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APRIL 2021
Legally Brief With Kevin Patrick Automobile accidents | Daycare injuries | wrongful death
1991: The Best Year in Baseball HOW ONE EPIC WORLD SERIES SHAPED MY CHILDHOOD
When I was a kid in the late ‘80s, I caught a serious case of Braves fever. The internet hadn’t reached us yet, so there wasn’t much for my friends and me to do other than trade baseball cards and talk about the Atlanta Braves’ odds in the next World Series. I didn’t know it yet, but I was hopping on the Braves bandwagon at just the right time. At the start of my interest in the Braves, their odds of getting to the World Series weren’t good. They were one of the worst teams in the country (in 1988 they lost 106 games), but I didn’t care that they were in the bottom of their division. I was glued to every game and, over the years, became obsessed with players like Sid Bream and Ron Gant. My favorites were the pitchers: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of watching Braves games on TV with my parents and friends during that time. I loved doing the tomahawk chop! And if "I CAN STILL REMEMBER WHAT THE STREETS OF ATLANTA LOOKED LIKE ON THE DAY THE BRAVES FACED OFF AGAINST THE MINNESOTA TWINS. VENDORS SET UP TENTS UP AND DOWN THE STREETS, EVERYONE I KNEW SHOWED UP TO BUY BRAVES TOMAHAWKS AND T-SHIRTS."
one of the games came on too late on a school night for me to stay up and watch it, I’d get up early the next morning and call the Braves hotline to check the score and see what I missed. If you’re a baseball fan or have lived in Atlanta for a while, then you probably know where this story is going. In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the Braves started turning things around. In the ‘80s, they were the underdogs, but in 1991, my loyalty was rewarded when they won the National League and made it all the way to the World Series! I can still remember what the streets of Atlanta looked like on the day the Braves faced off against the Minnesota Twins. Vendors set up tents up and down the streets, and everyone I knew showed up to buy Braves tomahawks and T-shirts. They had lots of games for kids, and I vividly recall standing at a height chart to measure how tall I was compared to star left fielder Ron Gant. Then, my family headed home to watch the game. The Braves didn’t win the World Series that year, but it will always stand out to me as one of the most magical days of my life. I never stopped rooting for the Braves, either. In the years that followed, I went to games at the old Fulton County Stadium whenever I could, and I still get excited every April when baseball season starts. That old stadium will always feel like the home of the Braves to me, even though it doesn’t have the modern luxuries of Truist Park. The seats were squeaky and unforgettable, and we fans had to
pack in together like sardines, but the atmosphere always seemed perfect. It was the essence of baseball Americana. Today, I still love cheering on the Braves. As I write this, I’m looking forward to their opening game of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 1. (By the time you read this, that game may have already happened — I hope the Braves came through!) I never played baseball myself, but I’m already encouraging my son Michael to start T-ball when he’s old enough. In the meantime, I hope to show him the magic of baseball in person. Hopefully, when the pandemic ends, we can go to Truist Park and catch a game. Sincerely Yours,
This publication is for informational purposes only, and no legal advice is intended.
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The Origins of a Truly American Language:
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH
People often assume American culture isn’t as rich as other cultures, but that simply isn’t true. Americans have developed unique values, mannerisms, art, music, and even languages across their diverse nation. One great example of this is Pennsylvania Dutch. The language didn’t evolve from Dutch, interestingly enough. It started when early German immigrants needed to escape from the Holy Roman Empire regions of Europe to avoid religious persecution. Many of them escaped to Pennsylvania, which is still 29.9% German today. These immigrants generally didn't bring many belongings; however, they did bring a rich dialect. So, why is it called Pennsylvania Dutch? Rather than a mistranslation, it’s a corruption of the Pennsylvania German endonym Deitsch , which means “Pennsylvania Dutch/German” or “German.” The terms Deitsch, Dutch,
Diets , and Deutsch are all cognates of the proto-Germanic word piudiskaz , meaning “popular” or “of the people.” The language flourished safely within German immigrant communities and religious sects; however, while 10% of the original Pennsylvania Dutch settlers were Amish and Old Order Mennonites, today over 250,000 people speak the Germanic language, mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. considering its roots. It’s entirely different, as it turns out. Pennsylvania Dutch shares the most similarities with the Palatine German dialect, a small southwestern region of Germany where most Pennsylvanian settlers came from. If you can speak Pennsylvania Dutch, you can likely converse with Palatine Germans to a limited extent. You might be wondering how this language is different from German,
Can you write in Pennsylvania Dutch? Yes! However, not many speakers read and write in it, so it doesn’t have standardized spelling rules. If you’re curious to see it in print, however, look at the only Pennsylvania Dutch newspaper in the U.S.: Hiwwe wie Driwwe. Scholarly efforts have also been made to advance the language, such as the Pennsylvania German Studies minor program at Kutztown University. We hope you enjoyed learning a new fact or two about American history! Enjoy your April!
Happy Earth Day From the Birds and the Beasts!
Did you know that Georgia is home to 62 plants and animals that are protected by the Endangered Species Act? That’s a lot of responsibility on our shoulders! In honor of Earth Day on April 22, we thought it would be fun to share some trivia about the critters we’re obligated to protect. Here are five fun facts you can dole out during your next Zoom happy hour. 1. Georgia is home to five threatened/
issues. It’s an adorable bat with little mouse ears that weighs about as much as three pennies. 4. The carnivorous green pitcher plant is endangered here because people keep digging them up and selling them! This plant has hollow, pitcher-shaped leaves with liquid in the bottoms. The hungry plant lures in flies and mosquitoes, then dissolves and absorbs their bodies. Tasty! 5. The West Indian manatee swims off the Georgia coast and has been endangered for years creatures might have inspired some local mermaid legends. When Christopher Columbus arrived in America, he caught a glimpse of “mermaids” that were likely manatees. Our state is home to so many incredible creatures — these five facts only scratch the surface. To learn more, check out FWS.gov/Athens/Endangered.html. because of hunting and accidental collisions with boats and barges. Amazingly, these very
endangered sea turtle species, including the loggerhead, green, leatherback, hawksbill, and Kemp’s Ridley. The Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is the smallest marine turtle in the world at just 2 feet long! 2. One of Georgia’s endangered birds is the
Kirtland’s warbler. It has gray wings and a yellow belly, and every year, it flies all the way from Michigan to the Bahamas for the winter. Even though we’re only one stop on its journey, we can still help protect it. 3. The Indiana bat is endangered in Georgia because of human disturbance and vandalism in caves, among other
You can always reach Kevin directly at 404.566.8964 or Kevin@PatrickTrialLaw.com. (If you ever need it, his cell phone is 404.409.3160.)
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Meet Your Purrrrfect Lawyer Kevin’s Thoughts on the Now-Famous Zoom Cat
It’s been three months since a kitten appeared on Zoom to argue a court case in Texas, but our office still isn’t over it! Honestly, every time I think about the incident, it makes me laugh. We can all use a chuckle these days. In case you somehow missed this viral internet meme, here’s a bit of backstory. In early February, an attorney named Rob Ponton from Presidio County, Texas, logged onto Zoom for a virtual civil forfeiture case hearing. The rest of the folks on the call were wearing suits and ties, but Ponton didn’t fit in. Why, you ask? Well, because he was a cat! More specifically, he was a kitten. Ponton had accidentally enabled a filter on his secretary’s Zoom screen that made him look like an adorable gray kitten with a pink nose. Hilarity ensued when he couldn’t figure out how to remove the filter and neither could his assistant.
From there, the system conspired to make it go viral. According to The New York Times, the court actually shared the video to its YouTube page, and the judge presiding over the case tweeted out a link. The rest is internet history! As a lawyer who has done plenty of Zoom hearings myself, I really feel for Ponton and his predicament. Even though he did everything paw-sible to stay professional, he couldn’t contain the cat-tastrophy. Here at Kevin Patrick Law, my team and I are nowhere near as cute as that Zoom filter, but we are a bit more professional. Rest assured that when I show up in Zoom court to represent you, I have no intention of being a cat!
“I’m here live,” he told the confused judge, adding, “I’m not a cat.”
Eventually, they figured out how to turn the filter off and the purrrfect lawyer disappeared, replaced by a face Ponton jokingly described as “older and less humorous.” The whole thing took about a minute and was a whisker away from going unnoticed. Fortunately for the world, the brief game of cat and mouse with the filter was caught on video.
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Rhubarb Oat Bars
Ingredients • 1 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped • 1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/3 cup butter, melted until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. 6. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, coconut, salt, and remaining brown sugar. Stir in butter until mixture is crumbly. 7. Press half of the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish, spread rhubarb mixture on top, then sprinkle with remaining oat mixture. 8. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before enjoying!
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice • 4 tbsp water, divided • 4 tsp cornstarch
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease an 8-inch square baking dish. 2. In a medium saucepan, bring rhubarb, 1/2 cup brown sugar, lemon juice, and 3 tbsp water to a boil. 3. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rhubarb is tender (about 5 minutes). 4. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining water, stirring until smooth. 5. Gradually add to the rhubarb mixture, return to a boil, and cook
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2860 Piedmont Road N.E. • Suite 140 Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Get in Shape for Your Next Backpacking Trip Inside This Issue 1 The Baseball Game That Made Kevin’s Childhood 2 The Origins of Pennsylvania Dutch 5 Earth Day Facts About Georgia’s Endangered Species 3 Meet Your Purrrrfect Lawyer Rhubarb Oat Bars 4 Get in Shape for Your Next Backpacking Trip
Follow Us @KPatricklaw
Backpacking in the mountains puts a fun twist on the standard campout. By packing all your gear miles from the nearest roads, you can leave the whole world behind and just exist in nature. That said, backpacking can also put a lot of strain on your body — unless you properly prepare for it. Peak backpacking season isn’t too far away, but it could take a couple of months to physically prepare for your next big trip. So, now is the perfect time to start working toward some of the following fitness goals: INCREASE MUSCLE STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE Your leg and core muscles, as well as your shoulders and lower back (ideally to a lesser extent), will do most of the heavy lifting when you’re hauling a 30–50-pound pack up a trail. With that in mind, you should devote two nonconsecutive days each week to strengthening these muscle groups. A few good exercises to increase leg strength are jump squats, single-leg deadlifts, step-ups, and hip rolls. A simple way people can increase core strength is by doing planks. IMPROVE YOUR CARDIO HEALTH Backpacking includes a lot of walking while carrying heavy weight at a high altitude, which means it’s just as important to get your
cardiovascular system into shape as it is to strengthen your muscles. Dedicate three days each week — alternating with your strength training days — to building your cardio health with activities like trail running, biking, swimming, or other aerobic exercises. IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE Backpacking trails are rough, and you'll need good balance to navigate obstacles and step over boulders, creeks, and large roots. The good news is that increased strength and balance go hand in hand. Building up the muscles in your legs and core will help improve your balance, as will taking walks or runs on uneven trails or terrain. These are just a few quick tips to help you get in shape this backpacking season. For more in-depth instructions, check out CleverHiker.com, Backpacker.com, or search “How to Train for Hiking” on REI.com. Happy hiking!
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