Brother, can you spare 11 cents?In this...

Brother, can you spare 11 cents?In this presidential election year, only one contest has really captured our attention. We’re referring, of course, to Prop. 163. That’s the measure that would repeal the state snack tax, which was imposed last year.

We’re irked, though, that the ballot statement by promoters of Prop. 163 fails to include the persuasive argument that, if it passes, the price of a cup of coffee at Philippe sandwich shop will return to its pretax level.

No doubt you recall the uproar among the downtown landmark’s customers--including this one--when the cost of a cup there skyrocketed from 10 to 11 cents.

Send a pumpkin-head to the White House: The candidates were on display in living orange at St. Luke Medical Center in Pasadena. A pumpkin-carving contest among employees yielded such entries as “Clintonoccio” by Mark Starrett, “I’m Ross--You’re the Boss” by Peter Milio, and “Read My Lips” by Ernie and Jennie Corinna. Do we sense some cynicism within the populace?

Unexpected side effects?: Prior to a recent airline trip, Dwight Palmer of La Mirada had his doctor write a prescription for sleeping pills. Palmer noticed that the bottle label carried this warning: “May cause drowsiness.”

Schools for scandal: In discussing the latest student political corruption at USC--an alleged case of illegal wiretapping--we referred to the school as Watergate U.

Trojan grad Glen Mowrer objects, pointing out that “clearly the most significant actors in the Nixon White House . . . were two UCLA alums: H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman.” He adds that Fordham University (John Mitchell and G. Gordon Liddy), Brown University (Charles Colson and E. Howard Hunt) and, of course Whittier College (the Tricky One, himself) played roles, among others.

Still, USC did supply four Watergate performers. But rather than singling one out, perhaps we could compromise by realigning the above contributor schools into the Watergate Conference.

Freeway obstacle du jour: Traffic reporter Lyn Durling told KFWB listeners there was a jam on the San Bernardino Freeway where CHP officers “were baby-sitting a duck” while awaiting the arrival of animal control authorities. Durling noted that the quacker was “at--you got it--Peck Road.”

MiscelLAny:

An L.A. newspaper editorialized that the authorities “should see to it that drivers of vehicles and horsemen do not make thoroughfares of the sidewalks, which are intended for the exclusive benefit of pedestrians.” The year: 1867.