OPENING STATEMENTS DECEMBER 2018 WWW.LAWYERSREADYTOFIGHT.COM 317-934-9725 | INFO@RDLAWOFFICE.COM
FROM THE DESKS OF Razumich & Delamater It’s hard to believe that 2018 is nearly over! It’s been quite the year here at our office. We’ve spent our first full year in our new location, we said goodbye to some team members, and hello to new ones. As I’m writing this, Zac, our new full-time Criminal Intake Specialist, is starting his second week with us, and he seems to be fitting in perfectly. Kat, Amber, and Melissa are all still here and all still doing an amazing job of making sure that your needs are being handled in a fast and courteous manner. Most importantly, we’ve helped another 237 people protect their freedom and their future. That’s what really made this year great for us. Being able to make a difference in that many lives is a powerful feeling. Nobody ever comes to our office happy, but we’re glad that we were able to help. As the holiday season is upon us, we want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who trusted us to guide you through one of the most difficult times in your lives. And from our family to yours, have a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR T he A ttack T hat B rought W orld W ar II to A merica
“Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of Japan. […] It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. [...] With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph — so help us, God. I ask that the Congress declare that, since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.” –President Franklin D. Roosevelt The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 led to the severe destruction of the United States Pacific Fleet, but it lit a flame in the hearts of Americans. The sudden strike by the Japanese forces destroyed 20 American vessels, eight of which were battleships, and over 300 airplanes. Over 2,000 military and civilian American lives were lost, and another 1,000 suffered injuries. The following day, President Roosevelt gave his Pearl Harbor address to the nation, urging Congress to take action and declare war on Japan. This event brought the citizens of America together for the first time since WWII began. It was time to go to war. Although the attack caught America by surprise, the war had seemed unavoidable for some time. In 1937, Japan declared war on China to seize its import market for financial gain and to expand Japan’s territory. The Japanese government had been struggling with economic and social issues, and its leaders sought to solve these problems by taking the land of neighboring countries. In retaliation, America attempted to intimidate Japan by banning further trade with them. Instead, this action only made the Japanese
-John Razumich and Joe Delamater
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government more reluctant to leave China. In the years that followed Japan’s declaration, Washington, D.C., and Tokyo engaged in negotiations, but neither was willing to budge. Japanese forces planned their attack on the United States for several months before putting their devastating plans into action. Their goal was to destroy the United States Pacific Fleet in order to remove any opposition to their takeover of the South Pacific. While their attack was incredibly damaging, it didn’t incapacitate the fleet. Pearl Harbor’s aircraft carriers were away when the attack took place and were considered the most important aspect of a naval fleet at that time. The Japanese also failed to destroy the U.S. Navy’s oil storage depots, repair shops, and submarine and shipyard docks, allowing the navy to recuperate quickly from the attack. There are many memorials to remind U.S. citizens of that day. A marble memorial was built over the fallen USS Arizona, dedicated
to all military persons who were killed in the attack. Another monument was built on the northwest shore of Ford Island, close to where the USS Utah sank. In later years, the ship was added to the national register of historic places and was declared a national historic landmark.
Dec. 7 serves as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. It honors individuals who survived the attack and those who did not. Remember those who lost their lives on that day and throughout WWII and the other brave soldiers who fought to keep the freedoms we have today.
Multicultural Celebrations Teach Your Kids About Winter Holidays
According to the Pew Research Center, Christmas is the most celebrated December holiday in the U.S. Yet, like the melting pot it is, the U.S. contains many cultures from across the globe, each with their own traditions. Teach your kids about some of the holiday celebrations fromdifferent cultures this season.
includes the lighting of candles or lamps, feasting, and giving gifts to family and friends. Diwali also celebrates the Hindu new year and is the largest, most widely celebrated festival in India. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but educating your children about holiday practices other than Christmas will give them a broader worldview and inspire them to gain further knowledge about cultures outside their own. Your local library is a great resource for children’s literature on these
KWANZAA Created in 1966 by black studies professor Maulana Karenga during the Black Nationalist Movement, Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration and reflection period for African Americans. The
government that took them captive in an attempt to eliminate Judaism. The tradition of the
eight-day celebration and the lighting of the menorah candles comes from the story of a miracle that happened during the rebellion, when a one-day supply of oil burned for eight days in a temple. DIWALI Though celebrated in late fall, Diwali is a Hindu holiday that’s known as the festival of lights. Its main purpose is to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, and the five-day festival
week offers African Americans the opportunity to connect with African culture and history by celebrating the seven principles of African heritage, which include unity, self- determination, and creativity.
holidays, and there are also TV programs from PBS that feature episodes on these traditions. Enjoy the
HANUKKAH Hanukkah pays homage to a two-year Jewish rebellion against an oppressive Greek-Syrian
winter holiday season, however you decide to celebrate!
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Wise Men or Sorcerers? The History of the Magi
Take a Break! Historically known as Magi, the three “wise men” are known for their study of the stars. The Magi were some of the earliest astrologers. Until the 17th century, astrology and astronomy weren’t separate fields of study. Astrology included both the study of how the stars and planets affect human life and the position and motion of the cosmic bodies. In the Persian Empire, Magi were known as astrologer-priests, delineating the fate of men they saw written in the stars. But while they are known for interpreting the significance of planetary movements for human life, many historians suggest there could have been more to their jobs than astrology. The story of the three wise men visiting Jesus is a focal point in the Judeo- Christian telling of the birth of the Christ. Their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh demonstrate reverence for the child through symbolism: Gold symbolized kingship; frankincense was commonly burned in temples and represented the spiritual stature that Jesus would hold; and myrrh was used in preparing bodies for burial, foreshadowing his eventual crucifixion. While the Magi’s role in the birth of Jesus is well-known, not much is understood about the men themselves and their connection to the baby in the manger.
“Magi” comes from the Greek word “magos,”which means magic. Early interpretations of magos included alchemy and sorcery along with astronomy. Speculations swirl among many biblical scholars about the true nature of the Magi, as some tellings portray them as illusionists or fortune-tellers. In a cultural context, the Magi were revered across the Middle East. Along with their knowledge, they had stature and wealth that allowed them to bestow gifts upon those they deemed important. The act of giving presents to a child wasn’t a regular practice for the Magi, and thus the event was significant for the time. While only three Magi are portrayed in the familiar nativity story, the real event would have included many servants. As a matter of fact, the Bible never mentions the number of Magi who visited Jesus, leaving interpretations open as to how many Magi traveled to Bethlehem. In the early seventh century, the Magi were pushed to the outer rims of Africa and India due to the rising popularity of Islam. Since someone could only be considered Magi by birth, it is widely accepted that the line of succession eventually ended, and the Magi faded into history.
Holiday
ROAST PRIME RIB
Ingredients
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1 bone-in prime rib (6–7 pounds)
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4 cups beef stock
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1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
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2 cups red wine
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Directions
1. 30 minutes before cooking, remove roast from fridge and let sit until it reaches room temperature. 2. Heat oven to 350 F. 3. Make small slits in prime rib and stuff with slices of garlic. Liberally season with salt and pepper. 4. Place a rack inside a roasting pan and roast prime rib for 2 hours, until medium-rare.
5. To make au jus, place
roasting pan with drippings from roast over 2 burners on high. Add wine and scrape pan as liquid reduces. Add beef stock and cook until reduced by half. Finally, sprinkle in thyme. 6. Slice roast and serve topped with au jus.
Recipe inspired by Food Network
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Shoppers flock to retailers every Black Friday in hopes of securing the best deals on the year’s hottest products. There are many nasty aspects of Black Friday — the long lines, the overzealous shoppers, the limited stock of items — but phony pricing and fake sales shouldn’t be among them. But that’s exactly what happened to folks in Los Angeles during the 2016 holiday season, leading to the biggest Black Friday lawsuit in history. Macy’s, and Kohl’s for a practice called “false reference pricing,” a nefarious tactic whereby retailers lie about the original price of an item to make a discount appear bigger than it actually is. For example, Sears sold a Kenmore washing machine at a “sale price” of $999.99, compared to a “regular price” of $1,179.99. The problem was the so-called sale price was actually the price that product INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desks of Razumich & Delamater PAGE 1 Remembering Pearl Harbor PAGE 1 Teach Your Kids About Holidays PAGE 2 The History of the 3 Wise Men PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Holiday Roast Prime Rib PAGE 3 The Biggest Black Friday Lawsuit in History PAGE 4 In December of 2016, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office sued J.C. Penney, Sears,
FAKE DISCOUNTS AND ANGRY SHOPPERS A Massive Black Friday Lawsuit
was offered at every day. Therefore, it wasn’t actually on sale.
Most retailers offer discounts around the holidays to encourage shoppers to come into their stores or visit their websites. Promotions and sales are great tools in any business’s arsenal, provided they aren’t out to mislead customers. Big-box stores may try to manipulate innocent people, and it’s up to aggrieved customers to hold those corporations accountable. Nearly every year, you’ll read about a class-action lawsuit that develops in response to the shady tactics of businesses eager to secure those holiday shopping dollars. Are there great bargains to be had on Black Friday? Of course. But if something sounds too good to be true, it very well might be. Keep your eyes peeled and don’t let retailers trick you into a purchase you wouldn’t make otherwise.
Duping your customers is a bad business practice, but what makes it illegal? Well, California law requires that retailers post a retail price no higher than what the product was sold at within three months prior to the ad. “Families today … are striving to get the very most they can get from an extremely hard-earned holiday shopping dollar,” said LA City Attorney Mike Feuer. “They deserve to make an informed decision.” After the suit was brought against them, the retailers all quickly moved to settle, promising to never engage in false reference pricing again.
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