When It Comes to Wedding Gifts, Couple Makes Political Decision

Is the recall wackiness in California spilling over into the presidential campaign?

Blanche Ramirez and John Szura, who plan to marry Oct. 1, are asking their friends and families that in lieu of gifts, they donate to the presidential campaign of Howard Dean (a Democrat, in case you’ve never heard of him).

Ramirez and Szura, who are from Southern California, have set up a Dean Wedding Registry on the Internet, with “contribution levels” up to $2,000 per person.

And you thought Gray Davis had thought of every strategem.

Of course, the Southland is no stranger to unusual wedding registries.

You may recall that a few years ago, the 99 Cents Only store chain established one.

But the advantage for the Dean-supporting newlyweds is that they don’t have to worry about returning duplicate gifts; there’s no chance of them getting two toasters.

I just wonder who’s going to write the thank-you notes? The newlyweds? Or the candidate and his wife?

Is this some sort of test of will-power? In a nonsmoking motel room in Goleta, Gary and Diane Null of Valencia were surprised to see how ash trays were being used (see photo).

Dueling sales approaches: Jack Mahon of Upland spotted an “ugly” car for sale for $600 in Idaho (see photo) while G. Mooney of Glendale noticed a newspaper ad for a model in almighty condition for $1,200 (see accompanying).

Dueling approaches: Leaving a parking lot in Hawaii, Wendy Finley of Goleta saw a “caution” sign that would have persuaded me to play it safe -- and jam it into reverse (see photo).

To live and drive in L.A.: Busy afternoon traffic came to a halt at 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue when a long tractor-trailer got stuck trying to turn too sharply. Some motorists stepped out of their cars to help direct traffic, asking other drivers to back up or move forward in order to give the trucker room.

The latter finally completed his turn but not before he clipped a traffic signal, causing signals in all directions to light up red.

Oh, yes: On its side, the truck carried the slogan: “Excellence in Motion.”

miscelLAny: A suspected carjacker and armed robber was arrested in Lakewood after a police chase, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported, but not before he’d had one run-in with a 68-year-old woman. Police said that after he reached into her parked car and took her purse, she smashed a crossword puzzle book across his face. Working on a crossword puzzle can be frustrating enough without being interrupted by a robber.

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, 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.