It is a ritual in offices around the country: the morning meet-up. Although employees may have already clocked in and should theoretically be hard at work, they meander over to the coffee pot, fill up a cup and kibitz.

If John McCain and Barack Obama agree on one thing, it's global warming and what to do about it. Both presidential candidates say that a so-called cap-and-trade system of regulation is the best way to stem U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases.

Ask U.S. consumers about their satisfaction with the existing health care system, and up to 80 percent say major fixes or even a complete overhaul are overdue.

Arizona's policymakers face crucial decisions about how to ensure that future power needs are met for the nation's second-fastest growing state.

Self-service technologies, which automate routine interactions between companies and customers, are a source of convenience and efficiency to both parties — until something goes wrong and the customer cannot make the system work.

Building the infrastructure necessary to meet Arizonans' rising demand for energy will cost between $74 and $87 billion (allowing for inflation) over the next 25 years. But how to pay those costs — and exactly what type of infrastructure to build — is up for debate.

Back pain is the most common and costly occupational disability in the United States; it is also among the most difficult conditions to diagnose.

There's trouble in paradise — housing troubles to be exact. In March, for the first time ever, home prices in the overall Phoenix metro area declined by double digits.

Public policy-makers and voters need sound, relevant data when making decisions, yet accessing information can be difficult, and often costly. But a national trend to use technology and innovative public and private funding is beginning to change all that.

Arizona's population has ballooned from 2.7 million in 1980 to 6.5 million in 2007. By 2032, the state will have welcomed even more new residents — 4.2 million — for a total of nearly 11 million.