Podcast appearances and mentions of Thomas Fire

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Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2024 96:37

After chasing drug runners on the high seas as a Coast Guard officer and reporting on climate change for GlacierHub, Peter Deneen has found his true calling in the rugged landscapes of Ojai Valley. As the new Executive Director of Keep Sespe Wild, Deneen brings his distinct blend of military precision, journalistic insight, and environmental passion to one of Southern California's most precious wilderness areas. His path to conservation leadership reads like an adventure novel – surviving a mountain lion attack in Sisar Canyon, documenting the devastation of the Thomas Fire, and studying climate science at Columbia University. But it was a teenage bike crash that first connected him to the community he now serves, as a teenaged intern at the Ojai Valley News. Today, Deneen channels his diverse experience into protecting the Sespe's delicate ecosystem. From helping coordinate the Save White Sage campaign to tackle overharvesting, to addressing single-use plastic pollution, he's taking on the region's most pressing environmental challenges. As co-founder of the Sisar Canyon Run Club and board member for multiple local organizations including The CREW and Ojai Raptor Center, Deneen embodies the connection between community engagement and conservation. Join us as we explore how this Coast Guard veteran turned environmental leader is working to preserve Ojai's bioregion for future generations, one project at a time. We did not talk about Yankee clipper ships, the unexpected environmental challenges of transitioning to an all-electric future, or the evolution of baseball from the English schoolyard game of rounders. Learn more about Peter at PeteDeneen.world or SespeWild.org.

Healing Through Gratitude - Ashely's Story

The Things We All Carry

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 86:42

Episode 142 In this powerful episode of 'The Things We All Carry,' Stack returns after a hiatus to share his personal battle with depression and self-reflection. He introduces his guest, Ashley Iverson, the widow of Corey Iverson, a firefighter who perished in the Thomas Fire of 2017. Ashley talks about coping with her immense loss, finding gratitude, and her mission to support first responders through the Iverson Foundation for Active Awareness (IFAA). She discusses mental health, the importance of gratitude, self-care, and how she continues to carry forward and make a difference in the lives of others. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:25 Personal Struggles and Introspection 02:03 Understanding Depression 04:17 The Journey to Self-Forgiveness 13:43 Introducing Episode 142 16:42 Interview with Ashley Iverson 18:58 Ashley's Background and Early Life 32:39 Meeting Corey Iverson 34:42 A Love Story Begins 36:13 The Proposal and Marriage 36:33 The Thomas Fire Tragedy 37:18 Coping with Loss 38:23 Mental Health Awareness 53:13 The Iverson Foundation 01:07:43 Elements of Healing 01:15:20 Moving Forward 01:19:59 Final Thoughts and Reflections

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Rental News For Mountain Fire Victims, Details On Mortgage Programs For Owners & Renters Too!

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 55:59

Karen & Janet focus on the Mountain Fire once again with information that will help all victims of wildfires. Larry Reyes is first on the podcast and Larry has an update on loan programs that focuses on FHA 203 H, get details on this program from Larry at Smart Home Mortgage. Brian Zell gives his personal experience with devastating fires in California from The Thomas Fire to the Camp Fire in Paradise California along with The Mountain Fire. He along with friends and family members were directly affected by these fires and he knows what people need after suffering through this experience, from the simple day-to-day needs to rebuilding their homes and lives, an amazing conversation. Last on this podcast is Abe Luna from Rent 805 who works with senior citizens in Ventura County and knows the programs that will assist seniors who have been displaced by fires find a new rental, listen in to see if you qualify for one of these programs. The perfect podcast with information fire victims need!

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A Salute To Veterans Plus Important Information For Mountain Fire Victims!

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Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 56:54

Karen & Janet begin this podcast with essential information for Mountain Fire victims. How you can be helped, avoid scams along with essential advice people need during this incredibly stressful situation. Their first guest is Shelly Wells The "Reverse Mortgage Queen", if you have a reverse mortgage and you suffered any damage from the fire, get in touch with your lender now, Shelly has important points to make in this discussion. Shelly also has many opportunities for veterans when it comes to considering a revers mortgage. Navy Veteran Mike Robb is next, during Mike's 24 years in service to our country he studied investing along with whether it is time to buy or rent when you are in the military, while the challenge is there, so are many awesome opportunities! Jana Scarborough worked with many people during the Thomas Fire and has lots of experience to help people suffering loss now, whether it is relocation needs, insurance questions, mortgage advice or basic needs when it comes to food, clothing and other services, Jana has a list of tips to will provide for you. Chris Faber is the final guest a Public Insurance Adjuster who has helped people get their deserved settlement with insurance for claims from floods to fires.. Chris takes the pressure off the property owner to get the right settlement, Another awesome podcast from Janet & Karen!

Fires, Foothills, and Flourishing

Interplace

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 12:31

Hello Interactors,It's been awhile. I've been off getting our kids settled at college…including a transfer to Los Angeles. And I may have also been seduced by the lazy days of summer. After dropping our son in LA, my wife and I took some time to return to Santa Barbara where we first met. I was reminded of how uniquely beautiful that place is. It's also host to a unique collection of physical geography. And while it mostly enjoys a cool, calm environment, it can also endure bouts of destruction and renewal. A bit like all of us.Let's reflect, shall we…MIGRATIONS, MOUNTAINS, AND MEMORIESTraversing the globe dropping offspring is as old as humanity. As far as we know, early hominins like Homo erectus first stepped out of Africa two million years ago. The oldest human skeletal remains outside of Africa to date were found in Eurasia (now the country of Georgia) and are 1.8 million years old. These waves of migrations were likely driven by changes in climate, resources, societies, and technologies — the same factors driving migration today.Our oldest kin dispersed widely across Eurasia, reaching as far as Southeast Asia. Some may have even used primitive boats to navigate to and between islands. This all set the stage for later migrations of other hominins, including Homo sapiens, as they spread across globe over the next million years.I was reflecting on this on a hike my wife and I recently took in the foothills of Santa Barbara (where we had our first date 34 years ago!). The Santa Ynez Mountains were uplifted during the late Miocene (23.03 million years ago) to early Pliocene (2.58 million years ago) due to the tectonic interactions between the Pacific and North American plates. This exposed a complex layering of ancient marine and terrestrial sediments that were deposited over millions of years in a marine basin stretching from current day central valley of California to Northern Mexico.These sandstones, shale, and conglomerates are revealed along the trails, cliffs, ridges, and valleys we traversed, all formed by folding, faulting, and fanning of eroded debris. The mountains continue to be pushed upward at a rate of 1 to 4 millimeters per year due to the ongoing compression between the tectonic plates along the dynamic San Andreas Fault — the same fault that originally formed them millions of years ago.The Miocene epoch, with its warmer and more humid climate, supported dense forests of subtropical and temperate species in the Santa Ynez Mountains. As tectonic activity uplifted the region, new habitats emerged, setting the stage for diverse vegetation to develop. This period laid the groundwork for the ecosystems that would later evolve as the landscape continued to change.By the Pliocene, global cooling led to drier conditions, favoring the transition from these lush forests to the more arid-adapted plant communities found today. The chaparral, oak woodlands, and coastal sage scrub we hiked through are products of this shift. These plants adapted to the region's famous Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, and further shaped by the ongoing geological forces at work in the area.The resultant Santa Ynez Mountains significantly influence the weather patterns in Santa Barbara by acting as a barrier to the Pacific Ocean's marine air. Unlike much of the California coast, the Santa Barbara area faces south. During the summer, these south facing mountains trap the marine layer — a cool, moist air mass that forms over the ocean—leading to fog and low clouds along the coast. This marine layer helps keep temperatures in Santa Barbara cooler than in areas further inland, providing a mild and comfortable summer climate. Additionally, in winter, the mountains enhance orographic lift, causing moist air blown from the south to rise, cool, and condense, resulting in increased rainfall on the windward side of the range and benefiting the coastal regions. I recall one brisk winter morning in Santa Barbara in 1990 when frost appeared in the shadows on the roads and snow dusted the peaks of the Santa Ynez mountains.However, these mountains also create a rain shadow effect on their leeward side, where descending air becomes warmer and drier, leading to less precipitation. This topographical influence also contributes to the occurrence of sundowner winds—warm, dry winds that descend from the mountains into Santa Barbara. These winds can cause rapid temperature increases and lower humidity levels, sometimes creating critical fire weather conditions. My wife, then girlfriend, and I ran a 5k in 1991 that was overcome with smoke from fire stoked by these sundowner winds.BLAZE, BURST, AND BLOOMSimilar winds, Santa Ana winds, stoked a more and recent severe fire, the Thomas Fire, in 2017. These winds form east of the Sierra Nevada mountains over inland deserts and west towards the coast. Hot and dry winds channel through mountain passes and canyons, gaining speed as they descend across Southern California — and they can amplify even the smallest fire. The Thomas Fire was one of the largest wildfires in California history burning over 280,000 acres of wildlife and more than 1,000 buildings. Firefighters in Montecito, the northern-most destination, battled for days to save homes and lives.This left big chunks of the Montecito foothills charred. As crews worked to clear debris over the next month, the area was hit with a torrent of rain. While rainfall in Montecito was relatively minimal on the morning of January 9th, 2018, rainfall further up the mountain, enhanced by the mountain's orographic lift, was more severe. Residents were caught off guard as waves of water gained speed through canyons and creeks picking up charred debris and uprooting trees loosened by saturated soil.These post-fire debris flows, which included mud, rocks, and tree branches, reached heights of up to 15 feet speeding an estimated 20 miles per hour. The disaster resulted in 21 fatalities, two missing persons, and about 163 people hospitalized. Property damage exceeding $177 million, emergency response hit at least $7 million, and another $43 million was slated for cleanup and restoration.Six years later, hiking in these same hills, we saw evidence of county crews still restoring and re-shoring the foothills. We also saw evidence of plants re-emerging. Some of which are descendants of the same ancient plants that emerged in the Pliocene in the very same soil we were walking on. Hiking, and sometimes running, through the recovering foothills of Montecito, I was struck by how much this landscape mirrors a story of resilience that extends far beyond these hills and long before our time there. Over the previous two weeks my wife and I had crisscrossed the USA, east to NYC and west to LA, dropping our kids far away — modern migration with echoes of long ago, still alive still today. Like other humans that moved across vast distances, we and our kids are adapting to new environments and new stages in life. Just like the chaparral and black sage of these foothills.The plants that now re-emerge from the scorched and scarred earth are descendants of those that first appeared in the Pliocene. They use fire to propagate and regenerate in challenging terrain. Chaparral species, like black sage, evolved to thrive in this fire-prone environment. Fire-stimulated germination allows seeds to lye dormant until they're exposed to heat which triggers germination. Sprouts emerge from underground lignotubers, which are complex energy-storing structures that quickly regenerate new shoots — even amidst scorched soil. Serotiny, another adaptation, turns seed cones into popcorn like capsules that only open when exposed to fire's heat giving them a head start on invasive competition. These strategies enable chaparral plants to not only survive but to capitalize on the aftermath of wildfires and hillside scraping floods.In the charred and healing soil beneath our feet, I saw the enduring connection between past and present, nature and nurture — a reminder that our journeys, like those of the landscapes we inhabit, are shaped by the unyielding push and pull of time — of adaptation, and resilience. Just as the chaparral plants of the Santa Barbara foothills have evolved mechanisms to thrive after fire, our kids, too, will develop new strategies to adapt and flourish in their new environments. In the face of life's inevitable challenges, they will learn to not only survive but to rise stronger, just as the ancient mountains of Santa Barbara continue to do. All the while, the landscapes beneath our feet continue their unbroken cycle of destruction, renewal, and growth amidst ever evolving climates, resources, societies, and technologies. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

Rethinking Flood Management: Insights from Tim Palmer on Climate Change, Conservation, and Community Resilience

The Bookshop Podcast

Play Episode Play 59 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 39:39 Transcription Available

Send us a Text Message.Have you ever wondered how the historical floods of the past can shape our future defenses against natural disasters? In this latest episode, I chat with Tim Palmer, an award-winning author and photographer. Tim shares his profound insights on rivers, conservation, and the urgent need to rethink our approach to flood management.Tim recounts his formative years growing up in Pennsylvania and the life-changing experience of surviving the Hurricane Agnes flood of 1972. He discusses his latest book, Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis, and why America needs to pay attention to the escalating dangers posed by climate change.We tackle the tough questions about the economic and logistical challenges of managing flood-prone areas and what are the real costs of repeatedly repairing flood damage versus investing in levee upgrades or relocating communities. Tim shares eye-opening statistics on federal spending inefficiencies and explores the fairness of using taxpayer dollars to rebuild in high-risk areas. With examples like Sacramento's costly levee projects, we debate the complexities of flood protection funding and the broader implications of continued development in vulnerable zones.Our conversation also highlights the overlooked plight of climate refugees, using compelling stories from events like the Thomas Fire in Ojai, California, to stress the urgent need for streamlined federal disaster relief. Drawing inspiration from pioneers like Ian McHarg and insights from experts such as Orrin H. Pilkey, Tim emphasizes the necessity of forward-thinking solutions to manage climate-induced displacements. Tim's extraordinary work in floodplain management and his passion for storytelling bring a rich, informative layer to our discussion, making this episode a must-listen for anyone concerned about the future of our environment and communities.Tim PalmerSeek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution To Our Urgent Flooding Crisis, Tim PalmerThe Flag, The Cross, and the Station Wagon, Bill McKibbenSupport the Show.The Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

Former Saints player and ALS patient and advocate Steve Gleason on new memoir; political roundup; assigning names to heat waves

Louisiana Considered Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 24:29

On Thursday July 11, Steve Gleason was honored at the ESPY awards with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. The former Saints player first rose to fame when he blocked a punt against the Atlanta Falcons in the team's first game back in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. But in the years since, Gleason's been living with ALS, a disease that attacks nerve cells and renders patients unable to move, speak and breathe on their own. Still, Gleason has had some extraordinary accomplishments since his diagnosis, like fathering two children, founding Team Gleason, and most recently, writing a memoir, titled ‘ A Life Impossible.'He spoke with Louisiana Considered's Alana Schreiber about writing a book with his eyes, and what his memoir reveals about his life, family and journey with ALS.The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate's editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace recently held a town hall meeting with insurance commissioner Tim Temple. She joins us to discuss his plans to attract more businesses to the state and try to reduce high property premiums. We know many big weather events and disasters by their names, like Hurricane Sandy, the Thomas Fire and most recently, Hurricane Beryl. But these days, one of the biggest threats to health and safety is extreme heat. The Gulf States Newsroom's Drew Hawkins explores the question of whether or not to assign names to heat waves. ___Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman.You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It's available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to.Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

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Girls On The Air Celebrate Show #500!

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Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 56:03

This podcast marks the 500th Girls On The air Show! The celebration starts with Karen & Janet talking about "the Power of Pre-Approval" and the huge benefits of being ready to buy when the home of your dreams is available. Joe Parisi Vice President at Guaranteed Rate Mortgage talks about how renters should always be looing to buy with the amount of programs offered. The opportunity to buy then refi should not be ignored! Lorine is up next with WellRive, who relocates anyone of any age with their unique approach that uses their "Magnetic Kit" which allows their experts to show you exactly what your home will look like when you move in, reducing stress make the moving experience enjoyable. Seth from Latitude Surveying gives examples of mistakes land owners make when they use property dividers like fences to mark property lines, this can be very costly if you do not know exactly where your property line begins and ends. Vicky Bennet concludes podcast 500 with her expertise in Body Awareness and Trauma Awareness. Vicky has the tools and experience that can help people through difficult times like the Thomas Fire and other life traumas that happen to all of us. As always, another awesome podcast... #500 from Karen & Janet!

Anderson Overland - Episode #73 - Wildland Fire Photography & Overlanding w/Stuart Palley

Anderson Overland Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 71:07

Join me in this episode as I interview Stuart Palley who is a photographer based in Southern California specializing in environmental, art, editorial, and commercial/corporate subjects. In his recent work on wildfires, "Into The Inferno": Stuart recalls how he went from learning to be safe on the fire line to a fire-savvy documentarian of wildfire and climate change. He covers some of California's largest, most destructive, and deadliest fires between 2012 and 2020, lugging his gear from the Wine Country Fire Siege to the Thomas Fire and ultimately to the Woolsey Fire in Malibu. He shows how, in a relatively short period, fire season in California has grown into a perpetual crisis, requiring billions of dollars and thousands of firefighters each year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Big Picture Take Aways with Rahul and Ben

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Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 56:43

In this episode, Rahul and Ben discuss major trends in trial practice and big picture take aways from the last 3 ½ years of the podcast. The conversation begins with a discussion of nuclear verdicts in the golden age of trial, moves on to case analysis and key issues, then to strategies or courtroom success, and ends with discussion of the impact of the MAGA juror. About Rahul https://www.panish.law/ravipudi.html Rahul Ravipudi is a partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and has spent his legal career handling catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving commercial vehicles, pedestrians, industrial or construction accidents, utility negligence, dangerous conditions of public and private property as well as cases of sexual abuse and sexual assault. Mr. Ravipudi also represents consumers in class actions against businesses who engage in unfair/illegal business practices and public entities in cases where corporations have endangered the safety, health, property or comfort of the public.Mr. Ravipudi currently serves as Plaintiffs' Co-Lead Counsel in the Social Media Cases litigation which involves cases of children and young adults harmed or driven to suicide by social media algorithms as well as Public Entity Plaintiffs' Co-Lead Counsel in the JUUL Labs Product Cases, representing school districts and other public entities in California involved in litigation against the electronic cigarette manufacturer. He also serves as Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising out of the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California as well as on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the California North Bay Fires litigation. Mr. Ravipudi previously served on the Steering Committee in the Blythe bus crash litigation.Named 2017 Trial Lawyer of the Year by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous landmark verdicts and settlements including a $160.5 million jury verdict for a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a vicious beating by security personnel for a nightclub, a $46,475,112.33 jury verdict for a beginning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student who suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury while sparring with a Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club instructor who performed a technique which rendered the student an incomplete quadriplegic, a $28,500,000+ settlement for a special needs student who was catastrophically injured after being struck by a vehicle while under the care and supervision of Victor Elementary School District (VESD) personnel, as well as a $23,500,000 settlement on behalf of the family of Paul Lee, a 19-year-old non-verbal autistic student who tragically died aboard a Whittier school bus after the driver left him behind to engage in a sexual tryst with a coworker. The Lee case was a catalyst for significant change in school transportation with Governor Jerry Brown signing the “Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law” in September 2016, requiring all school buses in the state of California to be equipped with a child safety alarm system that must be deactivated by the bus driver before departing the bus. The new law will go into effect at the start of the 2018-19 school year and requires bus drivers to receive training in child-safety check procedures.Committed to serving as an advocate for his clients, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous eight-figure awards including a $20,500,000 jury verdict for the mother of a high school student who was killed while walking to a bus stop, a $19,786,818 jury verdict for a man who suffered severe burn and traumatic brain injuries when his rental home exploded as a result of Southern California Gas Company negligence, a $13,935,550 jury verdict for 19-year-old pedestrian who suffered extensive injuries as a result of being struck on the sidewalk by a vehicle driven by a Los Angeles County employee, a $13,000,000 settlement for the children and parents of a woman who was killed when her car was hit by a Hawthorne, California police officer, a $11,000,000 settlement for the family of a middle school student who drowned during a school-sponsored swim party, a$10 million for the family of an independent truck driver killed by an intoxicated heavy lift operator at a stevedoring terminal in Long Beach, and an$8,000,000 jury verdict in Clark County District Court for a Nevada man who suffered significant internal injuries after he was served and ingested what he believed was a Honey Blonde Ale but was actually a chemical cleaning compound left in the tap lines.Mr. Ravipudi shared his insight into successfully litigating cases against the stevedoring companies in an article entitled, “Danger on the Docks – Where there is an injury or death on the waterfront, drugs or alcohol are too often involved” published in the February 2011 edition of Advocate, journal of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles.Additional recoveries obtained by Mr. Ravipudi include a $15,950,000 settlement for a teen who suffered a brain injury on an HOA playground, $8,000,000 settlement for an 81-year-old woman who suffered severe spinal cord injuries after falling at a hotel, a $7,000,000+ settlement during trial for the family of a man killed at SpeedVegas when the vehicle he was driving slammed into a track wall and burst into flames, $6,500,000 settlement for the two minor children and friend of a Southern California man who was killed after being struck on the highway by a freight truck whose driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel, a $6,000,000 settlement for a woman who suffered severe burn injuries when a faucet in the bathtub of her apartment detached and sprayed scalding hot water onto her body, a $5 million for an HVAC worker who suffered serious injuries when he fell through a skylight while working on a customer's roof, a $3.3 million gross jury verdict arising out of the death of a pest control person crushed and killed when a semi-truck reversed into him at a warehousing facility, and $9 million from the State of California (Caltrans) when a 16-year-old girl on a restricted license lost control of her vehicle and collided into a guardrail damaged two days earlier resulting in a bilateral traumatic below knee amputations. This case involved significant appellate issues which led to Mr. Ravipudi's article, “Dealing with the state of California's first line of defense – stonewalling any meaningful discovery” published in Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in February 2009. About Ben https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/ When clients come to us, they are looking for financial compensation. They are often struggling just to stay above water, and they need money to provide safety and security to meet basic life needs and to build a new and better life for themselves and their family in the future.But for many of our clients, their case is also about something more—something larger—than money. It's about accountability. It's about wanting to create a society where individuals, corporations, medical providers and insurance companies don't get away with selfish, neglectful or greedy choices that put people at risk. It's about obtaining the catharsis and closure the only comes when justice is done to make up for the precious things that another's harmful conduct took away from them.In short, I have come to realize that my clients don't just want a lawyer. They want a Champion—that is, someone who will fight for them individually, but also be willing to fight for the larger cause for which they stand.Let Us Be Your Champion.– Ben Gideon, 2021 Early YearsBen grew up in Portland, Maine, attended public schools and graduated from Deering High School in 1989. Ben's father, Martin Rogoff, was a prominent member of the Maine Law School faculty, so Ben grew up immersed in discussions of the law. Ben began to develop his legal skills early in life through nightly arguments with his father at the dinner table.In high school, Ben played varsity soccer and was the captain of the hockey team. Following high school, Ben attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Ben attempted to walk on to the Cornell hockey team, but was eventually cut from the team, ending his hockey career. Depressed and disappointed at this failure, Ben became a poor student, failed several classes, and was told he was being suspended from college on academic probation.After rehabilitating himself through some community college courses, Ben was able to gain re-admission to Cornell and to complete his degree. Ben applied to law school and was admitted to Boston University School of Law. There, Ben was a standout student. His grades were so exceptional after his first year that he was accepted as a transfer student to Yale Law School where he earned his law degree.Ben began his career in private practice at a large, multi-national law firm, Latham & Watkins, in New York City. He practiced there for several years before deciding to return to Maine to join Berman & Simmons, PA, Maine's largest plaintiff's law firm. A Leader at Berman & SimmonsDuring his years at Berman & Simmons, Ben rose from an associate to become an owner and practice leader at the firm. Ben was instrumental in helping the firm re-invent its approach to litigating and trying cases; expanded its areas of practice expertise; and recruited and trained many talented lawyers.During his 17 years at Berman & Simmons, Ben enjoyed many great successes and some disappointing failures, but overall managed to build the most successful plaintiff's personal injury and medical malpractice practice in the State of Maine. Ben achieved success in a broad range of different types of plaintiff's cases—police civil rights, product liability, medical malpractice, nursing home, maritime and industrial accidents.Early in his career, Ben achieved a landmark civil rights verdict against a police officer for violating his client's civil rights with a Taser shooting. The verdict was affirmed on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.In 2014, after 4 ½ year of litigation, Ben achieved a record-setting $22.5 million jury verdict in Burlington, Vermont, on behalf of a utility lineman who lost both of his legs during a high-voltage powerline switching operation.Ben followed his Vermont verdict with a verdict of $1.75 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice trial in Bangor, Maine.More recently, Ben recovered $2.5 million in a medical malpractice case tried to a jury in New Hampshire. Founding Gideon Asen LLCAfter 17 years at Berman & Simmons, in November 2020, Ben decided to leave one firm he loved and had helped to build, to form a new law firm, Gideon Asen LLC.“I was very proud of everything we accomplished at Berman & Simmons,” Ben said, “but I was excited by the challenge of building a new firm that could be even better.”Ben's first step was to recruit Taylor Asen to join him.“Taylor and I have a common mission,” Ben said. “Although we're separated by 12 years, Taylor also attended Yale Law School and completed prestigious Federal clerkships. He's insanely smart.”“But perhaps more important, Taylor and I share a common vision of a plaintiff's law firm where clients have access to exceptional lawyers and service. We are both supremely competitive and don't tolerate mediocrity. We believe we owe it to our clients to give them the very best, and that is what Gideon Asen will provide.”

A Roadmap Through Trauma

Chats with Susan Burrell

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 48:23

Emotions is the theme for this month. And I am always fascinated to find out who is going to fit into this theme and what I am going to learn. And for this episode of Empowering Chats, I am honored to introduce Mary Firestone. Mary is an inspirational speaker and an author. Mary is the author of, Trusting the Dawn, How to Choose Freedom and Joy after Trauma. I met Mary at a winery in California when I was personally dealing with my own trauma. And her book spoke to me. It took us a bit to get here – but after I met her, I knew I just had to have her on my podcast. Here's her personal story. This is an excerpt from the introduction to her book: It was more than 5 hours before I was rescued from my bathroom countertop where I huddled wet and pregnant . . . I was shaking from the cold and fear from being trapped by millions of gallons of mud . . . for much of that time I thought my husband and 4-year-old son had been swept away in the mudslide . . . I thought my life was over . . . I watched this river of mud crumple a neighbor's house and hurtle it down the hill away from me . . . On my right the majority of my house had twisted backwards and washed away . . . not only was my living room gone, but my panic surpassed anything I had ever known when I realized the window looking back at me was my 4-year-old son's bedroom and I thought he was in it. Mary's personal story of surviving this trauma is what led her to write this book. This mudslide occurred in early 2018, right after the Thomas Fire raged through much of Southern California in late 2017. The land was barren from the fire and ripe for mudslides which occurred when torrential non-stop rain hit many of the coastal cities including Santa Barbara and Montecito. And so, I led the interview by asking Mary the question, How can trauma be a gift? Mary explains that for her the gift came in the form of her intellectual thinking brain going on hiatus so her body could get in touch with what she identifies as the Divine, recognizing that some people call this their higher self or The Universe. She saw this as a gift because it allowed her to tap into recognizing her fragileness and the beauty of being human. Being human, according to Mary, means we get to experience not just the joy and love that comes with our human life but also have an appreciation and a connection to that higher frequency because of the trauma some of us experience. And this experience is what led Mary to research how others who had lived through trauma learned to overcome and compost the trauma so that they too came out the other end with more light, more joy and more understanding of what it means to be human. Mary's book is not just full of research but tools we can all use to overcome trauma and recognize when we are taking the label of “victimhood” and using it as a crutch to stay stuck. Mary shares stories of other victims who survived extreme trauma and did not become lifelong victims. Mary talks about healing from the inside out so we can tap into our inner landscape for healing. Mary offers many well researched facts, and experienced information about how to heal from trauma. Whether you are dealing with your own trauma or dealing with the traumatizing events going on in the world, there is something here we can all learn from. So even if you think you don't need to know about trauma or heal from it – on some level we are all touched by it. In closing Mary shared the following: You are not alone. This book can be your companion. There is so much hope and avenue for you to find joy and re-ignite your light. Don't give-up. Seek your solution and take care of yourself, love yourself and you will heal. To learn more about Mary Firestone and to purchase her book please visit: MaryFirestone.co To learn more about how I show up in the world please visit my website at: SusanBurrell.com

Sacramento's X Street Navigation Shelter | El Niño Winter Forecast | Is Wildfire Season Over? | 30th Annual ‘Run to Feed the Hungry'

Insight with Beth Ruyak

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2023

Sacramento's X Street Navigation Shelter progress and setbacks for those unhoused. What we know, and don't know, about the El Niño winter forecast. Is this year's wildfire season over? The 30th Annual “Run to Feed the Hungry.” Sacramento's X Street Navigation Shelter It's one of Sacramento's busiest homeless shelters and while there has been some success in connecting people with housing options, there's still room for improvement. CapRadio Homelessness and Housing Affordability Reporter Chris Nichols joins us for an update on the X Street shelter and the significant barriers that still keep people from finding a permanent, safe, place to live. We will also learn about a new seasonal shelter that has opened in Elk Grove. El Niño Winter Forecast The forecast this winter is that El Niño is making a comeback, a weather pattern associated with wet weather and flooding. But it's not that simple or predictable. According to the NOAA, El Nino dates back to the 1600s, when South American fishermen noticed periods of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean. Some 400 years later, there is still a great deal we don't know. While some climate models are predicting a “super El Nino” this winter, it doesn't mean we'll feel that impact in Northern California. Dr. Paul Ullrich, Professor of Regional Climate Modeling at UC Davis, explains how big of a role El Niño plays in predicting wintertime precipitation in California. Is Wildfire Season Over? You might think this year's wildfire season is a closed chapter. But history would caution otherwise. Tomorrow marks five years since the Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. And in Southern California, the 2017 Thomas Fire is among one of the largest and most destructive in state history. They are sobering reminders that wildfires can defy seasons and be year round. Craig Clements, Professor and Director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center at San Jose State University and joins us with a clearer picture of where things stand so far this year. 30th Annual ‘Run to Feed the Hungry' is the largest Thanksgiving Day fun run in the country, and the largest annual fundraiser for the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. This year, the Sacramento tradition returns for its 30th year, and a goal of 30,000 participants. Blake Young, President and CEO of the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services gives a preview of the 30th annual run taking place on Nov. 23, and how it will support those in the Sacramento region facing hunger and food insecurity.

True Story of Loss, Courage, Hope and Survival

Chatting With Betsy

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 43:59

In 2018, Montecito, California, was struck by a devastating mudslide, an aftermath of heavy rainfall and deforestation from the recent Thomas Fire. Kim Cantin, the author of "WHERE YELLOW FLOWERS BLOOM," tragically lost her husband, Dave, and their son, Jack, in this calamity, along with her home and beloved dog. The book documents Kim's heart-wrenching journey through grief, as well as her relentless quest to find Jack's remains, guided by intuition and supported by her remarkable community. It's a moving memoir that underscores the enduring power of love, even in the face of death.For more information on this True Story of Loss, Courage, Hope, and Survival

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Bill Moses on Ojai as an Entrepreneurial Hub

covid-19 ceo california pennsylvania wall street entrepreneurial pepsico siberian ojai emiliano zapata thomas fire

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2023 65:56

Ojai's foremost serial entrepreneur and angel investor Bill Moses drops in for a spirited discussion about a range of issues facing Ojai, including the local economy, dealing with national companies when you own a local company, the Thomas Fire, his background growing up in rural Pennsylvania, moving and shaking on Wall Street, making the move to Ojai and the future of the world. Bill is the co-founder, chairman/CEO for KeVita Probiotic Drinks, which was acquired by PepsiCo. He is also a leading strategist and innovator for companies in the food and beverage and skin-care industries. We talked about his harrowing experience with Covid-19, founding Casa Barranca winery, the first certified organic vineyard in California, building an entrepreneurs' incubator in Ojai and much, much more. We did not talk about Emiliano Zapata, salmon farming or the value of Siberian sable pelts. Check out more about Bill at FlyingEmbers.com.

Caffeine Chronicles: A Java Journey with Lisa Tate

Farm Talk with Paul Ward

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2023 25:25

In this installment of Farm Talk, join Paul as he visits Rancho Filoso near Santa Paula, California, to meet Lisa Tate, the visionary behind the California Coffee Collective. Lisa was recently featured on the Ventura County Star newspaper's front page. To celebrate her even more, join us for this captivating episode. Situated amidst the picturesque landscapes, this collective stands as one of the pioneering five farms cultivating coffee in California. Remarkably, their venture into commercial production commenced just last year! While Lisa is relatively new to coffee cultivation, her family boasts a farming legacy dating back to the 1800s. In an engaging conversation spanning under 30 minutes, Lisa delves into her journey from avocado cultivation to the exciting realm of coffee farming. Listeners will be captivated by the unique methods employed by her all-women crew and volunteers during the harvesting process. One innovative technique involves painting the women's nails in the exact shade of ripe coffee cherries, ensuring only the perfectly ripened ones are picked—an indispensable step in the coffee production cycle. For the intriguing fate of coffee bush leaves, you'll have to tune in to the complete episode! Through their efforts, Lisa and the Coffee Collective have not only demonstrated that coffee can thrive in Ventura County but have also brewed a genuinely exceptional cup of joe. (Spoiler alert: it's truly outstanding!) Watch the full episode on Paul's YouTube Channel 0:00 Intro Music 0:06 Paul welcomes Lisa Tate from the California Coffee Collective to the show 0:33 What is the California Coffee Collective? 1:38 Lisa describes why it's called a “Collective” 2:03 The farm is in avocado and lemon country, how did Lisa think of growing coffee? 3:13 Two varieties of coffee grown 4:29 Lisa shares the beginnings when they first started planting and harvesting AND her passion for women in agriculture 5:34 Harvesting parties! 6:51 Having volunteers freed up monies for experimenting with coffees 8:31 Find out if they are in the “roasting game,” too 9:37 Their website for purchasing: www.californiacoffee.com 9:49 Lisa comes from a long line of farmers and she is the first to break into coffee 10:47 Rancho Filoso 11:04 How volunteers are taught to harvest and how nail polish is involved 11:58 Scoring coffee? Learn more here! 14:17 What makes Southern California and the coast good for coffee farming 14:59 Equipment needed to grow and what about water/irrigation? 16:22 Just how big do the bushes grow? 16:43 ALL parts of the plant are being used 17:43 Does the region produce a certain flavor of coffee? 18:37 How Lisa got into the “Coffee Game” 22:11 The name of the coffee: “Filoso” 21:49 Lisa tells us how we drink a special coffee 23:27 A bean grown in a different region- what happens to it? 24:18 How the Thomas Fire of 2017 effected the ranch 25:10 Thank you to our Sponsor: Opus Escrow Find Lisa Tate's article in the Ventura County Star at: www.vcstar.com Related Episodes: Bonito Coffee: Ojai's Farm to Cup Coffee Organic & Sustainable Hop Farming in Fillmore, CA with Mollie Engelhart Grains of Wisdom: A Conversation with Andrea Crawford of Roan Mills Bakery Have ideas for future episodes? We'd love to answer your questions - leave a comment! For any home buying or home selling needs in the Ventura County area of California, please reach out to Paul@HomeAndRanchTeam.com or visit www.HomeAndRanchTeam.com

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Trial Alert: Breaking Down Rahul's Recent $46 Million Verdict

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2023 53:13

In this episode, Ben and Rahul break down the recent $46 million verdict Rahul obtained in a case on behalf of a client injured during a Brazilian Jujitsu class. Rahul talks about how he frames the issues in the case to deal with the challenge of many jurors believing that those who engage in dangerous activities, like Jujitsu, assume the risk of injury. He shares his approach to voir dire and to obtaining this high-value verdict in a relatively conservative venue where verdicts tend to be on the lower side. Rahul talks about how the verdict was received in the Jujitsu community and how it is likely to lead to changes that will make the practice safer. About Rahul RavipudiRahul Ravipudi is a partner at Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi LLP and has spent his legal career handling catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving commercial vehicles, pedestrians, industrial or construction accidents, utility negligence, dangerous conditions of public and private property as well as cases of sexual abuse and sexual assault. Mr. Ravipudi also represents consumers in class actions against businesses who engage in unfair/illegal business practices and public entities in cases where corporations have endangered the safety, health, property or comfort of the public. Mr. Ravipudi currently serves as Public Entity Plaintiffs' Co-Lead Counsel in the JUUL Labs Product Cases, representing school districts and other public entities in California involved in litigation against the electronic cigarette manufacturer. Has also serves as Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising out of the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California as well as on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the California North Bay Fires litigation. Mr. Ravipudi previously served on the Steering Committee in the Blythe bus crash litigation. Named 2017 Trial Lawyer of the Year by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous landmark verdicts and settlements including a $160.5 million jury verdict for a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a vicious beating by security personnel for a nightclub, a $46,475,112.33 jury verdict for a beginning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student who suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury while sparring with a Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club instructor who performed a technique which rendered the student an incomplete quadriplegic, a $28,500,000+ settlement for a special needs student who was catastrophically injured after being struck by a vehicle while under the care and supervision of Victor Elementary School District (VESD) personnel, as well as a $23,500,000 settlement on behalf of the family of Paul Lee, a 19-year-old non-verbal autistic student who tragically died aboard a Whittier school bus after the driver left him behind to engage in a sexual tryst with a coworker. The Lee case was a catalyst for significant change in school transportation with Governor Jerry Brown signing the “Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law” in September 2016, requiring all school buses in the state of California to be equipped with a child safety alarm system that must be deactivated by the bus driver before departing the bus. The new law will go into effect at the start of the 2018-19 school year and requires bus drivers to receive training in child-safety check procedures. Committed to serving as an advocate for his clients, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous eight-figure awards including a $20,500,000 jury verdict for the mother of a high school student who was killed while walking to a bus stop, a $19,786,818 jury verdict for a man who suffered severe burn and traumatic brain injuries when his rental home exploded as a result of Southern California Gas Company negligence, a $13,935,550 jury verdict for 19-year-old pedestrian who suffered extensive injuries as a result of being struck on the sidewalk by a vehicle driven by a Los Angeles County employee, a $13,000,000 settlement for the children and parents of a woman who was killed when her car was hit by a Hawthorne, California police officer, a $11,000,000 settlement for the family of a middle school student who drowned during a school-sponsored swim party, a$10 million for the family of an independent truck driver killed by an intoxicated heavy lift operator at a stevedoring terminal in Long Beach, and an $8,000,000 jury verdict in Clark County District Court for a Nevada man who suffered significant internal injuries after he was served and ingested what he believed was a Honey Blonde Ale but was actually a chemical cleaning compound left in the tap lines. Mr. Ravipudi shared his insight into successfully litigating cases against the stevedoring companies in an article entitled, “Danger on the Docks – Where there is an injury or death on the waterfront, drugs or alcohol are too often involved” published in the February 2011 edition of Advocate, journal of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles. Additional recoveries obtained by Mr. Ravipudi include a $15,950,000 settlement for a teen who suffered a brain injury on an HOA playground, $8,000,000 settlement for an 81-year-old woman who suffered severe spinal cord injuries after falling at a hotel, a $7,000,000+ settlement during trial for the family of a man killed at SpeedVegas when the vehicle he was driving slammed into a track wall and burst into flames, $6,500,000 settlement for the two minor children and friend of a Southern California man who was killed after being struck on the highway by a freight truck whose driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel, a $6,000,000 settlement for a woman who suffered severe burn injuries when a faucet in the bathtub of her apartment detached and sprayed scalding hot water onto her body, a $5 million for an HVAC worker who suffered serious injuries when he fell through a skylight while working on a customer's roof, a $3.3 million gross jury verdict arising out of the death of a pest control person crushed and killed when a semi-truck reversed into him at a warehousing facility, and $9 million from the State of California (Caltrans) when a 16-year-old girl on a restricted license lost control of her vehicle and collided into a guardrail damaged two days earlier resulting in a bilateral traumatic below knee amputations. This case involved significant appellate issues which led to Mr. Ravipudi's article, “Dealing with the state of California's first line of defense – stonewalling any meaningful discovery” published in Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in February 2009. In recognition of his outstanding trial efforts, some of the awards Mr. Ravipudi has received include, but are not limited to:2023 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers2023 Lawyer of the Year in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Best Lawyer2022 Top Plaintiffs Lawyer in California – Daily Journal2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers2021 Robert E. Cartwright Sr. Award – Consumer Attorneys of California2021 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California2021 Top Plaintiff Lawyer in California – Daily Journal2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers2020 Top Plaintiffs Lawyer in California – Daily Journal2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers2020 Plaintiffs Lawyer Trailblazer – National Law Journal2019 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California2019 Plaintiffs Lawyer Trailblazer — National Law Journal2019 Trailblazer Award – South Asian Bar Association of Southern California2018 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California2017 Trial Lawyer of the Year – Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles2017 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California2017 Top Plaintiffs Lawyers of California – Daily Journal2017 Top 100 Lawyers of California – Daily Journal2016 Trial Lawyer of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles2016 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California2016 Top Verdict By Impact – Daily Journal2015 Trial Lawyer of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles2014 Top 20 Under 40 – Daily Journal In addition, Mr. Ravipudi has been consistently ranked top in his profession for his work in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs with annual inclusion to Best Lawyers since 2013 and selection to the Super Lawyers list since 2014, the latter of which recognizes no more than five percent of attorneys in the state. Mr. Ravipudi was previously selected as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” from 2006-2013 – an honor awarded to the top 2.5 percent of lawyers in the Southern California area under 40 years of age. Prior to joining Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi LLP, Mr. Ravipudi worked at another consumer law firm where his work helped recover over $4 billion for his clients. He participated as co-lead class counsel in a consumer class action case brought on behalf of all gas and electricity rate payers in the State of California against El Paso Natural Gas Company and Sempra Energy. This case arose out of the California Energy Crisis of 2000/2001 and resulted in the recovery of more than $3.5 billion in restitution to California utility customers. To date, this is recognized as one of the largest antitrust settlements in American history. Mr. Ravipudi also participated as co-lead counsel on an antitrust class action case brought on behalf of all gas and electricity rate payers in California against Reliant Energy Services and other energy traders for manipulating the California natural gas market by engaging in wash trades, churning, and false reporting. Hundreds of millions of dollars were recovered for rate payers of the State of California as well. In addition to serving as an Associate Editor for the Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Mr. Ravipudi actively publishes articles in various journals and trade publications and is a frequent speaker on various issues, including class action litigation and trial tactics. In 2010, Mr. Ravipudi was profiled in the California Law & Politics magazine in an article entitled “Class Act(ion)”. A Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Mr. Ravipudi is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, and an Associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He is an active member of the Consumer Attorneys of California, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), the South Asian Bar Association (SABA), and the Nevada Justice Association. He serves on the Board for Loyola Law School, on the Executive Committee for the Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA, on the Board of Governors for CAALA, on the Steering Committee for SABA, and on the Board for Public Counsel. He has previously served as Treasurer of the South Asian Bar Association Public Interest Foundation and is an active supporter of Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Mr. Ravipudi received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Minor in Chemistry from the University of California, Riverside and his law degree from Loyola Law School where he has served as an adjunct professor teaching Trial Advocacy since 2008. He resides in La Canada Flintridge with his three sons and wife Smitha, who serves as Chief Executive Officer at USC Care & Ambulatory Care Services at Keck Medicine of USC.

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How to Compete and Win Big Every Time with Brian Panish

Environmental Social Justice

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2023 50:47

Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with legendary trial lawyer Brian Panish, founding partner of Los-Angeles-based trial firm, Panish Shea Boyle and Ravipudi (PSBR). Brian discusses how the values he learned growing up and playing competitive sports through college shaped his work ethic and approach to the competition of trial practice. Brian shares keys to success at trial and in building a world-class trial law firm. Brian is the G.O.A.T. You don't want to miss this episode! About Brian PanishOne of the country's leading trial attorneys, Los Angeles personal injury lawyer Brian Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in United States history on behalf of plaintiffs. His courtroom victories include a $4.9 billion record verdict in the landmark products liability case Anderson v. General Motors, over 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million, six verdicts in excess of $50 million, and more than 500 verdicts and settlements over one million dollars in personal injury, car accident, wrongful death and business litigation cases. Mr. Panish consistently serves in a leading role in the largest personal injury cases in California and the country. He currently serves as Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Woolsey Fire litigation, Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising from the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California, and serves on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee for the 2017 North Bay Fires in Northern California. Mr. Panish also serves as Lead Trial Counsel in the Southern California Gas Leak Cases where he led a team of lawyers in obtaining a $1.8 billion settlement from Southern California Gas Company and Sempra Energy. He previously served in leadership roles in the Asiana Airlines Crash Litigation, the Olympus Superbug CRE Litigation and DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, among others. Most recently, Mr. Panish has been retained to represent the husband and son of Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer who was fatally shot and killed by Alec Baldwin on the movie set of ‘Rust' in October 2021. Since 2011, Mr. Panish has obtained more than $500 million in verdicts including, among others, a $23,720,996 bench trial award for a Southern California man and his wife after the man suffered a lower leg amputation as a result of being struck by a 28-foot utility truck while riding his motorcycle, a $21,503,420.48 verdict for a man who suffered catastrophic injuries after a vehicle illegally exiting the 405 Freeway HOV lane struck his motorcycle, a landmark $53,745,374 verdict for two Southern California brothers who were severely injured following a head-on collision with CRST big rig, a $41,864,102 jury verdict and subsequent $46,000,000 settlement for a United States Air Force Captain who suffered catastrophic injuries after being struck from behind while on his motorcycle and then dragged the length of a football field and a half by a Southern California Gas Company truck, a $36.5 million jury verdict against Schneider National for a big-rig crash that left a woman with severe spinal cord injuries, a $34.5 million verdict for a man who suffered a below the knee amputation after being hit by a tractor trailer, a $21,503,420.48 jury verdict for a Southern California man who suffered catastrophic injuries after a vehicle illegally exiting the 405 Freeway HOV lane struck his motorcycle and sent him careening across three lanes of traffic and into a passing flatbed trailer, a $17.4 million verdict for a Ph.D. student who suffered brain and jaw injuries during a rear end chain collision accident, a $17 million jury verdict against the Los Angeles MTA in the wrongful death of a visually impaired passenger, a $17.845 million award in a wrongful death case involving four family members killed when a Marine jet crashed into their home, a $20 million jury verdict for a woman who suffered a brain injury in a hit-and-run accident involving a J.B. Hunt tractor trailer, a $17 million jury verdict for a 84-year old man hit by a bus resulting in a leg amputation, a $15.3 million jury verdict for a woman and her daughter after the woman was severely injured on a negligently driven Alameda Contra-Costa Transit District bus, a $10.45 million jury verdict for the family of a security guard killed on the CBS studio lot and a $8.3 million jury verdict in the first DePuy ASR Hip Implant case to go to trial. Because of his expertise in personal injury, wrongful death, mass tort and product liability cases, Mr. Panish has been appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs' Steering and Executive committees in numerous high profile mass torts and major disaster cases, including litigation involving train crashes (co-lead counsel in the the Chatsworth Metrolink disaster, the Glendale Metrolink crash, and the Placentia Metrolink collision), airplane disasters (Alaska Airlines Flight 261 and Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes), pharmaceuticals (Vioxx and diet drugs), and defective product cases (Welding Rods, DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, and Toyota Unintended Acceleration cases.) He is currently handling numerous cases involving the Asiana Flight 261 plane crash as well as serving as Plaintiffs Co-lead Trial Counsel, representing over 7,000 clients in the Porter Ranch Gas Leak litigation. Mr. Panish has been recognized by numerous publications and organizations as being among the top trial lawyers in the country. Some of the honors he has received include the following:2023 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers2023 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America2023 Leading Commercial Litigators – Daily Journal2022 Finalist for CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year2022 West Trailblazer – The American Lawyer2022 Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2022 LA 500 – Los Angeles Business Journal2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America2022 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2022 Top 100 Lawyers – Los Angeles Business Journal2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers2022 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award in the area of Personal Injury2022 Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar – Law3602021 Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys – Los Angeles Business Journal2021 Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2021 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2021 LA 500 – Los Angeles Business Journal2021 Lawdragon Leading Lawyers in America2020 Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2021 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Action – Plaintiffs – Los Angeles2020 Lawdragon Leading Lawyers in America2020 Plaintiffs Lawyer Trailblazer – National Law Journal2020 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers2019 Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2019 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2019 Plaintiffs Lawyer Trailblazer – National Law Journal2019 Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar – Law3602019 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award in the area of Personal Injury2019 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs – Los Angeles2018 Finalist for CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year2018 Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2018 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2018 Daniel O'Connell Award – by Irish American Bar Association-Los Angeles2018 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Aviation Law – Los Angeles2017 Top 100 Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2017 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2017 Civil Advocate Award – by the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel (ASCDC)2017 Finalist (2) for CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year2016 Outstanding Litigator – by Southwestern Law School2016 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2016 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation – Los Angeles2015 National Law Journal's Elite Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame2015 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Product Liability Litigation – Los Angeles2015 Top 25 Plaintiff Lawyers in California – Daily Journal2015 Robert E. Cartwright Sr. Award (given by the Consumer Attorneys of California in recognition of excellence in trial advocacy and dedication to teaching trial advocacy to fellow lawyers and to the public.)2014 Consumer Attorney of the Year – by the Consumer Attorneys of California2013 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award in the area of Personal InjuryThe National Law Journal's 100 Most Influential Lawyers In AmericaDaily Journal's Top 100 Most Influential Attorneys in California2012 Top 20 Lawyers in California by The Recorder2010 Trial Lawyer of the Year by the California Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)2010 Champions of Justice award from Loyola Law School2010 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Product Liability Litigation – Los Angeles2009 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Personal Injury Litigation – Los Angeles1999 Trial Lawyer of the Year – by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)Top 500 Attorneys and Litigators in the United States by LawdragonTop 10 Southern California Super Lawyers® (various years, including from 2009-2017)Listed in Best Lawyers® since 2001Listed in Southern California Super Lawyers® since 2004 In addition to his numerous honors, Mr. Panish currently serves as immediate past president of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, comprised of 100 of the nation's top plaintiffs' lawyers. He is also a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers (including serving on the State Selection Committee), the International Society of Barristers, the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and was the 2011 President of the Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA. He is a member of the American Bar Association (formerly a Litigation Section Board Member), the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (formerly on the Board of Governors), and the Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly on the Board of Governors). He also serves on the Best Lawyers® Board of Advisors. Mr. Panish received his law degree, with honors, from Southwestern Law School, and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Southwestern in 2011. He received his B.S. from California State University Fresno, where he was named Scholar Athlete, was the recipient of the Athletic Directors Award and was named an outstanding alumnus at the school's Centennial Celebration in 2010. Mr. Panish is licensed to practice in California, Nevada, and Texas. Submit our online contact form to request legal assistance with your claim. Verdicts and Settlements:The following is a list of just some of the landmark cases that Brian Panish has been involved in:$4.9 Billion – Anderson v. General Motors Corp.$3.3 Billion – LA County v. Tobacco Industry$58 Million – Griggs v. Caterpillar, et al.$55.4 Million – Lampe v. Continental General Tire$53.745 Million – Lennig v. CRST$46 Million – Lo v. Southern California Gas Company$39.5 Million – Freeman v. Board of the Trustees of the California State University$36.5 Million – Sheth v. Schneider National$34.5 Million – Casillas v. Landstar Ranger, Inc.$32.5 Million – Johnson/Allen/Cascio v. City of Beverly Hills$32 Million __ J.G. v. Tulare County Child Welfare Services$27 Million – Dominguez v. San Francisco$25.5 Million – Sherman v. Courrege$23.7 Million– Rojas v.Hajoca Corporation$23.5 Million – Lee v. Pupil Transportation Cooperative$22 Million – Pogosyan v. SCRTD$21 Million – Nelsen v. Hillyard, Inc., et al.$17.845 Million – Yoon v. United States$17. 4 Million – Sheaffer v. NuCO2$17 Million – Cuthberton v. LACMTA$15.75 Million – Doe v. Alaska Airlines$15.3 Million – Francisco v. AC Transit$15 Million – Tilton v. Southern California Gas & Electric$15 Million – Wu v. Singapore Airlines$14.5 Million — Montanez v. Sunrise Farms, LLC$11 Million – Witham v. Avjet$10.45 – Villamariona v. CBS$10 Million – Doe v. Alaska Airlines$9.5 Million – Ledesma v. Patel$9.3 Million – Cedillo v. The Efim Sobol Trust$8.3 Million – Kransky v. DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.$8 Million – Rastello v. City of Torrance$7.5 Million – Rennie v. FedEx Brian Panish in the News: The following is a list of some of the articles in which Brian Panish is featured:What is the value of a poor man's life?Brian Panish addresses The Senate Judiciary CommitteeBrian Panish of Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi LLP Top Vote Getter Among Southern California's Personal Injury Super LawyersFormer Fresno State footballer (Panish) gives generously to Dan Brown Legacy Fund – MedWatch Today, 9/2/10Brian Panish and the Toyota Recall – Press Release, 6/7/10Judge Agrees to Expand Plaintiffs Committees in Toyota MDL – The National Law Journal, 5/17/10Brian Panish Receives #3 Ranking in 2010 List of Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers – Press Release, 2/2/10Personal Injury Litigators of 2010 – The National Law Journal, 2010 View PDF of ArticleBrian Panish and Kevin Boyle Talk About Their Numerous Wins in Air Disaster Cases – The National Law Journal, 2010 View PDF of ArticleThe Los Angeles Area's Best Lawyers 2006 Survey Results – West – Los Angeles Times Magazine, 11/12/06The Top 100: California's Leading Lawyers – The Daily Journal, 9/21/06Profiles in Power: The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America – The National Law Journal, 6/19/06View PDF of ArticleLawyering Up Pellicano's Victims – Deadline Hollywood Daily, 3/9/06Does Brian Panish Ever Lose? – Super Lawyers Magazine, 2006The Plaintiffs' Hot List – The National Law Journal, 10/10/05View PDF of ArticleOne of America's Top Trial Lawyers Opens New Law Firm – Press Contact, 4/18/05Top 10 LA County Super Lawyers – Southern California Super Lawyers, 2/05A Report On The Lawsuit Industry In California 2005 – Trial Lawyers Inc., 2005Jury Trials in The US – Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong, 10/11/04The Top 100 – The Daily Journal, 10/27/03Brian Panish Interview – California Civil Jury Instructions, 2003The Top 100…Reasons Why It's Good That Lawyers Have Power – The Daily Journal, 9/30/02The Top 100 – The Daily Journal, 10/29/01WINNING – Successful Strategies from 10 of the Nation's Leading Litigators – The National Law Journal, 2001The Top 100: California Law Business Ranks the State's Most Influential Attorneys for 2000 – The Daily Journal, 10/30/00The Top 100: California Law Business Ranks the State's Most Influential Attorneys for 1999 – The Daily Journal, 9/13/99To Panish, Client's Most Important – Verdicts & Settlements, 2/16/96Brian Panish named TLPJ's Trial Lawyer of the Year – TLPJ Foundation Letter, 8/6/90ATLA Meeting This Week in San Diego – California Law Business, 7/23/90LA's Top Attorneys & Law Firms – Angeleno MagazinePanish Leaves Greene Broillet For Own Firm – The Daily JournalPanish Among 500 Leading Lawyers – LawdragonPanish Among 500 Leading Litigators – Lawdragon

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Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2023 39:49

Ralph Bloemers, Executive Producer of the film Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire, has spent nearly two decades working with scientists, ecologists, firefighters, community-based groups, recreation clubs and citizens throughout the Pacific Northwest on the conservation of our forests, including burned landscapes. He has investigated the causes of fires and documented wildlife and recovery in burned landscapes and has helped the public, businesses and decision makers reimagine our relationship with fire, and prepare communities for fire in a hotter, drier world.Jesse Alexander is the Fire Chief for the Yuba City Fire Department. He has over 20 years of experience in Fire Service and held operational positions on the Thomas Fire, Glass Fire, Dixie Fire, Caldor Fire, and Camp Fire as well as being the Branch Director for the Search and Rescue portion of the Camp Fire. In addition to wildfire response, Jesse was the Incident Commander for the largest mass fentanyl overdose in US history, was involved in Oroville Spillway Incident and is an instructor at Butte College Fire Academy.

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Red Hot Real Estate, Influential U, AUT2RUN, Leukemia Lymphoma Society & Rising From The Ashes Home Tour!

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2023 56:29

Karen & this week's co-host Julie Mcdaniel are joined by Josh Damigo from Influential U, who invites everyone to an event he is speaking at the The "Ventura Chamber of Commerce Biz Con 1 at The Greek on April 19th! Ashley Pope with AUT2RUN is next, Ashley wants you to join in on a great day of walking, running and learning about The Autism Society of Ventura County find out everything you need to know about AUT2 RUN! Melinda Smith & Toni Hull join in to focus on the work they are doing with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society focusing on research, Patient Support & Advocacy. The Girls wrap up the show with Marty Robinson with The Ventura County Library Foundation to invite you on to Rising From The Ashes Home Tour in Ventura to see the amazing homes that were rebuilt after the devastating Thomas Fire. The Original Pizza Chief in Ventura is on-bard too! Another great podcast from Girls On The Air!

Jesse Torres - Bypassing fear into 10 careers

SGV Master Key Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2023 58:03

Jesse Torres is principal and founder of ArroyoWest LLC, a minority-owned management consulting firm specializing in economic and workforce development. ArroyoWest clients include major economic development agencies, community colleges, chambers of commerce, corporations, and other organizations, and the project have range from helping to stand up COVID-19 relief programs for small businesses to helping to devise strategy for the implementation of regional workforce initiatives. Jesse is also the co-founder and president of Small Business Front Inc., a community building and media startup focused on small business, and he is the creator and co-host of the entrepreneurship podcast "Hack My Business." Before starting ArroyoWest and Small Business Front, Jesse served as Small Business Advocate for the State of California and Deputy Director of Small Business and Innovation for Governor Brown's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). During his three-year tenure at GO-Biz, Jesse was successful in securing more than $108 million in state general funds to provide match and capacity building grants for the federal small business technical assistance providers operating in California that were subsequently made permanent in 2022. Jesse also administered a portfolio of high-profile programs including the state's Innovation Hub (iHub) Network, the state's defense supplier diversification and cyber resiliency program, CASCADE, the California Cybersecurity IT Health Advisory Board, and the California Cyber Innovation Challenge. He also led small business recovery efforts for GO-Biz following major disasters including the 2017 Northern California firestorm and Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Prior to joining GO-Biz in 2015, Jesse served as Regional Director for the Los Angeles Small Business Development Center Network, and he is also former Director of Alumni Affairs for the Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University. Jesse is Board Chair for Union Station Homeless Services, Board Chair for California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity, and is a Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles Small Business Commission. Jesse received his MBA from Pepperdine University and Bachelor of Arts, Psychology from UCLA.LinkedIn: jessetorrescaEmail: jesse.torres@arroyowest.com__________________SGV Master Key Podcast:www.sgvmasterkey.cominfo@sgvmasterkey.com

Sheriff Bill Brown

Good Life Conversations with Dean Wilson

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2023 34:45

Sheriff Brown has served as our local sheriff in Santa Barbara County since 2007. He has served in many departments across California and remains deeply committed to making our communities safer, where communities and their police force work together. He has received numerous awards, many for his work and leadership during the Thomas Fire and the 1/9 Debris Flow. Come learn leadership principles from a man who has led his community through times of trial and uncertainty. You won't want to miss this interview! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/goodlifeconversations/support

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R.A. Atmore & Sons Ranch in Ventura

Stories from California Cattle Country

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2022 26:11

Running a biweekly podcast which includes travel to remote areas throughout the state meeting subjects with dynamic schedules can sometimes present occasional logistical issues. For our ninth episode of our second season we had lined up a few potential ranches which ultimately fell through.With a few days notice we threw a Hail Mary reaching out to Ventura's Rich Atmore. Rich runs a cattle operation with his sons in Ventura along with R.A. Atmore & Sons an environmental contract service providing weed abatement, erosion control, vegetation management and environmental restoration for various entities like municipalities and utility companies.Rich is a bit of a unicorn for this podcast as he's the first first-generation rancher we've interviewed. Rich is tall, clad in denim and though he frequently enjoys talking about his impending retirement, has a youthful appearance and a matching exuberance for his operations, employees and family.Rich picked me up in a side by side and drove me around the property. His cows are calving right now so about half of the cows are being trailed by small calf's with the others about to give birth. We then sat down to chat about how he got into ranching, his various operations, and his harrowing experience in 2017's Thomas Fire.

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Nick Brown: Ventura County, California

The Backyard Stories

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022 80:58

Nick Brown grew up building forts in banana trees in his family's historic orchard in Southern California and he has now dedicated his career to subtropical fruit production. The 2017 Thomas Fire devastated a third of his family's orchard. So Nick is working ahead to be prepared for the next wildfire because fire seasons are getting longer and more intense throughout the state of California. Nick is a former trail guide and surf instructor and loves to spend time in the ocean and on trails when his fruit trees give him a break. Nick owns a direct-to-consumer fruit delivery company called Rincon Tropics so he can share rare fruit varieties from his family's orchard directly from the farm. Nick's passion for fruit extends to the care he takes in stewarding his landscape.thebackyardstories.comIG @the.backyard.storiesWritten column TRAIL RUNNER MAGWhere to find NICK BROWN:IG @RINCONTROPICSCreator and host Jonnah Perkins IG @_.jonnahThe Backyard Stories is presented by Protect Our Winters and Trail Runner Magazine Editing by Jesse PerkinsOriginal music by Dudley Noon

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GTP CLASSIC: Brian Panish | Jason Lo v. Dominick Consolazio | $41.8 million verdict

The Great Trials Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2022 63:05

This week we're replaying a classic episode where your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Brian Panish of Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP (www.psbr.law). Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here to Rate and Review Episode Details: Trial lawyer Brian Panish shares how he secured a multi-million dollar verdict for a U.S. Air Force Academy Captain who suffered catastrophic injuries after a truck driver hit him while riding his motorcycle. The truck driver, who suffered from seizures, was charged for his negligent behavior after dragging the Captain for more than a football field. View/Download Trial Documents Guest Bio: Brian Panish One of the country's leading trial attorneys, Los Angeles personal injury lawyer Brian Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in United States history on behalf of plaintiffs. His courtroom victories include a $4.9 billion record verdict in the landmark products liability case Anderson v. General Motors, over 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million, six verdicts in excess of $50 million, and more than 250 verdicts and settlements over one million dollars in personal injury, car accident, wrongful death, and business litigation cases. Mr. Panish consistently serves in a leading role in the largest personal injury cases in California and the country — he currently serves as Plaintiffs lead counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising from the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California and serves on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee for the 2017 North Bay Fires in Northern California. Additionally, Mr. Panish has been appointed Lead Trial Counsel in the Porter Ranch/Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout Litigation and has served in leadership roles in the Asiana Airlines Crash Litigation, the Olympus Superbug CRE Litigation, and DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, among others. Read Full Bio Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LegalTechService.com Digital Law Marketing - DigitalLawMarketing.com Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

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Trusting the Dawn with Mary Firestone

The Sweetest Little Life

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2022 33:30

In 2017, Mary and her family were just getting settled into a new home in Montecito when the Thomas Fire erupted at the end of that year. Mary, who was four months pregnant at the time, and her family evacuated for a month and returned to their home in January 2018 when the area was deemed safe. They were not under mandatory evacuation orders on the night of January 9 of that year when massive amounts of heavy rain caused a debris flow that would claim the lives of 23 people (many of them her immediate neighbors) and over 450 structures. Their new home was in one of the two direct paths of the tsunami-like debris flow of mud, water, and boulders that tore down the mountain. Mary was separated from her son and husband and trapped alone for five hours on a sliver of her bathroom counter, wet and cold from winter rain and covered in toxic mud. For much of that time she thought her son and husband had not survived as she watched the two story part of her home that contained her son's bedroom get washed away in a river of mud. While trapped, she experienced a connection to a powerful and calming force. Her new book, Trusting the Dawn is the story of her trauma and survival during the 2017 California wildfires and subsequent 2018 mudslide which took her brand new family home — and Mary's transformation through healing. This book, which is currently #1 on Amazon's New Release in Stress Management Self-Help, is an offering for survivors of all kinds of trauma. In Trusting the Dawn, Mary draws from both her own real-life experiences and her background in clinical psychology to offer a radical, integrative handbook for not only healing from trauma but awakening to even more joy and meaning because of your experiences. In the words of Dr. Joe Dispenza, “[Trusting the Dawn] is medicine for anyone who wants to free their mind, body, and soul from the past.” Mary would love to share her story, experiences and expertise including topics such as: Finding your way out of PTSD Taking back your power after a traumatic experience How to Heal Trauma with Mystical Therapies How to turn trauma indicators into opportunities for growth Mary earned her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University after graduating with a Bachelor's in English from Princeton. She has been featured in numerous outlets such as Forbes, Travel & Leisure, Observer, goop and Angeleno. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sweetestlittlelife/message

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Ashley Iverson

LET'S GO!

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2022 90:39

On December 14th 2017, Cory Iverson, Cal Fire FAE, paid the ultimate sacrifice while battling the Thomas Fire in Ventura County, California.He was survived by his wife, Ashley, their daughter Evie, and – at the time – their unborn daughter Taylor. Ashley had spent more than half her life battling severe anxiety and depression largely in part from PTSD due to nearly losing her home at the age of 13 from arson, lack of self worth and also from an inner need to help others.Just one month prior to Cory's passing, a colleague died by suicide, leaving behind a young child and wife. It was then that Cory understood the gravity of mental health and the devastation it can leave behind in its wake and Ashley first became aware of the mental implications the job can cause. Shortly after Cory's passing, Ashley founded the Iverson Foundation for Active Awareness in order to support first responders through their mental health journey. Listen in and hear this powerful woman's story, LET'S GO!The Gaming BlenderHave you ever wanted to design your own video game?Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Smells Like HumansLike spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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Trusting the Dawn: How to Choose Freedom and Joy After Trauma with Mary Firestone

The Woo Cast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2022 62:13

In 2017, Mary and her family were just getting settled into a new home in Montecito when the Thomas Fire erupted at the end of that year. Mary, who was four months pregnant at the time, and her family evacuated for a month and returned to their home in January 2018 when the area was deemed safe. They were not under mandatory evacuation orders on the night of January 9 of that year when massive amounts of heavy rain caused a debris flow that would claim the lives of 23 people (many of them her immediate neighbors) and over 450 structures. Their new home was in one of the two direct paths of the tsunami-like debris flow of mud, water, and boulders that tore down the mountain. Mary was separated from her son and husband and trapped alone for five hours on a sliver of her bathroom counter, wet and cold from winter rain and covered in toxic mud. For much of that time she thought her son and husband had not survived as she watched the two story part of her home that contained her son's bedroom get washed away in a river of mud. While trapped, she experienced a connection to a powerful and calming force. Now, Mary is on a personal mission to let others know they are not alone and there is light on the other side of the darkness of PTSD. Mary just released her first book Trusting the Dawn: How to Choose Freedom and Joy After Trauma, and Dr. Joe Dispeza himself said “This book is medicine for anyone who wants to free their mind, body, and soul from the past.” Highlights of this episode: Finding your way out of PTSD Taking back your power after a traumatic experience How to heal trauma with alternative therapies How to turn trauma indicators into opportunities for growth Get in touch with Mary: Get Mary's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-Dawn-Choose-Freedom-Trauma/dp/1683649125 Website: https://www.maryfirestone.co/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/firestonesisters/ Get in touch with Juliet: IG: https://www.instagram.com/juliet_root/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thejulietrootshow/message

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Drums Along The Ojai with Simon Phillips

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Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2022 87:30

Simon Phillips is one of the music world's top rhythm makers, having played drums 20 years with Toto, and also toured with The Who and Carlos Santana, and recorded with artists as varied as Jeff Becker, Brian Eno and Frank Zappa. He now leads the trio Protocol, which was nominated for an Emmy for its Protocol IV album and has just released its prestigious pandemic project, Protocol V. He also plays drums for Hiromi, the jazz sensation known for her electric performances and innovative compositions. Simon was born into the business. His father, Sid, was a Dixieland band leader and Simon began to fill in for the band when he was 12. He's kept busy ever since. It wasn't long after that the boy wonder found a job on London's West End with Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar." More than just a masterful, talented and learned drummer, he is also an experienced engineer, having worked on countless albums, including Toto's, where he filled in after the tragic death of founding member Jeff Porcaro, his own works with his own studio. He moved to Ojai just in time to lose his lifetime collection of recording gear in the Thomas Fire, and with Sysyphus-ian zeal, rebuilt bigger and better. We talk about life on the road, the rise of supergroups, the history of jazz and what's next for this legendary drummer. We did not talk about the Ainu bear fetishes, the dwindling runs of cherry salmon or the success of China's "Belt and Road" infrastructure projects.

"Despite the Buzz" with Author Tamara Miller Davis

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Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2022 48:42

Tamara Miller Davis is a long-time Ojai Valley resident and teacher, who published a gripping novel last year about the uses and abuses of social media, told through the lens of a Reflective Writing Class with a group of bright, engaged and very online high school juniors. The teacher, Gabriela Oliver, takes us through her first year at a new school, getting to know the kids through their essays and encouraging them to step back from their devices and think about the larger purposes of their lives. Described as a "cautionary tale about tech's toll" the book also takes us inside the demands placed on teachers' times, the frailty of struggling families, and an immersion in online culture. There is also a spicy romance with a fellow teacher, and a past trauma and loss that Gabby Oliver deals with daily. The shocking twist toward the end of the book brings all the lessons and dangers home in a vivid, compelling way. Besides the book, Davis also talks about being a firefighter's wife during the Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides, raising young children on the cusp of their teen years, and the work that awaits a published writer after their book comes out. "Despite the Buzz" uses a lot of research about online use and its effects on society. Here's a few links to provide background information and further resources. https://despitethebuzz.com https://venturacounty.momcollective.com/author/tamaramillerdavis/ Wait Until 8th: https://www.waituntil8th.org/ Screenagers: www.screenagersmovie.com Center for Humane Technology: humanetech.com Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsense.org Firefighting - Mental Health Resources: Iverson Foundation for Active Awareness: https://iversonfaa.org/ Fully Involved Life: https://www.fullyinvolvedlife.com

"137 Shots" with Mike Milano

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2022 56:48

In 2012, a car heading past the county courthouse in Cleveland, Ohio backfired in front a police car. The police, thinking it was gunfire, engaged in a high-speed pursuit with as many as 60 vehicles. Twenty-three miles and 23 minutes later, the police unleashed a barrage of 137 shots, killing Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams. The police stood trial, Ojai documentary filmmaker Mike Milano, who along with his wife Noemie, produced the seminal Thomas Fire document, HBO's "Burning Ojai," has spent 10 years putting this project together. It was just released and available for streaming on Netflix. The ensuing trial gripped the city and nation, leading to widespread calls for police reform. In the aftermath of George Floyd's killing, the issue remains as timely as ever. Five officers were fired, included Mike Brelo, who jumped up on the car's hood and fired 40-plus rounds at close range. All were eventually reinstated. The trial and uproar were in high heat when 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot in a local park. Mere days after Milano and his wife and child moved to Ojai in late 2017, and while he was deep into the edits on this film, a glow on the horizon presaged what was at the time the largest wildlife in California. It is now 9th. "Burning Ojai" was one of HBO's most popular films when it came out in 2021. Milano, a journalism major from UC Berkeley, was featured in the current issue of Ojai Quarterly magazine. We talk about how his local connections gave him unprecedented access into the justice system and police force, as well as the families of the victims. The film dives deep into the complexities of the justice system, policing and communities, and has spurred calls for reforms. We did not talk about the designated hitter rule, Fauvrism or Bonnie Lu's Rueben sandwich.

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Chloé Zhao's 'Nomadland' & Ojai

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2022 50:59

Chloé Zhao's career has rocketed in recent years with the success of "Nomadland," as she's become only the second woman to win an Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director, and the first woman of color to do so. Fresh off the blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Eternals" she joins the podcast to talk about the role of her adopted hometown in shaping her success, as well as a few teasers about her coming projects. We learn that Frances McDormand lived in "Vanguard," the famous white van in the film, in Zhao's Ojai driveway, and was costumed by Ojai thrift stores. It helped her transform into the character of Fern, the widowed woman who lives on the periphery of the American Dream in the aftermath of the Great Recession, traveling from one low-wage job to another. It earned McDormand her third Oscar. Zhao grew up in China as a devotee of manga - the action-oriented graphic novels - that prepared her for the MCU role, but it was her love of western landscapes, so vividly on display in her first three films, "Songs from my Brother," "The Rider" and "Nomadland," that has characterized her work. We talk about coming projects, her artistic process and influences, and how she moved to Ojai just days before the Thomas Fire devastated the town. In fact, it was Ojai's resilience and strength in aftermath that confirmed for her choice to move here. Our wide-ranging talk included Bass Reeves, Dracula and Mongolia. We did not talk about Lincoln logs, Ukrainian air defense systems or taimen fishing.

016 - Transformations with Tim Curran

The Kurty D Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2021 48:10

What we covered:01:23 – Kurt welcomes to the show, Tim Curran, who speaks to his background in surfing, in music, and eventually in construction05:30 – Tim talks about Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch and what makes it unique10:45 – Tim shares those times he played music with Kelly Slater and their jams17:36 – How surfing became a blessing to Tim and how the waves make him feel better24:00 – A walk through of Tim's musical journey and some of the highlights28:57 – Tim narrates how his construction journey started33:40 – Tim speaks about the Thomas Fire in Ventura and how it affected them36:41 – Tim opens up on his plans about the possible surf ranch development38:52 – Tim talked about his challenging time dealing with Celiac disease 41:25 – The best boss Tim ever had, the best team he's been a part of, and what makes them special and different46:21 – Kurt thanks Tim for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with him and how they can be of service to TimEpisode Sponsor: Hunt Club Tweetable Quotes:“You never know- in 10 or 20 years that dream of yours could be something big- that you really worked hard for. So, dream big and work hard, otherwise, you'll never know!”“I think what I could say is like, surfing was such a blessing. It is just jumping into the water, jumping into the water just like being baptized. So even if like, life's crazy or stressed out, just like jumping into the water, catching a couple of waves, even if it's not good, you just feel better.”“You never think you're good or you're always striving to get good or better but I think when I was around 14 when I was able to start doing the tricks that I watched in the surf movies.”“I am thankful for the opportunity. Music was definitely just a hobby that turned into something a little bigger than I ever imagined. it was more like a super far out dream to play music and do shows.”Links Mentioned:Kurt's TwitterKurt's InstagramKurt's LinkedInLink to Deadwood Construction Site Deadwood Construction Instagram

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Driven to Learn, Share and Grow with Rahul Ravipudi