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Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, September 16, 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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B2 BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 16, 2017 FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown Vaster Than Sky, Greater Than Space: What You Are Before You Became by Mooji Brilliant Illuminations for Awakening to the Absolute.What if all that you believe yourself to be—your body, mind, emotions, and conditioning—is actually what you are not? What if this is merely a self-portrait shaped by false identification, habit, and assumptions?In gatherings worldwide, Mooji has opened the eyes of thousands through his ability to shine light on the ineffable with uncommon clarity, humor, and warmth. Now, with this book , Mooji invites readers everywhere to discover the true essence from which we all arise. He guides us into the adventure of deep inquiry, sparking direct Self-realization through parables, insights, wisdom teachings, and responses to the common questions of readers.Through our own engagement and self-exploration, Mooji helps us to arrive at the answers from our own deepest Knowing—revealing the timeless, boundless love and freedom that is the natural perfume of the Absolute. History of Wolves: A Novel by Emily Fridlund “So delicately calibrated and precisely beautiful that one might not immediately sense the sledgehammer of pain building inside this book. And I mean that in the best way. What powerful tension and depth this provides!”— Aimee BenderFourteen-year-old Linda lives with her parents in the beautiful, austere woods of northern Minnesota, where their nearly abandoned commune stands as a last vestige of a lost counter-culture world. Isolated at home and an outlander at school, Linda is drawn to the enigmatic, attractive Lily and new history teacher Mr. Grierson. When Mr. Grierson is charged with possessing child pornography, the implications of his arrest deeply affect Linda as she wrestles with her own fledgling desires and craving to belong. And then the young Gardner family moves in across the lake and Linda finds herself welcomed into their home as a babysitter for their little boy, Paul. It seems that her life finally has purpose but with this new sense of belonging she is also drawn into secrets she doesn’t understand. Over the course of a few days, Linda makes a set of choices that reverberate throughout her life. As she struggles to find a way out of the sequestered world into which she was born, Linda confronts the life- and-death consequences of the things people do—and fail to do—for the people they love. MY BIG LESSON FROM 9/11 Like many of you, I watched the remembrances and commemorations covered on television Monday, September 11, this past week. I thought a lot about that fateful day 16 years ago, my memories of watching the towers come down still vivid in my mind. The horror, the sadness, still heavy on my heart. The heroic actions of so many brave men and women still giving hope to my soul. And then on Tuesday, the very next day, I was listening to motivational speaker Winn Claybaugh, as he addressed the Sierra Madre Rotary Club about experiencing the very same feelings I myself had just the day before. We shared the knowledge that those thousands of people, trapped in airplanes or buildings, suddenly realized they were in the very last moments of their lives. And we both thought about how that must have felt - but of course we can’t really know. The one thing we do know, however, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that many of those people, comprehending they only had moments left to live, chose to use those precious last few seconds to make phone calls. We’ve all heard the stories. And we know they didn’t call their bosses, or their employees, to complain about stress in the workplace. We know they didn’t call a neighbor or relative they were having a dispute with to take one final parting shot. We know those that could, made phone calls to the people they loved most in the world. And we know the simple message they conveyed was a message of love. “I love you,” they said. “No matter what happens, know that I love you.” Because in the end – the literal end – nothing else mattered. At all. To a person, they just wanted to hear their loved one’s voice one last time. They wanted to send one final message: “I love you.” That was their priority; the most important thing in the world. Nothing else mattered. Can there be any doubt love is stronger than hate? Can there be any mistake that what’s most important, when everything is all said and done, is the love we have for our families? How amazing is that?! What a tribute to us as human beings. And yes, pure evil does reside in some human beings. That’s always been the case. But there is also such pure goodness and love in so many of us. And ultimately, this all speaks to why I love doing what I do. Because at the very end, nothing matters but the love we have for our families. Estate planning is the way – the only way, in fact – to guarantee that last message of love and hope comes through to our loved ones loud and clear. And when it comes right down to it, that’s the only thing that matters. So, my question is this: have you taken the necessary steps to ensure your final message will be clearly heard and unequivocally understood by the people you love most in the world? Estate planning can – and should be – about so much more than just legal documents. It is – and must be – about successfully communicating the most important message of your life to the most important people in your life. And in the end, that will be the most important thing in your life. If you haven’t gotten it done yet, stop procrastinating. Get your estate plan in place. Don’t lose the most important opportunity of your life. 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 By Jeff Brown WELLES CROWTHER -24 YRS.OLD -HERO! On September 11, 2001, minutes after United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower between floors 78 and 85 Crowther called his mother from his office at 9:12 a.m., leaving the message, “Mom, this is Welles. I wanted you to know that I’m OK.” Crowther made his way to the 78th floor sky lobby, where he encountered a group of survivors, including a badly burned Ling Young. Young had been one of approximately 200 people waiting at a bank of elevators to evacuate when the plane hit the tower, and one of the few survivors.Crowther, carrying a young woman on his back, directed them to the one working stairway. The survivors followed him 17 floors down, where he dropped off the woman he was carrying before heading back upstairs to assist others. By the time he returned to the 78th floor, he had a bandana around his nose and mouth to protect him from smoke .He found another group of survivors, which included Judy Wein, who was in pain from a broken arm, cracked ribs and a punctured lung. According to Wein, Crowther assisted in putting out fires and administering first aid. He then announced to that group, “Everyone who can stand, stand now. If you can help others, do so.” He directed this group downstairs as well.As occupants of the Tower headed for the street, Crowther returned up the stairs to help others. He was last seen doing so with members of the FDNY before the twin Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. According to survivor accounts, Crowther saved as many as 18 people following the attacks. BUSINESS TODAY The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA NEW LAWS NEEDED IN FACE OF DISASTER Millions of Texans and Floridians are facing the prospect of financial disaster in the aftermath of hurricanes Harvey and Irma. It is heartwarming to witness the humanity of fellow Americans extending every possible effort to help others in need. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for some landlords who have notified tenants that they are still expected to pay rent for homes that tenants were unable to occupy due to standing water. Such is the case in Pasadena, Texas where some tenants have been told that rent is still due and late fees will be applied. Homeowners with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) fare a bit better. Traditionally, the FHA imposes a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of federally-insured loans after the current president issues an official declaration. After the 90-days, those who have not been able to make the payments have to try and negotiate for additional relief. In addition, mortgage lenders typically make accommodations for borrowers in response to proclamations by banking regulators and government mortgage agencies. This includes guidelines that align with regulators like HUD or foreclosure outlines from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mack and applicable state and local agencies. The relief is helpful, especially if the homeowner is able to resolve the past due amount with a lump sum payment or payment arrangement. Ultimately the lender has the discretion. For individuals who have no jobs to return to, or small business owners who must await the restoration of electricity to resume business, 90 days is not sufficient. Even with the allocation of federal relief available through FEMA for some, millions are faced with the prospect of financial ruin. It seems that a reasonable “bail out” for everyone impacted would be appropriate in this type of situation. Perhaps similar to what was granted to the financial sector in October 2008 in response to the disaster that was not by an act of nature, but instead by acts of greed. After being rescued by the $700 billion dollar taxpayer-funded bailout, many of these same institutions showed little to no regard in working with individuals to help them save their homes. The recent wave of natural disasters can serve as a wake up call for citizens to advocate for and demand more compassionate laws in the wake of these situations. Laws to ensure some baseline of “bail out” assistance for everyone facing displacement, homelessness or loss of employment due to hurricanes, tornados, fires and similar events, would make a lot of sense. We have been inspired by the scenes of strangers who have nothing except concern for other humans, going out of their way, assuming risks and sacrificing to extend a helping hand. In contrast, financial institutions that have amassed billions from the masses are demonstrating a cataclysymic disregard for the masses that keep them in business. 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||