I was unaware of the practices of Halal approved food processing and believe the methods of animal slaughter is barbaric and unnecessary cruel torture. I also am not Islamic and do not want Islamic declarations or processes performed on products that I purchase. This should be a right of all Americans to know if they are purchasing Halal approved products.

Stop the killing of Christians around the world,We stopped the Nazi's with the Jewish people. Forget about the rain forrest and whales.Where talking human life.

Verizon Wireless is discontinuing monthly discounts for customers who have retired from affiliated employers and/or organizations. It's purely a revenue issue for Verizon. It began when Verizon wooed and smoooozed large employers; seeing an opportunity to attract thousands of customers, all at once. A 5-20% discount was an genius marketing tool and strategy that could be easily absorbed; compared to the millions to be made with the potential thousands of new customers. The organization I retired from had over 2.6 million employees. Verizon was mesmerized by the shear number of potential customers with these contracts, and reverification was obviously not a Verizon company policy or standard. They have not monitored "the discount"; because this is the first time I've had to reverify my employment. Consequently now, I would imagine, Verizon has thousands of customers who are receiving the discount still, after terminating employment with the original employer, which qualified them to get the discount. When I received my notice to reverify my discount, I promptly called Verizon to learn where to send my annuity statement. I was quickly told "Oh No, you are retired." Since I'd never been asked to reverify my employment and/or association, in four years, I assumed the discount was for retirees too. In my organization the previous retirees never said, "Oh, when you retire you will loose your Verizon discount." I would also imagine that most other retirees have had opportunities, over the years, to switch to a different carrier, but did not and have stayed as happy satisfied loyal customers. In today's toilet economy, with companies laying off people, downsizing, closings, etc. there are thousands of people stampeding towards the retirement door. Verizon sees, with tunnel vision, the potential of the money to be made off the thousands who have, and will retire. A 5-20% revenue jump, times thousands of retirees, should look pretty good on the bottom line. It's very unfair of Verizon to create this system, to get our business, not monitor it, and now suddenly decide to terminate it, without warning. This is a knee jerk impulsive attempt to make millions. We retirees are on limited incomes; usually a fraction of our former salaries. Thousands of us may well take our celluar telephone business elsewere.

My aunt, Gwendolyn, is being housed at Rikers Island Correctional Facility's Rose M. Singer Center and needs dire medical attention! She needs surgery to fix her defective hip replacement, and is currently forced to walk with a cane, lie on a mattress all day or sit in a wheel chair while her hip dislocates, due to the separation of the bolts holding her hip in place. As her hip bones separate, she can now only recieve 4 basic Tylenol pills a day. It has gotten so bad for her that she has even declined continuing to receive visits, as it is too painful for her to make it to the visiting room and sit for that long. She is in terrible living, social, and mental conditions and that's hard enough to deal with. But to know every moment that passes that she is in such terrible pain and there is so little that I can do to change her circumstances is agonizing. I pray so hard every day for God to deliver her from her misery. In such, I have decided to contact everyone I can to seek help, justice and humanity for my ailing, medically deprived aunt. No matter how anyone feels about the circumstances surrounding inmate rights, it should never invalidate a person's right, my aunt's right, to live as a human being should live! Her right to live as God ordained His creations to live! My aunt needs help! She has four children, three grandchildren, with another on the way and dozens of nieces, nephews, sisters and brothers praying for and thinking of her every single day. So, I am coming to you all, the public, with faith, persistence, and few places other to go. Will you help my family and I secure humanity for my aunt please? Will you all be a part of this stand for justice and exemplifying the concept of doing to others as we would have them do to us?!

There are many New Yorkers who could benefit from the medical qualities Marijuana has. Medical Marijuana can help treat cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, and many other illnesses. Marijuana is already legal for medical use in District of Columbia, California, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Colorado, Maine, Montana, Michigan, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Vermont, Hawaii, and New Jersey. We are asking New York State Senate to pass The Compassionate Care Act to allow sick New Yorkers legal access to Medical Marijuana.

We want to keep our neighborhood the way it is. We do not want flag lots, condos, apartments, or large multifamily structures invading our neighborhoods. Families in Lake Balboa love the quiet oak lined streets, and we will fight against anything that diminishes our quality of life.

I feel we really need to look at other options for weed control. I've heard that Australia simply uses a machine that sprays very hot steam! We could improve our economy by taking the millions we spend on herbicide and paying the road workers to weed wack instead. This way we will protect our health, the health of the Aina and at the same time stop the support of Monsanto. The Round Up doesn't stop nature. When I drive our highways I still see all the grass and all the trees. The damage doesn't disappear or look cut, manicured or cared for. It just looks brown and sick. I Can't help but wonder what kind of impressions this makes on our valued tourists as they drive our poisoned pathways? What do you think this continuous exposure will do to our health and the delicate ecosystem of the land and ocean? I read an article in my state medical insurance magazine that said they expected a rise in a certain kind of cancer that they know is caused by herbicides. I also read that when our ground water was tested it was contaminated with glyphosate (an ingredient in Round Up). I think we need to search for natural alternatives to Round Up before we suffer anymore of the consequences. Mahalo, Kelly Brownell

The U.S. Senate will be voting after Thanksgiving on a bill to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour over three years. The bill would also increase the tipped minimum wage, which has been $2.13 an hour since 1991. Huge majorities across the political spectrum support an increase in the minimum wage. It's good for workers, good for local businesses, and it's the right thing to do. Tell Senators McConnell and Paul: it's time to raise the minimum wage.

We recognize that the education of our youth is paramount to the success of our community. Further, we acknowledge that any distraction from the education of our youth hampers the success of our community. The alleged wrongdoings of Cortez Quinn came to light over a year ago. For more than a year, then, the Twin Rivers Unified School District and Board of Education have been distracted from their only job - ensuring the success of 28,000 students in 50 schools throughout the Sacramento area. The charges against Cortez Quinn include four felony counts of perjury, four felony counts of filing false documents, and five misdemeanor counts related to improper receipt of the loans and gifts. 13 charges of wrongdoing will no doubt distract the Twin Rivers Unified School District and Board of Education until Cortez Quinn is found innocent or guilty. We cannot afford further distractions. Cortez Quinn, we request that you resign effectively immediately.

I know too many families who are holding on by their fingernails in this state...

Because this country is off track. This America, we know longer can afford to live the American dream with these three individuals chipping away at our freedom and liberty daily through bureaucratic agencies that they have created.

Please....help us to stop a vote for $300,00,000 for a Fracking refinery by the City of Phoenix and mayor for North Dakota ! Time is of the essence, please...let them know in a friendly manner that to vote for this huge sum of money is not only financially risky but...immoral because it is a crime against to humanity to poison the water of another state so that children and adults will become sick from it ! Thank you, Leonard Clark :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebhcGdr_BtE