Lifestyle Columns
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On the road: Chicago Jazz Fest turns 33Aug 28, 2011 6:15 am - Chicago All jazzed up The Chicago Jazz Festival turns 33 this year with style. It kicks off with intimate performances at the Chicago Cultural Center, shifts t...
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Owners need dog training as much as puppy doesAug 28, 2011 12:00 am - Q. My fiance and I have a 9-month-old puppy. He is housebroken but is chewing everything in sight, including expensive electronics, carpeting and work-related docume...
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Home repair: Cabin may benefit from crawl-space insulationAug 28, 2011 12:00 am - Q. I have a cabin that is built on a slope. The crawl space tapers down from about 2 feet to about 4 feet in the front. The foundation is 8-inch concrete block, with...
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Under the hood: Checking a code is not diagnosisAug 28, 2011 12:00 am - Q. I recently had a “check engine” light come on in my Toyota. I took it over to one of the parts stores and they diagnosed the car for free. They said it had what t...
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Law talk: Closed pool irks condo buyerAug 28, 2011 12:00 am - Q. Hello, sir. I ran across your column for the first time today and thought I’d reach out to you about a question I’ve had for eight years! Eight years ago I bough...
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Mortgage Professor: Don’t be labeled a ‘borrower in distress’Aug 27, 2011 12:00 am - Borrowers in distress often contact many lenders hoping to find one who will approve them. For this reason, multiple inquiries can have a negative impact on a consumer’s...
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On homes and real estate: Ads worry homeownerAug 27, 2011 12:00 am - Q. In today’s era, I see ads where people say they’ve lost their homes as a result of identity theft. What are the steps that people can take to protect themselves a...
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Super Handyman: Fix your leaky tub drain plug and stop wasting waterAug 26, 2011 12:30 am - Wasting water is something we all should avoid. One place where water gets wasted is in a bathtub with a faulty drain plug. If your tub drain is just a rubber plug, then...
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The nation’s housing: Green value in going greenAug 26, 2011 12:00 am - WASHINGTON — Home energy efficiency and sustainability have been major policy priorities for the Obama administration, but lurking in the background are two consistent, ...
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Home inspector: No one disclosed leaking shower panAug 26, 2011 12:00 am - Q. After buying our home, we discovered a leak in the floor of our upstairs shower. The surprise came when water began dripping from the downstairs ceiling. Worse st...