Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, March 31, 2018

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 31, 2018 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown


How Jesus Became God : 
the Exaltation of a Jewish 
Preacher from Galilee by 
Bart D. Ehrman

New York Times bestselling 
author and Bible expert Bart 
Ehrman reveals how Jesus’s 
divinity became dogma in the 
first few centuries of the early 
church.The claim at the heart of 
the Christian faith is that Jesus 
of Nazareth was, and is, God. 
But this is not what the original 
disciples believed during Jesus’s 
lifetime—and it is not what 
Jesus claimed about himself. 
How Jesus Became God tells 
the story of an idea that shaped 
Christianity, and of the evolution 
of a belief that looked very 
different in the fourth century 
than it did in the first.A master 
explainer of Christian history, 
texts, and traditions, Ehrman 
reveals how an apocalyptic 
prophet from the backwaters 
of rural Galilee crucified for 
crimes against the state came to 
be thought of as equal with the 
one God Almighty, Creator of 
all things. But how did he move 
from being a Jewish prophet 
to being God? In a book that 
took eight years to research and 
write, Ehrman sketches Jesus’s 
transformation from a human 
prophet to the Son of God 
exalted to divine status at his 
resurrection. Only when some 
of Jesus’s followers had visions 
of him after his death—alive 
again—did anyone come to 
think that he, the prophet from 
Galilee, had become God. And 
what they meant by that was not 
at all what people mean today.
Written for secular historians 
of religion and believers alike, 
How Jesus Became God will 
engage anyone interested in the 
historical developments that led 
to the affirmation at the heart of 
Christianity: Jesus was, and is, 
God.

Misquoting Jesus: The Story 
Behind Who Changed the 
Bible and Why by Bart D. 
Ehrman

For almost 1,500 years, the New 
Testament manuscripts were 
copied by hand––and mistakes 
and intentional changes abound 
in the competing manuscript 
versions. Religious and biblical 
scholar Bart Ehrman makes the 
provocative case that many 
of our widely held beliefs 
concerning the divinity of 
Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine 
origins of the Bible itself are 
the results of both intentional 
and accidental alterations by 
scribes.In this compelling and 
fascinating book, Ehrman 
shows where and why changes 
were made in our earliest 
surviving manuscripts, 
explaining for the first time 
how the many variations of our 
cherished biblical stories came 
to be, and why only certain 
versions of the stories qualify 
for publication in the Bibles 
we read today. Ehrman frames 
his account with personal 
reflections on how his study of 
the Greek manuscripts made 
him abandon his once ultra–
conservative views of the Bible.

Jesus and Buddha: The 
Parallel Sayings by Marcus 
Borg (Editor), by Jack 
Kornfield (Introduction)

This remarkable collection 
reveals how Jesus and Buddha—
whether talking about love, 
wisdom, or materialism—were 
guiding along the same path. 
Jesus & Buddha also delves into 
the mystery surrounding their 
strikingly similar teachings 
and presents over one hundred 
examples from each.”As a 
Christian, I grew up with Jesus 
and have lived with him all my 
life. I have not lived with the 
Buddha. Similarly my work on 
this book was from the vantage 
point of a Jesus scholar. But my 
experience has led me to the 
conclusion that their teachings 
about ‘the way’ are virtually 
identical and that together they 
are the two most remarkable 
religious figures who ever 
lived.”Marcus Borg.--”You hold 
in your hand a remarkable and 
beautiful book. Jesus and Buddha 
are now meeting in an encounter 
of the spirit. When we listen 
deeply to their words we find that 
in many ways, they speak with 
one heart. If we could enact even 
one verse from these teachings, 
it would have the power to 
illuminate our hearts, free us 
from confusion and transform 
our lives.”Jack Kornfield. The 
previous book reviews are from 
Amazon.com


DON’T MAKE THESE 
COMMON, EXPENSIVE 
MISTAKES: 

HOW TO LEAVE ASSETS 
TO MINOR CHILDREN

Most parents want to make sure their children 
are provided for in the event something happens 
to them while the children are still minors. 
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and good friends 
sometimes want to leave gifts to beloved young 
children, too. Unfortunately, good intentions and 
poor planning often have unintended results. 
Don’t make these common, expensive mistakes. 
Instead, here’s how to both protect and provide for 
the children you love.

 Common Mistake: Don’t Use a Simple Will to 
Leave Assets to Minor Children

 Many parents think if they name a guardian for 
their minor children in their wills and something 
happens to them, the named person will 
automatically be able to use the inheritance to take 
care of the children. But that’s not what happens: 

. When the will is probated, the court will 
appoint a guardian to raise the child; usually this 
is the person named by the parents in their wills. 
. But the court, not the guardian, will control the 
inheritance until the child reaches legal age (18 or 
21). 
. At that time, the child will receive the entire 
inheritance in one lump sum. 


 Most parents would prefer that their children 
inherit at a later age, but with a simple will, you 
have no choice; once the child reaches the age 
of majority, the court must distribute the entire 
inheritance at once.

Common Mistake: Avoid Court Guardianship

 A court guardianship for a minor child is very 
similar to one for an incompetent adult. 

. Things move slowly and can become very 
expensive. 
. Every expenditure must be documented, 
audited, and approved by the court, and an 
attorney will need to represent the child. 


 All of these expenses are paid from the 
inheritance, and because the court must do its 
best to treat everyone equally under the law, it is 
difficult to make exceptions for each child’s unique 
situation and needs.

 Correct Action: To Protect the Child and the 
Assets, Use a Trust

 Instead of using a simple will, a better option is 
to set up a children’s trust in a will: 

. This would let you name someone to manage 
the inheritance instead of the court. 
. You can also decide when the children will 
inherit. 
. But the trust cannot be funded until the will has 
been probated, and that can take precious time 
and could reduce the assets. 
. If you become incapacitated, this trust does 
not go into effect...because your will cannot be 
adjudicated until after you die.
. And, anything that goes through probate, as 
these assets would, is visible the public which 
means predators, unscrupulous family members 
and nosey neighbors, know what your child 
inherited.


 The best option is a revocable living trust, 
the preferred option for many parents and 
grandparents:

. The person(s) you select, not the court, will be 
able to manage the inheritance for your minor 
children or grandchildren until they reach the 
age(s) you want them to inherit--even if you 
become incapacitated. 
. Each child’s needs and circumstances - even 
special needs - can be accommodated, just as you 
would do yourself. 
. And assets that remain in the trust are protected 
from the courts, irresponsible spending, and 
creditors (even future divorce proceedings).


 For many folks, the absolute best solution is to 
keep the assets in trust for their lifetime or until 
assets get spent down. Assets that are protected in 
this manner are there for your children but can’t 
be taken from them. 

 Dedicated to empowering your family, building 
your wealth and defining 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 55 Auburn Avenue, 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.


BUSINESS TODAY

The latest on Business News, Trends and 
Techniques

All Things By Jeff Brown


WHY 300,000 VOLKSWAGENS ARE BEING STORED 
IN THESE MASSIVE AUTO BONEYARDS.

By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA

As part of the settlement after it got caught 
cheating on its emissions tests, Volkswagen has 
bought back about 350,000 of its U.S. diesel 
vehicles. The automaker so far has spent more 
than $7.4 billion on the cars, according to court 
filings seen by Reuters.Where does VW put all 
those cars? Wherever it can find the space.The 
German automaker has 37 remote storage facilities 
across the U.S., and they’re not just parking lots. 
The sites include a former football stadium in the 
Detroit suburbs, an old paper mill in Minnesota 
and a giant patch of land in the California desert.A 
court filing seen by Reuters said that through Dec. 
31, “Volkswagen had reacquired 335,000 diesel 
vehicles, resold 13,000 and destroyed about 28,000 
vehicles. As of the end of last year, VW was storing 
294,000 vehicles around the country.””These 
vehicles are being stored on an interim basis and 
routinely maintained in a manner to ensure their 
long-term operability and quality, so that they 
may be returned to commerce or exported once 
U.S. regulators approve appropriate emissions 
modifications,” VW spokeswoman Jeannine 
Ginivan 

ACCOUNTABILITY BEGINS & ENDS AT THE TOP

The phrase “being thrown under the bus” is associated 
with blame being assigned to someone who bears 
little to no responsibility for that which they are 
being accused. In other words, someone is being 
held responsible for another person’s shortcomings 
or wrong doings. This situation is not uncommon 
in the work environment, and typically rears its head 
when someone has failed to make adequate progress 
or achieve a goal that was expected of them.

 In an effort to cover one’s butt, a co-worker or 
supervisor may exhibit signs of selective amnesia 
when faced with the reality that they have fallen 
short in performing their job responsibilities. It’s 
bad enough when this dynamic is imposed staff-to-
staff employed in the same classification, but it’s truly 
deplorable when it is imposed by a manager, onto the 
staff they supervise. 

 Managers who engage in this type of disgraceful 
practice are usually the first ones to take the spotlight 
for accomplishments that belong to others. They are 
eager to take credit when things are favorable, but 
quick to step back while pointing the finger of blame 
when things don’t go so well. Basically, they only 
want to lead when they can anticipate accolades so 
that they can take credit for the success. This type of 
behavior is a disservice to the essence of management 
and leadership.

 One of the hallmarks of great leadership is the 
willingness and ability to accept responsibility for 
everything and everyone within one’s scope of 
authority, the good and the bad. Individuals with 
solid management and leadership skills embrace 
the reality that every comment, action and the 
demeanor of their delivery will have a direct impact 
on how well their staff will function as a team. These 
managers are also willing to take the hit, accept the 
blame when necessary and to be accountable. This 
approach builds trust and facilitates loyalty among 
the team.

 Way too many work environments are filled 
with employees who feel a need to spend more 
time engaging in activities to cover their butts for 
fear of being held responsible for someone else’s 
shortcomings. Bosses with big egos and huge doses 
of insecurity simply can’t comprehend that that 
everyone on the team would do a much better job, 
which would make them look even better in the 
process, if they’d learn how to handle the management 
aspects of their jobs and terminate the practice of 
throwing staff under the bus. 


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