I work for a non profit who provides aid around the world to people starving everyday. People who eat have more potential to come out of poverty and nobody should stand in the way of that basic human right, especially when we live in a land of plenty.

Gov. Brown’s proposal would only exacerbate the broken and costly approach to public safety that has drained our budget without creating long-term, sustainable solutions. California must invest in alternatives like rehabilitation, job training and education proven to help people successfully re-enter society and reduce crime. Our state’s leaders must start listening to the people they are elected to represent who overwhelmingly support smart on crime policies, and embrace the kinds of systemic reforms needed to reduce the state’s reliance on incarceration and lower the number of people who are locked up in the first place. It’s time to put a stop to this waste – urge our legislators to reject this misguided and wasteful proposal that will only throw good money after bad. Demand policies that create safe and healthy communities and reduce costly prison overcrowding.

The NY Times today announced that Chelsea Manning, the soldier formerly known as Bradley Manning, has indicated that she wishes to be referred to as Chelsea and with feminine pronouns. There is zero justification for continuing to use the male pronoun, and blatantly refusing to acknowledge the gender she identifies with. When someone makes the momentous and difficult decision to change their name and gender identity, the least you can do is change a simple pronoun.

I would like to start a petition and then have it sent to our State Legislature that would forbid any person who has been convicted of more than one alcohol related crime to be banned from purchasing alcohol from any establishment. I think this would be a good start to help keep drunk drivers off the road. This has become a growing problem and it seems the laws we have in place are not helping. I realize this is not a fix all solution but I do believe it is a good start.

North Carolina Republicans are taking unprecedented steps to reduce the number of students and minorities taking part in elections. They've cynically closed and consolidated voting sites along racial lines, taking a particular interest in polling places serving historically black colleges.

This petition is directed to Masahiro Sakurai, who is the creator and developer of Nintendo's extremely popular Super Smash Bros. video game series. Basically, it is a demand that he includes a highly requested character named Ridley, from the Metroid series, into the upcoming Super Smash Bros Wii U/3DS.

Florida governmental entities continue to discriminate against employees, government contractors, and advertisers as a result of their private, lawful, off-duty behavior (e.g., cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, part-time employment choices, etc.). Teachers are being fired merely because of Facebook pictures of them out drinking with friends on their personal time; Fort Myers Beach town manager Scott Janke was fired from his position after city officials learned that his wife had a part-time job performing in adult movies; in separate incidents, Florida teachers Olivia Sprauer and Tiffany Shepherd were fired due to their part-time jobs as bikini models; school district officials in Palm Beach County removed Boca Raton business owner David Mech's banner advertisements for a math education company merely because of his association to another lawful, non-advertised adult media company; and the list goes on and on. It's time to follow New York State's lead and pass a law protecting Florida employees, government contractors, and advertisers from discrimination based on legal off-duty conduct.

Allow gay marriage in South Carolina.

On Wednesday August 21, 2013 Doña Ana County (NM) Clerk Lynn Ellins began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Earlier this year the City of Santa Fe endorsed a route for same-sex marriages to be recognized under current state law and in July our own attorney general acknowledged in a court filing that New Mexico's equal protection laws demand the state end marriage discrimination. County Clerk Lynn Ellins took the first steps to turn those processes into action by issuing licenses.

Wouldn’t it be easier if you could register to vote on Election Day—instead of needing to worry about meeting a deadline weeks before in order to participate? In eight states you can do just that—but Illinois isn’t one of them. That’s why we’re working to pass Election Day voter registration in Illinois this year. Election Day voter registration doesn’t just make voting easier—it also strengthens our democracy. Election Day voter registration has been shown to increase voter turnout, and it particularly benefits young people and those who recently moved. Plus, it reduces the cost of elections. Chicago Votes succeeded in passing online voter registration in Illinois in 2013, so we know we can make real change if enough people get involved. Sign today to support modernizing and improving our democracy by bringing Election Day voter registration to Illinois. Sources: http://www.vote.caltech.edu/sites/default/files/vtp_wp5.pdf http://www.demos.org/publication/factsheet-voters-win-same-day-registration

Riders of the Illinois Prairie Path confront a decidedly Bicycle-hostile start at First Avenue, and shortly thereafter at Mannheim Road. Both multi-lane streets should have traffic lights that bike-riders could activate, or pedestrian/bicycle overpasses. Instead we face a death-defying gauntlet of traffic.

New Zealand has for too long been ignored by Wargaming in it's popular online game World of Tanks. In light of Serb's recent statement that if enough people sign a petition, they will introduce new tanks even if they don't want to, this is our chance to correct this injustice!