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Facts and Fears

The former Director of National Intelligence speaks out

When he stepped down in January 2017 as the fourth United States Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper had been President Obama’s senior intelligence advisor for six and a half years, longer than his three predecessors combined. He led the US Intelligence Community through a period that included the raid on Osama bin Laden, the Benghazi attack, the leaks of Edward Snowden, and Russia’s influence operation on the 2016 US election. In Facts and Fears, Clapper traces his career through the growing threat of cyberattacks, his relationships with presidents and Congress, and the truth about Russia’s role in the presidential election. He describes, in the wake of Snowden and WikiLeaks, his efforts to make intelligence more transparent and to push back against the suspicion that Americans’ private lives are subject to surveillance. Finally, it was living through Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and seeing how the foundations of American democracy were – and continue to be – undermined by a foreign power that led him to break with his instincts grown through more than five decades in the intelligence profession, to share his inside experience.

Clapper considers such controversial questions as, is intelligence ethical? Is it moral to intercept communications or to photograph closed societies from orbit? What are the limits of what we should be allowed to do? What protections should we give to the private citizens of the world, not to mention our fellow Americans? Is there a time that intelligence officers can lose credibility as unbiased reporters of hard truths by asserting themselves into policy decisions?

Facts and Fears offers a privileged look inside the United States intelligence community and addresses with the frankness and professionalism for which James Clapper is known some of the most difficult challenges in our nation’s history.

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Theodore Roosevelt: Quotes & Facts

This book is an anthology of quotes from Theodore Roosevelt and selected facts about Theodore Roosevelt. “The worst of all fears is the fear of living” “Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘am, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” “Americanism is a question of principle, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace, or creed, or line of descent.” “If you’ve got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.” “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” “The government is us; WE are the government, you and I.” “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” “90% of the work in this country is done by people who don’t feel good”.” “A great democracy has got to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.” Theodore was the second of four children born to socialite Martha Stewart “Mittie” Bulloch and glass businessman and philanthropist Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. His brother Elliott was the father of First Lady Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. His paternal grandfather was of Dutch descent; his other ancestry included English, Scots-Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, and German. His father had been a prominent leader in New York’s cultural affairs; he helped to found the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and had been especially active in mobilizing support for the Union war effort. Before he entered Harvard College on September 27, 1876, his father told him “Take care of your morals first, your health next, and finally your studies”. After Harvard Roosevelt entered Columbia Law School, and was an able student, but he often found law to be irrational; he spent much of his time writing a book on the War of 1812. In 1905, Roosevelt offered to mediate a treaty to end the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize for his successful efforts. Roosevelt was an avid reader of poetry. Poet Robert Frost said that Roosevelt “was our kind. He quoted poetry to me. He knew poetry.” In all, Roosevelt wrote about 18 books (each in several editions), including his autobiography, The Rough Riders, History of the Naval War of 1812, and others on subjects such as ranching, explorations, and wildlife. His most ambitious book was the four volume narrative The Winning of the West, focused on the American frontier in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Roosevelt was an avid reader, reading tens of thousands of books, at a rate of several per day in multiple languages. Along with Thomas Jefferson, Roosevelt was the most well-read of all American politicians. Roosevelt was included with Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln at the Mount Rushmore Memorial, designed in 1927 with the approval of Republican President Calvin Coolidge President Bill Clinton awarded Theodore Roosevelt the Medal of Honor posthumously for his charge on San Juan Hill, Cuba, during the Spanish–American War.

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Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter

“If you watched the entire election cycle and concluded that Trump was nothing but a lucky clown, you missed one of the most important perceptual shifts in the history of humankind. I’ll fix that for you in this book.”

Adams was one of the earliest public figures to predict Trump’s win, doing so a week after Nate Silver put Trump’s odds at 2 percent in his FiveThirtyEight.com blog. The mainstream media regarded Trump as a novelty and a sideshow. But Adams recognized in Trump a level of persuasion you only see once in a generation.

Trump triggered massive cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias on both the left and the right. We’re hardwired to respond to emotion, not reason. We might listen to 10 percent of a speech – a hand gesture here, a phrase there – and if the right buttons are pushed, we decide we agree with the speaker and invent reasons to justify that decision after the fact.

The point isn’t whether Trump was right or wrong, good or bad. Win Bigly goes beyond politics to look at persuasion tools that can work in any setting – the same ones Adams saw in Steve Jobs when he invested in Apple decades ago. For instance:

If you need to convince people that something is important, make a claim that’s directionally accurate but has a big exaggeration in it. Everyone will spend endless hours talking about how wrong it is and will remember the issue as high priority. Stop wasting time on elaborate presentation preparations. In this book you’ll learn which components of your messaging matter and where you can wing it. Planting simple, sticky ideas (such as “Crooked Hillary”) is more powerful than stating facts. Just find a phrase without previous baggage that grabs your audience at an emotional level.

Adams offers nothing less than “access to the admin passwords to human beings”. This is a must-listen if you care about persuading others in any field – or if you just want to resist the tactics of emotional persuasion when they’re used on you.

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Sophocles: Quotes & Facts

This book is an anthology of quotes from Sophocles and selected facts about Sophocles. “A day lays low and lifts up again all human things.” “A human being is only breath and shadow.” “A lie never lives to be old.” “A man growing old becomes a child again.” “A short saying often contains much wisdom.” “A state is not a state if it belongs to one man.” “A wise man does not chatter with one whose mind is sick.” “As they say of the blind, sounds are the things I see.” “Despair often breeds disease.” “Enemies’ gifts are no gifts and do no good.” “Foolishness is indeed the sister of wickedness.” “Fortune cannot aid those who do nothing.” “I cannot love a friend whose love is words.” “If they are just, they are better than clever.” “In a just cause the weak will beat the strong.” “It is terrible to speak well and be wrong.” “It’s impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.” “Let a man nobly live or nobly die.” “Men’s minds are given to change in hate and friendship.” “Money: There’s nothing in the world so demoralizing as money.” “Much speech is one thing, well-timed speech is another.” “No enemy is worse than bad advice.” “Nobody likes the man who brings bad news.” “Not even Ares battles against necessity.” “Old age and the passage of time teach all things.” “Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way.”

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The Conductor’s Companion: 100 Rehearsal Techniques, Imaginative ideas, Quotes and Facts

(Meredith Music Resource). 100 outstanding middle and high school, collegiate and professional band and orchestra conductors passionately and candidly share their most powerful rehearsal techniques and cutting-edge program ideas in this concise and inspirational volume. Also included are fascinating historical facts about famous composers and conductors as well as inspirational quotes ideal for advocating music programs. It’s an excellent university supplemental text and a “go-to” source for directors at all levels.

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Aeschylus: Quotes & Facts

This book is an anthology of quotes from Aeschylus and selected facts about Aeschylus. “A great ox stands on my tongue.” “A prosperous fool is a grievous burden.” “Against necessity, against its strength, no one can fight and win.” “Ask the gods nothing excessive.” “Be bold and boast, just like the cock beside the hen.” “Bronze is the mirror of the form; wine, of the heart.” “But time growing old teaches all things.” “By polluting clear water with slime you will never find good drinking water.” “Call no man happy till he is dead.” “Do not kick against the pricks.” “Every ruler is harsh whose rule is new.” “Fear is stronger than arms.” “For hostile word let hostile word be paid.” “For know that no one is free, except Zeus.” “For the mighty even to give way is grace.” “From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow.” “God loves to help him who strives to help himself.” “Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.” “I say you must not win an unjust case by oaths.” “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.” “In war, truth is the first casualty.” “It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.” “It is the nature of mortals to kick a fallen man.” “Married love between man and woman is bigger than oaths guarded by right of nature.”

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Cervantes: Quotes & Facts

This book is an anthology of quotes from Cervantes and selected facts about Cervantes. “A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience.” “All sorrows are less with bread.” “Among the attributes of God, although they are all equal, mercy shines with even more brilliancy than justice.” “Be slow of tongue and quick of eye.” “By a small sample we may judge of the whole piece.” “Can we ever have too much of a good thing?” “Every man is the son of his own works.” “Every man was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” “Every production must resemble its author.” “Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.” “Everything disturbs an absent lover.” “Facts are the enemy of truth.” “Fair and softly goes far.” “Good painters imitate nature, bad ones spew it up.” “He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he that loses his courage loses all.” “In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd.” “Man appoints, and God disappoints.” “My honor is dearer to me than my life.” “No limits but the sky.” “The man who is prepared has his battle half fought.” “There are only two families in the world, the Haves and the Have-Nots.”

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The Facts Of Life: Empowerment Journal

The Facts Of Life Empowerment Journal is a timeless book providing generations of women and girls the authentic connection for beautiful conversation starters, great bonding tools as well as a resource for self-discovery and empowerment.  Whether tween and teen girls decide to enjoy reading alone or with friends, the facts of life found inside this book will equip her with the knowledge and tools that she deserves.  The author brilliantly redefines girl power by creatively educating girls about facts of life through carefully developing this fun interactive book to help girls take some of the frustration or anxiety out of growing up! Women everywhere can reflect on their tween and teen years and begin or end their storytelling with “If I only knew then what I know now.”  With that in mind, the savvy author used the realities of the most common facts of life to purposefully developed The Facts Of Life Empowerment Journal to help girls maneuver their growing pains. Simeaka Melton is a sought after girl advocate, educator, teen self-esteem strategist and the best-selling author of Dear Girls Activate Your Girl Power. For additional resources connect with her on social media @Simeaka or www.DearGirlsAcademy.org 

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Marcus Aurelius: Quotes & Facts

This book is an anthology of quotes from Marcus Aurelius and selected facts about Marcus Aurelius. “A man must stand erect, not be kept erect by others.” “A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions.” “All things fade and quickly turn to myth.” “Be your own master, and look at things as a man, as a human being, as a citizen, as a mortal creature.” “Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.” “Confine yourself to the present.” “Don’t go on discussing what a good person should be. Just be one.” “Everything that exists is in a manner the seed of that which will be.” “Everything that happens, happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so.” “He is so rich, he has no room to shit.” “How soon will time cover all things.” “Its a dream, a fearful dream, life is” “Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil.” “Life is opinion.” “No man is happy who does not think himself so.” “No more roundabout discussions of what makes a good man. Be one!” “Receive without conceit, release without struggle.” “Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.” “Strength and honor.” “To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.” “What we do now echoes in eternity.”