Check out our October newsletter!
OCTOBER 2019
HARMONSON HEADLINES
YOUR GUIDE TO PERSONAL INJURY IN THE BORDERLAND
SCHOOL IS IN SESSION
I recently drove past Coronado High School and noticed they tore down one of the main buildings. It’s a bittersweet thing to see a school being torn down, but in the community, a new, renovated school will be in its place. It’s good to see the Quality of Life bond finally coming to fruition here in El Paso.
When I was a kid, my parents had me attend a private Christian school in Lubbock, Trinity Christian School. Looking back, it was a good environment. The class size was relatively small, and it was a good community. In junior high, that changed a little bit. I went to an honors magnet school where I met a lot of interesting characters. During my first week of school, another student offered to sell me a joint. Coming from a private Christian school, you can be sure young Clark was a bit shocked. The transition was trial by fire, but I survived and learned to appreciate life outside of the bubble of private school. While I enjoyed many different subjects, I was particularly interested in science. I ended up getting a biology degree at Texas Tech before getting a job in the pharmaceutical industry. At one point in time, I gave a lot of thought to pursuing a career in medicine and wanted to become a doctor. But in college, I did not put in the work that I needed to and didn’t have the passion it takes to become a doctor. But I’m very glad I did get lost, because now I’m doing what I love and what I was meant to do. In the spirit of the back-to-school season, we’re giving away five backpacks for kids in need filled with a gift certificate for supplies. We are a little tardy in making this offer in our newsletter because we devoted our September issue to the Walmart tragedy. If there is a child in your life or you know of one who needs a new backpack this school year, give us a call and tell us their story. We look forward to hearing from you. – Clark Harmonson
As someone who believes in the power of education, I am pleased to see our community renovating our older schools. With a new building comes new resources, and that’s good for our community. My own kids benefit from our public school system, and we know that the more support we give teachers and the educational system, the better our students will be for it. I was somewhat of a nerd in school. I loved the learning experience, especially during law school, which I attended after a three-year stint working in pharmaceutical sales. Going back to law school after working in the real world, I appreciated it more than others who just went straight from college to law school. Because I love to learn, I thrived in law school. There was just so much to discover. I enjoyed the intellectual pursuit of knowledge and the act of bettering myself through the classroom experience. I loved to read about the law, but I was also motivated by the fact that I was paying for school myself — so I knew I had to stay focused! I ended up graduating second in my class, which was a huge personal accomplishment, not to mention a sizeable confidence boost. I’m very competitive, and I saw this ranking as an absolute win.
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Countless active duty military and veterans are suffering from severe and permanent hearing damage after using standard-issue military earplugs while in combat. The earplug manufacturer 3M has now agreed to pay a settlement for the many who suffered because the company failed to divulge information about certain product defects that hindered the earplugs’ hearing protection ability. As a result, those who served during foreign conflicts between 2003 and 2015 were not notified or properly instructed on how to adequately insert these products. Thanks to a whistleblower who stepped forward about 3M’s lack of transparency and gross negligence in distributing these defective products, the company has discontinued its dual-ended Combat Arms Version 2 (“CAEv.2”) earplugs. It also paid a $9.1 million settlement to the U.S. Department of Justice for falsifying test results and knowingly putting thousands of soldiers at risk. How Do These Products Cause Harm? 3M’s dual-ended earplugs were not standardized to adequately fit military personnel because the design was symmetrical, meaning the earplugs would loosen and ultimately cause painful and debilitating symptoms such as tinnitus or hearing loss. WHAT YOU NEED T The 3M Military Earplug Settlement
Most owners will tell you their cats act like ancient deities. Majestic, scrupulous, and utterly unpredictable, these fascinating creatures have long captured our imaginations. Even before cat videos took the internet by storm, humans have been idolizing felines, placing them alongside some of their most important mythological figures. Bastet — Egypt Of course, a list of mythical cats has to start with Egypt. While many people know the pharaohs and their followers thought cats were sacred, you may be surprised by how deep the connection goes. The earliest depiction of Bastet, the feline deity of protection, is a lion-headed woman in battle. But, over the course of 2,000 years, Bastet evolved to resemble the domesticated, pointy-eared cats we know and love today. 招き猫 (Maneki-Neko) — Japan Legend has it that in the 17th century, a monk living in a small temple in Edo (now Tokyo) was struggling to survive, but he still split his meals with his cat, Tama. One day, Lord Nakaota li got caught in a rainstorm while hunting and took shelter under a tree near the temple. Nakaota spotted Tama near the temple, and the cat raised its leg, beckoning the noble to come toward him. Curious, Nakaota complied, stepping out from beneath the tree just before a bolt of lightning struck it down. The lord’s life was saved, and to this day, the Maneki-Neko (the beckoning cat) is a symbol of wealth and good fortune. Freya’s Skogkatts — Norway In Norse folklore, the goddess Freya had a unique means of travel: a chariot pulled by two cats. These were skogkatts, or Norwegian Forest cats, that were only a little larger than your average house cat. Still, these small felines towed Freya around battlefields as she gathered warriors to send to Valhalla. On top of being the goddess of war, love affairs, and magic, Freya may well have been Midgard’s first cat lady.
SUDO KU
SOLUTION ON PG. 4
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KNOW
SCARE UP SAFETY!
3M’s Background of Negligence 3M is presumed to have known about the ineffectiveness of their products since 2003, when it acquired Aearo Technologies, Inc. The company resolved the settlement, which alleged that it violated the False Claims Act by knowing its products would not perform in the line of duty and not disclosing the significant design defects to the U.S. military. Injured and Seeking Compensation You Deserve? Whether you are an active or veteran military service member who suffers from partial or full hearing loss, don’t wait to enlist the services of an accomplished and talented legal advocate, such as ours at Harmonson Law Firm. We are particularly dedicated to giving back in any way possible to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for our freedom. If you or someone you know is seeking a resolution regarding 3M military earplug, call 915.228.4140. We’re here to answer your questions and get you the compensation you deserve.
3 Safety Tips for a Great Halloween Night
Halloween is always a lot of fun for kids and adults alike. Kids run around door-to-door, scaring up treats, while adults tag along — or stay at home to hand out candy to all the eager youngsters who probably don’t need this much sugar. But it’s always interesting to see what costumes are trending this year, like Spider-Man and Captain Marvel. Of course, as parents know, Halloween comes with its fair share of risks. The streets are filled with kids who want to score as much sugary loot as possible, and they’re not always paying the closest attention to their surroundings. Here are three ways you can help your kids stay extra safe as they load up on sugar. Have a plan of attack. If you have any ghouls heading out without your supervision (hopefully there is some supervision!), help them pick out neighborhoods they can visit. Keep it close by for younger kids, but give older kids a little more freedom. Google Maps is a great way to map out the evening so you know exactly where your kids will be. In the event you need to swing in for emergency assistance, you know where to go and the kids know where to meet up. Follow the lights. As a rule of thumb, most kids already know to only visit homes with the lights on, even if it’s still light outside. On top of this, trick-or-treaters should avoid poorly lit or dark areas altogether. When it’s difficult to see where you are stepping, you can easily trip and fall, which may result in an injury and an untimely end to the night’s festivities. For anyone in a cumbersome costume or mask with poor visibility, venturing into dark areas can be especially hazardous. And make sure every trick-or-treater has a buddy they can rely on.
This article comes direct from the blog at ClarkHarmonsonAttorney.com/blog. Be sure to visit the blog for more insight from Clark!
MISO CARAMEL APPLES
INSPIRED BY BON APPÉTIT
This silky caramel recipe is spiked with miso for a complex, rich snack that won’t hurt your teeth.
INGREDIENTS
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4 Granny Smith apples 1/2 cup raw pistachios 1 1/2 tsp plus 1 cup sugar
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4 Popsicle sticks
2 tbsp light corn syrup 1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp white miso, divided
DIRECTIONS
Throw out mystery treats. There is a myth that troubled individuals hide razor blades in Halloween candy. This is not true . Practically all Halloween candy is safe. However, if your kids or grandkids collect any homemade or unwrapped treats, take caution and throw them away. Some people love to make treats to hand out for Halloween, which is admirable, but these treats pose risks for those with food allergies, as you cannot verify the ingredients. They may also spread foodborne illnesses if not properly prepared. Better safe than sorry!
1. Heat oven to 275 F. 2. In a food processor, pulse pistachios and 1 1/2 tsp sugar. Add sesame seeds and 1 tbsp miso, pulsing until miso is fully broken up. Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15–20 minutes and let cool. 3. Meanwhile, insert a Popsicle stick into the center of each apple. 4. In a saucepan, bring corn syrup, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tbsp water to a boil. Boil for 5–7 minutes, swirling infrequently, until caramel is a light amber color. 5. Add cream and salt to caramel, whisking to combine. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and quickly whisk in remaining miso. 6. To assemble, first roll apple in caramel, then in pistachio mixture, before resting on greased baking sheet. 7. Let cool 30 minutes and serve.
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Back-to-School Backpacks for Kids in Need
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Amazing Cat Tales
3M Settles Over Defective Military Earplugs
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Miso Caramel Apples
Safety Tips for a Fun Halloween Night
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The Meaning of Dia de los Muertos
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS A Celebration of Life
Despite the common misconception, Dia de los Muertos is not an offshoot of Halloween. While the two holidays often happen simultaneously, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday that originated with the indigenous people of Central America, including the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. Each year, they gathered and gave offerings to their dead. When the Spaniards came to Mexico, they fused the indigenous celebrations with their traditions of All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2). Ancient Beginnings Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations viewed death as a beginning rather than an end. This was likely tied to agricultural practices and the seasons, with crops dying in the winter and being reborn in the spring. Dia de los
Muertos evolved from those roots and is now observed throughout Mexico and the United States. It’s a time of remembering your loved ones by celebrating their lives. Full of Life Though the name might lead you to believe differently, Dia de los Muertos is a joyous time. If you visit Mexico during the holiday, the air is filled with music, and the streets are full of dancing and color. Instead of a sorrowful mourning of the dead, it is a vibrant, joyous celebration of life. Intricate altar displays, called ofrendas, honor the spirits of relatives who’ve passed. Families fill them with photographs and the relatives’ favorite food and drinks. It’s believed that during Dia de los Muertos, the boundary between the living and the dead is lifted, and for one night only, spirits come back to visit and enjoy what their families have set out for them. Today, the multiday celebration takes place throughout Central and North America. As tiny Batmans and Skywalkers add the final adjustments to their costumes, other families clean their homes and prepare to honor the spirits of their loved ones. And in today’s beautiful blend of cultures, many families celebrate both holidays.
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