Stereotypes are tough. Arkansas can move right along, minding its own business with no Huckabee or Clinton (either of them) feeding the 24-hour international news cycle in at least 168 hours, when a politico from my northwestern part of the state, prominent only here, opens his yap. State Sen. Kim Hendren, Republican of Gravette, a […]
Turning the Economy Takes Time
Apparently, it’s not just the banks. It’s not just the automakers. Not just the newspapers. This, from today’s Wall Street Journal: Shoppers continue to pare back spending even on basic household staples, resulting in lower-than-expected sales for Procter & Gamble Co. and Colgate-Palmolive Co. The consumer-products giants are responding by raising prices to keep profits […]
You Say Recession, I Say Tomato
The 24-hour news and/or business channels, which can’t fill the time with analyses and opinions — fresh information only takes a couple of minutes — more frequently use predictions to round out the cycle. Can you take their forecasts to the bank? Can your bank then take them to the Fed? Never mind the truth, […]
Newspaper Stat, NSNC Stet
There’s been e-talk among the membership about renaming the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. I was for it, liked some of the proposals, but now I’m agin it. It’s not that I’m sore that my suggestion, International House of Toast (nod to Bob and Ray) was ignored. We would be following the path of a […]
Introducing Mani
This is dogging me. Now that we have a pup (14 months, actually) joining our two cats, our role in the world is changing fast. My Beloved and I are seen differently. We now number in the society of dog owners, as collegial and helpful, nipping and hypocritical, a group as humanity as a whole. […]
Notta Lotta Matzo
Passover ends at sundown today, its eighth day. Just before the festival week of Pesach began, local stores that carry some kosher products year-round — and a few more items come early spring — began running out of unleavened bread. Again. Must be those Christians. Northwest Arkansas only has a few Jews, who surely are […]