Travis Black - July 2020

Travis Black - July 2020

BLACK & D E PAOLI, PC THE LAW OFFICE OF Be Heard

JULY 2020

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THE VALUE OF WORKING AND SAVING MY FIRST CAR

My dad was very much old school. He believed that you had to work for what you wanted. Our family was pretty poor when I was growing up, and I can remember my dad giving my mom $25 a week to buy groceries. But as a kid, I never knew we were struggling. Even though we might not have had a lot, we had everything we needed, and that always seemed like enough. When I turned 16, I wanted a car, but I couldn’t afford one. So, I went to my dad and asked him if I could drive the family car, and he told me I could drive it for six months, then I had to buy my own car. At the time, I was working as a box boy at a local grocery store and was making nowhere near enough to afford a car. Even if I saved up for six months, I knew I still wouldn’t have enough. But my dad was pretty adamant. We’d had discussions like this before when he told me that when I was old enough to drive, I would have to save up enough to get a car or I’d suffer for it. It drove me crazy, but I wasn’t discouraged. For the next six months, every dime I made was put into a fund for a car. At one point, my mother had talked to my grandfather about what was going on, and he invited me to come over and see him. I had my license at this point and wanted to drive the family car down to Los Angeles myself, but my mom was adamant that it was too far for me and ended up driving both of us to his house. I remember that not being allowed to drive somewhere I really wanted to drive really hurt my feelings. When we got there, we

talked for a while, then my grandfather told me he had something for me. We walked out into his garage, and there was a car sitting there with a cover on it. We pulled it off, and there was a 1956 Oldsmobile Delta 88. Not only was it the largest car I’d ever seen, but I honestly don’t remember ever seeing my grandfather with this car before that moment. Once the cover came off, he told me that I could have the car, and I just couldn’t believe it. The catch was that I had to help get it running again. It had been sitting untouched in his garage for several years because he had another car he’d been using to get around. This was around 1966, which meant the car was about 10 years old, and that age showed. It had the original tires on it, had a dead battery, and wouldn’t start — I don’t think it had been driven in about five years. So, my grandfather and I started to work on it. I remember when we got to work, he put

these old coveralls on, and I’d never seen him like that before. It was pretty special. When we finally got the car running, I was able to drive it home, and I was so proud. Not only had I used my own savings to get it back up and running, but it meant so much to me that my grandfather had given it to me. When I got it home, I learned that my dad and grandfather had actually planned this for months. Dad knew I was going to get this car and encouraged me to work and save so that I could have enough money to patch it up. Not only did it give me a feeling of independence, like all kids feel when they get their first car, but it also gave me a sense of what hard work can do. It taught me the value of working and saving and filled me with a sense of pride I wouldn’t have had without my dad and grandfather. The time I spent working with my grandfather and my dad are memories I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. –Travis Black

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NURTURE YOUR CREATIVE PASSION

WITH THESE 3 ONLINE ART COURSES

All forms of art, like painting, drawing, and even sculpting, can be relaxing hobbies, sources of extra income, or professional careers. And with today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to begin learning a new art form. If you have an eager student at home who wants to try their hand in the arts or perfect their craft, then look into online art courses. There are many different courses available, and you should do some research to see which course is best for your student, but here are three to get you started. DRAWING AND SKETCHING FOR BEGINNERS BY ROBIN SLEE This course is available through Udemy, and, at the reasonable price of $29.99, is perfect for anyone wanting to test the waters. Slee takes students through the key fundamentals of drawing, such as how to

hold a pencil correctly and how to make different kinds of marks. His calm voice and simple explanations in each course help students feel encouraged as they work. The course comes with three hours of video content segmented into 25 modules and a Q&A section where students can post questions, ask for feedback, and share their work. Find this course at Udemy.com/course/ sketching-for-beginners. INK DRAWING TECHNIQUES WITH YUKO SHIMIZU A student who prefers ink over pencil can learn drawing techniques through Yuko Shimizu’s class on Skillshare. As a veteran instructor at the School of Visual Arts, Shimizu is ready to help you on your journey to learn the essentials of inking. In the 90-minute course, Shimizu covers a lot of

ground, which both novice and experienced ink artists will benefit from. Find this course by searching for ink drawing techniques on Skillshare.com. NEWMASTERS ACADEMY Known as one of the best art academies online, New Masters Academy (NMA) offers hundreds of hours of prerecorded video lectures that students can watch and follow along with as they paint, draw, and sketch. The standard fee starts at $35 a month, but with a premium membership at $44 a month, students can access NMA’s 3D reference library and over 20,000 reference images. To learn more and become familiar with the academy’s instructors, visit their website at NMA.art.

DOG BITES AND CALIFORNIA LAW

KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE A CASE Taking your dog for a walk is a great way to get outside and get in some exercise, especially in the summer, when people want to get out of the house for a few minutes and get some fresh air. However, this also means that you need to be careful. Although dogs are the most popular, friendly, and loving pets in the world, some of them can inflict serious wounds by biting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dogs bite about 2% of the population each year, which is estimated to be about 4.7 million people. Of those bites, 800,000 are serious enough to need medical or emergency care. When a bite is serious, it can cause permanent physical disability or disfigurement, lost income, and even job loss. In the event that you are bitten by a dog, you may be eligible for liability. Under California Civil Code section 3342, a dog owner may be held strictly liable for a dog bite if it occurs in a public place or if the victim is lawfully in a private place, including the home of the dog owner. A victim can lawfully be on the dog owner’s property for many reasons, such as for housework or via an invitation. If a victim is bitten on the dog owner’s property, the victim is not required to know whether or not the dog has a vicious nature. Instead, they just need to prove that they were injured by the dog and that they were either in a public place or lawfully somewhere private when the bite occurred.

Dog owners should manage their pets and take the appropriate steps needed to ensure the safety of others. When that safety is neglected, it can result in a serious injury that could cost a dog bite victim their livelihood and much more. If you or someone you know has been bitten by a dog, call The Law Office of Black & DePaoli at 916.962.2896.

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‘THE GREAT ESCAPE’

THE DARING TRUE STORY OF AN ALLIED GETAWAY DURING WWII

What do Steve “The King of Cool” McQueen, Richard Attenborough, and James Garner have in common? They all starred in the 1963 World War II classic “The Great Escape.” What makes the movie amazing to watch isn’t just that it’s full of legendary stars like McQueen and Garner or the fact that the action sequences were filmed using practical stunts, not special effects. What makes it truly incredible is that this story actually happened. Based on WWII veteran Paul Brickhill’s book, “The Great Escape” depicts a group of Allied officers as they attempt to escape from Stalag Luft III, one of the most heavily reinforced prison camps under German watch. Loose sand, raised prison housing, and seismographic microphones were all meant to deter prisoners from digging their way out. But one prisoner wasn’t discouraged. Squadron Leader Roger Bushell saw these factors as obstacles to overcome rather than inescapable conditions. And in the spring of 1943, he initiated a plan to get himself and 200 of his fellow prisoners out of the camp.

During the next year, over 600 prisoners helped with the effort of digging tunnels underneath Stalag Luft III. They had to be deep enough that the microphones couldn’t detect them and long enough to reach outside of the camp’s walls. On a chilly night in 1944 — a year after the endeavor began — one tunnel was finally ready, and the prisoners began their exit.

In all, 76 Allied men managed to escape from Stalag Luft III. While freedom was short-lived for some, the escapees were successful in redirecting Nazi efforts from the front lines. And as veteran Jack Lyon said of the escape, “It did do a lot for morale, particularly for those prisoners who’d been there for a long time. They felt they were able to contribute something, even if they weren’t able to get out.” For the rest of the story, you’ll have to watch the movie or read the book. You can watch “The Great Escape” on Amazon Prime, and you can find Brickhill’s daring tale at most book retailers.

BE INSPIRED

THE BEST GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES

DIRECTIONS 1. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. 2. Brush vegetables with olive oil and place in a large bowl. Top with lemon juice and seasoning mixture. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. Contrary to popular belief, vegetables are delicious. Most of our parents just didn’t know how to prepare them well. This summer, revolutionize your cookout with a serving of delicious, colorful veggies.

“PEOPLEWHO ARE CRAZY ENOUGH TO THINK THEY CAN CHANGE THEWORLD, ARE THE ONESWHO DO.” – ROB SILTANEN

INGREDIENTS • 1 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning • 1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced • 2 lbs assorted vegetables, trimmed and halved (asparagus, mushrooms, red onion, red bell peppers, baby carrots, and yellow squash are great on the grill) • 5 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped

3. Prepare the grill at medium-high heat.

4. Grill vegetables in batches, cooking 3–5 minutes on each side until browned and tender. (Carrots will cook longer, 6–9 minutes per side.)

5. Remove from the grill, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

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Inspired by DinnerAtTheZoo.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

BLACK & D E PAOLI, PC THE LAW OFFICE OF Be Heard

1839 Iron Point Rd. #160, Folsom, CA 95630 Phone: 916.962.2896 bdlawteam.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE A 16-Year-Old’s Hard Work PAGE 1 Taking Art Classes From Home PAGE 2 Liability for Dog Bites PAGE 2 Inside the Biggest Escape Attempt of WWII PAGE 3 The Secret to Delicious Grilled Veggies PAGE 3 Shop Smarter With Information About Your Sunscreen PAGE 4

DON’T LET FANCY LABELS FOOL YOU KNOW WHICH COMMON SUNSCREEN INGREDIENTS MAY BE HARMFUL

Lately, it seems like the word “natural” has been slapped on products as readily as candy is passed out on Halloween. But what does natural even mean? It could be just about anything because there’s no regulation on the use of the word. So-called natural products may include asthma-inducing chemicals or plant-based ingredients that can cause severe reactions. But reading the list of ingredients may cause confusion as well. How do you know which ingredients are safe for you and your family? For sunscreen, one of the most important summertime products, the research nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) has done the work for you. Here are some suggestions. WORDS TO BE WARY OF Read ingredient labels carefully when you’re choosing products. In addition to long chemical names and “natural” printed all over

the labels, “fragrance” is another that has almost no regulation. Many “fragrant” scents in lotions and sunscreens are synthetic and can trigger allergies. Oxybenzone is another commonly listed ingredient in sunscreen that has been linked to hormone disruption and allergies and has been flagged as potentially risky by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Along with octinoxate, an ultraviolet-filtering chemical, oxybenzone has also been shown to cause damage to coral reefs.

sunglasses, and clothing is also an effective way to protect yourself from the sun.

Companies use complex words to mask potentially harmful ingredients, but don’t let them stump you. A quick Google search can often reveal what these words mean. For details on specific ingredients, check EWG.org, which lists and scores products and ingredients based on their health and environmental risks. Their site also provides downloadable sunscreen guides to help you shop smarter and safer.

WHAT TO CHOOSE After several yearslong studies, the

FDA reported that there’s only enough information to deem two sunscreen ingredients safe and effective: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Look for brands that feature one or both of these as the main active ingredient(s) and avoid those with oxybenzone. Covering up with a hat,

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