These are the facts... A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Organisms that have been genetically modified include micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals. GMOs are the source of genetically modified foods, and are also widely used in scientific research and to produce goods other than food. The term GMO is very close to the technical legal term, 'living modified organism' defined in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which regulates international trade in living GMOs (specifically, "any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology"). This article focuses on what organisms have been genetically engineered, and for what purposes. The article on genetic engineering focuses on the history and methods of genetic engineering, and on applications of genetic engineering and of GMOs. Both articles cover much of the same ground but with different organizations (sorted by organism in this article; sorted by application in the other). There are separate articles on genetically modified crops, genetically modified food, regulation of the release of genetic modified organisms, and controversies. With regard to our North American food supply, approximately 93% of soy, 88% of field corn, 94% cotton, and over 90% of canola seed and sugar beets planted in the U.S. (2012 data) are genetically engineered.According to the Non-GMO Project, the following are considered High-Risk Crops (in commercial production; ingredients derived from these must be tested every time prior to use in Non-GMO Project Verified products (as of December 2011): Alfalfa (first planting 2011) Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop) Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011) Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011) Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres) Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011) Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010) Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres) Studies and research shows that soil microorganisms are very essential for soil fertility. Over 100 million microorganism and over 1000 species live in one gram of productive soil. Without these microorganisms that include fungi, bacteria, algae and insects, plants wouldn’t obtain the essential nutrition for growth. There was a huge change in US agriculture as the result of medical research on antibiotics, pesticides and synthetic chemicals during World War II. Use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides started killing fungi, weeds and useful insects in the soil. Excessive use of hormones and antibiotics also resulted in antibiotic resistant diseases in animals and people. Our soil and livestock were doing fine until genetic engineering was invented. In genetic engineering a number of different genes are inserted into the recipient organism. At the same time chemicals & pesticides are sprayed on GMO crops which that potentially results in destruction of most of insets and living microorganisms in the soil. Do your part. Sign the petition to push for mandatory labeling of GMO products.

Republicans in Congress swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath requires them to carry out oversight of the Executive and, if necessary, remove from office any president guilty misconduct including abuse of authority, self-dealing, misuse of assets, dereliction of duty, or treason. Republicans are in breach of that oath.

Today, one week before the Supreme Court hears arguments in Bowman v. Monsanto Co., the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and Save our Seeds (SOS) launched our new report, Seed Giants vs. U.S. Farmers. The report investigates how the current seed patent regime has led to a radical shift to consolidation and control of global seed supply and how these patents have abetted corporations, such as Monsanto, to sue U.S. farmers for alleged seed patent infringement. Seed Giants vs. U.S. Farmers also examines broader socio-economic consequences of the present patent system including links to loss of seed innovation, rising seed prices, reduction of independent scientific inquiry, and environmental issues. Among the report’s discoveries are several alarming statistics: •As of January 2013, Monsanto, alleging seed patent infringement, had filed 144 lawsuits involving 410 farmers and 56 small farm businesses in at least 27 different states. •Today, three corporations control 53 percent of the global commercial seed market •Seed consolidation has led to market control resulting in dramatic increases in the price of seeds. From 1995-2011, the average cost to plant one acre of soybeans has risen 325 percent; for cotton prices spiked 516 percent and corn seed prices are up by 259 percent. Additionally, Seed Giants vs. U.S. Farmers reports a precipitous drop in seed diversity that has been cultivated for millennia. As the report notes: 86% of corn, 88% of cotton, and 93% of soybeans farmed in the U.S. are now genetically-engineered (GE) varieties, making the option of farming non-GE crops increasingly difficult. While agrichemical corporations also claim that their patented seeds are leading to environmental improvements, the report notes that upward of 26 percent more chemicals per acre were used on GE crops than on non-GE crops, according to USDA data. At the launch of the report via teleconference today, experts from the Center for Food Safety and Save our Seeds were joined by Mr. Vernon Hugh Bowman, the 75-year-old Indiana soybean farmer who, next week, will come up against Monsanto in the Supreme Court Case. When asked about the numerous comparisons being drawn between his case and the story of David and Goliath, Mr. Bowman responded, “I really don’t consider it as David and Goliath. I don’t think of it in those terms. I think of it in terms of right and wrong.” In December of 2012, the Center for Food Safety and Save Our Seeds submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court on behalf of Mr. Bowman, which supports the right of farmers to re-plant saved seed. Arguments in the case are scheduled for February 19th. Download the report here: http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seed-Giants_final.pdf To All that are making decisions for We, THE PEOPLE , and FUTURE GENERATIONS : THINK , THINK very hard about the consequences of NOT doing an about face NOW , CORRECTING our mistakes , and be ready to feed the World good , healthy , food , that will actually help the planet instead of destroy it ! It is criminal to make someone pay for something that is spread by nature (bird poop) and to take poor peoples rights to seed gathering (such as they have for thousands of years) so they have to buy from rich companies they cannot dream to buy from. Do you honestly think you are feeding more around the world , or starving more people that used to be able to feed themselves before their neighbors pesticides sterilized their seeds ? Is Monsanto going to offer to feed them ? Are our Courts going to Reward damages to Organic Farms because their pesticides carried on the wind and destroyed their rights to purer foods ? That would be more fair and correct. Shame on our system and what is being allowed!

The Issue A recent article highlights the ongoing struggle of Amazon employees with disabilities facing systemic discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. This exposé underscores the urgent need for Amazon to overhaul its policies and practices to truly support employees with disabilities. Read the full article here: The Guardian - Discrimination Against Disabled Amazon Workers https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/30/disabled-amazon-workers-discrimination One stark example: An Amazon worker who suffered multiple strokes and can no longer drive asked for remote work as a necessary disability accommodation. Instead of honoring this request, Amazon told them to “just move closer” to the office or take public transit—an unacceptable and discriminatory response. This is just one of many stories revealing how Amazon denies real, verified accommodations—an ongoing violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are calling on Amazon leadership to act now and implement meaningful reforms to ensure full compliance and respect for disability rights. Why is this urgent? Recent surveys among Amazon employees with disabilities reveal a distressing reality: • 93% report policies harmful to their well-being. • 71% say their accommodation needs are unmet or denied. • 50% experience hostile work environments after requesting accommodations. • 92% lack accessible communication or reporting channels. • 77% are told they don’t qualify for roles despite meeting basic criteria. • 92% face unfair treatment, including denial of promotions or resources. • Nearly 70% fear requesting future accommodations due to retaliation. • 80% believe management dismisses their concerns. These alarming statistics expose a workplace rife with discrimination, retaliation, and systemic failure—especially for those with disabilities. Amazon’s refusal to address these issues perpetuates harm, undermines trust, and violates legal obligations. Our Demands In light of these injustices, we demand immediate, comprehensive action from Amazon to rectify these violations and build an inclusive, accessible workplace: 1. Transparent Interactive Process: Ensure all accommodation requests are responded to promptly, documented, and explored thoroughly, including all viable alternatives. 2. Guarantee Remote & Flexible Work: Employees must retain the right to work remotely or with flexible schedules if medically necessary, supported by proper documentation—without arbitrary limits. 3. Eliminate Automated Denials: Disallow AI-based automatic rejection systems; decisions must involve human review. Publish algorithms and rationales for transparency and accountability. 4. Revise Hiring & Leave Policies: Extend timeframes, ensure pay matching, and clarify procedures—eliminating vague language that dismisses or dismisses employees’ accommodation needs. 5. Accessible Tools & Procedures: All workplace communication, reporting, and tools must be accessible to employees with disabilities. 6. Enforce Anti-Retaliation & Safe Reporting: Implement strict policies with confidential channels for reporting discrimination, with penalties for violations. 7. Ongoing Disability Rights Training: Regular training for management and HR, with policies developed in collaboration with the disability union group. 8. Prompt Safety & Accessibility Improvements: Conduct audits and address hazards swiftly. 9. Clear, Consistent Policies: Publish all policies affecting employees with disabilities—fully transparent and compliant with the ADA. 10. Independent Oversight: Appoint an independent body to monitor compliance, investigate complaints, and enforce policies. 11. Protect Privacy & Fair Investigations: Publish clear policies on HIPAA protections, investigations, and handling of discrimination complaints—ensuring confidentiality. 12. Remove Arbitrary Timelines: Provide adequate time for medical documentation requests or delays caused by Amazon without penalizing employees. 13. Stop Interference with Collective Bargaining: Cease retaliation and interference against union organizing efforts. Amazon must respect workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively, including protecting the newly formed disability union group. The recent NLRB complaint against Apple for interfering with workers’ organizing efforts sets a precedent—Amazon's ongoing violations must be addressed immediately.

We, the undersigned, are increasingly concerned with excessive violations of human rights being committed by the United States government. The immigration policies being implemented by the Trump administration that are inconsistent with the United States’ obligations under domestic and international human rights law, and the basic humane treatment that should be given to any fellow human beings. This includes rampant violations of the following: • Access to courts to ensure legal rights and remedies for violations; • Protection from unlawful or arbitrary arrest or detention; • Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment; • Right to an impartial and public hearing when accused; • Right to seek asylum in foreign territory in accordance with national and international laws; • Protection from secret detention and enforced disappearance; • Protection from extradition to countries where there is a substantial risk of torture; and • Right to establish residence, move freely within one's country, and leave and return freely We cannot remain silent while we witness an exponential increase in innocent immigrants being abducted by masked ICE agents. They are being sent into detention centers across the country away from their families and held without bond are beyond the pale.  We cannot remain silent while we see the shocking increase of enforced disappearances by ICE and CBP, with limited ability to find the person under arrest. We cannot remain silent while ICE opposes the release of immigrants for nearly every detention case regardless of whether the individual is not a risk to the community. We cannot remain silent while ICE arrests immigrants at benefits appointments (e.g. green cards and naturalization), serving as a deterrence for future immigrants to follow the law and forcing them to live in the shadows.  We cannot remain silent while we see the increase of detention centers that only serve as a cost-benefit for the private prison industry and costs the taxpayers billions while commoditizing other humans.  We cannot remain silent while the Trump administration shares white supremacist memes.  We cannot remain silent while the U.S. government deports people to countries that they have no connections to and puts their lives at risk. We can no longer remain quiet as a collective of concerned voices in the legal community. We have seen human rights violation after human rights violation. Any semblance of prosecutorial discretion has been stripped away. Longstanding immigrants are being separated from their children. ICE is required to meet arrest quotas instead of targeting actual criminal elements we should be utilizing our resources on. In fact, according to recent data from ICE, 65% of people arrested by ICE had no criminal convictions. 93% had no violent convictions. All the while, our labor force is suffering, and businesses are stuck without critical workers. Deportation cases that began 15-20 years ago are being reinstated for no other reason than one word: cruelty. You are complicit in what we are seeing.  You are enabling this administration to commit unspeakable acts that are antithetical to human dignity.  We understand that many of you are in a difficult situation as you need to earn a living, pay off student loans and meet other financial obligations. We, the undersigned, believe that this does not excuse your support for these immoral acts. These outrageous and unnecessary deportations cannot happen without your role in the process. What is occurring is not consistent with international human rights principles.  As lawyers and non-lawyers, alike, we have a duty to inform you of our concerns and ask that you consider speaking out against what is happening. We will support you if you decide to exit the government and stop supporting the violations of human rights. Alternatively, a collective outcry from your workforce and refusal to comply with this administration’s policies would be courageous and a commendable action. Thank you for considering our humble request and we hope that your actions will make a difference for our nation and human dignity.

Pedophile and sex offenders of serious accusations will have to register themselves and alert their neighbors of their crime. Pedophiles everywhere are not expected to resister in certain states because of a law with a set time limit. Help me by signing this petition and help protect the child of our country.

The case boils down to this. Monsanto sells its patented genetically engineered (GE) “Roundup Ready” soybean seeds to farmers under a contract that prohibits the farmers from saving the next-generation seeds and replanting them. Farmers like Mr. Bowman who buy Monsanto’s GE seeds are required to buy new seeds every year. For years, Mr. Bowman played by Monsanto’s rules. Then in 2007, he bought an unmarked mix of soybeans from a grain elevator and planted them. Some of the soybeans turned out to have been grown from Monsanto’s patented Roundup Ready soybean seeds. Monsanto sued Mr. Bowman, won, and the court ordered the farmer to pay the company $84,000. Mr. Bowman appealed, arguing that he unknowingly bought soybeans grown from Monsanto’s seeds, not the seeds themselves, and that therefore the law of “patent exhaustion” applies. The press and public have fixated on the sticky legal details of the case, and the classic David vs. Goliath nature of the fight. But win or lose, Mr. Bowman’s predicament is part of a much bigger problem. The real issue is this: Why have we surrendered control over something so basic to human survival as seeds? Why have we bought into the biotech industry’s program, which pushes a few monoculture commodity crops, when history and science have proven that seed biodiversity is essential for growing crops capable of surviving severe climate conditions, such as drought and floods? As physicist and environmentalist Vandana Shiva explains, we have turned seed, which is the heart of a traditional diversity-rich farming system across the world, into a powerful commodity, used to monopolize the food system. According to a recent report by the Center for Food Safety and Save our Seeds, three companies – Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta – control 53 percent of the global commercial seed market. They have pressured farmers to replace diverse, nutritional seeds, seeds that are resilient because they’ve been bred by small-scale farmers to adapt to local climates and soil conditions, with monocultures of genetically engineered seeds. In the U.S. these crops are predominately corn and soybeans. According to the report, entitled “Seed Giants vs. U.S. Farmers,” 93 percent of soybeans and 86 percent of corn crops in the U.S. come from patented, genetically engineered seeds. Monsanto profits handsomely from selling its patented seeds. But the real profits are in selling farmers its proprietary pesticides, like Roundup. Farmers can spray huge amounts of Roundup on Monsanto’s Roundup Ready soybeans, killing everything except the soybean plants. It’s a win-win for Monsanto. And it’s sold as a win to farmers, who have been told that by following the Monsanto method, they’ll increase their yields and make more money. Monsanto even claims that its GE crops are the answer to world hunger. But little of what Monsanto has promised, to farmers and the world, has proven true. Since farmers first began buying into Monsanto’s scheme in 1995, the average cost to plant one acre of soybeans has risen 325 percent, according to the Center for Food Safety’s report. Corn seed prices are up by 259 percent. Those increases don’t include the cost of the lawsuits Monsanto has aggressively filed against farmers the company claims have violated patent agreements. By the end of 2012, Center for Food Safety calculates that Monsanto had received over $23.5 million from patent infringement lawsuits against farmers and farm businesses. And the rest of us? What have we gained from this aggressive monopoly of seeds and crops? Nothing. In fact, the losses continue to mount. Monsanto promised that its GE crops would help the environment by reducing the need for pesticides. But according to the USDA, farmers used up to 26 percent more chemicals per acre on herbicide-resistant crops than on non-GE crops. And as several dozen aggressive “superweeds” have become resistant to glyphosate, the primary herbicide used on GE crops, the biotech industry is ramping up its war on weeds with a new generation of GE crops that can surviving spraying with 2,4 D, paraquat, and other super-toxic herbicides. As for GE crops being necessary to feed the world, that promise has also been debunked. In 2010, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that the loss of biodiversity will have a major impact on the ability of humankind to feed itself in the future. Source http://www.globalresearch.ca/gmo-and-the-corporate-patenting-of-living-organisms-monsantos-patents-on-life/5324781

Dear Respected Board of Education Members: We are parents of middle schoolers, mostly eighth graders, in Edison school district. We want to bring to your attention certain concerns that parents and students have relating to the current placement criteria for incoming 9th graders at J.P. Stevens High School. We understand that according to the current placement criteria, being placed in Honors level in a given subject is dependent on being in Honors level in a completely different subject. However, we do not believe that this linking of subjects is beneficial to the students' academic progress or emotional well-being. For example, placement into 9th grade Social Studies Honors is based on a student's English placement. And if a non-Honors student wants to move up to Social Studies AP level in 10th grade, it is again linked to their English grade. Similarly, for a student to be eligible for Science (Bio) Honors in 9th grade, the student must also be eligible for Math Honors as well as English Honors. And there is no possibility for a non-Honors student to move up to Science Honors in 10th and 11th grades, regardless of their score in 9th grade. As you may appreciate, under these criteria, a student who is proficient at the highest level in a given subject will not be able to pursue it at the highest level simply because the student is not equally proficient at the highest level in one or more different subjects. While all subjects are important and have some relation to one another, the considerations in the practical world are very different. For example, a Social Studies major does not necessarily need English proficiency at the highest level. Likewise, for a Science student who may end up becoming an engineer or a doctor or a scientist, English is not necessarily needed at the highest proficiency level. Similarly, for a Science student who may end up becoming a doctor, Math is not necessarily needed at the highest proficiency level. Thus, the current criteria appear to be aimed at randomly reducing the Honors class size by preventing deserving students from pursuing the very subject that they are good at in more depth. Other existing criteria, such as the steep-step assessment points calculation for PSAT/Writing and over-used teacher recommendations, only reinforce this. Under the current system, students who did not do well in 7th or 8th grade English and Math are permanently blocked from taking the entire science honors track in high school. This will not only be a disservice to the students' talents and punishing them for something irrelevant but will also adversely affect the students' emotional health. In the real world, a lot of students in 7th and 8th grade are still not mature enough to know the need to study. And preventing them from making it back to the honors track if they miss the boat in middle school will impact their self-confidence. Their motivation to advance - a critical skill to develop for success in high school and beyond - may also be lost. As one of the leading school districts in the state, we are sure that the Board would like to avoid such unintended consequences. We hope that the high school motivates every kid to excel and provides opportunities to truly develop their talents, wherever those talents may lie. We respectfully request the Board to revisit these placement criteria. Below are some suggestions we hope the Board will consider: 1. Social Studies placement should only depend on Social Studies grades and not be linked to another subject. 2. Science placement should only depend on Science grades and not be linked to other subjects. 3. Reduce the weight given to PSAT as the cut-off is too restrictive and tapping the cream of the cream. The students in our school district should not be penalized because we have such an overwhelming majority of high-achievers. Besides, the PSAT was administered for the first time this year with virtually no notice. 4. Use a continuous and proportional scale rather than a steep step one for assessment points. Currently, a score of 600 on PSAT gets 25 points in the final rubric while a score of 590 gets only 20 points. Similarly, a score of 93 on Writing Assessment provides 25 points while a score of 92 provides only 20 points. So, a student scoring merely 2 points lower in PSAT and Writing Assessment ends up losing 10 points and likely not making the honors class. This tiny difference is magnified 5 times across all 5 subjects. 5. Use teacher recommendations only to promote students. E.g., eliminate the 10-point recommendations from the rubric, and only put it back to boost the students who just miss the cut-off. Currently, more than 50% of the points (assessments and grades) already come from the teachers. Teacher recommendations are subjective and vary widely across schools and across teachers. A recommendation should not serve to demote any student. 6. Give equal weight to 7th-grade final grade as to the first 3 mark...

There have been enormous cuts to the Department of Developmental Services, this year being the most profound and far reaching. For the first time, day program funding for 2016-2017 grads has been totally eliminated, VSP has been cut 60% and residential/home supports have also been drastically cut. There will be no hope of any residential services until the death of both parents or other profound crisis.