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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

FRIDAY, DEC. 30, 2011

Quotable Quote -- Sisyphus 

"Toilet paper rolls should be equipped with a blinky red light to let you know when they're almost empty" -- posted by Sisyphus from his iPhone on his Facebook wall. To which Cindy respondes: "Still doesn't mean a person of the male persuasion would replace…

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Say No To Baby Bump, Man Cave, Etc. 

Before passing comment on someone's "baby bump," take a pregnant pause. Likewise, give up promoting "shared sacrifice." And if you're tempted to proclaim your desire to "win the future," you've lost it here in the present. Michigan's Lake Superior State University is featuring those phrases…

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Jon Cody, 10, of Coeur d'Alene donned a party hat during the Specialized Needs Recreation Camp All-Stars pre New Years Eve celebration on Thursday, December 29, 2011. Specialized Needs Recreation is a non-profit organization that provides recreational opportunities for youth and adults who have developmental disabilities. (Kathy Plonka)

AM Headlines -- 12.30.11 

Jon Cody, 10, of Coeur d'Alene donned a party hat during the Specialized Needs Recreation Camp All-Stars pre New Years Eve celebration on Thursday. Specialized Needs Recreation is a non-profit organization that provides recreational opportunities for youth and adults who have developmental disabilities. (SR photo:…

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Poll: Just Say No To Fewer Precincts

Thursday Poll: Hucks Nation doesn't support Kootenai County Clerk Cliff Hayes' proposal to cut Election Department costs by reducing the number of county precincts from 71 to 44. 71 of 120 respondents (59.17%) opposed the plan, which will be discussed by county commissioners next week.…

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Resort Part Of Oregon Travel Cost 

Prior to Christmas, Harry Esteve of The Oregonian wrote of spending on travel by Oregon officials that stayed "remarkably steady," despite one of the worst recessions ever. Writes Esteve: "State agencies, boards and commissions spent roughly $42 million on travel in 2009, $39 million in…

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Lewiston Sears Among Closures 

The Sears store at Lewiston Center Mall is on a list of 79 Sears and Kmart stores that will be closed in 2012. Store officials weren't authorized to comment regarding the number of employees affected or the closing date. Inquiries were referred to corporate media…

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Denney Gets Parting 2011 Jeer 

JEERS ... to Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale. The ethically challenged speaker had a banner year. Here's a sample: He single-handedly blocked the House Revenue and Taxation Committee from even exploring the idea of joining a multi-state consortium pledged to help states collect the…

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Almost Out With The Old 

Children of migrant workers lie on the snow to form the number "2012" while celebrating the coming new year in front in front of a snow sculpture in Harbin, in northeastern China's Heilongjiang province earlier today. (AP Photo) Question: How do you plan to ring…

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Mr. Gookin Goes To City Hall 

On his Facebook wall Thursday, City Councilman-elect Dan Gookin posted this business card with the note: "The email address won't work until next week, but until then . . . TA-DA!" DFO: Did I just hear Phaedrus' head explode out there?

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Amazon Best Xmas Seller? Levis 

The top clothing product sold on Amazon.com in December -- hands down -- was Levi jeans. In a $Money article, reporter David Goldman writes: "Levi's jeans were the most-purchased clothing items. In fact, Amazon customers bought enough jeans that, when folded and stacked, would make…

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Press: Just Say No To Negative Ads 

The local strategy has been simple, effective and underhanded. Work hard on campaigning and then, just before an election, saturate the market with a negative ad ripping an opponent more than building up the supported candidate. Sad thing is, that approach works. Even if most…

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Santa Delivers, Gets $400 Ticket 

It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Mike “Finn” Finocchiaro was dressed as Santa. His two daughters – ages 2 and 6 – were done up as elves, as were his wife and sister. In the back of the truck were boxes full of presents…

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THURSDAY, DEC. 29, 2011

Wild Card/Thursday -- 12.29.11 

Amy Dearest ends her 10-day run as the guest of Mrs. O and me today. A lot of wedding planning and hair-pulling occurred during the Christmas holidays. You'd think weddings would be simple by now, after all these years of couples walking the aisle and…

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Parting Shot -- 12.29.11

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has his picture taken with Amy Bleyle, of Ames, Iowa, during a campaign stop at Kinzler Construction in Ames, Iowa, earlier today. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Wa-Post Picks Up CdA Pot Story 

H/T to David Cole /Coeur d'Alene Press for that gift-wrapped pot story that now has gone national. Here's the first two graphs from Washington Post online story: "A Washington state man faces felony marijuana trafficking charges after an officer found 3.3 pounds of marijuana wrapped…

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PM Scanner Traffic -- 12.29.11

5:47 p.m. Possible restraining order violation reported @ Seltice Way & Corbin/PF. 5:43 p.m. A loose dog is creating a traffic hazard @ 9th & Harrison/CdA. 5:18 p.m. A possible illegal burn is reported @ Seasons & Clagstone/Athol. 5:09 p.m. Caller reports 2 suspicious males…

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PM: Vet Warns Of Huffing Addiction

Aaron Draper relays his story of becoming addicted to huffing aerosol cans while incarcerated at the Ada County Jail in Boise Dec. 19. Draper was an Army flight medic when he was injured in an IED attack in Iraq and subsequently suffered from PTSD and…

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SR Weekly News Quiz 

There's still time to enter the weekly Spokesman-Review news quiz, prepared by colleague Jim Camden, to win prizes. The News Quiz is tough. But you can still qualify for a prize simply by entering. You can find the rules here. And: you can enter the…

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Cindy: Hanging Onto Holiday Tradition

When Tevye and the cast belt out “Tradition” in “Fiddler on the Roof,’ they’re singing my song.I, especially, love the ritual, familiarity and comfort of holiday traditions. For me, it begins on the day after Thanksgiving. While many folks shop til they drop on Black…

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Verizon To Charge $2 Online Bill Fee 

Verizon Wireless will soon make some customers pay for the privilege of paying their bills. The nation's largest wireless company is instituting a $2 "convenience charge" for those customers who make one-time bill payments using a debit or credit card, either online or by telephone.…

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NIdaho Blogs -- 12.29.11

On her Idaho Scenic Images Facebook wall, Linda Lantzy posts this photo of fog on the Pend Oreille at Usk, Wash. Savage winter beauty of Oregon Coast/Atmospheric Ruminations I'm the guy, today is the day, this is the place/Bay Views Stuck up to axles in…

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3 More Idaho Solons Pledge Sobriety 

On Tuesday, I wrote about the effort of ex-DUI offender Scott Andrus to secure promises of sobriety from all 105 lawmakers for the upcoming session. As of then, Andrus had 17 responses, with 13 vowing temperance and four offering equivocal answers. Andrus says he's received…

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DFO's Critters: Klepto Croc 15 

Elvis, a giant saltwater crocodile swims next to a lawnmower in his pool at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford, Australia, Wednesday. The 16-foot (5-meter), 1,100-pound crocodile lunged out of its lagoon at a park worker tending to the lawn before stealing his lawn mower.…

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Statesman: Nullification Wastes Time 

Health care could be the defining issue of the 2012 legislative session. But how will lawmakers choose to define the issue? They should not fixate on revisiting one of the most tiresome and pointless arguments of the 2011 session - making another wrongheaded run at…

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Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.




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