The Slice: Oh well, at least she wasn’t asleep

How you can tell when someone isn’t really interested in hearing about your vacation?

“A number of years ago, when slide-shows were literally that, we thought we were enthralling our guests with a travelogue,” wrote Shirley Schoenleber. “Until I spied the lady guest attempting to read a magazine by utilizing a stray beam of light from the projector. We took the hint.”

Holiday fare: We hear a lot about the challenge facing vegetarians when Thanksgiving rolls around. But perhaps the Fourth of July is actually the most meat-focused day on the calendar.

Of course, there’s no reason people with different dietary regimens can’t get along on a day that celebrates freedom.

Where “The Jetsons” probably failed as a predictor of the future: “ ‘The Jetsons’ did not anticipate gourmet pet food, a craze for garden chicken-raising or texting,” wrote Karen Mobley.

Erin Rudders noted that the depiction of Jane Jetson failed to anticipate the evolving roles of women in society. And she suggested that, as a yeller, George’s autocratic boss, Mr. Spacely, hardly personified the collaborative team leaders of the future.

Moreover, Ken Stout argued that George’s suspect productivity — arriving at the office and immediately putting his feet up on his desk — lacked plausibility.

The list goes on.

A flying-cars future relying on the industrial production of sprockets and cogs?

Still using paper money?

Of course, the show might have been right about one thing. Maybe trends will come full circle one day and children will once again have names like Judy and Elroy.

Feedback: Reaction to Thursday’s item about Spokane’s uncontrolled intersections was polarized on the level of discussions of abortion/gun rights/police use of deadly force.

Today’s Slice question: Do you take steps to reduce the bacteria risks associated with making sun tea or have you simply decided that you refuse to live in fear and go ahead and make it the way your grandmother did?