Poetry

Cormac McCarthy’s grim Pulitzer winner gets a big-screen adaptation. by Addison Engelking The Road opens with a dreamy, brightly lit montage of domestic tranquility (wife, garden, horse) that is rudely interrupted as a man — excuse me, make that “The Man” (Viggo Mortensen) — awakens from his dreams to confront the gray, lifeless world stretched before him. Months, perhaps years, of subsistence-level misery have settled firmly on the backs of the Man and his son, the Boy (Kody Smit-McPhee... Read Full Story

Cormac McCarthy’s grim Pulitzer winner gets a big-screen adaptation. by Addison Engelking The Road opens with a dreamy, brightly lit montage of domestic tranquility (wife, garden, horse) that is rudely interrupted as a man — excuse me, make that “The Man” (Viggo Mortensen) — awakens from his dreams to confront the gray, lifeless world stretched before him. Months, perhaps years, of subsistence-level misery have settled firmly on the backs of the Man and his son, the Boy (Kody Smit-McPhee... Read Full Story

Democrats’ control locally is in contrast to their crumbling position statewide. by Jackson Baker [image-1]One of the ironies of the current political situation for locals is that Democrats are plainly gaining hegemony in Memphis and Shelby County, while, statewide, the momentum is altogether the other way. County government is heading toward another test of Democratic suzerainty, when Shelby County commissioners have to decide during the next month whom to appoint as the successor to... Read Full Story

By Mark R. Kent December 16, 2009, 10:00PM BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Sewage from overflowing manholes spilled into two Baldwin County creeks during this week’s storms, spilling into Hollinger’s Creek from Bay Minette and Rock Creek from Robertsdale, the Baldwin County Health Department said todauy. Caution is urged by the department to anyone using these waters for recreational reasons. Also, the department said, thoroughly cook any... Read Full Story

Here’s to the Wicked Witch and the White Rat. by Frank Murtaugh I’ve had The Wizard of Oz on my mind as the second month of basketball season gathers momentum. Remember how loyal and deferential the winged monkeys and foot soldiers were to the Wicked Witch until Dorothy washed her away? Remember how they broke into song? “Ding, dong, the witch is dead.” Both the Tigers and Grizzlies seem to have undergone a cultural shift along these lines. However successful the team was under John... Read Full Story

Here’s to the Wicked Witch and the White Rat. by Frank Murtaugh I’ve had The Wizard of Oz on my mind as the second month of basketball season gathers momentum. Remember how loyal and deferential the winged monkeys and foot soldiers were to the Wicked Witch until Dorothy washed her away? Remember how they broke into song? “Ding, dong, the witch is dead.” Both the Tigers and Grizzlies seem to have undergone a cultural shift along these lines. However successful the team was under John... Read Full Story

Petra moves on; Fuel moves in. by Candice Baxter The gas station at the corner of Madison and Auburndale was built in the 1920s to service Model T’s. Until the late ’70s, the Mobil Pegasus stood atop the building directly above the upstairs tire room. When a customer needed a tire, one would be rolled down the narrow stairs into what is now a dining room. In 1997, Hattley’s Garage was remodeled as a restaurant of the same name. More recently, Brad Wilbanks and Sujin Choi had been... Read Full Story

Petra moves on; Fuel moves in. by Candice Baxter The gas station at the corner of Madison and Auburndale was built in the 1920s to service Model T’s. Until the late ’70s, the Mobil Pegasus stood atop the building directly above the upstairs tire room. When a customer needed a tire, one would be rolled down the narrow stairs into what is now a dining room. In 1997, Hattley’s Garage was remodeled as a restaurant of the same name. More recently, Brad Wilbanks and Sujin Choi had been... Read Full Story

by Bruce VanWyngarden I got a nice e-mail from a former colleague this week. He was just checking in, happy holidays and such. But it got me wondering about a mutual former colleague, a guy I hadn’t thought about in years. Pre-Google, my thoughts would have gone like this: Hmmm, wonder whatever happened to ol’ Rob? Did he divorce that hellcat he was married to? Did he stop drinking? Is he still taking pictures? Huh. Oh well. And that pretty much would have… [ Subscribe to the comments on... Read Full Story

by Flyer Readers Pro-Birth Regarding David F. Busby’s letter to the editor (December 10th issue): There is a federal law on the books that does not allow any government money to be used to pay for abortions. Period. No one is “for abortion,” but many people are supportive of the rights of women to make their own choices about their health and their bodies, and that is private between women and their physicians. You are so concerned about “innocent babies.” How concerned are… [ Subscribe... Read Full Story