‘i-house’ is giant leap from trailer park

From its bamboo floors to its rooftop deck, Clayton Homes' new industrial-chic "i-house" is about as far removed from a mobile home as an iPod from a record player.

Architects at the country's largest manufactured home company embraced the basic rectangular form of what began as housing on wheels and gave it a postmodern turn with a distinctive v-shaped roofline, energy efficiency and luxury appointments.

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Our Family Treasure Has Bubbles

Maple syrup is strictly prohibited. So are forks and knives. There are, in fact, only two approved ways to eat my family's traditional sourdough pancakes: 1) slathered in butter, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and rolled up like a spongy piccolo; and 2) folded double over a melted slice of sharp cheddar cheese. I live on the edge of heresy; I like mine with honey and diced fruit. All varieties find their way to your mouth via your fingers.

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Now best time to buy home, Houston economist says

"The single-family housing market may prove to be the strongest of all of Houston’s real estate sectors as the area plods through the economic downturn and global recession, said local economist Barton Smith at his annual real estate symposium Tuesday.

Even though the recession is just now beginning to unfold locally, this could be the best time to buy a home, Smith said.

Prices — already down 2 percent — may fall some more, but historically low interest rates won’t last much beyond this year."


Click here for more information on Smith's predictions.

Christians Tweet to Donate Drinking Water

Hundreds of twitterers and bloggers have been skipping their morning Starbucks runs and afternoon sodas, drinking only water for five days to help save lives.

Among the less-caffeinated bunch is Shawn Wood, Experiences Pastor at Seacoast Church in South Carolina, who launched a water initiative called "5 Days In May" to help provide clean water to those in developing countries who do not have access to the basic resource.

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Signs and Landmarks (A devotion)

"What are the landmarks in your life? What are the signs pointing you along the road?

Have you ever considered the Sabbath as a landmark? It is an important one on the Christian path."

Click here for a devotion which looks at landmarks in light of the Christian walk.

Ancient tsunami 'hit New York'

A huge wave crashed into the New York City region 2,300 years ago, dumping sediment and shells across Long Island and New Jersey and casting wood debris far up the Hudson River.

The scenario, proposed by scientists, is undergoing further examination to verify radiocarbon dates and to rule out other causes of the upheaval.

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Orphaned baby owls being placed with foster families

"Wildlife rehabilitation groups were placing two orphaned barn owl babies with wild foster parents Sunday in Santa Cruz so they could learn survival skills, WildRescue officials said.

Rescuers are hopeful the wild parents will accept the babies and raise them, since they lost their own, according to WildRescue, an organization based in Malibu dedicated to developing programs that promote care of sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife."

Click here for more information on these little orphans.