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August 2025
Coaster Kings of St. Louis and Beyond (314) 961-5678 | www.becklawmo.com WHAT’S SCARIER THAN MR. FREEZE? TRY SOUTH AFRICA’S DROP INTO A MINE
I usually spend my days navigating the ups and downs of injury claims and complicated paperwork. But on Aug. 16, National Roller Coaster Day, I trade the courtroom for the coaster track. Because when it comes to adrenaline rushes, few things beat the click-clack of a chain lift and the freefall that follows. Let’s start close to home with the top three thrill rides at Six Flags St. Louis, and then we’ll venture into the world’s most unhinged coaster experiences, the ones worth traveling for (if your nerves can handle it).
before tearing through Missouri terrain at 65 mph. What sets it apart? It’s a “terrain twister,” meaning it uses the land itself — natural hills and valleys — to shape its unforgiving path. It’s loud, rough, and altogether glorious. 2. Batman: The Ride Prepare to hang, twist, and scream like a Gotham villain fleeing justice. After an 11-story climb, this inverted coaster flips you into a complete loop, throws in a zero-G roll, and hits you with four more inversions, all while your feet dangle above the track. With 4 Gs of force pulling you around, Batman doesn’t play nice. It’s fast, intense, and relentlessly fun. 3. Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast This one doesn’t ease you in. You’re launched backward from 0 to 70 mph in just under four seconds. Then comes the 150-foot top-hat loop, a 120-degree overbanked turn, and the final punch: a straight vertical climb up a 218-foot tower. All in reverse. Then you do the whole thing again — forward. If you like your thrills disorienting and icy cold, this is the ride for you. BEYOND ST. LOUIS: THE WILDEST COASTERS AROUND THE GLOBE Tower of Terror — Johannesburg, South Africa Want to experience more G-force than astronauts feel during launch? Tower of Terror holds that title with 6.3 Gs. After teetering atop a vertical drop in the ruins of an actual mineshaft, you plunge 164 feet straight down at a
90-degree angle. It’s fast, intense, absolutely terrifying, and certainly not for the faint of heart. T Express — Yongin, South Korea The second-tallest wooden coaster in the world, T Express pulls no punches. Perched on a hillside at Everland Resort, it drops riders at a 77-degree angle, reaching speeds up to 65 mph. T Express is what happens when you build a wooden coaster on a mountainside and let gravity do the rest. This South Korean thrill ride has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the best wooden coasters in the world. Steel Vengeance — Cedar Point, Ohio Known as the “hyper-hybrid,” Steel Vengeance is part wood, part steel, and all chaos. Standing 205 feet tall, it delivers nearly 30 seconds of airtime, four flips, and nonstop twists over a 5,740-foot track. Located at Cedar Point, America’s coaster capital, this ride is the stuff of legends. It’s extreme, relentless, and absolutely worth the trip. Whether you’re conquering Missouri’s fiercest thrills or chasing scream-worthy rides worldwide, roller coasters are pure, unfiltered joy. And if you happen to spot a guy in line talking about personal injury law while holding a funnel cake, that’s probably me.
THE TOP 3 COASTERS AT SIX FLAGS ST. LOUIS 1. The Boss
If wooden coasters are the grandfathers of thrill rides, The Boss is the one that still lifts weights and runs marathons. This ride launches you down a staggering 150-foot double-down drop
Referrals Welcome Thank you for referring clients to us over the years. You will never be embarrassed by a referral to our office. We’re always available to lend a helping hand to anyone with any legal need. Just give us a call at (314) 961-5678 or visit us at: www.becklawmo.com .
Until then, buckle up and enjoy the ride.
www.becklawmo.com | 1 -Paul Beck
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Rethinking Retirement
The Rise of Part-Time Retirees
These days, more people are scaling back on long working hours, especially Gen Z and millennials. Many pick up part-time work or projects that give them space without completely severing ties to working life. It’s a slow shift — not a sudden stop — and it’s gaining traction. And for those approaching retirement, it’s something to consider. Retirement doesn’t have to mean walking away for good. This shift is partly fueled by remote and flexible work options, making it easier to downshift without leaving the workforce. A recent study from Fidelity Investments found that 66% of younger workers would prefer a
phased retirement, and more than half of all respondents said they plan to work part-time during retirement. The reasons vary. Some want more time for travel, hobbies, or personal projects, but still value structure and purpose. Others want to stay active or involved in their field. Working in some capacity can also help with cash flow, delay Social Security, or cover insurance, which is especially important for those retiring before age 65. That said, partial retirement brings its own planning challenges. Health coverage is often limited for part-time workers. Income from consulting or
part-time jobs could also reduce early Social Security benefits. And scaling back hours usually means scaling back contributions to retirement savings. Still, for those who plan ahead, semi- retirement offers a flexible way to ease into the next stage of life. It provides space to try new things without giving up the financial or emotional benefits work can offer.
FOOD ON WHEELS THE NUTTY CRUISER ROLLS OUT
Food companies have tried every trick in the book to get your attention, but few can
on tiny parachutes, just in case the giant almond wasn’t enough to grab your attention. Inside, it has room for 10,000 snack packs, making it one of the tastiest vehicles on the highway. The Nutty Cruiser tours state fairs, sporting events, and festivals and draws a crowd wherever it goes. Drivers say it handles surprisingly well, thanks to its smooth, aerodynamic design — though they still get pulled over by curious police officers who just want a closer look. From hot dogs to nuts, food-shaped vehicles have a strange way of sticking around. Maybe it’s because they’re fun, a little bit ridiculous, and impossible to ignore. In a world full of billboards and pop-up ads, there’s still something special about spotting a giant almond cruising down the highway.
beat the simple charm of a giant snack rolling down the street. It all started early in the 20th century when
people dressed up cars with quirky decorations to drum up business. The most famous example came in 1936, when the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile hit the road and turned heads everywhere it went. The tradition is still alive today, and the newest edition is as nutty as they come. Blue Diamond’s Nutty Cruiser is a 20-foot-long almond on wheels, designed to spread the love for almonds across America. It even has an almond cannon that will shoot small bags of almonds
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TAKE A BREAK
The $100K Reason to Get a Pet
Beer Family Leo Lunchbox Mustard Peridot
New Study Says Pets Are Worth Plenty
Poppy Sisters Twins Vacation Watermelon Zucchini
Most pet owners already know their furry friends make life better, but according to a new study, the value might be higher than anyone realized. Some researchers say it’s close to $100,000. Researchers in the UK aimed to measure how much happiness dogs and cats bring to people’s lives. Using data from more than 700 people, they found that owning a pet can boost life satisfaction as much as getting married or landing a massive raise. In economic terms, it’s the emotional equivalent of earning nearly $93,000 more per year. To determine whether pets actually improve happiness, rather than the opposite — happy people are more likely to have pets — the team factored in things like age, income, personality traits, and family size. They also used a clever workaround: They asked people whether they look after their neighbor’s house while they’re away. That behavior is linked to pet ownership but not directly to happiness, which helped researchers isolate the impact of pet ownership. It’s not just a fun fact, either. Experts say findings like this could affect everything from housing laws to public health programs. If pets fight loneliness and lift people’s moods, it might make sense to rethink rules that prevent pet ownership in some apartments and assisted living facilities. While the researchers focused only on cats and dogs, the message came through clearly. Pets matter, maybe even more than we thought. And if you already live with one and know how they benefit your well-being, the science now backs you up. That wagging tail or soft purr might be worth more than you ever guessed.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE ICE CREAM BARS
Ingredients
Inspired by ThePioneerWoman.com
• 1 pt strawberry ice cream • 1/4 cup strawberry preserves • 1 pt vanilla ice cream
• 1 5.25-oz package crispy sugar cookies • 1 0.8-oz package freeze- dried strawberries
Directions 1. Stir strawberry ice cream in a large bowl until spreadable. Fold in preserves until evenly streaked throughout. 2. Stir vanilla ice cream in a separate large bowl until spreadable. 3. Spoon 1 1/2 tbsp of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of 8 (1/3-cup) popsicle molds. Spoon 1 1/2 tbsp of the vanilla mixture on top of the strawberry mixture into the molds. Repeat, alternating the 2 mixtures, until each mold is full. 4. Place sticks into the popsicles and freeze until solid, 4–6 hours. 5. In a large zip-lock bag, crush sugar cookies with a rolling pin until pieces are rice-size; pour into a shallow dish. 6. Repeat with freeze-dried strawberries and stir the pieces together. 7. Run the ice cream molds under warm water to wiggle popsicles out. 8. Coat bars evenly with cookie mixture. 9. Eat immediately or place on a cookie sheet and freeze.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Twists, Turns, and G-Forces Worth Celebrating
1
A Softer Step Into Retirement
2
The Nuttiest Car in America
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
3
Why Pets Beat Pay Raises
The Ghost Flight of L-8
4
The Day a Blimp Lost Its Crew WWII’S REAL-LIFE AVIATION GHOST STORY
In August 1942, a Navy blimp called L-8 floated over a neighborhood near San Francisco. But when it came down, something vitally important was missing. The L-8 had taken off on a routine patrol that morning, scouting for enemy submarines off the California coast. Around 7:50 a.m., the crew radioed that they were checking out a suspicious oil slick. After that, the blimp went silent. Witnesses later reported seeing it drift far off course, rise too high, and then lose altitude and bump into rooftops and power lines. By the time it landed, thousands of locals had gathered. Everyone had the same question: Where did the crew go? Inside the gondola, nothing seemed out of place. The life raft, parachutes, and even a
briefcase full of classified documents were still there. The engines and radio worked, yet Lt. Ernest DeWitt Cody and Ensign Charles Ellis Adams were gone without a trace. Theories popped up fast. Maybe one man fell out, and
the other tried to save him. Maybe both jumped into the ocean and
vanished. Some even whispered about secret missions gone wrong or unknown equipment failures, but no hard evidence ever surfaced.
Following the incident and a thorough review, the Navy repaired the blimp and returned it to service. But the crew’s disappearance never made sense — no wreckage, no radio calls, and not a single clue.
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