The Slice: The Court of Slice Appeals is now in session

It’s too late to use one as a stocking stuffer.

But if you think you deserved a coveted reporter’s notebook in 2016 but did not receive one, there’s still time to make your case before the end of the year.

The window for filing your appeal snaps shut in just a few days.

Perhaps, back in January, you correctly identified Jess Wade, Toby Kwimper, Deke Rivers, Rusty Wells, et cetera, as characters Elvis played in movies. But for one reason or another, yours truly neglected to send you a notebook.

Or maybe, after reading about Buffet Pants Jones, Tartar Sauce Thompson, Ballcap Burnham and others, you answered The Slice’s call for great Spokane nicknames. But as a result of some personal failing of my own, I neglected to reward your submission with a notebook.

Perhaps you liked your answer to the question about how a Spokane comic book superhero might have acquired his or her strange, mysterious powers, but for some inexplicable reason I did not. Feel free to appeal.

Or what if your submission regarding the perfect Spokane sign/countersign passwords deserved a notebook but I was too dense to realize it?

Or maybe I stupidly underrated your answer to the question about succinct advice to a graduating high school senior. Perhaps I can make amends.

Back in July, readers were offered a notebook for the best answer regarding why birds “bomb” open convertibles. Then, on Aug. 30, I sent notebooks to readers celebrating their birthday on that date. Perhaps I should have mailed you one.

In September, I asked what would be the symptoms if “newspaper carrier” referred to someone afflicted with the dreaded “newspaper” virus. Maybe your excellent answer went right over my head.

Then there was the time The Slice offered a coveted reporter’s notebook in exchange for the best answer regarding how I should feel about having my column mug shot covered up by a sticker promoting a marijuana store. It could be that I was too stoned to realize your answer deserved recognition.

So please approach the bench.

Today’s Slice question: Pat Cadagan weighed in on the matter of what if Santa’s operation were based at the South Pole.

That would cause problems, he said. For one thing, the reindeer would be pulling uphill on their big night. Santa would probably need to add eight more of the amazing ungulates.

What to name them? That would be up to Santa, I suppose. But feel free to make suggestions.

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Peter Yocom noted that I dated myself by referring the comic strip character Sluggo.