Flattman Law_ May 2018

FLATTMANN FILES “Quality Is No Accident”

May 2018

Next year will mark the 10-year anniversary of our firm, and we’re starting the celebration early! For starters, welcome to our first newsletter! I’m looking forward to keeping you updated on our practice, sharing personal stories, and having some fun! The celebration continues with our redesigned website and our first published book, “The Essential Guide to Car Accident Claims in Louisiana.” If you haven’t already done so, call or email us for a free copy. Things have changed in our practice. We now focus 100 percent on personal injury cases, including maritime law. However, please continue to call us with any legal matter; I love hearing from you, and if I can’t help you, I can certainly point you in the right direction. Things have changed for my family as well. My little girl is now 10 years old (going on 16). My son is already 6! My wife and I are still trying to figure out which child is more likely to take care of us when we get older! While a lot has changed over the years, our philosophy remains the same: Treat our clients like family. Call us with questions or to get help with your personal injury case at (985) 590- 6182, and we’ll take excellent care of you. FROM THE DESK OF Grady Flattmann

CINCODEMAYO T he H istory B ehind the C elebrations

Mother’s Day and Memorial Day are perhaps the most widely observed holidays this month. Cinco de Mayo celebrations are less common and often confined to bars and restaurants, which entice customers with specials on margaritas and Mexican cuisine that day. But Cinco de Mayo is much more than an excuse to have a few drinks — it’s a holiday steeped in culture, tradition, and national pride. When we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, we celebrate the spirit and heritage of Mexico. Many people believe that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in honor of Mexican Independence Day, but that isn’t the case. Mexico declared its independence on Sept. 16, 1810, 50 years before the event that lead to the celebration of Cinco de Mayo — the Battle of Puebla. In 1861, Benito Juárez, the president of Mexico at the time, declared that the country was far too poor to pay its debts to France, Spain, and England. While Spain and England reached an agreement with the country, France invaded to claim Mexico as a territory. French troops fanned out across the country, claiming city after city, until May 5, 1862, when they reached the small town of Puebla. As the troops advanced toward the town, they were met by a group of Mexican soldiers. The fight lasted nearly three hours, and despite the odds being 2-1 against them, the small Mexican army won the battle. France lost nearly 500 troops, while Mexico lost less than 100. THE MYTH BEHIND THE HOLIDAY

- Grady Flattmann

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This didn’t stop the French from taking Mexico City and gaining control over the country in 1863. But the victory gave the Mexican people a sense of pride and served as a symbol of defiance against French imperialism. After the United States helped push the French out of Mexico, restoring Juárez back to power, the celebration of Puebla, or Cinco de Mayo, spread into the states. People of Mexican heritage who were living in the United States saw the victory as a source of pride and strength. During the Civil War, they used it as inspiration to fight. Today, the holiday is celebrated largely in the United States and Puebla, but not throughout the rest of Mexico. People living in Mexico believe that celebrating Mexican Independence Day in September is a better way to express their patriotism. TRANSITION INTO THE STATES

CELEBRATIONS

Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted and celebrated throughout the United States as an appreciation of Mexican culture and heritage. After the battle, word of the victory spread throughout the states. Today, huge celebrations take place in some of the larger cities in the U.S., including Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and New York City. These might include parades, dancing, and large amounts of food and alcohol. ABC News states that in 2013, 30.6 million cases of beer and 87.3 million pounds of avocados were sold during the week of Cinco de Mayo. This created a revenue of $658 million for the alcohol alone and 349 million servings of guacamole. Learning about the past and why certain holidays are celebrated encourages and inspires people to celebrate. This year, celebrate Cinco de Mayo with newfound knowledge and understanding.

Get Your Grill On 2 May Holidays, 2 Reasons to Grill

Is there anything more American than grilling a burger outside on Memorial Day? This year, there’s another reason to fire up the grill that weekend: In addition to being Memorial Day, May 28 is also National Hamburger Day! Enjoy this delicious coincidence by heating up the grill, gathering the fixings, and making one of these tasty burgers at home.

Serve it on a grilled ciabatta bun topped with marinated red peppers and arugula for flavor and texture. If you want to get extra fancy, pour a bit of balsamic reduction over the patty before adding the toppings.

THE PORTOBELLO BURGER

For a delicious veggie burger even meat eaters will love, use a portobello mushroom as your patty. Remove the stems, then marinate the mushrooms for 15 minutes in a mixture of 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and a clove of minced garlic. Season the shrooms with salt and pepper, then place them on the grill just as you would any other burger. Gruyere cheese is the perfect creamy topping, and you can use grilled focaccia bread topped with garlic aioli. As you bask in the late spring weather and the inviting smell of delicious food this Memorial Day, take a moment to remember the Americans who gave their lives so we could enjoy these freedoms, and thank those who served.

THE CLASSIC BURGER

Nothing beats the American classic: a seasoned beef patty, a slice of cheddar cheese, a squirt each of mustard and ketchup, a layer of crunchy lettuce, some thinly sliced onions, and a couple of zesty pickles. For a homemade touch, make the pickles yourself by soaking cucumbers in a brine of vinegar, dill, and salt.

THE MEDITERRANEAN BURGER

Take your patty to the next level with a Mediterranean twist. Mix feta cheese and garlic into your ground beef before forming your patties.

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The Incredible Journey of Bobbie the Wonder Dog Imagine America in 1923. Yankee Stadium opened its doors for the very first time. Walt and Roy Disney founded The Walt Disney Company. The first issue of Time magazine hit newsstands. President Warren G. Harding died of a heart attack in office, and Vice President Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president. And Bobbie the Wonder Dog trekked 2,550 miles to return home. Bobbie swam across numerous rivers. He trekked across the Great Plains and over the Rocky Mountains. While we will never know exactly what Bobbie endured, we know he made it home. Over 2,500 miles later, in February, 1924, a tired and beaten-down pup arrived home in Silverton, Oregon, to a stunned family.

Bobbie the Wonder Dog’s story made national headlines. He received a medal and the key to the city, and he became a silent movie star in the film“The Call of the West.”Today, you can visit Bobbie’s memorial near his home in Oregon.

Of all the stories to come out of 1923, Bobbie’s may be the most incredible. It all started with a road trip. The Brazier family of Silverton, Oregon, decided to take a road trip to visit relatives in Wolcott, Indiana. Mom, Dad, their two daughters, and their Scotch collie piled in the family Overland Red Bird touring car and headed across preinterstate-highway-system America. Several days later, after the Braziers had settled in with their Wolcott relatives, Bobbie the Scotch collie was attacked by a pack of dogs. The dogs scared Bobbie away, and despite a long search aroundWolcott, the family was unable to find any trace of the collie. The search continued throughout their stay, but time ran out, and the Braziers had to return home to Oregon without their beloved Bobbie. What the Braziers didn’t know was that Bobbie had been searching for his family as well. He may have been scared away, but he was determined to get back home. And so began his incredible journey. He turned his head west and began walking. And walking. With winter setting in, Bobbie had a monumental task ahead.

Take a Break!

Grilled

RANCH POTATOES

If you want to be the hit of this year’s Memorial Day cookout, don’t overlook the star power of a well-made side dish. These smoky, tangy grilled potatoes will be the talk of the party. The best part is how easy they are to prep and make!

Ingredients

Ranch dressing for drizzling 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives Bacon bits (optional) Salt and pepper to taste

2 pounds baby potatoes, halved 1/4 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 packet ranch seasoning

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium. In a large pan, toss potatoes with olive oil, lemon juice, and ranch seasoning. Season generously with salt and pepper. 2. Skewer potatoes. (If using wood skewers, be sure to soak in water an hour before grilling.) Grill until tender and lightly charred, about 15 minutes. 3. Drizzle with ranch and garnish with chives and bacon bits.

Recipe courtesy of delish.com

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Grady PAGE 1 The History and Celebrations of Cinco de Mayo PAGE 1 Gear Up for Grilling Season PAGE 2 Bobbie the Wonder Dog’s Incredible Journey PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Grilled Ranch Potatoes PAGE 3 3 of the Most Formidable Moms in History PAGE 4

MOTHERS SHAPE THE WORLD 3 of History’s Bravest Moms

Moms make the world go round. After running the gauntlet of childbirth, they raise and guide us throughout our lives, shouldering the tremendous burden and responsibility of motherhood. Mothers are in turn formidable, kind, powerful, gentle, wise, fierce, patient, supportive, empathetic, driven, and full of love. In honor of Mother’s Day, here are three historic moms who never stopped fighting for what they believed in.

SOJOURNER TRUTH (1797–1883)

a prominent abolitionist and a speaker for women’s rights, delivering her famous impromptu speech, “Ain’t I aWoman?” in May of 1851.

EMMELINE PANKHURST (1858–1928)

Before she escaped from NewYork slaveholder John Dumont, Sojourner Truth had at least three of her children sold away from her. When Dumont went back on his promise to emancipate Truth and her infant daughter in 1826, she took the girl and fled to an abolitionist Quaker family, but she was forced to leave her other daughter and her 5-year-old son, Peter, behind. Soon after, she learned that Peter had been illegally sold by Dumont to a slaveholder in Alabama, so she went to court and secured his safe return. It was the first successful case brought by a black woman against a white man in American history. Truth went on to become

Despite being a wife and the mother of five children— two of whom died tragically young— Emmeline Pankhurst became one of the fiercest advocates for women’s suffrage in the late 19th century. After founding theWomen’s Social and Political Union in 1903, she and her cohorts adopted an aggressive strategy to raise awareness for the issue; they began by buttonholing politicians and staging rallies, then progressed to vandalism, window smashing, and arson. She was instrumental in the movement. Pankhurst lived to see women gain the right to vote in 1928.

IRENA SENDLER (1910–2008)

When the Nazis invadedWarsaw in September of 1939, Irena Sendler, a 29-year- old social worker and mother of two, hatched a scheme to rescue Jewish children from the brutal ghettos. Along with many friends and colleagues, she smuggled out nearly 2,500 Jewish orphans, hiding infants on trams and garbage wagons and guiding kids through a labyrinth of secret passageways beneath the city.