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    Adams, Jefferson and Haiti

    Bob Diamond

    By Bod Diamond….

    Bob Diamond

    Inspired by the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson in his Declaration of Independence that “All men are created equal,” Toussaint Louverture, Haiti’s founding father, began a slave insurrection against France in 1791 that was to last for 13 years. Toussaint asked President John Adams for aid for the same liberty that had been achieved by the United States. Adams, from Massachusetts, responded with mercantile trade, appointment of a Council General and sent the American navy to help provide seapower for Toussaint. On January 1, 1804, having defeated Napoleon’s troops, Haiti declared independence and sought American recognition. Jefferson, now president, faced a problem. Recognition of Haiti represented a possible insurrection by his own slaves and his neighbors. Historian Roger C. Kennedy states that Jefferson, “May have had theoretical objections to slavery, but he objected more strenuously to power in the hands of former slaves. Freedom, he knew, is contagious. While Jefferson had some anxiety lest Napoleon re-colonize beyond Haiti, he did not relent in his efforts to ‘starve out the black republic.’” According to Kennedy, “Napoleon attempted to restore to Haiti a notoriously cruel system of servitude, a restoration to which Jefferson provided aid and comfort.” In March, 1804, Jefferson proposed to Britain that America join with the European powers in “an agreement not to allow the former (slaves) to have any form of navigation whatsoever or to furnish them with any arms or equipment.” Jefferson then deployed the U.S. navy to help the European powers restore slavery to Haiti and issued an American embargo on all trade with Haiti.

    Following Jefferson’s lead, many southern states passed laws forbidding immigration from Haiti. Printers were jailed for publishing the Haitian Declaration of Independence. In Jefferson’s home-state of Virginia, “the legislature required that blacks who were freed by their masters must leave the state within one year.” According to Kennedy, “Although slavery was never restored to the island, in economic isolation and virtually under blockade, it declined into poverty.” Every American president thereafter refused to recognize Haiti until Abraham Lincoln in 1862, despite the fact that in 1825 France granted recognition of Haiti.

    Bring home an adopted pet this holiday season

    While shopping this holiday season, instead of buying the same old tie, shirt, blouse or perfume, what better gift to show someone how special they are than by giving a shelter pet from the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department (ASD).

    Besides being a very special, unique and affordable gift, it’s the gift that keeps on giving long after the holidays are over.

    Thanks to the support and direction of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, ASD has announced a reduced cost of half price for adoption fees during this holiday season through Dec. 30, 2011. To view available pets, visit www.miamidade.gov/animals.

    “During these difficult economic times, the department is pleased to offer a reduction in adoption fees in an effort to give our pets a second chance and even bring some joy into homes this season,” said Alex Muñoz, director of Animal Services Department.

    Each year ASD receives more than 36,000 pets. The goal of Animal Services is to reunite lost pets with their families or find lifelong homes for as many animals as possible.

    Animal Services, located at 7401 NW 74 St., is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    For more information, visit online at www.miamidade.gov/animals or call 3-1-1.

    Silly Syllogisms to think about

    Patricia C. Frank

    By Patricia C. Frank….

    Patricia C. Frank

    To think is to contemplate ponder and reason. It is to mull over and arrive at a conclusion. It has been humorously said, “That some people think that they are thinking when all they are doing is rearranging their prejudices.” To see clearly and to be able to follow the thread and chain of thought is very important. There are many types and styles of thinking. Some are more beneficial and accurate than others.

    A syllogism is an example of faulty and illogical thinking. It is circular thinking that comes to an erroneous conclusion. It is very tricky because it is a type of logic that draws inaccurate conclusions based on basic truths. It is a mental formulation in which you have a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion based on the agreement or correlation between these two premises. An example would be Major premise- Aristotle is a man. Minor premise – All men have facial hair. Conclusion- Aristotle has facial hair. Stated another way, Aristotle has facial hair. All men have facial hair. Therefore, Aristotle is a man. So, round and round it goes in ever expanding silly circles.

    It is not unusual for illogical thinking to masquerade as logical thinking. People do it every day and cannot see how illogical it is. It prevents you from having a meaningful or productive conversation with them. One technique that may reduce your frustration is to keep repeating the truly logical statement like a broken record. Some people may not be able to ever see the error in their thinking. They lack the intelligence and intellectual ability to follow the precise trend of thought. You may have to just give up on them.

    But, don’t give up on yourself. In your own life you may be prone to make the same syllogism mistakes in your thinking. Hopefully, you will become aware of it when you use it. Ideally you will be able to retrain yourself and learn to think logically. Patricia Frank is a Licensed Psychotherapist. She can be reached

    Zoo Miami’s Magill chosen King Mango grand marshal

    Ron Magill

    Unlike the congressional “Super Committee,” the bipartian disorganizers of the King Mango Strut hammered out a quick resolution naming Ron Magill as grand marshal for this year’s parade.

    With more than three decades as a wildlife expert and communications director for Zoo Miami, Ron has allowed Burmese pythons to encircle his neck just as the King Mango Strut encircles Coconut Grove. There is no better king of the jungle to lead the animal house of MangoHeads.

    As grand marshal of the 30th annual King Mango Strut, he will reign supreme to “Occupy the Grove” on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 2 p.m. in Downtown Coconut Grove.

    This year’s Strut Celebrity is Katy Sorenson, the never recalled/never indicted/never removed-by-the-governor, former commissioner of Miami-Dade County. Katy has been much closer to King Mango than Facebook’s 4 degrees of separation. She was Strut co-founder Bill Dobson’s boss.

    The annual satirical street parade has been a model of civic engagement and civil uprising with enough material for a pickapeppa spray and sauce combination. In this interactive parade, the spectators — the true occupiers — are encouraged to bring tents, lawn chairs and cardboard signs. For the King Mango royal watchers, it’s the big hats and fascinators.

    King Mango is still looking for a few good MangoHeads to strut in the parade. There are no entry fees, no special skills or x-factor auditions required; just join the fun and strut your funny. If you want to participate, contact the King at kingmangostrut@gmail.com or call the Mango Hotline at 305-401-1171.

    For more information check out the new website at www.kingmangostrut.org. Follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kingmangostrut for the latest Mango news and tidbits.

    Honor Veterans by Honoring Our Commitment to Them

    By Debbie Wasserman…
    Each November, we gather together to honor all of the American soldiers who have defended our great nation over the course of our 235-year history. Since our nation’s founding, men and women have answered their country’s call to service and defended the principles of liberty espoused in our Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

    It is only fitting that the same month in which we celebrate Thanksgiving we also celebrate those who served our country in uniform.

    Just as we must never forget their service and sacrifice, we must also stand firm in our commitment to help veterans as they return to civilian life. As the Iraq war draws to a close this year and as we begin to transition from Afghanistan, our nation will welcome even more of these brave men and women to the already 23 million veterans in America.

    In Florida alone there are more than 1.6 million veterans, and as our men and women return home, we must ensure that they have access to the help they need to transition to civilian life, whether it is finding a job or securing health care and housing, or just getting back into the daily routine of family life.

    After serving our country honorably and courageously, the last thing our veterans should have to worry about when they finally come home to their loved ones is whether or not they will be able to find a job. That is why I am proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 1941, the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, which would help get veterans back to work. I also applaud President Barack Obama’s expanded commitment to alleviate unemployment among our veterans, and to support our military families.

    The President recently announced new commitments to service members and veterans as part of a comprehensive plan to lower veteran unemployment. This plan includes:

    * Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior Tax Credits within the American Jobs Act for businesses that hire unemployed veterans and veterans with service-connected disabilities. These tax credits would be worth up to $5,600 and $9,600, respectively, reducing the cost for businesses to hire a veteran.

    * The Department of Labor initiated a new online resource: My Next Move for Veterans, which links veterans with civilian jobs for which they are well qualified.

    * The Obama Administration has also launched the Veterans Job Bank, a National Resource Directory, which is an easy-touse tool to help veterans find job postings from companies looking to hire them.

    Right here in Florida we need to work together to encourage South Florida businesses to make hiring veterans a greater priority. Earlier this month, I met with John Alfano of Pembroke Pines, the president of Doris Italian Market & Bakery, and Greg Ramos of Weston, the owner of Sources4, and we talked about the American Jobs Act and how tax credits for hiring veterans could help them expand their businesses. With these recent announcements, now this can become a win-win reality for small businesses looking to expand and veterans looking for employment.

    To help South Florida veterans looking for work, I’ll be co-hosting a Jobs Fair for veterans with Congressman Ted Deutch Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Fort Lauderdale Armory from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Veterans and military families will be able to learn more about employment opportunities in the area and have a chance to meet with potential employers. We will also have people on hand to talk about how to enroll in the VA health system and learn about educational opportunities and other benefits.

    America’s brave men and women in uniform should be able to count on the full and unwavering support of their government, whether they are active duty, or returning to civilian life. We must honor their service and give back to those who fought to protect the freedoms we enjoy in the United States of America.

    I am proud to be an advocate for the people of South Florida, and my office is always open to you. You can reach us in Pembroke Pines at 954-437-3936, in Aventura at 305-936-5724 and in Washington, DC at 202-225-7931. I’m also available online at http://wassermanschultz. house.gov <http://wassermanschultz. house.gov>, on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rep- D e b b i e – W a s s e r m a n – Schultz/88904724121> , and Comcast-ondemand customers can stay up to date with my work for you on channel 890.

    Great Florida Bank donates $5K to United Way of Miami-Dade

    Great Florida Bank team presents a $5,000 donation to the United Way of Miami-Dade.

    Great Florida Bank recently contributed $5,000 to United Way of Miami-Dade, an organization focused on improving education, financial stability and health within the local community.

    “We’ve been proud supporters of United Way since our bank was founded in 2004,” said Erbi Blanco-True, director of Community Development at Great Florida Bank. “Everyone deserves a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support their family, and good health. Not only are we contributing to our community, we are helping build a more educated workforce.”

    The bank’s donation will go towards United Way’s Center for Financial Stability. The center, which opened in October 2009, provides a full range of tools and resources necessary to help individuals and families increase and maximize their income, a critical step to achieving financial stability.

    It allows them to not only meet daily expenses, but have additional funds to begin the long-term process of building their savings. With their savings underway, these individuals will be in a better position to gain and protect their assets such as buying a house, starting a business or saving for college or retirement.

    “We are extremely grateful for Great Florida Bank’s donation,” said Vanessa Benavide of United Way. “We’re dedicated to doing all we can to help families and individuals who are struggling to make ends meet. This $5,000 donation will go a long way in helping those in need in our community.”

    For more information, visit www.greatfloridabank.com or call 305-514-6900.

    Snowy Celebration with Park Lighting Ceremony

    By Sylvia Flores….
    On Saturday, December 3, 2011, join us for the City’s Annual Winter Fest, scheduled to take place at Samson Oceanfront Park, from 5pm – 8pm. The evening will start off by the City Commission flipping the switch for our Annual Park Lighting Ceremony, to illuminate more than 70,000 lights throughout the park, including pole decorations, snowflakes, and other festive décor. These lights will remain at Samson Oceanfront Park through December 2011.

    In addition to the Annual Park Lighting Ceremony, other activities taking place are the awards presentation for the youth sports program participants (cheerleading, soccer, baseball, and basketball), as well as a performance by the cheerleading squad. Guests can enjoy free rides, crafts, and live music presented by the Holly Carolers. A section of the park will also be transformed into a Winter Wonderland, with a snow play area for the kids (and adults alike), and an authentic snow slide. There will be a special visit from Santa Claus, and an opportunity to take pictures with him as well. There will be various food vendors on site selling pizza, hot-dogs, hamburgers, and other tasty items.

    Be sure to stop by and join in on the fun. Parking will be available in the municipal lot behind Walgreen’s, as well as along 174th Street for the event. In addition, the City Shuttle Bus will be providing free service and running on a special events schedule to accommodate guests. For more information, please call the Cultural & Human Services Department at 305.792.1706.

    Columbus High School students learn to become ‘culturally adroit’

    Christopher Columbus High School student scholars were given the opportunity recently to enhance their cultural experience to become young men trained in the art of etiquette, social interaction, and multi-cultural competency at The Protocol Centre’s Business and Dining Etiquette Seminar at The Biltmore Hotel.

    The Freshman Class of the Mas Scholar’s Family Program at Columbus is an accelerated program designed to enable highly motivated students to excel in academics. Students in the program not only participate in a rigorous curriculum of studies but also enjoy enrichment opportunities like the Business and Dining Etiquette Seminar and extracurricular activities.

    The Protocol Centre has provided training in Business Etiquette, Dining Protocols and International Protocol since 2004. After training over 8000 clients, their nationally recognized Best Protocol Practices is considered the most up-to-date and relevant business etiquette training series offered for today’s professional.

    Columbus Graduates of the Mas Family brothers Jorge, Juan, and Jose, sons of the late Jorge MasCanosa, collaborated with the school to offer the program to promising youth. It is designed to prepare students to be among the top candidates for admission into major colleges and universities. Participants graduate with a minimum of 30 Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment college credits.

    To find out more about the Mas Scholar’s Family Program at Christopher Columbus High School contact Dr. E. Carter Burrus at 305-223-5650, ext 2243 or cburrus@columbushs.com.

    First Annual Veterans’ Day Celebration

    By Alayne Yeash….
    The City welcomed veterans, their families, and friends to the City’s Heritage Park for a celebration at 10:00 am on Friday, November 11, 2011. The names were on the wall and the weather cooperated. It was a beautiful day to honor the U.S. Military Veterans who live or have lived in Sunny Isles Beach with more than 150 people in attendance.

    The Sunny Isles Beach Police Honor Guard presented the colors and Chief Fred Maas led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. Mayor Norman S. Edelcup opened the presentation by summarizing the reason the crowd was gathered and talking about the Commission’s efforts which made the wall and the park possible. He extended his good wishes to all, thanking them for attending the first annual celebration for our City’s veterans.

    Third graders from Ms. Caryn Snyder’s class at the Norman S. Edelcup SIB K-8 displayed boxes that each student had decorated and filled with essentials and goodies for our active duty military. Their teacher stated that she wanted the children to know why they were off from school on November 11 every year. The class also wrote original poems and read them as a thank you to all our military branches at home and abroad. The Chief facilitated the third grade presentation as the children came up one by one to read. The children seemed to have a grasp of what this day meant to so many in our country.

    Former Commissioner Gerry Goodman spoke about our Veterans sacrifices and the necessity of our country to take care of those men and women throughout their lives, especially the wounded and disabled military personnel. He urged the crowd to visit their local VA Hospital and volunteer to brighten someone’s day. He then read the names of all the Veterans who were placed on the wall at our Heritage Park opening on June 18 this year and then read the names added for this November 11th Veterans Day Celebration.

    When the ceremony ended many veterans took the opportunity to snap pictures of their engraved names and their families at the wall. Participants gathered at the pavilion for food and fellowship, lingering to talk to those they knew and making new friends too.

    Anyone wishing to be added to the U.S. Military Veterans Wall next November 11th should complete an application and return before September 1, 2012. The form is available on www.sibfl.net or at the Government Center 4th floor reception area. Please bring proof of residency such as your SIB Resident ID or a utility bill and your proof of Honorable Military Discharge.

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