https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

Back in the now that I look back it I didn’t have a clue days. The ones where I was 18 going on eight or 20 going on 10, I fancied myself a journalist. You might recognize that those ages coincide nicely with the high school and college daze.

I was a decent writer and journalism offered opportunities to write. So, I thought I might like to be a journalist. That was the level of my thinking when I was 18 going on eight or 20 going on 10.

So, when I graduated with some good newspaper and yearbook instruction in my tool kit from Miss Pam Pillsbury at Mt. Whitney High School, I decided to call myself a Journalism major at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, CA. At 18 going on eight , when going away to school meant going to the Junior College two blocks from home, I called myself a Journalism major.

I had good experiences at COS in publications (newspaper and yearbook). I don’t remember exactly why I changed my mind except that my incredible Journalism instructor Mr. Claud Snelling was murdered while confronting an intruder in his home. I don’t know if it was because I had another awesome teacher at COS, this time in Geography. I fell in love with Geography and went on to eventually get a BA in Geography from Fresno State.

After that it was completing all the coursework for a Masters in Community and Regional Planning at CSUFresno before somehow deciding that I didn’t want to do the thesis to finish the degree. A case of 22 going on 12, I guess.

A few years later after over 30 years in public education, I look back at what might have been if I had actually become a Journalist. I have started to write again. Not super stuff, not the investigative stuff of Woodward and Bernstein during Watergate, not the work being. done by the pros at the New York Times and others, but writing. I find it cathartic.

I also find that I have more respect for those that have made journalism their career. Good investigative truth telling with the five W’s, facts and evidence to back your thesis. The good journalism that Miss Pillsbury and Mr. Snelling tried to teach me back when I was 18 going on eight and 20 going on 10. Thanks Miss P and Mr. S for teaching me the importance of fact and truth in writing news articles for “The Pioneer” and whatever we called the paper at COS. Maybe my editor at COS will refresh my memory.

My message? Tell the truth, speak the truth, recognize the truth, live the truth. Don’t settle for anything less.

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

It’s been awhile since I last posted anything. For some of you, that’s probably a relief. Others might actually have missed my musings. Whichever one of those you are, I’m baaack.

The last six weeks of Spring were busy. I worked as a substitute teacher at Cabrillo, my former school of 20 years . Most of the 35 days that I worked during the 2021-22. school year were between February and May. I had a two week gig working with the Band and Orchestra kids getting ready for their Spring Concert. That was particularly fun as I got to be on the other side of the waving baton.

My volunteer work at the Unitarian Church also picked up. Virtual recording for the choir and in person small group singing in the Sanctuary occupied many hours as well as serving on the Interim Minister Search Committee and working on the Tech Team that is responsible for making worship and special event services accessible via Zoom.

So, time for writing has been at a premium. There is so much to say, but I’m going to ease my way back into it. Here are a few topics that I have jotted in my notebook for possible future posts:

1.  Jesus Toppling Merchants Tables on the Temple Mount
2.  Conflict/Trauma and the Interim Minister Search Process
3.  Teaching a lesson on Penguin and Whale Identification in a 2nd Grade 
    classroom days after the Uvalde school massacre.
4.  Why all the unnecessary human caused chaos? (Climate Change, COVID, 
    Race, gun violence)
5.  Smoke and Mirrors:  How Fascists, Fossil Fuel Companies, Racists and Religious 
    Extremists are using disinformation to destroy Democracy
6.  H.O.P.E.:  Which of these versions would you choose?
    
   a.  Hopelessness, Oppression, Pessimism, Enmity 

                         OR

   b.  Happiness, Opportunity, Pride, Enthusiasm

7.  Gun Violence and the lack of resolve to act on it

I’m very concerned about the upcoming mid-term elections in November. If history is followed and the party in the White House gets bounced out in the Congress, we as a nation are in deep shit. The chances of 6a. above becoming the reality is a very real possibility.

My feeling, that has only strengthened since the emergence of the puppet Trump, is that this is the right wing’s last gasp to maintain its old world order. Rich, White and powered by fossil fuel.

Stay tuned as I continue to shine a light into the darkness.

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

One of your fellow readers suggested some common sense actions that can be taken including these two. If you think of any others, please share them with me and I will share them with my readership. Thanks, Bruce

sandyhookpromise.org

https://contactsenators.com/kentucky/mitch-mcconnell. (Send a daily email urging McConnell to give H.R. 8 a hearing in the Senate).

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

When you are finished with your thoughts and prayers, direct your full attention and energy to the United States Senate. They need to pass Background Check legislation approved by the House three years ago as H.R. 8.

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

Composer Kurt Bestor composed this song based on the effect that this tragic civil war between Bosnians, Croatians and Serbians was having on the children of the region. The civil war occurred in the aftermath of the death of Yugoslavia’s strongman president Josef Tito in 1980 and continued into the mid 1990’s. Read more about it by following this link to the story behind “Prayer of the Children” found on Mr. Bestor’s website.

I first sang this song in the mid 1990’s with the Bakersfield Masterworks Chorale. It brought the war home to me. Even though it was in a distant far off land that I knew almost nothing about, the tune and the words were forever to be etched in my memory as a singer and as a human being. The BMC performance of this piece was a live performance. I sang it with tears streaming town my face while makings every effort that I could to produce the sound and words that would give our audience to have their own reactions to the message of the song.

As the scope of the tragic war in Ukraine unfolded, it became evident that the level of suffering for children in Ukraine has reached the levels of those in the post Yugoslavian Balkan states. When Unitarian Universalist choir director John Ector brought this song back in 2022, I was more than ready to add my voice to the choir tasked with performing and recording this piece in the context of the invasion of Ukraine.

This time the song was recorded in virtual choir form. Each member of the choir digitally recorded one or more tracks and submitted them to Ector who then turned them into a choral piece using his skills as a musician and sound engineer. I think that my vocal quality was improved in this 2022 performance. Normally I thrive on performing in front of a live audience, but in this case I believe that performing in front of a microphone alone in my back room recording “studio” was the most effective venue for sharing this piece and communicating the message embedded within it.

I am including this recording by the Alegria Singers of the First Unitarian Church of San Jose, California for you to experience. Any re-use of the song is subject to the approval of Mr. John Ector who arranged this song for Alegria.

I recommend that you close your eyes and listen with headphones or ear buds to enhance the listening experience and get the most out of the piece. Enjoy.

Thanks,

Bruce

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

I had said that I would be focusing on the topic of love. I intend to honor that pledge today in Singing Cyclist style.

It is hard to address Love unless it is addressed in the context of Life. The two are both four letter words that start with “L” and the two words would seem to have a universal acceptance as words that draw good feelings from the frontal lobe of the human brain.

These two four letter words are far more pleasing to the frontal lobe than another four letter word starting with the sixth letter of the alphabet that I have used far too often over the past Trump number of years.

I’m not getting into the origins, religious attachments or romantic aspects of the word yet, but they will eventually be addressed here. I am going to opine about the role of Love in the world today.

I mean the world in this unspecified period of time when we Earthlings are transitioning from oligarchies to true democracies, from pure capitalism to envirocapitalism, from racial superiority culture to multiracial inclusionary culture.

We are in the midst of a titanic last ditch effort by dark forces to hold onto the political, economic and cultural systems of the past. So far, the dark forces appear to be winning. They have been preparing for these last days for decades. Now that the light has been shined on them, they are starting to squirm much like an Earthworm exposed to sunlight after blissfully burrowing in the darkness of the underworld.

But, they are in a position of power. They are using tools that for the rational person would seem inhumane, ignorant and illogical. Rationality cannot be assumed in the United States of America today. It has been purposefully undermined by disinformation and propaganda by disingenuous forces disguising themselves under a thin veneer of racial division, COVID chaos and warfare against peaceful people practicing democracy.

About midway through writing this piece, I watched a segment on the TV show 60 Minutes highlighting a project by National Public Radio called Story Corps. The concept behind StoryCorps came from the mind of NPR Producer Dave Isay. You can view an animated history of the project here.

"StoryCorps' mission is to preserve and share humanity's stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world."

The focus of the 60 Minutes piece was another project that emerged in the spirit of StoryCorps putting a focus on getting people from opposite sides of the political spectrum together to talk. The program is called “One Small Step.” It provides a forum to talk with someone with an opposing political belief and to find some common ground with them by listening to their story.

I have tended to take a confrontational and sometimes antagonist tone in my writings. Although I believe that love needs to sometimes be tough, I think that Dave Isay and his staff at NPR are right on with “One Small Step.” As Dave said in his 60 Minutes interview, and I paraphrase: You won’t change anyones mind by calling them dumb, stupid or out of touch.

The link to how to get involved with “One Small Step” is linked in the previous paragraph.

We are all trying to make sense of a world that it is hard to find sense in these days. Perhaps we can take a lesson from “One Step at a Time” and step away from the anger of ignorance and take a step toward the peace of talking with each other.

Coming back to finish this after breakfast and after reading a Letter to the Editor in my local paper , The San Jose Mercury News, I am once again reminded of the power of disinformation and propaganda. My previous response would have been anger and vulgarity toward Mr. Gutmann. My new response is how about we try to find some common ground and talk to each other human being to human being. Thanks to Dave Isay and to Mr. Gutmann for coming together to bring about this change in me.

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

Composer Jason Shelton’s song “Love Has Already Won” is a valuable song just in it’s title let alone in the song’s lyrics. I’m going to be spending a considerable amount time in this blog examining the topic of Love.

“Love Has Already Won”
Words and Music by Jason Shelton
Keyboard Processing, Engineering, and Vocals by John M Ector
Copyright © 2017 Jason Shelton

1. 
In the flash of hate and terror
In the sinful lie of fear
There’s a yearning deep in ev’ry soul
A longing to hear:

Refrain: 
Love has already won,
love has already won,
just as sure as the day greets the morning sun.
Love has already won,
Love has already won!
Be not afraid, love has already won.
2. 
Will this violence break our spirits?
Will this pain tear us apart?
There’s an answer deep in ev’ry soul
This truth in our hearts:

Refrain: 
Love has already won,
love has already won,
just as sure as the day greets the morning sun.
Love has already won,
Love has already won!
Be not afraid, love has already won.

3. 
Let us rise in love and justice
Let us heed the prophets’ call
May the faithfulness of ev’ry soul
Bring hope for us all
Refrain (last time): 
Love has already won,
love has already won,
just as sure as the day greets the morning sun.
Love has already won,
Love has already won!
Be not afraid, love has already won.
Be not afraid, love has already won.
Be not afraid, love has already won.

Events over the past several years, more specifically since Donald Trump stepped into the political arena and somehow managed to become President of the United States, I have been forced to examine more closely what the word “Love” means. Where did the word come from, why is it important, what does it look like, how does it affect us, how it applies to our adversaries and much more I’m sure.

This piece begins my examination of Love. Thanks to the First Unitarian Church of San Jose, Jason Shelton, John M. Ector and the technical wizardry of the FUCSJ Tech team for sharing this piece at the multi-platform service of March 20, 2022. The next posting will be centered around another musical offering by John M. Ector. This piece is titled “Love Is.”

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 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

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The 23rd Psalm from the King James Version of the Christian Bible

Donald Trump's performance at CPAC on behalf of the Russsian dictator was an open act of sedition.  Ask these 16 Republican Senators that supported reauthorizing the Civil Rights Act in 2008 how they feel about supporting federal voting rights legislation now! 

Sens. McConnell, Grassley, Shelby, Crapo, Collins, Burr, Inhofe, Graham, Thune, Cornyn, Blackburn, Blunt, Boozman, Capito, Moran, and Wicker.

It takes a little longer the first time that you make email contact, but once you've done it, the process goes pretty fast.

Sample Message:  "Donald Trump spoke out in favor of Vladimir Putin at CPAC.  Trump supports tyrants and tyranny.  What side do you stand on?"

In peace and action.

“Anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”

Voltaire

(Note that underlined text are links to more information to help you understand my opinion better)

Max Wilner-Giwerc, a law student at the University of Chicago makes the point in an Op-Ed published this morning in the San Jose Mercury News, that the current work stoppage in Major League Baseball could be solved with one revolutionary change in the conflict resolution process between players and owners.

Let the fans decide.

Former MLB Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, a former professor of Renaissance Literature and the Seventh Commissioner of MLB for way too short a time, said during the

“[Baseball] breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall all alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.”

― A. Bartlett Giamatti, Take Time For Paradise: Americans And Their Games

1981 Baseball strike in a statement directed at both players and owners: “Remember that you are custodians of an enduring public trust.” He was suggesting that the public, the fans should be the arbitrator in resolving the “mercantile spats,” and “squalid little squabbles” that stood in the way of getting on the field and playing the game.

Wilner-Gewerc disagreed with Giamatti in that we, the fans of the game, do care about the “mercantile spats” and “squalid little squabbles” because they are about fairness, equity and justice and we deeply care about those things in baseball and in the wider world outside baseball (what? world outside baseball? Absurd notion).

The way baseball arbitration works is that in certain salary disputes where a player and a team cannot agree on a salary, both sides can submit their proposals to a third party arbitrator who must choose one of the two proposals as the final solution to the standoff. There is no splitting the difference, it is either this one or that one. Their choice will be made between the two proposals.

Wilner-Gewerc suggests that applying this concept to the current MLB lockout might stand to benefit from this system of baseball arbitration as a way to moderate the proposals from each side and facilitate a faster resolution to the issues standing in the way of starting Spring Training this year. Wilner-Gewerc suggests that the arbitrator assigned to decide on which proposals are to be implemented should be…drum roll please…THE FANS!

I agree with Mr. Wilner-Gewerc. We, the public, should be the final arbiters of the public trust.

Dammit, “Play ball!”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Here is a link to watch the documentary film ” Mission : Joy” made of the 2015 meeting between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu in Dharamshala, India. It is a film based on Douglas Abram’s book “The Book of Joy..” This link is good until Tuesday, February 15. It is just under 90 minutes long. Please find time to watch it.

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine’s Day! I love you.