Movie Review of "The Lake House"           "The Lake House"  Directed by Alejandro Agresti  Screenplay by David Auburn  Cast: Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Shoreh Aghdashloo, Christopher Plummer  Rated: PG  Running Time: 105 minutes  Grading: C plus "Lake:  A large, inland body of fresh or salty standing water. Over time lakes may evaporate or fill up with sediment, leaving a bog or swamp in their place." Like a lake, this is a film of a slow-moving, picturesque quality.  The good news:  There is no ... [full story]

Defrosting has never been a priority for me. Of course, that was before the FBI found  $90,000 cold cash in a Louisiana congressman’s freezer. I suddenly find myself highly motivated. I had emptied the chest freezer in the garage and was sorting the contents when the husband appeared on the scene and asked what was happening. I reminded him of the good fortune of a certain congressman and told him to be careful not to disturb ... [full story]

If you owe money on your home equity line of credit or if it feels like you have a gazillion payments left on an adjustable rate mortgage, you are probably feeling the pain of higher interest rates. Perhaps you obtained your loan when lenders were bragging that rates hadn't been so low since the Cuban missile crisis. Unfortunately, the killjoys swept up the confetti many months ago. Yet many homeowners are surprised at how quickly their once-great ... [full story]

FYI TRAVEL          An annual summer adventure for 14 years, Hungary's Sziget Festival is a temporarily constructed city in Budapest, a place to spend a week of self-abandon where the national language is decadent revelry and the party runs 24 hours a day. With more than 1,000 different programs of entertainment spread across more than 60 venues ranging from circus entertainment to classical music, this festival is guaranteed to satisfy even the most eclectic of tastes. ... [full story]

Carbon fiber, volcanic ash and Kevlar might seem odd ingredients for a tire, but Goodyear has called on that recipe to improve grip and handling in some of its tires. Representatives from the tire maker were in San Diego recently to run service employees and the media through tests of two new tires, the Eagle ResponsEdge performance touring tire and the Fortera TripleTred for minivans and SUVs. The event at Qualcomm Stadium featured an open-air classroom and ... [full story]

The president of a major union is, in essence, a politician beholden to his members. Like all politicians, he survives by delivering good news, not bad. So, it's notable that Ron Gettelfinger of the United Autoworkers Union left the sugar-coating off his annual address at the union convention in Las Vegas. "The challenges we face aren't the kind that can be ridden out," he warned his membership. "They're structural challenges, and they require new and farsighted solutions." He ... [full story]

Once a place for gym classes, after-school practice and a haven for students enjoying the outdoors; the Summit High School athletic field now looks more like a battle ground. Riddled with huge sink holes after a massive storm last December, there has been an ongoing debate about how and when the problem will be fixed. The school board wants to pour $150,000 worth of temporary fixes into the school grounds while they decide upon a ... [full story]

Before you can improve your game you must know where you are struggling.  For example, I once had a student call me to schedule a lesson.  I asked him what he was hoping to work on and he simply said he could not lower his score no matter how hard he tried.  I asked him what area of his game he was struggling with, and all he could come up with was the fact he ... [full story]

Following a two month investigation by the Oregon Department of Justice and the Bend Police Department, a local man was arrested for 25 counts of Encouraging Child Abuse in the First Degree.   Phillip Douglass,         DCJ PhotoPhillip Douglass, 61, of Bend was taken into custody without incident at 8:30 am on Wednesday, June 21st by members of the Bend Police Department, Oregon Department of Justice, and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Computer Crime Unit. The investigation ... [full story]

Fireworks go on sale in Bend on Friday, June 23rd. In hopes of helping families avoid a holiday tragedy, Bend Fire and Rescue offers the following safety information. §         Purchase and use only Oregon legal fireworks, which are available at licensed outlets in Bend. §         You must be at least 18 years of age to use, purchase, or sell fireworks in the city of Bend. Parents are liable for any damage or injuries caused by ... [full story]