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You can’t slight City Hall--we won’t let...

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You can’t slight City Hall--we won’t let you: A week ago, we asked readers to design a cover to replace the depressing black netting around the City Hall tower during earthquake repairs.

Response has been light, even though we offered a “My Other Car Is a Zamboni” license plate frame as our grand prize. OK, we’re upping the stakes--the winner will now receive Dr. Cynthia Watson’s videotape, “Love Potions--A ‘90s Guide to Sexual Enhancement.” And in case you’re wondering, this is not a pre-viewed tape.

The contenders in our contest so far include:

Karen Lockert of L.A., who recommended that the black strip be spray-painted “the right shade of brown (to match the sky) and to give the illusion that the top is floating.” (After all, L.A. has an airhead image to maintain).

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David Beach of North Hollywood, who offered a sort of Groucho Marx design, with the armband portraying the mustache. (At least Groucho was no airhead).

And Al Guerrero of Hollywood, who drew a vertical covering--one that would remind those affected by love potions to practice safe sex (and one that will never appear in this newspaper).

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No damage deposit necessary: From the angle of a photo by Al Axelrod of L.A., it appears that a local mortuary is really hustling to fill its vacancies.

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If this place could talk. . . : An anonymous Rancho Palos Verdes reader, meanwhile, spotted a real estate ad for a house that seems to have had an exciting past (see excerpt).

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Can’t kick: Walley Yip will always remember the 1994 World Cup as a missed opportunity--and not for the U.S. team. For Walley Yip.

His name was drawn from among 2 million coupons by the Gillette Co., giving him a chance to win $1 million at the Rose Bowl--if he could kick a soccer ball into a four-foot-wide hole from 15 yards away.

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Yip had never kicked a soccer ball before, but spent a week training with coaches supplied by Gillette. Alas, when the big moment came he booted the ball over the target.

And so Yip will return home to Louisiana as a non-millionaire. We sort of hope that, for Yip’s own good, Gillette didn’t give him a gift supply of razor blades.

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List of the Day: The Southland seems to be the psychic capital of the nation, if you believe these advertisements, which we have collected.

--Sophia, Psychic Visions, Pasadena: “Voted No. 1 psychic in Pasadena 2 years in a row.”

--Merlin’s Prophecy, L.A.: “Corporate psychic.”

--Century City Psychic: “Serving W. L.A. for Over 25 Years.”

--Psychic Reader, Seal Beach: “Advice on all matters--palm, cards, crystal, sand . . . “ (Sand? Well, this is Seal Beach.)

--Psychic Hot Line, L.A.: “Our psychics are waiting for you.”

--Palm readings by Rachael, Cypress: “Bonded and city-licensed.”

--And, finally, Madam Anna, L.A.: “Let Anna predict your past, present and future.”

Wonder which of the three she’s better at?

miscelLAny:

L.A.’s first great horse race occurred on July 4, 1855, when Jose Andres Sepulveda’s Black Swan--imported from Australia--raced for 18 miles along San Pedro Street against Pio Pico’s California-bred Sarco. The purse: $25,000, in addition to 500 horses, 500 mares, 500 heifers, 500 calves and 500 sheep. The winner: Black Swan--as Madam Anna will predict if you call up and ask her.

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