Marc Lopez Law - August 2018

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AUGUST 2018 LOPEZ LAW

It’s summertime in Indiana, which means it’s time for some new rules! As Hoosier kids get ready for another school year, their adult counterparts need to prepare themselves for the newest offerings from the Indiana General Assembly. Here are some quick hits on just a few of the changes going into effect. Remember, folks: Ignorance of the law is no excuse! In an attempt to crack down on drug dealers, the State has introduced a legislative theory: If you supply a controlled substance to another person, and that person ingests the substance and dies, you are guilty of “dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death.” As some skeptics have noted, the scope of this law is broad enough to include sympathetic, not-for-profit medication-sharing between intimate partners. Theoretically, a woman who provides her injured husband with some of her leftover Vicodin prescription will be facing 40 years in prison if the husband accidentally overdoses. Indiana has also decided to make things easier on property owners who want to discourage would-be trespassers without going to the trouble of posting signs or erecting a fence. Now you can use purple paint (applied in conformity with the statute) to communicate “NO TRESPASSING” to others. I’m still unclear as to how an out-of-state visitor can be expected to decipher our coded messages, and I’m sincerely looking forward to the first case where a defendant affirmatively argues color blindness. This should be fun. In a shift that seems counterintuitive, a health care provider who suspects that an adult patient is a victim of human trafficking is no longer required to report this hunch to the police. The old policy was obviously intended to shine a light on human trafficking, but it had another, unintended effect: Victims ended up sticking to the shadows and avoiding medical care altogether. When the law FROM THE DESK OF Marc Lopez

Anxiety, concern, conflict — parents and teens agree that digital devices are a source of all three of these, according to a study from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The comprehensive study compared digital device usage in the United States and Japan and how they have an impact on family relationships in both countries. “The patterns of daily life have been forever altered by the ubiquity of digital devices,” says Willow Bay, co-author of the study and dean of USC Annenberg College. “Clearly, our always-on media environment is presenting challenges.” So why do we still have these devices on us at all times, and how can we use them more responsibly? USC Annenberg’s study demonstrates that technology isn’t going away any time soon, and learning how to manage its usage is critical. Here are some tips that both parents and teens can learn from. HOWTOBALANCE TECHNOLOGY USE INYOUR FAMILY M anage Y our D evices ; D on ’ t L et T hem M anage Y ou The study gave interesting insight into how we perceive our kids’ technology usage and how they perceive ours. It found that most parents think their teens are addicted to their mobile devices. Most parents also felt addicted themselves. Their teens are aware of this — 1 in 3 teens also believes their parents are addicted. Your kids learn from how you spend your time. As the parent, you are the No. 1 example your child has for any behavior. If they see you looking at your phone most of the time they’re with you, they’ll likely start to do the same. BE THE EXAMPLE

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SET BOUNDARIES

process with contacts, music, photos, and anything taking up space. In his article, “Tips to Declutter Your Phone,” Ryan Reed includes the automation app he swears by, If This Then That. It can link all your apps and services to streamline your life.

One way to set an example is to limit screen time. This could take the form of an after- school “technology free” hour. It’s time that your family spends together without phones, only interacting with each other. Sound hard? Set the timer. Ask your kids how their days were. Try cooking together. If you feel that you really are addicted and can’t quit your device on your own, set up firewalls for yourself. Turn on your “do not disturb” signal during the nights and mornings. If you really want to take a break from your device, take a full day away from it, then reflect on how you felt afterward.

WHEN IS THE RIGHT AGE?

This is a question that’s kept many parents awake at night. When is the right age for an adolescent to have their own mobile device? There’s a lot to take in. Yes, it can offer some security; you’ll (theoretically) be able to reach your teen at any time, and they can reach out if they are in danger. But there are drawbacks. Phones cause distraction, which doesn’t pan out well for driving or sleep, not to mention homework. Talk with your teen to find out what’s right for them and your family — and not just via text. Keep the conversation going, and you’ll build a stronger relationship, whether you choose to give them a digital device or not.

TRIM YOUR APPS

When you open up your phone, does your busy screen overwhelm you? Do you really need that MLB app that you last used two years ago? Start by deleting apps that you no longer use. Then organize your remaining apps into folders. You might also try the same

Become a ‘Dog Whisperer’ Train as a Pack for Better Results

Your whole family adores your dog — but not the barking. This issue can lead to feelings of frustration, and the more frustrated you get, the more your dog barks. It’s their only way of communicating, and they’re telling you, “My needs are not being met.” As Cesar Millan, the original “dog whisperer,” explains, “A barking dog needs exercise, discipline, and affection, in that order.”

to your child’s chore list and help get out some of the kid’s pent-up energy, too. It may also be beneficial to practice obedience exercises and games that challenge your dog.

AFFECTION

Of course, your dog needs love and attention to thrive — a lack of it could contribute to barking behavior. Reinforce silence by giving your dog a treat and an encouraging pat when she demonstrates good behavior, like not barking. “Our pups want to work for our attention,” Cesar Millan reminds us. “Allowing her to do that and to see your happiness is, to your dog, the biggest reward of all.” To make your training program successful, consistency is key. Enlist the help of the whole family to stick to the principles. Together, you can foster a calm, peaceful home where you and your dog happily coexist.

DISCIPLINE

To put a stop to the behavior, you’ll first need to change any of your behavior that’s reinforcing it. Any attention your dog gets when he’s barking — even yelling, “Rover, stop!”— teaches him to keep going, because you’re rewarding him with attention. Wait until your dog has stopped barking to give him any sort of attention, including looking at them. “To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking,” advises the Humane Society.

EXERCISE

Part of the barking issue may be due to pent- up energy. According to the humane society, “A tired dog is a good dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration.” If you already take your pup on a morning walk, try adding in an evening walk. You could add it

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Game Night Goes (Really) Retro

THE OLDEST GAMES YOU CAN PLAY TODAY

BACKGAMMON A blend of luck and strategy, backgammon originated in the Middle East around 5,000 years ago. Possibly an evolution of the ancient Mesopotamian game, the Royal Game of Ur, backgammon has players take turns rolling the dice to move their pieces off the board while trying to outsmart their opponent. Backgammon grew in popularity, spreading from the Middle East to the rest of the ancient world, and is still played by many today. GO Originating in China around the 5th century B.C., Go — or “weiqi,” as it’s called in China — focuses on the virtues of balance, discipline, and focus. Two players go head-to-head, placing their pieces on the board to claim as much territory as possible while simultaneously capturing their opponent’s pieces. Go is likely the oldest board game still being played today, with an estimated 40 million players worldwide. Though the rules are simple, the strategies take a lifetime to master. These are a just a few games that people have been playing around the world for centuries. If you’re ready to add something new to family game night, try something old instead!

People love to play games. When you play Angry Birds while waiting in line at the grocery store, you are actually participating in a long history of gaming that dates back to the earliest civilizations. Through the discovery of ancient game boards, archaeologists learned that the ancient Egyptians played a game called Senet in 3500 B.C. The rules were lost to time, but fortunately, there are plenty of other ancient games we still have the rules for! SNAKES AND LADDERS Sometime during the 2nd century A.D., people in India started playing a board game associated with aspects of traditional Hindu philosophy — namely, the contrast between karma (destiny) and kama (desire). A dice was rolled to navigate a game board where good virtues, represented

by ladders, allowed players to move up on the board, and evil vices, represented by snakes, would drag pieces back down. The phrase “Back to square one” is believed to have originated from this game. Snakes and

Ladders made its way to England before being brought over to the United States, where it was introduced as “Chutes and Ladders” by none other than Milton Bradley in 1943.

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of the land makes things worse for victims, changing the law is the only responsible course of action.

Every new law is necessarily followed by unanticipated consequences. Whenever we formally move the line that divides acceptable from unacceptable social behavior, it creates some degree of confusion. My law clerk, for example, is intrigued by the idea of eyeball tattoos. If he’d moved on this a couple of months ago, he and his wife could’ve gotten matching scleral ink. Today the process is illegal. It’s almost impossible for a full-time attorney to keep up with this stuff, never mind a non-lawyer with a normal life who lacks an obsessive interest in legislation. When I tell people to“always plead the Fifth,”it isn’t because I’m trying to encourage bad faith interactions between citizens and law enforcement. On the contrary, my strategy emphasizes self-preservation, and it emerged from three premises:

SUMMER GRILLED HALIBUT

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1/2 cup hearts of palm, drained

Basil leaves, for garnish

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1 lemon

2 pounds mixed tomatoes, sliced

1). the law is too complex to apprehend all at once;

Directions

2). almost all incriminating statements are made unintentionally; and

1. Lightly oil grill grates and heat grill to medium. 2. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest onto halibut fillets. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Grill halibut, turning just once, for about 5 minutes on each side.

4. In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, hearts of palm, juice from lemon, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Garnish salad with basil. Spoon salad over grilled halibut. Serve.

3). police officers can and will use your own words against you.

All things considered, why not play it safe?

Enjoy these last days of summer, and as always, remember to plead the Fifth.

Inspired by Bon Appetit Magazine

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MARC LOPEZ LAW

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Marc Lopez PAGE 1 How to Talk to Your Teen About Cellphone Use PAGE 1 How to Get Your Dog to Stop Barking PAGE 2 Have You Played the Oldest Games in the World? PAGE 3 Summer Grilled Halibut PAGE 3 The Benefits of Metabolic Fitness Training PAGE 4 Not everyone can spend hours at the gym each week. If you struggle to fit workouts into your busy schedule, metabolic resistance training (MRT) might be the perfect solution. This high-intensity circuit technique keeps your heart rate elevated while you bust out more reps in a shorter period of time. You may find that you need to reduce the weight a bit in order to perform so many reps with no rest, but that’s fine; the goal of MRT is to move constantly, not set PRs. You’ll burn calories, increase strength, and improve your cardiovascular fitness in one fell swoop — all without having to step on a treadmill! MRT offers the biggest bang for your fitness buck by squeezing as much work as possible into each workout. While this technique is the perfect way to build strength, lean out, and increase cardiovascular health all at once, it may not be ideal for anyone trying to add massive amounts of muscle, because it burns THE BENEFITS OF METABOLIC RESISTANCE TRAINING

METABOLIC FITNESS TRAINING A Big Workout With a Small Time Commitment

so many calories and uses a high-rep/low- weight protocol.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND MRT High-rep/high-volume workouts stimulate muscle protein synthesis (the process by which muscle is built) more effectively than splits that work single body parts. But perhaps the best part of metabolic resistance training occurs after you leave the gym. Because it takes longer for your body to return to its resting metabolic state after such an intense workout, you continue to burn extra calories in the hours and days after MRT, an effect commonly referred to as the “afterburn.” HOW TO SET UP AN MRT CIRCUIT The key to metabolic resistance training is to keep your rest periods short, so choose exercises you can perform in one spot (or close together), and set up your equipment ahead of time; you don’t want your heart rate to go down while you walk between stations or mess around loading the bar. Do compound

movements like dumbbell chest presses, burpees, and goblet squats to work multiple muscle groups at once. Metabolic resistance training is a hard workout and not for the faint of heart. But by pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, you’ll see greater results and have more time to spend on the other things you enjoy!

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