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Workers’ COMPanion
LAW OFFICE MONAST
AUGUST 2023
www.monastlaw.com | 614-334-4649 | 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. Bldg 2, Suite 2117, Upper Arlington, OH 43220-2913
Defending Justice and Inspiring Greatness UNMASK THE HIDDEN POWER OF SUPERHEROES
Superhero movies have dominated the movie industry for over a decade now. The big blockbusters each year seem to always involve characters from the Marvel or DC universes. There’s so much excitement whenever a new “Avengers” or “Batman” movie is announced, and viewers flock to the theater to see these movies on opening day so they can avoid the risk of seeing spoilers online. Those who have
up against an ultimate evil with usually only a few friends on his side and a
mentor. These stories can be incredibly inspirational, and some lines spoken by the main characters can strike a chord with viewers. In “The Dark Knight,” the
Joker threatens to kill many people unless Batman reveals his identity. Batman asks his butler
Alfred what he should do, to which Alfred responds, “Endure, Master Wayne. They’ll
read my newsletter for a while know how much I loved comic books in my youth. My appreciation for anything superhero-related has only grown over the years. On Aug. 1, we recognize Spider-Man Day, which gives us a chance to watch a movie or read a story about our favorite superheroes. I’ve always enjoyed the Spider-Man character and thought Tobey Maguire did the character justice when he starred as Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the “Spider-Man” movies of the 2000s. That they brought him back for “Spider- Man: No Way Home” was a cool experience. I liked the “Spider-Man” movies, and I’ve also enjoyed “Superman” movies, but the superhero who has remained my all-time favorite since childhood is Batman. My entire family enjoys the Batman character. My kids, my grandkids, and even my wife have shown interest in Batman. My wife drives an all-black Kia Telluride with a custom plate and cover referencing the Dark Knight. Inside that car, we have a couple of cool Batman car seats for the grandkids. They have the Batman face on top with ears and a cape for the kids to drape around themselves. Two of my sons have dressed as Batman and looked the part.
hate you for it, but that’s the point of Batman. He can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make. The right choice.” Lines like that can send shivers down your spine. In many ways, I feel a connection to Batman through my work. None of my clients want to get hurt; most just want to return to their normal lifestyles, but claims cost companies money. These companies fight the claim, hoping to save their money by ignoring problems and not helping the people who were injured while helping the company grow. When people call me for help, it’s like my personal Bat-Signal. I can jump into action and help my clients get what they deserve. I stand by their side in this battle against darker forces. Superheroes can inspire us to do great things with our lives. Although we might not have super strength, the ability to fly, or infinite wealth that lets us create an awe-inspiring suit and vehicle, we can still help others in our own way. The next time you watch a superhero movie or read a comic book, let the inspiration flow through you. You may even discover a new way to help others.
What fascinates me about Batman and really superhero stories as a whole is that they’re often retellings of the hero’s story. You have a hero standing
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ART THIEVES MADE HER FAMOUS A LITTLE-KNOWN PAINTING CAUSED WORLDWIDE FRENZY
Tensions were building in Europe as World War I was imminent, and that soon led to suspicions of German interference. The Louvre was shut down for nearly a week amid the frenzy but soon reopened with an empty space where the “Mona Lisa” once hung, bringing in countless
On Aug. 21, 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia made history and immortalized a once unnoticed painting. Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” was stolen long before the iconic painting was heavily secured as it is now. Peruggia and two other Italian handymen stole the now-infamous portrait from the Louvre. What ensued is one of the most internationally followed thefts of modern times. Historian James Zug shared with National Public Radio the odd nature of Peruggia’s choice of art, as “the ‘Mona Lisa’ wasn’t even the most famous painting in its gallery, let alone in the Louvre.” The painting was so inconspicuous that it took a whole 28 hours before anyone realized it was missing. Headlines ran worldwide of the mysterious theft and even pointed suspicion at the famous American art lover and tycoon J.P. Morgan and renowned artist Pablo Picasso!
spectators. It actually took an entire 28 months before the painting was finally returned. When Peruggia and his crew could not sell the picture due to the sheer magnitude of the investigation, they tried one last-ditch effort over a year later to sell it, only for them to be reported and finally arrested. His sentence? Eight months in prison! After his capture, the art thief changed his story from looking to sell the painting to wanting to return the “Mona Lisa” to her country of origin as a symbol of national pride. Noah Charney, a professor of art history and author, explained that the theft made the “Mona Lisa” famous. “There was nothing that really distinguished it per se, other than it was a very good work by a very famous artist — that’s until it was stolen,” Charney detailed. “If a different one of Leonardo’s works had been stolen, then that would have been the most famous work in the world — not the Mona Lisa.”
Client Story: Tinh P.
Tinh P. and her husband moved to the Columbus area from Southeast Asia at a young age. After their three children started school, Tinh went to work on the assembly line at a large food processing plant. After several years, she noticed the onset of pain in her hands and elbows and was diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Following surgery to each wrist, she returned to work, but her condition did not improve. She wore night splints and took appropriate medication but complained of pain in both wrists and experienced numbness and tingling in her middle, ring, and little fingers. Repeat surgeries did not improve her condition. The following year, she slipped on a wet floor and fell, suffering a microfracture of the near inner ear, strains and sprains from her neck to her lower back, and a disc herniation in her neck. Given that surgery failed to improve her wrists, Tinh opted not to undergo surgery for her herniated disc. Instead, her doctors
recommended pain management, including a series of epidural steroid injections. She subsequently developed myofascial pain syndrome in her neck, a condition that results in significant pain and loss of motion. Her employer vigorously fought her treatment and all of the additional conditions. We were successful in overcoming the reports of the hired defense doctors and obtaining approval for the additional conditions and treatment following many hearings over several years. Ultimately, Tinh’s employer inquired about settlement of the claims, and we were able to negotiate a settlement of nearly $200,000, four times higher than the employer’s initial offer. Tinh and her husband have continued to send us Christmas cards each year, telling us how they continue to pray for all of us. It was a blessing and honor to represent her, and it is exciting that her children have gone on to complete professional degrees in medicine and elsewhere.
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A MIRACLE AT 30,000 FEET
A WOMAN’S HEROIC ACTIONS TO SAVE A LIFE
One of the greatest fears many of us have is that something will happen to us when we’re on a plane over 30,000 feet in the air. We’ve seen it happen time and time again on TV shows and in the movies. A flight attendant comes over the intercom asking if anyone on board has any medical experience. This exact scenario played out on a flight to Baltimore from The Bahamas, and thankfully, there was someone on the plane who could help. Emily Raines works as an acute care nurse at a Baltimore hospital. She had taken a vacation to The Bahamas with her boyfriend, a former nurse, and was enjoying her flight home when the unexpected happened. Over the intercom, a flight attendant informed passengers that a man was having a medical emergency and asked for help from anyone with medical experience. Emily immediately volunteered and jumped into action. Before leaving their seats, Emily turned to her boyfriend and said, “If we have to do compressions, I need you to do the compressions. I’ll take
care of everything else.” They moved a few rows up to the man with the emergency, who was slumped over, purple in the face, and not breathing. Emily and her boyfriend gave the man CPR for 23 minutes. With seven minutes to go until the plane landed, the man started breathing again. He was taken to the hospital right after the plane landed. Emily stated, “We were amped because it’s so awesome to have that feeling, and afterward, you’re just like, ‘Oh wow, we did this. We saved somebody’s life.’” Soon after the incident, Emily received a message from the spouse of the man she saved, thanking her for her efforts in saving the man’s life. Emily was just glad to hear the man was doing okay! We can only hope someone as courageous and helpful as Emily is around if we ever experience our own medical emergency.
SUDOKU
MUNCHIES WITH MOLLY
GRILLED HALIBUT WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
Inspired by FoodAndWine.com
INGREDIENTS •
1 16-oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
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1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
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5 garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 6-oz skin-on halibut fillets
2 tsp honey
DIRECTIONS
1. In a food processor or blender, mix bell peppers, garlic, vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Transfer sauce to a bowl; whisk in oil. 2. Into a large plastic zipper bag, pour 1 cup of sauce; add halibut fillets and seal bag; turn to coat fillets. Let marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Reserve remaining sauce for serving. 3. Preheat a grill to medium-high (400–450 F). Remove halibut from marinade; scrape off excess. 4. On oiled grill grates, arrange fillets and grill, covered, until fish flakes easily, 4–5 minutes per side. 5. Transfer fillets to serving plates or a large platter. Drizzle with reserved sauce. Serve alongside preferred veggies and crusty bread.
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Phone: 614-334-4649 www.monastlaw.com 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. Bldg 2, Suite 2117 Upper Arlington, OH 43220-2913
LAW OFFICE MONAST
Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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How Jim Takes Inspiration From Batman
How Did ‘Mona Lisa’ Become Famous?
Client Story
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When Duty Calls
Grilled Halibut With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
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Can You Solve This 18th-Century Cipher?
DISCOVER THE THEORIES BEHIND SHEPHERD’S MONUMENT
A mysterious 18th-century code has made even the most renowned geniuses lose sleep and continues to puzzle the world. On the grounds of Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire, England, lies the baffling code that refuses to be cracked. The Shepherd’s Monument was commissioned by British Parliament member Thomas Anson and sculpted by Peter Schee around the mid to late 1700s. But what makes this monument so mysterious? On the monument is an engraving of Nicolas Poussin’s painting “The Shepherds of Arcadia” and the inscription “ OUOSVAVV ” framed by the letters “ DM ,” which are placed slightly lower than the main eight letters. While the inscription has a long history of confusing the public (including Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin), the monument’s mystery was reignited after its appearance in the bestselling novel “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown. Now, countless
theories have been made, but no confirmed meaning exists. So, what are the conspiracy theories out there behind this vague inscription?
discovery may make the most sense. Linguistic expert Keith Massey utilized his expansive knowledge of Latin to develop the phrase “ Oro Ut Omnes Sequantur Viam Ad Veram Vitam, ” which translates to “I pray that all may follow the Way to True Life.” This phrase was common on ancient Christian tombs. The primary hint was the mysterious “DM,” which Massey determined was “ Dis Manibus ” or “for the Manes,” another phrase seen on ancient Christian tombs. Massey explained, “My solution provides a straightforward and grammatical sentence, all parts of which are attested in tomb inscriptions and texts predating or contemporary with the creation of the Shugborough inscription.” Do you agree? Is this finally the true meaning behind this riddle, or is there still more to be uncovered?
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Masonic symbols lead to the hidden location of the Holy Grail with the outside letters “DM,” meaning “Devout Mason.” A tribute to Anson’s late wife with the letters standing for “Optimae Uxoris Optimae Sororis Viduus Amantissimus Vovit Virtutibus ,” meaning, “Best of wives, best of sisters, a most devoted widower dedicates [this] to your virtues.” The monument is a dead end with jumbled letters to taunt those who look too deeply into inscriptions.
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While these theories have been the predominantly believed meanings for centuries, one recent
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