[by Alex Epstein] Every New Year's Eve millions of people make New Year's resolutions. Whether the resolution is to get out of debt, to spend more time with loved ones, or to quit smoking, these resolutions have one thing in common: they are goals to make our lives better.

Unfortunately, this ritual commitment to self-improvement is widely viewed as something of a joke--in part because New Year's resolutions go so notoriously unmet. After years of watching others--or themselves--excitedly commit to a new goal, only to abandon the quest by March, many come to conclude that New Year's resolutions are an exercise in futility that should not be taken seriously. "The silly season is upon us," writes a columnist for the Washington Post, "when people feel compelled to remake themselves with new year's resolutions."

But such a cynical attitude is false and self-destructive. Making New Year's resolutions does not have to be futile--and to make them is not silly; done seriously, it is an act of profound moral significance that embodies the essence of a life well-lived.

Consider what we do when we make a New Year's resolution: we look at where we are in some area of life, think about where we want to be, and then set ourselves a goal to get there. We are tired of feeling chubby and lethargic, say, and want the improved appearance and greater energy level that comes with greater fitness. So we resolve to take up a fun athletic activity--like tennis or a martial art--and plan to do it three times a week.

Is this a laughable act of self-delusion? Hardly. If it were, then how would anyone ever achieve anything in life? In fact, to make a New Year's resolution is to recognize the undeniable reality that successful goal-pursuit is possible--the reality that everyone at one time or another has set and achieved long-range goals, and profited from doing so. Indeed, not only is it possible to achieve long-range goals, it is necessary for success in life. To make a New Year's resolution is also to recognize the undeniable reality that rewarding careers and romances do not just happen automatically--that to get what we want in our lives, we must consciously choose and achieve the right goals. We must be goal-directed.

Unfortunately, a goal-directed orientation is missing to a large extent in too many lives. It is all too easy to live life passively, acting without carefully deciding what one is doing with one's life and why. How many people do you know who are in the career they fell into out of school, even if it is not very satisfying--or who have children at a certain age because that's what is expected, even if it's not what they really want--or who spend endless hours of "free time" in front of the TV, since that's the most readily available form of relaxation--or who follow a life routine that they never really chose and don't truly enjoy, but which has the force of habit?

Too often, the goal-directedness embodied by New Year's resolutions is the exception in lives ruled by passively accepted forces--unexamined routine, short-range desires, or alleged duties. It is the passive approach to happiness that makes so many resolutions peter out, lost in the shuffle of life or abandoned due to lost motivation. More broadly than its impact on New Year's resolutions, the passive approach to happiness is the reason that so many go through life without ever getting--or even knowing--what they really want.

It is a sad irony that those who write off New Year's resolutions because so many fail reinforces the passive approach to life that causes so many resolutions--and so many other dreams--to fail. The solution to failed New Year's resolutions is not to abandon the practice, but to supplement it with a broader resolution--a commitment to a goal-directed life.

This New Year's, resolve to think about how to make your life better, not just once a year, but every day. Resolve to set goals, not just in one or two aspects of life, but in every important aspect and in your life as a whole. Resolve to pursue the goals that will make you successful and happy, not as the exception in a life of passivity, but as the rule that becomes second-nature.

If you do this, you will be resolving to do the most important thing of all: to take your happiness seriously.

© 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute.

Alex Epstein is a writer for the Ayn Rand Institute (www.aynrand.org) in Irvine, California. Visit his website at www.AlexEpstein.com.

Grand Bahama Children's Home Christmas Wish List
Our goal each year is to fill our local orphans' stockings with a little
something that SANTA brought - from their list, at least one. The joy it brings
them is immense and the realization that SANTA has heard them is
tremendous. Help keep our children safe, clothed, fed and sometimes just like
every kid in the world. You can view the list at:
http://www.gbchildrenshome.com/2008-wishlist.htm

Bahamas Cup: More Photos from Freeport’s Epic Victory over The Cuckoos
In case you missed THE BEST RUGBY GAME of the 2008 season, Rugby Photos from the
Freeport 25 - Cuckoos 22 Victory are now online.

RE Properties Builds Green Luxury Homes to LEED Standards
In Florida, the proprietors of RE Properties Ltd. -- Alan and Dexter Avney --
are known for their "over the top" luxurious and energy efficient design. Now
they plan to bring their technology to the Bahamas, as the duo of father and son
plan to revolutionize the building industry in Grand Bahama… [read
more]

Live Music at Bell Channel Inn Bar & Restaurant (Friday, December 19, 2008)
Bell Channel Inn 373-1053 From 8 p.m. until Bell Channel Inn will have live
music in our restaurant at Bell Channel Inn. Featuring many of your pop and rock
favorites from the 60s through the late 70s.

Come Watch the Dolphins at Sandbar Margarita Villa (Sunday, December 21,
2008)
Come join Lauren and Jinx and cheer for (or root against) the Miami Dolphins
every Sunday.

Carols by the Sea: Eat, Drink and Be Merry! (Sunday, December 21st 2008, 4–9
p.m)
The Rotary Club of Lucaya is hosting its second annual Carols by the Sea,
which last year was truly a resounding success. The event will take place at The
Ritz by Taino Beach Resort. The event is being organized to address the need for
families to gather in the spirit of Christmas. We want families to come out,
sing carols, eat, drink and be merry. As the holidays approach we want to help
people get in the mood for Christmas and nothing does that better than singing
carols around the fireplace - and here in The Bahamas a bonfire on the beach is
just as good. Rotarian Joe Ret will hand roast his famous pig for all to enjoy.
There will be hamburgers, hot dogs and popcorn for the children. The Rotary Club
of Lucaya Choir will be entertaining you, there will also be an open microphone,
and song books will be distributed for those persons who want to sing along.
Santa Claus will pay a special visit to sing and dance with the children.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children and can be purchased from Bell
Channel Inn (373-1053), The Cutting Garden (374-5600) or any member of the
Rotary Club of Lucaya.

Sunset Happy Hour @ Sabor: 5-7pm every day!
Chef “Worly” is back from producing his TV show in Iceland, and to celebrate he
is offering some crazy drink specials and some new food items at reduced prices.
Happy hour drink specials include 2 for $6 Beer, 2 for 1 mixed drinks (incl.
margaritas and martinis). Along with a new staff they also have an all new
“simplified” regular menu with entree prices ranging from $14 to $22.


New Years Eve Bash @ Taino by the Sea Restaurant (Wednesday, December 31, 2008)
Natalie Koll-Sykes has an amazing deal set up at Taino By The Sea Restaurant
featuring: Appetizer: Cold stone crab with spicy mustard sauce or Jumbo shrimp
cocktail. Salad: Boston bib lettuce with asparagus spears and cherry tomatoes.
Soup: Lobster Bisque au sherry or Consommé Celestine. Entrée: Roast leg of lamb
with braised garlic, sherry and thyme served with parsley potatoes, or
Tenderloin of beef, vegetable Bouquetiere, sauce Béarnaise, or Broiled Bahamian
Lobster tail with lemon butter and seasonal vegetables; Dessert: Cherries
Jubilee. One bottle Sparkling per couple. Beach Bonfire, D.J. Unkle Sam, Party
favors. $88 per person gratuity included. Purchase tickets in advance, limited
seating. Indoor or Outdoor dining. Dinner:8:30pm-10:30pm. After party 10:30pm–
until. Jolly Roger Drive, Freeport Grand Bahama. (242) 373-4677 ext 2215. P.S.
Taino By The Sea also have awesome lunch and dinner specials throughout the week
so check them out!

New Years Eve @ Lucianos (Wednesday, December 31, 2008)
Enjoy a classic sit down menu from the fine Chefs at Luciano's restaurant while
overlooking the New Year's festivities at Port Lucaya Square. $140+15% per
person. Book your reservations now as this event always sells out.

New Years Eve Party @ Sabor (Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 8:30 pm - 1 am)
A sizzling hot New Year's Party at Sabor Restaurant with Open Bar and
sensational food for $99 per person (incl. grat). Celebrate in style with a
relaxed and elegant poolside party at Sabor Restaurant at the Pelican Bay Hotel.
The hottest and coolest bite-size plates of fresh gourmet delights will await
you at poolside food stations featuring wood-burning barbecue, fresh oysters,
seafood, ceviche, Asian specialties, and a variety of epicurean taste treats
inspired by the world's finest cuisines, all with a tropical twist. The
incredible ticket price of $99 per person also includes a full open bar, along
with Sabor's signature Martini Bar specialties, Mojitos, and all your favorite
cocktails. Music, dancing, and hot flambé desserts under the stars will add
extra sparkle to your New Year's fun.

BIMINI, Bahamas – This winter season may seem frigid all around but Bimini Bay Resort’s Air Hop promotion is the answer to a perfect holiday getaway complete with all the trimmings. The Air Hop Package features complimentary private airfare for two when booking a four-night stay at Bimini Bay Resort. Situated just 48 miles off the coast of South Florida, this Bahamian getaway is 25 minutes by air from Fort Lauderdale.

Available from now through March 31, 2009, the Air Hop package is priced at $1,600 (based on double) and provides guests with a four-night stay in a two-story Treehouse villa, two complimentary air hops from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini (a $600 value) and daily breakfast for two. The retail value of this package is $2,340* providing a savings of nearly 30 percent.

Bimini Bay’s signature Treehouse villa experience offers beautiful water views and is furnished with king-size beds, spacious living and dining room areas and two private bathrooms. Complimentary private air hop via Gold Aviation/Dolphin Atlantic departs out of Sheltair Aviation located on the west side of the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. For flight schedules, call the resort’s corporate office at (305) 513-0501 and ask for the flight department.

Bimini Bay Resort offers an array of first-class amenities for its guests including two pools, three restaurants, massage services and the largest marina in the Bahamas. Guests may also enjoy a stroll through fisherman’s Village, home to John Bull Jewelers, two clothing boutiques, casual dining and an activity center. Non-motorized water sports are available on site.

To book the air hop, please call (242) 347-2900 or call your travel agent and mention air hop promotion.

In Florida, the proprietors of RE Properties Ltd. -- Alan and Dexter Avney -- are known for their "over the top" luxurious and energy efficient design.

Now they plan to bring their technology to the Bahamas, as the duo of father and son plan to revolutionize the building industry in Grand Bahama when they complete their first state of the art custom home in March 2009. “Our vision has been to bring revolutionary Green Block building technology to the waterways of the Bahamas” remarks an excited Dexter Avney. The Avneys’ began construction on a spacious five bedroom, five and a half bath, 7000 sq.ft. custom home in 2008. The home is being built on a gorgeous Grand Bahama canal lot in the prestigious Fortune Bay. But, what really excites Mr. Avney is that “It will be the first custom home built to LEED Standards on Grand Bahama.”

What are LEED standards and why are they important to Grand Bahama? The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

According to RE Properties President Alan Avney, “LEED certified buildings use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings that are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings provide healthier work and living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved comfort.”

“On the outside an RE Properties LEED Luxury home may look like any other ordinary house, but if you look beneath the surface you'll see that RE Properties walls are far superior to conventional construction methods”

What’s their secret? “Our secret,” says Alan, “is the cutting edge technology, Green Block insulated concrete form (ICF) that RE Properties has introduced to the Bahamas. As the exclusive distributors for Green Block, we believe that it will revolutionize the building industry.”

Green Block is an interlocking block system that forms solid walls. The centers are then filled with reinforced steel re-bars and concrete. This gives them 11" thick walls that are insulated on both sides of the concrete wall. Remarks Alan Avney, “These walls will continue to cure for years ensuring a hardening of the concrete and continuous strengthening, in comparison to the standard light weight block walls presently used in a conventional building in the Bahamas.”

Adds Dexter, “The USGBC has compiled a long list of benefits of implementing a LEED strategy which ranges from improving air and water quality to reducing solid waste. These benefits are reaped by anyone who comes into contact with the project which includes owners, occupants and society as a whole.”

“RE Properties is bringing to light not only how a beautiful house should look like, but also how it should be built!”

Luciano's presents its Bahamas New Year's Eve Menu for 2008:

Amuses Bouche (Hors d’œuvre)

Assiette de Fruits de Mer
(Jumbo Shrimps, Stone Crab Claws, Lobster, and Oysters on the half Shell)
or
Oysters Rockefeller
or
Foie Gras du Périgord (Duck Foie Gras)

***

Caesar Salad

***

Tournedos Forestière
(Sautéed Filet Mignon Served with wild mushrooms and a delicious Madeira Sauce)
or
Rack of Lamb en Croûte d’herbes
(Roasted Rack of Lamb with Herbs Crust)
Potato Suzette-Feuilletté de Lègumes
(Stuffed Potato-Vegetable Strudel)
or
Langouste a l’Americaine
(Lobster Cooked in a Rich Seafood,Tomato, Cognac and Tarragon Sauce Served wit Buttered Fettuccine and Vegetable Strudel)

***

Marquise au Chocolat
(Sumptuous Chocolate Dessert Flavored with Old Rum and Served with silky coffee custard)
Mignardises

Bahamian Coffee

Menu $140.00+15% per person.

Book your reservations now as this event always sells out.

Bimini Bay Resort has joined forces with the Bimini Ministry of Tourism spearheading an island clean-up campaign to “Make Bimini Beautiful” and attract attention as the possible host for the 2009 Weather Conference.

On November 3 & 4, Island officials, residents of Bimini and staff of Bimini Bay Resort spent the entire day cleaning the streets of the island, removing old boats and discarded vehicles from the shorelines and other debris with heavy duty equipment donated by Bimini Bay Resort.

“Bringing the Weather Conference to Bimini is a vital contribution to the success of our economy,” said Island Administrator Sherrick Ellis. We are ready to introduce Bimini to the entire world and want the process to run smoothly throughout.”

The Weather Conference is a vital crisis communications program created by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism in an effort to create awareness of particular concerns and geographical features of the Islands of the Bahamas . The signature event has earned many awards and is an important Pre-Hurricane forum for Bahamian and U.S. meteorologists to attend annually.

The most recent effort was nothing new for the resort. Previous cleanup efforts in Bimini have helped to eliminate a variety of discarded waste along the shoreline including an abandoned barge and more than 50 junked cars. Keeping the island clean is an important factor that helps to sustain the environment of Bimini. With the help of tourism and island residents, Bimini will continue to stay beautiful and attract visitors worldwide.

An oasis surrounded by water on three sides near the quaint fishing village of West End, Old Bahama Bay by Ginn sur Mer is the ultimate getaway for relaxation and pampered service. Luxury suites with breathtaking ocean views and direct access to white sand beaches creates the perfect setting for an unforgettable experience.

Experience the barefoot elegance lifestyle with our Endless Summer rate starting at only $199 per night. We also offer a variety of vacation packages for your dream Bahamas getaway.

Click here to learn more!

by Michael Berliner

[OPINION] Columbus day approaches, but to the "politically correct" this is no cause for celebration. On the contrary, they view the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 as an occasion to be mourned. They have mourned, they have attacked, and they have intimidated schools across the country into replacing Columbus Day celebrations with "ethnic diversity" days.

The politically correct view is that Columbus did not discover America, because people had lived here for thousands of years. Worse yet, it's claimed, the main legacy of Columbus is death and destruction. Columbus is routinely vilified as a symbol of slavery and genocide, and the celebration of his arrival likened to a celebration of Hitler and the Holocaust. The attacks on Columbus are ominous, because the actual target is Western civilization.

Did Columbus "discover" America? Yes—in every important respect. This does not mean that no human eye had been cast on America before Columbus arrived. It does mean that Columbus brought America to the attention of the civilized world, i.e., to the growing, scientific civilizations of Western Europe. The result, ultimately, was the United States of America. It was Columbus' discovery for Western Europe that led to the influx of ideas and people on which this nation was founded—and on which it still rests. The opening of America brought the ideas and achievements of Aristotle, Galileo, Newton, and the thousands of thinkers, writers, and inventors who followed.

Prior to 1492, what is now the United States was sparsely inhabited, unused, and undeveloped. The inhabitants were primarily hunter/gatherers, wandering across the land, living from hand to mouth and from day to day. There was virtually no change, no growth for thousands of years. With rare exception, life was nasty, brutish, and short: there was no wheel, no written language, no division of labor, little agriculture and scant permanent settlement; but there were endless, bloody wars. Whatever the problems it brought, the vilified Western culture also brought enormous, undreamed-of benefits, without which most of today's Indians would be infinitely poorer or not even alive.

Columbus should be honored, for in so doing, we honor Western civilization. But the critics do not want to bestow such honor, because their real goal is to denigrate the values of Western civilization and to glorify the primitivism, mysticism, and collectivism embodied in the tribal cultures of American Indians. They decry the glorification of the West as "Eurocentrism." We should, they claim, replace our reverence for Western civilization with multi-culturalism, which regards all cultures as morally equal. In fact, they aren't.

Some cultures are better than others: a free society is better than slavery; reason is better than brute force as a way to deal with other men; productivity is better than stagnation. In fact, Western civilization stands for man at his best. It stands for the values that make human life possible: reason, science, self-reliance, individualism, ambition, productive achievement. The values of Western civilization are values for all men; they cut across gender, ethnicity, and geography. We should honor Western civilization not for the ethnocentric reason that some of us happen to have European ancestors but because it is the objectively superior culture.

Underlying the political collectivism of the anti-Columbus crowd is a racist view of human nature. They claim that one's identity is primarily ethnic: if one thinks his ancestors were good, he will supposedly feel good about himself; if he thinks his ancestors were bad, he will supposedly feel self-loathing. But it doesn't work; the achievements or failures of one's ancestors are monumentally irrelevant to one's actual worth as a person. Only the lack of a sense of self leads one to look to others to provide what passes for a sense of identity. Neither the deeds nor misdeeds of others are his own; he can take neither credit nor blame for what someone else chose to do. There are no racial achievements or racial failures, only individual achievements and individual failures. One cannot inherit moral worth or moral vice. "Self-esteem through others" is a self-contradiction.

Thus the sham of "preserving one's heritage" as a rational life goal. Thus the cruel hoax of "multicultural education" as an antidote to racism: it will continue to create more racism.

Individualism is the only alternative to the racism of political correctness. We must recognize that everyone is a sovereign entity, with the power of choice and independent judgment. That is the ultimate value of Western civilization, and it should be proudly proclaimed.

© 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute.

Miami, Fla., October 3. 2008 – The 2008 CNBC International Property Awards – in association with The New York Times – has awarded Bimini Bay Resort in two prestigious categories, Best Development and Best Marina Development in the Bahamas. Awards will be presented at a glittering gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando, Fla., in November 2008.

“Winning this award is truly a sign of success, said CEO of the Capo Group Gerardo Capo.

“Winning not only one, but two CNBC Awards is something we will cherish within our company for a long time to come.”

Among the hundreds of entries received, Bimini Bay Resort won two of the 21 categories awarded and may automatically be entered in the pool to receive the ultimate World’s Best award that will be announced on November 7th at the gala dinner. These awards are part of the world’s largest and most prestigious property competition and winning is a symbol of excellence.
Entries were judged by a panel of international independent professionals, chaired by Eric Pickles MP, British Shadow Secretary of State. Their collective knowledge of the property industry is second to none and unsurpassed by any other property awards.

Capo continues, “We hope that visitors and potential buyers see this award as a symbol of distinction and realize our product is unlike anything else out there.”

For more information, please visit the website, biminibayresort.com.

by Thomas A. Bowden

[OPINION] On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, opening a sea route to vast uncharted territories that awaited the spread of Western civilization. Centuries later, the ensuing cultural migration culminated in the birth and explosive growth of the greatest nation in history: the United States of America.

It is fitting that we have set aside a day to honor the Great Explorer. On one level, Columbus Day honors the man himself for his many virtues. Columbus was a man of independent mind, who steadfastly pursued his bold plan for a westward voyage to the Indies despite powerful opposition--a man of courage, who set sail upon a trackless ocean with no assurance that he would ever reach land--a man of pride, who sought recognition and reward for his achievements.

We need not evade or excuse Columbus’s flaws--his religious zealotry, his enslavement and oppression of natives--to recognize that he made history by finding new territory for a civilization that would soon show mankind how to overcome the age-old scourges of slavery, war, and forced religious conversion.

Thus, the deeper meaning of Columbus Day is to celebrate the rational core of Western civilization, which flourished in the New World like a pot-bound plant liberated from its confining shell, demonstrating to the world what greatness is possible to man at his best.

On Columbus Day, we celebrate the civilization whose philosophers and mathematicians, men such as Aristotle, Archimedes, and Euclid, displaced otherworldly mysticism by discovering the laws of logic and mathematical relationships, demonstrating to mankind that reality is a single realm accessible to human understanding.

On Columbus Day, we celebrate the civilization whose scientists, men such as Galileo, Newton, Darwin, and Einstein, banished primitive superstitions by discovering natural laws through the scientific method, demonstrating to mankind that the universe is both knowable and predictable.

On Columbus Day, we celebrate the civilization whose political geniuses, men such as John Locke and the Founding Fathers, defined the principles by which bloody tribal warfare, religious strife, and, ultimately, slavery could be eradicated by constitutional republics devoted to protecting life, liberty, property, and the selfish pursuit of individual happiness.

On Columbus Day, we celebrate the civilization whose entrepreneurs, men such as Rockefeller, Ford, and Gates, transformed an inhospitable wilderness populated by frightened savages into a wealthy nation of self-confident producers served by highways, power plants, computers, and thousands of other life-enhancing products.

On Columbus Day, in sum, we celebrate Western civilization as history’s greatest cultural achievement. What better reason could there be for a holiday?

© 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute.