Prices down, inflation's hoax, says Trump

(Late Night with Seth Meyers)

(Katie Halper) Krystal Ball calls Democrats “sh*ttiest brand of all time”

Arrest made in Pacific Palisades Fire, LA

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.

• 29-year-old former Uber driver arrested in connection with starting deadly Palisades Fire (NBC News)
• Suspect in Palisades Fire allegedly used ChatGPT to generate images of burning forests and cities (Rolling Stone)

Uber driver charged in connection with starting the Palisades Fire | LAist.com

(KTVU Fox 2 SF) Rare "supershear" earthquake could hit California

• Fox News; KTVU Fox 2 San Francisco, Oct. 1, 2025; Fox 11 News, Oct. 8, 2025; Pfc. Sandoval, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Regrow Altadena workshops (9/13-14)

Episode 2: Regrow Altadena

It's FREE and live and full of music

(Frankie Norstad) April 22, 2025: Frankie Norstad sits down with Laurie Scott, founder of Regrow Altadena—a grassroots project literally rooted in healing. What began with a rescued pothos [popular houseplant] and a shelf of propagated succulents has blossomed into a powerful community effort to re-green the landscape of Altadena, one plant at a time. Scott shares how this initiative grew from personal loss and a deep love of gardening into a broader mission to reconnect neighbors with nature, hope, and each other. Together, they talk about everything from soil remediation and native plants to the quiet grief of losing more than just a house—like the beloved garden pots passed down from family or the fig tree that somehow survived. It's a conversation about rebuilding not just structures, but ecosystems, memory, and meaning. For anyone looking for tangible ways to nurture resilience and re-root themselves, this episode is a beautiful place to begin.

Saturday workshops

Community Assets - Saturday 9/13 at 5:00 pm

Heidi Adams, CEO BASEstud.io

Focus: This panel looks at how communities can strengthen resilience by building and sharing assets—whether it’s local knowledge, renewable solar power, water cisterns, public gardens, or neighborhood fire detection systems. We’ll explore how these shared resources not only improve safety and sustainability but can also generate new streams of community revenue. Panelists will discuss models that turn community-owned assets into long-term economic drivers, keeping value circulating locally while protecting against climate and infrastructure risks.

People-Focused Mobility – Saturday 9/13 at 6:00 pm

My mobility is more important than my marriage

Focus: How we move shapes how we live. This session explores the future of mobility in Altadena, from safer walking and biking infrastructure to accessible public transit and EV adoption. Panelists will share visions for reducing traffic, improving safety, and creating people-first streets that connect neighborhoods, support local businesses, and reduce emissions. The discussion will highlight how mobility can be both sustainable and deeply rooted in community needs.

Building Better – Saturday 9/13 at 6:30 pm

How tiny is big enough? Love of natural wood

Focus: This panel highlights innovations in resilient and affordable building design. From modular homes and ADUs to climate-ready retrofits, panelists will share strategies for rebuilding smarter, faster, and with long-term sustainability in mind. We’ll explore how fire-resistant materials, energy-efficient systems, and equity-centered planning can create housing that not only shelters families but also supports healthier, stronger neighborhoods.

Light Equity – Saturday 9/13 at 6:45 pm

Taming urban light pollution is very important.

Focus: Street lighting is more than infrastructure—it’s about safety, connectivity, and community well-being. This panel will look at how next-generation lighting can reduce energy costs, improve public safety, and expand access to digital connectivity. Panelists will discuss how “light equity” ensures that all neighborhoods, regardless of income or geography, benefit from resilient infrastructure—empowering communities through solar-powered lights, Wi-Fi hotspots, and adaptive lighting that protects people and ecosystems.

Sunday workshops

Future Altadena – Sunday, 9/14 at 5:00 pm

How will we get around in the future?

Focus: This panel explores how Altadena’s unique history of neighborhood identity and grassroots organizing shapes its path forward. We’ll discuss the role of micro-communities in building resilience, how thoughtful commercial and economic development can strengthen local identity, and what lessons from Altadena’s past can guide a more equitable and sustainable future. Panelists will share perspectives on housing, small business growth, cultural preservation, and creating opportunities that reflect Altadena’s diverse community fabric.

Clean & Healthy Living – Sunday 9/14 at 5:00 pm

Good food's sustainable food that's healthy for all

Focus: Resilience is not just about surviving disasters—it’s about thriving every day. This conversation will focus on health, wellness, and sustainability in daily community life. Panelists will discuss the links between clean energy, indoor air quality, access to green space, and healthy foods. Together, we’ll imagine how Altadena can ensure all residents benefit from a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable future.

• COP28 | Vegan Donut Economics (Plant Based Treaty)

Home Hardening – Sunday 9/14 at 6:00 pm

Can a home survive a high heat brushfire?

Focus: As climate threats intensify, protecting the home has become a frontline strategy for community resilience. This session will examine practical approaches to “hardening” homes against fire, flood, and extreme heat. Panelists will cover everything from defensible space design to roofing, insulation, and retrofits that reduce risk and save money. We’ll also look at programs and funding streams that make these upgrades more accessible for at-risk households.

Fire-Adaptive Vegetation & Heat Islands – Sunday 9/14 at 7:00 pm

Panel hosted by Cassy Aoyagi (FormLA.com)

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Tongva (Kizh) tribe representation

Focus: Fire risk and rising heat are reshaping how communities manage their landscapes. This panel explores how native vegetation, shaded corridors, and green infrastructure can reduce wildfire risk while lowering urban heat. Panelists will discuss approaches to land stewardship that balance ecological health with public safety, and how residents can turn yards, parks, and public spaces into buffers against fire and extreme temperatures.

Light Equity – Sunday 9/14 at 7:00 pm

What can one person do? Plant seeds?

Focus: Street lighting is more than infrastructure—it’s about safety, connectivity, and community well-being. This panel will look at how next-generation lighting can reduce energy costs, improve public safety, and expand access to digital connectivity. Panelists will discuss how “light equity” ensures that all neighborhoods, regardless of income or geography, benefit from resilient infrastructure—empowering communities through solar-powered lights, Wi-Fi hotspots, and adaptive lighting that protects people and ecosystems.

• Laurie Scott (via Frankie Norstad); Heidi Adams, Founder and CEO BASEstud.io; Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Uh-oh trouble for Gringos in Mexico

• American Expats, go home!

Trump is a dumb-dumb getting dumber

Trump's VERY BIG announcement, evil plan to defund NPR/PBS, search for New Pope, celeb prom stories

Hello, Fat Dum Dum, you're dumb

(Jimmy Kimmel Live) May 7, 2025: Weight Watchers has filed for bankruptcy, The Conclave to select the next Pope has officially begun, Trump has a very bigly announcement that will be coming out soon, his evil plan to cut public funding from public radio and television stations NPR and PBS is taking shape, ships that are carrying Chinese goods are arriving half-empty in an alarming sign, and Ike Barinholtz, Quinta Brunson, Will Forte, Michelle Monaghan, Bert Kreischer, Aaron Paul, and Chelsea Handler share their prom stories.

(SNL) Trump signs a slew of new laws by decree

Carney tells Trump Canada "not for sale," Trump offends

Catholics with AI Pope image: A Closer Look

• Trump renames Persian Gulf, teases a “Big Announcement,” and US military loses another fighter jet | The Daily Show
• Trump: The problem with our leaders is that they're dumb, dumb

May Day 2025 protests roil US, world

'May Day' marches and protests underway around the world

There are two "May Days" today

International Workers' Day observed on May 1st and is also called "May Day" but the two have different histories: May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on May 1, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere's spring equinox and midsummer solstice [1, 2]

Festivities are also held the night before, known as May Eve. Traditions include:

• gathering green branches and wildflowers ("bringing in the May") [3], which are used to decorate buildings and made into wreaths;
• crowning a May Queen, sometimes with a male companion (to Jack in the Green) decked in greenery;
• setting up a Maypole, May Tree, or May Bush, around which people dance and sing;
• as well as parades and processions involving these [4].
• Bonfires are also a major part of the festival in some regions.

Regional varieties and related traditions include Walpurgis Night in central and northern Europe [1], the Gaelic festival Beltane [5], the Welsh festival Calan Mai [5], and May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary (of Catholic, Christian, Jewish but mostly imperial Roman fame). May Day has also been associated with the ancient Roman festival Floralia [6]. More

Blame economy on Trump or Biden?

(Jimmy Kimmel Live) Trump blames Biden for Stock Market Drop,

thinks photoshopped pic is real, and RFK Jr's health briefing

Elon Musk to be fired by Tesla?

• Pfc. Sandoval, Ashley Wells, Seth Auberon (eds)., Wisdom Quarterly

Tariffs 'n Trump: Last Week Tonight

Trump & Tariffs: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

(LastWeekTonight) John Oliver discusses the ongoing chaos surrounding DJ Trump and tariffs, why the past week could have lasting repercussions, and why Grandma might be looking to start her own OnlyFans.

Subscribe to the #lastweektonight YouTube channel for more almost news as it almost happens, or find us favorite social media platforms we may or may not have discussed at length on the show like Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky, Facebook, or visit the official website for all that other stuff at once: hbo.com/lastweektonight.

• John Oliver, HBO, April 13, 2025; CC Liu, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Crash is coming! Crash is coming! (TJDS)

“Gold, Bitcoin, and oil prices will spike as global economy crashes!” – Trend Analyst Gerald Celente explains to comedian Jimmy Dore, with an amazingly broad and cynical view of financial markets. US war on Iran coming, Israel stealing Syrian land with impunity (and CIA approval), will Pres. Trump allow it? Sure, he and Israel can come to an "agreement," a mutually beneficial one. I'll scratch Bibi's backside if the powers that be want me to.

• Mormon Missionary to France and former Washington, DC Insider Mittens Romney (MikeMacCrae.com), Jimmy Dore, TJDS (jimmydore.com); Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Las Vegas bombed, loses Tropicana Hotel

FULL VIDEO: Tropicana Hotel imploded in true Las Vegas spectacle

(News 3 Las Vegas) Oct. 9, 2024: Bombers (controlled demolishers) love spectacle in Iraq as in the U.S. Some purposely rigged and blew up (blew in) the famous Tropicana Hotel in Lost Wages, Nevada, this morning, while a fireworks show and drones were seen swarming the desert sky.

There was advance notice of the event and, in true Vegas style, rooms were being rented out in neighboring high rise hotels for better views of the destruction and subsequent implosion. As with 9/11 and the purposeful bringing down of Twin Towers real estate in Manhattan (NY, NY), the entire area was "Trop dusted," with dangerous particulate matter now clogging the lungs of Las Vegans breathing without protective firefighter filters, iron lungs, and/or sufficiently stringent facemasks.

This is the 15th such takedown (controlled demolition) on or near the Vegas Strip. Will future lung cancer cases be compensated? Stay indoors until the skies clear and blow this over into the desert and all over Bunny Ranch.

This whole spectacle is reminiscent of the "shock and awe" campaign the U.S. military rained down on Iraq (Mesopotamia) that time it wanted to steal artifacts like Gilgamesh's body and tomb relics and control the Middle East with its partner and client state Israel no matter what Iran or Saudi Arabia had to say about it. More: News3LV.com

US War on Iraq: 'Shock and awe' assault on Baghdad begins (2003)

(ITN Archive) On 21 March 2003, ITN's John Irvine reported from CIA Asset and Supreme Leader Saddam Hussein's Iraqi capital of Baghdad as the "shock and awe" phase of the US-led war campaign by air got underway. While the US bombardment of Baghdad had begun on 19 March, this had in fact consisted of relatively limited strikes targeting Saddam Hussein himself (who was hiding faraway in a tunnel), senior regime officials, and other specific targets. At 17:00 UTC on 21 March, the air campaign moved into the next phase. In one night, 504 cruise missiles were launched [dumped out of the US armory so that new more modern ones could be justifiably ordered to enrich private war profiteers like the Bush Dynasty, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Powell, and others] at Baghdad's government district. The pictures captured by ITN's cameras that night are to this day considered defining images of the 2003 invasion and the Iraq War as a whole.

#Iraq #IraqWar #ShockAndAwe #Baghdad #WarOnTerror #Conflict #KineticAction #AmericanGlee

To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below: gettyimages.co.uk... To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below: gettyimages.co.uk/footage...

• News 3 Las Vegas, Oct. 9, 2024; ITN Archive, March 21, 2023; Pfc Sandoval, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Shake 'n Bake: classic Cali quakes, fires

If Las Vegas is Paiute for "lost wages," what does Los Angeles mean? "Lost angels" (WQ).

Like Led Zep, I'm goin' to California with an aching in my heart. Get me out of Podunk!

This must be Indonesian in origin, or Ring of Fire

Los Angeles is a nice place. Everyone should visit. Now is a good time, smoky skies and unstable ground, plus Hollywood's Avenue of the Stars (bronze plaques embedded in sidewalk cement getting walked on and making good photo ops. The beaches, while polluted with fecal contamination, are beautiful to see and make great photo ops. Think of the social media potential. Have them eating their hearts out back home! The largest fire in the state is raging nearby, but that only affects the mountain people. Lowlanders in the Valley don't care, except along the edges where civilization meets the foothills.

• It's okay because only about 100,000 acres of SoCal are currently burning, and some of that is in the OC or San Berdoo, part of the IE
• Malibu morning earthquake followed by many fun aftershocks
• The Bridge Fire in zero percent contained at 50,000 acres and growing

State of emergency expands as western fires spread

(NBC News) Sept. 12, 2024: While cooler temperatures and lower winds have helped firefighters gain some control of three stubborn California wildfires, millions across the west remain on fire watch as Red Flag warnings remain in effect. NBC News' Dana Griffin reports from the fire line. #wildfire #California #fire

Unless one works in the DTLA skyline, those skyscrapers owned mostly by banks, one is not even going to notice the fires. The quakes are a different matter. They're amplified the higher up one is due to modern technology that absorbs the shaking on rollers. It's all de rigueur.

Griffith Park Observatory over Hollywood

There is that falsely flavored flour powder to make dead hunks of flesh crispy and tangy, so if we roll around in it during a temblor before the flames arrive, that's a kind of shaking and baking. Fire is not even necessary. It was 117 or more in the Valley a few days ago. LA is getting to be a kind of Phoenix West, which just set a record of 100+ degrees temps for 100 days in a row.

Catty Purry loves LA for flashy concerts

Wow, we're beachside in a bowl, a basin, with a breeze that swirls the particulate matter and smog, so we can't keep it up, but think of the views whenever it clears and the photo ops from Griffith Park Observatory and the hikes. LA needs a better slogan. "I Love LA" is silly and so last century. How about, "Come for the weather, stay for the girls"? They make good photo ops.

There are hidden waterways above LA, with waterfalls and pools. The LA River has rapids.

The beach view at sunset from Griffith, LA's own massive "Central Park"

See, it's a giant lake! - That's a reservoir, no entry allowed. It's fenced off and forbidden. - Oh.

Urban LA has many backwoods trails up north

Oh, the hiking! The trails make for nice photo ops with the latest iPone and its super digital camera and mic for recording everything for the cloud, AI, and whoever wants to review it. The fact of the matter is, when you arrive, we'll say: "Welcome to Southern California [now go home]." So if this becomes home, the laugh will be on us because you'll already be here. At least there are a lot of hidden Buddhist temples (List of Buddhist temples in the US).

(TheEarthMaster) Recent elevated earthquakes in SoCal is not a good sign

Guanyin Bodhisattva (nationsonline)

We just stumbled on one in the SGV City of El Monte (Spanish for "The Mountain," which is visible in the distance), a big Vietnamese one dedicated to Kwan Yin (Buddhism's Mother Mary figure), just like they love in Catholic French colonial Vietnam. It's bright and beautiful and on a tiny street near the intersection of Valley Blvd. between Garvey and Durfee. Keep going on Valley, turn right, and come upon a massive Theravada Thai Buddhist one, a hope, skit, and a hump from Hsi Lai, the largest (or second to BAUS in New York) Buddhist temple in the western hemisphere. They all make nice photo ops.

If Buddhism had "prayers," this could be one of them on the wisdom of loving-kindness.

What do Buddhist temples teach? (Devotion). What should they teach? (Principles).

10 Buddhist Principles: Nothing Can Affect Us NOW!

When will the next teaching buddha arrive?

(InnerLifeConsciousness) Summer 2024: What if we could learn some life-changing Buddhist principles just watching a short ASMR (possibly AI generated) video on the BoobTube? That would improve our lives all right.

The Buddha's wisdom helps practitioners achieve personal growth and mindfulness, overcome negative patterns and develop the Seven Factors of Enlightenment in this very life. But it's not intellectual or trying to grasp "principles" with defiled minds/hearts.

If we wish to see things as they really are, we first need to purify the heart/mind like cleaning off a lens. How can we clearly see what is and is not if the instrument we're using is all dusty and smudged with smut?

• What if there were an eightfold path (ashtanga) to samadhi and another to enlightenment? The first is Integral Yoga, and the second is the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. Both work well simultaneously

Jen, you know this is not about your ego, hot body, or fame. Hello! This is a spiritual path.

Group sitting helped kickstart my personal practice in private. I'd better do a free 10-day retreat.

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"Yoga" is not poses, which are only 1/8th of it.

Having wiped the lens, how do we discover the Buddha's timeless wisdom to navigate life's challenges? It begins by hearing. The ever hear the Dharma is a blessing. It is far more important to practice (to make more of the karma that enabled us to hear it in the first place), which begins by calm and mindfully (dispassionately observing what is, whatever it is) observing-without-reacting to everything around us.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, it's not about yoga pants.

When samadhi (stillness, unification of mind, superconsciousness) sets in, then the satipatthana or "Setting Up for the Four Foundations of Mindfulness" brings us to clear-seeing (vipassana).

Getting to calm is a field of endeavor (kammatthana) enough for most of us. Even relaxing is tough. But finding calm, there's every reason to keep going. Buddhism is the path of calm and insight. Insight, which is built on a foundation of samma-samadhi (right meditation), is what makes enlightenment possible.

Samadhi is not enlightenment though many mistake that initial bliss for spiritual liberation when there is so much more knowledge and freedom to come.

I'm so glad I found you. May I practice and gain enlightenment just like you?

Gone too soon, too soon. Now how will we ever awaken? Oh, the Dharma are the instructions?

• InnerLifeConsciousness (video), Aug. 13, 2024; TEXT: Dhr. Seven, Crystal Q., CC Liu, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly, Team Fun in the Sun