Online Features
Home Improvement
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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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Hammer-swinging singles [Infographic]
As more single people buy homes, they're tackling at least half the DIY work themselves. But they're working on different areas of their homes. Typically, men are working on dining room and basement remodels, while women are remodeling bathrooms.
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Cool ways to enjoy your outdoor spaces through the dog days of summer
(BPT) - When warm weather arrives, does your family head outdoors to enjoy your patio or deck? Do they then turn around and head right back into the air-conditioned comfort when summer sun and temperatures make outdoor living spaces too hot to handle? “In many areas of the country, the window of opportunity for enjoyin...
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Create an outdoor space that 'wows'
(BPT) - Whether you own a cozy cottage or mega mansion, as a homeowner, you likely embrace the outdoor living trend. But when you look at your deck or patio, does it leave something to be desired? By taking a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach, you can affordably create outdoor spaces that enhance the style and functionality...
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Dad, you deserve a break (Easy DIY projects that spruce up a home in no time)
(BPT) - With Father’s Day right around the corner, give Dad a break from his “to do” list by taking care of the easier DIY tasks for him. From simple fixes to bigger projects, sometimes all you need is the right tool at the right time, to get the job done. Here are some helpful ideas to get you started. Fix that door ...
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Extend your living space outdoors into your backyard
(BPT) - The backyard is more than just a lawn to mow or a place for the pooch to run around. Many homeowners are turning their backyards into an extension of their homes, bringing the indoors outside for additional living space. Upgrading or building a deck is the first way to incorporate an outdoor living space into t...
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How to make your home stand out in a hot real estate market
(BPT) - The residential housing market is heating up, but before you post that for-sale sign, consider making upgrades that add style and value to your home. With many buyers seeking wood floors, kitchen upgrades and other add-ons, it’s important for homeowners to highlight these features so their property stands out fr...
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A facelift for your kitchen: Refacing makes old cabinets instantly new
(BPT) - In this instant-gratification era, instant makeovers – from week-long juice diets to weekend home renovations – are a top 2013 trend. And according to Yahoo! Homes, so are instant kitchen updates achieved by refacing cabinets . It’s no wonder. Women spend a third of their household activity time in the kitchen...
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'Summer-ize' your home to look and smell wonderful in warmer weather
(BPT) - The three R’s aren’t just reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmatic. In the summer, they refer to “reorganizing,” “restyling” and “reviving” your home. It’s the perfect time to bring a summery, comfortable feeling to your home’s interior. Luckily, you don’t need to redo every room or throw out all your furniture to get a ...
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Tricks to take care of clogged drains
(BPT) - “The bathroom sink drain is clogged!” Those words strike fear and loathing into a homeowner’s heart. Nothing can ruin a pleasant day faster than the thought of shutting down a crucial room in your home until the plumber arrives. But it’s a fact of home-owning life: At some point, the drains in your home will be...
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Steps to an updated outdoor entertaining space
(BPT) - With milder weather finally here, it’s time to start planning your outdoor projects. Is your outdoor patio or deck looking a bit dated and dingy? Does it reflect your home’s personality? Whether you’re planning to host outdoor festivities with friends and family or just grilling up gourmet creations, a few chang...
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Decked out for summer: Three easy tips for making your dream deck a reality
(BPT) - Summer means deck time for many Americans. A deck is an ideal spot for relaxation and entertaining. Imagine a cook-out with friends, snoozing in the sun on a hot day, snuggling with your sweetheart watching shooting stars, or having a backyard camp-out with the kids. Are you dreaming of deck time this summer, b...
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national news
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
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
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