The Sweet Side of Politics

Like states that move up the dates of their primaries to get a jump on New Hampshire, I’m starting my own presidential ice cream flavor poll before Glendale-based Baskin-Robbins does. Here are some of the early reader nominees:

Al Gore inspired Al B Fund Raisin from Kelly Fogarty of Manhattan Beach and Inter Nut Crunch from Jeff Bliss of San Luis Obispo. George W. was honored with Daddy’s Little Boysenberry from Christine Lehman. Ralph Nader was represented by No Mint Green (by a reader who left no name). And Pat Buchanan? An All Kinds of Nuts flavor, said Jim Goodenough.

A HOUSING CRUNCH: Charles Journey of Ventura noticed that a computerized piece of junk mail had him living in some narrow confines (see accompanying).

ON THE ROAD: Visiting Baja California, Carol Sanders of Moorpark spotted a menu with what can only be described as a disastrous rendering of a mustard name (see photo).

SPEAKING OF BOO-BOOS: Dan Goldfarb of Northridge found a company that can “speak your language,” though it’s not as good at spelling (see accompanying).

DIDN’T CATCH THE NAME: They’re members of the creative community, which, I guess, is why you can count on folks in the entertainment industry to come up with such creative names for their kids. Woody Allen and Soon Yi just adopted a daughter whom they named Manzie Tio. A previously adopted daughter was named Bechet Dumaine .

Some other celebs’ kids with flashy monikers:

* Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle (daughters of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore)

* Brooklyn Joseph (son of Victoria Adams, a.k.a. Posh Spice)

* Indio (son of Robert Downey Jr.)

* China (daughter of Grace Slick)

* Ireland (daughter of Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin)

* Jaden (son of Christian Slater)

* Jett (son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston)

* Moon Unit and Diva (daughters of Frank Zappa)

* Dweezil (son of Zappa)

And, if you don’t mind, I’ll include British singer Bob Geldof’s daughters: Peaches, Pixie and Fifi Trixibelle.

DIAL I FOR INGRATE: I was in a Long Beach eatery when a diner came up to the bartender and handed him a cell phone that somebody had left behind. A few minutes later, a harried young man rushed in, asking for same. The bartender handed it to him. The forgetful fellow started to leave when a bystander pointed out the woman who had found his phone. “Whatever,” he said, and rushed out the door.

miscelLAny:

Lotto prizes that have gone unclaimed in California include tickets worth $25 million (purchased in West L.A., Jan. 8, 2000), $16.4 million (Garden Grove, Sept. 12, 1990), $6.44 million (Montebello, Sept. 23, 1992), $4 million (Corona, April 5, 1995) and $4 million (Anaheim, May 27, 1998). Prizes unclaimed after 180 days are donated to public education, where kids can improve their reading skills at least to the point where they can detect winning numbers on Lotto tickets.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.