Hitting the Men of Troy below the...
Hitting the Men of Troy below the belt: Bill Fornaciari is being recruited by USC--for its Artificial Semination by Donor program.
He enclosed a letter from the school’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which said it’s interested in graduate students such as Fornaciari “because we have noted that recipients in our program frequently request highly educated donors. . . .”
Comments Fornaciari: “It’s nice to know where USC goes when it needs men to do the job.”
Fornaciari attends UCLA.
L.A. vs. the World: Hank Kovell sent along a dispatch from the Colville, Wash., Statesman Examiner, which revealed a list of the city’s strengths and weaknesses compiled by local leaders:
Strength No. 31: Colville is “1,500 miles from L.A.”
Weakness No. 1: “Uncontrolled influx of problem people (defined as paroled felons, white racists or arrogant Californians). . . .”
1,000 points of dispute: Spy magazine, in a feature titled “1,000 Reasons Not to Vote for George Bush,” cites, as No. 770, the President’s statement about visiting L.A. after the riots:
“As you know, I planned a trip out there (L.A.) for some time, so it fits in very nicely.”
No. 330 is perhaps the most damaging accusation of all by Spy: Bush allegedly likes the TV show “Jake and the Fatman.”
Undeclared burrito: Burrito Express of Pasadena claims to have concocted the Ross Perot Burrito--not only are the ingredients a secret but the dish won’t be officially listed on the menu until the company is sure it enjoys “sufficient grass-roots support.”
Strikeout: While we’re on the food beat, we include the photo of a seemingly unappetizing dish spotted on the menu of a Van Nuys restaurant by Frank Navarro.
Don’t tell Colville: A recent issue of L.A. Style magazine offered a photographic guide to notable downtown buildings, starting with “A” (First Interstate Bank) and ending with “Q” (St. Vibiana’s Roman Catholic Cathedral). Yes, “Q.” A sad commentary on downtown L.A., isn’t it? The magazine couldn’t even come up with enough buildings to fill out the rest of the alphabet.
One unforgivable omission in the guide, by the way, is the 444 building, nationally famous as the fictional headquarters of McKenzie-Brackman in “L.A. Law.”
Non-international symbol: A sign at a downtown Metro Rail site seems to offer a double negative (see photo). We know budget restrictions are tight. But the builders couldn’t find someone to fashion a drawing of a beer bottle?
Gasoline price ceiling: A sign on a boarded-up Chevron station at La Brea Avenue and Coliseum Street lists regular unleaded gasoline at $1.17--the price when the building was trashed during the riots. A Chevron two miles south, which is open, now offers regular unleaded at $1.30.
Closing thought for holiday drivers: A Batesville Casket Co. truck, seen on the Artesia Freeway, carried the motto: “Please Drive Safely--Heaven Can Wait.”
miscelLAny:
La Verne and Lomita are the only cities in L.A. County that have laws requiring residents to register their cats.