Page 34 - Florida Sentinel 2-3-17

Black History: A Salute To The 44th President Barack Obama
My fellow Americans,
It's a long-standing tradition for the sitting president of the United States to leave a parting letter in the Oval Office for the American elected to take his or her place. It's a letter meant to share what we know, what we've learned, and what small wis- dom may help our successor bear the great responsibility that comes with the highest office in our land, and the leadership of the free world.
But before I leave my note for our 45th president, I wanted to say one final thank you for the honor of serv- ing as your 44th. Because all that I've learned in my time in office, I've learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.
Throughout these eight years, you have been the source of goodness, re- silience, and hope from which I've pulled strength. I've seen neighbors and communities take care of each other during the worst economic cri-
sis of our lifetimes. I have mourned with grieving families searching for answers -- and found grace in a Charleston church.
I've taken heart from the hope of young graduates and our newest mil- itary officers. I've seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch, and wounded warriors once given up for dead walk again. I've seen Americans whose lives have been saved because they finally have access to medical care, and families whose lives have been changed be- cause their marriages are recognized as equal to our own. I've seen the youngest of children remind us through their actions and through their generosity of our obligations to care for refugees, or work for peace, and, above all, to look out for each other.
I've seen you, the American peo- ple, in all your decency, determina- tion, good humor, and kindness. And in your daily acts of citizenship, I've
seen our future unfolding. All of us, regardless of party,
should throw ourselves into that work -- the joyous work of citizenship. Not just when there's an election, not just when our own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a life- time.
I'll be right there with you every
step of the way. And when the arc of progress
seems slow, remember: America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word 'We.' 'We the People.' 'We shall overcome.'
Yes, we can.
President Barack Obama
50 Things You May Not Have Known About President Barack Obama
• He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian Comics.
• He was known as "O’ Bomber" at high school for his skill at basketball.
• His name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili.
• His favorite meal is wife Michelle's shrimp linguini.
• He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, “Dreams From My Father.”
• He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left- handed.
• He has read every Harry Potter book.
• He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali.
• He worked in a Baskin-Rob- bins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream.
• His favorite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars.
• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia.
• He can speak Spanish.
• While on the campaign trail he refused to watch CNN and had sports channels on in- stead.
• His favorite drink is black forest berry iced tea.
• He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn't.
Tata • He kept a pet ape called Tata
while in Indonesia.
• He can bench press an im- pressive 200 lbs.
• He was known as Barry until university when he asked to be addressed by his full name.
• His favorite book is Moby- Dick by Herman Melville.
• He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his half-sister's fiancé, but left when a stripper ar- rived.
• His desk in his Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy.
• He and Michelle made $4.2 million (£2.7 million) last year, with much coming from sales of his books.
• His favorite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
• He carries a tiny Madonna and child statue and a bracelet belonging to a soldier in Iraq for good luck.
• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee.
• His favorite music includes
Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and The Fugees.
• He took Michelle to see the Spike Lee film Do The Right Thing on their first date.
• He enjoys playing Scrabble and poker.
• He doesn't drink coffee and rarely drinks alcohol.
• He would have liked to have been an architect if he were not a politician.
• As a teenager he took drugs including marijuana and co- caine.
• His daughters' ambitions are to go to Yale before becoming an actress (Malia, 10) and to
sing and dance (Sasha, 7).
• He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside.
• He repaid his student loan only four years ago after sign- ing his book deal.
• His house in Chicago has four fire places.
• Daughter Malia's god- mother is Jesse Jackson's daughter, Santita.
• He says his worst habit is constantly checking his Black- Berry
• He uses an Apple Mac lap- top.
• He drives a Ford Escape Hy- brid, having ditched his gas- guzzling Chrysler 300.
• He wears $1,500 (£952) Hart Schaffner Marx suits.
• He owns four identical pairs of black size 11 shoes.
•Hehashishaircutoncea week by his Chicago barber, Zariff, who charges $21 (£13).
• His favorite fictional televi- sion programs are Mash and The Wire.
• He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Serv- ice handlers.
Grandmother Madelyn • He was nicknamed "Bar" by his late grandmother.
• His favorite artist is Pablo Picasso.
• His specialty as a cook is chili.
• He has said many of his friends in Indonesia were "street urchins."
• He keeps on his desk a carv- ing of a wooden hand holding an egg, a Kenyan symbol of the fragility of life.
• His late father was a senior economist for the Kenyan gov- ernment.
PAGE 16-C FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2017