Odors in the news

Sure it's not the Westside stench, or even the Long Beach reek, but sensitive noses have again come through. An American Airlines 757 headed for Miami returned to LAX about 10:20 this morning after the pilot smelled a "strong electrical odor in the cabin." Passengers on flight 898 will be moved to a later Miami-bound aircraft this afternoon while the 757 is checked.

And at Blogging.la, Joz tracked down the answer to why her Crystal Geyser water smelled like (her word) "phlegm." The company says that bottle caps used at Crystal Geyser's Olancha plant beside Highway 395 in the Owens Valley were made with a resin that degrades to a funky aroma and taste. Customers are invited to return the bottles to their store for an exchange.