Business is buoyant for Chicago's water taxis and sightseeing boats

"Water taxi Capt. Erika Sanchez's ship has come in lickety-split.

Sanchez, 23, a seven-year veteran of Shoreline Sightseeing, is thrilled to be trading in the Navy surplus utility boat she has been operating along the Chicago River downtown for a new vessel that offers a better view of the waterway from a high-tech pilothouse."

Click here for more on Chicago's waterborne fleet.

Memorial Day 2010: Gratitude

"This Memorial Day, reflect with me on how we should respond to the enormous sacrifices of our men and women in uniform."

To read Chuck Colson's complete commentary, click here.

Tim McGraw If You're Reading This Tribute to the Soldiers

"Tim McGraw pays tribute to our fallen soldiers and their families in a moving video."

Click here to view this heartwarming clip.

Michael Oher talks about 'The Blind Side'

"Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher talks about the autobiographical book and movie, 'The Blind Side' in video interview."

Click here to watch his interview.

Best of Chicago list: 50 things that make Chicago great, according to people who actually live here

"For years we sat back and watched as other publications arbitrarily ranked Chicago on their 'Best of' and 'Top 10' lists, always based on the most traditional features of our diverse town. Last week, priceline.com, the William Shatner-touted travel site, gave Chicago the top two slots on its list of Memorial Day destinations—for Millennium Park/the Loop/Grant Park, and for North Michigan Avenue/River North. We’ve finally had enough."

To learn more about the things chosen as the Best of Chicago, click here.

Save the Children Lauds Global Decline in Child Deaths, Says Progress Shows New Investments Key to Saving Millions More Lives

"Save the Children welcomes new research published in The Lancet medical journal that demonstrates the dramatic success of cost-effective interventions in reducing the number of newborn and child deaths globally. Worldwide, deaths of children younger than 5 years old have dropped from 11.9 million deaths in 1990 to 7.7 million in 2010, according to research conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington."

Click here for more on this exciting news.

Finance Reform and Ethics: Courage to Do the Right Thing

"When we can no longer govern ourselves, government steps in -- or as is the case these days, steps into it."

To read or listen to Chuck Colson's commentary, click here.

Christians and Mass Communications

"What is the best response Christians can have to a 24/7 news and entertainment media cycle?

How can we safeguard our children from substituting too much fantasy from computers and video games from reality at an early age?"

Click here for the answers to these and other questions.

Dangerous Disconnect: The People and Their Government

"Events in the past several weeks have shown me that we are entering a critical phase in American political life. And I don’t say this lightly. I’ve lived through many crises. I trained as a Marine lieutenant during Korea. I served at the right hand of the President during Vietnam and the Cold War. And as you know, I was a central figure during the defining political crisis of the 20th century—Watergate."

Click here for more of Chuck Colson's commentary.

America Ferrera Meets Facebook Cause Fundraising Goal to Build a Save the Children School in Mali

"Family, friends and fans of America Ferrera came together to help the Emmy Award-winning actress meet her fundraising goal to build a school in Diassadeni village in the Sikasso District of Mali."

Click here to read more on America Ferrerra's project.

World Vision Responding to Two U.S. Disasters

"World Vision has shipped 50 pallets of relief supplies from its distribution centers in Chicago and Appalachia to assist flood victims in Nashville. The supplies, which arrived on May 10 in Nashville, include men's and women's clothing, blankets, personal hygiene items, cleaning supplies, and cleanup items such as work gloves, safety glasses, and Tyveck suits. Approximately 2,000 people affected by the flooding are expected to benefit from these supplies."

For more on World Vision's efforts in the U.S., click here.

Atlantis arrives at space station, astronauts may try to fix pinched cable in spacewalk

"Atlantis arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday for what could be its last visit, delivering fresh batteries and other equipment to help keep the outpost running long after the shuttle program ends."

Click here for more on Atlantis and its mission.

New Orleans City Park creates a volunteer venue

"It's not often that trees of the past, present and future all play a direct role in a structure's design.

Yet that is essentially the story behind the Duplantier Volunteer Pavilion at City Park's Botanical Garden."

To learn more about this mult-generational structure, click here.

The man behind McDonald's new look

"Max Carmona is McDonald's senior director for U.S. restaurant design, meaning he's the overseer of the chain's updated look.

Out will go the iconic red mansard roof and cafeteria-style lighting, and in will come a stone or brick exterior and more modern furniture."

Click here for more on the upcoming changes to the familiar landmarks.

Statism and Scripture: Kudzu Government

"Many Christians are uneasy with the growth of government in American life. They just can’t quite explain why.

From General Motors to health care. From bank bailouts to national anti-obesity campaigns. Government is becoming more and more involved of every aspect of American life."

To read or listen to Chuck Colson's commentary, click here.

It’s the Culture: What Makes a Good Society

"Good government policies matter to any healthy society. But something else matters more. Find out what that is."

Click here for the answer.

World Vision and AEG Live announce new tour featuring Max Lucado

"World Vision and AEG Live announce the “Make A Difference Tour 2010” featuring New York Times best-selling author Max Lucado and some of the top names in the Christian music industry—GRAMMY® award-winning recording artists TobyMac, Michael W. Smith and Third Day. Inspired by the themes of Lucado’s forthcoming book, Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference (Thomas Nelson, September 2010), the “Make A Difference Tour 2010” will kick off Sept. 30, in Youngstown, Ohio, and hit arenas in 20 cities through the end of October."

Click here for more on this upcoming tour.

They slice! They dice! But do they work?

"Late at night — perhaps stricken by insomnia and watching bad TV, that mental NyQuil — one can be talked into things. Things that, in the clear and rational light of day, are bad ideas. Such as purchasing a chopping device hawked by a manic guy named Vince, or a large red mold that allows you to bake a cupcake 25 times the size of a normal one."

Click here for the lowdown on some of those highly touted kitchen gadgets.

Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John to perform at Gulf Coast benefit this Sunday

"Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Allen Toussaint, Mos Def, Ani DiFranco and the Voice of the Wetlands Allstars featuring Dr. John, Cyril Neville and Tab Benoit are among the performers scheduled for a 'Gulf aid' benefit concert for south Louisiana fishermen and wetlands restoration on Sunday, May 16."

For more on on this fundraising event, click here.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Deliver Keynote at CARE'S 2010 National Conference and Celebration

"Leading humanitarian organization CARE today announced that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver the keynote address at our 2010 National Conference and Celebration event, May 11-12 in Washington, D.C."

Click here for more on the upcoming conference.

Lemay senior gets youthful help delivering meals

"At 10 a.m. each weekday, Ray Unger pulls his old wood-paneled station wagon into the circle drive of Bayless High School to pick up a fresh set of legs.

At 80, his have not given out. Unger's pace would indicate several good years of mobility are left."

Click here for more on this intriguing connection between youth and the elderly.

Farmer uses the old bean

"Joe Fagundes started with a joke about a day celebrating fava beans and turned it into an annual fundraiser for children with cancer."

For more on the evolution of a holiday from fiction to fact, click here.

10 things you might not know about the U.S. Supreme Court

"Chicago native John Paul Stevens is retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court, and at least four people with Chicago ties are in the running. There are Diane Wood and Ann C. Williams, who are federal appeals judges here, plus Merrick Garland, a Washington-based appellate judge who grew up in Lincolnwood, and Solicitor General Elena Kagan, a former University of Chicago professor. As the speculation rages, here are some precedents."

Click here to peruse the photogallery and learn some interesting trivia about the Supreme Court.

Toys''R''s, Inc. Suppports Save the Children's Work in the U.S. Through 'Bundled in Hope' Campaign

"Baby Blankets Designed by Blythe Danner, Faith Hill, Regina King, Kelly Rutherford and Other Celebrity Moms to be Auctioned Online, Part of Expanded In-Store and Online Fundraising Program."

For more on this special program, click here.

World Vision President’s ‘The Hole in Our Gospel’ Named ‘2010 Christian Book of the Year’

“'The Hole in Our Gospel,' the Christian bestseller by Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision U.S., has won the '2010 Christian Book of the Year' award."

For more on Stearns' award, click here.

Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy: Why Bonhoeffer Still Matters

"July 27, 1945. London is still slowly recovering from six years of war with Germany. Hundreds of thousands of British soldiers are dead. British cities are in ruins. As newsreels expose fresh horrors from the Nazi death camps, the British people wonder, 'Is there no end to German atrocities?'”

Click here for more of Chuck Colson's commentary.

Book Review - 'Sworn to Protect' by DiAnn Mills

"Warning: do not read DiAnn Mills’ newest release, 'Sworn to Protect' unless you are willing to look at all sides of the issue of illegal immigration.

Border Patrol agent Danika Morales dedicates her life to protecting U.S. borders from illegal entry. For Morales, the job is more about stopping predators and drug dealers than individuals simply trying to better their lives, although she arrests those as well. When the job takes a decidedly personal turn, Morales must make hard choices about her perspective."


Click here for more on "Sworn to Protect."