Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, September 30, 2017

B2 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 30, 2017 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS B2 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 30, 2017 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 
Jeff’s Book PicsBy Jeff Brown FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett 


journals. Why? Because many of theWashington’s Immortals: 

answers we seek are found within The Untold Story of an Elite 

ourselves.”Now, for those compelledRegiment Who Changed the

to the pen and page, Elena invites usCourse of the Revolution by 

to gather our own wisdom throughIn August 1776, little over a month

Patrick K. O’Donnell 

writing, self-inquiry, and reflection.
after the Continental Congress had

Practice You is a portable sacredformally declared independence

sanctuary to record our flashes offrom Britain, the revolution was on 

insight, find our ground, create andthe verge of a sudden and disastrous

clarify our goals, and bear witness toend. General George Washington

our own evolution. With more than 
found his troops outmanned and

150 beautiful pages of questions,
outmaneuvered at the Battle of 

teachings, inspiring imagery, andBrooklyn, and it looked like there

plenty of space to write, draw, andwas no escape. But thanks to a series

reflect, this journaling adventureof desperate rear guard attacks by

guides us into nine compellinga single heroic regiment, famously

portals to our highest ways of living. 
known as the “Immortal 400,” 
Washington was able to evacuate his

A Column of Fire by Ken Follett 

International bestselling author 
Army lived to fight another day.

men and the nascent Continental 

Ken Follett has enthralled millions 
Today, only a modest, rusted and

of readers with The Pillars of the 
scarred metal sign near a dilapidated

Earth and World Without End, two 
auto garage marks the mass grave

stories of the Middle Ages set in thewhere the bodies of the “Maryland

fictional city of Kingsbridge. TheHeroes” lie—256 men “who fell 

saga now continues with Follett’sin the Battle of Brooklyn.” In this

magnificent new epic, A Column ofbook best-selling military historian

Fire.In 1558, the ancient stones of 
O’Donnell brings to life the forgotten

Kingsbridge Cathedral look downstory of this remarkable band of

on a city torn apart by religiousbrothers. Known as “gentlemen

conflict. As power in England shiftsof honour, family, and fortune,”

precariously between Catholics andthey fought not just in Brooklyn,

Protestants, royalty and commonersbut in key battles including 

clash, testing friendship, loyalty,
Trenton, Princeton, Camden, 

and love. Ned Willard wants 
Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, 

nothing more than to marry 
and Yorktown, where their heroism 

Margery Fitzgerald. But when the 
changed the course of the war.

lovers find themselves on opposingDrawing on extensive original

sides of the religious conflict 
sources, from letters to diaries to 

dividing the country, Ned goes topension applications, O’Donnell 

work for Princess Elizabeth. When 
pieces together the stories of these

she becomes queen, all Europe 
brave men—their friendships, loves,

turns against England. The shrewd, 
defeats, and triumphs. He explores

determined young monarch 
their arms and tactics, their struggles

sets up the country’s first secret 
with hostile loyalists and shortages of

service to give her early warning of 
clothing and food, their development

assassination plots, rebellions, and

into an elite unit, and their doggedopponents, including British GeneralLord Cornwallis. And through the prism of thisone group, O’Donnell tells the larger story ofthe Revolutionary War.Washington’s Immortalsis gripping and inspiring boots-on-the-groundhistory, sure to appeal to a wide readership. 

Practice You: A Journal by Elena Brower 

When the way forward seems uncertain, wherecan we turn for guidance we can trust? For yogaluminary, meditation teacher, and artist ElenaBrower, the answer has always been close athand.”Whenever I’ve needed direction, strength, 
or centering, I’ve so often turned to my own 

All Things By Jeff Brown 

WE’VE GROSSLY 
UNDERESTIMATED HOW 
MUCH COW FARTS ARE 
CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL 
WARMING BY GEORGE 
DVORSKY 


A new NASA-sponsored study shows that 
global methane emissions produced by 
livestock are 11 percent higher than estimates 
made last decade. Because methane is a 
particularly nasty greenhouse gas, the new 
finding means it’s going to be even tougher to 
combat climate change than we realized.We’ve 
known for quite some time that greenhouse 
gases produced by cattle, sheep, and pigs are a 
significant contributor to global warming, but 
the new research, published in Carbon Balance 
and Management, shows it’s worse than we 
thought. It’s hard to believe that belches, farts, 
and poop from livestock could have any kind 
of global atmospheric effect, but it’s an issue of 

invasion plans. Over a turbulent 

half century, the love between Ned 
and Margery seems doomed as extremism sparks 
violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. Elizabeth 
clings to her throne and her principles, protected 
by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies 
and courageous secret agents.The real enemies, 
then as now, are not the rival religions. The true 
battle pitches those who believe in tolerance 
and compromise against the tyrants who would 
impose their ideas on everyone else—no matter 
what the cost.Set during one of the most turbulent 
and revolutionary times in history,A Column of 
Fire is one of Follett’s most exciting and ambitious 
works yet. 

scale, and the nature of methane itself. 

There are approximately 1.5 billion cows 
on the planet, each and every one of them 
expelling upwards of 30 to 50 gallons of 
methane each day. We typically think of farts 
as being the culprit, but belches are actually the 
primary source of cattle-produced methane, 
accounting for 95 percent of the problematic 
greenhouse gas.And problematic it is. Methane 
is about 30 times more efficient at trapping 
the Sun’s radiative heat than carbon dioxide 
over a timescale of about a century. There 
may be more CO2 in the atmosphere than 
methane, but by unit, it’s the more destructive 
greenhouse gas.It’s not immediately clear how, 
or even if, these revised figures will impact 
livestock production or public policy, but at the 
individual level, it suggests we should cut back 
on our consumption of meat and dairy. 

The privilege we have over these animals, it 
would appear, now comes at a hefty price. 


JUST A FEW WAYS A 
LIVING TRUST HELPS 
YOUR FAMILY 

There are several components to an estate plan, oneof them being a living trust. Common benefits thatprompt someone to create a living trust includeincreased privacy, reduced taxes, probate avoidance,
and caring for family members with special needs. Aliving trust also lets you dictate how and when yourassets will pass on to future generations after yourdeath. 

Avoiding Probate and Increasing Privacy

One of the primary reasons for creating an estateplan is to avoid probate. Unlike a will, a properlyfunded living trust will avoid probate, the lengthyand costly court-supervised process of transferring 
assets after death. Probate includes locating and 
determining the value of the deceased’s assets, 
paying off any outstanding bills and taxes, and thendistributing the remaining value of the estate to thedeceased’s rightful beneficiaries or heirs. Avoidingprobate is often a top reason for estate planning,
and there is no surprise as to why. First, probate canbe a costly way to transfer your assets upon death.
Second, it is very time-consuming for your family.
It can take a year (or even longer) to complete theprobate process. Complications, such as a contestedwill or an inability to find clear records of all of the 

deceased’s assets and debts, can extend this timeline. 
Finally, probate proceedings are a matter of publicrecord so when your estate goes through thisprocess, there is no privacy. 

Reducing Taxes

While a living trust can help you avoid probate,
it can also provide you with tax savings, especiallyif your estate is subject to death taxes (also knownas estate and gift taxes). Of course, there are manytypes of trusts. One way to think about the varietyis to consider a toolbox. For example, there arenumerous kinds of screwdrivers, hammers, powertools, and so on. Each tool has an intended use. 
Trusts are no different. When you work with afamily trust attorney, you ensure the type of trust isaligned with the tax-saving needs and other goals ofyour family. 

Seeking Professional Help

It is important to understand that a trust onlycontrols assets that are funded to the trust. In 
other words, you must place these assets in thetrust - commonly referred to as “funding” the trust.
Moreover, because our lives are always changing(marriage, childbirth, home purchase, etc.) and soare tax laws, it is essential to continually update andmonitor the funding of your trust over your lifetime.
For these reasons, you will want to work closely withyour family trust attorney to make sure your assetsare properly aligned with your trust. This will notonly help you get organized, but it will also makethings much easier for your heirs when you passaway. And you don’t have to go it alone. The rightattorney can be an invaluable help to you and yourfamily.

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


A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a missionto 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 talkabout ensuring a legacy of love and financial securityfor your family by calling 626.587.3058 or visit 
www.GarlettLaw.com for more information. 

BUSINESS TODAY 

The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques 


By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA 


WELL-ROUNDED MANAGEMENT OR A 
BALANCED MANAGEMENT STYLE 

For sole proprietorships and small businesses to surviveand thrive, it is imperative to develop and establishsolid management skills and systems. A successful 
management approach involves multitasking and 
the constant juggling of multiple priorities relatedto key areas of the business. A strong foundation formanagement in the areas of administration, operationsand personnel will greatly increase the likelihood forsuccess and profitability.

The administrative aspects of management willhave the most profound impact on the entire businesssince this component deals with decisions that canonly be made at the top, by the owner(s) or top-levelexecutives. Employees should be able to count onhaving the resources readily available to do the jobs theywere hired to do; this is one of the primary functionsof business administration. This includes all of the 
“systems” needed to support the work of everyone inthe company (i.e. adequate and appropriate officespace, computer equipment, printers and/or copierswith readily-available supplies and if applicable, timelyreimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses like mileagefor a field sales rep)

The operational aspects of management will dictate 
how smoothly the day-to-day and ongoing workflow 
is executed. Written guidelines should be developed 

for every business process that is likely to be repeated 
on an ongoing or interim basis (i.e. ringing up a sale, 
weekly social media postings/promotions, ordering 
and stocking inventory, opening/closing the store). 
By developing and following standard guidelines, 
policies and procedures, you will be able to establish 
consistency to help your business achieve and 
maintain a reputation for quality. This will also make 
it easier and quicker to train new staff as your business 
evolves. 

The personnel aspects of management are ofteneasier said than actually executed. Labor laws at the 
federal, state and regional levels dictate guidelines formany aspects of employer-employee responsibilities.
In addition to legal considerations regarding differentclassifications of personnel (i.e. exempt “salaried”, nonexempt 
“hourly” and independent contractors “non-
employees who work under a contract”), the ultimatesuccess of management and the business rests upon theshoulder of the individuals who actually carry out thework. 

Management talent can make or break a business,
particularly in key areas that serve as pillars to supportthe business as a whole. The better the management, thegreater likelihood that a business will make progress,
succeed and prosper. 

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