The Slice Manito Marmot Fills In For Punxsutawney Phil
The Inland Northwest’s version of Punxsutawney Phil would have to be a marmot, according to most of those responding to a recent Slice question.
“A skunk” finished second.
One reader suggested that the marmot in question would pop out of a pothole and see its shadow.
Others said this special rodent could be counted on to forecast, among other things, the Bloomsday weather, upcoming air quality, whether it will be a hot summer and when Steve Eugster will next sue the city of Spokane.
She didn’t think it was cute: A woman shopping for her granddaughter in the Valley was dismayed to come across outfits for little girls adorned with the message “Keep your hands off my man.”
At least they didn’t say “Show me the money.”
It means you’re normal: If you perpetually have about half a dozen household projects near completion but seldom actually get one finished.
Given the chance, computers will kill you: Tonight on KSPS-TV, it’s 1968’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Even if you don’t find it all that mind-blowing anymore, it’s still fun to annoy friends by loudly reciting memorable lines moments before the actors say them. Our favorites?
“Open the pod bay door, Hal.”
And “What are you doing, Dave?”
In the matter of writing “the couple are”: Please stop beating up on the nice young woman who handles the IN Life section’s wedding announcements. We know it looks odd to many readers. But she’s just going by the Associated Press Stylebook’s admonition that “couple,” when used in the sense of two people as opposed to a single unit, takes plural verbs.
Helpful hint: A reader said zapping a block of frozen baby wipes in the microwave thaws them in a hurry.
Warm-up question from Louise Long: “How do you feel about pets in the workplace?”
Speaking of pets: Nine-year-old Jesse Hall, Rebecca Lind and several other readers said “Wishbone” is their dogs’ favorite TV show. It probably doesn’t hurt that a pooch is the star of that PBS program.
Val Ellingson has a golden retriever fond of “Grizzly Adams.”
Today’s Slice question: If a real volcano blew Wallace away, how would national news media cover it?
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo
MEMO: The Slice appears Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098. One great way to mess with certain people’s minds is to use “Star Trek” terminology when referring to “Star Wars.”