Q: How can I protect myself while banking online?

HIGHLANDS, N.C. - The diverse roots of Southern arts and culture have always run as deep as the mist-covered peaks of Blue Ridge Mountain are high. And it is here in Highlands, in the heart of the Blue Ridge, is a place called the Bascom that defies generalizations when it comes to inspiring interest in the art and artists of the South.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The years have been kind to Abraham Lincoln. Our gangly 16th president, with the funny-looking stovepipe hat, is one of the rare historical figures whose stature grows more robust as time goes by.

I've been spending recent evenings tossing and turning - and that's long before I go to bed. The reasons for my restlessness: David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, two top-notch entertainers pitted against each other in one of the most competitive and frustrating cage matches in late-night history.

Have you seen Michael Phelps lately? When I saw a picture of him earlier this week looking like member of the Village People, I just about lost it.

SANTA ANA, Calif. It's the sort of house you might fantasize about. Three stories. A deck with an ocean view. A Laguna Beach, Calif., address.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Here's an idea for a science-fiction thriller: A virulent, mutating fungus capable of killing most of the world's wheat crop begins to spread, threatening famine and economic havoc. Scientists work feverishly to find genes for new varieties of wheat that can resist the fungus and avert disaster.

Q: Can I use my magnetic stripe U.S. credit card abroad? What if there is no sales clerk and the machine only accepts smart cards?

"Ghostbusters"

Willow Palin needs your help. Thousands of viewers expressed outrage recently when David Letterman cracked jokes about Eliot Spitzer and Alex Rodriguez taking runs at the Alaska governor's daughter. The "Late Show" host insists that he was referring to 18-year-old Bristol Palin, not her 14-year-old sister, but that didn't calm the angry masses who accused Letterman of being the most despicable pedophile since Humbert Humbert lusted after Lolita.

The crown of liberty has been closed for almost eight long years.

COSTA MESA, Calif. - The mantra is money is tight, so is time. Even with the siren call of summer, many vacationers this year are looking to keep things a little shorter, a little less expensive.