Yosemite Area Audubon is joining with California Audubon and many other friends and supporters of the San Joaquin River. The San Joaquin River belongs to everyone in the Valley. We're speaking up for it, and we'd like you to join us.

Protesting the insanity of Violence in Camden. Silence the media exploitation of that violence by City Crime Rankings

Thanks to the JOBS Act, signed into law by President Obama on April 5th, 2012, startups and small businesses will soon have a new way to raise capital—crowdfunding for equity. This will enable entrepreneurs to turn to the people who know them best (friends, family, and neighbors) and invite them to invest in businesses that they may use such as a local bakery, new technology for bicycle wheels, an afterschool (sports/homework) facility for kids with ADD, etc. As an entrepreneur and founder of CareerFuel.net, I know firsthand how difficult it is to raise capital and why this new alternative source of funding for small businesses and startups is so important. The SEC must write the regulations before this new job growth engine can be launched. Given the enormity of the job, it was not surprising—but nonetheless worrisome—when SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro testified before Congress that the first deadline (July, 2012) for regulatory structuring will not be met. Let’s join forces as Americans to let the SEC know that empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs is vital to our communities and country. Tell the SEC that you are counting on them to do what it takes to meet the December 31, 2012 deadline and to create sensible and workable regulations to help fuel job growth in America! Please copy and paste the following URL into your browser in order to read the crowdfunding part of the JOBS Act: http://careerfuel.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/TITLE-III.pdf Please copy and paste the following URL into your browser in order to read the JOBS Act, in full: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr3606enr/pdf/BILLS-112hr3606enr.pdf Please read below for an outline of the legislation to be implemented: *Entrepreneurs will be able to offer equity in exchange for investments in their startup or small business. At present, startups can raise an unlimited amount of money using crowdfunding, but they cannot offer equity. *The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has until December 31, 2012 to create regulations for how crowdfunding will be executed. *Money can only be raised through a Broker or Internet “funding portal” registered with the government and in compliance with Section 4A(a). *Monies raised are dispersed if they achieve their stated goal. *Entrepreneurs can raise $1M every 12 months until they reach $10M in total assets. *The entrepreneur can decide how much equity is being offered in exchange for the total investment being raised. *The SEC will need to rule on whether any or all crowdfunding investors will count toward the 2,000-investor limit that triggers the requirement for a company to register its common stock and become a publicly reporting company. *Any person who owns 20% or more of the company stock will be required to go through a background check, the details of which will be made public on the crowdfunding site (e.g., credit history, tax liens, etc.). *Money raised through family and friends prior to the first crowdfunding round will need to be disclosed. *Investors will be limited to a total annual investment based on their net worth. For those with annual income of less than $100,000 or equivalent net worth, investments are limited to the greater of $2,000 or 5% of their income/net worth. For those whose annual income/net worth exceeds $100,000, they can invest 10% or up to $100,000. *Regulations will require platforms to use a pop-up box, where investors will read disclaimers and take a quiz ensuring that they understand the high risk associated with such an investment. *Entrepreneurs will be limited to solicitation via existing social media contacts (e.g. email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest). After the initial communication announcing a crowdfunding campaign, all messaging with social contacts will be conducted and catalogued on the campaign site. *Investments will be tracked by affinity circles (i.e., 1st degree is someone from the entrepreneur’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. connections, a 2nd degree affinity is someone from a 1st degree connection and 3rd degree affinity is someone completely unknown to the entrepreneur but who came to the crowdfunding site).

Wall Street Banks have been found guilty of fraud and unethical practices repeatedly over the past decade. Each time they get a slap on the wrist and promise to never do it again. In 2008, they were exposed once again for fraudulent practices that lead to the collapse of our financial system. They were fined, then given tax payer money to pay those fines. So they defrauded you and paid the fine with your money. It's time to prosecute Wall Street Banking Executives!

When I became pregnant with my son, I had two choices career-wise: return to work after a few weeks, using up all my sick and vacation days and maybe taking unpaid emergency leave; or quit my job. I chose to quit my job. I was lucky enough that I had the support needed to be able to stay home and take care of my baby. But most American women can't afford to quit their jobs; some have to return to work as soon as two weeks after giving birth, or risk being fired. While many assume this is the way it has to be, the fact is that American women are practically the only women in the world forced to make this terrible choice. The United States needs to catch up with the rest of the world with regards to respecting women and valuing motherhood. We are one of three countries, out of 178, to NOT have paid maternity leave. Pregnancy and caring for an infant are neither an illness nor a vacation. Having children is a normal part of most people's lives, and allowing mothers the option of being their babies' primary caregivers benefits the whole of society in many verifiable, concrete ways. Paid maternity leave allows mothers to recuperate physically and emotionally from childbirth; promotes bonding and breastfeeding; significantly decreases infant mortality rates; reduces child and spousal abuse; and is of net benefit to the economy as it reduces government spending and the need for public assistance.

Our nation's law makers should take steps to extend the length of Family Medical Leave Act Time and offer meaningful tax credits to the millions of Americans caring for an aging or disabled baby boomer family member. My father Mike is currently on SSI and Medicare and when his illness becomes severe, which is often, I must take off from work. Things became complicated this year when I was out due to an automobile accident. I have now run out of FMLA and sick time for the year and am at the mercy of my employer. Meanwhile, I am paying for much of his care, while performing three peoples' jobs doing personal care, house cleaning, etc. all on top of my career as a flight attendant. Quality skilled nursing facilities can cost up to $6,000.00 a month, a figure simply out of reach for most working people. My situation is not unusual This is happening to so many of us. The emotional and financial drain is unbelievable.

Yes. California just voted to address humane farming regarding Chickens, veal, and to stop poisons in sprays, etc. The Pork Industry is afraid that these measures might creep into the Pork States like Iowa. They went to have Federal standards of food production and want to deny States from enacting their own standards. They snuck an amendment into the Agricultural bill at midnight denying States the right to pass their own food productions laws. This will undo our pesticide laws, humane laws, milk standards, egg productions,, etc.

Alan Simpson said that Social Security is a milk cow with 300 million teats. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20014698-503544.html People, like me, who are drawing social security shouldn't be referred to as Social Security Teat Suckers.

The voter ID laws that have been passed in twentysomething states are merely a revival of Jim Crow Laws and poll taxes. As a country, we have grown past these archaic, racist laws yet we have stumbled as a democracy when the powers to be can enact a law that is a subterfuge. The proponents of the law claim that there are fraudulent voters, yet in the past 12 years there has only been 13 proven attempts to misrepresent a voter's true identity. This law requires a voter to produce identification at the poll. If a voter does not have a driver's license, he/she must produce a state-verified voter ID which can only be obtained with #1...a birth certificate...and #2 a social security card ..#3 ... utility records showing past bills paid. A passport will also suffice though a passport currently costs $150 and expires after ten years. In Pennsylvania, 9.2% of the population currently will be banned from voting. A large number of that percentage are in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, both cities with large African-American populations. Representative Turzai recently...and proudly stated that the republican congress of Pennsylvania has successfully passed a voter ID law which in his words has thrown Pennsylvania into Governor Romney's camp. His words to the Republican State Committee in Hershey were directed toward the republican-dominated congress in which he stated, " Voter ID laws which are going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania...DONE! It is on tape...simply Google it. This petition is important in that on July 25th, the law will be review by the courts and hopefully will go before the state supreme court before the election. Please sign this petition to repeal this onerous law intended NOT to correct voter irregularity but merely a means to deny a segment of the population their constitutional right.

oppressive and unwarranted activity against animal facilities

War-making is obsolete. In today’s nuclear age it is also suicidal. The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is currently campaigning for a Congressional resolution to bring a version of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Written by U.S. occupation forces in1946 Article 9 declares that Japan will never again make war. Japan has not made war in 66 years while growing to become an economic giant on the world stage. Not one soldier or civilian lost in combat. Not one war declared in that time. This is a legacy and an example for the world to follow. With Article 9 in our constitution, we and Japan can form a coalition to support the United Nations in abolishing war-making as a political and economic tool.

LTC(Ret) Barbara Bachmeier was certified to run for the Alaska State House in the upcoming elections, but after her opponent filed a residency challenge, Lt Gov Mead Treadwell disallowed her candidacy, knowing that the decision did not include a complete review of all the evidence. After telling Barbara that he did not have any involvement with the decertification decision and pledging to look into the matter, Treadwell chooses to ignore all inquiries. [Some offices in Alaska state government, are not required to respond to constituent inquiries. Governor's office states this is not their problem.]