Categories
Technical Difficulties

Travel Plans

Wednesday, My Beloved and I head to Philadelphia for the annual conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. It starts with a Thursday night reception, but I need to be at the hotel at 2 for the board meeting. I have created Brick subsets for two previous conferences, in Dallas and Boston, and a […]

Categories
News, Spin

Passable Port

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, following a Senate committee endorsing a similar measure (so that whole body likely will follow), overwhelmingly (379-45) approved a 17-month delay in mandating U.S. citizens showing their passports when flying back from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. (“Congress passports” as key words for your news search will focus […]

Categories
Body, Home, Street

Dining on Fumes

For years, my Beloved and I enjoyed Sunday brunch at Common Grounds, on Fayetteville’s Dickson Street. It serves as the whole region’s club district for those half-dozen blocks comprise a variety of restaurants and bars, not coincidentally adjacent to the University of Arkansas. Common Grounds is an espresso joint but with a kitchen just supple […]

Categories
Body, Home, Street

Almanac You

Copyright 2007 Ben S. Pollock New anythings to town are governed by a series of publicity stunts. A new business will send out announcements that it has been formed, that it has hired executives, it has bought land, it is breaking ground, setting a cornerstone and so on. Even communities do similar things for, say […]

Categories
News, Spin

Thrust, Parry and the Other One

By which is meant, when you withdraw the rapier to prepare to strike again, as parry means to deflect and thrust is thrust. Crossing swords naturally refers to former President Carter’s blunt criticism over the weekend of current President Bush, particularly his foreign policy. Can’t get harsher than say “the worst,” which is the quote. […]

Categories
Brick Bats Reportage

No Lone Zone

We visited family over the weekend, driving almost six hours to Warrensburg-Knob Noster, Mo. A half-dozen or so in-laws were there, for the retirement ceremony of a 25-year airman, a stepbrother-in-law. His last deployment was to Whiteman Air Force Base. The career began in fuels and ended in the branch’s financing branch, ensuring personnel and […]