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.

There are several screen shots proving that our claim of cheating is valid.. Kabam has confirmed this in their forums and by banning a handful of players.. We are asking that all players be compensated with mithril so that every player can choose how and when to use it. We also want to know Kabam's official stance on the situation and why it's been allowed to continue. The entire alliance should be banned and disbanded..we also ask Kabam to adopt better policies regarding the integrity of the game.

The healthcare cost savings alone to these people, going back into the economy, plus savings to the state in indigent healthcare costs, will far more than offset any perceived disadvantages of participation in the program.

The MAP tests are useless and do not accomplish anything. The teachers are judged on tests that are not acurate and are not in the curriculum.

Not only have I watched my only child & son who currently sits in prison from this devil drug suffer but I too have suffered due to ugliness of this devil drug along with many others whom have lost their children from this devil drug...It effects the whole family sadly as with many drug addictions !!!

I have been personally affected by this exposure, I have appealed my denial ever since filing my claim in 1977. My last denial in 2013 was a result of 22 years of appeals only to have Judge Kathy Bansfield call me and the buddies who signed my affadavits incompetent. It is recognized the DOD gave orders to use herbicides containing dioxin in the areas I was deployed in Okinawa, Japan, and on the DMZ in Guantánamo bay. My children and grand children born with birth defects like the children and grand children of my peers who reported the same birth defects as my children have been diagnosed with. It is time the federal government do the right thing and stop this discrimination My physicians at the V.A. hospital know that dioxin never leaves the blood system, and that if anyone was severely exposed, they told me it was I.

The Geist Landing Neighborhood Association and surrounding associations are concerned about encroaching commercial property affecting homeowners property value. We believe that if commercial property is allowed to expand on 96th street, additional nearby properties may request rezoning. Homes adjacent to these properties will be looking into the backdoor of potential businesses. While many of the homes on 96th St. are currently acting as a business in some form, allowing them to be rezoned as commercial property is likely to change the landscape of the neighborhood significantly and could drive the home values down. The hearing is 1-21 at 1PM in the public assembly room, City County Building, second floor. The variance request number is 2013 UV3 026. A map of the property can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/nxzrj2r