Oh, and LA reminds me of Beirut, and I don't mean that as a compliment to either city. Both are big on fakeries (and bakeries); and they both thrive on ostentation, superficiality, imitation, lack of style in architecture, sexist plastic surgery, excellent restaurants and beaches, contempt for the poor, rigid social hierarchies, and promotion of sexist cultures. The urban (Napoleonic) design of LA also makes it revolution-proof. Not Beirut.