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OPINIONOPINION

Mountain View News Saturday, March 8, 2025

RICH JOHNSON 

CELEBRITY QUIRKS

MOUNTAIN 
VIEWS

NEWS

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson

PASADENA CITY 
EDITOR

Dean Lee 

SALES

Patricia Colonello

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John Aveny 

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Lori A. Harris

Michele Kidd

Stuart Tolchin 

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STUART TOLCHIN

PUT THE LIGHTS ON


CHARACTER

What is a quirk exactly? We all have them (some more than others). So 
how did we get them? Merriam of Merriam-Webster fame enlightens 
us: an abrupt twist or curve, peculiar trait or idiosyncrasy. Across the 
pond, the stodgy Cambridge folks tells us a quirk is an unusual habit 
(like reading my column), part of someone’s personality, or something 
that is strange or unexpected.

Rather than discuss our mundane quirks, I thought taking a peek behind the curtain 
of special ce-lebrities might prove entertaining. Take Christopher Walken, the actor for 
example. Before he was an actor, Walken was a dancer. He could bust a move to the beat. 
He often tries to incorporate some smooth moves in his acting. If you see him, ask him 
if he’s a dancer. He might buy you lunch.

Speaking of the power of the press, Harpo Marx became know as the silent Marx Brother 
because a newspaper reviewer once wrote, “whenever Harpo speaks he ruins a great 
pantomime.” Never heard from Harpo again.

From silence to macabre. There is a reason Morgan Freeman wears earrings other than 
to look fashionable. He confessed in an interview the earrings are worth the amount of 
money it would take to purchase a coffin for him in case he dies in an unusual place.

The power of suggestion gave actor Jeff Goldblum one of his signature traits…stuttering. 
While filming “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” the director heard him fumble a line 
over and over. The director told him he liked how Jeff delivered the line and Walla….a 
new quirk was born.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg eats meat…but only meat from animals he himself kills. 
I’m still thinking he’s from another planet. But don’t worry, he won’t eat any of your 
animals. He has his own livestock he slaughters. I’m told his residence staff consists of a 
butler, a couple of maids and a butcher lol.

William Faulkner, writer of at least 20 books, dozens of short stories, poetry, essays 
and public letters, typed with his toes. By the way, he kept shoes on his hands while he 
worked. Don’t know why, don’t ask.

Lady Gaga does not believe in premarital sex. Shocking! (Actually, I’m being facetious. 
I’m im-pressed with Lady Gaga, aka Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta’s adherence to 
traditional val-ues.) She has strong Catholic beliefs.

Bill Gates, billionaire founder of Microsoft, would, back in the day, mentally keep track 
of all his employee’s license plate numbers. It would tell him who showed up early, stayed 
late or vice ver-sa. I don’t think he does that anymore for two reasons. First, he has left 
the active management of Microsoft and second, as of June 2024, Microsoft had 228,000 
employees.

Speaking of computer gurus, it is said Steve Jobs cried a lot. Over just about everything. 
They say Jobs cried when his employee badge said #2 instead of #1 (Wozniak had #1). 
Jobs cried at Pixar during a battle with Disney. He cried when Time put the Mac on its 
cover instead of him. He also cried when he saw the famous 1984 “Apple” ad for the first 
time. Cried about Windows copying the Mac.

If you ever hook up with Kanye West don’t feel bad if he nods off during your time together. 
Wife Kim explained he’ll fall asleep anywhere and everywhere. I hope he never 
starts reading my col-umn. He’ll never wake up.

Clint Eastwood’s iconic squinting of the eyes was not acting. Shooting the Fistful of 
Dol-lars movies in Spain, the outdoor bright sun forced him to squint and it became an 
iconic look for the “make my day” tough guy.

Albert Einstein didn’t wear socks cause his big toe always made a hole in his socks.

Benjamin Franklin was known to talk to himself. 

Nikola Tesla curled his toes 100 times every night before falling asleep. Said it boosted 
his brain power.

Thomas Edison interviewed people over lunch. He fed them soup. If they added salt before 
tasting it, he wouldn’t hire them because it showed they made too many assumptions.

Leonard da Vinci wrote backwards in all his notebooks because he was a left-handed 
dyslexic polymath.

Hmm, I’m going to try to write my next column backwards. It just might make more 
sense than any I have written forward. Also, I’m going to curl my toes, squint.

Fables and Fancies, the tubular new book store on the boulevard is having their 
grand opening Saturday, March 15th from 12:00 noon to 8:00pm. 

Come see the abundance of books. 

The address is 50 West Sierra Madre Blvd. in Sierra Madre.(626) 665-8856.

“It’s not that you won or lost but HOW you played 
the game.”

 Last night I watched the entire Donald Trump 
Speech addressing the Joint Session of Congress. It is 
now 4 A.M. and, perhaps not surprisingly, I cannot 
sleep. Many thoughts go through my mind seemingly 
jumbled but all relating to the behavior of Donald Trump. On Sunday I 
had watched the presentation of the Academy Awards and my thoughts 
involved Kieran Culkin who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor 
in the film A Real Pain, one of the few nominated films I happened to 
see. As I struggled to sleep his character in the film came to mind. 

 

 Reviewers describe this film as an incredible achievement. It is 
a kind of comedy which describes the personal sensitivity to one’s own 
pain and to the pain of others. The specific scene which came to mind 
involved Benji, the Culkin character seated in the first-class section 
of a train. The character leaves that section and moves to a seat in a 
non-elite section of the train. The reason for the move I remember as 
being connected to Benji’s realization that the class system as reflected 
by the train seating classes is designed to make some people feel good 
and other people to feel bad. Benji hated these realizations and felt it 
necessary to leave the elite section. As I tried to sleep, I was reminded 
of Donald Trump and his overpowering need to be better than other 
people. He plays only to Win and his disdain for losers, such as military 
veterans who have died in battle, can only be termed as despicable.

Along the same line my thoughts moved to another nominated 
documentary film, Sugarcane. I had not seen the film but on Tuesday 
I happened to see an interview with the filmmaker, an indigenous 
person, Julian Brave NoiseCat. The filmmaker explained the derivation 
of his given last name as mimicking the sounds that his infant father 
was heard making as he was discovered after being placed in a trashcan. 
Frighteningly, the interview described how white Canadian colonial 
priests had attempted genocidally to destroy the entire native culture. 
Use of the traditional Indian language was prohibited and there was a 
willful failure to care for Indian infants who had been placed in Schools 
operated by the Priests. This horrible policy was illustrated by the 
treatment of his father. The overall policy, I believe is another example, 
an extreme example, of the human need to assert superiority. Once 
again, this need for dominance reminded me of Donald Trump and 
his continual need to prevail and win at all costs. For him life is about 
Winning.

My jumbled mind moved to another aspect of Donald Trump’s 
speech in which he referred to ex-President William McKinley and 
demonstrated his disdain for other cultures. In previous speeches I have 
heard Trump declare that the highest mountain peak in North America 
should not be referred to as Mount Denali, a tribute and recognition of 
Indian people. Instead, Trump asserts that the mountain, the highest 
mountain in North America, should be referred to as Mount McKinley 
its former common name. Trump lauded the assassinated McKinley as 
a great President who like Donald Trump established tariffs which were 
an economic disaster perhaps related to the assassination. In his speech 
yesterday Trump announced that he had acted a couple of days ago to 
establish English as the Official Language of the United States. Another 
example of his insatiable need to be on top with no respect for anyone 
who does not also appear to be on top. (He does fawn over Elon) 

 Trump has disavowed any desire to be the leader of the Free 
World but speaks of the need for an America First Policy and displays 
little regard for Democratic and Constitutional values. He needs to 
WIN and does not care HOW. The spectacle of his supporters wildly 
applauding truly sickened me. I only hope that his desires do not 
predict an actual American future aligned with other tyrants or would 
be tyrants. That is not a game I wish to be a part of.

HOWARD Hays As I See It


“We are America; we are the indispensable nation. We stand tall and we see further than other countries into the future, and we see the danger here to 
all of us.” – former U.N. Ambassador and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, 1998

 

“Came out of Hunter Biden’s bathroom. It came out of Hunter Biden’s bedroom. It was disgust-ing. . . But you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s 
not a nice thing. . . This is going to be great television.”

 – President Trump to Ukrainian President Zelensky, 2025

As to what went on at that Oval 
Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky, Susan 
Rice, former U.N. Ambassador and National Security 
Advisor under President Obama, told CNN that “it was 
a setup” – establishing pretext for Trump suspending 
aid to Ukraine as Russian President Putin wanted. The 
aid was suspended three days after the meeting.

 

Trump had demanded $500 billion of Ukraine’s “rare 
earth” materials as payback for what he claimed was 
$350 billion in aid already given. (It’s actually around 
$124 billion.) Zelensky came ready to make a deal. All 
he’d want in return would be security guarantees – expecting 
Putin to use whatever pause in fighting to rebuild 
his forces for further attacks.

 

These things are usually hammered out in private – with 
press called in later for announcement of agreement, or 
of “frank discussion” to be continued later. But here, 
as Ambassador Rice explained, “Donald Trump kept 
the pool spray in there for 40 minutes, and was saying 
things that were outrageous like . . . Ukraine started the 
war and Russia is not the aggressor."

 

She said Trump "gave the permission to J.D. Vance in 
advance to try to provoke Zelensky . . . to start a rumble 
that would have two purposes. One, to appeal to 
Trump's base . . . they've been sending all of their lackeys 
out to tout how wonderful it was, when in fact it 
was a massive embarrassment for the United States of 
America. But the other audience was Vladimir Putin.”

 

While Reuters and the AP were barred from the room, 
Russian state media were present although, according 
to the White House, they were “not on the approved 
list” (just somehow managed to sneak into the Oval Office). 
Russian media has since made ample use of that 
coverage to praise Trump’s “proper slap down” of “insolent 
pig” Zelensky.

 

Ambassador Rice summarized, "This was a setup designed 
to humiliate and antagonize the Ukrainians 
and Zelensky . . . Trump is aligning the United States 
of America with Vladimir Putin and, by extension, his 
best buddies, China, North Korea, and Iran, and abandoning 
our NATO allies, abandoning Ukraine, abandoning 
our principles, our values and democracy . . . 
It's dangerous and shameful.”

 

Thirty years ago, Trump relied on Russian oligarchs to 
bail him out from his failed casinos - American banks 
had had enough of him. Then came talk of Trump 
Towers in Moscow. Trump seems enamored by Putin’s 
brand of authoritarianism; critics imprisoned, poisoned 
or falling from high-rise windows – with power held for 
as long as he wants.

 

Putin knows how to deal with Trump; his former national 
security advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster says he’s 
“being played”. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) sees the administration 
as “becoming an arm of the Kremlin” (if it 
isn’t already). 

 

Senator (retired Air Force Brig Gen) Don Bacon (R-
NE) called the session “A bad day for America's foreign 
policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and 
rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates 
us and our Western values. We should be clear that we 
stand for freedom." Shortly after Russia launched its invasion, 
Trump was calling those giving aid to Ukraine 
“suckers”.

 

Former Rep. (and Air Force vet) Denver Riggleman (R-
VA) says, “The enemy is on the inside.” Rather than 
having leaders “who care more about this country than 
securing mineral rights for their oligarch friends”, now 
“They’re specifically trying to make Putin happy.”

 

Following that Oval Office meeting, Pradheep Shanker 
wrote for National Review, “Countries around the 
world now understand that the USA isn't someone 
you can depend on when the going gets tough. Trump 
is weak, and that is what he portrayed today". Adds 
former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum, "It 
exposed in the most undeniable, unequivocal way possible 
the pro-Putin commitments of the president and 
vice president. That was information Americans and 
allies needed to have clear before them.”

 

Immediately after leaving Washington, Zelensky flew to 
London to meet with PM Starmer, who with other European 
leaders made clear their commitment to Ukraine 
(excepting Orban of Hungary). Zelensky made clear 
Ukraine’s position: a ceasefire, security guarantees, 
exchange of prisoners and return of some 20,000 kidnapped 
children. 

 

Also clear, after eighty years of the U.S. President being 
regarded as “leader of the free world”, was EU foreign 
policy chief Kaja Kallas’ statement that now “the 
free world needs a new leader”. After only a few weeks 
of Trump in office, the U.S. can no longer be regarded 
as a serious partner – let alone as that “indispensable 
nation”.

 

In other news: The Oscar for Best Picture went to 
“Anora”, about a Brooklyn lady and a Russian oligarch. 
Host Conan O’Brien commented, "I guess Americans 
are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful 
Russian." The audience loved it. That was “great 
television”.

 

Slava Ukraini

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 

File No. 2025043109 

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 
EUNICE HOME CENTER 17050 CHATSWORTH 
ST SUITE 234 GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344. 
CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES COUNTY. Full 
name of registrant(s) is (are) SUNDAY A AGBEDE 
17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 234 GRANADA 
HILLS, CA. 91344; NICHOLAS A AGBEDE 
17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 234 GRANADA 
HILLS, CA. 91344; PATRICK B AGBEDE 17050 
CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 234 GRANADA HILLS, 
CA. 91344. This Business is conducted by: A GENERAL 
PARTNERSHIP. Signed: SUNDAY A AGBEDE 
GENERAL PARTNER. This statement was 
filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 
03/03/2025. The registrant(s) has (have) commenced to 
transact business under the fictitious business name or 
names listed above on 03/2004. NOTICE- This Fictitious 
Name Statement expires five years from the date 
it was filed in the office of the County Clerk. A new 
Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed prior 
to that date. The filing of this statement does not of 
itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business 
Name in violation of the rights of another under 
Federal, State, or common law (See section 14411 et 
seq. Business and Professions Code)

Publish: ESMountain Views News 

Dates Pub:March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 

File No. 2025043091

The following person(s) is (are) doing business 
as: ELECTIVE SUPPORT SERVICES 
17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 234 GRANADA 
HILLS, CA. 91344. CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES 
COUNTY. Full name of registrant(s) is (are) SUNDAY 
A AGBEDE 17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 
234 GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344; GEORGE 
KARAPANIAN 17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 
234 GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344; ANDREW 
KARAPANIAN 17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 
234 GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344; NICHOLAS 
A AGBEDE 17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 234 
GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344. This Business is conducted 
by: A GENERAL PARTNERSHIP. . Signed: 
SUNDAY A AGBEDE, GENERAL PARTNER. This 
statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los 
Angeles County on 03/03/2025. The registrant(s) has 
(have) commenced to transact business under the fictitious 
business name or names listed above on 02/2004. 
NOTICE- This Fictitious Name Statement expires 
five years from the date it was filed in the office of 
the County Clerk. A new Fictitious Business Name 
Statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing 
of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in 
this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of 
the rights of another under Federal, State, or common 
law (See section 14411 et seq. Business and Professions 
Code)

Publish: ESMountain Views News 

Dates Pub:March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 

File No. 2025043107

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 
COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVEMENT GUIDANCE 
CENTER 17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 
234 GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344. CALIFORNIA 
LOS ANGELES COUNTY. Full name of registrant(s) 
is (are) SUNDAY A AGBEDE 17050 CHATSWORTH 
ST SUITE 234 GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344; PATRICK 
B AGBEDE 17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 
234 GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344; NICHOLAS 
A AGBEDE 17050 CHATSWORTH ST SUITE 234 
GRANADA HILLS, CA. 91344. This Business is 
conducted by: A GENERAL PARTNERSHIP. Signed: 
SUNDAY A AGBEDE, GENERAL PARTNER.. This 
statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los 
Angeles County on 03/03/2025. The registrant(s) has 
(have) commenced to transact business under the fictitious 
business name or names listed above on 03/2004. 
NOTICE- This Fictitious Name Statement expires 
five years from the date it was filed in the office of 
the County Clerk. A new Fictitious Business Name 
Statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing 
of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in 
this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of 
the rights of another under Federal, State, or common 
law (See section 14411 et seq. Business and Professions 
Code)

Publish: ESMountain Views News 

Dates Pub:March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 

File No. 2025046984

The following person(s) is (are) doing business 
as: HENRY'S GATES REPAIR 21550 W 
OXNARD ST SUITE 300 WOODLAND HILLS, 
CA. 91367; HENRY'S LOCKSMITH 21550 W OXNARD 
ST SUITE 300 WOODLAND HILLS, CA. 
91367; DUCT CLEAN EXPERTS 21550 W OXNARD 
ST SUITE 300 WOODLAND HILLS, CA. 91367; 
HENRY'S GARAGE DOOR REPAIR 21550 W OXNARD 
ST SUITE 300 WOODLAND HILLS, CA. 
91367. CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES COUNTY. 
Full name of registrant(s) is (are) TZVIKA AHARONI 
5726 RHEA AVE TARZANA, CA. 91356. . This 
Business is conducted by: AN INDIVIDUAL. Signed: 
TZVIKA AHARONI OWNER. This statement was 
filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 
03/07/2025. The registrant(s) has (have) commenced to 
transact business under the fictitious business name or 
names listed above on 03/2025. NOTICE- This Fictitious 
Name Statement expires five years from the date 
it was filed in the office of the County Clerk. A new 
Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed prior 
to that date. The filing of this statement does not of 
itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business 
Name in violation of the rights of another under 
Federal, State, or common law (See section 14411 et 
seq. Business and Professions Code)

Publish: ESMountain Views News 

Dates Pub:March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 

File No. 2025042949

The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: 
NEW RELAX HOUSE MASSAGE 1137 RIVERSIDE 
DR NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA. 91602. CALIFORNIA 
LOS ANGELES COUNTY. Full name of 
registrant(s) is (are) DAMIEN FLORES 1495 STADIUM 
WAY APT 4 LOS ANGELES, CA. 90012;.TONG 
SOOK FLORES 1495 STADIUM WAY APT 4 LOS 
ANGELES, CA. 90012 This Business is conducted 
by: A GENERAL PARTNERSHIP. Signed: DAMIEN 
FLORES, GENERAL PARTNER. This statement was 
filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 
03/03/2025. The registrant(s) has (have) commenced to 
(continued on page 13) 

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