Hillary Clinton Laments Global Crackdown of Human Rights

U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Sunday, July 4, 2010, after visiting Poland. On America's Independence Day, she announced to regret the global crackdown on human rights. In Poland she declared the same issue that really slowing down the development of democracy.

"We must be wary of the steel vise in which governments around the world are slowly crushing civil society and the human spirit," Clinton said.

At the international conference of democracy and human rights in Poland, she recalled Winston Churchill's warning 60 years ago that an iron curtain was descending across Europe. She noted that with the collapse of the Soviet Union that curtain no longer remains.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan ‘s President Ilham Aliyev wished Clinton a happy Independence Day and then stressed the urgency of his country’s territorial dispute with neighboring Armenia. The two nations are in conflict since a 1994 cease-fire.

Clinton said her current trip began in Ukraine and is to include stops in the former Soviet states of Armenia and Georgia. The objective is to demonstrate the Obama administration's commitment to democracy and human rights.

She recommended that the Community of Democracies set up an independent means of monitoring repressive measures against social advocacy groups, and that the U.N. Human Rights Council do more to protect civil society. She announced that the U.S. would contributed $2 million to support the work of embattled non-governmental organizations.

(Source : Yahoo! News)

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Where Did Vampire Draculas Live ?

Several years ago, during the time I took my graduate studies in Romania, I often visited tourist areas there. One of those places is the famous Transylvania. It is easy to reach. If you drive a car, it would take about an hour from Bucharest, the capital of Romania.

Transylvania is a mountainous region with beautiful landscapes. It has many interesting historical notes. For example, it was told that once upon a time there lived a cruel count known as Vlad Tepes who always punished or killed his enemies sadistically.

I think that the Irish author. Bram Stoker had been inspired to write his novel ‘Dracula” after hearing about the cruelties of Count Vlad Tepes. Then his novel and its films became popular with the horror of vampires , although the author did not invent the vampire in his original book..

Beside those horrible stories above, Romania is also known as a good wine producer. Tuica is one of alcoholic drinks you can taste there.

If you feel curious and want to explore the places with sensational experiences, please do not hesitate to travel and visit Transylvania someday ..

Have a Nice and Happy Vacation in Romania !
(D.S. Utomo)

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Nuclear Vessels Development in Argentina

Article first published as Nuclear Vessels Development in Argentina on Technorati.

Nilda Garre, Argentine Minister of Defense , announced recently the possibility of reviewing the idea of using nuclear reactors to power some of its naval vessels. She said that the country wants to maintain its position of leadership in industrial and technological skills in the area, and that Argentina does not want to be left out of nuclear propulsion technology.

Therefore, an evaluation will be carried out to determine if the technical resources are available for Argentina to develop its own nuclear vessels. Small pressurized water reactors are being considered, because they have already been used in the fleets of China, France, India, Russia, the UK and USA.
Russia is already using nuclear power for a fleet of civil icebreakers, and that technology is now being used to develop nuclear power stations that allow for small marine reactors to be placed on transportable barges.

One potential supplier of reactors suitable for requirements would be the nuclear technology firm Invap, which has already developed several research reactors as well as the Carem power plant design.

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