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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bagpipes Stadium May Be A Foul Ball

Doug Floyd Interactive Editor

Since Gov. Mike Lowry and the Legislature think state taxpayers should help build a stadium to keep the Seattle Mariners in Washington, a line may form on the capitol steps.

Bob Walker of Veradale says he’s been struggling for 32 years to run a sound business.

“Had I known that all I had to do was threaten to pull my business out of Washington in order to get taxes forgiven and have a new office building built, I would have done this years ago.”

But, wait. Haven’t you heard of Mariner fever?

Jon A. Holloway of Spokane, doesn’t think the hype of one successful season justifies all the political attention. “It’s like a D-plus to C-minus student gets an A for once, and he and his teachers feel he’s entitled to a fully-paid scholarship to Yale or Princeton.”

Lisa Hussey, Spokane, asks if state money was involved in building Spokane’s new Arena. “If so we probably don’t have a whole lot to gripe about.”

Answer: Bonds issued for the Arena will be paid off with local sales and hotel-motel taxes.

But since lawmakers okayed a lottery for a stadium, what other special lotteries might be useful?

Andrea Keith, Spokane: “Let’s have a lottery just to pay the government officials. Then they’ll really have to work because we won’t buy the lottery tickets if they’re not doing what we want them to.”

Charles E. McCollim, Spokane: “I wonder what you would think of one (lottery) for diapers for the neighbors’ dogs and/or cats? We could help a lot of the ‘unemployed’ (mostly by choice, not chance). They would have a regular route. They could change the diapers once a day and shake them out in the pet owner’s own yard.”

Sneezing or non-sneezing?

A couple of leftovers from the issue of smoking in restaurants:

Ron Abernethy, Spokane: “I think reason needs to be employed or the very next thing that could be coming along is that anyone who has a cold would have to have their own separate section so they didn’t infect anybody else.”

Asked for their seating preference, most non-smokers tell the hostess, “non-smoking, but whichever comes first,” says Darlene Lightbody, Spokane. “Therefore, they dine happily among smokers, while other smokers continue to stand waiting for the smoking-area seats which are occupied by non-smokers.”

, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.

“Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.