SAY AGAIN? Talk about red tape. ....

SAY AGAIN? Talk about red tape. . . . The Cal State University system’s procurement office in Los Alamitos ordered a $49 management book. But it also asked from the publisher: a copyright infringement waiver, paperwork for a 38% tax withholding, a vendor form, small-business certification, a non-resident tax form, plus the status of its minority/women employment and the publisher’s drug awareness program. . . . The publisher, in a letter printed by the Wall Street Journal this week, wrote back: “We suggest that you purchase our book at a bookstore.”

EVERYBODY’S CHIEF: A Laguna Beach gay political group called the Elections Committee has for the first time presented its annual Humanitarian Award to two police chiefs: Neil J. Purcell, Jr. of Laguna Beach and Manuel Ortega of Placentia. . . . At a dinner both attended, it lauded Ortega for supporting gays and helping create a training video used nationwide to sensitize police to gay issues. Purcell was praised as “a powerful ally, dedicated to justice for all.”

COSTUME BALL: For the first time, Disneyland will waive admission charges and start early hours for guests who don costumes to the park on Halloween--between 6 and 8:30 a.m. “If you walk up with a briefcase and say, ‘I’m a lawyer,’ you get in free. We will be real lenient,” says Disney spokeswoman Pam Espinosa. Once inside, you should soon change back to normal clothes, for security and safety reasons. . . . Added attraction: Rick Dees of KIIS-FM will do his morning show from there.

HAPPY FORTY-NINE: Next October is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. But they celebrate all the U.N. birthdays at Chapman University. . . . Today’s U.N. salute--a lunchtime international food and entertainment fair for the public--will highlight most of the 40 countries represented with students at Chapman. Says Rachel Field, one student coordinator: “It’s our way of thinking globally and acting locally.”