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Car Accidents | Truck Accidents | Pedestrian Accidents | Slip & Fall/Premises Liability | Wrongful Death
The Problem With New Year’s Resolutions Why Not Start Now?
Many of you may have set some goals for the new year, and while I agree New Year’s resolutions are important, I also feel they are a bit overrated — let me explain! Many people plan, and plan, and plan some more for their resolutions. Oftentimes, they’ll start mapping out their goals for the upcoming year in October or November. While proactivity is certainly better than reactivity, I’m always left scratching my head a bit over this one. I always think: Why wait to start something to better yourself until the new year when you can just start now? Did you know that Jan. 17 is called “Quitters Day,” as it marks the day when most people give up on their resolutions that they set for the new year? So many people forget about their resolutions or just simply let go of them for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they’re too difficult to achieve; other times, people just don’t have the time to devote. In many cases, people just simply aren’t motivated enough. More often than not, somewhere in the planning process for resolutions for the new year, the most important part is forgotten — the execution and action plan. How will you initiate that change and what will you do every day to work towards that goal? Another reason many people may drop their resolutions is that they become too focused on the end goal, which can be intimidating! For example, if your goal is to start up a business or to lose a certain amount of weight, thinking about the end goal and the many steps it takes to get there can be a bit terrifying and overwhelming. Instead, if you take it step by step and break your large goal into smaller, more attainable goals along the way with checkpoints to hold yourself accountable, you’ll set yourself up for success! You’ll create a habit and be well on your way to fulfilling your resolution! Switching gears a bit, I’ve found it fun and worth mentioning that Jan. 25 is National Opposite Day. In the spirit of the topsy-turvy day, I thought it’d be fun to discuss a piece of advice I’d NEVER give to my clients: Don’t hire a lawyer.
Whatever you do, don’t hire a lawyer. Well, of course this is advice I’d never give out, and it’d be silly to have this mentality! However, the reality of it is that many people believe when they hire a lawyer, that lawyer will take money out of their pockets, and they’d maybe be better off representing themselves in court. However, they forget lawyers are specifically trained and know the ins and outs of laws, the courtroom, and the legal practice! A lawyer has undergone extensive training and education — over seven years of school plus many years of experience. They are specialized in their respective fields and are ready to represent their clients effectively. In the world of personal injury, it’s a fact that hiring a lawyer will put more money in your pocket than if you hadn’t!
I wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year filled with much love and optimism!
Happy New Year!
-Louis Bernardo Berk
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Providing Rides and Saving Lives Meet an Uber Driver Turned Hometown Hero
We all like to imagine we would do whatever it takes to help others if we witnessed a tragedy, such as a house fire or car accident. We see it all the time when watching our favorite shows and movies, but these random heroic acts rarely happen in real life. When they do, they’re awe-inspiring. One New York City man was faced with one of these harrowing situations and showed tremendous courage when he helped save lives, all while on the clock.
was out. Someone said there were still people inside. Without hesitation, Sam ran through the building and found a woman who was hesitant about leaving. He convinced her to go and brought her to safety, and then he returned to help another man get out of the building. Once he saw firefighters on the scene, Sam returned to his vehicle and proceeded to drop his passenger off at the airport. She still made her flight, even with their impromptu stop. In a statement to “TODAY,” Uber said, “We’re incredibly grateful to have such a heroic and thoughtful member of our community in Fritz. He went above and beyond to keep his neighbors in New York safe — and still managed to get his rider to the airport on time.”
Fritz Sam works as an Uber driver in New York City. He had just picked up a passenger and was taking her to LaGuardia Airport when he noticed a hectic scene in a Brooklyn neighborhood. He soon saw flames and dark smoke emerging from
a second-story window of an apartment building. He asked his passenger if he could pull over to offer help.
When talking to “TODAY,” Sam stated, “You’d be surprised what little things we do that can be impactful. Because, trust me, those little things are going to make a big difference for somebody.” It’s safe to say that very few people consider Sam’s actions a “little thing.” He acted heroically and is an inspiration to many.
He approached a group of bystanders, yelling for people to get out of the residence. As people fled the building, Sam asked if everyone
Celebrity Lawsuit Calls TikTok ‘Breeding Ground for Scams’ Are the Ads You See Real or Fake?
Imagine you’re scrolling through your social media feed when an ad pops up starring one of your favorite celebrities. Maybe it’s quarterback Tom Brady talking about his favorite brand of beer or actress Julia Roberts showing off her new shoes. You’re intrigued enough to buy the product. But when it arrives, your jaw drops. This isn’t the hottest new luxury item! It’s just a cheap knockoff of Budweiser or Jimmy Choo. How would you feel about your celebrity “friend”? According to Page Six, this exact situation happened to fans of “Real Housewives of New York City” actress and Skinnygirl founder Bethenny Frankel. A scam artist stole clips of her promoting a designer product and edited them, making it appear as if she were selling knockoff cardigans. Frankel posted her own video decrying the scammer, only to watch TikTok remove it for “abusive content.” In a last-ditch attempt to protect her reputation, she sued the platform for failing to protect her reputation and allowing users to post fake ads, calling it “a breeding ground for scams.” If you use TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, Frankel’s story should serve as a warning: The ads you see sliding by on your smartphone screen may not be legitimate. To protect yourself from scammers, take these three steps.
1. Go to the source for celebrity endorsements. Visit the celebrity’s official social media page and/or website. Any products they’re advertising should be visible there. 2. Avoid in-app purchases. It’s easy to buy products on Instagram with a single click — but should you? To avoid scams, leave the app and visit the company’s official website to ensure you’re purchasing the real thing. 3. Look for signs of photoshopping, editing, and manipulation. Does the celebrity’s face look tacked onto another person’s body, or does their phrasing sound broken and clipped together? Is the celebrity sponsoring the ad, or is the brand just using their name (perhaps misspelled) for cachet? Look for these signs before you buy. Ultimately, when buying online, just remember to think before you click. Skepticism is a TikTok user’s best friend.
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TAKE A BREAK
In 2021, 1 in 7 Americans participated in “Dry January” — a month without alcohol. The concept of Dry January isn’t new, but since its conception in England in 2012, it has taken hold worldwide. If you’re one of the millions of people pouring out your booze after a holiday of overindulging, use these five tips to stay on track until Jan. 31 and beyond. 1. Download the ‘Try Dry’ app. Yes, there is an app for that! “Try Dry” is the official Dry January app, created by Alcohol Change UK. Users can map their Dry January successes on a calendar, watch their “dry streak” climb, and calculate the money and calories they’ve saved by avoiding alcohol. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices. 2. Look for a kava bar near you. These outposts sell nonalcoholic drinks made from the root of kava plants that helps imbibers relax without the negative side effects of booze. If you’re worried about missing out on socializing with friends, a kava bar could be a good alternative to your local watering hole. Kava bars are trending nationwide right now, so check Google to see if one is open in your city. 3. Master the mocktail. Kava isn’t your only nonalcoholic beverage alternative. If you find yourself missing fancy cocktails, check websites like FoodNetwork.com , BonAppetit.com , and TownandCountryMag.com for delicious mocktail recipes like Bobby Flay’s Chocolate Martini Mocktail, which is a booze-free mudslide. Then, invite your friends over to raise a glass. Throw in board games and food, and they won’t even miss the alcohol. 4. Scare yourself with the data. Plenty of studies out there warn about the negative side effects of drinking alcohol, including a recent study from The Lancet that found drinking reduces your lifespan. When you feel your resolve slipping, turn to the facts for reassurance you’re on the right path. 5. Partner with a friend. If you want to make a batch of mocktails or bemoan skipping your after-dinner gin and tonic, it helps to have a friend by your side! Find someone to join your Dry January crusade so you can keep each other on the right path. 5 TIPS FOR CONQUERING DRY JANUARY Finish the Month Sober and Thriving
AIR FRYER ROASTED SALMON WITH SAUTÉED BALSAMIC SPINACH
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Directions
Ingredients
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided • 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) • 1 1/2 tsp reduced- sodium seafood seasoning • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1 garlic clove, sliced • Dash of crushed red pepper flakes • 10 cups fresh baby spinach (about 10 oz) • 6 small tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1. Preheat air fryer to 450 F. Rub 1 tsp oil over both sides of salmon, then sprinkle with seafood seasoning and pepper. In a greased air fryer basket, place salmon. 2. Cook about 10–12 minutes until fish flakes easily. 3. In a 6-quart stockpot, place remaining oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. Heat over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. 4. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Cook until vinegar is reduced by half, then remove from heat. 5. Arrange spinach on serving dish. Place salmon over spinach mixture and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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A Bit About Resolutions
How an Uber Driver Became a Hero The Dirty Truth About TikTok Ads
Air Fryer Roasted Salmon With Sautéed Balsamic Spinach How to Finish Dry January Strong
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A Podcast That Will Inspire You to Make a Change
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With ‘How to Save a Planet’ Reduce Climate Anxiety
If you’re stuck in a cycle of worrying about the planet after a rough year of floods, fires, and hurricanes, we don’t blame you. Most of us have seen that 2022 was full of climate craziness, and constantly dealing with these disasters can leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Knowing where to start when tackling the issues our planet faces can be challenging, and this uncertainty leaves many people feeling more depressed than determined. But that is all about to change with the help of “How to Save a Planet,” a Spotify original podcast that shares good news on eco- friendly trends. Join Alex Blumberg and “a crew of climate nerds” (their words, not ours) as they strive to bring you the positives of our planet, along with real changes you can make in your life that will help move our climate in the right direction.
write them in the middle. That piece between all three circles is what you can do for the climate.
You might want to try a fashion detox. This challenge asks participants to avoid buying any new clothes for 10 weeks and to use that time to reflect on sustainability. The goal is to take a moment and understand the impact of clothing on the planet.
Get in touch with your local meteorologist. If you watch the local news and the meteorologist talks about climate change,
send them an email or message on social media to let them know you noticed it, appreciate it, and want them to keep it up. “How to Save a Planet” has many more tips where those came from, and after listening, you won’t feel helpless — you’ll be motivated to make a change. So head on over to Spotify, press play, and get started.
To show you what we mean, we’ll share some things “How to Save a Planet” says you can do to be a climate warrior.
Make a Venn diagram to find your climate change superpower! On a piece of paper, draw three circles that overlap in the middle. Each circle will have its own title, and they are “What brings you joy?” “What work needs doing?” and “What are you good at?” Find similarities between all three, and
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www.LouisBerkLaw.com 407-906-0500 January 2023
Car Accidents | Truck Accidents | Pedestrian Accidents | Slip & Fall/Premises Liability | Wrongful Death
El problema con los propósitos de Año Nuevo ¿Por qué no empezar ahora?
Es posible que muchos de ustedes se hayan fijado algunas metas para el nuevo año, y aunque estoy de acuerdo en que los propósitos de Año Nuevo son importantes, también creo que están un poco sobrevalorados, ¡permítanme explicarlo! Mucha gente planea sus propósitos hasta el último detalle. A menudo, empiezan a trazar sus objetivos para el año que viene en octubre o noviembre. Aunque la proactividad es sin duda mejor que la reactividad, siempre me crea algo de confusión. Siempre pienso: ¿por qué esperar hasta el nuevo año para empezar algo que te hará mejorar cuando puedes empezar ahora? ¿Sabían que al 17 de enero se le llama “Día de los que renuncian”, ya que es el día en que la mayoría de la gente abandona los propósitos que se han fijado para el nuevo año? Muchas personas se olvidan de sus propósitos o simplemente los abandonan por diversas razones. A veces, son demasiado difíciles de cumplir, otras veces, simplemente no tienen tiempo para ello. En muchos casos, la gente simplemente no está lo suficientemente motivada. Con frecuencia, en algún punto del proceso de planificación de los propósitos para el nuevo año, se suele olvidar la parte más importante: la ejecución y el plan de acción. ¿Cómo vas a iniciar ese cambio y qué vas a hacer cada día para alcanzar ese objetivo? Otra razón por la que muchas personas abandonan sus propósitos es que se centran demasiado en el objetivo final, el cual puede ser intimidante. Por ejemplo, si tu objetivo es abrir un negocio o perder cierta cantidad de peso, pensar en el objetivo final y en los muchos pasos que hay que dar para conseguirlo puede ser algo aterrador y abrumador. En cambio, si vas paso a paso y divides tu objetivo en metas más pequeñas y alcanzables a lo largo del camino, con puntos de control para que puedas rendirte cuentas a ti mismo , ¡te estarás preparando para el éxito! Crearás un hábito y estarás en el buen camino para cumplir tu propósito. Cambiando un poco de tema, me pareció divertido y digno de mencionarse que el 25 de enero es el Día Nacional del Opuesto. En el espíritu de este día de cabeza, pensé que sería divertido
comentar un consejo que NUNCA daría a mis clientes: No contrates a un abogado.
Hagas lo que hagas, no contrates a un abogado. Bueno, desde luego, este es un consejo que yo nunca daría, ¡y sería una tontería tener esta mentalidad! Sin embargo, la realidad es que muchas personas creen que cuando contratan a un abogado, ese abogado les va a sacar dinero de sus bolsillos, y que tal vez les iría mejor representándose a sí mismos ante los tribunales. Sin embargo, olvidan que los abogados tienen una formación específica y conocen los pormenores de las leyes, los tribunales y la práctica jurídica. Un abogado ha recibido una amplia formación y educación: más de siete años de estudios más muchos años de experiencia. Están especializados en sus respectivos campos y están preparados para representar a sus clientes con eficacia. En el mundo de las lesiones personales, es un hecho que contratar a un abogado le reportará más dinero que si no lo hubiera hecho.
¡Les deseo un nuevo año feliz, saludable y próspero, lleno de mucho amor y optimismo!
¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
-Louis Bernardo Berk
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Transportando y salvando vidas Conoce a un conductor de Uber convertido en héroe local
A todos nos gusta imaginar que haríamos lo que fuera por ayudar a los demás si presenciáramos una tragedia, como un incendio o un accidente de coche. Lo vemos todo el tiempo cuando vemos nuestras series y películas favoritas, pero estos actos heroicos al azar rara vez ocurren en la vida real. Cuando ocurren, son sobrecogedores. Un hombre de Nueva York se enfrentó a una de estas terribles situaciones y demostró un enorme valor al ayudar a salvar vidas mientras trabajaba.
que todavía había gente dentro. Sin dudarlo, Sam corrió por el edificio y encontró a una mujer que dudaba en marcharse. La convenció y la puso a salvo, y luego volvió para ayudar a otro hombre a salir del edificio. Una vez que vio a los bomberos en el lugar, Sam volvió a su vehículo y procedió a dejar a su pasajera en el aeropuerto. A pesar de la parada improvisada, Sam pudo tomar su vuelo. En una declaración a “TODAY”, Uber dijo: “Estamos increíblemente agradecidos de tener un miembro tan heroico y considerado de nuestra comunidad en Fritz. Hizo todo lo posible por mantener a salvo a sus vecinos de Nueva York, y aun así consiguió llevar a su pasajera al aeropuerto a tiempo”.
Fritz Sam trabaja como conductor de Uber en Nueva York. Acababa de recoger a una pasajera y la llevaba al aeropuerto de LaGuardia cuando se percató de una escena agitada en un barrio de
Brooklyn. Pronto vio llamas y humo oscuro saliendo de una ventana del segundo piso de un edificio de apartamentos. Preguntó a su pasajera si podía aparcar para prestar ayuda.
En declaraciones a “TODAY”, Sam afirmó: “Te sorprenderían las pequeñas cosas que hacemos y que pueden tener un gran impacto. Porque, créeme, esas pequeñas cosas van a marcar una gran diferencia para alguien”. Es seguro decir que muy pocas personas consideran las acciones de Sam “algo pequeño”. Actuó heroicamente y es una inspiración para muchos.
Se acercó a un grupo de transeúntes y les gritó que salieran del edificio. Mientras la gente huía del edificio, Sam preguntó si todo el mundo había salido. Alguien dijo
• 3 cucharaditas de aceite de oliva, divididas • 4 filetes de salmón (6 onzas cada uno) • 1 1/2 cucharadita de aderezo para frutos del mar reducido en sodio • 1/4 cucharadita de pimienta • 1 diente de ajo, cortado en rodajas • Una pizca de hojuelas de chile rojo trituradas • 10 tazas de espinaca bebé fresca (unas 10 onzas) • 6 tomates pequeños, cortados en trozos de 1/2 pulgadas • 1/2 taza de vinagre balsámico Ingredientes
Instrucciones 1. Precaliente la freidora de aire a 450 °F. Frote 1 cucharadita de aceite por ambos lados del salmón y, a continuación, espolvoréelo con el aderezo para frutos del mar y la pimienta. En la cesta engrasada de la freidora de aire, coloque el salmón. 2. Cocine entre 10 y 12 minutos hasta que el pescado se desmenuce fácilmente. 3. En una olla de 6 cuartos, ponga el aceite restante, el ajo y las hojuelas de chile. Calentar a fuego medio-bajo durante
3-4 minutos. Subir la temperatura a media-alta. Añadir las espinacas y cocinar hasta que se ablanden. Incorporar los tomates y calentar.
4. En un cazo pequeño, lleve el vinagre a ebullición. Cocine hasta que el vinagre se haya reducido a la mitad, luego retire del fuego. 5. Disponga las espinacas en una fuente. Coloque el salmón sobre la mezcla de espinacas y rocíe con el glaseado balsámico.
SALMÓN ASADO EN FREIDORA DE AIRE CON ESPINACAS SALTEADAS AL BALSÁMICO
Adaptado de TasteOfHome.com
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