8 Reasons CBS's "THE GOOD WIFE" will be Successful

(1) Assemblyman Mike Duvall
(2) Governor Elliott Spitzer
(3) Governor Mark Sanford
(4) Senator John Edwards
(5) Congressman Vito Fossella
(6) Governor Jim McGreevey
(7) President Bill Clinton
(8) Rev. Jessie Jackson

Next????????????

Satirically Sad! What amazes me is that we obviously don't benefit from the mistakes and consequences of those before us.

The Pinnacle of Ridiculousness Topped Again!!

If this isn't the pinnacle of ridiculousness, then I don't know what is. As if the "Madoff Mess" was not bad enough; this woman is now strutting around as proud as a peacock granting television interviews about being his mistress. No shame in her game. Every time I think the pinnacle of ridiculousness has been reached, someone comes along and tops it. I have to ask the critical thinker question again; Why do we care? or Why are we supposed to care? While I am an avid reader and I don't in general wish any ill will on anyone, in this case I truly hope that Weinstein's book about her affair with Madoff sells about the same number of copies as Bernie has "inches" (or lack thereof) according to her. Absolutely ridiculous! Critical Thinkers of the world unite.

Who Really Let The Dogs Out?

My pastor Rev. Kenneth D.R. Clayton, pastor of The St. Luke Baptist Church, deserves the credit for this critical thinker moment concerning Michael Vick.



We are both in total agreement that Michael Vick was wrong; however, based on the outcry from "outraged" >(oh how I hate that tired overused news report word - see http://thereadingcircleblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/burned-up-with-overuse-of-word-outrage.html) Americans at the thought of Michael Vick receiving forgiveness or a second chance at his career after breeding dogs for fighting, begs the question how come this same type of outrage (there goes that word again) and outcry was not heard in 1963 when in Birmingham, Alabama dogs were bred to maim and kill people? Hmmmmmmmmmmm!! Something to critically think about.



Thank you for this critical thinker moment Rev. Clayton.

Those Who Are In The Know, Know that Television is Not The Way To Go

“If you are not a millionaire, you need to turn the television off.” This is a quote by Arthur J. Johnson II, author of Ignite The Fire Within. Mr. Johnson made this statement when I was interviewing him on my radio show THE READING CIRCLE w/Marc Medley on WP88.7 FM. We were talking about the importance of reading and the time spent on this activity compared with the time spent for most people watching television. After our conversation, my mind went back to Dr. Ben Carson’s mother who purposefully and intentionally limited Ben and his brother’s television to a very small amount of time (if any) per week while requiring two book reports per week from each child. I was also reminded of Michelle Obama, whose mother also limited the amount of time Michelle could watch television as a child and encouraged her to read and study instead. Television watching is a passive activity. In other words it takes no thought or energy to engage in. Studying and reading on the other hand, requires active involvement by many of your mental faculties. The brain like any other muscle in the body requires exercise. Watching television is not a work-out regimen for the brain; in fact it doesn’t even encourage a work-out regimen for the body as usually one is sitting on the couch when partaking in this so called "delight."

When I was a child, I would always hear my father call the T.V. an “idiot box,” and would wonder why. As an adult, I truly can appreciate what he was referring to. I watch children and in many instances adults alike get into a stupor when the T.V. is on. I have seen children who cannot function when they are in the grips of a meaningless television show. Peeping in on some of these shows, I even question what could have been going through the writers; editors; producers; and directors’ minds when they put these shows together. Many are just glorified advertisements to lure children into pestering their parents into purchasing the latest character or toy. I must admit I had to laugh at some of the lines as they really were lines that had double meanings intended for adults even though it was in a children’s cartoon or program.



Studies show that the average American child spends 500 more hours in front of the TV than they do in school and the television is on 7 hours a day on average in North American households. Studies also show that 85% of North American households did not buy one non-fiction book in the period of a year and 90% of those who did buy them, did not read them. Sad commentary

Truly high achievers do not have time to sit in front of what author/philosopher James Arthur Ray calls the plug in-drug. That’s what Mr. Johnson meant when he said, if you are not a millionaire, you need to turn the television off. I usually tell people that I am always in the midst of reading 15 to 20 books at one time and they look at me like I have three heads and ask, “How do you do that?” My response is the same way you sit down and watch multiple 30 and 60 minute television programs, I read one book for 30 minutes; put it down and read another for 30 minutes; put it down and read another for 30 minutes; and so on and so on and so on. It is a matter of choice. Actively engage your mind to be productive or sit passively and be influenced by the junk that is now put forth on television--Garbage In-Garbage Out (GIGO). If my father thought it was an idiot box in the 60’s and 70’s, I don’t think he would have words to describe it now. I don’t subscribe to cable (never have) and the programming that is left on regular (digital) T.V. is horrid. What’s even worse is the programming on “pay” T.V. (cable) is just as bad or worse and we pay for it!!!

The other way I get through so many books is by always keeping books with me at all times. In the car; on an appointment; near my bed; in the bathroom; near my computer; and so on and so on and so on. It can be done. Again it is a matter of choice and this critical thinker leaves you with ALL leaders are great readers. Join this critical thinker in becoming a leader. Those who are in the know, know that the television is not the way to go.

P.S. Audio books will qualify to a degree.

Are We Ever Going To Learn?

Okay folks, short, sweet, and to the point. Are we ever going to learn that:





Alcohol + Driving = Death
Drugs + Driving = Death
Alcohol + Drugs + Driving = Death
Texting + Driving = Death

How many organizations against drunk driving is it going to take? The Taconic State Parkway tragedy was a true tragedy on so many levels. This critical thinker advises all of us to pray for traveling grace and mercy before hitting the road. It was always a practice of my family when I was a child to pray prior to going on long trips; I carried this same practice into my own family prior to going on long trips and one day when my youngest daughter Niara was very little, she asked the question, "Daddy, how come we don't pray every time we get ready to leave in the car?" Out of the mouths of babes. With all the distractions (cell phones, GPS's, text messaging, drinking, sleep deprivation, etc. etc.) going on behind the wheel, I have to agree with Niara (now 14). We had better pray for safe travel every time we sit behind the wheel of a car (not to mention air, train, and sea travel) as we head off to our destinations. I constantly ask God to help me watch out for the other man and for the other man to watch out for me. I ask that the equipment perform in the manner that it was designed to perform and that I arrive safely to and from my destination. Last year we lost Rev. Timothy Wright and his family to a head on collision and there have been countless other lives lost due to drinking and driving, drugging and driving and texting and driving. How many lives will it take before we finally get the message?

Privacy.......What is That??????

My heart goes out to Erin Andrews, the ESPN sportscaster whose privacy was grossly violated by some lowlife who thought it would be fun to video tape her in the privacy of her hotel room. Having been one who has had his privacy violated (not in that manner) but violated nonetheless and has a major pet peeve about crimes of this nature; I can only imagine how horrified and violated she must feel. I rarely watch the news and stories like this one are the reason why. To add insult to injury the reporter had the audacity to say that he was not sure that anything illegal actually occurred or if a crime had been committed. He went on to say that spy ware and spy paraphernalia sales are up. Look out folks!!! Big Brother and Big Sister are watching for kicks! No place is sacred or "PRIVATE."

According to USLegal.com, Invasion of privacy is defined as follows:

Invasion of privacy is the intrusion into the personal life of another, without just cause, which can give the person whose privacy has been invaded a right to bring a lawsuit for damages against the person or entity that intruded. It encompasses workplace monitoring, Internet privacy, data collection, and other means of disseminating private information.

Celebrities are not protected in most situations, since they have voluntarily placed themselves already within the public eye, and their activities are considered newsworthy. However, an otherwise non-public individual has a right to privacy from: a) intrusion on one's solitude or into one's private affairs; b) public disclosure of embarrassing private information; c) publicity which puts him/her in a false light to the public; d) appropriation of one's name or picture for personal or commercial advantage.

The Supreme Court has ruled that there is a limited constitutional right of privacy based on a number of provisions in the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments. This includes a right to privacy from government surveillance into an area where a person has a "reasonable expectation of privacy" and also in matters relating to marriage, procreation, contraception, family relationships, child rearing and education. However, records held by third parties such as financial records or telephone calling records are generally not protected unless a specific federal law applies. The court has also recognized a right of anonymity and the right of groups to not have to disclose their members' names to government agencies.

The criminal voyeurism statute of some states cover "a place where [one] would have a reasonable expectation of privacy", meaning:

i.A place where a reasonable person would believe that he or she could disrobe in privacy, without being concerned that his or her undressing was being photographed or filmed by another; or
ii.A place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from casual or hostile intrusion or surveillance.
Given the similarity to voyeurism, a jury might find that placing a hidden camera in a certain location may amount to the torts of outrage or negligent infliction of emotional distress.

When cell phones with cameras were introduced, I was vehemently against the concept. Now in retrospect and in the grand scheme of things, the camera/cell phone is just a drop in the bucket compared to what is available to intrude into someone else's life now.

The question is why do we care so much about what "other people" are doing, particularly when it does not have an impact on our lives? That's why I personally don't understand why for what seems like an eternity that we have to keep hearing about Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. (Okay that's another BLOG). But think about it, you may not be able to ever be comfortable in your hotel room, public bathroom or for that matter in some instances your own home because of the misuse and abuse of technology by our sick brothers and sisters. Voyeurism has been kicked up to the umpteenth power with the technology that is available and is being developed. All this critical thinker can say is, it is a sad shame that one cannot walk around in his/her hotel room and other places and feel comfortable. Look what we have become. According to the story anyone looking to link to the Erin Andrews footage downloads a virus to their computer. This is one time I hope something like that is true. Wouldn't it be great if every time someone was committing a crime they would be zapped? Until the next edition.

I Second That Emotion!

In the words of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, "I Second That Emotion!" If you want to know the emotion that I am seconding, please read Bill Cosby's words below.


'They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English.
I can't even talk the way these people talk:

Why you ain't,
Where you is,
What he drive,
Where he stay,
Where he work,
Who you be...

And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk.
And then I heard the father talk.

Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth
In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.

People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an Education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around.

The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.
These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids.
$500 sneakers for what? And they won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.

I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit.

Where were you when he was 2?

Where were you when he was 12?

Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn't know that he had a pistol?

And where is the father? Or who is his father?

People putting their clothes on backward:
Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong?

People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something?

Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body?

What part of Africa did this come from??

We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don't know a thing about Africa .....

I say this all of the time. It would be like white people saying they are European-American. That is totally stupid.

I was born here, and so were my parents and grand parents and, very likely my great grandparents. I don't have any connection to Africa, no more than white Americans have to Germany , Scotland, England, Ireland, or the Netherlands . The same applies to 99 percent of all the black Americans as regards to Africa . So stop, already! ! !

With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap ......... and all of them are in jail.

Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem.

We have got to take the neighborhood back.

People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' -- or men or whatever you call them now.

We have millionaire football players who cannot read.

We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job.

Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us.

We have to start holding each other to a higher standard..

We cannot blame the white people any longer.'

Dr.. William Henry 'Bill' Cosby, Jr., Ed..D.