They’Re In A Bracket All By Themselves

No offense.

But we have a theory about the folks who run NCAA Tournament office pools: Though they’ll soon be drunk with power, these people tend to be lonely souls crying for attention.

* Wiener dogs on parade: Sheryl Hammons has an idea. She thinks it would be neat if dachshund owners got together and marched with their pooches in the St. Patrick’s Parade next weekend.

Want details? E-mail her at mark.sheryl.hammons@cwix.com.

* Blankie stories (Part 3): When Sue Quinn’s daughter, Diana, was born 32 years ago, the baby’s great aunt made her a special blanket.

Years later, after Diana had gotten married, her dog, Peaches, claimed it. Then when her son, Austin, arrived on the scene, he assumed control of the blanket. Now Diana’s daughter, Brianna, has her eye on it.

“If you hold it up, you can see daylight through it,” said Sue Quinn.

And here’s one from G. Abbott of Nordman, Idaho.

“Our then 10-month-old son came under a heavy-duty ridicule attack from visiting friends for holding on to his dear blankie with one arm as he happily blew good-night kisses to them with his free arm.

“Smugly, they announced, `Our bundle of joy gets a different blanket every night so she’ll never need a security blanket.

“A year later, we were visiting them in late October. Their 2-1/2-year-old bundle of joy screamed bloody blue murder at bedtime until they finally plunked the 20-pound jack-o’-lantern they’d gotten for Halloween into the crib with her.

“My husband waited until all the adults were settled in the living room to ask, `So, how long has she been needing a security pumpkin?’ “

* Inland Northwest’s best town clerk: According to Norma Becker, mayor of Colfax, it’s Emily Adams. “She is the person we all go to for help and information … her ability to insert reasonable substance into an unreasonable situation along with her other attributes allows all who know her to love and respect her.”

* Slice answer: Travis Kays still quotes lines from “Vision Quest.”

* Warm-up question: Is there any difference between volunteering one time to help out with a fund-raising project for your kid’s school and signing up for a lifetime of indentured servitude?

* Today’s Slice question: If some toy maker lost its mind and decided to produce an action figure based on you at your workplace, what would be some of the accessories?

(For us, it would include the Phone o’ Doom and Ninja Notebook.)