GIGA GRANADA HILLS

From today's L.A. Times book review: The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear Seth Mnookin Simon & Schuster: 429 pp., $26.99 Readers take note. If you're already convinced that vaccines cause autism , that vaccine-preventable infectious diseases no longer threaten children's lives here and abroad, and that certain modern, anti-vaccine gurus are motivated by nothing but tender concern for your family's health, Seth Mnookin's "The Panic Virus" is not the book for you. If, on the other hand, you want to learn how a "perfect storm" of angst, deception and reckless media fanfare led to years of backlash against childhood vaccines, step right up. It's apt that "The Panic Virus" opens with the quote: "A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on." The person who said this, 19th century preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon, did not hesitate to rail a...

Learning that AOL is buying out Huffington Post was as about as terrifying as it would be to hear that George W. Bush and Courtney Love are having a baby together. Tim Rutten has a great editoral in today's Los Angeles Times about precisely why this is horrible, depressing news. AOL's Patch headhunted me when they were sniffing around for someone to do a Granada Hills Patch. Would I have earned a hell of a lot more than I'm earning now had I accepted their offer? Yes. Would I have ever seen my family again? No. Patch is basically AOL's attempt to create the journalistic equivalent of a Juarez sweatshop, but with writers instead of seamstresses, and now that AOL is teaming up with HuffPo, that other famously exploitative content aggravator, they're about to become the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. of news. I've heard rumors that there'll be a Granada Hills Patch come fall. And good on ya, anyone who takes that job. I'll be reading it, and probably steali...

I'm fairly certain I can poke fun at the Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce with impunity on this page, since none of them have heard of the Internet. It's kind of like making fun of the Amish on television -- they're never going to get offended, because they're never going to hear it. So here goes: Granada Chamber, I hereby poke fun at you. Poke. Poke. I just got off the phone with Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paul Lacayo: "Were you aware of the food truck closures last Friday night?" "No, I hadn't heard about that. You're with who?" "GigaGranadaHills." "Greater Granada Hills?" "No, Giga Granada Hills. G-I-G-A. It's a website on the Internet. Do you read the Internet much?" "Only for my own purposes and such. But I've never heard heard of your site." Call me immodest, but I've been assuming this whole time that anyone with more than a passing curiosity about ...

Looking around Old Town Granada Hills last Friday night at 7:00, you'd swear this town had a vibrant nightlife. Chatsworth's sidewalks were buzzing with activity, from Zelzah to a few blocks eastward. Kids rolling down the street on heelies dodged adults standing in clusters, eating tacos and sliders, chatting, texting, arranging rendezvous with friends. Pedestrians crisscrossed the street, ducking into storefront businesses -- Menchie's, Blis Hookah Lounge, Sweet Design and others -- as well as sampling the wares from scattered food trucks parked on either side of the street. Then, by 8:15, it was all over. "One or two trucks is okay, but eight -- that's ridiculous," said an employee of Numero Uno Pizza who refused to give his name. "It's not fair." Friday night, usually a busy night for the pizzeria, the employee said, saw a drop off in business and numerous complaints from takeout and dine in customers who couldn't find the easy pa...

This is the video I found on the Nibble Bit Tabby Brewery Website. This Sunday, February 6, watch the big game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers at L.A. Pizza Co., where you can sample beers from downtown Los Angeles' own Nibble Bit Tabby Brewery and cheeses from Sierra Cheese. What's a Nibble Bit Tabby? Their page explains that the downtown brewery "is a craft brewery specializing in the manufacture of high quality European style ales...N.B.T Brewery uses imported English barleys and malts, which meet higher British standards and gives the beer the more refined characteristics of English beers." In addition to the tastings, L.A. Pizza will do giveaway drawings for T-shirts, food, and a Superbowl XLV football. L.A. Pizza Co. is located at 12654 Devonshire St., Granada Hills Discount coupons here !

Sgt. Rory Miller, author of "Meditations on Violence", a former tactical team leader and corrections officer, will share his experience and expertise and educates about "real world" violence and its dynamics this Sunday, February 6 at North Valley Aikikai. This seminar is usually presented as a class for Martial Artists, but it requires no experience with martial arts or fighting, and has proven useful for Law Enforcement professionals, citizens interested in self defense, and even writers. The seminar runs eight hours and covers: • The Seven Aspects of Self-Defense • Force Law • Efficient Movement • Fighting to the Goal • Counter Ambush • Violence Dynamics Fee: $100 | $120 at the door Group discounts available (minimum 4 people, please call for more details). Two ways to register: 1. On the seminar's event page on Rory Miller's web site, paying via PayPal: http://chirontraining.com/Site/SoCal-February.html 2. By phone or email me, with Visa/Mastercard or ch...