Dream Big America - This Week's Contestants!
November 6, 2013

Here are this week's contestants for Dream Big America...

Robert Thornton from Paper Clouds Apparel

Elizabeth Lakamp from Pet Cooler Carrier

Ron Ben-Zeev from The World Housing Solution

To find out more about Dream Big America, click the link below!

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Deals Today From Bath and Body Works, Lands' End And More!
November 5, 2013

Vistaprint Sale: $10 off $10 purchase! {cards, labels, mugs, calendars}

Looking for a deal on Photo Christmas Cards or Photo Gifts??

New Vistaprint members can score $10.00 off a $10.00 purchase during the Vistaprint Sale! {+ s/h}

Check it out HERE!

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Duck Dynasty DVD: I Am Dreaming of a Redneck Christmas for $6.99!

Right now you can score the Duck Dynasty DVD: I Am Dreaming of a Redneck Christmas for $6.99! Yep.

Get it HERE!

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Family Dollar: $5 off $25 Purchase

Here are the deals for the Family Dollar Ad this week! Check out the store coupons to save $5 with any purchase or $25 or more (after all other coupons and discounts) plus there are all kinds of in-store coupons available from the Amazing Coupon Flyer, valid thru 11/23.

Check it out HERE!

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Bath & Body Works Coupon: $10 off $30 Purchase

BATH & BODY WORKS is offering $10 off a $30 Purchase with coupon code MIDNIGHT30 thru 11/24. If you prefer to shop in-store, you can PRINT THIS COUPON.

The best way to use this is with the Buy 3, Get 3 promotion on Signature and Holiday Tradition Body Care items. When you combine the promotions with the coupon, you can get some great deals.

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Lands' End Friends & Family Sale: 30% off Everything + Free Shipping Code

LANDS' END is having their Friends & Family Sale with 30% off everything plus FREE Shipping on orders of $50 or more when you use coupon code FRIENDLY and pin 3055.

Check it out HERE!

To make the deal even more fun, Ebates is offering DOUBLE CASH BACK! That means you'll earn 6% cash back on your entire purchase. For example, you buy $50 in new clothes and then get $3 back in your EBATES ACCOUNT. The fun part is you can still use coupons!

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Red Roof Inn coupon - 15% off stay when traveling w/pet

Here's a reason to travel with Fido. Red Roof Inn will give you 15% off when you travel and stay with your pet during the month of November!! Use this code: VP# 605422 will save 15% off your stay.

Find out more HERE!

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Posted by Ken at 3:00 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print

San Francisco to Transform Into Gotham for Boy's Batman Make-a-Wish
November 5, 2013

A little boy is about to get the surprise of a lifetime when San Francisco turns itself into Gotham City on Nov. 15 to fulfill the 5-year-old leukemia patient's wish to be Batman for a day.

"He is a sunny, positive little boy and finds his inspiration in super heroes," Make-a-Wish said of the boy, Miles. "When we interviewed Miles for a wish, he surprised even his parents: he wishes to BE BatKid!"

Make-a-Wish decided to make Miles' dream come true and, in a rare move for the foundation, asked the public to participate.

"This is one that we thought of as a great opportunity for people to share in the power of a wish so they can see how it affects not only the children and their families, but also the other people involved," Jen Wilson, marketing and promotions manager for Make-a-Wish in San Francisco, told ABCNews.com. "It has a big impact on many people."

The organization has created an entire day catered to Miles' dream.

On the morning of Nov. 15, a breaking news story will appear on TV in San Francisco. The police chief will be asking if anyone knows where Batkid is because he needs his help to solve a crime and "bringing the bad guys to justice," Make-a-Wish said in a statement.

Miles' day will then include rescuing a damsel in distress tied up across the Hyde Street cable car line and capturing the Puzzler in the act of robbing a downtown vault. As Batkid eats his lunch at Burger Bar, he'll get a special message from the chief telling him to go to the window where he'll look out over Union Square and see a huge group of volunteers jumping up and down and asking for his help.

A villain will be kidnapping a famous San Francisco mascot and Batkid will rush to the rescue. His last stop will be City Hall, where the mayor and police chief will thank him and present him with a key to the city and a crowd will be cheering him on.

Click the link below for the rest of the article!

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'Beer Churches' Bubbling Up Across U.S.
November 5, 2013

For many, church time is a sobering time. But for a growing number of American Christians, it's the best time to crack open a beer.

Just ask the so-called "Church-in-a-pub" gathering in Fort Worth, Texas, which worships at the Zio Carlo brewpub and toasts with craft beer. These Sunday evening services are meant to offer "salvation and everlasting life with really good beer," according to a recent broadcast by NPR. The creative approach appears to be working: The event attracts about 30-40 congregants weekly, and the group is looking to expand to more locations.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recently deemed Church-in-a-pub a Synodically Authorized Worshipping Community.

Religious leaders behind the trend defend this unique brand of worship. Among them is Pastor Matt Bistayi, who organizes Allendale, Mich., church meetings known as "What Would Jesus Brew?"

"Drunkenness is a sin, ... but beer or alcohol in moderation can be a gift from God's creation," he tells his congregants, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

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Lay's rolling out chocolate-covered potato chip
November 5, 2013

The chocolate-covered potato chip is going mainstream.

Lay's, the nation's largest salty snack maker, on Friday will announce plans to roll out next week Lay's Wavy Potato Chips Dipped in Milk Chocolate.

For Lay's, it's all about growing beyond the constraints of the salty snack. There are, after all, growing consumer demands for flavor mash-ups. And others want to snack healthier. Even then, snack foods are a $31 billion market - and growing, reports IBISWorld, the market research specialist.

At $3.49 for a 5-ounce bag, the Lay's Wavy dipped in chocolate is just the latest in a flood of sweet and salty products that have caught the national taste bud in the past few years, from ice-cream stuffed with pretzels to pretzels coated with chocolate. The chocolate-covered chip also ties in with a flood of seasonal, limited-time-only snacks that increasingly hit the market between Halloween and New Year's. And both trends tie in to a third even larger trend: the overall increase in snacking. Some 43% of consumers now snack three to four times daily vs. 24% in 2009, according to Symphony IRI, the research specialist.

"Flavors are getting more sophisticated and complex," says Tom Vierhile, innovation insights director at DataMonitor, the consumer products research firm. "We are seeing more products that may pair traditional flavor opposites" like sweet and salty, he says.

Because the move into sweet snacks is still unusual for a salty snack giant like Lay's, the rollout will be limited on two counts. The chocolate-dipped chips will be sold only at Target stores. At the same time, the initial test is for limited-time-only distribution to stretch through the holidays. But if the chip is a major hit, it could ultimately become permanent, says Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay.

"When you try something drastically different, you have to walk before you can run," says Krishnan. "We wanted to test our way through this before we go big."

Plenty of smaller rivals already have chocolate-dipped chips on the market. But - except for its Rold Gold pretzels dipped in chocolate - mixing chocolate and salty snacks is new territory for Lay's. If consumers buy it, says Krishnan, "it gives us latitude to offer other flavor combinations that we've never done." Among them, he says, would be dark chocolate, white chocolate and even peppermint.

Click the link below for the rest of the article!

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Paul Simon and Sting to Tour Together
November 5, 2013

Paul Simon and Sting will embark on a North American tour in 2014. The tour, dubbed "Paul Simon & Sting: On Stage Together," launches Feb. 8 and will include a March 4 date at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

"Paul and I both share this abiding curiosity about music and where it's going," Sting told the New York Times ahead of an official announcement on Tuesday. "We don't really know where this is going. We don't really have a clue how this is going to pan out."

Sources tell Billboard the trek will kick off on the West Coast before moving east and that it will resemble co-headlining tours by the likes of Elton John and Billy Joel, wherein the artists will perform solo sets and then team up as a duo on each other's material.

Click the link below for the rest of the article!

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Top 5 Reasons NOT to go Gluten Free
November 5, 2013

Going gluten free is one of the fastest growing "diets" in the US - in fact sales of gluten free foods and beverages reached $12.5 billion last year. Many shoppers consider it a "healthier" diet, but it is not for everyone! According to the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics someone on a gluten free diet can be missing or be consuming less than the recommended amounts of important nutrients needed for optimal health and wellness including: fiber, iron, B vitamins (folate, niacin and B12) and calcium.

Reason 1: Carbohydrates should make up a significant amount of your diet and that is primarily where gluten is found. Cutting out wheat, rye, barley and the other whole grains that contain gluten, eliminates some of the key sources of complex carbohydrates in a balanced diet. Gluten free breads, cereals and crackers often contain more sugar and fat to mimic the texture and flavor of gluten containing grains. And remember a gluten free cookie isn't necessarily healthier because it's gluten free... it's still a cookie.

Reason 2: Low fiber: gluten free packaged alternatives are often low in health promoting fiber. This could be even worse than previously thought as a recent study found that those who consume low amounts of fiber have a higher risk of conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular inflammation. Those who are seeking gluten free alternatives should focus on (as we all should) fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole (gluten free) grains - some great high fiber gluten free foods are raspberries, apple with the skin, lentils, almonds, avocados, beans, flax and much more.

Reason 3: Weight loss... trying to lose weight is not the right reason to kick the gluten (unless you suspect an allergy or sensitivity) because many of the packaged alternatives are not necessarily lower in calorie foods. Many are quite processed. Products and books have touted how "eating wheat can shrink your LDL cholesterol particles so they stick to artery walls and can help trigger heart attacks and strokes" or "that by eliminating wheat from your diet you can turn back the aging clock" and even by "eliminating wheat you can stop counting calories and stop exercising." But according to Pam Cureton, RD, LDN of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, none of these claims are true. You have to be smart when eating gluten free and cutting out an entire food group just to drop weight isn't necessarily sustainable.

Reason 4: Gluten free isn't easy! Just ask anyone who has been medically diagnosed with Celiac Disease. The diet is difficult to stick with and can be expensive as sourcing 100% gluten free ingredients, processing them and testing the final product all add to production costs. Keep in mind that other than the obvious breads, pastas, cookies and cakes there are a wide variety of foods which can also contain gluten including candies, sauces, soy sauce, some teas, dressings, spices, deli meat, chips, imitation bacon and seafood, syrups and even self-basting turkeys! Read labels carefully as flavorings, caramel color, seasonings, spice blends, dextrin and modified food starch are all questionable ingredients for a gluten free diet.

Reason 5: Eating out can make gluten free difficult. Wait staff get confused over strict allergy/celiac gluten free plates versus those who are just avoiding gluten because they heard they would lose weight. Be sure to bring a list of those ingredients to avoid in the preparation of your meal and hand it to the server to check with the kitchen before you bite. Some who require a strict gluten free diet for health reasons feel that those who are riding the gluten free fad are making light of the situation and as a result restaurants and other food service providers are not taking gluten free eaters seriously.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of celiac disease (which may include fatigue, anemia, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, unexplained headaches to name just a few) be sure to get properly tested by a medical doctor and don't rely on just hearsay or a friend's recommendation to go gluten-free.

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Deals Today From Walgreens, Home Depot And More!
November 4, 2013

Walgreens Senior Savings Day

Head over to WALGREENS on 11/5 for Senior Savings Day to get 20% off Walgreens, W Brand and Nice products and 15% off almost anything else!

This event is for seniors 55+ and all AARP MEMBERS. Plus, you can use SRWELLNESS to get 10% off select Vitamins and Supplements. You can pair all these discounts with the WEEKLY SALES, so it's definitely the day to shop if you qualify!!

Find out more HERE!

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Groupon Deal: Sam's Club Membership + $20 Gift Card for $45

HEAD OVER TO GROUPON and get a one year Sam's Club Membership for $45, plus you'll get a $20 Sam's Club gift card and coupons for free food!

The exact coupons you'll get are:

(1) free Artisan Fresh Rotisserie Chicken (about 3 lbs, a $4.88 value)
(1) free Main St. Bistro Scalloped Potatoes (2.5lbs, a $8.98 value)
(1) free Artisan Fresh Pippin Apple Pie (10", a $6.28 value)

That's pretty much an entire meal for a large family! Between the free food and the gift card it makes the membership really only have a cost of around $10!!

This deal is for ANY STORE IN THE US, so it doesn't matter what Groupon city you buy it under.

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HUGE Magazine Sale

Here's a great idea for holiday gifting! Discountmags.com has a huge sale going on featuring all kinds of magazines, from comic book, crafts, food/cooking, auto and more. The great part is, these subscriptions don't auto renew!! Some titles are as low as $3.99 for a year's subscription! This is a great gift idea for people who live far away, or for those folks who seem to have everything!!

Check it out HERE!

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Home Depot: Progress Lighting Sale, Up to 70% off

Home Depot is having a PROGRESS LIGHTING SALE with many styles up to 70% off! There is a great selection a lights, pendants, chandeliers, sconces and more. The best news is that you can order this stuff online as well!

Check it out HERE!

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Posted by Ken at 3:00 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print

Alligator Found Inside O'Hare Airport
November 4, 2013

It wasn't an alligator-print bag that appeared at a baggage claim at O'Hare International Airport, it was an actual alligator.

A new kind of visitor caused a stir Friday after the Department of Aviation said a small alligator was discovered at Baggage Claim 3 in O'Hare Airport Friday morning.

Officials said the alligator was spotted by maintenance workers underneath an escalator at Baggage Claim 3.

Police said the alligator was captured in the terminal, contained in a trash can and turned over to the Chicago Herpetological Society.

No one was injured and the animal did not appear to be harmful, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro.

The alligator was 25 inches long and in poor condition dur to "improper husbandry and poor diet," according to Jason Hood, president of the Chicago Herpetological Society.

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NY restaurant cleverly hides inspection grade
November 4, 2013

Workers at a New York cafe said they printed out oversized letters to turn their "B" sanitary inspection rating into the word "Brunch."

Armando Burgos, a barista at the Astor Row Cafe in the Harlem neighborhood, said the eatery received a "B" rating from the sanitary inspector, and he and a friend decided to make the most of the situation, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

"Since it was on the window anyway, and we have brunch every Sunday, my friend got the idea to go to the copy center and print out the other letters," Burgos said.

He said the sign has been getting attention from passersby who think "it's funny."

Burgos said the cafe received the rating due to a cleaning rag being on the counter at the time of the inspection, but health officials said they also found evidence of mice on the premises.

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Posted by Ken at 1:43 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print