Louis Berk, PLLC. - May 2021

Louis Berk, PLLC. - May 2021

www.LouisBerkLaw.com 407-906-0500 May 2021

Car Accidents | Truck Accidents | Pedestrian Accidents | Slip & Fall/Premises Liability | Wrongful Death

The Women Behind Me I Wouldn’t Be Here Without Them

If I’ve seen any success in life, it’s because I’ve had some amazing women in my family who stood behind me and pushed me toward the harder road, knowing that it would be the more rewarding one. Many people have more than one woman in their lives who they celebrate Mother’s Day with, and luckily in my family, there are a bunch! In Latino cultures, moms are a big deal, so that’s not a surprise. But my family really is something special. My mother is one of those special people. Everybody — and man, I mean everybody — loves her. And it doesn’t take long either: My parents have always owned stores and different businesses. One time, they had opened a new store and had only been working there for a few weeks when I visited. The people from next door came over and gave Mami a hug and kiss on the cheek and said, “We’d do anything for your mom.” Even for my mom, that was a record — she’d only known them for two weeks! People in all situations will come to her for help or advice, and I’m thankful that she has been so present my entire life. From those early years in Venezuela to moving up to the U.S., Mami was a rock for me and the rest of the family. She loves to help people, and she loves kids the most. I can’t remember a time when she wasn’t watching children at the synagogue, in addition to taking care of us, and she always did an amazing job. As I said, Mami isn’t the only “mother” figure in my life. My Tia Raquel comes to mind as someone who was there in my formative years. We spent a lot of time together when I was young, and I played with my cousins all the time, which meant we were frequently at Tia Raquel’s house. Sadly, I didn’t see her much upon leaving Venezuela, but any summer we spent back there was a wonderful one, and Tia Raquel was a big part of that. Ima, my maternal grandmother, was another important woman in my life. She was the cook: Every Friday night, we’d have Shabbat dinner with the whole family together. All of the best recipes I have are hers, and all of them are incomplete! She didn’t need exact measurements — for her it came naturally. She came from Israel, where she served in the army and met my grandfather.

law school! Aunt Linda was always big on education, always telling me to do more and dream bigger. She also took us in when we first arrived in the States and helped us transition smoothly into living here. She never stands idly by when someone needs help; Aunt Linda holds everything together. Aunt Linda takes after Abuela Mina, my paternal grandmother. She is the matriarch of the family and is as strong as they come. Abuela Mina has always been a hard worker, having to support three kids on her own. She has taught me determination and that family is the most important thing. Abuela Mina has also taught me to enjoy life — you can find her in the middle of the dance floor, even in her 90s! Fortunately, I have married into more amazing women! My mother- in-law, Gayle, welcomed me into her clan with open arms. She treats me like a son and we enjoy our scotch, cigars, and football together. Gayle always knows what we need, whether it’s sage mom advice or a bird feeder for the backyard. I also gained Grandma Lil through marriage; she is kind, wise, and hilarious. She always encourages us to travel, experience the world and not worry about material items. Grandma Lil has a knack for poker and inappropriate jokes — you would never guess this sweet little lady has it in her!

As I said, it’s a family of amazing women. I wouldn’t be here today, writing to you, without them. I am so grateful to have had such powerful role models in my life and for the time I spent with all of them. That is what I’m thinking about this Mother’s Day.

On my father’s side, I have my Aunt Linda. I can’t imagine not talking about her in this article — she’s the one who pushed me to attend

-Louis Bernardo Berk

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Bring Spring Indoors

The Most Beautiful May Flowers for Your Home or Office

Delicate, ruffled, and feminine, sweet peas are sure to delight anyone who sees them.

The April showers came and went, so now we get to enjoy May flowers! You might not buy flowers for yourself often, but it’s totally worth treating yourself and your visitors, all while supporting your local florist! To start off, anemones are the most mythological May plant around because of two famous Greek myths surrounding these jewel-toned flowers. Anemones are said to have sprung from blood shed by the death of Aphrodite’s lover, Adonis. The ancient Greeks also believed that the god of the west wind favored anemones — hence their second name, the windflower. Attach them as pops of color to any bouquet for a classic, romantic, or modern arrangement, or mix them with roses and trailing greenery for a more boho look. Carnations are also fantastic flowers to display in May. Some people may see carnations as a cheap flower, but, when used en masse, they can have a truly breathtaking effect in a room. Try using natural-colored carnations to create a fresh, contemporary space. You can also freshen up the room with sweet peas , which have a wonderfully mild perfume. They come with an enormous range of colors — one of the biggest ranges in the flora kingdom, in fact!

Lastly, although tulips or orchids would be classic choices for your arrangement, consider surprising your visitors with lilies of the valley . These beautiful, peaceful little blooms only grow in white, which is often seen as the color of renewal and innocence, and they wear it well! Their adorable little bell-like flowers will be sure to put a smile on your face. We hope you will consider these gorgeous flowers for your space this year. A small purchase at your local small businesses can make a big difference, just like how a few flowers can make a big difference in your home!

The 3 Strangest Celebrity Lawsuits

Internet conspiracy theory results in a court case against Beyoncé. The internet is a wild place, and conspiracy theories are often born on its digital channels. One such theory was that Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, hired a surrogate to give birth to their daughter, Blue Ivy, in 2012. Internet trolls who saw her pregnant belly roll as she sat down for an interview fanned the flames of this theory, and soon, a lawsuit emerged. A woman claimed she was the true biological mother of Blue Ivy, and she asked for compensation and DNA testing to prove it. Previously, the same woman claimed to be the birth mother of North West, the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, but the court threw out the case. Mila Kunis ruffles some feathers. Actress Mila Kunis was sued for $5,000 by her childhood friend, Kristina Karo, in 2015 because Kunis allegedly stole a chicken from Karo when they were still children in Ukraine. Karo, an aspiring singer, claimed the theft resulted in extreme emotional distress and prevented her from pursuing the American dream. According to Kunis, the theft occurred when she was 7 years old and Karo was just 1 month old. Kunis and her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, speculated that the case was all a publicity stunt to promote Karo’s upcoming music video, and the case was eventually dropped.

Stories about celebrities can be enjoyable or awkward, but no matter what happens, they usually create great material for Buzzfeed or Reddit users. This also includes celebrity stories involving the law, which bring on a lot of head-scratching and legal action — like these three strange cases. Simon Cowell pays for a chef’s disappearing shoes. Known for his unrelenting critiques and setting the stage for some of the world’s biggest names in show business, Simon Cowell has amassed enough wealth to afford a private chef. When one such chef came by his house for a job interview, she was asked to

remove her shoes, but according to court documents, she never received her shoes back. The chef claims to have tried multiple times to retrieve the shoes — which were outfitted with $500 orthopedic insoles — but never succeeded. She sued Cowell for the shoes and gas money, and the “America’s Got Talent” star shelled out.

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TAKE A BREAK

Millions of families in Europe have relied heavily on government aid for survival, but that’s becoming a concern for the younger generation. European debt hasn’t been so high since World War II, and it’s even outpacing national economies. In France alone, the national debt has risen to 2.7 trillion euros ($3.2 trillion) and will soon exceed 120% of the national economy. While the International Monetary Fund expects growth to bounce back this year to 5.1% in the United States, Europe will likely lag with a rebound of 4.2%. WILL EUROPE BE ABLE TO PAY ITS $3.2T PANDEMIC DEBT?

Yet, as debts skyrocket, economists wonder if it’s possible for Europe to get a “free lunch.”

In the current zero-interest era, strange things are happening. Although the amount of debt companies have taken has grown, the amount that governments pay hasn’t. Countries can now roll over their debt at low interest rates, which is akin to refinancing a mortgage. Banks are also buying government debt, effectively lending around 1.3 trillion euros during the first six months of the pandemic. This makes the debt affordable — for now. Government debt may never have to be fully paid back if central banks keep buying it up. According to the Institut Montaigne, an independent think tank in Paris, public debt could rise to 4 trillion by the end of 2023. Some economists are worried about the risks. What if inflation and interest rates help revive growth too rapidly, forcing central banks to put a complete stop to their easy-money policies? Weaker countries may fall into a debt trap and struggle to pay. Simon Tilford, director of a strategic planning firm in London, told The New York Times, “If inflation starts to return but there’s no growth, then the situation gets a lot trickier.”

THAI MINCED PORK SALAD

Inspired by EatingThaiFood.com

Ingredients

• Juice of 1–2 limes, to taste • 4 small shallots, thinly sliced • 4 green onions, thinly sliced • Cilantro leaves, to taste • Mint leaves, to taste

• 5 tbsp uncooked Thai sticky rice • 1 lb ground pork • 1/2 tbsp chili flakes • 1/8 tsp sugar • 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

Directions

1. First, make toasted rice powder: In a frying pan over low heat, dry- roast the rice, stirring continuously until it turns golden brown and smells fragrant, about 15 minutes. 2. Let toasted rice cool, then grind into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor. Set aside. 3. In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, fry pork, breaking it into small pieces as you go, until fully cooked. 4. Remove from heat and add 1 heaping tbsp of toasted rice powder along with all other ingredients. Stir to combine. 5. Taste and adjust, adding more lime juice and herbs to suit your palate. Serve with rice.

When the next recession rolls around, it may be tough to stimulate their economy with this amount of debt on their hands. This worries the younger generation of Europeans, but at least for now, those troubles seem far away in the eyes of those steering European economies through the pandemic.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

The Women Behind Me

1

Brighten Up Your Space With These May Flowers! Mila Kunis Got Sued for That!? (And 2 Other Weird Celebrity Legal Cases)

2

Thai Minced Pork Salad Will Europe Be Able to Pay Its $3.2T Pandemic Debt?

3

Influencer in Florida Accused of Voter Fraud

4

Influencer in Florida Accused of Voter Fraud

Using hashtags like #go[candidate], Mackey posted false, edited campaign images to convince people to “vote” by text instead of going to the polls or using the mail-in ballot. In one instance, he posted an image depicting an African American woman holding a sign, reading “African Americans for [candidate].” The images would then include instructions on how to vote by texting a specific number. Mackey and his associates also created images with Spanish instructions, obviously targeting minorities as well. Of course, voting by text is not a legitimate way to cast a ballot, yet the deceptive campaign duped over 4,900 unique phone numbers. William F. Sweeney Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, reported in their press release, “Protecting every American citizen’s right to cast a legitimate vote is a key to the success of our republic. What Mackey allegedly did to interfere with this process — by soliciting voters to cast their ballots via text — amounted to nothing short of vote theft.” It’s certainly fascinating and terrifying to see just how influential social media can be on an election and even go as far as to lure people into wasting their vote. We’re glad, however, to see these types of cases being brought to court — Mackey was recently arrested on federal charges of election interference for this 2016 voter disinformation campaign. Some influencers are taking their title much too seriously!

A February 2016 analysis by MIT Media Lab revealed that Twitter account “Ricky Vaughn” was the 107th most important influencer in the then-upcoming election. That’s a higher ranking than many other groups and individuals like NBC News (114), Stephen Colbert (119), and Newt Gingrich (141). Everyone had one question: Who in the world is Ricky Vaughn? As it turns out, the Florida man was really stepping up his game. Douglass Mackey, aka Ricky Vaughn, is based in West Palm Beach and gained an audience on Twitter with over 58,000 followers by 2016. Many would describe him as an internet troll, or someone who posts hurtful comments for his own amusement. While he’s posted anti-Semitic memes in the past, though, those offenses were hardly illegal. That changed when Mackey allegedly went too far.

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www.LouisBerkLaw.com 407-906-0500 May 2021

Car Accidents | Truck Accidents | Pedestrian Accidents | Slip & Fall/Premises Liability | Wrongful Death

Las mujeres detrás de mí No estaría aquí sin ellas

Si he tenido algo de éxito en la vida es porque en mi familia ha habido mujeres increíbles que estuvieron detrás de mí y me empujaron por el camino más difícil ya que sabían que era el más gratificante. Mucha gente tiene más de una mujer en su vida con quien celebrar el Día de la Madre y, afortunadamente, ¡en mi familia hay muchísimas! En las culturas latinas, las mamás son muy importantes, así que eso no sorprende. Pero mi familia realmente es algo especial. Mi madre es una de esas personas especiales. Todo el mundo (y cielos, de verdad digo todo el mundo) la adora. Y no lleva mucho hacerlo tampoco: Mis padres siempre tuvieron tiendas y distintos negocios. Una vez, habían abierto una nueva tienda y habían estado trabajando allí durante unas semanas cuando fui a visitarlos. Los vecinos venían y le daban un abrazo a Mami y la besaban en el cachete y decían “Haríamos lo que sea por tu mamá”. Eso fue un récord hasta para mi mamá: ¡apenas los conocía desde hacía dos semanas! Gente en distintas situaciones viene hasta ella buscando ayuda o consejo y estoy agradecido de que siempre haya estado tan presente durante toda mi vida. Desde esos primeros años en Venezuela hasta la migración a los Estados Unidos, Mami fue una roca para mí y para el resto de la familia. Le encanta ayudar a la gente y a los que más ama es a los niños. No puedo recordar un momento en que, además de cuidarnos a nosotros, no estuviera cuidando niños en la sinagoga y siempre realizaba un excelente trabajo. Como dije, Mami no es la única figura “materna” en mi vida. Se me viene a la mente mi Tía Raquel como alguien que estuvo presente en mis años formativos. Pasábamos mucho tiempo juntos cuando era chico y jugábamos con mis primos todo el tiempo, lo que significaba que a menudo estábamos en la casa de la Tía Raquel. Desgraciadamente, no pude verla demasiado después de que nos fuimos de Venezuela, pero todos los veranos que pasamos allí fueron maravillosos y eso en gran parte era por la Tía Raquel. Ima, mi abuela materna, fue otra mujer importante en mi vida. Era la cocinera: Todos los viernes por la noche toda la familia se reunía para la cena de Shabbat ¡Todas mis mejores recetas son de ella y todas están incompletas! No necesitaba medidas exactas: era algo innato en ella. Familia siempre era super importante para Ima. Aprendi un monton de ella,y hasta hoy todavia la extraño mucho.

a la facultad de derecho! Tía Linda siempre recalcó lo importante que era educarse, siempre me decía que hiciera más y que soñara a lo grande. También fue quien nos hospedó ni bien llegamos a los Estados Unidos y quien nos ayudó a tener una transición sin contratiempos a la vida aquí. Nunca se queda quieta cuando alguien necesita ayuda; Tía Linda mantiene todo unido. Tía Linda sale a mi Abuela Mina, mi abuela paterna. Es la matriarca de la familia y tiene una fortaleza impresionante. Abuela Mina siempre ha trabajado duro ya que tuvo que mantener a tres niños por su cuenta. Me enseñó a ser decidido y que la familia es lo más importante. Abuela Mina también me enseñó a disfrutar de la vida: ¡aunque tenga más de 90 años, la encontrarán en medio de la pista de baile! Por suerte, ¡al casarme, más mujeres maravillosas entraron en mi vida! Mi suegra, Gayle, me dio la bienvenida a su clan con los brazos abiertos. Me trata como a un hijo y juntos disfrutamos de nuestro whisky escocés, de los cigarros y del fútbol. Gayle siempre sabe lo que necesitamos, ya sean sabios consejos de madre o un comedero para pájaros para el jardín trasero. Al casarme también sumé a la Abuela Lil: es amable, sabia e increíblemente graciosa. Siempre nos insta a viajar, a experimentar el mundo y a no preocuparnos por los bienes materiales. A la Abuela Lil se le da bien el póker y los chistes inapropiados... ¡Nunca lo sospecharían al ver a esta dulce ancianita!

Como dije, es una familia de mujeres increíbles. No estaría hoy aquí, escribiéndoles, si no fuera por ellas. Estoy eternamente agradecido de haber tenido y seguir teniendo en mi vida a estos poderosos modelos a seguir y por el tiempo que pude pasar con todas ellas. Eso es en lo que pienso este Día de la Madre.

Del lado de mi Papa tengo a Tía Linda. No puedo imaginar no hablar de ella en este artículo: ¡fue ella la que me motivó a asistir

www.LouisBerkLaw.com | 1 -Louis Bernardo Berk

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Las lluvias de abril llegaron y se fueron, ¡así que ahora podemos disfrutar de las flores de mayo! Quizás no suela comprarse flores con frecuencia, pero realmente vale la pena darse el gusto, tanto para usted como para sus visitantes, ¡y a la vez puede apoyar a su florista local! Para comenzar, las anémonas son la planta de mayo más mitológica de todas, ya que existen dos mitos griegos famosos relacionados con estas flores con colores de piedras preciosas. Se dice que las anémonas nacieron de la sangre derramada por Adonis, amante de Afrodita, al momento de su muerte. Los antiguos griegos también creían que el dios del viento oeste prefería las anémonas, de ahí el nombre con el que se la llama en inglés: “flor del viento”. Añádalas como pequeños estallidos de color a cualquier ramo para obtener un arreglo clásico, romántico o moderno, o mézclelas con rosas y hojas colgantes para un look más bohemio. Los claveles también son flores fantásticas para decorar en mayo. Algunas personas consideran los claveles una flor barata, pero, si se los usa de a montones, pueden crear un efecto que quite el aliento al entrar en cualquier habitación. Pruebe utilizar claveles de colores naturales para crear un espacio fresco y contemporáneo. Lleve la primavera a sus interiores Las flores más hermosas de mayo, para su hogar u oficina

También puede dar frescura a una habitación con guisantes de olor , que poseen un perfume increíblemente suave. Vienen en una gran variedad de colores, de hecho, ¡tienen una de las gamas de colores más grandes de toda la flora! Delicados, femeninos y con volantes, los guisantes de olor sin duda encantarán a quien los vea. Por último, aunque los tulipanes o las orquídeas serían las opciones más clásicas para su arreglo floral, considere sorprender a sus visitantes con lirios de los valles . Estas hermosas y pacíficas florecitas solo crecen en color blanco, que suele considerarse el color de la renovación y la inocencia, ¡y lo llevan muy bien! Sus adorables flores con forma de campana seguro le harán sonreír. Esperamos que considere estas hermosas flores para sus espacios este año. Una pequeña compra en sus negocios locales puede hacer una gran diferencia, ¡así como unas pocas flores pueden hacer una gran diferencia en su hogar.

Ingredientes

Ensalada tailandesa de carne de cerdo picada

• Jugo de uno o dos limones, al gusto • 4 chalotas pequeñas cortadas en rodajas finas • 4 cebollas verdes cortadas en rodajas finas

• 5 cucharadas de arroz glutinoso tailandés crudo • 1 libra de carne de cerdo molida • 1/2 cucharada de copos de chile • 1/8 cucharadita de azúcar • 1/2 cucharada de salsa de pescado

Inspirado por EatingThaiFood.com

• Hojas de cilantro al gusto • Hojas de menta al gusto

Instrucciones

1. Primero, prepare el polvo de arroz tostado: Tueste el arroz en seco durante unos 15 minutos en una sartén a fuego lento y remueva continuamente hasta que se dore y comience a oler. 2. Deje enfriar el arroz tostado y luego tritúrelo hasta convertirlo en un polvo grueso, utilizando un mortero, una licuadora o un procesador de alimentos. Déjelo reposar. 3. Fría la carne de cerdo en trozos pequeños en una sartén mediana a fuego medio-alto hasta que esté completamente cocida. 4. Retírela del fuego y añada una cucharada colmada de polvo de arroz tostado junto con todos los demás ingredientes. Revuelva para combinar. 5. Pruebe y agregue más jugo de limón y hierbas a su gusto. Sírvalo con arroz.

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