Blind Author Shows Disabled As Real People

by Victoria Ivie San Gebriel Valley Tribune    Growing up blind, Fullerton-based author Melissa Whitney voraciously consumed representation of the blind community in media, hoping to connect with inclusive characters that reflect her and her disability.    “I always wanted a book where I could see myself as a main character,” Whitney said. “I can …

No Problem Youngstown, We Have Enough Gas

by Kevin Burton    Like most people, my wife Jeannette took driver’s education in high school. But it’s the driving advice of her father that never leaves her mind.    He counselled her never to let the gas tank go below half filled. So when she says we need gas, I know we’re not in …

What Does Blind Barbie Mean Really?

by Kevin Burton    I was on the road playing beep baseball when the e-mail notifications about the first blind Barbie doll came pouring in. And I mean they poured in, from every quarter.     I thought, that’s a story. But then I realized, I had no idea what to think or say about it. …

I Scream For This Belated Ice Cream Post

by Kevin Burton    If I  say “better late than never” do you say “amen”?      Well in this case, my wife does.    National Ice Cream month was last month, July, not August.  That I didn’t squeeze out a participatory post in honor of the occasion is a black mark against my blogging record. …

New Statue For Wichita, Jail Time For Thief

by Kevin Burton    The man who stole a bronze statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in prison for that and other crimes, as news came that a new statue will arrive in Wichita tomorrow.    Ricky Aldrete said a fentanyl addiction led to the crimes. Wichita police …

Lennon’s 1972 Peace Overture To McCartney

by Kevin Burton    How would music history be different, had an invitation sent in 1972 been received favorably?    The acrimony surrounding the Beatles’ breakup was not as fevered as Beatlemania itself – nothing else in music has ever been – but it was white hot.    But some two years after the split, John …

Understanding What Forgiveness Is Not

by Dane Massey    (Dane Massey is the former Pastor of Mulvane Christian Church. He is now in ministry in Houston, Texas.)      Last week we talked about forgiveness. Today let’s look at what forgiveness is not.    Forgiveness is not letting the other person off the hook. It is taking them off our hook …

From Merriam-Webster: Your Cheatin’ Words

by Kevin Burton    Here’s where country music meets the dictionary, a sleazy list of words from Merriam-Webster about adultery and/or its aftermath.    The Bible doesn’t have a hierarchy of sins, at least that I can find, but I sort of do.  Marital infidelity is very close to the worst in my estimation.    …

Imitate Jesus By Practicing Forgiveness

by Dane Massey    (Dane Massey is the former Pastor of Mulvane Christian Church. He is now in ministry in Houston, Texas.)       The thought that seems to permeate through II Cor. 3:18 is that we are “transformed” not by keeping outward rules but by “contemplating” (musing, looking upon intently, meditating) the Lord’s glory …

The Great Depression Featured Funny Money

by Dictionary Scoop    The Great Depression, a period of economic instability that lasted from the early 1930s until the end of the decade, was one of the most challenging times in American history. Kickstarted by the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, the recession hit hard, bankrupting thousands of businesses and leaving no one …