Central Perk

miercuri, 17 aprilie 2013

Shameful

A few hours ago, President Obama stood with parents who lost children in the Newtown tragedy and said: "All in all, today was a pretty shameful day for Washington."

That's because a minority of senators blocked legislation that would have made America safer and better protected our kids. Forty-five lawmakers stood in the way of improvements to the background check system that would keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals and the mentally unstable -- something that 90 percent of Americans support.

You're going to want to hear President Obama explain why he thinks this happened. Watch the video or read the transcript below, then share this so that everyone knows what comes next:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/preventing-gun-violence/action

-- The President's Remarks --

A few months ago, in response to too many tragedies -- including the shootings of a United States Congresswoman, Gabby Giffords, who's here today, and the murder of 20 innocent schoolchildren and their teachers -- this country took up the cause of protecting more of our people from gun violence.

Families that know unspeakable grief summoned the courage to petition their elected leaders -- not just to honor the memory of their children, but to protect the lives of all our children. And a few minutes ago, a minority in the United States Senate decided it wasn't worth it. They blocked common-sense gun reforms even while these families looked on from the Senate gallery.

By now, it's well known that 90 percent of the American people support universal background checks that make it harder for a dangerous person to buy a gun. We're talking about convicted felons, people convicted of domestic violence, people with a severe mental illness. Ninety percent of Americans support that idea. Most Americans think that's already the law.

And a few minutes ago, 90 percent of Democrats in the Senate just voted for that idea. But it's not going to happen because 90 percent of Republicans in the Senate just voted against that idea.

A majority of senators voted "yes" to protecting more of our citizens with smarter background checks. But by this continuing distortion of Senate rules, a minority was able to block it from moving forward.

I'm going to speak plainly and honestly about what's happened here because the American people are trying to figure out how can something have 90 percent support and yet not happen. We had a Democrat and a Republican -– both gun owners, both fierce defenders of our Second Amendment, with "A" grades from the NRA -- come together and worked together to write a common-sense compromise on background checks. And I want to thank Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey for their courage in doing that. That was not easy given their traditional strong support for Second Amendment rights.

As they said, nobody could honestly claim that the package they put together infringed on our Second Amendment rights. All it did was extend the same background check rules that already apply to guns purchased from a dealer to guns purchased at gun shows or over the Internet. So 60 percent of guns are already purchased through a background check system; this would have covered a lot of the guns that are currently outside that system.

Their legislation showed respect for gun owners, and it showed respect for the victims of gun violence. And Gabby Giffords, by the way, is both -- she's a gun owner and a victim of gun violence. She is a Westerner and a moderate. And she supports these background checks.

In fact, even the NRA used to support expanded background checks. The current leader of the NRA used to support these background checks. So while this compromise didn't contain everything I wanted or everything that these families wanted, it did represent progress. It represented moderation and common sense. That's why 90 percent of the American people supported it.

But instead of supporting this compromise, the gun lobby and its allies willfully lied about the bill. They claimed that it would create some sort of "big brother" gun registry, even though the bill did the opposite. This legislation, in fact, outlawed any registry. Plain and simple, right there in the text. But that didn't matter.

And unfortunately, this pattern of spreading untruths about this legislation served a purpose, because those lies upset an intense minority of gun owners, and that in turn intimidated a lot of senators. And I talked to several of these senators over the past few weeks, and they're all good people. I know all of them were shocked by tragedies like Newtown. And I also understand that they come from states that are strongly pro-gun. And I have consistently said that there are regional differences when it comes to guns, and that both sides have to listen to each other.

But the fact is most of these senators could not offer any good reason why we wouldn't want to make it harder for criminals and those with severe mental illnesses to buy a gun. There were no coherent arguments as to why we wouldn't do this. It came down to politics -- the worry that that vocal minority of gun owners would come after them in future elections. They worried that the gun lobby would spend a lot of money and paint them as anti-Second Amendment.

And obviously, a lot of Republicans had that fear, but Democrats had that fear, too. And so they caved to the pressure, and they started looking for an excuse -- any excuse -- to vote "no."

One common argument I heard was that this legislation wouldn't prevent all future massacres. And that's true. As I said from the start, no single piece of legislation can stop every act of violence and evil. We learned that tragically just two days ago. But if action by Congress could have saved one person, one child, a few hundred, a few thousand -- if it could have prevented those people from losing their lives to gun violence in the future while preserving our Second Amendment rights, we had an obligation to try.

And this legislation met that test. And too many senators failed theirs.

I've heard some say that blocking this step would be a victory. And my question is, a victory for who? A victory for what? All that happened today was the preservation of the loophole that lets dangerous criminals buy guns without a background check. That didn't make our kids safer. Victory for not doing something that 90 percent of Americans, 80 percent of Republicans, the vast majority of your constituents wanted to get done? It begs the question, who are we here to represent?

I've heard folks say that having the families of victims lobby for this legislation was somehow misplaced. "A prop," somebody called them. "Emotional blackmail," some outlet said. Are they serious? Do we really think that thousands of families whose lives have been shattered by gun violence don't have a right to weigh in on this issue? Do we think their emotions, their loss is not relevant to this debate?

So all in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington.

But this effort is not over. I want to make it clear to the American people we can still bring about meaningful changes that reduce gun violence, so long as the American people don't give up on it. Even without Congress, my administration will keep doing everything it can to protect more of our communities. We're going to address the barriers that prevent states from participating in the existing background check system. We're going to give law enforcement more information about lost and stolen guns so it can do its job. We're going to help to put in place emergency plans to protect our children in their schools.

But we can do more if Congress gets its act together. And if this Congress refuses to listen to the American people and pass common-sense gun legislation, then the real impact is going to have to come from the voters.

To all the people who supported this legislation -- law enforcement and responsible gun owners, Democrats and Republicans, urban moms, rural hunters, whoever you are -- you need to let your representatives in Congress know that you are disappointed, and that if they don't act this time, you will remember come election time.

To the wide majority of NRA households who supported this legislation, you need to let your leadership and lobbyists in Washington know they didn't represent your views on this one.

The point is those who care deeply about preventing more and more gun violence will have to be as passionate, and as organized, and as vocal as those who blocked these common-sense steps to help keep our kids safe. Ultimately, you outnumber those who argued the other way. But they're better organized. They're better financed. They've been at it longer. And they make sure to stay focused on this one issue during election time. And that's the reason why you can have something that 90 percent of Americans support and you can't get it through the Senate or the House of Representatives.

So to change Washington, you, the American people, are going to have to sustain some passion about this. And when necessary, you've got to send the right people to Washington. And that requires strength, and it requires persistence.

And that's the one thing that these families should have inspired in all of us. I still don't know how they have been able to muster up the strength to do what they've doing over the last several weeks, last several months.

And I see this as just round one. When Newtown happened, I met with these families and I spoke to the community, and I said, something must be different right now. We're going to have to change. That's what the whole country said. Everybody talked about how we were going to change something to make sure this didn't happen again, just like everybody talked about how we needed to do something after Aurora. Everybody talked about we needed change something after Tucson.

And I'm assuming that the emotions that we've all felt since Newtown, the emotions that we've all felt since Tucson and Aurora and Chicago -- the pain we share with these families and families all across the country who've lost a loved one to gun violence -- I'm assuming that's not a temporary thing. I'm assuming our expressions of grief and our commitment to do something different to prevent these things from happening are not empty words.

I believe we're going to be able to get this done. Sooner or later, we are going to get this right. The memories of these children demand it. And so do the American people.

Thank you very much, everybody.

This email was sent to e0nstar1.blog@gmail.com.
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When it matters most

Hello --

During the State of the Union, President Obama called for a reasonable debate on a set of commonsense measures to help protect our kids by reducing gun violence. That night, Congress stood up and applauded. But now that the cameras are off and they aren’t forced to look the families of Newtown in the face, some in Congress aren’t backing up that show of support with action.

When it matters most, they're hoping that you're not paying attention.

But I know that's not the case. In the past week, 17,000 people have told us that they'll commit to adding their voices to this debate through social media -- together, they'll reach more than 15 million of their friends on Facebook and Twitter.

We're planning to have them speak out today. And we could really use your help.

Pledge to speak out about the need to reduce gun violence.

If we have a simple vote in Congress, we can get this done. And this afternoon, we'll begin to understand whether or not that's possible.

The Senate is considering a proposal that would go a long way toward making our country safer and protecting our kids. This afternoon, lawmakers get a chance to offer amendments -- some of them aimed at making the legislation better, some aimed at sinking it. One idea, closing loopholes in the background check system, has support from 90 percent of the public. In fact, even a majority of senators support this step. But we still need you to make your voice heard.

Vice President Biden will be talking through all of this today at 2:45 p.m. ET. He'll lead a discussion with a group of mayors from around the country on the steps we can take to reduce gun violence. You can watch that as it happens at whitehouse.gov.

And while you're doing that, take a minute to join the debate.

Pledge to speak out, and we'll work to make sure you're part of the conversation about guns here in Washington:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/preventing-gun-violence/action

Thanks,

Dan

Dan Pfeiffer
Senior Advisor
White House

#RCS, YouTube, and Being Helpful: An Interview with Wil Reynolds

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 07:09 PM PDT

Posted by Erica McGillivray

Anyone who's seen Wil Reynolds from SEER Interactive give a presentation remembers him. The first time I saw him speak, at SearchFest in 2012, I found myself not just nodding along with what he was saying while checking Twitter -- but actually listening. I was actually thinking about what I was doing as an inbound marketer and how I could make it better.

So when I sat down to interview Wil, I wanted to know more about his inspirations and his belief in the power of YouTube. And of course, Real Company ~~Shit~~ Stuff (#RCS).

Wil Reynolds at MozCon 2012

Wil at MozCon 2012. Photo by Rudy Lopez Photography.

What's inspired you lately?

I was most inspired by Lani Lazzari, the 18-year-old who went on the TV show Shark Tank and just killed it. (Fast forward to 22 mins to see her.) It was inspiring to think at that age she had the confidence, poise, ownership of the stage in a way that most people never gain in their entire professional lives. Younger people who do this tend to inspire me.

I don’t throw around the word 'inspiration' often; it's something I don’t say lightly.

I have also recently been reflecting on great client service, and I have been thinking a lot about how to create experiences for our clients that are above and beyond expectations. What got me inspired by that? A recent stay at a 5-star hotel. The attention to detail and the care about me enjoying myself were more than I’ve experienced anywhere.

When you first started pondering #RCS, what kind of hope did you have for the widespread adoption you've seen?

I had no hope. (It's why I didn’t register the domain or anything!) I just started thinking, 'Is my job going to be having a less crappy list of link networks? Do I get excited about sending emails as a female persona because the open rate is higher? NO way!'

My hope for #RCS is the same it's been for every other presentation I’ve ever given. Give people one to two things that will stick with them WELL PAST the day or two after the conference. I want to find the simple things people can do or the mind shift we need to make to make real changes and real successes.

Watch Wil's talk from last year's MozCon on #RCS.

As you've implemented #RCS for SEER and your clients, what's a favorite 'ah ha' moment you've had or seen?

The client response. It's amazing how every so often a lead comes in saying, 'We are looking to do #RCS.' That is always kind of exciting as it means the client and SEER are aligned on what success looks like.

Getting two clients on TV, from an SEO company idea, is hands down one of my proudest moments. I’m glad to have clients who believe and a team who believes that an SEO company is just as able to develop quality marketing ideas as a marketing agency.

I also realize that #RCS should have never had to have been said... If I was at a marketing, branding, or PR conference, it would have been a dud. As that is what they have been practicing all along.

What's #RCS' biggest nemesis?

Google.

If #RCS doesn’t drive rankings, then many SEOs will continue to seek to find shortcuts. If the rewards for their hard work of convincing a client; building quality assets; and promoting it to real news outlets, publications, and bloggers will not get ranking love, that is a major smack in the face.

You also advocate for marketers to help each other to build their careers. What are some of your favorite channels to help others on?

YouTube. Google+ Hangouts. It's funny; right now, there is a massive debate on women at conferences. But, I have yet to see someone say, 'Hey, I’ll be on Google+ doing a hangout to help any of these guys (or gals) get better.' I absolutely love the power of YouTube to help others, even in my sleep. :)

As a company founder, I see a large part of my job being to understand what my team is seeking in their careers. And as long as they are kicking butt for clients, how can I invest my time and network to help them get on that path or get that exposure. I think that is the start.

While we're on the topic of giving back, you've spent some time lately unplugged and in Nicaragua to work for your wife Nora's nonprofit. Tell us a bit about it.

My wife Nora co-founded an organization, Water for Waslala, to help people in very rural Nicaragua get access to clean drinking water. It's funny how, in parts of Waslala, I can get a cell phone signal, but I can’t get clean drinking water. That was eye opening as it was a reminder that there is no money in clean water, and as such, it's not as big of a priority, sadly.

I have been twice, and the trip usually results in several bruises since it is like eight hours travel in the back of a truck. After being there though, it's always all worth it.

I am most concerned with what [my unplugging and traveling to Waslala] says to Nora; I want her to know that me being off the grid never happens, but I place supporting her efforts as highly as she prioritizes supporting mine. I guess it is what makes us work.

Awww. Thanks, Wil, for ending this interview on an awesome note.

For more thoughts on #RCS, Wil will be speaking again at this year's MozCon, July 8th-10th. He'll be giving everyone an update on how #RCS been going and his tips for implementing it in your business. You can also follow Wil at @wilreynolds.

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Watch Joe Biden at 2:45 PM ET

Your Daily Snapshot for
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Watch Joe Biden at 2:45 PM ET

Today at 2:45 p.m. ET, Vice President Biden is hosting a virtual conversation with mayors from around the country to discuss commonsense steps to reduce gun violence. Mayors know first hand the impact of gun violence on communities across the country -- and they've come together to demand action.

Watch live today, and speak out.