Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, October 28, 2017

B2 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 28, 2017 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS B2 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 28, 2017 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 
Jeff’s Book PicsBy Jeff Brown FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett 

ghost stories from the last half 
of the 19th century. It includes shocking talesfrom popular American and Victorian authorsincluding: Bram Stoker, M. R. James, Joseph LeFanu, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Nesbit, and 
Francis Marion Crawford.Andrew Barger, award-
winning author and editor of Phantasmal: BestGhost Short Stories 1800-1849 and The Divine 

All Things By Jeff Brown 

Smartphone Addiction 

Our addiction to our smartphones is “damagingAmerican mental health,”says Heather Wilhelmof the NationalReview.Today’s phones are so 
powerful, fast, and filled with dazzling images andalluring tidbits of information from social mediaand the internet that they are virtually impossibleto resist. “Who among us hasn’t looked up atleast once, smartphone in hand, slightly dazed,
only to discover that precious bundles of minutesor hours have somehow slithered by, lost to alleternity, usually in exchanged for no discernableenlightenment at all?” The average smartphoneuser checks in about 80 times a day; click on oneFacebook or Instagram feed or web link, and downyou go into the digital rabbit hole. Americans now“eat,sleep,and breath media,” consuming some form 

“The Yellow Boat” runs Oct. 20-28 at 
the Sierra Madre Playhouse 


Dantes trilogy, has now researchedThe Best Horror of the Year 

the finest ghost stories for the lastThe book showcases the previous

Volume Nine by Ellen Datlow 

half of the nineteenth century andyear’s best offerings in short fiction

combined them in one hauntinghorror. This edition includes award-

collection. He has added his familiar 
winning and critically acclaimed

scholarly touch by annotating theauthors Adam L. G. Nevill, Livia 

stories, providing story backgroundLlewellyn, Peter Straub, Gemma

information, author photos and a 
Files, Brian Hodge, and more.For 

list of ghost stories considered tomore than three decades, award-

settle on the most frightening andwinning editor and anthologist

well-written tales. “I am deeplyEllen Datlow has had her finger

and horribly convinced, that thereon the pulse of the latest and most

does exist beyond this a spiritualterrifying in horror writing. Night

world—a system whose workingsShade Books is proud to present the

are generally in mercy hidden fromninth volume in this annual series, a 

us—a system which may be, andnew collection of stories to keep you

which is sometimes, partially andup at night.Table of Contents: 2016

terribly revealed.’ The Familiar 1872 

by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu 
Carroll The Oestridae -- Robert 
Levy The Process is a Process All its

- Ellen Datlow Nesters -- Siobhan 
Scariest Stories Ever Told by

Roberta Simpson BrownOwn -- Peter Straub The Bad Hour 

National Parenting Product Award.
-- Steve Rasnic Tem It’s All the Same 

-- Christopher Golden Red Rabbit

This spooky collection of hauntingRoad in the End -- Brian Hodge Fury

stories from the “Queen of Cold 
-- DB Waters Grave Goods -- Gemma 

Blooded Tales”, Roberta SimpsonFiles Between Dry Ribs -- Gregory

Brown, may well be The ScariestNorman Bossert The Days of Our

Stories Ever Told. These chilling talesLives -- Adam LG Nevill House of 

are filled with familiar themes to 
Wonders -- C.E. Ward The Numbers 

make anyone feel safe - the grouchy-- Christopher Burns Bright Crown

old teacher, a family telling oneof Joy -- Livia Llewellyn The 

another ghost stories in an old cabin,
Beautiful Thing We Will Become

well meaning yet clueless parents -- 
Kristi DeMeester Wish You Were 

but jam packed with enough ghouls,
Here -- Nadia Bulkin Ragman -


ghosts, and menacing spirits toRebecca Lloyd What’s Out There?

give anyone the chills.The Scariest-- Gary McMahon No Matter Which

Stories Ever Told includes over 
Way We Turned -- Brian Evenson

13 contemporary tales featuringThe Castellmarch Man -- Ray Cluley

children tackling (and sometimesThe Ice Beneath Us -- Steve Duffy

getting tackled by) their fears. MeetOn These Blackened Shores of Time 

sinister characters like the stick 
-- Brian Hodge Honorable Mentions 

man, the shadows and the feathered 
thing. Take a peak at the hauntedwell, check out the school locker 

Best Ghost Short Stories 1850


portal to the “other side” and buck1899: A Phantasmal Ghost 

up your courage to visit the creepyAnthology by Bram Stoker , 

costume party. Children will loveCharles Dickens,etc. Andrew 

seeing characters their age confrontThis book contains 12 of the best 

Barger (Editor)

sinister creatures and work up the 

courage to explore supernaturaloccurrences in everyday life.No one is safe whenthe “Queen of Cold Blooded Tales” is around so 
be advised to make sure the lights are on and thedoors are locked before opening this book. Thesestories about cemeteries, full moons, and scaryfarmhouses will teach readers the importance ofcourage, resourcefulness and responsibility. 

of it many hours a day. Not surprisingly, scientificresearch has linked smartphone use to decreasedconcentration, lower problem solving-skills, and 
depression.For youngsters, smartphone addictionis truly disastrous, with the incidents of depressiveepisodes soaring by 60%. Why give kids under whatfor them is “ a very expensive portable internet pornfinder/social media stalking system/mean girls textcenter”? Adults should limit their kid’s smartphoneminutes-and their own. Our collective mental 
health may depend on it! 

Watching the News. 

Having a daily dose of what’s wrong in the worldaccompanied by zero perspective of what’s good inthe world causes serious consequences for ones souland the nations. 

BUSINESS TODAY 

The latest on Business News, Trends and 

Techniques 

By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA 
PURCHASING NEW ITEMS & PURGING OLD 
ITEMS FOR GIFT GIVING 

STARTING A NEW BUSINESS ? 
IRAS, ANNUITIES AND 
GUARDIANSHIP: 

Providing for Your MinorChildren if You Die Before TheyReach Adulthood 

Deciding on a guardian for your minor children mayvery well be the most important decision you’ll makeregarding your estate planning. Not only must you trustthe appointed guardian to raise your children as you’d 
want them raised, but you also need that person to befinancially responsible with your children’s inheritance.
For example, if you have an IRA or an annuity thatyou wish to pass to your minor children, how can youensure those funds will be used properly—especiallyif the person you trust most to raise your kids isn’tnecessarily the best with finances? 

This question is multifaceted, so let’s unravel one aspectat a time. 

The Question of GuardianshipHere’s the good news: The person who raises your minorchildren and the person who handles their inheritancedon’t have to be the same person. If necessary, you canappoint one guardian to serve each function, namingone as the guardian of the person and another as theguardian of the estate. In this arrangement, you entrustone person with your children’s assets and anotherwith their care, while enabling each to interact withthe other. This dual guardianship model gives manyparents peace of mind—knowing they don’t necessarilyhave to risk their children’s inheritance while ensuringthat they are raised according to the family’s values.

Although guardianship of the estate is an option, formany families the best strategy for financially providingfor the children is to use a trust. In that case, a trustee 
fulfills the responsibility that would otherwise belongto the guardian of the estate. The trust assets can bereleased to the children or the caregiver incrementallyaccording to age and needs. For example, the trusteecould distribute money for the children’s needs until age18 and then manage for the money until the child is afinancially mature adult. Your trustee may also exercisediscretion in investing and distributing the funds forthe children’s support, education, etc., coordinatingwith their physical guardian to ensure the children’sneeds are met until they come of age. This can ensure 

that the assets are there when they’re needed for yourfamily. 

Passing an Annuity to the ChildrenAnnuities pay out regular income—which can makethem convenient vehicles to cover ongoing expensesfor minor children. If you have set up an annuityfor yourself or a spouse, you can name the childrenas beneficiaries, or you can also name a trust for thebenefit of your children. If you are still paying intothe annuity at the time of death, your children mayreceive the balance, or you may give a trustee theoption of rolling the balance into another annuity tobe paid out to the children at a later maturity date. Ifyou are already receiving annuity payments yourself,
the children may simply continue receiving thesepayments for the remainder of the term. Depending onyour annuity contract, payouts may also be made lumpsum. Annuities are a very flexible financial productwith many different options. If you have annuity now,
or if you are considering purchasing one, bring it upwith us as we work on your estate plan so we can makesure it meshes with your will or trust seamlessly. 

Transferring an IRA to the ChildrenIndividual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are alsoexcellent vehicles to pass along wealth for minorchildren’s welfare—because, unlike most annuities, 
they have the ability to grow over time and can providea lifetime of financial benefit to your children.

When you name the next generation as 
beneficiaries on an IRA, you effectively extend theIRA’s life expectancy. While the required minimumdistribution payments to the children will be smallerthan they would have been for you (since, according tothe IRS’s rules, they have a longer life expectancy), theaccount balance can remain invested for growth overtime. Your financial and tax advisor can evaluate yoursituation to help you decide which type of IRA (Rothor traditional) is the best option for your goals. And wecan work with you to set up a trust which fully protectsyour IRA against your child’s creditors, predators,
future ex-spouses, and immature financial decisionmaking.

Planning for the welfare of minor children after yourdeath is neither simple nor pleasant to consider, but it’sabsolutely necessary for peace of mind. Determiningthe right person(s) to be the guardian of your childrenrequires careful thought, but you don’t have to sacrificeyour children’s inheritance for their proper care. Withthe right financial plan, you can manage both facetssuccessfully. As always, we’re here to provide assistanceand explain your options. Call our offices for an 
appointment today.

Dedicated to building your wealth, empoweringyour family and securing your legacy, 

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on amission 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 appointmentto sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of loveand financial security for your family by calling626.587.3058 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more 
information. 

With the holiday season at our doorsteps, it’s theperfect time to finalize the annual list of giftsthat you plan to purchase, including year-endgifts to a worthy cause or individuals who mightbe encouraged by a generous show of support.
Don’t underestimate how appreciative someonemay be to receive a gift of something that is oldand outdated for you, yet may be welcomed by therecipient as their new favorite thing. As long aswhat you’re giving is in good working conditionand looks presentable, you will be surprised athow useful your friend or neighbor may find it toreceive your old computer desk that you need todiscard because you’re replacing it or convertingyour office into an exercise room.

Look first to determine things that you alreadypossess to give away and bring joy or benefit tosomeone else. Next, think of some talent you haveor some service you could render to bring a smileto someone’s face. Put on your thinking cap and getcreative with your ideas, then settle on at least onething that you can actually do and at least one thingthat you can actually give to someone. Replacing yourolder Kindle? Certainly one of the other individualsin your life who loves to read might welcome it as abrand new gadget to master. Other examples of giftsto give, some old, some new, include:

Next time you’re dining at one of your favoriterestaurants, purchase a gift certificate for an amountat least equal to your tab on that visit, then give it tosomeone in your life who’s never been there. You can 
let them know that you wanted one of your favorite 

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people to be enjoy a meal at one of your favorite 
restaurants. 

If you’re among the folks who still uses elbowgrease to was their own cars, surprise your neighborby taking your waterhose and washcloth to theirs thenext time they jokingly say, “Hey, you washing minenext?” 

For those who don’t feel comfortable reachingout to give used items or services to individuals theyknow, perhaps a donation to a local charitable causewill suffice. 

Consider blessing yourself by being a blessingto someone less fortunate during this festive 
season. “It’s better to give than it is to receive” is awell-known saying adopted from Acts 20:35 in theBible. Certainly, anyone who is in a position to beable to contribute to someone else’s well-being oradvancement is in some ways better off than thosewho must rely on others to provide the necessities oflife. 

We can all brace ourselves for the onslaught ofpromotional campaigns and advertisements thatwill consume every available second of airtime onbroadcast media, and populate bandwidths withthe transmission of digital data to make it easy forshoppers to browse, shop and click to completepurchases through countless websites and relatedmedia. We can also adopt a balanced approach todecide on the new items that we wish to purchase,
as well as some of our old existing items that we canpurge from our environment to become useful tosomeone else. 

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