Perspective

I was thinking today about perspective. It began with my thoughts of what slander can do to another’s reputation. One may be innocent, someone tells a lie about them, and those who sinned by listening to gossip and believed the lie have a perspective on an innocent person that God knows is not true. Because God has the accurate perspective. Then I began thinking of a woman I sat with years ago. She had been molested as a teen by a professional — and her mother never helped her get restitution for this crime.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6). This popular proverb calls people to trust in God amid each and every one of life's circumstances. As I write this column, I am in New York at a conference for a rare disease called Hermansky Pudlak syndrome (a platelet dysfunction that can effect people with albinism). While I look around me at all the children and adults effected by this syndrome, my mind has countless thoughts and my heart experiences profuse emotions.

In a race crammed with new faces, Kimberly Jo is as new as they come. “Elders in the community share that they’ve never seen a newcomer do this well,” Jo said. “But it’s funny because the people who know me sit back, laugh and say, ‘Well, newcomer, but you’ve only lived here your whole life.’” Still, some have questioned whether the Burbank High School graduate who went on to complete her undergraduate work in public policy with minor in urban planning at UCLA and a master’s degree in public administration from USC, is perhaps too green.

Lt. Robert Giles Q. Can you explain the recent controversy surrounding gasoline powered Go-peds, and self-powered scooters? A. Gasoline and electric powered scooters have recently become commercially available and owners are inquiring if they can be ridden in the street. Both gas and electric scooters are regulated by the California Vehicle Code and they may be ridden on city streets with a speed limit of 25 mph provided that the rider is more than 16 years old, and wears a bicycle helmet.

Shawna Saperstein Galassi BURBANK -- Dick Termes enjoys hearing people describe his artwork. Not because he's an egotist, but because his artwork is so hard to describe. "It's always fun (to hear) because you never know how people are going to explain it when they see it," he said in a phone interview from his home in South Dakota. Termes is the creator of Termespheres, spherical paintings that hang from the ceiling and rotate at eye level. "As the sphere rotates, you get the feeling you're inside the sphere because the way the subject matter is painted, it's as if you're inside looking out," Termes said.

Lt. Robert Giles There will many people looking at the total cost and weighing the benefits of hosting the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles now that the dust has settled and the DNC 2000 is history. Burbank residents and business owners had no choice in the matter; we are all part of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, and we are all players whether we like it or not. There are few people in the community who realize the extent of Burbank's involvement in the festivities and the potential problems we faced.

Mark R. Madler What do teenagers talk about when they talk about sex? For the cast of the city-produced "Teens In Action" cable television show, it's whether they feel pressured to be sexually active and the effects of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy on their young lives. "What we are trying to get across is, if you choose to have sex as a teen, we want everyone to know their options of protection and what could happen to them with STDs and pregnancy," said Wendy DeLeon, 18, the moderator for the discussion on teens' attitudes toward STDs.

Sometimes I ask myself "What makes me? What have other people or experiences done to change me? Would I be the same person had they never existed?" My answer is a very complex one. Through the years, it has been a myriad of people, places, attitudes, experiences, memories, joys, disappointments, inspirations, changes, and developments that have formed the people you are reading about today. The most significant and inspirational human being who has profoundly affected my life has been Congressman James Rogan.

My first active role in Glendale politics was a little more than seven years ago. There seemed to be a lot more at stake. Control of local boards and commissions appeared not to reflect the needs of the community and catered to special interests that had money to invest in political campaigns. There was something wrong with the system. Many reforms were implemented with regard to campaign finance, which helped, but the realization by candidates and appointed city officials that they were accountable was the real force for change.

?Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory? (Colossians 3:1-4). We often feel trapped by our circumstances, or at least overwhelmed by them. It could be a momentary thing, like a day filled with worry.

In a race crammed with new faces, Kimberly Jo is as new as they come. “Elders in the community share that they’ve never seen a newcomer do this well,” Jo said. “But it’s funny because the people who know me sit back, laugh and say, ‘Well, newcomer, but you’ve only lived here your whole life.’” Still, some have questioned whether the Burbank High School graduate who went on to complete her undergraduate work in public policy with minor in urban planning at UCLA and a master’s degree in public administration from USC, is perhaps too green.

“Grace like rain falling down on me,” the song goes. And sometimes it is like that. But most often with me it is “grace like a baseball thrown at the back of my head.” Case in point: my 95-year-old grandmother. Virtually every time my mother has called me the last few years, I have searched the tone of her voice in her first words. The moment she says “hello,” I try to detect whether the next words will be, “honey, your grandmother passed away this morning.

I read the letters in the Burbank Leader, and I’m led to believe the writers live in this city. However, it’s becoming increasingly clear to me that many of them live somewhere else — in a fantasy world. I saw two letters this week that exemplify that. One poor soul claims that anyone making six figures a year lives on a “meager” salary (“‘Housing crisis’ is necessary,” Community Commentary). “Meager”? Six figures?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6). This popular proverb calls people to trust in God amid each and every one of life's circumstances. As I write this column, I am in New York at a conference for a rare disease called Hermansky Pudlak syndrome (a platelet dysfunction that can effect people with albinism). While I look around me at all the children and adults effected by this syndrome, my mind has countless thoughts and my heart experiences profuse emotions.

When Glendale native Bradley Little first arrived in Iraq in April 2005, there was a stretch of road between Baghdad International Airport and the United States Embassy that was being ambushed two to three times a day, he said. The last of Saddam Hussein's regime and members of Al Qaeda had control of Route Irish and were targeting everyone ? Americans, Iraqi civilians and Iraqi officials, Little said. "I can remember coming down and there was an [improvised explosive device]

Jeff Tully Editor's note: This is the first of an ongoing column focusing on local golf. A couple of items, if you will, before we begin. I'm glad that between my work and my location, I'm in a place that allows me to report on golf for my hometown newspaper. As a Glendale native, Burbank resident and assistant editor for the Southern California Golf Assn.'s "Fore Magazine," I hope to help develop solid coverage of the game in our area. This column will be a regular feature for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader, and we're takin' names, so to speak.

Mark R. Madler What do teenagers talk about when they talk about sex? For the cast of the city-produced "Teens In Action" cable television show, it's whether they feel pressured to be sexually active and the effects of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy on their young lives. "What we are trying to get across is, if you choose to have sex as a teen, we want everyone to know their options of protection and what could happen to them with STDs and pregnancy," said Wendy DeLeon, 18, the moderator for the discussion on teens' attitudes toward STDs.