Deep thanks to everyone who signed the Petition for the release of two American journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who were in North Korea in march shooting a documentary when they were arrested on charges of illegal entry. The two women had been inmates at a “political offense village” – a place which utilizes a number of inhumane correctional methods, such as beatings, maiming, and forced exercise – and have been released today, Tuesday August 4th, 2009. Thanks to the efforts of former President Bill Clinton and the ‘kind heart’ of the capricious and sour little Kim Jong Il, the two women can return to their families safely and in one piece.

Yes! You too can have this face of pure accomplishment. Aren’t you glad that you didn’t give up after reading the intro? Starting a website can be a wonderful experience of self-discovery and personal growth, but as I learned very early on, you have to venture out of your comfort zone to really get what you want (and if you don’t at some point go red in the face and try to throw your computer out the window, you’re not really learning). Don’t get discouraged! This is why I’m putting all of the information you need to get started in one place – so, let’s begin with some common vocabulary and requirements…

If you’re Googling steps on how to start your own website, you’re probably already tearing out your hair over the plethora of outdated or confusing information that’s floating around out there, and you’re most likely ready to give up your hopes of ever running a successful non-profit .org or .net to save the unicorns, feed the frogs, or prevent nuclear winter; at this point, your eyes are bleeding, and you have the biggest urge to kill the internet. Don’t give up! There are ways to start your own website (without weird extensions, or a ton of flashing ads from your “sponsors”) that are fairly easy, though granted, you’ll have to put up some cash, and really commit to a long-term learning project.

Sadly, the economic downturn is forcing more and more children across the globe into prostitution, while depriving charities of the funding they need to help. According to the United Nations, 1.2 million children are trafficked annually – others put this figure as high as four million. In Cambodia, where a Swiss NGO First Hand is finding more and more families turning to prostitution to make ends meet, with young victims sold for as little as $10. Contrary to popular belief, the main clients are nationals: many Cambodians are said to consider it acceptable and many believe HIV can be prevented or cured through sex with a virgin.

Pledge For Moms introduces the very first of many DIY posts to help you with your cause. Even if you’re not interested in women’s rights, you can tweak this newsletter template to represent your vision and your cause. Why spend tons of money on newsletter templates when you can do it yourself and donate the cash to the cause of your choice? It will take you 10 minutes – and if you get stuck or need some inspiration you can always email me for help.

Two American women are facing 12 years of hard labor for their humanitarian efforts, one of them a mother, and yet the national media has not picked up the story with as much enthusiasm as that of Roxana Saberi. Unfortunately, the nature of the relationship between the United States and North Korea lends itself to a muted media response. Additionally, the so-called Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has established a record of unpredictable and hostile behavior, most recently with walking out of UN negotiations, restarting it’s nuclear program, testing new intermediate-range missiles, and detonating its largest-ever nuclear device (and that’s just in the last several months). Join Pledge For Moms in an effort to liberate Euna Lee and Laura Ling – sign the petition today!

Pledge For Moms is helping moms get their GED through the YMCA ABLE program. Today we explore Percents and Scientific notation. Sign up for the RSS to receive lesson follow-up updates as soon as they come out. Email Pledge For Moms your Math and Reading questions!