Words Have Power Your Words Have Power as Well.

Talking to People You Don't Know

Over the last few decades I have seen the results of Fear Poles. Enviably the Fear of Public Speaking would be in the top three on the lists. Often, Public Speaking would be listed higher than The Fear of Death. This makes sense because you only die once and no one really grasps that it is going to happen to them today -- but giving a talk at the office could happen any time, any day, on the whim of unpredictable people in positions of power.

Meeting new people at a business gathering or social event is not that much different -- at least in the Fear Factor area. Instead of being placed in front and lit up for ridicule. Social parties are more like "Snakes on a Plane". The whole thing feels stupid, but those are still snakes and you are still trapped on a plane.

Thoughts on Blame vs Fault

Does Blame and Fault mean the same thing?

 i.e.  "It's your fault",
"You are the one to blame."

Fault is a geological term we use to point out the error, crack, deficient area of skill -- "It's your fault" This is your mistake, your hole in the ground -- thus there is a specific error. You can point at it.

Blame is to accuse, or denounce but not with the specific reason as a requirement. Blame is a short word for Blaspheme as well.

They are synonymous certainly, but I don't feel they are the "same" in meaning.

Sympathy Emotion Encyclopedia for Writers

Emotion Encyclopedia for Writers

EMOTIVE: SYMPATHY

TYPE: COMPLEX

DEFINITION: 'sym·pa·thy || 'sɪmpəθɪaffinity, understanding; compassion, pity, concern, commiseration, empathy; approval

DESCRIPTION

Sympathy (from the Greek words syn "together" and pathos "feeling" which means "fellow-feeling") is the perception, understanding, and reaction to the distress or need of another human being.

This emphatic-type concern is driven by a switch in viewpoint, from a personal perspective to the perspective of another group or individual who is in need. Empathy and sympathy are often used interchangeably, but are two distinct emotions with several important differences.

Emotional Motivator Maslow wasn't Correct

What is an Emotional Motivator ? What good is it? 

Symbolism is a effective
method of  demonstrating
emotional turmoil by
implying rather than describing

On the Emotion Description pages for the Encyclopedia Project there is a section titled Motivator. This post is to give you an idea of what that section supplies and some possible uses for the information.

There are several studies which have suggested over the century that emotions, and not logic drive our actions. Those who develop and utilized Marketing and Sales techniques accepted this as far back as -- well let's just say that Aristotle talks at length about it in his book Rhetoric (both 1 & 2).

Maslow created a rational, brilliantly thought out hierarchy of needs...

Military level Propaganda Campaigns

Propaganda is the communication of a point of view with the ultimate goal of having the recipient come to “voluntarily” accept the position as if it were his or her own. In addition to the pejorative flavor, propaganda has some essential and distinctive features:

• Propaganda has a strong ideological bent.
• Propaganda is institutional in nature.
• Propaganda involves mass persuasion.
• Propaganda tends to rely on ethically suspect methods of influence.

Current News Articles on the Military level Propaganda Campaigns currently engaged on the Internet

Vladimir Putin's 'misinformation' offensive prompts US to deploy its cold war ...

The Guardian

Russia's sprawling propaganda network may have failed to persuade much of the world that Ukraine is run by Nazis, that Crimea was annexed in a popular uprising and/or that Germany is a failed state. But the barrage of misinformation has convinced some ...

Related Articles »

Propaganda Methods of the Previous Century

The Strongest and most Common Message of Propaganda during the last 15 years has been to persuade the nation that  the only sane response is: "Fuckit, it doesn't matter anyway"  They drive this belief hard, injecting it with a heart needle deep into the soul.

PROPAGANDA

Noun ˌpräpəˈɡandə

propaganda noun; Propaganda noun

1. information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.: "he was charged with distributing enemy propaganda".

synonyms: information  promotion  ,  advertising  publicity  spin

2. a committee of cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church responsible for foreign missions, founded in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV..

These 50 methods give a good sample of the last century’s method of Propaganda, or Aggressive persuasion

Characteristices of Modern Propaganda

Today's Propaganda is on a different scale than the previous century. Methods are more effective, harder to detect and influence the reader even if you know what you are reading is propaganda. Still, awareness is the most reliable means of minimizing influence into areas you aren't willing to believe. These are some of the detectable  characteristics being used in today's aggressive persuasion methods.

Propaganda and The Christian Enslavement

When you think about Propaganda, 
why do you think WWII?
We've had many military engagements since then (Korea, Vietnam, Nicaragua, The War on Drugs, Egypt, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq), and each of them used propaganda against the enemy. Each campaign from one to the next learned from the last becoming stronger, more effective, complex, sophisticated. How many Propaganda Wars are going on right now, on Twitter, Facebook, in the News Media, and other Social Media sources? How many people died this week from the publication of words on the web?

THERE ARE TWELVE MILITARY LEVEL PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS currently active on the Internet. Associating Propaganda,  with military actions isn't a huge leap. There are many other campaigns out there as well. Such as the Campaign to turn Christians into enslaved machines.

Phrase/Word Trivia Mad as a Hatter

Know any cool phrase or word trivia?

What's your favorite?

Have you any idea why 

a raven is like a writing desk?

MAD AS A HATTER is from 1829 as "demented," 1837 as "enraged," according to a modern theory supposedly from erratic behavior caused by prolonged exposure to poison mercuric nitrate, used in making felt hats. 

“I don't think..." 

"Then you shouldn't talk," said the Hatter.” 

Hatter: Have I gone mad?

Alice:   I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. 

            All the best people are.

I've been considering words that start with the letter M. Moron. Mutiny. Murder. Mmm-malice. ~HATTER

Marketing Tips For Writers Get them Talking

.

If you write a book worth talking about, you won't be able to keep people from discussing it with their friends. If your book is not worth talking about, nothing you do will get people to do so.

TIP: Write a book worth talking about.

That sounds like a jibe, it is not. Incorporate subject matter into your book which offers discussion points -- then have several characters present differing views on the subject. It's that simple.

Make sure that at least One of the view points is going to piss people off. -- no, I'm not kidding about that part. Studies over the last 20 years have shown conclusively that  people are motivated to discuss matters that piss them off. Visit mainstream news media and look into the comment sections. Neutral, Good and Basic Information articles rarely get comments. Opinion pages with bias and controversial subject matter get 100s, sometimes 1000s.

TIP: Don't over think this. It is easy.

My latest book-- coming out soon (as soon as I quit writing Tips and get back to finishing my edits) brings up several topics, which are inline with the plot, the characters and the tone of the book. One such topic  is the World Court finding the USA guilty of being a Terrorist Nation. Many people don't know anything about this. It was given only minimal news time in the United States. The US is in fact the Only country who has ever been found guilty of being a Terrorist Nation -- we're also the only nation who has used nuclear weapons during a period of war -- or against another nation. yay for us.

In the book I  have this point come up in a natural manner between two characters. Two others then give the reader their points of view later on. It is used in a way that moves the plot forward. You don't have to sacrifice anything to utilize this tip, and it should help with making your novel an interesting book to read.

After deciding on this subject, I then searched for opinions on this subject.  These were not difficult to find. Gathering at least three differing opinions which express views on the subject is a minimum. Two, won't cut it. You need at least three. -- and again, three plus one that is going to piss people off, is optimum.

And... back to writing. 

Are You Legit? What makes you Qualified to Write?

"What Qualifies you to be a writer?" is likely the most negative question I've experienced since I began writing at 17.

I use to answer, "I passed 9th Grade English" or "Because English is my First Language"  In my 30s I was a little meaner -- "What qualifies you to breathe?"

Now that I'm 50 I don't answer at all.

Doubts plague every writer, as fierce as the Furies, as terrible as the Harpies. This particular doubt should never bother you.

Scene/Chapter Transitions(Bridging) Writer Tech

Ever feel the story is choppy, but can’t figure out why? The transitions between scenes or the chapters are a good place to begin. Transitions are words or phrases, which move the reader from one topic, idea or message, to the next in a sentence, but also this term describes the moving between scenes and chapters. The goal with these transitions

• covey why the next topic matters
• introduce an urgency
• create a tension for the scene ahead 
• if applicable, introduce characters 

So, a well composed transition reaches back, then forward, and gives a sense of interest, even urgency.

FrustrationEmotion Encyclopedia for Writers

FRUSTRATION 

TYPE: COMPLEX

DEFINITION: the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals

DESCRIPTION

In psychology, frustration is a common emotional response to opposition. Related to anger and disappointment, it arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of individual will. The greater the obstruction, and the greater the will, the more the frustration is likely to be. Causes of frustration may be internal or external. In people, internal frustration may arise from challenges in

Writer Tips: Pain

Q: How would you describe in dialogue, someone talking while they'er in pain. Like, "My phone... arg... It's.. uh.. In my back.. pocket..." Or would you do it in dialogue tags. "My phone--" He gritted his teeth, his voice breaking as he groaned in pain. "It's.. uh.. in my back... pocket..."

Pain happens in novels. People get shot. People break things like bones, people get cut. There is also emotional pain. Pain of loss, pain of betrayal. Lots of pain.  So you might be surprised when you go looking for tips on conveying pain and find very little out there, or in books about fiction writing. There is a good reason for this.

Too Much Dialog?

"Too much dialog?"

"What?"

"She asked if there's a thing with too much dialog."

"Too much dialog? What's that? You mean like no description at all?"

"She didn't say that..."

"How can you write a story with no description?"

"She didn't say there wouldn't be any description. She just asked if there was a limit for how much dialog ...."

"How are  you going to know if it's raining or not?"

"That you could take care of  with dialog, no biggie, and if you didn't mention it then it probably isn't an issue."

"Like implied facts. If I walk from the front door to the the kitchen to get a beer, and I don't mention that a white ape flying a small plane crashed into the house, it probably didn't happen."

"Exactly."

"How you going to know if I'm at a door though? Do I have to mention everything I do?"

"You're back on the description thing again, and she didn't say anything about that."

"Well -- it's important."

"Right -- I'm getting the message. So, you agree that there is probably a limit."

"I would think so, yes"

"Since all things have a limit, I'll agree."

"We could figure out a percentage or a ratio, maybe."

"You got a D in math."

"Oh, right. Want a beer?"

"No, you already drank five for me. I think I'm good."

"Fine, I'll just get one for myself then."

"Watch out for white apes."

Something I would argue however is that the other side of that equation doesn't work out. I've read a few attempts at stories, even short stories, going for the "no dialog" goal, and imo each failed as a 'story'. To Build a Fire (London)i is the closest I've encountered, but even Jack breaks down and has the man talk to his dog. Without exchange of some kind involving the MC is nigh impossible to make a connection with the MC and therefore the story.

Sobering up Your Muse

Ever notice that being a writer is hell some days? Of course there is the daily doubt contest between your imagination, your internal critic, the internal editor and that bastard up in the seats. You get use to that -- learn to tune them out. But, then there are those special moments when you've been pushing a two ton rock up hill -- only to find that it is the wrong hill, and that's not the right rock.

This Feels All Too Familier

“It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see..."

"You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?"

"No," said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, "nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."

"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."

"I did," said Ford. "It is."

"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't people get rid of the lizards?"

"It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want."

"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"

"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."

"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"

"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?"

"What?"

"I said," said Ford, with an increasing air of urgency creeping into his voice, "have you got any gin?"

"I'll look. Tell me about the lizards."

Ford shrugged again. "Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happenned to them," he said. "They're completely wrong of course, completely and utterly wrong, but someone's got to say it."

"But that's terrible," said Arthur.

"Listen, bud," said Ford, "if I had one Altairian dollar for every time I heard one bit of the Universe look at another bit of the Universe and say 'That's terrible' I wouldn't be sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.”


― Douglas Adams, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

EZ-USA® of Rand Paul and The Mystery of the Suddenly Gone EZTax RandPlan

OH Shit! and other things you 
shouldn't say
when you run for President

Not liking what you see with Rand Paul's

what it takes to run a country? 
You are not alone. 

Rand Paul doesn't like them either. 

The US Senator who has been spouting his opinion about everything under the sun -- 98% of the time simply because he Hates Obama, suddenly realized that his crap is just that, Crap. 

As a Senator with no real say, his crap had the same level of importance as if I were to spout off about my Tax Plan and publish it on this little blog. But when you step up on the platform and say "I'm Running for President" things change. Apparently Rand Paul didn't grasp Reality until last night -- when several pages on his website suddenly went missing.

Don't worry though Rand, I got your back. I Found all those pages for you, and many more.from previous posts over the last couple of years. So if those deletions were caused by a hacker event... just say the word and I'll deliver copies to you.

A curiosity at this point is -- how long before he realizes that he has been Pro-ISIS for more than a year now...(?)

Pixar has skilz - and Here they are

Love Pixar and these tips have been around for a few years now, originally Tweeted in '12 by Emma. I happened on them again today and find them just as valuable now as they were the first time I read them through. -- Keep in mind though - These are not Gospel, nor were they meant to be. Laying them out on your desk and checking them off is not their purpose, nor how Pixar views them. They are tips from collective experience, and you should find plenty of room to add to the list from your own experience.

Think you are right? You're sure about that?

We want to believe that our ideology and our political decisions, as well as our religious feeling are based on good reasoning, logical thinking and possess a sound factual foundation. The problem is we think too much. Or rather... we don't.

Most of our decisions -- nearly 70% -- are based on nothing more than the bio/chemical makeup of our minds -- no more based on evidence or facts than the migration of birds or the bowel movements of monkeys.

Evaluations on the Propaganda Produced by ISIS

ISIS, in contrast, is a publicity whore. While it’s important to keep ISIS’s propaganda and social-media activities in the proper perspective (no one was ever killed by a tweet), it’s clear that ISIS considers messaging one of the most important fronts in its war with the world — and it’s also the primary method by which ISIS extends its influence outside of its physical domain in Iraq and Syria.(On Time.com) Jessica Stern and J.M. Berger are the authors of "ISIS: The State of Terror."

No one ever killed by a tweet?... I can think of at least 20 people who would disagree with that statement if they were alive to do so. While I have avoided this area during the last several years, with the rising usage by ISIS and the propaganda war between Russia and EU growing steadily I've decided that avoidance is no longer acceptable, since our Nation is getting very little information about an extensive event.

As Act II Begins in Indiana you should be 4x more pissed off

Protection?
"In our expert opinion, the clear evidence suggests otherwise and unmistakably demonstrates that the broad language of the proposed state RFRA will more likely create confusion, conflict, and a wave of litigation ..."(see the letter here) ]

We need just a couple of definitions, and we'll take a serious look at what Pence is trying to save us from.