Palisades Residents Seek to Cut Through the Noise and Get Chief’s Attention

LAPD Chief William J. Bratton hears an earful about crime whenever he appears at community meetings, and his recent Pacific Palisades visit was no different.

Well, maybe a bit different. The Palisadian-Post’s account was confined to a local group’s presentation to the chief of a handbook titled, “Proposal for Uniform Training for Enforcement of City’s Leaf-Blower Law and Other Applicable Laws.” Sad, but true -- Palisades homeowners complain they are plagued by serial leaf-blowers.

Drop in! Well, I thought I’d found a bit of good news for Santa Claus -- the Jolly Old Elf wouldn’t have to squeeze down the chimney at one house that’s on the market in Santa Ana (see accompanying). But I checked with the real estate agent and he said the ad was supposed to say “scraped.”

From sleighs to planes: On a visit to New Jersey, John Weingartner of Orange concluded: “I guess Newark Airport is for landings only.” (see photo).

Back to Santa: As a mail carrier, writes John Hendry of Van Nuys, “I became ‘friends’ with a little 4-year-old girl who’d see me every day delivering the mail to her apartment building.

“The day after Christmas, I asked the little girl what she got for Christmas. She went on about Barbie, a Disney video, other toys, and then, thinking to change the subject, she asked me: ‘Did Santa give you plenty of mail to play with for Christmas?’ ”

Speaking of gifts: Sue Lewis of Long Beach saw an ad that seemed to warn guys not to buy any faucet jewelry (see accompanying).

Passing the buck: In Anchorage, Alaska, Marty Mickelson of West Hills observed, “Inflation has struck a dollar store” (see photo).

PigAlert commentary: Jenifer Divine of L.A. wasn’t surprised by the item here about a porker holding up freeway traffic. Just another road hog, she said.

Mischievous California item of the week: On the website of WKMG-TV of Orlando, Fla., Jeff Bliss couldn’t help but notice this headline: “Branson Says Schwarzenegger Trying to Woo Virgin.”

The story, of course, was merely a report that the governor wants airline tycoon Richard Branson’s Virgin Group to base a low-rate airline in California.

Ex files: Southern California’s Divorce Magazine -- yes, there really is such a publication -- advertises a service for those with rocky marriages: “Psychic Detective ... Know the truth. Spy on your mate/friends. Learn dark secrets.”

I like the concept. Rather than hire a private eye to peer through someone’s window, you can just look into the psychic detective’s crystal ball to expose that cheater.

miscelLAny: On Don Barrett’s laradio.com Web site, KZLA personality Peter Tilden quipped:

“Our insurance plan here at the station is so bad, it says if you lose an eye or a limb, they’ll send someone over to help you look for it.”

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATimes, Ext. 77083, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.