Press Talk: Get jiggy with it & a good friend

Win lunch with Lou.

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Dina Elizabeth Hovde

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Look, the world would be a better place if we all got jiggy withit.

Huh? youre probably saying now. Let me explain.

I was thinking about those tiny cheeseburgers that I love so muchfrom White Castle.

For years, regular folks nicknamed them sliders because, ah, theyslide right down your throat.

I suspect the parent company hated the reference at first butthen embraced it. Now everyone who makes a small burger cant wait tocall them sliders.

What about that other burger joint, McDonalds? The nerve of somepeople to nickname it Mickey Ds. The company now uses it in some ofits advertisements.

And Federal Express? Well, so many people nicknamed it FedEx theyopted to officially change the name of the company.

So that brings me to our Vancouver. I was checking out someInternet domain names this week. And guess what is being bought upby the boatload?

The nickname The Couv.

Youre welcome to take your shot at buying some domain with couvor couve in it, but many of them are gone.

But heres the deal. If more and more folks are referring to us asThe Couv, then why dont we (dramatic pause required here) officiallychange our name to that?

The mo is there!

So what would be working against us? We keep thinking like oldpeople, people!

Throw out the top hats. Become cool cats.

Hey, if we could fix Main Street so that it actually flows intotown, not just out, we could fix anything.

The Couv could reinvigorate the city, put a swagger in our swing,plus lower the incidence of cavities.

Yes, it could be that good.

Free lunch, free lunch

So heres a chance to win a free lunch with me. In 50 words orless, tell me why you feel changing our name to The Couv would begood for the city, good for its residents. This is an e-mail- and/or website-only contest. Id encourage teachers (who could send hard-copy entries) to use it as a fun class exercise for creativethinking and creative writing.

Deadline is Friday, Feb. 11.

Now, get jiggy with it!

Elizabeth Hovde

Many of you will remember Elizabeth Hovde. She was a member ofour editorial board and wrote a column for us for a decade.

A few years ago, Elizabeth was looking for more flexibility inher schedule. She and her husband have two young sons, and we allknow how that goes. Eventually, she found a good match with TheOregonian as a contract writer.

Many of us here were very sorry to see her leave, but life leadsus down many different paths.

Then last week, we received some difficult news. Elizabeth hadbeen in a serious skiing accident at Mount Hood. She wore a helmet,but despite her safety measures, she remains hospitalized.

As you might imagine, medical bills with something like thismount up quickly, so an account has been established at iQ CreditUnion to help. Its the DE Hovde Fund, account number 194436. Youcould write a check to the DE Hovde Fund, iQ Credit Union, PO Box1739, Vancouver, WA 98668.

I missed Elizabeths energy beginning on the day she left TheColumbian. She was bright, witty and tough. If you thought you couldback her down in a philosophical fight ... well, think again.

So now shes in another fight, and Im certain shell win this oneas well.

But those medical bills! Thanks for considering.

Lou Brancaccio is The Columbians editor. Reach him at 360-735-4505 or lou.brancaccio@columbian.com.

Vote on The Couv as a name on our poll at www.columbian.com.