LA Left-Overs

...Well. I'm safely back home -- after a weather-related detour through beautiful Abilene. My Trojan Alumni newsletter just arrived, and I knew you'd want to know about the latest endowment for the USC football team: $2M for our horse, Traveler. As you may recall, the coach is endowed for $1.5M....

I also have several left-over "observations" from LA that don't fit any particular theme. So here goes:

Where else can you see: Marilyn Monroe browsing at the newsstand (on Hollywood Blvd near Grauman's Chinese Theater); Orientals hawking "Productos Latinos" and Mexicans dishing out pizza and chow mien (Grand Central Market); a waitress in '50s garb falling flat on her face with French fries flying (Mel's Diner); a clown riding the bus; and presiding clergy with botox, face lifts, and dyed hair. FYI, the latest hair-style (coming this way soon) is a Mohawk with a red stripe....

And some addenda on transit in LA: (1) Remember how I marveled at the "honor system" for the metrorail? Well, I did, in fact, get asked for my ticket 2X, and I did see lots of scofflaws lined up against the wall. I almost couldn't find my tickets once, and had visions of my back against the wall. (2) One bus driver got lost, and the passengers basically high-jacked the bus and directed him onto the freeway -- making excellent time to their preferred destination. (3) Bus benches have advertising (of course). But have you ever seen an add for holistic organic pet food??? (4) I'm pleased to report that drivers in LA still wait patiently and politely for people in crosswalks -- unlike here in DC where they scowl and creep up as close as possible to the bodies daring to cross the street; and (5) All highway identification is prefaced by "the" -- "the 10," "the 134" -- not "I" or "US." And that trend has already moved into Nevada. Let's see how long it takes to get to the East Coast!

So that's it from LA. I did not get Orange Bowl tickets through the lottery, so now I'm desperately seeking a single ticket -- ranging in the neighborhood of $500....

Take care,