Kunkel Law Firm - March 2022

Kunkel Law Firm - March 2022

MARCH 2022 KunkelCase Files 888-228-9680 • www.KunkelLawFirm.com • [email protected]

FROM THE DESK OF

Gregory Kunkel, Esq.

MARCH 2022 HOLIDAYS March 1 - Mardi Gras Carnival (New Orleans) March 2 - Read Across America Day March 3 - National Anthem Day March 4 - Employee Appreciation Day March 5 - National Cheese Doodle Day March 6 - National Dentist’s Day March 7 - National Cereal Day March 8 - International Women’s Day March 9 - National Barbie Day March 10 - World Kidney Day March 11 - Promposal Day March 12 - National Girl Scout Day March 13 - Daylight Saving March 14 - National Pi Day March 15 - The Ides of March March 16 - National Panda Day March 17 - St. Patrick’s Day March 18 - National Sloppy Joe Day March 19 - Certified Nurses Day March 20 - March Equinox March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day March 22 - National Goof Off Day March 23 - National Puppy Day March 24 - World Tuberculosis Day March 25 - National Tolkien Reading Day March 26 - Epilepsy Awareness Day – Purple Day March 27 - National Scribble Day March 28 - National Something on a Stick Day March 29 - Mom and Pop Business Owners Day March 30 - Doctors’ Day March 31 - National Vietnam War Veterans Day

The Power and Influence of Women 6 Inventions Created to Their Credit

March 8 is International Women’s Day! I am grateful and honored to be surrounded by so many great women in my life. They have truly made me the person I am today. In honor of this special day, let’s take a look at some inventions that you may not know were created by women. See if you knew any of these impressive facts — I certainly didn’t until now! Computer Software Grace Hopper joined the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was assigned to work on the Mark 1, a new computer. In the 1950s, she was one of the pioneers of computer programming and was part of a team that created COBOL, one of the first modern programming languages. Hopper drove huge scientific leaps forward to help us get the computer software that we use today. The Circular Saw Tabitha Babbitt was a weaver, and she suggested the idea that lumber workers use a circular saw rather than a pit saw. She created a prototype in 1803 and added the attachment to a spinning wheel. Legend has it that she got the idea for this saw after seeing two men struggling with a pit saw. Today, we consider this invention one of the most important creations in the lumber industry. Solar Houses Maria Telkes, a biophysicist, created the first solar house in 1947. With the help of an architect, Eleanor Raymond, they kept a house in Dover, Massachusetts, warm for three winters. Telkes captured sunlight with a double layer of glass and a black sheet

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of metal, then warm air was piped into the walls. She was given a grant from the Ford Foundation to create solar houses for people living in all latitudes. Today, we see many solar-paneled houses and businesses, and they continue to expand across the nation. The Dishwasher Josephine Cochrane invented the first automatic dishwasher that involved a motor turning the wheel inside a copper boiler. How did she come up with this ingenious invention? She wanted a machine that would relieve housewives of the duty of washing dishes after every meal. Cochrane’s invention has evolved into the dishwashers that most of us have in our homes today. Home Security Systems Marie Van Brittan Brown was a nurse who was often home alone at night. During the 1960s, there was a rise in the crime rate and a decrease in police responses, and she began to feel unsafe in her own home. With help from her husband, she created a camera powered by a motor that looked through the peepholes in her front door. The alarm was paired with a monitor in her bedroom and an alarm button. This simple, effective design has since been transformed into full home security products, like Ring cameras! Monopoly The game we all know and love was created by Elizabeth Magie in 1904. She is an inventor and stenographer who created this game

to educate people about monopolies, unchecked capitalism, and the negative effects of having vast sums of wealth. Monopoly was ranked as one of the best-selling games in 2020 and 2021, and to this day, Monopoly is still educating people. All of these inventions are items that most of us use every day in our daily lives. There are so many strong and powerful women in this world. On March 8, be sure to thank the women in your life for everything they have done and continue to do for you.

I DON’T WANT TO BE LIKE MIKE Why One Man Sued Michael Jordan for $832 Million

Many people have been told they have a passing resemblance to a celebrity, and they usually have a funny story or two. To Allen Ray Heckard, his celebrity look-alike was no laughing matter. In 2006, he sued Michael Jordan for looking too much like him and ruining his life. The amount of the lawsuit was $832 million, and Heckard not only sued Jordan but also Nike, reasoning that the company helped Jordan achieve his incredible fame. The complaint argued that the resemblance to Jordan “has troubled Heckard’s nerves” and being stopped by fans caused him emotional distress for over 15 years. He requested damages for defamation, permanent injury, and pain and suffering. For someone tired of being “recognized,” Heckard didn’t shy away from media coverage. When asked how he arrived at the astronomical $832 million lawsuit figure, he gave this much-shared (yet difficult to parse) answer: “Well, you figure with my age, and you multiply that by seven and, ah, then I turn around and, ah, I figure that’s what it all boils down to.” When asked why he felt the resemblance to Jordan had affected his life so negatively, he could only answer, “I want to be recognized as me, just like Michael’s recognized as Michael.” Funnily enough, most people didn’t think Heckard and Jordan looked alike at all. While each had a bald head, mustache, and a

gold earring, the similarities seemed to end there. Many news stories noted that, compared to Jordan, Heckard is 8 years older and 6 inches shorter. One question reporters did not appear to ask was why Heckard felt that Jordan should be held personally liable for hundreds of millions of dollars simply for his natural appearance. Sadly, we will probably never

know the answer because the case ended rather unceremoniously. After a few weeks, Heckard dropped the lawsuit. He never publicly shared why, but a Nike spokesperson was glad to speculate that Heckard “finally realized he would end up paying our court costs if the lawsuit went to trial.” In the end, many ‘90s kids would argue that Heckard was most guilty of looking a gift horse in the mouth. After all, there is no higher achievement than to “be like Mike.”

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It’s More Than Just Tidying Up 4 Health Benefits of Spring-Cleaning It prevents illnesses. Doorknobs, refrigerator handles, light switches, countertops, and remote controls are all things we touch many times a day. Cleaning anything that’s used often is one way to reduce the spread of germs. By keeping household surfaces clean, we help thwart the spread of viruses and illnesses. Spring-cleaning helps you breathe better. Spring often brings pollen that triggers allergies for many. But pollen isn’t the only thing to blame when people have difficulty breathing. When dust and pet dander build up in your home, your respiratory system is greatly affected too. Deep-cleaning your air filters and vents can make breathing effortless — and it’s truly amazing how this can improve your well-being. It keeps you more active. Off the couch and on your feet! Even just running the vacuum and clearing the clutter from the dining room table will get you up and moving, which is healthy for your heart and body.

Sunday, March 20, is the first day of spring — which means it’s time for some spring-cleaning. Did you know that cleaning is not just about tidying up a physical space? It’s also about improving overall well-being. Here’s how organization and cleanliness can help you in more ways than you might expect. Spring-cleaning reduces stress and depression. Tidiness and mental health are actually connected. Studies have found that having a clean home is directly correlated to happiness and your ability to focus. Anxiety can spike when laundry is piling up, items are strewn everywhere, and papers get scattered on various surfaces within the home. Clearing the clutter is a great way to boost your mood and increase those feel-good hormones.

This spring season, putting some elbow grease into your cleaning will benefit you in more ways than one. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later!

Have a Laugh!

EASY MARCH MADNESS CHILI

Inspired by MyRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef • 2 tbsp chili powder • 1 tbsp Creole seasoning • 1 tsp ground cumin

• 2 16-oz cans diced tomatoes • 2 16-oz cans small red beans • 2 8-oz cans tomato sauce

Directions

1. In a deep pot, brown the beef, stirring often. 2. Once beef is cooked, add chili powder, Creole seasoning, and cumin, cooking for 1 minute. 3. Stir in diced tomatoes, beans, and tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. 4. After the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and let chili simmer for 15 minutes. 5. Serve with toppings of choice, like cheese, sour cream, or chives.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Gregory Kunkel, Esq. PAGE 1 March 8 Is International Women’s Day! PAGE 1 Someone Sued Michael Jordan? PAGE 2 Get Healthy While Spring-Cleaning! PAGE 3 Have a Laugh! PAGE 3 Easy March Madness Chili PAGE 3 Meet ‘Dr. Peyo’ — France’s Only 4-Legged Doc PAGE 4

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Meet France’s 4-Legged Doctor ‘Dr. Peyo’ the Therapy Horse Will See You Now!

Imagine you’re sitting in a French hospital, minding your own business and waiting for a doctor to see you. Suddenly, the elevator doors slide open and a full-sized horse clip-clops out into the waiting room! That might sound like something out of a children’s book, but it’s actually a regular occurrence at Calais Hospital. There, a therapy horse named Peyo visits sick and dying patients to help ease their anxiety, bring them comfort, and distract them from their pain. Peyo — affectionately known as “Dr. Peyo” by the staff at Calais — wasn’t always a therapy horse. In his early life, he competed in dressage, but it didn’t take long for his trainer to realize Peyo was more interested in the crowd than the competition. In a moving article about Peyo, The Guardian reported, “After shows, he would pick out people in the crowd, approach them, and choose to stay next to them.” This was the first sign of Peyo’s secret talent: Like a bomb-sniffing dog, it appears Peyo can detect cancerous tumors. In the hospital, he uses a raised hoof to point his trainer toward rooms he’d like to visit. Inside, he comforts the dying patients and their families. “What really pushed scientists to take an interest in him and open the health establishment doors to us was this [seeming] ability to

greatly reduce [the patients’ dosage of] all hard drugs and thus allow a more peaceful departure,” Peyo’s trainer, Hassen Bouchakour, told The Guardian.

Peyo has been working as a therapy horse since 2016 and stood

vigil by the bedsides of more than 1,000 people, bringing them comfort and letting their children ride him through the hospital halls. It’s an amazing achievement for a 15-year-old horse! Of course, Peyo is far from the only animal visiting hospitals to bring people comfort. Here in the U.S., Johns Hopkins partners with more than 15 volunteer therapy dog teams that make patients smile, lower their blood pressure, improve their mood, and reduce their pain. At least 45 hospitals in the country have similar programs. Want to know if your local hospital employs therapy animals? Visit their website to find out. You might be surprised by what you learn!

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