I've been lurking on an L.A. message board and my oh my, am I starting to get a feel for local hot buttons.

Conversation about going out at night in Hollywood, condensed:
Person 1: I was on the Sunset Strip last night. It sucked. Everyone was fake and trendy, blah.
Person 2: The Strip has sucked for years. I'm less fake and trendy than anyone. Blah blah.
Person 3: Hollywood sucks, except for the places I go, because I'm realer than real. Blah dee blah dee blah.

Advice to a tourist, condensed:
Person 1: Don't go to East LA or South Central, there's nothing to see there and I'd never go myself.
Person 2: You fucking bigot, there's great Mexican food in East LA and every neighborhood has something to offer.
Person 1: Go ahead, get mugged in Compton, see if I care.
Person 2: Enjoy your cows in the suburbs, see if I care.
Tourist: Uh, thanks guys, please don't fight?
Person 3: Hi tourist, take public transit, it's not as bad as everyone says.
Person 4: No, public transit is full of weirdos, you should drive. But do go to East LA.
Person 3: You've obviously never taken the bus, you fucking bigot.
Jen: *bashing her head against the computer monitor*

***

Meanwhile, offline...

Jen: Everyone was complaining about the heat yesterday, despite the fact that it was in the 70s.
Rick: That's okay, it'll be the same temperature tomorrow and they'll complain that it's cold.

So, so true.