8

Mountain View News Saturday, January 27, 2024 


ASSEMBLYMAN CHRIS HOLDEN 
WELCOMES ARMENIAN DELEGATION 


SPOON OR FORK !!!

Must admit with all the Presidential weeks and Valentine’s Day fast approaching, plus my food 
notes and trivial trivia, I almost missed National Bubble Gum Day & Carrot Cake Day, and what 
type of foodie would I be, but fear not friends, I will partake in a Carrot Cake, (Fleming’s has a 
good one) and a piece of Bazooka Joe. I have to take my Andy Rooney Card out again and give 
you my fellow diners the rules of Etiquette 101. I love my daughter, and some of my friends’ kids. 
But here goes.

 I am asked frequently asked about etiquette and table manners, so I compiled this simple list 
based on the most common questions.

 Your napkin goes in your lap, folded in half, as soon as you sit down. Many people wait 
until the food arrives, but the proper form is to be prepared.

 If you leave the table, place the napkin to the left of your plate, loosely draped.

 A napkin is never for blowing your noise or wiping your mouth. Use it to dab at the 
corners of your mouth or your fingertips. If you need to cleanse further, leave the table and use 
the appropriate products in the restroom.

 In formal dining, a charger will be under the place setting. It remains there during the 
starter course and is removed at the main course.

 Your eating utensils go in the order of use, starting from the outside (furthest from the 
plate) and working their way in. Forks go on the left; knives and spoons on the right, as you face 
the plate. Dessert utensils are placed at the top of the plate, sideways.

 The bread and butter plate goes to the left, above the forks.

 The water glass goes above the knives (behind the wine goblet, if there is one).

 Food should be passed counter-clockwise.

 It is considered impolite to start eating before everyone is seated and served, including 
your host.

 Only the meal settings and food belong on the table. Do not place your elbows, eyeglasses, 
notebook, pen or other objects on the table.

 Cut no more than two bites of any item at a time. When it comes to bread, tear off one 
bite at a time and butter it, rather than buttering a whole roll.

 Do not season your food until you have tasted it.

 It is permissible to use a piece of bread to wipe up excess gravy, as long as you use your 
fork and not your fingers.

 If you need to leave the table, place your utensils on the edge of your plate so that the tips 
point to the plate’s center, in a V-shape. To signal when you are finished, lay your utensils side by 
side diagonally on the plate.

Listen to my podcast !! Updated every week, just subscribe to Peter Dills

 Assemblymember Chris Holden welcomed 
the delegation of Armenian leaders from 
California and the province of Syunik, Armenia 
in commemoration of Assembly Concurrent 
Resolution 105 of 2022 and Assembly Joint 
Resolution 1 of 2023. There are nearly three 
million Armenians living in Armenia, which 
consists of a portion of the Armenians’ historic 
homelands. The United States has the second 
largest diaspora of Armenians. California has 
the largest population of Armenians in the 
country.

 “The establishment of a sister state relationship 
between California and Syunik, Armenia will 
foster educational, cultural and economic 
opportunities for both California and the 
Syunik province, a critical area for Armenia’s 
sovereignty as a democratic nation. We look 
forward to the establishment of a committee, 
which will accelerate this important relationship 
between the two states. We also salute 
Assemblymember Holden for his continuous 
and unwavering support for significant 
issues concerning the Armenian American 
community in California,” said Aida Dimejian, 
Armenian National Committee of America 
National Board Member.

 ACR 105, chaptered on February 22, 2022 
was a result of a two-year effort to establish a 
sister state relationship between California and 
the Province of Syunik – the southernmost 
province in Armenia. Syunik is home to the 
Armenian Stonehenge, Karahounj, which dates 
back to the Bronze Age, the Ughtasar Mountain 
petroglyphs that are 7,000 years old, as well as 
the 9th Century Tatev Monastery that served 
as a center of scholastic and spiritual activity. 
The most populated town in the province is 
its capital, Kapan with 43,000 residents. The 
resolution declares California’s unity with 
Syunik to encourage and facilitate mutually 
beneficial educational, economic, and cultural 
exchanges. 

 “We salute Assemblymember Holden’s 
leadership and commitment to the Armenian 
American community, and his steadfast 
support of the Republic of Armenia’s Syunik 
Province. We look forward to bold and fruitful 
collaborations between California and Syunik, 
Armenia,” said Alice Chalian Manoukian, Chair 
of Armenian National Committee of America, 
Crescenta Valley Chapter.

 Last year, Holden also authored Assembly 
Joint Resolution 1, which passed the Legislature 
with unanimous support and was chaptered 
on July 17, 2023. The resolution called on 
President Biden and the State Department for 
the enforcement of Section 907 restrictions 
on military assistance to Azerbaijan, the 
imposition of sanctions on Azerbaijani officials 
complicit in the enforcement of the blockade 
and commissioning of war crimes. AJR 1 urged 
the Administration to provide emergency 
humanitarian assistance to the Armenians of 
Artsakh.

 “Both resolutions reaffirm California’s 
solidarity with Armenia and our 1-million-
strong community of California-Armenians,” 
Holden said. “There is power in our solidarity 
and there is even more when we acknowledge 
the wrongs committed and urge for justice. We 
set precedent for the future with our action or 
inaction and today, we are creating long-lasting 
ties to thread forward a better tomorrow.”


􀀒􀀄􀁞􀀄􀀃􀀘􀀜􀀾􀀃􀁚􀀜􀁺􀀃–􀀃􀁞􀀯􀀜􀁚􀁚􀀄􀀃􀁄􀀄􀀘􀁚􀀜􀀃􀏯􀏭􀀃􀁅􀀃􀀑􀀄􀀾􀀘􀁴􀀯􀁅􀀃􀀄􀁳􀀜􀀃􀁞􀀯􀀜􀁚􀁚􀀄􀀃􀁄􀀄􀀘􀁚􀀜􀍕􀀃􀀒􀀄􀀃􀏵􀏭􀏬􀏮􀏰􀀃􀍾􀏲􀏮􀏲􀍿􀏯􀏱􀏱􀍲􀏲􀏬􀏲􀏬􀀃􀁴􀁴􀁴􀍘􀀒􀀄􀁞􀀄􀀘􀀜􀀾􀁚􀀜􀁺􀁚􀀜􀁞􀁤􀀄􀁨􀁚􀀄􀁅􀁤􀍘􀀒􀁋􀁄􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀬􀄂􀆉􀆉􀇇􀀃􀀬􀅽􀅯􀅝􀄚􀄂􀇇􀆐􀍊􀀃
ALL THINGS By Jeff Brown 

NEWS STORIES CAN BE DEADLY TO OUR HEALTH

 News is to the mind what sugar is to the body: appetizing,easily digestible and extremely damaging!

 Consuming the news can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which causes your body to release 
stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. A constant stream of sensational or "disaster" and death 
news, can elevate stress levels and trigger symptoms like depression,helplessness,despair, anxiety and 
trouble sleeping. 

Effectively managing your media consumption can help you stay up to date while also reducing your 
stress. And while staying up to date on local and national news, especially as it relates to mandates and 
health updates, is critical during this time, experts say over-consumption of the news can take a toll on 
you physical, emotional, and mental health.

With that in mind, the goal is to find the balance between feeling informed and educated on the situation 
at hand while not becoming totally overwhelmed by it. When good news is available, or the

situation changes for the better, it will come to you; you won't need to seek it out. Because sensational 
headlines get more attention, many media outlets often end up focusing on disaster reporting—and 
rarely any positive news.

“It can be damaging to constantly be reading the news because constant exposure to negative information 
can impact our brain,” says Annie Miller, MSW, LCSW-C,.

This emotional toll and negative effect on the psyche was demonstrated in a study that found people who 
watched negative material, as compared to those who watched positive or neutral material, showed an

increase in both anxious and sad moods after only 14 minutes of viewing television news bulletins and 
programs.

In addition to an increase in anxious and sad moods, the researchers also found bad news as a causal 
factor in facilitating many worrisome thoughts.

Choose a time that is far enough away from your bedtime so that your brain has time to settle before you 
go to bed. The idea, says Miller, is to minimize worry and news intake by scheduling it into your day.

After your worry time is over, Miller says to put the news aside and remind yourself that it’s not time to 
worry right now and move onto other things.

For most of us, consuming some form of news each day is essential. To help combat feelings of fear, 
anxiety, and worry that often accompany negative news, Edelstein suggests choosing to do something 
positive or healthy immediately after, like taking a walk, calling a friend, or working on a hobby.

News often focuses on death and the terrible things people do to each other!!! “A media diet of hostility, 
blame, confrontation and violence corrodes your civic outlook.”Mark Gerzon

“Don't let the bearers of bad news become the pallbearers of your happiness.” Stewart Stafford

RETIRED TEACHERS TO HEAR PANEL

SPEAK ON LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

At their February meeting, members of the California Retired Teachers’ Association 
Div. 71 (CalRTA) will 

hear a panel of their peers discuss the topic of independent living options for seniors. 
Consisting of fellow Retired Teachers, the panel of Shirley Burkhardt, Barbara 
Buchanan, and Suzette Johnston will discuss the process we should go through in 
considering future living conditions.

The Retired Teachers luncheon meeting will take place on Friday, February 9, at Our 
Savior Lutheran Church in Fellowship Hall, 512 W. Duarte Rd., Arcadia 91007. The 
hall is located behind the church sanctuary, and ample parking is available. At 11:00 
am, doors open and guests arrive, with the business meeting at 11:30, lunch to follow 
at 12:00 pm, and at 12:45 the panel discussion to take place. An opportunity drawing 
of gift baskets is also on the program. Remember—Valentine’s Day is coming soon!

A box lunch will be provided by Panera with a choice of sandwiches. Choose one: 
Deli Turkey, Tuna Salad, or Mediterranean Veggie. Each sandwich is accompanied by 
potato chips and a chocolate chip cookie. Coffee and water will be provided. Guests 
are welcome. The cost of the luncheon for members and guests is $17. Please mail 
your check payable to CalRTA Div.71 by Friday, February 2, to John Gera, P.O. Box 
1133, Temple City, CA 91780. For information regarding reservations, you may call 
John Gera at (626) 286-0714.

Membership in the California Retired Teachers’ Association is open to all retired 
educators, as well as to current classroom teachers and to any others interested 
in joining this active group. The motto of CalRTA is “Your Partner in Pension 
Protection.”

626.253.1323suecookrealtor@gmail.comDRE02015404Real Estate Cooked to Perfection!
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