Although the South suffers from weed and mold spore allergies in the fall, Gerald Kress, an executive with SDI Health, which operates Pollen.com, says the North and Northeast gets hit particularly hard by ragweed -- and 2009 is shaping up to be a banner year for ragweed pollen.

CNN: Southern deluge may help fall allergy sufferers

For something more regal, try the imperial hutong courtyards, including those once lived in by royal eunuchs, in the area immediately northeast of Jingshan Park, just north of the Forbidden City.

BBC: Old Beijing at its timeless best

And local government officials and business leaders in Cody, Wyoming, said Yellowstone National Park will delay the opening of its North and West entrances by a week until April 26, and its East, South and Northeast entrances by two weeks until mid-to-late May due to the impact budget cuts will have on snow removal.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The 2012 North American Index of economic freedom released by the Fraser Institute puts southern states just ahead of the Northeast 6.5 versus 6.4 in a scale of 1 to 10.

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