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On the playing field or in a car, kids can get dangerously hot in no time at all.

Heat exhaustion or stroke can sneak up on active people of any age amidst high temperatures and humidity, but children at play or in athletic competition or practice are particularly susceptible.

Fondues nestled in bread bowls, burgers stuffed in quesadillas and desserts the size of personal pizzas may sound tasty until the grim nutritional bill arrives.

But most diners do not realize just how unhealthy some of these menu items really are when they place their orders.

If pizza-making were a sport, I would definitely be relegated to the recreational leagues.

Sean Chai tapped the screen of the tabletop home medical monitor, which began to talk.

"Put the blood pressure cuff on your arm as shown," the computerized voice told a visitor to Chai's research lab in San Leandro, Calif. "Please relax and remain still while your reading is being taken."

It may be hard to believe, but social-networking site Twitter actually has some socially redeeming qualities for travelers.

But only when you remove the "social" part.

Dear Lynne: Where others improvise like crazy in the kitchen, I plod. I have two left feet in the make-it-up-as-you-go department. My mantra is, follow the recipe to the letter, or fail. Can you actually learn to improvise? -- Stymied Sam

Dear Sam: You, too, can learn to riff. Here is what to remember:

It's summertime, and the living should be easy. Before summer flies by, we encourage you to stop, breathe and take the time to nurture yourself. It can be all too easy to forget. Work doesn't stop just because it's summer. And if you've got children, irregular schedules and the need for constant carpooling can be extra stressful.

Last week we started brainstorming on how to achieve curb appeal for your home. These ideas are good to use whether you are selling or just sprucing up the home for your own enjoyment. Let's continue exploring the possibilities.

Q: Hi, Ed. I live out west and really enjoy your columns, especially when the topic is water conservation. We are thinking of installing a new toilet to replace our old water-guzzling 3.5-gallon toilet. Are there any professional reviews of the new dual-flush toilets available so we can have some help in choosing the right one for us?

Three years ago, this city turned itself into a laboratory for remaking the country's health care system with a bold experiment to expand services to the uninsured, working poor and medically underserved.

Mayor Gavin Newsom touts Healthy San Francisco as a signature accomplishment -- worthy as a model for the nation.