Educational Excellence

Happy Friday, Yeah!  We got this “TGIF” together, right?!?  I thought so!  BOOM!

You’ve heard the expression: “When a person tells (shows) you who they are, believe them!”, right?!  Yet, how many of us continue to “give credit” where NONE is due?!?  Then, “we” realize that the person is showing us EXACTLY who they are!!  “Believe it … or not!”  I mean, look at the USA now under the current “lack of leadership”.  This is the “creature” who tried to push his racist agenda on President Barack Obama.  This fool, #45, was ALREADY looking to see how many “dumb” Americans would believe that a well educated, classy Mr. Obama was NOT born in the United States.  And, he got “truck-loads” of ignorant people to support the “pu$$y”-grabbing “scrump” as he sowed MORE seeds of “racism”!!  You see, #45 was … is … and will NEVER be concerned about the USA!!  He has spread his “toxic” form of thinking to feeble minds all across America!  Now, he is KILLING people … one by one … and he could care less!  He got “beat like a drum”, as Biden said, and now he’s lost what was left of his “petrified” mind!!

So many of us like to “focus” on other people’s problems … not their successes oft’ times … when “they” could actually use a “helping hand”, not a pardon for “criminal behavior”.  Those are the kind of people who would try to build THEIR self-esteem on YOUR misery!!  How nice, right?!?  NOT!!  Now, for me, it was CLEAR what the “country” was in for when this “character” assumed the office of “president”!  “scrump” is like a deranged New York City “street hustler” with NO VALUES, borrowed money, and the skill to repeat the SAME NONSENSE over and over again until “one” gets tired of hearing it and succumbs to the “madness” or no longer cares.  That person has been “hustled” as they say in the “city streets of America” away from believing what they KNOW is right!!!

Right now, just before “Christmas”, I am still waiting for the “thieves” from this publishing company to return the balance of my money to MY bank account.  They don’t want to return ALL of it after doing NOTHING!!  Imagine that!!  My bank is escalating the dispute!  As always, there is a manner for ones’ “good karma” to supersede the negative drama imposed by “fledgling souls” hell-bent on YOUR discomfort.  Enter, a former room-mate from St. Paul’s School: Larry Thomas Woody, straight out of “College Park” Maryland!  “LT” is the author of a book called “In Black and White”.  My buddy and I played basketball together, ran track together, and excelled in our educational opportunities.  “LT” graduated from Temple and we have managed to stay in touch over the years.  “LT” even helped make it possible for me to do a “book signing” in Philadelphia for my first book, “From the Projects to Princeton”.  He suggested that I employ “Amazon’s” format for self-publishing which he has used successfully.  I will have more work to do while I am in my own little paradise here.  Coupled with my dental work, healing my gut, and managing my arthritis, I’ve got a few more “24 hours” to spend in Puerto Viejo, Talamanca, Costa Rica!  Pura Vida!

Have a great day, and if I don’t “see” youse … Have a Merry Christmas!

Peace,

John I. Cook, Director

Yes, Ladies and Gents … boys and girls … it’s Friday again!!  Welcome to the “Greatest Show on Earth”!  Do you remember how that “circus” entourage was introduced back in the days before animal rights activists became so omnipresent?!?  Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus!  I saw it once or twice at the Westchester County Center!  Incredible!!  How do you like the Retrumplican Circus going on in and around the White House under the “lack of leadership” of the head clown – “scrump”?!?  Say it quick with me … TGIF!!!

Well, it’s clear that a failed businessman can NOT run a country … it will fail, too!  Can you see it yet?  Over half a million ( … or is it just over a quarter million …) Americans dead and the president of the country has not ONE word to say about the increasing deaths … only conspiracy trash about how “it” won the election!  Is the bar low enough for you yet?!  Each person who voted for this moron, not to mention the grown “fools” who continue to peddle his third-grade bully mantra – “Do what I say or else!!” – are complicit. Each time the citizens … but really the “politicians” of scrump’s party, mostly … gave this fool a pass on say “quid pro quo” situations as he sat in the highest office in the land, he got worse!  The bar was “lowered” until now it appears that there is no value in a word that comes out of “its” mouth!!  Wouldn’t you like a “father figure” or a “husband/partner” like that, “America”?!  “America, we were better than this!”  So, raise the bar!!

Sometimes, people may deceive us and “make” us think that they have “our” best interests in mind!  We may make excuses for them because we desperately hope (not a good thing) that this person or institution will do what they said they would even though the writing is on the wall!  How would a president expect to “change” the election results to favor himself … in a democracy?!?  Answer: “It ain’t a democracy any more!”  All the soldiers that fought to keep the borders of the country relatively safe, even though the country itself was “taken” from another group of indigenous people, are being ridiculed day by day!  “Stop the madness!”  It seems that throughout the history of the USA, there have been efforts to “raise the bar”!  It almost sounds like “MAGA” – make america great again!  He fooled many disgruntled people by pointing fingers at the “peaceful protestors” who don’t want to see people of color killed in the streets of the ” … land of the free, home of the brave!” anymore!  Who else can “kill” someone in broad daylight, on camera, and not IMMEDIATELY be found guilty of murder?  Answer: gestapo-style police!  Can you see the wrinkles in the modern “hitler’s” face?!?

In closing, I would like to wish a Happy Hanukah … what I like to say is “Happy Holy Days” .. to those who celebrate it since we are facing a historical turning point and we MUST raise the bar together, y’all!  Don’t settle for mediocrity (or stupidity!) if “you” can do more.  Be the best that YOU can be!  And as my Momma once told me: “Don’t take no wooden nickels, son!”

Enjoy your day … Blessings!

Peace,

John I. Cook, Director

It’s another grand Friday, Y’all!  Do you have enough of anything (including air in your lungs!) to say “thank you” today!?!  Like … TGIF, then!

Well, one sure thing that’s happened to me through most of my life “working”, I learned the value of money … based on necessity.  My parents were pretty good with their magic tricks – they both worked very hard with multiple jobs sometimes.  Obviously, we weren’t “rich”.  But my Dad with his mechanic skills maintained two used cars – one for my Mother who cleaned homes of “well off clients” and, one for Dad who doubled for Pinkerton Detective Agency as an armed guard and an auto-mechanic.  They BOTH hustled, loved each other … and loved EACH of their four kids as best they could.  That’s how they “rolled”.  They wanted enough for each of us to be able to feel “human”, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need.

Well, I want to take a moment to congratulate my only Child – Ayanna Lynne – on completing her work for a BA in Psychology and receiving her college/university diploma.  I tell her (and I mean it!) each opportunity I get that I am sooo proud of her and the work she does ALONE with her son (Sun) Caleb Isaac.  She has been providing for her and Caleb who is now 5 years of age.  She has a good car, pays rent in their 2 bedroom apartment, pays for his daycare, buys food and clothing for them, cooks and cleans … Man … I am pushing back tears but the list goes on!  I love you Ayanna Lynne – and Thank You for being a great Mom for Caleb …

Greed is a drug.  It consumes the “patient” with extreme urges and desires to have “more than what they need”!  If the “patient” sees someone else with something they “want”, they do WHATEVER they can to acquire it (even take it away!).  This is why successful human civilizations have a set of “shared values” (truth, honesty, humility, respect, love, etc) upon which their social organization is based.  The challenge with “capitalistic greed” is simply that “those shared values” get twisted, contorted … even destroyed by those who suffer from “acute greed”.  I am sure you get the picture.  The picture gets worse as such “patients” rise to positions of greater power where their “greed addiction” becomes insatiable.  Look in the US’s White House for “symptomatic” sufferers.  Some have ceased to be “leaders” while others are no longer “human” as they seek to satisfy their “insatiable greed”!  Some may be heard uttering, “I’d rather die than switch!”

In this piece, I am suggesting that we NOT be greedy with our “stuff”.  That we return to basic human values and focus NOT on greed, but in sharing (not hoarding!) especially when we have more than “we” need in our individual “compounds”.  One important thing that we can see clearly is that “capitalism” at its worst can infect participants with … yep … insatiable greed, turning them into patients like 45!

Balance your approach to life.  Give credit in kindness for the good things that people do for us!  Don’t let “greed” escalate to “war” and vast human destruction …  Can you see it yet!  “Love On!”

Peace,

John I. Cook, Director