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Melissa Block talks with Don George, global travel editor for Lonely Planet, and Laura Kidder, editorial director for Fodor's travel, about travel hot spots. With the Euro worth about $1.30 and the summer travel season upon us, where people should go to find good international travel bargains? Argentina and Southeast Asia are two non-European alternatives offered by George. Kidder says there's plenty to see in Canada, and Latin-America. She also raves about Portugal as a cheaper European destination. George adds that travelers can have a great time in Eastern Europe -- and don't forget about Latvia and Estonia.

The Mississippi River anchors one of the world's largest watersheds and is a vital waterway for transporting coal, grain and construction materials to domestic and foreign markets. Millions rely on the river for drinking water, and it is a rich fish and wildlife habitat and resource for recreation.

To celebrate the longest day of the year, Scott Carrier and some friends visited an obscure art installation in the middle of the Utah desert where concrete tunnels are aligned to channel the sun's rays at precise celestial moments.

Sally and Stephen Kern read to their kids pretty much every night, but one box of books is special, reserved for this time of year only.

"What's In a Song," the continuing series from the Western Folklife Center, takes a look at the origins of one of the hardiest of holiday perennials: "Silver Bells." It made its debut in a 1951 Bob Hope film, The Lemon Drop Kid.

The Screen Actors Guild plans to send strike authorization ballots to more than 100,000 union members Jan. 2. Votes will be counted on Jan. 23. That is nearly two weeks after the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, but ahead of the Feb. 22 Academy Awards show, which is the most important date on the Hollywood calendar.

NPR's Tom Goldman profiles Tex Winter, the 80-year-old assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. Now in his 56th year of coaching, the feisty and innovative Winter goes on the road less -- but shows no sign of slowing down -- as the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers pursue a 10th championship ring at the end of this season.

As artistic director of the Encores series at New York's City Center, Jack Viertel is the go-to guy for one of New York's hottest musical-theater tickets. Encores revives vintage Broadway musicals in limited runs, with minimal staging and actors reading from scripts. The latest Encores, Stairway to Paradise, stars Kristin Chenoweth in an homage to the musical revue; it runs May 10 to May 14. Viertel, who's also creative director for the Jujamcyn Theaters group, has been instrumental in bringing shows as diverse as M. Butterfly, Jelly's Last Jam, and The Producers to Broadway.

Newspaper editor Ron Franscell is still observing the repercussions of Hurricane Rita in Beaumont, Texas. He's also watching the World Series as it begins in Chicago. He reflects on what he learned from the national pastime.

Syria's civil war erupted again on Monday, just one day after the U.N. ended its monitoring mission in the country. Reporter Jon Lee Anderson joins NPR's John Donvan to discuss the different factions that are rising up amid the current confusion.