The story of the June 14, 1986, croquet match played by former Arkansas Attorney General Steve Clark was so memorable to me I did not bother to check the facts when I summarized it last week. I had documents, I kept them in a file — a real manila paper folder, not an icon on …
Monthly Archives: July 2008
Hey, Sweetie
As a youngster from the South, I thought cane sugar was the only kind there was. Then, four years at a California university didn’t change that. The Safeways of the area sold cane sugar in 5 and 10 pound sacks. In my first job, a news producer at KFJM–FM and KFJM-AM, Public Radio for the Upper …
Green Machines
Hands up for all who’ll be watching any bit of the national party conventions. Yes, I’ll avoid it, too. None of them has been on the excitement level even of a State of the Union address. If there’s something huge, a stupendous announcement, or an election-risking gaffe, conventions or presidential addresses are rebroadcast so often …
A Little Magazine
For decades, The New Yorker arrived 52 weeks a year, on the same day, must’ve been Tuesday, in Mom and Dad’s mailbox in Fort Smith. Rarely, it came on Wednesday. A little while before it dropped to 47 issues annually, the regular day ended, annoying Mom to no end. It might be at the bookstore …
Mallets Aforethought
Copyright 2008 Ben S. Pollock The race for mayor of Fayetteville seems to have a full roster although the filing period is Aug. 6–26. A surprise candidate or two would be welcome, especially if they’re capable sorts. All of the announced candidates could be competent. While this is no endorsement — though a pooh-bah I …
Roger That 404
When you click from one Internet page to another and you get a message saying “we were unable to find” it, sometimes including the phrase Error 404, there’s a problem, Houston. Brick is having just that issue. Please bear with me, and WordPress, while I try to figure it out, or get them to fix …
Three School Monte
Copyright 2008 Ben S. Pollock DATELINE MIRTHOLOGY — With a maneuver some describe as canny, the Greenland School District annexed Fayetteville Public Schools, officials with both announced Wednesday morning. The new body will be called the Greater Greenland School District and will use the facilities and personnel of both. Thus, three high schools will educate …
Callback Around Every Corner
Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports … the thrill of victory … and the agony of defeat … the human drama of athletic competition. … This is ABC’s Wide World of Sports!“ – Stanley Ralph Ross, famously intoned by recently deceased Jim McKay. Copyright 2008 Ben S. Pollock II of II The …
Living in Boxes
Copyright 2008 Ben S. Pollock I of II Decades never start on a zero or one and never end on a nine or zero (depending on how you count). The 1960s, for example, was (not were) approximately 1967 to 1974. Beginning in my 20s — which started when I was 22, the week after I graduated from …
Arson Wells
Book report: An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England, by Brock Clarke Panning a novel that I devoured in 50– to 80-page chunks approaches being disingenuous. Perhaps an An Arsonist’s Guide, released in fall 2007 to overall glowing reviews (though readers on amazon.com gave it only three of five stars), amused me even …
