Day #194 - Make progress every day of your life.

SMOERs: Words of Wisdom

"When Pablo Casals reached ninety-five, a young reporter threw him a question, 'Mr. Casals, you are ninety-five and the greatest cellist who ever lived.  Why do you still practice six hours a day?'  And Mr. Casals answered, 'Because I think I'm making progress.'"  ---Anonymous

Day #194 - Make progress every day of your life.

SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 30-Day sample: smoers.com

Looking for new charities and Civilian in an Ill-fitting Uniform Video Part 3

And Then Some Publishing News
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For two months And Then Some Publishing has been donating a portion of the proceeds of every book we publish and sold through Amazon.com to Susan G. Komen - For the Cure (to breast cancer). Our website visits have remained consistent, yet we have sold less books than ever before. 


Our question: Are people suffering from Susan G. Komen overload? There are tons of products out there with a pink ribbon and maybe you've seen enough. Maybe you're thinking... couldn't they give to other charities? Please don't read this as the work of Susan G. Komen isn't important... it is! They have been able to accomplish many great things, however it's time for us to move on.


Our Susan G. Komen charity promotion will be over this Wednesday, June 30, 2010. And Then Some Publishing believes in giving back and we will be searching for new charities to promote. Do you have a favorite charity you would like to get more notice? Leave a comment below.


On Thursday, July 1, 2010 we will be releasing the last video in the series, How to be Funny on Purpose. It's more than how to be funny. Edgar E. Willis breaks down why jokes are funny, what it takes to be funny, and how to set up jokes so they are funny. It's the anatomy of humor... And Then Some! We will let you know as soon as this video is available.

Below is Part 3 of Anthony Weaver's interview with author Edgar E. Willis about his memoir, Civilian in an I'll-fitting Uniform. Part 3 continues the discussion of the captains Edgar served under, the "Winding path to Peace," and the fact that bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and yet, the USS Alaska hadn't suffered it's only casualty of the war. Also in Part 3, at 96, Edgar reminds us with precision what was happening in the Pacific Theater, the timing and feelings of where our country was at during World War II, including the difference between enlisted men and officers.

Having trouble viewing the video? Click here and watch Part 3 of the interview with Edgar E. Willis on YouTube.





Click here to watch Part 1 of Edgar's interview on YouTube.
Click here to watch Part 2 of Edgar's interview on YouTube.


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Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:

Thursday’s essay is called, “Self-identity is the base for everything else you do in life."  I don't know if you've ever stopped to think about the role of self-identity in your life?  In this essay, I begin by discussing two activities I used for more than 20 years in my basic, speech-communication course, to not just introduce the idea of self-identify but to actually help students develop/acquire an identity.  Then I talk briefly about its value and importance.

Self-identity is the base for everything else you do in life
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
There is no easy path when it comes to unleashing the remarkable energy that one’s identity contains.  Finding it, however, is just a start.  As people understand their unique capacities and live according to them, they become happy being who they are.  As Ackerman writes in the final chapter of his book, “A Framework for Living,” “Consider your identity your source of life.  It makes you vibrant, wise, agile, powerful, even playful.  It is the sun within you, whose energy need never die.”

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And Then Some Works!

When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present

Book Club... And Then Some!





When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present             

by Gail Collins





Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
 
In this 481-page book, there are 30 pages of notes and an 11-page bibliography.  This gives you an idea of the thoroughness of the book.

Gail Collins was the editorial page editor for the New York Times from 2001 to 2007, the first woman to have held that position, and she currently writes a column for the Times’ op-ed page.  It goes without saying that she is an excellent writer, and every page of her book reflects her skills and easy-to-read style.

This book is a wonderful and important chronology as well as a terrific reference work that is full of insights, stories, historical facts, important information, and inspiration.  Her stories of real women (including Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Obama—and others we don’t know) make the book even more interesting. Of the personal interviews, one reviewer writes, “[they]  portray the details of the daily lives of American women of the era. This is not library research. It is woman to woman sharing of memories, frustrations and small victories that took place as ‘everything changed’”
Whether you lived through it, read about it in other books, or are new to the area of feminism and women’s rights, there is something in this book for you.

Carol M. Frohlinger, in her amazon.com review, writes, “From June Cleaver to Hillary Clinton, Gail Collins` new book, When Everything Changed, reminds us of both how much everything has changed for American women in the last 50 years and just how little. Collins writes skillfully about the ‘olden’ days when a glamour career for a woman was to be a stewardess and when the reason most women went to college to get a ‘Mrs..’”

Frohlinger continues her review saying, “What Collins does particularly well though is to highlight that there still isn't gender parity in America's workplaces or homes. She ends on a note that celebrates how far we've come with a reality check - the gender pay gap still exists, too few women serve as CEOs or sit on corporate boards and the work-life balance conundrum has yet to be resolved.”

This is the kind of book that should be required reading for everyone—not just women.  It is intellectually stimulating, completely enjoyable, and a reminder of what women have yet to accomplish. 


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This book is available from Amazon.com: When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present.

Friday's Laugh . . . And Then Some!

Yoga teacher to a woman: Has yoga any effect over your
husband's drinking habit?

Woman: Yes, an amazing effect!  Now he drinks the whole bottle
standing upside down over his head.

Laugh Like There's No Tomorrow: Over 2,000 jokes from the Internet

From our upcoming book compiled by Richard L. Weaver II
Laugh is setup with just over 4 jokes a day, all 365 days, and can be read in any order!
Expected Release Date: Fall 2010

Having a remote control to get us through our lives?

The first machines to be operated by remote control were for military use.  For example, during World War I the Germans developed radio-controlled motorboats to ram enemy ships.  During World War II there were remote-controlled bombs and other remote controlled weapons.  When the wars were over, scientists experimented to find non-military uses for them.  It was in the 1940s when automatic garage-door openers were invented, and it wasn’t until the 1950s that the first TV remote controls were used.  Now I’m hoping scientists will develop a remote control to help get us through our lives. 

There are too many areas of our lives where we don’t have as much control as we should, and it is in these areas where it would be helpful to have a remote control.  For example, wouldn’t it be great to use the “mute” button on the remote to reduce the noise in an especially rowdy restaurant?  Or, to calm those who were engaged in a turbulent and rapidly escalating argument?  We could use the “mute” button to have peace and quiet wherever we found ourselves—just point and click!

In addition to our numerous uses of the “mute” button, think how great it would be to have “fast forward” opportunities?  We see a problem approaching, we simply fast forward our way past it.  Or, when we are feeling tired and stressed, we fast forward through the hard times to a well-rested and comfortable aftermath.  Students could fast forward their way through exams, reports, speeches, and talks with their teachers.  Workers could use the same button to escape deadlines, meetings with superiors, and difficult presentations.  In relationships, the fast-forward button would help us avoid conflicts, disagreements, hostilities, and any potentially antagonistic confrontations.  For men, they could fast forward their lives through boring, repetitious, monotonous work days to those spectacular and unforgettable evenings with their spouse, a favorite sporting event, surfing the Internet, or playing video games.  And women could avoid tedious work days, times with whiny, crying  children, or attendance at required meetings or school activities.  Just watch neighbors mowing their lawns and washing their cars in fast forward. 

In the same way as we would have “fast forward” opportunities, we would have a “reverse” button, too.  Thus, we could go back and enjoy once again, some of the wonderful moments.  How about re-living those times when you thought of exactly the right words to say, or enjoying again an earth-shaking instant of great importance or immense satisfaction (a car accident in which everyone escaped injury, when you asked a partner to marry you, the words you used to win-over a client)?  A reverse button would allow us to go back and savor, once again, a great meal, a magnificent sunset, or a unique artwork or piece of music.  Also, it would permit us to  study situations to see how we could improve, refine, or enhance them—not just to become better people but so that we could build an arsenal of appropriate responses. 

Wouldn’t it be great if the “reverse” button on our remote was actually a “do over” button so that not only would it take us back in time, but it would actually give us as many second chances as we needed?  I wonder, given a chance to re-write our own personal histories, or maybe just specific situations, would we let the same things happen?  Would we make the same mistakes?  Are we so locked into our own realities that things never change? 

Our remote has many different channel selections.  When you notice that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, by pushing a different channel, you can actually experience life on the other side of that barrier?  Is the grass actually greener, or was that just an illusion?  By pushing a different channel, the answer will become clear.  Or, how about walking a mile in another person’s moccasins?  Pushing a different channel will grant you 100% empathy, because you will now be the other person with whom you were empathizing.  And if the shoe doesn’t fit, push the “return” button, and come back to your own reality—refreshed, or perhaps disenchanted, but with a whole new perspective. 

Our remote has a timer, too.  Just as we can set a television to turn itself off at a certain time, we can put time limits on what we experience.  “I can only take just so much of that!”—but now you’ll be able to judge just how much that is, set the timer, and when the timer goes off, whatever it is, comes to a sudden and abrupt end.  I don’t like conflict, but I want to hear what other people have to say.  Set the timer, and give them two minutes to make their case.  I don’t like shopping, but I just want to see what’s available.  Set the timer, and give yourself thirty seconds to survey what’s available—then the picture goes off.  Saves money, too! 

There are three other buttons I want on my remote.  The first is a “slow motion” button.  Life comes at us too quickly.  Sometimes we get too much information too fast.  So you drive into a gas station for directions, you press the slow-motion button to make certain you understand.  You are experiencing a moment of intense pleasure, a moment you know is soon to disappear for some time, press the slow motion button to prolong the gratification.  You want the laughter, joy, or excitement to last just a little longer, so you press the slow-motion button to prolong the carnival ride of contentment and delight. 

Taking the lead from computers, our remote needs a delete button, too, so that we can expunge unfavorable, critical, adverse, hostile, unfriendly, or unflattering events or remarks.  In that way, we never have to be haunted by past circumstances.  Mistakes and errors could be deleted immediately so that our blunders, goofs, bloopers, flubs, and gaffes would never be associated with us or with our history.  We could experiment with our behavior, and if the experiment failed, it would be edited out of our past with a simple “click” as if it never took place. 

The final button we need—this time taken from our word processor—is the cut and paste button.  In this way, we could carry good feelings from one situation to another, especially conditions in desperate need of joy, happiness, or amusement.  We could build new relationships by cutting and pasting from former ones or, in the same way, construct the ideal job. 

 In this age of technology, scientists need not stop with remote-controlled garage-door openers and TVs, invent a remote to help me get through life.  And while you’re at it, put on the remote a number of buttons for future use—so that I can program them whatever way I choose and whenever I need them.  Maybe I’ll program one to make me a very wealthy man, another to bring me many new friends, and a third.....hmmmmmm.....maybe with the third I’ll program it to keep me forever young! 

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At the SoberRecovery Community website, the classic Erma Bombeck (just after she learned she was dying of cancer) column, “If I had my life to do over,” is offered.  It is a wonderful, short essay.  Also, I is one that I quoted for more than 20 years in the college lectures I delivered.  I have a copy of the original column for I loved it when I first read it.  Read this one. 

At the devpsy.orghttp://www.devpsy.org/nonscience/daisies.html website, there are two brief essays on the topic, “If I Had My Life Over - I'd Pick More Daisies.”  One is by Nadine Star and the other by Don Herold.  Both are interesting, fun, and provocative.  They are worth a read. 

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Copyright June, 2010, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.

Day #193 - Look fear in the face.

SMOERs: Words of Wisdom

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every
experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.
You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror.
I can take the next thing that comes along.' . . . You must
do the thing you think you cannot do. ---Eleanor Roosevelt

Day #193 - Look fear in the face.

SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 30-Day sample: smoers.com

Edgar E. Willis World War II Memoir Interview Part 2, Plus... Thursday's Essay Preview

And Then Some Publishing News
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Announcing the release of Part 2... Anthony Weaver's interview with Edgar E. Willis about his memoir of World War II, "Civilian in an Ill-fitting Uniform." Part 2 of Anthony's interview picks up from a previous question in Part 1. Events had happened to Edgar that were either pure luck or just because of the circumstance of the moment. Part 2 starts with Edgar's second story... his pure luck Navy physical. As we progressed, I asked about the captains Edgar served under and his best explanation? He reads from his memoir. We finish off part 2 with, "That's the way the navy does it!"


Having trouble viewing the video? Click here and watch Part 2 of the interview with Edgar E. Willis on YouTube.





Did you see Part 1 of Anthony Weaver's interview with Edgar E. Willis? In Part 1 of the interview I ask Edgar about his inspiration for the book, the reason for the title, and why he decided to include his life before and after his service.


Click here to watch Part 1 of Edgar's interview on YouTube.


Also released last week was the new video, "How to make a Viral Video-Based on the KISS theory." Illustrator Anthony Weaver and author Lynne Hall have put together a coaching video on How to Make a Viral Video, based on the K.I.S.S. Theory (Keep it simple... stupid). Instead of a technical approach explaining camera types, lenses, programs used to produce videos, this is a fun look at being in front of the camera and getting used to the bright lights shining on you.  Anthony and Lynne show you how they shot their video, including the end result!


 Click here to see How to Make a Viral Video on YouTube.


Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:


Thursday’s essay is called, “Having a remote to get us through life?"  Imagine along with me in this essay what it would be like in your life if you had a remote control that gave you the possibility for mute, fast forward, reverse, do over, channel selection, slow motion, delete, and cut and paste?  How would your life be different?  I'm certain it would be far different than it is now . . . and then some!


Having a remote to get us through life?
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
In this age of technology, scientists need not stop with remote-controlled garage-door openers and TVs, invent a remote to help me get through life.  And while you’re at it, put on the remote a number of buttons for future use—so that I can program them whatever way I choose and whenever I need them.  Maybe I’ll program one to make me a very wealthy man, another to bring me many new friends, and a third.....hmmmmmm.....maybe with the third I’ll program it to keep me forever young!


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And Then Some Works!

Outstanding! 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional

Book Club... And Then Some!

Outstanding!  47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional        

by John G. Miller


Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

There are a number of reasons why this book merits the word: “outstanding.”  First, it is well written.  Second, it is full of engaging examples.  Third, the chapters are short, easy to read, and full of information.  Fourth, the information—although much of it is common sense—is worth the read, whether it is a review, a reminder, or just new motivation to change and grow.  Finally, fifth, Miller uses large doses of humor throughout the book that keeps the information entertaining and enjoyable.

Terry Schuman, a training manager from Denver, Colorado, writes this about the book: “John has a way of writing that encourages people who typically aren't too fond of business-type books to find the time to read his books. He's an expert at using real life experiences and stories to illustrate his various points and topics.”

Schuman continues his review at Amazon.com: “Outstanding!, just like his other books, is an easy read but is filled with excellent educational material that benefits all levels of management- from executives to front-line supervisors. It has 47 short chapters that quickly get to the point and make you think. I found myself saying throughout the book, ‘I've had to deal with that’ or, ‘I can relate to this,' or, 'I wish I would have done that!’”

The reason I have quoted other reviewers is simple.  I am not in business, and I am not a trainer; thus, I don’t have the experience nor the perspective to judge this book.  But, I think it has wide application outside of business as well.  These are precisely the principles one should use in conducting his or her life.

Schuman continues his review: “John's also not afraid to tell it like it really is. How many other business books have you read with a chapter titled, ‘Fire Customers (If Necessary)!.’ Any of your associates who've ever had to deal with the ‘customer from hell’ will appreciate it. But it makes sense. As John writes, "...standing up for your people in the face of mistreatment by customers makes our staff feel truly valued.’”

Matthew Morine, from Castle Rock, Colorado, writes, “John Miller is an accomplished author and consultant in the business world. His previous book "QBQ" was an exceptional work on identifying empowerment thinking. He continues the linage of thought provoking and insightful works in this text. The book identifies the 47 ways to make an organization better. This book is packed with helpful information. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on the ever increasing literature in the business culture, one can buy this book for the best of the latest ideas. The book also highlights some of the latest and trendy "foolish" ideas that would never work. The author shows these ideas to be lacking. Instead of having to read all of the material out there searching for the best practices, the author has done this for you. This book will provide a framework for any church, club, or business. There is not a single wasted page. For a journey in the best ideas for an organization, pick up this title.”

Again, not having read any other books by John G. Miller, I leave it to Matthew Morine to provide that additional perspective.

This is an excellent book that has garnered exceptional reviews and, thus, is outstanding!!!! 



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This book is available from Amazon.com: Outstanding!  47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional. 

Friday's Laugh . . . And Then Some!

Bambi, a blond in her fourth year as a UCLA freshman,
sat in her U.S. government class.  The professor asked
Bambi if she knew what Roe vs. Wade was about.
Bambi pondered the question then finally said, "That was
the decision George Washington had to make before he
crossed the Delaware."

Laugh Like There's No Tomorrow: Over 2,000 jokes from the Internet

From our upcoming book compiled by Richard L. Weaver II
Laugh is setup with just over 4 jokes a day, all 365 days, and can be read in any order!
Expected Release Date: Fall 2010

Examining the paranormal helps us understand how the world works

There are many paranormal and supernatural claims.  Psychics, astrologers, alien abductions, alternative medicines, ghosts, and life after death are just a few of them.  But when people have personal experiences with any of these, those occurrences offer them a powerful and persuasive reason to believe in them, especially if they can’t explain them. 

“The need to believe in phony wonders,” writes The Reverend Canon William V. Rauscher, “sometimes exceeds not only logic but, seemingly, even sanity.” 

Many people have had psychic experiences or episodes with things that science cannot explain.  Whether it is extrasensory perception (ESP), haunted houses, ghosts of the spirits of dead people, telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, communicating mentally with someone who has died, witches, reincarnation, or channeling, seventy-five percent of Americans profess at least one paranormal belief according to a recent Gallup survey.  The most popular is extrasensory perception, mentioned by 41%, followed closely by a belief in haunted houses (37%).  Only 27% of Americans, according to the same survey, believe in none of these. 

The poll showed no statistically significant differences in beliefs among people by age, gender, education, race, and region of the country; however, Christians are a little more likely to hold some paranormal beliefs than non-Christians (75% versus 66% respectively), but both groups show a sizeable majority with such beliefs. 

The main question is why do people believe in the paranormal?  The first obvious answer, given above, is that so many people have had personal paranormal experiences.  A second obvious reason has to do with magical thinking.  For example, if an athlete wears a certain piece of clothing and wins a game, magical thinking has to do with believing that that certain piece of clothing will bring him or her luck in winning future games.  Actually, this belief is based on the fallacy post hoc, ergo propter hoc or “after this, therefore because of this” and is a form of superstition.

The third answer to the question of why so many people believe in the paranormal and supernatural is captured in the expression, “true-believer syndrome,” which was coined in a book of the same name by M. Lamar Keene.  Keene describes a cognitive disorder characterized by believing in the reality of paranormal or supernatural events even after one has been presented overwhelming evidence that an event was fraudulently staged.  Keene writes, “How can an otherwise sane individual become so enamored of a fantasy, an imposture, that even after it’s exposed in the bright light of day he still clings to it—indeed, clings to it all the harder?” 

For many people, the will to believe at times overrides the ability to think critically about the evidence for and against a belief.   

Yet another explanation, described by Eric Hoffer in his book The True Believer, is that the person’s belief in the paranormal or supernatural satisfies an emotional need that is stronger than the need for the truth.  He writes, “This passionate attachment is the essence of his blind devotion and religiosity, and he sees in it the source of all virtue and strength....He easily sees himself as the supporter and defender of the holy cause to which he clings.  And he is ready to sacrifice his life.” 

There may be no single answer to the question of why so many people believe in the paranormal and supernatural, but Michael Shermer, in his book, Why People Believe in Weird Things (W.H. Freeman & Company, 1998), offers readers twenty-five fallacies that lead us to believe weird things.  In Shermer’s opinion, “most believers in miracles, monsters, and mysteries are not hoaxers, flimflam artists, or lunatics.  Most are normal people whose normal thinking has gone wrong in some way.” 

Some of the ways that people’s thinking has gone wrong are first, accepting anecdotes as proof.  Stories do not make science unless they are supported by a great deal of corroborative evidence from other sources or by physical proof of some sort.  Ten anecdotes are no better than one, and a hundred anecdotes are not better than ten.  The problem with anecdotes is that they are told by fallible human storytellers. 

Another way that people’s thinking goes wrong is accepting a belief based on the trappings of science.  Scientific language and jargon means nothing without evidence, experimental testing, and corroboration.  Because science has such a powerful mystique in our society, those who wish to gain respectability often gain it by looking and sounding “scientific.” 

“If you want to do science,” Shermer writes, “you have to learn to play the game of science.  This involves getting to know the scientists in your field, exchanging data and ideas with colleagues informally, and formally presenting results in conference papers, peer-reviewed journals, books, and the like.” 

Another way that people’s thinking goes wrong is not understanding that the burden of proof falls on the one making an extraordinary new claim.  They are the ones who have to prove to the experts and community at large that their belief has more validity than the one almost everyone else accepts. 

Scientific and critical thinking does not come naturally.  It takes training, experience, and effort.  In his book, Logic for the Millions (Philosophical Library, 1947), Alfred Mander said, “Thinking is skilled work.  It is not true that we are naturally endowed with the ability to think clearly and logically—without learning how, or without practicing.  People with untrained minds should no more expect to think clearly and logically than people who have never learned and never practiced can expect to find themselves good carpenters, golfers, bridge players, or pianists” (p. vii).

The paranormal is bunk; however, the key for skeptics and critical thinkers is to try to understand how others have gone wrong and how science is subject to social control and cultural influences so they can improve their understanding of how the world works. 

----- 

There is a wonderful essay, “The Paranormal” by Remi which is well worth a read.  The example used in the final paragraph is especially relevant. 

At the website, LiveScience, the essay there, under the topic, “Culture,” called, “Monsters, Ghosts and Gods: Why We Believe,” by Robert Roy Britt, LiveScience Managing Editor, is informative and worthwhile.  Britt says, “The bottom line, according to several interviews with people who study these things: People want to believe, and most simply can't help it.”  There is a great deal of information in this essay, but it seems to boil down to one essential element: “‘Many people quite simply just want to believe,’ said Brian Cronk, a professor of psychology at Missouri Western State University. ‘The human brain is always trying to determine why things happen, and when the reason is not clear, we tend to make up some pretty bizarre explanations.’ 

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Copyright June, 2010, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.

   

y #221 - Listen well.

SMOERs: Words of Wisdom

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant." --Robert McCloskey

Day #221 - Listen well.

SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 30-Day sample: smoers.com

Day #191 - Set high standards.

SMOERs: Words of Wisdom

"Let us be about setting high standards for life, love, creativity, and wisdom.  If our expectations in these areas are low, we are not likely to experience wellness.  Setting high standards makes every day and every decade worth looking forward to."  ---Greg Anderson

Day #191 - Set high standards.

SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 30-Day sample: smoers.com

It's a Special Delivery - How to Make a Viral Video

And Then Some Publishing News
-----
It's a Special Delivery! 


Illustrator Anthony Weaver and author Lynne Hall have put together a coaching video on How to Make a Viral Video, based on the K.I.S.S. Theory (Keep it simple... stupid). Instead of a technical approach explaining camera types, lenses, programs used to produce videos, this is a fun look at being in front of the camera and getting used to the bright lights shining on you.  Anthony and Lynne show you how they shot their video, including the end result!


Having trouble viewing the video? Click here to see How to Make a Viral Video on YouTube.






Have you seen Part 1 of Anthony Weaver's interview of author Edgar E. Willis about his memoir, Civilian In an Ill-Fitting Uniform: A Memoir of World War II? In Part 1 of the interview Anthony asks Edgar about his inspiration for the book, the reason for the title, and why he decided to include his life before and after his service. See part one of the interview here.


Part 2 of the interview will be released next week, Tuesday June 22, 2010, in the And Then Some Publishing News post.


Go to EdgarEWillis.com where you can find more books and videos by Edgar E. Willis including his series, How to be Funny on Purpose.

Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:

Thursday’s essay is called, “Examining the paranormal helps us understand how the world works."  There are many paranormal and supernatural claims.  Psychics, astrologers, alien abductions, alternative medicines, ghosts, and life after death are just a few of them.  But when people have personal experiences with any of these, those occurrences offer them a powerful and persuasive reason to believe in them, especially if they can’t explain them.  In this essay I examine their "reasons for believing."  It is a delightful essay that offers a closer examination. 

Examining the paranormal helps us understand how the world works
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
Many people have had psychic experiences or episodes with things that science cannot explain.  Whether it is extrasensory perception (ESP), haunted houses, ghosts of the spirits of dead people, telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, communicating mentally with someone who has died, witches, reincarnation, or channeling, seventy-five percent of Americans profess at least one paranormal belief according to a recent Gallup survey.  The most popular is extrasensory perception, mentioned by 41%, followed closely by a belief in haunted houses (37%).  Only 27% of Americans, according to the same survey, believe in none of these.

---

And Then Some Works!

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience

Book Club... And Then Some!


The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience    

by Carmine Gallo


Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

This Just as television stations admit their affiliation prior to any review or evaluation they make of a show or product that is produced by their parent company, I have to confess that I am a McGraw-Hill author, and this is a McGraw-Hill product; however, I did not know that until I opened the book to its title page.  (I confess, tongue-securely-placed-in-cheek, that it will be impossible for me to give this book a fair, impartial, and totally honest review!)  Am I biased by my 24-year history of working with McGraw-Hill?  Yes.  Am I biased by my excellent relationships established with the editors who have worked with me throughout this period of time?  Yes. ----but, I am going to continue none-the-less.

Anyone who knows my background knows that I have written more than a half-dozen different college textbooks on the subject of public communication, and my most recent textbook, Communicating Effectively (McGraw-Hill, 2009) (with Saundra Hybels) is currently going into its tenth edition. Half this textbook is devoted to public speaking; it is the section I always wrote even when Hybels was alive (she died in 1999).  My small (Elements of Style-like) book, Public Speaking Rules: All you need for a GREAT speech! (And Then Some Publishing, 2008), available from Amazon.com , covers all the essential information speakers need.  All this to say, is it any wonder I would be interested in this book by Carmine Gallo?

If you are an experienced speaker or you have read a great deal about public speaking, you are unlikely to find anything new in this book; however, if you want to remind yourself about what it takes to be a great speaker or you just want to polish and hone your skills, then this is just the book.  It is informative, specific, comprehensive, well-written, and complete with wonderful, engaging examples.

Gallo has structured her book much like one of Steve Jobs’ presentations.  That is, she has kept her chapters brief (“Obey the Ten-Minute Rule”—Intermission 1), includes brief summaries at the end of every chapter (“Director’s Notes”), offers short segments within chapters, provides tables, bullet-pointed lists, includes numbers of additional examples (“Share the Stage”—Act II, Scene 11), injects pictures of Jobs at work, begins every chapter with a summary quotation, and furnishes additional quotations, explanations, and stories set aside by brackets (much as my “Consider This” sections in Communicating Effectively).  There are a sufficient number of things going on that Gallo effectively grabs a reader’s attention, and rivets it to the printed page.

Gallo writes about the passion that drove her to write this book: “The purpose of this book is to help you capture that passion [the passion that drives us] and turn it into a story so mesmerizing that people will want to help you achieve your vision” (p. xvii).  She added, “Do not let your ideas die because you failed to present them in a way that sparked the imagination of your listeners.  Use Jobs’s techniques to reach the hearts and minds of everyone you hope to influence” (p. xvii).

If you want a great book on presentational skills, you can’t do better than this one!


This book is both available from Amazon.com: The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience

Friday's Laugh . . . And Then Some!

 Little Emily, the minister's daughter, ran into the house,
crying as though her heart would break.
"What's wrong, dear?" asked the pastor.
"My doll!  Billy broke it!" she sobbed.
"How did he break it, Emily?"
"I hit him over the head with it."

Laugh Like There's No Tomorrow: Over 2,000 jokes from the Internet

From our upcoming book compiled by Richard L. Weaver II
Laugh is setup with just over 4 jokes a day, all 365 days, and can be read in any order!
Expected Release Date: Fall 2010

Human limitations and then some!

Have you ever walked by a stockade-type fence, found a knothole in it, then looked at what’s taking place on the other side of the fence through that peephole?  Much of our lives are framed by that example.  That is, we obtain information about the world we live in through a very small antennae, mounted upon a tiny pedestal, and often pointed in a well-defined, carefully selected direction.  And yet, despite these limitations, the way we view the world is dependent upon the information obtained through this single, small, and somewhat insignificant antennae. 

Through my many years of writing and teaching about public speaking, one of my goals has always been to impress upon students the limitations of much of their personal experience.  A personal experience, although powerful in its ability to hold the attention of listeners (and this must be acknowledged), is rendered nearly meaningless in its ability to prove a point or as evidence to support a conclusion.  For that, the opinions of credible people supported by facts and statistics are not just important but necessary. 

Why is a student’s personal experience meaningless?  Often, it is for the same reasons that one person’s point of view—eyewitness testimony—can matter so little in a court of law.  In a court of law it counts for little and is often contradicted by other eyewitness testimony.   

It is, however, what we do with the information that comes through our minuscule antennae that causes many of the problems.  Most information comes to us in a random, unstructured manner.  We must do something with it—modify it!—to make sense of it.  First, we must determine relationships: how does the new information relate to other information we are receiving and to information we already have?  Look out the window where you are sitting right now.  Can you view nature as if there were no structure?  Our world, for us to understand it, requires organization, and when we get random, unstructured information from our world, as we do every waking moment, we organize it by perceiving relationships—relationships we form. 

How do we organize the information from our meager antennae?   First, because information often comes in small pieces, we try to put it into a larger context so that we can understand the pieces better.  This is a process called enlarging in which we look for a frame of reference for the message or messages—a frame of reference from our perspective. 

You can understand the process of enlarging, for example, when you notice a nonverbal expression emitted by someone with whom you are having a conversation.  Suddenly, you detect an expression of sadness or grief.  Immediately you start observing the whole nonverbal picture —the facial expressions, gestures, body movements, and vocal tones of the person sending the message—and trying to place the expression you have observed into that picture.  The fewer the pieces of information you have received, the more enlargement must take place. 

The second way we have of organizing the information we get from our very modest antennae is simplifying.  Just as we search for a relationship between pieces of information and a larger framework into which we can place those pieces, we also look for ways to simplify complex or confusing stimuli.  Complex stimuli are those we have difficulty understanding.  We simplify information by finding patterns, an order (derived from all that we know or observe) that will help us make sense of the message. 

For example, if you drive into a gas station to get directions, you might hear the attendant say something like, “You go up here to your first stoplight and turn left on Broadview.  At your next light turn right.  Then just after you pass Wiley High School, turn right, and the street you are looking for will be your next left.”  As a simplifying response you might reply, “So, it’s a left, two rights, and a left.”  We look for order in stimuli that will help us remember the essential information.  It is an order established by our brain from our experiences. 

Stereotyping, the process of assigning a fixed label or category to things or people we encounter, is one method we have of simplifying information.  All human beings employ stereotypes to deal with the tremendous flow of events around them.   

The third method of organizing information from your diminutive antennae is closing.  It is the process of filling in gaps between pieces of information.  Although we think in unified wholes, we get information in separate scraps; thus, we must put information together to make it complete rather than fragmented.  It is like filling in the pieces of a puzzle we are missing. 

We probably engage in closing (or closure) more often than we realize.  For example, how often have you completed a sentence for the person you were talking to?  The more you get to know people, the better you know how they think, and the more often you will think ahead and close their thoughts—or think for them.  Very close friends can say a great deal to each other with few words; without realizing it, they may depend on closure for their messages to get through.  Just remember, however, we are the ones filling in the gaps. 

Another example of closing is when you overhear others talking but are able to pick up only fragments of their conversation.  From the fragments you fill in the rest of the conversation.  Have you ever sat in a bus station, airport, or next to a busy sidewalk and made up stories about the people you observed around you?  From a minimum of cues you put together a fairly complete story, making sense of the available information by closure.  Though it may make sense to you, it is unlikely to be correct.  It is a figment of your imagination, but if you were to act, you would respond based on what you think or you believe or you feel. 

Then, when you add proximity and role to the mix of enlarging, simplifying, and closing, you begin to see why a single personal example may be wildly inappropriate, inaccurate, or simply, unjustified.  Proximity is simply your nearness to the event with respect to where you are located, the time that the event takes place, or your relationship to the event or people in it.  If you are a distance away, it is early morning and you are barely awake, and you have no relationship to the people involved, your viewpoint is likely to be distorted.  And your role relates to your expectations, needs, attitudes, and beliefs about the situation; your role restricts how you perceive situations whether it is a job role, family role, sex role, friendship role, or any of a number of others. 

When people are offering a single, personal viewpoint of anything, it really caries very little meaning beyond what it is.  It is an instance, anecdote, or singular example.  In general, when it comes to viewing things, people are untrained, untaught, unschooled, unskilled, unpracticed, uninitiated, ill-equipped, ill-prepared, unqualified, nonprofessional, and inexperienced.  They see what they see and nothing more.  Much as you need to respect their point of view, and their willingness to share it, in the larger scheme of things, it is one more example of our human limitations---and then some!

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At the website Cycleback.com there is a terrific essay that discusses perception entitled, “Movement Perception and Misperception,” by David Rudd Cycleback.  Cycleback ends his first paragraph saying, “The human uses its complex mental template to make the final perception, or judgment of what is going on. The template was formed by experience, knowledge, genetic tendencies, physiological abilities (your visual template is literally blind to the ultraviolet light that birds see, and the infrared light snakes see), personal bias, aesthetics, etc. Often the final interpretation, or perception, is a correct representation of what is being viewed. Sometimes the perception is off.” 

At the Scientific American website, there is a terrific essay, “Limits of Perception,” by editor in chief, Mariette DiChristina.  She begins her essay with a quotation by Arthur Schopenhauer, Studies in Pessimism : “Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.”  DiChristina goes on to discuss the interference of “noise” in the brain’s functioning.  It is easy to conclude that all perceptions are affected by “noise,” and it is “noise” that, in part, limits our ability to perceive accurately.

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Copyright June, 2010, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.

Day #189 - Do it now.

SMOERs: Words of Wisdom

"What you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Courage has genius, power, and magic in it;
Only engage, and then the mind grows heated.
Begin it, and the work will be completed."
                                                        ---Anonymous

Day #189 - Do it now.

SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 30-Day sample: smoers.com

New Edgar E Willis video series and Thursday Essay Preview

And Then Some Publishing News
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I want to start by saying thank you to the person who bought SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement, Rules - Daily reminders for outstanding living. You've helped get
June 2010 started off on the right path and your purchase donates $4.00 to Susan G. Komen - For the Cure to breast cancer.

If that wasn't exciting enough And Then Some Publishing has a new video series on the way! Last week, Anthony Weaver interviewed 96-year-old Edgar E. Willis who is the retired Emeritus Professor of Communication at the University of Michigan. We discuss his World War II memoir, Civilian in an Ill-fitting Uniform. This interview is a four part series discussing his time before, during, and after the war. In Part 1 of the interview I ask Edgar about his inspiration for the book, the reason for the title, and why he decided to include his life before and after his service.

You will really enjoy this video series and including Edgar reading from his book in Part 2!

And Then Some Publishing will be releasing Part 1 of the interview by the end of this week and will devote an extra And Then Some News post, including the video as soon as it's released.

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Find great book reviews every Monday: Book Club... And Then Some!

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Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:

Thursday’s essay is called, “Human limitations and then some." This essay offers an accurate and relevant perspective on personal experience and the value of a personal point of view.  It helps give you what you need to know about how much you know and how much you understand.

Human limitations and then some
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
Have you ever walked by a stockade-type fence, found a knothole in it, then looked at what’s taking place on the other side of the fence through that peephole?  A great deal of our lives is framed by that example.  That is, we obtain information about the world we live in through a very small antennae, mounted upon a tiny pedestal, and often pointed in a well-defined, carefully selected direction.  And yet, despite these limitations, the way we view the world is dependent upon the information obtained through this single, small, and somewhat insignificant antennae.  Knowing this puts all that we know and all that we think we know in proper perspective—and then some!

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And Then Some Works!

The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, Who Killed Change? Solving the Mystery of Leading People Through Change

Book Club... And Then Some!



The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything    

by Ken Robinson with Lou Aronica


Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

This book is truly motivating, and it is because of a combination of reasons.  It is like “the perfect storm” of stimulus packages.  First, the writers offer an engaging, friendly, compelling writing style that makes reading easy and comfortable.  Second, their choices for examples are wonderful.  Whether you know the people or not—and you will know most of them—they describe each experience so well that you quickly identify with them.  

The third reason in this motivational “perfect storm” is their selection of “elements” to discuss.  For example, they discuss “thinking differently,” “creativity,” being “in the zone,” “connecting with people who share your passion and desire, and “developing the proper attitude,” among the elements offered.  And they discus the challenges, too, such as those that come from within, from a lack of confidence, or from fear of failure.  

There is no step-by-step procedure or “formula for success,” but serious readers do not need these pop psyche crutches or aids.  (Of course, some do!)  

What you get from Robinson and Aronica are a wide and broad variety of examples, and their examples offer the same wide and broad level of application or experience.  You read, identify, absorb, and learn—then you apply the ideas creatively and independently on your own in the contexts with which you are most familiar.  This is both the beauty and the force of this book.  It’s the power of example and then, “we need to aim high and be determined to succeed” (p. 21). 


Who Killed Change?  Solving the Mystery of Leading People Through Change

by Ken Blanchard, John Britt, Judd Hoekstra, and Pat Zigarmi


Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.



This is another book in the long line of fables used to identify and solve important and complex real-world business problems.  It is, like Blanchard’s many other books, well-written, brief, and easy-to-read (like a children’s story).  

From the many positive reviews of the book, it is clear that it accurately and precisely, as one reviewer put it, “focuses on the key information that one needs to consider when planning or salvaging a change initiative.”  

It seems to prove—once again—that the quick, practical, personal, and memorable read is likely the most important way to focus on major business issues.  More than just getting readers to think about managing change, there are many ideas here, too, that thrust effective managing to the fore in readers’ minds.  

The book is about a murder mystery with thirteen suspects, and the authors lead readers through an interview with each of the suspects.  Why each of them is a culprit is carefully explained.  How companies can attack the various issues is well presented, too.  If you’re interested in how to change organizational environments—and you are looking for a very simplified explanation—this is a good place to start.  There is no doubt it! 

These books are both available from Amazon.com: The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything and  Who Killed Change?  Solving the Mystery of Leading People Through Change. 

Friday's Laugh . . . And Then Some!

A man woke up in a hospital after a serious
accident.  He shouted, "Doctor, doctor, I can't feel my
legs!"  The doctor replied, "I know you can't---I've cut
off your arms!"

Laugh Like There's No Tomorrow: Over 2,000 jokes from the Internet

From our upcoming book compiled by Richard L. Weaver II
Laugh is setup with just over 4 jokes a day, all 365 days, and can be read in any order!
Expected Release Date: Fall 2010

Cleanse your mind of these thoughts

There are many thoughts that are unnecessary and just take up space in our brains, space that could be better utilized for productive positive thoughts, dealing with everyday problems, planning for the future, and contemplating all the past good memories.  It wasn’t until I read the wonderful book by Thomas Kida, Don’t believe everything you think: The 6 basic mistakes we make in thinking (Prometheus Books, 2006), and a book by Damian Thompson called Counterknowledge (W.W. Norton & Company, 2008), that I began thinking about this topic.   

I want to acknowledge my indebtedness to Kida and Thompson for these thoughts and for their support.  I have borrowed heavily from these books, and I have avoided quotation marks for ease of reading—but, be clear about this, these are their thoughts, not mine. 

The first big time waster is any beliefs you may have in fortunetellers, palm readers, and astrologers.  The last “big name” to give credence to astrology, of course, was Nancy Reagan, who consulted an astrologist whenever deciding President Reagan’s schedule.  Beliefs in any of these is pure nonsense. 

One trap that we fall into is believing in stories rather than in statistics.  I am continually telling people that when you hear of an accident, shooting, robbery, baby’s death, or any other extraordinary event, there often follows a law, ruling, or mandate  designed specifically to prevent other similar accidents, shootings, robberies, or deaths.  So, you have one incident that makes the news—an anecdote—and people scurry to prevent other similar instances when, often, these examples are rare, exceptional, or unique.  A teenager holds up a small grocery store, and suddenly you have a curfew in the neighborhood designed to keep teenagers at home after dark.  Another good example is when you hear of a recall of a certain model because of problems incurred by a small number of people, and you avoid purchasing any car made by that company. 

The second area where we can cleanse our mind is in any intention we may have regarding talking with the dead, facilitated communication, therapeutic touch, and dowsing (a technique in which an individual holds an object, like a Y-shaped tree branch and walks around the land in search of water.  When the branch twitches, it’s taken as a sign that water is below.)  A belief in any of these is ludicrous as well, and yet bright, capable, highly trained people hold extraordinary beliefs such as these that have little or no credible supporting evidence. 

A third area where a significant number of people believe in something where there is little or no credible evidence to support their beliefs, and the beliefs are contradicted by hard evidence, is that there is such a thing as extrasensory perception, that houses can be haunted, that people are sometimes possessed by the devil, that there is such a thing as telepathy—or communication between minds without the five senses—that extraterrestrial beings have visited the earth, that there is such a thing as clairvoyance—or perceiving things not present to the senses—and that reincarnation exists. 

Another area where you can cleanse your mind is any beliefs you have in graphology— analyzing a person’s handwriting to determine what kind of person he or she is.  Research shows that graphology is totally useless, but you may have been denied a job if a graphologist said your handwriting indicated you are untrustworthy. 

A fourth area where cleansing can take place is support of a large number of commonly held beliefs.  For example, that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, the blind develop supersensitive hearing, crime and drugs are out of control in the United States, low self-esteem is a cause of aggression, religious people are more altruistic than less religious people, opposites attract, or if you’re happy in your job, you will be more productive.  There is no research to support these ideas. 

Also, you can cleanse your mind by removing beliefs you may have in such topics as Atlantis, bigfoot, UFOs, Bible prophecy, psychic powers, religious images or patterns seen in unrelated objects, near-death experiences, miracle diets, creationism, paranormal phenomena, or the existence of ghosts.  Anytime you hear a comment from someone who has witnessed an event —whatever it is—and says, “I knew right away it was a ghost/miracle/fairy/or whatever, because there is no other way to explain it,” you can rest assured that the claim is bogus, and the speaker is naive.  As I said earlier in this essay, we love stories.  A discussion of the contribution the media make in fostering beliefs in the weird and bizarre would offer material for a whole book. 

There are a number of other beliefs, too, that you can discard.  Breast implants cause serious disease.  It isn’t true now, and it never was true.  All anecdotal evidence.  Levitation is not supported by evidence.  Not a single death or serious injury has occurred from kids eating Halloween candy received from strangers.  No poisoned candy or apples containing razor blades.  Classified under pseudoscience is a whole range of activities related to parapsychology (some mentioned previously) such as extrasensory perception, telepathy (reading other’s minds), clairvoyance (perceiving things not present to the senses), and precognition (seeing the future).  None of it exists; none of it is true. 

How can you deal with falsehoods, fabrications, half truths, and lies?  Kida has some suggestions, and they fall under the heading, “Think like a scientist.”  First, keep an open mind, and be skeptical of any unsubstantiated claims.  Second, make sure a claim or belief can be tested.  Third, evaluate the quality of the evidence for a belief.  Fourth, try to falsify a claim or belief (e.g., look for disconfirming evidence).  Fifth, consider alternative explanations (even chance or coincidence).  Sixth, other things being equal, choose the claim or belief that is the simplest explanation for the phenomenon.  Seventh, choose the claim or belief that doesn’t conflict with well-established knowledge.  And, eighth, proportion your belief to the amount of evidence for or against that belief. 

No, there is no way to totally cleanse your mind, of course, and we will always be guilty of holding some false beliefs.  Sometimes it’s just fun to consider ideas you know are clearly false or outrageous.  Sometimes they just make you feel good.  Sometimes, too, you just wonder how in the world someone could believe something like that?  At least you know now that there are about 30 beliefs you never have to think about again.  It’s a start to a cleansed mind! 

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Nick Arizza, a medical doctor, has written a delightful essay entitled, “All your problems are based in false beliefs at ezinearticles.com, in which he discusses all the cleansing that can occur when you are freed of your false beliefs: “a feeling of lightening (i.e. a sense of buoyancy and an inner sense of radiance), feelings of relief, feelings of joy and contentment, feelings of self confidence, self esteem and self confidence, feelings of grounded ness and feelings of being more present in one's physical body than ever before.” Now that’s cleansing!

At trans4mind.com, Peter Shepherd has written an essay on “False beliefs,” in which his main thesis is: “Just recognizing your own particular false beliefs is the first and most important step toward letting go of them, to de-programming yourself. Next you need to re-evaluate your deeply-held belief and see if you'd like to revise it.”  Shepherd offers a number of suggestions for cleansing your mind.

A third essay, this one by Julie Jordan Scott, a Life Purpose coach, writer, and speaker, at the website topachievement.com, in an essay entitled, “Taking Action to Eliminate False Beliefs,” takes a similar tack as the two authors above, and after a number of recommendations for dealing with false beliefs, she concludes: “Choose today to eliminate false thinking from your mind's vocabulary. When you "hear" your thoughts walking that path of inertia, take the power away from them. Say STOP! Replace this false belief with a Truth. Take action on truth. Watch the amazing course that flow unfold before you.” 

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Copyright May, 2010, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC