Southern California has traditionally been home to...

Southern California has traditionally been home to spiritualists, mediums and assorted other crystal-ball massagers.

So perhaps John McWhorter of Bakersfield shouldn’t have been surprised to receive a newsletter from the Los Angeles alumni club of the University of Chicago that asked this question:

“Have you moved or passed on recently?”

Or, perhaps, been reincarnated?

Brent Rosenbaum of L.A. noticed a movie twin bill (see photo) that seemed to reflect one controversial aspect of the making of “Godfather III”: director Francis Ford Coppola’s insistence on using his relatively inexperienced daughter, Sofia, in a key supporting actress role.

It’s a bit of unfortunate timing for the cruise ship company with freeway billboards that playfully say: “Report for Active Duty.”

List of the Day:

Excerpts from advertisements in the Auto Club’s 1909 Tour Book:

1--”Especially in touring when it may be frequently necessary to dismount in dusty and muddy roads, good Automobile Shoes will be found a great source of comfort.” (Staubs’ Clothes, L.A.)

2--”The oil-tamped roads of Monrovia and Arcadia are the most perfect and delightful in Southern California . . . we furnished it (the oil).” (Summers Crude Oil, L.A.).

3--”Our repair wagon will go anywhere, any time.” (Central Garage, Whittier).

4--”After a long, dusty ride, what is more refreshing than a luxurious bath? You will find this at the Ocean Park Bath House. . . . Large swimming pools filled daily with salt water heated to 85 degrees F.”

5--”Stop! Stop Stop! Come through Pomona and stop at my office and let me show you the best town in the Valley. Good schools, colleges, churches, libraries, and no saloons .” (Morris Wilson, Realtor).

We mentioned recently that one day is missing from two recently published 1991 calendars: Jan. 7 from Tower Records’ guide and Dec. 12 from Cathedral City’s. Well, Paul Johnson of San Dimas thinks he’s found where those two days disappeared to. He bought a half-gallon of milk that bore “Feb. 30” as the last date it should be served.

miscelLAny:

Plugging into the future: The South Coast Air Quality Management District estimates that 17% of the cars on the road in Southern California in the year 2010 will be electric.