Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 22, 2019

12

THE WORLD AROUND US

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 1, 2019 

OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE? 

I’m not a very complicated person. I like simple things; things nice and easy. 
Occasionally I will do a crossword puzzle, but beside that, I enjoy the simple 
life. On the other side, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage is very complicated. 
Just when I have everything figured out, I find another side of her 
that I did not know was there. 

I suppose that is what married life is all about; year-by-year discovering new aspects of your 
spouse. I am very simple minded when it comes to going out to eat. When we go to a restaurant, 
for example, I’m very simple in what I order. Most of the time I order the same thing because I 
enjoy what I am eating at the time. My wife is not quite like that. Ordering her supper is quite a 
complicated thing. It takes several minutes to go through the menu and then several minutes to 
think about what she wants to eat. Me, I tell the waitress, “I’ll have a cheeseburger, French fries 
and a Diet Coke.” And that’s that.

“You had that,” my wife will say, “yesterday. Why don’t you pick something different for to-night?”

I remember one time I made a drastic mistake which I will never repeat. I said to my wife, “Okay, 
why don’t you choose my supper for tonight?”

Boy, did she have a time ordering for me. I do not even know what she ordered, but it was a lot. 
I saw more on my plate than I could possibly eat. Some things on my plate I did not know exactly 
what they were. I was very careful that none of it resembled broccoli. I have not made that 
mistake ever again. However, she often asks me, “Would you like me to choose your supper for 
tonight?” Since that time, I have reverted to the simple things, especially when it comes to eating 
out at a restaurant.

Once I had to buy some new shirts along with some new ties. For some reason I went shopping by 
myself, which in itself is good. When I came home that night from my shopping spree, my wife 
looked at all the shirts and ties I bought. “You bought these shirts?” She looked at the shirts and 
then at me with both hands on her hips and said, “These shirts are the same shirts you have in 
your closet. Why didn’t you get something different?” My assumption is, a shirt is a shirt and if I 
am going to get a new shirt, I should get a new shirt that replaces the old shirt. Simple!

In my simple way of life, I only wear white shirts. I can buy these shirts and not even have to think 
about what I am buying. A shirt is a shirt and what is wrong with white?

The next time my wife took me shopping. It was the worst shopping experience I have ever had.

We went to the men’s clothing store and then the simplicity of life ended in a crash. My wife spent 
all afternoon looking at all kinds of shirts in all kinds of colors and then trying to find ties that 
would match. I did not know so many colors existed in the world. I do not even think the rainbow 
has as many colors. My idea is that a white shirt never draws attention. A shirt of any color 
always draws attention to itself. I like to slip in and slip out without notice; it is the simple way of 
doing things.

When it comes to work, I am rather simple. I start a task and keep at it and to its finished, then I 
move on to the next task. I do not like to confuse things and so I do everything simply. My wife 
is not like that. She is one of those “Multitaskers” that you hear about.

I was watching on television a man juggling four balls in the air at the same time. In the middle 
of his act, I stopped, looked at my wife and said, “That’s you. You have too many balls in the air.”

It is true. She can juggle four tasks at the same time and get them all done perfectly.

Don’t get me wrong here. I respect and can appreciate that kind of work ethic. I cheer her on and 
encourage her. There's only one small problem. Because my wife is a Multitasker, she expects the 
person who said, “I do,” at the wedding altar to have the same work ethic. I’ve tried to explain 
this, but by the time I finished explaining it, she is already on to the next topic. I cannot possibly 
keep up.

Even when we take a few vacation days, she cannot sit still and enjoy the simple life. She does 
more on a two-day vacation spree than I do all year long. I cannot keep up with her. I dis-covered 
if I let her do “her thing,” I will have the opportunity to do “my thing,” which is just enjoy-ing the 
simple things of life.

I was thinking of what David once said. “Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, 
because of mine enemies” (Psalm 27:11). Following the Lord is a very simple thing. Just trust 
Him and he will lead you in a plain path.

Dr. James L. Snyder, pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage in Ocala, FL. 
Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.

THE REAL COST TO YOUR FAMILY OF RELYING 
ON A WILL ALONE

Whenever the topic of estate planning comes up, people invariably 
mention creating a will. And with good reason—having a will is a 
foundational aspect of your estate plan. 
However, a will is only one small part of effective planning. In fact, 
if your plan consists of a will alone, you’re guaranteeing your family 
will have to go to court when you die. There’s a saying in this field 
of law: “Where there’s a will, there’s a probate.” And it’s no laughing 
matter.

One of my primary goals as an estate planning attorney is to keep my 
clients’ families out of court and out of conflict no matter what. Yet with only a will in place, your plan 
will fall woefully short of that goal, leaving your loved ones—and yourself, if you become incapacitated 
—susceptible to getting stuck in an unnecessary, expensive, time-consuming, and public court process. 
Here’s why having just a will is not enough: 

A will offers no protection against incapacity 
A will helps ensure your assets are properly distributed when you die. But it offers no protection if you 
become incapacitated and are unable to make decisions about your own medical, financial, and legal 
needs. 
Should you become incapacitated with only a will in place, your family would have to petition the 
court to appoint a guardian or conservator to manage your affairs, which can be extremely costly, time 
consuming, and traumatic. 

Your family must go to court

 While you may think having a will allows your loved ones to inherit your assets without court 
intervention, this is not true. For your assets to be legally transferred to your beneficiaries, your will 
must first pass through the court process called probate. 
The probate process can be extremely distressing for your loved ones. The proceedings can drag out 
over years, and in most instances, your family will have to hire an attorney, generating hefty legal bills 
that can quickly drain your estate. 
Moreover, probate is public, so anyone can find out the value and contents of your estate. They can 
also learn what and how much your family members inherit, making them tempting targets for frauds 
and scams.

 And if you think you can just pass on your assets using beneficiary designations to avoid all of this... 
well, that’s just asking for trouble. 


A will doesn’t protect against creditors, lawsuits, or poor decisions 
Passing on your assets using a will leaves those assets vulnerable to several potential threats. Your 
assets are not only subject to claims made by a beneficiary’s creditors, they are also vulnerable to 
lawsuits and divorce settlements the beneficiary may be involved in. And if your beneficiary is 
immature or has poor judgment, a sudden windfall of cash could cause serious problems.

Not all assets are covered by a will 
Some assets can’t even be included in a will. For example, a will only covers assets or property owned 
solely in your name. It does not cover property co-owned by you with others listed as joint tenants, nor 
does a will cover assets that pass directly to a beneficiary by contract, such as a life insurance policy or 
retirement account.

Don’t let your plan fall short

Though a will is an integral part of your estate plan, a will is almost never enough by itself. 
Instead, wills are often combined with other planning vehicles, such as living trusts, to 
provide a level of protection devoid of any gaps or blind spots. And here’s the thing: If your 
plan is incomplete, it’s your family that suffers, having to clean it all up after you are gone. 
I want to empower you to feel confident that you have the right combination of planning solutions for 
your family’s unique circumstances. Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Dedicated to empowering your family, building your wealth and protecting 
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 626.355.4000 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more information.

https://garlettlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Marc-Signature-Blogs.jpg
CHRISTOPHER Nyerges

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown


THE URBAN 
BEARS

 [Nyerges is the author of 
“Enter the Forest,” “How 
to Survive Anywhere,” and 
other books. He can be 
con-tacted at www.ChristopherNyerges.
com or School 
of Self-reliance, Box 41834, 
Eagle Rock, CA 90041]

With all the local bears in the news lately, it was 
refreshing to listen to Kim Bosell, the Natural 
Ar-eas Administrator for the County of Los Angeles, 
who shared her years of experience with 
bears recently at Eaton Canyon Nature Center. 

Grizzly bears were native to Southern California, 
and though they apparently got along just 
fine for centuries with the indigenous people, 
bears and new settlers didn’t get along. There 
were conflicts right from the start as settlers began 
to kill the grizzlies, Bosell told the audience. 
The last known grizzly was killed in California 
in the 1920s.

Though all the grizzlies were killed off in Southern 
California, the black bears of Yosemite were 
alive and well, getting into trash cans, begging 
for food, getting too close to people, getting 
into cars. The solution? Send them to Southern 
California! In 1933, 13 black bears from 
Yosemite were let loose in the San Bernardino 
mountains, and 11 were let loose in the Angeles 
National Forest. Bosell stated that that are an 
estimated 3500 black bears in the entire state 
of California, and the Department of Fish and 
Game allows 1800 to be hunted each year. “But 
most hunters don’t hunt bear in Southern Cali-
fornia, and so the black bear population is a 
wild guess,” says Bosell.

Bosell shared everything you’d ever want 
to know about black bears – and more – in 
her informa-tive – and humorous -- photo 
presentation.

Black bears, for example, are usually brown, 
but can also be black, white, blond, even blue! 
The color depends on the location, and our local 
black bears are mostly brown. When walking 
on all fours, they are about three to four feet 
tall, and they can be up to seven feet tall when 
standing. And they are fast! Black bears can 
run up to 35 mph in spurts.

“To protect itself, a bear will fight or flight, and 
the black bear chooses flight, especially up a 
tree,” says Bosell. She points out that the black 
bear will just wait, and wait, even for hours, until 
a threat goes away, and so news crews and 
police and gawking public watching a bear up 
in a tree only prolong the situation.

Bosell pointed out that our local black bears 
are not very concerned about people, and don’t 
have a predatory instinct.

“Bears will always communicate how they feel,” 
says Bosell. “They will blow air through their 
lips, clap their jaws, and when they start vocalizing, 
they want you to leave their personal 
space. Next, they’ll flatten their ears, and next 
they’ll charge.” 

Bosell shared what we’ve heard many times: If 
a black bear approaches, don’t run, but rather, 
make yourself appear larger and more imposing, 
raise your arms, and make noise.

“But when I was tracking Henry, and he 
charged, I never ran so fast in my life,” said Bosell 
to much laughter. Fortunately, according 
to Bosell, 99% of the time, the bear charge is a 
bluff, intended to scare you out of the area.

In fact, despite the fear caused by the local black 
bears, Bosell pointed out that only one death 
has been attributed to the black bear – in 1875! 
“Since the 1980s, there have been 14 black bear 
attacks, but none fatal,” points out Bosell. 

Still, Bosell’s educational – and highly entertaining 
– presentation pointed out that bears 
can cause a lot of damage when they get into 
urban trash cans, cars, and inside homes. It’s 
important not to feed the bears because they 
will come back again and again to the desirable 
urban trash food. “In Can-ada, they don’t give 
bears a second chance. Bears caught eating human 
food are killed. In California, we have a 
‘three strikes’ policy,” explained Bosell. To emphasize 
the point, she said that “a fed bear is a 
dead bear.”

But it is a on-going battle to educate the public 
about how to live with bears, and how to bear-
proof homes, cars, and trash cans.

In California, the three problem areas are 
Tahoe, Mammoth, and Monrovia. Monrovia 
has lots of old growth avocadoes, and unfortunately, 
the problem is exacerbated by people 
deliberately leaving trash out so they can watch 
the bears eat it.

Unfortunately, feeding bears can cause harm to 
children, and property damage, and ultimately 
the problem bear could be killed.

The entertaining program was well-received by 
local residents. A lively question and answer 
pe-riod followed the slide show presentation 
where residents inquired about the personal 
ramifications of living close to bears.

THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW: A Novel by A. J Finn 

For readers of Gillian Flynn and Tana French comes one of the decade’s most an-ticipated 
debuts, a twisty, powerful Hitchcockian thriller about an agoraphobic woman 
who believes she witnessed a crime in a neighboring house. It isn’t para-noia if it’s 
really happening . . .Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, 
unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), 
watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors. Then 
the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, moth-er, their teenaged 
son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees 
something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble and its shocking secrets are 
laid bare. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In 
this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems. Twisty 
and powerful, ingenious and moving, The book is a smart, sophisticated novel of psychological suspense 
that recalls the best of Hitchcock.

EVERY TOOL'S A HAMMER: LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT by Adam Savage 

MythBusters' Adam Savage - Discovery Channel star and one of the most beloved 
figures in science and tech - shares his golden rules of creativity, from finding in-
spiration to following through and successfully turning your idea into reality. Ad-am 
Savage is a maker. From Chewbacca's bandolier to a 1,000-shot Nerf gun, he has built 
thousands of spectacular projects as a special-effects artist . Adam is also an educator, 
passionate about instilling the principles of making in the next gener-ation of inventors 
and inspiring them to turn their curiosity into creation. In this practical and 
passionate guide, Adam weaves together vivid personal stories, origi-nal sketches 
and photographs from some of his most memorable projects, and in-terviews with 
many of his iconic and visionary friends in the arts and sciences - including Pixar 
director Andrew Stanton, Nick Offerman, Oscar winner Guillermo Del Toro, artist 
Tom Sachs, and Chef Traci Des Jardins - to demonstrate the many lessons he has picked up from a lifetime 
of making. Things like: don't wait until everything is perfect - in your workshop or in your life - to 
begin. Plan with pencil and paper. Sweep up every day. Learn from doing. Share your toys. There is an 
ex-act tool for every task (Adam probably has four of them in his wondrous shop), but if you need to 
pound in a nail and all you have handy is a skill saw - hammer away. The most important thing, always, 
is just that you make something. Every Tool's a Hammer is sure to guide and inspire you to build, make, 
invent, explore, and most of all enjoy the thrills of being a creator. 

ONE GIANT LEAP: THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION THAT FLEW US TO THE 
MOON by Charles Fishman 

The remarkable story of the trailblazers and the ordinary Americans on the front 
lines of the epic mission to reach the moon. President Kennedy astonished the world 
on May 25, 1961, when he announced to Congress that the United States should 
land a man on the Moon by 1970. No group was more surprised than the scientists 
and engineers at NASA, who suddenly had less than a decade to invent space travel. 
No one knew how to navigate to the Moon. No one knew how to build a rocket big 
enough to reach the Moon, or how to build a computer small enough (and powerful 
enough) to fly a spaceship there. No one knew what the sur-face of the Moon was 
like, or what astronauts could eat as they flew there. On the day of Kennedy’s historic 
speech, America had a total of fifteen minutes of space-flight experience—with just 
five of those minutes outside the atmosphere. Russian dogs had more time in space than U.S. astronauts. 
Over the next decade, more than 400,000 scientists, engineers, and factory workers would send 24 astronauts 
to the Moon. Each hour of space flight would require one million hours of work back on Earth 
to get America to the Moon on July 20, 1969.50 years later, One Giant Leap is the sweeping, definitive 
behind-the-scenes account of the furious race to complete one of mankind’s greatest achievements. It’s 
a story filled with surprises—from the item the astronauts almost forgot to take with them (the Ameri-
can flag), to the extraordinary impact Apollo would have back on Earth, and on the way we live today. 
The book introduces readers to the men and women who had to solve 10,000 problems before astronauts 
could reach the Moon. From the research labs of MIT, where the eccentric and legendary pioneer 
Charles Draper created the tools to fly the Apollo spaceships, to the factories where dozens of women 
sewed spacesuits, parachutes, and even computer hardware by hand, Fishman captures the exceptional 
feats of these ordinary Americans. One Giant Leap is the captivat-ing story of men and women charged 
with changing the world as we knew it—their leaders, their triumphs, their near disasters, all of which led 
to arguably the greatest success story, and the greatest adventure story, of the twentieth century. 


THANK YOU!

Dear Christopher, 

 Thank you for your wonderful article in the 
Mountain Views News highlighting Shawn 
Maestretti Garden Architecture and regenerative 
garden practices! It was beautifully 
written and informative. Addressing climate 
change head on is essential to our survival. 
The world needs more people like you to 
continue to 
spread vital 
information!

Very best, 

Shawn 
Maestretti

All Things By Jeff Brown

DOES EATING MUSHROOMS PROTECT 
BRAIN HEALTH?

Mushrooms are a much-loved ingredient in cuisines around 
the world. They are nutritious and especially rich in antioxidants, which protect cell health. .Edible mushrooms — 
both cultivated and wild species — contain a high amount of die-tary fiber, antioxidants, and protein, as well as 
vitamins and minerals.New research has found that people who integrate mushrooms into their diets — even if they 
only consume them in small portions — appear to have a lower risk of mild cogni-tive impairment (MCI), which 
often precedes Alzheimer's disease.As to the kinds of mushrooms, the study included four of the most commonly 
eaten varieties: golden, oyster, shiitake and white button.Mushrooms are rich in ergothioneine, which the human 
body can’t produce on its own, so it’s at least plausible that this compound is part of the story. And since mushrooms 
are already well-studied for their nutrient profiles and possible links to supporting cell health and immunity, there’s 
plenty to dig into here and no doubt more findings to come.


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