Author: Bruce Halen

I am a retired Middle School Science Teacher that loves to sing, ride bicycles and write. I am a Unitarian Universalist by religion and thrive on exercise to keep mentally and physically healthy and happy. I am an Ovo-Lacto vegetarian.
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Intellectual Humility

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

Braver Angels is working to bring Americans of different generations and beliefs together by engaging them in meaningful and sincere conversations together. I donate money to Braver Angels, but I am also currently engaged in a cross generational conversation in an effort to see the world through the lens of someone with different experiences from my own.

I chose to engage in a cross generational conversation because I wanted to work on myself and my ability to step back from my beliefs and listen to someone else. Listen without trying to correct or convince is a vital skill that is needed to put the “United” back in the United States of America.

One of the foundational ideas of Braver Angels is Intellectual Humility. It’s purpose is to remind each of us that as intelligent and gifted as each of us is, our personal perspective is another one of billions of intelligent and gifted opinions about the world and how it works. The idea is a simple one. Open yourself up to the thoughts and feelings of others while not abandoning or over emphasizing your own thoughts.

Conversations are based on the principle of what I will refer to as “Deep Listening.” One person shares while the other person listens. The use of “I” statements while avoiding “You” statements is a cornerstone part of the Braver Angels way of doing things.

Braver Angels may or may not be for you, but the courage of it’s founders and members to reach out in an effort to fix what is broken is not only admirable, but vital. There are other organizations doing similar work and I urge you to seek them out in an effort to open your head to different intellectual thinking. In the process, you will most likely also open your heart. That is what is happening to me in the early stages of my ongoing conversation with a young person from Central Georgia.

Just the simple act of reaching out and making yourself vulnerable is an attitude and life changing experience.

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Black History Month 2: Black History is American History

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

Black history is American history (A satirical clip from Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” 2002 summarizes American history in 3:42).

Any honest depiction of a comprehensive history of the United States must include Black history. More broadly speaking , Black history aside from being a story of the African diaspora in America for the past 500 years, is the story that serves as a spotlight on what it means to not have white skin in America. That is a story for another month, but one that is inextricably joined at the hip with Black History.

Perhaps it is more accurate to say that American history is merely a part of the larger story of America’s Black history. Black history is a comprehensive look at the whole of history not just cherry picked parts of it. The study of Black history is the study of long suffering as laid out in the Bible. Black history is the study of politics and the patience and perseverance required to pass the Civil Rights Act and to add the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution after the Civil War. Black history is the history of the struggle of women to be treated as equals to men. Black history is enduring unspeakable physical and emotional abuse and teaching what forgiveness looks like. Black history is enduring the ravages of time knowing that a greater kingdom awaits. Black History is raw and honest unlike White History.

Studying and at least partially understanding Black history opens up the window to the soul of America. It also opens up the window to truth, reconciliation and healing that will help mend our torn nation.

Black history is more important than white history. It is the real deal. It is the flesh and blood reality of the idealism set forth in the Constitution. All of the happy and all of the sad. It is the real deal. Nothing sugar-coated about it. It’s the real thing.

Black history is the thing that white America doesn’t want to hear, but must hear. As this Black History Month draws to a close, don’t let your interest in it fade away just because it is no longer February. Read, watch, talk and listen to America through the lens of Black History. We continue to ignore it at our peril.

Here’s some material to help in our continuing study of Black history.

Peace be with you.

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Turn Your Sights to Putin and XI

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

I’m done spending any time on Trump. He’s a two-bit puppet-man grifter working for President Putin of Russia and President Xi of China. Putin pulls Trump’s strings and Xi operates behind the scenes to support Russia and protect it from Western sanctions against Russian oil proceeds as Putin continues on his mission to undermine Western democracy.

Authoritarians stick together. Putin and Xi have lots of experience in this area. Xi is careful not to dirty his own hands, but is more than willing to have Putin dirty his in the quest for global domination.

My personal attention now is on how can Putin and Xi be diminished to the point where they no longer have the power to maintain control over one of America’s two main political parties? The Republican Party is getting it’s marching orders from Moscow. Of that, there is very little to no question. The chaotic and disjointed behavior of GOP legislators at the state and federal levels in recent years is the smoke. Putin and Xi lit the fires. Cut at least one of the heads off this two headed snake and the Republican Party will mercifully die and provide room for a new party committed to the American Constitution to take it’s place. One that is free and clear of the outsider interest that brought us Trump in the first place.

This won’t happen over night, but with help from the American voter in 2024, the process can be nudged along in that direction.

No longer will the United States be openly and brazenly hacked by foreign powers. No longer will gun violence be allowed to run unabated; No longer will common criminal behavior be allowed in positions of great political power and influence; No longer will Americans be subject to the obscene levels of mis- and disinformation that come with direct outside involvement in our domestic politics; No longer will Americans die or suffer unnecessarily because rationality and science are ignored; No longer must we accept that we are Red and Blue; No longer will “alternative facts” interrupt our decision making processes; No longer will immigrants be demonized;

Trump is a waste of your time. We need to throw water on Putin and Xi and see what emerges from the smoke!

God bless us all.

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The Putin-Trump Connection

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

Like I said in a previous post, I’m a big picture thinker. I’ll also confess to being a political conspiracy theorist. The difference between most Right Wing conspiracy theories revolving around the 2020 Election is that there is no evidence to back up any of the claims. It is based on virtually nothing, nada, zip, zero, zilch factual information.

On the other hand, my Conspiracy theory is that Russian President-for-Life Vladimir Putin successfully tampered with the 2016 election in order to get Donald Trump elected president. He has his claws sunk deeply into Donald Trump. Donald Trump has his claws sunk deeply into the MAGA controlled Republican Party. The MAGA controlled Republican Congress is holding up aid to Israel and Ukraine despite massive concessions in a Bi-partisan bill that offers Mexican border security provisions that past iterations of the Republican Party would have tripped over themselves to pass.

There is at least some smoke coming from my conspiracy theory campfire. The 2020 Election denial theories are, well, simply based on pure fiction. And the fiction is about as good as fiction can get.

Why is the MAGA controlled Republican Congress refusing to address the Bi-partisan bill? Speaker Mike Johnson in the House of Representatives is calling the Senate-produced bill “dead-on-arrival.” He will not even allow the bill to reach the House floor for debate. Does Trump’s relationship with Putin have anything to do with this decision by Mike Johnson?

I have more questions than answers, but, be honest, who doesn’t like a GOOD Conspiracy theory? Stay tuned, the fun is only beginning.

Instead of trying to offer an inadequate summary of the evidence in the Putin-Trump connection, read it here for yourself. Pick and choose which evidence you want to read, there’s 448 pages of it.

Report-on-Russian-Interference-in-2015-ElectionDownload
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Don’t Stop Believin’

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

The title to Journey’s song “Don’t Stop Believin'” resonates with me. The lyrics are fine, but the title and the tune are stuck in my head. An ear worm that, to it’s credit helps to cover the tinitus buzzing in my head.

It also helps to keep positive thought and feelings guiding me through each day. A few weeks ago, a member of our church, former judge and tireless advocate for changes in the way juvenile offenders are treated by the state California, spoke to our congregation about her current work to change policy at the state level. She also shared her book of affirmations that she wrote during COVID. The book was written for kids, but I am finding the daily messages a balm to soothe my soul.

I am so thankful for my church and for the people and messages that fill me with positivity and solutions to real issues facing us. After reading and hearing about House Speaker Mike Johnson’s “dead on arrival” line regarding Bi-partisan Senate legislation aimed at getting aid packages to Ukraine and Israel along with dealing with issues at the border with Mexico, I let out a blood curding rant in response that fortunately no one else in this house could hear, except maybe the neighbors (I hope not because it wasn’t a proud moment). It also couldn’t have done my tinitus any good.

Fortunately, I almost immediately reached for the book of affirmations and read today’s message: “I share things with others. Sharing my things with another makes me feel happy inside my heart. I enjoy how sharing allows me to do my part. Sharing isa way to express love and kindness. My life is full of ways to make life visible.”

I started breathing deeply again and began to feel calmness return. I got on the computer and made small donations to two voting rights organizations. Every Monday, I choose two organizations or candidates and give them a small monetary donation. The affirmation reminded me that the best thing that I can do each day is to share goodness with others. It feels so good. I can’t tell you the sense of peace that came over me when I made those donations.

Don’t stop believing that this world is a good place. It has its problems, but it is made up of good places and good people. It is not the irretrievable mess that some would have you believe. After all, you are a part of it and you are good people. Keep spreading goodness and kindness, especially when you experience the opposite. It is the balm “that heals the sin sick soul.”

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Black History Month

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

Respect.

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Let Me Know When I Can Laugh

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

I want to say that I’ve been right all along. I probably have been, but it would be far too arrogant for a retired middle school science teacher to say that about anything, let alone politics in the U.S of A. in the early part of the 21st Century.

Maybe it would be better to say that it isn’t arrogant to speak your opinion (or write them as I prefer to do), but it would be arrogant to think that anyone was actually following me or, pray God, listening to me or, shockingly, agreeing with me. Now that is the epitome of arrogance. I don’t entertain any fantasy that I should be taken seriously.

I’m a big picture thinker. I often hesitate to write on specific topics because I just don’t know enough about virtually anything in order to have an opinion on anything. Thank God that there are people that I can read or listen to that actually know something that I can have an opinion on. Because I’m simply not going to take the time to dwelve deeply enough into anything, even singing, that would be worth taking the time to read in order to learn something.

I’m the antithesis of author and all-arround interesting dude, Bill Bryson. Bryson’s book “A Brief History of Just About Everything” shows that one person can accumulate (or convince you that he has accumulated) enough knowledge to write a self proclaimed history of everything. Even though he addresses an amazing variety of topics with an equally amazing amount of lucidity, Bryson is really taking a poke at himself in this book. That’s what makes it so much fun. When you’re not thinking “oh, I didn’t know that, that’s cool, you’ll most likely be laughing because Bryson has a great sense of humor and a much larger than average way of communicating that humor to make things funny.

It’s ok to laugh. In fact, you better spend more time laughing because it’s good for you. Just ask the Mayo Clinic as I did. In fact, googling for information is my second most effective method of information gathering. It is second only to listening to my wife read or summarize news stories from the New York Times or the Washington Post.

No, no, don’t stop laughing! Just because I read those left wing rags, they don’t make me dull, boring and unlikable. Us liberals really do have a sense of humor. Mine has taken a few hits since June 16, 2015 (and somewhat before that but 2015 is my standard and I’m sticking with it). I have to laugh at anything and everything that I can given that so much of what is going on makes you want to cry instead of laugh.

Because I intend to continue laughing beyond November 5, 2024, I’m going to seek out things that make me laugh and smile while working my ass off to make sure that all of us Americans have something to smile and laugh about come November 6, 2024 and January 20, 2025.

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Battle of the Bulge?

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

The “Battle of the Bulge” is widely called the greatest battle in U.S. Military history. World War 2 was nearing it’s end and it was just before Christmas (December 16, 1944), when an unexpected German counter offensive in the Ardennes forest of Belgium caught Allied forces off guard. The offensive resulted in a giant bulge in the 85 mile long Allied front line in the densely forested area.

German tanks and infantry actually breached the line on Day 1 of the military action. Reinforcements were called in to support the battle weary troops in the bitterly cold, wet and foggy and snowy conditions of the Ardennes over the next several days. One of the units called in to reinforce the beleaguered American soldiers was the 101st Airborne Division, a battle hardened group that was asked to to hold the vital transportation hub of Bastogne. Things remained bleak for Allied forces and Bastogne was surrounded by German forces.

On December 22, the German Commander sent a message to the Commanding General of the 101st. Upon receipt of the message, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe was said to have replied with the one word answer, “Nuts!”

Three days later on Christmas Day, the weather broke allowing allied aircraft to take control of the skies over the Ardennes. The 101st held on until Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army arrived to liberate Bastogne and drive German forces back across the Rhine into Germany. Within five months, the war in Europe would be over thanks to the heroic actions of American soldiers throughout the Ardennes.

So what does this have to do with anything? It was a battle fought early eighty years ago far away in Europe. Who cares?

Well, I bring it back into the light because to me it seems analogous to the political battle being waged against democracy in the United States. In America, we thought that the war was won (The Revolutionary War) and that we would be able to occupy our place of power in the world using a Capitalist economic system covered by a thin veneer of Democracy.

That thin veneer of democracy is bulging now and the opposition forces have breached the lines and have surrounded the people and institutions trying to hold on against the counter offensive of those that want democracy to fail.

A Legislative body that is hell bent to do nothing in defense of Democracy, a Judicial branch that has been turned into a partisan shit show and the very real possibility that the Executive Branch will be controlled by a petulant, vindictive, delusional and well protected former president that has no future outside of prison unless he becomes president again.

So, in the words of the commanding general at Bastogne, I say “NUTS!” to the surrounding forces asking us defenders of democracy to surrender. The fight is just beginning, the clouds are starting to part and reinforcements are on the way.

God bless you all regardless of where you stand (or sit) on the political spectrum. It’s going to be an interesting 2024 and I plan on not being a spectator.

Bruce

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Boy is it a good time for “Boys in the Boat”

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

During the throes of the great Depression of the 1930’s with the world economy in a shambles emerges a story as unlikely as it is inspirational and encouraging for the future of democracy.

It was an Olympic year and, as fate would have it, Germany was hosting the 1936 Summer Olympics. Adolf Hitler’s white supremacy and anti-Semitism were ramping up in Germany against the backdrop of a world mired in a great economic downturn. Back in the United States a story was unfolding that involved the sport of Rowing, a sport with a limited following and a reputation of being for elite kids.

In preparation for the Games, Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi chief propagandist for Hitler, carefully white-washed any outward signs of the blatant anti-Semitic Nazi regime and programmed the German people on how they should behave while the world was focused on Berlin and Germany. The world would not see Germany for what it was truly becoming. The world would see the perfectly normal, well adjusted and prosperous society that Hitler wanted to portray to the world.

The real story of “Boys in the Boat” is about nine boys from the state of Washington who came together to crew an eight person boat (the ninth person being the guy who called out the strokes per minute, known as the Coxswain). These young Americans were the sons of fishermen, loggers, shipyard workers and farmers. They were all students at the University of Washington in Seattle struggling to make their way through school. All of them were far from being considered elite.

On the other side of the world, Hitler was billing his German athletes as the best in the world. Superior to the athletes from other countries because they were pure blood Aryans. Hitler was using the 1936 Olympics to make his case for White Supremacy. He wanted to make a strong statement about the superiority of the Germanic race. Hitler wanted to demonstrate the eliteness of the German people.

The German boat was good, but the British were seen as the boat to beat. The Brits eight man boat was made up of students from Oxford and Cambridge, two of the most elite universities in Great Britain.

So, the stage was set for the athletic proxy battle between Fascist Germany and Democratic United States. I won’t give away the results, but suffice it to say that this is a feel good story and one that Americans should be reading and or seeing right now. I have read the book. The movie is good, see it when you can. The book is better and is worth the read.

Hang in there and be well.

Posted on

Thanks David Brooks and Braver Angels

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

Wherever you see text underlined, you will find links to supplemental materials that I recommend for reading or listening.

Just in case you hadn’t noticed, I am quite strident in my opinions about MAGA, Donald Trump and Facism. That has not and will not change under any circumstances. I will continue to contribute where I can to making sure Trump is not reelected to his previous elected office (calling the office by it’s name and putting Trump in the same sentence is just not something I want to do. It doesn’t do justice to the office).

The denizens of disinformation provide the vilest, divisive, hateful speech since Joseph Goebbels did it for Hitler in the 1930s and 40s.

But, New York Times Columnist David Brooks has provided me with a new and positive way to approach conversations on difficult topics with people that disagree with me. I can’t do much about those “denizens of disinformation” (mostly, but not entirely, from the political far right) that has being foisted on the American people over the past eight years since Trump was imposed on us in 2016, but I can do something about how I approach individuals on a one-to-one personal, real world, mano-a-mano context.

Brooks’ new book “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen” is my next read in parallel with Rachel Maddow’s “Prequel.” If you can spare hour or so over the holidays, here is Brooks talking about the book. If you only have five minutes or so, here is an abridged version from the PBS NewsHour where Brooks is a regular guest commentator,

The place where I learned about this book was on a podcast called “A Braver Way” produced by a group called “Braver Angels.” In this episode of “A Braver Way,” Brooks is interviewed by Monica Guzman. If you have about a half hour to spare, listen to this discussion between two people that we could stand to listed to in these difficult times about how to be with each other.

Some things I learned about from them are USA Facts, informal helping, being an “illuminator” instead of a “diminisher,” being a LOUD Listener, approaching people with your heart instead of your head and to avoid labels because “labels make you invisible.”

May we all go into the New Year by leading with our hearts.

Peace and have a wonderful holiday season and opening of 2024,

Bruce