political parties and the disaster we are steaming towards.

A distressing incident occurred at Meadowlawn Middle School yesterday, when Principal Claud Effiom chose to interpret policy through the lens of his own ignorance, missing an opportunity to teach tolerance by example. My son was penalized for wearing makeup at school by Principal Effiom, who expressed his own belief that boys wearing makeup is ridiculous, unnecessary, and distracting. My son has endured vicious bullying for the last several years, and unfortunately, he is not the only one. These attacks are terribly damaging to young people, who are already struggling to find their identity. Incidents like the one yesterday only serve to further isolate these kids, who feel abandoned by the educators that are charged with their safety and well-being. It is unacceptable that these things should be allowed to occur anywhere, but most especially in a community as diverse and accepting as Pinellas County.

Recently Jeremiah Moss posted a petition to move a Citibike station farther away from Frank's Bike Shop. We are fans of both Jeremiah's excellent blog and Frank's excellent shop, but believe Jeremiah's petition is based on incorrect assumptions about Citibike's and Frank's business models, and will ultimately do nothing to help Frank, because: 1. Frank sells, services and rents bikes and accessories. Those of us who rent from him (including the authors of this petition) do so for a full day (or longer) excursion--to ride with family, or visit Governor's Island, or take a leisurely ride around the city. Frank provides locks, child seats and other accessories that Citibike does not and cannot provide and charges far less than Citibike if you want to keep the bike for the whole day. 2. Citibike provides bikes for point-to-point rides of 30-45 minutes or less from one Citibike station to another. It is intended to replace or supplement walking, mass transit and taxis as a way to get around Midtown and downtown Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. You can ride a Citibike to work, the store or the movies and not worry about it getting stolen. You can take a different mode of transportation home. But you can't take a Citibike to Governor's Island without racking up massive charges, you can't take a child on a Citibike, and you really shouldn't leave a Citibike anywhere other than a Citibike docking station as the cost to replace a lost or stolen Citibike is exorbitant. 3. Very few people headed to Frank's shop will change their minds about buying, servicing or renting a bike simply because they see a Citibike station nearby. And for the handful of people who might change their minds, moving this particular station away from his shop will not prevent them from encountering a Citibike station, as there are Citibike stations everywhere (including at least one between Frank's shop and each of the nearest subway stops). 4. Frank has the opportunity to capitalize on the nearby Citibike station by expanding his accessory offerings. We hope he will sell more helmets, lights and biking-appropriate bags and clothing as a result. 5. Citibike has the potential to significantly increase the normalcy and safety of biking as a means of transportation in New York City, expanding the pool of people who want to buy their own bikes and who need to get them serviced.

Amid protest Cargill has put a large chemical hog factory in our first National River's watershed, A FLOOD PLAIN ON BIG CREEK SWIMMING HOLE, across the street from an elementary school! Science dictates there will be 100% chance of contamination!

You Promised Generalized Immigration Reform! It is a Necessary and Timely Civil Rights Issue! ¡Promover la reforma migratoria general ahora! ¡Es simplemente correcto!

It must be comprehensive. It must follow the most recent census statistics by race. That premise makes affirmative action live(changes with new census), comprehensive it includes all races, and customized by state !!! Example: Texas: White 45% ,Latino 38%, 4% Asians, Native Americans 1%. That should be Texas affirmative action.

BREAKING: The Guardian's Glenn Greenwald reports that the government is monitoring millions of Americans' phone calls "indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing."

A free press is considered the cornerstone of our democracy. But "free" is a relative term when media consolidation makes it virtually impossible for the public to get objective news. Now Charles and David Koch want to buy the Tribune Company newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Daily Call, Orlando Sentinel, and Hoy. We all know what we'll be reading if that happens: skewed reporting on every major issue, with a healthy side of climate change denial. It will be the kind of "journalism" we get from FOX News. Regular citizens are determined to stop them, and have pledged every cent we can spare to a crowd-funded effort led by the nonprofit "The Other 98%." Our aim is to buy the papers. But the end of the campaign is just days away and we are still woefully short of our fundraising goal. We need a miracle. That's why we are reaching out to five respected media leaders – all known for their philanthropy as well as their business acumen – and asking them to step up and join us in the fight to save genuine, honest to goodness journalism. We want Warren Buffett, Eli Broad, Jeff Skoll, Oprah Winfrey, and Jon Stewart to help us buy the Tribune Company newspapers and give each of them back to their communities. The Green Bay Packers football team has been under public ownership for half a century. If public ownership works for sports, why not news and weather?

Veterans returning with loss of limbs and life-long deteriorating physical conditions .. have to serve minimum of 20 years in order to just get 50% of their pay... : Why do politicians receive full pay in retirement after serving one term and our military after serving 20 years gets only 50 percent of their pay? How do we change it to have it done more equitably?

BREAKING: The Guardian's Glenn Greenwald reports that the government is monitoring millions of Americans' phone calls "indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing."

BREAKING: The Guardian's Glenn Greenwald reports that the government is monitoring millions of Americans' phone calls "indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing."

Democracy has been losing its hold in Turkey's values and government for the last 12 years. Prime Minister and the president of Turkey along with their falsely elected AK Party has been loosening the tight controls governing the division between state and religion set by the founder of Turkey; Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. To date, they have jailed a multitude of journalists, retired military commanders, teenagers who post on YouTube contrary to their beliefs, removed judges from the Supreme Court, changed the Constitution to suit their needs, sold public land not just to Turkish private companies but mostly foreign corporations and foreign countries. In the meantime, the PM of Turkey is now the second richest PM in the world, his son owns multi million dollar ships, his 'investments' have seen increases of %1000000. My country is under attack from within. THIS IS A CANCER! Help us keep Turkey in the news. Sign this petition so that we can tell the world, WE ARE NOT ALONE!