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Enhance your outdoor space with an outdoor fireplace
(BPT) - Winter lingered far too long this year. It was cold, it was blustery, and many of us were left wondering if it would ever end. Now summer is here - and it’s time to get outdoors. Instead of being forced to labor through the same old spring chores, use this abbreviated spring as an excuse to stay outside. Fire u...
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Secrets to fear-free social media use
(BPT) - Many Americans love social media, but it scares them, too. While they are reconnecting with old high school classmates, viewing photos of a colleague’s new baby and chatting with a friend about a new job, social media users are also worrying about having their identity stolen from a social media site. That fear...
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Digital apps make learning fun for young children
Today’s children grow up in a vastly different technological world than that of their parents or grandparents. While you may fondly recall a favorite storybook stored on your nightstand, many kids today are reading using their parent’s smartphone or tablet. Digital devices are becoming a regular part of a child’s life, ...
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Get the skinny on a simple switch [Infographic]
Did you know that apple juice and apple sauce can serve as convenient substitutes in your favorite recipes to reduce calories, fat and refined sugar? Apple juice can replace common ingredients such as milk or broth, making it an excellent option for vegetarians and those with lactose-free dietary needs. Apple sauce can replace refined sugar with natural fruit sugar and reduce fat and calories in baked goods. Check out the Tree Top conversion chart below and remember to keep apple juice and a...
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Cut home entertainment costs without loss of shows
(BPT) - Families are always looking for ways to cut household costs. One area that provides a bit of budget-cutting flexibility is home entertainment costs. Americans are watching more TV than ever before, especially with the development of flat screen sets and high-definition TV (HDTV). Americans spend 34 hours a week...
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Five tips for lighter, brighter summer eating
(BPT) - Simple, fresh and delicious – that’s summertime eating at its best. Less time in the kitchen means more time to enjoy the bright delicious flavors of just-picked berries, peaches, greens and other vegetables. “It makes sense to eat lighter in the summer,” says Chef William Tillinghast, culinary academic directo...
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Simple ways to reduce excess sugar in your diet this summer
(BPT) - Warm weather offers many sweet delights, from trips to the beach and more free time, to seasonal foods and soirees with family and friends. Unfortunately, many of the foods we commonly associate with spring and summer are high in added sugars. Hidden sugar in summer foods can make it a challenge to regulate calo...
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Simple ways to save water, money and your landscaping this summer
(BPT) - With many states facing drought this summer , homeowners across the country will be looking for ways to save their landscaping while conserving water at the same time. Even if you’re not in a drought-affected area, it pays to keep conservation in mind when it comes to watering outdoors. Using less water is good...
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Improving family connections with better hearing
(BPT) - Does this sound familiar? You tell your spouse all about the aggravating thing that happened at work today. He or she seems to be nodding in agreement, until you ask what you should do about the situation. Your spouse’s response? “Um – could you repeat that?” Beyond the emotional impact hearing loss has on you,...
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Make warm-weather chores a breeze with these tips
(BPT) - Warm weather brings everyone outdoors - grilling on the deck, playing on the lawn and savoring beautiful gardens. To create these beautiful outdoor spaces, the experts at Lowe’s offer four easy, affordable projects you can do yourself. Follow these tips to make sure your outdoor spaces are in tip-top shape by su...
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A gift from the heart shows your love to Mom
April’s showers (or snow) have given way to May’s spring blossoms. The beautiful weather also means it’s time to do something truly out of the ordinary for Mom, and therefore deserving of the woman who not only brought you into this world, but fed you, clothed you and never forgot to kiss the countless bumps and bruises...
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Avoid the summer slide: 7 fun, brain-stimulating activities for students
(BPT) - As summer approaches, many parents are worried about the summer learning slide, and with good reason. Students who do not participate in enrichment and learning activities during the summer break can lose roughly 22 percent of the knowledge and skills they gained during the previous school year, according to the...
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national news
Huge tornado flattens area near Oklahoma City

Monster Twisters Caught on TapeBy Lindsay Morris TULSA, Oklahoma (Reuters) - A huge tornado flattened an area near Oklahoma City on Monday, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage, as a dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 states. At least two schools were in the path of the tornado, television reports said, and video showed homes destroyed, cars tossed and at least one building on fire. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths from the tornado, which struck near Moore, Oklahoma, in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, in the midafternoon. ...


Mon May 20 16:29:17 UTC 2013
Supreme Court to hear case of disgruntled frequent flyer
By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to weigh whether federal law prevented a customer from suing an airline for kicking him out of its frequent flyer program for allegedly complaining too frequently about the service. Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg sued Northwest Airlines Corp, which ceased operations in 2010 after merging with Delta Air Lines Inc, for breach of contract after the airline said he had abused the program. Ginsberg, who is from Minnesota, said he and his wife were thrown out in 2008 for filing too many service complaints. ...
Mon May 20 16:19:44 UTC 2013
Vermont passes law allowing doctor-assisted suicide
By Jason McLure (Reuters) - Vermont on Monday became the fourth U.S. state to end legal penalties for doctors who prescribe medication to terminally ill patients seeking to end their own lives. The law, which includes a number of safeguards over the next three years as the state adapts, marked the first time a U.S. state has used the legislative process to make assisted suicide legal. Oregon and Washington have similar laws passed through ballot measures and a Montana court authorized the practice in 2009. ...
Mon May 20 14:14:46 UTC 2013
Massive tornado touches down near Oklahoma City
A devastating, mile-wide tornado touched down near Oklahoma City on Monday, leveling homes, businesses and schools in the suburb of Moore. There were no immediate reports of fatalities or injuries. The funnel cloud could be seen for miles, creating a debris field several miles wide. According to the National Weather Service in Norman, Okla., the [...]
Mon May 20 15:55:48 UTC 2013