Here's A Headline I Could Have Done Without

Long Beach, CA

For those of you who don't know, Los Angeles has a river. No, really. Sure, it looks like a 50+ mile concrete ditch most of the time, but that's because it used to flood, and flood big. In the 1800's it put the Valley under water. In 1938, a flood destroyed over 5000 homes and killed 115 people, prompting the 1941 Flood Control Act, and the recall of L.A.'s most corrupt mayor, Frank L. Shaw. The thing that killed him was a speech during the flood where he said, "The sun is shining in Southern California and all is well." Yeah, that didn't fly too well.

During the summer, of course, it's a great place to film chase sequences for Hollywood blockbusters, as it really only swells during the winter. It doesn't, however, do this very often. If ever.

L.A. River Catches Fire Near 710 Freeway On Monday

Fire. In the river. Add it to the list of crazy fire shit we deal with in this town.