June 2019 FLATTMANN FILES “Quality Is No Accident”
HELP WANTED: WHY ARE FEWER TEENS WORKING OVER THE SUMMER? And Should Your Teen Work?
FROM THE DESK OF Grady Flattmann
Have you ever been driving along when suddenly the car in front of you comes to a complete stop to let someone else turn in front of them? Or maybe you’ve witnessed someone wave at another driver, signaling that it was okay for them to pull out across both lanes of traffic, only to get nailed by an 18-wheeler coming the other way? These are examples of well-intentioned people creating dangerous situations. The second example even has a name: “waving accidents.” And guess what? In some instances, the “waver” (pretty sure that is a word) may be open to liability for causing the wreck. Yikes! Being courteous is a great virtue to have. But traffic control is best left up to traffic lights, stop signs, and crossing guards (this last one is still open to debate). The best way to keep the roads safe is looking after your own driving habits, like avoiding distractions while driving. So, please be courteous to one another and don’t stop helping little old ladies cross the street (assuming, of course, the use of a well- marked crosswalk ... joking).
When economic pundits talk about unemployment rates and the market, the teenage workforce is hardly the first thing to come to mind. But if you follow the trend of teen summertime employment, you will notice an interesting phenomenon. According to research by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fewer teens have been working during the summer. Even as overall unemployment rates continue to drop, just 43 percent of teens worked during the summer of 2017, which is a 30 percent decrease from 1978. Experts cite a few sources for this trend. For starters, the number of teens in the workforce is only counted with traceable data. This means some teens are working in fields research agencies cannot track, such as babysitting, working in the family business, or doing yardwork for neighbors.
But teen employment rates are likely the result of two specific socioeconomic changes.
BABY BOOMERS IN THE WORKFORCE
Between 1977 and 2007, the number of adults aged 65 and older in the workforce increased by more than 100 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Women contributed to a larger jump than men, increasing their working status at age 65 and older by 147 percent, while women aged 75 and older in the workforce jumped 172 percent.
-Grady
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Additionally, according to the Society for Human Resources Management, 20 percent of the workforce is now comprised of people over 65. This means that even with a booming economy and low unemployment rates, finding a job is increasingly difficult for teens who they are competing against more skilled workers. Before baby boomers entered the workforce, most workers retired by 65, but today, more older adults are taking control of their late-in-life finances, filling “retirement” with entry-level or service work and enjoying the part-time benefits teens have enjoyed for so many summers. In case the recent college admissions scandal didn’t tip you off, the stipulations and expectations for attending college are higher than ever. Parents are placing a greater emphasis on extracurricular activities, volunteering, and schoolwork ahead of high school jobs to prepare their children for EDUCATION EMPHASIS
May to August. Their summers were filled with constructive work that prepared teens for their upcoming jobs after graduation, with financial gain being an added benefit. Additionally, with the high standards of modern colleges, these jobs can provide the unique experiences that admissions offices love to see. However, there are also some caveats. If you have a teen who needs to focus on their studies to succeed in school, a traditional summer job might not be the best option. Instead, doing a few chores for neighbors or babysitting are great alternatives to earn some extra dough. Your teen can also work over the summer and devote their entire school year to studies. Likewise, if you have a driven kiddo, don’t be afraid to let them dive into the workforce. Ultimately, there’s no one answer to this question. Instead of focusing on what jobs are available, what your kid should be doing, or even what the statistics say, focus on what is best for you and your teen.
college admissions. And some statistics may back up their neuroses. A 2014 study by the Pew Research Center found that people with bachelor’s degrees were earning $17,500 more per year than their high school graduate counterparts. Subsequently, only about 6 percent of four-year college graduates were living in poverty, while nearly 22 percent of those with only a high school diploma met poverty status.
SO, SHOULD MY TEENWORK?
For years, many parents only saw great benefits to teens filing into the workforce from
LAWSUITS FROM BEYOND Let’s Hope There’s a Courtroom in the Afterlife
We pride ourselves on being a country where everyone receives a fair trial. And while that’s not always the case, even the craziest claims still have to be heard in some capacity by a court of law. As you can imagine, this can result in plenty of spooky high jinks in the courtroom. Let’s take a look at some of the more baffling court cases in recent memory.
occasions after his lawyer missed certain deadlines to turn in proper documents. Thankfully, the issue was resolved, but not before he had his credit cards and Medicaid revoked after appearing to be dead.
SOLEMNLY SPOOKED
DEAD MAN TALKING
An unnamed New York resident — just what on earth is going on in New York? — claimed that the house they’d recently purchased was horribly and cripplingly haunted by unseen forces. The poltergeist was said to disrupt their daily activity, and the plaintiff was suing on the grounds that the home was notorious in the area for being haunted and had a reputation as such. Therefore, the owner felt it should have been disclosed to them before closing on the home. They won. That’s right, the court ruled that the seller misled the plaintiff and should have disclosed the nature of this potentially harmful house. Shockingly enough, this type of thing is required to be disclosed when selling a house in New York. Well, at least a buyer will have peace of mind knowing that they got a sweet new pad and a ghoul for pennies on the dollar.
In something straight out of a Coen brothers movie, a New York man had to sue The New York Times on three separate occasions to get them to stop reporting that he was dead. In all fairness, it seemed like an honest mistake prolonged by the ineptitude of his public counsel and a whole lot of terrible coincidences all rolled into one. Juan Antonio Arias just so happened to share the same first and last name as one “Juan Arias”who had met his untimely demise. After it was reported in a Times article, the living Arias accidentally had his own date of birth and Social Security number added to the death certificate of his now deceased namesake in a terrible mix-up from the coroner. As a result, he sued on three
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Setting some time aside to be with family is important, but it can be difficult when everyone is always on their cellphones. Constant cellphone use has become a global problem, and the habit is hard to break because we rely on mobile devices heavily for work, school, and keeping in contact with friends and family. Luckily, there are plenty of apps that can reduce how often you’re on your phone and minimize distractions. SIEMPO After you install Siempo on your phone, it will ask which apps are likely to distract you. Once you select them, the app will move those apps away from the home screen and place the important ones, such as the messaging, contacts, email, and calendar apps, on the first screen. You can also designate times for specific apps to be used throughout the day. STAY FOCUSED Stay Focused is like Siempo, but there are some significant differences. You can set times to access certain apps and put the most distracting ones on lock. Stay Focused also has a “strict mode” that prevents you from uninstalling it, so be sure to think carefully before activating the lockdown because you won’t have access to those specific apps until the timer runs out. FOREST In the time that Forest takes control of your device for a set time limit, the app starts growing a tree. Once the tree is fully grown, your time is up, and it joins the other trees that were grown during other By Taking a Break From Your Phone Enjoy Your Family Time
breaks. If you pick up your phone and try to access an app, Forest will send you a notification asking you if you want to kill your baby tree by giving up. Who says guilt isn’t a good motivator? BESIDES APPS Aside from using these apps, silencing your phone and putting it in another room, leaving it in your car if you’re out at dinner, or keeping it in your purse or back pocket during a social event can also reduce your screen time. Having your phone out of sight and out of reach will keep the temptation of pulling it out at bay.
Spending time with your family is crucial, and with these apps and tips, you’ll enjoy each other’s company without too many screen distractions.
Inspired by Food & Wine magazine
Take a Break!
With raw zucchini, toasted hazelnuts, and a robust Parmigiano-Reggiano, this early summer salad is a delight of different textures and flavors that will make a great side at your next cookout. Zucchini Salad WITH TOASTED HAZELNUTS
Ingredients
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3 small zucchini (3/4 lb.)
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1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
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1/2 tsp lemon zest, grated
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Mint leaves, for garnish
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3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
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Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
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3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
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Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, slice zucchini lengthwise into extremely thin, wide ribbons. 2. Arrange zucchini ribbons on a plate, sprinkle with lemon zest, and drizzle with juice.
3. Drizzle oil over zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and toss. 4. Scatter hazelnuts over the top, garnish with mint and cheese, and serve.
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“Quality Is No Accident”
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Grady PAGE 1 Does Your Teen Have a Summer Job? PAGE 1 Crazy Lawsuits Surrounding the Dearly Departed PAGE 2 Take a Break From Your Smartphone PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Zucchini SaladWith Toasted Hazelnuts PAGE 3
A Few Dads Who Went Above And Beyond the Call of Duty PAGE 4
HEROIC DADS WHO DIDN’T BACK DOWN Being a Parent Isn’t Always a Walk in the Park
Kids often look up to their father as one of their greatest heroes. There are the long drives to sports tournaments, the late-night movies, and the sweets when Mom isn’t looking. We probably all have some reason to look up to our dad as one of our biggest influences. It’s Father’s Day this month, a special time of year when we take a moment to think about the sacrifices the father figures in our lives have made for us. Most dads are pretty great, but some go above and beyond the fatherly call of duty. Let’s take a look at some heroic dads who risked everything to keep their families safe. BRAD LEWIS: OVER THE LEDGE Life can change in a split second, and how you choose to react in a moment of peril can define your legacy forever. Few people know this as well as Brad Lewis. When Brad and his young son, Oscar, were deeply entrenched in an intense Nerf battle, he surely didn’t think the situation would turn as dangerous as it did. When a few darts missed his father and
landed on the balcony, Oscar ran after them but soon found himself teetering on the balcony’s ledge, 12 feet above the ground. Thinking fast, Brad grabbed his son just before he fell over, both taking the plunge while protecting his son with his own body. Just as he’d intended, Brad absorbed most of the blow. While Oscar sustained serious wounds, his father’s injuries were more severe. Brad was left fighting for his life in the ICU, with severe fractures to his skull and vertebrae. Thankfully, Brad is expected to make a full recovery and has made serious strides since the accident. He and his son will live to play another day. GREG ALEXANDER: COULDN’T BEAR TO SEE HIS SON HURT While camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in June 2015, Greg Alexander awoke to the sound of a nightmare. The screams of his son intermingled with the roars
of an unknown assailant, beckoning Greg to his son’s tent. There, he found his son Gabriel being attacked by a bear. The bear had his son by the head and was dragging him away. Greg jumped on the bear’s back, desperately trying to take attention away from Gabriel. Amazingly, it worked, and in the end, the bear ran away. Gabriel was left with serious cuts to his head, but thanks to his dad’s heroism, the two were able to walk away from that campsite and back to their lives together. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to take a leap of faith or fight a bear to be a hero in your family’s eyes. Just be yourself, show some support, and do the best you can. Happy Father’s Day, everybody.
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