Some Rules Don’t Apply to a Horse, of Course
Call it fine breeding. Before Tuesday’s USC-Oklahoma game, careful Orange Bowl officials drew up a strict code of conduct for the schools’ mascots. Oklahoma, which is represented by the Sooner Schooner on the sidelines, was warned that “taunting, foul language and inappropriate/rowdy behavior will not be tolerated.” But, noted USA Today, the guidelines did not include “language limitations” on USC’s well-behaved Traveler. And, sure enough, the horse did no gloating over the Trojan victory.
Real ersatz: On a visit to Turkey, John Williams of Simi Valley encountered a merchant who issued an unusual guarantee about his timepieces (see photo).
Those wacky local ordinances ... : “I think high heels are outrageous, too,” wrote Judy Silk, “but on the pier in Santa Barbara, they’re an out-and-out no-no” (see photo).
Off course: My old colleague George Fry noticed that a Caltrans worker forgot to consult a dictionary before posting a sign on Lewis Road (California Highway 54) in Camarillo (see photo).
He’s No. 1! L.A. Mayor Jim Hahn, in a tough reelection fight amid corruption probes into his last campaign, was ranked in a tie for first in the “Giving Laid-Back a Bad Name” category by the publication California Political Week. Hahn’s co-honoree was San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy.
All torn up: When Andrew Kendall tried to withdraw money from a Bank of America ATM in West L.A., one of the $20 bills “came out halfway. I thought, well, shoot, I don’t want to tear it, so I asked the ATM for more money (and paid another fee). Anyway, once the other money came out, my twenty was torn in half.”
Kendall “showed the twenty to a teller, who then had to get a supervisor, who then checked with the manager, who then told me that there was nothing Bank of America could do. The ATMs are handled by a subcontractor.
“I did point out that I have a little more than half of the twenty (I have most of Jackson’s dour face), so they should simply exchange it.
“Bank of America said it had no [policy] for exchanging torn twenties.
“Turns out I am supposed to take the matter up with my bank and do a ‘wire dispute affidavit.’ ”
Kendall concluded by asking me: “If you hear from a subcontractor with half a twenty who can’t get the other half from Bank of America, please have him drop me a line. I want that other half!”
miscelLAny: Alan Beauchesne points out that the chairman and chief executive of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, which is the subject of several probes into its accounting practices, is ironically named Scott Livengood.
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.