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Here's some more information on the interest rate "freeze" out of Washington: Bush Administration Puts the Freeze on Subprime ARMs After weeks of meetings between Treasury Department officials, mortgage lenders, and Wall Street firms, the Bush administration today announced that an agreement has been made to "freeze" interest rates for up to five years on certain subprime adjustable rate mortgages. According to the New York Times, the goal of the President's plan is to convert as many subprime ARMs as possible into "more sustainable loans." However, the freeze applies only to borrowers who: * Took out their loan between January 2005 and July 2007 and whose rates are set to increase between January of 2008 and July of 2010; and * Have less than 3% equity in their homes; and * Are current on their payments (or no more than 60 days behind); and * Are able to handle their current lower rate, but will not be to handle a higher payment. Analysts estimate...

Here is a list of activities and goings-on around Indy for this week (Dec. 10-17): Circle of Lights Monument Circle Jolly Days Winter Wonderland Children's Museum of Indianapolis Yuletide Celebration with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Hilbert Circle Theatre A Christmas Carol Indiana Repertory Theatre The Nutcracker Cincinnati Ballet and the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana The Murat Centre For a complete list, visit www.indy.org .

Here are a few tips to care for your fresh Christmas tree: 1). Make a fresh cut. Remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don't cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree. 3). Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don't bruise the cut surface or get it dirty. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water. 2). Use a stand that fits your tree . Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed. Please visit this website to find further Christmas t...