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2013 tax season tips
(BPT) - It’s tax season and, as always, there are many new rules that can create traps for the unwary. But with a few tips and tricks, you can help minimize your taxes and maximize your overall long-term financial position. Consider the following five tax tips from Robert Fishbein, vice president and corporate counsel, Prudential Financial , who has more than 25 years of experience in tax law. 1. Last minute retirement funding - You can still make a $5,000 2012 contribution to your tradit...
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Five common credit report errors to watch out for
(BPT) - Everyone makes money mistakes. Some are harmless – like writing last year’s date on checks or buying a big-screen TV the day before they go on sale. Others can be downright harmful, especially when they could mean the difference between getting a good interest rate and paying thousands more in interest over the ...
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Knowing your health heritage: the familial link of diseases
(BPT) - Family members can have many things in common, including physical characteristics and personality traits. While some traits are obvious, like having red hair or blue eyes, some shared traits are not as obvious, such as the risk for developing a common medical condition, like high cholesterol, or a rare disease. ...
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How to take advantage of home improvement tax rebates before time runs out
(BPT) - When U.S. lawmakers made a deal to keep the country from going off the “fiscal cliff” at the end of 2012, they reinstated a tax break of up to $500 to help homeowners earn money back for energy efficient home improvements. The tax credit included in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 is the first home impr...
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Water cooperation case study [Infographic]
The world’s most precious finite resource is not oil, but water – essential to life, human and economic development, and geopolitical stability. According to the United Nations, nearly 1 billion of the Earth’s 7 billion-plus people do not have access to clean water. This integrated water management model demonstrates how dwindling water supplies can be managed more efficiently through public-private collaborations.
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Taking the intimidation out of saving for retirement
(BPT) - Saving for retirement is a scary prospect for many Americans. In fact, just 14 percent feel confident they will have enough money to live on when they retire, according to the 2012 Retirement Confidence Survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute . And 60 percent say they have less than $25,000 saved for ...
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Honeymoon encore: The big move in
(BPT) - It may come as a surprise to young engaged couples, but the excitement of the wedding and honeymoon doesn’t end when it’s all over. In fact, after the honeymoon, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and plan the big move – the joining of two households. It’s a herculean task finding the perfect location with great...
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Don't miss a beat this college basketball season
(BPT) - The college basketball tournament is one of the most exciting times of the year for basketball fans across the country, so much so that workplace productivity takes a nosedive. According to a survey by MSN and Impulse Research, 30 percent of people spend three hours or more per day following the tournament during work – that’s almost half of the average work day! Whether you’re watching from your desk or from your couch, the following tips can help you stay in the know this season...
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Ask the Pharmacist: Poison prevention starts at home
(BPT) - It’s a serious problem with a simple solution. Nearly 1 million children under the age of 5 are exposed to potentially poisonous medicines and household chemicals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is no better time than now to learn more about preventing accidental and u...
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Season's cleanings - tips to keep your home clean and clutter free
(BPT) - To get your home in tip-top shape this summer, start by breaking down your to-do list room by room. With a little planning, you can create easily achievable goals that will leave your house looking fabulous and you feeling refreshed. Restore beauty in the bath The bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in t...
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Helping the brain use alternative fuel may ease symptoms of Alzheimer's
(BPT) - Whether a patient faces a simple health problem, such as a head cold, or one as complex as Alzheimer’s disease, relieving the symptoms is often as important as resolving the issue itself. Yet for the more than 5 million Americans affected by Alzheimer’s, treating the symptoms is even more vital. Some of the ear...
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Medical device innovations lead to extraordinary advances
From custom prosthetics to minimally invasive surgery, innovations in medical devices are leading to some astonishing advances. One example: an artificial heart that uses plastic tubes instead of heart valves to move blood in and out of two plastic ventricles. Implanted in more than 1,000 patients, this plastic heart ...
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national news
Man accused of kidnapping Cleveland women to face more charges

Ariel Castro enters the court room for a pre-trial hearing in ClevelandCLEVELAND (Reuters) - Authorities plan to present evidence next week to a grand jury as they seek to bring more charges against the former Cleveland bus driver accused of holding three women captive in his home, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty said Wednesday. Ariel Castro, 52, has pleaded not guilty to more than 300 charges against him, including rape and kidnapping, for holding the women and prosecutors are seeking to indict him on more charges related to later periods, McGinty said. ...


2013-06-19 09:06:52 -0500
Arizona bridge collapse kills one, injures one
(Reuters) - A freeway bridge under construction collapsed in Mesa, Arizona, on Wednesday, killing one worker and injuring another, a fire department spokesman said. The collapse occurred when four workers were removing supports from the bridge being built for the State Route 202 freeway, Captain Forrest Smith of the Mesa Fire and Medical Department said. One man was found dead under the debris. Another worker was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, Smith said. The cause of the collapse was unknown. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Scott Malone and Gerald E. McCormick)
2013-06-19 09:13:05 -0500
Tesla recalls some Model S vehicles due to seat-mount defect

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk speaks during the Model S Beta Event held at the Tesla factory in Fremont(Reuters) - Electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc said it recalled some Model S cars manufactured between May 10 and June 8 due to a defect in the mounting bracket of the rear seat. "This reduces our confidence that the left hand seat back will be properly retained in the event of a crash," Tesla founder-CEO Elon Musk said in a statement posted on its website. The statement did not specify the number of vehicles affected. Musk said there were no customer complaints and that the company was not aware of any injuries because of the defect. ...


2013-06-19 07:10:46 -0500
TWA Flight 800 crash wasn’t due to gas tank explosion, investigators claim
The producers of an upcoming documentary on TWA Flight 800—which exploded and crashed into the waters off of Long Island on July 17, 1996, killing all 230 people on board—claim to have proof that an explosion outside the Paris-bound flight caused the crash. And six former investigators who took part in the film want the [...]
2013-06-19 09:16:24 -0500