Free Republic

<p>A sultry summer heat wave has enveloped the California Capitol, the sort of weather that makes folks a little testy. And that's inside the building.</p> <p>A political showdown on the state's worst-ever budget crisis is drawing near. As early as next week, the state Senate may take up a compromise, no-new-taxes budget that, if enacted, would be a tactical victory for the Legislature's minority Republicans and a big setback for its majority Democrats.</p>

Designing Trees The same, often controversial gene-tweaking techniques that brought uspest-resistant fruits and vegetables now have a new target: trees. By Naomi Lubick Image: Courtesy of S. MerkleUNTIL THE BLIGHT, majestic American Chestnut trees dominated many U.S. forests. This image was taken in 1910 in the Great Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. To gain an appreciation for the promise--and perils--of genetically modified trees, consider the case of the American chestnut. Few trees have had such a remarkable presence and impact on the American landscape and ecosystem as the chestnut. Mature trees grew to 100 feet tall and their trunks...