It's supposed to get downright spooky after a while. Except it doesn't. Animal-control guy - that is, dogcatcher - Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey) starts reading a tattered little self-published novel called "The Number 23" that his wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen), picked up in a used bookstore. 'THE NUMBER 23' - Virginia Madsen and Danny Huston are featured in the drama 'The Number 23.' CNS Photo courtesy of Christine Loss. Eerily, the plot of the book ... [full story]

In an orderly hotel suite, two formally polite men in neatly conservative attire are ready to talk. This is your debriefing on "Breach." It goes down easy: no sweat, no wires, no bad guys. The good guys are Billy Ray, 37, director of "Breach," and Eric O'Neill, 33, one of the movie's two main subjects. O'Neill was the sly young FBI agent whose key role in a sting led to the arrest of his boss, ... [full story]

THE CHEF For young Swedish apprentice chef Staffan Terje, the decision was a no-brainer. During a cold, dark, Stockholm winter, his boss asked Terje if he wanted to help open a restaurant in Florida. Terje quickly bid his friends and family farewell, saying he would return in a year or two. That was nearly 20 years ago, and Terje has yet to return. After extensive work at some of America's finest restaurants including Scala's Bistro ... [full story]

Instead of waiting for a crisis, Terry Perondi came up with a plan for her parents while they were still in reasonably good health. Ten years ago, she suggested that the older couple sell their two-story home and buy a one-story closer to her. They liked the idea, realizing that by living within spitting distance of their daughter, they could remain independent longer, surrounded by their own things. About four years ago, Terry decided that ... [full story]

Despite a slowdown in SUV sales over the past several years as a result of higher gas prices, 21 percent of consumers who plan to buy a car in 2007 intend to purchase an SUV or crossover vehicle, according to a recent Cars.com survey.* Roughly 24 percent of survey respondents said they will buy a new or used car this year, and no body style was more popular than SUVs and crossovers. Next were small ... [full story]

Once again this summer, Crystal Cruises mixes politics with pleasure. Husband and wife James Carville and Mary Matalin, returning lecturers for the cruise line, will present their opposing political views on the 2008 election onboard the Crystal Serenity as it plies the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas from Venice, Italy, to Rome. SET A COURSE FOR POLITICS - Crystal Cruises is offering more than just Old World cruising this summer. As part of its Crystal Visions ... [full story]

Feminists have cooked up a new plan to raid the U.S. Treasury for more feminist pork. They want Congress to pass the International Violence Against Women Act. They are using a report issued in October by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called "In-Depth Study on All Forms of Violence Against Women." The report is said to be based on interviews with 24,000 women conducted by the World Health Organization. Who better to introduce the act ... [full story]

Existing-home sales in most states were down from year-ago levels in the fourth quarter of 2006, marking the likely bottom for the current housing cycle, while prices in many areas corrected as a result of sellers’ willingness to negotiate, according to the latest quarterly surveys by the National Association of Realtors®. Total existing-home sales including single-family and condo, were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.24 million units in the fourth quarter, down 10.1 percent ... [full story]

The volume of home sales are edging upward, signaling an improving prognosis for the home selling market in 2007. This is good news for home sellers and buyers and, of course, for real estate brokers and sales personnel. It also bodes well with mortgage lenders and brokers, after experiencing tight times during the past year. In fact, our total economy will benefit from this positive trend. Pending home sales were up by 4.9 percent in ... [full story]

Q: My ex-wife and I have been divorced for over two years. She refuses to sign a quit claim deed for her share of our marital home. Is there any way I can sell this house with her still listed as an owner on the title and the mortgage?A: If the judge awarded you the house in your divorce agreement, then you need to figure out how to refinance the property into your own name ... [full story]