Categories
Loose Talk of the Town

Vuvuzela Monologues – Ads

Here’s some vuvuzela blasts to advertisements of the you-must-be-kidding sort. Virtually all of these are from the Sunday newspaper coupon sets. Because these go a long way to paying my salary, please buy every one of these. They’re fine products at honest prices. • • • Del Monte has a new campaign for its canned […]

Categories
Mr. Boo Klist

Finally, a Book List

This is a list, a record, an accounting. Dull in some lights, if not pretentious, condescending and childish: Look at what I’ve been reading, Mommy! But in recent years, I’ve heard of more people keeping lists of books they’ve read. I’ve enjoyed looking at them. Nick Hornby’s is a feature in The Believer magazine. Of course, […]

Categories
Loose Talk of the Town

Vuvuzela Monologues

As long as soccer’s World Cup has made the vuvuzela stadium noisemaker a common word in America, Brick wants to horn in on its ubiquity for a new series of short takes. Today, it’s skin and drama. • • • Speaking of vuvuzela, one rash has come home to roost, on my left forearm. Until […]

Categories
Main Courses

Ratatouille Not Twee

The Fourth of July calls for red, white and blue. But if it’s independence we’re celebrating, why not red, green, yellow and purple? Ratatouille is a southern European, mid-summer, vegetarian casserole, ideal for when you return from the farmers market with way too much. The chickpeas make this a one-pot meal; bread crumbs are to […]

Categories
Chronicles of Crystal Britches

From Moma to Mopa

Copyright 2010 Ben S. Pollock DATELINE MIRTHOLOGY — My client Crystal Britches was sweltering in her plastic rain gear. It neared 90 this morning at the Fayetteville Farmers Market — nearly all the summer veggies were available but no musicians or sidewalk artists — but the forecast had projected rain. “Hon’. I thought I’d find […]

Categories
News, Spin

Helen Thomas, Ripped in Pieces

A statement on Helen Thomas from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, written by Ben Pollock as its vice president, edited by informal committee: For decades, Helen Thomas has been a paragon for younger journalists and her closing her career as a bad role model provides lessons as well, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists […]