I am 26 years old and I live in East New York. I am a single mother of two daughters—Melissa, 4 and Aalisha, 6 years old. I work as a terminal cleaner for Airway Cleaners, a contractor for American Airlines in Terminal 8 at JFK Airport. I make $7.90 an hour with no benefits. My pay does not begin to cover my bills or food for me and my daughters. I was previously on public assistance and the job center sent me to an agency for airport jobs. It takes two of my paychecks to cover just the electric bill. By the time I pay daycare for my daughters, pay for transportation to work, I have nothing left over. Which means I am juggling the bills for the other expenses, seeing what bill I could afford not to pay until the next month. One night, after carrying one of those garbage bags, my back was in so much pain. They said it was back spasms. I was incapacitated for the rest of the night. It’s been a nightmare trying to recover from that, especially with no health care benefits. There are many, many workers at New York area’s three airports who are in the same boat as I am. This is no way to live. We deserve human dignity. We deserve respect. Please support us. Contractors hired by airlines and terminal operators at New York area airports pay passenger service workers at the airports, poverty wages. My coworkers and I get little or no health care. Most of us don’t get paid holidays, vacation time and sick days. For over a year we have been saying they cannot support their families under these conditions but their complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Like they do every year, my coworkers will work this holiday season to make sure the flying public is safe and cared for, but our issues must be addressed. January 20, 2014 is Martin Luther King Day. Dr. King died supporting Memphis sanitation workers who were working under deplorable conditions and making what would be $11.41 per hour today. 46 years after Dr, King’s death, most airport passenger service workers work under deplorable conditions and earn just $8 per hour with little or no benefits. We demand and declare that MLK Day 2014 will be a paid holiday for all airport workers. Therefore, join me and pledge to stand with the airport workers to make MLK Day 2014 a paid holiday. I will stand with them until they are treated with RESPECT. The Port Authority must take action on their issues.

In other world cities where safe bicycling infrastructure exists, people of all ages and incomes utilize bikes for transportation and recreation. Micro business utilize them for transportation of goods and services. After the initial investment, bikes provide employees, students, shoppers, visitors and all residents with a virtually free, safe, healthy and carbon free commuting and transportation alternative.

I am a mother of a preteen girl and we have to protect our children. Continued support of R.Kelly is suggesting that his actions and behavior are acceptable and we DO NOT accept it. It is deplorable and his victims would agree. We need to stand up for what's right and stop glorifying a known pedophile.

I have been a supporter and advocate for animal rights for years but we have to stop the DEMAND before we can stop the SUPPLY.

Only one side of the story is being told by the media. Why are we so afraid of providing health care to everyone? Why are we so afraid of taking care of our brothers? How can other countries make health care services available to the populace and we turn our heads? America, we are better than that!

Newspapers need to stop publishing letters that deny climate change.

I write as the President of the United Cardinal Liberty Union and all members of the Cardinalis genus who have been degraded by the stereotyping that occurs all too often in today's society. Not all cardinals are red and yet schools like Bellaire High School who have a red cardinal as a mascot promote a stereotype that is not true! As an avid supporter for the rights of Cardinalis Sinuatus, more commonly known as the Desert Cardinal or Pyrrhuloxia, I find it extremely saddening that schools such as Bellaire High School are allowed to have such a derogatory mascot that stereotypes my most beloved friends. Please stop the bird racism Superintendent Grier before it is too late. The mascot that Bellaire High School uses is in fact not a cardinal, for cardinal or Cardinalis is a Genus of the family Cardinalidae, rather the mascot is a male northern cardinal. The use of the male northern cardinal to represent the entire Cardinalis genus has led many to the assumption that all cardinals have red feathers, while the reality is quite the opposite. I dream of a school district where cardinals are not judged based on the color of their feathers, but on the content of their character. The mascot of Bellaire High School is in direct opposition to equality among all the members of the Cardinalis genus, be their feathers red, brown, or otherwise. The mascot of Bellaire High School is currently the only representation Cardinals have within the city of Houston, and being portrayed a stereotypically red denies other cardinals of equally valid feather colors representation and makes them feel as though they are lesser for not conforming to a certain feather type. By using the Red Northern cardinal to represent the Cardinal genus as a whole makes it impossible for outsiders to the Cardinal community to look past the aesthetic differences in the Cardinal population, leading to the judgement of cardinals based on whether or not their feathers are red. My request to you is to include the derogatory cardinal mascot in your list of mascot names that need to be changed. If schools such as Bellaire change their name to the Northern Male Cardinals I will find no offense to this name as it specifically states which cardinal is being represented and allows for the community to realize that not all cardinals have red skin or feathers. While I represent a small minority of people who take offense to this, seeing as the Native American population is also a small minority of the American population I, along with the rest of the Desert Cardinal community, would be extremely offended if you do not include the cardinal mascot on your list of mascot names to change.

The rising Radiation levels will affect all of us as a nation. We have a right to know the truth about the contamination in this country from the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor disaster in Japan. Ocean life is already showing signs of what exposure to Radiation has caused. It is our right to know what we are facing and what if anything we can do to protect our children.

Newspapers need to stop publishing letters that deny climate change.

Congress continually searches for ways to cut the budget but refuses to look at cutting their compensations as part of the solution. Instead they are looking at cutting military pensions for those who have served 20+ years of service to this country. Congress, who receives lifetime compensation (after the age of 62) for just 5 years in office, has not earned the right to lifetime benefits; they should be held to the same standards as the military and all other government employees. By cutting Congressional pensions for those who have not served 20+ years, we can further trim the budget to a more acceptable level.

We are planning to build The Worlds largest ALLSolar Research Vessel to 'WAKEUP THE WORLD' to what is taking place with 'YOUR OCEANS NOW!' See us on YouTube: 'ALLSOLAR RESEARCH VESSEL' www.TheNUPresentation.info

Newspapers need to stop publishing letters that deny climate change. Climate change has been conclusively demonstrated. Deniers are variously engaged in misinterpretating facts, ignorantly repeating misinformation, or outright lying. Publishing their claims is not journalism.