Persuasive Ploys
It is now, more than ever, necessary that political leaders be outstanding for honesty, integrity and commitment to the common good. ~ Pope Francis Ethical Leadership Click Here to View Length: 7 Minutes 4 seconds See Also: How Honesty Transforms Teams, 2 minutes ******* One high school speech class lesson that stuck was The Big Lie, and its persuasive role in winning debates. The ScientficMethod.com article “Suspect Debate Tactics,” lists quite a few, including, · Catastrophizing, “predict[ing] the future negatively without considering other, more likely outcomes.” · Insertionism, a “deceitful debate tactic … when there is an unwarranted and unsubstantiated insertion of words or new meanings into a statement or argument.” · Question Begging Epithets, “slanted language is used to reaffirm what we wish to prove but have not proven yet.” · Strawman Fallacy, which “purposely distorts an opponent’s argument (sets up the straw man), in order that he may attack it more easily,” · Recognize these? Read more with names like “Black Holing,” “Red Herring,” “Preponderance of Garbage Defense,” etc. European Center for Populism Studies https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/big-lie/ reports , “The BIG LIE is the name of a propaganda technique, originally coined by Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf, who says ‘The great masses of the people… will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one,’” Big Lies work “by leveraging core psychological tendencies, exploiting social structures, and operating within a fragmented modern information landscape. It relies on a high-profile figure who, through constant repetition across a range of media, can establish a false narrative.” The Psychological Factors that allow acceptance include, · Repeated exposure to a lie, especially an outrageous one because the human brain can confuse familiarity with factual accuracy · People tend to seek out and believe information that confirms their existing beliefs · Disinformation is often crafted to appeal to strong emotions like anger, fear, and disgust. · Read more, including about social and technological factors In personal life and the workplace, trustworthy leadership matters. As Thomas Jefferson wrote. an “informed electorate” is vital, which becomes difficult when voters can’t tell what’s true. Speaking of leaders, here are articles that may interest, · The Biggest Lies American Presidents Ever Told · What President Has Told the Most Lies? · Who Truly Was the Most Dishonest President? · Who Lied the Most During Their First 100 Days: Biden, Trump or Obama? · From Washington to Trump, all presidents have told lies [but only some have told them for the right reasons] Keep in mind, … people who pay greater respect to a wealthy villain than to an honest, upright man in poverty, almost deserve to be enslaved; they plainly show that wealth, however it may be acquired, is, in their esteem, to be preferred to virtue. ~ John Hancock Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. ~ Albert Einstein To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. ~ William Shakespeare COMMENT Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. ******* Fine Art America Succeed and Soar Hooded Sweat Shirts · 75% cotton, 25% polyester blend · Five sizes [Small, Medium, Large, X Large, 2X Large, 3X Large] · Two Art Locations [Full chest or chest patch] · Double-opening waist pouch · Colors: White, Heather, Charcoal, Black, Navy · Machine washable · Price $45 to $48 View All Hooded Sweat Shirts Thanks for shopping!
Isolation, Part 2 of 2: Benefits
Click Here to View Length: 15 Minutes Also View: Consider Loneliness is feeling empty and desiring companionship,while solitude is being content with oneself.Medium.com Succeed and Soar‘s Thrive! presents practices that can improve health and wellbeing. Last week, loneliness as a health problem [and solutions] was explored. This post presents solitude’s benefits. The tech media website CNET’s post “The 5 Benefits of Solitude” states, “solitude is spending time alone without feeling lonely.” The post adds, “Solitude is something you choose because you value your time and energy. Think of it like a state of peacefulness where you have the space to reflect, work through things and cultivate your overall wellness.” The article adds that time alone also allows Very Well Mind’s post “The Benefits of Solitude,” suggests these three [of eight] signs alone time is needed. Feeling, Their several cures include, The Minds Journal post “The Power of Alone Time,” finds, In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we often lose touch with our true desires, values, and aspirations. Solitude provides a space for introspection, self-reflection, and self-discovery. It offers an opportunity to tune out external influences and distractions, enabling us to understand our own thoughts, emotions, and needs. By embracing solitude, we can cultivate a stronger sense of identity, make informed decisions, and lead a more authentic and fulfilling life. Of time by one’s self, keep in mind, Happiness is the new rich.Inner peace is a new success.Health is new wealth.Kindness is the new cool.– Anonymous The monotony and solitude of a quiet lifestimulates the creative mind. Alfred Einstein Great Meals for One:
Rich Words: Precession of Equinoxes
Precession is one of the most important cycles of our planet. This is the apparent movement of the North Celestial Pole across the night sky over the span of roughly 25,920 years. As the planet spins on its unique axis, our view of the night sky changes drastically. These changes cannot be seen in a single lifetime, but over the generations we can observe them. Click Here to View See Also: Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.~ Albert Einstein Spiderman’s Chapter 6 “Wheels within Wheels” presents the concept as complex, obstructive situation with too many disruptive influences, secrets and hidden agendas. This understanding parallels Biblical Ezekiel’s statement, “Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.” These phenomena also fill the universe, like the Precession of the Equinoxes. Earth has two days when its sun rises above the equator. For those few moments, day and night are equal. The constellation behind the sun has been Pisces, which names an ‘Age.’ Each of the twelve are a couple millennia long. Those astrological periods define “major changes in the development of human society, culture, history, and politics.” The next will be [the Age of] Aquarius. A couple thousand years later, the first spring sun will rise backed by Capricorn’s stars. Next comes the Age of Sagittarius, the Archer. The half-human, half-horse centaur’s energy will encourage exploration, adventure, freedom and quests for knowledge. Earth’s wobble on its axis explains why constellations [Ages] move “backwards.” Also why Earth’s north pole was once below the Vega, brightest star in the constellation Lyra. Fifteen thousand years later, the north star is Polaris in Ursa Minor, the Little Bear constellation. This movement is part of Earth’s “Great Cycle,” the more than 25,000 years that complete a Precession of the Equinoxes. [For explanation, see featured video above, “The Great Year, Precession, and Astrophotography.”] Life, like the cosmos, contains repeating patterns. Gottman.com’s post “Dealing with Cycles and Repeating Events,” offers two reasons for unpleasant ones, DrDemartin.com’s “Understanding the Repeating Patterns in Your Life” offers two cures: As life unfolds, keep in mind, Morning comes every day;the sunrise does not fail, nor the sunset. *Give it time.That is all that may be required. Just give it time.Do not try to push the river. The cycles of life present themselves,play themselves out,and make smooth every passage and terrain. Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould FordPresenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. Fine Art America Journals Record your dreams, hopes, plans and achievements in these beautiful, inspiring notebooks. Details: View All Notebooks Thanks for shopping!
WORDS: Time Slip
The only reason for time is that everything doesn’t happen at once. — Albert Einstein Succeed and Soar’s first “Words” series, explored eight phrases that could help appreciate human experiences, understand the world and aim for more peace of mind. Three years later, new concepts will be explored each month, beginning with Time Slip. A good example is the 1993 movie Groundhog Day [trailer] where Bill Murray’s character keeps repeating the same February 2. Time Slip means thoughts traveling to the past or future. Going backwards can recall happy moments. Also, disappointments. Whether joyful or sad, mental time slips can contain helpful insights. As for remorse, sorrows and anguish, here are prescriptions: Psychology Today’s Best Way to Handle Regret, which can include focusing on minor disappointments that can be fixed. The Cleveland Clinic’s How to Deal with Regrets, that can begin with self forgiveness Well & Good’s 10 Tips for Dealing with Any Kind of Regret, like apologizing to others who may have been involved. Mentally visiting the future involves creating experiences that have not occurred. These imaginings allow planning options and ‘what-if’ alternatives. But what if physical time travel happens? How Time Slips: What is it and How Does It Happen? Among other incidents, its list includes the August 1901 report of Charlotte Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain who said they encountered Marie Antoinette on the day, in 1792, the queen learned revolutionaries had stormed the Tuileries Palace. The Mystery of Time Slips: Real Cases and Theories includes one man’s encounter with “African American children running around, overseen by their mother, who was dressed in dated clothing: a turban head wrap and a long dress. When the author tried to find that cabin again a few days later, he could not.” Time Vortexes like the Bermuda Triangle, the Devil’s Sea near Japan and Bold Street in Liverpool, England can also cause these phenomena. Science has proven Albert Einstein’s “Theory of Relativity.” In one experiment, NASA found a clock on the ground and flown in an airplane kept different time. Here are some thoughts on Time Slips, Time travel is such a magic concept. – Matt Smith I want to go back in time. Not to change anything, but to feel something again. – Mercer The bottom line is that time travel is allowed by the laws of physics. – Brian Greene If time travel is possible, where are the tourists from the future? – Stephen Hawking Here are some Time Slip videos: This 7-minute video explores time travel. Click Here to View What if You Could Travel Through Time? 4 Minutes Time Slips Caught on Camera 3 Minutes Proof Evidence of Time Travel 3 Minutes COMMENT. In the meantime, Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. The Best Journey presents wisdom for a well-lived life. The book contains vibrant photographs taken at Latrobe, Pennsylvania’s Amtrak station. The book is also a journal with space for personal notes. This beautiful, 5×8″, 32-page book vividly illustrates precious wisdoms for life well lived. Also available for immediate, PDF download. A lovely gift. Preview Book & Purchase View All Radiant Tree Books Thanks for shopping! When Border Czar Tom Homan said that removing more immigrants would be quicker when the government gave his department additional $billions, keep in mind that Congress isn’t growing money on trees. This funding situation was discussed in Succeed and Soar’s post, “View from Forbes and Braddock.” Whether for law enforcement, better public education or health care, legislative choices are, Siphon funds from existing programs Raise taxes Increase debt [which could be paid by either of the first two options and/or future generations]. Some actions are easier said than done.
10 Delights
In autumn, 2019, Succeed and Soar began as a way to share wise words I wrote by hand and saved in file folders. After about 200 posts, I realize some of these treasures may never prompt a little essay or meditation, like the following ten which I hope lighten your heart and brighten your week Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself. –The Gospel According to Zen Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet. — L.M. Montgomery The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere in which we are permitted to remain children all of our lives. — Albert Einstein Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears. — Les Brown Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you. — Marsha Norman What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. – Yiddish Proverb Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile. – Franklin P. Jones Whatever happens, always remember to smile. Showboat 1951 It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day to day basis. — Margaret Bonnano If at first you don’t succeed, get a bigger hammer. — Alan Lewis Succeed and Soar! COMMENT. Shop Sandra’s Succeed & Soar Art on Shower Curtains As well as tote bags, tee shirts, journals, puzzles, phone cases, ornaments, face masks, towels, blankets, cups, pillows, greeting cards and more The high quality and unique Shower Curtains by Fine Art America: Are made of 100% polyester fabric Include 12 holes at top for ease in hanging Dimensions 71” wide, 74” tall Cost: $68 to $78 NOTE: Sometimes art size must be adjusted for whole image to fit. CUSTOMIZE. Use tools with item to: Enlarge, reduce size of art Change placement of art and text Over 60 background colors can be chosen [shades of yellows, blues, greens, grays and more]. Purchase this shower curtain View All Shower Curtains Shop All Art and Collections HERE
Understanding Children
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~Pablo Picasso For decades, I’ve gathered precious insights. Each one I read is like a breath of life. They lift my spirit and remind of the good we can do and marvelous things we can be. I hope this web site’s words and images encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. I hope these words of wisdom about children gladden your heart. Treat the world well … It was not given to you by your parents … It was lent to you by your children. –Kenyan proverb You are not the child of the people you call mother and father, but their fellow-adventurer on a bright journey to understand the things that are. – Richard Bach Children Learn What They Live If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive. If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves. If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy. If children live with jealousy, they learn what envy is. If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty. If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient. If children live with encouragement, they learn to be confident. – Dorothy Law Nolte Two of the greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings. — Hodding Carter The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere in which we are permitted to remain children all of our lives. –– Albert Einstein Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Life Well Lived offers floral photographs, wise words and invitations to see life as a garden of possibilities. This 60-page book offers lots of space for personal notes, sketches and meditations. Here are opportunities to both enjoy life’s seasons and find enrichment. A great gift. * 5×8 $14.50 Preview and Purchase. * 8×10 $19.00 Preview and Purchase. Thanks for shopping! While a How-To Illustrated Wisdom video is developed for Life Well Lived, here’s a helpful companion, Self Care through Visual Journaling: 5 Easy Steps.
Forgive and Forget Revisited
In February, 2020, the merits of ‘Forgive and Forget’ were weighed. Part 1 of 2 were titled “Sometimes, Maybe.” Here are inspirations that update. Forgive and Forget, Healing Thoughts You can forgive someone almost anything. But you cannot tolerate everything…We don’t have to tolerate what people do just because we forgive them for doing it. Forgiving heals us personally. To tolerate everything only hurts us all in the long run. – Lewis B. Smedes It is not “forgive and forget” as if nothing wrong had ever happened, but “forgive and go forward,” building on mistakes of the past and the energy generated by reconciliation to create a new future. – Alan Paton Achieving a state of grace, peace and well-being after being injured is the primary goal. Certainly, when harm results from a pure, innocent accident, forgiving whoever caused the problem may help, as acts of generosity and understanding. When hurt by willful negligence and reckless disregard, outrage and anger may the healthiest response, eventually leading to grace and peace. As for those who deliberately and repeatedly injure, those on the receiving end must first take protective, preventive steps, then learn and grow from the experiences while moving on. Forgiving those who have mistreated, misused and abused can be inappropriate and become irrelevant. – Source Unknown Ruminating about the past will get you nowhere. So go ahead and learn from the past whatever you can, and then put it behind you. Remember, there is nothing you can do to change it, but you can use its lessons to improve your future. — Abraham J. Twerski Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. – Lewis B. Smedes Learn from yesterday, live for today. – Albert Einstein COMMENT. Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. Shop Succeed and Soar Puzzles Puzzles are made from premium 0.2” thick paper stock Include a semi-gloss coating that makes the top vibrant Arrives in a puzzle box with artwork printed on top for safe storage Puzzle pieces are unique shapes Purchase this puzzle. Shop All Collections HERE.
Practical
Expect the best. Plan for the worst. Capitalize on what comes. – Zig Ziglar For decades, I’ve gathered precious insights. Each one I read is like a breath of life. They lift my spirit and remind of the good we can do and marvelous things we can be. I hope these words of wisdom encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. I hope the Succeed and Soar web site gladdens your heart. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. — Albert Einstein The creative personality seems never to grow old but rather, simply grow. – Alden B. Dow He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary. – Seneca Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself. ~ Source Unknown Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen. – Mark Twain Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Life Well Lived offers floral photographs, wise words and invitations to see life as a garden of possibilities. This 60-page book offers lots of space for personal notes, sketches and meditations. Here are opportunities to both enjoy life’s seasons and find enrichment. A great gift. * 5×8 $14.50 Preview and Purchase. * 8×10 $19.00 Preview and Purchase. Thanks for shopping! While a How-To Illustrated Wisdom video is developed for Life Well Lived, here’s a helpful companion, Self Care through Visual Journaling: 5 Easy Steps.
Einstein 19: Mystery & Beauty
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. – Albert Einstein Memorial Day began in the 1860s as a time to decorate soldiers’ graves. This weekend, while enjoying summer’s first barbecue, the sales and permission to start wearing white clothes, remember that ‘holiday’ originally meant holy-day, a sacred and consecrated time. Wakeup World suggests that we need time and space to “to experience a depth, richness, and sense of meaning that usually escapes us in fast-paced everyday life.” Read more. Everything Soulful lists four ways to create sacred space, including clearing clutter and adding aromatic oils. Read more. Most important, holidays can involve slowing the busy-ness long enough to simply be, to allow time to gaze at the stars, flowers, a lake, birds in flight,, flags in a cemetery and ask, “Why?” Blessings & best wishes. Shop This Week’s Featured Art Featured Video The Black Folk Who Started Memorial Day Several dozen organizations claim to have started Memorial Day, by laying flowers on the graves soldiers who died during the Civil War. Women in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania began decorating graves in 1864, In 1866, the women of Columbus, Mississippi decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers, understanding that all the men had families where they were sons, fathers and brothers. But May 1, 1865 can stand as “The First Decoration [Memorial] Day.” To honor 257 Union soldiers who died fighting to end enslavement, Black people of Charleston, SC dug bodies from a mass grave and labored for two weeks to provide decent burials, commemorated with a parade of 10,000, led by 2,800 Black children. Read more. Also Read You must acknowledge problems to fix them. – Dr. Phil Three documentaries about the 1921 Tulsa tragedy present a problem this country must fix to become truly great and stand as a shining example before the world. HISTORY CHANNEL “Tulsa Burning,” broadcast Sunday May 30, 8 E/7C. Preview PBS-HDTV, “Tulsa, The Fire and The Forgotten,” broadcast Monday, May 31, 9pm ET Preview NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL, “Rise Again, Tulsa and The Red Summer,” broadcast June 18, 9pm Eastern Time Preview
Einstein # 13: Things we get for free
Sometimes one pays the most for the things one gets for nothing. – Albert Einstein Once upon a time, the lovely and speedy Princess Atalanta agreed to marry any man who could outrun her. After all worthy suitors failed, a young man arrived who wanted the pretty princess, not her kingdom. Each time Atalanta passed him, he tossed a golden apple. Each time, the nimble young lady gathered the precious fruit then regained her lead. As they approached the finish line and Atalanta raced ahead, the young man threw his last apple. In catching it, Atalanta lost the race and her single status. Perhaps another tale would better match this week’s Einstein wisdom, but I use any means to remind myself that freebies can be costly. Einstein’s words also made me wonder if – as the saying suggests – the best things in life are free. Can you think of any free ‘best things?’ Love came to mind, but it requires fidelity. Friendship costs time and caring. With Earth Day on April 22nd, I accept that a price must be paid to keep our water clean, air fresh and land beautiful. Here are 10 ways to help, including how to attract hummingbirds. *** Earth has a bit of a bulge at its waistline. Our planet’s circumference at the equator is larger than anywhere else. At the equator, you would weigh less than at the North or South Poles. People [everything] at the equator is spinning around the planet at about 1,000 miles per hour while at the poles, there’s almost no movement. Read more Facts About Earth.