all pet stores should be checked for where they get their animals and the records of conditions the animals got through from the time they are born to the time they arrive at the store. and the animals should be held in exceptionable living conditions while at pet stores.. and check with future owners to assure pets' wellbeing

My son Matthew was born gay. We could not have been more blessed with a smarter, nicer a more caring son than what we have now. Unfortunately a large portion of LGBT children in the United States do not have parents that feel the same as my wife and I do. Too many times are the uneducated parents willing to remove their children from their own home because of the child’s sexual orientation. This is no less than child abuse. This is no less than child abandonment. The child is left to walk the streets for food, money and shelter. Often times these cases go unreported because the child feels that they have done something wrong or have no one to turn to. The parents in most cases report their child as a runaway and local law enforcement agencies hands are tied at that point. A disproportionate number of homeless children are indeed LGBT and it needs to stop. These children need us, and we need them. Please help stop this abuse by signing this petition. One more child is too many. Thanks to all who support this very important cause. Brent, Debi & Matthew.

United States Attorney General Eric Holder has been a stalwart in the fight to protect the rights of every American. His office has worked immensely to uphold voting and civil rights laws, which has led to him becoming a thorn in the side of many who view him as being in the way of pushing forward their polarizing agenda. He now needs you and I as citizens to stand in support of him as he works to defend the rights, earned by the blood, sweat, and tears of many, that we now all enjoy as Americans.

It is a pledge petition. Those who sign pledge to not vote for any candidate who has the support of the billionaires who want to control the election results with unlimited money. Our elections are not for sale to the highest bidder.

THe horrendous service provided by CTA on the Redline @ 95th. In addition to the proposed 5 month closure of the line from Cermak to 95th. The closure are necessary according to the CTA in order to repair the tracks and structure. You have never heard of a 5 month closure that will prevent the train from operating. In case of repair they have closed station partially but never 9 stations on the one route?

UPDATE: (7/22/12) There's been some movement on the Tilted Kilt front that I think is very positive. President Staackmann met with Ted last week and released a press release saying that Ted told Staackmann he wants "something the community can support" to go on the property. From the Patch story over the weekend: "Mayor Staackmann commented, in the statement, “We want Mr. Mavrakis to be successful, with a development that meets the needs of the market and the community. The Village will work with Mr. Mavrakis to develop something that we all can be proud of. ""He's intent on doing something and he wants it to be accepted by the community, so that's positive," Horne said. "He reassured us he wants something the community can be proud of and not looked down upon," Horne added. Here's the full story: http://niles.patch.com/articles/tilted-kilt-mayor-owner-meet-don-t-mention A second story came out as well saying that the development is on hold and with similar details: http://mortongrove.suntimes.com/13812242-417/tilted-kilt-proposal-on-hold-for-now-in-morton-grove.html This is the outcome we were hoping for--an agreement to build something the would be appropriate for the community. ________ Developer Ted Mavrakis applied to build a Tilted Kilt in Evanston but was denied a liquor license after more than 2,000 people protested. He then announced his intention to build a Tilted Kilt in Morton Grove on Dempster. Though he has not applied for any permits for the land in question, leading some to say this outcry is premature, we are concerned that the permit approval process offers few, if any, options for public discussion on the topic. We must speak up before it is too late. Such an establishment does not fit with Morton Grove’s family friendly values. The Tilted Kilt’s sexually provocative messages, particularly those that sexualize women as children in Catholic school uniforms, are not appropriate for our community, which prides itself on being named in “Family Circle” magazine’s “10 Best Towns for Families” and Bloomberg Businessweek’s “Best Place to Raise Your Kids 2012” edition. The proposed location, nestled in an area with residential housing and community facilities, including Linne Woods and pavilion, Harrer Park and Pool, the entrance to Park View Elementary School, and the forest preserve, is especially inappropriate. Police reports from other Chicago-area Tilted Kilt locations include reports of theft, public intoxication, criminal damage to property, battery, noise complaints, traffic accidents, drug sales, sales of alcohol to minors, and, in the case of the Elgin location, mixed martial arts matches (female-on-female and male-on-male) held in a custom-built cage on the premises, which were in violation of the liquor license. It should be noted that in cases of intoxicated and disruptive patrons the management simply ejects them into the surrounding neighborhood, thus making them the community’s problem to handle. The downtown location is also the subject of a federal sexual harassment suit by 19 women, and the Schaumburg location was the site of a suicide that was witnessed by customers. It is not a financially viable location for such an establishment. Other Tilted Kilts (Elgin, Schaumburg) are in much higher-traffic commercial areas, with office parks, larger strip/shopping malls, and hotels bringing in traffic. Crazy Jaws, a more family-friendly sports restaurant, closed in less than a year along a more commercial section of Waukegan, which would seem to bode ill for the Tilted Kilt. The outcome everyone wants to avoid is the Tilted Kilt being built after a bitter and divisive approval process only to have it fail, leaving the village with yet another building sitting empty and not generating revenue. We urge President Staackmann and the board to work with Mr. Mavrakis to build an establishment appropriate to all of our interests and beliefs. Add your voice! Here’s how: 1) Sign this petition 2) Contact President Staackmann and the village board of trustees: Dan Staackmann, President Village of Morton Grove 6101 Capulina Avenue Morton Grove, IL 60053 (847) 965-4100 [email protected]

The Issa-Ross bill fails to address real problems, attacks bargaining rights of workers. H.R 2309 is not a bill to save the Postal Service; it's a bill to destroy it.

From diplomatic agendas resulting in attacks on foreign nations to information on UFOs, foods, drugs, vaccines or Fukushima fallout...Americans are kept in the dark. The media no longer questions government/corporate pronouncements or investigates critical issues or presents unbiased scientific opinion. National security has been used as an excuse for unprecedented secrecy, anathems to democracy. Freedom of information is at the governments discression.

I personally survived a vicious pit bull attack recently. Many breeds can be deadly, not just pit bulls. Thousands of innocent children and adults have suffered brutal and sometimes even fatal attacks from cute, yet potentially deadly, animals. I am calling for our leaders to adopt legislation that will help prevent these attacks from occurring as often. ***The Clifton study of attacks from 1982 through 2006 said that: Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes were responsible for 65% of the canine homicides that occurred during a period of 24 years in the USA. (Clifton, Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006.)

I am a victim of the Madoff fraud. I have been further victmized by SIPC, the agency created by the Congress in 1970 to insure investors for the securities they owned as stated on brokers' statement, in exchange for brokers no longer having to provide investors with paper certificates of ownership. Congress is now deliberating a new bill, HR 757, to clarify its intent to protect investors with the 1970 law. Investors should urge their congressional representatives to support HR 757 while this issue is being discussed.

While I have great respect for the U.S. Constitution, the behavior of Republican legislators have brought our nation close to ruin, with no intention of solving any problems, other than defeating Obama.

It appears that deep sea trawling is the culprit in the mystery of where have the chinook salmon gone. Studies show that the increase in pollock fishing on U.S. trawlers or "draggers" that drag the bottom floor and pick up EVERYTHING, has direct correlation with chinook salmon numbers going down drastically in the whole state. As a subsistence & sport fisher person on the Anchor, Kasilof, & Kenai rivers I am directly affected by the rapid decline in chinook salmon. The Yukon & all other rivers are affected too. 1. Regain ability to fish on rivers 2. Stop all bycatch practices & replace with safer/better fishing practices 3. Have 1 unbiased "watcher" on each trawling boat to keep them honest 4. See escapment returns grow to healthy sustainable numbers 5. Improve on CDQ programs through an all species inclusive sustainability policy Go to our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Trawling-Bycatch-of-Salmon-Halibut/407719715940319 PLEASE paste this address into your facebook page and forward to all your email addresses. Help push this petition! and Thank you!