Television report from W5 about the early 1980's punk rock scene in Los Angeles, California, featuring Back In Control Center (hilarious) and Mike Ness' band Social Distortion.
As a kid in a punk rock garage band many years ago in LA, we once opened for Social D. It was a house party at a squatter's flat in Highland Park, where runaways and heavy partiers stayed. With electricity piped in from a long extension cord, we did what we could. Then came the house band Detox followed by Julie's SIN 34 from Santa Monica before SD headlined. If Hollywood makes a version of that night, it looked a bit like this (and nothing as cool as the first video):
I remember thinking, "Who does this guy think he is with makeup, way more than guyliner, and where can I get some?"
Even then Mike Ness was a powerful presence if only because it seemed for all the world that he did not give two S's, very in line with the Tao. Who knew he had a drinking problem?
The strange thing was, this being LA, there was a massive and mysterious Buddhist building (Mystic Dharma Temple) just down the street on Figueroa St. Rather than drinking, like the fictional character Kwai Chang Caine (Kung Fu), I was drawn to visiting it and learning to meditate from Ven. Chao Chu, a Sri Lankan Mahayana-Theravada polyglot hybrid monk and his snooty American assistant Dana.
How did I get so lucky? Years later, visiting Sri Lanka and Malaysia, the senior Theravada scholar-monk Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda sighed a copy of his Dhammapada (verses and backstories), writing: "One who protects the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma."
Punk could be very smart (DKs)
It seemed profound at the time, but instead of magic, what it really seems to be saying is very basic: Imagine working in an industrial factory and instead of a sign that reads how many days since the last accident, the bosses were to put up an inspirational note that read: "One who protects [keeps] the safety rules is protected by the safety rules." Rule No. 5 is "to undertake to abstain from alcohol and intoxicants that occasion heedlessness." I could leave the hard drinking to Mike Ness, Detox, and all the followers. I could be straight edge before that caught on on the west coast. I was already listening to east coast Minor Threat, British anarcho punk vegans Rudimentary Peni, and the Dead Kennedys, which was a start.
Karma being what it is, we eventually ended up getting advanced degrees at UCLA, but not before Chao Chu and I attended the local community college to make up for a wasted youth in high school. There we started the college's first Buddhist club. The temple, the monk, and Dana eventually moved to Rosemead.
Karma, it makes for a long strange trip. So, as the saying goes, "be careful who you step on to move up in the world; you'll be seeing them again on the way down" or some such. Brad Warner was nowhere to be seen, but Noah Levine might have been around as well as Steve Pfauter. Maybe L.A. PUNK 13 knows all of this in greater detail.
One of the strange things about living in LA is its proximity to Hollywood, the throat chakra of the West, like the larger Bollywood is for the East (or India at least) is running into stars. We were at the radio station (KROQ.com, 106.7 FM), at the Audacy Corporation in the Miracle Mile district celebrating Cinco de Mayo at the cantina Descanso. Across the street, legendary punk pioneers Social Distortion was going to play a secret show at the station's new Sound Stage. A few maneuvers later, we were in! But what a strange trip. Standing next to Punk Rock Girl to see cancer survivor Mike Ness, once the epitome of tough guy drunk (now 40 years sober in AA), looking like some kind of gavone from the Lower East Side of NY or some TV gangster mobster as Megan Holiday and Kevin Ryder roll him out for an interview. Nice guy, learned a lot from AA, but he can barely talk or think or comprehend what's going on. The crowd loved it, having won tickets for the coveted show over the past few weeks. Flagging, failing self-proclaimed "punk influencer" Punk Rock Girl (Erin Micklow), who was persona non grata at the Queen Mary punk show and has been banned from Punk Rock Bowling at the Punk Museum in Las Vegas, we hear, weaseled her way in. "Who does a girl have to sl**p with to get into these things?" she might be asking. We would tell her if she asked us. But she seemed to enjoy herself as much as the Ozempic crowd largely in attendance. Punk rock never died, but it sure has been through a lot. Social D has a new album, Born to Kill, coming out after 15 years, and heartless corporate entity KROQ is doing them a solid due to all the fans they still have.
(Optic Expedition) Feb. 21, 2026: In 1982, a U.S. Navy flight engineer made an emergency landing on a ridge in Antarctica and saw something in the ice that was not supposed to be there.
It was geometric, angular, massive, made of a material that was neither ice nor rock. He was ordered never to speak of it. He signed papers that silenced him. He kept the secret for almost 20 years. Then, dying, he picked up the phone and called one person — Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist Linda Moulton Howe (earthfiles.com).
(YouTube Movies & TV) A hidden network of female journalists and activists are dedicated to UFO disclosure, so they uncover shocking truths about the U.S. government's firsthand knowledge of extraterrestrial (space alien, UFO, UAF) phenomena.
She recorded every word he said. Then she waited because over the next 25 years, more witnesses called: Navy personnel, scientists, U.S. contractors, NORAD officers, all of them describing pieces of the same thing buried beneath Antarctic ice.
All of them had been silenced, all of them. One by one, deciding before they died that she was the only person they trusted to tell the world. Now, at age 81, Linda Moulton Howe has finally compiled every testimony, every coordinate, every classified detail — and she is talking.
She has said, "Before I die, I must tell the truth — because the people who told me these things are dying. And if I do not share what they revealed, this knowledge dies with us." This is what they found.
Hitler and the Nazis knew what was in Antarctica(protected by an unprecedented universal treaty agreement when the world can universally agree about nothing else), so they claimed it and named it Neuschwabenland ("New Swabia") with access to extraterrestrial intelligences with high technology that gave them UFOs (vimanas) and Die Glocke ("The Bell," a means of accessing time travel).
ALD Teens Skate Day x Altadena Boys
Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, 1:00–3:00 pm
Free event featuring a pro skater, lessons, food
ALD Teens Skate Day x Altadena Boys
Location Main Library Parking Lot
Audience Tween (8-12 years old), Teen (8th-12th grade). Come be in community. Watch a pro skater shred, get a quick skate session (if a liability form has been signed), and enjoy the vibes!
STAND UP FOR ALTADENA, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, 7:00 pm
Featuring: Marc Maron, Frankie Quinones, Robby Hoffman, Ron Funches, Dulce Sloan, Beth Stelling, Chris Garcia.
Comedy: Stand Up for Altadena
Stand Up for Altadena Comedy Show with Marc Maron and Friends
All proceeds from tickets ($30) go toward Greenline Housing Foundation's Eaton Fire Relief
Eagles Hall, 455 E. Woodbury Rd., Altadena, Los Angeles County, California 91001
SK8 HAVEN
Pro skaters, resources, instructors, autism spectrum/ADHD-friendly Sk8 HAVEN coaches will be on site. Teens on the autism/ADHD spectrum can come earlier (12:30-1:00 pm) to sign up for skateboard coaching.
EVENTS: 1:00–1:20 pm → Welcome + Free Skate
1:20–1:40 pm → Pro Demo (introduce skater)
1:40–2:15 pm → Mini Clinics (basics for beginners, trick session for advanced teens)
2:15–2:45 pm → Open skate
2:45–3:00 pm → Thank Yous + Group Photo.
If participants want to partake in the skating sessions/lessons, they must have a parent/guardian sign an ALD Liability Form. No exceptions.
What began with one child's generosity has grown into a movement. When Samantha Mora shared the story of boys affected by the Eaton Canyon fires with his 8-year-old son Logan, the response was immediate:
"He can have my Xbox and PC!"
That selfless moment sparked a realization: if one child were willing to give his prized possessions to help another, how powerful could a community-wide effort become?
On January 12, @AltadenaBoys was born with a simple Instagram post. By January 17—just five days later—it hosted its first pop-up donation event, proving that the community was ready to rally behind boys in need.
What began as a response to a specific crisis has evolved into a broader mission to support boys' well-being throughout our community. Website: altadenaboys.com
Jonathan Rinderknech arrested: ChatGPT, French rap, and Uber: Palisades Fire suspect's trail
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Neither of these suspects is Jon Rinderknech
The Palisades Fire was one of two major infernos that hit Los Angeles on Oct. 7, 2025. The other was the Eaton Fire in the foothills of Altadena, which was caused by Edison, likely a negligent utility that left its inoperable transmission tower standing for decades and uncared for, making it a known fire hazard, according to attorney Mikal Watts (lafirejustice.com). Until now the means by which the historic winds that day managed to burn down the ritzy coastal areas of Los Angeles have been debated. The fire he set, the Lachman Fire, has been blamed on homeless individuals and fireworks. But authorities are now saying Jonathan Rinderknech, 29, a former Palisades resident now living in Florida, committed arson a week earlier and that those flames were never fully extinguished, coming to life with the strong winds.
The opening of the Eaton Fire Collab was a great success. The parking lot was overflowing, and the 36,000 square foot space was packed shoulder to shoulder with tours, a party, and lots of tabling by non-profit organizations. In the future Free Store (for those who apply in advance) sits the mural shown above, which is about 25 feet long. There was a party going in the central meeting area, along with free snacks. When in full swing, this will be the largest fire recovery hub in California. There is an entire section dedicated to mental health, relaxation, and recovery. It includes art therapy, peer-to-peer counseling, and other psychological resources.
The EFC Collaboratory is having a grand opening on Tuesday, Oct. 7th, at 540 W. Woodbury Ave. in Altadena (near the intersection of Lincoln and Woodbury). This massive 36,000 square foot compound is the home to many non-profits and an art collective. Our collaboration mural with impact artist Ekaterina Sky is now housed here and visible in the west-facing lounge near the rolling doors. The vision for the remainder of the space will be explained on the day to visitors and guests.
Eaton Fire Collaboratory Grand Opening
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 | 4:00 PM – 7:00 pm
540 W. Woodbury Ave, Altadena, California
Grand opening of EFC Collaboratory, Altadena
In January 2025, California faced one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in history. Thousands of families were displaced, homes were lost, and entire communities were left reeling in the aftermath.
For the past nine months, the StrongHome Network has been on the ground, serving, supporting, and walking alongside families impacted by these fires. Through collaboration with hundreds of dedicated organizations, SHN has worked tirelessly to help survivors rebuild their lives, restore hope, and begin again.
Now, SHN is thrilled to announce the Grand Opening of the Eaton Fire Collaboratory—a new shared space where over 40 organizations are coming together under one roof to continue this vital work.
The Collaboratory is a place of restoration, partnership, and community. Here, fire-affected families can access a wide range of resources including:
Essential needs and personal recovery support
Home rebuilding and construction guidance
Family and marriage strengthening programs
Mental health and wellness services
Business and financial recovery resources.
Following the grand opening, the Eaton Fire Collaboratory will remain open weekly during regular business hours to serve anyone in need of these resources.
Whether one seeks personal support, rebuilding assistance, or community connection, this will be a welcoming space for ongoing recovery and growth. If anyone was impacted by the fires or are passionate about supporting community recovery, all are invited to join SHN for this special event.
Come meet the partners, explore the space, connect with local leaders, and discover how we can all move forward—stronger together.
WHAT HAPPENED?Amigosdelosrios.org -- which is saving the remaining trees in Altadena after the Eaton Fire took more than half of them -- cleaned up the green space around the center in preparation for the open house on Tuesday, Oct. 7th.
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