Social Media Marketing Strategy-How to Produce One for Your ...

Posted on February 12th, 2012 DovieRhead735

Because online marketing is such big business these days it?s no wonder that more marketers than ever before are getting involved in social marketing. In recent years there has been a major growth in the number of connections and relationships that have been forged online. People today are more willing to build those relationships online than they have been in the past. It?s more than just being able to connect with your target audience; when you use social media you?re giving them the opportunity to reach out to you too. The Internet users nowadays want to be heard, known and understood, which is opening many doors for online marketers that are looking out to leverage this opportunity to introduce their prospects to their products and services.

Social media is the new web, where sharing is the most important way to find and consume information. So when we discuss sharing, how can photos remain behind? Your business can benefit from online social picture sharing sites like Flickr and Facebook. This is a social network but is also one of the biggest photo-sharing sites in the world. It is not that hard for people to recognize pictures and identify with them. This gives you an opportunity to build your brand through them and reach out to the right people. To enhance the social experience of their target audience, internet businesses can use micro-blogging sites like Twitter to connect to their target market. Twitter for example is one of the best ways to feed your list of followers with valuable content and build a long term relationship. All businesses need to establish a brand, nowadays, if they want to move forward and they need to understand that Twitter is extremely important in creating an effective media marketing strategy.

Last, one of the most recent developments in the social media marketing environment is the concept of crowd sourcing. This is a social form of outsourcing.

This is where you utilize social influence to accomplish things. Using the influence of the online crowds for the goal of outsourcing is increasing in growth and is beneficial for a lot of people. For example, let?s pretend that you need a modern logo for your webpage. You can use a site like 99Designs.com to crowd source the design of your project, and get the best job done at the lowest price. If you contract out the product design of your job, you will not only be able to follow your budget, you will also have the opportunity to focus on other components of your business. All in all, from the above article we come to understand how you can start utilizing the new social arena on the Internet for your own advantage, and actually grow your business, making it more sustainable with the help of social media marketing. All businesses need to embrace social media, otherwise you might get left behind. If you want to dominate a niche you need to build relationships and have an extensive network, which is what social media marketing can offer you. ?

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Source: http://www.stop-alto.org/2012/02/social-media-marketing-strategy-how-to-produce-one-for-your-company/

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Computer Forensics | Computer and Technology

Posted on February 11, 2012 by admin

Data erased deliberately or unexpectedly can be retrieved with the aid of data retrieval specialists. Computer forensics is helpful in identifying the root cause of the lost data or information.

Computer Forensics can be defined in many ways. Most commonly, computer forensic is a specialist aid that delves into detailed analysis of computers in order to execute the necessary tasks. It carries out the exploration of the retained and preserved data of the computer, identifies any damage that might have occurred to the computer and the root cause of the damage. The enquiry process begins right from scratch and goes further into the intricate elements of the computer?s operating system.

Computer forensic is a much wider conception and theory which investigates the transgressions upon computers by virus or cyber criminals. Several acts have been brought into force in order to monitor the criminal activities; yet there are a lot more that still exist. It is very difficult to uncover such activities due to lack of enough proof or substantiation. All these complex situations can be controlled with the assistance of computer forensics.

The key dictum of computer forensic specialists is to not simply find the illicit but to also find the facts and evidences. The arrangement of the substantiation is done in a manner that leads the criminal to face legal action.

Some Of The Illegal And Scandalous Activities In Computers Are:

* Unofficial utilization of computers by pilfering usernames and passwords.

* Contacting the victim computers through the internet.

* Broadcasting a malevolent computer program that is a virus.

* Pestering and stalking in cyberspace.

* E-mail scam.

* Stealing official documents.

Network forensics or Computer Forensics makes it easy for the controlled, structured and cautious detection of offence and misuse cases. The computer forensics specialists should possess adequate knowledge of data retrieval software as well as hardware technicalities and should have the skill and experience to execute the job.

Posted in Computer | No Comments ?
Tagged: Computer, Forensics

Source: http://www.redmondpc.com/computer-forensics.html

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Domestic Short Hair - Pickle - Medium - Young - Female - Cat ...

• Details forDomestic Short Hair - Pickle - Medium - Young - Female - Cat
• Price:Please Contact
• Address:3901 Martha Truman Road., Kansas City, MO 64137 (map)
• Date Posted:02/10/12
• Age:Young
• Gender:Female
• Offered by:Shelter

Description Domestic Short Hair - Pickle - Medium - Young - Female - Cat

Hello, I'm Pickle. I was surrendered by my previous owner due to landlord issues (don't tell anyone - we weren't supposed to be there). I have a very soft grey and tan coat, and I love to be petted. I'm a bit of an independent cat according to my previous owner. She also said that I'm a lap cat, a loner and shy to strangers. I lived with three other cats - Baby, Peter and Butterball. They are here, too, and they are all lovey-dovey with each other. That's really not my thing though, and I will probably do best as the only cat in the house. We did all share a litterbox, and I was very tidy with no accidents. There was a dog in the household, too. Those other cats liked the dog, but I just avoided him. My feline-ality type is Secret Admirer. That means I am quite timid in new environments, but I do like people. When they were testing me here, I was friendly while I was in my kennel, and even in the testing room I started out friendly enough, but then there were Loud Noises outside the room, and that upset me, so I was scared. But when I was back in my own kennel, I was friendly again. My ideal household will be one where I'm the only pet. I like people, and I'd rather not share my people with other kitties, thank you! I'll probably be afraid of young children, but I will be okay with gentle, older children. I'll enjoy a nice lap to curl up in from time to time, as well as quiet time for my cat naps. Do you think I'm the right cat for your household? If so, please stop by and meet me! Love, PickleClick here to see all the animals <http://www.waysidewaifs.org/availablepets> at Wayside Waifs. Please call our Adoptions Department if you are interested in this animal to make certain he/she is still available for adoption! ADOPTION INFORMATION: All Wayside Waifs pets are spayed/neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations prior to adoption. Please note that in order to make the best match possible, potential adopters must come to the Wayside Waifs in person to meet with an adoption counselor and complete the adoption process. All members of the household (including other pets, if possible) should be present to ensure the chosen pet is compatible with everyone. We do not place holds or do adoptions over the phone and we do not ship pets.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Breed: Domestic Short Hair
Age: Young
Size: Medium
Gender: Female
Offered by: Shelter
Petfinder ID: 22176705

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Pet has been spayed/neutered

CONTACT:
Wayside Waifs Animal Shelter | Kansas City, MO | 816-761-8151

For additional information, reply to this ad or see: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=22176705

Brought to you by Petfinder.com

Ad ID: 16922392

Source: http://kansascity.ebayclassifieds.com/cats-kittens/kansas-city/domestic-short-hair-pickle-medium-young-female-cat/?ad=16922392

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Online writing ? global sweatshop or goldmine?

The rise of online freelance writing has created a very strange dichotomy. On the one hand there are huge numbers of extremely low paid jobs. On the other hand, writing rates at the top scale are rising exponentially.

Sydney - I'm a professional freelance writer. Naturally, I'm pretty interested in anything to do with writing rates. I do a combination of batch writing and hourly writing fees, depending on the client's needs. So I was naturally very interested to see that the Australian Society of Authors? quoted rates:

Freelance writing These rates are based on the 2010 National Freelance Rates approved by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance and apply to all genres except poetry. They apply to prose (such as articles or short fiction for magazines, journals or newspapers) which is commissioned on a freelance or casual basis and previously unpublished. See the MEAA website for more information. ? Per day = $878 ? Per half day = $585 (2/3 day rate) ? Per hour = $219 ? 1000 words or less = $892 ? Per word thereafter = $0.89 See also Wilson da Silva?s Short Guide to Freelance Journalism paper.

"Per day equals $878?" That was certainly news to me, and I've been writing for over a decade professionally. Or to put it another way ? Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Compare this with this article from Word Nerds.com, dated 2009:

Business writing is a profession. Many years of study and hands-on experience are required to become a proficient business writer. If Mr Business Writer charges around $95 per hour for his services, he?s charging much less than other professionals, such as solicitors and accountants, charge for their services.

That is a fair comment. Many employers seem to forget that they are actually paying for experience, knowledge and skills. Very high quality writing is also a very high-value product, and frankly, you don't get diamonds for beans. if you want quality, you should expect to be paying for it. So far, you've been looking at the Western version of writing rates. By the time you get to India and the Philippines and their rates, you are looking at real sweatshop conditions. The pay scale is unbelievably bad, of itself, let alone in comparison with Western writing rates. If you've ever been offered pay in rupees, you'll know what I mean.The big boom in online writing jobs has also created a working underclass of writers. I've seen some of their work, and some of them try very hard to produce good material, but overall many of the jobs they're given are real "churn" work. It's fairly easy to argue that quality dictates rates, but that is not usually the case. On Elance, there's a pretty broad spread of writing rates which indicates a pretty obvious preferences on the part of people trying to find freelance writers. "Cheap" is usually the preferred option. A browse through the employers will also show that the overall rate of acceptance and actual payouts varies considerably. This is important, because Elance is actually one of the best online writing job sites in the world. It has been for years. I occasionally work on Elance and have to say I don't really have any complaints about the site. That said, many of the jobs have rates so low I wouldn't touch them with anybody else's bargepole, let alone my own. One of the most common arguments made in favour of higher rates for writers is quality. In fairness, the quality of writing varies from excellent to positively horrifying across the Internet. I have quite literally seen deliberate plagiarism in first attempts from brand-new writers. These guys didn't even know that it was very likely that an editor would do Copyscape check or as I did, a complete manual search of specific text. My comment to the publisher at the time was "This guy wants to give us a lawsuit with every article". This was technical writing, and the writer had deliberately ripped off an Oxford Press publication. Need I say that's what happens when you pay bottom dollar. The writers don't feel themselves under any obligation to produce high-quality materials and are quite prepared to take the risk of losing a low-paying job simply because it's so easy to get other low-paying jobs. (I am not about to agree with the assertion that Indian and foreign writers are somehow worse writers. Quite the opposite ? I've seen many native English speakers who get writing jobs on the basis of being native English speakers and the grammar, spelling and content is nothing less than appalling. That other famous catchall, "tertiary qualifications required" is also a hoot, meaning the fact that writers have qualifications is more important than the fact that they couldn't write a shopping list.) Another thing that needs to be realised is that low quality copy invariably leads to total failure in terms of the purpose of that copy. People on the internet cannot be forced to read anything,quite regardless of "surefire" sales pitches and other rubbish. If they don't like what they see, they simply won't read it and the entire exercise is a complete waste of time. All of which lead to one hideous but quite unavoidable fact ? Yet again, employers and businesses put themselves in the firing line every time they skimp on payments. This is a pattern which has repeated itself in other industries, but in terms of the gigantic global online writing industry, this is a particularly stupid, counter-productive approach to doing business. There is another issue, and it's a particularly ironic problem. The very high rates quoted for top end writers may be perfectly justifiable, in some cases. In other cases, they're simply bad business. Imagine charging a start-up company those fantastic rates. Talk about killing the client. The other, quite understandable, result is that naturally people will be in no hurry to pay rates like that. This money comes out of business bottom lines, and employers are in no hurry to part with it. Freelance writers are in business for themselves. That said, they should recognize the business needs of their clients. I give discount rates to good clients and get more work as a direct result. Creating points of sales resistance is not good business for freelance writers. There is absolutely no doubt that there is a very strong sweatshop element in freelance writing. These writing farms are getting the quality they deserve for their shoddy payouts. Most people escape or go back to comparatively high paying jobs like fast food or janitor jobs, where at least they'll make enough to eat. The "goldmine" approach is also likely to come unstuck. There is a huge demand for writers, but there's not necessarily that much capital around, particularly among the large numbers of new online businesses which are generating so much of the work. The moral of the story is "charge reasonable rates and you'll get ongoing and repeat business".

Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/319433

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Wi opens up 3-shot lead at Pebble

Charlie Wi reacts as he follows his shot off the 18th tee of the Pebble Beach Golf Links during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament, Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in Pebble Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Charlie Wi reacts as he follows his shot off the 18th tee of the Pebble Beach Golf Links during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament, Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in Pebble Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Charlie Wi prepares to hit on the 17th tee of the Pebble Beach Golf Links during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in Pebble Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Tiger Woods smiles while standing on the ninth green at Monterey Peninsula Country Club during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Friday, Feb. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Tiger Woods, right, and his amateur partner, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, smile while standing on the ninth green at Monterey Peninsula Country Club during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Friday, Feb. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo hits from a bunker toward the fifth fairway at Monterey Peninsula Country Club during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Friday, Feb. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) ? On a day when sunshine gave way to a light rain, two things stayed the same Friday at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Charlie Wi was still atop the leaderboard, and Tiger Woods didn't hole enough putts to make up ground.

Wi escaped most of the rain at Pebble Beach, where he holed a wedge from the 13th fairway for eagle and limited the damage to a bogey on his final hole for a 3-under 69 that allowed him to open a three-shot lead.

Dustin Johnson was caught off guard by the rain in the worst way. He stood in the fourth fairway at Spyglass with a short-sleeve shirt, hands thrust in his pocket, as his caddie sent a friend running up the hill to the parking lot to retrieve his rain gear. His short game let him down, and the two-time Pebble champion had to settle for a 72 that put him three back.

Padraig Harrington had a 66 at Pebble Beach and was among those tied for third. Harrington had five birdies in a six-hole stretch early in his round, the exception coming at the par-5 sixth.

Woods, meanwhile, again looked poised to make a move over at Monterey Peninsula. He missed a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 9 and failed to make birdie on the par-5 10th when he pulled his second shot into the gallery. He had to settle for a 2-under 68, leaving him six behind.

Along the way, he stung his wrist hitting out of a divot and said he had to pop it back into the joint.

"No big deal," he said.

The bigger deal was putting. Woods took 33 putts on the Shore Course, which he attributed to leaving the ball in the wrong spot ? mostly above the hole ? and struggling with greens he felt were getting slightly more bumpy as a mist turned into a light rain.

"It's very close," said Woods, playing this event for the first time in 10 years. "I got my ball-striking to where I feel very comfortable hitting the shots. I just need to make a couple of putts to get on a roll."

Phil Mickelson struggled in sunshine. In rain, he ran off five birdies for a 65 at Monterey Peninsula that put him five shots behind.

"I don't know what happened, but I started to play a lot better and make some birdies," said Mickelson, a three-time winner at Pebble. "In the perfect conditions, I struggled. But to play these golf courses in such great condition either way has been a lot of fun."

Wi was at 12-under 130 and now heads to Spyglass Hill, which has played slightly tougher than the other two courses.

In these shifting conditions, Spyglass played about two shots harder than it did Thursday, while Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula were about one shot more difficult than the day before.

Only 56 players broke par, compared with 87 in the opening round.

That would explain what was going through Wi's mind when he set off at Pebble Beach, knowing the course gave up a pair of 63s in the opening round. It sure didn't feel that easy.

"I thought Pebble played really difficult today," Wi said. "The greens were very firm, and the guys that shot 8 or 9 under out there, I was very surprised how well they played. Some of the pins were really tricky. I said, 'Gosh, how did they shoot 9 under out there?' And for me to shoot 3 under today, I was very pleased."

Wi figured it out toward the end of the way, as the light rain swept over the peninsula. During the practice round, he hit a driver and a 9-iron on the ninth hole. It was his final hole Friday, and he hit a driver and a hybrid.

That didn't work out so well. He pulled his approach into a crevice of thick rough, chopped out over the green and only a good pitch to tap-in range helped him avoid something worse than a bogey.

Vijay Singh had a 68 at Spyglass Hill and Brian Gay had a 65 at Monterey Peninsula to join Harrington among those at 8-under par. Hunter Mahan, fresh off his one-week journey to the Middle East for the Qatar Masters, had a 70 at Pebble Beach and was in the group at 7-under par, along with Mickelson.

Woods looked sharp at times, drilling a 5-iron to 7 feet for birdie on the opening hole, narrowly missing an 8-foot eagle attempt at No. 6 and making a second straight birdie on the par-3 seventh from about 15 feet.

But he didn't make up any ground, losing one shot to par compared with the leaders. Next up for Woods is Pebble Beach, where he usually plays his best. Woods still remembers the 63-64 weekend in 1997, when he finished one shot behind Mark O'Meara. Woods also had a 64 in the final round of 2000 to rally from five shots behind.

He has three rounds of 64 or better on the fabled course during the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

The last time he played Pebble Beach was the U.S. Open in 2010, where he bogeyed five of his opening 10 holes to fall out of contention. His game was in disrepair at the time. It now is on an upward swing, and the putting is all that controls how quickly he gets back.

"I'm hitting good putts," Woods said. "I'm not displeased with my putting at all. I just didn't hit the ball in the right spots to give myself the right looks. If we were putting smooth greens, it would be a totally different deal."

Johnson was tied for the lead with back-to-back birdies to close out the back nine at Spyglass. He bogeyed the par-3 third from about 12 feet away just behind the green, then three-putted for bogey at the par-3 fifth.

"I played really well yesterday. I played good today," Johnson said. "I just (threw) away some shots. I hit some poor pitch shots, just really bad. They weren't even pitch shots. They were dink chips, ones that you're trying to hole. And I just hit them terrible."

Johnson will have a chance to make up ground Saturday at Monterey Peninsula, which has produced the lowest scores this week.

Woods, meanwhile, settles in at Pebble Beach with the celebrity rotation, the day that CBS Sports typically spends as much time on the antics of actors and comedians as the golfers.

That shouldn't be a big distraction, though. Woods tees off early on the back nine, away from all the action.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-02-10-GLF-Pebble-Beach/id-d020560e33d148d7b21c8eb6f2b8f3bd

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Beyonce, Jay-Z unveil first pics of baby Blue Ivy Carter (omg!)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Jay-Z and wife Beyonce unveiled highly-anticipated pictures of their new baby daughter Blue Ivy Carter on Friday, opting to post intimate family shots on social networking site Tumblr rather than selling them to the highest bidder.

"We welcome you to share in our joy. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this beautiful time in our lives," "The Carter family" posted on microblogging site Tumblr.

The couple posted five photos which show the newborn, already sporting a head of long black hair, being cuddled by her proud parents and capturing intimate moments of family life.

Baby Blue Ivy, born on January 7 in New York, has been shielded from the public by Jay-Z and Beyonce until now. The couple shunned the popular celebrity choice to unveil their offspring in lucrative magazine deals and opted to make the pictures available at no cost on the Internet.

Former Destiny's Child singer Beyonce, 30, and "Watch The Throne" rapper Jay-Z, 42, married in 2008, and Blue Ivy is their first child.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Jill Serjeant)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_beyonce_jay_z_unveil_first_pics_baby_blue005705360/44489281/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/beyonce-jay-z-unveil-first-pics-baby-blue-005705360.html

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Wash. moves step closer to legalizing gay marriage

Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, center, is congratulated by Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines, left, and Drew Hansen, D-Kitsap County, after the House voted to legalize gay marriage in Washington state Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Olympia, Wash. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. Gregoire is likely to sign the bill next week. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, center, is congratulated by Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines, left, and Drew Hansen, D-Kitsap County, after the House voted to legalize gay marriage in Washington state Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Olympia, Wash. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. Gregoire is likely to sign the bill next week. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Spectators in the House gallery applaud after after legislators voted to legalize gay marriage in Washington state Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Olympia, Wash. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. Gregoire is likely to sign the bill next week. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Gov. Chris Gregoire, left, is embraced by Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, after the House voted to legalize gay marriage in Washington state Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Olympia, Wash. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. Gregoire is likely to sign the bill next week. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, center, is congratulated by Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, right and other lawmakers after the House voted to legalize gay marriage in Washington state Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Olympia, Wash. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. Gregoire is likely to sign the bill next week. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Spectators in the House gallery applaud after after legislators voted to legalize gay marriage in Washington state Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, in Olympia, Wash. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples. Gregoire is likely to sign the bill next week. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) ? The last time same-sex marriage was debated in the state Capitol, the Legislature's sole gay lawmaker watched as his colleagues passed the state's version of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1998 banning gay marriage. Fourteen years after that "lonely moment," Sen. Ed Murray stood in the wings as lawmakers approved his bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.

"I didn't think I would be in office to see marriage equality passed," Murray, D-Seattle, said Wednesday night. "It was incredibly moving to watch a new generation of gay and lesbian lawmakers in the House standing up and carrying the torch."

The Washington House passed the bill on a 55-43 vote earlier in the day. Supporters in the public-viewing galleries cheered as many on the Democratic side of the House floor hugged.

The state Senate approved the measure last week. Wednesday's vote sends the bill to Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire, who is expected to sign it into law next week. She issued a statement saying it was "a major step toward completing a long and important journey to end discrimination based on sexual orientation."

The passage came a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, ruling it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples.

Democratic Rep. Jamie Pedersen, a gay lawmaker from Seattle who also has sponsored gay rights bills for several years, cited Tuesday's ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals during his remarks on the House floor. He noted a section that stated "marriage is the name that society gives to the relationship that matters most between two adults."

Several Republicans argued that the bill goes against the tradition of marriage. Rep. Jay Rodne, R-Snoqualmie, said the measure "severs the cultural, historical and legal underpinnings of the institution of marriage."

Several Republican amendments were rejected, including one that would have added private businesses and individuals, such as bakers and photographers, to an exemption in the measure that doesn't require religious organizations or churches to perform marriages and doesn't subject them to penalties if they don't marry gay or lesbian couples. Another would have required a one-month residency requirement before people could get married in Washington.

Two Republicans ? Reps. Glenn Anderson of Fall City and Maureen Walsh of College Place ? crossed the aisle and voted in favor of the bill. Three Democrats voted against it: Reps. Chris Hurst of Enumclaw, Steve Kirby of Tacoma and Mark Miloscia of Federal Way. Democrats hold a 56-42 majority in the House.

The proposal would take effect 90 days after the session ends next month, but opponents have promised to fight back with a ballot measure that would allow voters to overturn the legislative approval.

If opponents gather enough signatures to take their fight to the ballot box, the law would be put on hold pending the outcome of a November election. They must turn in more than 120,000 signatures by June 6 if they want to challenge the proposed law. Otherwise gay couples could wed starting in June.

Washington state has had domestic partnership laws since 2007, and more than a dozen other states have provisions, ranging from domestic partnerships to gay marriage, supporting same-sex couples.

Gay marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington, D.C. Lawmakers in New Jersey are expected to vote on gay marriage next week, and Maine could see a gay marriage proposal on the November ballot.

Proposed amendments to ban gay marriage will be on the ballots in North Carolina in May and in Minnesota in November.

California's voter-approved same-sex marriage ban, known as Proposition 8, was rejected by a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit on Tuesday. The panel gave gay-marriage opponents time to appeal before allowing same-sex weddings to resume. The judges also said the decision only applies to California, even though the court has jurisdiction in nine western states.

Washington state's momentum for same-sex marriage has been building and the debate has changed significantly since 1998, when lawmakers passed Washington's ban on gay marriage. The constitutionality of that law ultimately was upheld by the state Supreme Court in 2006. But earlier that year, a gay civil rights measure passed after nearly 30 years of failure, signaling a change in the Legislature.

The quick progression of domestic partnership laws in the state came soon after, with a domestic partnership law in 2007. An "everything but marriage" expansion was later upheld by voters years later.

In October, a University of Washington poll found that an increasing number of people in the state support same-sex marriage. About 43 percent of respondents said they support gay marriage, up from 30 percent in the same poll five years earlier. Another 22 percent said they support giving identical rights to gay couples, without calling the unions "marriage."

If a challenge to gay marriage law was on the ballot, 55 percent said they would vote to uphold the law. And 38 percent said they would vote to reject a gay marriage law.

Same-sex marriage also has the backing of several prominent Pacific Northwest businesses, including Microsoft, Nike and Starbucks.

In Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood on Wednesday, 27-year-old Nicolle Edwards said that the possibility of a referendum to the soon-to-be new law was a concern, but that she was happy her lawmakers approved gay marriage.

"Any step in the direction of equal rights is something to celebrate," said Edwards, who is gay.

___

The gay marriage bill is Senate Bill 6239.

____

Follow Rachel La Corte at http://www.twitter.com/RachelAPOly . AP writer Manuel Valdes contributed from Seattle.

___

Online:

http://www.leg.wa.gov

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-02-09-Washington%20Gay%20Marriage/id-921f112fb050439283c94e0a79acc55f

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