Trumpcare Continues To Be A Threat To Democrats

The health and well-being of all Americans had been under fire since President Trump assumed office and he made it clear to all Republicans he wants Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act repealed at all costs, even against expert conference opinions. When that happens, many poor Americans will lose access to the most basic of health care services once Trumpcare gains the upper hand and eventually gets approved in the Senate. The Republicans themselves had a hard time agreeing on the finer points of Trumpcare right from the start that Donald Trump himself even had to constantly threaten some Republican congressmen who can’t make up their minds to pass the bill or else…

Well, the Republicans are the majority now especially that the sitting President is from the Republican Party. Meanwhile, the Democrats continue to hold their ground and protect not just Obama’s legacy but the health and welfare of the millions of Americans that will be affected by a major overhaul of the American healthcare system. The fight hasn’t been easy as both parties held their grounds. Trumpcare even had to be revised multiple times to address its many flaws and solve the many problems of the US healthcare system (and hopefully get the approval of the senators who will pass the bill). Despite the long battle, Democrats can’t celebrate yet because they know the Republicans (especially President Trump) will not easily give up on repealing Obamacare and replacing it with one of their own.

Republicans backed off a plan to vote this week on legislation rolling back much of President Obama’s signature healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act. But Democrats don’t think this is the end of Trumpcare.

“It’s far from over. McConnell said he’s going to come back to it soon,” Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said in an interview at the Capitol. “We’re not taking anything for granted.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Tuesday afternoon that the Senate would “not be on the bill this week,” as Republican Senators continue “discussions within our conference on the differences that we have.” But he added that “we’re still working toward getting at least 50 people in a comfortable place.” McConnell only needs 50 Republican senators to pass the legislation—assuming Vice President Pence breaks a tie —because Republicans are using a process known as budget reconciliation to evade a Democratic filibuster.

A number of Republican senators, however, have balked at the bill. Some conservative have argued it does not go far enough in repealing Obamacare, while moderates have expressed concern that it would too far in cutting Medicaid, the program that provides health insurance for low-income Americans. 

(Via: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/06/healthcare-senate-obamacare-republicans-democrats/531870/)

One of the reasons why Trumpcare does not get the votes it needs is because it is a cruel replacement to the Affordable Care Act. If implemented, the poorest of the poor will lose access to affordable health care insurance and leave roughly 22 millions of Americans without any health coverage among others. Obamacare may have its flaws but many see it as the lesser evil between the two.

For some Democrats, it was the fifth or six protest of the Better Care Reconciliation Act in 24 hours. Some of the protesters had done even more, with the progressive group Ultraviolet tailing Republican senators as they left their offices, the most aggressive of dozens of tactics to slow down or stop BCRA. More had been cycling in and out of Capitol office rooms for news conferences, where Democrats sat back and let Medicaid beneficiaries take over the microphone.

"You are the wind under our wings," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to cheering protesters. "You are the reason we've come this far."

The delay of BRCA, which Republicans had hoped to vote on this week, came after disagreements inside the majority party. But it was egged on by the "Resistance," the loose collection of more than 1,000 groups working to stop the Republican agenda that sprang out of Trump's surprise election.

(Via: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-democrats-health-care-20170627-story.html)

The Democrats highlight that Trumpcare was crafted by wealthy Americans who have no idea what the life is of an average American. Moreover, it is also the wealthy Americans who will benefit in Trumpcare and not everybody else. Democrat legislators are even saddened by the fact that 60% of Americans are clueless as to what that legislation is all about. And because of that, the Republicans can expect the Democrats to always be a thorn on their sides because they want what is best for the unknowing public and not just for the handful of the elites who are close to the President. They even encourage the public to pressure Republican senators to protect their rights and vote “NO” on the health bill to put an end to it once and for all.

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The Media’s Role When Terrorists Strike

Terrorists love attention. Aside from their religious extremist views, capturing the attention of the world is what they live for the most. They love spreading hate and terror from people of all walks of life, especially in most progressive nations where their terror acts are highly frowned upon. News travels fast in an age where social media and the Internet rules. You can stay updated on current events in various corners of the world and even watch the story unfold in real time in front of your screen, whether on a laptop or your good old TV.

Aside from the web, the people hear these stories first from the media. Considered as the fourth estate, the media/ the press/ the print journalism have a big influence in society. It is no longer just confined to printed news since the media we know of these days can be anywhere from the TV daily news and radio news that have online outlets where people can easily access and get their daily dose of news from.

Propaganda of the Deed

Terrorism couldn't exist without the media. Throughout history, people have killed civilians to achieve political objectives, but the unique form of violence known as terrorism is inextricably linked to the media. In fact, the concept of terrorism only emerged after the advent of the mass media, when advances in technology enabled rapid and broad dissemination of news. It began with the printing presses during the Industrial Revolution, which made mass publication significantly faster and more cost efficient, resulting in the wide circulation of daily newspapers, especially in cities. As news agencies became wire services (which sent news stories over telegram lines), news of events was distributed even more rapidly, first at the national level and later globally because of undersea telegraph cables in the second half of the 19th century. These technological advances raised the global awareness of news events to levels never before seen, completely changing the concept of news coverage. The growing media capability also led to greater competition as rival news organizations vied for larger market shares and audience attention. This fostered sensationalism and ushered in the age of yellow journalism, all in an effort to boost sales. 

These dramatic changes in the news media were not lost on radical political ideologues, who observed the way the media was able to amplify the impact of their attacks. By 1885, anarchist Johann Most declared, "we preach not only action in and for itself, but also action as propaganda." Terrorist attacks were now acts of propaganda — or "propaganda of the deed" as they became known.

(Via: https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/what-drives-terrorism-part-5-media)

If that’s not enough proof that the media is a big factor in the prevalence of terrorists these days, then I don’t know what is. Unwittingly or perhaps with their knowledge, the media operates alongside terrorists in spreading confusion and panic among the people. The media delivers news in real time even without verifying the facts, which may, in turn, spread false data that the terrorists can use to their advantage to destabilize the government and play around with the people’s emotions.

News coverage of the Manchester terrorist attack was sadly familiar: cellphone videos of screaming victims; details of first responders’ hectic efforts; “Was it terrorism?” guesswork; speculation about the perpetrator. In this case, the horror was amplified by so many of the killed and wounded being young people.

Since the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, covering the type of violence inspired by al-Qaeda or the Islamic State (IS) has become a staple of the news media’s repertoire. Collectively, this reporting increases the public’s sense of vulnerability: An evil is out there, unpredictable and ferocious, sure to strike again.

But what’s behind that evil? When I watch or read mainstream news coverage of the attacks, they tend to treat them as distinct events, much like a train wreck or bank robbery.

(Via: https://www.salon.com/2017/06/04/mainstream-media-outlets-are-dropping-the-ball-with-terrorism-coverage_partner/)

Journalists should be responsible for reporting facts and as much as possible try to contain their emotions and opinions to themselves unless asked to or end up giving a biased reporting that can make things worse than it already is. Although we condone these acts of terrorism, we can’t generalize the entire Muslim population and persecute them for the mistakes of the few. That’s when more hate and prejudice arise and end up in even more religious terroristic acts.

The media is a powerful entity and people rely on them for news. It’s why they should bear in mind that whatever they say or show on TV or write on the print will sometimes be taken by their readers or viewers as the “holy grail of truth”. We can only wish for peace on earth now that acts of terror happen almost every day in various places of the world and hope that the media finally understands how important their role is in the occurrence of these terror attacks as a whole.

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Free Data Recovery Services In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Harvey

We live in a digital world that is dominated by all sorts of technology. From the time you arise to the time you retire to bed, you use various types of devices that are meant to make your life easier but somehow make it more complex too in the process. Such an irony is more obvious during phenomenon like natural calamities and disasters when the world’s normal order is broken and people are left to their instincts in order to survive. Although these events happen rarely, the fact that they do happen should be enough to keep everyone on their toes.

The US just recently experienced a major loss especially if you live in or anywhere near Houston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey hit it with such a force that left thousands homeless and millions of lives temporarily displaced until the authorities are able to sort things out and help in the rebuilding and rehabilitation of the state. However, the federal government tries its best to provide for the basic and immediate needs of the people but it can’t always offer help on other equally important matters like in recovering the properties destroyed. Fortunately, help is given to those in need, especially the ones whose homes have been badly hit by the storm and costly gadgets like computers and laptops have been drowned in floodwater much to their owner’s dismay.

Losing a home and personal property to a flood is obviously traumatic, but some people will tell you that losing precious photos and videos can be even worse. Thankfully,  DriveSavers is stepping up and offering free data recovery services to Hurricane Harvey victims.  The company can recover data from broken phones and computers, even those that have been fully submerged in water. DriveSavers typically charges hundreds to thousands of dollars per phone or computer, depending on the complexity of the recovery.

In a press release, DriveSavers offered its services to those in Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi and all other areas hit by Hurricane Harvey and its continued rain. The company is limiting its services to one phone or hard drive per household.

(Via: https://www.gottabemobile.com/hurricane-harvey-drivesavers/)

Data recovery is a crucial service in the aftermath of a natural disaster like a hurricane where water is the biggest threat to the integrity of your tech gadgets. Let’s not forget how sensitive these gadgets are and you will likely lose all your important files after having them exposed to the harsh elements for days on end. The biggest hurdle of all is the expense associated with such a costly service like data recovery that is a major burden to people who are trying to rebuild their lives soon after surviving a disaster. (more…)

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A Trip Down Memory Lane With Dr. Seuss

As young kids learning your ABCs and 123s, you spent countless hours devouring children’s books to learn more and to kill some time, especially that you don’t yet have the luxury of tech gadgets that kids these days now have. You had to be creative in fighting boredom and you often do so by actively playing outside or reading lots and lots of books. Some people even, believe it or not, check out fun and interesting museums.

Perhaps among your favorite stories are the ones told by Theodor Geisel a.k.a. Dr. Seuss. He is the renowned children’s writer and cartoonist known for his works like The Lorax, The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. He has forever changed children’s literature and many of us would reminisce about the good old days with some of his stories in mind. After all, he is known as the father of children’s books and this upcoming opening of a Dr. Seuss Museum in his hometown in Massachusetts should be in your travel list if you are an avid fan of his work.

A whimsical world is coming to Springfield, Massachusetts, when the world’s first permanent Dr. Seuss museum opens on June 3.

As part of Springfield Museums, the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss will be dedicated to the life and work of beloved children’s author and Springfield native, Theodore Geisel.

Visitors can learn about Geisel's life from exhibits like a replica of his former home and the playful designs he used to draw on his walls.

“Geisel was all about the fact that reading should be fun, and although everything here is underlain with the idea of learning, it’s really about being able to learn and have fun at the same time,” Karen Fisk, Springfield Museums’ director of public relations and marketing, told Travel + Leisure.

(Via: http://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/first-dr-seuss-museum-springfield)

Many of his books have been written decades ago but remain to be relevant and important to our changing times. The enduring value of his stories will remain in the hearts and minds of his young readers regardless of how much time has passed. The easy readability of his books appealed to people of all ages and this museum will now be a reminder of how much impact his stories have on you while growing up.

The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss museum features artworks that have never been seen in public, along with interactive exhibits, and aims to explain how the author's childhood experiences inspired his work, Associated Press reports.

The first floor of the museum has games and climbable statues featuring the creatures created by Geisel, such as Horton, the Cat in the Hat, the Lorax and Sam I Am. Visitors will also be taken through the author's childhood bedroom and his grandparents' brewery and bakery. The more intimate second floor displays the author's belongings from his California home and studio, where he lived until his death in 1991.

"He would absolutely be at ease here," Leagrey Dimond, Geisel’s stepdaughter, told AP. "And to know that he’s going to be here permanently, safe, protected, that people who want to know more are going to make this trip here to see him, it’s perfect."

(Via: http://time.com/4805123/dr-seuss-museum/)

Having this museum is a great way to relive the magic of his work and transport you to a moment in time when nothing else in the world mattered but those goofy images from his books, stories full of moral values, and the cute rhyming that makes learning fun. While the meaning of the words and the values taught in each line is lost to young kids who loved reading it because of the simple storyline and the quirky illustrations, you’ll come to realize the essence of his words as you grow up and have a bigger understanding of life. If you love Dr. Seuss and his stories have a profound meaning in your life, treat yourself to a visit to this museum and rekindle that love for written words as you take a trip down memory lane.

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Trump Continues To Be A Threat To The US Public Education

A parent’s dream is to see their kids graduate and become successful later in life. While education is only seen as a means to an end, education is actually a once in a lifetime journey that fills your life with both good and bad memories to last you a lifetime. A good education equips children with the knowledge, skills, and attitude they need as they journey into adulthood and with a better understanding of how the world works and where they fit in the picture. For the most part, parents have an option whether to enroll their kids in a public school or a private institution. However, it seems that most parents will only have the latter as the option in the coming years.

If there is one thing that you can count on during the Trump administration, it’s all about tax cuts. It seems that he made it his personal mission to take away important federal funding on government agencies and programs he does not personally believe in or are against to. And as the school year is about to end, there is a big likelihood that education will no longer be free the next time around. It is a big stumbling block to students coming from poor families who can barely put food on the table more so pay for expensive private school tuition.

Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos’s proposed budget for the US Department of Education is a boon for privatization and a disaster for public schools and low-income college students. They want to cut federal spending on education by 13.6 percent. Some programs would be eliminated completely; others would face deep reductions. They want to cut $10.6 billion from existing programs and divert $1.4 billion to charter schools and to vouchers for private and religious schools. This budget reflects Trump and DeVos’s deep hostility to public education and their desire to shrink the Department of Education, with the ultimate goal of getting rid of it entirely.

The proposed budget would shrink the assistance programs that now enable 12 million students to attend college: funding for college work-study programs would be cut in half, thus “saving” $490 million. It would eliminate a student loan forgiveness program, enacted in 2007, that encourages college graduates to enter careers in public service—such as social work, teaching, or working as doctors in rural areas—by relieving them of their college debt at the end of ten years of such employment. Some 550,000 young people have joined this program in the past decade; the first wave are due to have their debts forgiven in 2017, but it is not clear if the administration will follow through on the promise to cancel their debt.

(Via: http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2017/06/05/trump-devos-demolition-of-american-education/)

Public schools rely heavily on government funding for it to work. And millions of American youth count on the system to help them get a quality education because their parents can’t afford to pay for it themselves. Trump promised to “Make America Great Again” during his campaign but with the way things are going on now, many are doubtful if he’ll be able to do it considering he is planning on reducing the budget for education and there’s even buzz about the privatization of most schools.

Ultimately, we recognize that you can't pull off an upset if the game is rigged against you and that those of us who were not born into privilege sometimes need a boost from our teammates. (That's it for the sports references.)

And that's precisely why the Trump administration's recently released 2018 budget is such a deeply problematic assault on the American Dream. It eliminates many of the critical supports that give people the opportunities and tools to better their lives, particularly through a net cut of more than $10 billion to education.

For example, quality preschool gives children – especially those who are most vulnerable – the strong start they need to succeed in school and in life. But the Trump administration's budget eliminates the Preschool Development Grants from the Department of Health and Human Services – a program that would have provided thousands more children with access to quality early learning.

(Via: https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2017-05-25/donald-trumps-education-budget-cuts-are-an-assault-on-the-american-dream)

A $10-billion budget cut is no laughing matter. It means not enough support for teachers as well as after-school and summer programs that currently help impoverished students keep up with their well-off peers. College students will also be affected as work-study programs will lose $4 billion in federal funding. What’s worse is that this budget cut is not solely limited to education alone but as well as in mental health services, access to nutritious meals, public transportation and even public housing among others that are crucial aspects of nation-building.

By reducing the funding for these basic services, the ordinary American will have a hard time keeping up with the times and will sink deeper into poverty. And since they can’t afford to send their kids to school, they have no way out of this mess. As a result, they can’t contribute to the betterment of the American Society and persist to be a burden to the government. What Trump is doing now is an attack on the American people at large and in complete contrast to his promises when he ran for office.

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Devastating Amazon Destruction Continues

The world is filled with natural wonders that have been around for centuries. They often served as extensive ecosystems where various species thrived and coexisted (not always peacefully) for years. But as modern advancements continue to flourish, it has a negative impact on the natural world as technology takes the place of what used to be natural spaces, thereby displacing many animal species, contributing to pollution, and increasing our carbon footprint that hastens climate change. It's a problem many folks are talking about.

Skyscrapers are all over big cities right now. Even nearby suburbs are transformed into sprawling residential communities to accommodate the world’s growing population. The need for natural and energy resources increases because there are more mouths to feed now, etc. But there are last frontiers that remain untarnished by modern living. They are often rainforest tucked away from the public and continue to provide food and shelter to different animals that you might not have even set sight on even in zoos. The Amazon is among the first to come to mind. One can only picture out snakelike rivers and lush trees and vegetations when they hear the word Amazon.

Norway has issued a blunt threat to Brazil that if rising deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is not reversed, its billion-dollar financial assistance will fall to zero. The leaders of the two nations meet in Oslo on Friday.

The oil-rich Scandinavian nation has provided $1.1bn to Brazil’s Amazon fund since 2008, tied to reductions in the rate of deforestation in the world’s greatest rainforest. The destruction of forests by timber and farming industries is a major contributor to the carbon emissions that drive climate change and Norway views protecting the Amazon as vital for the whole world.

The rate of deforestation in the Amazon fell steadily from 2008 to 2014, an “impressive achievement” which had a “very positive impact” on Brazil and the world, according to Vidar Helgesen, Norway’s environment minister.

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/22/norway-issues-1bn-threat-brazil-rising-amazon-destruction)

Unfortunately, the Amazon has been suffering in silence because of irresponsible human activities. Deforestation by the farming and timber industries is a big problem for all because they not only cut down trees but increase carbon emission that fuels global warming. We can’t afford to lose more natural spaces in the name of progress or not care about the state of the environment and treat it like a big dump because it is us who will eventually suffer.

To meet energy needs, economic developers in South America have proposed 428 hydroelectric dams, with 140 currently built or under construction, in the Amazon basin—the largest and most complex network of river channels in the world, which sustains the highest biodiversity on Earth. The rivers and surrounding forests are the source of 20 percent of the planet's fresh water and valuable ingredients used in modern medicine.

While these hydroelectric dams have been justified for providing renewable energy and avoiding carbon emissions, little attention has been paid to the major disturbances dams present to the Amazon floodplains, rainforests, the northeast coast of South America and the regional climate, the researchers said.

Rivers in the Amazon basin move like a dance, exchanging sediments across continental distances to deliver nutrients to "a mosaic of wetlands," said Edgardo Latrubesse, UT Austin geography and the environment professor and lead author of the study. Sediment transported by rivers provides nutrients that sustain wildlife, contribute to the regional food supplies and modulate river dynamics that result in high habitat and biotic diversity for both aquatic and nonaquatic organisms.

(Via: https://phys.org/news/2017-06-hydroelectric-jeopardize-amazon-future.html)

Amazon is actually in a vulnerable state right now because there are various threats to its existence. From deforestation, poaching, and now the presence of these dams can mess up Amazon’s natural order and impact various animals that thrive in the area. Mother Nature may eventually strike back at us if we don’t protect the environment while we still can.

But despite our best interests, let us not forget that whatever protective measures we adopt should be well-integrated to disrupt as little of the natural system as possible and let nature run its course. The more we intervene, the worse it is for the environment and everyone else living in it. To limit the damage, let us educate everyone about environment-friendly approaches they can adopt in their everyday lives to reduce the injury the planet has to endure.

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iPad Failed To Deliver Its eBook Promise

Technology is all over our modern world. Wherever you look, there is some sort of modern tech contrivance that promises you the moons and the stars if you can afford to pay its high price tag. Our society has gone so far in terms of these technological advancements and it has basically changed the way people live today. Some people take it to a higher level by customizing their own tech.

When the iPad was launched, its makers from Apple dreamed of transforming the news and publishing industry through the app, The Daily. The Daily offers an interactive version of a news publication that features equally interactive videos, charts, and other tech treats along with superior journalism from high caliber reporters and journalists.

It was the first sign that the promise of the iPad — that it would upend industries like book publishing, education, the news media, and even video entertainment — would not come to pass. iPad sales have been in free fall since 2013. Ebook sales are plummeting by double-digit percentages as print books show a surprising renewed growth. Digital publishers have found more success on Facebook and other digital platforms, not tying their futures to one gadget. And despite a push to reinvent textbook publishing, Apple failed to make a dent in an industry controlled by big publishers.

"The role of the iPad was probably vaguer than any product Apple launched," said Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research. "It wasn’t well defined."

(Via: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happened-to-the-ipads-promise-2017-6)

Unfortunately, The Daily ceased to operate barely two years after its launch. Since 2013, iPad sales have significantly gone down along with that of e-Book while print book production and sales are making a comeback. The iPad failed to conquer that market but Apple insists that this handy device has more to offer. Will the iPad ever be good or competitive enough to replace laptops as what Apple claims it is capable of doing?

And for a while, it seemed to work as planned. The iPad sold at a faster rate than even the iPhone had, peaking at an estimated 26 million units in 2014’s first quarter.

Since then, though, the market has largely stagnated, with sales dipping below ten million in last year’s fourth quarter. The’ve since rebounded, goosed by the introductions of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and an updated version of the 7.9-inch iPad mini. But The Daily is long gone, along with the most of the publishing industry’s hopes for tablet salvation.

Just about the only ones who must be happy with the current state of affairs are the major book publishers; antitrust or not, prices of their e-books are markedly higherthan they were back when Amazon’s Kindle was the only game in town.

(Via: http://observer.com/2016/03/the-failed-promise-of-apples-ipad/)

It is not just iPad sales that are now down in a slump but as well as that of Android tablets in general. There are a lot of factors that contributed to this continuing decline and can likely be attributed to the increasing screen size of smartphones, both in iOS and Android. With their bigger smartphones, consumers no longer have to purchase a second device if they can do it all with their current mobile unit. There is little difference between the two content-wise. So why shell out more money when you can just bring with you one device with all the same features, even more actually considering you can always call and text using any

iPad sales have greatly suffered and were never able to replace Macs or PCs when it comes to man’s computing needs. But while the sales of e-Books are going down, online blogging is gaining in popularity and has become a lucrative career for individuals with the skill for writing. Whether it is a beauty, travel, or health blog among others, there is surely an audience out there waiting for your next story on whatever tech device they are using.

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