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March 2026
YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO PLAY THE TRUSTED ADVISOR
The Art of Staying Young at Heart
No matter your age, everyone needs to let their inner kid take the reins every once in a while. March 22 is As Young As You Feel Day, and for both of us, staying young at heart is an important part of being a parent. Our children keep us active, playing, and motivated to take care of ourselves so that as we age, we’re healthy enough to be there for all of life’s big moments. Though we are both still plenty young, we have managed to gain a little wisdom about aging and staying youthful in spirit. Zac: I stay energized and youthful by continuing to enjoy many of the sports I’ve loved since I was a kid. Though I might not surf, snowboard, e-foil, golf, or play pickleball at the same competitive level I did in my youth, these activities keep me active and help me have fun. When you have kids, it forces you to act like a kid yourself sometimes. In doing things with them, you naturally end up playing more, and their liveliness rubs off on you. As you get older, your perspective on aging definitely changes. I’m 50 now, and as a kid, that number felt ancient. But in my mind, I don’t really feel old yet. I’m relatively young and still very active. My feelings about aging will continue to change as I do, and I’m sure that day will come when I will finally feel “old.” I’m not there yet, but the ideas I had about adulthood have matured since I was little, when I had endless energy.
fly by. Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, make the best of it. Nick: When I’m doing stuff with my kids, I always want to match their energy. To keep up with them and join in the fun, I have to put myself in their little shoes for a bit. That keeps me incredibly motivated to stay in shape because I want to share experiences with
them for as long as possible. When I look at my dad, who is now in his 70s, I just hope to stay as active and spirited as he is. Family is one of my biggest inspirations to do what I need to do to stay healthy. I remember thinking my dad was so old when he was in his 40s, but I absolutely don’t see it that way now; 40 is still young. Obviously, I can’t do certain things, like playing serious football, like I used to. But I can still do about 90% of the things I want to do. Aging is different today, in part due to the medical advancements we have now. You can remain extremely active into your late 70s, which wasn’t so common when we were kids. I’d give my younger self the opposite advice to Zach’s. I would say, whatever you do, don’t save that $500. Don’t miss the Florida Gators playing in the 2008 national championship game because it may never, ever happen again. Over the course of 80 or more years of life, that money won’t matter much. Go and spend it. And yes, along that line, enjoy your life. Savor every moment you can in your lifetime because you never know how long you have. You might as well let yourself be a kid sometimes on this journey. NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000 1 – Zac Leacox & Nick Norden
If I were going to give my younger self some advice now, I’d say save more money sooner. Your parents tell you that, but you don’t always listen. I tell my kids to have that bit of discipline, even though it’s not always the most fun. Maybe more importantly, I would tell my younger self to enjoy life to the fullest. It happens quickly, time goes fast, and your birthdays will
AI’S HIDDEN RISKS TO CONSUMERS DIGITAL DANGERS
If you’ve been to an airport lately, you likely have posed for a facial recognition camera before entering your security checkpoint. This technology is just one example of how artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to not only identify who we are, but also learn more about us than we might realize.
In some cases, this reality is not a great thing.
Sure, being tracked online by AI may be considered beneficial by consumers who don’t mind receiving alerts on new purchasing opportunities based on their past shopping habits. However, society’s growing dependency on this level of technology is problematic when it leads to innocent people being incarcerated on false charges. Here’s a look at some of the growing risks surrounding the use of AI … and what you can do to better protect your privacy and rights from the prying eyes of emerging technology. Amazon’s Data Defect Debacle Although AI is seemingly everywhere these days, its use in the corporate world has existed for some time … and has created considerable gaffes along the way. Amazon learned about machine learning’s potential missteps the hard way. As far back as 2015, the company discovered that its AI-generated tools for screening resumes were biased against female job candidates. The system, designed to assign a rating from one to five stars to each applicant, gave lower scores to women who had applied for technical positions. The reason? The system had been trained to review and recommend candidates based on trends identified in resumes submitted to the company over the past 10 years, a period when men dominated the majority of positions. Instead of advancing future AI technology, Amazon stumbled back into America’s cultural past, creating a PR nightmare and raising serious questions about the potential long-term harm AI could cause in efforts to promote gender equality. “When faulty tech threatens a person’s liberty, it’s clear that AI’s road to perfection still has plenty of potholes.”
AI’s Misadventures in Faulty Arrests Facial recognition technology may be all the rage at airports, but the same can’t be said for its use at police stations. According to research conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Asian and African Americans are up to twice as likely to be misidentified by facial recognition as Caucasians. This discrepancy has real-world consequences, including the 2023 arrest of a pregnant woman in Detroit who was charged with carjacking after AI technology mistook her for someone else. When faulty tech threatens a person’s liberty, it’s clear that AI’s road to perfection still has plenty of potholes. Consumers’ Best Practices for Data Privacy Naturally, everyday consumers may also find themselves in sticky situations as a result of AI’s still-imperfect processes. Banking giant JPMorgan Chase offers the following suggestions to help better protect your personal information from AI-driven data tracking: • Utilize a separate, dedicated email address when engaging with AI chatbots, and avoid using the same email associated with your banking or social media. • Log off after every AI chat session to help ensure the system is not tracking your subsequent online usage. • Use only generative AI platforms available through the Google and Apple App stores and other reputable sources. AI may be a fascinating new chapter in our technical evolution, but it’s not without causes for concern. Whether you’re ordering shoes online or checking your savings account, forewarned is forearmed when it comes to guarding your identity … and even your freedom.
2 NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000
From Cookie Jars to Car Keys
Building Responsibility in Kids and Teens
Guidance for Goal-Driven Teens If your child has passed the age of picking up building blocks, you can help them manage and fulfill their pre-adult responsibilities. Encourage them to budget their spending money (especially once they start working for the first time), take an active role in maintaining their vehicle, and coordinate their own schedules for after-school or social activities. While it’s always wise to be available to help if or when they run out of gas or sleep through their alarm, giving them space to be more independent (and occasionally make mistakes) will go a long way in teaching them the real-world rewards and consequences of how they handle their responsibilities. By giving children room to learn, try, and even stumble, we help them build the confidence and character they’ll carry into adulthood. With steady guidance and age-appropriate responsibilities, accountability becomes a lifelong habit.
abilities and level of understanding is essential. For children ages 3–6, this could mean having them take responsibility for setting the table (with supervision as needed to ensure safety with utensils and glassware), feeding their pets, or putting away their toys neatly after they finish playing with them. If they struggle or fail to fulfill a particular responsibility, use it as an opportunity for growth, rather than a reason to ground them. For example, if they forget to feed their dog or cat, show them their pet’s signs of hunger … and remind your child of how sad, tired, and cranky they would feel if they were hungry and had to wait a long time to eat. If they forget to pick up their LEGOs, remind them of how much it hurt the last time they stepped on a piece when they weren’t wearing shoes. Above all, be sure to maintain a positive atmosphere and praise them whenever they complete a task (especially when they do it without being asked!) or put in their best effort to do so.
If you’ve ever walked into your kitchen to discover your child’s mouth covered in chocolate while they insist they didn’t dip into the cookie jar before dinner, you know the importance of teaching little ones about being honest and taking responsibility for their actions. Here are a few tips for incorporating age-appropriate lessons on accountability into a child’s daily routine. Pathways to Responsible Preschoolers When teaching children the value of personal accountability, selecting tasks that match their
Have a
St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Swirl Pie
Laugh
Ingredients •
1 cup heavy cream
• •
1/2 cup mint chocolate chips 1/4 cup green food coloring, for vibrant color 1 premade chocolate pie crust
• • •
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract
• •
1/2 cup chocolate syrup, for drizzling
Directions 1. In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. 2. In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. 3. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to cream cheese, mixing until well combined. Then, gently fold whipped heavy cream into the mixture. 4. Divide mixture into two bowls. In one bowl, add mint chocolate chips and green food coloring. 5. Layer mixtures into chocolate pie crust, alternating between mint mixture and the plain mixture. 6. Drizzle chocolate syrup over top. 7. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set. Slice and serve chilled.
Inspired by MixUpRecipes.com
3 NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000
Published by Newsletter Pro | NewsletterPro.com
407-801-3000 NordenLeacox.com 633 E. Colonial Dr. Orlando, FL 32803
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Inside This Edition
1 Our Kids Teach Us to Keep Life Fun 2 Privacy Perils in a Predictive World 3 St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Swirl Pie
Age-Appropriate Ways to Teach Children Responsibility
4 Fraudulent Fender-Benders
INSIDE UBER’S RACKETEERING RESPONSE BUMPER BETRAYAL
It’s a devious enough scam to make Tony Soprano blush.
Uber, which claims to have already spent millions defending itself against Loynaz’s suits, is suing the attorney under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. If he loses the suit, Loynaz may be subject to treble damages and attorneys’ fees. Interestingly, the case of the potentially crooked lawyer and his band of allegedly corrupt cronies is far from the only litigation of its kind. Earlier in 2025, Uber filed a suit in New York, alleging that another group of lawyers, medical providers, and clinics was carrying out a similar scheme in the Empire State. No matter how successful Uber’s battle against this level of fraud may be, the amount of allegedly criminal conniving taking place in Florida and New York is enough to make the most hardened mobster raise an eyebrow … and perhaps demand a cut.
4 NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000 Filed in Miami last June, Uber’s suit alleges that personal injury attorney Andy Loynaz, co-founder of the firm Law Group of South Florida, compensated drivers to stage accidents and later claim they were using the Uber app at the time. According to the complaint, these bogus bang-ups occurred near Hialeah, Florida, in 2023 and 2024, with Loynaz submitting $1 million insurance claims for each one and later suing Uber and its insurance carrier in four separate cases. Additionally, he allegedly coaxed representatives from Miami’s River Medical Center, area auto body shops, and other medical clinics to falsely claim the accident had caused injuries and property damage requiring care and repairs. Imagine orchestrating a series of intentional automobile collisions with the sole purpose of suing Uber for the recovery of car repair costs and medical expenses. This outrageous scenario is at the heart of the ride-share company’s 97-page lawsuit against a Florida attorney who it claims paid people to crash into each other to instigate fraudulent suits and attempt to rake in millions.
Published by Newsletter Pro | NewsletterPro.com
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