The Slice: It borders on political insanity

One drawback to being a Washington resident is you can’t vote in Idaho elections.

There’s no telling how many people living west of the state line have seen campaign ads on TV for certain Gem State political candidates and thought, “Man, I’d really love to vote against that nitwit.”

It almost goes without saying that the reverse is true, too. Lots of Idaho residents must have wished at one time or another that they could cast a ballot in a Washington race.

Of course, it’s not as if all of us get our way in the elections held in our own states. Still, it feels good to at least stand up and be counted.

When all you can do is watch from the other side of the fence, it’s frustrating.

But try not to obsess about this. You wouldn’t want people to conclude that you have a borderline personality disorder.

“Early returns: Here are a couple of responses to questions in The Slice’s 2006 Teen Baby Sitter Survey.

In the matter of nicknames, one 14-year-old girl had a fairly graphic answer.

“One of the kids I baby-sat shot a particular brand of soup out his nose, earning him the name Top Ramen.”

Another girl, also 14, admitted that, yes, she did find herself judging the parenting styles of her employers. “But hey, they’re their kids.”

“Feedback: After Mick Jagger said “Spo-cane,” I asked readers to suggest names for an annual award acknowledging the highest-profile mispronunciation of “Spokane.”

“The Mis-Spokun.” — David Rudy

“The Spokannery.” — Sean Williams

“The Cane-Can.” — Carol Woodward

“The Rosebud.” — Maggie Fritz

“The Mick.” — Bruce Robinson

“Just wondering: Did you note in a wedding announcement in Tuesday’s paper that one couple had the reception at Chuck E. Cheese?

“Slice answer: Do the people with whom you work ever actually talk about anything pertaining to the business?

“Yes, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) that is ALL we talk about,” wrote Shirl Foien. “Real estate, real estate, real estate. Never a dull moment in our business.”

“Classy Spokane: A local woman undergoing a bone-density test identified the machine’s accompanying tones as “an octave.”

And the attending technician noted that most people said it sounded like a slot machine.

“Today’s Slice question: When thinking about the struggle for control of the thermostat in your home or office, what war, battle or civil uprising comes to mind?