They sound like a couple of budding...

They sound like a couple of budding journalists to us . . . : Several universities set Dec. 15 as the postmark deadline for applications from prospective students, and Stewart King of Torrance concedes he cut it fairly close. He arrived at LAX’s 24-hour post office about 11:45 p.m.

Say this for King, who aspires to attend Stanford: He at least had his papers in order. Not so well-prepared was another Stanford hopeful, who was composing the essay portion of his application in longhand while standing in line.

“He wasn’t working from another copy, either,” King said. “He was making it up as he went along. He didn’t even have any whiteout. We were wondering if he ended it by saying, ‘Well, I’m in the post office now. Gotta go. Bye.’ ”

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No doubt Harvard Law School will take note of this defense: Attorney Frank Zerunyan is representing some jewelers who were among the losing defendants in a $3.6-million judgment obtained by an ex-partner.

(Another defendant was County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who was accused of conspiring with a judge on behalf of the jewelers, but we don’t have time to talk about that blunder.)

Anyway, Zerunyan has appealed the judgment on several grounds, including attorney misconduct.

He claims an opposing attorney improperly compared his clients to “cigar-smoking politicians in back rooms.” Zerunyan, his voice rising, told a Norwalk Superior Court judge: “And, I tell you, your honor, none of my clients even smokes.”

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We’ve heard of canine singers . . . : But four-legged tutors? That was the impression we received from this Scott Dewees photo. Dewees confessed that he and his dog Jamie just happened to be driving through West Covina when they spotted the car. “Jamie made me stop,” Dewees insists.

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Of cream pitchers, tire plants and booze parks: One of the events at the recent League of California Cities conference was a municipal trivia quiz, which included these stumpers:

1--Name the city once referred to as “Cream Pitcher of America’s Richest Agricultural County.”

2--A replica of the Statue of Liberty graces the City Hall front lawn in this city.

3--Name the city that boasts a former tire manufacturing plant, now a multi-use redeveloped landmark, modeled after a palace built by King Sargon II of Assyria.

4--This city is named after the Roman goddess of fruit.

5--Name the city once known as a “gambling and booze pleasure park” that now has the motto “Community of Homes.”

Answers: 1--Norwalk; 2--El Monte; 3--Commerce; 4--Pomona; 5--Arcadia. They must have had some memorable Christmas parties in Arcadia.

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A Christmas carol for the ‘90s: Kelly Williams sent along this ditty for our listening enjoyment:

Siren rings, are you listening?

Hear them ring, crime is increasing.

A riotous sight, we’re having tonight,

Walking in an L.A. wonderland.

In the meadow . . .

Uh, thanks Kelly. We’ve heard enough. A simple, “Bah, humbug!” would have sufficed.

miscelLAny:

Maybe Santa needs an agent. During an appearance at the Topanga Plaza mall the other day, he was visited by 20 youngsters. Meanwhile, 5,000 or so stood in line to greet Power Ranger Tommy, a character on a kids’ TV show. “You can always see Santa Claus,” explained one 9-year-old.