Society speaks for itself. This need not replace prayer for many, but a 'Moment of Gratitude' allows each individual the freedom to reflect to whomever or whatever they feel is the need, while also, not just teaching to the young, but reminding us all the importance of gratitude. Susan

Worldwide the melting of the Arctic is already causing extreme weather patterns, increasing temperatures and altering jet streams. The rise in global temperatures is leading to the thawing of ice in Greenland and Antarctica. This immense melting will drastically raise sea levels condensing our world population into smaller and more climate stressed areas. Couple this with the increasing acidity and heating of the world’s oceans, the dangers and damages of unpredictable severe weather catastrophes, the implications for agriculture and global food supply shortages and the extreme loss of habitat for wildlife and our children will be faced with a world we never imagined possible. As the Arctic’s tundra thaws, a host of compounding problems may arise. The soon to be exposed Arctic permafrost contains 1.5 trillion tons of carbon and in moist /wet areas this will produce methane emissions. Unfortunately methane is 20 - 25 times more capable of retaining heat than the well known green house gas carbon dioxide. The exposure of these potent green house gasses by the thawing of the Arctic’s ice will cause the world’s green house effect to intensify and multiply and further increase global temperatures. Our children may very well see countries fight over life sustaining resources such as food and water in their life times. As a citizen of the United States and a parent I feel utter dismay that our planet has been allowed to enter such a time of unprecedented environmental crisis. Continued purposeful inaction by our government will result in the deaths of billions of people and environmental and economic collapse. The time has come for President Obama to take his position as the leader of a world power. Mr. President, please take immediate action to development and implement a global plan to prevent the loss of Arctic ice and halt the warming of our planet. Please address the American Public on the consequences and enormous implications of our planet’s increasing temperatures and the loss of the Arctic Ice. We understand that the time has come for sacrifices to be made by all the world’s people. We can no longer allow economics and greed to sacrifice our futures.

I request that the decision to dismiss me from ROTC be overturned and as a consequence the Department of the Army reinstate me as an ROTC cadet at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, so that I can receive my commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. I did not receive my rights to Due Process in the course of the investigation and board proceedings regarding the incident that made the basis of this action and that the punishment of disenrollment is overly harsh considering my stellar performance in ROTC. The disenrollment process at the University of PR ROTC battalion occurred approximately one month before my anticipated graduation and commissioning date. The Assistant Professor of Military Science (APMS) who was tasked with conducting an impartial inquiry into a single alleged instance of misconduct subsequently and surreptitiously included twelve (12) additional allegations of purported misconduct for the board’s consideration after then I, who was unrepresented by counsel, had been notified of only a single allegation of disrespect to an officer as the reason for separation. The Board subsequently assembled an incoherent and cursory record showing no consideration of any matters on my behalf. It is both unjust and in error to dismiss me from ROTC immediately prior to my commissioning date based on false allegations with little or no consideration given to my record of performance and ability to complete the remaining requirements to commission. As such, the separation should be overturned and I should be reinstated in ROTC. I joined the enlisted Reserve ranks in 2009 and performed drills with my reserve unit in addition to participating in ROTC. I took to the discipline and rigors well, excelling at physical training (PT), receiving accolades for improving swiftly at PT and volunteering to participate in the Ranger Challenge program. The next year I successfully completed Airborne School in September 2009 at Fort Benning, Georgia and the following summer in 2010 I earned my Air Assault badge. In my third year in the ROTC-SMP program I was awarded the Army Achievement Medal by my unit for my strength and determination in achieving a perfect score of 300 points on the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), the highest score in my reserve unit. In the summer of 2011 I successfully completed the Leadership, Development, and Assessment Course (LDAC) required in order for all ROTC cadets commission as officers. In February 2012 I experienced what would turn out to be a career-altering disagreement with a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) at his reserve unit. In addition to losing drill pay, I received a Letter of Reprimand (LoR) in March 2012 from my reserve unit for the incident. I filed a rebuttal to the LoR and for the first time was able to render a sworn statement detailing what I went through on the day at drill duties, though there is no evidence in the record that anyone at the unit or my ROTC battalion considered the information I brought forth. On 2 May 2012 the Disenrollment Board convened and found that I had committed misconduct by “disrespecting a superior officer.” The only evidence that the Board considered was my responses to their questions and the documents provided by the PMS. Inexplicably, my cadet record also includes a series of duplicate disenrollment board memoranda dated in June 2012 that appear to indicate I waived myright to a board that had already occurred. It is unclear what information was provided to U.S. Army Cadet Command because the disenrollment decision memorandum from Cadet Command cites “frequent absences from military training,” and notably does not mention “disrespect to a superior officer,” as the basis for the action. The problems with the Board process are evident in the Cadet Command determination to disenroll Cadet Ruiz for “absences from training.” I was never notified in the Board process that this is what I had to defend against because this allegation is not contained in the 9 April 2012 board notification memorandum. It begs the question, what documentation did Cadet Command receive? It appears the disenrollment action may have been erroneously based on the June 2012 memoranda submitted by the PMS, which are dated after the Board’s recommendation came to him. Of note, the June 2012 paperwork appears to represent that I waived my right to a board entirely, and yet one was held in May 2012 and it did not find that the misconduct consisted of “absences from training.” The only remedy remaining to correct this injustice is to set aside the disenrollment action.

What is adoption? When a child is adopted, the adoption ends the legal relationship between that child and his or her birth parents and creates a new and legal family relationship with the adoptive parents. There are many different kinds of adoptions: Private, Interstate, Public Agency, and Family Adoptions. Then you have what is called an open or closed adoption. This is what tells how much the birth parents and adoptive parents share information about the child. Section 63-9-350: Withdrawal of Consent or Relinquishment states that the withdrawal of any consent or relinquishment of rights can only be undone by the order of the court. One must prove that the court finds that the withdrawal is in the best interests of the child and that the consent or relinquishment was not given voluntarily or was obtained under duress or through coercion. In South Carolina after the relinquishment of parental rights is signed you cannot go back and change your mind or any sort. Twenty-eight (28) states have laws providing a waiting period before relinquishment of parental rights is irrevocable. Multiple states have a set up time frame whereas the relinquishment of parental rights form may not be signed until so many days or hours after giving birth. South Carolina adoption laws need to be changed in regarding the time frame of a waiting period after signing the form. At least thirty (30) days should be in affect after signing relinquishment of parental rights before the form becomes irrevocable. Why is this so important to me? On August 18, 2012 I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named MacKenzie Grace. I was unaware of the pregnancy until I got to the hospital; I thought I had food poisoning. My parents had just dropped me off at college earlier that day this was my first time away from home, I did not know anyone, I was alone, and young (18 as of April). Within the three days I was at the hospital they had me sign a bunch of forms one of these forms were a relinquishment of rights form. This form took my rights as a mother away. I was unaware of the effects of signing this form and was unaware of any of the papers I was signing. My three day's in the hospital were 'blurry dreams', I am unable to remember much about those days. I started fighting for my child immediately after becoming aware of what happened. After three months I was granted a temporary hearing. At this hearing I was granted visitation for four hours once a week. I had to drive from my home three hours away and rent a hotel room for four hours all at my expense. September 5, 2013 we had our final hearing; it was a two day trial. The judge ended up making his verdict almost three weeks later. He sided with the people who were fighting me for my daughter. They will now be able to adopt her since I lost and will not be able to contest their adoption. I now need to raise money to get to the next court which is the Appellate court. This court will be the next action to fight for my daughter.

There needs to be a pathway to citizenship for the immigrates already living and working in our country.

I am Native American Mexican I know about the injustice that Mexicans have suffered in history and I am tired of the continuation of denial from the self proclaim elite that continue to oppress and dishonor our people.

The bullying (of students, parents and staff) has gone on far too long, and the Board of Education won't do anything about it. In fact, they do it during board meetings! While a FREE workplace bullying assessment WON'T fix everything, it is a START. It means the Board of Education is LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY - a community that is deeply hurting from rampant bullying - not just of teachers but of parents, students and other employees.

We need to pressure these corporations laying off part time workers and trying to end obamacare...Trader Joe's presents a progressive, earth friendly image. Also I enjoy their products but will no longer shop there until this policy changes.

Earlier this summer, a New Yorker article revealed that public television pulled the documentary Citizen Koch from a planned national broadcast, out of fear of upsetting major PBS donor and right-wing billionaire David Koch. This petition was started to counter such intimidation and urge New Orleans's local PBS station to air the documentary.

We all know how the gridlock in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate is affecting America. Like an ineffective management team in a company that needs to be fired and replaced with a new team, this is what we need to do in Congress! By pledging to NOT re-elect all of the incumbents, not only will this send a message, it will bring fresh air and new blood into Congress. We need to take action and elect individuals who will focus on what is good for the whole, rather than what is good for themselves! By taking this action, it will start the change that is needed!

Immigration reform in order to keep families together and not torned apart for such a inhuman treatment. Majority of these individuals are honest people and do not cause any harm to others.

Professional sports organizations, as defined in 28 USCS § 3701(3), have enjoyed certain privileges, immunities, and tax exemptions normally accorded to traditional 501(c) 3’s. Understandably, such privileges were awarded in 1966, in the context of the NFL's merger with the defunct AFL, in order to promote a) growth in the league, and b) to disallow the NFL from shrinking the number of competing teams and organizations under its corporate umbrella. Certain types of organizations inferred to in the tax exemption have outlived the tax exemption's purpose: to ensure growth and stability. In light of the NFL's $50 million executive payroll, the players' salaries, the billion dollar contracts awarded to various media - all of which have been virtually tax free and paid to the NFL - we, the United States Congress' constituency, in promoting fairness and integrity, are demanding that Congress act with all due expedience in accordance to the NFL's - and all professional sports organizations' - current financial portfolios.