JANUARY 2019 LOPEZ LAW
FROM THE DESK OF Marc Lopez
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope 2018 was an amazing year for you. As an optimist, I believe 2019 will be even better.
Resolutions are a time-honored New Year’s tradition in our society, because they simultaneously express both humility and hopefulness. I like to think my resolutions are worth remembering, so I’ve taken to writing themdown. The ability to revisit my goals every couple of months is invaluable when it comes to behavioral course-correction, and while I have yet to accomplish everything I’ve set out to do, I know I’mgetting better every year. That’s not to say I don’t have setbacks. Despite my best intentions, for example, I can’t seem to get to bed at a reasonable hour. How am I supposed to sleep when the world never stops? Diet is also high onmy list of recurring disappointments. Each January begins with dreams of a heroic return to my athletic, high school physique, but donuts and french fries always seem to find a way to intrude. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. This year, however, one of my resolutions is going to be not to get discouraged withmyself when I fall short of perfection. Achievement isn’t the only thing that matters. We’re all works-in-progress, and that’s okay. So the next time you shoot for the stars and crash through the ceiling tiles, don’t get down on yourself. Every morning is a new chance to figure something out.
ROADWOES H elp Y our T een C reate S afe D riving H abits
Learning to drive is a rite of passage for teenagers, but it’s also a frightening time for parents. The child you’ve raised and loved since the moment they were born is about to get behind the wheel of a machine that contributes to 33 percent of all teenage deaths, according to DoSomething. org. You have every right to be terrified, and just like your parents did when you were growing up, you will have to let your child go. However, there are ways to help keep your teen — and the people around them— safe. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, distracted driving is the No. 1 cause of serious accidents among teens, and their age group is already more likely to ride without their seat belts fastened and to speed. Your child may be a responsible teenager, but don’t assume they will have the willpower to ignore their phone. Here are a few ways you can educate your child about safe driving and ignoring distractions. Have you ever caught yourself making a sandwich the same way your dad did or saying the exact same things to your children your mom used to say to you? That’s because we all inevitably pick up on our parents’ tendencies and traits, and your driving habits will likely be repeated by your kids. To lead by example, put your phone in your purse or center console. If you use your phone for GPS, install a phone stand in a safe location on your dashboard and turn your phone on airplane mode once you set your destination. Your phone’s GPS will work without cell service, and you won’t be distracted by pinging messages. MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO
As we enter the home stretch of 2018, I encourage everyone to drive safely, stay warm, and of course, always Plead the Fifth.
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you choose, technology can give you an unassuming way to monitor your children while still giving them the freedom and privacy they yearn for and deserve. Before you hand over the keys, take a look at your teen’s habits — and your own. Communicating your expectations and setting up these safety nets will give you more peace of mind as they drive away.
your rule feels like the law, and the more it becomes a compromise.
You can even include your children on your mission to avoid distractions. If you’re driving and hear your phone going off, ask them to respond to the messenger or caller for you. If you’re traveling, emphasize safe snacking at a rest stop or in a restaurant, and keep yourselves entertained with a variety of car games, podcasts, or audiobooks. Your kiddos will see your effort, and they’ll pick up your safe habits. Your child may have heard about the dangers of distracted driving, but make sure you confide in them about your own worries and make your rules clear. Talk to them about the dangers of all varieties of distracted driving, like putting on makeup or eating behind the wheel. If they feel they have to get ready or eat in the car, discuss ways their schedule might need to be cleared up. They might also have ideas for cutting out distractions in the car, so get their opinion. The more you include them in the conversation, the less ‘WE NEED TO TALK’
Some kids respond better to statistics about multitasking and distracted driving, so check out DMV.org, DoSomething.org, or TeenDriverSource.org. Additionally, local law enforcement agencies or hospitals may offer simulations and classes on distracted driving. These are activities your whole family could participate in. Your child has a right to privacy, but they still need your parental guidance. There are a variety of apps you can install to make sure they’re keeping up their end of the driving bargain. Apps like LifeSaver, AT&T DriveMode, and TrueMotion Family all have a variety of features for parents, and they are compatible with iOS and Android devices. Some insurance companies also offer monitoring devices that can be installed in your teen’s car, if that’s more your speed. Regardless of what TRACK THEM
Live Long and Prosper
How Longevity Vitamins Can Help You Live a Healthier, Longer Life
“Survival vitamins” are even more critical to your health, and the symptoms are noticeable when you’re deficient. For instance, the main symptom of vitamin C deficiency is scurvy, which causes weakness, soreness, and a number of skin issues, including bruising. It usually takes about a month of vitamin C deficiency before symptoms show. Vitamin K deficiency, on the other hand, can be tougher to diagnose. Vitamin K is essential in forming blood clots. When your body doesn’t get enough vitamin K, excessive bleeding can occur. The vitamin is also needed to produce an enzyme that promotes better blood flow. Over time, low vitamin K levels in the body increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you want to live a healthier and longer life, make sure your diet includes these longevity vitamins and minerals. They can give you a significant advantage when paired with a healthy diet and exercise so you can enjoy many more years with your loved ones.
New research suggests that you aren’t getting the key vitamins and minerals you need to live a longer, healthier life.
A 10-year study published in October 2018 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences identified several “longevity vitamins” as necessary to living a healthier, longer life. These are vitamins and minerals that can keep chronic diseases such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, and dementia at bay. Researchers classified the following as “longevity vitamins”: vitamin D, vitamin K, carotenoids (alpha carotene and beta carotene), astaxanthin, ergothioneine, pyrroloquinoline quinone, quinine, taurine, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene. Some of these vitamins and minerals may sound familiar. Lycopene, for example, is another carotenoid. It’s found in tomatoes and other red fruits and is a powerful antioxidant. In fact, many longevity vitamins are found in fruits and vegetables, but we often don’t eat enough of these foods.
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Putting the ‘Pain’ in Champagne For many people, preparing for the New Year’s countdown is the most exhilarating part of the holiday season. You tune your TV to the Times Square ball drop, hand out party hats, confetti, and noisemakers, and meticulously line up some champagne flutes. What’s left to do? Pop open the champagne! There are many partiers who pop the cork with enthusiastic and careless abandon, while others point the bottle away from their faces and anxiously twist the cork until they hear those bubbles surge to the surface. Turns out, while the latter practice may be slightly less fun, it’s certainly the safer approach.
Spontaneously Ejecting Cork Causes Lawsuit
they were responsible because they failed to include a proper warning label on the bottle. The defendants, however, argued that the cork stopper did not and could not spontaneously eject unless Murray had handled the bottle improperly. The case was argued by both sides for two years, but eventually, Murray won. Almaden Vineyards now prints the following on its bottles: “WARNING: THIS BOTTLE IS UNDER PRESSURE. THE STOPPER WILL EJECT SOON AFTER THE WIRE HOOD REMOVAL. TO PROTECT AGAINST INJURY TO FACE AND EYES, POINT AWAY FROM SELF AND OTHERS WHEN OPENING.”
When it comes to bubbly-induced mayhem, the greatest potential trouble lies in the eye of the beholder — literally. With an estimated velocity of 60 miles per hour, uncontrolled corks do in fact fly faster than the blink of an eye. To avoid having to explain a not-so- fashionable eye patch at work on Monday, handle those fizzy drinks with care.
DRIVING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND I’ve always had a deep affection for winter. I enjoy the sight of falling snow as much as I enjoy the sound of it crunching underfoot. I appreciate the way the morning air smells over a new blanket of fluffy ice crystals. I even love the sight of my daughter dragging her sled into the house, because I know it’s her way of telling me it’s time to play. MARC’S TIPS AND TRICKS On April 8, 1978, Charles J. Murray was injured when a natural cork stopper spontaneously ejected from a bottle of previously unopened Almaden Blanc de Blancs champagne and struck him in the left eye. He was preparing to serve the bubbly to a party of 40 people, so he placed 12 bottles on a rolling cart and removed the foil and wire retainer from three or four bottles — including the one that eventually injured him. Once he started to roll the cart toward the guests, the cork shot out of the bottle all on its own. Due to the severity of his injury, Murray sued Almaden Vineyards, Inc., National Distillers and Chemical Corporation, and Carbo, Inc., alleging that
CHICKEN CHOP SUEY
Ingredients
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2 teaspoons sugar
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2 large or 4 medium chicken thighs 3 pounds bok choy, cut into 3–4-inch ribbons
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2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
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If there’s an aspect of winter I’m not crazy about, it’s the slippery morning commute following a fresh snowfall. As I make my way to work on I-465, my fellow motorists seem divided between two extremes. On the one hand, there are people who seem oblivious to the conditions, driving with the sort of reckless abandon you might expect from a fleeing murder suspect. On the other hand, you have people advancing so slowly that they don’t actually seem to be in motion. The latter type is infuriating, but at least he’s erring on the side of caution. The ones who really scare me are the people who drive without any awareness of or respect for mother nature. The holiday season is stressful enough without the additional burden of avoidable vehicular mishaps. Whatever you do, please drive carefully, and for the love of God, stop messing with your phone when you’re behind the wheel. Not all car accidents require a lawyer, but if you do need an attorney, give the Marc Lopez Law Firm a call at (317) 632-3642.
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4 tablespoons vegetable oil
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3 tablespoons oyster sauce
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Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. In large pot, boil three cups of water. Add chicken and reduce to simmer, cooking for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and let cool. Once cooled, remove skin and bones, chop, and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid. 2. In a large skillet over high heat, heat vegetable oil. Once simmering, add bok choy and cook for 1 minute, stirring throughout. Add half of reserved cooking liquid, cover skillet, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer bok choy to a plate. 3. Add remaining cooking liquid and chicken to the pan, maintaining high heat. Heat chicken, then add oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch- and-water mixture, sesame oil, and bok choy. Season to taste, toss together, and serve over rice.
Inspired by The New York Times
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MARC LOPEZ LAW
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Marc Lopez PAGE 1 Talk to Your Teen About Distracted Driving PAGE 1 How to Slip and Fall the Right Way PAGE 2 Watch Out for Rogue Champagne Corks This Year PAGE 3 Marc’s Tips & Tricks PAGE 3 Chicken Chop Suey PAGE 3 Put MLK Jr.’s Message of Love Into Practice PAGE 4
A MESSAGE OF UNIVERSAL LOVE Commemorating MLK Jr.
In many of his speeches and sermons, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about love. He wasn’t talking about the romantic kind, though. King often used the term “agape,” an Ancient Greek word used to refer to the unconditional love of God for man, to talk about universal love for all people, regardless of race, religion, or circumstance. We commemorate King on Jan. 21. It’s a celebration and aNational Day of Service, so take the opportunity to honor King’smessage of universal love. Here are threeways to put agape into practice. 1. PAY A VISIT TO A HISTORICAL SITE. Immerse yourself in King’s message 2. EDUCATE YOURSELF AND OTHERS ABOUT THE STRUGGLES PEOPLE HAVE FACED. Learning about the experiences of others cultivates empathy. this month by visiting the places where these historic events occurred. Our nation is full of
Angelou’s “I KnowWhy the Caged Bird Sings,” or Rebecca Skloot’s “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” 3. SHARE THE MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE AND GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY. At the center of King’s message was the principle of nonviolence. Consider how you can advocate for nonviolence in your community. You could donate your time or money to a local shelter for victims of abuse, or volunteer your home to foster abandoned pets. If you’re part of a PTA or another school organization, encourage students to put an end to bullying. The Mix It Up program has anti-bullying lessons and activities that support King’s message. Take some time to reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision this month and take part in the universal message of love. Don’t we all want more of that?
opportunities to become better acquainted with the birth of the civil rights movement, from the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia, to Selma, Alabama, where
When you interact with someone across cultural or subcultural boundaries, it helps to reduce prejudice. Promote positive
interactions in your community by hosting a film night or book club focused on the civil rights movement. You can feature a movie like “Selma” or “13th.” For a book club, select an autobiography or biography that puts yourself in someone else’s shoes, like Maya
protest marches were held in 1965. After all, if we don’t know our past, we are doomed to repeat it.
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