by Kevin Burton My fifth grade teacher Mrs. Groves is the first one I can remember asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up. She asked the whole class. We took turns peering into the future with ten-year-old eyes. If memory serves I said I wanted to be a news moderator …
Neil Sedaka And How I Loved His Second Act
by Kevin Burton I love laughter, I love rain, and I love me some Neil Sedaka. So the news that Sedaka died Feb. 27 at age 86, stung. I never knew the man of course. Never got within 100 miles of him as far as I know. Yet he was a friend …
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A “Knocker-Upper” Isn’t What You Think It Is
by Dictionary Scoop Social, economic, and technological changes, along with the emergence of new consumer habits, have led to the disappearance of certain jobs that were once popular and profitable. Here is a list of ten English words describing occupations and professions that are rare or have become obsolete: 1-Alewife Did you know that women …
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People Are Leaving The ‘Uncool’ USA
by Nick Lichtenberg Fortune Magazine In 1883, American poet Emma Lazarus wrote “The New Colossus” during an age of great immigration to the New World, as part of an effort to fund the pedestal for France’s gift to the United States: the Statue of Liberty in New York City. “‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ …
Animal Architects Following God’s Directions
by Kevin Burton Your cat or dog might not be doing what you tell them to, but they are doing what God told them to, behaving according to God’s design for them. Mark Twain said, “Man is the only animal that blushes – or needs to.” Well, man, is not an animal, but …
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A Name For Nobodies (Like Me) On The Net
by Kevin Burton Have I been snickering up my sleeve a bit as Merriam-Webster slings names at various miscreants? Well, what goes around, comes around. This is the third and final post looking at “A Handy Guide to Ruffians, Rapscallions, Cads and More, 22 Charming Words for Nasty People” published by the …
Alaskan Hooligans And Bad, Bad Spelling
by Kevin Burton Acts 17:5 describes “lewd fellows of the baser sort” who were aroused into a mob to oppose the early church. We examine their kind with the help of Merriam-Webster dictionary. The dictionary has compiled “A Handy Guide to Ruffians, Rapscallions, Cads and More,” calling it “22 Charming Words for Nasty People.” We …
What If God Saw Fit To Change Your Name?
by Kevin Burton The Bible records instances when God placed a person’s life on a significantly different trajectory, and drove home the point by changing their name./ We looked into some of those yesterday. For example, God changed that noted trickster Jacob’s name, which meant “supplanter,” to “Israel,” meaning “having power with God.” …
Why Did God Change Some People’s Name?
by Kevin Burton It blows me away that the sovereign God of the universe knows me by name, and in fact knows me inside and out. In this world I am anonymous, well beyond insignificant. I make almost no difference at all in the grand scheme of things. Think of it that way …
Some Charming Words For Nasty People
by Kevin Burton My assigned task was to write past-due notices to customers. Dry enough, but I had some fun with it. I was working as an office assistant at a photo lab in Columbus, Ohio. We were in the not-so-busy season, taking care of things that didn’t get done during the busy …
Unsung Inventions Make The World Go Round
by Dictionary Scoop Some inventions rewired the world — yet most of us hardly think about them. They’re not flashy like smartphones or rockets, but they quietly shape daily life, industries, and even global economies. From ball bearings to barcodes, here are ten unsung technologies and materials that made the modern world possible. 1-Ball bearings …
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