Skip to content

Category Archives: Brick Bats Reportage

Real reporting: incomplete, unbalanced — but fair.

Valiance

Copyright 2008 Ben S. Pollock
Over the decade (since February 1998) that we’ve lived in Northwest Arkansas, Ginny and Nick Masullo have thrown the most fantastic and memorable, surreal and comforting parties. Some involved costumes, a number had modest bonfires, and all had warmth, lots of food and a truly wide assortment of guests. The one [...]

It’s Them or It’s Them

The other day as I was leaving a specialty store (as opposed to “general merchandise”) a fellow whose wife I used to work with waved hello. What we have in common is her so I asked and learned in brief that she’s been award more responsibilities at her job and is pretty happy. Wrapping those [...]

Sign Sign Everywhere A

American Airlines is a proud member of something called the Oneworld Alliance, which is a group of 10 airlines combining for the booking of reservations etc. but otherwise independent from one another.
Or is it? Are they?
From an American jet we took Friday, taxiing to the gate at Dallas/Fort Worth, we saw a huge banner hung, [...]

Concerto in Improvidoodle

Review: An Evening with Bobby McFerrin, Chick Corea and Jack DeJohnette, Sunday 13 April 2008, Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville
As admirable as jazz critics like Gary Giddins and Nat Hentoff are, even they couldn’t describe last night’s evening of “free jazz” adequately. It’d be like explaining a joke, ruins it. I won’t try, but surely a [...]

Benazir Campaigns in Fayetteville

The week of October 21, 2002, was extraordinary in Fayetteville. This is a vibrant college town so prominent lecturers shouldn’t be that unusual but to have three in a week was special. Bill Clinton coming up was not unusual; he’s probably here about once a year. On Monday the 21st, though, he helped dedicate a [...]

I Saw a Real Santa

Taking a note from a weekend column, I spent an hour at Northwest Arkansas Mall, about 4:30 to about 5:30, on Christmas Eve, to enjoy the crowds without being a part of them, (Phil’s father in the essay, having gifts all bought, enjoyed the spectacle), though if something caught my eye for My Beloved, I’d [...]

Dim These Bulbs?

The Demzette reported Monday that the downtown Fayetteville annual Christmas lights this year cost $93,884. The little city foresees budget problems in 2008, and this certainly looks expendable.
Of course it is. Twinkly lights as opposed to road repair and police patrols? It’s a wonder it’s lasted this long without being privately funded by donors, charities [...]

Strike for Freedom

Copyright 2007 Ben S. Pollock
Got a crazy idea the other day: I need matches. The Shady Hill manse is running out, and we had few to begin with. We’re not ones to collect matchbooks at restaurants and bars with regularity so, now that essentially no business hands them out, we don’t have the means to [...]

Closeted

Copyright 2007 Ben S. Pollock
The other day, I came out of the closet to my wife. To my relief, she saw what I had been up to and was delighted.
I’ve been meaning to do this for eight years, and once ready, it surprisingly took less than a week. Despite the arrival of cooler weather, every [...]

Get Right with Lucinda

Copyright 2007 Ben S. Pollock
Lucinda Williams brings out passions in people. It’s not as black or white as love her or hate her, though that’s what’s you hear. Here at Shady Hill manse, the instant that My Beloved or I hear she’s coming to sing, we tell our friends then buy tickets.
While Fayettevillians and others [...]