Online Features
Seasonal
Tips for elevating the traditional holiday meal
If preparing the holiday feast falls upon you, the pressure is on to get it just right. Whether you're faithfully replicating treasured family recipes, or want to put a new creative spin on seasonal culinary customs, achieving success with the food you offer can define a happy holiday experience for all.
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Halloween decor - more treat than trick
While displaying ghosts and goblins is great for the kids and the standard for Halloween decor, how about getting into the spirit but with a bit more sophistication this year? If you are throwing a Halloween party for those adults who are kids at heart, a spooky holiday theme can still be part of the festivities, but wit...
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Confidence is key when driving in winter weather
Harsh winter conditions can have crippling effects for drivers in locations often affected by snowy and icy weather during the cold months. Hauling the kids to hockey practice or even a quick trip to the grocery store could prove to be a difficult task, especially if a vehicle is not ready for challenging conditions that...
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Prevent winter fun from becoming a DUI
Many Americans associate drinking and driving with New Year's Eve. But throughout the cold-weather months, from holiday season office parties through snowmobiling season in January and February, to St. Patrick's Day in March, there are ample opportunities for even cautious drivers to let their guard down when it comes dr...
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Eco-friendly tips to protect homes from pesky bugs
Cool weather signals homeowners to finalize outdoor chores and cozy up for the long winter ahead. It also signals pesky insects to head indoors seeking food sources and warm, safe places to hibernate. What can the smart homeowner do?
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Savory fall dishes enhanced with grapes
Beautiful fall vegetables are in season now and make for wonderful dishes that will have your family members saying "yum." In addition to the traditional fall flavors of produce like squash and cauliflower, California grapes are also in season, having one of the longest, "just-picked" seasons among North American fruits,...
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Should you 'winterize' your pet?
The arrival of autumn signals many changes in the household, from switching from salads to soups to pulling sweaters out of storage to changing furnace filters. With pets, however, you may need to think as much about what you don't change as what you do.
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Upgrade your pest control this fall
Where do bugs enter your home? The short answer: all over. Sometimes they crawl or fly in when windows or doors are open. They also slip in through cracks in walls or foundations, holes in window screens or crevices in the home that let in cables, wires and pipes. Most commonly though, they'll drop right onto your roof a...
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Warm up the colder months with skin that's irresistible to touch
In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, we text more than we hug; we touch our phones more than we touch each other. However, despite the need to be "plugged in," when surveyed by professionals at Arizona State University, 75 percent of men and women agreed they would like more touch in their lives. As the coole...
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Home renovations before the holidays
Fall is a great time to tackle some of those home improvement projects. Now that the summer vacations are over and children are back in school, you're ready to make your home all comfy and cozy before the deep freeze and holiday guests arrive.
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(Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called sexual assault a "scourge" on Saturday as he addressed graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where a sergeant stands accused of videotaping female cadets in the showers. "Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military are a profound betrayal - a profound betrayal - of sacred oaths and sacred trusts," Hagel said. "This scourge must be stamped out." His comments came a day after President Barack Obama delivered a similar message to graduates at the U.S. ...
By Malia Mattoch McManus HONOLULU (Reuters) - The city of Detroit may be facing a deepening financial crisis but that hasn't stopped four trustees of its public pension funds from spending $22,000 of retirement system funds to attend a conference in Hawaii this week. The trip 4,500 miles west to a four-star resort on the world-famous Waikiki Beach in Honolulu doesn't sit well with the top officials now running Detroit's finances under an emergency order from the state of Michigan. ...