Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) has raised over $114 million dollars for children with pediatric cancer since 1977. Mr. Olbermann's remarks are not only an insult to this tremendous effort but to every family that has been affected with pediatric cancer.

AAO Leadership and HOD members, For some time now a growing number of AAO members have worried about the direction of our member organization. The areas of particular concern are: 1) The primary and overwhelming focus of the AAO should be on aggressively differentiating Orthodontic Specialists from Primary Care Dentists a. We feel the CAP, while well intentioned, is not getting the job done i. Telling patients that orthodontists go to more school is not useful when most patients do not know what an orthodontist is ii. We believe that we must educate patients on how to tell the difference between PCDs and Orthodontic Specialists iii. Stating facts about credentials is not negative advertising b. We believe patient education can easily be accomplished by encouraging patients to ask some simple questions of the person claiming to be an expert in orthodontics i. How many cases like mine have you done? ii. Did you go to a full time, accredited orthodontic residency program or to a part time/weekend CE course? iii. Have you or your family ever been treated by an Orthodontic Specialist? iv. Have you ever had to ask an Orthodontic Specialist for help with orthodontic treatment in braces or aligners? c. We are proud of orthodontists who have chosen to become ABO certified but feel it is silly to aggressively promote one orthodontists above another while we are unwilling to promote orthodontists above Primary Care Dentists. i. The majority of dues paying AAO members are not ABO certified ii. Once we win the orthodontists-PCD battle we can worry about promoting ABO certification iii. This is not anti-ABO this is pro-orthodontist in an attempt to present a united front to the public 2) We believe that those of us who still need to practice orthodontics and make a living for the next 20-40 years must act now to protect and preserve the orthodontic profession and we know we need the help of the older generations to insure the orthodontic profession survives. a. We feel the AAO leadership, by and large, do not have this same sense of urgency given the age difference and that this difference can cause disharmony among the age groups in the association if not addressed b. We believe that the AAO leadership wants to do what is right for the profession and the membership but may not realize the jeopardy that younger members are in or the speed at which change is taking place. c. We feel the AAO is THE membership organization that will save the profession or let it die depending on how the leadership and the HOD chooses to act now and in the long term. There are no viable alternative membership organizations and we do not see that changing 3) We believe this is a critical time for the orthodontic profession and that drastic measures are needed. a. We feel it appropriate to suspend/cease all non-essential expenditures and reallocate all possible funds towards educating the public. Here are suggestions – certainly not all inclusive. i. Dispense with in person meetings and utilize technology to hold virtual meetings ii. Dispense with non-essential staff iii. Minimize travel, food and lodging costs iv. Stop holding regional meetings that lose money or break even v. Have the House of Delegates meet, debate and vote via the technology that is available vi. Dispense with receptions, parties and volunteer “thank-you” gatherings like the ones at the annual session vii. Spin off nonessential holdings/organizations/businesses that could be run more efficiently by contracting with others b. It may be time to reassess the mission of the AAOF and its funding in the current reality c. We must reallocate any and all funds available to aggressively promote orthodontists as THE dental specialist to see for all orthodontic needs d. We feel that well over half of the AAO’s 20-25 million dollar annual budget should go to effective patient education and would like to see north of two-thirds spent on educating the public 4) Because most orthodontists still rely on PCDs for patients, it is essential that our member organization shoulder the load when promoting orthodontists over PCDs. Members cannot speak up in their local areas by and large for fear of recrimination from PCDs but our national organization can. It is time to start looking at ways the AAO can do this instead of counting the reasons the AAO should not do so 5) The ADA and Primary Care Dentists are looking out for their best interests – and that is smart for them to do so. It is time for the AAO to aggressively look out for the needs of member orthodontists. a. We understand that the AAO wants dentistry to present a “united front” and that we need the ADA and this is why the AAO Leadership fears upsetting the ADA b. However, if this is the case then the ADA needs the AAO as much as the AAO needs the ADA c. The ADA looks out for Primary Care Dentists with no regard for specialists – one need only look at what is allowed when it comes to specialty designation to see this. d. The AAO must take the same stance and look out for orthodontist members. 6) The AAO must become more active on the state level. The vast majority of legislation that controls dentistry happens at the state level and the AAO must become influential in state politics – even if that means re-organization of the AAO to do so. We, the undersigned, respectfully present this list of concerns for consideration by the AAO leadership and HOD. We are appreciative of what has been done by the AAO volunteers in the past and understand that major change is a major obstacle. However, we need our member organization now more than ever and hope that the AAO will step up and be the defender of the specialty that we so desperately need in the face of the new reality.

Children are learning to just focus on beauty instead of their education. I believe that education is first, so focusing just on your beauty isn't going to take you as far which is why I believe that you should help sign this petition to just let those 13 and older be allowed to participate in beauty pageants! Thank you!

I used to work at a local humane society. The organization would raise funds for free spay and neuter vouchers, but the money that was raised did not come close to meeting the demand. The coffers were almost always empty. Most people I spoke with stated that the only reason that they did not spay or neuter was the cost of the service (generally $75-$100). If the cost of spaying and neutering was 100% tax deductible, I believe it would benefit shelters that are overwhelmed by the number of animals in need and it would also make communities safer.

My friend Micki Fine lives in this building!

For years, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly has touted his experience as a correspondent in active war zones. But this week, a new report from Mother Jones found evidence that O'Reilly hasn't been telling the truth about these "combat zone" experiences -- including his supposed reporting from the Falkland Islands, which no American correspondent was able to reach during the war. [1] O'Reilly's exaggerations matter. Bill O'Reilly has held himself up as a paragon of virtue and truth while attacking anyone who dares to challenge his credibility. But his deceptions about reporting from war zones undermine and insult actual war reporters who risk their lives to report from actual combat zones. [2] And for too long, O'Reilly has relied on these deceptions about his experience to bolster his opinions about and advocacy for U.S. engagement in military conflicts. Bill O'Reilly shouldn't get away with years of misleading viewers just because he's an icon at Fox News. [3] If Fox wants to move past this scandal, it needs to follow NBC's example with Brian Williams and take action to hold O'Reilly accountable for this deception. --- [1] Corn, David, and Daniel Schulman. "Bill O'Reilly Has His Own Brian Williams Problem." 2/19/2015. Mother Jones. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/02/bill-oreilly-brian-williams-falklands-war [2] Strupp, Joe. "Veteran War Reporters: O'Reilly's Falklands Fibs Violate "Journalism 101." 2/20/2015. Media Matters for America. http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/02/20/veteran-war-reporters-oreillys-falklands-fibs-v/202590 [3] Gertz, Matt. "How Fox News Responded To Bill O'Reilly's Falklands Fibs." 2/20/2015. Media Matters for America. http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/02/20/how-fox-news-responded-to-bill-oreillys-falklan/202591

This is a petition determined to ban beauty pageants in girls under 12. Beauty pageants will show girls that they are only worth what they look like and not who they are.

I am starting this petition in order to: 1. ensure that Oregon's recreational cannabis laws serve and benefit the people, environment, and the economy of Oregon with sustainability in mind, not just fiscal interests. 2. ensure the state of Oregon's tax dollars paying for the salaries of those serving the public aren't wasted on employees that have served in industries in the past that may cause a conflict of interest 3. ensure that the people appointed to these positions serve the public and state legislators ethically, intelligently, and without bias. I believe with these three points in mind we can write the best possible marijuana laws that will create a strong local economy, protect our invaluable environments due to the influx of growers and people moving to the state, and ensure that this medicinal plant isn't perverted by recreational use. This needs to be a public discussed subject that utilizes that vast amount of science surrounding the cultivation and use of cannabis's social, economic, health and environmental impacts. Thank you for your interest and please share and discuss publicly! Sincerely, Wesley Wagner (petition author) Oregon resident since 1991 [email protected]

I have started this petiton because I personally know how horrible some school lunches are. Many of my friends agree, and our class has started a persuasive essay unit, and many of my classmates have written about the topic too.

A dog beloved by shelter volunteers was put down today. As a member of a rescue group, my appeal to rescue the dog and accept all risk and liability was denied.

Because Joy Reid's show deserves not to be cancelled. She is one of the best at MSNBC and they will lose a large viewership without her.

**By taking the pledge you are entered into a RAFFLE** When: Thursday (4/16) @ 12pm Where: BU West Mall (before the Trash Audit) Prizes: Prize Package from Dining Services & 4 Tickets to Indianapolis Indians' game (4/17) ***MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN & MUST HAVE VALID ID*** We would like to reduce food waste by students on Butler University's campus. By getting students to pledge to reduce their personal waste we hope that they will be more conscious of their personal environmental impact.