text:
Bubbling Cauldron Cake
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- Yields:
- 12
- 1 box cake mix
- Flames: 2 rolls each red and yellow Fruit Roll-Ups
- Toes: 3 each sliced almonds and marshmallow circus peanuts
- 1 can whipped vanilla frosting
- Fire logs and twigs: about 10 pretzel rods and 40 pretzel sticks
- 1 1/2 can chocolate frosting
- Green and yellow liquid food color
- 1 1/2 c. Mini Marshmallows
- Potion ingredients: large gummy snake, gummy teeth, gummy worms and gummy frogs
- Step 1Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8 x 2-in. round cake pan and a 6-cup bundt pan. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap.
- Step 2Prepare cake mix as package directs. Fill 8-in. cake pan with 21⁄2 cups batter; spread remaining batter in bundt pan.
- Step 3Bake both cakes on middle rack, 25 minutes for 8-in. pan, 30 to 35 minutes for bundt pan or until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes before inverting cakes on racks to cool completely. Freeze 8-in. cake 2 hours.
- Step 4Trim humps off both cakes with a long serrated knife until flat. Cut a 5-in.-diameter round from middle of frozen cake layer (you'll have a ring of cake); brush off crumbs. Save middle.
- Step 5Flames: Unroll each Roll-Up and fold in half. Using scissors, cut out long, narrow, triangles. Place on baking sheet.
- Step 6Toes: Attach an almond to top end of each circus peanut with a dab of vanilla frosting. Add to baking sheet.
- Step 7Logs and twigs: Place rods on a serving platter in a circle, breaking some to fit. Place pretzel sticks between rods.
- Step 8To assemble: Place bundt cake, rounded side up, on a sheet of wax paper; press saved cake in hole in center. Spread chocolate frosting over rounded part of bundt cake. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Place bundt cake flat side up on top of logs. Frost sides and top of bundt cake. Set ring cake on bundt cake. Spread top and sides with chocolate frosting, swirling frosting.
- Step 9Attach flames, alternating red and yellow, to sides of cauldron with some bending over the logs.
- Step 10Scrape vanilla frosting into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in green and yellow food color until blended and lime green. Microwave on high about 15 seconds or just until thin enough to pour (don't overheat). Add marshmallows; stir until coated.
- Step 11Curl snake in cauldron with head hanging out. Spoon in marshmallows, adding toes, teeth and worms and letting some marshmallows spill out on the edges. Scatter frogs around logs.
Tips & Techniques
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Welcome to the homepage of the Institute for Neuroanatomy!
We use model systems to study how the brain, especially the cerebral cortex – our most important "organ" for conscious perception of sensory stimuli, goal-directed behavior, learning and memory – is formed during embryogenesis, matures postnatally and adapts to all kinds of stimuli. Furthermore, we ask: What perturbances make neurons ill? This site gives you an overview of our activities. Please consult our publications or contact us directly, if you would like to know more about us.
For a short introduction to our research focus, please follow this link: (link)


text:
Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Elizabeth Warren are running neck and neck in their U.S. Senate race, according to a new Boston Globe poll released Monday.
The poll shows Brown leading Warren 45 percent to 43 percent among likely voters, well within the margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. When voters who are undecided are asked which candidate they are leaning toward, Brown and Warren are tied at 47 percent apiece.
Brown's showing has improved when compared to a September survey conducted by the Globe, which found the incumbent U.S. senator trailing Warren by 5 percentage points. Warren has led Brown by small margins in most recent polls.
The survey, conducted from Wednesday through Sunday by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, suggests Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is helping Brown in Massachusetts.
While President Barack Obama defeated Republican John McCain by 26 percentage points in the 2008 presidential election, the poll shows Obama is leading Romney 52 percent to 38 percent, a 14 point spread. Just last month, Obama held a 27-point lead over Romney in Massachusetts.
Brown needs support from Obama supporters to have any chance of defeating Warren in heavily Democratic Massachusetts. The poll shows 12 percent of Obama supporters plan to vote for Brown, compared to 73 percent for Warren.
National election forecasters had begun to predict a Warren victory in recent days. Those analyses do not include the results of this latest poll, however.
The Washington Post, Rasmussen Reports and the Rothenberg Political Report all consider the race to be leaning in Warren's favor. As of Monday afternoon, The New York Times' FiveThirtyEight blog called the seat "safe Democratic" and gave Warren a 95.2 percent chance of winning, with 52.1 percent of the vote to 46.6 percent for Brown.
FiveThirtyEight's election forecasting model uses polling data, demographics and historical analysis to predict election results. The website was started by statistician Nate Silver in 2008 and purchased by The New York Times in 2010.
FiveThirtyEight's forecasting model is used to predict who is going to win the presidential election as well as congressional and gubernatorial seats. In 2008, Silver correctly predicted the winner of 49 out of 50 states in the presidential race.
Silver also correctly predicted that Brown would defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in the 2010 special election to replace the deceased Edward M. Kennedy. Brown captured 52 percent of the vote to Coakley's 47 percent in that race.
Brown and Warren are scheduled to meet for their final debate tonight in Boston, but Brown pullout, citing Hurricane Sandy.
The Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston postponed the release of results of a Suffolk University/7News (WHDH-Boston) poll of the Senate race due to weather conditions associated with Hurricane Sandy.
Follow Chris Camire on Twitter @camirereports


text:
…but maybe you have.
If so, click over to Science-Based Medicine for Dr. Harriet Hall's thoughts on them and Staffan Lindeberg's seminal nutrition study. This is her second recent post on ancestral diets (aka paleo). A snippet:
I am always suspicious of initial reports of unusually healthy or long-lived groups in remote areas, because I have so often seen such reports disconfirmed by subsequent investigations. Lindeberg's studies were done in the early 90's and have not been confirmed by other studies in the ensuing two decades. In the Kitava study, the ages of subjects were not objectively verifiable, but were estimated from whether or not they remembered significant historical events. The absence of heart disease and stroke was deduced by asking islanders if they had never known anyone who had the symptoms of either condition. This was reinforced by anecdotal reports from doctors who said that they didn't see those diseases in islanders. EKGs were done on the Kitavans, but a normal EKG does not rule out atherosclerosis or cardiovascular disease. I'm not convinced that we have enough solid data to rule out the presence of cardiovascular disease or other so-called "diseases of civilization" in that population.
You can guess where this is going.
Dr. Stephan Guyenet chimes in with cogent comments.


text:
X Adventure has a complete collection. All products are matched. A trendy brand with products according to the latest fashion.explore
Born Lucky has a elegant touch. The products of this brand are usually of leather or finished with leather.explore
Bebies First a trendy brand! In addition to the comfortable strollers and car seats.explore
Interchild B.V. is a company that's always looking for beautiful and trendy baby items for a nice price tag. Our team consists of people with lots of experience in baby items. We regularly innovate our collection. Our various brands stand for quality, sustainable products for the lowest possible price. We offer our products worldwide. You can cooperate with us in a variety of ways whether it be private shopping, online outlet, fob or ex works.
The warehouse is centrally located in the Netherlands, from where we can be of service to you directly and quickly.
Our products are high quality and durable for the lowest possible price.
All baby items are produced according to the latest European standards.


text:
I've been making console programs for some time now,
And I use Eclipse.
But I've never made a single console program a .jar before.
I've read other threads and some tutorials,but then when I export it, I cant see the console or the console isn't opening at all.
I've heard that you need some batch file to do it, or use the command prompt,but I don't know what to do.
All I need is that there to be an icon. Double click the icon,a command prompt pops up and runs a program.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.


text:
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, promotion of human rights, freedom of the press, and fair elections. It employs around 3,460 people, mostly in its field operations but also in its secretariat in Vienna, Austria and its institutions. It has its origins in the 1975 Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland.
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
|Vienna, Austria
|Official languages
|English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish
|Intergovernmental organization
with no legal personality
|57 participating countries
11 partners for co‑operation
• As the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe
|July 1973
|30 July – 1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
• Renamed OSCE
|1 January 1995
• Total
|50,119,801 km2 (19,351,363 sq mi)
• 2018 estimate
|1,276,751,497[1] (3rd)
• Density
|25/km2 (64.7/sq mi)
|GDP (nominal)
|2018 estimate
• Total
|US$45 trillion[2]
• Per capita
The OSCE is concerned with early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation. Its 57 participating countries are located in Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. The participating states cover much of the land area of the Northern Hemisphere. It was created during the Cold War era as an East–West forum.[3]
The Organization has its roots in the 1973 Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). Talks had been mooted about a European security grouping since the 1950s but the Cold War prevented any substantial progress until the talks at Dipoli in Espoo began in November 1972. These talks were held at the suggestion of the Soviet Union which wished to use the talks to maintain its control over the communist countries in Eastern Europe, and President of Finland Urho Kekkonen hosted them in order to bolster his policy of neutrality. Western Europe, however, saw these talks as a way to reduce the tension in the region, furthering economic cooperation and obtaining humanitarian improvements for the populations of the Communist bloc.
The recommendations of the talks, in the form of "The Blue Book", gave the practical foundations for a three-stage conference called the "Helsinki process".[4] The CSCE opened in Helsinki on 3 July 1973 with 35 states sending representatives. Stage I only took five days to agree to follow the Blue Book. Stage II was the main working phase and was conducted in Geneva from 18 September 1973 until 21 July 1975. The result of Stage II was the Helsinki Final Act which was signed by the 35 participating states during Stage III, which took place in Finlandia Hall from 30 July – 1 August 1975. It was opened by Holy See's diplomat Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, who was chairman of the conference.
The concepts of improving relations and implementing the act were developed over a series of follow-up meetings, with major gatherings in Belgrade (4 October 1977 – 8 March 1978), Madrid (11 November 1980 – 9 September 1983) and Vienna (4 November 1986 – 19 January 1989).
The fall of the Soviet Union required a change of role for the CSCE. The Charter of Paris for a New Europe, signed on 21 November 1990, marked the beginning of this change. With the changes capped by the renaming of the CSCE to the OSCE on 1 January 1995, in accord with the results of the conference held in Budapest, Hungary, in 1994. The OSCE now had a formal secretariat, Senior Council, Parliamentary Assembly, Conflict Prevention Centre, and Office for Free Elections (later becoming the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights).
In December 1996, the "Lisbon Declaration on a Common and Comprehensive Security Model for Europe for the Twenty-First Century" affirmed the universal and indivisible nature of security on the European continent.
In Istanbul on 19 November 1999, the OSCE ended a two-day summit by calling for a political settlement in Chechnya and adopting a Charter for European Security. According to then Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov, this summit marked a turning point in Russian perception of the OSCE, from an organization that expressed Europe's collective will, to an organization that serves as a Western tool for "forced democratization".[5]
Through its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE observes and assesses elections in its member states, in order to support fair and transparent democratic processes, in keeping with the mutual standards to which the organization is committed;[6] between 1994 and 2004 the OSCE sent teams of observers to monitor more than 150 elections, typically focusing on elections in emerging democracies.[7] In 2004, at the invitation of the United States Government, the ODIHR deployed an assessment mission, made up of participants from six OSCE member states, which observed that year's US presidential election and produced a report.[8] It was the first time that a US presidential election was the subject of OSCE monitoring, although the organization had previously monitored state-level American elections in Florida and California, in 2002 and 2003.[7] The 2004 assessment took place against the backdrop of the controversial recount effort in the 2000 US presidential election,[7] and came about largely through the initiative of 13 Democratic members of the United States House of Representatives. That group, which included Barbara Lee, of California, and Eddie Bernice Johnson, of Texas, initially addressed a request for election observers to the United Nations, in a letter to Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, but the request was declined.[6] Subsequently, the administration of President George W. Bush, through the State Department, headed by Secretary of State Colin Powell, responded to the lawmakers' concerns by inviting the OSCE election-monitoring mission.[6]
The six official languages of the OSCE are English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian.[9]
Participating states
|Signed the
Helsinki Final Act
|Signed the
Charter of Paris
|19 June 1991
|16 September 1991
|17 September 1991
|25 April 1996
|10 November 1999
|17 February 1998
|30 January 1992
|8 July 1992
|17 April 1992
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|30 January 1992
|8 July 1992
|20 December 1993
|30 January 1992
|26 February 1992
|8 April 1993
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|30 April 1992
|8 July 1992
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|24 March 1992
|8 July 1992
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|1 January 1993
|[Note 1]
|[Note 1]
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|10 September 1991
|14 October 1991
|6 December 1991
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|24 March 1992
|8 July 1992
|21 January 1994
- as
- as
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|Holy See
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|30 January 1992
|8 July 1992
|23 September 1992
|30 January 1992
|8 July 1992
|3 June 1994
|10 September 1991
|14 October 1991
|6 December 1991
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|10 September 1991
|14 October 1991
|6 December 1991
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|30 January 1992
|26 February 1992
|29 January 1993
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|21 November 2012[Note 2]
|22 June 2006
|1 September 2006
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|12 October 1995
|8 July 1992
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|10 November 2000
|27 November 2000
|27 November 2000
|1 January 1993
|[Note 1]
|[Note 1]
|24 March 1992
|8 July 1992
|8 March 1993
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|30 January 1992
|26 February 1992
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|30 January 1992
|8 July 1992
|30 January 1992
|26 February 1992
|16 June 1992
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|25 June 1973
|1 August 1975
|21 November 1990
|30 January 1992
|26 February 1992
|27 October 1993
- Czechoslovakia was an original signatory
- Asia partner for co-operation 2004-2012.
- Previously referred to by the OSCE as the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"
Partners for co-operation
Legal status
A unique aspect of the OSCE is the non-binding status of its constitutive charter. Rather than being a formal treaty ratified by national legislatures, the Helsinki Final Act represents a political commitment by the heads of government of all signatories to build security and cooperation in Europe on the basis of its provisions. This allows the OSCE to remain a flexible process for the evolution of improved cooperation, which avoids disputes and/or sanctions over implementation. By agreeing to these commitments, signatories for the first time accepted that treatment of citizens within their borders was also a matter of legitimate international concern. This open process of the OSCE is often given credit for helping build democracy in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, thus leading to the end of the Cold War. Unlike most international intergovernmental organizations, however, the OSCE does not have international legal personality on account of the lack of legal effect of its charter.[12] As a result, its headquarters' host, Austria, had to confer legal personality on the organization in order to be able to sign a legal agreement regarding its presence in Vienna.
Structure and institutions
Political direction to the organization is given by heads of state or government during summits. Summits are not regular or scheduled but held as needed. The last summit took place in Astana (Kazakhstan), on 1 and 2 December 2010. The high-level decision-making body of the organization is the Ministerial Council, which meets at the end of every year. At ambassadorial level the Permanent Council convenes weekly in Vienna and serves as the regular negotiating and decision-making body. The chairperson of the Permanent Council is the ambassador to the Organization of the participating State which holds the chairmanship. From 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017 the Chairperson-in-Office is Austrian Foreign Minister, Sebastian Kurz, who succeeded German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
In addition to the Ministerial Council and Permanent Council, the Forum for Security Co-operation is also an OSCE decision-making body. It deals predominantly with matters of military co-operation, such as modalities for inspections according to the Vienna Document of 1999.[13]
The OSCE's Secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria. The current Secretary General is Thomas Greminger of Switzerland, who took over from Lamberto Zannier of Italy.[14] The organization also has offices in Copenhagen, Geneva, The Hague, Prague and Warsaw.
As of March 2016, the OSCE employed 3,462 staff, including 513 in its secretariat and institutions and 2,949 in its 17 field operations.[15]
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is made up of 323 parliamentarians from 57 member states. The Parliamentary Assembly performs its functions mainly via the Standing Committee, the Bureau, and 3 General Committees (Committee on Political Affairs and Security, Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, and Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions).[16] The Parliamentary Assembly passes resolutions on matters such as political and security affairs, economic and environmental issues, and democracy and human rights. Representing the collective voice of OSCE parliamentarians, these resolutions and recommendations are meant to ensure that all participating states live up to their OSCE commitments. The Parliamentary Assembly also engages in parliamentary diplomacy, and has an extensive election observation program.
The oldest OSCE institution is the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), established in 1991 following a decision made at the 1990 Summit of Paris. It is based in Warsaw, Poland, and is active throughout the OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, rule of law, and Roma and Sinti issues. The ODIHR has observed over 300 elections and referendums since 1995, sending more than 50,000 observers. It has operated outside its own area twice, sending a team that offered technical support to the 9 October 2004 presidential elections in Afghanistan, an OSCE Partner for Co-operation, and an election support team to assist with parliamentary and provincial council elections on 18 September 2005. ODIHR is headed by Michael Georg Link.
The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, established in December 1997, acts as a watchdog to provide early warning on violations of freedom of expression in OSCE participating States. The representative also assists participating States by advocating and promoting full compliance with OSCE norms, principles and commitments regarding freedom of expression and free media. As of 2011, the current representative is expert in media law from Bosnia and Herzegovina Dunja Mijatovic.[17]
The High Commissioner on National Minorities was created on 8 July 1992 by the Helsinki Summit Meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. It is charged with identifying and seeking early resolution of ethnic tension that might endanger peace, stability or friendly relations between participating states.
Each year the OSCE holds an OSCE Asian Conference with partner nations (currently Australia, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Afghanistan).[18]
Secretary General
The Secretary General is the OSCE's chief administrative officer and can, when requested by the Chairmanship, serve as the representative of the Chairperson-in-Office. Since the establishment of the office in 1992, Secretary Generals have been:
Wilhelm Höynck (1993–1996) Giancarlo Aragona (1996–1999) Ján Kubiš (1999–2005) Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (2005–2011) Lamberto Zannier (2011–2017) Thomas Greminger (2017–)
The OSCE chair is assumed at yearly intervals by one participating State, which then plays the central role in managing the Organization's work and in its external representation. The foreign minister of the country holding the chair holds the office of Chairperson-in-Office (CiO).
The responsibilities of the Chairman-in-Office (CiO) include
- co-ordination of the work of OSCE institutions;
- representing the Organization;
- supervising activities related to conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation.
The CiO is assisted by the previous and incoming chairman-in-office; the three of them together constitute the Troika.[19] The origin of the institution lies with the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990), the Helsinki Document 1992 formally institutionalized this function.[20]
Summits of heads of state and government
|30 July – 1 August 1975
|Closing of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). Signing of the Final Act (Helsinki Act).
|19–21 November 1990
|(Second CSCE Summit). Signing of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (Paris Charter), the Vienna Confidence and Security Building Measures (CSBM) Document and the CFE Treaty.
|9–10 July 1992
|Final Document: The Challenges of Change. Creation of the High Commissioner on National Minorities, the Forum for Security Co-operation and the Economic Forum. Suspension of FR Yugoslavia from membership.
|5–6 December 1994
|Final Document: Towards a Genuine Partnership in a New Era. Approval of a multi-national peace-keeping force to Nagorno-Karabakh. Endorsement of the Code of Conduct on politico-military aspects of security.
|2–3 December 1996
|(First OSCE Summit). Lisbon Declaration on a Common and Comprehensive Security Model for Europe for the Twenty-First Century. Adoption of a Framework for Arms Control.
|18–19 November 1999
|Signing of the Istanbul Document and the Charter for European Security.
|1–2 December 2010
|Adoption of the Astana Commemorative Declaration, which reconfirms the Organization's comprehensive approach to security based on trust and transparency.
Ministerial Council Meetings (ordinary)
|19–20 June 1991
|Admission of Albania
|30–31 January 1992
|Admission of ten former Soviet republics.
|14–15 December 1992
|Creation of the post of Secretary General and appointment of Max van der Stoel as first High Commissioner on National Minorities.
|30 November – 1 December 1993
|Establishment of the Mission to Tajikistan.
|7–8 December 1995
|Establishment of the Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina to carry out the tasks assigned to the OSCE in the Dayton Peace Agreements.
|18–19 December 1997
|Creation of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the Representative on Freedom of the Media.
|2–3 December 1998
|27–28 November 2000
|Vienna Declaration on the OSCE's activities in South-Eastern Europe. Re-admission of FR Yugoslavia.Teija Egan Evans
|3–4 December 2001
|Bucharest Declaration. Bucharest Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism. Creation of the Strategic Police Matters Unit and a Senior Police Adviser in the OSCE Secretariat.
|6–7 December 2002
|Porto Declaration: Responding to Change. OSCE Charter on Preventing and Combating Terrorism.
|1–2 December 2003
|Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in the Twenty-First Century. Strategy Document for the Economic and Environmental Dimension.
|6–7 December 2004
|5–6 December 2005
|Statement on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Approval of the Border Security and Management Concept.
|4–5 December 2006
|Brussels Declaration on Criminal Justice Systems. Ministerial Statement on Supporting and Promoting the International Legal Framework against Terrorism.
|29–30 November 2007
|Madrid Declaration on Environment and Security. Ministerial Statement on Supporting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
|4–5 December 2008
|1–2 December 2009
|Ministerial Declarations on Non-Proliferation and on the OSCE Corfu Process.
|16–17 July 2010
|Informal discussions on Corfu Process progress, the situation in Kyrgyzstan and the forthcoming OSCE summit.
|6–7 December 2011
|Decisions on responses to conflicts and transnational threats; to enhance capabilities in early warning; early action; dialogue facilitation and mediation support; and post-conflict rehabilitation. Decisions to enhance engagement with OSCE Partners for Co-operation, Afghanistan in particular.
|6–7 December 2012
|Helsinki+40 Process: clear path to the 2015 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, intent to reinforce and revitalize the OSCE; unanimous support for Transdniestrian settlement process: negotiated, comprehensive, just and viable solution to the conflict; strengthening good governance: deepening engagement in preventing and countering corruption, addressing transnational threats, and adding an anti-terrorism framework to earlier decisions on threats from information and communication technologies, drugs and chemical precursors and strategic policing; despite Ireland's hopes, a decision on human rights was not reached: greater, still, was concern for the Council's trend of human rights decision-failures.[21]
|5–6 December 2013
|Decision on the combating trafficking in human beings. Decision on the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. Ministerial Declaration on Strengthening the OSCE's Efforts to Address Transnational Threats. Decision on the Extension of the Mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. Decision on the time and place of the next meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council. Decision on the improving the environmental footprint of energy-related activities in the OSCE region. Ministerial Declaration on the Update of the OSCE Principles Governing Non-Proliferation. Decision on the enhancing OSCE efforts to implement the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti Within the OSCE Area, With a Particular Focus on Roma and Sinti Women, Youth and Children. Ministerial Statement on the Work of the Permanent Conference on Political Issues in the Framework of the Negotiation Process for the Transdniestrian Settlement in the "5+2" Format. Decision on the appointment of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Declaration on Furthering the Helsinki+40 Process. Decision on the small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition. Decision on the protection of energy networks from natural and man-made disasters.
|4–5 December 2014
|Declaration on further steps in the Helsinki+40 Process. Ministerial statement on the negotiations on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in the "5+2"format. Declaration on youth. Declaration on the Transfer of Ownership to the Parties to the Agreement on Sub-regional Arms Control, Annex 1B, Article IV of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Declaration on the OSCE role in countering the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters in the context of the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014). Declaration on the OSCE role in countering kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorist groups in the context of the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 2133 (2014). Decision on the prevention of corruption. Decision on enhancing disaster risk reductionDecision on preventing and combating violence against women. Decision on an addendum to the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality. Ministerial commemorative declaration on the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Declaration on enhancing efforts to combat anti-Semitism. Declaration on co-operation with the Mediterranean Partners. Ministerial declaration on co-operation with the Asian Partners. Decision on small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition. Commemorative Declaration on the Occasion of the Twentieth Anniversary of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security.
|3–4 December 2015
|Ministerial Declaration on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that lead to Terrorism. Declaration on the OSCE Activities in Support of Global Efforts in Tackling the World Drug Problem. Ministerial Declaration on Reinforcing OSCE Efforts to Counter Terrorism in the Wake of Recent Terrorist Attacks. Declaration on Youth and Security. Ministerial Statement on the Negotiations on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in the "5+2" Format.
|8–9 December 2016
|Decision on the OSCE's role in the governance of large movements of migrants and refugees. Decision on strengthening good governance and promoting connectivity. Decision on OSCE efforts related to reducing the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies. Declaration on strengthening OSCE efforts to prevent and counter terrorism. Decision on enhancing the use of Advance Passenger Information. Ministerial statement on the negotiations on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in the "5+2"format.
|7–8 December 2017
|Decision on enhancing OSCE efforts to reduce the risk of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies. Decision on strengthening efforts to prevent trafficking in human beings. Decision on strengthening efforts to combat all forms of child trafficking, including for sexual exploitation, as well as other forms of sexual exploitation of children. Decision on promoting economic participation in the OSCE area. Decision on small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition. Ministerial Statement on the negotiations on the Transdniestrian settlement process in the "5+2" format. Decisions on the appointment of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, the Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, and the Secretary General.
|6–7 December 2018
|Decision on the OSCE Chairmanship in the Year 2020. Decision on the Time and Place of the Next Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council. Decision on Safety of Journalists. Decision on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women. Decision on Human Capital Development in the Digital Era. Ministerial Statement on the Negotiations on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in the "5+2" Format. Declaration on the Digital Economy a Driver for Promoting Co-operation, Security and Growth. Declaration on the Role of Youth in Contribution to Peace and Security Efforts. Declaration on Security and Co-operation in the Mediterranean. Declaration on OSCE Efforts in the Field of Norms and Best Practices on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition.
Chairmanship history
Chairmanship of the OSCE is held by a member state on a calendar-year basis, with the minister for foreign affairs of that state performing the function of Chairman-in-Office. The table below shows the holders since 1991.[22]
Fiscal history
Since 1993, the OSCE's budget by year (in millions of euro,) has been:
- 2018 ... €137.8 million [23]
- 2017 ... €139.0 million
- 2016 ... €141.1 million
- 2015 ... €141.1 million
- 2014 ... €142.3 million
- 2013 ... €144.8 million
- 2012 ... €148.4 million
- 2011 ... €150.0 million
- 2010 ... €150.7 million
- 2009 ... €158.6 million
- 2008 ... €164.1 million
- 2007 ... €186.2 million
- 2006 ... €186.2 million
- 2005 ... €186.6 million
- 2004 ... €180.8 million
- 2003 ... €165.5 million
- 2002 ... €167.5 million
- 2001 ... €194.5 million
- 2000 ... €202.7 million
- 1999 ... €146.1 million
- 1998 ... €118.7 million
- 1997 ... €43.3 million
- 1996 ... €34.9 million
- 1995 ... €18.9 million
- 1994 ... €21 million
- 1993 ... €12 million
Relations with the United Nations
The OSCE considers itself a regional organization in the sense of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter[24] and is an observer in the United Nations General Assembly.[25] The Chairman-in-Office gives routine briefings to the United Nations Security Council.[26]
The three dimensions
Politico-military dimension (first dimension)
The OSCE takes a comprehensive approach to the politico-military dimension of security, which includes a number of commitments by participating States and mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution. The organization also seeks to enhance military security by promoting greater openness, transparency and co-operation.
The end of the Cold War resulted in a huge amount of surplus weapons becoming available in what is known as the international grey market for weapons. The OSCE helps to stop the - often illegal - spread of such weapons and offers assistance with their destruction. The OSCE hosts the annual exchange of information under the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty. The OSCE has also implemented two additional exchanges of information, the Vienna Document and the Global Exchange of Military Information. The Open Skies Consultative Commission, the implementing body for the Treaty on Open Skies, meets monthly at its Vienna headquarters.[28]
- Border management[29]
The actions taken by the OSCE in border monitoring range from conflict prevention to post-conflict management, capacity building and institutional support.
- Combating terrorism[30]
With its expertise in conflict prevention, crisis management and early warning, the OSCE contributes to worldwide efforts in combating terrorism.
The OSCE works to prevent conflicts from arising and to facilitate lasting comprehensive political settlements for existing conflicts. It also helps with the process of rehabilitation in post-conflict areas.
- Military reform
The OSCE's Forum for Security Co-operation provides a framework for political dialogue on military reform, while practical activities are conducted by field operations, as well as the Conflict Prevention Centre.
- Policing
OSCE police operations are an integral part of the organization's efforts in conflict prevention and post-conflict rehabilitation.
- Implementation
The OSCE was a rather small organization until selection by the international community to provide electoral organization to post war Bosnia and Herzegovina in early 1996. Ambassador Frowick was the first OSCE representative to initiate national election in September 1996, human rights issues and rule of law specifically designed to provide a foundation for judicial organization within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The OSCE had regional offices and field offices, to include the office in Brcko in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina which remained in limbo until the Brcko Arbitration Agreement could be decided, finalized and implemented.
Brcko become a "special district" and remains so today.
The OSCE essentially took the place of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina in part because the Bosnian leadership felt deep contempt for the UN efforts to stop the war which began in 1991 and ended in 1995. During the time the United Nations were attempting a political solution, thousands of UN troops were posted in and around Bosnia and Herzegovina with special emphasis on Sarajevo. Between the inclusive dates of 1991 through 1995, over 200,000 Bosnians were killed and over one million displaced and another million as refugees. citation needed
The OSCE continues to have a presence and a number of initiatives to bring a sustained peace to the region.
Economic and environmental dimension (second dimension)
Activities in the economic and environmental dimension include the monitoring of developments related to economic and environmental security in OSCE participating States, with the aim of alerting them to any threat of conflict; assisting States in the creation of economic and environmental policies, legislation and institutions to promote security in the OSCE region.
- Economic activities
Among the economic activities of the OSCE feature activities related to migration management, transport and energy security. Most activities are implemented in co-operation with partner organizations.
- Environmental activities
The OSCE has developed a range of activities in the environmental sphere aimed at addressing ecologic threats to security in its participating States. Among the activities feature projects in the area of hazardous waste, water management and access to information under the Aarhus Convention.
Human dimension (third dimension)
The commitments made by OSCE participating States in the human dimension aim to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; to abide by the rule of law; to promote the principles of democracy by building, strengthening and protecting democratic institutions; and to promote tolerance throughout the OSCE region.
- Combating trafficking in human beings
Since 2003 the OSCE[33] has had an established mechanism for combating trafficking in human beings, as defined by Article 3 of the Palermo Protocol,[34] which is aimed at raising public awareness of the problem and building the political will within participating states to tackle it effectively.
The OSCE actions against trafficking in human beings are coordinated by the Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.[33] Maria Grazia Giammarinaro,[35] a judge in the Criminal Court of Rome, took Office as the Special Representative in March 2010. From 2006 to 2009 this Office was held by Eva Biaudet, a former Finnish Minister of Health and Social Services. Biaudet currently serves as Finnish Ombudsman for Minorities. Her predecessor was former Austrian Minister Helga Konrad, who served as the first OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.
The activities around Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the OSCE Region of the Office of the Special Representative include:[36]
- Co-operation with governments, helping them to accept and act on their responsibilities for curbing trafficking in human beings;
- Providing governments with decision and policy-making aids and offering guidance on anti-trafficking management, with the aim of arriving at solutions tailored to the needs of the individual countries and in line with international standards;
- Assisting governments to develop the national anti-trafficking structures required for efficient internal and transnational co-operation;
- Raising awareness to draw attention to the complexity of the problem and to the need for comprehensive solutions;
- Considering all dimensions of human trafficking, namely trafficking for sexual exploitation, trafficking for forced and bonded labour, including domestic servitude, trafficking into forced marriages, trafficking in organs and trafficking in children;
- Ensuring the effective interaction of all agents and stake holders involved in the fight against human trafficking, ranging from governmental authorities, law enforcement officials to NGOs, and—last but not least—international organizations, as the agencies providing support thorough expertise and know-how;
- Guaranteeing the highest possible visibility of the OSCE's fight against human trafficking to focus attention on the issue.
- Democratization
The OSCE claims to promote democracy and assist the participating states in building democratic institutions.
- Education
Education programmes are an integral part of the organization's efforts in conflict prevention and post-conflict rehabilitation.
- Elections
As part of its democratization activities, the OSCE carries out election assistance projects in the run-up to, during, and following elections. However, the effectiveness of such assistance is arguable—Kazakhstan, for example, despite being the former chair of the OSCE, is considered by many to be one of the least democratic countries in the world. Moreover, the recent democratic advances made in other Central Asian republics, notably Kyrgyzstan, have led to rumours of Soviet-style disruption of the Kyrgyz democratic process by, in particular, Kazakhstan and Russia. This may be in large part due to fears over the long-term stability of these countries' own quasi-dictatorships.
- Gender equality
The equality of men and women is an integral part of sustainable democracy. The OSCE aims to provide equal opportunities for men and women and to integrate gender equality in policies and practices.
- Human rights
The OSCE's human rights activities focus on such priorities as freedom of movement and religion, preventing torture and trafficking in persons.
- National and international NGOs
OSCE could grant consultive status to NGOs and INGOs in the form of "Researcher-in-residence programme" (run by the Prague Office of the OSCE Secretariat): accredited representatives of national and international NGOs are granted access to all records and to numerous topical compilations related to OSCE field activities.
- Media freedom
The OSCE observes relevant media developments in its participating states with a view to addressing and providing early warning on violations of freedom of expression.
- Minority rights
Ethnic conflict is one of the main sources of large-scale violence in Europe today. The OSCE's approach is to identify and to seek early resolution of ethnic tensions, and to set standards for the rights of persons belonging to minority groups and High Commissioner on National Minorities has been established.
OSCE Democracy Defender Award
The Democracy Defender Award honors a person or group for contributions to the promotion of democracy and the defense of human rights "in the spirit of Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE principles and commitments." The award was established in 2016 on the initiative of Ambassadors of 8 countries, and supported by the delegations of the 18 countries of the OSCE (22 countries in 2017).[37][38]
|Armenian organisation which intends to raise public awareness on important issues and reduce the impact of misinformation on decision-making.
|Serbian organisation established in 2002 to improve the democratic culture, the rule of law and the freedom of the Media
|Russian organisation established in 2000 to protect the electoral rights of citizens and to foster civil society
|Oleksandra Matviychuk
|Ukrainian activist, coordinator of Euromaidan SOS and leader of Civil Rights Center
Following an unprecedented period of activity in the 1990s and early 2000s (decade), the OSCE has in the past few years faced accusations from the CIS states (primarily Russia) of being a tool for the Western states to advance their own interests. For instance, the events in Ukraine in 2004 (the "Orange Revolution") led to allegations by Russia of OSCE involvement on behalf of the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko. At the 2007 Munich Conference on Security Policy, Vladimir Putin made this position very clear:
- "They [unnamed Western States] are trying to transform the OSCE into a vulgar instrument designed to promote the foreign policy interests of one or a group of countries. And this task is also being accomplished by the OSCE's bureaucratic apparatus, which is absolutely not connected with the state founders in any way. Decision-making procedures and the involvement of so-called non-governmental organizations are tailored for this task. These organizations are formally independent but they are purposefully financed and therefore under control".[43][44][45][46]
Russia and its allies are advancing the concept of a comprehensive OSCE reform, which would make the Secretariat, institutions and field presences more centralized and accountable to collective consensus-based bodies and focus the work of the Organization on topical security issues (human trafficking, terrorism, non-proliferation, arms control, etc.), at the expense of the "Human Dimension", or human rights issues. The move to reduce the autonomy of the theoretically independent OSCE institutions, such as ODIHR, would effectively grant a Russian veto over any OSCE activity. Western participating States are opposing this process, which they see as an attempt to prevent the OSCE from carrying out its democratization agenda in post-Soviet countries.
Following the 2008 U.S. presidential election, OSCE's ODIHR was accused of having double standards by Russia's lawmaker Slutsky. The point was made that while numerous violations of the voting process were registered, its criticism came only from within the United States (media, human rights organizations, McCain's election staff), while the OSCE known for its bashing criticism of elections on the post-Soviet space remained silent.[47][48]
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
In 2004 the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly sent election observers to the U.S. Presidential elections. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's president at the time was Democratic Congressman Alcee Hastings. Hastings had previously been impeached for corruption by the U.S. Congress. The OSCE faced criticism of partisanship and double standards due to Hastings's past and the fact that the OSCE's mandate was to promote democracy and the values of civil society.[49]
In 2010 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe was criticized from within by the Latvian delegation for lacking transparency and democracy. Spencer Oliver (b. 1938) secretary general of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, who has held the post since the organization's inception in 1992, faced a challenge from the Latvian Artis Pabriks. According to the rules of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly the incumbent general secretary can only be replaced with a full consensus minus one. Pabriks called the rules "quite shocking from the perspective of an organization that's monitoring elections".[50]
2012 Texas controversy
Before the U.S. presidential elections of November 2012, the OSCE announced its intention to send electoral observers to Texas and to other U.S. states. This prompted the Attorney General of Texas Greg Abbott to send letters to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and to the OSCE,[51] threatening to arrest OSCE officials if they should enter electoral premises in Texas and break Texas law.[52] In reply, the U.S. Department of State stated that OSCE observers enjoyed immunities.[53] In the event, no incidents between OSCE and Texas authorities were recorded during the elections.
War in Donbass
The organization has been criticized by the Ukrainian press and government for actions during the Russian–Ukraine conflict. During the War in Donbass, an OSCE observer allowed Russian separatists to use the organization's marked vehicle, which prompted the belief that the OSCE was biased in the war and not interested in carrying out its duties of mediating a ceasefire. The organization issued a statement regretting the incident.[54]
The organization has also been criticized by Ukraine for allegedly failing to monitor the implementation of the Minsk Protocol. The agreement called for a creation of a 40 km buffer zone, but upon Ukrainian forces withdrawing from their 20 km portion of the buffer, Russian separatists are said to have simply occupied the abandoned territory without withdrawing from their own 20 km buffer. Likewise, there are allegations of separatists using OSCE marked vehicles for transportation. Moreover, the mission also received criticism alleging that only 2 checkpoints on the Russian–Ukrainian border are currently being monitored, which has been described as "seriously inadequate" by Daniel Baer, the US ambassador to the OSCE at the time.
On the other hand, Ukraine has faced criticism following a BBC report showing an alleged violation of the Minsk agreement when Ukraine stationed tanks in the residential neighborhood Avdeevka.[55] The mission has also been criticized for waiting months to deploy drones to help monitor the border as well as withdrawing them after only several weeks of use due to Russian electronic attacks. Ukraine has argued that approximately 80% of the OSCE observers located near Mariupol were Russian citizens and many had ties to Russian security agencies such as the FSB and GRU. The organization has also been accused of allegedly revealing the locations of Ukrainian troops to Russian forces during the conflict and that Russian OSCE observers may be directly coordinating separatist artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions.[56][57][58][59][60]
On 1 December 2014, an OSCE observer was injured by Ukrainian counter artillery fire while observing militants firing at Ukrainian forces. The OSCE team was located next to two pro-Russian mortar teams. The OSCE team did not radio in or record the Russian mortar team firing on Ukrainian positions. Critics stated that the unorthodox behavior of being located next to an active separatist artillery position and not reporting the incident showed that the OSCE team was not acting in an impartial manner.[61]
On 27 October 2015 a suspended OSCE monitor confirmed he was a former employee of Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate. The suspended SMM stated he had no trouble receiving the position and neither the OSCE nor Ukraine's Security Service thoroughly checked his background.[62] Following the report the OSCE issued a comment stating the monitor has been fired due to violations of the organization's code of conduct.[63] On 6 April 2016 photos of OSCE monitors attending the wedding of a Russian separatist were found. The wedding was hosted in June 2015. The OSCE expressed regret over the incident, issuing a statement saying "The unprofessional behavior displayed by the monitors in the picture is an individual incident that should not be abused to cast a shadow on the reputation of other mission members." The OSCE reported that the monitors were no longer with the OSCE special monitoring mission.[64]
In April 2017 an OSCE vehicle struck a mine, killing one member and injuring two.[65] Two armoured vehicles were on patrol was near Luhansk when one struck the mine.[66] The dead man was an American paramedic, while the injured included a woman from Germany and a man from the Czech Republic.[66]
On 18 July 2018 it was revealed that Russian intelligence services received inside information about the activities of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine from a staff member of the OSCE. The insider information consisted of observer's preference to alcohol, women, their financial situation, and their contacts in Ukraine. The OSCE issued a statement expressing concern over the alleged security breach.[67]
In April 2017, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the OSCE for reporting that opposition "No" campaigners in the Turkish constitutional referendum had faced bans, police interventions and arrests. Erdoğan said: "Now the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe says if the result is 'yes', that means there are a lot of problems. Who are you? First of all, you should know your place. This is not your duty."[68][69][70][71]
In February 2018, OSCE has criticized the Turkish government over the detention of social media users for criticizing the Turkish invasion of northern Syria.[72]
See also
- Adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty
- Azerbaijan–Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe relations
- Brazil-Israel relations
- Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
- Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia
- Council of Europe
- Economics
- Electoral fraud
- European Union
- Julie Finley, United States ambassador
- International Federation for Human Rights
- International organisations in Europe
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe statistics
- OSCE Minsk Group
- Silence procedure
- Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
- Western European Union
- https://countryeconomy.com/countries/groups/osce
- "OSCE - Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 2018". Countryeconomy.com. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- Galbreath, David J. (2007). The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 9780203960943.
- "Final Recommendations of the Helsinki Consultations". Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 3 July 1973. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
- Ivanov, Igor S., The New Russian Diplomacy, Nixon Center and Brookings Institution Press: Washington, D.C., 2002. pp. 97-98.
- Hammond, Roch (9 August 2004). "International Monitoring of US Election Called 'Frightening'". CNSNews.com. Cybercast News Service. Archived from the original on 3 February 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
- "U.S. invites international observers to Nov. election". USA Today. usatoday.com. 10 August 2004. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
- "Presidential Election, 2 November 2004, United States of America". OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Retrieved 2016-12-30.
- "OSCE website now available in six official languages". OSCE Secretariat. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 July 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- List of Partners for Co-Operation; Mediterranean and Asian States Archived 5 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- "Making a credible case for a legal personality for the OSCE", OSCE Secretariat
- "Vienna Document 1999 of the Negotiations on Confidence- and Security-building Measures" (PDF). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 16 November 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- "Secretary General". 20 June 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
- "What is the OSCE?". Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. p. 7. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- "The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly". osce.org. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- "Representative on Freedom of the Media". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "2017 OSCE Asian Conference". OSCE.
- "The OSCE Chair-in-Office (CiO)". Global Affairs. international.gc.ca. Government of Canada. Archived from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- "Who we are". osce.org. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- "19th OSCE Ministerial Council". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- OSCE Magazine, issue number 4/2009, December 2009, pages 20–23.
- funding and budget
- "Secretariat - External Cooperation". OSCE.
- United Nations General Assembly Session 48 Resolution 5. Observer status for the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in the General Assembly A/RES/48/5 22 October 1993. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- United Nations Security Council Verbatim Report 5982. S/PV/5982 page 2. Mr. Stubb Finland 26 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- "Arms control". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Open Skies Consultative Commission". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Border management". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Combating terrorism". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Conflict prevention and resolution". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Conflict prevention and resolution". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Combating trafficking in human beings". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Palermo Protocol" (PDF). Untreaty.un.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2006.
- "Maria Grazia Giammarinaro". Osce.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the OSCE Region" (PDF). Osce.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Democracy Defender Award presented at Schwedenhaus". OSCE mission in Sweden.
- "Russian EPDE member "Golos" awarded 2017 Democracy Defender Award in Vienna". European Platform for Democratic Elections.
- "2019 Democracy Defender Award Seminar and Presentation". U.S. Mission to the OSCE. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- "Serbia's 'CRTA' Receives the 2018 Democracy Defender Award | USOSCE". U.S. Mission to the OSCE. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- "Democracy Defender Award" till engagemang för demokratisk utveckling i Serbien". Sweden Abroad. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- "Democracy Defenders Award". OSCE mission in Denmark.
- "The Munich Speech" Archived 21 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Kommersant Moscow
- "OSCE: Election Experts Debate Russian Criticism". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.
- "Criticism of OSCE by Nine CIS Countries Draws the Response". Brama.com. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR) - Peace Castle Austria" (PDF). Aspr.ac.at. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- "OSCE, ODIHR Showed Double Standard at U.S. Election, Russia's Lawmaker Said Archived 11 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine", Kommersant, 6 November 2008
- "OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report" of the U.S. 2008 presidential election
- "US vote 'mostly free and fair'". BBC. 5 November 2004. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- An election in Copenhagen politico.com
- ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS Archived 14 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine oag.state.tx.us
- "Texas Attorney General". Oag.state.tx.us. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- Daily Press Briefing: 26 October 2012 US State Department
- "Наблюдатели ОБСЕ возили в своем автомобиле вооруженных боевиков" (in Russian). TSN. 3 October 2014.
- Tom Burridge (1 February 2017). "We met Ukrainian troops and tanks in #Avdiivka ..." Twitter. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- "The OSCE monitoring mission has stopped using drones to monitor the situation in the rebel-held territories". OSCE news.
- "Миссия ОБСЕ в Украине под шквалом критики". EuroUA. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- "Литвин рассказал генсеку ОБСЕ, что критика в адрес Украины не всегда объективна". Gazeta.
- "Россия узнала от ОБСЕ места дислокации ряда подразделений сил АТО". Liga.
- "Минобороны: 80% сотрудников ОБСЕ в Мариуполе – россияне, среди них ФСБшники". Ukrinform. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- "OSCE observer is wounded from counter-fire while observing separatist militia firing a mortar at Ukrainian forces". BurkoNews. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014.
- "Suspended OSCE monitor confirms he's Russian GRU officer". UNIAN.
- "That Time A Russian OSCE Monitor In Ukraine Got Drunk, Said Too Much". Value Walk.
- "OSCE Expresses 'Regret' After Staff Shown At Separatist Wedding In Ukraine". Radio Free Europe.
- "American member of watchdog OSCE killed in Ukraine". Reuters. 24 April 2017.
- "Land Mine Kills American on Monitoring Mission in Ukraine". The New York Times. Reuters. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- "OSCE Ukraine mission says claim of Russian spying 'big blow'". France24.
- "Erdogan slams OSCE ahead of constitutional referendum". Euronews. 14 April 2017.
- "President Erdoğan slams OSCE over referendum campaign report". Hürriyet. 14 April 2017.
- "Turkey's Erdogan denounces OSCE report on referendum campaign atmosphere". Press TV. 15 April 2017.
- "OSCE: Turkey referendum 'contested on an unlevel playing field'". Deutsche Welle. 17 April 2017.
- "OSCE blasts Turkey's legal moves against criticism of Afrin op". Hürriyet Daily News. 8 February 2018.
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
- Official website
- OSCE The U.S. Mission to the OSCE
- OSCE The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina
- OSCE POLIS Policing OnLine Information System
- OSCE at Curlie
- United States Institute of Peace online training course for OSCE required for U.S. citizens hired by the Organization. Provides a detailed outline of the OSCE, with additional modules on each major area that it is involved in. Website freely available, but tests only given to those who have submitted applications.
- Official OSCE account on Twitter
- Summer Academy on OSCE
- The short film Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (1975) is available for free download at the Internet Archive
- Postage stamps of Moldova celebrating her admission to the OSCE


text:
Walden Wears Eagle-Scout Badge Like His GOP Mentor
Growing up, Rep. Greg Walden was a Boy Scout.
He worked hard and earned badge after badge, finally accruing the highest honor: Eagle Scout.
The Oregon lawmaker earned a new title on Wednesday: chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
He takes the reins of the organization — which took the House majority in 2010 and kept it in 2012 — from a fellow Eagle Scout, Texas Rep. Pete Sessions.
And Walden plans to drive the organization forward on the path that Sessions has cemented over two terms.
"Pete's been this transformational figure," Walden said in an interview. "Transforming this organization into something it's never been before. My goal is to build on that foundation."
Walden has been Sessions' key deputy since the Texan took over the then-moribund committee in 2008. Two years later the committee oversaw an operation that netted the GOP the House majority and gave John A. Boehner of Ohio the speakership.
In every important meeting, Sessions said, "I sat at the end of the table. Right next to me: Greg Walden. Right next to me, every decision we made."
In a 40-minute interview with Roll Call on Tuesday, Sessions and Walden showed an easy rapport. They were on the same page on every issue, peppered their ideas with bits of Boy Scout wisdom and finished each other's sentences.
"We talk about —" Sessions began.
"— leaving your campsite better than you find it," Walden completed.
"Yeah," Sessions said. "Literally leaving your campsite better, and we apply that to our job here."
"Pretty good philosophy," Walden added.
They both explained how the NRCC had been built over the past four years to be a metric-driven, member-oriented, business-like, professional organization.
Walden recounted that the previous model was more solely command-and-control with a "good strong chairman and a staff."
He said that giving more members more responsibility has helped GOP lawmakers have a sense of ownership and connection to the NRCC that has made it better.
Vision for 2014
Beyond continuing to fine-tune the organization, Walden outlined a bullish vision for 2014.
"Our goal is to add to seats. It is every time," he said.
Walden explained what makes the 2014 and subsequent cycles different: The decennial process of redistricting is complete. He said he expects the committee will be able to continue to play offense.
Walden cited some potential districts to target: California's 36th, where Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R, was defeated; California's 52nd, where Rep. Brian P. Bilbray, R, appears likely to lose, although The Associated Press has not yet called the race; Georgia's 12th District, where Rep. John Barrow, D, won re-election in a Republican-leaning seat; North Carolina's 7th District, where Rep. Mike McIntyre appears poised to win a very tight victory, though the AP still hasn't called the race; and Utah's 4th District, where, Rep. Jim Matheson, D, squeaked out a win.
Walden also noted there could be some surprise districts targeted. The fact that his Oregon Democratic colleague Rep. Kurt Schrader won with only 54 percent of the vote against "a completely unfunded, unknown Republican" did not escape Walden's eye.
Fundraising, as always, will be a key to success. Walden already has experience articulating why the NRCC is a worthy investment.
"Greg went and sold the fight to K Street," Sessions said. "We have convinced this town that the program that the NRCC has is among the best programs in the country, and he is going to make that better."
Both acknowledged that there were places where the NRCC did not succeed.
Sessions admitted that Republicans had fallen short on getting Hispanic voters to cast their ballots for Republican candidates in 2012.
"We do recognize that this was a frail point this cycle," the outgoing chairman said. "We will do a better job."
And Republicans came up dry in every district in New England.
Pressed on those defeats, Walden said despite the good campaigns many candidates ran, perhaps some of those New England seats just weren't possible with President Barack Obama on the ticket. But Walden said that in a midterm there might be more opportunities for success.
Blue State Republicans
Walden, wearing a navy Petrocelli suit and red elephant tie, is easygoing and has a dry wit.
"There's a big debate among the Oregon Republican delegation from day to day," he deadpanned at one point in the interview.
Walden is the only Republican member from the Beaver State.
A former Capitol Hill press secretary, Walden chooses his words carefully and speaks in short, thoughtful sentences. He's very close with Boehner and well-liked in the caucus.
And insiders said he has that most important of attributes for someone in charge of the dizzying three-dimensional chess game that is running a House campaign committee: Walden is not easily fazed.
"Greg is very even-keeled. He's impossible to ruffle," said Brad Todd, a top Republican strategist who works closely with the NRCC. "I think that that provides a pretty steady leadership."
Walden declined to say whom he was eyeing for the NRCC's executive director. A decision is expected soon.
He hinted though at what he was looking for in NRCC staff as he fills out the positions in the committee for the 2014 cycle: no squares.
"I want creative people who will think outside the box," he said.
Walden telegraphed his leadership style of not being a micromanager, learned from years of running a small business.
"I believe in hiring really talented people, giving them the vision and then letting them do their jobs," he said.
In a GOP with different factions, Walden is expected to be able navigate all of them.
"Members of all stripes in the conference trust him," Todd said.
And his experience with the NRCC over the past four years appears to leave him well-qualified for the two years ahead.
That Eagle Scout badge both Walden and Sessions earned in their youth is of simple design. It has an eagle with the initials of the Boy Scouts of America; red, white, and blue fabric; and two words: Be Prepared.
After four years at Sessions' side winning and holding a Republican majority, insiders said Walden will be.


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Random Heroes Review
- Publisher: Ravenous Games Inc.
- Genre: Adventure
- Released: 16 Aug, 2012
- Size: 15.0 MB
- Price: FREE!
- Multiple characters to unlock, each with their own bonuses; mostly just for fun.
- No real need for cash; easy to grind the boss stages for all the cash you could need.
- Lacking in engaging elements to bring you back for more; sure, you can buy more items, but to what end?
Random Heroes keeps things simple, returning to the old-skool format of placing one level after another with no real reward for progression; it's a trip down memory lane, but a brief and uneventful one at that.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
[This mini-review is featured on the Friday News Wrap-Up for the 17th of August, 2012]
After the wild success of League of Evil it's no surprise to see Ravenous Games attempting to recapture that perfect balance of gaming joy once again. Pairing up with Woblyware for another Flash-to-iOS release, Random Heroes may be a platformer, but it's less of a game about high scores and more akin to the old-skool games we saw pumped out by studios during the 80s and 90s.
As the name suggests players can purchase any number of 'heroes', each with their own strengths (health, agility and power). Coins from destroying enemies can also be spent on weapons to boost your damage, though the range on offer is limited.
This limitation is somewhat odd considering the deeper shop system available in the original Flash version, with players being able to kit out their player with upgrades; it may not be much of a change, but it added a sense of personalization that's missing from the current title.
Ultimately this is more of a minor bugaboo compared to bigger issues such as achievement glitches, crashing on some iDevices and worst of all, easily exploitable boss fights to earn all the best equipment in under an hour of gameplay.
For a dollar Random Heroes provides a glimpse at the kind of games we used to slog through during the long Summers of our past, but as such it's uninspired and lacking the same competitive edge of games like League of Evil.
DescriptionFrom the creators of the award winning platform game League of Evil comes Ravenous Games' new action platformer Random Heroes!!
A group of unlikely heroes are set out to save the world. Monsters from another dimension are trying to take over Earth. Blast your way through these invaders in this action platformer! Collect coins and upgrade your weapons and characters to become stronger, faster and more lethal!
Choose your hero and save the world!
- Over 40 Levels
- 24 Characters
- 17 Weapons
- GameCenter Achievements
- Universal and retina enabled
- Widescreen support
- iCloud Save Game


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The former Leicester City midfielder has been in sensational form since moving to London, and has been rewarded with the coveted trophy
N'Golo Kante has been named the PFA Players' Player of the Year after a formidable debut season at Chelsea, while Dele Alli of Tottenham has retained the Young Player of the Year award.
France international Kante has enjoyed an incredible rise in English football after joining Leicester City from Caen in 2015.
Having played a key role in Leicester's remarkable Premier League title success last term, the midfielder has continued to star at Stamford Bridge for this season's leaders, Chelsea.
Alli has also enjoyed a marvellous campaign for Spurs, his 16 goals and five assists vital in their title challenge.
He becomes the fourth player to be named Young Player of the Year in successive years, after Ryan Giggs, Robbie Fowler and Wayne Rooney.
Kante was one of the favourites for the senior award 12 months ago, when his former Leicester team-mate Riyad Mahrez claimed the crown, and his fellow professionals voted him as the winner this time around.
The 26-year-old has played 31 of Chelsea's 32 games in the Premier League so far this season, once again drawing plaudits for his immense athleticism, tackling and reading of the game.
Kante's team-mate Eden Hazard came second in the voting, while Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic closed out the top three.
Much like Kante, Alli's adaptation to the Premier League has been hugely impressive since he jumped up from League One side Milton Keynes Dons in 2015.
His form at Tottenham has helped the 21-year-old to also become a prominent figure on the international stage with England, forming a fine partnership for both club and country with Harry Kane, who was also nominated for the main award.
Alli could yet inspire Spurs to the Premier League title as well, with Mauricio Pochettino's men only four points adrift of Chelsea with six matches to go.


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The company's revenues fell 31.7% from EUR513 million in H1 2009 to EUR350 million in H1 2010 as its order book shrank by 35% due to shortfalls in the project finance provided by banks. However, sales surged by 32% in Q2 2010 to around EUR200 million (Q1 2010: EUR151 million) and the company's order backlog stood at EUR2.3 billion as of June 30.
The heightened profitability of realised projects caused Nordex's gross margin to increase substantially from 21.4% in H1 2009 to 28.5% in H1 2010.
Earnings before interest and tax (Ebit) in H1 declined from EUR9.5 million to EUR7.1 million year on year, but a reduction in interest and tax expense led to an increase in net profits from EUR2.3 million to EUR2.9 million.
The company is predicting a slight increase in full-year revenues for 2010, with higher sales expected in the second half of the year.


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2014 Golden Globe Awards Roundup
That's a Wrap — All the Golden Globes Excitement!
Fashion and Beauty Coverage:
- The night's hottest hair and makeup
- Cate! Lupita! Kerry! Vote on the best-dressed star
- What about bobs? Why the Golden Globes predict 2014's cut
- Get a ROYGBIV look at the gorgeous Globes gowns
- Stars make a point with sharp liner looks
- Red is the color of Hollywood trendsetters
- Did Emma Watson make pink lipstick the new red?
- Vote on all the red carpet looks
Must-See Moments:
- Jennifer Lawrence has the best Globes night ever
- Cate Blanchett reigns supreme
- Reese Witherspoon glows with famous friends
- Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin make a sneaky Globes stop
- Robin Wright wins big and says "yes" — all in the same week!
- Was this the weirdest award show acceptance speech of the year?
The List of All the Winners and More Fun at the Golden Globe Awards:
- Party over here! See the stars let loose after the show
- The full list of Golden Globe winners
- Relive the fun night — in GIFs!
- What you might have missed on the red carpet
- Stars pose with their gold!
- Celebrities take us inside the wild Globes weekend
- The candid moments you won't see on TV


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Kibble from a bowl? I turn up my nose!
Kibble from the floor? Don't mind if I do!
For more info on adopting Curious Georgia, click here or contact us at DCpetographer [at] gmail [dot] com.
Kibble from a bowl? I turn up my nose!
Kibble from the floor? Don't mind if I do!
For more info on adopting Curious Georgia, click here or contact us at DCpetographer [at] gmail [dot] com.
LOL she really is stoo cute 🙂 her ears!!!
Sierra is the same, especially when we are traveling.
I've had two dogs that would pick the kibble out of their bowls, bring it into the living room, drop it on the carpet and then eat it. Silly doggies!
Darwin does the same thing! When she starts eating she'll bring 2 pieces of kibble to the living room, drop them on the floor, eat them, then go back to the kitchen to finish her meal. Silly girl.
My Bella does that too!!! Especially if we are not at home. It is nice to know she's not so odd. 😉
Chloe and Gracie Bean do the same thing. They take several pieces of their food and carry it into the living room, drop it on the rug and eat it one piece at a time. They repeat this until they're satisfied. I thought it was an unusual practice….but I guess not!!
I love, love, love you Georgia!
Hmmm, from the comments, it seems like a common problem. I've seen dogs at the shelter tip their bowls over and eat off the floor. From the photo, it looks like Georgia gets canned food, too. What happens if you mush the kibble and the canned food together, so she can't pick out just the kibble? Will she drop the soft food all over the floor, too?
That is what I did so my Bella would stop taking her kibble over to the carpet. It doesn't always work.
She's developed a silly habit of taking a bite and then spitting the kibble on the floor or bouncing it off the wall. Once all the "yummy" canned food is eaten she picks up all the kibble.
Messy but too silly and cute.
Wow, she is picky! She makes you create meatballs for her?? Sometimes Izzy will pickup a mouthful and drop it on the carpet to eat it.
My parents dog is afraid of metal bowls…try ceramic?
Funny little girl, totally adorbs! What would she think about kibble from a wobble gong that drops it on the floor for her? I'm guessing that would be a bit too much work for her to be interested though 😉
Have you tried a ceramic bowl or other material? Some dogs just have an aversion to stainless steel bowls. Maybe a change in bowl might help!
I LOVE her ears in that second shot!
One of my old dogs used to take a mouthful of food, walk away three feet, drop the food on the ground, and then eat it. She did that for as long as I had her. She was a really weird (and lovable) dog…
Heidi still tips her food bowl over every meal. It's really funny to watch 🙂
Love Georgia's little gray face!
Petey did that when I first got him, I guess it was from living on the streets and having to safeguard his food. And I would like throw this out there…Petey goes NUTS when we are at the beach and anyone (human or canine) goes swimming. He will swim out to the yipping in his upset bark, which people find alarming.
Any ideas?
Nothin' says ya gotta eat from a bowl…just sayin'! But those ears; they just keep getting better.
Oh, how funny! And adorable.
Anyway, that's one of the things people recommend to use up a dog's energy; spread their kibble around so they have to hunt around and pick it up. Maybe she's self regulating? Or maybe she never ate from a bowl before and it's weird and moves. Who knows?
This is such a hint into her former life. Amy always chats about B and M's former life. Her elbows and the kibble on the floor. Poor, lucky Georgia!
I wonder if preferring to eat from the floor is common for dogs who spent time as strays. It makes sense also in that when eating from the floor, their vision is not obstructed like it may be if they are eating from a bowl. My girl, who was a stray, had problems with the bowl at first, particularly with water, and it was recommended to me to try a bowl with lower sides (more like a flat serving platter than a traditional bowl). She started improving with the bowl about then, so I never tried it, but I've heard of it working for other dogs who had bowl issues.
Mmmhmm, the taste of the floor really adds a little something special.
Look at her little ears sticking out. Is that an action shot? Or do they really do that?
Ha ha ha ha, oh Georgia, how I love you. This reminds me SO much of our sweet Felix when we rescued him. He wouldn't eat out of a bowl. We started putting kibbles on the floor (what a pain), then he graduated to a plate (imagine filling a shallow water plate several thousand times a day!), then to a very low sided "serving tray" style bowl and FINALLY! like 3 months later, we finally got him eating out of a bowl. Frequently, the little nut bar would still pick up a mouthful from his bowl, carry it a few steps away, gob it out onto the floor and eat it a piece at a time. Apparently nothing tastes as good as "floor food". Good luck with that silly habit, Georgia!
we find kibbles in various places around the house.
one of our four picks up one at a time to eat off the floor.
another hides pieces for a snack later on.
It taste good from anywhere, huh?
Benny & Lily
Well at least she eats it
Kibble from a bowl is boring. Kibble from the floor is a treat!
There are some great suggestions here as to why she might be doing this. Such a wealth of information. Someone should compile all these tips into some sort of dog fostering/rescue resource.
These photos are beautiful!
Sometimes Bella does this too… she'll take the kibble out of the bowl, drop it on the floor, and then eat it one bite at a time.


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That failed terrorist attack yesterday might make international flights a whole lot less enjoyable. Passengers are reporting that new restrictions are in place, and their severity varies flight-to-flight. Among the reports, a rumor: No electronics. Updated: Gadgets OK, but restricted!
Again, these are isolated incidents, and there's still no official word from TSA. But in certain instances, some passengers are reporting that electronics usage on inbound U.S. flights is restricted. We'll let you know if an official announcement comes.
The New York Times is reporting that no one will be able to move from their seats during the last hour of flight. That means no bathroom breaks, no accessing carry-on luggage, nothing. When that plane starts descending, you're planted.
Multiple sources, among them Xeni Jardin of Boing Boing, have also been told that no electronics are allowed on international flights. None. So you can't even play video games to distract yourself from how badly you have to pee.
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From what we can tell, this is largely restricted to inbound international flights. TSA hasn't made any announcements yet either, so hopefully this is either a temporary measure, or the restrictions will be less severe once the official policy becomes clearer.
So much for using those free in-flight Wi-Fi codes we told you about. If you're flying today, tell us what you hear. [Business Insider, New York Times, @xenijardin]
Image via Bekathwia
Update: According to @charleneli, here's the situation:
New flight rules - Body search, no electronics apply only to int'l flights to US. Just landed in ORD from Canada, missed connection
Update 2: The TSA also released this statement, which seems to confirm that electronics usage policies will be on a case-by-case basis (emphasis added):
"Passengers flying from international locations to U.S. destinations may notice additional security measures in place. These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere. Due to the busy holiday travel season, both domestic and international travelers should allot extra time for check-in."
Update 3: We've been hearing reports from readers about their experiences under the new flight regulations. The good news is, most of you aren't having problems using your gear. The bad news is there's still no official word from TSA, so your milage may vary.
Reader Mikkel had this to say:
I arrived in to LAX last night on a British Airways flight. The only time there were restrictions on electronics were (as always) right after takeoff but now also during the last hour of the flight. Other than that, things were pretty normal. What surprised me, was that the airline had disabled the on-board map so we couldn't see where we were. They told us this was by order of the US government.
I got another email from reader Nic saying the same thing about the in-flight map. Here's a third from commenter Beatledud's observations, and his opinion on why the whole "stay seated an hour before landing rule" defeats the purpose of turning off the location tracker:
In the flight most things were normal. We were allowed to use gadgets but they wouldn't tell us how long it would take to get to DC. And while the moving GPS map on my video screen was disabled, the ETA time stamp on how much was left on the journey worked just fine, and it ended up accurate. DUMB.
Oh, and the having to buckle up and stay seated the last hour of the flight? First this seemed counterproductive since they were ATTEMPTING to prevent passengers from knowing when they were almost landing. Giving an hour heads up cancels that out. And they gave us 30 minutes to go to our bags and the bathroom before the hour lock down. And oh, what a lock down it was, I must have seen 30 people still doing whatever 20 minutes in and half a dozen people just get up anyways for the final 40 minutes to use the bathroom, go to their bags, whatever, and that was just where I was sitting.
The pre-boarding chain of events in Beatledud's story featured beefed-up security measures, but it sounds like everything was relatively normal onboard. He's not the only one to have an uneventful flight. Gynranger left this story of his normal sounding domestic travels in the comments:
I few yesterday, just a domestic flight, from New York, NY to Savanna, GA. We were allowed to use electronics but during take off until cruising alt and about 30 minutes before landing they made us shut everything off, including iPods or computers and other devices even those that didnt broadcast.
There have been some cases where in-flight restrictions were more extreme than usual, like this one from reader Arturo:
We flew from Eugene, OR to San Francisco today: they would not even let us read paperback books that we had brought with us. According to them, the new TSA directive is that in the last hour of flight, we are not allowed to leave our seats, nor use or have anything from our carry-on luggage or personal items.
This seems to be the main restriction, that you can't have anything on your lap during the last hour of flight. That's just the word from the airlines though. As of this writing, TSA still hasn't announced their new guidelines to the public. This is the latest statement up on their page:
Q: What additional security measures are being taken for international flights to U.S. destinations?
A: TSA issued a directive for additional security measures to be implemented for last point of departure international flights to the United States. Passengers flying into the United States from abroad can expect to see additional security measures at international airports such as increased gate screening including pat-downs and bag searches. During flight, passengers will be asked to follow flight crew instructions, such as stowing personal items, turning off electronic equipment and remaining seated during certain portions of the flight.
So that's what we've been hearing. Again, there hasn't been an official word from TSA. Certain airlines have said that electronics are OK for now, and judging from your stories that seems to be the case. We'll keep an eye on the situation, and we'll try to break the news easy if it turns out you won't be jamming to Miley during the flight home. [TSA, Thanks to everyone who wrote in with their stories]
Update 4:


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Proper hair care for swimmers can mean the difference between smooth, silky hair and dry or damaged hair. Whether you are a competitive swimmer or simply a leisure swimmer, the chlorine wreaks the same havoc on any hair without the proper hair care. The chlorine and various other chemicals used in pools build up on the swimmer's hair, leaving behind a residue that breaks hair down and causes it to become unmanageable. With the proper hair care, swimmers can still have gorgeous hair and spend as much time as they want in the pool. After swimming, swimmers should immediately rinse their hair out, but a proper shampoo and conditioner are also required to deliver beautiful hair.
The Best Shampoo for Swimmers
Malibu C's Swimmers Water Action Shampoo is the best shampoo on the market for swimmers. It offers gentle, daily cleaning that removes the harmful chemicals, residue buildup and hard water minerals that leave hair dry and damaged. It might seem logical to use a harsh shampoo after exposing your hair to the chemicals and minerals of a pool, but the harsh detergent would simply damage the hair further. After swimming, your hair needs a gentle nurturing from a moisturizing shampoo.
Swimmers Water Action Shampoo offers the ultimate protection for swimmer's hair. Made with all-natural vitamins and botanicals, there are no harsh chemicals or damaging ingredients that could further harm your hair. Green hair, itchy scalp and hair that will not process will be a thing of the past with this exceptional swimmers' shampoo.
The Best Conditioner for Swimmers
Once you wash your hair with Swimmers Water Action Shampoo, you should follow it with Malibu C's Swimmers Water Action Conditioner. Conditioning your hair is just as important as washing it after swimming. Conditioners give your hair a chance to regain the moisture it lost from the harmful chemicals and minerals in the water. The Swimmers Water Action Conditioner can be used safely on a daily basis and even provides your hair with a protective sunscreen to prevent further damage to your hair.
Protecting Swimmers' Hair
If you follow the proper regimen for hair care for swimmers, you will have gorgeous, shiny, manageable hair without the worry of chemical buildup or harmful mineral damage. This will allow you to partake in competitive swimming or swimming for exercise or leisure without running the risk of sacrificing the beauty of your hair.


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650 feet! That's as tall as 113 average-height American men stacked on top of each other. That's the size of a 54-story building. In other words, that's huge. But why?
Well, why build three, 2MW wind turbines when you can build a single, 7.5MW tower for a third of the upkeep? That's what the engineers at Germany's Enercon were going for when they built the massive E-126.
Constructed of tubular steel, the E-126 wind turbine stands 650' tall at the tip of the blade and generates enough juice to power about 5,000 German homes (or about 1,800 American ones. Crank up that A/C, brah.). Its rotors slice a massive a 413-foot-wide circle in the air, which is just 6' short of the world record. This lovely lady weighs in at a svelte 6,000 tons including her concrete base. The massive blades kick up very little turbulence thanks to the spoilers running along their lengths, nor do they make much noise thanks to their sound-minimizing tips.
It also has no gearbox, which is normally used to step up the generator drive-shaft's rpm's to account for wind conditions. Instead, the drive-shaft plugs directly into the generator (which sits in the turbine's nose cone) and uses two, slow-moving ball bearing rings to help regulate the speed. This minimizes the number of parts that will eventually need replacing. It also limits the blades to a maximum of about 12 rpm (or once every five seconds), which should be slow enough to spare all but the pokiest of birds.
E-126s were first installed in Emden, Germay in 2007 and only 24 are currently in service. Another 150 will come online when the 4GW Markbygden Wind Farm in Northern Sweden is completed in 2020.
[via Enercon E-126 Wiki - Wind Turbine Wiki - Enercon - MetaEfficient]


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Kenya is one of the most popular countries in Africa and if you didn't know why it's because of it's wild life. People that love and wish to see an array of animals always have Kenya on their list. I paid for a full day tour specifically for this purpose when I was planning my trip. I visited Nairobi National Park, Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre and here's what went down.
Nairobi National Park is just 15 minutes away from the city centre but the night before I visited, I got a note from my tour guide to be ready at 6:00am. I had to ask why I had to wake up so early, I mean I was on holiday but he said the morning is the best time to visit. I had no choice but to show up since it was already paid for.
Once you're in the park, you will forget you're in a city capital. It's literally the jungle. The views are amazing, the air is fresh and everything is calm and quiet.
I wasn't prepared for the long drive though. The park is so big (with signs at every intersection thank goodness) you can be driving for hours and not see a single animal.
I saw two Wild Dogs first. For some weird reason, they like to lay flat on the road, wait for the car to approach then start running.
Then I saw Antelopes(Agazel in Sawhili) they were different kinds of them and I could tell that if one came out of the car, there will be serious trouble.
Then I saw Zebras. Zebras are fine animals and television doesn't do them justice. I really really wish I could photograph them closer or take a selfie and the way their body moves when they walk is just surreal. I'm totally sure you will not understand me.
Up next Buffaloes! My tour guide flashed another and he told us where to find them. There was a party of them when we got there and they looked unbothered by us.
We went to the Hippo pools thereafter to take a little break and see some hippos and I got a chance to have my photo taken.
We continued our drive in search for the Lion, it was already 9am and we had been going round for two and half hours. At a point, I thought we were lost because I didn't see any signs and I kept asking my tour guide if he knew where he was going. Suddenly, he came to an abrupt stop. I was alarmed then he pointed and alas it was The Lion the supposed King Of The Jungle looking very lazy and just chilling not doing much. We waited for a few minutes hoping he will get up and lead us to a group of them but no he only yawned. This lion wasn't moving. I was disappointed. Can you tell?
Other animals I saw include; Warthogs, Rhinos, Baboons, Ostriches and a collection of different birds.
I visited the Elephant orphanage next. It has a strict policy and is open to the public only between the hours of 11-12 noon. There was already a long queue when we got there and we joined the line. I was shocked there were that many people trying to get into the orphanage.
The gates were open at 10:45 and it cost KES500 ($5) per person to get in. Once we were in, we were informed the elephants were gonna come out in two groups and a few moments later, they came in.
These were baby elephants between 0-2years and you wouldn't believe they are babies until you see them rush for milk. They were playing in the sand and with themselves and it was just so surreal knowing that the orphanage saves the elephants and keeps them till they are old enough to go back to the wild.
Each elephant had a name and a story and we were allowed to touch them but were warned not to put our hands in their mouth because their teeth is very sharp.
I learnt that elephants attain maturity at 15-20 years. Elephants never forget because they have an impeccable memory. Their gestation period is 2 years and they die from starvation at age 60-70 due to lack of teeth to eat food. I bet you didn't know that.
This I was looking forward to because I wanted to see how tall the tallest living mammal really is. It cost KES1,000 ($10) for nonresidents to get in. Once you're in, there's an attendant positioned at the entrance who hands you pellets to feed the giraffes.
At first, it was weird watching the giraffes reach for the pellets but later I wanted to try it. I took some photos and also got a handful of pellets to feed the giraffes. I asked the staff to take my photos and later I walked around to learn more about the giraffes. Just like the elephants, all the giraffes have names.
It was fun to get close to these amazing creatures and I surely had a nice time even though the weather wasn't very friendly. It was really cold and it rained at some point.
Other tourists visit MASAI MARA which is a large game reserve in Narok County and a popular tourist location in Kenya. You get to see more animals and experience living in the wild along with the animals. According to my tour guide, you cannot see all the animals in a day so the minimum visit that can be booked is for two days. I was in Kenya for a very short time so I couldn't visit.
I also visited the SNAKE PARK but I felt like writing about all the different types of snakes I saw, holding a snake and all other animals will be too much in one post so let me know if you will like to read about it and I'll tell you all about it in another post.
Thanks for reading.
Are you an animal lover or are you just curious like I am???
Mariam Shittu