New Safety Program: Bus Riders Wear Helmets

Nadine Asher was riding an STA bus when she saw one of those “Safe Bus” signs fall down and hit another passenger on the head.

The cardboard placard - which alerts riders that a plainclothes police officer might be aboard - didn’t faze the sixtysomething woman it struck. But everyone got a kick out of it when Asher noted what the sign said.

More impressively calloused hands: Polly Thompson said she has had occasion to examine the hands of a hammer thrower who is a member of the University of Idaho track and field team. And she doubts that anyone could top his calluses and blood blisters.

And with that, we conclude our exploration of this subject. No, we’re not tired of hearing about hard-working hands. We’re just weary of the fact that “callus” is the noun and “calloused” is the adjective.

Today’s Slice question: Why do so many Inland Northwesterners seem to love hot weather to an abnormal degree?

a.) the presence of all these sun-starved recovering Seattleites.

b.) because lots of people here don’t know what truly hot weather is.

c.) it stems from viewing water sports as religion.

d.) we savor opportunities to ask, “Hot enough for ya?”

e.) belief that open pores are the key to enlightenment.

f.) misguided notion that Jimmy Buffett is singing our song.

g.) it provides an opening for saying, “It’s too hot to cook.”

h.) belief that sweating makes you smarter and more attractive.

i.) adults’ mistaken impression that they get the summer off, too.

j.) the idea that blotting your forehead 75 times a day is fun.

k.) confused notion that heat stroke has something to do with golf.

l.) it’s the ideal weather for kicking back and enjoying a dozen coldies before passing out on the lawn.

m.) conducive to wearing the official Inland Northwest uniform.

n.) that “Gonna kill somebody” look late-term pregnant women get.

o.) the joys of riding in a convertible and scoring a wicked sunburn.

p.) getting to interrogate kids running lemonade stands about whether they’ve had hepatitis shots.

q.) chlorine hair.

r.) it’s all something to do with a weird Global Warming cult.

s.) the presence hereabouts of so many people still defrosting from childhood winters in Montana.

t.) the hope that someone around here will learn how to make iced tea.

u.) “acts of passion.”

v.) popsicles.

w.) gin and tonics on the deck.

x.) “Baja British Columbia” psychographics.

y.) because Spokane’s TV weathercasters just seem so gosh darned perky when it’s hot.

z.) other.