When It Comes to the Sheriff, You Can’t Believe Everything You See on TV

Edward Dorado of La Puente was channel surfing when an image of a startling newspaper headline suddenly appeared on his TV screen: “Sheriff Baca Resigns.� If you haven’t heard the news, it’s because the headline had nothing to do with the L.A. County sheriff. Rather, Dorado had tuned into a 1950s Disney series that starred Robert Loggia as a Western lawman named Elfego Baca.

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Make your reservations early: How feverishly are overseas destinations working to lure back American travelers? Writer Norm Sklarewitz of Hollywood received a news release touting a tour of the public restrooms of Seoul, South Korea. Cost is $24 for the two-plus-hour walking expedition, says the Korean National Tourism Organization.

Highlights include the opportunity to enjoy the “best night view [of Seoul] from a restroom,� a restroom that offers “unique paintings� and a third where guests may sample “Turkish Hakka cigarettes.�

Quipped Sklarewitz: “Why can’t the L.A. Convention and Visitors Bureau come up with ideas like that?�

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Places to go (cont.): Actually, several months ago I did find a private Web site that gave out tips on noteworthy restrooms in L.A.

Among those lauded were the facilities of the Hotel W in Westwood, which were described this way: “The black marble is exquisite and the porcelain could not be whiter. The most impressive thing, however, is the fine quality of the disposable towels.�

Alas, the Web site address seems to be defunct. I guess it went the way of a lot of other Internet businesses--down the toilet.

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Speaking of unusual tourist stops: Norm Laufe of Laguna Woods was traveling through Canon City, Colo., when he chanced upon a business operated by a husband and wife (see photo). “She has a beauty salon,� Laufe said, “and he details cars and is a taxidermist.�

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You think Beverly Hills stylists are expensive ... Maxine Young of Rancho Palos Verdes noticed a salon in Torrance with some eyebrow-raising rates (see accompanying).Wonder if the workers expect tips, as well?

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A little privacy, please! Carrie Beem and Lenny Langevin forwarded an ad for a house that sounds nice, except for the nosy neighbors (see accompanying).

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Stupid Criminal Tricks: An intruder who used a torch in an attempt to cut through the side of an ATM machine was arrested after he started a fire.

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Was a business student responsible for the goof? USC’s Daily Trojan reported that officers of the Student Senate “were bewildered to find that an extra $95,000 had been accumulating in the contingency fund for the last two years.� You know, I thought I heard cries of “Party time!� as I drove down the nearby Harbor Freeway.

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miscelLAny: The latest in memorable movie marquees comes from Frank Mulvey of West Hollywood, who offers this oldie from the 1950s in New York’s Times Square: THE MAN IN THE GRAY FLANNEL SUIT & ASSORTED SHORTS.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, 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 [email protected].