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Smart security steps give small-business owners peace of mind during summer travel season
Summer is finally here, which means peak vacation season and employees out of the office. For those who own their own companies, however, taking vacations and disconnecting is never easy, as business continues as usual while owners are away. In fact, according to the 2013 ADT Safety Data Index, more than one-third of sm...
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Expert advice for smart investing strategies
(BPT) - After five years of market volatility, recession and uncertainty, markets in the U.S. are showing signs of life. Leading indexes are now approaching all-time highs, and many individuals are taking a fresh look at their investment plans. But with the sting of recent losses and swings still fresh in mind, now is a...
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Tips to keep potty training positive
(BPT) - Parents everywhere agree – potty training can be a struggle. You worry about taking your toddler out in public or trying to find ways to simultaneously encourage potty training and boost your child’s self-confidence. Still, of 1,000 moms surveyed, 76 percent feel that their child’s personal growth as a result of...
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Four simple steps to help DIYers get pro-level painting results
(BPT) - When it comes to simple, low-cost home improvements that can add value and completely change the look of a room, you just can’t beat painting. From giving a room a whole new look to protecting the walls and boosting the value of your home, painting delivers many benefits – all at a fraction of the cost of other ...
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Don't let pests invade outdoor spaces
(BPT) - Most of us view lawns, porches, decks and gardens as extensions of our homes and look forward to enjoying these spaces during warm weather. Unfortunately, rising temperatures also bring invasive insects that can lay their claim to these spaces and cause hefty damage. New insect species make their way into the U...
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Bright ideas to get your home guest ready
(BPT) - Summer has arrived and vacation season is underway. With the kids home from school, and family and friends anxious to visit, you can expect the stress of getting your home ready to be in full swing. Here are a few helpful tips that will make you a successful host and give your guests a warm welcome. Create a co...
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Budget-friendly ways to refresh old outdoor spaces
(BPT) - Indoors or outdoors, your home decor needs some TLC to look its best. Replacing worn or dated furniture or flooring inside your home is considered fairly easy. But when outdoor spaces start to appear shabby, do you decide to live with the tired look because you think freshening the space will be too time-consumi...
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Summer provides opportunities for savvy students and career seekers
(BPT) - The summer educational break is no excuse to put academic or career ambitions on vacation. In fact, the traditionally slower months of summer are an ideal opportunity to assess academic and career goals, according to Joe Belliotti, president of Everest Institute-Dearborn in Michigan. Belliotti offers the fol...
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Modern day dad [Infographic]
The dads of today are playing a more integral role in parenting than ever before. They’re involved in everything from keeping an eye on kids’ social media use to household chores, and a majority say that they have a different parenting style than their own fathers, according to a survey from P&G. Though they believe that parenting today is tougher than in the past, when it comes to the benefits of being a dad, a strong majority say that raising a child has made their marriage stronger.
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Gluten-free meals with 'wow' factor, from breakfast to dinner
(BPT) - As awareness of gluten-free diets continues to grow, more people are searching for ways to make their menus delicious, creative and varied while still staying gluten-free. In the past, forgoing gluten was challenging at best and frustrating at worst, due to a lack of available ingredients and products. But that ...
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Hitting the road? Apps to pack to avoid summer brain drain
(BPT) - Warm weather and sunshine are putting families across the country in vacation-planning mode. Whether traveling by train, plane or automobile, mobile devices are typically the first thing parents and kids pack. In fact, American families take more than 100 million leisure trips a year and the average family jugg...
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Ask the pharmacist: How to avoid medication misfortune during a natural disaster
(BPT) - Whether it’s plywood, bottled water or generators, Americans gather the necessary supplies and seek the appropriate shelter if confronted by the wrath of Mother Nature. Regardless of the disaster – hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires – lives can be turned upside-down in an instant. Some of the most commonly overloo...
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national news
Massachusetts police search NFL player's home in homicide probe: report

Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez talks on a phone during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis(Reuters) - Massachusetts State Police searched the home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday as part of a probe into a suspected homicide, according to ABC News. Hernandez was initially uncooperative with police after the body of a 27-year-old man was found in an industrial park near his home in North Attleborough on Monday, ABC News said, citing unnamed law enforcement sources. A police spokesman confirmed there was a homicide investigation under way in North Attleborough, but declined to give further details. ...


2013-06-18 22:07:10 -0500
After court rules, California gay marriage fight may go on

A man carries flags at a rally in support of same-sex marriage at the State of California Supreme Court in San FranciscoBy Peter Henderson SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The fight over legalizing gay marriage in the most populous U.S. state may go back to the ballot box in 2014 with California voters asked once again to settle the matter even after the Supreme Court's expected ruling this month on the issue. Experts believe the top court is unlikely to proclaim a national right to same-sex marriage in its decisions. The court is set to rule on a challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage and on a provision of federal law denying certain benefits for married same-sex couples. ...


2013-06-19 00:11:14 -0500
Analysis: Hospital investors sold on U.S. health reform despite bumps

A Tea Party member reaches for a pamphlet at a "Food for Free Minds Tea Party Rally" in LittletonBy Susan Kelly CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. hospital operators have been on a tear this year, on average posting triple the gains of the broader stock market, as investors tallied up the benefits of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform. While some on Wall Street have held back amid signs of trouble as U.S. states prepare to implement the reform law, long-term investors still see more reward than risk on the horizon for hospital stocks. They expect company earnings to strengthen as more Americans gain insurance coverage and hospitals lose less money treating the uninsured. ...


2013-06-19 00:05:37 -0500
Journalist Michael Hastings dies in car crash at 33
Michael Hastings, the award-winning journalist whose explosive 2010 Rolling Stone profile of U.S. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal ("The Runaway General") led to McChrystal's resignation, died Tuesday in an early morning car accident in Los Angeles, the magazine said. He was 33. "Hard-charging, unabashedly opinionated, Hastings was original and at times abrasive," Rolling Stone, where he [...]
2013-06-18 19:23:00 -0500