We are Apple consumers (and shareholders), some fairly loyal, some prospective buyers. iPods, iPhones, iPads, etc. have captured our imaginations, and the general feel of Apple products has inspired us to think Apple is a special company that cares about people. Though, we are appalled and disturbed by the fact that these products are being manufactured, in some part, by children working 16-hour days, by workers living in factory farm or prison-like dormitories, working inhumanely long hours, under immense pressure to produce, being injured without medical attention, then fired. Meanwhile, Apple makes record profits and shareholders enjoy the freedom to not work at all if they so choose. As Apple consumers, we believe Apple Inc. must take responsibility for reforming its labor practices, committing to transparent and fair labor standards; standards acceptable within the borders of the United States. We enjoy Apple's technology, but if we don't see real, tangible, evident reform and transparency on the part of Apple Inc., each of us will have to decide whether Apple is a company we want to support at all - especially when its products are already more expensive than competing products, which grow more competitive and attractive each day. *Note that Tim Cook, whose net worth is estimated at $400 million, new CEO of Apple, recently received a $376 million signing bonus - just to accept the position.

On Jan.17, 2003, the VA disenfranchised thousands of veterans from receiving Veterans Administration Medical care by establishing a new classification of category eight for veterans that exceeded an income and net worth threshold. Veterans who applied prior to this arbitrary and capricious date REGARDLESS OF INCOME were enrolled. Those veterans (thousands) who are and were eligible but had not taken the formal enrollment steps became catagory eight casualties.There can be no justification for this unequal treatment of like veterans. Individual veterans were not told of this illegal and discriminatory action either by letter or even wide spread media coverage.Those who served our country the same as those prior to the Jan.17,2003 black day of discrimination SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO THE SAME VA BENEFITS.

The ditactor Kabila's militaries have surrounded Etienne Tshisekedi's residence and they should leave him alone and protected by UN guards.

This section of the National Defense Act allows an unprecedented loss of civil liberties for American citizens. The ability of the military to detain and hold an American to GITMO without due process is a dangerous act. and a violation of the freedoms our country holds dear.

Economic Bill of Rights

Safe Transit of Performers and Promoters Since December 31, 2011, Patrick Allocco, a concert promoter, and his son, Patrick, were abducted at gunpoint and have been unable to leave the country of Angola when the performer NAS and opening act Jemiah Jai failed to appear for a New Year's Eve and New Year's Day concert.

Students in Tucson Unified School District recently had their books taken away as part of the state's elimination of the Mexican-American Studies program. Books removed included works by Leslie Marmon Silko, bell hooks, Sherman Alexie, Winona LaDuke...even Thoreau and Shakespeare. Let's call on TUSD to uphold free speech and stop preventing Arizona students from the right to think critically about their shared history, cultural identities, and complex future.

Stop SOPA and PIPA being passed. Corporations whose lobbyists drafted SOPA and PIPA want the ability to block you from reaching any web site they feel hurts their profits -- without due process, or review in any court -- by hijacking DNS (!) and censoring search results. Hoping you won't notice until it's too late, Congress is preparing to give them that right.

Stop these Voter ID laws

This is a governmental petition to OPPOSE the proposed legislation by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to move forward the new election laws for proof of citizenship when a first time voter applies for registration from January 1, 2013 to June 1, 2012, which enforces the citizenship requirement for the 2012 election. Kansas Secretary Kobach, the author for preventing aliens to vote by showing proof of citizenship, also known as the "Birth Certificate" law, has become zealot in thrusting ahead with legislation to change the effective date of his election laws so they will be in effect for the 2012 Primary and General Elections. Kansas legislators are being coerced to vote for the proposed legislation. It must be noted that the Kansas Secretary of State's Office does not recognize a governmental petition. Kansas University publications are for different states, not Kansas. In Kansas slang, Whoa, Kris Kobach. Hold on there partner. You are not a wild mustang. Leave your laws alone. We don't need your kind around here.

Sex abusers need to be publicly identified so more children are protected from predators.

Movement for a Constitutional Amendment that codifies Habeas Corpus as a human right for all people everywhere and makes War illegal except in self-defense, making false flag operations a felony punishable by death; and requiring thorough independent investigations of all incidents that would prompt a defensive war.