As We Close 2014 I Believe Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass Says It Best

What's Goin' On

Mother, mother

There's too many of you crying

Brother, brother, brother

There's far too many of you dying

You know we've got to find a way

To bring some lovin' here today - Ya

Father, father

We don't need to escalate

You see, war is not the answer

For only love can conquer hate

You know we've got to find a way

To bring some lovin' here today

Picket lines and picket signs

Don't punish me with brutality

Talk to me, so you can see

Oh, what's going on

What's going on

Ya, what's going on

Ah, what's going on

In the mean time

Right on, baby

Right on

Right on

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong

Oh, but who are they to judge us

Simply because our hair is long

Oh, you know we've got to find a way

To bring some understanding here today

Oh

"Wake Up Everybody"

Wake up everybody, no more sleepin' in bed

No more backward thinkin' time for thinkin' ahead

The world has changed so very much from what it used to be

So there is so much hatred war an' poverty

Wake up all the teachers, time to teach a new way

Maybe then they'll listen to whatcha have to say

'Cause they're the ones who's coming up and the world is in their hands

When you teach the children, teach 'em the very best you can

The world won't get no better

If we just let it be

The world won't get no better

We gotta change it, yeah, just you and me

Wake up all the doctors, make the ol' people well

They're the ones who suffer an' who catch all the hell

But they don't have so very long before the judgment day

So won'tcha make them happy before they pass away?

Wake up all the builders, time to build a new land

I know we can do it if we all lend a hand

The only thing we have to do is put it in our mind

Surely things will work out, they do it every time

The world won't get no better

If we just let it be

The world won't get no better

We gotta change it, yeah, just you and me

ENOUGH SAID!! I could not have said it any better myself than these two gentlemen if I tried. 

Have a great 2015 everyone!. In an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way, in its own perfect time, for the highest good of all, I intend $1,000,000 to come into my life and into the lives of everyone who holds this intention. 

From The Critical Thinker and The Reading Circle with Marc Medley, I wish you all nothing but health, wealth and success in 2015. I pray that we wake up and come up with the solutions to what's goin' on.  Be Blessed! 

"Blessed Are The Peacemakers" - Officers Turning Their Backs At Funeral Ought To Be Ashamed Of Themselves

Yesterday (12/27/14) my wife and I did something that we rarely do and that is turn on the television on a Saturday morning. We are off for Christmas break and are in a more relaxed mood, so when she turned on the TV we both sat down and as it turns out the funeral service for slain NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos was being broadcast live. Vice President Biden was speaking at the time and we decided not to turn the channel. Vice President Biden was followed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who was followed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Mayor de Blasio was followed by New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton followed by two pastors with the latter being Officer Ramos' pastor, Pastor Ralph Castillo. All of the words spoken by each were sincere and heartfelt. I especially connected with the words of Reverend Castillo, pastor of  the Christ Tabernacle Church where Officer Ramos and his family are active members, as he explained how Officer Ramos was a "peacemaker" and that as children of God, we all ought to be "peacemakers."

Officers with their Backs Turned to Screen

Ironically and the reason for this post is the fact that while Reverend Castillo was challenging us all to be peacemakers, many of the police officers who were attending the funeral service outside of the church were being silent troublemakers. I say this because a large faction of the police officers outside of the church chose to participate in a silent protest of New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio by turning their backs on the image of him speaking as it appeared on the large screen. I found this to be the height of disrespect as the day was not about the officers or Mayor de Blasio. The day was about celebrating the life of Officer Ramos and offering support to his loved ones left behind. It was not a day to grandstand or protest. Oddly enough, Mayor de Blasio and others asked the street protesters to honor the funeral time by not protesting and they adhered to the request, so I don't understand what made the police union and the officers feel as if they were so special that they felt the need to turn their backs at a FUNERAL service.

Widow of Officer Ramos and Sons

The officers were on the outside of the church turning their backs to a screen which I thought was stupid because the mayor was speaking inside and did not even know anything about the demonstration going on. The entire display was extremely disrespectful and appalling to me. How dare they exploit a funeral service! What type of message about respect were those officers sending children (and adults for that matter) by their behavior? They had the nerve to use Officer Ramos' funeral to express their displeasure with the mayor. The bottom line is the police union and the officers were out of order.....PERIOD. There was no excuse for that behavior. That was a time for peace and certainly acting like spoiled brats by turning their backs on a screen was not indicative of anyone wanting peace. I am thoroughly disappointed by all of the officers who participated in their little childish demonstration at the Ramos funeral and that certainly did nothing to garner my respect of them. My hats off to the officers who had the common decency not to participate in those shenanigans and chose to respect Mrs. Ramos and her sons. Sometimes you just have to know when to say when.  My condolences and prayers go out to the Ramos, Liu and Christ Tabernacle Church families. Shame on those officers who turned their backs at that funeral. Shame on you!!

Marc Medley on the Ferguson and Staten Island Verdicts

Intelligence Plus Character - That is the Goal of True Education

Hear me live each Saturday as the Host of The Reading Circle with Marc Medley on gobrave.org and WP88.7 FM. I also invite you to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

Never Underestimate the Power of a Smile

Never underestimate the power of a smile. Southwest Airlines has figured that out in one of their latest advertising campaigns created by GSD&M.

"You can't charge for smiles. That's probably why Southwest Airlines is still giving them away. Enjoy your flight with Southwest today."

Think about when you have achieved your desired results when interacting with someone else. Was it when you were mean, angry or your face looking like cracked ice? Or was it when you were smiling? Think about the last time you had great customer service. Was the person smiling and polite or grumpy and mean? According to Sarah Stevenson in her post There’s Magic In Your Smile as a guest blogger for Cutting-Edge Leadership

"Scientist and spiritual teachers alike agree that the simple act can transform you and the world around you. Current research (and common sense) shows us that a smile is contagious. It can make us appear more attractive to others. It lifts our mood as well as the moods of those around us. (Merci, Colette.) And it can even lengthen our lives."

Interestingly, there are many people who for whatever reason refuse to smile. If you have ever dealt with one of these people, then you know it is not a fun experience. So lift your mood, the moods of those around you and possibly live longer. SMILE. You are invited to hear me live on Saturdays at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org as the host of The Reading Circle where I'll be smiling on the air. You are also invited to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01.  

P.S. I love the ad as the actress has a beautiful smile. 

Actor David Figlioli's Facial Expressions in Geico TV Ad Epitomizes THE CRITICAL THINKER

Since viewing the latest GEICO TV Spot, 'Horror Movie: It's What You Do,' the facial expressions of actor David Figlioli as the chainsaw killer are what come to my mind every time I see or hear something stupid, crazy or bizarre that someone has done. In fact, this blog THE CRITICAL THINKER was created because of silly things that we overlook and take for granted that I as the creator seek to have readers think about; to ask the question, "Does that make sense to me/you?" The following description of the ad is provided by MARKET ME NOT:

“If you’re in a horror movie you make poor decisions. It’s what you do.” A group of kids in running from a murderer in the middle of the woods when they stumble upon an old cabin. “Let’s hide in the attic. No, in the basement.” One woman starts breaking down into tears “Why can’t we just get in the running car?!” She is dismissed as crazy “Are you crazy?! Let’s hide behind the chainsaws.” They agree “Yea, smart.” They run behind the chainsaws but don’t notice the murderer standing behind them. The murderer gives them a look as if he can’t believe how stupid these kids are. They finally notice the murderer and run off “Head for the cemetery!”

Actor David Figlioli 

It's this look by the murderer portrayed by Mr. Figlioli that for me makes the ad. It is this look that epitomizes this blog, THE CRITICAL THINKER; It's that "You've got to be kidding me," or as the description above says,  the look "As if you can’t believe how stupid this is," look. With everything that occurs on a daily basis locally, nationally and globally, I find myself making that face quite frequently, just not as well as Mr. Figlioli does in the commercial. He doesn't have to say a word and you know exactly what he is thinking.

As I have written posts for THE CRITICAL THINKER since its inception, it has been Mr. Figliloli's facial expression shown in the GEICO ad that has been on my face as I write each Critical Thinker post and now that I have a visual, it will certainly be the epitome of the things I write about and challenge you to think about as you read each blog post. I take my hat off to The Martin Agency, Inc. for their creativity as in my opinion the ad is spot on. Something to critically think about.

I invite you to listen to me live each Saturday at 6:00 a.m. ET on gobrave.org and WP88.7 FM as the host of The Reading Circle with Marc Medley and to follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

For Us Soda/Cola Junkies, Stevia Could Be Good News!

For us soda junkies, the announcement by both Pepsi and Coca-Cola that they are now going to offer a version of their respective products with Stevia as in ingredient instead of sugar, could be good news. If you have been following The Critical Thinker you may remember when I announced that my physician, Dr. Karen Young took my daily Pepsi's/Coke's away from me to prevent me from becoming a diabetic. Diabetes runs in my family and when Dr.Young observed that my A1C level was creeping up, she took preventative measures to keep me medicine free and from becoming a diabetic. The measures we put in place such as more exercise and dietary changes such as eliminating sugars, carbohydrates, and starches from my diet worked. At my February appointment, I was weighing 178 pounds and when I returned in May I had lost 20 pounds and was now 158. Dr. Young could not believe that I had lost 20 pounds that quickly. She said "I know you didn't lose 20 pounds since the last time we met?" I smiled and said, "Oh yes I did," and she said "You must have been taking in a whole lot of sugar each day."  My A1C numbers were back in normal range and she was correct as I was eating a half pint of Haagen-Daz Coffee ice cream per evening for dessert along with my daily Coca-Cola or Pepsi with lunch and dinner. I did not mention the cookies,doughnuts, Cheetos, Snickers, etc. etc. I consumed as a grab-and-go.

I know by now you are saying where is he going with this?  Good question.When Dr.Young informed me that I would have to eliminate sugar from my diet, she did offer me a couple of alternatives. She said that I could drink unsweetened iced tea, Diet Coke/Pepsi or water. She also said that I could use Stevia or Truvia as a sweetener. So of course, I did my research on stevia. According to WebMD, stevia is a natural, no-calorie sweetener, made from a South American plant that has been around for centuries, hence the green color in the labeling of both the Coca Cola Life and Pepsi True cans. I also

began reading a book that I shared with you in an earlier post titled SALT, SUGAR, FAT by Michael Moss revealing stunning facts about the food industry; facts that will make you mad and cause you to change your shopping and eating habits.  I learned that our being addicted to sugar is intentional and by design. So I guess the folks at Pepsi and Coca-Cola may have read SALT, SUGAR, FAT and made the move to offer a cola with stevia instead of sugar and high fructose corn syrup. For us soda junkies, the substitute of stevia for sugar has the potential to be good news.

Now after having read SALT, SUGAR, FAT and having discussions with Dr. Young, I made some significant dietary changes eliminating most if not all "junk foods;" however, I still drink an occasional diet cola, but I don't like the taste of Aspartame, Saccharin, and Sucralose and I am hoping stevia will be healthier and tastier. I use stevia to sweeten my unsweetened iced tea and I actually like the taste; that is why I am excited about it now being in Pepsi or Coca-Cola. So while Coca-Cola Life and Pepsi True are not on the market yet, I am looking forward to them being made available and I will be one of the first people in line to trial it. Now if I can just get Haagen-Daz to follow suit and offer a Haagen-Daz Coffee ice cream with stevia in it instead of sugar. I can only hope.  Hear me live each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org as the host of The Reading Circle with Marc Medley. Also you are invited to follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01 or @readingcircle01.

Am I The Only One Who See Signs Such As These As Odd?

Am I the only one who see signs such as these as odd? Wouldn't one think that what the signs are asking you to do or not do be common sense? Why would we throw trash in a toilet? Why wouldn't we wash our hands after having used the lavatory? It has been and is still amazing to me that we need signs like this not for a children's bathroom, but in adult bathrooms. I guess common sense really is not that common. Something to critically think about. Oh, and be sure to wash your hands after using the toilet and place trash in the appropriate receptacles. Hear me live each Saturday at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org and WP88.7 FM. You are also invited to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

YOU HAD ONE JOB!

I don't have to write a dissertation for this post, but suffice it to say that if our students don't obtain a desire to read, write, think, count and speak and our teachers don't find a way to teach in a manner that pulls reading, writing, thinking, counting and speaking out of our students, we are going to have what we see in the photo much too much. Our students must discipline themselves and understand the connection between their education and their present/future.

As parents and educators we must help our students/children develop discipline in everything that we teach. In my home, even the manner in which one squeezes the toothpaste from the bottom instead of squeezing it in the middle of the tube is a matter of teaching discipline and doing a job right. I don't ever want any of my own children or the children I serve in my school to ever be told that he/she had only one job and you screwed that up (I'm sure that's the sentiment behind the commentary). I'm also sure that if we were to place a caption at the bottom of the photo, we could finish the sentence started with the top caption of "YOU HAD ONE JOB and you...........(fill in the blanks). Our children must be willing to learn and our parents and teachers must be willing to teach and not just teach, but to teach excellence. Something to critically think about.

You are invited to listen to me live each Saturday at 6 a.m. ET on WP88.7 FM and for those of you who are not in the northern NJ area on gobrave.org as the host of The Reading Circle. You are also invited to follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

Look What WE'VE Created!

Look what we've created! Curious as to what we've created?  Visit the following link to learn of what we've created! http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/nfl-athletes-in-trouble-with-the-law/

I know many of you are scratching your head and asking the question, what does this writer mean by "What We've Created?" That's a fair question; however, the intent of this blog is to encourage you to pause and think about something that is often overlooked or taken for granted. The birth of the blog was based on the overlooked or the taken for granted variables that may be contributing to or causing things to occur, hence the title "The Critical Thinker." In this particular instance with so many of our athletes finding themselves in deep trouble, I lay part of the responsibility on us, the average everyday so called "fanatic," or "fan" for short. 

We've created what is manifesting in our athletes today by making them feel (current) and having made them feel (past) as if they were and are entitled to do whatever they would like to do to whomever they would like to do it to at a very early age, once we've recognized that they have athletic ability. There's no need in denying this because we do. Athletics, many times at the expense of academics are hailed even in the places where academics are supposed to be the priority; our schools and universities. Don't believe me? Take a cursory look at your high schools, colleges and in some instances elementary schools at what gets the most emphasis and attention. Is it the championship spelling bee or science fair teams or the championship basketball or football teams? Who receives the most public accolades, the gifted and talented student or the gifted and talented athlete?  I think you get the picture (at least I hope you do). 

The younger the athlete begins playing his/her sport, the longer time he/she has to nurture and cultivate his/her feeling of entitlement and the longer we doting parents, coaches, athletic directors, scouts have to feed into it. Oh yes, our athletes feel that they are entitled to do whatever and however they please just because they can play ball.

I was serving as a school administrator a few years ago at an elementary school where our basketball team was undefeated; our star player actually felt that he was entitled to his female classmates giving him oral sex. He felt that this came along with his being the "star player." Now mind you, this was eighth grade. EIGHTH GRADE!!!! This young man was bold enough to share with his teacher that he was not worried because he could not get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from oral sex. Can you imagine?!! This is a true story and an illustration of what I am writing about concerning our athletes with this sense of entitlement or privilege because they can bounce, run, hit, kick, swat, or anything else you can do with a ball or puck. This young man described above is not alone. 

Our professional athletes are finding themselves in trouble because they have always had their way as they navigated their way from the pee wee leagues to the professional leagues, and we as the parents, coaches, teachers, athletic directors, scouts, etc. etc. let it happen, thus creating the monsters that we have today. Take a look at the litany of trouble we find our athletes in, ranging from shoplifting to murder. Current and former multi-million dollar players losing it all because somewhere along the way everything they did whether good or bad received a "pat on the back", "a wink," or a "smile," because they were talented athletes. Where do you think the stories about "Basket weaving 101" is derived?

Now let me be clear. I am not absolving or making excuses for the personal responsibility of these men and women; however, we must stop and think about the role we contributed to their believing what they believe. This worshiping of athletes and entertainers for that matter has got to stop by us the "fanatics (fans)." Athletes and entertainers are human beings like anyone else. The major difference is, they are seen by a whole lot of people and are paid a whole lot of money for performing their job. Who are the people watching them and paying all of this money?  US. Who is idolizing and worshiping these people? US. We must get our sense of perspective and priority in order. 

So while we may be judging or pitying Ray Rice; Jonathan Dwyer; Greg Hardy; John Boyett; Ausar Walcott; Aaron Hernandez; Jovan Belcher; Da'Quan Bowers; Titus Young; Josh Brent; Jimmy Smith; Chad Johnson; Aaron Berry; Marshawn Lynch; Dez Bryant; David Diehl; Michael Vick; Plaxico Burress; Eric Naposki; Christopher Owens; Raheem Brock; Cedric Benson; Onterrio Smith; JaMarcus Russell; Randy Moss;Pat McAfee; Shaun Rogers; Kenyatta Jones; Najeh Davenport; Aqib Talib; Kenny Britt; Luke Driscoll; Louis Murphy; Johnny Jolly; Mike Vrabel; Tyrell Johnson; etc. etc. etc. ..............(believe it or not, this is not an exhaustive list). We really need to take a look at how we contributed and continue to contribute to this madness. Something to critically think about. 

You can hear me live each Saturday morning on WP88.7 FM and web streamed around the world on www.gobrave.org as I host The Reading Circle. You are also invited to follow on Twitter @thinkcritical01. 

P.S. Hot off of the Press - This just in....."Rex Chapman arrested for allegedly stealing $14,000 in merchandise from Arizona Apple Store"   Rex Chapman is a former NBA Guard.

 

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL

Last night my wife and I celebrated her birthday at a performance of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City. The show was excellent. As I watched the portrayals of the Motown acts, the thought that just kept coming to my mind was how far we have dropped in terms of entertainment class. This thought kept coming to me as I watched the dress and choreography of that time and compared it to what might as well be nakedness on stage today. I am no prude by any stretch of the imagination; however, there is a stark contrast between the gowns, suits and tuxedos worn by performers in the Motown era compared with the ripped and torn clothing, pants hanging down, body parts exposed, etc. etc. seen in 2014. Yes, sex has always sold and been a part of the acts, but there was just something different when some things were left to the imagination. Something to critically think about. Hear The Critical Thinker live on The Reading Circle each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org and you are invited to follow along on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

In Jest, There Is Truth - "But That's None Of My Business"

William Shakespeare once said “In jest, there is truth,”and never have I seen it more to be the case than with the latest "But That's None of my Business" photo captions atop the images of Kermit THE Frog. I find the creative captions placed on the images to be hilarious and in most cases true. We are able to say what we know others are thinking and really want to say by placing the thoughts above the facial expressions of Kermit while finishing with the tag line at the bottom of "But That's None Of My Business." There are various Kermit expressions and scenarios and funny enough, they fit just about any situation imaginable. As you enjoy the imagined quips of Kermit, I am sure you too will agree that many a true word hath been spoken in jest. Something to critically think and in this case laugh (or cry) about. You are welcome to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01 and listen live to The Reading Circle each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org.  

That's An Expensive One Night Stand - Part II (Back to School Costs)

"Spending this year is expected to average $634.78, according to the National Retail Federation. In total, families are expected to spend a total of $26.7 billion for K-12 children, although that number reaches $72.5 billion when college-aged kids are added to calculations." 

Source - National Retail Federation

 This is Part II of That's An Expensive One Night Stand. To do it right, it costs to be a parent. The children are worth it, so please don't short change them. If you plan to have children, please plan to do it right. Frivolous and careless sex can be costly. Something to critically think about. You are invited to tune into The Reading Circle each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org worldwide and locally in Northern New Jersey on WP88.7 FM. You are also invited to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

That's One Expensive One Night Stand

These figures ought to be incentive enough to stop with these frivolous one night stands or just careless sex in general. As shown in the photo below, it costs to correctly meet the needs of a child.Unfortunately, nowhere near that amount is spent on too many children who are born from reckless decisions and acts.

So, please keep these figures in mind before you bring a precious child into the world. A child does not ask to come here, so if you are going to have one, please be prepared to give him/her everything he/she deserves. Something to critically think about. You can hear The Critical Thinker live on The Reading Circle each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. ET on WP88.7 FM and worldwide on gobrave.org. You are invited to also follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritcal01.

The Tears Of A Clown - Robin, You'll Be Missed

As always when something happens to a celebrity who the world knows and almost feels like a family member, those of us who are bloggers express ourselves through our respective blogs. The death of Robin Williams is no different. 

When I am away on vacation I tend to "unplug" by not watching any television, reading newspapers or accessing the internet, so when I returned from vacation yesterday (Thursday 8/14) to learn of the tragic death of Robin Williams, I was stunned. I knew I would post in The Critical Thinker about it, however, the only words that kept popping into my mind were the lyrics written by Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Henry Cosby for the song The Tears of a Clown. Rhonda B. Graham writing in The News Journal (delawareonline) eloquently expressed her thoughts about Mr. Williams utilizing lines from the lyrics as well. It is absolutely amazing how one who made so many of us laugh was so sad himself. I loved the Genie in Aladdin and of course Mrs. Doubtfire (I can't count the number of times I have watched Mrs. Doubtfire). I can remember watching Mork and Mindy as a child and his performances in Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society and many of his other work.

At the end of the day, when all is said and done, and all is done and said, it once again goes forth to show that we just do not know what anyone is going through regardless of fortune, fame or the smile on his/her face. We none are in a position to judge anyone else because we none know what others are going through. Robin Williams will surely be missed as one who had the gift of making others laugh. Something to critically think about.

Now if there's a smile on my face
It's only there trying to fool the public
But when it comes down to fooling you
Now honey that's quite a different subject
But don't let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression
Really I'm sad, oh sadder than sad
You're gone and I'm hurting so bad
Like a clown I pretend to be glad
Now there's some sad things known to man
But ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown
When there's no one around
Oh yeah baby, now if I appear to be carefree
It's only to camouflage my sadness
In order to shield my pride I try
To cover this hurt with a show of gladness
But don't let my show convince you
That I've been happy since you decided to go
Oh, I need you so, I'm hurt and I want you to know
But for others I put on a show
Now there's some sad things known to man
But ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown
When there's no one around, oh yeah
Just like Pagliacci did
I try to keep my sadness hid
Smiling in the public eye
But in my lonely room cry
the tears of a clown
When there's no one around
Oh, yeah baby
Now if there's a smile upon my face
Don't let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression
Don't let the smile I wear
Make you think that I don't care
Really I'm sad I'm hurting so bad

Songwriters
WONDER, STEVIE/ROBINSON, SMOKEY/COSBY, HENRY
Published by
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

No Hand Signals In The Picture Please

Last week I participated in a professional development institute where a group photo of the cohort was taken at the end of the session. The institute was a part of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and what I found interesting was the fact that the professional photographer felt the need to ask the one hundred and twenty or so of us being photographed to please not flash hand signals in the photo. Think about that for a minute. School leaders from across the country were assembled at Harvard University and when we were taking our group picture the professional photographer felt the need to ask us not to display any form of hand gestures in the photo. I thought about this for a couple of minutes and my mind reflected upon pictures I had taken recently of students, friends, and family members and more often than not, someone would have his/her fingers/hands positioned in some sort of gesture or sign. As you know this blog is called The Critical Thinker in an attempt to cause you to stop, pause for a few minutes and think about

an issue regardless of how significant or insignificant it may be. This seemingly increased need to flash hand signals in every photo is one of those issues. Probably one that no one would stop to think about unless someone brought it to your attention like I am now or like it was for me when the photographer specifically requested that no one flash any hand signals in our group photo. The question I have is, what is this need to always have something going on with some sort of signal in a photo? Do we not know what to do with our hands when we take a picture? Is there a message that everyone is supposed to receive from the signal?  Or maybe, it's just the reverse, only a select few will know what the signals mean when they see the photo. Either way, in many instances all of this hand gesturing can mess up a what would have been a good photo. The age old two fingers behind someone else's head in the photo is still alive and well, but there now is a plethora of other signals that seem to be cropping up. The fact that a

professional photographer on the campus of Harvard University taking a photo of school leaders from around the country had to literally say to us, "Please no one flash any hand signs," tells me that once again we don't know when to say when. That once again something that may be appropriate in one setting  is not appropriate in another and too many  of us do not know or act like we do not know the difference. I am sure the flashing of hand signals in a photo in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing, however, when every time you take a picture a hand signal has to appear, that is a problem. There is a time and place for everything and apparently the photographer has had prior experiences with groups to the point that he felt the need to ask us up front not to flash any sort of hand signal in the photo.  This is right up there with signs having to be placed

in movie theaters and churches asking that cell phones be turned off while during the church service or while watching the movie. There are just some things that ought to be common sense, but as you know, in many respects in 2014, common sense is not too common.  Just take a look at any of the social media sites and you will find yourself asking yourself does anyone take a picture any more without having some hand signal displayed? Take a look on Instagram or Facebook and see just how many hand signals you see. The truth be told, all of these gestures are not good. Many are gang affiliated that are indeed intended to send a message. These hand signals like anything else need to be used responsibly and the fact that a professional photographer at Harvard University had to

make it a point to tell us before he clicked the shutter button not to flash hand signals, tells me that too many of us are abusing something as simple as taking a photograph.
We are messing up people's pictures. As always, something to critically think about. Let us be more responsible with everything, even as simple as when to use hand signals in a photo and when not to.

Two Books That Will Change Your Life

I highly, highly (did I say highly?) recommend that you read these two books. Both author/reporters Michael Moss and Melody Peterson perform an outstanding service that unfortunately most people will miss because it is in a book. The two industries tackled are the food industry in SALT SUGAR FAT and the pharmaceutical industry in OUR DAILY MEDS.  If you are like me, reading these two books will make you angry at how we are manipulated for the "Almighty Dollar."  In both books you will find that company executives might as well have weapons and be charged with murder for the decisions that are made concerning human beings and the bottom line. As uninformed consumers, we follow along blindly like sheep to savvy marketing campaigns that are designed to sell the poisonous decisions/products of the industry execs. If you do not read any other books this year, please invest the money and time in these two investigative exposes. They will both give you something to critically think about.

A "Top to Bottom Review of all of the Training"......Really?....Seriously?

Another human being is dead senselessly and the best we can do is say "the NYPD will conduct a 'top to bottom review of all of the training this department provides to its personnel, specifically focusing on force, how do we train our officers for a takedown, how do we train them to use the various levels of force that they're authorized to use?" Seriously? Is that the best we can do? How many more reviews of training will have to be conducted? It's almost as if there is list of politically correct lines to say at these press conferences. Does anyone out there believe that we won't be seeing or hearing about this same type of incident again? Same incident, just change the name of the victim.

I was actually more incensed with Commissioner Bratton's order to conduct a "top to bottom review of all of the training this department provides to its personnel, specifically focusing on force, than I was with the actual brutality, because after all we are used to these types of incidences by now, but to just keep getting that same old politically correct double-speak is galling. Please stop insulting our intelligence because what that really means is we are not going to do anything and nothing is going to change. Next Victim! Same old game, just change the names. A review! What is that going to do?

Mindsets must change. Hearts must change. Spirits must change. Relationships must change. A "Review." You've got to be kidding me.  Words like "review," "commission," and "investigation," almost always mean, we are going to give the public the information that we think they want to hear and then conduct our business as usual. In the meantime, we are holding more and more funerals.  Something to think about. My prayers are with the Garner family.

This Is What I am Talking About When I Say "We're Going The Wrong Way."

My last post was titled "You're Going The Wrong Way," and I used a video clip from the movie Planes,Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy (see The Critical Thinker posted on July 6, 2014)   to illustrate my point. The recent slaying of this twelve year old is exactly what I am talking about when I say "We're going the wrong way." I don't think I need to say more in this post. Things have got to change; things have got to change.

"You're Going The Wrong Way!"

Have you ever felt like the couple in this movie clip who were trying their best to let Steve Martin and John Candy in Planes, Trains and Automobiles know that they were headed in the wrong direction? How many times have we like the couple in the movie clip seen the oncoming traffic heading towards the car that was traveling in the wrong direction? Even worse, how many times have the loved one, community, student, congregant, leader, etc. responded the same way that Martin and Candy does only to find out later that they were indeed headed in the wrong direction and that what they were doing was not working. Replay the video clip and see it as an analogy or metaphor for what many of us experience in life whether it be the couple issuing the warning or Martin and Candy receiving it. From the perspective of the couple issuing the warning, it is difficult to see oncoming danger, issue the warning, and then see that the person or people receiving the warning are blatantly disregarding it. Martin and Candy continued to tell themselves that the couple who were trying to save them did not know what they were talking about, in fact, they accused them of being drunk. Why does it take us to be nearly killed (literally and/or figuratively) before we realize that we are going the wrong way? There are oncoming tractor trailers! School systems, governments, societies,politicians, etc. etc. continuously put programs and policies in place that are going the wrong way and when there is an outcry from the people, the response is the same as Martin's and Candy's. Men and boys proudly wearing their pants midway down their thighs showing their underwear barely able to walk; all of these guns on the street;the refusal to make education a priority; all of these senseless murders; the anything goes mentality and on and on and on..........We're going the wrong way! The oncoming tractor trailers (consequences of our going the wrong way) are moving swiftly and if we don't turn things around soon, we will all be crushed. What affects one directly, affects us all indirectly. The unnamed couple in the movie clip knew this and were doing their metaphorical part in looking to head off a disaster. For those of us who are in the position of Martin and Candy, we must understand when we are going the wrong way and make the necessary corrections. Something to critically think about.

If Ever Given The Opportunity; The Answer is "YES."

Someone asked me if I ever had the chance to be a full time radio talk show host making the same amount or more income than I am making from my current career, would I do it? My answer was, if I could make the same level of income I am currently making, I would most certainly be a full time radio talk show host. I listen to the Sean Hannitys, Mark Levines, Oprah Winfreys, Charlie Roses, Barbara Walters' and Mark Rileys of the world, and I say to myself, "I know I could do that," and I know that I can do it because I have been doing it for the last 13 years on a voluntary basis at WP88.7 FM and I love it. Below is a video slide show of the guests who have appeared at one point or another on The Reading Circle with Marc Medley during my 13 year run on WP88.7 FM/gobrave.org. I truly enjoyed putting this little video together as it made me reflect upon all of the wonderful authors I have had the opportunity to meet and chat with. They range from the "no profile" to the "high profile," from the "famous" to the "not so famous" and yet they have all been just as humble when appearing on my show. I thank each and every guest appearing in the slide show below and to all of my listeners who faithfully rise on Saturdays at 6 a.m. ET to tune in. Don't forget to download The Reading Circle App for your mobile device on Itunes, Google or Amazon. Lastly, if there are any scouts out there for any major networks looking for an experienced radio talk show host, I'm game. Tune in Saturday mornings at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org and WP88.7 FM. You are also invited to follow me on Twitter @readingcircle01.

 

Parents, We Must Do More Than Buy Jordans

• "Nike released the Air Jordan 10 “Powder Blue” retro sneaker on Saturday, 20 years after the first Jordan 10s hit shelves. Like all the Jordan retro releases, this one was highly anticipated and first-day sales hit $35 million."   Forbes

•  "Jordan made an estimated $90 million last year thanks to the rich partnership he enjoys with Nike. His 2013 earnings eclipsed those of all other retired or current athletes save boxer Floyd Mayweather. It marked Jordan’s biggest earnings year yet in a career paved with monster paydays, which peaked in Jordan’s last season with the Bulls (1997-98) at $80 million." Forbes 

• "Retail shoe sales for the Jordan Brand in the U.S. grew 11% last year to $2.7 billion, with basketball making up 84% of that, according to Powell. Roughly 50% to 55% of that goes to Nike."  Forbes  

Read the three bullet points above again. Really let what you have just read sink in. Now think about the number of children, particularly urban children who in some places literally live and die to own/wear a pair of Jordans. Even worse are the parents who feel as if they are obligated to purchase these sneakers, and not just one pair, but multiple pairs throughout the year, in some instances twice a month. I have heard parents who are on governmental assistance tell me that they spent the majority of their monthly check on the latest pair of Jordans for their children. In too many cases, these are the same children who make extremely bad behavioral decisions in school. I've also heard and seen parents who are not on any assistance and are working jobs with competitive wages make this same declaration and feel this same obligation to purchase Jordans for their children. Now don't misunderstand me, I do not have anything against Jordans, while I don't own any, I do not have anything against them either. The problem arises when Jordans are purchased to substitute for the love and attention that the children really need and desire. The problem arises when the children learn to expect stuff over substance and quality time and experiences with their parents.

In many instances the Jordans are used as the carrot for the children to improve their behavior or grades. I will hear parents tell their children, "If you do 'X,' I will buy that new pair of Jordans for you," or "You're not going to get that new pair of Jordans now that you've done 'X." Many children have learned how to manipulate the guilt of their parents to buy them the coveted Jordans. Again, the problem arises when the Jordans take the place of love and other parental support. It's hard to believe that the same child who will be sporting a brand new pair of Jordans is the same child who will tell his/her teacher that he/she can't afford a pencil or pen. Something is wrong. Let be clear again, I do not have anything against Jordans, it's the misuse of the Jordans that I am writing about in this post. For too many of our children, their self esteem is tied to the ability to wear Jordans. A few years ago I actually had a student who was cutting herself in class because one of her classmates had the latest pair of Jordans at that time and she did not. Now mind you, she had a brand new pair of Jordans on her feet, but it was not the ones newly released. She was  literally cutting her fingers with a razor blade over Jordans!!

I remember as a child pestering my parents for Pro Ked and Converse sneakers which at that time cost about $13 a pair, so I have an appreciation for where the children are coming from, but it has been taken to a seriously unhealthy level. There is so much more to parenting than providing Jordans, yet too many parents think that if just give the child Jordans that everything else a parent ought to do does not have to be done. Therein lies the issue. At the end of the day, parents must be parents even if that means saying "no" to purchasing the latest pair of Jordans. Our children must learn values, self esteem, morals, and accountability whether they have a pair of Jordans on their feet or not. It will not matter how many pairs of Jordans a child has in the closet (except to Mr. Jordans and Nike's bottom line), they will not take the place of love, quality time and the teaching of old fashioned values.  Something  to critically think about. I invite you to join me live as I host The Reading Circle each Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m. EDT on gobrave.org. I also invite you to follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

Right Message - Wrong Delivery

The other morning as I was heading to my car to go to work, I witnessed the impetus for this post. It was a young father walking his young son to either school or day care. The little boy could not have been much older than three or four. I gathered from what the father was chastising his son about was the little boy had picked something up off of the ground and had proceeded to put it or his hands that had touched it in his mouth. The directive of the father was right, but oh boy, was his delivery wrong.

"Don't you ever (expletive beginning with the letter "F") pick up nothin' off the (expletive beginning with the letter "F") ground, ya hear..... You don't know where the (expletive beginning with the letter "F") that has been and you puttin' it in your (expletive beginning with the letter "F") mouth. Don't you ever do that (expletive beginning with the letter "F") (expletive beginning with the letter "S") again." 

I am sure you were able to decode what the letters "F" and "S" stood for and can just imagine what that must have sounded like at 7:30 in the morning. In many instances we wonder where do children learn to speak in the manner in which too many of them speak......well there you have it; they learned it from their parents. I am quite sure that little three or four year old boy did not come out of the womb speaking such language, yet, I will bet that as a youngster, teenager and later on adult, will be addressing his peers and elders in the same manner.

I have had parents come into my school to address the issue of their children cursing at his/her teacher and will turn right around in my office and say to the child "I'm tired of coming to this (expletive beginning with the letter "F") school for your little(expletive beginning with the letter "M and ending in the letter F")(expletive begging with an "A" or another word for donkey). I will literally have to remind the parent that the child is in trouble for using just that language.

People will often argue with me when I say that much of our societal ills start in the home; however, I know this to be true. The children are only imitating or mimicking what they see or hear at home. You can rest assured that if this little three or four year old that I saw walking with his father the other day is not already dropping the "F" bomb, he will be. It's sad, that for many children that is the only type of communication that they are exposed to. It has been said that “Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcibly,” and if you critically think about it, you almost can't help but to agree. The worst part of it all is, these feeble brains are passing it along to their children and the cycle continues.

I felt sad for that little boy after listening to his father chastise him in that manner. The father had the right message but the wrong delivery. Something to critically think about and I invite you to listen to me live each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. on gobrave.org and WP88.7 FM as the host of The Reading Circle. I also invite you to follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

Shopping For Healthy Food Is A Challenge

As I have seriously undertaken my journey to eat healthier and have become more conscious of my food and beverage purchases, I've observed just how much of a challenge it is to eat and drink healthy (maybe that's why so many of us don't).

I find this to be particularly true when in the food markets and restaurants. Either the healthier foods are sparsely available or significantly more expensive than the foods that are not good for us also known as "junk food."  With the exception of the fruit and vegetable aisle, I have to literally hunt for foods that are sugar free or contain low carbohydrates. For example, to replace sodas, I've begun to drink unsweetened tea or water and have replaced any white bread or flour processed foods with wheat products. You would be surprised with the exception of Walmart, the hunt I have to go on to find 100% whole wheat bagels free of High Fructose Corn Syrup or unsweetened tea in a general supermarket. I am using these as an example, but it applies to other foods and beverages as well. It seems that those of us who are looking to eat more healthy either by choice or by force, have little available to us, the products are hidden away or are so deeply embedded in the products that are not the best for us that we cannot even find them. The choices are also usually very limited, i.e. sugar-free ice cream choices, etc. Smoothies have become popular and really are great for digesting fruits and vegetables, however, a small bag of frozen blueberries are actually more expensive than a bag of potato chips or cookies (they are already expensive, so can you imagine?)

As a part of my quest, I have begun researching and comparing the foods that were a part of my diet and the foods that I am now choosing to include in my diet, and boy, what an education I am getting. Foods and ingredients that I thought were okay for me to eat and drink actually had the potential to kill me.

For example, I love corn and corn products including foods and beverages that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). As it turns out, HFCS is a number one killer, and it's in most of the foods and beverages that we consume daily.  I absolutely LOVED (did I say loved?) Pepsi and Coca-Cola and have been drinking it since I was a very young child and learned of its impacts on the body. It is also a killer (see below).

It makes one wonder, (also a reason for this post), if we really want people to be healthy? Is it by design that the foods and beverages that are the worst for us cost the least and are the most readily available? Is it by design that the healthier foods must be found after a treasure/scavenger hunt or not even offered in some restaurants/supermarkets at all? And we wonder why our American people are so sick (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. etc. etc) and or obese?

Well, the job of this blog is to leave you with something to critically think about with the hopes that you will take action. I can't tell you what type of action to take; however, after considering some of the things to think about after reading the post, I would hope that some action is taken, even if it is nothing else than to pass this blog along to someone else who may do something even if you choose not to do so. The availability and costs of our healthier foods is certainly something we need to bring to the attention of store and restaurant owners and our legislators. It is clear to me that the welfare of human beings is not the priority but the making of the almighty dollar is. Let them be obese. Let them be sick as long as we are making a profit. Something to critically think about and as always, I invite you to hear me live each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. EDT on gobrave.org and WP88.7 FM as the host of The Reading Circle and to follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01.

We've Got It Bad When A Candy Peanut Butter Cup Is Worth More Than A Life

Killed his cellmate over Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

Something is wrong with us (so called human beings). I say this because we are becoming more and more of a violent society as time passes. Each day on any given news broadcast network, the stories are getting more and more bizarre. For each time you think you have seen and heard it all, something even more bizarre lets you know that you indeed have not. There seems to be no depth to the lack of regard for human life. The headline for the photo to the left was Man sentenced to life after killing cellmate over Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. As I was in my car listening to the radio, the story in the following link was shared: Cops: Purse-snatcher showed up at house, attacked man, rammed SUV through garage door. A synopsis of the crime is as follows:

Friday evening at about 5:37 p.m., a 58-year-old Franklin Township woman called 911 to report that her purse was snatched from her while she was exiting a supermarket at the Somerset Plaza in Franklin Township. The man who snatched the woman's purse, showed up at her home, attacked her son and ran her SUV through a closed garage door to seal it. At about 11:15 p.m., the victim's 32-year-old son, who was visiting, exited the home via the garage door to retrieve an item from his vehicle — and was confronted by someone matching the description of the purse-snatcher. The thief assaulted the son to the head and body with a blunt object, leaving him just able to retreat into the house via the garage door and close it. Seeing her son’s injuries, the mother screamed, and the thief started to leave the area on his bicycle, but he returned, kicked in a garage door panel and stole a 2011 burgundy RDX Acura.The thief backed the vehicle through the closed garage door then stopped to pick up the bicycle and put it in the back.

 I'm not sure barbarians were as bad. The following also occurred over the last couple of days

(Reuters) - A gunman killed six people and wounded seven others in a drive-by shooting in a Southern California college town, spraying bullets from his car until it crashed and he was found dead inside, authorities said on Saturday.

There are so many other stories that I could use as examples for this post, but I think you will get the point. What makes it all the worse is, they are all SENSELESS. No conscience in the perpetrators at all. It's like their conscience is seared. Something is wrong and seems like there is nothing that we are able to do about it except as Karen Clark-Sheard, says in her song, stay "Prayed Up."


I don't know about you, but for me, in these times, I intend to do just that...........Stay prayed up. You are invited to join me on Saturdays at 6 a.m. EDT on gobrave.org and follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01. Stay prayed up y'all!

My Goal is to Live to be 100 and Healthy

This blog post is lighter than my recent posts; however, no less important of an issue. If you have ever tuned in on Saturday mornings to The Reading Circle with Marc Medley on WP88.7 FM or gobrave.org, you have probably heard me say "My goal is to live to be 100 and healthy." Not 100 and scuffling, or 100 and drooling or 100 and need someone to move me about; but 100 and vibrantly healthy. You also will always hear me couch that with "That may be my plans, but it may not be God's, as I am sure He gets a good laugh from my plans."

At the writing of this blog, I am nearly forty eight years away from reaching my goal and I am in generally good health. Recently my wonderful team of doctors (general, opticians, and dentists) have encouraged me to be even more health conscious if I am to reach my goal. I've revamped my diet to exclude sugar and starches as much as possible from it and have increased my intake of fruits and vegetables. I was teasing my wife on one of our recent grocery shopping trips, that I have traded in my cookies for kale (smile).

As the host of The Reading Circle, I am introduced to authors of all genres and on my healthy quest, I was introduced to author, Dr. William Cortvriendt and his book Living a Century or More: A Scientifically Fact-Based Journey to Longevity. Dr. Cortvriendt (which means "Little Friend" by the way), delivered a fun and fascinating interview with me about his work.  When Dr.Cortvriendt was asked is it possible to reach the age of 100 while being healthy? His response was:

"Of Course That’s Possible! My newly released book ‘Living a Century or More’ shows people how to add many years to their lives while being and feeling much healthier, based on published research in the most renowned medical journals.We all like to live healthier, but it is often not known what is healthy and what is not. Also doctors often are not aware that very simple changes in lifestyle and diet can result in large improvements in health and life expectancy. For example, simply changing the type and amount of carbohydrates in your diet has an important relation with your risk for diabetes. Avoiding diabetes at age 50 increases our life expectancy with eight years while enjoying a much better health" (Full interview on link below)

Did I mention that Dr. Cortvriendt was calling into the show from Spain? It was 6:00 a.m. EDT here and noon there as they are six hours ahead of us. The point of Dr. Cortvriendt's work is, we can indeed live healthier if we CHOOSE to do so. It is a choice; a choice that is not helped by the media or the pricing structure of junk foods vs. healthy foods. I shared an experience I had one day when I went to the vending machine with a one dollar bill in hand. I usually would go to the vending machine to purchase a cola with the dollar. Silly me, I took the same dollar when I went to purchase a bottle of water from that same machine. I inserted my dollar and pressed my selection only to have the machine blink at me. I inserted the dollar again, pressed my selection and again, the machine blinked at me. The teachers who were in the teacher's room at the time said, "Mr. Medley, water is a dollar and twenty five cents and not a dollar." Being now more health conscious, it struck me as interesting that the soda was a dollar and the water (out of the same machine mind you) was more expensive. I found the same to be true with many of the healthier food items I have begun to purchase as I take on this healthier eating and drinking quest. What message is that sending? That's for another blog post.

I share this post for all who are like me and Dr. Cortvriendt who have this goal of living to be a century or more and healthy. My pastor, Reverend K.D.R. Clayton, also shares this goal, so I will be sure to share this book with him and others who look to be a centenarian one day (smile).  I invite you to visit the following link to hear the entire interview with Dr. Cortvriendt on The Reading Circle with Marc Medley below:

INTERVIEW 

You are also invited to tune in on Saturday mornings at 6 a.m. EDT on gobrave.org  and to follow The Critical Thinker on Twitter @thinkcritical01. Onward to becoming a centenarian and to your good health.  

DANGEROUS TRENDS

This post could be titled Back to the Future; however, the situations at hand are much more critical than the whimsical 1985 science fiction comedy starring Michael J. Fox. In fact, there is absolutely nothing comedic or funny at all about the above three videos. The photo below taken in the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial clearly expresses that in the Jewish culture the capturing and enslaving of their people will never happen again; yet, from the videos above, one could surmise that for Africans, African-Americans and perhaps other darker skinned people, enslavement could indeed happen again in one form or another.

For many, as we see with Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clipper and Robert Copeland, a New Hampshire police commissioner; their views have not changed since their youth in the early 1930's and 1940's. The recent revealing of their commentary whether overt or covert, apologetic or unapologetic clearly tells us how they really feel on the inside and there are many more just like Sterling and Copeland.

Then we have the nearly 300 Nigerian girls who were abducted by the extremist group Boko Haram while taking exams at a school in Borno's north-eastern village of Chibok on April 14, 2014. The abductors were the same color as the girls. The fact that their abductors looked like them is metaphorical to the plight of  too many African Americans here in the United States who are enslaving themselves by refusing to get their education, displaying their underwear (sagging), and killing each other. I have a T-Shirt from the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum in Maryland that reads "Now We Lynch Ourselves," which speaks to the atrocities in Nigeria and here in the U.S.concerning African Americans and Africans.

All of this for me indicates some very dangerous trends. It bespeaks for me that we are indeed moving backwards and the possibility of some type of enslavement is indeed achievable for those who are looking for the opportunity to enslave. While I don't foresee the slavery being as it was when the first African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 to aid in the building of the country; there will be some sort of slavery for those who are not prepared again. Look at the trends....... the very dangerous trends.  Something to critically think about and as always I invite you to join me live on Saturday mornings at 6 a.m. ET on gobrave.org for The Reading Circle and to follow me on Twitter @thinkcritical01.