Government & Politics

We Have The Right To Know

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 18:0:53 CST

Should sex offender registries be accessible?
Before you buy a house or a condominium, should you be entitled to know whether there is a convicted sex offender living in the area? Should Canada\'s national sex offender registry be accessible by the public?

The recent media furor over convicted killer Karla Homolka raises the interesting questions of whether her former neighbours in a Montreal suburb knew her whereabouts, and whether anyone moving into the neighbourhood was entitled to know in advance that she lived there. Her current whereabouts is unknown.

Unlike many areas in the United States, Canada\'s sex offender registry is not public information and is only accessible by law enforcement agencies across the country.

When the registry was implemented at the end of last year, Deputy Prime Minister Anne McClellan announced that it was \"another demonstration of the government of Canada\'s commitment to enhance public safety and security � especially for children.\"

The database allows 60,000 police officers across the country to conduct a search to determine whether a sex offender lives at, or near, any particular address. It can only be used for the main purpose of investigating unsolved crimes of a sexual nature.

It cannot be used by a member of the public to determine whether they are living near, or about to move near, the residence of a person with a criminal record relating to a sex crime.

The federal government finally set up the national registry more than three years after the province of Ontario established its own provincial sex offender registry with the passage of Christopher\'s Lawin April, 2001.

The provincial registry was sparked by the brutal 1988 murder of 11-year-old Christopher Stephenson at the hands of a convicted pedophile on federal statutory release. At the 1993 inquest into Christopher\'s death, the coroner\'s jury recommended creating a national registry for convicted sex offenders, requiring them to register with their local police service.

The Canadian practice of restricting registry use to police forces contrasts sharply with the policy in many parts of the United States where sex offender registries are not only available to the public, but are instantly searchable without cost on the Internet.

Suppose, for example, that I wanted to buy a home or condominium in downtown Detroit, Michigan, zip code 48202, which I chose at random last week. Within a matter of seconds, I was able to visit the website of the state\'s public sex offender registry at http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us, and determine that I would have 37 neighbours who had been convicted of sex crimes. The neighbouring zip code 48203 yielded 82 hits, and 48204 listed 69 names.

Saginaw, Mi. zip code 48601 produced an incredible 152 hits.

The Michigan website lists the name, sex, birth date, height, weight, hair and eye colour, address, and offences of each person listed, and in most cases it also displays a photograph of the offender.

New York State has a similar registry at http://www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us/nsor for offenders who committed their crimes after Jan. 21, 1996. Other states have similar sites.

The United States Department of Justice is in the process of co-ordinating all of the state sex offender registries, with the stated goal of \"working with our state and local partners to keep our communities safe from sexual predators.\"

The department has launched a nationwide, Internet-based, searchable national sex offender public registry website. A statement on its website reads, \"The silent sex offender can be just as dangerous as notorious neighborhood gang members, and because of this we must keep parents and communities informed and engaged.\"

In a statement on the United States Department of Justice website (http://www.nsopr.gov), U.S. attorney general Alberto R. Gonzales said, \"The National Sex Offender Public Registry will provide one-stop access to registries from all 50 states and the District of Columbia by the end of the year. With this technology, every citizen will be able to search the latest information for the identity and location of known sex offenders. Sharing information with concerned citizens and parents is an integral part of our strategy to protect communities from these predators who wish to harm the most vulnerable among us.\"

The private sector is also involved in the field. A website at http://www.sexoffender.com offers a privately-run database, offering criminal background record searches to the public, and http://www.scanusa.com offers email alerts if a sex offender moves into any given zip code.

The latest development in the United States may foreshadow a trend for new subdivisions in the United States and possibly Canada. The Milwaukee Ridge development in Lubbock, Tex., with a planned 665 houses, will require background checks on all homeowners. Penalties may be enforced if owners sell to a convicted sex offender or allow one to live in their homes.

Neighbouring Brazoria, Tex. occupies zip code 77422, but there won\'t be any sex offenders there. Brazoria is banning sex offenders from living within its city limits.

A local bylaw prevents sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of any place where children gather. That\'s every house in town but one. The ordinance also makes it a crime for landlords to rent knowingly to registered sex offenders.

Canadian legislation is far behind that in the United States when it comes to public disclosure of the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders.

In the end, it\'s a matter of balancing an individual\'s right to privacy with the public interest in protecting our communities and children from sexual predators.

What do you think? Who has it right � Ottawa or Washington? Should Canada\'s national sex offender registry be available to the public by phone or on the Internet? Does the public interest override an individual\'s right to privacy?

12 year olds jobs

Wed, 10 Aug 2005 15:1:37 CDT

Are you under 14 and you want a job? Are you sick and tired of trying to sell lemonade, or mow someone's lawn? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then you should sign this petition. This petition is to try to change the child labor law and allow 12 year olds and older to work at real jobs. I mean, i want some money for that new video game, or a nice laptop to go in my room and i am pretty darn sure that you want some stuff too, so go ahead and sign this petition. and send it to all of your friends to.

Recognize Esperanto as the international language!

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 06:0:09 CST

To: The United Nations Imagine a world where people from different parts of the world can understand in each other with a common second language. This was Zamenhof's dream. L.L. Zamenhof was a Polish linguist who in 1887 wrote the Unua Libro, a book detailing the rules of the international language Esperanto. Esperanto is the easiest language to learn. An estimated 2 million people around the world speak it. In today's world, many languages are becoming extinct and Esperanto will help to preserve those languages. Esperanto will save translation costs. Esperanto will cut down languages barriers between nations. An international language will be a major step to world peace. Thus, I ask you the United Nations, to approve Esperanto as the international language and to finally make Zamenhof's dream a reality. www.esperanto.net www.lernu.net

ENACT MICHIGAN HOUSE BILLS 5129, 5130 AND 5131

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 04:0:38 CST

Michigan House Bills 5129, 5130 and 5131 are a package of bills, which must be passed together to become effective. These bills would restore “good time�? to prisoners and eliminate the terms “disciplinary time�? language from the existing statutes and would give the MDOC and the Parole Board a little more leverage as to what would be under the “jurisdiction�? of the MDOC. Our understanding of the bills is that they would eliminate Truth in Sentencing and give prisoners, who are serving their time productively, the incentive to earn good time and perhaps be reassigned to alternate methods of incarceration or be released at an earlier date. However, there are caveats for violent offenders. We are aware that the State of Michigan is experiencing serious financial problems. The MDOC is using a substantial amount of the State’s yearly budget, which in turn, takes away from other necessary funding, such as education and health. No one wants to endanger the public by releasing prisoners who shouldn’t be out among the general population. However, there are protections built into these bills to prevent such an event from occurring. The State’s primary focus should be to prevent crime and provide funding and programming for the education and mental health systems to guide the State’s young children so that they can grow to become respectable productive citizens. These bills will help the prisoners who are striving to turn their lives around while in prison. Some are first offenders that were given harsh sentences while others with more serious crimes are given lighter sentences. These prisoners work hard to learn a new trade, obtain their GED, work within the prison facilities, and have kept out of trouble. Prison should be a place where the prisoner has the incentive to reform. You can hold a prisoner for their full sentence and release them after their time is served. However, the prisoner may come out bitter and becomes a repeat offender and defeats the purpose of prison time. Prison population reports show that by 2009 the prison population is expected to reach 57,000 prisoners, which would be 8,000, more prisoners than the MDOC is equipped to accommodate. There would be no room to shuffle prisoners around to accommodate them. There would be insufficient funding for building and/or reopening prisons to accommodate the increased amount of prisoners. In February of 2005, the MDOC had a bed capacity of approximately 49,000. These projections were made before the 2005 closures of MDOC facilities. Imagine the drastic increase once the closures are accounted for in the projection figures. We strongly believe that the report makes it clear that this population increase is due to the enactment of Truth in Sentencing, the fact that Michigan’s sentencing guidelines were changed around the same time and that the Michigan Parole Board often unilaterally and arbitrarily keeps prisoners beyond their Earliest Release Date, despite good conduct, good reports and favorable factors. Passage of these bills before your Committee could make not only a major impact on the State’s budget problems, but also on future generations by redirecting the funds which are allocated to MDOC to a more positive approach to crime prevention. We further believe that Truth in Sentencing together with the new sentencing guidelines, have not had a positive impact on the State of Michigan or its citizens. State funding has been and continues to be cut to essential civilian services, the prison system keeps expanding; prisons are being closed to cut costs creating chaos and unhealthy conditions in the overcrowded prisons, which may be in violation of the federal statutes governing correctional facilities. Increased overcrowding will only create chaos among the prison population to the point where it may cause riots and killings among the prisoners as they would fight to survive in such deplorable, unhealthy and unsafe conditions. It is also our understanding that the Chairman of your Committee, William Van Regenmorter, was the author of Michigan’s Truth in Sentencing legislation and, most likely, will not favor having something he worked to enact set aside. However, the facts seem clear that something must be done very soon to rectify what is now an emergent situation and these bills are the beginning of a reasonable and more proper solution. Sometimes, we as individuals need to set aside our personal pride and opinions and work to rectify the issue in a way that will benefit all parties involved. At this point, Truth in Sentencing has not proven to be a productive measure. On the contrary, it has caused chaos and financial woes than remedy the problem of preventing crime. It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but clearly it has failed to meet the expectations it was meant to meet. In addition to the language already set forth in these bills, I firmly believe that any final bills enacted should contain language making them retroactive. Making the laws retroactive may initially create a little more work on the part of the MDOC and the Parole Board, but the positive results should compensate for the situation in the long run, i.e. less prisoners, less dollars being spent by MDOC and a reduction in the prison population. Many of us have loved ones incarcerated in Michigan's prison system. Many of us are also voters who have the right to be heard. By not reviewing and considering these bills your Committee will be doing a grave injustice to the citizens, children of the State, as well as the families of those prisoners being held in the Michigan prisons. We respectfully request that the Committee place House Bills 5129, 5130, and 5131 on the agenda for discussion and vote. It was presented to you in September of 2005 and is sitting on your Chairman’s desk without so much as a glance. It is time to set aside personal pride and opinions and listen to the people of the State of Michigan. The overpopulation in the State’s prisons will not get better. It will only get worse. Is your Committee prepared to take responsibility for the health and safety of the prison guards and staff when overcrowding becomes so out of control that the prisoners riot and while placing the very lives of those around them at risk over a bed, a blanket or food? Not to mention the risks of disease spreading throughout the prison population. We feel that it is necessary for all of us to express how strongly we feel about the situation. We strongly believe that making this change and reinstating “good time�? retroactively will greatly improve Michigan’s financial woes and overpopulation issues. It is the Committee’s duty to take the first step in finding a solution. This step should be placing House Bills 5129, 5130 and 5131 on the agenda for discussion and vote. The time to act is now!

Howard Dean for Chairman of the DNC

Thu, 4 Nov 2004 19:0:42 CST

We the people of the Democratic Party of the United States of America and/or members of Democracy For America and its state groups do herby advocate for the election of Howard Dean to the position of Chairman of the Democratic National Commitee.

Recall Governer Jennifer Granholm

Tue, 2 Oct 2007 10:1:22 CDT

This is a petition for the Recall of Michigan Governer Jennifer Granholm. In order to create a recall and therefor a new election, Michgan law requires a petition of 25% of registered voters in the state. I do not currently have an exact number, so I have placed the goal at 2 million signatures which would give us around 30-35% of the 2000 census. Please sign and tell everyone you know to sign. We have 90 days to get the required signatures, and Save Michigan!!! Added On (2007-10-02): By signing this petition you are confirming the following: 1. You are a registered voter in the State of Michigan. 2. You support the recall of Jennifer Granholm, and therefor are asking that the State of Michigan hold a new election for Governer of Michigan.

PAWS 2005 Opposition

Fri, 3 Jun 2005 22:1:59 CDT

We support the Animal Welfare Act, as previously written by the US Congress, upheld by the courts and enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture. We support responsible animal ownership and breeding. PAWS 2005, SB1139/HB2669, is an amendment to the AWA that reduces the threshold requirement for USDA licensing. We do not believe that the provisions of the PAWS 2005 proposed legislation, SB1139/HB2669, will enhance the effective enforcement of the AWA. We believe that the PAWS provisions will further invade/limit private citizens' rights to own and breed pets, which we find unacceptable. Further, we believe that the PAWS 2005 provisions will further encumber federal agencies and the courts during times of budget cuts and personnel shortages without quantified evidence of compelling need and problem resolution. As US citizens and voters, we urge US Senators and Representatives to oppose Sen. Santorum's PAWS 2005, SB1139/HB2669. We don't need the Federal Government to pass a badly-composed law, without a defined compelling need and quantified problem resolution, to invade/limit/restrict responsible animal ownership in private citizens'/voters' residences at our undefined expense.

14 year old jobs

Mon, 7 Mar 2005 18:0:04 CST

We all think that we should be able to have jobs and rights of a 16 year old and that we are responseable to hold a job better then just picking up leaves and moweing someones yard. So please sign this petition so we could get some of the jobs tha t other teens 1 or 2 years older then us 14 year olds.

Save Illinois History!

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 19:1:42 CDT

3 million dollars. Compared to the current 2 billion dollar deficit in the Illinois state budget, 3 million is merely a drop in the bucket--but 3 million dollars means everything to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The IHPA was officially formed by Illinois law in 1985, but its origins date back to the Illinois State Historical Library that was created in 1889. The mission of IHPA has been to restore, preserve, and protect Illinois' numerous historical resources--a noble mission, but one that requires funding. Governor Rod Blagojevich recently cut 3 million dollars from the IHPA budget, and as a result, the organization has been forced to virtually shut down. Many of Illinois' historic sites relate to President Abraham Lincoln, and with the upcoming Lincoln bicentennial celebrations in 2009, Illinois stood to make billions of dollars in tourism revenue. But, due to the IHPA budget cuts, most of those sites can no longer remain open, and most IHPA employees have lost their jobs. Who will take care of the sites? Who will take care of the artifacts? No one, unless funding to the agency is restored. With the recent funding cuts, the following sites have already been closed, and more closures are sure to come: Dana-Thomas House, Hauberg Indian Museum at Blackhawk State Historic Site, Lincoln Log Cabin, David Davis Mansion, Fort de Chartres, Vandalia Statehouse, Bishop Hill, Carl Sandburg Birthplace, Cahokia Courthouse, Bryant Cottage, Apple River Fort, Fort Kaskaskia, Pierre Menard Home. By taking money from the state�s main historical agency to fill gaps in the state budget, the governor and other officials are sending a message to the public that the history of their state is not significant. But the rich history of Illinois is most definitely significant. Resources set aside to preserve that history should not be used as a state emergency fund. As Abraham Lincoln once said, �We cannot escape history.� But if funding is not quickly restored to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, history may well escape Illinois. Please sign this petition that will be sent to Illinois state legislators in an attempt to restore funding to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and save the history of Illinois!

Save 'A' TV Windsor!

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:0:22 CST

I feel local Canadian news and programming is worth protecting in this age of information, in particular when living in the shadow of the United States. The announcement by CTV to allow its license for \'A\'Windsor to lapse will leave an enormous media hole in this border city - sure to be filled by American content. I support any measure by the CRTC that would allow for \'A\' Windsor to continue providing its market-dominant brand of news, views, sports, people and places as only \'A\' Windsor can. Whether by granting carriage fees to CTV or any other parent company that would wish to acquire the station -- or -- by accessing the $40 million local news fund set, the time for the CRTC to stand-up and save \'A\' Windsor is now.

Stop Destroying Lebanon

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 00:1:35 CDT

This letter is a plea from the Lebanese people, and friends of Lebanon . We urge you to exercise any political influence you may have to guide a cease fire between Israel and Hezbollah. Negotiations must take place. The violence that has escalated in Lebanon has gotten out of control, it is insanity! The people of Lebanon are suffering; the Lebanese economy will suffer deeply for years to come. As I am sure you know anger, resentment, and poverty can only lead to further extremism. For the welfare of Lebanese citizens, Israeli citizens, the stability of the Middle East , and indeed the world, we implore you to take action as soon as possible to prevent further violence, destruction, and casualties. Sincerely, The undersigned

DFRBDFRDBF Submission to The Treasurer

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 12:0:10 CST

"That a review of the Government's classification of the DFRB/DFRDB fund, currently incorrectly classified as "unfunded", be conducted with a view to granting the members of these funds equity in the proposed superannuation changes, proposed by the Government, for introduction on July 1st, 2007."

Let Gravel Speak! At the Oct. 30 DNC debate

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:1:54 CDT

Mike Gravel needs our help! Former Democratic Senator from Alaska, Mike Gravel, is being excluded from yet another debate. To be specific, it is the October 30th debate in Philadelphia, co-sponsored by the Democratic National Committee and MSNBC. It is moderated by Brian Williams. According to an associated press article: "The former Alaska senator did not meet fundraising and polling requirements for the forum, said NBC News political director Chuck Todd." But, look, it's as simple as this: If you value freedom of speech and fairness, you should sign this petition, whether you support Gravel for president or not. It is very important, in a Democracy, for all voices to be heard. We should continue to attempt to adhere to this Democratic ideal.

No New Oregon Beer Tax!

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:0:15 CST

If, 25 years ago, a group had approached Oregon Legislators promising their industry would produce 5,200 direct jobs and over 10,000 indirect jobs, if they promised their industry would be clean, green, popular with Oregonians and provide a uniquely Oregon attraction for visitors that would equal the states wineries, if they would forego any tax breaks plus agree to pay tens of millions of dollars for the privilege of doing business in Oregon � what would legislators have said? That is the history of Oregon�s craft brewing industry. We�ve grown an iconic industry built on uniquely Oregon advantages in agriculture, people, place, lifestyle and tourism. Oregon legislators have encouraged the growth of the Oregon craft beer industry by keeping beer taxes here competitive with neighboring states. Only 1 of the top 50 Craft brewing companies in the U.S. in 2007 resides in a top 10 beer excise tax state. Oregon is home to 7 of the top 50 craft brewing companies in the U.S. Raising Oregon beer tax rates would be bad for Oregonians and Oregon beer producers because� Boosting beer taxes by nearly $50 per barrel � an increase of over 1900% � would make Oregon beer taxes the highest in the country. Raising Oregon beer taxes by nearly $50 per barrel would be the largest single increase in beer taxes in American history. Oregon Brewers Guild members already pay millions of dollars per year in beer excise taxes in addition to state corporate and income taxes, property taxes and fees all other Oregon businesses must pay. Tax hikes on beer producers would raise prices for Oregon consumers, retailers and restaurants at the worst possible moment Beer taxes are inherently regressive � more than half of the proposed increase would be paid by Oregonians earning less than $45,000 per year. Restaurants and taverns are already experiencing major revenue losses from the economic downturn, and to tack a price increase on beer would only drive more price-sensitive customers away. The proposed tax would increase beer prices significantly, which would encourage customers to purchase their beer from retailers in bordering states. Higher beer taxes threaten Oregon�s growing beer industry and the $375 million in economic benefits the industry generates in Oregon every year. The proposed beer tax increase will devastate a homegrown industry. Oregon�s beer industry directly provides over 5,200 jobs. Increasing state taxes on beer by more than 1900% over the current tax could result in the loss of up to 3,400 jobs. A huge beer tax hike will threaten the second-largest craft beer industry in the nation with higher costs and lost sales Taxes already are the single most expensive ingredient in beer, costing more than the labor and raw materials. Oregon�s beer tax rate is already higher than beer tax rates in Colorado, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Oregon Legislature�s recognition of the economic development benefit from keeping Oregon beer tax rates competitive with other beer-producing states has nurtured the second largest craft brewing industry in the nation. Raising Oregon beer taxes would make Oregon beer, already premium-priced, less competitive and stunt its growth. Around 12% of beer consumed in Oregon is made here by Oregonians. That�s the highest craft beer market share of any state in the country � three times higher than the national average. Only 5.09% of current Oregon beer, wine and liquor tax net revenues actually are earmarked for mental health, alcohol and drug treatment programs. State and local governments have not been held accountable for the $155.8 million they collected in 2008 in net beer, wine and liquor revenues. They cannot tell you how they are spending most of the current alcohol taxes they collect because only a small percentage is specifically spent for treatment programs. In 2008, only $7.9 million of the $155.8 million in total revenue collected was earmarked specifically for mental health, alcohol and drug treatment programs. It�s unfair to ask beer drinkers to pay for prevention and treatment for all substance abuse in Oregon. If policymakers want more money for alcohol and drug treatment programs, they should first consider reprioritizing the General Fund dollars we currently collect rather than boosting beer taxes. Brewers would have to pay the higher tax whether or not they are profitable. To stay afloat, they will be forced to pass the tax increase on to consumers and suffer the sales losses rather than make too little margin per sale to keep their businesses viable.

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:1:02 CDT

Aki szeretn� tudatni Bochi-�kkal, hogy szereti a Sl�ger R�di�t, �rja al�. Ettől a pet�ci�t�l ne v�rja senki, hogy a d�nt�shoz�k megv�ltoztatj�k a v�lem�ny�ket, ez nem erről sz�l. Ez egyszerűen csak egy v�lasz Jeffrey H. Smulyan, a Sl�ger R�di� �s az Emmis International tulajdonos�nak felh�v�s�ra, hogy �Aki szereti a Sl�ger R�di�t, az tudassa vel�nk, �s a korm�nnyal!� Igen, a korm�nnyal, mert sajnos m�r a politika is belekeveredett a r�di�frekvenci�k k�r�li balh�ba. �gyhogy, ha szeretitek a Sl�gert, �s ti sem tudj�tok elk�pzelni a h�tk�znap reggeleket Bumer�ng n�lk�l, �rj�tok al�! ---------------------------------------------------- Added by: RedBoy0511 on October 28, 2009, 11:09:54 am ---------------------------------------------------- Aki szeretn� tudatni Bochi-�kkal, hogy szereti a Sl�ger R�di�t, �rja al�. Ettől a pet�ci�t�l ne v�rja senki, hogy a d�nt�shoz�k megv�ltoztatj�k a v�lem�ny�ket, ez nem erről sz�l. Ez egyszerűen csak egy v�lasz Jeffrey H. Smulyan, a Sl�ger R�di� �s az Emmis International tulajdonos�nak felh�v�s�ra, hogy �Aki szereti a Sl�ger R�di�t, az tudassa vel�nk, �s a korm�nnyal!� Igen, a korm�nnyal, mert sajnos m�r a politika is belekeveredett a r�di�frekvenci�k k�r�li balh�ba. �gyhogy, ha szeretitek a Sl�gert, �s ti sem tudj�tok elk�pzelni a h�tk�znap reggeleket Bumer�ng n�lk�l, �rj�tok al�!

US Citizens Against H.R. 45

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 10:0:12 CST

We are against the Blair Holt\'s Firearms Licensing & Record Sale Act of 2009, also known as H.R. 45, which we believe is unconstitutional, and takes away the individuals rights, which was proven to be a right by the US Supreme court in 2008. This bill will not only limit this right, but infringe on individuals, and privacy.

Northamptonshire County Council must continue supporting Roadmender

Tue, 1 Nov 2005 18:0:37 CST

I do not support any decision to withdraw or redistribute Roadmender's crucial funding. - Northamptonshire needs Roadmender as part of a diverse and healthy arts scene. - Roadmender is an irreplacable resource for young people and the wider community, for artists and audiences. - Without County Council support Roadmender can't deliver its wide range of activities to the county and is likely to have to close.

Mr. Bush, Don't Take Our Teacher

Wed, 2 Mar 2005 09:0:46 CST

Obain Auttouoman is our teacher and an inspiration to Fenway High School and Boston Arts Academy students. In 1991, Obain came to America after being jailed in the Ivory Coast for protesting the government. After 13 years as an upstanding citizen and amazing math teacher, the Immigration Department is going to deport Mr. Auttouoman and rip him out of our school in the middle of the year. The immigration officials admit he is not a criminal or a terrorist but they are just going along with procedure. They are willing to harm the education of students just to satisfy the Washington bureaucracy. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT to save our teacher by March 4th! Please sign to tell President Bush and Michael Chertoff, Director of Homeland Security, to think about the welfare of the Fenway High School students. If they really want to No Child Left Behind they should keep our teacher in America! For more information go to http://fenway.boston.k12.ma.us/

Petition Against Pit Bull Ban in Georgia (House Bill 78)

Fri, 28 Jan 2005 04:0:26 CST

Georgia State Representatives Williams of the 89th, Brooks of the 63rd, Watson of the 91st, Mosby of the 90th, Mitchell of the 88th and others have proposed a bill (House Bill 78) that would ban the import, sale, transport and ownership of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier or any dog displaying these breed's physical traits. If this bill is passed the breeding of pit bulls would be prohibited and owners of existing Pit Bulls would be required to neuter, leash and MUZZLE their dogs any time they are outside their home. We as citizens of The United States of America believe that we have the right to own any breed of dog we choose. We believe that irresponsible dogowners should be held accountable rather than blaming a breed of dog. The full text of House Bill 78 can be found at the following link: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/fulltext/hb78.htm

Debate Ron Paul

Wed, 16 May 2007 00:1:09 CDT

Mr. Rudy Giuliani: During the "First-in-the-South Republican primary debate" on May 15, 2007, Congressman Dr. Ron Paul alleged that the United States' aggressive presence in the Middle East contributed greatly to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Paul asserted that "they attack us because we've been over there." After Dr. Paul was finished with his statement, you interrupted the moderator and appeared incensed. You claimed that Dr. Paul linking our past bombings in Iraq with the motivations of the perpetrators of 9/11 was "absurd." Then, you asked Paul to withdraw his previous comment and also to "tell us that he did not really mean that." Sticking to his principles, Dr. Paul decided to decline your request and instead offered further clarification and elaboration on his previous point. Perhaps sensing the debate was moving into the dangerous territory of substantive discussion, the moderator quickly decided to switch the subject to a less volatile topic. After the debate, Dr. Ron Paul sat down with Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes and quickly issued the following statement regarding the situation: "Maybe he will debate me on foreign policy. I'd be delighted to debate him on foreign policy where we each got to explain our positions." As such, we, the undersigned, call on Rudy Giuliani to act on Dr. Ron Paul's declared willingness to participate in a debate on Foreign Policy. In our judgment, the topic of foreign policy is too important to be limited to such a short discourse. You claimed Dr. Paul's statement was absurd, but did not elaborate as to why it was; the American people deserve better than that. Mr. Giuliani, you exhibited great courage while leading New York City in the aftermath of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. We, the undersigned, ask that you show the same courage by accepting Dr. Paul's challenge. If you are able to substantiate your foreign policy position with critical reasoning and facts, then you have nothing to fear. Sincerely, The Undersigned

An Open Letter to Jimmy Carter

Wed, 18 May 2005 12:1:25 CDT

May 17, 2005 The Carter Center Public Information Office One Copenhill 453 Freedom Parkway Atlanta, GA 30307 Ph: 404-727-7611 | Fax: 404-727-1922 Email: carterweb@emory.edu Dear Mr. Carter, We will not insult your intelligence by discussing the details of the cases but any honest person must be ashamed for you after hearing your stand in the current Ethiopian election process. It is simply replete with so many biases and tilted so much against the Ethiopian people that it is impossible to leave without comment. Your very biased statement has begun when you hail the election process as �fair and free� at the moment you enter the Addis Ababa Airport. A statement that undermines the views of the democratic forces, the Human right groups, the European delegates and of the Ethiopian people at large, which confirmed so many abuses ahead of the polls. Your statements did not even take in to account of the regime�s credibility questions raised by former secretary of states Madeleine Albright, who chairs the National Democratic Institute, one of two US democracy advocacy groups. She said last week that the expulsion of their staffs from Ethiopia last month raises questions about the credibility of the country's upcoming elections. We, the Ethiopian nation, also feel pain and disappointment by your blatant statements you do by comparing the degree of �democratization� in Ethiopian with that of Somalia, a nation that doesn�t yet exists as a state. But the fact remains that you have brought shame on yourself. Despite the concern by State Department spokesperson Richard Boucher of Meles�s ban of post-election demonstrations, you have blindly backed and defended the demo-ban. Americans want democracy to prevail on Ethiopia. For democracy to prevail on the country however, a one-man decision against 70 million people should have not been blindly backed. The fact is that the credibility of the Ethiopia�s 2005 Parliamentary election has been thoroughly undermined by rampant election fraud, including vote-stealing, ballot box stuffing, and manipulation of vote total attempts. Sincerely, Kinfu Assefa, A European based Ethiopian Journalist

1926 Census, Ireland

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:1:53 CDT

We the undersigned petition the Taoiseach [Prime Minister] of Ireland, Mr. Brian Cowen TD, to use the powers vested in his office under section 33 (3) of the Statistics Act 1993 to release the complete returns for the 1926 census.

Catastrophic destruction befell Irish sources for genealogy and history when the Public Record Office of Ireland was consumed by fire in June 1922. The 1926 census was the first compiled since the foundation of the State and includes a few basic facts about the lives of the many Irish people then living who were born before civil registration began in Ireland in 1864. Over 82 years have passed since the 1926 census was first compiled and given this almost every adult alive at that time is now deceased.

In the USA census returns are released 71 years after their compilation. Currently the returns for all surviving US censuses (along with indexes) up to and including that for 1930 can be seen on the Internet. In Ireland, there is a precedent for earlier release of census records. The 1911 census was first made available for research purposes in 1961, only 50 years after it had been compiled. We believe that as the data recorded in the 1926 census was almost identical to that recorded in the 1911 census, then the issue of breach of confidentiality will not arise. We implore the Taoiseach to make the 1926 census returns available to public consultation.

Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations

*www.cigo.ie*

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Added by CIGO @ June 30, 2008, 1:06 pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Addendum: A query has been raised about the possible unsuitability of section 33(3) of the Statistics Act for opening the 1926 census. In the unlikely event that anyone who has so far subscribed to the petition also feeling the same CIGO has decided to add the following line to the end of the Petition’s first paragraph: “or to pass amending legislation to achieve the same.”

Let Oklahoma's youth athletes play

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 03:0:19 CST

Oklahoma State Senator Earl Garrison (D) has authored a senate bill that, if passed in to law, will prohibit and make illegal any non-school-related sports program practicing outdoors for all kids 13 years of age or under, regardless of sport, when the heat index is 95 degrees or higher (per the National Weather Service). If Mr. Garrison is so concerned about our kids' safety, why doesn't this bill say the kids can't practice outside when it's below freezing or a county is under a tornado warning? Does the author care about only about heat injuries and not frostbite or severe weather? Furthermore, does Mr. Garrison think is it alright for kids *not* covered by this bill (children over 13) to suffer a heat-related injury? Ridiculous! Not only does this bill infringe on our citizens' constitutional right to freely assemble, it fails to respect the parents' right to choose what they feel is best for their own child, seems hasty, ill-conceived and quite frankly, detrimental to the statewide host of independent youth sports program in Oklahoma and their participants. Parents, organizers, coaches and the kids themselves are extremely capable of drinking water, taking breaks and staying in the shade and exercising the judgement necessary to ensure their children's safety in the heat. JOIN US IN DENOUNCING THIS SENATE BILL! We, the undersigned, think that this bill is NOT good for the youth sports participants of Oklahoma and should NOT be passed into law.

Barack Obama for President 2008

Thu, 6 Jan 2005 00:0:49 CST

We the people of the United States of America herby endorse a future candidacy of Senator Barack Obama of Illinois to be elected as the 44th President of the United States on Novemeber 4th, 2008.

Request to US Senators Not to Certify the Election

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 15:0:05 CST

Dear Senators Boxer, Byrd, Dayton, Harkin, Jeffords, Kennedy, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Mikulski, Obama, Snow and Schumer: The ideal of one person, one vote and that everyone�s vote is counted has been deeply cherished in the United States of America since the Anti-Slavery Movement, the Women�s Suffrage Movement, the Civil Rights Movement and the expansion of voting to young people. The 2000 and 2004 presidential elections have made it clear that this precious cornerstone of American democracy has been destroyed. We the undersigned, respectfully request that you take action as a Senator to recognize that the November 2, 2004 presidential election was fraught with voting violations, misconduct of some highly placed election officials, tampering, voter suppression, interference targeted at communities of people of color, students, and poor people � all of which has raised suspicions in many minds that this was not a free, fair and honest election. Given the widespread use of electronic voting machines, which are especially liable to malfunction and fraud and leave no trace of how they work nor what data they receive, it is not possible to perform recounts in many states. Hundreds of stories on malfunctions of electronic voting machines and central tabulation machines are appearing in regional news media. Papers and sworn testimonies by experts state that the chances of the exit polls giving such divergent results from the official tallies are almost a statistical impossibility. Nor is it statistically conceivable that practically all the reported malfunctions and errors would give the advantage to the same candidate. Furthermore, statistical analysis reveals that even the popular vote victory may turn out to be false. To preserve democracy in the United States of America, we ask that you be open to the concerns of large numbers of Americans. Almost 57,000 complaints have thus far been filed about this election process. Recounts are being demanded in several states. In the critical states of Ohio and Florida, hard evidence of improprieties is accumulating daily, almost always in the same direction and substantial enough to be outcome-determinative. In Ohio, Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who is avowedly partisan as the Co-Chair for the Bush/Cheney campaign, has used his official powers illegally to hinder the recount process in Ohio in many ways. He has also refused to cooperate with the Democratic Party members of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in its hearing headed by Representative Conyers. One example of many equally egregious problems in the Ohio election was a severe shortage of voting machines in precincts of people of color and students at colleges, leading to waits of up to 10 hours for voters to cast their ballot. We call on you to review the evidence. We are asking you to be our voice. We think this is crucial for the future of democracy and this country and we hope you will respond to our plea. We are keenly aware that no Senator was willing to stand with the Representatives of the Congressional Black Caucus in their challenge to the presidential election of 2000. In 2004 the evidence of fraud is systemic, stronger, more widespread and believed by millions of Americans. We urge you to be courageous by taking leadership and refusing to certify the results of the presidential election of 2004. We also urge you to voice open support for any formal objections from the House of Representatives and to sign with them if any House members challenge the 2004 presidential election.

SAVE THE WORKERS OF NASSAU COUNTY

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:0:45 CST

The undersigned ask that the County of Nassau ELECTED officials re-examine the proposals set forth by Executice Suozzi recently to settle a multi million dollar shortfall. While EVERYONE agrees Nassau County is not immune to the current WORLDWIDE financial recession, the cure is NOT by decimating County services. CSEA Local 830 are the LOWEST PAID of all the County Unions. The workforce has declined steadily over the past decade. Mr. Suozzi has refused to address the $700,000,000. (SEVEN HUNDRED MILLION dollars illegally refunded on tax challenges. It has been shown time and again that Nassau is refunding the school portion of these challenges with NO REIMBURSEMENT and NEVER had collected the tax in the first place. Nassau is the ONLY jurisdiction in the State of NY doing this. It has been shown time and again by the STATE to be ILLEGAL. DO NOT ALLOW THIS COUNTY TO BE FURTHER DECIMATED BY GIVING MR. SUOZZI THE POWER TO SHUT DOWN THE COUNTY ONE EXTRA DAY A WEEK .. or THE WEEK PRIOR TO NEW YEARS. You pay tax in this County, you deserve the benefit of County Services. Please sign this petition and pass it along to all.

Petition to Expedite the Passage of Hon. Mar Roxas' Senate Bill Nos. 1760 and 1761 in Both Houses of the Philippine Congress

Fri, 5 Nov 2004 17:0:38 CST

Whereas, the quality of life of Filipinos has been worsening at an alarming rate, forcing many to seek employment overseas even if it means leaving their families behind; Whereas, we, Filipinos worldwide, envision a much more prosperous economy in the Philippines, especially for future generations of our people; Whereas, according to studies done by Transparency International, the Philippines lost as much as US$48 billion to corruption in the last 20 years, greatly undermining social services and economic development; Whereas, a public office is a public trust; it is the policy of the State to promote and ensure full public accountability in the conduct of its officers and employees, and to prosecute those who engage in corrupt practices; Whereas, elected and non-elected public servants should be fully committed to the decent survival of the Filipino people; We, as Filipinos, therefore, PETITION the honorable members of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines to expedite passage of Senate Bill Nos. 1760 and 1761, which we believe will greatly promote accountability, transparency, and integrity among our public officials and employees, to wit: Senate Bill No. 1760 AN ACT ALLOWING THE OMBUDSMAN TO EXAMINE ALL THE BANK DEPOSITS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS WITH THE LATTERS' WRITTEN CONSENT BY AMENDING SECTION 8 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6713, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES." Senate Bill No. 1761 AN ACT PROVIDING PROTECTION AND BENEFITS TO PERSONS WHO DISCLOSE CONDUCT CONSTITUTING GRAFT AND CORRUPTION AND TO WITNESSES FOR THE PROTECTION THEREOF, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS HEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. This bill proposes that the Ombudsman establish its own Legal Protection Service, which would be patterned after the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program of the Department of Justice...further proposing that informers be given rewards of up to P10 million or 10 percent of whatever ill-gotten assets can be recovered from corrupt officials. God bless the Republic of the Philippines. [To request the full text of these bills, send an e-mail to iam@capiznet.net.] Signed:

Push Back - No New Taxes

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 11:0:28 CST

Because the people who pay the bills couldn't be here. Let the State of Washington know you don't want new TAXES! With more than 300,000 people looking for work in our state, businesses suffering and families cutting spending, the Washington Legislature should not pass new taxes or fees to fix its budget problems. The Legislature must balance the budget responsibly by cutting wasteful spending, not by holding taxpayers hostage with the threat of cutting basic public safety services. Due to some issues with signatures not showing up on the other hosting service we have moved the petition to this site. We will then add both site number together to come up with a total.

Translink Should NOT tax the Twilight Drive-In Theatre

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 09:0:14 CST

We the undersigned believe that it is unfair to the movie-loving public that a Parking Lot tax has been assigned to the twilight Drive-In Movie Theatre in Langley, BC. Whereas the owners have brought the area something good and fun, the TransLink board should exempt them from this tax, as the purpose is not to tax entertainment, but to gather revenue from the likes of shopping centres, etc. The Drive-In movie theatre creates jobs for local young people and does not contribute to traffic congestion (Movies start at dusk, well after rush hour) and therefore, no roads will need widening, nor will bridges need to be built to sustain this facility. This tax does nothing but take money from the users of a facility that does not add to the transportation problems of the GVRD and surrounding area and is therefore unfair. Thank you for considering our point

STOP BC\'S ALMALGAMTION OF TAXS INTO THE HST!!!

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:1:21 CDT

The BC Liberals are going to raise your taxes by 7% on a variety of goods and services that were not being taxed before. This is going to come into effect on July 1, 2010. They are going to blend the PST and the GST. This will raise taxes from 5% to 13%. This is nothing more than a tax grab from a Premier that has told us that he WOULDN\'T raise taxes in the last election. Now, because of the FEDERAL government telling him they will give him approxamately 1.5 BILLION ( to merge both taxes into one / Which supposidly will save the government of BC roughly 500 million ( i doubt it! )) If you want to send the Liberals a message that you don\'t want or agree with this new tax, then please sign this petition. (I\'m sure you and every other low to middle income worker cant afford these gouges instituted by the inept gorden campbell, he\'ll spend in excess for the olympics and then screw the little guy) ---------------------------------------------------- Added by: HNLDRIVER on July 29, 2009, 1:53:43 pm ---------------------------------------------------- The BC Liberals are going to raise your taxes by 7% on a variety of goods and services that were not being taxed before. This is going to come into effect on July 1, 2010. They are going to blend the PST (6%) and the GST (7%). This will raise taxes from 6% to 13%. This is nothing more than a tax grab from a Premier that has told us that he WOULDN\'T raise taxes in the last election. Now, because of the FEDERAL government telling him they will give him approxamately 1.5 BILLION ( to merge both taxes into one / Which supposidly will save the government of BC roughly 500 million a year ( i doubt it! )) If you want to send the Liberals a message that you don\'t want or agree with this new tax, then please sign this petition. (I\'m sure you and every other low to middle income worker cant afford these gouges instituted by the inept gorden campbell, he\'s screwing the taxpayers to which he said \"I will not implemt the HST\" when he was voted in...) ---------------------------------------------------- Added by: HNLDRIVER on July 29, 2009, 1:56:37 pm ---------------------------------------------------- http://www.tiny.cc/stopthehst ADD YOUR VOICE HERE TOO! *note last edit was to re-do the %\'s as i noticed and was emailed that i was off.. :) thx...

Help stop Pitbull ban in New Mexico!!!!!

Tue, 28 Dec 2004 21:0:30 CST

New Mexico State Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort has proposed a bill that would ban the breeding of American Pitbull Terriers. If this bill is passed the breeding of pit bulls would be prohibited, owners of existing pit bulls would be required to neuter or spay the dogs as well as muzzle their dogs any time they are outside their home and new pit bulls will not be permitted in New Mexico after July 1, 2005. We as citizens of The United States of America believe that we have the right to own any breed of dog we choose, where as we also agree that there should be harsher laws on irresponsible dog owners and animal abusers. We ask Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort to please take note of the number of people who have come together as one to stand together for our rights as responsible dog owners. We also ask her to inform herself on the truth behind this breed, which is known for it's intelligence, loyalty, athleticism, capability for logical thinking and its desire to please. Punish the deed NOT the breed.

Preserve AATA Bus Service to Ypsilanti

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 21:0:07 CST

We, the undersigned, strongly protest the reduction of or elimination of bus service between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

Tell congress to stop social security privatization, increase the minimum wage to 10 dollars an hour and more.

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:0:17 CST

We the undersigned demand that the Congress of the United states and the president of the United States enact a law to increase the minimum wage to TEN dollars an hour and also to extend unemployment benefits for all people whose unemployment benefits expired after 6 months even though they still seek work. We also demand that the Congress of the United States to not privatize social security benefits in any form including taking a percentage of the social security tax and placing it in private accounts. People can already create their own pensions with money after taxes in the private sector. We also demand that the congress make all of a person's earned income taxable for social security FICA tax purposes and remove the 88,000 dollar salary cap. This will make social security solvent for many years to come. We pledge to boycott Walmart and call them at 800-966-6546 and demand they help in getting the above legislation enacted or we will never buy from Walmart again. We make no statement of quality of Walmart products but we maintain the right of free speech and association and of boycotting for the purpose of persuading congress to enact this part of a progressive agenda. After all the money belongs to us and we can legally set conditions for our purchases of products and doing business with any company in the United States. We the undersigned also demand congress and the president enact a prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part B which covers 80 percent of medication cost, with no extra premium, no extra deductibles, no means test and no coverage gaps or else we will not purchase products from the CVS, Eckerd, and Walgreens pharmacy chains. We make no statement of the quality of products sold by these pharmacy chains. We pledge to Call Eckerd Pharmacy Corporate Headquarters at 800 325 3737, Call CVS Pharmacy Corporate headquarters at 888 607 4287 and Call Walgreens Pharmacy Corporate headquarters at 800 289 2273 and tell them we will not purchase any products from their drug stores but will patronize them in the future if they can get the congress to pass a prescription drug benefit as described above. If a person cannot stop buying medications from the three drug store chains, I consider it acceptible to buy your medication from one of the chains but still refrain from buying other products from their drug stores. We also call for the complete repeal of the faulty edicare law HR 1 / S 1 passed by congress in Nov 2003. Please tell your friends, family and coworkers to sign this petition. We do this in the spirit of peaceful resistance to a congress that refuses to enact this legislation.

Michael Shields -- A True Red!

Tue, 26 Jul 2005 13:1:21 CDT

This Petition Is To Support and Let Other People Know That Young Michael Should Not Be In Jail For 15 Years For Something He Has Not Done! Michael Has Been A Reds Fan All His Life and Has Got A Season Ticket That Can Not be Used! It Is A Sad Day For Michael Shields and His Family! Please Sign This Petition To Give Him All The Support He Needs!

Force the secretaries of state of Ohio and Florida to authorize revotes in the 2004 presidential election.

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:0:36 CST

In order to force the secretaries of state to call for new presidential elections in Ohio and Florida, boycott Wendy's restaurants and Outback Steak houses around the United States. Wendy's runs their corporation out of the state of Ohio and Outback Steakhouse runs their corporation out of the state of Florida. Call or email these companies and demand that they get their secretary of state to call for a new election or go bankrupt because we will not do business with them. Both companies give money exclusively to the Republican Party. A recount will not give the people who could not vote due to suppression, a vote. To Contact Wendy's Corporation People can email webmaster@wendys.com To Contact Outback SteakHouse click on this link http://www.outback.com/contactus/index.asp and demand a revote in each respective state or you will not buy from them. Click here to contact the governor of Ohio to demand a revote or you will continue to boycott Wendy's http://governor.ohio.gov/contactinfopage.asp and click here to contact the governor of Florida to demand a revote or you will continue to boycott Outback steakhouse and or Florida orange juice. jeb.bush@myflorida.com Pass the word.

Internet Marketers Against the NC Affiliate Tax

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:1:38 CDT

In signing this petition, I am formally stating my complete and total opposition to North Carolina Senate Bill 202, specifically Sections 27C.2(a), 27C.2(b), 27C.2(c), and 27C.2(d), which can be found on pages 268 and 269 of the following document: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S202v6.pdf I firmly believe that these proposed tax changes will directly result in the loss of income for countless small businesses and individuals throughout the state of North Carolina. I oppose the above referenced sections of North Carolina Senate Bill 202 and do not wish to see these portions of the proposed law enacted.

Parents Rights to the Sex Offender Registry

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:1:03 CDT

VANCOUVER - B.C.\'s highest court has dismissed a challenge to the federal sex offender registry. The B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled a convicted sex offender\'s Charter rights weren\'t being violated when he was ordered to add his name to the registry almost two years after he was sentenced. The sex offender - identified as S.S.C. in the judgment released Thursday - was sentenced in May 2003 to six months in the community and two years\' probation after pleading guilty to sexual touching involving five girls from the ages of seven to 12. When the Sex Offender Information Registration Act came into force in December 2004, the man was still serving his sentence and was required to add his name to the registry for life. He applied to a lower court for an exemption and mounted the appeal after his exemption was refused. The man argued the legislation was overly broad because it involves lifetime registration of low-risk offenders, which offends his liberty and privacy interests. But the court quashed the appeal, ruling the legislation is neither overly broad or disproportionate, in part because it is available only to law enforcement agencies. The sex offender registry has survived a number of constitutional challenges since it came into force Dec. 15, 2004. An Ontario appeal court justice ruled in April 2008 that the public\'s right to safety trumps any potential infringements on an offender\'s freedoms, saying appearing on the list doesn\'t impede a person from "doing anything or going anywhere." In June 2007 a B.C. Supreme Court judge dismissed challenges from three convicted sex offenders who objected to registering under the act. One argued registration was a punishment over and above the sentence for his crime and infringed on his Charter rights; another argued the requirement to register creates a reverse onus that is contrary to the principles of fundamental justice. We need a data base to see where these offenders are, they have had their names in the public already so why not on a governemt site were we can see what city they are in and to make sure these sex offenders IP addresses are tracked so when they register on a site like Facebook or MySpace they are denied entry to sites where our children might be. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Added by ivlrjw @ January 21, 2009, 10:22 pm
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The man who created a detection system used by MySpace to track and expel 29,000 American-registered sex offenders from the online social network site says Ottawa's information laws are preventing detection verification companies from tracking Canadian offenders. "We can't even work with any private companies or law-enforcement agencies because we simply can't get hold of the data," said John Cardillo, CEO of Sentinel Tech, who said predators are more free to use Canadian social networking sites to lure young victims. The public does not have access to the national sex offender registry -- a database that provides Canadian police services with information to investigate crimes of a sexual nature. MySpace, which has an estimated 180 million profiles, announced Wednesday it had "partnered with Sentinel Tech to build technology to remove registered sex offenders from our site." The new measures do not apply to Canada. "Through this innovative technology, we're pleased that we've successfully identified and deleted these registered sex offenders and hope that other social networking sites follow our lead," Hemanshu Nigam, MySpace's chief security officer said in a release. Speaking from his company's offices in Miami, Fla., Cardillo said keeping sexual predators off the Internet is no longer a technical challenge, it's become a political challenge, with only the United States freeing up information to companies like his to integrate a database of predators into a detection system. "I'm hoping something breaks to use this data," he said about the policies of government's such as Canada. "It's going to take a few daring members of Parliament to change this," the former New York City police officer said. Cardillo said Sentinel takes records of offenders, released by the U.S. federal government, puts them into a database and makes them searchable by various criteria such as name, or, using photo recognition technology. "When the bad guys have to cover their tracks, they get caught," Cardillo said, who added it was only in May that MySpace began to use his Sentinel Tech's technology, after signing a seven-figure deal reached with MySpace's owners, News Corp. But because Canada's federal government has not publicly released the names of registered sex offenders, those people are able to travel on the information highway, virtually undetected, Cardillo said. "We can't see who they are so we can't see where they are." Canada's sex offender registry came into effect in 2004 and as of April, 2006, contained the names of some 12,000 sex offenders. The Conservative government has said it would not make the registry publicly available.

Petition to Reduce Brawley School Road Traffic, Mooresville, NC

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:0:28 CST

We petition the Iredell County Commissioners to follow through on their promise to immediately reduce traffic congestion and improve traffic flow on Brawley School Road, Mooresville, NC by all available means. "Normally you don't like to regulate things, but this is a pretty extreme situation." said Iredell Commissioner Steve Johnson. "It's terrible down there. Traffic has gotten so bad along the road it's affecting public safety," said Johnson. (Charlotte Observer by K. Thier, April 30, 2006) This petition will be submitted to the Iredell County Commissioners by the Iredell County Growth Commission February, 2007. Thank you for your support of this petition.

Saunders Deserves Jail Time

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:1:24 CDT

Kaleb Schwade, a 6 month old baby in Tampa, FL is currently in th PICU because of abuse suffered at the hands of childcare worker Rebecca Saunders. Saunders shook Kaleb, causing spinal fluid to build in his skull, creating pressure on his brain. Kaleb has been in the PICU for over a month now, and will probably remain there for another couple of weeks, if not longer. Because of Saunders' actions, Kaleb is now blind, and the doctor's say that if he lives, he will probably be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. To top it all off, Saunders was released from jail on a $5000 bond. THIS IS NOT JUSTICE. In no way does anything "right the wrong" done in this case, but a bond of only $5000 is just an insult. She is walking the streets while poor Kaleb is fighting for his life every second. I know in my heart that this woman deserves the worst possible penalty for her crime, and I urge the FL prosecution to fight for it. Please fight for this innocent child!

Araz Petition

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 18:0:23 CST

Attn: Lt-General Haik Harutiunian Minister of ‘Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Vardan Oskanian Minister of ‘Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Davit Harutyunyan Minister of ‘Ministry of Justice’ Dear Ministers, We, the undersigned are concerned citizens, visitors and devotees of our beloved land, Armenia. Our concern is the safety of all pedestrians, especially those in the streets of Yerevan. The traffic laws and regulations presently in place do not reflect the rapid increase of motor vehicles and unsafe drivers in the country. Our request from the government is: to act fast upon this life-threatening and concerning issue. Since the present laws do not work in favor of pedestrians, there is neither a safeguard nor justice for the victims, and the ramification for the motorists is from minimum to none. As concerned Armenians we would appreciate your cooperation and sharing of our vision, for a pedestrian-safe Armenia.

Joe Biden for President 2008

Sat, 5 Feb 2005 23:0:39 CST

THE BEST BET FOR DEMOCRATS IN 2008. Please sign this petition to show Sen. Biden that we urge him to run for President of the United States of America Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was first elected to the United States Senate in 1972 at the age of twenty-nine and is recognized as one of the nation’s most powerful and influential voices on foreign relations, terrorism, drug policy, and crime prevention.

CNN change Pristina-Serbia to Pristina-Kosovo

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 07:0:08 CST

When searching weather at CNN for Pristina, the result displayed is Pristina-Serbia, Pristina is the capital of Kosovo an independent state, not a part of Serbia.

Petition aginst the Pitbull Ban in Onatrio

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 00:1:00 CDT

The pitbull ban in Ontario is cruel and inhumane. It is wrong to kill the breed of dog off. There are better ways to solve the problem.If raised right a pitbull can be a very loving pet. Sign this petition saying that you are against the banning of pitbulls in ontario and it will be sent to Michael Bryant to try to get him to reconsider his decision.

Stop PUD on Key Biscayne

Sat, 13 May 2006 21:1:17 CDT

The purpose of this petition is to let our Village Council Members know that we oppose the creation of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) designation for the Sonesta Redevelopment Project. We urge the council to maintain the property's current HR (hotel resort) status. By maintaning our current zoning laws, the developers wil be unable to build six 15-story towers on the old Sonesta Hotel site and will be limited to a structure which meets Key Biscayne's current zoning laws.

Stop Ontario HST

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 10:1:13 CDT

The Ontario Liberals are going to raise your taxes by 8% on a variety of goods and services that were not being taxed before. This is going to come into effect on July 1, 2010. They are going to blend the RST (also known as PST) and the GST. This will raise taxes from 5% to 13%. On a house that costs $5000,000.00 it will add $40,000.00. They are going to offset this for you by giving families $1000.00 and single people $300.00. This is nothing more than a tax grab from a Premier that has told us twice that he won\'t raise taxes. If you want to send the Liberals a message that you don\'t want or agree with this new tax, then please sign this petition.

GET BRUCE ON I LOVE NEW YORK SEASON 2

Thu, 31 May 2007 14:1:49 CDT

there's a online casting call for VH1's series " I LOVE NEW YORK " 2 starring tiffany aka " NEW YORK " and i wanna be on the show. I would go as a contestant, but i'm not old enough. I'm such a huge fan of newyork, and would to meet her. i was on the site today and they had this thing saying " You wanna meet newyork. CLICK HERE " so i clicked, and it says are u newyork's biggest fan ??? wanna get a chance to meet her. all u gotta do it be a voter, and at the end, the user with the most votes / comments will get a chance to meet her, and i think that's UNFAIR. Cause having the most votes doesn't mean your her biggest fan, all that means is ur so stupid u vote for any guy and get alotta votes just to be on the show, and i'm not 18 so i can't no comments so i don't have no chance of winning. Plus for some reason my computer doesn't let me log in to my profile so there's NO WAY IN HELL I'M WINNING. so that's why i made this petiton so i can get alotta signatures and email the link to VH1. so if u could do me a favor of signing. and if u know me in person, or ever talked to be before myspace / facebook. do me a favor and write why you think i should go on the show, or just tell them how much i LOVEEEEEEEEEE NEWYORK.

TOM TANCREDO FOR PRESIDENT

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 01:0:58 CST

If you are tired of the double-speak and inaction on the part of the Washington Politicians regarding the systematic invasion of the United States of America by millions of illegal aliens and if you long for a President who will protect our own borders before sending our young military men and women half way around the world to fight and die...PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED FOR DABRE SULTAN MONASTERY!

Sun, 2 Apr 2006 14:1:28 CDT

Dear Friends, Whereas the Dabre Sultan Monastery in Jerusalem is the last foothold of Ethiopia and the whole continent of Africa anywhere near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Whereas, it is well to be recalled that for centuries our church fathers crossed deserts and seas only to reach Holy Jerusalem and defend this monastery from any usurpers, Whereas the recent violations of the Status Quo by the Copts at the monastery jeopardize our sovereignty and compromise our rights at the monastery, Whereas these violations and intrusions are preconceived acts of provocation intended to lead the weak Ethiopian monks and nuns yet into another bloody incident, to which the Ethiopians will be held responsible as in the past, Whereas the Israeli authorities are the only legal authority liable to take any action against these violations as it is obliged to do so by law, international conventions and the Status Quo agreement itself, And whereas a firm action or condemnation whatsoever failed to follow by any of the relevant and proper authorities, We call upon the Israeli authorities to act in accordance to their mandate as did the British and Jordanians before and see to it that the Status Quo is observed in the monastery and by doing so prevent any bloody incident that can ensue from these provocations, We call upon the newly elected Premier of Israel H.E. Mr. Ehud Omert, a friend of Ethiopians, to address and solve the issue of this monastery that has become a source of great distress and grievance for all Ethiopians, as soon as he takes office, We call upon all the Ethiopian authorities to take a firm stand on this issue and petition to the Government of Israel to carry out its obligation towards these violations and the humanitarian needs of the monks and nuns at the monastery, Please write also in this concern to the following: Prime Minister of Israel Office: H.E. Mr. Ehud Olmert, 3 Kaplan St., Qiryat Ben-Gurion P.O. Box 187, 91919 Jerusalem Tel: 972-2-6705555 Fax: 972-2-6512631 pm_heb@pmo.gov.il eulmert@knesset.gov.il AND Embassy of Israel in Washington: 3514 International Drive. N.W. Washington DC 20008 Tel: 202-3645500 Fax: 202-3645423 Email: info@israelemb.org Thank you all in advance

John Kerry for President in 2008!

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 03:0:31 CST

In the election of 2004, John Kerry sadly lost. But there's 2008! Please, if you supported Kerry in 2004, sign this petition!

Free Mr. Kahlid Adem

Sat, 4 Nov 2006 00:0:53 CST

I was very shocked when I heard about the news of an Ethiopian father (Mr. Khalid Adem) circumcising his 2 year old daughter in 2001 (now 7 years old). I was even more shocked when I read the news that Mr. Adem was sentenced to 10 years in prison on November 1, 2006. However, I don’t think Mr. Adem did this brutal act to his daughter. I am suspicious that his ex-wife has leveled this false charge against him. My suspicion stems from that Mr. Adem was going through an exceptionally nasty divorce and custody case from a South African woman who only noticed that her daughter was circumcised after the separation! And the vivid detail with which the seven-year-old girl remembers what happened when she was two unsettles me. Adem's attorney acknowledged that the girl had been cut, but implied that the family of the girl's mother, who emigrated from South Africa, may have been responsible. Even though I agree with the cruelty and brutality of female genital mutilation, I believe Mr. Adem is a victim of unfounded accusations. I think the sentence was nothing but an attempt to satisfy the media that picked up the news to tarnish the image of Ethiopia or out of fear of some "women rights" organizations. Therefore, we the undersigned individuals respectfully ask the judge to reconsider the sentencing of Mr. Khalid Adem. Thanks