The Slice: Around here some things never change

Ring out the old, ring in the…

Hey, wait a second. How can we ring out the old when there are unresolved issues?

Is “Spokesman-Review” sexist? How long will “North Idaho” resist the advances of “northern Idaho”?

OK, let’s move on.

“Old business: In January of 2004, The Slice wondered if there would be a market for Spokane Canaries jerseys.

Well, it turns out you actually can buy Canaries T-shirts and sweatshirts. Give me a call and I’ll tell you how.

The Spokane Canaries were a short-lived ice hockey team 90 years ago. They played at a rink on North Elm.

As writers Paul Delaney and Howie Stalwick have noted, there were a couple of interesting details about that team. (Besides having one of the all-time greatest names, that is.)

For one thing, the Canaries were in a league whose champion would go on to compete for the Stanley Cup. Yes, the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, the local squad didn’t win its league’s title.

Also, the guy who ran the team, Lester Patrick, went on to run the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers for decades.

“Quick quiz: Identify NorCom, Initech, GlobeCom and Comtrex.

(Find the answers just before today’s Slice question.)

“Tannenbaum tales: “All of us in our house had a good chuckle when we read your piece on Thursday about Christmas tree ceremonies,” wrote Dan Simmons. “We live on a couple of acres out on the West Plains, and for the last few years we have enjoyed a Christmas tree ceremony of our own.”

But it doesn’t happen right after the yule.

“In the spring, we have a big party which includes a bonfire in our pasture. As we gather around the fire late at night, there is a moment where we announce the ceremonial march of the Christmas trees.”

These trees, which belonged to friends and neighbors, have been lying in the pasture for a few months by that time. They are kindling dry. When each is respectfully placed on the big fire, it practically explodes.

“The ceremony continues until all of the trees have made the march to their final resting place.”

“Quiz answers: NorCom was where Kevin Arnold’s father worked in TV’s “The Wonder Years.”

Initech was the business where much of the action took place in the movie “Office Space.”

GlobeCom was a conglomerate in the movie “In Good Company.”

Comtrex is a cold medicine.

“Today’s Slice question: What do you do that really annoys people?