You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2438 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 The Secret Is Out: Decorative Stone Is In (NAPSA)—You see it in the most expensive homes. Premium decorative stone has become one of the hottest trends in home improvement as an inexpensive way to increase property values. A nationwide survey of real estate professionals found that adding premium decorative stone is one of the few home improvements that can provide returns of 100 percent or more on an initial investment and help you sell your home faster. What Is Decorative Stone? Decorative stone is a manufactured stone veneer designed to replicate the look and feel of real quarry stone without the excessive cost and weight. It can be applied to many different surfaces without major structural changes, is less expensive than real stone and doesn’t deplete natural resources. How To Use It Premium decorative stone can be used in many remodeling projects. To create the most dramatic visual impact, apply stone to the entire front and one or more sides of your home or to an entire room. To stretch your budget, apply stone as an accent to select areas; for example, around the front entrance or on a single wall in a high-profile room where it’s most likely to be noticed. Decorative stone adds warmth to a room and softens the look of trendy stainless steel appliances and copper accents in a kitchen. Making It Easy Selecting the right stone and color doesn’t have to be daunting, even though there is a myriad of choices available. One manufacturer, GAF Materials Corporation, makers of CanyonRock Premium Decorative Stone, has taken the Don’t Give Up Goals (NAPSA)—When trying to achieve a healthy weight, the first thing you may want to cut out is stress. According to nutritionist Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., “Stress is just as important a factor to control as diet and exercise, so unless you control all three in the same program, you’re really spinning your wheels.” That’s why he created the Get Up-Slim Down program. “It’s not about removing stress from your life,” he says. It’s about handling stress differently, to avoid storing “stress fat” the body thinks it needs to survive tough times. Premium decorative stone can be an easy way to add value and style to a home. guesswork out by incorporating the most popular styles. What’s more, its product is backed by a transferable lifetime limited warranty that offers superior protection and enhanced resale value, is UL listed and has received the prestigious Good Housekeeping Seal. Learn More You can find all the tools and information you need to learn about decorative stone at GAF’s Web site: www.gaf.com. The stone selector let’s you choose a style and color, see the “before and after” of a house similar to yours and get interesting decorating ideas. You can also download a Color Guide written by a renowned expert to help you make the right decision, find a contractor to install the product or even learn how to install a decorative stone yourself. The less stress in your life, the more likely you’ll succeed at losing weight, a nutritionist says. His program helps people relax and destress, while also improving mood and energy levels (without shakes or jitters). Simply feeling better can often help you get back on track with diet and exercise— and achieve your weight loss goals. To cut stress, he offers some tips. Get a hobby—it can help you relax. Spend time with friends. Identify patterns relating to your stress and do what you can to predict and avoid stressful situations. More about the program is at www.GetUpSlimDown.com and (888) Get-Up-90. Helping Your Child To Be A Better Reader (NAPSA)—There is good news for parents who want to help their child become a better reader. By taking a few simple steps, parents can put their child on the path to reading success. According to Dr. Mary Mokris, reading specialist for Kumon Math and Reading Centers, “Parents need to set an example by showing children how we use reading in our everyday lives.” The Alliance for Excellent Education reports that students who read below grade level are twice as likely to drop out of school than those who can read at grade level. Dr. Mokris offers these tips: • Make reading a family activity. Start by joining your local library, making weekly visits and inquiring about story-time activities. At home, set aside time to read as a family at least once a week. Talk with your children about their books so that they will see that you are interested. Help younger children write their own story to read to the family. In addition to subscribing to your local paper, subscribe to magazines for your children that cover their interests. • Make your home reading ready. Create a reading area in your house that has comfortable furniture, good lighting and, most importantly, books. Stock this area with books that your children will enjoy, such as how-to books, mysteries, comedies, reference books or even fairy tales. Reading is easy when the materials are immediately available. Create a reading area in your house that has comfortable furniture, good lighting and, most importantly, books. • Do it together. In addition to reading as a family, invite your children to read with you. For beginning readers, show them how to use reading in our everyday situations by asking them to help you read a cooking recipe, street signs, or the synopsis of a DVD. Help your older children get involved in current events by discussing a newspaper article with them or having them summarize an interesting article. Kumon Math and Reading Centers offers a free Kumon Recommended Reading List, which includes a range of 350 titles for any reading level. A number of books have multicultural themes. The list also highlights a section of books that are perfect for parents to read aloud with their younger children. To learn more or to find the Kumon Center nearest you, visit www.kumon.com or call (800) ABC-MATH.