Playboy bunnies aren’t the only endangered rabbit...

Playboy bunnies aren’t the only endangered rabbit species. There’s also Sylvilagus palustris hefneri , a rare breed named after Hugh Hefner.

No joke. The Playboy publisher was chosen for the honor because he donated funds to study the critters. Hefs, which were placed on the federal endangered list Thursday, apparently don’t live up to the reputation of their species since there are only about 200 left.

Maybe it’s their lifestyle. Unlike the pipe-smoking, Westside mansion-dweller, hefs are Florida marsh-dwellers who frequently venture into the sunlight.

Which reminds us: Psychologist Charles Ara wants us to know that he’ll be lecturing tonight at Cerritos College on “Understanding Men: The Gentleman, the Father, the Workaholic, the Playboy.”

Yes, “the Playboy.” Just a coincidence that Ara performed the wedding of Hefner and Kimberly Conrad last year.

Cheery observation made by one woman to another at a swap meet in Pasadena:

“He wants to move back East because he’s afraid of earthquakes. But I told him they have lyme disease back there. I’d rather have earthquakes than lyme disease, any day.”

Author? Author?:

Zev Yaroslavksy was in an elevator in Beverly Hills when a supporter mentioned the plastic bottlecaps that the city councilman gave out during one campaign.

“I’ve still got hundreds of them in my garage,” Yaroslavsky said with a laugh.

A blonde woman joined the conversation, remarking that she had hundreds of copies of her book in her garage.

“What’s the name of the book?” Yaroslavsky asked.

“‘Vanna Speaks,”’ she said.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

Come on, Zev. Her last name is:

W

H

I

T

E .

Radio listeners heard yet another new type of traffic advisory--and bureaucratese--on one all-news station Thursday. Referring to the presidents and other notables heading to the Nixon Library ceremonies, a reporter said traffic was slow due to “dignitary transport.”

Tunnel fires . . . work delays . . . cost overruns . . . .

With all the problems on the Metro Rail project, you wonder whether there might be a contingency plan, an alternative to rail travel.

John Stevenson of San Marino thinks he may have found it. He points out that there’s a large boat parked in the Metro Rail construction yard off 1st Street.

He wonders if Metro Rail isn’t planning “a water ride, sort of like the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland.”

Metro Sail.

miscelLAny:

Major leaguers with L.A. street names include Jeff Pico, Robin Ventura, Claudell Washington, Stan Jefferson and Scott Fletcher. L.A.’s Hall of Fame includes such retirees as Jack Spring, Johnny Temple, Mickey Vernon and, of course, Ed Figueroa.