Online Features
Family Living
Play day: How time-pressed families can find more time for fun
(BPT) - It waits for no one, flies by and can’t be bottled, but it’s the one thing everyone would like more of: time. In today’s busy, hectic society it’s harder for families to find time together for fun, yet spending quality time together is key to the emotional health of the family unit and of individual family membe...
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Experience an extraordinary life with diabetes
(BPT) - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one in 10 Americans is living with diabetes and one in three adults could have diabetes by 2050. While every case requires an individual treatment plan, with the right attitude and management, people living with diabetes have an opp...
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Safer flying strategies for travelers with peanut allergies
(BPT) - From bag-checking charges and unexplained delays to rude fellow passengers and flight attendants who are having a bad day, flying can be a huge hassle. If you’re among the approximately 1 to 1.5 percent of Americans living with a peanut or tree nut allergy, boarding a commercial airplane can raise concerns that ...
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National Infant Immunization Week: a reminder of the importance of vaccination for children
(BPT) - Immunizations have had an enormous impact in helping to improve the health of children in the United States, according the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While vaccination has helped to reduce many childhood diseases, some of these diseases still exist and could reappear if vaccination cove...
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Ease travel worries with three simple tips
(BPT) - Traveling has its fair share of challenges, from never-ending lines to unexpected layovers and uncomfortable flights. Fortunately, by incorporating just a few expert tips, traveling can be less stressful whether you are jetting off for business or pleasure.  New York City lifestyle expert, Justine Santaniello, ...
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Protect yourself from summer's backyard pests
(BPT) - Warm weather is here for the next few months, and that means you’ll be spending more time outdoors with family and friends – and more time with summer pests. Mosquitoes, fire ants, bees, wasps and yellow jackets are some of summer’s worst bugs. And those pests can be more than a mere nuisance. In 2012, the Cent...
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The Modern Mom: Redefining Perfect [infographic]
What is the definition of a perfect mom? According to a survey by The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., more than 90 percent of moms say there is not one definition of the perfect mom or that it means different things to different moms. Whether it’s balancing work and family life or deciding what to serve during mealtime, today’s mom creates her own kind of “perfect.” And now Quaker is providing a new option to help her customize the perfect breakfast for everyone in the fa...
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Tips for new Mother's Day and Father's Day traditions
(BPT) - Families have many special traditions to celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Starting new traditions around these days is also common. If your family is looking for some new ways to enjoy Mother’s Day or Father’s Day this year, check out these tips and gift ideas that will help make your celebrations special: * Shop, dine or donate – Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are when we recognize parents for starting their families. This year, March of Dimes is launching the imbornto campa...
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Survey: More parents pursuing college degrees, talking to children about higher education
(BPT) - Enhanced earning potential and more career opportunities are two of the many benefits of earning an advanced degree. Now, many mothers and fathers in America have discovered another benefit of going back to school – it is a great parenting tool. Parents are considering higher education not only to help them get ...
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Traveling made simple: easy, convenient snacks to tag along on your next trip
(BPT) - With family vacation time nearly here and plans for road trips underway, it’s tempting to give in to quick, unhealthy solutions while packing snacks for the road. Here are some creative ways to revitalize your family’s snack routine and help you enjoy delicious and nutritious snacks on the go. Crunch time Crun...
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Expecting dinner guests? Tips for managing different diets
(BPT) - With food allergies and gluten intolerance on the rise, it takes more than seating flexibility and a vegetarian option to host a successful dinner party these days. Hosts today need to be able to accommodate a variety of dietary needs, from providing kosher foods to gluten and nut-free items. “For many people, ...
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Bridal trends transform grandma's china from vintage to vogue
(BPT) - New brides are transforming something old into something new. That’s according to the latest bridal tabletop trends. While in recent years brides have been registering for casual dinnerware, lately industry experts are seeing brides returning to fine china. Sales indicate they’re opting for porcelain and bone c...
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national news

A street sign for Wall Street hangs in front of the New York Stock ExchangeBy John Shiffman and Mark Hosenball (Reuters) WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence officials on Tuesday identified two of the more than 50 classified cases in which they say National Security Agency eavesdropping helped thwart terrorist plots including a planned attack on the New York Stock Exchange. The other, a San Diego money laundering investigation tied to financing for a Somali militia, is among the 27 cases cited in a Reuters report Tuesday in which the U.S. government filed public notice that it used a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant. ...


2013-06-18 17:21:15 -0500
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - Oklahoma executed on Tuesday a man who was convicted of stabbing an elderly couple to death during a robbery at their home that netted $73, some of which he and convicted accomplices used to buy tacos. James Lewis DeRosa, 36, was pronounced dead at 6:07 p.m. CDT (1907 ET) after a lethal injection at a state prison, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections said. DeRosa was convicted of killing Poteau couple Curtis Plummer, 73, and Gloria Plummer, 70, during a robbery in 2000. (Reporting by Heide Brandes)
2013-06-18 18:40:21 -0500
SAN JUAN (Reuters) - The FBI is investigating allegations that high-ranking bank officials in Puerto Rico conspired to have a former Doral Bank executive killed after he claimed he uncovered fraud, the U.S. attorney for the district of Puerto Rico said on Tuesday. Maurice Spagnoletti, 56, was shot multiple times while driving home from work to the fashionable Condado beachfront district in rush-hour traffic in June 2011. Authorities have described the shooting as an apparent contract killing, but have made no arrests. "We have had some leads, but not enough to bring charges. ...
2013-06-18 18:10:31 -0500
Larry Swilling has been on a months-long quest: He's  searching for a kidney for his wife. The 78-year-old, who has been looking for a compatible kidney donor for 76-year-old Jimmie Sue since last September, has caught the attention of the Web. But almost a year later, and despite lots of good will and plenty of [...]
2013-06-18 17:38:04 -0500