Although more than half — 53 % — of homeowners feel that now is a good time to renovate a home, you may not want to follow the crowd in this instance. The 2015 Cost vs. Value Report, a survey published by Remodeling magazine, revealed that major home remodeling projects don’t always pay off. As…
Author: Staff
Increase in Winter Tourism Causes Michigan’s Muskegon State Park To Open 20 Rustic Campsites for Public Use
The Midwest has experienced some of the coldest temperatures and heaviest snowfalls during the 2014-2015 winter season, but that hasn’t stopped Michigan residents from going outside and staying active. In fact, according to a recent announcement from the Muskegon State Park, about 20 campsites will remain open for public use during the remainder of the…
Digital Billboards Draw International Controversy
Businesses are always looking for new ways to catch consumers’ attention. Now, thanks to advancing technology, some companies may be able to accomplish this with digital billboards, which feature moving, computer-controlled displays and messages. Research from OTX, a global consumer research and consulting firm, shows that these signs are extremely effective, with an estimated 63%…
Inside the Pint-Sized Homes of the Tiny House Movement
Perhaps in response to the growing number of McMansions on the housing market, minimalist singles, couples, and even families are now embracing the tiny house movement. Tiny houses are defined as small, sustainable houses that can measure anywhere from 80 square feet to about 700 (though they tend to average between 100 and 400 square…
Kate Winslet Weighs in on the Impact Her Two Divorces Have Had on Her Children
Despite two divorces and three children by three different husbands, actress Kate Winslet claims that divorce is actually good for children, stating that “it’s very important to teach your children to struggle on some level.”The 39-year-old Oscar-winning star, who rose to fame for her role in the blockbuster movie “Titanic” had been married twice before…
Could HIV Cause Hearing Loss?
A recent study by San Diego State scientist Peter Torre and colleagues from Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) found that adults who are HIV-positive tend to have significantly more hearing loss than those who are not. The risk for hearing loss was the same,…
Are Nikki Reed’s Diamond Eternity Rings a Sign of Engagement to Beau Ian Somerhalder?
Actors Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder have been together for over a year, but only recently did celebrity news site Hollywood Life learn that the couple have been engaged. On Dec. 11, the couple walked the red carpet at Rihanna’s Diamond Ball, and photographs of Reed showed her wearing a diamond eternity band on her right ring…
New Home Sales Reach Highest Level in More Than Six Years
Over the past few years, the American housing market has recovered from the housing bubble in fits and starts, surging in some areas while lying dormant in others. However, the Wall Street Journal recently revealed some encouraging news: in December 2014, new home sales rose to their highest level in more than six years, suggesting the industry…
New Fitness Wearable and App Combination May Be Able to Decrease Lower Back Pain
Fitness apps with a wearable component are popular at the moment, most targeting general movement or weight loss. But the Valedo device, showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show held earlier this month in Las Vegas, NV, has a more specific goal: reducing lower back pain. “There is a medical layer and a gaming layer,” Robert…
Activists Disrupt Inaugural Proceedings in Vermont Over Healthcare Grievances
As the newly re-elected Gov. Peter Shumlin gave his inaugural address Jan. 8, more than 100 activists protesting a lack of progression on universal healthcare and measures to protect the working poor packed the Vermont Statehouse, and police removed 29 demonstrators from the House chamber Thursday evening. Shumlin decided in December to abandon Act 48,…