You Talk Funny, Sonny: 12 American Accents

by Dictionary Scoop    The U.S. is a collection of regional accents, derived from waves of immigration, geography, and history. Let’s take a look at how some of the most recognizable American accents came to be. 1-California    California accents may seem subtle, but they’re deeply rooted in the state’s layered history. Spanish was the dominant …

Good News! Taking Action, Saving Lives

by Kevin Burton    The Good News Network is a good place to hang out. It’s a place to find stories Paul Harvey would have liked.    Good news above the fold for a change, and why not?    “Above the fold” refers to the part of a newspaper that shows in a newspaper box. …

Goalball Gives Blind Players Community

by Todd Strain KNSD TV7 San Diego    If you were looking at the Stagecoach gym floor in Carlsbad during a recent Sunday, you’d see athletic shoes, knee pads, goals and balls — just like your average sporting event. The only difference is no one on the court that day could see.    This was …

Is Small Talk A Big Help In Making Friends?

by Kevin Burton    Are we going today from sublime to ridiculous?  Or is that just my bias?    Yesterday we ran part of a Los Angeles Times story about making friends in our adult years. We finish that story, by reporter Seraphina Seow today.    Psychologists interviewed by The Times, offered five suggestions for …

Rediscovering The Lost Art Of Making Friends

by Seraphina Seow Los Angeles Times    A friend of mine has been hoping to make new friends as a 26-year-old. She’s made every effort to put herself out there: joined clubs, volunteered, initiated catch-ups.    But every time she establishes a new connection, it wanes after a few weeks. She suspects that it may be …

Good News! Quicksand Love, Cows In Distress

by Kevin Burton     An Indiana boy who was paying attention and cared, saved the day for a young mother.    A young mother cow that is.    “A nine-year-old boy was convinced something was wrong when he spotted a cow in a field acting erratically—and he would not stop begging his mother to turn …

Quibbles And Bits: Sorry Drew, Didn’t Mean It!

by Kevin Burton    In a recent post about Elton John and his struggles with vision loss, I made an offhanded, rash statement. Today I make a correction.    I hope it’s not too late.    I wondered in print about what I would say to Sir Elton about blindness in the very unlikely event …

Blind Lawyer Pioneer Fought For The Disabled

by Kevin Burton     Here’s the story of a woman I had never heard of before, who could and should be put on a US postage stamp.    As a woman and a disabled person, she was way ahead of her time in effectively fighting the good fight for marginalized people. May God bless any …

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 …

Bonnie Raitt Supports A Free Press, Journalism

by Kevin Burton    I love Bonnie Raitt more this week than I did before, and that’s saying something.    Raitt announced Monday that proceeds from her Sept. 23 concert in Carmel By The Sea, California, will go to support investigative journalism and protect a free press.    “Special guest Roy Rogers will support the …