Thanks for the rain, Rip

Rip Rense is feeling so down on L.A. these days that today he ripped off a second Riposte column for the week. He calls it "This Town is Toast." His timing was off on that first complaint:

It almost never rains anymore. The much ballyhooed L.A. sunshine is a party guest that never, ever leaves. After a while, you feel like if you just confess, they'll turn the light out and leave you alone. Even if you didn't stick up the 7-11. Vin Scully is getting old. Chick Hearn is gone. The Apple Pan and Musso & Frank's can't possibly last. Philippe's is often messy and the sandwiches are smaller. Chinatown is Vietnamesetown...

Only about five people in all of L.A. take this place seriously as a community. One of them is the superbly prepared and poised host of KPCC's "Air Talk," Larry Mantle. Another is cornpone Huell Howser of KCET. You want to kind of whisper in their ears, "psst---nobody cares." The local paper puts local news in section two.

Hope he's feeling cheerier now that it's pouring.