Online Features
Seasonal
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Master of the bar: Easy tips to create the ultimate bar at home
(BPT) - Between the endless string of events and the chill in the air this time of year, it doesn’t take much to convince your friends and family to have a night in. No matter if you’re planning the party of the year or just inviting a few friends over, a great home bar is essential to make it a night to remember. Havi...
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A year in review: top searches of 2012
(BPT) - This year marked a time of change, innovation, trials and hope. But what was the most memorable moment of 2012? A great place to look is online searches, as they mark the people, places and events that mattered most in a given year. According to Bing, everything from Hurricane Sandy, Kim Kardashian, the Olympics and Honey Boo Boo are among the top Internet searches that mark this year’s most important people, places and moments in time. With the new year quickly approaching, it’s t...
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Best picks for your holiday electronics gift list
(BPT) - Americans love their electronics: tablet computers, smartphones, digital cameras, HDTVs, e-book readers, MP3 players, and hearing aids. That’s right - new, modern, sleek, life-altering hearing aids. As contoured and futuristic as the most highly styled electronic device – or  so discreet that they’re virtually ...
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Expert tips for doing your own taxes online
(BPT) - Thanks to the convenience of online tax return preparation websites, more Americans are doing their own taxes. Do-it-yourself tax preparation solutions give taxpayers a fast, convenient and affordable way to file income tax returns. “Doing your own taxes really isn’t as daunting as it may seem,” says Jessi Dolm...
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Spruce up your home before the holiday
(BPT) - Looking for simple and quick ways to spruce up your home for the holiday season? Get your home looking its best before the guests arrive with some easy home improvement projects and seasonal inspirations. By making a few simple updates and adding new design pieces to your home, you can deter some of those winter...
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Delight friends with unique eats this holiday
(BPT) - The holidays are a magical time to celebrate with family and friends. Whether it’s the first snowfall or a gift from a loved one, the season inspires us to celebrate and be merry. It’s also a time when holiday hosts and hostesses are eager for entertaining inspiration. Entertaining isn’t effortless, but there a...
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Food and drink recipes inspired by the hottest trends of the season will make your holiday gatherings sizzle
(BPT) - The holidays will be here before you know it, and if you’re not sure how you’re going to wow your friends and family this year, Betty Crocker offers up these ideas – inspired by the hottest food trends of the season.  “Our team of food lovers at the Betty Crocker Kitchens selected what we think will be the se...
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How to make dining out during the holidays a healthy experience
(BPT) - The holiday season is here and if you’re like most Americans, restaurants will play a key role in your holiday plans and celebrations, as well as shopping and traveling experiences.  Each year, tens of millions of Americans visit restaurants for their holiday meals or use restaurants to supplement meals at home...
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Score big with these game day entertaining tips
With football and basketball season in full swing, it's the perfect time to invite family and friends over to root on the home team. Hosting a crowd-pleasing party can be simple with a little preparation. Score big with these simple game day entertaining tips.
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Turkey Day tips to make this Thanksgiving shopper-friendly and stress-free
This year, hosts across the country will look for simple ways to make this Thanksgiving an event their loved ones will enjoy. But, there's a lot of work that comes with holiday entertaining - shopping on a budget, cleaning the house, cooking a feast, and caring for friends and family - and sometimes the fun that should f...
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Making Black Friday cheerier [Infographic]
This Black Friday, retailers nationwide will be filled to the rafters with merchandise, discounts, deals and serious shoppers. If they’re not shopping in-store, many consumers are heading online to shop the season’s best deals. The data below provides a look at the lighter side of Black Friday.
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Healthful tips for enjoying the holiday season to the fullest
It's the most wonderful time of the year - but are you able to enjoy the holidays completely? The approaching holiday season means quality time with family, special deliveries in the mail and goodies that delight the taste buds. But it's important to be prepared and stay healthy throughout the season so you can enjoy eve...
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national news

A tornado touches down southwest of Wichita, Kan. near the town of Viola on Sunday, May 19, 2013. The tornado was part of a line of storms that past through the central plains on Sunday. (AP Photo/The Wichita Eagle, Travis Heying)By Chris Francescani NEW YORK (Reuters) - A tornado half a mile wide struck near Oklahoma City on Sunday, part of a massive storm front that hammered the central United States. News reports said at least one person had died. By early Sunday evening, 19 tornados had touched down in parts of Iowa, Oklahoma and Kansas, according to the National Weather Service and local news reports. Fox News reported that one person was killed in Shawnee, Oklahoma, east of Oklahoma City. Police in Shawnee could not immediately be reached to confirm the report. ...


Sun May 19 21:41:44 UTC 2013

Passengers wait to be picked-up after two commuter trains collided in BridgeportBy Richard Weizel BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (Reuters) - Thousands of Connecticut commuters should brace for travel chaos on Monday as Metro-North workers repair damage on the United States' busiest rail line caused by the collision of two trains, officials warned on Sunday. Lengthy detours and hours of traffic backups were likely as many train commuters take to the road, officials said. The Friday derailment of a Metro-North passenger train that struck a commuter train between Fairfield and Bridgeport, Connecticut, injured more than 70 people and halted full service on the line indefinitely. ...


Sun May 19 21:08:18 UTC 2013

A plug is seen coming from the Chevrolet Volt electric car during the North American International Auto Show in DetroitBy Bernie Woodall and Karen Pierog DETROIT (Reuters) - Bond restructurings, negotiated settlements with bondholders and bond insurers, and tough talk with unionized workers are on the agenda as Detroit's emergency financial manager tries to meet a self-imposed, six-week deadline to decide whether the city can get through its financial crisis without a bankruptcy filing. Kevyn Orr, a former bankruptcy lawyer, in his first report to the state of Michigan since Governor Rick Snyder appointed him, laid out last week a bracing picture of steps he may need to take to address the city's troubles. ...


Sun May 19 19:07:59 UTC 2013
A series of 16 violent tornadoes ransacked north Texas this week, killing six people and flattening entire neighborhoods. Seven people who were reported missing early Friday morning have now been accounted for, but the storms aren't over yet. Severe thunderstorms are expected late Friday in Alabama and Mississippi, and the Plains and the Midwest face [...]
Fri May 17 19:53:22 UTC 2013