The new members come from a range of charities, including Save the Children UK and Versus Arthritis

I’m permanently estranged from my family.
Here’s what cats and dogs have taught me. by Lindsay Costello

From etymonline.com: estrange (v.) late 15c., from French estrangier “to alienate,” from Vulgar Latin *extraneare “to treat as a stranger,” from Latin extraneus “foreign, from without” (see strange). 

I am strange, I am alien, I am a stranger, I am without. Or maybe my family is. It’s difficult to say. Since 2019, I’ve been estranged from my entire family. I won’t bore (or titillate) you with the details of my decision to distance myself from them, but visualize a constellation of generational traumas—nearly every type represented—and you’ll have a general idea. Estrangement is, as the literature says, a last resort. It’s the truth. I never wanted this, but now I’m freer for it.

On most days, the peace of estrangement is one of the most powerful presences in my life. But during the chaotic final months of the year, it begins to feel like a gargantuan gaping wound that anyone—friends, coworkers, baristas—might spot if I’m not careful. People tend to flip out, or at least stare a little, when they see a gargantuan gaping wound. 

So I don’t discuss it. I listen intently as those around me describe their family’s political beliefs and their dad’s rude comments and their brother’s whatever-what-have-you and I share little in response. I frown. I say, “Ugh, that sucks.” And I do mean it.

My experience always feels different, though. For one thing, my calendar is suspiciously open during the holidays. This serves an interesting and unexpected purpose: As those around me saddle up for travel, family dinners, and gift exchanges, I’m available for pet sitting. The texts roll in.

Yes, I sometimes feel a knee-jerk sting when this happens, in the way that we all have those insidious automatic thoughts that have squished around in our brains for years or decades. You know the ones. Therapists and Instagram graphics attempt to unpack them with counter-thoughts: I am worthy. I am enough. And so on. But those few tenacious thoughts remain. The neurons fire and wire. Mine are:

I don’t have a family. Everyone else does, except me.

When I type that out, there is no resentment, just layers of sadness buried in a cavity that my partner Jeremy and my cat Spaghetti still can’t fill. Intellectually, I know these thoughts aren’t true. Many people are estranged from their families, and I do have a “chosen family”—I have Jeremy! Spaghetti! A small circle of friends! But without any biological family members in my life, there’s still a sharp loneliness, pointed and pronounced, that never goes away. The edges of it become crisper during the holidays. 

Back to the petsitting, though. Over time, I’ve noticed that the animals I form bonds with might also have something to teach me about navigating estrangement. (For the record, I’m not a mental health professional. But stay with me here.)

My first Christmas pet sitting charge was Fiddle, a large and docile orange man whose primordial pouch swayed like a porch swing as he strode aimlessly across the house. From Fiddle, I gleaned the first of many lessons on connection and self-preservation.

1. Don’t google your parents. (Or your sister, or your ex, or whoever it is you’ve made a concerted effort to get away from.) 

a. Animals can’t google, especially sweet, simple-minded angels like Fiddle. This one is a no-brainer. Googling your parents, who will, undoubtedly, still have no internet presence, is the quickest ticket to a night-long spiral. Plus, there are few things on this planet more depressing than searching online for your deadbeat dad’s handyman business. Don’t do it.

Then came Frank, a dapple dachshund with dark eyes and ears that flapped out like soft wings when he flopped over on his back in the living room. Frank is a snuggly dog who asks that one hand be petting him at all times. He also likes to wake with the sunrise.

2. Make your own rituals and stick to them with dogged (ugh) determination.

a. One year, curled up in a pit of sadness, I asked an estrangement-related subreddit for advice on what to do during the holidays. I feel for you, elderberry42289, some kind soul wrote. I recommend finding a routine and sticking to that for your sanity. Also, could you come up with something cool to do every holiday season? Something all your own?

b. This message was reaffirmed by Frank, who sticks to his rituals and appreciates all the sensory pleasures life has to offer. If Frank were a human, I think he would take himself to the movies and a fancy dinner every Christmas day.

Before I met Dorothy, I thought I’d experienced the full spectrum of anger, marinating in all the emotion had to offer. This was not true. Dorothy’s capacity for disdain topped anything I’d ever felt before. She is a one-eared cat who hisses at nothing—the television, my hand in a bag of chips, the sky. She is also dark and slinky, making her contemptuous behavior seem kind of cool.

3. Go outside. 

a. I knew better than to argue with Dorothy, who insisted upon patrolling the outside world despite hostile forces like coyotes and cars in the neighborhood. And so out she went, and came back, still intact (minus the missing ear). 

b. Unfortunately, the news is true. Going for a walk (or even, like, to the mailbox) helps when those insidious automatic thoughts start to conspire against you. Just do it, you’ll be fine.

Here’s a lesson I’ve taken from every pet I’ve cared for:

4. Eat whatever the fuck you want. 

a. You’re (probably) not a licensed nutritionist, you’re someone with family trauma who is attempting to navigate the holiday season. Eating whatever, whenever, is clearly what dogs dream of. You are not a dog. You are an adult with some funds and a ride to Safeway. Act accordingly.

And finally,

5. Make sure that you aren’t alone. Alternate strategy: believe that you’re not alone.

In a season that emphasizes togetherness and companionship, I am one person musing on the tiny universes of cats and dogs. Maybe these reflections seem a little trite, even pathetic. But I don’t think that they are. 

The entire objective of pet sitting is to care for small guys who cannot care for themselves. Central to that relationship is an applicable truth: When I am experiencing something emotionally traumatic, I can treat myself with special attention, too. 

Sometimes that means asking for help or camaraderie. But maybe I am not in the mood to be social. Maybe I’m having a Dorothy day. That’s fine—because even when I’m isolated and furious and sad, I’m not alone. Not really. Embedded in that core belief is every creature that’s trusted me.

The backdrop of the stage with the Oscar Award is seen onstage during the 84th Academy Awards announcement held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Jan. 24, 2012 in Los Angeles.; Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The Academy Awards have made history with breakthroughs for minorities in the past — but with this year's nominations, observers are noting how white the Oscars are, with no actors of color nominated in any of this year's acting categories.

It marks the least diverse nominations since 1998. People have been speaking out about this disconnect, with films like "Selma" being shut out of the acting nominations (though it did pick up a Best Picture nomination).

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

File: (L-R) "The Sarah Silverman Program" writer Harris Wittels, comedian Sarah Silverman, executive producer/head writer Dan Sterling and actress Laura Silverman, arrive at Comedy Central's Emmy Awards party at the STK restaurant Sept. 21, 2008 in Los Angeles.; Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Harris Wittels, a comedy writer who worked on "Parks & Recreation," has died at 30, the Los Angeles Police Department's Jane Kim tells KPCC.

Wittels was discovered by his assistant around 12 p.m., Kim said, and was already dead. Kim said that Wittels' death was a possible overdose, but that the Coroner's Office would determine the cause of death. Wittels had attended drug rehab twice.

Comedy Central, where Wittels worked on "The Sarah Silverman Program" and "Secret Girlfriend," confirmed Wittels' death, as did the comedy show he appeared at Wednesday night.

Comedy Central tweet

Meltdown Show tweet

Wittels was also well known for his @Humblebrag Twitter account and later book, helping to popularize the idea online of the false modesty of bragging while trying not to look like you're bragging.

Wittels had spoken about his struggles with addiction in places including Pete Holmes's podcast "You Made It Weird" in a November episode.

"I just really stopped caring about my life," Wittels said on "You Made It Weird," explaining how he got into doing drugs. "I just really started to think, well, if I'm only here for 80 years, then who cares if I spend it high or not?"

Wittels received his first big break when Sarah Silverman saw him performing comedy and gave him a job writing for her Comedy Central show.

Wittels also wrote for HBO's "Eastbound & Down," several MTV awards shows and the American Music Awards. He had a recurring role on "Parks & Recreation" and was a regular guest on the "Comedy Bang Bang" podcast.

Comedians, actors and fans mourned Wittels' death online.

Harris Wittels Storify

See Wittels in a scene from "Parks & Recreation":

Wittels on Parks & Recreation

Listen to Wittels on "Comedy Bang Bang":

Wittels on Comedy Bang Bang

This story has been updated.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A Nintendo Entertainment System.; Credit: Mark Ramsay/Flickr Creative Commons

There have been plenty of video game movies over the years, but there have been far fewer actually good ones. "Ready Player One," based on the 2011 video game-inspired novel, has the chance to be a great one thanks to the announcement that Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct.

That book was inspired by classic video games, and was written using classic video game cheats to play parts of classic games and write them into his book, author Ernest Cline said in a recent talk. That got us thinking about the classic video game cheats and secrets that stuck with us from our younger days playing classic video games — here's our top 11.

1. The Konami Code

Up up down down left right left right B A start! This code became such a part of video game culture that it got its own name. It was popularized in various games made by Konami, particularly Contra, leading to it also being known as the "Contra Code" for its ability to give you 30 lives in the game. Before the Internet, it was spread through gaming magazines and word of mouth — it was so influential that there are still developers who put it in their games. (There's even an entire Wikipedia page of games, both from Konami and others, that use the Konami Code. It's even been used on some websites.)

What is the Konami Code

2. Street Figher II Turbo's turbo

The game that I actually used a code for the most as a kid, the Super Nintendo code down, R, up, L, Y, B on the second controller didn't give you any advantages — it just kicked the speed up. By default, you had a few selections for how fast the game would be, but you could multiple that several-fold with this code, letting you and your friends battle at what at the time felt unbelievably fast.

3. Super Mario Bros.'s Minus World

This one doesn't involve a code, but players managed to discover what was deemed a glitch in the game that put you into a messed up version of another level, dubbed by fans the Minus World due to just "-1" instead of a full level number appearing at the top of the screen. There was no way to escape the glitched level, no matter how hard you might try, sending you to play it over and over again until your time ran out or you were killed by enemies. Still, modern players have found that you can go on thanks to various computer emulators and the like; see some of the worlds beyond below:

Minus World video

4. Metroid and Justin Bailey

Fans early on discovered that the password JUSTIN BAILEY allowed you to start with all of the available weapons along with plenty of life and ammo. Fans didn't know whether Justin Bailey was a reference to an actual person, just a code coincidence or something else, but that didn't stop them from eagerly playing through with this code. It also removed lead character Samus Aran from her armor, allowing players to discover that the game's star was an early female lead character, even if her armor didn't clue players in before the end of the game without the code.

Justin Bailey video

5. Doom's God mode

By typing the letters iddqd in PC game Doom, players could enable God mode, making them essentially invincible and letting them power through the early first-person shooter. The code had been available in developer id's earlier game Wolfenstein, but hadn't been quite as easily accessible. So, if you ever need a power boost when you're fighting on Mars, Doom has the answer. (Unfortunately, we don't believe this provides any extra protection for NASA's Mars rovers.)

6. Mortal Kombat's Reptile

The developers of Mortal Kombat made a battle against Reptile unbelievably hard for Mortal Kombat fans, including putting some randomness into whether doing what you were supposed to do to unlock the character would even work. Still, players happily pumped in extra quarters for the chance to face off against Reptile, a character with a look that mirrored that of characters Sub-Zero and Scorpion, just with a different color. Players had to achieve a Double Flawless victory on the Pit level, finish the match using their fatality move, and there also had to be a silhouette flying past the moon in the background — which only happened every sixth game.

Mortal Kombat: Reptile

7. The Legend of Zelda's Second Quest

The Legend of Zelda was a pretty challenging early adventure game, one of the first releases for the Nintendo home video game console. When you beat the game, you were given the option to go on a "Second Quest," which was a tweaked version of the game you just played except waaaaay harder. However, if you thought you were the coolest kid on the block and were so awesome you didn't need a warmup, you could name your character "ZELDA" (in one of the more obvious cheats in video game history) and skip ahead to that Second Quest from the start. You would then likely cry from how hard it was and start another new game with a different name.

8. NBA Jam's celebrity secret characters

A variety of celebrities from sports, music, and even politics were available by putting in various initials combined with buttons on the controller. These included then-President Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Warren Moon and more. That tradition has been continued in more recent NBA Jam games, with President Obama and others available for your video gaming pleasure.

9. GoldenEye's extra modes

There were a wide variety of cheat codes for GoldenEye, widely considered one of the all-time great first-person shooters. Sure, you could use codes to unlock different levels, but the reason these codes are remembered is because it gave you all sorts of new ways to play against your friends. The game also had an actual cheat menu that would appear if you accomplished one of a variety of goals, and from that menu you could cheat extra hard by using your controller to unlock things like a paintball mode, turbo mode, modes with both giant heads and teeny-tiny James Bonds and more.

10. Sonic The Hedgehog 2's Debug Mode

The Sonic debug mode is the perfect example of why so many games included cheats back in the day: They were often for the developers to be able to more easily play the games while looking for bugs and doing other testing. Sonic 2 let you get to an actual debug mode by playing various sounds from the level select screen (1, 9, 9, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4, for your reference), then pressing start and holding the A button. Developers later put them in for fun and intended them for the players to discover, but some of the early cheat codes were just meant for developers — but players proved more intrepid than they may have anticipated.

Sonic debug mode

11. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out: Go straight to Mike Tyson

There was actually a password mode in this game — before games had the option to save, plenty of games gave you codes that let you get back to where you were before. This is one of the examples from that darker time, where whether you played through opponents like Glass Joe and Bald Bull or not, you could try your changes against Lightning Mike (at least until the video game's license ran out and he was replaced in future editions with the way less exciting "Mr. Dream"). You better have had a pen and paper ready when your friend started yelling at you 007 373 5963 for you to use on your own copy of the game — no sharing. The game is hard enough that even Mike Tyson had some trouble fighting himself:

Mike Tyson vs. Mike Tyson

Let us know in the comments the classic video games — and the classic cheat codes and secrets — that inspired you.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Mike Okamoto poses as Shogun Santa with visitors to Japanese Village. ; Credit: Chava Sanchez/KPCC

LA’s Asian Santa tradition is back. Shogun Santa has returned to Little Tokyo after a big loss in the community last year.  

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Crypto payment gateway Alchemy Pay has acquired Money Transmitter Licences (MTLs) in Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wyoming.

The muffins are reportedly infused with flavors of rich cocoa and sweet mini marshmallows.

Details of use of Twitter at IWMW 2008 are now available. [08 June 2008]

Kate Forbes-Pitt has 15 years experience of working with electronic document management systems. She started working with paper based systems, electronically generated, at London Borough of Lambeth in 1991. She joined the LSE in 1999 to procure and implement a new electronic document management system. In addition, during the last 15 years, she has completed two degrees at LSE, and now pursues document and content management as areas of academic research. She has spoken about document management at many conferences, has recently published on the structure of documents and content and is currently researching the effects of electronic documents on work ownership and identity. Kate gave a plenary talk on "Delivering Information: Document vs. Content". Kate can be contacted at K.Forbes-Pitt@lse.ac.uk

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 11:30am
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: LSA Transfer Student Center

Join the Transfer Student Center staff to learn more about:
1. How to understand your transfer credit and how transfer credit will count for degree requirements.
2. Orientation and registering for your first semester of classes.
3. Connecting with the department that you plan to major in.
4. Your housing options.
5. And, any other questions that you have.

Registration is required. Register using the link to the right. Zoom link will be sent after you register.

The October jobs report from Australia was not as strong as we have become accustomed to:

• Australian October unemployment rate 4.1% (vs. 4.1% expected)

It was not a poor report, just not another blockbuster!

AUD/USD is not a lot changed. Earlier we had Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Bullock sounding not dovish:

• RBA Bullock says rates are restrictive enough, staying there until confident on inflation

Mann spoke Wednesday:

• BOE's Mann: I describe myself as an 'activist' rather than a 'gradualist' on rates
• BOE's Mann: Inflation has definitely not been vanquished

Mann was the sole dissent at the previous BoE meeting, voting to keep the Bank rate on hold.

Speaking again at 1300 GMT / 0800 US Eastern time:

• at the Society of Professional Economists Annual Conference

Also on the speaker circuit is Governor Bailey:

• GBP traders heads up - Bank of England Governor Bailey is speaking late Thursday

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VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Presenting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work concerning the refugee and migrant crisis at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today, Swiss parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi laid out the Assembly’s plan of action going forward, which includes monitoring the situation on the ground and developing policy recommendations for the OSCE and its participating States.

The meeting was convened by the OSCE German Chairmanship to present and discuss the report by Amb. Claude Wild, Chair of the OSCE Informal Working Group Focusing on the Issue of Migration and Refugee Flows. The participants discussed in particular the importance of improving global migration governance and how the OSCE can lend its contribution to promoting regional implementation of a global migration governance architecture.

Lombardi noted that the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, which he chairs, has been active in three main areas, including by organizing field visits, strengthening co-operation with the OSCE and other international actors, and promoting discussions on the migration crisis within the OSCE PA.

“The migration and refugee crisis remains high on the agenda of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as highlighted by the importance accorded to this issue in the Tbilisi Declaration adopted at the OSCE PA Annual Session on 5 July,” Lombardi said. “Indeed, the various aspects of this complex issue are addressed in the resolutions of all three general committees as well as in a number of supplementary resolutions” adopted in Tbilisi, he added.

Stressing the need for better communication strategies between governments and the public, Lombardi said that while media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion on migration, “political forces bear an equally important responsibility.

“Governments, diplomats and parliamentarians must join forces to tackle the root causes of migration,” he said.

Lombardi further highlighted a recent field visit to camps in Calais and Dunkirk, the Parliamentary Assembly’s contribution to the 27 June meeting of the Informal Working Group, which was addressed by five OSCE parliamentarians, and noted that the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration met officially for the first timeduring the OSCE PA Annual Session in Tbilisi on 3 July.

In June, the OSCE PA’s then-human rights and humanitarian committee chair, Portuguese parliamentarian Isabel Santos, joined a delegation of the OSCE’s Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, for a visit to Lampedusa, Italy, to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and to a refugee reception centre in Catania.

Migration will also occupy a prominent position in the discussions of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting to be held in Skopje from 29 September to 2 October, Lombardi pointed out.

Other than Lombardi’s presentation, today’s special meeting of the Permanent Council included a comprehensive report by Amb. Wild, who noted that addressing the migration crisis requires a multidimensional response based on protection, combating crime, border management, successful integration, and solidarity and partnerships. The OSCE has a number of comparative advantages when addressing migration and refugee flows and is thus uniquely positioned to address this crisis, he emphasized.

Lombardi welcomed the priorities of the OSCE’s Informal Working Group and stressed that members of the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee have agreed to keep in mind the principles identified by this body in carrying out its work.

The Permanent Council and the Ministerial Council are the primary decision-making bodies of the OSCE.

To learn more about the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work in the field of migration, please click here. A video interview conducted with Ad Hoc Committee Chair Filippo Lombardi is available on the OSCE PA’sYouTube channel.

BISHKEK, 19 July 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the State Committee on National Security (SCNS) signed a long-term agreement with the aim of increasing co-operation to support the country's security sector.

The signing of this agreement will expand and boost co-operation between the OSCE and the Kyrgyz government in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. It will also contribute to promoting joint efforts in combating internal and external threats with the aim of protecting peace and stability in the country and the region.

“In recent years, due to the increasing threat of terrorism in the world and particularly in Central Asia, close co-operation between the OSCE and the SCNS in countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism is becoming an urgent task,” said Sergey Kapinos, Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Signing of a long-term cooperation agreement is an important step towards addressing this issue. The OSCE Centre highly values co-operation with the SCNS, and expresses its great appreciation for collaboration and willingness to continue active co-operation in countering terrorist threats."

Deputy Chairperson of the SCNS and Director of Anti-terrorism Centre (ATC) of the SCNS Rustam Mamasadykov highlighted the OSCE Centre’s significant contribution to the development and strengthening of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and its efforts to enhance the capacity of state authorities in effectively preventing and responding to terrorism and extremism.

“Co-operation between SCNS and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek has resulted in significant counter-terrorism capacity building and the strengthening of the national security agencies and other relevant state agencies in responding to terrorist attacks,” said Mamasadykov.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is also supporting the SCNS and the Kyrgyz government to carry out comprehensive security sector reform and in ensuring the implementation of the provisions of international treaties, UN Security Council resolutions, and OSCE decisions in the areas of defence, security and counter-terrorism.

WARSAW, 9 July 2016 ─ Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan to reconsider the case of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov, and again called on the Kyrgyz authorities to heed a decision of the UN Human Rights Committee calling for Askarov’s release.

A Supreme Court hearing is scheduled to review Mr. Askarov’s case on Monday, 11 July.

“I welcome Kyrgyzstan’s openness to reviewing Azimjan Askarov’s case, and my Office stands ready to support the Kyrgyz authorities in their implementation of OSCE commitments related to human rights,” said Director Link. “Kyrgyzstan is obligated under both international law and its own Constitution to quash Askarov’s conviction and immediately release him.”

On 21 April 2016, the UN Human Rights Committee decided in favour of a complaint filed by Askarov, finding that he had been arbitrarily detained, held in inhumane conditions, tortured and mistreated, and prevented from adequately preparing his trial defence. The Committee called on Kyrgyzstan to immediately release him, overturn his conviction, and provide him with compensation for the violations of his human rights. Article 41.2 of the Kyrgyz Constitution requires authorities to implement the Human Rights Committee decision.

“Mr. Askarov’s ongoing detention is not only unlawful, as the UN Human Rights Committee made clear, but also inhumane, in light of the serious deterioration of his health,” the ODIHR Director said. “We look forward to Mr. Askarov’s release and the restoration of his rights, including his access to urgently needed medical care outside of confinement.”

Askarov was reportedly subjected to ill-treatment during his initial detention by police and during his trial. Despite very serious health concerns, he was denied access to adequate medical treatment by detention officials. Since then, he has been held at Penal Colony No. 47, in Bishkek, where his health has reportedly deteriorated further.

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VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Presenting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work concerning the refugee and migrant crisis at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today, Swiss parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi laid out the Assembly’s plan of action going forward, which includes monitoring the situation on the ground and developing policy recommendations for the OSCE and its participating States.

The meeting was convened by the OSCE German Chairmanship to present and discuss the report by Amb. Claude Wild, Chair of the OSCE Informal Working Group Focusing on the Issue of Migration and Refugee Flows. The participants discussed in particular the importance of improving global migration governance and how the OSCE can lend its contribution to promoting regional implementation of a global migration governance architecture.

Lombardi noted that the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, which he chairs, has been active in three main areas, including by organizing field visits, strengthening co-operation with the OSCE and other international actors, and promoting discussions on the migration crisis within the OSCE PA.

“The migration and refugee crisis remains high on the agenda of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as highlighted by the importance accorded to this issue in the Tbilisi Declaration adopted at the OSCE PA Annual Session on 5 July,” Lombardi said. “Indeed, the various aspects of this complex issue are addressed in the resolutions of all three general committees as well as in a number of supplementary resolutions” adopted in Tbilisi, he added.

Stressing the need for better communication strategies between governments and the public, Lombardi said that while media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion on migration, “political forces bear an equally important responsibility.

“Governments, diplomats and parliamentarians must join forces to tackle the root causes of migration,” he said.

Lombardi further highlighted a recent field visit to camps in Calais and Dunkirk, the Parliamentary Assembly’s contribution to the 27 June meeting of the Informal Working Group, which was addressed by five OSCE parliamentarians, and noted that the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration met officially for the first timeduring the OSCE PA Annual Session in Tbilisi on 3 July.

In June, the OSCE PA’s then-human rights and humanitarian committee chair, Portuguese parliamentarian Isabel Santos, joined a delegation of the OSCE’s Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, for a visit to Lampedusa, Italy, to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and to a refugee reception centre in Catania.

Migration will also occupy a prominent position in the discussions of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting to be held in Skopje from 29 September to 2 October, Lombardi pointed out.

Other than Lombardi’s presentation, today’s special meeting of the Permanent Council included a comprehensive report by Amb. Wild, who noted that addressing the migration crisis requires a multidimensional response based on protection, combating crime, border management, successful integration, and solidarity and partnerships. The OSCE has a number of comparative advantages when addressing migration and refugee flows and is thus uniquely positioned to address this crisis, he emphasized.

Lombardi welcomed the priorities of the OSCE’s Informal Working Group and stressed that members of the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee have agreed to keep in mind the principles identified by this body in carrying out its work.

The Permanent Council and the Ministerial Council are the primary decision-making bodies of the OSCE.

To learn more about the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work in the field of migration, please click here. A video interview conducted with Ad Hoc Committee Chair Filippo Lombardi is available on the OSCE PA’sYouTube channel.

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TBILISI, 5 July 2016 – At the close of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session in Tbilisi today, members of the Assembly elected Austrian parliamentarian Christine Muttonen as President. Muttonen has previously served as OSCE PA Vice-President and Special Representative for Central and Eastern Asia, and is Deputy Head of the Austrian Delegation to the PA.

Upon being elected, Muttonen said that she would pursue direct talks with governments and other OSCE institutions on advancing avenues for closer co-operation.

“Parliamentarians can play a very important role in securing peace and stability,” she said. “It will be my duty to make sure they have the possibility to do so.”

OSCE PA Vice-Presidents were also elected today: Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (Lithuania), Azay Guliyev (Azerbaijan), and Isabel Santos (Portugal) were elected to three-year terms, and Victor Dobre (Romania) was elected to a one-year term.

On Monday, the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Political Affairs and Security elected its leadership. Members of the committee re-elected Roger Wicker (United States) and Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden) Chair and Rapporteur, respectively, and Guglielmo Picchi (Italy) was elected Vice-Chair.

In the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment on Sunday, members elected Nilza Sena (Portugal) Chair and Artur Gerasymov (Ukraine) Vice-Chair. Italian parliamentarian Marietta Tidei was re-elected Rapporteur.

Members of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions on Monday elected Ignacio Sanchez Amor (Spain) Chair and Kyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyanni (Cyprus) Rapporteur. Vice-Chair Ivana Dobesova (Czech Republic) was re-elected by acclamation.

In his final address as Assembly President, Finnish parliamentarian and former Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE Ilkka Kanerva noted that he has led the PA during challenging times.

“In these times, it is important to recall the validity of all ten Helsinki Final Act principles. As President, I have worked to reaffirm these principles, even as they have been put to the test lately. I believe that reviving the spirit of Helsinki requires ensuring that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly remains an Assembly that is inclusive, open and transparent,” he said.

He also highlighted his special paper distributed at the Tbilisi Annual Session entitled “Our common vision for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.”

Kanerva was elected President of the Assembly at the Baku Annual Session in July 2014, and will now serve as President Emeritus of the Assembly.

For the full text of the OSCE PA’s Declaration and resolutions adopted today in Tbilisi, as well as speeches, photos, videos and more, please visit http://www.oscepa.org/meetings/annual-sessions/2016-tbilisi-annual-session. Additional photos are available on the Georgian Parliament’s Flickr pages at https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoparliament  and https://www.flickr.com/photos/oscepatbilisi/.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from 57 countries spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

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• OSCE parliamentarians consider resolutions on security, economic and environmental concerns and human rights
• OSCE PA human rights committee Chair Ignacio Sanchez Amor follows up on developments in Turkey

COPENHAGEN, 25 July 2016 – In response to the measures taken by the Turkish authorities following the attempted coup, Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), Chairperson of the OSCE PA Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, issued the following statement today:

“I remain concerned by the developments which have been taking place in Turkey since the attempted coup, as expressed in an earlier statement. As I joined the rest of the international community in offering strong support to the restoration of constitutional order, I also warned against reprisals and hasty purges and underscored the need to safeguard democratic institutions.

“Unfortunately, the sudden dismissal of thousands of judges, prosecutors, academics, and journalists across the country has challenged human rights standards, due process, the right to a fair trial, and freedom of expression. As underlined by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Turkey’s response to these unconstitutional events should seek to reinforce, not undermine, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and media freedom.

“I once again call on the Turkish authorities to follow a responsible approach to ensure that the constitutional order is reinforced through the respect of human rights and the independence of democratic institutions in line with OSCE commitments.”

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• Christine Muttonen of Austria elected OSCE PA President, Vice-Presidents and Committee Officers also elected
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Not the cheapest, but may be of interest to some.

Whittakers Peanut Slab Bar 50g (Pack of 50) also available for the same price.

"Are you accusing my new girlfriend of being a mermaid?" Lionsgate has revealed an official trailer for a public domain B-movie horror creation called The Little Mermaid, yes a dark and gritty horror take on this classic story. Don't forget The Little Mermaid is originally based on Hans Christian Andersen's story from his book, it's not a Disney creation. This new take is from the same director of Transmorphers, The Witches of Oz, and Piranha Sharks. Dr. Eric Prince, an archaeologist, makes a dramatic discovery on a small Caribbean island – proof of an ancient, advanced prehistoric society. While his dig is in progress, he meets the mysterious and beautiful Aurora Bey and falls in love with her, only to discover she's really a mermaid. This features Mike Markoff, Jeff Denton, Samuel Selman, Sean-Michael Argo, Winston Crooke, Steven Yniguez, Manon Laurent, and Lydia Helen as the mermaid Aurora. This is only worth a look to see how dumb & weird they can make it, please don't waste any money renting (or buying) the actual movie. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Leigh Scott's The Little Mermaid, direct from YouTube: Beauty is both deceiving and dangerous in this darkly fascinating […]

Twitter — When you lose your internet connectivity, you’ll get an option to copy the text that you’ve typed to DM someone on Twitter.

Mi querida Lorena Parker, conocedora de alguna de mis debilidades, me alertó el sábado del tuit que había colgado el Ministerio de Defensa para loar a su titular. Se trataba de  un perfil hagiográfico de Margarita, está linda la mar, publicado en la Vanguardia: "Una amante de la vida sana en Defensa" y el Ministerio retuiteó el halago. En la foto se veía a una sonriente Robles regando dos plantas en la terraza del Ministerio.

McCann Worldgroup has nabbed lauded creative Britt Nolan from Leo Burnett to take on the new role of chief creative officer, North America. He will report to Javier Campopiano, global chief creative officer of McCann Worldgroup and McCann. Nolan will work with the network's creative leadership in the U.S. and Canada across McCann, MRM, FutureBrand,...

Play against the opponent to show who gets the most points..

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via Pocket

Elon Musk proměnil sociální síť X ve svoji osobní zbraň a využil ji způsobem, jejž málokdo očekával.  Zatímco si příznivci Demokratické strany stěžovali na pravicovou propagandu, Musk se věnoval sázkařským trhům.

Okay, that headline is a lot, but it is about as succinct a summary as I can provide. Sora News 24 has the full story.

A taishoku daikou is a company that a worker in Japan will hire to inform his/her current employer that he is quitting. This is apparently a thriving industry in Japan for cultural reasons that elude my understanding.

Momuri is the name of one such company that has processed over 20,000 resignations. Recently a rival firm contacted Momuri and informed it that a Mormuri employee was quitting. This particular employee had, prior to his employment at Mormuri, been a customer who had hired Momuri to help him quit the job that he had at the time.

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Photo: Lukas Bieri

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The $20M debt of the Kamala Campaign is just the tip of the iceberg. The entire operations are in chaos.

The post DNC DISASTER: Finance Committee Member Dishes About HOW Bad It’s Getting appeared first on Clash Daily.

Pittsburgh looks to erase Monday from their memory as they look ahead to their matchup against the Detroit Red Wings

Centre County’s pre-eminent classical ballet school’s annual production of "The Nutcracker" will transport audiences to a magical world where life-sized toy soldiers fight giant mice, snowflakes dance, and the Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes all to the Nutcracker’s Kingdom from the Land of Sweets. 

South Africa's metalworkers' union said it will go on strike at ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd on Thursday to protest job cuts that have impacted 107 workers.

1. Kanguva Twitter Review: Netizens LAUDS Suriya's Performance But Call Film's Execution 'Clumsy'  Times Now
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3. Kanguva Movie Review: Suriya's Visually Superlative Film Has Grand Vision But Fails To Realise It  News18
4. Kanguva first reviews: Suriya ‘shed his blood and sweat’ but the movie ‘is tiring’, say fans  Hindustan Times
5. Kanguva: Here's how much Suriya, Bobby Deol and Disha Patani got paid for Siva's directorial  TOI Etimes

Embattled lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd was quizzed on Wednesday by election officials for allegedly having run for the Senate despite being unqualified to seek the post.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has taken helm of the Bureau of East Africa Community Speaker amidst challenges facing the region bloc which include underfunding and perennial conflict.

[New Times] Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente has affirmed the government's commitment to advancing toward the nation's Vision 2050 goals, emphasizing resilience in the face of challenges.

1. Horoscope 14th November, 2024: Check astrological prediction for Virgo, Sagittarius and other signs  The Indian Express
2. Horoscope Today: November 14, 2024  VOGUE India
3. Love and Relationship Horoscope for November 14, 2024  Hindustan Times
4. Horoscope Today, November 14, 2024: Read your today's astrological predictions  The Times of India
5. Aries Daily Horoscope Today (Mar 21 – April 19), November 14, 2024: Relationships will be comfortable!  India Today

The Swanson School of Engineering will develop an improved HVDC converter with the Department of Energy's funds.