Buzz Bin

by Inlander Staff & r & & r & Speed Trap & r & In pursuit of their prey, cheetahs can maintain a speed of 60 mph. That thought recurred when out for a run in North Central the other day, where a motorcycle traffic cop was parked by the curb.


"Excuse me, officer. Could you put the gun on me?"


"Sure." Brief moment of panic: He knew we meant the speed gun, right?


"Eight!" came the shout. We'd accelerated with pride -- and all he could offer was 8 miles an hour?


We thanked the nice policeman, but he was probably thinking, "Son, if a cheetah wanted you for dinner...."





How? Whoa! & r & Searching for a middle-of-the-city urban adventure? How about falling backwards down the slide of the Riverfront Park Radio Flyer? Nah. Then how about witnessing a live, raging powwow in the same park next week? The earth will shake with the power of drums and pounding feet during several dance competitions of the 17th annual Spokane Falls Northwest Indian Encampment and Powwow. Open 10 am-10 pm on Friday-Saturday and 10 am-5 pm on Sunday; the grand entries are Friday-Saturday at 7 pm and on Saturday-Sunday at 1 pm. Call 568-3196.





Kermit Sighting on Perry & r & Saturday night's showing of The Muppet Movie at the Shop brought back a flood of childhood memories for us. Also, a heightened appreciation for Jim Henson's team of gag writers -- three-quarters of the jokes in that film flew right over our heads as kids. Including the gem from a scene in which Kermit and Miss Piggy's dinner is interrupted by their annoyed, sarcastic waiter (Steve Martin in short shorts), who presents them with a 95-cent bottle of what he calls "sparkling muscatel -- one of the finest wines of Idaho." Martin pours it into their plastic champagne glasses (with straws) after sniffing the bottle cap to make sure it's still good. You don't see that kind of humor on Bob the Builder.





Crouching Bull, Hidden Terrier & r & Spokane's version of the Kingston Trio, the Terriers, will perform folk songs, pop tunes, comedy routines and impressions next weekend at the Davenport Hotel's Peacock Room. Jerry Altig, Dave Vik and Jerry Thomas began singing together when they were students at WSU in the 1960s -- which, not coincidentally, is back when Purple Bulls were the most famous mixed drink in the Davenport's Matador Room. (The recipe's a secret, but they used to be served with their own hand-blown glass swizzle sticks with, you guessed it, a purple bull on the end, wearing its own little metal bell.)


Order yourself a Purple Bull and listen to the Terriers on Aug. 31 at 8 pm and 9 pm and on Sept. 1-2 at 9 pm and 10 pm. Call 455-8888.