We can no longer ignore the impending danger to our planet and retirement funds by burning fossil fuel at the current rate. The atmosphere can absorb no more than 565 gigatons of CO2 before 2050. The fossil fuel industries already have the capacity in their reserves to burn 2795 gigatons.(5x the safety limit) and, at our current rate of emissions, we will reach the limit in 15 years. To ensure a livable planet for our children, 80% of the fossil fuel reserves have to stay in the ground. These reserves are already counted as assets--hence the looming carbon bubble will have to pop if we are to save the planet. CalSTRS should not make any new investments in fossil fuels and should divest from all fossil fuels within 5 years.

My nephew, Antwon Whitehead, collapsed while at basketball practice Saturday 9/7/13 and died at age 15 years old. It was determined that Antwon had an enlarged heart. Had he received a more thorough sports physical prior to his playing, it would have been detected and Antwon's life spared. "Antwon's Law" will make it a requirement that all students who want to play sports receive a thorough physical to include an EKG and chest Xray determine any abnormalities of the heart BEFORE they are allowed to play...especially if they have family history of heart disease.

For substantial periods of the past year our children have been unable to use the center’s outdoor playgrounds, and it appears one of those playgrounds has been permanently lost to us. Despite our protests and insistence that Bright Horizons remedy the situation, we have learned our children will continue to be denied access to both outdoor playgrounds for the foreseeable future. This is unacceptable. One of the main features the center touts is the daily, unencumbered access to outdoor playgrounds, which is integral to the development of our children. Indeed, many of us selected this center precisely because of its outdoor playgrounds. To date, we have not been compensated in any way for this loss, and now you’re proposing to increase tuition for our children based on “enhancements” to the center, despite the loss of this key facility. Given the above, a tuition increase is inappropriate at this time. We trust Bright Horizons will recognize the importance of keeping the tuition at its current level so that we can continue to remain involved in and promote the Bright Horizons community.

Isla Vista has a greater population density than Chicago, Philadelphia, or Miami yet has no government services other than the Isla Vista Foot Patrol and no community center. The Centers for Disease Control includes community centers as one of its "Healthy Community Design Principles" and the report "A Snapshot on Poverty in Santa Barbara County" recommended that social services be located in areas accessible to the communities most in need. If the board decides to deny Isla Vista the last available spaces for community gatherings, non-profit outreach, and social services the community will suffer. To learn more check out: https://www.facebook.com/evplaucsb Associated Students represents thousands of students and their neighbors in Isla Vista who would be adversely impacted by continued development with no regard to community health and safety. For years students have worked and lived in Isla Vista without the resources that other communities in the county enjoy. Help us reverse this trend and stop the injustice.

To keep our neighborhood strong and well connected. Zocalo is a part of the San Leandro community and it would be a shame for it to not remain in it's current location.

I know many people, especially veterans, who cannot get basic dental care if they receive medical help through the VA or medical insurance through their county or Medical and Medicare. Lack of basic dental care leads to many other illnesses. Infected teeth and gums can affect the heart, brain and other parts of the body, and even cause death. Lives and money can be saved by adding basic dental care to low-income individuals health insurance. We ask that this amendment be done immediately as it is greatly needed, and has been for some time.

My home and storage room are weighed down with printed books that take space and generate dust. With modern technology, it makes sense to have most of these books in electronic format. However, it doesn't make economic sense to pay full price for electronic copies of books that we've already purchased in print format.

My daughter on the first day of school was given to a stranger. The principal is defending the teacher and making my daughter and I look dishonest. I want a better qualified leader for the children in Coney Island.

Pregnancy shouldn't mean the end of civil liberties, constitutional rights to due process, or protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. State law enforcement authorities, starting with Attorney General Greg Zoeller, must stop irresponsibly attacking the rights of pregnant citizens and start trusting women enough to presume their innocence -- as required by the Constitution. Women are tired of being treated with suspicion, discriminated against, and having our access to health care tampered with by heavy-handed meddlers who are hell-bent on policing the reproduction and sexuality of strangers. AG Zoeller, stop calling on the state legislature to treat pregnancy as a potential crime, making Indiana a state where expectant mothers would become guilty until proven innocent. [1] As a senior law enforcement figure, you have a responsibility to uphold the Constitution and respect the rights of all citizens. Even when those citizens are pregnant. [1] - "A Chance to Teaspoon for the Hoosier State" by Shaker Harmony, Shakesville, September 11, 2013. http://www.shakesville.com/2013/09/a-chance-to-teaspoon-for-hoosier-state.html

Ending gridlock and returning our Government to work.

Since the beginning of the summer we’ve been hearing that Larry Summers will be President Obama’s choice to replace Ben Bernanke as Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank in January.1 Everything about this is wrong. First, Summers was the architect of bank deregulation in the late 1990’s, including the repeal of Glass-Steagall, which created the environment that Wall Street criminals used to destroy our economy. He hasn’t stepped away from that view despite what the bankers did. Second, Summers has stated that he believes that women are "innately" less able to understand science and math than men.2 Third, Administration insiders are telling people Summers is the right choice because, “He has the courage to say, ‘Yes’, to Wall Street”!3 Can you believe that? To us, that’s three strikes. Tell President Obama: Larry Summers is the wrong choice to head the Federal Reserve Bank. This issue is gaining urgency now that fall is rapidly approaching and Congress is back in session. The head of the Federal Reserve Bank has the most influence of any one person over the state of the American economy. Appointing someone who both thinks women are intellectually inferior and paved the way for Wall Street bankers to destroy our economy is wrong for women and wrong for our economy. The not-so-shocking fact about this potential appointment is that there is an amazingly qualified woman for the job in Janet Yellen, about whom the New York Times says, “no one else can match Janet Yellen’s combination of academic credentials and policy-making experience.”4 However, Yellen has been the subject of a whispering campaign about her lack of “toughness” and “gravitas” – coded language used repeatedly against women to keep them out of powerful positions.5 Those kinds of attacks on women are not acceptable and neither is appointing someone like Larry Summers. As the President who has wrestled with the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression – and as the father of two daughters – President Obama should make a better choice. Tell President Obama: Larry Summers is the wrong choice to head the Federal Reserve Bank. Even if you have signed another petition on this topic, sign this one too. With Congress back in session, they need to hear from us now. We'll be working with national partners and local community groups to make sure our voices are heard. 1. John Harwood, "Obama source predicts Summers will be named Fed chief soon." CNBC, 08-26-2013. http://www.cnbc.com/id/100988773 2. "Why women are poor at science, by Harvard president," The Guardian, 01-18-2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/jan/18/educationsgendergap.genderissues 3. “Summers: The Courage to Say Yes to Wall Street?” Mike Lux, Daily Kos, 07-25-2013 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/25/1226436/-Summers-The-Courage-to-Say-Yes-to-Wall-Street# 4. “Choosing the Next Fed Leader” New York Times Editorial Board, 07-29-2013 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/opinion/choosing-the-next-fed-leader.html 5. “The subtle, sexist whispering campaign against Janet Yellen," The Washington Post, 07-19-2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/19/the-subtle-sexist-whispering-campaign-against-janet-yellen/

Valuable farmland and pastoral countryside would be adversely affected by the presence of the huge power poles and the potential for stray voltage. There would be absolutely no benefit to residents along this line, which could easily be avoided by implementing alternative energy sources.