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Is it because the ocean is more polluted these days? Sarah Lifton chanced upon a San Diego-area real estate sign that assured buyers they wouldn’t be subjected to much of the Pacific (see photo).
As for furnishings...: F. Jane Bush of Palm Desert spotted the most interesting invention -- a chair that can be used as a chair (see accompanying).
The Little Old Lady from Pasadena excepted: The Pomona fairgrounds’ Domestic Arts Building, which once showed off displays of knitting, baked goods and home canning, is now the home of the National Hot Rod Assn. Museum.
And, so, as columnist David Allen of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin observed, the County Fair folks no longer tout the building full of souped-up jalopies as “the exhibit hall Mom won’t want to miss.”
Vroom, vroom, vroom (cont.): Phil Proctor of Beverly Hills noticed on a receipt that one restaurant’s tamales might qualify for the hot rod museum (see accompanying).
It’s all Greek to me: On a river cruise in China, Liz Wood of Long Beach saw an ambiguous sign on one door (see photo). She suspects it was supposed to say “staff.”
Aptly named: As I grudgingly filled out a check to the state Franchise Tax Board on Tuesday, I happened to see that the form involved was titled Personal Income Tax -- PIT for short. It’s the PITs for Californians.
Shaq alert: Not sure if you heard, but the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal failed to attend a team practice the other day, claiming he had two flat tires on the San Diego Freeway.
Shaq, I’m going to blow the whistle on you for a weak excuse, even if true. For future reference, here are a few actual alibis from absent or late employees that the staffing agency Accountemps has compiled:
* “My dog swallowed my car keys.”
* “My car keys fell into the toilet.”
* “A helicopter landed in the street and I couldn’t get around it.”
* “I hit a mountain lion on the way to work.”
* And, of course: “My favorite actress just got married -- I needed time alone.”
Further proof some guys just eat and sleep golf: The police log of the Saddleback Valley News said a complaint was made by the Lake Forest Golf and Practice Center “about a transient who is living in a tent in the riverbed of the golf course.”
miscelLAny: I received a piece of porn e-mail with a subject heading that was supposed to be enticing but said the opposite of what was intended. So it merely brought back memories of old dating disasters of mine. The subject heading said: “I can wait to see you again.”
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Reach Steve Harvey at L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012 or steve.harvey@latimes.com.
