No one cares what you pundits think about the war. Not your antiwar pundits, not you prowar pundits. And that goes double for poets. Poets, shut the hell up.
Author Archives: Neal Pollack
Posted inNews & Politics
Year in Review 2000
YOU MUST READ THIS ISSUE! Hello, I’m Carol Marin. Welcome to the Reader’s Year in Review. This annual issue was once a model of the form, winning numerous national Year in Review awards. But as the years progressed, commercial considerations began to outstrip artistic ones, and the quality of our Year in Review faltered. We […]
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The Amazing Mr. Ash
From bar gigs to bar mitzvahs, an old-school prestidigitator keeps the magic alive.
Posted inNews & Politics
Petty Crime
August 28, 11 PM, 3800 block of North Greenview. Burglary. Man returned home from Romania to find house ransacked. He told police that he’d given keys to sister-in-law while he went on honeymoon. He added that on honeymoon, wife had left him stranded and cleaned out $14,000 from his bank account. September 14, 9:20 PM, […]
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Coffee Club Closes
As hard as he tried, Don couldn’t drive the final customers away. Finally he just sold the place.
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Petty Crime
August 1, noon, 7400 block of North Hermitage. Theft. Woman took identical twin sister’s driver’s license off dresser and fled house. She told sister that she was assuming her identity and would not return license because she needs it to drive. Sister whose license was taken called police, who declined to make arrest. August 5, […]
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Petty Crime
July 6, 9 PM, 100 block of West North. Assault. Man walked in front of woman’s car as she attempted to make turn. “Don’t hit me, fucker!” man shouted. He then spat at vehicle, hitting woman’s nine-year-old son. Woman flagged down police, who arrested man. He told them he’d spat at the car because he […]
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Petty Crime
June 14, 1 PM, 3400 block of North Southport. Assault. Landlord raised rent of laundromat operator, who refused terms. Landlord told operator he had to move out. Operator threatened to kill landlord, saying, “You destroyed my American dream. My goal is to get you back for what you did.” Police advised landlord to call if […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Chi Lives: blues immortals’ human moments
Raeburn Flerlage was 44 years old when he finally found his vocation. One day in August 1959, a telegram arrived at his south-side home from Moses Asch, the founder of Folkways Records. Asch needed him to go to the Pershing Hotel to photograph blues pianist Memphis Slim for an upcoming album cover. Asch had seen […]
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Petty Crime
April 27, 12:15 PM, 1500 block of West Belle Plaine. Public indecency. Elderly man on church steps across street from high school track pulled open trench coat to reveal pants with hole cut in crotch and began fondling self. Girls in gym class attempted to ignore him. After 40 minutes, police arrived, chased man, and […]
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Copy Cats
Vegas in the 60s: Men were swingers, women were broads, and the Rat Pack ruled the roost. For lounge singer Tony Ocean and his crew, things just haven’t been the same since.
Posted inArts & Culture
Music Notes: good old country comfort
The Chicago Cantonese Amateur Musical Association occupies a somewhat ramshackle but acoustically sound apartment above a nondescript Asian gift store on Cermak Avenue. On any Sunday or Monday, the sounds of Chinese opera and folk songs drift down to the street. The musicians play banjo, guitar, zither, violin, and various percussion instruments, and there’s always […]
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Petty Crime
February 29, 2:55 PM, 200 block of West Merchandise Mart Plaza. Telephone harassment. Offender called CTA offices to complain that PA announcements on trains were too loud. “I’m gonna kill someone over this,” he said. Employees told police that man had called before. March 1, 2:20 AM, 1200 block of West Bryn Mawr. Robbery. Gun-wielding […]
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Petty Crime
February 13, 3 PM, 5300 block of South Maryland. Criminal damage to property. Woman called ex-boyfriend and told him to “go out and see your Valentine’s Day presents.” Man discovered two slashed tires on Cadillac and two on pickup truck. When filling out police report, man listed occupation as “tire buyer.” February 13, 7:30 PM, […]