Mountain View News Saturday, September 5, 2026 
66OPINION Mountain View News Saturday, September 5, 2026 
66OPINION 
MOUNTAIN 

VIEWS 

NEWS 

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson 

PASADENA CITY 
EDITOR 

Dean Lee 

SALES 

Patricia Colonello 
626-355-2737 
626-818-2698 

WEBMASTER 

John Aveny 

DISTRIBUTION 

Peter Lamendola 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Lori A. Harris 
Michele Kidd 
Stuart Tolchin 
Harvey HydeAudrey SwansonMeghan MalooleyMary Lou CaldwellKevin McGuire 
Chris Leclerc 
Dinah Chong WatkinsHoward HaysPaul CarpenterKim Clymer-KelleyChristopher NyergesPeter Dills 
Rich Johnson 
Lori Ann Harris 
Rev. James SnyderKatie HopkinsDeanne Davis 
Despina ArouzmanJeff Brown 
Marc Garlett 
Keely TotenDan Golden 
Rebecca WrightHail Hamilton 
Joan Schmidt 
LaQuetta Shamblee 

Mountain Views News 
has been adjudicated asa newspaper of GeneralCirculation for the County 
of Los Angeles in CourtCase number GS004724: 
for the City of SierraMadre; in Court CaseGS005940 and for the 
City of Monrovia in CourtCase No. GS006989 and 
is published every Saturday 
at 80 W. Sierra MadreBlvd., No. 327, Sierra 
Madre, California, 91024.
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Views News and maybe published in part or 
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of the Mountain Views 
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Mountain Views News 
80 W. Sierra Madre Bl. 
#327 
Sierra Madre, Ca.
91024 
Phone: 626-355-2737 
Fax: 626-609-3285 
email: 

mtnviewsnews@aol.com 


A member of 
the 
California 
NewspaperPublishers 
Association 

Mountain Views News 

Mission Statement 

The traditions of 

community news


papers and the 

concerns of our readers 


are this newspaper’s 
top priorities. We 
support a prosperous

community of well-
informed citizens. We 


hold in high regard the 

valuesoftheexceptional

quality of life in our 

community, includingthe magnificence of 
our natural resources. 


Integrity will be our guide. 

STUART TOLCHIN PUT THE LIGHTS ON 


BOY...ARE YOU IN LUCK! 

BOY ARE YOU IN LUCK 

Last week if you were one of the treasured few who 
read my entire article you would have noticed that I 
said my goodbyes thinking it was all over for me. Be 
that as it may, by my final paragraph I explained that 

a doctor had diagnosed Covid and provided medication and that I 
should be around for a while. Okay, so today I am doing my best to 
cope. In the morning my wife drove me to join my golfing partner 
and he helped me to play nine holes using the electric cart. I can’t sayI played well but, with his help, I did get around the course. Hoorayfor younger friends. 

After golf he drove me to the medical facility to see my son who 
is suffering from pancreatitis brought on by repeated endoscopies. 
Tomorrow another endoscopy is scheduled which probably will not 
help his overall condition very much but may allow him to be more 
comfortable. As I have said repeatedly, I am 82 years old and have 
trouble understanding the medical ramifications of his condition. 

One thing I can do is just be present and let my son know he is 
not alone. Tomorrow at 7AM my wife is scheduled to drive me to the 
medical facility in Duarte where I will be allowed to accompany my 
son in the ambulance as he is driven to Baldwin Park for the Medical 
Procedure. My son specifically asked me to be in the ambulance with 
him, and I was very happy to have a chance to be of service. I was I 
the midst of trying to create this article and after watching the Dodger 
game to be ready for tomorrow when out of the blue my wife received 
a call from the Medical Facility telling her that time for coverage had 
expired. She was told that since his condition had not improved my 
son was due to be released on Friday. 

I am very confused and very frightened. Remember although 
I was a practicing Lawyer for over fifty years, I have now been retired 
for over six years. My daughter is presently a practicing attorney 
who is very involved handling a full practice of immigration cases. 
Nevertheless, she and my wife have taken over full responsibilityfor overseeing my son’s status with Kaiser and the Medical facility. 
For me it is all crazy-making, and I wonder why I put this personal 
material into an article. 

I guess the only answer is that I want very much to continue 
writing articles and believe that presenting an authentic picture of 
my own life will act as a service to other people. I do not want to 
keep secrets and desire to present as much truth as I can. I also need 
to share the fact that much of my own memory is disappearing. I 
guess this is what is called dementia or a preliminary to Alzheimer’s 
or something horrible. I hate to think about the future as the present 
is already intolerable. 

While coping with our own troubles it is necessary that we 
recognize what the future might be for our children and grandchildren. 
As I travel back and forth from the medical facility, I see the youngsters 
going back and forth to School. My granddaughter just began the 
second grade, and it is a big deal for her. It is a BIG DEAL. Raising our 
children and attempting to create a livable safe future for them is one 
of the major responsibilities of all adults. Today, it seems that other 
beings, nonhumans, do a better job than humans. Maybe humankind 
is on the road to extinction but perhaps I am going overboard. I hope 
to be able to share something positive in next week’s article and I plan 
to keep writing for as long as I am able. 

I hope you will keep reading. 

QUOTES BY MOOJI By Jeff Brown 


Mooji is a Jamaican-born spiritual teacher who shares teachings 
on self-inquiry, presence, inner freedom, and recognizing our true 
nature. Mooji’s primary spiritual teacher was Sri Harilal Poonja, 
known as Papaji. Mooji met Papaji in Lucknow, India, in 1993 and 
spent several months with him. Mooji describes Papaji as his livingMaster and credits him with helping him recognize the Self as pure 
awareness. Mooji has many videos on youtube 

“Be happy in the recognition of your own true nature.” 

“Nothing can trouble you except your own imagination.” 

“Don’t try to become. Just be.” 

“Your true nature is peace.” 

“You are not the person you take yourself to be.” 

“Stay as you are, without trying to become anything.” 

“Simply be. Be still. Be here.” 

“Whatever comes, let it come. Whatever stays, let it stay. Whatever 

goes, let it go.” 

“Your being is already complete.” 

“Freedom is not something you achieve. It is what you are.” 

“Do not identify with what is passing.” 

“The mind is not your master unless you make it so.” 

“Stop looking for yourself in what is changing.” 

“Your heart knows the way. Trust it.” 

“Awareness is already present before every thought.” 

“You are the witness of all that appears.” 

“Let everything be as it is.” 

“Nothing is missing in this moment.” 

“Truth does not need to be created. It needs only to be recognized.” 

“Be empty of concepts and full of being.” 

“The present moment is enough.” 

“Do not fight the mind. Simply see it.” 

“When you stop seeking, what you are becomes obvious.” 

“You are already that which you are searching for.” 

“Remain in the natural state of being.” 

“What is wrong with right now if you don’t think about it” Bob 

Adamson 

“Be Still & know That I Am God” Psalm 46:10 

RICH JOHNSON 


STUPID AND SMART STUFF 

World history is polka dotted with stupid lies. How many do you 
remember? And what happened when your lying was discovered? 

Let’s take George Washington’s teeth for example. All school 
children (well in America anyway) are taught that President 

Washington had wooden teeth. Not true. Wooden teeth would have quickly 
turned to a mixture of mush from saliva and tea. Nope, George’s teeth were a 
mix of gold, lead, hippopotamus ivory, brass, and yes, some real teeth (which he 
purchased from slaves). And by the way, young George Washington did not chopdown his dad’s prized cherry tree. Some weird writer named Rich Johns…no, it 
was Parson Weems invented the myth after Washington died. 

The dunce cap, you know, the cone shaped one has a reputation of being a symbol 
for foolishness and lack of intelligence (Geeze, I’ve never needed that). The fact 
of the matter the Dunce Cap was invented in the 1200’s by John Duns Scotus 
who encouraged his followers to wear pointed hats because he thought the hats 
worked like an antenna channeling divine wisdom. (What a dunce!) 

The only Vikings who wore helmets were the Minnesota Vikings football team. 
You remember, the helmets with the big handles on either side. The Vikings 
would have lost every sword fight if they wore those heavy helmets during battle. 
I have stupid Viking ancestors so I wouldn’t be here if they were that stupid. 

The Catholic Church was not anti-science. In fact, the Big Bang theory was 
developed by a Catholic (priest) George Lemaitre. 

Andrew Jackson was heckled at his funeral by his pet parrot. Somebody brought 
the parrot to the funeral and just before the sermon people heard a volley of cuss 
words. The bird was swearing so much he had to be removed from the service. 

Now, most of us were children at one time or another. Some, like me, are still 
children. One reality we share in common is the lies parents tell their young 
children…often for their own good. Let’s clear the air on some of the more scarylies. 

1. Go ahead and swallow that gum. No, its not going to stay in your stomach 
for 7 years. Your body digests every little wad in a few days at most. 
2. Go ahead and crack your knuckles. There is no scientific evidence it cause 
arthritis or joint disease. 
3. Parents with pools tell their kids not to pee in the pool. And that it will 
change the color of the water. Uh Uh! They just don’t want you to pee in the pool. 
4. Don’t feel bad about your doggies. They can see more than black or white. 
They see yellows, blues and grays or so my friend’s dachshund told me. He had a 
German accent so I didn’t quite understand him. 
5. Our friends at Scientific American have assured us humans do not swallow 
seven spiders a year. Unless you have bedbugs, spiders have no interest in your 
mattress. So, they are not lingering near your face. 
6. Kids pay attention. If you like to swim in pools right after lunch you’re 
in luck. The Mayo Clinic has confirmed there is absolutely no scientific basis for 
staying out of the pool. It’s a lie perpetrated by parents to get a break from having 
to watch you so closely. 
7. Cavemen did not live in caves. Neanderthal hunter-gatherers and farmers 
who lived 400,000 to 30,000 years ago lived in huts made of wood and covered in 
animal skins. 
8. Here’s a biggie. Aristotle suggest we had five senses: Sight, sound, smell, 
touch, and taste. Not so fast Ari! Experts tell us we have at least 10 senses, with 
some experts count as high as 23. You can make it a project to find out the rest. 
But a few more include sense of balance, sense of pain (ouch) and the perception 
of time (by the way, what time is it? 
9. Carrots will help your vision! Actually that’s true. Carrrots have beta-
carotene which converts to vitamin A which is the eyesight helper. So do sweet 
potatoes, spinach, butternut squash, apricots, cantaloupe and Romaine lettuce. 
Don’t forget eggs and milk. 
Well that’s enough of all this. Have a great week. And remember, wherever you 
go, there you are. 


No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com