The Cognitive Science Of Assumption

http://www.dilbert.com/

Confirmation Bias is a tendency for certain people to favor information that confirms their own beliefs or assumptions.  These people exhibit this bias when they selectively collect and remember information that confirms their theory or biased way of thinking. The effect is much stronger in emotionally charged individuals who act out of emotion instead of logical comprehension.  Those who act on emotion often interpret inconclusive evidence as supporting their presumptive position or theory.   This ambiguous discernment of their own interpretation and memory is called upon in their effort to report or explain attitude polarization; meaning the disagreement becomes more extreme as the different parties consider evidence on the issue.

For instance one party may see a woman pointing a finger at an object, when in fact she may be pointing in a direction such as South, or she may also be shaking the finger as in reprimanding or making a point in a discussion.    Others see a family congregating on family property having private conversations,  yet the cognitive assumption by the slanted perception sees entirely something else in order to confirm their bias.  I  may see someone responsibly caring for the aesthetic value of their yard, another may slant the situation to confirm their bias in another direction.  Politicians are famous for their Confirmation Bias.

There is also belief perseverance when a person holds onto false information even though the truth has been presented to them.  Illusory correlation is when two events or situations are falsely perceived to be connected by an individual who relies on their confirmation bias over the reality of a given situation.  The old adage still rings true, Assume = Ass + u + me or when you assume things trying to make an ass of someone else you are truly the only ass in the situation!

Oh Very Young, Never Truer Words Have Been Sung!

Cat Stevens 1971

Oh Very Young written by Cat Stevens 

born  Steven Demetre Georgiou, 

now known as Yusuf Islam 

Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
You're only dancing on this earth
For a short while
And though your dreams may toss
And turn you now.
They will vanish away -
Like your Daddy's best jeans
Denim blue fading up to the sky
And though you want him to last.
Forever you know he never will
(You know he never will)
And the patches
Make the goodbye harder still.

Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
There'll never be a better chance

Cat Stevens, 
now Yusuf Islam 2011

To change your mind
And if you want this world
To see (a better day)
Will you carry
The words of love with you
Will you ride
The great white bird into heaven
And though you want to last.
Forever you know you never will
(You know you never will)
And the goodbye
Makes the journey harder still.

Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
You're only dancing on this earth
For a short while
Oh very young
What will you leave us this time. 

"Life is not lost by dying; 

life is lost minute by minute, 

day by dragging day, 

in all the thousand small uncaring ways."  

~Stephen Vincent Benét

Carpe Diem, seize the day!

To purchase this song and others by this artist: 

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During This Eastern Europe Extreme Cold Spell

To my readers who live in Eastern Europe,  Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Georgia, Latvia, Moldova, Hungary, Ukraine, currently experiencing the unusually cold weather this week:
1. Dress in layers.
Bundle up. Wear long underwear, sweaters, and even hats indoors. Remember the days of "sleeping caps"? They make sense when so much heat escapes from the head.  To avoid getting overheated inside, wear layers. I recommend a "wicking" polyester (or silk) undershirt next to your skin versus cotton.

The homeless use newspaper and cardboard which can also be shredded, balled up and stuffed into clothing to help insulate during the winter. I don't wish to think that anyone is in such dire circumstances, just thought I would include this in case you know anyone who just may need such assistance.  I once was told by an elderly woman who came from Hunterdon County, New Jersey that her grandmother taped newspaper over walls that had cracks in them back in the early 20th Century. Newspaper has a great insulating quality.

2. Keep Your Feet Warm

I highly recommend "house slippers" indoors. I know that it sounds a bit old-fashioned, but having the rubber sole really makes a difference.  You can also wear warm wool hunting socks. 

For the outdoors, it really helps to insert foam liners in your boots or hiking shoes to give your toes an extra layer of insulation.

3. Heat Up Your Bed

If you have 2 liter bottles as in soda/pop bottles.  Fill the empty bottle with very hot water(make sure the lid is on tight) place a couple in your bed just before you get in .   By the time you're ready for bed it's all nice and toasty. Believe it or not the water bottle stays warm all night long.  You can also use beans in a sock, tie it shut and warm it in a microwave.  

4. Harness the Sun

During the day, open the blinds and curtains on the south-facing windows—and let the Sun warm you. At night, close the blinds and curtains to better insulate your home.

5. Keep the Kitchen Cozy

Keep the kitchen cozy! Bake something in the oven, either dinner, dessert,  bake some bread..  Also, I always have a crock pot of  chili, or a pot soup going during the cold months.

6. Block Drafts

Beyond weather-stripping, which is difficult with old houses:
Hang blankets to close off the open stair well going to the second floor, since heat raises it keeps the warm air down stairs during non sleeping hours.
Don't forget to put something at the bottom of outside doors  when you can just feel the cold air pour in. You can buy a fancy roll or just use a blanket or towel.  Just like layers of clothing,  put layers at the windows. Between the window and the thermal-backed drapes place closed venetian blinds and a flannel-backed table cloth.  You can  hang a blanket over the entire exterior door because air doesn't just come in at the bottom. 

7. Stay Active

The Farmer's Almanac jokes that "one log can heat a house." Just run up the stairs with the log, throw it out the top window, and repeat three times. You'll be warm!
Keep active, this is a good time to clean out closets, garages, etc. Anything to keep active.



My thoughts and prayers are with you all! Please try and stay warm, and if you can,  stay in,  and off of the roads...stay safe!

The Power Of Words, Sharing an important message

Obnoxious Banter

Porky on the 'Little Rascals'

It is a common fact that very often adolescents make fun of their over weight peers.  

Psychologists agree that it is the adolescent's  insecurities of their own body image that very often lead them to harass others.

This pattern of adolescent bad behavior usually ends with the passage of adulthood and education.    However, as is the case of other personality disorders there are those who do not mature on a mental behavioral level. 

Very often the use of mind altering substances at a young age stunts the maturity of the brain.  Maturity in alcohol, marijuana and drug users is stunted when using begins. Emotional growth is stopped, as it is numbed by the usage.

They say that "users"  maintain the emotional age of when they began to use.   *Many began around 11-13. When a person starts numbing themselves to all the emotionally trying times in their life they have no mature ability to grow and deal with situations. 

Because of this immaturity they continue to harass and provoke childish battles with all that have the misfortune of finding themselves in a close proximity to these emotionally immature adults.

It is important to teach your children to have a high self esteem no matter what their outward appearance may be.  Nurture their emotional state of being and give them the tools to cope and to behave properly when they are around others. 

I always remember the words of the late Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, "God doesn't make junk!"  One little sentence that is so true.  He also made all different body types, and builds.  

I am thankful that my mother taught me to love myself, and to not make fun of others.  Her ability to love everyone unconditionally and to forgive easily gave me a strong emotional foundation.  Proverbs 22, ⁶Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.


* http://www.al-anon.org/how-to-find-a-meeting

http://www.beginningcatholic.com/how-to-pray.html

Something Sure Does Stink!

A grandfather was rocking in his chair on the front porch.  Very soon he fell asleep.  A few minutes later his devilish grandson appeared with a block of Limburger cheese.

The devilish grandchild smeared some of the  Limburger cheese on the grandfather's hair in the back, and took off to play with his friends.

A half an hour later the grandfather awoke.  He stood up and said, "Something sure does stink out here!"  He then walked into the parlor and again he said, "Something sure does stink in here!"  He headed out to the kitchen to get a bite to eat and he said, "Something sure does stink in here  too!"

Thus is the case very often that the stink isn't coming from an outer source and follows a person wherever they go.

I once heard this as part of a sermon made by a very wise pastor.  It never ceases to amaze me of man's ability to project their own shortcomings and bad behavior onto others, while all the time the stink is on them! 

Ice Cream Is Good For Your Soul, As Heard On The Hour Of Power...

A little boy was eating dinner at a restaurant with his family. He asked if he could say grace. His father said, "Of course!" He bowed his head and uttered, "Dear God thank you for the food we eat, thank you for the world so sweet, please have daddy let me have ice cream for dessert, with liberty and justice for all amen." 

Just then an elderly lady nearby was overheard saying, " Children today do not know how to pray, they are disrespectful." 

The little boy overheard her and looked very sad. Just then an elderly man who heard it all walked over knelt down and said, " I heard your very excellent prayer, and just wanted you to know that I heard that ice cream is good for the soul." The boy smiled in approval. 

Very soon a huge ice cream sundae was placed in front of him. He stood up and took the sundae over to the elderly lady placing it in front of her and said, " Ice Cream is good for your soul, and my soul is good already, here this is for you."