Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, December 3, 2016

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain View News Saturday, December 3, 2016 

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett

A Good Man, A Great Dad and a 
Loving Husband: Everyman’s Guide 
to a Brilliant Life by Bradley Brown 

“In this book you will find common-sense 
approaches to help you to be a good man, 
a great dad and a loving husband. I have 
invested fifty-five years into researching this 
book. Like any good scientist, trial and error 
have played a major part in my findings. 
Wisdom is about learning from what we 
have done or what others before us have 
experienced, and evolving as a result. It is my 
hope that the wisdom I share with you here 
will make your journey towards a brilliant 
life a straighter road, allowing you to get 
there faster”(Bradley Brown).A wonderful 
book.Availiable in Kindle at Amazon.com

Anthill: A Novel by Edward O. Wilson 

The two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning 
biologist delivers “an astonishing literary 
achievement” (Anthony Gottlieb, The 
Economist).Winner of the Heartland Prize, 
Anthill follows the thrilling adventures 
of a modern-day Huck Finn, enthralled 
with the “strange, beautiful, and elegant” 
world of his native Nokobee County. 
But as developers begin to threaten the 
endangered marshlands around which 
he lives, the book’s hero decides to take 
decisive action. Edward O. Wilson,the 
world’s greatest living biologist,elegantly 
balances glimpses of science with the 
gripping saga of a boy determined to save the world from 
its most savage ecological predator: man himself.

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness 
in a Changing World by Dalai 
Lama , Desmond Tutu 

Two great spiritual masters share their own 
hard-won wisdom about living with joy 
even in the face of adversity.The occasion 
was a big birthday. And it inspired two 
close friends to get together in Dharamsala 
for a talk about something very important 
to them. The friends were His Holiness the 
Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond 
Tutu. The subject was joy. Both winners 
of the Nobel Prize, both great spiritual 
masters and moral leaders of our time, 
they are also known for being among the 
most infectiously happy people on the 
planet.From the beginning the book was 
envisioned as a three-layer birthday cake: 
their own stories and teachings about joy, 
the most recent findings in the science of 
deep happiness, and the daily practices that 
anchor their own emotional and spiritual 
lives. Both the Dalai Lama and Archbishop 
Tutu have been tested by great personal and 
national adversity, and here they share their 
personal stories of struggle and renewal. 
Now that they are both in their 80s, they 
especially want to spread the core message 
that to have joy yourself, you must bring joy 
to others.Most of all, during that landmark 
week in Dharamsala, they demonstrated 
by their own exuberance, compassion, and 
humor how joy can be transformed from a 
fleeting emotion into an enduring way of life.


HOW THESE COMMON 
ASSETS CAN AFFECT 
YOUR FINANCIAL AID 
ELIGIBILITY

Financial aid is a valuable resource for students and their 
families. And a child going off to college is one of life’s biggest 
events. Unfortunately, certain assets you acquire may adversely 
affect student financial aid eligibility. That’s why careful 
financial planning is particularly important for families with 
college age children.

 Federal financial aid eligibility is calculated using many 
variables, parental income and assets being some of the 
most important. Income and assets can increase the EFC, or 
Expected Family Contribution. The EFC is a measure of the 
family’s ability to pay for college. But strategic financial planning 
can help you save funds for college without increasing your EFC 
and reducing your child’s financial aid eligibility. Let’s look at the 
ways some common assets affect financial aid eligibility.

 Retirement Accounts: 401(k)s, and Roth and traditional IRAs 
are not used to determine your EFC. However, funds withdrawn 
from these accounts, even if used for college expenses, are 
counted as income and thus can affect your EFC.

 Home Equity: Federal financial aid calculations do not 
include equity in the parents’ primary residence. Individual 
institutions, however, may include equity when determining aid 
eligibility.

 UGMA/UTMA accounts: These can be considered either the 
parents’ or the student’s asset, depending on how the account is 
titled and who is named as beneficiary.

 Family Owned Businesses: The value of small family owned 
businesses is not included in the federal aid calculation, if at least 
50% is owned and controlled by the family, and it has less than 
100 employees.

 Life Insurance Policies and Annuities: The cash values of 
these assets are not included in the federal aid calculation.

 Mutual Funds: The value of mutual funds is considered 
an asset, while distributions and capital gains are considered 
income. This is an important distinction because the portion 
of income that can be included in the federal aid calculation is 
much more than the portion of assets that can be included.

 529 Savings Accounts and Coverdell ESAs: These are 
typically considered assets of the parents. Withdrawals are not 
included, unless coming from a third-party account, such as a 
grandparent’s.

 As you can see, planning for college requires you consider 
many factors, such as which assets can affect financial aid and 
just how they do so. You can maximize your student’s financial 
aid eligibility, however, by developing a financial plan that will 
allow you to take advantage of asset exclusions when filing 
the FAFSA. After all, preserving assets is a key component to 
successful estate planning.

 Dedicated to empowering your family, enhancing your 
wealth and entrenching your legacy,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a mission to help 
parents protect what they love most. His office is located at 49 
S. Baldwin Ave., Ste. G, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an 
appointment to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love 
and financial security for your family by calling 626.587.3058 or 
visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more information.


All Things By Jeff Brown

A 2016 REPORT: MILLENNIALS & THEIR 
SMARTPHONE HABITS

A staggering 85% of millennials own smartphones, 
making them the largest generational group in the 
USA to own a smart device. 87 percent of American 
Millennials say their smartphone never leaves their side.
Millennials have reported feeling increasingly depressed 
and anxious due to smartphone use. The fear of missing 
out(FOMO) and the need to check their phones 
compulsively are also commonly reported side effects of 
the same. Millennials are also annoyed by the amount 
of time they spend on smartphones. One study reported 
that M’s check their phones as much as 167 times a 
day They also don’t like the pressure to consistently 
document their lives, as well as security concerns with 
regard to stolen data and other security variables. 82% 
of millennials check their smartphones within an hour 
of getting up. 38% of millennials have taken a call 
while driving, only 25% of them have a hands-free set.. 
43% of millennials can’t go to the toilet without their 
smartphone, with full-time employees and men being 
the most affected. One in three millennials checks their 
phones right after sex while twice as many men than 
women have checked their phones during sex.Contrary 
to popular belief, the large majority of millennials (64%) 
neither sexts or send naked selfies.More than half of 
all millennials now only browse the internet on their 
smartphones, what’s more - among teenagers, it’s 91%.
To be fair, millennials have many compelling reasons 
for using their smartphones: Experian data show that 
roughly one in five millennials (again, more than other 
age groups) use their phones to read the news during 
a typical week, and millennials are more likely than 
other cohort to use their phones to stay in touch with 
friends. What’s more, Pew data shows that millennials 
are more likely than other groups to use their phones 
to look at educational content, find and apply for jobs 
and learn more about a health condition.For the rest of 
us:The majority (89 per cent) of Americans check their 
smartphones “at least a few times a day,” while 36 per 
cent admit they are “constantly checking and using” 
their phones,some can’t go longer than a few minutes 
and others can last longer than 24 hours without 
checking.No doubt Smartphone use is highly addictive.

On the Marquee: 

Notes from the Sierra MadrePlayhouse

CHRISTMAS AT THE PLAYHOUSE

By Artistic Director, Christian Lebano

December has arrived and everyone seems to be in full-on holiday mode! Have you made your plans 
to see A Little House Christmas yet? We’ve gotten some lovely reviews of the show: Frances Baum 
Nicholson says in the Pasadena Star-News: “Sierra Madre Playhouse has pushed aside Dickens for 
Laura Ingalls Wilder, and brought back “A Little House Christmas” first produced there two years 
ago. This year’s production is … a revelation. With a new, strong and naturalistic cast, a director who 
understands how to make the piece flow, and a feel of continuity this year’s “Little House” proves 
charming and sweet…”

Every theater has its traditional Holiday show and most rely on Dicken’s A Christmas Carol but because 
of our mission to stick to the American Experience that is not available to us (and I’m so glad – because 
as much as I love that story – I’m tired of that being my only choice at Christmas.) Finding A Little 
House Christmas was a perfect fit for our theater – it celebrates America, it is based on truly classic 
tales by Laura Ingalls Wilder, AND its message of love and simplicity seems a wonderful antidote to the 
current over-hyped shopping mania of our contemporary Christmas season.

I don’t think that we could do this show every year, but may bring it back every second year – I’m 
already looking at a couple of wonderful stories for next year. Do make the Playhouse part of your 
celebration this year! A Little House Christmas runs until December 23 and some shows are already 
sold-out.

* * *

On Sunday, December 18 we’ll feature our first collaboration with Sierra Madre Music when Jessica 
Pierce and Almer Imamovic perform as the AlmaNova Duo with special guest vocalist Abram Poliakoff 
in “A Classical Christmas” concert. If you have never heard them perform you are in for a special treat. 
Jessica has agreed to help me curate the music series and we have many wonderful things planned for 
the next year – including our on-going collaboration with the Colburn School of Music. Tickets for 
the Christmas Concert are $20 for adults and $15 for youth 21 and under. I hope we’ll see you there.

* * *

We are now reaching out to our supporters and donors to make commitments of support for the next 
year. You each should be receiving your solicitation letters soon and when you do, I hope you will 
consider making a generous gift to SMP. I’ve spoken of some of our dreams and plans, to make them 
a reality we will need the help of our friends, old and new, in our Marquee Giving Circle. Please help 
us keep SMP as a vital and treasured 
part of this community. Our 
Groucho Gala on Sunday, December 
4 is almost sold-out! All proceeds go 
to the Playhouse – Frank Ferrante 
is donating his performance to us – 
and your tickets are tax-deductible 
after the first $30– it’s going to be a 
fantastic evening, I can’t wait! 

As always we do it for you – our SMP 
family. Your support and loyalty 
mean so much to us. For tickets 
please call Mary in the box office at 
626.355.4318. Hope to see you soon!


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com