Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, July 1, 2017

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BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 1, 2017 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown


1776 by David McCullough

America’s beloved and distinguished 
historian presents, in a book of 
breathtaking excitement, drama, and 
narrative force, the stirring story of 
the year of our nation’s birth, 1776, 
interweaving, on both sides of the 
Atlantic, the actions and decisions that 
led Great Britain to undertake a war 
against her rebellious colonial subjects 
and that placed America’s survival 
in the hands of George Washington.
In this masterful book, David 
McCullough tells the intensely human 
story of those who marched with 
General George Washington in the year 
of the Declaration of Independence—
when the whole American cause was 
riding on their success, without which 
all hope for independence would have 
been dashed and the noble ideals of 
the Declaration would have amounted 
to little more than words on paper.
Based on extensive research in both 
American and British archives, 1776 
is a powerful drama written with 
extraordinary narrative vitality. It is 
the story of Americans in the ranks, 
men of every shape, size, and color, 
farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, 
no-accounts, and mere boys turned 
soldiers. And it is the story of the King’s 
men, the British commander, William 
Howe, and his highly disciplined 
redcoats who looked on their rebel foes 
with contempt and fought with a valor 
too little known.Written as a companion 
work to his celebrated biography of John 
Adams, 1776 is another landmark in the 
literature of American history.

John Adams by David 
McCullough 

This is the Pulitzer Prize–winning, 
bestselling biography of America’s founding 
father and second president that was the basis 
for the acclaimed HBO series.In this powerful, 
epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the 
adventurous life journey of John Adams, the 
brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always 
honest Yankee patriot who spared nothing in his zeal 
for the American Revolution; who rose 
to become the second president of the 
United States and saved the country 
from blundering into an unnecessary 
war; who was learned beyond all but 
a few and regarded by some as “out 
of his senses”; and whose marriage to 
the wise and valiant Abigail Adams 
is one of the moving love stories in 
American history.This is history on 
a grand scale—a book about politics 
and war and social issues, but also 
about human nature, love, religious 
faith, virtue, ambition, friendship, 
and betrayal, and the far-reaching 
consequences of noble ideas. Above all, 
John Adams is an enthralling, often 
surprising story of one of the most 
important and fascinating Americans 
who ever lived.

The American Spirit: Who We 
Are and What We Stand For by 
David McCullough 

A timely collection of speeches by 
David McCullough, the most honored 
historian in the United States—
winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, two 
National Book Awards, and the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom, among 
many others—that reminds us of 
fundamental American principles.Over 
the course of his distinguished career, 
David McCullough has spoken before 
Congress, the White House, colleges 
and universities, historical societies, 
and other esteemed institutions. Now, 
at a time of self-reflection in America 
following a bitter election campaign 
that has left the country divided, 
McCullough has collected some of 
his most important speeches in a brief 
volume designed to identify important 
principles and characteristics that are 
particularly American. The American Spirit reminds 
us of core American values to which we all subscribe, 
regardless of which region we live in, which political 
party we identify with, or our ethnic background. 
This is a book about America for all Americans that 
reminds us who we are and helps to guide us as we 
find our way forward.


5 WAYS TO ENSURE YOUR 
ESTATE PLAN EXPRESSES 
WHO YOU ARE

Most people know estate planning can help you pass along 
your material wealth, but what about your intangible 
wealth like your wisdom, values, and life-experiences? 
Studies show that intangible wealth is valued by heirs even 
more highly than tangible wealth. And it is the wealth that 
lasts the longest, and the wealth that’s lost for good if care 
isn’t taken to preserve and pass it along.

 Don’t get me wrong. The money’s important. But 
focusing on the money alone squanders an incredible 
opportunity during the estate planning process to account 
for the most important part of your wealth – the human 
capital you’ve accumulated during your life. With that in 
mind, here are five things which should be included in 
every comprehensive estate plan, but often aren’t:

1. Your rich life story

You may think it’s all been said before, but this is the 
perfect time to schedule or conduct recording sessions 
about your own personal life narrative. These recordings 
will be treasured while you’re still here and long after 
you’re gone, too. It doesn’t have to be scripted or scary. You 
can just talk about particularly fond memories, knowing 
you’re creating a time capsule of sorts that will contain the 
uniqueness of your personality and the experiences that 
shaped you into the person you are today. And perhaps 
most importantly, this gives you the opportunity to share 
the valuable lessons you’ve learned from your experiences. 
Your family will be better for it. 

2. How you’d like to be honored

Estate planning involves considering some weighty 
decisions when it comes to long-term care, powers of 
attorney, and other situations that may arise should you 
become mentally incapacitated. Although these are not 
the sunniest of topics, it’s important to express to your 
family why you feel most aligned with the choices you’re 
making. This will ease the processes for your loved ones, 
should these things ever come to pass. And once you get 
this part of the conversation out of the way, there are better 
things to come.

3. Your family tree

Your family might be curious about more than just your 
own life story. Take this time to go over your family tree 
and inform the younger members of your family about the 
details of your heritage. Getting a who’s who on paper and/
or in a digital format is an excellent gift to your heirs, as 
they’ll be able to reference it and build upon it throughout 
their own lives. 

4. Significant heirlooms

Every family has heirlooms, and every piece tells a story. It’s 
common for estate plans to contain physical objects that 
matter dearly to their owners, such as furniture, garments, 
jewelry, hobby collections, and memorabilia. Keeping 
the story of the object alive is more important than 
transferring its monetary value to the next generation. So 
rather than just document who gets what, I encourage my 
clients to take a picture of each heirloom and then write 
about why that item means so much to them, and why 
they want to give it to the particular beneficiary they have 
chosen to receive it.

5. Your core values

Your estate plan can be customized to include specific 
language (such as a family mission statement) that carries 
your values along with it while still leaving room for your 
beneficiaries to grow and explore on their own terms. 
Educational, incentive, and charitable trusts are other 
great tools available to you to express your values through 
your estate plan. 

 You know there’s much more to you than the material 
wealth you’ve accumulated during your life. As such, 
your estate plan should be about much more than just 
your financial worth. After all, what’s passed down from 
generation to generation amounts to something far greater 
than numbers on paper. 

 Don’t be afraid to insist that your estate plan includes 
a balanced representation of who you are and what you 
believe. And make sure you choose an attorney who isn’t 
only focused on your financial assets, but who wants to 
help weave your “whole wealth” into your trust and other 
critical documents so that the legacy you’ve built will 
mean something to your family for generations to come. 

 Dedicated to empowering your family, building your 
wealth and securing 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 Considered By Jeff Brown

DAVID MCCULLOUGH, 1776

“In Philadelphia, the same day as the British landing 
on Staten Island, July 2, 1776, the Continental 
Congress, in a momentous decision, voted to 
“dissolve the connection” with Great Britain. The 
news reached New York four days later, on July 
6, and at once spontaneous celebrations broke 
out. “The whole choir of our officers . . . went to a 
public house to testify our joy at the happy news of 
Independence. We spent the afternoon merrily,” 
recorded Isaac Bangs. A letter from John Hancock 
to Washington, as well as the complete text of the 
Declaration, followed two days later: That our 
affairs may take a more favorable turn [Hancock 
wrote], the Congress have judged it necessary to 
dissolve the connection between Great Britain 
and the American colonies, and to declare them 
free and independent states; as you will perceive 
by the enclosed Declaration, which I am directed 
to transmit to you, and to request you will have it 
proclaimed at the head of the army in the way you 
shall think most proper.” “The year 1776, celebrated 
as the birth year of the nation and for the signing of 
the Declaration of Independence, was for those who 
carried the fight for independence forward a year of 
all-too-few victories, of sustained suffering, disease, 
hunger, desertion, cowardice, disillusionment, 
defeat, terrible discouragement, and fear, as they 
would never forget, but also of phenomenal courage 
and bedrock devotion to country, and that, too they 
would never forget.” 

BUSINESS TODAY

The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques


By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA

BUSINESS WEBSITES ARE EASIER AND CHEAPER 
THAN YOU THINK


Running a business without a website in this day and age, 
would have been like trying to run a business without a 
phone during the 1960’s. Although having a presence 
across several social media platforms like Facebook, 
Twitter and Instagram are important, business owners 
should be mindful that these platforms are owned and 
controlled by corporations that have to look out for 
their own best interests. This results in routine, and 
constant updates to these online properties along with 
new guidelines.

 In prior years, the expense of having a website was 
prohibitive. A website that may have required $5,000 
to $10,000 just five years ago, can be accomplished for 
less than $1,000, with even more features. The options 
are broad, including hiring a consultant or company, or 
purchasing a package to do it yourself (DIY).

 Anyone with the basic computer proficiency needed 
to conduct a Google search and prepare or edit a 
document can master the basics needed to build and 
maintain a website using one of the many “drag and 
drop” programs. The range of skills required includes 
knowing how to create and manipulate text, how to copy 
and locate files stored on your computer or other media 
storage (i.e. flash drive, CD or external hard drive) and 
how to save and delete files.

 The biggest hurdle that a business owner usually 
has in regards to getting a website up and running is 
gathering and organizing the information and images 
needed to create the website. This is the case whether 
it’s a DIY website process or retaining the services of a 
website consultant.

 So as simple as it may seem, one of the most critical 
first step in building a website is to gather and organize 
the information that will be used to create the pages 
on the site. This may include a mix of photos and 
illustrations. Videos and audio clips are commonly used, 
but the recommendation is to upload these multimedia 
items to a platform like YouTube and create a link from 
your website. It is more beneficial to have these items 
on a platform that attracts millions of visitors daily, as 
opposed to restricting the exposure to the number of 
people who may visit your website.

 If you have been operating a business without a 
website up to this point, your excuse has probably been 
related to time, money or both. With a variety of free 
and low-cost DIY choices readily available, money is 
no longer a factor. You can start by simply compiling 
or creating the content that will be used to place on 
your website, while exploring online videos of DIY 
website building platforms like Weebly.com, Wix.com 
or Websitebuilder.com that offer a basic website free 
of charge. However, if you plan to be taken seriously 
as a business, you definitely want a website domain 
name that promotes your company’s name, without the 
website platform name that automatically added to the 
domain name of free websites.

 Having a basic website is better than having no 
website. Today, it is easier and more affordable than 
ever before if DIY is your preference. If time is your 
issue, hire an individual or business to coordinate the 
process and provide the handholding to guide and assist 
you with creating and compiling the required content. 
If you are serious about establishing a website to support 
your business, the good new is you can have your website 
up and running within a few weeks.

 To get a FREE worksheet, How To Create and Compile 
Website Content, email your request to LaQShamblee@
TheGrantbuilder.com.

COULD HEALTH SHARING BE AN ANSWER TO THE 
SKYROCKETING COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE?


By Idelle Steinberg

 The health care world has become very 
tenuous. Health insurance costs are soaring as 
benefits diminish.

 People feel the pressure, but don’t know where 
to turn. There is a solution likely to be unaffected 
by whatever changes the government is deciding 
to do to replace Obamacare.

 Have you ever heard of Health Sharing? 
Well, it’s not insurance, but it is an alternative 
way to meet the current legal requirement to have health 
insurance. Today Health Sharing has over one million 
members that share over one billion dollars in medical 
expenses annually. It’s an old concept that has been around 
for over thirty years.

 What is Health Sharing? It is a program where members 
share each other’s medical expenses, and it works. The cost 
is typically 30 - 60% lower than insurance. It’s a fantastic 
way to help save money and share expenses with people 
that are typically into health living. Finally, a financial 
incentive to eat healthy and stay physically fit. Since this 
is not insurance, it does not have a lot of the trappings of 
insurance. There is no directory of providers or doctors’ 
network that restrict consumer choice, no co-pays and no 
deductibles. Also, since there are usually no set networks 
and members can see any doctor or go to the hospital of 
their choice. They may often be able to choose alternative 
treatment modalities such as naturopathy, chiropractic and 
acupuncture.

 The way health sharing works is – instead of a monthly 
premium as happens with health insurance, 
each member pays a monthly ‘share’ amount. 
This goes towards paying the medical expenses 
of other members. The member also has an 
annual or per incident amount they would owe 
depending on the organization. For example, a 
typical unshared amount may be $500, $1000, 
or $1500. When this amount is reached, the 
remainder of the medical expenses for the year, 
will be shared by the rest of the community.

 The benefits of Health Sharing can be explained by 
comparing health care expenses for a typical consumer: A 
50-year old woman pays $500 in health insurance premiums 
per month ($6,000/yr.), has a $1,500 annual deductible to 
pay before the insurance will pick up any expenses, has a 
co-pay of $100 per doctor visit and is required to pay 20% 
of the cost of her medical expenses. If she is in need of any 
x-rays or other medical procedures not affiliated with a 
routine exam, she will likely pay at least $7,500, plus 20% 
of costs that exceed the initial deductible. In contrast, 
under a Health Sharing Program, this consumer will pay a 
maximum of that unshared amount only. Any amount that 
exceeds the “unshared” amount will be shared through the 
other Health Sharing members.

 Health Sharing is a simple idea that works very well in 
our complex medical world. If you are considering making 
a change in how you handle your medical bills, this is one 
option worth considering. For more information about 
Health Sharing contact Idelle Steinberg - mobile (626) 710-
2316 idelle@securemoney101.com.

 
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