Topanga Canyon (Fernwood) Market

This market has been at 446 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd since WWII; the building itself has been there longer.

Just below Bobby's house in the canyon, this most likely would of been the place Charlie, Bobby and the Family plus anyone connected would have shopped, when they weren't digging in dumpsters, that is.

Jameses and Laurens

Farflung. Gotta love him (at least, Patty does. Don't tell Mr. Patty, okay?). He is into the minutiae, the "devil in the details." He wrote this to Patty recently, and it made her go, Hmmmmm.  What do you think?:

"From the ridiculously deep trivia files only Farf finds interesting, and maybe Patty.

I did a little searching for the mysterious James and Lauren which have been used as ‘Free-Spaces’ on the Manson Family connection bingo card.  It appears to have been a strong case of confirmation bias and I think I’m about to add to the mix. 

It begins in 1970 when James Forsher and Lauren Elder are mentioned in association with the missing attorney Ronald Hughes.  James and Lauren are both reported as 17 years old and from West Los Angeles.

Next in 1972 is the disjointed murders of James and Lauren (Willett) in Stockton with Squeaky and Brenda in attendance as Manson associates.  Even though nothing has tied James and Lauren to any Manson activities, this does not appear to impede the inferences.

Then arrives 1974 and the publication of ‘Helter Skelter’ with an oblique mention of James and Lauren who have somehow become Manson Family members and potential assassins of Ronald Hughes.

Subsequently James Forsher comes out of the woodwork and files a law suit against Bugliosi, which he (Forsher) loses in 1980, where the paper reports his age as 22.

Now for the Twilight Zone stuff.  The ‘other’ Lauren was Lauren Elder and there was only one I could find that lived in the LA area in the 70’s but she would have been 21 at that time rather than the 17 reported in the previous article.  So dead end and the ‘One Degree of Separation’ has been established.  Or was it?

Apparently this Lauren Elder was flying in a light aircraft in 1976 which had crashed in the high mountains resulting in the death of the pilot and other passenger.  This Lauren manages to stumble, fall and crawl from the crash site and arrive in Independence, CA and rescue.  But that rescue was delayed because people refused to help her, out of fears that she was part of the Manson Family (insert that weird, sci-fi Theremin sound).

I don’t know if the plane crash Lauren Elder is one in the same as the Ronald Hughes disappearance Lauren Elder, but was surprised how easy it would be to make the association with Manson and add to the confusion and lore.

Sincerely, Farf"

Farf, who the hell are you, anyway? Patty is thinking, ex-CIA. Is she close?

Ines Mejia Folger -- socialite lived with zest

Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Published 04:00 a.m., Friday, July 27, 2007

Days after her 100th birthday, Ines Mejia Folger greeted a friend who arrived at her bedside.
"I'm bored," Ms. Folger said. "I should get a job."

The centenarian had only recently given up French lessons to maintain her accent and had employed a personal trainer well into her 90s.

But now she was bored.

She couldn't continue to read; her eyesight had failed some time before, and she couldn't play a hand of bridge. But she could talk, Ms. Folger told her friend John Drum, so maybe she could advise people.

Ms. Folger, known as simply Pui to everyone who knew her, died less than two weeks later on July 15.

Her wise counsel, however, was not lost. The San Francisco native guided generations by example for decades, living life with enthusiasm, curiosity and a large measure of gusto while overcoming a very public and horrifying tragedy, friends said.

Her daughter Abigail had died 38 years ago at the age of 25 -- one of the five people killed by followers of Charles Manson at the Los Angeles home of actress Sharon Tate on Aug. 8, 1969.

"I just don't know how she got through it," said Joan Chatfield-Taylor, a friend of Ms. Folger's over five decades. "She was open about talking about it. And she never lost her sense of humor. It helps when you have one million friends," Chatfield-Taylor said.

Ms. Folger was born Ines Mejia in Piedmont in 1907 -- denied a San Francisco birthright after her family was displaced by the 1906 earthquake.

Her father was the consul general for El Salvador and she spent much of her youth attending schools in France and England.

Decades later, she would enthrall friends at dinner parties with stories about the burial of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and other post-World War I events -- "things that came right out of the history books," Chatfield-Taylor said.

She returned to finish high school at Convent of the Sacred Heart in Menlo Park, but was ultimately denied a diploma because she helped a classmate elope.

In 1933, she married Peter Folger, a member of the coffee family. They had two children, Abigail and Peter, and were divorced in 1952.

Friends described Ms. Folger as the center of attention and the liveliest person in any room. A voracious reader, she was curious about a wide range of topics and had opinions on virtually any idea that was raised at a dinner table.

"She didn't spend her time being shocked and disapproving," Chatfield-Taylor said. "She was always interested in what was going on."

In the mid-1960s, when she was in her 60s, Ms. Folger worked in the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic.

In the 1990s, when she was in her 90s, she met the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan monk tied a string around Ms. Folger's neck, a simple spiritual token the San Francisco socialite wore for years, Drum said.

"It was a profound experience for her," he said of the encounter that happened at the San Francisco Opera. "She said she looked into his eyes and saw his soul and such humanity."

Ms. Folger was a founding member of the Patrons of the Arts and Music at the Palace of Fine Arts, which eventually evolved into the Fine Arts Museum Board. She was also a board member of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Ms. Folger was a fan of San Francisco gossip and "terribly up to date on it," Chatfield-Taylor said.
"She was in society," she said, "but she didn't take the social scene that seriously."

Ms. Folger is survived by her son Peter Folger of San Francisco; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial Mass will be said at 4 p.m. on Sept. 17, at St. Ignatius Church, 650 Parker Ave., San Francisco.

Donations can be sent to the Abigail Folger Library Fund, Santa Catalina School, 1500 Mark Thomas Dr., Monterey, CA, 93940.

(courtesy Helter Skelter Forum)

The Broken Wings and The Itchy Crotch

Saladin Nader was a Lebanese actor that starred in The Broken Wings, the movie about poet Kahlil Gibran.  Nader once picked up Linda Kasabian and Sandy Good hitchhiking and took them back to his Venice Beach apartment and had sex with Linda while Sandy took a nap on the couch.  On the night of the LaBianca murders, Charlie dropped off Linda, Sadie and Clem near Nader's apartment with instructions to kill him and then hitchhike back to Spahn's Ranch.  According to Kasabian, she purposely brought Sadie and Clem to the wrong door and the mission was aborted.

Info from-http://www.cielodrive.com/saladin-nader-apartment.php

I wonder what Saladin thought when he saw Linda on t.v. after the murders.
I also wonder which S.T.D Linda gave him.

The Fabulous Bastards from Chicago: Is This Shorty?

Submitted by Farflung:

"Hey Patty,

Need a little help with some more trivia.  Take a look at the ‘extended trailer’ in the below URL.  You may need to first click the ‘Remove Family Safe Filter’ button because it is a soft core flick named ‘The Fabulous Bastard from Chicago’.  No, I’m not trying to get my jollies having you watch a skin flick; this is the movie which is rumored to have Shorty Shea appear:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x64d6h_the-fabulous-bastard-from-chicago_shortfilms

The footage of interest is (2:06-2:23). 

Is the man with his face strategically hidden throughout the fight, in the western setting and doing some stunts Shorty?  I can’t tell.

There are only a few confirmed images of Shorty and they certainly don’t look like a man who is 35 years of age, but I’m a terrible age estimator.  It just appeared to be worth a glance since so little is published about this man.

What do you think?

Sincerely Farf."

IMDB says that Shorty did appear in this movie in an uncredited role. So, is that him at 2:06?

Dominion of Melchizedek / The Republic of New Lemuria

Staying on topic with Krishna Venta and The Fountain of the World, Patty did a little research on the guy that lives at 585 Box Canyon Road today. His name is Richard James McDonald, formerly titled "Ambassador at Large Plenipotentiary, Minister Of DoM Permanent Court Of Arbitration, Governor of the Dominion of Melchizedek Bar Association and Minister Of Police." He also uses the titles "PhD" and "Esquire" presumably because the Dominion of Melchizedek claims international sovereignty and can set up any kind of rules they want. Imagined territories of the DoM are West Antarctica and several small islands or submerged reefs in the Pacific: Malpelo, Taongi, Solkope, Clipperton and Karitane. The DoM is also a quasi-religious organization, and has its own bible.

An article in the Washington Post reported that DoM was "diplomatically recognized" by the Central African Republic in 1993, but stated, "...you get the feeling that the Central African Republic would recognize the State of Denial if it had a letterhead." An article in the Quatloos online anti-fraud site noted that "Melchizedek has apparently obtained some sort of recognition from some smaller states ... all of which are notable for their corruption." Over 300 investors in various parts of the world have lost money in purported investment, fantasy passport and employment scams run by several "banks" licensed by the DoM. Apologists have suggested that there is no link between Melchizedek and the illegal activities conducted by "banks" it has "licensed."

In November of 1990, McDonald lost an appeal in a case against the US government as follows: "Richard J. McDonald appeals from the judgment of conviction entered by the district court on three counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns in violation of 26 U.S.C. s 7203. McDonald seeks reversal on the grounds that (1) the district court lacked jurisdiction; (2) the indictment failed to adequately allege a criminal offense; (3) he is not a "person" subject to federal tax laws; and (4) Congress did not have the power to enact federal tax statutes because the Fourteenth Amendment was never properly ratified." Needless to say, he lost.

In April 2000, CBS's 60 Minutes II aired a report critical of the DoM. After CBS aired the program, DoM demanded a retraction of statements made during the program. As a result of the bad press, DoM filed a lawsuit (in their own judicial system), seeking damages for libel against CBS in the amount of $1 billion. DoM subsequently entered a default judgement against CBS, claiming that the company failed to respond to the lawsuit. Because of the lack of jurisdiction of the lawsuit, CBS has refused to acknowledge the judgement.

Most recently, McDonald has attempted to avoid the stigma of being associated with the DOM by renaming it "The Republic of New Lemuria." He also claims to have been "knighted" twice: first by "The Sovereign and Imperial Order of Constantine the Great and Saint Helen" and again by "Price Michael Romanov of Russia." In the real world, he was a law enforcement officer before becoming involved in securities fraud, tax evasion and teaching people how to get out of paying speeding fines.

What a freaking nut! Just goes to show that the residents of Box Canyon are as weird now as they ever were. If you care to make an appointment with Sir McDonald to discuss becoming a citizen of his imaginary country, he can be reached via the website at http://www.melchizedek.com/legations/na1.htm

Sound familiar?

I (Ole J.C.) just read the book "The Spiritual Teachings of Master Krishna Venta" and read a lot of similarities with Manson's so-called "Helter Skelter."

Venta believed and preached in an impending race war between blacks and whites. Venta said it would be 1965, but of course died long before that. Venta said that Blacks would win the race war, but be forced to hand over reigns to Russia (whites) due to their superiority. Venta's Godly chore was to assemble a tribe of 144,000 "chosen" ones to hide in underground caverns in a "Valley" he chose (and kept secret) for 40 years until the war ran its course.

Sound familiar?

The man who compiled that book, Jon Fisher, claimed Manson was a MEMBER of the Fountain of the World. “In the summer of 1968 Charles Manson joined the cult. My stepfather, who served in World War 2 as a tail gunner in bombers over Japan, tolerated ‘Brother Charles’ until it was discovered that the lunatic was giving drugs to some of the kids. The ‘family’ was allowed to stay in the cult until they found other housing, but Charles was required to stay in his bus on the upper parking lot. This experience had a traumatic effect on the entire Manson ‘family’, and the rest is history.

Krishna Venta had tremendous influence on Brother Isaiah of Alaska, Charles Manson in 1968 and even Jimmy Jones. Charles Manson lived at the Fountain for a few months and learned a great deal from myself, my step-father, and other Fountain members.”

Venta historian Shawn Sutherland also said he interviewed MANY Fountain members and they ALL said the cross was never on the rock when Manson was in the area- that it was removed after Venta's death and did not make it back until the 70's (after Manson was in prison). So Manson or Watkins never hung on it as Paul Watkins stated in his book.

Here is something Shawn Sutherland posted about Venta on a cult website:

Born Francis Pencovic in the San Francisco of 1911, Venta was an interesting candidate for messiah, having previously lived as burglar, thief, con artist, and shipyard timekeeper. This changed in 1946 when, following a stretch on a chain gang and a stint in the Army, Pencovic’s body (or so he claimed) became the host vessel for the “Christ Everlasting,” an eternal spirit being who had not only died on the cross at Calvary 2,000 years earlier, but had commandeered to Earth from the planet Neophrates a convoy of rocket ships whose passengers included Adam and Eve.

But in the wake of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, insisted Venta, such ancient history was irrelevant. This time around, his Earthly mission was to gather the 144,000 Elect foretold in Revelation and deliver them from an apocalypse heretofore unseen by mankind.

To draw attention to this cause, Venta donned a monk’s robe, permanently discarded footwear, and thereafter forewent cutting both hair and beard. In the Truman and Eisenhower eras, Venta, who frequently made headlines for both his luck at the dog track and his repeated arrests for failure to pay child support, cut a unique figure. His message, however, could not have been more tailor-made for Cold War America.

Armageddon, prophesied Venta, would begin as an armed race war in the streets of America. (If Venta's vision of the future sounds oddly reminiscent of "Helter Skelter," it must be noted that strong debate exists regarding whether Charles Manson, who periodically lodged at the Fountain of the World circa 1968 and 1969, was privy to the teachings of the dead cult leader during his respites there.) In this conflict, Communist Russia, with its nuclear weaponry, would render military aid to African-Americans. But the Soviets would eventually reveal their true stripes, insisted Venta, by enslaving their African-American allies and terminating religious freedom worldwide. Still, fear was unnecessary, for Venta was actively gathering the 144,000, and knew of a hidden North American valley in which his Elect could hide during the bloodshed until the ordained day came for them to exit their secret refuge en masse, cast out the Soviet empire, free the enslaved, and restore religious freedom to mankind.

Until then, Venta could be found on the road spreading his gospel or at either the Homer, Alaska, or Chatsworth, California, outposts of his WKFL (Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Love) Fountain of the World communal colonies, where his 100-something faithful (primarily females) engaged in such varied works of goodwill as feeding the homeless, offering shelter to battered women, and fighting wildfires.

Special thanks to Ole J.C. for the write-up!

 

Where have you gone, Mark Fuhrman?

Wouldn't it be something if an author with a bonafide background in detective work who has a history of investigating and solving high profile cold cases decided to pick up all of these pieces laid out here in the Manson blogosphere and get into that LA evidence vault to solve all of this once and for all and publish his findings?

Like with (the grown up) Michael Skakel, who committed the Martha Moxley murder in 1975 and was brought to justice after Fuhrman's book in 2002 - attention would be turned back onto the (elderly) Manson Family.

The unindicted conspirators in Labianca and Shea would be put back on the stand to answer the as of yet unanswered questions.

Unsolved murders like Marina Habe, Jane Doe #59,  Clyda Dulaney, Nancy Warren, James Sharp, Doreen Gaul, Filippo Tenerelli, Darwin Scott, Karl Stubbs, Mark Walts and possibly even more would be brought into the public consciousness. ZERO???

Testimony in the new wave of trials would include among scores of others Tex Watson, Bruce Davis, Mary Brunner, Steve Grogan, Sherry Cooper, Cathy Gillies, Gregg Jakobson, Roman Polanski (under duress and via satellite, of course) and even Nick Sand (was there a Brotherhood of Eternal Love connection via people in Santa Barbara and Gary Hinman?).

TV ratings would be through the roof - not to mention the stats on the blogs.

Sgt Dostie and Buster would get their well deserved 12 foot deep pandora's box dig. This time with network coverage.

C'mon Fuhrman, what else have you got to do? They did cancel your radio show. Read the books, go through the evidence, read the forums & watch the DVD's. We'll even help you (HA!). Then write another book and let's see if there are more trials. But please, get it done before Bugliosi and Charlie check out - we'll need them to spar as expert analysts on truTV!

Further

I (Matt) will be at the Further concert at Bethel Woods on July 15. If anyone wants to meet up for a cold one hit me up and we'll see what we can do.

Manyard Keenan as Charlie

Do you remember that pictoral of Maynard from Tool as Charlie? Well, here is everything you ever wanted to know about it. Incidentally, it is also very hard to find now.

From http://toolshed.down.net/articles/index.php?action=view-article&id=April_1999--Rocktropolis.html :
Publication: Rocktropolis (April, 1999)
Transcribed by Ean (TinyGuyE@aol.com)
title: Tool's Keenan Depicts Charles Manson In POPsmear
author: Carrie Borzillo Tool's Keenan Depicts Charles Manson In POPsmear
The 15-page These Children That Come at You with Knives, which was written and directed by noted author Legs McNeil (Please Kill Me) and co-written by Gillian McCain, will appear in the May/June issue of the magazine, due on stands May 10. A fumetti is a comic-book style layout with still black- and- white photographs accompanying drawings and a script to tell the story.

The cast of characters for the Manson/Tate tale includes: Maynard James Keenan as Charles Manson; Kembra Pfaller of the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black as Sharon Tate; Shawn Pierce of the Toilet Boys as Tex Watson; Sid & Nancy's Chloe Webb as Patricia Krenwinkle; "Handsome" Dick Manitoba of the Dictators as Voytek Frykowski; "Permanent Midnight" writer Jerry Stahl as Jay Sebring; Wayne Kramer as Leno Labianca; and ex-Porno for Pyros bassist Martyn LeNoble as Gary Hinman. Also in the piece are POPsmear publisher James Morel, Streetwalkin' Cheetahs/POPsmear's Frank Meyer, Dead Boys' Jimmy Zero, Adolescents' Tony Reflex, ADZ's Bruce Duff, Angry Samoans' Jeff Dahl, porno stars Sharon Mitchell and Veronica Hart, the Stiff Ones' Texas Terri, and others.