The Slice: If your gifts meow or bark, don’t have a cow about it

If you unexpectedly received a pet as a Christmas present and do not really want it, please don’t abandon it.

If you can’t find a dependable home for it, take it to an animal shelter.

One easy way to spot those who are just here visiting: They seem to assume pedestrians have rights.

In honor of Mark Few’s birthday: What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever heard a GU fan say after a Zags loss?

Today’s family phrase: “When my daughter was 2, I poured her the last bowl of cereal from the box,” wrote Janine Hamilton.

The little girl freaked. “I hate cereal dirt!” she cried.

Ever since then, that’s how her family has referred to the crushed, powdery remnants at the bottom of the cereal box.

The Slice predicts the most popular Spokane area baby names for 2010: Boys: Gnib, McPumpkin, Balloon Boy, Ernest T., Mr. Mxyzptlk, Bud, Fitzwilliam.

Girls: Marmotene, Sonora, Pretenshia, Possum, iMadison, Debitina, Laik.

Two reasons the NHL will never play its annual New Year’s Day outdoor game in Spokane: 1. Spokane doesn’t have an NHL team or a major league outdoor stadium. 2. Too many weather weenies here.

Slice answers: Cheney’s Fritz Stout said you can’t really compare the efficacy of studs in bike tires to studs in car tires.

And Spokane Valley’s Gary W. Smith disagreed that 33 percent of those constantly complaining about political correctness mostly want permission to continue being a jackass. “I think the number is more like 80 percent.”

No rush: You still have six weeks to plan your Super Bowl party or come up with a creative way to express contempt for the whole thing.

Today’s Slice question (finish this sentence): “In our household, 2010 is going to be the year of the …”