• The Malibu fire is now 25% contained. At least 35 structures have been destroyed and thousands were forced to flee as wind whipped flames ravaged the coastal town. The cause of the blaze is not known at this time, but crews haven't ruled out CNN's Glen Beck.
  
• In other fire-related news, two people died this morning when a house fire ripped through their Pasadena home. The cause of the fire is unknown.
  
• A woman in her 60s was found dead today in Van Nuys when fire crews discovered her body pinned between a pickup truck and a car. Police are investigating the circumstances of this bizarre accident.
  
• New hotels and large construction projects Downtown have officials heralding the return of major conventions there. Three years ago, 12 conventions were booked in Downtown. By 2010, officials are looking to break the record of 22 conventions. The conventions could drive up housing prices in the area. Oh well, who needs affordable housing anyway?
  
• David Topping, the editor of Torontoist, is singlehandedly changing Canada's transit system, that country's national newspaper, the Globe and Mail found. Ah, the power of the e-press... and the Ist-averse.
  
• Want to drink what Manet might have tasted as he painted Parisians in their naked state, or what Baudelaire might have sipped as he composed poems? Absinthe, a drink that was banned in the US for years due to its deliciously high alcohol volume, was legalized here in May and is now making its debut. Now you have no excuse not to be a great artist/poet/bohemian.
  
• California's budget woes-the deficit is projected to hit $10 billion- is creating big headaches for Gov. Schwarzenegger. Some of the techniques used to lower the deficit that have been used in the past, such as borrowing money or increasing tuition for UC students have been ruled out. In other words, the Gov's bag of tricks is small. Soooo, maybe just fees for UC Santa Cruz will be increased this time as opposed to the whole lot.
  

Photo by Lush.i.ous via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr