The Least Seattle Can Do Is Share

When the people marketing pro sports want an entire region to identify with a franchise, they name teams the Utah Jazz, Florida Marlins, Minnesota Vikings, New Jersey Devils and such.

When they take outlying areas for granted, they call them the Seattle Supersonics.

So we can’t help but wonder if a boycott of Seattle sports events by Spokane area fans might lead to new names such as the Washington Mariners or Northwest Seahawks.

Let me finish: Parents reluctant to teach children that it’s rude to interrupt aren’t doing the kids any favor. Yes, these doting moms and dads don’t want to stifle the youngsters’ inquisitive minds and burning creative genius. But in the real world, you wait your turn.

Now it’s true that lots of adults show little hesitance about interrupting others. But that doesn’t mean those people are admired.

The one exception we might grant would be that maybe it’s not a totally bad thing to encourage girls to interrupt now and then. Studies indicate boys and men interrupt conversations way more often than girls and women. And that’s not fair.

All right, we know what you are thinking. You are picturing a few women you know who interrupt people like mad. OK, such women exist. We all know it. But watch them. Social science research suggests they probably interrupt other women far more often than they interrupt men.

Five things people remember:

1. Sincere understated condolences.

2. The experience of fasting for more than 48 hours.

3. Having an idea blatantly stolen.

4. That 1968 song featuring the line, “Yummy, yummy, yummy, I’ve got love in my tummy.”

5. Erroneous “facts of life” lessons imparted by childhood peers.

Your homework assignment: Compare and contrast society’s attitudes about sport utility vehicles and breast-feeding in public.

Never underestimate Spokane: It was lunchtime at a downtown restaurant. This older guy who apparently viewed himself as a character responded to something a waiter asked by saying, “Ja.”

He quickly added, “That’s German for yes.”

So the waiter, a pleasant young man, started speaking German.

The old guy was flummoxed.

Warm-up question: Which is cutest - polar bear cubs, cougar babies or collie pups?

Today’s Slice question: What is the Spokane area’s favorite 3 a.m. snack?

, DataTimes MEMO: The Slice appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098. It’s not a good sign when you find yourself regularly calculating your based-on-longevity severance pay.