NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A U.S. appeals court ruled the government is entitled to only half of a Connecticut house where marijuana was found growing in the basement. The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals based its decision on a finding that co-owner Kathleen Von Hofe wasn't actively involved in her husband Harold's marijuana cultivation, The New Haven (Conn.) Register reported Friday. The Branford, Conn., couple were charged following a 2001 raid on their home ... [full story]

LONDON - Police diffused a car bomb found outside a London nightclub Thursday and were searching the city for more explosive devices. Witnesses told The Times of London that police were called to the Tiger Tiger nightclub after a man ran from a Mercedes Benz that he had driven into some garbage bins. The car contained gas cans and nails, witnesses said. "They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device. This was ... [full story]

"White Lies" by Sarah Collins Honenberger; Cedar Creek Publishing; 283 pages; $23. The odds are stacked heavily against it - it's a first novel; the author is an unknown; its publisher is a small company unable to mount much of a promotional campaign; plus this work by a small-town attorney isn't a thriller, isn't about sex or violence and is in a much different league from any light entertainment beach read.   'WHITE LIES' - 'White ... [full story]

ELECTRON INK Project Puffin   TRUE FACTS - Peanuts are an ingredient in dynamite. CNS Photo.    WHERE IN THE WORLD - When it's completed in 2009, the Three Gorges Dam on China's Yangtze River will be the world's largest hydroelectric power generator and one of the few man-made structures visible to the naked eye from space. CNS Photo.    THUNDERING HERDS - Recent aerial surveys conducted by Wildlife Conservation Society researchers indicate that at least some species have not ... [full story]

Q: How long should I be watching the table coming in as a new player to get a feel for the game? - John, Wisconsin   HUCK SEED - Huck Seed is a respected tournament player and the 1995 World Series Main Event champion. He has won almost $3 million in tournament cashes and owns four WSOP bracelets. CNS Photo. A: I'm going to play conservative for a little bit. It could take up to an hour ... [full story]

  Professional Golf Tips: Getting off the first tee Your tee shot on the first hole is critical because it sets you up for the rest of the round.  [full story]

Mexico plans to start the bidding process that will lead to development of the Colonet megaport and rail line in Baja California before December, a high-ranking official said Friday. In a telephone interview from Mexico City, Manuel Rodriguez Arregui, Mexico's undersecretary of communication and transportation, said no date has been set for opening the auction geared at attracting private companies to build and operate the massive port-rail system, expected to cost as much as $9 ... [full story]

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Residents of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., began returning home after firefighters said they had contained 70 percent of a 3,000-acre forest fire. While some evacuation orders were eased Thursday, officials didn't permit residents of homes that had been destroyed in the fire to return, the Lompoc (Calif.) Record reported. Those who did were arrested for trespassing. Fire officials said two days of calmer winds helped firefighters gain the upper hand on ... [full story]

Finally, we're settling into a normal real estate market. While many media reports indicate bad news, with slow sales, lowering home values in some areas and rising mortgage interest rates, all these factors are just deflating the boom years to the point where the market has returned to a more normal, balanced and stable point. At least, that's where we are from a historical perspective. "Over the last few years, sellers held all the power ... [full story]

Wildlife Biologist Brian Ferry suggests visitors to Central Oregon visit Rimrock Springs Wildlife Management Area, a wildlife oasis. Located along highway 26 between Prineville and Madras, the area has been developed to provide habitat for waterfowl, upland game birds, songbirds and raptors—look for golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and great horned owls. The rich insect life attracts bats, swallows and nighthawks.  There is a has a interpretive trail (with an ADA-approved portion) and two blinds where the ... [full story]