The Slice: Anne might not be thrilled

So now there’s a new wrinkle in the whole matter of how “Spokane” is pronounced.

We all know about outsiders’ tendency to say “Spo-cane.”

Sure. That’s old news.

But a national TV commercial has raised the possibility of yet another pronunciation variable.

Maybe you’ve seen it. It’s for AT&T’s cell phone network and features actor Luke Wilson. He’s standing on a big map of the United States and appears to be tossing postcards one by one in the directions of a variety of American cities, large and small.

The very first place mentioned? That would be Spokane. Or, as Wilson’s enunciation strikes some ears, “Poh-can.”

Yes, there are those who insist the paid pitchman drops the S.

My own impression is that the S can be heard, even if it’s clipped and indistinct.

But if enough TV viewers across the country see that commercial and hear the name of our fair city as ’Pokane, we might have yet another civic identity challenge on our hands.

Of course, if the pronunciation that sticks in Americans’ minds is closer to “Poke-Anne,” there might be some marketing potential there.

Slice answer: Spokane’s Barb Silvey, who travels a lot to officiate collegiate volleyball and tennis, listed the cities with her three favorite airports: 3. Salt Lake City. 2. Portland. 1. Charleston, S.C.

Bob Strong’s tactic for quieting small barking dogs: He imitates a cougar’s growl. A friend of his who is a wildlife biologist has praised his big-cat impression for its realism.

Strong did it for me over the phone and I have to say, it’s pretty good.

I guess we all have different skill sets.

What can you do?

Today’s spirit-o’-the-season Slice question: What evidence would you cite to make the case that there is no such thing as angels?