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May 2020
7 SIBLINGS, 1 INCREDIBLE MOM A Mother’s Day Shoutout to the Best of the Best
made popcorn for me to chow down on because that was cheaper than any other snack. These days, I still eat a lot of popcorn, and every time I do, I think of my mom. When my siblings and I all moved out, my mom claimed she was done cooking forever and the freezer was her new best friend, but somehow that didn’t last. I think that the nurturing, unifying aspect of cooking was just too big a part of her personality, and it’s a way that she gives to the people in her life. That said, food isn’t the only way my mom gives comfort to others. Over the years, she and my dad have taken in and befriended a lot of down and out people, including relatives, friends, friends of friends, and anyone who needs help, really! I haven’t even met most of the people they’ve helped get back on their feet over the years. They welcome these people into their home, help them find jobs, and sometimes even share resources. My mom grew up in a rough- and-tumble household and spent some years in high school living with a friend, so I think she has always been able to put herself in those people’s shoes. In addition to my passions for food and helping people, I have to credit my mom for my love of learning. Despite marrying right out of high school, she always valued education. She put college off to raise us, but when my youngest sibling was 10, she enrolled in a nursing program at a local community college. After that, she went on to earn a master’s in psychology! At home, she always shared what she was learning with us. We were probably the only family on
My mom has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met, and she deserves to be celebrated every day of the year, not just on Mother’s Day. But with that holiday
coming up, I thought I’d give her a portion of her due and tell you all about her!
I don’t get to see my mom much because my parents live in the Tri-Cities, but I think about her often — in fact, pretty much any time that I pull out a snack or sit down to a meal. That’s because one of my mom’s favorite things in life is to have people over to her house and feed them. She’s a queen in the kitchen, and one of her main ways of nurturing is through food and conversation at the table. She’s always trying different recipes and experimenting with food. When my siblings and I were in school back in the ‘80s, she’d send us with rice cakes and almond butter in our lunches. It was years before those foods were trendy, but she was right there on the front lines experimenting! I’m the middle child of seven siblings, so growing up, our kitchen table was a big one. That many kids would stretch anybody’s parental capacity, but my mom always handled the rowdy group of us with grace. (She had this habit of stringing our names together that really made me feel like a part of something. I was “TravisChrisJerry” for most of my life and picked up that quirk myself when raising my own girls.) She led with her heart and was always a very giving, nurturing person. That included feeding us and our friends any time they came over. When I came home from school, there was always a batch of freshly
our block doing visualizations and group meditation in the living room! Though my mom never pushed me or my siblings to go to college, she definitely lead by example. Today, all seven of us have college degrees, and some of us have more than one. If your mom is even half as awesome as mine, I’d love to hear about her! Next time you stop by the office, feel free to tell me a story or fill me in on how you’re celebrating Mother’s Day. I’m always looking for creative ways to show my mom how much I care.
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YOUR GUIDE TO NAVIGATING ROCKY LEGAL TERRAIN
Is your business at risk in 2020? Don’t leave success to chance by sweeping business risk under the rug. We have some solid advice from our Reno attorneys on how to reduce your business risk this year. Sierra Crest Business Law Group can help northern Nevada business owners navigate rocky legal terrain so they can protect and grow their businesses.
Get our FREE report, “5 Things To Reduce Business Risk This Year” by calling us at 775-448-6070 or emailing us at admin@sierracrestlaw.com with subject line “Risk Report.” You can also find the report by following the link SierraCrestLaw.convertri.com/ free-report-reduce-risk
THE $60,000 HEISTYOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF Crimeless Theft in Cyberspace
Because of the risk-reward nature of the game, many players unite in huge factions for safety and to pool their resources. One of these groups, Circle of Two or CO2, was the target of the 2017 attack. Within a matter of hours, CO2’s bank accounts were drained and the space stations holding their fleets of ships were sold to their enemies. It was clear from the beginning: This was an inside job. The thief was CO2’s own head diplomat, a player called “The Judge.” For years he’d worked his way through the alliance’s ranks, only to use the access he eventually gained to rob it blind. But greed may not have been his only motivation. He’d had public disagreements with CO2’s leader called Gigx, and a rival faction was able to capitalize on this internal conflict. During an in-person EVE Online summit held in Iceland, representatives from The GoonSwarm Federation convinced The Judge to leave CO2 and commit the single largest robbery in gaming history on his way out. In the real world, The Judge’s actions were completely legal — currently, international law doesn’t treat such virtual objects as personal property. But this perception may be changing. As in-game purchases become more widespread in video games, legal lines have blurred, causing an increasing number of lawmakers to rethink what constitutes “ownership” in the digital age. But, for now at least, it seems like a good time to be a space pirate.
In 2017, sometime between Sept. 11 and 12, a total of $60,000 worth of digital assets were stolen from people around the world. The conspirators didn’t hide their identities, and they faced no criminal charges. As it turns out, there are no laws against stealing spaceships in a video game — even if they’re worth thousands of real-world dollars. EVE Online is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) that was launched in 2003, and it was on this game that the theft occurred. This science-fiction game is all about spacefaring, but one notable feature of the game is that it allows players to purchase in-game assets with real money. This attracts players who can spend large sums on the game, with some of the game’s largest spaceships costing $9,000. But one thing to note in EVE Online is that no matter how much you pay, once you lose an asset, it’s gone forever.
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TAKE A BREAK
When cats are orphaned as kittens, they don’t get the chance to develop all the skills needed to become successful cats. Just like human children, kittens need older role models too. The most famous cat role model had a rough start in life but became an inspiration for kittens and humans alike. His name was Grandpa Mason, and during the last years of his life, he stepped up and gave love, care, and guidance to the orphaned kittens that lived with him. The Canadian animal rescue group TinyKittens rescued Grandpa Mason in 2016 from a property that was scheduled to be bulldozed. The poor feral tabby was suffering from many health problems, including severe dental issues, a badly injured paw, and advanced kidney disease. Since TinyKittens is a no-kill rescue organization, euthanization was out of the question. Given his health conditions, veterinarians predicted the battle- scarred Grandpa Mason didn’t have long to live, so TinyKittens’ founder, Shelly Roche, took him in and provided him with a comfortable place to sleep, plenty of food, and time to relax in the last months of his life. Grandpa Mason had a hard time adjusting to domestic life and would often shy away from being pet. In an interview with The Dodo, Roche described him as “an elderly gentleman [who] lived his whole life a certain way, and then, all of a sudden, [was] forced to live completely differently.” After Grandpa Mason grew accustomed to his home, Roche took in several foster kittens, and those new roommates completely altered Grandpa Mason’s behavior. Roche expected him to hiss, swat, or growl at the kittens when they invaded his space, but he didn’t. Instead, he allowed them to crawl all over him and appeared to enjoy it when they licked his ear. Suddenly a playful, affectionate, and gentle personality came out of Grandpa Mason as he played with, bathed, taught, and cared for the orphaned kittens that Roche welcomed into her home. Potentially due to the kittens’ influence, Grandpa Mason surpassed his prognosis by more than two years. During the last few years of his life, Grandpa Mason passed on important lessons and good manners to the kittens he looked after and adored, as a true grandfather should. He passed last September, but he spent his last night in his ultimate happy place: snuggling in his bed surrounded by kittens. THE STORY OF GRANDPA MASON How a Feral Cat Came to Care for Orphaned Kittens
STICKY AND SWEET PORK ‘RIBS’
Inspired by Bon Appétit
Whether you’re celebrating your mom or those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, there’s no better recipe to grill up than these delectable country-style pork ribs.
Ingredients
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1/2 cup chili oil
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2 heads garlic, cloves separated
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1/3 cup oyster sauce
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3 thumbs ginger, chopped
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1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
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1 cup hoisin sauce
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5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, flattened
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3/4 cup fish sauce
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2/3 cup honey
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3/4 cup brown sugar
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2/3 cup rice wine
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1 tbsp molasses
Directions
1. In a blender, purée garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, honey, rice wine, chili oil, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil until smooth. 2. Reserve and chill 1 1/2 cups for later use. 3. In a bag, add the remaining mixture and pork shoulder. Marinate for at least 8 hours. 4. Using a convection plate on the grill, cook pork until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 140–145 F. 5. In a large saucepan, simmer brown sugar, molasses, and reserved marinade for 6–8 minutes. 6. Baste the pork with the brown sugar glaze for 2 minutes before serving.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Meet Jerry’s Incredible Mom
Is Your Business at Risk in 2020? A $60,000 Robbery With No Jail Time
2
Sticky and Sweet Pork ‘Ribs’ The Best Grandfather a Kitten Could Have
3
4
Technology Saves the Day
HOW TO STAY IN TOUCHWITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHILE FOLLOWING SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES
SPRUCE UP EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES.
Get in touch with other parents to set up virtual play dates over video chats for your kids. They can even watch a movie or TV show together.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are encouraging communities across the U.S. to practice social distancing. While this will help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, it also means that social interactions will be minimal. In addition to impeding many industries and businesses, this has significant impacts on families and friends who can no longer visit each other in person. Luckily, the technology we have today allows us to stay in touch while still practicing social responsibility.
Hopping on the phone or your laptop to video chat is a great way to reach out and catch up with loved ones. While folding laundry or doing other mundane chores, give a friend or your parents a call to idly chat; it can make your tedious tasks much more enjoyable. Video calls are also beneficial if, for example, you’re missing out on your daily workouts with a friend. Hop on a video chat to practice yoga, cardio, or other simple exercise routines together.
HOST A MOVIE NIGHT.
Speaking of movies, Netflix developed a unique way for people to watch movies and shows together: Netflix Party. If you have a desktop or laptop with a Chrome browser, visit NetflixParty. com to download the application. Once downloaded, open the movie or TV series you’d like to watch, create or join a “party,” then relax and enjoy the show while chatting with friends. These are only a few examples of how we can stay in touch during these concerning times. Talk with your family and friends and see what other creative ideas you can come up with together. Even though you may be apart from loved ones right now, virtual communication has never been easier or more plentiful.
LET YOUR KIDS CHAT WITH FRIENDS.
Kids can benefit from video chatting by staying in touch with their friends while school and other activities are canceled. Letting your kids connect to social media is a pretty big step, so consider signing themup for Yoursphere or Kidzworld, kid- friendly networks that let them keep in touch with their friends while you canmonitor their activity.
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