Twitter follows NASA shuttle launch

Hundreds of twitterers followed the launch of the NASA space shuttle Discovery this evening from Kennedy Space Center in Florida live on Twitter, using hashtags like #live, #shuttle, #nasa, #discovery, and #space.

An influx of TwitPics of the launch, from backyards to beaches in southern and central Florida, appeared to crash TwitPic.com momentarily, but the site is now back up and running.

@jefferygilbert (Orlando, Fla.): Just watched shuttle launch from Orlando. Awesome! http://twitpic.com/2529o



@LisaH (Sarasota, Fla.): http://twitpic.com/25258 - OMFG! MY BACKYARD!!!!!!!



@Tim846 (Sarasota, Fla.): the view of STS119 from Sarasota! http://twitpic.com/2523d



@heathscott (Ocala, Fla.): One of the benefits of living in Florida. SPACE ROCKETS!!! http://twitpic.com/2525v



@imajeanyus (Tampa, Fla.): http://twitpic.com/2525g - This is how clear I can see the shuttle launch. Awesome!!!



Links to live streaming video of the shuttle launch also made there way around Twitter, such as this one, which was retweeted several times:

@motionblur (Canada): Watch the Space Shuttle launch live right now: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spacevidcast #nasa



The stream produced this image as a result of the sunlight:

Twitter follows NASA shuttle launch

Featured TwitPic: Front row at World Baseball Classic

"Sitting front row at world baseball classic with sdsf t shirt on. These players know the science of sport. #wbc" (Japan vs. Cuba in San Diego, Calif., posted by @sdsciencefest, March 15, 2009)

Featured TwitPic: Front row at World Baseball Classic

New Bin Laden tape surfaces

Per Al Jazeera, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden called the Israeli offensive in Gaza a "holocaust" and criticized some Arab leaders for not doing enough in the conflict in the latest audio tape attributed to him.

It appears Twitter may have broken this story for some. These two tweets popped up from journalists before the news had gone mainstream:

@W7VOA (New Delhi, India): Looks like another Osama bin Laden audio tape is coming out today.



@jimsciuttoABC (Zimbabwe): Al Jazeera airing new bin laden audio tape




Reaction to the tape was strong in the United States.

@sondosia (Beavercreek, Ohio): If Bin Laden thinks Israel's offensive on #Gaza was a holocaust, I wonder what he thinks of 9/11?



@BeckaBella (Georgia): We've spent how many trillions in Iraq?...And Bin Laden is still making movies!



@jenciTN (Jackson, Tenn.): Dear Osama Bin Laden: SHUT THE F UP! (that's all) (sorry for the strong language folks, hope you understand)



@david_a_stein (Orange County, Calif.): Well he is back, looks like Bin Laden has released a new tape, this time calling for worldwide jihad. http://tiny.cc/sNgbj



A twitterer in Germany wondered about Bin Laden's method of communication.

@doestrei (Mittweida, Germany): N24 berichtet Bin Laden hat sich per Audiobotschaft gemeldet. Haben die kein Twitter in den pakistanischen Höhlen? (N24 Bin Laden has been reported with the audio message. Do not Twitter in the caves of Pakistan?)


Global Post has a video of the audio recording on its Web site with English subtitles.

New Bin Laden tape surfaces

A Day In Jakarta

A snapshot via tweets, here's how people are spending their Sunday in one of the world's largest cities, the capital of Indonesia:

@kellytangoi (Jakarta, Indonesia): Had a wonderful late breakfast. Homemade fried rice and chocolate cake.



@vmahmud (Jakarta, Indonesia): Gosh, Fatahila Museum amock with teens and their cameras. Group photo! The narciss generation!



@riotradio (Jakarta, Indonesia): feeling a bit queasy. hope there won't be too many people at Poins Square. and the sun is just blazin' amazin' :(



@erryerry (Jakarta, Indonesia): Wind, sun & Trees... Just a cozy sunday 4 me! http://twitpic.com/2441g



@VodooFreak (Jakarta, Indonesia): Studying for my geography test ! Aghh..! Damn !! Bwahahaha X(



@sandyjaya (Jakarta, Indonesia): Going to my lovly church

A Day In Jakarta

Pakistan bans access to Geo TV

Per The Hindu, the Pakistani government blocked access to private television station Geo TV in some parts of the country after it apparently took a political stance at odds with the government in an ongoing legal battle.

Many twitterers in Pakistan voiced their displeasure with the move.

@zeeshan_ahmed (Pakistan): Alas! Geo TV has been banned again, yet again that is...



@HamzaZafar (Karachi, Pakistan): Zardari has finally signed his resignation by banning GEO TV! Nice! One more reason to kick him out



@abidbeli Geo TV transmission have been banned in several major cities in Pakistan by the so called democratic government of General Zardari.



Some tweeted a workaround for those who couldn't access the station.

@fitalnamsu (Lahore, Pakistan): You can stream Geo TV on internet here: http://poprl.com/StC #LongMarch



@awaisnaseer (Rawapindi, Pakistan): Watch high quality Geo TV in stand alone Media Player. Click or paste this link in your browser http://is.gd/neVR #LongMarch


Apparently, Geo TV wasn't the only station to have its plug pulled. Two others disappeared at least momentarily, according to Twitter users.

@SaadSaeed (Lahore, Pakistan): Can't seem to find BBC or CNN on my cable tv. #Lahore



@aamir7 (Islamabad, Pakistan): @SaadSaeed same here... removed! gonna find some alternate



@SaadSaeed later tweeted that the stations returned.

Pakistan bans access to Geo TV