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January 2024
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How Teens Can Stay Safe Behind the Wheel
Missouri Ranks Second Worst for Teen Driver Safety
Missouri is ranked the second-worst state for teen driver safety. According to WalletHub, after evaluating all 50 states based on factors like safety, economic environment, and driving laws, Missouri turned up as the second-worst state for teen driver safety. It’s clear that teens face more risks on the road, not just in Missouri, but nationwide. In 2021, 2,608 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers. With January being Teen Driving Awareness Month, I wanted to share a few ways we can make the roads safer for everyone. Why Are Teens at Risk? Teen drivers pose their own unique risks when it comes to driving. While inexperience certainly plays a significant role in their increased hazards, these young drivers are also more likely to be involved in a collision due to poor seatbelt use, distracted driving, speeding, and substance use, which are all more likely to occur with drivers aged 15–20 years old according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The best way to keep your kids safe is by teaching them proper safety precautions every driver should take and by setting a good example with your own attentive driving. How to Keep Your Teen Driver Safe Deterring distracted driving is one of the most effective ways to keep your kids safe, especially if they’re prone to REFERRALS WELCOME Thank you for referring clients to us over the years. You will never be embarrassed by a referral to our office. We’re always available to lend a helping hand to anyone with any legal need. Just give us a call at (314) 961-5678 or visit us at BeckLawMO.com .
texting and driving. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares that dialing a phone number while driving increases your teen’s risk of an accident by 6 times, and texting while driving increases the risk by 23 times. Distracted driving doesn’t always involve smartphones. It can be caused by chatty passengers, eating, fumbling with the radio, or whatever takes away a driver’s attention from the road. Make sure your teen knows the importance of staying focused behind the wheel and the essential rules of defensive driving. Defensive Driving 101 If you need a refresher, a defensive driver remains alert while driving and prepared for unexpected hazards. This involves avoiding any activities that divert attention from the road. Defensive drivers also keep a safe following distance from the vehicle in front, which provides ample time for a driver to react to sudden stops and prevent a crash. Anticipating the actions of other drivers is also a crucial aspect of defensive driving. Skilled defensive drivers are mindful of signals, brake lights, and other indicators that may hint at the intentions of nearby vehicles. Additionally, they scan their surroundings regularly, checking mirrors and blind spots for potential dangers. Furthermore, defensive driving involves obeying traffic laws and speed limits, adapting to adverse weather conditions, and refraining from aggressive behaviors. By staying calm and collected, defensive drivers are better equipped to handle challenging situations. The best way to keep your teen driver safe is to ensure they are an informed and attentive defensive driver! Share these tips the next time your teen wants to hit the road.
-Paul Beck
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The Weird Actions of Brilliant Thinkers
Some of history’s greatest thinkers were more than a little eccentric. Let’s look at strange facts about five inventors, scientists, and philosophers who helped shape our world. Inventor Nikola Tesla walked around a building three times before entering it. He apparently became obsessed with the numbers 3, 6, and 9 and would only stay in hotel rooms that had a number divisible by 3.
Famed physicist Albert Einstein created a contract for his first wife that outlined her household duties. The contract established that she must provide fresh meals, clean laundry, and “silence on request.” Unsurprisingly, they divorced after 11 years. Scientist Marie Curie carried test tubes full of radioactive isotopes in her pockets almost everywhere she went. She also kept them in desk drawers and open areas around her lab. This practice is believed to have contributed to her death from aplastic anemia in 1934. The ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras was afraid of fava beans, which wasn’t an uncommon fear during his time. Myth said that fava beans contained the souls of the dead since they had a flesh-like appearance. Finally, Sir Isaac Newton once inserted a sewing needle into his eye for an experiment to learn about how the eye perceived color and light. Surely, there was a less gruesome way to test his hypothesis!
Nestled in northern Mexico near Durango lies a mysterious tract of land that has baffled some scientists and hobbyists for years: the Zone of Silence. According to urban myth, this enigmatic area is where radio signals and telecommunications mysteriously vanish into thin air. It all started in 1970 when a U.S. White Sands Missile Base missile veered off its predetermined path and crashed into this strange dead zone — 400 miles from its designated target. U.S. Air Force authorities employed local residents to recover the missile, all while keeping the specifics and location of the missile under wraps. When the rocket was eventually discovered in a sand mound, a complex retrieval system was established, which included extending a railroad track to the dune. Though the THE ZONE OF SILENCE: Where Science and Conspiracy Converge
objective was to maintain secrecy, this incident might have sparked even more questions about the area’s secrets. Since that time, theories and conspiracies about the area have grown. They range from odd UFO sightings and alien encounters to unexplained fossils and natural phenomena. Scientists in the area say there is no truth to these rumors, and those with expert knowledge of the area’s local flora and fauna can explain each discrepancy. Despite these rebuttals, though, conspiracy theorists continue to flock to the zone in search of “answers.”
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TAKE A BREAK
White noise is commonly used to help people fall asleep, but now, more people are using it to increase their concentration during the workday. By providing a consistent background sound, white noise can mask environmental distractions like chattering, traffic, or intermittent noises that may otherwise disturb concentration. Here are a few benefits of utilizing white noise in your day. Calming Effect White noise, especially calm nature sounds, exerts a soothing effect on the mind, providing a stable auditory environment that reduces sudden distractions. The calming influence can help you feel more positive and enable the mind to transition to a more conducive state for a deeper focus on work or study. Boosts Concentration White noise boosts concentration by increasing background neural “noise” in the brain, which helps essential neural signals to stand out and be detected, which can enhance cognitive performance. This can be particularly useful when you need to train your attention while tackling complex problems. Calm Your Mind, Boost Your Productivity: The Benefits of White Noise
Boots Candles Carnation Furnace Garnet Hockey Insulate Janus Opposite Resolution
Skating Sweater
Cheesy Chicken Chowder
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Ingredients
Enhances Creativity Some studies suggest that moderate white noise can improve creativity and
• 3 cups chicken broth • 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes • 1 cup diced carrots • 1 cup diced celery • 1/2 cup diced onion • 1 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese • 2 cups cooked and diced chicken
imaginative thinking. It keeps the
idea gateway open during the generative process and
Directions 1. In a 4-quart saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat and add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 2. In another medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour until smooth. Slowly stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat, then add cheese, stirring until melted. Add the cheesy mixture and chicken to the broth and heat it thoroughly!
enables you to think freely and develop novel solutions.
Whether you’re studying, working, or engaging in creative endeavors, the benefits of white noise extend to a wide range of activities, making it a versatile tool for enhancing focus.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
How to Keep Your Teens Safe on the Road
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Would You Put a Needle in Your Eye? The Secrets of the Zone of Silence
Cheesy Chicken Chowder White Noise: Your Secret to Enhanced Concentration
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4 Transform Your Home With These 3 Smart Devices! The Future of Home Living: DISCOVER THE MUST-HAVE SMART DEVICES FOR YOUR SPACE
When we think of technological innovations, we may focus on things like smartphones and self-driving cars. But in today’s fast-paced and ever-advancing world, our homes are experiencing smart revolutions of their own.
can set daily reminders for specific tasks, appointments, or medications; place outbound calls for emergencies; and even provide basic first-aid instructions when asked. Robot Vacuums On average, Americans spend six hours a week vacuuming their homes. While this task may seem simple, it can be quite physically demanding. Robot vacuums clean even the toughest spots (like under the couch!) all on their own, then return to their charging station. Smart Pet Feeders We love our furry friends, but feeding them at the same time every day can be a challenge. Not only that but feeding our four-legged friends requires a bit of bending, too. Luckily, smart pet feeders do all the work for you! They distribute food and water automatically and on a consistent schedule.
Smart home devices are easy to operate and make our lives easier. So, if you’re looking to make a digital upgrade to your home, here are three devices we recommend you check out. Voice-Activated Assistants Voice assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home’s “Hey Google,” and Apple Homepod’s Siri, can be incredibly helpful around the house. With just a simple verbal command, they
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