Author: Michael Tilley

Michael Tilley

Getting it right

If Fort Smith is to be successful in developing amenities and infrastructure that support diversified job and wage growth in the region, public-private partnerships (P3s) will be vital. The number…

The micromanaging thing

The debate in Fort Smith between automated and non-automated trash collection with 2,402 households among all 28,673 households is instructive in that it well serves as an obvious symptom of…

A fortunate son

A lot has changed in Mom’s world. The world in 1949, the year of her birth, was a crazy place. Europe was rebuilding its continental economy, the Soviets were rattling…

Celery

A few years back there was this Facebook fad in which a friend would “tag” you to post 25 random things. Or at least that’s how it may have worked….

Recycled memory

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false-face for the urge to rule it. — H.L. Mencken Recently toured several of the fine museums in Chicago. The city…

Complex insanity

Ready, shoot, aim. That’s been for the past several years the modus operandi of the Fort Smith Board of Directors — and that’s giving them credit on the “Ready” portion….

Godvernment

One might think even with a superficial knowledge of history and religion one would see the advantage of avoiding God-based government or government-based God. But the level of support for…

Cool water religion

The realization hit me in the face like cool water spray from a canoe bow plowing through fast-moving sections of the Mulberry or Buffalo rivers. But I was firmly butt-planted…

Uncomfortable awareness

This week begins an effort by The City Wire to focus on the wholly unpleasant topic of child abuse. We do not do this because it is an engaging topic…

Distracted observations

The scattered commentary is posted with apologies to Kind Readers not afflicted with short attention spans.

Cold truth

Tuesday was enlightening; refreshing in the way a pleasant memory reminds us of who we are and from where we come.

General thoughts

And now for a few notes on the news about the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith losing its A-10 planes and mission by mid-2013, and instead receiving what may…

Press on

This particular website real estate is rarely reserved for anything seasoned or respected or smelling of conventional wisdom.

Here we go

Dear Kind Readers: We’re doing this new thing with The City Wire. New look. New people. Not all new people. You’ll continue to have to put up with me. For…

Mostly off target

Riff Raff, by Michael Tilley [email protected] There is this thing called The Arkansas Report that gets e-mailed to a group of subscribers around the state. It is produced by Roby…

Labeling the unlabled

Riff Raff, by Michael Tilley [email protected] An acquaintance recently asked for a review of this “No Labels” group. Here it is. On the first visit to the website, up…

Guys like us

Editor’s note: This essay first appeared Dec. 28, 2008, on The City Wire. It continues to be an appropriate note to begin a new year. Riff Raff, by Michael Tilley…

2011: Get thee behind me

Riff Raff, by Michael Tilley [email protected] A college friend recently inquired on his facebook page, “Hey, has anyone seen 2011? I must of missed it …” His obvious point is…

Enraged and enlightened

Riff Raff, by Michael Tilley [email protected] My closet hero has died. He called Bill Clinton a rapist. He wrote frequently of his distaste for George W. Bush. He was one…

Honored, again

Editor’s note: Following is a repeat of an essay first published Dec. 13, 2009. The essay is republished here as a reminder of the 2011 Christmas Honors effort. Link here…