Please join me we all know in the 1980's the "war on Drugs" meant war on Black Americans.  Most of the men I counsel up state are from that era.  Sentenced 15-25 years for marijuana. Today their are marijuana distributors on nearly every corner.  Pardoning individuals who were unfairly treated by the criminal legal system, the government acknowledges harms of an unjust system, takes a positive step to rectifying errors and removes barriers to employment, housing and other basic needs of those plagued with a criminal history.

Merced County Public Employees need your support to have a salary increase granted by the Board of Supervisors in order to address the following issues:       1.   Cost of Living Increase: The cost of living is rising by 3.3%, making it harder for public employees to afford basic necessities.  2.   County Budget: With a budget of $1.17 billion, Merced County should have the financial capacity to support its employees with a livable wage.  3.   Fair Compensation: Public employees deserve fair compensation for their hard work and dedication to our community.  4.   Poverty Rates: Merced County's poverty rate is above the state and national average. Many public employees are near the poverty line, and it is crucial they receive adequate salary increases to address this.   Merced County public employees are the backbone of our community, and investing in them is investing in our county’s well-being. These hardworking individuals manage important tasks in government offices, such as handling records, processing permits, and assisting the public with their needs. They ensure everything runs smoothly in our local government. These employees have families to support, needing money for housing, food, education, and healthcare. By giving them fair pay, we help them take care of their families and continue to provide excellent service to our community. Ensuring they are paid well is crucial for keeping Merced County a great place to live.

Tourists do not enjoy seeing suffering animals on the streets everywhere on the island while they are vacationing.  The 2007 Massacre in Barceloneta where about 80 dogs were seized by government contractors and thrown off a 50-foot highway bridge in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, gained the world's attention and led to a tourism boycott. Authorities estimated the subsequent losses at more than $15 million. The government continues with mass killings at "shelters" and deplorable standards for the protection and treatment animals. As Puerto Rico increases it's tourism exposure of the animal crisis on the island is also increased. There is potential for another boycott and the loss of many millions of dollars to the economy. 

It seems that there’s no end to how many luxury vacations, shady payments, and lavish gifts Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has received. The Senate Judiciary Committee recently reported that Thomas took an additional 3 trips — including a yacht vacation in Indonesia — funded by billionaire GOP mega-donor Harlan Crow. Over two decades, Clarence Thomas has received over $4 million in gifts, much of which have been undisclosed like these trips with Crow. These GOP billionaire-funded gifts and the many scandals and conflicts of interest on the Court — between Thomas, Alito, and Roberts — cast serious doubt on the impartiality and ethical standards on SCOTUS. But Congress can hold Thomas accountable and finally end corruption on the Supreme Court, by passing the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act.. The list of Thomas’ corruption scandals is long and includes mysterious, unexplained business income, a web of conservative dark money benefitting him and his wife, failures to recuse himself from cases where he has clear conflicts of interest, and much more. Here’s how the New York Times put Thomas’ refusal to recuse himself from Trump’s immunity case it: “Justice Clarence Thomas, who participated in the case despite his wife [Ginni] Thomas’s own vigorous efforts to overturn the election.” Justice Alito also recently became enmeshed in a new corruption scandal when it was discovered that a Stop the Steal style flag was flying over his house in 2020. The flag flew as the Court considered whether or not to take on a critical election case in the days after the Capitol riots, just before President Biden was sworn in. The Supreme Court is supposed to be fair and independent, but conservative Justices’ corruption and ethics scandals are piling up. We need Congress to pass this bill to finally create a real, binding code of conduct for our federal courts. Sign the petition: Pass a Supreme Court Ethics Act to end corruption by Clarence Thomas and the other right-wing Justices on SCOTUS. SOURCES: - https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-private-jet-flights-senate-investigation-scotus -  https://x.com/stevenmazie/status/1798738498201202993 - https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/legal-scholars-are-shocked-by-ginni-thomass-stop-the-steal-texts - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/justice-alito-upside-down-flag.html

Right now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to wage a devastating war in Gaza, while undermining diplomacy and ignoring calls and protests from thousands of Israelis, including hostages’ families, to accept a ceasefire that can end the violence, bring their loved ones home, and build true security. None of this is a one-off for PM Netanyahu, who has built a career on impunity and sabotaging peace processes. His current resume includes everything from domestic corruption charges to accusations of empowering Hamas to weaken a two-state solution. Despite all this, House Speaker Mike Johnson — with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in tow — has officially invited PM Netanyahu to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress later this summer. No matter your politics, one thing is clear: Granting PM Netanyahu a congressional platform will come at the expense of peace. Nothing will change if leaders who continuously choose violence over peace are given huge megaphones and political cover, especially by the U.S. government. This speech is scheduled for July 24, and that’s why we’re working fast to pile on the pressure to urge members of Congress to RSVP ‘No’.

Judge Wilson took an oath to protect the rights of the people. Instead, she maliciously and arbitrarily deprives the people of the very rights she swore to protect. The NJ Consitution grants the people the power. WE are the government and when it needs to be reformed, we petition for redress. There is no authority in our country that allows a judge to strip families of their Constitutional rights. My children and I have been separated for 16 months and the pain is indescribable. Failure to uphold and protect our rights will not be tolerated by the citizens of NJ. If Judge Wilson has exempted my family from the Constitution, anyone else’s could be next. We must send a STRONG message that NJ Judges who wage war against the Constitution and our families have no place in our courts. Silence is consent. Please sign. WE THE PEOPLE!

These changes are essential to ensure that the league operates with integrity and fairness, honoring the dedication and passion of its players. We call upon the league's management to take immediate action to rectify these issues and create a supportive environment for all players.

WHAT IS ENTITLED TO US SHOULD NOT BE STOLEN AND OUR WORDS SILENCED

We must restore and preserve the San Juan Hotel and be a model for the rest of the Valley to preserve our history.

The safety and security of our homes and neighborhood are fundamental rights that every resident deserves. The recent spike in car thefts in the Shipyard not only disrupts our daily lives but also erodes the sense of community and security that we cherish. When we, as residents, are forced to live in fear of our properties being stolen, it undermines our quality of life and well-being. This issue transcends individual losses and affects the entire community. When crime rates rise, it impacts property values, community trust, and overall safety. By joining together, we can amplify our voices and ensure that our concerns are heard by those in positions of power. Collective action is crucial to driving the changes needed to protect our neighborhood and prevent future incidents. Your support can help us achieve a safer, more secure environment for all residents of the Shipyard.

Trump was convicted by a jury of 12 people on 34 counts for a felony election conspiracy and cover up. He is the first former president to ever be convicted of a felony.  Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11, and Judge Merchan overseeing the case has discretion in deciding the sentencing. Trump could face up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $170,000, or he could only be charged a fine, or sentenced just to probation or home confinement. Time and time again we’ve seen injustice play out in the American criminal legal system—with the wealthy and privileged able to buy their way out of accountability while poor and working class people, LGBTQ+ communities, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American and Pacific Islander people, and other marginalized groups are overpoliced, criminalized, and harshly sentenced. Our elected leaders should be held to the highest standards. With all eyes watching, it’s important for Judge Merchan to deliver on the promise of the American legal system, and make sure the will of the people is reflected fairly and justly in the sentencing.  Add your name to demand that no preferential treatment be given to Trump—and for him to issue a fair and firm sentence!

There are many ethical concerns on animal testing, but above all which reaserchers care about is the accuracy of these tests, but there are crucial differencs. Different animals will have different reactions, laboratory animals are not exposed to smoke in the same manner or time frame that human smokers are. Much information has been obscured because there has been no link with the reactions on animals to humans. The biological differences are no surprise, our cells, nose filtering abilities, lungs and more have many differences of those of the animals. Simply, animals should not be used for predications on humans. Beagles were forced to smoke around 2 packs a day, monkeys were forced to smoke 6 hours a day for a year, mice get cigar tar smeared on them inducing tumors; all these experiments continously went on until the animals were killed and of no more use.