National Park Service officials have found themselves turned into political pawns, first as the administration's face of the government shutdown and now by being splintered through a handful of park openings.

Despite the estimated loss of $76 million a day, the furlough of more than 20,000 federal and non-profit employees, and the ruination of countless vacations, 94 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives want to know how many rangers it takes to keep the World War II Memorial on the National Mall closed.

Though it won't be an immediate help to those Colorado River runners beached at Lees Ferry by the shutdown of the National Park System, the National Park Service will refund their permit fees and give them a choice of launch dates in the years to come.

Google Maps has become a useful electronic option to paper maps for many people, and one feature of that site—"Street View"—allows users to see a ground-level, 360 degree photographic view of many locations around the world. Now that service is adding parts of some national parks, including the Grand Canyon and even one rather surprising location that lies beneath the ground.