List of New California Laws 2012.

The State of California has many new laws for 2012.

Handgun open-carry, LGBT rights, online privacy, child abuse, social media, identity theft, criminal records, Internet sales tax, employment credit checks, human trafficking and slavery are all in the mix of 2012 California laws. Here are some of the things Californians can and cannot do in 2012:

Employment Credit Check Law
Employers can no longer request credit reports for Californians unless they are working or seeking work in a financial institution, law enforcement or the state Justice Department. 

The law also exempts anyone who

(1) has access to people's bank or credit card account information, SSN number and date of birth,
(2) has access to an employer's proprietary information or trade secrets, (3) signs a check, credit card, financial contract, or transfers money for an employer,
(4) has access to more than $10,000 cash, or (5) is a manager in 'certain industries'.

Law effective January 1, 2012.

California Handgun Open Carry Law
Open-carry citizen handgun ban. Supported by cops who cannot tell whether openly carried weapons are loaded or not. Violators pay $1,000 plus 6 months in jail (misdemeanor). Gun rights advocates vow to carry rifles and shotguns instead. Californians can still get permits forconcealed weapons. Law effective January 1, 2012.

California Human Trafficking Law
Enforces mandatory disclosure of efforts that companies take to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their entire supply chains. Being watched as a prototype of future legislation in other states and nations. Law effective January 1, 2012. 

California Gay Bullying Law (Seth's Law)
Combats bullying of gay and lesbian students in public schools by requiring school districts to have a uniform process for dealing with gay bullying complaints. Mandates that school personnel intervene if they witness gay bullying. Law effective July 1, 2012.

LGBT Equality and Equal Access in Higher Education Law
State universities and colleges must create and enforce campus policies protecting LGBTs from harassment and appoint employee contact persons to address on-campus LGBT matters. The law includes community colleges statewide. Law effective 2012.

Domestic Partnership Equality Law
Corrects inequalities between domestic partnerships and heterosexual marriages, including domestic partner health benefits sharing. Law effective 2012.

Protection of Parent-Child Relationships Law
Allows courts to consider the relationship between a child and a non-biological parent when considering child rights cases involving birth parents, adoptive parents, and gay or lesbian guardians. Law effective 2012.

Transgender Non-Discrimination Law
Provides public accommodation and protection in education, housing and employment for gender identity and expression. Law effective 2012.

Transgender Vital Statistics Law
Makes it easier for transgender Californians to get a court petition to change their gender on official documents. Law effective 2012.

LGBT Equal Benefits Law
Requires an employer with a state contract worth more than $100,000 to have non-discrimination policies in place for LGBT workers and their partners. Law effective 2012.

Judicial Applicant and Appointment Demographics Inclusion Law
Includes gender identity and sexual orientation of potential judges into the state's Judicial Applicant Data Report to ensure that state courts are diverse. Law effective 2012.

Gay Divorce Law
Provides that if a gay couple got married in California but lives in a state that won't grant them a divorce, the California court will have jurisdiction to grant them a legal divorce. The case will be filed in the county where the gay couple got married. Law effective January 1, 2012.

California Gay History Law
Governor Jerry Brown signed the Gay History Law, which mandates that school textbooks and social studies include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender accomplishments. Law effective January 1, 2012.

Internet Sales Tax
Governor Brown signed into law that out-of-state Internet retailers must collect California sales tax on transactions if the retailer has a presence in the state. Law effective Summer 2012.

California Renters Right to Recycling Law
Apartment building landlords will have to start providing recycling services for 7 million California tenants. Law effective 2012. Read "California Renters Recycling Law".

California Reader Privacy Law
Government and third-party snoops can no longer gather information on Internet users' reading, book shopping or ebook using habits without a legal court order. Read "California Reader Privacy Law".

There were more than 700 new California laws in effect just for 2011.

Many more new laws for 2012.

Track Santa's Trip Christmas Eve!

NORAD tracks Santa's trip around the world delivering gifts to millions of boys & girls on Christmas Eve.

Why NORAD tracks Santa...

For more than 50 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight.

The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.

In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, which then took on the tradition of tracking Santa.

Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world. In addition, we now track Santa using the Internet. Millions of people who want to know Santa’s whereabouts now visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website.

Finally, media from all over the world rely on NORAD as a trusted source to provide updates on Santa’s journey.

How NORAD tracks Santa...

NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa cams and fighter jets.

Tracking Santa starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system consists of 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. On December 24th, NORAD monitors the radar systems continuously for indications that Santa Claus has left the North Pole.

The moment that radar indicates Santa has lifted off, we use our second detection system. Satellites positioned in geo-synchronous orbit at 22,300 miles from the Earth’s surface are equipped with infrared sensors, which enable them to detect heat. Amazingly, Rudolph’s bright red nose gives off an infrared signature, which allows our satellites to detect Rudolph and Santa.

The third tracking system is the Santa cam network. We began using it in 1998, which is the year we put our Santa Tracking program on the internet. Santa cams are ultra-cool, high-tech, high-speed digital cameras that are pre-positioned at many locations around the world. NORAD only uses these cameras once a year. The cameras capture images and videos of Santa and his reindeer as they make their journey around the world.

The fourth system is made up of fighter jets. Canadian NORAD fighter pilots flying the CF-18 intercept and welcome Santa to North America. In the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15, F-16 or the F-22 get the thrill of flying alongside Santa and his famous reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph.

Once data is collected on December 24th, it is then pushed into the Google Maps and Google Earth so that families all over the world can also follow Santa.

For more information on NORAD and to learn new & funny things about Santa click on the link below:

http://www.noradsanta.org

PLEASE HELP & SHARE!!!

We are trying to get Christmas cards for Lucas and Juno!

You remember Lucas & his faithful service dog, Juno? Lucas is the 4 year old little boy with the terminal illness MPS. There is no known treatment...there is no cure...and Lucas's life expectancy is only 10 -15 years (go to his FB page Lucas Hembree to see more).

His service dog, Juno, is always by his side. Juno was trained by Lucas's father, after he rescued her from a shelter, where she literally was to be put down in a matter of another few hours. Together, they have formed an inseperable bond.

Life is not the easy, carefree thing it is for most children. The family has gone thru many ups and downs, in fact as Chester Hembree wrote in a note to me, "It seems like for every ounce of good news we get it's followed by a pound of bad news...lol. We've just learned to take what ever happens and make the best of it."

We at the GSDC would like to bring a bit of cheer to this family.

Instead of finding bills in their mailbox, we'd like to fill it with CHRISTMAS CARDS! Holiday greeting and well wishes from around the globe! .... and we need YOUR help!

PLEASE...could you send the family a Christmas card? Let them know, that they are NOT alone in this. Tell them that there are people who truly CARE, this Christmas season. A card and a postage stamp, could make such a difference. So please, when you are sending your cards out, could you address an extra one to a little boy, & his Dog?

It would mean so very, very much.

Cards can be sent to:
Lucas Hembree & Juno
204 McKinley St.
Alcoa, TN 37701

THANK YOU!!!!
By: The German Shepherd Dog Community

Agent Orange Legacy: SUPPORT S.1798

Open Burn Pit Registry Act of 2011...

Agent Orange Legacy: SUPPORT S.1798 Open Burn Pit Registry Act of 2011...: Take Action NOW!!! PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT OPEN BURN BITS CREATE DIOXIN FOR OUR MILITARY. EXPOSURE IS SAID TO BE "THE NEW AGENT ORANGE...




Please take a minute and vote yes on S.1798!

We helped millions with diabetes in 2011.

A thank you from the American Diabetes Association...

Dear Angie,

What does fighting to Stop Diabetes look like?

It looks like 200 dedicated Diabetes Advocates storming Capitol Hill to meet with Members of Congress...Tens of thousands defending health insurance benefits for people with diabetes, stopping schools from discriminating against kids with diabetes, and more.

These are just some of the amazing things we were able to accomplish in 2011 – and all because of people like YOU who take the time to weigh in on crucial issues, talk to your elected officials, stay informed, and spread the word about critical issues affecting people with diabetes.

There's one more important thing you can do in 2011 to help fight diabetes in 2012: "Like" American Diabetes Association on Facebook to be the first to learn breaking news and get great tips and resources on how to advance the health and protect the rights of those living with diabetes. It's easy, and it helps!

With your help this year, we have:

• Held trainings, planning sessions, and over 250 meetings with Members of Congress at the Association's biannual Call to Congress;
• Participated in six Congressional briefings on issues ranging from diabetes research to launching our gestational diabetes bill;
• Protected the Affordable Care Act's key provisions for people with diabetes and supported funding for programs that provide free gestational diabetes screenings for pregnant women;
• Helped pass new provisions aimed at stopping discrimination against people with diabetes;
• Campaigned against school segregation for children with diabetes, including on a media tour that reached 2,000 radio stations and network affiliates and 5 million listeners;
• Worked directly with states to fight against reductions in insurance benefits that would impact those with diabetes; and
• Secured Congressional support for federally-funded diabetes research and prevention programs.

Check out our complete list of advocacy accomplishments in 2011 – again, none of this would have been possible without you!

Please take a moment to join us on Facebook. Together, we can build on our achievements in 2011 to make 2012 an even better year for the millions of children and adults with diabetes who are counting on us to protect their interests and continue to fight this deadly disease.

As I end my reign as the Chair of the Board, I want to thank you again for all your support and wish you and yours a very happy and healthy new year, which means we will be one step closer to realizing our efforts to Stop Diabetes!

Sincerely,

John Griffin, Jr. Chair of the Board American Diabetes Association

Thank you from Feeding America!

This was thoughtful of Feeding America to send me this letter....

Dear Angie,

On behalf of the nearly 49 million Americans struggling with hunger, Feeding America thanks you for your tireless advocacy efforts this past year. 

In 2011, several harmful proposals emerged in Congress that would have cut funding for programs that put food on the table for hungry Americans. 

Each of these proposals was defeated because advocates like you stepped up to urge Congress not to balance the budget on the backs of hungry Americans. 

Congress listened. Your voice was heard. 

Together, we sent more than 19,700 emails and made over 4,000 phone calls at just the right times to make our elected officials understand the importance of protecting programs that feed hungry Americans. In fact, thanks to you, we even saw a slight increase in funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which will help put food onto our food banks’ depleted shelves. 

Now as we look forward to the battles ahead, we take strength in knowing that our united voices can make a difference. 

Again, thank you for everything you have done to support Feeding America. We urge you to stay vigilant as we face new and continued challenges and opportunities in 2012 and beyond. 
Working together, we are Feeding America. 

Happy holidays and best wishes,

Vicki Escarra
President and CEO, Feeding America

Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Trials.

ABOUT FOX TRIAL FINDER:
Fox Trial Finder is a simple solution to connect willing volunteers with the Parkinson’s disease (PD) clinical trials and studies that urgently need them, streamlining the flow of participants into studies and speeding progress toward therapeutic breakthroughs.

Message from Michael J. Fox,

Dear Friend,

Some believe change is what happens to them. Others believe they make change happen. We at The Michael J. Fox Foundation know that change, and progress, is you-powered. It takes each one of us to help put a cure for Parkinson’s within reach.

Fox Trial Finder is here to help you be a part of making change happen. We’re glad you’ve taken the first step to learn more and hope you’ll click around and complete a profile. Whether you have a trial match on day one or not, your profile is part of one of the most important tools we can create — a community of tens of thousands of people who have raised their hands to be called upon to participate in Parkinson’s clinical research. By getting involved, you can play a personal — and critically important — role in pushing new treatments one step closer to pharmacy shelves.

The cure for Parkinson’s will be powered by you. Thanks for being part of the solution.

Michael J. Fox

https://foxtrialfinder.michaeljfox.org/ 

Obama Following the Bush Doctrin!

Obama is leading the war in Afghanistan!

PAY ATTENTION! WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

Please tell me the difference between Bush and the Iraq/Afghanistan War and Obama and the Afghanistan/Libya war? Why is the liberals not condemning Obama? It just shows that Liberals will politicize the war and disregard the men and women who died while serving the military. Obama's quote is very similar to what Bush said in 2003. Yes Liberals, believe it or not, Obama is leading the war against Libya!

MARCH 19, 2011
OBAMA: 'Today we are part of a broad coalition. We are answering the calls of a threatened people. And we are acting in the interests of the United States and the world'...

MARCH 19, 2003
BUSH: 'American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger'...

Thank you for this posting on your blog. I was trying to find the words to do this and you helped me, good job! I hope this explains some facts to more people following the current events of today.

Conservative Views For The Grassroots: Obama Following the Bush Doctrine