My saviour in chains

I became a slave at age 5. I believed it was normal. My chains were broken by a man who has dedicated his life to fighting slavery in Mauritania. Now this man sits in prison for speaking out. It’s time we break his chains, so he can keep helping others break theirs: SIGN THE PETITION Dear Avaaz members around the world, I was taken from my mother when I was 5. Every day I looked after the herd. Every night I was raped by my master. I always thought, without understanding, that this was normal. In Mauritania, where I’m from, hundreds of thousands of people are still held this way today. But I was lucky. My brother escaped his masters and found an organization working to stop slavery. He asked them to help free me. But when they came to take me away, at first I completely refused. I couldn’t imagine a life away from my masters, a life where you worked no matter what, even if pregnant or giving birth. This was the only life I had ever known. The man who came for me, and who has dedicated his life to freeing others like me, is Biram Dah Abeid. He is now behind bars for daring to speak out against slavery. But in seven days there is a court appeal and he could be released. If hundreds of thousands of people around the world speak out for him, we can break Biram's chains so he can continue helping others break theirs. Join me now: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/mauritania_antislavery_biram_75b/?bIiqNab&v=63369 The slave-owning elites have poured on the pressure to keep the status quo, but opinions are starting to change. And I believe our President can be influenced -- under intense pressure, he's released political prisoners before, including Biram himself. Please join me now to free him again.  With thanks and hope, Haby mint Rabah and the Avaaz team  Note from Avaaz: Mauritania has the worst slavery problem on the planet. Today, 10-20% of the entire population of Mauritania are slaves. Up to 600,000 people are still slaves -- born into it or sold to masters, abused, raped and exploited. And like the historic trade, this slavery is racist -- almost all slaves are African Haratin. Mauritania was the last country in the world to abolish slavery, and it only became a crime in Mauritania in 2007. Despite it being illegal, and Mauritania having an Anti Slavery Act and a roadmap to end slavery, just one slave master has been successfully prosecuted. And those that challenge this illegal cruel practice are detained and tortured. Biram has fought slavery his whole life -- he’s received prestigious prizes from the UN and recently ran for president of Mauritania. But the government has denied the organization he leads any legal recognition, and now thrown him in jail for two years just for speaking publicly. The EU, the UN and the US have condemned his arrest, but if they feel public pressure to act they could move to make Biram’s jailing have a higher cost. Now is the moment to create global public pressure -- an appeal for Biram’s release is in seven days. Let's answer Haby’s call now, demand Biram’s release, and build the largest 21st century call for abolition by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter -- everywhere:  https://secure.avaaz.org/en/mauritania_antislavery_biram_75b/?bIiqNab&v=63369 MORE INFORMATION Biram Dah Abeid Still Imprisoned: Latest Developments (UNPO) http://unpo.org/article/17712 Mauritania: Jailed presidential candidate and anti-slavery activists must be released (Amnesty International) https://www.amnesty.org/en/articles/news/2015/01/mauritania-jailed-presidential-candidate-and-anti-s... Joint Motion for a Resolution on Mauritania, in particular the case of Biram Dah Abeid (European Parliament) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+MOTION+P8-RC-2014-0382+0+DOC+XML+V0... "Pour les maîtres, violer les esclaves est un droit" (Le Nouvel Observateur - French) http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/monde/20141214.OBS7863/pour-les-maitres-violer-les-esclaves-est-un-dr... Le combat contre l'esclavage en Mauritanie récompensé par l'ONU (RFI - French) http://www.rfi.fr/mfi/20131227-mauritanie-biram-ould-dah-ould-abeid-prix-esclavage-nations-unies-dro... Mauritanie: quand la question de l’esclavage s’invite à la présidentielle (Afrique Décryptages, Ifri - French) https://afriquedecryptages.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/mauritanie-quand-la-question-de-lesclavage-sinvi...

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The self cleaning friends list at FaceBook

Did I tell you before about the self-cleaning friendslist at Facebook?

I can't remember it, I did speak about it and I have no lust to look back what is written.
You know how I think about FaceBook friends. It are numbers. My best friend.. okay, best friend but one, is not on facebook and it doesn't affect our friendship in any way that she is not there.  On the contrary.  We keep in touch with pictures and emails, and that is perfeclty fine, no one needs to see what is happening between us, we not need to prove to anyone that we are friends. We are.

Friends on Facebook are numbers. My number is at 278 at the moment.  A week or two ago I thought, welll, I never read a word from H anymore, maybe I should put her off from the list of numbers.  When looking it up she was already gone. That was the 2nd time, and this time I am fully ready for it, no regrets and just a peaceful goodbye. No more drama in this for me.
A real life friendship that was in fact a one way love. If you do not say hi to me, I will not say hi to you. Okay, that is not how it works with me. And other then the first time, when I wanted to say goodbye, this time I think it is just fine with the fact that she did disappear.  A good time, good memories, and now it is time  to kiss that part of the past goodbye as well. Forward we go, on we are. And to prove that this is true... I talk with T again. After almost 20 years and sometimes months of silence... we just pick up the past and continue where we were.  That is my kind of friendship. No one needs to prove it, it is. 

A Good Year for Perseid Meteors

A Good Year for Perseid Meteors

Aug. 11, 2015: Moonlight is ethereal, enchanting, romantic.  For many sky watchers, nothing beats the luminous beauty of a full Moon.

It’s great …. except during a meteor shower.  When Earth passes through a stream of comet dust, all that romantic moonlight turns into a nuisance, overwhelming the fainter display of shooting stars.

Now for the good news:  The 2015 Perseid meteor shower is here, and the Moon will be dark when it peaks.

This week, Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Forecasters say the show could be especially good this year because the Moon is nearly new when the shower peaks on Aug. 12-13.

“This year’s Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 12th and 13th,” says Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office.  “The Moon will be nearly new, setting the stage for a great display.”

The Perseid meteor shower is caused by debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle. Every 133 years the huge comet swings through the inner solar system and ejects a trail of dust and gravel along its orbit. When Earth passes through the debris, specks of comet-stuff hit the atmosphere at 140,000 mph and disintegrate in flashes of light.

Swift-Tuttle's debris zone is so wide that Earth spends weeks inside it. Indeed, it is not unusual for sky watchers to see a few Perseids streaking across the midnight sky as early as July.   Rates are highest, however, in August when Earth passes through the heart of the debris zone.

Last year, the Perseid meteor shower peaked during the nights around a bright “supermoon.”  Lunar glare reduced the visibility of the Perseids as much as 5 fold to as few as 20 per hour. This year however, is different.

Under a clear, dark sky far from city lights, “We expect meteor rates as high as 100 per hour on peak night,” says Cooke.

Meteors from Comet Swift-Tuttle are called Perseids because they seem to fly out of the constellation Perseus. This arrangement of stars, which represents an ancient hero from Greek mythology, rises in the NE around 10 pm local time. As Perseus rises and the night deepens, meteor rates will increase. The best time to look starts around midnight.  Meteors will be seen until  dawn brightens the sky on Thursday morning, Aug. 13th, when Perseus is near its highest point in the sky.

For best results, get away from city lights. The darkness of the countryside multiplies the visible meteor rate 3- to 10-fold compared to city views. Many families plan camping trips to coincide with the Perseids. The Milky Way arching over a mountain campground provides the perfect backdrop for a meteor shower.

The Moon is new. Enjoy the show!

I should write more

I should write more 

Because people like to know about me, as much as that I like to know about them
Because people are more important then a new level in my game, or that brilliant photo

I should write more

Because I do miss people
Because I can

When I start writing
The words fleed out of my fingers
No matter if it is with the pen or at the keyboard

My fantasy bubbles, the words chain together
More and more in a mix of 3 languages, that only I can understand
Only I

And my frirends
Who love to read my words
Who most likely not always get the clue
But who I love to see happy
and, appearantly, they me as well

I should write more
To Li, Tracy, my brother
I should write more cards

I should print that wonderful potograp 10 times
And write the backside full
Because I love to make you happy

I should write more
Even in whatsapp, or other messengers
To the daughter, who's mother did forbid her to contact me
and meanwhile did write me that she needs money
(no money, no friendly honey? )

Her, the mother I should write less. 
Just like that friend, 
That can not understand
That in silence I can be closer then ever
She did not get it, and will, never

Bye bye emotional blackmail
Bye bye selfish ego tripper

I should realy write more
And I can
And I shall

Don't let Khenpo Kartse be next

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Dear Hans, You could be Tibetan political prisoner Khenpo Kartse’s key to freedom and his best chance for survival. This highly-revered religious leader is serving a 2.5 year sentence in a Chinese prison for allegedly “divulging state secrets” – reminiscent of spurious charges that led to the imprisonment and tragic death of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche last month. Due to serious health problems, worsened by deplorable prison conditions, Khenpo Kartse might be the next victim of China’s brutal policies in Tibet. Your contribution to the International Campaign for Tibet could make a difference. People of conscience and compassion like you are the voice Tibetan political prisoners have … and their source of hope. Your support of ICT helps fund high-level advocacy campaigns, intensify pressure on the Chinese government and seek justice for innocents like Khenpo Kartse. Khenpo Kartse’s life is at risk. Make sure he is not next. That’s why your immediate response is so urgently needed. Please make your tax-deductible gift now. Thank you, Matteo Mecacci President P.S. Because your support will help us seek freedom for Khenpo Kartse, I hope you will be as generous as possible. If you donate $10 or more, I will send you an ICT Freedom Bracelet to wear in solidarity with all Tibetan political prisoners.

INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET 1825 Jefferson Place NW  |  Washington, DC 20036 info@savetibet.org  |  (202) 785-1515 www.savetibet.org

To like or not to like

We all know that, since the introduction of  Facebook, that a few words have got a different meaning, and that it is difficult for some people to see the border.

Friends on Facebook are not always friends in the name of how the word is meant. Friends are not just numbers, in my eyes, friends are people with a life, with who you get a connection.
I personally have a handful of friends. On Facebook I have over 250. And how many of them do I relate as real friends?
Okay, I must be fair, I have a lot of people that I know for over 10 years, that I consider as friends in that we share a part of our life, and a part not. Friends that know all of me are a handful, hey I repeat myself.
But I want to make it clear that it is important (for me) to make a differences.

That is one of the reasons that I do not care too much about a friend more or less. In Germany they say, man muss Reisenden nicht aufhalten, also, who wants to travel, you should let them go. And so it will be, that gives rest.
(so far the theory!)

Another thing that is typical for social media, especially Facebook is the 'likes' / Gefällt mir/ vind ik leuk.
The idea is that you get as many people pressing the thumb up, (like), the counter shows then the popularity of the item you posted.
There are many people that do everythng to get more 'likes'  There is even a market (at ebay and so) about buying likes, with what your page, or message gets more of them.

The methods are different. You can post something and wait until others react, (my way)
you can buy them or you can share your item, photo, with people so that they and their firends can see it again and also have the chance to like it all.
Some people need them. I always wonder why, and with observing behavior I think that mosst of the people who need many 'likes'  (and ask for it, with tags  and all), are looking for a kind of attention that they can not find in their real life. And what is better then have 'friends'  who 'like'  what you are doing.
The word 'like'  is as well heavy under attack.
In Facebook a like is a kuddo. Just a hit at the button. Easy to do, easy to forget.
fWhen I like what someone is doing I take the time to write a few words, that I realy do mean. I do that as well with posts that I do NOT like.
Maybe some friends don't like such behavior, but the friends who do so, they can stay in my friends list. Even when Facebook, one day, will close :-)

Oh, by the way, this picture got in a group 180 likes in 24 hours. I do hope I can get 200 likes for this photo :-)   I am soooo exited :) 

I think I am on the right way

A few days away from a well deserved holiday, things digitally seem to change. And I like it.

I do love to be less swallowed up by the FaceBook groups
What means, I do love that people not bother me with their bullshit as in .. this and this is frustrating me, and then leaving it the way it is.
If you need to reduce your time on line. DO it!  There are no excuses to stay. Get off line, step into your life again and see what happens. You will like it, and I will like it too, when I see less of your drama :-)

I am sorry that I told you how some people get on my nerves.  I should not have done so.  I should have stepped aside of them already a longer time ago.
I am sorry that I did promise you to kick that person out of a group. Your group. That became clear again, you did simply remove me from the admin group and let the problem maker in the group. What shculd have happened if I realy had done what you did ask me, and skipped him out?

Lucky I don't need to. A block is easy, my problem is solved and you can clamp at your problem, the way you like to.  I will not block you.  I will even stay into your group. I am still too much in the grip of the monster called FaceBook