Wisdom from the mouths of babes

The other day, a friend of mine email me the following letter from a 7-year-old second-grader, Abigal Lily Alder, at Heron Heights Elementary in Broward County, and I want to share it with you, my dear Neighbors in Religion readers:

The title: "AUTISM SPEAKS to Me!"

"If I could help somebody it would be my brother, Grant, who has autism. People with autism like Grant sometimes have trouble communicating and they may act 'different.' I participated in a walk for Autism Speaks with my family, and learned that for every 88 kids one of them will have autism like my brother. If you have a conversation with someone who has autism they are not always able to focus on what you are saying and they may only want to talk about things that are important to them.

“Restaurants, playgrounds and shops can sometimes be too exciting for them at first. They may be loud, say things you may not expect or they may have trouble understanding what you are asking them.

I would like people to accept kids like my brother who are unique in their own way, and not judge them. Just be patient. If you see someone who you think may have autism, you should help them or just be a friend. I went to camp during the summer with kids who have autism like my brother, and I found out that they can be real friends just like anyone else. We laughed together and played games. It was a blast and I am still friends with many of them.

“There are good things about autism, too. My brother is the most fun and active person. He is awesome on computers and every morning when I wake up, my brother has a big smile on his face and he says, 'It is a beautiful morning.' He is still the BEST BROTHER EVER!

“I know I may be only seven, but I can make a difference and so can you."

Abby is in Mrs. Chiros' class and was the essay contest winner for her grade level.

Oh, thank you, so much Abby. You are wise beyond your young years. I know your parents are so proud of how sensitive you are — and that's a feather in their hats. God bless you and Grant. My godson Isaiah Swift, 6, has autism and I love him so much, and tell him often.

Although he had not been able to speak, one day at church he shocked my boots off, so to speak, when he said without any prompting, "I ... love ... you.”

It brought tears of joy to my eyes.

‘Why I am Thankful’

On Dec. 28, I asked readers to share reasons they are thankful. Here is a response from Charlotte Delascasas:

"I am grateful for the upcoming MLK Holiday and our national tradition of community service. Coral Gables Congregational Church will be having their annual food drive and Pastor Laurie Hafner will remain fasting up in the tower until 3,000 pounds (one dollar also equals one pound) is raised before the cherry picker brings her down, usually 7 p.m. Saturday night, when there will be a rock ‘n’ roll band in our parking lot in front of the Biltmore Hotel, to celebrate.

“Our church will also adult education about Dr. King from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., each Sunday in January. I am thankful that our congregation welcomes everyone, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey, with an open door. Each Thanksgiving we join Temple Judea and Riviera Presbyterian for an interfaith service and we have welcomed theologians from all religions to speak as well. Our social justice program includes Green Christians, who have just started a community garden.

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Lily Allen Gives Birth to Daughter Marnie Rose

Lily Allen, 27, is a mom again! The British singer welcomed daughter Marnie Rose on Tuesday, January 8, People is reporting.

This is Allen's second child with her husband Sam Cooper. Marnie Rose will join older sister Ethel Mary, 1.

Related: Lily Allen is Pregnant

"Quite overwhelmed by all the well wishing going on. THANKYOU everybody x x x," she tweeted Thursday morning.

Allen has been previously open about the two miscarriages she suffered prior to giving birth to Ethel Mary on November 25, 2011.

"It was a really long battle, and I think that kind of thing changes a person," Allen said in her documentary Lily Allen: Rags to Riches.

Related: Lily Allen Welcomes a Baby Girl

The Smile singer again made headlines in June with rumors of her return to music after announcing in 2010 that she was taking a break to focus on her fashion store and personal life.

"You will be pleased to know that i am currently in the f***ing studio with [producer] @GregKurstin," Allen tweeted.

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Ferry passengers return to daily - and seated - commute

AFP/Getty Images

Mayor Bloomberg inspects the damage after the commuter ferry slammed into Pier 11. A large hole can be seen in the front of the boat after the crash.

Commuters aboard the same ferry service that crashed one day earlier enjoyed a smooth — and seated-at-all-times — sail into Manhattan this morning.

Passengers returning to the Highlands-to-New York journey said they had no worries riding the Seastreak ferry and noticed virtually everyone stayed in their chairs until the craft came to complete stop in Manhattan.

Yesterday, an out-of-control ferry carrying more than 300 commuters slammed into a lower Manhattan dock , tossing terrified passengers like rag dolls into walls and down staircases and leaving 93 people injured.

Sun Media / Splash News

The damage to the Seastreak yesterday.

PHOTOS: SEASTREAK FERRY CRASHES INTO PIER 11

RIDER'S FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF FERRY CRASH

CAPTAINS WORRIED OVER PROPULSION SYSTEM

“Everyone remained seated at the end --normally people rush to get off first." said commuter Darren Srikumpol, 37, just after pulling into Pier 11.

Atlantic Highlands resident Julie Mahoney, 38, said she too noticed how passengers weren’t in such a rush to sprint off the boat.

“It [today’s commute] was very smooth, but at the end no one stood up or rushed to get off the boat, a first,” said Mahoney, adding that yesterday’s smash-up was the talk of this morning’s ride.

“There was a lot more chatter than usual because people were talking about it. When you take it everyday it's part of your daily commute. It's part of the reason I moved to Atlantic Highlands.”

Federal investigators are probing whether a mechanical failure caused the Seastreak Wall Street to crash into Pier 11 at about 8:45 a.m., sending 93 passengers to hospitals — two of them in critical condition — and ripping a giant gash in the ship’s bow.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, which evoked memories of the horrific 2003 Staten Island Ferry wreck that killed 10 people and injured 59.

Passenger Michael Dean said he believes a slower exit off the boat will be the new normal.

“I think more people will stay in their seats from now on,” said Dean, who went flying yesterday but escaped virtually injury-free.

“I was gathering my stuff facing my chair. When we hit land, the crash lifted me up and threw me into a row in front of me. I was literally in the air. I got knocked around but I decided to see my own doctor in New Jersey to get checked out. I’m a bit stiff but I’m fine."

Commuters on board today chalked up yesterday’s violent docking as an aberration.

“I appreciate that the boat feels slower today, especially docking this morning,” commuter Sheila Carson, a Monmouth Beach resident and JPMorgan Chase attorney.

“Today is business as usual. We have jobs to do and the ferry is how we get there."

Dean, a 46-year-old financial analyst from Middletown, called yesterday’s crash a “freak accident.”

"I’m feeling no apprehension at all,” Dean said during his commute. “I think it was a freak accident. I think it was something mechanical. These crews are so professional. The crew and captain are great guys.”

Srikumpol said he has no beef with ferry operator despite yesterday’s crash.

He went as far as urging injured passengers to reconsider the lawsuits that will inevitably be filed.

“I hope they don't get sued,” he said. “This is a chance occurrence and I'd hate for this service to be shut off because of this litigious society.”

Additional reporting by David K. Li

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Unemployment claims on the rise in Miami-Dade

Miami-Dade County ended 2012 with more people joining the unemployment rolls than it did last year.

The late-year increase in first-time unemployment claims broke a trend of declining applications throughout most of 2012. First-time claims spiked about 15 percent in November and December, with about 17,500 new applications in all over those 60 days. That’s compared to 15,000 during the same time in 2011. For the entire year, claims were still down about 10 percent.

In Broward, overall claims were down 15 percent. In November and December, Broward residents applies for 10,200 first-time unemployment benefits, compared to about 10,500 in 2011 — a 3 percent drop.

DOUGLAS HANKS

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Mystery fish invades Keys waters from the Pacific

Deep-diving spearfishermen surfaced with a mystery last month south of Pacific Reef Light off North Key Largo.

"I was shocked when I saw it," Wayne Grammes said. "It’s an ugly-looking fish with a face on it that looks like a tripletail and a tail like a jewfish."

The 15-pound, 27-inch fish speared by Greg Caterino of Tavernier turned out to be a humpback grouper — a species native not to Pacific Reef but to the tropical Pacific Ocean off Asia.

"This is the equivalent of a hunter in North America finding a zebra," said Grammes, who was fishing Dec. 23 with Caterino.

"We’ve seen the successful marine invasion of lionfish," Reef Environmental Education Foundation Project Director Lad Akins said this week. "We certainly do not want to see it happen again with another Pacific species."

Akins, a renowned expert in fish identification, confirmed the speared fish was a humpback grouper. With an array of black spots, it’s also known as a panther grouper.

"This is not the first time these have been sighted in Florida," Akins said. "There have been five or six reported as far back as the 1980s, but all from different parts of the state."

"The juveniles are really popular in the aquarium trade," Akins said. "It’s quite likely that this is released fish."

Young humpback grouper sport a brilliant white color with an attractive spray of black spots. But they outgrow most privately owned saltwater tanks — and cast a hungry eye on other tank fish. "Just like lionfish, they are carnivores," Akins said.

At 27 inches, the humpback grouper was nearly as large as they grow, Akins said.

Caterino and Grammes, a Miami-Dade resident and frequent Keys diver, were searching a deep ledge about 95 feet down when they saw what appeared to be a black grouper. After it was taken, it was apparent that it was not something local, Grammes said.

The humpback grouper bears a passing similarity to the marbled grouper, a native species that is considered rare.

"This could be only the tip of the iceberg," Grammes said. "Who knows how many are down there? This was in an area where not many people go."

Lionfish gained a foothold in the U.S. and Caribbean largely due to their prolific breeding and venomous spines that fend off predators.

Humpback grouper could lack defenses needed to become established, Akins said, "but we really don’t know."

Due to the possibility of mistaking a humpback for a protected native species, Akins said, people seeing one should report its location to REEF rather than harvest it. To find out how, go to www.reef.org.

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Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson to Perform at Inauguration

President Barack Obama will have a Miss Independent and an Independent Women performer helping him celebrate the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Clarkson are scheduled to perform along with another music icon.

James Taylor will join the ladies on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 21, 2013 for the big event. "Vice President [Joe] Biden and I are honored to have these wonderfully talented musical artists perform at the Inaugural ceremony,” the president said in a statement on Wednesday. "Their music is often at the heart of the American story and speaks to folks across the country."

RELATED: Actors Who've Played Presidents

So, what will these ladies and gentleman be performing? Beyonce will take on the National Anthem, Clarkson will belt out My Country Tis of Thee while Taylor will sing America the Beautiful.

RELATED: Who Did the Stars Vote For?

According to the White House press statement, Obama was involved in selecting the singers for the ceremony. Other ceremonial participants include Myrlie Evers-Williams, who will give the invocation; Richard Blanco, who will serve as the Inaugural poet; and Reverend Louie Giglio, who will deliver the Benediction.

As you may recall, Beyonce performed Etta James' At Last during the first dance between Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball during the 2009 inauguration.

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Hurricane Sandy prevented total number of complaints filed against NYPD cops from rising last year

Hurricane Sandy prevented the total number of complaints filed against NYPD cops with the Civilian Complaint Review Board last year from rising for the first time since 2009, The Post has learned.

The total number of CCRB complaints in 2012 dipped just two percent over the previous year’s totals, the fourth time in five years that the total number of complaints against the city’s cops has fallen.

The two percent drop -- the smallest since numbers generally started heading downwards in 2007 -- translated into a scant 144 fewer cases in 2012 compared to 2011, from 5,964 complaints in 2011 compared to 5,820 last year.

But CCRB numbers were trending upwards in the second half of 2012, with increases posted in July, August, September and October .

Following the ravages of Sandy, the agency was ousted from its Lower Manhattan offices and forced to adopt a new phone number -- one that didn't hook up with the city's 311 information line -- after the storm.

Such factors meant that the CCRB took fewer complaints in November and December and all but guarantee that had Sandy not occurred, the complaint tally would have surely tipped upwards in 2012 for the first time since a slight increase was registered in 2009.

Overall, CCRB complaints have fallen 21 percent between 2007 (when they reached a record-high of 7,549) and 2011.

A spokeswoman for the CCRB declined to comment, as the agency is expected to provide further details about its year-end figures for 2012 at a monthly meeting scheduled for later this morning at CCRB’s new temporary headquarters at 209 Joralemon Street, in Brooklyn.

The CCRB allows members of the public to file complaints against cops that can include up to four separate allegations – those involving improper use of force; abuse of authority; discourtesy or offensive language – that might stem from a single confrontation.

The complaints are then investigated for further action by civilian investigators in a bid to see if they can be substantiated or deemed unfounded or, in some cases, cops are considered "exonerated.".

A breakdown of the categories of complaints from last year compared to 2011 shows that while the total number fell by two percent, the seriousness of the allegations increased by a slight margin.

For instance, the total number of complaints alleging discourtesy and offensive language fell by 243 and 18, respectively, between last year and 2011.

However, the allegations of force or abuse of authority -- more serious categories of police misconduct -- rose by 21 and 248, respectively.

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4 smartphones with standout features

These days, smartphones are almost all drawing from the same bag of tricks, and it can be hard to tell one from the next. If the average smartphone will do all the basic things you want it to, what does it take to be special? Here are four smartphones with unusual features that really make them stand out.

Nokia Lumia 920

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: This phone forges new Windows Phone ground with wireless-charging support and a highly sensitive screen you can use with gloves. Moreover, Nokia helps fill in Windows Phone OS gaps with a few missing features.

The bad: A thick, heavy build and slippery finish for some colors make the Lumia 920 harder to hold and carry, and the phone’s overhyped camera doesn’t have enough settings.

The cost: $99.99

The bottom line: Nokia’s Lumia 920 is heavy and thick, but if you want the most powerful, feature-rich Windows Phone smartphone available, this is it.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: Oodles of screen real estate make this terrific for videos, games, and reading, and its improved stylus aids productivity. A blazing quad-core processor, a great camera and strong battery life round out the advantages of this Android 4.1 phone.

The bad: The huge display makes it unwieldy to carry, and hiccups in the S Pen stylus and apps can slow you down. The pricey Note 2 isn’t a suitable tablet replacement across all categories.

The cost: $149.99 to $309.99

The bottom line: Samsung delivers a powerful, boundary-pushing device that gets a lot right. Yet its complicated features and high price raise questions about its purpose.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: This Droid (Verizon) offers fast performance, a big, eye-popping screen and luxurious design. It also has great call quality, lots of storage, 4G data speeds, and unbeatable battery life.

The bad: The major weakness is a camera that produces subpar images. The phone is filled with Verizon bloatware as well.

The cost: $149.99 to $299.99

The bottom line: Motorola’s fast, stylish Droid Razr Maxx HD offers outstanding battery life, but its camera captures unimpressive images.

Samsung Galaxy Beam

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: An integrated pico projector, as well as a dual-core processor, 720p video capture and a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen.

The bad: The projection software needs some work, the 5-megapixel camera sometimes blurs indoor shots, and the Beam is thicker and heavier than many phones.

The cost: $474.49 to $839.99

The bottom line: Despite weak software, the Galaxy Beam’s bright projector pushes boundaries, and strong smartphone features make it a worthy standalone device.

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Police shoot, kill woman accused of holding knife to her boyfriend

A woman who was holding her boyfriend at knife point as their 3-year-old boy was in their home was shot to death by deputies in Lake Worth Tuesday morning.

Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies were called to the home in a duplex about 2:45 a.m. by the boyfriend who was frantic, saying she was going to kill him, sheriff’s spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.

“When we arrived she had him by the shirt with a knife in hand. We told her to put the knife down repeatedly. When she turned to stab him, we shot her. In an effort to save his life, we shot,” Barbera said.

Though deputies then ran to her assistance and called paramedics, the woman, who is 24, died from her injuries.

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Tuesday morning, “If the deputies had not taken the action they did she would have knifed him on the spot.”

Bradshaw said the 911 calls reveal the couple were in a “violent confrontation” and that the boyfriend was trying to get the child away from the boy’s mother. When deputies arrived, the woman let go of the child and came through the front door with her boyfriend, holding him by the shirt with one hand and a knife in the other.

“The deputies actions actually saved his life and probably, further down the road, the child’s life,” Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw said deputies had been called before to the duplex and that the couple has had previous problems. He did not release their names, but said the woman was 24-years-old and her boyfriend is about the same age. Bradshaw also said there are possible child abuse charges pending against the woman.

The boy will likely be placed with relatives, Bradshaw said.

This is the second shooting death of 2013 in Palm Beach County. A bartender at a Boca Raton restaurant was shot and killed in a robbery Friday, Jan. 4.

Rafael Rodriguez was bartending when the restaurant was robbed by several men. The robbers took personal items, including wallets, jewelry and cellphones from the victims. As the robbers were leaving, Rodriguez exchanged words with one of them. The robber fired at Rodriguez, striking him once. Rodriguez, 46, died at a local hospital after being shot once.

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James Franco and Ashley Benson Parody Justin Bieber Selena Gomez

James Franco and rumored girlfriend Ashley Benson had some fun recently -- though it's at the expense of their Spring Breakers co-star Selena Gomez and her on-again/off-again boyfriend Justin Bieber.

In this video that originally appeared on Franco's WhoSay but he has since deleted, the 34-year-old mocks Justin's signature style -- down to the sideways hat, his [formerly] floppy hair and a baggy hoodie -- while parodying his mega-hit Boyfriend. For her part, Benson, 23, plays a sexy Selena, donning a long brunette wig and showing off some spectacularly racy dance moves.

Pic: James Franco Gets Handsy with Ashley Benson

Though this dig seems a little personal -- Benson reportedly dumped Bieber's pal Ryan Good for Franco after the two met on the set of Spring Breakers.

Video: Will 'Spring Breakers' Spark Controversy?

Although Franco denied dating Benson in a blog post on The Huffington Post in October, writing, "As for Gomez and Benson, those are Bieber's girls and I wouldn't dare tangle with the Biebs. I heard he wants to kick my a**. Yikes!," Benson recently posted a pic of the multi-talented star playfully groping her on New Year's Eve which she quickly deleted, sparking more rumors that the two are more than friends.

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