Yes, It’s a Free Election, but Let’s Not Give Them Any Ideas

It’s one thing to be unaware of L.A.’s mayoral election, as were several residents polled by reporter Diane Thompson of KNX-AM (1070) on Monday. But to be unaware of what country you’re in? One passerby, informed that Tuesday was election day, asked Thompson: “Is this a free election?” The fellow didn’t disclose which generalissimo he was backing.

Anyone got a traffic map? David Chan of L.A. chanced upon a duel of street designations in downtown L.A. (see photo). One can only hope that visitors guessed the bottom sign was a direction to a filming location.

Anyone got a treasure map? I dunno. ATMs are supposed to be a convenience for bank customers, but Stuart Muller of Pacific Palisades noticed one that apparently had to be dug up (see photo).

The world of low finance (cont.): “As an attorney,” wrote Nancy Smoke, “I must advise you not to attempt to use the attached copy of a coupon” (see accompanying). Unless, that is, you’d be satisfied with saving yourself one-fourth of a cent.

Speaking of funny numbers: Did the recent flooding send the prices of some food crops skyrocketing? Patrick Squires of Ventura couldn’t believe how much one legume cost at a Taco Bell (see accompanying). “It must be a magic bean,” he declared.

Heads, you go to jail: The L.A. Daily Journal reports that a federal appeals court ruled that it’s too late to throw out a conviction in a 1995 case involving an L.A. juror who had a novel way of making up his mind about an alleged drug dealer.

The juror flipped a coin to arrive at his “guilty” vote.

The 2-1 majority of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court didn’t reverse a 1987 conviction in which there were allegations that jurors were drunk during a trial.

Now if the jurors were drunk and flipping coins ...

If it’s a good enough method for jurors: Columnist Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle has a solution for the labor impasse in the National Hockey League: “Take the latest offer proposed by each side and flip a damn coin.

“Regardless of how it comes out, both sides will remain disgustingly wealthy, neither side has to cop to the ultimate disgrace of backing down and it gets hockey fans off the streets.”

Well, we needn’t fear all hockey fans. Of course, I don’t know any hockey fans, so I’m only guessing.

miscelLAny: Eli Broad is attending the European Fine Art Fair in the Netherlands, and I’ll bet he didn’t leave home without his American Express card. In 1995, Broad achieved entry into the Guinness Book of Records when he bought a Roy Lichtenstein painting for $2.5 million and put it on that card. It earned Broad 2.5 million frequent-flier miles, which he donated to the California Institute for the Arts.