New Sweden: The “Secret” American Colony

by Eliot Stein BBC    Ask most Americans and they’ll tell you that the United States started in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 when the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.    But chances are, almost none of those coming realizes that the US’s political and ideological birthplace was once part of a little-known …

Kids At Lemonade Stand Robbed At Gunpoint

by Drew Pittock USA Today    A 14-year-old was arrested, and another suspect remains at large after an armed robbery at a lemonade stand in Boston, authorities said.    The Boston Police Department announced last month that it was investigating an armed robbery at a lemonade stand, involving two suspects believed to be around 14 and 11 …

The Secrets Hidden Within Art Masterpieces

by Dictionary Scoop    Art is often more than just visually stunning; it can carry deep, hidden meanings and symbols that offer a richer experience when understood.    From elements that tell part of the artwork’s story to deliberate messages and strange secrets, here are 15 famous artworks with hidden layers you might not have noticed before. 1-The Mona …

Five Choices For Disaffected American Expats

by Blake Bachelor CNN    (Blogger’s note: Yesterday we ran the first part of a BBC story explaining why many Americans, especially retirees, are leaving for other places. Today reporter Blake Bachelor gives details of just where to go and how best to thrive there.)    Here are five countries that are well-suited for retirees. …

I Say This “Fly Tipper” Got Off Too Easy

by Kevin Burton    I am guessing you are like me and had no previous idea what “fly tipping” is.    Fly tipping is “the activity of illegally leaving waste or unwanted objects next to a road, in a field,  in a river, etc.” according to the Cambridge Dictionary.    According to wordhistories.net, here’s how …

Three Things That All Great Listeners Do

by Allie Volpe Vox    Most of us would like to believe we’re good listeners — but the truth is, we all struggle to really pay attention when someone else is talking.    “Most of the time when you ask people, ‘How well do you think you’re doing at listening to people?,’ they’re going to …

No Translation Needed For Ten Universal Terms

by Dictionary Scoop    Learning languages can be hard. But fortunately some terms rooted in daily universal experiences don’t change much when crossing borders.    Let’s explore the stories behind some of the most spoken words on the planet. The question being: Why did these words barely change over time and across different languages?  1-OK    …

Strangers Build Community Via Co-Housing

by Charlotte Cox BBC    When Nikki Little and John Porter retired, they considered buying a bungalow for just the two of them.    Instead, they invested in a one million-pound  ($1.33 million US) house tucked away on Devon’s rugged and remote Hartland Peninsula – and looked for a community of like-minded people to join …

Mom Gave Me Birth, Gave Back My Birthday

by Kevin Burton    Today we talk birthdays on what would have been my mother’s 92nd. She died May 4, leaving an unfillable hole in my heart and life.    She is gone from this life but far, far from forgotten. There were many special days while mom was with us. Birthdays were among the …

You Were Born To Love Jesus, Other People

by Kevin Burton    My wife Jeannette sent me a devotional from the Bible app that leads with “Love is the beginning of everything.”    It’s written under the title, “The Great Love of Jesus.”    The closer I can stay to that theme and awareness, in what I do and say and pursue in …