Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, September 25, 2021

OPINION 13 
Mountain Views News Saturday, September 25, 2021 OPINION 13 
Mountain Views News Saturday, September 25, 2021 
MOUNTAIN 

VIEWS 

NEWS 

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson 

PASADENA CITY 
EDITOR 

Dean Lee 

PRODUCTION 

SALES 

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

WEBMASTER 

John Aveny 

DISTRIBUTION 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Stuart Tolchin 
Dinah Chong WatkinsAudrey SwansonMary Lou CaldwellKevin McGuire 
Chris Leclerc 
Bob Eklund 
Howard 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 

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Mountain Views News 

Mission Statement 

The traditions of 
community newspapers 
and the 
concerns of our readers 
are this newspaper’s 
top priorities. We 
support a prosperouscommunity of well-
informed citizens. We 
hold in high regard the 

values of the exceptional

quality of life in our 
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the magnificence of 


our natural resources. 
Integrity will be our guide. 

STUART TOLCHIN PUT THE LIGHTS ON 
FATHERS 


Contrary to what you might have heard recently fathers 

really should have some recognized rights as to the 

birth of a child; at least I think so. Recently, of course, 

there has been much discussion of a woman’s right to 

an abortion. We all know that the woman’s right had 

been protected in the landmark Supreme Court 1973 

decision of Roe v. Wade in which the Court ruled that the 

United States Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s 

liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive 

government restriction. Today, the woman’s right is 

under attack and given the present Court’s now more than conservative majority there 

is truly a reason to worry. 

Abortion has always been a difficult question for me and I think it should be 
a difficult question for everyone. Certainly, I like to think of myself as a feminist who 
supports a woman’s right to control her own body which is, of course, the position of 
Progressives----but I worry also about the rights of men. Men, sometimes labelled as 
merely “inseminators” presently have absolutely no rights to protect the life of their 
unborn child.

 Recently, probably connected to the Pandemic restrictions, I have seen untold 
numbers of men out on the sidewalk walking without female accompaniment with 
their young children. Frequently, the man and the child have a dog along with them as 
they walk. Sometimes men are seen with young children on the backs of their bicycles 
or motor scooters with a leashed dog run alongside. Although, this practice seems 
pretty dangerous to me I love seeing the men and their young child together. My 
appreciation of these scenes may be related to my own experiences of 45 years ago 
when it seemed to me that I was the only single father in the world. 

There was one time, about forty years ago, when on a Father’s day I took my 
kids to breakfast at an International House of Pancakes. As I looked round the room 
I noticed at the tables many fathers seated with their kids without a woman present. 
All at once we men lost control and children, many children, left their tables and were 
running back and forth in the restaurant. It was an unforgettable scene, in a way 
pleasant for me. I realized that I was not the only unavoidably inept man struggling 
with the problems of single parenthood----but this was only one time. 

Today when I hear men say that their own children have decided to remain 
childless because they do not want the responsibility and that there are too many 
children in the world already it saddens me. Of course I am also saddened when 
I hear of women who delay pregnancy because they do not want to interrupt their 
professional careers and then face the problems associated with giving birth to children 
while in their forties, it also saddens me. Yes there are many things to be sad about in 
these times; but I can tell you that for me there has been no greater joy than the raising 
of my own children. Yes, I admit that being a grandparent is a joyous experience and 
sometimes I agree with the quip that one should have the grandchildren first, (the 
statement is displayed on our couch pillow.}

 Perhaps in the near future scientists will develop ways for men to give birth 
and, if I am still around, I can worry less about the problems of childless men. Until such 
time, however, this remains one of the many distresses that surround me today. Perhaps 
such concerns serve to distract me from experiencing the uncertainty connected to all 
the other world problems which I also seem pretty powerless to remedy. Today I see 
skeletons on the front lawns of homes probably honoring the approaching Halloween. 
Unfortunately for me, these skeletons evoke another response perhaps representing 
the potential death of our beloved specie and possible approaching nuclear war (Was 
it necessary to sell those nuclear submarines to Australia?) 

Today, apart from the abortion issue, I remain a strong advocate of togetherness 
and family life in general; but I wonder why I am having so much trouble getting along 
with other family members and friends. Rodney King’s question of “Why can’t we 
just get along?” remains with too many possible explanations and no real answers. 
Anyway, for me, Hooray for Birthday parties and births. Overpopulation is not my 
biggest worry. 

RICH JOHNSON 

NOW THAT’S RICH! 


DANGEROUS: 
SAFER: 
SAFEST: 
ULTRASAFE: 

DANGEROUS: 
SAFER: 
SAFEST: 
ULTRASAFE: 

DANGEROUS: 
SAFER: 
SAFEST: 
ULTRASAFE: 

DANGEROUS: 
SAFER: 
SAFEST: 
ULTRASAFE: 

DANGEROUS: 
SAFER: 
SAFEST: 
ULTRASAFE: 

MALE RELATIONSHIP SURVIVAL SKILLS 

As a public service I am passing along relationship 
survival tips. The following suggestions were penned 
by a woman who chooses to remain anonymous. 
She suggested you might want to cut out this handy 
guide to communicating with women and put it in 
someplace close to your heart. Or possibly in your 
wallet. (Warning: Do not put it on the refrigerator 
door!) 

What’s for dinner? 
Can I help you with dinner?
Where would you like to go for dinner?
Here, have some chocolate. 

Are you gonna wear that?
Gee, you look good in brown!
WOW! Look at you!
Here, have some chocolate. 

What are you so worked up about?
What did I do wrong?
Here’s $50 dollars. 
Here, have some chocolate. 

Should you be eating that?
You know, there are a lot of apples left.
Can I get you a glass of wine with that?
Here, have some chocolate. 

What did you do all day?
I hope you didn’t overdo it today.
I’ve always loved you in that robe!
Here, have some chocolate. 

The author of the above suggestions also cautioned men to avoid buying 
mood rings for your significant other. Her husband bought her one so he 
could better monitor her moods. He noticed when she was in a good mood 
the ring turns green. When she is in a bad mood, it leaves a big red mark 
on his forehead. Instead, she recommends purchasing a diamond ring and 
chocolate. 

By the way, have you noticed how some inanimate objects around us also 
have genders? For example: 

A tire is male, because it goes bald and is often over-inflated. A hot air 
balloon is also male, because, to get it to go anywhere, you have to light a 
fire under it. And of course, there’s the hot air part. And a subway is male, 
because it uses the same old lines to pick up people. 

On the female side: An hourglass is female, because over time, the weight 
shifts to the bottom. Sponges are female, because they’re soft, squeezable and 
retain water. 

And finally what women really mean when they say something: 

Yes means no. No means no. Maybe means no. 

I invite you to listen to and read the lyrics from the 1977 pop rock classic by 
10CC: “The Things We Do For Love” 

A compromise would surely help the situationAgree to disagree but disagree to partWhen after all it’s just a compromise ofThe things we do for love, the things we do for love. 

Capiche, capeesh, capisce? (Look it up. Must I do all the work?) 

DANNY TYREE -TYRADES! 


CAN YOU HANDLE TOMORROW’S 
AUTOMOTIVE DEALERSHIPS? 


According to recent 
media reports, investors 
are leaving skid 
marks as they steer 
away from the century-
old model of selling 
automobiles. 

Mom-and-pop dealerships, cagey 
price negotiations and eye-popping 
inventories will be left in the rearview 
mirror as the industry shifts toward 
consolidation and customers ordering 
customized vehicles online. 

Something seems downright un-American 
about abandoning the time-tested 
system of distribution and marketing. 
Two of my classmates had 
families who owned dealerships. My 
father worked for two years at a used-
car lot and later worked across the 
street from Burgett Motor Company. 

Sure, elaborate showrooms and acres 
of asphalt are easy targets for those 
constantly bellyaching about the 
wretched excess of American capitalism. 
But every society has its own 
flavor of wretched excess, such as a 
wretched excess of people bragging, “I 
made it onto the waiting list! Just six 
more weeks until my tongue depressor 
arrives!” 

And I realize some of us are reprehensible 
troglodytes for not wanting to 
change our traditional expectations. 
Sure, the current system is glaringly 
inefficient in today’s technological 
age, but there’s more to life than offering 
Havoline 10W-40 to the god of 
Efficiency. 

Honestly, the whole idea of personal 
transportation (be it car, truck, motorcycle, 
bicycle or horse) is inefficient. 
All those flexibility-worshipping shoppers, 
laborers and dialysis patients 
need to Take One for the Team. Maybe 
we’ll soon have an Efficiency Czar 
rousing everyone in the neighborhood 
for the Great “Carpool.” (“The giant 
catapult is about to launch! Be sure to 
have your glider wings adjusted so you 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

 Thank you for your front page "Wistaria 
Hysteria" article regarding the 
knee-jerk reaction of the trimming of 
the Wistaria vine. 

 I have been a docent for the vine 
showing for at least 30 years and most 
of them were on the Solt patio where 
the trimming took place. 

I am also a friend of Nell Solt who has 
talked many times of the need to keep 
trimming the vine lest it take over the 
house.

 From your article, it's apparent that 
Ms. Mak was meticulously following 

Dear Mountain View News Editor:

 I wish to bring to your attention a 
serious road hazard. Each day there are 
several cars that travel the wrong way 
down Santa Anita Avenue in front of 
our home. We have already witnessed a 
car accident a few year ago and it only 
a matter of time before it becomes a 
fatality.

 When you drive westbound on Elkins 
Avenue and reach the intersection of 
Santa Anita the road slopes upward and 
it appears that to go into a driveway of 
a private home. Drivers who are unfamiliar 
with the street make a left turn 
into the oncoming traffic of the North 

can land within two counties of your 
destination. Be on time for the return 
giant hamster ball.”) 

I know that computer nerds relish 
the thought of sitting down in a sparse 
dealership office with a salesman/
facilitator (“We decided the free coffee 
was inefficient, but if you want to chew 
on some coffee beans and swig hot water…”) 
to configure a vehicle feature by 
feature. But surely life loses its richness 
when there is no sound of “Why don’t 
you take ’er for a spin?” or “Just get 
your husband to explain this to you, 
little lady. Hey, you just parked on my 
foot, little lady. Little lady!!” 

Normal people like being appreciated. 
We want salivating salesman elbowing 
each other aside. “Don’t call us, we’ll 
call you” stinks as a substitute for “new 
car smell.” 

There’s just something abstract and 
soulless about ordering a conveyance 
you won’t be able to touch for six to 
eight weeks. You must convince yourself 
that you enjoy the experience. 
While you’re at it, why not just specify 
that the sedan be made of tofu??? 

This is a classic “be careful what you 
wish for” scenario. When you commit 
to the sleekest vehicle on the lot, you 
can always badmouth “those bozos in 
Detroit” if you are frustrated by the 
bells and whistles. If you micromanage 
your SUV’s every molecule, you’ll end 
up pleading, “Honest, officer – that 
full-size disco ball air freshener looked 
so cool on the salesman’s screen!” 

Grit your teeth and make the most of 
this online future. Get ready to find 
yourself whining, “Yes, I was supposed 
to drag race you with my new wheels 
Saturday, but a Nigerian widow cleaned 
out my bank account and left me 
without gas money! But the joke’s on 
her! I still have her late husband’s million 
shares in Acme Left-Handed Tongue 
Depressors LLC.” 

*Sigh* 

the lead of the Solts by consulting 
experts on the proper way to trim the 
vine. It was appalling to read on social 
media the angry, false comments. 

 Your article was the right thing to do 
to dispel such anger towards the new 
owners of the vine. 

 In addition to giving the new owners a 
"big Welcome Wagon effort", those responsible 
for spreading such false comments 
need to personally write a note 
of apology to Ms. Mak and her sister. 
Pat Alcorn, Sierra Madre 

bound Santa Anita Avenue. they do 
not real-ize that the South bound lane 
is on the other side of the divided Santa 
Anita Avenue. They continue down 
the one way street the wrong way until 
they reach Grand View and then they 
realize their error and cross over to the 
other side.

 Although there are signs that say 
Wrong Way, they are not prominent. 
Caltrans and the Highway Department 
should fix this optical illusion before 
the next accident. Thank you. 

Sincerely,
MK Sierra Madre