For at Least One Observer of Richard Nixon, the Eyes Had It

Richard Nixon has inspired a lot of comments but here’s one I’ve never heard before. In the Daily Breeze in Torrance, Ethel Pattison, age 80, L.A. International Airport’s historian, recalled meeting Nixon during a campaign stop and thinking that he had “the most beautiful brown eyes I’ve ever seen -- and I’m not an eye person.”

Dueling movie extravaganzas: I don’t know why Smogdance, a festival of short films in Claremont, has never achieved the status of Sundance, that Utah event.

Maybe Smogdance doesn’t result in mega-million-dollar deals but every one of its filmmakers receives free popcorn -- unless the machine breaks down, which it sometimes does.

Smogdance, which was held earlier this month, will announce its six winners this week. They will receive $50 in cash and $400 worth of software each.

I’m sad to say that Smogdance, like Sundance, is getting very choosy.

Among the rejected entries this year was “Santa Claus Puppet Happy Hour.” It’s about a puppet Santa who is a serial killer.

I love Christmas movies.

Lawyers at work? On a drive through Yucca Valley, Les Kopel of Oxnard saw a notice about a legal proceeding -- on a permanent sign (see photo).

Guess the trial is expected to go on indefinitely, like Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce in Charles’ Dickens “Bleak House.”

Sounds like...: Kathleen White noticed that an innocent reference to wainscoting (a type of wall paneling) in a South Bay ad contained a misspelling that gave it a more ominous ring (see accompanying).

Food for thought: A restaurant where you can get a “buzz” on before you have a drink was spotted by Kathleen Austin of Whittier (see accompanying).

Unclear on the Concept: In Bakersfield, Scott Rosenlieb chanced upon “23th” Street, no doubt not far from 11st Avenue and 7rd Drive (see photo).

Unclear on the Concept II: Elizabeth Stein of Santa Monica received a piece of computerized mail that said in part: “Your biological clock is ticking -- you know you want at least one child. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Jewish male Mensan, brilliant musician, spiritual giant, quick-witted, occasionally humble, strong family history, interested in finding a Jewish woman with whom to have a child.” It listed a website.

Stein’s biological clock, as it happens, has many ticks left. She’s 21.

miscelLANy: Today’s “Duh!” winner, noticed by Donna Whiting of Huntington Beach, was a label on a fire log that said: “Caution: Risk of Fire.”

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.