Beams of light > Guiding lights > Lifestyle
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GLAAD announced on April 10, 2012 that after a series of meetings, the Miss Universe Organization has changed its policy allowing transgender women to compete in its competition.
GLAAD first contacted the Miss Universe Organization on Saturday, March 24, 2012 after news broke that Jenna Talackova was disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada competition. GLAAD called on the Miss Universe Organization to review Jenna's case, as well as open the competition to transgender women. After unsuccessful attempts to reach Jenna Talackova personally, the Miss Universe Organization and its owner Donald J. Trump moved forward and announced last week it would allow Jenna to compete.
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With Amazon slowly taking over the publishing world and bookstores closing left and right, things can sometimes seem a little grim for the brick and mortar booksellers of the world. After all, why would anyone leave the comfort of their couch to buy a book when with just a click of a button, they could have it delivered to their door? Well, here's why: bookstores so beautiful they're worth getting out of the house (or the country) to visit whether you need a new hardcover or not.
We can't overestimate the importance of bookstores — they're community centers, places to browse and discover, and monuments to literature all at once — so we've put together a list of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, from Belgium to Japan to Slovakia.
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The highest cost in electric consumption is a result of heating and cooling your home. According to Consumer Reports, sealing leaks can reduce energy costs by 15 to 30%. Don't cool and/or lower the heat temperature in an empty house. Closing vents and doors in rooms which are not in use and setting a programmable thermostat to sute your schedule and routinely changing air filters may considerable reduce your monthly bills. The use of fans during the summer months makes a room feel cooler providing a nice breeze.
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Countries around the world marked the world's population reaching 7 billion Monday with lavish ceremonies for newborn infants symbolizing the milestone and warnings that there may be too many humans for the planet's resources.
While demographers are unsure exactly when the world's population will reach the 7 billion mark, the U.N. is using Monday to symbolically mark the day. A string of festivities are being held worldwide, with a series of symbolic 7-billionth babies being born.
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ROME -- Tomatoes have long been hailed for their health-boosting properties but now it seems they may also help ward off the dreaded aging process. A group of Italian farmers have develop a "super tomato" they say is bursting with enough antioxidants to fight everything from aging to cardiovascular diseases. The secret lies in lycopene, scientists say, a life-giving red pigment that is found in abundance in the the new "Sun Black" tomatoes from the Rome-based Coldiretti farmers association.
