Another reminder that these are the dog...

Another reminder that these are the dog days. . . .

You may recall the recent revelation that two convicted slumlords allegedly made their pooches officers of local real estate companies, calling them Grover Black and Toulousse Black.

The U.S. Trustees Office has announced plans to subpoena Grover--and why not? The agency has always called itself the watchdog of the Federal Bankruptcy Court. Not that agency head Davis von Wittenberg expects to extract much information from Grover. “Dogs don’t tell tales--spell that t-a-i-l-s,” he quipped.

The two slumlords are also defendants in a civil racketeering case filed by the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which is convenient in one respect.

The city attorney and the city Department of Animal Regulation occupy the same floor of City Hall East.

Cyrus Zal, a defense attorney in the trial of five anti-abortion protesters, has erupted several times in the courtroom, unsuccessfully challenging Municipal Judge Richard A. Paez to throw him in jail or find him in contempt and successfully challenging Paez to force Zal to sit down (two marshals handled that chore).

So, later, when the defendants wanted to demonstrate methods that authorities use for dragging away a protester, Paez didn’t have trouble finding a guinea pig.

Soon two defendants were lugging the grimacing Zal across the courtroom.

One more reminder of Los Angeles’ role as a cultural pacesetter:

After the unveiling of the first miniature golf course built by artists by Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, the Seattle Arts Festival unabashedly announces that next month it will host a Puget Sound Miniature Golf and Country Club designed by craftsy types. A Seattle festival press release says that tickets for that bash “are available at all Western Washington Pay ‘n’ Save stores.”

About 1,500 accordionists will be competing for the next three days at the Airport Hyatt but, unfortunately, commuters stuck in traffic on Century Boulevard won’t be able to pick up any of the strains.

“We have room captains who keep the doors shut while the judges are listening to the players,” said Peggy Milne, executive secretary of the Accordion Federation of North America.

Milne said that the festival, billed as the largest gathering of accordionists in the world, features players ranging in age from 7 to 21.

“They’re crawling all over the Hyatt,” Milne said with a laugh. “First thing we have to teach the 7-year-olds is not to lay their accordions on escalators.”

Fifty years ago this month, when sewage wasn’t the problem it is now, Santa Monica Bay was hit with another form of pollution: Equipment from four gambling ships.

It all happened during the Battle of Santa Monica Bay.

The stars were state Atty. Gen. Earl Warren and Tony Cornero, commander of a floating casino called the Rex.

Warren, declaring the crafts to be the state’s “greatest nuisance,” ordered them to disband. Three obeyed, and had their contents thrown overboard.

Cornero refused, telling delighted reporters, “I won’t give up the ship.” His crewmen turned fire hoses on authorities who tried to board.

Thirteen water taxis continued to ferry the three miles between the shore and the Rex, later immortalized in the Raymond Chandler novel, “Farewell My Lovely.”

After holding out for eight days, Cornero finally gave up, explaining that he needed a haircut, according to historian Bruce Henstell.

Over the side went his roulette wheels, chuck-a-luck cages, dice tables and faro bank.

Though later released because of apparent technicalities, Cornero was initially booked by Santa Monica police. Asked his occupation, he stated, “Mariner.”