April 26, 2009

Featured TwitPic: Volcano spewing in Ecuador


"Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador" (per @Reemiles, Ecuador, April 26, 2009)

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United States declares health emergency due to swine flu

Per The New York Times, the U.S. Department of Health has declared a public health emergency as 20 cases of swine flu have been confirmed within the United States' borders. Cases have been found in New York, California, Texas, Kansas and Ohio.

Some American Twitterers were unsure about the decision for the declaration.

  1. Ampersand Institute
    AmperInstitute (USA) 20 people out of 300 million is NOT a public health emergency, it's just 20 people with shitty luck
  2. MeghanJG
    MeghanJG (Washington, D.C.) Swine flu is now a public health emergency?? How did that happen? 4 days ago no one had ever even heard of it! http://tinyurl.com/c5fuev
  3. lovelydress
    lovelydress (Undisclosed) 20 people are infected with swine flu and suddently it's a public health emergency. 20 people is abt 0.000000065 percent of the population.
  4. Pete Brown
    downdb (Greenfield, Mass.) @dsilverman Could not agree more. People freaking out due to "public health emergency" declaration

Fear began to spread among some U.S. Twitterers, even though the U.S. Department of Health is urging citizens not to panic.

  1. The Katt
    KissaKatt (San Francisco, Calif.) Great, were officially in a public health emergency. I'm really getting freaked the eff out.
  2. Norma Powell
    NormaPowell (Michigan) beware...US declares public health emergency for swine flu
    http://tinyurl.com/c5fuev
  3. Tracey GaughranPerez
    sweetney (Baltimore, Md.) @TwoBusy Yeah when they start using words like "pandemic," "public health emergency" & "global quarantine plans" I start wigging out a tad.
  4. Kelly Mitchell
    HawaiiRealty (Honolulu, Hawaii) WOW U.S Declares Public Health Emergency over Swine Flu http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/world/27flu.html?_r=1&hp prayers to all


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Roxana Saberi appeals her case through hunger strike

Per BBC, American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi has gone on a hunger strike in protest of her imprisonment. She was recently sentenced for eight years in Iran’s capital, Tehran, on charges of being an American spy.

Following worldwide protests and rallies, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad offered a statement claiming to grant Saberi all the legal rights to defend her case; however, he has refused to interfere with the law and court rulings.

Despite U.S. President Barack Obama insisting that she is not a spy, her case remains unresolved, resulting in Twitterers all over the world to take a stand:

  1. nikimurata
    nikimurata (Yamaguchi, Japan) today would be a great day to free saberi....let her go!
  2. Dusan Velickovic
    DusanVelickovic (Belgrade, Serbia) roxana saberi 5th day on hunger strike. http://twitter.com/freeroxana got hardly 2,500 followers. poor twitter solidarity
  3. Luiz com Z
    luiz_com_z (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Roxana Saberi, filha de iraniano com japonesa, entrou em greve de fome durante a prisão no Irã. Agora é torcer por ela e pelo Irã inteiro. (Learn Roxana, daughter of Iranian and Japanese, entered into a hunger strike at the prison in Iran. Is now cheering for her and the entire Iran.)
  4. Le Combat
    lecombat (Austin, Texas) Why is Hollywood Silent on Roxana Saberi? http://tinyurl.com/cryxjg

Some Twitterers noted that today (April 26) is Saberi's birthday. She turns 32 years old.

  1. Susanne Ure
    SusanneUre (Ottawa, Canada) You can send a birthday message to Roxana Saberi in Iran through Amnesty International: http://twurl.nl/fsppg4
  2. rahau
    rahau (Oakland, Calif.) joins @nprscottsimon in sending best birthday thoughts & prayers to journalist Roxana Saberi, imprisoned in Iran.
  3. sheamusburns
    sheamusburns (Lawrenceville, N.J.) Happy 32nd Birthday to Roxana Saberi. Stay strong!
  4. Owen Allen
    owenallen (Sammamish, Wash.) Happy Birthday, Roxana Saberi. Please come home soon. We are praying for you. http://ping.fm/hkVos


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