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This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

The Slice: Some of the best birthday wishes are those that have lofty intentions

Earlier this week, on her late husband’s birthday, Gladys Griffith’s young great-grandson decided to tie a cupcake to some helium balloons and send it up to Grandpa.

It didn’t work. But it lifted a few hearts.

Today’s tip on how to be cheap: Get Spokane artist LR Montgomery to give you one of his stylish business cards. Then frame and display the painting reproduced on it.

“Oh, yes. It’s one of his smaller works. But I like it.”

Slice answer: “If I am stood up there is only one excuse I will perhaps accept: that my date died,” wrote Nadine Joubert.

Some engineers are furry and have four legs: The battle of wits between my dental hygienist and her cat continues. This feline’s ability to figure out how to circumvent ever-escalating defensive measures and trigger unauthorized servings from an automatic feeder makes me wonder if it knows how to use a protractor and slide-rule.

Job interview question: Back in 1984, Patsy Thompson was applying for a position in a small Idaho town. At the very end of the interview, she was asked, “So what’s with your son’s hair?”

It was a mullet, though the style had yet to acquire that name.

Thompson didn’t have much of an answer. But she got the job.

Film review: It’s easy to make a case against going to a movie theater these days. I don’t need to list the 14 reasons.

But then you wouldn’t get to see a tiny girl carrying a cask-like drink exactly the size of her torso.

See you at “Secretariat” next month.

For the record: Quite a few readers on both sides of the Washington/Idaho line mentioned other-state political candidates they would enjoy voting against. I’ll keep the names to myself. I have been accused of having opinions and I wouldn’t want that grim fate to befall my contributors.

Today’s Slice question (True or False): The following exchange comes from a pair of Spokane TV anchors discussing the distant prospect of snow.

Speaker A: “I bet you can squeal like a pig.”

Speaker B: “Wheeee! Wheeeeeeeeee!”

Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098; e-mail pault@spokesman.com. Sure seems like there are a lot of doctors here who ride bicycles.

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