The Wrong Cops to Have a Run-In With

Maybe the armed suspect believed the myth that all cops are doughnut addicts. But for whatever reason, when he spotted two LAPD officers on foot, he threw down his gun and made a run for it.

Unfortunately for him, Officers Steve Hernandez and Edgar Hernandez like to run, having participated in both the Baker-to-Vegas Relay and the L.A. Marathon, according to the Thin Blue Line, an LAPD newspaper.

This race was much shorter for the officers.

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Eye-opener: Peter Grant pointed out that an Auto Club map of downtown L.A. evidently blended “Museum of Contemporary Art” with “Grand Avenue” to create a strange brew (see accompanying).

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Unreal estate: Ken Kolb of Northridge came across a listing for a ranch that should be called a “ranchette,” judging from its square footage (see accompanying).

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What-Were-They-Thinking Department: A reader couldn’t help but notice that an ad for an enema listed some odd ingredients (see accompanying).

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We’re No. 4!: L.A. was listed as the city with the fourth-rudest drivers, behind Miami, Phoenix and New York (in that order), according to a poll by AutoVantage, a travel services firm. Minneapolis commuters were the politest.

The KCOP-TV Channel 13 news asked viewers to e-mail the station the rudest things drivers had done to them in L.A. One viewer said another driver “had their young child flip me off.” Another viewer said a passenger in a car “jumped into the back seat and mooned me out the back window.”

Can any readers top those insults?

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Speaking of driving: Craig and Debbie Walker saw a message on an overhead sign in Anaheim for rude drivers who want to repent (see photo).

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I knew George Tirebiter: In response to an item here about USC’s homeless canine mascot of the 1940s, alumna Barbara Argue Bowen wrote: “I want to clear up the nonsense that he was ‘mangy.’ He had a rough coat because he was probably part Airedale. However, he was healthy, thanks to the fraternity and sorority people who looked after him.

“My future husband, Jack Bowen, was a member of the USC band, and George Tirebiter and I used to stand together at the fence where the USC band practiced. I would share sandwiches and cookies with George, and he was quite appreciative.”

Good for Tirebiter. I think he liked to chew on white-walls more, though.

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miscelLAny: Dale Franz contends that, contrary to reports, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Steve Westly did not misspeak when he said, “I will not do a single negative ad on TV.” Franz points out that he hasn’t done a “single” negative ad but two or three, at least.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.