Two banks with troubled histories of foreclosures and squandered public bailouts are now asking the Federal Reserve to merge, making them “too big to fail.” OneWest Bank moved to foreclose on Myrtle Lewis, a 103-year-old Texas widow, because she forgot to pay her house insurance. Public pressure stopped this foreclosure, but OneWest has one of the worst records in the industry when it comes to mortgage modifications. CIT Group bank received $2.3 billion in taxpayer funds in 2008 during the bank bailout, so they could help small businesses with loans. Instead, CIT Group filed for bankruptcy in 2009 while serving very few small businesses. Now, these two banks are seeking permission from the Federal Reserve to merge into a $70 billion “too big to fail” mega-bank. And they are even pressuring the Fed to not hold a hearing. Sign the petition to Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen: “Say No to the merger of OneWest and CIT Group.”

We begin this petition to honor the La Conner Town Counsel's respectful request to show support for renewing the lease of the lot which holds the town's baseball field.

America’s immigration system is severely broken. The story of Angelo Cabrera is exactly what is wrong with our system and a perfect illustration of why we need immigration reform. In the 24 years Angelo Cabrera lived in New York State as an undocumented person, he earned two university degrees and worked tirelessly in the community. Cabrera founded a social service organization-the Mexican-American Students Alliance (MASA)—which promotes education and civic engagement projects in New York. Angelo’s civic engagement earned him numerous commendations from New York elected officials and organizations. Last year, Angelo was offered a position at Baruch College, but before he could accept the job, he needed to fix him immigration status. Mr. Cabrera, wanting to do the right thing, returned to Mexico to try to legalize his status. Now, Angelo Cabrera is stuck in Mexico— the Customs and Border Protection Admissibility Review Office denied his petition to return to the US. And in a cruel twist of fate, under President Obama’s immigration initiatives, had he stayed, he would have been allowed to remain and work legally in the US. Mr. Cabrera is a shining example of the American dream and the important role immigrants play in making this country a better place. His story is exactly why our system is broken and needs reform. There is hope—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services can reconsider his case. It takes a request from a high-level member of the government—New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand could ask USCIS to reconsider his case. Please, sign the petition asking Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to request USCIS to reconsider the case of Angelo Cabrera.

The Smithsonian employs a notorious climate change denier — who was just caught concealing substantial funding from the fossil fuel industry. Tell The Smithsonian: Drop Dr. Willie Soon now.

This petition is to keep offender Raymond Culp A270120 in prison. We as a community do not want this man out. By signing this petition I agree with the family members that this evil needs to stay where he is so he is not capable of doing such a tragic crime again! Please take into consideration of the following signatures on this petition and keep offender A270120 in the Belmont County Correctional Institution. The family members of the victim are very thankful for the support from all of you and taking time and signing this. Our mother was only 42 years old and lived a life of hell and abuse from day one of being with this convict. Kandy Sue Van Dyke (Culp) will be remembered by her children and grandchildren of being the fun loving lady she was. This convict may have taken her life but he will not take the memories! Nor will he get the freedom that he so doesn't deserve! Next parole hearing is May 2015

When you work in an Emergency Room, you see a lot. I’ve been a nurse in an ER in Riverside, CA for over 25 years, and I’ve developed pretty good instincts. One night, I had a young patient who was clearly in some mental distress. My gut told me that I was in danger. I called security, but because of our hospital’s policies, they wouldn’t even come in the room, since the patient hadn’t actually attacked me. Yet. I listened to my instincts, and asked two coworkers to come in the room with me for my protection while I continued to attempt to treat the patient. I was standing close enough to draw blood, and turned to my workstation for just a moment. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him coming at me, and that was the last thing I saw for about ten minutes. The patient had punched me in the back of the head, slamming my head into the concrete wall. I was temporarily blinded, but I could hear the sounds of the patient’s father and one of my coworkers subduing him. This whole time, security did nothing. The police wouldn’t take down a statement. There was nothing they could do, they said. I was badly injured, and out of work for several weeks recovering. If it hadn’t have been for the two coworkers that I brought into the room for my protection, I shudder to think of what could have happened. I don’t think I’d be writing this today. I was traumatized by the experience, but sadly I was not surprised. Ask any health care worker you know and they are bound to have a story about violence in the workplace. Too often, hospital management does nothing to respond to these recurring incidents, preferring to cut corners and increase profits, leaving workers in danger. I don’t blame the mentally unstable young patient who hurt me. I was injured by my hospital’s policies, and by the fact that there is currently no system in place to address issues of workplace violence. Nurses, med techs, and other health care workers are on the front lines every day keeping all of our loved ones safe. We shouldn’t have to put our own lives at risk to care for the lives of others. Every hospital and medical facility should have a task force in place that makes sure hospital policies keep *both* health care workers and patients safe. Please join me in urging the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) and the California Hospital Association to take immediate steps to address the crisis of workplace violence by requiring that every medical facility have a workplace violence prevention plan that that puts the safety of patients and health care workers first.

YOU, AND MY FAMILY AGREED JOVANI MUNIZ WILLFULLY AND WANTONLY, MURDERED ANOTHER HUMAN BEING...MY SON...ELOY CONRAD DURAN III. JOVANI WAS CONVICTED OF MURDER. THEN YOU PROCEED TO SENTENCE JOVANI TO A MERE 7 YEARS AT THE YOUTHFUL OFFENDER SYSTEM. WHERE JOVANI MUNIZ'S "SO=CALLED" PUNISHMENT AT THE Y.O.S. IS TO GET HIS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, AND PROCEED TO GET HIS ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN ECONOMICS, UNLIMITED VISITATION FROM HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THE BEST HEALTH CARE IMAGINABLE, THIS IS NOT THE DEFINITION OF JUSTICE !!! HOW CAN I CONSIDER THIS JUSTICE !!! IF EVERY JUVENILE HEARD OF THIS TYPE OF "JUSTICE" WHAT IS TO STOP THEM FROM MURDERING SOMEONE. KNOWING THEY WILL GET A FREE EDUCATION !!! UNLIMITED VISITS FROM HOME !!!! THE BEST HEALTH CARE IMAGINABLE !!! THEN BE RELEASED INTO SOCIETY ......SCOTT FREE !!! NO THIS IS NOT JUSTICE, THIS IS INJUSTICE...AND YOU AND I BOTH KNOW IT !!! WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT THIS ....I PATIENTLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE...ELOY CONRAD DURAN II ...THE DAD OF AN ANGEL NO LONGER ON THIS EARTH....BECAUSE OF JOVANI MUNIZ

Corporate lobbyists have been pushing for special rules in order to rush the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal through Congress. If they succeed, it will mean a loss of U.S. jobs and pressure to hold wages down for those that remain. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is being negotiated in secret, but negotiators are making big claims about boosting U.S. exports. We've been down this road before. The reality is that deals like this make it easier for corporations to keep wages low by trading U.S. jobs to the lowest bidder. Now corporate lobbyists want Congress to help speed things along by authorizing Trade Promotion Authority, a special set of "fast-track" rules for the deal so that it can be pushed through without allowing time for close review, debate or amendments, and guaranteed a quick vote in both the House and Senate. It's no wonder the corporate lobby doesn't want Congress to take a close look at what's been going on behind the closed door of the negotiations. The deal gives special rights and benefits to companies that offshore investment and jobs and allows multinational corporations to sue governments if they legislate improvements in environmental, labor, consumer or health standards that might impact future corporate profits. Please take action today and tell your member of Congress to stand up to this corporate power grab and vote NO on fast track authorization for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that teens start school no earlier than 8:30 AM. Schools that have met this standard are already enjoying the benefits of decreased rates of teen car accidents, substance abuse, obesity, depression, and anxiety – and better academic performance. All Massachusetts schools could enjoy similar success. Statewide support in the form of legislation will help Massachusetts communities mobilize to meet the goal of healthier school start times – and will help coordinate across-town scheduling for academic, athletic, and other competitions and events, which otherwise can be a logistical roadblock. Statewide legislation also avoids the barriers inherent in a piecemeal town-by-town effort, to ensure that the health and well being of our children remains paramount.

My brother Steven Ercolino was murdered outside the Empire State Building on August 24th, 2012. The image of him lying in a pool of blood was front page news in the NY Post and NY Times. Now, the images are all over the Internet for our children and future generations to be victimized again. That"s why Diane Clausz and I created this petition.

I am starting this petition in order to see that the State of Ohio joins the twenty three other States in America that have ended their prohibition against Cannabis/Marijuana for the purposes of medical, industrial and recreational use. Please join me and the good folks of ORG (Ohio Rights Group) in seeing that this gets done. Thank you! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ohio Cannabis Rights Amendment - Full Text Be it resolved by the people of the State of Ohio: That the Constitution of the State of Ohio be amended by adopting a section to be designated as Section 12 of Article XV thereof, to read as follows: Article XV: Section 12. The medical, therapeutic and industrial use and regulation of Cannabis. Section 1. Rights. In accordance with Article 1: Bill of Rights, Section 1 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio: (A) Residents of the State of Ohio, who have attained the age of majority and who are diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition, shall be eligible residents for the purpose of making therapeutic use of the genus Cannabis, also known as medical marijuana or marihuana, currently defined in Section 3719.01 of the Revised Code, hereinafter referred to as Cannabis, to alleviate their suffering. Residents of the State of Ohio, who are under the age of majority and who are diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition, may be eligible residents with the prior written consent of a parent or guardian. (B) Eligible residents shall have the right to make therapeutic use of Cannabis to alleviate their suffering and to possess an amount of Cannabis sufficient to meet their therapeutic needs. (C) Eligible residents shall have the right to be free of discrimination and interference from the State of Ohio with regard to their therapeutic use of Cannabis. Persons who are not eligible residents may use medical necessity as an affirmative defense in a court of law. (D) Eligible residents shall have the right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to their therapeutic use of Cannabis, including, but not limited to, any records kept by the State pertaining to such use. (E) Eligible residents who make therapeutic use of Cannabis shall have the right to produce their own Cannabis, and to acquire Cannabis sufficient to alleviate their suffering from state-licensed providers without fear of arrest, prosecution or undue interference by the State. (F) Eligible residents shall have the right to access goods and services to enable their therapeutic use of Cannabis. (G) Within the State of Ohio, it shall be a legal right for individuals or organizations, deemed eligible by the Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control, to grow, process, distribute, transport, purchase or sell Cannabis for therapeutic use in various forms to eligible residents according to rules and regulations as established by the Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control. (H) Residents of the State of Ohio, deemed eligible by the Ohio Department of Agriculture under Section 3(E), shall have the right to produce and sell non-psychoactive Cannabis, also known as hemp, for industrial use including, but not limited to, paper, fuel, foods, building materials and clothing. With this right, Cannabis for industrial use is hereby removed from any schedule or classification system in the State of Ohio wherein it is listed as a drug. (I) These rights shall not be abridged, and the State of Ohio shall support, uphold and defend these rights in accordance with the health and safety of Ohioans and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments of the Constitution of the United States of America. Section 2. Limitations. (A) Nothing in this Amendment requires the therapeutic use of Cannabis or the industrial use of Cannabis; nor does this Amendment invalidate existing bans against smoking in public places or places of employment. (B) Nothing in this Amendment shall prohibit the reasonable regulation and control of the commercial production and distribution of Cannabis for therapeutic use by the Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control as set forth in Section 3. (C) Nothing in this Amendment shall prohibit the reasonable regulation and control of the commercial production and distribution of Cannabis for industrial use as delegated by the Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control to the Ohio Department of Agriculture as set forth in Section 3. (D) Nothing in this Amendment shall prohibit the sale of Cannabis for therapeutic use or for industrial use to eligible residents; nor prevent research or educational institutions from studying the therapeutic properties of Cannabis; nor prevent research or educational institutions from studying the properties of Cannabis for industrial use; nor prohibit the reasonable application of fines or fees pursuant to the regulation and control of Cannabis within the State in accordance with Section 4; nor prohibit the reasonable taxation of Cannabis for therapeutic use or Cannabis for industrial use in a manner similar to other agricultural commodities. (E) Debilitating medical conditions include, but are not limited to, the following diagnoses: glaucoma; multiple congenital cartilaginous exostosis; multiple sclerosis; nail-patella syndrome; positive status for human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS); Alzheimer’s disease; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; cancer; celiac disease; Crohn’s disease; hepatitis C; mylomalacia; post traumatic stress; rheumatoid arthritis; sickle cell anemia; injury or disease to the spinal cord, spinal column or vertebra; Tourette's syndrome; a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe or chronic nausea, seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy, or severe or persistent muscle spasms; depression; and any additional medical condition or its treatment that may be designated by the ...

A 1 year old Yorkie named Rose was brutally beat to death by a man whos girlfriend was watching the dog. He slung her around by her leash and slammed her into the concrete afterwards he beat little rose to death then put her in the trunk of his car and dropped Rose off at the local hospital instead of the vet and told them what he had done. We just want justice for Rose and peace for her family.please help us in our fight.