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Dress your home to impress buyers this summer
(BPT) - Your home is a place to kick off your shoes, relax and enjoy precious time with friends and family. Nothing quite tops the feeling you get when you walk through your foyer, close the door behind you and forget the day’s troubles. But as families expand, promotions require unexpected relocations or a coveted resi...
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Choosing the right financial products for all stages of life
(BPT) - No matter where you are in your life, you have a lot of decisions to make. When to buy your first house? What school to attend? Is it the right time for a job change? As things change in life, those changes influence your financial decisions, too. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has put together a high-level o...
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Looking for a greener way to clean your pool?
(BPT) - There’s no better way to enjoy the summer than by lounging by the pool. Unfortunately, this backyard family oasis requires regular maintenance throughout the summer that can include expensive and sometimes unhealthy chemicals. Have you ever wished there was an easier way you could clean your pool, that was also ...
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Make your vacation dollars go farther this summer: Tips for a budget-friendly summer vacation
Summer travel season is almost here. Planning for the next family trip to visit relatives, stay at the beach or camp out in tents under the stars is in full swing, and everyone is dreaming of upcoming departure dates. Planning summer trips doesn’t have to be a tedious and expensive process. Start your research online on a site like Ebates.com , which not only has several discount coupons listed for airfare, car rentals and hotels, helping you save money on your purchase, but also will give...
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Tips for extending your home into your patio
(BPT) - In warmer weather, patios transform into the ultimate gathering space for backyard barbecues, reading, relaxing or even exercising. These outdoor rooms become an extension of the house, seamlessly merging the outdoors inside and vice versa. This summer, many homeowners will tackle revamping the home to expand t...
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Summer entertaining made easy
(BPT) - The weather is warming up and summer is right around the corner. From holiday celebrations to road trips, family vacations to block parties, it’s the time of year for cookouts. Make all of your summer cuisine extraordinary no matter what the occasion with these five simple tips: * Kick seasoning up a notch – Sp...
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What to look for in your next smartphone
(BPT) - Seventy-nine percent of smartphone users have their phones on or near them all but two hours of the day when they’re awake, according to a recent IDC Research report. For many, smartphone use is now a way of life, making it even more important to think carefully before you choose your next one. Today’s market is...
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Secrets to a fun, enjoyable and fuss-free sundae bar for summer entertaining
(BPT) - Yummy flavors, delectable toppings and the freedom to mix them together however you choose – who doesn’t love a sundae bar? With all the options available, a sundae bar may seem like too much work to pull off, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether it’s for a graduation or birthday party, Memorial Day or Independenc...
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Easy ways to make a difference this summer
(BPT) - Summer provides a much-needed break for families and a perfect opportunity to make a difference in the community. Depending on interest and time, there are many different ways to get involved or make a charitable contribution, including the following: * Participate in a fundraiser or food collection – The holid...
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Be berry aware [Infographic]
Did you know cranberry juice can deliver the same nutritional benefit as eating a handful of the small but mighty fruit? Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, an 8-ounce beverage containing at least 27 percent cranberry juice will deliver the same health benefits you would receive from eating 1 1/2 cups of fresh cranberries. Learn how you can pack the most nutrition into your cranberry juice by visiting www.BeBerryAware.com .
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Take a stand on gout [Infographic]
The incidence of gout is on the rise. An estimated 8.3 million Americans are living with gout today, while only 10 percent of them are being properly diagnosed and treated. The Gout & Uric Acid Education Society is "Taking a Stand on Gout" for Gout Awareness Day on May 22. To heighten awareness about the disease, an infographic poster has been developed for usage in medical professional offices and waiting rooms to help educate patients who might be at risk for the disease and for medical ...
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Five steps to create a customized outdoor living space with railing
(BPT) - Railing can upgrade any deck from drab to fab – adding style, as well as safety and support. In fact, it’s often the one element that truly sets your outdoor living space apart from others in the neighborhood. Here are five steps to create the perfect perimeter for your deck. 1. Find ideas at your fingertips – ...
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national news
Stop force-feeding Guantanamo prisoners: Senator

A selection of lunch meals offered to detainees are displayed in a food preparation area at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo BayBy Jane Sutton GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein urged the Pentagon on Wednesday to stop force-feeding hunger-striking prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and called the practice "out of step" with medical ethics and international norms. Feinstein, a California Democrat who chairs the Senate intelligence committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, saying the Guantanamo force-feeding policy was also out of synch with policies in the civilian federal prisons. ...


2013-06-19 18:07:32 -0500
FBI says it uses surveillance drones on U.S. soil

Robert Mueller gestures at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee at an oversight hearing about the FBI on Capitol Hill in WashingtonBy David Ingram WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States uses drones for surveillance in some limited law enforcement situations, FBI Director Robert Mueller said on Wednesday, sparking additional debate about President Barack Obama's use of domestic surveillance. The acknowledgement came in response to questions from U.S. senators who said they wanted to know more about the federal government's increasing use of unmanned aircraft. "Does the FBI use drones for surveillance on U.S. soil?" Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa asked during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. ...


2013-06-19 17:19:45 -0500
Arizona wildfire threatens hundreds of homes, California blaze wanes

Charred trees burnt during the Doce Fire stand along a mountain side in Yavapai County, ArizonaBy Tim Gaynor and Alex Dobuzinskis PHOENIX/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An Arizona wildfire whipped up by strong winds threatened hundreds of homes on Wednesday, even as firefighters were gaining an edge on a California blaze raging near a pristine wilderness, authorities said. More than 500 firefighters were battling the Doce Fire, which has burned through 7,000 acres of chaparral, pine and juniper since Tuesday morning near Prescott, about 100 miles north of Phoenix, the Prescott National Forest said in a statement. ...


2013-06-19 17:31:53 -0500
Baby-size burritos lead to unusual photos
America’s problem with portion size has sparked a strange new photo trend, one in which parents set their newborn babies alongside massive burritos on restaurant tabletops. According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, a Mexican restaurant in Seattle, Wash., is saying that any diners who take photos of their babies next to one of the restaurant's [...]
2013-06-19 15:51:08 -0500