Shooting a rocket booster into the moon, followed four minutes later by an instrument-laden spacecraft, turned out to be, if not a public-relations dud, at least a major letdown.

Roy A. Hallums, who endured 311 days in captivity as a hostage in Baghdad, has a way of stating what might appear hyperbolic with a calm earnestness.

Dear Debt Adviser,

SAN FRANCISCO - California Attorney General Jerry Brown, a likely Democratic candidate for governor next year, faces political blowback no matter how he rules on the undercover videotaping by conservative filmmakers at offices of the community group ACORN in southern California.

Small trees are powerful design tools that anyone can use. Whether it's a white star magnolia in spring, a magenta crepe myrtle in summer or a fiery Japanese maple in the fall, small trees are always exquisite in the landscape. They are not planted for shade like the great oaks or sycamores. Small trees act like bright, beautiful arrows that point out and accentuate landmarks in your yard.

I receive many e-mails offering useful and interesting ideas on what can be done to improve home interiors. Here are some bits and pieces of information that might be of interest to you.

Q: My son recently purchased a modular home and was told there were no problems with it. Within two weeks, the water heater stopped working and it needs to be replaced. He's now heating water on the stove to take a bath. Do modular homes use those newer heaters that don't have tanks? My son works hard just to make ends meet and doesn't have the money to hire a plumber.