Long live freedom of speech and expression!

1. Human Rights Watch reported last week: " Saudi's top Muslim cleric has said Twitter is nothing more than "a source of lies and evil". "If it were used correctly, it could be of real benefit, but unfortunately it's exploited for trivial matters,"complained Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh. The Sheikh's comments promptly caused a huge Twitter storm in the Kingdom, and there are unconfirmed reports that Saudis immediately began uploading cat videos and over-sharing lunch photos."
2. 1. Once again, I'm made aware of how important twitter and fb and all other types of social media are to freedom. Freedom of speech and express is a very powerful Human Right. Saudis know it and the ol' Mufti knows it too...
3. 2. I had to laugh out loud when I read that upon hearing this declaration by the Mufti, Saudis immediately responded by uploading CAT VIDEOS and over sharing LUNCH PHOTOS!!! haha that's just funny to me. Get 'em Saudi tweeters! 
4. 
   

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“In recent decades, by accepting the flagrant use of torture and other violations of international law in the name of combating terrorism, American leaders have eroded the very freedoms and rights that generations of their young gave their lives to defend. They have again set an example that will be followed by others; only now, it is one that will be used to justify the use of torture by regimes around the world, including against American soldiers in foreign lands. In losing their way, they have made us all vulnerable.” “From around the world, we will watch in the coming weeks as the release of the Senate findings on the United States torture program brings the country to a crossroads. It remains to be seen whether the United States will turn a blind eye to the effects of its actions on its own people and on the rest of the world, or if it will take the necessary steps to recover the standards on which the country was founded, and to once again adhere to the international conventions it helped to bring into being.” —A letter to President Obama from 12 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates

treat others...

"We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to life." -- Edwin Markham

re-blogging myself?

Reflections of a Volunteer with We Are Family 
POSTED BY KRYSTAL ATHA ON OCTOBER 07, 2014

I moved to Colombia Heights after living in Latin America for the past 4 years. Many who live in the DC area know it’s difficult to get that feeling of community. I was looking for a solution and delivering food to elderly in need with We Are Family seemed like a perfect way to meet my neighbors. 

At 10am a group of 30 plus volunteers gathered together to unload a van full of grocery bags, receive a list of names and addresses, load up a shopping cart, and deliver! (Kinda) In between the loading and the delivery of bags, Mark, the Co-Director of We are Family had all the volunteers introduce themselves, say where they were from, where they wanted to go, and where they had served if they were returned Peace Corps volunteers. 

My DC mentality kicked in and I thought, “Seriously??? This is going to take forever!” 

But then I realized, this is it, this is what its about -- community. 

This set the stage for the 26 or so doors our grocery delivery team would be knocking on during the next couple hours. Some of my neighbors where not home, others only opened the door a crack, while a few invited us is in and even offered candy, showed family photos and told us about the history of the neighborhood. It was a beautiful day, and I’m so glad to be serving in my home country. 

This blog post was written by RPCV/W Member Krystal Atha, who served in El Salvador from 2010 to 2012. The project was organized by RPCV/W Community Service Director Allison Nye O'Donnell, Honduras 07 - 09. 

Low battery = one bar closer to humanity

I"m fighting the good fight to stay connected. But the longer I'm in the US with our 4G constant connections the harder it becomes.

#AskLena

Love her Show,
Love her spunk,
Loving these videos,
and hopefully, I'll get the book and love that too!