A Mighty Signal That You’re Not Welcome

It was mentioned here that the Lindbergh Beacon, which once was atop City Hall, is now displayed at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, where a plaque says the light is “a welcoming symbol to the millions of visitors and immigrants who come to L.A.” Fine, says Ken Veronda. But, he points out, the beacon is in the terminal’s departure area.

Sort of reminiscent of the bumper sticker of our northern neighbor: “Welcome to Oregon--Now Go Home.”

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MOUSE HUNT: The Daily Trojan’s David Khalaf wrote that it was several days before Christmas, “and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, well except for a mouse.” Turns out that one USC dorm has some rodent residents and the humans aren’t happy. Jessica Koosed, a freshman majoring in theater, told the newspaper: “They’re just totally rampant and having babies.”

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A reader sent in a menu item that apparently contains a typo (see accompanying). Then again, bad service in restaurants seems totally rampant to me these days.

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OFF KEY? Dan Fink of L.A. received a piano catalog from a Santa Fe Springs company that listed models ranging in price from $1,995 to $6,995--as well as a box of ivories selling for $350. “Looks and plays bad,” the ad said of that model (see accompanying). I called the company and asked if it was a mistake. “No,” a worker said. Was it a joke? “No,” the worker said. Merely honesty.

Oh, yes, she added that the model had been sold. Perhaps someone needed a nice planter.

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DUMB COMPUTER MISTAKES: Producer Peter Samuelson of West L.A. wrote that during the filming of the yet-to-be released movie “Arlington Road,” “I bought some items by mail order and gave my address as the Arlington Road Production Office, then in Houston. Thus it is that I now receive a couple of mailings a week in the vein of, ‘Yes, Arlington, you and the entire Road family may already have won. . . .’ ”

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DUMB COMPUTER MISTAKES II: The piano catalog sent to Dan Fink, by the way, was addressed to Dan Sink.

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BORDER INCIDENT: Ellen Stern Harris was delighted to receive an invitation that began: “In honor of the governor-elect of the state of California and Mrs. Gray Davis, the pleasure of your company is requested at the Los Angeles Unity Ball.” But, point of order. The invite says the bash is going to be at the “Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles, California.” The Beverly Hilton is in Beverly Hills, which has not been annexed by L.A. (no matter how many times Beverly Hills asks).

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DUELING HYPERIONS: The Times reported the other day that the waste water from the upgraded Hyperion sewage treatment plant is finally meeting federal pollution standards. In a somewhat related matter, the WB network’s unfortunately named “Hyperion Bay” drama series was 87th in the latest rankings of TV shows. In the sewer, in other words.

miscelLAny:

My daughter, Sarah, was recently elected student body president of her elementary school, and her friend Natalie displayed an acute awareness of politics afterward. “I’ll be your lawyer,” Natalie said. I’m naturally very proud of Sarah, though I was fired as her campaign advisor for suggesting the slogan, “The Larvae/Support Harvey.” Hey, you try rhyming Harvey.

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Steve Harvey can be reached by phone at (213) 237-7083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com and by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053.