Late last month, Florida's Republican Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed an energy bill that called for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and provided funding for alternative energy research. Crist felt the bill didn't go far enough. "We can do better," he said. "We must do better." Congress and the Bush administration have been no-shows, so far, in the critical fight against global climate change. They could learn a few things about leadership from state and local leaders ... [full story]

So you're thinking about heading for a national park, are you? Dusting off your tent, packing the car with supplies, looking forward to getting back to nature. Thing is, once you're there it might be difficult to carve out your own little piece of solitude. You might have to deal with bumper-to-bumper traffic, crowded camping sites or exorbitant lodging prices. That is, unless you choose to visit in the offseason.   PERFECT VIEW - Just outside ... [full story]

HOPKINS, Belize - The large, thatched-roof, sand-carpeted temple was barren except for the obviously ill child curled up in the single cot by the wall. An old woman could be heard chanting from within her sacred chamber, candlelight flickering around the corners of the sheet separating her from the long hall. Her healing incantations, I later discovered, were addressed to the spirits who may have had reasons of their own to inflict the child.   OFF ... [full story]

It has pretended to be Switzerland, Sweden and the Adirondacks and very few are the wiser. Its crystal-clear skies, snow-capped peaks and azure blue lake could place it in any of those locations, but in truth it lies in the Far West.   MANSION ROW - Lake Arrowhead, once called Little Bear Valley, is an upscale resort a two hours drive away from Los Angeles. CNS Photo by Priscilla Lister.    LAKE ARROWHEAD VILLAGE - Just a short ... [full story]

As the temperature climbs and the clouds clear, everyone enjoys kicking up their heels and going footloose and shoe free.   TAKING STEPS - Learn how to treat your feet before they meet the street. CNS Photo by Earnie Grafton. But after weeks of summer sandal use, your tender tootsies should be looked after. Minor maladies often can be remedied by a good pedicure or some simple TLC. But, when the problem escalates to pain and possible ... [full story]

The summer movie "Transformers" is loosely based on a popular toy line that features, among other things, robots taking animal form. It's a fantastical idea, but also a case of art imitating life. Or more precisely, art imitating science imitating life.   NEW ROBOTS - OCTOR is a robot created at Clemson University to mimic the grasping abilities of an elephant's trunk, which can pick up anything from a peanut to a tree. CNS Photo courtesy ... [full story]

In a Shanghai office building, a visitor from San Diego encountered a roomful of young Chinese, working 12- to 18-hour days - playing online computer games. "The thing it reminded me of was a factory," said Ge Jin. "But then you see the computer screens."   'NET INCOME - Ge Jin, a Ph.D. candidate at University of California San Diego, studies 'gold farms,' high-tech sweatshops where video gamers turn virtual 'gold' into actual cash. CNS Photo ... [full story]

Michelle MacLaren is a gambler. "I would sit at the casino seven days a week, 17 hours a day," she said. The 52-year-old from Coronado, Calif., also is a thief.   GAMBLING ADDICTION - Michelle MacLaren of Coronado, Calif., who was recently sentenced for grand theft, says she has no clue how much money she lost while gambling. CNS Photo by Nancee E. Lewis. "I'm a criminal," she said recently while sitting in jail. "And I'm not ... [full story]

Population growth means people are using more and more water every day. In most parts of the country, voluntary conservation is the water-wise way to live.   WATER CONSERVATION - Saving water in small ways really adds up by the end of the day. CNS Photo. Across the country, water authorities are challenging residents to cut their usage of this precious and finite resource. Saving water in small ways really adds up by the end of the ... [full story]

With the troubled subprime loan industry beset by foreclosures and tightening credit, lenders and lawmakers are attempting to resurrect a 73-year-old government program to help take up the slack. Once a top choice for first-time home buyers and people with credit problems, loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration have lost their luster in recent years. During the U.S. housing boom that raged between 2000 and 2005, FHA was a minor player. That's largely because ... [full story]