Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, November 17, 2018

B4

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 17, 2018 

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


Dark Sacred Night (A Ballard and 
Bosch Novel) by Michael Connelly 

Harry Bosch teams up with LAPD 
detective Renée Ballard to solve the 
murder of a young girl in the new thriller 
from #1 New York Times bestselling 
author Michael Connelly. Detective 
Renée Ballard is working the night beat -- 
known in LAPD slang as “the late show” 
-- and returns to Hollywood Station in 
the early hours to find a stranger rifling 
through old file cabinets. The intruder 
is retired detective Bosch, working 
a cold case that has gotten under his 
skin. Ballard can’t let him go through 
department records, but when he leaves, 
she looks into the case herself and feels a 
deep tug of empathy and anger. She has 
never been the kind of cop who leaves 
the job behind at the end of her shift -- 
and she wants in. The murder, unsolved, 
was of fifteen-year-old Daisy Clayton, 
a runaway on the streets of Hollywood 
who was brutally killed, her body left 
in a dumpster like so much trash. Now 
Ballard joins forces with Bosch to find out 
what happened to Daisy, and to finally 
bring her killer to justice. Along the way, 
the two detectives forge a fragile trust, 
but this new partnership is put to the test 
when the case takes an unexpected and 
dangerous turn. Dark Sacred Night for 
the first time brings together these two 
powerhouse detectives in a riveting story 
that unfolds with furious momentum. 
And it shows once more why “there’s 
no doubt Connelly is a master of crime 
fiction” (Associated Press). 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted 
Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina 
coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase 
Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately 
suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya 
is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has 
survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls 
home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in 
the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to 
be touched and loved. When two young 
men from town become intrigued by 
her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a 
new life--until the unthinkable happens. 
Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver 
and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads 
Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the 
natural world, a heartbreaking coming-
of-age story, and a surprising tale of 
possible murder. Owens reminds us that 
we are forever shaped by the children we 
once were, and that we are all subject to 
the beautiful and violent secrets that 
nature keep.”Painfully beautiful.”--The 
New York Times Book Review. 

Lady Cop Makes Trouble (A Kopp 
Sisters Novel) by Amy Stewart 

“Stewart deftly combines the rough-and-
tumble atmosphere of early twentieth-
century New York City with the story 
of three women who want to live life 
on their own terms.”—Library Journal, 
starred reviewing 1915, lady cops were 
not expected to chase down fugitives 
on the streets of New York City. But 
Constance Kopp never did what anyone 
expected. Constance and her sisters aren’t 
living the quiet life anymore. They’ve 
made headlines fighting back against a 
ruthless silk factory owner and his gang of 
thugs. After Sheriff Heath sees Constance 
in action, he appoints her as one of the 
nation’s first female deputies. But when 
a German-speaking con man threatens 
her position—and puts the honorable 
sheriff at risk for being thrown in his 
own jail—Constance will be forced to 
prove herself again. Based on the Kopp sisters’ real-
life adventures, Girl Waits with Gun introduced the 
sensational lives of Constance Kopp and her sisters 
to an army of enthusiastic readers. This second 
installment, also ripped from the headlines, takes us 
farther into the riveting story of a woman who defied 
expectations, forged her own path, and tackled 
crime along the way.” One of the best mystery novels 
of the year: wonderful and very entertaining.”—New 
York Journal of Books.The book reviews are from 
Amazon.Com

HOW TO FIX ERRORS IN 
YOUR CREDIT REPORT

From late payments that were actually made on time 
to paid debts that are still listed in collections to fake 
accounts opened in your name by identity thieves, 
there are all kinds of errors that can end up in your 
credit report. What’s more, even if the mistakes were 
made by the banks, lenders, and/or credit bureaus, 
they have no obligation to fix them—unless you 
report them.

 Given this, it’s vital to monitor your credit score 
regularly and take immediate action to have any errors 
corrected. Here, we’ll discuss a few of the most common 
mistakes found in credit reports and how to fix them.
Finding and fixing errors

The first step to ensure your credit report stays error-
free is to obtain a copy of your report from each of 
the three major credit-reporting agencies: Experian, 
TransUnion and Equifax. You can get free access 
to your reports and even helpful credit monitoring 
services from companies like CreditKarma.com. 
Check each of the reports closely for errors. Some 
of the most common mistakes include:

. Misspellings and other errors in your name, 
address, and/or Social Security number
. Accounts that are mistakenly reported more than 
once
. Loan inquiries you didn’t authorize
. Payments inadvertently applied to the wrong 
account or noted as unpaid, when they were in fact 
paid
. Old debts that have been paid off or should’ve been 
removed from your report after seven years 
. Fake accounts and debts created by identity thieves 


Filing a dispute

 If anything is inaccurate on your report, file a 
dispute with the credit bureaus as soon as possible. In 
fact, notifying these agencies is a prerequisite if you 
eventually decide to take legal action. Note that if a 
mistake appears on more than one report, you’ll need 
to file a dispute with each credit bureau involved. 
To ensure your dispute has the best chances of 
success, follow these steps:

. Use the appropriate forms: Each credit bureau 
has different processes for filing a dispute—whether 
via regular mail or online—so check the particular 
bureau’s website for instructions and forms. You 
can find sample letters showing how to dispute 
credit reports on the FTC and Consumer Financial 
Protection Bureau (CFPB) websites. 
. Be absolutely clear: Clearly identify each disputed 
item in your report, state the facts explaining why 
the information is incorrect, and request a deletion 
or correction. If you’ve found multiple errors, include 
an itemized list of each one.
. Provide evidence: It’s not enough to just say there’s 
a mistake; you should substantiate your claim with 
proof. Collect all documents related to the account, 
including account statements, letters, emails, 
and legal correspondence. Include copies (never 
originals) of this paperwork, and highlight or circle 
the relevant information. 
. Contact credit providers: In addition to the credit 
bureaus, the CFPB recommends you also contact 
the credit providers that supplied the incorrect 
information to the bureaus. Check with the particular 
company to learn how to file a dispute, and then send 
it the same documentation to them that you sent to 
the bureaus. 
. Review the results of the investigation: Credit 
bureaus typically get back to you within a month, but 
their response can take up to 45 days. The response 
will tell you if the disputed item was deleted, fixed, 
or remains the same. Disputes basically boil down to 
whether or not the creditor agrees with your claim or 
not, and what they say typically goes.


 If you’re not happy with the result of the dispute or 
how the dispute was handled, you can file a complaint 
with the CFPB, which regulates the credit bureaus. 
They’ll forward your complaint to the credit provider 
and update you on the response they receive.

 If the credit provider insists the information 
is accurate, you can provide the bureaus with a 
statement summarizing your dispute and request 
they include it in your file, in future reports, and to 
anyone who received a copy of the old report in the 
recent past. 

Legal action

 Finally, if the investigation isn’t resolved to your 
satisfaction and the inaccurate information in 
your credit report is causing you harm, contact a 
trusted attorney to determine if taking legal action 
would be worthwhile. Your attorney can review the 
information, and if necessary, help you develop and 
litigate your case.

 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 626.355.4000 or visit 
www.GarlettLaw.com for more information.


All Things By Jeff Brown

GUN DEATHS!

Homicides and suicides involving guns have been 
increasing, according to new data from the US 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after 
years of declines in gun deaths.During 2015-16, 
27,394 people were killed by someone with a gun 
in the United States, and 44,955 used a gun to 
kill themselves, according to a report published 
Thursday in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality 
Weekly Report.Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of 
death for everyone over 10, with guns used in half 
of all those deaths. It’s the second-leading cause 
of death for young people ages 10 to 19, with guns 
used in 42% of those cases.Nationally, researchers 
estimate that 4.4 per 100,000 people were killed by 
someone using a gun in 2015-16. It’s a higher rate 
for the 50 largest metropolitan areas combined, 
with 4.9 people per 100,000 killed by a gun. This 
is an increase from 2012-13, when the national 
rate was 3.7 per 100,000 nationwide and 4.1 per 
100,000 for major metropolitan areas.Guns mean 
more deaths and more suicides.The US has the 
world’s highest rate of gun ownership by civilians, 
according to research, and the highest rate of gun-
related deaths among industrialized countries..
The NRA estimates that between 8.5 million and 
15 million assault rifles are in circulation based on 
manufacturer data, said Baker, the group’s public 
affairs director.


HEALTHY LIFESTYLES


YOGIC WISDOM - 

AUTHENTICALLY YOU

Yoga is about moving 
the body. Yoga is about 
breathing. However, 
yoga is bigger —it’s about 
healing and being YOU. 
Many people come to yoga 
for healing of some kind 
because it works well and 
positively affects overall 
well-being.

 Part of what we learn in yoga is that nurturing this 
well-being also occurs off the mat and here’s where 
there’s a critical point. To access nurturance, to open up, 
to heal —physically, psychologically, or spiritually-- the 
environment in which you practice has got to feel safe. To 
find your way and to get relief from pain, there must be a 
sense of ease on some level. The great abundance gifts of 
yoga won’t unfold if you’re in an environment that feels 
too competitive or triggers your own fear. It’s not really 
a judgment on that environment, it’s more about you. 
Ultimately, it alters your own authenticity. 

 Consider what’s happening in your body when you 
feel nervous. It affects EVERYTHING --the sympathetic 
nervous response (fight or flight), disruption of Prana (life 
force energy) and a disruption in digestion. But during a 
state of calm, muscles often stretch more deeply and more 
freely. 

 Environments where there’s constant uncertainty can 
be tough. Thoughts may arise: Do I belong here? Am I 
really connected? 

 Sure you can survive. Of course. You survived the 
life experiences that brought to you to this present day. 
Intellectually, you might say, “It’s not them, it’s me. I can 
be neutral and not react,” and that is right. However, being 
around this can be crazy-making, triggering something 
deep within. There’s an expression: What price are you 
paying to NOT be you? The answer is that it’s a high 
price if you are not genuinely empowered, encouraged, 
welcomed, and respected. 

 Take a loving approach with yourself. Please contact 
me if you’d like to learn more about this great practice of 
yoga: keely@keelytotten.com

Keely Totten

E-RYT 500, Yoga & Meditation Teacher

Authentically Empowered


THE MISSING PAGE

Real Life Tips from LIfe's Instruction Manual


Lori A. Harris


BE GREAT

How do you have a great life? Decide to be great. The 
content of our lives is the result of each decision we 
make on a day to day and moment to moment basis. 
It is not a matter of liking every circumstance and 
situation or everything going according to plan; it is 
more about how we respond to our conditions.

 Let’s decide in each moment to be great. Bring your 
best self and rather than creating a to-do list start with 
making a to-be list. Our day starts the night before 
with adequate rest and nutrition. As you prepare for 
slumber, review the day. Give thanks for what went 
well, mentally revise the places for improvement. 
Finish by setting your intention for the next day. Who 
do you want to be? What is the spirit that you want 
to bring to your encounters and efforts? Envision 
yourself completing your tasks with ease and skill as a 
valuable contributor.

 When you awaken, decide to rise. Be the best at 
your endeavors. Decide who you will be before your 
feet hit the floor.

 Who do you want to be in every aspect of your 
life? If you were the best parent in the world, how 
would you respond? How would a loving spouse greet 
the day? If you were the best in the world at your job, 
what would you do? We build great lives by creating 
special moments.

I share a song from my meditation circle here: 

When I rise, let me rise

Like a bird, joyfully

And when I fall, let me fall

Like a Leaf 

Gracefully, without regrets

And when I stand, let me 
stand 

Like a tree, strong and tall

And when I lay, let me lay 

Like a lake, peacefully

Calm and still

And when I Walk, let me walk

Like a bee, wholeheartedly

And when I play, let me play

Like a breeze, 

Light and clear

Rise – songs from Plumvillage

 Lori Harris is a lawyer and coach. She helps 
people enjoy more freedom with group and individual 
coaching programs. Learn more at www.Loriaharris.
com

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