LIFE AFTER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION? READ AS PUBLISHED IN THE MIAMI HERALD JULY 4, 2023

AS PUBLISHED IN THE MIAMI HERALD JULY 4, 2023

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

LIFE AFTER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION? READ

I grew up in a one-bed-room apartment with my parents and two brothers until I was 16. My parents had basic jobs; we never went without. My brothers and I all graduated college, all with masters and/or professional degrees. 

Why did we do so well academically?

Early reading. Of course I do not remember how it started but at age six one of my uncles brought me his Time magazines. I do remember my mom having to take reading material away from me so I would go to sleep.

Now that affirmative action is gone we will live in a world of academic meritocracy. The largest commodity we sell is knowledge. Those who want all people to do well in life  must make sure that improved educational resources and opportunities are available at all ages and to encourage parents and those who care for young children to see that they develop reading skills early.  There is no shortcut or magic to it. Read and speak to your children (constantly). Regardless of the tone of your skin you can and must do that. 

Forget the idea that you have to know someone to get somewhere. The truth is you have to prepare yourself and your children to function in world of meritocracy. It is you against yourself.  Start reading and talking to your children as soon as you can; even in the crib. The average high income  child hears about four million more words than the low income child by age four.

If you care for a child read and talk to them early. If you are someone who wants everyone to succeed work to improve day care, pre-school, library resources and early education. We are all on our own but we are never alone as long as someone cares.

Barry J. White

President

Mental Health Association

of Miami-Dade County

mhamdc.org

National Catastrophic Property Insurance Fund - Proposa

 It is time to end the expectation that, on its own, the insurance industry will solve the problem of covering catastrophic losses.  It won’t. If the basic tenant of insurance coverage is to actuarily spread risk then let’s really do it. Establish a national fund to cover such losses with a premium to be paid by every property owner as percentage of their insurance policy rate. The rate could be adjusted up or down from the norm based on historic climate or specific events in that area or industry. 

PRAY FOR THE LIVING

AS PUBLISHED IN THE MIAMI HERALD ABOUT NOV 1, 2018

PRAY FOR THE LIVING

Of course we are praying for the lost souls and their loved ones in Pittsburgh but even stronger and more fervent prayer is needed for those who see such heinous acts as justified and purposeful. A huge percentage of our citizens have lost the essence of the Scriptures they espouse adopting bigotry and hatred as tools in their defense. So our prayers must be for those lost souls  as well as for the innocent souls they have encouraged to be massacred. May the Lord help us all return to the path of brotherly love and righteousness. 

Greed Inflation?

AS PUBLISHED IN THE MIAMI HERALD NOV 2, 2022

GREED INFLATION?

How do we know if we are seeing normal inflation or some opportunistic price raises, known as  price gouging?

What is we look at a company's average profit margin from 2014 to 2019, maybe adjusted for a trend. Then compare it to the average profit margin for 2020 to 2022, Any profit over what would be expected normally could be considered excess and should be paid to the U.S. Treasury, maybe over the next three years. 

We could call it the GAP Tax, Gouging Adjustment Penalty.  

As published in the Miami Herald May 29, 2022 ADHD medication study needs more study

 As published in the Miami Herald May 29, 2022

ADHD medication study needs more study

   The May 24 story “ADHD meds don’t lead to higher grades," claims far-reaching implications from a rather modest study. Fourteen pages and a sample size of 174 over three summers is hardly an exhaustive study. More peer studies and review would be required to support its conclusions.  
   Medication controls many aspects of behavior affected by ADHD. No one should be dissuaded from using or providing prescribed medication for ADHD by the referenced study.  ADHD is a genetically transmitted disorder. It cannot be cured  but it can be effectively managed given psychological and neurological evaluation followed by therapy and, if indicated, medication for life.
    Miami-Dade Public Schools System (M-DPS) does a fine job in the classroom with students with behavioral problems and learning exceptions However,  The Center For Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 8.5% of all school age children and 2.5% of the general population have ADHD.
   As of Oct 25, 2021, M-DCPS had 39,582 students with learning exceptions (ADHD is in the subcategory Other Health Impairments and shows 6504 students). However, given a student population of 350,000, and the CDC’s national average estimate of 8.5% we would expect to see approximately 30,000 students with ADHD alone (plus others) in that category.   This illustrates a national problem in under-identifying, evaluating and treating ADHD in schools and also in the incarcerated population.
                                                                                        Barry J. White
                                                                                        president
                                                                      Mental Health Association
                                                                      of  Miami-Dade County
                                                                                                   Kendall

As published in the Miami Hearld April 15, 2022 ABORTION SHOULD NOT BE IN THE COURTS

Those who oppose abortion point to the taking of a human life as their main concern. But, in reality, they want to save the fetus, even at the cost of the mother's life, so it can be baptized.  Similarly, those who cannot tolerate the Gay life style are motivated by biblical admonitions against it. Thus, at base, these are religious issues, and, as such, are barred by the First Amendment from being addressed by the courts, legislatures or by government. Has this argument been made by any organization working on the behalf of freedom of choice and life style?

 

 

 

As published in the Miami Herald (9/17/20)

RIPE FRUIT

If ex-felons must pay court fees before voting then why does this not apply to all citizens?

A court fine is a civil penalty regardless of how it was incurred. Does the court have a different set of fees and fines for felons? And did the court address the imperfect system of administering the fines?

This ruling is a poll tax, pure and simple, a clear example of how the courts are used to implement facism. Most Floridians live under a facist system at every level of government: County, State and Federal.

We should replace the State flag, and maybe the Stars and Stripes too, with one with a banana in a field of white.

Perhaps the banana on a wall at Art Basel was prescient.

 

 As published in the Miami Herald August 20, 2020

    When Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez was a County Commissioner, he seemed to be a fair minded, somewhat objective politician. So, when, in 2011, he ran for mayor I supported him and campaigned for him, As we stood in U.S. 1 waving at cars I asked him, when he became mayor, to please give me some time to discuss environmental issues. It never happened. Instead, I saw first hand that his Regulatory and  Economic Resources Department always gave FPL an easy road and never fully imposed or enforced meaningful and effective measures to curb FPL’s contamination, putrefaction and salinization of once pristine and bucolic Turkey Point as he hobnobbed with FPL executives.
          As an administrator, he created an autocratic, top down government where many were afraid to speak out and turned off instead. By advocating small government, our services and infrastructure suffered; Miami has always been willing to tax  itself for needed services if they understood the problem.  He micromanaged our traffic and transit departments and the Smart Plan to a standstill undermining the several advisory committees to impose his own solutions. His marching order to his department heads, “development.” His  staff’s answer to essential last mile connectivity for transit,  “Let them take Uber”: not so easy for the 25% of our citizens living below the poverty line. And his insensitive  reduction of library and police services reflected a disregard for the basic needs of our citizens and our community. His staff has disrupted the Coconut Grove Playhouse rebuild when he himself does not  really care what happens to it.
       So do we really need a visionless Philistine with a trademark Mussolini sneer and attitude to take his anti-environmental and insensitive small government philosophy to the U.S. Congress?  Not with my vote

As published in the Miami Herald, November 22, 2019