NYC Community Boards are advisory bodies which could benefit from the input of informed and engaged teens on youth related issues. At the present time, 16 and 17 year olds can participate as non-voting public members. Revision of the NYS Public Officers Law would allow them to become appointed, voting members, giving recognitiont to their contributions, and benefitting communities with enlightened youth contribution.

The long-term unemployed need help to survive now. We need to speak out with one voice to urge the President and Congress not to abandon those who have no income through no fault of their own. Foreclosure, homelessness, hunger, unmet medical needs and even suicide are our reality.

In the 1886 case between Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations had the same rights as natural person, by using the language in the 14th Amendment guaranteeing freed African Americans legal rights. This ruling has allowed for the courts to side with corporations in the Citizens United case to allow for unlimited corporate donations ot elections.

* * * * * * * * * * MAYOR TISDAHL Said NO! to Tilted Kilt! If you haven't thanked her yet, please do! * * * * * * * * * * Your voices have been heard! On Monday evening, May 2, Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl issued a written opinion denying this liquor license application. Here's a link to the full text of her decision: http://www.cityofevanston.org/news/assets/titled%20kilt%20decison%205-2-11.pdf The Mayor's decision is final unless 6 of the 9 members of the Evanston City Council vote to reverse it or Ted Mavrakis files and wins an appeal to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. Neither is likely. Still, we will keep this petition site up until June 3, after both deadlines for appeal have passed. Stay tuned! We've sent you three letters with more details and lots of links to news coverage. THANK YOU for your incredible efforts and CONGRATULATIONS on our victory! Kathleen Flaherty & Cynthia Farenga * * * * * * * * * * Do you want to see a Tilted Kilt "breastaurant" when you visit Fountain Square? Do you want to inhale secondhand smoke from clusters of its customers? Tilted Kilt poses as a family restaurant, but sells adult entertainment. "Kilt Girl" costumes and scripted behavior "cast" young women as naughty-but nice schoolgirls and invite grown men to be sexually aroused.  The tee shirts they sell show Kilt Girls draped on whiskey bottles, with slogans like "Goes Down Smooth" and "Soft Tail." Mayor Tisdahl, our local Liquor Commissioner, held a public hearing on April 26. We presented this petition, with almost 2,000 signers. We summarized petition comments and read some of them into the record. Dozens of "SAY NO!" citizens attended. Many testified about their reasons: protecting the physical and emotional well-being of our children, fostering respect and equality for women, rejecting businesses which "normalize" sex discrimination in hiring and sexual harassment, preserving our Fountain Square as a war memorial and town square. We explained why a Tilted Kilt would diminish the appeal of our downtown as a place to shop and dine. We noted it was likely to siphon business from existing bars and restaurants. We asked whether it would really bring new customers and, if so, what kind? Tilted Kilt's corporate reps assured the Mayor that there has never been a criminal incident at any Tilted Kilt. But a quick news search turned up 9 serious incidents, 4 at the Elgin Tilted Kilt since January -- including multiple stabbings. They insisted their costumes aren't very provocative, but the photos and videos on their website contradict them. They demanded that we not judge them by their website, but they control the content of that website. The Mayor has issued her decision. See top for this great news!

Taxpayers should not be paying 60 percent of every member of congress's health care costs. Anyone making $174,000 should be paying 100 percent of their health care costs unless the private company they work for is sharing the cost.

Social Security has a surplus. It doesn't make anyone more secure to reduce benefits or to privatize any part of it. If Social Security had been privatized during the most recent huge Wall Street crashes, most elder Americans would have lost their retirement incomes. When it is said Social Security is or will soon be broke, they are lying. They just don't want to pay back what has been borrowed from it

As long as big business finances (buys) elections, politicians will put their interests above the people's. Case in point; 80% of Americans think the Citizens United decision was a huge mistake, yet over a year later, no bill has been introduced to stop unlimited and anonymous corporate donations. Our government has been privatized, and until this is changed, we will not see the meaningful change that this country needs and that it is capable of.

Stop bullying & obstructing the democratic process.

Corporations are not persons and should not be considered as such.

Orange County GOP Central Committee member Marilyn Davenport sent a racist e-mail depicting President Obama as an ape, with a caption, questioning his birth certificate. She has asserted in a private email to Orange County GOP leaders that she will not be stepping down, and she apologizes to anyone who may have been offended. She maintains that "in no way did I even consider the fact he's half black when I sent out the email" and decries the "double standard" that applies to President Barack Obama. See the OC Weekly for the full text of the email. Marilyn Davenport in her press conference stated that she sent this racist e-mail to selected people in her press conference April 20, 2011, which further proves she knew it had racist overtones. She maintains that she did not know it was offensive, and that she has African American friends. Why didn't she send the e-mail to her non-white friends? It was deliberate and inflamatory. She should resign as a public servant in politics. The Associated Press reports that Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Scott Baugh wants to launch an ethics investigation about the incident, and that he thinks she should resign. Baugh said, "It's just highly inappropriate, it's a despicable message, it drips with racism and I think she should step down from the committee."

To create a global board of scientists, engineers and environmentalists who have the aptitude to be able to respond to disasters that affect the planet and require immediate intelligent response. This board would have the power to oversee and supercede the authority of the corporations or govt agencies involved, perhaps through the UN.

The Area Agency on Aging is a very efficient organization that helps Seniors in Ohio. It is being suggested that a for profit group could take on these functions and save money. The target word is money as the needs of Seniors would be secondary . Support Area Agency on Aging as it has supported the aging for many years.