Valleytalk

Deflating Thought Maybe it’s a sign of the times. Los Angeles may be known for its kitsch, but some folks are putting their feet down on those big inflatable balloons perched atop a number of businesses. The L.A. City Council has called for an ordinance prohibiting all inflatable icons, saying they’re an eyesore and potentially dangerous. Among those who are none too happy with the possibility are the folks at North Hollywood Toyota, which for 10 years has adorned its roof with a variety of inflatable creatures, including Godzilla and Simba from the “Lion King” film. “It’s ridiculous,” said Chris Ashworth, general manager at the dealership. “We paid $1.5 million in taxes to the city last year, (and customers are) going to go to Orange County where they still have balloons.” King of the Jungle When it comes to fanatics, some say Tarzana attracts more than most communities. And with the opening of Walt Disney’s “Tarzan,” that fanaticism is hitting an all-time high. A slew of Tarzan fans recently hit town on their way to or from the annual Tarzan convention also known as the “Dum Dum” festival held this year at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills. At the convention, fans discussed such topics as Tarzan philosophy, rumors about Tarzan, and the life of Edgar Rice Burroughs. In Tarzana, where Burroughs lived, they tried to soak up even more Tarzan lore. “It’s like going to Mecca,” said Dale Jacobs, Tarzana Chamber of Commerce president. “It’s like a religion or like Trekkies. I don’t want to say that they’re pests.” Screaming for Ice Cream If something seems a little off on your next visit to Dodger Stadium, it might be this: You’re no longer hearing the distinctive sound of concessionaires yelling “Cool-A-Coo! Cool-A-Coo!” A dispute between Whittier-based Cool-A-Coo Ice Cream Co. Inc. and the Dodgers has ended the selling of the Cool-A-Coo a chocolate-covered sandwich with a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two oatmeal cookies that’s been a stadium staple for more than 25 years. Leo Politis, president and owner of Cool-A-Coo, said the Dodgers demanded a fee exactly how much is not clear in order to sell the item. Such a fee has long been standard for larger vendors, he said, but was never charged to his relatively small firm until Peter O’Malley sold the team to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. Sam Fernandez, general counsel for the team, would not discuss the dispute. “It’s not sold anymore at Dodger Stadium, and I’m not going to comment as to why at this time,” he said. Tough Competition You might think an adult entertainment convention would be a big draw in L.A. But the organizers of Erotic L.A. had their doubts about how many people would be drawn to this month’s event at the Convention Center. So they took lots of steps to create a comfortable, non-threatening environment so the public would feel good about attending. Among other things, they worked in advance with the LAPD to make sure everyone was clear on where to draw the line on exhibiting such explicit material. But the real problem was the plethora of adult theaters and shops around town. “L.A. is probably a tougher market than other cities to draw people to this type of event, because there is already an enormous availability of adult entertainment here,” said organizer Ron Miller. Scary Stuff So really, how scary is the millennium bug? With 200 days to go before the dawn of Y2K, the L.A. office of the Federal Reserve put that question to fifth-graders throughout the city as part of a special contest and got some interesting answers back. The first-prize drawing depicts the inner workings of a behemoth computer set upon by a T-Rex fighting off spaceships, tanks, soldiers, cannons and a really big “bug buster” gun. Nearby is a glass case containing a hammer with a sign reading. “In case of Y2K bug, break glass.” “It’s not meant to be literal,” says Calvin Naito, a Federal Reserve spokesman. “The point is, it shows a team approach is needed to tackle the problem.” Home Sweet Home Got a good reason to squirm out of your mortgage payments for the next few months? If so, just put it in writing and submit it to a contest being staged by Sea Breeze Mortgage Services and Glendale-based KIEV-AM 870. Those who make the best case for why they are deserving of such a reprieve will win free mortgage payments. First-prize winner will get his or her mortgage paid for six months, second prize is four months of payments, and third prize is two months. What kinds of things can make homeowners winners? David Cooper, a spokesman for Sea Breeze, said the company is looking for people who have some interesting arguments. So far, no one has claimed they need the money for something really important, like taking a vacation or quitting their job. The winners will be announced on the air during the Larry Marino, George Putnam and Ray Briem shows on June 24.