This Time, the Teacher Gets a History Lesson

The fifth-graders in Diane Maddox’s class in Panorama City were discussing the Lewis and Clark expedition when a student raised his hand and asked, “Why did they name the ‘Superman’ show after those guys?”

Maddox said that “it took me a moment until I realized he was talking about the TV show, ‘Lois and Clark.’ ”

ANGELENOS ON THE ROAD: Jewell Jones of San Pedro found a somewhat suggestive sign in the Sacramento area (see photo). Sure, it’s a laundry, but. . .

LIST OF THE DAY: Paul Ecker of Diamond Bar imagines that one result of Rupert Murdoch’s purchase of the Dodgers is that several of Fox’s TV shows will be retitled to reflect baseball themes. Some examples (with the new show in parentheses):

* “Melrose Place” (“Stadium Way”)

* “Beverly Hills, 90210” (“Chavez Ravine, 90031”)

* “King of the Hill” (“Ace of the Mound”)

* “Living Single” (“Run-Scoring Single”)

* “Cops” (“Umps”)

And I think an adventure series even more baffling than “The X-Files” could be based on the mysterious statistics broadcast during Dodger games by Ross Porter.

HAIR-RAISING STUFF: “Malibu has a hair salon to dye for,” wrote Roy Ringer, enclosing a shot of Insurrection (see photo). Wonder how the temperament of the cutters there compares to that of the cutters in another salon featured here recently--one named Tantrum?

10 YEARS AGO IN L.A.: Kalispell, Mont., Police Det. Ron Young wanted some “hands-on experience” dealing with homicides because “we only have maybe one a year up here.” So he signed on with the Los Angeles Police Department’s 77th Street Division for two weeks.

The first night he drew his weapon 13 times--more than in 17 years on the Kalispell force. “It was shocking,” Young said afterward.

WELCOME, MILITIAS! This eerie “visitor information tip” was spotted by Kenneth Bowman of Claremont in an L.A. magazine: “The policy of the U.S. government is to complete customs and immigration for militias at the first point of arrival in the United States, even though such point may be only an intermediate stop en route.”

Commented Bowman: “This may explain processing delays at LAX. But where are the militias headed?”

L.A. HOT JAZZ: Don Fraser of North Hollywood reports that jazz fans got a treat the other night when Noni Bernardi, a saxophone player from the Big Band Era, sat in with the Art DePew Band at Leon’s Steak House. Noni was known more formally as Ernani Bernardi during his subsequent career as an L.A. city councilman, where he could sound some strident notes when he didn’t like the deal his district was getting.

RAISING A “TITANIC” POINT: Writer Roy Harris points out that one verse of “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” sung at a church service in the movie “Titanic” beseeches God to “save all who dare the eagle’s flight/And keep them by thy watchful care/From every peril in the air.”

Obviously, air safety wasn’t much of an issue in 1912, when the movie was set. This verse was actually written by Robert Nelson Spencer in 1937.

I record this boo-boo in the interest of historical accuracy, even though I know someone will accuse me of hurting the movie’s showing at the box office.

miscelLAny:

Is nothing sacred? Harry Kirshner of Pasadena found an odd sign advertising costume “jewelery” (see photo). That’s California--”drop your pants” signs outside, and “sidewalk sales” inside.