Lunch

Mark Baida was pleased with his latest taste test: lots of empty little black trays, sometimes stacked three deep in front of his guinea pigs, a group of Garfield High School students. But the pressure is on the new executive chef of the Los Angeles Unified School District: Demands are growing from parent groups, the school board and students for food that is delicious, healthful, served quickly -- and really, really inexpensive.

"I kissed her goodbye this morning at 6 o'clock. And I said, 'See you in a couple weeks.'" Pat Riley, Miami coach, on taking his wife, Chris, to lunch, two movies and dinner during a break in the Heat's bid to reach the NBA Finals.

Last Sunday's headlines on the two UCLA-related stories: "Players Relish Role of Pac-10 Underdogs" and "Wooden Relishes Chance to Watch Favorite Sport." Did the editors just come back from lunch at Pink's, or do they think the Bruins are a bunch of hot dogs? RON GEE \o7El Segundo \f7

Golf: An item in Wednesday's Morning Briefing in Sports said that Tom Watson chipped in on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach to win the 1986 U.S. Open. It was the 1982 Open. Also, another item said Arnold Palmer had lunch with friends the day before the fourth round of the 1960 U.S. Open. Actually, in 1960, the third and fourth rounds were played on the same day. Palmer had lunch with friends between rounds.

Part of a six-floor parking deck near downtown Atlanta collapsed during lunch hour, crushing at least 35 cars. There were no reports of injuries, but crews were stabilizing the building so firefighters could search car by car.

Re " 'News' Video Extols Gov.'s Plan," Feb. 28: Last year, the Bush administration took a lot of heat from Congress when it produced videos that looked like news reports but were just political propaganda extolling the supposed virtues of Bush-backed Medicare reform. Apparently learning nothing from that experience, the Schwarzenegger administration followed suit with faux "news" videos extolling the regressive Republican effort to deny most hourly workers a guaranteed lunch break. This alone would be appalling, but, shamefully, the video contained a representative of Mimi's Cafe -- a company that is a defendant in class-action litigation under the current regulations -- all but putting on the company's case at taxpayer expense, and with no disclosure of the company's direct financial interest in a change in the rules.

By not allowing lunch breaks during the Michael Jackson trial, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville is acting as if his court is a banana republic where he presides as its petty dictator ("Jackson Judge Has Everyone Running on Empty," March 19). I wonder what food he consumes in his chambers during the three 10-minute breaks he allows the jury, court staff, attorneys and others in the courtroom that he has under his thumb. Equally disturbing is that those affected by his illegal no-lunch order have yet to rebel.

Re "Don't mess with Marshall Field's," Opinion, Sept. 25 As a former Chicagoan, I couldn't agree more. I can remember 75 years ago when, as a small child, my mother would take me shopping and then to lunch in Marshall Field's tearooms (they had several in the State Street store then). It was the highlight of my week. Many years later, I took my two daughters there for lunch and shopping, to their delight. The downtown store is a true icon, as is the name. Although I have been a Californian for 37 years, Marshall Field's is still my standard of a great department store, and the name must be preserved!

"It's the Best $1,000 Lunch in Town" (Oct. 6) was a real revelation to me. It shows how things really get done in this city. I only hope the neighborhood councils, homeowner associations and others who represent the residents and taxpayers will learn from this example of what it takes to get the ears of the powers that be. It's high time the playing field gets leveled. Thank you for exposing the truth. Dorothy Garven Los Angeles So lunch with Mayor James Hahn starts at $1,000.