Bad VIBE: We always root for the...

Bad VIBE: We always root for the underdog, so it’s nice to see that little Time Warner Inc. hasn’t been intimidated by criticism of recent products such as Madonna’s book, “Sex,” Ice-T’s recording, “Cop Killer,” and Oliver Stone’s movie, “J.F.K.”

Time Warner, in fact, has now locked horns with a giant in the publishing industry--VIBE, the campus publication at USC.

“Time Publishing Ventures Inc. is the publisher of VIBE magazine and the owner of the VIBE trademark,” Time Warner wrote the USC newspaper. “We hereby demand that you immediately and permanently discontinue all use of the name VIBE.”

Believe it or not, Time Warner appears to have won the power struggle.

The USC newspaper has asked students to suggest a new name. We’d rule out “Schlock,” which has also become synonymous with Time Warner.

Sig Alerts of the season: Stalled on the San Diego Freeway the other day was a truck loaded with Christmas trees.

On dunderhead!That was the crack that one reader leveled at us after we criticized a Christmas card with a reindeer named “Donder.” Numerous callers pranced and danced all over us, pointing out that “Donder” appeared in the Clement Moore poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”

We admit our mistake. And, we hope that Gene Autry will do the same for crooning “Donner” in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Excitement drought: The coming Rose Bowl has generated only modest local interest--except, perhaps, for the current investigations into the University of Washington’s athletic department. So the Metropolitan Water District is attempting to give the game deeper meaning.

“According to calculations by MWD’s slide rule experts,” a press release said, “the Rose Bowl could hold about 153 million gallons (of water) if you sealed off the exits and turned on the taps.”

How about french fries?: Scott Dewees noticed a Japanese restaurant in Long Beach whose display case includes non-available dishes (see photo).

On a dismal note . . .: Barry Vander Kelen of West L.A. had his car stereo stolen and, in its place, found a note that said, “Thank you.” Said Vander Kelen: “On the one hand, I was infuriated. On the other, I was impressed that the guy could spell.”

miscelLAny:

This approach might not work in Dubuque, Iowa. But in felony-plagued L.A. County, the Sheriff’s Department uses the following squib in its recruitment pitch: “Dull jobs are a crime.”