Soto Law Group July 2019

July 2019 Soto’s Chronicles

DeDe Soto

Protecting your most valuable asset — your family

44 FUN FACTS ABOUT PRESIDENTS

FROM THE DESK OF DeDe Soto

To Impress Your Friends and Relatives

Can you name all 44 U.S. presidents? By most estimates, only about 1% of Americans know the name of every person who’s held the country’s highest office. To help make you a member of that exclusive club, here is one fun fact about each of our commanders in chief just in time for the Fourth of July.

Despite appearing to have worn a wig, George Washington’s hair was entirely his own. The stark white color was the result of careful powdering. John Adams was a prolific writer of love letters. We know of more than 1,000 correspondences between him and his wife, Abigail. Thomas Jefferson maintained a well-stocked wine cellar. In fact, he was one of early America’s foremost experts on the beverage. James Madison was America’s smallest president in terms of stature. He stood 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighed about 100 pounds. Washington isn’t the only future president in the famous painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” If you look closely, you’ll see James Madison holding the flag. John Quincy Adams was the only president to serve in the House of Representatives after his time in the Oval Office. Andrew Jackson challenged over 100 men to duels during his lifetime but killed only one. Known as Old Kinderhook, Martin Van Buren’s campaign slogan popularized the term“OK.” William Henry Harrison was the first president to die in office. He fell ill of either typhoid or pneumonia and passed away only 31 days into his tenure. After his time as president, John Tyler ran for Confederate office. Many viewed him as a traitor at the time of his death.

James K. Polk was a temperate man who didn’t have time for fun and games. He even banned dancing in the White House. Zachary Taylor contracted cholera from a bowl of cherries served with milk. He died five days after being exposed. Millard Fillmore once personally helped put out a fire at the Library of Congress. During his lifetime, many people believed Franklin Pierce ran over a woman with his carriage. Historians dispute the validity of this story. Every single president has been married at some point except James Buchannan, who remained a bachelor until his dying day. Abraham Lincoln is enshrined in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, having won over 300 matches. No president had humbler beginnings than Andrew Johnson. He spent two years as an indentured servant before running away with his brother. What does the “S.” stand for in Ulysses S. Grant? Nothing, it’s just an “S.” In 1880, Rutherford B. Hayes became the first sitting president to lay eyes on the Pacific Ocean. James Garfield was ambidextrous and would often write different documents with both hands, sometimes inmultiple languages.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

I do hope your summer is off to a great start and you have your summer vacation and or “stay- cations” scheduled. If not, perhaps you are enjoying the lazy summer days. We do live in one of the vacation capitals of the world. However you decide to spend them, I do hope you get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful area we live in. If you are planning activities for your pets, little ones, or aging family members, remember that the heat can cause lots of issues, so beware of the many issues that can arise with the heat. Of course, now is a great time to protect your family and develop your estate plan — or update yours if you already have one. It’s never too early to make one, so don’t procrastinate.

Until next time,

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Long before Obama, Chester A. Arthur was the victim of spurious claims that he wasn’t born in America. Grover Cleveland remains the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms. Electricity was very new during Benjamin Harrison’s presidency. Harrison was skeptical of the new technology and refused to touch light switches as a result. Speaking of new technologies, William McKinley was the first president to take a ride in an automobile. Teddy Roosevelt used to hold impromptu boxingmatches with his aides, encouraging them to punch him as hard as possible. Due to his habit of dozing off during meetings, William Howard Taft was dubbed “Sleeping Beauty” by his wife, Nellie. WoodrowWilson loved golf so much that he’d paint golf balls black so he could play during winter. He may be a footnote in presidential history, but Warren G. Harding wore size 19 shoes.

Calvin Coolidge wins the award for weirdest presidential pets. He kept two raccoons named Reuben and Rebecca at the White House. Herbert Hoover and his wife often spoke in Mandarin to keep their conversations secret. FDR is America’s most famous philatelist. He collected stamps from the age of 8 onward. Harry Truman wanted to provide universal health insurance and double the minimum wage, two issues that are still discussed to this day. All of the boys in Dwight D. Eisenhower’s house were called“Ike,”a nickname which stuck with Eisenhower for the rest of his life. JFK won a Purple Heart and a Pulitzer Prize, and no other president has been awarded both honors before or since. In lieu of a meeting room, Lyndon B. Johnson would often give instructions to his staff from the toilet. Richard Nixon never learned to read music, but he could skillfully play five instruments.

No president was a better athlete than Gerald Ford. He received offers to play for two different NFL teams. Jimmy Carter gave up a career in the military to run his family’s peanut farm. Joan Quigley, Ronald Reagan’s in-house astrologer, helped set the president’s schedule. George H.W. Bush celebrated many of his birthdays by skydiving. After hearing MLK’s “I have a dream” speech, a young Bill Clinton was moved to memorize it. George W. Bush holds the records for both the highest and lowest approval ratings in history. Despite his good looks, Barack Obama was denied a place in a Harvard calendar of campus hunks. In one of his less successful business ventures, Donald Trump attempted to brand bottled water with his name.

Amid the devastation of the wildfires that tore through California in the fall of 2017, a few heroic tales rose up to give people hope. One such tale was of Odin, a loyal Great Pyrenees guard dog. Along with his sister, Tessa, and eight rescue goats, Odin is part of the Hendel family. It was mid-October when the Hendels were awoken by the smell of smoke, a fierce orange sky, and sounds of destruction—urgent warnings from Mother Nature. Gathering everyone as quickly as they could, the Hendels got their human family members and Tessa in the car, but Odin, seated proudly next to the eight goats, refused to get in. Try as they might, the Hendels could not get him to come with them, and there wasn’t enough room in the car for the eight goats. With the firestorm quickly approaching and the risk of losing even more family members increasing with each passing minute, the Hendels made the heart-wrenching decision to leave Odin and the goats behind. THE GUARDIANWHO WOULDNOT LEAVE HIS WATCH Odin Lives Up to His Legendary Name

agonizing days, it was finally safe enough for them to return home and survey the destruction.

What did the Hendels find? Ashes, rubble, their barn and home burned to the ground — and Odin. There he was, still guarding his eight goats and some small deer that had sought shelter with the brave canine. Weakened, burned, and limping, but nevertheless steadfast, Odin had never left his goats, even as the fire raged around them. Odin wagged his tail as he saw his family, happy to see they were also safe. The Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue and the Goatlandia Animal Sanctuary provided temporary shelter for the goats and pups while the Hendels rebuilt their barn. Odin received all the care he needed, along with a lot of love and treats. Today, Odin and his goats are back with their family, rebuilding their lives after this devastating wildfire. But the Hendels, and anyone who’s heard the story, won’t soon forget the bravery of Odin, the amazing pup.

The family made it to safety with Tessa in tow, relieved to be together but heartbroken that Odin and the goats weren’t with them. After several

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Gone to the Dogs How Can a Thief Sue the Family He Robbed?

Have you heard the story of Terrence Dickson? Even if you don’t know the name, you might have heard his strange tale. Dickson was a burglar in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. One day, after breaking into a house and helping himself to some valuables, Dickson decided to leave through the garage. After discovering the automatic garage door was stuck closed, Dickson turned around and was horrified to realize he’d locked himself inside.

justice system quite like injustice being served. When Dickson’s story first gained notoriety in 2001, thanks to an email circulated by the now-defunct Stella Awards newsletter, which highlighted “outrageous lawsuits,” people were rightfully enraged. There was just one problem: Terrence Dickson never existed. In 2002, a reporter from Pennsylvania contacted the Bucks County prothonotary’s office, where all records for civil cases in the county are kept. He discovered there was no record of any cases involving such a burglar. It’s worth noting the original email where this story first appeared ended with a call for tort reform from a made-up law firm in Ohio. Likely, this hoax was an attempt to manipulate the public perception of the justice system. Despite being debunked 17 years ago, this tall tale still makes the rounds and often appears on lists of “outrageous lawsuits,”many of which are featured on the websites of legitimate law firms! There are plenty of wacky legal cases, but when a story is too ridiculous, there’s a good chance a few important details are being left out or the readers are being lied to. Don’t believe everything you read online!

To make matters worse, the family he was stealing from had just left for an extended vacation, so Dickson lived off of soda and dried dog food for eight days. When the family returned and found the unlucky burglar, a lawsuit was filed — by Dickson! He sued for mental anguish, and the

jury awarded him $500,000.

There’s nothing that shakes our faith in the

Take a Break!

Inspired by CookingLight.com

WATERMELON CUCUMBER SKEWERS

Skewers are a Fourth of July favorite, but these are not your classic kebabs. They’re a fresh, light, and fun way to start a barbecue. Oh, and they don’t require any actual cooking.

Ingredients

1 medium-sized watermelon, cubed 2 cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

1 block feta cheese, cubed

1 bunch fresh mint leaves

Salt, to taste

Equipment •

1 packet of bamboo skewers

Directions 1. Assemble skewers by placing one watermelon cube, one cucumber round, one feta cube, and one mint leaf on skewer in that order. Repeat until skewer is full. 2. Lightly season with salt and chill in fridge until right before serving.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of DeDe PAGE 1 The MenWho’ve Sat in the Oval Office PAGE 1 A Tail of Bravery PAGE 2 Did You Hear About the Dog Food Burglar? PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Watermelon Cucumber Skewers PAGE 3 Food for a Clear Mind PAGE 4

Food for a Clear Mind

What We Can Learn From Cooking Without Alliums

Can you imagine cooking without alliums, aka garlic, onions, chives, or leeks? In Buddhist temples in Korea, avoiding alliums is something that has been practiced for hundreds of years. Days are filled with prayer, meditation, and meals centered on vegetables and fermented foods — no meat, fish, or alliums. Monks and nuns who live in these temples cook with intention, to keep a clear mind and a healthy body. As one nun explains, “The food creates the entire human being.” A typical temple meal might include rice, mushroom fritters, fried potatoes, kimchi, fermented radishes, marinated tofu, and crispy greens. Despite missing the ingredients so many of us rely on for flavor, anyone who’s tried temple food attests to how aromatic and delicious it is. How is this achieved? With fermented foods, carefully aged sauces, and fresh ingredients picked

straight from the source. Many temples grow their own food and use what’s in season, preserving vegetables and fruits at the end of summer to sustain them through the winter. Soy sauce is traditionally fermented in large jars throughout the year and can be aged for 50 years or more to elicit the deep umami flavor that makes temple cuisine so flavorful. Each meal is intended to be fulfilling and nourishing so residents can focus on their meditation and prayers.

have traditionally avoided alliums because the pungent properties in them are believed to distract the mind. Those following a low- FODMAP diet (a diet restricting foods not well absorbed by the small intestine) and those suffering from IBS also opt to cut alliums from their diet to improve digestion. It may be worth avoiding alliums for a day or two and noting how you feel. Maybe, like the nuns and monks in Korea, you’ll find yourself graced with a clear mind and a happy belly.

Several different cultures and religions, including Buddhism and Ayurvedic medicine,

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