Categories
2002 Pulitzer nominee Life Lessons

The Heck with the Little Guy, Let’s Spend Time with Mr. Big

Loose Leaves column, 1st run Sunday 5 August 2001 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2001 Donrey Media Group Wal-Mart has ruined me for others. By its clout, it can buy in huge quantities and entice us by passing the savings on to us. As you and I know […]

Categories
2002 Pulitzer nominee Life Lessons

Take My Hand, I’m Scared; Let Me Go, I Can Do It

Loose Leaves column, 1st run Sunday 6 May 2001 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2001 Donrey Media Group I am paranoid or sensible enough to fasten the seat belt every time I get in an automobile, without caring that most states, including Arkansas, mandate wearing them. My family […]

Categories
2002 Pulitzer nominee Life Lessons

Go and Sin Some More: You’ll Be A Better Person For It

Where’s the Sin in Synonyms? Loose Leaves column, 1st run Sunday 25 March 2001 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2001 Donrey Media Group There may be seven deadly sins, but we don’t hear much about most of them. The reason is that they have important uses, if not […]

Categories
2001 Pulitzer nominee Life Lessons

Penny Wise, Dollar Smart, Grand Genius: Regis, Pound Me

Loose Leaves, 1st run Sunday 22 October 2000 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2000 Donrey Media Group Penny wise and pound foolish is not a recipe for gluttony. Who needs to follow a recipe for that? We heard it from our elders, who got it from a bloke […]

Categories
2001 Pulitzer nominee Life Lessons

Au Revoir, Adiós Hasta Mañana

Loose Leaves, first run Tuesday 4 April 2000 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben Pollock Copyright 2000 Donrey Media Group Anyone who said he was not afraid of John R. Starr is a liar. The Little Rock newspaperman died April 1. He was only 72; but, when I joined the “Arkansas Democrat” […]

Categories
Life Lessons

Here’s Everything I Know So Far

Loose leaves, 1st run Tuesday 30 March 1999 in The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas By Ben S. PollockCopyright 1999 Donrey Media Group Want some advice? Most, but not all, of the lessons from Mom and Dad remain sound. Isolated quotations from articles or interviews still jump to mind. Bill Clinton’s Rules of Politics resonate […]

Categories
Life Lessons Op-ed Guest Column

A Dinner with Andre

Guest column, 1st run 18 June 1994 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 1994 Ben S. Pollock Jr. Heaven may very well be like a bakery. Think of the smells: wheat bread, onion bagels, cinnamon rolls and doughnuts. The counters are white, its staff is dressed in white. Conversely, good bakeries are […]

Categories
1993 Pulitzer nominee Life Lessons

If It’s in Print, Believe It (or Not)

Mirthology column, 1st run Thursday 17 September 1992 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 1992 Ben S. Pollock Too many people — and you’re probably one of them — disbelieve everything they read. Oh, come on, now. You know who I mean. The other 50 percent (statistical margin or error plus or […]

Categories
1991 Pulitzer nominee Life Lessons

Pay Attention, You Will Be Tested Later

Mirthology column, 1st run Wednesday 4 April 1990 in the Arkansas Democrat By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 1990 Ben S. Pollock NEWS ITEM: A national survey of experts has shown sex education classes thoroughly teach biological aspects of the subject. However, educators have found children also need to learn the relationship of sexuality to society, […]

Categories
Life Lessons

Play’s Song Revives ‘Can-Do’ Memory of Father

Mirthology column, 1st run Wednesday 20 December 1989 in the Arkansas Democrat By Ben S. Pollock Copyright 1989 Ben S. Pollock My father was a funny man, yet I cannot remember any of his jokes, except the last one. He died Dec. 19, 1985, — he was 69, me 28 — and still not a […]