Federal government to buy land for Flight 93 memorial

Pennsylvania landowners around the September 11, 2001, crash site of Flight 93 have reached an agreement with the federal government allowing construction of a permanent memorial there, the government announced Monday.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the National Park Service has "reached agreements with all the landowners needed" to establish the permanent memorial for the 40 people killed in the terrorist hijacking nearly eight years ago.

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Missing boaters endured a 'survival test,' says rescued boater

"Rescued after spending eight days lost at sea, Tressel Hawkins was happy to be back in Texas.

'Actually, it feels great to be on solid ground,' he told CNN on Sunday.

Hawkins, 43, and his fellow boaters, Curtis Hall, 28, and James Phillips, 30, set out to catch swordfish and marlin when they set sail about 100 miles south of Matagorda Bay in Texas. But one night early on during their trip in the Gulf of Mexico, Hawkins was jolted by a 'rude awakening.'"

Click here for more on the rescue.

Plant a Row for the Hungry

"Since 1995, American gardeners have donated over 14 million pounds of herbs and vegetables to feed the hungry in our local neighborhoods and communities. "


Click here to learn more about this project.

Job hunting: Networking, persistence can pay off

"With the job market still gloomy, people could use some helpful advice and encouragement about how to find work. On my blog I asked for successful job seekers to share their uplifting stories."


Click here for more jobhunting tips.

You will see more progress: Millions of dollars go into Coast projects

"The scars are still there from Hurricane Katrina four years after the storm hit, but so are concrete signs South Mississippi is moving ahead stronger than ever.

Soon after the storm, Gov. Haley Barbour challenged the Coast to rebuild bigger and better. Or, he said, area residents will have failed future generations."

Click here for more on the progress since Hurricane Katrina.

On Science and Origins: A Letter to Swillpit

"Despite some intensive personal coaching from a seasoned Tempter, Swillpit, it seems, has been having trouble with his earthly charge.

This has brought about an occasion for a “teaching moment” from his Mephistophelian Mentor..."

Check out this commentary in the tradition of "The Screwtape Letters" by clicking here.

T.G.I.Thursday

"Workers of the world, unite in giving Utah a round of applause. The Beehive State has made Thursday the new Friday, and by proving the benefits of this condensed calendar, Utah has brought us all closer to the dream of a shortened workweek."

Click here to read more.

St. Monica — Offering Hope for Mothers

"As a woman who persevered in a difficult marriage, dealt with a cantankerous mother-in-law who shared her home, and prayed unceasingly for a wayward son, St. Monica serves as a wonderful role model for wives and mothers who are struggling in their vocation. St. Monica was born to Christian parents in 333. She was married at a young age to a pagan. Her husband Patritius was a government official in Tagaste. He had a violent temper and was unfaithful. As a result, her marriage was very unhappy. Her equally unpleasant mother-in-law also lived with them and did all in her power to make Monica’s life harder. Monica’s difficult home situation was well-known and she served as something of a role model to other suffering wives and mothers in Tagaste as she patiently endured."

Read more here.

Elderly compete for Ms. Missouri Nursing Home crown

There are no extravagant prizes or evening gown competition, though some contestants prefer to wear a fancy dress or adorn their wheelchairs or walkers with flowers. But the elderly women vying for the Ms. Missouri Nursing Home crown are as thrilled as any twentysomething striding the stage at a Miss America pageant, the Associated Press reports.

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Making A Personal Medication Record: Preventing adverse medical effects

"Do you know what medications your parents, grandparents, or older loved ones are taking? How about vitamins and over-the-counter items?

Making a list of everything and taking it to a doctor to make sure nothing interacts adversely is a very good idea.

Creating a personal medication record could save your life, or the life of someone close to you."

To learn more about a personal medication record and how it can help, click here.

70 years later, we still feel the echoes of ‘Oz’

Ruby slippers. If I only had a brain. We’re not in Kansas, anymore. I’ll get you, My Pretty, and your little dog, too. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. That’s just the tip of a pop-culture iceberg, a towering mountain of nostalgia and influence that rises above most movie fare in a time when the majority of entertainment seems fairly disposable.

On Aug. 25, 1939, “The Wizard of Oz” was released into theatres nationwide and began its not-so-classic journey toward classic status.

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Answers Offered for Times of Loss, Uncertainty

"In uncertain times such as Americans are facing, friends Wilson Adams and David Lanphear are unafraid. They've already journeyed through heartbreaking losses to find healing and hope at the end of the tunnel."

Read more about this book here.

12 Signs You Probably Don't Have Alzheimer's

"Are you worried that you might have Alzheimer's or another form of dementia? Many people are a bit over-worried. Watching a family member with dementia decline is enough to make anyone secretly fear his or her own occasional memory lapses or confused moments.

It's worth emphasizing the flip side to those who are in midlife and coping with work and sandwich-generation demands. The statistical odds indicate that you're probably OK. I don't say that to make light of Alzheimer's disease or the horrible fact that early-onset Alzheimer's cases are on the rise. And I would urge anybody nagged by suspicions to get them checked out pronto."

Click here for more detail.

Youth Group Impacted by Volunteering at Shepherds Ministries

"Students from the Scofield Memorial Church youth group had the chance to take a missions trip to Shepherds Ministries . However, while they ministered to the residents, it was actually the residents who taught them more. "


Read more about this mission trip here.

A passion for pinball

"The quarter goes in, and then the magic begins. Lights flash, bells ring, balls roll, flippers flip.

David Silverman is in pinball heaven. And he barely had to walk out his back door."

Click here to flip on over to the story.

Free Software Download Offers Info about Your Computer

"Belarc, Inc. offers a free download of its popular Belarc Advisor software for home use. This version includes features such as automatic discovery of all network attached devices, such as network printers, routers, and computers, including those running Unix, Linux and Mac operating systems. The newest Belarc Advisor also shows when each software application was last used, a capability not previously available to home users."

Click here to learn more and access the free download.

Friend for Andrea: Autistic teen's quest to fit in

Thirteen-year-old Andrea Levy ticked off a mental list of rules to follow when her guest arrived: Greet her at the door. Introduce her to the family. Offer a cold drink.

Above all, make her feel welcome by letting her choose what to do.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

God and Science Do Mix: The Creator's Interference in Creation

"In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that is replete with unintended irony, cosmologist Lawrence Krauss says, 'Science and God Don’t Mix.'

His message centers on this quote from geneticist J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964):

My practice as a scientist is atheistic. That is to say, when I set up an experiment I assume that no god, angel or devil is going to interfere with its course; and this assumption has been justified by such success as I have achieved in my professional career. I should therefore be intellectually dishonest if I were not also atheistic in the affairs of the world."

Click here to read more on this topic.

The Cure for the Anxious Heart

"Historians will probably call our era 'the age of anxiety.' Though we have it easier than our forefathers, we have more uneasiness."

Read more here.

Heroine for Life: Lila Rose Takes on Planned Parenthood

"Feeling more discouraged than ever about the state of abortion in this country? You think there’s no hope? Well, think again. Find out more."

Click here to learn more about a courageous young woman who champions the unborn.

Bob Wery of Arnold has walked 40,000 miles at church track and path

"There are those who walk every day for exercise, and then there's Bob Wery, 79, of Arnold. He's almost in a realm of his own.

Wery recently logged the stunning total of 40,000 miles walked on the indoor track and outdoor walking path at First Baptist Church of Arnold since 2001, when he started keep track of his mileage."

Click here to catch up with this fascinating fellow.

Baby steps and big gains: Urban College program guides day-care entrepreneurs toward expansion, success

"Two years after opening a small day-care center in her apartment, Jacqueline Bedoya is expanding. Where she was previously allowed to care for as many as six children, her license to operate the business was upgraded to allow as many as 10. She hired her 18-year-old daughter as an assistant, and thanks to the income she’ll get from the additional clients, she and her husband were able to buy a three-family home to accommodate the business."

Learn more about this program by clicking here.

Amish newspaper succeeds the old-fashioned way

"The writers' grievances came in the form of angry letters, carried over bumpy rural roads to the newspaper office serving the Amish community.

In a world where news still travels at a mail carrier's pace, the farmers, preachers and mechanics responsible for filling The Budget threatened to go on strike if the 119-year-old Amish weekly went ahead with its plan to go online."

To read more, click here.

Art Treasures Off the Beaten Path

"People from all around the world travel specifically to visit New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Walking through the Museum of Modern Art is like visiting an art history textbook, and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco has one of the largest collections of Asian art and historical objects anywhere.

But did you know that at the University of Iowa, you can see German Expressionism and its influence play itself out in artworks spanning a century? Or that a little town in West Texas and a pair of small cities in the Rust Belt are hotbeds of contemporary art? Many of the finest art experiences in the United States are off the beaten path -- some pretty far off."

Click here for more hidden art treasures.

Twitter forcing a strategy switch for businesses

"Brand power takes on a whole new meaning on Twitter, where more than a million people follow Sockington, a tweeting feline who muses about litter boxes and salmon.

Companies would like to emulate that kind of success without drawing catcalls."

Click here to join the tweeting.

Reeling in the fun at Pocomoke River State Park

"Take away the boardwalk fries, the crowded streets, the saltwater taffy, the 'I'm With Stupid' T-shirts, and what do you have?

Pocomoke River State Park."


Click here to join the fun.

World Vision awarded $49m USAID grant to lead health, anti-poverty program in Mozambique

"International humanitarian agency World Vision has received a $49.4 million grant from the U.S. government for projects improving health and livelihoods in Mozambique’s Zambézia Province with an innovative set of approaches.

World Vision will lead a consortium of local and international partners in the five-year program, including Adventist Development and Relief Agency, ACDI/VOCA, International Relief and Development, The Johns Hopkins University, Red Cross Mozambique and Vanderbilt University."

For more on this story, click here.

Home sales rise from 1st quarter to 2nd

"U.S. home sales grew in the second quarter in 39 states, another sign that the ailing housing market is finally coming to life."

Click here for more on this positive sign.

Modern and Modest Girls Rock!

"Author and syndicated Catholic talk show host, Teresa Tomeo, teamed up with Molly Miller, and Monica Cops, putting their heads and hearts together to come up with a breath of fresh air for today’s young girls.

Their series, All Things Girl, published by Bezalel Books includes 6 titles, two of which are: Girls Rock! and Modern and Modest . The series speaks about the dignity at the heart of every girl created in the image and likeness of God and does it in a very fun and appealing way. The books are generous in size and filled with colorful and attractive designs to capture a young girl’s attention."

Click here to read more about these books.

Angry Mobs: Protesting and Civil Discourse

The media is in a near panic over those protesting the President’s health care plan. They see conspiracy and the “R” word. And they also have short memories.

The left-leaning media has, as far as I’m concerned, hit a new low."

Click here to read more of Chuck Colson's commentary.

More happiness may come with age

Richard Rose used to challenge his wife, Joyce, if he thought she was misstating something, but these days he lets it go.

At age 87, he's found that as people get older, they tend to "mellow out" when it comes to arguments. Nowadays, devoting time each day to swimming and reading, Rose feels happier than he did in his 40s.

"As you get older, if you're wise, you avoid all stress," said Rose, who is retired and lives with his wife in Palm Beach, Florida.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Understanding How Weeds Are Resistant To Herbicides

"In a little over seven hours, University of Illinois weed scientist Patrick Tranel got more genetic information about waterhemp than in two years time in a lab. The genetic information was obtained using pyrosequencing technology in the Keck Center at the U of I. The genetic sequence will allow scientists to study herbicide resistance in waterhemp."

Click here to read more.

12 fun facts in pickled history

People have been eating pickles ever since the Mesopotamians started making them way back in 2400 B.C.E. Here are some even more important things you should know about them.

Click here to read these pickled facts.

Sow in Tears, Reap in Joy - the Spirit of Enniskillen Trust

"In a deeply divided society and following the 1987 Enniskillen bombing, the Spirit of Enniskillen Trust was inspired by the late Senator Gordon Wilson to support young people into making their own contribution towards dialogue, learning and change."

For more on how Senator Wilson planted seeds of forgiveness following the death of his daughter in a terrorist act, click here.

Use This Sleep Position to Fight Back Pain

"If you’ve got a testy lower back, here’s something you can do in your sleep that might help: Sleep on your side.

Health experts say that this position puts less strain on your spine than sleeping on your back or your stomach does."

Click here for more on getting a good night's sleep.

The end of the argument? With GPS, the fight over maps or directions may be a thing of the past

"A year and a half ago, Jane Tufts received a Magellan GPS navigation device as a Christmas gift from her husband, Chuck. Her sense of direction is decent, but she’d grown tired of printing out directions every time she was going someplace new and trying to follow them while driving."

Need directions to the rest of the story? Click here!

Fighting Malaria: World Vision to distribute, test next-generation bed nets

"World Vision will distribute Vestergaard Frandsen’s next-generation anti-malaria bed nets in Zambia beginning next month to better protect households in malaria-endemic communities where the mosquito-borne disease is a top killer of children.

The new PermaNet 3.0 mosquito nets are expected to be more effective than previous models in two ways: they contain an ingredient that increases efficacy of the insecticide and they have stronger sides to improve durability."

Click here for more on how World Vision is fighting malaria.

Puzzles, Games Protect the Brain

"If you are trying to decide what to buy Grandma and Grandpa for their birthdays, consider a board game or good book. Why? A recent study shows that increased participation in activities that stimulate the brain may delay onset of dementia-related memory decline in older seniors."


Read more about this study here.

Listia is like EBay, except everything is free (almost)

A new auction site, Listia, allows you to bid on items using no-cost credits instead of money.
You get 500 credits just for signing up, and you can use them to bid on a variety of items including used books and televisions.

You can also sell your own stuff on the site -- the number of credits you get from the high bidder can be tucked away for your own bidding.

And so on and so forth in this kind of utopian version of EBay.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Support Children in Need with a Solar Power Lamp

"For every Sunnan lamp purchased in IKEA stores, IKEA will donate a Sunnan lamp to children in developing countries in conjunction with a UNICEF program. The lamp, which runs on solar cells, provides light for children who were previously unable to read, write and draw after sundown due to lack of electricity."

Click here to shed more light on this story.

Quick Tips for Maintaining an Organized Kitchen

"Organize your kitchen easily with our eight simple ideas for kitchen organization."

Click here to get the 8 tips.

United Healthcare To Cover Bilateral Cochlear Implants

"Hearing Loss Association of America is delighted to announce that at the urging of HLAA, United Healthcare, an innovative leader in the health and well-being industry, has reviewed appropriate scientific evidence and changed their clinical policies to allow coverage of bilateral cochlear implants for children and adults."

To read more about this momentous decision, click here.

Late Blooming Perennials for Fall Gardens

"Fall gardens can be spectacular with bold combinations of jewel toned colors. But they do take some planning earlier in the gardening season. Two techniques need to be considered when planning your fall garden."

Click here to continue reading this article.

News10 Hero Central Food Drive Benefiting Raley's Food For Families

"In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 8 Americans, hunger is a reality. Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.

"News10 Sacramento is partnering with Raley's Food for Families and several area radio stations to collect food for area food banks."

Click here for more on the program.

How to Have a God Encounter: Lessons from Emmaus

"In contemporary Christian music, few songs convey the longing for God like Paul Baloche’s 'Open the Eyes of My Heart,' as performed by Michael W. Smith.

Over half of the lyrics consist of the title appeal, followed by the reason for it: 'I want to see you.' The repetition of those simple phrases, over and over, expresses a desire, bordering on desperation, for a life-giving encounter with the risen Lord."

Click here for more on this deep-set desire.