Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/302241812?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Preschools funding plummets
By Susan Heavey
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Enrollment in preschools stalled over the past year as states recovering from the recent recession struggle to fund early education for the nation's youngest students, researchers said.
In a report to be released later on Monday, education experts pointed to a record drop in state funding to serve the nation's 3- and 4-year-olds, citing a drop of more than half a billion dollars in the 2011-2012 school year from the year before.
Although a record high 1.3 million children attended state-run preschools in 2011-2012, it was the first year enrollment stagnated when taking the population growth into account, it showed. (for a graphic about the report, see http://link.reuters.com/duc77t)
The findings from Rutgers University's National Institute for Early Education Research come as the Obama administration is pushing its proposal to expand access to early learning.
President Barack Obama's plan calls for a federal-state plan to enroll 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families in preschools while providing additional grants to states to expand access to other middle class families.
Early education is one area that both Democrats and Republicans generally support, although clashes arise over government's role and funding.
Monday's report highlights the disparities not only in access to available preschool programs across various states but also in their quality.
"Not only are we stalled, but it really matters what your zip code is," said Steven Barnett, who directs the Rutgers institute.
Overall, state funding per child fell by more than $400 to $3,841 per child on average in 2011-2012, the first year such funding dropped to below $4,000 per student, the report said.
While most U.S. schools begin offering education for students at age 5 for kindergarten, preschool programs vary widely state-by-state.
Most states offer some sort of preschool program for 4-year-olds from families with qualifying low incomes, according to the institute, and some also serve 3-year-olds.
Ten states do not offer preschool, also known as pre-kindergarten or pre-K: Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
QUALITY CONCERNS
Even among those with programs, few states offer so-called "universal preschool" for all children. Parents whose incomes are too high to qualify for state-run programs must pay out-of-pocket for private ones.
Under Obama's plan, the federal government would spend $75 billion over 10 years to widen access to state programs for lower income families. It also seeks to encourage states to broaden access so middle class families could opt in, calling for $750 million in such grants under his 2014 budget proposal.
Despite the president's push, his plan has moved little in Congress, where lawmakers have been focused on immigration, the budget and other issues.
Advocates of early childhood education say reaching 3- and 4-year-olds can help boost students' development long-term. But conservatives and other critics have questioned the federal government's effectiveness in early childhood work, questioning another the federally funded program for low-income 3- to 5-year-olds, Head Start.
Additional funds could help boost cash-strapped states that have cut back on preschool funding since federal stimulus monies ran out, the report said.
"As states emerge from the recession, pre-K continues to suffer," researches wrote, adding that the number of needy families has continued to rise.
Lack of funding has taken a toll on states' abilities to monitor programs and hurt the quality of such early childhood education, they added.
Few states met the institute's 10 benchmarks to assess quality such as teacher training, learning standards and class size, in large part due to funding cuts, the report said.
States that fared the best include Alabama, Alaska, North Carolina and Rhode Island, it said, while California, Florida, Ohio, Texas and Vermont met the fewest quality standards.
(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/preschools-see-sharp-drop-funding-study-140408946.html
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The Guru's Guide to List Building | Home Based Business and Make ...
RE: List Building 101!
Dear Struggling Marketer,
If you are reading this right now I can only assume you are interested in learning how to build a list in order for your business to grow and start producing some results with dollar signs at the end.
While building your list is crucial to the success of your business, it?s also a pain in the tail if you don?t know what to do in order for it to work to your advantage.
There are tons of marketers out there with great sites and great stuff to offer, but they just don?t have anyone to present it to. Time and time again I have seen people come and go. They finally just give up because they think it?s just impossible and there is simply no hope for them in the business.
I?m talking about some real talented people who would?ve made it if they would have taken more time to learn list building strategies to get their business on the right track.
You can have the greatest content on the web today and you can have the best graphics that money can buy, but as I said before without a base of clients no one?s ever going to know about it.
I guarantee you pretty graphics isn?t going to have people flooding into your site via Google. If that was the case everyone would?ve had this figured out long ago!
YOU MUST LEARN THE SECRETS TO LIST BUILDING!
Look, I know it can seem frustrating and confusing on how to go about building your list. Don?t feel alone. Every marketer deals with this issue.
Even I went through a time where I thought I would never grasp the concept of building a list. And not just any list, but a massive and responsive one.
So, when I say every marketer has or is dealing with this, they are? and if they tell you any different they are lying to you.
The fact is building your list should be one of your main goals each and every day. Leaving it on the back burner and dealing with it here and there is only delaying your failure.
It should be considered top priority. This is the backbone of your business, the foundation to your infrastructure?Without your backbone or your foundation, where would you be?
?
Would you like me to?
teach you how to build a powerful and compelling squeeze page in a step-by-step manner?
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thoroughly explain how to use auto responders and emailing services?
?
show you several little tricks that you can do to get the maximum exposure of your site?
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answer all those questions bugging you that you need to know about list building?
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lay out a plan for you so you can get started in the right direction so your business can truly be successful and profitable?
?
?
This isn?t my first rodeo; I?ve been in this business a long time. I can promise you if it has to do with building your list I either do it or I have tried it.
Throughout my journey in this business it hasn?t always been a smooth ride and peaches and cream.
There were times I struggled to make ends meet and even considered going back to a 9-5 job because my head was about in the give up barrel.
Instead I started devoting hours and hours of my time every chance I had to learn the most effective and useful ways to get my list built. I experimented and tested tons of methods in order to come up with the perfect storm per say.
Not only did I learn what works, I also learned what didn?t work?And now I want to share all my secrets and a profit plan that will change your list building issues forever?
This video guide shows you step-by-step instructions on how to build your list of customers with tested and proven results that are highly recommended for any marketer wanting to be successful. I?ll take you through the hard parts and show you what to do and how to do it! I?m not leaving anything out as I show you how to set up a squeeze page, set up email services, and many ways to drive traffic to your site!
HERE IS A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH OF WHAT IS COVERED?
I?ll be showing you the entire process of setting up a squeeze page in order to start building a list.
?
Helpful tips and ideas to consider when deciding what would be the perfect giveaway for your customers on your squeeze page.
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We?ll go through the process of signing up for services like Aweber and you?ll get guided through the process of getting your opt-in box set up and working.
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You?re taken through the steps of setting up your download page for your free giveaway.
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You?ll learn how article marketing works to help drive traffic back to your squeeze page. I?ll actually show you how to put out the articles and little things you can do to??? boost their attention.
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Find out how to take videos and go viral on YouTube; producing a flood of visitors to your site..
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Learn how YouTube can be your best friend and drive tons of customers to your products.
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Find out how to install videos on your blog.
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You get informed on how forums can get you exposure and people signing up to your site.
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Get tips on how social marketing can really make a difference in your business and how it can benefit you.
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We will cover follow up messages and why they are so important to your business.
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You get a bird?s eye view as you practically watch over my shoulder and learn the process in an easy-to-follow manner.
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This video course is packed with 11 videos loaded with everything you need to know to start building your list the right way.
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Tons of helpful tips and strategies from a List Building Pro!
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Let me say this, it?s obvious that value dripping off this offer, but there are some other things that are obvious as well.
It?s obvious that if you don?t take action now and put forth the first foot to make the step of learning about list building, you?re never going to find out and you will never succeed. Point blank.
If you want your business successful you got to learn this stuff. I wish I could tell you another way, but there isn?t one. This is it and you have to learn. There is no easy way, let?s face it, but there is a right way and I?m going to show you.
Now, there are tons of products available on the market today that claim to offer step-by -step instructions and then you find yourself with a something that only explains the steps and doesn?t really ?show? you how too? making it as useless as a car with no wheels.
Now, you could go out and pay for training one on one, but get ready to drop some cash?I mean a lot! Some advisers charge $200 dollars and more per hour for their two cents. And then you got to figure out if you are going to pay someone to create your sites for you once you learn all this stuff. Get ready to spend hundreds and even thousands if you take that option.
Good luck with that! If you can profit after spending that much by doing that, more power to you!:) But WHY do all that? I?m giving you the opportunity that you need, you just have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty with me.
Now, I know what you?re guessing this video course has got to have a hefty price tag. Well I did take into consideration what it does cost in the real world for all of what I am offering.
I thought about that and instantly knew I could easily ask $67. I could even ask $97 on any given day for this course and still make people faint from price value! Then I finally decided what I thought would be a great offer! Help someone who is just trying to get on their feet and learn about list building without breaking their bank!
So, I decided to give you this once in a lifetime chance to own this incredible video course for a wicked low price of only..
?
There are a ton of people who have had success using these same methods I am offering to teach you?including myself.
However, I know making decisions sometimes can leave you wondering what the pros and cons are and if this is right for you.
Well, I am so confident in this product that if for any reason whatsoever if you feel like this has not made an impact on your life, change the way you do list building, and you feel this course hasn?t help you? I will simply give you your money back! No questions ask.
And this isn?t a guarantee for a week or 10 days, not even 30 days?I?m giving you a FULL 60 Day Money Back Guarantee!
By now it should be hard for you to say no based on what I offering and the benefits including the risk free money back guarantee.
I?m sure you would agree that for the small price I am asking for this I?m giving you the chance to get this at a ridiculous rate, but with this guarantee included, some would say I?m down right insane!
I disagree and say it?s total confidence in this course I?m offering and I?m certain you will agree too once you get this valuable information.
?
?
Look, putting this off is not something you want to do. Hoping things are going to change for the better sounds good and all, but the reality is that?s not going to happen.
You can end the aggravation and frustration you are dealing with when it comes to building a client base with this video course I have created.
It doesn?t have to be a monkey on your back and a pain in the neck anymore. You can tackle this issue and nip it in the bud right now.
All you need is desire to build your list and this course!
After watching this video course I am confident you will see results and you will start gaining a list at a rapid rate in no time and reap the benefits of this video course like so many have.
Look at it this way, if you had a chunk of solid gold in your hand?Would you throw it away? Of course not! So why would you throw away this opportunity you have today?
Don?t let this slip away when you have a chance to gain control over it now!
Take heed to my warning though?waiting around and procrastinating will only lead to disaster on your part because this offer will not last forever, and especially at this price.
I?m asking you today to get your copy of this must-have video training course so you can start creating your list building empire and get on the road to success! Get Yours Now!
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To Your Success!
Iain Howard
P.S. Remember you get an IRON CLAD 60 Day Money Back Guarantee!
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Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/hbbpartners/blog/the-gurus-guide-to-list-building/
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Monday, April 29, 2013
Grocery delivery service is greener than driving to the store
Apr. 29, 2013 ? At the end of a long day, it can be more convenient to order your groceries online while sitting on the living room couch instead of making a late-night run to the store. New research shows it's also much more environmentally friendly to leave the car parked and opt for groceries delivered to your doorstep.
University of Washington engineers have found that using a grocery delivery service can cut carbon dioxide emissions by at least half when compared with individual household trips to the store. Trucks filled to capacity that deliver to customers clustered in neighborhoods produced the most savings in carbon dioxide emissions.
"A lot of times people think they have to inconvenience themselves to be greener, and that actually isn't the case here," said Anne Goodchild, UW associate professor of civil and environmental engineering. "From an environmental perspective, grocery delivery services overwhelmingly can provide emissions reductions."
Consumers have increasingly more grocery delivery services to choose from. AmazonFresh operates in the Seattle area, while Safeway's service is offered in many U.S. cities. FreshDirect delivers to residences and offices in the New York City area. Last month, Google unveiled a shopping delivery service experiment in the San Francisco Bay Area, and UW alumni recently launched the grocery service Geniusdelivery in Seattle.
As companies continue to weigh the costs and benefits of offering a delivery service, Goodchild and Erica Wygonik, a UW doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering, looked at whether using a grocery delivery service was better for the environment, with Seattle as a test case. In their analysis, they found delivery service trucks produced 20 to 75 percent less carbon dioxide than the corresponding personal vehicles driven to and from a grocery store.
They also discovered significant savings for companies -- 80 to 90 percent less carbon dioxide emitted -- if they delivered based on routes that clustered customers together, instead of catering to individual household requests for specific delivery times.
"What's good for the bottom line of the delivery service provider is generally going to be good for the environment, because fuel is such a big contributor to operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions," Wygonik said. "Saving fuel saves money, which also saves on emissions."
The research was funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation and published in the Journal of the Transportation Research Forum.
The UW researchers compiled Seattle and King County data, assuming that every household was a possible delivery-service customer. Then, they randomly drew a portion of those households from that data to identify customers and assign them to their closest grocery store. This allowed them to reach across the entire city, without bias toward factors such as demographics and income level.
They used an Environmental Protection Agency modeling tool to calculate emissions at a much more detailed level than previous studies have done. Using factors such as vehicle type, speed and roadway type, they calculated the carbon dioxide produced for every mile for every vehicle.
Emissions reductions were seen across both the densest parts and more suburban areas of Seattle. This suggests that grocery delivery in rural areas could lower carbon dioxide production quite dramatically.
"We tend to think of grocery delivery services as benefiting urban areas, but they have really significant potential to offset the environmental impacts of personal shopping in rural areas as well," Wygonik said.
Work commuters are offered a number of incentives to reduce traffic on the roads through discounted transit fares, vanpools and carpooling options. Given the emissions reductions possible through grocery delivery services, the research raises the question of whether government or industry leaders should consider incentives for consumers to order their groceries online and save on trips to the store, Goodchild said.
In the future, Goodchild and Wygonik plan to look at the influence of customers combining their grocery shopping with a work commute trip and the impact of the delivery service's home-base location on emissions.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Washington, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/kNz_k9R6AKw/130429095147.htm
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'Two and a Half Men' teen star won't be a regular
Peter Kramer / AP file
Jon Cryer, Ashton Kutcher and Angus T. Jones in 2011. Jones isn't listed as a regular cast member on the show's upcoming season.
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By Us Weekly
When CBS's hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men" returns this fall, the show will be half a man down. CBS announced Friday that though the show -- and actors Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher -- will be returning for an eleventh season, child star Angus T. Jones will not be signing on as a regular cast member.?
Jones, 19, could reportedly return to the series periodically as a recurring character, however, Deadline.com reports. Both Kutcher and Cryer have signed on for one-year contracts for the series.
PHOTOS: Angus kisses Miley Cyrus on Men
A source tells Us Weekly that one of the reasons Jones will not be returning is because his interests now lie elsewhere: Music.
"They tried really hard to keep him, but he was just done done," the source said, adding that the young actor is interested in "Skrillex style" tracks specifically.
VIDEO: Charlie Sheen rants about show creator Chuck Lorre
Jones made headlines in November 2012 when he released a YouTube video slamming?"Men" and calling the show "filth," asking viewers to "please stop watching." Shortly after the video went viral on the Internet, Jones came forward to apologize for his harsh words, offering a mea culpa to the cast and crew.
The actor apologized for "showing indifference and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which I have been blessed."?
PHOTOS: Stars on set
In January 2013, CBS entertainment chief Nina Tassler told reporters that she accepted the apology and was looking forward to having Jones back on the show. "The kid is 19 years old. I've got a 24-year-old," she said. "Between the ages of 19 and 24, there's been plenty of things my kid has said that I wish he hadn't. The bottom line is that cooler heads prevailed."
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Sunday, April 28, 2013
Moody's, S&P settle lawsuits over debt ratings
FILE - In this May 22, 2007 file photo, the McGraw-Hill Cos. building is shown in New York. A spokesman for the McGraw-Hill Cos., which owns S&P, Moody's Corp. and Morgan Stanley confirmed that ratings agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and investment bank Morgan Stanley have settled two lawsuits dating back to the financial crisis that accused them of hiding risky investments. The lawsuits from King County in Washington state and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank claimed that the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley hid the risk of investing in a fund that purchased bonds backed by subprime mortgages. Judge Shira Scheindlin dismissed the lawsuits, in federal court in New York on Friday, April 26, 2013, with prejudice. This means they can't be filed again. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
FILE - In this May 22, 2007 file photo, the McGraw-Hill Cos. building is shown in New York. A spokesman for the McGraw-Hill Cos., which owns S&P, Moody's Corp. and Morgan Stanley confirmed that ratings agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and investment bank Morgan Stanley have settled two lawsuits dating back to the financial crisis that accused them of hiding risky investments. The lawsuits from King County in Washington state and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank claimed that the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley hid the risk of investing in a fund that purchased bonds backed by subprime mortgages. Judge Shira Scheindlin dismissed the lawsuits, in federal court in New York on Friday, April 26, 2013, with prejudice. This means they can't be filed again. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Ratings agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and investment bank Morgan Stanley have settled two lawsuits dating back to the financial crisis that accused them of hiding risky investments.
The lawsuits from King County in Washington state and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank claimed that the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley hid the risk of investing in a fund that purchased bonds backed by subprime mortgages.
Judge Shira Scheindlin dismissed the lawsuits on Friday, in federal court in New York, with prejudice, which means they can't be filed again.
Spokesmen for the McGraw-Hill Cos., which owns S&P, Moody's Corp. and Morgan Stanley confirmed the settlements but did not disclose terms.
"This settlement allows us to put the significant legal defense and related costs, as well as the distraction, of these very protracted litigations behind us," said Moody's spokesman Michael Adler in an emailed statement. "We are satisfied that it is in the best interests of our company and shareholders."
McGraw-Hill spokesman Jason Feuchtwanger said the cases were settled without any admission of liability or wrongdoing.
Ratings agencies came under intense scrutiny following the 2008 financial crisis for giving top-notch ratings to investments backed by subprime mortgages. As defaults and losses mounted in the housing market, especially among subprime loans, the value of bonds backed by the bad debt plummeted.
As the mortgage market collapsed, the ratings agencies sharply lowered their ratings on the investments.
With the value of such investments declining, funds that purchased the bonds filed for bankruptcy. King County and Abu Dhabi sued the ratings agencies and Morgan Stanley claiming the banks misled them about the safety of some investments that were part of a structured investment vehicle.
A structured investment vehicle is a fund that borrows money by issuing short-term securities at a low interest rate and then lends that money by purchasing long-term securities at higher interest. That process can make a profit for its investors from the difference.
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A new front for gun background checks: the ballot
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) ? After struggling to sway both state and federal lawmakers, proponents of expanding background checks for gun sales are now exploring whether they will have more success by taking the issue directly to voters.
While advocates generally prefer that new gun laws be passed through the legislative process, especially at the national level, they are also concerned about how much sway the National Rifle Association has with lawmakers.
Washington Rep. Jamie Pedersen, a Democrat who had sponsored unsuccessful legislation on background checks at the state level, said a winning ballot initiative would make a statement with broad implications.
"It's more powerful if the voters do it ? as opposed to our doing it," Pedersen said. "And it would make it easier for the Legislature to do even more."
On Monday, proponents of universal background checks in Washington will announce their plan to launch a statewide initiative campaign that would require the collection of some 300,000 signatures, according to a person involved in the initiative planning who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the official announcement.
The Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility has scheduled a fundraiser in Seattle at the end of next month and hopes to have a campaign budget in the millions of dollars.
Ballot measures may be an option elsewhere, too. Hildy Saizow, president of Arizonans for Gun Safety, said an initiative is one of the things the group will be considering as it reconsiders strategies. An organizer in Oregon was focused on the Legislature for now but wouldn't rule out a ballot measure in the future if lawmakers fail to pass a proposed bill there.
While advocates have had recent success on background checks in places like Connecticut and Colorado, they've been thwarted in some other states and in Congress. The U.S. Senate rejected a plan to expand background checks earlier this month, although lawmakers in the chamber are still working to gather additional votes.
Brian Malte, director of mobilization at the national nonprofit lobbying group Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said passage through Congress is the ideal in order to have a national solution and so that states with strong gun laws aren't undermined by nearby states with weaker standards. He noted that initiative campaigns are costly endeavors that can drain important, limited resources.
Still, Malte said, the ballot measures are an option to consider.
"At some point, certainly decisions need to be made about what the right time is to say we take it to the people," Malte said.
Brian Judy, a lobbyist who represents the NRA in Washington state, did not return calls seeking comment about the new initiative. He has previously said the NRA would likely oppose such an effort, arguing that the recently proposed laws on background checks would largely impact law-abiding citizens instead of the intended targets such as criminals and the mentally ill.
Gun measures have had mixed results at the ballot. More than 70 percent of Washington state voters rejected a 1997 initiative campaign that would have required handgun owners to pass a safety course. After the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, voters in Colorado and Oregon approved ballot measures the next year to require background checks for buying weapons at gun shows.
Following another massacre in Colorado earlier this year, state lawmakers approved a bill to expand background checks to private transactions and online purchases. A similar expansion plan in Oregon is stalled in the state Senate.
Some states don't see initiatives as a viable option right now. In Missouri, state Rep. Stacey Newman has been pushing for background checks with little success. While she spoke positively about the idea of a ballot initiative, she said there's no serious consideration of it because of the cost and coordination required just to get it on the ballot. Instead, the supporters of background checks in the state are simply working to prevent NRA-supported legislation from passing the state's General Assembly.
"We're continually on defense," she said.
Gun buyers currently must undergo a background check when they purchase a weapon from a federally licensed firearms dealer but can avoid checks in most states by using private purchases, such as at gun shows.
Washington state advocates believe polls show the public is sufficiently on the side of expanding background checks further. An independent Elway Poll conducted two months ago found that 79 percent of registered voters in Washington state supported background checks on all gun sales, including private transactions.
That wasn't enough to shepherd the bill through the Legislature. Even in the state House, which is controlled by Democrats, supporters fell short after an NRA campaign put pressure on some lawmakers. Pedersen had offered concessions through the process, including the option of sending the measure out for a public vote and exemptions for people who already have concealed pistol licenses or law enforcement credentials.
Pedersen said he was working with the initiative organizers on language for the proposal, and he said the Legislature would first have another chance to adopt the measure early next year. If it fails among lawmakers again, the proposal would then automatically go to the ballot, where Pedersen said he welcomed a campaign competing against groups like the NRA.
"I'm not afraid of it at all," Pedersen said. "The public is really with us. It's the right policy. I think it can be useful for further progress."
___
AP Writer Mike Baker can be reached on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/HiPpEV
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/front-gun-background-checks-ballot-180644861.html
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It's More Fun to Travel in the Philippines: Backpackers Adventure in ...
We call ourselves the packers!?
Well, you know what we mean.?
Our group's name ?started from my name in my FB fan page (Smart Backpacker). And we just started calling ourselves "the packers!" We started our first travel in Puerto Galera, Mindoro. But the name started in Sagada. Now, we continued our travel to Tablas, Romblon!
We had 4 choices for our summer escapade, namely: Caramoan, Palaui Island, Baler and Tablas, Romblon. Originally, Tablas was not part of the choices. I suggested it after I went to Romblon.
We started our online voting on where we are suppose to go and it turned out that the last choice would we be the group's choice.
And so, I booked our group in 2GO Travel and everything went well as planned.
We missed 2 of our packers, Jonas and MJ!
April 19, 2013
Terminal 3, Batangas Port
9:00 pm
Day 1
There were only 8 of us that night when we boarded the ferry travel to Odiongan, Romblon. The packers present were Nikko, Jen, Feng, Lester, Ces, Dave, Joyce and I.
The economy ticket costs P815.00. The travel to Odiongan was good for 7 hours and while onboard the vessel, we decided to have a bit of drinking spree to start our trip right!
Day 2
We arrived at the Odiongan Port around 4 am and the beauty of the port captured my excitement already. I told myself, "We are going to have a good time here!"
From the port, we were fetched by the owner of the resort (Mr. Willy) and we paid P1,000 for the van. The trip to the resort is 30 minutes or 17 kilometers.
And finally, we arrived at the Binukot Sunset Cove Resort located in Brgy. Bunsoran, Ferrol, Tablas, Romblon. The owners of the resort are Mr. Willy (an Australian) and Ms. Michaela (a Filipina) (Contact nos. 0929-787-5486 / 0999-423-1040)?
And we rented this house for only P2,500. The house was good only for 5 persons but we told the owner that we were 8 and the Ms. Mica agreed to allow us to have the house and even gave us extra beds for free!
After taking our early breakfast, we decided to trek the beach and explored its wonders!
The place is actually a cove. And at the end of the cove, there is a small island. And we gathered seashells and stones as our souvenir.
We were having a god time! Probably, one of the best times of our lives!
And here we are in a paradise called Binukot Beach!
??
Time simply flew.. And we were there at the beach.. Laughing and enjoying!
The place was so beautiful that we could not stop taking pictures!
We were there posing from one spot to another.
And as always, I was the one tasked to take our pictures. I mean why should it always be me??
Coz, I simply love them and I wanted to have them to have a good time! =)
Around 11 am, we decided to go to the other side of the cove and we discovered a smaller cove!
What a treat for us! Two coves in one resort.
Past 2 pm, we chartered the van of Mr. Willy and headed to Mablaran Falls. We paid only P1,500 for the van. The trip going to the falls from Binukot Beach was almost 1 hour.
Only Nikko, Lester and I decided to go to the second falls. From the first falls to second falls, it took us 20 minutes to reach the second falls. And the trail was rugged and slippery. ?In fact, I lost my footing and everything (including my cameras and phones) got wet!
After almost 2 hours of staying at the falls, we decided to go back. We did not want to miss the reason why the resort was called Binukot Sunset Cove Resort!
Day 3
We woke up early the following morning after our late night drinking spree. My head was killing me that day (case of serious hangover!). But I did not want to spoil the fun! I pretended to be alright.. We took our early breakfast and proceeded to our next destination. Today is island hopping day!! =)
We rented four habal-habal (single motorcycle) and from Bunsoran, Ferrol to Looc we were cruising around Tablas, Romblon. ?Everyone was happy that day! We paid P300/pax for the roundtrip ride. Our guide and contact person for the tour was Jun - (0906-181-2627)
We rented a boat for P6,000 for our island hopping adventure. The owner of the boat is Mang Nonobi (0935-912-1619). After 1.5 hours of boat ride, we arrived at our destination - Carabao Island!
Well, you know what we mean.?
Our group's name ?started from my name in my FB fan page (Smart Backpacker). And we just started calling ourselves "the packers!" We started our first travel in Puerto Galera, Mindoro. But the name started in Sagada. Now, we continued our travel to Tablas, Romblon!
We had 4 choices for our summer escapade, namely: Caramoan, Palaui Island, Baler and Tablas, Romblon. Originally, Tablas was not part of the choices. I suggested it after I went to Romblon.
We started our online voting on where we are suppose to go and it turned out that the last choice would we be the group's choice.
And so, I booked our group in 2GO Travel and everything went well as planned.
We missed 2 of our packers, Jonas and MJ!
April 19, 2013
Terminal 3, Batangas Port
9:00 pm
Day 1
There were only 8 of us that night when we boarded the ferry travel to Odiongan, Romblon. The packers present were Nikko, Jen, Feng, Lester, Ces, Dave, Joyce and I.
The economy ticket costs P815.00. The travel to Odiongan was good for 7 hours and while onboard the vessel, we decided to have a bit of drinking spree to start our trip right!
Day 2
We arrived at the Odiongan Port around 4 am and the beauty of the port captured my excitement already. I told myself, "We are going to have a good time here!"
From the port, we were fetched by the owner of the resort (Mr. Willy) and we paid P1,000 for the van. The trip to the resort is 30 minutes or 17 kilometers.
And finally, we arrived at the Binukot Sunset Cove Resort located in Brgy. Bunsoran, Ferrol, Tablas, Romblon. The owners of the resort are Mr. Willy (an Australian) and Ms. Michaela (a Filipina) (Contact nos. 0929-787-5486 / 0999-423-1040)?
And we rented this house for only P2,500. The house was good only for 5 persons but we told the owner that we were 8 and the Ms. Mica agreed to allow us to have the house and even gave us extra beds for free!
After taking our early breakfast, we decided to trek the beach and explored its wonders!
The place is actually a cove. And at the end of the cove, there is a small island. And we gathered seashells and stones as our souvenir.
The place is what we call a Paradise!
We walked up to the end of the cove and wandered around not minding of the time.
The place was simply beyond our expectations! And our smiles were written all over our faces...We were having a god time! Probably, one of the best times of our lives!
And here we are in a paradise called Binukot Beach!
??
Time simply flew.. And we were there at the beach.. Laughing and enjoying!
The place was so beautiful that we could not stop taking pictures!
We were there posing from one spot to another.
And as always, I was the one tasked to take our pictures. I mean why should it always be me??
Coz, I simply love them and I wanted to have them to have a good time! =)
Around 11 am, we decided to go to the other side of the cove and we discovered a smaller cove!
What a treat for us! Two coves in one resort.
The smaller cove
 |
| from Joyce Recampo We attempted to have jumpshots at the cove and this was the only one better after so many takes that was near to perfection. |
Past 2 pm, we chartered the van of Mr. Willy and headed to Mablaran Falls. We paid only P1,500 for the van. The trip going to the falls from Binukot Beach was almost 1 hour.
 |
| Falls No. 1 I will never forget this trek to the falls! |
Only Nikko, Lester and I decided to go to the second falls. From the first falls to second falls, it took us 20 minutes to reach the second falls. And the trail was rugged and slippery. ?In fact, I lost my footing and everything (including my cameras and phones) got wet!
After almost 2 hours of staying at the falls, we decided to go back. We did not want to miss the reason why the resort was called Binukot Sunset Cove Resort!
Day 3
We woke up early the following morning after our late night drinking spree. My head was killing me that day (case of serious hangover!). But I did not want to spoil the fun! I pretended to be alright.. We took our early breakfast and proceeded to our next destination. Today is island hopping day!! =)
We rented four habal-habal (single motorcycle) and from Bunsoran, Ferrol to Looc we were cruising around Tablas, Romblon. ?Everyone was happy that day! We paid P300/pax for the roundtrip ride. Our guide and contact person for the tour was Jun - (0906-181-2627)
We rented a boat for P6,000 for our island hopping adventure. The owner of the boat is Mang Nonobi (0935-912-1619). After 1.5 hours of boat ride, we arrived at our destination - Carabao Island!
Carabao Island is one of the best islands I have seen in the Philippines.
We were told that Boracay was just 45 minutes away from Carabao Island and could not simply refuse the temptation. And we also decided to go to Boracay. We paid an additional of P1,500 for the sidetrip.
It was my fourth time to see Boracay. But the beauty of the island still dazzled me. After cruising in Boracay for 20 minutes. We decided to go back to Looc. Along the way, we were playing our favorite game. And as always, Lester was the usual winner! Hooray for Lester!
Around 5 pm, we boarded the Montenegro ship back to Batangas Port. We were again all smiles while we were boarding the ship...
It's Really More Fun in Tablas, Romblon!
Source: http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2013/04/backpackers-adventure-in-tablas-romblon.html
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Draw Something With Strangers On A Train: Disrupt NY 2013 Hackathon Duo Building Visual Ice-Breaker App For Galaxy Note
The Disrupt NY 2013 Hackathon has kicked off and here's one of the new hack team pairings hoping to claim tomorrow's prize after a long night of coding. Michal Shaffer, left, from New York and Peter Ma, right from San Francisco -- met at the event and are now collaborating on a proximity art app that will be using Samsung's API and the Galaxy Note plus S Pen to power random collaborative doodling.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/VV0crCP27Cg/
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Meet The Top Five Startups From ERA's Latest New York Demo Day
Another year has come and gone, and with it a brand new class of Entrepreneur Roundtable Accelerator graduates. At demo day today, we saw ten companies launch out of development and into the public eye. Yes, all of them are interesting, disrupting industries from real estate to big data to financial services. But a handful of companies truly stand out as potential game-changers in the tech world. So without any further ado, these are TechCrunch’s picks for the ERA Accelerator spring class: Acquaintable Online dating is more than a trend these days; it’s how young people make connections. Acquaintable focuses on some sort of common thread, connecting people who have mutual friends. According to the company, Acquaintable has a much lower cost for user acquisition because the friend-of-friends model offers natural virality. Plus, it has a better shot at actually creating relationships that last, as the company says that 70 percent of couples have met through friends Using Acquaintable is easy. You hit up the website, give the service Facebook access, and then see pictures of those you might be interested in. It has a similar set up to HotOrNot.com or FaceMash, letting you approve or disapprove of someone’s picture and basic info before moving on to another suitor. All your “likes” and “passes” are completely anonymous. Only after you and your suitor show a mutual interest can you begin communicating via messaging. Acquantainable has had an Alpha out for a while now, with 15 percent of users returning daily, and 35 percent of users sharing and inviting an average of four people. Plus, since Acquaintable focuses on friends-of-friends, it’s less of a sausage fest than online dating services that don’t ensure that this is a real, normal human being and not a creepy stranger. Acquaintable is available now here. Consignd Consignd is trying to give power back to the social influencers who determine shopping habits, while still providing perks to big brand retailers and businesses. Anyone with a web presence, like bloggers, pinners, and website owners can open up a store on their site. Founder Neil Parikh explained that you can do this without ever having to source or ship inventory. Sounds weird, right? But wait. Consignd believes that inspiration and discovery play integral roles in shopping. In fact, 48 percent of products that were bought last year were discovered socially. The breakdown between big brand retailers, affiliates, andSource: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Kd5Uhw5Z4uM/
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A Playbook for Undoing the Sequester
Who would have guessed that the air-traffic controllers and meat inspectors would be the first ones lucky enough to avoid the across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration?
So it went on Friday, when Congress passed legislation to give the Federal Aviation Administration special flexibility in implementing its sequester cuts. The bill exempted air-traffic controllers from furloughs, which had caused flight delays at major airport hubs throughout the Northeast for the past five days. Meat inspectors also received a carve-out in late March following a powerful lobbying push and under the guise of ensuring food safety.
Now, with two sequester tweaks on the books, other special-interest groups, unions, and lobbyists are planning to rev up their efforts to undo the cuts bit by bit or, in this case, by a few billion dollars here or there. The actions of the FAA over the past week, alongside airline groups and unions, offer a playbook for others to use as they too seek exemptions.
?What you?re seeing now is an unraveling of the sequester. This is predictable as the sun rising in the east, and it will happen piece by piece over the next 60 to 90 days,? says Steve Bell, senior director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former staff director for the Senate Budget Committee.
Already, interest groups are plotting new ways to cast their particular sequester cuts as dire or unfair or safety hazards since they see an opening to escape the full force of the legislation. Remember the hollering a few weeks ago about cancer patients being turned away from treatment or clinical trials? Well, the American Cancer Society Action Network plans to ramp up its pressure on lawmakers following the FAA legislation. The group has an energized grassroots organization; a lobbying team in Washington; and lots of face time with lawmakers. After all, if air-traffic controllers can get a pass, then the cancer advocacy group thinks patients should too.
?We?re no longer just talking about why we need this additional funding. We?re talking about people who are dying because of what politicians are unable to do,? says Christopher Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Action Network, the advocacy arm of the American Cancer Society. The message, he adds, ?is going to get more edgy.?
It took a mere six days for the FAA to push Congress to change its language on the agency?s sequester cuts. The furloughs of air-traffic controllers began April 21. Each ensuing day, the agency released a press release and tweeted about the number of flights delayed due to sequestration and the resulting reduced staffing at airports.
On Wednesday alone, 863 flights were delayed at major hubs in New York, Washington, Cleveland, Dallas, and Jacksonville, Fla. On average, New Yorkers? flights were delayed by one hour, while delays at the Los Angeles airport spanned into two hours, says Mark Duell, vice president of operations at FlightAware.com, an industry tracking group. The airlines also threatened to undo their rule to not keep passengers waiting on the tarmac for more than three hours.
Forget that an additional 2,132 flights were delayed on Wednesday, due to weather or other typical airline mishaps. This week, for instance, New York suffered from high winds, and Florida experienced thunderstorms, Duell says.
When the flights were delayed, the message from the airlines was clear: This is all the fault of the sequester. Pilots and flight attendants in their announcements attributed problems to the government cuts, says airline industry analysts. This riled up consumers and made them aware of the sequester cuts in a way they may not have experienced them before. (In mid-March, a majority of Americans had yet to see evidence of the sequester in their lives, says Gallup pollsters).
Then came the lobbying muscle to fight the FAA cuts. That?s the thing about the airline industry?it has lots of manpower. The airline pilots have a union, as do the air-traffic controllers. Major airlines have an industry group alongside the regional airlines. Even companies involved in shipping, transportation, air express, and postal delivery got involved.
It was all-out blitz, from the cable-news shots of angry passengers delayed at major airports and missing connecting flights to websites set up by the industry to decry the issue. ?Don?t Ground America? was the slogan of one industry advocacy site. ?The FAA?s unnecessary and reckless action will disrupt air travel for millions of Americans, cost jobs, and threatens to ground the U.S. economy to halt,? says the site.
This combination of angry consumers and a powerful industry?combined with a lack of opposition?forced Congress to vote to give the FAA more room to maneuver with its sequester cuts. In the weeks to come, the question is: Will this prove as a successful template for other industries or a one-off lucky break for the FAA on the sequester?
The Internal Revenue Service recently announced its plans to furlough its employees. The group representing them, the National Treasury Employees Union, wants those furloughs scaled back. ?Congress just voted to make it more likely that their flights home for another vacation today will not be delayed, but they should be staying here to find a way to stop the sequester and prevent the loss of services the American people rely on,? said NTEU President Colleen Kelley in a statement.?
In the coming weeks, the cuts least likely to receive much attention are those that affect the poor or the unemployed. Already, workers who?ve been out of job for six months or more have seen ?federal unemployment checks cut by about 11 percent cuts due to the sequester.
?It pains and saddens me that there is no outcry to undo the sequester cuts for them,? says Judy Conti, a federal advocacy coordinator with the National Employment Law Project. ?The political reality is that members of the House are not willing to do that.?
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/playbook-undoing-sequester-165349214.html
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Friday, April 26, 2013
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