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Gift Ideas
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Secrets of building a great gift basket
Giving a great gift basket is like bestowing a buffet of gifts on your loved one, and when the well-put-together gift basket is opened, well, that's a magical moment. Beneath the pretty decorations lie enchanting mysteries that emerge one-by-one to the delight of the recipient. Here is some advice for putting together a ...
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Give the gift of hearing this holiday season
Getting older doesn't necessarily mean looking and feeling older. Age 50 is the new 30, according to celebrities who crossed that threshold in recent years. And while the body can start to show signs of aging, it doesn't necessarily mean one has to suffer.
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Give a U.S. Savings Bond gift this holiday season
To celebrate the holiday season, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is proud to introduce a new set of savings bond certificates to mark the time-honored tradition of giving U.S. Savings Bonds as holiday gifts. The newly designed gift certificates feature historical and patriotic themes and can be given when digital sav...
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Gifts that can help close the generation gap
Grandma gives Johnny wool socks. Susie delivers ear buds to Grandpa, who thinks an MP3 player is a character in a James Bond movie. When it comes to the gaps between generations, gift-giving can cast into stark relief the differences between age groups. But it is possible to find gifts that spring from common ground - an...
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Holiday shoppers flocking to online retailers [INFOGRAPHIC]
While American consumers continue to embrace the age-old traditions of the holidays -greeting cards, yuletide carols and presents for all - consumer shopping habits are showing a big shift. Internet sites are more popular than ever among shoppers.
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Giving the gift of living roses
Everyone loves to receive a bouquet of roses as a gift, but an even better gift is one that keeps on giving for years to come. Why not give a beautiful rose bush instead of a bouquet of flowers? Whether for birthdays, holidays, the birth of a baby, a house warming or even as a hostess gift, it's a wonderful show of appre...
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Five must-have tech gifts for the college bound
If you'll be buying for a college kid this summer, here are five tech gift ideas that can help make their college careers easier, more fun and more memorable.
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Great gifts to make this Father's Day one to remember
What do you get the man who's done everything for you - from spending sleepless nights changing dirty diapers to trading in his muscle car for a minivan - but asked nothing in return? This year, start paying dad back for all he's done by making Father's Day the best yet with these surefire gift ideas.
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Gift ideas for the handyman
For some families, the local handyman never gets a call because the right man for the job is already at home ready to tackle do-it-yourself (DIY) projects. Show him that his hard work around the house has not gone unnoticed. Whether it's for Father's Day, or any other occasion throughout the year, here are a few gift ide...
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Savings bonds: Give the gift of a bright future
They're the same bonds you remember getting as a child, but with a digital twist. U.S. Savings Bonds are making a comeback, just in time for the graduation and wedding gift-giving season.
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Gift wrapping tips: Fashionable and functional ways to make packages extra special
The warm weather seasons are well stocked with special occasions. Whether you're saying best wishes at a friend's wedding or offering congratulations to a recent grad, it's easy to make your gift the brightest in the pile. Follow these simple tips to inspire your imagination and you'll create gift wrapping that's as spec...
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Birding gifts for the holidays
Birding gifts for the holidays Birdwatching is the fastest growing hobby in the United States, and is enjoyed by a variety of individuals. Kids enjoy seeing birds in their play spaces and learning about new animals, while gardeners enjoy attracting birds with their blooming flowers. Others may have a flair for identifyi...
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national news
Boy Scouts of America vote ends long-standing ban on gay scouts

Boy Scouts statue titled Trail to Manhood outside the National Scouting Museum in IrvingBy Marice Richter GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to lift a ban on openly gay scouts that had been in place throughout the organization's 103-year history, capping weeks of intense lobbying on both sides, the group said in a statement. More than 60 percent of the group's National Council, composed of some 1,400 delegates, voted to end the ban effective January 1, 2014. A prohibition on openly gay adult leaders remains in place. ...


Thu May 23 18:30:11 UTC 2013
Obama orders review of guidelines for probing journalists

U.S. President Barack Obama pauses during speech at the National Defense University in WashingtonBy Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday he directed Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct a review of Department of Justice guidelines for investigations that involve journalists and report back by early July. Obama has come under criticism for his administration's pursuit of journalists who have reported leaked material. In recent weeks, it emerged that the Justice Department seized Associated Press phone records as part of a probe into leaks about a 2012 Yemen-based plot to bomb a U.S. ...


Thu May 23 17:52:12 UTC 2013
Jodi Arias jury fails to reach decision on death penalty

Jodi Arias addresses the jury during the penalty phase of her murder trial in PhoenixPHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona jury tasked with determining whether convicted killer Jodi Arias should be put to death for the brutal murder of an ex-boyfriend failed to reach a unanimous verdict on Thursday, and a judge ordered a retrial in the penalty phase. Arias, 32, was found guilty earlier this month in the murder of Travis Alexander, whose body was found slumped in the shower of his Phoenix-area home in June 2008. He was stabbed 27 times, had his throat slashed and was shot in the face. (Reporting by Tim Gaynor; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)


Thu May 23 18:33:47 UTC 2013
Boy Scouts vote to end ban on openly gay youth members
[Updated at 6:20 p.m. CT] DALLAS – The Boy Scouts of America, one of the country’s largest and oldest youth organizations, decided on Thursday to break 103 years of tradition by allowing openly gay members into its ranks. The controversial move was approved by more than 60 percent of the approximate 1,400 votes cast by [...]
Thu May 23 17:14:38 UTC 2013