Freedom House Opens Office in Vilnius to Support Democracy and Human Rights in Neighboring Belarus

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Freedom House opened its newest office this week in Vilnius, Lithuania in a ceremony featuring Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis and Freedom House Executive Director David J. Kramer. The office will focus on ways to promote democratic reform and human rights in neighboring Belarus, a country suffering under the dictatorial rule of President Aleksandr Lukashenka. The activities of the office will be focused on assisting the Belarusian nation in reaching its true potential as a full-fledged member of the European family, upholding true democratic values and civil liberties.

Study Finds Cubans Skeptical of Reforms

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Cubans do not believe they will benefit from Raul Castro's economic reforms, and many fear that their personal situation will become worse, according to a special report - Real Change for Cuba? How Citizens View Their Country's Future - released today by Freedom House.

Freedom House Applauds the OAS Resolution on Freedom of Association

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Freedom House welcomes the decision taken by members of the Organization of American States (OAS) to adopt a resolution on freedom of association that recognizes the importance of respecting this fundamental right for democracy. The resolution was passed on June 8 by all 34 states of the Organization of American States (OAS), in its 41st OAS General Assembly held in El Salvador. This is the first time that Latin American states have formally addressed the issue of freedom of association in the region.

The Bell Curve: The Road to Ruin…

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I attended a public hearing in Richmond tonight concerning the Wheel Tax the Wayne County Commissioners want to impose. It seems that since cars are getting better mileage and people are driving less, the county doesn’t have enough money to properly maintain the roads. I can understand how that might be a problem. Apparently the [...]

Bank Runs Coming to a EuroZone Near You?

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This is why I keep my bank account balance as low as possible at all times, and don't hoard fiat currency.

I just got off the phone with Pierre Jananovic . . . La Banque Postale has lowered the limits on the amounts of cash customers can withdraw per week by 50%. First of all, for you Americans and Brits, the way France works its banking system – customers are limited to how much they can withdraw per week from their accts no matter what the balance. Now what has happened here is that Gold card members – who could take out 3,000 euros a week – are now limited to 1,500 a week. This was sudden, without warning, and people here in France are freaking out. Pierre tells me that its the first clear sign that liquidity in the European banking system is drying up.

Primary particle acceleration above 100 TeV in the shell-type supernova remnant RX J1713.7 ? 3946 with deep H.E.S.S. observations

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Authors: F. Aharonian, A. G. Akhperjanian, A. R. Bazer-Bachi, M. Beilicke, W. Benbow, D. Berge, K. Bernlöhr, C. Boisson, O. Bolz, V. Borrel, I. Braun, E. Brion, A. M. Brown, R. Bühler, I. Büsching, S. Carrigan, P. M. Chadwick, L.-M. Chounet, G. Coignet, R. Cornils, L. Costamante, B. Degrange, H. J. Dickinson, A. Djannati-Ataï, L.O’C. Drury, G. Dubus, K. Egberts, D. Emmanoulopoulos, P. Espigat, F. Feinstein, E. Ferrero, A. Fiasson, G. Fontaine, Seb. Funk, S. Funk, M. Füßling, Y. A. Gallant, B. Giebels, J. F. Glicenstein, B. Glück, P. Goret, C. Hadjichristidis, D. Hauser, M. Hauser, G. Heinzelmann, G. Henri, G. Hermann, J. A. Hinton, A. Hoffmann, W. Hofmann, M. Holleran, S. Hoppe, D. Horns, A. Jacholkowska, O. C. de Jager, E. Kendziorra, M. Kerschhaggl, B. Khélifi, Nu. Komin, A. Konopelko, K. Kosack, G. Lamanna, I. J. Latham, R. Le Gallou, A. Lemière, M. Lemoine-Goumard, T. Lohse, J. M. Martin, O. Martineau-Huynh, A. Marcowith, C. Masterson, G. Maurin, T. J.L. McComb, E. Moulin, M. de Naurois, D. Nedbal, S. J. Nolan, A. Noutsos, J.-P. Olive, K. J. Orford, J. L. Osborne, M. Panter, G. Pelletier, S. Pita, G. Pühlhofer, M. Punch, S. Ranchon, B. C. Raubenheimer, M. Raue, S. M. Rayner, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, J. Ripken, L. Rob, L. Rolland, S. Rosier-Lees, G. Rowell, V. Sahakian, A. Santangelo, L. Saugé, S. Schlenker, R. Schlickeiser, R. Schröder, U. Schwanke, S. Schwarzburg, S. Schwemmer, A. Shalchi, H. Sol, D. Spangler, F. Spanier, R. Steenkamp, C. Stegmann, G. Superina, P. H. Tam, J.-P. Tavernet, R. Terrier, M. Tluczykont, C. van Eldik, G. Vasileiadis, C. Venter, J. P. Vialle, P. Vincent, H. J. Völk, S. J. Wagner and M. Ward.<br />Astronomy & Astrophysics Vol. 531 , page C1<br />Published online: 08/06/2011<br />
Keywords:
acceleration of particles ; cosmic rays ; gamma rays: observations ; ISM: supernova remnants ; errata, addenda.

V2368 Ophiuchi: an eclipsing and double-lined spectroscopic binary used as a photometric comparison star for U Ophiuchi??????

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Authors: P. Harmanec, H. Boži?, P. Mayer, P. Eenens, M. Brož, M. Wolf, S. Yang, M. Šlechta, D. Ruždjak, D. Sudar and H. Ak.<br />Astronomy & Astrophysics Vol. 531 , page A49<br />Published online: 09/06/2011<br />
Keywords:
stars: early-type ; binaries: close ; stars: individual: V2368 Oph ; stars: individual: U Oph ; binaries: spectroscopic.