The McGurk effect

The McGurk effect is a perceptual phenomenon that demonstrates an interaction between hearing and vision in speech perception. The illusion occurs when the auditory component of one sound is paired with the visual component of another sound, leading to the perception of a third sound.

It was first described in 1976 in a paper by Harry McGurk and John MacDonald titled "Hearing Lips and Seeing Voices".

Conservative Talk Radio

Do you listen to Talk-Radio? Any kind of talk radio?  The ratings suggest that Sports Talk is popular, and everything else is falling hard and fast. This is across the board. Conservative Talk Radio is the hardest hit. Show like RUSH simply don't attract audiences any longer -- but more than this, they don't attract the audiences that support the advertisers who continue to use Talk Radio as a medium for marketing. 

Indianapolis' WIBC has broadcast Rush Limbaugh's show for 22 years. Despite this long history, parent company Emmis Communications announced April 13 that they are dropping Limbaugh's show from WIBC's lineup.

Words Have Power Your Words Have Power as Well.

Talking to People You Don't Know

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

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

Thoughts on Blame vs Fault

Does Blame and Fault mean the same thing?

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

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

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

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

Sympathy Emotion Encyclopedia for Writers

Emotion Encyclopedia for Writers

EMOTIVE: SYMPATHY

TYPE: COMPLEX

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

DESCRIPTION

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

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