David Koch's donations already threaten to undermine the integrity of Boston's flagship PBS station, WGBH—and now another Boston-based educational institution is feeling the effects of accepting the Kochs’ dirty money: Suffolk University. The Beacon Hill Institute, the research wing of Suffolk's economics department, recently attempted to conduct research with the professed goal of attacking the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The institute skirted the university’s protocols and instead sought approval for the proposal from the Searle Freedom Trust, which funds ultra-conservative groups like the Heartland Institute and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). It’s no coincidence that the Koch brothers are donors to Suffolk and major players in the Searle Freedom Trust’s partner organizations. The institute’s “research” proposal reeks of the Kochs’ anti-climate agenda. Sign the petition to demand that Suffolk University rejects all funding from the Koch brothers.

Animal cruelty is abhorrent and unacceptable. Pigs are smarter than a 3-year-old human child and do not deserve to be banished to small gestation crates for their entire lives. S.1921 is a bill that would ban the use of pig gestation crates in NJ. The pigs are kept in barren metal stalls, often smaller than the sows themselves, which measure a mere 6 ft x 2 ft. The sows, some of whom can weigh up to 600 lbs, can't even turn around in the stalls. In May, the New Jersey legislature voted overwhelmingly to ban these crates. The bill passed the Assembly by a margin of 60-5 votes, and by the Senate 29-4. In June, Governor Chris Christie vetoed the legislation. It's been speculated that perhaps the Governor was thinking more about an Iowa presidential primary, and his friendship with US Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), rather than the welfare of these animals. Iowa is, after all, the largest pork producer in the nation. In November, a veto override vote was attempted in the Senate, but it had to be withdrawn because it turned out that it was 2 votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed for the bill to override the veto. Six Republican senators, who originally voted "YES" in support of the ban, reversed their votes to "NO" in order to stay in lockstep with the Governor. Our District 8 Senator Dawn Marie Addiego was one of the Republicans who changed her vote to "NO." The other Republican senators who changed their votes to "NO" included: Jennifer Beck (Monmouth), Tom Kean, Jr. (Union), Christopher Connors (Ocean), Jim Holzapfel (Ocean), and Robert Singer (Ocean). It has been argued that New Jersey doesn't have the massive number of hogs that other states have, so the vote is irrelevant here. However, this argument doesn't hold water. We shouldn't tolerate cruelty whether it's inflicted on hundreds of thousands of animals or just one. Others have argued that the intensive confinement is not inhumane, and they cite "experts" that will attest to that. However, those "experts" have conflicts of interest associated with their close connections with the industry (lobbyists, researchers accepting industry grant money, etc.) Impartial animal behaviorists have advocated for the ban. But it doesn't take a degree in animal science to see that the crates are inhumane. Pigs are sentient beings. They suffer as we do: pain, boredom, fear. It's also well-documented that they are highly intelligent. To subject an animal to this extensive confinement during their several years of continuous breeding (until they are slaughtered), is simply wrong. Most people recognize this. Nine other states have banned the crates. The European Union has banned them. Australia and New Zealand will phase them out over the next two years, and Canada has moved in that direction as well. And many corporate pork purchasers are no longer allowing their suppliers to use the crates. Here in the Garden State, the pig gestation crate ban has garnered widespread support from farmers, veterinarians, and the public. Polls show that nearly 90 percent of New Jersey residents would like to see the gestation crates abolished. Please sign the petition and urge your New Jersey legislators to vote their conscience and their constituents' wishes, and once again vote "YES" on the upcoming veto override vote.

As a teacher in Arizona, I've witnessed ALEC's dangerous agenda firsthand. The group has repeatedly tried to dismantle our public schools by rerouting taxpayer funds toward private and for-profit institutions, attacking the reduced price school lunch program and attempting an end-run around teachers' unions. On top of that, it's repeatedly pushed voter suppression efforts, discouraged policies that would expand alternative energy use and promoted the dangerous "Stand Your Ground" law. Google has a great reputation and I couldn't be happier about the recent investments my school made to bring tools like Chrome and Google Docs to my students - but that also makes Google's involvement with ALEC even more disappointing.

The smear and retaliation campaign by the extreme right against progressive Colorado legislators who backed this year’s gun safety reforms has taken a terrible toll. But they were right to not give up. Now we can see the reforms they fought for are working--preventing guns from being sold to people who shouldn’t have them--while allowing law-abiding citizens to go about their business. Common-sense gun safety in Colorado is making our state better.

Every birth, every adoption, and every serious illness presents the average American worker with an agonizing choice between financial security and their families’ health. The FAMILY Act would create a national family and medical leave insurance program to provide workers with a portion of their wages for up to 12 weeks in a year to recover from a serious health condition; to care for ailing parents, spouses, domestic partners, and children; to care for a new child; or for specific military caregiving and leave purposes. Successful paid leave programs in New Jersey, California, and around the world have shown the benefits of paid leave. It improves newborn and maternal health. It helps patients avoid complications and hospital readmissions. It keeps workers in the workforce and financially stable. And businesses benefit from decreased turnover and increased employee engagement. The FAMILY Act would be funded through employee and employer contributions. The benefits would amount to 66 percent of a worker’s wages (with a maximum of $4000 per month in the first year), and the cost for a typical worker would be about $1.50 per week. American workers deserve better. It’s time for Congress to improve the lives of every working family. Pass the FAMILY Act today.

WE WANT MR. BROWN HELP REVOKE THE PAROL OF A MURDER. RECENTLY GRANTED PAROL. WE ARE AFRAID HE'LL COMIT ANOTHER CRIME WHILE OUT. AND ALSO IF PAROLED HE'LL LIVE 20 MINITES FROM THE VICTIMS FAMILY.

Unless Congress acts, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program ends between Christmas and New Years for 1.3 million jobless Americans. Unemployment benefits will be cut from as much as 73 weeks to 26 weeks after December 28. EUC should continue until the economy picks up and jobs are available again (There are still 3 jobless for every job in the US). It's not only the 1.3 million that will loose benefits come December 28th but also the people that are set to run out of state benefits by the beginning of the year. The state of NJ has a unemployment rate of 8.4% one of the highest in the country.

The consumer has the right to know the source or origin of the food that it is consumed. Not all food sources are regulated or follow standards of health and contamination prevention.

Jay Estanislao is a great Karaoke host and we want him back in Texas on a Carnival ship .He has made thousands of great memories for your guest both on and off the Karaoke floor. He is a very caring and talented young man and we want him back.

Recently, NBC News did a story on a shocking subject—Goodwill doesn't pay it's disabled employees minimum wage, more than that, some employees make mere PENNIES an hour! Claiming legality under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, Goodwill utilizes a loophole to pay some of its, most at need employees, as low as $0.22 an hour. While half a dozen Regional CEOs, of this 5 Billion dollar a year "organization", are making a salary over $400,000, it's reprehensible to think that they are so grossly abusing their disabled workers. As America rallies together to fight for a much needed raise to the federal minimum wage, we can't forget those who legally still aren't making even that. Tell Goodwill CEO Jim Gibbons that it's time to start treating his workers fairly and paying them an honest wage! NBC News Video Reference via UpWorthy.com: http://www.upworthy.com/words-like-good-and-will-dont-belong-together-if-this-is-the-kind-of-thing-they-do-5

The City of Oakland owns the Oakland Ice Center and the Oakland Bears Youth Hockey Club. The City of Oakland hired and contracted the San Jose Sharks Management to run the Ice Center and the Oakland Bears Youth Hockey Club. The San Jose Sharks management has been ineffectual at running the club and has repeatedly and recklessly put our children directly in harms way. We need an immediate change.

This rich kid killed four people, recklessly and carelessly, heedless of the consequences of his actions. We cannot allow this to go unpunished.