People and Events

With so much campaign verbiage this year, some goofs are inevitable. One mailer put out by congressional Democrats Howard Berman and Henry Waxman urged recipients to “Vote Nov. 7.” However, recipients would have trouble finding a booth that day because election day is Nov. 8.

A mailer sent out by Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich spelled the names of both Gov. George Deukmejian and retired Los Angeles County Sheriff Peter J. Pitchess incorrectly and contained several other typographical errors.

So far, though, no one has duplicated the error of a 1982 Democratic Assembly hopeful, whose campaign pitches included decals supposedly bearing “local emergency telephone numbers” as a public service. Unfortunately, the number on the decal for “Fire & Paramedics” was that of a Westwood pizza joint.

Perhaps mindful of the identity crisis in Seal Beach--where seals have all but disappeared--a Save Eagle Rock’s Rock Committee is holding a fund-raiser this morning in the community of that name.

Pro-rockers wish to buy the private land around the historic granite boulder, which time has sculpted into the shape of an eagle’s head. The committee would then donate it to the city so the current owners couldn’t build condominiums there, as they’ve proposed doing in the past.

“Condos there would be an infringement on the psychological space of people in Eagle Rock,” said committee spokeswoman Barbara Ekholm, “especially if they obscured the view of the eagle.”

German shepherds, with 756 nips in the last six years, lead the pack in the latest cumulative dog-biting statistics released by the city Department of Animal Regulation.

However, Meyer Levine, a department senior administrator, points out that the numbers are somewhat misleading. German shepherds are the most popular breed in the city (28,728 registered). Not only that, but their totals include authorized bites for law enforcement authorities.

American Staffordshire terriers, or pit bulls, actually lead the “Bad Boy!” index, with about one bite per 16 dogs. On the other end, only about one of every 400 poodles strikes.

St. Bernards, who have just 17 bites, may lead in another category. But slobbering statistics are not kept by the department.

Selected breeds:

1.) 28,728 German Shepherds, 756 bites.

2.) 13,399 Doberman Pinschers, 326

3.) 4,682 American Staffordshire Terriers, 255

4.) 18,125 Labrador Retrievers, 250

5.) 10,651 Cocker Spaniels, 137

6.) 3,303 Staffordshire Bulls, 99

7.) 8,880 Golden Retrievers, 72

8.) 2,929 Collies, 46

9.) 14,154 Poodles, 35

10.) 3,877 Dachshunds, 35

For those who dislike long airline flights, this week marks a nostalgic milestone: the 41st anniversary of Howard Hughes’ 1-mile jaunt over Long Beach Harbor in the Spruce Goose.