Orlando: What first comes to mind? Walt Disney World or Universal resorts, perhaps? The two parks are the nation's biggest tourist draws. ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- Orlando: What first comes to mind Walt Disney World or Universal resorts, perhaps The two parks are the nation's biggest tourist draws. As a new resident of Orlando, I find that the tourist areas are more removed from the city than I thought. Still, some people in the area where I currently live either ...

In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, President Obama is planning to strike a more optimistic tone than he has in recent days by laying out a "game plan" to beat the financial crisis, according to a senior White House official. The senior official said there will only be a brief discussion of foreign policy, with mentions of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other threats around the world. Instead, the speech will ...

The three mothers hail from the same province in China, but they'd never met until a reckless driver in central Ohio killed their only children. Two years later, the women wade through a cultural morass, struggling with American laws and language as they work to recoup the tens of thousands of dollars they borrowed to educate, and bury, their children. They've also lost their pride and possibly their future. In China, a family's future often rides on the education of ...


 The American shopper is dazed and confused. What do I really want, versus what do I really need Sure, I can afford the plasma television now, but should I save that $2,000, in case I get laid off tomorrow Can I really tell my snobby friends that I now shop at — egads — Walmart To gauge the mindset of the American consumer, and the state of shopping during this recession, TIME checked in with respected retail expert ...

Last Friday the 13th was supposed to be a special day for 14-year-old Amber Leeanne DuBois. She left her home in Escondido, California, around 7 a.m. for school with a check in hand, a down payment on a baby lamb that she was going to raise and care for as part of her Future Farmers of America class. It was a day that she'd been looking forward to for more than a year, her family says. But she never made ...

Sandi Stratton wanted to see a Dodgers game. Babe Churchill wanted to go to the Academy Awards. Babe won that small argument -- and the decision affected them both for many years to come. "Sandi didn't want to come, and now I can't get her to quit," Babe, of Escondido, California, said with a laugh. The two sisters have been coming to Los Angeles for the Academy Awards for 39 years. On Sunday, they'll celebrate their 40th ceremony. On that ...

The Lamborghinis and Bentleys still cruise Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. But these days, visitors to California's most famous ZIP code are more likely to take note of the empty storefronts and deep-discount signs. Call it recession, 90210 style. Fewer sales have meant fewer tax dollars even for this well-funded city. City officials say they expect tax revenues to drop by about $24 million over the next 16 months. They say, as far as they know, that's the biggest single ...

Washington police told the mother of slain congressional intern Chandra Levy that an arrest is imminent in her daughter's 2001 death, Susan Levy told CNN on Saturday. "I got a call from the Washington police department, just to give me a heads up that there's a warrant out for the arrest," Levy said. Police Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department did not reveal the suspect's name when she contacted the parents on Friday, Levy said. She said police ...

How can the country that gave the world the Kama Sutra be so prudish? It's a longstanding cliché to note that India has produced both the world's most famous guide to love and erotic pleasure and some of the most conservative social rules this side of Saudi Arabia on such questions as kissing in public. That paradox was on display once again this week in the firestorm that swept India following a seemingly innocuous — and obviously staged — celebrity ...

Any experienced traveler knows it's wise to buy airline tickets as far in advance as possible . But while buying tickets early may save you money, it also opens the door to unexpected screw-ups — as when airlines make sudden schedule adjustments that torpedo your plans. One New York family found this out the hard way. Offending Party: AirTran Airways What's at Stake: $1,088, including $960 in airfare differences and $128 in unused Disney World tickets The Complaint: Last December, Rachel Gibson ...