White House mulls broader gun control: Washington Post

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is weighing a far broader approach to curbing U.S. gun violence than just reinstating a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

A working group led by Vice President Joseph Biden is seriously considering measures that would require universal background checks for gun buyers and track the movement and sale of weapons through a national database, the newspaper said.

The measures would also strengthen mental health checks and stiffen penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors, the Post said. The approach is backed by law enforcement leaders, it said.

President Barack Obama assigned Biden the job of designing the strategy after the massacre at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school last month that killed 20 children and six adults.

To sell such changes, the White House is developing strategies to work around the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful gun lobby.

They include rallying support from Wal-Mart Stores Inc and other gun retailers for measures that would benefit their businesses, the Post said.

NEW YORK MAYOR

The White House has been in contact with advisers to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a gun control advocate who could emerge as a surrogate for the administration's agenda, the paper said.

The Post cited several people involved in the administration's talks on gun control for its story. They included Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum.

The White House had no immediate comment on the Post story. A White House spokesman told the newspaper that Biden's group was in the middle of its review and had not decided on its final recommendations.

The NRA has successfully lobbied federal lawmakers to stop major new gun restrictions since a 1994 assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004. The ban also prohibited ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds.

When asked if Congress will entertain new gun regulation, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that lawmakers needed to see Biden's recommendations.

"There will be plenty of time to take a look at their recommendations once they come forward," he said.

McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said that for the next three months Washington's debates would center on federal spending and the rising debt.

Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, an NRA member, said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopolous" that the reported proposals were "way in extreme" and would not pass.

Best Warehouse Store: BJ’s, Costco or Sam’s Club?

According to Consumer Reports, shoppers can save up to 55 percent at warehouse clubs – on everything from bulk packages of toilet paper and frozen pizza to Coach handbags and vacation packages. If you belong to one, you’re probably enjoying the savings and the “treasure hunt” shopping experience – never quite knowing what you’ll find on shelves and pallets.
It’s no surprise that as warehouse clubs open more locations and offer a wider range of items, sales are growing. The $390 billion industry has seen a 137 percent jump in sales from 2001 to 2011, compared to 47 percent for all general merchandise stores, according to First Research.
But which warehouse club is best for you? Sometimes it’s as simple as finding the one closest to home, but if you have choices, you should consider factors, from selection to return policies. We put the big three to the test by comparing 11 factors – from basic membership costs and locations to selection of luxury goods.

1. Membership costs

Basic membership is $50 a year at BJ’s, $55 at Costco, and $40 at Sam’s Club. If you want to test the waters first, keep an eye out for free trials.

2. Rewards

Warehouse clubs offer rewards programs, but they’re not free. Become a BJ’s Rewards member for $100 a year (or upgrade an existing membership for $50), and you’ll get 2 percent back on most in-club and BJs.com purchases. Costco’s Executive Membership is $110 a year and also offers 2 percent rewards – capped at $750 a year. Sam’s Club is experimenting with the idea of a cash rewards program; in a new rollout, Plus members ($100 a year) are now receiving $10 for every $500 spent – which also comes out to 2 percent – capped at $500.

3. Nonmember surcharges

Thinking about shopping at a warehouse club without footing the bill for a membership? Costco is the least expensive: the surcharge to nonmembers is 5 percent. BJ’s is the highest at 15 percent, while Sam’s Club’s surcharge is 10 percent.

4. Locations

Costco and Sam’s Club have more locations than BJ’s. Sam’s Club has 620 locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, while Costco has nearly 450. BJ’s has just more than 180.
To see if there’s a warehouse club near you, check out the locators for BJ’s, Costco, and Sam’s Club.

5. Shopping experience

In a Consumer Reports survey, 26,000 shoppers evaluated their experiences at 10 major retailers: Costco, JC Penney, Kmart, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Meijer, Sam’s Club, Sears, Target, and Walmart. Costco was the top-rated store in the survey. Sam’s Club got average or slightly above average grades in all categories. BJ’s wasn’t included.
In another survey by Temkin, 6,000 consumers ranked companies based on customer service. Costco ranked third, behind Amazon and Kohl’s, with 79 percent of survey respondents giving it an “excellent” or “good” rating. Sam’s Club and BJ’s were close, however, at 78 percent.
While this doesn’t point to a clear winner, it’s safe to say the overall shopping experience at any of the big three doesn’t differ much – and doesn’t disappoint.

6. Return policies

From Costco’s return policies page: “We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund. The following must be returned within 90 days of purchase for a refund: televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, touch screen tablets, MP3 players and cellular phones.”
From Sam’s Club return policies page: “We offer a 100% guarantee on merchandise and Membership. We will refund purchases in full with a receipt. Click here to view our Return/Refund exceptions. No receipt: We will refund the purchase(s) at the last selling price with a shopping card.”
From BJ’s return policies page: “Items eligible for return must be returned within 30 days from date of shipping. For more information, please see the “Proper Conditions for Return and Credit” section of BJ’s Return Policy.”
So Costco and Sam’s Club have similar return policies, while BJ’s policy is far less liberal.

7. Coupons and sales

BJ’s is the only warehouse club that accepts manufacturer’s coupons. BJ’s also has 24-hour flash sales online, promoting deals on items like HDTVs and digital cameras – often with free shipping.
At Sam’s Club, discounts can get even deeper with online auctions. Online members can bid, with all bids starting at $1.

8. Electronics

All three warehouse clubs offer similar prices for tech products, including HDTVs, digital cameras, and printers. If you’re an Apple fan, you’ll want to head to Sam’s Club – the only warehouse club to carry iPads and iPhones. All warehouse clubs, however, offer a decent sampling of iPad and iPhone accessories, including cases, stands, and docking stations.
Sam’s Club also excels when it comes to delivery, installation, and technical support – thanks to 24/7 customer service.

9. House brands

According to Family Circle, you can find the best deals on products in warehouse clubs by purchasing house brands. At Sam’s Club, this is Member’s Mark. BJ’s carries house brand Berkley & Jensen, and Costco’s is Kirkland. The pricing on house brands at all three chains is nearly identical, so it comes down to individual preference.

10. Food prices

Food prices don’t vary all that much at warehouse clubs. According to a face-off between Costco and Sam’s Club conducted by Cheapism.com, a shopping cart test of 38 typical grocery items was $12 cheaper at Sam’s Club. But because they got a greater quantity of some of the things in the Costco cart, they went back and compared unit costs. Based on that, Costco was 3.6 percent less expensive.
Cheapism.com also noted slightly smaller unit packaging at Sam’s Club, which could be an advantage to avoid waste.

11. Luxury items

All warehouse clubs sell designer jewelry and offer car deals. Some of the most in-demand items at Sam’s Club are Ray-Ban frames for glasses and sunglasses, Eddie Bauer home décor and apparel, and Children’s Place apparel, according to Carrie Foster, company spokesperson. At Costco, you’ll find Coach handbags, Herman Miller chairs, and Waterford Crystal.
If you’re looking for vacation packages, you’ll want to shop at Costco or BJ’s, since Sam’s Club stepped out of the niche.

The bottom line…

When shopping for a warehouse club, it comes down to individual preference. If you’re looking for low membership cost, a generous return policy, and 24/7 customer service, Sam’s Club is the way to go. If you value the added savings from manufacturer’s coupons and don’t mind a subpar return policy, consider BJ’s. If you’re into travel, you’ll find plenty of deals at Costco or BJ’s. And if you want the top-ranked in customer service, Costco is the winner, but only by a narrow margin.

Best makeup for your eye color

When it comes to creating a look, complimenting your eyes with the perfect eye makeup can sometimes be a long process of trial and error. Let us make it easy for you with this guide to choosing the best shades for your eye color.

BLUE EYES
Blue eyes might be a recessive trait, but if you've got them, they deserve to be your dominant feature. Bring them into focus with these seven eye shadow, liner, and mascara shades designed to make your blue eyes pop.
Terra-Cotta Shadow: Layering your lids with a rust-colored shadow, like CoverGirl Queen Collection 1-Kit Eye Shadow in Fire It Up, is the quickest way to draw attention to blue eyes.
"The warm color makes eyes stand out," says makeup artist Meredith Baraf, who regularly uses this trick on her blue-eyed clients Adriana Lima and Doutzen Kroes.
   
Purple Shadows: For a trendy fall color, opt for purple over emerald or cobalt.
"Blue eyes can get lost in blue and green shadows," says Baraf. "But purple shadows help accentuate them."
Put the focus on them with a shimmery palette like Lancôme Color Design Eyeshadow in Amethyst Glam. The amethyst and royal purples can be used as allover shadows or concentrated as liners.

 Orange Shadow: It sounds crazy, but orange eye shadow will set your blue eyes ablaze.
"Blue and orange are directly opposite each other on the color wheel, so it creates a strong contrast," explains Baraf.
Try a thin line of Rimmel London Eyeful Eye Glistener in Flaunt on your upper lash line. Then, when you're feeling bolder, sweep Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Mediteranee, a flattering burnt orange shade, on your lids. Need inspiration? Blue-eyed stars Scarlett Johansson and Fergie have both worn this look on the red carpet. 

Neutral Smoky Eyes: Black smoky eyes might be a classic, but they tend to overshadow blue eyes rather than enhance them. Soften your look with a neutral palette of rich browns, golds, and light pinks instead.
Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Spices offers a customizable palette of subtly sexy colors for a smoky eye that works.

 Eye-Brightening Beige: Using a highlighter on the inside lower lash line is the oldest trick in the book for making eyes appear bigger. But women with blue eyes should skip white highlighters.
"They tend to look unnatural and kind of dirty," says Baraf. Instead, choose a soft, beige pencil (like Chanel Le Crayon Khôl in Clair) that will brighten eyes naturally.

Turquoise Liner and Navy Mascara: It might seem counterintuitive, but women with blue eyes should avoid blue shadow.
"You see the eye shadow before you see the eye," says Baraf.
But if you can't bear to part with the shade, use it strategically. A bold turquoise liner, like Nars Larger Than Life Liner in Abbey Road, helps accentuate bright blues. And navy mascara, like Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara in Blue, is a subtle way of bringing out blue tones in gray or greenish-blue eyes.

BROWN EYES
Sharing an eye color with half the world's population doesn't mean you're destined to blend in with the crowd. Here, six makeup colors that make brown eyes seem like the rarest of them all.
Cobalt Shadow: "Brown is a mix of all the primary colors, so there are a lot of options," says makeup artist Emily Kate Warren. She recommends a vibrant blue shadow, like Estée Lauder Pure Color Gelée Powder Eyeshadow in Fire Sapphire, for rich, dark brown eyes.
"An electric shade like this really makes brown eyes pop—I just love the contrast."

Eggplant Mascara: Purple shades best enhance brown eyes with hazel flecks, says Warren: "The eyes already have a variety of tones, so you don't need a dramatic shade to create a striking contrast."
We like Mally Beauty Volumizing Accents Mascara because it not only flatters brown irises, it makes the whites of the eyes look seriously bright.

Greenish Gold Shadow: For a pretty eye-makeup look that's neither drab or cuckoo-bananas, go green.
"And don't be afraid to try different finishes," advises Warren. "Green tones come in a wide range of matte and metallic shades—they'll all pick up any flecks in brown."
Our favorite: M.A.C. Eye Shadow in Sumptuous Olive.


 Copper Shadow: Warm up a neutral shadow shade, like bone or taupe, with a layer of copper shadow on the outer halves of your lids.
"It will highlight your eye color, and the shimmer will add a little texture," says Warren.
Our pick: Josie Maran Argan Eye Shadow in Cinnamon. 
Navy Shadow and Liner: Deep blue is the best bet for daytime, office-appropriate cat eyes—it also animates brown eyes without looking severe (as black sometimes does).
"It creates a slight but eye-catching contrast," says Warren.
We like Elizabeth Arden Color Intrigue Eyeshadow in Indigo and Sonia Kashuk Eye Definer in Blue Jean.

Gold Shadow: Warm metallics, simply put, make brown eyes glisten.
"They highlight even the slightest hint of gold undertones," says Warren.
We like L'Oréal Paris 24 HR Infallible Eye Shadow in Eternal Sunshine.
 
GREEN EYES

There's a reason Irish eyes are always smiling—they're drop-dead gorgeous. And these six makeup shades—shimmering taupe, silver, violet, and more—will make others go green with envy.
Taupe Shadow: Every makeup bag needs the right neutral eye shadow, and for women with green eyes, makeup artist Erica Whelan swears by taupe.
"The warmer undertones are more flattering than ashy brown," she said. Plus, one that has a little sparkle will bring out golden flecks in the irises.
Our pick? CoverGirl Eye Enhancers in Tapestry Taupe.

Slate Gray Liner: Heavy black liner can look severe on light eyes, especially in the daytime, Whelan says.
A creamy charcoal pencil (like Wet n Wild Idol Eyes Crème Shadow Pencil in Graphite) is a softer, less overpowering alternative. 

Every Shade of Purple: We've said before that purple flatters every eye color (which is true), but it's extra gorgeous on green eyes.
"It goes back to the color wheel," Whelan said. "Green's complementary color is red, so any shadow with red undertones really makes green eyes pop." Lavender, violet, aubergine—no shades are off limits.
We love all three hues in Shiseido Makeup Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio in VI 308. For the most eye-catching results, concentrate purple shadow close to the lash line. 

Espresso Liner: A dash of brown eyeliner has the same smoldering effect as black, without the harshness. "Sometimes black can have a flattening effect [against light eyes]," Whelan said. "A warm brown shade is much softer." For easy smudging, try Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eyes Powder Pencil in Espresso.

 
Smoky Silver Shadow: We're stealing this one from Kristen Stewart (she's one of our green-eye icons, and the girl knows how to rock a smoky look): Dust silver shadow, like Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Stone, across lids and in the inner corners.
It's both smoky and bright, which adds up to a gorgeous, ethereal look.
Metallic Sage Shadow: Don't rule out green shadows, either—just go for one that's multidimensional, such as Nars Cream Eyeshadow in Mousson. It's a silvery sage that goes on sheer.
"Whenever you're using a color in the same family as your eyes, play around with texture," Whelan said. "Something shimmery will always make your eyes stand out."
While the origins of hazel eyes are still a mystery to geneticists, the best shades for making them look amazing are not a secret. Here, our top six looks.


HAZEL EYES The Perfect Palette: "If you have hazel eyes, reach for rich, autumnal colors like browns, golds, and greens," says makeup artist Quinn Murphy.
"Play with the colors in your eyes that you want to bring out." You can't go wrong with the shimmering pans of dusky gold, rich chocolate, creamy bone, and forest green in Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Reflets D'Ombre. For daytime, Murphy suggests a wash of green or brown over the eyes and gold or bone highlights on the inner corners and centers of the lids.
"Any of these colors would look great on their own with a trace of eyeliner and mascara, too," he says.
Earthy Brown Shadow and Liner: Warm, neutral browns enhance the richness of hazel eyes. A graduated palette, like Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow in Not Just Nudes, works alone "for a soft luminous effect, or as a base for other colors," says Murphy.
To create more depth, Murphy suggests defining eyes with a brown liner, like Dolce & Gabbana The Eyeliner Crayon Intense in Coffee, a medium brown with gold flecks. "It's not as jarring as black, but still gets your eyes noticed," she says
Warm Green Shadow and Liner: Bring out any green tones in your eyes by sweeping on a soft, army green shadow, like Shiseido Makeup Luminizing Satin Eye Color in GR 711. Then rim the lashes in a darker shade of forest green—we love Yves Saint Laurent Eye Pencil in 5.
  Gilded Shadow: Gold (and bronze) bring out the warmth in hazel eyes—they pull golden flecks forward and make brown and green tones radiant. Dab gilded shadows in the corners of the eyes or the centers of the lids as dazzling highlighters, or sweep them across your lids for a more ethereal effect.
Murphy recommends Dolce & Gabbana The Eyeshadow Smooth Eye Colour Duo in Gold: "It's a beautiful bronze goddess-y duo—you can't go wrong with either color."
Eggplant Shadow and Liner: "The other way to enhance hazel eyes is to go to the opposite side of the color wheel," says Murphy.
"Purple always provides a gorgeous contrast to hazel, and it's great for creating smoky eyes."
We love the deep eggplant shade of Lorac Eye Shadow in After Party—use it to smoke out the top and bottom lash lines. Then line the eyes with a deep purple pencil, like Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Lust, for a dramatic effect that's downright sexy.

Metallic Black Mascara: Eye shadow or no, never forget to amp up your lashes. With its subtle light-reflecting gold shimmer, CoverGirl Exact Eyelights in Black Gold is especially flattering for hazel eyes.

One must-use beauty product: The beauty product you should be using

We're guessing you've passed up an eye cream or two, browsing the beauty aisle for the next best thing, thinking, eh, I don't need that yet. If that's the case, we highly suggest you head to the closest drugstore, pick up an anti-aging formula, and start applying it religiously (aka every morning and night). 

Why? "The skin of the eye area is very different from most of the skin of the rest of the face," says Neal Schultz, M.D., a dermatologist in NYC and author of It's Not Just About Wrinkles: A Park Avenue Dermatologist's Program for Beautiful Skin—in Just Four Minutes a Day.
"It’s thinner, more sensitive, and has fewer oil and water glands, so it needs more moisturization. And while you can use your facial moisturizer there, it may not be rich enough."
Two more reasons to use an eye cream: to prevent and treat wrinkles.
Since we're constantly smiling (because we're happy), it causes the skin to crease repetitively, which eventually leads to wrinkles (ahem, crow's feet) over time. So, the earlier you start using an eye cream (20-year-olds, listen up!), the less fine lines you'll notice later on down the road.
If you're already starting to see the side effects of smiling or squinting (wear those sunglasses, girls!), these same preventative formulas can help diffuse some of the fine lines and even help decrease any crepey-looking skin around the eye (which can make you appear older than you are).
To find an eye cream that will: A. help prevent wrinkles, B. treat any you may already have, and C. moisturize the fragile eye area, Schultz suggests reading the ingredient label to see if the product contains the following:
- A less potent percentage (one percent) of glycolic acid, which promotes cell turnover, than what you'd use on the rest of your face.
- Peptides, which stimulate collagen production.
- Moisturizers like glycerin, urea, or hyaluronic acid, which help plump up fine lines temporarily.
Now, for a few formulas worth trying: 
- RoC Retinol Correxion Sensitive Eye Cream, $21, drugstore.com
- Philosophy Eye Hope Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Cream, starting at $40, Yahoo! Shopping
- Beauty Rx Skin Care by Dr. Schultz Gentle Exfoliating Eye Therapy Cream, $50, beautyrx.com
Use your ring fingertip to apply (since it's the least strongest finger), and pat a few dots of eye cream from the outer corner of your eye to right below your tear duct. Then, gently rub it into your skin using gentle inward sweeping motions, again only using your ring finger.
Will you be incorporating an eye cream into your beauty regimen stat?

Top 5 cities where home prices rose the most in 2012

Kiplinger is taking a look at U.S. metro areas (with populations of more than half a million) to find those that enjoyed the largest percentage increases in home prices last year. Yahoo! Homes is publishing the top five; for the rest of the top dozen, visit Kiplinger.com. You can also see the top five bad-news cities where home prices fell the most on Yahoo! Homes.

The markets in most of these cities peaked and busted in 2006 and are now well into their recovery. Most of these cities have rates of unemployment at or below the national average, which is indicative of healthy economies that fuel buyer confidence and demand. Supply in most of these cities is low and favors sellers.
The percentage increases are for the year ending Sept. 30, 2012, the most recent period available. Sales, supply and other market data reflect the latest data available from regional associations of Realtors and multiple-listing services. Months' supply is how long it would take to sell everything listed for sale at the current pace of sales -- a market with four to six months' supply is considered balanced between seller and buyer. Unemployment rates are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and foreclosure rates are from RealtyTrac. Home prices are from Clear Capital. Distressed sales and negative-equity statistics are from CoreLogic.
5. Akron, Ohio
One-year change in home prices: +16.5%
Median home price: $95,000
Change in price since peak: -39.2%
Unemployment rate (national average is 7.7%): 6.1%
Foreclosure rate (national average is 0.40%): 1 in every 651 households (0.15%)
The double-digit gain in home prices in this northeastern Ohio city puts a little shine on the Rust Belt. The market in Summit County, which a few years ago was burdened by high inventory, much of it distressed, is improving. Home sales -- helped by a not-so-dire unemployment rate in the Akron metro area -- rose in 11 out of the past 12 months; in October they rose by 20.8% from the year before. The months' supply fell from 11.3 months a year earlier to seven months, and many of the homes on the market are of higher quality.
Homes took an average of 120 days to sell, still a long haul for sellers, but down from 142 a year ago. Almost one-fourth of sales were distressed, but that's down from one-third last year. "We're not totally out of the woods yet, but we are rebounding," says local agent A'i Whitley.
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota
One-year change in home prices: +16.8%
Median home price: $188,000
Change in price since peak: -33.7%
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 682 households (0.15%)
The Minnesota Nice ethic didn't protect the Twin Cities from the excesses of the boom years. But the metro area's real estate market is coming back strongly now. In October 2012, sales grew by 15.1% from the year before, and the inventory of homes for sale fell by 29.7%. The months' supply was 3.7, slightly favoring sellers. The average time for a home to sell was 104 days, down from last year but still lengthy. Sellers received an average of 94% of their original list price.
Inventory stands at a nearly ten-year low. Distressed sales in this market are the lowest of all the cities on the best list, just 15% of all sales. As homeowners see prices continue to rise, they'll overcome their hesitancy and begin to list their homes for sale, increasing inventory and moderating the pace of price hikes.
3. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida
One-year change in home prices: +19.5%
Median home price: $124,300
Change in price since peak: -56.9%
Unemployment rate: 9.2%
Foreclosure rate (Cape Coral only): 1 in every 258 households (0.39%)
This metro area on the southwest coast of Florida had many foreclosures and a high rate of vacant homes during the real estate bust. In October 2012, the months' supply stood at 3.8 months, slightly favoring sellers. Condo sales rose by 28.9% from the year before, fueled by snowbirds and investors. More than one-third of all sales were foreclosures or short sales (meaning the lender accepts payment in full for less than the homeowner owes on the mortgage). That's down by one-fifth from last year.
2. Provo, Utah
One-year change in home prices: +21.8%
Median home price: $192,050
Change in price since peak: -9.3%
Unemployment rate: 4.5%
Foreclosure rate: 1 in 1,685 (0.06%)
Homeowners in the third largest city in Utah saw home prices rise substantially in the past year, gaining back much of the decline since the bust (which didn't occur here until early 2008). In the third quarter of 2012, home sales in Utah County rose by 10.7% from the year before. The months' supply stood at a balanced 4.7 months. Buyer confidence is buoyed by a thriving local economy (anchored by Brigham Young University), with solid job growth and the lowest unemployment rate of any city on this list. Although nearly one-fourth of all sales were distressed properties, that's down by more than one-third from last year.
1. Phoenix, Arizona
One-year change in home prices: +28.4%
Median home price: $160,000
Change in price since peak: -51.2%
Unemployment rate: 6.9%
Foreclosure rate: 1 in every 384 households (0.26%)
This city is living up to its name, rising from the ashes of the real estate bust. In the third quarter of 2012, Maricopa County's housing market favored sellers, with just 2.7 months' supply of inventory. More than one-fourth of all sales were distressed properties (short sales and foreclosures), often snatched up by investors, but that's down by more than 40% from last year, which has helped boost prices again. With tighter supply, sellers got 100% of their original list price -- no discounting needed -- and sold in an average of 45 days.