The Slice: They’ll wash it down with some skunky beer

Slice reader Mike Conley has identified a community problem that many refuse to acknowledge.

It’s this. People leaving pet food outside has resulted in Spokane becoming a hotbed of skunk obesity.

That stinks.

Do we really want to become known as a city of porky polecats? Of course not.

Now people probably aren’t going to discontinue the practice of putting food in outdoor dog dishes or in bowls for cats. And rodents are certain to keep finding these snacks. So what to do?

“No Skunks” signage might not work. So perhaps placing little treadmills near the food dishes is the way to go.

Just wondering: Longtime readers with well-oiled memories might recall when I spent a day in 1997 walking around downtown Seattle sporting a big button that read “Ask Me About Spokane!”

The button featured black lettering on a pink background. And, yes, a number of people did ask.

Anyway, if you were going to walk around in Spokane with an interaction-inviting button, what would it say?

In the matter of who does the driving: “Paul, at my age, driving is the last vice I have,” wrote Jeff Brown. “I’ve quit some of them, God took some of them. I’m left with eating, driving and – as you know – bothering people on the Internet. Until recently it’s never been a problem. The women I’ve been associated with over the years have been content to let me do the driving.

“Currently I’m ‘associated’ with a lady who also loves to drive. So it’s a hassle. We’ve resolved it by having whomever’s (is that right?) car is being taken do the driving. So, of course, we argue over whose car will be taken.”

For Lynn Aus and his wife, deciding is pretty easy.

He drives during the day. She drives at night.

WARM-UP QUESTION: Have you ever tripped and fallen as a result of altering your stride so that you could kick a horse chestnut?

TODAY’s SLICE QUESTION: Should The Slice have another autumn leaves photo contest?