The Secret of the Holy Grail

Dear Knights and Prospective Knights,

You are part of the making of history. The Knights of Malta have a legacy of rendering aid on the field of battle, and that tradition continues today with every Knight that declares a life of service to help the plight of the less fortunate. The oath as it is written in this book, Rise a Knight, when exercised by Knights, leaves humanity and the planet better off.

But there is a more profound principle at work here—a secret that will change the world and bring about an unprecedented era of world peace.
Dan Brown touched on this in his book and subsequent movie, The Da Vinci Code, but slightly missed the mark. He correctly postulated that the Holy Grail is the vagina or female form. He also glossed over the true motivation behind the Inquisition—the oppression of women. Smart men knew that the only way to control humanity and leave power in the hands of the few was to oppress women. Peace and prosperity comes from women being empowered and equal.

Our new order is one voice to empower women, as all who take the oath agree not to discriminate against any human for any reason. Imagine a playing field level for all of humanity. Moving in this direction brings us closer to Thomas Jefferson’s postulation where he declared, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men (humans) are created equal."

It wasn’t true when he wrote it. It isn’t true now…but it ought to be. We are part of the historic event ushering in an era during which it will become true. All humans will be created equal, and opportunity will leave no one behind.
We are also part of an era of responsibility, in which every human takes an oath to "first do no harm," and all of us police each other from harming our environment.

Plants, animals, and humans will all benefit from the coming era of peace and prosperity.

Each and every time you Knight someone (men and women) and get them to take the oath, we incrementally move toward more peace and prosperity. We move toward a better world than has ever existed.

This movement is the Holy Grail. It is the "Stone Cut Without Hands" that rolls forth until it consumes the entire world. It is what men and women have dreamed of for thousands of years, and it is within our reach.

I invite you all to share this message with everyone you know and to ask them to take the oath, kneeling as a mortal and rising to a life of service wearing the mantle of Knighthood.

Where men have oppressed and exploited women in the past, I invite you to embrace a new, unprecedented era of empowerment and equality for all of humanity that will lead to greater harmony between flora and fauna and the greatest peace and prosperity the world has ever known.

We Have Our Resolve

Many of us might remember a period in our lives that we liked better than our current reality. These are moments to cherish and look back upon with fondness and reflection. Our present is the only thing that we can build upon to have a brighter tomorrow. What we have at our disposal is what we must use to build our future. Whatever resources we have today will create the fabric of tomorrow. In America today we have lost jobs, fortunes, homes, businesses, and so much more. What we have not lost is our resolve. We have not lost our determination. We have not lost our promise. America is built upon the notion that we can take our circumstances today and use them now to become so much more tomorrow. The basic building blocks in America that make the promise of America true in so many lives are alive and intact. We can employ the principals that make our Country great to rise above our realities today and change our circumstances and the circumstances of our families. Through small beginnings great things are brought to pass. Every movement begins with a single person, then another, then another, until the streets are filled with people demanding a change of some kind. That overwhelming voice breaks down walls and change sweeps through. Heartbeat USA doesn’t look back with longing to a period of time with nostalgia but rather looks around at the building blocks that are laying all around us to build a better today and prepare for a richer and more fulfilling tomorrow. Heartbeat examines a single community with an eye to help people help themselves become wealthier in the ways that count most – namely community. The naysayers, NIMBYs , attempt to thwart the movement at every turn.

The Promise of America

The Promise of America is that no matter what your current station you can take advantage of the opportunities in front of you right now and make your life better through working hard and obtaining an education. Aaron Cohen is not only a believer in this promise but an achiever of this promise. Now we are celebrating Aaron as the 2010 Century City Citizen of the Year, an award given by the prestigious Century City Chamber of Commerce. Aaron is an unprecedented two time recipient of this award. Each award was twenty years apart signifying that Aaron not only made it but maintained his position in life and within the Century City Business Community. In any other country this would be a story that would become a legend, myth or fable. In America this is a common story about a man that began in the most humble of circumstances and rose to greatness. Common because others have achieved the same result from their hard work and dedication but uncommon because from a purely numbers standpoint this story isn’t repeated near enough in America or the rest of the World.

Aaron began life in Bulgaria and at the age of 10 dealt with Nazi occupation for two years. He took advantage of an opportunity to leave for Palestine. At 15 ½ Aaron did time in a British Jail for protesting against the policy of not letting Holocaust Survivors come to Palestine as outlined in the British White Paper of 1939. Aaron joined the Israeli Underground becoming one of the most elite commandos. They were known as Palmach and they fought against the armies opposed to the formation of Israel. They passed a single machine gun from village to village to give the appearance that their firepower was greater than it actually was. Aaron would volunteer for these dangerous night missions where failure meant certain death. Together with his battlebuddies they defeated the armies of Syria, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq to bring the dream of a sovereign nation of Israel into being against all odds. While in Israel he was one of the founders of the Kabutz Urin. In Israel he met a woman that would change his life forever. He married an American with full intention of settling in Israel but was sent for when she visited home.

He arrived in New York not speaking the language, with no money, no education and no job. But what he did have was a willingness to work hard and to learn. Three days after his arrival he was in school learning English. He worked a factory job during the week, went to school at nights, and worked a second job on the weekends to make ends meet. At the factory he was named a management trainee just prior to the end of the Korean War. When the war was over he was laid off. He vowed that he would never be laid off again. He came to the west coast where he learned how to clean windows and floors.

There are many people from that era that would love to claim that Mary Pickford gave them their start but Aaron was blessed to be able to work for Mary cleaning her house -this lead to other celebrities homes that needed cleaning and then to Mary’s first commercial building. Aaron landed a contract to clean all of the Hamburger Hamlets and according to his philosophy that all anybody wants to see is a hard working honest guy he landed all of Buckeye Realty’s buildings. He sold his business and stayed on to manage it. Now he hails from ABM the largest maintenance company in the business. The company has expanded their offerings to include security, engineering, and parking to compliment their stranglehold on the maintenance business.

Aaron’s favorite claim to fame is that all three of his kids graduated from the same High-School. Three years to the day after Aaron arrived in the United States he was made a U.S. Citizen. He credits his teachers. One teacher gave him the book he needed to complete the course at a time when Aaron couldn’t afford the book on his own. All of his teachers, and he remembers every single one of them, instilled a deeper appreciation in our Country. In Century City Aaron is known for his patriotism. He regularly leads the Century City Chamber of Commerce Meetings Flag Salute. Then at the end he thunders “AND GOD BLESS AMERICA AND GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS.” Every time Aaron sees any uniformed soldier he stops everything and politely addresses them thanking them for their service. When it comes to the buildings in Century City there isn’t a single one that his sweat hasn’t been left in. Aaron is a proof that the promise of America is still alive and well.

A Prescription For Peace - Front Cover

Here is the front cover of the book:

Letters about "A Prescription For Peace"

Here is a letter from Barack Obama when he was a Senator.

Here is a letter from Sherry Lansing.

CENTURY CITY CAR CELEBRATES 35 YEARS IN CENTURY CITY

Where do you turn when you need a mechanic? Turn to Century City Car Care. They are currently celebrating their thirty fifth anniversary in Century City. Located at 1800 Avenue of the Stars they have become a part of the fabric of Century City by handling the car care needs of workers, managers and owners from all over the Westside but in particular Century City.

Did you know that you can even get your engine rebuilt in Century City? When Wilton Beckett set up the plan for Century City it was to be a self contained city where you could get all the services you needed without leaving the city. 35 years ago, Century City Car Care was established and it has been under the present management, Yuval Palmon, for the past 16 years. Century City Car Care is a place where you can get your windshield wiper blades changed all the way to getting your engine rebuilt by ASE Certified Mechanics.

Think about the possibilities. You can drop off your car while you are working to get the oil changed. You don’t need an appointment, or a shuttle and you won’t be late for work. If you are having trouble with your car and it requires more time than a day then Century City Car Care will rent you a car from Hertz inside the Century Plaza Hotel. The cost of the rental car is covered.

Century City Car Care only uses original parts and they stand behind their work, just like a dealer with a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty. There are no limitations on what they can do – from regular interval service to brakes, tires, transmissions, clutch, air conditioning, body work, lube and oil changes. Their entire business model is based upon repeat business because they are so embedded in the community. You don’t have to look far for satisfied customers. Yuval has known most of his customers for years. If you don’t know Yuval you should give him a call and get to know him. Your car will thank you.

Give him a call and wish him a happy anniversary: (310) 552-2180.

Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.

Century City Real Estate Report - Mortgage Rates Dip Lower Making Housing More Affordable

(This article originally appeared in the August 8th, 2011 edition of the Century City News)


If you are a buyer who has been sitting on the sidelines, the recent drop in mortgage rates may provide the incentive to pull the trigger. The 30 year fixed mortgage dipped to almost 4.45 this last week while the 15 year mortgage rate hit a new low of 3.52%. These low rates helped drive applications for refinances up almost 8% and new purchase application up approximately 5%.

Another incentive for buyers to act now is the fear that proposed new banking rules could raise the cost of lending which would be passed onto the borrower in the form of higher interest rates. These proposed qualified residential mortgage standards are currently being debated. For now, lower interest rates should help borrowers get lower monthly payments and lower their risk of default.

In prime Westside areas the approximately One Million Dollar market is catching competitive bidding from young couples looking to purchase their first home. Well priced properties in these areas are generating multiple offers. In other neighborhoods, the weak job market and the inability of many borrowers to meet lenders’ tight credit standards are hurting sales and putting downward pressure on prices. This
is not the case on the luxury Westside. Some buyers are hard working high income professionals, some are trust fund babies and others are getting help with down payments from affluent parents.

These young buyers are going back to the traditional “safe haven” view that their home will be a stable investment over the long term. They want to create a comfortable home for a growing family. They look forward to building equity and the tax benefits of writing off the interest on their home mortgage against their income.

Even if housing dips another 5% as some are forecasting through next year, these young enthusiastic buyers feel confident that with historic low interest rates, this is the right move.

The latest data through May 2011 from the S & P /Case Shiller Home Price Index, the leading measure of U.S. Home prices, showed prices up the last 2 consecutive months for the 10 and 20 city composite index. The increase was approximately 1%. Detroit, Las Vegas and Tampa were down month over month and Phoenix was unchanged. The Case/Shiller numbers for year over year sales showed prices down by 4.5%. However, real estate is a local neighborhood story so be sure to review the local comps for your neighborhood before you buy or sell.

To find short pays and foreclosures in your area or for a free consultation to assess your real estate options, contact Bess at 310.291.4111. Bess Hochman is a Real Estate Broker & top producer for more than 15 years. Bess is also distinguished by holding a law degree. Her high-end clientele include celebrities, attorneys, and other professionals that understand the value of a real estate broker with legal expertise and experience. A native of Beverly Hills, Bess credits her success to repeat referrals by her satisfied clients.

Bess won’t let you guess. E-mail: Bess.CenturyCitynews@yahoo.com. Bess may be reached at 310.291.4111.

* The sources of information may or may not have been based on information from the combined LA/Westside Multiple Listing Service as of 8- 5-11. Some listings may not be available as of publication.
c. 2011 Bess Hochman
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“Bess is a master negotiator!” says Michael Donaldson, attorney & author of Negotiating For Dummies

Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.

The Private Banking and Investment Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management announced that Christopher Bollenbach joined as Senior Vice President – Investments, Private Wealth Advisor, in its Century City office.

(This article originally appeared in the August 8th, 2011 edition of the Century City News)

Bollenbach has a diverse background from his time in a variety of management roles and as a financial advisor. He and his team oversee $117 million assets under management since establishing his advisory practice in 2006. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Bollenbach spent a total of 13 years at UBS/PaineWebber and three years at Citi Smith Barney. When he was only 30, PaineWebber appointed Bollenbach to serve as Compliance & Lending Head for its Western Division. Along with his financial services industry experience, Bollenbach also served in an executive management capacity as Director of Strategic Planning at Sunkist from 2001 to 2005.

A passionate supporter of the community, he has worked with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Music Matters and the California Community Foundation. He also dedicates time to developing the next generation of leaders by working with at-risk high school students at the Academy of Business Leadership and serving on the Board of Directors for the California Council on Economic Education. In addition, Bollenbach serves as a chairman for the Bollenbach Family Scholarship Fund, which sends 15 students a year to college who otherwise could not afford it.

Bollenbach is a graduate of the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond. He resides in Westwood, Calif. with his wife Kendra. His brother, Keat Bollenbach, is owner of popular LA restaurant, Bottega Louie. His father, Stephen Bollenbach, was the Chief Executive Officer of Hilton Hotels Corporation from 1996-2007.


Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.

Social City News by Marci Weiner

SOMALY MAM FOUNDATION & QUEEN OF MYSTERY NOVELS

(This article originally appeared in the August 8th, 2011 edition of the Century City News)

The Somaly Mann Foundation launched “Project Future” at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Ms. Mann, Cambodian child slavery survivor and creator of the Foundation, presented a new platform to engage volunteers, activists and young professionals to join the fight against modern day child sex slavery.

Somaly has rescued over 7,000 young women and children, and was named CNN Hero and is one of Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People.
Among her supporters attending the event were actors Ron Livingston, Rosemarie DeWitt, Anna Lynne McCord (90210) and Ashley Rickards (One Tree Hill & Fly Away).

By utilizing their talents these volunteers create campaigns and events to raise awareness and needed funds toward the fight against the ever-growing global crisis of child sex slavery.

We were thrilled to spend some time with the Queen of Mystery Writers, Mary Higgins Clark, who is the author of over 40 best selling books, at a Literary Soiree at the home of Producer Bruce Cohn Curtis. Bruce, who is a scion of the legendary Cohn Dynasty (his great uncle was Harry Cohn) has produced numerous films based on Mary’s novels, including The Cradle Will Fall, Try to Remember & A Crime of Passion.

Bruce hosted a Birthday Bash and invited a slew of famed authors, including Rochelle Majeer Krich, who wrote 14 mystery books, including Where’s Mommy Now, which he turned into a movie (Perfect Alibi) starring Hector Elizando and Teri Gar.

Carol Higgins Clark, Mary’s beautiful daughter, is also a best selling author. Her 10thmystery novel – Mobbed – has just been released to rave reviews.

Other celebs in attendance included feisty actress Estelle Getty (series regular on Seinfeld) andFrance Nuyen (South Pacific).
One of Bruce’s most intriguing films, Dreamscape, with Denis Quaid is currently in negotiations for a sequel. Quaid and Kate Capshaw (Steven Spielberg’s mate) would return if they like the concept. With the great success of Inception, dreams are back in vogue. Best of luck to our producer pal, Bruce!

Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.

Love Buzz - Hearing Your Partner

(This article originally appeared in the August 8th, 2011 edition of the Century City News)

By Anita De Francesco, MA
Relationship Specialist

Do you really take in and hear what your partner is asking for? Some of us listen but don’t hear. The most important thing in a relationship is to hear your partner. Sometimes we think we are listening but it goes in one ear and out the other. When we listen with depth and from the heart we can respond on a deeper level to our partners needs. Listening is a skill that requires practice. We tend to talk at each other but it is best to communicate where one at a time speaks and the other listens. We hear so much in one day that concentrating on the purpose and meaning of the words can just be too much for the body brain to process. Some people only hear what they want to hear and this becomes a habit of blocking out other important information that may be worthy of understanding at a deeper level. Part of listening and hearing is giving up the selfishness. Judging is a habit that is associated with listening. There are many techniques that help with listening.

Empathy involves hearing your mates description of his or her feelings taking those feelings seriously and responding in a supportive, helping way. Talking to your partner and assisting them in ways that you feel would be beneficial. Empathy is being able to put you in their shoes for a moment and feel and understand their reality.

Acceptance is loving your partner for who they are. Loving them when they are angry and wrong and so on. When we accept them we are hearing their soul at the source. Accepting gives your partner the space to open up and communicate more effectively.

Intuition is also a way of cluing into what your partners needs are. When we develop our listening skills we then can be more insightful and know what really is going and then be in tune with our partner. This is harmonizing and aligning your feelings, thoughts and actions. Listen to your partners words and actions.

Hearing your partner in everyday activities trains the mind to hear and feel together what your partner is asking for in the bedroom. Learn to ask questions to your partner to help you understand and clarify his or her emotions in a calm manner. The key to listening is feeling out their emotions and connecting to your own emotions at the same time. When we connect to our emotions we are beginning the healing process. Everything is a healing process even listening. To listen is a responsibility that humans need to endure.

Beware of the impulse to defend and attack back. When we strike back we avoid listening and hearing what is being said. Let go of critiquing your partner and sounding like a litigator.

All people want is to be heard and to have their voice to express what is on their mind. If the other person doesn’t give them the space to receive the moment then suppression can set in. Without moments we have losses. Listening with your full self and from the heart is being present and an active listener. So this week take the time to be focused and committed to what your partner is saying. When they talk, sit down and listen to their every word and movement. This takes a special concentration where a giving and receiving is integrated.

Do you feel stuck and in a rut, depressed or anxious or overall sluggish? I practice Reichian, Gestalt, somatic movement, and counseling/bodywork integrative therapies which involves focused breathing to help stimulate the emotions thus re-patterning the nervous system. I help you to focus on the negative voices and thoughts that create the stress and to resolve those unwanted interruptions that get in the way of your life process. Those stiff armored muscles that block sensation and energy flow will eventually soften.

The rage sitting in the muscles will unfold allowing more feelings of pleasure, more creativeness, freeing blocked energies and sexual dysfunction. Modern society has forced the human character to live in unnatural ways holding back basic needs and instincts. This process of breathing deeply sends messages to the brain which is an effective way to release anger, to let go of baggage, and to feel more alive and trusting thus living in a higher self esteem.

Anita De Francesco, M.A.
www.tantrawisdom.com
info@tantrawisdom.com
310-210-1464

Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.

A Prescription For Peace - The iBook

A Prescription For Peace documents the philosophy of a group of the Knights of Malta who have brought relief into warzones for over 35 years. This philosophy of giving provides a path for like-minded people to give effectively with an emphasis on people resuming the path of self-sufficiency. A Prescription for Peace is available for $.99 on the iTunes iBook Store and is also an iPad exclusive download.

ISBN# 9780983810827 – A Prescription For Peace - $.99 at the iTunes Store


Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.

New Film Finance Model Tied to Social Media & Charities

Presales Using Social Networking Is Next Financing Model For Movies

(This article appeared in the August 8, 2011 edition of the Century City News)

By Michael Douglas Carlin

In the film arena preselling seats or content has become a trusted financing mechanism. In the ‘80s we had presales of video, television or foreign rights as a staple of independent film finance. There were many business models introduced that mitigated much of the risk bringing the Studio’s total exposure on any particular film down to less than 15% of the total budget. There were ample rights that brought in attractive revenues if the picture performed at the box office. Many smart producers were able to retain sufficient rights and lay off nearly all of the risk through the pre-sales financing mechanism.

Today many of the sources of this revenue have dissipated. Taking a chance on a film that doesn’t have a track record is a big risk and the number of films that are pushing the creative envelope are few and far between. But the opportunity to leverage social networks to presell a film is virtually untapped. The first to create a successful business model tapping into these social networks are Spero Stamboulis and Brian Ide. Their pre-sales model is taking the risk out of their upcoming feature film, “Mike Mulligan’s Midnight Ride.” They call their business model “ReDistribute” and you can see more at www.weReDistribute.org.

At a time when the Prime Interest Rate is around 3%, and the stock market looks more like a casino; Spero and Brian may have hit the mother lode. Where would you put $25 million today? Where would you put $100 million? These two men can show you how they plan to rewrite the film-financing manual by leveraging existing social networks to bring a film into profit before one single frame of film has ever been exposed. In modern day terms… before a single high-definition video clip has ever been recorded. They do this by aligning the film with hundreds of charities that have a vested interest in the success of the film. They tap into those social networks and spread the word at a fraction of the cost of expensive advertising and reward charities that deliver with a lion’s share of the box office receipts. This is a new concept for breaking an unknown film concept into the stratosphere.

Making movies is so much more about the management of risk than it is about making great movies. We complain about lack of creativity at the box office but nobody can argue with the mitigated risk from remakes or sequels. Complain all you want about “Hangover II” but the numbers speak pretty loudly that this business model is a winner.

Spero and Brian have a movie to finance that may break all of the rules and become the next reinvention of the film finance model. If their financing mechanism works it may bring in a completely different type of investor that has traditionally seen film as too risky a proposition for their core portfolios. In their model they combine social networking, philanthropy, and movie making to bring a family values – historical project to the screen. By preselling tickets through a number of charities they are taking the risk out of their venture and creating a historic based piece that will entertain, educate and give back.

But why not make a donation directly to the charity of your choice? This model counts on people doing what they would already do and making a choice to have a portion of their ticket go to charity. Consider the choice between “Cars XV” and “Mike Mulligan’s Midnight Ride.” Families going to the movies have the opportunity to teach their children that by choosing the Midnight Ride they can give to education and help those less fortunate.

Many “A” list actors are already kicking the tires to see what this might mean to their careers as they attempt to stay on the most prestigious list by also tapping into these important networks. If you operate a medium or large size charity you might want to get on board with their concept because their mechanism might mean millions of dollars to your organization. If you own a distribution company you might want to get on board as this mechanism might become a reliable supplier of “High Concept” content that has ready made profits for investors, distributors and charity partners. If you are on the talent side you might find that their movies are a financial and social opportunity as well as a way to give back. Hilton HHonors has already agreed to support ReDistribute for 2011 and currently American Airlines is taking a closer look. ReDestribute has been selected as one of 50 finalists. They will further narrow their selection by internet vote. You help ReDistribute become one of five charities to win backing of the airline by voting at: https://secure.fly.aa.com/flig htscameraaction/Vote.aspx?vidI D=49 and this can be done once a day from every email account that you have. The contest ends on August 26th.

This concept and the social media revolution are both still in their infancy. We have only seen the beginning of innovations that will come from leveraging our social media networks to drive revenue and mitigate risk. One area that will certainly benefit from tapping into social networking structures is the Motion Picture Industry. These two young and very smart guys might continue to lead the way.

And the concept couldn’t have come at a better time when the resources of governments are stretched to the breaking point and charities are being counted on to fill in the gaps. Movies that make us feel good combined with causes give us that warm and fuzzy feel.

Ten years from now people will be running around Hollywood talking about the big fish that got away. They will all be attempting to book an appointment with Spero and Brian who will be running a studio or two by then…

Here is how you can reach them now: Brian 310.795.4423 or Spero 818-795-9099 or see more at www.weReDistribute.org


Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests.