The Slice: Stay balmy, San Diego

It was a case of changes in latitude.

After his family flew down to San Diego for a little vacation recently, Tina Wynecoop’s young grandson, Trace, was amazed by the balmy weather.

He had one question: “What month is it down here?”

To boldly go: A friend suggested a sign-off for those who have a hard time ending webcam calls (from Friday’s Slice): “Kirk out.”

Secret talents: Stephanie Zoldak said she can make transcendent French toast.

And Karen Reinhart’s secret talent is that she is a good shot with a gun.

Speaking of secret talents and marksmanship: Remember that scene in the movie version of “To Kill a Mockingbird” where Atticus Finch is asked to shoot the rabid dog down the street? Sure.

Well, have you ever in your whole life seen an adult glasses-wearer casually toss his or her spectacles onto the street the way Atticus does before drawing a bead on the dog? I mean, especially in an era when lenses were easily broken.

It’s a near-perfect movie, but that bugs me every time.

Speaking of firearms: One occasionally hears that there are lots of gun owners who do not support the NRA’s public policy positions. Is that true?

The hotness imperative: Author Stephanie Coontz, who teaches at The Evergreen State College, worried during a radio interview last week that young women are being taught that “The way to empowerment is to display your sexuality.”

That would explain some of the questionable workplace outfits worn by seemingly bright, capable people.

Just wondering: What experience with bureaucracy most reminded you of the “Circumlocution Office” dreamed up by novelist Charles Dickens?

Slice answer: Anne Martin said a blue-chip sports recruit should first make sure he or she likes the college’s fight song.

Super Bowl warm-up question: How many residents of the Inland Northwest have lived in both Wisconsin and Pennsylvania?

Today’s Slice question: Do public-school science teachers in our part of the country hear from parents who don’t want them to teach evolution?