Dunaway Law 2019
August 2019
DUNAWAY DIGEST
One Perimeter Park South, Suite 100 North, Birmingham, AL 35243 • 205.705.3590 • MatthewDunaway.com
WisdomWith Age HowWe Come to Terms With Our Past Mistakes
that if they went to college and applied themselves, it would prepare them for adulthood. As for the kids who couldn’t pay for college out of pocket, they were told to get student loans they could pay off once they graduated and got a good job. But that isn’t happening for the majority of graduates. I have nieces and nephews who are going through college, and it’s so different than when I was growing up. Back then, student loans weren’t outrageous, and new graduates really were able to get decent jobs fresh out of school. Today, kids are walking out of college with diplomas and ridiculous student loan debts that will take a lifetime to pay off. Not long ago, someone came into my office after racking up six figures on their bachelor’s degree. To make matters
Being young means thinking you know everything.
worse, after graduating, they were only able to find a job at Walmart, making $12 an hour. Unfortunately, student loan debt can’t be discharged through bankruptcy. There are a lot of people looking at their student loan debt and thinking, “Shoot. I wish I could go back and tell myself not to do this.” Fortunately, our society as a whole seems to be waking up to this fact. Our culture isn’t as naive about college as it was 30 years ago. Kids who are graduating high school these days are being taught to take a realistic look at their futures, the burden of loans, and the job prospects that will come with a certain degree. Gaining this wisdom doesn’t automatically make our problems go away. There’s still over $1.2 trillion in student loan debt in the United States. But being willing to reflect on the past and reevaluate on our choices is the first step in making better decisions for the future. There’s a lot of wisdom that comes with age and learning how to look at the big picture.
Being an adult means realizing how clueless you were.
As I’ve gotten older, there have been plenty of times when I thought, “I wish I knew this when I was young!” There’s a lot of wisdom that comes with age and learning how to look at the big picture. As we get older, we learn how to adjust our expectations and desires and get them more aligned with the things that are actually good for us. This applies to what we discussed last month, about learning to recognize the difference between a happy home and a big house. Another area where we see this “wisdom with age” idea is in college and student loans. Around 30 years ago, there was a huge push to make sure everyone went to college and got their degree. The idea was that if more people were educated, the better our society would be. There’s no denying that education is incredibly important to society and culture, and I believe that anyone who has the aptitude and desire to go to college should have the opportunity to go. Unfortunately, over the last 20 years, we’ve completely adulterated what college is. Why do we tell kids they have to go to college? So they can get a good job and make enough money to support themselves and their family, right? In this last generation, kids who went to college were sold an idea
–Matt Dunaway 1 Phone: 205.705.3590
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Ride Into the Sunset 4 Tips to Maintain Your Bicycle
Hopping on your bicycle for a family bike ride through the neighborhood is a great activity for beautiful summer weather, but nothing spoils a fun day of riding more than a flat tire or dislodged chain. That’s why it’s important to keep up with bike maintenance, even if you typically stay close to home. By following these four tips, you and your family can enjoy a smooth ride all summer long. Give your bike a once-over. The best way to avoid any problems with your bike while riding is to inspect it thoroughly before you head out. Check each component and make sure everything is in working order. If you notice your handlebars are loose or your brake pads are worn, you’ll be able to make adjustments or repairs before hopping on. Fill your tires properly. Proper bike tire pressure can seem ambiguous; many people just inflate the tires until they seem plump enough to ride on. But a bike tire will typically have the recommended air pressure in psi (pound- force per square inch) stamped into the side of the tire. For example, your tire might say Min. 85–Max. 135 psi . This may seem like a broad range, but it all depends on what you’re looking for: A higher psi will increase speed, while a lower psi will give you a smoother ride. Keep it clean. Cleaning your bike regularly is essential in preventing premature wear and tear. When cleaning the body of the bike, use a damp rag with window cleaner or diluted dish soap to wipe it down, and take extra care not to get any of it on the chain. If the chain is dry to the touch, remove any debris that may be caught in it with a small brush or old toothbrush before applying a good bicycle chain lube. Involve your kids. Encouraging your kids to maintain their own bikes will help them understand the importance of taking care of their possessions. Teach them to inspect their bike, clean and lubricate their chains, and regularly check their tire pressure.
August Word Search
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This summer, set yourself up for cycling success and make bike maintenance a priority.
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Worse Than an Evil Twin
How to Deal With Identity Theft in 2019
data breaches regularly release thousands of emails and passwords online, giving criminals a way to break into your digital accounts directly. If that fails, there are always phishing schemes that feature elaborate emails designed to get you to click on dangerous links and give away your account information. There are countless opportunities for criminals to steal your identity through driver’s license theft, online shopping fraud, and biometric ID theft. The best strategy is extreme caution. Be wary of giving out any of your personal information, from your Facebook password to your Social Security number. It’s also important to be proactive. Regularly request a copy of your credit report from one of the major credit reporting bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com and check for discrepancies.
bank contacted you about an unusual transaction you didn’t make, dispute the claim and close the account. Review your credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges and check your credit report for strange accounts. File a police report. You need to protect yourself in case the thieves use your identity to commit crimes. Be sure to get a copy of the police report because you may have to show it to your bank, credit bureau, insurer, or medical providers. 4. Place a freeze on your credit report. This will stop criminals from being able to open more lines of credit in your name. 2. 3.
In 2018, 14.4 million people in the United States were the victims of identity theft. These Americans had their personal information used to drain their bank accounts, open new lines of credit, take out massive loans, steal tax refunds, or make massive purchases. Identity theft can turn your life upside down in a blink of an eye, then take months, if not years, to clean up the mess. Identity theft has been a problem for decades, and modern technology has only given criminals newways to steal your identity. Desperate identity thieves might still dig through your trash and collect information from your old mail, but
5. File an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov.
What to Do if You’re a Victim of Identity Theft
1.
Cancel any problem accounts. If you are alerted to the identity theft because your
RECIPE:
Senegalese Lamb Skewers
INGREDIENTS:
For the lamb:
For the onions:
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● 2 lbs trimmed leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tbsp peanut oil, plus more for grilling ● Salt and black pepper, to taste
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● 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
Proverbs 8:11 “For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can equal it.”
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1/2 cup Dijon mustard
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1/2 tbsp agave nectar
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1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
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Salt and white pepper, to taste
EQUIPMENT:
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● Bamboo skewers
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a bowl, coat lamb with 1 tbsp oil and generously season with salt and pepper. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and agave
nectar. Toss in onions and season with salt and pepper. 3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium and oil the grates. 4. Thread lamb on skewers and grill for 6–8 minutes. 5. Serve alongside onions.
Inspired by Food & Wine magazine
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Inside This Issue
Some Thoughts on Student Loans Page 1
A Biking Adventure Take a Break Page 2
Can You Prevent Identity Theft? Senegalese Lamb Skewers Page 3
Older and Wiser Page 4
‘Darkness at Noon’ by Arthur Koestler A Page FromMatt’s Bookshelf
Have you ever been so certain of something when you were young, only to look back as an adult and realize, “Wow, I had no clue”? This is the idea behind “Darkness at Noon.” The author, Arthur Koestler, created a story about a man who is accused of treason by the government he helped create. “Darkness at Noon” was published in 1940, and though it doesn’t outright mention Russia or the Soviet Union, the events of the book are based on the Stalinist Great Purge and the Moscow show trials. Nicholas Salmanovitch Rubashov is an Old Bolshevik. In his 50s, Rubashov was a high-ranking official, until he gets on the wrong side of the new government and is imprisoned by the secret police. If you’ve ever studied Russian history, you’ll note the trend of revolutions. The younger generation doesn’t like how things are going,
and they decided that if they kick out the older generation and put themselves in charge, things will be great. Then that younger generation becomes the older generation and is forced to look at their own mistakes when the new generation kicked them out of power. The
brilliant literature, it is probably most valuable as an interpretation of the Moscow ‘confessions’ by someone with an inner knowledge of totalitarian methods.” Koestler’s work clearly influenced Orwell’s own writing later.
“Darkness at Noon” isn’t a paperback beach read, but it’s short enough that you could read it over the course of a long weekend. And I do recommend reading it. This book is the ultimate example of how our perspective on life grows as we get older, becoming wiser and humbler. When we recognize this early, we can hopefully avoid the fate of poor Rubashov.
majority of the book deals with Rubashov, of the older generation, ruminating in his cells, reflecting on his choices as the younger generation replaces him. “Darkness at Noon” is often discussed alongside George Orwell’s famous dystopian novel “1984.” Orwell reviewed “Darkness at Noon” in 1941 and wrote, “Brilliant as this book is as a novel, and a piece of
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