Online Features
Home Improvement
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Why a little fall outdoor maintenance can go a long way
After spending the summer enjoying the outdoors, it can be a little bittersweet to get the deck and yard ready for the cooler days ahead. The good news is getting outdoor areas ready for winter doesn't have to be a time-consuming process.
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Winterizing your light sources: Window and skylight tips
Sunshine and summer go together like coconut and pineapple. Yet when winter arrives with shorter days and cooler temperatures, the amount of sun that enters your home can be more important than at any other time of year. It's important to prepare for winter by taking care of the portals that allow natural light into your...
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Simple steps to care for granite, marble and other natural stone
Natural stone is one of the most sought-after upgrades in a home. Providing both versatility and timeless beauty, it's no surprise that granite is the most popular natural stone option. Though very durable, the composition of stone can make it sensitive to damage through daily use. By understanding a few important do's a...
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Making a change - exterior renovations to boost curb appeal
Does your surburban neighborhood consist of mass-produced housing that lacks the originality and architectural appeal of classic styles? Adding personality and curb appeal to your split-level, ranch or colonial may be easier than you think.
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Garage door safety knowledge can protect your whole family
What is likely the largest, heaviest moving object in your home? Answer: It's your garage door. Do you know how to operate and maintain your garage door safely? Do your kids know the potential hazards that a garage door may present? Here are a few things to think about that will help build your knowledge of garage door s...
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Transform your space with unexpected color
For today's homeowners who are seeking easy ways to update their homes on a do-it-yourself budget, nothing transforms the look and feel of a room as quickly and affordably as a fresh coat of colorful paint.
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Make your home fall-ready (inside and out) in one weekend
With cooler temperatures on the way, there's no better time to finish checking items off the home improvement to-do list. Several projects are "must-do's" and should be completed before the harsher weather arrives. Most are simple enough to accomplish in just a couple days.
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New technologies help keep your home safe, secure and energy-efficient this fall
With shorter days and cooling temperatures, autumn brings many changes that can affect your home. Now is the ideal time for homeowners to prepare their homes to be secure and energy efficient. With some easy updates and modern tools, your home will be ready for fall with surprisingly little effort.
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Concrete challenges of converting basements or garages to living space
For homeowners looking to improve the value of their homes - and cope with the needs of multiple generations living under one roof - basement and garage renovations make sense. Before you dive into one of these worthwhile renovation projects, you should consider an often-overlooked logistic of working in a basement or ga...
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Tips for adjusting to busy family schedules
The kids are back in school, fall activities are starting up again and the house is empty at different times of the day, making it difficult to keep up with hectic schedules - including yours. Yet there are easy things you can to do adjust to changing family routines, while ensuring your home remains comfortable and safe...
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Easy carpet cleaning tips and tricks from the experts
As the weather cools and daylight hours shorten, families tend to spend more time inside. After a long summer of open windows, sticky treats and constant activity in and out the door, you might notice that your carpets are looking a bit drab. Keeping carpets clean might seem like a daunting task, but with some tips from ...
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Bathroom remodels that look like a million bucks - for $1,000 or less
The average cost of a bathroom remodel tops $16,500, according to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value report. But you don't have to spend the average to achieve above-average results when it comes to updating a bathroom.
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national news

A special hydro-cell vehicle gets refueled at an alternative energy facility into hydrogen in Honolulu in this file photoBy Nichola Groom LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In October 2004, then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger rolled up to a pioneering fueling station at Los Angeles International Airport in a hydrogen-powered metallic blue Hummer loaned to him by General Motors Corp. The "California Hydrogen Highway," Schwarzenegger's vision to ensure that every Californian would have access to a hydrogen fueling station by the end of 2010, called for the state to spend more than $50 million to help deploy up to 100 hydrogen fuel stations that would serve 2,000 fuel cell vehicles. ...


Mon May 20 00:05:50 UTC 2013

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 (Reuters) - A massive storm front swept north through the central United States on Sunday, hammering the region with fist-sized hail, blinding rain and tornadoes, including a half-mile wide twister that struck near Oklahoma City. News reports said at least one person had died. By 9:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, more than two dozen tornadoes had been spotted in parts of Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and local news reports. ...


Sun May 19 22:33:16 UTC 2013

The Trenton Water Depot in TrentonBy Ernest Scheyder WATFORD CITY, North Dakota (Reuters) - In towns across North Dakota, the wellhead of the North American energy boom, the locals have taken to quoting the adage: "Whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting." It's not that they lack water, like Texas and California. They are swimming in it, and it is free for the taking. Yet as the state's Bakken shale fields have grown, so has the fight over who has the right to tap into the multimillion-dollar market to supply water to the energy sector. North Dakota now accounts for over 10 percent of U.S. ...


Sun May 19 23:48:32 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