The Slice: Sure way to compete in this dog-eat-dog world

Strange things can happen when mailing lists get sold and resold.

The Slice heard about a local dog that has received personally addressed correspondence from a credit card company, the U.S. Marines and Apollo College.

The canine reportedly has shown no interest in signing up for a charge card or joining the military. But a training program for becoming a veterinary assistant — specializing in cats — is said to have caught his eye.

OK, where were we: Oh, yeah. Well-traveled camping gear.

“Our sleeping bags have been driven through and slept in in every state in the U.S.A. (except Hawaii) and all Canadian provinces and territories (excluding Newfoundland & Labrador and Nunavut),” wrote Sam Riddlesberger.

One reader wonders: “Are Spokanites really as obsessed with the weather as our TV channels seem to be?” wrote Charles Taggart.

Perhaps. But maybe it has something to do with the challenges of producing a local news show with constrained budgets and smaller staffs. Really though, I think the actual reason for local TV’s weather emphasis is to annoy me.

Monday night, during a happy-talk segue, an anchor noted the prospect for precipitation in the extended forecast. She used the expression “R-word.”

The weather guy, a voice of reason, gently explained that we could use some rain.

Back to school: Here’s hoping that at least a few of the kids who endure terrible situations at home cross paths with some of the special teachers in our community.

Rumors of a civil society: I asked an employee at the vehicle emissions testing station on Hamilton about the percentage of drivers who totally lose it when informed that their car or truck did not pass. “Very few,” he said. “But it happens.”

Warm-up question: How do you respond when a business all but bribes you to write a positive review of their service on a customer-feedback website?

Today’s Slice question: How many couples have broken up at Pig Out in the Park?