#Altadena Works

[padawan-historian]

SIGNAL BOOST: Working Mutual Aid Directory for Displaced Black Families Altadena & Pasadena

[mythmash]

LA Wildfire Resources

this is a collection of all of the information and resources i've found to help those affected by the los angeles count wildfires. this is not a completed list, and you are welcome to send me an ask with any additional links, fundraisers, information, or other resources that you know of and i will update this post accordingly. if there are any missing or incorrect links, please let me know. stay safe out there 💜

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Live Updates on the Southern California wildfires & Evacuation Orders

LA Scanner - Coverage of Pursuits, Crimes, Wildfires and More.

2025 Los Angeles Fires - Resources for Californians impacted by Los Angeles Fires.

LA Wildfire Resource Center - Resource navigator for finding emergency resources and support services.

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Mutual Aid Los Angeles & their Fire & Wind Storm Spreadsheet - An ongoing spreadsheet of resources such as shelter info, animal boarding info, addresses for distribution centers, volunteer opportunities, etc.

LAFD Emergency Funding Alert & Fire Zone Map - Donations to help support the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies - Lists of evacuation shelters and hotlines for those who are disabled and in impacted by the fires.

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

Thread of mutual aid groups assisting through Los Angeles

CleanAirLA & MaskBloc LA - Mutual aid project to distribute free masks and respirators in the so-called Los Angeles area. They are currently taking donations for masks.

MaskBloc LA & their Mask Requests and Volunteer Interest - A form to fill out if you need masks or want to volunteer.

List of shelters, animal boarding, distribution hubs, and free items

Pacsun providng clothes and listing organizations to donate to

World Central Kitchen - Donate to support their efforts in Southern California to support first responders and families impacted by wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

Thread of organizations to donate to - Thread including links to disaster relief, firefighter aid, food banks, first responders, etc.

SoCal Wildfires: How You Can Help - Article including links and info for Californians. Links are also included in the Thread of organizations to donate to above.

Pete and Thomas Foundation supporting Pasadena Humane & LA Animal Care - How to support, injured wildlife hotline, and listed shelters for large and small animals.

Thread of GoFundMes to support people affected by the wildfires

What to keep in a grab & go bag - List of things to keep in a easily accessible bag in case of emergency evacuation.

Displaced Black Families GoFund Me Directory - Spreadsheet dedicated to black families devastated by the Altadena fires.

Advice from a survivor of the 2017 Thomas Fire on insurance, rebuilding, etc.

California Volunteers - Donate, organize, and volunteer for wildfire recovery here.

Baby2Baby Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Program - Donate to help distribute supplies to children impacted by the wildfires.

Guitar Center is replacing instruments lost as a result of the LA wildfires

Sunny Optometry is offering support to those in need of glasses, contact lenses, eye drops, face masks, and wi-fi

Stratia is offering a free place to work if you need a work space with wifi right now, and donation drop off/sorting + storage site for people who organize.

Seconds Market & their Match Donation Program - A program designed to directly connect donors with individuals affected by the LA fires.

Anti-Recidivism Coalition & their donation page - Donate to help support the incarcerated fire crews, including the 30 young men from Pine Grove currently out fighting the LA fires.

Spreadsheet of Free Mental Health Services for the LA Wildfire Crisis

Tips from an attorney on dealing with insurance companies

County of LA Vital and Property Records Access - LA County residents directly impacted by the fires can request property and vital records free of charge to help with recovery efforts.

Azay in Little Tokyo, LA - Donate to help provide free meals to evacuees, first responders, volunteers, folks who can’t leave their homes, and their houseless neighbors.

[mspixelpixie]

"Anyone losing their homes is tragic, the issue lies in who has the coverage and wealth to rebuild."

i think if you're watching people lose their homes, memories, lives, pets, income, family members, stability, etc. to the LA wildfires and cheering it on, you can stop pretending like your politics are about helping/"liberating marginalized people" or building community and solidarity.

i think if you're watching the absolute devastation of innocent people whose beliefs and backstory you know nothing about and praising it because they're californians, you can stop pretending like your religion is about peace and love for "all god's creatures" or that you preach to "save people".

i think if you're watching these fires indiscriminately destroy people's lives regardless of race, class, age, or creed and you're saying it's some obscure facebook conspiracy theory instead of the climate change you've been warned about for years, you can stop pretending like you're a "free thinker" or "immune to propaganda".

[parasocialites]

Please, I don’t think I have a lot of people on here, but my aunt recently lost her home in the Eaton Fire in SoCal. I go outside, and there’s ashes in the air and I know it’s all parts of the neighborhood I used to walk around in. I would go from friend’s house to friend’s house and I can’t stop thinking about how their parents used to feed me and take care of me just because Altadena has that small town feel.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/restore-hope-for-the-henderson-family-postfire?attribution_id=sl:21a4eb74-414c-4553-87c5-e39625b17c8f&utm_campaign=pd_ss_icons&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=instagram_story

Please if you have anything, consider donating. We’re working on getting her set up temporarily at my grandparent’s and this would help tremendously. Thank you. Please share!!

[coureirsix]

PLEASE HELP A LATINX FAMILY AFFECTED BY THE EATON FIRE IN ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA!

Hi everyone.

My brother lives in Altadena, California (off of woodbury and lincoln, if we want to be specific) and a couple nights ago he and his family (wife, 3 sons, and their dog) they were evacuated at 4 AM. They weren't able to grab many belongnings outside of important documents and didn't bring any clothes with them when they came to stay with me and our mother.

My apartment is rather small and as of tonight they're currently at an airbnb so as to have access to more than my twin size bed and a shower that doesn't run out of hot water every 15 minutes.

They're taking trips to Altadena every day to check up on their house and try and see if it's been spared the flames but the asshole national guard wont give them any answers as their street is blocked off since they were evacuated. See below:

My nephew opened up a gofund me for their family given they work from home and have been majorly affected in their ability to keep up with their business and pay their bills, so if you could help us out by sharing or donating whatever you can, we'd appreciate it immensely.

Here are some photos of what the Eaton fire looked like the night they were evacuated (taken with my brothers phone as they were on their way out)

and here is a photo of the beautiful little boy you'd be helping keep kibble in his bowl. his name is Rocco.

Thank you,

jay f. (tumble user coureirsix)

[24-24-1-482]

Everyone Is Not On The Same Page.

Someone accidentally posted a tour announcement on NIN's official Facebook account this morning... a September 10th stop at Tampa's Amalie Arena. The link to Ticketbastard worked suggesting a pre-sale would happen on Friday the 17th.

Of course, the rumors of a tour have been swirling around since December as friends with concert insiders would share vague knowledge to help die hard fans prepare. This was the first real confirmation that things are happening. Then internet sleuths started digging around finding bits & pieces of potential news.

Naturally, this announcement wasn't supposed to happen today. The devastating wildfires in CA are front of mind for most residents and many in the entertainment industry are deferring any announcements as to not distract from the real world tragedies many residents are currently facing.

So, I am more than happy to wait until the official press release. In the mean time, please check out this charitable organization helping the Altadena community:

https://www.letterscharity.org/altadena

[spnscripthunt-inactive]

Last year Jennifer May Nickel - costume designer on Gotham Knights and a friend of the squad - was one of the creatives who helped us out by donating prizes to our final fundraiser where we raised $25,644.30 which abolished $4,174,244.70 in medical debt through Undue Medical Debt.

Now it's our turn to help her and her family:

Earlier this week, John-Paul & Jennifer May Nickel were among the many people who lost their home to the devastating Eaton Fire in Altadena, CA. Our hearts go out to them, and we want to do everything we possibly can to help them through this painful and challenging time.

If their names sound at all familiar that’s because J.P. is a TV writer/producer on such shows as WAREHOUSE 13, THE ARK, NATIONAL TREASURE: EDGE OF HISTORY, LINCOLN RHYME: THE BONE COLLECTOR and JUST ADD MAGIC while Jenny is a costume designer whose work has graced such shows as GOTHAM KNIGHTS, LEGACIES and CONTAINMENT.

As all who know them will attest, J.P. & Jenny are not only incredibly talented, but also two of the kindest and most gracious people around. Right now, they face the daunting task of having to rebuild their life in the wake of tragedy. Our goal — our hope — is to ease that burden as much as possible by helping cover some of their expenses (food, clothing, etc). So, if you’re a fan of their work — or just want to help out a deserving couple in their time of great need — we hope you’ll contribute to this recovery fund. Any amount you can give will go to a good cause and would be deeply appreciated.

[ofmdrecaps]

01/09-10/2025 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; OFMD Cancellation Anniversary; David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Con O'Neill; Vico Ortiz; Samba Schutte; Kristen Johnston; Andy Rydzewski ; Additional Cast & Crew in LA Status; LA Fire Resources; Charity Raffle!; Love Notes; Daily Daby / Today's Taika;

Hey Crew sorry I'm behind again. With the fires happening my job is very busy and I'm a bit exhausted. Will try to catch up as much as I can tonight!

== OFMD Cancellation Anniversary ==

January 9th was the 1 year cancellation anniversary of our first cancellation of Season 3. So many of you folks shared some wonderful feelings and memories you had that day and since that day. It was an anniversary full of melancholy, but it was also lovely to see how much people got out of the fandom since then. Our friends over at @adoptourcrew also sent out some prompts to help us reflect about OFMD an what it means to us! Did you get a chance to share your thoughts?

Src: Adopt Our Crew Blusky

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

= David Jenkins =

Chaos Dad has some not so great news, our Director of Photography, Mike Berlucchi lost his home in the Altadena fire. If you're interested in helping/have the capacity, you can do so at his families Go Fund me Page: https://gofund.me/01f98349

By the time this was posted, the donation goal has been met and then some! Well done Crew! Thank you for giving back to the folks who made our show so wonderful in their time of need!

David also shared the go fund me for another friend and sent love our way when @summerlinenss cross posted it on bsky <3. If you would like to/have the capacity, you can donate to Jamie & Carolyn here.

And more love from David

Source: David Jenkins Bsky

= Rhys Darby =

Folks have asked how LA folks are doing and Rhys and family are currently in AONZ so they are safe (sorry to clarify I wrote this on the 9th, they are now back in LA and also safe) ! We've also heard that the Darby family animals and house is still okay! In other news Rhys was interviewed on TheProject!

Source: Rhys Instagram Stories

Check out the full interview on Youtube! on Friday!

There's More BadJellyTV with Rhys clips!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Badjelly (@badjellytv)

Source: Rhys' Instagram

= Con O'Neill =

Radio Times wrote an article about the cast involved in SAS Rogue Heroes with a fabulous shot of our Izzy as General Montgomery! Radio Times Article

Source: Radio Times

= Vico Ortiz =

More OFMD S2 BTS! This time featuring Archie, Olu and Jim! Check it out over at Vico's Paid Patreon!

Source: Vico's Paid Patreon

= Samba Schutte =

Samba shared a video of him (and his wife Aria!) in a skit with Jean Claude Van Damme!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samba Schutte (@sambaschutte)

Source: Samba's Instagram

Also, Samba and Aria's kiddo turned one!

Source: Samba's Instagram

= Kristen Johnston =

Our dear Widow Evelyn sent us some puppy pictures to boost morale with the fires going on!

Source: Kristen Johnston's bsky

= Andy Rydzewski =

One of our Cinematographers, Andy Rydzewski is evacuated and safe from the LA Fires! So glad to hear it.

Source: Andy's Instagram

== Additional Cast & Crew in LA Status ==

Samba and Family Seem to be safe, no reporting of issues Dominic Burgess - Safe so far Damien Gerard - Safe so far Lindsey Cantrell - Safe so far

== LA Fire Resources ==

A lot of the cast & crew have been sharing LA Fire Resources on Instagram and Lindsey's been really active so I wanted to share something that I didn't realize (and I'm in the disaster aid sector for work!). I wasn't able to find the article she mentioned, but I did find a similar one more recently which I'll attach as well:

In Addition, I've been trying to compile some feeds on blusky for when I see cast & crew share information (and I make sure to vet it) when it comes to where to donate or community resources. LA Fires, Where To Donate LA Fires, Resources Something to keep in mind, for those trying to help, donation needs change on the daily, so if you're really looking to help certain groups (Ex: Pasadena Humane Society) be sure to follow their socials as they'll be the most up to date with what their needs are.

Thank you to all the awesome people who have been sharing ofmdbz, @summerlinenss, and everyone who's tagged those feeds <3

= Charity Raffle =

Our fabulous crewmate Irene Adler has put together this Charity Raffle to help support people affected by the LA Fires! Check out below how to enter and make a difference!

OFMD’S DP fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-mike-and-danielle-rebuild-after-fire GOFUNDME WILDFIRE RELIEF FUND: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/wildfire-relief/california

Here are the stretch goal prizes!

Source: Irene Adler's Instagram

== Love Notes ==

Thinking of you crew, miss you.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by florian (@swagvoid)

Source: Swagvoid Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Twillostory™ | Art for Mental Wellness (@twillostory)

Source: Twillostory IG

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

I thought this gif would be appropriate for this Recap. Miss you OFMD. Gif Courtesy of @hikarielizabethbloom!

[pineapplefulfillseveryneed]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by S P A R K S (@sparks_official)

Sparks official:

Ron and Russell wish to express their heartfelt sympathy to their fellow Angelenos who suffered devastating losses in the recent fires, especially in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Born and raised in Los Angeles, first in Venice on Washington Blvd. (now Abbot Kinney) and then in Pacific Palisades on Galloway St. from 1958 to 1973, and apart from a few years abroad, Ron and Russell have continued to call LA their hometown to this day. Despite its glamorous Hollywood image, LA is an incomparable city built by diverse working classes of all walks of life where creativity and culture have always had the freedom to flourish. LA is strong, compassionate, and resilient, and it will rise again like it always has. With that in mind, Sparks has a new album campaign starting soon and while it may feel a little insensitive to promote new music while their city is going through so much, it also feels like the right thing to do; music and art has always had comforting and healing properties that can penetrate a heartbreak. Los Angeles, we love you. Ron, Russell, & Sparks HQ

[bruces-midlife-crisis]

Southern California is still on fire and we need your help

Today, it is January 10th, 2025.

In good news, the the Sunset fire is now considered inactive and all evacuations have been reversed. It only grew to 60 acres at it's peak. The Hurst fire has shrunk to over 700 acres and is now 37% contained. The Lidia fire is still at over 300 acres but it is now 75% contained.

Sadly, that is all the good news I have. The Palisades fire has grown to over 20,000 acres with 6% containment. The Eaton fire has grown to over 13,000 acres. To put the sheer size of these fires into perspective, Manhattan has an area of 14,604 acres.

Tragically, 10 people have lost their lives.

At 2:43 PM, a fire known as the Kenneth fire started near the Woodland Hills area. It is 1,000 acres and is 35% contained as of writing. Sadly, this fire appears to have started due to an arson attack. Police currently have the suspect in custody after neighbors performed a citizen's arrest.

This morning, CBS conducted an exclusive interview with LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley where it was revealed that Crowley warned LA Mayor Karen Bass that budget cuts would hamper the LAFD's ability to handle fire emergencies. Crowley confirmed that the city defunded LAFD by $17.6 million, which included a $7 million decrease in overtime pay.

THE EATON FIRE

The Palisades fire has received the most attention from mainstream media after celebrities and high profile Angelenos evacuated the region. Pacific Palisades is considered to be the most sought after real estate in the country as it sits on the Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Monica and Malibu. We now need to shift our attention to the Eaton fire.

The Eaton fire started on Thursday, January 8th, near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the Altadena area. The city primarily affected by this fire is Altadena, home to over 40,000 people and is a mere 4 miles (6 kilometers) away from Pasadena. As of writing, it has burned to over 13,000 acres, has destroyed over 5,000 homes, with 0% containment.

Altadena has a large population of working and middle class families, particularly black families, whose families have lived in the region for generations. During the Great Migration of the 1900s, many black people fled to Altadena to escape the Jim Crow South. Octavia Butler, the world renowned author of Parable of the South, was from Altadena. As these Eaton fire continues to destroy the city, California is losing it's black history.

Do-Not-Drink Water alerts have been issued in Pasadena and Eaton Canyon as the Eaton fire has destroyed and contaminated the water pipes in the region as firefighters continue to fight the fires.

If you're able, please consider donating to the Gofundmes of Black families who have been impacted by the Eaton fires.

Please also consider donation to those have been effected in Eaton Canyon.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

The Los Angeles Times has shared organizations that you can donate to included the California Fire Foundation. If you're in Southern California, this list also include mutual aid organizations where you can donate materials directly.

If you would like to directly donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation which will go towards emergency shelters, hydration backpacks, and wildland brush tools, you can do so here.

If you're in Southern California, please use the MALAN Fire and Wind Storm Resources spreadsheet to find mutual aid organizations near you and find places where you can donate or volunteer.

Finally, if you still have a Twitter account, please routinely check the app for Gofundmes from families who have been affected by the fires. Most Gofundmes are not listed on spreadsheets or official websites yet and many families are sharing them on Twitter. I found multiple has I was working on this post but I know for a fact there are more: (here), (here), (here), (here), (here), (here), (here), and (here).

Please continue to keep Southern California in your hearts. As the days pass, it has become increasingly clear that the damage being done by these fires is more than we can comprehend. Drone footage shows that Palisades has practically disappeared. It's now being estimated that these fires have done over $50 billion in damages.

Once these fires subside, Los Angeles County will never be the same again. Please continue to support us as we try to heal our wounded home.

[palmtreepalmtree]

The Bunny Museum is gone. I first heard of it when driving around Altadena during a particularly bad anxiety moment at work. Seeing the sign kind of shocked me out of my bad thoughts. I literally pulled over to google it. I had it on my list to visit the next time tloth was in town.

[lunarnightt]

So she’s doing character defamation… and she’s lying about trauma women face daily…. Why hasn’t she been canceled?

— sorry, i know you probably don’t like rachel asks at all but i think you’ll want to see these; i truly and really want hayden’s fanbase this year across all platforms to band together and cancel this hoe once and for all, like in the year of 2025, year of the snake… time to step out of the shadows and call this woman out

oh! she also once posted varying instagram stories over the years of her and her friend missleagrace on ig of her saying the “n” word to briar when she was a baby in one video, eating off the floor in her house while laughing hysterically in another and then abandoning briar in a parking lot at a fair and briar screaming in the background for her to come back in another

link to N video: https://x.com/brockmorrison19/status/1688893865233649664

links below expire in 2 days from hosting site but maybe you can save them if you want

link to video of her eating off the floor: https://streamable.com/vr26xx

link to her abandoning briar at the fair and briar screaming: https://streamable.com/lwdxys + photo: https://streamable.com/phui5y

bonus neither her nor briar smiling in a family photo with hayden and his mother during briar’s 9th at disneyland in 23’ via youtube: https://streamable.com/zztd5r

link to cuthbert clip from podcast: https://streamable.com/e01frl + name audio: https://streamable.com/emcom7 briar wasn’t hayden’s choice for a name + eskimo sisters clip: https://streamable.com/9nb1u8 remember elisha is one of hayden’s exes

few extra clips: https://streamable.com/hg8c8b , https://streamable.com/n4wylw , https://streamable.com/jnxtzk , https://streamable.com/yf84im , https://streamable.com/gxs58t , https://streamable.com/pkrr7d — hayden doesn’t even wait for her and briar here during briar’s 8th: https://streamable.com/z1fxz7 , https://streamable.com/k92ljf , https://streamable.com/1jbssa

more extras: https://streamable.com/0hxnc4 , https://streamable.com/gi6adh , https://streamable.com/na5gs7 , she talks about lovebombing and stalking hayden here: https://streamable.com/68u1d6

rachel doxxing briar’s old school via private phone call on her podcast and fake crying about it: https://streamable.com/7t8v1r + https://streamable.com/u415ab

rachel doxxing briar’s new school: https://streamable.com/3fzmm0 , https://streamable.com/esfo4x , https://streamable.com/gr9oyw , and she makes it official on how it was her decision to switch schools, doesn’t even imply or indirect hayden at all https://streamable.com/65y10n

she talks about hating being cold and not wanting to do cold plunges yet does the opposite: https://streamable.com/egmeah , https://streamable.com/yim8vo + photos: https://streamable.com/vin1ji , https://streamable.com/zncgmq , https://streamable.com/19iih5 , https://streamable.com/udkdkl , https://streamable.com/kybo0a

forges her daughter’s handwriting all an exact match: https://streamable.com/lwgfdj , https://streamable.com/4h8076 , from 2017, post split, when briar was 3: https://streamable.com/s8dhe6 , https://streamable.com/upqiso , https://streamable.com/emwxwq

doxxed hayden’s altadena address (source photos from the articles on his home) and made a raw birthday cake for his 42nd: https://streamable.com/xqybjt , https://streamable.com/8tep92 , https://streamable.com/s98os3

and we’ve seen ALL of the times she’s posted about hayden on her instagram page so no need for screenshot links there and there’s so much more crap but i’m not spamming you with so many individual links, i just want you to have the reciepts and for everyone to call her out and cancel her once and for all

Send these videos to me, the links aren’t working but I watched the video of Rachel singing… she literally said the n-

[elliesgaymachete]

9:40 AM PST on Thursday January 9, 2025. Some fire progress updates

Woodley fire - 30 acres - contained and knocked down. Fire personnel still monitoring but otherwise safe

Sunswept fire - .5 acres - attacked very quickly and now inactive

Sunset fire - 42.8 acres - forward progress has been stopped and evacuation orders have been lifted

Lidia fire - 348 acres - forward progress stopped and containment at 60%. Great progress.

Hurst fire - 855 acres - perimeter has been established and 10% contained

Eaton fire - 10,590 acres - growth was significantly stopped during press conference this morning but recently started moving toward Mt. Wilson. Multiple aircraft and 800+ fire personnel working. Massive parts of Altadena and Pasadena have been completely destroyed

Palisades fire - 17,234 acres - most of Pacific Palisades and Malibu have burned. It’s hit the Getty Villa, multiple state parks and beaches, and still growing. LA fire chief described this as the worst natural disaster in Los Angeles history

Throughout Los Angeles County there are power outages, water boil notices and water shortage, gas is turned off in some parts. Throughout LA, Ventura, Orange, and even down to parts of San Diego county - poor air quality due to smoke and ash traveling far distances. Santa Ana winds are picking up again, though not as severe as yesterday (60mph winds today vs 80-100mph yesterday) this causes smoke and ash to spread and can even spark new fires miles away from the existing fires

Things are improving, but things are also still very bad

[radicalurbanista]

LA is asking mutual aid groups and mask blocs to donate masks because the cities and counties have no stockpiles of emergency supplies. The same government that constantly surveils and harasses these groups for their political education and aid of the homeless is now dependent on them.

LA public school district has no stockpiles of masks for students, staff, nor families. Rumors are that an operations manager turned down FREE air filters for every classroom for 25 schools. I was called into work less than a mile from a fire while students were expected to travel in dangerous air conditions with no PPE.

ICE is conducting raids and the press and mayor are focused on looting.

The National Guard is (was?) patrolling to enforce a curfew.

Almost no press coverage of the Altadena fire because it’s a middle and low income majority-minority area. All attention on Palisades because it’s rich af.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA payload aims to probe moon's depths to study heat flow

Earth's nearest neighboring body in the solar system is its moon, yet to date, humans have physically explored just 5% of its surface. It wasn't until 2023—building on Apollo-era data and more detailed studies made in 2011–2012 by NASA's automated GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) mission—that researchers conclusively determined that the moon has a liquid outer core surrounding a solid inner core.

As NASA and its industry partners plan for continued exploration of the moon under Artemis in preparation for future long-duration missions to Mars, improving our understanding of Earth's 4.5-billion-year-old moon will help teams of researchers and astronauts find the safest ways to study and live and work on the lunar surface.

That improved understanding is the primary goal of a state-of-the-art science instrument called LISTER (Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity), 1 of 10 NASA payloads flying aboard the next delivery for the agency's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and set to be carried to the surface by Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander.

Developed jointly by Texas Tech University in Lubbock and Honeybee Robotics of Altadena, California, LISTER will measure the flow of heat from the moon's interior. Its sophisticated pneumatic drill will penetrate to a depth of 3 meters into the dusty lunar regolith.

Every half-meter it descends, the drilling system will pause and extend a custom-built thermal probe into the lunar regolith. LISTER will measure two different aspects of heat flow: thermal gradient, or the changes in temperature at various depths, and thermal conductivity, or the subsurface material's ability to let heat pass through it.

"By making similar measurements at multiple locations on the lunar surface, we can reconstruct the thermal evolution of the moon," said Dr. Seiichi Nagihara, principal investigator for the mission and a geophysics professor at Texas Tech. "That will permit scientists to retrace the geological processes that shaped the moon from its start as a ball of molten rock, which gradually cooled off by releasing its internal heat into space."

Demonstrating the drill's effectiveness could lead to more innovative drilling capabilities, enabling future exploration of the moon, Mars, and other celestial bodies. The science collected by LISTER aims to contribute to our knowledge of lunar geology, improving our ability to establish a long-term presence on the moon under the Artemis campaign.

Under the CLPS model, NASA is investing in commercial delivery services to the moon to enable industry growth and support long-term lunar exploration. As a primary customer for CLPS deliveries, NASA aims to be one of many customers on future flights. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the development of 7 of the 10 CLPS payloads carried on Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander.

IMAGE: LISTER (Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity) is 1 of 10 payloads flying aboard the next delivery for NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. The instrument is equipped with a drilling system and thermal probe designed to dig into the lunar surface. Credit: Firefly Aerospace

[thecurioustale]

Urban Fires Are Heartbreaking

Los Angeles is currently experiencing the worst fire I remember it ever facing in my lifetime. Wildfires are common in the Los Angeles area nowadays, but almost always they exist in the backcountry and at the wildland–urban interface. But today's fires—and there are two separate major ones, the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, and several smaller ones—have penetrated the interface threshold and are now inside the city proper. (The urban zone, not the city limits of Los Angeles itself.) To give you a sense of how critical the situation is, this disaster is one of those rare "all TV commercials and regular shows are preempted for round-the-clock local news coverage" moments.

Urban fires are scary, like all uncontrolled fires are. But more than that, they are heartbreaking. Thousands of buildings have burned; news footage shows block after block of wreckage and ruin. I was watching the webcast of the news coverage of one of the big Los Angeles networks (FOX 11), and the scenes are so surreal: a pile of unidentifiable ruin with a charred washer and dryer in the middle; a sign that is a cheery picture of a smiling tooth, with no trace of the dental office it once belonged to; an Aldi still in good condition but abandoned to its fate by firefighters, and burning live on air as the reporter speaks; a tourist mural saying "Altadena welcomes you" on a brick wall next to a collapsed building; fire trucks rushing by houses fully engulfed in flame, without stopping.

I thought this Altadental sign was cute, and it was really sad to see it standing next to a smoldering ruin.

The same Altadental sign.

These images make me so sad. In my old age I just don't have the psychological resiliency anymore to look at it with a stiff upper lip. I know that many of these homes are affluent people's homes, and I suppose that's preferable to fires sweeping through working-class neighborhoods, but I guess the bottom line is that, first of all, most of the victims are not especially affluent (particularly in the Eaton Fire zone), and, more importantly, I'm not a piece of a shit like some of the anti-capitalist folks who are so loud on here about wishing for days like this one, or the MAGA folks who are besides themselves with glee that this is happening in a deeply liberal area. At the end of the day, we are all human beings together, and I find more humanity in the video reports on the ground than I do in the online clown show. Losing your home or your business in a fire is awful. Even the people who can easily afford to bounce back from it, do not deserve it.

In a sense, the destroyed businesses are even more heartbreaking than the destroyed homes, because small businesses are the manifestation of a community. Along with schools, businesses are the key way that individual households interact and coexist together in this social space of ours we call society. Most small businesses are the embodiment of people's dreams and much very hard work, and of the work and toil of their employees—now jobless. Even the chain stores have local workforces, and franchisees are also small business owners, even if they have a big corporate logo. Destroyed businesses are very hard on a community, and hurt its ability to bounce back, doing injury to everyone.

The fires are not contained; the dry northeast winds remain relatively high; the fire hydrant infrastructure is partially inoperative; and shortly it will be nighttime again. A very rough night lies ahead for many people, and that's before the long and painful aftermath even begins. The only good news is that the official death toll is still very low, just five people—and that's very good news, considering the scope of these fires.