Law Office of Elliott Kanter APC February 2018

www.enkanter.com

February 2018

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: ‘GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY’ SELF-HELP THAT ACTUALLY HELPS

A big part of being both a father and an attorney is encouraging others to strive toward the life they want for themselves. “Do what you want to do” is a mantra I’ve told my daughters time and time again. I’ve even passed this advice on to clients who have expressed uncertainty about their future. Recently, I discovered a book that really captures this philosophy. TOO OFTEN WE STRIVE FOR PERFECTION OR LET OUR FEAR OF FAILURE PARALYZE US. WE HAVE TO ACCEPT OUR SHORTCOMINGS AND STOP BUILDING IMAGINARY OBSTACLES AROUND THEM. “Get Out of Your Own Way” by public relations expert Justin Loeber, has made quite the impression on me. Normally, I am not interested in the self-help genre. I’ve tried to pick up books in this vein over the years, but I’ve found they mostly contain the same dull, repackaged advice. “Never give up,” they tell you. “Dream big,” they advise. But rarely do these works delve into any concrete ways to actually do these things.

Loeber’s book is different. For starters, it is actually helpful. The whole work stays centered on its tagline: “10 Steps to Shift Gears, Dream Big, Do it Now!” All of these steps are practical, attainable, and keep the work grounded in reality. Loeber isn’t here to offer soothing, empty platitudes. He’s interested in actually helping people — something surprisingly rare in this genre. This really comes across in his writing. He keeps his tone down to earth, almost conversational. While some may find his language “too millennial,” I think it’s a refreshing approach. Most self-help books are written as if the author is talking down to the reader. With over 30 years of experience as a defense lawyer, I can say this is the last tone you want to take with someone you are trying to help. The overarching lesson of “Get Out of Your Own Way” is to do just that: stop holding yourself back. We all have those moments of self-doubt where we worry we aren’t smart, attractive, or talented enough to get anywhere in this life. Too often we strive for perfection or let our fear of failure paralyze us. We have to accept our shortcomings and stop building imaginary obstacles around them. Reading this book has been a great reminder of why I chose to pursue my own dream of being a lawyer. I’ve since given copies to my

daughters, despite the fact they’ve both proven more than capable of chasing their passions. My eldest now works in PR herself, and my youngest is vigorously pursuing her dream of being an actor! I couldn’t be more proud. I, too, am pursuing a longstanding dream: renovating the office. We’ve been in the same space for over 20 years, and it’s time for a fresh coat of paint, among other things. In the short term, that means we’ll be occupying a slightly smaller space just downstairs from our usual location. Thank you for bearing with us as we bring our dream of an updated office to fruition. It will enable us to serve you even better in the long term.

Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams,

-Elliott Kanter

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Law office of Elliott Kanter APC | (619) 231-1883

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FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS Not unlike computer science, baking requires a strict order of operations. The wet and dry ingredients often need to be mixed separately and then folded together. It only takes one deviation from the instructions for a pastry to go from delicious to disgusting. Spending time in the kitchen, then, is a great way for kids to learn the importance of reading directions carefully and comprehending what they’ve just read. CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING Cuisine is a fundamental part of every culture. Introducing your child to dishes from around the world will expand their horizons. Want your child to be a less picky eater? Involving them in the cooking process is the surest way to get them excited about trying new flavors and ingredients. NUTRITION Now, you might not think that baking cookies will encourage greater nutritional awareness, but hear us out. Sugar is often buried within packaged foods. When you bake something at home, a child gets to see, firsthand, just how much sugar goes into certain sweets. Meanwhile, cooking savory dishes also allows them to learn what constitutes a balanced, healthy diet.

EDUCATION IN THE KITCHEN

WHAT YOUR CHILD CAN LEARN FROM BAKING

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you’re probably wracking your brain for the perfect recipe to bake for your loved one. There’s nothing wrong with store-bought chocolate, but there’s no topping the personal touch of some homemade baked goods. If you have kids, baking alongside them can be just as rewarding as enjoying the fruits of your labor. As an added bonus, baking is a hands-on opportunity where your child can learn all sorts of important concepts. Here is a short list of some of the educational lessons hiding in your kitchen. MATH Baking is a numbers game. Just take a look at any recipe, and you’ll recognize the importance of math in building a beautiful cake. Having children measure out ingredients helps them learn about fractions and ratios. You can also test your kids by doubling or halving a recipe for multiplication and division practice. With older kids, practice unit conversions by asking, for example, how many pints are in half a gallon.

WHEN THE DOG BITES JUST REMEMBER A FEW THINGS

Sometimes, even a dog that seems friendly can feel threatened or scared and lash out. When you’ve been bit by someone else’s dog, it can be a traumatic experience. In the immediate aftermath, the best thing you can do is keep calm, look after your health, and defend your rights. To do this, it is important to take the following steps after a dog attack in California. GET THE DOG’S INFORMATION It’s critical to find the dog’s owner. They can tell you the most important information about the animal that bit you. Be sure to ask the dog’s breed, weight, and the date of their last vaccination. We can’t emphasize this last point enough. Knowing the inoculation history of the dog can be the difference between healing from a bite or having to receive a painful rabies shot. If you cannot find the owner right away, it is best to assume the worst, and get vaccinated. GET THE OWNER’S INFORMATION In the state of California, owners are liable for the injuries caused by their dog. This means they will

most likely be held responsible for paying any medical bills that arise from the bite. If the injury occurred on the owner’s property, their homeowners insurance may cover the costs. Obtaining the owner’s name, insurance company, address, and phone number is a very important step toward reimbursement. GET TREATMENT Large dogs can cause grave injuries, such as crushed limbs and fractured bones. Even dog bites that seems like “no big deal” can become serious. Puncture wounds and lacerations can develop infections if left untreated. Other trauma can be less tangible, but just as serious. It is not uncommon for dog attack victims to suffer from PTSD. GET A LAWYER An experienced San Diego Dog Bite Attorney can help you in the aftermath of a dog attack. They’ll explain your rights, and advise the best route for getting compensation for your pain and suffering. If you or a loved one has been injured by someone’s pet, please give us a call and schedule a free consultation.

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Law office of Elliott Kanter APC | www.enkanter.com

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Even when nobody gets hurt, driving under the influence is a serious crime. When you get pulled over and fail a sobriety test, you will be arrested on suspicion of a DUI. The right decision would have been to find another ride home, but there’s no use trying to change the past. There are decisions you can make immediately after a DUI arrest to improve your situation going forward. DOCUMENT As soon as you can, write down everything you remember from your DUI stop. Where and when were you stopped? What did the officer say? What did you tell them about your evening? What types of tests were administered? Get this information down on paper while the memories are fresh, and only share it with your lawyer. KEEP QUIET You have a right to remain silent. You do have to take a test to determine alcohol level so as to not lose your driver’s license, but you do not have to discuss how much you had to drink, when you drank, or ate last, or last slept, etc. In person, this means informing officers that you are exercising your Fifth Amendment rights. Do not answer their questions without a lawyer present. In this day and age, you also have to make sure you are keeping quiet on the web. As soon as you are able, set your social media accounts to be private. Any incriminating photos of you online can be used against you in a court of law. The same goes for any tweets about your evening activities. GATHER WITNESSES Any friends or loved ones who were with you at the time of the stop, or just beforehand, can be invaluable to your case. Ideally, this will be a passenger in your car who can vouch for your sobriety or your friends from the restaurant who can verify you stopped drinking well before you got behind the wheel. TALK TO A LAWYER Your first phone call after a DUI should be to a San Diego DUI defense lawyer. An attorney experienced in criminal defense cases, like Elliott Kanter, will offer a free consultation to get an understanding of your situation, provide legal advice, and handle every aspect of your case. Seeking such an experienced professional ensures that your rights will be aggressively defended, greatly increasing your chances of a positive result from a difficult situation. THE AFTERMATH OF A DUI What to Do in an Arrest

BACON-WRAPPED TATER TOT BOMBS

INGREDIENTS

• •

1/4 cup brown sugar

• •

2 cups frozen tater tots, defrosted 1 ounce sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch squares

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

4 slices bacon, quartered

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. Press a cheese square into each tot, then wrap with a piece of bacon. Dredge each tot in brown sugar.

3. Place tots seam side down on baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn halfway through. 4. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.

(Recipe inspired by ThisGrandmaIsFun.com.)

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Law office of Elliott Kanter APC |(619) 231-1883

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Law Office of Elliott Kanter APC 2445 Fifth Ave #350, San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 231-1883

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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ARE YOU GETTING IN YOUR OWN WAY?

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COOK YOUR WAY TO BETTER GRADES WHAT TO DO AFTER A DOG ATTACK

3

STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A DUI CHARGE NOT SURE WHAT TO BRING TO THE SUPER BOWL PARTY?

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WHAT HAPPENED TO FEBRUARY?

WHY IS FEBRUARY SO SHORT?

February ensures that the new moon will always land right around Valentine’s Day. There’s no chance of even a waxing crescent for couples on that special night. But, how did this come to pass? February used to not exist at all. The calendar used by the ancient Romans would, at a glance, look very familiar to us. Its months had 30 and 31 days, and the year ended in December. But both January and February were missing. This is because the Romans, as an agricultural society, didn’t feel the need to track winter months. The days and weeks between December and the spring equinox were just, well, nothing. Eventually, the calendar was updated to more accurately reflect the lunar cycle. January and February were added, and the year was extended to 355 days. At the time, people believed that even numbers were unlucky, and the Roman ruler of that era, King Pompilius, was hesitant to create any more even-numbered months. But, to get everything to add up to 355, he had to leave one month stuck with unlucky number 28.

And the rest is history. Over the centuries, days were added here and there, the leap year was eventually instituted by Julius Caesar, and we came to the 365-day calendar we know today. But this year, as we let Valentine’s Day pass in the dark, think back to the legacy of King Pompilius and his one unlucky month.

If you were planning a romantic, moonlit stroll sometime this month, you’d better reschedule for March. But, on the bright side, if you’re terrified of werewolves, you can rest easy for the entire month of February. Every 20 years or so, because of its 28-day length, February lands between the zeniths of the lunar cycle. February passes without a full moon, while January and March get to double up. Astronomers call this event a “black moon,” and it’s happening this year for the first time since 1999. There’s a certain irony that comes with the full moon skipping the most romantic month of the year. In fact, a black moon AND WHY IS THERE NO FULL MOON THIS MONTH?

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