Online Features
Home Improvement
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Tips for making your spring cleaning a breeze
(BPT) - A long winter season can leave you and your family longing for outdoor activities. Before you head for some fresh air fun, you need to get your home in order for the spring and summer months ahead. Spring cleaning can be a drawn-out chore, but that can change this year. The key to a quick and painless deep clea...
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Set yourself up for the perfect season of outdoor entertaining
(BPT) - As temperatures warm, many of us can’t wait to get outside and rediscover the joys of our outdoor spaces. One of the best ways to ensure the enjoyment of your space all season long is with some spring cleaning and upkeep of your yard and outdoor living spaces. There are a few spring cleaning projects that benef...
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Color, texture and more: Vinyl continues to be America's most-installed siding
(BPT) - While vinyl siding has historically been the most-used siding material in the U.S., its continuing advancements are allowing even more choice when it comes to two critical qualities desired by homeowners: outstanding curb appeal and low maintenance. Add to this to the growing interest by homeowners to save energ...
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Spruce up your home for spring in just a weekend
(BPT) - As the weather gets warmer, everything outside becomes fresh and new – so why not make your home as nice inside as the weather is outside? In just a weekend, you can complete a few quick, easy projects that will make a big difference in your space. Get inspired to give your home a spring spruce-up with these han...
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Bathroom upgrades that boost livability for anyone aging in place
(BPT) - Staying safely in their own home as they grow older is a major concern for many Americans. In a 2012 survey by AARP, 70 percent of surveyed members said they were “extremely or very concerned about aging in place.” Even if you maintain an active lifestyle and good health, growing older often requires you to mana...
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Renew yourself and your home in four easy steps
(BPT) - As spring approaches, other New Year’s resolutions may be a distant memory but the urge to improve your home can find new life when the weather warms. The transition of seasons is a perfect opportunity to refocus on improving yourself and your space. Repaint and refresh One of the easiest and quickest ways to ...
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Give your home a true green cleaning this spring
(BPT) - When you clean your house in the spring, you really want it to be clean. Dirt, dust and germs are banned, and all appliances, floors and walls are scrubbed clean. But is your house really clean, or have you traded dirt and germs for caustic and toxic chemicals found in most conventional cleaning products? Even ...
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Top technology trends for 2013 that make your life easier
(BPT) - Whether you are a college student, working parent or empty-nester, modern life has never been busier. Luckily, a variety of technology innovations are dramatically affecting the way we live, helping us streamline our routines, reduce stress and maximize each minute of the day. Which new technologies are provin...
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Easy DIY cures for common concrete problems
(BPT) - Have you ever seen a house with a beautiful lawn, lush landscaping, a tasteful and well-maintained exterior – and an ugly cracked concrete driveway? Why is it that even seasoned, proficient do-it-yourselfers sometimes balk at taking care of concrete? “Concrete can be intimidating,” says Bob Schmidt, national pr...
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Mix and match trend revolutionizing deck design
(BPT) - When it comes to fashion faux pas, the only thing worse than clashing patterns is overly matching every item. Mixing and matching creates exciting contrast – and not just when you dress yourself, but also when you “dress up” your home. The trend toward mixing colors and materials has made its way outdoors, with ...
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Soul-lifting home improvements that are good for your wallet, too
(BPT) - No matter how value conscious a homeowner may be, few people ever make a home improvement simply to increase their house’s resale value. People also undertake home improvements to enhance their enjoyment of their home – or to fix a problem, which, in its own way, is good for the soul, too. When it comes to deci...
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Today's dream home utilizes modern technology for increased functionality
(BPT) - The number of improving housing markets expanded for a sixth consecutive month in January 2013 according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American. With this positive sign, it’s an interesting time for homeowners to consider investing in high-tech home upgrades that not only increase their home...
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national news
Amid heckling, Obama defends drone use

U.S. President Barack Obama makes a point at the National Defense University in WashingtonIt's time "to fight terrorists without...perpetual war-time footing," he says.


Thu May 23 14:20:22 UTC 2013
More arrests after grisly U.K. terror attack

An armed soldier stands guard at the gate of the Royal Artillery Barracks near the scene of a terror attack in Woolwich, southeast London, Thursday, May 23, 2013. Police remained at the scene throughout the night after a brutal attack in a London street Wednesday, which left one member of the armed forces dead and two injured, and the two attackers were also hospitalised. The British government Cabinet's emergency committee immediately called a meeting and Prime Minister David Cameron's office said security was stepped up at barracks across London. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)Counterterrorism officials detain two on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.


Thu May 23 12:28:34 UTC 2013
Cleveland hero gets hamburgers for life reward

FILE - This May 6, 2013 file photo shows neighbor Charles Ramsey speaking to media near the home where missing women Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight were rescued in Cleveland. Ramsey, the man who famously put down his Big Mac to help rescue three women held captive for a decade in an Ohio house will never have to pay for another burger in his hometown. Ramsey has been promised free burgers for life at more than a dozen Cleveland-area restaurants. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Scott Shaw, File)The man became famous for putting down his Big Mac to help free three women.


Thu May 23 12:43:29 UTC 2013