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FLATTMANN FILES “Quality Is No Accident”
September 2018
FROM THE DESK OF Grady Flattmann
GEAR UP TO COMBAT DISTRACTED DRIVING
The other day I noticed the car in front of me drifting back and forth in its lane. As I passed, I saw the driver holding her phone in one hand and reaching with the other hand toward kids in the back seat. Distracted driving accounts for approximately 25 percent of all motor vehicle crash fatalities. Nine people are killed in the U.S. every day as a result of distracted driving. In my own practice, I estimate that 40 percent of my auto accident cases were caused by drivers who were either on their phone or not paying attention. With school back in full swing, the roads are full of drivers trying to multi-task. Here are some practical tips to combat distracted driving: Get it done before you get in the car. Even if that means getting up a fewminutes earlier, take the time at home to eat, dress, and organize your day. Get the kids involved and set a good example. Explain why being distracted is dangerous and ask for their help in keeping distractions to a minimum. You will be amazed how they keep you in check. • •
On Sept.11, 2001, at 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 struck the north tower of theWorld Trade Center traveling at 470 mph, ripping a hole in the building from floors 93 to 99. At 9:03 a.m., a second plane smashed into the south tower traveling at 590 mph, cutting a gaping hole from floors 75 to 85. Within an hour, the south tower collapsed due to the sheer weight of the building combined with the damage dealt by the impact and the burning jet fuel. At 10:28 a.m., the north tower followed. The rubble and debris from the collapsed towers caused fires and further damage to the surrounding buildings and areas. Within hours, nearly 3,000 people had lost their lives. The attack left the world in a state of terror and grief, and the United States was changed forever. Today, the twin towers’ last day is remembered as the worst terrorist attack in history, but few people know how the buildings became part of New York City’s skyline in the first place. A world trade center pavilion was first hosted during the NewYorkWorld’s Fair in 1939 — the exhibit was dedicated to the slogan“world peace through trade.”The idea for theWorld Trade Center was then abandoned after seven years, until David Rockefeller revived the concept to reinvigorate lower Manhattan. Rockefeller took the reins and continued the project, finding premises near the Fulton Fish Market on the East River, and construction on the $250 million complex began. He also turned to the Port of NewYork Authority for financial support to ensure theWorld Trade Center’s completion, and the first real plans for theWorld Trade Center were put into action. It was then that the Port Authority decided the towers should break the record for the tallest building in the world, beating the 1,250-foot Empire State building. To do this, architect Minoru Yamasaki designed the towers to hold 110 stories each, but they would not have the traditional THE WORLD TRADE CENTER H ow the T owers C ame to B e
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Enable hands-free calling in your car.
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Remember, safety is most important. Everything else can wait.
-Grady Flattmann
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... continued from cover
glass-and-steel-box design used for most skyscrapers at that time. Instead, Yamasaki worked with structural engineers to come up with a revolutionary design that would disperse the weight throughout. The plan included two hollow tubes supported by steel columns spaced closely together and wrapped
plaza was finished. An estimated 10,000 workers labored to build theWorld Trade Center. The towers had 99 elevators, 43,600 windows, 40,000 doors, and 3,000 miles of electrical wiring, and each building weighed 250,000 tons. They were the tallest buildings in the world until Chicago’s Sears Tower was completed less than a year later. The towers were first attacked in 1993. Down in the basement of the north tower’s parking garage, a 1,200-pound bomb was set off. The attack cost six people their lives, and over 1,000 people were injured. The Port Authority wasted no time in renovating the building; over
battery-powered stairway lights and a separate emergency command center for each building. The towers remained an iconic part of NYC’s famous skyline for another eight years. Today, the towers are gone, but the peace they once symbolized lives on in the tranquility of Ground Zero, and every man, woman, and child who lost their life on Sept. 11, 2001, is memorialized on the stone monuments and through the annual reading of names. As Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, said, “If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”
in aluminum, while floor trusses connected this shell to the tower’s central steel core. Construction of theWorld Trade Center officially began in February 1967. The north tower was completed in December of 1970, and the south tower was finished in July of 1971, but construction continued for the next two years until the outdoor
the next eight years, the company spent $700 million on renovations, including added safety features such as
The Pullman Strike and the Origin of Labor Day How a Railroad Protest Laid the Foundation for a National Holiday
Today, Labor Day mostly means a day off and the closure of public pools. But when it was first created, it was a president’s desperate attempt to curb the tension after one of the most violent strike breakups in American history. In the late 19th century, the workers of the Pullman Company, which manufactured luxury train cars, all lived in a company- owned town. George Pullman, the owner, lived in a mansion overlooking houses, apartments, and crammed-together barracks, all of which were rented by the thousands of workers needed for the operation. For some time, the town operated without a hitch, providing decent wages for the workers while netting the higher-ups millions of dollars. But after the economic depression of the 1890s brought the country to its knees, everything changed. George Pullman slashed his workers’ wages by nearly 30 percent,
but he neglected to adjust the rent on the company-owned buildings in turn. As a result, life became untenable in the town, with workers struggling to maintain the barest standards of living for themselves and their families. In response, the workers began a strike on May 11, 1894. As the event ramped up, it gained the support of the powerful American Railway Union (ARU). But Pullman, stubborn as he was, barely acknowledged the strike was happening, and he refused to meet with the organizers. The tension increased when Eugene Debs, the president of the American Railway Union, organized a boycott of all trains that included Pullman cars. The strike continued to escalate until workers and Pullman community members managed to stop the trains from running.
Eventually, President Grover Cleveland sent in soldiers to break up the strike. Violence ensued, with soldiers making a great effort to quell the strike at its core. By the time the violence ended, 30 people had lost their lives and an estimated $80 million in damages had been caused throughout the town. A few months later, President Grover Cleveland declared Labor Day a federal holiday. Many experts believe that this act was an effort to build rapport among his pro- labor constituents after handling the incident so poorly. This month, as you fire up the barbecue and enjoy your day off, take a moment to remember the workers who fought for labor rights in our country.
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JURY DUTY MYTHS Summoned to Court
There are so many rumors about jury duty that it can be difficult to know which ones are true. Here are three of the most popular speculations, debunked.
ADMITTING BIAS WILL ENSURE YOUR DISMISSAL
buying a home, paying taxes, and getting a driver’s license. Even if you aren’t registered to vote, you’re still liable to be summoned.
If you admit that you are biased when you serve jury duty, it does not guarantee your dismissal. In fact, a judge cannot dismiss you for being biased — but an attorney can. In addition, attempting to portray yourself as a biased person can put you in a troubling situation. Attorneys and judges have been selecting jurors for a long time and know when someone is lying to them. Your best bet will be to be give honest answers to the questions they ask.
SERVING JURY DUTY WILL GET YOU FIRED
If you’re worried about getting fired by serving jury duty, you can take a breather. Your employer cannot fire you once you’ve been selected for jury service. In fact, if your boss threatens to fire you for it, they will face the penalties, which include fines and even jail time. Many employers know and understand this, but if yours doesn’t, you can submit a file of complaint to the trial court administrator, and they will take care of the rest for you. The system to select jurors has been around for a while, and those involved know what they’re doing. It’s best to go in with an open mind and be completely honest. After all, it is your civic duty to do so.
NO VOTING, NO JURY DUTY
According to another circulating myth, if you aren’t registered to vote, you don’t have to serve jury duty. Many people believe this myth because voting enters you into the jury duty pool, but there are other means by which citizens are chosen. Other ways you’re entered into the pool include
Take a Break!
LATE-SUMMER PANZANELLA
Ingredients
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1 small loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups) 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
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1 cucumber, sliced into rounds
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20 basil leaves, chopped
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2 large tomatoes, cubed
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Salt, to taste
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2 red bell peppers, seeded and cubed
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Vinaigrette
Directions
1. In a large sauté pan, set to medium-low heat and add olive oil. Add bread and 1 teaspoon salt, and toss often for 10 minutes or until toasted. 2. In a large bowl, mix vegetables and herbs. Toss in bread and your favorite vinaigrette and mix again. 3. Serve immediately or let sit 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
FOOTBALL TOUCHDOWN QUARTERBACK AUTUMN
EQUINOX LABORDAY BARBECUE SEPTEMBER
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Grady PAGE 1 The Hopeful Beginning and Catastrophic End PAGE 1 Why Labor Day Is Indebted to the Pullman Strike PAGE 2 Falsities You’ve Been Told About Jury Duty PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Late-Summer Panzanella PAGE 3 Get a Head Start on Next Spring’s Garden PAGE 4
PREPARE YOUR GARDEN Autumn Steps for a Better Spring Garden
from digging them up and allows the plants to grow through the gaps in the wire.
KEEP YOUR GARDEN TIDY
Once you’ve harvested your best fruits and vegetables, go back through and harvest the rest, even if you don’t plan to eat them. Make sure your garden is clear of old vegetables, fallen leaves, and weeds. Leaving decaying plants in or on top of the ground can spread diseases into the soil and attract unwanted pests to your garden. Pulling up weeds and all of your vegetables can help keep the earth free from rotting plants, but there are other steps you can take to ensure that your soil stays full of nutrients. Pick up a kit to test the pH levels of your soil. Most gardens thrive in soil with a pH of 6.5. Add compost to your soil supply now to give it time to break down during the winter months. HEALTHY SOIL
With fall just ahead, it’s a good time to think about your spring garden. For a beautiful garden next year, begin preparing this fall. Here are a few ways to get a head start!
freezes allows their roots to grow deep enough to protect them from the biting winter weather. Among the flower bulbs you should plant soon are tulips, daffodils, irises, and hyacinths.
PLANTING BULBS
CHICKENWIRE
If you want beautiful flowers in April, you should start planting bulbs now. Many flower bulbs need to be in the ground before winter settles in; this helps activate the bulbs’ biochemical process that allows them to bloom. Getting the bulbs into the ground before it
After you’ve planted your bulbs, there’s a risk that uninvited guests will dig them up. There are a few ways you can ensure that your bulbs remain undisturbed throughout the fall. One way is to place chicken wire over your bulbs after they’ve been planted. This keeps rodents
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