
ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS' MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (ECF NO. 34)
JAMES R. SWEENEY II JUDGE
Plaintiff Stacy Marshall ("Marshall"), by counsel, brought this action against named Defendants Ascension, St. Vincent Medical Group ("SVMG"), and St. Vincent Salem Hospital, Inc.[1] (See Compl., ECF No. 1.) Pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title VII"), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., Marshall alleges Defendants (1) harassed her based on her gender to create a hostile work environment; (2) discriminated against her based on her gender; (3) retaliated against her for complaining of harassment and discrimination; and (4) caused intentional infliction of emotional distress. Defendants move for summary judgment on all claims. The Court, having considered the Motion, finds that the Motion should be GRANTED.
A. Marshall's Employment
Stacy Marshall began work as a Registered Nurse at Washington County Memorial Hospital in 1987. (See Dep. Stacy Marshall (hereinafter Marshall Dep.) 21:20-24, ECF No. 36-5 at 4-5; Answer 4, ECF No. 11.) In 2010, when Ascension acquired St. Vincent Health, Inc., Washington County Memorial Hospital became St. Vincent Salem Hospital. (Id. at 22:17-21.) St. Vincent Salem is a wholly-owned subsidiary of St. Vincent Health, Inc., which is not a party in this matter. (Decl. Dana Muntz (hereinafter Muntz Decl.) ¶ 5.) St. Vincent Health, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ascension. (Id. at ¶ 6.) SVMG is a separate subsidiary of Ascension. (Id. at ¶ 7.)
Around 2013, Marshall began reporting to Brittney Garloch ("Garloch") and Kevin Lyles ("Lyles"). (See Marshall Dep. 33:2-34:1, 38:10-12; Decl. Brittney Garloch (hereinafter Garloch Decl.) ¶ 4.) Both Garloch and Lyles reported to Dana Muntz ("Muntz"), who at all times relevant to this matter was Chief Nursing Officer and Administrator for St. Vincent Salem Hospital. (Marshall Dep. 38:12-25, ECF No. 36-5 at 13; Muntz Decl. ¶ 2-3, ECF No. 36-1 at 2.)
B. Marshall's Discipline Related to Noel Putman
In 2009, shortly before Ascension acquired St. Vincent Health, Marshall started working with Noel Putman, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist ("CRNA") in St. Vincent Salem's Surgery Department. (Marshall Dep. 24:1-6; 45:17-46:13.) Put-man, at all times relevant to this matter, was employed by SVMG. (Id. at 46:23- 47:20.) Putman is the only CRNA employed by St. Vincent Medical Group serving St. Vincent Salem. (Marshall Dep. 47:12-25, ECF No. 36-5 at 17; Potter Decl. ¶ 6, ECF No. 36-3 at 2.)
On or around August 23, 2013, Putman complained to Garloch that Marshall was putting unsolicited notes in his locker and had argued with him unprofessionally in the workplace. (Marshall Dep. 75:10-76:12; Garloch Decl. ¶ 5, Ex. 1.) Garloch, Lyles, and Valerie Potter, then Human Resources Manager for St. Vincent Salem, spoke with Marshall and directed her to stop putting notes in Putman's locker, to act appropriately in the workplace, and to avoid communication with Putman unless specifically related to a patient. (Decl. Valerie Potter (hereinafter Potter Decl.) ¶¶ 3, 6- 7, Ex. 1, ECF No. 36-3 at 2-3.)
On or around September 18, 2013, Marshall stopped to talk with Putman about his "nerve to complain about her" to Garloch. (Marshall Dep. 78:19-25, 85:9-15, ECF No. 36-5 at 39, 42.) Putman subsequently complained to Garloch again about Marshall, claiming Marshall had "cornered him to discuss their interpersonal conflict." (Garloch Decl. ¶ 6, Ex. 2; see also Potter Decl. ¶ 8.) Garloch admonished Marshall about maintaining professional boundaries in the workplace. (Id.) Marshall responded she wished to help Putman "fix his personality." (Id.) Garloch then escalated the issue to Muntz, reporting the multiple complaints from Putman alleging that Marshall was harassing him. (Decl. Dana Muntz (hereinafter Muntz Decl.) ¶ 8, ECF No. 36-1 at 3.) Potter and Muntz determined Marshall had disregarded specific instructions to avoid speaking with Putman regarding personal issues. (Potter Decl. ¶ 9, ECF No. 36-3 at 3; Muntz Decl. ¶ 9, ECF No. 36-1 at 3.) On or around September 19, 2013, Potter and Muntz jointly issued another warning to Marshall reiterating their instructions to not speak with Putman outside of patient matters. (See Muntz Decl., Ex. 1, ECF No. 36-1 at 8.)
On or around April 15, 2014, Putman and Marshall had a disagreement in the operating room during which Putman told Marshall, "Don't tell me how to do my fucking job." (Garloch Decl. ¶ 8, ECF No. 36-2 at 3; see also Potter Decl. ¶ 10; Muntz Decl. ¶ 10.) Putman later apologized to Marshall. (Garloch Decl., Ex. 3, ECF No. 36-2 at 11.) Two days later on April 17, 2018, Marshall spoke with Garloch about the incident in the operating room. (Id.) Putman separately reported to Garloch that Marshall had confronted him again to discuss their ongoing personal conflict. (Id. at ¶ 8.) Garloch reported the issue to Muntz and Potter, who determined Marshall was making the work environment uncomfortable for her co-workers. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 11, ECF No. 36-1 at 3; Potter Decl. ¶ 10, ECF No. 36-3 at 3.) Subsequently, on April 21, 2014, Muntz and Potter issued a written warning to Marshall for continuing to disregard instructions not to speak with Putman except about patient care. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 11, Ex. 2; Potter Decl. ¶ 10, Ex. 3.)
On May 5, 2014, Potter, Muntz, Garloch, and Lyles held a meeting with Putman and Marshall to address their persistent issues. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 12; Garloch Decl. ¶ 9; Potter Decl. ¶ 12.) During the meeting, Putman read from a prepared statement explaining his belief that Marshall had romantic feelings toward him and that he felt harassed. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 13; Garloch Decl. ¶ 9; Potter Decl. ¶ 13.)
Shortly after, on May 15, 2014, Putman again expressed concerns about Marshall to Muntz. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 14, ECF No. 36-1 at 4; Potter Decl., Ex. 4, ECF No. 36-3 at 14.) Putman described several instances in which Marshall engaged in personal conversations with him in direct contravention of Muntz' and Potter's orders. (Potter Decl., Ex. 4.) In response, Potter and Muntz met with Marshall on or around May 20, 2014 and directed her to take a leave of absence and seek counseling from St. Vincent Salem's Employee Assistance Program ("EAP"). (Muntz Decl. ¶ 16; Potter Decl. ¶ 13.) The meeting is recorded in both Muntz' and Potter's contemporaneous notes. (See Muntz Decl., Ex. 4; Potter Decl., Ex. 4.) Marshall began EAP counseling on May 20, 2014 and returned to work three days later. (Marshall Dep. 133:11- 136:19, ECF No. 36-5 at 69-72.)
On or around January 29, 2015, Marshall again approached Putman to ask why he was mad at her and why he could not forgive her. (Marshall Dep. 146:17-150:9.) Putman reported the incident to Muntz that same day. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 17, Ex. 5, ECF No. 36-1 at 4-5, 17.) On February 2, 2015, Muntz and Potter again met with Marshall and Putman to discuss Putman's complaint. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 18; Potter Decl. ¶ 14.) Marshall admitted speaking to Putman despite Muntz and Potter's continuing instructions, but stated the discussion regarded a patient's IV. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 18; Potter Decl. ¶ 14.) Muntz and Potter both determined that Marshall acted inappropriately, in part because they believed there would be no reason for Marshall to ask a nurse anesthetist such as Putman about an IV. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 18; Potter Decl. ¶ 14.) The meeting is recorded in Potter's contemporaneous notes. (See Potter Decl., Ex. 5.) Muntz and Potter issued Marshall a written warning to Marshall and placed her on unpaid suspension. (See Muntz Decl., Ex. 6; Potter Decl., Ex. 6.)
Following the January 2015 incident, Potter and Muntz determined Marshall and Putman should be separated. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 21; Potter Decl. ¶ 17.) Because Putman could only perform his work as a CRNA in the Surgery Department, and because he was the only nurse anesthetist serving St. Vincent Salem, he could not be transferred. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 22; Potter Decl. ¶ 18.) Consequently, St. Vincent Salem ordered Marshall to transfer to an available position in a different department. (Marshall Dep. 155:6-156:18, ECF No. 36-5 at 82-83; Muntz Decl. ¶ 23; Potter Decl. ¶ 19.) Marshall chose the Medical/Surgery Department, where she started work in late February of 2015 and where she did not have contact with Putman. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 23; Potter Decl. ¶ 19; Marshall Dep. 161:23-162:23.) She worked approximately the same number of hours in her new role and received the same hourly rate. (Marshall Dep. 40:5- 13, 161:11-15; Potter Decl. ¶ 20, Ex. 7.) St. Vincent Salem filled Marshall's previous position in the Surgery Department with a female nurse whose salary, according to Marshall, saved the hospital $30, 000 per year. (Marshall Dep. 183:8-184:14.)
Shortly after her transfer to the Medical/Surgery Department, Marshall began working in the Emergency Department. (Marshall Dep. 162:25-163:9.) There, she occasionally interacted with Putman. (Potter Decl. ¶ 21.) Around that time, Potter received complaints that Marshall was making her coworkers uncomfortable by gossiping and speaking about her relationship with Putman, and Putman complained to Potter that Marshall was defaming him to employees within the Emergency Department. (Id.) Potter and Muntz interviewed numerous employees in the Emergency Department, including Marshall, to investigate the matter. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 25; Potter Decl. ¶ 22.) Marshall admitted to Muntz and Potter that she "had spoken with several people about her history with Putman and asked them to pray for her and for Putman." (Muntz Decl. ¶ 25; Potter Decl. ¶ 22.) Consequently, Muntz and Potter, citing Marshall's continued failure to follow instructions regarding appropriate workplace conduct and interactions with Putman, terminated Marshall's employment effective August 14, 2015. (Muntz Decl. ¶ 26; Potter Decl. ¶ 23; Marshall Dep., Ex. 16.) Marshall filed her Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on April 4, 2016. (Marshall Dep., Ex. 19.)
C. Marshall's Allegations of Harassment
Marshall alleges her first negative interaction with Putman occurred when he yelled at her during her training. (Id. at 51:6-52:7.) Marshall admits the harassment was not sexual at first. (Id. at 50:16-51:9.) Marshall also alleges Putman treated many of his coworkers poorly and it was widely known that he had, as she describes, "anger management problems." (Id. at 57:7-59:4.)
Marshall states she first knew that Putman's interactions with her "moved from that beratement then [sic] on to the sexual type" when he allegedly stared at her with a "beet red" face and, after Marshall inquired of him, stated, "you're my problem." (Id. at 61:15-62:13.) Additionally, Marshall states Putman made sexual remarks to her on at least two other occasions. First, when she said she was going to "take all of this off, " referring to heart monitor leads hooked up to patient, to which Putman allegedly responded, "I've been waiting to hear [you] say that for a long time." (Id. at 67:22-68:5, Ex. 19.) Second, when Putman leaned over her shoulder and said, "I see something, " which Marshall believes referred to his view down her shirt. (Id. at 107:18-108:22.)
Aside from these two specific exchanges, Marshall makes more general allegations. Namely, she claims Putman "dart[ed] in front of her" approximately five times. (Id. at 63:8-10, 65:4-10.) She alleges Putman stared at her from down the hallway approximately five times. (Id. at 65:11-16.) She also alleges Putman would "flip [her and her coworkers] off" (id. at 66:17-20, 67:14-15) and strike her worktable to get her attention (id. at 188:3-189:19). Without other factual allegations, Marshall summarily asserts that harassment from Putman happened consistently during her time at St. Vincent Salem. (See, e.g., id. at 210:12-17.)
All of this behavior ostensibly occurred prior to Marshall's discipline on August 23, 2013. (Id. at 68:14-17.) However, Marshall could not recall whether she reported any of these interactions with Putman to either Garloch or Lyles prior to that time. (Id. at 68:18-69:8.) The only evidence of a formal complaint by Marshall to her supervisors regarding Putman comes from May 5, 2014. (Id. at 106:6-111:7; see also supra Section B, p. 4.)
         D. Marshall's Excluded Allegations ...


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Debbie Young's Writing Life
Hilarious, heartwarming fiction set in the Cotswolds
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Posted in Events, Writing
Multimedia Me
Posted on March 20, 2015 July 18, 2016 by Debbie Young
Highlighting my recent appearances on local radio and YouTube
Well, every website needs the occasional cat photo, doesn't it?
With my working life revolving around the written word, and much of my day spent sitting silently bashing a computer keyboard, it's always refreshing (to me, at least) to have opportunities to communicate in other ways.
As a naturally chatty type (the kindest way to put it), I'm always pleased to be invited to give talks on any aspect of self-publishing, book marketing or writing (see my current list of events here).
I'm hoping to produce my own podcasts in future, inspired by great role models such as Joanna Penn, who interviewed me on one of her own podcasts recently (see this previous post).
I'm also quick to embrace any opportunity to appear on broadcast media. Today I thought you might like the links to my two most recent appearances.
BBC Radio Gloucestershire Book Club (10th March 2015)
It's always a pleasure to nip up to the BBC Radio Gloucestershire studios to feature on one of their shows. On Monday of last week, I joined my friend Caroline Sanderson, another local author who is also an Associate Editor of The Bookseller magazine, on the lunchtime slot for their new Book Club slot.
Presenter Claire Carter, a live wire with an enquiring mind, is a self-confessed reluctant reader. As I learned when I worked for thec children's reading charity Readathon, the multiple benefits of a leisure reading habit are well-documented. Not only are regular readers more successful in their education and careers, but they also form more satisfying personal relationships, better social skills and are more contented. Claire's decision to share her determination to become a regular reader will, I'm sure, inspire many others to do so too, stimulated by lively discussion on her show.
The BBC Radio Gloucestershire Book Club will run once a month, usually with Caroline and/or me in the studio, with occasional visits from other local authors. (There are a lot of us about in these parts!) Each month we'll choose a book to read for the following month's discussion. We'll be choosing books that are readily available in paperback, to buy from bookshops and to borrow from libraries, and which are likely to appeal to a wide audience, while also stimulating comments and feedback.
This month, we were talking about Matt Haig's The Humans, a sweet, funny and touching tale about an alien who takes over the body of an Oxford professor of mathematics. If you'd like to know how we got on with it, you can catch the show here on BBC iPlayer for the next couple of weeks. (The Book Club slot runs between 12noon and 1pm).
Next month's Book Club will be on Claire's show from midday on Wednesday 8th April, and we'll be talking about The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. If you've read it and would like to share your view, or would like to share any book-related thoughts with listeners, tweet the show at @BBCGlos.
Ingram Spark YouTube Video
Back in November, I had great fun at the Indie Author Fair that ran alongside the Chorleywood Literature Festival. The amazing Triskele Books team, who masterminded the event in partnership with ALLi, set up the opportunity for indie authors to be interviewed by Andy Bromley of Ingram, the book distributor responsible for the publishing and distribution services Lightning Source and Ingram Spark, through which many indie authors, myself included, publish their books.
The Ingram team improvised a recording studio at the back of the community hall in which our event was running, and I was very pleased to secure one of the interview slots. Last week I received the final edit of the interview, which Ingram have now posted on their YouTube channel, and which I'm please to share with you here:
But for now, I'm stepping back out of the limelight and getting back to my keyboard. So much to type, so little time!
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When necessary, we agree to transport you to your country of origin when immediate medical consultation is required due to a covered emergency sickness or injury. Any emergency transportation such as air ambulance, one-way economy airfare, stretcher and/or a medical attendant must be pre-approved and arranged by AGA.
If a covered sickness or injury requires you to be returned home during the period of coverage, we agree to reimburse up to $3,000 for the additional cost of one-way economy transportation by the most direct route for you and one insured family member to your country of origin when approved and arranged by AGA. Your coverage under this policy ceases once you have been returned to your country of origin under this benefit.
We agree to pay up to a maximum of the sum insured indicated on your confirmation of coverage, for loss of life, limb or sight resulting directly from accidental injury occurring during the period of coverage, except while boarding, riding in, or alighting from an aircraft.
vi. one foot and entire sight of one eye.
Loss of hand or hands, or foot or feet means severance through or above the wrist joint or ankle joint, respectively. Loss of eye or eyes means total and irrecoverable loss of the entire sight.
Only one amount is payable (the largest) if you suffer more than one of these losses.
d) requires assistance with activities of daily living as the result of a medical condition or state of health.
Coverage starts on the effective date.
b) after you exit your country of origin. Any sickness that manifests itself during the 48-hour waiting period is not covered even if related expenses are incurred after the 48-hour waiting period.
Coverage ends on the expiry date.
1. Notice of Claim. Claims must be reported within 30 days of occurrence.
2. Proof of Claim. Written proof of claim must be submitted within 90 days of occurrence.
1. A fully completed and signed claim form with all original bills and receipts.
2. Medical records including an emergency room report and diagnosis from the medical facility or a Medical Certificate completed by the treating physician. Any fee for completing the certificate is not a benefit under this insurance.
3. For physiotherapy visits, a letter from the referring physician recommending a referral to the physiotherapist.
4. Any other documentation that may be required and/or requested by AGA.
•	In the event of a medical emergency, AGA must be notified within 24 hours of admission to hospital and before any surgery is performed.
•	If you fail to do so without reasonable cause, then we will pay 80% of the claim payable. You will be responsible for the remaining 20% of the claim payable.
•	You will be responsible for any expenses that are not payable by us.
1. A fully completed and signed claim form completed by either you, or in the case of your death, by the appointed executor/executrix.
2. The police report including any witness statements.
4. The death certificate (in the event of death).
5. The Medical Certificate completed by the attending physician or hospital medical records.
6. Any other documents requested by AGA after initial review of the claim.


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> id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.
consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam hendrerit mi posuere lectus.
Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet vitae, risus.
id sem consectetuer libero luctus adipiscing.
> inside a list item.
1986. What a great season.
1986\. What a great season.
See my [About](/about/) page for details.
This is [an example] [id] reference-style link.
[id]: <http://example.com/>  "Optional Title Here"
Visit [Daring Fireball] for more information.
[id]: url/to/image  "Optional title attribute"
「漢字標準格式」印刷品般的漢字排版框架 Han.css: the CSS typography framework optimised for Hanzi.


The Supreme Court has handed down a game changing judgement relating to Employment Law. Seven Supreme Court Justices agreed, in the case of Unison v Lord Chancellor, that the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal Fee Order 2013 prevented access to justice and furthermore was considered unlawful.
The result of this judgement is that fees structure for Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunals has now been removed.
The implications of this decision are numerous. When the fee structure was in place (As of today, it no longer is), employers had a certain protection from vexatious claimants, who may very well have filed a claim hoping for an economic settlement, when in reality the claim may have had no prospect of success whatsoever.
CJCH represents both employers and employees in various matters, and we would predict that this development will result in a sharp increase in new instructions.
Immediately after the introduction of fees, claims to the Employment Tribunal dropped by 79%, so we would expect that trend will see an immediate reversal.
Claimants, who are at their most vulnerable, after losing their job, no longer have to worry about finding £1200 (estimated) to actually get a case to the Tribunal. I still feel, however, that we have a duty to advise responsibly, and inform possible claimants of potential costs penalties if that claimant persists in bringing a vexatious, or malicious case.
Since the run up to Brexit and its aftermath, the current government appears to have taken a semi-detached approach to their relationship with business and employers. Following the election and its now precarious hold on power in parliament, it seems increasingly desperate to demonstrate its 'People' friendly credentials.
The announcement that employment tribunals are going to abandon the requirement for fees to start claims might be seen as the latest evidence of this. The last upwards hike in fees slashed all new employee claims to tribunals by nearly 80%, almost overnight. The removal of any fees promises to usher in a tsunami like wave of fresh claims. From the employee's perspective, this may be perceived as good news and the employment marketplace as a new happy hunting ground.
From an employer's perspective, it may provoke a collective groan of despair and knee jerk defensive responses. All may agree that prevention of claims is better than cure. Some reactive employers may be tempted to simply look even harder than they otherwise have done at anyone employed by them for less than two years and pro-actively purge the ranks of anyone likely to prove problematic in the longer term.
However other employers will sensibly take a more enlightened approach. They will look hard and long at their recruitment processes to ensure that they take on the right people for them in the first place. They will also review their training and appraisal policies to ensure they become meaningful and valuable personal development tools instead of internal compliance-driven tick-box exercises. They might consider giving them representation on management boards or simply have regular meetings to share knowledge and experience, air any issues and invite constructive suggestions for improvement. They might also want to consider imaginative reward schemes to incentivise everyone employed by them and give them a real vested interest in the success of the business.
Businesses don't need to introduce truly radical human resource management to prevent negative confrontation. All that is required to create a positive and productive working environment is good management practice and a healthy dose of common sense. Traditional hierarchies and old fashioned practices should be the first thing to be axed if any organisation is serious about success and growth. Conversely, an inclusive and all-embracing approach to their workforce should be the first thing to be introduced as the best defence against negative and expensive grievances and claims.


text:
Poole Announces Maria Potepalova as Interim Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
June 27, 2022 capowel2
NC State Poole College of Management has named Maria Potepalova as the interim chief marketing and communications officer (CMO) effective June 13. Potepalova will be taking over for Jenny Hammond who previously served as CMO for almost three years.
Potepalova has been with the NC State since 2016 beginning as a marketing and program assistant for the Dance Program within Arts NC State and most recently as the associate director of integrated communications for Poole College. Her primary responsibilities include developing and implementing an integrated communications strategy, including the promotion of faculty research, to elevate and drive brand awareness, and ensure key messages are effectively communicated across key internal and external stakeholder groups.
I have worked closely with Maria in the past on strategic and internal communications and confident in her ability to lead the college in the interim period focusing on building the college brand, enhancing graduate enrollment and internal communications.
"I have worked closely with Maria in the past on strategic and internal communications and am confident in her ability to lead the college in the interim period focusing on building the college brand, enhancing graduate enrollment and internal communications," said Frank Buckless, Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Dean.
Moving forward, Potepalova will lead a central team of marketing and communications professionals, provide communications counsel to the dean and collaborate with college leadership to build effective marketing and communications strategies.
Potepalova received a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from St. Petersburg State University, Russia, in 2013 and a Master of Science in communication from NC State in 2016. She was nominated three times for the college's Staff Excellence Award and has presented at professional communications conferences.
More From News at Poole College
Poole Staff Spotlight: Meet Morgan Holcomb
Poole Staff Spotlight: Meet Janet Rakes
Poole Staff Spotlight: Meet Alyssa Elliott


Research Supply Company's mission is to provide our customers with a great value for the products they need in order to achieve their goals.
Prompt, knowledgeable service is our hallmark. We've sold to the research industry for many years, and we have the expertise to help our customers select the best products available for their specific needs.
RSC offers a broad portfolio of research supply products, from Accel disinfectant to Zippered disposable coveralls. We are constantly adding new and innovative items from the most trusted manufacturers to support your diverse research needs.
Our competitive, affordable pricing makes our product line's value the best in the industry, enabling you to consolidate your orders which saves you time and money.
We consider ourselves the ultimate product troubleshooters - if you can't find the product you are looking for anywhere else, contact us. We will come back with a myriad of options and sources from around the globe. RSC is the expert at providing very hard-to-find products for our customers.
Contact RSC today so we can start proving our value, and the value of our products, to you! We're your team. You can count on that!


text:
class CreateSeconds < ActiveRecord::Migration
  def self.up
    create_table :seconds do |t|
      t.string :name
    end
  end

  def self.down
    drop_table :seconds
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Games don't always offer the possibility to change the language in-game.
For this reason, we have built a language selector tool for every Giveaway game.
Navigate to the game installation folder. For example, C:\Program Files (x86)\GameSessions\Zombie Army Trilogy.
Launch "Language Selector". Pick the language you would like to use, then click on "Download".
This might take a few minutes to download and install.
The language in-game has now been changed; you can launch the game again.


text:
Bolton: Trump 'will not tolerate interference' in U.S. elections
"President Trump has not and will not tolerate interference in America's system of representative government," John Bolton wrote in a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Senate Democrats. | Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo
By ANDREW RESTUCCIA
National security adviser John Bolton said in a letter to Senate Democrats Thursday that President Donald Trump is doing more to defend U.S. elections from foreign influence than any previous administration, and he offered to hold classified briefings for Congress on the White House's efforts.
"President Trump has not and will not tolerate interference in America's system of representative government," Bolton wrote in the letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Senate Democrats. "He has directed a vast, government-wide effort to protect electoral procedures and processes while investigating, prosecuting, and holding accountable those who illegally attempt to interfere."
Story Continued Below
The letter comes after Trump faced intense criticism for appearing to question his own intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia is continuing to target the United States ahead of the November midterms. After senior intelligence officials across the government publicly underscored the threat, Trump and his senior advisers have sought to walk back the president's public statements in a bid to project a unified and aggressive response.
Trump chaired a National Security Council meeting about election security Friday, and Senate Democrats, in a letter to Bolton last week, called on the Trump administration to hold Russia accountable for its actions, boost interagency coordination and provide support to local and state election officials.
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Bolton's letter said the Trump administration is doing all of those things, adding that the president has shown "a level of dedication and action with respect to this threat that far exceeds that of previous administrations."
Trump's critics are unlikely to be persuaded by Bolton's missive. The president refused to publicly confront Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference with him in Helsinki, Finland, last month, saying, "I don't see any reason why it would be" Russia interfering in U.S. elections.
In a rare acknowledgment of a misstep, Trump later walked back those comments, insisting that he had meant to say he didn't see a reason why it "wouldn't" be Russia that was interfering.
Trump also appeared to say "No" last month when asked by a reporter whether Russia was continuing to target U.S. elections. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders later said Trump wasn't answering the reporter's question, even though the reporter said Trump looked at her and appeared to be responding.
"Our letter to Ambassador Bolton urged him and the Trump administration to fully implement the sanctions on Russia that Congress already passed, extradite the 12 Russian government officials indicted by Special Counsel Mueller, and commit to protecting diplomats and other US personnel — both past and present," Schumer and the other senators said in a statement Thursday.
"Ambassador Bolton's response does not address any of this and failed to urge Republicans in the Senate to reconsider their position blocking critical funding requested by 21 states to bolster election security ahead of the midterms."
The criticism that Trump isn't taking U.S. election security seriously has worried some in the White House, who have encouraged the president to take a tougher public stance on the issue.
Trump late last month took a harder line in an interview with CBS News, saying he holds Putin responsible for meddling and underscoring that he has confidence in the intelligence community.
Bolton, in his letter, said the Department of Homeland Security has "active partnerships" related to election security in 50 states, though the letter offers no details on what the partnerships entail. "Throughout the 2018 primaries, DHS has also readied itself to provide rapid response to potential cybersecurity incidents if Federal resources are requested," he said.
Bolton also offered to brief Congress on the administration's work.
"We do not wish to make the efforts of our adversaries any easier through injudicious public disclosures," he wrote. "Nonetheless, as we have offered to do before, the Trump Administration remains willing to provide Congress classified briefings in secure facilities."


Click Book A Court to reserve a Tennis, Racquetball, or Squash court.You will need to log into your account. Your username is your email address. If you do not know your login information use the "Forgot Your Password?" link.
To request a facility reservation complete the reservation request form on www.reilycenter.com.
Book a tennis, racquetball, or squash court.
To book a court, first log in with your email address and password or Tulane Account.


After the lazy days of summer dressing, some of us might not be ready for the wake-up call of fall. But just because the days are getting shorter and cooler, there's no reason to hit the snooze button on style. With just a few extra additions, your work wardrobe can be autumn-worthy.
Read on for tips on how to update your business casual wardrobe this fall!
Want a surefire way to transition your sleeveless dresses in a snap? Just add a crisp white blouse underneath for a polished office outfit.
Stylist tip: Turtlenecks are another great item to wear under your dresses. You can also layer your ¾ sleeve blazers and jackets over a turtleneck with a skirt to extend your skirt's wearability into the next season.
While it's still warm-ish, don a lightweight cotton pullover with your neutral work pants and trendy mules. A new purse in a fun fall hue (we love colors that pop, like cherry red or mustard) and other accessories can liven up this everyday uniform.
Who said coats have to be boring? Take a walk on the sartorial wild side with an animal print or an unexpected seasonal shade. Pair it with a fresh fall denim trend and you are set.
Make Monday dressing easy like Sunday morning by throwing on a one-and-done shift. Try one with sleeves when the temperatures start to drop. Keep it classy and boardroom-ready by adding dainty pointed toe flats.
Have more questions about your fall style? Be sure to ask a Stylist!
The post How can I update my business casual wardrobe this fall? appeared first on Stitch Fix Style.


text:
Dark Days of DC
fishin4bass.66054 December 1, 2020, 9:34pm #1
Was the early 90s the darkest days of DC? I never thought about it until recently but within a 2-2 1/2 year period you had the death of Superman, Batman's back broken and replaced for about a year, green lantern (Hal Jordan) becomes parallax and takes out the guardians and the entire Corp, killing Killowag, death of green arrow, I think Hawk died after becoming evil, I think Hawkman died too. Then there is the whole woman stuffed in the refrigerator ordeal. I believe I'm missing a few other deaths and horrible acts. Is this the darkest time of dc comics not including alternate universe stories or else world tales?
TheSandmanofGotham December 1, 2020, 12:07pm #2
I really don't think it's that dark over on the DC side. In my opinion, DC was having some of their greatest hits such as The Long Halloween, Superman For All Seasons, and Kingdom Come. They did have a few stumbles such as 90's Wonder Woman, but I feel that it was largely countered by runs such as Birds of Prey, Nightwing, and Robin.
I think that the 90's were largely dark because of the over saturated darkness and the deconstructionist view many writers had after Watchmen was published. Along with that, the business practices also did not help them due to them causing the crash.
fishin4bass.66054 December 1, 2020, 12:21pm #3
I understand what your saying but that's not what I was trying to say. I was saying they were dark times because of those deaths and events. No the stories weren't as dark and depressing as we have today but it was a dark time because of all the major deaths.
That's also why I said I wasn't talking about else worlds or alternate universe stories as the ones you listed.
Hawkman on average dies once a week, so that is not a big deal. I once had a team up with him where he died and came back 9 times.
BatJamags December 1, 2020, 3:49pm #5
I think the '90s were pretty focused on events and big shakeups, which could even be pretty cool sometimes, and some books (mainly at Image and Marvel, but you saw the occasional Fate or Extreme Justice at DC) had this shallow, exaggerated, action-focused "gritty" style that people sometimes confuse with darkness. But even that was almost exclusively in the first half of the decade.
But, like, I'm reading Identity Crisis right now (I've been familiar with its general plot and more controversial points, but haven't read it and tie-ins straight through). Something like this would never have happened in the '90s. Most of the '90s' excesses were temporary problems. Superman dies so he can come back. Batman is replaced by AzBats so he can come back. Even Artemis as Wonder Woman, while much more poorly executed than those two, was just a single arc in a single title.
Now, there is Parallax, and that was pretty over-the-top. But it was also a big deal at the time. They wrangled two company-wide events out of it. Both of them sucked, by the way, but they existed.
As far as Women in Refrigerators goes, that specific moment was raised mainly as an example of a trend which arguably dates back at least to Gwen Stacy's death in 1973, and certainly didn't stop after the '90s. Again: Identity Crisis.
See, while the '90s liked their shocking twists and turns, the 2000s were when it became popular to think of lesser-known characters as disposable. You could kill, maim, or do worse to any lesser-known recurring character as long as it made life more interesting for the tentpole-types.
There are exceptions to all of this because there are exceptions to everything, but that's my impression as someone who started reading comics in the 2010s, but has read a lot from the '90s and generally prefers that era to more modern stuff.
KeyFamily December 1, 2020, 5:01pm #6
Very interesting question @fishin4bass.66054! I've recently been reading Batman & Deathstroke '90s series. Although they all seem to have a darker storyline, art style, and overall tone, I've also found them to be clever and humorous - really becoming fond of this era of writing. The love for the characters seems to have felt an internal shift in the 1990s comics but I personally see this as a benefit of the heroes having been around for a while and young writers coming in to narrate their own grittier versions of their favorite protagonists.
This might be off on a tangent but perhaps our resident Comic Historian @TurokSonOfStone1950 knows an additional tidbit… Was there something going on with DC during the 1990s that caused these major dark event storylines to all start popping off around that time (increase sales, spice up the arcs, lead to something bigger, experiment, etc.)?
Good points @JollyJamags!
TurokSonOfStone1950 December 1, 2020, 9:32pm #7
Re the 90s
I looked at
Secret Origins the Story of DC Comics
1 hour and 17 minutes in
And my super hero genre history
From after crisis in 1986 to Kingdom Come in 1996
Super Hero Genre History Comic Books
Revised version of history December 7 2019 Also see
There were two distinct trends in that time
The bright and shining reboots of Superman by John Byrne and Wonder Woman by George Perez. Plus The lighter touch of Justice League International
The much darker but well written worlds of Frank Miller and the British writers that eventually resulted in Vertigo.
By the time the 90s came around the second type of comics were selling
The more traditional heroes were not selling
So DC did stunts
to jack up sales
Aquaman lost a hand
Hal Jordan became Parallax
Traditional DC Comic books lost their way especially as they tried to compete against
Image and Vertigo.
Kingdom Come in 1996 was a rebuke to all this
Again see
at one hour and 17 minutes
for a summary of that time.
Thank you O'Wise @TurokSonOfStone1950! Very interesting - I knew you'd know the answer!


Everyone is going to be wearing the same shirt, so be sure to style myself accordingly and stand out amongst the crowd. I cautiously cut my top into a v-neck and paint my pout with Maybelline's Smoky Jade. which I bought specifically for this occasion and plan to rock again. Another bold lipstick move by me in the books.
A bar crawl is in no means a race, so try not to feel rushed. There are plenty of hours to consume cocktails, hang out with friends, and pay a visit to at least one of my favorite hot spots. I surprisingly woke up the next day feeling perfectly fine and I am sure much better than most of the other crawlers.
Whenever March 17th rolls around, I realize how little green I own, especially for attending a university and being a sorority member with this color representing both. The transition from winter to spring brings rain, blooming flowers, and the revival of fresh and healthy greenery. A vibrant, lush scene fitting for a lightweight, floral sundress.
This "Luck of the Irish" holiday and the beginning of spring sparks a style inspiration — I should spring for more green when shopping! The shades of forest match my eyes, making them pop. Below are some of my leafy-colored picks to be one with Mother Nature this season.


Hernandez, G(7). SB – Bailey, W(8). CS – Palomaki, J(7).
Win – Rapp, B (3-2). Loss – Dulaney, B (2-4). Save – Adams, J (5).
Z 62/42; Gibson, K 35/19; Parr, B 13/11; Gorst, M 14/8.
Georgia Tech 1st – Justus, C flied out to cf (3-1).
Bailey, W singled to center field (3-1). Gonzalez, M flied out to rf (1-0).
out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Georgia Tech 2nd – Stallings, B walked (3-2).
Peurifoy, R struck out swinging (0-2). Pabst, A struck out swinging (0-2).
(2-2). Adams, Jo grounded out to ss (1-0). Hoggarth, L flied out to rf (1-2).
(3-1). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
swinging (1-2). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Georgia Tech 4th – Rapp, B to p for Stevens, J.
(1-1). Bailey, W singled to left field (0-1); Justus, C advanced to third.
looking (3-2). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
scored. Braren, S struck out swinging, grounded out to c unassisted (0-2).
Adams, Jo struck out swinging (0-2). Hoggarth, L struck out swinging (1-2).
Rapp, B. Peurifoy, R singled to first base, RBI (1-1); Stallings, B scored.
to 2b (2-2); Pabst, A advanced to second; Peurifoy, R advanced to third.
Boston College 6th – Gibson, K to p for Ryan, Z.
Bigras, M grounded out to p (3-2). Hernandez, G flied out to rf (1-2).
T grounded out to 2b (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
center, out at second cf to 2b (2-1). Sciortino, N grounded out to ss (3-1).
to second. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
(0-0). Stallings, B singled up the middle (1-2); Craport, T advanced to second.
advanced to third; Justus, C scored. Johnson, K grounded out to ss (3-2).
Boston College 8th – Parr, B to p for Gibson, K.
Adams, Jo grounded out to p (0-2). Hoggarth, L singled up the middle (0-0).
Bigras, M struck out swinging (2-2). Hernandez, G flied out to rf (0-2).
Georgia Tech 8th – Adams, J to p for Skogsbergh.
English, T flied out to cf (2-0). Craport, T singled to center field (1-2).
Boston College 9th – Gorst, M to p for Parr, B.
J flied out to rf (3-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Georgia Tech 9th – Justus, C flied out to cf (2-2).


The contemporary Hilton McLean Tysons Corner hotel is located in the center of Tysons Corner's technology corridor, between Ronald Reagan National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. This project consisted of a major renovation to the existing hotel lobby and public spaces. The scope included new lobby seating with big-screen TVs, a lobby bar, wood and stone flooring as well as the addition of a new restaurant, Härth, with three marble-clad fireplaces and distressed walnut floors. Structural work included cutting existing precast face and installing new curtainwall and stone.


text:
Q: Почему JS не возвращает значение? undefined Есть 2 скрипта для обновления двух списков. Второй скрипт работает, но данные не передает в контроллер. Первый неправильно возвращает значения и выдает :"undefined"
Первый скрипт:
'''
<script type="text/javascript">

            $(document).ready(function () {
                $("#carbrands").change(function () {
                    console.log("pehla andar");
                    $("#carmodels").empty();
                    $.ajax({
                        type: 'POST',
                        url: '@Url.Action("GetModels")',
                        dataType: 'json',
                        data: { id: $("#carbrands").val() },
                        success: function (mems) {
                            console.log("wich ayaeee");
                            $.each(mems, function (i, member) {
                                $("#carmodels").append('<option value="'
        + member.Value + '">'
                                    + member.Text + '</option>');
                            });
                        },
                        error: function (ex) {
                            alert('Failed to retrieve states.' + ex);
                        }
                    });
                    return false;
                })
            });
        </script>
        }

'''
Второй скрипт:
'''
<script type="text/javascript">
    $(function () {
        $('#carbrands').change(function()
        {
            var id = $(this).val();
            $.ajax({
                type: 'GET',
                url: '@Url.Action("GetItems")/' + id,
                success: function (data) {
                    $('#carmodels').replaceWith(data);
                }
            });
        });
    })
        </script>

'''
Кто разбирается в JS, знаете в чем дело?

A: Each создает функцию, старайся всегда перебирать через for(){}
var, function и callbacks морально и нет - устарели
(По колбекам есчо: если у тебя в коде полно строк с +5 табами, значит пора пылесосить песок)
Обычно в js используют одинарные кавычки для строк
Пробуй сначала выводить в консоль, потом уже вставлять текст в дом
Вот вкусная статья к прочтению
Рекомендую также использовать расширение для быстрых тестов своего кода (корпсы главное солблюдай)
Вот код асинхронного запроса:
const afetch=(_url)=>{
    return new Promise((resolve)=>{
        $.ajax({
            url: _url,
            type: 'GET',
            data: {},
            async: true,
        }).done((r)=>{
            if(!r)r = false;
            resolve(r);
        }).catch((e)=>{
            console.log(e.status, e.responseText, e);
            resolve(false);
        });
    });
};

(async()=>{
    let r = await afetch('http://www.calorizator.ru/analyzer/recipe/');

    // code, any job with response

    console.log('response', r);
})();

Я знаю про await ajax, но работает он раз через раз, у меня

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
SambaNova Systems Wins "Best Innovation in AI Hardware" 2020 AIconics Award
Recognition comes on the heels of SambaNova's recent launch of DataScale™ and Dataflow-as-a-Service
PALO ALTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SambaNova Systems, the company building the industry's most advanced systems platform to develop and deploy next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) and data-intensive applications from the data center to the cloud and the edge, has been named "Best Innovation in AI Hardware" by The AIconics, a prestigious global award celebrating breakthrough technologies in AI.
The "Best Innovation in AI Hardware" award honors one company developing hardware solutions that represent a clear advancement for the field of artificial intelligence. Previous winners of Alconics Awards include IBM Watson, Microsoft, Blue Prism, PwC and Darktrace among others.
"At SambaNova Systems, we're on a mission to create technology that empowers people to achieve goals that are still out of reach with today's computing solutions, and this recognition from AIconics is a validation of that effort," said Rodrigo Liang, co-founder and CEO of SambaNova Systems. "We look forward to continuing to push the boundaries and unlock what is possible with AI, and chart the course through the next frontier."
Now in its fifth year, the virtual AIconics Ceremony took place on Dec. 9, as a part of AI Summit New York, the world's leading AI for enterprise event.
The announcement of this award follows a day after SambaNova announced the availability of DataScale, the AI and chip solution enabling enterprises to bring services and products to market faster than any alternative, and SambaNova's launch of the industry's first Dataflow-as-a-Service offering. Additionally, the recognition arrives after SambaNova's news of their expansion into EMEA and their most recent funding round, a $250 million Series C led by BlackRock.
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text:
Alex Folkes
Political and Elections Analysis and Consultancy
Elections around the World
Putin makes his move
President Vladimir Putin has begun to make changes to the structure of the Russian government. Some sort of move had been expected as he is currently term limited and must leave office at the end of his term in 2024.
The changes are described as being a shift in power from the Presidency to Parliament and the current government, headed by Dmitry Medvedev, has resigned. President Putin will take over the powers of the Prime Minister in the interim.
It is being proposed that the changes will be put to a national referendum – a suggestion which is not strictly necessary according to the current rules but which would entrench the new system.
With Putin set to relinquish the Presidency in 2024, the most common parlour game in Russia in recent times has to predict the mechanism by which he would seek to hang on to power. A constitutional change – either to allow him to run for a third consecutive term or to change the power structure – was the favourite option. Other proposals talked about were a new federation with a former Soviet state such as Belarus or for Putin to follow the lead of Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan and take a behind the scenes role while maintaining real power. Proposals for closer ties with Belarus were recently discussed but put on the back burner.
Whether Medvedev's resignation is a clue that he is unhappy with the changes or that Putin was unhappy with him is unclear. Political analysts in Russia have made both suggestions. Mr Medvedev will become deputy head of the National Security Council, a body chaired by the President.
If the constitutional changes are approved by the public then it is likely that Putin will choose to take on a Parliamentary role, either as Speaker of the Duma or as Prime Minister – although the latter will be appointed by the Duma, a subordination that the current president may feel is not appropriate for his image. In either case, attention will now turn to parliamentary elections due next year. United Russia, the dominant political forced for more than 17 years, has effectively been abandoned by President Putin and has taken the blame as his popularity has waned. The most recent regional and local elections has seen a focus on loyalist candidates running as independents. Whether this strategy can work for a national vote remains to be seen. The alternative is the promotion of an alternative party or group of loyalist parties that will support Mr Putin in whatever role he chooses.
In his speech to lawmakers today, President Putin also proposed to tighten the rules for future presidential candidates to limit them to two terms in total (he has served four having swapped jobs with Medvedev between 2008 and 2012) and tightening residency requirements.
However the full proposed changes to the constitution have yet to be detailed and no date for a referendum has been given. It is possible that when further proposals are revealed another option for Russia's leading man will become apparent.
UPDATE: Alexander Baunov of the Carnegie Moscow Center has tweeted the following thoughts:
Putin made it clear in his state of the nation address today that this is the official start of the transition of power, in preparation for him stepping down when his current terms ends in 2024. He suggests amending the constitution via a referendum to approve those changes. That way, it will be harder for the opposition and foreign powers to argue with the move to change the constitution.
The rule against 2 consecutive presidential terms will be changed to just 2 presidential terms. There can be no second Putin. Putin's four terms were needed to help the country recover from the collapse of the Soviet Union. From now on, the maximum reign will be 12 years. This means that if Medvedev returns to the presidency, he can only serve one term, having already kept the seat warm for Putin from 2008-2012.
The powers that Putin has amassed will not be passed on intact either. Instead, they will be shared out. Parliament will confirm the prime minister and other ministers, and the president cannot reject parliament's choices—though he or she can dismiss them. The president will be weaker, and it's beyond doubt now (despite earlier speculation that he would somehow stay on) that that president will no longer be Putin.
The State Council, on the other hand, will have increased powers, with Putin calling for "the status and role of the State Council to be enshrined in the constitution." This could well be where Putin goes in 2024.
Putin also said the role of regional governors should be strengthened. Firstly, they are members of the state council. Secondly, a successor to Putin may have to be selected from among them.
Future presidents will have to have lived in Russia for 25 years without a break and have never had a foreign passport or residency permit. If this includes temporary permits such as for students, this would exclude Alexei Navalny (who has studied at Yale) from running.
The Russian constitution will be above any international legal obligations, so farewell to the European Court of Human Rights and Council of Europe. There'll be no more help from abroad. Overall, people will likely vote for these changes with great enthusiasm.
Elections to watch – 2020
It's no surprise that the USA will host the biggest, most expensive and most important elections of the year on November 3rd. Donald Trump's efforts to gain a second term will be played out across news bulletins around the world, whilst his various Democratic opponents will aim to get airtime when faced with the most media-dominant President in history.
It is often said that a second term president becomes a lame duck almost immediately, but that won't be the case for Trump who has shown that he is willing to make quick, and often un-signalled, decisions on major issues. Apart from tax reform, Trump has relied less on legislation than almost any President before him. But he has been willing to withdraw from international agreements and upset the established liberal world order like never before.
Down-ballot, the chances of radical shifts in the House or Senate are slim, but we will see how the impeachment efforts will play out on those races.
However the US elections are far from being the only pivotal polls in 2020. Two contests – in Georgia and Belarus – will help us to understand the limits of Russian influence in countries in their immediate orbit and a third – Serbia – is a traditional Russian ally.
There are also re-runs of elections held originally in 2019 which, for different reasons, failed to produce a result. Israel will hold its third election in a year whilst Bolivia will attempt a clean election following the departure of Evo Morales.
There are also key contests in Egypt and Myanmar – countries dominated by the military – and elections in South Korea, North Macedonia and Iran which will be closely watched by foreign governments as they could signal the impact of international decisions on domestic attitudes.
Iran, Parliament (March)
Iran continues to play its role as the grit in the oyster of Middle East politics with a network of official and semi-official proxies around the region. The country has always had its reformers and its hardliners and the spring election will be another test of strength between those factions.
Elections in Iran are largely conducted on a professional and democratic basis but with all but 5% of candidates (who represent religious minorities) subject to approval by the Islamic authorities.
The last elections in 2016 saw reformists emerge as the largest faction but without an overall majority. Iran has a reputation for huge numbers of candidates as 6,200 candidates ran for the 290 seats in 2016.
As well as its funding for militant groups and factions, Iran has also built up significant cyber capabilities and has allegedly used them extensively to interfere with the functions of other states for the past two years. Its nuclear programme is of concern to the west and the USA has pulled out of the JCPOA leading some to wonder whether military strikes are imminent. Iran's position on the Staits of Hormuz also gives it unique powers to affect the world's oil supplies.
Every country will be watching these elections with interest to see if the results may affect any of these interests. But it seems safe to predict that there will be no outcome that would comprehensively reverse any aspect of Iran's current course.
Israel, Parliament (March)
The third election in Israel in a year will again be between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz with the former having won his Likud leadership primary at the end of 2019. This poll comes after a second indecisive election and the failure to form a government under Israel's list election system which splits Parliamentary representation between ten different parties.
It is impossible to foresee a majority party emerging and this contest will see voters tasked with giving either Likud or Gantz's Blue and White the upper hand. But there is no provision for what might happen if the parties are again evenly split. Netanyahu has refused to give up the post of Prime Minister in any coalition in which his party features and Gantz refuses to serve under the longest serving Prime Minister the country has ever had.
Bolivia, President, Chamber of Deputies and Senate (March or April)
President Evo Morales stepped aside at the end of 2019 after his election win was found to be corruptly obtained. He won't be a candidate in the re-run, but that won't prevent the poll being highly controversial and tightly fought. In the aftermath of the failed poll, Morales sought asylum in Mexico as the army took a grip on the country and many of his former supporters were arrested. Since then there has been a general de-escalation in tensions and detainees have been released. Interim president Jeanine Añez will remain in charge until the vote in March or April.
North Macedonia, Parliament (April)
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev called these early elections after the failure of EU members (largely at France's behest) to agree the start of accession talks for his country and Albania. The country is also due to become a full member of NATO in the spring. In the last couple of years North Macedonia has formally changed its name to satisfy a long-standing complaint from Greece as well as undertaken large-scale structural reforms to bring it more into line with EU norms. The reward for these unpopular measures was to be the start of the long journey towards EU accession.
The election will pit Zaev's SDSM against the anti-agreement VMRO-DPMNE of Hristijan Mickoski. The SDSM candidate won the presidential election in May 2019 but the parliamentary poll will be closely fought.
A win for Zaev's party might give him and his supporters among existing members of the EU a boost before the next summit in June where France may be persuaded to change her stance. New EU President Croatia hs promised to keep the issue high up the institution's agenda. A win for the opposition would surely end any prospect of further integration measures for the foreseeable period.
South Korea, Parliament (April)
There are significant domestic issues at play in this year's legislative elections but these will play second fiddle in the minds of other countries to relations between South Korea and its neighbour to the north. At times President Moon Jae-In has been central to peace talks but has recently been sidelined by both President Trump and Kim Jong-Un. And whilst left-wing and pro North Korean parties are banned in the South, there are significant differences between the parties which will be a major factor in voters' minds.
Proposed changes to the voting system would mean the small PR element changing from a parallel to a compensatory system, favouring smaller parties.
Polls suggest that the Democratic Party is well ahead of its main conservative opponents the Liberty Korea Party but effort to game the new voting system could leave the outcome in the balance.
Serbia, Parliament (April)
North Macedonia and Albania may have been seen as being at the front of the queue for EU accession, but Serbia has also been in the frame for membership for a number of years. And for the largest state in the former Yugoslavia, this would represent a significant departure from historic ties to Russia which seeks to maintain at least one friendly presence in the Balkans.
The major hindrance to western integration is the continued failure to establish common ground with Kosovo. Talks of a land-swap to settle a border dispute between the two were effectively quashed by Angela Merkel who saw this as a dangerous precedent for other countries.
The current government is led by the pro-Western Ana Brnabić but previous elections have been criticised for the misuse of state resources and the lack of media independence and there is a proposed boycott by a number of opposition parties and groups. With decisions on Kosovo and western-oriented reforms likely to hit the popularity of the SNS government, it is possible that the coming election might be more competitive than assumed.
Belarus, President (August)
Few people will predict anything other than comfortable re-election for President Lukashanka but this election will be more notable for the tone than the outcome. Belarus has sought to maintain a balance between historic and economic ties to Russia whilst trying to avoid being perceived as a puppet of the Kremlin.
One of the potential routes for Vladimir Putin to remain in power after his second (and officially final) term in office comes to an end in 2024 is said to be a formal union with Belarus. This seems unlikely, but tax, currency and other financial ties remain under discussion. At the same time, the West, while being careful not to undermine Lukashenka by getting too close, will keep pressing for reforms such as the abolition of the death penalty.
Last year's parliamentary elections saw the removal of the only two opposition law-makers from Parliament in what was seen as a retrograde step. Will this contest shed any light on likely succession-planning?
Georgia, Parliament (October)
Electoral reform is not the usual issue to cause mass protests but such is the case in Georgia where a pledge to implement a more proportional system appears to have been abandoned. The state remains heavily dependent on Russia despite the continuing 'frozen' conflict over Abkhazia and South Ossetia which the Kremlin recognises as breakaway states but Georgia (and most of the world) does not.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has seen almost half of its support drain away according to the most recent opinion polls, but the main opposition groups have also lost ground. Such fragmentation, as well as possible boycotts, make the elections unpredictable.
Egypt, Parliament and Senate (November)
Egypt's flirtation with more genuine democracy resulted in the election of the Muslim Brotherhood. Subsequently, President el-Sisi has received significant support from the rest of the world as a bastion against terrorism and he has been able to limit popular expression in the country and put state organs in charge of much of the poll. The removal of the powers of the General Intelligence Directorate to create and approve candidate lists might have been seen as a progressive step, but their role has been taken by the National Security Agency instead. Prominent opposition figures have been arrested but there are reports that the Coalition of Hope, a moderate opposition group, may be about to contest the elections.
Myanmar, Parliament (November)
Aung Sang Suu Kyi, for many years the symbol of opposition to military rule in Myanmar, has lost much of her lustre around the world as she has sought to defend what is seen as possible genocide against the Rohinga people in the west of the country and failed to overturn military dominance – the armed forces still has reserved seats in the parliament which makes fundamental change unlikely.
How the people will react when given the chance to vote – and how free the military allows the elections to be – will be at issue in this contest.
Venezuela, National Assembly (December)
The constitutional crisis in Venezuela – with two presidents claiming legitimacy and being backed by different countries – continues. The parliament remians the main opposition to President Nicolas Maduro whilst the Constituent Assembly, extablished to write a new constitution, are his main backers. Officially the constituent assembly will lose its mandate shortly after the parliamentary elections. However the outcome of the vote is unlikely to satisfy both sides and the battle for legitimacy will almost certainly continue.
Moldova, President (date unknown)
Moldova faces a Presidential election less than a year after the unlikely coalition government of pro-Western technocrats and pro-Russian socialists fell apart. That deal was done in order to oust the the Democratic Party of oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc which was widely perceived to be corrupt. However there has been little time to complete reforms and the coming presidential poll will probably see a contest between incumbent Igor Dodon of the Socialist Party and former Prime Minister Pavel Filip who seems likely to receive the Democratic Party nomination.
Reading List – 27th November 2019
Belarus: Danger ahead – EU response needed
John Lough analyses the state of play in Belarus and argues that the West should not write the state off as a Russian backwater, but should take steps to engage more.
Post-Putin Uncertainty Means a Jittery Russian Elite and Brittle Regime
Tatiana Stanovaya of Carnegie Moscow Center suggests that senior figures in the Russian regime are looking to make themselves indispensible as 2024 approaches and Vladimir Putin's mandate comes to an end.
Turbulence in Moldova after 'anti-oligarchic' government falls
The odd-couple marriage between technocrat reformers and pro-Russian Socialists in Moldova has fallen apart. The question now is whether this heralds a return to power of key players mired in corruption or whether a new reformist ministry can take charge.
Are Facebook finally making a move to limit micro-targeting?
The Wall Street Journal says that Facebook is considering taking steps to limit micro-targeting – the practice of allowing advertisers to send individual ads to just a hundred or so users.
If such a move happens then it will be a response to the pressure the platform is feeling from politicians and activists across the world and the moves made by rivals Twitter and Google in recent weeks.
The proposal, according to the WSJ, would be to raise the minimum number of user targets to a few thousand. That would still allow a high degree of granulation – the ability to target ad recipients based on refined characteristics such as personal likes or geographic location. It isn't the same as Google's proposal to limit targeting to age, gender and postcode.
If it happens, this is once again a small responsive step from the biggest platform. What we are still missing is the big picture – where do they see their advertising policy being in five years time and how do they respond to the calls from around the world to make political adverts more transparent and, well, truthful. It would be great if Facebook would set out this vision for us rather than scattershot, incremental steps.
Incidentally, this video of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen ripping into the big platforms whilst receiving an award from the US Anti Defamation League is well worth watching in full.
Google cuts back on political adverts
Google will no longer allow adverts featuring deep fakes, micro-targetting or targetting voters based on registered political affiliation according to a letter sent by the company in the US. It will also expand its library of political ads. The decision is being seen as putting further pressure on Facebook.
The Google announcement, in common with other platforms,introduces terms and restrictions based around the current US market and political system. Adverts based on voter affiliation are already banned in the UK and questioning of the census – another restriction – is a US phenomenon. However the measures will apply worldwide and will be put in place before the UK votes on 12th December.
At present, both Labour and Conservatives are investing heavily in Google Ads which appear when users search for the names of other parties. The new policies would not appear to limit such adverts.
"Whether you're running for office or selling office furniture, we apply the same ads policies to everyone; there are no carve-outs," said Google Ads executive Scott Spencer in a blogpost. This is widely interpreted as a dig at Facebook which has exempted political adverts from fact-checking.
However, the company has admitted that its resources to check adverts are limited and the number that may be banned as a result of this policy will be small.
Micro-targetting is Facebook's key advantage and only exists to a very limited extent on Google. Facebook has a vast database of knowledge on each of its users and sells this knowledge to advertisers, including political advertisers. Google will allow adverts based on gender, age and locations as small as individual postcodes – but will not permit other data to be used.
Twitter's new policy has now been given in more detail and will ban all adverts from politicians and parties and those which are based on specific, even if they come from pressure groups or individuals. The company also aims to ban advertisements aimed at influencing legislation, but not those which refer to generic issues. Campaign groups have claimed that this means that polluting fossil fuel companies can still run ads to promote their products but that campaigners aiming to stop them will be banned.
Google, like Twitter, does not rely heavily on political adverts for revenue, generating around $128m from the US market since June 2018. But the Guardian has revealed that the company has been under-reporting poltical spending in the UK by a large factor. The newspaper claims that Labour was reported as having spent £50 in the week beginning 27th October, but that the actual figure was around £63,000. A smaller discrepancy also existed for the Conservatives. Whilst there is no indication that Labour or the Conservatives intended to mislead regulators, accurate reporting by platforms is vital to enable the Electoral Commission and public to check that parties are not over-spending on the election.
Four Ways to Fix Social Media's Political Ads Problem — Without Banning Them
In a opinion piece in the New York Times, Daniel Kreiss and Matt Perault (the latter of whom is former public policy director at Facebook) offer options for reforming the elections landscape of social media.
Tehran's strategic intent
For anyone who wants to know more about Iran and how the regime there has changed its global outlook and ambitions, this is a good read.
Five Lessons From the New Arab Uprisings
Dr Georges Fahmi of Chatham House examines how protesters across the region have adapted their tactics after the experiences of the Arab Spring. He sets out five lessons for those wnating to overthrow the system in their country, notably that it is not all about a rush to replace unpopular leaders through fresh elections – changing the rules and socio-economic structure of society is vital too.
How to Reverse the Global Drift Toward Authoritarianism
This last recommendation is a listen rather than a read. Brookings President John Allen on why autocrats are rising and what to do about it. Defenders of an international liberal rules-based order need to take action to preserve their vision.
EU highlights social media manipulation in Sri Lankan election campaign
The EU election observation mission has issued its preliminary statement on Saturday's Presidential election in Sri Lanka. Overall the mission found the election to be well run, but says that there was an uneven playing field for the candidates resulting from the absence of a finance law and the bias of both state and privately owned media. But there are highly damaging findings on the use of online and social media. I've re-produced the relevant section and footnotes below:
"A coordinated distortion of the information environment online undermined voters to form opinions free from manipulative interference.
Thirty-four per cent of Sri Lankans have access to the internet and use smartphones to send and receive information. The digital literacy rate is low, leaving the online discourse prone to manipulation. (65) Constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression is not explicitly extended to online content (66), and in the absence of all-encompassing privacy and data protection legislation, parties do not declare their use of voters' personal data, which is collected by mobile applications or campaign staff. (67) Such practice is at odds with international standards. (68)
Among the social media platforms, Facebook is the prime contributor to the crafting of political narratives in the public space and to setting the electoral agenda. (69) The EC had only an informal understanding with Facebook on the removal of hate speech and disinformation. (70) Citizen observers also reported harmful content online to the EC and Facebook. (71) However, Facebook's reluctance to take action, coupled to high levels of anonymous, sponsored content, enabled a mushrooming of hateful commentary and trumped-up stories that capitalised on long-standing ethnic, religious and sectarian tensions. (72) It continued also during the campaign silence, when Facebook removed only a small proportion of such paid content. (73) This was detrimental to the election and at odds with inter- national standards. (74)
Coordinated dissemination of outright false and/or demeaning information presented in various for- mats and across digital platforms dwarfed credible news threads. Suppression of credible news en- tailed the use of sponsored content on Facebook and coordinated sharing of political memes that sow discord and political gossip, both of which served as a source for multiple posts on political support group pages. In the majority of cases, the SLPP campaign benefitted from this. One such campaign undermined the integrity of postal voting; (75) four narratives capitalised on underlying fears and/or recycled previously debunked information. (76)
The use of algorithms and human curation to mislead the debate on Twitter was observed. (77) It in- cluded a high number of recently registered accounts amplifying certain political messages that also appeared on political support group pages. Ten days before the election, the SLPP further skewed the online discourse by announcing a "sharing" contest for 50,000 subscribers of the SLPP app VCAN. (78) A few professional fact-checking organisations exposed deceptive and false stories, but their staff levels and reach are far smaller than those of political actors, and they were not supported by broadcast or print outlets. (79) Overall, a damaging online environment distorted public debate and curbed voters' access to factual information on political choices, an important element for making a fully informed choice."
65 – Computer and digital literacy are 27.5 and 40.3 per cent respectively (2018). Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka; joint declaration on freedom of expression and "fake news", disinformation and propaganda by recognised international bodies, section 3, says: "States should take measures to promote media and digital literacy".
66 – UNHRC, Promotion, Protection and Enjoyment of Human Rights on the Internet, 4 July 2018:"[…] the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression…".
67 – The VCAN app promoted by the SLPP (Google Play) demands registration with a National Identity Card (NIC); if permitted, it has access to a phone's geolocation, can read the content of USB storage and view network connections. The privacy and developers' pages are empty. The use of the VCAN app and enclosed private information by campaigners was confirmed to EU observers in Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Colombo, Gampaha, Kandy, Kalutara, Kurunegala and Trincomalee.
68 – ICCPR art. 17, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary […] interference with his privacy". ICCPR, HRC GC 16 par. 10: "The gathering and holding of personal information […] on computers, data banks and other devices, whether by public authorities or private individuals or bodies, must be regulated by law."
69 – As of October 2019, there are 6.5 million Facebook users, 1.1 million Instagram, 261,700 YouTube, and 182,500 Twitter users in Sri Lanka. Several million people use WhatsApp. Eight million communicate on Viber.
70 – Facebook has not published data about requests by, or its response to, government authorities in 2019. It notes that without a written agreement with the EC, the timeline for decisions remains at its discretion. The number of removed posts is not public. FB did not consider the EC's media guidelines applicable to it.
71 – By 6 November the EC complaints centre has registered 102 complaints about campaign violations and hate speech online.
72 – The EU EOM analysed 340 Facebook pages supporting one of the two leading candidates, including 167 prominent in one district. Twenty-six of national-level and 10 per cent of local-level pages featured sharply negative content. On 25 of the most popular meme pages, the EU EOM identified 47 political memes with a menace, including sectarian undertones. The EU EOM assessed public videos by ten of the most subscribed to YouTube influencers (more than 20,000 followers each) and identified at least 10 cases of sharply divisive rhetoric, including two with a racist message.
73 – On 14 and 15 November the EU EOM identified at least 300 sponsored posts/adverts with campaign content. CSOs identified 700 such sponsored posts, FB removed less than half of it.
74 – ICCPR, HRC GC 25, par. 19: "Voters should be able to form opinions independently, free of violence or threat of violence, compulsion, inducement or manipulative interference of any kind." See also the joint declaration on freedom of expression and "fake news", disinformation and propaganda, sec. 4 'Intermediaries'.
75 – On 31 October an anonymous fan page, Iraj Production, posted "postal voting" results featuring the SLPP's victory with 95 per cent of votes cast. The post cited the EC. It was shared and re-shared 30,000 times. The post was also shared by a FB page promoting the SLPP and serving as "a mother page" for sharply negative and manipulative content against the UNP. FB closed the fan page on 6 November. The "landslide victory of the SLPP in postal voting" was repeated in rallies.
76 – These include the UNP candidate pictured with a Muslim doctor falsely accused of sterilising 4,000 Buddhist women (de- bunked in July 2019), a claim that the SLPP candidate is supported by a Muslim politician, who, in turn, is falsely associated with "masterminds of the Easter bombings" (debunked in July 2019). The posts and sponsored content also capitalised on anti-foreign sentiments by falsely stating that the government was giving away 18 per cent of Sri Lanka's land by signing an agreement with US.
77 – From 4 October to 4 November the EU EOM downloaded all tweets trending the neutral electoral hashtags #PresPollSL and #prespolls2019. Out of 2,000 accounts 500 were randomly selected for assessment. Nine per cent were established less than four months before the election, 4.62 per cent were deleted by Twitter, 28 per cent shared only negative content, and 35 per cent were only re-tweeted.
78 – By following the application, the EU EOM observed automated and concerted activities, including multiple sharing of the same post at odd hours (3:30am, 4:22am) but from different profiles which could indicate the activity of bogus accounts.
79 – Three fact-checking projects employ a robust news/photo verification methodology. They have debunked 74 false sto- ries/statements/images by and about political figures. These included a claim of a politically motivated fight that followed a Premadasa rally, the arson of houses belonging to Rajapaksa supporters, and a letter from a cardinal opposing a big govern- ment agreement with US (the Millennium Challenge Corporation, MCC). The debunking of false postal voting results was shared just 17 times as opposed to the 30,000 shares of the false news post itself. The EU EOM also identified an organisation that was impersonating a fact-checking organisation. It was featured in the mainstream media as a guardian of fairness in online campaigning, while in practice it was striving to discredit non-partisan fact-checkers.